《Starting from the Planetary Governor》 Chapter 1: 1, My Declaration Chapter 1:, My Deration
¡°In this world, just surviving is already very difficult.¡± ¡°We live in abandoned mining tunnels from before the war, using the most rudimentary tools, even bare hands, to extract minerals, and we trade them for leftover scraps from other survivor camps. We have never harmed anyone; we just want to survive. Yet even so, there are people who cast their greedy gazes upon us.¡± The gaunt and dark man kneeling in front of Gu Hang, recounting his hardships, was named Patel. He was neither tall nor strong, and beneath his dirty and thin clothing was rough skin. From his appearance, he was indeed as he described: someone who scraped a living in abandoned mines. Patel continued, ¡°Eight days ago, a group of wastnd bandits who called themselves ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ killed seventeen of our people and kidnapped forty-two. Divine Emperor above, the youngest of them was only four years old! They demanded a ransom, we paid it, but they grew bolder, not only did they not release our people, but they also demanded more.¡± ¡°I went to Revival City, found the officials of the Alliance, and begged them to help us. They sent a warning to the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯, chiding them not to cause trouble¡­¡± ¡°Ha, a warning¡­ The day before yesterday, those bandits cut the throats of two children right on our doorstep, tore the paper of the warning into shreds with blood on it. They dered we had toe up with double the ransom in three days, or else they would attack our mining tunnels, kill everyone, and take everything.¡±
¡°We were cornered. Some said to flee, others argued that even with hoes and fists, we should fight those bandits armed with guns and cannons. But I knew we weren¡¯t without options, the world now has a new governor. I had toe to you for help, Your Excellency the Governor, I implore your aid to save us.¡± Patel lowered his head, his manner sincere. From his perspective, all he could see were Gu Hang¡¯s boots. They were soft leather boots, with satin ribbons connected to golden sps, elegant and borate. Those boots, who knows how long over nine hundred people from the Abandoned Cave Society, would have to toil without food and drink to afford them. The boots moved before his eyes, as Gu Hang crossed his legs into a morefortable position, and asked: ¡°Before seeking the Alliance, why didn¡¯t youe to me first?¡± Patel was momentarily stunned, only managing to muster an excuse, he stammered, ¡°We are members of the Alliance, and the Alliance should govern this matter¡­¡± Gu Hang shook his head and said, ¡°You think you are a member of the Alliance, that they will protect you, and I am just an appointed governor who might not sit here for two years, like the previous governors who were executed because they couldn¡¯t pay the empire its taxes. In your heart, you think I am not important, until the Alliance also turned a blind eye to your affairs, and you ran out of options, then you came to me.¡± ¡°I never had such thoughts!¡± Patel denied in panic, gritting his teeth, making a major resolution, ¡°If you can save us, then we are willing to give everything! We will pay the imperial tax at a higher rate two years from now!¡± Gu Hang became even more disappointed, ¡°Let me put it this way, Patel. You know full well that I arrived on this a month ago, and my camp is close by, not far from you. Yet, you never visited me until trouble arose, and now you kneel before me saying, ¡®Your Excellency the Governor, please save us,¡¯ but deep down, you never regarded me as a real governor. You even refused to believe my deration on the first day I arrived.¡± ¡°I said I wanted to rebuild the entire Wastnd World, to ensure every person submitting to me would live a good life. But you didn¡¯t believe it; many of you never did, just treating me as an annoying tax collector. You offer to pay taxes in exchange for me to save your people¡ªhow do you n to pay the taxes? By the standards of the imperial tax, all of the people in Abandoned Cave Society could work themselves to death in the mines and still not afford to pay.¡± Patel¡¯s face, dark and lean, showed extreme tension, ¡°Your Excellency the Governor, I believe in your words, please save us.¡± As he spoke, he was about to forcefully knock his head on the ground.
But Gu Hang stopped him. A pair of hands grasped his shoulders, lifting him to his feet without allowing resistance. Gu Hang wrapped an arm around Patel¡¯s shoulders, not minding the grease and dust on his clothes: ¡°No need to kowtow, no need to kneel. You diligent and hardworking folks, I am certainly going to help. Those predators who do not engage in productive work are ourmon enemy. But they are a minor issue, rebuilding the world is the big task at hand. This is not empty talk. Since you have implored me, I will save youpletely, not just by eliminating some ¡®prisoners of death,¡¯ but by helping you build up your territory and ensure you have plenty of food and clothing. Now, I ask you, do you believe in me?¡± Tears fell from Patel¡¯s eyes, and it was unclear how much was moved by emotion, how much was relieved at being saved, and how much was acting: ¡°I believe! I fully believe! From now on, the Abandoned Cave Society will strive for your ideals!¡± ¡°This should be ourmon ideal.¡± Gu Hang patted Patel on the shoulder: ¡°Go rest for a bit. Before long, I will personally lead my troops and rescue yourpatriots.¡± ¡°By the Divine Emperor above, mypatriots and I are deeply grateful for your assistance!¡± After watching Patel leave the barracks, profusely thanking the guard as he went, Gu Hang turned his gaze to the military-d man standing stiffly to his rear, ¡°Captain Yan, your expression tells me you have some doubts.¡± Yan Fangxu saluted him and then began hesitantly, ¡°Are we¡­ really going to help the Abandoned Cave Society? On this wastnd, simr incidents ur almost every day; we can¡¯t manage them all.¡± With a tone of regret, Gu Hang said, ¡°It seems, Captain Yan, that you also do not believe my deration.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± While Yan Fangxu said this, his heart was indeed full of doubt: ¡°But¡­ forgive my frankness, Governor, you only have two years. In those two years, we need to submit at least the minimum standard ¡®Imperial Tax¡¯ for the entire Rage Owl Star, otherwise¡­¡±
Gu Hang picked up his thread, ¡°Otherwise I¡¯ll be removed from my post and executed, of course, I know. But Captain Yan, we¡¯ve been on this for a month now, and you¡¯ve seen what it¡¯s like. This is a ce that has undergone an apocalyptic catastrophe, most of thend is unfit for living, Low Energy Storms continue to rage, and there are mutated monsters and desperate looters turned bandits everywhere. The remaining survivors are hiding at various settlements, struggling to stay alive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already very difficult for them to survive, they can¡¯t afford such high taxes; taxing them would be tantamount to taking their lives. The contradiction between Imperial taxation andary development is the main contradiction of Rage Owl Star. Previous governors have all focused on taxation. The biannual Imperial tax collection acts like a death warrant, ultimately taking their lives. But I am different, I am thinking differently. Development is the true key; if Rage Owl Star bes more prosperous, taxes will be a minor burden, and we will have seeded.¡± Yan Fangxu sighed, ¡°You¡¯re right, development is the correct path. But development takes time, and that is exactly what weck. You only have two years in your first term, and we need to deliver at least one quarter of the Imperial standard in taxes. However, Rage Owl Star has always only managed to contribute an eighth, and there¡¯s a half-gulf to ovee. In two years, trying to double the¡¯s output is¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s time to see what I can do,¡± said Gu Hang with a smile. ¡°Happily, I am somewhat confident in this area.¡± As he was speaking, a ghostly message popped up before him, visible only to him: [1st Automaton Light Infantry Battalion (300 soldiers), trainingplete, unit level upgraded to T5.] [Limited by equipment level and personnel quality, the unit cannot continue to train for improvement.] Gu Hang¡¯s smile broadened, and he patted still worried Yan Fangxu on the shoulder, saying, ¡°Assemble our troops, it¡¯s time we sought justice for our neighbor.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª A new book is here! ps: It¡¯s not about hammering, at least not entirely.
Chapter 2: 2, The Gift Chapter 2:, The Gift
¡°` Actually, this was Gu Hang¡¯s first month since he had transmigrated. He now found himself in a cosmic era, within a vast Human Empire that ruled over endless star domains. Ten thousand years ago, a Divine Emperor ascended and established the ¡°Spirit Network,¡± bringing spiritual energy to humanity. The current empire was governed by the Supreme Council seated on the Human Ancestral Star, Terra. About 120 years prior, the on which Gu Hang was currently situated had been an ordinary world. A war devastated the entire¡¯s surface environment, turning Rage Owl Star into a wastnd. Twenty-nine years ago, the Empire Government assessed that there was still hope for saving Rage Owl Star and dispatched aary Governor for the first time to oversee reconstruction efforts. Within the empire¡¯s system, aary Governor could rule their in any manner, provided that, above all, the governor remained loyal to the empire.
What constituted loyalty? Paying taxes was loyalty. Not paying taxes, or not paying enough, meant execution, followed by the recement with someone loyal. To this day, over twenty-nine years, Rage Owl Star had gone through five governors. Even the three who preceded Gu Hang eachsted only two years. The imperial tax on Rage Owl Star was due every two years, and all three of these unfortunate souls didn¡¯t survive past the first taxation period. And now, Gu Hang had arrived. A month ago, he had just transmigrated, still adapting to the memories of his new body, when he found himself on a starship headed for Rage Owl Star. He needed to ensure that in two years, Rage Owl Star would pay a quarter of the standard tax, with the Star Sector Government footing the bill for the insufficient three quarters. This was a favorable condition procured by his political family, the Gu n. By the second tax payment four yearster, full taxes must be paid. A cruiser belonging to the Star Sector Navy was stationed in orbit above the to offer him support. The forces he brought to the surface numbered only 3000 ves, 300 mech soldier servants who had their frontal lobes removed and underwent mechanical enhancements, and 30 Navy Marine Corps soldiers, led by Captain Yan Fangxu. The main political power on Rage Owl Star, known as the ¡°Alliance¡±, was established by the first generation of governors twenty-nine years ago. In theory, upon arriving on Rage Owl Star, Gu Hang should havended in the Alliance Capital, Revival City, to take on the identity of the Alliance leader, and begin exercising the powers of theary Governor based on the Alliance Government. But he didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he set up a camp not far from Revival City with his people, and immediately began doing things that baffled others. For example, Captain Yan couldn¡¯t understand why Gu Hang would train those 300 mech soldiers. These ves, stripped of their self-thinking, were ill-equipped to operate armored vehicles or artillery and could only be fitted with basic gear to serve as cannon fodder, having seemingly little value in training.
Yet, he had to feel ashamed of his shallow insights. He watched in disbelief as the mech servants actually underwent a dramatic transformation in a very short period! Under Gu Hang¡¯smand, he saw these mech soldier servants quicklyplete a series of pre-departure tasks such as forming ranks and checking gear; during previous training, they also demonstrated tactical skills far surpassing their former abilities. Shooting, physical fitness, tactics¡­ all of these were greatly improved, andbined with their innate fearlessness of sacrifice and absolute adherence to discipline, they became high-level soldiers. This was already the standard of the Imperial Guard Star Realm Regr Troops. Although he still didn¡¯t think these mech soldier servants could match his elite Marine Corps in one-on-onebat, that was beside the point. He had only 30 elite Marines, while there were 300 mech soldiers. More importantly, Captain Yan had no clue how Gu Hang managed it. Itpletely surpassed his understanding: Weren¡¯t mech soldier servants supposed to depend only on their level of enhancement at the time of their modification? Weren¡¯t subsequent trainings meaningless? While he was lost in thought, he heard Gu Hang¡¯s resonant voice, ¡°Captain Yan, make your squad move faster. How can the elite Marines be slower in pre-battle preparations than the mech servants?¡± Coming back to his senses, Captain Yan, slightly abashed, saluted Gu Hang and then turned, bellowing at his subordinates who were equally stupefied by the transformation of the Mech Servant Battalion, ¡°What are you loafing around for, you lousy bunch? Move it! The five slowest will sleep with the mech soldiers starting tomorrow!¡± Watching Captain Yan go and kick his squad¡¯s butts into gear, Gu Hang chuckled softly, withdrawing his gaze and refocusing on the panel of information that appeared before him. The ethereal, floating text before his eyes formed multiple options: ¡°`
[Current Favor Points: 2] [Total Territorial Ie: 5/Terra month] [Hero] [Troop Tags] There were four items in total, and Gu Hang clicked on the second item,[Total Territorial Ie]. Here, he saw more detailed information:[Governor¡¯s Temporary Camp: 5/Terra month]. There was only this one. ording to Gu Hang¡¯s understanding, this monthly total ie depended on the sum of ies provided by territories recognized by the system as belonging to him. And right now, his territory was only this temporary camp. Upon seeing the system and learning that he had be the governor, he was initially eager to find out: with a as his territory, how much favor would it provide him each month? However, after disembarking from the starship onto Revival City, this number had remained zero. He guessed at the time that a territory in name only would not be recognized by the system; it had to be under his actual control. For him, a governor parachuted in, to take control of a loose wastnd Alliance Government and to integrate the entire alliance was no easy feat. If it were easy, his predecessors would not have all failed. Therefore, he decisively abandoned the paths taken by the previous governors, turned his head, requested servant ves and some armed forces from the starship, left Revival City, found an open space, and nned to start from scratch, making use of the golden finger that had apanied him through his travels.
After he led people and established a temporary camppletely under his control, the number finally changed from 0 to 4. The initial 4, Gu Hang guessed, was from the poption; the additional point that cameter was likely because the camp had been builtrger and moreplete. In the two items that followed in the system,[Hero]disyed his own panel, and in Troop Tags, there were two items. [Navy Marine Corps 1st Squad, Comprehensive T4 level, Upgradeable] [Number: 30],[Equipment: T4],[Training: T4],[Experience: T4] This was the status of the thirty men led by Yan Fangxu. The other was the just-upgraded Mechanized Infantry Battalion. [1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion,Comprehensive T5 level, Not upgradeable] [Number: 300],[Equipment: T5],[Training: T5],[Experience: -] The ¡°T¡± level likely corresponded to the overall strength of the unit; the smaller the number, the more elite. The Mechanized Infantry Battalion started off as a low-tier unit, equipped with rifles, hand grenades, machine guns for the squad; mortars and grenadeunchers for the toon, butcked heavy weapons, only qualifying as a light infantry battalion. He spent 3 Favor Points to enhance this light infantry battalion. Over four days, this brainless troop, which only followed orders and was considered of very low training value, cannon fodder, underwent aplete transformation. Reaching a T5 level of training, it could almost be considered to have reached the standard of strength of the Imperial Regr Army. While the T4 level of the Marine Corps counted as a regr elite unit.
