Hong San, a Civilized Man

Nothing more was said that night.

... Yeah, right.

The entire city spent the night in fear under the Shadow of the elven attack. Although the elves of Twilight Moon were proud, they did not mind using schemes, nor did they mind using their strengths.

Early in the morning, a well-rested Kang De was enjoying a sumptuous breakfast at the Vidal Chamber of Commerce.

The taste was just okay.

Modern culinary arts are the product of the continuous introduction and integration of ingredients from all over the world, the improvement and upgrading of cooking utensils and techniques, the refinement of ingredient processing, and the free availability of spices and seasonings. They are inevitably much stronger than those of ancient times, and of course, stronger than those of other worlds, but not entirely superior.

At least in this other world there is magic, or, to use a more fashionable term, a world of spiritual energy. The quality of ingredients is relatively high, and it might give rise to fantastical chefs like the Ice [beep--] Magic Chef and the Little Chinese Chef [beep--], who might be able to create dishes with even more special effects.

But top-notch ingredients and top-notch chefs certainly wouldn't be found in a branch of the Vidal Chamber of Commerce in some city in eastern Goth... so the breakfast was only so-so.

Leona sat in the host's seat, Hong San sat opposite Kang De, the butler stood by to the side, and the maids stood attentively. Whatever was needed, a single gesture or glance was all it took for the beautiful maids to prepare it immediately. They were well-trained and very attentive.

This kind of decadent, privileged life is something hard to find anywhere else on Earth... After all, not everyone is both rich and shameless; a semblance of respect and equality is still necessary.

Kang De sighed inwardly, then asked Hong San, "Was it lively last night?"

Last night, he was reinforcing the projectile weapons for Nick's elite troops. Although it was the most brutal and primitive direct infusion method, it still consumed mental energy. After feeling tired and weary, he immediately stopped his work and went to sleep to rest. After all, this kind of work is not like working 996, and even working overtime is not very efficient. He also needs to ensure that he has enough energy to deal with the upcoming second siege.

As for exactly what happened during that time, he had no idea.

But Hong San knew that Hong San had been on guard and paying close attention to the battle situation almost all night, and he didn't seem tired or depressed at all after cultivating immortality; on the contrary, he was full of energy.

According to him, the internal energy cultivation method passed down by his master is used for meditation, which can replace sleep and provide short rest and relaxation. Entering a meditative state every now and then, little by little, is enough to relieve fatigue.

So even though he was busy all night, it was as if he had slept all night.

After hearing his explanation, Kang De was greatly encouraged and envious. This skill, when used to grind GBF, was simply a model for Skyfarers and a beacon of light in the ancient battlefield—so he wanted to learn it.

Hong San reached out and felt the bones, then took the pulse. He then looked troubled and said the same old thing, a common saying in martial arts novels, "I'm too old, my aptitude is set, I can't be taught anymore. Even if I force myself to practice, my progress will be very slow. After all, learning martial arts is also about opportunity."

How should I put it? Although it was phrased euphemistically, the message "you have mixed spiritual roots" was practically written all over his face.

Damn it, one day I'll find a martial arts master to Extraction it, Star Absorbing Great Technique will scare you to death.

Hong San, unaware of Kang De's thoughts, replied upon being asked, "It's quite a scene. The elves, being powerful and valiant, have seized the initiative on the battlefield. Valentan, with limited forces and relatively weaker combat strength, dares not venture out of the city to launch a surprise attack, so the elves are only able to harass their own city..."

Kang De frowned and said, "This is troublesome."

The elves attack the city, and the humans defend it. The elves have the initiative, so when and how to attack is entirely up to them. They can sleep soundly and conserve their energy tonight, or they can choose any time to launch a surprise attack. They can do whatever they want. On the other hand, the humans can only be on full alert all night long, adhering to the principle that "the elves may launch an attack at any time."

If the elves were to exploit this advantage, things would become even more disgusting.

For example, allow most of the elite soldiers to rest and recuperate, then select a unit to launch a harassing attack, firing a barrage of arrows and creating a great commotion. After the commotion, retreat, repeating this cycle to keep the defenders in a state of constant alarm, ultimately exhausting the enemy army.

This method is shameless, disgusting, and effective. What's even more terrifying is that after countless harassments and feints to lull the enemy into a false sense of security, a genuine siege attack is suddenly launched, turning the feint into a real attack. This is the real reason why the defenders, even knowing it's a feint, dare not lower their guard.

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, during the battle for Hanzhong, the Wei army camp was harassed three times by the Shu army, and then retreated thirty miles to set up camp again. This was because Boss Cao was afraid that Kongming would suddenly launch such an attack on him.

The elves are using this method now.

"It's really troublesome."

Hong San nodded and said, "However, Mayor Nick also had a countermeasure. Both sides were defending and attacking, and neither gained an advantage. Although the elves had the initiative, we also had advantages. Although they were elite, their numbers were limited. We... sigh, we had more people, and we could withstand attrition."

