Institutions, and War

Two hours later.

Inside a military stronghold of the Dragon Palace forces.

This stronghold had been built on a raised stretch of seabed. A low wall of coral stone surrounded it, its surface embedded with rough Aquatic Clan runes that kept the seawater outside.

The interior was dry and well ventilated. Rows of stone buildings stood along the high ground's central axis. At the very center was a squat, sturdy gray-white watchtower. The Monitoring Formation atop it operated continuously, casting pale-blue spiritual ripples outward and bringing the surrounding waters for several miles within its sensing range.

Yang Wenqing stood on the watchtower's second-floor observation deck. Before him was an underwater Image-Recording Formation, its watery screen showing a shifting dark-green scene: a seabed farm roughly twenty miles from the stronghold.

In the image, rows of low ridges spread along the gradual slope of the seabed. The water between them was clear enough to reveal the roots of spiritual plants slowly extending through the silt.

Beside him stood a sea demon commander, a head taller than an ordinary Aquatic Clan member. His scales were dark teal, and he stood with his hands behind his back, carefully maintaining a smile.

Half a step in front of them, a slight Aquatic Clan farmer with dull scales was bent at the waist, pointing at the watery screen as he explained the farm's growth in heavily accented common speech.

Personnel from both sides stood along either side of the observation deck. Some held Image-Recording Formation equipment aimed at the watery screen, while others rapidly recorded notes on paper.

All these images would be organized into propaganda materials, used to showcase the results and friendship of their joint operations to both sides.

Yang Yuan, who had been standing unobtrusively off to one side, suddenly received a communication.