The power of multiple turrets

Days as usual.

Gazing at the calm sea, the captain took a deep drag on his tobacco. Since they had blockaded the sea lanes on the orders of the Kudel royal family, the navy had amassed considerable wealth. They had intercepted numerous merchant ships from the Sea-Encircled Country and acquired a large amount of supplies—of course, these supplies were all seized under special wartime orders and became the navy's private provisions. It must be said that initially, there was quite a bit of profit to be made; whether it was rare tobacco or jewels and weapons, they could all be considered top-quality goods. It seemed that the Sea-Encircled Country were far wealthier than they had imagined.

"Call..."

The captain took a deep drag on the tobacco in his hand, known as "sea tobacco," savoring the comfortable sensation. He'd heard it was made from seaweed from the ocean floor; though he didn't know if that was true, it was certainly a hundred times better than anything on land. If only he could enjoy it even more... Thinking this, the captain shook his head. He knew why the royal family hadn't issued the order to attack the mainland of the Sea-Encircled Country. He believed the others in the fleet understood as well: the royal family feared that if they conquered the Sea-Encircled Country, the Kudel Navy would become independent and no longer obey the Kudel royal family's orders. In the past, this could have been taken as a joke. But now, the shadow of the Magic Empire loomed over the land, Kudel didn't know when it would be attacked. At this moment, the Magic Empire's stance was extremely delicate.

To be fair, many on board had families living on land, and they wouldn't abandon their loved ones. However, it's important to understand that the Magic Empire is unlike other nations. Everything that has happened within the Federation's borders has brought endless saga and nightmares. They don't want prisoners, slaves, or even residents; they only want the dead. And the Magic Empire's army is entirely composed of the dead...

In this situation, what could Kudel possibly do? He not only had to defend against the armies of the Magic Empire that could appear at any moment within the Federation, but also fend off attacks from the Duchy of Lalia on the other side. Any soldier with a modicum of common sense could see the outcome of such a two-front war. Moreover, Kudel wasn't like Lalia or Xialuo; it wasn't a nation with a military advantage. Coupled with the constant rumors of Dark Elf appearing, Kudel was already in chaos. Even the news of the navy's "victory" had little positive impact. After all, their opponents were just a bunch of insignificant barbarians. How could they be compared to undead creatures?

With merchant ships from the Sea-Encircled Country now extinct, the reason these naval personnel are still forced to endure hardship at sea instead of returning to the warmth of their homes on land is because they have heard through some channel that the royal family might allow these naval soldiers to "return to land."

This is not surprising, considering that in that era, there wasn't much difference between naval and army soldiers. As long as you put on armor and picked up a sword, you could immediately change ranks. But these soldiers now have no desire to return to land, which means they are very likely to be sent to the front lines, "ready at all times" to fight undead creatures.

Compared to those undead creatures that are impossible to kill, it's much better to enjoy the sea breeze on the open ocean.

Of course, the royal family was not unaware of the current situation within the navy, so they controlled it very cleverly—supplies were only enough for the naval fleet to patrol the coastal waters, but if they wanted to defect, they would absolutely not be able to reach the area surrounding the Sea-Encircled Country.

In this situation, the navy, having no other options, could only obediently follow orders and make the most of their time to enjoy themselves; otherwise, they might never be able to enjoy anything again.

Just then, a dazzling light flashed beside the captain's eyes, causing him to squint.

What happened?

The captain put down his cigarette and stood up, trying to figure out what was going on. Just then, he heard a commotion and hurried footsteps outside, followed by knocking on the door. Then, without the captain's orders, the first mate hastily pushed open the cabin door.

"Captain, I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

Although they noticed that their captain didn't look well, now was not the time to worry about such things.

"But there's something I'd like you to see right away!"

Sensing the first mate's anxiety, the captain suppressed his anger. Led by the first mate, he left the captain's cabin, vowing to himself that if the first mate bothered him with trivial matters, then someone else would have to take his place the next day.

However, when the captain came to the deck, he saw that the sailors were not working at their posts. Instead, most of them were lying on the edge of the ship, gazing into the distance.

What the hell is going on?

The captain shifted his gaze in confusion, following the direction the sailors were looking. Then, his mouth gaped open, unable to close.

Not far to the right of the warship, a huge, terrifying object floated on the sea. It looked like a ship, but this ship was entirely made of metal! Sunlight shone on its hull, reflecting a dazzling light. Even more astonishing was the astonishing size of this terrifying ship; it was almost the size of a small island!

"What is this?! Where did it come from?! Where's the lookout? Why didn't they report it?!"

Subconsciously comparing the sizes of the two ships, the captain couldn't help but tremble. His proud warship looked like a crude little fishing boat in comparison. Although he couldn't see sails or flags, the menacing, terrifying cylinders on them gave the captain an ominous feeling—it was nothing short of a ferocious beast!

