Tina's big news

There's no going back in life.

Just as time cannot be reversed.

If possible, Weir hoped that things would have turned out differently today.

For example, he could have been less greedy and impatient. Even if he were to take action, he should have carefully notified those nearby to join him, rather than recklessly attacking in order to monopolize the credit and reward.

For example, he could be more cautious and suspicious. Even though the bounty notice and the joint statement of the nobles said that, based on the testimonies of survivors and witnesses, the murderer did not possess great supernatural power, but was proficient in alchemy and mechanical arts. He was able to destroy Glittering Sand by strategy and tactics rather than pure strength. But the terrible results were still real. He should be more careful with an enemy who could do that.

For example, he could have simply ignored this person and pretended not to see them.

But there are no "what ifs" in life, only choices and results.

The result was that he was seriously injured, and his opponent, like a demon god, draped in holiness and treading on death, came to his side and revealed a calm smile that shattered him.

Weir cried out, "Spare me! I have money! I can buy my own life! I'll even be your slave! If you spare me, I'll repay you!"

Kang De remained noncommittal, planted his sword in the ground, took out his pistol, and squatted down.

I have a few questions for you.

He said.

Weir nodded frantically, pleading, "If I answer, will you let me go?"

Kang De replied seriously, "If I answered yes, and then killed you just when you thought you were about to be free, you would experience the ecstasy after despair, and then see despair again at the end of that ecstasy. That would be incredibly painful. That's called manipulating people's hearts. I won't do that. After all, you only deserve to die, not that kind of torture. I always act reasonably and keep things separate. So my answer is no."

Weir pleaded, "No, no, please, I don't want to die. I have money, I'll repay you..."

"No need, thank you."

Kang De brandished his gun. "I don't want you to run off and meet some important person on the road, saying things like, 'Sir, come this way quickly, I'll lead the way. The Cathayan went that way. If you give me sixty silver coins and the title of knight squire, I'll take you to him,' or something like that, with your innocent and adorable words."

Weir cried out, "My lord, no, I won't do that, I swear..."

"This involves a very awkward point."

Kang De tapped his helmet with his pistol. "The crucial issue is that I don't trust you, I don't trust you humans, and I don't trust your oaths. As for you humans, I only believe one thing—I believe that you can't speak after you die."

"This is the only remaining, most basic trust I have in you otherworldly beings."

He looked back at the corpses scattered on the ground. "More than twenty respectable men, honing their skills with such difficulty, all because of you, who discovered my whereabouts and even brought them to capture and kill me. So I had no choice but to kill them one by one. In the end, all these blood debts should be attributed to you."

Holding a pistol, he tapped Weir's head repeatedly.

"Friend, you have caused the deaths of your companions and forced me to commit further killings and stain my hands with blood. Your sins are grave, and you still wish to live?"

Weir pleaded, "My lord, my lord, whatever you do..."

Kang De pressed the muzzle of his gun, and with a bang, shot through Weir's thigh.

Just as the mercenary leader was about to scream, Kang De's left hand spread open, and his heavy, hard gauntlet pressed down on half of Weir's face, slamming his head against the ground and silencing his screams and wails.

Looking into the other person's terrified and pained eyes, his tone remained calm. "Brother, you need to understand, I'm telling you all this not because I'm a chatterbox, nor because I'm reasonable and easy to talk to. I just want to relieve my own emotions. I've just seamlessly switched from a law-abiding young man to a highly efficient killer, and I'm under a lot of pressure, so I need to give myself some psychological counseling."

"I hope this doesn't give you the wrong idea that 'you can get away with anything by just begging this person.' If it does, I apologize, and I have something to tell you..."

With a sudden burst of force with his left hand, Kang De looked down at Will, his chilling gaze, though still wearing a helmet, conveying an immense coldness that resonated in Weir's heart.

"--Stop talking nonsense."

"Okay?"

The strong and cunning mercenary leader was so frightened that he cried.

His head moved slightly and quickly, like a child's.

A considerable amount of time passed.

Another gunshot rang out.

Another pitiful and tragic soul has left this world.

