Careful Expansion

A few days after the bombardment, the Weeping Viper Region surrendered. Their Region's leading figures were found and escorted out of the Region, brought to the Turtle Hiding Region by a Fleet, while the rest of the navy moved to the Turtle Shell Region. With the Turtle Shell Region's capabilities, and their forest a paradise-like, sacred place, which nobody could touch. They surrendered 4 days later, when the Crimson land forces occupied the whole north, and the south was ⅓ under the land forces' hands.

Like this, the war that was still ongoing in name had already finished for these couple of 2* Regions. The Weeping Viper Region suffered the least, only losing a severe quantity of soldier units, which were all imprisoned and moved to the Turtle Hiding Region.

Doubtlessly, this news brought tremendous support from the civilians. Not that Heian Ciemnosc needed it, but it wasn’t something all organizations could rely on even after winning. When the imprisoned soldier units from the Weeping Viper Region arrived, their hearts and thoughts were crushed when seeing the overly massive numbers of garrison units waiting for them. What’s more, their leading figures were all on their knees with expressions that clearly indicated their fate. They wondered if it would be the same for them. After all, they were losers in this war when it had barely started. Were they even useful?

They were placed in a prison which severed their utilization of energy, Spirit Sense, Soul, and weakened them to the point where even a civilian child could accidentally strangle them to death by crushing their bones.

A few days later, with the Turtle Hiding Region’s people prepared this time, since the news of the second enemy’s surrender spread like wildfire in the Region. The civilians and new citizens watched the Turtle Shell Region’s imprisoned soldier units arrive at the ports. At first, the prisoners thought they would be thrown food at, but they only suffered the silent gazes of millions of civilians.

In a way, it was as if they were seeing something different from them. They didn’t know what it was because their minds were fully on the prospect of their dreadful future. Slavery? Servants for an eternity? Humiliation?

Well, they weren’t wrong. According to one of the possible procedures, the prisoners were paraded from the ports to the Large City. The prisoners only faced tranquility when those arriving in the southern ports went through the Mountain Pass. For those who arrived at the northern ports, their trip to the Large City might have been shorter, but their experience was even more humiliating.

Kids and teenagers got close to ask them a bunch of things and bothered them to death. When some prisoners wanted to hit or lash out at those kids, they were immediately executed with their brains exploding by the garrison units’ hands.

That was a lesson for the scared and scarred imprisoned soldier units, and the annoying civilians getting too comfortable near the enemy’s hands. The garrison units were only in charge of the prisoners, not of the civilians, whose safety is their problem when they come out of their settlements when advised otherwise.

On the 9th day of the war, the Large City broadcasted its second stream in the month to the entire Region. Although it didn’t become widely spread like a week and a half ago, due to the news anchors not thinking it would’ve progress this fast. The Universal Conveyances of some people were enough to upload some photos and short videos of the happenings.

The Turtle Shell Region’s people were executed after the Weeping Viper Region’s. The old man led the few dozen he had just brought to scout to their knees. They calmly accepted their deaths before the Chief of operations. When Heian Ciemnosc saw their reaction, he waved his hand, and their end changed. From having their brains explode, their necks were severed.

Nobody knew why the Chief did such a change, but when the Turtle Shell Region’s turn came, with the Region’s leader’s daughter sobbing with snot and saliva all over her face. Everyone had their brains turned into mush by hammers from some Officers. When it was the young girl’s turn, Xue Yoler sent a message to him via Spirit Sense and kowtowed before him. In the end, Xue Yoler gained a brand-new servant, and Heian Ciemnosc pulled Xue Yoler more into his side.

The imprisoned soldier units watched this happen as their leading figures were executed before them. They were there in person, albeit not everyone, since it was nearly 200 million when mixing those from the two recently conquered Regions. Afterwards, they were left slightly aghast as they were walked out of the Large City.

Their last destination wasn’t too far. They had to travel to the Turtle Hiding Fortress. Half of them would return to the Mountain Pass, while the rest would experience it for the first time. However, most of the imprisoned soldier units had only one mindset. That was to think. Their homes weren’t gone, but they were now losers in a war, and they had personally seen the changes in the Turtle Hiding Region.

While their loyalty to their dead leading figures was still there, something called upon them. Were they to have any veteran from the 10 year war, who wanted to speak and mingle, they would’ve understood that everyone in the world, including civilians, once felt the same when the war started.

