In a disguised cave near a secluded trough, a secret base was hidden far from anyone’s sight. If it weren’t for the guide, it would be difficult for even Xentia to find that hideout.
According to the informant, the secret agent of the revolutionary army that they had just picked up, that cave was the place where the remaining mermaid revolutionary army was hiding.
"Are you sure this is the place? I can’t detect any mermaid’s presence around here. Even the moss and algae seem to have never been touched by any other living creatures." Dory checked around the cave mouth.
"Yes, this place is the hidden headquarters. We have to be very careful to ensure no one knows where we are. We are still planning revenge for the defeat three years ago." The old mermaid disguised as a witch-like sea monster spoke up.
She was delighted when she met Dory, one of the leaders of the mermaid revolutionary army. Dory came with more than a hundred mermaids. They also got super strong reinforcements. That way, the mermaid revolutionary army could strike back and overthrow the empire to eliminate the terrible slavery!
"I detected a secret base with more than two hundred mermaids three hundred meters underground." Xentia scanned the area carefully.
She had to ensure this witch-like mermaid wouldn’t play them with any trickery.
"Then, shall we go in or ask them to come out?" Evelyn looked around. It would alert the other party if they came with too many people.
"I will accompany Dory to enter. All of you, wait for us here and guard this place. Agent Lia, you lead the way and notify them of our arrival." Xentia announced to everyone.
She put all the submarines in standby mode before entering the cave with the old mermaid and Dory.
"Fufu, I wonder what Luna’s squad is doing now. The troublemakers are there, and Luna has probably led them for a frontal assault on some influential powerhouses." Lyla stared into the distance.
They were currently in the deep ocean in a remote area with minimal light intensity but not completely dark because the seabed emitted dim light like other sea areas.
Even so, Lyla could already feel the trouble that Luna’s squad caused, remembering that Sylvia and the seafood lovers like Vanessa and Remiel were there.
"It’s obviously a mess. The bad guys are currently bullied by them. Since those bad guys treated the slaves with such cruel treatment, the judgment has arrived for them. We will join them soon." Evelyn rubbed her hands. She couldn’t wait to join in the chaos and punish the bad guys.
---
"Junior Dory, is that really you?"
A bright red mermaid swam out of the secret base. She quickly approached the pink mermaid in the hall with mixed feelings of excitement, relief, surprise, and suspicion.
"Yes, it’s me, Senior Scarlet. I’m glad to see you’re safe... My master and comrades saved me and the others from that hell. What about you all? How about Elder Ako?" Dory clutched her senior sister’s hand rather emotionally.
"Yeah... I survived, thanks to you, but you were caught by the enemy. We continued to carry out rescue operations in the past three years, but we ended in failure. That city is protected by two 10th Rank experts and three 9th Rank elders. But, thank God, you’re safe..." Scarlet replied with a self-blame smile, but she was genuinely happy.
She lived in regret and nightmares, but Dory finally returned safe and sound, but there was one thing that surprised her. "But, your master? The one you often talk about? That God-like existence?"
"Yup, my almighty master. The one I served with every ounce of my being. She returned and saved us from our nightmares. My sisters will assist us in saving the other mermaids and punishing those bad guys. I want you and the entire revolutionary mermaid army to join us and become part of the newly established Mermaid Kingdom." Dory expressed her intention with great enthusiasm and passion.
"What!?" Scarlet gasped. She thought Dory was telling tales from the past about the fantasy powerful master. Yet, she never expected it would be a real deal.
The Mermaid Kingdom!? The surrounding mermaids were also surprised.
"Where’s Elder Ako? She’s safe, right? Also, what about Senior Emerald, Senior Violet, and the others?" Dory glanced right and left.
She couldn’t find any familiar faces other than Scarlet. Her smile gradually faded when she saw everyone’s sad expressions. 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
"Elder Ako... she, she fell as an honorable leader. She blew herself up with all of her remaining spiritual power to ensure our safe retreat three years ago..." Scarlet looked to the side, avoiding eye contact with Dory.
"I see... so many of us died and were captured that day, huh..." Dory sighed. She felt sad, but she couldn’t fall deep into sadness.
Elder Ako was a good leader who fought to regain the mermaid’s dignity, not a slave.
"So, the other mermaid leaders were captured? The offenders treated mermaids as good commodities, and a leader rank like you was precious in their eyes." Xentia could predict the fate of the other mermaid leaders.
"We don’t know for sure yet. However, Comrade Emerald was sold at a slave auction in Argus City three months ago. Our agent disguised herself and tried to bid for her, but we failed. We don’t have enough spirit stones to compete with those rich bastards." Scarlet clenched her fists and bit her lower lips.
