The live broadcast spread across all 13 islands of the Salto Archipelago, exposing Biqi's conspiracy and oppressive actions to the public. The people's shock and anger erupted like a volcano, and they gathered in the square on the main island, shouting protests and demanding justice. The soldiers on the main island tried to maintain order, but their efforts seemed futile in the face of the surging crowd. Conflict was on the verge of breaking out, and the scene descended into chaos.
In the square, the people's shouts rose and fell like waves, sweeping across the entire main island like a tsunami. "Down with Biqi!" "Give back our resources!" "The Salto Archipelago belongs to all of us!" Anger and despair intertwined into an invisible force, as the crowd pushed forward, trying to break through the soldiers' line. Some held up homemade signs in protest, with rough handwriting that read "Freedom and Justice," the signs trembling slightly in the wind, narrating their purpose and hope. Many from the reptilian clan angrily picked up stones from the ground and hurled them with all their might at the soldiers. The stones arced through the air, smashing into the soldiers' shields with dull thuds, fragments scattering everywhere.
The soldiers, clad in shiny scale armor and holding long spears, stood shoulder to shoulder, forming a human wall to block the surging public sentiment. Their faces were filled with tension and helplessness, sweat sliding down their foreheads and soaking the clothes beneath their armor. As the crowd grew larger, their formation began to waver, their footsteps unsteady. A young soldier was hit on the helmet by a stone, producing a crisp clang; he staggered back, blood seeping from his forehead and flowing down his cheek, staining his scale armor red. He gritted his teeth and steadied himself, but his eyes revealed confusion and pain, as if hearing the call of "Freedom and Justice" on the signs made his heart race. At that moment, he was no longer just a soldier but an ordinary person caught between duty and humanity. Another soldier roared and swung his spear, trying to intimidate the crowd; the spear tip sliced through the air with a low whooshing sound, but his movements were hesitant, his arms trembling slightly, unwilling to truly stab at those familiar faces—faces that might belong to his neighbors, friends, or even family.
Suddenly, a burly man burst out from the crowd, his eyes burning with rage, swinging his fist and landing a heavy blow on a soldier's chest. The soldier grunted and retreated a few steps, a dent left on his scale armor. The crowd erupted in deafening cheers, as if this strike ignited the fuse, and more people surged forward, the scene becoming increasingly out of control. The soldiers began using their shields to push back, trying to restore order; the metal shields clashed against the crowd, producing piercing scraping sounds. However, the people's anger was like a massive wave before the tide recedes—surging and unstoppable. The ground in the square began to tremble, and the air was filled with the smell of sweat and dust.
Biqi and Eba's Reaction
Inside the conference room, Biqi looked out the window, overlooking the unrest in the square. His face was ashen, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles turning white from the force. His tail swung restlessly, making faint snapping sounds, a flash of panic in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a cold ruthlessness. He turned to Eba and commanded in a low voice: "Prepare to retreat; we can't stay here." His voice was deep and urgent, carrying an undisguised anxiety.
Eba nodded, his rough large hands gripping the battle axe tightly, the blade gleaming coldly under the light. A trace of unease flashed in his eyes, as if he sensed the impending crisis, but more prominent was a desire for battle—that wildness etched into his bones. "Lord Biqi, what should we do?" Eba's voice was low and rugged, his chest heaving slightly.
"Don't panic; we still have a backup plan." Biqi sneered, the corners of his mouth curling up in a sinister confidence. "Huanqiao will clear the way for us." He glanced around the conference room, as if confirming his escape route, then took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.
Fa and Her Group's Intervention
At that moment, Fa made her move. In a flash, earth magic condensed under her feet, the ground trembling slightly as a yellowish glow spread from her soles. She instantly teleported in front of Biqi, her short blade pointing straight at his throat, the cold gleam flashing, the tip mere inches from his skin. She said coldly: "Do you think you can escape?" Her right eye's star pupil glowed faintly with silver light, emanating a silvery radiance, attempting to see through any disguise or illusion Biqi might have. Yet, her mind was racing: Does Biqi have any more trump cards? Is his magic ready to strike?
Arya stood at Fa's side, drawing the Storm Bow, wind elements gathering between the bowstring, forming a small tornado that whistled and swirled. The arrow aimed at Eba, ready to fire at any moment. Her gentle voice carried firmness: "Drop your weapons; don't force us to act." Her long hair fluttered in the wind, a touch of tenderness flashing in her eyes—that was her unspoken support for Fa.
Kayla roared, her body entering the second stage of transformation, muscles bulging, fur thickening, her giant leopard form emerging. Her thunder claws flashed with arcs of lightning and frost, blue-white lights intertwining, as she pounced fiercely at Eba. She bellowed: "You bastard, stay put!" The thunder claws clashed intensely with Eba's battle axe, producing deafening metallic clangs, sparks flying everywhere, the air filled with a scorched smell. Each of her attacks carried the force of thunder, as if intent on tearing the enemy before her to shreds.
