Chapter 217: Disembarking

At the port of Lei Ming City, the gentle spring breeze ruffled the sparkling sea surface, and crying seagulls circled the masts flying the Purple Moon flag.

People walking on the shore were in a hurry, like pocket watches that had been wound up, for fear of delaying even a second.

However, even in such a busy port, when passing pedestrians saw Mr. Luo Ke Sai Kelin standing on the deck, they would still involuntarily stop their steps, take off their hats to pay tribute to him, and send out heartfelt respect and piety.

Most of them were people who had made money because of Kelin Mining Company.

Of course, there were also some who had lost money, or accidentally sold too early.

On the deck of the steamship, Watching Watching Pangke stood respectfully, facing Mr. Kelin who had his back to him.

"Sir, according to your instructions, our newspaper has occupied more than 60% of the market share in the port of Lei Ming City."

When he said this, his expression hesitated for a moment, and he continued.

"Actually, this number was still 80% a few days ago, but recently the Andi Si family has also begun to enter this market. They not only used their advantages in the banking industry to monopolize news channels, but also poached many capable employees from us."

Watching Watching Pangke's voice had quite a few complaints.

In his view, Andi Si did not do this very kindly; the two families were clearly allies, but they stabbed them in the back.

Moreover, what they did was far more than just newspapers; it even involved the exchange.

The Andi Si family's bank also operates an exchange.

It's just that because of people's inertia and the increasing trading share outside the Red Leaves tea shop, plus the sheriff of the Queen's District became one of the Brotherhood's own, the market share in their hands is not easy to be snatched away easily.

After listening to Watching Watching Pangke's complaining, Luo Yan just smiled, and did not fly into a rage as the former expected, but said indifferently.

"Watching Watching Pangke, you have been with me for a while. When have I ever questioned you about specific recruitment matters?"

Watching Watching Pangke was slightly stunned and shook his head.

"Never."

Luo Yan continued.

"Then do you think Mr. Andi Si, who is busier than me, would personally ask about such details?"

A flash of realization rose in Watching Watching Pangke's eyes.

"So that's how it is... I understand."

Looking at Watching Watching Pangke who seemed to understand, Luo Yan nodded slightly, looking at the prosperous port with a smile.

"It's normal to have friction. You can never stop them from doing the same thing as you. Besides, letting them participate and make the cake bigger together is not a bad thing. Outside Lei Ming City, there is a market covering the entire Empire waiting for us."

"This is benign competition. They can poach your people, and you can naturally poach their people by ability, or even buy off insiders to dig up secret intelligence, splash dirty water on the other party... these are normal commercial competition, as long as you don't do it too much, such as touching the other party's true core interests, such as exposing the Andi Si family's scandals."

"You have to remember, true allies are not about following the other party's lead, but two tightly clasped hands, so tight that even a needle cannot be inserted. Everyone thinks we are a force that checks and balances each other, but in fact, we have always been on the same side when it comes to soul-touching issues."

"When anyone tries to replace one of the hands out of cleverness, this force of checking and balancing each other will immediately turn into a tug-of-war between each other, and no one should think about truly separating us."

"Not only that, these two hands will unite to crush them."

Watching Watching Pangke carefully wrote down every word Mr. Kelin ordered, absorbing the knowledge he imparted like a thirsty sponge, and turning it into a part of his memory.

In these short two months, the knowledge he gained was something he had never heard of in his life.

Praise Mr. Kelin!

Praise Saint Xisi!

He felt that he was gradually realizing the truth of this world and saw the gears hidden in that pocket watch.

Although at this moment he did not realize that these truths were actually told to him by a demon.

And the demon did not tell him everything he knew.

Time was almost up.

After tuning his subordinates, Luo Yan glanced at the time on the pocket watch, and then cast his gaze toward the vicinity of the port, just in time to see a carriage rushing over.

Not long after waiting, Captain Lu Mi Er, introduced to him by Jack, walked over from the direction of the cabin.

"Sir, Princess Ailin has just arrived at the port. Do you want to see her?"

His expression was respectful, even more so than Watching Watching Pangke who was still kept in the dark, just like seeing a true god.

And it is a god on earth.

Seeing Ailin jumping off the carriage in a hurry, Luo Yan happened to meet her emerald-green eyes, and saw the panic, reluctance, and sadness filled within them.

He didn't tell her in advance that he was leaving, but instead revealed this news to her brother, His Majesty Edward.

With His Majesty Edward's city government, he would almost certainly inadvertently leak the news to her, and then use her to retain himself.

And even if His Majesty Edward didn't play this little trick, it didn't matter; anyway, he didn't turn around and leave immediately, but stayed at the port with Watching Watching Pangke for a long time.

"Of course, I still owe her a farewell, and an apology."

Leaving these words, Luo Yan recited a spell lightly.

A cyan air current lifted him from the deck, and then gently placed him on the port pier.

At the same time his heel touched the ground, those small horse-leather boots had already soared into the air, leaping over the sea surface more than ten meters wide with that water-blue long skirt, and landed in front of him.

