Look How Wide and Long This List Is
Sound of the Tide Manor.
This is the most magnificent summer resort in Distant Harbor, a luxurious villa in the style of the Holy Empire's Renaissance, with ninety rooms and even its own stretch of coastline. Backed by the sea, the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs gave the resort a romantic name. It belonged to the wealthy Tinston Family.
This is one of the cultural landmarks of Distant Harbor, renowned throughout the entire Azure Waves Province and even Goth, and it even set a record for the city—a grand ball attended by a thousand people.
But his illustrious reputation and glorious power are now a thing of the past.
Just like the Tinston Family's emblem, the oak tree symbolizing boundless power and indomitable spirit, which can be seen everywhere in the manor, it is nothing more than a beautiful and illusory wish. The private coastline that belongs exclusively to the Tinston Family and is off-limits to any ships or fishermen has now been openly entered by five straitjacks, whose illumination spells light up the entire sea area.
The sea escape route has been blocked.
At the manor gate, the brilliance of magic roared and shone, the low whistling of arrows piercing the air was incessant, accompanied by shouts and screams, and the hastily mobilized private army, guards and mercenaries collapsed at the first contact.
They may be like gods in suppressing laborers and hunting down thieves, but they are as insignificant as ants when facing the main force of the Elven Royal Navy. This is an absolute gap in tactics, morale, and equipment.
"The enemy's outer defenses have been breached, and an advance is underway."
Flares were fired into the manor, their long-lasting, cold light sources illuminating the magnificent villa like stars, and also the figures fleeing in panic in the darkness.
A deadly arrow pursued from behind, piercing the coward's heart.
A black wave swept in through the gates; in this night of blood and fire, the black cloak had become synonymous with death and calamity.
"The hunters are pursuing the fleeing soldiers, clearing the perimeter of the manor, accelerating their advance. Breakthrough attack group, follow me! Kodia, you lead the rangers to break through from the top floor. Lord Liutelisi, I need..."
His well-trained elite troops continuously dispersed around him, and the night wind ruffled the hood of Kavisalong. He gripped a long-bladed spear, with five short spears of exploding magic crystals strapped to his back. Even his cloak could not conceal his bulging, well-developed muscles. The supreme commander of the elven fleet was directly involved in this raid.
After hours of fierce fighting, from small fry to big fish, the traitors were caught one after another and confessed under the brutal interrogation of the soldiers of the various nations' fleets who had just experienced life and death and were in dire need of venting their anger.
The massive amounts of information are collected via wristbands, integrated into Horus's data terminal, and then summarized and compared by mechanical lifeforms to determine authenticity, update the search and capture list, and issue capture plans.
In this process, the Transformers thoroughly understood the naval tactics, personnel, military technology, and even the personal qualities and character traits of the soldiers of various countries.
The Tinston Family was the big fish unearthed in this highly efficient punitive operation, and there is ample evidence that this wealthy family from the Distant Harbor played a highly dishonorable role in the riots.
For example, almost all of the dozen or so low-level leaders who have confessed have worked or are currently working in the Tinston Family's businesses. The places where these thugs receive their money and food are the private property of the Tinston Family, where they keep their henchmen. Furthermore, the imperial spy who secretly directed the riot in the streets has been identified, and more than one person witnessed him being picked up by the Tinston Family after arriving at the Distant Harbor.
Once the evidence was conclusive, Kang De issued an arrest warrant.
Given that the Tinston Family is a wealthy family in Distant Harbor, and in this era, wealth and power are often linked, the resistance they would offer would certainly be considerable, considering the scale of their businesses.
Therefore, this task was assigned to the elven navy.
After all, blowing this manor up with a single aerial bomb would be far too lenient on these bastards.
Kavisalong's clear and steady voice echoed through the night sky, commanding with composure and assigning tasks.
Horus's instructions were very clear.
The Tinston Family is already at the top of the food chain in Distant Harbor; there are no bigger fish than this, so the order is clear—if they can't be captured alive, make their death more agonizing.
"Begin the operation!" the brigadier general shouted. "Capture all members of the Tinston Family alive!"
