Deep Pool Fortress, the inner fortress has one underground level.
Beside the damp, chilly waterway, Gao Nantong revealed the Half Moon mark on his forearm.
He pressed his arm against the stone wall, and the water surged to both sides, creating an underground water channel.
"Look carefully, this is a privilege I obtained at a great price."
Gao Nantong, with his orchid-like fingers raised, proudly showed off to Zhang Lingqi behind him.
"The Dragon Xia Imperial City is now completely closed off; not even a fly can get in."
"Besides this sewer that originally belonged to the royal city's sewage system, there was absolutely no other way to get in."
After saying that, Gao Nantong put two fingers in his mouth and whistled.
"Splash!"
The water is boiling!
Immediately afterwards, several carrion beetles, each the size of a car, burst out of the black water!
As soon as they showed their heads, they roared and became extremely aggressive.
However, when they saw Gao Nantong standing on the shore...
These monsters, however, became docile and even rubbed against Gao Nantong's trouser leg.
"Oh dear, my little darlings, are you starving?"
Gao Nantong playfully patted the hard shell of the leading corpse beetle, then turned and winked at Zhang Lingqi.
"Come on up, they're my pets, they can run faster than a boat underwater."
Zhang Lingqi stared at the Half Moon mark on his arm and remained silent for a few moments.
I wonder if the Dragon God has this pass...
But never mind, that's not something I should be thinking about right now.
Given their methods, they'll definitely find a way in.
So he said, "Okay."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Lingqi leaped onto the back of the corpse beetle.
As the water splashed and surged, the corpse beetle, carrying the two people, submerged into the underground waterway and disappeared without a trace.
And the moment they left.
A wisp of inconspicuous Black Mist drifted over, skimming the surface of the water.
The Nightmare's gloomy face appeared and disappeared in the mist.
He clung to the crevices of the last carrion beetle, which was responsible for bringing up the rear.
"Zhang Lingqi... you definitely harbor a huge secret."
The Nightmare sneered in his heart.
He had dealt with Zhang Lingqi before.
I plan to follow these two to find out their background first, and then uncover the truth once we reach the capital.
Then we'll sneak back to the fortress with them through this sewer.
However, he will never know...
From the moment he stepped into this passage.
There will never be another Deep Pool Fortress in this world.
"Boom!"
With the sluice gates closed again, the underground passage was sealed off.
Inside the study.
Looking at the empty room, Song Gongyao could no longer suppress his excitement.
She ran to the wine cabinet and grabbed a bottle of champagne that Gao Nantong had treasured.
No need for a cup, just bite the cork open with your teeth!
"Bang!"
A spray of foam, carrying the aroma of alcohol, emerged.
"Hahahaha! The one in charge! I am the one in charge of Deep Pool Fortress!"
Song Gongyao tilted his head back and gulped down the champagne.
He let the wine drip down his neck, soaking his red official robe.
She was trembling with excitement, her eyes filled with madness.
"Bringing glory to the family! This is truly bringing glory to the family!"
"Song Gongyao, have finally risen to the top!"
"From now on, who will dare to look down on me?!"
Just as Song Gongyao was becoming increasingly immersed in his dream of power, unable to extricate himself...
"Boom!!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted outside the fortress!
The entire steward's study shook, and valuable calligraphy, paintings, and vases shattered all over the floor!
The champagne in Song Gongyao's hand fell directly to the ground, and he was so shocked that he fell to the ground.
At the same time.
The boundary between the Second Sea Region and Third Sea Region.
The coastal artillery positions were already lined up in a row.
"Wind direction: Southeast! Aperture angle of 2.5!"
"Distance measurement complete! Coordinates locked: Deep Pool Fortress main gate and inner fortress!"
"Armor-piercing high-explosive shells loaded! All gun positions ready!"
Inside the command vehicle, a battalion commander of an artillery unit put down his military binoculars.
He raised his right hand, then swung it down.
"All units, fire!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Hundreds of cannons fired simultaneously, illuminating the gloomy sea as if it were daytime!
