Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

217 Hong San Learned to Be a Human Today

“Don’t let them be cows and sheep anymore.”

These were the last words young Preston left in this world.

He opened his empty eyes and looked at the red sky.

He was a member of the Valentine family, the mayor’s younger brother, and an experienced brave soldier. He was smart and decisive. He realized the dilemma of this country and was willing to fight for the pain of his people. He should have had a bright future, but he was trapped in this unimportant city and fought until the elves broke through.

In order to save a group of civilians who had been chased and slaughtered, dozens of injured and extremely exhausted soldiers decisively rushed forward and fought to the death until the last person.

Then, in this war, how many young people who should have shone and even changed this country or even become the pillar of this country died silently and almost meaninglessly?

Could he do his last wish and entrustment?

Kang De slowly reached out and closed his eyes that were not closed. He slowly stood up. The entire city was immersed in shouts and screams. Magic flames continuously streaked across the sky. The hot air swept up flames and blew from a few blocks away. What he saw were ferocious and violent elves.

As well as the people who did not dare to resist.

How difficult was it to change a country and a group of stupid people?

How to change them?

He had to let them be full first before letting them understand the logic and prevent them from eating too much.

How many years would it take, how many things he had done, how many people he had killed, and how many battles he had experienced?

Could he do it?

Was it worth it?

He thought of the faces of the Valentine people last night and Nick’s letter. He thought of the numb cows and sheep today. He thought of Preston’s dying tears and the brave girl beside him.

Such a path, such determination, and such a career were really too ethereal and heavy for an ordinary young man. This was not his country or his people.

He had no reason to fight for his life.

However, why did he return?

“Father, another enemy is coming.”

The Autobot’s urging interrupted the short moment of confusion. Kang De returned to his senses and saw that the thin girl had already picked up a sword, but she was really too weak. It was difficult to even hold the standard sword. Not to mention the well-trained and powerful elf soldiers, even the burly man Valentine was running crazily could kick her away for a few meters as long as he mustered his courage.

How could such a weak person fight?

Why were there only such weak people who dared to fight?

Kang De said, “Hide immediately. I can’t care less about you now.”

The girl shouted, “No, I want to fight!”

Kang De frowned and said, “What’s the point of fighting? An arrow from the elves can take your life!”

Therefore, the girl immediately picked up a round shield on the ground and protected it in front of her, “Th-they can’t now!”

Kang De flew up and kicked the sword in the girl’s right hand away, sending it flying to the side. He leaned closer and said in a low voice, “Listen, I don’t have the time to protect you now, but I don’t want you to die. At a time like this, people who dare to resist and fight bravely are even more worthy of living. You have far more courage than ordinary people and the spirit that those with strong bodies don’t have. There’s a way to make up for the lack of strength. You can do more in the future and not die meaninglessly here, understand?”

The girl’s thin face that was stained with black dust and blood looked at Kang De in a daze as if she did not understand.

Or rather, she was stunned.

This was because she had heard praise and affirmation she had never heard before.

He showed recognition of her value, her courage, and her potential.

Seeing that she did not have any reaction and it was an urgent matter, Kang De simply said angrily, “You don’t understand, right? Then let me put it simply! I just saved you, so your life is mine. I now ask you to protect yourself and leave your life so that you can repay me in the future—do you understand what I’m saying? Nod quickly!”

The girl was stunned for a moment, then subconsciously nodded.

“Very good. Then it’s settled. Find a place to lie down. There’s no harm in bringing this lousy shield.”

Kang De took the shield and injected his mental strength. Elements were injected, and light circulated. The iron wall and fire control were drawn. Then, he handed it back. “I’ll come back and pick you up. Hide nearby and bring this shield. At the very least, you won’t be burned to death.”

The girl passively took this round shield and held it in her hand. It actually matched.

“Alright, go hide to the side!” Kang De pushed her to the street and watched her hide in the alley.

Then, he turned around and cursed, “Alright, Hong San, you fool. B*stard, idiot. Follow me now and let’s see if we can save a few people. You’d better pray that you can’t save many this time. Otherwise, the carriage won’t be able to fit them. I’ll hang you outside!”

Hong San leaned on his spear and guarded at the side. When he heard this, he only smiled indifferently.

