Throw Stones!

Many years later, those who witnessed that scene still remember it vividly.

It feels like it happened just yesterday.

Whether it was the surviving members of the Empire Fleet who were right next to them, or the high-ranking naval officers, mages, generals, and commanders of various countries who were closely observing the battlefield through Eagle Eye, Atmospheric Perspective, or even observation magic devices, these elites of the world's naval club witnessed a terrifying scene that was enough to overturn their experience of naval warfare.

They watched in stunned silence as a massive warship, 150 meters long and displacing thousands of tons, instantly crossed the engagement distance and teleported to the vicinity of the enemy fleet.

This steel fortress, with its imposing presence, stood side by side with the Black Pine Forest at a distance that was almost turning into a boarding battle. Amidst the surging waves, the two ships were less than twenty meters apart.

On the vast ocean, between two sea fortresses with long-range projectile strike capabilities, a distance of twenty meters is almost negligible. Such a distance usually only occurs in boarding actions that are about to take place.

But everyone knew that on one side was the Valencia-class battleship, corrupted and eroded by the fallen dragon, and on the other side was an unprecedented steel fortress. With the two facing each other side by side, Kang De's goal was definitely not boarding action.

Because those terrifying magical alchemical turrets had suddenly turned around, all lying flat and turning to the left.

At that moment, the naval elites of various countries unanimously thought of a kind of inhumane and cruel punishment from the mysterious East, which was privately praised by many.

Its name is... Lingchi (death by a thousand cuts).

They were already aware of what was about to happen.

Before the Atmospheric Perspective cloud map of the Antoniers, Captain Niola felt as if she were standing on a cloud, looking down at what was happening below. From this perspective, the two warships, one white and one purple, were just two planes in the overhead view, surrounded by other distorted warships gathering together.

In an instant, the master understood Kang De's intention.

Despite possessing superior mobility and long-range precision attacks, and the ability to tear enemies to shreds within a safe range, he chose to use a jump to close-quarters combat. This was a crazy and unwise decision, but he knew that Kang De's actions were not out of recklessness.

He murmured, "Deterrence..."

The next moment, intense flames erupted from the massive twin gun barrels at the stern of the ship.

As the warship leaped forward, the Aberrant Dragon had already reacted, but it hadn't anticipated this situation. The ship's weapons had just opened fire, and preparation was needed before the next shot. Although the crew was well-trained, they were already somewhat sluggish due to being parasitized by the mutated dragon. The ballista turret quickly turned, and Luzi, whose upper body was coiled on the aft deck, sprayed out highly toxic flames and flapped its wings to help the ship dodge and gain position.

But Kang De will not give them new opportunities.

The twin 122mm howitzer turrets deployed on the stern helicopter pad replaced the shaped charge warheads.

The Paradox Engine has been obtained by Kang De. The energy shield that once blocked most kinetic weapons is now like a tile, having lost all defensive capabilities in front of Kang De.

With a roar, two armor-piercing projectiles shot through the air like divine arrows, leaving a trail of ethereal light and shadow across the sky. In an instant, the sharp impact pierced through the shield and struck the dragon's distorted and twisted scales. The violent impact ignited the projectile's head with intense flames, and the explosive shock propelled a jet of blazing metal outwards. The powerful kinetic energy melted and flowed the hard, distorted dragon scales before penetrating deep into the dragon's body!

In an instant, the mutated dragon roared to the sky. Its already infinitely swollen and disgusting body expanded further. Holy golden light flashed from its cracked skin, growths, insect eggs, and even every hole. High-speed tiny fragments and blazing metal shot out from its body. After a terrifying roar, the upper half of this Aberrant Dragon was instantly torn to pieces, with flesh and blood flying everywhere!

But it was not dead yet, because most of Luzi's flesh and power had become one with the ship.

But it doesn't matter!

