Hong San Learned to Be Human Today

"Don't let them be treated like cattle and sheep anymore."

These were the last words young Preston uttered in this world.

He stared blankly at the crimson sky.

He was a member of the Valentan Family, the mayor's younger brother, and an experienced and brave soldier. He was intelligent and decisive, aware of the country's predicament, and willing to fight for the people's suffering. He should have had a bright future, but instead he was trapped in this unimportant city, fighting until the elves broke through.

In order to save a group of civilians who were being driven away and slaughtered, dozens of soldiers, all wounded and exhausted, resolutely charged forward and fought to the death until the last man was left.

So how many young people who should have shone brightly, even changed the country or become its pillars, died silently and almost meaninglessly in this war?

Can he fulfill his dying wishes and entrustment?

Kang De slowly reached out and closed his still-open eyes. He slowly stood up. The entire city was immersed in shouts of killing and screams. Magical flames constantly streaked across the sky, and scorching air churned up waves of heat that blew in from several blocks away. What he could see were ferocious and tyrannical elves.

And those who dared not resist even now.

How difficult is it to change a country, to change a group of ignorant people?

How can we change them?

First, let them eat their fill, then teach them the principles, and also be careful not to let them eat too much.

How many years, how many things, how many people killed, how many battles will all this take?

Is it possible?

Is it worth doing?

He thought of the faces of the people of Valentan last night, Nick's letter, the numb cattle and sheep today, Preston's dying tears, and the brave girl beside him.

Such a path, such a determination, such a cause—for an ordinary young man, it is far too ethereal and too burdensome; this is not his country, nor his people.

He had no reason to dedicate his life to this cause.

But why come back?

"Father, more enemies are coming."

The Autobots' urging interrupted his brief daze. Kang De snapped out of it and saw that the frail girl had already picked up a longsword, but she was too weak to even hold a standard-issue sword. Let alone a well-trained and physically strong elven soldier, even a burly man from Valentan who was frantically fleeing for his life could easily kick her several meters away if he mustered the courage.

How can such a weak person fight?

Why are only such weak people willing to fight?

Kang De said, "You should hide right now; I can't worry about you right now."

The girl shouted, "No, I want to fight!"

Kang De frowned and said, "What are you fighting for? An elf could take your life with a single arrow from afar!"

The girl immediately picked up a round shield from the ground and held it in front of her. "N-not now!"

Kang De kicked the sword in the girl's right hand, knocking it out of her grasp and sending it flying to the side. He leaned closer and said in a deep voice, "Listen, I don't have time to protect you right now, but I don't want you to die either. In times like these, those who dare to resist and fight bravely deserve to live. You have courage far beyond ordinary people, and a spirit that those with strong physiques lack. There are ways to make up for a lack of strength. You can do so much more in the future, instead of dying here meaninglessly. Do you understand?"

The girl's thin face, stained with black ash and blood, stared blankly at Kang De, seemingly not understanding.

Or rather, they were stunned.

Because I heard praise and affirmation I had never heard before.

Affirm her value, affirm her courage, affirm her potential.

Seeing her lack of response, and knowing the urgency of the situation, Kang De angrily said, "You don't understand? Let me put it simply! I just saved you, so your life is mine now. I'm asking you to save yourself, to keep your life so you can repay me in the future—do you understand what I'm saying? Nod quickly!"

The girl paused for a moment, then nodded subconsciously.

"Alright, it's settled then. Find a place to lie down; it's fine to carry this broken shield."

Kang De snatched the shield, channeling his spiritual power and Element. A radiant glow flowed, and two enchantments—Iron Wall and Fire Warding —took shape. He then handed it back. "I'll come back for you. Hide nearby and take this shield with you; it'll at least keep you from burning to death."

The girl passively accepted the round shield and held it in her hands; it actually suited her somewhat.

"Alright, go hide somewhere!" Kang De pushed her to the side of the street and watched her disappear into the alley.

Then he turned around and yelled, "Alright, Hong San, you idiot, you son of a bitch, you moron, now follow me and let's see if we can save a few people. You better pray we can't save many this time, otherwise if the carriage can't hold them all, I'll hang you out on the outside and pretend you're India!"

Hong San, leaning on his spear, stood guard to one side, and upon hearing this, he simply smiled calmly.

