Foreign Leader Kang De

At 2 p. m. that day, a civilian passenger plane landed at the Imperial Capital Western Suburbs Airport.

The cabin door opened, Kang De bid farewell to the beautiful flight attendants, took a breath of the much-improved air in the capital, and walked down the escalator.

According to the flight attendants, this airport is different from Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport. It is a proper international airport, whose main function is to transport important national party, government and military officials to and from the capital and to carry out military missions. At this moment, seeing the quiet and empty airport in front of him, he realized what the curiosity and subtle look in the eyes of the flight attendants meant behind their warm and thoughtful service.

Not far from the escalator of the passenger plane, two Hongqi sedans were parked. Next to the car behind them stood four burly men, all wearing sunglasses, exuding a solemn air of being ready to bow at any moment, as if the three-year term had come to an end.

Beside the car in front stood a young woman. Her gray blazer accentuated her slender waist, her snow-white shirt was eye-catching, and beneath her pencil skirt were her long, straight legs encased in black stockings. A red scarf was tied around her neck, and her hair was tied in a ponytail that cascaded down her back. She looked dashing and spirited.

Upon seeing Kang De, she flashed a lively and enthusiastic smile, jogged a few steps forward, and extended her delicate white hand. "Welcome to the capital, Comrade Kang De, I am Qin Mengjin."

Ah, it really is her.

Kang De extended his hand and gently shook hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"We've known each other for a long time." Qin Mengjin's smile radiated youthful vigor, neither obsequious nor vulgar, but bright and generous like the morning sun. "I've been ordered to come and welcome you, and to take care of all your needs in the capital, including food, clothing, accommodation, and transportation. Feel free to come to me with any problems or issues."

She wore light makeup, but her appearance was not that of a charming fashionista in a shopping mall; rather, she possessed the sharp and capable demeanor of a female soldier. When she spoke of "clothing, food, housing, and transportation" or "come to me for help," she was extremely generous and open, to the point that Kang De had no ulterior motives whatsoever.

He's a really nice person.

Qin Mengjin said, "We must apologize for taking up your time and making you come all this way. This time the situation is special. Next time you can bring your family and friends for a few days' vacation, and we will take care of the arrangements. Everything will be fine."

This means that Teacher Li, Engineer Kang, and Xiaoman can obtain special leave with the most compelling reasons and grand gestures.

Kang De smiled and said, "It's alright, I can go back anytime anyway."

I had originally planned to go out with Xiaoman, and this trip to Capital would have been a great opportunity, but it's not really suitable—mainly because it would arouse unnecessary suspicion, since we're in the stage of putting on a good act right now.

--Given the theft of the American Empire nuclear weapons, you, Kang De, are here to help resolve the issue. Bringing your girlfriend along makes you seem relaxed and not afraid at all, doesn't it?

Qin Mengjin exclaimed, "This ability is so useful! If I had this skill, I could sleep in for an extra twenty minutes every day and save a lot of commuting time... I'm so envious!"

As she spoke, she opened the car door. "Please?"

Kang De waved his hand and walked to the passenger seat. "I'll sit here."

Qin Mengjin was stunned for a moment, and before she could speak, Kang De got in. She stood there for a moment, then waved her hand, and the four burly men next to the car behind her also took their seats.

Kang De turned and waved towards the cockpit and cabin windows of the passenger plane. The pilots and flight crew, who were looking at him curiously and whispering, also smiled and waved back. Their interaction may have ended there, but this experience was clearly an interesting and unforgettable topic of conversation.

--If the relevant departments did not speak with them and request confidentiality.

Once inside the obviously more spacious car, Kang De fastened his seatbelt, and Miss Qin also got in. She glanced at Kang De first, then turned to the side, her back to Kang De, and took off her high heels, putting on a pair of flat shoes.

Kang De glanced over and saw the other person move and turn into the car. Two long, straight legs were pressed together, and the hazy black stockings formed a long, slightly dark slit, alluring in color and exuding a strange sensuality, making one want to squeeze their hand into it and feel the heat and plumpness of the tightly pressed legs. He glanced at it and then turned his head to the other side.

