Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  “I’m thinking.” Rommel stirred the cup of cold coffee but his gaze remained unchanged. From the very beginning, he had been staring at those photos on the wall, regardless if they were clear or blurry. He stared at that white-haired young man and his black eyes.

  “You are ‘thinking’ just like Ye Qingxuan.” Schwartz shook his head. “Is that necessary? You are only studying an opponent, why must you force yourself to the extent of becoming homosexual?”

  “When facing an opponent like Ye Qingxuan, you have to consider every single small detail.” Rommel spoke calmly. “Can you imagine? He was able to advance from an apprentice to a scepter within a year and control catastrophes. He was on exile but eventually became the shadow emperor of a country. He was atheist but eventually became the archbishop of the church and Chief Inquisitor of the Court of Inquiry. He is a miracle, Schwartz, a miracle that deserves to be feared.”

  He stared at the photos and looked at Ye Qingxuan. “Look at this fellow’s face. He’s always smiling at all times. It’s as if the pain and suffering of this world mean nothing to him. Despite his human-like appearance and his gentle and sophisticated behavior, you can just sense that he is a monster. He is not human. When you look at his eyes, you will feel that all of your efforts will be for naught. Compared to the miracle that he is, you are not worth mentioning at all. This doesn’t make sense at all…”

  Crack. The metal spoon broke in the cup of coffee.

  Rommel finally looked away and turned his head silently to look at Schwartz. “I have been thinking, why would something like this exist in this world?”

  “How would I now?” Schwartz shrugged his shoulders. “It’s your job to think. Are you expecting a bodyguard to give you some ideas?”

  Rommel laughed self-deprecatingly. He took another look at the photos on the wall before looking down.

  “I think God would never allow something like this to exist in this world.” He picked up the cup of cold coffee and gulped it down, including chewing on the broken pieces of the metal spoon. He muttered softly, “Schwartz, I’m going to kill him.”

  …

  When the siren sounded, Rommel finally left his room and appeared on the bridge of the Stronghold on Sea. Compared to other warships, the bridge of the Stronghold was like the city hall of a particular city. There were several levels in total and the lowest level was often used by messengers. They would be rushing to every location on the Stronghold with the warrants and approvals from the general staff on the second level. The third level was the real center of command.

  The elderly commander looked at Rommel and waved to him and explained the situation, “Mr. Rommel, we have entered the northern sea region. I’m afraid we will be making contact with Anglo’s Royal Fleet very soon. The reason we have asked you here is that we hope that you will be heavily involved and can help us react in the shortest possible time. I’m afraid we will have to trouble you from now on.”

  “This is part of my duty.” Rommel nodded and looked up at the map that was being projected in mid-air. He pondered for a while before frowning. “Did Anglo create this fog? No, it’s not that simple. What’s in this fog?”

  “Cups of Virtues.” The commander replied coolly, “They have gone against the international agreement and poisoned the entire northern seas. We have already initiated the filter enchantment. For the next few days, all of our naval crews will have to breathe through their protective suits.”

  Instead of feeling angry like the others, Rommel was confused. “Is that all?”

  “Hmm?”

  “No, nothing.” Rommel shook his head but he could not help but feel that something was amiss.

  Reports kept coming in. After pushing forward, this iron city on sea began to let out a roar as it split the ocean, like a giant taking huge but slow steps forward. The thick fog had also seemed to be cleared by the hurricane.

  The poisonous fog began to tremble from the reverberation of the roar. Amidst the loud sounds caused by the friction between metals, tens of water gates at various locations of the Stronghold opened. The gigantic warships sailed out in all directions in a formation. The wheels had been warmed up and the main cannon had been adjusted. Everyone in the motor team was in position…

  Every human seemed to represent red blood cells. They were sprinting everywhere in the Stronghold so that its ‘heart’ would start pumping and the entire Stronghold would be awakened. It was coming alive!

