A Raw Deal

Cathay the arrival of the Chinese delegation, the entire Distant Harbor was filled with jubilation.

Although all factions are wary of the impending changes—after all, the Cathay faction has gained strong support, which could very well tilt the balance of power.

Ordinary people don't need to scheme and plot, because the Distant Harbor is in a period of rapid development with plenty of job opportunities, far from the point of frantic competition. Therefore, the people welcome the arrival of the Cathay delegation—after all, His Highness Kang De is from Cathayan, and the delegation are friends who have come to help.

They discussed it enthusiastically and looked forward to it; the topic of Cathay accounted for seven-tenths of the trending searches on Distant Harbor.

Due to misinformation and cultural differences, the title "Duke of Qin" was difficult for the common people of the Western Continent to understand. They interpreted it literally as His Highness Kang De's fiefdom being called "Qin."

"Homage to the Duke of Qin!"

The Cathayan, who had just finished a round of drinks, raised their glasses in the tavern and shouted in Common Tongue.

The patrons cheered, raising their beer bottles high, laughing and shouting with genuine joy.

"This means that Distant Harbor will gain another powerful ally. Cathay is an empire in the East, with territory, glory, and military strength similar to Twilight Moon. This is undoubtedly a signal of political goodwill. Three thousand people have arrived now, and more will follow! This is support from Your Highness's motherland!"

Throughout history, the Keynote Sector has always been a coveted part-time department for men, where they clamor about the political significance of the matter and the form of the alliance between Distant Harbor and Cathay.

"I say, His Highness Kang De accepted the investiture from the Empress of Cathay, doesn't that mean...?" The local from Distant Harbor put down his wine glass, "... that we are now all subjects of Cathay?"

"Really? I don't believe it."

Another Cathayan burped. He was a third-generation immigrant, and perhaps influenced by his family education, he harbored curiosity about his homeland and a longing to return to his roots. But to talk about loyalty to the court was truly a pipe dream. This black-haired Cathay descendant grinned and said, "What a heroic figure His Highness Kang De is! Look at those long titles and rewards; he's hardly an official being appointed as a subject..."

Fueled by alcohol, he counted on his fingers. "The Divine Luan Martial Dais Commander is equivalent to the Cabinet Minister of Armed Forces on the mainland; the Guardian Saint Mysterious Spirit Venerable National Preceptor is an honorary title of Royal Law Saint; the Hengshan Army Grand Commander refers to the marshal of a Royal Guard; there's also the honorary title of Special Grand Master of the Palace, and the Pillar of State is the most prestigious honorary title; plus the Duke of Qin... this Duke is a true Grand Duke title..."

"And the vice presidents of the Royal Alchemy Center and the Royal Mages Association..." The Cathayan, drawing on some books he'd read in his childhood, intimidated the barbarians of the Western Continent. He then glanced around arrogantly. "You tell me, bestowing so many titles all at once, is that really appointing subjects? That's clearly... clearly..."

He burst into laughter. "--It's clearly about finding a husband!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "That's right! That's right!"

They love hearing this.

Fueled by alcohol, the Cathayan stomped on his chair, waving his arms and shouting, "Our Duke of Qin is a peerless hero, a rare find in this world! The Cathay Empress wants to treat the Duke of Qin as a subject based on these titles? We are utterly unconvinced! The court's desire to rule Distant Harbor is wishful thinking, unless... unless the Empress herself marries the Duke of Qin, then we will acknowledge her as the Emperor!"

He burst into uncontrollable laughter as he finished speaking, throwing his head back and laughing wildly.

But the atmosphere became awkward, with very few polite laughs responding to him.

People looked at each other in bewilderment. A Goth man stood up and said, "You're mistaken. The Duke is clearly engaged to Princess Tina. He is marrying Princess Goth. The Duke and Princess Tina's children will inherit the great Duchy of Goethe, and have nothing to do with the Cathayan!"

