Chapter 4: Wrath of the Gods

After hearing everything Roani had to say, everyone—including the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes—exchanged glances, unsure how to respond to the Phantom Beast Mentor’s proposal! Indeed, if Roani merely wanted to kill a certain arrogant upstart, then with the power of the White-haired Wind God and the others, it might be easily accomplished. But now they were facing an entire, fully-formed civilization! Building a civilization is tough, but trying to wipe one out with just a handful of people? That’s even tougher!

“Master Roani, how do you plan to destroy the existing highly advanced technological civilization? Do you intend to wipe out all the residents of the Frank Islands?” After brief consideration, the White-haired Wind God said with a grave expression.

“No! Absolutely not! The people living here may have been corrupted by advanced technology and show despicable greed, but after all, they are still human. As a scholar, I neither wish to harm the humans of the Kashu continent nor want to see harm come to those I’ve lived alongside for decades!” Roani stated firmly.

After hearing his words, the White-haired Wind God grew even more puzzled. He turned to face Roani directly and said, “Since you don’t want to harm anyone, how can we help you? We can’t just destroy the place and make everyone forget it ever happened!”

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Roani slowly stood up, picked up a dossier from the low table beside the armchair, and said to the White-haired Wind God, “If the highly advanced civilization of the Frank Islands were developed by the humans here through their own research, then unless this place is destroyed, it would be absolutely impossible to halt technological progress.

However, the technology here relies entirely on knowledge recorded in an ancient relic left behind. Therefore, as long as that relic is destroyed, the rapidly developing technology will stagnate—or even backslide! Then these people, having lost their Summoned Beasts, won’t be able to challenge the entire Kashu continent—hundreds of millions strong—even with their technological edge!

Even with technology surpassing the continent’s, advantages in economy and manpower would last only about a century. Once they realize that all new inventions must be created by themselves, their inflated ambitions will vanish—and tragedy will be avoided!

Moreover, leaving them with current black powder technology will also make the rulers of the Kashu continent hesitant to approach this small island, preventing the weaker people here from being enslaved by the continental regime! That is why I am asking for your help!”

Only now did Mels and the others understand why Roani wanted to borrow the strength of the White-haired Wind God and the others. Because only warriors with extraordinary power like the White-haired Wind God and his companions would have the ability to infiltrate the relic—and only then could Roani’s desired outcome be achieved!

Looking at it as a warrior, Mels felt a surge of respect for Roani. Whether it was his compassion or his courage in resisting evil ambitions, it made Mels feel inadequate in comparison!

“…Master Roani, I cannot make a decision immediately. Could you give me some time to discuss with everyone before giving you a reply?” the White-haired Wind God replied calmly and steadily.

“Of course, whether to agree to my request is entirely up to you.” Roani smiled slightly, then immediately stood up to bid farewell to Mels and the others. He then left the conference room, giving the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes time to discuss alone.

“Elder Brother, I don’t think we need to help him!” As soon as Roani left, the Cloud-reaching Sword God spoke up.

“Go on, let’s hear your reasons!” the White-haired Wind God replied noncommittally.

“First, our purpose is to ask the Phantom Beast Mentor for help in investigating Lady Lannis’s illness. From the current situation, he is merely an alchemist with knowledge of ancient civilization. I think the rumors on the continent about him possessing the ability to control Summoned Beasts must be false—in fact, he is nothing but a technician who knows how to use ancient scientific technology.

Since he can’t help us, why should we risk offending the Frank Islands government—or even risk our lives—by getting involved in the political struggles here? Moreover, if we agree to help him and something goes wrong, Lady Lannis and all those who followed us here will be attacked.

Judging from what we saw when we docked, it would be impossible for us to escape at sea! If something truly happens to the young lady, how do we face Lord Magick? Therefore, I oppose joining his plan!” the Cloud-reaching Sword God laid out his case.

