Extraordinary in Reality Through Magic Games

506: Chapter 486 Unifying the Continent: The So-Called Divine Kingdom Was Actually a HostageThe Ice and Snow Empire had surrounded the major empires of the Eastern District for three months, and they appeared to be in a state of extreme panic.

Some empires dispatched ambassadors to threaten Ice and Snow, claiming that if they did not withdraw, the Eastern District empires would unite to besiege them. They advised Ice and Snow to wake up early, or else they would surely perish under their iron hooves.

Domit was very confused. Where did these Eastern District empires, who hadn’t dared to move a muscle after being besieged for three months, get the courage to say such things? He simply laughed it off.

Other empires came to curry favor, expressing their willingness to submit and pay annual tribute, only asking that Ice and Snow abandon the invasion of their territories. They were clearly still hoping that Ice and Snow would be content with the status quo, not realizing that certain things were already set in stone.

Domit received the delegations of envoys from various countries, and after clarifying their attitudes, he drove them all away.

He did not launch a general offensive immediately afterward; Ice and Snow still needed some time to wait for the newly formed legions to arrive at the front lines.

Half a year later, the expanded Magic Guidance Legions, Aircraft Carrier Flotillas, and air force formations had all arrived. Domit immediately gave the order to initiate the war of national extinction.

Previously, seeing the Ice and Snow army stationed in place without attacking, the various empires thought their efforts had been effective and breathed a sigh of relief. Then, their border legions were beaten so badly by the sudden assault of the Ice and Snow army that they could no longer care for themselves.

Seeing Ice and Snow’s do-or-die posture, the various empires finally came to their senses. Ice and Snow would never be content to stop its expansion; this war was inevitable.

The empires cast aside their grievances and gave each other full trust. They opened their respective borders, no longer stationing troops on alert, and opened dedicated routes so that other nations’ legions could pass through their territories without hindrance.

Some empires began internal reforms, strengthening military training to improve the combat effectiveness of their legions. In an extremely rare move, they also began improving the living conditions of the common people to enhance national cohesion. They knew that at this time, only by rallying every possible force could they hope to survive.

The humans of the Saul Continent united in a rare display of solidarity, presenting a scene of prosperity, but unfortunately, it was ultimately too late.

If the Eastern District empires had allied and supported each other without reservation back when Ice and Snow first surrounded them, they might have had a chance to temporarily repel the great enemy.

At that time, while Ice and Snow was strong, its preparations were still insufficient. Its total troop strength was far less than that of the Eastern District empires, the number of its Special Operations Squads was crushed by the enemy’s Gods Blessing, and because it had only recently occupied the central region, factories had not yet been built. All military supplies had to be transported from the rear, making the supply lines far too long.

After half a year, most of the aforementioned disadvantages had been erased, with only the factory issue remaining.

Building the factory structures was easy, as Ice and Snow possessed ample labor and funds. The key was that military factory production did not rely solely on workshops; the Core was the workers.

It took time to gather enough workers who met the conditions of mastering equipment operation techniques, being familiar with production processes, and being able to drive small transport machinery.

In the central region, Ice and Snow had built a large number of military factories, but there was currently a severe lack of skilled workers.

Avril was already handling this difficult problem. Relevant schools were established in various cities in the central region, and under the attraction of generous benefits, the number of applicants was endless.

Based on estimated data, by the time the supplies Ice and Snow transported to the front were exhausted, the schools would graduate their first batch of students. At that time, the military factories would operate at full speed, and Domit would no longer have to wait painstakingly for logistics convoys rushing from the far rear.

The vanguard assembled by Ice and Snow broke through the imperial borders, and total war broke out.

The empires whose territories bordered Ice and Snow were attacked by large armies simultaneously. They mobilized their forces to meet the challenge while requesting support from their allies.

The empires located in the rear of the Eastern District did not face Ice and Snow directly for the time being and seemed not to be in a hurry to move their troops. However, they already understood that if the front-line empires fell, their own end would be no different, so they did their best to provide aid.

