Old Friends

In order to test AWSL Company's attitude, Grand Secretary Yue instructed relevant personnel to delay the handover of Nautilus Mining Company's assets in order to observe Kang De's reaction.

The outstanding AWSL employees in charge of the negotiations noticed the United Kingdom's unusual attitude in less than twenty minutes. From his hesitant and evasive manner, they determined the key issue.

"Nautilus Company's assets no longer hold significant value, and its mining equipment does not contain core technology. In fact, Britain SMD Deep-Sea Robotics Company that developed underwater mining equipment for Nautilus Mining, has already been wholly acquired by a Chinese company. The United Kingdom have no reason or need to manipulate this transfer agreement... unless there are some inside stories we are unaware of."

This report was sent back from the newly established AWSL Company Britain Branch.

"Or, there may be direct intervention from administrative authorities."

This brief reminder and report was quickly forwarded to Kang De.

Kang De was extremely surprised.

"How come the United Kingdom so brave again?"

He asked in surprise, "Didn't Grand Secretary Yue know that I know martial arts?"

Received the message, opened the map, and set off.

Five hours later, in a warehouse in Port of Felixstowe, at the southern tip of Britain, all the light and heavy machinery stored there by Nautilus Mining Company during its bankruptcy liquidation, including three underwater mining systems, working-class electric underwater robots, and FSE full-stretcher equipment, had vanished without a trace. These massive machines, weighing over a thousand tons in total, simply disappeared.

No fingerprints or footprints were left at the scene, and all the surveillance cameras were inexplicably turned off. The security personnel were either knocked unconscious and stuffed into trash cans, or lying stiffly on the ground. The paramedics who arrived at the scene claimed that they had all been stunned by electric shocks, and the targets of the shocks... seemed to be their stun guns and cell phones.

That's absolutely outrageous, bro.

The missing security personnel were quickly discovered, and the horrific robbery also alerted the local police, who reported it up the chain of command, eventually reaching Grand Secretary Yue.

Oh shit.

The police might be completely baffled, but for Grand Secretary Yue, the culprit had already been found!

Robbers! Bandits! You're robbing me outright!

He was cursing when his phone lit up.

The damned "+86" prefix hinted at the evil origins of this number, and the familiar four-digit last four digits were nothing short of demonic numbers to Grand Secretary Yue —yes, he didn't even want to add Kang De to his contacts.

But that China bastard's broken English, more comically awkward than the leg hair under a Scotland kilt, would always ring out at various times, unleashing intense sarcasm and trash talk upon him.

Just like now.

Damn it, you've already stolen it, and now you're calling to brag and annoy me?!

Indignant, Grand Secretary Yue, a prime minister of a nation, could not bear such humiliation and pressed the reject button.

The ringing stopped abruptly.

Boris sat in his office chair, staring at his phone on the desk, his eyes darting around.

A minute later, his expression turned somewhat anxious. "Why isn't this bastard stopping?"

Just then, the screen lit up again, and the Prime Minister breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't hear the phone ring. Then he realized it was a text message, a text message from the plasterer.

He hesitated before clicking, and three simple English words conveyed boundless anger.

"How dare you!"

Grand Secretary Yue pictured Kang De with a twisted expression and a furious look on his face as he uttered such a rebuke.

This made him even more uneasy, because Kang De said nothing else, which was the most terrifying thing... The unknown is scary, and it is the most terrifying thing.

However, the Grand Secretary Yue did not have to wait long.

The anger from the China boy quickly became a reality.

The police chief in charge of security at 10 Downing Street, armed to the teeth, stormed the Prime Minister's office. He looked serious and as if facing a major enemy, and ordered Grand Secretary Yue to be taken away and evacuated to a safe house.

Yuebao repeated questioning, the police chief finally told him the truth.

The bicycle that Grand Secretary Yue usually rides to and from work has mysteriously disappeared, replaced by a pink rubber fake handlebar.

Furthermore, there was also an official car that Yuebao rarely used, parked perfectly fine in the garage until it was discovered by patrolling officers. According to the scene description, it looked "like it had been ransacked by a giant dragon."

These two events were bizarre, absurd, and subtle, but enough to put the police officers on high alert. The police chief insisted on taking the prime minister to the safe house because the prime minister's official residence never let its guard down when it came to security—having learned a great lesson from past mistakes.

As early as about thirty years ago, around 1991, the militant Irish Republican Army was causing trouble all over United Kingdom. One of their most impressive achievements was firing three mortar rounds at 10 Downing Street.

One of the shots hit the backyard of the Prime Minister's residence, shattering almost all the windows and scaring the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers into hiding under the table. It is said that if the cannon had been off by five or ten degrees, it could have wiped out the entire United Kingdom cabinet that was meeting at 10 Downing Street.

