A Whole Lot of Information

Kang De hesitated for a moment as he looked at the outstretched hand of Tagelise.

He immediately grasped it.

The elf and the human clasped hands, and Tagelise noticed Kang De's hesitation. "Do you have any further questions?"

There are many questions.

Kang De frowned instead, for he sensed the dissatisfaction and impatience in the other's words. "This isn't the first time I've dealt with you elves, and I've noticed a problem with you."

The other person asked, "What?"

Kang De replied, "Arrogance."

Seeing that Tagelise was about to explain, Kang De raised his hand to interrupt, "It's not about your superficial manners or anything like that, but something deep down, something subconscious."

"In your view, you put aside your blood feud and extend an olive branch of friendship to me from a higher standpoint, so I must accept it, and doubt and rejection are considered ungrateful—you, the rest of the delegation, and even the elves I've encountered before all think this way. You never see things from other people's perspectives, assuming that because you mean well, the other party must accept it... I've made that mistake before too."

He released the other person's hand and said calmly, "When discussing cooperation, we need to see things from other people's perspectives. From my point of view, it's only natural that I would be wary and suspicious of your elves' ways after suddenly hearing these unverified words."

"I see," Tagelise said. "Then you'll believe me once we catch them?"

"That's not the case," Kang De shook his head. "The fundamental contradiction still exists."

What is the fundamental contradiction?

"This is the second question I wanted to address."

Kang De held up two fingers. "Let me ask you something. Did you know that after I threw the big bomb, a mysterious force came looking for trouble because I violated the Forbidden Spell Non-Proliferation Treaty? And you, as my enemy, not only didn't watch the show or kick me when I was down, but you even came to help me. Is it because we have a common enemy?"

Tagelise nodded and replied, "Of course."

"Thank you," Kang De said politely. "But I think you put aside your national conflict and extended a helping hand to me not just for a thank you. In other words, on a strategic level, the benefits I can bring to you or your country must outweigh the destruction of those six legions, right?"

Upon hearing this, a look of sorrow and a sigh crossed Tagelise's eyes. He said softly, "I'm not used to keeping such detailed accounts... I don't like calculating this."

Kang De paused for a moment before understanding.

He gave the other person a deep look and reassured him, "Politics isn't shameful."

The elf turned his head to the side. "Shameful, fucking shameful."

--Grass.

Kang De was startled, but seeing the dejected look on the other's face, without any hint of mockery or wit, he concluded that it was just a coincidence.

This is the second time.

That's quite a clever little sprite!

His playful mood intensified, and he wanted to continue, when he saw Tagelise say with a solemn expression, "I don't know if what I did was right or wrong... but what I wanted was for the future Dusk Moon Dynasty not to be so shabby."

Kang De laughed, " pathetic? You are the world's superpower. If you are pathetic, what do the others matter?"

"Hegemony?" Tagelise repeated, a mocking look on his face. "In this world, there are four universally acknowledged hegemons, based solely on historical records. Where have they all gone?"

Who would understand this? I'm from Earth. Let me tell you, the dinosaurs were killed by Nüwa, and the pioneers were wiped out by a human slave uprising... Would you understand that?

Kang De suddenly realized, "Wait, were they all killed by the mastermind behind it all?"

Tagelise shook his head and said, "No, every hegemon was killed by the previous hegemon, and the last hegemon was replaced by us, and then we became the new so-called hegemon."

--Is that fucking pathetic? Does the American Empire even think it's pathetic? Are you just showing off?

The elf glanced at Kang De: "Do you know why these generations of overlords have declined?"

Of course it's outdated and obsolete! The system of vested interest groups is no longer suitable for the new world environment. They messed it up and it collapsed, which is why it was destroyed by external forces.

He certainly wouldn't show off this in front of the elves. Why should he give you a free lecture on modern history? Besides, the other world is very different from Earth, and many common sense principles are different.

Kang De then earnestly said, "Please enlighten me."

