Master

"Tell Tina? Why?" Kang De frowned. "What exactly do you want to say?"

How could you possibly say something so outrageous!

It's all the ancestors' fault; they suddenly appeared and gave me this terrible idea...

I don't know what came over me, but I actually agreed to such an outrageous request...

Meeting Kang De's gaze, she turned her face away and stammered, "Y-yes, it's like this. The Silver Moon Council will definitely sit idly by and watch you suffer heavy losses. If they want Twilight Moon to send troops, they need to have enough reasons to prevent them from objecting. After all, you're an outsider, and an enemy at that—of course, only those old, stubborn elders would think that way, but to convince them..."

The Phoenix King's face flushed crimson as he spoke, and he whispered, "So, if you were your own elf, they wouldn't have an excuse to object. In other words, you... you and me..."

At this point, her voice suddenly rose, and she glared fiercely at Kang De: "Of course it's fake! Fake! Don't be so optimistic! I... I made this huge sacrifice for the sake of fighting the Star Palace and for the greater good! You should thank me properly!"

Having found a perfectly reasonable excuse for herself, Dairila successfully deceived herself, her shame vanished, and her tongue became fluent—of course, she was simply reciting from a script.

It's just a repetition of the unscrupulous instigation of some ancestor.

Dairila said guiltily, "So, it was just a pretense. You possess Forbidden Spell power, have the incredibly promising Paradox Element, and have demonstrated increasingly astonishing alchemical skills and naval and aerial combat capabilities. These things are enough to tempt the Council..."

Kang De's expression was subtle. "We might fool them for a while, but what about later?"

Upon hearing this, Dairila's eyebrows furrowed, and she said sternly, "What, you still want to renege... ptooey, you still want to take it seriously? There's no such thing as a free lunch, you wicked human, don't be too greedy!"

She took a few deep breaths, raised a finger, and said, "Anyway, just stall. The Star Palace's status as an enemy is now clear. According to historical records, the Mortal World will never be at peace again. Twilight Moon was already planning to engage in deep cooperation with you, exchanging technology, resources, and cooperating in joint operations—just be a little generous and provide some decent stuff to shut the council up, and that'll be fine..."

Kang De pondered for a moment, then said, "But this might be a bit... for you."

This means that Dairila, as Queen, will face enormous pressure from the council.

The Queen snorted, "So you wicked human still have a conscience. I don't care... Of course! This 'I don't care' means what you think! Listen carefully, this is a sacrifice I made for the peace between the Mortal World and Twilight Moon! It has nothing to do with you!"

--Wait a minute, are you laughing?

Kang De's heart skipped a beat. At least he still had some self-awareness and didn't say anything he shouldn't have. Instead, he bowed his head and said, "In any case... thank you, you've been a great help."

It's always reassuring to know that the world's most powerful superpower is willing to send troops to help.

A fleeting smile crossed Dairila's eyes, then, as if remembering something, she sighed softly, "But even so... Kang De, you must be prepared."

What preparations?

"Twilight Moon is far overseas," the Phoenix King said softly. "Even if the council approves, I will not send a fleet to directly participate in the battle. You have seen it yourself; even if the Golden Fleet were to fight that monster head-on at sea, it would have no chance of winning. It is the overlord of the ocean, while we are the descendants of the land."

She glanced at the map hanging on the wall. "If I were to command this battle, Kang De, I would place the battlefield at the Distant Harbor —evacuate the Distant Harbor population, assemble troops, deploy magical arrays, set up heavy magical artifacts, and wait for the monster to approach before launching a strategic-level combined spell and artifact cluster attack."

Dairila approached the map and pointed to the Distant Harbor area. "I've observed it. This area is shallow. If that behemoth gets close, we'll use a cluster of magical artifacts and strategic combined spells to part the seawater, forcibly drain the water around it, exposing it directly to the seabed, trapping it. Then things will be much easier—and it's even what you do best, right?"

She turned back and smiled.

But Kang De showed no joy on his face, only deep thought.

The Fire Thief sighed, "Place it near the west coast... If we can't contain him, merely repelling him will have endless consequences, and if he feigns an attack and then raids other cities..."

Dairila shook her head. "Kang De, war always involves risks and sacrifices. You have to get used to it, because similar attacks and challenges from outer space may become more frequent in the future..."

Kang De looked at the Empress: "Is there a better way?"

The Queen's eyes widened. "Isn't this the best way? You want to kill him in the sea?"

"Right."

