Chapter 1154
Gambler: We'll Win!
Chapter 1154 Gambler: We'll Win!
极鲨历2012年，12月22日，03:41.
[Canaan - Cataclysm Spread Rate: 67%]
[Bioactivity Index: Sharp Decline]
[Faith Node Response: Disappeared]
【03: 58】
The deep-sea communication network collapsed, and all kingdom-level central hubs lost their feedback.
The high priests who had tried to resist the natural disaster through rituals, prayers, and sacrifices fell silent the moment the ashes fell. Their bodies had not yet decayed, but their spiritual structure had completely collapsed, like erased words, leaving only blank spaces.
【04: 12】
The Abyss Legion on the outskirts of the kingdom has lost contact. All bio-weapons and giant sea monsters have entered a permanent state of hibernation, with no possibility of being awakened.
【04: 37】
[Canaan] Completed the second round of coverage calibration, confirming that no areas were missed.
【05: 02】
Before dawn, the once oldest, most fanatical, and most unshakeable lineage of the Fish-Meat Cult has been reduced to a silent, gray-white expanse.
【05: 31】
[Great Mu Kingdom - Civilization Status: Ended]
[Vital Response: 0]
[Confirmed Extinct!]
……
……
As the last confirmation message froze in the Canaan system, the gray projection in the sky slowly receded, as if a performance that needed no applause had been completed.
On the deck, the four swordsmen did not linger.
The Hornet subtly corrected its course, gliding between low orbit and deep sea, heading towards the next marked area—the Sargasso Kingdom.
However, shortly after the flight path stabilized, something unusual began to emerge.
Xia Xiu frowned first. His great spirituality subconsciously extended outward and quickly captured the abnormal density. He sensed the fluctuation of the [time element].
Time itself appears unnaturally folded in the sea ahead, as if it has been artificially stretched and compressed, yet is attempting to repair itself.
“In the sea ahead…” Xia Xiu’s voice lowered, “there are large-scale fluctuations in the time element, the structure is unstable, but it has been forcibly fixed.”
He paused for a moment, as if quickly checking his perception levels.
“At least two great spiritual units are already in place, and several more powerful units are gathering on the periphery.”
The second swordsman, Qasim, narrowed his eyes, looking at the sea ahead that remained calm under normal observation. He slowly said:
"It seems they have realized that it is only a matter of time before the countries are wiped out one by one. Faced with a powerful enemy, the remaining lineage leaders of the Hai Si lineage should have put aside their ridiculous prejudices and begun to band together for mutual support, intending to unite against us."
"That's good, it saves us the trouble of searching for them one by one."
"Solving it once and for all is cleaner."
Xia Xiu, standing to the side, did not relax.
His gaze did not linger on the sea surface, but transcended the level of reality, landing on a deeper structure. In his perception, that sea was no longer flowing water, but a medium that had been slowed down, stretched, and repeatedly kneaded—time there was no longer clear, but presented an uncomfortable, viscous feeling.
"The time element ahead begins to stagnate and rewind."
Xia Xiu's great spirituality sensed the distorted fluctuations ahead and concluded: "It's as if it has been forcibly folded and then brutally nailed to the present world."
"On this scale... they likely used a wide range of reality-distorting miracles, not a single ability, but a superposition of them."
Saint Valentine, the first swordsman, closed the book in his hand, his gaze calm, yet without any hesitation.
"Let's go up and take a look."
The next moment, under Xia Xiu's control, the Hornet stopped probing and correcting its course. The ship, like a released spearhead, cut directly into the area marked as extremely dangerous.
The waves surged on both sides of the bow, yet could not get any closer to the hull; even the seawater itself seemed to be making way for what was about to happen.
……
……
……
Deep in the Sargasso Sea.
What should have been a desolate ocean wasteland of floating decay has now been forced to remain in place by an order that has been forcibly pieced together.
Endless Sargassum fusiforme coiled and wove together like living creatures, forming a massive algal dome that blotted out the sky. The mucus seeping from between the algal leaves stretched into greenish threads in the undercurrents, as if covering the entire sea with a heavy shroud.
