The Degenerate Kang De

"Sir, may I ask your name?"

Shen Maocai, courtesy name Yunjie.

May I ask where the land of immortals is?

"I wouldn't dare; I'm from Feng County Yunzhou."

"I have not yet asked what knowledge you have acquired or what skills you have learned?"

"This junior scholar, having made little progress, studied the * Essentials of Talisman Artifacts *, learning the art of mechanical manipulation..."

After answering five or seven questions, his fellow townsman from Cathay sitting opposite him smiled slightly, pointed to a strange object on the table, and said gently, "Brother Shen, please take a look at this."

The object was about the size of a lamp, covered by a flawless, exquisitely crafted piece of glass. Its beautiful lines and striking industrial design drew attention. Shen Maocai looked at it curiously and asked, "What is this?"

The Cathay civil servant in charge of registration and filing chuckled, "A camera, it can capture Brother Shen's esteemed image."

Shen Maocai was taken aback, then exclaimed with delight, "Is it Duke of Qin's skillful hand? May I take a look?"

"Since Brother Shen is such a talent for crafting talismans, there will be opportunities to meet him in the future." The civil servant politely declined, pointing to the long queue behind him, "But many friends are waiting, you should set off now."

As soon as he finished speaking, another machine on the table hummed, and a metal plate, its last trace of warmth gone, was pushed out. The civil servant handed the metal plate, along with a book, to Shen Maocai.

"Brother Shen, please walk forward along the road, collect drinking water and food, then board the vehicle. Someone will be there to greet you and take you to your resting place."

The civil servant smiled warmly, "This is your identification card. Please keep it close to your body. It's not just proof of identity, but also proof of salary payment, purchase of internal goods, and work rating. Please keep it safe. As for this book, it contains local customs and His Highness Kang De... oh, now I should address him as Duke. In short, the Duke's rules, the situation in the Distant Harbor, and some common sense are all in this book."

He concluded, "Brother Shen, if you have the time, you must read more of it. The Duke's rules are quite different from those of Cathay."

"I understand, thank you for your guidance."

Shen Maocai, quick-witted and adept at social interaction, subtly slipped two gold ingots from his sleeve and placed them in the other man's hand, smiling as he said, "May I ask your name, sir? This is but a small token of my respect..."

"Brother Shen, please don't do this." The civil servant, seemingly unfazed, calmly shoved the gold ingot back into the hand. Before the other could speak, he explained, "This is also the rule of Distant Harbor... Duke of Qin is extremely generous in supporting his retainers, but he is also extremely strict in managing them. Favors and exchanges between Cathay are not permitted in Distant Harbor; they will all be treated as corruption."

"I accepted your gold ingot today. In a quarter of an hour at most, the Traitor Suppression Society will come to freeze my accounts, strip me of my official position and all benefits, and then send me to the Aberration Mining Area to mine crystals."

Shen Maocai blushed slightly and stammered, "Ah, this..."

"This is Distant Harbor. Duke of Qin values fairness above all else; the capable rise and the incompetent fall. That's excellent." The civil servant bowed and said, "Brother Shen, this way please. Wishing you a bright future and welcome to Distant Harbor."

Shen Maocai, carrying his identity tag and rulebook, and a small box, walked along the straight road.

The road beneath his feet was a single, hard, and smooth surface, seemingly coated with mortar, but it seemed even better than mortar... He wanted to squat down and examine it, but he knew it wasn't the right time. In short, his trip to the Western Continent had given him an unexpected surprise; this unfamiliar new world was full of wonder.

At a stall ahead, he received food and water. The people running the stall were probably a middle-aged couple, also from Cathayan. Judging from their hands and skin, they must have previously made a living by farming.

"Sir, the food is simple, please have something to eat for now. The camp has prepared a meal."

Their smiles and expressions were not awkward; though respectful, they were not obsequious. It was truly remarkable that a couple who had once made a living by farming possessed such a dignified and unyielding demeanor...

Shen Maocai accepted the "simple food and drink" and was surprised again. The food was in a transparent, thin bag that was neither paper nor cloth, while the water was in a bottle that was cool and crystal clear.

--crystal?

No, it's not hard enough, but it's supple and translucent, no ordinary item. A whole bottle of water could be contained in such an exquisite teapot... Duke of Qin has quite the clout!

