Civilization: Beyond Two Worlds

348 The Greatest Invention in Human History

The Russian shouted on the phone, “We’re about to reach Comoros!”

Kang De was slightly shocked, then frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“Of course I’m escaping! Fortunately, I gave enough money! That’s why I obtained the news in advance!”

Kirov’s voice revealed an exasperated and miserable tone. “In just a few hours, the Federal National Security Bureau, the Federal Government’s Liaison and Intelligence Bureau, the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, the General Military Intelligence Bureau of the General Staff, and even the f*cking Merchant Navy Reconnaissance Team are digging through my old scores—the entire Russian intelligence agency is asking about me! My friends have all called to ask me if I’m selling nuclear bombs!”

“Why would I sell that kind of thing?! I’m a law-abiding businessman!”

At this point, he lowered his voice and said nervously, “However, buddy, I heard that Moroni was attacked by a white phosphorus bomb. Could it be…”

Kang De bought many white phosphorus mortar shells from him.

Hearing this, Kang De was slightly stunned, then a cold glint flashed through his eyes, “Of course not. That was dropped by the French mercenaries. I captured them alive and seized their shells and mortars. There’s also video evidence. This is enough to prove my innocence. If the people behind you want to use this to coerce or slander me, I’m afraid they’ll be disappointed.”

Kirov was silent for a moment before stuttering, “No, this, what coercion?”

Kang De sneered, “The white phosphorus bomb attacked civilians. You might have sold the firearms. How dare you say such a serious thing on your phone? What if it’s eavesdropped? I heard that the history of arms dealers working with the Russian military and even the government can be traced back to the Cold War. I don’t believe that you can obtain Russian equipment and take goods everywhere in the former affiliated countries of the former Soviet Union without any Russian official connections.”

“You’re Russian. All the intelligence agencies in Russia are investigating you. The people of GRU have called you. They’ve pressured you through various channels, tempted you with benefits, threatened you with the law or even your family, and asked you to do something for them. Will you not agree? Do you dare not?”

The Russian on the other end of the phone had already completely fallen silent. Only his heavy breathing could be heard.

Kang De took out his phone and looked at the time. He said indifferently, “Kirov, it’s been a pleasure working with you. I came to Africa to save my father. You did your best to prepare weapons and arrange the details for me. Your goods have helped me a lot and even played a pivotal role. I’m very grateful. Although you took the money, as you said, there are some things in this world that can’t be bought with money sometimes.”

On the other end of the phone, the Russian forced a smile and said, “You… you’re too polite. I…”

“Therefore.”

Kang De’s short words made the Russians stop talking.

“Therefore, I’ll give you two choices.”

“We’re only the shopkeeper and client. I didn’t ask you to keep your promise, and the benefits I gave you are not enough to make you keep your promise and remain loyal. You don’t have a choice under the coercion of the Russian country, and I fully understand. After all, I won’t force you. On account of our pleasant cooperation earlier, I’ll give you two paths.”

“Firstly, when you reach the designated location, airdrop the goods I ordered according to the original agreement. Turn around and fly away. Go wherever you want. I’ll get someone to pay the balance. Let’s not meet again.”

“As for how to deal with the Russians’ disappointment, this is your business. After all, this is only a business deal. You have to take risks in such a business. Just as you said, you know that such a day will come sooner or later.”

“Secondly, I’ll pick you up and guide the plane to land. You can come here and you can come to my side, but from now on, my vigilance against you will be adjusted to the maximum. In other words, the moment you land, your identity will be no better than a prisoner. I’ll be wary of you. I’ll monitor you. I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“All our communication, as well as your mission and decisions, will be built on this foundation. In other words, once you show any dangerous tendencies, or rather, make me feel any threat, I’ll kill you without hesitation. Don’t think that this is only a threat. I’ll tell you responsibly that I never joke about killing.”

“That’s it.”

Kang De said, “Think about it slowly.”

“…”

“…”

The silence on the other end of the phone only lasted for more than ten seconds.

“The second path!”

Kirov’s voice was firm.

Kang De raised his eyebrows. “It seems that the Russians are very firm. What did they threaten you with?”

