Do Something

The battle is drawing to a close.

How could a scout team of just over thirty people possibly withstand the Truth?

The Autobots approached Kang De and discovered that his father was gazing at the corpse of an elf.

It said, "Father, I spared two lives."

Kang De, without turning his head, said, "Kill them. You won't get anything out of them. They're not like humans."

Elves possess far greater vitality and mental resilience than humans, and their way of thinking differs from that of humans. Humans can easily have their souls breached and their defenses destroyed through weaknesses, but this is much more difficult for elves.

He just succeeded... but that was only a dying elf.

Being about to die and not being dead are two completely different states.

As for torture and Extraction... he didn't want to do that.

Elves possess a spirit and physique far surpassing that of mortals. Many techniques used against elves would require increased dosage, and besides, Kang De no longer wishes to do so; he is no longer the same person he was in Glittering Sand Town.

Torture is not only a torment to the victim, but also a torment to the perpetrator.

Two gunshots rang out in the distance.

The Autobots returned. "Father, they passed away peacefully."

--It deliberately used a witty remark it had learned from its father.

It sensed that its father didn't seem happy, but rather rather silent.

Kang De didn't turn around or smile. He asked, "What are your thoughts?"

The Autobots thought for a moment, "Some... relief? I thought of the people who died in the village. Clearly, these elves are the murderers, and they are cruel and bloodthirsty, attacking us without hesitation. Killing them will not only avenge the innocent, but also prevent these elves from committing evil again."

Kang De then asked, "Have you ever thought about why they became like this?"

This is beyond the knowledge of the Autobots.

It tilted its head. "Is there a reason for becoming like this? Isn't it something I was born with?"

"No... I believe some creatures are born beasts, but at least this elf isn't."

Kang De said, "He avenged his comrades, and was willing to believe in the sanctity of his mission. I believe it came from his heart, and I also believe he was once an innocent and kind spirit, but on this land, he committed a demonic act... Tell me, what exactly turned them into this?"

The Autobots hesitated for a moment. "... War?"

"And there are the masterminds behind the wars," Kang De said softly. "There are countless wars in the world, stemming from the dark side of human nature and desires. Humans kill one another, and death and sorrow are endless. But who really started these wars?"

"Slaughter, plunder, despicable as dogs, cruel and vicious—the army has become a demon in the brutal war, committing countless atrocities. But the army is made up of individuals. Were those soldiers who committed heinous crimes born beasts? Did they spend their lives killing and plundering every day in their own country from childhood?"

"I think not. Just as this elf left home for a noble cause he believed in, his heart was once filled with fervor, but now he has committed the sin of slaughter and died by my hand. He deserves it and can never go home again."

The Autobots listened attentively.

Even if he doesn't understand.

But he knew one thing... his father was confiding in him.

He probably just wanted someone to talk to.

"Actually, I've heard how terrible war is."

"But the knowledge and experience gained from books can never be as profound as firsthand observation."

He gazed at the corpses of the elves scattered on the ground.

Even if he was driven by righteous indignation to avenge the dead Goth People, he could not truly empathize with Goth People hatred. But justice and righteousness transcend race and world; war is a tragedy, no matter the world.

"I will have no regrets or sorrow in killing these elves. Although they also have families and homes, they committed heinous crimes against innocent civilians. We have come to punish them on behalf of the innocent souls who were wronged."

"But I also know that they were nothing more than pathetic pawns, tools to be used. They were all ordinary, unassuming spirits, but war turned them into demons, and they died by my hand in the end... But I know that I was not the only one who killed them."

"They weren't the ones who deserved to die the most."

"The most despicable... are those beasts who started the war and turned the powerless into demons; they are the biggest murderers."

"Those beasts... deserve every form of torture and torment in the world."

The Autobots began to understand.

He said, "Father, you mean, this war..."

"Yes, this war... or rather, this is the essence of all wars of aggression: to launch a war simply to achieve the goals of a tiny minority of vested interests, igniting the flames of war in the invaded countries, killing countless innocent people, and sending the ignorant and pathetic soldiers of their own country to the battlefield to bear all the consequences of war, even turning them into demons, while they themselves stand high above, idly gazing at this endless suffering and sorrow..."

Kang De sighed, "As I said, even though I was mentally prepared for the cruelty and horror of war, I was still shocked when I actually witnessed it."

"Now I'm witnessing war with my own eyes."

"It wasn't large-scale slaughter, nor was it brutal death; it was the massacre of civilians and the exploitation and deception of enemy soldiers. This was just a small microcosm of war, yet it reflected the whole picture."

