Chapter 483 - 310: Thousand Threads of Sword Aura Forge a Divine Technique, the Mystery of Shattered Star Devours Heihu

"These two treasures are the supreme artifacts for a Tier Three Peak to break through and become a Tier Four Grandmaster!"

The news swept like a storm through all Fortress Cities, Third Level and above, across the Gaia Alliance.

In an instant, the eyes of countless factions turned to the East Sea.

Broken Star Reef, once considered a forbidden death trap, instantly became a coveted prize.

Fleets from the major Fortress Cities, airships from Mercenary Corps, and the private armies of the great financial clans swarmed in like sharks that had smelled blood.

As these latecomers cautiously entered the waters that had once devoured countless lives, they found that the eerie singing had long since vanished.

The underwater cave was no terrifying lair, but a stable and safe Treasure Land brimming with resources.

The people of Kunlun Holy City were the most magnanimous. They publicly released some information about the ruins and invited the various factions to develop it together.

The only condition was the payment of a hefty "facility maintenance fee."

Even so, the factions eagerly rushed in.

However, when news of this bustling scene reached Jiangbei Fortress City, it felt like a resounding slap in the face to certain individuals.

「Jiangbei City. Supreme Military Tribunal Interrogation Room.」

The glaring incandescent light beat down on Zhao Heihu’s face, making the hideous scar there look ghastly pale.

His military uniform had been stripped from him, leaving him in a single, thin shirt.

The once-imperious Half-step Grandmaster now resembled a defeated rooster, his head hanging low.

On the tribunal bench, an old man with a general’s stars on his shoulders, his face livid, clutched a report and slammed it violently onto the table.

SLAM!

The thunderous noise made Zhao Heihu shudder.

"Zhao Heihu! You’re a disgrace to Jiangbei City!"

The old man jabbed a finger toward his face, spittle flying as he roared:

"Look at Broken Star Reef now!

It’s a cornucopia! A gold mine!

We were the ones who discovered that cave! Our men were the first to go down!"

"And what happened? A few strange songs, a few dead soldiers, and you lost your nerve?

You actually ordered a full fleet retreat?!"

Zhao Heihu opened his mouth, his voice dry. "General, the situation back then was truly bizarre. Chen Meng and his men..."

"Shut up!"

The old man had no intention of hearing any excuses.

"Bizarre? The people from Kunlun are in there cultivating right now, and they’re perfectly fine!

The other cities are all raking in benefits there!

And our Jiangbei City has become the laughingstock of the entire Alliance!"

"And that’s not all! Because you recklessly opened fire at Dragon’s Fang Port, East Sea City used it as an excuse to cut our three supply lines in the Black Wind Mountain Range!

They even dispatched an airship squadron to bomb our outpost!"

"The losses were disastrous! And we didn’t get a single thing out of it!"

The old man’s chest heaved with rage. "If it weren’t for all your battlefield accomplishments over the years, I’d have you shot right now!"

Zhao Heihu kept his head down, his hands gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles turned white.

He dared not argue, nor could he.

The facts were undeniable. The cave was now perfectly safe, and everyone else was fine.

If anything, this only served to logically confirm the accusations of "desertion in the face of the enemy" and "cowardice."

"Strip Zhao Heihu of all military ranks and titles. Demote him to private."

The old man declared coldly, "Starting today, you’re on pig-feeding duty in the logistics division!"

Zhao Heihu snapped his head up, his single eye bloodshot. He didn’t beg for mercy. Instead, in a heavily suppressed voice, he said, "General, I accept my punishment. But I have one request."

"Speak."

"I want to go back to Broken Star Reef."

Zhao Heihu’s voice trembled. "Chen Meng... and the twenty-odd other brothers... their bodies are still down there.

And the dozens of suits of Titan Battle Armor... That’s Jiangbei City’s top-of-the-line equipment. It can’t fall into someone else’s hands."

The old man fell silent for a moment. He looked at Zhao Heihu’s defeated but stubborn expression, then finally waved a dismissive hand.

"As it happens, experts from the technical department are heading there to see if they can get a piece of the pie, and to recover the wreckage.

You can go with them. You’ll be on body retrieval."

"Yes."

...

「Three hours later.」

An unmarked, gray transport craft, lost among the countless vessels heading for Broken Star Reef, quietly reached its destination.

Zhao Heihu, dressed in combat fatigues stripped of any rank, followed a group of experts in white lab coats who were carrying all sorts of instruments.

He looked at the bustling scene around him, at the Martial Artists from other factions zipping back and forth across the water’s surface, and his heart felt like it was being twisted in knots.

’This should have all been Jiangbei City’s glory.’

"Former Commander Zhao, lead the way."

The lead expert, a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses, spoke with unconcealed contempt in his voice.

"Let’s hope you’ve got more backbone this time. Don’t go pissing your pants again just because you hear a little singing."

Zhao Heihu gritted his teeth. Without a word, he just lowered his head and jumped into the waiting submersible.

As they descended deeper, the light began to fade.

「Three hundred meters below the sea.」

When the submersible’s searchlight illuminated the massive cave entrance, Zhao Heihu’s heart began to race.

That bone-deep terror washed over him again, but he forced it down.

’I have to find Chen Meng and the others... even if only pieces are left,’ he vowed silently.

The group entered the cave without incident.

The area had been taken over by people from Kunlun Holy City, but a section was open to other factions.

The cave was brightly lit, with countless floodlights making it as bright as day.

The moment Zhao Heihu stepped inside, he froze.

’Something’s wrong.’

’Completely wrong.’

This was nothing like what he remembered.

The vast subterranean hall, large enough to house gods, was still there. So was the pool of churning, bloody water.