Zou Ji Turned Out to Be Me

Even though he instinctively felt a little unwilling, Kang De was still dragged out of the tent by Her Majesty the Empress.

The Valentan guards on duty in front of the tent were taken aback. They were about to salute instinctively, but then remembered military discipline and forcibly stopped themselves from raising their arms, offering only a warm gaze.

Saluting is forbidden in trenches and positions—this is a common battlefield practice among Earthlings, as it would reveal the identity of a high-ranking officer and could attract the attention of enemy snipers. In modern warfare, it might even attract artillery fire or drones... Whether other worlds face similar challenges remains to be seen.

But Kang De still applied this rule rigidly.

Why not.

He only felt his right hand being held in Dairila's palm, soft and warm like jade. Looking ahead, the breeze carried the smell of burning war and also made the elf's hair sway gently. A few strands were wrapped around her crystal earlobes, making her even more eye-catching. The messengers who hurriedly passed by were stunned when they saw this scene.

Dairila made no attempt to conceal her beauty, flaunting her unparalleled and captivating charm throughout the city.

Kang De said, "Hey, aren't you going to cover it up a bit?"

"What?" The Empress turned and smiled, her eyes sparkling like stars. "Did I embarrass you?"

"Ah?"

Elves consider themselves the chosen race, their beauty unparalleled on the continent. From appearance to physique and talent, they far Superman. Dairila, with royal blood and the bearing of an emperor, is not only considered stunningly beautiful among elves, but her aura as a domineering emperor is also unique. Even if she claimed to be the most beautiful woman in the Mortal World, few would object. Such beauty would make even following behind her like a sycophant a source of pride, let alone being held hand in hand with her as intimately as a lover.

It took Kang De a few seconds to realize what she was saying.

A woman with eyes and brows like distant, gently rippling mountains, a captivating gaze that could make any man in the world bow down in utter disbelief. And faced with her playful, teasing question, "Did I embarrass you?", perhaps no man could remain unmoved; he would be utterly flustered, losing his composure and vehemently denying everything.

Aside from Kang De, who had long since grown accustomed to the beauty and silliness of the other Phoenix King and was now preoccupied with his own worries.

He sighed. "What nonsense are you spouting?"

The Empress snorted.

This was not the reaction she wanted.

But it is indeed very Kang De.

"If I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?"

Although she had already made up her mind and had other plans for parading Kang De around town, she was still a little annoyed to see that he was unmoved by her almost coquettish words.

Furthermore, she was used to being frank and open in front of Kang De, so she asked directly, "Am I not beautiful enough?"

Kang De said sincerely, "Look at yourself, how many years have you lived? How many times do you look in the mirror every day? Don't you realize it yet? You're praised by sycophants every day, don't you know your own worth? When you see the way strangers look at you on the street, you should know your own attractiveness. Don't ask such Versailles-like questions."

Dairila's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Learn from me. From a young age, I was aware of my stunning good looks and calmly accepted this beauty, along with the price it came with. From childhood to adulthood, all the girls were ashamed of their own beauty because of it, suppressing their throbbing infatuations and daring not to express their feelings, only daring to watch me from afar..."

After Kang De uttered his words, he saw Dairila raise her eyebrows slightly and knew he had said something he shouldn't have—although he didn't know exactly what he had said wrong, he knew he was wrong.

So he started talking nonsense, using a lot of ridiculous things to distract the other person and get them to complain, thus easing the tension and pretending nothing had happened.

But...

The Empress stared at Kang De, looking him up and down, then suddenly nodded. "Oh, I see."

"... ah?"

"No wonder you seem to have little experience interacting with ladies and aren't very good at talking. So that's why. It's no wonder you're not well-liked."

--It hurts!

She started off with an innocent smile that touched my heart! She went along with what I said, then turned sarcastic! "Dairila, you've changed! Things are turning dark inside!"

He stared at the Empress's face, seemingly trying to find a trace of malicious cunning in that stunningly beautiful face, but he found nothing. Her face was completely innocent, which looked terrifying.

"No wonder..." Dairila muttered, "No wonder Princess Goth succeeded..."

--Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!

You could just say that because I've never been popular with women and no girl has ever shown me any affection, I immediately surrendered when that beautiful and lovely girl touched me!

Upon thinking of this, Kang De's "handsome man" face began to falter.

Then, a fragrant breeze flashed before his eyes, and the Empress's other hand caressed his cheek. "Don't make that face. Yes, relax these muscles. Hmm, don't grin like an idiot, look straight ahead..."

Noble families have numerous rules, and royal families have even more. The rules of the elven royal family are as numerous as the stars in the sky and the hairs on the ground. They cover everything from walking and sitting to every glance and smile, down to the state of every muscle on the face. Dairila received this kind of training and education from a young age and is well-versed in this.

