Illusion

The next day, Kang De got up very early.

Just as I was about to check the weaponry and prepare some large-scale bombings, I heard a rapid knocking on the door.

He pushed open the window and looked down. It was Hong San. The Cathayan's face was full of unease, a look that came from a sense of fate and a sigh of "what's meant to happen will happen, but damn it, it's really here."

Well, how should I put it?

Just like the expression on the face of a swordsman who was already aware of his bloodline when he unzipped his pants and saw the white light, it should be similar to Hong San's expression at this moment.

Kang De's heart sank.

He asked, "Have the elves arrived?"

Hong San looked up and replied, "No."

"..."

Then why are you panicking?

"But it's fast," Hong San said anxiously. "The elves' marching speed is beyond our expectations. I thought we'd have at least a day to prepare, but they've come so quickly. It shouldn't be like this, unless..."

He seemed utterly panicked; as he spoke, he became lost in his own thoughts, completely forgetting that he was talking to Kang De.

Kang De frowned and asked, "Unless what?"

Hong San was startled, then shook his head and said, "It's nothing... They're here, that's enough. There's no point in saying this."

He looked up at Kang De: "Mayor Nick has sent someone, ordering me to expedite the arming and organization of troops, and to lead eight hundred men to the west wall before noon today to familiarize ourselves with the battlefield and make preparations. Our mission is to defend a section of the west wall..."

At this point, Hong San's voice trembled slightly.

War, a bloody war, a terrible war, a cruel war, is about to descend upon this city, upon the thousands upon thousands of weak people who have nothing to do with it.

He looked at Kang De, his expression shifting several times, showing pleading, guilt, fear, and unease.

A thousand words, all condensed into one. "Master..."

Kang De stood by the second-floor window, looking down at the Cathayan below. Looking down from above, people do indeed appear small and insignificant, which is why rulers and those in positions of power always want to stand on high ground.

Hong San was originally a degenerate, insignificant, and lowly fellow who had always lived a life of passive acceptance of his fate.

But this time is different.

This time, Hong San's expression and posture were as insignificant as ever... but not humble.

Kang De slowly exhaled.

Then he jumped down from the second floor, landed next to Hong San, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Call the strategist."

Kang De walked straight outside.

Hong San turned around, staring blankly at Kang De's retreating figure, and suddenly wiped his eyes.

He laughed when he was hit, he laughed when he was insulted, he laughed when he was mocked, he laughed when he was amused. He thought he would never cry, never know the taste of tears, because he didn't know what sadness was. He was always optimistic and submissive, so why should he cry?

But I've been crying a lot lately.

He had cried before, but Kang De exposed him. He wasn't crying for himself, but for those whose fates were unpredictable, for their sorrowful destinies that they couldn't control.

And now, why are you shedding tears?

It's strange, I can't figure it out.

It's clearly a good thing, Master Kang agreed, I should be happy... Why do I feel like crying after he patted me on the shoulder and said those three words?

He quickly caught up, putting the question out of his mind.

This kind of thing is irrelevant; what's important is... what we have to face next.

The streets were packed with people, just like yesterday.

Kang De could still recall the scene from last night: the Vidal Chamber of Commerce had delivered a large amount of supplies, with plenty of food and drink, meat to eat, and sugar. As a result, everyone smiled and indulged themselves. Not only did Hong San's reputation reach new heights, but even he, an outsider who had been parachuted in, instantly gained recognition and admiration.

When Hong San returned yesterday, people looked at him as if he were a god.

But today, that faith has wavered.

After last night's indulgence, I woke up this morning to a chilly atmosphere. Sometimes, even with our dulled senses, we can feel the change in atmosphere; a storm is brewing, and the wind is blowing.

The smell of war is drawing near.

Men, women, young and old, everyone stared at Hong San, their eyes filled with great anticipation.

Kang De observed coldly, but as the strategist who "brought back a large amount of supplies and was extremely capable," he also carried a portion of the expectations, and many people looked at him with great interest.

He suddenly had a very strange feeling.

Because he can read people's eyes and expectations.

That silent gaze represented a plea—Great Lord Hong San, I heard the spirits are coming, please lead us away, don't let me die, let me have enough to eat and wear, the food last night was very good, in short, lead us to survive, find another city to settle down in, and leave this place.

That's roughly how it feels.

All expectations and hopes are placed on one person.

He suddenly felt a sense of absurdity and... unease.

Well, how should I put it?

These people are weak and innocent. War should have nothing to do with them. They don't want to be caught up in the war. They want to live a peaceful life, to survive, and to have enough to eat and wear. They want to escape—this is all human nature, normal, and a biological instinct. There is nothing wrong with them thinking this way.

But their mistake was placing such hopes on someone who had no connection to the matter and was merely offering a helping hand.

And... no one considered Hong San's feelings.

They simply kept putting Hong San in a difficult position by constantly pleading, worshipping, and relying on him, leaving him with no way out.

Looking at Hong San ahead, he sighed silently.

But in this cruel world, what's the point of arguing about right and wrong?

In such a world, right and wrong are meaningless. Just as the elves will not argue with you about the right or wrong of invading Goth, they will directly send troops to attack and whitewash themselves. Just as the Good Family will not care about the right or wrong of betraying Goth, they will directly take action, and if they win, they can also fabricate a truth.