After hearing his words, the White-haired Wind God’s expression flickered through several changes, as if he had been swayed. Indeed, as the Cloud-reaching Sword God said, the White-haired Wind God and the others were merely outsiders who came to the Frank Islands seeking a cure—and should not get involved in the internal political conflicts of the Frank Islands!

Although Roani believed that the Frank Islands’ eagerness to develop military technology was for a future invasion of the Kashu continent, whether that was true or not was something they simply didn’t know.

If Roani had selfish motives and wanted to use the powerful strength of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes to achieve his own political goals, then agreeing to help him would mean falling into a whirlpool of power struggles! Therefore, the Cloud-reaching Sword God had a point!

Just as the White-haired Wind God was pondering the pros and cons, the Mad Venerable suddenly spoke up, “Old fossil, why have you become so indecisive? The you from before would have made a decision immediately. Why are you hesitating now?

In my opinion, Roani’s got a point! One person with power might stay the same, but give ten thousand former slaves unimaginable power—and can you guarantee that no ambitious individuals will emerge among them? The Franks are already developing strong resistance toward the outside world. If one day they believe they possess greater power than the Kashu continent, will they still be content to stay cooped up on this tiny island?

If we have the chance now to nip their ambitions in the bud, we should do so without hesitation! Otherwise, if one day their powerful armed forces conquer the Kashu continent, we will become the sinners of the entire world!”

Listening to the Mad Venerable’s passionate and severe words, the White-haired Wind God slowly looked up. When his gaze shifted to the Mad Venerable’s face, the Mad Venerable suddenly felt as if everything in his heart had been seen through. The White-haired Wind God’s expression turned serious, and he said gravely, “Brother Venerable, I know you are a straight shooter, which is why I haven’t directly asked you about your purpose for following us to the Frank Islands since you boarded the ship!

I know that if you wanted to say it, you would have told me when you boarded. If you didn’t want to say it, pressing you would only put you on the spot. But now is the time to make a decision, so I must ask you: why did you come to the Frank Islands—and why are you so concerned about the technology here?”

After hearing the White-haired Wind God’s words, the Mad Venerable’s face fell, wrestling with some inner turmoil. Then, he suddenly raised his head and said loudly, “That’s right—I originally intended to take the opportunity to follow you here. And the one who instructed me was none other than the Crown Prince of the Fijinando United Kingdom! Because the previous emperor of Fijinando once showed me great kindness, I gave a Venerable Token to his descendants.

Some time ago, the Crown Prince planned an expedition to the Frank Islands, but due to a lack of understanding of their strength, he hoped I would investigate first. I didn’t originally want to get involved with royal figures, but since he presented the Venerable Token, I had no choice but to accept his request!”

At this point, the Mad Venerable turned to face Mels and said apologetically, “Young Master Mels, please forgive me for deceiving you from the start.

I originally intended to kill you and then board the fleet by pretending to rescue the young lady—but I never expected… However, please rest assured, I’m no petty villain who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Since I lost to you in a fair and square duel, I will fulfill our agreement and forever acknowledge you as my master! Old fossil, I’ve said all I have to say. Whatever you decide to do with me, it’s up to you!”

“Heh, Brother Venerable, you’re overthinking it. In the current situation, having an expert like you around is all upside for us. Why would I want to fight you? Moreover, I knew from the start that, given your personality and our years of friendship, you would never do anything to harm the fleet. Otherwise, why would I have let you board the ship?

“You’re absolutely right. Regardless of whether Roani has his own motives, destroying the dangerous technological civilization here is indeed beneficial to the continent in every way! I’ve decided to help Roani achieve his goal!

However, Brother Venerable, there’s one thing I’d like to ask of you. When you return to the Fijinando United Kingdom, I hope you can explain to the Crown Prince that this place possesses combat capabilities surpassing the continent! After all, I don’t want the people here—who are already looked down upon—to suffer attacks from thousands of miles away because of us! Will you agree to this?” the White-haired Wind God said with a smile to the Mad Venerable.

