Relics of the Divine Emperor: Bloodstained Cradle

Upon hearing Du Chen's even more audacious pronouncements, the Pontiff, Sama IX, paradoxically calmed. Seated on his throne, his placid face revealed not a flicker of emotion, though inwardly he sneered, ‘I, Sama, the Supreme Divine Emperor, fear a mere prophesied calamity? Yet…’

‘If I truly harbored no fear, why did I dare to contend with the Dragon God back then? Was it not because I relied on the twenty years of grand fortune radiating upon me?’

‘If I truly harbored no fear, then why, as I stood poised to reach the pinnacle of my life, did I constantly carry a Thunder Cannon and a Tyr Beast for self-defense!?’

To now claim disbelief would be uncouth, the Pontiff thought, and a faint smile touched his lips. “This Emperor firmly believes in astrology, and I trust Divination God Bovin’s prophecy for me – that I shall be utterly shattered at the apex of my life. Yet, this Emperor has never known fear. Human resolve can defy destiny, and I, Sama, possess ample power to safely navigate this tribulation!”

Du Chen shrugged. “What if I were to tell Your Majesty that the one destined to kill you this time… once slew the previous Divine Emperor, Prince, a being far mightier than yourself? Would you still claim to be unafraid?”

The Pontiff’s eyes flashed with a sharp gleam. “Divine Emperor Prince died peacefully of old age!”

“Alright, for the sake of your life, and for humanity, we must be frank, mustn’t we?” Du Chen spread his hands. “If Prince truly died of old age, then where is his corpse? Your Majesty, to my knowledge, Prince was literally drained of all vitality, expending his last breath to impart a few words to his loyal subordinates before vanishing into dust… He left no corpse behind, and certainly did not die peacefully of old age!”

The Pontiff’s expression finally shifted once more, hardening as he thundered, “Francis, what exactly do you know!?”

Du Chen recalled Phil’s parting admonition: the nine Venerables of the Scarlet Army were not something one person or one family could contend with. To defeat them, the Pontiff must be brought into the fold, made privy to certain secrets! Moreover, as the successor to Divine Emperor Prince, the Pontiff must surely possess many secrets known only to successive Pontiffs… In short, they needed to cooperate wholeheartedly and share information!

“Your Majesty, those nine Thunder Cannons that annihilated Divine Emperor Prince back then are now coming for you!” Du Chen concisely laid out the situation for the Pontiff. Save for the identities of Jamis, Phil, and others as ‘Du Chen, the Divine’s mysterious friends,’ he spoke mostly the truth. Finally, he fixed his gaze on the Pontiff. “That is the situation. Those nine Thunder Cannons will unleash their fiery thunder blasts simultaneously on your Enthronement Ceremony, intending to obliterate Battle God Isle! We must work together in perfect unity to locate their hiding place and eliminate them before the Scarlet Army can launch their plan! Otherwise, once the nine Thunder Cannons roar in unison, who in this world could possibly stop them!?”

The Pontiff suddenly lowered his head, silently lost in thought.

Du Chen was in no hurry. He pulled a chair over and sat directly in front of the Pontiff, awaiting the outcome of his deliberation.

After a long while, the Pontiff finally raised his head. “So… they are called the Scarlet Army!”

Sama indeed possessed knowledge known only to previous Pontiffs; otherwise, he wouldn’t have uttered the word “So.”

“Francis, I will cooperate with you! As you said – I will immediately gather the four Thunder Cannons currently under my command here. Then, I will invite the Five Families of Fallen Gods, and together we will deal with five Thunder Cannons. As for you… are you confident you can handle the remaining four?”

Du Chen smiled. “Given the current circumstances, whether we’re confident or not, we must try, or we simply await our demise, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Precisely! I, Sama, will never await death!” The Pontiff sprang to his feet, produced a sea chart of the area around Battle God Isle, and, using the Isle as the center, divided the chart into nine sectors of equal area with a drawing pen. Pointing at the map, he declared, “From this moment, the waters around Battle God Isle shall be transformed into nine War Zones. You will be responsible for the waters from Hot Spring Mountain to Durkes City. As for Du Chen, the Divine’s friends, they shall be responsible for…”

The Pontiff assigned a person to each of the nine regions. Besides Du Chen, Phil was responsible for the Hot Spring Mountain to Mount Tianshan line, Merlinta for the Tiger Shark Reef sea route, and the Requiem Death Knights were assigned to the sector to the left of Du Chen’s territory, stretching from Battle God Isle to Du Chen’s southwest domain.

