Chaos' Heir Chapter 1022: Escalation

Chapter 1022: Escalation

Things weren't well on Baoway.

Khan's sudden departure had brought everything to a halt, interrupting most of its exports and profits. The same went for Senerth, Hililles, and Vuter since Khan's position had yet to be clarified. The Global Army couldn't accept those resources without establis.h.i.+ng new deals.

Those problems didn't only affect the n.o.bles, the Nognes Excellencies, and Khan's close allies. The Global Army's upper echelon wasn't faring too well after Lord Rsi publicly mentioned the Emperor. The Empire was a ma.s.sive and fearsome monster, and humankind would quickly give up on a few Generals for its allegiance.

In short, no matter which side, everyone was mad, tense, and impatient, preparing for the worst while also doing their best to be ready for potential benefits. However, the wait for Khan's return was getting unbearable, especially since the Empire didn't release any information.

One week wasn't enough to cause widespread panic, but it was more than capable of giving birth to countless rumors. Things only worsened when a second pa.s.sed, filling the network with the wildest theories, which many believed.

The most approved and talked about rumor involved Khan's death. After all, on the surface, Khan's relevance inside the Empire came from his connection to humankind, which he had abandoned. The Thilku couldn't be happy about that, and everyone knew about their harsh punishments.

Instead, others saw that silence from the Empire and Khan as a sign of an imminent attack. Brigadier General Meadrey had exposed a breach in the interspecies treaties, so many believed the Empire would use that temporary instability to launch that feared invasion. The military planet was ready anyway.

Some theories tried to favor Khan, but the Global Army's propaganda didn't let any goodwill fall on him. Brigadier General Meadrey's defeat had been one-sided, but he had provided humankind with the best piece of news against Khan. The picture of his whole body covered in clotted blood vessels was a weapon even his fans couldn't refute.

Of course, the Global Army didn't want to turn Khan into a full-fledged enemy. The propaganda only aimed to ruin his public image and fame, favoring humankind in the future deals with him.

The tense atmosphere and increasingly wilder rumors. .h.i.t Baoway the hardest. Many representatives, delegations, and proper forces from different important parties had flown to the planet to meet Khan, but the Thilku had stolen him before any deal could be discussed. Most of those envoys had remained on Baoway to avoid missing the chance of meeting Khan as soon as he returned, and their forces didn't stay silent during the wait.

Factions formed on the planet as rumors spread. No one said it openly, but the soldiers spoke a lot, and attempting to contain information was useless, if not counterproductive. Monica and the others would only look guilty if they tried.

Nevertheless, Monica, Alexander, Prince Thomas, and Princess Rebecca were also in the dark about Khan's location, condition, and fate. Khan's declaration took them by surprise as well, leaving them with no clear direction about the following move.

That was Monica and the others' main problem. Khan's shocking declaration aside, he had departed without sharing his plan and goals for Baoway's future. His representatives didn't know whether to deny or fuel some rumors, forcing them to remain silent.

That wasn't as bad as trying to control the narrative but remained a terrible approach that only emboldened the slowly forming factions. Each outside force on the planet was building influence and power for a potential civil war, but none of that happened in the open.

Realistically, a civil war wouldn't lead anywhere. It would have been different if Baoway was strictly human, but the Thilku presence created an insurmountable problem. Yet, it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, and Baoway's warehouses were full of some of the best resources on the market, making them an appealing prize.

When the third week since Khan's departure started, things seemed ready to escalate. Lieutenant Dyester also had to prepare the Scalqa for the worst, showing some apparent enmity, which only accelerated the escalation. The discussions grew louder by the day, and it wouldn't take long for a serious fight to explode, creating a chain reaction.

Luckily, in the middle of that week, a Thilku s.h.i.+p finally appeared in Baoway's...o...b..t. The alien team inside also communicated its purpose to the forces awaiting Khan's return, which gathered in the appointed location.

The crowd of political powerhouses couldn't accept to gather in the dirty landing zone again, not after waiting for Khan for weeks. So, Lieutenant Dyester made the Scalqa rearrange the encampment, clearing a vast area to make s.p.a.ce for the important parties and the s.h.i.+p.

The area had everyone: Representatives from the Nognes family, n.o.bles, Luke and the others, Monica, Khan's relatives, Ef'i, Scalqa, and Thilku. Only the Fuveall were absent, but the situation was so ma.s.sive that even they had purchased access to that information. Someone would simply relay it to them later.

The s.h.i.+p landed on the metal floor previously used by the encampment as a street. The vehicle was una.s.suming. It was the same circular ride Khan had departed with, but the crowd's expectations were completely different now. Mentioning the Emperor had changed that.

A metal ramp stretched from a specific opening, reaching the floor and starting to release Thilku. Soldiers descended it, and Lord Rsi eventually followed, remaining slightly behind. No one seemed to be left in the s.h.i.+p, but a shorter figure suddenly appeared, causing countless murmurs.

Khan's upper uniform was open, revealing his blue scar, but anyone could recognize it, especially when put side by side with similar clothing. Khan was donning the Empire's colors, and the silver crown on his head highlighted his status.

Becoming a new Lord wouldn't be much on its own, but something strange followed. Lord Rsi stepped aside, leaving the spotlight to Khan while performing a traditional bow toward him.

Lord Rsi's crew quickly imitated him, and the Thilku among the crowd couldn't help but do the same. They had yet to be updated about Khan's new status, but that scene alone explained a lot, and Lord Rsi soon explained the rest.

Needless to say, the murmurs suddenly quieted down.