Order, Awaken!

Alfred opened the door and ushered Karen and Muri quickly back into the cabin. "Captain, you're the one who can't say things like that next time. Your words hit the mark a little too well." "Just a coincidence." Karen was unwilling to... no, nobody would ever be willing to admit they were a jinx. Only Alfred broke into a smile. Then the smile vanished from his face just as quickly, because the strike was already falling upon them. It was a sudden ambush from above, timed with exquisite precision. It struck right as the fleet had finished their spatial transit—during the brief window before the aerial craft and flying monster beasts overhead could fan out to establish aerial cover. The magic crystal cannon turrets on deck were capable of aiming upward, but they required time to charge. The smaller-caliber spell cannons and ordinary gunports were virtually useless against massive, hurtling meteorites. Consequently, the fleet had no choice but to take this meteoric barrage on the chin. A flaming meteorite plunged down between Karen's escort ship and the flagship. Upon hitting the water, it exploded violently. Both the flagship and the escort ship were shielded by outer defensive barriers, so although the hull shuddered violently from the shockwave, neither sustained substantive damage. An expansive blast of that kind could rarely achieve concentrated penetration. Returning to the cabin, Karen immediately checked the sand table. On its display, only two supply ships with weaker defenses reported minor damage and were flagged accordingly. The rest of the warships were practically unscathed. Looking through the forward porthole, however, Karen saw large patches of dark red spreading across the sea. Purr hopped onto Karen's shoulder and said, "Sea beasts were wounded or killed. Those beasts had just detached from the warships and hadn't had time to dive yet." Soon, the sand table began marking the casualties among the sea beasts. Around twenty were injured, and six had lost combat capability. Though the attack had drawn blood, this precise ambush had failed to inflict any severe blow on the Moon God Church's expeditionary fleet. In fact, it could hardly even be called a blow—little more than a grazed knee. With that, the battle between both sides officially commenced. Orders came from the flagship, dividing the fleet into three wings to launch an assault. The corresponding movements were swiftly reflected on the sand table. Naturally, Karen's escort ship remained alongside the flagship as part of the center, while the two flanks began accelerating outward and forward. The expeditionary fleet, which had previously held a fairly tight formation, blossomed outward like a morning glory in full bloom. The squad was clearly fascinated by the atmosphere of a live naval engagement. Even though they could neither participate nor interfere, it didn't stop them from enjoying the thrill of spectating by watching the sand table and peering out the porthole. Bart remarked, "Samsara must have been prepared. Instead of stubbornly holding out at the holy site in the Wenluosi Archipelago, they chose to take the offensive. Under these conditions, Commander Gelingjia on the Moon God Church's side didn't turtle up to take a beating. He ordered an immediate dispersal to attack. He's counting on Samsara's lack of strength, fully leveraging his side's overwhelming numerical and tactical advantage." Karen said nothing beside him, but hearing Bart's analysis, he reflected that if he were in the commander's seat, his own temperament would probably have led him to tighten defenses first and advance cautiously rather than act so decisively. Muri nodded. "They're simply bullying the Church of Samsara for not having a navy of equivalent scale to meet them head-on in a breakthrough." Memphis said, "The Moon God Church suffered setbacks in the earlier minor skirmishes. This time, their strategy is to take advantage of Samsara's weakness and crush them through sheer weight." Just then, alerts from beneath the waves began flashing repeatedly across the communication channel, reporting enemy activity under the surface. Friendly sea beasts had already engaged the enemy in fierce underwater combat. Above, a shroud of gray clouds rolled in, within which the vague silhouettes of skeletal flying beasts could be glimpsed. Intelligence poured in rapidly from all directions, catching Karen's squad—most of whom were witnessing a regular battlefield for the first time—somewhat off guard. Ashley clutched her head. "My brain is about to explode." Mars said, "That's because we don't have a staff department to filter and process the information for us." Muri nodded. "The escort ship commander above us must have a much clearer picture. And Commander Gelingjia's view will be clearer still." At that moment, the flagship issued