Below the dome, the seawater no longer flows freely, but is bound into a circular backflow by some enormous spiritual structure.
This is a temporary meeting place, a temporary alliance formed by the lineage masters of the deep sea world to combat unusual natural disasters.
On the outermost edge, the nobles of the Sargasso Kingdom had already secured positions in the shadows of the sargasso forest. Their bodies seemed to be wrapped in layers of algae and bone armor, their skin covered in blackened barbs, and medals made of ground human bones hung from their chests. Their eyes were as somber as a dead well.
Behind them, rows of even more agile individuals stood silently in formation.
That was the cannibal training sequence that the Sargasso Kingdom was proud of. Fine blades were embedded in its shoulders and backs, and the slits in its mouths were wider than those of ordinary sea creatures, as if they were made to bite through something soft more easily. Its orderly breathing carried an excitement that made the seawater feel cold.
This is...
[Sealing Alliance - Sargasso Kingdom Lineage - Join the War!]
Further in, the timing of the seawater began to look off. In the same area, some bubbles rose extremely slowly, as if they were stuck together; while the sound of the tides was as fast as an out-of-control drumbeat, as if someone was using this sea as an hourglass, arbitrarily pinching and shaking it.
The representatives of the Lemurian Kingdom of Time stood amidst this chaos, their outlines sometimes clear, sometimes blurred, as if the same body had been dissected into many moments and superimposed upon each other; they had no superfluous decorations, only an ancient gradation pattern embedded in their foreheads, like a clock face or a shackle.
[Sealing Alliance - Lemuria Time Kingdom Lineage - Join the Battle!]
The king of Varuna was located near the heat flow fault.
The monarch who was rumored to never show his face has now personally arrived.
The seawater formed a natural ritual circle around him, with the water temperature fluctuating like the tides breathing. He wore a dazzlingly white robe, the hem of which was stained with deep-sea salt and rust-like blood spots. His head was covered by a crown made of coral and metal, revealing only a row of fine gill slits on his lower jaw.
"Everyone, it's been a long time."
When he spoke, his voice was not loud, but it was as clear and cool as moonlight falling on the water, making people instinctively lower their breath.
Varuna's messengers prostrated themselves behind him, holding rotating talismans in their hands. The talismans were engraved with totems of tides and sacrifices. At the king's command, this sea would be transformed into a colossal temple.
[Sea Heirs Alliance - Varuna Kingdom Lineage - Join the War!]
On the other side of the council chamber, the Great Lakes Confederation's procession in the inner sanctum resembled a group of shadows walking backwards. Their leader was not tall, but extremely thin, with a back like a vertical fishbone. His eyes burned with a cold, fervent zeal. Behind him, the red-cheeked believers huddled like infants in transparent water sacs, the sacs covered with vein-like patterns.
[Sea Heirs Alliance - Inner Palace Great Lakes Federation Lineage - Join the Battle!]
"It has indeed been a long time. If I could, I would like to never have to see you again, you disgusting fellow." The leader of the Great Lakes Confederation looked at King Varuna with disgust.
At that moment, a voice came out to stop the two countries that had been enemies in the past.
"At a time like this, let's stop the infighting."
The one speaking is the King of Pannonia Salmon.
The Pannonia salmon retain more of a human-like silhouette, draped in shawls woven from fish scales, yet their faces carry an unusual emptiness, as if they regard the concept of "human" as filth, ready to be stripped away at any moment; in their hands they hold a short staff that resembles a spine, with a symbol of migration engraved at the end.
[Sealing Alliance - Pannonia Salmonna - Joins the Battle!]
The two lineage leaders, who had been enemies in the past, exchanged glances and ultimately chose to remain silent. After all, with a formidable enemy at hand, it was certainly not the time to engage in infighting.
Besides these five main lineages of the sea, other lineages of the sea also gather here.
The ruler of the Great Spire Circulation has arrived. He is a unique lineage master who has melted himself into a volcanic tower, and his body is forever dripping with dark red lava.
