Three Questions for Our Fellow Countrymen

"... Father."

On the silent sea, only the sound of the waves rising and falling could be heard. In the bright and warm captain's cabin, Nixiyasi felt a chill in her heart; seeing her father brought her no joy.

Because this is the wrong place, the wrong time.

The next moment, a surge of rage welled up within her. She raised her staff, pointed it at the envoy with his composed smile, and shouted, "You filthy politician, how dare you!"

But a rough hand gripped the Frostheartwood Staff, and the broad-mindedness he remembered stood before that despicable man. His father's stern shout, just as it had in his childhood, was harsh and authoritative, causing Nixiyasi to instinctively feel uneasy and tense. "What are you doing! Mr. Osko is the Council's envoy!"

Nixiyasi cried out, "Father!"

"Will you still call me father?" the thin, middle-aged man said coldly. "I don't remember raising you into such a cunning and lazy soldier! I ask you, why did you disobey the Council's orders? Why were you disrespectful to Mr. Osko? If the council members hadn't come to me, I wouldn't have known that my daughter had become a self-serving soldier! Do you even know what you're doing!"

Nixiyasi blushed. "Father, that's not how it is!"

"Then why is your fleet still standing here? What were the Council's orders? I abandoned my own path of arcane magic, pouring everything into guiding you to your current achievements, and this is how you repay my sacrifices?" the man roared. "Do you know how utterly humiliated I was when I was summoned by the Starry Sky Council? It was a disgrace! You have brought shame upon me!"

As he spoke, his anger grew even stronger, and he raised his hand to strike, the slap resounding loudly.

Nixiyasi's fair and delicate face quickly flushed red.

The special envoy immediately forced a smile and tried to stop her, "Mr. Councilor, Mr. Councilor, please don't do this. Commander Nixiyasi is a great soldier; she just misunderstood for a moment..."

"Your Excellency Osko, this truly shames me. We've spoiled her rotten. She's always been so willful. Alas, it's also my fault for not marrying her off sooner. She's never understood the meaning of family, nor the necessity of sacrifice..." The man, who had just been promised a seat in the Senate, looked at the special envoy with a sincere smile. "Perhaps it's time to arrange a marriage for her..."

The special envoy felt a sudden jolt.

Normally, he would be easily swayed by her advances. Nixiyasi was the Flower of the Navy, naturally possessing outstanding looks and figure. But her added advantages were her status and charisma. A powerful fleet commander would greatly enhance her personal aura. To have such a beauty under one's control and to have a cold, ruthless general beneath one's body would indeed be a wonderful experience... But not now.

He was entrusted with the mission of the Council, and he also received a death declaration from the Cathayan. The world knew that Kang De was a bloodthirsty man, and he was absolutely not lying.

Therefore, fighting for one's life is the most important thing; how can we afford to create unnecessary complications?

After all, according to unsubstantiated rumors, Kang De and Commander Nixiyasi seemed to get along quite well. The special envoy couldn't be sure whether the womanizing, lustful Cathayan harbored any desires for this Flower of the Navy; if so, he was simply asking for trouble...

With this thought in mind, he put on his standard fake smile, bowed, and said, "You must have a lot to say to Commander Nixiyasi, so I'll excuse myself for a moment and not disturb you both."

After saying this, despite the other party's attempts to persuade him to stay, he politely nodded and took his leave.

The door was closed.

The smiling prospective congressman's face darkened, "Have you grown too big for your britches? Now that you're the commander of the Azure Fleet, I can't control you anymore? Do I have to bow to you?"

The decisive and strong-willed Nixiyasi, in front of her father, was like a little girl who had made a mistake. She whispered, "Father... you shouldn't have come."

The man's face darkened. He raised his hand to strike again, but looking at the red mark on his daughter's face, he took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. He laughed bitterly, "Shouldn't you have come? Waiting for you to disobey the Council's orders, be dismissed and expelled, have your future and all my hard work wasted, and let the Senate seat you worked so hard for grow wings and fly away? What were you thinking?"

Nixiyasi said in a deep voice, "It's not that simple. This matter is very strange and very dangerous. The council has ordered us to engage in direct conflict with Kang De. I cannot gamble with the lives of my soldiers!"

"Does Kang De really intend to Council? He's just trying to scare you!"

The man retorted angrily, "Besides, aren't soldiers' lives meant to be gambled with? Otherwise, why would they join the army? You can't bear to gamble with their lives, but are you willing to gamble with your own future and your family's future? Do you know how much we've sacrificed to help you get ahead?"

"I abandoned my path of arcane magic! Your mother fell ill from worrying about you! Your brother missed his best opportunity for meditation because of you! The entire family is counting on you, and you're joking about all of this?"

Nixiyasi backed away, weakly shaking her head. "No, I didn't..."

"Then obey orders immediately! Get to work!"

The man growled, "Do you know what Senate seat means? It means our family's fate will be completely changed! I will become a respected figure! Your brother won't be rejected by prestigious universities! We've sacrificed so much for you, and now that we're about to reap the rewards, what are you doing?"

