Live a Little Longer

Pain, shame, anger, helplessness.

Then came fear.

This was a taste Xie Liqian had never experienced before in his life.

These emotions, these resentments, were things he used to inflict on others.

In the course of his forty years of battling in the business world, he encountered many people who thought they could gain something from him. These people were usually capable, either proactive, ruthless, or possessed what they perceived as powerful authority or wealth. In the end, they lost, lost everything. Some died, some went to jail, and some lived like dogs. He was always the winner.

But today, he lost.

It was a complete defeat.

Because he had never encountered such an opponent, never encountered such a person.

His experience, methods, wealth, and power were all useless, because as an ordinary person and a very wealthy man, all his power and status stemmed from the conventional rules of this society, so he lost.

Because Kang De himself represents a completely new set of rules.

Faced with his own threats, temptations, and persuasion, Kang De was neither angry nor afraid.

I simply and calmly stated a fact to him.

You can be replaced, but I cannot.

That was enough to defeat him.

His life, his family, his career, everything he has, can be easily taken away.

Kang De didn't even need to do it himself.

How so.

Isn't he just an ordinary, unremarkable young man?

His parents are ordinary people who have never been abroad. He attended only ordinary schools and had no remarkable experiences. He received no advanced education or courses and has virtually no social experience. Even if he gained supernatural powers, could those powers possibly broaden his horizons?

This is what truly surprised and bewildered Xie Liqian.

Faced with his persuasion and even threats, the other party neither resorted to violence nor engaged in unreasonable arguments. Instead, he calmly, composedly, and serenely defeated him head-on, using his reasoning and rules.

Recalling the other person's previous confidence and aura, it was definitely not something that could be generated by superpowers; only true experience could cultivate such composure and calmness.

Having realized all this, Xie Liqian finally tasted the feelings of those ants he had once wantonly bullied and crushed—despair, resentment, anger, and panic, as if a mountain was pressing down on his head.

But the anger quickly subsided.

He was dragged by the hair into the dressing room, where he saw his swollen, bloodied cheeks in front of the full-length mirror with its gold frame.

Then Kang De poured a bottle of red liquid over his head and face, and then into his mouth.

His face felt cool, then warm, and the swelling visibly disappeared, the pain vanished, and his face returned to its previous appearance—if it weren't for the bloodstains still present, he would have thought it was a hallucination.

But it wasn't a hallucination.

This is true.

Kang De released his grip, Xie Liqian collapsed to the ground, unconsciously stroking his face.

His business instincts, honed over forty years, immediately detected a tremendous business opportunity... A drug that could rapidly heal wounds and eliminate pain would be enough to shake human society. Through a series of reverse analysis studies and the expansion of its principles, it would be worthy of at least ten Nobel Prizes in Biology or Medicine.

But the next moment, his burning, restless heart turned icy cold.

So what?

If Kang De were just an ordinary person who had only gotten some luck and learned some strange arts, and could still be controlled by bullets, power, and schemes, then he would have tried every means to get his hands on this magical potion, keep it all for himself, study it, or even silence him... But he was not.

The saying "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime" is indeed true.

But it was Qin Shi Huang who possessed this treasure...

"Isn't that amazing?"

Kang De crouched down, patted his face, and used his spiritual power to Extraction and decompose the remaining liquid. "My current reserves are probably enough to slowly slice you to pieces. How does that feel?"

Xie Liqian's body trembled.

He now had to painfully admit that he was at a complete disadvantage, and could even declare defeat. He felt pain and fear; his opponent was so powerful that he didn't know how to resist for the time being.

Even so, Xie Liqian still did not kneel down and beg for mercy.

It's not that he doesn't want to, it's that he's forgotten how to do it.

This ability often atrophies in high-ranking figures.

Kang De then patted Xie Liqian's shoulder. A young college student in his twenties patting the shoulder of a top tycoon, the former was composed, the latter timid, but there was nothing wrong with it.

