I See You Understand Everything

The Distant Harbor was deep and tranquil under the night sky.

This city, which has attracted much attention in recent days, is enjoying its evening rest amidst the gentle Sound of the Tide. The shops along the street are softly lit, pedestrians occasionally stop to admire the view, and bursts of laughter occasionally emanate from the pubs on the street corners, interspersed with cheerful music. A screen has been erected in the huge square, and the shimmering images under the night sky reflect the focused faces of the people, while sweet broadcasts reach every household.

The many novel objects introduced to the city by His Highness Kang De are changing everyone's lives.

"Hello, two ice creams, one strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate, and the other..." The person speaking turned around and glanced at the shadow smiling and waving under the streetlight. She then laughed and said, "Same as me!"

"Okay, please scan the code."

The buyer pulled the pendant from her collar, still carrying a faint, sweet fragrance. The identification code on her ID tag was scanned successfully, and a cold, mechanical voice announced, "Comparison successful."

Pay, pick up the goods—the cold light of the mobile ice cream stand illuminated her focused face, attracting even the female worker in charge of the stall's attention.

Beautiful girls are rare, especially this one, whose temperament is truly exceptional.

Goth's rare blue curly hair was tied to one side and fell to his chest. His wine-red eyes were as beautiful as jewels. He stood straight, his shoulders, chest, waist, hips and legs were gathered in his trench coat and boots, the lines of which were exquisite and well-proportioned. Such a posture should belong to a soldier, but his beautiful face, which should have been cold, proud and unapproachable, now revealed a soft charm and a deeply hidden tragic beauty.

Stealing a few glances, the female chef met the wine-red eyes. Seeing the beautiful girl smile slightly, her heart skipped a beat, and she increased the pressure, scooping out a few more portions of ice cream.

"Thanks."

The beautiful girl took the ice cream cone wrapped in paper, nodded her thanks to the chef, then turned gracefully, ran a few steps, her boots stomping on the ground, her trench coat fluttering, and ran towards the person waiting under the streetlight.

The female driver squinted at the man waiting in the distance. He was wearing a hood, his face hidden in the light of the streetlamp, making him seem rather suspicious. But if he was this young lady's companion, it wouldn't be a problem. Judging from her appearance, they probably weren't a couple, and she was just treating him...

She muttered under her breath, "Pretty boy."

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, the female ice cream vendor shook her head, stared at the ice cream freezer in front of her for a while, then looked back at their retreating figures, her eyes flickering, and suddenly let out a snort.

She rolled up her sleeve, glanced at her watch, skillfully entered the information into the barcode scanner, and then scanned her ID card. The mechanical voice sounded again, "Comparison successful."

"Never mind," the female cook muttered, "I'll bring one for you too, you old pale-faced guy, tonight."

As she thought this, she glanced at the time again. There was still an hour and ten minutes until she finished get off work. Before leaving, she had to return the ice cream cart to the station, and then pick up another ice cream to take to her husband at home. This stuff melts easily, so she had to run home quickly...

The reason I'm scanning the code now is because I'm afraid I might hesitate for more than an hour and then change my mind.

"Did you hear what that female chef said?" Walking side by side in the night of Distant Harbor, a clear voice smiled and said, "She still thinks you're a gigolo who lives off women... You're not allowed to retaliate against her."

Kang De licked his ice cream and touched his face. "She has such good taste, why would she want revenge?"

Nixiyasi chuckled.

The Dragon of Cathay was much more interesting than she had imagined.

A cool night breeze blew from the sea, tossing her blue hair and swaying it gently against her beautiful profile. Nixiyasi smiled as she ate her refreshingly sweet ice cream, taking in the surrounding street scenes. The Distant Harbor every day; the city today was different from when she last visited.

What is that?

"A bus stop," Kang De explained, "Is a large vehicle that operates on a fixed route according to a timetable, connecting the Distant Harbor and the new town, providing commuters with transportation and recreational opportunities."

Nixiyasi immediately realized. "Ah, the railcar! Last year, the Tula Xiaye General Police Bureau approved the establishment of a company, allowing them to embed rails into the Tula Xiaye Vault Avenue, using two horses to pull the carriages. They are smoother and more comfortable than ordinary public carriages, and cheaper too, causing quite a stir..."

As she spoke, her tone gradually softened.

The craze for these railcars, which originated in Tula Xiaye, is spreading throughout the world. It's foreseeable that, just as the Council repeatedly led global trends, these railcars will soon become popular worldwide. She'd even heard rumors that the alchemical chariot Kang De drove Battle of Danfeng Lucerne greatly inspired some alchemy workshops, and many wise men were considering even more distant possibilities...

However, there are no tracks on the road in Distant Harbor.