With the tasks allocated, the Pontiff proclaimed, “Nine War Zones, nine sectoral sea regions! We shall fight independently but maintain constant communication, cooperate in perfect unity, and work together to annihilate the nine Venerables of the Scarlet Army!”

Du Chen bowed slightly, a sincere smile on his face. “Your Majesty is truly wise!”

The Pontiff offered a faint smile, his tone suddenly softening. “The plan is set, but both you and I know… the chances of success are not great!”

Du Chen’s heart also sank heavily. Indeed, everything sounded simple, but actually facing the Scarlet Army…

What of Margaret? Was she not blasted by a Thunder Cannon, her arm shattered, and still recovering!? Du Chen had witnessed the power of the Thunder Cannons. A blast in mere seconds, and while a wide-area strike took a bit longer, it still wouldn’t take more than ten-odd seconds! If the Thunder Cannons were given a chance to fire, it would spell the end for everyone!

Therefore, the key to this battle was to prevent the Thunder Cannons from firing. But how could that be achieved? Phil had offered a highly dangerous method based on the principles of the Art of Artifact Annihilation. While effective, the slightest misstep would result in utter annihilation…

Du Chen pursed his lips, his thoughts heavy. After uttering a softened remark, the Pontiff suddenly asked a puzzling question: “Francis, why did you save me this time!?”

Du Chen was taken aback, then chuckled, “Why does Your Majesty ask such a question?”

“If you hadn’t informed me of the nine Venerables of the Scarlet Army this time, I would surely die on my Enthronement Ceremony! And you could have escaped beforehand. After my death, with internal strife in the Papal Curia and humanity’s power structure reset, you could have seized the opportunity to claim the Pontiff’s throne and become the ruler of this world!” Sama stated calmly. “By saving me, you lose a great deal. By letting me die, you gain the opportunity to seize supreme authority… So why did you still save me!?”

Du Chen shook his head. “If I were to witness Your Majesty’s death, I would indeed gain much, but what of humanity? Your Majesty, if you die, all of humanity will pay the price!”

The Pontiff smiled, turned, and opened a hidden compartment in a bookshelf, tossing its contents to Du Chen. “Regardless of whether you truly act for humanity or for some other reason, at least you have saved my life, or at least allowed me to die with clarity… Consider these your reward. To me, they are merely a few Purple Crystal-tier Secret Scrolls, but in your hands, they should prove highly useful!”

Purple Crystal-tier? Du Chen had only ever heard of the highest, Crystal-tier, in his life. Purple Crystal-tier… could these be items known only to successive Pontiffs!?’

Du Chen glanced down, and saw a name written on the first scroll – ‘Alchemy-based ‘Weapons Clandestine Circles’ – By Prince!’

“These are items left by the Divine Emperor for successive Pontiffs. The alchemical schematics at the top… include the structural diagram of the Raging Fire Scorcher Cannon!”

Du Chen’s mind buzzed!

In that instant, many thoughts flooded him. For example, by giving him the alchemy-based ‘Weapons Clandestine Circles,’ the Pontiff clearly knew he possessed lock-picking abilities and could maximize the item’s value…

Another thought: for a long time, he had secretly delighted in how easily he had misled the Pontiff. But perhaps the Pontiff had been severely underestimated. How could someone who holds supreme power be so simple-minded? Perhaps, all this time, the Pontiff merely saw Du Chen’s Divine Cult as having utility and sharing his goals, which is why he hadn't turned hostile towards Du Chen…

Furthermore, by giving the Thunder Cannon schematics to someone with lock-picking abilities, the Pontiff sought to increase the odds against the Scarlet Army and enhance his own chances of survival!

Regardless, Du Chen understood one thing: the Pontiff handing over Purple Crystal-tier documents signified his genuine desire for cooperation this time!

The Pontiff waved his hand, dismissing Du Chen. Once the tent was empty, he suddenly curled up in a corner like a child, muttering, “Only four days left. I have but four days of life remaining…”

The Pontiff’s belief in astrology far surpassed anyone’s imagination! Even though he had formulated a plan against the Scarlet Army, he still believed he would not survive until his Enthronement Ceremony!