"General!" The hunter in charge of reconnaissance has returned with the latest news, "All the main rooms of the manor have been sealed off, the main gate has been reinforced, and initial life reconnaissance indicates that there is considerable resistance hidden inside, especially in the main hall. We..."
Kavisalong shouted, "Then let's storm the main gate!"
By storming into the most heavily defended area with lightning speed, the flow of people in the entire building can be cut off, maximizing the deterrence of resistance forces and relieving pressure on friendly forces breaking in from other areas.
Suddenly, a whistling sound came from the manor not far away. This sound was an instinct etched into the soul of the elves. An elven archer drew his bow with lightning speed, took two steps, and fired an arrow that cut the cold arrow on the third floor of the manor in two. The arrow's momentum was not diminished and it went into the narrow firing hole.
The screams could be faintly heard.
That arrow seemed to be a signal for some kind of attack. A hazy Shadow flashed across the windows of each room in the Tinston Manor, but the suppressive archers, who had already dispersed and taken their positions, were already kneeling and waiting. One after another, sharp arrows were fired, easily knocking these human archers down so they couldn't lift their heads.
Meanwhile, Kavisalong had already led his troops to the vicinity of the main gate.
The elf observed the tightly closed door with sharp eyes. A thick steel plate had even been placed outside the door. His Life Vision revealed patches of red shadows behind the door. He gave a chilling laugh and whispered, "Magic Archer Squad, Dragon Breath Demolition Arrow, Heavy Armor Breakthrough Team, prepare."
The twelve archers immediately split into two lines. The front row squatted down and took out three arrows from the special quivers at their waists. The arrows had sharp, cone-shaped tips, and behind the cones was a red ring.
The archers, wearing deerskin archer gloves, twisted the ring once, making a soft click. The intense light of fire element instantly filled the engraved magic circuit. The archers held three arrows together between their fingers and nocked them on the string.
"Three arrows in quick succession, draw the bow fully, and fire!"
At a command, three arrows whistled out in quick succession. Thirty-six Dragon Breath Demolition Arrow pierced the reinforced iron gate, their sharp armor-piercing spikes penetrating the thick steel plates, while the circular sections remained unimpeded.
Four armored warriors, each carrying a heavy shield, strode out like tigers.
They charged forward in two groups, one after the other, until they reached the gate. Their momentum was unstoppable. The two shield guards in the front row raised their giant shields and rammed them into the tails of the Dragon Breath Demolition Arrows!
The two large shields slammed heavily into the tails of the thirty-six special arrows.
It was like a powerful hammer striking a shallow steel nail.
Even a specially made arrow shaft couldn't withstand the impact, but that was precisely the design concept! The arrow shaft shattered, and the meticulously crafted Magic Power circuit instantly collapsed, triggering a chain reaction that escalated layer by layer, forming a blazing jet that ultimately detonated the extremely high-energy Dragon Breath blasting section, causing it to explode forward!
With a deafening roar, the resonance disintegration and distributed explosion instantly shattered the iron plate and easily blasted away the people supporting the door. Two heavily armored shield guards pushed through the flames and debris and strode out of the magnificent hall, followed closely by their two companions who rushed in and threw out the alchemical vials in their hands!
A fierce flash of light exploded in the sky, like the burst of sunlight!
The blinding light startled all the ambushing soldiers, who screamed and closed their eyes. The four shield guards took their positions, drew their repeating crossbows from behind their shields, and advanced while pulling the triggers in all directions. The relatively weak repeating crossbows were coated with deadly poison, and the bolts were specially designed to make a chilling whistling sound as they pierced the air. For the enemies whose vision had been blinded by the bright light, such a sound would only increase their panic!
"Don't panic!"
A white halo suddenly bloomed, dispelling the intense light and calming the mind. A loud shout came from the second floor of the hall, "Attack! Push them out! Block them here..."
More than a dozen fully armed soldiers rushed out from behind the left and right corridors.
Clad in light armor and wielding swords, they used wrist guards to shield their faces, attempting to flank the four immobile "tin cans" and cut them down.
