Chapter 41: Imperial Stars – Section 5

The competition finally came to an end after one and a half months. The final results shocked everyone.
Ordinary matches were one thing, but no one expected that the winner of the competition’s most crucial final round would be contestant No. 336, who had been severely damaged from the very beginning!!
Although the event was over and the audience began to disperse, no one could forget the stunning comeback in the final moments of the final round. When only one Imperial battleship remained for each side, those four mysterious stealth warships, which usually went unnoticed, launched attacks that left everyone stunned.
Each of those four stealth warships seemed weak. Under normal circumstances, no one would even pay them attention. In any commander’s mind, such ships were meant to be used as fodder. But at that moment, their combat power was enough to catch even the best commanders off guard.
It was because their appearance was so unexpected—like four ghosts lurking nearby. Right under everyone’s eyes, those four stealth warships appeared right next to the sole remaining Imperial battleship of the four-person alliance, at a distance of less than five kilometers. Through the portholes, one could even see the movement of the enemy’s gun turrets.
At this point, the four-person alliance was naturally horrified.
That newly appeared Imperial battleship was their last trump card. They never imagined that Hei Fa still had a hidden asset. Or rather, subconsciously, they had already ruled out ships like stealth warships due to their low combat power. How could they not be shocked upon seeing them now?
Indeed, just four stealth warships—under normal circumstances, they might not even be enough to withstand a single salvo from a battleship. But now it was completely different. With only one battleship left for each side, those four stealth warships suddenly became the heaviest weights on the scale!!
As heavy weights, they had to demonstrate their immense value. So, five minutes later, the four-person alliance lost. Their only Imperial battleship, their flagship, lost all its advantages under the assault of the four stealth warships. Eventually, it was hit in the engine by the enemy’s battleship, turning into an iron coffin in space.
The greatest event of the Moore Empire—the final round—should now come to an end.

Seeing this, some might ask what became of the three contestants who temporarily allied with Black Hair. Since Black Hair took control of the situation, did they also get a chance at survival? As the bravest contestants in this battle, would they receive a good ending? Perhaps every audience member prefers such a perfect ending. Unfortunately, in this world, cruelty is often all that truly exists. The three temporary allies and the sole remaining imperial warship ultimately couldn’t withstand the opponent’s counterattack. In the final barrage of artillery fire, they turned into blazing balls of fire. The massive size of the imperial warship made it resemble a small sun, shining brightly in the dark universe. That moment of brilliance left almost every audience member in awe. Although they knew that with the preparations for the Imperial Competition, the lives of these three brave commanders could have been saved, it didn’t lessen their regret. The final, heroic battles of these three commanders were deeply etched in the hearts of all the audience members. Yet no one knew that, among the deadly artillery fire, aside from the main cannons of the four-person alliance, there were also several faint green beams hidden. These beams were so subtle and the imperial observation posts were so far away that they went unnoticed. But if anyone had spotted them, even the bravest warriors would have felt a chill in their hearts. “Sting.” That was the name of these beams, and they were the most powerful weapons in the imperial stealth warships’ arsenal, second only to the warships’ main cannons. Their most notable feature wasn’t lethality but penetration. It was said that even the toughest front armor of imperial warships would inevitably develop small holes after being hit by multiple Sting beams. Of course, given the size of the imperial warships, such small holes were hardly a threat. But in the case of being under concentrated fire, it was a different story. In fact, aside from Black Hair and his adjutant 57, no one knew that the real reason for the downfall of those three brave commanders was precisely these tiny Sting beams. Among the warships present, only one type could fire Sting beams: Black Hair’s four stealth warships. Sting disrupted the defensive balance of the imperial warships, allowing the opponent to deliver the final blow. Black Hair’s tactic of using others to kill was flawless. Thus, even after the competition ended and the audience left, satisfied and thrilled, no one realized this.

