Comrade

Months ago, when Nixiyasi first read about the tragedy that occurred in a small coastal town in the south of the Empire in a naval briefing, she never imagined that she would be involved with the perpetrators of this tragedy.

At that time, Kang De was just an insignificant, inexplicably appearing nobody. The reason he was able to attract the attention of various forces on the continent was only because of Tina's influence.

Even though he razed Glittering Sand Town, disrupted the Crown Prince's plans, and indirectly exposed the Empire's plot to assassinate Goth's delegation, thus putting the ruler of the human world in an awkward position, Kang De was only described as "like an annoying and persistent mosquito biting the Empire's face."

But what happened next surprised everyone.

Instead of disappearing under the Empire's pursuit, this Cathayan, appearing out of nowhere, marched straight into Goth and intercepted the overwhelming Elven army in a city in eastern Goth.

The world fell silent that day, for the six invincible and fearsome Dragon Banner Legion were annihilated beneath the walls of Valentan. The long-lost Forbidden Spell spellcasters, existing only in historical records and legends, returned to the Mortal World, their world-destroying power now in the hands of a mysterious Cathayan.

He sided with Goth; he was the lover of Goth's princess, Tina.

Thinking of this, Nixiyasi couldn't help but turn her head and look at Princess Tina's lover.

The legendary Cathayan, the Dragon of Cathay, in a fit of rage for his lover, drew his sword and fought against the supreme military might of the reigning Dusk Moon Dynasty, and emerged victorious, are currently in Goth's west coast city, right under his fiancée's nose, having a secret rendezvous with his rumored lover.

Moreover, that rumored lover is none other than the Great Sovereign of the Dusk Moon Dynasty, Her Majesty Phoenix King Dairila.

"..."

... It's so messy, so messy.

No wonder everyone says nobles are incredibly dirty!

So the Dragon of Cathay and the Phoenix King are like that too!

Even the usually calm and composed Nixiyasi felt a strange mix of emotions at this moment, a subtle feeling that was both incredibly frustrating and indescribable, especially when she saw the legendary, majestic Elf Queen, who supposedly ruled the world, clinging to Kang De's arm in a coquettish manner, calling him "darling" and "my dear" repeatedly...

To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that her spiritual vision clearly sensed the majestic, sun-like, heaven-illuminating phoenix aura emanating from the Empress, Nixiyasi would definitely have thought this was a fake Phoenix King.

Her gaze was complicated. Suddenly, she felt a chill and then realized that the Phoenix King had turned his head and looked her up and down meaningfully for a few moments, his gaze lingering on her chest and buttocks for a long time.

That gaze was like a dockworker eyeing a fish on a chopping board.

Even though she was a renowned naval officer in the Council, the admiral couldn't help but shudder.

Because this world-renowned and powerful emperor, in order to cover up the scandal and shut himself up, wanted to strip himself, the eyewitness, naked and send him to Kang De's bed.

Pooh!

Even though she utterly despised the wicked ways of this feudal aristocracy, Nixiyasi still couldn't help feeling uneasy.

After all, she was currently in the stronghold of the Distant Harbor, the headquarters of the Dragon of Cathay Kang De of China, Kant, while Dairila was an elven monarch and an unparalleled powerhouse. How could she possibly withstand these two evil forces trying to rape her?

What to do, what to do, what to do?

She glanced at A Fu for help, but the boy clung to her father like a koala, seemingly oblivious to his new friend's predicament.

How disloyal!

Then she looked at Kang De.

The other person was draped in a black cloak, concealing their appearance, and walked through the streets of Distant Harbor. From Nixiyasi's perspective, they were just a silent figure moving calmly.

The admiral was taken aback.

Because she noticed that Kang De's attention was not on his elven lover or his daughter, but rather on his surroundings, on the city.

It was as if the ordinary streets and the people coming and going possessed an endless charm that attracted his gaze, even more so than the stunning beauties around him.

This unusual behavior piqued Nixiyasi's curiosity. She even subconsciously forgot her terrible predicament and involuntarily followed his gaze, wanting to figure out what he was looking at.

She and A Fu had just arrived at Distant Harbor and hadn't had a chance to explore properly when they stumbled upon Kang De's affair with the Phoenix King. They were then unwittingly dragged into this night tour, and only now did they have a real chance to carefully observe this city that had gained worldwide attention because of Kang De.

Ordinary Goth city street scenes, adorned with exotic touches, reflecting the characteristics of a port city.

But there are subtle differences.

Tall lampposts stood along the streets and roadsides, shining brightly and dispelling the darkness of night, illuminating every detail of the city.

