Come Be My Son-in-Law

Griffin marched to Goth, and his vanguard established positions on the border between the two countries. The city of Nar was in constant turmoil. That night, the Council's Northern Army encountered a massive firepower attack.

The war that had already broken out was being closely watched by all the nations. The details of the battle that night were quickly presented to the kings of the Mortal World realm. The details were not a secret, and neither side intended to hide anything.

Intelligence from Nar City indicates that on that night, amidst the darkness outside the city, dazzling rays of sunlight pierced the night sky, as if the sun god's arrow had torn through the night, with dozens of Flame torrents rushing across the heavens, wave after wave.

An array of unknown alchemical weapons fired hundreds of meteors southward, setting the sky ablaze and filling the city with a hellish stench of sulfur. The entire city of Nar could see and smell them.

Military intelligence from the Council indicated that the attack occurred at that time.

In other words, from a distance of tens of kilometers, Kang De unleashed his destructive power upon his enemy, launching the first wave of his offensive against Griffin Williams.

Oh shit.

Hundreds of powerful attacks, equivalent to battlefield-level spells, were precisely unleashed upon the target area, spanning tens of kilometers—so efficient, so extravagant, so terrifying.

But... the result doesn't seem to be very pleasant.

In the imperial capital, the supreme ruler of the human world repeatedly read the detailed and reliable intelligence in his hands.

He thought of the relief effort in Danfeng Lucerne, the first battle in which Kang De was widely recognized to have demonstrated conventional military force.

At that time, this scoundrel from Cathay was still lying, saying that his Forbidden Spell could only be used five times, so he didn't dare to throw the Forbidden Spell around and could only break through the situation by conventional force.

Unexpectedly, he was able to win seven battles in a single day with only alchemical weapons, breaking through all the expeditionary force's defenses. The Elf Expeditionary Force and its auxiliary legions responsible for intercepting him suffered heavy casualties, with almost no survivors. The entire battlefield was a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. It was difficult to even find the complete bodies of the fallen soldiers. Their gruesome deaths had a huge psychological impact on the intelligence personnel who went to investigate.

The shock this battle brought to the emperor was actually far greater than the Valentan Forbidden Spell.

Although the rulers of the empire lacked the concepts of conventional and strategic deterrence, they could still rely on their superior instincts to realize that from now on, Kang De's Forbidden Spell would likely only be held in their hands as tools for intimidation, while his alchemical weapons would kill countless people.

And indeed, as he predicted, during that year, Kang De wielded the Forbidden Spell stick to intimidate the nations, and then launched a heavy attack on the nobles of Distant Harbor, the fleets of various nations, the Broken Isles, and even the Arcane Council, using his alchemical weapons to arm the army to destroy cities and nations and bully powerful neighbors.

Since Valentan, the Forbidden Spell of the Dragon of Cathay have been used several times, yet they have never destroyed a single city or an army. However, his weapons and army have conquered the entire Broken Isles, captured several elite units, and achieved one strategic objective after another, leaving the nations with no choice but to swallow their anger and remain helpless.

Now, this abhorrent situation has finally changed.

Because Kang De's massive long-range offensive against the Council's position had not yielded the expected results—a year ago, Battle to Relieve Danfeng Lucerne, he had annihilated seven armies in a single day and crushed the main force of the Elf Expeditionary Force under the city walls. Now, a year later, his military strength should have multiplied and surpassed that of the past, yet he was unable to overcome the defensive line set up by a vanguard force.

"Digging a tunnel... they actually managed to hold it off just by digging a tunnel..."

The military observers he personally selected and dispatched were rising stars in the Imperial Guard, loyal and honest enough that their reports would not contain any exaggeration or denigration. If the report stated that Kang De's massive offensive was largely blocked by the intercepting magic devices at the vanguard positions, resulting in fewer casualties for the Council's army, then that must be true, without the slightest error.

Efficient.

The Deceleration Field is indeed effective.

Seeing is believing; this is a concrete conclusion drawn from real-world experience.

It can not only restrain Forbidden Spell, but also greatly weaken the effectiveness of Kang De's alchemical weapons.

The emperor slowly exhaled, trying his best to suppress his emotions, but even decades of royal composure could not control his current joy, and a smile finally appeared on his dignified face.

