219: Chapter 219 Deep Sea Kraken

Countless Dragon Steed Iron Cavalry could not even let out a scream before they were pierced through by those incredibly sharp Holy Light greatswords!

Scalding blood gushed out like a fountain that cost nothing, dyeing the originally sacred golden barrier a shocking blood-red!

However, the charge of the Dragon Steed Iron Cavalry was not without results!

Their unrivaled, terrifying impact force also managed to smash countless hideous gaps into the seemingly impenetrable golden barrier!

Countless Temple Knights were smashed by that violent impact force, their bones shattered, and they flew backward while spitting blood!

At this moment, the entire battlefield had completely transformed into an immensely huge meat grinder!

Faith and will were engaged in the most primitive and cruel collision within this grinder!

Under the long-range divine magic buffs from those priests, the Temple Knights became fearless and extremely fanatical!

Even if they were seriously injured, with broken hands and feet, they could still erupt with terrifying combat power that was shocking to behold!

They chanted battle songs praising the god of light, brandishing the Holy Light greatswords in their hands, and like tireless killing machines, they crazily harvested the lives of the Wu Dynasty soldiers!

Meanwhile, the Wu Dynasty's Dragon Steed Iron Cavalry and the musketeers of the Divine Mechanism Battalion, relying on their superior iron discipline and the tacit tactical coordination they had practiced thousands of times, engaged in a bloody tug-of-war with these religious fanatics who acted like madmen, refusing to yield an inch of ground!

The entire Fengxi Plain was completely drowned out by endless shouts of killing, the clash of weapons, the roar of artillery, and the shrill screams before death!

Blood gathered into streams.

Corpses piled up into small hills.

The battle situation fell into a suffocating stalemate.

Both sides were like two injured prehistoric beasts, crazily biting and rolling on this vast plain, both wanting to put the other to death!

But neither could do anything to the other!

Just as the entire battle situation was deadlocked and about to evolve into a pure war of attrition, Zhao Yu, the commander-in-chief of the three armies who had been calmly observing the overall battlefield situation from the central command platform, suddenly had a sharp, falcon-like glint flash through his bloodshot eyes!

He keenly captured a fleeting opportunity!

Because the Western legion had invested the vast majority of their elite forces into the frontal slaughter with the "Thunder God" legion and the Dragon Steed Iron Cavalry.

This caused their originally equally heavy flank to appear with a barely perceptible void in forces!

And this tiny flaw, in the eyes of Zhao Yu, a peerless military god who had fought all his life, was as dazzling as a beacon in the night!

"Ma Qianli!"

Zhao Yu suddenly turned his head and let out a hoarse roar at the fierce general beside him, who had long been unable to restrain himself and was exuding towering Battle Intent from head to toe!

"This general is here!" Ma Qianli suddenly knelt on one knee, his eyes burning with raging flames of war!

"I am ordering you now!" Zhao Yu's eyes flashed with a hint of crazy determination, "Lead your fifty thousand reserves! At all costs! Gouge into the enemy's right flank for me! Completely disrupt their formation for me!"

"This general obeys!"

Ma Qianli let out an excited roar! He had been waiting for this order for too long!

"The rest of you!" Zhao Yu suddenly drew the sword at his waist, his voice filled with endless domineering Aura resounding across the entire command platform!

"Personal Guard Battalion! Messengers! Cooks! Grooms! Everyone who can breathe, pick up your weapons for me!"

"Follow me as I personally lead ten thousand light cavalry! We will take the risk to penetrate! We will strike directly at the enemy's command center—the Priest Group!"

"In this battle, if we do not win, we die!"

This decision by Zhao Yu was undoubtedly a huge gamble!

A crazy gamble that used his own fate and the fate of the entire central army as stakes!

He wanted to use himself, the supreme commander, as the sharpest dagger to stab directly into the enemy's heart!

"General! You cannot! You are the commander-in-chief of the three armies, a person of great importance, how can you risk yourself personally?!" The surrounding generals were shocked upon hearing this and spoke up one after another to dissuade him.

However, Zhao Yu stopped them with his gaze filled with unquestionable majesty.

"A general in the field is not bound by the sovereign's orders! Right now, I am the supreme commander here! Execute the order!"

A crucial general offensive that would determine the final outcome of this century-defining battle began right then!

Ma Qianli, like a tiger released from a cage, led the fifty thousand fresh troops who had been resting and regrouping for a long time, crashing fiercely into the relatively weak right flank of the Western legion like a black mudslide!

Meanwhile, Zhao Yu personally led ten thousand of the most elite light cavalry, like a poisoned dagger hidden in the shadows, silently bypassing the chaotic frontal battlefield, and launched a fatal surprise attack on the enemy's heart—the Priest Group!