“Good! A gentleman’s word is as good as his bond! As long as we destroy the civilization here that threatens the Kashu continent, I’ll do as you say and make the Crown Prince lose his desire to conquer this place!” the Mad Venerable solemnly promised. Seeing that the White-haired Wind God had made his decision, the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes—loyal to their chief—could say no more. When the White-haired Wind God invited Roani, who was waiting outside, back in, he immediately informed him of their decision to join the plan.

With the help of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes and the Mad Venerable, Roani’s confidence soared. From the beginning, Roani hadn’t expected the White-haired Wind God to agree to his request so quickly; initially, he had asked for help only because his own strength was too weak! Now, with the eight super experts—the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes and the Mad Venerable—the Frank military forces with their black-powder weapons no longer seemed so fearsome! However, as everyone carefully discussed the terrain of the relic and Roani’s plan, just then, the unexpected happened!

“Bang! Bang!” After several dull sounds, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps echoed through the research center. The White-haired Wind God and the others in the underground conference room immediately heard the shouts, groans, and pleas for mercy from the researchers!

“Not good—someone has broken in here!” The White-haired Wind God, the Mad Venerable, and the others stood as one, alertly looking upward.

“Someone broke in here? Can you hear it?” Roani didn’t seem to possess the advanced martial arts skills of the White-haired Wind God and the others, unable to hear a thing from outside the soundproof room.

“That’s right! It seems to be the military. Some alchemists are pleading with them, and the military’s target appears to be you!” After listening intently for a moment, the Mad Venerable turned to Roani with a grave expression. As if to confirm the Mad Venerable’s words, the White-haired Wind God beside him nodded in confirmation at the same time!

“Alas, they’ve discovered it after all! Originally, most of the researchers I sheltered here were people who possessed Summoned Beasts. During the purge of outsiders that began a few years ago, to ensure their safety, I used the excuse of not interfering with scientific research to prohibit the military from conducting inspections. I never thought it would still be exposed!” Roani said helplessly.

“Researchers? You mean those alchemists?” the Mad Venerable interjected.

“Yes, on the continent, people like us who are devoted to science should be called alchemists! Never mind—it’s useless to talk about this now. You all need to get out of here, fast, through the secret passage at the back. Otherwise, when they find this place, they will surely arrest you as accomplices and execute you!” Having made his decision, Roani immediately returned to his desk and pressed a hidden mechanism. A bookshelf at the innermost part of the room immediately made a dull sound and slowly moved aside, revealing a dark secret passage.

“Master Roani, what about you? Aren’t you escaping with us?” Mels, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up.

“Haha, I’m already old. A person has lived long enough by this age! Since I lack the ability to prevent the impending tragedy, I would rather die on the land I love!

Besides, with your abilities, you can escape quickly—but if you take me along, it will slow you down. So, escape on your own! As long as you’re not caught here, with your status as outsiders, you should be able to quickly return to the port and escape the jurisdiction of the Frank Islands!

Oh, young man, the Summoned Beast you possess is very peculiar. I originally wanted to work with you to uncover the secret of how a Summoned Beast can possess independent thought and knowledge—but there’s no time now. I hope you never give up on yourself just because your Summoned Beast doesn’t yet have great power. I believe that one day in the future, when your Summoned Beast truly awakens, it will become an ultra-powerful attack-type Summoned Beast capable of shocking the entire continent!

Young lady, the reason you fell ill is because there is a past in your heart that you are unwilling to face. You are still very young and should learn to face all difficulties and obstacles! The adult world may contain much darkness—but as long as you hold onto your true heart and use your own strength to change the world you dislike, then everything will change! Let the past be the past. Your life is only determined by you. Let go of everything—don’t let yourself be bound by the past—and your life will be different!” Roani said to Mels and Lannis.

