Admiral Coleman of the Burns Empire's navy mentioned that this massive warship was also deployed on a search mission. After encountering the fog, it lost its bearings and lost contact with the base.
Moreover, his words revealed three pieces of information.
First, five months ago, they arrived at an island suspected to be the Azure Dragon Court and occupied the island, establishing a temporary naval base for the Burns Empire.
Second, there is no civilization on the island, nor are there monsters or treasures, but the island is rich in plants and animals.
Third, the Burns Empire is still searching for the Azure Dragon Court.
This Admiral Coleman was clearly lying.
If they were searching for the exact location of the Azure Dragon Court, the large warship would have stayed at the base. A large warship consumes supplies at sea in one day what a small warship would consume in a month. Even the Sacred Empire would only send a reconnaissance team of a few dozen people at most. How could they let over two thousand people float at sea searching for it?
Additionally, the claim that there are no monsters or treasures on the island could be a deception aimed at the Sacred Empire. They might be saying one thing but acting in their own national interest, not wanting other countries to seize the opportunity first.
Linn guessed that the Burns Empire had suffered a devastating defeat at the Azure Dragon Court, with only the *September Flower* escaping. The *September Flower* encountered thick fog at sea, and the sailors fell into despair, believing they would never return home. Hence, they indulged in a lavish final party, seeking to satisfy their desires before death.
Because at sea, the Burns Empire could not wait for any reinforcements.
But this ship had been contaminated, causing them to find that even after finishing all the supplies on the first day, the wine and food would reappear the next day, as if inexhaustible. So they continued to hold parties.
Of course, this was also because they could not consume any food.
In fact, when the *September Flower* escaped the Azure Dragon Court, everyone on board, including Admiral Coleman, was already dead. They just didn't realize it.
The temperature at sea was very low, and while the low temperature slowed the decay of the corpses, it did not prevent the ship's metal from being corroded by seawater.
The *September Flower* likely remained submerged in seawater for some time before being covered in seaweed, with the hull showing signs of rust.
Coleman and everyone on the *September Flower* thought they were still alive. Was this a problem with their perception, or had they become monsters, similar to undead creatures?
Linn also could not see the entries for monsters, and these monsters did not include vampires or elves.
So, what was the source of the contamination that caused their perception to fail or turned them into monsters? Was it the Azure Dragon Court, the sea fog, or a third thing they encountered during their escape, such as what happened during the time the *September Flower* sank underwater?
Although there was no evidence to support his speculations, as a divine-level supreme believer, his intuition was generally not wrong.
This extraordinary intuition was often more useful than a detective's logical reasoning.
"Now can you answer me? What happened to the *September Flower*? From the moment you boarded, I saw something strange in your eyes."
Admiral Coleman was also a six-star Radiant Knight. He could keenly capture anyone's emotions.
When Brody and the others boarded the ship, their emotions were normal, a mix of disappointment and excitement.
But Linn and Dorothy's eyes were filled with astonishment, completely different from everyone else.
He dared to conclude that these two had definitely noticed the abnormality of the *September Flower*.
An abnormality that even he could not perceive.
Moreover, he had heard Brody call Dorothy "Lady Witch."
Witches were special beings; they had eyes that could see through reality.
Brody, the priest, and the two three-star knights were also very curious about what had happened to the *September Flower*. On the ship, they had not discovered anything unusual.
If something was strange, Brody only felt that he had inexplicably become shorter, as if everyone else was taller than him. But he did not think deeply about it; it was his subconscious protecting himself.
"The *September Flower* is covered in seaweed. Perhaps you fell into the sea and were trapped for a while. Do you have any memory of that?"
Linn asked.
Coleman frowned and shook his head, saying, "We were always sailing at sea and did not fall into the ocean. I didn't see any seaweed either."
As soon as he finished speaking, Coleman seemed to see the swaying seaweed inside the cabin, but he did not find it strange.
