Atop the watchtower, Lu Yuan took everything in.
Deep Sea Song, Blood Tide Sacrifice, blood swamp...
The enemy was deploying one technique after another, clearly trying to buy time.
His gaze fell on the distant warehouse.
He didn't even need the system's notification; in his eyes, the black mist surrounding the warehouse area had grown incredibly dense the moment the blood rain began to fall.
Something was definitely wrong inside that warehouse.
Old Morgan's words echoed in his ears: "If you believe the situation is wrong, you have the right to open fire. I trust your judgment."
Lu Yuan did not hesitate.
He turned the console in front of him, adjusting the aim of one of the cannon barrels.
He didn't point it at the half-mermen on the battlefield.
Instead, he aimed it directly at the warehouse; after all, the power of the alchemical cannons equipped on the Abyssal Hunter was something Lu Yuan still found unforgettable.
Now that he had control, he was going to let the Deep Sea Church have a taste.
In the next moment, runes lit up, and the pitch-black cannon muzzle locked onto its target.
Boom!
A beam of black light tore through the rain curtain, howling straight toward the warehouse!
Inside the warehouse, a massive explosion shook everything.
The entire structure vibrated violently.
Wooden roof beams snapped, and debris fell from the ceiling.
The High Priest snapped his head up, a flash of surprise crossing his cloudy green eyes.
The flesh barrier arranged around the warehouse's perimeter had blocked the strike, but the shockwave still left the entire building teetering.
The blood rain in the air also wavered violently, its rhythm becoming visibly erratic.
"An alchemical cannon?" the High Priest muttered to himself, his tone laced with surprise.
Since when were the Nightwatchers here equipped with such things?
But soon, a cold sneer curved his lips.
It was unexpected, but that was all.
It was only natural for the Nightwatchers to have a few trump cards.
A grey-cloaked figure staggered inside, voice trembling with fear: "My lord! They have a long-range weapon! The blood rain has been disrupted!"
The High Priest waved a tentacle, signaling him to withdraw.
"A mere shot. Even if another comes, it cannot harm me."
His tone was flat, carrying absolute confidence.
But a moment later, another grey-cloaked figure rushed in, his voice filled with despair: "My lord! That golden monster and the woman with the hammer... they've sped up significantly! we can't stop them!"
The High Priest's expression finally darkened.
Once the rhythm of the Blood Tide Sacrifice was interrupted, the suppression effect on the battlefield would be greatly diminished.
He walked to the entrance and looked out.
Sure enough, Sivating's golden figure was charging through the blood swamp at more than double his previous speed.
Alice's Thunder Warhammer fell repeatedly, exploding one half-merman after another into shredded meat.
The warehouse... was within reach.
"Block them!" the High Priest ordered coldly.
Over a dozen grey-cloaked figures rushed out of the warehouse, attempting to stall them.
However, they were no match, barely stronger than the half-mermen.
Alice's warhammer swept through, lightning exploding as two grey-cloaked figures were instantly charred.
Sivating's golden blade slashed down, cleaving a half-merman in his path in two without slowing his pace.
They couldn't be stopped.
Watching this scene, a trace of anger appeared in the High Priest's eyes.
"A bunch of useless trash."
He turned to the grey-cloaked figure beside him. "Take the items and leave through the back door."
"But the back door..."
"I will pave the way."
As those words fell, the atmosphere inside the warehouse changed abruptly.
The flickering candles all extinguished at once.
In the darkness, the scales on the High Priest began to glow with an eerie blue light.
The melody of the Deep Sea Song suddenly pitched higher, becoming sharp and piercing.
It was a precursor... to an imminent eruption.
At the side of the warehouse, Alice finally fought her way to the target location.
She was covered in black blood, her breathing heavy, but her gaze remained sharp.
She saw several grey-cloaked figures attempting to flee through the warehouse's back door, clutching a box wrapped in black cloth.
"Stop right there!" she shouted, her warhammer sweeping out to block their path.
Members of the scout team also appeared from the alleyway behind her, over a dozen alchemical crossbows simultaneously aiming at the grey-cloaked figures.
"Drop the items and surrender on your knees, and I might leave your corpses intact," Alice said, her voice icy.
But the grey-cloaked figures ignored her, charging forward blindly.
Before Alice could move to intercept them, the warehouse roof was torn open.
It wasn't an explosion; it was being "pushed apart" from within.
A figure clad in deep blue robes rose slowly, hovering in mid-air.
His face was hidden by a hood, but fine scales could be seen covering his jaw.
It was the High Priest.
He looked down at Alice, his voice sounding as if it came from beneath the water: "Nightwatcher girl... do you think blocking a few paths can stop the Mother's will?"
The moment he spoke, Alice's breath hitched.
It wasn't out of fear, but because her body was instinctively issuing a warning.
The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and her fingers tightened involuntarily around the warhammer.
That sensation... was like being a prey animal targeted by a deep-sea behemoth.
It was like standing on the edge of a bottomless abyss.
Every inch of her skin was screaming "danger."
Just meeting his gaze caused her heart to skip a beat.
Alice took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her body's instinctive reaction.
She was no novice.
She had seen pollutants, monsters, and things that crawled out of the abyss.
But this person before her... just standing there made her entire body feel heavy.
However, she did not back down.
"Deep Sea Church," she said, raising her warhammer as lightning gathered at the head. "You have threatened imperial security and mass-contaminated imperial subjects. Your crimes are punishable by death!"
The High Priest laughed.
"Interesting."
He raised a tentacle and gave it a light flick.
The liquid in the blood swamp instantly condensed, forming dozens of blood-colored spears that shot toward Alice simultaneously.
Alice swung her warhammer to parry, lightning exploding and shattering most of the spears.
But there were too many.
Several grazed her arms and shoulders, leaving deep wounds as blood trickled down through the gaps in her armor.
She let out a muffled groan but did not stop.
Raising her warhammer high, she slammed it directly toward the High Priest!
The High Priest stepped aside to dodge, a tentacle coiling out to actually catch the head of the warhammer.
Lightning exploded against his tentacle, yet it only left a few scorch marks.
"Is this all the strength you have?" the High Priest mocked.
"You Nightwatchers truly get worse with every generation."
He lashed out with another tentacle, aiming straight for Alice's neck.
At the critical moment, a golden giant blade slashed in from the side!
Sivating!
He had somehow broken through the obstruction of the blood swamp, his body radiating golden light as his giant blade struck toward the High Priest's back.
The High Priest was forced to release Alice, turning to block.
Tentacle and giant blade collided, erupting in a shower of blinding sparks.
"The imperial lapdogs have arrived as well?" the High Priest retreated two steps, his tone playful.
"Perfect... I'll let you witness what the power of the deep sea truly looks like."
He spread his arms.
The surrounding rain began to flow backward, gathering toward him.
The liquid in the blood swamp also writhed, moving toward him like a living thing.
The sound of the Deep Sea Song grew deafening upon his appearance.
Within the rain curtain behind him, something massive was taking shape.
It was a silhouette condensed from rain and blood, standing five or six meters tall.
Though not yet fully formed, it already radiated a suffocating pressure.
Alice and Sivating both paled.
They could not let this thing complete its formation!
Rate on N.U.
