Chapter 300: The Empire Needs Balance! The Giant Corporation's Black-Gloved Hand!
Baron Harkonnen fell silent for a moment, but soon, he realized something crucial—there was no fundamental conflict of interest between House Harkonnen and the Universal Megacorp.
This interstellar war was essentially designed to crush the Imperial forces and their lackeys, the Harkonnens, paving the way for the Megacorp's Executive Officer to ascend as the God-Emperor.
But a lackey can always find a new master!
Especially now, after today, House Atreides would inevitably rise in power. If Li Ang was destined to become the new Emperor, wouldn't he also need a lackey to keep Atreides in check?
The Empire's political landscape demanded balance.
For so many years, House Harkonnen had served as the quintessential villains of the Empire, helping the throne suppress and counterbalance various noble houses.
Faced with the imminent rise of House Atreides, the Baron simply couldn't believe that Li Ang didn't also desire some form of counterweight.
Spinning around, the Baron shouted excitedly at Song Zhaomei, "I'm willing to negotiate! I too can support the Megacorp! I'll back the Executive Officer's ascension to God-Emperor!"
"I am the head of House Harkonnen. I command the loyalty of countless Imperial citizens. With my support, other noble families, even commoners, will follow the Megacorp!"
These words were Baron Harkonnen's declaration of value to Song Zhaomei. In both capability and influence, he was in no way inferior to Duke Leto—aside from his abysmal character, of course.
Duke Leto was genuinely surprised by the Baron's quick response. He had clearly underestimated this old dog's political savvy—he'd immediately found a path to redemption.
Meanwhile, far away at the headquarters of the Multiverse Base, Li Ang burst out laughing. A lesser man, faced with a situation like this, would have panicked, frozen, and waited for death.
But the Baron had pinpointed the core issue and made his value known to Song Zhaomei. That kind of mental acuity and nerve was exactly what a top-tier villain needed.
[This guy is definitely not simple. No wonder he could hold the reins of House Harkonnen for so long. He's a formidable character.]
Hearing his boss Li Ang 's remark, Song Zhaomei quietly asked whether they should accept the Baron's plea for mercy.
[No rush. Keep questioning him. Try to dig out more.]
Li Ang smiled. In fact, he had a certain fondness for many villains. Their failures weren't always due to stupidity or poor planning—often, it just came down to bad luck.
In this conquest of the Dune universe, Li Ang not only needed to rescue and empower House Atreides, but also required a rival force to balance them out.
And House Harkonnen was the ideal choice—provided the Baron had the intellect, strategy, and attitude to satisfy Li Ang .
So far, the Baron's performance had been quite satisfactory. Li Ang was willing to give him a chance at survival.
"Yes, understood."
After finishing the brief exchange with Li Ang , Song Zhaomei looked back at Baron Harkonnen. But instead of responding to his offer, she remained silent and signaled Duke Leto to continue questioning him.
Seeing Song Zhaomei's silence, Duke Leto couldn't help but feel a surge of joy—perhaps the Megacorp had no intention of keeping House Harkonnen around after all.
Without Harkonnen's restraint, House Atreides would finally be free to soar.
When the Baron saw Song Zhaomei ignoring him, he assumed his offer had been rejected. After racking his brain, he turned to Leto and said:
"Spare me, and I'll give you Giedi Prime. I'll even reveal the secret stash of House Harkonnen—only I know its location. Everything will be yours."
Giedi Prime was the Baron's last bargaining chip. Aside from the family treasure and that prosperous planet, he had nothing else to offer.
But Duke Leto simply smiled and shook his head. "You really are a fool. Giedi Prime no longer belongs to you. As for the treasure, I've got plenty of time to find it myself."
"I don't need you to tell me anything."
Baron Harkonnen was left speechless. As much as it annoyed him, he couldn't argue with Leto's words.
"I'll ask you only one question."
Duke Leto stepped a little closer, locking eyes with the Baron as he asked solemnly, "Where is Dr. Yueh's wife, Wanna?"
Though Leto hadn't agreed outright to Dr. Yueh's request, he still wanted to help the man one last time. That was why he raised this question.
"That's what you want to ask me? Hahaha…"
Baron Harkonnen burst out laughing. He'd expected accusations, perhaps coercion or even execution.
But to be asked such a trivial question? That just confirmed that his fate lay in the hands of the Megacorp, not Duke Leto.
In that instant, the Baron saw right through the illusion—Leto might seem mighty, but he was completely beholden to others. If the Baron could just spin things to align with the Megacorp's interests, he could survive!
And what the Megacorp needed was a force to keep House Atreides in check. The Baron had to prove he was the one for the job.
A plan was already forming in his mind.
"That woman is in my hands, though she's probably wishing for death right about now."
The Baron sneered. "My nephew Rabban turned her into a mechanical spider. First he severed her limbs, then controlled her with spice, and turned her into a plaything. And I'll say this—she was very obedient."
