The Empire begins with the Fourth Scourge.

Chapter 2731: Breath of Darkness

2731. The Aura of Darkness
"Your Majesty, as you wished, the First Star System Army of the Galactic Empire is being mobilized to the planet Scipio," Baron Helmut Zemo respectfully reported to King Tang Xiao of Dawn. "Your plan has been accomplished."

“Well done.” Tang Xiao’s voice echoed in the dark throne room. “Now, Palpatine’s side should be quite lively. Hehehehe…”

"Forgive my boldness, Your Majesty. Luring the First Star System Army away from Coruscant seems to offer little strategic benefit to us. May I ask Your Majesty for clarification?" Zemo mustered his courage to ask, as this was a question that Chief of the General Staff Qi Jian had entrusted to him to inquire about.

"You'll find out in time... Hehehehe... Now, you can get lost." Tang Xiao let out a terrifying laugh.

“Yes, sir…” Helmut Zemo bowed respectfully, then backed out. Reaching the door, he looked up and glanced at Tang Xiao with concern.

"Any other questions?" Tang Xiao's cold and gloomy voice came.

“No, no. May Your Majesty be well.” Zemo quickly replied and went out.

Stepping out of the throne room, the chill in the air vanished instantly, and the sunlight warmed his body. He took a deep breath, looked up at the azure sky of Dawn Planet, but his heart remained unsettled. Tang Xiao's state grew increasingly bizarre; the power of the dark side seemed to be devouring his sanity.

Recently, something has happened that has caused Tang Xiao to hide himself in the darkness and avoid contact with others. Only he can enter this place and speak directly with Tang Xiao. Even so, he can't see Tang Xiao's appearance clearly at all. He can only vaguely see that his eyes are flashing a scarlet light in the darkness, like a ferocious beast lurking in the abyss, which makes him feel cold.

Boom! The door slammed shut behind him, and Zemo's shoulders twitched, almost freezing in place.

In the dark throne room, Tang Xiao pressed a button on the side, and the holographic projection flickered, revealing the figure of a Bosa, who was none other than Borsk-Felia, one of the high-ranking members of the Rebel Alliance and in charge of the intelligence department.

"While I'm in a good mood, tell me what you want," Tang Xiao said coldly.

Felia glanced at Tang Xiao, who was completely shrouded in darkness, with only his pale chin visible, and sneered, saying, "Why do you separatists all like to act so mysterious and obnoxious?"

Tang Xiao's lips curled up slightly as he seemed to move closer to the projector. He didn't speak, but the dangerous aura he exuded sent a chill down the spine of even Felia, who was on the other side of the Milky Way.

Feria quickly cleared his throat to calm his fear and said, "The operation on Planet Scipio was a great success, proving that we still have a basis for cooperation. In order for us to continue playing a role in the fight against the Galactic Empire, I hope to introduce cloaking technology."

"Hehehehe..." Tang Xiao chuckled, "Of course, Mr. Felia. The operation on Planet Scipio also showed me your all-pervasive intelligence capabilities, all thanks to you...hehehehe. Compared to your Mon-Mosma, who is useless except for inflammatory speeches, you are the true core of the Rebel Alliance..."

"This is our internal affair, and it's none of your concern," Borsk-Felia said. "We are gradually infiltrating the Galactic Empire, and the wave of freedom is being embraced by the people of the entire galaxy. I believe that further cooperation will help you better understand our ideology."

Tang Xiao's fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the throne, the rhythm slow and cold. "Thoughts? Your so-called freedom is nothing but a lingering illusion after the collapse of order. More than that, I'm concerned with what else you can offer me." [Planet Scipio.] Borsk-Feria stated directly: [You should have already seen the progress of this operation. We now possess considerable intelligence on Planet Scipio, as well as the movements of surrounding fleets. I heard you're considering attacking there? I think I can offer you some support.]

"Trading intelligence for technology? Heh." Tang Xiao chuckled. "Feria, you understand the art of trading better than I thought. I admire that idea."

He slowly rose, his pale face emerging in the dim light. "Scipio's defensive layout, the First Star System Army's rotation schedule, and the energy core data hidden beneath the Earth's crust—I want it all! Most importantly, the location of the financial data storage center! That's the most valuable thing on Scipio. Then, you'll get our stealth technology, and I can even send a team of experts to assist you… Imagine X-wing fighters equipped with stealth devices—that kind of power will be enough for you to become a hero of the Rebel Alliance!"

Tang Xiao's words were like a devil, possessing a fatal allure.

Feria paused for a moment, then said briefly: [Deal.]

“Ah, hehehehe… I’m really growing to like you more and more, Mr. Felia. I much prefer seeing you standing here to being called ‘Leader,’” Tang Xiao said.

"It is through the leader's efforts that the rebel alliance has been formed today. We will always follow in her footsteps," Pheria said.

"She gave you the present, but can she give you the future? Think about it, think about it... Mr. Felia. Hehehehe..."

……

The capital of the Galactic Empire, the center of the empire.

Although news of the Scipio heist was strictly suppressed by the Imperial authorities, ordinary people only knew that a heinous robbery had occurred and a batch of raw materials had been stolen. For civilians whose sources of information were strictly controlled by the authorities, this news was far less impactful than the Imperial fleet's repeated setbacks on a certain front.

However, only the imperial high command, who had access to the truth of the matter, knew what it truly meant, as did the powerful figures in the inner circle.

Located at the heart of the inner circle and serving as the Empire's financial center, Scipio's presence is a significant blow to the Galactic Empire's confidence, both astronomically and economically.

You could say that Scipio was constantly harassed by small fleets of Geth using warp drive, which is understandable, since warp drive, although much slower than hyperspace jump, is indeed undetectable and uninterceptable, leaving the Imperial border fleet helpless.

But to directly penetrate deep into the vicinity of Planet Scipio and intercept a transport fleet carrying rare alloy reserves is a completely different matter! This can no longer be called harassment; it is a direct attack on the core of the Empire's power!
The idea that the Imperial Navy could no longer guarantee everyone's safety began to spread uncontrollably among the high-ranking officials and the core nobility.

This situation deeply provoked some people, making them want to take risks.

Because if the status quo cannot be changed, then when the empire falls, it will drag all of them down with it!
At this extremely sensitive moment, Imperial Marshal Demetrius Zarin reported to His Majesty the Emperor that his research team had made breakthroughs in several fields, including the TIE-Defender advanced air superiority fighter, the weapon system of the Eclipse-class super star destroyer, and another superweapon—the Galactic Gun!