After hearing everything Roani said, not only were Mels and Lannis greatly surprised—but even the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes and the others never expected that, from just a brief meeting, Roani could understand the detailed situations of Mels and Lannis’s Summoned Beasts! Only then did they have to believe that Roani was indeed the legendary Phantom Beast Mentor!

“Master, don’t be so pessimistic just yet! From my observation, these military forces with mechanical weapons might have strong combat capabilities at long range—but at close quarters, I believe they are definitely no match for us!

To be honest, even my disciple Mels—I believe he can dodge the metal projectiles fired by those mechanical weapons with his movements!” the White-haired Wind God suddenly approached Roani and said.

“What? You’re not afraid of firearms? Then why were the previous fleets that arrived all annihilated by the navy?” Roani exclaimed in shock.

“Haha, I believe that’s because there were no experts in the military capable of withstanding the powerful firearms—and the mages among them couldn’t attack the metal warships from a distance!

Additionally, many Summoned Beast warriors were likely hit by the long-range firearms of the metal warships when they were unprepared—which is why the battles were so one-sided!”

After speaking to Roani, the White-haired Wind God turned to Mels and Lannis and said, “Alright—now is not the time for this. Mels, you and your companions stay here and protect Master Roani. Lannis, you stay with them too. Remember to listen to everything Mels says!” After hearing the White-haired Wind God’s instructions, Mels and the others nodded slightly—and Lannis was secretly happy to be with Mels.

“Brother Venerable, these children are still young and inevitably lack combat experience—so I hope you can guard the entrance to this room and do your best to ensure their safety!” the White-haired Wind God turned to the Mad Venerable again and said.

“No problem, old fossil. You go ahead and deal with those arrogant fellows. Leave them all to me!” the Mad Venerable said.

“Good!” Seeing that everything had been arranged, the White-haired Wind God’s fighting spirit soared! He loudly said to the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes, “Everyone—let them witness the might of the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes! In today’s battle, leave no enemy alive. We must win—no defeat is allowed! Unless we encounter an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, no one is permitted to use their Summoned Beasts. Understood?”

“Yes! Big brother!” The six world-renowned experts drew their weapons or began chanting protective magic spells.

As the White-haired Wind God suddenly opened the tightly shut door—along with the Mad Venerable—all the experts immediately flashed out with elusive movements! The battle that would change everyone’s fate—or rather, the fate of the entire Kashu continent—finally unveiled its bloody序幕!

The Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes and the others had all left, leaving only Mels and the other four youths, along with Roani, in the conference room. Although the White-haired Wind God had decided to completely eliminate the military soldiers invading the research center, Roani didn’t seem to have much confidence in this. At this moment, he was constantly organizing his important documents in the conference room, throwing things he couldn’t take with him into the fireplace to burn.

Watching the busy Roani, although Mels wanted to help, he was helpless due to his complete ignorance of those documents. Therefore, he could only sit quietly in the armchair with the others, waiting for the White-haired Wind God and the others to return safely. “Boss, do you really think those black metal tubes are that powerful?” Sol, feeling bored, asked.

"I'm not sure either. But given that the expeditionary forces from various countries couldn't land here, it's gotta be incredibly powerful! Otherwise, how could tens of thousands of troops vanish into thin air?

However, I believe Master and the others will completely eliminate the enemy. If even they can't do it, then even if we wanted to destroy the ancient ruins, it would just be wishful thinking!" Mels said after a brief moment of thought.

Just as Mels and the others were shooting the breeze about the outcome of the battle involving the White-haired Wind God and his companions, Lannis, who was sitting nearby, suddenly lowered her head and whispered softly, "Brother Mels, you... you..."

"Lannis, what's wrong? Is something the matter?" Although Lannis's voice was very low, how could Mels miss it? Since he already liked her, he immediately stopped his conversation with Sol and the others and turned to ask.