"Captain, the lookout didn't spot it at all... Just now, a flash of light, and it appeared there!"

"How is this possible?!"

The captain took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He stared at the terrifying, massive ship, a strange unease creeping into his heart. He wanted to order his men to attack, but reason told him that his ship's weapons were utterly incapable of harming the enemy. However, he couldn't just do nothing, and besides, the enemy hadn't attacked yet—perhaps that was a good sign...

"Use flag signals! Inquire about their intentions! Simultaneously send out signals, and dispatch fleet reinforcements!"

Ultimately, the captain made a cautious decision.

At that moment, Princess Shirley stood there in astonishment before the window.

Within Ringwraith City, perhaps due to the exaggerated grandeur of the Magic Empire, this ship, aside from being somewhat odd, didn't display much unusualness. But now, Princess Shirley finally realized just how different this ship was. She was currently standing on the second deck, and from this vantage point, she was looking down at Kudel's warships!

"Is that Kudel's warship?!" Princess Shirley stared in astonishment at the warship below, whose height was only reached at eye level by the top of its mast. She felt a wave of dizziness. She clearly remembered seeing Kudel's warships countless times before, and those enormous, terrifying warships had always been her nightmares. That shadow, representing power and the inability to resist, was deeply imprinted in Princess Shirley's heart.

But now, she was looking down at Kudel's warship, instead of looking up at it!

For the first time, Princess Shirley truly grasped the extent of the Magic Empire's power—a power that far surpassed legend and everyone's imagination. She didn't know how the ship was built, nor how it operated. However, Princess Shirley deeply understood that as long as this terrifying warship existed, Kudel's navy would no longer be able to threaten their existence.

Princess Shirley

Li Lin's voice brought Princess Shirley back to reality. She turned around in surprise, staring at the Arcane Mage before her. Li Lin, in turn, gave her a seductive smile.

"I think you might want to try it out yourself."

"Huh? Shall I do it?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Shirley was taken aback. Like ordinary people, she always harbored a sense of fear towards magical artifacts. In Shirley view, only mages with profound knowledge of mystical arts could create such magical items. And now, she, a princess who knew neither combat skills nor magic, was actually to pilot such a massive warship to attack the enemy?

"It always needs to be verified with one's own eyes, and it's not difficult."

As he spoke, Li Lin led Princess Shirley to a strange device that looked like a doorknob, only twice the size. In front of it was a wide, open window, from which one could easily see all around.

Please hold it in your hand.

"Is... is that so?"

Princess Shirley awkwardly extended her right hand and grasped the huge doorknob. To her surprise, she found that it was not as heavy as she had imagined, and it was also very light to hold.

"Please move it, and then pay attention to the cross symbol in front of you."

Regarding the issue of goal setting, Li Lin had already had Yi Aier resolve it. After all, these things are meant for ordinary people; the easier they are to use, the less likely they are to delve into their inner workings. Lightweight and comfortable, to some extent, are also a kind of anesthetic. If people realize that what they possess cannot satisfy their desires, they will study it, ponder it, and improve it. But once they discover that this thing can perfectly achieve everything they want, then they will no longer have such thoughts.

It's like drugs.

"Is that so...?"

Princess Shirley effortlessly moved the "doorknob," and to her surprise, the enormous cannon barrel outside changed direction, turning towards her. The cross-shaped mark also moved with it, lightly and easily. Princess Shirley stared in disbelief at her hands—those delicate, white hands that couldn't even lift a heavy sword. Now, they could move such a massive, heavily armored cannon barrel?

"That's right... that's it. Move this cross mark to that ship, see it clearly?"

Standing to the side, Yi Aier stared at Li Lin with a strange expression, then turned to Suoxiate and complained in a low voice.

"Big Sister Suoxiate, I have a feeling that Master is trying to kidnap a little girl..."

"Yi Aier, it is not proper for a maid to discuss the master's faults."

Suoxiate's smile remained unchanged.

"Or... do you want me to give you a good talking-to when we get back?"

"..."

Ignoring the conversation between the two maids behind him, Li Lin helped Princess Shirley move the crosshair to the center of Kudel's warship. At this moment, Princess Shirley seemed to be getting more and more nervous. Her full, high breasts were heaving with tension, and even her palms were sweating.

"Then, press the button."

"Press, button?"

"It's that ruby up there."

As he spoke, Li Lin gestured for Princess Shirley to notice the red gem above the doorknob.

"Just press it, and you can attack."

"..."

Princess Shirley turned her gaze to the bright red gem and remained silent for a long time. She then looked at Kudel's warship, the once seemingly indestructible and powerful vessel.

Then, Princess Shirley pressed the button.

