Clear Skies and High Blue Waves Today

Distant Harbor City, the "Scarlet Blade" arena.

The local gladiatorial arena had been taken over by the Kang family a few days earlier because its owner, a loyal subordinate of the nobleman Billhouse, had not only participated in the price gouging of grain but also led his elite confidants to create unrest in the city, paving the way for his master's successful escape.

So he was sentenced to have his entire family executed, and he himself was sentenced to slow slicing, his body was dismembered for three days until it was reduced to bare bones, and then hung on the flagpole in the arena.

The arena has been acquired by the West Goth Company, and renovations are underway—because His Highness Kang De does not enjoy gladiatorial combat as a form of entertainment.

"Blood and lives should not be used as props in a performance."

That's what he said.

This explanation has become widely circulated, and has caused confusion and doubt among many people.

In their view, the Dragon of Cathay was a very complex person, like an ancient god, with both good and evil sides. He was overly lenient towards the common people, but extremely harsh towards the nobles. This was the key reason why His Highness Kang De had attracted criticism in public opinion. But in today's Distant Harbor, no one dared to question any of his decisions.

Today, the closed arena witnessed the bloodiest and most brutal performance in its history.

In the center of the stage, a large number of wealthy people from the Broken Isles with respectable status and noble positions were swept into pieces in a short period of time. The scene was extremely cruel, even more bloody than all the killings that had taken place in the arena in the past few decades. There were piles of corpses, bloodstains everywhere, and a nauseating smell lingered in the air, the smell of sulfur and the terrifying aroma of flesh.

The sounds of vomiting rose and fell.

This performance has an audience.

Before they came, they were dockworkers doing hard labor, sailors without jobs at sea, bankrupt petty citizens, idlers trying their luck, and farmers who had lost their land... They came from all walks of life, with different backgrounds, professions, and ages.

But after arriving here, they all shared the same identity.

Candidates applying to join the army.

They were almost all from the bottom of society, living humbly and laboriously, without even feeling that there was anything wrong with their lives. They were used to obedience and resignation, bowing to gentlemen and bowing to adults. It was normal for them to be insulted and beaten by people of higher status, and it was also normal for them to insult and beat people of the same or even lower status. People were divided into high and low, and the noble were noble because their blood and soul were inherently superior, destined to be high above others.

That's always been their view.

But today, they witnessed the most pathetic and cowardly side of the nobles and the wealthy.

Crying and screaming, defecating and urinating, collapsing to the ground, howling like livestock, these born nobles, in their fear, were no different from beggars in a stinking ditch.

Seeing these once arrogant and noble gentlemen reduced to such lowly status as pigs and dogs, a strange sense of pleasure and tyranny surged within the hearts of these ordinary people. They even felt an urge to trample these "big shots" into the dust with their shoes, spit, and insults.

They mocked, shouted, and hurled insults, as if they themselves had become nobles, while these former big shots had become worse than pigs and dogs, and their statuses had been reversed.

Then, they saw absolute... equality.

With a deafening roar, lightning flashed, the noble body shattered and exploded, flesh and blood flew everywhere. The audience didn't even know what had happened; they just saw a living human life turn into a pile of chunks of flesh.

Life is so fragile; people can die in such fragmented ways, whether they are noble figures or humble little people, because everyone's blood is warm.

They are all living, breathing people.

Starting with the first person to vomit, soon everyone began to vomit. They were terrified, pale-faced, and trembling. They dared not look down again, and some even cried out in fear. Among these people were many seasoned sailors who had seen pirates hanged, crew members killed on entire ships, rotting, swollen from being soaked in seawater, burned alive, and long-dead corpses.

But they never imagined that a person could die so swiftly and cleanly.

As the stench of vomiting intensified and the putrid smell grew stronger, the sliding doors of the audience area opened, revealing a series of imposing black figures.

The Suppressors of Rebellion, carrying large quantities of shovels, threw them to the ground.

Horus's awe-inspiring, resounding metallic clang echoed.

"Citizens of Distant Harbor, conscripts, now comes the second stage of selection. Pick up your shovels, enter the center of the arena, collect the flesh and blood of the criminals, and load it for recycling."

"Your actions, your work, and your efficiency will be recorded in their entirety. Those who perform exceptionally well will be selected to proceed to the next round of selection. Those who cheat or shirk their duties will be eliminated, as will those who are timid or cowardly. Anyone who wishes to withdraw may do so now. This is a final, well-intentioned warning."

"--Think about what you really want."

Suppressing the discomfort in their stomachs, the applicants managed to lift their heads.

A look of bewilderment and hesitation crossed his pale face.

Upon hearing the notice of Prince Kang De's conscription, they came without hesitation, not out of loyalty or a desire for reward, but because they were eyeing the generous payout.

Their impression of Prince Kang De was that he was wealthy, generous, and even a little foolish. After arriving at Distant Harbor, he first treated the entire city to an unforgettable feast, and then gave everyone a Luke Silver Coin. A few days earlier, he had also given everyone five days' worth of food for free.