"It's impossible," Dairila said firmly. "You've seen that monster's defenses and abilities. Even with the strength of Twilight Moon, we couldn't kill it halfway there. Our strategic weapons and ancient artifacts can't reach that far from our homeland—believe me, it's impossible!"

She took two steps forward, grabbed Kang De's arm, and shook it. "Even according to your most ideal scenario, if Twilight Moon, the Empire, and the Council immediately respond to your plea for help and send their strongest forces to assist you, the best and only tactic would be what I said: evacuate the civilians and make the Distant Harbor the decisive battleground."

"Prepare early," Dairila sighed. "You'll have to get used to it, otherwise it will be even more painful later."

Kang De remained silent.

"Fortunately, the behemoth did not exhibit speed that was extremely contrary to its size. I observed it there for a while, and it was expected to arrive at the Distant Harbor in at least thirty hours—because it wanted to maintain its grandeur and demonstrate its victory and oppressive power, so it chose to float on the sea."

Dairila said softly, "I need to return to Twilight Moon. The Silver Moon Council needs my personal persuasion. Give me a teleportation beacon; we might need your alchemical flying vehicle to transport the Royal Mage Legion to the Distant Harbor. It'll also be a good opportunity for the council elders to see firsthand the value you can bring..."

Kang De took out a gold coin with a spatial beacon attached and silently handed it over. "... Thank you."

The Empress felt a pang of sadness and sighed silently. She didn't speak, but simply reached out and pressed Kang De's shoulder, shook him a few times, patted him, and then walked out of the tent.

War is bound to bring casualties, sacrifices, and costs—this was something she had long understood. As the price of understanding this, she grieved and wept for a long time before she became strong.

At this moment, she realized that Kang De would also go through such a process.

She felt helpless, sad, and heartbroken about this.

Kang De stood before the map, silent for a long time, then said, "Horus, what do you think?"

The Transformers replied, "I agree with her idea... Father, your plan is too risky and will put you in extreme danger. We should be more cautious."

"But these people..."

Kang De listened to the sounds outside. This was near the airport, at a temporary camp. The workers were toiling away, their laughter and chatter filling the air, all filled with hope and longing for the future.

He said in a low voice, "I promised them a peaceful and happy life, but now..."

Horus said, "This is not your fault, Father. We will rebuild their homeland."

How will they view me and this matter?

"They will still respect and love you; if not, I will make them do so."

Kang De smiled wryly, "Just a few days ago I told them that food prices would remain stable, and yesterday I told them to work hard, and they'd have radios and instant noodles. But now, I'm telling them that a sea monster is coming to attack the Distant Harbor, and they have to evacuate their homes..."

At this point, his voice lowered. "It's so embarrassing, I don't even know how to bring it up—do you think they'll believe I brought the sea monster here? Will they hate me...?"

"--Father!"

Horus's stern voice interrupted Kang De's whisper.

"Don't overthink it," he said. "You did nothing wrong. Don't care what fools think. If they do, I'll shut them up forever."

The Transformers said calmly, "Please formulate a battle plan and strategy..."

Meanwhile, outside the main tent, Hong San stopped Lily, who was peeking in.

"Please allow His Highness some peace and quiet," he said earnestly. "If you truly have the time and are genuinely concerned for His Highness, please continue to request Dragon Island's assistance."

Lily glared at Hong San and scoffed, "You talk like you know him all the time."

Then he turned and left.

Hong San glanced at the tent, a look of worry flashing in his eyes.

Then that sorrowful look turned into a cold, gloomy one.

He went to another tent, where Captain Quilion of the Song of Evergreen was waiting—the last group of passengers had landed successfully and received a very warm welcome.

"Captain Quilion," he said, bowing slightly.

The burly elf also bowed respectfully. "Mr. Hong San."

Hong San was surprised—"Huh, this elf is quite polite."

Quilion thought to himself, "This man is Prince Kang De's right-hand man, the soul of the Valentan Guards, and the Doom Warriors also highly regard him. Perhaps I can try starting with him."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hong San went straight to the point. "There's something important I need your help with, Captain. I know you've been through a lot and are quite exhausted..."

Quilion immediately waved his hand and said, "Not tired at all! Please, go ahead and tell me."

--Why are you being so attentive? What are you up to?

Hong San was suspicious, but after a moment's thought, and glancing again at the Paradox bracelet on Quilion's right arm, he chose to be honest. "You saw the monster with your own eyes. It's heading towards the Distant Harbor. Before Your Highness makes a decision, I believe the situation at the Distant Harbor must be stabilized. That is to say, those civilians who witnessed the monster must be separated and isolated. At least until things are settled, they cannot be allowed to spread rumors..."