a new order. It was straightforward: friendly sea beasts below and aerial craft and flying beasts above were instructed to harass and pin down the enemy at all costs, while the three wings of the fleet were to press forward rapidly toward the Wenluosi Archipelago. Another order followed immediately afterward: all inner-ring vessels were to beware of enemy boarding assaults. And so, virtually leaving the underwater and aerial theaters to fend for themselves, the fleet forged ahead. Sure enough, the scout ships at the vanguard detected traces of an enemy fleet directly ahead of the center formation where the flagship was located. However, the flagship did not order an attack. Instead, it issued an order to halt. Thus, with both flanks continuing forward and the center holding back, the fleet's overall formation took on an inverted triangle. The flagship ordered: *Center formation, use the rear as the reference axis. Wheel about and prepare to open fire.* The warships swung broadside, opening not only the deck ports but also the gunports along the lower gun decks, assuming a full firing stance. Karen mused aloud, "Did he anticipate that the enemy would attack from behind?" Muri chimed in, "Must be. Commander Gelingjia anticipated every desperate, all-or-nothing move the enemy could make." Sure enough, gray markers popped up behind the fleet on the sand table, signaling that an enemy fleet had appeared from their rear. The fleet spotted earlier ahead had merely been a feint to provide cover for this flanking force. Karen walked out to the observation deck again and peered through the looking glass. A fleet was barreling toward them at top speed. Though he couldn't see its full composition yet, he could tell it was relatively small—perhaps only a few dozen warships. On the deck below, Moon God Church priests began channeling energy into the magic crystal cannons. A suffocating pressure washed over the surrounding air. *Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!* Suddenly, the magic crystal cannons fired. The tremendous recoil made Karen instinctively grip the railing. When the cannons launched their salvo, everyone aboard felt a visceral sensation of breathlessness, as if the air all around them had been vacuumed away in an instant. Immediately after, the ship turned, bringing the primed magic crystal cannons on the opposite broadside to bear before unleashing another volley. Beams of yellow light carved massive trenches across the ocean. From Karen's vantage point, the horizon was streaked with luminous yellow shafts. When they slammed into the enemy vessels, blinding flashes erupted, followed moments later by thunderous roars. Next, the warship wheeled around once more as the freshly recharged cannons on the first side stood ready, discharging in unison upon command. The cycle repeated continuously. To Karen's eyes, the distant patch of sea resembled a pot of water placed over an open furnace, boiling furiously as enormous bubbles burst relentlessly across the surface. Karen pulled his gaze away from the looking glass. The flashing beams were searing his eyes, making them water and redden—much like someone watching an arc welder up close without protective goggles. Standing beside Karen, Alfred asked curiously, "Young Master, shouldn't they close the distance a bit more before firing?" "Probably to avoid any unexpected surprises," Karen guessed. "Still, the other side is already taking heavy losses." Karen had seen several Samsara warships ground to splinters under the impact of the magic crystal cannon beams. After weathering the initial round of punishment, the opposing fleet began to return fire. However, compared to the efficient, synchronized salvos of the Moon God Church, their counterattack seemed feeble and limp. Not only were they unable to coordinate unified volleys, but their aim was also abysmal. Perhaps due to the inferior range of their cannons, more than half of their shots splashed harmlessly into the water well ahead of the Moon God Church's flagship formation. "They took cannon range into account as well," Karen said, applying a minor healing spell to soothe his eyes. "Among the three divisions of the Moon God Church's fleet, the center formation where the flagship sits has the finest ships. The magic crystal cannons here are top-tier in both quantity and quality. That Samsara fleet trying to ambush them is not only small in scale, but also poorly equipped." The war between the Moon God Church and the Church of Samsara spanned far more than this single front. There were many points of contact between the two factions, but this theater was the most crucial. According to the Moon God Church's battle plan, they hoped to punch a hole right here. Because of that, the Church of Samsara's countermeasures here would also be their most desperate. This was Samsara's underbelly; if lost, the Sea of the Dead would no longer be secure. *Boom!