Song and Dance

Kang De.

Immanuel Kang De, the Earthling.

I am very moved and very happy.

As a young man born under the Hongqi and educated in modern times, he felt not only joy but also unease, wondering if it was really okay to feel this good.

There was even a hint of shame about betrayal and depravity.

He could even faintly hear auditory hallucinations of "Fuck you, you betrayed the XX class."

--Although I feel like this might not be the right thing to do, it's just so awesome.

Kang De narrowed his eyes as he listened to the silvery laughter that filled his ears.

A gentle breeze blows, cool and refreshing. Waves crash against the cliffs, and the coastline stretches out in the distance, with a long, narrow private beach. The sea breeze rustles through the trees, causing the leaves to sway gently.

The gentle lights illuminated the night and reflected the magnificent manor.

This luxurious villa, built in the style of the Holy Empire's Renaissance era, is named "The Sound of the Tide" because its coastline is always echoed with the Sound of the Tide of waves crashing against the shore. It has ninety rooms and is extremely magnificent. It is a landmark of the Distant Harbor and is very famous in Goth and even the Empire.

It originally belonged to the great Tinston Family, the wealthy and courageous Oakheart family, who controlled the log business throughout the entire Azure Waves Province and were a long-established and powerful family in Distant Harbor.

But this ancient and honorable family was wiped out by the wrath of the Dragon of Cathay for colluding with the empire and instigating unrest against Kang De.

The nobles and their henchmen were all killed, and the vacated land and property were naturally confiscated by the righteous Kang De.

In order to better condemn these decadent feudal nobles, Kang De had to delve into the extravagance of these landowners, which forced him to stay in and experience firsthand the magnificent and luxurious life of these manor houses.

To be honest, it's not that complicated.

In terms of comfort, while the manor rooms are beautifully decorated and designed, and the furniture and antiques are quite valuable, that's about it, and they also undergo troublesome modernizations—in any case, they can't compare to the presidential suites of some top luxury hotels.

Not to mention that Building 18 of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse has basically become Kang De's semi-permanent residence in the capital. It is the most top-notch hotel in the country and even the world. In terms of design, service and furniture, it is far superior to the Sound of the Tide Manor.

--But Sound of the Tide Manor has a huge advantage that Diaoyutai does not.

Kang De swirled his clear, low-spherical glass, squinting his eyes, seemingly slightly tipsy.

The cup has a thick base and solid walls. It feels cold and hard to the touch, exuding masculinity. The walls are engraved with rose patterns, and amber liquid fills the cup. As Kang De shakes the cup, it gently ripples, and a few ice cubes drift into it, releasing cold air and coating the liquid with a layer of amber-like crystalline luster.

A faint smile played on his lips as he raised his glass in a toast to the metallic face not far away. Dairila, dressed as Parrot, was nervously talking to Tina when she saw this. She glared at Kang De with a fierce look, though one could imagine the cuteness beneath her mask.

Kang De chuckled, then took an elegant sip of the cool, amber-colored liquid.

Ah, Uni-President Iced Tea is definitely better than Master Kang's.

He put down his cup, looked around, and felt a sense of contentment and satisfaction.

Lots of pretty girls!

On the green lawn outside the Sound of the Tide Manor, groups of women strolled together, some lingering over the fancy dishes on the long dining table, others munching on a piece of cream cake with their eyes slightly closed.

After Kang De moved into the Sound of the Tide Manor, his first action was to dismiss all the original servants and maids, allowing them to become commoners and undergo the necessary reforms and work. The guards and housekeeping duties at the Sound of the Tide Manor were then handled by male and female guards selected by the Valentan Guards Regiment.

This casual arrangement continued until Tina arrived, and Princess Goth came to Distant Harbor, bringing her own maids. These well-trained girls quickly transformed Sound of the Tide Manor —and then Leona's maids, which led to a growing number of guests at the Sound of the Tide Manor.

