Volume One: Lord of the Infernal Realm Chapter 51: The Underwater Pearl

“Let’s take a gamble.” After hearing Chen Gu’s assessment, Allen knew this was a golden opportunity. They had already spent so much time in the Holy City, so they didn’t mind investing a little more. Even if they failed now, it would only mean this round was wasted. There were still countless islands on the Sacred Lake to explore, still fruits of the World Tree waiting beneath the waters—they would not walk away empty-handed. But if they succeeded, it would be as if they gained a whole new city. Though this city was not as vast as the Holy City, a city immersed within the Sacred Lake wielded tremendous power against the undead. It might even reveal the whereabouts of the Elven Queen. This was truly a venture with enormous potential returns.

Previously, Allen hadn’t believed that Chen Gu possessed the ability to dive underwater. Now that he had it, Allen was determined to wager everything on this chance. “Alright, let’s discuss our next steps. You mentioned the palace submerged in the lake—could that be the ‘Pearl of the Sacred Lake’ described in the poem?”

Chen Gu voiced his hypothesis. “It’s possible. I’ve already examined all the islands closest to the Sacred Tree. They’re all rather similar, meaning that living on any of them wouldn’t highlight the queen’s nobility. She would seem as ordinary as any noble.”

“Do you have some misunderstanding about the meaning of ‘ordinary’?” Chen Gu was speechless at the thought of the queen being as common as the average noble.

Allen paused, then chuckled sheepishly. The journey had been stressful, and this was a rare moment of levity for him. After the laughter subsided, they started planning how to enter the palace.

“First, we can be certain the palace is ownerless. If we descend directly from above, the attacks we encounter are simply the palace’s automatic defenses,” Chen Gu speculated.

Allen had witnessed everything underwater and nodded in agreement with Chen Gu’s reasoning. “Then, could we perhaps find the main entrance and enter openly through the front door?”

After listening to Chen Gu, Allen considered the possibility seriously.

“If it were before, I’d never choose to enter by the main entrance, because that would mean confronting the strongest defenses. But since the palace is abandoned, descending from above might actually trigger the defensive systems,” Chen Gu said.

“That makes sense,” Allen admitted, impressed by Chen Gu’s knack for finding solutions from unexpected angles, regardless of the dilemma. Whether it would work depended on luck. So far, Chen Gu’s luck had been quite favorable.

“What if we can’t get in through the main entrance? I suspect this palace is the Elven Queen’s residence within the Sacred Lake, like the one atop the Sacred Mountain. Ordinary elves probably can’t enter. If we’re blocked at the main entrance, could we use some excuse, like delivering intelligence, to gain access? Allen, did you find any noble crests on those islands that might grant entry to the queen’s palace?”

“There were some, but we don’t have the proper identities. Wait, you’re not suggesting we try to bluff our way in, are you?”

“If it works, why not?” Chen Gu replied, unconcerned. “The Holy City already has no ruler, and the Elven Queen is nowhere to be found. We might as well take a gamble.”

“Alright, I did come across one. This crest—I don’t know much about the family, but I’m certain it signifies the queen’s personal guard.”

“Perfect. Let’s give it another try. If we’re unlucky, we’ll return and I’ll upgrade the Sacred Scale submarine, enhance its anti-freeze capabilities, and then make a full-force assault.” When making his decision, Chen Gu had already mapped out several fallback plans. The one he revealed to Allen was the simplest. In truth, Chen Gu had other strategies, but those would be less favorable to the elves and might require Allen as a sacrificial pawn, so he kept them to himself.

After preparing themselves, the Sacred Scale submarine plunged beneath the surface once more. This time, Chen Gu and Allen coordinated far better. They moved swiftly underwater, and before long Chen Gu located the palace’s main entrance. The submarine descended quickly to that position, seemingly unconcerned by the palace’s potential defenses.

Before the palace’s gates lay a small plaza. As the submarine landed, the plaza shimmered with blue light. The sight startled Chen Gu; looking at the plaza before the gates, he suddenly understood. It was signaling to him that this was a docking spot.

Chen Gu and Allen exchanged silent glances.

They realized that all their calculations had missed what was, for some, simply common sense. If you descended from the surface, you had to enter by the main entrance.

After docking the submarine at the plaza, Chen Gu climbed decisively to the entrance hatch. “I’ll open the hatch now. If water floods in, you immediately trigger the ascent.”

“Understood.” Allen knew Chen Gu was cautious—even when obvious differences presented themselves, he never let down his guard. Once Allen was ready, Chen Gu opened the sealed hatch.

He braced for a rush of lake water, but instead found fresh, clean air. Chen Gu poked his head out and saw that the water on the plaza had receded to the sides. A deep, shadowy passage led to the palace doors, bathed in blue light.

Chen Gu didn’t rush to leave the submarine. He glanced upward. They were now about a hundred meters beneath the surface of the Sacred Lake. Looking up, it felt as though he was peering through glass. Just as he lowered his gaze, a flash of gold streaked across the water’s surface, making the water appear more transparent. With sunlight, it would be as if they stood within a gemstone.

Suddenly, Chen Gu understood why the palace was called the ‘Pearl of the Sacred Lake.’ From this vantage point, everything above was beautiful. They had found their target.

Allen climbed out as well, marveling at the sight. “This place is truly stunning.”

“All right, enough admiring—let’s figure out how to get inside.” Chen Gu and Allen gathered their belongings, swiftly left the submarine, and headed toward the palace gates.