Chapter 118: Utterly Miserable
At 9 PM, the main city, Central Ring District.
In the building complex west of the Sea God Palace, a four-story tower, the window on the right side of the third floor was pitch black inside.
Sitting on a wooden chair in the darkness, Su Xiao looked out at the Sea God Palace. The palace occupied a vast area, its uneven main structure topped with bloated domes.
The entire Sea God Palace was covered by multiple layers of spatial sensing barriers. Baha couldn't infiltrate it, but Bubu Wang could. He simply walked straight in. All those flashy barriers were nothing but floating clouds to Bubu. The only thing he couldn't handle was a building completely surrounded by living creatures.
The Sea God Palace was divided into five sections: east, west, south, and north, each with different functions. The central area was the main body of the palace, with the bedchamber at its very core.
Once the bedchamber was attacked, the four divine officials stationed in the east, west, south, and north would bring their men to protect the Sea God within a short time. The four divine officials were only slightly weaker than the Sea God himself.
According to Conrad's plan, from infiltration to success, there was only a 5-minute window. If the Sea God couldn't be killed within 5 minutes, the only options were to flee outward or die together. At that point, each person could choose for themselves.
Don't underestimate these 5 minutes. Blocking the four divine officials and over a thousand guards seemed impossible to outsiders, especially since the location was inside the Sea God Palace. Conrad had spent years preparing and exhausted every method to finally achieve this.
Infiltration was not a concern. Conrad and his subordinates had focused most of their energy on this. At the critical moment, Su Xiao only needed to walk into the Sea God Palace through the north gate and ignore everything else.
The entire plan could be divided into two major phases. First, Kaiser would deliver the "Mind Marrow" to the bedchamber. This would both probe the day's defensive configuration of the Sea God Palace and weaken the Sea God's combat power.
Conrad had spent a fortune to acquire a type of energy toxin. This toxin was extremely difficult to detect. Its characteristic was that after entering the target's body, it would remain dormant. When the target began to channel their body energy, the energy toxin would gradually activate.
At that point, the energy toxin would cause the target to be completely unable to control their body energy for a period of time. In other words, it would forcibly silence them, forcing the Sea God to rely solely on close combat against two technique grandmasters. That would be a tragedy written all over his face.
Therefore, Kaiser's step was crucial. If Kaiser succeeded between 10:05 and 10:08, then at 10:25, the assassination team would begin infiltration, entering through the north gate. Throughout the process, the assassination team had to maintain the same pace and reach each hiding spot at the predetermined time.
The six members of the assassination team were: Su Xiao, Conrad, Master Xiulu, Qianying, Luo'e, and Sophia.
Among the assassination team, Conrad relied on various consumable secret treasures he had collected over the years, commonly known as a pay-to-win powerhouse.
Su Xiao and Master Xiulu were both technique-type fighters, the two big daddies of the assassination team.
Qianying was an assassination-type. He didn't need to infiltrate; he was already inside the bedchamber. Before the operation began, he couldn't move freely and had to remain in the shadows, or the Sea God would become suspicious.
Blackhorn Luo'e was a defense-type. He looked lean but was actually very skilled at protecting his teammates. He didn't stand in front of them; instead, at critical moments, he could use his ability to swap positions with his teammates.
Su Xiao had seen this ability before. In the Sixth Sanctuary City, that sea tribe girl with a mouth as smooth as a laxative had a similar ability.
At a critical juncture, Luo'e would swap positions with a teammate and take the beating for them.
Finally, there was Sophia. She was an ordinary person, a typical war correspondent once the fighting started. Conrad had decided to bring her after careful consideration.
Among the assassination team, no one openly pledged loyalty to Conrad. If they were discovered by guards while infiltrating the Sea God Palace, Sophia would step forward and claim that the Sea God had summoned these people. This would stabilize the situation and give Su Xiao and the other five a chance to retreat, preserving their strength for the next assassination attempt.
After doing this, Sophia would not be able to escape. Even though she was the Sea God's eldest daughter, once the matter was investigated, she would still be executed.
The Sea God's eldest son and eldest daughter were not the oldest among all siblings, but the two oldest among the currently living children.
"Is everything ready?"
In the pitch-black room, Su Xiao turned his head toward Conrad by the moonlight.
