Firefly

The night was pitch black, but there were signs of light on the distant horizon. It was the darkest hour before dawn. Around 3 a. m., the experts from the Council arrived at the Distant Harbor.

Despite disregarding Kang De's proposals and warnings, and believing that the Cathayan had ulterior motives, the Council still dispatched a powerful team of experts to the Distant Harbor overnight in response to the invitation from the Dragon of Cathay.

The live specimens brought back by Kang De could provide valuable intelligence, playing a crucial guiding role in the operations of the Azure Fleet and the Sea Traveler.

Therefore, the Tower of All-Seeing directly ordered the use of a strategic-level teleportation array to send a team of elite experts to a hidden fortress on the border of Goth. These elite scholars then set off at high speed on flying mounts to reach the Distant Harbor as quickly as possible to participate in the dissection and examination of the live sea monster specimens.

Above the Distant Harbor, they witnessed the magnificent sight of several transport planes roaring down. Those giant birds were like the Kunpeng from Cathay mythology, so huge that their own flying mounts seemed as small as mosquitoes. In the airspace of the Distant Harbor, they encountered the first air traffic control in this other world.

Escorted or monitored by two giant dragons, they landed in the designated area and then, escorted by several off-road vehicles, arrived at the temporary biological research institute that had already been established.

"Master O'Malley, please have the safety officers from the life sciences department guide and strengthen the institute's protective measures."

Hong San personally greeted the scholars from the Council: "Masters in charge of the research, please follow me. The masters of the Empire and the Elves have arrived."

The scholars in the Council looked unimpressed. They were prejudiced against each other and had always looked down on the so-called scholars of the Empire and the Elves. They were eager to outdo the pointy-eared, empire-bound bumpkins.

The temporary research institute was quite standard, with decent security measures and protective arrays. The scholars discussed it and, after passing through the gatekeeper's inspection, followed the mayor of Distant Harbor into the temporary facility. At this moment, Hong San turned around, his tone somewhat solemn.

"Master O'Malley."

"Mr. Hong."

The mayor of Distant Harbor said solemnly, "It is very important that you use your professional skills and high efficiency to find valuable intelligence from the samples brought back by His Highness Kang De."

"Oh?" Master O'Malley chuckled. "Does the Dragon of Cathay also look forward to the results of my research?"

There was a hint of irony in these words, after all, the conflict between Kang De and the Council had already spread. In the previous incident of the Qilin Cape disaster, he first verbally abused the Council's envoys, and the second time he even directly killed one of them, which was an utter disgrace for a powerful nation of the time.

But at that time, the Battle of Distant Harbor had just ended, and the Knight Astolfo appeared out of nowhere, single-handedly suppressing the sea frontier, killing the corrupted dragon horde, capturing the navies of three nations, and shocking the Arcane Council, deterring their retaliatory actions—but the grudge was not resolved, but instead remained buried in the Council's heart.

It's only natural that O'Malley would make a sarcastic remark now.

Hmph, Forbidden Spell spellcaster, phase legend, alchemy master, so there are things you can't do, huh?

This smug feeling was barely surfaced before Hong San coldly rejected it.

"It is not that His Highness expects the master's research results, but that the arrogant members of your Council only believe the judgment of their own people. Master, His Highness Kang De is extremely furious about this."

"Because sufficient evidence indicates that your unauthorized dispatch of a fleet and vanguard personnel is intended to probe and operate against the deep-sea behemoth lurking beneath the Broken Isles. The only result of this reckless act is to provide food for that hungry beast, hasten its awakening, and disrupt the current stable situation. Loyal soldiers will perish, and unpredictable dangers will ensue. Hopefully, your findings will lead your arrogant and suspicious councilors to make the right decision, so please act quickly."

The scholars' expressions were extremely subtle, ranging from disdain to dissatisfaction.

"The Council members are all wise men of great wisdom, old and experienced, having withstood many great trials and participated in many great deeds."

Whether they are arrogant or not is not something a young person like you can judge at will.

Master O'Malley said calmly, "Furthermore, I didn't sense His Highness Kang De's anger; instead, I sensed his anxiety. Even if, as you say, our reckless actions caused the monster to be released more quickly, what is there to worry about? Who in the world doesn't know that His Highness Kang De's Forbidden Spell power is invincible? No matter what kind of monster it is, it can't withstand a single strike from Forbidden Spell."

"Given His Highness Kang De's temperament, he should be leisurely watching us mortals act arrogantly right now. After all, even if there are casualties, they are the Council's casualties. He should be happy, right?"

Hong San stopped in his tracks, his gaze becoming serious.

