Eastward across the sea

The sky is clear and the wind is strong; the waves are surging and the seagulls are flying overhead.

A fleet sails on the azure waves.

The ships are all tall and imposing, entwined with green vines that meander like living creatures. Above the snow-white sails, a silver moon and a trident overlap, and everyone knows that this is the emblem of the Twilight Moon Royal Navy.

"Brother Mianzhi, look at the sea chart and celestial phenomena; the Broken Isles lie ahead."

At the bow of a second-class capital ship, two dashing young men with black hair stood tall, gazing at the horizon where the sea met the sky. In the distance, the land could be faintly seen, its shape indistinct, clearly resembling the islands.

A man dressed in brocade robes and wearing a jade crown held a nautical chart, studied it for a moment, and said, "Since the trade between Divine Land and the Western Lands was severed, and due to the suppression by the Spirit Race, Goth has gradually declined. The Broken Isles seized the opportunity to rise up, taking away the country's wealth and prosperity, and its pivotal role in connecting the world, leading to the decline of the nation until today..."

"I've heard that this island is a nation founded by merchants, with state affairs decided by tribal chiefs. Ah, how can matters of state be discussed with the masses? Merchants are driven by profit and have no conscience. If they control the nation, it must be a shameless, bullying, and untrustworthy country. Naturally, it will be insatiably greedy, utterly immoral, and will even bring disaster upon itself, incurring divine retribution. It is said that a ferocious beast rises from the blue sea, devouring all living beings and annihilating the nation..."

The man paused for a moment, then said, "Fortunately, the Duke of Duke of Qin led a righteous army to slay the ferocious beast in the azure sea. When the divine light shone brightly and the sky became visible, steel wings bridged the Bridge of the Starry Sky, saving innocent lives from the raging torrent. All of this was breathtaking and awe-inspiring; I wish I could have witnessed it with my own eyes..."

Zhang Li, courtesy name Mianzhi, dressed in black with a purple jade pendant at his waist, gazed at the distant horizon, his brows slightly furrowed, and said with a solemn tone, "The inner workings of the Broken Isles are unknown to you and me, but Kang De has benefited the most."

The young man holding the nautical chart was named Shen Maocai. He sighed, "How can I address him by his given name?"

"The lineage of the Duke of Qin has long since died out. I have searched through historical records and old books for two months and have never found any trace of any sons who were scattered overseas. I do not accept the so-called claim of being a member of the Duke's noble family."

At this Zhang Li showed worry. "Grasping at a straw, they indiscriminately cause a ruckus throughout the land, bringing shame upon the nation... Not only will they be ridiculed, but what if this Kang is a fraud, a greedy and unscrupulous man? What will we do if we welcome him back to court?"

What's the point of saying this now?

Shen Maocai said quietly, "The Broken Isles are approaching. Heading east from here, a day's sail will take you to the Distant Harbor. An angel is on the ship ahead, entrusted by His Majesty. When the decree is proclaimed, Kang Jun will be the undisputed Duke of Qin of Qin. The Silver Terrace General Office has it all recorded. What use is it if you don't acknowledge it?"

As he said this, a hint of regret and bewilderment appeared on his face.

"Not only that..." the talented man from the Divine Land said with a wry smile, "These skilled craftsmen, young boys, righteous men, talisman masters, and warriors who came from the east... more than three thousand people, have already risked their lives and sold their entire fortunes to the Duke of Qin."

They sailed eastward with the Spirit Clan warships. Before their departure, all three thousand or so people, regardless of their status or wealth, signed a life-or-death pledge, swearing to serve the Duke of Qin as their master, to travel to the Western Lands at his beck and call, to help him gather the foreign troops and return to aid the Divine Land Plains, and to ask for nothing more than this, vowing to die without regret.

People are cheap when they leave their homeland. Once they arrive in a foreign land, they are at Kang De's mercy. Even if they are sent to their deaths, they have no choice but to become wandering ghosts in this foreign land, unable to face their ancestors...

Despite the imperial summons, countless people still volunteered. His Majesty personally selected and carefully considered the candidates, finally choosing over three thousand men as the first batch of the Duke's personal guards to assist in his success.

