Lord of the Truth - Chapter 1824

Chapter 1824: Unwelcome guest-2
“77.5 million pearls?!” one of the men standing in the back suddenly raised his voice, almost shouting over the murmurs of the others. “This is nothing short of broad-daylight robbery—utter nonsense!”

They had subjugated entire planetary empires before—whole empires whose wealth would not have reached even a fraction of this amount, even if every wall, every tower, every structure had been sold for scrap. Yet here they were, being asked to pay this absurd sum, as if the universe itself had conspired to bleed them dry.

“Do you want to come and calculate it in my place? By all means, step right up.” The bald man extended the small notebook toward him with exaggeratedly raised eyebrows, then pulled it back just as nonchalantly, fully aware that no one would dare snatch it from him—not here, not now, not ever. “If you don’t know the exact activity on those planets over the past year, then ask your superiors! Ask them everything you want!”

“…?” All eyes turned toward Peon, the silence thick with expectation. They awaited any decision, any flicker of authority from him.

More than seventy-seven million—and that represented only twenty percent of the movements on those portals. It was painfully clear: the man was lying, scheming, trying to take advantage, attempting to rob them blind!

Peon ground his teeth, fighting the surge of anger rising in his chest, and waved a hand dismissively. “Pay him. Just pay him and let him leave.”

“Damn it!” One of the civilians standing next to Peon immediately turned and walked away, clearly tasked with bringing the money. The tension in the air was heavy; the outrage of the back-row officers almost palpable.

Over the past several years, the empire’s use of space portals had increased exponentially.

Following the dispatch of fifty Note Fleets to the Hedrick Sector, the vast expanses of the empire could no longer be traversed without relying entirely on these portals. Travel, troop movements, supply lines—everything depended on them now.

When combined with the constant harassment from most of the sector —provoked by discoveries of weaknesses in the empire’s armies and the increase in enemy attacks— the portals had become perpetually overloaded, ferrying entire battalions in a ceaseless frenzy. Without this intense reliance on the gates, they would not have lost just twenty planets over all these years—they would have lost far more.

Yet last year the cost had only been thirty-one million, and now… seventy-seven point five? This increase alone spoke volumes: the intensity of the assaults against them was growing year by year, and the empire’s defenses were under ever-greater pressure.

I hope Jabba and Caesar’s experiment with the Fifth Path today bears fruit. If this continues unchecked, we will be expanding while bleeding resources just to cover Interas Galaxy’s fees alone! Peon forced himself to remain calm, though his mind churned with anxiety and calculation.

“Hey there, handsome,” the bald man said, approaching with a wide, gleaming smile. “Have I ever told you how much I admire you? How much respect I hold for your empire? You’re the first unofficial human empire in the entire universe. Nothing is missing except for the declaration of a human emperor, and then—then you would finally be a purely human empire. Even your soldiers are human! That, in itself, is extraordinary. Truly remarkable. Even if your forces are under siege and are getting fucked left and right right now, it is still remarkable.”

“You say this every single time you come here,” Peon said, his brows furrowing sharply. “Cut the crab. Get to the point.”

The truth was clear to him. There were numerous human forces across the universe, half of the Behemoths were actually humans, but none of these forces as a whole were fully human in nature. Most were dependent on the Behemoth himself, with only a fraction of their lineage truly human. Their armies were hybrid constructs—mutated Second-Path users infused with beast blood to enhance their abilities, far from pure humanity.

Someone like Interas, despite being a miserly, wealth-hoarding despot, despite commanding an enormous army of Second-Path users, hybrids, and genetically modified soldiers, always sent human envoys when dealing with others. Always. Could it be some faint pride in his origins? Perhaps a symbolic nod to the human element he could never escape? Maybe.

But he still was not the leader of a purely human force… not even close, unlike the Cradle Empire, whose armies were fully human and bound by loyalty, discipline, and shared bloodlines.

