"Thank you," Yang Ming nodded with a smile, as the warden retreated behind the alloy gate, letting it close slowly, leaving only the rumbling sound.

"Boss! Here you go!"

"Hmm, not bad," Yang Ming said leisurely, "The money for the flowers will be deducted from your salary."

"Oh, just deduct it then," 026 showed a row of white teeth: "They say that when you get released, using these bright colors can sweep away your mental gloom."

"I wasn't gloomy in there."

026 chuckled, a sly look in his big eyes: "Alright, the reporters are here. I tricked them into thinking you're only coming out at night. Want to run?"

"Run? Why would I run? Have I done something outrageously wrong?"

Yang clicked his tongue, his body slowly levitating, with a pale red light membrane forming around him.

He flew.

"Waiting for you on the ship."

"Hey, Boss! Take me with you!"

Yang Ming waved his sleeve and flew away, leaving no trace behind, soaring over the reporters' heads and landing in the tail cabin of the East Wind.

...

Edwan was inexplicably feeling a bit lousy.

He rarely visited Emilia's chamber, after all, Emilia was an unmarried young lady who hadn't even had a boyfriend. The gossip entertainment reporters never skimp on showcasing their abundant imagination and complete lack of moral boundaries with royal scandal.

But today, for some reason, Edwan tossed the mountainous paperwork aside and strolled around the Imperial Palace, ending up outside Emilia's door.

The maids had assumed that the Emperor wouldn't enter, merely bowing their heads in salute.

"What is Emilia doing at this hour?" Edwan asked.

"The princess is reading, your Majesty."

"Reading, is she?"

Edwan moved forward, knocking on the door frame.

The maid beside him hurried forward to open the door directly for Edwan.

Then, Edwan was completely stunned, his expression shifting in a second from dazed to dumbfounded, then to full black lines of speechlessness, petrified...

The female guard dressed in a White Ghost costume was pressing her hand against the wall, while Emilia, in a gradient silver-blue slip dress, with her wavy long hair down, lifted a slender leg, gently biting her lip, listening to the female guard's deep confession.

Those lines 'Emilia, you are my little sweetheart' aren't cheesy!

Could Yang Ming really say such things!

No!

Is this how she's studying to manage the country and regulate the economy?

"Ahem! Ahem, ahem, ahem!"

The maids coughed frantically, and the female guard glanced over, instinctively hopping to the side, flustered as she removed her helmet.

Emilia remained composed, "Brother, did you not know that barging into a lady's boudoir is a very impolite act?"

"You can all leave now," Edwan waved his hand, saying with helplessness, "If you like her, you should pursue her proactively, instead of rehearsing some fantastical drama..."

Once the maids and guards had left, closing the door, Emilia sighed in relief, suddenly becoming embarrassed.

"Just a rehearsal, in case something like this happens in the future, I'll know how to handle it," Emilia hopped over with her hands clasped behind her back, "Is there any good news, brother? You left your work to come find me here."

Edwan raised his head, taking in the ceiling.

Wow, the White Ghost poster has expanded. It used to be just a two-dimensional surface; now it's a 'three-dimensional' comprehensive multi-angled visual projection!

"Indeed, there's good news, but I'm feeling a bit unsettled."

Emilia motioned Edwan towards the round tea table, and she casually switched on several jamming devices.

She asked, "Is it about the collective assassination of the Sherman Empire's senior Foreign Affairs Bureau members?"

"Yes," Edwan frowned, "I only knew he was executing a plan, but didn't anticipate it would escalate to this extent."

A light sparkled in Emilia's eyes:

"Isn't escalation beneficial? Like now, imperial public opinion is again ignited. Previously, the Central Intelligence Agency's constant provocation and division on the Empire's cyberworld has finally backfired with this incident's stimulus.

"The entire Empire firmly believes that it was the New Federation's doing, and all explanations from the New Federation are taken as sophistry.

"For us, this is a perfect opportunity. The Foreign Affairs Bureau is paralyzed and will take at least several months to recover operations. Moreover, the existing senior officials have been purged. The new high-ranking officials who take over will naturally focus on solidifying their own positions. If we make a little more effort, we might receive a commendation, and their comprehensive extermination plan against us could also be delayed.

"Moreover, if the Empire and the New Federation are at war again, their focus on us is bound to decrease.

"Isn't it all good news!"

Emilia eagerly shared her thoughts at length.

Edwan rubbed his temples, speaking softly, "I've received news that the Empire's frontline troops have surrounded seven New Federation border administrative stars. Although the population on border admin stars is usually not large, there are still a total of sixteen billion New Federation people exposed to the Empire's cannons. Judging by the Empire's current stance, they are highly likely to launch a surface assault."

"Surface assault?"

Emilia was taken aback: "Why?"

"To seize population and resources."

Edwan sighed slowly:

"This is the Empire's fundamental national policy—to annex slave status by forceful means, providing a path for slaves to rise to citizens, thereby obtaining cheap labor and granting billions of imperial citizens a sense of superiority.

"Once the Sherman Empire initiates a surface offensive, even if the New Federation wishes to avoid war, they'll have no choice but to engage."

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