“Perhaps if I didn’t become Divine Emperor, if I didn’t reach the pinnacle of my life, I could escape this calamity!? No!” The Pontiff’s expression suddenly hardened, and he told himself, “Even if I die, I shall die upon the highest throne in the world, even if… it is only for a fleeting moment! Mas, come in!”

Mas, who was on duty outside, had been drinking heavily and stumbled in, reeking of alcohol and disoriented. But the moment he saw the Pontiff’s unusual expression, he quickly dispelled the alcohol’s effects and solemnly asked, “Old One, what has happened to you!?”

The Pontiff gave a bitter smile and slowly said, “Mas, it’s been thirty years since I rescued you from that pile of corpses, hasn’t it?”

“Ah, I am forty-seven this year, and you rescued me when I was seventeen, so exactly thirty years!” Mas thumped his chest. “My life was given to me by you, Old One; how could I ever forget that!”

The Pontiff nodded. “Indeed, you have been loyal for these thirty years. Within the Papal Curia, only you possess such unwavering loyalty. Unfortunately, you lack the capacity to become Divine Emperor… Mas, remember the Purple Crystal-tier Secret Edict I am about to give you!”

Mas’s expression turned serious. “Speak, Old One!”

“You are to return immediately to the Holy Mountain and, with the Shadow Godfather, stabilize the Papal Curia’s situation. If, if in four days you receive news of my death, use the Imperial Edict penned by my hand to declare to the world – that whoever possesses the Divine Emperor’s Purple Crystal-tier relics shall succeed as Pontiff, and further ascend to… Supreme Divine Emperor!”

Mas’s eyes widened suddenly. He was about to speak, but the Pontiff’s sharp glare silenced him, and he reluctantly departed!

The Pontiff glanced at Mas’s retreating figure, then suddenly chuckled self-deprecatingly, repeating Du Chen’s earlier words: “If I die, all of humanity pays the price… Heh, Francis is indeed like Prince, like the First Pontiff… and like I, Sama IX – a scoundrel capable of considering the greater good of all humanity!”

Only such individuals could sit upon the highest throne! Not long ago, Demon Lord Bonis had said as much!

…

Clutching the Divine Emperor’s Purple Crystal-tier relics, Du Chen returned to his dwelling, his mind still a chaotic whirl, unable to fathom the Pontiff’s true purpose in giving him these items. After briefing Phil and the Requiem Death Knights, he buried himself in studying the alchemy-based ‘Weapons Clandestine Circles.’

For a long time, Du Chen had been frustrated by his inability to pry open the Thunder Cannons. The critical issue was the seamless exterior of the Thunder Cannons, which prevented him from discerning their internal structure. Without understanding the Interlocking Structure, he naturally couldn’t pick the locks! But now, all was well; he possessed the Thunder Cannon design schematics!

Locking himself in his room, Du Chen slowly unrolled the schematics. After just a glance, *smack*, he suddenly slapped himself across the face. “Damn it, it’s actually this simple!”

Du Chen realized with a shock that it wasn’t his inability to open the Thunder Cannons, but rather a mental blind spot that had prevented him from considering a particular method – Du Chen’s Sacred Artifact Theory stated that artifacts below Tenth-rank had a single Interlocking Structure, while those above Tenth-rank possessed multiple. However, regardless of the number of interlocking structures, these sacred artifacts were all based on the technology level of wafer tumbler locks!

The Thunder Cannons, however, were different. Du Chen recalled the innumerable safes he had opened in his previous life, and their rotary combination locks… The Thunder Cannon’s locking mechanism was precisely such a rotary combination lock. To put it plainly, sacred artifacts were ‘picked’ open with tools like wires, but to open a lock like the Thunder Cannon’s, one had to ‘turn’ it open with hands and listening tools!

Having picked countless sacred artifacts, Du Chen had subconsciously assumed all sacred artifacts in the Battle God World were wafer tumbler locks, never even considering rotary combination locks, which was why he had been frustrated until today!

Once one insight was gained, all became clear. Du Chen felt a surge of elation. With just a glance, even before fully examining the schematics, he felt confident he could ‘brutally dismantle’ the nine Venerables of the Scarlet Army. However, when Du Chen looked back at the schematics again… he suddenly frowned. “Strange, why are several crucial parts missing from this schematic!?”

