Distant Harbor Speech
"I am Kang De."
The voices of the Dragon of Cathay, the Great Forbidden Spell Spellcaster, the Prince Consort of Goth, and the Lord of the Distant Harbor echoed in everyone's ears.
People listened silently.
For some, this wasn't the first time they'd heard His Highness Kang De's voice.
But for most people, that legendary figure suddenly became three-dimensional; at least they could hear his voice—a voice that was sacred and powerful, filled with awe-inspiring majesty.
Of course, from a psychological perspective, this is purely a matter of imagination; Kang De did not add any special effects to his voice, nor did DJ A Fu adjust the sound.
In the conference room, under everyone's gaze, Kang De simply held the microphone, a smile on his face.
"You must have seen the aurora borealis in the sky, you must have seen the shooting star falling towards the Broken Isles, and before that, you must have all been uneasy because of the rumors and gossip."
"And that is why I came here."
"I speak to all those who lent a helping hand, made selfless contributions, and fought bravely in the Broken Isles Great Evacuation Operation; I speak to all the citizens of Distant Harbor; I speak to the guests from the Broken Isles; I speak to friends from all over the world, from all countries and of all races—"
"We have won."
"A rain of fire descended from the sky, scorching the bodies of ferocious beasts. The power of the Forbidden Spell cleansed all evil forces. The evil forces that coveted the Distant Harbor have been utterly annihilated. Behold the flashes in the sky; they are the waves of the Forbidden Spell surging across the heavens. Thus, I hereby declare—"
"All combat activities are hereby terminated."
All war preparations cease here.
"All war alert is now closed."
A total of 1,267 soldiers from the Distant Harbor were safely evacuated.
"A total of 67,294 scholars, spellcasters, warriors, artisans, and civilians from the Broken Isles have been rescued from the jaws of the evil sea monster and settled in."
"The Broken Isles Great Evacuation Operation has thus been a complete victory and a resounding success!"
"We've won!"
In the bars, on the streets, at the radio station, in the rooms, and within the military camp, the Distant Harbor was silent as people listened to His Highness Kang De's words. They looked at each other—citizens, volunteers, refugees, soldiers, spellcasters, scholars... Soon, they finally came to their senses and realized the contents of his declaration.
The citizens smiled, the refugees shed tears, the soldiers gave enthusiastic high-fives, and the volunteers smiled and embraced each other. Then, they all cheered and shouted enthusiastically.
As if a silent, slumbering city had suddenly awakened, a wave of enthusiasm swept across the Distant Harbor.
Faintly, a chorus of praise and cheers seemed to come from all directions.
Kang De--
Kang De--
They were chanting the same name: His Highness Kang De, the creator of this great victory and miracle.
Kang De, having temporarily turned off his microphone, stood up and looked at the city lights and the people laughing, singing, and dancing in the streets. Undoubtedly, tonight would be a night of revelry.
He heard the unanimous cheers and exclamations, but frowned.
"The people... are singing."
Cheers erupted again in the conference room, while the core members of Kang De Shogunate looked out the window with Kang De. Dong Tianming murmured, "I have never seen such happy, genuinely joyful people."
Kang De glanced at him. "Doesn't Cathay have it?"
Dong Tianming shook his head. "No... Matters of national importance have never concerned the common people, unless one is personally involved in the flames of war. For example, if the siege of a city is lifted, the people will feel as if they have been granted a general amnesty; if the war ends, there will be no more forced labor or exorbitant taxes. The people will look to the heavens and pray, go to temples to fulfill their vows, and be overjoyed."
"In addition, the royal family celebrated festivals with the common people, and wealthy families held banquets for weddings and funerals, which brought joy to the ordinary people as well..."
He gazed at the lively scene outside the window, listening to the cheers that almost shook the windows, and murmured, "But none of that fits the current situation... I've never seen this kind of joy before."
Kang De also looked out the window and said softly, "Do you know why?"
Dong Tianming turned around and solemnly said, "Please give your instructions, my lord."
Upon hearing the words "My Lord," Hong San seemed to understand something and quickly turned his head away, suppressing a laugh.
The old man didn't notice his wayward disciple's behavior; he wanted to know the answer.
Because he realized that the ideals, beliefs, ambitions and thoughts of this new king of Cathay were contained in this series of actions and decrees.
Kang De looked at him and said, "Because they participated, because they created the victory."