It was precisely because the originally cannon fodder Mechanized Infantry had been upgraded that Gu Hang had the confidence, after hearing about the situation with the Abandoned Cave Society, to forcefully get involved. This was an opportunity, and he now had the ability to seize it. He hoped to use this event to bring the Abandoned Cave Society under his actual rule, rather than merely being a governor in name. And in the future, he would expand his sphere of direct control, step by step, until it epassed the entire. Chapter 3: 3, Prisoner on the Run Chapter 3:, Prisoner on the Run
From the temporary camp to the Abandoned Cave Society, there was a total journey of four and a half hours. The elite troops of the marine corps spread out in squads of five as vanguards and scouts. Gu Hang, along with the victim Patel and the majority of his Mech Servant Battalion, advanced steadily. Midway, Gu Hang received a report from the marine corps¡¯ scouting team; they hade across a small transport convoy that likely belonged to the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ tribe. Gu Hang authorized Yan Fangxu to lead the marine corps and a part of the Mech Servant soldiers to annihte them and to capture as many prisoners as possible. Captain Yan, a naval elite, easily handled the small task without any surprises. However, Gu Hang¡¯s mood didn¡¯t brighten after he heard the prisoners¡¯ testimonies.
Gu Hang had Patel brought over to him and said, ¡°It seems that these bandits never intended to let you go.¡± Patel had also seen the condition of the transport convoy, his expression filled with fury, ¡°Yes, they transported arge amount of high explosives. They could not only blow open the gates of the Abandoned Cave Society but even copse the mines and bury us all alive.¡± Gu Hang shook his head and added, ¡°That¡¯s not all. ording to the intelligence Captain Yan obtained through interrogation, they had long ago negotiated with the Green Skins dwelling in the ruined high walls. Your entire poption of over nine hundred from the Abandoned Cave Society was to be traded as quality provisions to those green-skinned beasts.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Patel was aware of the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ gang¡¯s absolute malice towards them, but was still shocked by their brutality. The term ¡®green-skinned beasts¡¯ aptly described those mutants. They didn¡¯t merely exist on Rage Owl Star but were widespread across the universe, also referred to as ¡®the cancer of the cosmos.¡¯ Theycked gender differentiation, reproducing by shedding symbiotic spores in their bodies, which then grew from the ground, as did their food. Technically, they didn¡¯t need to buy any provisions, but these green-skinned beasts had two favorite activities: fighting was one, and eating the brains of sentient beings was the other. The former was their instinct, while thetter was their means of technological advancement. These beasts that sprouted from thend were indeed primitive and savage at first, fighting with stone axes and clubs. But as they consumed enough and sufficiently intelligent brains, their technology would rapidly evolve, advancing to iron weapons, firearms and even interster travel¡­ Their belligerent nature, destructive to everything, meant the stronger they became, the more they turned into a scourge ravaging all existence. Logically, such a race should be an enemy of all humankind. The Empire did have an extermination decree against the Green Skin Orcs: kill on sight and then purify thend to destroy the spores, ensuring they would not resurface. But¡­ policy is policy, and enforcement is another matter altogether.
On Rage Owl Star, where taxes could not be collected and even basic food and shelter could not be guaranteed, conflicts among various powers were rife, and the entire was in chaos. Even the governor was driven to farming himself¡­ In such conditions, it was unrealistic to expect gangs like the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ to consider the fate of all mankind. Not only were they not opposing, but doing business with these man-eating beasts was intolerable. Clearing out the green-skinned beasts was something Gu Hang was determined to do. Of course, not right now. ording to the testimonies, the so-called Green Skin tribe in the high wall ruins numbered in the thousands, and had at least evolved to possess automatic weapons, making their equipment not significantly different from that of the humans on the. To thoroughly eradicate those brutes was beyond the power that Gu Hang currently had at his disposal. Fortunately, the ¡®High Wall Ruins¡¯ were quite far from their current location, so there was no need to worry too much, for the time being. What they needed to focus on was the gang of wastnd plunderers threatening the Abandoned Cave Society. Now, Gu Hang had their exact intelligence. Four kilometers outside the mining area where the Abandoned Cave Society was located, the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ had set up a temporary camp. These scoundrels had never considered the possibility of the Abandoned Cave Society daring toe out for a field battle, so they made no preparations for defensive fortifications. ¡°Good opportunity, we canunch a surprise attack! Our mortars can cause considerable impact!¡± Yan Fangxu appeared excited. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it.¡± After a brief rest, what would have been a two-hour journey, theypleted in just over an hour.
They hastened their pace, worried that theck of arrival of the transport convoy for a long time might alert the bandits to unusual activities. After the rapid forced march, they still needed some time to rest beforeunching the attack. The thirty elite marine corps soldiers were fine, but it was the Mech Servants who needed to rest. They wouldn¡¯tin of fatigue, but they did indeed get tired, and fatigue could lower theirbat effectiveness. Following Yan Fangxu¡¯s rmendation, the soldiers would set out again after forty-five minutes of rest, and an hourter, the mortar positions wouldmence bombardment. From their position, already within sight of the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ camp, Gu Hang patiently led his troops in resting, consuming nutrient paste, and sitting to replenish their strength while setting up the mortar positions¡­ He knew that patience now was for the decisive battle that would follow shortly. ¡­ Kaja was feeling inexplicably restless at the moment. These days, even being a plunderer was not easy. They hadn¡¯t opened for business in a while, and all their supplies were running low. Food was the least of their worries, as they would have plenty once they breached the Abandoned Cave Society. Even if the miners didn¡¯t have much in the way of food reserves, ughtering several hundred people to make jerky wouldst them a long while. But damaged weapons and depleted ammunition were more difficult to replenish. The major powers were quite unwilling to do business with these plunderers, only the Green Skin tribes were willing. Although Green Skin technology left much to be desired, with a high failure rate for weapons and ammunition tending to misfire, and when it reached their hands, it was far less powerful than in those of the Green Skins themselves¡­ But it was better than nothing. To be honest, Kaja had little interest in the most plentiful mineral produced by the Abandoned Cave Society. It was heavy and of little value, making it hard to fence. But the nine hundred people in the mine were valuablemodities; they could serve as nourishment for them or could be herded to the High Wall Ruins to exchange for Green Skin munitions, which was a delightful prospect.
Herding people was indeed easier than herding sheep. For this reason, the ¡®Prisoners of the Void¡¯ had almost mobilized everyone. Apart from a few old, young, women, and those left to guard theirir, the main force was led out by Kaja, totaling over a hundred people. Abandoned Cave Society had many people but few guns, nothing to fear. Their prolonged survival in the wastnds mainly relied on the favorable geography of their location. Kaja had personally scouted that mine, and it truly was easy to defend but difficult to attack. The entrance was securely sealed with ores and metal, and a heavy gate barred it from the inside¡ªimprable by human strength. Yesterday they had already tried blowing up the gate, but to no avail; the explosive payload was insufficient. Frustrated, he had no choice but to send his confidants back to the base to fetch explosives, including some reserved concentrated explosives. His patience had worn thin; if he couldn¡¯t fool those miners into opening the gate, well, when the explosives arrived, he¡¯d just blow it open. It was supposed to be resolved today, there was no need to rush, but Kaja still felt irritable. By his calctions, his transport team should have been back by now. So, why was there no sign of them? He had been hurrying his subordinates earlier, trying to establish contact with the transport team through the radio but to no avail. This made him even more uneasy. Half an hour ago, he sent out a squad to search the return route, but until now, there had been no response, not even radio contact. He became fully alert. Such bizarre circumstances could not but instill fear and hesitation in him. People who weren¡¯t cautious enough were long buried in the wastnds, their bones turned to dust.
He made up his mind to dispatch four or five squads to scout the area; at the same time, he ordered his entire troop to prepare to move out and check on the situation themself. Suddenly, a subordinate came to report, ¡°We¡¯ve made contact with the transport team. They¡¯re on their way back and should arrive soon.¡± Kaja¡¯s brows instantly furrowed, ¡°Why haven¡¯t we been able to contact them until now?¡± ¡°They said the radio had some issues; they just fixed it. They sent the message immediately, fearing that we might be worried.¡± After pondering for a moment, Kaja ordered, ¡°Reply with: ¡®Damn you, have you motherfuckers been fucking zombie dogs on the way? That¡¯s why you¡¯re so slow? Hurry up! Any more dys and your spoils will be halved!¡¯¡± Finishing his instruction, he strode outside, shouting to his brothers who were getting ready, ¡°Move, move, move! We¡¯re leaving right now! Stop stuffing those damn bullets and bring as much as you can, leave the rest! Let¡¯s go! Prepare to break out! We¡¯ve been marked!¡± The subordinate who received the order was a bit confused. He caught up in two steps, asking, ¡°Boss, this¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°What about you? Get the fuck going with the message, and grab your gun and follow the team after!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kaja smacked his head: ¡°We¡¯re definitely being watched! The message is meant to deceive the enemy; better if it works, or else you¡¯re dead meat if you¡¯re slow!¡± After saying this, he paid no more attention to the bewildered youth, grabbed his own gun, and called out to his brothers to prepare to leave camp. Just as he reached the entrance, he heard a whistling sound from the sky.
His face instantly turned pale. That was the sound of artillery shells! ¡°Get down!¡± He quickly threw himself to the ground, cursing nonstop: ¡°Fuck! They¡¯re actually shelling us¡­ spit spit¡­ let me catch them¡­ spit¡­¡± The roaring explosion nearly drowned out his own voice; he could only vent his fear through swearing and bravado. He guessed that someone was targeting them, and even feared the worst¡ªthat he was surrounded. What he hadn¡¯t expected was that those watching him also had artillery in their hands! Luckily, he wasn¡¯t too unlucky¡ªthat aside from his ears ringing and his head feeling a bit dazed, he was mostly unharmed. He crouched and looked around. The caliber of the artillery firing at them couldn¡¯t be toorge, seemingly only mortars of some sort. If it were heavy artillery, the ten or so concentrated rounds would have left no one unturned in the camp. Still, even so, the mortars had caused significant casualties in their fragile camp without sturdy fortifications. In a nce, at least twenty of his brothers were dead or missing limbs. The rest were shell shocked. Now was clearly not the time to be dazed¡ªstaying here meant certain death. He bellowed, ¡°Run! Move! Get out!¡± But just then, gunfire erupted from outside. They were really surrounded! Following the artillery, came the infantry! The only piece of good news was that the gunfire sounded distant, suggesting that the small squads he had sent out earlier were engaging the enemy. This was their only lifeline. He screamed, ¡°Support them! It¡¯s do or die time, if you don¡¯t want to meet your maker then fight like hell!¡± It was then that the second round of shelling hit. Chapter 4: 4, Is this a Mech Servant? Chapter 4:, Is this a Mech Servant?
¡°What a pity.¡± Gu Hang, who was holding the binocrs, uttered these two words. Hemented that the enemy reacted quickly, having moved before the bombardment began, otherwise the artillery could have been even more devastating; he also regretted that their firepower was still insufficient. If the 60mm mortars had been reced withrger-caliber howitzers, the infantry could have just cleaned up the battlefield afterward, as the main problems could have been resolved by the artillery directly. But under these circumstances, there was nothing to be done. In any case, after two rounds of shelling, the enemy had lost a third of its fighting strength. Though it seemed there was a chance for two or three more rounds, the results were unlikely to be as good.
The remaining enemies would still have to be dealt with by the infantry. Patel, on the other hand, was very pleased with what he saw. From the information provided by the captives, he knew that most of his people, aside from those who had died, had already been transferred and imprisoned in their of the captors, so there were no concerns about friendly fire when shelling the temporary camp. Thus, watching these bandits who endangered his hometown get bombed, with every round crumbling their ranks and causing incalcble death and injury, brought him genuine joy. O great Governor, may all these bandits be killed! I, Patel, am willing to serve you for a lifetime! As he thought this, he saw the Governor roll up his binocrs and signal the soldiers standing by to move forward. He hurriedly followed. ¡­ Locate the target urately, fire, and kill. Feeling the slight warmth on his cheek from the HS3 type ¡®Eagle¡¯ Electromaic Rifle in his hands, Yan Fangxu felt much relieved. The situation on the battlefield is always changing. He had thought that taking advantage of the enemy¡¯s unpreparedness with multiple rounds of mortar fire would deal a devastating blow to these native bandits. Most of the remaining ones would have been dazed by the explosions, allowing his infantry to just clean up the battlefield and deal with a few surviving enemies. But the enemy was more alert than expected.
Even as mere wastnd plunderers, they should not be underestimated. The enemy dispersed several squads in advance, forcing him tounch an attack immediately, lest they be discovered by the enemy. The artillery strike was initiated a few minutes ahead of schedule, and the infantry he led had to eliminate those enemy squads hundreds of meters from the enemy¡¯s camp first. Eliminating these bandit squads wasn¡¯t difficult. But the uing battle, he found a bit troublesome. The damage caused by the mortars was less than expected; it was up to him and his infantry to tackle the tough fight. Winning was not in question, but what about the losses? If they were to suffer substantial losses while having the upper hand against a bunch of wastnd bandits, that would be quite embarrassing. Additionally, excessive losses could affect the ns of His Excellency the Governor. He had full confidence in the thirty marines he personally brought down from the starship, but not so much in the Mech Servant soldiers. They were cannon fodder by design, equipped with garbage, and more importantly, the battle instincts imnted in the brains of the Mech Servant soldiers were also oriented toward being cannon fodder, emphasizing recklessness without fear of death. Being cannon fodder might be an advantage, but not when acting as the regr army. He was genuinely worried that these Mech Servants would be too impulsive and suffer too many casualties. However, once the battle began, he immediately felt a great deal more at ease. During the elimination of the peripheral plunderer squads, these Mech Servant soldiers didn¡¯t show too many special attributes, as the main targets were dealt with by the marines. Special operations were what the marine corps excelled in, especially since they were equipped with targeting aids, rapid enemy location, precision shooting modules¡­ a variety of essories. They had an overwhelming advantage over the plunderers both in terms of training and equipment level, so it was very normal for them to achieve victory without injuries.
The Mech Servant soldiers, who missed their opportunity to shine, showed remarkably good training in the process of attacking the camp. Instead of charging forward like cannon fodder, each squad maintained open formation, advancing in groups of three. There were assault troops, fire support, and squad machine guns provided suppression from the rear as they advanced. Though the mortars a kilometer away could no longer inflict significant damage, they could still continuously lob shells to apany the soldiers¡¯ advance and suppress enemy fire. The tactical moves of these Mech Servant soldiers, in the eyes of someone as elite as him, seemed somewhat rigid, but they were standard and effective enough. Those raiders who wanted to break out were pinned down inside the camp, unable toe out. They could only asionally fire some bullets from within, but without any uracy. They didn¡¯t dare to show their heads, let alone take aimed shots. Soon, several assault teams had already entered the camp. The Mech Servant soldiers¡¯ professionalism was still online, advancing in turn, covering each other, cutting in from multiple angles, minding the blind spots in their vision¡­ all the necessary technical maneuvers were being employed. Those bandits, who had thought that at close range they could finally mount a substantial counterattack, were still met with the ruthless ughter by the Mech Servant soldiers. Of course, the Mech Servant soldiers were certainly not invincible. Close-quartersbat inevitably led to casualties, but the numbers were much better than what Yan Fangxu had previously estimated. Was the training organized by the governor really effective? It wasn¡¯t just for show; there was a real enhancement inbat effectiveness when it came to fighting. Three hundred cannon fodder turned into three hundred regr soldiers, and the transformation took ce in such a short time that he found it truly unbelievable. But this was a good thing.
