Even though Clarence’s departure from Spartacus had been disgraceful, as its former leader and founder, it was still easy for him to contact people within the organization and have them arrange a meeting with Tang Jianshen.
Of course, he could have used personal connections. Even though he and Tang Jianshen had long since lost contact, he could always re-establish a line of communication through their upper-class circles. He chose to go through Spartacus for two reasons: first, for secrecy, and second, because the matter he needed to discuss with Tang Jianshen was intimately related to Spartacus.
Walking through the Spartacus headquarters, Clarence habitually headed for the elevator he used to use.
But the elevator doors didn’t open as they once had. Clarence paused awkwardly in front of them, only then remembering that he no longer had high-level internal access.
However, this wasn’t a difficult problem to solve. The omega following behind him quickly swiped his own access on the terminal by the elevator.
Clarence ultimately entered the elevator, feeling no discomfort during the process.
Even as he walked through the lobby, the gazes of his former partners and subordinates were not entirely filled with disgust. There was confusion, pity, and sadness—and, of course, resentment.
But it wasn’t entirely negative.
Clarence couldn’t help but think that this was probably why so many people, himself included, were so determined to climb to the top: those who have held power will always be taken seriously, and there will always be people willing to spend a little more time trying to see things from their perspective.
Compared to Yun Chuji’s method of achieving peace through tolerance and self-restraint, and earning respect through contribution and sacrifice, he had to admit that power was the truly permanent solution.
Mulling over these thoughts, Clarence, his legs clad in military trousers, strode into the meeting room where he was scheduled to meet Tang Jianshen.
Clarence quietly thanked the omega who had led him there and was likely also tasked with monitoring him. The omega seemed a bit flattered but maintained a respectful yet dignified demeanor in his reply.
Tsk, very much Tang Jianshen’s style.
Pushing the door open, he saw the man who had brought new life to Spartacus sitting leisurely on the sofa. It had been three years, and he no longer seemed to be the man who desperately filled every spare moment with work.
He looked much more at ease.
Clarence lowered his eyes and sat down across from Tang Jianshen without a word, greeting him, “Long time no see.”
Tang Jianshen looked at the completely transformed omega before him with some surprise. He had heard bits and pieces on the Imperial Capital Star about the prince’s various acts of humility and daring in the military. Sometimes he thought it must be a different person, or that Clarence’s skill at disguise had reached a new level. But seeing him face-to-face, Tang Jianshen was certain that while the rumors might be exaggerated, they weren’t entirely baseless.
It made sense. Back then, he had practically abandoned everything he had built on the Imperial Capital Star in exchange for a chance to join the military. He could have taken an easier path by marrying into the Song family, but in the end, he made a choice that surprised everyone. He proved to them all that, as the founder of Spartacus, he might stray from his path for power, but he would never sacrifice his true freedom for it.
“Long time no see,” Tang Jianshen replied.
“You’ve changed a lot.” Clarence picked up the coffee in front of him, pushed aside the sugar, and drank the single-origin brew that was far too stimulating for an omega’s sensitive palate. He then set the cup down and made a half-circle gesture with his right hand in the air. “You’re not as tense as you used to be.”
Tang Jianshen’s expression was neutral, but his words carried a touch of warmth—at least, compared to Clarence’s attitude three years ago. “You, on the other hand, seem much more tense than before. It seems the military is indeed exhausting.”
“But it’s a worthwhile exhaustion, isn’t it?” Clarence smiled. “But I didn’t seek you out today to reminisce. I imagine if that were the case, you probably wouldn’t have agreed to meet me.”
Tang Jianshen didn’t comment on that. One of the values of a tacit understanding was avoiding awkwardness. Since they both agreed on this point, there was no need to delve into something they both knew would be uncomfortable. “So, Your Highness, what can I do for you?”
“Can you help me contact Marshal Chu?” Clarence made a rather absurd request.
Tang Jianshen’s eyes widened as he glanced at the conspicuous military uniform Clarence wore. “Given your status, you probably don’t need to go through me to contact my grandmother, do you?”
Clarence took another sip of coffee, the deep bitterness stimulating nerves that hadn’t rested in nearly thirty hours. “The situation is urgent. I can’t waste time on pointless communication and probing.”
“But, Your Highness, why would you think I still have enough trust in you to help you with these connections?” Tang Jianshen stared intently at Clarence, trying to find any evidence of a scheme. He found none. At the same time, the man’s face seemed more sincere than at any other time in the past.