"Here."
Conrad handed over a stack of thick papers rolled together. Su Xiao opened and checked the top one. Satisfied, he put the stack away.
Meanwhile, inside the Sea God Palace, in the bedchamber.
The spacious bedchamber felt somewhat empty. A 30-centimeter-high bed sat in the middle. It was very large, over five meters in both length and width, surrounded by translucent black curtains that swayed in the night breeze.
A figure in a loose, dark blue robe sat cross-legged at the center of the bed. Wispy golden energy flowed into him from all around—it was the gathered power of faith.
This was the Sea God. His long black hair was loose, giving him an imposing aura without needing to show anger.
The heavy metal door of the bedchamber was pushed open by two guards. The chill inside the room drifted out, making both guards shiver.
When the temperature inside the bedchamber rose a bit, a thin figure walked in carrying a large tray. On the tray was a small incense burner, from which a wisp of black smoke as thin as a hair rose. If one touched this wisp of smoke, they would hear the mournful wails of the dead before their demise.
The one carrying the tray with both hands was a pale-faced old servant. Anyone who saw him would feel, "Hmm, this is a familiar face."
The old servant's face was so pale it seemed like it might crumble at any moment, making one wonder how thick his foundation makeup was. In reality, it wasn't makeup—it was white wall plaster.
The Sea God on the bed opened his eyes and saw the old servant approaching through the curtains. His first thought was that this was a familiar servant, but... this servant was really ugly.
The more the Sea God looked at the approaching old servant, the more uneasy he felt. But as a deity, looking away now would make him seem afraid of a mere mortal.
"Put down the things and leave."
Under the Sea God's authority, the old servant timidly backed out. After the bedchamber door closed, the Sea God inexplicably felt relieved. The old servant's ugly face lingered in his mind, almost like mental pollution.
The Sea God rubbed his temples. He vaguely "recalled" that this servant had come to the palace a few months ago but didn't often deliver the Mind Marrow.
The Sea God decided to use such talent more often. That face wasn't just ugly—it was mental pollution. Outsiders couldn't fake it.
In reality, the Sea God didn't notice that he was being affected by some ability. This ability had no offensive power but was MAX-level.
The tray in front of the bed floated up, passed through the curtains, and landed before the Sea God. The black smoke from the incense burner gradually formed a ring around him.
Time passed minute by minute. Conrad had lived in the Sea God Palace as a child and left at 16 to live outside. That was when he first conceived the idea: could he infiltrate this place and kill his own father?
To be precise, Conrad had been planning the infiltration of the Sea God Palace for over a decade. The entire infiltration process took only 4 minutes, but he had rehearsed it over and over in his mind countless times.
He knew every brick and tile in the Sea God Palace. He even knew the patrol habits of every guard, their names, where they lived, and how many lovers they had.
Conrad had achieved this level of detail. From childhood, his father, the Sea God, had been his nightmare. He knew how terrifying this nightmare was, and to kill it, he considered no amount of detail excessive.
The clock's hands ticked away. When they pointed to 10:30—
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The bedchamber door was knocked on. The Sea God, who had just absorbed the "Mind Marrow," opened his eyes.
"Damn it, why are you knocking? Just kick it open."
"Start the timer. From now, 5 minutes."
"Understood."
Boom!!!
The Sea God felt as if an earthquake had struck. The bedchamber door flew horizontally, slamming heavily into the opposite wall, embedding itself deep. If not for the barrier outside the wall, it would have gone straight through.
"Only 5 minutes."
Conrad was the first to rush into the bedchamber. Seeing Conrad, the Sea God's expression calmed. That kick to the door had startled him a bit. As the saying goes, professionals see the craft. The Sea God judged that if that kick landed on him, it would be no joke.
"Ungrateful son."
The Sea God rose from the bed. With a whoosh, his aura sent the curtains around the bed flying.
A sharp cutting sound came from behind the Sea God. A dark blue fluid suddenly appeared, forming a wall behind him.
"Qianying."
The Sea God was truly enraged. Conrad's assassination attempt was within his expectations, but Qianying's betrayal was something he never imagined.
The "surprises" weren't over. Sophia, Luo'e, and Master Xiulu rushed in together. Seeing these three, the Sea God couldn't determine for a moment if they were really here to assassinate him. Had all these people betrayed him?
