The True Target

Really.

The France Foreign Legion Comora Task Force that had launched a fierce attack towards Moyani was said to have fully recovered, but that was merely a trick by the spirit. Clearly, a considerable number of soldiers had not yet recovered and were lying in wait for their chance.

Now they've launched their attack.

The French commander immediately contacted his troops, only to hear loud gunfire and screams. Being stabbed in the back by comrades who usually helped each other would likely cause them the most severe PTSD, and would also destroy the trust and honor that the army had built up.

It seems that this overseas task force's designation is about to be discontinued.

Kang De observed coldly, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings. He didn't believe that the renewed infighting within the Foreign Legion task force was merely the spirit wanting to make a scene. This ghost, whether human or demon, was clearly adept at using its abilities to control others and create chaos to achieve its own goals.

In other words, the infighting and firefight within the task force must also be a tactic employed by the other side.

Create chaos, divert attention, and then fish in troubled waters.

In other words...

--It wanted to lure me there.

Then I won't.

With the schemes of this old devil who has lived for hundreds of years now involved, the lives of those France soldiers become insignificant. He bears no responsibility for their safety; saving them is an act of kindness, done with good intentions, while not saving them is a result of weighing the pros and cons, and he need not feel guilty about it.

But besides reason, there is also human compassion in this world.

The France lieutenant colonel shouted a few words into the communicator; the situation had clearly deteriorated.

He wanted to rush back immediately, but realized that even if he did, it would be of no use. It was a night battle, and it was a sneak attack from behind by his former comrades. The soldiers had no idea who was being controlled, and therefore did not know who to trust. Even if Napoleon were alive again or Joffre were reborn, they would not be able to turn the tide in such a battle.

But some people can.

He looked at Kang De, strode over, took off his military cap, and bowed deeply.

Then speak.

The king whispered, "He begs you to save his soldiers; they are willing to surrender to you for that."

Kang De's gaze was cold.

The commander, still bowing, turned his head and called out to the side. The France ambassador, who had been "invited" by the Comora People and had been serving as a background figure with a stern face, now had to step forward.

Human life is precious, especially the lives that are publicly known, which are priceless.

This is especially true for politicians.

The king translated his words: "He hopes that you will provide necessary and compassionate assistance to the innocent soldiers; they are soldiers, but also fathers, sons, and husbands..."

Kang De gave a cold laugh.

"Why don't you tell him that Moyani and Comora not only have fathers, sons, and husbands, but also mothers, wives, and daughters? Aren't their lives lives too?"

Upon hearing this, the King replied, "I would not say that, for I am now the King of Comora. A conversation between a head of state and an ambassador of another country should not contain any element of venting or spite. It is meaningless to shame or make him feel ashamed. In the end, he is just a mouthpiece. However, he is right about one thing: the soldiers of this France force are innocent."

Kang De turned to look at him. "Do you want me to go and save these France people?"

"From my perspective, my answer is yes. I must honestly say that I have no pity for these France lives, and I don't want to understand the pain of their loved ones. But responding to the pleas of the France at this time, especially under these circumstances, will earn Comora more points and initiative."

Chakat II said sternly, "While it may be satisfying to see the France suffer the consequences of their own actions and incur heavy casualties, to me, it is far less valuable than the reward and concessions the France have made."

At this point, the Black King added, "Of course, it's still up to you to decide."

Kang De pondered for a moment.

Perhaps this was the spirit's purpose: to use this method to make him leave so that it could then do its work.

Kang De could certainly choose to stay here and let that guy not find an opportunity to strike, but now the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, and the biggest problem is that we cannot pinpoint the enemy's location.

Even if it can't find an opportunity to strike now, that thing will continue to lurk, looking for another chance. A creature that can control people's minds at will, is impossible to guard against, and appears and disappears unpredictably, is too troublesome.

Things will only get more complicated.

Especially since the final battle in the other world is about to begin...

So.

Let's see if we can lure him out.

Kang De looked at the king. "That ancient artifact's target might be you. That was just a trick to distract me. If I go to rescue the France, you'll be at risk. Is that alright?"

King Chakat asked, "If this happens, can you return immediately?"

Kang De shrugged. "I'll be back immediately, but you know, the danger remains."

"I believe you," the king laughed. "Go ahead and do it; it is a responsibility that a king must bear."

