Say More!

How can you prove that you are you?

Faced with the soul-searching questions posed by the Dragon of Cathay, Anthony was speechless.

This is the consequence of inadequate intelligence work.

The Council's advisors devised this plan based on their preconceived notions and assumptions about Kang De. They believed that while Kang De was a cunning, ruthless, and cruel tyrant, he was also a respectable person who should possess the so-called "mentality of a strongman" and "the composure of a superior" in his words and actions.

Who knew that Kang De would suddenly unleash a flurry of wild punches at him?

Anthony took a deep breath.

"I don't need to prove to anyone that I am Anthony Syracuse," he said in a deep voice, "Because I came here not to curry favor with you or to ask for anything, but rather..."

Instead, I came as a father to see someone who had secretly entered her heart and was capable of helping her, for the safety and even happiness of my daughter, Nixiyasi. There was nothing else, because in Nixiyasi's absence, I had no other evidence or witnesses that could perfectly prove my identity, except for my love for her, which may not be perfect but truly exists.

--That's what Anthony was going to say.

But just as he was about to use his quick wit to defuse Kang De's predicament, the Dragon of Cathay shouted, "Guards! Seize the assassin!"

The door was flung open, and two three-meter-tall Doom Warriors strode in, carrying rotary machine guns. The eyes of their faceplates glowed with an evil red light, and the six tubes were aimed at Anthony, beginning to hum and spin—though they didn't know what those things were, they looked very dangerous!

Anthony exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness!"

Kang De shouted, "Take this bastard down!"

Several elves burst out from the back door and charged forward, while imperial officers and Council mages rushed out from the side doors to launch a pincer attack. The navies of the three major powers easily subdued Anthony.

Completely powerless to resist.

Although Mr. Anthony is a mid-level mage, the so-called classification of beginner, mid-level, and advanced levels is merely a set of professional titles established by the Council.

The so-called intermediate mage is simply someone who has proven that Anthony's magical reserves are sufficient, has published at least three papers in three categories related to the school of thought, possesses at least one certified and included improved or invented new spell, has a basic certificate in alchemy, potion making, and soul magic, and has an intermediate certificate in shaping and transformation.

In fact, that's all there is to Anthony.

For various reasons—mainly talent and money—he ended his studies and further education early, without continuing to study courses, publish papers, or obtain several spell patents. The high-level copying permission of the Great Library was not granted to him, and he had not received training in military spells or mage combat techniques. This is the difference between a folk mage and a spellcaster with Council background.

So, unsurprisingly, this mediocre guy was suppressed by the elites from the Twilight Moon Navy—not because he dared not resist, but because he was easily subdued before he could even consider whether or not to resist.

--This isn't right!

This shouldn't be happening!

Although the Council's advisors had presented him with numerous strategies and plans, the absurdity of being confronted by Kang De from the very beginning threw Anthony into a panic. His well-thought-out plan crumbled in fear, and he cried out, "Your Highness Kang De, I am truly Nixiyasi's father!"

"I'm still the Emperor's adopted father," Kang De waved his hand and said, "Throw him in jail, and notify the Azure Fleet to have Nixiyasi come and acknowledge him as her father."

"No!" Anthony cried, "Nixiyasi will prove my identity to you, but before she comes, I want to talk to you about something she will never tell you!"

Kang De raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it?"

The man swallowed hard. "She's in danger! She's in a very bad situation."

"Bullshit," Kang De sneered. "You were just yelling the same thing before, saying Nixiyasi was in danger and you were in a hurry to see me. But once you met me, you weren't in a hurry anymore, and you even had the nerve to give me a long explanation—why weren't you in a hurry? Either you're lying, or you're not her father. Which one are you?"

Anthony's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Neither! Neither! When I said Nixiyasi was in danger, I didn't mean her life was in immediate peril, but rather her current situation and what might happen to her in the future!"

A glint appeared in Kang De's eyes.

Rather than waiting for him to use words and prepared statements that he'd thought of all night to force a conversation with me, the information I get after intimidating him is more authentic.

It seems that Nixiyasi is not in mortal danger.

So, the trouble the admiral is facing must be the loss of command of the fleet. This is certainly not a spontaneous action by the generals, but an order from the Council. Moreover, it requires an officer to be parachuted in to lead everything. This should be the current situation of the Azure Fleet's command.

This suggests that the Council is already dissatisfied with Nixiyasi's passive attitude, which is one of the crises Nixiyasi faces. After all, a general in the field may disobey orders from the emperor.

As for this old Dior...

Kang De demanded, "What situation? What experience?"

Anthony sighed, turning to look at the menacing soldiers. "Could you ask them to step aside? What's next might..."

He hesitated, his eyes darting around, his expression uncertain, as if he had something difficult to say.

Kang De sneered inwardly.

--Just by looking at you sticking your butt out, I know what kind of poop you're about to take.

Nixiyasi refused to heed the Council's orders and didn't want to lead her army to seize the relics of Yilan-Tai'er. First, she couldn't bear to lose face; second, she cared about the lives of her soldiers; and finally, she upheld the honor of a soldier. Her reasons must be these three. I bet you, you scoundrel, came here to fool me, mostly to shift the blame onto me and force me to get close to Nixiyasi, saying that Nixiyasi is deeply in love with me, which is why she disobeyed orders, and so on.

