"Dodoria, how much longer will it take us to return to our base on the border of the North Galaxy?"
After drinking the blood-red wine in his glass, Frieza casually tossed it to a lackey responsible for attending to his daily needs.
That simple turn made the soldiers operating the spaceship break out in cold sweats. None dared to make a sound.
Frieza was notoriously fickle. If they gave him an answer he wasn't satisfied with, they could very well lose their lives.
So questions like this were usually answered by Dodoria and Zarbon, Frieza's right-hand men.
Such was the Universe Emperor's overbearing cruelty.
"Reporting to King Frieza! According to the original plan, it would have taken us more than ten days just to leave the South Galaxy and enter the North Galaxy."
"However, the pilots on this battleship are all highly trained elites, so we're ten days ahead of schedule."
"We should reach Planet B117 in less than three days."
After hearing Dodoria's explanation, Frieza smiled in satisfaction and nodded.
Space travel was incredibly dull. Even Frieza, the Universe Emperor, with his long and seemingly endless life, found it tiresome.
An ordinary person's answer might have touched a nerve with Frieza. They wouldn't know how to speak to the point.
But Dodoria wasn't like that.
He had followed Frieza for who knew how many years. How could he not know how to report on their journey?
Just as Frieza was about to find a topic and say something, the hatch to the information department on the other side suddenly opened.
A short soldier in a scientific research uniform entered and went over to Zarbon, whispering a few words to him.
As the report reached his ears, Zarbon, who had been quietly standing to one side, couldn't help but cry out in surprise.
"What?! Are you sure you heard correctly?" Zarbon demanded sternly.
The little soldier reporting to him turned deathly pale.
Frieza's attention was drawn to them. Curiously, he asked, "What is it, Zarbon? You look so startled. That's not like you."
"Reporting to King Frieza, we just intercepted a message from Vegeta's group through a Scouter..."
"Never mind. You explain it!" Zarbon's eyes narrowed. Realizing he couldn't explain it clearly himself, he ordered the little soldier to speak.
At the command, the soldier took a deep breath and immediately began. "Greetings, King Frieza! Here's the situation. I've been monitoring the Saiyan squad's communications, and just now, I intercepted a message indicating that Vegeta's group may have discovered something incredible."
"On a planet called Earth, there are Dragon Balls that can grant wishes."
"Vegeta and Nappa are already on their way there. Judging by the distance, they should arrive in about a year."
"Also, two new Saiyans have appeared on Earth. One is the younger brother of Raditz, whose Combat Power is 1,500. The other, according to the intercepted description, is wearing our army's Battle Armor and has a Combat Power of 5,000! His name is Lin Chuan, and his Saiyan name is Talos."
As the soldier rattled off his report, no one in the command center dared to speak.
After all, their master hadn't said anything. What right did his subordinates have to offer their opinions first?
"Oh my, oh my! How interesting. It hasn't even been a year since I left, and our Little Vegeta has brought me another entertaining bit of news."
"Two new Saiyans, one of whom is hiding in our army and has a Combat Power of 5,000."
A flash of keen interest crossed Frieza's eyes.
The next second, he focused on the Dragon Balls that could grant wishes. "Are you sure you heard correctly? Those Dragon Balls on Earth can really grant wishes?"
"Yes, King Frieza! That's what Vegeta's group said. They're going to Earth to get the Dragon Balls and gain eternal life, so they can enjoy the thrill of battle forever." The soldier answered truthfully, not daring to be careless.
Frieza burst out laughing at that.
Beside him, Dodoria finally couldn't hold back and questioned it. "Is that true? Are there really things in the universe that can grant wishes? And grant eternal life? Whether it's true or not, that boy Vegeta knew about them and didn't report it. Is he planning to keep them for himself?"
"Probably..." Zarbon chimed in, seemingly offhandedly.
They had never thought much of Vegeta.
He was weaker than they were, yet always thought highly of himself.
If King Frieza hadn't kept Vegeta around, they would have subdued him long ago.
"Heh heh heh! It's fine, it's fine. Perhaps Little Vegeta was just trying to find out whether it was true for me."
"Besides, the news has made its way here, hasn't it?"
"Dragon Balls that can grant wishes... I've just wrapped up the first phase of my campaign in the South Galaxy, so I have plenty of time. I have a wish of my own. I wonder if those things can grant it?"
As Frieza finished speaking, everyone drew a deep breath.
Dodoria sucked in a particularly sharp breath, forcing himself to calm down as quickly as possible.
He had almost let something slip and gotten himself killed.
"Where is this planet called Earth?" Frieza turned to Zarbon and asked.
At that, no one could simply stand around doing nothing.
The short, stout little soldier seemed eager to earn credit, so he answered at once. "King Frieza, I've already investigated the information on Earth. The planet called Earth is at the edge of the North Galaxy, in the Laniakea Supercluster, in a small star system called the Solar System. If our flagship heads there directly, it should take about a year to arrive. We won't be far behind Vegeta. We might even catch up."
After he finished, the room fell even quieter.
Yet just as everyone expected the little soldier to be punished, Frieza watched him with amused interest. "You've done well. What's your name, soldier?"
"Your subordinate is Sorbet!" Sorbet answered respectfully.
If Lin Chuan had been there, he would certainly have recognized this guy.
He was the leader of the remnants of the Frieza Force, who would appear in the Dragon Ball Super era.
He was also the one who used the Dragon Balls to resurrect Frieza, setting the later events in motion.
Of course, at that moment, Sorbet was still just a low-ranking Frieza Force soldier tasked with gathering information.
"Zarbon, if you get the chance, give Sorbet more opportunities in the future." Frieza nodded, then left it at that.
He used his mind to guide his baby chair over to the central control console.
By then, the staff had brought up a star map so Frieza could get a clear look.
"A year, is it? That's not too long. Since Little Vegeta's group has already set out, let's change our destination and head straight to Earth to see what this is all about."
"I hope my Little Vegeta won't disappoint me. Oh ho ho ho ho!"
Frieza narrowed his eyes, Killing Intent surging.
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