Kang De subtly touched his pocket, pulled out an amulet for protecting against mind control, patted the king on the shoulder, and gently placed the amulet into the king's breast pocket. "This will protect you. Don't take it out, don't show any surprise, and don't show it to anyone."

He had only given otherworldly items, especially magical artifacts, to his father and Xiaoman. This was a matter of trust, a great deal of trust. After all, if such wondrous items fell into the hands of a national power, it would likely cause a great deal of trouble—clearly, the king had not yet earned that level of trust.

But we must add insurance.

Chakat II remained composed and smiled.

"Then tell this France to get his men on the bus immediately and leave Moyani. Don't leave a single one behind. Head straight to his unit's location. I'm only responsible for getting these people back to normal. I don't care about anything else. Reorganizing the troops and cleaning up the mess is his job."

The king immediately translated, and the white-haired lieutenant colonel straightened up, saluted Kang De, and then uttered the extremely awkward word "thank you."

Just as for decades, most China people, though unable to speak English, can still say a few words like "thank you" or "hello," and many foreigners, though unable to speak Chinese, know how to say "hello" or "thank you"—times always move forward.

Kang De ignored him.

The giant eagle flapped its wings and climbed upwards, Kang De disappeared from the spot, and then, in the high sky, it did the same thing, spreading its flying squirrel wings and gliding in the direction the king had indicated.

He's growing to like this way of traveling more and more.

"Father."

Horus had been monitoring the situation via video transmission. "Should I go and protect the king?"

As Kang De adjusted his position, he spoke into the microphone clipped to his chest, "No need... ptooey! Damn, talking into the wind is exhausting. Anyway, no need! You focus on protecting my dad!"

As he told the king, it was his decision, his own choice.

Of course, the king himself must bear the risks.

There's no reason to switch the Transformers that protect their fathers to protect the King.

With the flying squirrel wings accelerating to nearly 200 kilometers per hour, the French army quickly arrived at their temporary encampment. Gunfire erupted, soldiers shouted, and there were even flashes of light from explosions. The fighting was quite intense, and Kang De even saw several people starting to seize armored vehicles.

This unit had no other option but to disband on the spot and have its designation removed.

After tonight's events, these soldiers will never trust each other again.

Kang De descended from the sky, activating the dispelling scroll. Invisible ripples spread, severing the mind control. Those who had been controlled awoke, their faces filled with horror, unaware of what had happened.

The soldiers who were not under control continued to fire back.

The soldiers on both sides, using armored vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles as cover, continued firing. Lights streaked across the sky, Flame spread, and the fire raged. Kang De had already taken cover far enough away to avoid being hit by stray bullets. He dialed the King's number. "Are you alright over there? Teach me a few words of French."

"Nothing has happened so far -- what do you want to learn?"

"Attention! You who have resisted for six weeks, drop your rifles, raise your white flags, and let me see your raised hands and your sexy tan lines under your armpits."

"... Are you serious?"

"Of course not. Tell those bastards to stop firing immediately and wait for their superior."

The king paused for a moment, Kang De, drawing his breath, roared out loud, and even inserted a calming scroll to soothe the soul. The cost of these scrolls would be reimbursed by France, at ten million euros per scroll.

He had even prepared his explanation.

If all these soldiers die, how much will the compensation cost?

"Soldiers of the Foreign Legion Comora Task Force, cease fire immediately! Your commander, Lieutenant Colonel Virey, is arriving shortly. The mind control has been lifted; you are safe. Do not fire upon your comrades. I repeat, you are safe. Await your commander!"

It was the magic that worked, forcibly calming the terrified and extremely agitated soldiers down. Kang De then relayed the king's words to the translator, instructing the officers to maintain order and wait.

He maintained active contact with the king but did not send any messages back. The spirit was very cunning; if it hid within the army and left on its own, it would fall into another trap.

After a while, the car rumbled, and the commander of this army, Lieutenant Colonel Virey, who had previously pleaded with Kang De, had already sped over like a streak of lightning. It was quite a feat for him; driving on the night roads of Moyani felt like driving on an F1 racetrack. This soldier certainly valued his soldiers.

"Translator, Your Majesty, order him to reorganize the soldiers and take a headcount as quickly as possible. I want to search all people and all vehicles. I won't use threats; he should know his place."

Lieutenant Colonel Virey paused for a moment, then saluted Kang De and began to restore order.

