Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Zang Xin spoke with a deep voice, “That’s difficult to tell, but the attack really did result in severe losses. The most telling news we’ve received so far is that the battleship was being overhauled at the time. There was only a skeleton crew of maintenance staff on board, so the casualties were relatively low. There were over two hundred people killed. If the entire crew was on board, casualties would certainly have exceeded three thousand.”
There was a flash of light in Tang Wulin’s eyes. “Could it be that this was plotted by the military?”
Zang Xin shook his head. “No, can’t be. The price was too high. The black battleship is genuinely under the Hawk Faction’s control. The manufacturing cost of such a vessel is too great, the Hawk Faction would never consent to destroying one. Thus, the attacker must be someone else. On the other hand, I think that there are very few capable of using rank-9 fixed soul ammunition to launch an attack.”
Tang Wulin considered before he spoke, “We shall wait and see. If this conflict was triggered intentionally to hasten the start of war, someone is certainly aggravating the situation from behind to intensify the attack as soon as possible and gathering forces in public. Have you communicated with the Star Luo and Dou Spirit Empires? We should confirm whether it was they who launched the attack first.”
Long Yuxue spoke from the side, “It’s difficult to tell. I’m afraid that they won’t admit to that even if it was their doing.”
At once, the underground shelter sank into deep silence.
Yuanen Yehui asked, “Your Excellency, will this matter affect our plans to go to the Dou Spirit Empire?”
Zang Xin nodded. “It will certainly be affected. The seaport is on complete lockdown. Even though our ship still has access to the sea, most likely we will be discovered. I’m afraid that we will have to wait for the moment. However, if we continue to delay over here while the Federation rushes to war on the other side, it’s possible that there’s not enough time. Unless…”
Tang Wulin squinted his eyes. “Unless we can prove that the attack is unrelated to the Star Luo and Dou Spirit Empires within a short period of time. We can shift the public’s and the Federation’s attention to prove that this is a fabricated accusation.”
Yue Zhengyu spoke with a frown on his face, “Our identity is already very sensitive, so we can’t even carry out the investigation. How are we going to do that?”
Tang Wulin paced back and forth in the room. The Amorous Douluo Zang Xin was frowning too. Everything had been going according to plan, but this sudden change could possibly ruin it all and leave them unable to stop the war.
After a long while, Tang Wulin suddenly raised his head to look at Long Yuxue. “Our identity can’t be exposed, but what if we are doing this in our Blood God Unit’s name? The Blood God Army is a secret fighting force that only the high-ranking officials of the Federation are aware of. However, the Blood God Army is a federal army as well and its position is even higher than other armies of similar rank. We have to take the risk now. Yuxue, please contact the army and request their help to work with us. I’ll be discussing with his excellency the Bright Mirror Douluo.”
“Alright.” It seemed like she always supported Tang Wulin’s requests unconditionally. She immediately agreed without the slightest hesitation and headed upstairs to make a call. There was no signal in the underground room.
Zang Xin looked at Tang Wulin. “Wulin, don’t rush into things rashly!”
Tang Wulin smiled and spoke, “We have no choice but to chance it. Otherwise, such a disaster will make our efforts go to waste. We must stop the war from starting too early regardless. Are they not trying to aggravate the situation? Then, we shall give them something to distract their attention. Compared to the Star Luo and Dou Spirit Empires, the public still have the most enmity for the Holy Spirit Cult’s evil soul masters that launched multiple attacks.”
“Big brother, do you have any evidence?” asked Xie Xie.
Tang Wulin shrugged. “No matter it was that did this, from this point onward, it’s all the Holy Spirit Cult’s fault. We will certainly discover evidence, regardless of where it came from and whether it’s real or fake. They’re not the only ones capable of fabricating false accusations.”
…
After the great explosion, all of Skysea City had sunk into a tense atmosphere.
Civilians refused to leave their homes. For most of the people, it was the first time they had ever felt like a war was about to break out at any moment.
Even though the Eastsea Fleet had always been stationed at Skysea City, the majority of the public had never felt an approaching war before.
The loud boom and also the tsunami that almost surged into the city had filled them with fear.
Even more people chose to remain at home to watch the news using their soul televisions, so they could follow the development of this event at all times.
“According to the evidence that has already been discovered, the attack could very possibly have originated from the Star Luo Empire’s secret army. The Federation has strongly condemned this act. The military authority has expressed their intentions to take acute retaliatory measures upon valid evidence.”