Zhamisi's snake tail whipped, sliding flexibly, poisonous mist overflowing from her fingertips, forming several green arrows that shot toward Biqi. She gritted her teeth: "Your tyranny ends here!" The poisonous mist swirled in the air, emitting a pungent scent that sent chills down the spine. Her eyes burned with the flame of justice, but deep in her heart, she worried: If Biqi escapes, the consequences will be unimaginable.
Yuyuer stood at the rear, raising his staff high, the blue sapphire flickering with eerie light. Water magic condensed into a water curtain, like a transparent wall, sealing off the conference room's exit. He said solemnly: "Biqi, your conspiracy has been exposed; the people won't listen to your sophistry anymore." His voice was calm and powerful, as if using wisdom to suppress the opponent's arrogance.
A flash of panic crossed Biqi's eyes, his breathing quickening, but he soon sneered: "You dare touch me? The lifeline of the Salto Archipelago is in my hands!" He tried to gather magic for a counterattack, green light beginning to glow at his fingertips, but Fa's short blade was already at his throat, the icy touch making him dare not move recklessly. His heart raced, yet he feigned composure, seeking an opportunity to escape.
Eba roared and swung his battle axe, trying to break through the encirclement, his muscles tensing, power exploding. But Kayla's thunder claws firmly suppressed him, electric arcs jumping across his body, frost making his movements stiff. Arya released an arrow, the small tornado howling forth, sweeping Eba's battle axe away; the axe spun in the air and smashed into the wall with a loud crash, cracking the surface. Zhamisi's poisonous mist took the opportunity to entwine Eba, making his movements even slower, as if bound by invisible shackles.
Fa took a deep breath, activating earth magic again; the ground rose up, a stone prison emerging from the earth, trapping Biqi. The stone walls were indestructible, emanating an ancient magical aura. "You can't escape, Biqi." Her voice was calm but carried unquestionable determination. Yet, inwardly, she remained alert: Huanqiao was still in the shadows, the crisis not yet resolved.
Huanqiao's Escape
Just as everyone focused on Biqi and Eba, Huanqiao in the shadows quietly acted. His figure almost blended with the wall, his invisibility technique supremely advanced, even his shadow hard to detect. Fa suddenly sensed something amiss; her right eye's star pupil flashed with silver light, scanning the surroundings, trying to capture his trace, but she only saw a fleeting afterimage. Huanqiao's speed was incredibly fast; in the blink of an eye, he rushed out of the conference room, vanishing into the shadows, as if he had never existed.
"Be careful, Huanqiao escaped!" Fa frowned, reminding her teammates in a low voice. She tried to track him with her star pupil, silver light sweeping over the empty corridor, but found nothing. Huanqiao's invisibility was too powerful; even her current star pupil couldn't fully crack it. She gritted her teeth: "He'll show up again sooner or later; let's deal with the immediate threats first." Her heart raced slightly, a faint unease lingering: Huanqiao's escape might bring greater threats.
Arya lowered her bow and said softly: "Huanqiao's invisibility is too strong; we need to handle it carefully." Her voice was gentle, yet carried a trace of worry, her fingers lightly stroking the bowstring.
Kayla retracted her thunder claws, panting heavily, anger flashing in her eyes: "Next time I see him, I won't let him go!" Her chest heaved violently, her fighting spirit undiminished.
Zhamisi's Speech
Meanwhile, the conflict outside intensified. The standoff between the people and soldiers escalated into physical clashes; some were pushed to the ground, blood staining the square's stone slabs, the air filled with a rusty smell. Seeing this, anxiety flashed in Zhamisi's eyes, her heart racing. She turned to the communication crystal and spoke to Rex urgently: "Can you let me use the live broadcast system? I need to stop this chaos!"
Rex nodded, his fingers flying across the virtual keyboard, several nano-drones hovering in the air with faint humming sounds. He switched the communication center to live mode and said solemnly: "It's ready; you can speak now." His actions were calm and decisive, as if everything was under control.
Zhamisi took a deep breath, calming her inner tension, and stood in front of the live camera. Her figure appeared on every screen across the Salto Archipelago, her snake tail trembling slightly, revealing her unease. Her voice broadcast through the magic crystal to every corner, loud and powerful: "Fellow citizens of the Salto Archipelago, please listen to me! I know you're angry; I know you've had enough of the oppression. But violence will only bring more harm; we can't let this land fall into chaos. Please calm down and let us solve the problems with wisdom and unity!"
Her words were like a clear stream, piercing through the people's rage and bringing a touch of calm. The soldiers in front of the screens also lowered their weapons, looking at Zhamisi with a hint of hesitation in their eyes. She continued: "Biqi's conspiracy has been exposed; he will receive the punishment he deserves. But we can't let hatred blind us. The Salto Archipelago is our shared homeland; we need peace and cooperation to rebuild it. Please trust us, trust everyone here; we can't waste away in internal strife."
