A Male Elf Who Looked the Part

The setting sun illuminated the city walls, Valentan sun's rays sank behind Valentine. Kang De stood atop the city walls, holding a telescope.

"He got off too easily."

He said this.

Hong San, standing beside him, chuckled, "The other party was sensible and backed down early. If we keep fussing, we'll only be at a disadvantage—the purpose of the 'warning stick' is to undermine their authority, and they've already done so themselves, so we don't need to hit them anymore."

Kang De looked rather disappointed. "Unfortunately, my multinational journalist team is useless now..."

When Kant sent the "Disney Ticket Inspection and Enforcement Brigade" to cause trouble, Kang De had already prepared a second wave.

Nowadays, Valentan has little else to offer but is a mixed bag with a very complex ethnic composition. He had Hong San do a little searching and found a group of relatively good-looking guys, all of whom spoke nicely and ran very fast.

With a little packaging and training, one can impersonate a journalist, making sure everything they say is published and has international impact. This allows them to stir up trouble and create chaos. The key is to be shameless and willing to join the fray, which makes them useful to Master Kang.

Kang De was very good at learning the Western system.

He had already made up his mind that if the first wave of the disciplinary team went to provoke them and the elves refused to back down or cause trouble, then a large group of reporters would swarm in and make a big fuss about it, saying that they would report the elven envoys' ugly and rude behavior to the newspapers and back home, so that the people could see the elven people's arrogant and hypocritical ugliness. Such a threat would surely make the extremely face-conscious elves panic and lose their composure.

In any case, in the rush, the elf was unable to verify the identities of the so-called reporters.

Even if we later retaliate against the countries where these journalists are located—they are imperial journalists after all. If your Dusk Moon Dynasty wants to sanction the Empire, what does it have to do with me, Kang De?

"No, it would be a waste not to use it."

Kang De muttered to himself, "If we don't use it this time, we'll have to next time. The newspapers I told you about before must be established—not the kind of garbage reserved for the nobility. Newspapers must be seen by the broadest masses of people, by the citizens, by the army, and even by the peasants!"

"For those who are illiterate, send out preachers, then educate them, eradicate illiteracy—it all needs to be done, and we must start now." Kang De turned to look at Hong San, "Otherwise, it will be too late if we wait until later."

Hong San nodded and said, "Yes, I've got it."

Just then, A Xing, who was standing to the side, suddenly said, "They're here."

Kang De and Hong San both gazed into the distance.

Crimson light rolled across the horizon, Blazing Flame swirled, and amidst the cries of phoenixes, a sacred beast with Flame as its wings flapped and soared, accompanied by eagles and winged horses, flying towards Valentan.

"The king of the elves is known as the Phoenix King. The phoenix is not only the royal family's exclusive mount, but also a powerful war machine capable of unleashing a rain of meteors and fire upon the ground, and can also cooperate with mages in battle to seize air superiority."

Hong San calmly stated, "The Elven Air Force is unparalleled in the world, renowned for its advanced tactics, diverse troop types, and massive numbers. Their ability to tame and control beasts is an overwhelming advantage."

Kang De did not respond to him, but instead looked at the phoenix slowly flying in from the horizon with a hint of surprise.

Even the A Xing is the same.

"... It looks kind of familiar."

Kang De looked at the fiery phoenix through his telescope, and as he looked at it, he felt a strange sense of familiarity, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

A Xing nodded slowly, "He does look somewhat familiar..."

But she couldn't quite put her finger on why it looked familiar.

Hong San asked in surprise, "What? Did Your Highness see a phoenix before?"

"Never seen it before."

On TV, in CG, in Heroes of Might and Magic... these don't count, right?

If such a thing existed on Earth, it would truly be an upheaval.

Kang De couldn't immediately pinpoint the source of this familiar feeling, so he shook his head, glanced at the elven air force, and scoffed, "Invincible? Not necessarily."

We'll get some fighter jets over here and blow these bastards to smithereens.

As they were talking, they heard another phoenix cry. The phoenix circled a few kilometers away before landing on the ground. The elven knights did the same. Hong San exclaimed in surprise, "This Duke Tagelise is really polite; he didn't fly directly into the city to land."

With an air force of this size, the power of the phoenix, and the magical prowess of the accompanying elven warriors, if they were to break into Valentan airspace and land directly in the city, the city's current mage force and Cassandra's giant eagle... would really be no match for them.

Kang De wouldn't have declared the negotiations broken down because of this action.

He and Hong San had already tacitly agreed that the elf would try to regain some face in this way, after all, they had already bowed their heads earlier—unexpectedly, they were so humble.

"This pretty boy is quite something."

Kang De clicked his tongue and said, "So polite, so pragmatic, so honest, yet he chose to take the land route into the city instead of the open road. Does he really like the rotten vegetable leaves and eggs from the villagers that much?"

He shrugged and said, "I can't bear to bully him anymore... Let's go, guys, go out and greet him."

Outside the city, the elves had already landed. Elandil frowned and said, "Your Highness, this is not what we agreed upon... We cannot retreat without restraint and boundaries; we must appropriately demonstrate the power of the elves."

"No, Lord Elandil, this was not my decision." Tagelise gently stroked the phoenix's head; the Flame could not harm him in the slightest. Duke of Tiling closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then revealed a look of surprise. "Filadiano felt oppression and fear... It landed out of fear."

The wise man was moved by these words—in the traditional culture of elves, the phoenix is a wise and beautiful mythical beast, even possessing a stronger ability to sense danger than the unicorn, and their premonitions should never be ignored.

"So, Valentan does indeed harbor terrifyingly powerful individuals."