However, the Ice and Snow Empire did not give its opponents much time to react.

With the support of the Magic Guidance Legions, Aircraft Carrier Flotillas, and air force formations, the Ice and Snow Empire’s land legions launched a fierce offensive against every city within sight.

With the protection of the Special Operations Squads, the Legion Commanders no longer had to fear High-tier Professionals hiding in the rear; they all went to the front lines to command their legions in person.

Relying on the beyond-visual-range bombardment of the Aircraft Carrier Flotillas and air force formations, the Eastern District empires often suffered heavy losses before even seeing the enemy. When they planned to retreat and reorganize their forces to fight again, the following land legions gave them no such opportunity.

The Eastern District empires had held some hope for the outcome of this war, however slight. But being pushed back all the way after the war started, unable to secure even a single minor victory, truly drove them to despair.

In the eyes of Ice and Snow—or rather, Zhang Mu—the current situation was as expected.

The kings of the Saul Continent had been comfortable for too long.

Faced with a strange civilization system completely different from their own, they possessed not the slightest competitiveness. They could only sit on their thrones in the grand halls, watching one report of major defeat after another being hurriedly delivered by Guards.

The fall of the Eastern District empires occurred half a year later.

The capital of the last surviving empire was surrounded by the Ice and Snow army. The King, knowing the defeat was certain and unwilling to make a futile struggle, committed suicide by hanging himself in the palace.

From then on, the territories of the many empires on the Saul Continent had all fallen. Ice and Snow, which had been besieged and destroyed ten thousand years ago and had fled to the remote northern borders under assumed names, once again ascended to the throne of the continent’s First Empire.

There was no need for recognition from other countries, because there was only one empire on the continent—Ice and Snow.

Zhang Mu did not stop the pace of unification there. In other regions of the Saul Continent, kingdoms still stood. He felt that since he was going to unify, he should do it thoroughly.

The war to clear out the kingdoms began three years later.

The reorganized and restructured Ice and Snow legions set out from four directions of the empire simultaneously.

The legions had no specific targets, such as a particular kingdom. The military order the Legion Commanders received was one and only one: destroy any country encountered.

They advanced all the way, and upon meeting a kingdom, they completely ignored the king’s kneeling. They directly annihilated the border troops, then broke through all cities and declared the country’s demise. After the second-tier legions from the rear arrived to take over city defense, they continued on their way.

Five years passed in this manner.

The Ice and Snow flag flew across the Saul Continent, and there were no country names other than Ice and Snow.

Zhang Mu, who was accompanying Avril in the palace of the new capital, received news that Ice and Snow had basically conquered all lands, with only one place not yet attacked—the Forest of Spirits.

The Legion Commanders were unclear about their Marshal’s relationship with the Elves. Inferring from the fact that there were many Elves among the air force pilots, they guessed it wasn’t shallow. The legion responsible for the Forest of Spirits direction hesitated for a long time after surrounding the forest and chose to request instructions from the imperial capital.

Zhang Mu was somewhat hesitant.

Based on the principle of ’unifying the continent,’ the independence of the Forest of Spirits should not be tolerated. Considering Frederica, Zhang Mu finally compromised. He set off for the Air Force Headquarters that day to inform Frederica of his decision.

Unexpectedly, he ran into her on the way as she was heading to the capital to find him.

Seeing Zhang Mu, she first went up to give him a hug and then said, ’The unification of the Empire cannot have flaws. I only hope that if my clansmen resist, Zhang Mu, you will try to spare their lives as much as possible.’

Zhang Mu stared at her blankly for a while and then laughed.

Landing with Frederica, they sat by the river for a while. Zhang Mu said, ’There’s no need to fight. If we really start, casualties will be unavoidable.

And don’t you know the temper of those pilots under you? The land legions aren’t much better in comparison.