But after running a few steps, the light from the direction of the gate was blocked, the wind howled fiercely, and six figures leaped out from above the shield guards' heads, their greatswords shimmering with a sea-blue light under the lamplight.
Blueblade Greatsword Warrior, the main assault soldier of the Elven Royal Navy's marine corps.
While maintaining discipline on warships, it was also used for boarding maneuvers to break through enemy lines.
In boarding combat, where space is limited, maneuvering is difficult, and forming formations is impossible, an elven two-handed swordsman clad in heavy woven wood armor, wielding a greatsword and charging forward with a whirlwind sword technique, is undoubtedly a nightmare for all enemy sailors, let alone a coordinated attack by six of them.
During the battle to storm the manor, it was this two-handed sword marine unit that, under the long-range cover of the archer regiment, charged into the enemy lines, crushing all resistance like a meat grinder.
With flashes of sword light, the two-handed swordsman clad in black robes wielded his light wheel at a speed of four swords per second, slashing into the enemy ranks. Limbs flew into the sky, blood splattered, and heads flew to the second floor. The blood made the archers on the second floor wake up as if from a dream, and they hurriedly fired arrows to reinforce, but the third wave of the elves' attack had already arrived!
One after another, nimble figures slid in through the broken door. Elven archers nimbly tumbled and slid across the marble floor, using their arms for leverage, drawing their bows with their feet, turning and spinning, firing three arrows in rapid succession. Their black cloaks resembled blooming dahlias, and the elven archers spun like tops across the hall floor, their deadly arrows shooting in all directions like venomous snakes. Archers and crossbowmen lying in ambush on the second floor kept falling!
In an instant, the sturdy defenses that the Tinston Family had painstakingly built at the main gate were utterly crushed by the elven navy, a result of their comprehensive inferiority in tactics, concepts, equipment, and manpower.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the mage on the second floor who was in charge of organizing the defense turned around and ran away.
Kavisalong strode in, leaped into the air, and rushed up to the second floor. The mage, who was running in the corridor, suddenly turned around, and flames surged forth, coalescing into a spear. Without hesitation, the elven brigadier charged forward with his spear.
The flames surged, and a cold glint pierced through the blazing fire, swirling and churning. The black robe was scorched by the intense heat, revealing a muscular body. But the blazing fire element was suddenly dispersed by the thrusting spear. The sharp spear tip was close at hand, and the lava shield suddenly opened, blocking the deadly attack.
In the flickering firelight, the elf's indifferent eyes and the mage's flowing beard met.
"I also know a little magic." The brigadier gave a cruel sneer. "A course I took when I returned to the Royal Academy for further studies at the age of three hundred!"
He clenched his left fist and punched out suddenly. Where his mental energy trembled, a point of ice crystal quietly invaded. The weakest elemental connection point of the lava shield was brutally invaded by the alien element. The balance was broken, and a crack silently opened. The subsequent massive physical impact surged in, and the shield shattered!
Despite the danger, the mage remained calm and instantly cast a spell, conjuring stone spikes that rose from the ground and stabbed at Kavisalong's thigh. He then gathered fire elemental energy, attempting to gain backward propulsion by spewing Flame.
In terms of tactical skills and spellcasting ability, he is already a remarkable individual.
But in the end, he only accepted the high-paid position of magic consultant from the Tinston Family.
But his opponent was the supreme commander of an elite elven fleet.
Kavisalong turned his spear and thrust it downwards. The spear shattered the stone spikes and embedded itself in the ground. The elf immediately released the spear, twisted his feet, and suddenly pushed forward with overwhelming force, slamming into the mage. The mage's body shuddered violently, his chest collapsed, and then the elf's large hand grabbed his head, pulling him backward like a rag doll. In the last moment of his life, the mage saw the spear's tail getting closer and closer.
With a muffled thud, the spike of the spear pierced the mage's mouth, protruding from the back of his head. His dead body slid down the spear and fell to the ground. The elf roared, pulled out the spear, and blood spurted back. He neither dodged nor avoided it, letting the thick blood spray all over his body, soaking his black cloak.
