Chapter 470: The Empire's Situation
At the Grand Altar of Isthalia, over a hundred court mages of the empire gathered, raising their staffs in unison.
Accompanied by violent fluctuations, a massive spatial rift, stretching over a hundred meters, appeared above the altar.
A massive, majestic red head emerged from within, followed by its thick neck, broad wings, and powerful forelimbs.
The supreme emperor of the Ember Empire, the dragon ruling the Anzeta Wasteland—Cassius Claudious Norrixius—arrived today in his loyal Isthalia.
"Roar—"
Cassius slowly closed his eyes, savoring the long-lost sensation of commanding everything within the empire's territory, and let out a joyful roar.
"Master, welcome back."
Langpu stood on the second-highest tier of the altar, respectfully welcoming the return of the red dragon.
As the empire's prime minister, only he could occupy this unique position and be the first to greet the emperor.
Behind him were the two dukes, Medrolash and Dolo, each leading the empire's elite forces and the tiefling guards.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty—"
The hundred court mages behind him echoed in unison.
The soldiers on the altar knelt down in neat rows, their rifles resting on the ground, producing a crisp sound.
"Master—"
From afar, the white dragon rushed over in a mix of running and flying. This time, she didn't dare get too close but excitedly lay on the ground, her thick tail wagging.
Her body, nearly twenty meters long, caused the ground to tremble slightly with her movements.
Cassius scanned the surroundings and finally fixed his gaze on the empire's prime minister, Langpu.
"Langpu, you should have received the news about the empire's colony in the Elemental Plane of Fire, right?"
"Yes, Master. Congratulations on another great victory. I've already had your achievements recorded in the "History of the Ember Empire"."
The ogre knelt on the ground, his voice filled with excitement.
"You subdued the fire dwarves, defeated the fire genies' pasha, and even made the Sultan sign a pact with us, bringing enormous benefits to the empire. Every citizen should remember your feats and be grateful for your kindness! I'll immediately have a new monument made—"
"That's not what I'm talking about."
Cassius' mouth twitched slightly, and he couldn't help but interrupt.
With just a glance, Medrolash leaned over to whisper something to Dolo.
Following their orders, the surrounding soldiers, guards, and court mages retreated in an orderly manner, leaving only a few high-ranking officials—and the completely clueless Tinia.
"Have you dispatched personnel and transported supplies to the colony? The living conditions there are extremely harsh, and ordinary clothing and food will quickly burn to ashes."
"Of course, Master."
Langpu responded promptly.
"We've sent an envoy team composed of Mechanist Church players to the Brass Stronghold, along with many supplies enchanted with heat-resistant spells."
"Additionally, the Ministry of Technology is working on developing weapons, clothing, and food tailored to the unique environment of the Elemental Plane of Fire. Initial results should be available within a month, which will greatly reduce the cost of spells. You need not worry."
"Good."
Cassius nodded slightly.
"The Burning War is also a rare opportunity. I've appointed Selkan as the governor of the colony in the Elemental Plane of Fire. He must establish a firm foothold and seize benefits amidst the chaos."
"Also, prioritize the development of specialized weapons against elemental creatures. This war will last for a long time."
Langpu grinned, revealing an ugly smile.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. The guys in the arms industry are the most greedy. They've already tasted the sweetness of selling arms, and many have made a fortune, creating an atmosphere where they'll do anything for profit."
Langpu chuckled.
"With any opportunity to make a profit, they'll swarm like hungry wolves, devouring all the gold."
But as if remembering something, he frowned and said, "However, to cut costs, some have started concealing the number of workers, exploiting legal loopholes, and even evading taxes."
Cassius' expression instantly became more serious—this was a bloodthirsty monster he had cultivated with his own hands.
Now, it had begun to reveal its claws, showing its ugly face across the entire continent of Feanso.
While individual power was holding the line, Cassius did not see it as a catastrophic threat but rather as a vicious dog helping the empire expand. Still, he had to prevent these monsters from becoming parasites gnawing at the empire's foundations.
Vicious dogs needed to be disciplined.
They should taste flesh but also feel the sting of the stick, ensuring they never forget who their master was.
"It seems the problem has grown beyond its initial stage."
Cassius narrowed his eyes, contemplating.
"Langpu, have the Ministry of Justice work overtime to patch the loopholes and increase penalties. Also, drag a few prominent examples to the courts to make a public display—kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. They shouldn't be given any chance to exploit loopholes."
"Yes, Master."
Seeing how seriously the emperor took this matter, Langpu immediately lowered his head and agreed.
Cassius continued, "Do you remember the story I once told you?"
"Of course, Master. Even a thousand-mile-long dyke can collapse due to a small ant hole."
Cassius nodded in satisfaction and then turned to Medrolash. "It seems things have been too peaceful domestically lately, to the point where some people can't restrain their petty ambitions."
"Let Nocturne draw some blood. It's been a while since they've had any fresh victims."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Medrolash's expression didn't change, but he promptly knelt down and gave a concise, firm response.
"Alright, having just returned from the Elemental Plane of Fire, I need to rest at the royal palace for a while."
"Remember, during this time, no one is to disturb me."
Cassius yawned, casually tearing through the space in front of him with his claws to create a massive flame portal. He stepped inside, returning to the long-unseen royal palace.
After a few battles, he indeed needed some rest and time to digest his newly acquired power.
Meanwhile, a storm was about to sweep through the empire.
A month later, the Imperial Corporate Law was officially enacted, with retroactive effect, causing a massive uproar within the empire.
Several prominent dragonblood nobles who had led the violations of regulations were publicly executed, and some enterprises skirting the edges of the law received "personal visits" from Nocturne.
Some particularly "creative" players had their assets confiscated and were imprisoned for long-term labor reform.
For a time, the empire was plunged into an icy silence. The atmosphere of "violating imperial law for gold" diminished, giving way to a wave of "abandoning humanity for gold."
To the empire's officials, the latter was merely a normal phenomenon, while the former was absolutely unforgivable.
Soon, some discovered that within Anzeta, strict legal controls applied—no slavery, no tax evasion, no exploitation to death. But things were much freer in the south.
Although they still had to pay taxes to the empire, certain unspeakable freedoms could be exercised there.
Thus, they began reaching out to the priests of the Waukeen Church, those who had "sold their souls for gold," and launched a grand external expansion campaign.