The attack from the twin 122mm howitzer turrets was merely the signal to open fire. After the distorted hull of the warship, which had been lodged on the aft deck, shattered in response, multiple M61A1 Vulcan guns were already pre-rotated, and the quadruple 23mm anti-aircraft guns began to fire. The AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher, with a rate of fire of 65 rounds per minute, roared through the air, rockets swept across the sky, and the 76mm shipborne rapid-fire guns roared into action. At a distance of 20 meters, even an inexperienced novice would not miss, let alone Horus, who was in charge of overall fire control!

The eagle-eyed officer cried out in alarm; his perspective had cut too close. But Captain Niola had no time to concern himself with his subordinate's lapse in judgment. He stared intently at the overhead cloud map on the elemental crystal panel: "Gods..."

He saw blazing flames shimmering on the steel warship, and a torrent of crossbow bolts raining down on the deck and hull of the Black Pine Forest. Countless hollow metal shells of varying sizes were hurled from the turrets onto the gleaming hull, still carrying a wisp of smoke. At a distance of twenty meters, the net of death was suddenly unfurled.

The overhead cloud map showed only the rotating turrets constantly turning, a series of deadly rays slicing back and forth, blasting debris, broken masts, gaping decks, and Flame arrows trailing trails of flame crisscrossing the air, creating thick smoke. In an instant, every inch of the Black Pine Forest's body was ravaged, its deformed flesh and blood, its hardened hull, and every person on board were swallowed up one by one by the fair fires of death.

As the flagship of a squadron of the Empire, this famous Imperial warship, classified as a second-class battleship, went from being a wrecked vessel to being smashed to pieces in about three minutes, with its hull collapsing and keel breaking.

Shattered to pieces.

Even in the history of the world's navies, no warship has ever been sunk so thoroughly.

A horrific massacre unfolded in Goth's territorial waters. The pride of the Fourth Subfleet, along with all its crew, vanished into the ocean. The remaining three warships, parasitized by the Aberrant Dragon, had turned their guns around, but their dying struggle was merely a deterrent.

The cannons turned, and the beam of death spun and swept across the battlefield. The artillery clusters in front fired at the target ahead, while the rocket pods behind unleashed a rain of annihilation, covering another fallen warship.

As for the last and most recent one, the Horus, which had been transforming with a clanging sound, climbed all the way to the bridge and became a huge and powerful power arm that gripped the top of the bridge. It made a simple slingshot, which was then reinforced by Kang De, and swung it several times in the air, launching the projectile, which was a powerful JDAM bomb, in a spinning motion.

The massive 2,000-pound bomb skipped across the sea surface like a stone, its 76mm automatic cannon blasting a hole in the protective shield, allowing the heavy bomb to fly inside.

A one-ton iron lump is enough to smash a hole in a wooden deck, let alone a one-ton bomb. Blazing light rose from the raging sea, and thick smoke and shockwaves shattered the warship from its center. After everything dissipated, all memories, honors, and pride vanished from the world.

The six battleships of the Holy Empire's Fourth Subfleet no longer exist.

The mutated monsters that parasitized it and wreaked havoc were also annihilated.

The Imperial sailors on the two remaining battleships, along with other escort ships, fast ships, and special vessels, had been fighting and screaming in despair and madness not long before. In an instant, the steel fortress, like a divine flagship, descended from the sky, ruthlessly killing the formidable enemy that had driven them to despair, and sending their officers, allied ships, and comrades to the bottom of the sea without hesitation. They stared blankly at all of this, and not a single person felt any anger.

Instead, they felt bewilderment and fear.

The pungent smoke from the gunpowder permeated the sea, like the sulfurous stench from hell in mythology.

Witnessing it up close is even more awe-inspiring. As the massive steel warship sailed past in the distance, every wave seemed to be filled with majesty and holiness. The thunderous lightning and deafening roar still lingered in their minds. The Imperial sailors looked at each other, a sense of panic rising in their hearts.

Because this might not be a divine messenger saving us from disaster, but rather another, even more terrifying enemy.

They had just fought desperately to protect themselves, even engaging in battle with battleships controlled by the Aberrant Dragon, but after witnessing that scene of destruction and end, their will to resist had vanished.

