A Ship

Distant Harbor.

The fleet that blocked the city's waterways cruised the seas, and half the city could see the raised sails.

It was not Goth's design, but rather warships from various countries.

The Empire's Valencia-style sailing warships were magnificent and imposing, like fortresses at sea.

The Arcane Council's patrol ship is compact and sleek, radiating the brilliance of magic and knowledge.

The main warships of Twilight Moon possess both characteristics of the former two: they have the grandeur of a world maritime hegemon and the continuous innovation and progress of the world's leading power in advanced military technology. In addition to ensuring quantity, they are also equipped with a considerable number of advanced magical tactical units.

Flanking these three formidable fleets, the ships of their vassals stood like stars in their wake.

A giant dragon soared and roared in the sky.

While the land-dwelling peoples possessed the powerful tools to sail the seas, they maintained their pride in dominating the skies.

At this very moment, several powerful naval and air forces converged, their spearheads aimed at one point.

That's the Distant Harbor, just a stone's throw away.

This pearl city on the west coast of Goth was already in a state of constant alarm. From nobles and high-ranking officials to beggars and slaves, anyone who could see what was happening outside the dock area knew that something terrible was about to happen.

The elven navy, which had previously wreaked havoc in the Distant Harbor, returned with a vengeance, and even the fleets of the Empire and the Arcane Council fought alongside them. This time, the situation was clearly worse than before.

Fear fuels the spread of rumors.

Port cities are more diverse and complex than inland cities. Close trade means more complicated personnel flows. All kinds of people are here: those who take money, those who obey orders, those who have special missions, and so on... And now, they have received orders.

Spread rumors, spread fear, incite hatred, and ideally, stir up unrest.

The spies, thieves, traitors, and Goth's collaborators were ordered to incite as much hatred and malice as possible towards Kang De among the Distant Harbor, and to solidify this impression.

Ideally, it would cause some serious trouble; that would be even better.

That's too easy.

It's too easy to incite and spread rumors using fear.

Deceiving these Distant Harbor was almost unbelievably easy.

Although they were Goth People, they had not witnessed the Forbidden Spell descending from the sky, nor had they seen Kang De kill the Dragon Knight like a chicken. They lacked both awe and gratitude towards Kang De, because they had only heard of his deeds and had not seen them in person. Therefore, neither fear nor respect had any real impact on them.

But the fear that permeates the city at this moment is real.

The combined fleets of various nations launched an invasion, and a colossal dragon soared through the skies. Such a scene easily reminded them of the bloody battle that had just ended, giving rise to genuine fear.

Real fear can certainly incite real hatred.

Rumors spread like wildfire, circulating in the streets and alleys.

They say that Kang De did things at Qilin Cape, that he helped Goth with ulterior motives, that he tried to monopolize the underground treasure. But since he was Cathayan, he wanted to return to his homeland and hometown, so why would he wholeheartedly stay in Goth? After his great success, he would use Goth's country to attract the world's anger for him, and then leave calmly, leaving only the innocent Goth People to wail in the flames of war.

It is also said that Kang De messed things up, and a Magic Creature leaked out. The fleets of the nations besieging the city came to solve the problem and save the Goth People, but the Grand Duke and Princess Tina, in order to protect Kang De, would rather let the common people suffer and die, and would rather let war break out, than allow the armies of the nations to enter the country.

In this situation, relying on the intelligence of the masses is nothing short of wishful thinking.

After all, a person's intelligence will decline sharply under three circumstances.

When a pie falls from the sky, when a meteorite falls from the sky, when a group of people gather together.

They vehemently denounced Kang De and the Grand Duke, even calling for a petition to the Governor's Palace to protect the people of Distant Harbor, request the entry of troops from various countries to resolve the disaster, and arrest Kang De. They even transferred their hatred for this Cathayan to other Cathayan in Distant Harbor, who were greatly excited after hearing about Kang De's deeds. Some even defended Kang De, which triggered unrest and fighting.

A large number of Cathayan also consciously distanced themselves from Kang De.

This conflict could even escalate into bloodshed.