But passion can cool down. Even if the voyage started with great enthusiasm, after these days of tedious sea voyages, the once lofty sentiments can be easily stirred up by other thoughts.

As they drew nearer to the Western Lands, the people gazed upon their homeland daily, tears welling in their eyes, bowing respectfully to His Majesty from afar. Yet, they were also filled with trepidation about their impending fate—who exactly was Duke Kang De of Duke of Qin? What destiny awaited them upon arriving in the Western Lands and joining his Duke of Qin?

This feeling of unease is something no one can escape.

"Brother Mianzhi..."

Shen Maocai sighed, "Since you suspect the Duke of Qin, why did you get involved in this mess? You should know that, to put it bluntly, once the life-or-death contract is signed, even if the Duke treats us like household slaves, there's nothing he can do about it."

A handsome and talented young man, a rising star of our time, with a bright future ahead of him—why bother venturing into the Western Lands?

This Brother Mianzhi praised the Duke of Qin louder than anyone else that day, repeatedly calling Duke of Qin the greatest hope to save the day. He first wrote poems to praise him, and then wrote eloquent articles, which were so flattering that even he couldn't stand it anymore. In this way, he deceived His Majesty and sneaked into the fleet that was crossing the sea to the east.

But soon after boarding the ship, their true colors were revealed.

Zhang Li smiled faintly, "Of course, we need to see for ourselves what kind of person this Kang Jun is... If he's just a talentless, immoral, and petty thief, that's fine too; the country has killed quite a few charlatans over the years..."

Shen Maocai said solemnly, "The Duke of Qin's abilities are undoubtedly genuine. Don't forget that the Imperial Tutor is in the Western Lands."

"That's what I'm most worried about."

Zhang Li said helplessly, "A ruthless figure who wields unparalleled martial prowess and even subdues the Imperial Tutor—look at how easily he seized the Broken Isles, killing the enemy chieftain, gaining new territory, and winning the hearts of the people. If he released that ferocious beast, such cruel scheming and cold-blooded methods would hardly be a blessing for the Divine Land. If he were to marry His Majesty and gain official status, upon his return to court, he would surely cause unforeseen changes, expel foreign invaders, and even invite a powerful dragon into the palace... It's unthinkable."

Upon hearing this, Shen Maocai remained silent.

He was well aware of just how bad the situation was in the country.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore."

Zhang Li smiled and said, "I came to the Western Lands with ill intentions. Brother Shen, what brings you here?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Maocai replied solemnly, "Mianzhi, you have also seen that video... The Duke of Qin's abilities are extremely ingenious, and his mechanical skills are unparalleled in the world. This is the way to strengthen a nation. I am not talented, but I am willing to serve as his disciple. If I can learn even a fraction of his skills and serve the country, my life will not have been in vain..."

Relying on external forces and resorting to unorthodox methods is neither the way of sages nor the path to national strength.

Zhang Mianzhi grumbled.

He acknowledged the advantages of mechanical arts. In Cathay years, China had been suppressed and beaten for a long time, and its national strength was gradually declining. When one is poor, one thinks of change, and the atmosphere of the whole country has been shifting towards pragmatism. After all, there is the whetstone of war—whether a martial art is effective or not can be known on the battlefield. If it can kill on the battlefield, then it is effective; if it cannot, then one should die. Similarly, as long as mechanical arts can hinder the enemy and achieve merit, then it is good.

These are merely ingenious tricks and gimmicks, minor skills, and still require the guidance of sages and the great principles of wisdom; there is no contradiction between them.

He recalled the images he had seen before his departure, which were delivered by messengers from the West.

Storing images in a strange object and replaying them at any time with lifelike detail, Kang Jun's skill is certainly extraordinary. The content of the images seems to be showing off his martial arts skills... He explained his many achievements in the Western Lands with images and words. They only saw a part of it; His Majesty must have more.

After all, the message from the West was ultimately meant for His Majesty...

He gazed at the horizon, lost in thought.

I wonder what books Kang De read?

If the person is a diligent scholar, that's somewhat reassuring... at least they've been taught by sages and admire the benevolent rule. The real fear is...