"Wow, you really dare to say that."

A few pointed-eared elves sitting in the corner put down their wine glasses, and one of them exclaimed, "It's said that Princess Tina merely declared Prince Kang De to be her fiancé on her own. It's only because Prince Kang De is kind-hearted and considerate of the princess's reputation that he didn't deny it. But true love belongs to the supreme Phoenix King and Prince Kang De! His Highness and Our Emperor will rule the greatest kingdom in the Mortal World together!"

The Imperial man sitting at the next table turned around with a disgruntled look. "Speaking of love, it really is Lady Leona, isn't it? She and Prince Kang De met when they were both lowly and fought together in Valentan..."

"I actually think the relationship between General Nixiyasi and Prince Kang De is more legendary!"

Don't you think the Dragon Knight is better?

The signs of factional strife were already emerging, with people from different factions arguing amongst themselves. People from the Broken Isles silently clinked glasses, grimacing with displeasure, finding the world extremely noisy.

But no one noticed that the instigators of the argument in the tavern, who were each sticking to their own version of events, were quietly rolling up their sleeves while arguing, debating, and drinking to soothe their throats.

The transfer record of "work points + 0.5" on the screen made them smile secretly.

Then they continue to instigate new wars.

The bar owner watched the situation warily, signaling the waitresses to be extra careful. He encountered similar arguments almost every day, but he wasn't actually that worried.

His Highness Kang De brought wealth, abundance, and happiness to the city, but he also brought order, rules, and constraints. The punishment for drunken brawls is severe, and everyone has learned their lesson in the past few months.

Amid the arguing, a gentle female voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Attention all citizens, to celebrate the arrival of the Cathay Mission, a lively celebration will be held tonight at Distant Harbor. There will be a fireworks display, as well as free drinks and food. Please drink in moderation, maintain order, be kind, and enjoy the leisurely time after nightfall..."

After a brief silence, a huge cheer broke out of the tavern, and shouts of joy echoed outside.

The celebrations increase happiness; this game's mechanics are very realistic.

"Ah, that's great!" The previous partisan strife was gone, and someone exclaimed with delight, "It sounds like we'll be getting to eat some new, delicious stuff again."

People nodded repeatedly, indicating their approval.

The days of distributing instant noodles, sausages, and Biscuit biscuits throughout the city are long gone. After the city's order stabilized, the good deed of large-scale free food distribution never happened again, but the price of grain in the Distant Harbor has remained stable at a very low level, and making a living is no longer a problem.

There are also one or two celebrations and events each month, including awards for model workers, free food tastings, Europa Great Roulette Wheel of Fortune, and exciting events like "Double Work Points Week," which always make people look forward to them.

The food samples from the celebrations would soon appear on the shelves of the Friendship Store, available for workers and soldiers who were gradually developing a sense of pride and belonging to buy and enjoy – a privilege that was hard to resist.

Overall, the people of Distant Harbor are extremely satisfied with their current lives. They have no worries about food and clothing, are happy every day, and are constantly exposed to and enjoy new things.

The only inconvenience is that items exchanged with work points and military merit points cannot be bought or sold. Violators will be punished with points deductions and credit rating adjustments, or even lose their jobs and be sent to mine underground.

This regulation was enforced extremely thoroughly, showing absolutely no mercy. In the past three months, more than eighty people have been dealt with, and the matter was reported throughout the city. Anyone who had considered it was silenced by fear.

A construction worker who attempted to sell an electronic watch to an imperial merchant for fifty gold coins and absconded with the money was sentenced to five years of mining in the underground world. At the same time, he was stripped of all the benefits His Highness Kang De had granted him—those benefits would be deducted from his account in work points calculated according to the exchange rate, and the remaining work points would be his earnings, exchanged for metal currency at the official guide price, and given to his family.

