Chapter 981: Wordless


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    The announcement forced Khan to remain in the encampment for a while.


    Lieutenant Dyester interrupted his task as the celebrations resumed. Food, drinks, stories, and cheers flowed throughout the night and nned to continue until dawn. They could very wellst for the entire week, but Khan left before Baoway''s star rose.


    As promised, Khan forced himself to eat something. He didn''t feel hungry but still stuffed his stomach with all kinds of food and drinks. Part of him hoped that would improve his mood, but the celebrations had only worsened them.


    Khan couldn''t feel good leading the Scalqa into another battle, especially against a human force, and the cheers during the celebrations only worsened his internal conflict. War almost sounded like a happy event in those environments, but Khan knew its true nature and couldn''t see its point.


    The true enemy was out there, somewhere in the depths of the universe, and that in-fighting only served to lower the world''s overall battle prowess. It was a waste of precious lives over something Khan considered trivial. Sure, the interspecies treaties and the border security were serious topics, but Khan couldn''t ept that level of esction.


    Of course, that mindset was unique to Khan. He had never seen differences among species and domains. His broader perspective prevented him from rting to everyone''s concerns, but his position forced him to act anyway.


    That was the weight of leadership and the political environment, which belonged to a game ofpromises, hidden rules, secret deals, and inborn values. Khan could understand the former but was alien to thetter, which affected his overall eptance.


    Khan returned to one of his bedrooms with a heavy mind, with his crown adding an invisible pressure. He was angry, bitter, and exhausted, and noticing the moving figure on the mattress reminded him of more problems, worsening that mood.


    Monica looked at Khan''s blue light through her sleepy eyes. She would typically ask questions, but Khan''s face had already answered them. He didn''t need more words now. Khan only required support to go through that annoying period.


    Khan hesitated when his eyes met Monica''s, but she simply smiled and pushed her nket away, exposing her appealing nightgown. She also spread her arms, inviting Khan.


    The couple didn''t speak. Khan soon found himself on top of Monica, trapped between her arms and legs and immersed in a passionate kiss. Words couldn''t work, so the two would rely on what they did best.


    Like that, a week went by.


    Khan mostly delegated everything to his underlings, refusing to appear in public and alternating between long, wordless nights with Monica and solitary flights.


    Many people tried to contact Khan, especially on the Global Army''s side, but he remained unavable. It didn''t matter whether those parties sent messages or representatives to the. He would address everything only after showing the world what it meant to attack him.


    On that note, the Global Army was almost panicking. Many Generals wanted to dy the battle and negotiate agreements, but Prince Thomas was a wall. He didn''t ept anything and refused any attempt to oppose Khan''s orders.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The Generals could only ept the helplessness of the situation, eventually agreeing to the war deration and making the news public. Thework went into turmoil, but nothing got in the way of the battle''s preparations.


    Everything was set by the end of the week. Khan and five hundred chosen Scalqa gathered in the appointednding area to board a series of ships. Those rides could easily reach their destination, but Khan had opted to use the Leviathan for security reasons.


    The teams on the Leviathan had to work overtime to unload everything from Senerth and load the equipment for the imminent battle, but Garret managed things perfectly. Khan could depart immediately. He only had to take care of the usual goodbyes.


    A rtively small audience had gathered before thending area. The nobles, the Nognes representatives, Monica, Prince Reba, Lieutenant Dyester, and many Scalqa stood before the battalion. The soldiers had also begun boarding the ships, leaving only Khan behind.


    "I''lle back in time for your birthday," Khan promised Monica. "Just keep your eyes on thework."


    "Come back in one piece," Monica requested. "And give them a good show. I''m tired of watching you leave."


    "It will be thest time," Khan swore, hoping he wouldn''t need to break that promise.


    "It won''t," Monica shook her head, "But that''s okay. It''s who you are."


    "I told you we should have be space pirates," Khan teased, leaning forward to kiss Monica.


    Monica giggled and let Khan go. Watching his departing figure added bitterness to her smile, but she kept it up for appearances. No one had to know the two were going through some mysterious and unspoken struggle.


    "Yes," Monica whispered when Khan was too far away to hear her. "We should have."


    Some understanding dawned upon Monica, but she pushed it away. Her knowledge became her worst enemy, but she silenced it. That wasn''t the time for pointless worries. Monica could only hope and trust in her man.


    The boarding process ended swiftly and without causing problems. Soon, the Scalqa battalion filled the familiar makeshift encampment on the Leviathan''s cargo area, which feltrger due to the fewer troops.


    Khan let the Scalqa settle in peace before reaching the bridge. Human soldiers were already handling all the necessary procedures, leaving him with little to do. At that time, the area didn''t have Lieutenant Dyester, Garret, or other figures with simr authorities, so Khan''s job mainly consisted of giving the final orders.


    Needless to say, the atmosphere wasn''t great. War was always terrifying, but those workers wereunching an attack inside the Global Army''s territory now. Their loyalty became conflicted, but no one dared to speak those concerns in Khan''s presence.


    As for Khan, he simply stared at the screens at the bridge''s end. The scanners reflected the universe inside them, allowing him to ignore the human team''s distress. That dark scenery almost had a maic pull toward Khan, but the time to freely explore it hadn''te yet. Only war existed now.