Chapter 1080: 589, I Want to Impeach

Chapter 1080: Chapter 589, I Want to Impeach

The news brought by Galaraldo plunged the entire council chamber into silence.

The high-ranking lords remained silent.

They were all deep in thought.

The collapse of the Western front and the disappearance of the Phoenix along with Battle Group Leader Su Lie was undoubtedly a massive shock. However, the High Lords quickly recovered from their initial astonishment.

What they needed to contemplate now was what the Empire should do next.

The impact of the Western front’s collapse was immense.

It was the primary battlefield among the three fronts. Before Galaraldo arrived to report on the Western front’s situation, the meeting had been discussing how to break through the three fronts and focus the attack on Ironclad.

Well, there’s no need to discuss that anymore.

The primary assault force is gone!

Now, the real question is: what should be done after the Phoenix is gone and the Western front has collapsed?

The extent of Ironclad’s losses is unknown at this point, and current assessments suggest they are considerable. However, without more concrete data, it’s impossible to ascertain whether Ironclad still retains offensive capabilities.

Preparing for the worst, assuming Ironclad still has the ability to launch attacks, the Western front’s collapse will lead to a dire situation.

If Ironclad pushes further westward, the entire Magrey Cosmic Domain will be left completely exposed. If they shift their focus north or south—heading south might be a slightly better scenario, as the Alliance may have a chance at repelling the enemy. However, if they head north to merge with the Void Insect Species, Marshal Leroux won’t be able to hold them and will have no choice but to retreat.

Previously, people didn’t take this possibility too seriously. Could the Void Insect Species, known for being poor candidates for negotiation, really merge forces that easily?

But snippets of information from the Western front’s collapse have sparked speculation among the council, even though none dare to openly state it.

Could it be that Ironclad has aligned itself with the Insect Race?

The idea seems preposterous. What benefit could possibly come from siding with the Insect Race? The Insect Race and Chaos Traitors aren’t the same. Those who pledge allegiance to Chaos may become warped and corrupted, but they might find joy in their transformation, gaining power and even ascending to higher positions. The Empire’s sealed archives contain records of interstellar warriors and mortals rising to the status of Demon Leaders. Researchers term this phenomenon “Demonic Ascension,” where once-great human heroes fall and transform into “Demon Princes.”

From this perspective, pledging allegiance to Chaos, though depraved and grotesque, at least offers “room for advancement.”

As for the Insect Race? What “room for advancement” could they offer? The Insect Race merely devours everything!

Pledging allegiance to them would only lead to being consumed, wouldn’t it?

Who would willingly do that? …Wait, actually—

In this world, things like that do exist.

Corrupted individuals by the Insect Race are often the result of drifting insect larvae parasitizing mortals, creating new species. These individuals tend to hide within human society, taking forms like religious cults or underground gangs entrenched in the lower Nest Capitals and slums. They spread their “infection” everywhere, whether through physical parasitism by insect larvae or through ideological manipulation, gradually growing until they are capable of overthrowing governments—or at least sparking major unrest.

When their activities on a planet grow increasingly rampant, one day, an unstoppable army of the Insect Race will descend upon that world and devour it entirely.

From this perspective, Ironclad appears to fit this pattern.

Yet many mysteries remain unsolved.

Past records don’t mention interstellar warriors being infected.

If Ironclad’s ruling class is truly infected, wouldn’t these ravenous creatures—governed purely by their primal instinct to consume—be unable to resist gorging themselves?

Currently, they are essentially in control of an entire Cosmos Domain!

After some contemplation, people couldn’t help but speak up.

They must pay greater attention to the developments in the eastern territories.

Some proposed it was time to form an Expeditionary Force departing from the Sun Zhou Domain, utilizing the Empire’s core might to suppress the rebellion before it worsens further; others suggested that the Tribunal and Assassin Court needed to get to work—not necessarily to assassinate Humphrey Paolo, but at the very least to gather intelligence and uncover what truly transpired in the Princess Star Domain.

During the discussion, someone noticed that Galaraldo remained present.

Minister of Justice Ou Juren spoke curtly, “Please have Prime Minister Galaraldo leave; the Supreme Council session must continue.”

His tone was lofty, even tinged with a hint of disdain.

They had once been allies, part of the same political faction. Ou Juren had even been Galaraldo’s superior during the latter’s early days, when Galaraldo fled to Holy Terra and “sold out” his old colleagues within the Apostle of War faction—Ou Juren had been the one who received him.

It was Ou Juren who had brought him into his faction, helped him establish his footing, and allowed him to grow his wings.

But once the wings were sturdy enough, they were bound to fly away.

Could Galaraldo ever settle for mediocrity?

Clearly not.

Especially since he had a “close brother” stationed on the Southern Front.

When the Alliance initially refrained from entering the war, it was Galaraldo who shielded Gu Hang from pressure in Holy Terra. For this, he often argued with Ou Juren.

At first, these were mere attempts to deflect and stall. But when stalling was no longer possible, heated disputes erupted, sparking an increasingly apparent split within their faction.

Galaraldo was no slacker. To Ou Juren’s surprise—who had always assumed he wielded final control over his subordinates—many chose to side with Galaraldo after the fallout.

A Prime Minister of Military Affairs, even without a Supreme Council seat, remains one of the top officials in the Central Empire and has the clout to gather a cohort of marginalized and overlooked members within his political faction and unite them.

Ou Juren had initially believed that, after Galaraldo’s “betrayal,” he could easily oust him from his position as Prime Minister of Military Affairs.

After all, in his view, Galaraldo’s rise had been entirely dependent on him. Surely, he could just as easily bring him down.

Yet, with the Alliance launching proactive offensives and achieving stunning victories in the Proudclaw Cosmos Domain, Ou Juren soon realized that Galaraldo would not be easy to deal with.

In the Supreme Council, Ou Juren’s attacks on Galaraldo unexpectedly drew criticism from Prime Minister Qi Bodu.

This jolted Ou Juren into understanding that he could not remove Galaraldo.

On one hand, battlefield victories under Gu Hang’s command bolstered Galaraldo’s prestige as Prime Minister of Military Affairs; on the other hand, he was now clinging to the Prime Minister’s favor—a connection far stronger and more influential than Ou Juren himself.

Their relationship had officially soured.

Thus it was only natural for Ou Juren, laced with contempt, to demand Galaraldo’s departure now.

Moreover, Ou Juren wasn’t entirely wrong.

Galaraldo did lack the authority to participate in Supreme Council deliberations.

But Galaraldo remained unfazed, smiling as he met Ou Juren’s gaze.

As expected, someone spoke up.

“Let the Prime Minister of Military Affairs stay. The final results of our discussion will need to be communicated to him for execution, so there’s no need for unnecessary repetition.”

“Thank you for your generosity, Prime Minister.” Before Ou Juren could respond, Galaraldo bowed slightly and expressed his gratitude.

Then, lifting his head, he smiled and spoke, “Incidentally, I do have one matter I wish to raise in this assembly.”

“I intend to impeach Minister of Justice Ou Juren. I possess evidence of Minister Ou Juren’s misconduct and corruption, and I solemnly accuse him of being responsible for the collapse of the Western front!”