Chapter 520: Ch

The Star Emperor nodded and immediately gave his order.

"Go. Investigate every single thing about this. Find out if we have a traitor in our midst. If there is one, report it to me immediately and capture that person if you find them."

"As you command, Your Majesty," one of the Shadow Guards said.

The figures disappeared just as quickly as they had come.

With this, the Star Emperor shifted his attention back to his ministers. "You all should pay attention to the interior of the empire. Leave no stone unturned. Search every corner and uncover everything that might be not in order."

His expression remained cold. "And prepare yourselves."

The ministers exchanged looks with each other and simultaneously nodded, saying almost together, "As you command, Your Majesty."

With that, they stood up and prepared to leave the desolate chamber.

Just as they were about to exit, the Star Emperor turned back and looked at them.

"Yes, one more thing. Do pay special attention to the noble families—especially the Archdukes, Dukes, and Marquises—and those belonging to their factions within the palace, as well as the related ministers."

"They have been doing something quite weird, something they have never done before and even avoided in the past. Yet now they are doing exactly those things that they were almost disgusted by."

"Why? What changed them to make them accept this so willingly? And at a time like this, too?"

The Emperor frowned slightly.

"It makes me wonder. But whatever the reason may be, it should not be overlooked as just another stunt of theirs, especially when a few of them have already begun showing signs of rebellion."

He gave each minister a single gaze.

BOOM!

An immense pressure suddenly descended upon their bodies, making them feel as though they were suffocating beneath an invisible weight.

"Troubled times are here, both from within and from the outside. Maybe this is our final test as an empire. Call it a tribulation, if you will."

The Star Emperor looked upward, his gaze seemingly passing through the dome of the chamber and toward the dark sky of Stellar Prime, where flashes of thunder and rain were appearing across the heavens.

It was a clear sign of something the world’s will was trying to tell them.

This was the birth world of the Star Race, a world deeply connected to the fate and destiny of the Star Race as a whole. It was extremely sensitive to even the slightest changes in the destiny of the race.

Seeing this, the Star Emperor frowned.

He knew that something difficult was definitely coming, and he had to be prepared for it.

Pulling his gaze away from the sky, he looked back at his loyal ministers. Their loyalty was unquestionable at this moment, yet they were almost unable to stand. Cold sweat soaked their bodies as they struggled beneath the pressure.

The Star Emperor hummed.

The pressure exerted upon the ministers immediately vanished. They straightened themselves and rapidly inhaled and exhaled several deep breaths.

"During this time, we cannot stay lax or remain unprepared. I hope you all understand this and understand it well..." He paused for a moment.

"This tribulation... the Star Empire must get past it and survive." His gaze once again turned toward the sky.

"Reaching the sky we have dreamed of since the beginning. It is so close, yet somehow still so far away." He slowly raised his hand.

"Yet it is within our hands." As he said this, he gestured toward the dome of the chamber and beyond it, toward the sky.

WHOOSH!

The dark clouds immediately vanished.

The sky regained its vitality, and rays of sunlight descended upon the vast Stellar Prime as a whole.

"And if something happens—and it happens because you were not prepared—then dying would be a small thing for you all."

His voice carried an unmistakable warning. "So prepare and prepare well."

With that, the Emperor walked away from the desolate chamber, leaving his loyal ministers behind, still struggling to catch their breath.

As the ministers caught their breath, they watched the Emperor exit the chamber through the back door. They felt a bit relieved, but a chilling sensation quickly overtook them as they remembered the clear words of warning the Star Emperor had left behind.

And that pressure he had exerted on them...

They all looked at each other, and seeing the same thought reflected in each other’s eyes only made their hearts chill even more.

Just then, one of the main ministers, the Minister of Internal Affairs, or, in short, the Home Minister, spoke. "Looks like the Emperor is serious this time."

"What looks like he is more than just serious. He is definitely serious," retorted another main minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Seeing the old opposing sides already beginning to divide at the start, every other minister felt even more chilled at heart, especially those belonging to both of the main ministerial camps.

They looked at each other and knew they shared the same feeling.

They knew that if their leaders started fighting it out right now, they might truly fail in carrying out their duties. And if that happened, their fate would definitely be worse.

Just as they were about to speak up and muster their courage, the Home Minister spoke quickly.

"Look, Minister Sam, we can fight all we want, but this is not the time for that. Provoking each other would do more harm than good, so it would be better for both of us if you don’t cause a ruckus at this moment."

He paused before continuing. "I detest you to my heart as well, but I have a bigger picture in my mind. I’ll definitely deal with you, and brutally at that, but I know well enough that now is not the time for it."

He took a breath and reluctantly continued. "Unwilling as I am to say this, I know that, to avoid any misunderstanding in front of His Majesty, it is imperative that we both put our grudges in a locker for the time being and do what we have been ordered to do to the best of our abilities. We should even help each other if we can."

His expression became serious. "For this is a matter concerning our very lives, and perhaps even that of the empire. If something happens to it, both you and I should know that we will have nowhere to hide and no way to protect the power we have accumulated."

Home Minister Jass spoke bluntly, not hiding his inner feelings toward the Foreign Minister at all. Yet, he was also perfectly clear about the current situation.

He had weighed the circumstances and decided to make a temporary trade-off with his hatred.

With that, he extended his hand toward the Foreign Minister in an offer of cooperation.

The Foreign Minister, along with the other high, middle, and junior ministers, was stunned for a moment, completely at a loss for words.

Their expressions seemed to say: Home Minister, everything was fine... but did you really have to say those "kind" words directly to the Foreign Minister?

Even Minister Sam looked speechless, as if he had just swallowed a fly. His expression was bitter enough to make it seem like he wanted to puke everything back out.

His body even trembled slightly as he struggled to keep his anger under control.

But he knew in his heart as well that long-term survival was more important than short-term glory.

"Fine! I accept," he said unwillingly. "But remember, it’s mutual between both of us. I also want to rub your face against the dirtiest shit of shame before slicing your head off, but the time isn’t right for that."

He took Jass’s extended hand. "And I’ll act according to the needs of the time as well. This cooperation... I’ll agree to it. I’ll help you in any way I can. If I have sufficient resources, I won’t deliberately block you, so don’t blame me if something happens, Jass."

He paused before adding, "If that happens, reach out to me directly, and I’ll see to it that those things get done immediately without delay. In exchange, I hope you do the same."

"That is a sure thing," Jass said as he firmly shook Sam’s hand. "If you do it as you say you will, then I’ll hold nothing back and support you fully without question."

"That’s only when the things being done are in favor of the empire and the Emperor," he added, placing this condition as well while agreeing to everything just as readily.

That satisfied Sam, who naturally took those words seriously.

"And the same goes for you as well. Just keep things in order, and that will do."

Seeing Sam agree to this, Jass sighed in relief.

"Good!"

Seeing that the two leaders had agreed, and peacefully at that, though it was only for a limited time, they both knew that this truce needed to last until everything had settled down for themselves and the empire.