Chapter 26: Civil Unrest, Section 8

Black Hair’s expression was not feigned. Though he had long suspected there was a problem, hearing it confirmed his surprise.
Betrayal? Betray whom? Lord Locke must be the one being chased by those monkeys. Had he left the battlefield without returning to the Moor Empire’s territory and instead chosen to ally with another force? If so, that force had to be powerful enough to rival the Moors. But when had such a formidable force emerged in the universe? Why hadn’t Mason Planet informed him?
For a moment, Black Hair was shocked by his own sudden thoughts.
On the other hand, Miss Veli was quite satisfied with Black Hair’s performance. As a ruler, she might not possess great military strength or strategic skills for conquest, but she had her own way of using people. Otherwise, the famous brave General Storm would not have become her bodyguard. Veli’s strategy for using people was…
Delegation.
Giving subordinates a chance to develop on their own might seem risky, but for Veli, it was the most practical approach. She could give those she wanted to promote a chance with little cost. If successful, they would be grateful to her; if not, she wouldn’t suffer much loss. As for loyalty, in a society like the Moors where racism was rampant, even the strongest foreigners needed a powerful Moor noble behind them, right?
As long as this Bor merchant agreed, Veli couldn’t see any reason for him to betray her.
Of course, first, this Bor merchant had to be worth it.
From Black Hair’s behavior when receiving the warship data earlier, Miss Veli had already determined that this Bor merchant was definitely worth some sacrifice—especially at this critical time of Lord Locke’s betrayal.
To be honest, Lord Locke was a direct descendant of her second brother and a very radical general. This betrayal would undoubtedly have a huge impact on her family. More importantly, the one Lord Locke chose to ally with was not a foreigner but someone on the same level as her father—the Grand Duke Black Hand, one of the most powerful forces in the Moor Empire.

Speaking of this, it’s necessary to mention the power structure of the Moor Empire. It has a pyramid-like organization. At the top of the pyramid is, of course, the Mother Goddess Tia, whose face has never been seen by anyone. Next is the Emperor… the Mask, the only one who can directly communicate with the Mother Goddess. Below them are several high-ranking archdukes. Miss Veli’s father, Taro, and this Mask are both among these archdukes.

However, oddly enough, despite the vast territory of the Moor Empire, its control over its subordinates has always been extremely lax. Each archduke and their descendants possess their own domains and armed forces. Their relationships remain in a very delicate balance. The empire does not encourage unity. As long as one has the ability, they can annex other archdukes’ territories without punishment. They usually remain at war with each other, unless there’s a particularly powerful enemy that requires joint efforts to defeat.

The Archduke Mask and Miss Veli’s father have always been rivals, representing two of the most famous opposing factions in the empire. Whether it’s conquering star systems or arming themselves, the two sides are constantly in competition. Thus, Lord Locke’s defection, in a sense, is equivalent to slapping Archduke Taro in the face. As Taro’s most beloved daughter, Miss Veli certainly feels this deeply.

Something must be done. Veli is well aware that she is the only one closest to Lord Locke right now. Unfortunately, she happens to be a woman.

In the Moor Empire, there is a strange tradition: women are not allowed to join the military. Although they worship the Mother Goddess Tia, they forbid other women from pursuing this path, which is quite ironic. So, despite her high aspirations, Miss Veli has to accept this reality.

Of course, pulling a few tricks isn’t too difficult. When she saw that her black hair could withstand the impact of warship data, Miss Veli knew her chance had come.

This Bor merchant is extremely strong, and his subordinates are all fearless fighters. In every regard, he is the perfect candidate for this task. In an era where talents are fiercely sought after by various factions, it’s already hard for the Moor Empire to find such experts. Miss Veli definitely doesn’t want to give up this opportunity—no matter that his background is now untraceable.

The atmosphere in the living room immediately became somewhat gloomy. Both Black Hair and Veli were pondering their own plans, with neither speaking. After a long while, Miss Veli finally smiled softly, breaking the silence.

