Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

“The strength of those guards was impressive… well, impressive. Third, he was not unprepared for this.”

Scarface opened his mouth, but felt his throat was so dry that he couldn't make a sound.

He couldn't understand the Lord's logic. Ten brothers' lives for this? Information that seemed utterly meaningless to him?

To be precise, it meant risking the lives of ten brothers to verify information he already knew.

“But… but lord, the price is too high! Those guards are too terrifying, we can’t possibly get close to Xiao Ce!” Scarface couldn’t help but argue.

"near?"

The mysterious figure seemed to chuckle again, with a hint of mockery: "Who told you that our goal is to get close to or kill him?"

Scarface was completely dumbfounded: "Then...then what are we here for? Just to verify the information you mentioned, Master?"

"So that he would know..."

The mysterious man's voice suddenly turned cold: "He's back. Naturally, we need to let him know we know he's back! Let him know we're everywhere. Let him know we're watching his every move. Let him... be restless and uneasy, and let him know he's not omnipotent... Although everyone calls him a god... we don't acknowledge this god... we're here to kill the god..."

The shadow of the cloak swayed slightly...

That invisible pressure almost suffocated Scarface...

“Fear, Scar Wolf, is a more effective weapon than swords. A constant, unpredictable threat from the shadows will gradually erode his will, interfere with his judgment, force him to make wrong decisions, and deplete his precious resources and energy.”

The mysterious man spoke like a venomous snake: "Xiao Ce is very strong, and his protectors are also very strong. But even the strongest person gets tired, gets distracted, and...has weaknesses. What we need to do is constantly remind him, keep him on edge, and prevent him from focusing on what he truly wants to do."

Have you ever heard the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"?

Scar Wolf nodded as if he understood, but his fear did not lessen; instead, it deepened.

He vaguely understood the Lord's intention, but it meant more sacrifices, more cannon fodder like his brothers.

"Then... my lord, what should we do next?" Scar Wolf's voice trembled slightly.

The mysterious figure remained silent for a moment, and then the entire environment became so quiet that even the sound of breathing could be heard...

"Pan Shi Port".

The hoarse voice slowly uttered three words.

"Panshi Port?!"

Scarface cried out in surprise, even though the mysterious man had only uttered three simple words.

But Scarface knew perfectly well that the mysterious man wanted them to attack Rock Harbor...

"My lord! That's a heavily guarded naval base! That madman Qi Lin has made it as impregnable as an iron fortress! And... and that usurper Xiao Ce is very likely there right now! With those devilish guards there, any number of our men going there would just be suicide!"

"I know."

The mysterious man calmly interrupted him: "Qi Lin's army is disciplined and well-equipped. Xiao Ce, that usurper's, guards are unfathomable. Therefore, the objective is neither a direct assault nor an assassination. I've said it before, our goal has never been to kill Xiao Ce..."

"What...is that?" Scar Wolf's voice was almost choked with sobs.

"They're here to patronize us! They're here to make some noise for us!"

The mysterious man spoke with a cruel mockery in his tone: “Organize a new savior team. This time, they don’t need to get close to the port’s core, nor do they need to find Xiao Ce. Have them carry explosives and target the warehouse area, fuel depots, or… ordinary ships docked in the port on the outskirts of the port.”

"Create chaos, create explosions, create fires, so that the entire Rock Harbor is awakened in the middle of the night and overwhelmed by alarms."

The mysterious man's voice was icy and devoid of any emotion: "Let the flames of the explosion illuminate the night sky of Rock Harbor, let the alarms reach Xiao Ce's ears. Let him know that even if he hides in the strongest fortress, even if he is surrounded by the most powerful guards, we can still... greet him."

Scarface gasped.

This is even crazier than a direct attack! Creating an explosion in the core area of ​​a naval base!

This is tantamount to suicide! Even from the outside, the chances of success are extremely slim, and even if one manages to succeed by sheer luck, there is absolutely no chance of survival!

To put it simply, it's sending them to their deaths...

“My lord! This…this is too difficult! The port is heavily guarded and patrolled. Even on the outskirts, the chances of being discovered are extremely high! Brothers…brothers might not even have a chance to detonate the explosives before they are shot dead!” Scar Wolf pleaded urgently.

