I'll Do It Again Next Time

"Are you crazy? Are you fucking crazy?"

At 10 Downing Street, in the video conferencing room, Grand Secretary Yue looked blank.

Images of world leaders were projected onto multiple screens in front of them. People with power and influence were present. This secret meeting, which would never appear in any memorandum, contained a wealth of information that would overturn the common people's worldview. The Britain Prime Minister briefed the world leaders on what had happened last night.

Although it's embarrassing, and although I really didn't want to say it, I still said it.

Because it cannot be hidden.

The destruction of the British Round Table was a momentous event in the entire world of supernatural beings.

As far as the Grand Secretary Yue knows, the all-out war plan initiated by Arthur last night, calling on the global allies of the Round Table to carry out against Kang De, has been quietly terminated. The ancient organizations that spread and branched out around the world following the glory of the British Empire have all chosen to give up without exception, and have mobilized all their connections to inquire and spy on what happened to the Round Table last night... and they quickly guessed the details.

It was not Kang De himself who destroyed the Round Table.

Rather, it is very likely an army of superhumans that he commands or is allied with.

A military force composed of extraordinary individuals implies a vast organization resembling Round Table.

Kang De was not alone.

As a result, the cost of war increased exponentially, and no organization dared to easily start another war—an army composed purely of superhuman power was already terrifying enough, but what was even more terrifying was that they clearly relied on Kang De's spatial projection capabilities to reach the battlefield and launch surprise attacks.

The first thing they needed to figure out was what kind of organization Kang De represented.

Some people are turning their attention to China.

The influence of another group of people was reflected back to the heads of state of various countries.

The immense pressure ultimately translated into questioning and dialogue between the heads of state.

Even if Grand Secretary Yue wanted to cover it up, he had no choice but to tell the truth—of course, fueled by resentment, he didn't mind exaggerating the matter to cause trouble for Kang De.

He explained the cause and effect.

From the kidnapping of an unremarkable China girl to Kang De's involvement, the role the Round Table played in the process, and even the shocking event of the Round Table headquarters being destroyed by an army of superhumans.

And what Kang De did throughout the entire event.

And then there's his declaration.

He will become the universal law for all superhumans worldwide. Any superhuman, whether individual or organization, who dares to place their malice and desires above innocent people, will be met with his presence.

Sanctions, trials, executions, and a just confiscation of property.

This is outrageous.

The leaders present felt offended.

Even these defenders of the free world, if they want to uphold justice, need to have a legitimate reason for doing so. When they go to other countries to uphold justice, they need to assemble a multinational force. Beforehand, they need to do public opinion work, like filling a tube with laundry detergent, hiring an actor as a witness, and instructing the media to do a good job of propaganda.

Not only that, but they also have to be selective about who they attack. They can attack small, insignificant countries without any real power. Even if the verdict is overturned ten or twenty years later, they can just pretend nothing happened, since they can't be held responsible anyway.

But some troublemakers can't be dealt with, even if they're constantly causing trouble. You can only condemn them, impose sanctions, and barely maintain appearances.

--But Kang De, Kang De, that's going too far.

They started by targeting Britain, displaying an arrogant "I'm going to take down a permanent member of the Security Council" attitude. After the attack, this foreigner even sent a message through Yuebao to everyone present: Long-arm jurisdiction, world police—these don't exist. If I think someone in your country commits a crime, I'll go and beat them up, and after that, I'll rob them of everything. You have to admit it, and you're not allowed to collect taxes, otherwise...

"A clear response and opposition are necessary! We strongly oppose it!"

The Fr*nce confectionery commissioner had a long-standing and very close relationship with Kang De. Thinking of Kang De's profound friendship, his face paled. He said sternly, "Fr*nce is an independent and sovereign nation. We can manage all our affairs on our own; we don't need foreign interference!"

He slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "Kang De's demands are utterly absurd and unacceptable! He talks about managing and punishing all the evil superhumans in the world—he'll definitely use that as an excuse to smear superhumans in some country for harming ordinary people, then launch a war, openly invade, and plunder everything from that superhuman or organization to satisfy his ulterior motives! We cannot tolerate this!"