“It’s nothing more than jail. The arms dealers sell some inconvenient bulk goods for large countries. With the country as a high-quality and huge source of goods behind them, they naturally earn a lot. It’s safe and risky. The greatest risk comes from Russia. Once they want to take me out, they can have as much evidence as they want.”

At this point, the Russian suddenly said a few times, probably drinking vodka, “This industry is already a high-risk and crazy industry with high returns! In that case, why don’t we take a gamble?!”

“Chinese, Kang De! I don’t know what you’ve done, and I don’t know why you’re targeted by Russia, but they spent so much effort to build a connection with you. That means that you must be of huge value! If I turn around and go back, I’ll go to jail, so why don’t I take a gamble?!”

Kirov’s decisive shout sounded from the phone.

He could completely imagine him holding the wine bottle and shouting with a red face.

“This is not a wise choice,” Kang De said. “However, I keep my word. Report the location.”

After talking a few more times and confirming the details, Kang De hung up.

Kang Jinzhu had been staring at him and was communicating with the Russians in Chinese.

His father frowned. “You want to contact the Russians? Let them do things for you?”

“It’s difficult to tell if his words are true or false, including the last confession. There’s also a possibility of deception,” Kang De said indifferently. “Those who are not of our race must have different intentions. I’ve never believed him easily. I have to see the consequences.”

Kang Jinzhu glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “Then you’re awesome.”

Kang De shrugged. “Help me tell Ambassador He. Tell him that the Russians are very well-informed and have already found him. Let the country know for the time being and ask what’s going on.”

Seeing his father looking at him, he curled his lips and said, “What are you looking at? I’m not stupid. China is my motherland.”

Kang Jinzhu snorted, “If a Russian girl comes later, you must remember today’s words. You have to be loyal and not be perverted.”

—D*mn, do you know how many Caucasians I’ve seen during this period of time? What girl? Even if I, Kang De, choose the youngest Leona, I won’t be interested in a mere Russian girl.

He waved his hand and urged, “Go, go.”

Kang Jinzhu said unhappily, “I’m your father. How can a son order me around—why don’t you tell him yourself? Ambassador He also wants to talk to you very much.”

Kang De said proudly, “I’ll laugh at the sky and walk out. How can we show weakness to others?!”

“…Speak human language.”

“I don’t want to go.” Kang De crossed his arms and shivered, “I’m very afraid of interacting with these officials. I keep feeling that something bad will happen if I’m not careful…”

“It’s baffling.” Kang Jinzhu thought for a moment and nodded, “Actually, that’s right. There’s no harm in you being mysterious and cold… F*ck, in the blink of an eye, I’ve almost become your manager.”

“Yes, yes, yes. I’ll leave it to you. Agent, when the country or foreigners come to me to breed, you have to keep it a secret. Don’t let the ancestral chromosome of my Kang family fall into some ugly stomach.”

“Pfft.”

His father pushed open the door and left, casually giving his son the middle finger.

...

After today, especially tonight, the relationship between the father and son had become even more easy-going.

This was the best way for father and son to interact. They thought for each other and communicated like friends.

After Father Kang left, Horus whispered, “Father, I think…”

Kang De had long known what it wanted to say and said firmly, “No! You’re not allowed to learn from me!”

Horus was about to say something when he suddenly shut up. Kang De turned around. His father, who had returned, came to the driver’s seat and knocked on the window.

The window lowered and Kang Jinzhu pointed over with an unhappy expression. “There, over there. It’s time to test your class purity.”

Kang De stuck his head out and looked over. The thin figure stood there cowering in a coat. He was carefully looking over, hesitating if he should go forward.

He recognized the other party. “Oh, it’s that Englishwoman. What’s she doing here?”

Kang Jinzhu rolled his eyes at him. “You saved her and casually threw her to the street. You let a girl who had just lost her partner stay alone on the street of Moroni, which was filled with bombs and flames everywhere. You flew around as a superhero. In the end, you simply forgot about her. You actually had the cheek to ask this.”

Only then did Kang De remember this.

