Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 180 Royal Gossip (Bonus Chapter 3)

Su Ming then realized that the Divine Grace Sea was a discipline school specifically prepared for the spoiled sons of the temple!
“The prisoners of the Divine Might Prison can be used as laborers to maintain the academy, and they can also serve as sparring partners during training,” Catherine continued. “The religious criminals of the Temple of Light are all gathered here to supply the academy.”

"They really know how to use resources," Su Ming said coldly. "They pride themselves on being righteous, but their methods are vicious."

“Light is not the same as light,” Catherine said. “Believing in a god does not preclude one from committing evil in the name of doctrine.” Her voice was equally cold. “It’s just an extra ‘legal’ procedure.”

"So those extra defensive forces are actually the teaching staff that the temple's higher-ups have allocated to Shen Enhai." Su Ming understood. The high-ups' precious grandchildren are here; they won't be given toys, but they'll be given high-level teachers and guards.

“That’s right,” Catherine said. “The information you have about the Divine Prison is correct, but the use of the Divine Grace Sea is a recent event.”

Su Ming pressed his forehead and began to think.

As agreed, Archbishop Stanton was also on his way to meet them, accompanied by some Feather Clan forces. Su Ming and Zi Jin wouldn't unknowingly stumble upon them, but they would face the predicament of their plan failing.

Fortunately, Catherine corrected the mistake, gaining time to adjust, but difficulties remained. Su Ming's original plan was definitely no longer usable.

****
A mechanical "ding" broke the silence in the workshop; it meant the lean meat porridge Hanster had been stewing in the rice cooker was ready.

Su Ming ladled out a bowl of porridge and placed it beside the hospital bed.

"Thank you," Catherine said.

The baby fussed for a while, but eventually fell asleep. Su Ming made a small crib out of bones, and Catherine put the baby inside.

"What's the child's name?"

“She has a nickname, Tuanzi,” Catherine replied. “She hasn’t chosen a formal name yet.”

On the table were sliced ​​pickled cucumbers and cabbage, pickles made by Qiluo before their departure. Su Ming handed them to Catherine, watching the Star Queen enjoy the pickles and hot meat porridge with a contented expression.

Su Ming poured himself a bowl of porridge and drank it, frowning as he pondered a way to break the deadlock. One problem was that the modern firepower from the technological side had to be used cautiously, otherwise it might harm the rescue target.

The enemy consists of numerous powerful superhumans, and the need to ensure rapid kills while avoiding friendly fire is inherently contradictory.

This is not even as good as a colorful black!

After finishing her bowl, Catherine asked Su Ming to refill it for her. She looked up and saw the number on the wheat bag on the shelf. "Number 390?" she wondered, calculating the weight. "High-calorie staple food, you actually carried ten tons!"

The numbering on the bags was done by Eunice, and she required everyone to use them from high to low to keep track of remaining inventory at all times. It must be said that Eunice's arrival has indeed made materials management much more organized.

"It's just a matter of being prepared," Su Ming said.

“You’ve brought ten times the amount of food,” Catherine deduced, “So what you’re planning to take isn’t just a few dozen prisoners!”

“Since I’ve come all this way, I’d like to take as much as I can.” Su Ming handed the second bowl of porridge to Catherine. “Your Majesty, I need more detailed information about the Divine Might Prison and the Divine Grace Sea, including internal details.”

A hint of admiration flashed in Catherine's eyes; she didn't give up even after all.

“No problem, I can provide it.” She agreed. “I don’t need to explain, I’m already at odds with the Covenant Faction. This time they’re forcing me to marry King Shariko, so I’ve already broken ties with them.”

The conflict between Catherine and the temple's higher-ups was probably not that simple, and she seemed to be deliberately manipulating their side's hatred towards the Divine Grace Sea, Su Ming thought to himself. For example, if Violet knew that her relatives and friends had been abused like that, she would definitely be furious.

"so?"

“So, I have a suggestion.” Catherine finished half a bowl of porridge in one gulp, put down the bowl, sat up straight, and said to Su Ming seriously, “How about we join forces and smash the Holy Mountain!”

****
Su Ming didn't dare eat too much, only drank one bowl of water, and then took the little dumpling back to the room. Zi Jin was sleeping soundly, so Su Ming put the child down and went back to sleep.

This time he slept until the afternoon, and when he woke up, Tuanzi and Zijin were no longer in the room.

