Chapter 781 Repercussions
The news spread like wildfire, and headlines never ceased appearing as more and more survivors reached safe places. Those workers were too scared to give proper interviews, but the reporters still got something from them, mainly Khan"s last warning.
Truth be told, everyone was aware of the repercussions of hurting the n.o.bles. Wealthy families had also engaged in similar activities themselves for similar reasons. However, all those parties were wise enough to act in silence or control the leaked stories.
Instead, Khan had done everything in the open, leaving as many tracks and survivors as possible. He wanted the news to spread. Khan needed the network to know what would happen to anyone who ended up on his bad side. He was acting no differently from other n.o.bles except regarding secrecy.
Also, those powerful organizations would usually rely on soldiers and private guards. Meanwhile, Khan took the issue into his own hands, leaving no scapegoat available in the instance someone complained.
Many questions followed the event. It was clear something had happened in Baoway, but the network craved details. The public wanted to know what could have triggered Khan"s b.l.o.o.d.y and strong reaction. No one expected official answers since the n.o.bles were involved, but everyone turned out to be wrong.
Princess Felicia released an official interview detailing Baoway"s events less than an hour after the s.p.a.ce station"s destruction. She explained a bit about the planet before focusing on the betrayal and how Khan"s actions were nothing more than just retribution.
The interview explained a lot but also raised more questions. n.o.bles could ignore laws, but being so open about that lost Khan his general favor. After all, he didn"t take revenge on a handful of people. He had slaughtered even those remotely connected to the betrayal.
The destruction of the s.p.a.ce station took things one step further. The issue pushed the matter to superior layers, involving organizations that could have businesses connected to such structures. The n.o.bles were nigh-omnipotent, but the lack of secrecy opened the path for ma.s.s criticism.
The ordinary soldiers worried about letting a ma.s.s murderer get away scot-free. Khan didn"t kill out of need. His actions weren"t self-defense. He wasn"t even on a battlefield. He had engaged in criminal actions inside the Global Army"s domain, knowing full well what the regulations were.
Meanwhile, the organizations worried about the financial repercussions of letting Khan roam free. Many markets would take a hit if s.p.a.ce stations could disappear due to Khan"s whims. Too much money was involved for a single man to have such power.
The concerns were so reasonable higher-ups from the Global Army had to step forward and release interviews. Generals of various ranks promised investigations and questioning, hoping to rea.s.sure the ma.s.ses. Yet, nothing could silence the network, and many demanded answers from the source of the matter.
The source of the matter didn"t interact with the network. Khan read it while flying the ship but ignored any calls and messages reaching his phone. He had predicted a similar outcome, and inspecting the new headlines almost made him shake his head.
Khan had been the idol of the ma.s.ses in the past. His political, war-related, and romantic achievements had inspired the public, earning him respect and admiration. He was the ultimate proof that background didn"t matter.
Yet, becoming a Prince turned away many fans. Since the addition of the new t.i.tle, the public has reviewed Khan"s achievements, finding meanings, oddities, and justifications they couldn"t see before.
None of that was true, but changing the public"s mind was impossible. Many connected Khan"s incredible success to his lineage, demeaning his previous achievements. They also saw his relationship with Monica in a different light. Everything would have made more sense if Khan had always had the backing of the n.o.bles, turning rumors into the accepted reality.
Things took a turn for the worse after the s.p.a.ce station"s explosion. Some thought Khan had gone crazy. Others believed Khan had always been mental, and his new t.i.tle had enabled him to act accordingly in the open.
The pressure from the Global Army"s higher-ups even fueled the rumors. No one condemned Khan, but his n.o.ble status could explain those vague interviews. Meanwhile, their existence told the public about a conflict between the army and families.
Khan"s supporters still existed and tried their best to be heard, but their numbers dwindled by the minute. Everything was too perfect to continue believing in Khan. His public figure plummeted, and Princess Felicia"s announcement couldn"t do anything to contain that trend.
Khan limited himself to reading until an awaited call reached his phone. He eyed Gordon while retrieving the device, and the guard left the bridge to give him privacy.