Besides the four divine officials, the Sea God had five trusted confidants: Sophia, Luo'e, Qianying, Master Xiulu, and Disai.
To the Sea God's relief, among the five, Disai hadn't betrayed him.
In reality, that wasn't the case. Disai was guarding the door. His ability didn't distinguish friend from foe, making him unsuitable for assassination, so he was responsible for blocking any divine officials who might come to reinforce.
This situation arose because the Sea God's pursuit of becoming a Holy God was too obsessive. He had repeatedly changed the laws of the main city, elevating divine authority above all else, without even a fig leaf to cover it.
At first, it wasn't a problem. The Sea God's authority was absolute. But over time, people's hearts scattered. Combined with Conrad's recruitment, it would be strange if there wasn't a rebellion. The human heart is the most complex thing.
It could be said that the Sea God was like an emperor obsessed with cultivating immortality. It would be a disservice to his ancestors if his kingdom wasn't destroyed.
Time was tight—only 5 minutes. Qianying was blocked. Blackhorn Luo'e and Master Xiulu, who held a metal staff, charged forward simultaneously.
With a whoosh, Luo'e vanished. He activated his ability and swapped positions with Qianying, placing Qianying behind Master Xiulu. One technique-type and one assassination-type charged in a staggered formation, lunging at the Sea God.
The Sea God raised his hand. Boom! An explosion sounded in front of him. Qianying and Master Xiulu were both sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the wall behind them. Qianying, in particular, was soaked in blood from various wounds, seriously injured.
A sound of air being torn came from behind the Sea God. It was Baha flying in.
Boom.
Seawater splashed everywhere. After a deafening explosion, Baha turned into a blur and flew backward, slamming hard into the wall. He felt his internal organs churning. Getting close to the Sea God seemed almost impossible.
The Sea God was the bane of all close-combat fighters. The underwater main city was at the deepest part of the sea. The Sea God harnessed the power of the water pressure, and his ability operated simply.
He had left a spiritual imprint in the seawater directly above the Sea God Palace. Using this as a medium, he allowed the surrounding water pressure to relentlessly compress the imprint.
From inside the Sea God Palace, the Sea God used the imprint above as a release point. When he opened this release, the high-pressure seawater above found an outlet and burst out with force.
This method could both repel enemies and use the seawater as a high-pressure water cutter, repelling and severely injuring them simultaneously. More ingeniously, it consumed very little body energy.
A sound of air being torn came from the Sea God's side. He extended his hand sideways, palm outward. Boom! Su Xiao flew out with splashing seawater and crashed into the wall. The crystal layer on his body gradually fell off, his face expressionless.
"Conrad, as my son, you disappoint me. You're too impatient. When I killed my father, I endured for 37 years..."
The Sea God aimed his hand at Conrad. It seemed the issue of filial sons was a family tradition.
Another explosion. Conrad, covered in blood, flew backward. His broken body hit the wall, but a smile appeared on his face. A ring on his hand emitted a faint glow. Without it, he would have died.
With a splat, Conrad landed. He stood up with a somewhat eerie movement, stepping on his bloodstained top hat. His naturally curly short hair was matted with blood in many places.
Assassination required speed, precision, and ruthlessness. No matter how you looked at it, too much time had passed. From entering the front hall to now, 3 minutes had gone by, but no one, including Su Xiao, had managed to get within 5 meters of the Sea God. They were all blasted away time and again.
Apart from using the water pressure ability to fight, the Sea God hadn't employed any other means. He was waiting for the four divine officials to reinforce and guarding against any backup plans from the enemy.
The sound of hurried footsteps came. The Sea God grew impatient. He extended one arm flat, and as seawater surged in his palm, he made a grasping motion.
Squish.
The ultra-high-pressure seawater splashed in the Sea God's hand. He lost control of the water—or rather, he could no longer control his body energy.
The Sea God's breath caught. He looked at his hand and tried to channel his body energy. A sense of stiffness came from within, as if the energy inside him had rusted.
Around the Sea God, Su Xiao, Master Xiulu, Qianying, and Luo'e surrounded him. Several pairs of eyes were fixed on him.