At the same time, his family was declared unwelcome and immediately expelled from Distant Harbor, and was forbidden from ever appearing anywhere under His Highness Kang De's rule again. If the prisoner survived to leave the Underworld five years later, he would also be immediately expelled—the definition of expulsion was also explained to the entire Distant Harbor as a legal case.

In other words, any exile who sets foot on any location under His Highness Kang De's rule at any time, for any reason, will be immediately killed by patrol drones.

The triggering criteria for these typical cases seem far too Civilization and too lenient by the standards of the current judicial system in mainland China. Yet, this meticulous enforcement action, which even involves exchanging the prisoner's remaining work points for metal currency to give to his family who are about to be deported, instills a sense of quiet terror in every Distant Harbor.

No one doubts that this enforcement will be incomplete.

As for the Imperial merchant who knowingly violated the law and attempted to purchase the electronic watch privately, he was executed. The Brotherhood quickly uncovered the details of the merchant guild he belonged to, and the Traitor Suppression Society's ultimatum was promptly delivered.

--Distant Harbor demands 5,000 Solorin gold coins as a fine, to be prepared within ten days. Otherwise, the Traitor Suppression Society will take unlimited violent destruction, organized killing and plundering actions until the Suppressors of Rebellion believe that His Highness Kang De's dignity has been upheld.

After several months of rectification and intimidation, the city's awareness of secrecy and order have greatly increased. Although people may still take risks for profit, they will at least weigh the pros and cons and consider the consequences.

Why did Kang De do that?

First and foremost, it's about demonstrating authority and instructing the people, teaching them to obey the law and have reverence for it.

Secondly—damn it, those Earth goods are what I'm planning to use to absorb precious metals from all over the world and make a huge trade surplus. Who gave you troublemakers the right to disrupt market order, you bastards!

Ninety-five percent of the goods circulating on the black market today are deliberately released by Kang De to fleece people and raise pigs. Don't play hide-and-seek with artificial intelligence. Why can't you understand such a simple truth?

The effect was indeed remarkable. At least after so many vivid examples, the increasingly unruly public sentiment in the Distant Harbor was severely shaken. Although the black market prices for Earth goods were enough to tempt people to take risks, the simple-minded masses at least understood a simple truth.

Some money you can earn but don't live to spend.

After all, the Dragon of Cathay has no martial ethics; it always fights with both buyers and sellers.

As night fell, the celebration began, and people eagerly took to the streets, heading towards the various food stalls.

During periods of rapid development, people's hearts are easily swayed by external temptations. However, after several months of rectification and guidance, the people of Distant Harbor gradually calmed their restless minds and began to live a peaceful life.

It's a celebration, so just enjoy it.

"It's a celebration, just enjoy it."

In the camp set up for the Cathay mission, more than three thousand people who had traveled eastward arrived at the square. The streetlights illuminated the area, dispelling the darkness. They looked at the Duke of Qin on the platform, their faces still showing excitement and curiosity.

Joining the expedition and venturing eastward to a foreign land required immense determination and courage. They had already prepared for the worst regarding their experiences upon arriving in the Western Continent—but fate is unpredictable. Who the hell could have imagined that they would find life in this foreign land even more enjoyable than back home?

An hour ago, they had eaten the best noodles they had ever eaten in their lives.

They ate sweets if they wanted sweets, sours if they wanted sours, and spicy if they wanted spicys. These Cathayan, adrift at sea for nearly two months, eating Elven rations every day, were almost questioning their existence. They were pessimistic about the future, feeling they would never taste the flavors of home again in the Western Continent. But...

--Well, Kang De heard that someone almost drank a whole bottle of Ma Deuce a popular chili sauce brand) like it was a beverage.

The fifty-odd chefs who accompanied the delegation were invited into the kitchen. Looking at the steel stove, the mountain of ingredients, spices, pots and pans, and various kitchen utensils, they almost cried. They turned around and threw all the utensils they had brought into the warehouse.