It's unclear whether this statement was due to a signal problem or something else.

There was silence in the video conference; everyone's expressions were somewhat strange.

With a loud bang, A Chuan slammed his fist on the table.

Fr*nce dessert shop owner was startled. "I wasn't talking about you!"

"Fuck you, do you think I don't know who you're talking about? Those killers' deeds have nothing to do with me!" A- A Chuan said viciously. "That's not the point. If there's a huge, mysterious organization behind Kang De, then my guess is correct: he stole the nuclear bomb!"

"Hey, hey, Donald, we are indeed talking about the Kang De threat, but don't use this as an excuse to escalate things. Nuclear weapons have nothing to do with Kang De, okay? They definitely have nothing to do with him."

Granny De repeated herself, her expression serious. "The stolen nuclear bomb disappeared at the last minute. My nuclear weapons expert told me that at that point, the warhead's terminal fuse had already been unlocked. Even if it were stolen by some force, it would have exploded quickly and served no purpose. Moreover, we cannot be certain that it was stolen, or that it was neutralized by some force—in short, this topic is not for discussion!"

A Chuan's reaction was slower than that of the political elites, or rather, their focus was different. While other political elites were considering the impact, implications, and consequences, A Chuan was preoccupied with "those bastards who threatened America, crashed the stock market, fooled me, made me lose face, and were even secretly ridiculed by various countries must be found and shot a hundred times." No wonder he kept harping on Kang De.

He was about to speak again when the old woman lost her patience.

"--Let me put it this way, Donald, you believe Kang De did this, so what are you going to do? Force him to admit it? Send troops to attack him? Or force him to bring out the nuclear weapons and we'll fight World War III?"

By the end, her voice had become stern and harsh.

A Chuan was clearly speechless. He was at a loss for words, but how could a mere defeated opponent, a woman, make the King of Understanding bow down? He resorted to his usual response. "I-don't-fxcking-care!"

He roared, "Besides that, this China attacked my embassy! He hurt and threatened my friends! He even used Johnson's phone to send me spam text messages!"

"Why are you yelling so loudly!" Granny De had long harbored a grudge against A Chuan, and now she disregarded any sense of kinship, shouting sternly, "Go to the United Nations if you dare!"

At the same time, she suddenly stood up and said aggressively, "Go to the place where you owe dues and tell the world the truth: the person who stormed the embassy and kidnapped the United States ambassador was not a former Military Intelligence Section 5 agent, but a China man. This China man used evil superpowers to control the United Kingdom Ian, and the reason he did this was because an evil superhuman organization in the United Kingdom kidnapped his friend!"

"--Or tell some lies that you're very good at, saying that the China person is evil, brutal, and hostile to the free world, and that he stole nuclear weapons with a total yield of nearly ten million tons. You call on the whole world to unite and kill this evil superhuman, and then wait for the whole world to fall into chaos and turmoil because of the shocking news that a superhuman has appeared, nuclear weapons have been stolen, and the most powerful superhuman is actually China!"

"Then you can watch from your White House as nationwide riots erupt, the stock market crashes, and protests erupt. Before you even have a chance to order your four branches of the military to go to war and punish this evil China, Kang De will lead his superhuman army on a space jump directly to the White House and hang you atop the Washington Monument. Don't worry, it will be very fast, so fast that you won't even have time to crawl into your bunker!"

Grass.

The micro-expressions of the world leaders were extremely rich, vividly portraying the joys and sorrows of some of the most hypocritical people in the world, mainly joy, since nobody likes Donald Trump.

Granny De offensive.

They completely disregarded the kindness shown by the Marshall Plan.

A Chuan's face flushed red, clearly enraged and furious to the extreme. His face twitched uncontrollably, he gritted his teeth, and suddenly let out a furious roar.

Then his screen went black.

He left the group chat, then...

An eerie silence lasted for about ten seconds, then someone started clapping.

"He's just a nouveau riche."

"A rude person."