He bid farewell to the couple and continued on his way, holding the bottle of water up and examining it closely. The more he looked at it, the more he liked it. It was so crystal clear, thin and flexible. Although it didn't feel smooth and lustrous, and the texture wasn't particularly special, it was rare and lightweight. It also felt extremely durable. It would be excellent as a portable water bottle.

"Brother Shen, over here!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Shen Maocai perked up, looked up, and smiled, "Brother Mianzhi!"

He saw his brother Mianzhi standing by the roadside ahead. The tall vehicle, like a giant beast, lay quietly by the roadside, its doors and windows made of large panes of transparent glass. A group of people were waving to him from the window.

"Alright, last one... Please get in the car, both of you!"

He followed his brother Shen onto the carriage, where he saw rows of seats on both sides. The carriage floor was made of fine steel, and the front seat had various strange objects such as a crossbar, a steering wheel, and a dial, which immediately attracted Shen Maocai's attention.

He couldn't move his legs, but Zhang Li dragged him to a seat in the fourth row, where he sat down.

The dozens of people on the bus looked around like curious children, then chatted and chuckled among themselves. After a while, two more people boarded the bus, dressed in uniforms and clearly from the Distant Harbor. Everyone then fell silent.

One of them sat down in the front row and started fiddling with the objects. Shen Maocai watched with envy and curiously peered over, but couldn't see clearly. The other person stood in the middle of the aisle and bowed to everyone.

"Greetings, sirs. My name is Han Mingxiu, a second-level staff member of the United Ministry of Unity of the Shogunate. I come from the Han family of Distant Harbor, and my patriarch, Han Zezheng, holds the position of Minister of Economy in this city. I am here to escort you to your lodgings. Welcome to Distant Harbor. If you encounter any confusion or difficulties along the way, please feel free to ask me."

Everyone returned the greeting, and then they saw Han Mingxiu press a few times on the wrist guard on his right arm. The slightly larger wrist guard then emitted a light, illuminating the other person's face—what was that?

"Please forgive me, everyone. This vehicle is responsible for picking up sixty-four people. I need to check in now."

As he spoke, he called out to the glowing wristband, "Brother Yu Zhaolong of Fengzhou!"

"I'm here!"

"Brother Li Jun from Cangzhou!"

"It is I."

As Mao answered this question, Shen Maocai asked in a low voice, "What is that?"

"I don't know," Zhang Li replied softly. "I'll ask later."

Shen Maocai nodded, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Brother Zhang, how are you feeling?"

"To be honest, it surprised me." Zhang Mianzhi thought for a moment and replied, "I observed the people from Distant Harbor who came to join the fun today closely. Everyone looked healthy and well-fed, with genuine smiles and lively movements. They seemed to be living a carefree and leisurely life. This is the kind of spirit and demeanor one would expect from the people of the nation's capital."

"And what about Duke of Qin?"

"Everyone can say nice things, but his words were simple and unpretentious, which was quite unexpected... However, we still need to observe carefully how Kang Jun governs and what his abilities are."

You still refuse to call him Duke.

"My name is Kang Jun, that's not impolite."

"You."

"This is just a minor detail... Brother Shen, have you discovered anything else?"

"Yes." Shen Maocai looked out the car window at the unfamiliar city. He knew for a considerable time to come that this would be his new home. He saw a straight street, its surface black; upon closer inspection, it was paved with countless small black pebbles. He murmured, "... Clean."

"What?"

"It's so clean, almost spotless," Shen Maocai replied. "That's very rare, very rare indeed."

They spoke in hushed tones until Han Mingxiu called out their names.

After answering, all sixty-four people finished counting. "Gentlemen, we are about to depart. The vehicle is now starting; there will be noise and vibration, please do not panic."

With a deep, rumbling sound, the giant beast beneath their feet awoke. The two felt the vehicle shake a few times before slowly moving forward. Someone excitedly shouted, "It's moving! Where are the horses?"

"No horses... this carriage doesn't seem to have any horses!"

Amidst the various discussions and praises, Shen Maocai turned his head. The straight and wide asphalt road was flat and clean, and large vehicles were parked along the dock, picking up one passenger after another.

"This... it's a work terminal issued to us civil servants by the Shogunate. It allows us to receive orders from our superiors in real time, check the progress of tasks, and access various data and information." Han Mingxiu pointed to his wristband, "It's a new model, and the name is rather strange, called 'Little Brother Boy'."

Shen Maocai was extremely eager to see it, but Shen Mingxiu politely declined.