Nixiyasi whispered, "But... Kang De really does kill people."

"Aren't you on good terms with him? If you go and beg him, won't he show leniency?"

The commander looked up in disbelief.

What kind of expression is that? You're not a child anymore!

"You... you taught me to love myself, to preserve my chastity, and to be a respectable girl..."

"I'm telling you not to be fooled by penniless scoundrels at a foolish age, I'm telling you not to mess around with dirty, stinking sailors at sea, I'm telling you to keep your chastity so you can be of the greatest use at the most opportune time—damn it, do I have to explain this to you?"

The man glanced around and lowered his voice, "Having a lover like this isn't a bad thing. If he really cares about you... you know? In a way, it will solidify my position in Tula Xiaye..."

"--Father!"

Nixiyasi said fiercely, "This is not what I want!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another slap landed on his face.

"So you want to force us to our deaths, is that it?"

"No..."

"So what do you want!?"

"I..."

"You're not a child anymore! I don't need to keep emphasizing certain principles to you! If you want to lose everything, send your father back to his hometown, make your brother a failure, and utterly disappoint your mother, then keep obsessing over the lives of your soldiers!"

At this point, the man looked at his daughter and said coldly, "I hope today's conversation will make you make up your mind. We don't want to see your mother lying in bed here next time."

Nixiyasi kept her head down and remained silent.

The man turned away indifferently, opened the door and left. The moment he closed the door, he saw his daughter sitting weakly on the edge of the bed, looking forlorn. He couldn't help but smile slightly.

He had been manipulating Nixiyasi since he was a child, so he was quite experienced.

This is the result of his painstaking efforts, his most perfect work, and it must be rewarding.

The door was tightly shut. Nixiyasi lowered her head, clenching her teeth so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh, and a little blood slowly seeped out. She found herself trapped in a tragic triple predicament. The dignified Flower of the Navy, a famous general of the Council, and the commander of the Azure Fleet, was now helpless in this situation.

Obeying the Council's decision will lead the soldiers into a trap.

Disobeying orders will not only be futile, but will also disappoint the family.

Must we really do as my father said...?

She gritted her teeth and tugged at her collar.

No way.

All the effort, sweat, and hardship she has endured so far, just as she told the envoy, is because her position was built on blood and bones. Everything she has done so far is so that she will never have to fawn over men again and can always act according to her own heart.

But...

Meanwhile, back on the Broken Isles, Kang De stands atop a mountain, overlooking the sea from the Phoenix World.

"It's about time. We can't waste too much time in this other world. I'll add one last spark, then head back to Earth. You can handle things here. Unless something unexpected happens, don't bother calling me."

Kang De pressed the communication device. "A Fu, page the Azure Fleet and invite Commander Nixiyasi to come for a meeting."

A Fu sweetly replied, "No problem!"

Horus clicked his tongue and said, "It's starting, it's starting."

"Started what?" Kang De warned. "Let me tell you, don't jump to conclusions. This is just a normal divisive tactic. Don't think you can make a big deal out of her just because she's a woman."

Horus laughed and said, "How does Father intend to sow discord?"

"Simple. I've spoken with Nixiyasi a few times. She seems to be a fairly upright and benevolent soldier. The Council sending them into this dangerous situation at a time like this, and they must be very unhappy about it—now is the perfect time to sow discord."

Kang De said calmly, "After all, we know that the Council's real purpose is the ruins in the sea. The Azure Fleet's attack was only to divert my attention. In other words, this fleet has been treated as a pawn to be sacrificed at any time, and the Azure Fleet itself is unaware of this."

"If we just bring this up at the right moment, all the resentment and discontent among the Azure Fleet officers and soldiers, led by Nixiyasi, will undergo a qualitative change... But we need to ignite the fire beforehand."

Kang De snapped his fingers and smiled, "Tonight's meeting is just throwing a Mars; the subsequent conflicts will only add fuel to the fire until the right moment arrives, at which point I will let her know the truth."

Horus listened for a while, then exclaimed, "I believe it!"

"What?"

"I believe you didn't have any romantic feelings for her. When you were plotting against her, you certainly didn't see her as a woman."

"... Why do I have to treat her like a woman? Can't I just see her as a highly skilled naval admiral?"

Horus said in a serious tone, "If you treat her like a woman, you can modify the plan slightly. For example, instead of initiating the meeting, you can lure the Azure Fleet into acting on its own. Then we can capsize those small boats with water cannons, capture the crew, force her to come and get them, and then use a little trick to leave her with no other choice but to secretly come to your tent and humiliatingly offer herself to you in a shameful transaction involving sex partners..."

Kang De glanced at him sideways. "Read less notebooks in the future."

"Logically speaking, this is also something that could happen."

"No," Kang De shook his head. "Such a proud person wouldn't stoop to that level."

So you still think it's a pity?

"Nonsense, what's the pity?"

Horus laughed, "She's quite the beauty, and an admiral at that, blue-haired, practically a ship girl. She's offering herself to you with some kind of determination, doesn't that sound exciting? That's the kind of thing you love most—a free lunch, without any responsibility."