Ultimately, there are simply too few trustworthy forces.

The Valentan Guards are loyal, but their numbers are insufficient to fulfill their duties.

Considering the close relationship between our lord and the Phoenix King, these elves are the most trustworthy.

Especially those who followed His Highness back from the Broken Isles.

Upon hearing this, Quilion suddenly realized what was happening.

"Understood! Mr. Hong, what should we do?" The elf's face darkened with murderous intent, and he gestured as if to chop. "Perhaps..."

As a pure, bloodthirsty elven warrior, and a member of the navy—a branch of the military known for its ruthlessness and decisiveness—he had no trouble taking down a group of short-lived, lisping creatures.

"No, Your Highness doesn't like it."

Hong San said in a deep voice, "Captain Quilion, I just want to ask you to lead your soldiers to isolate the last few batches of evacuated refugees and monitor them closely. If anyone is spreading fear or rumors among them..."

He paused for a moment, then said menacingly, "The first warning is to tell them that His Highness has his own plans. Those who offend again will not be given a chance to speak."

Hong San was capable of making that decision.

The elven captain accepted the order and departed.

Hong San stood there for a moment, then slowly exhaled, glanced in the direction of the lord's tent, and sighed softly. He understood the unease and hesitation in His Highness's heart, and he also knew what he had to face.

"Since ancient times, the people have been foolish, superficial, impulsive, and ungrateful..." he said in a low voice. "Sometimes, even if Your Highness treats me with sincerity, they may not repay it with sincerity in return. At least that's how it is in history books. And I've observed the same in this foreign land. But..."

He clenched his fist.

--I will not allow ungrateful and cold-hearted people to jump out and get in my way; that is also my responsibility.

The tenderness in Hong San's eyes was replaced by the sharp edge of the blade.

He returned to his tent, summoned his secretary, and issued orders one after another without making a sound.

About an hour later, Hong San, who was working with his head down, suddenly felt a breeze from ahead, as if someone had lifted the tent flap. He casually asked, "What is it...?"

Immediately afterwards, a familiar voice reached my ears.

"Lord Hong, you hold a high position and wield great power; how impressive!"

Upon hearing this voice, Hong San was struck dumb, his body trembling. He looked up in disbelief and saw a brightly lit old man with white hair and beard standing outside the door.

"Master... Master..."

His voice trembled, and in an instant, tears welled up in his eyes.

Hong San rushed forward a few steps, bent over and was about to kneel down, but then his expression changed.

The already bent knees suddenly straightened, and the movement changed from kneeling to a deep bow.

The old man looked at his good-for-nothing disciple and sneered, "Oh, good memory, very polite. Since you've been expelled from the sect, there's no need to kneel."

Hong San whispered, "Master, please forgive me. I have sworn to my lord that I will never kneel again in this life."

The old man stared at Hong San for a moment, stunned.

"Damn it."

His ethereal, otherworldly demeanor vanished, replaced by utter astonishment. "How... how did he do that?"

Hong San looked dazed for a moment, then smiled softly, "It's a long story."

The old man seemed stunned by this shocking fact. He remained silent for a few seconds, then suddenly his face darkened, and he raised his hand as if to strike. "All these years, I haven't been able to get back at you, you son of a bitch..."

Hong San instinctively tried to dodge, then froze, closed his eyes, and waited to be hit.

"That's enough."

The old man said sullenly, "It can be considered a harmonious relationship between ruler and subject, a good thing."

He walked to the desk, Hong San subconsciously made way for him. The old man then sat down with an air of nonchalance, glanced at the official documents on the table, and let out a sneer, "Naive."

Hong San lowered his head and remained silent.

"Your lord's in trouble, hasn't he?" He picked up a few official documents, glanced at them, then looked at them with disgust and discarded them like worn-out shoes. "You stinking writer—all talk and no action, always trying to outdo others, now you're paying the price, aren't you?"

Hong San protested, "It's not that our lord is competitive; it's that the nobles are oppressing the common people, and our lord pities them and fights for the sake of all living beings..."

The old man said sarcastically, "You're always very good at judging people, so you shouldn't be fooled by hypocrites. In that case, Kang De really is a saint—he hasn't been killed by a sneak attack yet, which shows his extraordinary abilities."

Hong San sighed, "Master, please don't speak like that when you see His Highness."

"What do you mean? What's wrong? Now that you have a lord, you've forgotten your master?"

