Chapter 81: Assault on the Heart (Part Two)

"Negotiation?" Okamoto Kazuki's anger flared at the words "lower-class," yet he could not deny Li Daoran's point: with Xu Xingxing's status, he was not someone Okamoto could subjugate. If Xu Xingxing were to choose defection, at the very least, he would be treated as an upper-class citizen, or at least given due respect in appearance.

Furthermore, Li Daoran held the advantage now, and Okamoto Kazuki had no choice but to suppress his fury and ask, "What do you want?"

"That's right, a deal. I need military merit. I have two scenarios in mind. In the first, I just happen upon an enemy company holding a group of hostages. Through wit and courage, I rescue them, but unfortunately, you manage to escape. In the second, I discover a company has massacred our research station. By the time I arrive, there are no survivors left. Enraged, I avenge the innocents by slaughtering your company. Now, it's your turn to decide which scenario I encounter." Li Daoran, seated atop Okamoto Kazuki's chest, made his proposal.

"Do I have a choice? I'm willing to cooperate. You become my prisoner, I take you back, and then you let me go." Okamoto Kazuki sounded defeated, his voice weary.

Li Daoran slammed his fist down on the helmet, driving the armored head into the earth. "Are you dreaming?"

"Then let me signal my squad. They don't have armor. With surprise on your side, you shouldn't be worried," Okamoto suggested.

Li Daoran shook his head. "Who knows what you'd communicate in that signal? Don't think about playing tricks."

"So, what do you suggest?" Okamoto retorted.

"Take off your armor. After that, it's none of your concern," Li Daoran said bluntly, dropping all pretense.

"Impossible," Okamoto refused decisively.

Li Daoran chuckled. "You think you have a choice? I won't bother exposing your little schemes. You have only one option—strip off your armor, and you live."

With that, Li Daoran sat on him in silence. After a long pause, Okamoto finally spoke. "How can I trust that you'll let me go?"

Li Daoran silently praised him—nice move. But at this most critical moment, he couldn't relax. Guided by Charles' advice, he replied, "You can only choose to believe me."

Li Daoran's words were harsh, but true. He left not a crack in his reasoning, forcing Okamoto Kazuki to ponder whether he would truly be allowed to leave alive. The moment he hesitated, he had already lost.

"And the benefit?" Okamoto asked. Li Daoran had claimed he would share a secret that would allow him not only to survive but to remain valuable upon his return. Without such an assurance, going back meant certain death.

The life of a lower-class soldier was worthless; with all his squad dead and only he returning alive, Okamoto knew exactly what fate awaited him.

Li Daoran smiled. No matter how cunning, no matter how steely Okamoto Kazuki's will, as long as he harbored the slightest desire to survive, he would inevitably fall into the linguistic trap Charles had woven.

"Okamoto, you're a clever man. In fact, I've already given you the most useful information. You're only asking now to seek my confirmation. Fine, I won't hold it against you. Honestly, I admire you—a ruthless, decisive man, cut out for great things. In the White Deer Republic, you'd be a general by now. It's only in a place like the Philip Empire, obsessed with bloodlines, that you've ended up a mere company commander."

Though inwardly pleased, Okamoto gave no sign of it, nor did he respond.

Li Daoran continued, "Yet there are things I dare to tell you—do you dare to listen? Knowing too much is not always a blessing. I trust you're wise enough to discern what to say and what to withhold upon your return. The war between our nations has only just begun. No one knows who will emerge victorious. I, as Xu Xingxing, am someone worth recruiting. That's your reason for escaping. Paint me as more formidable, come up with your own story—that shouldn't be difficult."

"Your superiors will see someone like me as worth winning over. But they may not trust me completely—nor will you. So letting you go is my token of good faith. You need not worry that I'll break my word and kill you."

"As for the rest—consider it a courtesy for someone I appreciate. This intelligence is not something a man of your rank should know: Space has been lost. The Mermaid Fleet has arrived to support us. The skies are in chaos, which is how I managed to get here. Aid from the White Deer Republic has arrived, and more will follow. As for your reinforcements, it's highly unlikely they'll break through."

"So, when we win, you may invoke my name on the battlefield. I'll permit you to defect and guarantee your survival. After that, we’ll be in the same boat, no matter which nation prevails—we’ll have a place to stand. We're the same kind of people, Okamoto." Even as he listened to Charles speak in his mind, Li Daoran was startled. Was this really an invitation to play both sides?

Okamoto Kazuki's armor opened, and from within crawled a short, wet figure, with hair plastered to his head like a watermelon rind and a drooping mustache stuck together. He demonstrated his acceptance with action.

He stood, looked at Li Daoran, and said, "I'm leaving."

There was no need for more words. He was facing someone even more demonic than himself. He had always thought his own talent for manipulation unrivaled, but now he realized there was always someone better. Each word from Li Daoran was like a duelist's rapier, striking straight at his heart, leaving him no room to refuse. He even suspected that if their roles were reversed, if Li Daoran lay helpless on the ground, he too would have let him go, swayed by those words.

The human heart—he had been played to perfection. This was a true devil among men.

"Kill him," Charles' voice sounded in Li Daoran's ear.

Li Daoran was startled. Even he had been convinced by his own words, believing that Shuiblue's true strategy was to play both sides. For them, such a tactic was commonplace.

Yet just as Okamoto Kazuki had been persuaded, all pretenses dropped—Charles immediately demanded his death. Li Daoran realized he had not grasped their methods at all. This was not mere bad faith.

"What are you waiting for? Kill him! You’re not actually going to let him walk away?" Chen Ming urged.

Okamoto Kazuki, dragging his weary body, limped away. He could hardly believe Li Daoran would kill him now—the logic in Li Daoran's words was simply too convincing. Killing Okamoto now would bring no benefit at all; letting him go promised far greater gains.

"Scum like him deserves death. Don't tell me you can't do it—you only need one punch. Everyone has a first time in life. Hurry up," David added.

Yet Li Daoran truly hesitated. He had never killed before. If he'd slain Okamoto in battle, it would have been different. But now, with Okamoto surrendered and defenseless, unable to resist, the thought of killing him in cold blood before billions of people—breaking his word—gave him pause. Though he'd matured since his university days, in this moment, doubt returned.

"Daoran, kill him. Don't hesitate any longer. If you let him get away, there'll be no second chance. You'll regret it. Think of all the innocent people he murdered—go, end his wicked life," Natasha urged, her voice urgent.

Li Daoran gazed at Okamoto Kazuki's retreating figure. He looked so pitiful, so wretched. Li Daoran closed his eyes.