A Devil Hidden Within

Hearing is deceiving, seeing is believing.

Just as most people on Earth know about nuclear bombs and know that they are super weapons created by mankind, only a very small number of people have a correct understanding of their power.

The same applies to Forbidden Spell.

Even though the Battle of Valentan shocked the world, Kang De's name resounded throughout the continent, and everyone knew that the Forbidden Spell spellcaster had reappeared in the world, apart from the eyewitnesses at the time, the investigators who later witnessed the impact site, and the high-ranking officials who listened to reports and assessments from top legal professionals... apart from these people, the vast majority of others still did not have a very intuitive understanding of the power of Forbidden Spell.

After all, Forbidden Spell have been gone from this continent for a very, very long time.

Concepts like nuclear crisis, doomsday scenarios, and human extinction have long since disappeared.

Because it was so far away, there was no sense of awe.

Just like those people in the Broken Isles.

In this no-man's-land where merchant ships frequently travel, the accumulation of wealth, desire, and sin has attracted a large number of scum, criminals, villains, and speculators. These people are lawless, profit-driven, and knowledgeable. They have discussed the war in Song Moon, mocked the elves, commented on Goth, and of course, talked about the world's number one internet celebrity in the past two months, Kang De of Cathayan.

When people talk about Kang De today, the first thing that comes to mind is a long-lost Forbidden Spell that seemed to have fallen from the sky.

The second thing that came to mind was his incredibly fair-skinned face, which was almost enviable.

They talked about Kang De's romantic escapades, his scandals, and even, fueled by alcohol, mocked the Elf Queen's peculiar taste, claiming that Princess Tina had never seen a real man.

Especially these days, with the winds blowing against us, Goth is once again facing the threat of the dragons, which could even escalate into a global siege. These opportunists and villains have smelled the scent of profit and money and are preparing to take advantage of the situation to enrich themselves. Their humiliation and contempt for Kang De have reached their peak.

In their mouths, the outcome of the Goth-Moon War was that the Queen was horny, that Twilight Moon was declining, and that the Elves were cunning. It must have been a conspiracy by Pointy Ears. The mighty Royal Army was unable to fight, so they could only pat themselves on the back of their opponents to prove that their defeat was not due to incompetence. As for the Elven Queen, she was so infatuated with men that she would rather give Kang De a great reputation to make his achievements complete.

As for Forbidden Spell? They're just high-level magic, not worth mentioning.

Then these keyboard warriors from another world saw a stone fall into the sea.

The resulting ripples shook the entire world.

Around 6 p. m., all the world's major heads of state, leaders of large organizations, and nobles received the news: two hours earlier, the world's only known Forbidden Spell spellcaster, the Dragon of Cathay, Kang De, had cast Forbidden Spell on a meteorite dozens of kilometers east of the Broken Isles.

According to witnesses, the meteorite that crashed into the sea created a water surge that was tens of kilometers high, so high that the Broken Isles dozens of miles away could be clearly seen. The atmospheric disturbance caused by the friction between the water and the air created a gale-force wind comparable to a Category 5 storm, pushing the atomized water vapor and churning waves to roll outwards like a tidal wave, forcibly creating a terrifying ocean storm.

Even after attenuation and weakening over at least tens of kilometers, it still unleashed a terrible natural disaster across the Broken Isles, with storms and tsunamis that were unstoppable.

Almost all the ships anchored in the various ports of the archipelago, preparing to sail to Goth, were damaged, with heavy casualties among the crew. Half of the docks were destroyed, and their functions as ports for docking, loading and unloading, and resupply were completely disrupted, resulting in countless losses. The imbalance of regional elemental concentration caused by the terrible impact lasted for a full hour, disrupting the normal operation of many magical devices and dealing a heavy blow to the archipelago's magical defense system.

Because the island's buildings and facilities were designed to withstand ocean storms, the weakened storm and tsunami did not cause significant casualties. The main loss of life came from ships that were urgently preparing to set sail. After the storm and tsunami subsided, the salvage operation proceeded with difficulty, but the loss of personnel and ships was secondary; the biggest problem was...

Whether it was imperial warships, reputable mercenary fleets, profit-driven slave ships, or pirates... all the sailors who were eager to make a fortune in Goth lost their courage to set sail in this unforgettable shock.

No amount of money, no strict orders, and no great temptation could sway them.

Because they witnessed firsthand what Forbidden Spell were.

Forbidden Spell is one that, even if cast dozens of miles away, can kill you from the aftershocks.

This news, like a small stone dropped into the sea, not only shocked the entire Broken Isles but also once again shook the highest ruling class of the time. Its spread was so rapid that it even overshadowed the news of "mysterious substances unearthed in Goth's territory" and topped the trending searches.