So she gently directed Kang De, smoothing out his subtle expressions one by one.

Her gaze was deep and focused, her nose was straight and elegant, and her skin was as white as snow, which made Kang De pause in surprise.

That's much better.

She looked around, nodded in satisfaction, and then said.

"Don't take your good looks for granted and make weird expressions... Although you may be the most handsome man among humans, there's still a difference in natural talent. To stand out among elves, you need training and self-discipline. Don't give them any excuse or reason to look down on you..."

"..."

"?"

?????

What happened?

What just happened?

Was I being sarcastic or mocked? What was she saying? Was it the Continental Common Language? Or was it some Elvish language that sounded like the Continental Common Language but actually had a different meaning?

Why is there not a trace of mockery in her eyes? Has her level of blatant lying far surpassed mine? No, that's not right! At times like this, sarcasm shouldn't be used to conceal one's true feelings; the goal is to make the other person see through the sarcasm, to achieve the maximum impact!

That's terrible! What happened during this time?

I was able to tease her until she blushed and chased after me, yelling and trying to hit me, just like the last time we met! Which Onmyoji cram school is she attending? I'm going to report her!

The series of shocking events even left Kang De momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.

Dairila, who stood before him with a gentle smile and tender gaze, seemed even more enigmatic.

--Just as I thought, I was right.

--Kang De is so handsome! Of all the people I've met over the years, from kings and princes to knights and nobles, from scholars and poets to wealthy merchants and powerful families, none of them are as good-looking as him.

While he may not be quite as handsome as the elves in the country, in terms of strength, ambition, temperament, deeds, and aspirations, those elves can never compare to Kang De. Given such a vast difference, it would be truly laughable and pathetic to still clamor about comparing appearances.

As expected, it was still his aunt, Ruila, and those courtiers who harbored suspicion and prejudice against Kang De, yet knew that he could not be attacked in terms of morality, strength, or achievements, so they could only attack his appearance.

Even in terms of appearance, Kang De was considered to be of superior appearance among the elves, yet they still opposed him for the sake of opposition. After seeing several portraits of Kang De, they even said things like, "He's just a decent guy among humans, but he has an outstanding temperament," and "His smile in this picture is so silly." It was extremely rude, slanderous, and a bit too much.

--After I clearly refuted them and explained that Kang De was also extremely handsome, even better than most elves, they actually looked terrified as if something terrible had happened.

--Hmph, it's fine if only I know. It's your problem if you don't recognize its value.

As soon as Dairila thought of this, a smile bloomed on her lips, but then she remembered something, and the blooming flowers withered—it seemed that she wasn't the only one who knew its value.

She suddenly asked, "Who is more beautiful, me or Princess Goth?"

"..."

Damn it.

How did the topic jump to this point?

However, this question seems familiar, and Kang De already had the correct answer.

Before he could answer, Dairila interrupted, "Our ancestor asked you before who was prettier, me or her, and you said you were face-blind and couldn't tell us apart. You won't fool me like that this time, will you?"

--Parrot! You fucking bastard!

The virgin was quick-witted; Kang De arrogantly declared, "I don't know! I don't care! Anyway, none of them are as good-looking as me!"

Of course, that's not enough to get by.

Directly judging and denying someone's appearance, regardless of whether it's true or not, will cause dissatisfaction and reaction from the other person, especially since they are very confident in their own appearance.

Dairila indeed showed her displeasure.

--But this statement still achieved its intended tactical objective.

Because Kang De successfully shifted the core of the conflict from "Dairila's hostility and competitive spirit towards Tina" to "Dairila's dissatisfaction with my denial of her appearance."

So she stopped caring about Tina.

--Damn, reading more of Chairman Mao's books really helps.

Kang De took a deep breath, and before Dairila could react, he took her hand in return, his face sincere. "Actually, I really don't care. Between us, we share similar interests, have the same ambitions, common ideals, and common enemies. We fight side by side, we trust each other, we entrust ourselves to each other... This alone is enough to make us the closest relationship in the world."

"We have so many things that can attract us to each other. Compared to these, physical appearance is utterly insignificant and not worth mentioning. What is there to care about? Did you attract me with your Mortal World beauty? Did I attract you with my world-renowned good looks?"

Dairila stared blankly at Kang De, the displeasure on her face long since vanished.

She even gave a slightly pleased, soft "hmm."

--Grass.

--It really works, it really works!

Kang De was overjoyed, even feeling as if he had grasped the secrets of the harem, but then he thought that using such a skill for that kind of thing was too shameful and something a virtuous virgin would not do.

But then, he remembered the most crucial question.

He's not an idiot; even if he doesn't understand something, he can still see it.

