Mechanical Alchemist

Su Lun had guessed earlier that the submarine might not be able to handle elite generals.

But it wouldn't be someone too high-ranking, at most a "Commodore."

After all, top-ranking generals like "General Stars" were few in the Mafa Empire, and their mechanical power armors were strategic-level resources that almost never left the country as a "dowry."

Moreover, the noble pageantry had a set of fixed rules that had continued for thousands of years, especially for the royal family. The pageantry was also fixed.

Princes had the pageantry of princes, and princesses had the pageantry of princesses, one must not overstep their bounds.

Simply put, the Thirteenth Princess, Scatty Harris, didn't qualify to have a "Commodore" level high-ranking general as part of her dowry.

Su Lun was sure of this, and that's why he had come up with his current plan.

The original plan was, if it was a "Brigadier General," then he could kill.

If it was a "Commodore," they would probably have to retreat.

Although Qian Tiao had entered the realm of the Sword Saint and her sword skills were exquisite, she was only Fifth Order. If it really came to a fight, the difference in power from a higher order was not so easily erased.

And mechanical power armor was essentially the nemesis of sword fighters.

Just like right now.

...

Qian Tiao had made her entrance, countering the commodore-level officer with an incomparably domineering stance.

But even though her Sword Qi was sharp, able to split the sea surface with a hundred-meter long Sword Qi and even sever the waves, it left practically no mark when it fell on that set of "Commodore level Blade X1 Type Mechanical Power Armor."

The mechanical armor had a layer of dissolution barrier on its surface, able to visibly dissolve any energy attacks.

The Magic Energy Magma Whip in the Mecha's hands was also incredibly sharp, capable of crippling mechanical octopuses with a single lash, let alone the flesh and blood of humans.

And this set of "Commodore level" armor wasn't an ounce awkward like low-tier armors. Its magic energy power system had almost no charge-up delay, its action interval was extremely short, and it was very agile. Even the slight rigidity, inherent to all mechanical devices that cannot be eliminated, was offset by its strong defensive and offensive capabilities.

The mechanical armor's super defensive advantage was here.

It could take a beating for a long time, but you shouldn't let it hit you.

One lash, one blow to the soul.

Qian Tiao could head-on clash with the armor, but she also had to dodge the whip.

A few encounters and exchanges, and she didn't gain any advantage.

Facing such an opponent, Su Lun used all his means. If they ganged up on it, they could have a chance to kill, but it would take a significant amount of time.

Unfortunately, the "Princess" and its eight escort ships were all nearby, and there was simply no time for a protracted battle.

They had to retreat first!

Su Lun watched the fierce battle ahead, his eyes shifted, and he immediately came up with a plan.

He didn't go to help Qian Tiao, but instead, controlled the mechanical octopus and headed for the submarine!

Without that "Commodore level" armor, other mechanical soldiers were almost all easy to control and finish with one cut for Su Lun.

Moreover, Su Lun's black scythe posed a significant threat to the submarine.

No matter how sturdy the steel armor was, before a spatial rift, it was like cutting through butter.

The "Commodore" seemed to realize this as well.

Watching as Su Lun killed two more of his subordinates, he didn't dare to tangle any more and charged straight at Su Lun, trying to restrain him. As soon as Qian Tiao entered, this guy was also clearly aware that relying on just one warship, self-preservation was difficult, let alone keeping people. Not feasible, the already damaged submarine also got the order to dive quickly.

Su Lun squinted at the diving submarine. He was confident that he could sink the ship.

He had Spatial Displacement, so catching up was not difficult.

But as this thought flashed through his mind, it was replaced by another, better plan.

Even if he sunk it now, he had no time to salvage.

When "Princess" arrived, they still had to leave.

And besides, the submarine was a warship, not that "secret mechanical research facility."

Just securing this submarine wouldn't satisfy his appetite.

With his thoughts flashing, Su Lun watched the submarine dive into the sea and didn't pursue it, but pretended to be tied up and together with Qian Tiao, they continued to oppose the "Commodore."

Lower-tier professionals couldn't interfere with a battle of this level, so Su Lun informed Dr. Banks to have the lower-order crew members underwater leave first. In a blink, the battle on the sea surface was left with just "general versus general."

To deal with mechanical soldiers, Su Lun had no intention of depleting the few puppets he had.

He took out his rune black umbrella, pinched the sorcerer's seals with both hands, and a dense throng of red Spiritual Bodies enveloped by a furious will emerged in a surge. There were nearly a hundred thousand vengeful spirits in the rune black umbrella, and these resentments could continuously attack the target.