He was filled with worry, but Shen Maocai became more and more excited as he spoke, "I've heard that the Duke of Qin's mechanical arts are so powerful that even the Spirit Clan suffered great losses. I really don't know what kind of extravagant and magnificent they are!"

Zhang Li frowned and said, "This must be a rumor. If Lord Kang could make the Spirit Clan submit, why would the envoy need to use the Spirit Clan to deliver a message? Why couldn't Lord Kang's warships reach Divine Land directly? Why did we have to board a Spirit Clan ship to reach the Western Lands? And why did His Majesty only select a mere three thousand people?"

He sighed heavily, "The Spirit Clan is blocking the east-west shipping routes; this is an open secret in the court. These sharp-eared creatures have no good intentions, and they haven't been subdued by Lord Kang. On the contrary, I fear we've all been used by the Spirit Clan..."

Shen Maocai was about to explain when he heard this and exclaimed in surprise, "Used?"

"The Eldar are blocking communication between the two continents to control trade routes and hinder development. Their aid to us is also a way of hoping that we will hold back our formidable enemy, continue to bleed us dry, and better control us."

As Zhang Li spoke, a mixture of anger and shame appeared on his face. "When the ruler is disgraced, the subject dies; when the country is disgraced, the people are ashamed." He knew perfectly well that the scoundrel harbored wolfish ambitions, but he could only rage helplessly, utterly powerless.

"For example, now, if Kang Jun wants to exchange messages with Divine Land, he actually needs the Spirit Clan's approval. His Majesty wants to aid Kang Jun, but he also needs the Spirit Clan's approval. Without the Spirit Clan's ships and permission, Kang Jun's messages and gifts cannot reach Cathay, and we cannot come to the Western Lands... Brother Shen, since the Spirit Clan has isolated the two continents from communication, why did they agree to Kang Jun's request to send messages, and why did they agree to bring us to the Western Lands?"

Shen Maocai thought about it carefully and replied, "Is it because the Duke of Qin's power is so great that he forced the Spirit Clan to submit?"

"... How could that be? With the decline of Divine Land, the Ling Clan has become the strongest nation in the world. Their military might and wealth are overwhelming, and they consider themselves the chosen one. How could they possibly bow down to Lord Kang?"

Zhang Li scoffed, "The Spirit Clan has extremely high self-esteem. Even if you kill them, they will not bow down and compromise. You say Kang Jun can force them to bow down? It's more like the Spirit Clan Empress is going easy on them because she wants to take Kang De as her son-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Maocai burst into laughter. "That's hard to say."

Zhang Li pointed at him, but didn't say anything.

Both of them knew it was a joke—the Queen of the Spirit Clan wanted Kang De as her son-in-law? What a joke! If he were truly such a rare commodity, I would definitely write a petition in blood, urging Your Majesty to immediately arrange the marriage.

After laughing for a while, Shen Maocai asked seriously, "Mianzhi, you said the Spirit Clan is using? Using what?"

Zhang Li's face darkened. "The Spirit Clan is extremely cunning and adept at sowing discord. Their permission for us to cross the sea to aid Lord Kang is likely part of their scheme..."

He looked at Shen Maocai, his eyes cold and sharp. "Kang Jun's claim of unifying the military forces of the Western Lands is mostly empty talk. At most, he can only control the country of Goth, and that's about it. But if he receives military aid from the Central Plains and has the secret support of the Divine Land, it's not impossible for him to spread the flames of war to the entire Western Lands..."

Shen Maocai's expression suddenly changed. "You mean, the Spirit Clan wants to use our dynasty and the Duke of Qin to ignite war, stir up trouble in the Western Continent, and then the Spirit Clan will take advantage of the situation?"

Zhang Li said coldly, "Otherwise, why would the Spirit Clan be so kind?"

He has been deeply worried these past few days because of this, and he is extremely anxious, but he doesn't know who to talk to.

Divine Land had already suffered a great calamity, losing its territory and shedding blood. Only in recent years had it had a slight respite, but one wave subsided only for another to rise. Hoping that Kang De could lead his army back to aid China, they were instead forced to continuously send the nation's elite troops to the west under the schemes of the Elven race. Who could bear such continuous bloodshed?