Kang De retorted, "Am I that kind of person? Even if she came, I would refuse without hesitation!"

"... Only you would refuse, huh."

"What you're saying is an insult to your great-grandfather and even your grandfather's generation!"

"... Um?"

Kang De perked up and turned to Horus in his Terminator form, spitting as he spoke, "I see you don't understand at all. You lack understanding and reverence for that simpler era. Look, times have changed. Technology has advanced, information is readily available. Today's young people have increasingly diverse and complex fantasies and tastes. Women can no longer satisfy them, not even humans can satisfy them..."

"Do you think the older generation had that many erotic pictures and educational videos to watch when they were young and vigorous? What were their fantasies about practicing their strength under the covers late at night?"

Horus replied blankly, "I really don't know..."

Kang De said seriously, "I've investigated, and you'll be shocked to learn—it's a female spy!"

"... ah?"

"Back then, people were pure, innocent, and simple. The only kind of woman who could openly appear in entertainment products was a female spy sent by reactionary forces! Especially for my grandfather's generation, everyone's goddess was Teacher Wang Xiaotang. Of course, the female spies she played don't look good now, but back then they were like goddesses—do you know what the fantasies of that generation were when they were young?"

Kang De said in a deep voice, "It's about imagining yourself as a staunch revolutionary fighter, letting a female spy with snow-white skin, fashionable clothes, slender fingers, cherry lips, and heavy makeup use all her charms to seduce, tempt, and throw herself at you, while you remain steadfast and unmoved, giving her the most resolute rejection and the most righteous rebuke—that's their ultimate thrill!"

He tapped the table and said arrogantly, "So you still have the nerve to laugh at me? My composure and steadfast self-control are a testament to the glorious traditions of the older generation—what an endearing fetish!"

Horus's machine spirit remained silent.

"Grass."

He said.

Amidst casual conversation, A Fu, who had made the suggestion to the Azure Fleet, brought back Nixiyasi's response.

"Father."

The ship girl was somewhat indignant. "That woman rejected your suggestion! And we've observed the Azure Fleet starting to move! They're launching assault boats!"

Kang De looked puzzled. "Huh? Why? That doesn't make sense."

The situation is that I am strong and the enemy is weak. I also have some connections with Nixiyasi, and she doesn't want any friction or conflict. I've extended an olive branch; shouldn't she first see what I want to discuss?

Why did we suddenly take the initiative?

After a long pause, Horus said quietly, "Although I don't know why she did it, I guess the reason Father's plan failed might be because you didn't treat her like a woman."

"... ha?"

The Knight Astolfo sounded its air raid siren, and the entire sea was awakened by its piercing wail. The officers and men of the Vanguard Fleet jumped up excitedly and began to weigh anchor and raise the sails.

They were eager to get started, because the reward criteria had already been distributed during the daytime: completing tasks such as reconnaissance, target location, sinking vehicles, and capturing enemies alive would all earn them military merits!

The howitzers roared fiercely, and flares were fired in all directions. The giant dragon spread its wings and soared into the sky, surveying the raging sea. Missile boats, guided by the command link, headed towards their designated areas. The fleet command system, which had been initially integrated by A Fu, began to deploy combat missions in an orderly manner.

Standing atop the mountain, overlooking the fleet's deployment map, Kang De remarked, "We don't have enough ships."

"That's not enough," Horus said. "Buy more on Earth and upgrade it."

Kang De shook his head and said, "Buying a ship is not an easy task. Placing an order takes a long time, and whether you buy a ready-made or a second-hand ship, it will take a long time to sail to Zhu'erban Port. It's a long shot and won't solve your immediate problem."

Zhu'erban Port handles 800 TEUs of containers per month and has an annual throughput of 2 million tons, which is rather underwhelming. The ships moored in the port are old, poorly maintained, and unusable, even inferior to the Combined Fleet. They have no value or significance in being modified. The large cargo ships and oil tankers sent by the five permanent members of the Security Council are still on their way, and the new navy will take some time to take shape—after all, they will need to be modified and strengthened after being purchased.

He sighed, "I feel it's better to just release a new map... I'll invest in it when I get back."

Horus said, "Occupation counts, and so does taking."

Kang De rolled his eyes and said, "In a peaceful and prosperous world, where are we going to rob? I'm a law-abiding citizen."

From the mountaintop, they gazed into the distance. The dark night sky was illuminated as brightly as day by the blazing flares. The Council ships, having dispersed, launched small boats, with sailors rowing and mages maneuvering the wind, charging headlong towards the Broken Sea.

Kang De picked up the microphone and said, "All units, begin operations! Use water cannons to capsize their boats, use fishing nets to pull their people out, the logistics base to cook instant noodles, the propaganda team to take their positions, and give them a 'three-company salvo'!"

It's time to let them experience the power of ideological work.

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PS1: Update... I slept okay today, but I'm having some writer's block. I'll write another chapter today.