19: Chapter 19 Who gave you the courage to force me to abdicate?

Just as Fu Haoran and Yuri were checking the payment for the canned goods, the office door was slammed open, hitting the wall with a loud bang.

Countess Martha Hague walked in, her deep purple gown making her cold and arrogant expression even more prominent as it trailed across the floor.

Behind her, two guards in black suits stood tall, the outlines of the Laser Guns bulging at their waists clearly visible, exuding a forbidding pressure.

Without waiting for an invitation, she walked straight to the chair opposite Fu Haoran and sat down, a cigar between her fingers. With a casual flick, ash fell onto the polished tabletop.

"Governor Fu, you certainly are in high spirits." Martha exhaled a puff of smoke, her gaze sweeping over the accounts on the table.

"I heard your canned goods are selling like crazy on the black market, even that profiteer Reck is scrambling for them. I must say, I'm impressed."

Fu Haoran kept a smile on his face, his gaze unashamedly scanning her. Since she came to his door, why not look?

"Lady Martha, you didn't grace me with your presence just to praise me, did you? If you have something to say, feel free to speak plainly."

Martha exhaled smoke, blurring her face, but it couldn't hide the greed in her tone: "Your canned goods—I want them all."

"What price are you offering?" Fu Haoran didn't refuse immediately, wanting to hear her quote.

However, her first sentence made Fu Haoran regret his naivety.

"First, I will take all the canned goods at cost price."

"Don't talk to me about black market markups; in my eyes, they're only worth that much."

"Second, all distribution rights belong to me. You are not allowed to sell to any more black market merchants or Cross-Hive Nobles, including those so-called orders you have in hand."

At these words, even Yuri, standing nearby, couldn't help but frown.

Buying at cost and banning independent sales—this wasn't cooperation; it was daylight robbery!

Fu Haoran's reply was very blunt: "Get out."

Now it was Martha's turn to not believe her ears.

She had thought Fu Haoran would be furious, try to play politics, or try to butter her up... she just never expected him to tell her to get out directly.

"Lord Governor, it seems you haven't figured out your situation yet."

She stood up, looking down at him: "Seventy percent of the Hive City's Synthetic Food Production Lines and ninety percent of the Promethium Refineries are under my name."

"In the Mid-Hive, the keys to every Promethium Warehouse door are in my hand."

"Even the Promethium Factory occupied by the Iron Hand Gang in the Underhive relies on me to operate."

Martha didn't say it explicitly, but the Iron Hand Gang was just a pack of dogs she kept.

Although these dogs weren't very obedient lately, if she made up her mind, how hard would it be to replace them with more obedient ones?

"Without Promethium, your canned food production line won't even run for a day. No matter how many cross-hive orders you have, you won't be able to produce any goods."

"Also, I must remind you that without the quota of Corpse Starch, those starving refugees in the Underhive will turn your Governors Mansion upside down first, and they'd even be happy to send you to the gallows."

Yuri, standing to the side, saw his gloating expression stiffen.

He knew better than anyone that Martha was telling the truth. Promethium was the lifeblood of the Hive City; whoever held the Promethium held the power.

"If this kid really falls out with Martha, won't my money go down the drain too?"

Yuri muttered to himself, not daring to speak up, but looking at Fu Haoran with a hint of schadenfreude.

"This kid was bound to stumble eventually; let's see how he handles this."

"Oh, and one more thing," Martha added, "Even if you agree, I'm raising the Promethium supply price by thirty percent. After all, supplying you is a risk."

"Are you planning to take advantage of the situation?" Fu Haoran asked indifferently, showing no sign of annoyance.

"So what if I am?" Martha stood tall, her gaze disdainful. "Lord Governor, you are just an outsider; you have to follow the rules here."

"I'll give you one day to consider." Martha stubbed her cigar out on Fu Haoran's desk, leaving a black burn mark.

"At this time tomorrow, either sign the contract, or I will cut off all your Promethium supply."

"You guess, when the time comes, will you be the first to bow, or will your soldiers be the first to turn on you?"

Having finished, Martha moved to turn and leave.

"Lady Martha, wait a moment." Fu Haoran called out to her.

"Oh? Bowing so soon?" Martha turned back disdainfully, but her expression changed instantly in the next second.

Pew! Pew!

Two Laser Pistols fired, and both bodyguards were hit.