"A game played by a small group of beneficiaries, while the vast majority of innocent people pay the price."

He was talking for a while, then he laughed.

"Actually, before we came here, I was very scared. What if we chased after them and found a group of humans posing as elves? What if these humans were Goth People?"

"So when I found out that the elf really was an elf, I breathed a sigh of relief."

"But I was too happy too soon... Even in the most ordinary act of avenging a massacred village, without any twists or turns, you can still feel the cruelty of war... and its disgust."

Kang De said softly, "In the future, we will kill many, many more elves like this..."

In fact, he still harbored some fondness for elves.

On the Holy Seal Archipelago, those officers, in the final moments of their lives, faced with a matter of principle, abandoned their dignity and honor, making a shocking decision.

The lieutenant who raised the white flag, after misunderstanding his origins, did his last duty and effort as an elf, advising him to be wary of humans, trying to improve his impression of elves, and attempting to tell him that elves were not as bad as he thought, and not to harbor prejudice or hostility towards elves.

They were just ordinary officers of the Dusk Moon Dynasty.

While doing things that impressed Kang De, they also fought against Goth; perhaps if their positions were reversed, they might have committed heinous acts.

Ultimately, they were just ordinary elves following orders; the decision to wage war was not theirs to make. They were merely an insignificant part of that vast national machine.

A sudden realization dawned on Kang De.

Like a fleeting inspiration, like a sudden thought, a kind of determination, a kind of decision.

Immediately afterwards, he felt a jolt in his heart, and an indescribable feeling rose from the depths of his soul, then spread throughout his body, to every limb and bone, as if every drop of blood and even every cell was responding.

He clearly sensed that something had changed.

However, it's difficult to pinpoint the specific changes.

The Autobots exclaimed in surprise, "Father..."

Kang De paused for a moment, then asked, "What's wrong?"

The child's voice was filled with confusion. "I don't know... I felt that Father was a little different just now, as if some kind of change had occurred, but I don't quite understand... What did Father just do?"

Kang De asked blankly, "I didn't do anything, it just suddenly..."

At that moment, a slight stirring occurred to him.

If he had to say what he had just done... he was just thinking.

My initial thought was simply to drive away the elves, help Goth, and end the war.

But after experiencing tonight's events and reflecting on them, he wondered if there was anything else he could do besides repelling the elves and protecting Goth.

And then...

"Something clearly happened, but I can't feel any change... It's the same again." Kang De checked everything and sighed helplessly, "This cheat doesn't come with an instruction manual; I have to figure it out myself..."

The Autobots couldn't give a clear answer either, "It's good that everything's alright."

"Yes, it's good that you're alright."

Kang De took a deep breath. "Come on, let's clean up the battlefield and dispose of these elf corpses to prevent them from being discovered by other elf scouts and attracting a large army to hunt us down. And, there's one more exciting part, child, it's time to let you know the joy of battle..."

"Pleasure?"

Kang De snapped his fingers, "Loot the corpses! Explode for powerful artifacts! After every battle, looting is a must. It's like a lottery; find some good stuff and you'll make a fortune!"

"... Good stuff?"

Kang De smiled and said, "For example, if you could find enchanted equipment, and specifically a new attack-enhancing enchantment that's quite practical, wouldn't you have new homework? Isn't that a good thing?"

"..."

The Autobots' initial enthusiasm quickly died down.

"Hurry up and get to work."

Kang De smiled and waved his hand, "After I'm done, I'm going back to Earth."

The Autobots paused for a moment. "Didn't you say there was no rush?"

Kang De replied, "Now it's urgent."

While it's okay to confide in someone, there are some things that the clueless and naive Iron Son can't do.

Kang De was not as calm as he appeared on the surface.

He quickly threw himself into the battlefield cleanup work.

And he put the inexplicable changes that had just occurred to his body out of his mind.

Unbeknownst to Kang De, dozens of miles away, someone was startled.

"Waaaaaaah!"

In the neat and simple room, Hong San was startled and threw the thing in his hand onto the table. He had kept this scroll close to his body, and tonight he suddenly felt a burning heat. When he took it out, this ordinary thing suddenly emitted a terrifying light, which blinded his eyes.

The Cathayan, still shaken, heard greetings from outside. "Mountain Lord, are you alright?"

Hong San steadied himself and said, "It's alright, it's alright."

After the people outside had left, Hong San cautiously glanced at the scroll on the table, clasped his hands together, and whispered, "Master Kang, are you showing your power? I've calculated the date, it's tomorrow..."

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PS1: Second update, 3000 words. Goodnight everyone.