With the Mech Servant Battalion at this level, he finally didn¡¯t have to worry about suffering too many losses in the storming battle. Those robbers simply couldn¡¯t withstand the onught of the Mech Servant soldiers. This battle was secure. ¡­ Yan Fangxu found it unbelievable, but for Kaja, it was utter despair. His reaction was not slow, but still, he couldn¡¯t reverse fate. His brothers, trapped in the camp, had already dwindled to less than half their number. The howling mortars had stopped bombarding. He had thought this would give them a breather, even a chance to counterattack, but it didn¡¯t happen. Those attacking soldiers with mechanical eyes were the most despairing thing for him. He had heard of ¡®Mech Servants¡¯, and some big powers also had them, but they were just like vebor. They wouldn¡¯t think independently, could only follow orders to do some low-end repetitive manualbor, not suited to being trained as soldiers. If one insisted on doing so, they could only get a bunch of cannon fodder. If there were any advantages, it was that they would not leak secrets, absolute loyalty, absolute obedience. And these now, were Mech Servant soldiers? Was there such an outrageous type of Mech Servant?
In their cold eyes, not a hint of stupidity could be seen, only ruthlessness. They were well-trained, their movements brisk and orderly as they ughtered his subordinates. A counterattack? Quite a few of his fierce bandits indeed tried to fight back, but scattered counterattacks were useless. If any Mech Servant soldier was wounded, it didn¡¯t affect their emotions in the slightest. Even hiding in the temporary houses made of building debris and rubble was futile. Those Mech Servant soldiers would throw two to three grenades in session, then enter without hesitation, guns in hand, fearless of casualties, and often without incurring any, they could kill the bandits who stubbornly resisted. Now, he knew, everything was over. His temporary camp was bombed to ruins, everywhere there were debris and craters; his brothersy dead or wounded across the field, killed by the bombs, scraped to death by shrapnel, their bodies shredded by the well-equipped soldiers with ¡®Eagle¡¯ Electromaic Rifles at long range, executed at close quarters by Mech Servant soldiers¡­ The ¡®Prisoners¡¯, had perished. But Kaja still had onest card to y. His tribe was beyond saving, but perhaps he still had a chance to save himself. Pulling out a green, dirty ss bottle the size of his palm from his chest, he looked hesitant. He had seen what became of those who drank this stuff, and it wasn¡¯t much better than death. But if he didn¡¯t drink it, he would die right now. Eventually, he gritted his teeth, pulled out the cork, and gulped down the potion.
Chapter 5: 5, The Green-Skinned Beast Chapter 5:, The Green-Skinned Beast
How tough is the green-skinned beast known as the cancer of the cosmos? Gu Hang saw it with his own eyes today. The battle was drawing to a close, and as he personally led the remaining troops into the fray, nning to finish off the fight and, incidentally, get a close-up whiff of the smoky scent of war, he heard a huge beastly roar, much like that of a bear. Then, a gically modified giant at least two meters twenty in height, muscr and hefty, with dark green skin, appeared before him. This creature was almost naked, with only a few strips of cloth hanging from his body, clearly a result of his suddenly erged form bursting through his original clothes. His skin was dark green and appeared very coarse. The weapons in his hands were wildly styled, with mostponents looking quite haphazard. In the hands of an ordinary person, they would seem like a handheld cannon or rocketuncher, but in the hands of this giant, they were as normal as a shotgun, and he could even use them one-handed.
After making his presence known, he immediately drew the attention of the surrounding soldiers. The Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldiers, with their G7 Type ¡®Striker¡¯ Rifles, aimed at him, pulled their triggers, and the automatic rifles¡¯ rapid fire fiercely enveloped him. However, a shocking scene unfolded: the dark green mutant giant was hit by so many bullets, yet nothing happened to him! In that instant, at least a dozen rifles were fired at him. He didn¡¯t fall, and of course, the soldiers didn¡¯t release their triggers, fully unleashing their rounds. With the beast¡¯srge frame andck of evasive movement, most bullets hit their mark. Logically speaking, unless it was made of iron, any flesh would be torn to shreds. But it wasn¡¯t. The creature was still standing there, unharmed. Some bullets were deflected, some lost all their kic energy and fell, and others lodged into the skin and muscles but failed to prate further¡­ A bit of blood was shed, but it was nowhere close to a severe injury. Kaja, having justpleted his transformation, recovered from his initial confusion. He retained some self-awareness, knowing that even though he had transformed and grown stronger, his primary goal was still to escape as quickly as possible. Thus, he started running towards the outskirts of the camp. His increased stature and stronger muscles didn¡¯t make him clumsy; instead, they made him faster and more agile. Once he was in motion, the chances of the Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldiers hitting him plummeted. If he hadn¡¯t been reckless and just kept his head down and ran, he might have really had a chance to get away.
But during the process, his attention was constantly drawn to the nearby Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldiers, and he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to attack them. On the one hand, being shot irritated him¡ªthe ¡®Striker¡¯ Rifle bullets weren¡¯t fatal, but they were still painful; on the other hand, the drug¡¯s effect swiftly invaded his brain, urging him to unleash a bloodthirsty massacre. Finally, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He was still running, only at a slightly reduced speed. He turned his head and aimed his ugly, bulky gun at a Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldier and pulled the trigger. Thick ck smoke belched from the muzzle, and the burst of buckshot disintegrated the entire upper body of that Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldier, sttering flesh and blood everywhere, with plenty sshing onto Kaja himself. The green-skinned beast, bathed in blood, became even more ferocious. He worked the bolt action, fired another shot, and another Mechanized Infantry Battalion soldier met a gruesome death. Another go, but the bullet didn¡¯t fire. His shotgun only had two rounds. Kaja instinctively reached into his chest pocket, as if to reload, but came up empty. His clothes had been torn apart, let alone any ammo he might have been carrying. He simply tossed aside the wild shotgun and lunged directly at a third victim. The targeted Mechanized Infantry soldier raised his gun to fire while retreating inbat, but before he could get off more than a few shots, the extremely fast green-skinned beast was already upon him. Arge hand scooped up the soldier, who was then brutally torn in two. Holding the corpse above his head and letting the blood pour down from above, Kaja feltplete satisfaction, even believing that his already invincible physique was reaching new heights. The little rationality that remained made him understand that the drugs he had taken were further enhancing his body¡¯s potential, which might not be a good thing. But those slight worries and struggles were quickly overwhelmed by a flood ofbat desire.
All he wanted was to keep killing. A hand grenade was tossed at his feet and exploded, but Kaja had already rolled away to avoid it before it went off. A machine gunner had set up a firing position a hundred meters away, and a session of bullets came screaming towards him. But thanks to thebat instinct that had been imnted by the drug and was now coursing through his blood, Kaja weaved through the gunfire with serpentine agility, not only dodging most of the bullets but also maintaining his forward charge. At this moment, his eyes were blood red, intent only on tearing the machine gunner to shreds. But just then, he suddenly stumbled and, due to inertia, fell heavily to the ground. He couldn¡¯t feel his left leg, as if it had been severed by something. Looking down, his left leg was still perfectly attached to his body, hardly injured at all. Yet no matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t move it, as if the leg attached to his body wasn¡¯t his own. Using his hands and his remaining leg, he barely propped his body up and raised his head to see a man in luxurious clothes, protected by several Navy Marines, approaching from behind the machine gunner. He opened his mouth wide to roar, but a burst of machine gun fire hit him full on, stifling the roar back into his throat. Even the squad machine gun, which was much more powerful than the ¡®Striker¡¯ Rifle, couldn¡¯t kill him quickly. However, the ¡®Eagle¡¯ Electromaic Rifles in the Marines¡¯ hands were on another level. The metal spikes elerated by electromaic fire could prate his epidermis and muscle defenses. After the four Marines emptied their magazines, Kaja was riddled like a ho¡¯s nest. But he was not dead yet, still gasping for breath, even as the gaping wounds on his body were slowly self-healing.
Gu Hang stepped forward in stride, ¡°This is Kaja? The leader of the Captives? The one who can fully transform humans¡­ Those green-skins have some outrageous technology.¡± He actually didn¡¯t care about Kaja the individual, but the condition disyed by this mutant was worrying. Kaja could no longer speak, only emitting meaningless roars from his throat. Gu Hang didn¡¯t bother to say more. With a wave of his hand, the soldiers behind him took over the cleanup. The Electromaic Rifles fired a series of metal spikes, turning the green beast¡¯s head into minced meat. Dealing with a green-skin is a troublesome matter. Killing it is just the beginning; the area where its blood flowed, where its corpsey, must all be burned with high-temperature mes. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t take long for a bunch of mushrooms to grow here, and then it would turn into a spawning ground for little green monsters. First woulde the goblins, then orcs, andter on orclings¡­ Although this green-skinned beast was supposedly the leader of the ¡®Captives¡¯ who had mutated for some reason, who knew if there would be simr cases? Anyway, the fight was over, and there was plenty of time to clean up the battlefield. Gu Hang also needed to tally his gains. [Resounding Victory, earned 19 points of Grace] [Losses 9, Kills 146, Prisoners 11] [1st Automaton Light Infantry Battalion: Losses 9, Kills 105]
[Navy Marine Corps: Losses 0, Kills 41] Chapter 6: 6, Time to Upgrade. Chapter 6:, Time to Upgrade.
After the battle hadpletely ended, a new interface popped up in front of Gu Hang. Looking at the words ¡°Glorious Victory,¡± there was a strange look on his face. Would there also be ¡°Epic Triumphs,¡± ¡°Slight Advantage,¡± ¡°Bloody Close Victory,¡± and the like? He could not only see the overall spoils and losses but also the detailed situations of each branch of the troops. And more importantly, the 19 ennoblement points he received after winning the battle. The earnings from this battle were almost four times his regr monthly ie!
Wow, so this is a war-monger system, huh? Is fighting the most profitable thing, and farming just a service for warfare? He opened the system interface and saw that the ¡°Hero¡± option was shing slightly. He clicked on it again, and it was his own name that was shing. [Hero: Gu Hang (Faction Leader), LV1, enough experience for an upgrade (10 ennoblement points)] [Physique: 7, Spiritual: 14] [Traits:] [Psychic Caster: You possess the power of spiritual energy and can consume spiritual talent to release psychic spells.] [Governor of Rage Owl Star: You are the legitimate ruler of Rage Owl Star, with a higher chance to legally unite the forces native to Rage Owl Star.] This was his personal information. Of the two traits, Governor of Rage Owl Star was due to his status; needless to say, the other trait, Psychic Caster, was his personal ability. Gu Hang was a legal psychic. The Gu Family he belonged to would, of course, train their core offspring. Education, politics, business, providing social resources¡ªthese are a given. Someone like Gu Hang who showed spiritual talent at a young age certainly wouldn¡¯t be overlooked either.
His talent in spiritual energy wasn¡¯t bad, and as could be seen from the system, the 14 points in that attribute showed that. Gu Hang also had a pretty clear understanding of what attributes were about. Strength, agility, neural response, resistance to damage¡­ all abilities based on the body were categorized under physique. A strong body was essential for growing into an outstanding warrior. In this era of supernatural strength, even with technological advancement, individual valor still had its ce in warfare. The most elite warriors, with the most advanced equipment, shing starships would be an exaggeration, but storming the front, capturing trenches, conquering strongholds¡­ these were easy feats. The green-skinned beast from before was a proof of that. If Gu Hang hadn¡¯t been there, even though the creature wouldn¡¯t have survived, who knew how many additional machinists and perhaps even marine troops¡¯ lives would have been lost to kill it. Spiritual energy was even more mysterious, and in many ignorant worlds, it was known as witchcraft or magic. This was a supernatural force from the dark side of the world. The ultra-light speed travel of the starships, many high-specification powerful equipment and weapons, all used this supernatural source. The empire had special energy worlds, where they collected spiritual energy and condensed it into crystals. At the same time, the higher the spiritual technology content of cutting-edge devices, the more they required high-level psychics to operate them; powerful psychics themselves, without any equipment, could also demonstrate a strongbat capability with their psychic spells. Earlier, when Gu Hang dealt with the green-skinned creature, he used a psychic spell. A ¡°Soul sh¡± temporarily severed one of its legs, making it a live target. This was also the only psychic spell that Gu Hang had mastered, which was hard to learn. Spending decades poring over psychic spells wasn¡¯t something Gu Hang wanted to do. However, the upgradeable option in the hero interface offered him a new path. Why wouldn¡¯t he relish the prospect of direct upgrades?
Before this, the option to upgrade was nonexistent. He noticed the words ¡°enough experience.¡± He spected that it came from winning a war. It seemed that the upgrade option would only appear when there was enough experience. As for the 10 points of grace needed to upgrade, he gritted his teeth and paid directly. After receiving 19 points of grace this time, plus the previous 2 points, he had a total of 21 points, which was enough. Suddenly, a new prompt appeared before him: ¡°Please choose one among the following attributes to generate a new talent: Constitution, Spirituality, Command, Leadership, Unique.¡± What¡¯s this now? Constitution and Spirituality need no further exnation, obviously rted to personal strength. The next two, Command and Leadership, seemed simr yet certainly had their differences. Gu Hang spected that the former meant militarymand, enhancing the ability to lead troops in war; thetter referred to the leadership abilities of a ruler or governing official. As for thest option ¡®Unique¡¯¡­ a special talent given based on each individual? As to what it specifically entailed, that was anyone¡¯s guess. Gu Hang tried choosing ¡®Unique¡¯, but then received a new prompt: ¡°Unique sequence upgrade path not unlocked, upgrade failed.¡± ¡°No idea what the conditions for unlocking are¡­¡± With no other option, he could only choose from the first four.