"Brother Mels, tell me... what illness I actually have? Why is everyone so worried? Also, I didn't understand a word of what Master Roani said just now! Brother Mels, can you tell me?" Lannis asked.

"This... this..." Suddenly faced with Lannis's pointed question, Mels was caught off guard and had no idea how to respond.

After hemming and hawing for a while, Mels suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "Lannis, don't worry. It's because your Summoned Beast sometimes appears suddenly while you're sleeping, so Master and the others think you have some kind of illness! Plus, you've always been frail, and they're all very concerned about you. That's why they decided to bring you to find Master Roani this time, hoping his power could figure out what's wrong and treat you!"

"Really? I always feel like everyone treats me especially well because I have some strange illness! Even though no one wants to tell me, I know something must be happening to me!" Lannis lowered her head again, speaking with a despondent expression.

Looking at the beautiful girl's sorrowful face, Mels suddenly felt a strong urge. At that moment, he really wanted to explain to the girl about Lannis's split personality. But as soon as he thought about how devastating the truth would be for Lannis, that urge instantly vanished.

After a long silence, Mels raised his hand and placed it on Lannis's shoulder, then said softly, "Lannis, don't worry! As long as I'm by your side, I won't let anything happen to you!"

"Brother Mels... you're so sweet." Feeling the warmth spreading from her shoulder, when Lannis looked up and met Mels's burning gaze, her body trembled slightly, and a blush spread across her beautiful cheeks.

Seeing the delicate expression on the lovely girl's face, a wave of tender affection washed over Mels's mind. At that moment, it seemed as if the whole world consisted only of the two of them, and the awkwardness from their time apart disappeared without a trace! The pure seedling of love that had already taken root in his heart seemed to grow slowly at this moment, and an impulse to pull Lannis into his embrace gradually surfaced in Mels's heart.

"Brother Mels, what are you looking at? Is it fun to look at each other like that?" Just as Mels was immersed in this warm emotional world, Akafir's somewhat nonsensical shout pulled him back to reality! At the same time, Lannis withdrew her affectionate gaze, flusteredly lowered her head, and nervously began fidgeting with the hem of her clothes!

"Look? Look at your big head! Our pure-as-driven-snow leader was finally captivated by a beauty, and just when the good show was about to start, you ruined it, you idiot!" Seeing that the show was over, Sol immediately vented his anger on Akafir, who had spoken up.

"Yeah, yeah! I thought our leader was planning to become a monk! I finally managed to pull him out of that misery, so he wouldn't have to spend his days with a lonely lamp, and then you, you big dummy, ruined it!" Rek also joined in attacking Akafir.

Seeing Rek and Sol poised to strike, Akafir hugged his head and scurried to the side, complaining, "Akafir is not an egg! Akafir has never seen a dummy! Brother Mels and that girl were looking! Akafir didn't say anything bad!"

"Rek!" After hearing Akafir's words, Sol suddenly turned to face Rek and pointed at Akafir.

"Let's beat him up!" Equally speechless, Rek rolled up his sleeves, ready to join Sol in giving Akafir a gentle lesson!

"I think you two are the ones who want a beating! Have you been out for so long that you haven't tasted this Young Master's fists and want a reminder?"

Just as Rek and Sol were obliviously teasing Mels in a roundabout way, Mels had already charged at them like a fierce god, raising his fists to teach them a lesson.

"Leader, it's a misunderstanding... Ouch!" Seeing the situation turn bad, Sol didn't even have time to explain before Mels's "iron fist" landed on his head. The magician, who had been laughing happily moments before, immediately lay on the soft chair, pretending to be dead and crying out in pain.

"Heh heh, good brother Sol, sorry about that! That punch was really a misunderstanding!" Mels chuckled sinisterly, then raised his fist again, shouting "misunderstanding" while laying into Sol.

"Brother Mels, hit him, hit him, hit him! Akafir supports you!" Seeing Sol, who had bullied him, getting a good beating, Akafir stood to the side gloating, jumping up and down excitedly.