  Rommel’s head remained lowered. He was silent and did not seem to hear the sounds on the outside. He was deep in thought as he stared at the map on the wall. Thinking. Thinking. Just like how Ye Qingxuan would be thinking.

  All of a sudden, it was as if a flash of lightning had struck him. He looked up very suddenly.

  “Turn on every single probe!” He pointed at the commander and shouted at the top of his lungs. His hoarse voice had broken the silence on the bridge, and everyone looked back at him in shock. “Turn on all the probes and instruments of harmonious melody. Arrange for the revelation musicians to perform a large-scale symphony with Lord Klein!”

  At the highest level of the bridge stood an old man at the front row. He turned back to look at the commander before looking back at Rommel.

  “Although the revelation musicians of each division are already in position, Lord Rommel, is it too early to activate everyone now? I may be a scepter, but I don’t think I can last for too long.”

  “Trust me, Mr. Klein.” Rommel chewed on his fingernails and stared at the map. “He is here! He will definitely be here!”

  Klein looked at the captain. Once the commander gave his nod of approval, Klein sat down at his position and closed his eyes.

  The gigantic metal Stronghold suddenly let out a roar. Countless buildings rose and fall like the keys on a piano. Amidst the majestic melody of the pipe organ, the scepter appeared out of nowhere and hung on the ceiling of the Stronghold. The element had been revealed!

  A pair of eyes opened within the figure of the scepter and looked straight ahead. A beam of light shot through the fog and seemed to turn every object transparent. It signified the left eye of Odin, the God of catastrophe, and was capable of revealing the truth of every object in the world.

  With that beam of light, the surface of the sea behind the fog could be seen clearly, including the waves beneath the surface, the seabed that was a thousand meters deep and even the skeletons of fishes that had died in the corals. The light swept across in all directions and, instantly, the single eye had scanned one entire round of the Stronghold. There was nothing.

  Everyone was relieved but began to give strange glances in Rommel’s direction. Only Rommel did not seem to realize this. He continued to stare at the map and was subconsciously biting on his fingernails. His teeth had bitten off the dead skin on his index finger and fresh blood was flowing out of the broken skin. Very soon, the light reached hundreds of miles across the sea and locked on to the direction of the Royal Fleet.

  “At least it was not entirely wasted.” Klein tried to speak up for Rommel and laughed. “It’s always good to stay alert.”

  Rommel kept quiet. He was disappointed. By scanning such a wide area, even Klein was not able to last for long. The moment the location of the Royal Fleet had been confirmed, the left eye of God retrieved its vision. Just before the movement dissipated, it scanned the Stronghold for one last round.

  On the right side of the Stronghold, what was originally only fog began to tremble and reveal silhouette that left everyone dumbstruck. In an instant, Klein’s scepter shone downwards. The disguise that was made of water vapor was dissected open by the invisible blade, revealing the floating warship behind.

  No one knew when it had managed to escape the probe of the Stronghold and get so close! It was almost within an arm’s length!

  “What the hell is this!” The commander stood up from his chair. His face had turned green.

  As the ear-shattering siren sounded, that pitch-black warship seemed to sense that
it had been detected. It gradually adjusted its direction so that it was aiming straight at the core of the Stronghold. A blinding light was already shining from the main cannon.

  It was the Mountain of Nomadism.

  711 The Perfection in Theory

  The Mountain of Nomadism!

  Rommel’s eyes widened as he recognized Ye Qingxuan’s legendary ship!

  Among the Silence Governance, Rommel had a famous nickname besides “Sharp Knife” and “Executioner.”

  Soul Eater.

  No matter what kind of Dark Musician one was, once they were on his list of people to capture it was like you were being haunted by a ghost. Even if they could shake him off a couple of times, in the end, they wouldn’t be able to escape him.

  It was as if, during the pursuit, their soul was eaten away little by little.

  This was the ability granted after the sound of heart awakening. After becoming a Master it was elevated to its limit. As long as he had data and rumors about his enemy he could understand and control them. The more time he had to prepare, the smaller the enemy’s chances of winning, until in the end he would thoroughly understand them, and they would become nothing more than another meal.