Dong Tianming's body trembled, and he showed an expression of disbelief.
Kang De did not look at the renowned minister from Cathay again; he turned around and walked to his chair.
"I was just about to remind them of this."
Perhaps the people cheering in the Distant Harbor at this moment do not know why they are so excited, happy and overjoyed about this victory, but Kang De will tell them.
"--Because that's exactly why I came here."
He gently raised his hand, and the cheering crowd inside immediately fell silent. A Fu reconnected the radio, and Kang De's voice echoed throughout the city, "Celebrations, banquets, parades, awards, and honors will be held, but not now, my friends. The speech is not over, or rather, it has only just begun, so suppress your joy and restrain your excitement. Embraces may continue, but passionate kisses are unnecessary..."
Now, listen to me.
The heatwave that had swept through the city gradually subsided, but the smiles on people's faces did not disappear. The noise had subsided, and they reminded each other to continue listening.
His orders are strictly enforced, demonstrating the qualities of a powerful leader.
Dong Tianming's mind wavered.
He discovered that Kang De surprised him with more than just the dazzling, burning sunlight.
And then there's this thing called broadcasting.
Since ancient times, imperial power has not extended to the countryside. In weaker courts, there is not much control over local prefectures and counties. When central government orders reach the local level, they are often misinterpreted and distorted. Local officials deceive each other, like termites, corroding the pillars of the country and the government. The decline of dynasties mostly begins from this point.
His Highness Kang De used this broadcasting system to ensure that every subject could hear his voice... This was a powerful national instrument that every emperor would envy.
Dong Tianming glanced at Hong San.
This wicked disciple has finally done something that pleases him since he was a child.
Hong San kept a straight face, his body trembling slightly—he couldn't laugh, he couldn't laugh, he couldn't laugh. If he laughed, his master would see through his act and beat him to death. He couldn't be beaten to death, he couldn't be beaten to death...
Kang De's speech continued.
"Things have developed to this point that I've almost forgotten the original purpose of my trip to the Broken Isles. It was a small group of rulers and merchants from the Broken Isles who hoarded and speculated, driving up grain prices in Distant Harbor, intending to starve the citizens and create chaos. I still vividly remember what happened that day."
"We stabilized grain prices, and then we sought justice. But fate is fickle, beyond our control. The rulers of the Broken Isles, unwilling to accept defeat, attempted to unleash a terrifying beast slumbering in the deep sea, willing to use innocent civilians as bait to preserve their wealth and power."
"And so the next steps were taken."
"It's not just about punishing evil, but also about saving the innocent."
"Initially, we rescued our naval personnel trapped in the Broken Isles; later, we saved the innocent lives of Broken Isles who had fallen into the clutches of the evil beasts. We have indeed accomplished such a feat, rescuing tens of thousands of innocent people who had nothing to do with us and bringing them back to the Distant Harbor in just two days and one night. Such a feat will surely shock the continent, be recorded in history and legend, be sung about by poets forever, and be praised by the gods."
"Therefore today, we cheer and celebrate our victory."
Kang De paused for a moment, then said softly, "Just now, I heard cheers like a tidal wave, sweeping over distant mountains, whipping up the wind, and whistling in... I heard everyone cheering my name."
"I want to inform you that such behavior is not entirely appropriate."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the conference room was taken aback, and even all the creatures who were listening intently showed expressions of confusion, whether they were elves or humans, and regardless of where they came from.
Why not cheer for His Highness Kang De, who has achieved this miraculous victory?
Kang De paused for a moment, then slowly said, "In this magnificent and awe-inspiring internationalist rescue effort, do I possess any great merit? Indeed, I do, and I do not object, for that would be tantamount to hypocrisy."
"I was the one who proposed, strongly advocated, and promoted the evacuation operation; otherwise, this operation would never have happened, and there wouldn't even be any survivors on the Broken Isles."
"I was the one who coordinated the efforts of the Goth, the Elves, the Council, the Empire, and even the Dragonflight nations, mobilizing resources and dispatching personnel to provide support; otherwise, the evacuation operation would not have had sufficient supplies."
"I was the one who proposed Star Bridge Plan and deployed large passenger and transport aircraft for air rescue and evacuation; otherwise, with maritime transport disrupted, no survivors would have returned safely."