Kang De's alchemical weaponry, like Forbidden Spell, gave him a great deal of trouble.

Now, alchemical weaponry is also restricted, and Forbidden Spell are also restricted. With these two good things combined, it's truly a divine blessing for a king.

Kang De's weapon finally managed to stop it.

The emperor was even deeply moved and excited by this.

This is not an exaggeration... In the eyes of the entire other world, "an attack that cannot be intercepted or resisted" is the greatest counterintuitive and anomaly, enough to keep monarchs up at night.

It should be understood that the form of warfare in other worlds revolves around offense and defense based on arcane arts. Those with magic will prevail over those without, and those with more magical artifacts will prevail over those with fewer. No matter how elite the army or how grand the battle formation, if there is no spellcaster in charge, a single group confusion spell from the enemy will throw your entire formation into chaos. A Chain Lightning strikes will cause the entire army to fall like wheat being harvested.

Therefore, interception, neutralization, and defense are the core principles of magical warfare.

Using Earth as a comparison, magic replaced artillery and became the god of war in another world.

However, artillery fire is devastating, capable of breaking through enemy lines and destroying cities, and is almost impossible to resist. Magic, on the other hand, can defend against, neutralize, cancel out, and dispel each other. The offense and defense surrounding magic is full of variables and has a complex system. Once a victor is determined between the two mage groups, it almost means the outcome of the battle. This is the art of war with otherworldly characteristics.

In other words, as Earth developed into the era of firearms, the spear was far superior to the shield, so the benefits of offense far outweighed those of defense. As a result, mobile warfare, superior air force, and firepower theories shone brightly, and the direction of technological development tilted infinitely. However, in the other world, the conflict between magical arts and techniques remained evenly matched. At this point, the cost of defense was actually greater than that of offense.

The primary mission of a mage corps in combat is often "to prevent enemy spells from affecting our forces."

Only then will we consider things like "boosting our own troops," "creating favorable battlefield terrain," "impeding enemy maneuverability," "erasing enemy boosts," and "let's all make fireballs together."

Therefore, the most patented techniques over the past few centuries have been those of defense and neutralization.

Kings and nobles provided substantial funding and offered hefty rewards for this endeavor, prompting mages to dedicate enormous energy to it, thus developing a vast and unfathomable arcane system that gradually enabled spellcasters to "intercept anything that flies towards them."

Elemental rays, scattering missiles, shockwave bombardment, crossbow bolts... and even more ethereal and intangible curses, blessings, distortions, and activations—there is nothing a mage cannot stop.

If not, then use a more powerful mage and a more suitable magical artifact.

But Kang De said no.

Therefore, arcane power could no longer achieve this.

Barrelless crossbow bolts, strangely shaped alchemical bombs, giant arrows trailing raging flames... These unremarkable contraptions, projected by Kang De in incomprehensible ways, became the wind realm that spellcasters could not resist. Ultimately, it was because they were too fast and too powerful.

This left the mages no time to chant spells or set up specialized defenses.

By virtue of his speed, Kang De was able to sweep away the Elf Expeditionary Force and overwhelm the fleets of various nations, making them extremely wary yet forced to be cautious and obsequious to him.

This terrible era is finally over.

The Deceleration Field confined Kang De's weapon to a lower speed, allowing the mages' diverse and extensive interception spells to come in handy... Everything was returning to normal.

The emperor was in a very good mood.

As for the report's statement that "the Council's army still suffered considerable losses and their defense system failed to stop all attacks," the emperor didn't take it to heart.

In his view, these are all technical problems that can be solved by simply piling up materials.

The Deceleration Field addresses the question of "whether it exists or not".

He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Kang De has been completely restrained, that means we can..."

As he laughed and talked, the smile disappeared from his face, and he stopped talking.

Wait a moment.

Wait a moment.

Restraint...

He pondered the word repeatedly.

Kang De... was restrained.

The emperor pulled another report from his desk and opened it.

That was an analysis report from the Royal Alchemy Association.

This is where the most brilliant minds and most talented magical scholars in the entire human world have gathered. Several days ago, they received instructions from the suspicious emperor to conduct a formal research project.

Then, the royal advisors risked their careers and reputations to provide the emperor with an answer.