She did not believe that Kang De established this so-called "bus stop" to operate ordinary horse-drawn carriages.

She had never seen Kang De use animal power.

"Is it the kind of car I rode in before?"

"It's much bigger. The one you rode in was called an off-road vehicle, which, as the name suggests, is used for off-road mobility and is mainly used by the military. Reliability is the top priority. Buses are quite different."

Just as I expected.

Nixiyasi envisioned the "bus" described by Kang De, capable of carrying at least thirty to fifty people, and even more if squeezed in. It must be a behemoth, and like all of Kang De's alchemical vehicles, it required no animal power, relying on a mysterious power source that was endless and tireless.

Miniaturization of the magic core.

She fell into deep thought and remained silent, as did Kang De.

After a long pause, Nixiyasi finally spoke softly, "After the railcars went into production, many public carriages in Tula Xiaye, whether large or small companies, or individual businesses, went bankrupt, were acquired, or went out of business. Even those that were barely surviving had to buy track usage licenses from the new company, and the usage fees were extremely high. If you wanted to lay your own tracks, you not only needed a police permit, but also had to pay exorbitant patent fees..."

She looked at Kang De: "If your bus service starts operating, the carriage companies in the Distant Harbor will probably go out of business, and countless people will lose their jobs and livelihoods."

Kang De smiled and said, "You're wrong."

Miss Du smiled gently, "I know you won't let them lose their livelihood..."

"... That's not what I meant," Kang De sighed. "The carriage companies in the Distant Harbor were actually finished long ago... because I wiped out the few that monopolized the industry, leaving them leaderless..."

"..."

Nixiyasi's eyes widened, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"As for what you said, that public buses will cause rickshaw pullers and rickshaw pullers like Xiangzi to lose their livelihoods, I have indeed thought about it. New things replacing old things and the evolution of public transportation is a natural process. It will not stop because of the opposition of vested interests. In fact, this evolutionary process will free up human and material resources. I will not stop just because a small number of people's livelihoods are affected. What should be done will always be done."

Kang De paused here and said softly, "However, even under the laws of nature, there is human compassion. If I've taken away their livelihood, I must give them another one; of course, I won't let them fend for themselves."

"All machinists in this industry have two choices: either take a severance package and then find another way to make a living. I can help recommend job opportunities. There are many opportunities in the Distant Harbor, and there's always work to be done. As long as you are diligent and willing to work, you will definitely earn more than driving a machinist's wheelbarrow or raising horses."

"Alternatively, you can directly enroll in the new transportation company's training program to learn how to drive modern vehicles. During the training, you'll receive a minimum living allowance. After completing the training, you can continue working for me. However, the training is very tough, the assessments are difficult, and there's no guarantee that you'll be selected."

Hearing this, Nixiyasi's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "Then I'll definitely choose the second one!"

Kang De shook his head and said, "No, more people would choose the first one."

The admiral asked in astonishment, "Why?"

"It's human nature, and there's nothing surprising about it." Kang De, however, wasn't surprised at all. "Not everyone is like you and me; they have their own concerns, their own lives."

"Ah... is that so...?"

Even Nixiyasi could sigh like that.

She looked at the pedestrians on the road. Several people in front of her had obviously drunk quite a bit. When they saw the admiral's tall and graceful figure and her aloof and dignified appearance, they were all stunned. Who doesn't love a beautiful woman?

Immediately, emboldened by alcohol, someone staggered a few steps and tried to strike up a conversation.

But then, one of his companions turned pale, took two steps forward, slapped him on the head, whispered a few words in his ear, and together with two other companions, dragged him away, covering his mouth.

Finally, he didn't forget to nod apologetically to Kang De and Nixiyasi.

The admiral asked curiously, "Did she recognize you, or me?"

Kang De's gaze was sharp; he could instantly discern the thoughts and expressions of the drunkards. "Neither. They are wary, not fearful, and their emotions are not directed towards us."

"Ah?"

"There are rules in the Distant Harbor," Kang De explained. "Drinking is not prohibited, but drunkenness and disorderly conduct are forbidden, and harassing women is an even more serious offense. Harassing women while intoxicated is punishable by both crimes, with the penalty doubled, and it can be extremely life-threatening."

The art of management is nothing more than a combination of kindness and strictness.

Kang De established the work point system and introduced a credit system, giving ordinary people the opportunity to quickly change their fate and strive for a better life. But this was not enough. In addition to bestowing favors, there also needed to be authority. The greatest authority was to let everyone know that what I can give you, I can certainly take back.

For example, if that guy did something outrageous, he'd be in big trouble.

Depending on the severity, minor offenses may result in deductions of work points, forced labor, reduced wages, and a negative impact on credit rating. Unless one manages to perform meritorious service to improve their rating, they will inevitably encounter obstacles in life.

