Chapter 235 - Greed
"How much are the damages?" Rayver Quinn asked after they all have dealt all the Alliance's forces.
His adjutant scratched his head as they looked at their starship that has turned to a metal scrap after they used it to shield against the Alliance's attacks. "We… can't go back to the empire for assist." The adjutant sighed.
Rayver Quinn's eyes narrowed as the corner of his lips pulled into a frown. He turned to Mary Jackson whose face is very pale after she had finished vomiting. No one cared about Her Highness the Royal Princess' image. No one did, since no one can be bothered of their image right now because the empire is under the attack of the Alliance, its greatest enemy next to the Zergs.
Fortunately, the Alliance didn't collude with the Zergs this time, since they can't take the risk of using the brainless Zergs to rescue their Head's son, their 'prince', because the Zergs are brainless, stupid, so they wouldn't recognize a friend from a foe. They will kill anyone within their sight, and the Alliance can't afford it if Marquis Jin will meet an accident, or worse, death in this assault against the empire.
"Where is your starship?" Rayver Quinn asked..
"Hidden." Mary Jackson answered as she covered her mouth. She still feels dizzy from earlier. After all, she hasn't been inside a mech, much less has stayed inside it while it swerves and glides and turned and backflips while mid-air.
She felt like she was riding a very fast roller coaster from a high altitude. She felt queasy from the weightlessness that's as if she couldn't feel her limbs anymore, paired with the high altitude that made her feel a sudden vertigo. Right now, as she walks, her kneecaps are facing each other and her legs are trembling.
"Let's pray it wasn't hit from the attacks earlier and was discovered." She added as she led them to the direction of her starship.
Earlier, because they were caught off-guard from the sudden attack of the Alliance, they forgot Mary Jackson was present and also forgotten her starship. Fortunately, they had reacted in time and counterattacked. Her Highness the Royal Princess wasn't harmed, as Rayver Quinn immediately took action to save her.
"It's right there…" Mary Jackson pointed a clearing. Then, she pressed the pearl on her bracelet. Suddenly, an intact starship appeared before their eyes.
The soldiers' eyes sparkled in delight. They can still go home! They can still protect the empire! All hope wasn't lost!
"Go look for the tools." Rayver Quinn ordered. Every starship naturally would have a toolbox to fix the starship in case an accident like this happens. However, the room where they stored the tools were blasted by the Alliance.
The Alliance is very careful to ensure they couldn't go back to the empire to help and make the Planet XTV1 their graveyard like Huo Ling. With this thought, their anger surged as they aggressively fired back. The burning anger in the soldiers' heart became the key to defeat the Alliance. The Alliance thought they would be discouraged, since they have been on the passive and disadvantageous since the beginning. However, they didn't expect for them to suddenly burn like a raging fire and kill them in counter.
Fortunately, the Alliance didn't discover Mary Jackson's presence as Rayver Quinn was very swift in his actions and killed the mech's pilot who has followed him and seen Mary Jackson. Or else, the Alliance would send more people and bury Mary Jackson along with them, with her son Huo Ling, in the planet.
In every war, there would be spoils of war. The soldiers who were left to scout gathered the pieces of the starships of the Alliance to use in repairing their starship. They only needed the tools that the Alliance blasted off.
"OH MY GOD!" a soldier exclaimed in shock.
"What happened?!" Rayver Quinn sharply turned. He saw a soldier slowly walking backwards with a stunned expression on his face. Was it a Zerg?! He thought in panic.
"Sir…" he slowly turned and the shocked look on his face was replaced with joy. "Sir! General Huo is here! General Huo… he came here! And he looked like he is safe, aside from his wounds and injuries!" he exclaimed as he immediately ran back to where Huo Jinghua is and carefully lifted him to check his wounds.
Rayver Quinn and Mary Jackson were stunned and immediately reacted. They ran to where Huo Jinghua is and saw Huo Jinghua's uniform was torn, and some of his wounds were bleeding. Mary Jackson burst into tears while Rayver Quinn's heart was in a turmoil. He saw Mary Jackson tearfully hugging Huo Jinghua, and his heart clenched in pain. He looked away and left.
