# 1419
Chapter 1420: Let the Sea Bury
Lin Qiye's palm swept through the air, and a swirl of clouds rose from beneath his feet, lifting everyone skyward as they raced toward the coastline at breakneck speed!
Dawn tore through the night's veil over the Island. The howling wind brushed past Lin Qiye's ears as he gazed down at the desolate island below.
The Commanders had vanished as if by magic. Even though their intention to leave was painfully obvious, no one had come to stop them.
"Could the Commanders have come to their senses? Are they actually letting us go?" Cao Yuan asked skeptically.
"Impossible." Lin Qiye shook his head. "I've been thinking about this since last night. The only way all those past Commanders and General Huo could be convinced to keep us under house arrest here... it can't just be Commander Zuo's doing. Something much bigger is at play—something involving the gods of Great Xia, even the Heavenly Lord."
"Come to think of it, it was strange when the Heavenly Lord suddenly descended on this island. If He was just delivering medicine, He didn't need to make the trip in person, right?"
"If that's the case, then the Commanders really can't let us leave," Jiang Er reasoned. "Otherwise, how would they explain themselves to the Heavenly Court?"
"If I'm not mistaken, they're preparing to intercept us—trying to crush our desire to leave once and for all."
Lin Qiye's gaze fixed on the approaching coastline. His eyes narrowed slightly.
As the Somersault Cloud swept past the island's edge and plunged toward the sea, a low rumble erupted from the waters below!
BOOM—!!
The massive body of seawater was pulled by some unseen force, surging violently skyward. White foam scattered like rain, and within it, a colossal silhouette gradually took shape.
As the tides along the coastline receded疯狂地, the waters flowing upward formed a towering wall that encircled the entire Island. The rushing current roared like thunder, booming in Lin Qiye's ears!
"...What a spectacle?"
Cao Yuan stood atop the Somersault Cloud, his figure ant-like beneath the towering water wall. Sea spray soaked his clothes as he couldn't help but remark.
An invisible Domain swept across the sea's surface. Lin Qiye and the others felt a sharp sting in their minds, and the world before their eyes began to shimmer. Across the vertical surface of the water wall, buildings styled after last-century Huaihai City rose one after another!
Asphalt streets, flat-roofed houses, crowds of people, and the Huangpu River cutting through the city's heart—all manifesting on the endless water wall like reflections in a fever dream, interwoven with reality, bizarre yet strangely majestic and harmonious.
At the center of this vertical city, atop the face of an ancient clock tower, a figure in a Hawaiian shirt and dark sunglasses gazed down calmly at Lin Qiye and the others.
Tang Yusheng, Sky-Piercer Halberd in hand, leapt from the waves and hovered in place. Despite the heavens pouring down, his white robes remained untouched by a single drop of water.
Wang Qing stood lightly on a rooftop, hands stuffed in her hoodie pockets, blowing bubbles with a knowing smirk as she watched the group.
At the very top of this phantom city, a figure gripping a black staff rose slowly to his feet. His posture was straight as a pine, unmoved even by the churning waves.
Four Human Apex auras radiated without restraint, crashing down onto the sea's surface. Lin Qiye and his companions felt as if four mountain ranges had been dropped onto their shoulders, their bodies growing heavier by the second.
This was the warning from the four Commanders.
"Lin Qiye." Li Kengqiang's voice rang out calmly from the clock tower, cutting through the phantom city and the cascading waters to reach Lin Qiye's ears clearly.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?"
From the tip of the Somersault Cloud, Lin Qiye gazed at the four terrifying figures. He drew a steadying breath and spoke, each word deliberate: "We want to leave."
"I thought I made myself perfectly clear." Li Kengqiang's eyes narrowed, his tone chilling. "Leaving here will thrust your entire squad into the abyss. As captain of the Night Watch, how can you be so selfish? Don't you have any regard for your team?"
"This isn't selfishness."
Lin Qiye met Li Kengqiang's gaze and spoke with gravity:
"Staying here, yes, would keep every one of us safe... but that's not why the Night Watch was founded.
Someone once told me that withering away is the destiny of all special task forces.
Blue Rain. Spirit Medium. Mask... and countless other special squads throughout the past century, names long forgotten by the world.
Before every mission, before every life-or-death struggle, did they not know what awaited them in the end?
Of course they knew. Every single one of them knew!
And yet, they rushed to the battlefield one after another, fulfilling their duties... Even if only one person remained, they would carry the glory and mission of the entire squad until their dying breath!
Today, if I abandoned the squad to protect their safety, if I turned a blind eye to the crisis outside and huddled on this island like a quail... what would be the point of becoming stronger later?
The Night Watch would become a disgrace to every special task force!
That is the true selfishness!"
Within the roaring waves, Lin Qiye poured out every ounce of frustration from that sleepless night. His eyes blazed with unprecedented resolve!
"I know that with our current strength, we might not be able to break past a single Commander to leave this island. But if once doesn't work, we'll try twice. If twice doesn't work, we'll try again!"
Lin Qiye's hand gripped the edge of the Crimson Cloak and tore it from his body!
In the midst of the towering waves, Lin Qiye held the cloak aloft, as if grasping a bundle of dancing crimson flames.
He spoke calmly:
"If, after giving everything, we still cannot leave... then let this sea bury our names and our glory."
Cao Yuan, Baili Pangpang, An Qingyu, Jiang Er—all four tore the Crimson Cloaks from their backs, clutching them tightly. Like flames, they danced wildly in the waves!
Staring at the five resolute figures below, Li Kengqiang standing atop the clock tower fell silent.
Behind those pitch-black sunglasses, traces of memory and resignation flickered.
"...Old Li, what's the plan?" Wang Qing whispered. "These kids are serious. Are we... actually going to stop them?"
"Yes." Li Kengqiang considered for a moment. "If we don't stop them, how do we explain ourselves to the Heavenly Lord?"
Li Kengqiang leaped from the clock tower, transforming into a streak of light that shot across the phantom Huaihai City sky, hurtling straight toward Lin Qiye and the others!
Seeing this, the last flicker of Lin Qiye's hope was extinguished.
He无奈地 shook his head, White Slash materializing in his grip. A surge of battle spirit erupted from within him!
"Charge!"