"She'll do whatever you tell her to. Sings, dances, plays instruments—she's quite the toy!"
The Baron spoke with disgusting pleasure.
Upon hearing this, Duke Leto immediately grasped the implication—Rabban, the one they called 'The Beast,' had gotten hold of her. No one ever escaped his clutches unscathed.
But Rabban had already been blown to bits by the Spacing Guild. That, at least, was some small justice.
Duke Leto took a deep breath to contain his fury. Staring daggers at the Baron, he asked:
"So from the start, you never intended to return her to Dr. Yueh?"
In the face of the accusation, the Baron remained calm and leaned into his despicable persona. With a smug smile, he replied:
"Of course not. He's a Suk doctor, after all. Who knows if he was truly loyal?"
"Taking that woman was just a standard move. I didn't expect him to be so capable—he even disabled your shield generator."
The Baron's casual confession made Leto's face darken instantly. It was sickening.
Why should a loyal servant be ruined by the petty schemes of a manipulative villain?
It felt like his idealized, innocent schoolgirl had suddenly been seduced by a scummy dropout, gotten pregnant, and dropped out of school in disgrace.
While everyone mocked her, only he remembered the sunlight on her face and the smile she once gave him.
Though Dr. Yueh hadn't held much power in military or political matters, he was family in all but name. That betrayal had hit Leto hard.
The Baron noticed Leto's flash of sorrow and immediately pounced, trying to break his composure:
"Hahaha! That Yueh fellow was so obedient. A few sweet words and he was dancing in the palm of my hand. I should've had him poison your whole family!"
"I guarantee he would've done it!"
Baron Harkonnen was a master of hitting where it hurt. His words always found the softest spot in someone's heart and drove the knife in deep.
And the only reason he dared talk this much trash to Leto was because he knew Leto wasn't the one calling the shots.
As long as he could show the Megacorp that he could destabilize Leto, his odds of survival would improve.
Every power needs its counterbalance. In the Empire, only he was truly fit to be Leto's adversary—no one else came close.
Sure enough, Duke Leto completely lost his composure. He slammed the table in rage and bellowed, "That's enough!"
He had all the answers he needed. At this point, the only remaining question would be how Baron Harkonnen wanted to die.
But that wasn't up to him.
After all, Baron Harkonnen was Li Ang 's prisoner, not his. Leto didn't have the authority to pass judgment.
[You go talk to him.]
After witnessing the Baron's verbal barrage, Li Ang couldn't help but admire his villainous talent. When it came to mind games, the Baron was a natural.
Hearing Li Ang 's order, Song Zhaomei stepped forward. Looking at the smug Baron, she spoke coldly:
"Baron Harkonnen, you're a smart man. Since we're all smart people here, let's speak the language of the intelligent. On behalf of the Universal Megacorp, I can pardon your crimes."
"You may regain your freedom."
"But you must obey the Megacorp's orders without question. Can you do that?"
Seeing the moment he had been desperately waiting for finally arrive, the Baron was ecstatic. He nodded so fast it was as if he feared she might change her mind.
"Of course! I'll obey every order from the Megacorp! I pledge absolute loyalty!"
He glanced at Leto, who was still seething with rage, and inwardly burst with joy.
He had known from the start that Leto was just a pawn. It was still up to villains like him to tangle with Atreides and wear them down.
"Very well. Then the Executive Officer's first order is this: you are not to kill Piter. He must remain at your side."
Song Zhaomei knew Piter was the Harkonnen family's Mentat and was deeply familiar with the house's assets and resource distribution.
Keeping him alive would allow the Megacorp to better understand and take control of the Harkonnen network—making it easier to reorganize and consolidate the Empire's wealth.
The Mentats served as substitutes for computers in performing complex calculations. They were intimately familiar with every aspect of their House's affairs—from finances to personnel movements. All of it was stored in their minds.
Of course, keeping Piter by the Baron's side was also a deliberate move to spite him. If you encourage others to betray, then you'd best be ready to experience betrayal yourself.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, the Baron's expression froze. Just moments ago, he had been fantasizing about tearing Piter limb from limb once he got out.
But Song Zhaomei's words had now sealed that path. To be forced to keep using a Mentat who had betrayed him—wasn't that just pure humiliation?
It was like marrying a 35-year-old divorced woman with two kids, who still demanded a bride price, a house, and a car—and the kids were "the Haier Brothers," one black and one white.
And yet, even with this level of disgust, the Baron agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Compared to his own life, such personal grievances were something he could grit his teeth and swallow.
Seeing the Baron's red-faced frustration, but also his ability to bend with the wind, Li Ang found himself even more intrigued by him. The Harkonnens and Atreides really were born to be each other's nemeses.
Keeping him alive wasn't such a bad idea. At least it saved Li Ang the trouble of having to worry about the Atreides getting too full of themselves.
Although the Megacorp had the Interlink Bureau and Intelligence Division monitoring employees and external forces across all universes, surveillance alone was never as effective as maintaining a power balance.