He gazed at the small city that had brought down the Dusk Warband and annihilated the five Dragon Banner Legion. During the war against Goth, the city's pitiful defenses had not attracted much attention from the staff, but it had turned into a wall of sighs and a terrible nightmare for the Royal Army.

He even met his old friend's students during a previous visit.

The Cathayan named Hong San was his old friend's most beloved and most hated disciple. He loved him because he was extremely talented, but hated him because he was utterly shameless, even earning the evaluation, "This rotten wood cannot be carved, this beast will surely die." He had also met Hong San, and the experienced Elandil immediately confirmed that his old friend's evaluation was true; he was a completely rotten person.

But now, Hong San, as Kang De's advisor, received him with sincere words and a composed demeanor, yet he was like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath; his gentle and polite attitude could not conceal his piercing edge.

His extraordinary talent, which his old friend both loved and lamented, finally blossomed in full.

This is quite meaningful.

Previously, he was an uncarved block of wood, a lowly person wallowing in the most despicable mud, a shameless piece of trash worse than a beggar. But ever since Kang De appeared on the continental stage, this once rotten person suddenly shone with the unparalleled brilliance of a top talent, and began to serve as a strategist and advisor—and the person he served happened to be a formidable figure who could wipe out an army with a wave of his hand and intimidate the Dusk Moon Dynasty.

--Just right my ass!

It's a conspiracy, it must be a conspiracy.

How can a person suddenly become clear-headed and even achieve complete enlightenment in a short period of time?

There's no other explanation; it must be a disguise. What a terrible disguise! For over a decade, willingly playing the most lowly and undignified piece of trash, just waiting for this day?

The ambiguous smile on the face of his old friend from Cathay flashed through Elandil's mind, and when he connected it with the powerful aura of the Phoenix from Valentan, it seemed that all sorts of strange things had been happening around Kang De since he appeared... just like it was all planned.

Kang De.

And then there's the devastated landscape of China.

The Grand Line established by Goth and Cathay in their early years.

Kang De encounters Princess Tina and actively intervenes in the war.

If Kang De truly helped Goth win the war, married Tina, and established immense prestige within Goth and the continent, then what would happen next...?

Could it be that...

--Old friend, was this also part of your plan?

"Lord Elandil?"

Duke of Tiling's call roused the elven sage, and as he came to his senses, a bead of cold sweat trickled down his back.

"Look, "Tagelise said, "Kang De has gone out of town."

Elandil was startled and looked up. In an instant, he activated Eagle Eye, his eyes transforming into the shape of eagle pupils, his vision focusing on a single point and continuously magnifying.

He saw two cavalry units cordoning off the area around the city gate, and several humans strode towards him.

The man in the lead had short black hair and wore strangely styled clothes. As he walked, he carried a device that resembled binoculars but was actually a pair, looking in their direction.

He asked in surprise, "This is Kang De? You've met him before?"

Tagelise's emerald eyes gleamed with a mysterious light as he said, "Never seen him before, but short black hair, strange clothes, bizarre props, and most importantly, the way he looks at us with such composure and without a trace of fear or apprehension... who else could it be but him?"

After saying that, a hint of doubt flashed in Duke of Tiling's eyes.

"Strange... it feels so familiar, and so does the woman behind him."

Heading towards Valentan.

"So that's the younger brother?"

Kang De tossed the telescope to Hong San: "Take a look."

Hong San took it and looked at it, nodding and saying, "It can't be wrong, it must be."

"You know him?"

"Those who can stand beside the Phoenix, those who are qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with Elandil, must be the elven royal family."

"Pretty boy." Kang De took back the binoculars and glanced at him again. "This is the kind of male elf I remember with a normal look, the kind who gets fucked by an orc's big [beep--] dick and cries like a baby."

His next sentence revealed the reason for his vulgarity. "He'd be better off as a muscular guy. What's the point of being so handsome? All show and no substance, rotten inside, damn pretty boy."

"Only..."

He moved the binoculars away and muttered to himself, "It looks familiar."

A Xing also said, "I think it looks familiar too."

Hong San followed them. "Have you seen them before?"

"Never seen him before." Kang De put away his binoculars, and the elves opposite him came to greet him. "Maybe he's a relative of the elf I killed before... Whatever, he looks so effeminate, he should know his shame. This weakling city, I'll teach him a lesson as an elf."

On Kang De's side, A Xing and Hong San accompanied him, and they also found a few capable fighters from the mercenary group to keep things in order. Seeing that there were few people on their side, only a few elves came to greet them.

Goth's son-in-law and the Elven Duke, one a powerful figure who has recently shocked the world, the other a royal family with a long-standing elven tradition, this unofficial meeting may well decide many things.

"I am Kang De."

"I am Tagelise."

There were no lengthy self-introductions, no tedious diplomatic rhetoric.

The two walked together and shook hands, witnessed only by their entourage and the desolate battlefield behind them. The course of war is often rewritten in the small, ordinary days.

As a wise man, scholar, and recorder, Elandil listened attentively, preparing to document the ensuing conversation, which would inevitably become a part of history.

Then he heard his parents say...

Have we met somewhere before?

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PS1: Two updates today, totaling 6,500 words. If I add more, I'll update at least 6,000 words every day. If I get a good night's sleep, I can write more. Tomorrow should be a bit better.

PS2: The impact drill has been running for half a year now, since after the Lunar New Year. At first it was on the 23rd floor, now it's on the 28th floor where they're renovating. After the 28th floor is finished, there's another family on the 10th floor who's renovating—and what's most infuriating is that I can't even complain about the family on the 10th floor because it's the boss's house that's being renovated.

PS3: And what's even more damning is that it's supposed to be a wedding room renovation, so frantically rushed.