* A beam from an enemy magic crystal cannon struck an escort ship diagonally ahead of Karen's vessel. The protective barrier absorbed most of the blast's energy, but the residual force blasted a gaping hole in the deck. Karen watched with his own eyes as dozens of Moon God Church priests on the deck were vaporized on the spot. Soon, numerous priests rushed up from the decks below to reconfigure defenses, while the damaged escort ship began to withdraw, another escort ship behind it deliberately moving up to take its place. Fortunately, aside from the initial meteor strike that had made Karen feel genuine danger, this artillery duel posed little threat to Karen's ship beyond the hit taken by their neighbor. After enduring countless rounds of one-sided shelling, the enemy began to show signs of retreat. At that point, the flagship ordered the main body to pursue, while commanding the two advanced wings to keep pushing forward, bearing down directly on the Wenluosi Archipelago. The once-unified fleet formally split into two separate detachments. "It's dinner time. What would Captain Karen like to have?" Mota appeared behind Karen. Karen glanced at him and asked, "Do you think asking about dinner right now is amusing?" Mota replied, "The fighting has reached an intermission, and we've secured a complete victory. I imagine the galleys on every warship are already preparing dinner." "Don't you think dividing the fleet like this is a bit too aggressive?" "I happened to overhear a few things in Captain Yadu's command bridge upstairs, and I'd be glad to share them with you, Captain Karen. "Our greatest concern and the trickiest scenario was that this Samsara fleet might use the fortifications on the Wenluosi Archipelago to engage us in littoral waters. We would certainly have won, but it would have come at considerable cost. "The current situation is the best outcome. Samsara also knew that if they trapped their fleet near the islands until our main force closed in, they wouldn't be able to escape and would be wiped out completely by our superior strength. "So they intended to launch this surprise raid, score some minor successes, and then lead us on a chase across these waters to relieve pressure on the defense of the archipelago. "Yet not only did their ambush fail, but they also suffered heavy losses thanks to Commander Gelingjia's foresight. Now they are being pursued by our fleet, and it is only a matter of time before they are run down and destroyed. "Without their sole fleet to cover them and share the pressure, the Wenluosi Archipelago is a sitting duck before our guns. In about five days, this campaign will be completely wrapped up, and our Moon God Church will claim the archipelago. "Of course, compared to your church's speed back then, we're still much slower. "As for your concern that splitting the fleet is a tactical blunder, please rest assured. I know we have no secrets from your church's agents, and Samsara has no secrets from us either. "Samsara knows when we strike, and we know exactly how much strength Samsara has left, including the fleet dispositions and numbers in every region. "Down to the finest details—including the fate of those two Samsara main fleet warship formations captured by your esteemed church." "Oh?" "Those were your church's spoils of war. Before hostilities commenced, Samsara paid a ransom to your church to buy them back." "You didn't protest? After all, we signed a treaty." "Heh," Mota chuckled. "Your church notified us and decided to split half of the ransom with us. What reason did we have to refuse?" "Just for the ransom money?" "Not just for the money, but because we knew the high-ranking commanders of those two fleets committed suicide rather than surrender during the First Day War. The officers and crews of those two main fleets largely belonged to the institutional faction represented by the former Gatekeeper of Samsara, rather than the family faction. So after the current Gatekeeper, Romir, took power, the family faction purged, investigated, and imprisoned them. "The warships were only just ransomed and handed over. Having ships without enough skilled crew to operate them makes even the finest warships mere ornaments. They have zero combat effectiveness. "Even if they released the detained personnel right now and started recruiting and retraining sailors and priests, the war will already be over by the time they're ready to deploy. "This intelligence has been thoroughly verified. There is absolutely no room for error! "So in these waters, Samsara has exhausted all the forces it can muster. No unexpected variables can arise. "Let me let you in on another secret: once we take the Wenluosi Archipelago and press toward the Sea of the Dead to threaten Samsara Valley, if Samsara wishes to surrender, one condition in the peace treaty will be the complete dismantling of all their naval forces. Those warships will simply be handed over to our Moon God Church." Listening to this, Karen mused inwardly: *If that's truly the case, the Church of Samsara really has no way to turn the tables.