He chose Spiritual Talent. He did not choose Constitution because it was clear that he had more talent on the path of a Psychic Caster than that of a warrior. Although bonuses to Command or Leadership were great, they were likely not very effective in the early stages when army size was limited and the realm small. In contrast, individual strength yed a more significant role in small-scale conflicts. What¡¯s more, if he were to be a powerful Psychic Master who could move mountains and fill seas, having tremendous personal strength might well surpass the effects of enhancements for the whole army or entire power. After making his choice, Gu Hang immediately felt a warm surge from his chest flow through every part of his body, all the way to his extremities. Hisplexion even turned rosy due to this, and fortunately, only the mechanical soldier-servants saw him. These modified beings that do not actively think wouldn¡¯t ask any questions. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Exhaling a warm breath, Gu Hang felt filled with strength. He could sense his muscles bing more defined, his joints more flexible, his senses sharper, and his thoughts quicker¡­ A holistic enhancement! But¡­ didn¡¯t I choose Spiritual Talent? Why does it feel like my Constitution has improved? Summoning the system again, he saw the datafied effects of the upgrade. ¡°Hero: Gu Hang (Faction Leader), LV2, insufficient experience to level up¡± ¡°Constitution: 8, Spirituality: 15¡± ¡°Traits: Psychic Caster, Rage Owl Star Governor¡±
¡°Talent:¡± ¡°Spiritual Energy Shield: When receiving damage, spiritual energy can be expended to offset the damage. Spirituality +1¡± Constitution did indeed increase, which seemed to be a natural result of the level up enhancing basic attributes. His Constitution was somewhat low, so the increase was noticeable, whereas the rise in Spirituality was less obvious. Yet, Spirituality was still able to grow by one point, thanks to the new talent ¡°Spiritual Energy Shield¡±. An increase in Constitution was good, as being healthier and stronger was always beneficial. The boost to Spirituality allowed him to release more Psychic Spells and increased his spell power. However, the most crucial part of the ¡°Spiritual Energy Shield¡± talent was its actual effect. With just a thought, he could feel a miraculous energy saturating his body, immersing every cell. If an external blow struck, the corresponding damage would be nullified by the spiritual energy,sting until he chose to turn off this ability or ran out of Spiritual Energy. The functionality of the ¡®Spiritual Energy Shield¡¯ was also excellent. It was a switchable passive effect, incurring no cost when active until damage was received, eradicating the worry of being unable to activate skills in time for ambushes. And in critical moments, temporarily turning it off to save some Spiritual Energy for a counterattack, even at the risk of injury, was an option. Overall, the operation was very flexible. This practical skill of exchanging mana for health was something Gu Hang was quite satisfied with. Chapter 7: 7, Can It Get Any Worse? Chapter 7:, Can It Get Any Worse?
While the outside was buzzing with activity, there wasn¡¯t a peep inside the Abandoned Cave Society. They had many people, but only a few guns, so they didn¡¯t even dare to step outside to see what was happening at their door. It wasn¡¯t until Patel made contact with Neili through their secret channel and confirmed that he wasn¡¯t an imposter or a traitor that they opened the door and let him in. They only let in one person, him. At first, he was worried that Governor would be displeased, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Gu Hang generously allowed him to enter first to exin the situation. The Governor¡¯s troops would stay outside the Abandoned Cave Society for two days, waiting for his message. As for what message they were waiting for, Gu Hang didn¡¯t specify, but Patel had a rough idea. The Governor had fulfilled his promise of rescue, and now it was time for the Abandoned Cave Society to show their sincerity.
To this, Patel didn¡¯t feel ufortable. What was so bad about the Abandoned Cave Society beingpletely obedient to Governor? As he entered through the door, he returned home. Familiar faces appeared before his eyes, one after another. Theirplexions were both pale and ckened. Pale because they lived underground all year round, away from sunlight; ckened because the sweat frombor mixed with the coal dust, and they had no conditions to wash regrly. He was the leader of the Abandoned Cave Society; in the cave, he knew every one of the more than nine hundred faces. People rushed to ask him: ¡°Patel, are we saved?¡± ¡°Were those damn bandits all killed?¡± ¡°Who saved us?¡± Face to face with these many questions, Patel at first replied while walking, answering them one by one. Butter, it became impossible to address everyone¡¯s questions individually, so he could only shout out a unified response while trying hard to make his way through the crowd. ¡°Yes, we are saved.¡±
¡°All those bandits have been killed.¡± ¡°The Governor saved us.¡± Hearing the answers, the people wept with joy. Having finally made his way through the crowd, he looked back at hispatriots¡¯ malnourished and by no means pretty faces, feeling both proud and anxious. Proud, because he had brought help and saved everyone. Anxious, because he didn¡¯t know what the future held. Heaving a light sigh, he turned his head and saw his uncle, Butch. Butch¡¯s hand had been crushed by an overturned cart full of ore, got infected afterwards, and had to be amputated, nearly costing him his life. During that time, Patel was elected. After Butch recovered, he didn¡¯t attempt to seize power¡ªthere was nothing to seize. In the environment of the Abandoned Cave Society, there was no room for exploitation or oppression. Leaders were elected, and the settlement was so poor that even as leader, there was little difference in terms ofbor and living conditionspared to the others. Due to the disability, Butch couldn¡¯t do heavybor anymore. But he was still contributing his remaining strength, assisting Patel, his junior, with all his heart. Butch patted his shoulder with his remaining hand, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I should do,¡± Patel replied.
The two of them entered a small room where Patel recounted the entire ordeal of seeking aid to Butch. Butch let out a long sigh, ¡°It¡¯s a disaster, not a blessing.¡± The oldrade¡¯s attitude seemed somewhat pessimistic. Patel disagreed with his view, ¡°What do you mean disaster, not a blessing? I don¡¯t see any disaster here. This is definitely our opportunity. The Governor-General has said that he will not only save our lives but also provide salvation to the end. He hase to build the entire world, and our Abandoned Cave Society is just the first stop.¡± With a sigh, Butch said, ¡°How can you just believe what those big shots say? In their eyes, we are no different from rats or bugs in the gutter. When have they ever considered us as humans? They say a few nice words when they need you, acting as if they really care about you, but once you¡¯re no longer useful, you¡¯re ruthlessly discarded.¡± Patel said, ¡°I don¡¯t think the Governor-General is that kind of person.¡± Butch sneered, ¡°What do you know, you young fool? How many days have you known him?¡± ¡°What else can we do?¡± Patel sidestepped the issue of trust and countered, ¡°Could our situation possibly get any worse? Over nine hundred people working themselves to death beneath these mines, no one dares to ck off¡ªthose who do get starved to death. Even so, we still can¡¯t get enough to eat or wear, idents happen frequently, and every winter, some freeze to death.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have extra property to buy guns and arm ourselves. When dangeres, we can only lock ourselves in the cave and pray it passes by. We haven¡¯t perished previously because we were too poor, even thieves didn¡¯t want to expend too much effort cracking a turtle shell for just a nibble of meat. Now, faced with the greediest lot, hell-bent on breaking in and selling the living for provisions, all we can do is sit and wait for death.¡± ¡°I absolutely do not want my people to continue living like this.¡± ¡°Besides, what else do we have to lose?¡± This speech silenced Butch. After a while, he finally spoke, ¡°We would lose our freedom.¡±
¡°Hahaha! Freedom!¡± Patelughed loudly, hisughter nearly reaching beyond the door, and anyone unaware might think he was truly happy, ¡°Can freedom be eaten? This time I also visited the Capital City Revival Town of the Alliance, and I¡¯ve seen the ves. ves live much better than us, we don¡¯t even have a life as good as cattle and horses! If giving up freedom means no more starvation, freezing, or being eaten by others, then I am willing to give up freedom.¡± Butch was left without any further argument, he could only sigh again, ¡°I don¡¯t oppose any of your decisions, I just hope we won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°We will never regret it.¡± ¡­ ¡°I believe you won¡¯t regret it.¡± That very day, Gu Hang saw Patel return with several influential members of the Abandoned Cave Society, all of whom expressed theirplete submission to him. This was all within Gu Hang¡¯s expectations. The people of the Abandoned Cave Society had no choice. In a humble tone, Patel said, ¡°Governor-General, there are a total of 907 people in the Abandoned Cave Society, awaiting your firstmand.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look inside the cave.¡± ¡°What? You want to go inside the cave?¡± ¡°Not wee?¡±
¡°No¡­ but¡­ our conditions there are very poor, you¡­¡± He truly did not want Gu Hang to enter the mine, not for any other reason but because the conditions inside were abysmal. Over nine hundred people living together in cramped caves; even with venttion, the smell inside was unbearable. The living conditions were primitive, with filth and excrement everywhere¡­ Patel was afraid the conditions in the mine would soil the Governor¡¯s exquisite clothes, even more afraid they would dirty his heart. Gu Hang waved his hand and said, ¡°I need to see what your situation is really like before deciding what to do next.¡± Chapter 8: 8, The True Salvation Chapter 8:, The True Salvation
Although Gu Hang¡¯s arrival was unexpected and no grand weing ceremony could be hastily put together, the people of the Abandoned Cave Society still went to great lengths to make some disy, trying to let the governor feel their respect. As Gu Hang entered through the somewhat cleaned-up entrance of the mining cave, he saw that all the lights inside the cave had been lit. The citizens of the Abandoned Cave Society stood in two rows, lining both sides of the mine¡¯s tunnel, greeting the arrival of the man who would determine their future fate. Gu Hang was not the first toe in; his military supervisor, Captain Yan Fangxu, had already led over a hundred people inside ahead of him. Along the way, robot soldiers had formed a human wall, separating the pathway from the residents of the Abandoned Cave Society. The soldiers stood erect with their guns, while the surrounding civilians all knelt down as Gu Hang passed by.
Wherever Gu Hang went, the people there would kneel to greet him. Aside from people, the Abandoned Cave Society had nothing else to put on a disy with. Within the crowd, Gu Hang walked, observing the conditions throughout the Abandoned Cave Society. The people had pallidplexions, all looking rather unhealthy; in the cavey some mining tools, like hoes and carts¡ªpurely manual work, nothing to speak of in terms of equipment. As he walked, Gu Hang arrived at a cavity within the mine that the people of the Abandoned Cave Society used as a square and for major living areas. Numerous crude wooden structures were haphazardly built ¨C this must be many people¡¯s homes. Even more residents of the Abandoned Cave Society gathered here. As Gu Hang stepped into their midst, hundreds of people, led by their leader Patel, all knelt down in unison. Respect was shown in ample measure. Here, a temporary tform had also been erected. Gu Hang stepped onto it, and a microphone was already in ce. Not only could his voice be heard by the people in the small square of the mine, but it could also be transmitted to those not in the square through speakers ced throughout the mine. After all, the mine¡¯s square was notrge enough to amodate nine hundred people. Standing on the tform, Gu Hang gazed at the faces under the dim yellow light. He could see the relief of survival from a disaster on their faces and the gratitude they felt toward him as their savior.
But at the same time, their expressions did notck the perplexity about the future, the doubts about him, the man who would decide everyone¡¯s fate from now on, and the numbness left from a hopeless life in the wastnds. The responsibility was great and the journey long. But he still slowly began, ¡°Residents of the Abandoned Cave Society, I am your governor, Gu Hang.¡± ¡°Today, I saw everyone bowing to me, showing their submission. This is good, it proves that you have made the right choice.¡± ¡°Your leader Patel pleaded with me for salvation, and I granted him that.¡± ¡°I led my troops to the Abandoned Cave Society and annihted the bandits who threatened your lives. One hundred forty-six corpses are neatlyid out outside, and eleven prisoners will soon be judged in the presence of you all.¡± ¡°The salvation you desired has been provided, but the salvation I want to give has just begun.¡± ¡°On the harsh, merciless wastnd, whether it¡¯s natural disasters or man-made cmities, our survival is always under threat. Today the ¡®Prisoners of Death¡¯ came, tomorrow something else mighte. You need the ability to protect yourselves, and I will arm you. This is the first salvation I will bestow upon you.¡± ¡°You toil day and night in the mines, only to live a life without sunlight, never full, never warm, with people dying every winter. You have the right to a better life, and I will ensure that everyone willing to strive for it will have a better life. This is the second salvation I will bestow upon you.¡± ¡°A safe environment, plenty of food, and warmth may be your greatest desires now. But once you have had your fill, you will have more desires¡ªbetter living conditions, finer spiritualforts, and even self-actualization, honor, and faith¡­and I will provide you with the tform to pursue these higher aspirations. This is the third salvation I will bestow.¡± ¡°In my n, only after I have granted you these three salvations, only after I have made your lives safe and prosperous, can we talk about truly saving you!¡± Gu Hang finished his speech, and at this moment, whether fortunate enough to see Gu Hang¡¯s face in the za or crowded elsewhere, only able to hear his voice through the loudspeakers, all the residents of the Abandoned Cave Society were in an uproar!
When Gu Hang mentioned that the bandits outside had all been killed, people were already exuberant. Those bandits had killed and captured their brethren, trapping them in the cave for many days with their food supplies depleted. They lived in constant dread until now they were finally rescued, and their gratitude could not be more genuine. And when Gu Hang mentioned arming them, some residents, especially the young and hot-blooded, were even more stirred. The people of the Abandoned Cave Society always knew the importance of having guns and ammunition in the wastnd. In this survival-of-the-fittest world, without the ability to protect oneself, one is just meat waiting to be bitten into, for everyone is starving after all. But guns don¡¯te for free; military trade is the most valuable on the wastnd. And the people of the Abandoned Cave Society, barely able to feed and clothe themselves, simply cannot afford them. Only with weapons will they feel secure. Faced with situations like the present one, whether they could fight back or not, they would at least have a fighting chance, and not be left to sit and wait for death, depending solely on others for rescue. The second point, the promise of food and warmth, sparked even greater passion! Gu Hang¡¯s words struck deep in their hearts! We work so hard, we suffer so much, why can¡¯t we have a full meal? They don¡¯t understand the exploitation of the external market, the value disparity between raw and processed products, but¡­the Governor-General has promised them food and warmth! That alone was enough to make them fully support whatever the Governor-General nned to do! The third point, the so-called ¡®higher pursuits¡¯¡­people didn¡¯t feel as strongly about that, in fact, some were perplexed. Just staying alive was tough enough; they rarely allowed themselves to think about anything more, not understanding what ¡®self-actualization¡¯ or ¡®sense of honor¡¯ meant. Cheering along, it was because of the momentum built by the previous points¡ªthat whatever the Governor-General said must be right! But there were always a few who, despite the torment of a painful life, managed to keep thinking. Their eyes lit up when they heard the Governor-General mention this. The vast majority in the Abandoned Cave Society were inspired by Gu Hang¡¯s speech! They could see a path of light and hope unfolding before their very eyes.
Chapter 9: 9, How Many Devices are Free to Use? Chapter 9:, How Many Devices are Free to Use?
Butch¡¯s mood wasplicated. As people age and undergo more hardships, and with the safety of the entire Abandoned Cave Society resting on his shoulders, it was inevitable that he would overthink and be overly suspicious. In his view, the hundreds of people in the Abandoned Cave Society huddled together for warmth on the dangerous wastnd, seeking survival. No matter the situation, thinking more and being more cautious¡ªeven if it meant missing many opportunities¡ªwas much better than making one misstep that could lead to utter catastrophe. When the Governor-general came with troops to the rescue, he was undoubtedly grateful. Without outside help, all of them would have died. But to be honest, what he most hoped for was that the Governor-general woulde with his troops, annihte the bandits, and then leave. Even if it meant they had to pay a higher cost, that would be eptable. He had considered the worst-case scenario, where taxes would double in two years, possibly leading to half of the Abandoned Cave Society starving to death, but it was still better than everyone dying. Now, however, the Governor-general not only did not require them to give anything but was also willing to offer more, which made Butch very anxious.
