Inside the palace, the Emperor and the elders sat around the long table, celebrating.
The alcohol on the table was a NAC specialty, the curry chicken and stewed beef canned food… were also from the NAC. But there were also specialty dishes from the wasteland. For example, the sauce roasted Crab Mud roe with an alluring fragrance, the Fury Bear Brain in the shape of tofu were all the cuisines on the wasteland that people without status could not eat. The supplies inland were plentiful beyond the imagination of costal Wanghai.
The Emperor and elders toasted in joy.
"Emperor's strategy is witty." An elder with a full mustache raised his cup and toasted with the Emperor, "With this strategy, the NAC force will have to retreat without any gain. The annoying mutated human tribe must also reconsider our relationship.
"That's right!""Emperor is wise!"
"Hahaha, my elders, let's drink. This is premium beer purchased from Wanghai. For the glory of Empire, we'll get drunk today!" The Emperor stood up and toasted with each of the elders.
"Emperor is right!"
"For Empire, cheers!"
"I'll finish this drink to show my respect!"
"…
Looking at the elders trying to flatter him, the Empire had a joyful expression on his face but was sneering in his mind.[You old foxes, everyone knows what hideous things you're thinking about in your minds.]
The witty strategy of borrowing a knife to kill was not the work of the Empire, but a strategy discussed by the elders. And the elders didn't mention any of this and handed the glory to him just an attempt to please him before he steps down.
Empire was a crown abdication. There was one year left in the five-year term, who would be the next emperor will be appointed by the current emperor. As long as the elders don't all reject, the next emperor would be the "wise" person appointed by him.
He was sitting among them while doing all he can to flatter and please the person that sat in his chair, and the second year after he controlled all power, he no longer would even glance the previous emperor.
In Empire, stepping down meant retirement and complete isolation with power; the person wouldn't even have the chance to return to the elders. Thinking that he still had a year of time, the Emperor felt melancholic, but he was over it quickly.
At least now, he was still the leader of Empire, enjoying the respect and support of the nobles.
The chief elder personally poured him a cup of alcohol and the Emperor relaxingly took a drink.
"It is too boring to just flatter each out during the banquet," an elder suggested.
"Why don't we discuss how to take care of the Guru Tribe? We gave them too many special treatments, the inferior people have been complaining."
"It's okay; just arrest the people complaining in public."
"But this is not a long-term strategy, why doesn't Emperor use this opportunity to take back some of the rights given," An elder carefully observed the Emperor's expression and suggested.
"No! Federation is currently eyeing our territory with the NAC in the distance. In this critical moment, we must unite the mutated humans, and cannibals."
After several drinks, the atmosphere lightened and the elders all expressed their perspective.
But the Emperor was not pleased with the elders' argument, so he said.
"My elders please don't be bothered. Today, let's enjoy the night and not talk about state affairs. Everyone eat, drink, and don't leave the tableful of delicacies and drinks untouched."
"Haha, Emperor, you're right!"
"Right, right! Everyone drink and eat!"
A few elders helped alleviate the situation and held up their cups.
When the emperor was a bit tipsy, a soldier ran into the banquet.
"Greetings, Emperor, there is an emergency I must report." The soldier kneeled down and shouted.
The emperor raised his eyebrows but still controlled his mood. Then he said, "Report now."
"Emperor, the NAC just declared war."
"Declared war? Is that it? I know, get out now." The Emperor dismissed him and said in annoyance.
He already expected a war between NAC and Guru Tribe, and the information from the spy already confirmed his guess.
But the soldier was not to be blamed, such the tactful strategy of borrowing a knife to kill was not something they could guess.
The soldier was still hesitant without getting up from the ground.
"Why are you still here? Do you want the emperor to give you a piece of meat?" The elder at the end of the table mocked the soldier.
He had the lowest status on the table and his ranking was not high either. He enjoyed making fun of people below him. He used chopsticks and threw a piece of half eaten chicken leg onto the ground.
The banquet table burst out laughing. Seeing his superiors were happy, that elder looked proud too. The red drunken face was chuckling and looked comical.
The soldier kneeling on the ground didn't mind the laughter. He gritted his teeth and continue to report, "Emperor, NAC's declaration of war is targeted not only on the Guru Tribe but the entire Empire."
The laughter abruptly stopped, the laughter on the face of the elder sitting at the end also froze.
"Bang", the cup dropped to the ground and broke the silence.
The emperor stood up fiercely and stared at the soldier on the ground. Cold sweat instantly took away all the drunkenness and with shakiness in his voice, he stated, "What, what did you say?"
"NAC declared war on Empire."
The banquet erupted in noise.
"No way. How could they declare war on both Guru Tribe and Empire!"
"Too arrogant! They only have 1000 people, their supply line is 600 kilometers long!
"Fight! Fight! We have to teach the uneducated a lesson, how dare they!" The old elder's eyes widened as he said with fury.
"But that airship…" Some elders were indecisive.
"Funny, the massive Empire is afraid of one airship? With just 1000 in force, we only need to use a division force to easily wipe them out!"
"What about Federation? What if they launch a sneak attack against us?"
The banquet was a mess. The emperor's face was blank while his mouth closed shut without any redness.
[Uh oh.]
…
At the same time, in NAC's military outpost. The Fireball-1 launch vehicles transported by the blimp were ready. The construction robots moved the bundles of missiles beside the launch vehicle with soldiers completing the loading
NAC's soldiers formed organized square formations in the front of the outpost waiting for their command. The shining kinetic skeleton cast a daunting vibe while the survivors in the market witnessed all this in a state of shock.
The deafening roar came from the distance, the Aurora-20 just completed its mission and changed into vertical landing mode, landing on the top of the airship.
Standing on the watchtower, Jiang Chen's eyes narrowed while observing his force. Beside him, Wang Zhaowu replied concisely.
"All FEV virus productions on the ground are destroyed."
"Any underground units?"
"Fallout Shelter 010, the origin of Guru Tribe." Wang Zhaowu replied.
"Depth?"
"1000 meters."
Jiang Chen nodded.
Most of the mutated humans on the wasteland could not reproduce, and the FEV virus culture was their "eggs". As long as they destroyed them, delete the production data for the virus, they killed the root of the mutated humans.
If the emperor of Empire thought Jiang Chen just wanted to teach the unintelligent Guru Tribe a lesson, then he is completely wrong.
To the enemy, NAC abides by one principle.
Wipe them from the surface of the Earth.
