Chapter 137: Backlund in Chaos

Chapter 137: Backlund in Chaos

Although the Sonia Sea was unlike the Fog Sea, where dense mist often lingered, during autumn and winter mornings, the northern regions would still be shrouded from time to time in fog that was not exactly thin.

Alger Wilson’s Blue Avenger was sailing through just such an environment, following the boundary of Sonia Island as it returned toward the Loen coast.

He had remained in the northern Sonia Sea for far too long and had to go back to make his report.

Within the pale mist, the ghost ship moved silently forward, appearing and vanishing by turns, like a dream that left no trace behind.

Wrapped in wind, Alger hovered before the window, admiring the white, boundless world outside while allowing his thoughts to wander freely in every direction.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened. A touch of silvery white flashed within his pupils. In the distant fog, he saw a massive sailing ship pass by in silence.

The ship was not alone. Many others of the same kind followed behind it—one, two, three… Together, they formed a long fleet.

“The Feysac Sonia Sea Fleet… They’ve all been deployed… Where are they headed?” Alger’s feet abruptly touched down on the deck.

His gaze immediately turned in another direction. That was where Sonia Island lay.

Through the various exchanges at the Tarot Club, Alger had already confirmed that the world situation was tense and that war was on the verge of breaking out. At this moment, he naturally made certain associations and arrived at a preliminary guess.

For the Feysac Empire and the Loen Kingdom, Sonia Island was an extremely important location. If Loen occupied it, Feysac’s eastern navy would be blocked in the frozen north. They would be unable to compete for the colonial islands in the Sonia Sea or sail toward East Balam. At the same time, if Feysac wished to threaten Loen’s heartland after launching a war, they would have to cross the Amanda Mountains or pass through the Intersea, breaking through the defenses of several counties. That would be very, very difficult.

But if Sonia Island were occupied by the Feysac Empire, then from that position, every port in northern and central Loen would fall within striking range, including—but not limited to—Enmat Harbor and Pritz Harbor. If the Feysac commander was bold enough and willing to disregard losses, they might even directly target Backlund, Loen’s capital, which lay not far from the port.

It was precisely for this reason that the two countries had fought the Twenty-Year War. The Feysac Empire had won and gained that crucial “southern passage.”

Later, in the War of Oathbreaking, Loen had achieved victory, but had failed to reclaim the territory. Its strategic objective had only been half fulfilled.

Alger watched for a while, his expression turning rather grave. In a low voice, he muttered, “Is war about to break out…”

…

Backlund. A large, neatly arrayed Feysac airship force entered from the North Borough and arrived above the metropolis.

The moment they approached, places such as the Cathedral of the Holy Wind seemed to have made certain preparations in advance. With a sharp howl, the sound of the wind suddenly grew fierce, transforming into enormous dark-green blades that roared toward the targets like anti-air shells.

Just as those massive blades were about to strike the gasbags of the airship formation, an invisible defense emerged, blocking every attack outside.

Under the ferocious blows, that transparent “wall” swayed unstably, but in the end, it held.

At the same time, cannon muzzles, machine-gun ports, and bomb bays opened one after another along the hulls of the airships, aiming downward.

Bang!

As a hurricane formed around the Cathedral of the Holy Wind, a sound like an explosion spread in every direction.

Within that terrifying storm, the airships were like vessels sailing upon the sea, rising and falling among mountain-like waves, about to be flung far away.

At that moment, on the lead airship, a light resembling a fusion of blood and rust flashed. It enveloped all of its companions, linking them together one after another.

All at once, the Feysac airship fleet stabilized within the hurricane. They were no longer like tiny ships tossed about by giant waves.

The higher powers of the Red Priest pathway belonged to war, and war was the art of gathering the many!

This was the authority of a War Bishop!

After blocking that wave of attacks, the Feysac forces took advantage of the brief moment before the next counterattack arrived. They pushed bomb after bomb through their release ports, letting them fall toward the ground below.

Within the hurricane, even the bombs themselves could no longer predict their trajectories.

Boom! Boom!

Corresponding cannon muzzles also flashed with fire, wantonly proclaiming the joy of the God of War.

The airship fleet did not attempt to pass through all of Backlund. After entering the North Borough, it immediately turned toward the West Borough.

That was the political center of the Loen Kingdom.

…

North Borough, Backlund Technical University.

Withered yellow leaves of Intis sycamores drifted in the wind. Students, some carrying books and some holding bags, came and went across campus.

As members of an institution of higher learning, and as the first class of students at this newly established university, these young people were full of vigor and longing for the future. Every day, they gathered to discuss ideals, recite poetry, research technology—simple, happy, and bright.

Melissa Moretti walked among them. She glanced up at the wall clock atop the main teaching building, and her footsteps quickened involuntarily.

Today, she was going to help Principal Momont prepare for the mechanical laboratory that would soon be formally established.

This was something she liked very much, something that interested her deeply. It made her feel that every day was so joyful, that campus life was so beautiful, and that her classmates were so lovable.

Almost unconsciously, Melissa looked again toward the steam locomotive placed at the center of the plaza. Its vast, complicated body displayed the infinite charm of machinery.

