Chapter 841
Chapter 841
The countdown drew ever closer. The sound from the metal sphere pierced the ears, and the light grew brighter and brighter. The light, initially red, had now turned white. Queen Eda guessed that once this color became intensely bright, the massive metal sphere would explode. When that happened, not only she and Shen Lang, but the entire Amazon Queendom would vanish, sinking into the sea.
The final moment was upon them. Fifteen seconds, fourteen, thirteen. Time was running out. The metal sphere before them had reached its limit, shining as brightly as the sun, impossible to look at directly. Even with sunglasses on, Shen Lang couldn't see; he was operating the nightmare device entirely from memory.
Queen Eda said.
“There's no time. We're about to be annihilated. Still, thank you...”
At her words, which sounded like a final farewell, Shen Lang swore at her.
“Woman, shut your mouth. Or I'll screw you to death.”
Shen Lang's body trembled. Just one last step, one final step remained. Shen Lang forcefully turned the last gem nineteen degrees, then aligned it with the gem below and jammed it into place.
Click!
With only five seconds left until self-destruction, the sequence terminated.
It was a resounding success. Shen Lang had saved the Amazon Queendom and all of its people.
***
The blockade of Mulan City's surrounding waters was still in effect; not even a rowboat could go out to sea. The ships Shen Lang had bought were all moored at the docks. If they moved more than three thousand meters from the pier, they would be sunk. The measures were so extreme that even when Shen Lang's people tried to go out to sea just to fish, they were attacked.
The ships of the Bloody Baron and the nearby pirates, at their closest, came within five thousand meters of Shen Lang's base, flaunting their presence with the utmost arrogance.
Mulan City had a population of over ten thousand, and their food supply was sufficient. Shen Lang had previously bought a great deal of beef, so they had plenty of meat, but vegetables were scarce. People couldn't live without vegetables, as they would suffer from a severe deficiency of various vitamins. Fortunately, Shen Lang had also purchased hundreds of thousands of pounds of soybeans, which had now all been sprouted. This served as their vegetable supplement.
And when Shen Lang had previously brought back thousands of gold coins' worth of silk, Zhang Chunhua had mocked him for it. But in the end, the silk proved to be very useful. Unexpectedly, it was used to wrap gunpowder. Of course, it was far too extravagant for such a purpose.
The walls of Mulan City were fifteen *li* long in total, and their construction was progressing much faster than expected. The plan was to finish within a month, but it was completed in about twenty days. With cement and bricks, the construction speed had increased dramatically.
With the city walls finished ahead of schedule, Zhang Chunhua ordered the construction of an additional six-*li*-long gate wall in a mountain valley about twenty *li* north of Mulan City. The Jade Bird Peninsula was a long, narrow strip of land, stretching over three hundred *li* from north to south, but its widest point was less than fifty *li*, and its narrowest was only about twenty. This valley was at the narrowest point, making it an ideal location for a defensive line if an enemy army were to advance south, and it could delay their approach to Mulan City. Building a fortified pass in this valley had been part of the original plan, but for a much later date. However, with the extra time, Zhang Chunhua took six thousand slaves to the valley to build the defensive line.
So, what was the name of this mountain pass? It was Chunhua Pass. This was a name Zhang Chunhua had insisted on getting. She argued before Shen Lang that while she may not have made any monumental contributions, she had certainly worked hard. She said it was fine to name Saltpeter Island Mulan Island, and even fine to name the city Mulan City, but surely it wasn't too much to ask to name a small mountain pass after her, Zhang Chunhua. Shen Lang had no choice but to agree. If he hadn't, he knew he wouldn't see even a hint of a smile from her for over half a month, and she would walk around looking like someone owed her a million gold coins. After he consented, she transformed back into a vixen, flirting in every conceivable way and chattering nonstop with her pretty mouth, leaving Shen Lang no choice but to marvel at her.
The eleven thousand slaves in Mulan City continued to live like the walking dead, as they always had. They ate, worked, and slept on schedule each day, with no thought of taking any initiative in their own lives. In contrast, the two thousand people under Shen Lang's command were in a completely different state of mind. With war imminent, their desire for battle and glory had surged. As if lamenting that a day wasn't thirty-six hours long, they desperately prepared for war, trained relentlessly, and fortified their defenses.
“Protect His Majesty! Defend the Empress's City!”