Cardinal Osman, who was calmly directing the entire battle situation from the command platform, clearly did not expect the supreme commander of the Wu Dynasty to be so crazy and bold!

When he saw the Wu Dynasty light cavalry that had suddenly appeared like ghosts behind his flank, and that blood-red "Fa" (Conquer) commander flag fluttering in the wind at the very front of the cavalry formation, the first expression of "shock" and "panic" appeared on his old, usually placid face!

"Not good! Protect me! Quickly, protect me! There is an enemy surprise attack!"

However, it was all too late.

Zhao Yu had long since been blinded by the bloodlust!

He took the lead, and the long sword in his hand brandished deadly streaks of cold light!

Any enemy who dared to block his path, whether Temple Knights or priest guards, were easily cut down from their horses before his terrifying strength, which had already reached the Peak of Martial Saint!

"Kill—!!!"

Zhao Yu let out a heaven-shaking roar!

After paying the heavy price of his left arm being pierced through by a "divine magic arrow" shot by a divine magic archer, he finally managed to carve out a bloody path and charged onto the magnificent mobile command platform!

Then, he plunged the blood-red "Fa" commander flag, which had long been soaked in blood, fiercely into the ground under the horrified and incredulous gaze of Osman!

The moment that ferocious Black Dragon flag, representing the supreme will of the Wu Dynasty, fluttered in the wind at the command center of the Western legion, the entire battlefield fell into a momentary deathly silence.

Immediately after, all the Wu Dynasty soldiers who were fighting in the bloody battle let out fanatical cheers like a landslide or tsunami!

In contrast, the morale of the Western legion completely collapsed at this moment!

The commander-in-chief was captured! The commander flag was seized!

For these knights who regarded honor as more important than life, this was the heaviest blow!

The defeat was like a collapsing mountain!

This incredibly tragic century-defining battle finally ended with a pyrrhic victory for the Wu Dynasty.

The total troops invested by both sides in this battle exceeded 400,000!

After the battle, it was tallied that the casualties on both sides exceeded a staggering 50,000!

The entire Fengxi Plain was completely dyed red with blood.

Although the Wu Dynasty achieved the final victory, it was also severely damaged.

Especially the huge losses of the "Thunder God" legion, which made Zhao Yu feel waves of heartache.

They were forced to stop their rapid advance and could only choose to rest in place on the Fengxi Plain, licking each other's wounds.

And this also won a precious breathing space for the Taixi Empire.

A longer and more cruel tug-of-war was about to slowly unfold on this foreign land.

While the Northern Route Army and the Central Route Army were engaged in a tragic life-and-death struggle against the elite legions of the Taixi Empire on the frozen snow-capped mountains and blood-stained plains respectively, the Southern Route Army, which bore the sacred mission of opening a second battlefield for the entire Western Expedition and delivering a fatal blow to the enemy's softest underbelly, was still sailing on the vast, seemingly calm, azure surface of the Endless Sea.

This massive invincible fleet, composed of hundreds of steam-powered ironclad warships and led jointly by the Grand Admiral of the Navy Xiang Hao and the naval warfare Genius Zheng Sen, had been sailing continuously in this boring and monotonous blue world for two whole months.

Two months was undoubtedly a long torment for those Marine Corps soldiers who were already accustomed to life on land.

Every day, apart from routine drills, all they could see was that unchanging azure sky and that deep blue ocean that was equally maddeningly monotonous.

The sea breeze blew all day, carrying a salty, damp, and warm scent, blowing every soldier's skin until it was dark and rough.

The combat uniforms they wore, specially made by the Tiangong Pavilion with excellent breathability, had long been soaked by the sea breeze and sweat until water could be wrung out of them.

However, compared to this insignificant physical torment, a more disturbing and eerie calm began to slowly shroud the hearts of all the high-ranking generals of this massive fleet like an invisible cloud.

According to the most accurate intelligence provided by the Sky Net, they had long since penetrated deep into the southern waters of the Taixi Empire, which was the most important maritime trade lifeline of the Taixi Empire, and logically speaking, it should be a busy place teeming with merchant ships and endless patrol fleets.

However, several days had passed, and they hadn't even seen the shadow of a single Taixi Empire vessel, not even the smallest fishing boat!

The entire sea surface was as calm as a huge blue mirror that had been carefully wiped, and apart from their own fleet, which was as huge as a moving steel island, no trace of any other living thing could be seen.

This abnormal, deathly silence made Zheng Sen, the naval warfare Genius who served as the deputy commander of the fleet and was also responsible for formulating all navigation routes and combat plans, feel a strong sense of unease from the depths of his Soul.