"It covers a large city and can reduce the speed of Forbidden Spell to a harmless level. The speed of anything within its range will be restricted or restrained; the speed of warriors will be limited, and projectile magic will be restricted."

"Such a sustained, wide-ranging, broad-field, and high-powered magical device could not possibly be controlled by the current level of arcane magic development in the Mortal World. Although Kang De's Forbidden Spell are powerful, their essence is nothing more than the rapid impact of a massive object—a principle even a child understands. As for the principle behind this kind of 'magical device' that can defend against Forbidden Spell, we cannot even conceive of it or guess it."

"Given the Arcane Council of magical craftsmanship and expertise, there's absolutely no way they could possess such power."

"One could even say that this technique is more like Forbidden Spell than Kang De's 'Forbidden Spell.'"

"It is a legendary power, like something out of a myth."

The emperor examined it carefully again, his fingers trembling slightly.

He had already determined on his own that this thing was not a power that the Council could control, but since he was not a professional mage, he designated the Alchemy Association to conduct a formal evaluation.

The conclusion is that it's a godlike technology.

But it is, in fact, real.

The royal alchemists were highly skeptical and disbelieving of the technique, but the emperor believed in it.

Because he knew where Griffin got his technology from.

But he realized... he had underestimated the guests Griffin had invited.

"To restrain Kang De... This is something they specifically brought out to restrain Kang De... They only used this power because their opponent was Kang De..."

The emperor muttered to himself, "So, they came only for Kang De?"

The emperor then produced that report again.

List of victims in the Tower of All-Seeing massacre.

Those core members of parliament who hold the reins of power in a country, those senators who control the daily operations of powerful nations, hold high positions and wield astonishing influence; some even have ancestors who were related to the emperor.

They were all killed like dogs.

Griffin wouldn't act like this for no reason.

He received support and even encouragement from that group of people...

"Is Kang De your only target? What is your purpose in helping Griffin against Kang De?"

The emperor muttered to himself, his gaze growing increasingly melancholic.

"You will also help Griffin..." the Emperor questioned the void as if in cursing, his voice like that of a wolf king whose territory had been invaded, "--to deal with others?"

No one answered.

The king does not need to answer.

Just as the emperor consistently harbored hostility towards Kang De, who possessed Forbidden Spell.

For an emperor, anything that poses a threat to him is a capital offense.

His eyes were sinister, and he bared his fangs into the void—a wolf king's display of power and intimidation.

"Griffin has consistently refused to give me a direct answer; he refuses to reveal the origins of his friends..." The Emperor pondered for only a moment before decisively declaring, "Then I may ask Kang De!"

He took a piece of paper, wrote a few lines, thought for a moment, and then raised his voice slightly. "Come in."

A thick fog quietly spread from behind the sunlight, condensing into a human shape and kneeling down.

"Last time I asked you to do something," the Emperor said casually, "I suggested it to Kang De. What was his response?"

The man whispered, "He only replied with two words, 'Heh.'"

The emperor frowned and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"..." The king's expression remained stern as he murmured, "That's his answer."

"It's just ordinary laughter, yet it sounds so mocking." The Emperor shook his head. "But I still want to speak with him. This time, you will go in person to deliver the letter to him, personally, and listen to what he has to say."

"Yes."

"Go tell Kang De that I want an answer, an answer he himself must tell me," the Emperor said solemnly. "I want him to tell me personally who those people who helped Griffin are."

At this point, a hint of anxiety appeared on his face.

"Remember to tell him that I want the truth, that's very important—I want his reply, to tell him that this is the best opportunity between us."

"Yes."

The emperor remained silent for a moment, then picked up his brush and began to write.

As a member of the nobility, he benefited from the etiquette of correspondence, omitting all the cumbersome greetings.

Let's be frank and speak openly.

The Emperor picked up his pen and wrote, "Kang De, I can see that you were initially just meddling in the affairs of the Goth People, and had no real interest in power. Otherwise, you could have stayed in Danfeng Lucerne, married Princess Tina as quickly as possible, sought influence among the nobles, and then forced Reknos to abdicate. In that way, you could have rightfully seized Goth's power by virtue of being Tina's husband."

"But after the Paradox Element incident, you seemed to have a purpose. You seized the Distant Harbor, purged all the nobles, and took control of all the power. Such greed and decisiveness have impressed even me."

