You've Got Some Nerve, Huh?

"Dragon Might."

Kang De, upon hearing this, asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"

Tina turned to a few dozen pages earlier and slowly read, "The Grewind Swarm is a typical Gestalt consciousness. The vast number of individuals have no free will and are controlled by a unified Hive consciousness, a massive, concentrated, and pure spiritual entity with a supreme and singular will. This ensures that the entire swarm can always reproduce, produce, and fight efficiently, and will not be affected by setbacks in local wars."

"While this terrifying swarm form is frightening, nothing in this world is absolutely perfect. This enormous advantage also hides a fatal flaw. Generally speaking, the best way to combat Gestalt consciousness is always a decapitation tactic. As long as you bypass the massive swarm and destroy the Hive consciousness, the entire swarm will be annihilated."

This is the general principle of the extermination methods, the guiding ideology for completely defeating the Grewind Swarm.

The dozen or so solutions introduced all revolve around this point.

Tina flipped to the last page.

"It must be admitted that while the above-mentioned solutions are effective, they require a large amount of resources and manpower. They represent the ultimate confrontation between a relatively weak flesh-and-blood race and this invading alien species. We will defeat the descending enemy with wisdom, magic, and will, but at a great cost. However, the world is never fair. There is one race that has an overwhelming advantage in the fight against this Gestalt-conscious race."

"They also used this advantage to protect living beings and become overlords during the cataclysmic disasters that swept through the material world in ancient times. Although I despise their boastful behavior of claiming to be descendants of the Dragon of Space and Time, the dragon race, as an ancient species, does indeed possess talents that even elves envy."

"As the apex predators of the ancient era, the bloodline of dragons naturally exerts a suppressive effect on the vast majority of species in the next era. This suppressive behavior, which requires explanation using complex academic disciplines such as generational evolution, origin theory, and spirit theory, can be summarized in two simple words: Dragon Might might."

"Swarms based on the Gestalt model strictly adhere to class theory, and their behavior is entirely consistent with sociobiology. The creators of such creatures intend to create a selfless, loyal servant swarm to complete production and war tasks, thus establishing an insurmountable, rigid class system."

"It succeeded, gaining workers who would never slack off or complain, and fearless soldiers that every general dreams of. But it overlooked one point: while lower-level insectoids, strictly adhering to the hierarchical order, would never rebel against their superiors or the highest leader, they would also succumb to other ancient and powerful wills. The swarms created based on next-generation insects could not withstand the will of the ancient races."

"Dragon Might can instantly throw a swarm of insects within a certain range out of control. Dragons disdain trying to control these tiny and filthy insects, but Dragon Might's might alone is enough to destroy an insect hive."

"Combined with Dragon Language Magic and mental techniques, the dragons launched a reverse invasion through the mental links of a massive swarm of insects. With terrifying Dragon Might and profound soul power, they directly bombarded the insect hive consciousness. The spiritual pressure from these ancient creatures was enough to reduce every hive consciousness to nothingness in fear."

"This completely changed the course of the battle. The creator of the swarm realized that defeat was imminent. It ordered its queens to immediately sever their mental links upon detecting the dragons' approach to prevent the dragons from succeeding again. Meanwhile, it retreated to its secret fortress, attempting to address this fatal flaw at its root."

"And we didn't give it a second chance."

"Now that the enemy is on guard against the dragon, a surprise attack is the best tactic."

"Through a series of strategic maneuvers—containment, tactical deception, feints, and strategic maneuvering—we ultimately feigned falling into a trap. The dragons were distracted and diverted, attracting a massive invasion of the Zerg swarm. On the dragonless battlefield, we employed a secret weapon: a non-dragon hero used mystical magic to extract and solidify the dragon's Dragon Might, and then used Dragon Language Magic to blast this Dragon Might into the Zerg swarm's Gestalt..."

Tina's astonished tone abruptly stopped when she read this.

She turned to look at Kang De.