If there was no cost at all, it might mean the greatest cost of all. After listening to Gu Hang¡¯s speech, he too was unavoidably impassioned for a moment and cheered jubntly along with the crowd. Everything the Governor-general spoke of, of course, was what he hoped for, what he dreamed of having. But¡­ Was it really possible? The people of the Abandoned Cave Society, besides their strength, had nothing. No technology, no equipment, even the mines, relics from before the war, had limited reserves and were difficult to exploit. If the veins were of good quality, how could they have possibly ended up in their hands? How could such people pursue a better life? Butch could not imagine. He didn¡¯t want to think this way, but he couldn¡¯t help fearing the worst, feeling that Gu Hang¡¯s words were all deception, and perhaps they would end up being sold off as ves or something of the sort in the future. But he was no longer the leader of the Abandoned Cave Society. The current leader, Patel, seemed brainwashed, fervently trusting the Governor-general¡¯s words. After the Governor-general¡¯s speech, the young man was beside himself with excitement, and at the slightest beckoning, he scurried off to discuss the grand ns for the development of the Abandoned Cave Society. ¡°Sold out and still counting the money for the buyer!¡±
Butch could only retreat to his cramped and musty little space, brooding in private. His brooding didn¡¯tst long before his door was knocked on. Opening the door, Patel walked in. The room was pitch ck, and Patel asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you light amp?¡± ¡°To save a bit.¡± ¡°ording to the Governor-general, a happy life can¡¯t be saved into existence.¡± ¡°Heh, now you¡¯re spouting nothing but the Governor-general¡¯s words.¡± ¡°He saved us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never denied that.¡± ¡°He also wants to bring us a bright future.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Butch replied nomittally, having given up on persuading Patel. What else could be done at this point?
Truth be told, the Abandoned Cave Society had no strength. Even if Patel listened to him, what could they do? Could they revolt against the Governor-general? Thinking this, he grew even more disheartened. He listlessly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be discussing important matters with the Governor-general? What do you want with an old wreck like me?¡± ¡°The discussions are already done, I came to ask for your help.¡± ¡°That was quick?¡± ¡°The Governor values efficiency highly,¡± Gu Hang said. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Butch asked. ¡°Lead our people to the surface and establish a settlement. We can¡¯t continue to live in the mines for much longer; the poor living conditions will lead to disease,¡± Patel exined. ¡°But¡­¡± Butch hesitated. Of course, it would be great to live on the surface¡ªwho would choose the mines if they had a choice? In fact, the Abandoned Cave Society had ns to expand to the surface and had a camp there. Then, the ¡®Prisoners of Oblivion¡¯ beat them up. The dozens of people they captured were taken from that surface camp. The surface was too dangerous; with the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s capabilities, they simply couldn¡¯t defend it.
¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about,¡± Patel said, ¡°but we have the power to protect ourselves. The Governor will leave behind a hundred robotic soldiers to be responsible for defense here. At the same time, a hundred sets of soldier equipment will be transported here. We¡¯ll select people from the Abandoned Cave Society and arm a toon!¡± Now it was Butch¡¯s turn to be surprised. He thought the Governor was bluffing, but he hadn¡¯t expected the promise to be carried out so quickly. No, it should be said, two promises. Arming the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s own soldiers so they could protect themselves was one thing; building houses on the surface to improve living conditions was another. Change was immediate. On this matter, Butch couldn¡¯t refuse. But he was curious about something else, ¡°You want my help to construct the surface camp, what will you be doing yourself?¡± It certainly wouldn¡¯t be training the military. That kind of thing would surely be managed by someone from the Governor¡¯s side. Not to mention military authority, even if the Abandoned Cave Society handled it themselves, theycked the capability. ¡°Me?¡± Patel said with a mysterious smile, not keeping the suspense any longer. ¡°I¡¯m going to build our own production line. There will be new mining machines delivered, as well as alloy smelting furnaces. The Governor doesn¡¯t just want to help us improve the efficiency of mineral extraction, but also to directly establish a production line for producing alloy steel!¡± Hearing this, Butch was genuinely astonished and found himself at a loss for words. Establishing a military force, returning to the surface to live¡ªthese things were certainly good, but inly speaking, they were all illusory. How could the Abandoned Cave Society, on its own, afford a decent military force? Wouldn¡¯t they still rely on the Governor for support?
This was at the core of Butch¡¯s pessimism: for the Abandoned Cave Society to lead a good life, they had to possess enough value themselves. He never expected others to provide unlimited, gratuitous support to the Abandoned Cave Society¡ªit was impossible. Even if it was just a temporary measure to win hearts, it was for a greater benefit. Whether it was to build a good reputation or for a darker scheme, it was never a good thing. But now, he knew he was wrong, egregiously so. Indeed, Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t provide unlimited, gratuitous support to the Abandoned Cave Society¡ªhe did want something from them. However, what he needed was something that the Abandoned Cave Society currently couldn¡¯t offer. But that didn¡¯t matter, as Gu Hang could enable the Abandoned Cave Society to develop. Once their productivity increased and their inherent value rose, then they would be able to pay the price that Gu Hang was asking for. Of course, by that time, the debt the Abandoned Cave Society owed Gu Hang would likely be much more than just a life-saving favor. But Butch was content. This opportunity was what he had been dreaming of. He waspletely invigorated now, having thrown his previous worries to the winds, ¡°When do we start?¡± Patel asked teasingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say before that it was a disaster, not a blessing? And something about losing freedom?¡± Butch¡¯s face turned red, but he stubbornly retorted, ¡°You little brat, what do you know! Is our freedom worth more than the equipment the Governor is bringing in?¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Seeing his uncle change his attitude by a hundred and eighty degrees, Patelughed out loud.
This wasn¡¯t mocking his uncle; this was joy for the future of all of them Chapter 10: 10, Technological System Chapter 10:, Technological System
[You have sessfully allied with the Covenant Empire faction: Abandoned Cave Society] After finishing his speech, Gu Hang reopened the system interface and saw this new message. The Covenant can do this? In the system¡¯s judgment, even a small ce like the Abandoned Cave Society was recognized as a faction? He looked further. [Current Grace Points: 11]
[Total Revenue of Territories: 6/Terra Month] [Governor¡¯s Temporary Camp: 5/Terra Month] [Abandoned Cave Society: 1/Terra Month] The total revenue had risen slightly each month, Gu Hang pursed his lips, not particrly satisfied. The poption of the Abandoned Cave Society wasn¡¯trge enough, and their productivity wasn¡¯t strong enough. By contrast, his temporary camp, although built from scratch, had more than three thousand people. Of course, there was still considerable room for development on both sides. He believed that once productivity and prosperity increased, the monthly Grace ie would also see a substantial rise. But as far as Gu Hang¡¯s current knowledge was concerned, relying on monthly fixed ie would at best ensure a basic guarantee. To be wealthy, one must rely on warfare. What Grace system? This is a War Frenzy system! After wiping out the main force of the ¡®Prisoners of War¡¯, he had gained 19 Grace points. The windfall gave him a taste for more. Once the work at the Abandoned Cave Society was done, he dispatched Yan Fangxu, instructing the captain to take half of the elite marine corps and a Mechanized Servant Infantry Company tounch an attack on the ¡®Prisoners of War¡¯ bandit stronghold based on the confessions of the captives. It should be an easy battle. The main force of the Prisoners of War had already been annihted outside the Abandoned Cave Society, and most of those left in the camp were the old, weak, sick, and disabled. After all, bandits have families too. The handful of bandits left behind weren¡¯t much of a concern, they added up to barely fifty people, and it was unclear how many guns they could muster. The forces that Yan Fangxu took were more than enough to annihte thempletely.
Gu Hang hoped that Yan Fangxu would save as many of the still-living Abandoned Cave Society prisoners as possible, but if not, he couldn¡¯t force it. Besides, what Gu Hang was looking forward to more was the harvest of Grace points. Although he knew the enemy was weak and the Grace earnings wouldn¡¯t be high, it should be better than simply waiting for the fixed ie each month, right? Thinking this, he continued to look down. Then, a bigger surprise came. He saw that the system had silently added a new function. Beneath the [Heroes] and [Soldier Cards] options, a new choice quietly sat there. [Technology]. Gu Hang was far from calm. He had previously felt that the system was a War Frenzy system, not only because it awarded many points for winning battles but also in terms of the system¡¯s functionalities. Whether it was individual leveling or the training and leveling of troops, it was all in preparation for war. It seemed to be a cycle system where the more you fought, the stronger you became, and the stronger you became, the more you could fight, with farming being a secondary element. But unexpectedly, the system¡¯s functionalities had not been fully disclosed to him.
Could there be other new functionalities in the future? And what conditions would be needed to unlock them? It was unknown. There would be plenty of time to delve deeperter; right now, what Gu Hang was most eager to see was exactly what this [Technology] function entailed. Upon opening it, the system interface disyed a sky full of stars, except that each star was dim, waiting for him to light them up. Upon closer inspection, these dark stars seemed interconnected in a rather intricate manner, varying in size. Each star seemed to represent a specific technology. [You may invest Favor points to initiate a random technology unlock. The sess rate and the level of technology unlocked will increase with more points invested. The minimum tier requires 10 points for one unlock, the second tier requires 100 points, and the third tier requires 1000 points for one unlock¡­] A gacha, lottery mechanism? Could it be a scam? Gu Hang had some psychological shadows regarding these gacha things. But there were no other options. He currently had only eleven points of Favor. After one draw at the lowest standard, they¡¯d be gone. Judging from his understanding of simr mechanisms, drawing once at the lowest level often didn¡¯t yield any good results.
But the problem was, if he didn¡¯t spend them here, he had nowhere else to use the ten points of Favor! In terms of heroes, he was now at level 2, capped by experience. Even with Favor points, he couldn¡¯t level up; as for troop training, from non-elite to T5, it cost 1 point of Favor for every hundred people, from T5 to T4, 1 point for every 10 people, and from T4 to T3, 1 point per person. Now, his Mech Servant Battalion was T5 and couldn¡¯t be upgraded due to hardware limitations. The elite troopers of the marine corps could be upgraded, but elevating just 11 of them to T3 wasn¡¯t very meaningful, especially since their equipment wouldn¡¯t improve; thus, theirprehensivebat ability wouldn¡¯t reach the mark. With that in mind, if he didn¡¯t want his Favor points to mold away, drawing technology was indeed his only choice. So, he might as well draw. Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t be unlucky. As his thoughtsmanded, ten points of Favor quietly vanished, and in their ce, a star in the dimly lit sky lit up. [Basic Technology: Alloy stic Steel] [A research product of the Empire Mechanical Doctrine, it is a qualified multi-functional material, based on steel, blended with various minerals to forge. It has different properties depending on the specific form used. It can be used for soldier¡¯s bulletproof inserts, construction materials, vehicle armor, spaceshipponents¡­] As expected, it was just the most basic technology, and it was in the domain of raw materials. But upon further understanding, Gu Hang¡¯s mouth dropped open: ¡°I¡¯ve struck gold!¡±
Alloy stic Steel was not an exceptionally rare material, and the performance gap between different ratios and manufacturing processes could be drastic. The best-quality stic steel could be used to make core materialponents for precision instruments, while the poor-quality ones could only serve as construction materials. If it were just the process, the form, and the blueprints, their usefulness wouldn¡¯t be that great. Given Gu Hang¡¯s current poor state, he didn¡¯t have the means to implement the process or blueprints. But¡­ what the system provided was akin to spoon-feeding. The illumination of one technology provided three things: Firstly, there were theories, processes, and design blueprints. With these, as long as there were sufficient technological talents and an industrial base, one could apply this technology on arge scale directly and build factories. That wasn¡¯t peculiar, but what came next were two items: ck Box Manufacturing Machines. ck box is an adjective, implying that no one can know how the equipment operates internally. Just by inputting the rawest materials, it can directly produce finished products. And such ck Box Manufacturing Machines numbered two, each distinct. The first one is a finished-product ck box, which required only iron ore and any ratio of materials to directly produce the highest level of Alloy stic Steel material. The second one is a master ck box, simrly requiring only the most basic materials to produce the smelting furnaces capable of manufacturing qualified Alloy stic Steel. This was amazing, Gu Hang thought, looking at the two machines that he could materialize at any time, along with the knowledge in his mind, and realizing how powerful the technology system was. The food was literally being fed to his mouth. Indeed, Gu Hangcked any significant technological or technical talents under hismand, but with these devices, he figured that even a group of baboons could manage to put together an Alloy stic Steel production line.
Ten points of Favor, a massive profit! ¡°What Battle Frenzy System? I dere, this is the ultimate Farming System!¡± Chapter 11: 11, Black Box Manufacturing Machine Chapter 11:, ck Box Manufacturing Machine
Helping the Abandoned Cave Society establish production capacity was already part of Gu Hang¡¯s n. Gu Hang looked down on the meager mineral output of the Abandoned Cave Society; these people struggled just to feed themselves, so what surplus value could they have? Only by developing them could he achieve his goals. And Gu Hang¡¯s goals were not merely to have these people pay their taxes. He wanted to make the entire more prosperous, he needed more armies, more weaponry, more material foundations¡­ The Abandoned Cave Society was a starting point, but it was also an important showpiece. If he seeded, he intended to continuously replicate simr models. But first, he had to make the showpiece work.
Originally, his n relied on the ¡°Quintet¡± Starship floating in the sky. When Gu Hang set out from the Star Sector Capital to take up his post as theary Governor of the Rage Owl Star, he certainly did not go alone. He was one of the current core members of the Gu Family, an old political household in the Tianma Star Sector. The ¡°Quintet¡±, a Watch-ss Strike Cruiser belonging to the Imperial Navy of the Tianma Star Sector, carried him all the way from the Star Sector Capital. Afterpleting the task of escorting the governor, the ¡°Quintet¡± did not leave. It would orbit the Rage Owl Star for a two-year mission. It was to obey the governor¡¯s orders and be the strongest support for the governor to revive the entire. It was only Gu Hang who received this treatment; the previous governors had to make do with an Escort Ship. In theory, with the ¡°Quintet¡± looming in orbit, Gu Hang could walk sideways on the Rage Owl Star. Above the wastnd, there was nothing that could threaten the ¡°Quintet¡±. On the contrary, the ¡°Quintet¡± could carry out terrifying orbital bombardments on any location on the¡¯s surface. At the same time, the ¡°Quintet¡± could also bring great help to Gu Hang in other aspects. This eleven-kilometer-long giant of the Star Sea was equipped with a crew of over one hundred thousand. There were androids, ves,bat personnel, technicians, elite marines, mechanics, spiritual energy masters¡­ All kinds of people, performing different functions. In a sense, such a giant ship was like a city drifting in the sky. Primarily, the crew relied on conscription and replenishment from variouss, but due to the lengthy space travels, chances to depart were rare. Many of the crew were simply the offspring of the starship¡¯s personnel, born and likely to die on the starship, never having left it in their lifetime. This huge sky city could provide Gu Hang with many things. The initial three thousand ves, three hundred android soldiers, and thirty marines he started with were brought down from the starship.