Instigating unrest among the people is sometimes difficult, and sometimes very easy.

Anger, chaos, and even brawls erupted as the instigators chuckled smugly in the Shadow, while the instigators clinked glasses on the observation deck. This was the outcome the conspirators desired: to incite as much hatred as possible in Goth People towards Kang De and to put it into practice. The more they hated Kang De and the more extreme their actions, the greater Kang De's resentment and alienation towards them would be upon his return, making things easier to manage later.

Things would be much easier if Kang De were separated from the country.

So what if she's a princess? We have princesses too.

--But all instructions and actions are limited to instigation and incitement.

Under no circumstances should they take action themselves; this is a tacit consensus among the nations.

It's one thing for the Goth People themselves to be incompetent, but it's quite another for the nations to get involved.

Unexpectedly, as they gleefully watched the commoners once again pathetically criticize and destroy the hero, the imperial warships at sea slowly approached and turned.

"Release the magical signal light! Prepare to execute the third attack order! Shipboard magical devices pre-activate! The Black Pine Forest will launch the first attack on the Goth Coast Guard Fleet! Adjust the ballistae, load the split-type fire crystal cannons, and after the magical attack is launched, twenty rounds of rapid fire will extend from the coordinate area to the Distant Harbor dock!"

The captain showed the officers his command order, "This is His Majesty's personal edict, an urgent order! The Distant Harbor has fallen, and our unit is about to be attacked. We must launch a preemptive offensive! Gentlemen, Kang De is coming!"

Armory Master, Mage, First-Class Navigator... The officers on board were only surprised for a moment, then obeyed without hesitation. The military is a place with a strict hierarchy, and the navy is even more so. Because there are many variables on long voyages, the authority of the commander must be amplified and strengthened many times over. They are already used to obeying orders.

No one doubts the loyalty and stance of His Excellency the Captain and Commander.

Moreover, there are testimonies from the fleet's chief of staff and the magic advisor.

The combination of these three elements constitutes an infallible ironclad rule.

The entire fleet will obey.

The orders were issued and passed down through the ranks. Lower-ranking officers led their sailors to perform their duties, and the entire fleet began to operate. When the orders reached the lowest-ranking soldiers, they had even less doubt about their accuracy and rationality. They would simply obey without hesitation. After all, they were just small parts of the fleet, and their task was to obey orders, not to think about the consequences of launching an attack on Goth at this time.

The fleet quietly deployed its attack formation.

The shipborne magic device has been pre-activated, the ballista array has been fitted with special arrows, and the ballista arm magic array has been activated.

A faint purple light flickered in the captain's eyes. His mind had been usurped, but his instincts remained and his memories were intact. He assessed the distance, wind direction, timing, and direction, and slowly raised his hand.

Just then, a flash of light appeared in the distance.

Then, the observer on the mast observation deck shouted, "Emergency! The Elven fleet has issued a hostile ultimatum to us! It's an attack-class elemental irradiation! The enemy's shipborne magic-guided strike platform has been deployed!"

Before the captain could respond, the observer had already activated the emergency mechanism. A blazing light shot up from the observation platform, illuminating the sea area and making all the warships of the Fourth Subfleet clearly visible.

This is the highest warning sign of a temporary halt to operations or a major unforeseen event.

This was indeed an unexpected situation.

Observers are not the highest-ranking officers on a warship, but they play an extremely important role, especially the observers on the flagship. If necessary, they can bypass the captain and issue early warning information to the entire fleet, because the situation in battle is unpredictable and opportunities are fleeting, with no time to go back and forth in the command chain.

However, he was not a military officer in the decision-making body.

The Aberrant Dragon had neither the time, the resources, nor the opportunity to control everyone on board.

So in an instant, a change occurred. Even the dragon hidden in the ship's cabin and the controlled captain had no time to react. The observer's signal was sent to the entire fleet. Immediately, magical light rose from the observation platforms of each warship, reminding all the sailors that an even more urgent situation had occurred.

There is nothing wrong with this logic and judgment.