Due to the immense popularity of the movie "Dragon Knight," Dragon Island's stance gradually shifted, and two Faerie Dragons were dispatched to the Distant Harbor as magical advisors. They were Lily's few close friends.

The cooperation agreement with the Brotherhood also brought in a highly skilled team of assassins. A female master assassin led fifteen female assassins to the Sound of the Tide Manor to supplement security.

--The number of beautiful women has increased!

Not only that.

With Kang De's two children starting to compete, A Fu used her gender advantage to take over the security work at the Sound of the Tide Manor and get rid of the foolish Onissan.

The sweet little girl immediately started contributing to her father's happy life as soon as she stepped onto the stage.

Before Kang De could even reveal his intentions, A Fu began to push forward with the plan to "fill the Sound of the Tide Manor with beautiful, proper, and loyal girls."

We strive to make these waitresses feel as if they are actually there.

Especially after Kang De expressed the idea of "selecting female officials from the Broken Isles and the mountain forces of Yilan-Tai'er to appease the people," A Fu immediately sent over a hundred candidates, almost all of whom were Kang De's favorite type.

All these factors combined to create tonight's spectacular event.

Kang De found himself surrounded by immense happiness, with beautiful women all around him, and not a single man besides himself. Among the many gazes directed at him were deep, ocean-like love, as well as admiration and worship, or a mixture of shyness and tenderness.

At the very least, it's curiosity, respect, or even awe.

Wow, that feels great!

This must be what they call a harem!

This unreal sense of happiness!

The satisfaction of being surrounded by beautiful girls!

Help! What should I do if I've been corrupted by the extravagance, backwardness, and decadence of the feudal landlord class?

Of course... we should lick the sugar-coated bullets clean first!

Kang De, an earthling, was infinitely satisfied at that moment.

He looked up at the moonlight, a mysterious smile on his face.

Engineer Kang, did you see that?

Have you seen how your son is doing now?

--This is a field you'll never even dream of touching in your entire life!

Hahaha, you pathetic henpecked old man! You're a terrible example for your son, setting a bad example for him! You can only fantasize about those shady thoughts in your dreams!

Every time you go to Africa, you fill your 4TB hard drive with new Japan adult films! You even make me download and transfer them for you! Then I accidentally saw the novel you were secretly writing in Africa out of sheer boredom! Hahahaha, you don't need to blackmail me for New Year's money with that kind of stuff anymore!

So, how should this nuclear weapon be used?

How can I possibly repay your kindness in reading my essay aloud in front of my entire family and relatives twelve years, nine months, seven days, eleven hours, and forty-six minutes ago?

--On another note, I've told you to read less online novels! If you read less of that nonsense, you won't have those delusional fantasies about harems. Why don't you understand such a simple truth!

Kang De's mind wandered, and a mysterious, sinister smile appeared on his face.

Let's just detonate this nuclear bomb during the Lunar New Year!

Then he heard a low gasp of alarm.

Looking up, he saw a stunningly beautiful woman in white, her skirt swaying gently, standing there, gazing at Kang De with a hesitant expression.

It's Miss Wei Yunyuan, the one with the highest "car headlight configuration" among the thirty-six female officials.

After Kang De brought Dairila to the Sound of the Tide Manor, Tina, acting as if nothing had happened, suggested holding a small banquet and advised Kang De to invite the Cathay ladies from the camp.

Then the girls arrived.

The beautiful and intelligent young women from the East changed out of the gorgeous palace gowns they wore when they disembarked and into simple, understated everyday dresses before arriving by carriage.

After all, it was Duke of Qin who invited them to the Duke's mansion. If they dressed up in flamboyant clothes and competed with each other for beauty, it would be like showing off to the ladies of the mansion. The girls who came from the east knew the importance of keeping a low profile since their foundation was not stable. Therefore, they kept their clothes, accessories and makeup as low-key as possible.

Even so, it couldn't hide her unparalleled beauty, after all, Kang De had a strong preference for long, straight black hair.

The Earthling asked with a kind and gentle expression, "Miss Wei, what is it?"

