Type-Moon: The Human Love Simulator

"What I'm saying is, the way you're going about this won't save your kingdom…"

Su Kai shook his head. "You two are approaching this from opposing perspectives. Mo Zi, if you can't persuade the King of Chu to change his stance, then even if you convince him to abandon his invasion of Song today, he'll simply seize the next opportunity when you're preoccupied elsewhere."

"And as for you, King of Chu, if you can't refute Mo Zi's defensive mechanisms—his fortress-defense techniques—then no matter how eloquently you justify your aggression, it's all meaningless talk."

The King of Chu, far from offended, nodded repeatedly in agreement. Spring and Autumn Era rulers were nothing if not pragmatic—being rebuked by a worthy advisor was no shame.

After all, being insulted by such talent was a privilege many couldn't even hope for.

"Master Su, a man of great wisdom, do you have any advice for me?"

The King seized the opportunity, invoking the traditional practice of soliciting counsel after being criticized. In this era, rebuking a ruler was permissible, but you were also obligated to offer solutions—good or bad, it didn't matter, as long as you presented your ideas.

"No need to rush," Su Kai replied with a calm smile. "Why not wait until Gongshu Zi and Mo Zi finish debating their doctrines before asking me?"

He stepped aside, revealing Gongshu Ban, who stood behind him with a disgruntled expression. "If I answer you now, both you and Gongshu Zi might hold grudges against me for dismissing your positions outright."

"Let's wait until you're both thoroughly outmatched by Mo Zi. Then you'll come seeking my counsel."

Su Kai was nothing if not candid. Or, perhaps more accurately, he was always open about his machinations. He had no qualms about admitting to his manipulations because even if others knew, they'd still end up doing as he said.

Such strategies, known as yangmou (overt scheming), worked precisely because the opposing party had no viable alternative.

In this case, Su Kai was certain Gongshu Zi's mechanical techniques wouldn't measure up to Mo Zi's.

Gongshu Ban, later immortalized as the legendary craftsman Lu Ban, would become famous for creating life-like mechanical puppets and his mastery of construction and tools. The phrase "showing off one's axe before Lu Ban" originated as a metaphor for futilely displaying inferior skills before a master.

But Mo Di—Mo Zi—was not just a technical genius; his mechanical expertise and innovative strategies far surpassed those of Gongshu Ban. More importantly, Mo Zi was a philosopher and thinker. His intellectual legacy outshone his technical achievements and made him an unparalleled figure of his time.

Even Gongshu Ban's strongest talents couldn't compare to Mo Zi's breadth of knowledge.

In this era, Mo Zi and Yang Zhu dominated the philosophical landscape, a time when even Confucianism was still considered a minor school of thought.

Still, Gongshu Ban had yet to directly confront Mo Zi. Confident in his lifelong dedication to mechanical techniques, he was eager to test Mo Zi's famed defensive strategies.

"My lord, let me test the legendary mechanical defenses of the Mo Zi School!" Gongshu Ban exclaimed with confidence.

"I've prepared siege engines for Your Majesty's campaigns. One of them, the cloud ladder, can scale any towering wall."

Gongshu Ban's confidence was justified. The cloud ladder was the first documented siege ladder in history, and its design endured for nearly two millennia. Although modified over the centuries, it wasn't until the advent of gunpowder cannons in the Ming Dynasty that the cloud ladder was rendered obsolete.

An invention that remained practical for nearly two thousand years spoke volumes about its effectiveness.

Mo Zi, however, remained calm and silent. Removing his belt, he tossed it into the air, where it transformed into a massive wall equal in height to Song's city defenses.

"Gongshu Zi, please."

Mo Zi's defensive mechanisms, epitomized in his Ten Commandments and Nine Methods system, were masterpieces of engineering. Designed to withstand all forms of attack, they embodied his philosophy of non-aggression and unyielding defense.

Despite Gongshu Ban's best efforts, he exhausted his strategies to no avail. Yet he refused to concede, saying, "I have another method, but I won't reveal it."

"I know you do," Mo Zi replied with a faint smile. "But my disciples have already taken my defensive mechanisms to Song. Whatever method you have, I've already devised a countermeasure."

Mo Zi's intellect far surpassed Gongshu Ban's. A technical specialist like Gongshu Ban could never outmaneuver a philosopher with Mo Zi's administrative and strategic foresight.

Technical mastery, after all, was no match for leadership and vision.

The King of Chu, seemingly oblivious to the implications of Gongshu Ban's suggestion, asked with genuine confusion, "What method are you talking about?"