Those emerald-green eyes stared straight at Luo Yan, and the sad water mist was almost about to condense into water droplets in the red-rimmed eye sockets.

"Why? Why didn't you tell me when you were leaving!"

Looking at the emotional Princess Ailin, Luo Yan pondered for a long time and made a heavy expression.

"I am worried that you will be sad."

"Do you think I will be happy if you leave without saying goodbye?" Those emerald-green eyes were full of misery, Ailin's eyes were red, she bit her lip lightly, and said in a hoarse voice, "This will only make me sadder."

Luo Yan lowered his brows and said softly.

"Sorry, Princess, please forgive my selfishness. I really can't bear to part with you, and I can't bear to see you sad. The time spent with you is very pleasant. If I could, I would really like to stay on this beautiful land forever, but I am, after all, the eldest son of the Kelin family, and I have obligations and responsibilities that I must fulfill... I can only promise you that I will return to your side as soon as possible."

"As for the farewell words, I left a letter for you, and it will be sent to your hands after I leave. But now it seems that this is clearly my cleverness, and I did a bad thing."

Looking at Mr. Kelin's sincere apology, Ailin felt that the dissatisfaction and grievance in her heart were diluted a lot.

Especially at this moment, she suddenly realized that he didn't care about her feelings, but on the contrary, he cared about her too much.

Precisely because he cared about her, he didn't want to see her sad.

Scenes from the past floated before her eyes, including the pocket watch he put in her palm that night, including him ignoring the danger and going deep into the enemy line to help her, including the mushroom soup and bread he sent when she was most vulnerable...

And it was at this moment that she suddenly realized that he had already expressed his heart long ago.

Perhaps it was not him who was slow.

But herself.

He had always been meticulously concerned about her feelings, while she had been asking from him...

A trace of shame gradually grew behind that sad and resentful mood, and then it was gradually replaced by self-blame.

And it was at this moment that she not only understood his heart, but also finally faced her own heart—

She found that she was so reluctant to let him leave her.

Ailin's lips moved lightly, and she suddenly stepped forward, and in Luo Yan's surprised gaze, she pressed her forehead against his chest, as if to hide the expression on her face.

Just as Luo Yan was wondering what to say to break the silence, she opened her mouth in a hoarse voice.

"The reason I am sad is not because you are leaving at all. As a member of the Campbell family, I also shoulder the obligations granted to me by Saint Xisi. How could I not understand your difficulties? The reason I am truly sad is that you didn't tell me anything..."

"Sorry—"

"Please don't apologize to me, dear Mr. Kelin," Ailin looked up at him, and a smile of strong support appeared on her tear-stained face.

That smile was like the running river at sunset, shining and crumbling.

However, he could still see the strength in those eyes, like a real gem. "... I will wait for you to come back, no matter how long!"

When saying this, she held his right hand and placed a purple crystal brooch engraved with the Campbell family crest in his palm.

Looking at the surprise and emotion on Mr. Kelin's face, Ailin smiled shyly and whispered.

"I have always wanted to give you a return gift, so I made this thing without permission. It might not be done well, I hope you don't dislike it..."

"No, Princess, how could I dislike your gift?" Luo Yan shook his head, staring at those eyes full of expectation, and said the sentence that made her heartbeat almost jump out of her chest in a serious tone. "Thank you, I like it very much."

"I will carry it by my side forever, as a treasure of my life."

He kissed the back of her hand, and then, under the attention of countless citizens and crew members, boarded the steamship next to the pier.

The steam boiler made a harsh buzzing sound, and the huge chimney sprayed milky white clouds, pushing the huge steamship to gradually move away toward the west.

Ailin's gaze kept watching the giant ship, or rather, watching the figure on the deck.

Her hand held the pocket watch hanging on her belt tightly.

(Content not to be skipped!)

Until that piece of dirty cloud disappeared at the end of the sea, until only the sound of seagulls remained on the noisy pier.

The undulating giant waves slapped the ship's side, and Luo Yan standing on the deck kept watching the port of Lei Ming City until it melted into an invisible point at the junction of sea and sky.

"What a pity... I thought she would confess." Hearing Hearing You You beside Luo Yan, Hearing You You, who had been eating melon from beginning to end, sighed lightly, as if regretting something.

Luo Yan didn't speak, just withdrew his gaze from the distance and turned to walk to the other end of the deck.

He felt that Ailin was actually a very good girl, as if she had walked out of a fairy tale.

It's just a pity that as a Demon King, he was destined not to be able to respond to her pure feelings like a prince in a fairy tale.

Of course, this regret does not belong to him.

After all, he was intentional from the beginning.

"Lei Ming City has fallen."

After a pause, facing Hearing You You floating to the side, Luo Yan continued to answer the question.

"Once Edward's new policy is completed, our corrosion will spread along the shipping route under our feet to every port in the Whirlpool Sea, until it spreads to the entire Empire."

The extraordinary power and faith power in this world are ultimately the choices of the crowd, and the so-called God-Chosen and even the gods themselves are nothing more than "choices of the crowd."