Do you think I'd believe your nonsense? Ha!

You want my henchmen to stay away? Are you kidding me!

This ridiculous lie was meant to be heard by these underlings, so that they would once again be amazed and in awe of my reputation as a master of seduction and a love saint, and worship me!

Say a few more words to me!

With this in mind, he decided to have his cake and eat it too. "These are my most loyal warriors. I entrust them with the responsibility of safety and protection, and I place my hopes for victory on them. Therefore, there is no reason to hide anything from them—don't be sneaky, just say what you have to say!"

As expected, even the arrogant and self-important elves showed a look of emotion and excitement in their eyes, not to mention the navy of the Empire and the Council.

It wasn't that this method of winning people over was particularly effective; sometimes, the most important thing isn't the method, but status. These few words made these proud naval soldiers feel honored and excited because they were spoken by Kang De —if it were their direct superior, it would be a different story.

Because Kang De was a great leader, far away, powerful, mysterious, great, and benevolent, and because he was rarely seen in daily life, soldiers easily projected their awe and worship onto him, thus sanctifying him.

Therefore, Kang De's every word and action carried a tremendous charisma boost.

And your direct supervisor, whom you see every day, is definitely a jerk in everyone's eyes.

Anthony hesitated for a moment, then gave up.

He was stunned by Kang De's flurry of punches, and now he was being interrogated like a criminal, a far cry from the "father-in-law and son-in-law exchange" he had imagined. In addition, the Doom Warriors's power armor was truly terrifying, and its steel appearance reminded him of the shocking scene he had witnessed not long ago, where the Frozen Legion roamed the seas and spread frost. All these negative emotions piled up, causing him to lose his original judgment.

They were easily led by the nose by Kang De and gradually lost control.

He even overlooked something important—what he was about to say was easily overheard by the elves and imperials present.

"Nixiyasi refuses to obey the Council's orders..."

He spoke softly, trying to get the conversation back on track as quickly as possible, recalling the words he had memorized. "She offered various pieces of advice to the Starry Sky Council, strongly advocating against conflict with you. She listed numerous reasons, detailed the negative consequences and threats of conflict with you, and refused to carry out the orders."

"But the council has made up its mind and will not tolerate a front-line commander's disobedience. She has now been stripped of her command authority. However, considering the morale of the troops, the order to dismiss her and prosecute her has not yet been issued, but in my opinion, it is not far off..."

"Because she consistently refused to carry out orders, refused to rally and command the soldiers to Council, even though it was her only chance to redeem herself and avoid dismissal, she chose to refuse without hesitation, not even to put on a show... Do you know why?"

--Just as I suspected, Nixiyasi has been sidelined, Council seems to have other plans. Your arrival in the Azure Fleet is probably also the Council's doing, trying to use you to pressure and urge Nixiyasi to launch an offensive. But what's more interesting is, why did you come to find me?

There are only two possibilities.

First, you discovered the predicament your daughter was facing, and in a moment of paternal love, you risked everything to come to the Broken Isles for my help. Of course, this possibility has been ruled out.

That's the second possibility.

The Council you.

Oh, Moses Roy.

What Council you here for? To deliver a message? What do they want? Bringing up Nixiyasi is to say that she doesn't want to be my enemy because she likes me, right?

You think you can force-feed me this filthy liquor? Do you think someone as rational as me would believe your nonsense? Do you think someone with an iron will like me would be fooled by such false rhetoric?

"--Because of her, my daughter Nixiyasi has fallen in love with you."

"..."

Kang De's expression froze.

Good...

Good...

That feels so good!

At the same time, a thought struck Anthony as he looked at Kang De with a "helpless sigh."

It was a success! He was clearly in utter shock and disbelief, showing no sign of doubt whatsoever.

The next moment, he heard Kang De ask cryptically, "... What did you say?"

Anthony sighed. "Just as you heard, that's certainly true..."

"--Say it again."

"Ah?"

"I'm asking you to say it again."

"... I mean, my daughter Nixiyasi has fallen in love with you, so she refuses to fight, refuses to carry out the Council's orders, and refuses to be your enemy."

Anthony noticed the expression on Kang De's face.

At that moment, joy welled up in his heart.

Oh, oh, oh, oh, things are moving in a positive direction!

Because Kang De believed it!

The expression on his face—a mixture of confusion and joy, and the smug satisfaction that comes with youthful surprise—didn't seem like acting at all! He genuinely believed it!

Just then, Anthony heard Kang De's question.

His tone was somewhat disorganized and bewildered.

"This... sir, this is strange. I don't mean... you see, I mean, this is a bit sudden, and I... how should I put it..."

"I understand, Mr. Kang De. As a father, I feel both bittersweet and uneasy, but I am certain that because I raised her, I know my daughter."

Anthony said softly, "She was obedient and sensible, strong and introverted. I taught her to cherish and protect her purity, which she regarded as a strict prohibition against celibacy, so she always kept her distance from men. She had never had any emotional experience and never knew how to love someone... Her mother and I were worried about this until recently, until I came to the Azure Fleet, until I spoke to her."