Kang De also showed a look of surprise.

They went through things together and kept many secrets together.

The secrets of the Holy Seal Archipelago, the experiences there, the warning of the Crimson Scroll, and the Armor-Donning Ritual.

Upon their first meeting on the island, to prevent any further misunderstandings, Tina performed Armor-Donning Ritual on Kang De.

The ancient heroic legacy, the blessing of the bloodline of the Seven Heroes, grants the recipient the blessings and power of ancient heroes and even gods, and several additional benefits, one of which is the ability to communicate.

Tina made this decision because her side was on a mission to seek help from the Empire. They couldn't afford to be killed on the island by Kang De due to a misunderstanding. The communication ability granted by the Armor-Donning Ritual was the most important thing. As for the hero's blessing, it could only be wasted. After all, where would a sacred altar for heroes come from on a forbidden island isolated overseas and abandoned by the gods?

Hello, yes, there are.

The animals led the unconscious Kang De to an ancient place.

Tina, who had followed, saw the suffocating altar, engraved with all that was light, holiness, and order, and sealed with all that was darkness, evil, and chaos. Even someone as learned as her could not decipher the dense ancient characters, and could only barely understand the holy name enshrined on the altar.

The Fire Thief.

She knew what the Fire Thief's abilities were.

Kang De told her that.

Extraction, use.

--Anything is fine.

The two looked at each other in bewilderment.

Suddenly, everything lost its flavor; Tina's body no longer felt soft, and Kang De's body no longer smelled sweet.

In some ways, Kang De and Tina do resemble each other as a couple.

They are all extremely suspicious now.

Tina immediately turned back, flipping through the pages of her book. Was this a conspiracy? She wondered. Had Kang De's identity as the Fire Thief been revealed? Was this targeted hint intentional?

After all, the latter part is highly suspicious, listing more than a dozen solutions, such as the supreme artifact of the Titan Giant, the psionic array of the golden age of the Dusk Moon Dynasty, hundreds of spellbreaker legions specializing in mental attacks, or ancient earth wonder-level magical weapons... In short, none of them are things that Goth can afford or is capable of using at present.

Following these exaggerated proposals, he made a cryptic remark.

Dragon Might is also an option.

It's okay if it's not a dragon.

Even being Fire Thief is acceptable.

Moreover, there just so happens that a giant dragon came to Danfeng Lucerne City to discuss business.

Kang De coincidentally encountered an ancient swarm of insects, and when he sought help from the spirits, he coincidentally discovered an ancient book that recorded the event. Coincidentally, the book described all the insects' habits and weaknesses, and coincidentally, all solutions were unusable. The only somewhat possible solution coincidentally involved a dragon.

What's even more coincidental is that Kang De was a Fire Thief, and coincidentally, there was a powerful dragon in the city.

With so many coincidences combined, it can't possibly be a coincidence.

Tina, with her suspicious nature and a woman's keen intuition, sensed that something was wrong.

Kang De also sensed something was amiss.

Damn, this is absolutely not something Dairila could have written!

Asking about magic knowledge requires reciting texts, and even then, the recitation is halting. However, the eyes light up when fighting is mentioned, and one can speak eloquently about martial arts techniques and wars.

How could such trash write something like this in just one or two hours? Not only is the data detailed and the content reliable, but all the dozen or so ways to kill Big Bob are related to magic, alchemy, military science, and mental power. If she wrote this, I'd lick her a hundred times on the spot.

If it wasn't her, then who was it...?

Her frail, magic-wielding younger brother, the real Duke of Tiling Tagelise Tiling?

Still...

Kang De seemed to realize something, but the next moment, he felt a burning gaze.

Looking up, he saw Tina in his arms, her waist twisting with astonishing flexibility, staring at him without moving.

"Um?"

Kang De put on an innocent expression. "What's wrong?"

Tina sighed almost imperceptibly and asked, "So, what should we do?"

