187: Landing in Hag City

The gunfire of Haige City reddened half the Sky.

The new Count Loren, Marcus Lossen—Payson's half-brother—clutched the stone bricks of the city wall so hard his nails almost embedded into the stone. On the sea, hundreds of Star Sea Territory warships approached like dark clouds pressing down on the city.

"Fire! Blow them to pieces!" Marcus roared, his eyes bloodshot.

The thirty magic crystal cannons on the city wall fired simultaneously, multicolored energy shells tearing through the air and howling toward the sea.

---

On the bridge of the "Wavebreaker," Naval Commander Ocean Jack's lips curled into a cold sneer.

The lookout shouted a warning: "General, incoming enemy fire!"

"Order: All warships deploy in the third defensive formation, anti-magic shields at full power, prepare anti-magic crystal shells for interception." Ocean Jack's voice was terrifyingly calm. "The 'Star Sea,' 'Sea-Coverer,' and 'Vast Sea,' concentrate fire to suppress the batteries on the left wing and center of the city wall."

The command was quickly transmitted via magic communication. The Star Sea Territory Navy displayed an astonishing level of training; the dense fleet formation dispersed rapidly within seconds, with a pale blue shield appearing on the surface of each warship. Small rapid-fire magic crystal cannons roared simultaneously, weaving a net of fire in the Sky with hundreds of interceptor shells.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!!"

The vast majority of incoming shells were successfully intercepted, and the few energy shells that hit the warships only caused ripples on the shields. The Star Sea Territory Navy suffered almost no damage.

"How is this possible..." Marcus was dumbfounded. The Family's most elite gunners needed at least ten seconds to reload once, yet the enemy's rapid-fire cannons could fire continuously.

"It's our turn now," Ocean Jack said softly. "Entire fleet, target Haige City's fortifications, saturation strike."

One hundred and eighty thousand naval soldiers and hundreds of main guns fired simultaneously.

At that moment, the sea seemed to be ignited. Hundreds of energy beams pierced the Sky, slamming into Haige City with destructive power. The city walls shook violently, and three batteries were completely destroyed in the first volley, with the bodies of the defenders and rubble blown into the air together.

"No... no..." Marcus was tackled to the ground by his adjutant, narrowly avoiding an energy shell that grazed past. He struggled to get up, watching the defensive line he took pride in collapse.

"Lord Count! The eastern wall has collapsed!"

"All the southern gate batteries have gone silent!"

"The magic shield generator is overloaded! It needs at least ten minutes to cool down!"

"The army has lost more than half its men!"

Bad news arrived one after another. Marcus finally realized that he was not facing an ordinary army, but a precision-engineered war machine. Defending a coastal city with fifty thousand men under such terrifying fire coverage was like a mantis trying to stop a carriage.

"Blow up the port!" Marcus roared hoarsely. "Execute the original plan! We must not let them land intact!"

A large amount of explosive crystals had long been buried deep in Haige City's port—the Lonsen Family's final trump card.

Ocean Jack laughed as he watched the port turn into a sea of fire amidst the loud explosions. "Ridiculous! You think this can stop my army?"

He looked up at the Sky: "High Priestess Sea Song! I'll have to trouble you."

Sea Song, the High Priestess of the Sea God Clan clad in blue robes, had appeared suspended in the air at some point, chanting an ancient incantation.

Near the shore, the sea area was instantly frozen!

"All hands disembark, land on the ice!" Ocean Jack ordered.

The Star Sea Territory Marine Corps quickly leaped off the warships and charged toward the coast across the ice.

"Lord Count, please retreat! The remaining ten thousand troops cannot hold the pier!" the adjutant cried out.

Marcus was terrified! Was this the strength of the Star Sea Territory? Before even engaging in close combat, an army of fifty thousand had been crippled!

Under the protection of his personal guards, he fought while retreating toward the fortress inside the city. The fall of Haige City was only a matter of time, but he had to buy time for Marquis Golden Peacock. Every hour delayed could bring another variable to the battle for the capital.

"Order everyone to retreat into the inner city and resist using the streets and alleys!" Marcus gritted his teeth.

However, Ocean Jack's tactics were even colder and more efficient than he had imagined.

"There is no need to clear it street by street." Ocean Jack looked at the battle report and said to his adjutant, "Order the artillery units to provide fire coverage over areas of heavy resistance. Our goal is to control Haige City, not to save every building."

"But General, there are still civilians in the city..."

"Fire warning shots first to give them time to evacuate," Ocean Jack said expressionlessly. "Then destroy everything in our way. This is no time for mercy! We must establish a coastal stronghold at the lowest cost and fastest speed to create opportunities for the subsequent southward movement of the army."

The adjutant swallowed and nodded to take the order.

Soon, a piercing magic alarm sounded over Haige City, accompanied by a warning from an amplification Spell: "All civilians evacuate to the west of the city immediately! Those who do not evacuate will be treated as rebels! In one hour, our army will conduct indiscriminate shelling on the resistance areas in the east and south of the city!"

Panic spread quickly. Civilians fled westward, supporting the elderly and carrying the young. Many defenders also wavered in the face of their families and the instinct for survival, throwing down their weapons and blending into the crowd.

Marcus tried to stop the rout, even ordering the execution of deserters, but the situation was out of control. An hour later, his troops had been reduced by nearly half.

The shelling began.

The fleet's second round of saturation strikes focused on the areas where the defenders were gathered. Buildings collapsed in energy explosions, and streets turned into a sea of fire. Marcus's command post was directly hit by a shell; although his guards risked their lives to pull him out, his left arm was blown off, and he was covered in blood.

"Lord Count... we can't hold it..." the only remaining officer said with a sob.

Marcus lay in the ruins, looking at the Sky obscured by smoke and dust, thinking of his half-brother, the powerful figure in the Star Sea Territory. A trace of hope actually rose in his heart.

He closed his eyes with a bitter smile: "Pass the order... surrender. Let the remaining people... live."

When the flag of the Star Sea Territory rose over the central castle of Haige City, only an hour had passed since the start of the battle. Forty thousand defenders had been killed, and the rest were captured; the casualties on the Star Sea Territory's side were negligible.

Ocean Jack stepped onto the castle square, which was full of rubble, and looked at the captured Marcus Lossen. This new Count was pale from excessive blood loss, but his eyes still held a trace of defiance.

"Keep a close watch on him and leave him for Minister Payson to handle." Ocean Jack didn't bother to say much to him—not killing him was purely for Payson's sake.

"Concentrate the prisoners under guard! Haige City is closed to all civilian entry and exit."

After handling the prisoner matters, Ocean Jack immediately deployed the next phase of the operation:

"Send out reconnaissance units to the west and south to scout the rest of Laixi Deep Province."

"Establish a temporary headquarters and set up stable communication with General Yierman in Scott Province."

"Most importantly," Ocean Jack looked toward the capital in the west, "report to Lord Linn immediately: Haige City has been taken, and the first nail on the Laixiao coast has been driven in. The Star Sea Territory Navy awaits further orders at any time."

With the fall of Haige City, the Star Sea Territory had torn a gap in the coastline of Laixi Deep Province. Meanwhile, the battle for the capital was entering a white-hot stage.

Marquis Golden Peacock's army of one hundred and fifty thousand had been fiercely attacking the capital for seven consecutive days. The walls were damaged in many places, and the defenders had suffered heavy casualties. On the southern horizon, the flags of Usachi's southern army reinforcements were already faintly visible.

The royal reinforcements led by Marshal Monk had still not arrived at Holy Radiance City due to the long distance.

The capital was in critical danger.