"Mr. Xie, don't be afraid, don't panic. I won't make you kneel down. Although your son previously intended for me to do so, I'm not that kind of person. I have morals."

"I won't let you call me 'master' or anything like that. It's too embarrassing, really. Putting this on isn't just humiliating you, it's humiliating myself. I have my bottom line. I'm a human being, and human beings shouldn't practice slavery."

He simply sat down next to Xie Liqian.

"I won't make you bark like a dog, I won't put a leash on you, I won't step on your head with my shoes, and I won't make you lick the soles of my shoes—because I don't need to humiliate or belittle you in this way to show my own superiority. I am inherently more superior than you, and by not making you do these things, I demonstrate my superiority."

He turned to look at the person beside him, further eroding the important man's defenses.

"But don't misunderstand. The reason I am nobler than you is not because I possess abilities you cannot imagine. Although fate has granted me this power, I have never considered myself superior to others, nor have I become a higher being than you..."

"Compared to some great master or sage, I still want to be a human being, at least in my heart."

"I have compassion for others' suffering, I understand their difficulties, I reciprocate respect threefold, I abide by the rules, I am kind to others, I can be angry but I will not kill, I live freely but I will never trample on others' lives, I don't need to flatter nor easily ridicule or despise those who flatter, I never bow my head but I will not casually despise those who bow their heads, I understand the strength I have to stand tall and live freely, so I will not bully those who do not have such strength..."

"These are my thoughts, partly influenced by my parents' words and deeds, and partly by the beliefs I've gained from witnessing the lives of others... You probably don't understand."

"Therefore I despise your souls, Xie Liqian, and your son."

"You're nothing but a little money, yet you think you're above everyone else, trampling on other people's lives without any respect based on your own likes and dislikes... In my eyes, you are all the lowest and most despicable bastards."

"I am by right far superior to you."

Xie Liqian listened silently, his head bowed, like a disheveled old dog. Blood and the liquid from the healing potion had soaked his hair, which clung to his forehead, making him look like a drowned rat.

He seemed to have resigned himself to his fate, to admit defeat.

But who knows if someone in a high position, used to looking down on others, will actually bow their head?

But it's okay.

"I'm saying all this so you'll understand that you should be grateful for it," Kang De said softly, putting his arm around his shoulder. "Grateful that I'm different from you."

"I will not use poison, curses, mind control, mind imprinting, or slave contracts on you."

"Because I have morals, I am still a human being."

With each new word he heard, Xie Liqian's breathing quickened, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

Kang De patted his shoulder, once, once, and again.

Mr. Xie's body trembled, trembled, and trembled again.

Since their first meeting, Kang De's every word and action had completely shattered Xie Liqian's doubts, successfully creating an image of an omnipotent and sophisticated figure.

Therefore, Xie Liqian did not doubt whether what Kang De said was true or false.

He didn't dare to gamble.

At least that's how it is now.

"I know you're not convinced, and I don't expect today's setback to make you forever submissive and obedient, but it's okay, Xie Liqian, we have a long way to go in dealing with each other."

"However, you must remember that my morality, bottom line, and mercy are limited to this one time only." He reached out and patted the other man's old face, saying earnestly, "You're a smart man. To paraphrase what you said before, this is the foundation for our high-level alliance. You'd better behave yourself."

Xie Liqian stared blankly at Kang De.

His eyes, however, were shifting intensely.

That's normal.

He just doesn't know how to admit defeat or back down.

That's normal.

"You seem quite uncomfortable, but that's alright, you'll get used to it. We'll have many more opportunities to interact." Kang De smiled. "You said you could offer me everything I could never imagine, you said you have many friends, especially abroad... I'm really looking forward to it."

He picked up Xie Liqian's phone and handed it to the other person. As the other person took it, he casually ran his little finger lightly across the other person's thumbnail.

"Remember to save my number, I'll call you."

Then he stood up, dusted himself off, and took a few steps outside, looking like he wanted to leave.