There was neither fear nor forced smiles.

He said softly, "Sir, who are you going to save?"

"Of course, we'll rescue those tough guys who can fight and are willing to fight! We also need to drag that bastard Nick out, knock him unconscious, and drag him away so we can read that damn letter to him every day!"

Kang De changed the magazine, tucked the axe behind his back, and shouted, "Hurry up! Keep up!"

Hong San didn't move, and calmly said, "Then we're not going the same way."

Kang De paused for a moment, then his expression turned grim. "You're going to the Heaven and Earth Society and Earth Society?"

Hong San said softly, "Yes."

"..."

A look of utter absurdity and bewilderment appeared on Kang De's face; or rather, he seemed to understand, but could not accept, utterly could not accept.

"You fucking..."

Kang De took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Listen, listen, there are many members of the Heaven and Earth Society, you can't save them all. You told me that yourself, there's no way to save them! We can only wait for the future, we can only avenge them, that's what you taught me! What are you doing now!"

"It's different, it's different."

Hong San smiled wryly, "The Valentan People mean nothing to you, but the Heaven and Earth Society means something to me..."

"What the hell! What's the difference!" Kang De roared. "Those people are just using you. Didn't you see through it last night? Don't you know what kind of people they are!"

"I know, I know everything..." Hong San's expression was both calm and sorrowful. "I read Mayor Nick's letter, and I've thought about what's happened these past few days. I don't understand why the people are born so ignorant, and I don't know how to teach them about morality and shame, but I do know one thing."

"They can change for the better."

Because I was once just like them.

"So..."

Kang De roared in fury, "What the hell are you trying to say?!"

"I don't know! I don't know!" Hong San suddenly became agitated, his eyes wide and bloodshot, his voice passionate and fervent, roaring like a lion, "I don't know what I'm saying, I don't know why I came back, I only know that Master taught me to follow my heart, so—I came back!"

"I have never understood the meaning of my life as clearly as I do now."

"I want to protect them."

Even though I know they aren't kind, that they'll be ungrateful, that they'll criticize heroes, that they'll only rely on and take from others, and that they'll scatter in the face of danger... I know all of this, and I used to be like that myself, but even so, I will protect them, because I am human!

Hong San's eyes welled up with tears, and he said sternly, "--Because you taught me! I am a human being!"

Kang De shook his head and said, "You're not human, you're a complete madman."

While saying this, the Autobots was gesturing behind his back. He lowered his body slightly, but the next moment, Hong San released his right hand and grabbed the gun barrel, the tip of which was already pressed against his own throat.

"Please do not act rashly, sir. Now that Hong San has returned, he has made his decision and will never be a burden to you, nor will he change his mind. Do not come with me. Consider me already a dead man. Because of me, you have been dragged into Valentan, and I do not know how to repay or make amends. Now, because of me, you are being plunged into another perilous battle. I would rather die here now!"

Kang De couldn't utter a word; he just stared at him intently.

Hong San suddenly laughed, "Master, we haven't known each other for long, but I've been fortunate enough to receive your guidance and care. I wasn't human before, but you treated me like one and taught me principles. Although you looked down on me, you didn't despise or loathe me. There are so many kindnesses I can't possibly repay even a fraction of them. I guess I'll have to repay them in the next life."

He released the tip of his gun, and like a mountain, he collapsed to his knees.

"Sir, this is the last time I will kneel and kowtow in my life."

Hong San kowtowed, then stood up and looked directly at Kang De: "Please go on your own. I also have somewhere to go. You have your life, and I have my choices. Take care, even if you can't save anyone. Please remember what happened today, the mayor's letter, Mr. Preston's last wish, and my words."

Please don't lose hope in humanity.

"I have humbled myself and been looked down upon by you, yet even someone as hopeless as me has come to this day, and now... I will prove it to you."

He turned around with his gun, strode away, and never looked back.

"... Bastards, you're all bastards! Idiots! Scoundrels!"

Kang De's angry shouts rang out from behind.

Hong San didn't turn around. He wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and glanced at the distant sky.

"Master above, your disciple Hong San, today, learns to be a good person."

He tore off a long, blood-stained strip of cloth, tied it around his forehead to stop the sweat from dripping down, then brandished his spear, quickened his pace, even galloped, and charged towards the Heaven and Earth Society's stronghold amidst the carnage and bloodshed that filled the city.