The schematic, drawn on ordinary cowhide paper, seemed to have endured the ravages of time, now mottled and riddled with small holes, omitting certain elements of the Thunder Cannon’s structural diagram. To an outsider, these omissions might appear insignificant, simply due to age and corrosion! But to Du Chen, they were profoundly alarming!

Just then, Phil entered to inquire about his progress. Du Chen, pointing at the schematics, asked, “Mother Phil, use your knowledge of the Art of Artifact Annihilation to tell me, what is the significance of the missing parts on this schematic!”

Phil looked for a long time, then shook her head. “Forget significance, this old woman can’t even comprehend this schematic!”

Phil’s Art of Artifact Annihilation had reached its highest realm; even if she couldn’t破解 Thunder Cannons, shouldn’t she understand their structure when comparing it to a schematic?

But Du Chen nodded, deeming it normal. “It’s no wonder you can’t understand it; these missing parts are simply too crucial! Without them, this schematic is utterly worthless… Now I see why the Papal Curia, despite possessing Thunder Cannon schematics, hasn’t manufactured a single one all these years! They simply don’t have a complete design!”

Du Chen slammed the schematic. “These missing parts were absolutely not corroded away; they were intentionally removed by someone. Otherwise, it’s impossible for only the most critical sections to be missing while irrelevant structures remain intact!”

Phil asked, puzzled, “So, someone didn’t want future generations to know the Thunder Cannon’s structure, or perhaps feared someone using this schematic to destroy Thunder Cannons… Who did it? Isn’t this just adding trouble for this old woman!?”

Du Chen chuckled. “We don’t need to worry about who did it. According to the knowledge imparted to me by Du Chen, the Divine…” Facing Phil, Du Chen attributed all his peculiar abilities to ‘Du Chen, the Divine,’ his lock-picking skills included. “Anyway, for this type of single-pin rotary combination lock, I could complete the entire schematic with my eyes closed; whether the schematic is incomplete or not makes no difference to me!” Saying this, Du Chen used a pen and white paper to complete the structural diagram and handed it to Phil. “Look at it now!”

Phil looked, but still shook her head, still unable to comprehend.

Du Chen sighed inwardly. “Indeed, rotary combination locks and wafer tumbler locks are products of entirely different technological eras. Phil is now like an Earthling who has received alien technology; although she knows what she sees is advanced, it would be absolutely impossible for her to fully grasp its principles without studying for ten or eight years…”

Du Chen had intended to teach Phil the method to activate the Thunder Cannons, but in truth, he was once again disappointed. Picking a wafer tumbler lock was effortless with the right tools and technique. But a rotary combination lock was different; its structure was an entire era more complex. To say nothing else, picking a safe required listening for the click of the tumblers, then judging the next step from those subtle sound differences. Just this step alone required how much accumulated experience? With only four days remaining, how could Phil elevate her skills by an entire technological era in such a short time!?

Even if an Earthling received an alien textbook, even one written in Earth languages, wouldn’t it still take several years to study and digest it to master the knowledge?!

Du Chen finally shrugged helplessly. “How about this: I’ll notify the Pontiff. Everyone will proceed with your original method against the Scarlet Army, and I’ll quickly resolve my assigned sector. Afterward, I’ll fly over to assist you all!”

At this point, this was the only way. Du Chen sent Liana to notify everyone, while he inventoried the Divine Emperor’s other relics. This time, there were no surprises – the relics included several tokens from the Divine Emperor’s lifetime and some diary-like books, which at most only allowed Du Chen to further understand the Divine Emperor’s character, revealing his darker side.

Having completed all this, Du Chen departed Battle God Isle three days before the Grand Alliance Convocation. Simultaneously, all of the Papal Curia’s war machines were mobilized. However, to avoid alerting the enemy, the entire plan, aside from Du Chen and his companions, was known only to Sama himself and the participating Family Heads of the Five Families of Fallen Gods on the Pontiff’s side. Apart from these six individuals, everyone else on Battle God Isle was kept in the dark!

Of course, with the Grand Alliance Convocation approaching, the large-scale troop movements of the Papal Curia on Battle God Isle would inevitably attract attention. However, how to reassure everyone and deceive the Scarlet Army to ensure the plan’s foolproof execution was no longer Du Chen’s concern. In any case, with the Pontiff taking the lead, couldn’t he, Du Chen, slack off a little?

