Chapter 1403: Chapter 529: The Second Expedition

The dignified Imperial Earl makes no secret of publicly declaring his intention to personally visit the well-known wild frontier, the Shattered Star Ring, neglecting proper duties of an Imperial Earl and venturing into finding colony traces.

Ren Zhong’s actions immediately stirred up another storm within the Nanxiang Star Cluster and the Empire, even more tumultuous than the previous legal case.

This is not surprising, as the two events are intrinsically connected.

First, a Viscount sued the Earl, drawing attention and revealing Ren Zhong as a "hidden treasure" Earl. Subsequently, some intentional forces secretly promoted the concept of the Chosen One, creating another wave of interest for Ren Zhong.

Soon after, Earl Red Blade humiliated himself by publicly apologizing to a mere Baron, sparking new controversy. Lower-status individuals praised Earl Red Blade for being fair, upright, and sincerely thoughtful towards subordinates, calling him a model Earl.

However, higher-status individuals manipulated public opinion, criticizing Earl Red Blade for lacking propriety and self-degradation. This viewpoint suggested that even if Ren Zhong thought he tricked the petty Baron, he should have maintained the Earl’s status, perhaps compensating financially, but never apologizing easily.

This illustrates that there are class divisions within any system. Those praising Ren Zhong are mostly low-status Viscounts, Barons, and even Lords and commoners; critics are mostly Earls or above. Most people speak from their own stance, caring only for interests, not justice. The former group has larger numbers but weaker voices, while the latter is fewer but more powerful. Calculating both sides, at least in terms of momentum, neither side is superior.

Regardless of good or bad, as long as people discuss, there is interest, and Ren Zhong personally gained immense fame in a very short time.

This fame is ultimately not a bad thing.

At least he is no longer unknown.

Just when the interest was about to cool down as the case settled, Ren Zhong, as Earl Red Blade, morphed into a master of generating interest, creating another big news — the Earl’s tour.

Anyone with a brain knows that Nanxiang Marquis Liu An has been openly and secretly dealing with Earl Red Blade for nearly a hundred years, though his scheming repeatedly fails without causing significant harm, certainly making Earl Red Blade frustrated.

The opposition has lasted so long, there’s no reason why, as Earl Red Blade’s century-long review period ends, Nanxiang Marquis would back down.

Thus, Earl Red Blade personally embarking on a tour, placing himself in the Shattered Star Ring where the Empire Super Network doesn’t cover, is simply careless bravado after winning too much, seeking his own demise — to simply say, a victim of his own success.

"I once thought Earl Red Blade might indeed be the Chosen One, gifted by the Universe to the Empire, and was on the verge of personally intervening to help him. But such a major oversight indeed proves he’s unable to undertake great responsibility, not even close to a real Chosen One. Could he possibly have believed those online rumors, starting to see himself as unique, genuinely thinking he has the Universe’s favor, unable to die, or expecting some patron to defy Liu An, helping him rise to prominence?"

"Foolish! Simply foolish! Did he really not consider, if Liu An finds the opportunity, truly eliminate him, without solid evidence, with the new Four Nations War on the horizon, Liu An as the Commanding Earl would remain worry-free? Liu An surely won’t miss this heaven-sent chance! If I were Earl Red Blade, now with favorable circumstances and fame, gaining recognition from the high ranks, I should quietly bide my time for two or three more years. Once the review period passes, he would surely be heavily utilized. Even if transferred from Nanxiang Star Cluster to another newly opened front-line Star Cluster, surpassing Liu An’s power in time isn’t impossible. But he’s completely foolish!"

"What a pity, according to the Royal Academy of Sciences reports, Red Blade Clan absorbs and digests Earl’s knowledge at a pace ten times that of the average emerging Earl citizen, primarily relying on Earl Red Blade’s ability to simplify complexities, enlightening others. With him leading the way, those less profound but wise in the Red Blade Clan can overcome challenges unimpeded. It’s been long since the Empire saw such scientific prowess, yet he turns out to be a political naïve."

"Should there be a private directive to compel Nanxiang Marquis to leave him alive?"

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