"I see the seaweed. Perhaps it was left by a sea monster we fought."
His logic quickly filled in the gaps, preventing him from delving deeper.
"We must have all encountered it—a giant deep-sea octopus covered in seaweed. It tried to board the *September Flower* but was killed by me."
"I'm sorry, Admiral, but the *September Flower* may have encountered something even more terrifying than a deep-sea octopus."
Dorothy said politely.
This made Coleman feel inexplicably tense. He gripped the chipped coffee cup in his hand and asked the question that had been hidden in his heart:
"Are my crew members—dead?"
He had also noticed the strangeness of the ship—the endless food, the inexhaustible wine, the passionate Vis women, and the bard who should not have been on the ship.
But he would subconsciously explain these things, such as the food being salvaged by the crew, the wine being brewed by the crew, the Vis women being part of the entourage from the beginning, and the bard being a soldier's part-time job.
"Yes."
Dorothy gave a definite answer.
Brody, the priest, and the two three-star knights immediately revealed extremely shocked expressions.
"Milady Witch, you're not mistaken, are you? You're saying everyone on this ship is dead? But they're still holding a party and look perfectly normal."
Brody asked in terror, feeling cold all over. He hoped it was just a slip of Dorothy's tongue.
Dorothy looked at Brody and apologized with her expression.
When Brody, the priest, and the two three-star knights accepted the fact that everyone on the ship was dead, they also noticed the dilapidated state of the cabin and Admiral Coleman's true appearance.
Coleman's left eye, which had no flesh to hold it in place, fell to the ground again. He subconsciously picked it up and put it back.
His open naval uniform revealed a clear skeleton, connected by some viscous liquid that was constantly dripping down.
Admiral Coleman stood up from the sunken sofa, looking complex, and said, "I never thought it would be like this. I thought at least two thousand of us had survived, but it turns out only I remained."
Brody's team of four turned pale, their pupils dilated as if they had seen something terrifying. They all retreated behind Linn and Dorothy.
Only with the strong in front of them could they feel a sense of safety.
Admiral Coleman also realized Brody and the others' abnormality. Brody had lost his lower half, the priest was covered in seaweed, his skin pale and swollen, and the other two had a head missing half its skull and a chest missing a chunk.
These four were clearly dead but still thought they were alive.
Seeing them gather behind Dorothy's back, he instinctively believed these four monsters were trying to harm the witch.
"Milady Witch, please be careful of the monsters behind you."
Coleman warned kindly.
Brody's team was terrified when they turned around. Upon realizing there were no monsters behind Dorothy, they understood the problem.
Was Coleman talking about them?
"Ah—Commander, you don't have a lower half!"
A knight pointed at Brody and screamed.
Brody looked down and saw that he indeed had no lower half. His intestines and organs were scattered on the ground. He instinctively reached out to gather the parts and put them back, but his pupils contracted, losing all color as he fell to the rotten floor with a mixture of despair and terror.
"You—you—you, you don't have a heart!"
Another three-star knight pointed at the knight who had screamed.
"Your head is split open! How are you still alive?"
The knight replied, looking at him.
Both realized their own problems, just like Brody, and fell to the ground.
The priest turned to flee in terror until Linn's voice came from behind.
"Your Eminence, you are also dead."
With a thud, the priest also collapsed.
From this, Linn judged that these dead people had cognitive impairments.
As long as their cognition was corrected, they would die immediately.
But as long as they believed they were still alive, they would remain in their past state.
Seeing these monsters die, Admiral Coleman sighed in relief.
As long as no one mentioned it, he would not think about his own condition. It was his subconscious protecting him.
Linn squeezed Dorothy's hand, signaling her not to reveal the truth, as he still had many questions for Admiral Coleman.
Linn's gaze fell on Coleman's bloodied face.
Coleman did not like the tone of this young man. Although he respected the witch's power, he had no reason to fear the young blond man in front of him.