The other eight contingents were also temporarily irrelevant to Du Chen. He left Snoopy to impersonate him, taking his family straight back to Durkes City. Then, he dispatched his subordinates to secretly investigate the sectoral war zone under his responsibility.

Firing a Thunder Cannon required immense elemental power. Thus, Turam’s Lifeline during the Merfolk disturbance, which was Du City’s South Pier, became a prime suspect. Two days later, in the early hours of the morning, with only two or three hours remaining until the Pontiff’s Enthronement Ceremony, Du Chen, hidden within the miniaturized Precious Lotus Scripture and cloaked in an invisibility robe, moved at high speed along the coast, patrolling while continuously giving instructions.

“Duding, my fifty thousand citizens are still in the city. If we fail here, you absolutely must hold the line!”

“Dud, if the Scarlet Army arrives, Adams’ Thunder Cannon must not be revealed. Use a Battle Formation to conceal it for me, and simultaneously dispatch troops to patrol the South Pier!”

“Uncle Ted, your Purple Blood Shadow Division will remain underground for now, awaiting my signal…”

Liana watched Du Chen’s incessant nagging with amusement, pursing her lips and chuckling, “Alright, stop clucking like an old hen! We’ll use Phil’s method for the first wave of attack. If that doesn’t work, Dud’s Battle Formation is the second wave. If that also fails, Little Duding is our last resort to save our lives, and the Fiendkind Shadow Division is the reserve for unforeseen circumstances… I’ve already arranged all this, you don’t need to keep repeating it like a nagging woman!”

Du Chen shot Liana a glare. “With a Thunder Cannon right on our doorstep, multiple reminders definitely won’t hurt!” Saying this, Du Chen suddenly, despite her protest, grabbed Liana’s hand. “Once the battle begins, I will take the Precious Lotus Scripture, which protects you and the two children, into my belly. If we fail and the Thunder Cannon strikes… you might experience some tremors, but rest assured, I am here!”

Truth be told, facing such an ultimate destructive Mystic Artifact like the Thunder Cannon, no one would be confident; everyone would prepare for the worst. Du Chen hiding Liana within the Precious Lotus Scripture and taking her into his body, instead of having her and the children escape far away, actually concealed a massive, selfish intention…

If he were to die in this battle, Liana and the two children might, perhaps, follow him into the next life within the Precious Lotus Scripture!

Liana, unaware of Du Chen’s hidden agenda, stopped teasing him when she saw his solemn expression.

Meanwhile, Steve, still unable to fully activate his Flaying Killing Intent, cradled the two children anxiously. “Will your mother’s method actually work!? The Thunder Cannon only takes a few to ten-odd seconds to fire. What if her method fails…”

“What, Eldest Brother, are you still not confident?” The closer it got to the critical moment, the calmer Du Chen became. It was like the instant he reached into someone else’s pocket; at first, there was some apprehension, but once his hand was in, he was completely focused! He pointed to his own nose. “If we fail here, the other eight contingents are doomed! Don’t forget, besides your mother’s method, I also possess a way to ‘brutally dismantle’ the Scarlet Army. As long as I can get close to the Thunder Cannon…”

Steve smacked his lips. “Sigh, it’s all that old hag Merlinta’s fault. If it weren’t for her, I would have personally gone to your mother and gotten a clear explanation long ago. Why would I be worrying now about whether her method works or not!?”

In recent days, because Merlinta was caught in the middle, Steve, who was supposed to be ‘searching for Sherine,’ had not appeared. He had merely wandered around with the two children, and as a result, the two children had yet to meet their grandmother. Naturally, they also hadn’t met Merlinta!

Steve was complaining with gusto when suddenly, his face darkened sharply, and the fierce Killing Intent of Flaying instantly returned to him!

Almost simultaneously, the essence of Little Duding, imbued into the Sands of the Hourglass, whispered, “They’re here. The branches I laid at Turam’s Lifeline have been moved…”

Du Chen had also seen a splash erupt from Turam’s Lifeline beneath the sea. He slowly raised his hand. “Calm down, then we begin… Remember, the battle that decides our lives and deaths will only last a few seconds!”