"Gentlemen, I hope you all save your stomachs."

Kang De looked at the more than three thousand people below the stage and smiled, "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar? In Distant Harbor, I am the host, and since you are here, I must treat you to a meal."

Someone in the audience laughed and said, "Duke of Qin, the noodles are delicious! Just have that!"

Everyone burst into laughter, but no one denied it—they hadn't had noodles in a long time.

Kang De, holding the microphone, said, "The kind of noodles you're talking about have at least two hundred different flavors."

People stared wide-eyed.

"There will be other opportunities, everyone. There will be other opportunities to try them all. Of course, I hope you get tired of them soon, because there are many more delicious things than just this one."

Kang De breathed in the cool night air, his smile radiant, "For you all, Distant Harbor holds so much newness, so many mysteries, so much unknown. And for me, it holds the same for you. I long to learn of your talents, to utilize your strengths, and to fight alongside you, but that's for later. Tonight, I hope you enjoy this wonderful celebration, and allow me to fulfill my duty as host."

The crowd shouted in unison, "Duke of Qin, you flatter us!"

Kang De waved his hand in acknowledgment and continued, "That being said, I'm still unsure how to organize this welcome banquet tonight. Bringing out fine wine and meat, letting everyone eat and drink to their hearts' content, boasting, and getting drunk doesn't seem very interesting... So, I've come up with an idea."

He raised his hand and pointed to the city in the distance; the city lights were on, dusk was falling, and laughter and song filled the air.

"Go to the celebration," he smiled. "Let the city welcome you."

Broadcasts blared everywhere, drones soared overhead, and people attending the celebration stopped to listen.

"Gentlemen, I am Kang De."

"I am pleased to announce that our guests from Cathay will be joining us for the celebration. They will be arriving in the city center soon to share in tonight's joy."

"But as you all know, they are newly arrived guests, unfamiliar with everything in the Distant Harbor. Everything you take for granted—the ice cream stand, the Friendship Store, the street vendors—they know nothing about. These guests from the East will step into unfamiliar land with trepidation. I hope you can extend a hand of friendship to welcome and guide them into their new home."

"If we don't speak the same language, we can smile; if communication is difficult, we can make up for it with goodwill. We come from different races, but I believe that the qualities and behaviors that all Civilization peoples cherish—smiling, courtesy, friendliness, and helping—are enough to overcome language barriers and reach each other's hearts."

"Citizens of Distant Harbor, this is Kang De, and I hereby issue this appeal."

"In tonight's celebration, and even tomorrow and the day after, let us welcome our friends from the East with lasting smiles and firm handshakes. This is Distant Harbor, our home, and their future home... We have waited for them, and we welcome them."

Cars drove through the streets, their interior lights illuminating the faces inside. The Duke of Qin's speech, translated into Zhendan Language, resonated throughout the carriages to reassure them.

Zhang Li looked out the window and saw pedestrians smiling and waving at him. He quickly returned the gesture with a bow.

"That's a really wild idea... but it's actually kind of interesting." The young man shook his head and smiled.

Sitting next to him, Shen Maocai said in a low voice, "This will allow us to develop a sense of closeness to this city as quickly as possible... Why do I say it's wishful thinking?"

"No, I was just expressing my feelings."

Zhang Mianzhi gazed at the brightly lit city and sighed softly.

"You're really confident."

"What?"

"If tonight's experience is as perfect as Kang Jun imagined..." Zhang Mianzhi whispered, "Then without exaggeration, he is the holy king of this city."

Shen Maocai chuckled softly, "I think based on this statement alone, he is the one."

Where is the Holy King of Distant Harbor now?

"Hmph, did I disturb your time comforting those beauties from the East who came from afar?"

"No, no, that's not true."

"Snort!"

As night fell and the moonlight shone, the most powerful king in the world, dressed in a heavy cloak, leaned against the wall, looking at Kang De with displeasure.