City lights are not unusual, but most of them are oil lamps fueled by kerosene and whale oil. The streetlights that Nixiyasi saw were bright and stable, clearly magical products such as magic crystal lamps.

In the Admiral's mind, only the capitals of various countries, such as Tula Xiaye and the Imperial Court, would use such extravagant magical lamps for city lighting to demonstrate their powerful national strength.

And the Distant Harbor...

As expected of the Dragon of Cathay, its alchemical skills are unparalleled.

She walked slowly along the street with Kang De and his party.

Amidst the clamor of voices, a clear voice rose from above, overwhelming everything else. The voice was ethereal and elusive, even carrying a faint crackling sound of thunder.

"Hello listeners, this is Voice of Distant Harbor. I'm your host, Ailinnuo. Tonight, we continue our special interview program, 'The Post-Rescue Era - Making Distant Harbor Our Shared New Home.' We are honored to have five guests with us tonight."

"The first is a decorated veteran, Lord Titus, Doom Warriors has followed His Highness Kang De since the Battle of Valentan. He participated in the Broken Isles Great Evacuation Operation as the standard-bearer of the First Company of the Doom Chapter, and together with his comrades, was responsible for maintaining order on many islands."

"The second is the renowned bounty hunter, nicknamed 'Mad Shark,' who volunteered for the refugee camp reconstruction efforts during the Great Evacuation. He was diligent, responsible, and hardworking, and during his work, he uncovered a hostile force's espionage operation, bravely fought off the spy, and handed him over to the Traitor Suppression Society. For this, he received a special commendation from His Highness Kang De and the Distant Harbor City Hall. He is also a law-abiding citizen, Mr. Tex!"

"The third is a hero who stood up against the persecution and persecution of the people of the Broken Isles by the ruling class. Undeterred by tyranny, he abandoned darkness for light and joined His Cathay Kang De with his friends from the people of Cathay Broken Isles. During the Great Evacuation, he stepped forward, providing invaluable intelligence and contributing to the rescue of many innocent civilians. He is none other than the newly joined mage Ailike!"

"Fourth place..."

After listening for a while, the admiral's daughter asked in astonishment, "What is this?"

"It's a radio program."

A Fu replied with a smile, "What I've been doing these past few days is selecting a few representative individuals from the evacuation operation, calling them together for a chat, and letting them share their thoughts..."

Nixiyasi asked blankly, "And then? What's going on?"

At this point, after introducing the guests, the host continued, "Today we are honored to have five guests with us to talk about the stories behind the Great Evacuation and to share their perspectives on His Highness Kang De..."

--Immediately afterwards, the admiral heard Kang De cough.

"Oh dear, someone's not used to it."

The Parrot, disguised as Dairila, asked in a sarcastic tone, "How are you feeling? How are you feeling?"

"... Get out of here."

Kang De pushed her face away and looked at A Fu: "Why are you emphasizing this again? I didn't mean..."

A Fu took over the media system from Horus, and tonight's radio program is part of the media and public opinion work, which is also the responsibility of the ship girls.

A Fu blinked innocently and said, "I know, Father emphasized that we should recount everyone's contributions, rather than focusing the credit on a few individuals. We've always done that. Everyone has made contributions, and Father has made a great one too. Since we've done it, why can't we talk about it? It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Kang De hesitated, then shook his head.

That makes sense.

But I still feel... a little embarrassed.

He said, "Let's go, let's go."

The Parrot laughed, "Why are you leaving? Listen to how they praise you!"

A Fu nodded. "Yes, yes, listen. We did three interviews before, and I recorded a special copy of each one. When I have free time, listening to their praise of their fathers makes me very, very happy..."

Nixiyasi found the conflicted look on Kang De's face rather amusing.

It took her a while to understand why Kang De resisted—this world-renowned Dragon of Cathay of China seemed ashamed to hear sincere praise from others. This discovery both amused and intrigued her.

The people's praises and the endless eulogies in history books—this is the kind of thing any monarch or nobleman dreams of, and how many sycophants have been promoted and ennobled because of it... What was going on with Kang De?

Seeing the embarrassment on Kang De's face, Nixiyasi had a sudden thought and said softly, "Your Highness Kang De, I don't quite understand why these people were invited to participate in this... program? What's the point?"

Kang De's expression shifted. He broke free from the Parrot's embrace, pulled Nixiyasi's arm, and said enthusiastically, "Come, come, let me tell you, it's too noisy here, we can't hear you. Let's go to a quieter place..."

"Wait..."