"Then you destroyed the Broken Isles, seizing all their vital forces—physically destroying your rivals, gaining the loyalty and allegiance of their people, seizing most of their wealth, accumulations, achievements, and technology accumulated over hundreds of years, and also gaining immense prestige and cohesion. Even if I were to do this, I might not be able to devour it as cleanly as you."

"The fact that the Yilan-Tai'er Civilization was able to see the light of day again is also due to your efforts, isn't it? I even suspect that the Arcane Council manipulated by you... No, that should indeed be the case."

"For the past few months, you've been exchanging insults with Griffin from afar. He's preparing to wage war against you, and you're probably planning the same thing. Your next target is the Arcane Council. I've discovered that you've set up teleportation prisms in cities north of Goth adjacent to the Council. Are you confident you can defeat Griffin, and even try to take a bite out of the Council? Aokexindun, who's recently gained power in Tula Xiaye, has also submitted to you, hasn't he?"

"Your next target is Goth. You want to control this country that has long since declined, but still has enormous potential. The thought that you might want to turn the country's millions of able-bodied men into your workers and soldiers sends chills down my spine—but the thing is, you could have done that a year ago."

Why wait until now?

"In other words... Kang De, you have no interest in power. You wield the most powerful force in the world. The money you've spent in Distant Harbor could buy a small country. So what is the purpose of everything you've done in Distant Harbor? To be honest, this purpose frightens me even more."

"I want to know..."

The pen paused for a moment.

Then the force penetrates the paper, its weight exceeding a thousand pounds.

What are you preparing for?

"Don't tell me you're thinking of leading troops to reclaim your homeland. You're not from Cathayan, you're definitely not from Cathayan. That old bastard Dong Tianming has sent his disciples and retainers all over the continent to spread the legend that you're from Cathayan, but I don't believe a single word of it. I have many guesses about your origins, but that's not important."

"The important thing is that you initially drifted along in this world, acting solely on promises and personal connections. I have read the intelligence reports about your short stays in Danfeng Lucerne, and Valentan. You were without desires, detached from the world, unwilling to leave anything behind, as if you were leaving forever tomorrow."

"But after Distant Harbor, you suddenly developed worldly desires."

"No, it's not desire. You still have no desire for power itself. You've poured all the wealth you've plundered and looted into your own power base. You've created new wealth and generously given it all to the common people. But I know that all of this comes at a price. You've freed them from hard labor and a dark fate, and you've demanded the highest price from them—loyalty and sacrifice."

"I want to know, you changed their fate, purified their souls, made them satisfied and dignified—what was the purpose of all this, and why did you want them to die?"

"Who are your enemies? Who are the enemies you have provoked in this world that would make someone as powerful and mysterious as you turn the people of an entire nation, or even an entire continent, into warriors to fight against them?"

"Is it related to the dazzling display and the aurora borealis during the Broken Isles sea monster event?"

As he wrote this, a smile unconsciously crept onto the emperor's lips.

Let's look at it from a different perspective.

"You razed Glittering Sand Town to the ground simply because the Good Family killed your friends. Your interference in the Goth-Moon War was probably just a dying wish of your friends. You killed the nobles of Distant Harbor because they wanted to create a famine and starve the common people. The Broken Isles were destroyed because the giant sea monster was released by humans and was connected to your perceived enemies, who may be in the sky. You did your best to save all those affected, creating a great rescue operation, a holy deed that is thus praised and celebrated by the world."

"The reason you changed your mind and established your base in Distant Harbor is because you saw some secrets about this world during the Paradox Element event, such as the impending crisis and a terrible enemy."

"In that case, all your actions, reasons, and motives can be clearly explained."

"You are indeed not of this world, Kang De. There is no one like you in this world. You even make me jealous. I also want to be a good emperor, to ensure that every subject is well-fed and happy. But the truth is, I must allow the nobles to eat more and plunder the fruits of labor from the majority of the people to feed the core subjects I can rely on and use. Otherwise, I cannot maintain my rule."

"And you, with your kindness and compassion, who have treated everyone fairly and generously, are still alive."

"I envy you, but I also respect you, and I'm more willing to trust you."