“Haha, you know humans are meant to stand together,” the bald man said, extending his hand with a confident grin and grabbing Peon’s firmly. “Why don’t you tell me a little about those space rings you’re holding, huh? I can tell just by looking that they weren’t made in our galaxy. Are you planning to strike the economy of a human force like yours? We are like cousins bro!”

Peon jerked his hand back sharply, the reflex almost instinctive. “What? Has the Behemoth really started coveting the first four stages of the Space Path as well? Isn’t that far too excessive?” His tone was sharp, edged with suspicion and barely concealed anger.

“Haha, you know that’s impossible,” the bald man said, leaning slightly closer, his expression playful yet piercing. “If he were genuinely angry with you, do you think we would be standing here discussing calmly like this?!” He held Peon’s gaze firmly. “Tell me… is the creator of these rings the same person who forged the Note Fleets? We’ve heard countless stories of their speed, defensive maneuvers, and evasive abilities… It seems to me like something that goes far beyond the fourth stage. Far beyond.”

“Your opinion doesn’t matter,” Peon said, frowning even more deeply. “What’s the point of this endless chatter anyway? Can’t you just stay quiet for a few moments until your payments arrive? Why must you always speak as if you own the place?”

In reality, the Note Fleets truly did employ a combination of fourth- and fifth-rank Space Path technology, but the fifth-rank components were hidden to the highest degree, inscribed in locations nearly impossible to detect beneath complex layers of encryption. If even a fraction of that knowledge were to leak, it would trigger a catastrophe beyond measure.

“General Peon, you make my work so difficult,” the bald man said, shaking his head as if disappointed yet amused. “You are constantly here, denying everything without giving any answers. Meanwhile, Marshal Aro and his retinue do exactly the same thing on their side. And when we asked about those small portals in your possession? It was exhausting! Constant back-and-forth, endless frustration!”

“What did you just say!?” Peon’s patience snapped. He stepped forward and grabbed the bald man by the collar, his expression deadly serious. “Why did you even mention Marshal Aro just now?”

“Clearly, you and he are one entity,” the bald man said calmly, pushing Peon’s hand away and standing straight. “Do you take us for blind fools? There are coordinates in the Young Sector that we always find with both of you. Your exchanges are frequent, almost too frequent. Tell me… are you overseeing the True Beginning Empire in Sector 100 Young? Or is it overseeing you?” He narrowed his eyes slightly, letting the weight of his question sink in.

“…?!”

It wasn’t just Peon who reacted. Even the men standing behind him stared at the bald man, their glares sharp enough to cut steel. Every muscle in their bodies tensed, their hands itching to draw weapons. The audacity of the man, questioning Peon and his allies so directly—it was almost unbearable.

The Shadow Swords had established a strict protocol for this situation: anyone wishing to enter the Young Belt had to first land on one of the new planets in Sector 100 Young before moving on. From there, they could travel anywhere else. This precaution had allowed them to keep the existence of the Nihari Seed in Sector 99 Young hidden for as long as possible, shielding it from prying eyes.

Ultimately, Interas’ representatives didn’t care about planets using space portals in the Young Belt because they couldn’t access them anyway. They waited until the users ascended, then intended to take full account all at once. So, in theory, Nihari remained safe.

Or at least, that’s what everyone believed…

But doubts gnawed at Peon’s mind. Why would Marshal Aro send personnel to Young Sector 100 while he himself was stationed in Middle Sector 99? What about his own Young Sector 99? If that bald man managed to catch even the faintest thread of information—no, if someone behind him caught it—the amount of secrets that could spread would be limitless. The ramifications would be catastrophic, beyond any prediction.

Puff. A palace administrator descended and tossed a small ring toward the bald man. “Your account is here. The rest of your delegation is waiting at the main gate outside the palace.”

“Haha, thank you, thank you.” The bald man clapped Peon lightly on the shoulder, his grin wide and unnerving. “We’ll have another conversation later, handsome, hehe.”

Then he turned his back, moving with the confidence of a man who felt completely untouchable. He exited the hall, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

Silence.

S i l e n c e.

“FUUUUUUCKKK!!!”