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News regarding this matter was coming in nonstop. Other than accusations as to who the perpetrator of this attack was, there was also the experts’ analysis on the possibility of war, as well as the comparison of military strength between the Federation and the Star Luo Empire and the analysis of military affairs.
All the news seemed to be sending out one sole signal, which was that war could begin at any moment!
Formed less than six months previously, the Eastsea Army Corps Joint Command was established after the centralization of the Northsea Fleet, the Eastsea Fleet and also the Sea God Fleet, which was ranked first in the Federation, in Eastsea City.
The joint command’s scope of jurisdiction included three fleets and the army corps where these fleets were stationed at. The total amount of manpower was over four hundred thousand soldiers.
The so-called ‘Great Army Troops’ of the entire Douluo Federation had the total naval strength of three hundred thousand. On the other hand, more than half of the navy was gathered here.
It could be said that the joint command that was built in the Eastsea Army Corps had jurisdiction over almost half of the military strength of the entire Federation.
At the moment, the joint command was completely silent. An old man with a prominent nose, deep-set eyes, a stern expression and the three stars of a general on his shoulders was seated upon the main seat.
His aura was as deep as the abyss and it felt like he was too profound to be fathomable. The oppressive atmosphere in the command post was mostly coming from him.
The group of soldiers sitting at the two sides of the long table were all high-ranking officers with glistening stars on their shoulders. Those with the military rank of major general could only take the most inferior seats at the table respectfully. Those two people seated by his seat were similar to him, as they were both generals.
Nevertheless, despite having the same military rank, they appeared much weaker when comparing their auras.
According to the Douluo Federation’s military appointment, the general was considered the highest military rank available other than the federal marshal that was also awarded the great general military rank. On the other hand, even the position of general was divided into different ranks according to their various duties.
There was no doubt that the person capable of sitting on the main seat was naturally the highest-ranking officer in the military. On this day, he was also a formidable personage capable of creating quakes over the four great seas in the Federation with just a stamp of his foot.
“Supreme commander, according to the current situation, we have narrowed down the attacker to possibly being from the Star Luo Empire’s military. We’ve already launched a comprehensive reconnoiter to search for every possible suspect,” said the general sitting by the main seat reverently.
“The Star Luo Empire?” The supreme commander sitting on the main seat had a cold expression with a mocking smile in his gaze. His gaze swept past the military officers sitting on the two sides of the long table.
“Are you stupid or are you insulting my intelligence? There’s always a purpose when anyone does anything. Fantastic! Why don’t you start telling us what was the reason for the Star Luo Empire to launch an attack on us at this time? Also, was it just a coincidence that the targeted battleship was almost entirely unmanned? All of you are so good at making decisions, right? Old Xu, the battleship was yours. Tell me.”
The supreme commander was speaking to one of the generals sitting by the main seat.
The general had a similarly unpleasant expression. A black battleship was unimaginably expensive. The manufacturing cost of this vessel was reaching astronomical figures even before it was fully armed. As the recently appointed regimental commander of the Northsea Army Corps, General Xu Yangyun, formerly the deputy minister of the federal military staff, his mood at present was definitely beyond terrible.
“Thorough investigation. We must investigate thoroughly. We shall get to the bottom of this at all costs!” Xu Yangyun slapped the table at once.
The supreme commander looked at his flushed face and nodded. “It’s true that you do need to investigate this matter thoroughly. First, we shall begin by examining ourselves. Which general is in charge of the federal fleet’s radar troop?”
A major general sitting farther back stood up, his face ghastly pale as he saluted. “Reporting to the supreme commander. It’s me.”
“Arrest him!” said the supreme commander with a calm expression.
Immediately, two burly soldiers entered from the outside and lifted the major general bodily.
“Supreme Commander, I’m innocent! I had nothing to do with this!” The major general was immediately scared out of his wits for he was well aware of this supreme commander’s strong will. It was all over for him if he was captured.
“Incompetence and negligence. These two words are enough to convict you. Take him away for interrogation.” The supreme commander convicted this man with just a few simple remarks.
At once, the rest of the generals sat upright and straightened their backs. Many of them were sweating and even the Northsea Army Corps’ regimental commander Xu Yangyun with his flushed face earlier had a change of countenance as well.