“Human lives are at stake. Things are urgent. I saved her and let her escape danger. Of course, I’ll save others who are about to be burned to death. Isn’t that right?”

...

He glanced at the figure in the night wind again and asked, “What’s she still doing here? How long has it been? Does she not have a motherland? Does she not know to seek refuge in the embassy?”

Kang Jinzhu rolled his eyes. “The British don’t have an embassy in Comoros.”

Kang De said indifferently, “Then let’s go to the United States. In any case, these two countries wear the same pants. They really take turns being father and son. It’s not a problem for the Americans to temporarily deal with it, right? They have to take care of their grandson no matter what.”

What was he saying?

Kang Jinzhu sighed heavily, “No wonder you’ve never been popular with women. I thought it was because of Xiaoman… I didn’t expect you to deserve it. Fortunately, Wang Yongzhi gave birth to a daughter.”

“You saved a young and beautiful English girl. She didn’t look for the Americans and didn’t do much. She waited here for you to wake up. You have to say a few words to her, right?”

He reached out and poked his son’s head. “Hero saving the damsel in distress! The drawbridge effect!”

“I don’t speak English. Help me send her away. It’s nothing more than some words of gratitude or self-blame. It’s meaningless,” Kang De said. “I don’t want to sleep with her, and I don’t have time to counsel her. This is not a place she should come to. Hurry up and let her return to her Great Britain to find a psychiatrist.”

Kang Jinzhu said helplessly, “Hey!”

“Oh, right. In the humanitarian spirit, find the king for help and call a few people to collect the corpse of the dead photographer. Let me take a look. Here, this is the map. It’s probably here. Although it’s all shattered, we can barely get a little. Add some relics and burn them into ashes for her to bring back. Of course, remember to let the British pay and let the king take the opportunity to extort a sum.”

Kang De waved his hand forcefully. “Alright, alright, alright. I should go pick up the Russians.”

Kang Jinzhu was helpless and could only walk toward the reporter.

Irina wrapped her coat tighter around her and felt innocent, sad, and cold.

Cole was dead and he was saved. The Chinese man rode the divine eagle across the sky and extinguished the hellfire, saving lives one after another until he was exhausted and the entire city was filled with starlight…

If this matter was reported, it would probably be worth at least three Pulitzers—superpower, the massacre of the French mercenaries, and the light of human nature. It could simply be filmed into a movie.

However, she was not interested in reporting big news at all now.

She did not even know why she was standing here waiting stupidly. She did not know why she had rejected the Chinese ambassador’s suggestion to help her. She only wanted to stand here and wait for the Chinese man who had saved her life. She wanted to thank him and say a few words to him… That was all.

She waited for a long time before finally seeing the lights turn on in the car, but she hesitated and did not dare to go forward. Immediately after, she saw his father go over and talk for a while before coming out. Then his father seemed to have discovered her…

In the end, the Chinese person in the kidnapping case, the center and origin of this matter, walked towards him.

Irina whispered, “Sir, may I ask…”

“Miss Irina, do you need any help?”

Kang Jinzhu silently criticized his son for being heartless and boring. What a good opportunity.

The reporter looked up in the direction of the Hummer. “Is your son awake? Can I say a few words to him? I don’t mean anything else. I just want to thank him…”

Kang Jinzhu sighed to himself.

“I’m sorry, Miss Irina…”

He said.

The reporter revealed a sad and disappointed expression. She lowered her head and was about to cry.

—Ah, this little brat.

Kang Jinzhu originally wanted to directly shatter this English girl’s thoughts. Seeing her like this, his heart softened and his mouth began to lose control.

“Kang De felt that meeting and talking were useless and would only leave him sad. He could not save your companion and felt apologetic and guilty for this, so he was ashamed to see you…”

Irina suddenly looked up and widened her gray eyes. Her expression seemed to bloom again in withering. She said in a panic, “No, no, no, no. I won’t blame him. He’s not wrong…”

Kang Jinzhu said softly, “This is what he’s worried about. Miss Irina, if you don’t blame him, you’ll definitely blame yourself and blame yourself for his companion’s death. The outcome of the conversation is only two apologetic people continuously blaming themselves and falling deeper and deeper.”