"Sir…" the soldier called before he turned to Mary Jackson who is still crying. He sighed and gave Mary Jackson a moment then left to search the medicine box and bandages.
"Where is the communicator? Is it still working?" Rayver Quinn asked.
"We're currently reestablishing the communication line – " the soldiers said.
Rayver Quinn sighed in irritation. The last time they used the communication is to send a message to the empire that they were attacked by the Alliance, before their starship was blasted for the second time and they finally lost their communication with the empire.
However, if Rayver Quinn only knew Huo Jinghua would travel alone to planet XTV1 and risk his life, braving the dangers, he would never send a distress signal to the empire.
The soldiers who perceived their superior's thoughts based from his current agitated expression all looked at each other and smiled. Their boss is really a man of a few words, yet his emotions are rich. It is just a pity he always hid those emotions. If he didn't, would he and Huo Jinghua now be married? Would it be him who's on Huo Jinghua's side right now and not Mary Jackson?
'what if's' were born from regret. Rayver Quinn's and Huo Jinghua's supposed relationship is such a regret to not happen. Of course, they don't hate Mary Jackson for being Huo Jinghua's wife. Rayver Quinn respects Huo Jinghua's decision. It's just distressing to see their boss being lovelorn for over the years.
"Sir. The signal was reestablished!" the soldiers exclaimed when they finally heard the machine beeped.
"Quinn?" Harry Walter called.
"Walter! Why didn't you stop him from coming here?!" Rayver Quinn yelled as soon as Harry Walter finished speaking.
"We also don't know he left." Harry Walter calmly answered. "And he even left his people here – "
"I know that now!" Rayver Quinn gnashed his teeth as his chest heaved up and down in anger. "How is the Star Gate now?" he still remembers to put the empire first before his personal life.
The soldiers sighed again and left while shaking their head. All they could do now for their boss is to fix the starship as soon as possible.
"Still holding. It went down to 90%." Harry Walter answered.
Rayver Quinn pressed his lips thin.
"Uncle?" Kale called after he saw the two men fell silent.
"… Your Majesty." Rayver Quinn spoke.
"How is aunt Mary?" Kale asked.
"She's fine. I saved her on time." Rayver Quinn said. "Don't send people here and save them for the empire. We can still hold on." He told him when Kale's about to speak. "Her Highness the Royal Princess has her starship hidden and came out intact from the attack because the Alliance didn't discover it. Our starship will be repaired in a short time." He explained.
Kale fell silent. "Please be safe." He told him.
"I will." Rayver Quinn answered. "If the Star Gate can't hold on anymore, send Marquis Jin as a replacement of the Star Gate." He said.
They all sucked in a cold breath. Because Rayver Quinn's emotions were surging, they momentarily forgotten what he really is. It was only just now they remembered he is a ruthless, decisive and swift man.
"Oh. Right. There's one more." Rayver Quinn said as if he just remembered something. "Send Su Rong, too." He told them.
"Su Rong? Why?"
"Marquis Jin is the Alliance Head's son. It's been more than twenty years Marquis Jin was living in the empire. How can he not have a family?" Rayver Quinn asked. "Su Rong is his son with a Chinese resident of the empire. However, she died during an epidemic ten years ago. The epidemic was immediately resolved, but she barely held on and died in the end before the vaccine could reach her." He explained. "The Alliance's goal has always been the Chinese's supremacy. They wanted to return the seat to their own people. Marquis Jin may have planned to set Sylv Kang as a puppet emperor, but he will kill him in a short time and replace him on the throne." He told them.
A deafening silence fell. "To stop this never-ending war… I can give up the throne." Kale said.
However, Rayver Quinn snorted. "Your Majesty, their own leaders signed in the previous era an agreement. It is just their greed they started this war. They never cared for their own people dying… they only cared for power. I dare you to say it again – " he said. " – will you give up the throne?" he asked before he hung up the call in anger.
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