The supreme ruler of Rotary Forge City, the Micro Lord, has also arrived. He sits on the Gear Throne, with countless tiny nanomachines hovering around him.
Queen Karafia of the "Noble Circulation Kingdom of Funia" also appeared, accompanied by half-human, half-machine attendants whose breathing even carried a mechanical, condensed sound.
The demon delegation from [Huanliujing] also attended this alliance meeting. Their civilization is essentially an aggregate of alienated information, adept at polluting the rules themselves.
Then came the consciousness carriers from the [Dark Circulation], special life clusters formed by collective consciousness. Finally, the southernmost [Argentuna] also joined in, bringing with them an almost fanatical pilgrimage-like atmosphere from the pilgrims of the northern bluefin tuna's holy land.
A luxurious anti-heavenly alliance, consisting of eleven lineages—five major maritime lineages and six independent maritime lineages—has assembled here.
At the far end of the chamber, in the main seat, sat two extraordinary historical figures who were still alive—Napoleon Bonaparte and Neville Chamberlain.
This time, the Sealing Alliance has gathered not to fight for sea areas, not to divide up hunting grounds, and certainly not to settle old scores.
Rather, it was to prepare for the final battle.
Four world-destroying angels are approaching, five space-based weapons are moving, and the shadow of doomsday looms over everyone present.
The lineage leader of the Sargasso Kingdom slowly raised his head.
“Time Amber…” his voice was low and hoarse, “is it ready?”
The temporally disordered waters trembled slightly. Lemuria III, the patriarch of the Lemurian lineage, stood silently, his silhouette overlapping on several different time layers, yet his gaze remained exceptionally calm and unwavering.
"Deployment is complete."
He continued:
"Time Amber is a copy of the World Bubble of the Beast of Error, a remnant of a possibility that was forcibly solidified. Its essence is not simply time reversal, but rather the resealing of a narrative that has already occurred, and then releasing that narrative completely when needed."
He paused, as if to make everyone present realize the weight of this matter.
"In the past, the Lemurian Kingdom of Time has used Time Amber many times to retrieve destroyed fleets, fallen warriors, and even entire battle sequences from their predetermined fates and throw them back into the battlefield. That was not resurrection, but rather to reconnect timelines that had reached their end to the present world."
A slight commotion arose in the chamber.
Lemuria III continued:
"To combat the anomalous natural disaster, all the major lineages of the Alliance have devoted all available resources to it, and the two anomalous historical kings have also embedded their great spirituality into the core structure. The Time Amber now possesses a portion of the true power of the World Bubble of the Beast of Error."
His gaze sharpened.
"When the Time Amber unfolds, it will forcibly separate the four extraordinary natural disasters from the natural disaster weapons they carry. It is not a spatial separation, but a dismantling at the level of temporal narrative. Each individual will be pulled into a different timeline."
As he said this, he raised his hand and tapped it lightly.
The water in the center of the council chamber suddenly froze, and then four phantom images appeared—projections of the four Heavenly Sword Bearers.
It was not an illusion, but a narrative anchor captured by the amber of time. Its mere existence caused the surrounding spiritual structures to tremble with unease.
"At the same time, Time Amber will begin to look back at their past enemies."
Lemuria III's tone remained calm:
"Those who have fought against them, failed, or died will be re-projected in the form of time remnants, forming a battlefield environment that is sufficient to interfere, delay, and exhaust them."
"And what we need to do is very simple."
His gaze swept over the many lineage masters present.
"The flow of energy within the Time Amber is open to us. We can move freely within it, adjust the order, and reorganize the battle lines. We can concentrate all our strength, defeat one of them first, and then move on to the next."
Lemuria III's voice was noticeably lower at the end of the last sentence.
"This is neither a safe plan nor a sure-win solution."
He stared directly at the four projections and slowly said:
“These four beings all possess complete and independent great spirituality. Their genealogical structure is closed to us. Any prayer, divination, premonition, or deduction loses its meaning in them. We cannot judge who is weaker or stronger.”
