# Chapter 36: Recruiting
The faction's true name had come to Xìng Huáng during a moment of divine clarity while reviewing potential member profiles in his tower study.The Order of the Golden Hand carried implications that resonated with his Lord of Greed heritage while embodying the fundamental truth that shaped all successful cultivation: Winner takes all.
FACTION :
Official Name:Order of the Golden Hand
Core Philosophy:Winner Takes All *(Victory through superior effort and capability)*
Symbol:Golden hand grasping a luminous sphere *(Authority claiming rightful rewards)*
Motto:"What You Earn, You Keep"
The philosophy was elegantly simple and brutally honest about cultivation reality. In a world where advancement meant the difference between cosmic authority and elimination, half-measures and participation rewards were luxuries that led to permanent failure. The Order would attract individuals who understood that cultivation was fundamentally a competitive endeavor where superior performance deserved superior rewards.
RECRUITMENT STRATEGY MEETING:
The faction's founding members had gathered in the tower's main conference chamber to discuss their approach to expansion. The past week had been spent developing recruitment criteria and identifying potential candidates whose capabilities and philosophy aligned with the Order's winner-takes-all principle.
"Initial membership targets should focus on quality over quantity," Master Liu advised, reviewing cultivation profiles of promising candidates. "Divine authority enhancement is most effective when applied to individuals who already demonstrate exceptional commitment to earned advancement."
Captain Lin Wei spread intelligence reports across the conference table. "External Affairs has identified approximately 200 cultivators in Radiant City who meet our basic criteria—independent advancement, demonstrated capability, minimal reliance on inherited advantages."
"But meeting basic criteria isn't sufficient," Senior Researcher Zhang observed. "We need people who embrace competition as advancement mechanism rather than viewing it as necessary evil."
Merchant Chen nodded agreement. "The winner-takes-all philosophy attracts specific personality types. Risk-takers, perfectionists, individuals who thrive under pressure rather than seeking security through group protection."
RECRUITMENT CRITERIA - REFINED:
Primary Requirements:
- Demonstrated Solo Achievement:Personal advancement through individual effort
- Competitive Mindset:Thrives under pressure, seeks difficult challenges
- Merit Recognition:Values earned rewards over granted benefits
- Risk Tolerance:Willing to gamble current position for superior advancement
Disqualifying Factors:
- Inherited Advantages:Over Relies on bloodline or family resources with no visible effort
- Theft-Based Advancement:Essence stealing or power absorption through Dark or Dishonest ways
- Group Dependency:Requires constant support to maintain progress
- Entitlement Mentality:
Expects rewards without proportional effort
CANDIDATE PROFILES:
The first recruitment target was Wang Li, a Silver-level independent cultivator whose advancement through Radiant City's underground fighting circuits had earned him recognition as someone who literally won his way to higher cultivation through combat superiority.
WANG LI
Cultivation:Silver - Mid
Background:Underground fighting champion, self-taught techniques
Achievement:50-match winning streak against higher-level opponents
Philosophy:Victory through superior preparation and execution
"Perfect fit for our winner-takes-all approach," Xìng Huáng observed after reviewing Wang Li's profile. "He's already living the principle that superior performance deserves superior rewards."
The second target was Liu Mei, a Gold-level merchant whose business success had come through identifying opportunities that others missed and executing plans that others considered too risky.
LIU MEI
Cultivation:Gold - Low
Background:Independent trader, built empire from single-cart operation
Achievement:300% return on investments through calculated risk-taking
Philosophy:Market rewards excellence, punishes mediocrity
"Her merchant background provides valuable perspective," Merchant Chen noted. "She understands that winner-takes-all isn't cruel—it's efficient. Resources flow to those who can use them most effectively."
Rather than traditional sect recruitment through public announcements or formal invitation processes, the Order would approach candidates through demonstration of value rather than promises of benefit.
Phase 1: Anonymous Enhancement
Selected candidates would receive temporary divine authority enhancement during their normal activities without being informed of the source. Those who recognized the improvement and sought its origin would demonstrate the awareness necessary for Order membership.
Phase 2: Challenge Presentation
Candidates who identified the enhancement source would be offered specific challenges designed to test their commitment to the winner-takes-all philosophy under controlled conditions.
Phase 3: Divine Authority Confirmation
Successful challenge completion would be rewarded with direct divine authority enhancement and formal invitation to join the Order of the Golden Hand.
FIRST RECRUITMENT ATTEMPT:
Wang Li's underground fighting match that evening provided the perfect opportunity to test the recruitment methodology. Xìng Huáng positioned himself in the spectator area where his divine authority could enhance the fighter's capabilities without drawing attention to the source.
