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

Their attack caused no damage to the warship.

The enormous sound was more like a desperate wail...

The attacker in the sampan by the water fared even worse; before the fuse of the explosives could be lit, a bullet fired from the shore precisely struck the explosive charge!

Boom!

An even more violent secondary explosion blasted him and his makeshift bomb ship into pieces, turning the murky seawater red before it was swept away by the waves.

The shockwave from the explosion created a ring of waves on the water's surface, slapping against the frigate's sturdy hull as if it were a tickle.

"North Zone B7 berth cleared! Threat neutralized! Repeat, threat neutralized!"

The patrol's report carried a hint of disdain: "Suicide attack, no major damage. Repeat, no major damage!"

Port command center.

Qi Lin stood in a command room with a livid face.

As the messages came in one by one...

"Reporting, General! The explosion site outside the oil depot in the southwest district has been brought under control! The fire is confined to the firebreak, and the fire brigade is fighting it! The core area is safe!"

"Report! Five attackers at the East District bulk cargo terminal; four killed and one captured alive! No damage to ships or important cargo!"

"Report! Two self-destructing incidents have occurred at fishing boat berths in the North District. All attackers are dead! Part of the pier and small fishing boats have been damaged. The warship is safe!"

"Report! No signs of infiltration from other directions detected! The main port channel, core ship berthing area, and submarine dock area are all normal! The outer defense forces are on full alert!"

The staff officers reported the battle situation at breakneck speed, their voices standing out clearly against the piercing background alarm.

Qi Lin heard these reports, and his words carried a hint of doubt...

The soldier standing nearby couldn't help but ask Qi Lin, "What is their purpose? This kind of suicide attack seems more like a joke..."

After hearing the military advisor's words, Qi Lin nodded: "Strengthen defenses and patrols... I'll go report to the Prince; there's been such a commotion. The Prince may have heard it too..."

After hearing Qi Lin's words, the soldier nodded and said, "Yes, sir..."

After Qi Lin finished speaking, he didn't waste any more words and hurriedly went to find Xiao Ce.

...

Xiao Ce was indeed awakened by the noise...

Yin Pan'er also looked at Xiao Ce with a hint of nervousness...

Xiao Ce smiled and took Yin Pan'er's hand: "Don't worry, the sounds of gunfire are far away, and they've already disappeared. It's clear that things have calmed down..."

Yin Pan'er nodded: "Are they coming for us?"

Xiao Ce smiled and shook his head: "It's not clear yet. If I'm not mistaken, Qi Lin will be here soon."

Sure enough, a short while later, a voice from Creation One, devoid of any emotion, came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, General Qi Lin has important news to report."

Upon hearing the commotion, Xiao Ce smiled at Yin Pan'er and said, "See... Speak of the devil, and he appears."

Yin Pan'er smiled as she listened.

Xiao Ce said to the door, "Come in..."

After the door was opened, he first bowed to Xiao Ce, then got straight to the point and said without any preamble: "Your Highness and Your Highness's Consort! Just now, suicide bombings occurred almost simultaneously at the perimeter of the civilian oil depot in the southwest area of ​​Panshi Port, the bulk cargo terminal in the east area, and the small fishing boat mooring area in the north area! The attackers were divided into three groups, about a dozen people, all disguised as civilians, and carrying homemade explosives or Molotov cocktails!"

"How is the battle going? What are the casualties?" Seeing that he didn't beat around the bush, Xiao Ce didn't hesitate to ask.

"Reporting to Your Highness!"

Qi Lin bowed and said, "Fortunately, after the Prince was attacked, I raised the port's security to the highest level! Outposts and sentries are covering the area, and the patrol teams are responding quickly!"

"One attacker at the Southwest District oil depot detonated explosives and set himself on fire in the outer perimeter cordon, only breaching a section of the cordon and igniting ground vegetation. The fire is now under control, and the core area of ​​the oil depot remains undamaged! Five attackers at the East District dock attempted to ignite cargo piles or attack ships, but four were killed on the spot by snipers and patrol teams, and one was captured alive! Two attackers at the North District attempted to detonate themselves near the frigate but failed and were killed in the water; the other detonated himself at the berth, only damaging the edge of the pier and a few small fishing boats, while the warship remained unharmed!"