Now that the Distant Harbor is within reach, Zhang Li finally vented his pent-up frustrations.

"This journey is not only to observe Kang Jun's virtue, talent, and magnanimity, but also to advise him to know when to advance and retreat, and not to rashly provoke border conflicts... We must obtain the support of the western states; military conquest is the worst possible strategy."

He murmured, "I am willing to serve as an envoy, to persuade the various countries to save the Divine Land. The Divine Land is still far from the countries, and even if we offer wealth and cede territory, it will not be able to be delivered in time. But Lord Kang is right here. If he can turn the tide for the Divine Land and show his sincerity, then this Duke of Qin will be rightfully ours, and I am willing to bow down to him..."

Shen Maocai hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Although what Brother Mianzhi said was very reasonable and logically consistent, it seemed to be true.

But he always felt something was off.

"Brother Mianzhi..."

What brings you here, Brother Shen?

I still think...

Shen Maocai said slowly, "The Spirit Clan only agreed to our eastward crossing because they were pressured by the Duke of Qin..."

Zhang Li an eyebrow and said, "How could the Spirit Clan be forced? Brother Shen, what makes you say such a thing?"

"These past few days, I've also spoken with the Elven race's crew. The Elven race is arrogant and doesn't take us seriously, but their gazes aren't entirely filled with haughtiness and disdain..."

Shen Maocai pondered, "Especially when the Duke of Qin is mentioned, and people ask about Duke of Qin deeds in the Western Continent, their expressions turn very sour, and they either avoid answering or walk away..."

He glanced at his brother Mianzhi, and swallowed back a sentence.

--Just like when you mentioned the Eldar's conspiracy, your face was full of rage, yet you were helpless.

"Is that so?" Zhang Li pondered. "Perhaps it's because Lord Kang has a bad reputation in the Western Continent..."

"--Brother Mianzhi!"

Shen Maocai was getting annoyed. He raised his voice. "How can a gentleman slander others behind their backs? Kang Jun is also a citizen of Divine Land, who has brought glory to the nation overseas. We have never met him, nor do we know his intentions. How can we make such sinister speculations?"

Zhang Li was stunned for a moment, then his anger flared up immediately. Having spent so long at sea, everyone was burning with resentment. He, too, had been preoccupied with worries these past few days. Seeing his close friend consistently speaking up for Kang De, he angrily retorted, "I have a clear conscience! On the contrary, Brother Shen, without even meeting him, is so obsequious. If Kant is truly a ruthless and powerful figure, would he willingly be his lackey?!"

The two couldn't agree and glared at each other.

After a moment, Zhang Li took a step back and sighed, "Brother Shen, I know you hope that a hero will emerge from Divine Land, but where can we find heroes in this world? Even when our dynasty faces such a desperate situation, there is no shortage of intrigue and power struggles. Kang Jun is in a foreign land, surrounded by foreign countries and people of different races. He will inevitably be viewed with suspicion at every turn. Given this situation, how can he be a truly upright and honorable man?"

He looked up at the silver moon trident pattern reminiscent of a warship.

"If he can subdue the Spirit Race and establish a balance of power, then since the Broken Isles are already his vassals, and now the Spirit Race warships are sailing straight in and violating his maritime borders, look at this vast blue sea—where is even a single warship coming to intercept them?"

Zhang Li looked at his close friend. Over the years, who in Divine Land hadn't longed for a great hero who could uphold the nation and win every battle? But the world is cruel, and hearts are cold.

He said helplessly, "I..."

Before the words were even finished, the wind in the sky surged.

They suddenly looked up.

Shouts from Eldar sailors rang out not far away, their voices filled with a mixture of surprise and panic.

Over the past month, they had been traveling eastward under the escort of the Spirit Clan. They had grown accustomed to the Spirit Clan's arrogant yet wary and hostile expressions, but they had never imagined that these proud and powerful armies, these haughty races, would utter such panicked cries—as tiny silver specks were clearly whistling down from the sky.

