The farce had finally come to an end.
However, Aurek did not show the slightest sign of relief on his face.
He knew all too well that the internal affairs of the empire were merely small matters in the grand scheme of things. What could truly affect the Crossbridge Empire would be the events that followed.
For example, the attitude exhibited by the Ordon Theocracy was particularly intriguing.
After clearing out Grand Marshal Jacoff and Minister of Police Troy, what stance would the Ordon Theocracy take?
In fact, if not for considering the Ordon Theocracy’s position, Aurek would have already ordered the Elemental Assassins to eliminate all these traitorous ministers.
But reality was a different story. Every action triggered a chain of consequences. Even though Aurek had the strength to act, he did not dare to take direct action.
After all, many of the great lords within the Crossbridge Empire had some form of connection to these individuals.
Factions like the Killer Guild and Leap Mercenary Corps, in front of the true titans, were virtually insignificant.
There were even deeper, hidden forces in the Crossbridge Empire, some of which Ordon Theocracy would never dare to provoke.
It was because of these factions that the common people of the Crossbridge Empire were struggling to maintain their lives.
Having dealt with internal affairs, Aurek now had to face these threats.
At this point, the farce was nearing its end.
The members of the Royalist Party, led by William and Senator Heimerdinger, were wearing expressions of relief.
Tonight’s battle was finally coming to a close.
They had never expected that the Emperor was hiding such deep reserves.
Everyone had been effortlessly manipulated by him. Even Troy and Jacoff, looking back, were merely pawns in Aurek’s plan.
After this realization, the members of the Royalist Party looked at Aurek with a newfound sense of awe.
"Alright, clean up, and go rest."
Aurek gave the order, then rose and returned to his residence.
However, he didn’t choose to sleep. Instead, he stood by the window, gazing towards the direction of the church.
What will Ordon Theocracy’s response be?
...
This night was destined to be restless.
The sounds of slaughter and screams echoed through the streets and alleys of the imperial city.
The most terrified were still the ordinary civilians in the city.
They had worked hard to accumulate their savings, fearful of being robbed by the soldiers and bandits.
But today’s chaos had clearly surpassed their expectations.
To their surprise, the soldiers didn’t come to steal their wealth!
This was absolutely unbelievable!
Still, for safety’s sake, most civilians stayed obediently at home.
Before long, the first light of dawn appeared in the east.
However, the bodies in the city, due to their sheer numbers, had not been fully gathered.
Massive piles of bodies were strewn everywhere, almost forming small mountains.
This horrific sight struck a strong visual blow to anyone who looked upon it.
At that moment, Commander Gaia, looking exhausted, walked toward Aurek’s residence.
Yet, there was a look of excitement in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, all the rebels have been properly dealt with."
"Only Jacoff and Troy remain imprisoned in the dungeon. Would Your Majesty like to personally interrogate them?"
"Bring them up."
Upon Aurek’s command, Jacoff and Troy were soon brought forward, along with the prisoners from the Killer Guild and Leap Mercenary Corps.
Aurek, holding his scepter, looked down at them.
His cold gaze instilled a deep sense of fear in the hearts of those who were before him.
"Your Majesty, please spare me! I am willing to pay any price!"
"Your Majesty, according to the rules, the Killer Guild will pay a ransom. Please send a messenger to Killer Guild."
"We, the Leap Mercenary Corps, are willing to pay double the ransom!"
Clearly, these individuals did not believe that Aurek would actually kill them.
In their subconscious minds, even as captives, they only needed to pay a ransom.
Aurek sneered, his gaze shifting toward William, who stood nearby.
"Betrayal of the empire is a grave crime that I cannot accept. All participants will be executed by hanging."
"The families of the masterminds will be eradicated!"
Upon hearing Aurek’s command, Jacoff and the others turned pale in an instant.
"Your Majesty, please show mercy!"
"Please, Your Majesty, we just made a mistake that anyone could make."
"Aurek, according to the rules, we will pay the ransom! Why do you want to kill us?"
"Aren’t you afraid of offending the Killer Guild and the Leap Mercenary Corps?"
"..."
Faced with their pleas and accusations, Aurek remained indifferent.
Meanwhile, William’s face revealed a trace of hesitation.
The number of officials involved in the rebellion was vast. It almost encompassed the entire faction of the Grand Marshal and the Minister of Police.
If Aurek killed them all, wouldn’t that be too cruel? Would it not cause panic among the populace?
Just as William hesitated, he suddenly felt the weight of Aurek’s cold gaze.
William’s body trembled slightly.
"Understood, Your Majesty. I will do it now."
Aurek nodded, then looked to Senator Heimerdinger.
"Now, in the name of the King of our country, issue a bounty on the Leap Mercenary Corps and Killer Guild! As long as they remain intact, the bounty will remain open indefinitely!"
"Heimerdinger, you will handle this personally!"
Heimerdinger hadn’t expected Aurek to go so far as to go to war with these two colossal powers.
He wanted to persuade Aurek, but found himself unable to speak.
After all, these two factions had sought Aurek’s death.
Aurek’s revenge on them was clearly not just a fleeting whim.
After a brief hesitation, Senator Heimerdinger accepted the command.
"Understood, Your Majesty!"
...
On the other side, the members of the Killer Guild and Leap Mercenary Corps had faces drained of color.
"Aurek, aren’t you afraid of offending the forces behind us?"
"Your Crossbridge Empire is already on the verge of collapse! Yet you choose to make more enemies? Are you trying to destroy your own country?"
"Let us go, and I swear we will never be your enemies again!"
Yet, whether it was pleading or threatening, Aurek’s expression remained calm.
It was as if he didn’t care about their threats at all.
"Take them away and hang them. Let the common folk see, and let those greedy forces see what happens when they attempt to assassinate me!"
At Aurek’s command, Commander Gaia immediately led the soldiers to the gallows.
At this moment, a crowd had already gathered around the site.