In a larger cavern, hundreds of relics were dancing enthusiastically to music, while nearly a thousand beautiful women flitted amongst them, laughing and jesting. From the spouts at the cave's apex, rich spirits, mellow wines, or thick blood occasionally sprayed down. The eyes of all the dark creatures were bloodshot and red, and black miasma constantly poured from their bodies, gradually dyeing the surrounding air into a hazy black fog.

This immense subterranean cavern had been transformed into a playground for these dark beings from foreign realms.

Suddenly, a dozen plumes of black smoke burst from the earth, shattering the tranquility.

A dozen powerful dark mages rushed in, one of them barking in a low voice, "Ganggru, that band of the Roman II has moved out."

Ganggru, who had just regained his composure, preparing to viciously discipline the wolf-woman beneath him once more, froze. He roughly seized the necks of two wolf-women and hurled them far away. Piercing wolf howls echoed throughout the entire underground cavern. Ganggru leaped up and roared, "My brothers, my dear brothers, those weak and incompetent Romans have set out! Move out, follow them, loot all their good things, slaughter all their men, and defile all their women! I have a great fondness for Roman women right now!"

A vampire tossed away the wine goblet he was holding and burst into mad laughter. "Ganggru, you scoundrel, I love what you say! My proud and noble kin, move out!"

The Bloodhorn Minotaur simply stood stunned for a moment, then slowly rose. He heavily patted his groin, which was securely protected by custom-forged alloy groin armor, and violently swung the battle-axe in his hand. "My brothers, my brave fellows, move out! Kill, rob, enjoy yourselves, enjoy yourselves!"

The Jotun clansmen merely grumbled lazily a few times. They had absolutely no desire to move, but under the urging of the numerous other dark creatures, they reluctantly hauled themselves up and sluggishly followed along.

Ten minutes later, three dreadnoughts, each twenty-one hundred meters long, shot straight up into the sky from a location deep within the Grand Canyon in North America. They rapidly accelerated to maximum velocity, heading directly in pursuit of the Roman fleet.

In the Vatican Curia, within a garden overflowing with violets and roses, Gu Yuru was kneeling, smiling broadly, before an old priest with silver hair and beard. The priest held a silver water cup and slowly sprinkled holy water onto Gu Yuru’s head.

Gu Yuru bowed piously to the priest. "My Father, the Lord's glory will shine upon me forever. I will strive for the Lord’s glory throughout my life... If I can inherit the Gu Group, it will dedicate forty percent of its net profit to the Great Lord every year!"

The one baptizing Gu Yuru was the Dean of the Vatican Conclave, Cardinal Smith Lawrence, a powerful, stubborn, and even fanatical clergyman. Hearing Gu Yuru's promise, Smith Lawrence nodded his wet head contentedly. "Child, the Lord will watch you from heaven... If you are devout, the Lord will bless you... Hmm, on behalf of the Lord, I bestow upon you a seed of holy power. You shall become a glorious servant of the Lord."

He paused, then spoke eagerly, "For now, you shall hold the status of a parish priest. I shall dispatch ten brave and fearless knights to protect your safety. If you have need, you may mobilize the entire power of the North American Grand Diocese. For the cause of the Lord, we require the strength of the Gu Group!"

As he spoke the words "Gu Group," Smith Lawrence’s eyes gleamed. Yes, they desperately needed the production capacity of the Gu Group.

The gate of the small garden was thrust open by a palm. A nun in white rushed in breathlessly, calling out urgently, "Your Eminence, the Romans have set out! Mr. Gu's intelligence is very accurate!"

Smith Lawrence embraced Gu Yuru tightly and kissed his cheek forcefully. "Dear child, the Lord will bless you. Leave the Vatican now and complete your mission!"

Dozens of people, along with Gu Yuru who still did not grasp what was happening, left the small garden. Smith Lawrence discreetly groped the posterior of the white-clad nun with force, then composed his expression and rushed toward the Central Cathedral.

Not long after, eight dreadnoughts, entirely black and measuring two thousand three hundred meters long, lifted off from an underground base outside Rome and rapidly pursued the direction of the Roman fleet.

Deep within the heart of Australia, outside a secret base in a certain desert, Gu Xiechen stood beside a large cactus, smiling as he watched a vulture and a rattlesnake fight near the plant. The vulture repeatedly swooped with its talons, attempting to tear open the snake's head, while the rattlesnake continually writhed its body, fiercely resisting the vulture's attacks.

Siren stood beside Gu Xiechen, holding the Seal of the White Hall Knights that Gu Xiechen had just handed him. His body was trembling slightly, his face taut, and his hands gripped the Seal so tightly that the creaking sound of his bones could be heard due to his constant shivering.

Gu Xiechen, hands clasped behind his back, did not look at Siren, yet he seemed to observe his every move.

"This great seal came into my hands a year ago, but the timing was not right to give it to you then."

"But now, you have truly mastered the Special Operations Bureau and its subordinate agencies. You have done better than I did initially."

"Therefore, I am returning what belongs to your family. Whatever you wish to do, I support you, no matter what it is!"

"Remember, you are the strategist. Whatever you aim for, if someone provokes you, I will provoke them!"

With a wave of his hand, a blast of cold air shot out from Gu Xiechen's wide sleeve, instantly freezing both the struggling rattlesnake and the vulture into blocks of ice. Power—the present Gu Xiechen had sufficient strength and confidence to speak such words. And in the future, Gu Xiechen's strength and confidence would only grow more abundant.

Siren took a deep breath and suddenly bowed ninety degrees to Gu Xiechen. "I want to rebuild the White Hall Knights. I want them to swallow back, bit by bit, the shame and injustice forced upon my Tongkulasi family by the traditional noble factions!"

"Do as you wish. I don't like that Prince Frielett anyway! The person who coerced me that day included him, so... feel free to torment that group of idiots from the traditional noble factions."

Hesitating for a moment, Gu Xiechen turned to face Siren, frowning slightly with a hint of hesitation. "If possible, keep a close watch on Maria. That woman, Yulis... I still cannot see through her! At least, I don't believe she has no feelings whatsoever for Alexander, who suddenly vanished... Yulis is too dangerous; you must watch her like a hawk!"

Siren's face suddenly contorted, his complexion turning dark.

Sem, carrying a sniper rifle on his back, ran up quickly, shouting urgently, "Boss, the Romans are moving. Five minutes ago, three 'Dark Gods' vessels from the Pantheon Alliance deployed, and three minutes ago, the eight 'Archangel' vessels of the Curia also set out."

Gu Xiechen started, then his face lit up with joy. He slapped Siren heartily and laughed loudly, "Watch over this little bit of our fortune well. If anything happens, go find Master for arbitration. I'm off to take advantage of the situation!"

Gu Xiechen's high-speed assault vessel left Earth at maximum speed, swiftly pursuing the direction the Roman fleet had taken. The fully equipped Desolate-level warship rendezvoused with Gu Xiechen near Saturn's orbit, flanked by six South Gate-class and twenty-four North Gate-class warships. The fleet then leisurely followed right behind the Curia's fleet.

In the vastness of space, these few fleets were as inconspicuous as sesame seeds in the ocean.

A seated Buddha statue, nine hundred meters tall, silently departed the rings of Jupiter, slowly trailing behind all the assembled forces.

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