A Man Must Know When to Screw and When Not To

With engines roaring, a passenger plane sped down the long runway like a galloping horse, then took off and soared into the sky. Its steel wings swept across the heavens, heading towards the Distant Harbor.

The distinguished guest on the plane was named Anthony Syracuse.

The gentleman's face was almost pressed against the porthole. He had no time to marvel at this alchemical wonder that turned decay into magic and made mortals soar into the sky. He waved goodbye frantically, for no other reason than that someone on the airport runway was waving goodbye in his direction.

That man was Kang De, the Dragon of Cathay, one of the most powerful people in the world.

When the Broken Isles transformed into a chessboard of countless stars, the azure sea resembled a curtain, the sea and sky met at the horizon, and the distant sky was clear, and he was already high in the sky, Anthony finally stopped.

He slowly exhaled, calming his still agitated emotions.

That's right, he's heading to Distant Harbor.

At His Highness Kang De's suggestion, he did not return to the Azure Fleet, but went directly to the Distant Harbor, where he sent a message back to the Starry Sky Council.

Information proposing negotiations.

Talks on ceasing frontline fighting and conducting extraterrestrial material transactions.

In other words, Kang De, as the master of the Distant Harbor and the occupier and owner of the Broken Isles, proposed to initiate negotiations and invited high-ranking officials of the Arcane Council to the Distant Harbor to conduct official negotiations with Kang De's Shogunate ministers.

The conference topics included ending the armed conflict on the Broken Isles front, ransom prisoners, opening up the purchase of extraterrestrial materials, proposing scientific research cooperation, implementing intelligence sharing, and so on.

And in such ministerial-level meetings, he, Anthony Syracuse, was also among them.

It is truly an immense honor.

Anthony touched his chest; his powerful heart pounded, his emotions surging uncontrollably.

He has already reached a secret agreement with His Highness Kang De to act as a spy, to find out the Council's bottom line on transactions, and to lobby the Council for the benefit of Kang De and Distant Harbor.

In return, Kang De Highness Kant will grant him exclusive rights to several types of sugar products in the Council, and this is not a fixed reward; the reward will increase depending on the benefits he secures for the Distant Harbor.

... made a fortune.

I never expected this, I really never expected it.

Anthony's heart was pounding, and he couldn't stop smiling.

He was not unaware of the fame and power of the Dragon of Cathay, but seeing is believing. After hearing the news that his daughter might have some kind of relationship with Kang De, he was initially delighted, but then became doubtful.

After the Council's will reached him, he pondered for a long time—on one hand, there was the position of a senator on Senate periphery and the power and status that came with it; on the other hand, there were the benefits and advantages that his daughter could bring him by becoming the lover of the Dragon of Cathay. Which was more worth betting on?

The final conclusion is that the former is correct.

Regardless of the fact that his family, interests, and connections are all in the Arcane Council, the reputation, status, and power that Senate brings are also very real.

As for the daughter—regardless of whether Kang De and Nixiyasi actually had an affair, even if they did, there is a very, very, very real problem here.

Nixiyasi is her lover.

And they can only be lovers.

It is universally known that Kang De's legal fiancée is Princess Tina of Goth, and that the Dragon of Cathay defeated the Dusk Moon Dynasty for his lover. This has become the most talked-about love story of the year across the continent. Anthony does not believe that his pedantic, old-fashioned, and conventional daughter can defeat Princess Tina. Besides, even if a lover were to become a wife, it wouldn't be up to his daughter— the Phoenix King is still in line ahead of her.

The identity of the father-in-law of the Dragon of Cathay is indeed wonderful, but unfortunately, the only beneficiary of this wonderful identity for the time being is Archduke Goth. In contrast, whether the identity of "the lover's father" can be considered a father-in-law in the legal sense is still a question worth discussing. And how much benefit one can gain from this title depends on Kang De's conscience and Nixiyasi's methods of consolidating favor— Anthony is extremely pessimistic about this.

And there's another issue: love has an expiration date.

If Kang De gets tired of it and the novelty wears off, then Anthony's position will become even more awkward.