"This is classified information; regulations forbid showing it to others... You all have bright futures ahead of you, and will soon be highly valued by the Duke, and then you'll have your own 'DD-Boy)..."

Shen Maocai felt it was a pity, but soon someone asked, "Why is this carriage without horses?"

Han Mingxiu laughed and said, "Animal power is only one of the sources of power. This chariot has other sources of power, so there are no horses."

Everyone understood; it must be some kind of ingenious design or mechanism. After all, Duke of Qin's skill in crafting weapons was said to be unparalleled. Someone sighed, "Using such heavy weapons to transport us... Duke of Qin."

Another person commented, "It is indeed a powerful weapon, used to transport soldiers. It can travel day and night without slowing down, truly demonstrating the importance of speed in warfare... Duke of Qin's ability is unparalleled in the world."

Upon hearing this, Han Mingxiu turned the knob, retrieved the confidentiality regulations from the logbook, checked them again, and then turned on the recording function before saying, "The soldiers won't ride in this vehicle."

The crowd's attention was drawn again. Han Mingxiu spoke eloquently, explaining that these receptionists from the Ministry of Unity had undergone half a month of training, and their task was to conduct united front work. The united front work began the moment these fellow villagers boarded the bus.

He explained, "In our Shogunate's military order, there are no soldiers who walk on two legs."

A martial arts expert exclaimed in surprise, "They're all riding in these horseless carriages?"

"Of course not," Han Mingxiu said with a smile. "Only the fourth and fifth rank new army and local garrison troops use these kinds of vehicles for mobility; they are called 'motorized troops'."

Everyone was sent to the Western Continent by the Empress. No matter how you look at it, their purpose was actually quite simple: to help Duke of Qin fight the war. Everyone was extremely focused on military matters, and upon hearing Han Mingxiu's explanation, they were all in an uproar—only fourth- or fifth-rank troops were riding in this?

The crowd became noisy, with some asking "What is a motorized force?", others asking "What are first, second, and third-tier strong armies like?", and still others asking "What do they use for transportation?"... and so on.

"Explaining motorized units is difficult, so I won't embarrass myself by doing so. But I can talk about the first, second, and third-tier elite units..."

Han Mingxiu said, "This third-tier elite force is the main force of the army. They are called 'mechanized troops.' They usually travel in sturdy, fast, and heavily armed tanks. When they encounter the enemy, they dismount and engage in combat using their tanks. They are incredibly formidable..."

"This second-tier elite army is naturally even stronger than the third-tier army. It is an elite force composed entirely of the best and brightest. In addition to traveling by tanks, it is sometimes also transported by air, making long-distance raids and covering thousands of miles a day is no problem... The Valentan Guards Army and the Greenskin Musket Corps are typical examples of this."

People listened with a sense of awe and wonder, and couldn't help but ask, "And what about the first-class?"

"The first-class elite army uses neither tanks nor aircraft. They are the elite of the elite, the aces of aces. They are issued battle group flags and wear powered armor. They don't even need mobile marches because they are the absolute direct subordinates of the Duke of Qin, fighting only according to the Duke of Qin orders. They arrive at the battlefield through hyperspace jumps. As long as the Duke of Qin's will is known, they can travel thousands of miles in an instant and fight countless battles. This is the battle group."

How incredibly cool, arrogant, and domineering!

Everyone was both surprised and suspicious, instinctively hesitant, but considering what they had seen yesterday and what they had witnessed today, it didn't seem unbelievable... After a brief silence, someone asked, "Then what class would we be?"

Everyone's expressions changed slightly.

The armored warriors who crossed the sea to the east were all outstanding, decisive, loyal, and brave men. They were confident in their martial prowess and believed they would become powerful allies of the Duke of Qin, but now...

Han Mingxiu glanced at DD-Boy again, then smiled and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need to worry about gains and losses. We are all heroes. Distant Harbor values fairness above all else; those with ability will rise to the top."

"As far as I know, you soldiers will be assigned to the Guards Training Regiment to learn next-generation tactics and concepts, and then be issued weapons and equipment to become a third-tier elite force. To be promoted to second-tier, or even to gain the Duke's favor and form a new battle group, will depend on your military achievements and performance."

It seems... not bad at all.

People fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. In the quiet, Zhang Li spoke gently, "So, Brother Han, the vehicle we're riding in is for the national economy and people's livelihood?"

"Yes, Brother Zhang, this is a civilian vehicle."

