Fleecing the Flock

If one were to choose a word to describe the current situation of the Broken Isles...

Shame.

It must be a disgrace.

As a major economic center and an independent commercial alliance, it has its own army, territory, fleet, and economic system. It earns gold coins from all over the world through trade and the tertiary industry, and to a certain extent controls several economic lifelines of the mainland. Its comprehensive national strength can be considered that of a first-class power.

But today they have suffered the ultimate humiliation.

As an independent force, it was blatantly invaded by the fleet of another country.

But he was completely helpless.

"Your Highness Kang De..."

In the captain's cabin of the Elf flagship, the highest commanders of the three kingdoms sat together drinking tea. They didn't need to be involved in every aspect of the evacuation of their citizens, as the fleet had a large number of talented individuals at the upper, middle, and lower levels.

Kavisalong took a sip of the Misty Tea and said slowly, "What a terrifying human."

Niola and Beike Baker nodded simultaneously.

At first, they were confused when they heard the order to evacuate their citizens, but now they finally understood, because they saw the surging crowds on the docks and the riots and fires in various seas of the Broken Isles. As their respective fleets forcefully announced the evacuation operation to each island, this commercial and tourist hotspot was in complete uproar.

"I have never seen anyone like Prince Kang De..." the seeker murmured with a hint of unease. "It's not that his alchemy is unparalleled on the continent, nor that his Forbidden Spell spells are the strongest in the world, but rather..."

He paused for a moment and looked at his two temporary colleagues opposite him.

Then he added, "Rather, he's very adept at manipulating the emotions of living beings..."

Colonel Beike pondered, "--Fear?"

"Yes, fear."

The spellcaster looked out the porthole, and the wind carried the screams from the shore.

"After executing all the economic criminals who risked speculating on grain prices yesterday, the war had already begun. From yesterday to today, His Highness Kang De has launched two offensives, each achieving tremendous success and shaking this dreamlike land flowing with gold and desire..."

The Seeker of Secrets said, "The first time he personally sailed there, sounded the war horn, massacred the Pioneer Square, and left a declaration of war, he stayed for three days. And what was the result? Just as we have gathered intelligence, the Broken Isles have been in chaos since yesterday. Economic activity has completely stalled, everyone wants to flee this place, and fear has spread instantly. And Prince Kang De has only been here once."

The elven commodore put down his teacup and looked out the porthole.

"The measures taken against the Broken Isles are pointless."

"Yes, that's the tragedy of small countries," Master Niola said. "They fear Forbidden Spell and dare not initiate war under any circumstances. It's a common trait of merchants; they are ruthless in their areas of expertise, bullying the weak and exploiting their flesh and blood, but they grovel before the powerful. Faced with Prince Kang De's threat of war, their first thought must have been to take all the tourists on the island hostage and then use their influence to lobby other countries for intervention and protection from powerful nations... Ha."

"What a pity," Colonel Beike shrugged. "Might makes right, even the strong will side with them."

Kavisalong nodded and said, "Evacuation... This is the first time I've heard this term. What happened today will be recorded in the works of historians from various countries and will occupy a page in world history."

"In a region where war is imminent, dispatching troops to evacuate a large number of one's own citizens to avoid the ravages of war... I've never heard of such a thing before, but upon closer examination..."

The elf said solemnly, "This does indeed seem to be the responsibility of the nation, of us, and of Her Majesty the Queen."

The three commanders came from different backgrounds, were of different races, and had different personalities; their perspectives and approaches to problems were also vastly different. Colonel Beike said, "Besides, this tactic itself was extremely powerful. If the declaration of war on the first day sowed the seeds of fear, the actions on the second day..."

He glanced at his two temporary colleagues in the captain's cabin. "It was this fear that took root, grew completely, and cleverly exploited our strength..."