We can't win.

They even believed that this ship could wipe out the entire Imperial Navy.

The exhausted sailors collapsed onto the ground.

Whatever happens next, they choose to face it lying down.

The next moment, the ear-piercing whistling stopped, and then, the universal language of mankind swept across the sea.

"Kang De is here."

They were initially puzzled by the name, then remembered that it belonged to a Cathayan, the same Easterner they had called "a useless pretty boy, must be good in bed, a bluffer" just hours earlier.

A calm voice came across the raging waves.

"All Imperial Navy soldiers who illegally entered the Goth Sea area, you have been captured. All ships, turn around immediately and sail to a place where you can't get in the way to surrender. Don't you dare block the way."

Without any order to "not collude" or the threat of "death to those who flee," the warship unilaterally declared victory and prisoners of war. It treated its own fleet as nothing, and the waves it created nearly lifted two panicked single-masted fast ships into the air. It rammed and crashed into the distance.

"Master...!"

"The Kang De Condé is already heading towards our fleet!" the officer shouted.

I saw it!

Niola stared at his own warships, now infested and possessed by the Aberrant Dragon. His face was ashen, his eyes darting about, and he sighed bitterly before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "Communication!"

With a deafening roar of engines, the steel behemoth surged forward, and Kang De's voice echoed across the water, "All Council Fleet have illegally entered Goth's waters, you have been captured! All ships that still retain autonomy, immediately disengage from the battlefield and sail to a safe place to await surrender!"

A moment later, Master Niola's voice was also carried far by the elemental winds.

"Greetings, Your Highness Kang De. The Azure Fleet thanks you for your assistance and is willing to follow your orders. However, please allow me, on behalf of the Council, to request that brave soldiers still fight on our corrupted warships. The Council remember your friendship today. Could you please use a wiser and more merciful approach to save the lives of these brave warriors while eliminating the enemy...?"

The captain had only spoken halfway when a calm response arrived on the waves.

"What's it to me?"

I've brought out my powerful ships and cannons; who are you to talk to me about friendship?

These words echoed clearly in the bridge. Master Niola's face turned bright red. Boundless shame and anger weighed on the heart of this proud spellcaster. He trembled with rage, his eyes bloodshot. But might makes Truth, that was the rule they believed in, and that was why the mighty Azure Fleet had come to be.

Their original intention was to force Kang De to admit defeat with overwhelming force and humiliate this madman who dared to Council the glory of the Council. Now that Kang De disregards their pleas and friendship, he is merely following their logic. What more is there to say?

So the spellcaster let out another low sigh.

He knew this was a deterrent, a punishment, and a form of retaliation.

So Kang De pulverized the six Imperial battleships, including any crew members who might have survived, but declared the remaining Empire Fleet that had not been corrupted to be captured.

Such an action was undoubtedly a slap in the face to the emperor.

I'll sink six of your warships, kill the soldiers on those six ships, and you'll still be grateful and say I did a good job. I'll also make you obediently pay to ransom the remaining people and ships.

This was a response to the Empire Fleet's forced incursion into territorial waters and its coercion of Goth.

Master Niola did not believe that Kang De would think highly of the Council.

Therefore, the Azure Fleet received the same treatment.

The Hidden Friar, the Spear of Frost, the Elemental Justice... the fate of these new warships and their loyal and well-trained soldiers was already sealed.

As the fleet commander, their superior and leader, he could do nothing.

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

He had already sensed Kang De's hard heart and understood that the Cathayan had no intention of easing relations with the Empire or even the Council; these ships were beyond saving no matter what.

But at the very least, he must fight for any possible chance of survival for his men.

Master Niola commanded the corrupted warship, "Abandon ship immediately! Get as far away from the ship as possible, but do not board any of your own ships! Hurry! Kang De is coming!"

