Chapter 958: Chapter 517, Is it Adou?

Gu Hang didn’t bother anymore about what would happen at Wanmeng Star.

Just leave it to Martini, a Senior Judge whose status within the Tribunal isn’t low; he’s an important member, and Gu Hang trusted that he could handle it.

It was indeed a test.

If one has ambitions, they naturally need abilities that match.

Collaboration? Of course. Supporting a tribunal faction that listens to him was something Gu Hang was very interested in, whether it was the Flash Judgement Court or a new one Martini might establish, it would be beneficial.

For many forces, the Tribunal is a legitimate white glove that can handle many matters.

However, supporting is one thing; Gu Hang didn’t want to support a useless figure. This time, letting him fully mobilize resources to handle a matter, to see its quality, whether it was worth supporting.

In the end, Martini’s performance… didn’t quite satisfy Gu Hang.

The situation wasn’t resolved satisfactorily.

As the capital of Cosmos Domain, Wanmeng Star might not have core high-level industries, but its population of thirty billion combined with decent productivity made this world rank high within the Menghe Star Domain.

A considerable portion of the Menghe Star Domain’s main forces–half of the Menghe Fleet and most of the mobile Star Realm Army–were stationed at Wanmeng Star and nearby star sectors.

When Martini went to Wanmeng Star with Zhai Guangshan, trying to force the leaderless locals to surrender and follow arrangements, major issues arose.

Upon Martini’s arrival, Wanmeng Star and a few surrounding star sectors raised their banner in rebellion.

Simultaneously, something happened in the northern parts of the Star Domain: Iron Armor made its move.

From the Qunlu Star Domain neighboring the Menghe Star Domain, a fleet suddenly moved south.

This triggered a response.

Hearing this news, Gu Hang wasn’t too surprised.

It was almost within his expectations.

After Zhai Guangshan was arrested, he, discouraged, also divulged much information.

His actions against the Alliance, Gu Hang, and even against the will of the Cosmos Domain and Central Empire, weren’t merely due to considering the independence and interests of the Star Domain Government.

He, alongside Humphrey Paolo from the north, genuinely had in-depth communication and exchanges.

Though not explicitly choosing sides, upon Gu Hang’s deepening involvement in Menghe, he felt profoundly uneasy.

Return to the embrace of the Empire?

With many traces left previously and even multiple public contacts with Tie Nu Shi, could these become future evidence of guilt?

The conditions offered by the Empire, or the Alliance, were they as attractive as Tie Nu Shi’s?

Far from it.

Iron Armor, however, promised significant benefits, and facing the Alliance’s arrogant demeanor, aspiring to rule Menghe on its own, he naturally chose Iron Armor.

But many things were not yet ready; this time he didn’t bring a large force to Gelangya, in addition to trying to regain the Shipbuilding Group, another more covert but significant purpose was to paralyze Gu Hang, drag the Alliance’s actions, and buy time through communication and interaction.

He, of course, knew this was a very risky move, but the recent case where Humphrey Paolo persuaded Admiral Melandri to defect, and the example of persuading the Shipbuilding Group to come alone, inspired Zhai Guangshan.

If someone else could accomplish this with just one person and a speech, even if he might not, he wasn’t looking to persuade the Alliance under his banner. He only aimed to achieve paralysis and delay, which was much simpler.

And the risk was relatively controllable.

As an officially recognized Star Domain Head by the Empire, a high-level official, without explicit evidence, the Alliance presumably wouldn’t directly act against him, right?

That would be utterly shameless and excessively so!

He even had his act all planned out.

Unfortunately, Gu Hang didn’t give him any space to perform; summarily clearing out his guards, then taking him down as well.

Seeking to save his own life, he showed a willingness to cooperate, to help the Alliance control the powers of Wanmeng Star and surrounding star sectors.

Martini was quite hopeful about this, even optimistic.

But Gu Hang was not so optimistic.

Within the Menghe Star Domain Government, between the Empire and Tie Nu Shi, was Zhai Guangshan the only one who chose Tie Nu Shi?

Gu Hang didn’t think so.

It was very likely that a wide range of interest groups, the ruling class, had already made up their minds.

Aware that Zhai Guangshan had been captured and even brought by a Senior Judge to persuade them to surrender, these interest groups didn’t care about Zhai Guangshan’s fate at all. They directly executed the continuously hesitant Chief Legal Administrator and Chief Tax Administrator who disagreed with fully leaning towards Tie Nu Shi, then positioned the Chief Administrator as the leader, declaring the actions of the Alliance in the Menghe Star Domain illegal, and that the Alliance’s military coercion of Zhai Guangshan was also illegal. They immediately claimed the Alliance as traitors and proclaimed they had obtained the support of the Iron Armor Battle Group.

They also replicated the declarations of Iron Armor Battle Group, claiming Iron Armor as the true loyalists of the Empire.

This was an explicit raising of the banner of rebellion.

Meanwhile, the rebel army moving south from the Qunlu Star Domain into Northern Menghe was also responding to their actions.