There was no fear or smile.

He said softly, “Master, who are you going to save?”

“Of course, it’s to save those ferocious men who can and dare to fight. I still have to capture Nick, knock him out, and drag him away. In the future, I’ll read that lousy letter in front of him every day!”

Kang De changed the magazine and stabbed the axe behind him. He shouted, “Follow! Follow!”

Hong San did not move and said calmly, “Then we’re not on the way.”

Kang De was stunned for a moment, then his expression turned ugly. “You want to go to the Heaven and Earth Association?”

Hong San said softly, “Yes.”

“…”

An extremely ridiculous and puzzled expression appeared on Kang De’s face. Or rather, he seemed to understand, but he could not accept it.

“You f*cking…”

At this point, Kang De took a deep breath and said seriously, “Listen, listen. There are many people in the Heaven and Earth Association. You can’t save them. You were the one who told me this. There’s no way, no way! We can only wait until the future and avenge them. You taught me this! What are you doing now?!”

“It’s different, it’s different.”

Hong San smiled bitterly and said, “The Valentine citizens are nothing to you, but the Heaven and Earth Association is…”

“But your mother! What’s different?!” Kang De roared, “Those people were only using you. Didn’t you see through them last night? Don’t you know what kind of people they are?!”

“I know, I know everything…” Hong San’s expression was calm and sad, “I read Mayor Nick’s letter and thought about what has happened in the past few days. I don’t understand why the commoners are born stupid. I don’t know how to teach them to know etiquette and shame, but I know one thing.”

“They can get better.”

“Because I was once the same person as them.”

“So…”

Kang De said angrily, “What the f*ck do you want to say?!”

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Hong San suddenly became excited. His eyes were wide and bloodshot, and his tone was impassioned and enthusiastic, roaring like a lion, “I don’t know what I want to say, nor do I know why I came back. I only know that Master taught me to do as I pleased, so—I’m back!”

“I’ve never understood the meaning of my life more than now.”

“I want to protect them.”

“Even if I know that they’re not kind and that they’ll be ungrateful, that they’ll criticize heroes, that they’ll only rely on and take things blindly, and that they’ll disperse when they encounter danger… I know all this. I was once such a person, but even so, I have to protect them, because I’m human!”

Hong San’s eyes were wet and hot as he said sternly, “—Because you taught me! I’m human!”

Kang De shook his head and said, “You’re f*cking inhuman. You’re simply a lunatic.”

As he spoke, the hand behind him gestured. The Autobot lowered his body slightly. However, in the next moment, Hong San released his right hand and grabbed the tip of the spear. The tip was already pressed against his throat.

“Please don’t act rashly. Master, since returning, I have already made a decision. I will definitely not become a burden to you or change your mind. Don’t come with me and treat me as a dead person. Because of me, I’ve dragged you into Valentine and don’t know how to repay you. Now, because of me, you’ll fall into another difficult battle. Then I’m willing to die here now!”

Kang De could not say a word and only stared at him.

Hong San suddenly smiled, “Master, we haven’t known each other for long, but I’m indebted to you for your guidance and care. I was not human in the past, but you treated me as a human and taught me logic. Although you look down on me, you don’t hate and abandon me. It’s difficult to count the many favors and it’s impossible to repay them one by one. You probably have to save them for the next life.”

He let go of the spear tip and knelt on the ground like a mountain.

“Master, this is the last time I kneel and kowtow in my life.”

Hong San kowtowed, then stood up and looked straight at Kang De, “Please do it yourself. I have a place to return to. You have your life, and I have my choices. May you take care, even if you can’t save anyone. Please remember what happened today. The mayor’s letter, Mr. Preston’s last wish, and my words.”

“Please don’t be disappointed in humans.”

“I once groveled and made you disdain me. However, even an incurable person like me still has this day. Now… I’ll prove it to you.”

He turned around with his spear and strode away without looking back.

“…B*stards, you’re all b*stards! Idiots! B*stards!”

Kang De’s angry curse sounded from behind.

Hong San did not turn around. He wiped the tears in the corners of his eyes and looked at the distant sky.

“Master, today, I, Hong San, will learn from you.”

