The whole nation is trying to survive on the cable car; I'm choosing one of three options at ea

Someone inside the tent looked surprised. How could this guy reveal all his cards? In this situation, talent and ability are the things that should never be exposed, yet he recounted them as if he were giving a birth certificate.

Isn't this handing a knife to the enemy? Some people frowned, some exchanged glances with the people next to them, and some lowered their heads, seemingly lost in thought, but no one spoke up at this moment.

Zhao Derong seemed oblivious to the strange looks he was receiving, or perhaps he noticed but chose not to care. He continued speaking calmly, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

"Before coming into this world, I was a programmer, working on animation. I sat in the office every day, writing code, fixing bugs. Life was mundane, even a little numb. But I always had a dream... to become a hero, to become strong." He gave a wry smile, a smile that seemed somewhat incongruous on his dark, rugged face.

"In my original world, this dream would probably never have come true. No superpowers, no lucky encounters, no cheat codes, I was just an ordinary person. But after coming to this world, everything changed. I became an Evolver and drew this talent. Although it's only C-rank, I think it suits me quite well. I now have the possibility of realizing my dream."

He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking.

"This world is dangerous, but danger also means opportunity. Kill monsters every day, get stronger every day. I'm level 5 now, class: Rock Guardian, green quality."

Silence fell over the tent again. Level five... At a time when most people were only at level three or four, level five was already considered top-tier. The crowd exchanged glances, unsure what to say. Someone muttered to themselves: "What is this guy trying to say after all this talk?" But no one interrupted him. A level five professional could indeed be described as powerful, and no one wanted to offend him at this moment; it wasn't worth it.

Zhao Derong's gaze swept over everyone present. His eyes were not large, but they were very bright, like two pieces of red-hot coals.

"I know that some people here are S-rank, some are SS-rank, some have drawn bloodlines, and some have blue or purple talents. But so what? I firmly believe that as long as I keep killing monsters, keep training, and keep getting stronger, even S-rank can be trampled under my feet."

He took a deep breath and raised his voice slightly.

"There are no useless talents, only useless people."

The words echoed in the tent. Everyone reacted differently; some thought the man was incredibly immature, others felt he was targeting Proxiu. Proxiu's face darkened, his wings slightly opening and then closing again. He spoke, his tone unfriendly: "What do you mean by that?"

Zhao Derong glanced at him, his eyes showing no provocation, no hostility, only a calm, factual composure. "I'm not targeting you, I just wanted to express this point." Before Proxiu could say anything more, Zhao Derong stopped looking at him and continued speaking.

"The only way for us to become stronger is through constant fighting. If we just hide behind the military and eke out a living under their protection, where else could we possibly level up more easily than here?"

His voice rose a little, not as a shout, but as a release that had been suppressed for a long time and finally found an outlet.

"The monster density, level distribution, and respawn rate here are things we rarely encounter in the wild. If we miss this place, we don't know when we'll find such a good monster-farming spot again. And by then, the dangers we face will only be greater, and even the military might not be able to cover it up. We'll have to face it ourselves then. Rather than being passively attacked then, we'd better fight hard here now, become stronger, and become true warriors."

He finished speaking, sat down again, expressionless. Iron Hammer leaned against the chair beside him, equally silent.

A moment of silence fell over the tent. Then, someone spoke, their voice not loud, but the sense of "being right" was obvious. "Although I think this person is a bit immature, I have to admit, what they said makes sense."

The kobold nodded, and the ears on his furry head twitched slightly. "He's a man of character."

The leader of another guild chimed in, his tone carrying an awkward "I may not want to admit it, but it's true" tone. "The words may be rough, but the reasoning is sound. Although his manner of speaking is like that of a male protagonist in a shonen anime, the content is definitely more suited to a speaker."

Some joked, "Are all programmers this immature?"

Another person chimed in, "I don't know about other programmers, but this programmer is a qualified speaker."

Laughter rang out in the tent, not mocking, but the kind of light, relieved laughter that comes from having one's secrets revealed. The previous tension and resistance had lessened considerably at this moment. Although some remained expressionless and unmoved, at least most people no longer resisted the requirement to "be on the front lines."

Zhou Weiren stood at the front, looking at Zhao Derong. His eyes held surprise as well as admiration. He hadn't expected that someone could persuade these association presidents, each with their own agenda, simply with a surge of enthusiasm.

Although some people remained unmoved, at least most had stopped resisting. Bai Liuxi sat in the military area, glanced at Zhao Derong without changing her expression, but her fingers tapped lightly on the table... a habitual gesture she made when thinking.

Zhou Weiren spoke up. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of someone who had long been giving orders, instantly silencing the laughter and chatter in the tent.

"Zhao Derong said it very well, I don't need to repeat it. But I need to add one point."

His gaze swept over everyone, as if to make sure that everyone was listening.

"The military isn't here to protect you. Our orders are to guide you to safety, not to die for you. A soldier's life matters too. You have your interests, and we have our duties; the two are not contradictory, but they shouldn't be confused."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"As Zhao Derong said, you must walk your own path. The dangers you will encounter will only increase, and only by constantly becoming stronger can you survive. I'll tell you the truth: the seventh day after you enter this world is a hurdle, just like when you entered Ash City. After that, you will encounter similar trials every so often. After a month, the dangers will increase exponentially. If you don't have enough strength, it will be very difficult for you to survive."