Dairila is the noble Phoenix King, the most powerful overlord in the world, with an extremely noble status. Although she and I share the same goal and consensus to fight against the Star Palace, our camaraderie has long since changed.

This kind of thing, let alone the Parrot whispering in his ear all day long, even Kang De himself could see it... First, he didn't clarify the rumors, then he sneaked into the Distant Harbor to impersonate Malegith and fool around with him, and today he didn't even bother to hide it, appearing in front of everyone as the Phoenix King.

Without realizing it, the way she looked at herself had become almost identical to Tina's.

Upon realizing this, Kang De was startled.

He recalled Dairila's earlier words, her earnest praise of his good looks, which he had initially thought were sarcastic. But when the Queen spoke, her expression was so serious, and her eyes so pure...

Just like now.

He met those eyes that once held the majesty of an emperor but were now as gentle as water, and his heart was in turmoil.

He couldn't help but recite a line of poetry.

Beauty is in the eye of the Xi Shi; Zou Ji is actually a reflection of myself.

"What?" Dairila laughed, "Suddenly gone mad?"

Kang De looked at her, and a sudden unease rose in his heart.

If things truly go as he and the Parrot planned, and they were to establish their influence and intimidate the Star Palace with a resounding victory, signing a veiled appeasement treaty to buy more time for preparation by exploiting the time difference between the two worlds, then while he could bring those around him, his followers, and even the entire Distant Harbor to the White Mist World and even Earth, and stay with them for the long years to come, what about Dairila?

As the Elf Queen, whether due to her own duties or the overall preparations for the war against the Star Palace, she was bound to remain in the Mortal World. Even if Kang De could sneak back to see her, but...

Twenty years.

Even though it was only a three-year separation for Dairila, for Kang De it was twenty years of his life. He would spend twenty years on Earth, during which countless stories would unfold, time would change many things, he would have many experiences, his temperament would undergo many changes, and his soul would be washed away by time. Perhaps twenty years later, his children would have already grown up, and by the time he returned, only three years would have passed in the Mortal World.

Will Kang De remember this day twenty years from now?

Remember Dairila's innocent and naive demeanor today? Remember her foolishness, Xi Shi by love? Can her current feelings and excitement transcend twenty years, allowing Dairila, who will surely be waiting in the Mortal World, to finally meet the person she longs for in three years?

"What are you thinking about?" the Queen asked in surprise. "You've seemed preoccupied all day."

Kang De whispered, "I'm thinking about something foolish that I shouldn't be thinking about."

"Don't you always say 'Riddler, get out of Gotham'?" she said with a smile. "So what?"

People will always become the kind of person they hate most.

"Why is that?" The Queen's smile faded. "Is it because of me?"

"Yes... and no." Kang De started walking, leading Dairila slowly forward. He stepped on the hard earth and walked through the wide trenches, the wind of the scorched earth howling overhead.

"I have something to do."

He remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, "Logically speaking, I know this is the right thing to do, but my intuition tells me that it's not quite right. But it's just intuition; I have no evidence, while the rational reasoning is so apt and sufficient—the odds of winning are so slim, only this way can we be on the safe side."

The Star Palace invasion could happen in an instant. Given the Mortal World's speed of preparation and considering the tragic fate of the Fire Thief throughout history, this time it's very likely they won't have enough time and will probably repeat the tragedy of extinction. Even if they manage to steal nuclear weapons from Earth to wipe it out, it will only result in mutual destruction, with countless deaths and injuries.

Only by exploiting the time difference between the two realms, forcing the Star Palace to temporarily concede and compromise, and gaining time to develop and prepare for war, can we take advantage of Earth's time flow to obtain a longer preparation period.

The reasoning is obvious.

"My gut told me I couldn't do this, but I had no evidence to convince myself, so I started looking for evidence, trying to convince myself to think it over carefully... You were one of the reasons, but I know it's weak."

The so-called twenty-year wait is actually not worth mentioning.

At most, they would have to fawn over the Parrot and beg her to go to the Mortal World to take over her duties. The Parrot would then impersonate Dairila and work in the Mortal World realm for a month, which would allow Dairila to come to Earth and stay for half a year. This way, the Queen would not miss these twenty years, and the Mortal World's preparations and vigilance would not be delayed. It would be a win-win situation and there would be no problem at all.

The reasons for opposition are so weak.

Kang De shook his head and said, "I don't even know where this inner resistance comes from. Is it because I feel I can't save face, or something else...? I really don't know."

Dairila listened quietly, though she was completely confused. She didn't press Kang De for answers, but instead mused, "Intuition... sometimes the intuition of those with strong spiritual power is incredibly accurate. If you feel it's not right, just stop your plan and choose another path. No one will object."

