True Apocalypse Game

Only half a day had passed since her arrival at the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market.

As the only Holy Corpse Market for a thousand kilometers around, the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market held supreme authority.

Five Minstrels were permanently stationed here, and through their personal influence, knowledge, and private Guards, they held de facto control over the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market.

Their influence even extended to other Floating Island Markets, such as the AN-13 Floating Island Market, and the surrounding trade vessels.

Even some islands in the distant Cordillera Islands fell under their influence, becoming vassals of the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market.

After all, the Iron Armor Fleet they had assembled—comprising over a hundred ships and several thousand crew—was arguably the strongest fleet in these waters.

Witch Tower had always considered this Holy Corpse Market a powerful ally and held the Minstrels here in high regard.

However, to her surprise, everything changed the moment she arrived with the Hope-class Wind Sail Battleship.

In just half a day, Ivanka, the market’s de facto ruler, had bared her fangs, declaring her intent to claim the *Hope* for the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market!

Her Guard had already secretly surrounded the *Hope* with smaller warships, ready to launch an attack at a moment’s notice.

Witch Tower, of course, could not tolerate this. She immediately came to confront Ivanka and the others.

Looking at the defiant expression on Witch Tower’s face, a flicker of mockery crossed Ivanka’s eyes, but her expression remained solemn as she spoke slowly.

"Witch Tower, as a Minstrel, you should understand how important a warship of this class is to human civilization! We haven’t seen a warship of this caliber in a very long time. It’s powerful enough to cross vast oceans, connecting us with the survivors in the East. In the long run, it could even connect all of human civilization! This masterless ship must serve all of humanity!"

Witch Tower’s brow furrowed in anger.

"What do you mean, ’masterless ship’? Mr. Shen is just missing, not dead! He will return!"

When she first met Ivanka and the other four Minstrels, she had carefully explained everything that had happened. She never imagined they would twist her story and use it as an excuse to declare the *Hope* a masterless vessel.

Ivanka and Chris exchanged a look, sharing a smile as if they were humoring a child. Then, Ivanka’s expression grew serious again.

"Witch Tower, regardless of whether this Mr. Shen of yours is missing or dead, no one could have survived the environment you described—on the back of the World Beast. Furthermore..."

Her tone suddenly shifted, her expression turning chilling.

"The Savior once said, ’Advance, advance by any means necessary!’ Whether this Shen is alive or not, we Minstrels are claiming this ship! If he has a problem with it, tell him to come find me."

"You... Shameless!" Witch Tower was stunned that Ivanka would drop all pretense. Choking with rage, she spat, "And you have the gall to call yourselves the Salvation Army? Has your humanity been swallowed by the deep sea? How is this any different from the scum of the Purification Church!?"

Ivanka said expressionlessly,

"Lose your humanity, and you lose much. Lose your bestial nature, and you lose everything. The Savior said that as well. We must have this ship!"

Her voice was sharp and unyielding, leaving no room for debate.

Witch Tower glanced from Ivanka and Chris to the three other Minstrels standing behind them and said coldly,

"Fuya, Hezi, Alice, do you all feel the same way?"

The three of them were clearly hesitant. Hezi spoke up in a low voice.

"Ivanka, aren’t we acting a bit too hastily? We should at least wait a few days. If this Shen person doesn’t appear, then we can revisit this..."

"If you’re not on board with this, you can leave," Ivanka said coldly, turning to look at Hezi.

Hezi fell silent, not knowing what to say.

Ivanka had always been the most domineering of the group and commanded the greatest power. She and Chris together effectively controlled all decisions at the Holy Corpse Market, leaving the others with no room to object.

Seeing Hezi get shut down, Fuya and Alice exchanged a glance and said nothing more.

A look of disappointment flashed in Witch Tower’s eyes at the sight of her fellow Minstrels’ cowardice. She spoke again.

"Ivanka, you have no idea what you’re doing... Do you remember the Savior’s prophecy? ’He will arrive on an Iron Ship, breathing beneath the waves...’ You haven’t met Shen. If you had experienced what I have with him, you would be suspicious too. I believe he is the long-lost Savior! Your actions will bring the Savior’s full wrath down upon you. You’d better think about what you’re doing!"

"Hahahahahaha! Witch Tower, have you lost your mind? The Savior? Some nobody who appeared out of thin air? All because he has one warship?" Ivanka laughed until tears welled in her eyes, clearly not believing a word. In the next instant, her expression turned cold and grim.

"Seize her."

The words had barely left her mouth when several sailors holding Fish Spears rushed from the corners, lunging at Witch Tower!

Fortunately, Witch Tower was prepared. She leaped toward the doorway, Longbow already in hand. In an instant, she fired three Broken Arrows, pinning the sailors’ spear-wielding hands.

Amid screams of pain, Witch Tower turned and bolted from the council hall. She hit the streets of the Holy Corpse Market and sprinted for the docks, heading straight for the moored *Hope-class Wind Sail Battleship*.

Not expecting the girl to get away so easily, Ivanka’s expression darkened. She ordered,

"Seize her! Holy Corpse Guard, surround that vessel! Prepare to board! We must take that ship, no matter what!"

Several of her subordinates immediately took their leave. Soon, the sound of conch horns echoed throughout the Holy Corpse Market as the Minstrels’ personal Guards mobilized, surging toward the docks.

’I was too hasty,’ Ivanka muttered to herself. ’I should have stalled her and just boarded the ship directly...’

Beside her, Hezi asked worriedly,

"Is this really... alright? A moment ago, Witch Tower said that this Mr. Shen fits the prophetic verse..."

Ivanka laughed and patted Hezi on the shoulder.

"Hezi, don’t tell me you were fooled by that girl’s words too? If the Savior had truly returned, he would have announced it to the entire world long ago. It wouldn’t be some nobody who died in the Fog Sea."

Gazing in the direction Witch Tower had fled, Ivanka continued slowly,

"Don’t worry. Once we have this ship, ruling the entire Cordillera Islands won’t be a problem. At that time, we will possess the entire Western World..."

...

The submersible was incredibly fast and stable at first. Over time, however, its aging components began to fail, and its speed gradually decreased.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Fortunately, there had been no problems like leaks.

Just as conflict was about to erupt in the Steel Glory Saint Corpse Market, Shen Feng had already piloted the submersible to the base of the several-thousand-meter-tall Super Giant War Armor.

Staring at the Super Giant War Armor looming before him—majestic as a colossus from ancient myth, with only its head and shoulders visible—Shen Feng felt his heart pound in his chest.

He then maneuvered the submersible to a stop near the Steel Glory’s chest reactor, found a fissure caused by battle damage, and guided the vessel inside.

’If I’m not mistaken,’ he thought, ’this Steel Glory can still be activated.’

~