Hail the King - Chapter 1238.2: The War Is Unavoidable (Part Two)

As a child with an unattainable dream, I yearned to become a Hero, but I veered off the right path. Looking back, my aspiration to save others was nothing more than a foolish dream. I now realize the magnitude of my sins and the impossibility of atoning for them.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Mercy Morgan was just an ordinary young man trying to make sense of his life, but fate had other plans. One fateful night while on the verge of death, he crossed paths with Michelle Elderblood, an ancient vampire whose bite changed everything. Now transformed into Merciless Minerva Elderblood II, he finds himself thrust into a hidden world of powerful vampires and dark secrets.In this realm, where myth collides with reality, Merciless quickly realizes he is caught in a dangerous web of many powerful creatures. Meanwhile, the vampires operate under a singular, formidable king, and every encounter reveals the treacherous politics and hidden agendas that dictate their lives. Yet, amid the chaos, a singular purpose ignites within him: revenge.Merciless barely a day old must face a harrowing exam that plunges him into the depths of forbidden knowledge, forcing him to confront not only the secrets of his new existence but also the gods who have forsaken him. The pain of his past fuels his determination, and as he navigates this perilous path, he wrestles with the question of whether he is merely a pawn in someone else's game before becoming a vampire, or if he is destined for something far greater.Driven by a relentless thirst for vengeance, Merciless must gather strength and confront the darkest parts of his new identity. With every step he takes, the stakes rise, leading him closer to a confrontation that could alter the very fabric of his world.Join Merciless on a gripping journey of discovery, power, and the quest for retribution. In a dark world filled with myth, danger, and relentless ambition, can one man's desire for revenge reshape his destiny, or will it consume him entirely?

The aliens came with hostility.
Facing the invasion of aliens, human beings are weak like ants.
So this is the end, the real end.
But there is resistance when there is an invasion.
For some, this is not the end, it is war.
So this is war.
Real war!

- Description from Qidian