As they said, when the three nations' fleets entered the Broken Sea under the banner of their respective navies, patrolling and circling each island and spreading news of evacuation, the situation on the Broken Isles quickly spiraled out of control. This meant that the three great powers—the Empire, Twilight Moon, and the Council— had simultaneously issued their highest warnings, indicating that the monarchs of the three nations all believed that the war on the Broken Isles was about to escalate to the point where it was necessary to evacuate their citizens.

There could be no more terrifying or shocking news than this.

The three naval commanders were unaware of the concept of "national credibility," but that did not prevent them from instinctively realizing that Kang De had used the power of the three great powers to stir up a big commotion.

The question is: do the tourists forcibly detained on the island believe the island owners' claims that "it's safe here," or do they believe the actual actions of their own navy, or even the orders of their emperors?

"They have come to fully understand the taste of fear."

Beike paused, a hint of unease in his voice. "But..."

The other two commanders noticed his hesitation.

They understand.

They sent Kang De's proposal back to China that day and received a reply telling them to "act as they see fit." Little did they know that Kang De's first order was not to attack the island or blockade the shipping routes, but to evacuate his citizens, and the reason given was quite high-sounding.

"If your countries investigate this matter, just say it's out of Kang De's benevolence that, in order to maintain my deep friendship with other nations, I sent you to evacuate my citizens before launching a full-scale war, so they wouldn't suffer casualties and destruction in the flames of war. And don't forget to Kang De!"

This is shameless, but very useful.

Because none of the members of the Silver Moon Council, the ministers of the Imperial Cabinet, or even the representatives of the Council would openly say, "Let them die! We don't care about the lives of those citizens. We can't do this kind of thing under our banner."

Political enemies will seize upon this to launch attacks.

But this was, after all, an unauthorized action taken under the guise of the country's government.

This still made these naval admirals a little uneasy.

"Besides that..." Kavisalong said quietly, "There's a golden dragon on a ship over at Distant Harbor. I asked it, and it also has a mission: in the event of an attack by the Broken Isles, that golden dragon must transform into its dragon form as quickly as possible and take the hit of an island defense attack..."

The other two were stunned.

--Do you want to drag the dragons into this mess too?!

"In any case, now that it's done, there's no need to worry too much." The elven brigadier glanced at the two humans and said meaningfully, "Anyway, you had already made plans and received some orders, right?"

The two were taken aback at first, then chuckled awkwardly.

"His Majesty will not pursue the matter, nor will your Emperor and Speaker. Regardless of how many important figures in the country have taken shares and made contributions to the Broken Isles, the monarchs have already foreseen the outcome: the collapse or even destruction of the Broken Isles is a foregone conclusion."

The elf said calmly, "So the kings' idea is how to extract the greatest benefit from this predetermined outcome. They will also tacitly approve of our actions of falsely issuing orders and carrying out the evacuation, and use it as leverage in negotiations with His Highness Kang De... All we need to do is do our job properly."

Colonel Beike clicked his tongue in astonishment. "It sounds like the Broken Isles have been abandoned."

"Yes, if any other country or power wanted to interfere here, it would inevitably face countermeasures from other nations. The Broken Isles' vast network of gold coins and private services over the years has been formidable, but unfortunately for them, they encountered Prince Kang De... The monarchs will not doubt his will."

Kavisalong explained, "Now that His Highness Kang De has taken control of the Distant Harbor, he is determined to reclaim his position as the trade hub of the Western Sea. Therefore, he has a fundamental conflict of interest with the Broken Isles, and there is absolutely no room for compromise or negotiation. His Majesties are well aware of this. If the nations intend to join forces to defend the Broken Isles based on various considerations, it will only lead to a full-scale war... This is impossible."

"So..." he shook his head, "The Broken Isles are finished."

The other two people inside nodded in agreement.

That's absolutely true.

The mere sight of warships circling around, emptying some trash, and then instigating a joint evacuation operation by the three nations' fleets has plunged the Broken Isles into a state of fear and internal strife.

In this process, His Highness Kang De used pure strategy.

He is known worldwide for his violence, death, and weapons.

Even though the Broken Isles possess a formidable naval force, a world-class heavy defense system, highly recruited talents, and a few of the world's rare magical legions, so what?

