Chapter 872: Lord of the Ocean

Old Tian received Zhang Yi's order and immediately arranged for the operation without uttering a word. As an experienced sailor, he naturally understood the danger involved. But at this moment, this was their only choice. Turning off the lights meant everyone wandered in the dark forest—only the weak could survive. Otherwise, they would be completely annihilated by the strong.

The members of the Rockflow Group stared at Zhang Yi in bewilderment, still unaware of what was happening.

"BOOM!!!"

"BOOM!!!"

"BOOM!!!"

Continuous explosions erupted in the distance, stirring up terrifying waves that even affected the Golden Edge. Everyone looked over and were shocked to discover that the mighty Columbian Ocean warship Copernicus was engulfed in flames, its hull rapidly tilting before sinking into the sea!

"That warship... was actually sunk!!" Li Zongyu's face was filled with disbelief. These people had no idea what the outside world had become, nor could they comprehend the destructive power of a superhuman like Zhang Yi. But now, the undeniable truth was right before their eyes—the Copernicus had been destroyed, while Zhang Yi stood unharmed on the Golden Edge. The answer was obvious: Zhang Yi had single-handedly sunk a powerful Columbian Ocean warship!

Everyone looked at Zhang Yi as if he were a monster—or even a god. Even Su Nuanxi, who always had something to say, swallowed back her accusations this time. She was utterly terrified.

But at this moment, some faces were ashen with fear and despair—Che Haicheng and his gang, who had been mocking Zhang Yi and Old Tian just moments ago. They had thought the situation was settled, that their clever schemes had doomed Zhang Yi and the others on the Golden Edge. They even believed they had secured the protection of the Columbian Ocean Navy and could live happily ever after.

Yet their dreams were shattered in an instant. The invincible, seemingly unbeatable Columbian Ocean Navy—a Epsilon-class cruiser—had been sunk by Zhang Yi alone! He wasn't human; he was a monster! The betrayers could already feel death approaching. To make it worse, Zhang Yi didn't even glance their way, intensifying the pressure to unbearable levels.

Che Haicheng gulped audibly, raising his hand with a forced, ingratiating smile. "Um... Mr. Zhang, let me explain..."

Zhang Yi didn't even look at him, instead heading straight for the cabin to fetch Zhou Ke'er. He also needed to inform Zhu Zheng about the situation and request reinforcements. Zhu Zheng would definitely find a way—unless he was willing to abandon the critical intelligence about the Divine Source.

Zhu Yunque awkwardly approached Zhang Yi. "I'm sorry, I thought just now..."

"Contact Commander Zhu. This is the last time. After this, your communication device won't be used again anytime soon."

Zhu Yunque was already thoroughly frightened. The pressure from the Columbian Ocean Navy had been overwhelming, but even more terrifying was Zhang Yi, who had single-handedly sunk the Copernicus.

"But won't we be left without direction?"

"There's no other choice right now. We'll take it step by step."

Everything had happened too suddenly, and Zhang Yi hadn't yet figured out the next steps. But for now, they had to leave this dangerous area and call for help.

Zhang Yi and Zhu Yunque entered her room. Tommy's wailing made Zhang Yi frown and Zhu Yunque close her eyes tightly, struggling to suppress her anger. She regretted her decision more than ever—bringing this child along had been nothing but a burden.

She called Su Nuanxi over and ordered her to take the child elsewhere so they could focus on more important matters. Only after shutting the door did she take out the communication device to contact Zhu Zheng.

Zhang Yi quickly briefed Zhu Zheng on the situation. As expected, Zhu Zheng's expression turned grave—direct confrontation with the Columbian Ocean Navy was the last thing they wanted. But there was no avoiding it now.

"Did you obtain the intelligence on the Divine Source?" Zhu Zheng asked.

Zhang Yi smiled slightly and tapped his temple.

Zhu Zheng fell silent for a moment, rubbing the back of his hand. Zhang Yi could sense his hesitation. But after a few seconds, Zhu Zheng finally spoke:

"Zhang Yi, your abilities are enough to sustain the ship at sea. You made the right call—cut off all external communications to avoid detection at all costs! I'll mobilize every resource to support you!"

Zhang Yi nodded. "Understood. I'll follow your instructions and await reinforcements at sea." He didn't make any additional demands.

The current situation seemed dangerous—and in reality, it was anything but safe. But that didn't apply to Zhang Yi. As a last resort, he could abandon everyone on board and escape with just Zhou Ke'er. It all depended on how much Zhu Yunque meant to Zhu Zheng.

At the very least, he and Zhou Ke'er would be fine.

Zhu Zheng continued, "From now on, you must change course. Avoid the waters near Neon Pirate territory at all costs. It's best to detour through the southwestern region. If you reach there, I'll have the Rose Squad rendezvous with you—they're currently on a mission in the southwestern waters."

"Remember," Zhu Zheng's eyes carried a warning, "do not engage the Columbian Ocean Navy head-on! According to our latest intel, their Ocean Fleet includes a superhuman with a superhuman ability index of 18,000!"

"His codename is [Lord of the Ocean]! It's because of him that the East Sea Region has struggled to expand into the ocean territories."

"So you absolutely cannot confront them alone!"

Zhu Yunque didn't react much—she had no idea what an ability index of 18,000 meant. But Zhang Yi felt a chill run down his spine.

That was a superhuman nearly twice as powerful as him—an Epsilon-level entity!

Zhang Yi took a deep breath. "Understood. I'll head for the southwestern waters."

Zhu Zheng reassured him, "Don't worry too much. In the vast ocean, finding you would be like searching for a needle in a haystack—it won't be easy. And I'll do everything in my power to secure reinforcements and distract the Ocean Fleet's forces."

The only possible "reinforcements" Zhu Zheng could mean were the East Sea Region—the only force in the ocean capable of opposing the Columbian Ocean Fleet. Among Huaxu Kingdom's six major regions, the East Sea Region possessed the strongest naval power, nearly on par with the Shengjing Region, which had the greatest overall strength.

Curious, Zhang Yi asked, "Does the East Sea Region also have Epsilon-level superhumans?"

Zhu Zheng's gaze turned profound. "The East Sea Region has never confirmed it. But I believe it's highly likely."

Author's Note