"Father..."

The Autobots muttered, "What is he trying to prove?"

"How the hell should I know!" This was the first time Kang De had spoken to his Iron Son in such a harsh voice. He roared, "They're all bastards! Bastards are all incomprehensible!"

The corpses on the ground, the weeping city, people dying one after another, the city sliding towards the abyss. He was several times stronger than when he was Glittering Sand, but he still couldn't protect those he wanted to protect.

He remained powerless.

"Fuck!"

Kang De charged toward the city center, the Autobots close behind. He fired at the elves he encountered, cannon fire roared, axes spun, and the golden dial in his pupils shimmered with the flow of time.

"Go find Nick —I want to see how he dies!"

The Humvee roared, the weapons stations bellowed, and in the street fighting, the tanks pressed forward relentlessly. The roar of these steel behemoths was so familiar that most of the elven soldiers remembered that strange and malevolent howl. A mixture of surprise, joy, and anger burned within them. "It's Kang De!"

A frenzied emotion spread and boiled over, so much so that almost all the elves who heard the news roared with excitement. They all abandoned their slaughter of human soldiers and civilians. Compared to these pitiful and weak humans, this more evil and more hateful creature was the one who deserved to be hunted down!

He was the one who stopped the offensive against Valentan and killed countless comrades. He was the one who set up the despicable trap and buried countless comrades alive. It was him, it was him, it was all him!

"Kill him! Kill him!"

The city was surrounded by enemies; the roars and howls of elves filled the air. Arrows rained down like locusts, and cavalry charged in, blocking and capturing them along the streets and alleys. Kang De's gun roared as he shouted, "Come on! Come on!"

At the city hall, the outcome was almost entirely decided.

Selendron hated Nick so much that when the army entered the city, the town hall became the primary target of the attack. The legion commander even personally led and directed the offensive. The elves' attack was ruthless and efficient, using any means necessary and without any constraints. There were only two orders.

Kill every human being you see.

Nick Valentan was captured alive.

Because Selendron wanted to personally dismember this despicable human, piece by piece.

The elite elves stormed the town hall and killed everyone, whether they resisted or surrendered, whether they were men or women, old or young.

To slaughter everything precisely, efficiently, and comprehensively.

The human troops defending this place put up a tenacious resistance, but the outcome was already decided. The mages exhausted their last bit of Magic Power and were twisted in two by the enemy mages. The soldiers were wounded and fell to the ground, then were killed. In every corridor and every room, swords, guns, magic, and slaughter were the only melody.

Nick Valentan.

Selendron's voice was utterly calm, yet like the coldest block of ice. Scattered resistance erupted throughout the town hall, but the elves' superb command and formidable combat skills had already divided the leaders of Valentan within this area. Guards fell one after another, and Nick fought valiantly with his sword. Even so, this highest-ranking official of Valentan chose to continue fighting rather than end his life by suicide.

His longsword was cleaved away, Selendron easily broke his arm, and trampled him underfoot. The legion commander coldly said, "I will inflict all the tortures of the Dusk Warband on you."

Nick spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and laughed fearlessly, "This is what I deserve."

Selendron dragged him like a dead dog to the high platform, so he could see Valentan and all around the town hall. "Did you hear their screams? I've always wondered why you did this. Did Goth promise you something? Did your family evacuate beforehand?"

Nick burst out laughing, "How could that be? They're in town, they're right here."

"Then I will torture them to death one by one in front of you," Selendron said coldly. "Foolish, how foolish, human! You knew the city would inevitably fall, yet you still committed such a heinous crime. What was your purpose? Don't you care about the lives of your family? Don't you care about your clan?"

"You're the fool! Don't you understand why we're fighting now?!"

Nick suddenly lunged forward, but his other hand, which was holding the dagger, was still broken by Selendron. The mayor had foreseen this outcome. At this moment, the process of resistance was more important than the result. He ignored the excruciating pain and stared intently into the eyes of the executioner before him. At this moment, countless souls who could have knelt down and begged for mercy but fought to the death stood behind him, roaring the same words and shouting out the same voice.

"When the country is about to perish, what's the point of having a family!"

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PS1: Update complete. Damn, I'm probably too excited to sleep. Goodnight.