Hey, Can We Make Peace?

"Hey, is it still time to surrender?"

At that moment, Big-Mouth Emperor's heart was in a state of utter panic. He felt like it was about to leap out of his throat.

Conventional weapons could not inflict even the slightest injury on Viltrumites. They did not even bother wasting time dodging conventional weapons.

Nuclear weapons could not hit Viltrumites either. They could evade them unscathed through speed alone.

Other than surrender, Big-Mouth Emperor truly could not find a second path.

Hearing His Majesty's words, the ministers all wore expressions that said, Are you kidding me?

You were the one who refused to surrender at first, and you were also the one who ignored the ministers' advice and insisted on sending troops to fight.

Now that you knew you could not defeat the Viltrumites, you were still the one who wanted to surrender.

What were you trying to do? Toy with them?

"Your Majesty, th-this... I'm afraid that isn't up to us."

A minister stepped forward and bowed to Big-Mouth Emperor.

Big Mouth Star had no initiative whatsoever at the moment. They had no say in how this war would unfold.

The Viltrumites could fight if they wanted to fight, and stop if they wanted to stop.

Big Mouth Star could only passively accept it.

Big-Mouth Emperor's face alternated between green and white. "Then what should I do?! Must I kneel and beg them to show mercy?"

Before the ministers could speak, Big-Mouth Emperor shook his head and refused.

"No, no! I am an emperor, after all. How could I do something so degrading?"

Suddenly, Big-Mouth Emperor's eyes shifted as inspiration struck. A sly smile curled across his lips.

Seeing this, the minister's heart lurched. Suspecting that he was about to pull another stunt, he hurriedly cried out, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!"

"Hm?" Big-Mouth Emperor's expression darkened.

"Does Your Majesty intend to watch helplessly as the citizens of Big Mouth are slaughtered one by one?!"

"The people are the foundation of a nation! Without people, how can there be a nation?"

"Does Your Majesty wish to become the ruler of a fallen nation, a ruler without people?!"

The minister's words made Big-Mouth Emperor's face sink.

Was this man cursing him to become the ruler of a fallen nation?

Though his expression was ugly, Big-Mouth Emperor still kept his temper in check and spoke.

"My loyal minister, I just thought of something..."

"Since Your Majesty does not take the lives of your citizens seriously, then do not blame this minister for offending you!!"

Before he could finish, the minister cut him off.

"I ask that Your Majesty kneel before the Viltrumites and personally beg forgiveness!"

"After this incident, whether Your Majesty wishes to beat or kill this minister, I will accept it!"

"Now! Please proceed at once to beg forgiveness!!"

With that, the minister knelt on the ground and bowed his head toward Big-Mouth Emperor.

As soon as that minister finished speaking and acting, the other ministers followed suit. They all dropped to both knees, their foreheads pressed to the floor.

"Please beg forgiveness, Your Majesty!"

"Please beg forgiveness, Your Majesty!"

"Please beg forgiveness, Your Majesty!"

"..."

The ministers' voices merged together, echoing through the grand hall.

Big-Mouth Emperor stared blankly, still unable to grasp what was happening. He sat frozen in his chair, staring stupidly at the ministers before him.

After a long while, he came to his senses and laughed, loudly.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Rebellion, rebellion! You treacherous traitors dare force your way into my palace!!"

"I, with the body of the supreme sovereign, how can I kneel at their feet?!"

"I have long seen through your true faces. Do you really think I dare not kill you?!"

The lead minister paid no attention to Big-Mouth Emperor's fury. Instead, he raised his head and signaled to the ministers behind him.

The ministers behind him immediately understood the meaning of that look. They rose from the ground and strode toward Big-Mouth Emperor.

Seeing them act without fear of death, the last shred of Big-Mouth Emperor's dignity completely crumbled.

He pointed at the minister striding toward him and cursed in rage and terror.

"You insolent bastard! If you dare take another step forward, I will exterminate your entire clan!"

"I will have you torn apart by five horses! I will carve you alive, slice by slice!"

Faced with threats of death, the minister paid no heed and simply continued forward.

"Guards! Someone protect me!!!"

Big-Mouth Emperor fell from his chair and shouted anxiously throughout the hall, but no one answered.

The minister hauled the limp Big-Mouth Emperor to his feet and headed toward the doors of the grand hall.

"You cannot do this! I am the sole master of Big Mouth Star! I am the only heaven of Big Mouth Star!"

No one cared about Big-Mouth Emperor's complaints.

The other ministers climbed to their feet and followed the two out of the hall.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Sparta stood at the entrance to an air-raid shelter. His super hearing picked up every conversation among the people taking refuge inside.

"What's going on? Why has the military taken over the whole city? Is there going to be a war?"

"Big Mouth Star has been completely unified for nearly ten thousand years. How could there possibly be a war?"

"Someone must have rebelled."

"Pfft, all you know how to talk about is internal rebellion. If you ask me, it has to be an enemy from beyond the stars."

"Hiss—little brother, that makes sense. Then will we win?"

"We will."

"..."

Sparta wore a strange expression. He had not expected there to be a prophet inside. Was this guy trying to play with knives?

He stepped forward, hooked all ten fingers into the sturdy alloy air-raid shelter door, and gave it a light pull, tearing it off.

Sparta appeared in the refugees' sight.

"Who is he? His mouth is so small, and his skin is different from ours."

"He actually pulled down such a heavy door. He... he's practically a superhero."

"Are you idiots? Obviously, he's that enemy from beyond the stars!"

"Really? Then what should we do now?"

"..."

The refugees huddled together and whispered, occasionally looking Sparta up and down.

Standing at the doorway, Sparta felt somewhat awkward. Wasn't this atmosphere a little too relaxed?

They should have looked terrified upon seeing him.

"Um... well... hello."

"My name is Sparta. I am a pure-blooded Viltrumite warrior."

Hearing that he was a Viltrumite, the refugees stopped talking and looked at him strangely.

Seeing them all fall silent, Sparta looked left and right in confusion.

Was there a problem? Why were they looking at him so strangely?

After several seconds of silence, the crowd suddenly broke into murmurs.

"Viltrumite? Isn't that a Viltrumite?"

"That can't be right. I remember the books saying that Viltrumites all had blue faces, fangs, upturned nostrils, and fists bigger than two heads."

"I think Viltrumites and Viltrumites are actually two different species."

"Exactly, exactly. Viltrumites eat hatchlings and children as their staple food."

"..."

What the hell was all this? Blue faces, fangs, upturned nostrils, eating hatchlings and children—it was all slander.

Sparta had not expected Viltrumites to be legendary creatures in the universe, known only through books.

"Viltrumites are Viltrumites, and Viltrumites are also Viltrumites."

"We do not have blue faces, fangs, or upturned nostrils."

"And most importantly, we do not eat children. We only consume nutrient fluid."