Physical contact was a minor matter. As a renowned naval admiral, Nixiyasi had spent a long time at sea and had developed a cheerful and magnanimous nature. She didn't find it inappropriate for Kang De to grab her arm and pull her along.

What truly made her feel guilty was the deep, penetrating gaze of the Elf Queen, the mistress.

--Hey, is it really okay for you to drag me away in front of your lover?

That's the Elf Queen, for crying out loud!

Nixiyasi felt this was amiss. In her view, it was already outrageous enough for Her Majesty Dairila, the Phoenix King, to go to the Distant Harbor for a secret rendezvous with Kang De. To condescend like this, only to have Kang De ignore her and even break free from her embrace to leave with another woman... wasn't this courting death?

The Phoenix King be angry!

It doesn't matter if she kills you, but what if she takes her anger out on me?

Nixiyasi turned around anxiously, trying to explain something to the Phoenix King, but the next moment, her delicate face froze, because Her Majesty Dairila came running after her like an abandoned puppy, crying pitifully, "Darling! I was wrong! Don't leave me!"

"..."

Clearly, His Highness Kang De quickened his pace.

"..."

It was obvious that the admiral's expression had become uncontrollable.

Huh?! This actually works?!

How did you do that?! Is this some kind of Forbidden Spell? Some kind of mind-controlling Forbidden Spell?

That's right.

Kang De's voice echoed in my ears, "The Great Evacuation has brought hundreds of thousands of outsiders into the Distant Harbor. They come from different classes, but they have something in common: they have lost their homes and feel lost about the future. These people are a valuable resource that can greatly enhance the strength of the Distant Harbor. I want to keep them all here."

... No, no, no, whatever! I don't want to know anymore! I only asked that to help you out! Isn't the point the Phoenix King?

"I've prepared many plans for this, and the radio program you heard is one of them."

Wait a minute.

Nixiyasi looked surprised. "A plan?"

Kang De nodded and said, "Yes."

"This..."

"What's wrong?"

The beautiful admiral shook her head. "I just think... it's a bit troublesome? You saved them, you wield great power. If you want them to stay and serve you, all you need is an order, a suitable threat of force, and then appease and buy off the influential groups among them. That should do it, right?"

Kang De paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Yes, your method is indeed feasible, but I don't want hundreds of thousands of unwilling slaves; I want hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic people."

Nixiyasi was also taken aback. "I... I don't quite understand."

"What's so hard to understand?"

With her arms wrapped around Kang De's neck, the Phoenix King rested her stunningly beautiful face on Kang De's shoulders, and "Dairila" gave Nixiyasi a meaningful smile.

"Don't you understand? For example, I could strip you naked and throw you on Kang De's bed right now, and he could easily have you. But he won't. He wants not only your body, but also your heart. Because having your body is just having sex with you, but having your heart means not only being able to have sex with you anytime, but you'll also rack your brains to find new positions to please him—just like what he's doing to you right now."

The Parrot looked shy as it finished speaking.

"Don't try to struggle, it's useless. Kang De is very powerful; before you know it, you'll be hooked. That's how I fell for him, and you'll be next..."

Nixiyasi's expression was beyond terrifying.

Kang De delivered a swift chop to the Parrot's face, sending the dead bird howling and clutching its face as it staggered backward. "... Don't listen to her nonsense, she's a lunatic."

Nixiyasi gave an awkward but polite smile and quietly took a step back.

Kang De chuckled dryly and explained, "To put it this way, it's true that I want them to stay in the Distant Harbor and serve me, but coercion by force is ineffective and unnecessary; it's not my style."

"I want them to stay voluntarily. It's not difficult; just give them dignity, let them feel respected and loved, and let them have optimistic expectations for the future..."

Unfortunately, such preaching was no longer enough to move Nixiyasi's heart. The admiral's mind was filled with the Phoenix King's hint. She regarded Kang De's behavior and words as "the casting process of the evil Forbidden Spell of the Cathayan," something that could even make the Elf Queen devoted to him as her lover...

--No way! I can't listen! I can't listen! I can't listen!

The admiral ignored Kang De's words, letting them go in one ear and out the other, not daring to think about them too much for fear of falling into the Cathayan. She was determined not to take a single word to heart.

Just then, A Fu exclaimed, "Ah! An ice cream stand!"

Nixiyasi felt as if she had been granted a pardon, finally free from the chanting of the Cathayan. Following A Fu's finger, she saw that she had reached the edge of a small square.