Although the contents of the book made her instinctively suspicious, it was indeed the only clue about how to solve the locust plague. Other methods were not feasible, and given the time constraints, there was no time to go to the Tower of All-Seeing or even the Empire to investigate... If she absolutely had to find an answer, she could only follow the route given in the book.

Dragons.

Unexpectedly, after going around in circles, I've come full circle again. Even after asking the elves, I still have to get past the dragons.

Kang De thought for a moment and said, "Ask."

The show of bravado France put on in front of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council can't last long. France is now nervously waiting for Kant to come to Kang De door, while the other four countries are also watching. Big Bob will be temporarily suppressed, but a permanent member is still a permanent member, and it won't sit idly by. In addition to guarding its position and waiting for developments, the France will also take corresponding actions to regain the initiative.

For example, putting pressure on Comora.

They might even target his family, at least that would give them a pretext for negotiation if something went wrong.

They won't wait for Kang De to come knocking on their door forever. Not only will Big Bob lose patience, but they will too, and as time goes on, they will become increasingly impatient, suspecting that Kang De is just messing with them, and growing more and more agitated because they can't predict the form of the attack.

The unknown is the most terrifying thing; they will take action sooner or later because of it.

He set a limit of ten hours for himself.

Ten hours—given the caution and slow efficiency of major powers, the interference from the other four countries, the time spent hesitating to hold a meeting, the time it would take for Big Bob to temporarily halt his actions, and the time it would take for them to make substantive decisions and successfully translate them into action... In theory, Fr*nce would not make any major moves during these ten hours.

This is the time that Kang De was able to buy.

Of course, this is essentially a gamble.

The France's attitude might temporarily influence Big Bob.

I'm betting that the other four countries can temporarily persuade Brother Six to calm down.

If the gamble fails and Big Bob launches an attack without hesitation, or if something happens to Comora, as long as the signal device given to his father and the king flashes, Kang De will have to return to Earth immediately.

If the Goth People aren't ready yet... then so be it.

First, smash a mountain into the Atlantic Ocean, then order all those nations to immediately send troops to wipe out Big Bob and do everything in their power to ensure the safety of his family and friends, or else everyone will be scattered and picking up bottle caps.

But if things really come to that, Earth will be uninhabitable. He will have to disappear for a long time and only occasionally reappear randomly to ensure the safety of his family. At that time, he can only live a stable life in another world for more than ten years, starting from scratch to climb the technology tree, and then return to his hometown with a hundred wives and a million followers to show off.

But that's always the worst and last resort.

Ten hours.

Reversing the time flow rate, in another world, would take approximately three days.

It sounds long, but it's not. To perfectly solve Big Bob's problem, we need to rely on the wisdom and power of another world. Goth's mages determined a plan, mobilized resources, and engraved scrolls, all of which took time. Meanwhile, the enemy was billions of locusts and Big Bob, whose true identity remained unknown.

Moreover, what the Goth monks were confident they could do was stop the locusts from attacking Moyani and defeat the massive swarms in open battle. Whether they could figure out a way to follow the trail and eliminate Big Bob was another question mark.

Kang De's gaze fell on the book.

In comparison, the ideas provided in this book are of greater use. The descriptions of the weaknesses and characteristics of locusts can greatly accelerate the research process of the Goth monks, saving them from many detours. Once the relevant data is confirmed through experiments, production and preparation can begin.

And the way to completely eliminate Big Bob... sounds quite feasible.

Kang De took a deep breath. "I've decided to give it a try."

There's no other good way.

Tina lowered her eyes, a pang of sadness in her heart. This book was a gift from the elves, a gift from the Phoenix King Dairila. Did Kang De really not doubt the authenticity of its contents at all? Did he really believe her that much?

She felt a pang of unease, a sense of unease, but she couldn't show it. It was clear that this matter was very important; otherwise, Kang De wouldn't have come to Goth for help.