"Don't be deceived by my ungrateful son. He can give you nothing."
"Go, kill him!"
Explosions rang out from the bedchamber. In other areas of the Sea God Palace, chaotic battles were underway.
Inside the bedchamber, the Sea God still stood. In his hand was a broken light spear. Blood soaked his clothes. The slash on his chest had wounded him severely. His left arm hung limply, injured by Master Xiulu.
A faint sound of footsteps reached the Sea God's ears. He recognized the unique steps—it was his trusted divine official, Zakaria, coming to reinforce. If Zakaria could break in, he could survive today's ordeal.
The footsteps grew closer. What puzzled the Sea God was why the enemies around him had stopped attacking. This feeling... was too unreal!
The Sea God suddenly opened his eyes, breaking free from the illusion that overlapped with reality. A binding sensation came from all over his body. Master Xiulu was behind him, locking his arms with one knee pressed against his back. Qianying had turned into a black shadow, like a rope, binding his upper body. Blackhorn Luo'e was entwined around his legs. At this moment, he was completely immobilized, at their mercy.
Out of the corner of his eye, the Sea God saw his offspring Conrad. Blood patterns covered the left side of Conrad's face, but he was smiling.
A sound of air being torn came from in front. The Sea God saw a long blade rapidly closing in. He was too badly injured. If this blade struck a vital point, he would surely die. He still had many trump cards unused. If only he could channel the energy in his body, he wouldn't be in this state...
The long blade thrust forward. Behind the Sea God, Master Xiulu bit the Sea God's long hair with his teeth and pulled his head back, causing the Sea God to tilt his head up. The tip of the long blade aimed straight for the Sea God's chin.
Bang!
The right side door of the bedchamber was slammed open. A divine official in full armor burst in. His name was Zakaria.
Seeing the scene inside the bedchamber, Divine Official Zakaria's expression turned utterly horrified.
Su Xiao's long blade pierced through the Sea God's chin, penetrated his entire skull, and emerged from the top of his head. The Sea God's arm lifted slightly, then fell limply.
"You... how dare you!"
Divine Official Zakaria's face twisted completely—horror, rage, and confusion.
The Sea God's eyes were wide open. He truly died with his eyes open. He had spent a lifetime developing various abilities, yet in the most critical battle of his life, he had barely used any of them. He had been too comfortable bullying close-combat fighters with high-pressure seawater.
Su Xiao took a thick stack of papers from his storage space. He had commissioned Conrad to obtain these, using all the intelligence channels the main city had.
Each sheet in Su Xiao's hand bore the portrait of the same woman. He looked at Divine Official Zakaria and said, "Come here."
Hearing this, Divine Official Zakaria was furious. But after seeing the Sea God's corpse, he suddenly realized: yes, the Sea God was dead. A dead person wasn't worth serving.
With the Sea God fallen, who would rule the main city? Divine Official Zakaria couldn't help but look at Conrad. In the past, only this great figure dared to oppose the Sea God.
Divine Official Zakaria stopped before Su Xiao and took the large stack of portraits.
"Remember, it was the Crow Woman who killed the Sea God."
As Su Xiao spoke, he withdrew the long blade from the Sea God's head. With no one holding him up, the Sea God's corpse fell to the ground.
Divine Official Zakaria glanced at the bloodstained long blade in Su Xiao's hand, then at the stack of portraits in his own. He took a deep breath, steadied himself, and shouted, "The Crow Woman killed Lord Sea God! Someone come! The Crow Woman killed Lord Sea God!"
"The Crow Woman killed Lord Sea God!"
"Seal the palace! Avenge Lord Sea God!"
"Find the Crow Woman! Kill her!"
Shouts gradually spread. Soon, a message circulated within the Sea God Palace: the Crow Woman had infiltrated the palace at night, assassinated Lord Sea God, and Lord Sea God was dead.
Meanwhile, in a restaurant in the city, the Crow Woman, who was eating a late-night snack, sneezed.
"Strange. Who's cursing me behind my back?"
The Crow Woman rubbed her nose and continued eating her steaming hot meal. Having just entered this world, she was thinking about how to outsmart Su Xiao and give him a hard time.
PS: (Although there were only three chapters today, the total update was 12,000 words. That's not short, right?)