Chaos Heir

Chapter 1502: Traditions

With a sparring partner for Major General Arngan secured, Khan and the other evolved representatives only had to have a preliminary conversation about the when, where, and what of some of the joint projects they had agreed to abide by.

Realistically speaking, that decision wouldn’t be up to the evolved representatives. They were too distant from their mortal assets and their current arrangements to have valid opinions on the matter.

Chances were the evolved representatives’ decisions would do more harm than good, disregarding existing facilities and agreements, so it was better to leave those discussions to their subordinates.

However, those evolved leaders could reach general understandings anyway, especially on matters that only they could understand something about.

That allied front owned a lot of territory. It had no shortage of suitable places for its gatherings, joint facilities, and more. Planets like Baoway and the lawless zones already featured initial instances of that.

Ideally, the allied front would use that to its advantage, assigning and relocating projects to locations that would benefit and facilitate them the most, prioritizing the need for immediate results over interspecies barriers.

Nevertheless, there were insurmountable problems that went beyond what a simple alliance could solve.

One of the main issues most people were unaware of involved Khan’s need to be with the Emperor to hide his presence. Separating the two wouldn’t only put a target on his back. It might also flush out the True Chaos before the allied front could finish its preparations.

Therefore, Zedekiel was out of the question unless Khan decided to stay there for the time being, which was far from ideal. Too much demanded his presence elsewhere. He was the only one who could act as a bridge among the different species, meaning he couldn’t just depart and stay away.

That wasn’t necessarily the end of the world. Zedekiel indeed was a prime location to train troops, especially troops of the evolved fashion, but other places could work.

Baoway was one of those possible alternatives. Khan even had his forces build special training grounds there that made use of the toxic substance.

The planet was also many years ahead in terms of interspecies policies, making it a perfect candidate.

However, despite the special training grounds being useful, Baoway remained too small, or rather, too crowded. Khan and his allies had filled it to the brim, leaving little to no available space for the many interspecies projects the allied front had in mind.

Coravis couldn’t work, either, due to the Nele and what was left of the Great Old One. The other planets in Khan’s domain were also occupied by nobles and descendants, and the Empire, vast as it was, lacked the inclusivity and manpower needed to get things done quickly.

As surprising as it sounded, Earth was the next in line as a possible suitable location for most of the allied front’s planned projects.

For once, having such vital projects on Earth would give humankind face, hopefully making it abandon its stubborn stance.

Also, Khan and the Emperor were already there, solving issues regarding relocating such powerful entities. The Global Army was well-connected, too, making it easy for other important figures to travel to Earth and encounter the allied front’s stronger leaders.

Moreover, Khan knew he remained the Scarlet Eyes’ main target, so he didn’t exactly mind staying away from his property. If the True Chaos were to find him somehow and attack again, he could find reassurance in the fact that nothing he truly cared about would be in danger.

Lastly and more importantly, Earth had a lot of free space, so much of it that it was almost ridiculous how humankind had done nothing with it in over five centuries.

Aynor’s quadrant was an exception to a widespread trend on Earth. The Global Army had forsaken most of the lands destroyed and ruined during the First Impact, never bothering to fix and repurpose them to prioritize space expansion.

That had been a reasonable decision, at least from a financial standpoint. Humankind had to rebuild itself, and the universe had riches that didn’t need initial investments. It was better to colonize already clean planets or expand through space stations rather than wasting time fixing Earth.

Still, those empty areas could be priceless now. Earth had some of the best technology in the universe, eliminating logistical problems, and evolved warriors could train freely without having to worry about destroying anything of value.

Of course, that was another aspect that the evolved representatives’ underlings would have to handle, but settling it that very night would get things moving immediately, which was the preferred outcome.

Obviously, the evolved representatives didn’t reach that conclusion in a straightforward manner. They took plenty of breaks to drink, joke around, or both, mostly both, completing those political and logistical matters quite late into the party.

Those conclusions had arrived so late that the sky above the quadrant had started to brighten by then, announcing the incoming dawn. The party itself had also quieted down since many guests were drunk, asleep, or both, with the latter being the most common.

That celebration seemed to have reached its natural end, and Khan planned to savor its few remaining hours exactly there, drinking calmly while watching what was bound to be the last peaceful dawn for a while arrive.

However, someone else had very different intentions. The world in Khan’s vision brightened, but due to something that had nothing to do with the sky.

Liiza had patiently waited until the group exhausted the politics before slipping from behind Khan, sitting on his lap, placing her drink on the sand, and moving away his to clear the path for his face.

Khan recalled about Liiza’s promise and her species’ tradition when her lips touched his, barely giving him the time to spot her more evident blush. He could hardly think straight when his and Liiza’s thoughts merged with their sensations, and he almost lost himself when her cold fingers dug into his hair.

Still, mere public displays of affection weren’t what the Niqols’ customs were about. Liiza interrupted the kiss before it could become too passionate, pulling back her head to show her engrossed expression, before retreating altogether.

One of the customary interactions Khan and Liiza never had many chances to abide by unfolded at that very moment. Liiza stood up, pulling Khan’s hand, inviting him through a shy but excited expression to join him.

Khan didn’t even try to hesitate. Part of him wished he did that to enjoy his wife’s unique expression, but he didn’t have the strength to keep her waiting. He also stood up, ignoring the surrounding curious looks, only focusing on Liiza while she turned to lead him away.

The couple was on a white desert instead of a dark forest, but that hardly mattered. Khan and Liiza could both fly, but neither left the sand. That custom was as much a search for privacy as it was a statement to anyone watching.

And people did watch it. Liiza made sure of it, taking the longest route possible to the distant cliff, dragging Khan across the many groups of drunk guests, showing off her husband, wanting everyone to know he belonged to her.