* As for the Church of Order selling the captured warships back to Samsara and then splitting the proceeds with the Moon God Church, it was an operation that left one speechless. Moreover, though Mota hadn't said it, Karen could easily guess that regardless of the war's outcome, whether the Moon God Church negotiated with Samsara as an open mediator or from behind the scenes, the Church of Order would claim a cut of whatever the Moon God Church fought tooth and nail to secure—all without lifting a finger. Over the next two days, the relentless pursuit continued. The two fleets of drastically unequal strength clashed several more times, each engagement ending with Samsara suffering casualties before fleeing once again. Meanwhile, the detached wing had already begun bombarding the Wenluosi Archipelago. Over the course of two days, at the cost of some casualties, they managed to clear out most of the island's defensive fortifications. The next phase would be the amphibious landing. Across the seven or eight other theaters between the Moon God Church and Samsara, while the Moon God Church hadn't achieved decisive breakthroughs, they held the upper hand across the board. In truth, those fronts were simply waiting for the holy site of the Wenluosi Archipelago to fall, allowing the fleet to enter the Sea of the Dead. Once a breach was made here, Samsara would be forced to pull back across all other fronts, allowing the Moon God Church to claim the contested holy sites without a fight. Karen had been worried that something might go wrong, but no surprises occurred. Perhaps because the campaign was proceeding so smoothly and his spirits were high, Gelingjia invited Karen and the others to a banquet aboard the flagship that evening. Even while the fleet was actively pursuing the remnants of the enemy, the Moon God Church officers were already celebrating an early victory. Karen was not stingy with praise. Flattery cost nothing, and he had always been a smooth conversationalist, leaving Supreme Commander Gelingjia thoroughly delighted. When the banquet ended and Karen's group crossed the gangway back to their escort ship, Gelingjia stood on the flagship's deck watching the young man's receding back against the night sky. He couldn't help saying to Mota, who remained beside him: "I originally thought he would be overbearing, but it seems I was mistaken." Mota immediately replied, "Captain Karen is quite polite and well-mannered." "What about that cat and dog?" "The cat can speak. It's likely his protective monster beast." "Ah, I see. Then I wronged him. A fine young man—pity he belongs to Order. Still, do your best to maintain good relations with him. He might prove useful in the future." "Yes, my lord. Understood." "Any new developments on the intelligence front? Regarding Samsara, Order, and the other orthodox churches?" "My lord, our declaration of war sparked a counterattack within Samsara by the institutional faction against the ruling family faction. Instead of seeking reconciliation, the ruling high-ranking members of the family faction intensified their crackdowns. "The warships ransomed from the Church of Order have already been delivered, but I doubt Gatekeeper Romir would dare release those people to take command of them." "Heh," Gelingjia chuckled upon hearing this. "She's terrified that once those people take the helm, rather than fighting us, they'll turn their guns right on the family faction." "Indeed. In short, Samsara's internal situation is utter chaos—so chaotic that even I find it somewhat unbelievable." "Nothing unbelievable about it. When things go downhill, internal contradictions inevitably erupt. It's not that they didn't exist before; they were merely swept under the rug." "The Church of Order hasn't made any moves either. The matter regarding the observation delegation has ceased to draw debate. They seem to have reached an internal consensus." "That new High Priest of the Church of Order is no simple figure. We all expected him to fail in keeping their internal conflicts under wraps, yet he seems to have suppressed them completely. The only question is how long he can keep the lid on. "When a divine church grows to such proportions, imposing radical reforms and heavy pressure often breeds disaster. We'll have to see. If High Priest Norton ends up like the Mad Pope of Light, that would be ideal." "Additionally, none of the major orthodox churches in the divine circle have shown any intention of coming to Samsara's aid. They prefer to wait and see how this conflict