Kang De's True Nature

Those who fabricate claims have existed since ancient times.

By reopening the Cathay Embassy and inviting Kang De to reside there, it was essentially to acknowledge and declare, in Goth's name, that Kang De possessed a certain unspeakable noble status in Cathay and, in a sense, could represent the entire Cathay in negotiations with Western countries—this is called strong legitimacy.

"Perhaps it's a gesture of goodwill, or perhaps it's a test."

Hong San pondered for a moment, "Whether or not I agree depends on what His Highness thinks."

Kang De asked, "How so?"

"If Your Highness agrees, then you must fabricate an identity, an identity for yourself in Cathay. Whether it's a descendant of a founding minister or a prince, as long as it's fabricated, Goth will definitely recognize it, and even Cathay will acknowledge it. A peerless powerhouse with the ability to destroy cities and defeat enemies—the Cathay court, beset by turmoil, will spare no expense in rewarding you. The greatest advantage this brings to Your Highness is... legitimacy."

Seeing that Kang De didn't understand immediately, Hong San explained in detail, "A title without power is worthless, but a title with power is like a flower on brocade, adding color and complementing each other."

"With a formal title, Your Highness will be qualified to recruit the Cathayan scattered throughout the continent to serve you. Furthermore, you will be able to accept outstanding individuals, brave warriors, and common people who have continuously fled from the East. At a time when you possess such great power and have established great achievements, the role that a formal title can play is truly immense. It is tantamount to recognition, a natural reason for loyalty, and it also provides a basis for negotiations with the Cathay court... There are many benefits."

Cathay was plunged into a protracted war, with flames of war everywhere and devastation all around. According to Hong San, there was a brutal invasion by bloodthirsty and terrifying barbarians outside, and rebels hiding their filth and taking advantage of the plague to rise up inside. In the palace, there were eunuchs who used their eloquence to commit atrocities everywhere, and in the court, there were treacherous and cunning powerful ministers and wealthy merchants who stirred up trouble. It was a scene of impending doom.

But even a dead tiger cannot fall; its foundation remains. In times of chaos, there are always capable ministers. The Southern Dynasty of Cathay established a new female emperor. With the selfless dedication of virtuous and righteous people, and the continuous military aid from the ill-intentioned Twilight Moon Spirit, they managed to maintain the situation and hold the line for a time. But what is held for too long will eventually be lost, and hope remains bleak.

The Cathay court will not let go of any hope or assistance.

Kang De, this "Cathayan," single-handedly repelled the powerful army of the Elves, his Sword of Deterrence pointing directly at the Twilight Moon. Such earth-shattering power, if it could help the Divine Land, the Cathayan would probably be willing to pay any price.

"Previously in Valentan, Duke of Tiling... oh, I should say the Phoenix King, His Majesty the Phoenix King's proposed terms were quite unreasonable, but I believe they're likely to be successful."

As Hong San finished speaking, a strange smile appeared on his lips.

He said solemnly, "You are a descendant of the founding duke of this dynasty. After establishing the country, your ancestor resigned from his post and went into seclusion in the mountains and lived a carefree life overseas. Before that, your ancestor had an agreement with the founding emperor of this dynasty to maintain a close family relationship for generations. In other words, you and the Empress of Cathay have a marriage agreement made by your ancestors. Even if you claim this, Her Majesty the Empress would probably agree and restore your title of duke, urging you to return to the country and get married as soon as possible."

At this point, Hong San added, "It's true, Your Highness. If you don't believe me, you might as well try."

Kang De glared at him. "You have ill intentions."

"How could this be considered ill-intentioned?"

Hong San's smile grew even brighter, "Your Highness married Princess Tina, then the Phoenix King, then the Empress of Cathay, then seduced a princess of an empire, and then that noble dragon lady... In this way, the endless strife on the continent, the eternal flames of war, will be transformed into a small flame in Your Highness's backyard. The whole world will share the same warmth and coolness, and the world will be united. What a great achievement, what a great achievement indeed..."

Kang De rolled his eyes and said, "Then some artist drew a series of comics."

"What?"

