The burly Copper Sea stood on the deck, carrying a large hammer on his shoulder.

The sea breeze brushed through the gaps in his copper armor, emitting a faint whine.

The man’s eyes stared ahead. The outline of his hometown was getting closer and closer, with a long and wide coastline gradually becoming clear. Behind it was a dense forest, and further back was the pale green salt pool area.

Copper Sea looked back.

He brought a total of three ships and two hundred and seventy-five warriors.

Among the companions, some were like him, ordinary citizens persecuted by slave traders; some were slaves who were willing to fight after being liberated; and some were farmers, craftsmen, and adventurers who wanted to overthrow the slave traders.

Now they stood together, launching the final charge.

“Brothers.”

Copper Sea’s voice was deep and powerful: “You all know that I have a grudge against the slave traders. My wife, Mahaya, a hardworking and honest island woman, was taken away by the slave traders in my blacksmith shop and forcibly branded as a slave.”

“I came back from the sea and found that damn merchant. He told me that Mahaya had been sold to someone else and he didn’t know where she was.”

“He gave me some money and said to choose a female slave as my wife, saying it was just a misunderstanding.”

Copper Sea said coldly, “That’s the slave traders. In their eyes, everyone has a price. Everyone is a slave and livestock.”

“As long as these humanoid monsters are still in the city, still controlling the city, there will be more Mahayas suffering!”

“Brothers, listen to me.”

The tall blacksmith roared in anger: “Perhaps one day, we will lose our bravery and strength, unable to lift hammers and swords to fight back against the enemy. They have so many numbers, thousands of slaves are gathering, and more slaves are being captured and blocking our way.”

“But I don’t think it’s today!”

“Today, we fight with blood and courage! For everyone, for all the slaves, all the husbands and wives, all the fathers and children, for all the courage and freedom!”

“If the gods think this is wrong, let the gods punish me! I am willing to bear all the wrath that the gods will bring down! I will be the first to die in front of you.”

“Now! Brothers, I ask you to join me, let’s crush the slave system together! Kill those bastards!”

“Kill them!”

Everyone raised their arms and shouted.

The three sailboats broke into the unfinished dock.

The slaves who were moving wood and stones were scared and ran away one by one when they saw the pirates attacking.

The slave traders behind cursed loudly: “Damn it, why are you running! Pick up your weapons and go, you brainless pigs.”

“If anyone can chop off the head of the pirate leader in front, I will grant them freedom!”

Some of the slaves stopped and hurriedly ran to the back to pick up spears and shields.

Copper Sea wore copper armor, dragging a large hammer on the ground, and took the lead.

He swung the hammer and smashed a slave who rushed over, shouting to the slaves ahead, “You don’t need to fight!”

“We are here only to liberate the slaves!”

“We are the Northern Temple Army!”

“You are free!”

“Leave! This is a battlefield, cherish your lives!”

The slaves visibly shrank in fear.

They still waved their weapons, appearing to be in battle, but they were easily defeated and took the opportunity to scatter and flee. Only a few slaves and the elite guards hired by the merchants remained to fight against Copper Sea and his men.

Facing the fierce Northern Temple Army, the merchants who were fighting for their lives didn’t really want to fight. Seeing the situation was not good, they one by one mounted their horses and retreated quickly.

The cowardice and timidity of the enemy made Copper Sea furious.

This group of people actually dared to do evil in Salt City!

“Brothers, follow me, enter Salt City, and kill the slave traders!”

Copper Sea shouted loudly.

A few slaves gathered up the courage and ran to him. They led camels and horses, handing over the reins.

The slaves stuttered as they spoke.

“Ri… Ride…”

“Fast…”

Copper Sea mounted a strong horse and raised his hammer: “Brothers, take up your weapons and follow me!”

“Follow the leader and charge!”

“Charge!”

“Charge into the city!”

“Kill the slave traders!”

The Northern Temple Army achieved an initial victory, and their morale was high.

They rushed all the way and soon arrived outside Salt City.

The city walls were neither strong nor tall, mostly built decades or even hundreds of years ago. They had long been neglected and become dilapidated. There were about a hundred slaves with spears guarding under the city walls.

As soon as the Northern Temple Army arrived, the slaves immediately gathered nervously. They raised their shields and pointed their spears outward, forming a simple hedgehog defense formation, showing no intention of coming out to fight.

