Carina halted mid-step and let out a cold laugh.
"For you to grasp the kingdom's situation this quickly, you obviously have allies of your own."
"Relax. I'll drag them out one by one and send them to hell to keep you company."
Hearing that, Red laughed even louder.
"Hahahaha! Drag them all out? Who do you think you are?"
"Even your sharp and capable father couldn't escape their schemes. What can you possibly do?"
Carina looked him up and down for a few seconds with clear interest, the corner of her lips lifting slightly.
"All that talking… are you trying to trade their intel for your life?"
Having his intentions exposed, Red didn't mind at all.
After so many years as chancellor, his skin was thicker than a city wall.
"That's right. As long as you spare my life, I'll tell you everything I know about them… including their insiders within the kingdom!"
Red stared at Carina with bloodshot eyes.
The hatred of having his family destroyed and his country ruined…
He knew that once he fell into Carina's hands, death was guaranteed.
His only hope was that these top-secret details might buy him a slim chance to live.
The smile on Carina's face grew brighter.
"Red… Red. Even now, you're still clinging to such unrealistic fantasies."
"I'm taking your life. And I'm taking the intel too."
Her expression instantly turned icy as she spoke to the reserve Shadow Dragon Guards beside her.
"No matter what methods you use, pry the information out of his mouth."
"As a force personally built with massive resources by that lord, this shouldn't be difficult for you, right?"
The reserve Shadow Dragon Guards' eyes immediately flashed with a chilling light as they looked at Red.
The Shadow Dragon Guards specialized in intelligence gathering to begin with.
Even as reserves, their training in this area hadn't fallen behind at all.
If they couldn't even deal with a weakling from the Four Seas, they might as well slit their throats here and spare themselves the shame of facing Commander Lucci and Lord Soul King.
A squad dragged Red away.
He was still stubbornly insisting that he wouldn't say a word.
What he didn't realize was that what awaited him belonged to an entirely different dimension of methods.
Compared to this, interrogation in the West Blue was nothing more than child's play.
With Red dealt with, things weren't over yet.
Outside the palace, things were already getting lively. Many ministers and nobles were rushing over.
"Victor." Carina waved her hand, and one of the reserve Shadow Dragon Guards immediately stepped forward.
He was the captain of this reserve unit, and the only one among them who had mastered Armament Haki.
"What is it?"
Victor remained neither servile nor arrogant, showing not the slightest hint of flattery despite Carina being on the verge of becoming queen.
The only person they had sworn loyalty to was Lord Soul King.
Carina was actually pleased by this.
Because the loyalty of these people was unquestionable.
"Take your men and seize control of the palace defenses. Anyone who refuses… kill them on the spot. Before all the ministers arrive, I want the entire palace firmly under my control."
"Understood." Victor led more than a dozen men out of the sleeping quarters to reorganize the palace guards.
"Mr. Bege, please have your eyes and ears in the capital keep a close watch," Carina continued.
"Red has fallen. Some of his allies might start showing their tails."
"At the same time, prevent anyone with ill intentions from taking advantage of the chaos to stir up trouble."
Carina had been wandering outside for years, and her control over the capital was practically zero.
At a time like this, the underworld forces under Bege's command became invaluable.
Their combat power might be lacking, but when it came to information, they were exceptionally well connected.
"Alright. I'll have them keep a tight watch," Bege shrugged. This was small stuff.
He was here this time as support anyway.
Half an hour later, a group of ministers gathered in the council hall.
Carina changed into an opulent set of royal attire and walked out with dignified grace.
The moment they saw her, the ministers were utterly shocked.
At the same time, they realized the kingdom had changed once again.
"Everyone. The traitor Red has already been captured by me. He was the one who murdered my father and mother back then."
"Today, I return to the Itel Kingdom to assume the throne as queen. Who's in favor… and who objects?"
In an instant, the pressure radiating from Carina overwhelmed everyone present. Not a single person dared to speak.
It was Rolchart who reacted first, bowing deeply to her.
"Greetings, Her Majesty Queen Carina."
The ministers who had always been die-hard loyalists of the Itel royal family followed suit and bowed.
Those who had been promoted by Red felt their expressions constantly shifting, torn over whether they should gamble everything and resist.
At that moment, they heard synchronized footsteps from outside.
A squad of palace guards jogged into the council hall, sabers at their waists, lining up neatly on both sides.
Victor walked in and put on a show of bowing.
"Reporting to Queen Carina. The palace guards have been fully reorganized. All those with rebellious intent have been executed. Please inspect."
Even the palace guards were already in her hands…
The last shred of hope in those wavering ministers instantly vanished. One after another, they bowed.
"Greetings, Your Majesty Queen Carina!"
This wasn't a joke. If anyone dared to jump out and make noise now, were they really treating the blades in the guards' hands as decorations?
Carina immediately promoted Rolchart and several veteran ministers to key positions, instructing them to draft proclamations announcing the restoration of the Itel Kingdom.
"I know that some of you sided with Red."
Seated upon the throne, Carina's majestic gaze shot out with icy sharpness.
Many ministers lowered their heads, not daring to meet her eyes.
"But I also know that the situation is unstable right now, and the kingdom needs your service. So, if you're willing to come to me voluntarily and confess everything clearly, I can spare you and deal with you lightly."
"But if I uncover it myself…"
At that point, murderous intent flooded Carina's eyes.
"Then don't blame me for showing no mercy."
At this moment, Conqueror's Haki seemed to surge within her, on the verge of bursting forth again.
Cold sweat poured down the ministers' backs, and some nearly collapsed on the spot.
"Alright. You may all withdraw."
As Carina spoke again, the pressure instantly lifted.
Everyone hurriedly bowed and took their leave.
"You really think they'll voluntarily rat themselves out?" Bege stepped out from behind.
As a West Blue underworld boss, he wasn't suited to appear in the council hall and could only listen in from the shadows.
Carina smiled faintly.
"If someone's willing to inform, that's best. If not, it doesn't matter."
Bege was confused. "What do you mean?"
Instead of answering directly, Carina asked him a question.
"If one day the boss you support dies, another takes his place and openly signals a purge… what would you do?"
Bege froze for a moment before replying, "I'd definitely go find my friends and prepare to respond…"
He suddenly realized it.
"You're planning to make them panic and move… then wipe them all out in one sweep?"
***
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