"Kang De's Quintessential Quintuplets."

"Can't Your Highness use charm, beauty, initiative, and aggression to make them completely infatuated?"

"... I'll hit you."

Kang De sat down at the table. "It sounds like there are many advantages, but what about the disadvantages?"

Hong San's smile faded, and he said softly, "The downside is that Your Highness bears this karma, shoulders this responsibility, carries the hopes of the people, drives away evil and defeats famine, disaster, plague and war, and brings peace to this chaotic world."

Kang De remained silent.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

You have to pay the price for what you take.

Fair enough.

And it wasn't a forced sale.

He remained silent for a long while, then glanced at Hong San: "Is this what you expected?"

Hong San knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "Hong San's only wish is to follow Your Highness for the rest of my life, to become your henchman, strategist, henchman, and loyal follower, assisting you in achieving all the ambitions, achievements, and aspirations you desire. I have no other selfish desires. This is a blood oath, every word of it is true. If there is any falsehood, I am willing to accept all the punishments, curses, tortures, and retribution of the past and present."

Kang De reached out and gestured for him to stand up.

He thought for a while and then said, "There are some things I need to make clear to you."

"Your Highness, please speak."

Kang De slowly said, "I am not from Cathayan, and I have never been there. I have no connection with your homeland. I don't know about the disasters that happened there, and I have no real feeling about the suffering there. I have my own life. After what has happened in the past two months, I actually want a more peaceful life. Hong San, you say I am a saint, but I am not. I am just an ordinary person. I have desires, I can be lazy, sometimes I am impulsive, and sometimes I am selfish... Do you understand what I mean?"

"Understand."

Hong San nodded without hesitation. "Even so, I will still follow Your Highness. As I said before, what I expect is to assist you in accomplishing everything you want to do."

"Even if I have absolutely no interest in anything that happens in Cathay, perhaps after I help Goth gain a foothold, I'll disappear without a trace?"

"Then I will first assist Your Highness in helping Goth establish a foothold on the continent."

"First?"

We'll talk about the future later.

"But..."

Hong San said solemnly, "People change, and ambitions cannot be achieved overnight. Your Highness, I have no intention of influencing you in any way, nor do I have any ulterior motives. I will only stand by your side, assist you, and watch you achieve sainthood and unparalleled accomplishments. All of this stems from trust. I trust that you will always do the right thing. Even if you are currently undecided about the matter of Cathay, you will definitely change your mind in the future."

... Tsk.

Kang De looked him up and down, somewhat annoyed. "You talk as if you've seen right through me."

"Yes."

Hong San calmly replied, "One thing is certain: I believe Your Highness will never suddenly disappear without a trace and never return. This is the only thing I can be absolutely certain of."

"... Why?"

"Because just now, when I was receiving us Valentan with Princess Tina..."

Hong San looked directly into his lord's eyes, speaking with righteous indignation and confidence, "In half an hour, Your Highness gazed at, scanned, and glanced sideways at Princess Tina's face twenty-five times, at the front fifty-six times, at the back twenty-seven times, and at her long dress fifty-two times. As for Lady Crimson, the number of times was..."

"--Hello!"

"You even read Ms. Cassandra!"

"... fart!"

"I'm also quite curious as to why Your Highness has suddenly developed a liking for looking at legs!"

I'll beat you up if you say that again!

Despite his harsh words and stern expression, Hong San remained remarkably calm, as if he had truly seen through everything.

"In short, Your Highness said that you would suddenly disappear without a trace one day and never return. Forgive me for laughing out loud."

"..."

"It's only been a few months."

"..."

There will be many more in the future.

"..."

Are you willing to give it up?

"..."

"If you can leave, will you encounter such good fortune again? Your Highness has never had anything like this before..."

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Kang De kicked Hong San in the butt.

Strategists often die from talking too much.

Shooting practice, establishing rules, preparing military supplies, discussing details, discussing the Valentan issue with Hong San, and other matters—time flew by, and soon it was evening.

Dinner.

