System: [Whoa?!]
System: [Teacher! Look at the Hatred Points!]
Nero was closely monitoring the conflict in the Charon Star System and took a moment to glance at the System.
Only then did he notice that Heidrich’s Hatred Points had skyrocketed to the maximum.
System: [Heidrich’s Hatred Points: 100/90. Mission target achieved. Reward points: 100!]
Nero chuckled and turned back to the screen: [Not bad. Looks like the bug you mentioned does indeed exist.]
He casually tapped the panel, directly adding the reward points to his leg health.
System: [Leg health updated: -19800/100]
System: [No, what I’m more curious about is, what did you do to the Marshal? You pushed the kid to the max…]
On the other side of the screen, the fleet had already begun to form ranks and exit the ship. Nero had no time to deal with the System and briefly replied: [I sent him to reclaim the Charon Star System.]
System: [That’s it? It shouldn’t be. The Marshal loves war in the main plot, he should be happy you sent him to fight.]
Nero thought for a moment, but without an answer, he could only guess: [Because he’s sick?]
System: […]
***
In January of Imperial Year 909, the Charon Star System declared independence, burned the Rose Banner, and announced its separation from the Galactic Empire, establishing the “Charon Empire.”
On the same day, Winter Spring Star System’s Commander, Hermann Heidrich, gathered his forces and launched a beachhead assault from the western side of the star system.
The Imperial forces and the rebels engaged in fierce battles in the K891 planetary domain, aiming to quickly capture it with overwhelming firepower.
The Lord of Charon Star System was well aware of Heidrich’s prowess.
He smashed the star map projector into the garrison commander’s face, shouting vehemently:
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Gfofcv! Gfofcv ab atf vfjat! Zbnf jii obgmfr ab atf kfrafgc ilcf! Qf tjnf obbv jcv wlcfgjir, atf ibcufg kf tbiv bea, atf yfaafg obg er!”
Ktf Jtjgbc Vajg Vsrafw kjr reggbecvfv ys jc jrafgblv yfia; jcs rajgrtlq nfcaeglcu lcab atf jrafgblv mierafg kbeiv yf jxlc ab gecclcu jugbecv jcv mbwwlaalcu relmlvf.
Thus, in the early stages of the conflict, the Imperial expeditionary forces, unable to use warp jumps through the fortresses, had to painstakingly advance under heavy fire, clearing asteroids and paving the way for the main fleet.
Meanwhile, the rebels, using the continuous supply of food and minerals and the asteroid belt for cover, mounted a strong defense and counterattack, gaining significant advantages.
The Lord of Charon Star System, moving from initial panic to growing complacency, even began celebrating with champagne in his fortress:
“Heidrich is nothing special—To the great Charon Empire! May the Charon Empire free itself from the tyrannical yoke of the Galactic Empire and stand tall for millennia!”
A mid-ranking noble flattered him, saying: “Count, your call to resist the Emperor has spread across the entire northern sector of the Empire. If we win this battle, other lords who have long resented the despicable tyrant will rise in rebellion too!
“By then, we will have allies throughout the northern sector. Not only Heidrich, but even if the tyrant Nero himself comes, we can kill him under the beam cannons and broadcast his death across the galaxy!”
The nobles raised their glasses: “To the Charon Empire!”
With a thunderous crash, darkness fell.
The Lord of Charon Star System crawled up from the shards of broken wine glasses, looking up in a daze.
—A massive Imperial mecha stood amidst the ruins of the fortress.
Its sharp mechanical claw still grasped the recently torn-off turret.
The mecha scanned the wrecked interior of the fortress with its spotlight eyes before lifting its head to report through the communicator:
“Commander, we have found the Lord of Charon Star System.”
“Yes, he is alive.”
After a brief silence, the Imperial mecha leaned down and grabbed the struggling Lord of Charon Star System.
As it activated its flight engines and lifted off from the ruins, the Lord of Charon Star System saw through his blood-stained vision the sky above—
The overwhelming, sky-covering Imperial fleet.
“…No, no way…! You should still be at the western battlefield… Impossible…!!”
His desperate cries were lost to the wind.
The capturing Imperial mech transformed mid-air into an assault ship and joined the massive black tide.
***
The Charon Empire, established in a day, was obliterated at light speed, becoming one of the shortest-lived empires in Galactic history.
