Above the high seas,
The azure sky rarely showed even a few wisps of white clouds. Blazing sunlight poured down, making both the ocean and the sky appear equally clear and pure, with excellent visibility.
A massive steam-powered fleet, bristling with numerous cannons like clusters of hedgehogs, moved forward at an extremely high speed.
“According to plan, we should arrive at the military port of Aliven by this evening at the latest and officially participate in the operation to attack the heartland of the rebel forces!”
On the deck of the largest flagship, within the dining salon, an admiral was having lunch with a group of his subordinates.
The imperial military had strict hierarchical structures; the lowest-ranking officer dining with him was at least a major general, their uniforms adorned with shiny buttons and medals.
Under the bright lights, the dining table was covered with a clean white cloth. Exquisite ceramic tableware emitted a smooth, delicate sheen. Wine swirled in the glasses, creating intoxicating eddies. The aroma of steak and fried lamb chops wafted through the air.
Behind each officer’s seat stood a steward, dressed in a waiter’s uniform, a white towel draped over his arm, ready to serve the officers at any moment.
“As for the land forces, Duke Black Rose is one of the few generals in the empire who consistently wins battles. With the Iron Eagle Fortress as his stronghold, Shiverly definitely cannot break through immediately. This is our opportunity!”
The admiral raised his wine glass: “To the Empire! Cheers!”
“To the Empire!”
Many imperial naval officers raised their glasses in unison.
In reality, the admiral’s thinking wasn’t entirely wrong. The navy was a military branch with extremely high demands on technology and industrial strength. From construction to launching, a warship was a significant test of a nation’s industrial capacity. With the current capabilities of the rebels, they might not even be able to repair captured ships!
Now, on the open sea, it was still the era of big guns and massive ships. Against the overwhelming force of these mobile fortresses, no amount of trickery or conspiracy could make a difference.
The admiral firmly believed in this.
However, what he didn’t know was that with the advent of the Main God Space, the number and quality of superhumans in this world were rapidly increasing.
These changes were profoundly affecting the world, including the very nature of warfare.
Now, the ignorant imperial fleet on the high seas, along with the admiral himself, would become the first sacrificial victims of this new reality.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The previously endless clear sky suddenly underwent a transformation.
Dark clouds gathered, within which lightning danced like electric snakes. Darkness rapidly spread, soon engulfing the entire sky. The sea roared, its waves turning pitch-black, as if a monstrous beast had opened its gaping maw.
Crack!
A bolt of lightning struck, immediately followed by violent winds and torrential rain.
Waves howled, and the violent shaking caused a porcelain plate on the dining table to crash to the floor, emitting a crisp sound.
“What’s going on?”
The admiral exclaimed in shock and anger.
“Reporting, Your Excellency! Thunderclouds have suddenly appeared on the sea surface; there may be a storm approaching!”
A panicked orderly rushed in to report.
“Damn it… Those lookouts and meteorologists should be brought before a military court for trial!”
The admiral grabbed his cloak and quickly strode out of the banquet hall onto the deck.
Slash!
In the midst of the violent storm, he and his subordinates were immediately drenched to the bone.
“While it’s normal for the sea to be unpredictable, such a rapid change…”
The admiral roared: “Send out the signal! Order all ships to slow down and maintain distance between vessels!”
Whoosh!
The next moment, a towering wave crashed over the ship, causing it to tremble violently. Several sailors screamed as they were flung into the sea, swallowed instantly without even creating a ripple.
Under such circumstances, anyone falling into the water had no chance of survival.
“Report! The Sam has lost contact!”
“Report! The Mariner has suffered hull damage and is taking on water severely!”
“Report! The Queen’s boiler has malfunctioned; she will fall behind shortly. Captain Dock, the Queen’s commander, is requesting assistance!”
…
One bad piece of news followed another, plunging the admiral into immense distress: “Even the Queen…”
This was one of his main ships, meant to shine brightly in the campaign against the rebellion. Who would have thought that before even seeing the enemy, this storm might leave her not only damaged but in need of major repairs.
“Gods… Could it be that the empire’s fortune has turned to the enemy’s side?”
The admiral murmured, a strong sense of foreboding suddenly gripping his heart.
Several hours later, the storm finally began to subside.
However, the reports of losses from the fleet only deepened his anguish.
Without even encountering any enemies, the fleet had already suffered nearly a 30% reduction in strength from this inexplicable storm, with many ships requiring extensive repairs.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
Upon hearing the detailed report, the poor admiral felt like he might hang himself.