Footsteps echoed across the deck.

The two young men turned around in surprise, only to see the Spirit Race officers rushing to the deck, their eyes solemn, as if facing a formidable enemy, looking up at the sky. They turned their heads in bewilderment, only to see the magnificent fleet, every ship of which was echoing the same shouts. The usually solemn and dignified Spirit Race soldiers were all looking up at the sky, exchanging bewildered glances.

Both Zhang and Shen noticed their forced composure.

That was a fear of the known.

Even if someone has been bitten by a tiger, and they see the tiger through a cage, even if they know that the tiger has no chance of harming them this time... they will still feel fear and apprehension.

Because memories can be awakened... and so can fear.

The silver wings whistled as they descended.

The Cathayan on the ship also came out one after another. Not a single elven soldier reprimanded them for moving around without permission. Some elves even subconsciously approached these people from the East... Everyone was looking up at the sky.

The swooping wings roared down, the hurricane they created shaking the fleet's sails. Eagles soared through the sky, three war machines streaking across the horizon, their tails spewing brilliant flames as they swept across the azure sea, spinning and flipping, leaping gracefully like startled swans and dragons, soaring high in the heavens.

Everyone's gaze followed the knight in the air, and Shen Maocai murmured, "So beautiful..."

So swift, so beautiful.

Judging by his appearance alone, he could not see the lightning strike, but he could still determine it by intuition.

"This must be the world's number one killing weapon..."

Without a doubt, the Duke of Qin has projected his power and will onto this place.

Shen Maocai looked at Zhang Li, the joy on his face saying it all. Zhang Li subconsciously said, "It's just a mechanical kite..."

As if in response to his words, as everyone looked up at the sky, the enormous Phase Gate unfolded brilliantly. In the azure halo as bright as a nebula, the fleet sprang forth from all directions, with giant ships resembling palaces on the sea leaping out and creating terrifying waves that caused the fleet to tremble and sway!

Exclamations erupted.

Two cruisers and four green-skinned battleships, flashing with extraordinary light, teleported over and instantly surrounded the Eastward Fleet. Their hulls were made of solid steel and their size was as large as a Kun (a mythical fish). The largest second-tier capital ship in the Eastward Fleet was a huge warship that was rare even in the Twilight Moon Fleet and the world. But in front of these warships that were made of steel, they were not just a little smaller!

The ship vibrated and hummed, the turrets spun, containers rose high, and honeycomb rockets revealed their crimson warheads. Soldiers clad in heavy armor and carrying cannons stood on the ship, and the piercing alarm sounded throughout the sea.

A chilling atmosphere descended upon us.

Even though no one had ever seen such a sight before, everyone knew that these suddenly appearing, terrifying warships were ready to attack at any moment!

Between the warships, the seawater churned and surged, as if some foreign object was breaking through the water.

Another scream erupted.

Zhang and Shen looked down and were shocked. They saw a huge shark emerging from the water, its body equipped with a saddle that gleamed with a cold light. Silver-armored warriors sat on it, fully covered by armor and holding gleaming weapons. One after another, they emerged from the water. In addition to the sharks, there were even crabs.

The crab was more than a hundred times larger than the ones we usually ate. What was even more chilling was that, besides its saddle, the crab had a huge jar lying horizontally at its rear, with something like a ribbon extending from the jar to its front, disappearing into a six-barreled war machine as thick as a giant's arm...

In addition, two weapons, resembling a honeycomb, were mounted on the two pincers.

--What is all this?!

Looking around, one could see that each crab carried a different weapon, all of which emitted a water-repelling light. Various kinds of seafood floated to the surface, their bodies enormous, each equipped with a saddle that shone with ingenious light and possessed other strange abilities. A huge mosasaur emerged from the water and let out a long, mournful cry. Winged creatures soared and circled in the sky, and warships rumbled and roared across the blue sea. The world was filled with ambushes and deadly dangers.

Zhang Li's expression changed drastically. "This is..."

"Elven fleet, you have entered the waters of the Broken Isles. This is His Highness Kang De's legitimate territorial waters. State your purpose immediately and await inspection!"