"Leiden River" Midstream, Golden Lion City.

Boom——!!!

The solid granite city walls, towering 15 meters high, were shattered by a giant wave. The buildings near this side of the wall were not spared either, turning into dust along with the residents who hadn't escaped, swallowed by the tides!

In reality.

Even without the aid of this tsunami's aftershock, any of the large species among the 47 Sea Monsters that jointly launched the attack, just by raising its head, were far taller than 15 meters.

The walls that were initially designed only to fend off human attacks were inevitably breached with ease.

On the ramparts.

Apart from the Kingdom Mobile Forces, who either had Extraordinary individual guards or were themselves Extraordinary individuals, who wisely jumped over the walls to escape without arguing with the Pirate King when the situation turned dire.

More than a thousand elite private soldiers stationed in formation perished, overwhelmed by the mighty force of "nature."

Even the dozens of bronze cannons, which were costly to install on the ramparts, sank into the waters without firing a single shot.

The surging mighty wave continued to rush forward, easily transforming the place into a marshland.

However, after reversing the flow for nearly 200 kilometers with its powerful water force, it more or less stopped there.

The damage to the buildings within the city was not particularly severe; only roughly one-fifth of the city area near the southern gate was destroyed, with the destruction decreasing the further north one went.

Following the Sea Monsters, the pirate ship slowly approached.

As a pirate ship constructed based on a Level 2 battleship.

The "Eternal Imprisonment Sacred Statue" measures 63 meters in length, with three gun decks, 90 cannons, a crew of 750, a displacement of around 2,000 tons, and a draft depth of 7.6 meters, allowing it to sail without issue in the now "abundant water" of the "Leiden River."

However, at this point, there was no longer any need for the conventional combat power of the pirate ship.

Howl...!

Roar...!

Hiss...!

Besides the necessary transport tools "Sea King Shell" to stir up the tsunami and the two small species "Sea Tide Shell," the remaining 24 large species and 20 small species all landed ashore.

They advanced along the wide city avenue, heading straight for the headquarters building of the "Netherlands Bank Group" at the center of the city.

It's worth mentioning that all the Sea Monsters landing in "Golden Lion City" were amphibious (not necessarily amphibians), capable of wreaking havoc in both sea and on land.

To the tiny humans, they were more terrifying than prehistoric beasts, unable to be faced directly, let alone resisted!

Boom! Boom!....

Leading them were two formidable giant turtles, looking like alligator turtles covered with angular armored scales. The shell alone was over 60 meters long, with thirteen iron-like ridges towering on their backs, shaking the earth as they moved, like mountains marching forward.

The most unique part was that underneath their shells, two massive heads emerged, with tails that split into nine branches, swaggering and moving freely!

[Large Species· Earthquake Two-headed Turtle]

Just behind them were four "serpentine" creatures with heads covered in heavy scale armor, and bodies interspersed with red and yellow hues, although showing notable differences from snake species in details.

Though they appeared snake-like, they were actually lizards with fully degenerated limbs, belonging to a type of snake lizard. Each time they opened their mouths, a cluster of purple tendrils wriggled inside, appearing as if they were holding a giant octopus they hadn't swallowed yet.

[Large Species· Earth Belly Snake Lizard]

From the formation, it was apparent that these six Sea Monsters, heavily guarded in the middle of the convoy, were Hawkins' true trump card!

Splash, splash, splash...

Wading through the calf-deep water, Hawkins leisurely led the strongest half of his direct subordinates from the ship into the enormous breach in the wall.

Even while wading through the water, his posture was akin to a lion disdainfully surveying the entire prairie, an eagle arrogantly watching over the sky, or a king touring his territory on a chariot.

All beings should submit at his feet!

Paying no heed to the banking group's hurriedly fleeing executives.

Hawkins' goal was very clear, the grand vault beneath the banking group's headquarters. Now, only absolute power could stop him, and clearly, those gentlemen didn't possess it...

....

"Golden Lion City" wasn't originally called "Golden Lion City," it was merely an inconspicuous little town along the Leiden River.

It was only because the "Netherlands Bank Group" chose this location for business development needs a hundred and twenty years ago that Golden Lion City gradually grew to its current scale.

There were many factors in the site selection back then, but thanks to his "good" cooperative relationship with several shareholders, Hawkins was well aware of them.

In addition to convenient transportation, abundant water sources, and fertile land sufficient to support a large population,

a significant reason for choosing Golden Lion City was to construct the "underground grand vault" which was reputed to be the number one in hardware across the continent!

The treasury was built by hollowing out an entire granite layer beneath "Golden Lion City" with tremendous effort, and was divided into three stories in total.

Even the topmost layer is deeply embedded 15 meters underground, while the deepest layer reaches a depth of forty meters, required to pass through stringent checkpoints and review to access each layer progressively.

The bank vault has only one entrance, guarded by a mechanism formed by a steel cylinder with a diameter of 7 meters, weighing 95 tons, and a steel frame weighing 140 tons. Even immense alchemy bombs capable of leveling headquarters buildings wouldn't scratch this door.