A cart-like vehicle was parked by the roadside, with a transparent glass cover and luxuriously lit magic crystal lights. A woman dressed in a white chef's uniform and wearing an armband was busy working behind the cart.

A Fu excitedly grabbed Nixiyasi: "Come on, let's go eat something delicious!"

Kang De shrugged and said to Nixiyasi, "I'll treat you to ice cream."

--Here it comes again!

The admiral was extremely wary, yet felt it wouldn't be good to refuse. "No, no need. I didn't mean anything by it, it's just... well, you know, the two sides are still in a military standoff. I'll pay for it myself."

A Fu said with a smile, "You can't buy that with money."

"Huh?" Nixiyasi looked at the group of people walking towards the "ice cream stand," "Isn't that...?"

"That's specially made for them," the ship girl blinked, "An employee perk."

What is that?

The puzzled young lady was led over by A Fu's hand, and only then did she see clearly that a family of five—a couple and their three children—approached the ice cream stand from the other side.

From the perspective of a naval admiral and fleet commander, this family of five was truly poor. They were not exactly ragged, but their clothes were worn and simple, patched, and the children's clothes were all altered to be too small. The man was holding a small child, and the woman was leading two older children.

They paused not far from the ice cream stand, seemingly hesitant. When they saw Kang De and his group approaching from the other side, they appeared somewhat timid, as if they wanted to make way for these mysterious cloaked figures.

Just then, an employee at the ice cream stand called out, "Comrade, would you like to buy ice cream for your child? According to regulations, it can only be purchased with work points and military merit points. Those in special positions have daily welfare coupons that can be used to collect free snacks. Do you meet the eligibility criteria?"

"Comrade?" Nixiyasi asked curiously, uttering the word that was clearly in the Zhendan Language. "What is that?"

"In our language, it means 'people who share the same aspirations,'" Kang De smiled. "There is no precise translation in the universal language, so I used the original pronunciation directly. As a foreign word, I hope it can take root and flourish on the continent, transcending Civilization and language, becoming a word that is used, remembered, and sanctified forever, both now and in the future, a word that everyone can use and everyone can identify with."

He shook his head as he said this, "I've always wanted them to call me Comrade Kang De, but no one dares. In their eyes, it's clearly not a sacred and unique title. They call me comrade, and I call them comrade... Everyone is so frightened they stammer."

This time, the Parrot didn't contradict her; she said calmly, "Take it slow, there's no need to rush."

Nixiyasi was increasingly surprised.

A duke can address a viscount as "Your Excellency" and vice versa; a mage can address a scholar as "Master" and vice versa. These common forms of address are usually only applicable to the same social class. If a duke were to politely address a worker or farmer as "Your Excellency," he would most likely be out of his mind.

Comrade...

That's a strange way to address someone, why is that?

The beautiful admiral was filled with doubt, then she heard the man cautiously say, "I... I work in the dock area, leading five people, responsible for replacing rotten planks and reinforcing walkways..."

"That's one of the special positions." The woman smiled, her expression becoming more friendly. "Night shift?"

The man smiled sheepishly and said, "Yes."

"Thank you for your hard work. Please show your ID card and worker badge."

The man hurriedly pulled the stainless steel plaque, which had been made into a necklace, from his collar, then carefully removed the badge from his chest and handed it over.

On the badge, the hand gripping the hammer is strong and powerful, and the red star shines brightly.

Nixiyasi watched as the burly woman in a chef's uniform and white hat held a strange, handle-like magical device, scanning it across the steel plate and badge before aiming it at the man's face.

The lights on the magical device turned green, and a stilted mechanical voice announced, "Identity verification successful."

The woman glanced down at the glowing screen of the magic device to confirm her identity, then smiled and said, "Good evening, comrade worker. You are currently at ice cream stand number A035. According to the 'Trial Measures for Welfare of Special Positions with High Labor Intensity' signed by Kang De Highness Kant, you and your family are entitled to free material ration coupons. Would you like some ice cream?"

The man nodded nervously, "Yes, yes, I want to give it to my child..."

"You have three children and a family of five. According to the trial program and your level as a Level 2 skilled worker, you are entitled to a five-person share of premium desserts every three days. You currently have one premium dessert voucher remaining. Would you like to redeem it for Light Brand ice cream?"

The wrinkles on the man's face, darkened by the sea breeze, widened, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.

He said, "Could I only exchange four portions and use the remaining portion for something else?"

"Sure, what flavor do you want?"

At this moment, his wife said, "Three portions, that way we can exchange them for an extra candy."

"No, four portions."

