The Imperial Marshal’s Darling at the Tip of His Heart - Chapter 33

The Iron Curtain had not yet reached the Imperial Core sectors but the terrifying data package it recovered from the Wuying Star had already arrived at the absolute apex of the Chenhuan Empire power pyramid

On the capital planet deep within the Chenhuan Palace the atmosphere had dropped to the freezing point

A few individuals sat around a massive circular obsidian conference table Each was a figure capable of stirring tempests across the Empire vast territories At this moment the light screens before them scrolled rapidly with data summaries from the Iron Curtain

Containment field weakening Sector VII Stability dropped below critical Cradle energy overload Overflow channels unable to close Requesting Guardian Protocol Final command No response Error Error Error Energy cycle Irreversible conversion Record Star Tears falling Matrix wailing Shackles forming

Corroborating this were real time monitoring screenshots from Tartarus Sector VII showing the containment field energy index in a cliff like freefall along with a fragmented signal spectrum analysis the last transmission from the patrol boat before it vanished

A deathly silence shrouded the secret chamber

After a long while an elderly man in elaborate civil official robes the Speaker of the Imperial Senate spoke slowly His voice was dry and heavy The Turbid Core is not a natural phenomenon It might even have once been some kind of living entity Bound by an ancient system of shackles unknown to us And this system is failing

No one could answer him These concepts were too subversive striking at the very cognitive foundations the Empire had built over centuries

Wuying Star The Eye of the Turbid Core another elder bearing the highest insignia of the Imperial Academy of Sciences muttered with shock and indignation Our centuries of research managed to overlook such a critical node Those etchings that energy technology

Overlooked A cold voice rang out from a grim faced middle aged man in a pitch black military uniform He was one of the High Commanders of the Imperial Military and a well known hardliner representative of the Council

I suspect it is not as simple as an oversight According to Grand Marshal Ling Yao attached report deciphering this information did not rely on the Empire existing technology but rather on the unique perception and abilities of that Xilan prisoner Is this not the greatest irony for our Imperial scientific community

The head of the Academy face turned unsightly in an instant

Now is not the time to assign blame the Speaker raised his voice with unquestionable authority The key issue is that a side door to an unknown realm may have appeared in Tartarus Sector VII and an external force is attempting to connect to it Yet the core of the Empire Purifying Fire contingency plan for this matter is the total destruction of the entire sector and potentially everything contaminated within it

He swept a sharp gaze across the room I must ask how much do you all truly know about Purifying Fire What procedures are required to activate it Has there been a comprehensive assessment of its final consequences Specifically if the nature of the Turbid Core is truly what these fragmented messages imply would destroying a part of it trigger an even more uncontrollable chain reaction

Silence fell over the room once more Clearly the security clearance for the Purifying Fire protocol was extremely high even those present did not fully understand its details

The Military Commander said coldly Lord Speaker Purifying Fire is the Empire final resort against the most extreme uncontrollable threats Its very existence is for deterrence and absolute resolution As for the consequences any hesitation or weakness could lead to the collapse of the entire Empire I believe that while Grand Marshal Ling Yao actions were reckless the information obtained confirms the existence of a supreme threat Initiating research into the protocol is both necessary and urgent

Necessary Urgent The Speaker stared him down Does that include potentially sacrificing the entire garrison fleet and research personnel of Sector VII Does it include potentially escalating the conflict with that unknown external force Or even potentially releasing a more terrifying Turbid Core

Risk always exists the Military Commander countered without yielding But the security of the Empire is non negotiable The threat must be strangled in its cradle I propose an immediate elevation of the alert level for Tartarus and all related sectors granting the garrison maximum firing authority Simultaneously the Purifying Fire protocol must move immediately from the theoretical stage to substantive deployment preparation

I object the head of the Academy finally burst out Before we fully understand the nature of the Turbid Core and that ancient shackles system any reckless military action could be catastrophic We should immediately organize a top tier team to conduct in depth research based on these new findings Specifically that Xilan person he must be strictly controlled His value

His value lies in having the contents of his brain thoroughly drained the Military Commander interrupted crudely Not in letting him become another uncertainty I would even argue that Grand Marshal Ling Yao taking a high level enemy prisoner on such a top secret mission is a serious violation of regulations Who can guarantee the Xilan did not covertly tamper with the data Who can guarantee this information is not another trap set by Xilan

The argument escalated abruptly the room filling with the scent of gunpowder Finally everyone eyes turned toward the person sitting at the head of the table who had remained silent throughout

The Emperor The supreme ruler of the Chenhuan Empire

He wore dark gold civilian attire his face hidden in the shadows unreadable Only his fingers tapped rhythmically and unconsciously against the smooth tabletop

After a long time he spoke His voice was not loud but it carried a cold decisiveness that instantly quelled the dispute

Information lockdown Level Annihilation he said slowly each word falling like an ice bead hitting the floor Any leak of what has been seen or heard here today shall be treated as high treason with sequential execution for all relatives

Everyone breath hitched Annihilation level was the Empire highest secrecy tier It meant this information would be erased from all conventional and most classified archives existing only in the minds of a few and on absolutely isolated storage devices