Even if my legs are great, it's none of my business. I've decided, I'll bring back a few pairs from Distant Harbor later.

Qin Mengjin closed the car door, started the car, and said, "How does it feel?"

"A special plane, a military airfield," Kang De joked. "I thought there would be a guard of honor."

Qin Mengjin also smiled and said, "Would you like to give it a try? We did discuss how to welcome you, but it was a bit tricky to strike the right balance. We wanted you to feel our sincerity, but we didn't want you to feel awkward, so we finally decided to keep it simple—so, do you want to give us some feedback on our work?"

Kang De waved his hand. "Very good, very good."

Just thinking about that scenario gave Kang De goosebumps.

Watching foreign leaders walk the red carpet and inspect the guard of honor on television, accompanied by the smooth and standard broadcasting voices of news anchors, certainly looks impressive, but what's the reality?

You are the leader of a country, standing on a vast, empty plain. There are no spectators, no cheers, no applause, and the wind is strong. Several China people carrying cameras are staring at you expressionlessly, as if they were carrying Javelin or missiles.

You walk across the red carpet, past a row of smartly dressed, sharp-eyed soldiers, with a leader-like, enigmatic, confident, and elegant smile on your face, and pass right in front of them.

You wouldn't think they were heroic and imposing; you'd just think, "Why do these Chinese soldiers look like clones? They march so neatly, how terrifying they must be in battle!" You try to look at them with a friendly expression, but they just stare at you with a stern face, looking at you like you're a chicken. You can only smile and wave as you pass by, thinking, "Damn it, let's get this over with."

Foreign political animals have developed skin as thick as a city wall; they can keep up even the most awkward situations. If they get high, they can even deliver passionate speeches to an empty hall.

But Kang De was clearly not at that level yet; he would be extremely awkward if asked to inspect some kind of honor guard.

Seeing his subtle expression, Qin Mengjin smiled and stepped on the gas.

The car started smoothly and drove away from the empty airport. Miss Qin held the steering wheel with focused eyes as they drove forward. After passing the gate, they were allowed to pass without any inspection. The sentry on guard duty, wearing a rifle, saluted solemnly. The car drove onto the asphalt road, where there were more and more vehicles coming and going. Only then did they return to civilian life.

The girl said, "Over there, less than two kilometers away, is the Summer Palace. Would you like to go see it? I was just wondering how to entertain you these next few days... Is there any tourist attraction you'd like to visit? Or anything you'd like to do?"

The Summer Palace...

My only memory and thoughts about this place come from what I read in history textbooks.

"Forget it," Kang De said casually. "I'm afraid I'll just run off to the Louvre after I see it."

Upon hearing this, Qin Mengjin stuck out her tongue and whispered, "I'm telling you, don't do anything reckless."

When planning archives related to Kang De and developing plans for dealing with him, what gave think tank personnel the most mixed feelings was Kang De's overly prominent nationalist tendencies.

The advantage is that their interests are aligned on major issues of principle.

The downside is that, given this mentality, this uncontrollable patriot might do something big—he's not just a keyboard warrior, but a dangerous individual with immense destructive power and action.

"Rest assured."

Kang De said calmly, "If we take it back now, within their context and discourse, it will still be considered robbery. Even if they have no other choice, they will still be resentful. So, more than that, I'd like to see them kneel down and voluntarily return it, begging us to accept it."

Upon hearing this, Qin Mengjin was momentarily dazed.

If she heard someone say such a thing, even if she didn't say it aloud, she would secretly scoff at that person for daydreaming and having unrealistic dreams. But the person who said this was Kang De.

She whispered, "Could such a good thing really happen?"

Kang De glanced at her sideways. "Civil servants, that depends on you."

Qin Mengjin was taken aback, then glanced back at her sideways. "Citizen, we all have to work together on this."

Then, the two of them laughed at the same time.

As the car drove on, Kang De rolled down the window, the wind whistling in. He asked, "What's the plan next?"

Qin Mengjin replied, "I'll take you to the hotel first."

Kang De asked curiously, "The legendary cadre guesthouse? Reimbursement, I guess?"

The girl rolled her eyes at him.