"No..." Hong San said in a low voice, "I'm afraid you'll get upset from his scolding."

"Heh, that's interesting." The renowned minister from Cathay, who had traveled from the East across the ocean and lived in anonymity, raised an eyebrow. "I scolded him for lecturing a junior, and he scolded me for disrespecting my elders. If I disrespect my elders, I'll definitely hit him."

Hong San lowered his head and said meekly, "This..."

"What? Could it be that your lord is so skilled in martial arts that I am no match for him?"

"No, Master, our lord has many beautiful women. If we summon them to beat him up, you might not be able to withstand their combined strength..."

"... He got beaten up by me, and then he called his wives to help him get revenge. Aren't he ashamed?"

"They'd probably be proud of it."

"..."

Hong San smiled ingratiatingly, "In any case, let's have a proper conversation after we meet. You two are both outstanding figures of our time, shining like stars in the sky. My lord has an extraordinary background, broad knowledge, and a compassionate heart. You should have a pleasant conversation with my master and consider him a close friend..."

The old man glared and said, "Who said I was going to meet Kang De?"

"Master," Hong San sighed, "If you didn't want to help, why did you show yourself?"

The master made a gesture as if to strike, and the disciple instinctively leaned closer.

"... You've grown bold, huh? I won't bother with you." He said coldly, "Thirty miles north of Qilin Cape is the highest peak. I live on the summit. Tell Kang De to go there to see me. He's not allowed to use any supernatural powers or mechanisms. He has to climb to the summit on his hands and feet. I'll be waiting for him there."

Hong San said with a wry smile, "Master, there's no need for this..."

"What? What's wrong? Let me try him, what's wrong?"

The old man retorted, "Am I, Dong Tianming, not worthy of such respect? Do you know how much effort the late emperor put into inviting me to serve him? Three invitations and three visits, three thousand disciples, a ten-mile flower-lined road, the late emperor even led my horse and treated me with the respect due to a teacher—I don't care about any empty fame, I don't care about any pomp or circumstance he puts on or any rare treasures he gives me, I just wanted to test his character, is that not allowed? Do you expect me to go directly to his door and beg him to use my strategies and methods?"

Hong San looked conflicted.

To be honest, with his master's abilities, this test was really nothing to worry about—he knew perfectly well that if His Highness gained his master's approval, the benefits, both overt and covert, would be countless.

But... the longer he spent with His Highness, the more he felt that his master's demands were a bit strange.

He didn't know if His Highness would agree, but he did know one thing.

That means His Highness would definitely say to me privately, "Your master is probably a fool."

He wanted to persuade him further, but his master said, "Let's leave it at that."

Suddenly, a flash of white light appeared, and the old man turned into specks of light and vanished, leaving only a paper figure swaying in the air before gently landing and disappearing without a sound.

Hong San stood there for a moment, stamped his foot, and ran out of the house towards His Highness's tent.

"Temple..."

He lifted the tent flap, only to find it empty, with a note lying across the table.

"I'm going back to Danfeng Lucerne; Tina needs to speak with me."

Hong San frowned, left the tent, looked at the azure sky, and suddenly felt very tired.

Then, footsteps sounded from the side, followed by a timid voice calling out, "Y-you are?"

Hearing this, he turned his head and saw two women approaching. The one in front was a woman who looked to be about forty or fifty years old, with a sturdy build and a kind face, while a younger woman timidly hid behind her, cautiously sizing up Hong San.

Hong San noticed that the middle-aged woman was wearing a red armband.

He immediately understood the other person's identity.

In order to effectively resettle and manage the refugees rescued from the Broken Isles, Kang De recruited many people from the Distant Harbor. He specifically instructed a special recruitment process, which involved recruiting middle-aged women with good reputations and high prestige in various neighborhoods. These women were knowledgeable, experienced in many ways, good at comforting and reassuring others, and thoughtful, able to consider the many shortcomings and needs of refugee resettlement.

He said gently, "Good day, madam. Is there anything I can do for you?"

The woman asked warily, "Are you one of His Highness Kang De's people?"

Hong San raised his hand and shook the bracelet.

The woman immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a smile appearing on her face. Then, she glanced around warily, took a few steps forward, and whispered, "I think... what was that saying again..."

The young woman behind him whispered, "Report the situation."

"Oh, right, right!" said the middle-aged woman wearing a red armband, "I'd like to report something to you!"

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PS1: Update... I still owe 3,000 words, I'll finish them before the end of the month.