He caught his breath, a hint of disdain on his face. "Our side...our side suffered no casualties! Only two outer perimeter guards in the southwest district were slightly injured by the blast wave and have been taken to the hospital! The core area of ​​the port, including the submarine dock, was unaffected! These lunatics, what appears to be a suicide attack, are actually just throwing their lives away!"

After speaking, Qi Lin said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, this kind of suicide attack, apart from creating chaos and panic and a few futile explosions, causes negligible damage to the military stronghold of Panshi Port, but at the cost of the complete annihilation of the attackers. This does not make any sense in military logic."

Upon hearing the report, Xiao Ce raised an eyebrow, then a look of doubt appeared on his face: "That's it?"

After hearing the report, Yin Pan'er felt a little relieved, but her brows furrowed: "Another suicide attack? What...what are they trying to do? They ambush people on the road during the day and cause trouble at the port at night. Is it all just to make a noise?"

Before Qi Lin could speak, Xiao Ce said, "General Qi, get up. You did a great job. Your reaction was swift and your handling was appropriate, minimizing the losses."

Qi Lin stood up, but the confusion on his face had not disappeared. He asked, "Thank you, Your Highness! It is my duty! But... Your Highness, I really don't understand! These attackers are poorly equipped and clumsy. They are just throwing their lives away in a frenzy! They know they can't possibly harm Your Highness in the slightest, and they can't even reach the core of the port. Why do they keep rushing forward like this? What... what is the point of this?"

Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised to hear Qi Lin say this, and asked, "Are you sure their target is me?"

Qi Lin nodded.

Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised after hearing Qi Lin's words: "Oh? How did you know that?"

Qi Lin said to Xiao Ce, "Because...because..."

Qi Lin initially wanted to blurt it out, but then thought that saying it directly wouldn't be quite appropriate...

Xiao Ce looked at Qi Lin and said, "You can say whatever you heard... I'm not that petty... If I don't even have this much magnanimity, why do you think I should be able to command the entire East Asia?"

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, Qi Lin gave an awkward smile, then nodded and said, "Because during their suicide attacks, they always called out your name and said you were a traitor who stole the country, and things like that..."

"So, they must be after you. However, although they said they were after you, they didn't see you at all before they started attacking... This doesn't quite understand me... I don't understand the point of what they're doing..."

After hearing Qi Lin's words, Xiao Ce remained silent for a moment, then said, "It has significance, of course..."

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, Qi Lin looked at him with confusion: "Your Highness, do you mean...?"

"The ambush on the road during the day was a test, a confirmation of my return and the strength around me. But tonight's fireworks display at the port is like child's play..."

He paused, his tone laced with amusement and chilling killing intent: "It's a warning, it's harassment, and it's also... a declaration of war."

"Declare war?" Qi Lin and Yin Pan'er were both taken aback.

Xiao Ce nodded and then said, "That's right. They used the most extreme and ruthless methods to tell me: Xiao Ce, we know you're here, we're watching you all the time. Hiding in this seemingly secure port is useless; we can still keep you from having any peace and keep your nerves constantly on edge."

"And this is a way of telling me that no matter how outrageous his attack on me is... his men will agree; he has no shortage of supplies..."

"This is a psychological tactic. They want to use a constant, low-intensity but ubiquitous threat, like a leech, to continuously drain my energy, interfere with my judgment, and prevent me from focusing on what is truly important, such as finding the Hidden Dragon Tomb or dealing with the real threats from the stars. They want to keep me constantly on the go, to keep me under the constant shadow of being watched and threatened."

Yin Pan'er suddenly realized, and a chill ran down her spine: "What insidious methods! They know that confronting the Prince head-on is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock, so they resort to this despicable means..."

"Despicable, but effective."

Xiao Ce continued, his tone eerily calm: "For ordinary people, even for the commander of an army, this kind of sustained psychological pressure can be fatal. It can make people suspicious, irritable, and prone to making poor decisions. Unfortunately..."