“I know. The news of Lord Locke’s betrayal is hard for everyone in the empire to accept. But fortunately, he didn’t leave the empire—he just changed masters. And I can understand his actions. To be honest, I never thought he would suffer such a terrible defeat.”
“Defeat?” The black-haired man repeated in confusion, his expression utterly bewildered.
“That’s right, defeat. Lord Locke was tasked with conquering that new creature’s stronghold. He brought three heavy attack ships, but his entire force was wiped out, and he himself was almost captured by the enemy. Such a result is certainly enough to send him to a military court. His defection to the Dark Grand Duke is understandable—otherwise, eternal exile would await him. But!!” Miss Veli’s voice suddenly rose, and a faint blush appeared on her pale face.
“I can’t accept that reason!!”
“You may not know, but Lord Locke is under my second brother’s command. His defection is a great shame to my family. This shame must be washed away with blood. Sir Beck, do you understand what I mean?”
The tension grew as her voice rose. From such close range, the black-haired man could even see the sweat beads on Miss Veli’s forehead. He also stood up, responding with a very serious expression.
“I understand what you mean. Miss Veli, rest assured—I will bring you his head.”
Seeing Black Hair’s response, Blood-Eyed one couldn’t help but smirk inwardly. What a good actor. Weren’t he just driven away by himself and the monkey? Now he wants to kill him again. I wonder how much debt Lord Locke owes from his past life—how can someone be this unlucky?
Clearly satisfied with Black Hair’s reaction, Miss Veli smiled even more joyfully, as if all her worries had vanished. She waved her hand, and the butler immediately appeared beside her.
“Bring me the commission for theescort fleet fleet. Also, inform the airport. Starting today, Sir Beck will represent me in fully overseeing the training and all daily supplies of theescort fleet fleet. Make sure they cooperate.”
“Understood, my respected master.” The butler bowed respectfully and soon brought a delicate crystal box to Miss Veli.
It was a beautiful crystal object. Through its transparent walls, one could clearly see what was inside… a stone slab very similar to the ship contract earlier. It was red, with intricate and exquisite eagle patterns carved on it.

Miss Wei Li pushed it in front of the black-haired man.
“This is a commission letter from theescort fleet fleet. My dear Beck—please allow me to address you that way—starting today, you will be my chief guard. Once you fulfill your promise, I assure you that a door to the military headquarters will be opened just for you. I look forward to seeing you shine in action soon.”
Miss Wei Li spoke with great skill; through her distinctive, soothing voice, even the black-haired man could feel as though such a bright future truly existed. If he were indeed a down-and-out merchant, it was certain that Miss Wei Li would be an excellent master. But now…
He sneered inwardly. Yet on the surface, he pretended to be filled with gratitude. He respectfully took the crystal box with both hands and caressed it affectionately.
“Thank you for your trust, Miss Wei Li. I am willing to give my all for you.”
“You’re welcome. This is what you deserve. In fact, your journey has just begun. If my predictions are correct, the rise of the Beck family is just around the corner.” Miss Wei Li subtly praised the black-haired man. Then, as if casually, she asked, “By the way, you mentioned a Death Contract earlier. I happen to have the finest blood crystal here. Would that work?”
The black-haired man was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and nodded eagerly. “Of course! Thank you so much. I can sign the contract right away.”
Miss Wei Li nodded in satisfaction and waved her hand. The butler beside her immediately understood and disappeared. When he reappeared, he held a fist-sized red crystal in his hand.
The medium for the Death Contract…
Looking at the crystal, the black-haired man felt a surge of excitement. Clearly, Miss Wei Li had put a lot of effort into this.
From his intelligence reports, he knew that the Death Contract was a popular contract form in the Moor Empire, usually used when recruiting loyal subordinates. To sign such a contract, a special blood crystal was needed—both parties’ blood would be poured into it, followed by a series of mysterious and ancient rituals. It was said that this contract was the ideal way to control subordinates. Once betrayed, the contract’s owner only needed to crush the crystal, and the traitorous subordinate would die from a broken heart, no matter how far away they were.
In this technology-driven world, the black-haired man wasn’t afraid of such mysterious things at all. But the universe was so vast—who knew what wonders might exist? Perhaps the Death Contract really did work?
As he pondered, he bit his finger and dropped his blood onto the crystal…