The train had stopped, but the sound of the locomotive could still be heard.

"Hanstel, what's wrong?" Su Ming asked via message.

"Shunting," Hansster replied.

Shunting refers to changing the order of the train cars. Hanster and Eunice are moving the fully loaded coal cars to the front so the zombies can load them onto the locomotive. They had only a small amount of coal left when they departed at dawn, so shunting at this point indicates they've run out.

Su Ming got up to wash up and then went to the workroom. Sure enough, Zi Jin was there with Tuanzi, arguing with Catherine about something.

"Good afternoon." Su Ming greeted the scholar, then turned to Catherine, "Your Majesty, you sound very energetic; you've recovered quite well."

"Thanks to you all." The injured patient, who was leaning against the bed, stopped bickering with Zijin. "I never dreamed that one moment I would be covered in wounds and suffering from hunger and cold, and the next I would be able to drink hot tea in a heated room. Thank you!"

"I'm repaying the favor I did for letting you go back then," Zijin said. "From now on, be mindful of your actions. Choose one: a full-elemental binding or a confinement barrier."

“Your master allows me to move freely within the workshop area,” Catherine said.

Violet's eyes narrowed slightly. "Although I'm used to arguing with you, I don't like this kind of joke!"

"I'm sorry!" Catherine immediately knew that Violet was really angry, and quickly apologized.

Su Ming sat down next to Zi Jin, about to speak, when he suddenly heard Hanster call out, "Lord Chestnut Owl, please come here for a moment, there's a little trouble here."

Zijin put on her coat and left the carriage. Soon, she heard the sound of a girl casting a spell outside. It seemed that the ground was a bit uneven, so the carriage had to be pushed by "human force".

“Being imprisoned by the White Bone Mark back then was Elisa’s most painful memory. You don’t need to bring that up,” Su Ming said.

He checked Catherine's vital signs and found them to be stable, except for a slightly elevated temperature. This was a sign of infection, given the numerous wounds on her body. However, the other world had many methods for treating infections, and both Qiluo and Zijin's magic could handle it.

Catherine herself should be stronger than those two combined, otherwise she wouldn't have been able to persevere.

Catherine shook her head. "This won't anger Elisa." She was actually a little confused, but seeing Su Ming teasing the little dumpling, she suddenly realized, "She doesn't like you being talked about like that!"

Regardless of how the world perceives it, this new ruler did not use the Bone Mark to manipulate Elisa.

Su Ming didn't understand the intricacies of the situation. "Me?" he asked, pointing to himself in confusion.

“I just can’t stand me saying anything bad about you.” Catherine gave a playful look. “You’ve prepared baby formula for this trip. Is Elisa pregnant?”

"Are you out of your mind!" Violet's voice came from outside. "Where am I supposed to get pregnant? Can't you stay still for a second?" "No, no, no, I'm genuinely asking." Catherine was truly confused now. She looked at Su Ming with some bewilderment. "Aren't you two a couple?"

"Why do you think we are?" Su Ming asked, puzzled.

Catherine scratched her head, feeling a little insecure. Perhaps she had misjudged things because she was too tired these past two days?
Faintly, she heard a familiar voice singing, "Let us form an iron Great Wall~~"

Catherine recognized the voice and looked incredulous. "Gospel Father! What did you do to it?"

“We’ve loaded some new thought entities into it,” Su Ming replied, stomping his foot on the floor. “Now it’s the main engine for driving.”

Catherine couldn't help but burst into laughter. She clutched her wounded abdomen, curled up in a ball, and exclaimed, "Gospel Father driving, hahaha!" She pounded the hospital bed incoherently, "If those covenantists knew, help! They'd be mortified!"

Even after Violet returned, Catherine didn't completely stop laughing. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, took out a gold card from her pocket, and handed it to the scholar.

“The Cardinal Identity Card of the Temple of Light,” Catherine said. “With this gospel, it will obey you wholeheartedly. Unless the Speaker or the Pope comes in person, it will warn you if anyone else comes to rescue it.”

The steward of Summer Island is normally a powerful regional official, holding a very high rank.

Zijin put away the card. "It's been more than twenty years. The little nun from back then is now in a high position."

“It’s just a title; I have far more power than that.” Catherine laughed self-deprecatingly. “I was sold out by the temple’s higher-ups. They used my marriage to cede territory and beg for aid as a fig leaf—these people only care about this kind of useless face.”