"If things develop as we fear, you will have the opportunity to witness His Highness Kang De's wrath," he said. "Furthermore, there is one thing we must discuss beforehand."

"This urging is not out of anxiety, but as a warning. We have already issued several warnings to the Council, which are on record and will soon be shown to journalists, nobles, and monarchs from various countries. If your foolish actions lead to disaster, His Highness Kang De can indeed use Forbidden Spell to resolve the issue, but until then, the Council be responsible for any casualties and losses caused by the sea monster's resurgence."

Hong San said coldly, "We will hold them accountable."

The atmosphere instantly became tense and hostile.

Making threats and clashing with the Council before the incident even occurred is not Hong San's style, but since His Highness Kang De is so furious, he does indeed have to make a statement to the Council and the empire.

Furthermore, the latest conversation that took place an hour ago made Hong San realize that his lord had changed in some way—his demeanor and tone were different when he mentioned the Council and the empire.

It's like talking about some kind of unavoidable... obstacle.

Hong San's words had already greatly angered the scholars of the Council, but this was in Distant Harbor, Kang De's territory, and the giant flying machine they had seen earlier had greatly shocked them. In addition, they had the Council's order, so they did not storm off, but they still expressed their resentment.

"I will convey your words and attitude to the court."

"Welcome."

Hong San was unwilling to waste any more time. He led the displeased scholars to the central research room. Two fully armed Valentan Guards opened the door. Inside, the room was brightly lit, with mages standing guard along the walls. Scholars from the Empire, the Elves, and the Goth circled the dissection table and examination kits, their faces solemn.

Master O'Malley spotted the sample in the very center at a glance.

The long, twisted black tentacle seemed to have a mind of its own, lashing and writhing, its mouthparts emitting hissing screams.

He was startled.

"This is..."

Meanwhile, the deep-sea location of the Broken Sea.

The Sea Traveler had been sinking along the trench from which the sea monsters had emerged for quite some time. This underwater rift was incredibly long, and beyond it lay a vast expanse of water.

Sailing at sea is actually extremely boring because there is nothing in the sea. The deeper the area, the lower the density of life. There is only cold, dark water.

Submarines can only open their portholes in shallow waters to see the beautiful and dreamlike underwater scenery, but in deeper waters, they can only sail silently and monotonously, using magic, magical devices, and mental perception to confirm the surrounding terrain... just like now, monotonous and filled with anxiety.

Because not far ahead, endless sea monsters surged toward the surface like tornadoes.

"O gods..."

A crew member stared at the red glowing indicator on the life detection system; its number and size had remained virtually unchanged since the dive began. "How many are there exactly? Who's feeding them?" he asked.

This enormous number made them uneasy, not about the quantity, but about the source. They clearly came from the deep sea, but the barren ecosystem and low biological density of the deep sea simply could not support such a massive number of Predator. This extreme paradox meant terrible danger.

"We'll find out the answer."

The captain said, "Proceed with caution, continue descending, pay attention to the surrounding environment, increase the sensor range..."

He sat on the mental platform, amplifying his mental power, and focused on his surroundings. Captain Maikafu concealed his unease; he had to be a pillar of support for his sailors—that was his mission.

Finding the origin of these sea monsters is also his mission.

The Council's hints were clear enough—they wanted an answer, even if it meant abandoning the Sea Traveler. This meant the captain had to strike a balance between the safety of the crew and the completion of the mission. They needed to go to dangerous places, gather enough intelligence, and then, when danger struck, rely on the Sea Traveler's top-notch defense system to create an opportunity for the crew to teleport.

The atmosphere inside the submarine was terrifyingly oppressive. Even the battle-hardened spellcasters with exceptional mental fortitude felt an unprecedented tension and pressure. They were in the boundless, dark depths of the sea, with hordes of beasts swarming out not far away. If they were discovered, they would be surrounded and hunted down by countless monsters. Even though the protection measures on the Sea Traveler were the best they could muster, they still felt extremely uneasy.

"The enemy horde's life density has increased... Ah, it makes no difference."

The red clouds from the detector stretched out in a continuous mass, densely packed from bottom to top, with almost no gaps.

In the silent submarine, only brief reports and explanations were given.

"The herd is calm; we still haven't been discovered."

The surrounding environment is open, and no physical boundaries were found.

"The instrument is working well."

"Continue descending."

"Depth exceeded 1,600 meters."

"The submarine's external armor runes are stable."

"The gas element circulation is normal."

Time ticked by, second by second.

Suddenly, the navigator shouted, "Rock boundary detected... No, not rock!"

