This time, Hai Diao’er’s biological mother not only brought the letter, she also brought a vial of poison, a poison from the Demon Continent.
Even more cleverly, Hai Diao’er’s mother did not know what she was carrying at all. She thought it was just ordinary items for her daughter. So the woman showed no abnormal expression, and she was genuinely happy to be visiting her daughter.
After reading the letter, Hai Diao’er’s first reaction was disbelief.
She had personally witnessed how powerful Rock Demon’s fleet was, and during the negotiations, how humble Soren had been.
If Soren could truly defeat Rock Demon, why would he have been so submissive in negotiations with him, even agreeing to extremely unreasonable and harsh terms, such as sending troops to help Rock Demon seize the Isle of Mist, and providing large quantities of gunpowder to Rock Demon every month for free?
If Soren could defeat Rock Demon, why would he have gone to the Isle of Mist to suffer her father Hai Gang’s extortion?
So from any angle, Soren was clearly destined to lose.
So what was her father Hai Gang’s intention in writing this letter?
She knew Hai Gang had also led his main fleet south to destroy Soren. Perhaps because of disputes over spoils, he had been suppressed by Rock Demon, and now wanted to use her to eliminate Rock Demon?
If that was really the case, it would be extremely foolish.
Everyone knew Hai Diao’er had no real feelings for the Hai family. Because her mother was a slave girl, she had been bullied by her sisters since childhood, and even favoured servants dared to push her around.
So she felt more hatred than attachment toward the Hai family. She even harboured resentment toward her own mother, believing that her mother’s weakness had failed to protect her, causing her to be bullied all her life.
After marrying Rock Demon, she immediately became the high and mighty Rock Queen’s wife.
Although the Rock King was not recognised outside the Rock Clan, in the Thunder Isles she was truly second only to him, above all others.
And as Rock Demon grew stronger, her status rose with him. Her sisters who once looked down on her now looked at her with jealousy, some even tried to curry favour.
In Pirate Harbour, Rock Demon was like a true king. When she went there with him, countless pirates and merchants sent expensive gifts to flatter and please her, and she greatly enjoyed this feeling.
This power-driven pleasure reached its peak when Soren and Princess Yu Zhan came for negotiations.
She personally saw how Soren, who wielded great influence in the Furious Tide Kingdom, was forced to plead with Rock Demon. That feeling of being high above others, of easily deciding someone’s fate, was intoxicating.
Rock Demon could not only decide the fate of individuals, he could even decide the fate of a kingdom.
The Crown Prince Yu Li of the Furious Tide Kingdom personally came to negotiate with her husband Rock Demon in order to eliminate Soren. Although she did not see it herself, she could fully sense how respectful Yu Li had been, even agreeing to Rock Demon’s outrageous demands.
This feeling made Hai Diao’er obsessed, and naturally she became just as obsessed with Rock Demon himself.
So toward her husband Rock Demon, she had almost blind trust.
As for the contents of her father’s letter, Hai Diao’er scoffed at it and did not believe it at all.
But then again, how could her father possibly write such an obvious lie? This made Hai Diao’er feel uneasy. Every day she stood at the highest point of the Rock King’s palace, looking out into the distance, waiting for Rock Demon’s return.
She did not wait long.
Three days later, from the highest point of the castle, she saw a fleet, a familiar fleet.
Because the Rock Pirate fleet had very distinctive ships, she recognised them at a glance.
At first she was overjoyed, but then her heart sank.
Because there were far too few ships returning. When Rock Demon set out, he had a fleet of one hundred thousand troops and over a thousand warships, covering the sea like a vast shadow.
What happened? Could it really be as her father Hai Gang said, that Rock Demon had been defeated?
So Hai Diao’er lifted her skirt and rushed quickly toward the harbour, wanting answers.
The Rock Demon’s defeated remnants of the fleet soon docked.
“All Rock people, men, women, old and young, pick up weapons and prepare for battle.”
“All trebuchets, all heavy crossbows, take position and prepare for combat.”
“All fortresses enter full combat readiness.”