Like a bucket of cold water, it extinguished the eagerness of most of the covetous individuals.

In today's world, sea power reigns supreme, and monarchs who lack knowledge of fluid dynamics are astonished to discover that Kang De's Forbidden Spell of destroying armies and cities is even more powerful on the sea than on land.

This means he can unleash terrifying tsunamis in all port cities, and no city wall can stop him, no fleet can withstand him.

Even more critically, due to the flourishing of maritime trade and the establishment of provinces, the port cities of these countries were essentially economic hubs, transportation centers, and the lifelines of the nation.

It's even the capital city.

Moreover, there is an even more critical problem.

Kang De once claimed that his Forbidden Spell could only be used five times.

So here's the question.

Would you waste your ultimate power, which you can only use once, on skipping stones?

The Forbidden Spell was cast, the mainland fell silent, and assessments and decisions were quickly revised. Previously, it was believed that Goth was facing an attack from multiple countries, and even Forbidden Spell mage could not withstand the overwhelming force of these nations. However, the Forbidden Spell fell into the sea, and the violent tsunami and terrifying celestial phenomena re-emphasized the key point—what strategic deterrence is.

"Now, all the pressure is on me."

Near the Qilin Cape, amidst the dense forest ruins and the steel fortress, the gate slowly closed, isolating the inside from the outside and also cutting off Hong San's gaze from afar. In the distant Shadow, a graceful figure flashed by.

Kang De said calmly, "Unless I am dealt with, the nations should not dare to take large-scale action."

Horus said in a deep voice, "Father, is it worth it?"

"In this life, all I seek is peace of mind. I've given it my all; whether it's worth it or not, only Goth can answer that." Kang De smiled. "Anyway, I have my own selfish motives; whether it's worth it or not, I'm the one who gains."

The Transformers sighed, "The nations should have guessed that you could use Mass Projection many times over."

The earlier claim that it could only be used five times was not a lie. Repeatedly opening the door to transport a large number of objects would consume the time difference flow between the two worlds. However, later, Brother Tu borrowed power, and the spacetime laws of the White Mist World opened up to him, allowing him to distort and change space at will. Therefore, he no longer needed to repeatedly open the door to accelerate the projected objects with gravity.

The cost of Mass Projection has been greatly reduced.

This is not a good thing for the countries.

"You guessed it." A sharp glint flashed in Kang De's eyes. "Information about the mysterious element has been leaked. Before long, all nations will realize that a new era has arrived. As the saying goes, 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' Goth will inevitably become the center of the storm. The strategic significance of that mysterious substance is almost comparable to the continuous casting of Forbidden Spell... Therefore, deterrence must be upgraded."

Because times have changed.

Horus sighed, a rare occurrence for a Transformer. The fact that Transformers could sigh indicated his genuine helplessness and bewilderment, "Father, I feel... something's wrong with you again."

Who knows?

Kang De calmly said, "Both madness and reason, goodness suppressing evil, humanity hiding bestiality, usually following the rules, occasionally letting loose, always gritting one's teeth and enduring, and after collapsing, one gains freedom and exhilaration. Perhaps in this damned world, this is the most common way of life for humans."

A ghostly glow shimmered, surrounded by White Mist; the former site of the Comora West Airport had been transformed into an armory, filled with a vast array of vehicles, weapons, ammunition, and homemade high-yield bombs.

Most of them have already been moved to this steel fortress and underground.

From the fortress to the underground tunnel, massive amounts of explosives had been planted at every vulnerable point along the way.

The deterrence has been successful. If the nations want to take any action, they must first deal with Kang De. Large-scale military or naval operations are no longer feasible. For the nations, the only option is to send their top experts to infiltrate, find Kang De, surround and kill him, and they must succeed in one strike.

Otherwise, they will face the wrathful backlash of the Dragon of Cathay.

Bring it on.

Kang De flashed across space and arrived in Zhuerban City, which was still ravaged by the meteorite. In the distance, the Knight Astolfo was still floating on the sea. Kang De looked at the huge crater formed by the impact, his eyes flickering, and he remained silent in thought.

Through this crater, through these thick layers of earth, in the dark underground world, lies a sleeping nest, a gift from the Sound of Doomsday. He can sense the consciousness emanating from the Grewind Swarm —docile, obedient, yearning, yearning to serve, yearning to devour, yearning for the end.

Kant's intuition told Kang De that if he so desired, the terrifying swarm of insects that had once ravaged both worlds would immediately pledge their loyalty to him, becoming his followers, servants, henchmen, and warriors, without any disloyalty.

But that voice still echoes in my ears.

You will eventually understand that fate cannot be changed.

Horus said uneasily, "Father..."