Life is as fragile as grass, gone in the blink of an eye.

"The other world turns people into ghosts."

Kang De holstered his gun, picked up his weapons, and put them away. The dead had all been searched; they found some money and a few low-level magical items, but that was all.

This was, after all, just a small mercenary team that had some reputation in the surrounding area.

Weir never told the truth from the beginning. Although they were a mercenary team, they were not under anyone's orders to investigate clues. Mercenaries are people who live between the law and the underworld. When there are legitimate missions, they do legitimate missions. When there are no legitimate missions... they do illegitimate things.

For example, now that the Good Family has fallen, many vultures are waiting to feast. Besides the nobles who are eager to acquire this port that contains business opportunities and wealth, many wild dogs are also rummaging for bones in the ruins of Glittering Sand. For example, Weir's team firmly believes that Glittering Sand holds the Good Family's secret treasure.

He led a team to search and excavate there for a long time until they encountered Kang De.

"People die for wealth, birds die for food," is an old China saying. In modern times, it's extremely difficult to find examples that prove this, but it's always been true in this other world.

Kang De closed Weir eyes and then placed his hand on his head.

"Rest in peace. May there be fewer people like you in this other world from now on."

Extraction, activation.

This ability can also be used to destroy evidence of a corpse.

As the spiritual network spreads, the dead body slowly disintegrates and crumbles until it disappears completely.

Extraction information from living people would inevitably encounter tremendous resistance and would bring Kang De immense mental anguish and burden, because this process is incredibly brutal—peeling and pulverizing the other person's body and soul inch by inch, examining everything about them like a god.

Extraction from the dead incurs no additional burden.

It's like Extraction a piece of meat, only you get the corresponding Element.

And it won't touch the other person's memories, nor will it allow you to obtain their most prized skills...

Is the soul the key factor that determines the difference between the process and the outcome of these two things?

Weir's body vanished, and a vast number of Element floated in Kang De's field of vision.

He still chose the biggest and most conspicuous one.

The name of this Element is...

People.

After disposing of all the bodies, Kang De left the ruins of the Glittering Sand Manor.

I left this place that changed everything.

"After I have achieved success and established my career, if I have the authority and ability to bring this place under my control, then I will build a monument here."

He flicked the hilt of his sword. "You'd better pray you have a portrait of yourself at home, otherwise you'll have to use the ones I've saved, hahahahahahaha..."

Kang De left the manor and looked down at the Glittering Sand Town and the docks below.

Life has gradually returned to the area. A temporary council composed of officials from the capital and surrounding nobles maintains basic order. Although it is Samuel's territory, it is also part of the empire. Until a new heir to the Samuel family is found, the empire has the right to temporarily govern this place.

"Fortunately, the heyday has passed... Several powerful investigation teams have withdrawn, and most others have lost interest, leaving only a nobody like Weir still persisting."

Kang De murmured, "Otherwise, we'd be arrested as soon as we arrived."

His tone sounded mixed.

"Several dozen days have already passed..."

Weir was a nobody, but he was a mercenary with considerable experience and information. So he could roughly tell some widely circulated rumors and general news.

Otherwise, if he were to arrest a farmer or a town resident, they might not even be able to speak properly.

For example, in a novel, the protagonist transmigrates to a remote, godforsaken village and is taken in by an old man. The old man, smoking his pipe, tells you about this empire, the orcs to the north, the elves to the south, who's fighting to the east, and how swordsmen are divided into nine ranks. Unless he's the transmigrator's guide, that's pure nonsense. What a joke! With such backward and primitive transportation and communication, knowing the trivial matters of the surrounding area is considered being a know-it-all. What the hell do you know about the orc empire, the dragon kingdom, or the great swordsman?

"It's been several dozen days..."

He slowly exhaled, processing the news.

Although I was somewhat prepared, I still felt a bit conflicted after hearing it.

This news has both good and bad aspects.

The advantage is that several days in the other world are equivalent to only one day on Earth, which makes it very convenient for him to move around in the other world, so that he won't be too out of touch with Earth, and he can even find a way to deceive his parents.