Watching the playful scuffle between Mels and the others, Lannis couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle. Her laughter was clear and pleasant, immediately drawing the attention of Mels, Sol, and the others. When Lannis noticed everyone looking at her, she shyly stopped laughing, lowered her head again, and didn't dare to look at them.

"Lannis, sorry you had to see that. These guys just love to fool around! Heh heh." Mels chuckled dryly twice. "No, no, I just think you're all so close, and I envy you. I've been alone since I was little and never had friends like you, so..." Lannis, misunderstanding that Mels was angry, quickly looked up and explained nervously.

"Heh heh, that was in the past! From now on, if you're hanging out with us, how can you keep a straight face every day?" Seeing that Mels was no longer pinning him down, Sol immediately scurried over to Lannis's side, winking and making faces.

"Me... hanging out with you?" Lannis seemed somewhat surprised.

"Of course! You're the leader's friend, so you're our friend too! Since we're all good friends, of course we should hang out together!" Sol said loudly to Lannis, then turned to Mels and the others. "Leader, Rek, Akafir, isn't that right?"

Hearing Sol's words, Lannis looked around blankly at Mels and the others. She saw Mels and Rek smiling and nodding slightly, while the clueless Akafir jumped up and down, saying, "Good friends, we're all good friends, not dummies!" It seemed Akafir was still bothered by Sol and Rek mistaking him for an egg earlier, so he seized the opportunity to prove he was a person, not an egg!

Seeing the smiles on Mels and the others' faces, Lannis fell silent. Although her expression remained blank, the emotion in her heart was beyond words.

Perhaps at that moment, she wanted to cheer, to laugh out loud, but for some reason, she felt a lump in her throat, as if tears, long trapped within her, were finally threatening to fall. Just then, the conference room door suddenly swung open, and the Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes filed in unharmed.

"Heh heh, Young Master Mels, not a single one escaped—we took them all out!" The last to enter, the Mad Venerable, laughed heartily as he spoke to Mels and the others. It seemed he hadn't just stood guard outside but had joined the fight.

"You... eliminated the army that quickly?" Roani, who had been busy tidying up papers, asked in disbelief.

"Yes, there were about sixty or so inside the research center, with another twenty or so surrounding it outside. We destroyed them, along with three strange iron-clad vehicles among the surrounding troops outside. However... there are no survivors left in the research center, including the warriors we brought—they were all brutally killed by this gang of bandit-like soldiers!" The White-haired Wind God reported the results to Roani with a hint of apology.

"That couldn't be helped! In fact, even if they hadn't been killed now, they wouldn't have been able to live here much longer. Those who could only research this technology would have faced hardship even if they escaped. Perhaps this outcome was the best choice for them." Hearing that the researchers who had shared hardships with him for years were all dead, Roani's aged face seemed even more haggard.

After a while, the White-haired Wind God, who had been quietly waiting for Roani to calm down, slowly approached him and said, "Master Roani, we can't stay here long! What should we do now? Where exactly are the ancient ruins?"

"Yes, you're right! I'll take you through the secret passage to leave immediately. This passage leads to a mountain road, where I've hidden a steam vehicle for emergencies, capable of transporting all the researchers. Even though they can no longer use it, I believe they would agree to let us drive it to destroy this hellish world that doomed them!" Roani said with determined eyes.

"Good, in that case, let's act immediately!" the White-haired Wind God agreed promptly.

He then turned to the Angry Thunder Fairy and the Cold Ice Deity and said, "Third Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Brother, take Miss Lannis, Sol, and Master Roani through the secret passage immediately! The rest of you, follow me to hide the bodies outside!

I believe that if these soldiers we killed don't report back for a long time, it will definitely draw the military's attention. If they discover the bodies of our family members, they'll surely suspect us.