"I believe that a person who works for beggars, adopts orphans without training them into assassins, and ensures that every commoner is well-fed, clothed, and dignified would never do these things with ulterior motives or self-interest. I also do not believe that you would bring terrifying enemies and deadly dangers to this world."

"Though I am a ruthless emperor, I would never trust my own sons, women, or ministers. Yet, I also envy the kinship of commoners, admire selfless affection, and shed tears for the unwavering loyalty of the Imperial Guards, even unto death. I am willing to believe that there are people like you in this world, acting with conviction, righteous and sacred. As for the stories and legends that have been passed down, I am willing to believe another, unknown version..."

That is, all your actions are upright, honest, and without any sense of shame.

"Your motives for changing your mind, taking command at the Distant Harbor, preparing for war, and expanding through annexation are now quite clear."

"An upright and noble person, in an unpredictable event that you call Paradox Element, accidentally comes into contact with a terrifying message—perhaps a prophecy, a warning, or a destiny."

"It tells you of the approaching crisis, a danger that the world may not be able to withstand, an enemy who possesses power that is beyond the comprehension and control of Mortal World, like a god."

"For various reasons, you, who possess spatial abilities and whose hometown is by no means Cathay, are unwilling to leave, so you decide to stay and try to do something."

"The downfall of Yilan-Tai'er may be related to this, and the Phoenix King's feelings and actions towards you have transcended the boundaries of romantic love. I suspect that you not only share mutual affection but also common goals and stances, which is why the proud Elven Queen would sacrifice her own country's potential interests to support you."

"Kang De, tell me, how much of my guess was correct?"

As the emperor finished writing, he slowly exhaled and gently moved his wrist.

Writing continuously and furiously is indeed hard work.

But it's alright.

I practiced a lot when I was young, and I'm still quite skilled even now that I'm older.

He continued, "To tell you the truth, I am the emperor. I don't care about right or wrong, only about my position. There are old and new grudges between us. You possess a power that I cannot resist or control. I must find a way to limit you. This is something that an emperor must do, and I don't need to hide my thoughts."

"But similarly, emperors only consider stance, not personal grudges. Griffin's magical artifact frightened me; it was specifically designed to target you. Those who possess divine technology beyond the mortal realm may be the enemies you need to guard against. Their stance is unknown, and their methods are even more mysterious and terrifying than yours. I am very wary of them."

That's how politics is; yesterday's enemy can be today's friend.

"I want to ask you a question. Tell me honestly, who are they, and what is their purpose?"

"Your answer will permanently change some things... the relationship between us, my stance, and the future. Although you killed the spies and lobbyists I sent to northern Goth and even told me to eat shit, I've still decided to listen to what you have to say, to hear some things I vaguely suspect but don't fully know."

"I'd rather trust you than Griffin."

"I believe that an upright, compassionate, and powerful young man, whose intention is to gather and arm the strength of the entire world to fight against an enemy that is inevitably cruel, terrifying, and merciless."

"Even if my guess is completely wrong, and even if Griffin's good friends aren't after you, there's still a basis for cooperation between us. Because after Griffin defeats you, with the help of those good friends, he certainly won't be satisfied with merely ruling the Arcane Council. He's already tasted the sweetness of dictatorship by killing all the councilors. I understand this kind of person; he won't be content with just being a mere Grand Speaker, because he's already seen the scenery of absolute power."

"I would rather trust you than Griffin, who is willing to drag the country into war."

"Has that been clear enough, Kang De?"

"I am wary of your Forbidden Spell and threats, and I am also wary of Griffin and his new friends. Both sides pose a threat, but there are degrees of severity. The best solution I can think of is, as always, the same old suggestion that you have rejected many times. I don't mind repeating it again."

"--Come and be my son-in-law."

"I'm not a crybaby like Reknos, a fool who hesitates and worries. If I were him, I would have given you all my daughters long ago, tied you to Goth, and ten years later, he would have become the new emperor of mankind. This inexplicable idiot really makes me both jealous and resentful."

"Listen, I am old and will die eventually. Someone must inherit my throne. Why can't it be you? You want to control Goth, to transform that country, to awaken its immense potential, to serve as your soldiers and workers. But my land is vast, with a population many times that of Goth. This country can serve as your strength. I am more enlightened than Reknos; I know that you have to give up something to gain something."