Showering one's entire body with the blood of one's prey is a valiant ritual for elven warriors.
"The Tinston Family!" he roared, "The Inquisition is here! Surrender! His Highness Kang De will mercifully decide your fate! Otherwise, the Suppressors of Rebellion will inflict upon you the most painful death!"
Footsteps and cries echoed from all sides, along with the soft sound of a sharp blade piercing through the air and the sound of blood flowing. Tonight, this renowned Goth estate was stained with blood, and death lingered in its wake.
"The elven forces have breached the manor."
On the bridge of the Knight Afu, Kang De, who had put down his half-finished iced cola and was scribbling in a notebook, looked up when he heard this. "I just went to the White Mist World. You said before that they rejected your offer of fire support?"
"Yes."
The camera then switched to a distant view of the mountain resort.
Even at night, the villa looks magnificent and grand.
Horus said, "Kavisalong said he doesn't want the manor to be damaged too much; he wants to take it completely as a gift to you."
Kang De paused for a moment, then shook his head and laughed, "Damn."
Transformer wondered, "Father, this elf is not a flatterer. I think his behavior has deep meaning, but... I don't quite understand it."
The Earthling shook his head and said, "It's simple. He doesn't want your firepower support. He has two goals: first, to demonstrate their strength and pride, and to save face, which is quite normal."
"Secondly, he probably wants to repay a favor. The more humble, even fawning, he is now, the less he will hesitate to leave once he feels he has repaid my debt. This is similar to your big data analysis: among the three kingdoms, only the elves have the most resolute and uncorrupted attitude."
He shrugged as he said this, "As expected."
The Transformers laughed and said, "But for a father, what's hard to get is often the best?"
Kang De stroked his chin. "It's not just for that reason. To be honest, the elves' military discipline and training are the best we've ever seen, perhaps even the closest to Earth's modern military system. Their willpower, physique, combat effectiveness, and even obedience far surpass those of ordinary Earth soldiers. I really want to see these pointy-eared creatures equipped with our latest weapons and equipment blasting everything apart..."
Horus said, "I also have something to say, Father, it's actually not difficult... oh, it's quite difficult too."
"Shut up."
Kang De glanced at it, then thought for a moment, and looking at the elven soldiers moving in and out of the Tinston Manor on the screen, engaging in mobile combat, he suddenly laughed.
"It's really not difficult." He gave a sly smile. "Aren't they very loyal?"
At the Tinston Manor, Kavisalong suddenly shivered.
"We've caught Luent!"
A joyful shout came from below, "General! We have captured the head of the Tinston Family! Several other family members have also been apprehended; after verification and questioning, they have surrendered!"
The elven commander quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
He reported to the bracelet, "Horus, we have achieved an initial victory."
A moment later, an echo rang out, "Thank you for your valiant efforts, elves. Please secure the scene, detain those involved, and conduct a preliminary interrogation."
"Yes."
A few minutes later, the head of the Tinston Family was brought before the brigadier general.
It is said that when he was captured, this brave patriarch was still putting up a stubborn resistance. However, his years of pampered life had neglected his swordsmanship from his youth. The ranger who found him simply used a bowstring to sever his wrist and disarmed him. After he was captured, the distraught family members all chose to surrender.
"Luent Tinston, you are suspected of colluding with the Empire and inciting a rebellion against His Highness Kang De. The Traitor Suppression Society has been ordered to take action against you..."
"Fart!"
The chieftain, his face flushed and his swordsman's robes torn, roared, "You are clearly elves! What kind of Inquisition is this! You lackeys of the Cathayan, do you have any honor left?!"
Although these executioners, who called themselves Suppressors of Rebellion, all wore black cloaks, their average height of 1.9 meters and their robust physiques could not be concealed by the black robes. Only elves with exceptionally developed physical abilities could have such an average build, not to mention that they made no attempt to hide their weapons.
They're all Twilight Moon's standard equipment.
Kavisalong said coldly, "Goth People, how could someone as lowly and ugly as you understand our loyalty and patience? And you're right, you even betrayed your own guardians..."