Furthermore, the steel door is operated by multiple mechanisms, requiring five directors with operation authority to simultaneously turn several large discs for the entrance mechanism to activate.

After passing through the gate, one must traverse a long tunnel. Every 5 meters, the tunnel presents several identically shaped branching paths; taking a wrong turn into any path prevents access to the vault area.

The wealthy Bank Group even employed alchemists to enchant the entire vault's walls, imbuing the colossal granite layer weighing tens of thousands of tons with steel-like solidity akin to the same thickness.

To call it "impenetrable" is no exaggeration!

They even extravagantly set multi-layered witchcraft and physical traps, rendering the vault not only impenetrable but filled with lurking dangers.

Hawkins has no doubt, if they could locate the mythical Maze Guardian Minotaur, these guys wouldn't hesitate to imprison that creature in the great vault!

However, the guard's strength is practically no less than that terrifying demon.

Inside the vault, there are always at least one Tier 3 Great Knight and two Tier 2 Official Wizards stationed, maximizing the safety of the vault's gold, stored items, collateral, and other treasures.

This is also why Hawkins, after painstaking efforts and immense beneficial deals to cultivate relationships with several directors, has given up on clever tricks upon learning of the underground great vault's defense capabilities!

He clearly understands that unless the "Netherlands Bank Group" is uprooted, even a Tier 3 Peak like himself could never safely enter the third layer to retrieve the treasure.

Carelessness could lead to being eternally trapped underground.

Tier 3 Peak strength is far from sufficient to allow one to rampage across the continent and gain true "freedom"!

Of course, he has considered holding important figures hostage, exchanging their lives for the treasure.

However, the shareholders of the "Netherlands Bank Group" are equally colossal powers on the continent; even the chairman is merely one representative of a major force, with no absolute vulnerability.

Moreover, the Netherlands Bank Group has been established for nearly 300 years, having never lost a stored item, or even if lost, would spare no expense to "retrieve" it from the heavens or earth.

The reputation built over hundreds of years and countless lives is its foundation as a banking giant.

The weight of one life compared to centuries of reputation and the vested interests of a vast group is truly insignificant!

Thus, even if he uses hostage-taking tactics, there's no hope of exchanging even a single Golden Lion.

Hawkins's tactical choices today were largely forced by this indomitable great vault!

Boom! Boom! Boom!....

The "Sea Monster Demolition Team" started taking action without Hawkins's command, as their goddess-given instincts began to stir, sensing an anomaly imperceptible to others below the Demigod Level.

The "Heart of the Ocean" of the Black Sea is essentially the crystallized authority of the Black Sea, with two origin stories.

One says it was naturally generated by the Black Sea, granting dominion over the sea's highest throne to whoever possesses it; another says it was personally nurtured by the Sea Witch after ascending to godhood, later extracted from her body when sealed.

No matter its origin, its status as a supreme treasure even to gods is indisputable. Without the personality of a Tier 5 Demigod, perceiving its true form is impossible!

Only two goddesses with partial authority over the Black Sea, "Mother of Sea Monsters" Echet and "Sea Witch" Hipponeo, along with their beloved (like ordinary Sea Monsters) and...path-followers (like Sea God's Son Tien Kute), can break this restriction through the extraordinary source's authority.

Here, the great vault demolition has commenced.

Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of Golden Lion City.

A group of uniformly dressed members of the same force not only didn't evacuate like other citizens but gathered as if plotting something.

If seen by the Bank Group's higher-ups, they would be immediately recognizable.

The leader is none other than the new head of the Mafia Clan, "Madman" Danfo Mafia, specifically instructed by the Bank Group chairman Old Joel to stay behind closed doors.

"My brothers! Let's lift the restrictions for our friends from afar. This sea will have a new master!

And in our hands, the Mafia Clan will achieve unprecedented glory!"

"As you command, Leader Danfo!"

Flap! Flap! Flap!....

Dozens of seagulls are immediately released, each pair swiftly entering every city along the Leiden River.

Soon, squads of robust pirates emerge from secret corners unaffected by the tsunami, although dressed as regular workers, their fierceness is unmistakable.

These places are the Mafia Clan's properties, the largest local force spread throughout the "Leiden River Valley."

No doubt, the mole indeed exists, precisely the Mafia Clan considered by the "Netherlands Bank Group" as a "dull knife."

Looking at the current appearance, he might not be just a mole, but likely the top figure behind all elite pirates pre-stationed along the "Leiden River Valley."

"Before welcoming Master Hawkins, let's first ferret out the little mice...."

In a fine shirt, vest, trousers, and leather shoes, carrying a silver walking stick, Danfo Mafia, resembling an elegant gentleman, looked towards the distant corner of the wall with a nonchalant smile:

"Am I right, overly secretive since arriving in 'Golden Lion City,' Mr. Navy Officer?"

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