Such a trustworthy and generous lord is undoubtedly worthy of loyalty and obedience. Serving under him will surely bring rich and timely rewards, such as amazing delicacies, more and more money, and high-quality, inexpensive food... This is the whole reason why they came here.

But now, they witnessed a cruel and bloody horror.

This shocking scene jolted them awake to a terrifying truth—serving under Lord Kang De might not simply mean walking around the city with a sword and shield, receiving a generous salary and reward as if on a picnic.

This job is probably far more dangerous than they imagine.

Many people have already given up hope.

"Pick up the shovel! Get to work! This is the first test!"

Horus's fierce roar came from all directions, its clanging mechanical sound awe-inspiring, like the cold whisper of a blade, making the little people tremble in their hearts.

But for them, the blood pool beneath the arena was like hell; just looking at the sight made them feel nauseous, let alone actually venturing into it and collecting flesh and blood.

The roar of steel swept in.

"You shameless scum, cunning commoners, I've seen through your pathetic hearts. You enlisted only to gain an unfair advantage. If you still have such thoughts, then get out of here! This is no place for you!"

Do you think the honor and rewards of joining the army are so easily obtained?

"Free education for your children, compensation that benefits the whole family for one person joining the army, the right to purchase special goods at internal prices without limit, free and ample meals, a salary higher than that of a guild clerk, and a bright future where you no longer have to bow to the nobility—ask yourselves honestly, do you scum who faint at the sight of blood deserve the generous rewards bestowed by His Highness Kang De?"

"Start the timer!"

"I'm giving you cowardly sissies three minutes to wipe the shit from your mouths and pick up that damn shovel! Listen to you scum, if you can't even lift this shovel, then get out now, get out of here, go back to your homes. You're only fit to use your weak hands to lift up the dicks of nobles, johns, gangsters, or whatever other scum, so they can violently penetrate your mother, wife, and daughter!"

Horus unleashed his full firepower.

He humiliated these numb yet fanatical, lowly yet bloodthirsty commoners with the elegant speech he had learned from his father.

The phrase "the people are not yet enlightened" contains so much anger at their lack of ambition and their incorrigibility. A soul can be as noble as a god or as twisted as a maggot. How easy is it to change a person?

To change apathetic people, we must first make them less apathetic.

As long as I don't become numb, it doesn't matter what I become.

Only by avoiding apathy can we have the opportunity to continue making changes.

Numbness is the most pathetic trait.

"Two minutes left!"

If Kang De hadn't wanted to maintain his authoritative image, he would have personally intervened. Horus roared furiously, his voice booming. "That's right! You sissies! Get out of here! Very well! Someone's already picked up a shovel! I know you! Batis, the sailor of the Autumn Wind's Wave!"

"Remember this! Today you picked up a shovel to shovel up the corpses of these scumbags who manipulate grain prices and try to starve the common people. Tomorrow you can pick up a machine gun and make these so-called nobles, just like these scumbags, kneel before you, desperately repenting and weeping. And you will do the same thing to them as you do today!"

"At that time, you will become the sharp blade that carries out and practices His Highness Kang De's will, a soldier or general respected by the whole world! And these effeminate men around you now, wetting their pants, will look at your spirited self with envious and twisted eyes in the future. At that time, these good-for-nothings will still only be fit to solicit prostitutes for their wives and daughters! They will still only be able to kneel before noble gentlemen and stick their butts out!"

More and more people, their faces pale, picked up the shovels from the ground.

"Hold."

Thick phlegm was spat onto the ground, and the burly man with scarred, contorted face threw the shovels he was carrying to the people behind him one by one. "It's all the same, death is inevitable, is there any difference?"

His name is Maximos, and he is a former star gladiator at this arena.

These gladiators, whose lives were bought and whose sole purpose was to please the audience and make money for the boss, also changed hands after the arena changed hands, becoming Kang De's private property. Yes, although Goth had abolished slavery, these gladiators, bound by their contracts, were practically no different from slaves. For them, death was the beginning of freedom.

After hearing the report about them, Kang De did not simply wave his hand and release the gladiators based on the modern spirit of equality and freedom and a strong sense of justice.

After all, these guys have gradually lost their values and become numb through long-term fighting. They take life and death very lightly and have even lost some of their emotions. Due to the nature of gladiators' profession, they do not have the habit of saving money. Apart from killing, they have no other special skills. Returning these gladiators who have nothing to their name and only know how to kill to their freedom and letting them return to society will only bring many unstable factors to Distant Harbor.

When these killing machines regain their freedom, they will cause trouble for various reasons within a few days, eventually committing serious crimes and being taken to the Inquisition for target practice.

So what is the meaning of this liberation and freedom, apart from self-satisfaction?

