Above The Sky
Chapter 1106: 153: The Speaker's Attention (First Update, Happy New Year!)

Chapter 1106: Chapter 153: The Speaker’s Attention (First Update, Happy New Year!)

Blackstream Port is named after the Blackstream Stone, a geological mineral from Terra. Its appearance resembles black mica, composed of silicate mixtures of Patterned Iron and Light Radiant Aluminum, among other Origin Quality metals. Due to its insulating and high-temperature resistant properties, and its resistance to Origin Quality infiltration, it has a wide range of applications and is an important coating material for many alchemical devices.

In addition, Blackstream Stone is accompanied by Panshard Sand, the most important raw material for alchemical explosives, and even other more precious Sublimated Metals.

Blackstream Port has experienced two periods of prosperity and one decline. The first period of prosperity was, of course, during the mining era. At that time, the Canaan Moore Federal Mining Bureau, along with various mining companies, hollowed out the entire Black Peak Mountain, leaving the coastal mountain peak hollowed out, and even forming a huge triangular trapezoidal pit on the ground, akin to an abyss leading straight to the depths. Untold wealth and resources were transported from here to all parts of Canaan Moore, and sold worldwide via waterways.

During that time, there were many towns around Blackstream Port, and a large number of mining workers formed the foundation of the city, attracting numerous merchants and service personnel, creating what was then the largest coastal city cluster in southern Canaan Moore. But the good times didn’t last long. As the mineral veins around Blackstream Port gradually depleted, the city declined, people dispersed, and what followed was desolation, with many towns becoming ghost towns.

The decline lasted for decades until Canaan Moore learned from the Empire’s reconstruction experience of the Atlantian Megalopolis Labyrinth, flooding the remaining pits here with seawater to thoroughly transform it, creating an artificial Magical Beast Breeding Ground.

The Siren is slowly docking at this once-again thriving port. The bright sunlight is shining, with pale blue seawater lapping against the shoreline.

Not far away, the triangular artificial lake of Blackstream City’s breeding ground glows with a gray-blue light, with dense clusters of aquatic reeds covering a third of the lake’s surface, and many bird Magical Beasts flitting and circling around.

Around and above the lake, there is a semicircular supergiant cage net, standing seven hundred meters tall, covering an area of over fifteen hundred square kilometers, vaguely resembling a white chrysanthemum when viewed from the sky.

It is the iconic building of Blackstream Port, the ‘Dome of Flowers’, made from an artificial Magical Plant. The exposed part of it on the surface restrains the Magical Beasts in the breeding ground from escaping, while the root system stabilizes the geological structure of the Blackstream Port mine, also keeping all the Magical Beasts within calm.

This artificially created Magical Plant, called the ‘Ancestor Floral Cage’, is said to be an imitation by the Canaan Moore Elves based on World Tree City, but the imitation was not successful. However, at Blackstream Port, it still fulfilled its intended function.

The docking frame of Blackstream Port is surrounded by the branches of the Ancestor Floral Cage, and the Siren slowly steams into it, safely mooring in place.

Subsequently, the passengers, who had endured this nerve-wracking sea journey, began to disembark one after another.

However, before these passengers, who had encountered a Magical Beast attack, could stand on the land and breathe a sigh of relief, not far away, a skyship was slowly descending, eventually hovering to the side of the Siren.

The skyship was off-white all over, with cloud-like patterns, and faint white crystal stripes glowed slightly on its sides. The Floatstone power group allowed this massive object to cease all movements with a light poise.

Then, two groups of guards clad in silver clothing, with a pale blue lantern hanging from their waists, descended from the skyship silently, as if weightless.

Torchbearers. One of Canaan Moore’s special forces, used to handle Sublimator crimes within Canaan Moore and various espionage targeting the parliamentarians, they also undertake some confidential espionage tasks. Each Torchbearer is elite, and the blue candle flame on their waists is a type of Illusory Realm Fire capable of dispelling almost all mental disturbances and spirit energy. Of course, this is not the only type; above the blue candle are the silver candle, the gold candle, and the pure candle, but those are even rarer.

What made the passengers familiar with Canaan Moore catch their breath was precisely this—the appearance of two gold candle guards escorting a silver-haired elf from the skyship after the two groups of blue candle guards.

“Chairman Yafarda?!”

A bystander instinctively exclaimed.

The fact that the chairman of the Canaan Moore Grand Council personally arrived at the scene, for what purpose?

The answer is actually quite simple.

He was here to address the impact of the Magical Beast attack incident.

“Esteemed guests of Canaan Moore, I regret that you had to encounter such an unsettling incident. This journey must have been arduous for you. But don’t worry, you are now completely safe!”

Accompanying the skyship were also many reporters and newspaper staff, driving alchemical vehicles or riding horses to the port, skillfully beginning to take photographs.

“I knew Canaan Moore would make a spectacle to settle this Magical Beast attack, but I didn’t expect the chairman to come out personally.”

In the rear of the many passengers of the Siren, Ian and Sio stood behind Master Gravie, like a harmonious brother and sister with their grandfather.

The young man lamented, “And these interview groups, the spectacle is too grand.”

“Of course.”

Master Gravie snorted coldly, “Canaan Moore is not the Empire; the chairman is far from being all-powerful. If any mistake occurs, political enemies will not hesitate to use it to attack the ruling party… There are quite a few important personnel on the Siren. Not to mention if something happens to us, it would be considered a major diplomatic incident.”

“If Yafarda does not come to express the Grand Council’s attention, many people would be unhappy.”

The chairman’s voice continued: “…According to the joint investigation of the two countries, we believe that the terrorists who attacked the Siren likely originate from the extreme group in the southeast of Canaan Moore, the ‘Anlan Armed Group’…”

“What kind of organization is that? I’ve never heard of it.”

Ian asked softly, and Master Gravie responded quietly, “A black glove of The Pillar Party, targeting The Sustenance Party’s rule in the Sudden Rain Wetlands, and some pirate groups are associated with it. The Sustenance Party really spares no effort and has no leniency in suppressing dissent…”

“The Empire probably sees it as beneficial, too,” Ian nodded slightly, after all, among those who acted, besides The Sustenance Party itself, there was also the Imperial Spirit Knowledge Institute and the Azure Sky Royal Court. The three major nations would not want the truth to be uncovered, so of course, they would shift the blame.

Just as in the Empire’s Southern Ridges, blaming it on the Fiery Flame Land is always correct, Canaan Moore has plenty of extreme groups and black gloves to take the fall. It’s really convenient.

Ian originally thought the chairman’s speech and declaration had nothing to do with him and the others since such a grand personality would still have a lot to do after making an appearance.

But who would have known, just as he was thinking about how to find time to contact Yisen Gard and Anfa, Chairman Yafarda’s voice designated a target: “…and the passengers of the Siren were able to turn danger into safety, actually relying on the intervention of two scholars—one of whom is very familiar to everyone, our distinguished alchemist returning from the Empire, Master Gravie, and the other young scholar is a rising star in the field of alchemy, Scholar Ian from the Empire!”

Ian raised his head, frowning slightly, and looked toward the distant skyship.

Chairman Yafarda also glanced over with a smile at this moment. The dignified and solemn appearance of this silver-haired middle-aged man was coupled with equally light silver eyes, his tone unbroken: “Now is not the time to detail the process, but Canaan Moore Federation is thankful for the contributions made by these two erudite scholars. They saved the entire fleet from peril, and we will certainly bestow recognition that satisfies everyone shortly!”