Chapter 169: The Fall of the Kingdom and Unraveling Loyalties

The scene was filled with cries and wailing.

But honestly, do you really believe all these ministers are truly loyal?

In fact, that’s not exactly the case. Sure, a few of them are absolutely devoted to the royal family, but they’re definitely in the minority.

As for most of the rest…

Switching masters isn’t the end of the world for them, really.

Of course, even now, right here—

They still have to put on a show.

At that moment, an assault ship swept in and slowly touched down on the lawn.

“Your Majesty, if you would, please.”

Tuoba’s subordinate waved his hand, gesturing for him to board.

Sadik was clearly unwilling, jaw clenched and teeth grinding.

But in the end…

After a heavy sigh, he still forced his feet to move, stepping into the assault ship.

——

“Commander, primary target has been secured. As for secondary targets, aside from seven who escaped the palace, all others have been captured. Troops are now returning to base.”

“Forget about the seven who escaped the palace!”

“Understood, Commander!”

What do you mean, don’t bother with them?

Remember, Lin Yu had ordered the destruction of all high-threat targets within a 300-kilometer radius of the palace—and every living thing within 10 kilometers.

So, escaping the palace just means…

You’re already marked for death, aren’t you?

They’re as good as dead—no reason to worry about them anymore.

“Report! Six light-seconds out, we’ve destroyed 57 enemy ships. The rest have fled in total panic. Should we pursue?”

“No need. Once the drop troops are picked up, we’re leaving!”

“Yes, Commander!”

Five minutes later, all mechs and assault ships had been fully recovered.

Then, right before everyone’s stunned eyes, the Houyi tore open a quantum window and vanished.

If not for the debris still floating in orbit, and the devastation littering the territory around the palace…

You’d almost think the Houyi had never even been here.

——

Ziyang Empire, Imperial Capital.

“Your Majesty, news just in from the Xitoris capital region!”

“Is it Sadik again with some new victory?”

Parlo’s interest barely flickered.

Lately…

He’d heard far too many of these reports. They hardly even registered.

Still bent over his work, he didn’t notice—

The look of utter shock on his subordinate’s face.

“Your Majesty, you should see this for yourself. The entire capital region’s thrown into chaos. We barely managed to get hold of this footage as it is.”

Hearing that, Parlo finally paused, putting down what he was doing and looking up.

At the same time, video footage was projected right in front of him.

From empty planetary orbit, a giant rift opened suddenly—and a massive silver-white warship burst forth.

Without a word, it immediately started firing.

Brilliant blue ion beams swept across the skies like the scythe of a reaper, carving through everything in their path.

Then a swarm of assault ships and mechs deployed, launching an orbital strike, returning to the warship after about half an hour.

In the end, the rift appeared again, and the warship—

Simply flew straight back through and vanished.

“Is that the same warship that showed up at Skywarehouse V?”

“And is this planet… the Xitoris Kingdom’s capital planet?”

That was it—Parlo shot to his feet, fixing his gaze on the intelligence minister below.

“Yes, Your Majesty. According to our most recent intel, every minister in the palace at that time—including King Sadik himself—was captured.”

“We’ve also matched the warship. That’s definitely the same one seen at Skywarehouse V.”

This…

How is this even possible?

Parlo was completely shaken.

With that kind of power, why’d they bother with ocean currents back at Skywarehouse V?

Show off this tech, and if they’d just asked—Skywarehouse V would’ve been handed over on a silver platter.

Seriously, they wouldn’t even have to lift a finger.

Why stay hidden in the first place?

The strongest in the Wasteland Alliance are only a second-tier civilization.

If you wanted the Desolate Star Region, just say so! What’s so hard about serving a fourth-tier civilization? Did anyone really think we’d refuse?

Right now, Parlo saw the Human Federation as a fourth-tier alliance.

But at the same time, even more questions started circling in his mind, ones he simply couldn’t figure out.

“Go—find a way to contact Tuoba for me. Tell him… Tell him I want to meet the new master of Skywarehouse V. He’ll know what I mean.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Is it shameful to serve another civilization?

If it’s a civilization on your own level, of course it’s shameful.

If they’re just one tier above, it’s uncomfortable, but you can live with it.

But if they’re two tiers higher…

All you can do is throw yourself at their feet and beg to serve.

Even being their dog is a kind of glory!

So Parlo wasn’t worried about the Federation moving on the Xitoris Kingdom and then threatening his own territory.

Instead…

He was terrified they wouldn’t even want a dog like him.

——

A few days later.

News exploded across the entire Desolate Star Region.

King Sadik of Xitoris Kingdom publicly broadcast to every civilization in the Alliance—announcing he’d ceded the throne to Tuoba. In the same breath, he called on the Royal Guard to lay down arms and accept Tuoba’s surrender, or else…

The Royal Guard would be declared rebels.

Suddenly, Batu, commander of the Royal Guard, was left completely stunned.

He’d been smashing through the frontlines—only for the rear to fall to an internal coup?

He was bitter, but in the end still chose to obey, ordering his entire fleet to halt their assault and wait for Tuoba’s arrival to accept their surrender.

After all, Batu owed his position to being Sadik’s truest loyalist.

Even knowing this order wasn’t really what Sadik wanted, he still chose to follow it.

Just like that, what everyone thought would become a long, drawn-out civil war in the Xitoris Kingdom suddenly came to an abrupt end, leaving plenty of people utterly shocked.

After all, they weren’t Parlo.

Parlo was only able to plant so many agents in the Xitoris Kingdom because—

The people of the Ziyang Empire and Xitoris Kingdom actually came from the same Homeworld. From the outside, you’d never tell them apart. Only over a long time, after they each took separate paths, did their cultures really diverge.

Still, for professional spies, that was hardly a problem.

But things were different for every other civilization.

How would they even send spies to Xitoris Kingdom?

Seriously, how?

They’re a different species! It’d be like sending someone out with ‘I’m a spy’ tattooed right on their forehead.

No one would last five minutes.

Only the Totran Kingdom knew a bit more than the rest.

After all, they had sent two corps to fight Tuoba.

But now…

With how weak they’d become, Totran wasn’t about to let anyone else know they’d just lost two whole corps.

The minute anyone caught wind, their enemies would be swarming in to rip them apart.

Meanwhile, Parlo’s request—

Had already reached Lin Yu, thanks to Tuoba.