So, under Kang De's instructions, these gladiators, destined for unemployment, were presented with two options: first, to learn farming and work for His Highness Kang De for ten years, after which they could gain their freedom, receive a sum of money, or twenty acres of land, and live freely.

Secondly, joining the military allows one to continue to utilize their combat skills under strict discipline and command, through obedience and loyalty. As a free person, one can serve as a glorious soldier, enjoying all the privileges and benefits of a normal soldier, including post-retirement resettlement and support.

Almost all the gladiators chose the latter without hesitation.

Maximos, as a former star gladiator and spiritual leader of these gladiators, possessed immense prestige. Although he was equally shocked by the bloodshed of the executions and the efficiency of the killing tools, as a gladiator accustomed to bloodshed and death, he recovered the fastest.

"The targets of this execution are probably not these unscrupulous merchants from the Broken Isles, but us."

Holding a shovel, he led his men to the field with practiced ease, shoveled at a charred lump of meat, and tossed it into the sidecar of a wheelbarrow.

Although the scene of bloodshed was brutal, Maximos found it remarkably merciful.

It should be known that monarchs and lords of various countries employ all sorts of ingenious and varied cruel punishments for criminals, especially for the most heinous criminals. They insist on making the condemned wail in endless pain and despair for days and nights before they die. But in Prince Kang De's case, a flash of fire, flesh and blood shattered, and the criminals die in an instant. What pain could there be to speak of?

Chopping off the head with a knife, piercing the heart with a gun, or being shattered to pieces with an alchemical weapon—all three are forms of execution that can be completed in an instant. What difference does it make to the prisoner?

"But for us viewers, it's a different story..."

He shoveled another piece of torso, half a face, into the car, his body trembling as he suppressed the urge to vomit, "The days to come are likely to be quite exciting."

"Chief, what does this mean?" A young gladiator held his breath as he shoveled at the bones. "Brilliant?"

"Yes, His Highness Kang De is not a bloodthirsty tyrant, so why does he insist on making us, the soon-to-be recruits, witness this execution?" Maximos replied, "The reason is obvious. In the future, we will use those alchemical weapons to reduce the enemy to this state, and His Highness wants us to start getting used to it now—"

"Is that so?"

The young gladiator exclaimed with delight, "We have the chance to wield those alchemical weapons? That's far more useful than a staff! With that, no enemy can stand against us!"

Maximos sneered at his words.

"Naive," he whispered, "To need that kind of weapon against an enemy..."

The other person didn't hear clearly. "What?"

"No, it's nothing." The star gladiator shook his head. "Keep trying, kid, you're almost there."

"What do you mean it's not far away?"

"The footsteps of war."

Maximos stared at the carnage before him, the remains of nobles and merchants of the Broken Isles, announcing their crimes and executing them in the most brutal manner. This represented a certain will of His Highness Kang De. As a former soldier, the gladiator heard a familiar voice.

Listen...

He whispered, "These are the sounds of war..."

A mournful wail echoed in the distance. He looked up and saw the purple-clad man, who had never been killed, being restrained by two alchemical puppet arms and dragged into a small hut.

Inside the room, Kang De looked at Qiaobu, who was struggling violently, and smiled faintly.

"Don't be afraid," he said, "I'll give you a boat ticket."

"Father, the initial screening is complete. I have compiled a list of promising candidates, and the next selection and training plan is being developed."

Kang De reached out, a purple crystal shimmering between his fingers. A mechanical arm picked it up and extended it toward Qiaobu was still struggling and groaning.

"Alright," said the Dragon of Cathay calmly, "Time to deliver the package."

Horus replied, "The teleportation beacon is in place."

The flesh and blood of the criminals, along with the sticky mud, were shoved into wheelbarrows by the nauseating recruits as they worked. The bodies were then transported to the gladiatorial arena, where a huge container was dumped with clumps of flesh and body parts. Finally, a wailing sound was heard.

The door slammed shut.

Kang De approached the container and extended his hand.

A dark light flashed, and the Phase Gate opened.

At the Golden Bay docks in Distant Harbor, messengers from the Broken Isles anxiously watched the frenzied city. They heard Luste and others' confessions on the radio, as well as the fervent roars and shouts of the Distant Harbor citizens. The winds of war blew over the city. Qiaobu, who had gone to the Sound of the Tide Manor, had not returned for a long time. The three ships were under close surveillance by the Suppressors of Rebellion, and they were effectively under house arrest.

Inquiries yielded no results, and inquiries yielded no results; unease quietly grew.

"Look!"

Suddenly someone cried out in surprise, and all the agitated crew members looked in that direction.

Under the bright sun and amidst the surging tides, a dark portal to the void opened up. At the same time, the silver Valkyrie warship roared and surged forward, cutting through the Phase Gate and disappearing into the vast blue sea!

Where did she go!?

Broken Isles, today the sky is clear and the blue waves are high!

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PS1: Update... I'm so sleepy today. I'm typing while feeling sleepy and feeding mosquitoes at the same time... Goodnight, goodnight.