Right or wrong is not important; what matters is whether each person has made a decision from the bottom of their heart and is prepared to bear the consequences.

So, Hong San... is this what you really want to do?

The crowd began to riot.

Someone shouted, "Hong San, has the elven army attacked?"

Then someone asked, "Hong San, can we leave here?"

One after another, they rose and fell.

"My lord, should we defend the city? Should we fight the elves?"

"My lord, the elven army is terrifying..."

"Grown ups..."

"Grown ups..."

Questions were spreading, and people were waiting, waiting for Hong San to say something.

Kang De glanced at the crowd and sneered inwardly. Chen, Song, Huang and other leaders were like quails, shrinking back and not saying a word. They were all ambitious and eager to take this opportunity to make a name for themselves. They had been advocating for war in front of Hong San, but at this moment, they were silent and timid.

The intention was to make Hong San the villain, shatter everyone's illusions, and announce this bad news.

Oh shit.

Kang De was even more displeased at this thought, and was about to speak when Hong San grabbed him.

He turned his head, looked at Kang De, and smiled.

Then he said, "Brothers and sisters, children, elders, please be quiet."

Relying on his usual prestige, the commotion subsided, and everyone fell silent. Hong San took a deep breath and said, "Everyone already knows about the elven attack. Last night, we feasted and sang together, dispelling our worries and fears. But feasts don't happen every day, and today we have our own worries. I can tell you clearly that we cannot leave, and we must fight for this city."

Like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, the crowd instantly erupted in excitement.

"We refuse!"

This is not our home! This is not our battle!

"We don't want to fight! Those are elves! We can't win! We'll die!"

"We want to get out of here! Sir, please take us away!"

Public sentiment was high.

Kang De noticed a hint of bitterness flash in Hong San's eyes.

As it turns out, in life-or-death situations, in the face of danger, and when one's own interests are at stake, all the titles of leaders, figures like Hong San, and all the reverence and admiration are meaningless.

The reason they gathered together and followed Hong San was simply to find a powerful protector.

That's all.

When the protector can no longer protect them or guarantee their interests, then the veneration and loyalty that are like castles in the air will become shaky and even in danger of collapsing.

Hong San was overwhelmed by this wave of noise. From all sides, there were questions, protests, and opposition, catching him off guard and shaking him to his core. He may have been prepared, but when it all erupted, he still felt lost, or rather, heartbroken.

An excited crowd had already gathered not far from Hong San, shouting and yelling at him.

Ironically, this person's cheers were perhaps the loudest and most enthusiastic yesterday.

Kang De even found it somewhat absurd—why could these weak, ordinary people ignore everything Hong San had done before, and then yell at and turn their backs on this powerful protector?

But he soon understood.

A sudden explosion rocked the street, followed by flashes of magical light. Startled, the crowd turned to see a young officer in armor, wielding a sword and riding a warhorse. Beside him, a blue-robed mage lowered his staff.

Behind the officer followed a troop of fully armed cavalry.

The officer spurred his horse forward, the warhorse neighing, and the people in the street retreated to both sides in fear.

The officer brandished his longsword and charged forward without hesitation, shouting at the surrounding crowd, "Trying to escape? The four gates are tightly shut; no one is allowed to leave. Anyone who tries to force their way in will be killed without mercy! Go ahead and try to break through the gate if you dare!"

His gaze sharpened as he swept the room around. "Don't want to fight? Don't want to fight for Valentan? The place you live in was given to you by the city lord, the food you eat was allocated to you by the city. You're eating, drinking, and living here for free, and now that the elves are attacking, you think you can just move to another place and continue to freeload? There's no such thing as a free lunch."

"I'm telling you, no one is getting out! If the elves breach the city, everyone will die! Since everyone is going to die, then everyone must die in battle! This is a military order! Anyone who disobeys will die!"

"You filthy beggars, remember this: obey orders, fight to the death, and defend the city to survive! If you can't, you'll all die! Trying to escape? The elves are coming soon. Even if you manage to run away, the elven scouts will catch you, torture you severely, and you'll all die!"

"You will all die here, die in Valentan, do you hear me?"

"Are you trying to hide? Hiding in some corner of the city? Let me tell you, it's no use! You outsider scum, do you think you can hide in this city? Whoever reports you will get a reward, and that family will get a city-wide exemption. Go ahead and hide, but if I catch you, I'll skin you alive!"

The officer's roar echoed through the street.

The cavalrymen drew their swords, their armor gleaming, while the mages' staffs shone with elemental light.

"You're not convinced? Come on, I'm right here. Pull me off my horse, kill me, and fight your way out of the city! You think you're so capable? You don't want to fight for this city? Then charge out! Come on!"

Where the sword pointed, everyone instinctively stepped back.

People shut their mouths and remained silent. These people, who dared to shout at the victorious and renowned Lord Hong San, kept quiet in the face of a mere Goth officer.

It completely lacked its previous momentum.

They even subconsciously stole glances at Hong San, hoping that their leader, the adult they followed, would stand up and argue with this domineering Goth officer.

The streets were quiet, very quiet; the previous uproar seemed like an illusion.

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PS1: Second update, 3500 words. Ah, time for bed.