Su Lun had personally experienced the super-powerful "Necromancy Spell Penetration" of the black flash. He knew full well that even though the mechanical armor had inspiring alloy that could resist most mental attacks, the persistent attacks of the vengeful spirits would increasingly affect the person inside the armor.

And since vengeful spirits were immune to all physical attacks, not even the "Magical Energy Magma Python Knife" could hurt them.

If it really came down to attrition, once the "Commodore" was mentally controlled and reacted even a bit slower, Su Lun could immediately kill with his black scythe!

Su Lun also figured out that the "Commodore" was trying to delay them, waiting for the main force to come and surround them.

But they had no intention of fighting a prolonged battle.

He and Qian Tiao kept up the fight while leading the person into the depths of the storm.

```

The "Commodore" kept his distance all along. After probing, he also understood the limited attack range of Su Lun; the grudge spirits from the black umbrella could cover hundreds of meters around. As long as he didn't approach that range, he wouldn't be affected.

But how could they possibly keep Su Lun, whose teleportation ability on the sea surface was extremely strong, if they didn't dare to engage in close combat?

With a simple trick, he and Qian Tiao vanished amidst the raging wind and waves.

...

Soon after, aboard the "Dawn".

Su Lun and Qian Tiao leaped onto the deck.

As soon as they boarded the ship, they heard Tanni's voice overpowering the sound of the torrential rain, commanding the sailors to control the sailing ship.

"Hard to port, we're going to surge up the waves!"

"Right, secure the sails, we must harness the storm, not let the storm push us around!"

"Everyone hold tight, we're going surfing!"

"..."

On the deck, Lolo Tata, the Giant Three Brothers, the Sumo Wrestler, swordsmen... everyone was working in unison, pulling the ropes vigorously, intent on executing every command with precision.

Their ship was in the center of the storm with waves tens of meters high, washing over the ship and the crew like water spilled from a bucket.

Such a storm surge, for the vast majority of sailors, signified a catastrophic weather event that meant death.

In encountering such weather at sea, there's usually only one conclusion: "Shipwreck"!

Yet, under Tanni's command, the three-masted sailing ship "Dawn" not only didn't sink, but it surfed the waves smoothly, gliding over the increasingly high swells, performing one astonishing, inconceivable voyage after another.

Even Su Lun was astounded.

He used his Octopus Lance to secure himself on the deck, but his center of gravity kept shifting with the tilt of the ship, to the left, to the right, vertically inclined... almost capsizing upside down.

Lifted by the waves, then plunging from heights, there was also that intense feeling of extreme heaviness and weightlessness as when riding a roller coaster.

This was Su Lun's first time experiencing such thrilling navigation.

Each time the ship felt like it would be overturned by the storm, but at the critical moment, it miraculously rode the next giant wave.

It was as if... they were not combating a vicious storm.

But rather, they were beloved children of the ocean, surfing through the storm, revelling with abandon.

The waves washed over the hull, the "whooshing" sound incessant in their ears.

The heavy rain soaked them both.

The blue hair on Qian Tiao's forehead stuck to her face.

The recent fight had left her feeling somewhat unfulfilled, but looking at the young man passionately directing in the pilot house, her eyes could not hide her admiration as she remarked, "Su Lun, the navigator you found is quite remarkable."

"Indeed,"

Su Lun looked on with sparkling eyes and a satisfied expression.

He'd anticipated this, but witnessing it firsthand, the shock in his heart was no less intense than Qian Tiao's.

When making the battle plans earlier, Su Lun had shared some of his ideas.

He'd asked Tanni, could he pilot a ship in such extreme storm conditions?

Tanni had confidently assured him that he could.

Su Lun had put his full faith in him, handing over the helm of the ship to Tanni.

In this moment, seeing the confidence in the eyes of the young Naga hybrid, Su Lun knew his trust was well placed.

Tanni was undoubtedly one of the finest navigators in Pirate City Hastlin, or even across this vast azure ocean.

Qian Tiao, with the excited expression akin to discovering a treasure, laughed, "Haha... from now on, he's our 'Dawn Squad's' Chief Navigator!"

...

The ship continued to rock violently; Tanni had said that the storm might persist for several more hours.

In the shared vision of the black crows, the "Princess" at the edge of the horizon was no longer visible.

In such a strong storm, the slightest misstep could mean shipwreck. Even if they desired the "neuro-mechanical technology," it's unlikely that the precious 'Frost Moon Princess' would recklessly chase after them herself.

And while there might still be submarines pursuing them, Tanni had already directed the vessel to widen the distance considerably.

This one wasn't "cursed by the sea as a hapless fool"; the waves and the storm favored him.

Wherever Tanni went, the storm followed.

The ship, boosted by waves and fierce winds, moved as swiftly as an arrow released from a bow; even submarines wouldn't be able to catch up at this speed.

The situation looked perilous, but the most dangerous moments had already been passed.

...

With Tanni and the crew maneuvering the ship, and Qian Tiao staying on deck, there was no need for Su Lun to worry, so he walked into the captain's quarters.

There, Dr. Banks, 'The Butcher' Banner, and some of the core members of Squad 19 had already been waiting for a while. Although many members had been scattered at sea, this was already the best outcome. Those who were separated had been prepared with life-saving equipment. After the storm, they would just slowly gather them up in this sea region.

Dr. Banks, seeing Su Lun's safe return, also let out a sigh of relief.