"Disregarding the rules."

"You jerk."

Well said.

They cheered and exchanged pleasantries, but then, almost simultaneously, they realized an awkward problem—the topic had veered off course, and they had strayed from their original intention.

Who will deal with Kang De? Who will limit Kang De? Who will resolve Kang De?

This awkward problem, upon closer examination, seems unsolvable. Even if A Chuan hadn't withdrawn from the group, everyone would have been embroiled in endless arguments, because there are no benefits, only significant risks and harms. Kang De has already made his threatening and aggressive stance clear, but who will restrain this extraordinary figure from China from interfering with the judicial independence and sovereign integrity of various countries? Who will stop him from trampling on the legitimate rights of other nations?

No one can.

Or rather, the only leader capable of leading everyone to reach a consensus, assign tasks, resolve differences, and come up with ideas is no longer able to lead the team.

Even just communicating with China officials, probing and inquiring about the thoughts and attitudes of the China people would be helpful.

But who will come?

"... Go to the United Nations for a meeting?"

"Can this kind of thing be discussed openly?"

"Why not? It just requires a slight modification to the wording..."

I don't think so.

Another round of arguments and debates began.

They were talking intensely, discussing how to deal with Kang De's threat, how to stop him from interfering in their country's affairs, and what to do if such a bizarre thing really happened. They were discussing whether to form an alliance, whether to make representations to China, whether to unite and exert pressure, and so on.

The heads of state from various countries spoke with great seriousness and deep concern, each expressing their own opinions on the free future of their nations.

But the funny thing is...

Throughout the entire process, no one ever said, "Let's restrain our country's superhuman organizations."

Meanwhile, the walkway along the River Thames.

When are you going back to China?

A kind voice came through the phone. "Hai Li asked me to inquire. Shall we talk sometime?"

Kang De smiled, facing the crisp, cool Britain wind. "There's no difference between one person and a group of people. A threat is always a threat, but cooperation can always be cooperation. In any case, I am China. I haven't changed, and my actions haven't crossed any lines. As for secrets, having secrets or having more secrets makes no difference—some things can only be said that now is not the time."

The other end of the phone was quiet; the person on the other end was waiting in silence.

"From Comora to Zhuerban, and then to Britain, what I want, my goals, my expansion and operations are all aimed at overseas markets, not domestic ones. There will be no more Xie Guangjun's situation because I feel that my country is different from Britain. We are all China, flowing with the blood of the same Civilization. Verbal explanations may not be enough to convince you, but actions and will certainly be."

Kang De paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "In fact, things are no different now than they were then—I made Patriots' Covenant with the country's representatives at Diaoyutai. It's the same country, and I, who also harbor many secrets, am willing to temporarily set aside my doubts and suspicions, and make a pact with you for the future of the country and the nation. It was possible before, and it will certainly be possible now. I assure you."

He emphasized, "You can believe this."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. After several seconds, the same voice came through, but this time with a more relaxed tone, even a hint of a smile... He had probably received some instructions.

"Understood," he said. "Comrade Kang De, once you've finished your work there, go home. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has made some progress and achievements in the field of Spiritual Runes, and we also hope to receive your guidance and suggestions on the military's plan report regarding the cluster combat strategy for extraordinary individuals."

A smile spread across Kang De's face, "Good."

"And another thing," the person on the other end of the phone, who couldn't be named, brought up, "While we have no right to interfere in your private affairs, you should be more cautious about big moves like yesterday's. You know, in the eyes of foreigners, your relationship with the country is extremely close, and your actions can easily be interpreted politically."

Kang De pondered for a moment, "I understand the country's difficulties, but I also want to tell you that last night's attack on the Round Table was not premeditated, but rather a rash act of anger and indignation. The subsequent extortion and robbery were a way to cut our losses. After all, we've exposed so many secrets and put ourselves in such a precarious position. Wouldn't it be inappropriate not to take something back as compensation?"

A laugh came from the other end, "I see, I believe you, that means..."

Kang De smiled and said, "You'll dare to do it again next time."

"..."

