Evolution - Chapter 123
Chapter 123
Regarding this direction, which would determine their focus for at least the next ten years, the group, including the head of the He family, reacted thus:
“Baoling Planet? That’s great!” Baoling Planet was indeed great! A place teeming with wealthy people and bustling with commerce was perfect. Going to Yaoguang Planet would be too intimidating! This came from a member of the Klopp family who handled their less-than-reputable business dealings.
“Yes, Baoling Planet is better!” the He family head chimed in. If they really went to Yaoguang Planet, where nobles were a dime a dozen, he feared they’d be devoured, bones and all.
Of course, there were also some overconfident individuals who thought they should aim for the top and go straight to Yaoguang Planet.
“If we’re talking about what’s best, Yaoguang Planet is naturally superior. It’s not much different from the Imperial Capital Star.”
“We’ll have to work hard to establish ourselves either way, so why not be a little bolder? Why take the extra step of setting up on Baoling Planet first?”
Viscount Klopp was remarkably tolerant and magnanimous. Hearing someone subtly imply he lacked ambition didn’t anger him. He simply looked over with a smile, offering a very sincere suggestion: “Yaoguang Planet has special military recruitment drives and military academy admissions every year. Those who wish to make their fortune on Yaoguang are certainly free to go. I believe that capable people will quickly distinguish themselves.”
If you’ve got the guts, go make a name for yourself on Yaoguang Planet. If not, then shut up and stop whining!
The people who had been clamoring so cheerfully just moments before were choked into silence by his words.
The defectors from the Alliance were always predominantly Alphas, especially the half-baked ones. They possessed little actual talent or ability, yet had an inexplicable confidence that they were unrecognized geniuses. They believed the Alliance was too lenient and favorable toward Omegas and Betas, and that these restless Omegas and Betas had stolen the positions that should have been theirs.
But now, faced with the prospect of striking out on their own on Yaoguang Planet, they hesitated. The Empire’s nobility enjoyed many privileges, but the only problem was that they were newcomers. Their highest rank was viscount, and they had been granted a fief on Hading Planet.
Their family’s starting point wasn’t high enough. They had noble titles but no real power. Go to Yaoguang Planet on their own?
Without family support, they’d be no different from commoners—just there to be someone else’s lackey.
Thinking about it that way, they became rather reluctant.
A few of the more clear-headed individuals, maintaining serious expressions, silently glanced at Viscount Klopp. This guy is a real piece of work, they thought. Easy for you to say. If these guys really had the ability to make it on their own, they wouldn’t be stuck here just making noise.
However, they weren’t kind enough to give these people an out. Instead, with looks of gratification, they all chimed in:
“Absolutely. While we have chosen Baoling Planet, there’s no reason you can’t go to Yaoguang Planet. It would be a great fortune if you were accepted into a military academy or recruited into the army.”
“Yes, we should have several plans in motion.”
“Besides, if some of you can get into a military academy or the army, it will help us establish a foothold on Baoling Planet.”
“That’s right. The future development of our families will depend mainly on your efforts.”
With all this flattery, the group that had been making snide, passive-aggressive remarks was now trapped on a pedestal with no way down. In just a few words, the plan was settled.
Those who were past the age for enlistment but still in their prime would put down roots on Baoling Planet and see if they could carve out a new path.
Those still young enough to attend military academy or enlist would do so. The ones who had made the snide remarks would be packed off to Yaoguang Planet. The ones marked for special cultivation—that is, the ones with some sense who hadn’t made snide remarks—would stay with the core group on Baoling Planet. There, they would listen to their elders’ teachings and diligently study the art of manipulation, all while training hard to meet the standards for military academies and enlistment.
With the matter of presenting a united front settled, more than half the group departed. The rest remained, waiting for Viscount Klopp’s instructions.
Klopp pondered for a moment. “The group from Wendeli will be arriving soon. How should we settle them? Do you have any ideas?”
Ideas? Of course they had ideas!