Like a meteor shower, it crashed down on the Deep Pool Fortress!
"Boom boom boom boom!"
The fortress walls crumbled like paper under the concentrated fire of modern weaponry!
Countless water ghosts, either still asleep or on patrol, guarded the area.
He was blown to pieces in just one second!
Limbs and severed parts flew everywhere in the sea of fire!
Only those guards with S-class physical abilities escaped death.
"Enemy attack?! How could it be so fast?!"
Song Gongyao, who was in the study, got up from the floor, his face ashen.
But just a second later, she regained her excitement.
"Well done! Just in time!"
"This is the perfect moment for me, the new leader, to establish my authority!"
She drew her sword from her waist, rushed out of the inner fortress, and ran towards the command wall of the fortress.
When she arrived, looking disheveled.
They discovered that the commander in charge of defending the city was directing his men to load gold and silver treasures onto the sailing ships, clearly preparing to flee!
"Stop!"
Song Gongyao strode forward, adopting the air of someone in charge, and angrily rebuked.
"Commander! The enemy is attacking! What are you doing here instead of organizing a defensive line?!"
"Lord Nantong handed over command of the fortress to me before he left!"
"I now order you to immediately lead your soldiers in a counterattack!"
The city's garrison commander stopped what he was doing, turned around, and looked at Song Gongyao as if he were an idiot.
Are you out of your mind?
The commander sneered, his face full of disdain.
"Lord Duanlang is in seclusion and his whereabouts are unknown; Lord Nantong has vanished without a trace!"
"The city's elite forces have all fled!"
"Am I supposed to stay here and be cannon fodder? If you want to die, go die yourself!"
"You dare disobey orders?!"
Song Gongyao pointed at him angrily, "I'm going to report you deserters to Lord Nantong!"
"Report? Bah!"
The commander spat at Song Gongyao's feet and grabbed her by the collar.
Then it was pushed onto the muddy deck.
"My superior is Minister of War, Lord Gao! Who do you think you are?"
"A stinking pirate who sells his sisters for official positions, does he really think he's something special?"
"Beat them!"
Several guards immediately rushed forward and kicked Song Gongyao, who was lying on the ground, repeatedly!
"Ah! You dare to strike an official of the imperial court! You bunch of filthy soldiers! I'm the one in charge!"
Song Gongyao rolled on the ground screaming, but only received a more brutal beating in return.
The commander only waved his hand to signal them to stop after Song Gongyao had been kicked until his face was bruised and swollen.
"Brothers and sisters, let's get out! We can't stay in this godforsaken place!"
With a wave of his hand, the commander led his soldiers to quickly board the ship, start the engine, and speed away.
Song Gongyao collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain, and groaned.
She looked up and saw several familiar faces among the soldiers fleeing with their commander.
Those were her sisters who had fought alongside her through thick and thin, and who had been scattered and incorporated into the garrison.
But at that moment, the other women watched her being beaten to the ground, ignoring her, before turning around, boarding the ship, and leaving.
As the increasingly dense meteor shower rained down on various parts of the fortress, Song Gongyao panicked.
"What should we do... Yes! Ruyi! The strategist must have a solution!"
She scrambled and stumbled as she ran towards the hall.
The kitchen.
The shockwaves from the artillery fire left the kitchen in a mess.
But Li Kui was squatting in the corner, holding a roast goose in her arms and gnawing on it with her mouth full of oil.
"Li Kui! Where's Ruyi?! Where's the strategist?!"
Song Gongyao rushed in with disheveled hair and grabbed Li Kui by the shoulder.
Li Kui was startled and swallowed the meat in her mouth.
She wiped her hands on her clothes sheepishly, then pulled a crumpled letter from her pocket and handed it over.
"Big sister... the strategist is gone."
She said I was too stupid and that I couldn't run fast with her.
She asked me to give this letter to you.
"A letter? What did she say?!"
Song Gongyao tore open the envelope and roared in frustration.
Li Kui scratched his head and sighed.
"The strategist said... Eldest sister, you've changed."