It wasn’t because Heian Ciemnosc is Shadow, or because he has awakened the hidden truths within him. This was the call of the world. Something completely unreliant on him, or the World Tree… The world he created.

Like this, nearly 200 million soldier units were guided to the Turtle Hiding Fortress. When they spent their time through the Mountain Pass, they were met with a much clearer scenery and surroundings to think even more. When they came out, although they were still hollow, their eyes began showing some of the determination even the tiny, stupid babies in this Region know how to put on.

When they arrived at the fortress, it had been 2 weeks since they left the Large City, previously helped travel long distances in Frigates, only stopping to let them bathe in the civilians’ glares and words.

They were met with a few tens of millions of civilians looking at them as they walked through the fortress’s streets, interested for a few seconds before ignoring them and proceeding to live their lives as usual. The imprisoned soldier units slowly marched to the eastern areas, where the Chief was waiting for them with a Captain, his acclaimed daughter.

The imprisoned soldier units were given a few choices. A total of 3. The 1st was to kill themselves, hitting their Dantian and let their energy blurt out in a soft explosion. The 2nd was to remain prisoners, and their fates will remain in the Crimsons’ hands. Or 3rd, to fight among each other, and those who win a deadly duel against each other will become prisoners, allowed to attempt entering the military.

Immediately, there were a few who directly killed themselves. They stabbed their Dantians and let their energy float out of their bodies and up to mix with pure energy willingly. However, the vast majority, so as to not say virtually everyone else, remained silent as those few died to their very own hands and choice.

Heian Ciemnosc watched as Anastasia furrowed her eyebrows when looking at them. She could see what he already knew was in their hearts. Sure enough, after a minute, the first batch of prisoners to decide their fate from the 2nd or 3rd options stood up. They drew blood essence from their hearts, perforating it with their pinkies, before prostrating to the Chief and his daughter.

A red, viscous string was created from their hearts to their pinky’s fingertip and extended left or right arm. As they waited, Heian Ciemnosc’s dark Vigor Energy moved like a curious snake in the air. It formed into numerous shapeless limbs that slowly moved towards each prisoner. The prisoners confused a little as they were suddenly latched onto by the dark energy and their contracts were signed. From then on, they became prisoners under the Crimsons’ hands. Not just of war. They owned them.

After the first batch, more and more repeated the same process. Those who thought of fighting each other felt their thinking was stupid when living was still one of their choices. They hesitated no more and laid their blood essence out, directly from their hearts.

The process only lasted until night. Heian Ciemnosc had no problems releasing this much dark Vigor Energy. He might have before breaking into the Universe realm, but after he did, he had qualities only an Almighty God would have, let alone his [All-Devouring Force Chronicles] achieving its 7th level.

Thus, nearly 200 million imprisoned soldier units entered the Crimsonbreaking Faction’s program, and their gradual brainwashing began.

… However, just 2 days from the day that the enemy soldier units became Heian Ciemnosc’s prisoners, his appearance showed before his armies and navy, and throughout the Large City.

Heian Ciemnosc was currently atop his mansion, standing on its rooftop as he stared at the camera he just set up. Evans flew in circles behind him, bored to move out already. Meanwhile, the land forces were already waiting in some Fleets, while others were still amidst boarding them. The naval crew members and land forces’ soldier units who were calmly preparing to set off became alerted as soon as Heian Ciemnosc’s image showed on the screens and holographic projections.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

“This message will traverse from the Turtle Hiding Region to the rest of the Regions in the Stormy Calm Sea.” Heian Ciemnosc’s expressionless face changed as he grinned after speaking. He seemed to grab a full-on hold of the camera as he closed it slightly in and lowered it, opting for an angle where he was slightly ‘above’ than before. “With due time. I put effort in delivering this delayed message to let you individually think. Some island Regions in the northwest have decided to work together. That is fine, but my issue here is to whom are you moving those resources.”

“These, right here,” Heian Ciemnosc gestured to his overly pale red lips before grabbing the camera with both hands again. It felt as if he had everyone who watched this in his hands. It was fitting for his people, and uncomfortable for others. “These are my words. But what you can only prepare yourself to face against… That’s my warning.”

Beep.

