Chapter 023: Appreciation

Political purges have always been brutal.

Though such purges lack the flash of blades, they are far more brutal. Jejerod, though a soldier, was also a governor, not someone ignorant of politics.

He was well aware of the crisis he now faced.

His answer would determine his fate; if he answered wrong, he feared he might never leave the planet Coruscant.

Jejerod's expression shifted constantly.

On one hand, he hoped to save his own life and even his position.

On the other, he was unwilling to betray Palpatine, who had shown him the favor of recognition.

But unfortunately, the world offered no perfect solution.

For a moment, he could not make up his mind or give an answer.

Wang Bo did not urge him either, but leisurely watched Jejerod, waiting for his reply. Jejerod had no family behind him; he had risen to his current position solely on his military acumen.

He was an outstanding officer.

If the other was willing to surrender, Wang Bo would not mind giving him a chance to continue serving him.

Time flowed like water, and half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

Jejerod's gaze finally steadied. His legs slowly bent, and with a thud, he knelt before Wang Bo. "Jejerod greets Your Imperial Majesty."

"Very good." Wang Bo smiled with satisfaction. "You have made a wise choice, Jejerod. I believe you will not regret this choice today, and I also hope you will not make me regret it. Understand?"

Jejerod lowered his head and said nothing.

He knew what Wang Bo meant.

These words were undoubtedly a warning: do not feign surrender, only to return to your sector after escaping, rally soldiers against Coruscant, and rescue the imprisoned Palpatine.

In fact, such a thought had indeed crossed Jejerod's mind.

He had indeed intended to feign surrender just moments ago.

Wang Bo did not mind. If Jejerod were truly so unwise, Wang Bo could easily deal with him without causing any trouble.

Of course, to be safe, Wang Bo used the Soul Stone to plant a thought in his mind forbidding rebellion.

By the time he left Coruscant, this thought would take root, and Jejerod would naturally not resist him.

On the other hand, after receiving Jejerod, more and more sector governors and high-ranking Imperial officials arrived on Coruscant to pay homage to the Emperor.

Wang Bo, of course, turned none away. He found time to receive them in the palace hall.

Everyone was astonished that the person on the throne was not Palpatine but a stranger. Many did not understand where the Emperor had gone and why a stranger had usurped his position.

Many looked at Wang Bo with hostility and enmity.

Many had secretive expressions, their thoughts unknown.

To these people, Wang Bo merely snapped his fingers. In an instant, an invisible pressure descended from the sky, forcing everyone to their knees.

"I know what you are thinking." Wang Bo looked down at the kneeling crowd from on high.

Among them were sector governors, Imperial generals, and a blue-skinned Chiss.

This was the Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy.

Grand Admiral Thrawn!

In terms of status alone, he was above the sector governors and could truly be called a high minister of the Empire.

Wang Bo thought highly of this high minister and had already gathered all information about him.

Grand Admiral Thrawn was a Chiss, a tall, blue-skinned near-human species from the Unknown Regions. Their distant homeworld in the Chiss Ascendancy and their minimal contact with the outside world even during the Galactic Alliance era made them seem like a mystery to the rest of the galaxy.

Many species in the galaxy did not even know of the Chiss's existence.

However, with a Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Galactic Empire, people had come to understand the Chiss somewhat.

For instance, the Chiss metabolic rate was slightly higher than that of humans, so Chiss were generally slender, with almost no obesity; Chiss grew and developed faster than humans, reaching adulthood around 13 or 14 years old, with an average lifespan of about 80 years, shorter than humans.

Moreover, according to genetic analysis, the Chiss were a branch of humanity.

And Chiss technology was not inferior; they were one of the few civilizations to independently develop energy weapons, ion weapons, and hyperdrive. Chiss energy weapons were primarily based on maser technology, whether the infantry-used "Charric" or the ship-mounted "Maser cannon."

Chiss ion weapons used missiles to release an electric net, disabling all electronic devices within a kilometer radius, striking enemies en masse.

Thus, Chiss technology was quite advanced.

According to records, before Palpatine became Supreme Chancellor and the Galactic Empire was founded, one of his task forces accidentally encountered Thrawn's fleet—the first contact between the rest of the galaxy and the Chiss.

Though disadvantaged in both the quantity and quality of weapons, this young blue-skinned commander inflicted heavy losses on the invaders.

This was Thrawn's first moment of brilliance.

Later, due to various reasons, Thrawn was exiled by the Chiss.

Thus, Palpatine took him under his wing. Although the Imperial Navy had strict policies against non-human officers, Thrawn rose steadily through the Imperial military, eventually becoming a Grand Admiral.

This showed the man's talent.

Not even ten Jejerods could compare to one Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Wang Bo greatly admired this Grand Admiral.

After subduing the crowd, his gaze fell on Grand Admiral Thrawn. Among those who came to pay homage, Thrawn was undoubtedly one of the highest in status.

Many regarded him as their pillar.

Thus, if Wang Bo could subdue Thrawn, he could subdue the others.

"I know what you are thinking, but that is not important. What matters is my identity. I am the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, your master. If you pledge loyalty to me, you can obtain everything you desire."

Wang Bo seemed to address everyone, but his eyes were on Thrawn.

Thrawn felt Wang Bo's gaze and realized that these words were meant for him. Kneeling on one knee, he forced himself to calm down and began to assess the situation.

As a Grand Admiral of the Empire, he was well aware of the existence of Jedi and the power of the Force.

The other had not even moved a finger, yet forced everyone, including himself, to bow their heads—undoubtedly a powerful Jedi.

Therefore, Thrawn dared not come into conflict with him.