The two were already acquaintances, and Qin Mengjin had a fairly good understanding of Kang De's temperament. The department's psychological profile of him was very good. After mastering such extraordinary power, he had maintained an extremely gentle and easygoing personality since childhood. This was much better than almost all the superhumans in China and even the world. Superhumans who gained extraordinary abilities overnight, after the initial anxiety and excitement, all underwent some personality changes as their mastery of the abilities deepened.

But Kang De was far superior to them all.

Despite possessing such formidable power, he still indulges in watching explicit videos, enjoys making witty and sarcastic remarks, and engages in intense online battles. What's even more commendable is that, despite his frequent use of vulgar language, he has never resorted to violence through the internet—what a law-abiding citizen!

Therefore, Qin Mengjin doesn't need to be aloof or overly cautious when interacting with Kang De —when evaluating opinions, it's most appropriate to treat him like a normal friend.

So she laughed and said, "Keep being cheeky—by the way, I originally wanted to arrange for you to stay at the Jingxi Hotel, which would be more convenient when relevant departments and the military need to meet with you for training. However, considering that this place is relatively unknown to the general public and belongs to the military, it doesn't have many fancy features. It's a bit too simple for a young person like you, and I was afraid you wouldn't be satisfied."

"So, to satisfy your vanity and show our sincerity and respect, we've arranged for you to stay at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Hey, arranging a military guest in the territory of the foreign affairs department—that's quite something—but I can also benefit from your presence and get to stay in a place I'd never otherwise had the chance to live in."

Kang De listened, and indeed felt relieved.

After all, their consideration for you and their courteous treatment are truly comforting.

He didn't care about that—in fact, no matter how good or exquisite the services of modern society are, they are still far from comparable to those of the feudal era in some aspects. Whether in other worlds or ancient China, although there was no electricity, advanced technology, or abundant products, the thousands of palace servants serving a ruler made the technological inconveniences compensate for the low human rights advantage.

No snacks, no gourmet food, no top-quality ingredients flown in from all over the world, but there are unparalleled, highly skilled imperial chefs whose mission for generations is to cater to your palate. Hundreds of palace servants are busy preparing your meals, and over a hundred stoves are dedicated to cooking for you. The task a person spends their entire life practicing and performing in the palace might just be cutting radishes... Isn't being an emperor enjoyable?

Kang De enjoyed these privileges to varying degrees at the Maple Leaf Palace.

Although Grand Duke Goth was not extravagant, Teldrassil was considered relatively frugal and simple among the continental royal families, a ruler is a ruler, and he had everything one would expect.

It's just that Kang De wasn't used to it.

"Diaoyutai..." he thought for a moment and said, "But it can't be that exaggerated, can it? A place you can't possibly live in your whole life? I remember you can live there... Look, you can book it, right?"

He opened a hotel booking page on a certain app on his phone. "Over two thousand a night... that's quite expensive, but it's not like I can't afford it, is it?"

Qin Mengjin smiled and said, "You'll find out in a moment."

Indeed, it was only for a short while. Xijiao Airport is the closest airport to Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The unassuming garden-style hotel is a state guesthouse, only partially open to the public, and also serves to receive foreign leaders.

The armed police on guard simply glanced at the license plate of the Hongqi sedan and immediately let it pass. The two cars entered the lush, legendary hotel. The surrounding buildings were low, with no tall buildings, except for the Central Radio and Television Tower standing alone. There were lakes and rivers along the way, and black swans swam leisurely by.

"We'll be going through another checkpoint soon, but no security check. We've already arranged it. You're making quite a show of yourself," Qin Mengjin said casually. "Oh right, you're not carrying any weapons, are you?"

Kang De readily replied, "I brought it."

One Transformers, one Horizon class frigate, a fighter squadron of the Air Force Division level, oh right, after being refreshed and replicated in the Battle of the Broken Isles, the number of howitzers, long-range rockets, etc., is probably equivalent to an army-level organization... Oh right, there are also a number of heavy weapons of International and otherworldly military equipment.

Damn, I can actually afford to fight such a well-funded war.