"Something is wrong, something is very wrong."

In the spacious captain's cabin of the flagship "Dingyuan", Zheng Sen's handsome face, which looked somewhat excessively pale due to not seeing sunlight for days, was filled with a grave, worried expression.

His obsidian-bright eyes stared fixedly at the huge nautical chart spread across the entire table in front of him, his brows tightly knitted together.

Commander Xiang, we have been patrolling this sea area for three days.

Yet, let alone the patrol fleet of the Taixi Empire, we haven't even seen a shadow of a pirate.

This is completely illogical!

Zheng Sen raised his head, looking at the burly figure in the corner who was shirtless, revealing a body of terrifying, explosive muscles that looked as if they were cast from liquid bronze, and who was alone, lifting two giant stone locks made of pure iron, each weighing a thousand catties, in a tedious strength training session, and said in a deep voice.

That figure was naturally the supreme commander of this Southern Route Army, hailed as the number one fierce general in the Wu Dynasty military, and known by the name "Overlord," Xiang Hao!

Oh? What is abnormal about that?

Xiang Hao slowly put down the stone locks in his hands.

Those two giant stone locks, heavy enough to crush a carriage, did not make a single sound when they landed on the hard deck paved with thick steel plates.

He picked up a towel to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, then walked to the sea chart, swept a glance at it with his pair of tiger eyes filled with endless domineering arrogance, and spoke nonchalantly.

Either those red-haired barbarians were scared out of their wits by the main force of our central army and have retreated all their ships back to the port in advance.

Or, under this seemingly calm sea, they have prepared a little surprise they think is clever for us.

Regardless of which it is, does it make any difference to us?

The corners of Xiang Hao's mouth curled into a cruel smile filled with endless confidence and arrogance, "In the face of absolute power, any conspiracy or trick is nothing but a paper tiger, unable to withstand a single blow!"

Commander Xiang, that may be so, but the art of war says, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

In this strange situation where the enemy's situation is unclear, I think we should be more cautious.

Zheng Sen's face was still full of lingering worry.

I suggest we should immediately stop advancing and send out all our fastest reconnaissance ships to conduct a comprehensive dragnet search of this sea area.

Before we have completely figured out the enemy's bottom line, we must not rashly go deeper.

Cautious? Reconnaissance?

Xiang Hao couldn't help but let out a sneer full of disdain.

Zheng Sen, oh Zheng Sen, you are good at everything, but you are too hesitant and long-winded.

What is war about? It's about a momentum that pushes forward without hesitation!

What did we come here for? We came to destroy a nation!

We came to plant our Wu Dynasty's black Dragon flags in every corner of this continent!

Can a few jumping clowns who hide their heads and show their tails stop the advance of our invincible steel fleet?

Xiang Hao slammed his fist onto the huge table made of hard iron pear wood!

Boom!

A loud noise!

The incomparably thick table was actually smashed with a huge hole by his seemingly casual punch!

Pass my order!

Xiang Hao's loud voice, filled with endless domineering and unquestionable authority, resounded throughout the captain's cabin!

The whole fleet will maintain the current formation and advance at full speed!

Target, the largest port city in the south of the Taixi Empire — Santiago!

I want to see what kind of new tricks those red-haired barbarians can play for me!

Looking at Xiang Hao's firm back, which was full of endless confidence and arrogance, Zheng Sen sighed helplessly.

He knew that once his commander, whose personality was as domineering as a raging fire, made a decision, even nine cows would not be able to pull him back.

He could only silently pray in his heart that his ominous premonition was just him overthinking.

However, sometimes good things don't come true, but bad things are always right on the mark.

Just three nights after Xiang Hao's order was issued, a sudden storm descended without warning.

The originally cloudless clear night sky was completely covered by layers of thick, grim black clouds that looked like lead blocks within a short incense stick of time.

Bean-sized cold raindrops began to patter down from the pitch-black sky, fiercely lashing against the cold steel decks of the ironclad ships, emitting a dense sound like popping beans.

Immediately after, a violent wind howled!

The wind was like countless ancient Vicious Beasts that had escaped from Hell, emitting extremely shrill and terrifying roars!

The entire sea surface was completely boiling!

Terrifying black giant waves, dozens of zhang high and like moving mountains, were carried by the violent hurricane and fiercely slapped towards the massive fleet struggling in the wind and rain!

Every steam ironclad ship with a displacement of over ten thousand tons appeared so small and powerless when facing this terrifying natural power that descended like divine punishment.

They were like leaves helplessly drifting in the storm, easily thrown onto the crests of waves dozens of zhang high by the terrifying giant waves, and then fiercely smashed into the bottomless pitch-black wave troughs!