unfolds. "Because our church signed a treaty with the Church of Order before the war began, the Holy Child remains in Yorktown, and word of Order's observation delegation has spread. Even the official communiques condemning our war against Samsara have vanished." "They are afraid to enter the fray, and they will stay afraid for a long time. As long as we bring this war to a swift conclusion, external interference will essentially be nonexistent." "Yes, my lord." "You and your teacher have worked hard." "My lord, please don't say that. The ones who truly bore the hardship are you and the faithful believers fighting beneath you for the church and the Goddess. What my teacher and I did is hardly worth mentioning." "Without your teacher orchestrating this diplomatic maneuvering, we would never have enjoyed such favorable conditions for war, nor could we have forced the Church of Order to hold its nose and tacitly permit our declaration of war under their shadow. "The diplomatic work this time was executed brilliantly. I know your sacrifices, and I know your struggles. You are all among the Moon God's most loyal warriors." "Thank you, my lord." Gelingjia stood up and motioned for his adjutant. "My lord." "Has tonight's curfew order been issued?" "It has been dispatched per your instructions, my lord." "Issue a supplementary order across all ships, directly in my name. Tell them that the closer we are to victory, the more likely the Church of Samsara is to attempt desperate boarding raids. Tell them to stay sharp. Dying right before the dawn of victory would be too pathetic." "Understood, my lord." Mota stepped forward to help adjust Gelingjia's cloak and asked, "Are you certain the enemy will make a move, my lord?" "I hope they do." Gelingjia's gaze grew heavy. "If they don't, it means an unforeseen problem may have arisen." "But our intelligence gathering has already—" "Nothing in this world is absolute. Even moonlight cannot reach every dark corner of the earth." *** Karen had been allocated a private cabin complete with an en-suite washroom, though the water pressure was slightly weak. After taking a bath and changing his clothes, Karen planned to head up to his "mock command bridge." On the companionway stairs, Karen ran into Captain Yadu. "Heading to the command bridge, Captain Karen?" Yadu asked. "Yes, Captain." "If Captain Karen wishes, you may observe from my bridge tomorrow." After spending three days together, Captain Yadu found that this observation delegation from Order was exceptionally "well-behaved." They never made unreasonable demands, content to entertain themselves in the false bridge downstairs. In that case, Yadu didn't mind offering a little more courtesy. "Very well. Thank you, Captain." "You're too polite, Captain Karen. Get some rest early tonight. We should catch up to the enemy's tail around dawn. This time, we should completely shatter the remnants of their fleet. It ought to be quite a show." "Splendid, I look forward to it. I'll wait outside your bridge tomorrow morning." "Feel free to come inside for a cup of coffee. I have a collection of premium beans in my quarters." "Really? Coffee happens to be my favorite." "Then it's settled. Tomorrow morning, we shall enjoy breakfast to the sound of the enemy fleet's destruction." "I can already picture it." "Haha. Rest early, Captain Karen. Remember, if anything happens or you hear any disturbance, lock your cabin door and stay inside. The commander just issued a second round of security directives; we need to be on guard against boarding raids from Samsara." "Would they really attempt that?" Such an action would accomplish little of strategic value, and anyone sent would have virtually zero chance of returning alive. "When prey is backed into a corner, any desperate move is only natural." "Indeed. Thank you for the advice." Karen returned to the third-floor "command bridge," while Yadu went below to instruct the sailors to tighten patrols and stay vigilant. *** Inside the "command bridge," Ashley, Blanche, Mars, and Bart were playing cards. Muri was engrossed in a book he had borrowed from Karen, having brought none of his own. Alfred sat by the porthole, sketching while looking out at the scenery. Karen greeted each of them as he entered, signaling for them to carry on, then opened the door to step out onto the observation balcony. Kevin lay on the deck gazing up at the moon. The moon over the sea always seemed to stir certain contemplative longings in the dog's heart. Purr rested her paws on the railing, staring out across the expanse of the ocean. Both cat and dog were lost in reminiscence of their long-lost youth. Karen turned back and realized that from where Alfred sat by the porthole, he had a clear view of this very spot. Karen had assumed Alfred was drawing the scenery, but it turned out he was drawing the