They looked at their wounds in disbelief; fortunately, they were wearing high-grade armor, which saved their lives.

But more gunshots followed immediately.

Even if they could normally fight ten men alone, faced with the overwhelming firepower of Wade and the others, the two arrogant bodyguards only struggled for a moment before being riddled with holes.

Wade and the other guards hadn't expected Fu Haoran to strike suddenly, but since their Governor had acted, they didn't hesitate to finish the job.

As the bodyguards fell, Fu Haoran turned his gun toward Martha, a faint smile still on his lips:

"Lady Martha, why don't you place a bet? Do I dare to shoot you?"

Martha's mind went blank. Her reason told her that Fu Haoran definitely wouldn't dare; as long as he wasn't a fool, no one would.

But the two warm corpses beside her told her that the madman in front of her was capable of anything!

[Damn it, why did I only bring two bodyguards!]

Martha couldn't understand how anyone would dare to fire at her.

"Killing me means declaring war on all the Hive Nobles; they won't let you off..."

"So what?" Fu Haoran sneered. "I've long felt that this rebellion wasn't thorough enough. I don't mind letting this planet run red with blood, and I certainly don't mind dragging you all to hell with me."

Martha was terrified. She realized there was no trace of a smile in Fu Haoran's eyes.

"He... he really dares to kill me?!"

"How does he dare?!"

Martha slumped to the ground, looking at the corpses of her bodyguards. Fear made her nearly lose control of her bladder.

But hearing Fu Haoran's explanation about "bad marksmanship" and seeing that he didn't seem to intend to finish her off immediately, her deep-seated belief in rules and deals vanished.

"I... I apologize for my rudeness just now. I am willing to... pay compensation to express my regret."

However, Martha added:

"I can compromise on the canned goods distribution rights. I'll take them at fifty percent of the black market price, how about that?"

Fu Haoran: ...

He had gained a deeper understanding of the greed of nobles.

After paying a large sum of money, Martha was finally allowed to leave.

Fu Haoran put away his gun and said to Wade, "Dispose of the bodies. Tell the public that Lady Martha's bodyguards attempted to assassinate the Governor and were killed on the spot."

"Countess Martha voluntarily made a donation to prove her innocence."

After Wade left to carry out the order, Yuri asked with some lingering fear, "Kid, aren't you afraid of things going south?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Fu Haoran didn't quite understand.

Yuri, adopting the smug posture of an experienced elder, said, "Stop pretending. You just wanted to scare Martha; after all, she's just a woman."

"Kill her two bodyguards to terrify her, then force her to bow, and finally take the opportunity to extort a fortune from her."

Yuri felt he had seen through everything.

However, Fu Haoran shook his head and said, "No, I really wanted to kill her. My marksmanship just isn't very good; I missed."

Yuri: ...

Wade: ...

"Kid, haven't you thought about the consequences? Aren't you afraid the nobles will band together to take you out?"

Yuri was angry. He felt his intelligence was being insulted, and this could potentially ruin his plans completely—he might even end up dying with Fu Haoran!

"Them?" Fu Haoran looked at Yuri with disdain. "If they actually dared to act, I would actually think higher of them."

"But that would be even better; I could launch a Great Purge with a legitimate reason."

"This decadent world needs a major reshuffle. If we don't clear out all these vermin, all our efforts will be in vain."

Yuri was stunned. He couldn't understand why a young man in his early twenties had such a ruthless determination against these decadent nobles.

The matter seemed to have concluded for now, but Fu Haoran knew the real trouble was yet to come.

"Wade, call all the officers. We're going to be busy."

"After Martha goes back, she will definitely unite with others to cut off our Promethium. We need to be ready to strike first."

Hearing Fu Haoran's words, Yuri almost fell to his knees: "You... you're not really planning a Great Purge, are you?"

Fu Haoran smiled and said, "Of course not. I'm not that kind of person."

Yuri breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Fu Haoran add: "I don't like fighting battles I'm not sure of winning, but sooner or later, I will clear out all these vermin."

"I will let these nobles know what the Governor's wrath means—a river of blood!"

Yuri stared blankly at the murderous Fu Haoran, then at Wade and the others, who seemed accustomed to it.

He suddenly wondered if he had joined a cult.

This wasn't a Governor; he was clearly a fanatic of Khorne. There was no way he could stay in this Hive City!"}],