Chapter 434: "Reinforcements, Reinforcements!

He gazed down at the map in his hands, deep in thought for a long time. After tapping a few spots on it, he gave the order, “Have a portion of the Ghost Tide from the Sea Realm of the Western No. 1 Frontline secretly cross over to the Sea Realm of the Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line.”

“At top speed and at any cost, invade the Yellow Springs Mountain Range Area.”

“Then, enter the Yellow Springs Mountain Range Area, push west, and break through the Yellow Springs Entrance Defense Line. From there, advance through the heartland of the Eternal Night Continent to Jiangbei and wipe out the Mortal Realm.”

As soon as he finished speaking,

a male Ghost kneeling in the grand hall froze. He looked up at the Ghost Emperor on the throne and said in shock,

“My King…”

“My King… the last few times we had a portion of the Ghost Tide from the Western No. 1 Frontline secretly cross to the Qiuming Basin Defense Line, the cost was already immense. To cross the Qiuming Basin and then secretly reach the Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line… the price will be even greater.”

“This will make it even harder for us to take the No. 1 Frontline.”

“A single Mortal Realm…”

“Is it really worth such a heavy price?”

“It is.”

The Ghost Emperor remained on his throne, his expression impassive as he replied coldly, “Whether or not we can take the No. 1 Frontline is not particularly important. Even if the Eternal Night Continent manages to hold this line, other fronts will eventually fall.”

“Barring a miracle, the Eternal Night Continent’s defeat is certain.”

“Our task is to strangle any potential miracles in the cradle.”

“If the Eternal Night Continent’s Nodes weren’t so troublesome, and the price for a secret crossing wasn’t so high, I would have sent the main army directly to the Jiangbei Defense Line to wipe out the Mortal Realm with a swift, frontal assault.”

“We wouldn’t have to take such a roundabout route.”

The Ghost Emperor slowly rose and walked behind his throne. He looked at the couplet hanging on the wall, a faint smile playing on his lips as he spoke softly.

“In human culture, they have a saying about warfare: Speed is paramount.”

“Well then…”

“…let the Jiangbei Mortal Realm experience what the Ghost Race’s version of ‘speed is paramount’ truly is.”

“Understood.”

The male Ghost kneeling on the floor said no more. He simply acknowledged the command and withdrew.

…

The eternal night descended.

The sky grew dark once more.

In the vast Sea Realm before the 108-kilometer-long Western No. 1 Frontline, innumerable Ghost Tides surged from the water. They began to charge the defense line, and the sounds of explosions filled the air.

Another night of the siege had begun.

But—

Deep within the Sea Realm.

Massive formations of the Ghost Tide were gathering on the surface of the sea. They were assembled in neat ranks, their borders sharply defined.

One of the Great Ghosts hovering in the air turned its head, gazing north at a stretch of the Sea Realm completely devoid of any Ghost Objects. With a cold expression, it gave the order.

“Direction north! Advance!”

The next moment!

The massive Ghost Tides in the water obeyed, swimming north in an overwhelming swarm that blotted out the sea.

Just then.

“BOOM!”

The moment the lead Ghost Object entered that empty region, a bolt of lightning struck without warning, incinerating it and a cluster of nearby Ghost Objects to ash.

As more and more of the Ghost Tide poured into this area,

a dense barrage of lightning bolts rained down continuously.

The thick smell of scorched flesh hung in the air.

The whole scene was like swinging an electric fly swatter into a dense swarm of mosquitoes; the CRACKLE and POP of the lightning was incessant.

Fearless in the face of death, the Ghost Tide completely ignored the sky full of lightning. They obeyed their orders and continued pushing north. Though countless Ghost Objects died to the thunderbolts, a lucky few eventually broke through the zone. After sprinting for several dozen meters, the thunderbolts overhead ceased.

After about an hour,

the massive Ghost Tide finally made it completely through this “death zone.” However, fewer than one in ten had survived.

“…”

The Great Ghost hovering in the air watched the scene, its heart aching. ‘Such a senseless loss of troops,’ it thought.

It looked toward the other Great Ghost hovering in the air on the opposite side of the death zone.

This contingent of the Ghost Tide had successfully reached the Sea Realm of the Qiuming Basin.

Its mission was complete.

The two Great Ghosts exchanged a look across the distance, nodding in understanding.

…

Like passing a relay baton,

the Great Ghost hovering in the air over the Sea Realm of Qiuming Basin took charge of this Ghost Tide and continued to race north across the sea’s surface. Before long, it once again reached an area devoid of any Ghost Objects.

“Direction north. Advance.”

The Great Ghost gave the order once more.

The Ghost Tide below surged into the death zone once again as thunderbolts boomed down from the sky. Having barely survived the first deathtrap, this contingent of the Ghost Tide now charged resolutely into the second.

After about half an hour,

this Ghost Tide once again passed through the death zone, successfully reaching the Sea Realm of the Yellow Springs Mountain Range.

But…

Once again, fewer than one in ten survived.

A Great Ghost standing in the sky above the Sea Realm of the Yellow Springs Mountain Range had successfully received this Ghost Tide. It exchanged a look with the Great Ghost responsible for escorting them and nodded again in acknowledgment.

…

“Reinforcements! We need reinforcements!”

Along the 27-kilometer-long Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line, a piercing roar filled with deep fear suddenly erupted.

The commander of the Yellow Springs Coastal Defense Line roared into the Mother and Child Stone in his hand, “The number of Ghost Tides has suddenly skyrocketed tonight! Requesting support! Requesting support!”

Under the cover of night, ℓ.

a seemingly endless Ghost Tide made landfall from the seabed, surging toward the defense line with a ferocity even greater than on previous days.

The turrets on the defense line fired relentlessly, as if their lives depended on it.

But it still wasn’t enough to hold them back.

More and more Ghost Objects climbed over the corpses of their fallen comrades and swarmed onto the defense line.

“We need reinforcements!”

Just then—

The command room located on the City Wall of the defense line was suddenly smashed open by a Ghost Object.