Tagelise sighed, paused for a moment, and slowly said, "Because they've exhausted all their options."

Kang De awaits the next installment.

The elf glanced at Kang De again, his gaze sharp. "At the beginning of the founding of the Cathay Dan Dynasty, the emperor was a man of great talent and ambition, with a wealth of capable men under his command. Many renowned ministers and generals who would shine in any dynasty appeared in that era. At that time, Cathay conquered its homeland, expanded its territory, established maritime trade, and allowed its people to rest and recuperate. That glorious era not only shone in the East but also profoundly influenced the Dusk Moon Dynasty and the Western Continent."

"Back then, Cathay was poised to become a dominant power, and it was our first potential enemy."

"But now, three hundred years later, emperors have come one after another, yet the territory has not expanded even a fraction, sea routes have been severed, the progress of alchemy has been slow, military tactics have almost stopped evolving, the country has fallen into foolish infighting, lacks war experience, the bureaucratic system is outdated, corruption is rampant, there are huge deficits, the outdated national system is beyond reform, and the vested interest group is becoming increasingly bloated and large..."

"Based on our summary and analysis of Cathay history, this is merely a cycle of dynastic change. A newer and more powerful dynasty will rise from the bones of the defeated. In our estimation, this will take approximately one hundred years to complete the cycle of old and new."

"Oh, by the way, this prediction was made twenty years ago."

"And now, that former overlord of the East is actually dead, its population has plummeted, its lineage has collapsed, its army has been annihilated, and its warriors have died in battle. The court that is still clinging to life is merely a monarch supported by the resistance forces, and the emperor is even a girl, who continues to hold on even when there is absolutely no hope of victory..."

It seems that whether on Earth or in another world, humanity is always repeating a tragic cycle.

Kang De asked, "How could you have been defeated so quickly?"

Tagelise said blankly, "Because the rebel leaders who rose up in the western part of the empire, along with a group of desperate rioters, should have been easily suppressed and wiped out by the local garrison. However, overnight they were blessed by the gods, becoming incredibly strong, invulnerable to swords and spears, and immune to all poisons. Even if they were seriously injured, they could heal and recover at an extremely fast speed. When plagues broke out, only their troops were able to drive straight into the plague-stricken areas, untouched by any evil."

"The nomadic tribes that launched their southern campaign from the north lacked military equipment and had a low chance of winning, but they were blessed by the god of war, able to draw strength from killing and fighting, and grew stronger with each battle, becoming invincible in their bloody rampage."

"Merchants from the north of the empire, realizing that the dynasty was corrupt and the nation had no future, wisely pledged their loyalty, supplying resources to the enemy while hoarding goods internally. With astonishing decision-making and cunning, they dismantled the economic system of Cathay in a short time, all to introduce new blood and allow a stronger nation to replace the crumbling dynasty."

"Furthermore, there are court factions from the southeast and their scholars, who are open-minded, advocate progress, despise old-school doctrines, believe that reform is imperative, and shout the slogan that heavenly principles are human desires. Despite the looming war, they are making sweeping reforms to the country, and indulging in nightly revelry and endless pleasure, creating chaos. Clearly, things will only get more chaotic."

Kang De said with a subtle expression, "Something seems very wrong."

"If you sense something's wrong, that's it."

The elf's chilling tone carried a hint of unease and coldness. "It should have been a long and painful dynastic change within a hundred years, eventually leading to peace and renewed strength. This is the cycle of Cathay. But this time, all sorts of strange and conspiratorial variables worked together, destroying this incredibly vast country in just twenty years. While the country certainly deserved its fate, were there no other external forces at play?"

Kang De pondered for a moment, "They did it? That's why you're afraid?"

"It's almost certain they interfered, because after generations, this dynasty's Cathay has crossed that limit and is about to undergo a transformation. Our intelligence department has collected various shocking secrets and strange events about Cathay over the past century: the emperor accidentally falling into the water and drowning, the grandmaster's mysterious death, the outcome of political struggles, and financial development. They seem to be pursuing fame and fortune, but in reality, there are unseen shadows. Their plans and conspiracies against Cathay probably began a long time ago."