Only a balanced political landscape could ensure true stability.
If the Atreides grew too powerful, they would inevitably begin supporting smaller houses. In that case, keeping the Harkonnens around as a counterweight made perfect sense.
"Alright then. As my second demand, I order you to fully cooperate with the Atreides' efforts to consolidate power. Bring other Houses into submission under the Megacorp."
"Do whatever they tell you."
Song Zhaomei's command served as a gift to Duke Leto—he could now order the Harkonnens around at will, even if it meant using them as disposable cannon fodder.
Clearly, this was Li Ang 's way of intentionally heightening the tension between the two Houses. Humanity, after all, was a species that could endure endless infighting. Keeping the Harkonnens around gave the Atreides someone to clash with.
Besides, once this war was over, the Megacorp would undoubtedly move quickly to fully integrate the Dune universe.
But other Houses were still dreaming of grabbing territory and crowning themselves emperors. Li Ang needed the combined might of the Atreides and Harkonnens to snap these delusional upstarts back to reality.
If those Houses could be quickly forced to surrender and support Li Ang as the God-Emperor, the timeline for integrating the Dune universe would be drastically shortened.
That meant fewer unnecessary casualties.
Naturally, the Baron had no problem agreeing to this demand. After all, it wasn't like he'd personally be fighting for the Atreides. No matter how many of his men died, he wouldn't lose any sleep.
Seeing the Baron's cooperative behavior and willingness to help the Megacorp unify the Dune universe, Li Ang had nothing more to add.
Yes, the Harkonnens were disgusting in their methods—but they were obedient. The Baron, in particular, accepted the Emperor's commands without a whisper of dissent.
Compared to someone like Duke Leto, who was always scheming with the Landsraad to erode imperial authority, the Baron's flaws seemed practically irrelevant.
Besides, every empire needed a few repulsive types to handle the dirty work. Like black gloves, such tools could never be too plentiful.
After interrogating the Baron on other matters, Song Zhaomei and Duke Leto temporarily left the room and stepped into the corridor outside.
Though Leto's rage toward the Baron was burning hot—he could barely resist the urge to roast that fat bastard alive—he didn't dare question Li Ang 's handling of the situation.
Leto knew Li Ang had done this specifically to leave someone in place to keep an eye on him. There was nothing he could do. His only option was to act more obedient than the Baron if he wanted his House to survive.
After all, the Megacorp hadn't broken any promises. Li Ang clearly intended to elevate House Atreides to the top spot, even going so far as to make the Harkonnens their subordinates.
As long as the Atreides didn't rebel or try to stab anyone in the back, they were practically guaranteed the throne among the Houses. That was more than enough to satisfy Duke Leto.
Don't mess around, and you won't get burned.
If staying loyal meant guaranteed success, then only a fool would choose rebellion. A stable year-end bonus or the high risk of going rogue—any sane person knew which path to take.
At that moment, Hawat seemed to remember something. He pulled a letter from his coat and handed it to Duke Leto.
"My lord, this is a personal letter from the head of the Spacing Guild. I've already inspected it—it's safe to read."
Leto glanced at the ornate, luxurious envelope and nodded. He then instructed Hawat to open and read it aloud in front of Song Zhaomei.
"Yes, sir."
Hawat promptly began to recite the letter's contents. The Spacing Guild, it turned out, was simply trying to curry favor—claiming they had helped capture Baron Harkonnen and were now begging House Atreides for mercy.
They hoped Leto would consider past relations and let them off the hook.
Listening to the Guild's pathetic plea, Leto couldn't help but laugh. If they really wanted to switch sides, they should've brought Emperor Shaddam along with them.
What use was handing over the Baron? If they truly wanted to be helpful, they should've executed the bastard themselves.
Leto tossed the letter to the ground, eyes filled with disdain. Offering up the Baron was meaningless—Shaddam, that dog of an Emperor, was the real target.
If they'd captured Shaddam, then the power structure of the Galactic Empire would have completely collapsed. Even if one Harkonnen House escaped, it wouldn't matter.
From the Baron's own testimony, Leto had learned about their current situation. To wage this war, the Harkonnens had burned through all their assets and even racked up significant debt.
Even if they managed to retreat back to Giedi Prime, it would be a long time before they could regroup.
The Corrino royal family, however, was a different story. Even if they lost the Sardaukar legions, they still had the political clout to raise a massive ground force.
That would severely delay the Megacorp's integration of the universe.
And yet the Spacing Guild had left the Baron behind to appease House Atreides, while quietly releasing Shaddam and encouraging a royal resurgence.
Such blatant two-faced behavior made Leto want to execute them all. What's more, the Guild had frequently exploited the Atreides in the past, using their monopoly on interstellar travel to extort funds.
Unfortunately, punishing the Guild was above Leto's pay grade. Their fate would ultimately be decided by Li Ang .
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