Her smooth, flowing hair cascaded out from under her hood, and her beautiful yet spirited face seemed a little sullen. In short, her expression, tone of voice, and body language all conveyed the message of "come and coax me."

Kang De said sincerely, "They're not as beautiful as you, how could they possibly be so alluring to me?"

Dairila snapped, "How rude! Don't say that!"

Kang De bowed and scraped, "I was wrong, I was wrong."

The Phoenix King glared at him. "You're already a duke, one of the world's top nobles. You should have the bearing and pride of a nobleman, not put on this incompetent, sycophantic act!"

Kang De said solemnly, "I only act this way in front of you."

"..." Dairila took a deep breath, "Stop saying such strange things!"

--Ah, it's so easy to understand, so easy that even I can see it.

Kang De glanced at the Phoenix King's unconsciously upturned lips and chuckled inwardly.

The strategy guide the Parrot gave me was really useful several times! You're amazing!

Dairila's attitude softened noticeably, her voice even lowering slightly, but she was still clearly annoyed. "... Where are those Cathay women?"

Kang De waved his hand dismissively and said, "Let them go to the celebration. If they don't want to go, I'll just leave them at the camp."

Dairila stared at him, and seeing that Kang De wasn't lying, she nodded in satisfaction.

At the same time, A Fu's voice came through the earpiece. "Report! A Fu is in position!"

That energetic voice made you almost imagine your daughter standing at attention and saluting.

The obedient daughter reported, "Father, rest assured, I will definitely treat these Eastern ladies well!"

That's really reliable, A Fu.

After sending the Cathayan to participate in the celebration, Kang De met Wei Yunyuan and the others.

Tina's instructions and encouragement still echoed in his ears. The peerless beauties' eyes were sparkling and their charm was captivating, making Kang De's heart flutter. They did not want to go to crowded places. Kang De was considering whether to hold a banquet at the mountain villa or have a drink at the camp when he sensed Dairila flying in from afar.

--The culprit is Parrot!

After the meeting, that guy did indeed run away immediately.

Damn it, he actually snitched! That scoundrel...

Kang De could only offer a few perfunctory words, then made an excuse to run away, and then asked his good daughter to save the day—with A Fu's understanding and thoughtfulness, she would surely be able to coax these slightly disappointed older sisters into understanding.

Thinking this, he looked at Dairila and opened his mouth to say, "You..."

What brings you here?

--NO!

If Kant were to ask, "Why are you here?" Dairila would inevitably retort, "Aren't you happy to see me?" Kang De would immediately find himself in a passive position, thus falling into a trap that a wise man would avoid.

This is valuable experience.

He laughed and said, "Did you miss me?"

Dairila snorted, "You're just being presumptuous... I came to talk to you about something!"

Hmph, lying. It must have been that Parrot who told on you, so you flew all the way here.

He didn't point it out. "Let's go, I've prepared something delicious, let's eat first."

"Regarding the Arcane Council and the situation on the continent, the arrival of the Cathay delegation cannot be kept secret from the continental nations. Since you have clearly established contact with Cathay, the other nations will inevitably take action."

Dairila paused, then whispered, "So I've come to remind you of something."

"Thank you." Kang De took her hand. "You must be tired from flying all this way. Go and rest for a bit."

"I don't."

Dairila wrapped her arm around his back. "Isn't this a celebration? Come with me for a walk. I've never participated in a celebration like this before."

Kang De was surprised for a moment, but did not object, only smiling and saying, "You've been getting bolder and bolder lately."

"... It's all your fault." The Phoenix King clung to Kang De's arm, his voice trembling. "You're always doing disreputable things with our ancestors, and they're still using my name as a shield. I haven't done anything, yet your reputation has been tarnished. So if I don't do something..."

Her delicate face slowly pressed against Kang De's arm, and from an angle where Kang De couldn't see, her lips pouted.

"... I'd be at a huge disadvantage."