Countless naval soldiers, under the hoarse commands of their respective officers, risked their lives, which could be taken by the terrifying giant waves at any time, and held fast to their posts, struggling stubbornly against this terrifying natural power that could destroy the world!

However, just as everyone's attention was drawn by this sudden terrifying storm, a more fatal and terrifying crisis was quietly approaching from beneath the bottomless pitch-black sea.

Boom—!!!

A terrifying loud noise, completely different from thunder and waves, full of metal twisting and breaking, resounded from the left wing of the fleet without warning!

I saw a hundred-meter-long heavy ironclad cruiser named "Flying Tiger," its sturdy hull made of thick tempered steel, actually twisted into a huge twist in an extremely strange posture, as if it had been fiercely pinched by the hand of an invisible giant, and folded in half from the middle!

Countless naval soldiers didn't even have time to let out a scream before they were swept into the cold, bone-chilling, pitch-black deep sea of death along with the huge hull that instantly broke into two pieces!

What's going on?! What happened to the "Flying Tiger"?!

On the command tower of the flagship "Dingyuan," after Zheng Sen saw the "Flying Tiger" that was instantly broken in half, the color on his rosy face instantly faded, becoming deathly pale!

Without thinking, he immediately grabbed the high-magnification binoculars beside him and looked towards the sea area where the incident occurred!

However, the next moment he saw the most terrifying and shocking scene that he would never forget in his life!

Beside the wreckage of the "Flying Tiger" that was slowly sinking, in the huge whirlpool that looked like a devil's mouth, dozens of terrifying tentacles, each thicker than the thickest thousand-year-old ancient tree, gray-brown in color, and covered with countless huge suckers the size of millstones, were slowly rising from beneath the bottomless seabed!

These terrifying giant tentacles were like a group of death pythons crawling out of the Nine Nether Hell, waving and twisting in mid-air, emitting bursts of scalp-numbing sounds of breaking through the air!

Immediately after, a hideous giant head, even larger and more terrifying than the largest island, like a moving mountain of flesh, slowly emerged from beneath the pitch-black sea surface!

In the center of its head grew only one scarlet single eye, as huge as a small blood-colored sun, emitting an endless Aura of tyranny and evil!

Deep... Deep Sea Giant Demon... Kraken!!!

After seeing the true face of the terrifying prehistoric giant beast that crawled out of the seabed, Zheng Sen's bright eyes were instantly filled with endless fear and despair!

He exclaimed in a loss of voice!

Kraken!

This was the most terrifying and powerful ultimate overlord of the ocean circulating in the ancient myths and legends of the Taixi Empire!

Legend has it that it was the most perfect war weapon created by the God of the Ocean!

It possessed terrifying power capable of easily overturning an entire continent!

Every breath it took could trigger a terrifying tsunami that destroyed the world on the sea surface!

Originally, everyone thought this was just an ethereal myth fabricated by those boring bards of the Taixi Empire.

But who would have thought that this kind of terrifying world-destroying giant beast that should only exist in myths and legends actually existed in this world!

And it was secretly tamed by the Taixi Empire, becoming their final secret weapon used to guard this sea area!

Roar—!!!

After the terrifying Deep Sea Giant Demon Kraken completely displayed its mountain-like massive body in front of the world, it looked up to the sky and let out a terrifying roar that did not resemble any known creature, filled with endless tyranny and the Aura of destruction!

A terrifying sound wave visible to the naked eye spread wildly in all directions with it as the center!

The entire sea surface seemed to be forcibly pressed down by several feet in this terrifying roar!

Immediately after, its dozens of terrifying tentacles, like death pythons, brought with them the terrifying power enough to tear everything apart, and fiercely lashed towards the massive Wu Dynasty fleet that had already fallen into chaos and panic due to its appearance!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A tragic unilateral massacre unfolded!

One after another, the steam ironclad ships that the Wu Dynasty craftsmen thought were indestructible were as vulnerable as fragile paper toys in the face of the absolute power of that terrifying prehistoric giant beast!

Some were easily rolled into a twisted twist by the mountain-like terrifying tentacles!

Some were firmly sucked by the huge suckers and then forcibly dragged into the bottomless pitch-black seabed!

Others were smashed in half by the terrifying tentacles like battering rams!

The fleet instantly fell into unprecedented chaos and despair!

Countless naval soldiers were screaming in despair as they were swept into the cold, dark deep sea of death!

Although some warships were desperately fighting back under the command of their respective captains.

They aimed all the heavy artillery on their ships at the terrifying giant beast like a moving mountain and carried out futile shelling.