"You might not know that in the Burns Empire, only six-star Radiant Knights can be appointed as admirals, leading a fleet independently."
Coleman's implication was that he did not need to be rescued. As a six-star Radiant Knight, he could save himself.
The ship has been contaminated. Even without the thick fog, it wouldn't be possible to return to the Southern Continent. It might even take you to more dangerous waters, veering off the new navigation route."
Li En said, "If you want to leave now, you have no choice but to cooperate with us and join the Sacred Empire's fleet, or try to seize our small boat and escape—though that would require defeating Miss Witch."
Even a Six-Star Radiant Knight couldn't match the Witch in a direct confrontation.
"Are you threatening me?" Coleman asked, his left eyeball trembling as if it might fall out at any moment.
"No, this is advice, not a threat. We noticed the problem with this ship from a great distance at sea, yet we still chose to board it. We didn't come here specifically to threaten you; we're seeking cooperation. Cooperation requires both sides to show sufficient sincerity. We haven't lied to you, General, but you've been lying to us."
Li En spoke calmly, like an outstanding diplomat seated to negotiate with the Bernhard Empire's fleet.
Coleman pondered for a moment and realized Li En was right. Even as a Six-Star Radiant Knight, he had no advantage against the Sacred Empire's army. There was no need for the blond man to threaten him.
"Fine, tell me—how can you help me return to the Bernhard Empire?" Coleman asked.
Coleman was hiding many secrets. He had to return to the Bernhard Empire, or this expedition would be in vain.
"Share all the secrets of the Azure Dragon Court," Li En replied.
His sharp gaze swept over Coleman, who suddenly felt that the person sitting across from him wasn't a young man, but an utterly terrifying existence. It was a knight's intuition. He could sense that Li En's strength surpassed his own.
"To show our sincerity, we'll share some information first. The Sacred Empire isn't exploring the Azure Dragon Court for the first time. Last time, we sent a knight battalion of 5,000, along with a Witch. Only 20 returned, bringing back valuable clues."
Paula continued, "Among those 20 survivors was Count Holle. He led the 5,000 knights to blaze a new route and find the Azure Dragon Court, ultimately returning with 20 men. His name was recorded in the annals of the Sacred Empire, but most of his subordinates were lost at sea."
Count Holle's Rose Knight Battalion, except for a dozen senior officers, was mostly newly recruited. If not for this, the Frank Family's Flame Knight Battalion wouldn't have joined this expedition.
The Flame Knight Battalion currently had the highest overall strength among the three major knight battalions, followed by the Pioneers, and lastly Count Holle's Rose Knights. However, as long as Count Holle, a Seven-Star Order Knight, was present, no one dared to challenge the Rose Knights' leading position in the Sacred Fleet.
"What clues?" Coleman asked, adjusting his left eyeball as if pushing up single-lens glasses.
"Witches lose control on the land of the Azure Dragon Court," Paula said.
Coleman froze. Paula, being a Witch herself, was indeed showing sincerity by revealing this information. The Bernhard Empire's fleet had verified this as well, as they had also brought a Witch on this expedition. She had lost control as soon as they landed.
Paula went on to detail what she had heard from Count Holle about their exploration. She wasn't revealing state secrets since Coleman couldn't send the information back to the Bernhard Empire.
"As a trade, please tell us the true fate of the September Flower. What did your fleet really encounter in the Azure Dragon Court?" Paula asked, looking at Coleman.
Coleman lit a cigar. He could tell Paula was telling the truth; the Witch had shown unprecedented sincerity. He took a puff, nodded slightly, and finally agreed to share the true events.
"I did lie. Our fleet found the Azure Dragon Court, just like you. Our Witch also lost control, but we aren't like the Sacred Empire, completely reliant on Witches. We killed ours immediately and continued onward.