After saying this, Tagelise glanced at Kang De again. "You really aren't from Cathayan."

Kang De paused, then laughed, "Did I say I was?"

"Snort..."

The elf scoffed, "At first I thought you were one of theirs, coming down here specifically to cause us trouble."

Kang De smiled and said, "Now? How do you determine that it isn't?"

Tagelise patted the bottle of Sprite on the table. "They don't have anything this good there."

--That's it?

Of course, there's more to it than that, but it seems he's unwilling to reveal the real reason.

The elf changed the subject. "It doesn't matter if Cathayan. As long as you're willing, we can find you a distinguished ancestor with the surname Kang at any time, making your bloodline sacred and glorious..."

Kang De laughed and said, "I have no interest in finding myself an ancestor."

"You value lineage? It seems your ancestors were losers who fled during the early dynastic changes... Alright, don't worry, I won't ask any more questions. Elves will respect potential allies."

Tagelise said, "But isn't this perfect? Given Cathay's current situation, if you turn the tide, become a hero, and restore our land, then you will be a holy emperor protected by the gods, a deity descended to earth. Your origins will no longer matter."

He offered an entire country as a bargaining chip without batting an eye. "Germany is small. With your skin color and race, there's still a barrier here. In this world, ethnic divisions are as hard to break down as steel. Why not return to a country where you share the same language and race? They certainly won't resist you."

At this point, the elf chuckled and added, "If one is after beauty, the Queen of Cathay is no less attractive than Princess Tina."

Kang De looked at him and smiled, "And what about the Elf Queen?"

Tagelise instinctively avoided his gaze, his smile quickly fading as he said calmly, "For a king, appearance is meaningless. In terms of achievements and power, a hundred Queens of Cathay and Princess Goth combined are not worth a single hair of the Phoenix King."

Kang De suddenly laughed.

The other person frowned and said, "What are you laughing at?"

"I remembered something happy."

"What's making you happy?"

"I proposed to the Phoenix King."

"... you!"

What, am I wrong?

Tagelise glared at Kang De, then sneered, "Hmph, the elves who admire and adore the Phoenix King could stretch from City of Silver Moon way to the Emerald Sea. They are all stronger, more handsome, and more learned and cultured than you. You are just an insignificant member among them."

Kang De propped his cheek on his hand, tilting his head to look into the elf's eyes. "Those elves only admire the Phoenix King's power and status, but only I know that the holy and noble Phoenix King may just be a mischievous, lively, sentimental, and somewhat vain little girl in private."

"Moreover, there's a sense of loneliness and isolation."

Even Kang De himself was surprised after he finished speaking.

--Damn, when did I become so quick-witted?

As expected, upon hearing this, Tagelise's slightly embarrassed and annoyed expression immediately changed. His fair face quickly flushed red, and he angrily retorted, "Nonsense! My... my sister is not like that!"

Kang De countered, "Don't you not have a sister?"

The elf quieted down, looked at Kang De with a dangerous glint in his eyes, then calmed down and said, "Is this the time to talk about this? Let's get down to business."

Kang De witnessed the change in demeanor again and added, "I still prefer how you were just now, more genuine... It seems you automatically switch to a different face when discussing state affairs."

The elf didn't speak, but simply gazed at him silently.

Their eyes met, Kang De understood each other perfectly. Perhaps it was because they were both a little awkward and strange; they both knew, yet they kept this unspoken understanding to themselves. Perhaps only in this way could the spirit not wear a mask, not be bound by the constraints of ingrained habits.

Kang De said, "Let's leave Cathay for now and talk about you. You felt threatened by the destruction of Cathay and are afraid that they will use the same methods against the Dusk Moon Dynasty?"