"It was I who used advanced weaponry, alchemical weapons, and large bombs to strike the sea monster; it was I who coordinated the battles of various units and maintained the operation of the rescue system; it was I who investigated the mastermind behind the monster and uncovered the mystery of its origin; and it was I who used Forbidden Spell to completely destroy the threat to the Distant Harbor and protect Hai'an."
"This is what I have accomplished, what I have done, important, great and indispensable. I accept this calmly and peacefully, and I am content to enjoy the fame, support and praise that come with it. But one thing needs to be pointed out: in this operation, I was indispensable, but not omnipotent."
"This magnificent undertaking, this great rescue, is beyond my capacity to undertake alone."
Listening to Kang De's calm words, some people were bewildered, while others seemed thoughtful.
"Those who assisted me, followed me, stood shoulder to shoulder with me in accomplishing this great feat and epic undertaking, those who deserve to share in my cheers and praise—it is you."
The voices of Earthlings were calm yet powerful, like lightning streaking across the sky.
"Who heeded the call of Distant Harbor, stepped forward, and built a camp outside the city in two days and one night, providing shelter from the wind and rain for the refugees?"
"--It is you, every single one of the builders who toil and sweat under the scorching sun."
Inside the Crocodile Bar, Tex looked up, bewildered.
"Who joined the volunteers to guide refugees from the Broken Isles, soothe their terrified hearts, and allow them to settle down in peace, no longer filled with fear and uncertainty?"
"--It's you, the volunteers who clean, cook, comfort, and guide people."
Airuina and her friends huddled together. Upon hearing this, the girls' faces showed complex emotions, and for some reason, their eyes reddened.
"Who worked day and night to build a total of sixteen kilometers of temporary runways at the Broken Isles and the Distant Harbor Airport, providing a platform for transport aircraft to take off and land?"
"--It's you, the architects and earth mages of the Distant Harbor Architects Association, the Municipal Engineering Corps, the Survey Corps Logistics Department, and the United Fleet Logistics Group!"
The well-dressed spellcasters and architectural scholars listened to the broadcast in the clean and bright dining room. They glanced at each other and suddenly laughed.
Who is it that fights on in the desperate situation of the Broken Isles, protecting civilians as they escape?
"--It is you, the Valentan Guards, the Distant Harbor Fleet, the Twilight Moon Fleet, the Empire Fleet, the Council Fleet, the Goth Survey Corps, the Dragon Operators... all the brave warriors!"
The Distant Harbor was silent tonight as people listened to His Highness Kang De's words. Those whose names were called unconsciously straightened their chests, a great sense of honor rising and surging in their hearts.
Even the most aloof and proud elves, accustomed to grand occasions, are no exception.
Hong San officials from the Distant Harbor who planned and arranged the resettlement, Horus who was in charge of fire control, and the spellcasters and warriors of the Broken Isles who turned to the light at the critical moment... Kang De recounted the merits of each of them.
These are all "you".
"A total of two days and one night, with hundreds of flights building Bridge of the Starry Sky."
A total of 2,374 combat personnel reversed their journey back to the Broken Isles.
"A total of 16 kilometers of running track was built, along with more than 15,000 tents and shelters, and the food, clothing, housing, and transportation needs of tens of thousands of people were met, with the entire city providing enthusiastic support."
"You, gentlemen, this is your story and your contribution."
"This great victory and supreme glory should be shared by you and me, for in this great epic, you are not merely cheering spectators, nor do you need to stand below the stage to admire the heroes' glory—for you too are part of this magnificent and poetic story, for you too are contributors to this great power and miracle, you are not mere dust, but your own heroes!"
"So don't just cheer for me! I deserve your respect and gratitude, and I accept the praise and cheers just now, but now I ask you to dedicate your cheers to yourselves, to the countless great heroes like you who have given, fought, and sacrificed in their respective posts!"
"Rejoice! This is our moment! Rejoice for ourselves! Rejoice for others!"
The distant city outside the window fell silent for a moment. At first, there were tentative shouts, but then the sound gathered into a mighty torrent, sweeping across the entire city. It was the surging roar from the heart of every ordinary soul.
Some people in the meeting room suddenly changed their expressions.
But with Kang De riding high on his overwhelming victory and wielding such formidable power, who dared to utter a word?
"Will they understand if I talk about this now?" Malegith said softly.
Kang De said calmly, "They may not understand now, but I cannot remain silent now."
As the cheers subsided slightly, Kang De uttered new words.