We saw gold and treasures scattered everywhere, weapons, and the most beautiful women. The Azure Dragon Court was like a temple of Tage, a paradise on earth. All our desires were fulfilled there. Almost everyone forgot about returning home, willing to stay and live happily forever—until Archbishop Devonte established a mental barrier to free us from the dream.
Yes, the gold, weapons, and women were all illusions. Shortly after landing, we fell into the dream. Then we clashed with the Azure Dragon Court's Wyrmkin soldiers. Their ordinary soldiers were as strong as our Five-Star Glory Knights—a truly terrifying army.
We lost hundreds of warships and countless men in that first battle. Archbishop Devonte burned his life away to send the September Flower off. Gathered into 2,000 men, the September Flower is the last hope of the Bernhard Empire's expedition. We must bring the message back to the empire, but we're lost in the fog.
Perhaps the ship's contamination started with the fog. My crew might have died at sea."
Except for Coleman's speculations, his account was mostly true.
Paula looked at Li En. Li En frowned. According to Coleman, they hadn't even had time to explore the Azure Dragon Court; they were defeated in the first encounter.
Such a disparity in strength was absurd.
"Why did you lie to us at first?" Li En asked.
"If I told you our fleet was reduced to just this ship, you might try to seize the September Flower. After all, it's the strongest warship in the world."
Coleman shrugged.
"Does your army have a Seven-Star Order Knight?"
Li En asked.
"No. Except for Archbishop Devonte, I'm the strongest."
Coleman replied honestly.
Both sides then shared their maps of the Azure Dragon Court's coordinates. Count Holle's map didn't align with Coleman's, indicating that the Azure Dragon Court moved across the sea. This explained why Count Holle's scouting team hadn't returned—they likely couldn't find it at the original coordinates.
To ensure Coleman hadn't withheld information, Li En decided to use the **Time Traveler** ability to witness the Bernhard Empire's fleet clashing with the Azure Dragon Court's army. As long as he didn't interfere, there would be no cost.
Li En activated the ability and returned to the September Flower five months earlier.
"-Under the scorching July sun, a massive frigate with blue and coral-red hulls cut through the waves. Golden tridents adorned the ship, exuding dignity and power. The white sails, emblazoned with the Bernhard Empire's emblem, billowed like giant wings, shimmering with silver under the sunlight.
The soldiers on the September Flower stood on the deck, gazing through the glittering waves at a faint island in the distance. The island, like an emerald gem on the sea, was surrounded by white seagulls soaring in the fresh breeze.
Admiral Coleman stood on the bridge, his silver temples gleaming in the sun. His eyes were resolute and deep, with a faint smile on his lips.
"We're finally here, the Azure Dragon Court!"
Behind him, the navigator studied the star chart, excitement on his face. He tapped the wooden desk lightly, as if setting the rhythm for the impending discovery.
The soldiers lined the ship's rail, wearing deep-blue uniforms and white headscarves. Their eyes shone with determination, swaying with the ship's movements.
Despite the scorching sun and sweat soaking their clothes, they showed no fatigue—only longing for the unknown and excitement for adventure. They raised their weapons and cheered loudly,
"The Azure Dragon Court! The Azure Dragon Court! The Azure Dragon Court!!"
Li En stood among the soldiers, looking at the sea.
The Bernhard Empire's fleet, though smaller than the Sacred Empire's, was still impressive with five massive warships like the September Flower and thirty smaller supply ships.
The fleet hadn't even docked when they were attacked by sea monsters. The navy fought fiercely against the giant sharks and won decisively.
The fleet anchored in the shallow waters of the Azure Dragon Isle. Officers and soldiers disembarked in order.
As soon as they stepped onto the beach, they fell into a beautiful illusion.
Li En also saw the gold, treasures, weapons, and beautiful women. But he quickly broke free using his self-awareness and saw the truth.
The beach was home to small red crabs, no bigger than a thumb. They crawled onto the soldiers' feet unnoticed, trapping them in illusions.
