The strong would draw one out of four, and the weak would draw seven out of ten.
Those who obeyed would enjoy a short period of peace, while those who disobeyed would die without a corpse.
This was the iron law of a fallen nation. All creatures that did not belong to the King of Wither would have to obey the blood tax. Even those without bloodlines would have to offer their souls and source substances to feed the endless thirst of the fallen nation.
Blood was firewood, blood was fire, blood was power, blood was currency … In a fallen nation, only precious blood was the only standard. Other than that, everything else was like dust.
Drawing blood as taxes and seizing souls as bestowments. Such a brutal rule was already a rare benevolence in hell. But how much of this benevolence had accumulated over such a long period of time?
Even the tax collectors and jesters of the fallen nation could not figure out the astronomical result.
But now, the illusory number had become a tangible existence in front of everyone.
Endless blood flowed from the depths of the fallen nation and from hell into a torrent that reached the Realm of Reality and the Abyss. Wherever the blood river reached, everything became the territory of the King of Wither.
Everything operated under the will of the Supreme Dead.
Countless large groups rode on the endless blood-colored torrent and headed towards the Present Land.
In the blink of an eye, a long distance had been crossed.
The King personally announced the war. At that moment, the war that could not be avoided had arrived in front of everyone.
At this moment, on the endless sea, blood was everywhere.
Even the silent Leviathan was suppressed by this terrible power. The power of the Nagilfa Fleet was operating in the Realm of Reality. No, it was a weapon that was originally built to deal with the Realm of Reality. It was a terrible relic left behind by the Norse gods after they solidified!
In Odin's prophecy, the world would be destroyed during the Twilight of the Gods.
When the gods were faced with the predicament of falling, the flame giant Surter would lead countless undead and ride the warship, Nagilfa, made of bones and the nails of the dead to the human world, pushing everything into destruction.
When Odin's prophecy was distorted by the gods' attempt to resist fate, Nagilfa's existence was born from the Abyss with the fall of the gods.
It was an authority that was born in response to the present situation.
It was the messenger destined to destroy everything. In front of it, neither the bombardment of the Bifrost nor the power of the Great Mystic Zarathustra could be used.
Just like that, they broke through the outermost blockade of the Reality Realm's defense line with irresistible force and rushed into the countless borders.
"Discovery realm! Appear! "
On the countless warships, a large group of people were shouting fanatically, "War, war!"
It was as if he was fulfilling their wishes.
At this moment, the war had come.
The gloomy sky was illuminated by countless rays of intense light, as if stars were falling from the sky. Specks of light kept appearing, approaching, enlarging, and releasing endless flames and heat.
In the headquarters, in the secret storage room on the elevated floor.
The expressionless administrator poured boiling oil onto the globe. In an instant, countless heavenly flames formed a torrential downpour, descending on everything on the surface of the sea!
Destructive flames continued to burst forth, and monstrous waves surged and wreaked havoc. In the blink of an eye, one-third of the shadow was covered.
But on the warships, the fanatical shouts never stopped.
Facing the raging flames and bombardment from the sky, the large group of people's eyes were scarlet. They kept whipping the giant beasts pulling the ships, urging them to speed up.
Towards the enemy, forward …
In London, at the bottom floor of the headquarters, on a three-dimensional map covered with countless mountains and rivers, the operator took out an order from the vacuum tube's mailbox, took out a signal pen, and drew a line from the outermost edge of the map.
Suddenly, the roar of the earth came from the endless deep sea.
The deep sea abyss appeared out of thin air. Then, mountains rose from the boiling torrent, turning into an iron wall, blocking the front of the fleet.
And the specks of submerged reefs began to grow at a terrifying speed.
Under the submerged reefs and mountains, countless verdant greenery bloomed. Plants grew at a speed thousands of times faster, as if they had come alive. They formed many hands, lifting up soil and rocks. They lifted up stupefying cannons and aimed at the enemy's location, unleashing a torrent of fire!
The night was torn apart by the light.
The blazing flames burned the sky red.