If tempers flare and people can’t hold back, the result is definitely something you wouldn’t want to see.’

Without waiting for Frederica to speak, Zhang Mu continued, ’How about this? I’ll go see your father and have him express submission to Ice and Snow, accepting our rule in name.

Hmm... if he refuses, then there’s no other way.’

Given Zhang Mu’s understanding of the Elf King, he would surely agree to such generous terms. It might seem like Zhang Mu was being a bit domineering, forcing others to bow while claiming to be generous, but he truly was being very generous.

When one’s fist is hard, what one says is the truth. One can argue, but the result will be being smashed into a pulp by a single punch.

That’s just how the world is.

Things went exactly as Zhang Mu had expected.

After hearing the choice Zhang Mu gave, the Elf King accepted it with a smile. He had to; otherwise, he would die. This was the best outcome for the Elven race.

Returning to the empire, Zhang Mu ordered the organization of a dedicated team to be responsible for surveying and mapping the Saul Continent.

When he had traveled to the Forest of Spirits back then, he had had enough of various incomplete versions of maps. Now that he controlled the entire continent, he vowed to change that.

Three years later, when the map was completed, Zhang Mu was stunned to discover that the Saul Continent was actually surrounded by ocean on all sides. This continent was like a lonely island suspended on the sea.

What was on the other side of the Endless Sea?

Zhang Mu had no time to explore for now; he still had to settle things with the final enemy—the God.

Zhang Mu had talked to Potter about the ’Divine Kingdom.’ Where was it?

Was it located in another dimension, or another space?

Zhang Mu didn’t know this either, but it didn’t matter. He knew the path to the Divine Kingdom and its entrance.

The entrance was the Sacred Mountain.

Zhang Mu arrived near the Sacred Mountain alone and looked up from the foot of the mountain.

The people of the Church had moved away from the Sacred Mountain several years ago, and no bloodshed had occurred during that period. When the Ice and Snow army arrived at the Sacred Mountain, the Pope came out to negotiate, stating that if you want the Sacred Mountain, take it, but if we give up our home, we’ll have nowhere to live, so Ice and Snow must be responsible for that.

The Legion Commander on the scene was completely dumbfounded.

The Legion Commander was well aware of the Church’s strength, and the Pope’s title as the only Legendary powerhouse was known to everyone. He had originally thought they would encounter the toughest battle in Ice and Snow’s history, but instead, it ended like a farce.

The Pope had a ’rogue’ attitude: I won’t resist, I’ll give you my home, just find me a place to live. The Legion Commander couldn’t very well launch an attack and reported to the capital with a face full of disdain.

After learning about it, Zhang Mu took a city in the former Lake region and remodeled it in the style of the Holy City, building a batch of new residences in the city and granting them to the Church as their new home.

The Pope went to claim it alone, wandered around the residential area, inspected the nearby environment, nodded in satisfaction, and rushed back to the Sacred Mountain to lead everyone in the relocation.

Before leaving, he reminded Zhang Mu that Leah was still in the labyrinth. Since he was leaving, the heavy responsibility of welcoming her back was left to him.

Zhang Mu waited for nearly ten years, but Leah never walked out of the labyrinth. He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened inside. He had thought about forcing his way in but worried that destroying the stone door would cause variables that might lead to Leah being injured or even killed, so he eventually gave up.

As long as Leah didn’t come out, Zhang Mu didn’t dare enter the passage.

Going up the mountain, he came to the stone door, sat down cross-legged, and continued to wait, occasionally returning to the Blue Planet to comprehend the laws.

Five years passed in a flash.

Having made breakthroughs while comprehending the laws on the Blue Planet and significantly improving his mastery over them, Zhang Mu opened a Portal and arrived before the stone door on the Sacred Mountain. In an instant, he had a sudden realization as to why Leah had been lingering in the labyrinth for so long.

