Foolishness and Arrogance

In the dark and cold depths of the sea, there was boundless silence, without a single ray of light.

That was the darkest and coldest region in the world.

Even though the intelligent beings of the Mortal World have crossed mountains and conquered valleys, treading on every inch of the known world, the boundless deep sea remains an uncharted and desolate realm.

The terrifying water pressure, the frigid temperature, and all the harsh external conditions are driving away any life that doesn't belong here.

However, the intelligent beings still overcame the obstacles of nature with the power of Civilization. The magic submarine, representing the pinnacle of otherworldly industrial power, ventured into the deep sea two thousand meters below. The Deep Sea Pioneer and the Deep Diving Walker, under the orders of the Council, came to the Broken Sea to carry out a top-secret mission.

The Starry Sky Council transmitted some special extracts from Tula Xiaye, all sealed within beautiful and mesmerizing ice crystals. The mission of the two submarines was to inject these substances into the many obelisks of this underwater ruin.

That must be some kind of ritual to break the seal.

The two submarines had been waiting in the Broken Sea for a long time before they began their mission. Prior to this, the naval elites of the Council were repeatedly instructed and informed of various matters, including potential dangers, the priority of mission execution, and contingency plans for various emergencies.

The submarine officers were also informed of the Sea Traveler's ordeal.

Although some members of parliament believed that it was unnecessary to disclose the details of the sinking of the Sea Traveler to the crew of the two submarines, as this would cause unnecessary panic among the soldiers and thus affect the successful completion of the mission, the speaker and generals insisted that soldiers have the right to know what kind of enemy they are going to fight, and that prior psychological preparation can help them remain calm when a threat comes.

The crew of the Deep Sea Pioneer and Deep Diving Walker were then informed in detail of the Sea Traveler's ordeal. Despite knowing the dangers of the mission, the brave soldiers remained fearless.

"Though only a few will know of your dedication and achievements, I can assure you that your heroic deeds will make this world a better place... Defending Civilization and upholding order Council this order to you, gentlemen. For the future of Mortal World, overcome all difficulties and accomplish this momentous task. I await your return."

The speaker's instructions, translated into words on the crystal plate, excited and inspired them.

They are ready—to brave unknown dangers and fulfill their glorious mission.

At least that's what they think.

Even if we encounter any difficulties, even if we face the most formidable enemy, there is nothing to fear.

But...

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The submarine's cockpit was filled with horrific screams. The officer with the eagle eye, wearing a mental defense helmet, screamed in terror. Judging from the extremely pitiful sound, he had clearly suffered a great shock.

In an instant, the well-trained elite soldiers sprang into action, and the medical officers rushed to the scene, layering mental protection and healing spells such as Silence Spell and Soul Guard Barrier over them.

"Activate Soul Defense!" the captain shouted. "Officer Hawkeye has been subjected to a mental attack, take immediate action..."

Hawkeye was held back by two of his comrades, struggling and shouting, "Monster! Aa...

"Sir!"

After examining the patient for a moment, the medical officer's voice betrayed surprise. "No signs of psychological attack!"

Hawkeye was still yelling, "Aaaaaaah! Run! It's a monster! Aaaaaah!"

What he had just witnessed nearly stopped his heart and lungs.

This was a complete shock at the start.

In the boundless, dark, and frigid depths of the sea, a massive head, as colossal as Titan, silently emerged. Its eyes gleamed with lightning, almost filling Hawkeye's entire field of vision. Just seeing a head was enough to imagine how enormous the body hidden in the dark waters must be. In that brief, breathtaking glimpse, the eeriness, power, and majesty of that giant's head were deeply imprinted in Hawkeye's mind.

He yelled at the top of his lungs, "Run! Run!"

The officers exchanged glances. The captain, a seasoned veteran known for his decisiveness, saw that Hawkeye hadn't been affected by a mental attack and ordered sharply, "Open the forward bulkhead, project the crystal image. Weapon commander, activate the cannons and magic devices. Starlink, warn the Deep Diving Walker, and report to Tula Xiaye."

"Just say—we've been attacked!"

He pointed ahead. "Open the partition! Let me see what that is!"

