Survival of the Nation: My luck was a tiny bit worse.

Two people, a cat, and a dog emerged from the crack; it was still early.

Just as planned, Ou Yun didn't intend to return to the Hyena Queen's territory and sent Da Zhuang back to report the news.

I wonder if they've started speaking Chinese in the forbidden area too—Dazhuang seems to really understand Ouyun's commands. He barks at every command Ouyun gives, maximizing his emotional value.

"I think we should use it as a messenger."

Leng Ruolan, with a piece of dried meat dangling from her mouth, slowly said, "Since the White Fox has married into the family, then we're officially married. It's good to have a liaison officer."

Ou Yun said that was fine, and then continued to instruct Da Zhuang, "Then you should also report this to your queen, haha."

Da Zhuang snorted twice, which was his response.

Now that we have the goods, all we need to do is keep our heads down and keep moving forward.

Just as Ou Yun and his companion were about to set off, Da Zhuang, who had returned after reporting back, bit their trouser leg.

When Ou Yun looked back, he saw that Da Zhuang was followed by another Da Zhuang, but this Da Zhuang had several deep scars on its face and looked a bit fiercer than the honest Da Zhuang.

"What does this mean?"

"Woof!"

Da Zhuang tilted his head and scratched several strange marks on the sand with his claws.

You can barely make out that it's Dazhuang and Scarface, then there's something that looks like an arrow, followed by two ghost faces, and a peach in the middle.

Leng Ruolan leaned over to take a look, then shook her head and walked away. "Big brother, come and translate this."

Ou Yun actually came to take a look—

He doesn't understand anything.

So he blurted out, "Oh, it means their queen and the white fox are in love and don't have time to come out, so they sent these two to escort us back."

Even if Leng Ruolan thought about it with her whole brain, she knew that Ou Yun was lying—but she still looked at the two hyenas.

Dazhuang understood and nodded hurriedly, his tail whipping like a propeller.

Scarface's expression was indifferent.

Leng Ruolan thought to herself, "I knew it! Thanks in advance, I won't let you come for nothing."

Then they gave all the food they had eaten over the past few days to Dazhuang. What they couldn't finish, they kept; what they could finish, they considered as fuel costs.

Looking at the two flamboyant dogs, Ou Yun affectionately patted their heads, "Eat more, you can run faster if you're full."

The North and South were slightly dissatisfied and kept trying to ingratiate themselves with the European and Eastern Circus. But the European and Eastern Circus was no longer buying it, so it had no choice but to go to its second sister.

Second sister Leng Ruolan also offered plenty of emotional support, saying, "It's alright, there are two of us, you can't carry it all by yourself. You carry the luggage!"

"Meow!" it howled contentedly.

And so—

The national destiny announcement has been made:

[Congratulations to Ou Yun and Leng Ruolan from the Dragon Kingdom for successfully forming an alliance with the mutated hyena clan through the contracted creature, the white fox!]

The Hyena Queen and her pack voluntarily submit to the Dragon Kingdom's sphere of influence and enjoy the same treatment as contracted creatures.

Because this alliance was established through the contracted creature, the white fox, the white fox was automatically promoted to "Honorary Prince" of the hyena clan, enjoying all the resources and protection of the hyena pack.

[First-ever cross-species alliance reward: All Dragon Kingdom players gain a special passive skill—Allied Affinity. This skill increases the initial affinity of all non-hostile creatures towards the host.]

Ou Yun: Hmm?

Leng Ruolan: Huh?

Dragon Kingdom Livestream: Oh?

"Honorary Prince? Holy crap? My brother White Fox got promoted and made a fortune straight away?"

"Hilarious! White Fox really hit the jackpot this time, he's practically married into a prince's family!"

"So, from now on, the white fox will be the prince of the hyena tribe? The kind who goes out with a whole bunch of hyena guards?"

"White Fox: You think I lost? No! I'm completely numb from winning!"

This announcement about the fate of the nation—it couldn't have come earlier or later, it just had to come at this particular time.

That can only mean one thing—

Ou Yun immediately commented, "It seems the Hyena Queen and the White Fox are done."

Leng Ruolan nodded beside her, "It seems they get along quite well."

Although the hyenas couldn't hear any announcements about the nation's fate, the continuous howls coming from their lair undoubtedly proved one thing—

Our queen is finally out of single life!

I'll never have to hear it muttering about that dead fox again!

Long live the Prince!

Dazhuang was overjoyed and did a somersault on the spot.

Scarface's expression remained indifferent.

Seeing the situation, Leng Ruolan felt that the matter had ended satisfactorily, so she tugged at Ou Yun's sleeve and said, "Let's go. This matter is over."

"Yes, that's it."

When Ou Yun climbed onto Da Zhuang's back, he was still a little confused. "Hey, weren't we here to fight?"

"Fighting is just a process, not the goal."

Leng Ruolan said with a profound expression, "The goal was to solve the problem. Now the problem is solved, without losing a single soldier, and we've even gained a bunch of helpers. This is a huge win."

"But you just said that using too much powder is a bad thing."

"That was just now. Now that the results are in, it's good news."

"Sigh, even the Cold Team has learned to apply double standards."

"This is called 'a good teacher produces outstanding students'."

Nanbei, standing next to Ouyun, turned its head to look at Ouyun and meowed.

Boss, so in the end I'm the only one who gets hurt?

Ouyun scratched its chin: "You've lost a competitor, are you happy?!"

Nanbei's ears perked up a little.

Leng Ruolan chimed in, "Yes, and look, now that the hyena queen has taken the white fox as her prince, the white fox won't have time to bother your older brother anymore. You'll be your older brother's only cat again."

The ears of both North and South stood up completely.

Yup!

That stinky fox will have its own pack now, so it definitely can't keep chasing after its leader every day.

Then the boss's cat will still only be that one!

Nanbei suddenly felt much better.

It followed Ou Yun with light steps, its tail held high.

Leng Ruolan also flipped over and straddled Scarface's back.

Ou Yun exclaimed, "Let's go home and farm!"

*

After walking for about two hours, we could already see the watchtowers of the Dragon Kingdom camp in the distance.

Ou Yun immediately recognized the tallest watchtower—

Built of stone, and with the bone armor fragments laid by Chen Hao and Leng Ruolan, the stone reflected an eerie luster in the sunlight.

Then he saw something flashing on the watchtower.

"Captain Leng, look, is that Chen Haoyao on the watchtower?"

Leng Ruolan shaded her eyes with her hand to look, "Is Chen Hao shaking his wine glass again?"

This time, Chen Hao didn't shake the wine glass.

The flashing thing is a telescope. Ou Yun and his companion have been gone for several days now, and he's worried about them!

Although it's not uncommon for Ou Yun and Leng Duan to be away for several days at a time like this, they've never been like this before, without even receiving a notification from the national team!

You should know that he always relied on this notification to judge the situation of his older brother and Leng.

The sheer number of announcements undoubtedly means these two have had a great time.

If too few notices are issued...

Just like this time.

Why is it that after so many days, we've only just received a notification about the hyena clan's affiliation?

How did a white fox end up in the mess too?

Where did the white fox come from?

Did the eldest brother and his group fight a deadly battle with the mutated hyena clan and sacrifice some white fox before the mutated hyena clan finally gave up?

Chen Hao was very worried, so he climbed up to the watchtower early to check.