"Earlier, military officers tried to pledge allegiance. It was far too obvious, so I rejected them."
"Now they invoke the nation and the people. This is more than a gentleman being deceived by propriety—it is practically a knife pressed to the vital point of men of benevolence and righteousness."
"They find something supposedly for the nation and the people, yet hide a trap within it—will you go or not? If you refuse, it means your private interests outweigh the country."
"Heh heh, such ghostly schemes and secret machinations—shooting shadows with sand, spitting blood to slander others, swapping dragons for phoenixes—the methods are far too bizarre. Luckily, I reached Level 8 and can barely see through them."
"No. Ten thousand words and ten thousand assurances are not worth a single silence. I still cannot pierce the fog; anything I say may become a handle held against me. I must level up quickly."
"If Way of Governance could rise to Level 17—no, even Level 15—I fear nothing could be hidden from me."
An urgent desire to level up rose within him. Su Ziji smiled mildly. "The Commander is right. It is only that I hold no title yet and cannot make any Xu. Opening the seas would indeed be beneficial. If there is a chance in the future, we can discuss it then."
"In that case, I shall not disturb Lord Su any longer." In such a torrential rain, it truly was unsuitable to continue their discussion. Having failed to obtain Su Ziji's Xu, Admiral Rui Xin was somewhat disappointed. He clasped his hands toward him, then took his leave.
Su Ziji watched his figure disappear into the distance. Only when he heard a personal guard ask whether he wished to return to the ship did he nod and head back to