"The moment I saw her, I knew she had someone in her heart."

These words were clearly fabricated, merely intended to persuade Kang De. There was no need to worry about being exposed; after all, a young girl's feelings are the most difficult to verify and the most ambiguous things in the world.

Anthony continued, "Just mentioning your name makes her smile involuntarily, her eyes sparkling like stars. I've never seen her like that before. You've entered her heart. She doesn't know how to love someone; she's never told you. She only gives silently, just like her mother..."

At this point, the man suddenly paused, a look of inexplicable confusion appearing on his face.

The change in expression vanished quickly.

He continued, "Just as she never told you, the hardships and difficulties she endured to be able to go to the Broken Isles and stand proudly before you, her life, her future, everything she had fought for so far, were all given up without hesitation, all for you..."

As he spoke, he looked at Kang De.

Perfect.

Kang De's reaction meant that his words had been trusted by the other party, and were even impacting his mind.

This can be seen from his barely suppressed emotions and anxious expression.

Kang De remained silent.

My heart, however, was burning with excitement.

Oh my god! I really want to ask who came up with all this sassy stuff! Did you come up with it yourself? Or Council help you come up with it? If it's the latter, I really want to know their name. I want to drag them here and make them brag for me!

Since his debut, Kang De has accomplished a great deal in the other world, becoming famous and achieving countless feats. He is feared, worshipped, revered, and feared by countless people. There are countless legends about him and stories about his deeds and achievements. Kang De was already tired of hearing those amazing stories.

This is so much more enjoyable!

Thinking this, Kang De cooperated by saying in a hoarse voice, "She... she never told me."

Anthony said softly, "She's been like this since she was little, never telling anyone, bearing it all alone."

Kang De whispered, "What can I do? What can I do for her? Why have you come?"

"... To be honest, I don't know, but as a father, I want my daughter to be happy. I don't know what it will take for her to be happy, but I know that she is not happy right now."

The man said in a low voice, "Aloof from her subordinates, neglected by her crew, and suspected by the Council, perhaps in the not-too-distant future, she will be dismissed and punished..."

Kang De said coldly, "I will not let that happen."

"Are you going to rescue her? Or put pressure on the Council?" Anthony shook his head. "She probably won't be happy. In her heart, she still upholds the oath and loyalty of a soldier..."

The Fire Thief perfectly timed his expression to show hesitation and dissatisfaction. "Then what should we do?"

"If I had known, I wouldn't have come to you for help... After all, as a father, I'm still somewhat upset about what happened to my daughter." Anthony gave a bitter smile. "I just hope that the legendary Dragon of Cathay of China, the man my daughter trusts, loves, and cherishes, will come up with a way that satisfies both sides, one that won't harm her and will make her happy, after all..."

He paused here, as if he wanted to say something more.

Kang De readily pressed for more information.

"After all..." the man sighed, "The Council dissatisfied with the Azure Fleet's progress and gave Nixiyasi a strict order, stipulating a mandatory catch quota. If the Azure Fleet cannot acquire enough within the stipulated time, the Council will strip her of all honors and military rank..."

Anthony sighed, "Given Nixiyasi's personality, she'll definitely ignore it. Once the deadline is over, she'll accept all punishment without question. Even if Your Highness wants to rescue her, she won't accept it... She's so proud, she wouldn't even confide in you or complain about her suffering, so how could she accept charity from her lover..."

--Kant 'Kang De pupils constricted.

Goodness!

He thought for a moment, then suddenly asked abruptly, "What quota Council set for the Azure Fleet?"

He then noticed that Anthony trembled slightly upon hearing those words. With the aid of the Time Acceleration Technique, Kang De easily discerned the subtle emotional shift in the other man's eyes.

Surprise, elation, caught off guard, unable to control oneself.

Understood.

This means they're trying to sell Nixiyasi to me, and for a good price.

Paying the bill with extraterrestrial matter...

But something's not right.

Nixiyasi is the commander of the Azure Fleet and a front-line main general. Her command skills and military prowess, which she displayed when she was besieged by the deep-sea beasts, left a deep impression on Kang De. The Council could not possibly be unaware of such a general's qualities. Even if there are many political animals in the Starry Sky Council, they should be able to see clearly and would not make the foolish suggestion of exchanging living people for dead resources.

Unless...

Unless extraterrestrial matter is more important to them than Nixiyasi.

I hadn't thought of this before, but now I suddenly want to exchange Nixiyasi for a large amount of extraterrestrial material, even going so far as to send her father over to mislead me. It's probably because... I urgently need it...

In a flash, intelligence information was linked together, the fog was dispelled, the puzzle was completed, and the truth was revealed.

The Council's submarine.

Secret operations at the Yilan-Tai'er Civilization ruins.

To unveil the mystery of this ancient Civilization... we need these three extraterrestrial substances.

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: I originally wanted to write this chapter about Kang De using PUA techniques to gradually win over Anthony, but after writing part of it I realized it was really weird and would damage my reputation, so I changed it.