Although it was called a dinner party, it wasn't a formal banquet. Instead, it was a picnic, a style that Kang De preferred. They found an open space in the Maple Leaf Palace, laid out carpets and tablecloths, and the kitchen prepared some meats, fruits, and desserts. Kang De also brought many local specialties from Earth. Everyone sat on the ground eating, drinking, chatting, and laughing, feeling very comfortable.

The guests of the banquet were, of course, the Valentan subordinates who had arrived that day. Tina made a cunning entrance, not missing any opportunity to give hints and reinforce the impression that "I am your hostess." Sure enough, beauty is justice. Instead of being disgusted by her actions, Kang De found Tina very cute.

The purpose of the banquet was, of course, to solidify loyalty.

The China all know that the way to manage subordinates lies in using both kindness and severity, and it is difficult to strike the right balance. But for Kang De, this was not a problem at all. The mass impact site outside Valentan and the terrifying record of the Battle of Danfeng Lucerne were already unshakable examples of his authority. Next came the bestowal of kindness, which is even simpler for modern people.

Treat the other person as an equal, chat and laugh in a friendly and cordial manner.

It's a skill that almost every modern person possesses.

During the meal, Kang De told Tina about the incident at the Cathay embassy.

"Huh?"

Tina's eyes widened slightly, looking quite adorable. "Don't you want to?"

Kang De nodded. "Yes, you know, I have nothing to do with Cathay, and I have no intention of getting involved with Cathay now... Goth's affairs are enough; any more and I'll be too busy."

Let's put the matter of the Cathay Embassy on hold for now.

Tina blinked, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears.

Love is a mysterious thing. If you don't love someone, even if they're incredibly devoted, you'll only look on with indifference and find it incomprehensible. But if you love someone, you can imagine that whatever they do is "all for my own good," and then you'll feel emotional and automatically develop a stronger liking for them.

There's no such thing as a cold, aloof girl. If you think she's cold, it's just because she's not trying to be warm towards you.

Tina is now naturally experiencing a significant increase in popularity.

In her view, Kang De gave up his power, interests, and the Empress of Cathay for her sake.

The Grand Duke's proposal was partly a gesture of goodwill, and partly a test.

Goth, after all, was now unilaterally relying on Kang De, so it was normal for him to feel uneasy. They didn't know what could bind Kang De, what could maintain the alliance—was it just a princess? There were plenty of princesses all over the continent. If Kang De was only lured to Goth by a beautiful princess, then he was very likely to be lured to foreign countries by many more and more beautiful princesses.

Especially Cathay.

Kang De was from Cathayan.

Cathay is now mired in war.

During the brief negotiations following the Battle of Valentan, the conditions offered by the Goth People. The pointed-eared elves openly declared their willingness to act as matchmakers for Kang De, facilitating his marriage to the Queen of Cathay. Such a tempting offer was irresistible to Kang De, who had virtually no reason to refuse.

The elves later launched another war, and the negotiations fell through. This matter remained a thorn in Goth People, and today, Kang De has made his stance clear...

"So stupid..."

Tina's eyes shimmered as she grasped Kang De's hand and whispered, "You should have agreed. Showing that you might return to Cathay would make Goth even more eager to please you and keep you here..."

Kang De was both amused and exasperated. "You're leaning a bit too far outward."

Because I know you can't.

Tina lowered her voice and said reproachfully, "Besides, how can Father agree if we don't do this?"

Loosen your grip?

What do you mean by "loosening your grip"?

The thought had barely formed in his mind when Kang De saw the starlight twinkling in the princess's eyes.

It was as if there were stars in those eyes, a hesitant expression, full of affection, so obvious that even he, with no experience, could see it... Suddenly, he remembered Hong San's words.

His home planet was Earth, where he had everything he knew and loved, as well as a convenient and fulfilling modern life. With his superpowers, he naturally had a better time on Earth. His initial plan was to help Goth defeat the elves, then return to his hometown to show off, slap faces, and dominate the city like a protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel.

But now... can he really return to Earth without any lingering thoughts?

How should Tina respond to her feelings?

What am I supposed to do in this other world?

He stared intently into Tina's bright eyes, at the stars within them.

... Then, he saw a gorilla in Tina's eyes.