Such slogans echoed throughout the city. It started with the Order of the East. They were few in number and very weak, but shouting such slogans gave them a sense of honor, as if they had been entrusted with a sacred mission. Though the city was small and insignificant, it was named after the Empress. Shen Lang had named it Mulan City, but the Order of the East called it Empress City, and they would constantly correct anyone who called it Mulan City. After a while, everyone started calling it Empress City. Even the Black Pearl Pirates thought the name Empress City sounded more imposing than Mulan City.
The war drew closer and closer, but Shen Lang had yet to return. However, whether he was present or not, he was a powerful spiritual pillar for the two thousand soldiers in the city, allowing them to prepare for war with peace of mind.
***
On the seas of Golden Wall City.
“Salute!”
At the command, hundreds of ships simultaneously raised special flags, and every sailor on the masts waved their caps in a gesture of respect. Every pirate ship had lowered its own flag and raised new ones. The highest was the flag of the Third Seirun Empire, followed by the banner of the Guardian of the South, and finally, their own military standards.
“The Guardian of the South has arrived! Present arms!”
Hundreds of ships lined up in formation, awaiting the arrival of a grand fleet. It was a magnificent spectacle. For dozens of *li* in every direction, the sea was packed with ships of all kinds, all arranged in perfect order. They were welcoming the Guardian of the South, Duchess Dipa.
In truth, before the great war with the Witch Empire, the pirates of this sea region had respected Duchess Dipa, but mostly from a distance, and while they traded with her, they never pledged loyalty. But after this war, everything had changed. After months of fierce battles, the Third Seirun Empire had achieved a major strategic victory. The Southern, Eastern, Northern, and Western Armies had all launched unstoppable offensives. The most distinguished military achievements belonged to Duke Russell of the Eastern Army and Duchess Dipa of the Southern Army.
The Witch Empire was almost entirely conquered, with only the Queen's capital remaining. Moreover, an army of over a million now surrounded the capital, ready to take it at any moment. The only reason they hadn't attacked was to wait for Solon the Great to come south. Solon the Great had declared that he would ascend the throne again after destroying the Queen's capital. Queen Medusa would have to kneel and pledge allegiance, becoming his empress, or die. Thus, the war with the Witch Empire was effectively over, with only the final confrontation between Solon the Great and Queen Medusa remaining.
At its peak, the Witch Empire spanned over four million square kilometers, but less than half a year after the war began, it was on the brink of total annihilation. Duke Russell had conquered 1.6 million square kilometers, and Duchess Dipa had conquered 1.2 million, in addition to defeating five of the Witch Empire's naval fleets. Because of these achievements, Duchess Dipa was now not only the governor of Jade Wave Planet but also the Guardian of the Empire's southern region, the supreme leader of five planets, with over two hundred thousand direct troops under her command. Including the forces that had surrendered from other city-states, her total military strength exceeded half a million.
Originally, she had only fifty thousand direct troops, but before she even reached Golden Wall City, every pirate within a five-thousand-*li* radius had surrendered to her, becoming part of the Third Seirun Empire's navy. As a result, the naval forces under her command had swelled to over one hundred thousand in an instant.
*Bwooooooo.*
The sounds of various conch horns echoed.
*Boom, boom, boom, boom.*
At the docks, a priest of the fire god lit the ceremonial fires, and Duchess Dipa's magnificent, large flagship slowly approached the pier. A man who looked exceptionally sharp and valiant stood arrogantly on the dock. He was over two meters tall, appearing as imposing as a mountain.
“Uncle Austin, you've worked hard.”
Duchess Dipa said to him. Austin Rousseau, a count of the Third Seirun Empire, was the new lord of Golden Wall City and a powerful knight. He was ten years older than Duchess Dipa and had spent his life wandering and training, dedicating himself to his personal martial arts and earning many honors.
He held two great honors. Twice, he had undertaken the Procreation Pilgrimage, won the favor of an Amazon general, and lent his seed to help the Amazon tribe propagate. This was considered a dazzling achievement on the continent. Every time the Amazon Queendom held its Rite of Procreation, the strongest men on the continent would journey there; even Duke Russell and Duke Hall had gone.
The reason Count Austin had left his family for so long was his reluctance to stand in another's shadow. He believed he could have become Duke Rousseau, but because his father had failed to secure the line of succession, he too had lost the chance to inherit the title. When Duchess Dipa inherited the family title, he grew even more resentful. He considered himself far stronger than her and found it unbearable to follow her orders. But a few months ago, Dipa had written to Austin personally. She asked him to become the lord of Golden Wall City and even offered him the future governorship of Jade Wave Planet. Once the Third Seirun Empire was established, Austin would become the second duke of House Rousseau.
And so, Count Austin had returned to his family.