Compared to the dilapidated navy and war-torn cities of the Distant Harbor, the Twilight Moon Fleet, which was right next door and was issuing direct hostile warnings, was the greatest threat. Everyone knew what to do.

The next moment, the elf's ultimatum traveled far and wide on the ever-present sea breeze, echoing throughout the ocean.

"To the Fourth Subfleet of the Human Empire: By order of the Holy and Great Phoenix King, your fleet is required to immediately cease its pre-attack activities against Goth. Otherwise, we will take decisive measures to prevent any potential massacres and atrocities, in order to avoid the resurgence of war."

"This is not a plea or a request, but an order and an admonition. You short-lived creatures should know the preciousness of life and must not slaughter the innocent. If you insist on doing so, then Twilight Moon will respond with war. Your empire will face a joint attack from Twilight Moon and the Forbidden Spell spellcasters. All consequences and responsibilities will be borne entirely by your fleet."

The voice, spoken in the common language of humans, traveled on the wind and swept across the sky.

Every sailor could be heard clearly.

They stopped what they were doing almost simultaneously, hesitant and even fearful.

Because they are elves.

Even an emperor would carefully consider the elves' warning.

Let alone these ordinary soldiers.

On the flagship Twilight Moon, Lily gripped the railing, a look of worry in her eyes. "Will it work?"

"That's all the elves can do."

Horus stood beside her, his electronic eyes scanning the distant Empire Fleet: "The Imperials may be stirring up trouble in the city, but they would never dare to launch a direct attack on Goth. Such abnormal behavior can only mean one thing: their commander has been controlled by mysterious elements... But the bad thing is, even if we know this and have enough evidence, we still can't do anything... Not even the Elves."

It is said that the Empire Fleet's commander has been taken over by the Aberrant Dragon.

What can we do then?

Should we send a fleet to besiege them? Or should we force our way onto their ships and kill the controlled ones?

To take such action against the fleet of a world-sovereign power is tantamount to a direct declaration of war, and even the Phoenix King would not easily issue such an order.

Not to mention...

Horus turned his head and glanced in the direction of the bridge.

Besides, the Phoenix King isn't even here.

"The fact that these elves obey our advice is already a testament to the prestige of the elven royal family," the Transformers said. "To expect them to launch an attack on their own initiative is simply wishful thinking."

Lily gritted her teeth and said, "Then what should we do?"

"Wait."

"Wait for what?"

"We can only wait and see how things develop... For now, we can only wait."

Horus said slowly, "Those Aberrant Dragon shouldn't be able to sense each other's situation. The elves helped us take care of one here, but the one on the Empire's side didn't react at all."

"It controls the central command of the Empire Fleet, thereby issuing orders—a brilliant idea. However, it clearly doesn't have the opportunity to control everyone. The fleet's offensive actions still rely on the Empire's established naval military command system. This situation has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it only needs to control a few authoritative commanders to give orders to the fleet. The disadvantage is... the Empire's naval system is still operating on its own."

"Mid- to lower-ranking officers possess independent consciousness and their own judgment."

"Therefore, its attempt to manipulate the Empire Fleet to attack Goth and cause chaos was thwarted."

"This is only a temporary victory."

"Then we can only wait... This level of stalemate is already the best news."

Lily frowned. "But the Arcane Council and even the Aberrant Dragon on the Dragon Legion's side haven't been dealt with yet. The crisis still exists... this..."

Horus said, "Don't be greedy. Gaining the support of the elves is already a pleasant surprise. We've done all we can; now we can only wait."

"--What developments are we waiting for?"

"Of course..." the Transformers said in a deep voice, "... wait for Father to return."

Dragon Girl felt a surge of anxiety. Being forced to leave when Kang De was at his most dangerous and out of control had become her biggest regret and obsession. If she left while Kang De was fighting a painful battle, and couldn't even handle the affairs on the surface, how could she face the disappointment in Kang De's eyes?

"Think of something we can do!"

She angrily said, "What if these Aberrant Dragon couldn't hold back before Kang De returns, and instead revealed their true forms, wreaked havoc, spread mysterious elements, and attacked Distant Harbor... what then?"