The Walker Family, which had ruled the Charon Star System for a century, was escorted back to the Capital by the Imperial forces, their wealth confiscated and the territory claimed by the Emperor.
With the Charon Star System temporarily without a government, Winter Spring Commander Heidrich, following the Emperor’s decree, maintained a heavy guard in the Charon Star System, continuing to purge the rebel forces.
As nobles across the Empire speculated anxiously about who the Emperor would appoint as the new Lord of Charon Star System…
Five days after the Charon Campaign ended, a group from the Capital, calling themselves the “Star Province Committee” and carrying the Emperor’s decree, arrived at the Charon Fortress.
When Heidrich handed over the fortress to them, he calculated the time.
Considering the six-day journey from the Capital to the northern frontier, Nero had already dispatched this group while ordering him to reclaim Charon, before the outcome was even decided.
The committee members sent by the Emperor were not the obese, sycophantic high-ranking nobles one might expect.
Instead, they were a group of enthusiastic young people who, upon arriving at the Charon Fortress, exclaimed “Oh—”, “Wow—”, and “Ah—” non-stop.
The adjutant saw the brand-new Silver Rose medals on their chests and wanted to take one for a closer look, but a young committee member slapped his hand away.
“What are you doing! This is specially awarded by the Emperor!” he exclaimed loudly, clutching the medal, “If you have the guts, go earn one yourself!”
Most of these committee members were top students from the Imperial Military Academy, the Science Bureau, and the Advanced Starship Construction Academy, and many of them didn’t even have noble titles.
After conducting meticulous field research in the Charon Star System, they compiled and sent their data continuously back to the Emperor in the Capital.
Within a single day-night cycle, new decrees were issued from the Capital.
In the 900-year history of the Empire, territorial taxation had always been a crude per capita tax.
Noble lords periodically submitted taxes and tributes to the Capital, while the remaining taxes were kept by the highly autonomous nobles.
Conscientious nobles would use this money to develop their star systems, but if the ruling nobles were tyrannical, the common people in their territories would become tax-burdened cattle.
The Charon Star System wasn’t a relatively wealthy commercial system; over eighty percent of its output consisted of food, the iron ore used for starship hulls, and energy crystals for warp engines.
Nero reviewed all the materials submitted by the committee and compared the resource output and population consumption of the Charon star system over the past fifty years, finally drafting a tailored taxation plan for Charon.
The per capita tax was greatly reduced, replaced by an annual contribution of thirty percent of the star system’s iron ore, fifty percent of its energy crystals, and twenty percent of its food production to the Empire.
The tax rates would undergo significant adjustments every six years based on the star system’s orbital cycles and tidal patterns to prevent excessive burden on farmers during poor harvests.
When the Star Province Committee explained the new taxation policy to the war-torn, ragged populace, they sat blankly below the stage, unsure if they understood.
It wasn’t until the committee ended with “This is the sacred will of the Emperor” that the people seemed triggered, their emotions surging.
“Emperor? What Emperor! Bah! Another high and mighty tyrant! Scum! The accomplice of the wolf Rupert!”
“When the Star Pirates invaded, it was him who ordered the Lord to abandon us! My entire family was killed by Star Pirates!”
“Get out, you imperial lackeys! Go back to your noble Capital! Tell your Emperor, he can hang me for all I care, I have nothing left! Get out!”
The Star Province Committee members, their heads doubling in size from the chaos, tried to softly explain from the stage, but no one was listening.
It wasn’t until the soldiers guarding the meeting stepped forward in unison, their blaster guns clicking as they loaded, that the rioting crowd instantly sat down in silence.
“Huh!” A Charon farmer exclaimed, “How come my account has over ten thousand credits this month? Isn’t it usually one thousand two hundred and twenty?”
“That’s your actual salary now.”
The committee quickly explained, “The Emperor has redefined the tax standards for the Charon Star System. With resources used to pay taxes, after deducting the current system’s income tax, all remaining credits are yours.”
The crowd all lowered their heads—hurriedly checking their own credit balances.
Someone weakly continued to shout, “Go back to the Capital~~~~”
But this time, no one responded.
The venue was left with only a few awkward coughs.
Hahaha rendered speechless!! 😭
Hahaha
Yea go back to the fucking capital and take back your money, it’s not like we need it 😑😑😑
This is why government likes to maintain their poor and stupid populace lol.