Sweeping through everything in their path, Jason and his group finally stood before Saint Donglai, pinning him beneath their feet and demanding answers.
Chaporos, witnessing this scene, felt a tremor in his eyes, immediately realizing how much better his own treatment had been.
These people clearly didn't care about the Celestial Dragon's status. They flew into a rage at the slightest provocation, and the Celestial Dragon's identity only doubled their animosity.
"Who... who are you people?" Donglai roared in humiliated fury.
As a noble Celestial Dragon, how dare this rabble treat him this way!
Bang!
A foot slammed down on his face. Seemingly unsatisfied, the foot twisted viciously, grinding his nose into the ground until blood streamed from his nostrils, a gruesome sight.
"Answer our questions, or we'll kill you!"
The threat rang in Donglai's ears. Though he felt deeply humiliated, fear gripped him.
He stole a glance from the corner of his eye and recognized the ugly brute. He secretly vowed to exact revenge later.
"What do you want to know?" Donglai relented, his pride stinging, but life was more precious than dignity.
"You Celestial Dragons may sit high on your thrones, but you're all spineless cowards. You won't listen unless you're beaten into submission," Crocodile sneered.
"Tell me where that old hag Ilinulay is hiding!" Jason roared.
'What kind of partner would I be if I didn't avenge my comrade's humiliation?'
…
Meanwhile, in Ilinulay's palace, the middle-aged man Ilinulay slowly rose to his feet. His expression was stern, his imposing presence radiating overwhelming pressure.
"Send for the army stationed here. We have intruders."
The moment Ilinulay heard the first explosion, he knew something was wrong. Yet he remained calm, issuing orders swiftly.
"Who dares trespass on my territory?"
After instructing his subordinates to relay the command, Ilinulay's eyes sharpened.
Whoever dared invade the Celestial Dragon's palace would pay a price they couldn't afford.
"Judging by the direction, it's coming from Yilu's area."
Suddenly, an impossible thought flashed through his mind.
"Could it be those pirates?"
But he immediately dismissed the idea.
"No, impossible. How could mere pirates have the audacity to infiltrate this place?"
As Celestial Dragons, the World Nobles stood at the pinnacle of society, the true rulers of this world. No one dared defy their authority! And certainly, no one would dare confront them directly—that would be a death wish!
Ilinulay's command was completely effective. Within a minute, a large number of black-clad guards had swarmed into the area.
"Third Division Team Leader of the Army stationed at Mary Geoise, Commodore, reporting to His Highness Saint Ilinulay!"
The young man leading the group saluted briskly, his expression respectful.
"There has been an intrusion here. I trust you will handle this matter with utmost discretion," Ilinulay said calmly.
"Your Highness can rest assured," the Commodore replied confidently.
Though this era was known as the Golden Age of Pirates, and the Marines were more widely recognized, the Army was equally formidable, though they typically operated in the shadows.
The Army's efficiency was remarkable. They quickly formulated a combat plan, pinpointed the enemy's location, and at the Commodore's signal, thousands of elite soldiers surged into Ilinulay's palace.
On the other side, Jason and his group had also obtained the information they sought from Donglai.
"We've finally located that old bastard. I can't believe you, his own daughter, didn't even know where he lived. He's truly cautious!" Jason sighed, his eyes burning with fury.
'A father like that... it's impossible to associate him with humanity.'
'Even tigers don't devour their cubs. This scum deserves nothing but hatred.'
"I'm going to punch him into oblivion!"
In the end, Jason knocked Donglai unconscious with a single blow and turned to leave.
He wasn't acting recklessly, indiscriminately killing. After all, Celestial Dragons were World Nobles, and the consequences of killing one would be immense. Injuring them was one thing, but killing them would make their future voyages infinitely more perilous. Their primary objective remained rescuing Lordling; dealing with that old bastard was just a bonus.
With Rojen absent, Jason didn't hesitate to take charge.
After bursting out of Donglai's estate, they rounded three alleyways when the group suddenly froze in their tracks.
Dá dá dá dá!
A rapid series of footsteps echoed through the narrow streets as a dense swarm of black-clad guards poured in from all directions. Unlike the previous guards, these were clearly elite soldiers. Their eyes burned with unwavering resolve, their formations were impeccable, and they carried either rifles slung across their backs or cannons cradled in their arms—their equipment was top-tier.
This was a standardized, organized military force, bearing a striking resemblance to the Marines in both appearance and demeanor.
"It's the Army!" Yilu declared grimly.
"The Army?" Jason and the others exchanged puzzled glances. They were familiar with the Marines, but encounters with the Army were rare.
"Under the World Government, the military is divided into the Marines, the Army, and other frontline forces. Just like the Marines, the Army is a formidable military force—extremely powerful!"
"This particular unit is responsible for guarding and protecting the Celestial Dragons!"
"I've only ever heard of them, never seen them in action. I never expected them to show up here." Lordling spoke gravely, his voice tinged with tension.
"No matter what kind of army they are, blast them to pieces and break through!"
Jason took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening.
"Crocodile, Trens, prepare to attack!"
His thunderous command tightened every muscle in the group.
"Charge!"
In an instant, the three men surged forward, sprinting toward the enemy lines.
"Attack!"
Simultaneously, a deafening roar erupted from the enemy forces hidden in plain sight—soldiers concealed in alleys, on rooftops, and behind barricades.
A barrage of gunfire erupted, punctuated by the thunderous roar of artillery.
Boom!
Jason's pupils constricted as he charged forward, his arms snapping up to shield his face.
A wave of flames slammed into his arms, forcing him backward, dragging him dozens of meters across the ground and leaving a long, scorched trail in his wake.
Around Crocodile, a series of explosions erupted, scattering sand in all directions and forcing him to retreat.
These were small-scale artillery strikes, but their destructive power was terrifying.
"Fire suppression! Infantry, retreat! Artillery, maintain continuous fire! Cannonfire coverage for one minute!"
The command rang out, and the infantrymen with rifles swiftly retreated as the artillerymen advanced.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of cannon blasts erupted, instantly changing the expressions of Jason, Crocodile, and their companions.
Under such relentless cannonfire coverage, even their formidable defenses would crumble. If the barrage continued, any momentary lapse in their defenses would leave them critically wounded.
Trens suddenly shot into the air, repeatedly using geppo to propel himself forward, aiming to break through the enemy ranks and create an opening.
"Shoot him down!" the Marine Commodore roared.
Whoosh!
A cannonball soared skyward, hurtling directly toward Trens.
"Damn it!"
Trens' face darkened. He raised his leg and swung it down with tremendous force.
"Rankyaku!"
(End Of This Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395