Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 523. Abnormality

The torpedoes underwater pierced the steamships of the Fhtagnists. The explosion wreaked havoc, dismantling those ships as their engine rooms soon erupted into flames, creating massive fireballs that towered over the sea.

The Fhtagn Covenant couldn't withstand such bombardment. The Divinity's Land had already become an inferno, and the temples and buildings were shrouded by fierce flames.

Civilian casualties were heavy, and their desperate wails didn't slow down the flames even in the slightest. Some tried to jump into the sea to escape, but the sunlight above killed them in no time. There were corpses all over the sea.

"Continue our deal? Now you want to continue our deal? When you were trying to screw over my man earlier, how come you didn't say anything about continuing the deal?" Anna's tentacles twisted, and her monstrous maw in the middle of her terrifying form split open as she erupted into a furious bellow.

Her tentacles twisted, crushing a Deep Dweller's head. A mixture of pink, white, and crimson splattered everywhere.

Sparkle also extended her tentacles, imitating Anna.

"Charles! Enough people have died; do you really want to perish together with us? Do you truly believe that this is the true strength of our Fhtagn Covenant? Also, we still have control over your body!"

Charles' expression became fierce. He couldn't believe that they were still daring enough to threaten him at this point.

Just as he was about to give the order for a fight to the death, Commodore Ralph's voice abruptly boomed through the loudspeaker.

"Governor! The command center has discovered that there's something strange about the oncoming ships! They're changing formations, attempting to block our fleet's escape route!"

Charles' heart instantly sank, and the boiling blood in his head sank down as well, calming him down. With furrowed brows, he turned to look at the oncoming skeletal ships. Are the Haikor Tribe and the Fhtagn Covenant working together? Are they here to help the Fhtagn Covenant?

Charles pondered briefly over it, but he soon shook his head upon recalling the octopus heads' request for a ceasefire.

"Governor, the staffers in the command center unanimously believe that we must not continue fighting. If those ships are coming to deal with us, we're almost guaranteed to lose!"

Looking at the skeletal ship fleet getting closer and closer in the distance, the cogs in Charles' mind turned rapidly. Damn it, what the hell are the elders of the Haikor Tribe doing?

There were two possibilities before Charles: either they were coming to help him, and he would finally be able to address the ticking time bomb called the Fhtagn Covenant, or... they had come here to help the Fhtagn Covenant.

If it were the latter, then the Hope Island's navy, including himself, would have to call the Divinity's Land their graves. Charles had once saved a Haikor Tribe's turtleshell ship stranded out at sea, but that favor was utterly insignificant in the face of war.

After a few seconds of pondering, Charles dared not to gamble. After all, he had many other things to consider aside from himself; his beloved ones were around as well.

He'd inevitably have a headache annihilating the Fhtagn Covenant in the future if he was to refrain from taking today's gamble, but that possibility couldn't compare to the lives of Anna, Sparkle, and his crew.

The cacophonous din of firearms soon subsided at the command of the commanders on both sides. The Haikor Tribe's fleet of skeletal ships came to a halt as well. It was an abnormal sight that everyone found suspicious, including the Fhtagnists.

The two sides that had ceased fire pondered over the Haikor Tribe's motive for coming here, but their mere thoughts were just their mere thoughts in the end—pure speculation.

Moreover, they still had to proceed with the broken deal.

Charles was tightly bound on a deck that somehow managed to remain relatively intact. Surrounded by a group of navy troops, Anna, and Sparkle, Charles headed slowly toward the eleven octopus heads in mid-air.

There had been twelve octopus heads, but Anna had forcefully devoured one of them at the cost of four tentacles.

"Governor Charles, you really have a knack for picking the best timing. I didn't expect that you'd declare war on us when we're at our weakest state. If we were the Fhtagn Covenant from not too long ago, you wouldn't have been able to enter the Eastern Seas at all," Octett said, sounding resentful.

The restraints on Charles were removed. Anna supported him, as he was too weak to stand by himself. "Stop putting on a tough front. Does the Fhtagn Covenant only know how to bluff? Do you want to continue with the deal or not?"

A hint of anger flashed in Octett's eyes, but he forcibly suppressed it. "How do you plan to carry out the deal?"

"It's simple. Relinquish control over my body, and hold the ritual necessary to heal my crew. Afterward, I'll tell you God Fhtagn's location."

Octett strongly refused Charles' proposal, saying, "No way! You'll have to do your own end of the deal first. What if you go back on your word after we've done our end of the deal?"

Charles sneered. "Me going back on my word? Why don't we talk about who broke the deal earlier? Have you already forgotten how you bastards tried to screw me over?!"

Both sides exchanged harsh words, but none of them truly wanted to keep fighting. After a lengthy discussion, the conditions of the deal were soon established.

The Fhtagn Covenant would first hold the ritual to heal the crew, and then Charles would tell them about God Fhtagn's specific location. Afterward, the Fhtagn Covenant would relinquish control over Charles' body.

Deals between enemies were always troublesome, and both sides would have to be always wary of the other party making a move to break the deal. Although both sides weren't exactly satisfied with the conditions, they tacitly agreed with the deal after just a single glance at the fleet of skeletal ships in the distance.

Soon, another brutal ritual was held. The Fhtagnists sacrificed the majority of the wounded, and the population of the Divinity's Land decreased drastically. The Fhtagn Covenant even asked Charles to provide some sacrifices, but Charles refused firmly.

While the ritual was ongoing, Commodore Ralph walked up to Charles to do a casualty report.

"Governor, we've lost four of our five airships, and the navy's casualty rate is expected to exceed thirty percent. The command center was also attacked, and it resulted in Commodore Locke's death along with four strategists."

Locke was one of the twelve captains who had discovered Hope Island together with Charles. Charles didn't expect that Locke would end up dying here, and his heart throbbed with pain.

Charles turned to the distant octopus heads and cast an extremely resentful gaze upon them. Tens of thousands of people had perished in the brief skirmish, but it could have been avoided.

This matter wasn't over yet; there was a ceasefire between them at the moment, but Charles was determined to make those octopus heads pay for the deaths of his men and everyone else today!

Anna reached out with her tentacles, patting Charles' shoulder. "It's alright. Their losses will only be greater than ours. After all, the battlefield is right at their doorstep. We've almost reduced the Divinity's Land to ashes."

Charles revealed a strained smile to the unrecognizable Anna. Then, he turned to Ralph, who was wearing his crisp, black military uniform, and said, "It's not over yet. Make sure everyone will stay alert. This isn't the time to rest. We must be ready for yet another ambush."

Ralph stared at Charles with a resolute expression and performed a salute. "Rest assured, Governor! The command center has already come up with plans to tackle any of their underhanded moves. The Hope Island Navy isn't to be trifled with!"