Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 1462 The Ruler Who Loses Faith (First Update)

A waterfall cascaded down a distant cliff, and towering antennas and observation stations stood on the rock face, stretching straight towards the clear sky and the still snow-capped mountains. The observation deck behind the palace faced Snake Valley; the traces of the civil war had been erased in a short time, as if the war had never happened, yet an armed squad still guarded the entrance to Snake Valley. King T'Challa of Wakanda strolled along the long corridors of the palace, murals depicting the ancient gods of the grasslands painted on the sheer cliff face on the other side of the railings. "Wakanda joined the Deep Space Exploration Program to fight the Black Order," T'Challa said. "I won't dismiss your warnings like a fool would, because I believe in your abilities and foresight, but you've never told me you've captured so many aliens."

"There's a reason for this. No one can bear the suspicion that there are Skrulls lurking around them, and I don't know how many more Skrulls are influencing the world. But I assure you, the Skrulls are no longer a problem. We've identified the vast majority of them."

"Alright, that makes sense. So what information did you get from the aliens?" T'Challa didn't press further, knowing the reason was perfectly plausible. The Emperor wasn't wearing armor, but rather a custom-made suit like T'Challa's. The former's attire had long been criticized by the domestic nobility, many claiming T'Challa had been assimilated by the outside world, becoming excessively weak and foolish. "For example, how far away is the Black Order? Do you have that kind of information?"

“No, my friend. These aliens have heard of the Dark Order, but know nothing about the current state of that fleet. My hunt for the Skrulls was merely to eliminate these parasites,” the Emperor said. “I am here for something else. Hahnburg has questioned my lunar exploration program and has concerns about the deployment of my space forces.”

"Yes, your decision has also brought a lot of trouble to Wakanda. The actions of the Yugoslav Federation could easily damage Wakanda's international reputation." T'Challa took a deep breath. "Now the whole world knows that Wakanda possesses vibranium, and everyone wants to get their hands on it. This is a situation my father never envisioned. Perhaps he did think about it, but he never realized how bad this situation would be. Although some countries are willing to support Wakanda in making peace deals, I know that peace is not so easy to maintain. Now Wakanda is facing war."

"Wakanda will fail."

“Yes, Wakanda will fail.” T'Challa closed his eyes in anguish. He felt the blood vessels in his ears pounding like war drums, an immense pressure building beneath his skull. Meeting his friend hadn't eased his anxieties; instead, it had only deepened them. “Mother believed Wakanda was the most powerful nation in the world, relentlessly urging war as if no other country could bombard the entire country with missiles. Shuri was too short-sighted and naive, thinking everyone could cooperate peacefully. Bastet's claws… I even miss Erik. Though he was brutal and bloodthirsty, I knew he possessed a wisdom beyond the ordinary. Perhaps he should have been on the throne, not me.”

The Dora Guard standing behind T'Challa remained expressionless, but Hammurabi noticed several members who had participated in the Civil War blinking, though he pretended not to hear. Several simulations of Wakanda's internal affairs had been conducted within the Guard's intelligence network, and Constantine, Ammon, and Hammurabi all concluded that the Dora Guard actually belonged to Queen Mother Ramonda, and that King T'Challa had not truly inherited power from his mother.

To a large extent, policy control in Wakanda remains the result of negotiations between Queen Mother Ramonda's family and other nobles—a family-based system of political consultation. This is all due to the turmoil caused by the civil war and the power vacuum created by the sudden death of the former King T'Chaka. While Wakanda now faces a similar international situation to the former Yugoslavia, the degree of centralized power among its rulers is vastly different.

"In short, Wakanda cannot go to war, but I also cannot afford the consequences of peaceful evolution."

T'Challa had a clear understanding of his situation. However, Wakanda, a small place, couldn't foster the kind of palace intrigue that would last for ages. Even the number of royal members was strictly limited. The nobles who dominated various industries were remnants of history, and he simply couldn't bring himself to get rid of those parasites who shared power with him. He was a good man, but a good man is definitely not a good ruler. "I know how the Indians lost their land. I don't want to sign those traps that are destined to be ignored; they will only bring plunder, not development," T'Challa said. "I've already started to expand production capacity, but the situation in Wakanda won't improve so quickly. There are still many problems to solve before my food reserve plan is completed."

"Then you should stand more firmly with me. Wakanda doesn't have a large food-producing region, but the Yugoslav Federation has Romania. I know Suri opposes the Romanian purge; she's completely unaware of the problems Romania faces." The Emperor sighed. Currently, Romania cannot fully support the Yugoslav Federation's food supply, nor can it solve the industrial capacity issues arising from the war. Compared to Wakanda's situation, the Yugoslav Federation is destined to face more difficulties. "You've seen the spaceport project proposal. We need that port that saves on shipping capacity; we need an intra-galactic logistics route. The Dark Order is just an alien invader we're destined to face. We'll encounter situations like this many times, and each time it will prove my decisions correct, including this one."

The emperor reached out and took a document from Hammurabi, handing it to T'Challa.

"The lunar exploration program aims to locate the Kree Empire's genetically modified slaves. Those humans with severely mutated genes are likely to defect to the Dark Order because they believe Earth belongs to the Inhumans. Therefore, I intend to control them before they make that decision. Shuri has visited the captured Kree genetically modified slave samples, and I will send some of them to Harnburg for Wakanda to study."

"You didn't give me a choice." T'Challa felt himself being pushed back step by step. He looked at the Snake Valley biological research base in the distance, the lush jungle spreading out of the canyon like a green invertebrate crawling through the rocks. The sight made him want to vomit. "Looks like you're not planning to sign the Outer Space Protocol."

"I never sign agreements that lead to self-destruction. Future wars will break out in outer space, and the Outer Space Protocol is nothing but a worthless piece of paper that no one wants to abide by." The Emperor released his grip, handing the document intact to T'Challa, then watched as T'Challa passed it to Dora's Guard, before continuing to walk on the balcony corridor, enjoying the cool breeze from the canyon and snow-capped mountains. "You're a kind person, my friend. We all need the same sense of responsibility, but wielding power is torture for you," the Emperor cautioned. "You should pay attention to your blood pressure and mental state."

"I can't make a decision."

"That only proves that your thinking is correct; Eric is more suited to the Black Panther Throne. But unfortunately, your mother has made her decision, and so have I. You have no choice."

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(End of this chapter)