The elf composed himself, his tone becoming calm. "No, the elves are not afraid of the same methods, but they don't always use the same methods. In fact, it's only because Cathay is so special and so powerful that they have taken such a large-scale action."

Kang De tilted his head. "Would they use another method?"

"In fact, they have already used it."

Tagelise took a deep breath, seemingly hesitant about whether to tell the truth. He gazed at Kang De and asked, "Can I trust you?"

Before Kang De could answer, he shook his head and gave a self-deprecating laugh, "No, it's nothing serious, not even many elves would believe it... and I'm not afraid for you to know."

Kang De adopted the demeanor of a well-behaved child and listened attentively.

"Kang De, I ask you, do you know why the Dusk Moon Dynasty was so powerful?"

"... I think it's probably science and technology, which is to say, magic?"

The elf, who was preparing to deny the other party four or five times in a row before triumphantly revealing the correct answer, froze—he had thought the other party was going to talk about things like armies, fleets, territories, vassals, lifespan, or talents.

... What? Why is this guy so smart?

He forced a smile and said, "It's good that you understand, but sometimes being too smart isn't a good thing. If you understand what I'm about to say, don't be afraid..."

--What does "grass" mean?

Kang De's expression changed slightly.

Are you suggesting that these masterminds controlling everything actually come from a massive organization that controls all the heavens and myriad worlds—which is the very meaning of the "infinite flow" genre?

Tagelise said slowly, "Magic is the source of our power. We explore the mysteries of the world and apply them to ourselves and external objects, thereby transforming the world and adapting it to ourselves."

"Through magic, we build magnificent cities to protect our people, cultivate high-yield crops to feed our population, train powerful soldiers, forge sturdy armor and sharp weapons, and construct larger and stronger warships... Magic is not merely the power of mages, but the cornerstone of this world's progress."

"Therefore, we keep exploring, we keep strengthening, and we keep moving forward on this path."

But now...

He closed his eyes and whispered, "Over the years, the pace of the mages' exploration has slowed down. Although there has been some progress, it is merely the result of previous accumulation and gifts. The road ahead is gradually approaching its end... an end that has been drawn."

As the elf finished speaking, he opened his eyes and looked at Kang De, expecting to see a blank or shocked expression on the other's face. Even an elf would find it difficult to accept such a terrible secret at a moment's notice.

Kang De blinked. "... Your technology tree is locked?"

"..."

Although he couldn't understand what he was saying, he clearly understood!

And why is he so calm! And why does he have this dismissive look that says, "I was fucking scared to death and this is what you're telling me?"

Didn't he realize what this meant?

Kang De then asked, "How was it locked? Tell me?"

Tagelise was inwardly frustrated, and seeing Kang De's reaction, he couldn't help but sigh. He said helplessly, "Simply put, the exploration of magic, Arcane, rules, and origins requires all sorts of experiments and extremely pure elemental environments. This world is so abundant, but the experimental conditions are not ideal. Extreme environments like the deep sea, underground, and volcanoes all have limitations. The most manipulable and promising future field is in the sky, in the sky close to outer space."

He pointed to the roof and said softly, "This idea was proposed two hundred years ago. With the strength of the elves, two hundred years would have been enough for us to build at least five celestial mage towers that would never fall and would accompany us on our journeys to other planets. We could then use that ethereal and pure environment to conduct various experiments and expand our territory beyond the heavens."

"However, all attempts failed, and even all exploration and research into outer space encountered obstacles—various kinds of obstacles, even humiliating ones."

"You can probably guess who did it."

Upon hearing this, Kang De exclaimed, "Awesome, awesome!"

"Hey, can you be serious? Do you know what this means?"

Tagelise was enraged by Kang De's nonchalant attitude. He slammed his fist on the table and said, "It's war! The progress of the elves' magic has slowed down, but the human nations, which are inferior to us, are still making great strides. In the long run, the gap in magic technology between the two sides will become smaller and smaller. With the advantage of human fertility and land area, they will gradually gain the upper hand!"