But these merchants can't even outmaneuver His Highness Kang De in terms of strategy and business tactics, so what chance do they have of winning a real battle of strength?

"I even think..." Niola slowly exhaled, "Your Highness can win without using Forbidden Spell."

During their two weeks as prisoners of war, they obeyed Kang De's orders and fought several counterinsurgency battles under the advanced combat system built around Horus, which included real-time communication links, one-way battlefield transparency, and long-range fire support. Their victories were swift and exhilarating.

This even made many sailors who had come from the navy want to switch to the army.

"His Highness has said he wants to turn this place into a training ground." Colonel Beike finished his tea. "Gentlemen, just watch."

The elf thought for a moment, "I don't think these merchants will hold out indefinitely."

"You mean..." Niola asked, "They'll surrender?"

"Surrender is out of the question. His Highness Kang De's conditions are extremely harsh. For one thing, the island lords will not agree to the demand for the extermination of the entire clan of those who orchestrated and instigated the economic war in the Distant Harbor."

The brigadier replied, "Merchants are not soldiers; they lack the courage to fight to the death. They possess too much, so they are reluctant to part with it. I think that after today's upheavals and lessons, fear has also taken root in their hearts. Therefore, they will try to negotiate and compromise... offering up some of their interests, asking other nations to mediate, cutting a large chunk of flesh for His Highness Kang De, perhaps even choosing to become vassals... or even selling the Broken Isles for a good price."

Upon hearing this, Master Niola sneered, "His Highness Kang De will not agree. Haven't you noticed? He harbors a very perplexing wariness and hostility towards the wealthy and noble."

Beike shook his head and said, "He loved Princess Tina, but he didn't kill all the powerful and influential people. His targets were limited to traitors and the ruthless; Han Zezheng even..."

"Yes, Han Zezheng became the Minister of Economy in the new Distant Harbor government, but what you don't know is that after taking office, he closed his two ancestral shops, sold all the reward properties and fleet he had acquired after the economic war to the West Goth Company, and sent his eldest son to the Distant Harbor Army. What does this mean?"

The seeker looked at the Imperial Colonel: "He chose to become an official and gave up commerce. I think this fully explains Your Highness's attitude—those with power cannot be rich, and those with wealth cannot have power."

"Furthermore, look at the powerful figures His Highness has targeted for elimination. Without exception, they all control numerous vital industries related to people's livelihoods. In addition, Kang De Highness has acquired a large amount of farmland..."

Wise and astute mages can always glean rules from the details.

He sighed, "Gentlemen, times are changing. This prince, who is rumored to have royal blood from the previous dynasties of Cathay, is clearly a king unlike any other ruler in the history of the continent."

He stood up, beckoned his staff, and put on his wizard's hat.

"Gentlemen, I do not know the orders your monarchs have given you, nor do I know your plans. However, if you, like me, have some different ideas..."

Niola said, "Then, for the sake of any potential future colleagueship, I must remind you both not to get involved in things you shouldn't. His Highness, in some ways, is not very magnanimous."

On the distant shore, at the dock, a long queue had formed. The Suppressors of Rebellion had transformed back into the navy of the Three Kingdoms, but their work was no different from the day before: maintaining order and registering everyone.

From name to appearance to family background, even occupation, skills, and so on.

Horus was in charge of taking photos and recording the events.

His Highness Kang De's decree is that all citizens of the three countries, regardless of rank, wealth, or whether they are tourists or laborers working locally, shall be subject to this decree.

We'll take as many as you have.

This is clearly outright robbery.

In addition to the navies of the three countries, the evacuation of the Cathay population from Distant Harbor also proceeded smoothly.

Han Guangcheng was the son of Han Zezheng. After Old Han gave up his position as president of West Goth and took office as Minister of Economy of Distant Harbor, the old man first quietly closed his shops and then donated his ancestral land deeds and many properties rewarded by Kang De to Kang De. He said that he was old and weak and had only done his best to manage the finances of Distant Harbor for His Highness Kang De. He was too weak to manage these businesses and only asked His Highness not to abandon him and to acquire one or two of them.

