Opal left quickly and returned quickly.
In less than half an hour, she walked back into the courtyard.
“Opal, how is it? Has the fight started?” Felicia asked in a gossipy tone.
“Yes!” Opal replied with a faint smile.
“Did they really start fighting?” Alex Long was also excited, “Did Westin Ayala show up?”
“Westin Ayala is not at the scene,” Opal shook her head in response.
“Before I arrived at the Prime Minister’s mansion, Westin Ayala, Arian Tran, and a group of palace ministers were all summoned into the palace.”
“I see.” Alex Long paused for a moment before continuing, “That’s even better. With the higher-ups gone, the lower ranks can have a go! Let them fight for three days and nights!”
Night Orchid chuckled, “Alex Long, you enjoy a good show, don’t you?”
“Billy Boy, what’s the plan next?” Opal then turned to Billy and asked.
“Let’s wait for Azure Dragon and the others to come back!” Billy smiled faintly.
“Boss, we got the clothes back!” Before Billy could finish his sentence, Azure Dragon and the other three came in from the door, each carrying a pile of Praetorian Guard uniforms.
“Well done!” Billy smiled again before giving out instructions to everyone.
In a short while, more than a dozen figures clad in Praetorian Guard uniforms streamed out of the main courtyard gate and dispersed in different directions.
Around fifteen minutes later, the sound of intense fighting echoed throughout the imperial city.
Several waves of Praetorian Guards, led by one or two heads, besieged the residences of several palace ministers.
Shouting to search inside for any trace of Sullivan Tran, they engaged in fierce battles with the guards of those residences.
In addition, several batches of Praetorian Guards, in the name of search, wreaked havoc in the city, causing panic among the people and complaints from the residents.
As all the ministers had been summoned into the palace, the unrest continued and showed no signs of stopping even into the evening.
With more people joining the battle, by deep night, the entire Imperial City descended into extreme chaos.
Simultaneously, inside the Crimson Flame Imperial Palace.
In a grand hall adorned with carvings and paintings, two groups of people were in a heated argument.
Present were high-ranking ministers of the Crimson Flame Empire, including Zain Guthrie, Westin Ayala, Arian Tran, and others.
The Emperor of the Crimson Flame Empire, Tate Guthrie, sat on the dragon throne, his face so grim that it seemed water might drip from it any moment.
“Enough!” Tate Guthrie shouted in anger.
He then slammed his palm on the stone table in front of him, shattering it into pieces in an instant.
Finally, the scene quieted down.
“Westin Ayala, I understand your feelings, but have you gone too far with today’s actions?” Tate Guthrie looked at Westin Ayala and spoke in a deep voice.
“The Imperial Praetorian Guard is the exclusive military force of the imperial family, used to suppress internal rebellion and defend against external enemies.”
“I don’t know when the Praetorian Guard became your personal army.”
To him, how could he not know that Westin Ayala was exploiting the situation to force Arian Tran to surrender the position of the Prime Minister?
However, he naturally couldn’t let Westin Ayala have his way. Preserving Arian Tran’s position as Prime Minister was equivalent to safeguarding his imperial family’s authority.
As the situation in the Crimson Flame Imperial Palace had advanced to this point, if he were to back down now, he would have to relinquish his position as Emperor.
“Emperor, my son was publicly killed by Mr Tran’s son, that is an undeniable fact!” Westin Ayala responded loudly.
“I just wanted Prime Minister to hand over the killer, but he kept evading and refusing to comply.”
“Helpless, I had no choice but to search the entire city…”
“Westin Ayala, Mr Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasized that he, too, doesn’t know the whereabouts of his son, and he is also sending people to search for him,” a minister in a gray robe spoke up in a deep voice.
“Yet you insist that Mr Prime Minister is harboring Mr Tran, demanding to search his mansion.”
“The Prime Minister’s mansion is a first-ranking official residence. Even if Mr Westin Ayala is the commander of the Praetorian Guard, he cannot simply search as he pleases!”
“This matter has nothing to do with you, I advise you to keep out of it, Mr Walker!” a western-faced man replied in a stern voice.
“What, are you threatening me?” the man in the gray robe responded coldly.
“I am just kindly reminding you, Mr Walker, there is no need for you to incriminate yourself!” the man spoke again.
“Mr Walker is just expressing his thoughts; Lord Sohlow, why are you so eager to interfere?” Arian Tran glanced at the man and then turned to Westin Ayala.
“Mr Westin Ayala, if you suspect my son is hiding in the Prime Minister’s mansion and want to search, I have no objection!”
“However, I suspect he has been captured by your Praetorian Guard. Therefore, I request that Mr Westin Ayala allows my men to search your headquarters!”
“Are you joking with me?” Westin Ayala’s eyes flashed with a cold light.
“If Mr Westin Ayala thinks I am joking, then may I ask, Mr Westin Ayala, aren’t you also joking with me?” Arian Tran replied.
“Arian Tran, my son was killed by your son in public, witnessed by many!” Westin Ayala exuded a chilling killing intent.
“You better hand over your son soon, or don’t blame me for being impolite!”
“Firstly, I understand my son’s character!” Arian Tran replied coldly.
“If I estimate correctly, he must have been forced to the extreme before he resorted to violence!”
“Furthermore, my son is not stupid. He is well aware that the entire imperial city is filled with your Praetorian Guards. If he wants to survive, he has to come home for any chance of survival.”
“Yet until now, I haven’t seen any sign of him. Undoubtedly, he must have already fallen into the hands of your Praetorian Guard!”
“The reason you are still hanging on is that you want to exploit the situation…”
“Arian Tran, you are slandering and distorting the truth. I see you are tired of living!” Before Arian Tran could finish his words, Westin Ayala’s angry voice interrupted him.
As he spoke, he raised his hand and swept a palm strike toward Arian Tran.
“Westin Ayala, how dare you behave so insolently in front of the Emperor!” Arian Tran frowned, blocking the attack with his own palm.
Their attacks collided, causing a shock wave that rippled outwards.
Zain Guthrie, who had reached the half-step into the eighth rank Sacred Realm, used his full strength to block Westin Ayala’s attack, so it wasn’t too difficult for him.
However, several ministers below the Sacred Realm were impacted by the shockwave and had to retreat several meters, feeling their blood churning inside.
“I am just seeking justice for my son. Duke, do you also want to stop me?” Westin Ayala frowned, looking at Zain Guthrie.