```

Su Lun didn't ask anything else and directly asked with anticipation, "Doctor, is the marking done?"

Dr. Banks smiled and said, "No problem. I've marked that submarine with a bio-marker. No matter how far away they are, I can sense the position of their fleet."

Hearing this, a pleased expression appeared on Su Lun's face, and he let out a long sigh of relief, "All our effort wasn't in vain."

Previously, Su Lun actually had the opportunity to sink that submarine, but he chose not to do so.

The plan was to let the prey travel further away to catch a bigger fish.

The success of this tactic was related to one of Dr. Banks's abilities. He could mark objects with "Eternal Cells". As the "parent body", he could sense the exact location of those cells.

Conventional magical markings or other device markings can easily be detected and removed in the military field.

However, this kind of biological marking is very secretive, like microorganisms clinging to the hull, virtually undetectable.

Thus, Su Lun and his team could constantly monitor the position of the escaping submarine.

If the "secret mechanical research institute" was indeed located in a submarine as Su Lun suspected, then such an important base would certainly have protective forces.

Surface ships are too conspicuous targets; submarines are the best choice.

The number of these submarines coming from the Mafa Empire, the "Frost Moon Princess" Scatty, wouldn't be too many.

So... the chances were high they would be together.

As long as the position could be confirmed, once Su Lun's octopus legion was formed, the success rate for the next interception would be very high!

....

Su Lun watched the magic crystal lamp in the captain's cabin shake violently for a long time, and finally, after two hours, the waves subsided.

Sunlight pierced through the dark clouds, shining down on the deck.

The storm had washed the ship, giving it a fresh, shiny appearance.

Su Lun and Dr. Banks walked onto the deck, and when the crew saw them, they greeted them one after another.

At that moment, Tanni also jumped down from the mast and landed on the deck, saying, "Mr. Su Lun!"

Su Lun looked at the person who had contributed the most to the success of this operation and smiled, "Tanni, you've worked hard. Your navigation skills are really great."

Hearing the praise, Tanni bashfully turned his head, but his clear, pale blue eyes lit up with an inspired luster.

This wasn't his first time steering a ship, but it was the only time it had gone so smoothly.

On such a huge sea vessel, everyone trusted him, followed his commands... No one looked at him differently because he was the "sea-cursed misfortune," nor did anyone look down on him for his youthful appearance.

He felt a strong sense of... being trusted!

By his side, Qiantiao also patted Tanni's shoulder and said, "Tanni, you did well. From now on, you're our Dawn Group's navigator!" Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

As soon as Qiantiao spoke, he formally acknowledged the new crew member's status.

Hearing this, the sailors on board cheered, praising and welcoming the new member to their ranks.

"Welcome our new group member, an excellent navigator!"

"Oh, I can't believe we've just sailed out of such a disastrous storm 'without a scratch'! Hahaha..."

"Tanni is the most impressive navigator I've ever seen!"

"Yeah. It's really amazing!"

"..."

The crew members were generous with their praise,

Tanni, looking at those warm, family-like smiling faces, felt warmth in his heart. His eyes welled up with tears as he said excitedly, "Thank you, Mr. Su Lun, thank you, Sister Qiantiao, thank you, everyone..."

He had come to Pirate City when he was very young, and because he was a hybrid of a sea demon and a human, he was always discriminated against and excluded.

He was even called the "sea-cursed misfortune."

Before she could talk, his mother told him to live well, for destiny would be kind to everyone who faced life positively.

So, he had always tried to live on.

Even though his mother had completely turned to stone and hadn't spoken for many years,

he still remembered his mother's words.

He had always lived actively and optimistically, earning money and diligently learning navigation skills...

His dream was that one day, he would have his own companions, steering their own great sea ship, exploring every corner of the ocean.

