Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1398 - 1391: The Battle of Public Opinion

Chapter 1398: Chapter 1391: The Battle of Public Opinion

I had already mentioned, this meeting was a complete trap, its purpose was to make the talks between the Yichuan Clan and the Demon Clan a reality. Then use this event as a basis to spread rumors, creating rifts among the three major aristocratic families.

The Jiangzhou Yichuan Clan, as a side branch of the Yichuan Clan from Yin State, seemed to stand on equal footing with the other two major aristocratic families; however, to some extent, the Jiangzhou Yichuan Clan still had options, unlike the other two families who had no alternatives once they were expelled from West Outer Heaven—they truly would fall from grace.

That is precisely why there existed a natural class distinction between the two families and the Yichuan Clan, regardless of how much Yichuan Hong guaranteed not to betray them, the other families found it hard to trust his promises.

And if at this time Miss Zisu and her companions fanned the flames, packaging established facts into cunning lies to deceive the two families, it could very likely cause cracks between them.

Before coming here, Linglan had repeatedly and emphatically stated that the best outcome would be mutual slaughter among the three families. Failing that was not a problem, as long as they could foment discord among them, they could generally declare the mission accomplished.

Because of this, Miss Zisu didn’t even need to say anything—her mere presence in Yichuan Mansion would provide them with a pretext. Sending someone to stoke the fire then, it would be strange if the two families didn’t explode.

In fact, if the Demon Clan truly wanted to compromise with the three major families, the best method would involve allying with the other two families to sacrifice the Yichuan Clan, then calling off the hostilities. Miss Zisu believed that as long as she could persuade the two families, they would surely sell out the Yichuan Clan blocking their way without hesitation.

However, clearly the ambitions of the Demon Clan went beyond that—they sought the entirety of West Outer Heaven, to drive out all three families without exception. This was a promise Linglan made to her fellow Demons, and she dared not disregard it.

Seeing Yichuan Hong nod, Miss Zisu knew the first phase was essentially complete, and now it was the merchants’ turn to guide public opinion.

This was a tactic given to them by Luo’er, utilizing trends in public opinion to create momentum for their side. Rumors often spread more easily than truth, hence in daily life you frequently see rumors flying everywhere, but hardly anyone pays attention to their refutation.

As long as it’s intriguing enough given human nature’s innate curiosity toward gossip, it’s possible to manipulate public opinion to one’s advantage.

Rumors, once they spread on a large scale, count as ninety percent success; even if someone later debunks them, the damage incurred is already irreversible. Much like a broken mirror, no matter what, it’s very difficult to restore it to its original state.

Thus, barely ten minutes after their mere encounter, Miss Zisu and her party left Yichuan Mansion. Yichuan Yong clearly found it hard to let her go, following her to the doorstep, constantly wanting to say something, yet he dared not speak.

For a scion of an aristocratic family like him, actually, he could have as many girls as he wanted, and the same went for the Demon Clan, as they could simply take by force. But Miss Zisu was no ordinary person; she had made it clear, as the sister of the Patriarch of the Maoyou Clan and representing the Demon Clan in the negotiations, her status was remarkable. Acting rashly had absolutely no point and would definitely affect the relationship between the three aristocratic families and the Demon Clan.

Somewhat beyond Cheng Ziang’s expectations was that although he was an aristocratic son, Yichuan Yong’s behavior was not like the playboy image he had in mind. Instead, Yichuan Yong treated Miss Zisu with utmost respect, appearing gentle and refined.

Yet, Miss Zisu was accustomed to Luo’er’s cultured elegance and felt absolutely nothing for his flattery, and thus paid no heed to his attempts to win favor.

After all, upon reflection, as the eldest son and future heir of the Yichuan Clan, the family Patriarch naturally could not allow him to engage in reckless behavior, but would strictly supervise him.

Actually, in such large families, it’s often those children who are neither very high nor very low in status who are most likely to become playboys. Above, they cannot touch the core interests of the family, and below, their status does not differ much, so they are especially prone to indulging themselves.