The connection was cut off. Heian Ciemnosc dropped the camera and walked to Evans. Evans immediately flew towards him as if he wanted to cut Heian Ciemnosc in half, but once he felt Heian Ciemnosc on his back, without noticing what was what, Evans shot towards the western cliffed coasts.

WHOOOOOOOOOOOSHH… GURGLE- BUBBLE… … SPLAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHHH!

In just a few minutes, as the soldier units felt their blood boiling, and a hunger only the bloodshed of anyone and anything that opposed them could satiate invaded their bellies and minds. Heian Ciemnosc and Evans arrived at the ocean skies.

“…” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes narrowed within the nighttime. A thunderstorm seemed to suddenly form above the ocean. Dark clouds rapidly converged, as if drawn to the Turtle Hiding Region, and furious waves and surges underneath the water raged everywhere, somewhat forcing the Frigate and Destroyer warships in ups and downs.

Suddenly, the water 10 kilometers before the ports’ farthest berth exploded into the sky. A torrent seemed to raise, but an obscure object was quickly revealed. It was a ring… Many of them. These were over 50,000 kilometers in diameter, and each port had 3. However, only the western cliffed coasts had these things raise from underwater.

The commotion stirred the fearful and vigilant Ephemon Region, a 2* Region, nearest neighbor of the Turtle Hiding Region, closer than even the Turtle Shell and Weeping Viper Regions. However, the rings, steel-silver colored, didn’t do anything. Thus, they slightly calmed down.

On the other hand, while Heian Ciemnosc’s message hadn’t arrived yet, the other Regions in the Stormy Calm Sea detected an incoming transmission tease their sensors and radars. The technicians were bothered, but they couldn’t draw that message in or push it away. It was as if the transmission got tickled and couldn’t advance, stuck far away. Only one thing was clear, it came from that Turtle Hiding Region…

Nevertheless, the Turtle Hiding Region was too busy to bother with even letting the civilians near the cliffed coasts learn about this. Besides, there were more things to be done than whatever those rings were about. For example, the cliffed coasts were amassed with illusion array formations. These were Third Step quality and would fool even the garrison units if they weren’t notified.

While it seemed like a heavy rain would befall the Turtle Hiding Region, the rings and readied Fleets weren’t noticed. Furthermore, if a peak Universal realm expert was to focus their Spirit Sense on the paths between the settlements, arduously and for a long period of time, they’d discern endless shadowed figures moving back and forth.

… In a village near a Small City in the western center. A young man visited an aunty for refuge from the heavy rain. It began in the west and rapidly spread to the center. The house was filled with warm, dim lights, and the smell of hot cocoa.

Tap. “Here you go,” the aunty returned from the kitchen and watched the young man clean more rain droplets from his face. She was a little confused as she just helped him dry his face and hair, but she didn’t bother him. The aunty placed the hot drink before him on the table and said to the young man. The latter took the hot cocoa with a smile and thanked her. “It’s delicious. Thank you, aunty.”

“Haha, alright.” The aunty sat on the other side of the table and endlessly bothered the young fella. More than 10 minutes later, the aunty asked as she worriedly shook her head at him, “When are you getting a girlfriend? You’ve been touring the Region these few years, right? Won’t you feel better if you find a nice gal?”

“Aunty, finding a cultivator with wishes like mine is difficult. But thanks, haha,” the young man responded, polite and with some wisdom. The aunty shook her head with slightly more intensity, “You should take the recruitment test already. You’re a good boy, and dedicated! You will be accepted.”

“Haha, I will once I know how my family is doing back home,” the young man said as more rain seemed to fall from his forehead. The aunty became frustrated on having this young fella suffering in her home and stood up, planning to help him dry his dried hair more.

“Ah, that won’t be nece-” CRASH- SWISH, SWISH, SWISH- PHHSHK! SPLUTTER…

The window behind the young man suddenly crashed. A few shadows rushed in and stopped around him. His eyes were barely reacting, widening to the notion, when his neck was stabbed from the left, followed by a splutter of blood that went directly to the shadowed figures’ bodies as if something drew the blood into it.

The young man had barely exploded with Mythical realm aura when his life was taken. His eyes dulled, and he was pulled away by 5 shadowed figures in dark robes and hoodies. One of the shadowed figures spared half a glance to the terrified aunty, dropping a few documents on her table. She didn’t notice her hot cup was no longer on the table.