"Opportunity always favors the prepared, or rather, those who are willing to pay any price."

The mysterious voice was devoid of emotion. “Disguise yourself as fishermen, cargo ship workers… take advantage of the cover of night, and exploit their negligence towards civilians. Explosives can be carried in various ways, and the detonation methods can be diverse: timed, remote-controlled, suicide… There’s bound to be a way to ignite flames in Rock Harbor. Remember, I don’t want massive destruction, nor do I want to kill many people. I just want… sound and light. Enough for Xiao Ce to hear, see, and… remember.”

"As for the cost..."

The mysterious man paused, as if admiring the despair on Scarface's face: "For the glory of the true God, for the salvation of this corrupt world, necessary sacrifices are the ladder to a new world. The sacrificed will gain eternal life in the light of the true God. Tell the new saviors who wish to restore their kingdom that their names will be engraved on the holy monument, and their souls will receive eternal redemption."

The mysterious man stared directly at Scarface and asked, "What? Are you scared?"

Before Scar Wolf could answer, the mysterious man continued, "I don't need you... It's your honor to be chosen... You can refuse!"

Scar Wolf felt a chill run through him; he knew he could not disobey his lord's words.

Those brainwashed fanatics will willingly head towards destruction, like moths drawn to a flame.

He could almost see a new wave of bloodshed and death.

“Yes…yes, sir.” Scar Wolf’s voice was extremely dry as he lowered his head with difficulty and said, “Your subordinate…will go and prepare immediately.”

"Go."

The mysterious man waved his hand: "Time... is running out. Let the flames... ignite as soon as possible."

Scarface felt like he had been granted a pardon and practically scrambled out of the secret chamber.

The heavy curtains fell, separating the inside from the outside.

He leaned against the cold stone wall, panting heavily, his back already soaked with sweat.

He had thought that this crushing defeat would lead to his execution.

The good news is he survived, but the bad news is he still has to send people to their deaths...

Meanwhile, outside the secret chamber, the low, mournful sounds of prayer continued unabated.

Scarface's gaze swept over the kneeling figures, their eyes vacant and fanatical. He knew that some of them would soon become cold corpses, or worse, be reduced to ashes by the terrifying blue light...

There was no sadness in his heart...

He knew very well that the path to restoring his kingdom and slaying gods would inevitably be paved with bones...

He knew very well what the mysterious man had just said; it wasn't a joke.

To be favored by a mysterious figure is an honor for them. Perhaps true liberation lies in receiving the protection of a true god after death.

Thinking of this, he clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, and growled in a low voice:

"Arise! The will of the true God has descended! A new salvation is about to begin! For the true God, for the restoration of the nation! We need new warriors to go to Rock Harbor and ignite the flame of salvation!"

The low, mournful prayers abruptly ceased...

Dozens of eyes turned to Scar Wolf, their gazes filled not with fear, but with a burning, almost frenzied flame!

They stood up in unison, like manipulated puppets, their numb faces forced into stiff, sacrificial expressions.

"For the true God!"

"Slaughter the usurpers!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"

The frenzied chants echoed through the narrow, filthy underground lair, carrying a chilling resolve, like a prelude to death, foreshadowing the sleepless night that was about to begin for Rock Harbor...

...

Panshi Port, Southwest District, outside the civilian oil storage depot.

This place should be brightly lit and lined with checkpoints...

But at that moment, in the shadows near the outer barbed wire fence, three men dressed in tattered fishermen's clothes, reeking of fish and sweat, stood with empty, fanatical eyes, muttering, "Glory of God... Slaughter the traitors..."

Their movements were stiff but their goal was clear. One of them suddenly pulled open his bulging, tattered cotton-padded coat, revealing a dense bundle of homemade explosives, rusty nails, and broken glass inside!

The fuse hissed and burned, the flames illuminating his distorted and numb face.

"For the true God!"

He roared, spread his arms, and charged toward the perimeter wall of the oil depot like a lamb rushing toward an altar!

"stop!!"