The man turned to look at his wife, who had been supporting him through hardship, and said, "We get five portions every three days. If we don't use them within a week, they'll go to waste, so we don't need to be so frugal. We'll share the remaining portion."

The woman, who was thrifty and good at managing her household finances, hesitated for a moment.

But she saw her husband's smile.

Perhaps it was the soft, beautiful lighting of the ice cream stand, perhaps it was a touch that resonated with her heart, or perhaps it was the smile on her husband's face that stirred up the tenderness suppressed by the hardships of life; she smiled slightly.

"Good."

The female ice cream vendor deftly made four ice cream cones for them.

Each ice cream cone contains three scoops, each with a different flavor.

The three children curiously and cautiously accepted the ice cream cone. Their dusty little hands contrasted sharply with the white wrapper. The children carefully stuck out their tongues and gently licked the ice cream ball before sinking into the supreme deliciousness, their eyes wide with delight.

The man then handed his ice cream cone to his wife.

It was as if it were the most beautiful bouquet of flowers.

The woman smiled shyly, took a small bite, and then happily squinted her eyes. "So icy."

But her eyes were smiling, as if she had returned to the past, to her wedding day, when her father led her by the hand and handed her to the man in front of her, who was holding a bouquet of flowers. That day was a happy and unforgettable time.

Unbeknownst to him, the man's back, which had been bent by the hardships of life, seemed to straighten a little more. He held his child, embraced his wife, and together with the children, turned and left.

Pedestrians walked by, and some people and children watched from a distance with envy in their eyes.

In the past few days, stalls roaming the city have been displaying all sorts of unseen goods and delicacies, which have already become known to everyone. They are said to be unparalleled delicacies, but money cannot buy them.

Every staff member claimed this.

Only those comrades who work, dedicate themselves, and serve His Highness Kang De and the Distant Harbor can purchase and obtain these products with the fruits of their labor and rewards. Apart from them, even the emperor of the empire, with all the gold coins in the national treasury, could not buy a single candy.

Nixiyasi watched the family leave, lost in thought.

Because she noticed it.

After the female worker routinely addressed him as "comrade worker" and "free welfare coupon," a sense of glorious pride appeared on the man's face.

She usually only saw this expression on officers and nobles.

His wife and children wore expressions of bewilderment and joy—they may not have known what those words meant, but they knew the taste of the ice cream they were eating.

And then there were the envious glances from the onlookers.

"This..."

She seemed to realize something, but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Suddenly, she remembered what Kang De had said earlier—to make the people of the Broken Isles willingly stay in the Distant Harbor.

The method is very simple.

Give them love and respect, and let them have an optimistic outlook on the future.

I see.

That's really good...

What a good man.

--etc!

Why am I thinking about this? Have I been infected? I can't think about it, I can't think about it, I can't think about it...

Nixiyasi looked horrified, and just then, A Fu approached with a smile, pulling out his ID card and military ID: "I'm here to buy ice cream!"

"Okay, please wait a moment."

Although surprised by the soft and pleasant sound, the female driver still deftly raised the barcode scanner.

With a "ding," the magical device emitted a recognition sound.

"The comparison with the small beach was successful."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: Seven thousand words... I'm writing this really late today, not because I was slacking off, but because it was so difficult. Part of this chapter was written during yesterday's meeting, and the writing process was quite exciting. But when I continued writing today, my mood was completely different. It didn't feel right, so I deleted and revised a lot of things. The process was extremely frustrating.

PS2: By the way, let me tell you about yesterday's experience. I originally planned to write something while listening to the sutra, and I did write something. Specifically, while listening to the sutra being recited, I would occasionally look down in deep thought, my hands flying across the keyboard. Sometimes I would look up and make eye contact with the person reciting the sutra, nod with a smile, seem thoughtful, exchange a smile, and then continue to look down and "diligently take notes"... I wrote some things under these circumstances, and I also had to squeeze in some notes on the repetitive things I heard so I could switch gears at any time. Because I was sitting in the front row, a photographer would come over and snap pictures every now and then, and I had to smile politely at him with a straight face. So I gave up after writing very little; it was just too exciting.

PS3: By the way, during the afternoon meeting, the older colleague next to me was curious about what I was writing. He leaned over and peeked at me a few times. After looking at it, he clearly showed a look of bewilderment and shock, as if he were looking at a powerful person. That is, because when I noticed him making a move, I switched to another page and wrote some random, rambling thoughts just in case. I gave him a polite and reserved smile. He definitely didn't know what I did.

PS4: The title of that page is "My Personal View - On the Party Constitution and Constitutional Narrative of China Sinicization of Marx".