The newcomers were Bai Xunyang, captain of the "Bai's Team," and Lin Xi, captain of the "Hope Team."
They had also come to merge their teams.
"Bai's Team" was similar to the previous "Peng's Team," with its members all being disciples of the Bai family.
However, the difference was that it included not only Bai Xunyang's disciples but also his father's disciples, meaning his senior brothers, and their disciples as well.
The entire team consisted of a substantial 51 members, divided into 7 combat groups, with a total combat strength exceeding 11,000.
Unfortunately, due to the number of members, even with the bonuses, their team's combat strength ranked only fifth in the 100-person category, putting them at a slight disadvantage.
The reason the Mercenary Guild divided the teams into these tiers was to control the scale of the teams.
After all, these mercenary teams wielded weapons, and if their numbers were too large and they were too united, it could lead to a situation where the tail wagged the dog.
Under normal circumstances, it was fine, but in the event of unrest, they could become extremely unstable factors.
In the case of "Bai's Team," splitting into several smaller teams to compete in lower-tier rankings would yield more rewards.
But they were all from the same sect and unwilling to split up, nor did they want to abandon any of their members alone. Moreover, they had sufficient weapons and ammunition, so they didn't pursue higher rankings.
"Hope Team," on the other hand, was quite the opposite and seemed to exploit the rules.
Their team was primarily composed of ordinary people, and all of them were women.
However, their captain, Lin Xi, was someone who had extensively researched ancient battle formations and had innovative ideas, combining them with modern weaponry.
Although the individual combat power of the women in the team was weak, when equipped with mechanical exoskeletons and trained in battle formations, they could exert significant combat power.
Furthermore, the Mercenary Guild's combat strength assessment was based on "ordinary people" as the standard, and they wielded cold weapons.
Therefore, relying on these battle formations formed by ordinary women, "Hope Team's" comprehensive combat strength far surpassed their individual capabilities.
The team actually had 117 members, most of whom were victims rescued after the extermination of criminal gangs.
However, the "Hope Team" itself only selected 18 of the most well-trained members, dividing them into two combat groups, each with a combat strength of over 1,500.
With the added bonuses, the team's combat strength reached 4,200, ranking fifth in the 20-person category.
The remaining 68 people were placed in "Xi 2 Team," which didn't even make the list in the 100-person category.
When accepting missions, the second team would participate alongside the main team in a combined group.
They were also continuously training battle formations, supplementing the main team's losses at any time, and focusing on forming three combat groups to prepare for the main team's push into the 50-person category.
However, their combat strength was somewhat illusory.
The battle formations they formed were effective against criminals wielding cold weapons.
However, if they encountered individuals armed with firearms, even just one, they would suffer heavy casualties.
"Hope Team" experienced casualties almost every time they undertook a mission.
But the missions they accepted targeted criminal gangs specifically noted for their acts of violence against women.
Therefore, despite incurring casualties in nearly every mission, they still ensured they fulfilled the mission requirements for both teams weekly, rescuing these women.
Lin Xi intended to merge the two combat groups of the main team, along with the highest-ranked combat group from the second team, totaling three combat groups.
This would bring their team to 28 people participating in the merger, including herself.
Coupled with "Bai's Team's" 51 members, "Wolf Fang Team's" 8 members, and the original 11 members of "Peng's Team," the newly formed merged team would have 98 people.
The merged team's combat strength would also reach first place in the 100-person category.
With various bonuses, this was beneficial for all teams.
After discussions with Tang Li, the four original captains, Peng Yue, Zhong Heng, Bai Xunyang, and Lin Xi, finalized the team merger and named the new team "United Team."
Eight members from "Peng's Team" and seven from "Wolf Fang Team" formed a new combat group, still managed by Peng Yue and Zhong Heng.
The seven combat groups of "Bai's Team" and the three combat groups of "Hope Team" would continue to be managed by Bai Xunyang and Lin Xi, respectively.
Tang Li was appointed captain of the "United Team," with Peng Yue, Zhong Heng, Bai Xunyang, and Lin Xi serving as vice-captains.
Additionally, one of the seven combat groups from "Bai's Team," which had the fewest members at only five, had Tang Li and her four companions join it.
This combat group would still be managed by its original leader, as before.
However, after Tang Li and her four companions joined, the combined individual combat strength of this group, excluding weapon and other bonuses, already reached nearly 4,000. Even without further training, it could confidently secure the top spot in the combat group rankings.
After everything was settled and before applying for the team, Tang Li suddenly said, "Before the team merger, there is something I must explain to you all in advance..."