Zhang Mianzhi's eyes flickered as he turned to look at the wide avenue and the seemingly endless convoy of vehicles beside it. "This vehicle is for civilian use and has a huge passenger capacity. I see many vehicles even larger than this one... I'm afraid there are even some as small as horse-drawn carriages. If these horseless vehicles were used for civilian purposes, the drivers who make a living from them would probably lose their livelihoods... What would happen to those people?"

Han Mingxiu paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Their jobs are naturally gone, but the Duke has given them better ones... Brother Zhang, don't worry, Duke of Qin is the most benevolent person."

He cited another incident as evidence. "Did you know that a month ago, tens of thousands of farmers around the Distant Harbor lost their jobs? It was the Duke who did it."

In ancient society, agriculture was of paramount importance, and everyone stared wide-eyed.

"During the previous upheaval in Distant Harbor, some nobles hoarded grain and tried to starve the common people. Later, they gathered a crowd to plot against Duke of Qin, but Duke of Qin slaughtered them all. Naturally, all the land and property of those nobles went to Duke of Qin... Thousands of acres of fertile land around Distant Harbor now belong to Duke of Qin."

He gestured as he described, "Last month during the autumn harvest, I saw with my own eyes the enormous alchemical machines roaring forward. One round trip was equivalent to a family of eight working hard for a whole day to harvest. The fields around the Distant Harbor were flat and endless, and those alchemical machines swept across them, advancing straight in..."

"Harvesting, processing, threshing... the whole process is done by machines, a million times faster than farmers. I was stunned. I thought to myself, 'Oh no, the farmers have nothing to do.'"

"That's right. The farmers who worked for Duke of Qin were soon notified that they would not be hired to farm the following year, Distant Harbor would no longer need them to farm. Those who wanted to go elsewhere to farm could take a sum of money and move away, but once they chose this path, they would never have the opportunity to work for the Shogunate again. Those who wanted to continue making a living in Distant Harbor were to immediately report to the village committee—I think that's what it was called."

"Anyway, they were made to join vocational schools for farmers to become workers for initial training, so they could switch careers and become factory workers... Tsk, I don't know how many people cried and wailed back then."

Han Mingxiu shook her head, saying, "They don't understand. Even the dumbest and most useless person can become a miner. The hardest miner works easier and earns more than a farmer. No matter how you explain it, they just don't get it. They insist on continuing to farm..."

Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, as if they were listening to gibberish.

To be honest, if this happened in Cathay, and a landlord or official dismissed all the tenants at once, or ordered the farmers to stop farming, the imperial court would issue an edict to kill the entire family within three days. If the emperor did such a thing, all the ministers would rise up in rebellion. Not to mention being labeled a tyrant, they might even depose the emperor and install a new one.

But what Han Mingxiu said... is a bit strange.

After a long pause, someone asked in a low voice, "Why did Duke of Qin do this?"

Han Mingxiu thought for a moment, "Someone asked this question before, and Duke of Qin also answered it."

What did Duke of Qin say?

Han Mingxiu recalled, "'When I was fifteen, I went back to my hometown for vacation. During the busy farming season, I was forced to work for three or four days. From that moment on, I vowed to become a scientist, to promote agricultural mechanization and automation, and to make the profession of farmer disappear completely. Damn it, farming is not something a human being should do' -- that's what Duke of Qin said."

In the ensuing silence, someone burst into laughter.

Amidst cheerful laughter, Zhang Li's eyes gleamed, and as if to speak, he opened the rulebook, which recorded many of the rules, customs, and taboos of Distant Harbor.

He saw the first paragraph.

"There are no slaves or emperors in Distant Harbor, only us... us who create history."

Shen Maocai, meanwhile, was holding the bottle of mineral water, lost in thought—twice now, he thought.

Whether it was the Cathay farmers distributing food or the Cathay officials welcoming them, they all said the same thing— the Duke of Qin valued fairness above all else.

It seems that what they said is true.

He thought this to himself and smiled.

Did Kang De value fairness? It seems so, but there are always unfair aspects.

For example...

Before boarding the bus, every visitor from the east was given water and snacks, but Shen Maocai and his group could only drink Evergrande Spring or Ganten mineral water, and some even received Ice Dew.

And some people...

A low-key and elegant Toyota Coaster slowly moved forward, its interior filled with a pleasant fragrance, the scents of beautiful women mingling together. This was a group of female officials carefully selected by the Empress.