“That’s why Kang De is unwilling to meet you.”

—What am I doing?!

Irina’s body trembled slightly, and her eyes continuously flickered. Then, she covered her mouth and finally began to sob softly, “He… he’s really a gentleman, a noble and kind person…”

—F*ck.

Kang Jinzhu felt extremely awkward.

He still continued patiently, “He and I regret what happened to your colleague. He’s already informed the king and asked him to help send people to collect the remains and relics of your colleague. We’ll try our best to help you… May I ask what your plans are?”

The reporter choked, “I… I don’t know… Cole…”

At this moment, Kang Jinzhu’s heart stirred.

He could not let this little b*stard feel so comfortable.

He happened to remember something. The news revealed by the ambassador and his discussion with the king.

Therefore, Kang Jinzhu said gently, “If you’re at a loss, please allow me to make my opinion and a little suggestion. After all, I’m more experienced and older than you.”

“Please, please speak…”

“Your companion, your colleague, a great journalist, Mr. Cole. He stepped into Comoros’s land with you to find the truth of sin from this unjust war. They were kidnapped by evil French mercenaries and killed by them. This innocent city was also attacked by white phosphorus bombs. Children, old people, innocent civilians, were injured or even died…”

Kang Jinzhu explained patiently, “I think such an evil thing can’t be tolerated by all upright and civilized people. Your friend was killed by the cruel French in order to reveal such a truth. He made a sacrifice. I think you have an obligation to make this sacrifice not be in vain. I think you have an obligation to write a report and let the world know what happened here. In the name of you and Cole…”

Irina’s eyes gradually lit up.

“Yes… yes, you’re right.”

She recalled something and glanced in the direction of the Hummer. She said softly, “However, your son seems to be a little… abnormal. If this is reported…”

“This is something that needs to be slightly changed. However, the theme of this report is anti-war, accusation, and exposure, not superpowers and the supernatural, right?”

Kang Jinzhu said, “I’m not asking you to fake it, but sometimes, in order to release the really important news, we have no choice but to take some measures… We’ll only pay attention to the reality, and the supernatural part will be left to the governments to make decisions. Miss Irina, if not, I’m afraid you won’t be able to convince your government.”

‘I’m doing this for your own good, English girl.’

Otherwise, as soon as he returned to the country, he would probably be annoyed by the animals of MI6.

Irina hesitated and slowly nodded.

“I took it! I took it!”

Kang De took a camcorder from the white fog world and ran to the back seat. He leaned forward and filmed his father talking to the Caucasian. On one side was the tall Father Kang, and on the other was the foreign woman with her head lowered implicitly.

“Hmph, hmph, hmph…”

The truth was unimportant. The main thing was the scene. With the scene, he could perform at will.

Perfect.

‘I’ll show it to Mom and see if she believes you.’

—Let’s threaten Father like this.

“Let’s go!”

He slapped the steering wheel. “Watch the house here!”

“Father, aren’t you bringing me along?”

“Forget it this time.”

Kang De said, “Guard here. I don’t know where Little Bob ran to. What if his house is stolen? Call me if anything happens. I’ll teleport back. I’ll leave the camcorder here. Watch over it too. Don’t be discovered by my father—take as long as you can.”

“Yes.”

Horus’s voice was a little strange.

There was even a trace of smugness.

However, Kang De did not notice this. He instructed a few words and his figure disappeared again. A spatial coordinate anchor was engraved on the Hima Eagle. He had already appeared in the night sky and swept into the distance.

“Sigh…”

Horus’ faint sigh contained unconcealed smugness.

Many things had indeed happened today.

He saw another side of his father.

His father’s communication with his father’s father, the argument, doubts, and venting, as well as the starlight that filled the city, human nature lingered between darkness and light… Everything was under Horus’s gaze. From the beginning to the end, the Hummer had watched quietly.

No one knew, but he was watching.

Moreover…

How should he put it?

Horus sincerely felt that from the perspective of a mechanical lifeform like him, the greatest invention in human history should undoubtedly be…

Car recorder.