It's Miss Gorilla's reflection.

Kang De turned his head and saw A Xing's silent gaze, which was rather oppressive, and he could even imagine her serious glare when she was in her ape form.

Feeling guilty.

A Xing just stared at him for a moment, then grabbed the hem of his shirt.

This little gesture immediately made Kang De laugh; it was a memory of the Holy Seal Archipelago.

"What's the matter?"

There's something I need to tell you.

A Xing glanced at Cassandra and her brother in the distance. "They told me a lot today, mainly about the mercenary group. They said that everyone is at a loss, not knowing what to do next... I don't know what to do either."

She gave a brief explanation.

A Xing's mercenary group was formed inexplicably. At the time, A Xing was searching for Kang De all over the continent and accidentally formed the initial team. The most important thing was that a few clever gladiators told her that if she wanted to find someone, no problem, they would form a mercenary group to help her find him, which would be faster.

Now that A Xing has found Kang De, the mercenary group has no value or meaning for her anymore. Let them break up, go wherever they want, do whatever they want.

"But they sounded pitiful, and at least they were relatively obedient, especially Cassandra and the others. They were much more obedient and better than the others. To just send them away like this, I feel... it's not a good thing..."

A Xing was confused; there were certain emotions and words he didn't understand.

Therefore, I can only say "not very good".

It's not that they couldn't bear to.

Kang De laughed when he heard this.

"OK."

He stroked A Xing's fiery red hair, soft and warm. He would grant any request A Xing made, and besides, such a request was a manifestation of human kindness. It was a good thing that A Xing had developed human emotions.

"Leave it to me," he said. "I'll talk to them. The capable and loyal ones, I'll take care of them; but the ill-intentioned ones certainly can't stay."

The A Xing bared its teeth and said, "Anyone with bad intentions, I'll turn them all into meat patties."

Kang De smiled and glanced at the tables opposite him. The falconer siblings were looking this way. When they saw Kang De looking over, the older sister raised her glass in a gesture of acknowledgment, while the younger brother's eyes darted away.

The Bayero People, exiles whose kingdom was destroyed by the elves, are said to be determined to restore their country and still have considerable resistance forces. It's likely that the siblings had ulterior motives when they joined A Xing's forces.

Now that they've come here with Hong San, they must have something to talk about.

This sentiment was already evident back in Valentan, after all, the enemy was the Elves, and there was a premise for fighting together. But things are very different now. Kang De has further proven his strength. What kind of bargaining chips will the Bayero People offer if they want to cooperate?

His eyes flickered, and when he met Hong San's gaze, both of them smiled simultaneously.

Take a look.

There's no need for A Xing to know about this.

As soon as Kang De thought of this, he suddenly felt a slight itch in his chest.

Looking down, I saw a small hand reaching out, clumsily drawing circles.

"..."

Look up.

A Xing blushed, gently moved her little hand, gave him a flirtatious wink, and said shyly, "Kang De, you're so kind, how can I thank you enough?"

"... puff."

Kang De couldn't help himself.

"Pfft."

This is Tina —it feels like she did it on purpose.

So, the shy attack turned into a loud shout of dissatisfaction.

This delightful comedy was supposed to last all night, but it came to an abrupt end after the party.

On his way back to his room, Kang De encountered Santos, who was waiting for him.

The dragon representative's face showed unease, doubt, and confusion.

He delivered the Dragon Emperor's secret letter—today, combining the conjectures and speculations made by Master Hong San, he sent it back to the company and presented it to His Majesty the Dragon Emperor. It took a whole day, until evening, to receive a reply.

Santos broke out in a cold sweat after seeing that.

And immediately go find Kang De.

After looking at it, the two talked for a while, and then Santos hurriedly said goodbye and left.

Kang De acted as if nothing had happened, escorted Tina back to her room, and then went to find Hong San.

"The Dragon Emperor has changed his mind."

His tone was chilling. "He said he was going to do it for real in that match."

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PS1: Update... Going to sleep. Everyone, take care of yourselves. Wear masks when you go out, avoid crowded places, and don't kiss women.