Kang De did not reply, but instead extended his middle finger toward the sky.

A ghostly light flashed, a portal opened, and the Fire Thief vanished from this world.

It appeared nearly two thousand meters underground.

The snack boxes I left for A Xing and Dragon Girl when I left were now empty, beverage bottles were scattered all over the floor, and two scumbags were lying on the sofa, their eyes half-closed, looking very peaceful.

Upon seeing him return, A Xing immediately sat up.

The Dragon Girl subconsciously snorted, her gaze meeting Kang De's, and suddenly exclaimed, "What's wrong with you?"

Kang De smiled, a bright and sunny smile, "Let's go, time is running out."

Lily instinctively reached out to grab it, but grasped at empty air. She stepped in front of Kang De, staring into his eyes. "Wait a minute, you..."

"What's wrong with me?" Kang De smiled broadly, bringing his face close to Lily's, his tone gentle. "Miss Lily, the Arcane Council, the Empire, the Elves, and even the Dragon Clan—the most powerful nations and institutions in the world—have united and are preparing to take action against Goth."

"About two hours ago, I cast a Forbidden Spell dozens of kilometers away from the Broken Isles, which triggered a tsunami that nearly submerged that godforsaken place and shoved the Combined Fleet that was preparing to sail to Goth ashore."

"But this deterrence and intimidation is only temporary. As time goes on, if the intelligence is leaked again, the problems and challenges we face will be even more severe."

"Perhaps they've already started organizing top-tier fighters to place orders with the Brotherhood, preparing to launch a personal attack on me. Perhaps they've already mobilized shameless intellectuals, opinion leaders, and nobles to stir up chaos, strife, and even rebellion within Goth's inner circle, aiming to undermine my relationship with Goth from within."

"The source of the leak has not yet been determined. I have several guesses, each one of which is one I don't want to face, and each one implies bad news and even worse news."

"I even saw an old friend in the Space-Time Flashback. You don't know what Black Beast is, right? That thing is also called Void Spirit, an enemy from beyond the Veil, something the previous Fire Thief faced."

"To sum it up, the problem now is that I, Goth, and even the world are surrounded by all sorts of messy things, each one worse than the last. Goth faces internal and external troubles, and the world is facing a repeat of the cataclysmic collapse that happened many years ago. I might become Arthas, or something even more outrageous."

"So, in this situation, would you choose to hurry and find Cuixisi, kill him, find and control the source of the mystical element, and then return to the Upper Realm to negotiate with the nations temporarily intimidated by the Forbidden Spell, or would you rather waste time here worrying about my mental health?"

When he said this, his smile was radiant, very radiant, friendly and gentle, without a trace of anger.

Faced with such a smile, Lily was speechless.

"Alright, that's the situation. I originally planned to take you back to the surface and continue here by myself, but I doubt you'd agree to that. So let's resolve this quickly and efficiently."

Kang De straightened up and snapped his fingers, "But thank you for your kindness, Lily. It's nothing serious, just intermittent post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as PTSD. I had it during the Goth mission. I tend to panic when things get urgent—but it's nothing serious. I'll return to normal once things are resolved."

"For example, after the rescue of Danfeng Lucerne was completed, I was normal for a long time."

He turned and walked toward the dark passage, a passage that had been blocked and then cleared by Cuixisi. Here, Kang De saw Time Flashback, seeing people from ancient times walking through this place and fighting against the Black Beast. This astonishing discovery reminded him of the prophecy of the Sound of Doomsday, that damned fate.

Oh, fate.

He stepped back into the narrow passageway, the Divine Ring of Stellar Authority unfurling a bright blade of light that illuminated the surroundings. Footsteps approached from behind, and A Xing trotted up to him, gently taking his hand.

Kang De turned his head to look.

By the light, he saw A Xing's face. Her eyes held both worry and comfort. During his many days on the Holy Seal Archipelago, he had often felt melancholy and sorrow due to longing and loneliness, but she was still there for him.

The A Xing of the past couldn't speak, but their eyes were bright and deep, as if they could convey a thousand words. Back then, they were just like they are now; a single glance could express their feelings.

Lily walked at the back, watching the two figures walking side by side.

Kang De's earlier words made her realize that further discussion was pointless.

Although she didn't know what PTSD was, Kang De said that everything would be alright as long as things ended smoothly—and thinking of this, Dragon Girl's unease grew even stronger.

What will happen if things don't go well...?

Lily stared at the retreating figure ahead, and a chill ran down her spine as she thought of that chilling smile.

She hoped she would never find out.

Because her father's diary said that a demon was hiding in Li Manyue's heart.

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PS1: Update... Ah, I really want to eat McDonald's Crispy Chicken...