However, this day was destined to be his day of disaster.
“Enemy forces sighted ahead!”
Before he could recover from the grief of his losses, an urgent voice echoed through the entire command room.
“What?”
The admiral rushed up to the observation tower and immediately saw the thick columns of black smoke rising at the distant horizon.
He grabbed a telescope and carefully observed the opposing fleet.
This unfamiliar navy looked extremely pitiful, both in terms of tonnage and firepower, and it flew the rebels’ flag, charging fiercely toward them.
If the fleet had been intact, even with half the tonnage, the admiral wouldn’t have hesitated to engage in a naval battle and settle the matter.
But now, looking at the enemy’s undamaged ships and comparing them to his own battered fleet, the admiral painfully clutched his chest and finally issued the order: “We… retreat!”
Although he knew this would likely result in a complete rout, with ships that had propulsion issues becoming easy targets for the enemy.
However, to preserve the last remnants of the empire’s naval strength, he had no choice.
After all, if they truly engaged in battle, the outcome might well be total annihilation.
“We must bring back this crucial intelligence! The rebels may have gained control over the weather!”
The admiral slammed his hand hard against the railing, nearly drawing blood: “Until we obtain sufficient intelligence and the capability to counter them, we cannot engage in naval warfare recklessly!”
This tsunami and violent storm had come far too suddenly.
Furthermore, their fleet had suffered heavy losses while the enemy’s fleet remained intact and precisely seized the opportunity to attack. All of this pointed to something being seriously wrong.
Boom! Boom!
The imperial fleet began to turn around, its boilers fired up, emitting thick black smoke as it quickly fled the battlefield.
The pursuing fleet, however, chased like a pack of wolves, surrounding the damaged and slowly sinking ships, beginning a one-sided massacre…
The thunder of cannons roared, while on the flagship of the revolutionary forces, the atmosphere was somewhat solemn.
“Posey, did you hear that? This is our victory celebration!”
A naval general, his eyes bloodshot, looked at the man before him.
The other man was thin and bony, his limbs like reed stalks, his ribs protruding, his hair white, his face gaunt, yet his features still bore the semblance of youth.
This was Posey, the strongest reincarnator under Shiverly, possessing the ability to control storms.
To create that massive storm, he had given his all, pushing himself to the limit. Combined with the fact that the device was still experimental and posed significant health risks to its user, he had ended up in this state, nearly dying.
This wasn’t just a severe injury; it was damage to his very life essence. Even within the Main God Space, it would take an astronomical amount of contribution points to restore him to his former self.
“Victory… Our cause will ultimately triumph!”
Posey murmured, his eyes shining with fervent light.
Although he was a seasoned reincarnator, he was also an imperial citizen, deeply loving his country and sincerely hoping for its path toward a better future, willing to sacrifice everything for it.
…
Just as the imperial fleet was nearly annihilated, at the Iron Eagle Fortress,
The fortress was now almost in ruins. Revolutionary troops cheered as they climbed over the breaches and ruins of the steel walls, capturing the entire city.
The defending forces of the fortress came out in droves to surrender, their heads bowed in dejection as they were driven to one side and ordered to kneel.
The fortress was in a state of utter devastation, not only the defensive lines but even the civilian areas were filled with collapsed buildings, cracked ground, and scenes of widespread suffering.
Just as the sun had risen this morning, a sudden earthquake struck the area.
It not only destroyed the entire defensive line but also nearly shattered the morale of the defending troops.
After all, anyone who saw the earthquake hitting only the fortress while the enemy’s camp remained unscathed would inevitably think of words like divine punishment.
The culprit behind all this was naturally Shiverly.
He was now being supported by a female colonel as he stepped down from a metal throne, his face pale, his entire body seemingly drained of energy.
“Damn it, Xiti, the device you designed definitely has issues—I almost got drained to death!”
Shiverly complained.
“But the effect was quite impressive, wasn’t it?”
Xiti quickly recorded data: “No wonder you’re the leader—you’re much stronger than that guy Posey… I estimate he won’t die, but he’ll be severely disabled…”
“What?!”
Shiverly grabbed Dr. Xiti by the collar: “You didn’t tell us beforehand about such serious side effects?!”
“Well… since there were no actual prototypes for testing, it was hard for me to predict…”
A hint of embarrassment appeared on Dr. Xiti’s face: “But the results turned out well. I just received a report from the fleet—they’ve achieved a great victory!”
“Finally, some good news!”
Shiverly straightened himself up with effort, gazing at the fortress before him: “Now, it’s ours!”
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