"--I had no loyalty to him, so how could I betray him! He was merely an outsider! An Easterner! He harbored evil intentions! He wanted to lead our nation into an even deeper abyss of depravity! Tonight's massacre is proof of that! Goth was the Goth of the Goth People, not the Goth of Kang De! We are subjects of the Empire! Our overlord is His Majesty the Holy Emperor! The Empire will uphold justice for us!"
Luent roared, spittle flying from his mouth.
"You just wait! Elves! My son went to the imperial capital the day before yesterday to beg His Majesty the Emperor to help Goth break free from the control of the Cathayan and return to the embrace of the Empire. You fallen elves who willingly serve as Kang De's lackeys will also be punished by your council..."
The elves present went from confusion to astonishment, and from astonishment to amusement.
They looked at each other, and Marine Corps Commander Kodia shrugged. "Humans, oh humans, their naiveté and stupidity never fail to amaze me."
The chief mage chuckled, "We were about the same age as him when we were this age."
The man roared, "I am the head of the Tinston Family! My ancestors were nobles appointed by His Majesty the Emperor! The Tinstons were one of Goth's founding nobles, and I demand the same treatment as those of me! I..."
Kavisalong suddenly felt disheartened and waved his hand.
The elf Diat stepped forward with a smile.
"Oh, really? You're absolutely right."
He reached out and lifted the bound human, even going so far as to give a perfunctory bow. "Congratulations, Your Excellency. His Highness Kang De says that nobles will be sentenced to at least three times the normal punishment."
Amidst the other person's shouts and struggles, he was dragged out.
The interrogation is not something any of you need to do.
As the shouts and curses faded into the distance, Kavisalong frowned and asked, "Didn't he see the ship?"
During tonight's arrest operation, they encountered all sorts of people: those who vehemently denied everything, those who wept bitterly, those who wanted to see the Grand Duke, and those who were terrified and ran away. But this was the first time they had ever seen someone so reckless as to be courting death.
That's strange.
To say that I didn't truly grasp the terror of Kang De because I hadn't witnessed the Forbidden Spell; but how terrifying was that steel warship descending from the sky? And this dignified patriarch of a powerful clan didn't even flinch?
Diat returned, smiled, and said, "He probably thinks the empire has a bigger one."
The elves were all taken aback, then burst into laughter.
But as I laughed, the laughter stopped.
They knew that neither the Empire nor the Elves possessed such a thing.
But the most terrifying thing is... they know that neither Twilight Moon nor the Empire is bigger.
But what they didn't know was that Kang De might have had even greater ideas.
Silent apprehension and worry quietly grew, but these words could not be spoken aloud.
Because Horus could hear their conversation.
"You take a rest, I'll go check and interrogate some people to see if anyone has escaped."
They were ultimately just a defeated army, far from reaching the decision-making level. Kang De's threat and hidden power were not things they needed to worry about... They only needed to do their own job well.
"Speed things up! That shameless mad dog from the Empire is jumping around a lot; we can't let that kind of human ride roughshod over us... Let's see if we can pry anything out of this Luent."
Kavisalong stood up.
The initial crackdown on the Tinston Family has been successful.
Meanwhile, task forces across the Distant Harbor launched a full-scale crackdown on the family's businesses, while arrest operations along other routes continued, revealing the whereabouts of the big fish.
Meanwhile, after a short rest and restoration of combat effectiveness, the follow-up combat teams of the three fleets continued to arrive at the Distant Harbor, and under the leadership of veteran members, they launched a new round of search and capture operations.
The results of the interrogation, clues, and information kept converging on Horus, and were compiled by the Transformers into a detailed report.
The list is getting longer and longer.
Even as dawn broke and the sun rose, illuminating the bloodshed, an uneasy cloud still hung over the city. On the bridge of the Knight Astolfo, Kang De, who had taken a nap, looked at the long list printed out and picked up a red marker from the table.
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PS1: 6300 words...
PS2: I'm not criticizing Ubisoft this year—at least not until the new Assassin's Creed comes out.