  In a few short days, he had already thoroughly familiarized himself with all the data the Silence Governance had accumulated about Ye Qingxuan. Sometimes he would even have a flash of insight that would let him guess Ye Qingxuan’s thoughts.

  It was through this power of “substitution” that he could clearly understand how strange and terrifying Ye Qingxuan was. Sometimes he even had the impression that it was not that he understood Ye Qingxuan, but that Ye Qingxuan’s will was controlling him! It was because of this unprecedented pressure and threat that he felt an uncontrollable desire to kill Ye Qingxuan.

  And after several days of pondering in seclusion, he already knew Ye Qingxuan’s character like the back of his hand. This guy would not move except to make a lightning strike!

  Like now, for example…

  “All ships defend!” shouted Rommel. He placed the silver rod in his hands on the floor and bent his emaciated body as he leaned on it. Suddenly he straightened up, and a beam of light shot out of his thin body. It was like God was working through a mortal body. A light like the blazing sun shone out in all directions. Bright and majestic, it descended from heaven!

  Ever since the Mountain of Nomadism had come from above the sea fortress, everyone felt their mind swaying, as if their consciousness had been assimilated by that divine light, and they wanted to bow their heads involuntarily.

  Within the void, it seemed as if the Holy Spirit was singing.

  “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.

  “He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver, he will purify mortals and refine them like gold and silver.”

  As the Scepter of Messiah slowly rose, a pair of blazing white wings slowly opened from Rommel’s back. The wings of light expanded wildly, making it seem like the entire sea fortress would be covered.

  “Messiah”—the inheritance of Hendel.

  The will of God in motion, descending upon humanity! He had all of the music theory under his command, just like God shepherding human souls. When he came, the whole world was redeemed, and wherever he went became firm and unbreakable.

  On the Mountain of Nomadism, Ye Qingxuan was suddenly put in a bad mood when he saw those wings slowly closing.

  “Oh great! It would have only taken two more minutes to complete it!” He slapped the armrests of his seat on the bridge. “Nevermind, don’t wait for the overdrive. Fire! Fire! Now stop firing, the daylilies are shining!”

  Egor heard Ye Qingxuan’s voice and suddenly felt helpless. He looked at the priest in the corner and waved at him. “Open fire!”

  The purifying musician frantically made the sign of the cross. “God wills it!”

  Boom! It was not an ear-piercing roar, but a muffled sound that made people uncomfortable all over. The low sound resounded throughout the whole North Sea in an instant, and it was followed by a frightful field of static electricity.

  The glaring electric light overflowed from the main gun and spread out in all directions, dancing across wave crests and through wind gaps like a blanket of electric light descending from the sky and covering the whole world.

  At that moment, the aether engine that had just climbed to the fifth drive was running with loud bangs, and the Third Petitioner main gun’s bore suddenly burned red hot. In the core of the ship’s hull, the heart that was being poured into the dragon’s bestial nature was beating wildly, and the gold dragon’s roars rang out from within.

  In a flash, the endless Firebird gathered above the Mountain of Nomadism along with the crazily beating heart engine. It poured into the main gun, turning into a grand light.

  Although it had not reached its limits, the dangerous atmosphere that it emitted instantly made everyone tremble.

  If this thing had stored up all its power to fire at the sea fortress, the catastrophic consequences would be simply unimaginable.

  In an instant, the sea fortress’s defensive enchantments were torn through like thin paper, creating a huge gap in them. Next, the light cut through the sea fortress like a hot knife through butter, rushing through to the core…

  “It’s…dragon’s breath!” Revelation Scepter Klein instantly recognized the light’s essence and was shocked by the terrifying power held within the dragon’s breath.

  “And Dies Irae!” he cried.

  After incorporating purifying music theory, Ye Qingxuan had also added disciplinary music theory into Dies Irae. All non-Church music theory had no hope in the face of this.