Li En noticed this and so did Archbishop Devonte, who warned everyone about the crabs and helped them break free.
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
Heavy footsteps approached from the distance.
The Wyrmkin army sent its first vanguard upon discovering intruders. They were massive, with impenetrable scales, resembling upright lizardmen."
The vanguard quickly encountered the Burnes Empire's forces on the beach, and the battle erupted instantly.
At the sound of a command, the two armies clashed like live wires, with heavy impacts echoing across the battlefield. Sharp blades and sturdy dragon claws collided in mid-air, sparks flying as metal and magic engaged in a fierce dialogue. The roars of warriors, the chants of spells, and the dragon's cries intertwined.
As Coleman had said, even the ordinary foot soldiers of the Dragonkin possessed the strength of a five-star knight. This was an unstoppable army.
The battle quickly became one-sided, with countless humans falling to the Dragonkin's deadly claws, staining the beach red with blood. The Dragonkin's massive dragon breath, like flames, pushed the human defensive line time and again to the brink of collapse. Their tails, like whips, swirled through dust and sand, as if tearing the earth apart.
The high-ranking knights of the Burnes Empire, under the Dragonkin's oppression, showed remarkable resilience. They agilely maneuvered between the gigantic enemies, seeking openings. Each successful attack was followed by the Dragonkin's mournful cries, a testament to power and courage.
Unfortunately, the Dragonkin not only had ordinary soldiers comparable to five-star knights but also elite Dragonkin and land dragons akin to six-star knights. These elite Dragonkin circled the skies, occasionally breathing fire to attack the human army, accelerating the Burnes Empire's defeat. The land dragons, with their colossal size, were enough to terrify ordinary humans. Though they were not pure-blood dragons, their power surpassed the monsters beyond the high walls.
For humanity, facing this army was like facing the end of the world. All Burnes soldiers, including Coleman, had lost the strength to resist. They began to regret, to despair, their army dispersing and retreating to the ships. Unfortunately, all the ships were destroyed, and the retreating humans were slaughtered. The sea witches, in coordination with the Dragonkin, sank all the massive warships into the deep sea.
The Burnes Empire's army was completely annihilated, including Coleman. Ren watched the scene of their defeat and couldn't help but sigh. It was impressive that Earl Hall managed to escape back to the Holy Empire with just over a dozen men.
The beach was piled with corpses. Archbishop Devante crawled out from the mountain of bodies, his face covered in blood. Knowing he could not return, Devante used blood to draw a massive magic array on the ground. Then, he burned his life as fuel to activate the array.
Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and the sea winds surged, whipping the waves into towering surf. On the water, the waves gradually converged into a massive shadow. It rose slowly, with splashing water, and a gigantic battleship, the *September Blossom*, which had recently sunk to the seabed, broke free from the constraints of time and reemerged into the world.
The ship was covered in seaweed, its masts broken but still hinting at their former grandeur. The waves continued to surge, and the battleship seemed to breathe, adjusting its posture with the tide. Sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a dim glow on the deck. The dead warriors, including Coleman, stood up once more.
Seagulls circled above, curiously flying around the massive vessel, their sharp cries urgent. The water around the ship churned violently, as if responding to the gulls' rhythm, creating a symphony of waves. A gray fog enveloped the ship, causing nearby sea creatures to instinctively stay away.
Ren was slightly stunned. This was the reason Coleman and the others, though dead, still believed they were alive. Burnes Empire's Archbishop Devante was also a heretic. This kind of necromantic magic array was banned across the entire southern continent. But Devante, in his final moments, must have seen no other choice. He wanted Coleman and the others to return and deliver a message, so he used this extreme method.
Unfortunately, the ship seemed to align perfectly with the nature of certain monsters, attracting the gray fog. The fog combined with the *September Blossom*'s necromantic array, forming a forbidden domain. Anyone who entered would die but would still believe they were alive. This was the case for Brody and the others. Ren and Peach, however, were unaffected when they encountered the fog because the dragon egg had devoured it.