"You've been blinded by power and officialdom; your beliefs are different from hers."
She was no longer willing to be with someone who had no principles.
She said to pretend she had never come and forgive her for leaving without saying goodbye...
"Boom!"
A shell exploded not far from the kitchen, the blast ripping out the windows.
But Song Gongyao could no longer hear the explosions outside.
She stood there, the letter slipping from her hand.
"The bottom line has changed..."
"Haha... hahaha!"
Suddenly, Song Gongyao covered his face and burst into maniacal laughter!
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
She pointed at the door and roared hysterically.
"I'm a despicable person! I'm a treacherous scoundrel! But why did I do all this?!"
"All I want is to make something of myself!"
"Are you trying to get everyone out of trouble and live a clean life?!"
"If I don't do this, am I supposed to spend my whole life as a water ghost, wallowing in the mud?"
Song Gongyao Li Kui from afar, seemingly seeking his approval.
But... even someone as naive as her.
He shook his head at that moment.
"Big sister... I'm too stupid, I don't understand what you're saying, but..."
"I know, I joined the Lianghai Pirate Group because the imperial court is incompetent and corrupt..."
Isn't that why we've gathered together?
Hearing Li Kui's probing questions.
Song Gongyao staggered backward, knocking over an iron pot.
Soup spilled all over the floor, and she looked at her reflection, but couldn't recognize herself at all.
"Yes... yes."
"The initial intention behind establishing the Lianghai Pirate Group..."
"Isn't it all about resistance?"
"But I..."
Song Gongyao looked at his official robes.
But in reality, it's more like a shackle, more like a dog leash.
She knew she was wrong...
But...
"I'm not reconciled!!!"
Song Gongyao's gaze returned to its obsessive state.
You think... I'm a joke!
"You all think I can't become a real star, right?"
"You all think I'm hopeless, like a lump of clay, and will never amount to anything, right?!"
"You don't believe me..."
Song Gongyao raised his head.
I'm going to show you!
She turned around and snatched the two black embroidered broadswords from the table.
That was originally Li Kui's weapon, and it was incredibly heavy.
But Song Gongyao suddenly unleashed a strange strength and lifted him up.
The red official robes fluttered in the flames of war.
She didn't look at Li Kui again, dragging the two battle axes, all alone.
I walked out of the kitchen and into the midst of the raging gunfire...
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Deep Pool Fortress has been reduced to a sea of fire.
"Today, I will prove it to all of you!"
Song Gongyao's eyes were bloodshot as he roared amidst the meteor shower.
"I, Song Gongyao, am not a coward!"
"And I am certainly not the traitor you claim I am, the one who betrayed my friends for personal gain!"
At that moment, the Nightmare's mockery of her in the hall echoed in her mind.
"One person, one city!"
Song Gongyao's eyelids were cracked, and he looked like a madman.
"What you can do in your Nightmare, I, Song Gongyao, can do too!"
"Today, I Song Gongyao, will show you this Deep Pool Fortress —I'll take it all by myself and the city alone!"
At this moment, she seemed to be possessed by some kind of luck.
The dense barrage of explosives actually detonated more than ten meters away from her!
The city walls were blown away and boulders were shattered, but not a single cannonball harmed her in the slightest!
Dragging her two axes, she walked alone, braving the hail of cannon fire, towards the front line of the fortress!
And this scene...
It was all clearly seen by the people who were fleeing at sea!
"Look... it's Sister Song! She didn't escape!"
A former member of the Lianghai Pirate Group, whose group had been scattered, spoke in a trembling voice.
Wu Ruyi, the strategist who was mixed in with the deserters, was also clinging to the gunwale of the ship.
"Big sister..."
Looking at that tiny yet resilient red figure moving against the tide in the sea of fire,
Wu Ruyi and the former members of the pirate gang had tears in their eyes.
A sense of unease and guilt arose in their hearts.
Memories of the past surfaced in my mind.
Those were the days when Song Gongyao led them to rob the rich and help the poor on Lianghai Island.