The searchlight on the distant watchtower instantly locked onto him, and the sentry's angry roar was accompanied by the sound of a bolt being pulled.

However, those people ignored the warnings and, even after being discovered, continued to light the fuse...

Boom! ! ! !

A deafening explosion ripped through the night sky!

A blazing fireball, carrying thick smoke, gravel, iron filings, and human fragments, shot into the sky!

The massive shockwave blasted a gap in the isolation wall, and scorching hot air swept out, igniting nearby weeds and a section of wooden pier!

The flames instantly illuminated half the sky!

However, this seemingly high-profile suicide bombing actually caused extremely limited damage...

The true core of the oil depot's storage tank complex is located hundreds of meters away, protected by thick reinforced concrete walls and deep trenches.

The breach only opened up the outermost buffer zone; the core area is still far away.

The flames ignited by the suicide bomber burned futilely on the open ground of the firebreak, producing towering flames and thick smoke, and waking up half of the port, but posing almost no real threat to the oil depot itself.

"Enemy attack! Explosion outside the oil depot in the southwest district! Repeat, explosion outside the oil depot in the southwest district! Non-core area! Security forces to proceed immediately! Fire brigade to be dispatched!"

The port's loudspeaker blared shrilly through the night.

At almost the same time, at the Panshi Port East District Bulk Cargo Terminal.

This area isn't a core zone, so its defenses are somewhat weak...

Here, mountains of coal, ore, and timber are piled up.

Several dark figures moved quickly under the cover of the cargo pile. They were clumsy, but their target was clear: a medium-sized coal ship moored next to the dock.

"Burn it! Burn those ships of those thieves who stole the country!"

A dark figure growled, pulled a Molotov cocktail from his pocket, and lit the strip of cloth with trembling hands.

However, just as he struggled to throw the Molotov cocktail!

They were discovered immediately!

In fact, Xiao Ce was in a state of shock after the attack, especially after he arrived.

Although Xiao Ce didn't say it along with Qi Lin, Qi Lin very consciously raised the security level to the highest level.

Therefore, these people were targeted the moment they appeared...

call out!call out!call out!

Several precise shots came from above!

The bullet tore through the air, making a sharp whistling sound!

Puff puff!

Three muffled thuds followed, and blood splattered from the bottle thrower's wrist, knee, and shoulder blade almost simultaneously!

He screamed and collapsed to the ground. The Molotov cocktail flew from his hand, smashing into the concrete of the dock several meters from the ship's side with a loud crash. Gasoline spilled everywhere, and flames shot up, but only spread futilely on the cold concrete, licking the air, still a long way from the steel hull of the coal ship...

Target cleared!

From a high point on the dock, Qi Lin's sniper calmly reported.

Qi Lin had already built a formidable defense system for Panshi Port, with both overt and covert sentries covering the area. In their eyes, these untrained attackers, who acted solely out of fanaticism, were like toddlers learning to walk.

Several other attackers who attempted to set fire to the cargo piles or approach the ships were also precisely shot down or subdued almost the instant their intentions were revealed.

Scattered screams and shouts rang out on the dock, but were quickly drowned out by louder fire sirens and whistles signaling the troop assembly.

The northern section of the port is a berthing area for small fishing boats.

The area is relatively chaotic, with many local fishermen's boats moored there.

Several attackers attempted to infiltrate the group, some disguising themselves as drunken fishermen returning home, staggering toward a patrol boat; others dived to the water's edge, trying to push small sampans strapped with explosives toward a moored frigate.

The coastal patrol team noticed the anomaly immediately and then went forward...

"Hey! Stop right there for inspection!"

A squad of heavily armed soldiers quickly surrounded them.

The attacker, who had been feigning drunkenness, realized he had been exposed. A glint of malice flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly ripped open his coat, revealing explosives inside: "Long live the true God!!"

boom! !

Another explosion! Much smaller than the one outside the oil depot, the flames only illuminated the sea surface within a few dozen meters.

Water splashed everywhere, and broken pieces of wood and human remains were scattered around the berth.

He chose a location more than 50 meters from the nearest warship. The explosion destroyed himself and a small section of the edge of a wooden pier, and shattered several small fishing boats...