Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

Following the coast all the way north, Malin gradually became accustomed to the city ruins. The most prosperous area of East Asia now remained only as ghostly ruins. According to the records of Bei Luo and Bixiu, this region was where East Asia resisted until the very last moment, and the last survivors summoned nuclear bombs more than once during the final moments.

This made Malin witness cities completely destroyed more than once. To this day, the enraged wraith soldiers continue to fight against Chaos, and the prolonged war with Chaos has twisted their minds. Malin knew it wasn’t their fault; it was the bravest manifestation that they still remembered their responsibilities.

"We are trying to reclaim these coastal cities, but there are countless wraiths among them. We know their identities, and it’s troubling; if we purify them, when Chaos’s troops invade, we’d have to use our lives to block the advance of Chaos northwards." Sage Lin’s words revealed the pain of the Thainan side—the southern region was one of the hardest-hit areas during Chaos’s invasion. Even today, a large amount of Chaos enters this world through known coordinates. It’s precisely relying on these eternal wraiths that the de facto southern control zone of Thainan can continue to develop.

"I find it quite good. If the Eastern Kingdom needs to give up half its territories to separate from the Dark Zone, I believe everyone in the Eastern Kingdom would wake up laughing from their dreams." Sostak No. 3 said this laying on the ship’s rail.

"But these regions are our homeland, and we have no way to liberate here... We feel ashamed for it, because we understand that we need its existence to protect more living people... When reason overrides everything, we can only watch." At this point, Sage Lin sighed deeply.

Malin patted his shoulder.

After a week of sailing north, Malin saw endless ruins until the morning of the eighth day when Malin saw a town by the sea, with smoke still rising from the village.

Standing at the ship’s rail, Malin gazed at the village, with children running to the seaside waving to the fleet.

"We have returned to civilized world." Sostak No. 3 exclaimed.

Malin understood his exclamation because during these nearly ten days, they had seen nothing but destruction, with the ruins of cities like painted scrolls stretching endlessly along the coastline.

"From here, going north for another three days will lead to New Hangzhou." Meng Quyi clearly recognized the place, and her explanation excited Jason and Sostak No.3—a city said to be the largest in southern East Asia.

"The sages from the haven established New Hangzhou, and it was precisely because of the persistence of New Hangzhou that they finally wrote the Sages’ Treaty of Governance in the alliance." Sage Lin appeared on the deck once again.