And the bad news...

Several dozen days have passed since he killed Lost and returned to Earth.

A hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

"Tina..."

He whispered, "I shielded the Sword Saint Cascading Snow from the cursed artifact. With her aunt's protection, she'll be safe and sound. But she's worried about me and the knight, and will definitely come back to look for us. So she probably saw it..."

"And now she..."

Kang De remembered what Weir had said.

"I've only heard a lot of scattered rumors. Some say there's going to be a war, that Goth is fighting the elves, and that the Empire, as Goth's suzerain state, should intervene, or even directly send troops to help Goth."

"But some say that the Empire will not send troops, and that they have conspired with the Elves to betray Goth."

After all, Weir was just a nobody, a lowly mercenary struggling to make a living at the bottom of the empire. How could he possibly know about national affairs, or the schemes and clashes of politicians?

But there is one thing he truly knows.

"Princess Tina-Taidariel from Goth has exposed the despicable act of a powerful figure in the Empire's upper echelons who attempted to secretly make a deal with the Elves and betray Goth, causing a great uproar within the Empire."

"She declared that going to the capital was pointless and would only bring her danger. She announced that she would return to Goth, and even if Goth was destroyed by the Elven army, she was willing to die in her homeland and perish with her country. Before that, she would fight for Goth."

"She delivered speeches in city after city, denouncing the bloody war instigated by the Elves in Goth, and also denouncing a despicable imperial figure who colluded with the Elves for personal gain and betrayed his fellow human beings."

"She called upon all Goth People residing in the Empire to stand up and defend their homeland, and invited all brave men willing to fight for justice and righteousness to join her ranks. The Duchy of Goethe will do everything in its power to reward all those who lend a helping hand, whether with titles, land, or wealth."

Hearing Weir's description, Kang De felt both worried and heartbroken.

After Tina rushed back to Glittering Sand and saw the axe he left behind and the Blade of Curse in Lost's hand, she probably easily guessed the so-called "truth".

But she probably doesn't even have time to be sad or shed tears.

That night, he and Tina felt the same pain.

The same amount was lost as well.

Today, he is not the only one who has been forced to grow up in the face of an inescapable fate.

But I eventually found peace...

Kang De murmured to himself, "And your peace... I will grant it to you, Tina."

According to Weir, the beautiful and strong princess seemed to possess a captivating Magic Power that drew people's attention, making them unconsciously believe in and admire her.

She almost miraculously amassed a following, leading them through cities, giving speeches, recruiting, managing, training, and honing them.

It is said that, like her powerful speeches, her methods and determination were contrary to her delicate appearance. She once killed thirty-seven spies and villains in a single day. Instead of executing them brutally, she publicly announced their crimes, listed all the evidence, and gave another speech after the execution. This killing did not shake the morale of the army; on the contrary, it made her followers even more fanatical.

It was as if this once renowned princess, famous throughout the continent for her talent and beauty, had merely concealed the sharpness and ruthlessness beneath her delicate appearance, and now, her sword was drawn.

Later, it is said that many large merchant guilds, wealthy people and even nobles admired and respected her decisiveness and courage, and provided her with overt and covert support, from weapons and provisions to mercenaries and guards.

A hint of worry flashed in Kang De's eyes.

As a modern man, he believed in logic rather than emotion. Based on his experience and historical perspective, how could nobles and merchants be moved by justice and principles, and how could they, as if driven mad by Tina's speech, provide supplies and aid to Goth's crumbling nation?

There must be an underlying reason.

For example, the enormous... benefits that could entice these vampires.

Only a truly enormous and tangible benefit could entice greedy nobles and merchants to risk offending the elves and provide aid to Goth... But could Goth offer such a large benefit?

Kang De felt deeply uneasy when he thought of this.

Maybe it was just intuition... He had a feeling that Tina had pulled off something big.

He felt he should get to Tina's side as soon as possible... That frail girl was probably putting on a brave face, pretending to be strong as she dealt with a group of greedy and malicious people.

He needed to hurry and help her.