Wei Yunyuan curtsied, and behind her, the female officials of Cathay gracefully approached, some carrying zithers, some holding instruments resembling pipa, and others holding flutes and xiao.

"We, your humble servants, have traveled eastward to this place and are deeply grateful for the hospitality shown to us by the Duke of Qin and the court, and to thank him for his hospitality today."

The girls also bowed down gracefully, their long, flowing hair revealing their beautiful necks.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Kang De glanced subconsciously at Dairila. Although the Phoenix King was still wearing the metal mask, he could easily imagine the displeasure she was hiding behind it.

Ah, the Parrot is over there at Twilight Moon.

If she were here, she would definitely be making sarcastic remarks right now, saying things like, "Kang De has won so many battles and re-established the connection between the East and West, what's wrong with enjoying it? Let the music start and the dance begin," and other such witty and sarcastic comments... Unfortunately, she has the jokes but no one to share them with, and she feels quite lonely.

Kang De thought for a moment and said, "Let's forget about it."

A commotion broke out, and many girls looked up in surprise.

Well, how should I put it?

Kang De may not have had much artistic talent, and his aesthetic sense seems to be lacking. He disliked dance from childhood to adulthood—or rather, he was unable to appreciate it.

I had a strict upbringing and didn't have much of a childhood. I didn't listen to many Cantonese songs, so I'm indifferent to Hong Kong singers and stars now. I think Zhang Jizhong's earlier adaptations of Jin Yong's novels are better than TVB's. And when the whole internet commemorates Leslie Cheung every year, I feel nothing.

I just felt that "this matter has nothing to do with me" and then let it pass by.

Even Michael Jackson, who was a global sensation and whose death shocked the world, was someone he had never heard of when he was a child. Even after he grew up and heard of his fame, he still felt nothing when he watched his songs and dances.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that he occasionally sees all dances, whether virtual or real, performed by male or female celebrities, ancient or modern, rumba or ballroom, and he remains completely indifferent—though there are exceptions.

He did watch some MMD and South Korea girl group dance videos carefully, but what attracted him was not the beautiful and powerful dances, but the beautiful faces, charming bodies and nice clothes.

Dances broadcast online and on television, whether by individual dancers on video websites or grand performances on television, all look the same to him: they're all just "one or a few people twisting their arms and legs and bodies." Even if his eyes are drawn to them, he's only looking at their figures, faces, and clothes.

He had seriously considered this lack of feeling—it might be due to the video broadcast; the numerous cameras flying around couldn't capture the dancers' dazzling beauty.

If you were there in person, or even in the front rows, you might truly appreciate its beauty.

It's like a boxing match.

On TV, it looks like two muscular men throwing weak, feeble punches, which looks terrible, much worse than in a movie. But in reality, every punch a boxer throws is extremely fast and powerful, enough to instantly incapacitate an ordinary person.

The key is to feel like you're actually there.

Kang De knew that the singing and dancing of these Cathay girls must be extraordinary.

After all, with her figure and looks, even a simple twist of her body would be stunningly beautiful. And in front of Kang De, all her tenderness, beauty, and grace blossomed for one person.

This song and dance performance is sure to be very good.

But...

"Let's forget about it."

Kang De said, "Tonight you are guests, and there is no reason for guests to perform songs and dances. Moreover, I have no intention of using you as tools for singing and dancing."

Wei Yunyuan's expression changed slightly.

Several girls even had tears in their eyes, their faces filled with unease.

Although they didn't know what "tool person" meant, it didn't prevent them from understanding Kang De's meaning.

I don't need you to sing and dance.

They hugged the guqin, heads bowed in silence, their knuckles pale.

Kang De gazed at those stunningly beautiful faces and sighed silently. At that moment, he easily understood the girls' unease—in this world, people are as worthless as grass, and most people's lives are meaningless. Even those who have meaning are mostly just tools, and even the most beautiful women are no exception.

I know nothing about any of you.

He said slowly, "I don't know your origins, your childhood, the skills you excel in, or the suffering you endured to master them. Perhaps you were chosen, grew up, received education, and practiced diligently, all for the sake of this situation."