And the most serious cases...

There is no rule of law in the Distant Harbor, Kang De does not respect human rights, the Redemption Mech, please.

Within days of announcing the new law, they made an example of someone, rectified the situation, and issued a notice. The monkeys saw the chicken that had been killed by the positron-powered cannon and were naturally filled with fear.

"Do you want them to fear the rules and laws more than they fear you?"

"Yes, this is the state I aspire to..."

Kang De shrugged. "I'd rather they did whatever they wanted, but never broke the rules."

Nixiyasi shook her head and said, "That kind of world is no different from the heavenly kingdom in mythology."

"You have to have some ambition, right?" the China man laughed. "If you have the ability, why not give it a try?"

Nixiyasi pursed her lips and remained silent.

She likes this kind of world.

In the past, when drunk people were attracted by her appearance and momentarily lost their minds, wanting to chat her up for fun, they would often be so frightened by her appearance that they would immediately beg for mercy after realizing it was her. But such fear was only of military law and her methods, not of the law, morality, or conscience.

The consequence of this is that when they encounter a high-ranking and powerful naval admiral Nixiyasi, they are terrified and beg for mercy, but if they encounter a weak and helpless young girl, then...

Kang De's laws and regulations were precisely designed to protect the weak who could not resist violence.

She recalled the family of five she had met during her last visit to Distant Harbor, and a tenderness welled up in her eyes. But this tenderness was quickly replaced by pain; that taciturn man was also a father.

At the time, the man was following his family of five, including Kang De. He told his family to go ahead while he stayed behind, silently confronting his pursuers until his family was completely out of sight.

It's like a mountain.

She was silent for a long while, then said softly, "Do you always side with the weak?"

Kang De replied, "No, I stand on the side of Truth."

What Truth?

"That's too much."

For example?

"For example, those who work hard get food, those who work harder get more, the weak aren't always right, the honest aren't bullied, exploiters are punished, idiots should all die, the stupid should be beaten, the bad should be killed... there are just too many examples."

"I've never seen anyone like you before," the admiral whispered. "And the world you're building... it's wonderful, I love it."

She stopped and looked at Kang De, her eyes filled with regret and sigh.

Kang De also stopped in his tracks.

"In that case," he said, "Then don't leave... You can see it get better with your own eyes, you can even make it better with your own hands."

Nixiyasi shook her head.

These past few days, Kang De has been avoiding her, but she has also been avoiding Kang De.

She decided to meet Kang De today because she had come to a realization.

She's leaving.

Now that the dream is over, why dwell on it, hesitate, or let it linger in your mind?

But tonight... the dream isn't over yet.

"I want to take him back to his Homecoming," Nixiyasi sighed softly. "Father deserves to be buried in his hometown."

Anthony's body was not delivered to the Council along with the fallen soldiers, after all, he was not a soldier. Nixiyasi stayed in the Broken Isles for a while, assisting the Distant Harbor in taking over the fleet, managing and pacifying the area, until everything was in place. Then she composed herself and requested to resign and return home.

As promised, Kang De would not prevent her from doing anything or going anywhere.

Kang De remained silent, lost in thought.

Arcane Council... and a battle between them is inevitable in the future.

If Nixiyasi goes back now, it's practically walking into a trap. After all, the Starry Sky Council has treated her terribly and is already feeling guilty. They're also convinced that she has an affair with them... so they're bound to do something.

He said, "I'll send someone with you so that you can return to your hometown to bury your uncle without a long journey."

Send people to set up the spatial coordinates in advance, or simply airdrop and warp there.

Nixiyasi refused, her gaze vacant, she whispered, "I want to walk the path he walked."

She seemed to have guessed Kang De's dilemma and smiled, "Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you."

Besides, we have no relation, and you don't need to worry about my life or death—these cold words had already crossed her mind several times, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to say them. Even though Kang De had rebuked her with even more harsh words, she couldn't even bring herself to retaliate in the slightest.

Or should we just go for it?

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she heard Kang De say calmly, "If you leave on your own and I don't receive any news from you, or if you simply disappear, I'll have no choice but to demand your return from the Council. If they can't hand you over, I'll assume you were harmed by them and they'll have to pay with their lives."

Nixiyasi's eyes widened.

The Cathayan in front of me innocently spread her hands. "Go ahead, the textbooks will say that the trigger for World War I was your disappearance, Nixiyasi Syracuse."

The admiral, who had been inexplicably placed at a historical crossroads, was stunned for a long time before suddenly laughing.

"What is this...?" she looked at Kang De, her tone complex, "You're waging war for me?"