Even though we can't guarantee they won't track us, the more time we buy, the better it is for us! Everyone, move quickly, understood?"

The White-haired Wind God's purpose in doing this was simply to make the military spend more time guessing why the troops were wiped out! If this goal was achieved, it would buy more time for everyone to destroy the ruins and even escape back to the port! Having the mages and women leave was because their physical strength couldn't handle moving bodies and evacuating!

After the White-haired Wind God made the decision, everyone began to split up to handle their tasks. Roani, who had already started preparing to burn the documents, threw all the papers into the fireplace before leaving with the others. Meanwhile, Mels and the others, who had gone outside to move the bodies, completed the task in about thirty minutes and followed the White-haired Wind God along the markers Roani left in the secret passage, escaping the now-empty research center!

After traversing the dark underground passage, just as Roani had said, a mountain road appeared before them. By then, Roani and the others had already boarded a steam vehicle with its engine running, waiting for Mels and the group to arrive.

Once Mels and the others were all on board, Roani quickly drove the steam vehicle toward the mountaintop. Along the way, Roani took out a map he had brought from the research center and, while driving, explained to the White-haired Wind God and the others the location of the ancient ruins, as well as the distribution, equipment, and numbers of the stationed troops.

After Roani's detailed explanation, Mels and the others learned that the small firearms carried by the military on Frank Island were called firelocks. They were metal weapons that fired metal projectiles. Due to technological and energy limitations, these firelocks couldn't compare to cannons. To fire, gunpowder made from minerals like sulfur had to be loaded into the barrel first, followed by the projectile, unlike cannons, which could fire prepared shells! Therefore, as long as they could dodge the enemy's first shot, Mels and the others could easily defeat their opponents!

Additionally, according to Roani, most of the people here had lost their Summoning Gems, so they couldn't attain the same level of martial arts and magical power as Mels and the others. Over time, they gradually abandoned the practice of martial arts and magic, relying entirely on the power of metal weapons! Thus, as long as they didn't encounter too many enemies, Mels and the others were practically invincible like superhumans on Frank Island!

The ancient ruins that led to the technological explosion on Frank Island were located in a valley at the center of the island. Its exact position was about sixty kilometers northwest of the research center. At the steam vehicle's current speed, reaching this valley would likely take one to two hours!

Around the ruins, there were about a thousand garrison troops, while the patrol forces inside the ruins varied from a maximum of three hundred to a minimum of one hundred and fifty, depending on the time! Due to the large number of enemies, Roani hoped that the White-haired Wind God and the others would avoid engaging the garrison troops before entering the ruins, to avoid the calamity of being surrounded!

After listening to Roani's explanation, the White-haired Wind God quietly sat down next to Mels and said to the Frost Death God seated beside him, "Sixth Brother, are you familiar with the terrain here?" Hearing the White-haired Wind God's words, the Frost Death God nodded slightly and took out a hand-drawn map, handing it to the White-haired Wind God.

Glancing sideways at the map, Mels couldn't help but be astonished. What he had thought was just a few lines turned out to be a detailed map that included almost all the roads, shops, terrain, and other specifics of the areas they passed through. It even sketched out a complete topographic map of Frank Island based on inference!

Just looking at this map, Mels couldn't help but think to himself, "The Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes are truly full of hidden talents. Not only are their martial skills exceptional, but they can also easily accomplish things ordinary people cannot!"

"Nice work! With this map, our retreat will be much easier!" the White-haired Wind God said happily.

"Leader." The usually quiet Frost Death God suddenly spoke up. "I have a feeling this matter isn't as simple as it seems! And I'm afraid leaving here easily will be even harder!"

Hearing the Frost Death God's words, the White-haired Wind God's expression froze for a moment. Then he patted his brother's shoulder and said, "Sixth Brother, over the years, we've been through it all. Since we've come this far today, we should see it through to the end! Don't dwell on these thoughts. Instead, take this time to rest and conserve your energy! I think in the coming days, there won't be much time for rest!" After saying this, the White-haired Wind God tucked the map into his robe and turned to leave, returning to his seat.