A hint of disdain flashed in Xiao Ce's eyes: "They chose the wrong opponent, and they underestimated me... These little tricks can't even disturb my mind."

"Qi Lin!"

Qi Lin straightened his back and answered firmly, "Your subordinate is here!"

Xiao Ce said seriously, "Pass down the order. Everything at the port will continue as usual! Strengthening patrols and vigilance is necessary, but there's no need to be overly alarmed. Soldiers should rest, and port operations should continue. Just consider tonight... as a few strings of firecrackers disturbing people's sleep."

He paused, then added, "Also, keep the captured attacker in solitary confinement under strict guard. Have the best military doctors treat his wounds; don't let him die. I will interrogate him personally after dawn. Also, inform President Yoon that the port attack was reported truthfully, but emphasize that we suffered no major losses and the situation is under control. Tell Kyoto not to overreact; just maintain stability."

"As ordered!"

Qi Lin was impressed by Xiao Ce's composure in the face of adversity, and his anxiety and anger subsided considerably. Since the prince knew what was going on, he only needed to carry out the orders.

"Go ahead," Xiao Ce waved his hand.

Qi Lin bowed again and quickly left. The room immediately returned to silence, with only the faint sound of instructions for cleanup coming from afar.

Yin Pan'er walked to Xiao Ce's side and said worriedly, "Your Highness, this Restoration Church... judging from the name, it's targeting you. Their madness, could it be related to the original owner of this body, Xiao Ce?"

Xiao Ce grasped her hand, feeling the coolness of her fingertips, and said gently, "There's definitely a connection, but judging from their actions, they're nothing but clowns. Their understanding of me is laughable, and they're utterly ignorant of their own abilities..."

The real threat has never been these fanatical believers out in the open! It's the hidden hand behind the scenes, manipulating everything and using these pathetic foes to achieve its goals. But now that they've come forward, it's a good opportunity to follow the trail and wipe them all out.

He pulled Yin Pan'er down to sit: "This is Xiao Kingdom, they've chosen the wrong place. This is our territory! Go to sleep early, Pan'er. Tomorrow, perhaps we'll have clearer news..."

Yin Pan'er nodded after hearing Xiao Ce's words...

The next morning.

After a night of hustle and bustle, Panshi Port seems to have returned to its usual busy state.

Although it is a military port, all military equipment materials, raw materials for weapons, and supplies for the East Asian Allied Forces are transported through this port.

Therefore, even though there was a faint smell of gunpowder in the air, it did not affect the sound of the workers busily working.

Xiao Ce and Yin Pan'er got up in the morning and had just had breakfast.

Qi Lin came to tell Xiao Ce some bad news: the person they had captured alive was dead...

Everything seemed fine at first, but then Qi Lin, looking guilty, asked Xiao Ce to punish him.

Looking at Qi Lin's state, Xiao Ce smiled and said, "It's alright, if he's dead, he's dead..."

Qi Lin, with a grim expression, said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, did I disrupt your plans and cause the communication to be cut off?"

Seeing Qi Lin's self-reproachful expression, Xiao Ce smiled and said, "It's alright...it's alright, you don't need to worry...he's just cannon fodder...think about it, any important person wouldn't be made cannon fodder like this...even if such cannon fodder knows anything, it's all insignificant...if he dies, he dies..."

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, Qi Lin's expression softened considerably...

Just then, there was another knock on the door.

It was one of Qi Lin's guards. After seeing the guard, Qi Lin asked, "What's wrong?"

The guard first saluted Xiao Ce, then said to Qi Lin, "General, the Grand Marshal has arrived..."

Then he glanced at Xiao Ce and said, "Your Highness, Grand Marshal Han Da requests an audience."

A glint flashed in Xiao Ce's eyes: "Perfect timing. Let him in."

The guard bowed and nodded, then left.

Upon seeing this, Qi Lin bowed to Xiao Ce and said, "Your Highness, should I excuse myself...?"

Xiao Ce smiled bitterly upon hearing Qi Lin's words, then waved his hand and said, "What? You're not an outsider... You're also Han Da's confidant, there's nothing I can't let you hear..."