At the same time.

West of the Dala Mountains, in the City of Pearls of Gaoluin, in the center of a vast, endless camp, Princess Tina's noble and holy tent stands tall, guarded faithfully by soldiers on all sides, blocking all villains and protecting their holy princess.

"Three more today."

Inside the camp.

Tina sat at the table.

She wore a black gauze dress, and from that day on, she began to wear black clothes to signify her widowhood; Goth's Princess Tina had lost her lover.

Her Highness took up her pen and wrote three new names on a long list.

Count Nicol-Eddie, 3,000 shares.

Sir Kairei-Worth, 1,500 shares.

Viscount Winifred-George, two thousand shares.

She looked at the long list and smiled with satisfaction.

"You will destroy all of Teldrassil."

The aunt's voice rang out from behind. Even the powerful and fearless Sword Saint Cascading Snow was shocked when he realized all of his niece's plans.

"They repelled the elves with this army and their aid, and then what? They didn't get what they wanted. How could Goth bear such rage?"

Tina didn't turn around; she was still smiling softly.

"Aunt, if we don't do this, Teldrassil will soon be destroyed. Goth cannot withstand the elves' onslaught for long unless we take action. As for what happens after we win, I have other plans..."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow's tone hardened. "If you fail, then our family will..."

"If I fail."

Tina turned her head and looked at her aunt, smiling, but her eyes were calm.

"If I fail, Taidariel Family will be completely wiped out from history. A noble family of the Seven Heroes must not be destroyed by a silent conspiracy. If that day ever comes..."

She picked up the long list, her smile absolutely stunning.

"Let this grand ending serve as a tribute, leaving an eternal, unhealable wound for the Empire, for the Elves, and for this land, as a sacrifice for the Taidariel Family."

She chuckled softly, "Aunt, don't worry, I'm not crazy. I'm prepared. If we can't save the family, then we'll make sure everyone who's involved or not involved... dies without a burial place."

Such menacing words.

But the girl had very gentle features.

She had just met with those nobles and successfully secured their investment and support.

Once you understand human nature and the human heart, you can easily manipulate it.

Even powerful figures who have held high positions for a long time can become as foolish as pigs when blinded by greed.

Kang De, you are still the best.

No matter when, no matter where, you are always you.

She tidied up the list, turned to a new page, and opened the inkstone on one side.

Her Highness's followers all know that this time of day is her study time, when she learns Eastern languages and knowledge to commemorate the person who once entered her heart.

The girl dipped the brush in ink, the tip hovering in the air.

Kang De, I really miss you.

I've been thinking about you a lot these days, about every word you've said to me, from casual chats to serious conversations. I've discovered that you're truly amazing; even a simple sentence can contain profound and insightful wisdom.

Just like what I've been doing these days.

Public speaking, recruitment, management, and leadership—these are things I wasn't good at at first, but slowly, by thinking about the things we've talked about before, and taking it one step at a time, I'll eventually be able to do them.

Just like now.

I have done a very, very good job.

And I also got some inspiration from a previous conversation we had.

You said that was a sophisticated trick by a con artist.

I shouldn't have used it.

But since it was for Goth, he couldn't care less about anything else.

You've already said it yourself: a person who steals property is called a thief, and a person who steals from a country is called a ruler. So what do you think I should call my current actions?

In short, we've accomplished what we have now.

Many achievements have been made so far.

If you could give me some pointers, I would do even better...

Pity.

But there's nothing to regret.

Soon, I will come to be with you.

By the way, what was the name of that scam you mentioned? Oh, I remember now.

The pen tip touches lightly, its strokes flowing like dragons and snakes, settling at the tip of the brush.

There were four Chinese characters written on the paper.

Pang.

Mode.

Cheat.

Bureau.

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: This is a 5,500-word chapter. Don't think that Old Wang is the best in the world. Let me tell you, there's still a long way to go.

PS2: By the way, the updates have been a bit late these past two days, and some friends in the book review section feel that I've been late... Generally speaking, as long as I don't send out a leave notice, I won't be late, it'll just be a little later.