After the outbreak of war, the benefits acquired by the Northern Alliance through governance made everyone green with envy, while also revealing the foresight behind the Alliance securing its ruling power.

Apart from the influx of refugees into the Free World and the substantial taxes filling the Northern Alliance's coffers, the gathering of blockade-running ships, smuggling ships, and pirates also brought unprecedented trade levels to the Free Port. Every day, the Free Trade Hall handled transactions worth billions and trillions, indicating only one thing—the Northern Alliance's profits.

More importantly, when trade, taxes, transport, defense, law and order, and port management are all concentrated in the hands of a single organization, the benefits that organization's industries can reap are beyond estimation.

Even if these powers were nominal for many years beforehand.

People realized that the Northern Alliance's merchant ships had priority access to the port. On the voyage route, the safest ships were also those of the Northern Alliance. In the trade hall, the Northern Alliance controlled the allocation and supply of resources. In commercial collaborations with other nations, the Northern Alliance gained the greatest advantage.

In Selwal's hands, those scattered powers that were previously overlooked, became invaluable after the war erupted, ultimately concentrating in the Northern Alliance's grip. The Alliance's strength ensured the exercise of these powers. Their unassuming neutral stance and strategic use of powers left major forces and alliances helpless, compelling them to cooperate with the Alliance.

No one wanted to provoke the Northern Alliance. If you didn't want sudden competition, fewer business partners, inaccessible ports, or detained and delayed goods, or malfunctioning taxes, trades, and financial accounts at critical moments that could alter outcomes, it was best not to antagonize the Northern Alliance.

At this point, Selwal's reputation reached a prestigious height both within the Northern Alliance and the entire Free Port. People suddenly realized governance could be handled in such a manner. Implementing certain powers didn't need confrontation with other forces—sometimes cooperation yielded greater benefits than before.

While people admired Selwal's foresight, no one knew that the decision was made not three years ago, but twenty years ago—when he was assigned to manage a small shipyard at Mars Free Port, he already prepared to become the chief administrator of Mars Free Port.

Selwal was no seer, no prophet, nor was he a time traveler from the future. What he cared for wasn't profit or the conventional neutral stance; he needed a claim—a pretext to sweep away opposing forces and establish control over the Free World!

When the war broke out between Gazalin and Leray, Selwal knew his long-awaited opportunity had arrived.

The scattered descendants of the Imperial Family worldwide were always waiting for this day.

Selwal seized the ruling power. With a neutral stance, he detached the Northern Commerce Alliance from those sectarian conflicts. To him, these rules of the Free World were nothing but a joke. Those ludicrous Mechanical Sects, clinging to outdated traditions, controlled the world.

In fact, they were nothing but whores—a bunch of whores surrounded by jealous clients. Before absolute power, these whores could only take off their pants.

In the past three years, the Northern Commerce Alliance silently utilized the ruling power to extend its reach throughout the Free World. Now, two-fifths of Mars Free Port's military were under the Northern Commerce Alliance's absolute control. Many Freedom Docks and Space Stations along various star system routes were also considerably under the Alliance's control.

Sectarian forces were merely amalgamations of groups for specific stances and interests. Meanwhile, the Northern Alliance, under Selwal's management, had become a tightly structured quasi-militarized organization. The core members of the Alliance were directly controlled by Selwal. Every word he spoke was executed with strict adherence.

Most importantly, the Northern Commerce Alliance had reached an agreement with the Suss Empire. For the Suss Empire, having an ally like this which held nominal and substantial power ensured the stability and security of the Free World's routes during wartime was invaluable.

Selwal kept waiting for an opportunity—an opportunity for those ludicrous sects to turn against each other. Clearly, that opportunity had now arrived.

Selwal finished his coffee, without lifting his eyelids, issued his first directive to rule the Free World.

The directive was simple—only four short words.

"Kick them while they're down."

*******************************************

At the silent dining table, Helen softly sipped her porridge. Occasionally, she glanced at Fatty seated opposite her.

Fatty, with five finger marks imprinted on his left cheek, solemnly and nonchalantly ate his breakfast. Noticing Helen looking at him, he raised an inquisitive look and asked, "What is it? Anything wrong?"