Horus replied without hesitation, "That's great news."

"... What did you say?"

"I said if they did that, it would be fantastic news."

Why?!

The Dragon Girl realized she was becoming increasingly stupid... It must be Kang De's fault.

The thought of him makes my mind a jumbled mess, and I can't think of anything else.

Horus was about to reply when he suddenly saw a violent flash of light rise from the Empire Fleet. He turned sharply, and his high-definition optical sensors, spanning the ocean, revealed what lay in the distance.

Purple mist spread, Aberrant Dragon spread its corrosive wings, roared, and spewed spores and poisonous fog.

Lily exclaimed, "Oh no!"

Horus shouted, "Good!"

"... What's so good about it!"

"Don't you understand?!" The Transformers's voice was filled with barely suppressed elation, "Father won!"

Before Lily could react, he shouted sternly, "Elves! As I said, as you see, immortals, prepare for battle for your own sake!"

In a world constructed of clockwork and gears, on a vast platform and a massive pedestal, the dragon's howls and screams gradually weakened, from madness to cursing, from cursing to pleading, and from pleading to calm.

Cuixisi's body eventually turned into a crumpled mess.

He pleaded with Kang De to spare his life, making countless promises, from friendship to wealth, from wealth to loyalty, from loyalty to the soul, but Kang De simply pointed a finger.

The Aberrant Dragon, having betrayed everything, vanished on the wind.

Cuixisi sacrificed six of her companions along the way, obtaining all the essence accumulated by the last six Light Bearer from the Black Beast. At this moment, the power of the source transformed into a purple rainbow that flowed into the Paradox Engine, circulating and converging again with Yasha's power.

The final sacrifice of the Light Bearer ignited the shining star, initiating the final legacy of the previous era.

Amidst the deafening roar, three concentric rings spun endlessly, etched with mysterious patterns, binding the power of origin. The nebula at the core of the Paradox Engine shone intensely, surging with unimaginable terrifying power.

That is matter that transcends this world, light that transcends this world.

Kang De reached out and pressed the base of the Paradox Engine, and so did the A Xing.

They smiled at each other, a wonderful rhythm flowing between their hearts.

"Kang De..."

A Xing murmured, "It feels... so strange, so familiar yet so unfamiliar. I can see strange writing, complex diagrams, and some things that look like guns and cannons..."

Kang De looked at her with a complicated expression, and finally sighed slowly.

Then, the whole world trembled, countless huge gears swirled and intertwined in the void, the world shifted and changed shape, and a platform like an island flipped and stood upright, extending forward. At the end of the dark and empty light, a spatial gate slowly opened.

A Xing asked in surprise, "What is that?"

Kang De smiled knowingly, "It is this world that wants us to leave."

A Xing immediately perked up. "Are we going back? Where's Lily? Let's go now! To be honest, Kang De, I feel really uncomfortable here, um, it's that kind of... boring, tedious, and I just want to run away... So let's go!"

Kang De nodded. "First, we need to take the Paradox Engine with us. The good news is that, with the power of the Paradox Engine, I've been able to contact the White Mist World from this independent plane. But the bad news is, if we take the Paradox Engine into the White Mist World, this plane will immediately begin to squeeze and expel the White Mist World. It seems to have pointed out a solution. If I'm not mistaken, then..."

A Xing listened for a while, then looked like he had a headache.

She yelled, "Who understands this? Just tell me what to do!"

Kang De looked at the interwoven void, with a huge platform standing at both ends, a corridor in the middle, and at the end of the corridor a spatial gate... like a shipping channel.

"What I mean is..."

He laughed and said, "We might need a boat."

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: Update! 5000 words! A big one tomorrow!

PS2: By the way, when I was writing this chapter, instead of "the fleets of various countries jointly invaded," I wrote "the fleets of various countries jointly pressed forward." After writing it, I realized it was wrong, so I changed it... Sigh, it's all your fault. Now even some ordinary words seem strange to me. I can't go back to the way things were, sob sob sob...