Copper Sea laughed loudly: “Blow the horn. Let the brothers in the city also take action!”

The soldiers of the Northern Temple Army behind him each took out a horn, and the low and desolate sound of the horns echoed one after another.

The city also responded with the sound of horns.

Then the fire was ignited inside the city gate, and the flames quickly grew, spreading along the city walls.

The slaves blocking the gate were scared and scattered, and the formation immediately collapsed. Under the arrows and spears of the Northern Temple Army, they quickly turned into an uncontrollable rout.

Copper Sea galloped forward, wielding his hammer and smashing a fleeing slave trader’s head into pieces.

The soldiers of the Northern Temple Army followed suit and charged.

Salt City became chaotic, with shouts and killings everywhere. The rebellious slaves, craftsmen, and farmers started to set fires everywhere, making the slave traders feel that the enemy was everywhere.When Tonghai arrived at the council hall, it was already deserted.

The emptiness and frailty of the city were hard for him to believe.

Faced with several sea attacks by the Temple Army, the citizens’ council of Salt City reacted so sluggishly. They neither reinforced the city walls nor trained and reorganized the soldiers. They only knew how to increase the number of slaves, thinking that this would be useful.

Tonghai remembered the words of the old mayor, Shangli.

“This battle will end with our unconditional victory.”

“Salt City seems to have many hands, but the slave traders are not united.”

“For slave traders, preserving slaves and property as much as possible is the most important thing. For high-profit matters, traders are very united, sometimes even willing to risk their lives.”

“In order to seize the city and legalize slave trading, they have been plotting for many years. Removing me as mayor is just one part of it.”

“They will not defend the city at the expense of their property. This cannot bring them benefits, but will make them weak and become prey to other traders.”

“For traders, other traders are the most terrifying enemies. So they will preserve their strength and property and leave quickly…”

For this day, Shangli had been preparing for over a decade.

Creating threats from the sea, rallying slaves with fighting spirit and desire. Blocking the coast, trying to destroy the port and dock, seeking foreign aid, creating various contradictions within the city, finding and cultivating insiders…

Each step was methodical, like repeatedly forging an iron embryo, until it finally became a sharp and flexible sword.

Shangli was like a patient hunter, step by step driving the prey into the corner he had envisioned, then pulling the rope, letting them fall into the trap in their escape.

“I cannot die.”

Before leaving, the old man gazed into the distance: “I want to see the city that once built the lighthouse return to the right track.”

“Go, Tonghai, to the other side of the sea.”

“You are the hero of this era and the liberator of the slaves. You will leave your own legend and history. This is what you deserve, and it is your honor.”

Tonghai felt no joy.

He simply said, “I am not a hero, I am just a husband with a hammer.”

Tonghai had many similar dreams.

In his dreams, he was in the coppersmith’s shop, wielding a hammer, shaping copper embryos and copper skins into various shapes, making copper pots and pans, creating copper helmets and armor.

The sun outside was good, making the stones on the ground white.

Tonghai was sweating profusely, panting heavily.

Mahaya wiped his sweat with a towel and handed him sweet cool water.

She would sing him folk songs from the island, telling him how the colorful birds on the island danced, and how the fish in the sea jumped out of the water.

Then she said, I want to have a child for you, a brave and smart child.

He will be smarter than you, prettier than me, he will travel every island with the blessing of the gods. Then he will come home and tell us the stories along the way…

Tonghai would always wake up laughing at this point, then stare blankly in the dark.

…

Now, Tonghai stood in the center of the council.

There was no one around.

He had liberated all the slaves in the city, but he could not find his Mahaya.

A tall blue figure walked over.

Tonghai recognized him.

Salt City’s commander, Saltgel. He was an unfathomable Transcendent warrior with unimaginable strength and had lived for over a hundred years.

“Are you here to kill me?” Tonghai gripped his hammer tightly.

Saltgel shook his head.

The other party was silent for a moment, then handed him a pottery jug.

“I just thought you might need a drink. Warrior, you look very sad.”

Tonghai took the jug and drained it in one gulp.

Thanks: fnksadfg for supporting with 1500 Qidian coins, Heidu for supporting with 1000 Qidian coins, and book friend 20220618172629698 for supporting with 100 Qidian coins.

(End of Chapter)