He originally nned to meet the construction needs of the Abandoned Cave Society from above as well. The ¡°Quintet¡± could provide manpower, weapons, and equipment. When Gu Hang said he wanted to select one hundred soldiers from the Abandoned Cave Society and arm them, it wasn¡¯t just talk. He nned to get the ammunition from the starship. However, some of the production equipment in his n was not so easy to obtain. He originally intended to get it from Revival City, after all, he was theary Governor, the head of the Rage Owl Star ¡°Alliance¡±. Even if his control over the Alliance was insufficient, skimming a little off the top was still feasible. But now, it seemed unnecessary. The ¡°Technology¡± function offered by the system provided much more than skimming could. Without a second thought, he called Patel over, informed him about the production line endeavors, and managed to excite the leader of the Abandoned Cave Society immensely. After sending Patel away, Gu Hang left the Abandoned Cave Society and went to the outskirts. His soldiers were also stationed outside; the people of the Abandoned Cave Society had graduallye out, and under the leadership of a person named Butch, they started to build their ground camp. Patel began to select the one hundred Abandoned Cave Society soldiers who were to be trained, and soon settled on the candidates. To be honest, Gu Hang was not very satisfied with these people from the Abandoned Cave Society as the source for soldiers. They were all fromborious backgrounds, but also malnourished, making it difficult to nurture robust physical conditions. Not only did they appear somewhat small and thin, but their bodies also had many hidden injuries due to prolonged hardbor. Although they had the mental resolve to endure hardship, they were still not considered a very excellent source of soldiers. But he had no other options for the time being. The three thousand ves brought down from the starship who were in the temporary camp weren¡¯t much better.
Next, Gu Hang left a hundred android soldiers behind and, with the rest of the people and the one hundred newly recruited youths from the Abandoned Cave Society, headed to the temporary camp. He did not n to wait for Yan Fangxu, who was off to clear the remnants of the ¡®Forsaken Prisoners¡¯, to return. That man wouldn¡¯t run into any trouble. Afterpleting his mission, he would leave behind a small squad of elite Marines to take charge ofmanding the android soldiers remaining in the Abandoned Cave Society. ¡°` Those brainless servant soldiers have hardly any ability to fight independently. ¡­ After several hours, Gu Hang returned to the temporary camp. The entire camp was still a bustling construction site. After initially leveling the ground, sourcing materials locally to build a rudimentary fence and temporary buildings, most of the servants were busy with one thing: constructing thending field. Thending field was for starships¡ªnot for the entire starship tond, but to facilitate transport ships flying down from the starships to dock with the ground. This was not a particrly efficient mode of transport. On somes with better conditions, space elevators and orbital starports were the mainstay of interster transportation. However, again, it was a matter of conditions. Where could Gu Hang afford to construct space elevators and starports right now? He could only rely on the ships carried by the starships to transport materials between space and the ground. This required anding field¡ªor rather, an airport¡ªto improve efficiency. The work toplete the project thoroughly wasn¡¯t small, but there was no need to do everything at once; getting something operational was the priority.
After briefly checking on the progress of the project, Gu Hang found a deserted ce outside the camp and materialized two ck Box Manufacturing Machines. Those two manufacturing machines really were ¡®ck boxes¡¯. Made of unknown materials and pitch ck, these two machines were shaped likerge, square ck boxes. They were two different sizes, resembling two buildings. Each of them had two ¡®doors¡¯: one for inputting materials and the other for outputting products. Gu Hang scratched his head, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. The system never mentioned these ck boxes would be so big. How was he supposed to move them? He could only resort to using engineering machinery, as relying purely on manpower was too exaggerated. But on second thought, Gu Hang felt there was no need to transport these two devices to the Abandoned Cave Society. The finished ck boxes could be put to use by importing ore from the Abandoned Cave Society¡ªalthough doing so somewhat went against his promise to Patel to establish a production line for the Abandoned Cave Society. But in fact, there was no conflict; the finished ck boxes were certainly for producing top-tier alloy steel materials and wouldn¡¯t have a high output. As for the production line of the Abandoned Cave Society, it could rely on the various parts produced by the mother machine ck boxes. These parts would be transported to the Abandoned Cave Society, where they would be assembled on-site to construct an alloy smelting nt. One could imagine that, as both camps continued to develop, the transport exchanges between them would be very frequent. Building roads was certainly necessary, but so was transportation equipment.
He didn¡¯t want his subordinates to have to push hand carts, taking eight hours to make a round trip. Vehicles and construction equipment were very much needed. He looked up at the sky. It seems he still needed to fleece the ¡°Quintet¡± for resources, including the hundred sets of weapons and equipment promised to the Abandoned Cave Society. However, the thought of having to deal with that woman made Gu Hang feel a bit annoyed. ¡­¡­ Although the word count is still low, I ask my dear readers to please support the new book as much as you can during its early stages! If you can rmend me, that would be even better! I¡¯ve always wanted to write a book with a sturdy setting, and for this one, I will put in the effort and hopeful for a good oue, not letting everyone down! Thank you very much, red cloth to all! Chapter 12: 12, Commodore Captain Chapter 12:, Commodore Captain
The mere thought of having to deal with Gu Hang was a bit annoying to Yelisia. As a bona fide Colonel of the Imperial Navy and captain of a Strike Cruiser, she was an undeniable big shot in the Tianma Star Sector. Between the identity of a Navy Colonel and aary Governor, which one carried more weight? In the entire Tianma Star Sector, there were only seven cruisers permanently stationed by the Imperial Navy; byparison, there are nines in the Tianma Star Sector, almost an equal number. The two roles were not part of the same system. The status of aary Governor was special, but it generally belonged to the empire¡¯s administrative system; a starship captain, on the other hand, was part of the military system of the Imperial Navy. Theoretically, the head of a star sector had no direct authority over the Imperial Navy.
Of course, reality was not so. The Tianma Fleet was established by the Tianma Star Sector, its officers and soldiers mostly recruited and selected from the variouss of the star sector; the starships were also financed by the star sector¡¯s government; logistical support was provided by the star sector as well. In terms of their mission, the Tianma Fleet was responsible for the defense of the Tianma Star Sector, cooperating with the Star Sector Government, which indeed didn¡¯t allow for much independence. All in all, it wasn¡¯t easy topare the status of the seven cruiser captains of the Tianma Star Sector with that of the nineary Governors¡ªit was about even, one could say. But when it came down to Gu Hang and Yelisia personally, it was a different matter. Of the nineary worlds in the Tianma Star Sector, the other eight, though varied in level, were at least rulers of their domains. Only the Rage Owl Star was a longstanding thorny issue. ording to past practice, Gu Hang taking on the role of governor was almost like being handed a suspended death sentence for two years¡ªhow could thatpare to Yelisia? Yelisia also came from a prominent family; the Fufana Family she belonged to was an ally of the Gu n and a supporter of the current star sector leader. And she herself was a rising star in the military, the most dazzling neer among the Tianma Star Sector¡¯s navy, the only woman among the seven captains and the youngest of them all. To have reached her position, her family background was certainly important, but one couldn¡¯t overlook her own abilities either. Gu Hang and Yelisia were worlds apart. However, the female Colonel had her own troubles. Since she had be captain of the Quintet, almost two years had gone by, and yet the voices of doubt continued unabated. Age, experience, gender¡­ these all became targets for criticism.
As for ability? Merely talking about one¡¯s ability was too idealistic and would not appease hunger; it needed to be tranted into achievements that were beyond question. She was indeed gearing up to fight a splendid battle. Punch the Green-skinned Warlord, kick the Chaos Traitor, exterminate the Void Insect Species¡­ Anything would do, just a spirited, exhrating victory that would see her triumphantly return and shut up anyone who dared to criticize her henceforth. But instead of finding a battle, she ended up on Rage Owl Star, providing support for the young governor, a political ally of the family. A two-year stint. She was very irritated, yet she had no way to resist and could only set off for her assignment in a huff. Already quite annoyed, that guy kept causing her trouble too. She now was also unclear about how the Gu n really viewed Gu Hang, whether they took him seriously or not. If they valued him, why dispatch him to such a ce? It wouldn¡¯t be too bad to entrust him with the big task of developing the problematic Rage Owl Star, but the Gu Family hadn¡¯t even invested much in the way of resources, had they? But to say they didn¡¯t value him, why then would the Star Sector Government assign one of the Tianma Fleet¡¯s only seven cruisers, the very one she captained, the Quintet, to stay on standby for two years? She couldn¡¯t figure it out. And she didn¡¯t need to think too hard about it either.
She considered herself a soldier, so she would just stick to her orders strictly. The orders she received were to ensure that the Rage Owl Star remained loyal to the empire, to assist theary Governor, and to provide military support. In this regard, she had never thought about making things difficult for Gu Hang. As long as the governor made a request, she would fulfill the duty of the Imperial Navy. She thought that her tasks would involve simply providing deterrence from orbit and executing strikes when necessary. There was no pressure¡ªjust carrying out her duties methodically would be enough. But Gu Hang didn¡¯t need her help with the bombardment, instead he had taken away a group of servants and soldiers. She hadn¡¯t expected this. At first, she didn¡¯t want toply, but after Gu Hang nagged and cajoled her, she was finally swayed into letting him take the manpower. Once she came to her senses, she still felt regretful. I can help you fight, but you can¡¯t just take away my people! This was not within the scope of her duties. Moreover, this was the Imperial Navy Troops she was dealing with. True, there seemed to be a hundred thousand people on board the ship, which might seem like a lot, but a giant starship, eleven kilometers long, required that many hands to operate. If Gu Hang took away too many people, it would directly affect the starship¡¯sbat capabilities.
What¡¯s more, the Navy¡¯s strength was all aboard the starships. Detached from the starships, a hundred thousand people thrown onto theary surface would not even make a ssh on the scale of a star. Compared to the Imperial Guard with its corps of millions, specializing in groundbat, they were not even in the same league in terms of numbers. Gu Hang had taken more than three thousand people, which did not yet affect the starship¡¯s operation, but such an action could not be allowed to happen again. This time, she received anothermunication request from Gu Hang. Colonel Yelisia was determined, unless there was somebat mission, she had no intention of satisfying any requests. Adjusting her mood, she sat up straight and instructed the technician to patch through Gu Hang¡¯smunication signal. Gu Hang¡¯s head then appeared on the screen in the center of themand tform. ¡°Colonel Yelisia, hello, it¡¯s been half a month, and you¡¯ve be even more beautiful!¡± The female colonel retorted with a stern face, ¡°Your Excellency the Governor, please don¡¯t sweet-talk me. Just get to the point.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so serious. I actually have some good news to share with you.¡± ¡°What news?¡± ¡°Our troops wiped out a rebel force on Rage Owl Star today, nearly two hundred enemies of the Empire were eliminated.¡± Bandits and wastnd robbers were turned into ¡®rebels¡¯ and ¡®enemies of the Empire¡¯ in Gu Hang¡¯s narrative.
Strictly speaking, there was nothing incorrect with what he said. Yelisia wasn¡¯t fully aware of the specific situation on Rage Owl Star, but even so, she knew that there was some embellishment in Gu Hang¡¯s words. But what mattered most was¡­ ¡°Two hundred enemies?¡± She disyed disdain. You¡¯re proud of such a minor victory, to boast about it in front of me? ¡°I know you don¡¯t care about these two hundred people, Colonel, but what if in the future, this number could be two thousand, twenty thousand, or even two hundred thousand?¡± ¡°Or what if it¡¯s about annihting a Green-skinned Warlord? Eradicating a Heretic Cult that does not worship the Divine Emperor? Or even eliminating an indigenous Evil God?¡± Yelisia¡¯s expression turned serious. Hearing Gu Hang speak this way, she subconsciously started to ponder¡ªif what he said was true, and they had indeed eliminated tens of thousands of Imperial Traitors, wiped out a Green-skinned Warlord, or killed an Evil God, what would the merit of such achievements be? Wasn¡¯t she after merits? Hadn¡¯t the thing that dissatisfied her the most abouting to Rage Owl Star been that squatting here for two years was simply a waste of time? But she wasn¡¯t so easily misled.
¡°You talk as if Rage Owl Star is about to be turned upside down. Are there such enemies there?¡± she expressed her skepticism. ¡°There could be.¡± Gu Hang¡¯s smile carried an inexplicable vor. Chapter 13: 13, Help Each Other Out Chapter 13:, Help Each Other Out
¡°It can be done.¡± This unexpected answer allowed Yelisia to vaguely grasp the implication behind Gu Hang¡¯s words. Still, she deliberately asked, ¡°If there are such enemies, Your Excellency, please give me a precise coordinate, and orbital bombardment will follow. Whether they be green-skins or the Heretic Cult, I will bring down the Emperor¡¯s most terrifying wrath upon these foes.¡± ¡°How could the Empire¡¯s enemies dare to expose themselves in broad daylight? They won¡¯t act openly and aboveboard. I need some time to dig these enemies out. And that will require your help,¡± Gu Hang said. Yelisia fell silent. She now fully understood the meaning behind Gu Hang¡¯s words.
These enemies, if they already existed on Rage Owl Star, that would be best. If they did not exist, then they could be made to exist, but that would require the assistance of the Governor¡¯s authority¡ªsomething Yelisia could hardly manage on her own. Gu Hang¡¯s voice rose again: ¡°I don¡¯t need much, nor do I need additional manpower from you. Two hundred sets of servosoldier armaments, some armored vehicles usable onnd. These things are of no use sitting idle on starships. However, they could trade for opportunities.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that this is helping me, but it is equally helping yourself. The savior of Rage Owl Star, how do you like that title? The heads of countless enemies of the Empire will forge your medals of merit. And what you need to pay is but a trifle, some merend force equipment. I will find the enemies for you, I can even help you take their heads.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be executed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs Tax Bureau in two years¡¯ time, and you don¡¯t want to waste two years in orbit around Rage Owl Star. So why shouldn¡¯t we help each other? This is not a trade; this is our mission here, and it¡¯s our future prospects,¡± he concluded. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Yelisia tried to speak but found her throat a bit dry. The truth was, she was somewhat tempted. She had thought she would be stuck in orbit for two years, and upon returning, continue to face all kinds of rumors and not know when she would find a real chance to fight. But now, Gu Hang¡¯s words had opened a new door for her. She began to seriously consider the feasibility of this affair, weighing what she would have to give and what she would gain in return. And the conclusion didn¡¯t seem hard to reach. At worst, she would just have provided manpower and armaments, only for Gu Hang to still aplish nothing, her time wasted here for naught. But what of it? Her two years stationed here was a certainty, it was an order from the Naval Department, immutable; the loss of manpower and equipment supplied to support the ground operations wasn¡¯t her concern, as supporting the Governor was part of her duties. Any missing equipment could simply be requisitioned and replenishedter.