"--We're not stupid! We'll definitely maintain our advantage until then, even resorting to war. That's one of the reasons for this battle against Goth!!"

He said coldly, "When the time comes, if we win, we'll remain the overlords; if you win, humanity will be the new overlords. But the price will be a world largely shattered, countless lives lost, and irreparable wounds from war. Its cruelty will far surpass previous changes of hegemony—because we've all become stronger!"

"And then, even if you win, what good will it do?"

"They're nothing more than ants trapped on the earth, scrambling for scraps of food. Those who have triumphed once again continue to enjoy their high positions... Are you content with that? Who would be?"

Hearing this, Kang De finally understood why Tagelise dared to say those words.

Because no one would believe it if I told them.

Or rather, capable people are unwilling to believe, and for those who lack ability, believing is useless.

"I think I understand," Kang De said. "It seems you believe my abilities can help you, which is why you decided to intervene and stop this war."

Tagelise said, "No..."

He uttered only one word before giving a self-deprecating laugh, "Ah, it makes no difference, it's all my responsibility."

But there's still one problem.

Kang De for a moment and said, "If we join forces and eventually eliminate those people, the elves will be free of constraints, and their magical technology will advance by leaps and bounds, leaving humanity far behind. At that time, how will the elves treat their former allies?"

Tagelise looked at Kang De: "If the king issued a decree that all the land you could claim would belong to you, would you abandon the vast and fertile unclaimed land around your home to fight with your neighbor for a small pond?"

"Yes, what's mine is mine, and not a single bit less."

"..."

"Just kidding."

Kang De laughed, "Let Goth's ruler worry about that, Your Grace. I've sensed your sincerity and am willing to cooperate with you initially to deal with those who came looking for trouble. As for the rest, we'll discuss it when Tina arrives."

Tagelise frowned and said, "You don't want Cathay? Then you do want..."

--It would be more troublesome if Kang De were without desires or wants. Without ties and interests, he wouldn't put his heart into it, and the Dusk Moon Dynasty wouldn't feel at ease.

But the elf stopped abruptly, looked at Kang De, blushed without realizing it, and glared at him, scolding, "You wicked human! You have quite the appetite!"

Kang De asked blankly, "Huh?"

"Pah! What are you pretending for! But don't even think about it! You're still a long way from there!"

This is completely baffling.

You know, it's strange enough that I, an Earthling, inexplicably ended up as a volunteer and interdimensionalist fighter for Goth, but how did I get involved in this kind of thing?

After this long explanation, Kang De was already six or seven parts convinced. He felt very troubled, as the things in the other world were becoming more and more entangled, even endless, which made it difficult for him to adapt for the time being.

Damn, besides the elves, there's the Holy Seal Archipelago, the crisis of the Veil Invasion, and now there's some behind-the-scenes mastermind manipulating the continent...

--Wait a moment.

A thought flashed through Kang De's mind, and he asked, "Do you know Veil?"

Tagelise's expression suddenly changed, then he said coldly, "You guessed right, they are the self-proclaimed guardians of the Veil."

"..."

The super SSS-level world main quest has inexplicably progressed!

As dusk fell, Kang De bid farewell to the spirit, watching him disappear into the night.

His expression remained complex.

Hong San, who had not appeared until now, suddenly appeared with a complicated expression.

"Holy crap... that's a lot of information..." Kang De rubbed his head, groaning. "How much of what she said is true and how much is false? Those guys? The Watchers of the Veil? So..."

Hong San remained silent.

Kang De turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think it must be completely real..."

Hong San murmured, "Because my master was forced to flee overseas by them..."

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PS1: This chapter has 6,500 words... which is equivalent to two updates.

PS2: I've been experiencing writer's block lately, my mind is a mess, my sleep schedule is off, and there's been a lot of other stuff going on... I feel like my mental state isn't great either. Sigh, I'll try to adjust and speed things up.