The princess paused for a moment, then whispered, "Could it be a trap...?"

Kang De stroked his chin and said, "Probably not."

Tina's eyes dimmed slightly.

Then she listened as Kang De carefully analyzed, "First of all, the elves know their limits. If they want to harm me, then the misleading information in the book will surely be used to scheme and kill me in one fell swoop. There can be no accidents, otherwise the retaliation I will bring will be unbearable for them. They should know this. As you have seen, this kind of book is not something that just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can write. With such wisdom, they will definitely be extremely cautious."

"Secondly, although the contents recorded in the book are not historically verifiable, the dragon race did indeed participate in such wars, and they would likely possess such secret techniques and rumors. I only need to subtly inquire to find out from the dragons whether this matter is true and feasible."

Kang De muttered to himself, nodding repeatedly, "Yes, that's it. Even if the elves wanted to set a trap to mislead and kill me, in just an hour or two, they wouldn't have enough time to exchange statements with the dragons, let alone fabricate a flawless lie to send to the dragons of Danfeng Lucerne..."

Tina stared blankly at Kang De, the gloom in her eyes gradually fading, and suddenly burst out laughing.

Kang De tilted his head and said, "Hmm?"

Tina turned to the side, twisted her waist, stretched out her arms, wrapped them around Kang De's neck, kissed him on the cheek, and said with a smile, "I really do like Kang De's flaws too."

Kang De retorted, "What? You actually think I have flaws?"

Although the situation on Earth is quite urgent, there's not much he can do right now. He can only wait for the Goth People to come up with a complete plan and support. Worrying won't help; it will only affect his mood and state of mind. Taking this opportunity to relax is a good idea.

Tina wrapped her arms around his neck, sat in his lap, and smiled radiantly, her azure eyes seemingly sparkling with starlight. She looked at Kang De and nodded, saying, "Yes, there's a downside: it easily attracts some strange fellows."

"..."

Kang De glared at him and said, "How dare you slander someone out of thin air? What's strange about orcs? What's strange about robots? Racial discrimination is unacceptable..."

Tina chuckled twice, pinched Kang De's nose, and then rubbed her face against Kang De's with a smile.

After a few minutes of cuddling, she blushed and whispered, "The method described in the book is to extract the solidified Dragon Might, and then use Dragon Language Magic to blast it into the consciousness of the swarm's mother hive... Will that work?"

Kang De held the delicate body in his arms, his face pressed against Tina's rosy cheeks, his nose nestled in her shimmering golden hair, inhaling the soft rustling of flowers. He gently stroked Tina's waist and whispered, "Try it."

The princess let out a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

Kang De asked.

"If only we could find a way to get help from Kang De..."

The girl answered softly.

Help?

Kang De first imagined a group of sorcerers bursting out of the sky, dragging Big Bob out, and forcing him to eat excrement in a latrine, and then he thought of the White Mist World that was enough to annihilate all living beings.

How could that be?

He shook his head.

Twenty minutes later, Kang De met Lily, the Dragon Girl.

Since that night, I haven't seen the dragon girl much. She still has an indifferent expression, her long platinum blonde hair falls smoothly, its mysterious color attracting attention. Her cold face is as proud as a dragon, as if she doesn't care about anything in the world. She holds a notebook in her hands and writes at an extremely fast pace.

What do you want?

She said it without looking up.

The meeting place was a garden. There was flower tea on the table, along with candies and pastries. Kang De and Dragon Girl sat facing each other. Lily was writing furiously with her head down, with a sea of flowers behind her. Kang De thought she needed a pair of glasses like a literary girl, and it would be even better if she wore her hair in double braids.

However, it must be said that the most profound impression of this dragon girl was her amazing outfit that night—amazingly fair skin, amazingly shapely figure—a super realistic cosplay.

However, the reason he invited Dragon Girl out today was to do something serious.

The method in that elf book.

