In this world, the storyline of Black Manta has undergone slight changes compared to the original. What remains the same is that his father still died at the hands of Arthur, and Black Manta has continuously upgraded his equipment through repeated clashes with Atlantis.
But these are not the reasons for Bai Qi to hand over the Ocean Master to Black Manta.
If Black Manta could not bring him sufficient benefits, then no matter how deep Black Manta's hatred or how high his compatibility with the Ocean Master, Bai Qi would not have given the Ocean Master away for free.
The primary reason Bai Qi considered giving the Ocean Master to Black Manta was his anticipation that Black Manta would become a formal member of the Illuminati after completing this mission.
Handing over the Ocean Master to Black Manta was not just about appeasing him, but about control.
Nourished by Bai Qi's dark energy, the Ocean Master already belonged to Bai Qi. Even if given to Black Manta for use, it was merely a temporary grant of usage rights. Bai Qi could reclaim it at any time if he wished.
Black Manta, in the end, was just a normal human who committed crimes using high technology. The power brought by the Ocean Master would surely make him addicted. The more addicted he became, the more he would be unable to leave the Ocean Master. Bai Qi could then use this to control Black Manta, thereby strengthening his own influence within the Illuminati.
Moving on to Basha, after gathering a large number of Trench creatures, she impatiently launched an attack on the nearest Saltwater Kingdom.
The Saltwater Kingdom was located near underwater volcanoes, and its inhabitants had evolved thick carapaces, making them resemble crabs and lobsters in appearance. The people of the Saltwater Kingdom were known for their stubbornness and short tempers among the Four Kingdoms.
Due to environmental factors, the technology of the Saltwater Kingdom was primarily powered by geothermal energy. Their warships and vehicles also mimicked the forms of aquatic crustaceans, designed to look very much like crabs and lobsters.
Compared to the other kingdoms, Bai Qi's transaction with Basha was aimed at preserving the Saltwater Kingdom and making them a force under his control in the ocean. However, Basha was adamant, and Bai Qi found it difficult to fall out with Basha over a seemingly insignificant faction, ultimately choosing to abandon the idea.
The Saltwater Kingdom was indeed the most hot-tempered among the Four Kingdoms. Facing the formidable Basha and her Trench army, the King of the Saltwater Kingdom immediately chose to engage the demon without a second word. Even though he knew this decision could lead to the utter ruin of the entire Saltwater Kingdom, for the sake of righteousness and the survival of all of Atlantis, the Saltwater Kingdom resolutely shouldered the responsibility of blocking Basha.
Simultaneously, the Saltwater Kingdom dispatched numerous scouts to inform the Fisherman Kingdom.
Their purpose was not to seek aid.
The King of the Saltwater Kingdom also knew that facing Basha and such a large number of Trench creatures, even if the entire Saltwater Kingdom and the Fisherman Kingdom were to be deployed, their annihilation would only be a matter of time.
In that case, it would be better for the Saltwater Kingdom to act as a shield, giving the Fisherman Kingdom ample time to prepare. Whether for escape or for war preparations, the Saltwater Kingdom, as an ally, had done its utmost.
Unsurprisingly, under Basha and her massive army, the entire Saltwater Kingdom was trampled to oblivion, with the remains of crustacean creatures as far as the eye could see.
Basha stood atop the corpses of numerous crustacean creatures, channeling magic with her hands, and snapped the trident, the symbol of the Saltwater Kingdom, in half.
From this moment on, the Saltwater Kingdom was utterly annihilated.
The destruction of two kingdoms somewhat released the rage in Basha's heart, and she began to ponder whether she truly intended to kill all Atlanteans.
Admittedly, being betrayed and sealed by the subjects she created had made Basha furious. But if she killed them all, leaving only the mindless beasts behind her, who would serve her? How could she gain a greater advantage in future battles against other demons?
After a moment of thought, Basha made a choice.
Now only the Kingdom of Atlantis and the Fisherman Kingdom remained. Killing them all would bring her only fleeting satisfaction and no other benefits. Therefore, Basha decided to destroy one and spare the other.
The Kingdom of Atlantis, composed of the ancient Atlantean royal family, had played a leading role in the rebellion that sealed her in the past, so it was destined for destruction. As for the Fisherman Kingdom, if they sincerely submitted to her as their creator, sparing their lives would not be impossible.
This was what Basha thought. However, she was unaware that while she was slaughtering the Saltwater Kingdom, the messenger dispatched by the Saltwater Kingdom had already conveyed the news of Basha's return to the Fisherman Kingdom.
The leadership of the Fisherman Kingdom was terrified upon receiving this news. What a joke! Basha, the Water Demon who only appeared in legends, had returned to the world, single-handedly annihilated Xebel with ease, and then led the entire Trench in attacking the Saltwater Kingdom. At this rate, the Saltwater Kingdom should have been destroyed by now. Sudan Novels.
And her next target was the Fisherman Kingdom.
The Fisherman Kingdom was well aware of its own limitations.
Of course, with things having reached this point, escape was definitely not an option. Only by actively responding and devising a plan could they honor the sacrifice of the Saltwater Kingdom.
Escape was out of the question. Even if they could temporarily evade destruction, they would still eventually be annihilated. Moreover, a mass exodus of the entire nation would attract too much attention and be too slow, making it highly probable that they would be caught by Basha and her Trench forces. In such a situation, a desperate defense would only lead to death.
After deliberation between the King of the Fisherman Kingdom and several ministers, a plan was devised.
The first step was to contact the remaining kingdom, Atlantis, as soon as possible and seek their assistance. Only by merging the forces of the two kingdoms and defending together would they have the strength to contend with Basha.
Coincidentally, besides Atlantis, which had established diplomatic ties with the Justice League, the Fisherman Kingdom, which cherished art, poetry, and philosophy, also possessed a sonic communication channel. Although it was somewhat dilapidated, with a little adjustment, it could be quickly put into use. This would allow for the rapid deployment of Atlantean troops to the Fisherman Kingdom for a joint defense.
Through magic, the King of the Fisherman Kingdom and Mera, the Queen of Atlantis, quickly established contact and soon reached an agreement for joint defense.
As for why Mera was contacted instead of King Arthur, the answer was simple. Arthur, being a hybrid with half Atlantean and half human blood, had grown up on land and missed the prime period for learning water magic. After becoming King of Atlantis, he was so overwhelmed with dealing with the affairs of Atlantis and the Justice League that he had no time to meticulously study water magic.
Even with the aid of the Golden Trident, he could only use some basic water magic. He was incapable of advanced telepathic spells like this.