As the steam vehicle jolted along the bumpy road, the atmosphere in the compartment remained heavy and silent. Apart from the occasional laughter and chatter from Sol and Rek, everyone else sat quietly in their seats, lost in their own thoughts. The hour-long journey passed quickly, and with a sharp screech of brakes, everyone knew their destination was near! When everyone got off the steam vehicle, Roani immediately drove it deep into the dense forest. After carefully covering the vehicle with branches and dry leaves, Roani led the group over mountains and through valleys along a little-known path toward the ruins valley.

After nearly two hours of trekking, when Roani cautiously pushed aside a clump of grass, a valley completely surrounded by man-made tech structures came into view. At that moment, Mels and the others were on a small hill about two thousand meters west of the valley entrance, at a height of roughly seventy meters!

"Look, this is the entrance to the ruins, the place where ancient technology was excavated! It's already dusk, so I think you should enter after nightfall!" Roani pointed at the valley as he spoke to everyone.

"The defenses here are tight. Is there any other way to get inside?" the White-haired Wind God asked with a grave expression, watching the patrol teams moving in and out of the entrance.

"No!" Roani shook his head, then explained, "Back then, to prevent the ruins from being damaged by wild beasts or natural disasters, they immediately built completely enclosed structures after discovering this place! So besides this entrance, there are no other ways in. The only two ventilation shafts are only twenty centimeters in diameter—I don't think anyone could crawl through them!"

"Twenty centimeters? Even my bone-contraction art won't work!" The Angry Thunder Immortal shook her head helplessly.

After hearing her words, White-haired Wind God quietly withdrew from his lookout position and returned behind the rock, speaking to Roani: "Great Master Roani, I must ask—even if we get inside, how do we destroy the ruins? Using Summoned Beasts would surely alert the guards, making our escape far more troublesome!"

"Do not worry—I have these!" After listening to White-haired Wind God, Roani carefully unwrapped three rectangular, brick-sized gray objects from his backpack, along with a metal device with a glass panel on the front.

He then pointed at the strange items and explained: "These are called explosives—extremely powerful blast devices! This small metal box is a timer I recently perfected, incorporating advanced technologies still under wraps!

Simply put, I will preset this timer. Once inside, follow my map to the ruins' core, place these three explosives there, connect these wires from the timer to them, and press this switch. Then leave the ruins within fifteen minutes! When the time comes, it will detonate automatically and destroy everything! But I must warn you: never activate it before reaching the ruins, or it will explode prematurely! Also, conceal the placement—once set, if discovered and disturbed, they will surely detonate!" Roani spoke with great caution to White-haired Wind God.

"I understand. Since the hardest problem is solved, let us rest while we can! After nightfall, Venerable Brother, you and I will enter the ruins. The others will remain outside, ready to support us!" White-haired Wind God then detailed specific plans and assigned each person a role.

To prepare for the coming battle, everyone found suitable spots to rest. The setting sun faded amid their tense yet eager anticipation. Time passed minute by minute. When the sky turned fully dark and orange lights glowed at the ruins' entrance, Mels and the others knew the final battle was about to begin!

"Be careful, Big Brother!" Just as White-haired Wind God prepared to slip in during a lull in the patrols, and as everyone bid farewell to him and the Mad Venerable One, a fiery red light suddenly tore through the black sky, ripping it apart in an instant!

Before anyone could react, the crimson light plunged directly into the heart of the ruins valley! Half a second later, while all were still bewildered, a massive explosion erupted in the valley, hurling dust and shattered rock in all directions!

Before the stunned Mels and his companions could respond, Roani suddenly collapsed, his face contorted as he muttered: "The... the wrath of the gods! Retribution has come at last. The gods are finally angered!"