Extraction the Dragon Might, unleash a targeted bombardment with Dragon Language Magic, and smash Big Bob's dog head to pieces.

This requires the help and cooperation of a dragon.

But how should I bring it up?

Tell them the truth? We need to be careful. After all, the Dragon Clan has changed their minds. The fake match has become a real fight. If they find out that I'm going to some unknown place to settle some trouble... it could cause problems.

How should I bring it up?

Just then, as if remembering something, the Dragon Girl looked up at him and said, "Oh, is it because of that strange stocking we found on your bed? The size and smell don't seem to be yours. It must be Princess Tina's. Did she accidentally leave it there, or was it specially made for you?"

"..."

Kang De retorted, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The Dragon Girl simply watched him quietly.

In that instant, Kang De even wanted to take out the video from his phone and let this Dragon Girl know what the first video coercion incident in the history of this other world was like.

--That's really big; he's been taking it out to look at it every time he has free time these past few days.

In the end, he suppressed this thought and said, "The main reason I invited you out today is to learn a few things. You see, with the duel imminent, I know nothing about the power and prestige of the dragons. This is not only underestimating them, but also disrespectful to the dragons. This is not good. I think I need to learn more..."

The Dragon Girl glanced at him a few times, her eyes expressionless, lost in thought.

Kang De earnestly asked, "Could you please give me some pointers?"

Lily said, "Oh, I see. Your alchemical weapon broke down, and you're working on repairs. You're also worried about our clan's change of heart and the unpredictable outcome of the battle, so you came here to inquire, hoping to find out if we have any trump cards and what our combat strength is like, is that right?"

--I feel much more at ease knowing you think that way.

Kang De nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, after all, you are dragons, the embodiment of power, incredibly strong. How could I dare to underestimate you? Since we're really going to fight, you have to give me some leeway, at least give me some intelligence advantage..."

The Dragon Girl looked at him and said calmly, "In other words, you're asking me for important military intelligence about our tribe."

Kang De immediately retorted, "That's not how it works..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lily interrupted him, "You know I am a member of the dragon race, and you killed one of our people. Your upcoming duel with my race is extremely important; it can be said to determine the future relationship between Dragon Island and Goth. You want me to cheat for you at this crucial moment? Don't forget, I am a dragon."

Kang De tentatively asked, "... Then shall I pay more?"

The Dragon Girl immediately said, "Deal."

"..."

Kang De asked with a subtle expression, "How much do you want?"

He was prepared for the other party to make an exorbitant demand—oh well, the France would pay anyway.

"Payment is based on consultation duration and content." The Dragon Girl was very professional. "What do you want to know?"

"Regarding the way dragons fight, their characteristics, and certain racial talents," Kang De said seriously, "For example, when talking about novels about dragons, the first impression is their Dragon Might..."

The Dragon Girl blinked. "Is that so? Isn't it supposed to be a handsome or ordinary Dragon Knight using another dragon spear to seduce those silly, naive, and simple-minded brainless female dragons?"

--Looks like even the otherworld needs to clean up its publishing environment!

Kang De retorted angrily, "Why should I know such things if I'm going to fight a dragon? Of course, I want to see combat strength—for example, does Dragon Might might even exist?"

Dragon Girl nodded and said, "Of course."

"It's that kind of oppressive aura—where a dragon's body trembles, releasing countless domineering energies that force ordinary small animals to defecate and urinate uncontrollably, force ordinary strong individuals to kneel on the ground, and force stronger individuals to exclaim in terror?"

The Dragon Girl's eyes lit up. "This scene is quite nice."

What does that mean?

However, Kang De didn't care about such things; he cared about the most important thing.

"Then the question is, do you possess that kind of Dragon Might?"

Lily gave him a look as if he were an idiot. "... I'm a dragon too, of course I am."

"So that means..."

Kang De leaned forward and said seriously, "You're very brave, aren't you?"

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: 6,000 words! Delivery service still isn't open, I'm craving KFC...