Su Kai explained, "Eliminating him physically. Gongshu Zi probably thinks that killing Mo Zi will prevent him from countering the cloud ladder. But setting aside the massive repercussions of killing someone like Mo Zi, do you really think a few Song cities are worth such a loss?"

"Let's not forget that Mo Zi's intellect surpasses Gongshu Zi's. Do you really think he wouldn't anticipate such an obvious loophole?"

The reality was that even if Mo Zi had come to Chu alone to argue with the King, leaving his disciples and their defensive mechanisms in Song, the King of Chu wouldn't dare kill him.

Gongshu Ban was a technical genius, but he failed to grasp the political and social ramifications of assassinating the leader of one of the most influential schools of thought. The King of Chu, however, wasn't so short-sighted.

The King glanced at Su Kai and, for the first time, found himself appreciating Su's venomous tongue. If it wouldn't tarnish his image as a noble ruler, he might have burst out laughing at Gongshu's naïveté.

Do you have a personal vendetta against Mo Zi? Killing him over a few measly cities?

The King recalled how the King of Yue had once offered Mo Zi a fief of five hundred li if he agreed to serve Yue. Similarly, the King of Chu himself had been willing to grant Mo Zi a noble title and territory just to have him join his court.

Such was the influence of Mo Zi, a sage whose mere name carried more weight than deeds.

After Gongshu Ban admitted defeat, Mo Zi didn't let the matter rest. He turned his sharp gaze toward Su Kai, recalling the earlier claim that Su had a way to counter him.

Confident that his strategies were airtight, Mo Zi challenged Su Kai. "Master Su, now that Gongshu Zi has exhausted his techniques, may I ask what guidance you have to offer?"

Mo Zi's straightforward nature was legendary. He was the type of man who dared to call for restraint in noble funerals and frugal burials in an era when such ideas were considered radical.

Even Confucius had famously condemned the use of clay figurines in burial rites, calling it a betrayal of filial piety, arguing that if one disrespected their ancestors, future generations might disrespect them in turn.

But Mo Zi boldly denounced the wastefulness of using human sacrifices in burial practices, earning him the ire of Confucianists. He even wrote Fei Ru (Against Confucianism), directly criticizing their elaborate burial customs.

Su Kai replied calmly, "Your mechanisms are indeed ingenious, but you seem to forget that in this era, diplomacy is the true currency of power."

Had diplomacy not been so crucial, the rise of strategists and the manipulation of alliances through horizontal and vertical coalitions wouldn't have dominated this age.

Turning to the King, Su Kai asked, "King of Chu, your kingdom is considered barbarian, isn't it?"

"…"

The King's face turned bright red. Though Chu often referred to itself as a barbarian state, hearing it from someone else was another matter entirely. However, Su Kai's disdain was equal-opportunity—he looked down on everyone with the same cold detachment.

Swallowing his anger, the King replied through gritted teeth, "Yes, we are barbarians. We do not adhere to the titles and rites of the Central States."

"Well, there you go!" Su Kai pointed at Mo Zi. "Detain him. Offer to exchange him for cities from Song. Surely his value is worth a few cities, isn't it?"

Seeing the King hesitate, Su Kai added, "Don't tell me you're still dreaming that Mo Zi might one day serve Chu?"

"Have you read Mo Zi's teachings? His doctrines of universal love and non-aggression? His calls for frugality in burial practices? You think your noble barbarian court could accept such ideals? King of Chu, you and Mo Zi are fundamentally incompatible!"

Mo Zi was a native of Song. The idea that he would willingly serve Chu was laughable.

While scholars from various states did travel abroad to promote their teachings, their loyalty to their homeland remained strong. Unlike the mercenary-minded philosophers of later periods, these thinkers would never harm their own nations for personal gain.

"So, why not embrace your barbarian nature and act accordingly?"

Su Kai's suggestion was lighthearted yet cutting. "This way, you don't have to lose soldiers or face criticism from Mo Zi for starting a war. You won't have to test Gongshu Zi's freshly built cloud ladder against Mo Zi's defenses, preserving his dignity.

"And most importantly, no one loses—except for Mo Zi, of course. But even then, you'll treat him with fine wine and good food, won't you?"

"…"

Everyone in the room stared at Su Kai in astonishment, as if witnessing a divine intervention from a mechanical god.

Indeed, Su Kai's proposal felt like an alien solution. He disregarded the norms of the Spring and Autumn Period, unfettered by the intellectual blind spots of his time.