His tone suddenly became extremely agitated.

"A regular and flat shape! No, it looks like a building!"

The crew's spirits lifted, and the captain immediately connected to the mental platform, spreading his mental energy. His spiritual perception pierced through the icy seawater, quickly reaching a hard entity—a rough solid covered in mussels, yet its shape was still discernible. Its surface was smooth, sloping upwards; its overall form was something that could never have formed naturally in the marine environment.

It was a spire.

"1,600 meters underwater!" the navigator exclaimed excitedly. "Traces of Civilization! That's right!"

He was so excited he was almost crying, his spiritual power spreading unchecked. "It's not a building that fell into the sea, it's a complete palace! Gods! This is an archway, this is a city wall, this is..."

The captain, equally astonished and excited, sensed this momentous discovery. Finding such relics during a routine mission would have been a cause for celebration for the Council. He recalled the fragmentary information he'd seen in the archives—discussions and clues about maritime Civilization. What exactly was this place? Did these structures originate from the sunken earth, or...?

"Captain!" the weapons officer shouted, "The enemy horde appears to be approaching!"

The captain suddenly realized the harsh reality creeping into his mind. He thought about his current situation and mission: not only were there mysterious ruins here, but also a terrifyingly large number of monsters.

At this thought, he suddenly shuddered. This ruin, this vanished Civilization —was it due to the sinking of the earth, or...?

Just then, the navigator suddenly screamed in agony, "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"

The spellcaster's body arched and sprang up like a fish coming ashore, his eyes turned bloodshot and blood trickled from his eye sockets, and then he screamed madly.

At the same time, the submarine suddenly shuddered.

The weapons officer immediately drew his staff, pointed it at the navigator, and shouted, "Captain!"

The Sea Traveler was violently shaken.

"The herd is approaching—they haven't dispersed to surround us! They're still maintaining their original form!"

"We seem to be entangled by something!"

"Captain, should we initiate the evacuation procedure?"

In the face of this sudden and bizarre attack, the crew remained as calm as possible, asking questions and preparing to act at any moment.

"Warpstone warming up! Preparing to initiate evacuation teleportation!"

"Prepare to activate Haizan Protective Shield!"

"Get him out of here first! Then proceed with the evacuation in the correct order!"

At this point, the captain looked at the first officer and said, "Open the bulkheads and turn on the high-powered lights!"

The other person was taken aback. "Huh?"

"Open it!" the captain said decisively. "We need to at least know what it is!"

The vice-captain gritted his teeth, unlocked the elemental lock, and pulled a lever. The hull shook again, and the bulkhead at the bow of the submarine slowly moved up, revealing a carefully cast, enchanted, and reinforced transparent crystal plate. The tough runes ensured its sturdiness under the water pressure of the deep sea, and the deflecting crystal stored and released energy.

A powerful beam of light burst forth, illuminating the endless darkness of the sea that had persisted for millennia.

They saw snow.

Countless snowflakes swayed and danced in the sea, just like a winter snow scene, shimmering with dazzling white light under the bright sunshine. It was sea snow, a wondrous sight that only exists in the sea.

They saw a palace in the sea.

The city, its original luster and glory faded by the corrosive effects of seawater, now lies submerged in the deep sea. Under the dazzling lights, its once magnificent outline is revealed: towering spires and surrounding walls, some parts are visible in the light, while most remain hidden in the shadows.

Finally, they saw an eye.

The area illuminated by the beam of light from the searchlight was an eye, shining far away, facing the bright light, calmly watching. It was the only thing clearly illuminated by the searchlight; everything else was hidden in darkness, concealed behind palaces, hidden in the mountains beneath cities, hidden in the dark, lifeless, and cold seawater, behind a void.

In this hidden, lightless, and deathly darkness, a massive Shadow flickered almost imperceptibly.

But they only saw one eye.

Beneath the ancient, dark surface of the water, a bright light shone briefly, illuminating a world utterly buried by history, conspiracy, and evil. Amidst the falling sea snow, in the vast, boundless, deathly dark waters, an eye silently met that of a submarine.

It's like a person watching a firefly.

Screams and roars erupted from inside the submarine.

The captain collapsed to the ground with a groan, rolling around and clutching his head. He felt everything within him boiling over, his soul being ripped apart in a bloody mess, cruelly invaded by a terrifying force. All his secrets, his life, his experiences, and his memories were laid bare before an unimaginable power, like property to be plundered at will. His mission, his origins, his task, and...

The location of the Azure Fleet.

"No--"

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PS1: Second update... Time for bed.