And on the sea filled with blood, more and more warships appeared from hell, entering this fanatical war of no return!
And in the deepest part of the fallen country, in a cold and solemn hall, the returning king pushed open the door, walked briskly past the kneeling officials on both sides, and waved.
"I'm back. Everyone, do you have any good news for me?" He took off his cloak, returned to his throne, and asked, "How's the situation of the vanguard?"
Beside the throne, an old jester in a white robe bowed and answered respectfully, "As expected, the casualties are heavy."
"Eh? Not bad. "
The King of Withered laughed. "Send double the military force, make it more lively … There are plenty of people in hell who are eager to join the war, eager to be destroyed and die."
"Yes."
The jester bowed and carried out the order.
But he did not leave. Instead, he stubbornly stood in the same place, looked at the ruler on the throne, and asked doubtfully, "Is there nothing else?"
"Hmm?" The King of Withered laughed. "Is there anything else?"
"Of course."
The jester raised his voice, walked to the front of the throne, and knelt. "Please kill the traitor Gala!"
"What?" Below the throne, the guards who were still laughing froze on the spot.
"If it wasn't for that madman's instigation, with His Majesty's dignity, how could he take the risk and almost be injured by the enemy? If there were any mishaps, how could the fallen country exist? "
The jester suppressed his anger and reported solemnly, "Such a sin can't be redeemed even with ten thousand deaths!"
"Hey, are you crazy?!" Gala was furious. He pointed at the old man's face and scolded, "His Majesty just went out for a trip, you …"
The jester looked up with an expressionless face, and his expression was cold. "This is under the throne. Do you dare to roar at the palace and belittle the authority?"
Gala's words were stuck in his throat, and his angry rebuke was stuck in his throat. He subconsciously held the hilt of his sword, narrowed his eyes, and looked at the old dog in front of him.
The two of them looked at each other in silence, until an impatient sigh came from the throne.
"That's enough, White Snake. Stop arguing. My ears are hurting. I just went out for a trip, why make a fuss? It's because of people like you that I have to be careful when I come back. "
"I didn't …"
"I know your loyalty and talent, White Snake. But you jesters always like to make simple things complicated. I wanted to go, so I went. It's that simple. Is there any rule or principle in the fallen country that is more important than mine? "
The Withered King waved his hand. "Besides, it's a good thing to see the opponents of the Present Realm in advance and get to know them."
The White Snake was slightly stunned, and then he bowed his head. "Is there any opponent that I need to pay attention to?"
"Well, it's a strong opponent, but it seems that he won't live for long … The heavy burden of a ruler."
The Withered King thought for a moment, and then shook his head indifferently. "Other than that, it's a group of old men who have lost their spirit. There are a few of them who are still acceptable."
"You didn't see the leader of the Present Realm?" The White Snake's eyes widened. "It's a great shame. How dare he be so disrespectful?!"
"Ah, I think so. I didn't pay attention."
The Withered King rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, then nodded. "He should be a strange guy. Maybe he'll be difficult to deal with … However, there's someone beside him who's very similar to you.
You're both idiots who are willing to sacrifice everything in exchange for a dream. "
He paused for a moment, and didn't hide his mockery. He looked down and said, "Unfortunately, some dreams are too far away. No matter how many sacrifices you make, you can't see the end.
You should have a deep understanding of the pain, right? "
After a long silence, the White Snake bowed his head and didn't say anything.
However, the ruler on the throne was in high spirits. He knocked on the armrest and suddenly asked, "I almost forgot something important because of your interruption. That guy Hades, didn't he set off with great confidence? What was the result? "
"It was unexpected. He lost miserably," the White Snake replied. "His entire army was wiped out."
"That's too bad."
The Withered King raised his eyebrows as if he was pitying He Di. However, his mocking smile made it seem as if he was regretting He Di's miserable defeat. Rather than regretting He Di's miserable defeat, he was even more regretful that he hadn't been able to watch He Di's tragic end while he was on his way here.