As he said this, he shook his head and smiled bitterly, with a hint of self-mockery. Yesterday he was questioning and roaring for those who died from being arbitrarily driven and exploited, and today he's thinking about the problem from the perspective of decision-makers. How ironic.

Hong San merely sighed for a moment, then continued, "Mayor Nick has established a very comprehensive vigilance system. The troops responsible for night watch are mostly conscripts, led and commanded by a small number of veteran elites. The level of alert is raised according to the intensity and offensive of the elven attacks. Only when it is confirmed that the elves are officially attacking the city will all elite troops and mage corps be awakened. This ensures that the elite troops get the most rest possible."

"This is a passive defense; the mayor has also planned for a proactive offensive."

"The attack plan revolves around one principle: if the enemy is feigning an attack, they are unlikely to send a large number of mages with them, because elven mages also need rest. In this way, the balance of power among local mage groups will be reversed, and if the humans concentrate a large number of spellcasters, they will actually have the advantage."

"The specific tactic was that when the elves launched their third feint attack, the entire mage and warlock regiments, who were prepared, were ordered to launch a joint attack. The result was remarkable; the feint attack force was subjected to an extremely dense barrage of ranged spells and catapults, and the small number of mages accompanying the force were simply unable to withstand all the attacks."

"This tactic has one advantage: after a successful execution, the mages can go back to rest. The elves, on the other hand, will face the same guessing game—humans will have to guess which of the elves' feints will turn into a real siege, while the elves will have to guess which feint will be met with a full-scale attack from the human mage legion."

Kang De listened intently.

What Hong San said was all a summary and refinement, but only those involved truly know how much effort, expectation, fear, scheming, and resistance were condensed during those long, more than ten hours of darkness.

He said, "It must have been very difficult."

Hong San nodded and sighed, "I must say, Mayor Nick, aside from being a bit ruthless and cold-blooded, and lacking in human warmth, is truly an outstanding person. After our mage group launched an attack and successfully struck down that feint force, the elves launched two more feint attacks. One of them came very close, but the mayor remained calm and did not order the war sorcerers and mages to attack again. Instead, he ordered all sides to be on alert."

"As he predicted, the feint attack was merely bait. The elven mage contingent gathered a dark curtain and, along with a select force, circled around to the east wall. In other words, once our mage contingent launched a fierce attack on the feint attack, the elven mage contingent on the other side of the city wall would immediately begin their assault..."

Kang De asked, "And then?"

Hong San chuckled, "Because Mayor Nick did nothing, the elven commander wasn't sure what his schemes were, and ultimately didn't dare launch an attack. He ordered the mage legion to quietly retreat, a very wise choice. After all, given the strength of the elven army, there was no need to risk a night raid..."

Kang De nodded repeatedly, then said, "It's a pity I wasn't there last night..."

Hong San put down his cup, shook his head, and said, "There's nothing to regret. Although it sounds dramatic and full of intrigue, it's all very dull and boring in the long night."

Kang De raised an eyebrow and said, "It sounds like you were there the whole time?"

Hong San nodded calmly. "I am but a humble servant, offering a small suggestion to the mayor."

Kang De became interested. "What?"

Hong San's smile was somewhat embarrassed, "As you know, my strategies and military tactics were all learned from my master, but I just absorbed them whole without any real practice or verification, so I can't come up with any particularly brilliant plans..."

"In fact, there are no earth-shattering strategies or ingenious plans in the world. So-called military strategy is nothing more than adapting to the weather, the terrain, and the people. For example, the mayor's use of a mage corps and a vigilant system to deal with the elven harassment and feint attack was based on his complete understanding of the city's military strength, terrain, and situation, which ensured the effectiveness of this strategy."

"But I am unaware of the opportune moment, the favorable location, and the support of the people; I can only offer advice based on my own expertise."

At this point, he said embarrassedly, "I'm just a good-for-nothing. All these years, I've only done one thing: figure out what people are thinking. As long as I can figure out what others are thinking, I can live comfortably. I've accomplished nothing, I've given up on myself, and I'm beyond redemption, but I'm quite good at figuring out what people are thinking."

"Since human hearts can be deciphered, deciphering spirits shouldn't be too difficult."

"At least, as long as the method and approach are correct, provoking elves is much easier than provoking humans."

Upon hearing this, Kang De and Leona exchanged a glance, seemingly understanding.

The two guessed Hong San's plan almost simultaneously.

After all, they are moral exemplars who use foul language.

Sure enough, Hong San said, "Elves are proud and have a strong sense of self-esteem, even to the point of arrogance. I believe this is one of their fatal weaknesses, and it's the perfect time to counter feint attacks and harassment."

Kang De tentatively asked, "Did you insult them?"

