157: Chapter 157 The Lesser Ways of Military Administration

The silence lasted for a long time.

Qin Ce stood to the side, not speaking, not rushing, and not exerting any pressure.

He was simply waiting.

Waiting for these people to make their own decisions.

Finally, someone spoke up.

“Captain, as far as I know, when an ordinary person refines a fierce beast egg, the highest they can refine is one tier above their own.” The voice came from the crowd; it wasn't loud, but it was steady.

Qin Ce looked over; it was that undocumented resident, Chang Yang.

His Ice-armored Rhinoceros's foundation had been damaged by lava-type skills and had yet to recover, but his vision and knowledge were still there.

“Captain, you said you refined those fierce beast eggs at the Bronze Rank. Then, logically speaking, the highest they should reach is Silver Rank. It’s impossible for them to be Gold Rank.”

Qin Ce looked at him without offering any defense. He didn't say "My situation is different," or "I have a special talent," or "You can try it if you don't believe me."

He simply nodded and said a single sentence: “I am certain these eight are the ones I refined when I was at the Bronze Rank. I also take responsibility for what I said before; there is not a single word of falsehood.”

“Furthermore, I will not hold any prejudice against you because of your choice.”

He paused, then added: “By the way, I have only ever refined these eight in total.”

“So, please choose!”

After saying that, he stopped speaking.

The barracks fell silent again.

Thirteen fierce beast eggs: five from the military, and eight from Qin Ce.

Thirteen people, thirteen eggs; it was exactly enough to go around.

However, it wasn't just those thirteen who were watching; the other ten people were also staring at the thirteen fierce beast eggs divided into two groups, making their own choices.

Because everyone had heard the underlying meaning in Qin Ce's words.

Those who chose the Wuji Army's eggs naturally trusted the Wuji Army a bit more. Those who chose his naturally trusted him more.

But Qin Ce's words were simply too hard to believe.

He had only refined eight in total.

And for those eight, he dared to guarantee a minimum of Silver and a maximum of Gold.

Moreover, he had refined them while he was at the Bronze Rank.

And it was common knowledge that a Bronze Rank could not refine a Gold egg.

It was like telling them a bunch of unreliable things and then asking if they believed him.

If this were normal times, they might have just perfunctorily said they believed him.

But these fierce beast eggs determined their futures, perhaps even their entire lives.

The group felt that Qin Ce was asking them to gamble their futures on their current trust in him!

If you trust him, take his.

If you don't trust him, take the military's.

No one moved.

The thirteen fierce beast eggs sat there like thirteen multiple-choice questions, each one asking: do you trust him?

Time passed second by second.

Qin Ce stood there with an expressionless face, but the pressure in the room grew heavier and heavier.

Finally, one person moved.

Lei Gang.

That skin-and-bones youth with a belly as large as a drum.

He bit his lip until it turned pale.

Then he stood up, walked to the eight fierce beast eggs, squatted down, and reached out his hand.

His hand was trembling.

But he still picked one up.

Qin Ce looked at the one he took and said: “Put it down. Choose the third one. The Black Iron War Ape.”

Lei Gang was stunned for a moment.

He looked down at the one in his hand, then at the "third one" Qin Ce mentioned.

Without hesitation, he put the first one back and picked up the third egg. He then retreated to the side and stood there.

Next was the old man.

He was holding his granddaughter, Wei Ran, in his arms. The little girl still had a low fever; her face was flushed, and her eyes were half-closed.

The old man stood up and walked to Qin Ce. He didn't speak, just looked at him.

In that gaze, there was gratitude, trust, and a sort of desperate resolve to burn his bridges.

“I trust you,” the old man said.

Qin Ce nodded and pointed to the fourth egg: “Frostmist Wolf.”

The old man picked up that egg and retreated to the side.

With the first and second as examples, the people behind finally began to move.

But the next three people didn't go toward Qin Ce's eight eggs.

They walked toward the five from the military.

They picked them up and retreated to the side, heads lowered, not daring to look Qin Ce in the eye.

Qin Ce said nothing, his face remaining expressionless.

Seeing that Qin Ce didn't react, the rest of the people grew bolder.

Some walked toward Qin Ce's side, and some toward the military's side.

It was like a watershed, clearly divided.

All thirteen fierce beast eggs were taken.

Of the military's five, four were taken—no, all five were taken.

Qin Ce's eight were also all taken.

Everyone had their own choice, and everyone had calculated the cost in their hearts.

Qin Ce stood there, looking at these thirteen people holding the fierce beast eggs, his heart completely unruffled.

He knew what these people were thinking.

Some thought he was bragging, some thought he was gambling on luck, and some thought that since they were being given away for free anyway, they might as well just take one.

The only ones who truly trusted him were likely Lei Gang and that old man.

Everyone thought that in his heart, Qin Ce had already assigned them individual trust scores.

But in reality, Qin Ce didn't record or evaluate their behavior at all.

Because the results would educate everyone.

Everyone had guessed one thing correctly: Qin Ce wanted to use this test to integrate the team.

But it wasn't about their level of trust in him, as they thought.

They had only known each other for two days; what trust was there to speak of?

The fact that they didn't run away this morning was already enough trust.

Qin Ce was using such a memorable choice to establish credibility.

No matter how absurd his words sounded.

Following Qin Ce and listening to Qin Ce meant they would get to eat meat!

Because the quality of Qin Ce's eight fierce beast eggs was definitely higher than the Wuji Army's beast-taming eggs—much higher.

Whether they chose based on Qin Ce's words, or they were left with no choice but to take Qin Ce's eggs because the Wuji Army's were already gone...

None of that mattered.

The final result would simply be that, in fact, those who got Qin Ce's fierce beast eggs would be stronger than those with the Wuji Army's.

When they officially formed their contracts, they would feel it clearly!

And Qin Ce wouldn't trip up those who didn't choose him.

Because those who proactively chose the Wuji Army's eggs had already paid the price of low future potential the moment they contracted and realized their Pet Beast's potential was low!

This was more persuasive than anything else.

It was also a punishment heavier than anything else.

The results would teach everyone that no matter how outrageous his words seemed, Qin Ce's words were the truth.

As long as such choices happened a couple more times, then afterward, no matter what Qin Ce said...

They would subconsciously agree with him.

This was an open scheme, and it was also the way to govern an army!

Giving people "small shoes" to wear was simply too low-class!

...