But in the end, it was just a small interlude.
There was no need to care.
There was an even greater joy waiting for him.
A greater war, greater death.
He stared at the projection in the void and grinned silently, full of anticipation.
Above the will of the Supreme, between the hells, a huge fallen nation roared. It rose rapidly along the surging river of blood!
Towards the present.
.
.
At this moment, the entire world seemed to be focused on the grand war.
Including the view from the Ivory Tower.
Thanks to Russell's advance notice, as early as five minutes before the Withered King declared war, they had already received any possible news. They immediately observed all the depths and locked onto the existence of the Nagilfa Fleet.
Thus, they immediately sent out warnings and announcements, successfully showing their faces in front of everyone!
In the defense line of the present, the border of the Ivory Tower was the operation center of the lowest level. It didn't have any combat responsibilities, but at this moment, it was the closest place to observe the situation.
In the teaching and research room, the scholars who didn't have any tasks gathered to watch the projection on the screen.
At this moment, in the raging waters of the Endless Sea, heavenly fire continued to fall, and even mountains rose up, blocking the Nagilfa Fleet's path.
The long-range artillery bombardment never stopped, bringing about tragic casualties. However, the number of enemies seemed to be endless, pushing deeper and deeper into the forest ….
"The Nagilfa Fleet has already broken into the inner side of the defense line. Is the military still not planning to fight head-on?" A scholar asked doubtfully.
"That's not necessary. If we fight head-on now, it will only increase our consumption."
Vice Principal Isaac was still making use of the time to finish his breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the day. After pacing back and forth on the verge of death for more than ten times, he could no longer maintain his original demeanor. However, his bow tie was still meticulous, and his posture was straight. It was an amazing display of self-control.
"Although the fallen nation has launched an attack five days earlier, don't forget, we still have the geographical advantage."
He raised his hand, and the projection on the screen expanded, revealing the complex structure of the defense line of the present.
The outermost layer, defense layer, entanglement layer, middle layer, command layer, and finally the backup layer where they were … It was like a thousand-layer cake, interconnected.
And now, the fallen nation had only just crossed the outermost edge. Between the countless borders, there was still a considerable amount of strategic depth.
And right at the front of the defense layer, in the faint fog, there was a high hanging white wall slowly rising. Countless figures were running on it, hurriedly preparing for war.
Behind the white wall was a large group armed to the teeth.
The laws of the scholars and the secret instruments of the alchemists were constantly added to it, and the framework of the Lord of Creation enveloped the entire high wall.
And this was only the first line of defense that was destined to be dyed red in countless battles.
Isaac paused for a moment, slightly enlightened.
"The bureau is stalling for time."
He raised his eyes. Under the observation of the Time Maker, the complex structure between the countless borders actually began a new round of adjustments. Under the guidance of the Bifrost, it converged into an unprecedented level of complexity.
It was as if countless bubbles were squeezed into a small box.
The framework of the Great Secret Instrument, Zarathustra, was enveloped in it. Countless subsidiary lines had already extended deeper into hell … toward the outpost.
In less than an hour, the present had already begun to brew its own counterattack!
The world without the Utopia still operated as usual.
In a brief silence, Isaac subconsciously clenched his fists. After a long time, he weakly released them.
It was just a silent sigh.
.
.
Similarly, in the middle of the night, the Ivory Tower was still filled with noise.
But in the underground building, it was rare to hear human voices. Everyone walked quietly and hurriedly through the corridors, seizing the time to deal with the information or submit the mission report.
This was the White Wolf's favorite place.
It was quiet and empty, and no one cared. At the same time, it was always mysterious. It was like a forest that had just snowed, making people feel at ease and comfortable.
Anna hummed a song, her hands in the pockets of her red sweater, and her footsteps light as she strolled in the silence.
While the people in the office were not paying attention, he would secretly touch the pet hamster in the cage, or pluck two flowers from the potted plant and stick them somewhere along the way, or take the snacks hidden in the cupboard as trophies …
Or, she suddenly started a ballet dance in an empty hall.