“We need to bring a contingent to Baoling Planet. In my opinion, it would be best to incorporate the two mercenary fleets into the city defense forces. As for the star pirates and the cargo, how about we put them to work on the farm on our fief for now?”
The speaker was in charge of city defense. If they were incorporated into his forces, he would gain nearly three thousand capable fighters. A delightful prospect.
“The personnel we take to Baoling Planet must be selected from the personal guard. We need to pick a batch for the guard’s candidate pool first,” the head of the personal guard demanded, bluntly asserting his priority. It couldn’t be helped. The one with the biggest fist had the most say. With so few people they could even remotely consider their own, they naturally had to fight over them.
The main prize everyone was fighting over was the two fleets. Of course, they were fully formed fleets. What did that mean? They had trained personnel and proper equipment. With a little observation and training, they could be put to use, saving a huge expense on weapons and gear.
Whoever got their hands on them would gain both manpower and wealth!
Who wouldn’t want such a sweet deal?
Klopp listened to their verbal sparring for a while before finally speaking. “That Beta… Jixin, was it? Have him pick three hundred men to form a unit and join the personal guard. The rest will be merged with the other fleet and incorporated into the city defense forces.”
No one had any objections to this. It was much harder for a Beta to get promoted in the Imperial military than an Alpha. Placing him in the personal guard, which had limited spots, was a decent arrangement.
“And the star pirates and that batch of cargo?”
A dark glint passed through Klopp’s eyes. “For now, send them to the farm. Let their current little leader manage them. Hmm, if any of them want to enlist, those who pass the physical can be treated as new recruits.”
The outcome was barely satisfactory, but since Klopp had spoken, the others knew better than to complain. They rose to leave, cheerfully discussing the implementation details as they went.
The broad strokes had been decided; now it was time to hash out the minor details.
Only Klopp’s trusted aide remained in the room.
He stood silently before the desk, unhurriedly replacing Klopp’s cup with freshly brewed tea. He hesitated slightly. “General, are we… with that side…”
Klopp’s half-closed eyelids lifted. He grunted in affirmation. “From the moment we left the Alliance and joined the Empire, the relationship changed. We have to start over from scratch.”
Before, we were allies of convenience who could cooperate for mutual benefit. Now, we’ve lost our bargaining chips for an alliance and have become rivals competing on the same stage.
They wanted him to hand over everything he held in exchange for an earldom and a colonel-level rank, only to serve as an adjutant to someone from their family.
If he could have integrated his men into the army while still retaining command, the deal might have worked. But their appetite was too large. An adjutant with no command authority, whose life and death were in others’ hands… they were truly wolves who devoured a man without spitting out the bones, wanting to chew up and swallow even the scraps.
“General, are you planning to rebuild the covert department?”
“Yes. Keep an eye out these next few days and select some people.” A rare smile appeared on Klopp’s face. If one wanted to live well—to live with power, influence, and wealth—some dirty work that couldn’t see the light of day always needed to be done.
The trusted aide acknowledged the order and began to scheme.
The star pirates, and that “cargo” stolen from the prison, included plenty of desperados—perfect for killing. And among those captured by the pirates were people with families, who would be easier to control. They could be scattered about as dormant pawns. Over time, any gain from them would be a net profit.
His fate decided before he had even arrived on Hading Planet, Ming Zixing’s expression was ghastly, so dark it looked as if water could drip from it.
Why had he made that move back on Wendeli? Because he knew Klopp’s group was about to arrive. He had lost the initiative and wanted to take a gamble—if he could get all ten thousand of those people under his control, he would have enough leverage to force Klopp to give him a position of importance.
His starting point would have been completely different from what it was now.
In any case, as a Beta, Jixin was at a natural disadvantage in the Empire. Ming Zixing had only needed to suppress Ji Changqing’s group to secure a bright future, but instead, he had been pinned down and ground into the dirt by Ji Changqing and Jixin working together, ending up the weakest of the three.