With this painful lesson in mind, security has become an ironclad rule that cannot be relaxed. The police chief insisted on taking the prime minister to a safe house, but Boris refused.

"Listen, there's no problem, everything's fine, I know what happened!"

He reassured his bodyguard chief, "Don't be too nervous now. I know who did it, and I know why he would do something so low-level. I..."

Just then, a sharp explosion rang out from the direction of the window. Without hesitation, the police chief shoved the prime minister to the ground, pinning him down and shouting, "Enemy attack! Immediately..."

"Get off me right now!" Grand Secretary Yue cried out in a disheveled and painful manner. "Idiot, look at what that is—it's just a rock! You bastard! You son of a bitch!"

He forcefully pushed the police chief aside, picked up his phone, and frantically dialed the number again—only to have it hung up and rejected.

"Fuck!"

He dialed again, cursing, and this time the call finally went through.

"You bastard!" Yuebao roared, "What have you done?!"

Hiding car seats, scratching cars, breaking windows—these are tricks that even kids don't play anymore!

Kang De asked blankly, "What did you say?"

"Don't play dumb with me! Damn it! I'm the Prime Minister of Britain! You have to respect me!" Grand Secretary Yue gasped for breath, then roared, "Listen, you've got what you wanted, now get out of here!"

"What are you talking about?" Kang De's tone became increasingly puzzling. "I called you to ask about the Parrot mining machinery. Why are you making excuses and refusing to give it to me?"

"What's the point of saying this now?" Grand Secretary Yue grew increasingly impatient. "You've already got it!"

"Wait a minute," Kang De exclaimed, wide-eyed. "When did I get my hands on it?"

Grand Secretary Yue was taken aback, then a surge of rage welled up in his chest.

You fucking...

They robbed him secretly themselves, and now they want to extort another portion?

"Hey, wait a minute, what do you mean I've already got it? Where are the receipts? Where's the agreement? Where's the evidence? Did I sign for it? Do you have any documentation? I'm warning you, your country has a strong sense of contract and commercial regulations. Be careful, or I'll sue you for defamation and fraud."

Kang De said menacingly, "So, don't try anything funny. Get me my share ready, or don't blame me for using Xi'er to pay off the debt."

After saying that, the call ended, leaving a series of busy tones.

Grand Secretary Yue stood there, his expression somber.

With the Round Table gone and Kang De out of the picture, he had only enjoyed half a month of peace and felt that the future was bright and easy. But who knew that Kang De would resurface and become just as detestable as before?

Just then, the hotline on the table rang.

He took a deep breath and answered, "It's me."

A Chuan's urgent voice rang out. "Boris, Boris, I heard that Nautilus Mining's heavy equipment has vanished into thin air. I think it must be a trick by Kang De, what do you think!"

"..."

Grand Secretary Yue took a deep breath.

"Hello? Boris? Are you listening?"

"Fuck you! Donald! I know you're eavesdropping on everything, I know you're fully aware of what's happening in Britain, but for my sake, could you pretend you know nothing and let me tell you this intelligence myself? We are your most loyal and important allies!"

The Prime Minister's roar crossed the ocean and crashed into the White House.

Full of energy and powerful presence.

A Chuan was clearly taken aback; he said sheepishly, "OK, OK..."

Grand Secretary Yue was letting out a breath and calming himself down, a few seconds later he heard A Chuan's voice again, which was cautious and tinged with doubt.

"But..." Chuanbao asked, puzzled, "Why?"

"..."

Silence, silence is the key to today's Yuebao.

The Prime Minister's life is just like this, simple and unpretentious, being exposed to both China and the US.

In this awkward and delicate silence, the leaders of Britain and the United States simultaneously received an urgent message—a message they were both concerned about regarding the most critical and deadly region in the Southern Hemisphere.

Zhuerban, a coastal port city in West Africa, is a region brimming with future possibilities. Formerly the capital of Gambia, a sex tourism destination for Europe women, it is now the western capital of the United Kingdom of Comora-Gambia.

The armies of five nations were stationed there, protecting and guarding the underground secrets together, monitoring each other, hindering each other, engaging in an arms race, and having to tolerate Kang De's constant bias.

Today, important news has come from Zhuerban and reached the desks of the world's top leaders.

"The Jiaolong mother ship has left port, and its whereabouts are unknown."

Zhuerban is Kang De's territory. China deep-sea research vessels travel thousands of miles to West Africa, while Kang De also develops a strong interest in the underwater operating equipment of a deep-sea mining company. It would be hard to believe that there is no connection or hidden story between the two.

"It's almost certain that he wants something in the Atlantic Ocean," said Grand Secretary Yue. "And it's most likely related to supernatural powers, otherwise he wouldn't be so interested."

A Chuan replied without hesitation, "No matter what it is, China cannot get it."

"Yes," Grand Secretary Yue added, "According to international conventions, those are the property of all mankind and cannot be enjoyed exclusively by an individual or a nation."

