When Emrys walked out of the bar, his face was flushed with drunkenness; anyone who saw him would mistake him for a drunkard, and the Astramilitarum officers didn't suspect a thing.
The battle inside the bar was completely shielded by Emrys' psychic powers, so the Astramilitarum outside naturally couldn't detect what was happening inside.
After getting into the car, he returned to the mansion.
Zabriel then curiously leaned over and asked, "What task did you assign them? Do you need help?"
It was clear that the past two days of idleness had made Zabriel restless.
"It's classified."
However, Emrys still blocked Zabriel's curiosity with a single sentence.
"You don't need to ask about this, and you don't need to know. We'll just wait here. Soon, lord governor should summon us."
He kept another sentence in his heart.
He hoped the Lion wouldn't blame him; after all, this move was quite insidious to speak of.
"Summon us?"
Zabriel didn't understand.
"But isn't she still suspicious of us?"
"She is."
Emrys said calmly.
"But that doesn't stop her from summoning us. In fact, she'll even have to thank me for doing her a great favor."
"What great favor did you do her?"
Zabriel was confused. Haven't you just been wandering around these past few days?
"You'll know soon."
Emrys, holding a glass of wine, walked to the window of the mansion, looking at the heavy night outside, his lips slightly curved.
"Tonight's scenery is truly beautiful"
Zabriel's face was full of confusion.
Outside, there was nothing but blackness. What scenery could be called 'beautiful'?!
The night deepened.
A black curtain enveloped the hive city. Although it was still in a state of war, in the upper spires of Avakalorn, the nobles still feasted day and night.
Songs were sung, dances were danced.
This described those utterly greedy and extravagant imperial parasites. They didn't care about the soldiers fighting Chaos to the death in space every day, nor did they care how many civilians starved to death because of the war.
Even if a million or ten million more of these people died, in their eyes, it was just a number. How could it be as important as their own enjoyment?
life is short, enjoy it while you can.
Adhering to this philosophy, the nobles of Avakalorn only cared about their own pleasure, completely ignoring the deluge outside.
The Jabba family was among the first powerful families to immigrate with the governor's family to Avakalorn hive city. They controlled the incoming and outgoing starport transport, and their family assets were astonishing, spread across almost half of Avakalorn, with countless factories, mines, and so on, all belonging to them.
And today, the Jabba family's mansion was still brightly lit. In the resplendent hall, extravagance was taken to the extreme; even the most ordinary table lamp was made of pure gold.
And holding the golden table lamps were young maidens dressed revealingly. They were maids specifically serving the nobles, and also playthings.
The corpulent Krast, holding a goblet filled with a golden liquid, declared loudly.
"Thank you all for attending my one hundred and thirtieth birthday!"
He was the current head of the Jabba family, having inherited his father's earldom. Expensive silk and gold thread were woven into the robe he wore, and even the buttons were jewels, everywhere signifying his noble status.
And today was his one hundred and thirtieth birthday.
The entire banquet hall was filled with rare delicacies rarely seen outside.
But these rare delicacies and top-shelf liquors were considered commonplace by these utterly extravagant nobles. They wouldn't finish them, because it didn't conform to noble "etiquette."
After a few bites, these delicacies and liquors, which required immense manpower to transport from all over the Imperium, would be discarded.
This was to demonstrate the extravagance and power of top-tier nobles.
"I heard that lord governor visited everyone a few days ago?" Krast, holding his drink, scanned the faces of the nobles attending the banquet, his lips, fat as a red sausage, sipping the wine.
As a top-tier grand noble, Krast indulged in extreme luxury and pleasure, but he was by no means a fool.
This one hundred and thirtieth birthday, which gathered many top-tier nobles of Avakalorn, was naturally not just for celebrating his own birthday.
"Count Jabba is well-informed." Soon, someone below responded.
"Lord governor hopes that we can provide some supplies to help the Astramilitarum on the front lines, and also the Imperial Navy."
The front-line war was intensifying, and the fierce Chaos fleet attacks put a lot of pressure on governor Hal. Material reserves were being consumed at an alarming rate, including ammunition and rations. She had to prepare for a prolonged war.