The vice-captain pressed his hands together, unlocked the elemental lock, and pulled the bulkhead control lever. The submarine vibrated, and the head bulkhead armor moved up, revealing the enchanted and reinforced, meticulously crafted crystallized porthole. Without needing to deflect the crystal's energy, the officers in the cockpit immediately saw the terrifying gaze from the deep sea!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Even with prior preparation, the brave soldiers were still deeply shocked and shaken.

"Look!" the weapons officer exclaimed, "Its mouth is moving! What is it trying to do!"

Inside the cockpit of the Jiaolong.

"Did you see those damn bastards?!"

Kang De brought his face close to the porthole, directly below the array of two LED lights, and raised his middle finger and tapped on the window of the Council submarine, which was very close at hand. In the deep sea, it was extremely difficult to transmit sound. Without any external sound-emitting device, he tried shouting a few times, but there was no response. He had no choice but to put his head close to the porthole facing the submarine, hoping to intimidate the Council submarine with his handsome face and make them stop.

"You motherfucker!" His face was almost pressed against the porthole. "Stop right there! Did you hear me?!"

Onboard the Deep Sea Pioneer.

"Have you seen this, my gods? I have never seen such a hideous creature!"

Within the terrifying giant's mouth churned a deathly mist as tangled as the Netherworld Beach, within which horrifying forms shifted and changed, resembling twisted faces of the dead or grinding teeth, all luring towards a gluttonous feast. This horrifying scene was so terrifying that even the bravest naval soldiers dared not look directly at it!

The captain shouted sternly, "Attack!"

The launch cover popped open, the tidal wave energy rocket was fully charged, and roared as it fired!

"Holy shit!"

Horus was prepared; its thrusters roared, Jiaolong leaped into the air, dodging the barrage of cannon fire. Iron Son shouted, "Enemy magic device charging!"

"Damn it, are they even being reasonable?!" Kang De roared in fury. "Don't they know it's me? Don't they recognize me? How dare they lay a hand on me!"

Horus, his voice blazing with murderous intent, exclaimed, "They deserve to die!"

According to the father and son, when the Jiaolong lit up its lights and appeared in front of the Council's submarine, these mages should immediately realize that Kang De had arrived.

Because the Jiaolong's appearance is so unique—its streamlined shell, numerous mechanical and optical components, and its steel-cast phantom-like structure—it is extremely conspicuous. Anyone with a little common sense can immediately tell that it is definitely an alchemical creation of the Dragon of Cathay.

These scoundrels not only refused to surrender and show respect, but instead brazenly committed violence and defied the heavenly army!

They're really asking for it!

Kang De roared in fury, "Kill them!"

"Continue the attack!"

The Deep Sea Pioneer was filled with an atmosphere of fear and fervor. The entire crew was convinced that a terrifying deep-sea giant was about to attack. The front armor was already closed, and the captain personally operated the Star Tracker to guide the magical devices to launch an attack through mental guidance in order to resist the terrible monster.

The entire ship was filled with a tragic yet courageous atmosphere.

"Preheat the Warpstone, be ready to retreat at any time!"

"Send a message to the Deep Diving Walker: We'll hold off the enemy and allow them to continue their mission!"

"Inform the Starry Sky Council that we've encountered trouble, but the Deep Sea Pioneer will remain steadfast in its duty!"

The captain roared, "Let's teach that monster a lesson!"

However, if they were willing to stare at that "monster" for five more seconds, they would find that its head was less evil and powerful, and more like a bit silly. If they looked at it for another five seconds, they would find that the head's shape was somewhat like an upright egg. If they looked at it a little longer...

You'll then discover that the "giant's head" that soared into the air was actually a submarine.

But they didn't.

Thus, a terrible misunderstanding arose, and a battle in the deep sea was about to break out.

But the invincible Dragon of Cathay discovered an embarrassing situation.

The Jiaolong has no weapon system.

"Damn it! Why are the weapons on that otherworldly native's shit submarine so top-notch?"

A terrifying electric chain roared in, Kang De pressed down on the inner wall of the submersible. The Power of the Fire Thief circulated and Extraction intense electric light, thus preventing damage to the outer shell.