Ren realized this and began to fade away, his perspective disappearing with everyone's deaths. In his final moment, he saw a black-haired woman standing on the head of a 30-meter-tall land dragon, like a queen indifferent to everything. Who was she? Could it be Catherine? Ren's consciousness returned to reality.
No one noticed his brief journey through time. Everything he had just experienced had only taken an hour in the real world. "General Coleman, thank you for your cooperation. As a reward, I will have the *September Blossom* sing a lullaby to let your shipmates rest in peace." Ren had learned the essential skill of a cleric from Fia—the final rites to guide souls to rest.
Coleman and the others, however, had their souls trapped in their bodies, confused into thinking they were still alive. If they did not accept purification, they would remain in the world, becoming monsters. "Thank you," Coleman replied, unaware he was also dead. He only wanted his shipmates to rest and not see his former comrades become monsters.
Until Ren began singing the highest-level lullaby, Coleman felt something was wrong. His soul seemed to want to escape his body. He looked at his body instinctively, his clothes revealing shattered bones and missing organs. "Am I... dead?" Coleman asked sadly, his left eyeball falling out again. But then he thought of something and roared, "Stop! Don't say that!" Ren's lullaby was interrupted. Coleman sat on the ground, panting heavily. "I can't die. I must return. I have to tell the emperor that our army has been wiped out." "That's the message," Ren said flatly.
He hadn't expected Coleman's will to be so strong. Others who realized they were dead would collapse immediately, but Coleman was still holding on, refusing to die. "No, I'm not dead. I can't die. I won't die." Coleman repeated, as if trying to convince himself. If he could hold on like this and return to the Burnes Empire to have his soul implanted into a mechanical body, he might actually survive. But he couldn't let Ren and Peach live. From the start, they had never intended to help him. When he realized he was just like the others on the *September Blossom*, he knew they were using him.
He drew his folding combat knife, a weapon more powerful than a knight's sword in close combat. Coleman was a master of knife work, moving with incredible speed. In just a moment, he reached Ren and decapitated him with a swift strike. Even Ren couldn't help but admire the speed. Combined with the opportunity, it was a perfect strike. Anyone else would have died instantly. But Ren was a Blood Knight. As long as his heart wasn't damaged, he wouldn't die. Ren stood up, picked up his head, dusted it off, and placed it back on his neck. The wound vanished, as if it had never existed.
Ren tilted his head. "Sorry, General Coleman. We deceived you from the start. There was no cooperation." "Damn you, what kind of monster are you!" Coleman charged again, determined to kill Ren. But Ren wouldn't give him another chance. He reached out and grabbed Coleman's mutilated body, black corrupting energy instantly engulfing it. With a sickening crunch, Coleman's bones dropped to the ground. Even with his strong self-awareness, seeing his bones and flesh fall apart made him collapse. Coleman screamed miserably as his body disintegrated into black smoke. Peach handed Ren a white handkerchief. Ren wiped his hands. "Thanks." "No problem. I saw you preparing handkerchiefs for your maid last time, so I thought you might need some," Peach said softly. "Uh." Ren decided to avoid getting into messy situations in the future to prevent his fiancée from teasing him.
He began to sing the lullaby again. Half-transparent souls emerged from the bodies of the over two thousand dead, transforming into fireflies that slowly ascended into the sky. The *September Blossom* began to sink into the seabed once more. Ren and Peach returned to their magic boat. They didn't hurry back but lingered among the fireflies, deeply moved. The calm sea and the souls' glow created a peaceful yet beautiful and enduring scene. Peach reached out and caught a firefly. "Is this a forbidden soul?"
“These are purified spirits; they will reunite in the Spirit Realm.”
Ren said slowly.
“What did you see in the past?”
Tao Le asked.
“I saw the defeat of Burns, and the future of the Jieguo fleet. Earl Hol is hiding the true strength of the Qinglong Army; this is a war destined to fail.”