The fun in this world seemed to be endless, and there was no boredom or boredom.
But today, in the area she was familiar with, she smelled another smell … The smell of disinfectant passed through her 'territory' and disappeared behind the heavy gates, a forbidden area she had never been to.
"Intruder?"
Anna tilted her head in confusion and looked at the opened door in front of her, as well as the silent and deep corridor behind the door. She was eager to try.
Compared to the intruder, she was more interested in knowing what was in the place that her teacher repeatedly forbade her from entering. Wasn't there an excuse in front of her now?
The White Wolf smiled happily. His footsteps were like a spider's as he quietly stepped on the wall and walked straight into the forbidden area.
She could hear the low electric current of the precision instrument and the deep breathing behind the huge door.
She subconsciously pressed the blade under her short skirt and carefully poked her head out. But she only saw the light from the huge instrument that she had never seen before.
In the hall inside the Dragon Summoning Flute.
Also, in front of the faint light, there was an old man in a wheelchair who was looking into the distance. His hair was as white as snow.
"Eh? Mr. Marcus? "
Anna was stunned for a moment. She walked in doubtfully and did not see the accompanying medical staff. She suddenly understood, "Did you run out again?"
"Probably."
The old man in the wheelchair smiled helplessly and winked at the girl, "Don't tell them, or they will come and bother me again.
I still have very important things to do. "
Unlike the usual dullness and madness, the former diplomat of the Republic seemed to have returned to calmness. His eyes were clear and peaceful.
Even though he was in a wheelchair, he had changed into his best suit in advance. The pure white fabric was carefully ironed until it was smooth and proper.
In his hand, he was holding a bouquet of fresh flowers that quietly emitted a fragrance.
Through the lens of the Dragon Summoning Flute, a reflection from the abyss appeared — in the darkness, a rapidly expanding blood-colored river.
It was even the illusion of war!
"Is there going to be a war?" Anna asked in confusion, "I heard a lot of people say so."
"Maybe, but that has nothing to do with me."
Marcus lowered his head and carefully arranged the bouquet in his arms. He then smiled with anticipation.
"Last night, I had a dream … Orton told me that many friends are coming back, so I have to wait for them here."
At this moment, he stared at the illusion in front of him, but he did not pay attention to the war that was too far away. Under the illumination of the distant light, the traces left on him by time seemed to have disappeared.
The wrinkles, scars, and pain were no longer there.
It was as if he had returned to a long time ago, waiting with anticipation like a teenager.
Anna was silent for a moment, hesitating to speak.
After a long time, she suddenly turned around and left. But not long after, she returned with a chair she 'borrowed' from outside and placed it beside Marcus.
She sat down.
"What a coincidence, my teacher is coming back too." She blinked and asked expectantly, "Can I sit here and wait with you?"
The old man was slightly puzzled, "Has your teacher been away for a long time?"
"Yes, he went to a very far place. I haven't seen him for a long time." Anna sighed helplessly, "I really hope he doesn't pick up the first branch that touches the hat as a gift …"
"Sounds so romantic." Marcus sighed.
"It's terrifying, isn't it?" Anna shook her head and said flatly, "If there's such a mess, just stuff it in the forest hut."
"In that case, the teacher will also be sad."
Marcus advised seriously, "If it's a gift that the teacher brought back for you from afar, you have to accept it solemnly."
With that, he reached out, carefully pulled out a flower from the bouquet in his arms, and handed it to the girl beside him.
"Here you are."
Anna took the flower doubtfully and sniffed the dew and flowers on it. When she looked up, she saw the old man smiling, "When the time comes, give this to him."
"Okay."
The girl nodded obediently, moved the chair closer, and leaned against the wheelchair.
She accompanied him and stared at the glimmer from afar.
They waited quietly.
.
In the roar, countless brackets broke with a loud bang.
In the flying smoke and dust, Huai Shi looked at the majestic outline of Nautilus gradually emerging in the distance.
"It's almost time to go back, right?"
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