“Isn’t politics all about these kinds of statements?” Su Ming said, turning to Zi Jin. “Your classmate said he wants to go with us to bomb the school—no, the Divine Might Prison and the Divine Grace Sea.”

He briefly recounted the information that Catherine had provided the previous night.

"Divine Grace Sea?" Zi Jin weighed the options. Even with her increased power, she couldn't proceed as originally planned. Many ants can kill an elephant, let alone a pack of hyenas. The entire operation plan had to be revised in consultation with Su Ming.

However, there was an important question she needed to clarify first, so she turned to Catherine, "This child isn't Shariko's?"

“You know all about the mess between Sharico and Chloe,” Catherine said to Violet. “He’s just using me to shut everyone up.”

"Oh?" Violet understood the underlying meaning. "So you're all in name only?"

"uh-huh."

After finishing the shunting, Yunier came to the workshop, poured tea for everyone, and put down a dish of peanuts.

Zijin pulled up a chair and sat down next to Su Ming, picking up her teacup. "Who is the little dumpling's father?"

Catherine looked at the little dumpling dancing in Su Ming's arms, "Ignash."

"You still managed to seduce Ignash?" Violet raised an eyebrow. "He was the most handsome guy at the Knight Academy back in the day, and I made things so difficult for your dates."

Who is Ignash?

“A knight cadet who’s incredibly handsome,” Violet replied. “He’s now a full-fledged paladin, the lowest rank. His aura and combat skills aren’t great, but he’s got some really solid muscles.”

So they're just pretty faces? Su Ming sighed, thinking how quite the emperor and empress of Xingchen were playing games.

Catherine rolled her eyes at Violet. "If it weren't for your mischief back then, Iser's father would have been him!"

"You're the one who's promiscuous, and you're blaming me?" Recalling her past achievements, Violet was very happy. "But who is your daughter Iser's father?"

Catherine sighed, "Back then, I was so angry that I went to find your brother Vioas."

Su Ming looked at the scholar and his mouth dropped open. "You have a younger brother?"

"Why not?" Violet asked, puzzled.

【But you are not—】 Su Mingxiang said that she was clearly the child born in a special way by the Shattered Light Sword Saint Atia and the dragon Misera.

"My birth was indeed troublesome, but my mother, Atia, is a normal human being." Violet popped a few peanuts whole into her mouth, chewed them, and spat them out, shell and all. "Is it strange that she gave birth to my younger brother in a normal way?"

"Not surprising!" Su Ming quickly shook his head. "Um, the peanut shells need to be peeled," he reminded him.

"Of course I knew, I thought it would save me trouble," Zijin complained. She poured the peanuts onto the table, smashed them with her hand, and then picked the kernels out of her mouth.

However, this resulted in most of the peanuts being crushed.

"If I had known she was my niece, I wouldn't have held back." Zijin gave up fiddling with the peanuts, took a sip of tea, and swallowed the remaining shells. "I shouldn't have hit her stomach with that sword."

“Then shouldn’t you return your niece’s weapon, the Blade of Balance, to her?” Catherine asked.

Zijin turned to the hospital bedside. "Shouldn't a niece give her aunt something nice? And speaking of this—" she narrowed her eyes, "you almost killed us back then!"

During the Battle of the Agate Sea, Catherine employed a strategy of guiding the Songstress-class ships to fire long-range artillery, nearly covering the entire Zhiyuan.

“No, you’ll be fine,” Catherine explained.

"Nonsense!" Su Ming completely disagreed. "If I had controlled the steamship to accelerate a second later, you would have blasted me into pieces!"

Catherine patted Su Ming on the shoulder, comforting him, "Of course! How can we rescue Elisa if we don't get rid of you, the controller of the Bone Mark?"

"..." Su Ming finally understood what Iser's recklessness was all about. She was trying to lure Violet away to prevent the subsequent artillery fire from accidentally injuring her.

So, he was the only target from beginning to end? Su Ming was extremely dissatisfied. It was one thing for two armies to fight for their own side, but this was a completely undeserved disaster for him. "Hey, I almost lost my life!"

“Ignorance is no excuse,” Katharine said. “How could I have imagined that Elisa would be—”

She realized what she was saying and swallowed the rest of her sentence: "I'm giving it away to the new controller."

"What do you know?" Violet glanced at her coldly.

"How did I know you two were collaborators?" Catherine asked obediently.

(End of this chapter)