A few days later, Yu Xuan'an couldn't wait any longer and proactively contacted Xing Yuan.
"I've already done everything you asked. Now it's time for you to fulfill your promise."
"Alright! As soon as you're ready, I'm good to go." Xing Yuan wasn't one to break her word, and besides, this task wasn't difficult for her.
"But a friendly reminder, the Seventh Prince is a good starting point!"
Xing Yuan was always one to seek revenge. Although the Seventh Prince wasn't the mastermind, he was one of her enemies, and she wouldn't let him off easily!
The other side paused for a moment, seemingly in thought, then sent another message: "Understood! Lend me some people."
"How many?" Xing Yuan replied lazily.
It felt good not having to do the work herself!
"Two hundred! Before the operation, you're responsible for transferring the Federal Royal Guard away. Don't let them ruin my plans."
"Deal!"
Afterward, Xing Yuan put on her mask, resuming her public persona as the First Legion's General. She then secretly dispatched two hundred men.
Within days, Yu Xuan'an made his move. He was an extremely cautious person; without absolute certainty, he would generally never act rashly.
Therefore, Xing Yuan fulfilled her promise and removed the guard. As a General, and with no one suspecting a suicidal attempt to assassinate or rebel within the palace, their vigilance was not high.
Soon, the news of "The Seventh Prince's Rebellion!" spread throughout the entire Federation.
This news was deliberately leaked. The specifics were suppressed, and no one knew the truth.
However, after about a week of chaos, the Federation suddenly had a new Emperor: Yu Xuan'an, the former Duke who had collaborated with Xing Yuan.
Xing Yuan merely gave a subtle hint, and Yu Xuan'an instantly understood her meaning. Instead of tarnishing his own reputation, it was better to use a borrowed knife to kill.
The Seventh Prince indeed had some courage. Yu Xuan'an "lent" the men he had borrowed from Xing Yuan to the Seventh Prince, and then expressed his support for the Seventh Prince.
The Seventh Prince had always been unfavored. He had managed to connect with the Xi family, but that connection was severed. While he was in despair, Yu Xuan'an appeared at the opportune moment, expressing his intention to support him and even "generously" lending him troops.
All Yu Xuan'an had to do was to subtly mislead the Seventh Prince with ambiguous words, such as the Emperor intending to pass the throne to a certain prince. If he showed even a hint of indecision, it would be enough to push the Seventh Prince to act.
Everything went smoothly. Within a few hours, the Seventh Prince breached the palace gates, forcing his father to abdicate.
The Federal Emperor naturally refused. While they were "arguing," Yu Xuan'an's men infiltrated the scene and struck the fatal blow. The Federal Emperor died, and although the Seventh Prince had the right to succeed, he would also bear the guilt of patricide.
As the Seventh Prince descended into chaos, Yu Xuan'an's men began to persuade him, "His Majesty has many sons. Although we have the advantage now, who knows what the future holds? It would be better to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots."
The Seventh Prince, with a hot head, saw the throne within his grasp and couldn't possibly leave it for others. Thus, he ordered the execution of all his brothers.
At this point, Yu Xuan'an, with overwhelming power, appeared with an innocent expression. Naturally, he was the sole victor.
He ascended the throne as Emperor. Although there were no grand ceremonies, and he was older, he had performed many duties equivalent to an Emperor over the years and understood state affairs far better than the actual Emperor.
His first act as Emperor was to release a polished version of the story to the public, and then he summoned all his sons.
To demonstrate his virtue as the Federal Emperor, he executed his errant illegitimate sons. After all, he had enough sons, and to prevent future power struggles, it was better to make use of them now.
Although Yu Xuan'an was middle-aged, the lifespan of interstellar beings was generally longer, so reigning for several more decades was not an issue.
Yu Xuan'an sharpened his knives, preparing to deal with the Federation's incompetent legions. He had even discussed the details with Xing Yuan and reached a consensus.
Xing Yuan was ecstatic about the expansion of her "territory." That evening, she went to the First Legion and gathered her confidantes, ordering them to prepare for action.
However, before they could make a move, the Zerg, for reasons unknown, suddenly attacked!
With a battle to fight, Xing Yuan became even more excited! She had fought many strange creatures, but she had never fought the Zerg before.
The Zerg were divided into different types, but they shared similarities: their enormous size, sharp mouthparts, and long tentacles.
From birth, they possessed the ability to traverse the starry sea. They fed on planets but were not averse to human flesh and blood; in fact, they could eat anything.
After all, the Zerg had an extremely high reproductive rate and vast numbers. When they couldn't eat enough, they would even devour each other, feeding on their own kind.
Some speculated that the primary reason for the Zerg's wars was population control.
It was unknown when these Zerg first appeared. All that was known was that from the moment humans could remember, they had been fighting them. This was also the reason mechs were invented.
The First Legion had extensive experience dealing with the Zerg. Although the Zerg were numerous, the vast majority lacked intelligence and only acted on the orders of their rulers, such as the Zerg Mother, the highest ruler of the Zerg.
Xing Yuan even suspected that the Zerg's sudden invasion might be because the Zerg Mother had sensed something.
The forward scouts discovered them in time, and mechanisms designed to combat the Zerg were immediately activated.
The "sizzling" sound accompanied the densely packed Zerg crawling forward. Some Zerg with low defenses were instantly killed by these mechanisms, but most, shielded by their companions absorbing the damage, remained unharmed.
Not to mention the flying Zerg.
However, just as there were defenses for the ground, there were also those for the sky. Countless laser cannons, operated by robots, precisely targeted the Zerg.
But when the Zerg broke through the first line of defense, they were also the first to be torn apart.
In every major battle, the loss of just these robots and weapons cost billions of interstellar currency.
With the first line of defense breached, it was then the mechs' turn to engage.
Mechs could be operated by robots, but due to their large limbs, without the support of human mental power, their coordination was not strong. Therefore, among the dense mechs, almost all had humans inside.