"This is what we do: a group of kind, upright, and courageous souls come together to save complete strangers."
"You have thus become heroes in your own lives, and so it is for everyone, because we treat others with kindness, generosity, and enthusiasm, we do not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent, we are willing to act to alleviate the pain of others, because we possess compassion and kindness, and we are willing to take up arms to protect others from evil, because we possess integrity and justice."
"This is what we've been doing, not just for the Distant Harbor, but also for the Valentan People, the Goth People, even the Elves, the Empire and the Council, the Dragonkin, and the Cathayan."
Everyone who listened attentively had sparkling eyes.
Even the people of the Broken Isles, and foreigners from all over the world.
Reporters from all over the world rushed to the scene, their pens flying and their breathing rapid.
"I saw warriors from all races and nations set aside their national and ethnic differences to fight together. I also saw commoners, spellcasters, and nobles dedicating themselves to the same cause. At this moment, our world became one, because we originally lived under the same sky. We built our fortified city with this, hoping it would be a beautiful beginning, and even more so later..."
"--Later, if innocent lives are to suffer vicious and cruel torment on this land, or even in foreign lands under the same sky, we will, just as we do today, transcend national boundaries and set aside prejudices, uniting comrades of all nations and ethnicities under the same sky, and defeating evil with the wrath of justice."
"I hope Distant Harbor becomes such a city, I hope we will become such a nation, and I hope our deeds, spirit, and legends today will inspire other upright and righteous people in the world, and that our spirit and legends will still be passed down to this world for a very long time to come."
"And to achieve this great goal, we need me, and we need each and every one of you."
The meeting room was completely silent; Kang De had entered his own world.
"This is just the beginning, the work is not over yet. Volunteers of Distant Harbor, you can sing with enthusiasm tonight, for tomorrow there will still be work to do. We will build a new city in Distant Harbor to accommodate our new compatriots from the Broken Isles. Tonight they are our guests, tomorrow they will join us. Countless job opportunities and positions await you, as do countless generous rewards."
"And to my friends in the Broken Isles, this is not an order, but a suggestion and an invitation. The Broken Isles are no longer suitable for habitation, but Distant Harbor can be your new home. I sincerely invite you, if you have no other plans, to make this your home. Distant Harbor will welcome you as it has today and yesterday, with a firm handshake and warm smiles. You already know what kind of place this is."
Kang De stood up and looked around; everyone was looking at him.
"I am Kang De."
"I invite every kind, honest, and hardworking being, not only from the Broken Isles but from all over the world, regardless of nationality or race, to settle in Distant Harbor, and I hereby issue this appeal."
"Let us remember this day, and commemorate it every year thereafter, remembering our righteous deeds, holy acts, and great achievements today, so that we may always remember the righteous and good deeds we have done today, and remind all those in this world who yearn for goodness and desire justice, and also remind all those in this world who are evil, insidious, and incorrigible, whether monarchs or gods, nobles or commoners..."
--We are here, we wait, we watch, we stand guard.
Calm words, like a breeze blowing from the deep sea, like clouds drifting across the sky, like mist shrouding distant mountains, arrive quietly and linger, enveloping this sleepless night.
Kang De embraced the core members of the conference room, and then shook hands with each of the messengers.
Everyone's hands were damp with sweat.
In the refugee camp, the municipal official's voice came through the loudspeaker. "Everyone, don't rush. The specific rules and regulations for registering to join the Distant Harbor will be available tomorrow. Don't be afraid; His Highness Kang De will accept every hardworking and kind person—so there's no need for any disturbance!"
Inside the prefabricated steel building, Professor Xuelier glanced sideways at her companion. "You look like you're about to bleed."
Laisalin paused for a moment, then blushed. "No! I just... I just want to work for His Highness Kang De! I really want to! I really do!"
Xuelier snorted and said indifferently, "Then let's go see him tomorrow."
Laisalin first showed a happy expression, then asked curiously, "This isn't like you."
Professor Xuelier gave her a disdainful look. "Remember to wear something tighter."
"--Why do I have to dress like that! Xuelier, you can wear it yourself!"
"I don't need it."
"Why?"
Xuelier gently tossed her long, smooth hair. She really liked the "Head & Shoulders" shampoo. "In that filthy, materialistic place called the Broken Isles, with our looks, we've never been possessed or coveted by those disgusting big shots. Do you know why?"