"Master Su, your plan is… impeccable. I shall consider it," the King said with an awkward smile before hastily excusing himself. "I'm feeling tired. I'll take my leave. The three of you may stay as you please."

The King clearly had no intention of following through. Taking Mo Zi hostage in exchange for cities would cement Chu's reputation as a barbarian state. Better to pretend ignorance and let Mo Zi leave on his own.

The Streets of Yingdu

Yingdu was a chaotic mix of people and creatures. The city bustled with foreigners who wouldn't be seen in the Central States. These so-called barbarians had strange features, with even the most human-like among them lacking pure black hair.

Their differences were stark, far greater than those between the Anglo-Saxons and Romans of Europe.

Were these even human?

In the Age of Gods, what qualified as "barbarian" was far removed from the tribal societies of later human history.

Yu, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "With the King's attitude, Mo Di will surely leave…"

"That's exactly what the King wants," Su Kai replied, glancing at her. "You seem to have something on your mind. Speak."

"You're different from the other Zi," Yu said after some thought, her lips pressed together. "You're freer, more unrestrained. You're not bound by rules or conventions. You see through appearances to the essence of things…"

"Yu, remember this: rules and conventions exist to bind others. They're tools for maintaining the status quo and protecting the interests of the powerful."

Su Kai's voice carried an air of certainty. "I don't need rules. I don't need 'rites.' I am the rule."

"…"

Yu fell silent. Su Kai's presence was far more unsettling than the Yellow Emperor's had been. In an age when immortals devoured humans without question, the Yellow Emperor had defied this norm, breaking the old rules.

But the Yellow Emperor had also established new rules in their place. Su Kai, however, operated without rules entirely—a prospect far more terrifying.

This unfettered existence, wholly indifferent to order, was a state of freedom achievable only by a being of demonic nature.

Yet, as she looked at Su Kai, Yu felt a peculiar sense of relief, her restless heart unexpectedly calmed.

There was no doubt: Su Kai was an outlier, a being who could never be accepted by conventional society.

While he had not yet become an immortal, achieving immortality for someone like him seemed a trivial matter of will.

Yu, who loathed solitude, found herself drawn to Su Kai's otherness. Her initial interest in him solving her bloodlust had given way to a deeper curiosity about his thoughts and future actions.

"Master Su, your theories seem nearly complete. Why haven't you ended your travels and concluded your studies?"

"Perhaps they are," Su Kai replied, his gaze tinged with melancholy. "I think I already know how to bring salvation to this world."

Yes, from the very beginning, he had known of a way to end war and ensure peace.

"But before I admit that it's the only solution, I'll continue my journey. I plan to meet Mencius in Lu and Yang Zhu in Wei."

"I need to see the full picture—slaves, barbarians, commoners, nobles, and the great philosophies of this land. Only then will I truly know what to do."

Or rather, he already knew but couldn't bring himself to accept it.

Despite Yu's belief that Su Kai was a free and unfettered spirit, he had always restrained himself.

In the end, no one truly understood him.

---

After leaving Chu, Su Kai and Yu arrived in Yue. The former King of Yue, Yi, had already been killed—murdered by his own son, Crown Prince Zhujiao, who had ascended as the new King of Yue.

But Su Kai knew this new king wouldn't last long.

Following Zhujiao's rule, Yue would descend into forty years of chaos, a period known as the Zhujiao Turmoil. The internal strife would strip Yue of its hegemonic status, reducing it to a second-rate state before its eventual annexation by Chu.

Su Kai had no intention of saving Yue. He didn't care about his own homeland, much less the fate of other nations.

His journey to Yue wasn't to meet the new king. His true purpose was to study the barbarians within Yue's borders.

The Yue region, or more accurately, the former territory of Wu, was home to a significant population of Huaiyi—a tribe of barbarians who lived around the Huai River, from which they took their name.

In the early Spring and Autumn period, the Huaiyi were fierce adversaries of Wu. Over generations, successive rulers of Wu had worked tirelessly to control their numbers, bringing the Huaiyi population under some measure of control.

However, after Wu's downfall, Yue paid little attention to the Huaiyi. In recent years, their numbers had steadily increased.

Su Kai wanted to test something: could he still subdue the barbarians?

If not, he would have to admit a stark conclusion—Huaiyi and the Hua Xia people were indeed different species altogether.

---

T/N: HELLOOOOOOOOO Unfortunately this is the last chapter available for the fanfic... which means I will have to put it on hiatus! I'll keep an eye out for updates though! I appreciate you becoming a member even if it's just for this story while I hope you enjoyed my other translations enough to stay, I'll understand if you cancel your membership!

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