# CHAPTER 23: BLOODY BATTLE AT THE CAPITAL SEA GATE > *"When the black sail of the exile returned, the magnificent capital trembled under the roar of the predator that had just escaped its chains."* --- ### I. SEA GATE BLOCKADE & SHARK JAWS OF IRON Capital Sea Gate - the only gateway on the sea leading to the capital Great Ying Empire - is the most solid defensive fortress in the world. On both sides of the strait are two towering limestone mountains hundreds of meters high, on the cliffs are placed hundreds of catapults and cannons loaded with black explosives of the Musketeers. Under the sea, a giant iron chain as big as an ancient tree trunk - **Kinh Long Toa Hai Xich** - is strung across the water bottom, connecting the two banks, ready to be stretched up to tear out the bottom of the keel of any boat that dares to trespass. Offshore, a fleet of fifty giant bronze-clad warships of the Imperial Guard was arrayed in a bow formation, flags embroidered with golden dragons fluttering in the morning breeze. On the bridge of the royal flagship *Kim Long Hao*, deputy general Imperial Guard stood looking through the telescope, the corners of his lips curled up in contempt: — "The news from the reconnaissance said that there was a group of ragged boats of exiled prisoners returning across the sea? How ridiculous! Those ragged beggars think the sea is a village pond? Order the gunners to prepare, if they see the shadow of black sails, they will shoot them all down for me!" — *JAIL AND... JAIL AND... JAIL AND...* A dull, plaintive and terrifying horn suddenly tore through the fog offshore! The sea surface, which was originally calm, suddenly erupted into huge, fierce waves! From within the dim white mist, thirty monstrous jet-black warships slowly broke through the waves and rushed forward like a herd of prehistoric sea monsters! The ship's hull is covered with Giant Bone-Waste Scorpion's purple-black chitin armor and Millennium Ancient Corpse's ribs, its sharp bow is made of devil horns, and the pair of black stone Twins rip through the white waves, emitting earth-shattering howls! On the giant black sail of the leading flagship *Black Bone Unicorn*, a unique symbol was drawn in dried blood: **The image of half a broken ceramic bowl burning between two crossed swords**! --- ### II. BONE PROW SHATTERS CHAINS & CLEAVES THE SURGE — "SHOT! SHOOT FOR ME!" Deputy General Imperial Guard changed color in horror and roared loudly. — *OH! WOW! WOW!* Hundreds of cannons on fifty royal warships opened fire at the same time! Red-hot iron bullets and flint rained down like showers, tearing through the sky and rushing straight towards the exile fleet! But a horrifying scene beyond the imagination of the imperial army took place: The iron shells weighing dozens of pounds when colliding with the scorpion's armor and Ancient Corpse's ribs covering the skeletal ship's hull... immediately bounced back out, falling into the sea without even puncturing a piece of ebony! The **Ancient Bone Feral Glyph** block and desert scorpion venom have tempered that armor into a wall that is indestructible against conventional artillery! On the bow of the flagship *Black Bone Unicorn*, Chu Ye wore Ancient Blood Great Ape's dark red fur coat, both hands tightly grasping the thirty-pound Blackbone Staff stick deeply embedded in the wooden floor. He looked at the giant iron chain King Dragon Toa Hai Xich slowly stretching across the water surface, his blood red eyes shining with cold light: — "Full force attack! Crush it to pieces for me!" — *BAM M M M M!* The bow of the flagship *Black Bone Unicorn* — with the pair of black stone Twin Palaces of Executioner dock — delivered a landslide straight into the middle of the giant iron chain of the imperial court! A deafening explosion shook both limestone mountains! The iron chain as big as an ancient tree trunk that had blocked the sea gate for three hundred years... was immediately cut into three pieces, falling to the bottom of the deep ocean! The Remnant Ship Company tore through the blockade, like a group of black sharks rushing straight into the middle of the royal battleship formation! --- ### III. BLOODY NAVAL CLASH: CRUSHING THE IMPERIAL FLEET — *CRACK! WOW! WHAM!* The bone-crusted bow of the ship rammed straight into the side of the flagship *Kim Long Hao*! The royal bronze-clad ship's hull broke in half like an egg shell! Sea water rushed in, hundreds of Imperial Guard soldiers wearing iron armor fell into the sea, screaming miserably. — "KILL T T T!" Thousands of exiled warriors - led by the old blacksmith Ironbone Lei and the desert warriors - wielding swords and swords made of Crude Flint, jumped across the enemy deck, killing the world! They are no longer humble people kneeling and begging for food. They are fierce beasts with endless hatred, each slash carries the anger of the months spent imprisoned in iron cages and mud! The navy was accustomed to oppressing civilians and had never encountered an army this barbaric and desperate. In just half an hour, fifty royal warships were sunk, thirty of them were sunk, the remaining twenty raised the white flag and fled towards the riverbank! Capital Sea Gate estuary completely fell! The Tan Cot fleet roared straight into the river mouth, approaching Great Ying capital city! --- ### IV. BARE FEET UPON THE IMPERIAL WHARF The royal port of Great Ying capital this afternoon was engulfed in unprecedented horror in the history of the nation's founding. Alarm sirens from the citadel's watchtowers blared continuously. Tens of thousands of people, rich merchants and capital officials flocked to the streets, glaring at the harbor with eyes of shock and terror. The flagship *Black Bone Ky Lan* approached the magnificent marble wharf. A heavy ebony plank spanned from the ship's bow to the harbor stone shelf. A figure slowly walked down from the deck. It was a skinny young man, wearing black boar-skin armor covering Ancient Corpse's ribs, and a long dark red fur coat reaching to his heels. His feet were bare, step by step stepping on the royal white marble slab, leaving behind traces of dried blood and yellow desert sand. Behind him, the thirty-pound Blackbone Staff was covered in rusty iron and the pair of Dual Scorpion-Carapace Bone Bladess radiated murderous aura. And right on the front of his shirt... was a familiar **half of a broken ceramic bowl**! When the imperial capital's officials standing on the shore saw that broken ceramic bowl, some suddenly trembled and pointed and stammered: — "So... Chu Ye?! He's the former Commander Chu Ye!" — "Oh my god! He's not dead! The sinking prison ship couldn't kill him... He's brought the devil back from the dead!" The news that Chu Ye returned alive was like a thunderclap exploding in the magnificent capital! Chu Ye stopped at the beginning of the harbor bridge. He raised his eyes to look up at the giant red bronze Vermilion Bird gate ahead - the gate leading straight into Jinluan Palace of the royal palace. On the wall of Vermilion Citadel, thousands of Imperial Guard archers were holding their bows and arrows, tremblingly pointing down at him. And at the top of the highest watchtower, wearing a splendid golden robe, the traitor **Wu Huasheng** was standing with his hands clasped, his blood-stained eyes looking down at his old teacher and brother. Four eyes met through the capital's drizzle. There was no greeting from the old man. There is only a thousand-foot flame of hatred threatening to burn down the entire royal citadel! Chu Ye slowly pulled out the Dual Bone Blades sword from his waist, the tip of the sword pointed straight at Wu Huasheng's face on top of the watchtower: — "Wu Huasheng! Quickly clean your neck!" — "Today, Chu Ye I return... to reclaim your head and Great Ying Empire's throne!"