Many students liked to gather around it, tapping, taking measurements, and studying its structure. The school neither encouraged nor forbade them.

The corners of Melissa’s lips lifted slightly. She was about to look away.

Suddenly, an iron-gray object fell from the sky and landed in the center of the plaza.

Boom!

The earth shook violently. Every window in the main teaching building shattered. If Melissa had not been rather far away, the blast wave might have overturned her.

Countless screams followed. Like all the other students, Melissa fled in panic, not knowing what had happened.

After all, she was only sixteen or seventeen, and had never truly experienced a scene like this.

As the rolling smoke and dust gradually settled, Melissa, who had hidden behind a tree, instinctively looked back toward the place where the explosion had occurred.

Her expression froze in an instant. Her gaze turned blank.

The steam locomotive had been blown apart. Its parts and fragments were scattered everywhere.

Around it, and along the paths nearby, some students lay on the ground with broken bodies, utterly still. Others were covered in blood, blackened by fire, and still groaning in pain.

The scene was like an oil painting—so unreal that Melissa stared at it in a daze, unable to react for a brief moment.

Carter, a male classmate she knew, had always been full of research spirit. Whenever everyone discussed the future, he would confidently say that he intended to become a ship engineer. Now, only half his body remained, his intestines spilled across the ground.

Eudora, a classmate from her department, studied machinery but loved poetry. She was gifted in it and well liked by the people around her. Sometimes, Melissa had joined their gatherings, quietly listening to Eudora recite, feeling that she was a truly charming girl. Now, one of Eudora’s legs was a bloody mess, and she lay half-conscious, moaning.

…

In just a few short seconds, the futures of these people had been cruelly altered.

Only when several teachers rushed out of the teaching building, began rescuing the wounded, and organized the students to evacuate did Melissa abruptly come to her senses and hurry toward the teachers.

“Listen to me! Divide into two groups. One group go to the laboratory. The other go to Tinis Church. Both have underground areas where you can take shelter.” Although one teacher’s face was also filled with terror, he still forced himself to remain calm. He gave his instructions clearly and loudly, as though he had received special training.

He looked around and saw that the students still did not dare leave the area around the teachers, so he hurriedly added, “Don’t worry too much. The enemy airships have already turned away and gone to the West Borough. There shouldn’t be much danger here anymore.”

Accompanying his words were rumbling explosions, one after another, coming from the southwest.

The West Borough… The upper and lower houses of Parliament, the various ministries, the city hall—they’re all there… Hearing the teacher’s words, Melissa instantly thought of many things.

Her gaze flickered. Suddenly, she tightly pursed her lips, turned around, and ran toward the school gate, ignoring the teacher’s shouts from behind.

Keeping to places with cover, Melissa soon reached the street. She panted heavily, looking left and right to identify her direction.

At that moment, she saw a nearby subway entrance. Though panic filled her heart, she still remembered what the teacher had just said:

“…There are underground areas where you can take shelter!”

Isn’t the subway underground? The bombing has only just started. The subway shouldn’t have stopped yet… As thoughts raced through Melissa’s mind, she rushed toward the entrance that already bore the marks of bombardment.

After entering the underground, she discovered that there were not nearly as many people as she had expected. Most ordinary people, having received no training, simply could not think at once to hide here.

The subway had indeed not stopped yet, but no one was checking tickets either. After waiting a short while, Melissa ran aboard, her lips pressed tightly together, anxiety written all over her face.

Three stops later, the subway stopped at King’s Avenue. Melissa squeezed through the crowd and rushed out of the carriage.

Her strength had already recovered. She ran faster and faster along the stairs and quickly reached the surface.

At that moment, everywhere she looked was chaos. Many buildings had collapsed, blazing crimson flames had risen, and severed limbs, corpses, and blood were scattered all around. Shouts, screams, and commands rose and fell without cease.

Seeing this, Melissa grew even more anxious and tried to rush toward the four-story building where the kingdom’s Ministry of Finance was located.

However, the area had already been sealed off. One could see that many windows were shattered, the walls were riddled with bullet holes, and certain places still bore the marks of explosions.

Melissa circled the cordon, trying to find a way in, but soldiers maintaining order repeatedly blocked her back. She grew more and more anxious, and her eyes reddened faintly.

At that moment, she saw a familiar figure: Benson, black-haired and brown-eyed, without a hat.

The instant Benson saw Melissa, he came straight over. The anxiety on his face eased, replaced by anger. He shouted loudly, “Why did you run here? Why didn’t you hide underground? I’m safe here!

“Quick, come with me!”

You didn’t hide underground either… Melissa, who had never been shouted at like this by her brother, wanted to retort, but her vision had already blurred.

“Hah…” After shouting, Benson exhaled, then softened his tone. “It’s good that you’re all right. Quick, don’t wander around the street.”

Hearing those words, the panic and worry in Melissa’s heart suddenly calmed. Miraculously, they calmed. At that moment, she felt that even death would not be so frightening, as long as the family would not be left with only one person.

Just then, a bomb was blown over by the hurricane in midair, falling toward this area.

All of a sudden, the bomb abruptly changed direction and flew sideways.

Boom!

It exploded in midair, stirring up only a few waves of wind.