"If the truth is as I suspect, and the empire is not immune to the calamity you are fighting against, then we have even more reason to fight side by side."

"This is the optimal solution, Kang De. Become my son-in-law, my family member and heir, and I will no longer fear or be wary of you. Together we will eliminate Griffin and transform the country into a stronger nation."

"My only request is that you, an upright, wise, and kind young man, promise to treat me as you would your father. I don't trust any of my sons, because they all want to get from me or even take from me, but I can trust you, because you don't care, you don't concern yourself, you already have it all."

"You may choose the one you find most pleasing among my daughters; the son she bears will become the heir to this country. Most of my daughters are cunning and equally eager for the throne, which you probably won't like. I suggest you choose one with a gentle nature. Of course, you can have them all, but it's best to have only one son. You know, too many sons are really troublesome. This is my advice based on experience; you may not understand."

"Of course, you can decide which one to choose. If the wife you choose is too ambitious to be controlled, then after she gives birth to a son, I will kill her for you to save you trouble later."

"As for the grudges and entanglements between you and me, Alex, I've already told you, and I'm not joking. If there is an heir like you, then I can pretend this son never existed."

"Words are meaningless; I need your sincerity. I know your schemes. You want to take advantage of Griffin's invasion and Goth People's unrest to completely eliminate Goth's opposition and seize control of the country. I originally intended to thwart your plans, but Griffin's threat is too great. I can help you."

"I can help you lure out Goth's nobles so you can wipe them all out in one fell swoop. If you agree to my proposal, I can send Alex to do it, giving you a legitimate reason to take revenge."

"Once we get rid of this rebellious and troublesome son, we can become family without any grudges."

"This is what I wanted to say to you."

"To lay bare your heart and write down everything on paper is a truly wondrous experience. I am used to only revealing a fraction of what I say, leaving my subjects to speculate with trepidation. But you are different. I know that if I were to write to you in a cryptic and ambiguous manner, you would surely throw the letter into the latrine and then write a letter cursing my mother."

As he wrote this, the emperor couldn't help but laugh.

Then he sighed silently.

"I want you to know that this time I treat you with all my heart... I am a harsh and ruthless emperor, and I hope that my successor will be a monarch as upright, dignified, and compassionate as you. I often regret that I hesitated and compromised because of my fear of the elven army, which led to Alex's plot to seize the Glittering Sand Town."

It's not that I regret making an enemy of you.

"But if the alliance remained unchanged, and Princess Tina led the Goth delegation to the capital, I would surely have met someone as outstanding as you in the imperial court, amidst blooming flowers and babbling brooks. At that time, you would not have the prestige and influence you have today, but you would still have been recognized by my discerning eye. If that were the case, your fate, my fate, the fate of this country, and even the fate of this world would be very different from what it is now."

"Fortunately, we still have one more chance to make corrections."

He paused, thought for a moment, and continued writing.

"Of course, I don't need to hide anything from you. While writing to you, I will continue to contact Griffin and try to obtain the magical device technology he possesses. This isn't directed at you, nor is it for any ulterior motive. It's just that an old father-in-law craves a little security. I don't want to end up like that guy Reknos, being scolded by you, this impolite child, all day long, and feeling helpless."

"In the end, this is just a whip I hang on the wall; I won't use it to beat you, but I can't live without it."

"I hope you can understand, and once you agree to my proposal, I will be on your side."

"Of course, there's one more warning."

"I choose to trust you. This is the first time since I became an adult that I have given someone my complete trust and sincerity. As I said, as long as you honestly swear to treat me as you would a father, I will treat you as my sole heir. If you agree, Alex's life is in your hands. You can kill or torture him however you like; I don't care."

"But the condition is that you can't lie to me. You either agree or you don't. If you trample on my trust, deceive my sincerity, make me willingly hand Alex over to you to kill, and then mock or ridicule me afterward, or even turn against me, then I swear on the fate of the entire empire, I will make you pay the full price."

"I don't care about the aristocratic system, nor am I interested in posthumous fame. I've forgotten the name of the third emperor of the empire, and few of my subjects will remember him. I only care about what happens while I'm alive. So I can tell you, Kang De, if you mock and betray my trust, I will seek revenge at all costs. Griffin can be a dog for those people, and so can I."

"The most impolite thing to say is limited to the first paragraph."