"Then, join us now. We shall avenge our mermaid sisters and save them from their nightmares. With my master as our Patron Goddess, mermaids shall rise to obtain our glory! Punish the offenders and sinners!" Dory raised her trident high.
"Will that be okay?"
"The strongest one in our camp is only 7th Rank, and the enemy has many powerful experts."
"We only have 205 mermaids. If we count the other allied tribes, we only number fifteen hundred at most."
"However, they are not that cooperative lately. We need to pay a heavy price to get help from those tribes. We are both former slaves, but why are we the only ones fighting so hard to escape this cruel fate?"
"What should we do?"
The surrounding mermaids expressed their fear and worry. They were traumatized by the previous utter defeat. Although they planned counterattacks, they were only small-scale and always covert operations. That was something different from the war that Dory would organize.
"Catalora City is no more. We already destroyed it several days ago. No survivors. I executed the villains with my own hands. We’re the Supreme Goddess’ worshippers. As my comrades, we give you a chance to regain your freedom and glory.
Worship and serve Supreme Goddess Elysia. Join the Mermaid Kingdom. We shall trample our enemies and punish the evildoers for our justice.
With a Goddess at our back, a team of Deities, a squad of Demi-Gods, and an army of elites, do you think this ocean is too big for us to conquer? Our Supreme Goddess has descended and given her blessings to us, mermaids! This is our chance to rise up and live up to her expectations!"
Dory continued with her speech to the restless mermaids.
The mermaids then regained their motivation and fighting spirit. They would stay as the losers if they remained buried in fear.
Since the opportunity was presented there with a super powerful backer as their protector, they could rule the sea and change their destiny to make all the mermaids’ wishes come true.
Some mermaids still felt a little doubtful and suspicious of Dory. Nevertheless, they soon changed their minds when they saw more than a hundred fully armed mermaids, the elite troops, and the impressive destructive weapons already waiting for them outside their hideout.
Those elites were already well-prepared for a war!
"Ple- please give us an hour to prepare for battle. We need to get all our weapons in the warehouse." Scarlet stuttered a bit when she saw those fierce submarines and the elite troops before her eyes.
"I’ve sent my doll squad to fetch them for you. We’re transporting the entire base. Agent Lia is guiding them here." Xentia raised her hand. They didn’t have too much time to wait.
"O-okay." Scarlet nodded in understanding. She felt a bit nervous after finding out this six-winged underwater human was actually a Deity.
A few minutes later, Xentia’s doll squad returned and gave Scarlet three storage pouches.
"They’ve emptied the base... Everything is placed in those small pouches." Agent Lia reported the situation.
"Understood. Then, we shall dispatch now to join the assault force to fight those evildoers and save our sisters. With Supreme Goddess Elysia’s blessings and the sea as our witness, we shall gain our glory!" Scarlet raised her dagger high.
"With Supreme Goddess Elysia’s blessings and the sea as our witness, we shall gain our glory!" More than three hundred mermaids raised their weapons, ready for war.
While Xentia’s fleet was on its way to join Luna’s fleet, a big city was already turned upside down by Luna’s squad to save the slaves, especially the mermaids in that city.
The city was engulfed in chaos, but when all the mermaids were saved, and the evildoers were captured, the strange tranquility returned as if there had never been an attack before.
The citizens were astonished at what was happening. The invaders were in the city square, and everyone went there to watch the public ’execution’ of the royal family and nobles.
A fleet of powerful experts attacked the royal family and nobles as their main target. Those experts attacked because their mermaid friends were captured and became slaves here.
Thirty-six higher-ups, the mastermind behind all the mermaid’s misery in that city, were captured and gathered in the city square.
"Hehe, so much seafood."
"That’s like we bullied them, but that’s what they usually do to others, right?"
"It was an easy battle, but after this, the old ones will appear, and then the ancestor ones..."
The surrounding experts grinned at the prisoners.
"You! Do you want mermaids? Wealth? Spirit stones? Treasures? I’ll give you whatever you want, but please release me right now!" A battered fat fish cried out for mercy.
"Sure, but after your punishment is decided. Yusa~ read out the verdict of their sins." Luna faintly smiled and rested her head on her hand.
She and her squad somehow became like a group of villains. Regardless, everything was necessary to build fear and warning for other sea creatures. Mermaids were protected by a super-powerful force, and anyone who committed atrocities against mermaids would suffer.
A white bunny lady came forward, facing the prisoners. She took out a piece of paper and then read out the prisoners’ heinous deeds and the punishment they would receive.