“Yesterday was Her Majesty’s birthday. Lucia gave her a model of a starship, and Her Majesty was very pleased.” Clarence first explained the cause, then moved on to his deductions. “My friends on the Imperial Capital Star told me that the Third Princess’s husband has been getting very close to betas these past few years, especially the Howard family. The heir of the Howard family even became the godfather of his second child.”
Tang Jianshen was not swayed by Clarence’s words. He calmly retorted, “And what does that prove? The Howard family has always had a good relationship with the imperial family.”
“So far, it proves nothing. But my sources in the military tell me that the beta army, originally under the jurisdiction of the alpha legion, seems to be showing signs of becoming an independent force. Many beta officers and soldiers have been temporarily transferred to the Imperial Capital Star for drills, the content of which is kept secret from most. This in itself isn’t unusual; after all, the independence of the beta army is something omegas and betas have been striving for for years. And within the alpha legion, the beta army’s operations have long been separate from the alpha army’s.”
“But, when you combine these three things, we have to admit that something big seems to be about to happen, right?”
After this long speech, Clarence rubbed his temples wearily before continuing, “I suspect the Omega Legion has reached an agreement with the alpha and beta factions. Whatever the specifics, it involves a starship. Marshal Chu would never give one to the imperial family or the alpha legion. The only possibility is that the transferred starship will be held by the beta military, creating a balance between the three factions, perhaps with some concessions of rights from alphas and betas.”
This was indeed an event that would shake the Empire. If Clarence wasn’t lying, the Empire might soon face a massive change. Compared to this, the previous turmoil with Glory and the AO conflict was merely a prelude to the real storm.
Tang Jianshen knew that this alone wasn’t enough to make Clarence come rushing to him. While the matter seemed sensational, once the dust settled, the omegas would be the clear beneficiaries. It was predictable that the weaker beta faction would align with the omegas, bringing an end to the silent suppression of omegas that had lasted for nearly a hundred years.
“So, there’s something my grandmother doesn’t know, right? Otherwise, you would have no standing and no reason to seek her out.”
Clarence didn’t answer immediately. He first surveyed the meeting room and asked a question, “Can you guarantee that what I say next will only be heard by you and me?”
Tang Jianshen operated his terminal for a few minutes before replying, “I can guarantee it now. I’ve set the highest security clearance for this room.”
Clarence took a deep breath, his brow twitching inexplicably. He pressed his fingers to his temple and said, “The Hall family has a very conspicuous characteristic. It seems our family never produces beta children.”
“For hundreds of years, neither the main imperial line nor its branches have ever had a beta. Genetically speaking, it’s almost a miracle. According to the latest research from the Imperial Institute, the probability of an AO couple having a beta child is five percent. That’s low, of course, and it might not be surprising for one or two generations of AO pairings to not produce a beta. But for an entire family to go hundreds of years without a single one is clearly abnormal. The official explanation from the imperial family is that due to the Hall family’s genetic traits, they rarely have beta children.”
“This is also one of the reasons people revere the imperial family.”
Tang Jianshen interjected, “But that’s not the real situation, is it?”
Clarence nodded. “No, it’s not. The reality is that the Hall family deliberately controls the gender of their infants. Of course, mistakes happen. If a beta child is accidentally born, the usual practice is to let the child die within 24 hours of birth. If someone is soft-hearted, the child is sent to the outermost ring, all ties to the imperial family are erased, and they live the life of a lower-class beta. This is a family secret, but in reality, it might be an undisclosed clause in the treaty from the Activation War. I remember my ancestor wasn’t the only one qualified to be emperor back then.”
Tang Jianshen once again grasped the key point. “So, what is the less usual situation?”
Clarence paused, seeming to struggle for breath. His initial leisurely demeanor had vanished completely. He gave a mocking laugh, wiped the sweat from his forehead, then opened his terminal and pulled up a test report. Finally, he revealed the secret that was crushing his heart. “The Howard family has imperial blood. I don’t mean the diluted imperial blood from marriage alliances, but direct Hall family bloodline. I don’t know which emperor started it, but judging from when the Howard family rose to prominence, it was probably about a hundred years ago.”
“The Howard family is the imperial family’s shadow, but they also control the beta military. If a starship is given to the betas, it’s effectively being given to the imperial family. The existing balance will be shattered, and we could very well be facing a war.”