And crucially, it wouldn¡¯t cost her a dime, the Empire¡¯s treasury would foot the bill. Beyond that, there were no other costs. Could it be that she had to worry about someone threatening the starship? She found the very ideaughable. And if Gu Hang seeded, she would earn the merit of purging the of all enemies, their heads serving as a soldier¡¯s medals. Those who had kept Rage Owl Star from providing sufficient resources and taxes to the Star Sector, once eradicated by her, would see the return to its rightful course¡ªwas this not the honor she sought? Of course, this action wouldn¡¯t be as heroic as showing one¡¯s prowess in a decisive naval battle, destroying the enemy¡¯s main warships, but at the very least it would count as merit, proving that her two years were not spent in vain. Upon returning, it wouldn¡¯t just silence the naysayers but would add color to her resume, which otherwise would only show practice and training achievements¡ªmere subjects of mockery in the eyes of veterans. Biting the bullet, Yelisia said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I agree.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± The crew of the ¡°Quintet¡± was very efficient. It didn¡¯t take long for two transport ships to take off from the starship. Watching the ships descend to the deste grey below, Yelisia gradually began to reconsider. The scale of my starship¡¯s marine corps is notrge; actually, the stockpile of equipment isn¡¯t that much¡­ No, that¡¯s not right!
Hadn¡¯t I made up my mind not to give even a hair this time, no matter what Gu Hang said? That Gu Hang, he painted such a grand vision, and I just bought into it like that? The thing is, he hasn¡¯t offered any benefits yet, not even a concrete promise, so how did I end up giving away two hundred sets of personal military equipment, plus four armored vehicles? I¡¯ve been swindled by that man again! But¡­ what he said made so much sense¡­ It hit right at what she was thinking. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± With a sigh, Yelisia forced herself not to fret over it anymore. What¡¯s done is done, what else can be done? She could only hope that Gu Hang would do as he said. ¡­ After getting what he wanted, Gu Hang was in a great mood.
Soon, he saw two transport shipsing from ¡°Quintet¡±nd at his still-unfinished airport. Arge number of servants had already prepared. Once the ship¡¯s hatch opened, they unloaded everything. After aplete inventory check, nothing was missing. The two hundred sets of personal military gear were primarily built around the G7 ¡®Assaulter¡¯ Rifle,plemented with some squad machine guns, mortars, andbat suits. Thesebat suits came with bulletproof inserts made of alloy stic steel. Their performance was eptable; after all, they were a piece of protective gear. Gu Hang directly allocated one hundred sets to the newly conscripted Abandoned Cave Societypany. Next, he used the soldier tag feature in the system to spend thest bit of his grace on them. [Abandoned Cave Company, Overall -, Not Upgradeable] [Type: Light Infantry, Quantity: 100 people] [Equipment: T5, Training: -, Experience: -] This was the current attribute level of the Abandoned Cave Company, and based on Gu Hang¡¯s previous experience, in about three days, the result of the training bonus would fully manifest. By that time, this new force¡¯s overall level would also have reached T5. This was the lowest standard for the Imperial Regr Army. If there were equal numbers, they couldpletely defeat the bandits and minor warlords on Rage Owl Star, keeping casualties to a minimum. At the same time, the transport ships also brought down four Strider V-type light armored vehicles. These armored vehicles, with three pairs of wheels and rapid-firing autocannons mounted on their weapons tforms, were quite formidablebat vehicles.
Unfortunately, the mechanized soldiers couldn¡¯t operate these vehicles; nor could anyone from the Abandoned Cave Societypany, so they had to arrange for the thirty elite marines to be deployed in the four vehicles as mobile forces. With this, Gu Hang had under hismand a force of more than four hundred, equipped with four high-level armored vehicles. This was already a military force that could not be ignored. His gaze turned in the direction of the Alliance Capital Rejuvenation City. Chapter 14: 14, Hypoxia Chapter 14:, Hypoxia
Don¡¯t get me wrong, Gu Hang certainly didn¡¯t lose his mind to think that, with just over four hundred people and four armored vehicles, he could take down Revival City by force. That¡¯s unrealistic. Revival City is the capital of the Alliance, a ce with a permanent poption of one hundred and thirty thousand residents and more than ten times that number in refugees who rely on the city for sustenance. It directly or indirectly controls countless small andrge survivor settlements in the surrounding areas, numbering in the hundreds. The conventional military forceprises tens of thousands of fully armed soldiers, a significant number of cannons, locally produced tanks, and propeller aircraft. If needed, they could even conscript a number of mercenaries far exceeding their regr armed forces at any time. The difference in military strength is too great. However, Gu Hang¡¯s intention to take over Revival City didn¡¯t necessarily rely on military means.
At least not on the army. The four hundred men at hismand would indeed be like eggs striking a stone if they sought to trouble Revival City. But in orbit, the Quintet floated there, with its Starship Colossal Cannon aimed at Revival City, and the power of orbital bombardment was enough to erase the city from the surface of the within a day. This was the greatest military deterrent. Another point was the use of political means starting with legitimacy. Moreover, Gu Hang was theary governor, and the Alliance Government was theoretically the only legitimate authority on Rage Owl Star, so he naturally was the highest leader of the Alliance. Before him, everyary governor who came to this was based in Revival City, inheriting the Alliance authority, and thus exercising the power of the governor. Actually, that¡¯s precisely what Gu Hang did initially. When he first obtained the system and wanted to secure a piece of territory for himself, he thought he had the perfect start. Afternding, the entire was his territory¡ªwouldn¡¯t the fixed ie from the system be maxed out? And with the help of the system, no matter what trouble he encountered on the, it would all be easy to deal with. After farming for a couple of years, would he be unable to pay the taxes? Reality quickly pped him in the face. Afternding, he was warmly weed, but the system didn¡¯t make any movement at all. It didn¡¯t acknowledge his nominal leadership over Revival City, let alone the whole. As a result, Gu Hang, the esteemed governor, went off to do his own thing. He had actually given this some thought. Firstly, if the system didn¡¯t recognize his territory, then without any territory, he wouldn¡¯t be able to activate the system¡¯s abilities or receive any ie. If the system wasn¡¯t useful, then of course he had to find a way to make it useful, otherwise what¡¯s the point of having a golden finger?
Secondly, the system not recognizing the territory indicated that there were huge problems in Revival City. It would be very difficult for him to obtain real power through political maneuvers. Gu Hang didn¡¯t think that he, a transmigrator who had never learned any techniques of power struggle, had the capability to outsmart those local power brokers. Even with the Quintet in space it was useless, as orbital bombardment was ast resort; could he really tten Revival City to the ground? That would be mutual destruction. Unless it was the end, or he needed a scapegoat, he wouldn¡¯t resort to it¡ªit was at best a deterrent. Thirdly, based on the first two points, he basically understood the core issues the former governors couldn¡¯t solve on Rage Owl Star. Apart from the inherently having a harsh environment, dangerous conditions, and insufficient productive forces, there was likely another reason they couldn¡¯t fully andpletely grasp power. The objective conditions were already poor, and internal strife just made it impossible to develop and submit the imperial taxes normally. Gu Hang couldn¡¯t walk down the same old path; otherwise, there was little hope. It was because of these multifaceted considerations that he decided to set out and start anew. But this didn¡¯t mean that he didn¡¯t want Revival City. It was thergest gathering ce nearby, with abundant manpower, a developed light industry system, and amercial trade exchange hub. Gu Hang still needed to take it, and he couldn¡¯t drag it out for too long, or relying solely on his own slow development, he would indeed not be able to pay the taxes in two years and face execution. He had roughly sketched out a n. ¡°Get me connected to Revival City,¡± Gu Hang called out. ¡°Yes!¡± Zhang Chao responded loudly and set about operating the radio.
He was the only person who followed Gu Hang from his family, a clever young man who served as Gu Hang¡¯s attendant. Before long, themunication was established, and an exhausted-sounding, aged voice came through the radio¡¯s loudspeaker, ¡°Greetings, Governor, this is Revival City, I am Milian Hodgson.¡± The elderly man iming to be Milian Hodgson had met Gu Hang once when he had justnded on the. This dignified old man was the chairman of the Alliance Council and served as the de facto ruler of Revival City during the absence of the¡¯s governor. After the new governor took office, he was supposed to step back into an advisory role. However, it was clear that Gu Hang, the unorthodox governor, hadpletely caught Hodgson off guard. Tired at heart. In front of Hodgson, Gu Hang was far less courteous than he had been when speaking to Yelisia. He was not interested in persuading him with emotion or reason but made his demands in the tone of amand: ¡°I need a hundred tons of food, ten thousand sets of textiles and clothing, and various types of industrial consumer goods. I will send you a list, and you are to deliver it to my camp within a week.¡± As his words ended, there was no response from the other end for quite a while. Gu Hang¡¯s brow furrowed: ¡°Respond!¡± He was clearly dissatisfied. A hesitant young voice responded from the other side, ¡°Go¡­ Governor¡­ the chairman, he¡­ he¡­¡±
¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°The chairman has fainted!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Gu Hang¡¯s first reaction was disbelief. It¡¯s not so easy to faint, and I¡¯ve only asked for a tiny bit of stuff. However, judging by the chaosing through the radio, it seemed to hold some truth. His second reaction was a twinge of guilt. Is it not great to be so provocative? Then the third reaction was, ¡°To hell with guilt, he deserves it.¡± He did it on purpose. To provoke Hodgson into fainting was unintended, but it was no big deal. Gu Hang cleared his throat and continued, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve heard my demands. This is an order from the governor. The supplies must not fall short, and they must not bete. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡­
About forty minutester, Revival City, Inner City Council Hall. The silver-haired old man was gasping for air with an oxygen mask strapped to his face. After regaining consciousness, Hodgson had convened the Alliance Council and publicly informed all the councilmen of the governor¡¯s demands. The council was in an uproar, with the members arguing loudly amongst themselves. The headache worsened for Hodgson, still wearing the oxygen mask, as his vision periodically darkened. He sadly thought that if this continued, he really wouldn¡¯t live much longer. He had to forcefully pound on the table for several minutes before the room slowly quieted down. He took a deep breath of oxygen, then slowly removed his mask, and continued, ¡°Continuing to argue will not produce any results, let¡¯s vote. I want to see how many of you have the courage to defy the governor¡¯s orders under the muzzle of the empire¡¯s cruiser¡¯s orbital cannon.¡± Chapter 15: 15, I will always trust the governor. Chapter 15:, I will always trust the governor.
Hodgson called for a show of hands, but there was still silence below. The council members looked at each other, none willing to be the first to express their stance. Hodgson grew impatient. He pointed to a middle-aged man, ¡°You have a big stake in the food trade, you speak first.¡± The one pointed out by the chairman of the council was the council member Wohan. Throwing caution to the wind, he stood up, ¡°We cannot ept the governor¡¯s demands, it¡¯s too much! He has never done anything for us, yet repeatedly asks for our supplies! Last time, it was for supplies for the ves he brought along, and the burden of those three thousand people was already heavy enough. This time is even worse! One hundred tons of food! Ten thousand textile articles! Does our governor even understand the concept of these amounts?!¡±
¡°But we must obey the governor¡¯s orders,¡± said another person helplessly, ¡°otherwise, we¡¯ll be seen as rebels. The Colossal Cannon doesn¡¯t reason, we¡­ we can¡¯t do without the empire¡¯s aid in supplies, nor can we do without interster trade, and it all has to be signed off by the governor.¡± Wohan sneered, ¡°You, prospering as ckbird Heavy Industries¡¯ broker in interster trade, care about trade shares, you naturally rush to lick the governor¡¯s ass, not caring whether Revival City¡¯s economy can withstand it or not.¡± The named man retorted immediately, ¡°You¡¯ve hoarded two months worth of food, just waiting for the winter to raise the prices. The food you send to the governor wille from your stockpile, dying your chance to make a profit, right? You are the one exposing Revival City to the Colossal Cannon by your disregard of the governor¡¯smands!¡± Seeing the council members below about to start arguing again, Hodgson had to bang on the table once more. ¡°Enough, stop arguing,¡± Hodgson¡¯s withered voice rose, ¡°I asked you to vote, not to repeat your reasons, I just want an answer. When you vote, think for yourself: if you give the supplies, where to allocate them from; if not, how to deal with interster trade quotas, empire aid quotas, and orbital strike deterrent. Now, vote, those in favor of abiding by the governor¡¯s orders, raise your hand. Those who don¡¯t raise their hand are against it, there are no abstentions.¡± After finishing, he raised his hand helplessly. Once he took the lead, the other council members, hesitant, reluctant, but eventually one after another, raised their hands. In the end, even Wohan, who had earlier ranted about whether ¡®the governor understands the concept of one hundred tons of food, ten thousand textile articles,¡¯ also raised his hand helplessly. This elicited a sneer from the bystanders. Unable to retort, he could only mutter quietly, ¡°What can I do? Are we really going to give up our quotas? Damn¡­ this governor is really outrageous; why doesn¡¯t he just stay put in Revival City? At least then we¡¯d have neen ways to make him behave¡­¡± ¡°Watch your words!¡± growled Hodgson hoarsely. The man obediently closed his mouth, though his gaze still held a trace of defiance.
