abnormal mutation

Chapter 178 The Main Brain
"boom--"

The dishes on the table were overturned and scattered everywhere. The luxurious carpet pattern was stained with colorful food and soup, which was heartbreaking to see.

The main hall was unusually quiet, and all the servants bowed their heads and remained silent as if they were in a cold sweat.

"How dare they?!"

The speaker was dressed in a formal suit, had a small mustache, and his originally refined face was twisted into a ferocious expression. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked tired but also sinister.

“Your Highness, should we send in the army to teach them a lesson, or else…” A young man took off his stained clothes, tossed them aside, and stood silently to the side.

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear: the war mobilization had just begun, and if this wasn't addressed now, it probably wouldn't be able to proceed.

"What do you think?" The man with the mustache turned to look at the short, stout middle-aged man sitting calmly in the chair.

"Your Highness, as I said before, we must not rush things." The middle-aged man, still holding a glass of wine, took a sip as if no one else was around, his posture elegant.

The man with the mustache stared with bloodshot eyes and said, enunciating each word clearly, "I'm asking you what to do now?"

"The Northern Union Chamber of Commerce is a tough nut to crack. If we try to kill them, we'll have to fight on multiple fronts. At least two of the three northern counties may break away from the Empire's control," the middle-aged man said calmly.

“Impossible.” The man with the mustache sneered. “How could a group of commoners who barely have enough to eat possibly follow merchants in a rebellion? Even the Thistle Merchant Guild couldn’t do that.”

“You’re welcome to try,” the middle-aged man said dismissively. “Don’t forget, whether the Solon people have enough to eat has nothing to do with you, but their suffering is entirely your doing.”

The man with the mustache paused, then fell silent.

When all the officials in the North were of Sauron descent, the people of the North lived a very good life. Unfortunately, he gradually eliminated them, leaving only a group of low-ranking officials.

"I heard that the Northern Merchant Guild has a Oath Knights Order. They say they're going to disband it, but they might still be around. Otherwise, why don't they just give up on the mediocre knightly path?" the middle-aged man added.

"You old-fashioned thing, how could you possibly defeat my iron torrent?" The man with the mustache spoke toughly, but his face didn't look so good.

The Oath Knights were a legendary and extraordinary legion. The more members they had, the stronger they were, and their historical record was formidable. But all of this remains a mystery, because extraordinary legions have long since disappeared.

“The national treasury is empty. Why not borrow some from the royal treasury for emergency use, and then raise taxes? Forced mobilization is not a good solution.” The middle-aged man finished his drink in one gulp and casually tossed it onto the carpet.

"How many times have I said it? The royal family has no money!" The man with the mustache's expression changed drastically. "Tax increases and war mobilization must be carried out simultaneously. When the empire is in danger, no citizen of the empire can stand idly by."

"It's not that exaggerated. We've only lost two matches." The middle-aged man stared intently at the man with the mustache. "Your Highness, are you hiding something from us?"

Where is His Majesty? Why hasn't he come out to take charge at this critical juncture?

In his view, the chaos in the empire was caused by the royal family. Over the years, the royal family has been openly and secretly embezzling so many industries, and the whereabouts of massive amounts of funds are unknown. What exactly are they doing?
The man with the mustache remained silent; he was also eager to know.

After a long silence, he sighed softly, "War mobilization cannot stop. The tax increase plan should be released as soon as possible to resolve the external threats first. As for the Northern Union Chamber of Commerce..."

Fight back! For every few he kills, I'll kill a few of him. The Third Fleet will advance north, establish a permanent presence in the North Sea Bay, and keep a close watch on them…”

In the past, he would have tolerated it, slowly but surely crushing the Northern Union Chamber of Commerce.

It's not possible now, because he has no way out; the royal family cannot retreat.

…………

Glacier Town, Rose Cross.

Roland lay on the bed, holding Julia in his arms, scrolling through posts with a contented expression. "I always feel that what you're doing is too risky," Julia said with a worried look.

The Chamber of Commerce, which usually seeks stability, has surprisingly joined him in this madness. Perhaps it's because they've been suppressed too much by the Empire, and this time there's an element of revenge involved.

"Think about it, what would happen after the war if the Chamber of Commerce complied with all the royal family's arrangements?" Roland asked, stepping out of the Hive and touching her smooth skin.

“If we win, the national treasury will be empty, and we probably won’t repay these mineral debts. Then we’ll use economic means to turn the national bonds into worthless paper, getting something for nothing. If we lose, it’ll be even worse. We’ll be lucky if the new rulers don’t hold us accountable,” Yulia pondered.

“That’s right, they didn’t leave us any way out at all,” Roland said in a deep voice.

Other chambers of commerce might dissolve, but they can save some money for retirement, acquire a noble title, and live a wealthy life without worrying about their lives.

The Northern Union Chamber of Commerce is no good. This organization has history, heritage, foundation, and beliefs. The deaths of Suleiman and Hussein could not bring the Chamber down.

At their level and position, inner conviction is more important than life and death.

"Am I leaving this time too?" Yulia asked, somewhat reluctantly.

“Yes, the Fire Seed Project.” Roland leaned down and kissed her. “Go to the Duchy of Shepheim, I’m going to set up operations here.”

"Spark" is a collective term for the asset transfer plan, which includes not only industries but also talent, especially geniuses and extraordinary individuals like Yulia.

“Uncle Suleiman has always said that Grand Duke Söpheim is not on our side. They are allied with the Republic of Sasbach to attack the Duchy of Fortwangen. They have big ambitions,” Julia asked doubtfully.

"They have a fatal flaw: a lack of high-end resources. I have a plan, don't worry," Roland said confidently.

The Duchy of Shepheim is not as large as Almosid County, but its economy is comparable to the three counties of the North. It has only one high-sequence extraordinary being on the surface, and half of its population has Sauron blood, so it is not difficult to conquer.

The key weapon is the Hive Network. If Grand Duke Söpheim disobeys, he can simply issue an order and the duchy can immediately change its name to Otto!

The Principality of Otto, that sounds like a good name too.

"Hmm, I heard you've purchased your potion ingredients. When are you going to advance?" Yulia was worried that Roland would face retaliation, so she hadn't been in the mood for potion making these past few days, and online orders were piling up.

“I just received the news too. It seems to be from the Kraft Group. At such a critical moment, it’s probably a gesture of goodwill,” Roland pondered. “I’m still a little short of advancing, so I can’t rush it.”

His digestion speed is already very fast, but everything takes time.

"Be smart, staying alive is more important than anything else," Yulia advised.

"What are you talking about? I'll go with you," Roland laughed.

"Huh?" Yulia was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

Roland possesses the ability to teleport across space, so there is no difference between staying in Almosid and Schopheim.

He pretended to be seriously injured and left, but secretly he could go wherever he wanted without delaying anything.

"Don't overthink it. A new bloodline awakening appeared last night, and I think it would suit you quite well."

"What's your name?" Yulia asked curiously.

"[Mastermind]"

(End of this chapter)