people looking at it. Hearing footsteps behind her, Philomena recognized Karen's approach and turned around. "Captain." As for the cat and the dog, they had undoubtedly recognized his footsteps too, but relying on their familiarity with him, they simply remained submerged in their own reveries. For now, Philomena had turned out to be the most polite one of all. Karen walked over to Philomena's side and replied politely, "What are you thinking about?" "Thinking about my grandmother. She's my only living relative now. I've been wondering where I should bury her. The environment here seems quite nice—not just at night, but even during the day it feels suitably gloomy. My grandmother would probably like it. Captain, what do you think of a sea burial?" "Sea burials don't usually involve that much ceremony; it's mostly about letting go. If you insist on a sea burial, I'd suggest taking her ashes to the Sea of the Dead if you ever get the chance and scattering them there. Perhaps after a while, your grandmother might become a spiritual imprint adrift on the water—spending eternity rowing a boat or floating across the waves, never knowing peace even in death." "Really?" "Really. Of course, if you want something even more colorful, you could take her corpse intact to Samsara Valley and toss it into the outskirts beyond the town. The environment there is peculiar; before long, she might turn into a walking corpse, wandering aimlessly forever." "Captain, you're making it sound so tempting." "Don't tell your grandmother I said that." "I won't. My grandmother has always had a high opinion of you. She considers you an exceptionally outstanding individual." "Is that so?" "Yes. She said I need to learn from you—to cultivate the same mindset alongside my talent." "That likely stems from family environment. Clearly, the problem lies with your grandmother herself." "It will be resolved. I don't think it will take much longer." Philomena gazed out at the sea, her voice solemn. "Either I kill her, or she kills me. Between the two of us, only one will survive." "That family curse again?" "My grandmother doesn't view it as a curse. I know she has never let go of the man who placed that curse upon her. Perhaps I should call him 'Grandfather,' since he's quite old by now." "Perhaps you could approach it from another angle and try to break the curse." Philomena shook her head. "He can't be found. He and his surname seem to have vanished from the world." "In the future, when our standing and tier are higher, we might be able to access restricted archives that are currently off-limits." "There won't be time. I can feel the change in the way my grandmother looks at me. She wants to be young again; she's already losing her patience. Perhaps one day, when I rejoin the squad, it won't be me anymore, but my grandmother. "Of course, she would make sure you couldn't tell the difference, Captain. "Besides, my grandmother will only be stronger than me. For the squad, does it really matter whether it's me or my grandmother?" Karen nodded. "That's true." Philomena: "..." Right then, Purr suddenly screeched, "There are people beneath the surface, meow!" *"Woof, woof, woof!"* Kevin barked in alarm. Almost simultaneously, sirens wailed across the flagship and the surrounding escort vessels, signaling an enemy boarding attack. Figures shot up from beneath the waves—hundreds of them. More than half hurled themselves at the flagship, while the remainder scattered toward the surrounding escort ships. The former sought assassination; the latter aimed to pin down reinforcements from the escorts. These raiders carried scrolls. When triggered, the scrolls tore straight through the low-tier protective barriers maintained during non-combat status, allowing them to land directly on the decks. The high-grade barriers used in full combat to repel magic crystal cannons couldn't be kept active constantly; the energy cost was staggering. Even supply ships loaded with nothing but energy crystals couldn't sustain such extravagant waste, which gave the raiders an opening. In an instant, dazzling spellfire and rapid explosions erupted across the flagship, accompanied by a cacophony of battle cries and screams. However, the warships had prepared in advance. After weathering the initial chaos, they swiftly regained control of the situation. Standing on the high observation balcony, Karen watched dozens of figures materialize below. The moment they hit the deck, they hurled spell scrolls and arcane tools all at once, inflicting heavy casualties on the first wave of Moon God Church soldiers. Yet as priests and sailors from other decks laid down suppressive fire with enchanted crossbows and spell muskets, the raiders' momentum was instantly blunted. Armored Moon Warriors continuously charged onto the deck, engaging them in brutal close-quarters