Munitions Empire Chapter 2028 - 1890: The Last Meeting

Even with mental preparation, Sofia felt a pang of grievance as Tang Mo stepped into the room.

She ought to have positioned herself more elegantly, flashing a captivating smile at this spine-chilling adversary. Yet her current disarray left her feeling unworthy to meet the eyes of the man now present.

Sofia's deepest regret lay in not showing her finest self to him. A decade earlier, she would have approached this encounter with far greater assurance.

Wes lingered by the door without departing, gazing down at Sofia on her hospital bed. He wondered what had driven this woman to boldly challenge someone as overwhelmingly formidable as Tang Mo.

Sofia paid no mind to the additional presence in the room; she had nothing left to forfeit. Circumstances denied her the luxury of picking her setting. That Tang Mo would sit and converse with her was already a surprising delight.

As Sofia self-mockingly assessed Tang Mo, he in turn inspected her. Truth be told, despite her age, Sofia remained an undeniable beauty.

Scratches marred her face, yet it still held an alluring charm, echoing much of her past unrivaled loveliness.

It came as no surprise that Tang Mo had heard how this woman once rivaled his imperial concubine Ying Yue in fame for beauty, and even Iryn, the elf carefully selected to accompany him, might not surpass Sofia's former splendor.

That said, Sofia's state right then was utterly unkempt.

The sight of her exposed wrist unsettled Tang Mo somewhat, while the bandage on her leg marred the otherwise flawless artistry of Sofia's form.

A heavy silence filled the room, broken only by the soft beeps of machines tracking Sofia's vital signs.

"Great Emperor, could you tell me about your coronation ceremony?" At last, the quiet shattered. Sofia's voice came faint and distant, muffled as if through dense cotton, infused with weakness and helplessness. She struggled to direct her eyes toward Tang Mo at the bedside, her colorless lips parting again, "I didn’t get to see it..."

Images of Tang Mo had appeared on TV for her to see, and his pictures dominated newspaper pages everywhere. In those shots, he appeared either vibrant or thoughtful, radiating undeniable majesty and presence. But witnessing Tang Mo in person delivered a tangible reality beyond any photo or broadcast.

This man before her felt more grounded yet more enigmatic than his images suggested. A subtle air of remoteness clung to him, like a light fog obscuring clear sight. That aura stirred unfamiliarity and a strange unease within her.

Previously, the rulers she encountered were mere tools manipulated by her or the Shireck Consortium at will. Such superiority bred in her a lack of fundamental respect for emperors.

Now, however, things differed; the man exuded an allure that captivated women, turning each of Sofia's breaths tense. It was an unprecedented sensation, akin to the thrill of budding first love.

"The ceremony... proceeded fairly smoothly," Tang Mo replied in a deep, steady tone, as though recounting an unrelated event. "Thanks to the minor disruption you arranged, security tightened, and several rituals got shortened." He paused, mind drifting back to the moment.

The coronation's majestic display replayed in his thoughts: the opulent palace, the ceremony's grave dignity, the thunderous cheers like roaring mountains and surging seas... all vivid as cinematic frames.

Once more, he could almost hear Chang’an City’s citizens roaring in acclaim, waves of sound crashing deafeningly with reverence and praise. That was his triumph, the emblem of his dominion.

Indeed, all of Chang’an City rejoiced, every inhabitant crying "Long live His Majesty The Emperor," their voices a mountainous, oceanic tumult capable of crumbling any defiance to Tang Mo’s throne. Such fervor instilled innate reverence in all who heard it.

Television broadcasts spread the signal across the Great Tang Empire, igniting fervent cheers everywhere. "Long live the Emperor" resounded through the heavens, echoing endlessly.

No historical record held such a spectacle, nor would the future likely witness its like again.

"So, did my actions let me ’join’ your coronation indirectly?" A wry smile touched Sofia’s lips, her words tinged with self-mockery and resignation.

