Menlo was the capital of the Mindborn Empire.
While the situation at the front lines in Tas City was grim, things in Menlo were hardly any better.
This was not because Menlo was under attack by the Sharkborn, but due to the overwhelming tension gripping the city.
A grand, palace-like structure stood in the very heart of Menlo.
It served as the residence of the Mindborn Emperor, Yinm, as well as the political center of the empire.
Heavily armed guards stood post outside, wearing combat suits far more advanced than those worn by the defenders of Tas City.
They belonged to the Imperial Guard, an elite force of only a few thousand soldiers, each fiercely loyal and exceptionally skilled in combat.
The title of Emperor sounded grand and slightly archaic, but in truth, it was simply a position of supreme leadership.
Whether called a king, a president, a supreme commander, or a general, the underlying role remained the same.
The ruler of the Mindborn Empire did not possess absolute, unquestioned power.
Within this young empire, several factions held enough influence that even Emperor Yinm could not ignore them.
At that moment, a high-level council was underway inside the central palace.
Every city lord in the empire was present without exception. The meeting was led by Shasi, the sole Archbishop of the High Church, with Emperor Yinm attending in person.
This council would decide the ultimate fate of the Mindborn people.
The chamber blended futuristic technology with traditional Mindborn architecture. It was packed with leaders wearing robes of various colors and fine materials.
As high-ranking figures, they conducted themselves with calm formality.
Archbishop Shasi opened the session with a brief report on Tas City, summarizing the grim reality in plain terms: defeat was almost certain.
Though Shasi held no official government title, no one dared to underestimate the Archbishop.
The city lords knew he often acted as the Emperor's mouthpiece, speaking the hard truths that Yinm himself could not directly say.
"Only the final defensive ring remains outside Tas City," Shasi said solemnly. "The situation is dire. Do any of you have a solution?"
The city lords, including Lord Waan of Pang'ang City, remained silent, bowing their heads under the heavy mood.
None of them had an answer. They only controlled their own municipal defense forces, and sending those troops away was out of the question.
Rushing their remaining guards to Tas City would be a drop in the ocean, and without military presence at home, internal panic would tear their own cities apart before the invaders even arrived.
Desperation drove people to do extreme things.
They were well aware of the tragedy unfolding at Tas City. It was not a matter of petty political infighting, but a stark lack of resources.
No one was foolish enough to play political games when their entire civilization faced extinction.
Emperor Yinm watched their reactions calmly, unsurprised by their silence.
He understood the empire's desperate situation better than anyone else.
Yinm appeared quite young, lacking the imposing aura of a tyrant, looking almost like an ordinary citizen if not for his ceremonial robes.
Yet anyone who maintained supreme power in such troubled times was far from ordinary.
"My lords, how is the selection for Project Seed coming along?" Yinm asked, steering the conversation in a new direction.
With Tas City hanging by a thread, there was no longer any need to beat around the bush.
The city lords quickly offered their assurances. "The candidates have all been selected, Your Majesty."
In truth, there was little selecting needed, as every family leader had filled the limited slots with their own relatives and elites.
"Good. Send them to Menlo as soon as possible," Yinm nodded slowly.
Project Seed consisted of two phases: initial selection and final evaluation.
Yinm intended to conduct the final tests himself to ensure only the brightest and most capable survived.
If the seeds were weak, fleeing the planet would merely delay their inevitable extinction rather than offer a chance at rebirth.
During the remainder of the council, Yinm did not mention Tas City again, and the leaders moved on to discuss backup defense plans as if the besieged city were already lost.
After the session concluded, Yinm declined all private audiences and walked alone to a secluded chamber deep within the palace.
"Have you made up your mind, your respected Majesty?"
A mechanical bat flew out from the shadows the moment Yinm entered, hovering above his head as it rasped in a harsh voice.
Yinm showed no surprise, his face remaining entirely calm.
The creature had first appeared before him a day ago while he was preparing to rest.
It claimed to be an envoy of the Decepticons, offering to resolve the empire's crisis, but Yinm had hesitated out of caution and called the emergency council first.
After a long silence, Yinm pushed aside his lingering misgivings and looked up at the creature.
"Very well," he said. "I agree to meet with your Decepticon leader."
He assumed Decepticon was either the name of their faction or the name of their race.
"You have made a wise choice, Yinm," the bat cackled softly before beating its wings and flying out through a high window.
Yinm watched it disappear into the sky, lost in thought.
"When did Planet Kugrage become such a popular destination?" he muttered with a self-deprecating smile.
The mechanical scout was none other than Ratbat.
Upon clearing the capital, he immediately transmitted a message to the flagship:
"Lord Skygnaw, the Emperor of the Mindborn Empire has agreed to meet with you."
Meanwhile, back in Pang'ang City, Lord Waan returned home only to be greeted by infuriating news.
"My Lord, Commander Wala gathered his personal guard and left the city yesterday."
Waan froze in shock. Just as he was preparing to send his family's chosen candidates to Menlo, his most important son had snuck away without permission.
"That fool!" Waan roared, turning on his estate guards. "Where did he go?"
A guard clutched his rifle nervously, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Commander Wala... he went to Tas City..."
"What!"
Waan stumbled back, nearly collapsing before his guards rushed forward to support him.
The mansion guards were terrified, but none of them had possessed the authority to stop the city lord's own son.
It took a long moment for Waan to regain his composure. He turned to his captain of the guard with a stern expression.
"Order the Seventh Corps to dispatch fighters to Tas City immediately and bring Wala back."
"Tell them it is my direct order! He must not be harmed under any circumstances!"
Tas City was far too dangerous for Waan to travel there himself, nor did he have the time to make the journey.
"Understood, my Lord!" the captain replied promptly before rushing out to deliver the order.
At Tas City, several Windfeather fighters touched down inside the defensive zone, and Wala stepped out from the main craft.
A dozen elite bodyguards followed closely behind him, handpicked from the Seventh Corps and sworn to obey his every command, no matter how reckless his decisions were.
Wala had slipped away from his father for a very specific reason: a day ago, he learned that the largest flagship in the enemy fleet had entered the atmosphere of Planet Kugrage.
He believed this was his golden opportunity to execute his long-cherished decapitation strike against the enemy commander.
However, the moment he stepped foot inside Tas City, he realized the situation was far more dire than he had imagined.
"Welcome to Tas City, Wala," General Silae said, eyeing the young noble with a strange expression.
Countless citizens were desperate to escape this doomed stronghold, yet this rash young man had voluntarily rushed into the fire.
Wala had been escorted directly to Silae upon arrival, his guards kept under strict supervision even though they were allowed to keep their arms.
"General Silae," Wala greeted him nervously.
Though his father led the powerful Waan clan, the Silae family held equal prestige within the empire, and General Silae was a figure of authority who commanded absolute respect.
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