"Show the brilliance of your life to those against whom you cannot resist."

"And this kind of thing..."

Kang De stood up. "I don't like it."

Many of the heads that had been drooping were raised again, their faces showing surprise.

"I hope you will have better, more valuable lives, instead of cheaply squandering the most precious brilliance of your lives on others. Simply put, cherish and proudly use the remarkable skills you have painstakingly acquired, not as tools to please others, but as your own precious wealth and a source of peace... You may not quite understand what I'm saying."

Kang De shrugged and smiled. "To put it simply—I'll give you all a more interesting job. And if you enjoy playing instruments, dancing, blowing wind instruments, and singing, you can do it behind closed doors. Don't use them to curry favor with the powerful or to please those clueless bastards, and certainly don't belittle yourselves or see yourselves as tools to please others..."

Wei Yunyuan said softly, "We are all willing to sing and dance for Duke of Qin."

Kang De shook his head and said, "No, you don't want to."

Before the other party could refute, Kang De continued, "You know nothing about me; you are merely singing and dancing to the Empress's orders, to obey and flatter an image drawn by imperial power. This action is not affected by my personal circumstances; whether I am a vulgar barbarian or a refined artist, whether I am a pure and upright gentleman or a lustful scoundrel, you will act in the same way."

"So, does this mean you're willing to sing and dance for me?"

Wei Yunyuan remained silent.

"You see, you're not saying anything because you think the more you say, the more mistakes you'll make, and you don't dare to upset me."

Kang De smiled and said, "So, let's skip the song and dance for today—I look forward to your invitation when you're truly willing."

"I invite you to witness the exquisite dance, music, and songs that you are so proud of, that you have poured your sweat into."

He clapped his hands and raised his voice. "But now, girls, put your stuff aside, there's delicious juice, fluffy pastries, and tasty cakes waiting for you!"

At the next table, Leona looked at Kang De with an expression of utter disbelief, pointing at him and then at Tina.

Tina smiled and said, "That's more like Kang De."

"It's always like this," Dairila whispered. "Usually clueless, but from a certain peculiar angle, they can do some unexpected things..."

"Sly fellow... he actually wants their hearts," Lily whispered. "Hey, are you just going to stand by and watch? At least have some sense of danger."

"Heart? What heart? Ah right!" A Xing looked up and shouted, "Kang De, he wants to eat chicken hearts!"

"They're here! They're here!"

The Sound of the Tide Manor was filled with laughter. Like the celebrations at the Distant Harbor, the time was beautiful, leisurely, and quiet. The newly arrived Cathay girls gradually relaxed their guard.

Kang De was overjoyed to see this harmonious scene; such a beautiful day was a rare treat.

Three months of rest and recuperation—this is probably the calm before the storm.

Tula Xiaye, the Tower of All-Seeing.

When news of the eastward journey of Cathay reached the highest authority of the Arcane Council, in the Starry Sky Council, the Grand Speaker faced the empty seats and revealed a cold smile.

"Ah," he whispered, "Now, you guys can't hold back anymore, can you?"

Turn around.

"Arms."

"Ally."

"Situation."

"Traitor."

"Plan."

Everything is about to be ready. Three months is enough time Council the Council, this massive war machine, to accelerate its operation and change direction.

Moreover, there were unexpected strong reinforcements and gains.

As he worried about how to deal with Kang De's Forbidden Spell and teleportation abilities, knowledge and skills containing infinite mysteries appeared before him.

The Grand Speaker's figure transformed into a dazzling stream of light and entered the interior of the Titan colossus standing atop the Tower of All-Seeing. At the heart of the Titan, lightning swirled, forming an insurmountable cage.

"Damn it... damn it... next..."

The raging inferno of lightning bound his battered form, and the God of the Star Palace Phaethon let out intermittent roars, conveying his hysterical and supreme rage.

The Grand Speaker's expression was indifferent.

Tell me something I don't know.