They are above the crowd, but they are not truly invincible, let alone truly omniscient and omnipotent.

Once people abandon their original way of life, the high tower built on this soil will also collapse, and this vigorous change, even the gods themselves cannot stop.

This is actually the helplessness of Lin Te Ai Sa Ke.

He wanted the men of the Lei En Kingdom to live a good life with the wealth accumulated by hard work, and use prosperity and wealth to shatter the lies of the Emperor and Saint Xisi, but some people first used money to humiliate their compatriots after being rich, and made up for the dignity they had lost from the weak. He wanted the women of the Lei En Kingdom to break the shackles of feudalism, but some people first put down their shame in the name of independence, and then used that endless strength to destroy the moral bottom line of the entire kingdom, and let the feudal shackles on their feet drag everyone down together.

He certainly knew the importance of education, so he pinned his hopes on the children. However, the literate teachers he could find were either nobles who held grudges or priests, or those guys who he thought were already crazy, teaching him a group of more arrogant little lunatics.

By the time people were old, they suddenly realized that they were clearly going to crush lies, but they burned their lives for bigger lies. No one had truly loved themselves, and they had not truly loved anyone. A sloppy life was written on the tombstone, but they couldn't even put together a sentence.

If this is the new world in Lin Te Ai Sa Ke's mouth, then the Emperor is also quite good, even if this goodness is illusory.

Compared with the lunatics of the Machine God Sect, even the knight master chasing the windmill became a cute person.

The moment Ai Sa Ke's reform was abandoned by the crowd, the divine power he possessed immediately became a rootless duckweed, and only the technology he brought remained.

He couldn't even find a specific person who betrayed him, because everyone who wanted to return to the past automatically became his enemy at the moment of facing the choice.

And when he lost everyone's support, the extraordinary power he had left was still granted to the Ai Sa Ke family by Saint Xisi, and from head to toe, it was full of feudal colors.

In the end, he, who lost his divinity, was defeated by another God-Chosen extraordinary person, just as told in the epic... the evil Demon King will eventually die under the hero's sword.

That was both the will of the gods and the choice of the crowd at that time.

Trying to use the stones of the old world to build a building of the new century is itself a ridiculous thing.

Luo Yan inherited not only Lin Te Ai Sa Ke's divinity, but of course also learned his lessons.

The citizens of Lei Ming City wanted a fire, so he handed them gasoline and a lighter, and told them how to play a big game in His back garden in the name of Saint Xisi.

When the stones are burned into bricks and the wood is burned into carbon, the castle of the old era will naturally collapse.

Then it is time for the Demon King to step onto the stage of history.

I believe Lin Te Ai Sa Ke will be gratified.

After all, Luo Yan doesn't think this fellow countryman chose him to repay anyone's kindness.

"As expected of the Demon King, Heh heh heh." A nostalgic laugh came from Hearing You You's mouth.

Luo Yan glanced at its direction and was speechless at this childish imitation behavior.

But then again.

He played such a big game of chess this time, and it's time to go back to the Demon Capital to report his results.

At this time, Captain Lu Mi Er returned to Luo Yan's side again, nodding respectfully and saying.

"Sir, where are we going next?"

Luo Yan didn't even think about it and said casually.

"Continue to sail in the direction of the New World, and then just find a deserted port to stop, or just find an uninhabited desert island, and then use the method I taught you to draw a teleportation array on the shore, put on enough magic crystals, until I reappear in front of you."

There are sufficient supplies on the ship, enough for Lu Mi Er to eat for a long time.

As for why it is Lu Mi Er eating alone, because everyone except him is a ghoul.

If it weren't for maintaining the decent image of humans, it is also possible for these ghouls to sleep in coffins or eat rotten food.

Luo Yan paused and continued.

"The only requirement I have for you is not to be followed. If you really can't hide, find an uninhabited sea area and use the magic crystal cannon I put on the ship to solve them."

"Remember, this ship of yours carries the dreams of the citizens of Lei Ming City and even everyone in the Campbell Principality. You must not let them down."

"Yes, sir." Lu Mi Er nodded slightly and took the order respectfully.

At the same time, a small fishing boat slowly approached the cargo ship spitting steam, and then a shouting sound rang out.

"Gentlemen on the ship, does anyone want fish? Just caught from the sea."

There were quite a few fish circled in the fishing net behind the boat.

The boss shouting at the bow of the boat looked exactly like those peddlers selling fish to passing merchant ships, just a bit more fierce.

Not only that, there was also a person on this fishing boat who was out of place with the surroundings.

She was wearing a black cloak, with a short sword hanging from her waist, and her body exuded an aura that kept strangers away, and the sharp momentum was no less than the magical beasts in the labyrinth.

She looked up, gazing with watery eyes at the man standing on the deck of the steamship.

That expectant gaze seemed to be saying—

"Welcome home, Demon King."

Looking at those eyes that could speak, Luo Yan nodded with a smile, and then temporarily said goodbye to his subordinates behind him.

It was far enough from the port of Lei Ming City.

It was time for him to disembark.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 218 =====