“What the…” The aunty spent a few minutes in silence, unable to process. The emergency array formation closed her window, barely allowing any wind and rain into her home. She finally sobered up and leaned over to read the document. The more the aunty read, the more her eyes widened and trembled. In the end, she couldn’t help but… punch the table with her fist’s reverse side in anger!

Pam.

This wasn’t the only event in the Region. In every settlement, shadowed figures with Life-Long realm cultivation base moved left and right, up and down. Entering and exiting buildings, homes, and stores. Assassinating certain target and leaving behind information on them. Soon, a commotion spread in the night. Infiltrators in the Region were being cleaned up by the Chief!

One thing was to hear or imagine it, another was to see it directly. Some depressed civilians who walked out during the cold, heavy rain, suddenly saw a plethora of figures rapidly ‘wave’ through their village, town, or city. Entering every place and sometimes making a ruckus to enter. They only showed for over a few minutes at most before moving to the next settlement.

They were focused on their assassination rather than not being seen. As long as the enemy was taken down immediately, they couldn’t inform or retaliate in any way. The enemy could do anything in their last throes, especially in times when they lacked a response gap.

While the Turtle Hiding Region was amidst cleaning up, nobody turned to the lonely, solitary Weeping Viper Region and Turtle Shell Region. Although not many hidden rats remained there, some were still some. A few shadowed figures moved throughout the Region to clean it up. They counted with the auxiliary units’ aid to do so, though.

SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHH~!!

Meanwhile, at the western cliffed coasts. The navy finalized preparations to set off, 9 Fleets moved forth, towards the rings whose inner perimeter behind the steel-silver glowed an electrifying blue.

Under Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes, the Fleets slowly moved forward, waiting at a distance of 2 kilometers before the rings. Each warship was lined up, but that was no problem. The only issue here was that it was the first time the navy employed this immediate tactic. The Engineers in charge of this had run countless simulations, but never run it with physically existing objects or people. However, they wouldn’t fail before the Chief’s observation!

Heian Ciemnosc observed some more as the Fleets lined up perfectly according to their training and regulations on this project. Their warships didn’t bob up and down or sway left and right within the storm as the thunder became more crackling and loud with every passing second.

“…” Heian Ciemnosc suddenly raised his left hand, and as he flew on Evans’s back with his body leaning forwards, he lowered it. At the same time, without his intervention, a thousand blue lightning bolts descended from the sky and headed towards a ring. More and more lightning belts struck down, separating in perfect conditions towards each ring.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMM~~~!!!

All 9 rings’ center became brighter and colorful before changing. Its inner perimeter remained blue. Electric sparks went off incessantly, but its middle turned wholly violet. Its glow was dooming. It gave off an eerie sensation from up-close, but the sensation didn’t vanish from the distance. As it happened, the Fleets rapidly moved towards it.

They started at a slow speed, at first. But as they came 1 km near it from their bow, they rapidly increased to maximum speed. In the middle of each ring, a black smoke moved like a vortex in both directions. As the warships entered it, their bodies were sucked in along the living, breathing soldier units in it. They confirmed life signs after becoming a tiny warship within the violet energy.

“Yeaaaaaaah!” - “Let’s go! We next!” - “Hahaha, it worked! Come on! Who. Is. Ready?!!”

The crew members and soldier units within the Fleets exchanged glances before lowering their shock. They shouted as their warships’ leaders ordered the full-on investment and commitment. They navigated into the portals and became tiny warships within the violet energy. They became stagnant as if they could never move, but this was operated by the Engineers.

Just as the Fleets were incorporated, each 3 Fleets capable of filling half a circle of the 9 circles, the Engineers proceeded, and the warships warped towards the middle, where the black smoke was. In the sky, Heian Ciemnosc grinned. ‘It’s a success. I wasn’t needed.’

He grinned and flew away with Halonso contentedly smiling on his back. Meanwhile…

***

A few moments after the warships warped into the black smoke…

Around a series of islands Regions and an island Regions’ sea territories. Where smoke and fire was already exchanged in between…

KACHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! KACHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! KACHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

“WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?” - “INCOMING! THERE’S MORE! PREP-”

TA- RARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA…!!!!

POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM POM…!!!!

PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH PUH…!!!!

…