melee. Captain Yadu appeared below, calmly directing his subordinates to partition and encircle the assassins. Karen noticed two familiar figures among the attackers. One was Peide—the young scion of the Simosen family whom Karen had nearly beaten to death in the grove on Dark Moon Island. The other wielded twin scimitars. As he whirled them in combat, even armored Moon Warriors were cleaved clean through in a single stroke. Lango. Karen had encountered him when leaving the Gate of Samsara; Lango was the one who had opened the teleportation array to extract Karen's group. Karen had long suspected his body was possessed by a powerful soul from inside the Gate. No, to be precise, the Lango he knew *was* that powerful soul from the Church of Samsara within the Gate. "Captain?" Muri appeared at the doorway to the observation deck. Karen raised a hand. "Maintain our own alert. No need to go down and help; the Moon God Church wouldn't appreciate our interference anyway." They probably feared that if Karen's people stepped in, they would pull an extortion scheme like Commander Neo. "Yes, Captain. Establishing defensive perimeter!" The boarders never managed to breach the warship's upper superstructure; from the beginning, they were penned in on the deck. After sustained clashes and attrition, their casualties mounted rapidly. Finally, Karen saw Lango plunge both scimitars into the deck. A terrifying plague force forced its way through the ship's internal warding arrays, spreading outward and causing the frontline Moon Warriors to erupt in suppurating sores as they fell to their knees in agony. Lango wrenched his scimitars free and slashed at the defensive barrier ahead, tearing a rift through it. With Peide and seven or eight survivors in tow, he leapt through the fissure, plunging into the sea. As Lango jumped, Karen felt the man's peripheral vision sweep intentionally toward him. Had Lango noticed him as well? The fighting aboard the flagship and other escort vessels was also drawing to a close. Because the fleet had remained vigilant and had issued two consecutive security alerts tonight, over ninety percent of the boarders were slain or captured alive, with only a tiny handful escaping. Captain Yadu ascended the companionway stairs, presumably heading back to the bridge to report to the flagship. Mid-climb, he looked up at Karen standing on the high balcony and smiled. "Did Captain Karen get a fright?" Karen smiled in return. "A little bit." "Well, you can rest easy now, Captain Karen. Good night." "Good night, Captain. Get some rest as well." Carrying Purr back into the "command bridge," Karen replayed Lango's actions in his mind. The man clearly possessed the power to wreak far greater havoc, yet he had held back the entire time. Moreover, someone of his caliber, along with a Simosen scion like Peide, should have been deployed as elite assets against the flagship to maximize assassination impact. Why had they been assigned to an escort ship to tie down reinforcements? It didn't look like an operation intended to succeed at all; it resembled a deliberate sacrificial ritual, a calculated show of going through the motions to deliver an accounting. Just then, Mota and Karen's security detail captain, Ansi, entered together. Ansi spoke first. "It's over. The area has been secured. Please rest assured, sir." "Very well. Thank you." Mota remarked happily, "They're completely desperate, resorting to suicidal ploys like this to break the deadlock. I believe victory in these waters will be ours very soon." "Indeed. Congratulations, Mr. Mota, and congratulations to the Moon God Church." Once they stepped outside, Karen raised his hand to erect a simple isolation array, turned to face his squad members, and said: "Go find out where the life rafts are located. Confirm our current coordinates, map out an escape route in case of emergencies, and gather food, water, and whatever supplies we might need. "Be careful not to let the crew notice anything unusual... Well, even if they do, it doesn't matter. They're so overjoyed right now that they won't pay attention anyway." Bart asked in confusion, "Captain, do you suspect that...?" Muri immediately cut him off. "Shut up and obey orders. If the Captain says something is going to happen, it definitely will." *** At a harbor; Aboard a fleet of warships; Rank upon rank of Samsara believers were led onto the warship decks by Samsara priests. Though vast in number, they were ordinary faithful from the regions under the Church of Samsara's control. Now, all of them knelt prostrate upon the decks, deep in prayer. On the observation deck atop the restored flagship stood Gatekeeper Romir. In front of her stood a gate, and within the gate stood her sister Sumir—the Gatekeeper of the Church of Samsara inside the Gate. "Sister, do you realize what this decision means?" "It