The Prince's Challenge, Laws of Chaos

The combined fleet sailed through Chaos.

There was no direction here.

No up, down, left, or right.

Only endless gray currents.

These currents slammed against the outermost shields of the fleet.

The shields, formed by the Human Race fleet's Four Symbols Great Array, flickered continuously.

Each flicker represented a massive consumption of energy.

On the bridge of the flagship "Civilization," the atmosphere was oppressive.

Everyone watched the constantly fluctuating energy consumption data on the main screen.

This number was like a knife, cutting into everyone's hearts.

"Executive Officer, at this consumption rate, the spare energy we carry won't last until the projected arrival area."

Youchao Shi's voice was dry.

Chen Ran stared at the screen, silent.

His mind was racing, calculating.

The energy interference in Chaos was thirty percent more severe than their worst-case projections.

This meant their journey had to be shortened.

Or, they had to find a way to replenish their energy.

"All ships, contract your formations, reduce energy output by ten percent, and lower sailing speed by half a percent."

Chen Ran issued the order.

"This will extend our sailing time!"

Guang Chengzi immediately questioned.

"An extended time is better than running out of energy and everyone dying here."

Chen Ran responded.

Guang Chengzi fell silent.

Although he was unconvinced, he couldn't find a reason to refute Chen Ran.

Just then, a discordant voice rang out.

"My Demon Race's divine boat doesn't need to be tied to you slow iron ships."

Lu Ya's figure appeared at the bridge entrance.

He had barged in without permission.

His young face was full of arrogance and disdain.

"My Demon Race's Solar Divine Boat is driven by bloodline and is self-sufficient in Chaos; it can proceed entirely on its own."

He looked at Chen Ran, his eyes holding undisguised challenge.

"Why do you use your orders to slow down my Demon Race?"

The air in the bridge instantly froze.

All eyes focused on Lu Ya and Chen Ran.

This was an open challenge to the supreme command.

A flicker of pain and helplessness crossed Xihe's face.

"Lu Ya, come back!"

She reprimanded him.

"Mother!"

Lu Ya turned to look at Xihe, his eyes tearing up.

"Are you really going to hand over the Demon Race's last hope to a Human Race?"

"He doesn't even have Immortal Power; he's just a mortal!"

"He's sending us to be cannon fodder, to die, and you're willing?"

These words stung the hearts of all the demons present.

Even Bai Ze's gaze showed a hint of wavering.

A look of schadenfreude appeared on Guang Chengzi's face.

Zhao Gongming frowned. While he also disliked Chen Ran, he hated internal strife at critical moments even more.

Chen Ran looked at Lu Ya calmly.

He wasn't angry.

He didn't refute.

He simply raised his hand and began operating the main display.

Soon, the fleet's real-time formation map was enlarged for everyone to see.

The light spot representing the Demon Race's Solar Divine Boat was on the flank of the entire formation.

"You thought I told you to slow down to hold you back?"

Chen Ran pointed at the light spot.

His finger then swept towards a chaotic region in front of the light spot.

The gray airflow there was noticeably more turbulent than elsewhere, even forming small whirlpools.

"Starting an hour ago, your Divine Boat has deviated seven units from its planned course."

Chen Ran said.

"Your position has caused you to independently bear thirty percent of the Chaos impact from that direction."

"To maintain the stability of the Divine Boat, your people are excessively consuming their Demon Power."

"In at most three hours, your Divine Boat's power core will stall due to insufficient Demon Power."

Chen Ran paused, his gaze fixed on Lu Ya.

"At that time, what do you think will happen?"

"Your Divine Boat will be captured by that Chaos whirlpool."

"It will be torn to shreds."

"You, your mother, and all your remaining kin will die."

Chen Ran's voice was calm.

But every word was like a heavy hammer striking Lu Ya's heart.

Lu Ya's face instantly turned deathly pale.

He abruptly turned his head to look at the internal monitoring array of his Divine Boat.

On the array, the runes representing the core Demon Power output were indeed flashing frantically, their color having changed from gold to a dangerous dark red.

And the kin responsible for providing Demon Power were all pale-faced and listless.

Before he stormed onto the bridge, his subordinate had just reported power instability to him.

But he had thought it was a minor issue.

He had never imagined the consequences would be so severe.

"Why... why didn't you warn me sooner?"

Lu Ya's voice trembled.

"I did."

Chen Ran said.

"Half an hour ago, the command center issued three course correction commands to your Divine Boat."

"You rejected all of them."

Lu Ya's body swayed.

He remembered that incident.

He had thought Chen Ran was using the Human Race's command system to provoke the autonomy of the Demon Race.

So he had chosen to ignore it without hesitation.

It turned out that it was to save his life.

"Now, I'm giving you another command."

Chen Ran's voice came.

"Return to your ship immediately, activate the backup Bloodline Pool, and replace the exhausted kin."

"Then, lead your Divine Boat back to the designated position."

"This formation is not to restrict anyone, but to protect everyone."

"Every ship is a part of the formation's core, sharing the pressure for each other."

"Your unauthorized deviation not only endangered yourself but also increased the burden on the adjacent Heavenly Origin Sect and Intercepting Sect vessels."

Chen Ran's gaze swept over Guang Chengzi and Zhao Gongming.

Both fell silent.

The energy consumption of their flying ships was indeed higher than expected.

They had originally attributed it to the Chaos itself.

Now they realized that it was the Demon Race's Divine Boat faltering that caused them to bear the extra pressure.

For a moment, their gazes toward Lu Ya turned hostile.

Lu Ya felt pressure from all directions.

Shame, lingering fear, and unwillingness churned within him.

He looked at Chen Ran.

This mortal hadn't used any power to oppress him.

With mere facts, he had shattered Lu Ya's pride.

He finally understood that war was not a one-man affair.

"I..."

Lu Ya opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.

"Go."

Chen Ran didn't look at him again.

"Prove your worth as a prince of the Demon Race."

"Not through your bloodline, but through your responsibility."

Lu Ya gave Chen Ran a deep look, then turned and rushed out of the command bridge.

He didn't utter any more harsh words.

Soon, the light representing the Demon Race's divine boat, after paying a certain price, rejoined the fleet's formation.

The entire fleet's energy consumption instantly stabilized.

A crisis that could have split the alliance was resolved invisibly.

On the command bridge, everyone looked at Chen Ran's retreating back, their expressions changed.

Guang Chengzi, in particular.

He found himself beginning to admire this human.

Just then.

A piercing alarm suddenly sounded.

"Alert! Ultra-high energy reaction detected ahead!"

"It's not the Gestalt! It's not the Star Devourer!"

"It's a... life form fluctuation we've never seen before!"

"It... it's too big! Our detection arrays can't calculate its volume!"

A Human Race observer's voice was filled with terror.

On the main screen, the silhouette of a massive object emitting red light was slowly emerging from the distant Chaos.