"Given the diplomatic situation between the Distant Harbor and the Council, this war is probably inevitable, and it's not being started for your sake..." Kang De shook his head and said, "There are countless reasons to declare war, but I don't want to use yours."

This answer was truly unexpected. Nixiyasi froze, stunned for a moment, then exhaled incredulously, "You..."

Kang De raised an eyebrow and said, "Ah? You didn't know? I'm sorry, but given the current situation on the continent and the attitude of the Starry Sky Council, military conflict is probably inevitable. Of course, I will try my best to limit the intensity of the war..."

"..."

Nixiyasi covered her forehead; she found the situation very strange.

So much so that the courage she mustered tonight, the determination she made, the feeling and resolve to "indulge just this once," were all gradually distorted and crumbled in this delicate state of mind.

As if possessed, she asked, "If Distant Harbor Council, and I join the Council fight against you, what will you do? Kill me?"

Kang De thought for a moment, "My enemy is the Starry Sky Council, not the Council. The Starry Sky Council isn't worth your life, Council doesn't need your life. So I don't think you need to die for this, and I certainly won't watch you die. Therefore, before the war starts, I'll carry out a decapitation strike, bring you back, and lock you up..."

"..."

This answer is even more outrageous.

Nixiyasi's expression grew increasingly strange. "... And what happens after we lock him up?"

Kang De replied, "Of course, it's about persuading them to surrender."

"... What if I don't surrender?"

"No, you're a reasonable person. You're moved by the happy lives of strangers in the Distant Harbor. If I can make the common people in the Council live such good lives, it will surely move you and get you to join my cause... After all, that's the kind of person you are."

That's true.

--That's bullshit!

Don't you understand at all?!

Don't you know why I'm contacting you tonight?

Don't you know why I scheduled the meeting for the evening?

Why are you saying this?

It has to be said that Nixiyasi's mentality had completely collapsed. She stared at Kang De, her eyes flashing with a fierce light, her expression inscrutable. "... Why did you go to such lengths for me?"

"You yourself said that there are quite a few talented people like me who would be willing to come and serve you, right?"

Why go to such lengths?

Are you pitying me?

Faced with this relentless questioning, Kang De said apologetically, "Are you still bothered by my previous statement? I only meant to... well, it's hard to say now, you..."

Nixiyasi shouted, "Answer me!"

Why are you yelling so loudly!

Kang De frowned, but looking at Nixiyasi, whose eyes were fixed and waiting for an answer, he scratched his head.

"Do you remember what I meant by 'comrade'?"

He said softly, "Let the laborers be rewarded, let the honest not be deceived, let the exploiters cease to exist, let the virtues of honesty, diligence, and integrity be rewarded... This is the world I want, and it's the world you want. Then, we can become comrades."

"In this world, you possess rare military talent, but you are not unique. There are probably others more talented than you, but I'm not sure if they would become my comrades."

When their interests are threatened, when their interests are harmed, when the old order is challenged, will they still stand by my side? Where are my comrades? When I ask myself these questions, figures flash through my mind, and you are one of them.

"Of course I've done a lot for you, and I'm willing to do a lot for you. My motivation isn't guilt, but because I want your friendship and your promise. What I want isn't a naval admiral on the Council, but a commander who tirelessly works for the soldiers, sacrificing glory; it's that girl who stood here that day, gazing at that family of five with envy and a smile. She will definitely be my comrade."

"Yes, I was thinking, how wonderful it would be if she were my lesbian."

"She would go to such lengths for me, be utterly loyal to our cause, and spare no effort in fighting our common enemy, displaying military talent that amazes me. The Starry Sky Council is unworthy of such a renowned general, but I will not betray such loyalty... Without a doubt, I want you."

At this point, Kang De became somewhat embarrassed. "Why are you asking me this? Don't you have any self-awareness? You possess such talent, such character and loyalty, a shared vision with me, and you are such a beautiful, proud, strong, and confident woman..."

Nixiyasi, who had been standing there in a daze, suddenly snapped back to reality.

"... What did you say?"

"Huh? Hey! Didn't you hear me?! I risked being secretly recorded by some unfilial son to say this! Even so, I still said it for you!"

Nixiyasi said in a complicated tone, "So you still see me as a woman after all..."

"... Otherwise what?"

Do you have romantic feelings for me?

"Look at what you're saying," Kang De said frankly. "Who doesn't like a beautiful body, especially when this beautiful woman also possesses a great personality, amazing talent, and unwavering loyalty? I admire and respect her."

The admiral's daughter's expression changed several times.

She gritted her teeth.

"You seem to know everything to me."

Kondnick Young tilted his head. "Huh?"

"... What a big liar!"

Nixiyasi pounced like a mother leopard, embracing Kang De and kissing him.