Chapter 111: Attack and Composure (Part Two)

The moment the points of light streaked down from the sky, Ji Yu’s reaction was nothing short of instantaneous.

Under the thousand-fold amplification of his water-manipulation abilities triggered by his breakthrough, a mere thought from Ji Yu caused the surrounding seawater to surge upward in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the rising water formed a massive curtain facing the incoming projectiles.

The water curtain, over tens of meters thick, crackled with the sound of freezing, instantly hardening into an arched shield of solid ice. Yet, this was far from enough; as soon as this half-egg-shell-like shield appeared, more seawater surged up behind it.

At that moment, the first point of light struck the ice shield.

In an instant—

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening explosion resounded across the entire sea. The force of the blast gouged a massive crater into the thirty-meter-thick ice. Due to the intense vibrations, spiderweb cracks spread across the ice, as if it were on the verge of shattering and collapsing into the ocean.

However, just as the cracks appeared, a torrent of water rushed over them, freezing instantly to seal the fissures. By this time, the second, third, and fourth missiles had already begun to impact the shield. Under Ji Yu’s control, another layer of ice, nearly twenty meters thick, had already formed behind the first.

"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!"

The explosions were relentless, sending shards of ice spraying into the sea. With several sharp cracks, the outermost layer of ice shattered, more severely than before, but the situation was stabilized once again as fresh seawater covered the area and froze over.

The explosions continued in the direction of the missiles.

"BOOM!"
"BOOM!!"
"BOOM!!!"

Thirteen consecutive missiles struck in unison. The terrifying chain reaction of explosions generated a massive shockwave that carried far across the water.

***

Inside the aircraft carrier’s bridge command center, there was silence—an endless, profound silence. Every person present wore an expression of disbelief and incomprehension.

"This!"
"How could there be such a powerful aberrant creature on Blue Star? This far exceeds any records we’ve ever discovered."
"What is this massive ice wall? How did it form in an instant?"
"An arched ice wall over three hundred meters high, standing right there in the ocean—isn't this a bit too detached from reality? God help us, what kind of creature are we dealing with?"
"Those were seventeen Tomahawk missiles!"
"..."

As they regained their senses, the officers began to shout in disbelief.

"This is unacceptable! Just because it blocked these missiles, we shouldn't sit idly by. I suggest we report this immediately and request a tactical nuclear strike!" an officer said, his face flushed with agitation as he addressed the fleet commander.

"A tactical nuclear strike?"

The room fell silent. Nuclear strikes were not something to be ordered on a whim; even Morton, the fleet commander, lacked such authorization. Nuclear control remained highly traditional at this stage, requiring approval from the National Congress. Of course, if the highest authorities reached a consensus, such an order could be relayed immediately.

While the officer’s suggestion was born of extreme agitation, it was not entirely incomprehensible. The scene they had just witnessed was truly harrowing. The seawater, as if manipulated by a mythological god of the sea, had surged and frozen into a colossal arched wall that successfully withstood seventeen conventional short-range missiles. By modern standards, this was a power beyond anyone's imagination.

The unknown is terrifying, much like when the Purple Moon first appeared and began contaminating biological life. At the time, governments worldwide were in chaos for a long time before they slowly accepted the situation and began implementing strict control over public discourse.

***

"Is this really the kind of change an aberrant creature can cause?" someone asked amidst the silence.

The group was stunned. The deputy fleet commander turned to the officer and asked, "Colonel Guy, have you discovered something?"

"No, General. I have no specific discovery, but I am merely wondering: can the current contamination and radiation from the Purple Moon really produce such a powerful aberrant creature?"

"Even with the intensification of the Purple Moon's contamination, I believe everyone knows that most of the species we’ve discovered in the ocean lately are merely giant, mutated versions of existing animals. Even if some possess strange abilities, they shouldn't be capable of such a terrifying transformation, right?"

"If I had to compare this to anything, the only thing that comes to mind is the mysterious tree we discovered in the Bana Tropical Rainforest."

"And as you all know, because of that oak tree, oak trees all over the world are growing at a rate beyond our comprehension. This is a supreme power, and its intensity is perhaps no less than the ability displayed by this creature."

The officer continued, "I wonder if you recall the message released by the Druid Order half a month ago? That mysterious tree took many people to the world of the Purple Moon, and there, it revealed some of the world's secrets to its followers."

The deputy fleet commander’s eyes lit up. "Colonel Guy, are you referring to what the mysterious tree said about the existence of gods, and that they are watching over this world?"

"Yes!" Colonel Guy nodded, a look of piety appearing on his face.

"Many of you here may not be interested in the Druid faith and thus haven't looked into it deeply, but as a believer, I feel certain the mysterious tree would not deceive us. The mysterious tree is a tolerant and wise entity; it has no reason to lie about this, especially since, as noble as it is, it does not claim to be a god itself."

"Just as the mysterious tree said, I believe the gods have always existed, and that they had merely turned their gaze away from Blue Star for 'a little while'."

"When the Purple Moon began to contaminate our world, it naturally succeeded in drawing the attention of the compassionate gods, who are now guiding our world in their own way."

"The mysterious tree, or perhaps the existence of that sacred deer that the Ryan authorities have been trying to hide—this is the most compelling proof that the gods exist and are looking after Blue Star!"

"As for why the gods do not directly favor humanity, perhaps it is because they have a negative perception of how we have destroyed the environment and caused the extinction of so many species during our development?"

"But even if that perception is negative, the gods remain compassionate, chiding us like a strict father by bestowing their favor upon other species instead."

"This is my personal understanding. Do you find it reasonable?"