Ren looked at Tao Le with a gloomy expression.
“Destined to fail?”
Tao Le slightly froze.
“If that’s the case, Father wouldn’t agree to let Augustus lead the army to their deaths. Father even asked me to open the portal.”
“This is exactly what I find puzzling.”
Li En furrowed his brows. Since boarding the Lanjing, he had clearly noticed that Earl Hol was different from before.
Every so often, the Lanjing would release a portal, throwing some slaves into the sea to feed the sea monsters. While this method avoided battles with the army and some sea monsters, reducing casualties and resource consumption, it was undeniably inhumane.
Ren had initially thought this wasn’t Earl Hol’s order, but rather General Tina’s decision. However, after communicating with General Tina, Ren learned that this was indeed Earl Hol’s decision. The Earl Hol on the battlefield and the Earl Hol in peacetime were completely different people.
On the battlefield, Earl Hol would stop at nothing to win, being ruthless to both himself and his enemies.
In peacetime, however, Earl Hol was utterly devoted to his daughter.
Ren had initially thought the two-faced nature Tina mentioned was normal, as human personalities were complex and ever-changing.
Why couldn’t a doting father become a ruthless killer on the battlefield? Who remains kind on the battlefield? That’s just asking for trouble.
But now, considering the defeat of the Burns Empire and the overwhelming strength of the Qinglong Army, while Earl Hol withheld this crucial information and allowed low-ranking knights and foot soldiers below three stars to participate, it was impossible not to suspect.
Either Earl Hol’s personality was all an act, and he was actually a cold-blooded, ruthless upper-classman hiding information to achieve some unspeakable secret.
Or Earl Hol had been corrupted by the evil gods, leading him to act out of character and want to take everyone to their deaths.
Ren told Tao Le everything he had seen through time and his concerns.
Tao Le also fell deep into thought.
“You suspect that Father has been corrupted?”
“Your father is friends with Randall, so the possibility of corruption isn’t small. Of course, I’m just speculating; we need to verify it.”
“How do you plan to verify?”
The small boat powered by the magic stone returned to the temporary base of the Sacred Jieguo.
Ren and Tao Le didn’t rush to report but first returned to the base barracks, where they found Nina Owen.
Only then did they follow Tina to the Supreme Command Chamber.
Inside the Supreme Command Chamber sat three earls, three commanders, and numerous naval officers.
“So, you’ve said that with the lady magician’s intervention, there won’t be any accidents. I don’t know what you’re worrying about.”
Yar Frank, Earl of Frank, seized the opportunity to mock Earl Hol, naturally not letting it slip.
Sam Isaacson, Earl of Isaacson, nodded slightly. “Ren, Tao Le, tell us the situation.”
Ren recounted their experiences on the Jiudie, omitting only the part about his time travel, and asked at the end,
“The Qinglong Army is far stronger than ours. Earl Hol should know this. Why would we still support the Emperor’s distant expedition? These monsters—we shouldn’t try to stay as far away as possible?”
Earl Hol glanced at Tina, who left the command room with the naval officers and the knight commanders.
Only Ren, Tao Le, and the three earls remained in the command room.
“The fall of the Burns Empire doesn’t mean we don’t have the strength to conquer the Qinglong Court.”
Yar Frank, Earl of Frank, said, “The Qinglong Court holds treasures; we must bring them back.”
“Ren, you’ve done very well this time, but there are things you’re not cleared to know. Don’t question the Emperor’s decisions.”
Sam Isaacson, Earl of Isaacson, said.
Ren kept his eyes on Earl Hol, hoping for an answer.
“This matter is related to the Blessing Artifact. It’s said that the Qinglong Whip has appeared in the Qinglong Court, so we must find it for the Emperor.”
As soon as Earl Hol finished speaking, he immediately drew dissatisfaction from Sam Isaacson and Yar Frank.
