Hoover let out a deep sigh and looked at Sava Mutkurov. "Bulgaria has reached a life-or-death moment. Powerful enemies surround us from without, and within, the country is like a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark!"
"His Highness the Prince is deeply concerned. He believes the Stam Cabinet can no longer control the situation and is preparing to dismiss it!"
Although he had been somewhat prepared, Sava Mutkurov was still stunned. It was like a bolt from the blue, or as if someone had poured a basin of cold water over him from head to toe. His whole body went numb.
After a moment of silence, Sava slowly recovered. He managed to summon a shred of energy, fixed his eyes on Hoover, and asked in disbelief, "What?"
Hoover nodded solemnly to confirm that it was true. Then he took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one, and inhaled. "Mr. Sava, would you like one?"
Without waiting for Sava Mutkurov to answer, he lit another and handed it over. Sava Mutkurov took it in a daze, then drew a deep breath. The smoke curled upward as the cigarette burned quietly. It all seemed so simple—he didn't have to think about anything.
Soon, the short cigarette had burned down. Hoover looked at the still-silent Sava Mutkurov and asked, "Would you like another?"
"Oh, thank you! No, I'm all right!" Sava Mutkurov suddenly came to his senses and answered, still somewhat flustered.
Hoover said nothing more, only watched Sava Mutkurov quietly. He knew he had already said all that needed saying. There was no point in saying anything else.
As for threats and inducements, those had no place here. At this level, the choices available and the consequences of each were perfectly clear.
Sava Mutkurov stood and paced back and forth across the office. After a short while, he let out a deep sigh and asked anxiously, "How does His Highness the Prince intend to deal with the cabinet?"
Hoover knew Sava was worried about being held accountable later. After all, the Stam Government had done an atrocious job, and countless people in Bulgaria wanted them dead.
"The cabinet members have been under such intense pressure at work that doctors have diagnosed them as possibly suffering from mental illness. They're no longer fit to serve the government. His Highness has already contacted a hospital in Vienna and plans to send them there for treatment," Hoover said calmly.
The weight on Sava Mutkurov's heart lifted at once. He knew Ferdinand meant to spare them.
After all, the Stam Cabinet's reputation was so foul that once they lost power, they would inevitably face retribution.
Sending them abroad seemed like the best option for now. As long as the cabinet members weren't convicted of anything, the Liberal Party men wouldn't face a major purge later, either.
Watching the Stam Government's recent actions, he was beginning to wonder whether they really were mentally ill.
If Stam-Bolov had known what he was thinking, he would have cried out that he'd been wronged! That wasn't how it was at all. Who could have known his subordinates would make such a mess of things?
"All right, Mr. Hoover. Whatever His Highness the Prince orders, I'll do," Sava Mutkurov said. As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed to lose all his strength and slumped into his chair.
With Sava Mutkurov taken care of, Hoover had completed most of the task Ferdinand had given him.
The other military factions within the Liberal Party were far from Sofia, beyond reach. Once the Stam Cabinet was dismissed, even if they wanted to act, it would be difficult.
Ferdinand wasn't some naïve youth. Unless he went in for a policy of wiping them all out, even if senior officers wanted to make a move, they would still need the soldiers under them to cooperate.
After receiving Hoover's message, Ferdinand decided to act swiftly and decisively. He would catch the Stam Cabinet completely off guard before the news spread.
Ferdinand changed his original plan. He sent people out that very night to notify the parliamentarians and convene parliament early. Though he knew the Liberal Party had completely taken control of the legislature, he still intended to go through the motions.
Because Ferdinand had deliberately delayed the news, the Stam Cabinet wasn't notified until the next day. Stam, who had already seized power, was deeply displeased.
But before he could vent his anger, Jonas hurried in and interrupted him. Stam had no time to dwell on it.
Jonas brought news that would shock the world: a list of the people who had been executed. Yes, the people executed two nights earlier. When Stam saw the long list, he knew the sky was falling.
His thick lips had gone bloodless, trembling faintly like two willow leaves. He looked as if he were desperate to speak but couldn't get the words out.
Michael, Wilson, and the others arrived soon after. They read the list and turned pale as well, all realizing they were doomed.
The cabinet members stumbled into parliament, dazed and bewildered. They took their seats, staring blankly and saying nothing. They didn't respond to anyone's greetings. Even when Ferdinand entered, they barely reacted.
Ferdinand knew the outcome was settled. The news was simply too shocking. It would take the Stam Cabinet some time to recover, and there wasn't enough time for them to think up a response.
Parliament convened. Ignoring the usual formalities, Ferdinand spoke at once. "Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that I have some bad news."
"Mr. Stam-Bolov and several other cabinet ministers may have developed mental illnesses. They are now unable to continue managing the government's affairs!"
The room immediately erupted in commotion as everyone began talking at once.
"What? How can that be?"
But looking at the cabinet members sitting there in a daze, they really did seem sick. When everyone had gone over to greet them earlier, they hadn't answered.
In fact, Stam-Bolov and the others had already come to their senses. They simply didn't know how to handle the questions that would follow. Since Ferdinand said they were ill, they immediately decided to play along.
The massacre had already happened, and there was no way they could explain it to the outside world. Executing more than ten thousand people without a trial was simply horrifying. Once the news got out, they would be like rats crossing the street in Bulgaria—everyone would want to beat them.
Ferdinand's explanation seemed to be the only way they could escape unscathed. As long as they were declared mentally ill, the law would not hold them responsible in public.
Karl, who had been appointed head of government, shouted, "Quiet!"
After a moment, when everyone had calmed down, Ferdinand continued. "All right, you can see for yourselves that in their current condition, they truly can't continue working for Bulgaria. I've already arranged for a hospital in Vienna. We'll send them there this afternoon. Guards, take them home to pack!"
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