The power of magic was triggered within this crystal. Deep within the ship's hull, unseen by Princess Shirley, the power of the magic crystal was channeled and released through the magic circle. Like surging lightning, it began to converge and condense in the designated direction.

The thick cannon barrel gradually emitted a pale blue lightning bolt, and countless lightning bolts leaped and condensed at the muzzle, forming a ball of light that gradually grew larger. Then, it erupted out.

Kudel's warships had no time to resist or evade.

The condensed lightning bolt easily ripped a huge hole in the ship's hull in an instant. The erupting lightning streaked across the deck like the hand of God of Death, turning everyone it captured into charred remains. No one could escape.

There was no fire, no screams, just a fleeting, blinding flash of light, and the once invincible Kudel's warship was split in two and slowly sank to the bottom of the sea.

"This... this..."

Princess Shirley stared wide-eyed at the scene before her, utterly astonished. She never imagined that the warship, once nearly invincible on the sea, could be sunk so easily!

What did she do? She moved her wrist and twitched her fingers.

That's how easily they destroyed a Kudel warship?!

Is this the power of the Magic Empire?

"Master, master."

Just then, Yi Aier received a report from the Dark Elf and came to their side.

"It seems Kudel's fleet has arrived."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Li Lin looked towards the distant horizon, where several black dots slowly emerged. Clearly, the other side had received some signal, which was why they had arrived so quickly. However...

Li Lin glanced at the unusually excited Yi Aier, and without much thought, he could guess her expectations.

"It's all up to you. Take care of it all, is that alright?"

"Of course... no! Master, leave it to me!"

Upon receiving the instructions, Yi Aier jumped up excitedly. She lifted her skirt, bowed to Princess Shirley and Li Lin, and then quickly ran to the front. Looking at the horizon outside the window, she excitedly gave the order.

"Aim at the target! All personnel, prepare!!"

At Yi Aier's command, the Dark Elf sprang into action immediately. They silently and swiftly took their positions, maneuvering dozens of massive cannons to change direction and aim at the distant fleet.

"Fire!!"

With her golden twin tails swaying, Yi Aier finally gave the command that excited her the most.

If there was any sight that could shock Princess Shirley, then what followed was practically Hell for her.

Dozens of thick, dazzling laser beams ripped through the sky, tearing apart the clouds and engulfing the world in their most brilliant moment. Before them, Kudel's prized fleet had no time to resist, no time to even react! The sky darkened, even the sun's rays had to give way. The sea churned, splitting into deep trenches. Princess Shirley watched as her once-powerful fleet was easily pierced through its hulls and blasted into pieces. Without any dramatic confrontation, it was utterly destroyed.

"As expected! Multiple turrets are the way to go!!"

As the bombardment continued, Yi Aier seemed to become excited as well. She clenched her fists tightly, muttering to herself, lost in the devastation before her. Just then, Li Lin reached out and pressed on Princess Shirley's shoulder, finally bringing her back to reality from the Hell scene of destruction.

"Your Highness, are you satisfied with this weapon?"

"Ah, yes, esteemed Arcane Mage, this is simply divinely handsome... ah, no, I'm not..."

Princess Shirley, clearly overwhelmed by the shock, was rambling incoherently, but Li Lin didn't seem to care about such minor issues. He suddenly realized that Yi Aier's idea was quite brilliant. The mobile fortress could not only guarantee the territorial security of these countries but also provide them with a certain degree of necessary assurance against aggression. However, the speed and size of the mobile fortress would greatly reduce the speed of such aggression, which was also a good thing for him. After witnessing the power of the Kudel water fortress, he imagined that the other smaller countries would understand their own position and choices.

"As long as you're satisfied."

As he spoke, Li Lin took out another ring and placed it in Princess Shirley's hand.

"Please forgive my rudeness."

As he spoke, Li Lin softly chanted an incantation. Before Princess Shirley could react to what was happening, she felt a sharp pain in her palm, followed by a trickle of blood that flowed from the center of her hand into the ring.

"With that, the handover ceremony is officially complete."

Meeting Princess Shirley's puzzled gaze, Li Lin smiled and explained.

"This mobile water fortress now belongs to you, Princess Shirley. Only you can activate it, and likewise, it can't go anywhere if you don't want to, nor can it perform any other actions."

"Arcane Mage, this..."

Upon hearing this, Princess Shirley's face suddenly turned quite pale.

You mean...?

"Frankly speaking, during my envoy's negotiations with your king, I sensed that your father is not a trustworthy person."

Li Lin withdrew his hand and said casually.

"However, I think our friendship is also very important. Therefore, I would rather give the most important gift to someone I trust."

Princess Shirley gazed at Li Lin, then lowered her head to look at the ring on her hand.

He didn't say anything.