Chapter 1340: Interstellar Grand Stage (47)_1

The Throne Hall in the Fierce Feather Star Palace boasts a soaring arch dome adorned with tens of thousands of precious jewels. As sunlight pours in, it transforms into a twinkling radiance that is particularly beautiful when it shines upon the throne.

The queen, draped in a golden robe, differs from other females of the Ferocious Feather Tribe. She sports long, lavish feathers that are softer, smoother, and more colorful than those of the males.

Her eyes bear a certain resemblance to those of a lizard - elongated and inset with golden pupils like gemstones. As her vertical pupils rotate, the queen's somewhat raspy voice resonates, "Andufus, could this be a trap?"

Standing in the middle of the Throne Hall is a male tribesperson of the Ferocious Feather Tribe. In robes befitting his noble status, his feathers are neatly groomed and he exudes an air of solemnity, particularly from under his sharply-arched brows.

"Your Majesty, I believe Loki is untrustworthy," the noble named Andufus replies with his head bowed. He then begins to analyse, "I would even venture that the interstellar exhibition hosted by Asgard is a colossal trap. We cannot endorse such universal terrorists being incorporated into the Interstellar Society without degrading our reputation. We must expel Loki immediately, and make a clean break with Asgard!"

At that moment, another female of the Ferocious Feather Tribe, clad in light armor, intercedes, "But if Asgard genuinely intends to rejoin the Interstellar Society, they will inevitably need to partner with one of the Three Great Empires. If the Shi'ar Empire refuses their overtures, they will undoubtedly turn to the Kree Empire or the Skrull Empire, which will be disadvantageous for us."

The queen, seated atop the throne, lets out a sigh. This potential turn of events has been preoccupying her mind. If Asgard were to resort to deceit, she would not be overly concerned, as the Three Great Empires are well-established, capable of handling some personnel losses at the exhibition.

However, if Asgard were sincere in their intentions, then the peaceful status quo of Interstellar Society would undoubtedly face some upheaval, with the Shi'ar Empire not necessarily in an advantageous position.

The queen's somber voice reverberates throughout the Throne Hall:

"Loki courting us attests to his belief that of the Three Great Empires, we are the weakest in terms of military prowess. We need a powerful ally such as Asgard, just as they require our status and wealth."

"In contrast, partnering with the Kree Empire and the Skrull Empire would be unwise. Either empire, if they could secure a decisive advantage, would invariably spark a war of retaliation against the other. Only a partnership with the Shi'ar Empire could circumvent this predicament."

"This also presents an opportunity for the Shi'ar Empire," the queen sighs, "The Kree Empire and the Skrull Empire, boasting their formidable military strength, have been exploiting the economies of the Shi'ar Empire and lesser interstellar civilizations, sucking our blood for many years."

The queen raises her eyes to the window and comments, "Asgard's New God King and Prince have ambitions that soar far higher than this, and even forming a fourth empire would not be their final goal. To join forces with them would be to dance with the tiger."

There is silence in the Throne Hall. Finally, after an extended pause, Andufus stepped forward to counsel, but the queen cuts him off:

"I have decided to accept the olive branch extended to us by Asgard. However, we must remain vigilant of the treacherous Loki. Someone, inform Professor Thanos to come here. I wish to speak with him alone."

The two Ferocious Feather Tribespeople standing in the middle of the hall let out helpless sighs. While the Shi'ar Empire is, in theory, a constitutional monarchy, with the queen and the congress coexisting, in practice, the monarch serves as the head of the congress. Her decisions are unquestionable.

Soon, a giant with purple skin arrives at the Throne Hall. Everyone else is dismissed, the queen seats herself on the throne, tapping the armrest lightly with her fingers and asking, "What do you make of Loki extending this olive branch to the Shi'ar Empire?"

"I believe it to be a friendly gesture," the Titan Thanos responds, "However, the part about the technology cooperation isn't fully credible. No empire would share their core technology."

"I know that, of course. But I wonder, why did they single out this specific point? Even without the Rainbow Bridge's teleportation technology, were they also contemplating other technological partnerships with the Shi'ar Empire?"

Thanos sighs softly, then looks up at the queen and asks, "Before that, Your Majesty, may I inquire whether the dimensional cutting and transport technologies being developed by the Shi'ar Empire have really made the groundbreaking progress rumored?"

The queen frowns, to which Thanos rushes to explain, "Please forgive my boldness. I have absolutely no intention of prying into the Shi'ar Empire's technological secrets."

"I'm not a scientist. I don't understand any of this teleportation technology. But if rumors true of a successful trial, we would have a hefty bargaining chip and could demand Asgard to pay a higher price."

The queen remains silent for a moment, then voices, "Even if I don't say it, you should be able to guess. If there were any profound advancements, then we wouldn't be in this current state."

"Just one week ago, the Supreme Wisdom announced the Kree Empire's new interstellar policy. This year their currency issuance increased another 10%, and all of it was billed to the Shi'ar Empire."

"We lack enough strategic deterrence, and the civilizations in our subordinate new district lack confidence. Numerous business entities, even entire civilizations, have fled. Our people haven't heard good news in too long. We are in desperate need of a morale-boosting victory."