Therefore, rather than relying on his daughter's beauty to rise to power and hoping for the charity of the Dragon of Cathay, the real position of a member of the Arcane Council is much more attractive. Although it is only an outer member of the Senate, it is still a position in the power hierarchy of this mage kingdom, enough for him to lead his family to a leap forward.

After all, given this "countryside sorcerer's" somewhat limited sources of information and slightly narrow perspective, even if Kang De possessed the power of Forbidden Spell, he was nothing more than a powerful spellcaster with superb alchemical skills.

The Arcane Council, a kingdom of mages, has enjoyed a glorious history for centuries. It is the guardian of the world, the last hope for all spellcasters. With its vast territory and powerful army, it attracts people from all over the world with magical talent through its openness, inclusiveness, thirst for knowledge, and pursuit of Truth, to join together in forging the glory of the mage kingdom...

The answer is obvious.

Of course, it's about showing loyalty to the Council.

But not long before, after meeting Kang De, he glued his broken cane back together.

A terrifying army equipped with powerful alchemical armor, steel wings roaming the skies, giant steel warships resembling the mounts of gods, the loyalty and following of proud elves, and rare delicacies that could set off a global buying frenzy but were scorned... In a short time, he updated his understanding of Kang De.

He is incredibly wealthy and powerful, yet has no interest in power. He is face-blind and has many seemingly unrealistic goals. He claims to be an ordinary person from an ordinary family.

Of course, that's not the point.

The key point is that Kang De cared deeply for Nixiyasi and valued her highly, even going so far as to be willing to give up these precious extraterrestrial materials to redeem Nixiyasi.

The goodwill and attempts to win over the Dragon of Cathay filled Anthony with immense joy.

He realized he had been too conservative.

The Council members promised that the benefits of being Kang De's father-in-law were not a choice.

He can have it all.

In other words, he could act as a double agent, mediating between the Council and Kang De, ensuring both sides got what they wanted. Meanwhile, he could become a member of the Council, with the Dragon of Cathay providing remote support from the Distant Harbor, holding the exclusive monopoly on sugar products. With immense power in his hands, he could make a fortune every day. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

--Praise the Council! Praise Kang De!

His heart was burning with excitement when he suddenly heard the cabin intercom. "Hello? This is Kang De."

Anthony jolted awake, trying to jump up, only to find himself firmly strapped into his seat. He frantically unbuckled the belt and called out, "Hello, Your Kang De!"

The Cathayan laughed and asked, "Uncle, how was the flight experience?"

Anthony immediately exclaimed, "Praise be to you, Your Highness! Your alchemical achievements are unparalleled!"

"Have a pleasant journey. When your plane arrives at the Distant Harbor, officials will be there to greet you. Please inform the Council immediately; I look forward to the upcoming ministerial meeting."

Kang De, his tone now meaningful, continued, "The friendly relations between Distant Harbor and the Arcane Council depend entirely on your mediation, Mr. Anthony."

After patiently listening to Anthony's suppressed, enthusiastic flattery, Kang De chatted with him for a few more minutes before finally ending the call. He fiddled with the communicator in his hand and suddenly laughed.

"Interesting... Talk, analyze, think, then discern the target's desires, guide his ambition, tickle his itch, offer him a bargaining chip he can't refuse, then expose the ugly side of the greedy, strip the depraved of their morals, and make the hesitant anxious and uncertain."

"Thus, the wicked scramble for the bones, and despicable, vicious, shameless, and evil pour forth like a torrent. As malice grows and evil flourishes, the veil is lifted, allowing the sun's rays to shine and cleanse the wicked sins. The degenerate who have abandoned their principles and trampled on morality will lose everything. Their expressions of ecstasy will turn from blank to distorted, and they will wail and curse, but they will still gain nothing... How interesting! Playing with villains is so much fun."

He turned to look at the Parrot that had strolled up to him and said, "Does what I'm saying sound just like you powerful, high-ranking emperors and monarchs...? Hey, what kind of look is that?"

The Parrot shrugged, spouting American English with a perfect imitation of a Black person. "I don't know, bro, I don't know, I just think you fucking have something wrong with you?"