"You are quite merciless, Cousin," Prince William announced from the other side of the phone. "I didn"t expect the slaughter, let alone blowing up the s.p.a.ce station."
"How is the search going?" Khan asked, ignoring the announcement.
"We finished tracking everyone down," Prince William responded. "Give me a name, and I"ll hand you coordinates."
"Who"s the closest from here?" Khan questioned.
"Would you like to hear my warnings first?" Prince William wondered. "The network is already a mess as it is."
"No," Khan shortly replied.
"I guessed as much," Prince William sighed. "The closest is Celeste Pakenwell. I"m sending the coordinates right now."
A notification popped up on the ship"s menus, and Khan promptly opened it. A map appeared, and the vehicle ran calculations. It would take one and a half days to reach the marked destination while flying at full speed.
"What should we tell the network this time?" Prince William asked.
"Nothing has changed," Khan explained. "This is still retribution for Baoway."
"Cousin," Prince William called. "The Global Army might intervene if you keep blowing up s.p.a.ce stations."
"So much for the n.o.bles" power," Khan commented.
"Things would have been different if you followed protocol," Prince William revealed. "Now, we have internal factions and other n.o.ble families annoying us. You are destroying the illusion of peace, and many don"t want that."
Prince William simply explained the situation without admonishing Khan. He acted as an external advisor with no personal goal, but Khan couldn"t listen to him yet.
"Let the army come," Khan eventually said. "Though do warn them beforehand."
"Exciting times are ahead of us," Prince William laughed. "As you wish, Cousin."
Prince William closed the call, and Khan activated the ship"s shields to prepare it for imminent acceleration. He stepped on the pedal, pushing the vehicle to its top speed as the menus traced the best trajectory. His next item on the list was in sight, and he wouldn"t let it get away.
The news running through the network didn"t only affect Khan"s public figure. It also warned the targeted parties about imminent retribution, making them look for ways to avoid it.
Usually, escaping would have been easy. The universe was vast, and the Global Army had plenty of parties willing to oppose Khan, especially after the recent developments.
Khan also lost the surprise effect, putting him one step behind eventual escape plans. Still, the Nognes family handled that issue, and Khan witnessed part of its power once he reached his destination.
Celeste was in another small s.p.a.ce station, which mostly acted as an archive for alien and unknown languages. Due to its purely studying purposes, the place didn"t even have defensive weapons or teleports, but a blockade had still appeared in its surroundings.
Twenty or so ships belonging to the Nognes family encircled the s.p.a.ce station, pointing their huge rifles at it. The vehicles were ready to fire at anything that dared leave the structure"s mana barrier, forcing everyone to remain inside.
Khan didn"t know any of the ships" pilots, but the blockade opened upon his arrival anyway. He brought his ride inside the s.p.a.ce station"s hangar without encountering any problems, and another slaughter unfolded.
Explosions, screams, and more resounded throughout the s.p.a.ce station without ever taking a break. Khan was unstoppable and relentless, deadly and silent. He embodied death and destruction, but even he found room for words once he saw a familiar face.
Celeste was inside a small office, standing before her interactive desk. She seemed to have been waiting for Khan, and seeing his figure walk past the destroyed door put some sadness on her face.
"I didn"t think it would have come to this," Celeste announced, gazing at the destruction past Khan.
Celeste"s words and aura were in line with her behavior on Baoway. She seemed to despise conflict and had often argued against spilling pointless blood. However, she didn"t hesitate to fire at Khan, so her sadness held no weight in his mind.
"Know it wasn"t personal," Celeste explained. "We were put in an impossible situation. Killing you was the lesser of two evils."
"Give me names," Khan said, "And I"ll make them my next targets."
"I won"t, Major," Celeste smiled, shaking her head. "I now think we were right for trying to kill you."
Celeste didn"t look at Khan while saying those words. Her gaze was on the destruction behind him, explaining her reasoning. He was a walking threat, someone the Global Army had to take down to achieve peace.
"You were," Khan confirmed, his arm slashing upward.