He tore off a long blood-stained cloth and tied the hair on his forehead to block the sweat. Then, he waved his spear and accelerated his footsteps or even sped towards the encampment of the Heaven and Earth Association.

“Father…”

The Autobot muttered, “What does he want to prove?”

“How the f*ck would I know?!” This was the first time Kang De had spoken to his iron son in such a stern voice. He roared, “They’re all b*stards! B*stards are unreasonable!”

Corpses on the ground, crying cities, and people continuously died. This city slid towards the abyss. He was already several times stronger than when he was in Glory Sand, but he still could not protect the people he wanted to protect.

He was still helpless.

“F*ck!”

Kang De rushed towards the center of the city, the Autobot following. He fired at the elves he saw. Cannon fire roared, and the flying axe spun. The golden dial in his eyes shone in the river of time.

“Find Nick—I want to see how he dies!”

The Hummer roared, and the weapons station roared and fired. In the alley battle, the tank pressed forward. The roar of the steel beast was so familiar that most of the elf soldiers remembered this strange and evil roar. Apart from being surprised, they burned with joy and anger, “It’s Kang De!”

The fanatical emotions spread and boiled, so much so that almost all the elves who heard this news roared excitedly. They had all given up on killing human soldiers and civilians. Compared to these pitiful and weak humans, this even more evil and hateful guy was worth killing!

He was the one who stopped the attack on Valentine and killed countless comrades. He was the one who set a despicable trap and buried countless comrades alive. It was him, it was him, it was all him!

“Kill him! Kill him!”

The entire city was filled with enemies. The angry roars of the elves were everywhere. The arrows were like locusts. The cavalry galloped over and intercepted them along the streets and alleys. Kang De’s gun fired as he roared, “Come! Come!”

In the city hall, the outcome was almost decided.

Therlandron hated Nick so much that when the army entered the city, the city hall became the focus of the attack. The commander even personally led and commanded this attack. The elves’ attack was cruel and efficient. They could use any method and did not have to restrain any method. There were only two orders.

They killed all the humans he saw.

The order was to capture Nick Valentine alive.

This was because Therlandron wanted to personally cut this despicable human into pieces.

The most elite army of the elves rushed into the city hall and killed everyone, be it men or women, old people or children.

They slaughtered everything accurately, efficiently, and comprehensively.

The human troops guarding here resisted tenaciously, but the outcome was already decided. The mages exhausted their last trace of magic power and their bodies were twisted by the enemy mages. The soldiers fell to the ground injured and were killed. Every corridor, every room, knives, spears, magic, and killing were the only melody.

“Nick Valentine.”

Therlandron’s voice was extremely calm, but like the coldest ice, sporadic resistance continuously erupted all over the city hall. However, the brilliant command and powerful combat quality of the elves had already divided the head of Valentine in this area. The guards continuously fell to the ground, and Nick waved his sword to fight. At this point, this highest officer of Valentine still chose to continue fighting and not commit suicide to end his life.

His sword was sent flying. Therlandron easily broke his arm and stepped on him. The commander said coldly, “I want to use all the torture of the Dusk Legion on you.”

Nick spat out a mouthful of phlegm with blood in it and smiled fearlessly. “I deserve this.”

Therlandron dragged him to the high platform like a dead dog so that he could see Valentine and all over the city hall from here. “Hear their screams? I’ve always wondered why you did this. Could it be that Goethe promised you something? Could it be that your family has already evacuated early?”

Nick laughed out loud. “How is that possible? They’re in the city. They’re here.”

“Then I’ll torture them to death in front of you one by one,” Therlandron said coldly. “Stupid, how stupid. Human, you know that the city will definitely fall, but you still committed such a serious crime. Why? Could it be that you don’t care about the lives of your family?”

“You’re the stupid one! Don’t you understand the reason for our battle now?!”

Nick suddenly exploded, but the other hand holding the dagger was still broken by Therlandron. The mayor had foreseen this outcome. At this moment, the process of resistance was more important than the outcome. He ignored the pain and stared into the eyes of the executioner in front of him. At this moment, countless souls who could have knelt and begged for mercy but fought to the death stood behind him and roared the same sentence and voice.

“—The country is about to fall. What’s the point of having a home?!”