Chapter 317 What other path can we take?
[User 2093490: This guy's combat ability is seriously inflated! How did someone with this level of skill become a general back then? It's terrifying to think about! I suggest a thorough investigation into all his military achievements!]
[Bug: Yes! We must investigate! Thoroughly investigate the Second Legion!!!]
...
Thanks to the live stream, Aaron Thomas quickly learned about the situation at Thomas's home.
He returned to the family as quickly as possible, and stood in the family meeting room with a face so gloomy it looked like it could be wrung out.
Footage of Simon being arrested, convicted, and even publicly beaten by Le Tecal on live stream went viral on StarNet like a plague.
Every frame of the scene is like a whip, lashing the already crumbling face of the Thomas family.
At this moment, the female soldiers sitting in the conference room were considered his confidantes in the Second Army Corps.
These are some of the families who still have influence within the legion.
Although he and Simon were from the same family, the internal struggles between the two families had never stopped.
He cannot reuse Simon's trusted confidants.
In addition, they had always been weak, and now it was only because of the major incident in Simon's unit that he was unable to assume the position of general that he had the opportunity to rise to prominence.
But now, he desperately wants to avoid taking the lead.
The air in the conference room was heavy and oppressive, making it hard for the insect to breathe.
After a long pause, Aaron finally managed to suppress his anger and slowly asked, "How is the situation inside the family?"
The Thomas family went bankrupt long ago, and now they can only rely on the military's resources.
Now that Simon has ruined things at the military headquarters, he's lost all hope.
"That idiot Simon has ripped the sky out! We just received news from the side branch that our last remaining gold mine has had its contract torn up by our partner because of Simon's arrest, and the bank has cut off all further loans..."
I have no idea how the Starflies discovered their well-hidden industry.
Regardless of the circumstances, the Thomas family is completely finished!
"What?!" Aaron clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Although he had a premonition that Simon had gotten himself into a major disaster, the words "complete bankruptcy" still hit him like a heavy blow to the heart.
The vast wealth and power accumulated by the Thomas family over generations vanished in the blink of an eye because of the mistakes made by that bastard Simon.
The female soldier beside her wiped her face, her voice deathly, "General Aaron, we Thomas family probably have no way out."
Another female soldier spat angrily, "That damned Simon! Is his brain filled with Star Beast shit? He wants to die and drag his entire race down with him! Colluding with Star Pirates to lure Star Beasts? Has he gone mad?!"
Now the entire internet is pointing fingers at them and calling them a den of traitors!
The reputation of the Second Army Corps was also ruined by him!
How will they ever be able to hold their heads high in the military again?
All future resources and promotions are now gone!
A chorus of suppressed curses erupted in the council chamber, all directed at Simon.
This "genius," once revered by his family, has now become a scourge that all insects wish to devour alive.
"Enough!"
Aaron forced himself to suppress his anger, his gaze sweeping over his confidants who were also ashen-faced. "What's the point of scolding him! The problem now is how to solve the problem at hand!"
The family business went bankrupt, and the legion's reputation was ruined.
What path do they have left to take?
The entire conference room suddenly fell into a chilling silence.
Everyone understands that without money and reputation to back them up, Thomas's family wouldn't even qualify as third-rate in this hierarchical Zerg society.
They might even become ordinary citizens due to the negative impact of Thomas's bankrupt businesses.
It's fair to say that the road ahead is completely dark.
“Perhaps…” one of the older female soldiers tentatively began, “Perhaps there is another way to go.”
For a moment, all the insects' attention was focused on the slightly older female soldier.
Aaron's gaze swept over the same direction. "What road? Why don't you tell me?"
The older female soldier hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking, "If we... if we bow down to the royal family, perhaps there's still a way out..."
The further he spoke, the less confident he became, and his voice naturally grew softer and softer.
Because all the insects knew that the Thomas family, relying on their wealth and the military to rise to power, had always been at odds with the royal family and had often sabotaged each other behind the scenes.
Bowing down to the royal family will likely lead to a difficult future.
But now they're penniless, and the foundation of the military is almost completely rotten!
If they don't bow down to the royal family, the Thomas family might really fall into the mud and become commoners.
The council chamber fell silent once again.
Bowing down to a former adversary?
This was more humiliating to them than the bankruptcy itself.
But no insect refuted what the previous insect had said.
The cold reality was staring them in the face; this was the only way to prevent the entire family from being completely reduced to dust.
Perhaps we can still save some face.
Aaron closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
After a moment, he slowly opened his eyes. "You all go back first, stabilize the situation of the legion, do nothing, and wait for my news."
After Aaron finished speaking, only cold decisiveness remained in his eyes.
He knew that what the female soldier had just said was true.
Time waits for no one; the storms on the StarNet are gnawing away at their last remaining value every second.
After dismissing his trusted confidants, Aaron stood alone in the suffocatingly empty council chamber.
The afternoon sun slanted in through the high window, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in his heart.
He cannot make complete decisions on this matter.
No matter how high he climbs in the military, when he returns here, he is still a female insect belonging to the male master.
In matters of paramount importance, such as the survival of a family, only a powerful ruler can make the final decision.
The thought of meeting the person in the study made Aaron's stomach clench.
He raised his hand to straighten the collar of his crisp uniform before taking heavy steps toward the depths of the mansion.
His lord loved to spend time in his study, especially on sunny days like this.
Aaron gently knocked on the study door.
He waited until he heard a voice inside saying he was allowed to enter before pushing the door open and going inside.
Harder sat behind his large desk, glanced at Aaron as he entered, and then looked away.
His appearance was extremely deceptive; his demeanor was impeccable, and his every gesture exuded an elegance ingrained in his very being.
In front of other insects, he is always the gentle and tolerant male master who is kind and generous to female insects.
He never even bothered to publicly beat or scold females to demonstrate his authority like other male insects, which is why Had had a good reputation in the empire.
Before Tan Chi appeared, he was once the number one target that all the female insects in the empire wanted to marry.
But only Aaron knew what kind of twisted soul lay beneath that seemingly perfect exterior.
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