Lord of the Sky City-Chapter 869 - 851: Breaking into the War Zone

Thunderhawk City had just flown into the Myriad Snakes Plains when everyone immediately sensed the difference.

The first thing that struck them was the geography. The Kalhan Plains before this had been an endless expanse of grassland. Even though it had suffered the trampling of war, the lush green fields still captivated anyone who saw them. But upon entering the Myriad Snakes Plains, the seemingly infinite grasslands turned into a rugged landscape of towering mountains. Looking down from high above, all they could see were jagged terrains and mountain peaks that varied in height and form.

Next, the atmosphere was noticeably tenser here. Whether it was due to the heavy stench of smoke lingering in the air or something else, as soon as they entered this region, everyone involuntarily grew uneasy.

Lastly, the sheer number of demons here was astounding. Even while flying above the cloud layer, a glance downward often revealed massive swarms of flying demons circling in the midair. To be honest, even Rocky, who had seen his fair share of battles, had never witnessed such a scene before. Backhill Village was indeed regularly harassed by demons, but never to the point of them brazenly sweeping across the skies en masse.

This alone made it clear that the Allied Forces’ battles in this region weren’t going smoothly. It was evident that they had yet to establish full control over the area; otherwise, such unrestrained demon activity would be impossible.

"Where is Karina stationed?"

After a lap in the air aboard the War Steed, surveying the situation in the Myriad Snakes Region, Rocky asked. Given that the Allied Forces still hadn’t secured this region, it was apparent the place posed some danger. Rocky didn’t want to linger any longer than necessary.

"She’s been stationed at Mist Mountain City. It’s about a three-day flight to the east from here."

"Alright, set course to meet her immediately."

Since Rocky had been in constant communication with Karina, Liliya was already familiar with the specifics of her station’s location. Quickly adjusting their trajectory, they set out toward Mist Mountain City to rendezvous with her.

However, less than half a day later, Thunderhawk City was forced to come to a halt—an unexpected encounter with another Sky City lay ahead.

"Sir, the other party is asking us to stop for an inspection."

Meeting another Sky City while flying through the air was surprising enough, but even more startling was the warning issued upon sight: Thunderhawk City was ordered to halt immediately and submit to inspection.

"Who are they?"

Hearing Monte’s report, Rocky sounded puzzled.

"They appear to be one of the Sky Cities patrolling for the Allied Forces," Monte explained succinctly, "Apparently, we’ve already entered the warzone."

Monte quickly conveyed the main points to Rocky in a few brief sentences.

He was right—Rocky had flown into an active combat zone, and the Sky City they encountered happened to be a patrol unit belonging to the Allied Forces. This patrol force operated under Marshal Mannstein and originally hailed from the Soaring Dragon Alliance.

As part of the patrol’s responsibilities, their job was to ensure the safety of the aerial space, preventing flying demons from secretly gathering and launching surprise attacks. Of course, encountering a Sky City not affiliated with the Allied Forces required inspections and questioning as well.

Though it was understood that humans and demons wouldn’t have traitors collaborating together, deserters abandoning posts wasn’t unheard of. If they came across a Sky City suspected of such, the patrol would undoubtedly detain them.

"Explain our identity to them. Inform them we’ll adjust our route accordingly." freёwebnoѵel.com

After Monte provided clarity on the situation, Rocky understood immediately. The issue was likely just a misunderstanding. So, Rocky instructed Monte to present their identity while also signaling intent to change their course. He had no intention of stirring up trouble in the warzone, especially knowing that an even larger misunderstanding could arise. Rocky wasn’t here to court disaster.

"Understood."

Monte responded affirmatively and promptly went to contact the other party. However, mere moments later, he returned to Rocky, his expression awkward.

"What happened?"

Seeing Monte return prematurely, Rocky grew even more perplexed.

"Sir, they... they insist on conducting an inspection."

Standing before Rocky, Monte looked blatantly embarrassed. He hadn’t anticipated failing to handle even this straightforward matter. By all rights, revealing Thunderhawk City’s identity should have resolved everything—its reputation was well-known—but the other party wasn’t budging. Additionally, Thunderhawk City was already prepared to veer off its course to avoid the warzone; there shouldn’t have been any reason to block them further.

Yet the Sky City they encountered refused to relent, still demanding a thorough inspection. Slowly but surely, the Sky City drew closer.

"Hm..."

Hearing this, Rocky frowned deeply, albeit briefly, before his expression returned to calm indifference.

"Order them to stop approaching immediately. If they don’t comply, ram them. Hold your fire."

"Yes, sir!"

Monte complied swiftly before heading off. Meanwhile, Rocky turned to Liliya beside him. "The Allied Forces really are a mess... Go fetch Kafka Empire’s ambassador for me."

"Alright."

Nodding lightly, Liliya walked away. She returned shortly with a young woman in tow.

The woman’s name was Su—roughly Rocky’s age—and she served as the Kafka Empire’s ambassador in Thunderhawk City. Su was the daughter of Martin, the Imperial Court’s newly appointed Chancellor.

After Rocky and Martin established formal cooperation between Thunderhawk City and the Kafka Empire, Martin quickly ascended to the position of Chancellor. Soon after, he dispatched his daughter as the Empire’s diplomatic envoy to Thunderhawk City, driven by his own motives—motives Rocky was well aware of but couldn’t be bothered to entertain. Consequently, their cooperation had remained fairly smooth thus far. But this time, the sight of Su didn’t improve Rocky’s mood.

"Su, does Marshal Mannstein have an issue with me?"

Meeting her, Rocky wasted no pleasantries, cutting straight to the chase. Su was clearly caught off-guard, feeling as if she’d been smacked over the head, her expression one of stunned bewilderment.

Still, as Martin’s daughter, Su had grown up surrounded by court politics and machinations. Her years of immersion had trained her to react quickly. Forcing a pleasant smile, she replied:

"Lord Rocky, what are you saying? Marshal Mannstein has always spoken highly of you, especially since the cooperation began."

Facing Rocky, Su hurriedly offered an explanation, one steeped in truth. Although Mannstein and Rocky had never met, Mannstein’s regard for Rocky was exceptionally favorable. Within the Kafka Empire’s Imperial Court, Mannstein had consistently advocated for broader collaboration with Thunderhawk City. Recently, he had reached out to Martin multiple times, urging him to maintain good relations with Rocky, emphasizing the critical importance of continuous development of the Rune Battleships. Having witnessed their immense power on the frontlines, Mannstein was thoroughly convinced of their value.

But no sooner had Su finished speaking than Rocky responded with a cold snort, sending chills down her spine.