Mystery Paradise: Wishing Power Demon-Chapter 260 - 259 Rebellion
Chapter 260: Chapter 259: Rebellion
Chapter 260 -259: Rebellion
The alarm was raised by the lookout tower situated on the southwest side.
By the time Xue Quan and Ryan arrived at the scene, the crowds around the port had already been evacuated, and nearly two hundred security forces who had rushed to the news had gathered—they were a guard force jointly formed by the Paradise Foundation and the Temple after the city’s defense army was wiped out, basically equipped with pistols and automatic rifles. Although their training time was short and their numbers were not many, their superior weaponry was more than sufficient for maintaining public order.
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“Commander Xue!” When team leader Lei Duo saw Xue Quan, he immediately saluted him.
The latter saluted back and then cast his gaze toward the sea. He didn’t need to ask to understand what was happening—several steam warships were approaching the port, trailing billowing black smoke, their twin turrets on the bow clearly distinguishable.
“The port’s guns are ready. As soon as they enter range, we can open fire.”
“Hold on,” Xue Quan squinted his eyes. He had a feeling these large ships looked familiar, not like the high-speed boats commonly used by pirates.
At this moment, Ryan suddenly exclaimed, “Eh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Aren’t these ships the ones that escorted us to the New Continent? Why have they come back?”
“Are you sure?” Xue Quan asked, surprised.
“Positive, the lead ship is the Bilow. I stayed on it for half a month. But…” Ryan hesitated, “it looks all battered up? As if it’s been beaten up…”
Xue Quan immediately ordered Lei Duo, “Tell your men not to make a move, unless the other side fires first.”
“Yes!”
Under the watchful eyes of the security forces, the three warships slowly entered the harbor pier. At this distance, everyone could see clearly what had happened on the ships—their sides and bridges showed clear gashes, their railings were knocked askew, and one of Bilow’s chimneys was even torn in half, belching thick smoke from the break and blackening the observation tower behind it.
There was no doubt that these warships had been under cannon fire.
The locals had no love for the military of the Old Continent and thus took pleasure in its misfortunes. Only Ryan’s expression was grave as he stared at the three ships, speechless.
Soon, people on the ships lowered the gangways, and a team clambered down the ladders onto the dock, shouting as they hadn’t even reached the wharf, “We are the Kingdom’s navy, we bear no hostility towards you all! Our Commander wishes to meet with the person responsible for the Paradise Sect!”
“Isn’t that Detective Farrelan?” Ryan recognized Farrelan immediately, as well as Sir Durin and Major General Phineal beside the detective. He quickly stepped forward to intercept the group, “The devil, how did you end up back here? Did His Highness the Prince receive your report?”
Farrelan’s face showed a bitter expression, and before he could answer, Sir Durin was already wailing.
“Mutiny! Duke Longjiu has led a revolt with the majority of the Kingdom’s lords! Their armies have stormed into the Royal City, and the navy has defected to their side!”
Ryan’s eyes widened in shock, and he looked incredulously at Farrelan, who nodded slightly at him.
“The rebellion occurred shortly after we left the continent. By the time we reached Bloodhand Port to the east, we had no idea that it was already in rebel hands…”
“This is not the place to discuss urgent matters!” Phineal stepped out to interrupt. He was clearly injured, his head wrapped in several bandages, “Colonel Ryan, take me to see the actual controller of the city, I wish to speak on behalf of the royal family with him!”
“Mr. Zhao… This gentleman is the fleet Commander, Major General Phineal.” Despite his disdain for the man, Ryan did not have the heart to trouble him over matters concerning the Kingdom, “Major General… Mr. Zhao is currently the executive officer of the Paradise Sect, and the Divine Envoy… is still in seclusion, meditating.”
“Closed meditation… Contemplation?”
“Yes, Mr. Zhao is currently communicating with the Paradise Master and will not be seeing any guests for the time being. Whatever you wish to say, you can speak with me.” Xue Quan didn’t bother with false modesty, “However, this is indeed not a good place for a discussion. You’d better come back with me to Yeni Temple.”
“Can’t you have the Divine Envoy interrupt his contemplation? This is a major crisis that concerns the survival of the Kingdom! Why can you all remain so calm!?” Durin complained loudly, “The cities of the New Continent are also territories of the Kingdom. Although your sect isn’t registered in the Royal City, as a sect of the true gods, you should still serve the royal family!”
Xue Quan glanced at the fleet Commander and, noticing his silence and changing expression, realized he inwardly agreed with the knight’s words. Not stopping him was a kind of tacit agreement and also a way to observe his own reaction.
He smiled, “Unfortunately, including myself, no one knows Mr. Zhao’s location for contemplation. You can speak with him if you wish, once he returns I will notify you all immediately.” After he finished speaking, he gestured towards the head of security, Lei Duo, “Stand down the alarm, leave two teams at the port, and the rest can be dismissed.”
After issuing his orders, he didn’t look at Phineal and others again, mounted his motorcycle, and prepared to leave.
“Wait… wait a moment!” Phineal couldn’t help but call out to him, “Mr. Xue, we can talk first! Also… my sailors need food and medicine, many of them are injured, and some have also contracted the Scarlet Curse… ”
“What he means is… the navy needs a camp for rest and recuperation,” Ryan explained quietly.
“I know,” Xue Quan nodded. The limited space and poor air on a warship made it easy for diseases to spread, so when ships docked and all but the essential personnel disembarked. Yet, without a place for them to resettle, the large number of moving soldiers was a security risk in itself. “The original city guard station has now been converted into a police station and detention center, your men can camp on the outskirts to the east of the city– there’s a campsite available there. As for the soldiers infected with diseases, I will notify the Temple nuns to treat them. Of course, whether it’s for food, medicine, or medical expenses, you’ll have to cover the cost yourself.”
“No problem,” Phineal breathed a sigh of relief.
What senior officers feared most was to end up as ‘bare-stick commanders,’ with no soldiers left, these three warships would become nothing but scrap metal.
“Katrina must also be very eager to learn the news of the Old Continent, shall I notify her?” Ryan volunteered.
“No!” Both Phineal and Durin stopped him in unison.
Though Farrelan sighed, he did not express any opposition.
“Cough cough… Please trust me, I hope you can keep this information confidential, especially from reaching the ears of the Mechanical Sect devotees,” Phineal said earnestly.
…
In the guest room of the Temple, Xue Quan, as a representative of the Paradise Sect, finished listening to the investigative team’s encounter.
“So, once you got this information, you immediately planned to seek aid in the New Continent?” he asked thoughtfully, lifting his teacup.
“Of course not, I originally intended to head to the navy headquarters to regroup. But unexpectedly, just as the ship left port, we were attacked by another fleet– judging by the style of their ships, they should also be part of the Kingdom’s navy. However, they had hoisted pirate flags on their masts,” Phineal said indignantly, “This is outright betrayal; they all should be hanged on the gallows!”
“I remember you had a total of five ships before, didn’t you?”
“That’s correct, the other two were sunk. They pulled away to extend the battle line, outnumbered, buying us time to escape… The lads on those ships did themselves proud.”
No wonder the remaining three ships were all riddled with scars.
“In just over a month of your travel, most of the Kingdom’s cities have fallen. Rather than saying the rebels advanced quickly, it’s more like the local powers surrendered quickly. And who is this Duke Longjiu?” Xue Quan sipped his tea leisurely, continuing to inquire, “Can you tell me about him?”