A series of coughs came uncontrollably.

"Just kidding, just kidding," Kang De said softly. "I don't want to cause trouble for the country either, but there are some things I may not know, but once I do know them, I can't turn a blind eye."

"I used to think I was a thorough nationalist, and I used to think it didn't matter if there were floods abroad. But if a Britain girl could go to great lengths, search for, and even lose her life for China girl she didn't know, then what reason do I have not to do something for their suffering?"

He gazed at the clear London sky. "So, this is my answer. If a victim appears before me, it means countless victims have died in despair before they could even cry for help. I will become the Law of the Extraordinary, and this is the only thing I will insist on. This is my reply."

"We don't have the power to liberate all of humanity or eliminate exploitation and oppression right now, but I do have the power to prevent the world from falling into the tyrannical demands of a minority, and I will do it."

He leaned against the railing, watching the boats slowly drift downstream on the river.

Tourists were cheering loudly and waving at him.

Kang De smiled and waved; what a beautiful day.

Unfortunately, some people won't be able to see it, and some will never see it.

"This... is not an easy path."

From the last century to the present, which of our paths has been easy?

"Ha, you're right."

The old man said solemnly, "We hope you can protect yourself and take good care of yourself."

"Yes, my enemy..."

"They are our enemies."

"... Yes, our enemies. From their ruins, I found many disturbing things. The interrogations of prisoners are still ongoing, and the analysis of the ledgers has also revealed something: they were plundering wealth, the whereabouts of which are unknown. Their torture of innocent people doesn't just seem to be a source of twisted pleasure, but rather for some deeper logic and reason—I will share relevant intelligence in real time."

A cold glint flashed in Kang De's eyes.

"I have a feeling that even if I don't go to them, they will still come looking for me."

After hanging up the phone, Kang De turned his gaze to the distance, where a smiling white man in a black suit was walking towards them, exuding an air of pretentious elitism.

"Mr. Kang De? Our agents spotted you loitering around here. It turns out you haven't left London yet."

Kang De nodded and said, "Yes, I entered the country illegally without a visa. Are you here to beat me up?"

"..."

I've worked for fifteen years and I've never seen such an arrogant illegal immigrant!

"... No."

The white man still smiled, "I'm only here on the orders of some big shots, not just the Prime Minister, not just the will of the ruling party, but also some forces I cannot refuse. We're here to stop the war, clear up misunderstandings, confirm that all hostile actions have ceased... and confirm that you don't have any other misunderstandings about Britain."

Kang De glanced at him. "You seem quite dissatisfied."

The white man's expression was complicated, and he finally sighed helplessly, "This is a terrible misunderstanding. After all, no one would expect you to go to such lengths for a friend you're not even that close to. We regret this and apologize."

Kang De hesitated, then shrugged helplessly.

Never mind.

Telling Shalana's story to someone like that is a waste of that name.

He said, "Well, this is fine too."

"What?"

"What I mean is, An Youyi's case can serve as a benchmark, making it clear to you that this terrible misunderstanding is actually a normal way of dealing with things. You don't need to guess. She is indeed just an ordinary friend of mine. I have no romantic feelings for her, nor am I interested in her extraordinary powers."

The white man clearly looked incredulous, then he saw Kang De's expression.

Stunned.

The other party was not lying—or rather, there was no need for them to lie.

So...

A chill ran through me.

"So, do you understand? He's just an ordinary friend. Today's events will serve as a reference for you to see what happens when my real friends and family are in danger."

"So..."

He looked at the other person and gently tapped them.

"Be-careful, man, be-careful..."

Kang De turned and walked in another direction along the quietly cleared riverbed.

The white man was startled. He saw Kang De's departing figure enveloped in a dazzling halo of holy light. Brilliant runes emerged from beneath his feet, their dazzling light pointing towards the sky and gradually spreading until it enveloped Kang De's figure in a void of Corona. Then, together with Kang De, they vanished into nothingness.

Only his voice echoed in my ears, deep and soul-stirring.

"--the-earth."

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PS1: Updated, time to go!