The coordinates of Wuying Star are to be permanently sealed and classified as a supreme forbidden zone Any unauthorized approach without My personal approval will be deemed treason

Execute an Absolute Isolation order on Tartarus Sector VII Double the garrison size and authorize all means to prevent unauthorized entry or exit However Purifying Fire is deferred

The Military Commander seemed to want to speak but was silenced by a cold look from the Emperor

The Academy of Sciences will establish a top secret research group code named Source It will report directly to me Based on the existing fragmented information attempt to reverse engineer the ancient shackles system and the nature of the Turbid Core However no actual contact or activation experiments are permitted

The Emperor gaze finally landed on the Military Commander and the Speaker As for Grand Marshal Ling Yao and the asset he brought back

He paused and the air in the room nearly solidified

Record his merits Record his transgressions as well The value of the asset must be maximized but the risk must be absolutely controlled How he navigates this balance is his next test The Council need not interfere excessively

These words were vague yet laden with meaning They acknowledged Ling Yao contribution while noting his violation and subtly hinted that the high level factions likely the Council were to stop direct interference Simultaneously it placed the risk and responsibility of controlling the double edged sword that was Yun Shu entirely on Ling Yao shoulders

A potential storm had been forcibly suppressed by the Emperor but the undercurrents only grew more turbulent Locking down the news did not mean the problem was solved rather it meant a greater uncertainty had been buried

Iron Curtain Grand Marshal Quarters

Ling Yao stood before the observation window watching the stars streak past He had just received and read the highly encrypted and redacted command summary from the capital

There was no explicit commendation no harsh reprimand only the cold lockdown order and that weighted comment about a test Additionally a shorter message had arrived via his private encrypted channel Cleanup Procedure deferred but eyes are focused Proceed with caution

Everything was as expected The Emperor needed him as a blade to handle trouble yet feared his capabilities and the core secrets he was beginning to touch The Council meanwhile was desperate to find leverage against him

He closed the communication interface his expression grim

That Xilan Yun Shu He was now the center of the storm both the key to breaking the deadlock and the fuse that could ignite everything The Imperial high command would never allow an outsider who knew too many secrets and possessed such eerie abilities to exist for long Once his value was drained or he lost control the only thing waiting for him was a name on the Purification list

And what about himself

To protect him would be to openly defy the latent will of the Empire If he discarded him Ling Yao mind flashed to the man coughing up blood while describing Xilan suffering and the resilience he showed while completing the task despite being at death door

He found it surprisingly difficult to make the latter seemingly more rational choice It was not just because of their silent agreement It was a rare sense of identification something he usually deemed useless Or perhaps respect for a pure conviction and extreme tenacity

He turned and left the quarters walking toward the medical cell once more This time when he entered Yun Shu was conscious

He was leaning his head slightly to the side watching the passing starlight His eyes were still exhausted but held more clarity than before Ling Yao waved the medical officer away

He walked to the bedside and spoke directly his voice low enough that only the two of them could hear The Imperial high command is shocked by the information but has chosen a total lockdown

Yun Shu eyelashes fluttered he did not seem surprised He slowly turned his head to look at Ling Yao

The crisis at Tartarus is confirmed but the Purification protocol is deferred Ling Yao continued his sharp gaze catching every flicker of Yun Shu reaction Your value has been recognized But your danger level has also been raised to the absolute maximum

Yun Shu remained silent simply watching him

Our previous agreement Ling Yao stepped closer his voice low and pressurized is now about more than just the research data you want It is about how long you can stay alive The Empire will not allow a Xilan who knows the core secrets of the Turbid Core to live indefinitely Once you lose your value or I lose control over you there is only one ending

He spoke with cold directness Yun Shu throat moved slightly his voice still hoarse And so

And so Ling Yao stared into his eyes if you want to live if you want what you are after you must prove you have irreplaceable value to me and to my plans Not just in deciphering data but in handling the situation to come

His plans A tiny spark of doubt flashed in Yun Shu eyes

Ling Yao did not explain He only said coldly The eyes of the capital are focused here The Council is displeased with my unauthorized actions the Emperor is weighing his options We are in the same boat now If the boat sinks I might lose power but you will certainly die

It was a naked brutal truth

You need to recover faster You need to be ready for more tests Ling Yao tone was non negotiable I will provide all the resources you need but your brain must keep working And you must show me that you are worth the risk I am taking

This was not a negotiation but a notification It was a deepening of their bond an alliance born of desperation

Yun Shu watched him silently for a few seconds then extremely slowly nodded

No words were exchanged but a wordless understanding born under high pressure and dire straits was reached once more It was based on cold interest swapping and entwined with the threat of death yet it seemed to carry a hint of something more the subtle sense of standing back to back against a storm

Ling Yao seemed satisfied with this reaction He straightened up and gave Yun Shu one last look Remember the only way to stay alive is to remain useful

With that he turned and left

After the sliding door closed Yun Shu turned his gaze back to the sea of stars outside Deep in his eyes there was no longer utter despair and fatigue Instead a small cold flame had ignited the flame of survival and calculation.