Qin Mengjin remained nonchalant, simply instructing, "Then don't wander around the security gate. It's nothing serious, but it's still a hassle. I'll give you a pass later; you might need it if you want to go out for some fresh air."

She and everyone in the department were quite relaxed about Kang De carrying a weapon and didn't even think about taking precautions—even if he carried a gun, it was just a toy to him.

Along the way, there were vehicles and pedestrians, many of whom looked like tourists, taking pictures and chatting. When they saw the Hongqi sedans coming from one after the other, they were initially surprised, but then looked on with interest. However, as they drove deeper into the area, the number of pedestrians became increasingly sparse. Finally, after passing another checkpoint mentioned by Qin Mengjin, Kang De straightened up – this was the north side of Central Lake.

The Ming-style architecture is magnificent, elegant, and luxurious, making it the most outstanding among all the buildings.

Two gilded bronze lion thrones stand on either side of the main gate.

There was no one around.

"Arrive."

Qin Mengjin smiled and said, "Building No. 18— the Diaoyutai within the Diaoyutai."

She parked the car and turned to look at Kang De: "The place specifically for receiving foreign leaders is, in principle, not open to the public. Only a small number of special individuals are allowed to stay there after strict screening."

She unbuckled her seatbelt. "I'm definitely not qualified, so I'm just benefiting from your help."

Kang De was surprised for a moment, then laughed and said, "This is quite extravagant—isn't it a bit inappropriate? How can an ordinary China citizen like me stay in a place where foreign leaders live?"

Stop joking, get off the bus.

Qin Mengjin changed into high heels, her sheer stockings gleaming strangely in the sunlight.

She turned around and smiled, "It's not exactly a violation of the rules. Don't forget, you are the Warchief of the United Kingdom of Comora-Gambia, equivalent to the Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. You are the de facto second most powerful person. It's perfectly normal for the second most powerful person from our brotherly Africa country to stay in Building 18 when visiting China."

--If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. I'm actually an officially recognized unlucky person.

Qin Mengjin, standing before me, smiled with a hint of mockery. As a young woman slightly older than Kang De, she clearly understood internet culture and knew the new meaning that the term "non-European" had acquired.

He pretended to flick his forehead. "You still say I'm being sarcastic!"

Miss Qin laughed and dodged away.

The director of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse Administration was already waiting there. He exchanged pleasantries with Kang De, left his contact information and greetings, and left with curiosity and contemplation.

From now on, Building No. 18, which has been closed to the public and prohibited to tourists, will serve only Kang De.

It was clear that this was a first-time experience for Kang De, as were the service staff working in Building 18. They had hosted many foreign heads of state, but this was the first time they had seen a "leader" arrive alone. However, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse had its own internal discipline, and those who could work in Building 18 were undoubtedly the most politically reliable of all. They buried their doubts in their hearts, and greeted him with warm smiles and polite respect.

"Tsk tsk, really good."

There are a total of twenty-five guest rooms, including two presidential suites in Chinese and Western styles. Kang De naturally chose the Chinese style—he had seen many antique furnishings in the room, which were said to be all genuine, and the room was frighteningly large.

Qin Mengjin stood to the side, observing curiously while smiling, "I'm glad you're satisfied."

Kang De took out his phone and started taking pictures, asking as he did so, "So what are the plans for the next few days?"

"You can rest for a while, or have something to eat. Someone will come to visit you in a while..."

Kang De was startled. "That sir?"

Qin Mengjin was also startled. "You're dreaming!"

"... cut."

Kang De rolled his eyes, and Qin Mengjin also smiled and said, "That gentleman is very busy right now. In a little while, some comrades from the military, especially those from the Rocket Force, will come to ask you some questions."

"Besides, superhumans belonging to the military will also come to visit and seek your advice—or, we could change the venue," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Would you like to see the nation's superhuman training base?"

Kang De exclaimed in surprise, "Dragon Group Headquarters!?"

"I already said I don't want that name!"

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PS1: Um... I wrote a paragraph today, then deleted it because I was scared, so it's a little late.

PS2: By the way, Shuke has started an event... I'm considering whether to offer a reward and take this opportunity to adjust my writing habits.