Kang De was naturally delighted. Whether the old man was truly shrewd and knew when to advance and retreat, or simply didn't want to have anything to do with money anymore... such a decision was ultimately a good one.

Because this means precedents and examples.

Then Han Zezheng the opportunity to speak, saying that the eldest son was a good-for-nothing who didn't study hard and spent all his time tackling boats and oars. He begged His Highness to grant him a future and let him serve as a lowly soldier in the navy.

Kang De, of course, had to make a statement.

Just then, Hong San suggested that since the three countries were going to evacuate their citizens, China should also make a gesture. It was only right that China should send ships to bring back the Goth People and Cathay descendants from the Broken Isles, regardless of whether they came or not, the gesture should be made.

This operation needed a person in charge, and Kang De and Hong San couldn't do everything themselves. Fortunately, Han Zezheng without avoiding relatives. After chatting with Han Guangcheng for a while, Hong San suggested that Kang De give this young man a try.

Horus will be traveling with the ship anyway, and at the very least, Kang De can be teleported there.

Han Guangcheng is indeed quite capable.

After rescuing Mei Xizhu, a fellow Cathay native, he immediately realized that the other party might be quite prestigious in the local area, after all, he was a spellcaster... So he immediately explained his purpose and asked Mei Xizhu to make a list and point out the location to assist in the evacuation of the Cathay descendants. The latter was eager to make a contribution and naturally agreed.

The task of evacuating the Goth People was carried out by officials dispatched from the Distant Harbor. The two sides were clearly separated, and even the ships were separate—the former traveled on the repaired sailing warships of the Distant Harbor Coastal Defense Fleet, while the latter were magnificent steel warships.

The former's soldiers were all sailors selected from the original garrison in the Distant Harbor, while the Kang De troops responsible for evacuating the Cathay descendants were guards from Valentan. The former were dressed in tattered clothes, while the latter were all equipped with American gear and even issued uniforms. Everyone wore white cloaks and coats, the hems of which fluttered wildly in the sea breeze. The huge word "Justice" on the back looked particularly cool and arrogant in the eyes of the foreign natives who had never seen the world.

This stark contrast reveals Kang De's cunning; he wanted these Goth People living on the Broken Isles to immediately see just how powerful His Highness Kang De's New Distant Harbor truly was.

Mei Xizhu quickly compiled a list and formulated a plan. After all, the Cathayan were refugees from the East. People who are far from home are considered inferior, so it is only natural for them to band together. They would generally know about their compatriots in the Broken Isles. As a rare spellcaster, Mei Xizhu also had considerable prestige among his local compatriots.

Kang De's task was carried out efficiently and thoroughly.

At the Sound of the Tide Manor, Kang De listened to the report sent back from the front and nodded in satisfaction.

The Dragon Girl, who was sitting to the side reading a book, asked calmly, "What's the next step?"

Kang De stroked his chin. "Of course, it's about forming a humanitarian aid fleet to provide warmth and care to the vast number of impoverished people who will soon be starving, freezing, and living in constant fear of war."

When it comes to wool, you should definitely fleece it as much as possible.

Lily rolled her eyes at him slightly. "You have so many tricks up your sleeve."

Kang De declared proudly, "This isn't a trick! It's simply that I'm kind-hearted and can't bear the sight of bloodshed. How can I stand by and watch those poor souls in the Broken Isles, deceived by the capitalists' lies, wail and struggle in the flames of war? I can't abandon them! I must take them away from that hell on earth, bring them to a new Distant Harbor full of freedom and dreams, and let them find true happiness here..."

"That sounds like a slave owner's sleep-talking."

"Cut."

Kang De curled his lip, walked up to the map, stared at the Broken Isles, and sneered.

"Let's see how long you can hold out."

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PS1: I recently finished watching The Fall of Spartacus trilogy... Ah, I really want to write a similar story... (holding back)