Laisalin replied, "We're professors, so of course we're protected by the island's rules..."
"It's not that I'm protected because I became a professor, but rather that I'm protected because I'm qualified to be a professor," Xuelier said calmly. "The island lord is a pure businessman. For him, it's easy to find someone as beautiful as me, but someone as beautiful and intelligent as me is unique. The reason he shielded me from the gazes of so many covetous eyes is simply because I can increase the overall power of the Broken Isles' Flame Particle Light Lance Array by twenty percent—that's the protection fee I paid to the Broken Isles."
Laisalin seemed to understand but not quite. "You also have to pay His Highness Kang De this 20% protection fee?"
"Wrong," Xuelier said calmly, "It's seventy-five percent."
Imperial City.
The messenger had already sent Kang De's speech back to the Forbidden City at great expense. The emperor read the manuscript on the table, remained silent for a long time, and then said calmly, "Issue the order."
Shadows gathered, and the top intelligence chief knelt on the ground. The terrorist tycoon chuckled inwardly, seemingly guessing the emperor's order; after all, this was one of the more amusing incidents in recent days.
It's said that several underground casinos have set up betting odds; let's see when His Highness the Crown Prince will finish copying his homework.
Now it seems... tsk tsk...
"Issue an order: the manuscript of Kang De's speech tonight is strictly forbidden from circulation; anyone who prints or disseminates it will be executed."
The intelligence chief's heart skipped a beat. "Yes, sir!"
The Tower of All-Seeing.
Before the lawmakers could recover from the shock of the night, the head of the Admiralty brought new information. "Your Excellency! The message from the survivors of Yilan-Su'er has been deciphered—they are asking who killed the Destroyer? They want to be rescued!"
The speaker hesitated for a moment, then said, "Tell them it's us—we'll get them out!"
Silver Moon Council.
Dairila had already retreated to her palace, ignoring the knocking outside, and shouted, "No! No! I was lying! I changed my mind! You're elves, have some shame!"
She kicked her legs wildly, buried her flushed face in the blankets, and rolled around on the bed.
Above the heavens, the Star Palace lay in ruins. Apophis, still reeling from the shock, was greeted by the God of the Star Palace who flew in, "The Star Palace has entered the World Rift. We are assessing the losses... It's devastating."
Apophis's face was ashen. "Where is the Starry Firmament Bridge?"
"It can't be repaired in a short time, but at a certain cost, we can still descend to the Mortal World..." a God of the Star Palace asked, "What should we do?"
Apophis glanced at his companions. "Who wants to go?"
Everyone present instinctively took a step back.
The Star of Divine Destruction scoffed. "This is an unprecedented situation. We must figure out what happened—but one thing is certain: a power capable of threatening us has emerged in the Mortal World. Therefore, send a distress signal to the Great Road and recall the Forerunners!"
The God of the Star Palace Phaethon, said, "This will take a long time... Shall we just wait?"
"Of course not."
Apophis sneered, "Although we can't go to the Mortal World for the time being, we have believers and followers there. Let the Mudbloods fight amongst themselves—it's time to treat those believers a little better."
He looked at a God of the Star Palace: "Prepare some technologies recovered from the last era and bestow them upon them—let the Mortal World become a little more lively."
"Yes!"
The Star of Divine Destruction's gaze drifted to the distant void, into the sea of stars. A look of confusion and unease crossed his eyes, for an unexpected turn of events had occurred—and, Master, where are you now?
Earth, America, the White House.
"What the hell is going on?! WTF!" A Chuan roared, "Who is it?! What's going on?! Is it that Kang De?! Hurry up! Get this straight!"
Special forces were immediately deployed, and air and naval forces advanced to the scene.
This was the most terrifying situation, because a nine-megaton thermonuclear warhead, along with that enormous monster, vanished into thin air.
--But not nothing was left behind.
The illusion that constitutes the deep-sea behemoth comes from Kang De's Extraction, from the misty divine power Extraction from the soul of the God of the Star Palace Lahma. During this long journey of getting free nuclear bombs, under the erosion of Paradox Element and the bombardment of long-range strikes, a small portion of the divine power factor scattered into the sea and drifted in an unknown direction.
If the fallen God of the Star Palace still had consciousness, he might recall a prophecy from a very, very long time ago about himself.
He said he would make even greater contributions with a great sacrifice.
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PS1: Update! 7,000 words!