Hong San remained unfazed and said, "It's not me who's cursing, it's the soldiers on the city wall who're cursing together. The mage will manipulate the wind to carry it out, so even if the elves run two miles away, they'll hear it. That's because they have such keen senses."

"It's not just insults, ridicule, humiliation, spreading rumors, distorting facts, and making up jokes; it's all based on on-site reporting."

He said, "If the elves feign an attack and then run away, then fabricate a story that they were utterly defeated and routed, then fled in a sorry state, crying for their mothers and kneeling to beg the humans on the city walls not to kill them."

"They also fabricated a story that the elven commander eliminated dissidents by deliberately sending these feinting troops to their deaths in order to eliminate elves who were not loyal to him. They also said that the enemy, for the sake of merit, did not care about the lives of their soldiers and was willing to suffer heavy casualties in order to take Valentan, but those who died were all soldiers he did not like."

"These are all minor offenses. If we go any further, we'll wait until the elven feint attack force gets close, then we'll assess them one by one. Whoever is handsome and is sitting very close to their comrade, they must be having an affair."

"Not only that, but they also loudly speculate and guess, deducing which of the two elves was in front and which was behind when they were doing things, which one was poking and which one was in pain, to the point of seducing the superior and engaging in group activities... I won't go into the specifics, they're all filthy words, better not to listen."

"The results proved to be extremely impressive."

"The elves were furious, some even acting rashly. Seeing this, the mayor ordered his elite archers to lie in ambush, inflicting heavy casualties. The elves then forcibly restrained their troops, ordering them not to approach lightly. But this was the nature of the elves; a mere military order could not change them... They were extremely arrogant and looked down on humans, which is why they were even more enraged when they were so humiliated by such lowly and despicable humans."

"As for remaining calm and unperturbed, treating insults and curses as a gentle breeze, that sounds nice, but in reality, it's absolutely intolerable. With swords in hand and confidence in their strength, how could the elves possibly bow down to humans?"

Hong San laughed again as he said this, "As a result, the elves suffered increasing casualties, and they had no choice but to keep their feint attack forces at bay. With the support of the surveillance system, they were basically safe."

"Besides, this method is also good for boosting morale. After all, you know, soldiers and civilians alike are both into this kind of thing. Targeting the lowlifes makes them listen with rapt attention and talk with even more enthusiasm. It's just that the scene is too filthy and disgusting; it's not a place for respectable people to stay."

Leona's eyes lit up as she listened, and Kang De's face lit up with excitement. These two respectable men didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable; on the contrary, they were filled with regret, wishing they had been there last night to participate in this grand event.

Leona thought, "If I were here, I'd definitely come up with even more brilliant and powerful insults."

Kang De thought to himself, "If I were here, I could surely make the elves die on the spot."

Without a second thought, the eldest daughter of the Vidal Family blurted out, "Is there still a chance tonight?"

As soon as she said this, she felt it was inappropriate, and the smiles on Hong San and Kang De's faces also disappeared.

As dawn breaks, the intrigue and tactics of attrition waged in the darkness have come to an end. In broad daylight, the elves have prepared their forces, and the humans are ready to face off. This is not a surprise attack or a harassment; a truly brutal war is about to Veil.

Even if we defeat the elves and defend the city today, it will come at a great cost.

Even if the elves launch another feigned attack at night, after the devastating casualties of the day, amidst fear and pain, could the defending soldiers still dispel their fear with the same joy and arrogance as they did the night before, cursing and laughing heartily at the elves?

"... some."

Kang De said, "A Pyrrhic victory is even more inspiring, and a beautiful young lady standing on the city wall spewing out scathing words can be even more motivating and inspiring. Tonight, I'll go with you to hurl insults."

Everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. Leona looked at Kang De's gentle smile and felt a jolt in her heart.

But the next moment, a huge roar swept across the sky, and the earth trembled slightly.

The sky quickly turned gloomy.

The group turned their heads and looked out the window. They saw dark clouds rolling in, the sky darkening, and lightning flashing across the sky. Streams of magical light broke through the city walls, tracing arcs of death, and crashed into the city.

Kang De and Hong San suddenly stood up, and the old butler stepped forward to protect Leona.

The maids turned pale.

The war horns sounded suddenly, and the overlord of the Twilight Moon had arrived.

"Here we go..."

Kang De and Hong San exchanged a glance, then quickly checked their equipment, shouldered their heavy backpacks, and their calm and composed demeanor gradually calmed the people around them, making them feel at ease.

Finally, Kang De's gaze swept across everyone's faces, eventually settling on Leona.

"You all stay here and don't move..."

He said, "I'm going to kill a few elves."

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PS1: This chapter could easily be expanded into two or three chapters... I only realized this halfway through writing, but since I've already written it, I'll leave it at that. I can criticize it later. Time for bed.