"So, we have no choice but to gamble."
After he finished speaking, the council chamber fell into a brief but heavy silence.
None of the eleven lineage masters spoke.
Neither of the two extraordinary historical figures spoke out.
But at the same moment, all eyes were drawn to the four projections that were quietly suspended in the water.
To be honest, none of the gamblers present truly enjoyed gambling.
They may never admit it, but from the level of civilization to individual instinct, these beings who have lived through countless ages and devoured countless groups know one thing better than anyone else—gambling means losing control.
For them, losing control is itself a sign of impending doom.
The water in the council chamber flowed slowly and viscously, as if repeatedly stirred by an invisible hand, yet never truly moved. The lineage lords, representatives of royal power, and kings of extraordinary history all remained silent, none in a hurry to express their opinions.
Because they all understood that once they opened their mouths, they were gambling with the fate of their entire civilization.
If you win the gamble, it's a continuation, a comeback, and the first crack appearing in the natural disaster.
If you lose the bet... then you have nothing left.
Do you want to vote?
King Lemuria III's voice broke the silence, neither urging nor inciting, but simply posing the question as if it were a routine matter. His gaze swept calmly over those present, as if he had anticipated this reaction—no one liked being the first to throw their chips out.
His response was still silence.
The lineage lord of the Sargasso Kingdom lowered his eyes, as if calculating something; the will seal of the Varuna Kingdom rotated slowly, but did not give a clear response for a long time; the representative of the Great Lakes Federation in the inner palace even deliberately avoided the projections of the four Heavenly Kingdom sword-wielders, as if looking at them for even a moment would bring misfortune.
As for Chamberlain, that unusual historical king who was accustomed to appeasement and compromise, he remained silent.
He was all too aware of the cost of going first—no matter who he chose, it meant actively directing his attack towards a corner of the natural disaster.
The silence lasted a long time.
So long that even time seemed to have been stretched out by a single moment.
Finally, a sarcastic voice rang out in the chamber.
"Since no one dares to choose, then I will."
That was the immortal Napoleon Bonaparte.
This extraordinary king of history slowly emerged from the undercurrent. His body was massive and sturdy, his scales bearing the marks of countless wars, yet showing no sign of decay. In his eyes, something familiar still burned—a light of confidence bordering on arrogance, a light that had never been truly defeated.
On this timeline, he never experienced a true failure.
There was no Waterloo.
There was no final defeat.
Seventeen coups and seventeen exiles were, for him, merely extended versions of strategic retreats. Each time, he returned; each time, he restored order.
This experience shaped an almost indestructible mindset; he always believed that he was the protagonist of the world, and no matter what he did, the world would eventually yield to him.
"All four of them are in great danger, so let me be blunt: casualties are inevitable in the process of fighting natural disasters, so don't take any chances."
Napoleon Fish spoke slowly and deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the four projections, but his tone was as if he were commenting on the troop deployment on the battlefield.
"So since you've chosen to gamble, don't hesitate or waver. From now on, abandon all your rationality and surrender to the purest intuition."
"Like me, I trust my intuition."
Napoleon Fish spoke slowly and deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the four projections, his tone as if he were commenting on troop deployments on a battlefield. His gaze finally settled on one of the projections.
That was the eldest of the four angels.
His intuition told him to choose him!
“Let’s choose him,” Napoleon Fish said, his tone resolute.
Chamberlain subconsciously raised his head, his gaze lingering on the projection for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly, but he did not refute it.
After all, in this timeline, Napoleon Bonaparte's luck was simply too incredible; his choices were never wrong... and they also lacked the historical narrative memory of the other timeline.
and so……
No one has said it outright, but many eyes have already begun to shift, and they are starting to accept this choice.
Napoleon Fish didn't say anything more; he just watched quietly, his eyes filled with a familiar, confident light.
He knew that everyone would follow the choice of the great Emperor Napoleon, and he firmly believed in one thing from the beginning.
I will win!
This is an indisputable fact!