And the assets of these wealthy nobles naturally caught governor Hal's eye.
Upon hearing this, Krast stroked his wine glass, a smile in his eyes, and said calmly.
"Then what do you all think?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the noisy hall suddenly became much quieter. The corpulent, obese nobles all looked at each other, but remained silent.
Make them pay? Wasn't that like carving out their flesh!
But if they didn't pay, they couldn't disobey governor Hal's order either.
"Hahahaha, why is everyone so quiet?"
Krast was best at breaking the silence. He looked at these nobles and smiled.
"Actually, I can understand the governor's difficulties, and I can also understand your difficulties. Now that Avakalorn is at war, it's reasonable for everyone to contribute a little, it's not too much."
The nobles displayed stiff smiles.
"However—"
Suddenly, Krast drew out his words, a simple 'however' re-igniting the hopes of these nobles.
"War, after all, always ends. It hasn't been once or twice these years, and we've supported it more than once or twice. But the industries our ancestors painstakingly accumulated, we can't always just give them away for nothing, can we?"
"That's right, lord Count."
"Lord Count is right. These are all the meager industries our ancestors painstakingly acquired by risking their lives for the Imperium!"
"Exactly! Once or twice is fine, but how many times has it been? Using our money to be squandered by those military ruffians and commoners, why should we?!"
Looking at the nobles whose anger had been provoked, Krast's lips curled into a slight smile. His goal had been achieved, and he continued.
"War, no matter how fierce Chaos fights, it's impossible for them to break in. It's just a matter of people dying. Besides, these Astramilitarum and Imperial Navy, after the war, they take their money and leave, but what's left for us—is a pile of messes."
His 'heartfelt words' directly struck the hearts of the nobles present.
"Exactly, Count Jabba is right!"
Someone took the lead and shouted.
"Isn't it just Chaos? With the Astramilitarum and Imperial Navy, it's just a matter of more people dying!"
"Exactly, we absolutely cannot use our money to fill the coffers of the Astramilitarum and Imperial Navy!" The person who said this was a fat pig, who, with a mouth full of decaying teeth, said.
"Isn't it just a Chaos fleet? They've come before these years, when did they ever conquer the hive city? It's just governor Hal making a fuss over nothing. Who knows what she'll do with our money?"
These words drew agreement from many nobles.
"Since everyone's thoughts are the same, then I, lord Count, am relieved." Krast said with a kind smile on his plump, white face.
"To be honest with you all, the governor also came to me and asked me to provide ten tons of energy gel to stabilize the lower hive's livelihood. But I believe that we are Imperial nobles, the glory of the Imperium. These commoners can die; it will even save some rations. But unfortunately—this governor is very tough, which is why I used today's banquet to ask for your opinions."
"We need to make lord governor understand one thing." At this point, the seemingly kind Krast's face showed a hint of ruthlessness.
"This Avakalorn is not her Avakalorn alone. We must unite and let her know who the true pillars of the Imperium are!"
"Unite! Unite!"
"That's right, we unite! With the Jabba family, let's see what she can do to us!"
"Hahahahaha, with those words from you all, I, Krast, am relieved."
Krast, beaming, laughed loudly.
"As long as we are united, she, a mere planetary governor, cannot do anything to us. Let us all raise a toast to the Emperor, and a toast to the Imperium!"
The nobles laughed and raised their glasses, drinking together.
Then, Krast, laughing, pulled a revealingly dressed maid close, wantonly caressing her, a hint of ferocity on his face.
"Now, let the revelry begin, everyone enjoy yourselves!"
In the vast hall, the lavishly dressed nobles completely shed their disguises, transforming into beasts and brutes, wantonly indulging with the surrounding maids, sounds of debauchery echoing, incense smoke swirling and rising, encircling the ceiling, around the painted image of the Emperor.
The Emperor, originally depicted with a compassionate expression, in the swirling smoke, actually appeared somewhat—strained, terrifying, like a ghost from the underworld!