The enhancement was subtle—not enough to guarantee victory, but sufficient to amplify Wang Li's existing skills and provide the edge that separated good performance from exceptional achievement.
COMBAT ENHANCEMENT RESULTS:
Reaction Speed:Improved by 15%
Technique Precision:Enhanced to near-perfect accuracy
Spiritual Energy Efficiency:Reduced waste by 40%
Pattern Recognition:Accelerated adaptation to opponent tactics
Wang Li's opponent was a Gold-level cultivator whose superior cultivation should have provided decisive advantage. But enhanced technique precision and spiritual energy efficiency allowed Wang Li to compete at levels that should have been impossible for his cultivation tier.
The match lasted seventeen minutes and ended with Wang Li achieving victory through superior tactical adaptation rather than raw power advantage.
Wang Li's behavior after the victory confirmed his suitability for Order membership. Instead of celebrating or accepting congratulations, he immediately began analyzing what had made his performance exceptional, seeking to understand and replicate the enhancement he had experienced.
Within two hours, he had identified Xìng Huáng as the source of the enhancement and approached directly with business-like efficiency.
"The improvement wasn't natural," Wang Li stated without preamble. "You enhanced my capabilities during the match. I want to know why, how, and what you want in return."
The directness was exactly what the winner-takes-all philosophy demanded—recognition that superior performance required superior support, combined with understanding that such support came with expectations.
"I represent an organization interested in individuals who recognize that excellence deserves reward," Xìng Huáng replied. "Your performance suggested you might understand our philosophy."
"Which is?"
"Winner takes all. Superior effort earns superior results. Mediocrity receives mediocre rewards."
Wang Li's smile was predatory rather than friendly. "I've lived that principle for years. What can your organization offer that I can't achieve independently?"
Instead of explaining the Order's benefits, Xìng Huáng activated his Spiritual Domain Projection to create an enhancement field that made the previous combat boost seem insignificant by comparison.
Wang Li's spiritual energy circulation improved by factors that transformed his entire understanding of cultivation potential. His Silver - Mid advancement suddenly felt like artificial limitation rather than natural boundary, while techniques he had struggled to master became instinctively accessible.
"This is what the Order of the Golden Hand offers," Xìng Huáng explained. "Divine authority enhancement for members who prove their worthiness through victory rather than participation."
"Divine authority," Wang Li repeated, testing the concept against his new direct experience. "And the cost?"
"Commitment to the winner-takes-all principle. Advancement through earned achievement. Competition as methodology rather than obstacle."
Wang Li's acceptance was immediate and complete. "When do I start?"
RECRUITMENT SUCCESS METRICS:
First Candidate:Wang Li *(Accepted immediately)*
Enhancement Response:Excellent *(Recognized improvement, sought source)*
Philosophical Alignment:Perfect *(Already lived winner-takes-all approach)*
Integration Potential:High *(Combat specialist, competitive mindset)*
But the successful recruitment also demonstrated the challenges ahead. Wang Li was exceptional—most candidates would require more extensive evaluation and gradual introduction to divine authority concepts.
Based on the success with Wang Li, the Order refined its approach for handling candidates with varying levels of readiness for divine authority enhancement:
Tier 1 Candidates:Already living winner-takes-all philosophy *(Direct approach)*
Tier 2 Candidates:Competitive but need philosophical refinement *(Challenge-based recruitment)*
Tier 3 Candidates:Potential but require development *(Extended evaluation period)*
Over the following weeks, recruitment efforts would focus on building a core membership of approximately 20 individuals who could serve as foundation for larger expansion while maintaining the quality standards necessary for effective divine authority enhancement.
HIDDEN INTERFACE: RECRUITMENT PROGRESS
Current Membership:6 *(5 founding members + Wang Li)*
Target Membership:20 *(Core foundation)*
Philosophy Integration: 100% success rate *(Winner-takes-all attracts aligned individuals)*
Enhancement Effectiveness:Optimal *(Quality candidates respond excellently to divine authority)*
As Wang Li began his integration training with Master Liu, Xìng Huáng reflected on how the Order of the Golden Hand represented the perfect synthesis of his divine heritage with practical cultivation reality.
Winner takes all wasn't cruel philosophy—it was honest recognition that excellence deserved reward, mediocrity received mediocre results, and failure led to elimination.
The golden hand would claim what its members earned through superior effort, and divine authority would ensure they kept what they rightfully won.