--The pressure in deep water is terrifying. Even if the outer shell is only slightly damaged, the entire submersible will explode instantly, and within milliseconds, the people inside will be reduced to a bloody mist.

The Jiaolong was unable to retaliate—the enemy's magical devices were operating at full power, and even if they charged in for hand-to-hand combat, it would be difficult to gain the upper hand.

What's even more awkward is that Kang De himself had no means of retaliation.

In the immense pressure of the deep sea, his fighting power was weakened to an epic degree.

The insolent Cathayan gritted their teeth and shouted, "Horus! Deploy the spatial beacon! I'm going to bombard them with mines!"

"Dissent, Father."

While maneuvering the Jiaolong submersible to dodge left and right, Iron Son said, "The explosion of a sea mine is extremely powerful, especially in the deep sea; it will definitely affect the Jiaolong."

Without a second thought, Kang De declared, "Then let's go back to the White Mist World!"

"After you go back, how will you get back?"

I will leave a spatial beacon!

"When a naval mine explodes, it can tear apart and shatter the carrier of a space beacon. Even if it doesn't, the explosion will blow it away to a distance of tens of thousands of miles, and we'll get lost."

"... Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!"

"Furthermore, given the immense pressure of the deep sea, even if Father opened the spatial gate, he wouldn't be able to deploy mines—the tide would blow into the White Mist World with tremendous force through the Phase Gate, making it impossible to insert any mines."

"--You seem to be making a dirty joke, is that just my imagination!"

"Is this the time to talk about this?" Horus said calmly. "Make a decision soon, Father. Merely hiding and defending won't allow us to hold out against this submarine for long."

Kang De's eyes flickered, and in his Phoenix Eyes, the fierce soul light of the God of the Star Palace shone beneath the ruins.

There really is no other way.

He had already tested this when he went underwater to raid tombs with the Parrot. Under the immense pressure of the deep sea, the imprint of the spatial beacon would easily become incomplete. Even if he forcibly opened the Phase Gate, the water pressure from all directions would put great pressure on his mental power, making it impossible for the Phase Gate to continue opening, or to open to a slightly larger size, or even to send an object of the size of the Jiaolong back to the White Mist World.

Otherwise, there would be no need for the troublesome practice of using sea mines.

--All we need to do is open a Phase Gate on the seabed, allowing ultra-high-pressure seawater to be ejected into the White Mist World. The terrifying vortex will then sweep the Council's submarine into the Phase Gate. At that time, we can not only get a submarine for free, but also take care of these guys in a clear and thorough manner.

And now...

"Walk!"

Horus pushed the control stick, Jiaolong sped off at full speed, escaping at twenty-five knots.

Legend has it that the Soviet Union's Project 661 cruise missile nuclear submarine could race underwater at a speed of 44 knots. Although the Jiaolong's speed is far inferior, it is still beyond the reach of the Council's submarines.

A dazzling portal quietly opened, and Kang De had returned to the Broken Isles.

The Parrot asked in surprise, "What?"

Kang De's face darkened. "This is terrible—enemies of the Star Palace are in the ruins!"

Malegith suddenly changed. "Really?"

"No mistake!" Kang De replied, "Dairila taught me to identify the characteristics of the God of the Star Palace, a method you passed down—by the way, why couldn't the Phoenix Eye detect the God of the Star Palace's descent to the Mortal World?"

"The Starry Firmament Bridge was destroyed, of course you can't see it."

The Parrot, as if facing a formidable enemy, said, "If that God of the Star Palace isn't a prisoner who went to jail with Yilan-Tai'er, then he must have smuggled himself in... but it makes no difference!"

She looked up at Kang De: "What are you going to do?"

"The Jiaolong lacks weapon systems and can't deal with the Council's submarines. I need to rapidly deploy heavy equipment into the deep sea... and then persuade the Council temporarily cease its operations!"

Kang De's eyes flickered. "Anything involving the Star Palace is bound to be bad. We must be extremely cautious and warn the Council. As for intercepting something... we'll have to put that aside for now!"

As the Fire Thief, Kang De was extremely cautious about the Star Palace, even at the cost of abandoning his original plans. This quality and attitude brought comfort to Malegith.

