Chapter 576: Chapter 560: He Knows Too Much
In the midst of cannonry that was still lacking in performance, naval battles were exceedingly brutal. After several rounds of arrow showers, ships would collide in violent crushing encounters. In no time, sunken ships were everywhere, making for a spectacular and cruel scene.
The ships that failed to sink would then face boarding and close combat. Figures like Hai Qianfan and Hua Zhenming leaped forward, slaughtering like tigers amongst sheep.
When Penglai joined forces with the pirates to attack other nations, it was nothing short of torment. Two behemoths pummeling a group of children.
If the strategic goal was the annihilation of the fleets of other nations, this outcome was much better than the previously imagined strategy of using other countries as cannon fodder.
The so-called “cannon fodder” strategy wouldn’t fool anyone; people aren’t stupid. How could they simply send all their forces to death? Even attempting reconnaissance could result in half-hearted efforts. Ships could just turn around and pretend, without you knowing what information they actually gathered. The sea is different from land, after all.
Only when you truly fall out with the enemy on both sides can you create the maximum casualties. The bigger the ships, the clumsier they become when trying to turn and flee. Caught between two fronts, escape becomes impossible.
Lai Qi watched, dumbstruck, until he finally stammered, “Admiral… Admiral Hai, you and the Tianyuan Pirate Group…”
Admiral Changkong replied calmly, “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”
Lai Qi thought it was miraculous he wasn’t silenced on the spot…
But he heard Admiral Changkong say, “If General Lai understands what he sees, he should realize that this is indeed the Sea God’s will. Of course, whether or not you can speak of this matter publicly… you know that already. I need a ‘third party participant of the Alliance Army’ to propagate the official story, and General Lai is a smart man, very suitable.”
Lai Qi took a deep breath. “What does the Admiral need Lai to say?”
“Of course, it’s that spies from various countries led to a surprise pirate attack, resulting in heavy casualties, and even my ships suffered several losses. Did you not see that?”
“… Then does the General plan to retreat in defeat? Wouldn’t that tarnish the General’s reputation?”
“The will of the Sea God prevails. What do I care about my personal honor?”
Lai Qi felt conflicting emotions but responded, “Yes, I know how to spread the word.”
Admiral Changkong gave him a look and said casually, “What about your two trusted aides?”
Lai Qi felt a jolt of panic and turned to look, only to find Zhao Changhe and San Niang had disappeared.
Admiral Changkong smiled and patted Lai Qi’s shoulder. “Anybody could have been chosen to propagate the official story. I chose you not necessarily because you came early and were the weakest… your weakness actually makes your credibility less convincing, not quite suitable… The reason for choosing you… heh.”
Having said that, he strode off towards a seemingly inconspicuous escort ship within his fleet.
Lai Qi frowned. There was a hidden meaning in Admiral Changkong’s last words…
Had he recognized those two trusted aides and chosen Lai Qi for their sake?
But where had those two gone?
Regardless of any longstanding personal vendettas or affiliations with the pirates, Zhao Changhe couldn’t idly watch sacrifices being made to awaken an Evil God.
War is war, but what kind of practice was it to trick people into sacrificing themselves to an Evil God?
If he was to turn a blind eye to such things for the “greater good,” Zhao Changhe felt he would no longer have the face to see Yue Hongling again.
So, he asked San Niang, “Sacrifices must involve an Array; it’s not just a matter of killing people, right?”
“There is,” San Niang knew what he was thinking. “You want to sabotage it?”
“Right,” Zhao Changhe sighed. “We’re currently confused about the war and can’t make a proper judgment, but stopping a sacrifice to the Evil God is within our grasp. At least it wouldn’t allow the Sea God to resurface so easily?”
San Niang was silent for a moment. “Then follow me.”
As a member of the Four Symbols Sect and the Xuanwu Venerable, she was all too familiar with such matters… The mechanisms of sacrifice at sea were nothing compared to her knowledge within the Sect. She could almost see through how the energy flowed and where the core of the Array was.
It was on one of the inconspicuous Penglai Warship’s escort ships. Normally, anyone who noticed something amiss would head straight for the flagship, or might think it was set up somewhere on an island. Who would have guessed it was hiding on an ordinary ship?
This ship was even legitimately engaged in combat…
The two of them took advantage of the chaos to sneak into the lower deck. The guards there were heavily armed, but to them, it was as if there were none at all.
Zhao Changhe hadn’t even made a move when a fragrant breeze swept through; all the guards were discreetly incapacitated by San Niang, lying unconscious to the side.
Zhao Changhe glanced at San Niang and sighed, “Afraid I might kill them?”
San Niang pouted. “Who said that? They aren’t my comrades. It’s up to you if you want to kill them or not.”
Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but give a wry smile, knowing that Guigui’s complex emotions inside her heart were probably enough to make a turtle nest. Therefore, he didn’t bother discussing it with her and instead fixed his gaze on the bizarre Array within the cabin.