"These once-in-a-lifetime heartfelt words end here."

"I have written countless letters, but never with such sincerity, Kang De. I await your reply. Our relationship should not remain so tense and fraught with the cruel tricks of fate. Let us accomplish great things together; the empire can be your strength."

"An old man who could have been your friend, and who hoped to be your friend."

After the emperor finished writing, he wanted to fold it up, but then he suddenly remembered something and picked up the pen again.

"Finally, whether you agree or not—if you dare to publish this letter publicly, or put it in your damned newspaper, or read it aloud on the radio, then I will consider you a traitor. Remember that!"

After finishing writing, the emperor put down his pen, checked the letter, glanced at the chief intelligence officer kneeling on the ground like a puppet, and slowly packed the letter away and sealed it with a royal encryption spell.

"Protect it with your life and deliver it to Kang De."

He handed the letter over.

The Shadow Blade beside the king stepped forward respectfully and received the weapon. "Yes."

The emperor, remembering something, casually asked, "Where is Alex?"

"One of the observers you sent to the Council has secretly sided with the Crown Prince," the man said indifferently. "So the Crown Prince has also received news of the war and is currently holding a banquet at home to celebrate, loudly proclaiming that Kang De's era is over, and expressing his opinions and views, calling on the continental nobles to settle scores with him."

The emperor sneered.

If I were Kang De, I would have Alex copy this letter until he was exhausted.

He waved his hand and said, "Go, and come back quickly. Use the secret teleportation array you set up to travel."

The man bowed again, retreated step by step, and his body dissipated into thick mist.

The emperor, still seated, gently turned the pages of a book on the table.

The title page features a lifelike portrait of Kang De.

The book summarizes all of Kang De's actions, intelligence, and major events to date.

The emperor's insights and reflections, tucked inside, are thicker than the book itself.

"To deal with righteous people, one must use righteous means, for upright people are more likely to believe in righteousness, while despicable people only know despicableness."

The supreme voice carried a complex, amused tone.

But as he laughed, he blinked again, a strange look of confusion on his face.

"As I write this letter..."

The emperor, who had long lost his true nature amidst years of deceit, scheming, and manipulation, murmured to himself, "How much of it is genuine affection, and how much is pretense?"

But in any case, everything is about to change.

Goth's territory, south of Nar, the vanguard of the Council's expeditionary force.

Griffin frowned as he looked at the Imperial man before him.

He knew the other party's identity: a member of the Imperial Guard, who rose from humble beginnings and was a rising star in the Imperial Army. Just now, he had secretly sneaked into the camp during the chaos of the battlefront repairs.

"Your Excellency," the Grand Speaker said calmly, "Please leave. Be mindful of your status."

"Please introduce me to that sir," the young man said, kneeling on one knee. "I have something very important to tell that sir!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Griffin said coldly. "You're a soldier, please have some self-respect. If you continue this charade, I have the right to remove you from the expeditionary force..."

The young man shouted, "It's about Kang De!"

Griffin was furious. He was of such high status as the Emperor, and for this guy to yell at him like that was an extreme act of defiance—his mindset had somehow changed.

The former Grand Speaker raised his hand to kill the idiot, when he suddenly heard an intrigued voice from behind. "Mudblood, you're looking for me? About Kang De?"

Griffin frowned and said, "He's just an ordinary Imperial citizen. What right does he have to speak to us?"

No, I'm not!

The young man suddenly looked up, and Griffin's pupils contracted. He saw some fine, dense mist seeping out from the pores of the man's face. The man then used his Dou Qi to relax and retract his solidified facial muscles, and rubbed off some powdery debris. Soon, another face appeared in front of him.

"I am Alex, the Crown Prince of the Empire."

The eldest prince said to Phaethon, "The Grand Chancellor hoped to join forces with my father, but last night's battle went too smoothly, which has aroused my father's suspicion. If my intelligence is correct, my father has been planning to join forces with Kang De since early this morning... But I am different!"

His face was contorted with hatred, rage, and fear. "I am the least likely person in the entire empire to compromise with Kang De, and the one who most wants him dead!"

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PS1: Update, 10,000 words. Today's chapter and yesterday's chapter are combined into one.

PS2: I'll write a little more and try to make up for the update from the beginning of the month tomorrow.