"... How is there a problem? Isn't this how you feudal monarchs operate?"

"I've never seen you so skilled."

The Parrot asked in bewilderment, "If you're so capable, how come you're still a virgin?"

"What's wrong with virgins?" Kang De retorted angrily, "Did virgins drink your milk?"

"Pah!" The Parrot raised its middle finger. "I mean, why don't you use your tricks to get women?"

"Why would I use it?" Kang De frowned. "The women who can be swayed by this are either on the beach or Sina Hot Search. They're already on the beach or Sina Hot Search, so why would I use it?"

"..."

That makes so much sense, I'm speechless.

The Parrot persisted, saying, "Well... good women should be able to use it too, right? You mentioned there are many victims of PUA, and you seem quite envious and jealous."

Kang De replied, "If I used this method on a good woman, I wouldn't be human. A true man knows what to do and what not to do."

"..."

The Parrot looked somewhat confused.

Kang De waved his hand in front of her face. "What are you thinking about?"

Malegith said in a complicated tone, "I don't know which floor you're on right now."

She shook her head, deciding to end this tangled topic. "So, what are your plans? To send those three types of Yilan-Tai'er substances to the Arcane Council?"

"Why not?" Kang De spread his hands. "Although the Council's submarines are under our surveillance, we still don't know what they're up to. They seem to have special intelligence channels; either they've found some ancient texts or archaeological guides, or, to be more radical, they've made contact with the remnants of Yilan-Tai'er."

"In other words, they possess special skills for archaeological decryption, and these skills and secrets are beyond our reach—neither military threats, diplomatic pressure, nor espionage can achieve this, unless I directly drain the Grand Chancellor's power with the Power of the Fire Thief... In that case, we have no choice but to deceive them."

He held up a finger. "The Council might need these three substances to unseal the Yilan-Tai'er Ruins, so I'll give them to them. Since they're so eager for them, I'll just raise the price and rip them off. Once they've unlocked the ruins with these substances, we'll come back and reap the rewards, giving them a real thrashing."

The Parrot frowned, deep in thought.

"I understand what you're saying," she said slowly, "But there are risks involved."

What risks?

Malegith replied, "For example, what if your interception attempt fails, Council seizes control of the Yilan-Tai'er ruins first? Or what if there really are Yilan-Tai'er's remnants inside, whom we've deduced, who have been rescued by the Council and voluntarily Arcane Council? If you want to intercept them, are you going to use force to take them away directly? That would be a losing proposition, not a worthwhile deal at all."

Kang De laughed and said, "So what? It's a good thing."

The Parrot was taken aback.

"If there are indeed remnants of the old Yilan-Tai'er within, then they were sealed and imprisoned by the Star Palace, and their blood feud is irreconcilable. Once they are freed, they will inevitably become important allies in our fight against the Star Palace. Even if they are grateful for the Council's rescue and voluntarily join them, there will be a day when they fight alongside us."

The Fire Thief gazed at the sky, then looked at the Parrot and smiled knowingly.

"Therefore, there's not much difference. Whether it 'Council or us, we'll one day fight side by side against the extraterrestrials. Even if the Council obtains the essence of the Civilization of Yilan-Tai'er, it only adds to the power of the Mortal World. At this moment, rescuing Yilan-Tai'er is the most important matter; who benefits is secondary."

The Parrot paused for a moment, then said, "Then you should go directly to the Council, be straightforward, expose their underhanded tactics, and negotiate a 50/50 split in exchange for the relics' materials."

Kang De rolled his eyes and said, "Why should I? Those bastards have a grudge against me, and they want to make a fortune behind my back. They even dared to steal my things. Why should I split it with them? Of course, I'll see if I can cheat them first."

"... cut."

The Parrot snorted, "In the end, it 'Council, and you'll miss out on the essence of the Yilan-Tai'er Civilization. Let's see how you cry then."

"Whether there are any survivors is another matter. Even if there are, we still have you, don't we?" Kang De smiled. "With your wisdom and ability, coupled with the assistance of the Paradox Element and the support of Earth's technology, our development and application of those three substances may not be much worse than that of the Yilan-Tai'er Civilization. I believe in you."