  A few hundred meters away, the horrible temperature in the light was burning the top of the sea fortress.

  “Stop dreaming!” Rommel yelled. The Scepter of Messiah suddenly fell, and the wings of light closed, blocking the front of the dragon breath gun.

  Among the Holy Spirit’s praises, a sound like the crashing of a blazing sun rang out, and a fiery light stung everyone’s eyes. An invisible whip descended from the sky. The bestial nature contained in the dragon’s breath was destroyed in an instant, utterly beaten.

  In the face of the Scepter of Messiah, which controlled all spirituality in the movements, even the Chapter of the Golden Victory would have trouble exerting its power. The bestial nature that had just been accumulated scattered. After losing the music theory’s spirituality, the movement was nothing more than a zombie.

  It was Dies Irae that was putting such great pressure on Rommel!

  If he was not the Saint’s heir, he would have been pronounced a heretic on the spot.

  The collision ended in an instant.

  After the light on the main gun dissipated, the pair of wings that shrouded the sea fortress was unbroken. The miraculous scene made all the Asgardians cheer in unison, raising their morale instantaneously. But when no one noticed, Rommel’s expression fell, and the hand that gripped the Scepter of Messiah was twitching like he was holding a red hot iron.

  What had just happened was like he had rushed barehanded to take on the attack that had been prepared for a long time by the Mountain of Nomadism that Ye Qingxuan had turned into a weapon. Although all was not hopeless yet, his Scepter had been shaken by the massive attack. And the Mountain of Nomadism did not even stick around to see the results of its attack; it just turned around incredibly quickly and prepared to leave.

  “You want to leave?” Rommel grinned like a wolf. “It’s not that easy!” Before he had finished speaking, Klein’s Eye of God rose above the sea fortress and slowly covered the steel warship that was about to slip into the sea and disappear without a trace. Then another Scepter rose from the sea fortress.

  Eternal Glory.

  It was like a four-bladed flaming sword hanging in the sky. Everyone felt the fear of impending destruction.

  The other Scepter on the s
ea fortress had finally gotten involved. Once its elements were revealed, it triggered the Scepter of Messiah’s response.

  This was the element based on the collected scriptures, the essence of which was the sword of the eudaemon’s dwelling. Once it began, not only would it launch a fierce offensive, but would put up a defense with no gaps.

  Having just nearly overturned a boat in Ye Qingxuan’s hands, the Scepter was now filled with anger and was ready to give him a good seeing to.

  At the moment there were three Scepters on the sea fortress: one for insight, one for simultaneous offense and defense, and Rommel, the Saint. Combined with hundreds of aether engines and a huge instrument of harmonious melody to assist, it was simply impregnable.

  Rommel sneered to himself. Ye Qingxuan liked to take risks. With his mastery of timing, he liked to try these sorts of all-out gambles. If he won he would reap great rewards; if he lost, he’d be trapped.

  Now after his unsuccessful attack, Ye Qingxuan had exposed his position, and could not get away. Did he think that the sea fortress was just a restaurant that you could come to or go from as he pleased?

  In a flash, the four-edged flame sword extracted its majestic power from the sea fortress and soared, spreading out to hundreds of times its original size in a flash, like it was running through the sea and the sky.

  The crimson line burned everyone’s eyes, and they did not dare to look straight at it.

  The flame sword spun wildly, sending out a massive hurricane. The wind fed the flames, and the fire increased the power of the wind. It changed from a narrow line into a tall pillar of flame that fell towards the Mountain of Nomadism.

  In that moment, the hymn of the flame echoed between heaven and earth.

  It was like the world was burning.

  This was a real battlefield movement. It drew upon the aether reserves of the sea fortress and hundreds of instruments of harmonious melody shared its pressure. The flame sword’s majesty expanded without limit, making the hot and humid sea breeze boil. The ocean surged and roared, foehn winds shrieked by one after another.