The air in the underground core power chamber was unbelievably stuffy.
Shizuku's Blinky had long since sucked up every last ancient blue crystal on the floor.
The bare white ore walls gave off a bleak, cold hue.
The Zodiacs stood rooted to the spot.
Every one of them looked thunderous.
It was like watching a bandit pack up an entire mountain of gold and haul it away.
And not daring to utter a peep.
Ging leaned against a corner wall.
He watched the battered ledger in Luo Ye's hands.
His brows knotted together.
Just when it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.
A piercing burst of static suddenly erupted.
Krrsh...
Krrsh...
The sound came from Kurapika's pocket.
Kurapika stopped abruptly.
He whipped out his specially made encrypted Communicator.
The device operated on a dedicated frequency with the highest security clearance.
It was reserved for emergency contact with the Black Whale, which had remained behind at the New Continent.
"An incoming signal."
Kurapika shouted.
He immediately pressed the answer button.
The static from the Communicator grew louder.
Violent crashes and explosions mingled with it.
Then came a voice.
A man screamed, his voice filled with despair.
"Hello?"
"Can anyone hear me?"
"This is the defensive line aboard the Black Whale."
"Help!"
The man's voice trembled.
He was panting heavily.
"Everything's gone to hell back here!"
"That mad king of the Kakin Empire has sealed off all the upper decks."
"Every escape route has been welded shut with alloy plates dozens of centimeters thick!!!"
"This place has become one giant sealed tin can."
The voice on the other end was choked with tears o(╥﹏╥)o.
"The water and power have all been cut off."
"Even most of the ventilation system has been shut down."
"He's forcing all the surviving princes into