Those were the glorious years when she led her sisters in chivalrous acts, repeatedly resisting the corrupt court's suppression!
It turns out that the eldest sister's inherent spirit has never changed!
She just kept all the grievances to herself!
Now, facing a life-or-death situation, she has once again chosen to go alone to fight against that invincible enemy!
"Oh shit..."
Even the city commander who had previously punched and kicked Song Gongyao changed his expression at this moment.
He slapped himself in the face.
"He's not even afraid to die for a woman? I, an official of the imperial court, have become a deserter?"
"Brothers... why don't we charge back to support her?!"
However, at this very moment when the fleeing crowd was filled with excitement...
"Boom!"
Above the sky, a shadow that blotted out the sun enveloped the entire Deep Pool Fortress!
"What... what is that?!"
The fleeing water ghosts raised their heads, their faces filled with horror!
"Bang!"
A loud bang followed!
The 300-meter-tall Machine God descended from heaven onto the port ruins directly in front of Song Gongyao!
The shockwave created towering waves tens of meters high on the sea, nearly capsizing the sailboats!
When the smoke and dust cleared.
Seeing the mountain-like mechs, all the fleeing water ghosts and government soldiers were filled with despair.
"God... what kind of monster is this?!"
"It's all... it's all over!"
"Could it be the Dragon God himself...?"
"This is a force we simply cannot contend with!"
Just as despair filled the air on the ship.
"Look there! Look at the feet of that mech!"
A sharp-eyed pirate suddenly roared.
Everyone looked in the direction he pointed.
Before the Machine God's giant feet, that figure still stood proudly in the raging wind!
She held two axes in her hands, facing the 300-meter-tall steel deity.
She didn't take a single step back, and even stared up at the other person with a blank expression!
The water ghosts watched this shocking scene of a mortal facing a god.
I could no longer suppress the surging emotions within me!
"The eldest sister didn't back down! She's still persevering!"
A pirate waved his fist and shouted hoarsely, "Sister Song! Go for it!"
That shout ignited a flame in Human Heart!
"Go for it, big sister with double axes!"
"Let them see the backbone of Lianghai! Charge!"
"Smash that lump of iron! You will be our eternal god!!!"
"One man, one city! Song Gongyao! One man, one city! Song Gongyao!!!"
Inside the speedboats on the sea, hundreds of sea monsters shouted in unison, their blood-boiling voices even drowning out the distant artillery fire!
At this moment, I stand on the ruins of the port.
Song Gongyao held his head up expressionlessly.
"Click click click..."
Accompanied by the sound of operation.
The Machine God lowered its head.
Its eyes were fixed on Song Gongyao below.
At this moment, time stands still.
Everyone on the sea held their breath.
Wu Ruyi clasped her hands together, her eyes moist.
The commander drew his sword; all the water ghosts waited expectantly.
They eagerly awaited their leader's roar, her double axes flashing, as she bravely faced her execution.
This battle left behind a tragic and heroic strike that will be recorded in history!
Next.
The Machine God moving.
It raised its giant foot.
At this moment that everyone is watching with bated breath!
"Thud."
Song Gongyao loosened her grip, and the two axes were thrown to the ground.
Immediately afterwards.
Under the stunned gazes of hundreds of people.
Song Gongyao's legs went weak, and he knelt on the muddy harbor!
The Machine God's giant foot came to a halt.
A full ten seconds passed Song Gongyao spoke.
"This sinner, Song Gongyao, greets the Dragon God!"
"I, a lowly man, have endured humiliation and hardship, remaining an undercover agent in this Deep Pool Fortress for over a century!"
"I'm willing to bear the infamy, willing to be condemned by everyone, all for this day!"
"So that when the Lord arrives, I can represent Deep Pool Fortress, one man, one city!"
"We offer this city to the Dragon God!"
"Today we abandon darkness and embrace the light! Long live the Dragon God!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
The words echoed in the sea breeze for a long time.
The crowd shouting deafeningly on the distant sea suddenly dropped their jaws onto the deck.
The scene fell silent...