His only consolation now was that while he hadn’t come out on top, Jixin and Ji Changqing were even worse off. One could only take three hundred men to join the personal guard, a dead-end position. The other was in an even more pathetic state, leading a bunch of useless mouths to go farm.
Upon entering Hading Planet’s airspace, Ji Changqing and the others were guided to land directly at the city defense forces’ barracks on Viscount Klopp’s fief.
Nearly ten thousand people disembarked in an orderly fashion and, following instructions, formed three separate lines, clearly destined for different locations.
The He family had specially arranged for people to pick up He Qingzhi. Watching the Omega depart with a clear aristocratic entourage, surrounded by a crowd, Ming Zixing felt a cold sweat break out on his back. If Ji Changqing hadn’t taken He Qingzhi with her to the auction that day, he would have been one of the targets hunted.
He dared not imagine what his fate would have been if He Qingzhi had been the one to suffer that day!
If he had previously felt a sense of schadenfreude about Ji Changqing being sent off to farm, now all he felt was envy, jealousy, and hate.
How could someone’s luck be so good?! A villainous star pirate does one decent thing and suddenly earns the favor of a noble?
Ming Zixing was weeping a storm inside. He could only console himself: Omegas don’t have any real power. At most, he can put in a few good words, whisper some sweet nothings. Whether it’ll have any effect is another matter. Stay calm, stay calm!
He suppressed the tempest in his heart and the drama playing out in his mind, closely watching the other two.
As He Qingzhi left, he didn’t even spare Ji Changqing a glance.
Is this the arrogance of the nobility? he thought. Taking the kindness and goodwill of others for granted.
Ming Zixing couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.
As the group gradually disappeared into the distance, he looked around and discovered that the two people he’d been so fixated on showed none of the dejection he had imagined. They stood calmly at the head of their respective lines.
Instantly, the whole situation felt dull and pointless.
They had arrived late. What was missed was missed. So, they were all losers who hadn’t managed to grab a front-row seat. What was there to compare? His own agitation only served to highlight the other two’s unruffled composure, making them seem exceptionally poised.
The three groups went their separate ways. Ji Changqing led more than five thousand people to the farm.
This was work she knew well! After expertly delegating the tasks, she found herself with nothing to do and began asking about nearby towns—places where she could indulge in wine and pleasure.
And so, Klopp’s trusted aide, who had been tasked with observing and selecting candidates, received daily reports about her that went like this:
Today, she went to the casino and gambled away a fortune.
The aide: “…”
Hmm, that’s fine. Casinos are always a mix of saints and sinners. A good place to gather information and trade intelligence.
Tomorrow, she went to a tavern to drink and make merry.
Alright, a tavern. The easiest place to build rapport and establish connections. That’s… that’s also not bad.
The day after, she went to the fighting pits, won several matches in a row, and made a killing.
Oh? This shows she’s skilled and has high combat effectiveness. Excellent!
The day after that, she went to the red-light district for a night of debauchery…
That’s… also good?!
Bah, good my ass!
Listening to these reports was enough to make him green with envy.
This life of indulgence and extravagance, spending money like water—how enviable was that?!
Why does this despicable, universally hated star pirate get to live so comfortably while I have to slave away like a corporate drone?
He didn’t even last half a month. Upon hearing yet another report on how “Zhao Qingci” had found a new way to enjoy herself today, Klopp’s trusted aide slammed his hand on the table.
“It seems farming is like a vacation for her. Have her report to me!”
It was time to beat some sense into this wicked star pirate—who was living better than a noble’s wastrel son—with some difficult work!
Meanwhile, Ji Changqing, who had recently become the hottest ticket in the red-light district thanks to her lavish spending, became the lucky winner of a lottery that night. Not only was she upgraded to a VIP client for free, but she was also presented with a mysterious grand prize—rumored to be one of the top ten courtesans, chosen at random!
Then, in a luxurious suite, Ji Changqing, lounging on the sofa and waiting quietly, finally saw her “mysterious grand prize.”
She waved a lazy hand. “Adonis, long time no see.”
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