Malegith rolled her eyes at him, then remained silent for a few seconds.

Then, she gave a lonely, bitter smile.

"Unbelievable," the former Phoenix King said slowly. "Back then, I proposed that all races put aside their prejudices, unite, and resolve the millennia-old grudges, calling on Mortal World beings to work together. Yet, in this second life, countless years later, when it comes to the big picture, I'm actually less insightful than you... I really have changed..."

Just then, a warm hand covered her shoulder.

"That's because of me."

The Parrot looked up in surprise.

Kang De smiled and said, "Back then, you devoted yourself to the safety of the elves and even the Mortal World, so of course you had a broad perspective. But now, you view problems from my point of view, considering my gains and losses. Of course, you don't want to see me suffer losses, nor do you want my enemies to benefit... Perhaps you have truly changed, but I like this change very much and am very grateful for it."

"As for the bigger picture, you can leave it to me. After all, I am the one who will be the Fire Thief this time."

He said softly, "You can think about whatever you want, without any more burdens in your heart, Malegith. You don't need to fight anymore. Your mission and responsibility ended a long, long time ago. You can try living for yourself..."

The once peerless and Mortal World Phoenix King Malegith stood before Kang De, gazing blankly at the current Fire Thief.

She had known him for less than two years, yet they were already very close friends. She knew almost all of his secrets, and their fates were even strangely intertwined... He was her beacon in her return to the Mortal World, a lighthouse that kept her from getting lost in the new world, a former loser.

Now, he stands before her, comforting her, reassuring her, and urging her to break free from the regret of failure and the curse of responsibility, for he will take on new burdens.

The stunningly beautiful elf smiled radiantly.

She reached out her hand.

Uppercut.

The skillfully executed strike caused no pain, yet sent the Fire Thief flying. The Rozan Rising Dragon, accompanied by the roar of the previous Phoenix King, howled across the empty, Broken Isles.

"You bastard!" she roared, "How dare you manipulate me! You have such audacity!"

Kang De's parabola landed, then he glided off the runway in a graceful, sloping motion.

He sat on the ground, unable to find the direction where the Parrot had disappeared, and scratched his head blankly. "Huh?"

In short, Anthony arrived at the Distant Harbor.

They contacted the Council consul stationed in the Distant Harbor and sent this important intelligence back to Tula Xiaye.

Kang De proposed a negotiation.

The negotiations stipulated an end to the idiotic conflict taking place in the Broken Isles, the return of prisoners by Distant Harbor, and the opening of the export of three extraterrestrial substances to the Arcane Council. The Council's research institutions were also permitted to join research projects on extraterrestrial substances and Paradox Element, sharing the results.

In return, the Council had to pay a ransom, apologize, and exchange the three extraterrestrial substances for barter and human resources, using magical artifacts, laborers, slaves, scientific researchers, and arcane talents. They also had to sign a trade agreement with the Distant Harbor and open up trade.

However, both sides tacitly agreed that one important condition was not openly discussed: the fate of the Azure Fleet Commander Nixiyasi... The Council not possibly accept that they were using a high-ranking general as a bargaining chip, as this would easily destabilize the army and cause rumors.

Kang De also agreed to this tacit proposal.

This was Council's think tank as... being afraid of one's wife.

In short, the Council's negotiators set off urgently for the Distant Harbor, while the Shogunate's senior retainers were also on high alert. Putting aside the issue of Nixiyasi, the other conditions were also extremely important. This was the first negotiation between the Kang De Shogunate as a political organization and one of the world's great powers, which not only concerned the future development of the Distant Harbor but also the Shogunate's reputation—they wanted to make their voice heard in the world.

One of the parties involved in all of this, the Azure Fleet Commander Nixiyasi, the admiral who was put on the shelf, betrayed by her family, and abandoned by her country, remains completely unaware of it all.

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PS1: Update... Ah, I saw the news today, and it seems the Poland company SmartDonkey is facing some internal and external difficulties. Oh well, it's none of my business. I'm actually quite pessimistic about whether they can fulfill their promises in future updates, given that they're a small company.