Xie Liqian stared blankly at him, still looking dazed.

"Oh, right."

Kang De turned back.

He smiled at Xie Liqian and then asked a question.

"I said, do you want to live a little longer?"

The once powerful and influential CEO Xie looked bewildered, and then his expression changed drastically.

His eyes, which had been somewhat vacant from fear, confusion, and shock, now blazed with intense light.

Kang De gave him a meaningful smile.

Snap of fingers.

The shimmering light intertwined to form a dazzling magic circle, which appeared beneath Kang De's feet. Then space cracked open, and the deep, void of darkness twisted and folded, opening its portal.

Kang De disappeared from Xie Liqian's sight.

Xie Liqian stared blankly at the air, his eyes shifting between anger, lingering fear, terror, hatred, bewilderment, and... fanaticism.

Because he is no longer young.

Even with immense wealth that most people could only dream of, he still had to face the same hurdle that every mortal must eventually confront... The fate of life and death remains relatively fair to this day.

He was momentarily stunned, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

Kang De returned to the White Mist World, but did not rush back to Earth.

He lay on his back on the bed, stretching, recalling the scenes of their previous confrontation.

Take the initiative, engage in offense and defense, find weaknesses, break through the enemy lines, and expand your advantage in one fell swoop.

He demonstrated his near-omnipotent power to Xie Liqian, inspiring awe and fear in him.

He's a smart man, so he knows what's important.

Tell Xie Liqian that you still uphold morality to put him at ease and relax.

A morally strong person will lessen the shame and unease he feels from being coerced or controlled.

Offer Xie Liqian a tempting bait that will excite and entice him.

This is a temptation that almost everyone, from ancient times to the present, has found irresistible.

This was enough to make Xie Liqian submit, at least in the short term.

After all, I didn't ask to take half of his family fortune, nor did I intend to turn the Xuanhua Group into my own. I didn't coerce or pressure him excessively. This smart man will convince himself that there's no need to resist easily.

That's the case in the short term.

As for the future...

Kang De gave a cold laugh.

He can be easily dealt with now, not to mention the future. Xie Liqian's achievements in this life are limited to this point. No matter how much money he earns, he will not achieve any substantial upward mobility.

What about Kang De?

"It's not that difficult, right? I'm just an ordinary person, not without desires or wants. When faced with overwhelming fears, I'll feel helpless and lost, no longer the aloof person I used to be."

Kang De murmured to himself.

He only now realized with a start that he had become incredibly strong.

Because we've traveled a very long way.

Therefore, they can confidently and calmly face enormous beings that were previously untouchable, and defeat them.

The reason for not using poison, curses, mind control, or thought imprinting is...

--The main problem is that he doesn't have it.

Of course, this is not the main reason.

The main concern was that Kang De remained cautious. If he used that substance on Xie Liqian became so enraged that the state found out, things would become very serious.

The nation would treat a powerful and patriotic superhuman as an honored guest.

However, if this superpowered individual possesses methods to silently control or coerce others, and actually does so, then it's not necessarily the case.

But...

He activated his ability, returned to Earth, knocked on the door, called out to Old Wang, and handed her his phone. "I'm going back for a bit. If anyone calls, just answer for me, that's all."

Old Wang said, "Hello..."

"It won't be long."

Then Kang De rushed home, activated his ability, and jumped back to another world.

Even so, we still need to put a golden headband on Xie Liqian and give him a good talking-to.

After all, Mom is coming back.

He scooped up the A Xing that lunged at him, spun it around, and called for Hong San.

"I need some... technical support. I have spells or magical items. I'll describe their effects, and you can help me decide which one would be suitable, something subtle and gentle..."

Hong San listened for a moment, and since the judgment wasn't important, he interrupted.

"Before you tell me that, I must first tell you something," he said succinctly. "The elf messengers are coming; we have received the message."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: Something happened today. I was thinking of writing a summary... maybe tomorrow. Goodnight.