She had originally intended to deploy that bomb to unleash some "surprises" during Tang Mo’s coronation ceremony, forcing him to swallow the bitter taste of defeat precisely when he hit the height of his power. Even in ultimate failure, the seed of fear and doubt planted deep in Tang Mo’s heart would sprout and haunt his whole existence. But her scheme crumbled, as her meticulously selected subordinates ultimately fell short of their mission.

Tang Mo’s reaction validated her guess, offering her a sliver of solace; at the very least, her scheme had left some mark on him.

"Yes, your 'participation' truly stirred up considerable chaos for me." Tang Mo kept his voice steady, showing no hint of emotion: "My security team spent a full three hours hunting for the bomb you supposedly concealed."

"Three hours?" Sofia felt a touch of astonishment. She hadn’t anticipated such swift action from the Great Tang Empire’s security forces. To her, three hours scarcely sufficed for a proper meal. Yet, in that brief span, Tang Mo’s men had located the bomb and verified no second one lurked anywhere...

"Regrettably, they came up empty." Tang Mo shook his head, his words carrying a subtle edge of sarcasm.

"Didn’t find it?" Sofia stood frozen in shock. She couldn’t grasp Tang Mo’s implication. Without discovering the bomb, wouldn’t the coronation get scrapped? How could Tang Mo speak so composedly of "everything proceeding as planned"?

"Your agents never even neared the observation platform or the coronation stage." Tang Mo clarified, "Thus, no opportunity arose to place a bomb."

"Your subordinates deceived you right from the beginning; the bomb never existed." With Sofia rooted in place, Tang Mo pressed on, "Your ignorance made your act utterly believable. It convinced Li’ao and his crew of a real threat in the venue prep, prompting their three-hour frenzy of inspections."

"I get it now..." Sofia comprehended at last. She had misjudged the Great Tang Empire’s defenses and inflated her followers’ capabilities.

"So, how was your coronation ceremony...?" Following her sigh came a momentary hush. Amid that quiet, Sofia shifted subjects, eager to probe Tang Mo’s inner sentiments upon claiming the throne.

"Everything went off without a hitch as scheduled." Tang Mo’s voice stayed even and composed, "The sole disappointment was the lack of surprises."

To prevent slip-ups, Mr. Tan’s coronation demanded his personal oversight, complete with practice runs for key parts. Thus, for Tang Mo, no real surprises surfaced.

"Who placed the crown on you?" Sofia burned with curiosity over this. She yearned to learn who merited crowning the Great Tang Empire’s Emperor.

"I crowned myself." Tang Mo’s reply came short and forceful.

"Yourself?" Sofia paused in surprise before it clicked. Such a move perfectly suited Tang Mo’s character.

"Quite unique..." She quickly responded, nodding while murmuring softly, "If it were me, I’d crown myself as well."

Tang Mo brushed off Sofia’s bold remark with just a light smile. He recognized she’d forfeited any power to challenge him; no point lingering on a doomed soul. His visit served only to witness his final open foe in this world firsthand.

Post-today, such moments might vanish entirely. After all, scant few now dared confront him outright.

"My schedule is tight. If you’ve said all you wish, we conclude here." Tang Mo rose to his feet. He truly couldn’t spare more moments on a near-departed figure like Sofia.

A sprawling empire demanded his stewardship; each minute held immense worth for one in his position.

From Tang Mo’s viewpoint, resolving a state matter to shield even one more subject from calamity outweighed idling here trading empty chatter with Sofia.

"If..." As Tang Mo approached the door, Sofia’s voice trailed from behind: "Ten years back, or fifteen, had we crossed paths... would you have taken a liking to me?"

In posing that query, Sofia seemed to summon every ounce of her bravery. She couldn’t fathom her sudden impulse, utterly unprepared for it.

"No." Tang Mo replied instantly, without pause.

The door shut, stranding Sofia in a stupor. As drugs coursed into her veins, the vital signs on her monitoring gear flatlined to zero.

In the hallway, Wes at Tang Mo’s side failed to mask his grin: "I figured you’d grant her some final solace."

"How could I?" A faint smirk tugged at Tang Mo’s lips, "I came solely to drive the final nail into her coffin."

(The End)