The next moment, the parasitized warships shook violently, and the half-dragon beasts coiled at the stern roared angrily. The purple flesh and blood that had spread across the ships flowed back and receded, transforming back into a twisted form. The Aberrant Dragon flapped their wings, creating a gust of wind, and struggled to break free from the sticky warships. The viscous supernumerary creatures separated from the blood net!

"Captain! Why are they obeying you!" Hawkeye cried out in terror.

"I'll fuck your mother!"

In an instant, he transformed from a commander concerned with the lives of his subordinates back into a meticulous and calm spellcaster. This creature, capable of possessing living beings and being the source of calamities, would have unimaginable consequences if it were to escape!

"Kang De! These monsters are running away!"

After issuing the warning, Niola roared without hesitation, "Azure Fleet, attack with full force!"

At the same time, roars also rang out from the Twilight Moon Fleet.

The Aberrant Dragon that had occupied a warship broke free, and the other monsters, which had been blocked by the elves' powerful anti-air fire and volley of arrows, also rushed into the sky, no longer wanting to fight, and prepared to retreat!

These dragons still possess intelligence; they overheard Kang De and Niola's conversation across the void. The fate of Luzi and his companions had just occurred, and even though they had gone mad and lost their minds, they were still aware of their previous strategic miscalculation and their current extreme disadvantage... In a direct confrontation, they were no match for Kang De.

Even if all the warships in this sea area were infected and parasitized, they would be nothing more than a pile of broken wood and rotten planks under Kang De's powerful firepower. Staying here to fight to the death would only lead to certain death.

Cuixisi died in the Realm of Gears, under the Paradox Engine. They carried the last orders and instincts in their minds, preparing to create mass slaughter, chaos and extinction. Their previous intention to manipulate the fleets of various nations to bombard Goth had failed. Kang De came with great power, so there was no other way but to choose.

One after another, the Aberrant Dragon charged into the sky under heavy anti-aircraft fire, their bodies torn apart by intense spells and crossbow fire. They uttered vicious curses and rushed into the distance.

Even though Kang De possessed powerful ocean-going firepower, he couldn't catch up if Kant retreated far away and fled. He was even more helpless when Kant flew to land, and he couldn't catch up when Kant scattered and fled.

Concealment, infection, parasitism, assimilation, and the spread of chaos.

The outcome is yet to come.

Regardless, they must fulfill the instructions of the voice in their minds.

Cuixisi is incompetent, but they still have a chance to regain His approval and favor.

The elven commander's voice also came from across the sea. "Cathayan Kang De! We must not let this depraved evil creature escape! The elven fleet will pursue it with all its might, and we will be responsible for the three heads in the southeast..."

At the same time, similar words from Niola were also heard.

"... Humans and elves are both very complex beings."

On the bridge, Kang De watched the Aberrant Dragon fleeing in all directions, but even as two of them circled and charged toward the Distant Harbor, he showed no sign of anxiety.

You think you can just run away after offending me?

Do you know how far we humans can throw a stone after thousands of years of practice?

He calmly asked, "Is it all sorted out?"

Horus's voice was metallic and resonant, filled with a chilling and capable quality.

"PAAMS System access, EMPAR Phased Array Radar activated, scan complete, all high-threat targets locked, fire control channels sufficient, Aster-30 missile ready, vertical launch system cover open, Paradox Element fully charged, Father, launch button here, we need a certain sense of ceremony."

Kang De raised his fist and slammed it down on the red button.

He'd wanted to install this thing for a long time.

This is human instinct.

The next moment, blazing Flame erupted from the front of the ship.

As thick smoke rose, the covers opened one by one. Within ten seconds, amidst a sonic boom, eight anti-aircraft missiles roared out from the vertical launch system, streaking through the clearly visible smoke in parabolic arcs as they soared into the sky, flying towards the distance. Driven by the massive thrusters, they accelerated continuously, reaching Mach 1, Mach 2, Mach 3, and Mach 4!

The enormous cloud of fire and the long trail of smoke were clearly visible even from the Distant Harbor.

The sword is drawn!

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PS1: It's too early, time for bed!