At this moment, all they could think of was the ultimate miraculous winner, contestant number 336. And those three warriors who were hastily assembled but fought bravely to the end. What an exciting and thrilling final battle. In the Barbarian Star Region, as the last event of the tournament came to an end, some spectators had already left. Yet many remained, for everyone knew that the end of the competition was just part of it. As a century-long celebration of the empire, the heroes who stood out in the battles would surely receive their rewards. It was said that this edition was even more so, as the emperor himself would appear to award prizes to the finest warriors. To be honored personally by the emperor was a tremendous honor. Given the vast territories of the empire, the emperor had long avoided making inspections, especially in the outer regions, where no trace of him had been seen for a thousand years. But now, the holding of this competition had caught the emperor’s attention, bringing joy to all its subjects. So, all spectators without urgent matters stayed behind, waiting for the award ceremony five days later. Of course, these precious five days were also a time for the contestants to rest. After all, the final rounds of the imperial tournament were extremely cruel and merciless. Even the most resilient commanders would likely be worn out after going through them. The lack of rules meant they remained in a state of high mental stress for long periods. To say no one got hurt would be a lie. The reason why such severe injuries occurred in every tournament was the cruelty of the battles and the mental toll they took on the participants. It was unusual not to see seven or eight madmen and hundreds or even thousands of dead in each tournament. This one would be no exception. After the final rounds, rough estimates showed that at least fifteen contestants had gone mad due to the intense pressure of war, while thirty more had lost all courage because of the brutality of the battles, turning from proud commanders into insecure commoners. But none of this had anything to do with Black Hair. By now, he had returned to his warship, lying in the hot spring bath prepared especially for him, sipping sweet red wine and closing his eyes to rest. Next to him, Monkey was also enjoying the bath, occasionally letting out soft groans. Frowning, Black Hair drained the last bit of wine from his cup and then opened his eyes. “Can’t you be quiet? Monkey, do you realize your noises are disgusting?”

“I can take it as a compliment from you, Head.” The monkey replied defiantly, though he stopped his agonized groaning.
“Who asked you not to take me to the competition this time? And there was that adjutant, Number 57, with you. I wondered—could he do better than me?”
He lowered his head heavily; his black hair seemed defeated by the monkey’s stubbornness.
“I’ve said it many times. It’s not about whether I’ll take you or not. That adjutant was arranged by the conference—what can I do? Besides, this warship is our lifeline. Without someone I trust, I’m not at ease. If I go to the competition, who will stay behind?”
“That’s an excuse, but I don’t like it.” The monkey chuckled. “You know what I mean.”
“Nonsense. I know all about your schemes.” Black Hair gave him a disdainful look. “But if we include you too, once you use your mech, the enemy will know our identities. And to be blunt, in terms of combat, you’re indeed a good helper to me, but when it comes to fleet command, that adjutant, Number 57, is far better than you. There’s no need for you to be dissatisfied.”
“That Moor officer?” The monkey was surprised. Black Hair had told him everything since returning, and he was naturally impressed by that obedient and efficient adjutant. Hearing Black Hair mention him again, he grew curious once more.
“Mm. He’s an excellent adjutant. Through him, I see why the Moor Empire is so powerful.” Black Hair nodded. “But sadly, we can only be enemies. Moreover, the conference can block every contestant’s video information. So until now, I still don’t know his true identity.”
“What good would it do to know? You can’t use him anyway.” The monkey shook his head dismissively and continued soaking in the pool. “Unless you have another plan.”
“I don’t.” Black Hair sighed softly. “I’m just uneasy about such a potential enemy. If possible, I’d like to erase his traces as well.”
“Kill him?” The monkey laughed heartily, looking extremely pleased. “As expected, it’s still the old Head—I ruthless, destroying anything I can’t get.”
“Heh, you flatter me.” Black Hair smiled too, then seemed to suddenly remember something. “By the way, while I was away, have you achieved anything?”
“Of course.” Hearing Black Hair bring this up suddenly, the monkey became serious, lowering his voice.

“I know Grand Duke Ziyan’s plan. They intend to kill the Emperor of the Empire, in five days from now, right on the award stage!”
“What!?” The black-haired man was shocked!!