Zhang Mu had thought about the God’s motive for sending Leah to the Saul Continent. Initially, he speculated that the God had foreseen his arrival. Since the God couldn’t easily interfere with the continent, he sent Leah to execute certain plans in his stead.

His coincidental rescue of Leah and the feelings they developed during their journey had unintentionally sabotaged the God’s intentions.

However, as Zhang Mu became more familiar with the laws, he faintly heard the God’s murmur.

The God said—You’ve been fooled, human.

’Dammit!’

Zhang Mu stood up abruptly and blasted the stone door open with a punch. Sure enough, there was no labyrinth behind the door, only an ordinary, empty stone chamber.

’F*ck!

Just you wait. When I get up there, I’ll crush your head with one foot!’

Zhang Mu couldn’t restrain his anger. Invisible power of laws gushed out from his body. The stone door didn’t even show the violent shaking of an impact; it instantly turned into powder and scattered with the wind.

Taking a deep breath to calm his emotions, Zhang Mu cast a cold glance at the sky, as if locking eyes with the God, then turned and returned to the imperial capital.

...

...

The news of the Marshal’s return to the capital only circulated among the high-ranking officials.

Before Domit and the others could rejoice that the long-absent Marshal had finally returned, they heard a shocking piece of news from him—the Marshal was going to the Divine Kingdom to crusade against the God.

Zhang Mu arrived at the capital in the evening, and Domit’s remonstrance followed immediately.

Their opinions were very straightforward. The God indeed didn’t like Ice and Snow, and Ice and Snow’s perception of the God wasn’t much better, but that didn’t mean the two sides had to have a final showdown.

Since the God couldn’t personally interfere with the operation of the continent anyway, why should Ice and Snow risk deicide? Even if they were to kill a god, they should wait until Ice and Snow became stronger.

In short, Domit resolutely opposed Zhang Mu entering the Divine Kingdom alone.

Avril and Potter arrived at Zhang Mu’s office a few minutes later, and their opinions differed slightly from Domit’s. They agreed with Zhang Mu killing the God, but not immediately; they hoped to postpone it.

The reason was sufficient.

The current Zhang Mu was powerful enough to transcend the mundane; even the Pope, a Legendary powerhouse, was no match for him. But what about the God?

The God wasn’t mundane either.

The two suggested that Zhang Mu continue practicing for a few more years to further deepen his power of laws before going to the Divine Kingdom. They knew that if Zhang Mu made up his mind, no one could stop him.

Recognizing this, their tone was not forceful, especially Avril’s, whose tone from beginning to end was one of ’suggestion.’

An hour later, Frederica, who was far away at the Air Force Headquarters, arrived in a hurry.

This was the first meeting between Avril and Frederica. Before this, both had heard of each other to some extent and knew of each other’s relationship with Zhang Mu.

The Saul Continent was a monarchy, and both law and custom recognized polygamy; the Elves were no exception.

Having accepted the concept, they didn’t have the mind to compete for favor. It was just that they didn’t know the other’s attitude and had been hesitating about what to say to each other, so they had temporarily set the matter aside.

Meeting unexpectedly today, they had no time to greet each other.

Frederica’s meaning was consistent with Avril’s: the God’s strength was unknown, and the risk of going now was too great. It would be best to go to the Divine Kingdom after making full preparations.

In the past, Zhang Mu would have considered the feelings of those around him to some extent, but this time he was exceptionally stubborn.

’No more advice,’ Zhang Mu stood up, interrupting the group who were taking turns stating the pros and cons to him. ’If I don’t beat that bastard to death, I won’t even be able to sleep tonight!’

’But Leah...’ Avril opened her mouth and hesitated, pausing for a moment before saying, ’The God has a hostage.’

’Is it possible that if I go ten years from now, the God won’t have a hostage anymore?

Would he proactively release Leah?’

Frederica, behind Avril, wanted to say something, but Zhang Mu waved his hand to stop her: ’It’s settled. We go to the Divine Kingdom tomorrow.

Alright, meeting adjourned!’