Wei Yunyuan toyed with the water bottle in her hand.

The bottle is crystal clear and smooth to the touch. The frosty patterns on the bottle are handcrafted from Swarovski crystals and precious metal coatings. The stopper is a sparkling crown with angel wings protecting the back. This is Fillico Kobe Natural Mineral Water from Japan, which costs more than two hundred US dollars per bottle, or more than one thousand yuan. It is also available in limited quantities every month.

This kind of luxury-style scarcity marketing tactic was naturally crushed by the nouveau riche who did whatever they wanted. Kang De bought 10,000 bottles in one go, almost clearing out all the inventory, and still at a 50% discount.

--After all, although he didn't know Japan, he did know the father of Japan.

So I got it easily.

The price was hearing A- A Chuan's roar, "Fuck you, do you have to come to me for such trivial things!?"

Normally, the ladies-in-waiting could only drink Nongfu Spring, or at most Kunlun Mountain, but after seeing them in person, Kang De became servile—he couldn't help it, they were too beautiful, their breasts too magnificent, their figures too perfect, their temperament too noble, their long, straight black hair too elegant, and they even smiled at him, hehehe.

So replacing Nongfu Spring with Fillico, which costs over a thousand yuan a bottle, was only natural. Although the young ladies were well-traveled in the palace, they rarely saw such exquisite items. The snack gift packs given to them were also sweet and colorful, and the whole car was filled with laughter.

After drifting at sea for nearly two months, the young woman exchanged bottles to see the differences, and carefully tasted many candies and desserts she had never seen before. Her beautiful eyes curved into crescents, and she was filled with joy. The anxiety she felt when she reached the shore had long been forgotten.

Wei Yunyuan frowned slightly.

The Duke of Qin casually bestowed such a precious treasure; judging from the grandeur of the Distant Harbor, he is likely a powerful ruler of his time, not particularly concerned with us, and probably not overly interested in beautiful women... How should I complete my mission?

But in any case, this is not the worst outcome.

The best-case scenario was that she would be taken directly into Duke of Qin's household; the worst-case scenario was that he would casually bestow her upon one of his subordinates. As for the current situation, it was probably slightly above average...

As she thought of this, she gripped the bottle and a faint smile appeared on her face.

Thank goodness.

Bearing the emperor's mandate, even if Duke of Qin were an old, ugly, rude, and domineering man, they would still offer everything without hesitation. But now, it seems the situation is much better.

No wonder everyone is so happy.

She hesitated for a moment, then gently shook her head. She should have stopped them from laughing and chatting and even quickly eating those overly sweet desserts... but let them have their fun first.

She thought of Kang De again, her other hand gripping the neckline of her plain white bodice, her cheeks flushing crimson... She had indeed looked, and stared at it for quite a while; His Majesty was right.

She gave a soft hum, turned her head away, and her fair neck stretched out like a swan, exuding a captivating charm.

Sound of the Tide Manor.

"Did you remember something happy?"

No, no.

"Then what are you laughing at?"

"That's a relieved smile after you've finished masturbating, a smile that says you've seen through everything!"

"--They just admitted it like that!?"

Kang De and the Parrot stared at each other for a moment, and the worldly-wise man couldn't help but whistle again.

The former Phoenix King sneered, "Look at your pathetic self."

Kang De retorted angrily, "What do you mean by 'that little bit of ambition'? Thirty-six of these stunning beauties have arrived at once, all trained and nurtured from a young age, and all possessing extraordinary qualities. Even in ancient times, let alone modern Earth, there wasn't such a lineup. What's wrong with me being happy?"

Malegith raised her middle finger. "Then how many will you call in tonight to serve you?"

Kang De waved his hand and said, "It's not that bad yet; it's not their turn for now."

"Oh," the Parrot snorted, "That's some serious bravado after you've finished masturbating."

Kang De did not retort. He paused for a moment, took two deep breaths, and said softly, "But speaking of which... Parrot, I seem to be a bit..."

The Parrot waited for him to speak, but the next moment, Dong Tianming and Hong San pushed open the door and entered, bowing to Kang De.

Kang De composed himself and nodded, saying, "Mr. Dong, congratulations on your reunion with an old friend."

"Thank you, my lord."

"The Cathay migration from China was indeed a rare and valuable force."

The Duke of Qin got into the swing of things. "It's a pity that time is too short and training isn't enough; they might not be able to make it in time for the upcoming war... Let's discuss how to settle them."