Trump remained silent.

"Hey, Donald." The Grand Secretary Yue seemed to realize something, "Even the Amerikkka aren't allowed to keep it all to themselves."

A Chuan chuckled and said, "Alright, how about this: you contribute one carrier battle group, I'll contribute one, and we'll split the spoils 50/50, how about that?"

"..."

Yuebao cursed inwardly, but had to swallow her anger. "A Chuan, you know us..."

A Chuan said, "The more effort you put in, the more you get out, that's fair. But since Britain has always been our best ally, I can concede a little... You guys have to do something, right? How about we hand over the preliminary reconnaissance, tracking, and intelligence gathering to your Royal Navy?"

Hold.

Grand Secretary Yue was extremely displeased; A Chuan's intentions were all too obvious.

However, after hearing about the Nautilus Mining robbery, they realized that Kang De was a ruthless bandit and feared that Kang De would turn his attention to Amerikkka.

They were even more wary that if a naval fleet were dispatched, the consequences could be dire if Kang De were to become enraged.

--Kang De probably wouldn't dare to sink an aircraft carrier battle group, but even if he unleashed a storm, lightning, raging waves, and tsunami, giving the entire fleet a thorough cleaning and a thorough cleaning, the consequences would be unbearable for anyone of his stature.

Ultimately, it's because A Chuan values his reputation and is a little scared.

Damn it, what happened to the promised exploration technology, submarine technology, and sea control?!

For a moment, both A Chuan Yuebao fell silent. They could agree on dealing with Kang De and containing China, but when it came to implementation, they each had their own agendas.

A Chuan was afraid that Kang De, that scoundrel, might do something to damage his little boat.

And Yuebao...

Yuebao is even more terrified. The navy's budget is being cut every year, and a portion has to be diverted to maintain the Queen's yacht. The two aircraft carriers have been unable to achieve combat readiness for a long time. The situation was already bad enough. If they get another beating from Kang De, it will be even worse than the Four-Day War.

Moreover, since the ships he sent were sabotaged by Kang De, the Amerikkka certainly wouldn't stand up for him.

--Perhaps previous presidents could, but the current president certainly cannot.

After a moment's hesitation, Grand Secretary Yue said, "We must proceed with caution... We cannot send out the fleet at the outset, as this would arouse Kang De's absolute vigilance and hostility."

Trump asked, "So what do you suggest we do?"

"We can send in civilian salvage and exploration companies to investigate first."

At this point, Grand Secretary Yue revealed a playful expression. "Coincidentally, there's a perfect candidate in Britain, an experienced professional treasure hunter who's recently encountered a bit of a debt crisis and would probably be willing to return to his old ways—by the way, he has a strong connection with China; he really likes China, haha."

Trump asked, "Who is that?"

"Michael," the Prime Minister replied, "Michael Hatcher."

"Wait, this name seems familiar... I think I heard it when I was younger..."

"Yes, Mr. President, he was a very prominent figure decades ago."

Grand Secretary Yue gave a deep laugh, "I'll have someone contact him right away. Damn it, he really has a connection with China."

Meanwhile, in the azure sea, the Jiaolong mothership cleaved through the waves, leaving the West Africa coast and heading towards the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Kang De stood on the lookout tower, gazing into the distance, the telephone pressed to his ear.

"Hopefully, our Prime Minister will learn a lesson from this incident."

What a joke! Tripping me up and delaying delivery? Does he think I won't snatch it?

Qin Mengjin's laughter carried a hint of helplessness. Even now, she sometimes couldn't keep up with Kang De's thinking and was always amazed by Kang De unconventional methods, "Judging from the results, it should arouse the Prime Minister's curiosity, after all, your actions demonstrate your urgent need for these heavy machines."

Kang De glanced at the sky. "Next, their satellites will be aimed at this ship, and the Ansar's ships and all sorts of riffraff will flock here... The Atlantic Ocean is going to be lively."

Qin Mengjin hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Comrade Kang De."

"Um?"

"... It's nothing," Miss Qin said. "I hope everything goes well."

"Okay, once we reach the designated area, we'll begin operations—the big plan."

The Phase Gate opened in response. Kang De hung up the phone. The journey from Zhuerban to the Romanche Trench was a long one, so it was perfectly normal for him not to stay on the ship during the trip.

A radiant light flashed, Kang De returned to the other world from the White Mist World.

"Alright, now for the otherworldly part—first, we'll dig up some antiques to fool the British and Americans, then monitor the Council's submarines, and finally, we'll throw these heavy mining machines into the sea to scare those bastards to death!"

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PS1: Ugh, I started writing around 9 AM again today, and I'm still stuck. My mind is full of 2077. I keep thinking, "If I were the screenwriter, how would I design this part, that part, and that part of the plot?" I can't go on like this. I need to delete the game.