This Foreign Legion of over four hundred men suffered heavy casualties, as they were completely unprepared. Even now, with the ceasefire, many soldiers haven't reacted yet. They put down their guns, their teeth clenched, their eyes trembling. Soldiers are human too, not made of iron.

Those soldiers who were forced to fire on their comrades were even worse off; almost all of them had their heads down, their bodies trembling, and some couldn't even stand up, like children who had done something wrong.

An atmosphere of despair permeated the entire army.

Kang De merely sighed twice at this. He had heard of the Foreign Legion's reputation; a superpower that could control people's minds could completely shatter the cohesion of an army. Modern armies are extremely powerful, but from another perspective, they are also extremely fragile, because people are still the core of an army.

He seemed lost in thought.

At the same time, they kept a close eye on their surroundings.

The fact that he hadn't yet captured the troublesome enemy, the artifact spirit, was causing him great distress. With the great battle of Danfeng Lucerne imminent, how could he concentrate on the upcoming battle without resolving this remaining threat?

But where exactly is it?

What do you want to do?

The king remained standing still, leaving the giant eagle in the sky, surrounded by mechanical beetles and Defender Mechanism. Chakat II wore a talisman to protect against mind control, and he could also return quickly through the spatial anchor point—but nothing unexpected happened, and the artifact spirit had not taken any further action.

Waiting is the hardest part.

Now, he wants to search the France troops first.

And just then...

Moyani.

China Embassy

This is the most heavily guarded and safest place. The armed police officers on duty are paying attention to everything around them. Suddenly, one of the officers saw a figure in uniform walking across the street, carrying a heavy box.

"Stop where you are!" the armed police officer shouted, raising his rifle. "Stop! Stop!"

OK! OK!

The visitor answered in English. He placed the box on the ground, raised his hands to indicate that he was harmless. "I am a member of the France Embassy, ordered to secretly meet with your ambassador. Our government will not acknowledge this secret meeting; it is highly confidential. I have identification; please come and check it..."

Several armed police officers exchanged glances. One of them spoke a few words into a walkie-talkie, while the other two cautiously approached with their guns raised. They climbed over the barricade, and the man cooperated perfectly from beginning to end.

"He's from the France embassy. I know him; I've seen him before when we were eating out..."

A member of the armed police whispered, "Search them."

His companion said, "What's in the box? Open it slowly! Now!"

"OK! OK! It's just a memo and some documents. Please don't be nervous. I'll open it here and push it over. I have no hostile intentions. Please see..."

The France, who had been keeping his head slightly bowed, slowly opened the lead box.

The substance, sealed by heavy metals, leaked a faint scent.

A ray of light seemed to flash inside.

The two soldiers' attention was immediately drawn. They slowly approached, a voice in their minds telling them: Get closer, see clearly, see clearly what's inside...

--Just then, a sharp horn blared out.

Several xenon headlights immediately illuminated the scene, beams of light shooting from behind, followed by the roar of an engine. The well-trained soldiers tensed up instantly, and the next moment, the Humvee that had been parked in the yard burst out.

The two armed police officers felt something like arms push them to the sides, and their bodies were thrown out as if they were flying through the air. Then they felt a slight numbness on their necks, not knowing what had hit them.

In an instant, he fell into a deep sleep.

The France looked up in astonishment, his blue eyes flashing with golden light. He saw a driverless Humvee, its heavily armed weapon station rising up, eight gun barrels pointed at him.

The roar of artillery fire filled the air.

In an instant, the France was swept into a pile of mangled flesh.

His body went from trembling to disappearing in just a few seconds. The China embassy and the two neighboring embassies tensed up at the same time, and a series of shouts rang out.

The contents of the lead box rolled out.

A sphere shimmering with golden light slowly rolled.

Horus felt as if this sphere was the whole world.

The call that he sensed outside the king's tomb was a thousand times stronger, and it was right in front of him.

The armed police from the embassy were already rushing out, and soldiers from the neighboring United States and France embassies were also running out. With so many people and so much attention, we had to act immediately.

A robotic arm swiftly extended and reached for the small golden ball.

"Father!"

Sensing that faint leak of energy, Horus acted immediately. Only after the dust had settled did it remember to inform its father. "Its target is the embassy, I..."

Kang De exclaimed in astonishment, "What?"

The next moment, what came through the receiver was Iron Son's sudden, painful scream.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

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PS1: I wrote a little more today than usual, now I'm getting back into the swing of things... Time for bed.