But she sighed softly, "The Council won't cooperate with you."

The Fire Thief remained silent for a moment, then said calmly, "Just do your best— A Fu!"

A Fu responded, "Yes!"

Kang De looked at his daughter. "Use a torpedo to help me launch a space beacon."

The maximum attack depth of modern torpedoes can reach up to 1,200 meters, but this is only a theoretical depth that is hypothetical. The Council's submarine, located in the ruins 2,000 meters below the surface, obviously could not reach them.

Therefore, simply using torpedoes to launch a space beacon for Kang De —the deep-sea pressure greatly affects the deployment of the Phase Gate, but it can withstand the water pressure at a depth of several hundred meters. Deploying tactical equipment from a depth of several hundred meters can greatly shorten deployment time.

A Fu replied, "Yes!"

"Then... keep an eye on this place for me."

The Phase Gate opened, Kang De returned to Distant Harbor, arriving at the Council's temporary embassy as quickly as possible.

"I am Kang De."

Faced with the bewildered and utterly shocked guards, Kang De said, "Congressman Aokexindun, or your superiors, can contact someone in Tula Xiaye immediately... I need to speak with the Starry Sky Council."

A short while later, a mage with a troubled expression quickly stepped forward. He was a member of the negotiating delegation and likely a deputy to Councilor Aokexindun: "Kang De Highness, Councilor..."

"He most likely stayed with the Azure Fleet. I know that. The reason I'm not going to look for him is because going to the fleet to find someone would cause a lot of trouble, and I don't have the time."

Kang De said, "And I need to speak with the Starry Sky Council on something very important, and I know you have this channel, so immediately, right now, right now, otherwise..."

He said calmly, "We're about to go to war."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Doom Warriors raised their weapons in unison. A giant dragon roared in the sky, its Dragon Might overwhelming them. The person in charge, sweat beading on his forehead, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Please follow me."

Twenty minutes later, in the Starry Sky Council.

The lawmakers were nearly scared to death when they received a report from the Deep Sea Pioneer that it had "encountered an unknown and powerful enemy and was determined to fulfill its duty." They were then told that the ship had "fought hard and repelled the enemy." Their expressions became quite interesting, and they even suspected that the Deep Sea Pioneer was just messing with them.

But soon, diplomatic negotiations between the Cathayan were placed before everyone.

After a brief silence, the torrent erupted.

"He knows!"

"He already knew!"

How did he know?!

Incredulous, shocked, panicked, and bewildered, some were shouting and cursing, others were doubting, and the councilors vaguely realized that they had been ripped off by the Cathayan —they had been extorted for a great deal!

"This is a scam!"

The congressman shouted, "What enemy? What long-term plan? It's Kang De discovered our scheme and wants a share of the spoils! No, his actions are even worse—he wants us to stop first, then negotiate with us, trying to take a cut! We can't fall for it!"

Another councilor shouted to the speaker, "Yilan-Tai'er can't wait! Don't forget, the crystal panel shattered means they've been attacked. If we delay now, something terrible might happen!"

Having already paid a huge price and with boundless expectations for potential benefits, this major event, anticipated by various interest groups, cannot be stopped by the words of the Cathayan. Although the Grand Speaker had doubts, seeing the surging tide in the council, he knew that there was no possibility of stopping it.

Moreover, according to the Deep Diving Walker's report, the extraction of extracts is nearing completion.

"Father, the underground tremors are getting more and more intense!"

The ancient ruins of Yilan-Tai'er are shaking off the dust of history and awakening from their slumber.

In the Land of Shelter, sinners prayed, sang, and praised, led and guided by priests and knights of judgment, preparing to return to the Mortal World to wreak havoc and earn divine forgiveness.

Aifu and the Oathbreakers mingle in the frenzied crowd, gazing at the Eternal Tower with resolute eyes.

We must stop this!

She looked at Tuosidiwa beside her, her tone firm. "We cannot let the Star Palace's scheme succeed!"

Upon hearing this, Tuosidiwa turned to look at her, his face showing confusion and hesitation.

He asked softly, "Why?"

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PS1: I discovered a major plot bug halfway through writing it... so I had to delete it and patch it. It's frustrating.