means the Church of Samsara within the Gate will relocate out of the Gate completely." "No, they are being sacrificed. This is not the relocation they wanted. They will become abominations—neither human nor ghost." "Isn't this what you wanted as well, Sumir? You always dreamed of uniting the Church of Samsara inside and outside the Gate. Now, your wish has come true. "From this day forth, you will inhabit my body and merge with me. In this world, the Gatekeeper of Samsara shall become one." "Heh. But there is one more thing I must remind you of. I can summon the souls of the inner church's crews, but while they know how to handle warships, they are not accustomed to external warfare. The differences between the world inside and outside the Gate are vast. "You need a cadre of exceptional, experienced commanders. But I hear you currently have none." "You needn't worry about that." Romir extended her hand, and inside the gate, Sumir reached out hers. Immediately, Sumir's soul drifted out from the gate and sank into Romir's body. Romir opened her mouth, unleashing a soundless roar of agony as her head fell forward. When she lifted it again, her face was webbed with bulging dark veins. The elegant, poised woman had transformed into an unsightly, suppurating abomination. Yet her aura surged to unprecedented heights, and a faint golden luster seemed to swirl within her eyes. "Oh, we cannot condense a godhead right now. There is no time, and we have too much left to do." "I know. I will seal my power first and let you take the lead. We will deal with the godhead once this battle is won and the church's internal turmoil is settled." Two distinct voices emanated from Romir's single body. *Ahem...* After a dry cough, Romir stepped forward and spread her arms wide. *Hum!* Above them, an illusory manifestation of the Gate of Samsara emerged. It was not as colossal as the true Gate of Samsara, but it was terrifying enough. Below, the ordinary believers on the decks believed they were witnessing a divine miracle. They bowed and prayed with renewed fervor, pouring out their prayers for blessings in the next life. *Creak...* The gate swung open. From within, countless souls rained down like a pack of starving wolves descending on a flock of sheep, plunging into the bodies of the believers below. Because this was not a soul pact but a violent, forced fusion, screams of torment instantly echoed across every warship's deck. Following the screams, hideous, bone-exposed "new believers" hauled themselves to their feet. These ordinary faithful had offered up their lives and flesh as a sacrificial vessel for the souls from within the Gate. *"Aaaagh!"* *"Aaaaaaaagh!"* They began to cheer, to thrash, to look upon one another with mutual disgust, and to weep. It was not only the believers outside who had been deceived; the Samsara priests from within the Gate realized that the world beyond was far from the paradise they had envisioned. They had never expected that such a grim reality would greet them upon emerging. Romir's voice resonated over them: "Fight for Samsara! Once victory is ours, the great God of Samsara will embrace each of his faithful, granting you true mercy and releasing you from your agony! "Otherwise, you shall languish forever in abomination." It was neither solace nor comfort; it was an explicit threat and warning. Yet it worked wonders. Out of awe and dread toward the Gatekeeper and the God of Samsara, the throngs on the decks gradually fell silent. Romir descended the observation platform to the conference hall on the deck below. On the way down, she tore a strip from her skirt to serve as a veil. Inside the hall, there were no tables or chairs. Instead, it was densely packed with rows of coffins, inside of which lay the naval commanders who had chosen suicide rather than surrender during the First Day War between Order and Samsara. "Truth be told, I was rather hoping to behold the Gatekeeper's visage right now. I imagine your present appearance would leave quite an impression on me." "If Lord Foden wishes to look, you may accompany me to my bedchamber. You may gaze your fill then." Foden chuckled. "I've seen portraits of you in your youth. You were very beautiful." "Thank you." "I expect that whenever Order desires, it will always retain the privilege of lifting your veil." "Naturally. From this day forward, Samsara endures by the grace of Order." "Remember what you have spoken today." "It is engraved upon my soul." "Very good." Foden lifted his head in satisfaction and issued a command to the priests cloaked in robes of Order standing behind him: "Now then, return Samsara's naval admirals to our Gatekeeper. Let them fight for Samsara's survival. Heh... Praise Order!" Behind Foden, all the priests of Order turned toward the coffins before them and chanted in unison: "Order... awaken!"