Chapter 77: White Peak Territory
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 77: White Peak Territory
Upon entering, Brandon discovered that an aerial dock had appeared out of nowhere.
Looking closer, it seemed to have been constructed by a group of Void Insects.
"Strange, do those insects have construction capabilities?"
Thinking it over, the only people he had met within the Void Insect Hive, aside from Xie Bai’s group, was a chef with a very weak presence. There didn't seem to be any talent specialized in architecture.
"But I’ve only just arrived. I probably haven't met everyone yet."
After docking, Brandon was in no hurry to disembark. According to Thanatos, they were headed for the Northern Territory next.
"But how do we get a ship this large out of here?"
Brandon knew very little about the Void. At least in his memory, no ship could freely enter or exit the chaotic and disorderly Void. Even if they managed to leave, how they would navigate safely within the Empire’s borders was another problem entirely.
The movements of a Titan Flagship were anything but subtle; it was impossible to travel without attracting attention—unless their starting point was already at the edge of the Northern Territory.
"Could that lady directly open a passage between the Void and the North?"
Recalling Xie Bai’s unfathomable strength, Brandon felt it was a distinct possibility.
While Brandon was still pondering how to reach the North, Xie Bai had already arrived in the interior of the Void. Seeing the sudden appearance of the aerial dock, she paused in surprise.
"Melos, did you build this?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Melos, who was still planning further construction, turned around.
"So, you’ve returned, Master."
Melos pointed toward the black ship nearby.
"Ever since I saw that ship take off last time, I realized we might need a dock here. So, I modeled one after the Imperial docks. It looks quite grand, doesn't it?"
Looking at the aerial dock, which was large enough to fully enclose the ship, Xie Bai nodded slightly.
"It is well-built. However, it could use some expansion."
Hearing her request, Melos felt something was off.
"Master, I specifically expanded it to twice the necessary size... Is it still not enough?"
"It likely won't be."
Xie Bai found an open space near the edge of the dock.
"This place can serve as a transit station. In the future, many Void Tunnels will converge here. This area is a bit too small."
Melos looked confused. "A... transit station?"
Before Melos could grasp her meaning, Xie Bai reached out with both hands.
"Forget it, I’ll just show you."
Xie Bai began to manipulate the surrounding space, drawing in a massive surge of Void power.
Having obtained the Godhead of Void, Xie Bai was no longer merely "like a fish in water" within the Void. Instead, the entire Void was like a basin of water in her hands, to be stirred at her whim.
Within moments, a vortex appeared in her palms.
[Divine Authority of Void: Comprehensive Channel]
[Please select destination]
A map unfolded before her. Based on the current exploration progress, Xie Bai could only select regions under Imperial jurisdiction. Seeing a Northern Territory outpost on the Imperial border, she chose it as the destination.
In the next instant, the vortex in her hands expanded violently.
The Void power from the outskirts of the Void Insect Hive poured in, providing a continuous stream of energy for the vortex.
Seeing this, Thanatos, who had been waiting quietly on the ship, stood up abruptly.
"The Master is constructing a Void Tunnel... At this rate, the re-establishment of the Void network in the physical world is likely close at hand."
As Thanatos marveled at the sight, Strife leaned in from the side.
"It’s the Master’s doing. By the way, Big Brother, how long had you been following the Master before I woke up?"
"Roughly... seven days."
"Seven days?" Strife looked at the massive vortex in the distance, utterly bewildered. "The Master already held dominion over the Void seven days ago?"
Thanatos shook his head. "No. When I first met the Master, she had only just gained the recognition of the Poem of the Void."
"Huh?"
Before Strife could process what "seven days" implied in this context, a resonant hum echoed through the area.
Vroom—!
[Void Tunnel: White Peak Territory]
A colossal tunnel with a radius of several thousand meters manifested in mid-air, startling all the Void Insects on the scene.
Feeling the wisps of cold air drifting from the tunnel, Brandon frowned.
"She actually opened a passage to the North... But the cold air of the North is under a curse; it can interfere with a ship's operations. Is it really safe for us to head straight in?"
Thanatos shook his head slightly.
"That level of cold cannot breach the protection of Void power. You’d be better off worrying whether the Void power will end up eroding the cold air instead."
"I see..."
Realizing he was overthinking, Brandon turned back to the control system.
"By the way, do we set out now, or wait for the Master?"
"No need," Thanatos replied. "We can head out immediately. The Master just sent me a message saying we are splitting up. She will handle the Northern Lord personally, while we are responsible for taking over the territory."
Brandon nodded. He wasn't surprised in the least that Xie Bai intended to deal with the Northern Lord herself. In his eyes, it almost seemed like overkill. However, from an efficiency standpoint, a decapitation strike led by Xie Bai would certainly make things much easier.
The only concern was whether they could keep up with her pace.
The ship began to turn, sailing into the Void Tunnel.
Watching the massive vessel depart, Melos finally recovered from the shock of the enormous spatial passage.
"My god... a spatial tunnel that large, and with such incredible stability. Hiss... it looks like this dock really is a bit too small."
*
White Peak Territory.
This was the Empire's foremost outpost in the Northern Territory.
It was originally the domain of the Lord of White Peak. When the Imperial Expeditionary Force first arrived, the Lord of White Peak immediately analyzed the situation and concluded that the Empire was not to be trifled with.
Before the Expedition Fleet could even open fire, the Lord of White Peak had already led his subordinates to surrender to the Grand Marshal at the time, Leon.
From then on, White Peak Territory became the Empire's gateway to the North, and the Lord of White Peak continued to live a life of comfort. He only needed to provide logistical support for the Expedition Fleets heading north to maintain his rule over the territory with the Empire's tacit approval.
Everything had been stable and peaceful.
Until recently, when the Lord of White Peak received a bombshell.
The former Emperor Atoris had passed away. Grand Marshal Leon had taken the opportunity to lead his troops back to the capital to seize the throne, only to be cut down by the newly appointed Sword of the Empire, ending the rebellion instantly.
It happened so fast that the Lord of White Peak hadn't even finished deciding whether to take the chance to betray the Empire before it was all over.
Just as the Lord of White Peak was abandoning such thoughts, intimidated by the Empire's might, another piece of massive news arrived.
The restrictions of the world had loosened, and the shackles of the Demigods were broken.
The Lord of White Peak, who had been suppressed for thousands of years, successfully broke through to become a Demigod, obtaining the Godhead of Frost.
Becoming a Demigod meant he could ignore the threat of the Imperial fleet and openly break away from Imperial jurisdiction. For a Northern Lord, this should have been the natural course of action.
But the Lord of White Peak hesitated.
First, he had grown accustomed to his life of luxury under Imperial rule. Second, he wasn't sure if the new Sword of the Empire would also become a Demigod.
But the more important reason was his reputation in the North.
Ever since he surrendered to the Empire, he had been mocked by the other Northern Lords as a cowardly traitor who feared humans. He was completely unwelcome among them.
Whether to continue enjoying his stable life or to reclaim a shred of dignity for the Northern Lords was a question he had been weighing constantly.
As the Lord of White Peak paced around his manor, a subordinate suddenly burst in.
"My Lord, I have urgent news!"
Seeing the man's panicked state, the Lord of White Peak sensed something was wrong.
"What has made you so agitated? Speak quickly."
The subordinate scrambled up from the floor.
"The newly appointed Sword of the Empire has personally issued an order. Our jurisdiction is being transferred from the Empire to someone else!"