Zhamisi's voice was filled with sincerity and concern, her gaze firm yet gentle, as if touching every person's soul. The people gradually quieted down; some dropped the stones in their hands and bowed their heads in silence; others began to disperse, their footsteps heavy. The soldiers also relaxed their grip on their spears, awaiting further instructions. Zhamisi breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly glad that her words had taken effect, but she knew this was just the beginning.
She continued: "We need to unite and face future challenges together. Biqi's oppression has ended, but our path is still long. Let us join hands to rebuild the glory of the Salto Archipelago, so our descendants can live in peace and prosperity." Her tone carried hope, as if igniting a lamp in the darkness.
Contacting Other Islands
After quelling the conflict, Zhamisi turned to Yuyuer, her tone firm: "Now, we need to contact the leaders of the other islands to discuss how to handle Biqi and Eba."
Yuyuer nodded, raising his staff; the blue sapphire flickered as water magic condensed into communication runes. He chanted softly, the runes transforming into twelve blue lights, streaking across the night sky like meteors toward various parts of the archipelago. "I've sent the messages; they'll respond soon." His voice was calm, wisdom shining in his eyes.
Soon after, the leaders of the twelve islands responded through the magic crystals. Their images appeared in the conference room; some were steady as mountains, others furious as fire, but all expressed willingness to participate in the discussions to decide Biqi and Eba's fate. One leader said angrily: "We can't let someone like him continue in power; his crimes must be settled!" Another added steadily: "But we also need to ensure a fair trial; we can't repeat past mistakes."
TISK Brings Waming
At that moment, TISK, Salsa, and Rex pushed open the door, followed by Waming bound in iron chains. Waming's face was pale, blood at the corners of his mouth, clearly severely injured in the battle at the communication tower. His eyes were vacant, as if he had lost all fighting spirit. TISK grinned, patting the Earthshaker Warhammer in his hand, the hammer surface flashing with ice and flame lights: "This guy was tough to deal with, but he still fell into our hands." His voice was rugged, carrying a hint of pride.
Salsa's soul form floated beside the mechanical cat body, her amber eyes flickering, her tone light and ethereal: "He resisted to the end at the tower top, but he couldn't hold the communication crystal." Her figure flickered in and out, emanating the aura of dark attribute magic.
Fa nodded, scanning the three captives—Biqi, Eba, and Waming—with eyes like swords: "Good, now they're all in our hands. Next, it depends on the other islands' decisions." Yet, she didn't fully relax; Huanqiao's escape and Biqi's cunning kept her vigilant.
However, just as everyone slightly lowered their guard, Biqi suddenly let out a sharp hiss, the sound piercing and mad. His body shuddered violently, his tail snapping off, blood gushing out and staining the stone prison's floor red. From the severed tail erupted a cloud of dark green smoke, instantly enveloping the entire conference room; the pungent smell made heads spin and vision blur.
"Be careful!" Fa shouted, swinging her short blade as earth magic condensed into a barrier, trying to block the smoke's spread. But from within the smoke came Biqi's cold laughter: "You think you can catch me like this? Naive!" His figure turned into a green light in the smoke, bursting through the stone prison's cracks, shattering the conference room's window; glass fragments scattered with crisp cracking sounds. He vanished into the night, leaving behind thick fog and silence.
Kayla roared in anger, wanting to pursue, her thunder claws flashing with electric light, ready to leap out the window, but Zhamisi stopped her, her tone urgent: "Don't chase; he's severely injured and won't get far. Right now, the most important thing is stabilizing the situation in the Salto Archipelago." Her snake tail tensed, clearly suppressing her own impulse.
Fa nodded, her right eye's star pupil scanning outside the window, silver light flickering, but unable to track Biqi's trace. She said solemnly: "Zhamisi is right. We've already taken control of the situation; Biqi will be caught sooner or later." Yet, inwardly, she vowed: This account won't end here.
Yuyuer gazed in the direction Biqi had fled, a trace of worry in his eyes, saying softly: "I hope he won't cause more trouble." His hand gripped the staff tightly, as if praying for the sea's protection.
In the conference room, everyone fell silent for a moment before beginning to discuss the next plan. Fa looked at the night sky outside the window, stars twinkling as if witnessing the impending change. In her heart, she vowed: "Biqi, you can't escape. We'll find you and make you pay for your crimes."
Arya walked to Fa's side and said softly: "We'll face it together." Her hand gently held Fa's, warm and firm.
Fa nodded, gripping Arya's hand in return, a touch of tenderness flashing in her eyes: "Yes, we will."
In the night sky of the Salto Archipelago, stars dotted the heavens, illuminating the land's hopes and challenges. Biqi's escape planted seeds for the future, but Fa and her group's determination and unity would lead the Salto Archipelago toward a new dawn.