"Gu Weiyang was that formidable?"
"He alone wasn't enough, of course." Jiang Hao shook his head. "But Gu Weiyang certainly had his own strengths. His leadership, his ability to rally people-everyone respected him. With Ander, who was just as difficult to deal with, at his side, he became even more formidable. In the end, Gu Weiyang and his people wore down those outsiders from the World-Destroying Church through sheer numbers."
Guo Jiuxiao frowned. "Even with the severe restrictions on traveling to the Next Safe Zone, they shouldn't have lost, should they? They had more advanced technology for researching tools and a deeper understanding of Sequence Abilities!"
"Back then, they thought exactly as you do now, Principal Guo," Jiang Hao said slowly. "When they arrived in this new Safe Zone, they also thought they were [gods] descending from the Higher-Dimensional World, seasoned veterans here to slaughter the rookies in the Novice Village. So they underestimated their enemies."
Jiang Hao continued, "Everyone is human. Strip away the trappings of Sequence Abilities and tool technology, and no one is nobler than anyone else, or born much smarter. Underestimate your enemy, however weak they may seem, and the only person you'll get killed in the end is yourself."
He changed tack. "Still, I believe that after suffering such a crushing loss, the World-Destroying Church will never make the same mistake when they travel to the Next Safe Zone this time. It was precisely because I foresaw that that I secretly made contact with their Envoy ten years ago, and have continued supplying them with considerable resources and assistance."
"Did you anticipate ending up where you are today right from the start, Chairman Jiang?"
"Of course not." A complicated, indescribable, bitter smile touched Jiang Hao's lips, tinged with self-mockery. "I'm not a god who can