As soon as they landed, Rock Demon immediately issued urgent orders for the Thunder Isles to enter full war readiness, mobilising the entire population, even old people and children, to pick up weapons.
Hearing this, Hai Diao’er’s heart sank further.
Because her father Hai Gang’s letter said that the allied forces of Soren and the Hai family would soon arrive to blockade the Thunder Isles.
Despite her complicated feelings, Hai Diao’er still ran toward Rock Demon with deep affection.
Her eyes were full of tenderness and worry, but not excessive, like a small bird returning to the forest.
Seeing this, Rock Demon’s heart softened.
Before this, he had pity for his wife Hai Diao’er, but never real affection.
His heart was too vast for any single woman to occupy much space. But at that moment, for some reason, Hai Diao’er became a soft place in his heart, a place of refuge.
It was like a man wounded needing to return home, to be healed by a woman’s warmth.
Very quickly, Hai Diao’er threw herself into Rock Demon’s arms.
Rock Demon held her tightly, greedily inhaling her fragrance.
“Husband, why are so many fewer people returning?” Hai Diao’er asked.
Rock Demon did not answer. Instead, he carried her straight into the castle and shouted loudly, “Warriors, go home and deal with your women. Those without women, find one. In three hours, the enemy will arrive.”
Then he carried Hai Diao’er inside.
Once in the room, Rock Demon violently tore off her clothes, exposing her stunning body.
Without any foreplay, like a wild beast, he entered her.
He roared, venting, releasing, and pounding.
In the room, the hall, the bed, and the balcony, every place was filled with their sweat and sounds.
Rock Demon seemed to be releasing all his anger, pain, and unwillingness.
At first Hai Diao’er responded, but later she was completely exhausted, as if she had been tortured.
She fainted twice.
Eventually Rock Demon collapsed, lying spread out on the floor.
Hai Diao’er, pale-faced, trembled and asked, “Husband, did we lose this battle?”
Rock Demon nodded.
Hai Diao’er’s heart turned cold.
Rock Demon said, “What, are you losing confidence in me?”
Hai Diao’er said, “Of course not, even if we lost at sea, here in the Thunder Isles we are fully armed. No army of Soren’s can break in.”
Rock Demon laughed loudly, “Well said, once we return here, I am safe. No matter how many come, they will die.”
At that moment, horns suddenly sounded outside, and all bells began ringing.
Rock Demon went to the highest point, looking out at the sea.
A black mass of fleets was approaching, the Hai family fleet in front, Soren’s fleet behind.
Dong, dong, dong, dong.
All bells of the Thunder Isles rang.
Countless pirates grabbed weapons and rushed out.
Across the entire Thunder Isles, everyone prepared for defence.
Soren circled overhead on a griffin, observing the terrain.
The main island was extremely steep and defensible, with only one narrow path, surrounded by fortresses and heavy crossbows.
It was impossible to attack with large forces, even an airborne assault would fail.
Soren understood that a direct assault was impossible. The only option was a long blockade.
He ordered, “Fully blockade the Thunder Isles. No ship goes out, no ship comes in.”
Then the joint forces of Soren and Hai Gang began a complete siege.
Days passed.
Morale inside the Thunder Isles steadily declined.
At first, they were united and determined to fight to the death.
But as the blockade continued, supply shortages and pressure mounted.
Three days passed.
Five days passed.
Ten days passed.
Not a single rescue ship returned.
Soren’s leaflets were dropped from the sky, exposing Rock Demon’s abandonment of his forces and promising amnesty to all who surrendered.
The morale of Rock Demon’s people collapsed further.
Eventually, the leaflets became even more direct.
Kill Rock Demon, and you will be rewarded with promotion, gold, and slave women.
Yet no one dared act, until Rock Demon’s paranoia reached its peak.
One night, he killed his own trusted subordinate in a sudden outburst of fear.
Afterwards, resentment grew.
More and more people began to join the opposition.
Eventually, hundreds of armed men stormed toward the Rock Palace shouting,
“Kill Rock Demon, this traitor!”