Compared to the enormous Array that was expected to link the seven seas and resurrect Divine beings, this Array was pitifully small, but it was actually the largest Array Zhao Changhe had seen in this world. This was a sea vessel, not some ordinary small boat. The vast Array filled the ship’s hold to the brim—how large would that be?
The Array as a whole emitted a gentle blue light, like water, flowing and inscribed through patterns that Zhao Changhe could not recognize. At the heart of the Array was the familiar blue Crystal Core. Above it, a malicious eye vaguely emerged, staring at the two of them.
Zhao Changhe drew his Dragon Sparrow sword, “As I see it, if we destroy this Crystal Core, the Array will halt, won’t it?”
Of course, it would.
The eye on the Crystal Core slowly transformed into a translucent water figure, who coldly said, “Pity that you cannot do it.”
Zhao Changhe said, “How many of these water figures and Crystal Cores has the Sea Emperor made? With all this spare time, wouldn’t it be better for him to come out and play?”
The water figure, “…”
“Swish!” The Dragon Sparrow crossed the distance, instantly reaching the water figure’s face, “If we could kill one before, we can kill a second one!”
“Snap!” The water figure coldly raised its hand to block the Dragon Sparrow, immediately showing a look of astonishment.
If this were the past, Zhao Changhe’s slash would have been like drawing a sword to cut the water and would have had no effect.
But at this moment, as the sword met water, it surprisingly did not pass through.
It wasn’t that the water figure had gathered strength to withstand the sword… but rather that the sword itself did not pass through. It really hit the water figure’s body, resulting in a true clash of energies!
Zhao Changhe groaned without concealing the water figure’s recoil force, but the water figure also didn’t have it easy—its body’s waves rippled for a moment, clearly impacted.
When one’s punch can disperse waves, why shouldn’t the same understanding of strength apply to a sword?
The next moment, a heavy fist roared through the air, and San Niang’s fist had already reached its face.
With a “bang,” the water figure’s recently consolidated head became mush.
The scattered water droplets splashed in all directions, each easily piercing the cabin’s boards. In an instant, the ship’s cabin was riddled with holes, and the warship began to shake.
From outside the cabin came a sigh, “We cannot let the ship be destroyed. If this Array merges with the sea, the destruction will be greater, potentially causing mutations in this sea area and severe impact on us all. Otherwise, why would we bother keeping the ship afloat…”
San Niang suddenly turned her head to meet the complex gaze of Admiral Changkong.
“It’s been over a decade since we last met, and to see Princess’s valiant appearance… truly mixed feelings.” Admiral Changkong sighed, “Actually, it would have been better if the Princess had not come back… You know nothing about maritime affairs now, and blind meddling will only make things worse… Moreover…”
San Niang said indifferently, “Moreover, what?”
“Moreover, it will arouse my killing intent.” Admiral Changkong slowly drew the Broadsword from his waist, his voice low, “Everything on land is fine, we all want to go back… The Princess has already gone ashore, so why come back?”
San Niang seemed unruffled by his drawing of the sword as she said indifferently, “Did you always know I was there?”
“Lai Qi is fine, but many on Lai Qi’s ship are not even human, and perhaps he himself does not know.” Admiral Changkong smiled lightly, “When the Princess appeared, the images were transmitted to us… Especially since the Princess has been injured and has not yet recovered, it was quite clear to see.”
San Niang sighed, “So, when I posed as Lai Qi’s trusted aide to see you, you always knew, yet showed nothing. When did my men of the sea become as contemplative as you?”
“It’s nothing, it’s just that those with simpler minds have already become nourishments for the fishmen.” Admiral Changkong paused, then suddenly laughed, “Putting history aside, we too have a baffling question unresolved. Fortunately, the Princess has come, and we will finally get to answer this doubt.”
San Niang said, “Speak.”
Admiral Changkong shook his long Broadsword, his expression turning solemn, “We really want to know how we would rank on the Chaotic World List? Princess is hailed as the Xuanwu, second on the Earth List, feared by all… So, where would we, the old folk from Jiangnan, rank?”
San Niang looked him up and down and then suddenly laughed lightly, saying indifferently, “You are not worthy of crossing swords with me.”
Having said that, she turned to look at the water figure. Its head had already recovered and it was coldly observing their conversation as if analyzing the information within.
A Broadsword blocked in the middle, Zhao Changhe grinned showing his teeth, “Little pig under Xuanwu Venerable’s command, I request a lesson from Admiral Hai.”
Admiral Changkong withdrew his gaze from San Niang, showing no change in expression despite being humiliated.
He sized up Zhao Changhe and his Broadsword, his eyes showing some interest, “Where do you rank on the Chaotic World List?”
Zhao Changhe said, “I’m not noteworthy.”
“Why hide it from me… Zhao Changhe, first on the Human List, willing to become a little pig for the Princess’s affection.” Admiral Changkong laughed heartily, “The style of the Human King is well-known at sea.”
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PS: Not bad, took medicine and slept for a day, the fever has subsided. Should be just a common cold.