But while he may be cultured and refined, Yichuan Yong’s discrimination against Cheng Ziang and his fellow attendants was clear for all to see. Accustomed to equality among all, Cheng Ziang and the others seemed to have forgotten that almost the entire Otherworld was still caught up in a class-divided society.

As the pinnacle of the pyramid, Yichuan Yong naturally had the prerogative to disdain those of lower status than him. This might not necessarily have been malicious, possibly merely due to ingrained perceptions.

For instance, before knowing Miss Zisu’s identity, Yichuan Yong was always polite. However, since learning about her identity, his behavior had gained a certain respect. That is to say, Yichuan Yong instinctively looked down on those of lesser status, but simultaneously, he respected those of higher status.

On the way back, Zisu walked briskly, ignoring even Yichuan Yong’s farewell. The group hurried through the streets towards the city gates.

By now, the plan had succeeded halfway, and if they could just leave Linshui City safely, all that would be left was to wait for the rumors to spread.

Fortunately, the journey was thrilling yet safe, and Cheng Ziang and his two companions widened their eyes, vigilant to their surroundings. The streets were open, and they wouldn’t necessarily hold any advantage should a fight break out.

But Cheng Ziang wasn’t too worried, as he had already prepared a backup plan. In a situation they couldn’t handle, he could summon Liseya to fight at any moment.

It’s worth noting that summoning Liseya, whether for him or for Liseya, came without any burden. This means, as long as Cheng Ziang desired, he could summon Liseya to assist in battle at any time. The decision to summon her depended solely on his moral standards.

Fortunately, Cheng Ziang’s morals were relatively high, and he was restrained in using force. Had he been someone with a flexible moral baseline, no matter where they went, chaos and bloodshed would probably ensue.

After a tense but uneventful passage through the city gates, the group frequently looked back at the slowly receding Linshui City, eventually sighing in relief before finding a place to rest a while.

"Thank you all so much this time," Zisu said sincerely after catching her breath.

"Don’t mention it," Cheng Ziang waved his hand, "You are Luo’er’s friend. Even without his orders, we’d still protect you."

"Am I lucky then," Zisu smiled, lowering her head, "Luo’er having friends like you is truly wonderful."

"We’re not just any friends with the boss, we three are brothers, brothers who have shared life and death together," Hu Daoke proudly slapped his chest as he spoke.

"Yeah, this guy is the youngest," Cheng Ziang pointed at Hu Daoke, a slight smile on his face.

"You rascal!" Hearing his words, Hu Daoke picked up a clump of dirt and threw it at him, which Cheng Ziang agilely dodged.

"I really envy your bond," Zisu said, watching their playful interaction with an envious expression.

At that moment, sitting on the ground, Feng struggled to pull off her face mask and hood, then let out a long sigh; seeing her drenched in sweat, Zisu suddenly thought of something and asked with curiosity, "I have a question, why do you keep her face covered?"

"Uh... how should I say this..." Cheng Ziang and Hu Daoke exchanged glances, then shrugged, "She kind of looks like someone from Kyushu, so those guys always seem to have something against her. I fear if she doesn’t wear the hood, we could end up fighting as soon as we enter a city."

"Not just ’kind of’; she probably is right?" hearing their explanation, Zisu frowned, squinting as she scrutinized Feng.

"We indeed don’t know where she’s from, but one thing is certain—she grew up in the Western Continent from a young age; there’s no need to worry about that, Miss Zisu. We understand Feng quite well."

"No, I’m not doubting you or her," Zisu took a deep breath, her expression grave, "How should I put it? It’s just that I feel there’s a special quality about her."

"That is..." Hu Daoke was about to speak but got a swift kick from Cheng Ziang, causing him to quickly correct himself, "That’s the aura of a strong person. Little Fengye is not simple; her master is the number one Sword Saint of the Western Continent. Her Sword Skill is incredibly powerful; you haven’t seen her fight."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.