Second update today: Chapter 3434! 2/4!
Yang Yao and the others' "defeat" instead became a special bargaining chip in their hands, giving them greater capital to pique the curiosity of other races, gather intelligence, and even seek cooperation.
Unlike the last time, when the Peak Nine Races failed and brought back little concrete intelligence, this time, under Xu Kun's deliberate control and release of information, the details Yang Yao and the others possessed—information about the Huang Race's combat methods, power characteristics, and even certain "habits" of the Huang Lord that could be selectively disclosed—were highly valuable and credible.
From another perspective, the Wild Hunt Operation jointly devised by the Black Tortoise Race and the Crocodile Race could not stop the Huang Race, and the Peak Nine Races' ten strongest experts were no match for Xu Kun.
Although Yang Yao and the other seven had stepped forward only to be defeated and flee, and the Black Colt Race had suffered disastrous consequences, they were human prodigies who had never encountered such setbacks before. That did not mean outsiders believed they had the strength to directly suppress the Huang Race, or even the Huang Lord himself.
Defeat was instead the true reflection of reality. Had they won, it would only have drawn even greater suspicion.
So, being able to retreat unscathed was, in its own way, glory in defeat.
The rumors outside merely aimed to diminish the halo around Yang Yao and the others. How many ill-intentioned people had fanned the flames behind them was impossible to know.
Whoever took it seriously lost!
Therefore, from a utilitarian perspective, this incident created a win-win situation:
-For the human race, represented by Yang Yao: They traded temporary, superficial damage to their "reputation" for tangible strategic benefits—including establishing ties with more races, gaining the