As Tanni thought about these things, tears suddenly filled his eyes and began to flow uncontrollably.

He had never encountered such amicable people; everyone was full of goodwill, and for the first time, he experienced respect and equality. That feeling was wondrous, like the warm sunshine after a storm, warming his heart.

It was not like the deceitful, depressing, and dark atmosphere of Pirate City.

At that moment, he saw the beauty of the world.

Seeing Tanni burst into tears, Lolota handed him a handkerchief, teasingly smiling, "Here... this is for you. Our teary-eyed navigator."

"Thank you, Miss Lolota."

Tanni accepted it, smiled shyly, and looked quite comical with tears still hanging at the corner of his eyes.

Qian Tiao also couldn't help but chuckle. She smiled and then introduced, "This is Mr. Banner. Many people on the ship should recognize him, from the Old Lington Steam Party. Now, he and his team members are also part of our Dawn Group!"

With that, the ship immediately became lively.

"Wow...welcome, old friends from the Steam Party."

"..."

Most of those who came from the Steam Party and the Cross Society were high-level officials, and many knew each other. Meeting on the ship felt like "old friends in a foreign land," so no one felt like an outsider.

Qian Tiao didn't introduce Dr. Banks; that was the doctor's own preference.

Even now, as a member of the "Dawn Group," he didn't want his presence known and preferred to quietly engage in scientific research.

....

The escape plan was perfect.

Almost every detail unfolded as Su Lun had previously anticipated.

Now, their task was to follow the bio-markers and distress signals left by Dr. Banks and slowly salvage the crew members previously scattered at sea.

The sea was calm, and the ship sailed unhurriedly on the ocean surface.

The sky had cleared and was cloudless.

On the sea, the "Princess" fleet had completely vanished, and the previous tension had entirely dissipated.

Qian Tiao stood on the mast enjoying the sea breeze, Dr. Banks was holed up in the cabin tinkering with his laboratory, Lolota practiced her swordsmanship as diligently as ever, and Banner and his brothers were working hard to integrate into this new team...

The Dawn Group had welcomed some new members, and everyone was very happy.

Su Lun basked in the sun on the deck, enjoying the rare leisure time.

But suddenly, Tanni jumped down from the mast.

With a puzzled look on his face, he said, "Mr. Su Lun, I've noticed something and need to report to you."

Su Lun looked at him and asked, "What is it?"

Tanni frowned and said, "There seems to be something very strange in the water."

Hearing this, Su Lun was puzzled and instinctively asked back, "Strange creatures in the water?"

The others on the ship also looked over.

"Yes."

Tanni hesitated for a moment, as if recalling some unpleasant memory.

Seeing the crowd's kind and curious gazes, he mustered his courage and said, "The fish have noticed something very strange in the sea."

When Su Lun heard this, something crossed his mind, and he asked, "You... you can communicate with fish?"

Tanni nodded and said, "Yes. Since I was young, I've been able to understand what little animals say, but it wasn't something I could always hear. But now, it seems I can hear them all the time."

He had once told others that he seemed to understand the voices of little animals.

But the ability was inconsistent, and when he tried to prove it, he would fail to hear them and was ruthlessly mocked for it.

After that, he never mentioned it again in front of others.

"Oh."

Su Lun realized that this might be a natural ability.

Somewhat like "Innate Ability C-021 - Beast Speaker."

People are more likely to awaken innate abilities during major ups and downs, or when their state of mind undergoes significant changes.

However, Su Lun wasn't sure if this was Tanni's innate ability.

Because he could also passively attract storms.

That was a gift of the naga race, the favorites of the ocean and the storms.

Still, Su Lun was more curious about something else rather than pursuing that question.

He asked, "What is it?"

Tanni organized his thoughts and tried to describe it, "Well... it's actually been there for a while. It seems like 'eel,' 'multi-tailed sea snakes,' 'octopus,' or some other tentacled sea creature. But 'they' shouldn't be in these waters, and now, it seems like they are following us."

Upon hearing this, Su Lun's gaze turned sharp instantly.

Some studies suggest marine life have an exceptionally strong perceptive ability, in certain aspects even stronger than human sensory professionals. When strange things come into a marine area, the fish are the first to know.

Tanni didn't know what they were, but Su Lun did.

From the description, he immediately realized there were other mechanical octopuses under the sea!

Su Lun asked, "How many of these creatures are there?"

Tanni replied, "At least several dozen."

"That many?"

Hearing that, Su Lun was not worried but instead delighted.

He hadn't snagged the 'Frost Moon Princess' dowry submarine – was Duke Raphael planning to compensate him with some mechanical octopuses?