Kang De gave a wry smile and slowly shook his head.

So-called decisiveness is not that simple. He now misses the old days more and more, when he could do whatever he wanted. But back then, he did whatever he wanted simply because he had no worries.

"If I make the wrong choice, a world will perish, and countless lives will be lost. Such a crucial cause and effect cannot be decided by simply saying 'my intuition tells me so.'"

Dairila squeezed his hand and slowly rested her head on his shoulder.

"If the Mortal World perishes," she said softly, "That is merely a destiny ordained in the long river of time, woven by the gods and realized through your hand. It cannot be changed, nor should you dwell on it. For the Mortal World has its own fate, and you need not bear the consequences, nor should you be subject to any blame or expectations. After all..."

The body she relied on was not considered broad and strong by elven standards.

But it can fight against fate.

"After all, none of this had anything to do with you, yet you stand here as a hero who fought against the Star Palace and remained steadfast in this cause. Regardless of victory or defeat, all you possess is supreme glory."

Kang De stood silently.

After a short while, he suddenly said, "I want to tell you everything."

Dairila leaned against Kang De, her voice calm and gentle. "Okay."

I hope you can agree with me.

"I agree with everything you've done."

I hope you can stay with me... even if it's just for a while.

"Um."

"Then let me tell you, look at this..."

Suddenly, a loud whistle rang out from somewhere, igniting the atmosphere in the artillery defensive array. Kang De turned his head and saw the Dragon Emperor's signature buzz cut flash by. Immediately afterward, the soldiers poked their heads out from their bunkers, looking at the people and elves standing side by side, and began to cheer and jeer.

Several drones flew over, revealing the true colors of the unfilial son, their cameras zoomed in on his face, no longer bothering to hide it.

Kang De's expression changed, but before he could speak, Horus said, "The veil has been raised; atmospheric interference is underway. As usual, we're conducting artillery probing. The enemy won't notice any unusual activity here. Supreme Commander Kang De, this is a live broadcast; the entire army is awaiting your instructions..."

He then added, "I swear on my father's honor that Princess Tina will never see this."

Upon hearing this, the soldiers burst into laughter.

The military operations in the Distant Harbor were also characterized by a mix of tension and liveliness. As long as it wasn't wartime or when they weren't on duty, they weren't prohibited from talking and having fun. After all, war is oppressive and stressful, especially positional warfare. At this moment, live images appeared on personal and class terminals throughout the army. His Highness Kang De and the Elf Queen's secret meeting had been caught red-handed. While everyone was stunned, they thought of many interesting rumors and news, and became excited.

Caught off guard by the watchful eyes of everyone, Kang De blushed slightly.

He officially announced that his girlfriend was actually Tina... Even though the world on this continent is going downhill, and although it is supposed to be a monogamous society, men with a little power and wealth can have affairs more happily than the people of Cathay taking concubines. But the fact that he was caught red-handed having an affair with the Elf Queen is still somewhat shameful.

Holy crap...

He was about to put on a stern face and order the soldiers to do what they were supposed to do and not cause trouble when he heard Dairila beside him take a deep breath and whisper, "I'm sorry."

Ah?

The next moment, Kang De felt his whole body being turned around, a warm breath coming towards him, and with a snap, his teeth clashed, making him gasp.

The warm touch on the lips was fleeting.

The world seemed to freeze for a moment.

Immediately, a deafening roar of joy, cheers, whistles, and applause erupted from all parts of the long defensive line, even in factories, military camps, hospitals, and training grounds within the White Mist World!

There was absolutely no aftertaste! Kang De, startled, whispered, "What are you doing!"

Dairila appeared calm, but it was only a facade. Kang De, standing close by, could clearly sense that the elven queen was doing her utmost to suppress the surging blood and qi within her body, lest her face turn red and her head become dizzy.

She smiled and said, "To dissuade some elves, to let some people know I'm serious, to let the whole Mortal World know I'm not joking, to want to help you better, and also a little... my own selfish motive."

"That was the original plan, but now, there's a new objective."

The Empress looked at Kang De, her voice gentle yet firm. "I'm letting you know my feelings. Whatever you worry about me, you don't need to worry."

After saying this, in full view of everyone, she put her arm around Kang De's shoulder.

"You all saw it."

The face of the Mortal World overlord, the Empress of Twilight Moon, displayed a complex blend of joy, relief, anticipation, and pride.

--She is ready to speak to the whole world.

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: I can't go on, I still haven't finished writing. I haven't been able to get into the mood for the second half. It's been a lot of work deleting and rewriting, and I'm so tired and sleepy. I can only finish 6,000 words for now, and I'll finish the remaining 4,000 words in two or three days. I can't hold on any longer, I'm going to sleep now.