novelraw Chapter 1377 696: I Fired First!
Chapter 1377 696: I Fired First!
The depravity of the Sujano Family is notorious even in a ghostly place like the Endless Sea.
Originally the smallest city-state among the Seven Cities, after three generations of accumulating wealth and status by any means necessary, it has become the strongest Free Port and the most powerful competitor for the position of Alliance Hierarch. The rise of Luo City is a history built with death and tears of blood.
Calling their actions "beyond description" is an understatement. Compared to them, daily acts of murder and arson seem almost benevolent.
Now, in that debauched den of sin, anything money can buy is yours for the taking, even things money can't usually buy... from prostitution to human trafficking and organ trade, these are just the insignificant branches at the end of this massive chain.
The Venom Fleet's raids and pillaging are just one part of their operation, responsible for procurement, doing dirty jobs, undermining competitors, and earning extra profit.
"Magnificent,"
Ji Jue sincerely marveled, "Incredible."
On the screen, Minkler on the other side paused in silence for a moment, his gaze turning peculiar.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he shrugged, "I just thought you were... not the kind of person who cared about such things."
With Ji Jue's usual style and the gulf in ethics typical of a craftsman, it was baffling to hear the tone of his voice, rendering the moment extraordinary.
"No, you misunderstood."
Ji Jue smiled faintly, "I was merely considering things from a cost-benefit perspective... the fiercer the material, the more lively it is, and often, these disreputable materials are much more cost-effective."
Handling them is economical, with no need for concern even after countless deaths, no conscience to worry about when experimenting with new technologies. They are like bundles of chives, cut one batch and another grows back.
Otherwise?
Could it be for the sake of doing good deeds? Don't make your factory boss laugh!
To Ji Jue now, the vast Endless Sea seemed like mountains of gold and silver, never to be exhausted.
Absolutely delightful.
He was already starting to enjoy the local matching environment.
Boom!!!
Deafening, piercing sounds erupted from the mist, the sea water boiling as the hastily advancing Prosperity collided against an unseen iron wall, abruptly halting.
The United Defense Fleet faced only the aftershocks; the curtain and Sacrificial Priestess targeted only the eerie freighter that instinctively unnerved Renut.
The sea water was filled with dense, eerie black hair, countless strands spreading with the waves, entwining paddle wheels and the ship's hull, climbing and extending like living things, penetrating into the ship's compartments...
But unfortunately, there wasn't the anticipated feast.
Not a single living being was found.
Inside the entire Prosperity, empty as a steel grave floating on the sea, save for the containers full of cargo, there were no crew members at all.
Just another ghostly visitor had arrived.
For a moment, the Sacrificial Priestess was utterly baffled.
The chaotic entities, formed by brutally drowning women in sacrificial offerings at sea, were incarnations of spiteful bloodthirsty monsters, devoid of reason. Once they acted and found no living beings to devour, they began to grow restless and intolerant.
They even extended toward those who jumped off the escort ships into the sea for survival; despite wearing Protective Talismans, they were entangled and...
For those with wounds and bleeding, they could only wail as hungry strands entered their wounds, consuming them from the inside until only a shriveled human skin drifted away with the waves.
"Help! Help!!!"
The pirates once accustomed to the terrifying power of the Sacrificial Priestess were now pale-faced, earnestly crying out, struggling to breathe while unconsciously inhaling the thin Silver Mist hovering in the air.
In the end, only a few were pulled back onto the ship by their compatriots before the Priestess completely lost control, while many more became drifting human skins between the strands.
Renut was indifferent.
After all, they're just cannon fodder; summon more if they die!
"Fire! Fire at that goddamn ship and sink it completely!" he shouted angrily, "What are you dawdling for!"
His answer was a voice trembling with near-tearful terror.
"We—we fired already."
The second officer's face was ashen, looking at the endless error messages and pop-ups on the screen, constantly trying to fix them. Since the beginning until now, the entire fire control system of the Venom Fleet has faced anomalies...
"Damn it, no system but we still have hands, don't we!"
Sensing Renut's chilling gaze, he hastily issued the command: "Forget the system, switch everything to manual control. At this close range, what are you aiming at! If you can't fire, I'll personally stuff you into the barrel and shoot you out!"
Immediately, the cannon roared, explosive echoes, the entire Ivory shook, followed by a metallic moan.
Right under everyone's eyes, a blaze erupted on the deck, smoke billowing, casualties everywhere.
The main cannon had exploded!
"Something's not right, General!" Ascension in the cabin sent an alert: "The entire fleet's systems have been infiltrated by Spirits. There's a Tian Yuan taking control of our systems!"
"Just any Tian Yuan can take over our systems. What are the craftsmen for?!" Renut raged, "Where are the shipwrights? Are they dead? Speak up!"