¡­ After the meeting, Hodgson sat in his wheelchair, pushed back to his room by a young man. The young man did not leave, but reported an issue, ¡°Grandfather, after the meeting ended, Wohan convened his supervisors and reached out to several mercenary brokers.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare harm the governor, he couldn¡¯t bear that price.¡± ¡°But he might target the goods soon to be shipped from Revival City.¡± Hearing this, Hodgson said expressionlessly, ¡°Let him be, whatever the consequences, he¡¯ll bear them himself. Just keep an eye on him and his people, see what exactly they do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried he will enrage the governor and bring disaster upon Revival City.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Hodgson sighed, ¡°what can be done about that? I may be the chairman of the council, but that is all I am. Even if I knew about this, how could I stop Wohan?¡± His voice held a tinge of destion. It was his grandson, standing behind him, who offered words offort, ¡°On the first day the governor arrived, he publicly dered his manifesto, saying he wanted to rebuild the Wastnd World and improve everyone¡¯s life. He likely won¡¯t easily let anger towards the whole of Revival City lead to irrational actions.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Hodgson chuckled dryly. ¡°You don¡¯t trust this new governor?¡±
¡°No, I always trust the governor,¡± Hodgson waved his hand, ¡°Only the governor can save Rage Owl Star.¡± But what he didn¡¯t say to his grandson was the other half of his thought: ¡°I just don¡¯t know if it will be this governor.¡± ¡­ Gu Hang received a message from Revival City, saying that they had agreed to his request, but it would take eight days to transport the designated supplies to the specified location. He was a little surprised; these people had agreed too readily, and he had thought there would be more haggling. But it didn¡¯t matter. Although the oue wasn¡¯t what he had hoped for, the supplies were real. In the end, it wasn¡¯t a loss. It was still early, and he didn¡¯t dwell on this matter any longer. Yan Fangxu should be back soon, because Gu Hang had already seen the battle settlement interface pop up on the system. [A Complete Victory, Awarded 1 Favor] [Losses: 0, Enemies Killed: 45, Prisoners Taken: 13] [First Automachinary Battalion ¨C First Company: Losses: 0, Enemies Killed: 38]
[Navy Marine Corps: Losses: 0, Enemies Killed: 7] Earlier, he had sent Yan Fangxu to lead a team to eliminate the remaining ¡®Prisoners of Death,¡¯ where there were only a small number of defenders, and the infirm, women, and children. As expected, his people suffered no losses whilepletely annihting the enemy. ording to Gu Hang¡¯s orders, all the remaining ¡®Prisoners of Death¡¯ should have been executed. He had no intention of sparing these cannibals, these plunders who trafficked in human lives. Their bodies were hung in their destroyed camp, using their blood to write a warning: ¡°The fate of cannibals!¡± As for receiving 1 Favor after the battle, it was within expectations; the enemy was too weak to offer much of a reward. He didn¡¯t care much about it. Once Yan Fangxu returned, he had new tasks to assign to the captain from the Navy Marine Corps. Afterward, he checked on the two ck Box Manufacturing Machines. These two machines were located not far from the camp, guarded by dedicated soldiers in the Mech Servant Battalion, who had constructed a makeshift factory around them. Other than the authorized workers, no one else was allowed inside.
When Gu Hang arrived, both machines were in operation. Earlier, a batch of ore had been transported from the Abandoned Cave Society and was now in ce. The ore was fed into the machines by the workers, and the ck Box Manufacturing Machines began to operate. Noises of grinding, vibrating, and high-temperature treatment emanated from them, but they were not too loud. The materials fed into the ck Box Manufacturing Machines underwent a series of mysterious and unknowable changes and eventually transformed into high-quality alloy steel, which was then ejected from the output. The gleaming alloy ingots, perfectly demonstrating their strength and toughness, were made of top-quality material directly outputted by the ck Box Manufacturing Machines. The workers, who had been waiting nearby, then carried this produced alloy steel to the input of another manufacturing machine. Then, the parent ck Box also began its work, and soon after, an importantponent for constructing a smelting furnace was ejected from the output and pulled to another side of the warehouse by the workers. There, a considerable number of parts had already been stacked, includingrge, one-piece castings and smaller, yet precise parts. They were sorted and stored, waiting to be transported back to the Abandoned Cave Society, where they could be assembled on-site into a smelting furnace capable of producing alloy steel. Gu Hang was very satisfied. Chapter 16: 16, I accept even if it costs my life Chapter 16:, I ept even if it costs my life
¡°` Alloy stic steel, within the entire empire civilization, is the most basic and widely applied multifunctional material. It can be used in construction, the manufacture of machinery and weapons, and also for repairing and reinforcing facilities and vehicles. Its high strength and corrosion resistance allow it to be used in extremely harsh environments, capable of handling work needs in a variety of distinctly different settings. And this was especially important on the harsh environment of Rage Owl Star. As far as Gu Hang knew, Rage Owl Star did not possess the technological capability for mass production of alloy stic steel. The entire was still using rtively basic and primitive ordinary steel. Inparison, alloy stic steel was far superior in performance. Obviously, if they could master the ability to produce alloy stic steel inrge quantities, the Abandoned Cave Society stood to make a substantial profit.
The scarcity and widespread demand for alloy stic steel made its price high. With the ck box, Gu Hang was able to keep production costs very low¡ª even more so than others¡¯ manufacturers specializing in this industry. Moreover, the benefits that came from alloy stic steel were not just limited to profits. However, if they were to produce on arge scale, Gu Hang was worried that the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s ore output might not be sufficient. The Abandoned Cave Society was short onbor, and Gu Hang had not acquired the equipment to mine ore; moreover, the quality of the Abandoned Cave¡¯s ore veins was average at best¡­ For now, it was still sufficient, but as more and more smelting furnaces were being created by the ck box, there was bound to be a shortfall in the future. But by that time, there should be a stable output. Finding a market wouldn¡¯t be a concern, since they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about sales;rge-scale raw material imports were also an option, and the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s pir industry would definitely shift from resource extraction to metal smelting. ¡°These parts that have already been produced should be enough to assemble a smelting furnace. Send them over to the Abandoned Cave Society, production can already begin.¡± ¡­ Patel never doubted that the governor would keep his promise. If he said he would build a production line, then it would certainly be built. But he never dreamed that it woulde this quickly. He saw a group of ves¡ª or rather, workers¡ª from Governor¡¯s Camp, escorted by mechanized soldiers, pushing carts and delivering all the production parts.
Having already received the news in advance, Patel, along with the able-bodied members of the Abandoned Cave Society, helped unload the cargo. The instruction manual was already prepared, and a technical worker from Governor¡¯s Camp would instruct them on how to assemble the smelting furnace. At first, Patel was worried that he and his illiterate men would not understand the process. But when they actually began the work, they found it to be much simpler than they had imagined. The instruction manual contained text, but more importantly, there were various diagrams that were not difficult to understand. First, they installed the furnace body vertically, then carefully aligned each connection point. Next, they used fasteners to securely fix each part of the body together, to ensure the robustness and stability of the furnace. Then came the furnace lid, observation window, exhaust pipe¡­ Last, he personally installed the furnace door. The entire assembly process was very simple yet extremely precise; just follow the steps one by one, the only requirement being meticulous care to ensure that every detail was repeatedly checked and confirmed. The instation took them half a day. They ced the energy crystals that arrived with the transport team into the smelting furnace¡¯s energy module and started the heating system. The entire body of the furnace gradually heated up, with the temperature rising steadily. A batch of ore, already prepared, was fed into it.
The workers of the Abandoned Cave Society quickly became soaked with sweat in the heat wave, yet they still stood by their posts until the alloy stic steel smelting furnace finally began operating, emitting a roaring sound. Several hourster, night fell. ¡°` The alloy metal liquid produced has cooled into ingots within the molds, neatly stacked. Patel didn¡¯t realize that the batch of alloy stic steel he produced was far inferior in qualitypared to the top-grade stic steeling out of the Governor¡¯s Camp¡¯s ck box. But even if he knew, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as it was qualified stic steel, that would do; on Rage Owl Star, this was already a very superior industrial product. Butch, who had originally overseen the construction of the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s ground camp, couldn¡¯t help bute over to see the finished products. The current and former leaders of the Abandoned Cave Society looked at the batch of alloy stic steel ingots andughed foolishly together. A tremendous sense of satisfaction filled their hearts. No one could feel the power of industry more intimately than they did. From today on, the Abandoned Cave Society would no longer be the ce that could only rely on manpower to mine low-grade ore and sell it at cheap prices for meager food supplies. They had industrial capacity now; they could directly produce alloy stic steel and sell it at a higher price.
They would no longer have to endure hunger and cold; they would live the good life as the Governor had said, as long as they were diligent and hardworking. Butch eximed, ¡°Even if the Governor demanded our lives, I would ept it.¡± Patelughed and patted his uncle¡¯s shoulder, ¡°The Governor won¡¯t take our lives, He wants us to live better and better!¡± ¡­ Soon, the second smelting furnace was also delivered to the Abandoned Cave Society. The production capacity of alloy stic steel was further strengthened. But the problem that Gu Hang had previously worried about did indeed arise¡ªjust two smelting furnaces nearly devoured all the ore produced by the Abandoned Cave Society. To continue expanding production capacity, more raw materials were inevitably needed. Energy was also a problem. The smelting furnace used energy crystals, which was also a sort of ck technology under the empire¡¯s system. ording to Gu Hang¡¯s understanding, this was essentially a battery¡ªalbeit much more powerful than any he remembered. High-density energy was bound and concentrated within a solid crystal, safely releasable when needed. These energy crystals could be directly mined in certain worlds; in many others, energy-industrials generated power through various methods andpressed it into energy crystals through special processes.
Without a doubt, Rage Owl Star itselfcked such production capabilities. The energy crystals Gu Hang was using now were pilfered from the Quintet. But he couldn¡¯t always keep pilfering. There was also good news, however. First, Gu Hang still had enough energy crystals on hand. Second, apart from using energy crystals, the smelting furnace could also be powered by electricity. Gu Hang still had time to set up an electricity supply for his territory. This too was a headache. High-end solutions were not worth considering for now; the primitive approach to power generation was just boiling water, but he needed fuel to burn. ¡°Fuel¡­ raw materials¡­ Rubbish Town?¡± Gu Hang muttered to himself. The Rubbish Town he referred to was a survivor settlement located a hundred kilometers north of the Abandoned Cave Society, where Gu Hang could find the output he needed. Chapter 17: 17, I want an explanation Chapter 17:, I want an exnation
¡°` About 100 kilometers north of the Abandoned Cave Society, in fact, was almost within the realm of the high wall ruins. It was a core city before the era of disaster, which by now had be ruins. Low Energy Storms, mutant creatures, Green Skin Orcs¡­ Whether it was the environment or the things that lived there, all posed a great threat to humanity. However, the massive urban ruins also concealed the wealth of the pre-war period. Rubbish Town was right next to the high wall ruins. Initially, scavengers established this gathering point as a supply station and trading spot for expeditions to the high wall ruins and excavation missions.
Later on, it developed continuously and eventually turned into a fairlyrge town. There was no Central Government or ruler in Rubbish Town, but rather merchants known as ¡®agents¡¯ controlled the situation, creating a social structure of agents-mercenary caravans-adventurers and mercenaries-scavengers. The armed adventurers took and guarded various resource points, scavengers entered to excavate resources, caravans bought and sold resources, and agents operated behind the scenes, monopolizing the business. The garbage scavengers brought back would be initially processed into various types of materials, mainly metal, which also constituted the main output of Rubbish Town. Another main output was energy. This brings us to mention ¡®Low Energy Storm,¡¯ the most terrifying disaster on Rage Owl Star. The so-called Low Energy Storm was a huge trauma left over from the war. Inside the sweeping winds would rise high-density Low Energy¡ªan energy residue left after an outbreak of Spiritual Energy. This type of energy normally couldn¡¯t be harnessed, and instead, it caused fatal damage to human bodies, machinery, and electronic equipment. Humans could not survive in such an environment, and even the mutant creatures birthed by Low Energy dared not move in the core of the storm when the Low Energy Storm was at its fiercest. The high wall ruins were one of the areas where Low Energy Storms urred most frequently and violently. But after the storm, there would always be some legacies left behind. The violent Low Energybined with some minerals asionally produced something called ¡®Hot Ash Stone.¡¯ This thing wasn¡¯t the same as a high-density energy crystal, but it could generate sustained high temperatures once ignited. That could be used to generate electricity. Raw materials, Hot Ash Stone¡ªthese were the two major outputs of Rubbish Town. Gu Hang still remembered how the Abandoned Cave Society used to produce ores, which were mostly sold to Rubbish Town. They actually wanted to sell to the closer Revival City, but Revival City didn¡¯t want the raw ores. And the nearest ce that had the capability to perform initial processing of raw materials was only Rubbish Town. The prices they offered were low, which was one of the important reasons why the Abandoned Cave Society used to struggle to make ends meet.
Let bygones be bygones, Gu Hang was interested in the fact that there were connections between the Abandoned Cave Society and Rubbish Town. Gu Hang made up his mind that as soon as he returned, he would have Patel contact Rubbish Town. His direct territory needed to continue developing, which required plenty of raw materials and energy support. As for the trading goods, he had already thought it through. Food. Rubbish Town didn¡¯t produce food; they usually imported it from Revival City. What Gu Hang intended to create was an economy where the Abandoned Cave Society produced an alloy steel, as well as other industrial products in the future, to be sold in Revival City; buying food from Revival City to sell in Rubbish Town; and procuring raw materials from Rubbish Town to expand production. A very good cycle! The hundred tons of food he had requested from Revival City could now y a part. Aside from supplying the Governor¡¯s domain, he nned to sell the rest to Rubbish Town. This batch of supplies would arrive in eight days, and Gu Hang patiently waited. During these eight days, two pieces of news arrived, one good and one bad.
The good news was that the monthly fixed ie from the grace of therge-scale alloy steel production initiated by the Abandoned Cave Society was rising rapidly. ¡°` [Current Grace Points: 1] [Monthly Fixed Ie: 12] [Governor¡¯s Camp: 8/Terra Month] [Abandoned Cave Society: 4/Terra Month] It had doubled! Neither of the two territories had increased in poption. The main change during this period was the significant boost in the production of alloy stic steel. The increase from 1 to 4 for the Abandoned Cave Society must be a reflection of the production boost. The increase at the Governor¡¯s Camp should be a reflection of productivity as well. The difference lies in the fact that the Abandoned Cave Society used two newly erected smelting furnaces, while the Governor¡¯s Camp relied on two ck Box Manufacturing Machines. Although the output of alloy stic steel wasn¡¯t as high as that of the Abandoned Cave Society, the quality was much better, and they had also produced two smelting furnaces. All in all, expanding production was definitely a good thing. Not to mention the products themselves, the wealth represented by the increase in the monthly fixed ie within the system was also substantial. Gu Hang hoped to maximize the monthly fixed ie before the grace points were distributed this month. He could try to boost the poption, open up trade routes, expand production¡­ In the past few days, aside from inspecting the soldiers¡¯ training, he had been considering these ns.
But on the seventh day, he received some bad news: ¡­ ¡°The goods were robbed?¡± Gu Hang¡¯s face darkened as he pressed the man before him for answers. The manmented, ¡°Yes, we were transporting thirty carts of goods from Revival City when we decided to take a rest before continuing. While we were sitting on the ground singing, hundreds of raiders jumped out and robbed us!¡± Why didn¡¯t they just go for a hotpot meal while they were at it? Gu Hang sneered, ¡°Not a single item left, but no casualties? Are the wastnd raiders thispassionate now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that there were no injuries! Look at my nose, Governor! A gun butt came crashing down and broke my nasal bone!¡± He kept talking, noticing the Governor¡¯s face growing ever darker, and his voice got quieter and quieter. He began to feel an imposing pressure filling his heart, as if a mountain was about to bear down on him. Struggling, he spoke again, ¡°We surrendered. The robbers seemed more than just simple bandits, not the usual wastnd raiders. I recognized two of them, they seem to be mercenaries lurking around the outskirts of Revival City. At first, we were very afraid, but after we surrendered, they indeed didn¡¯t kill any of us. They just took the ox-carts away.¡± He paused then continued, ¡°I suspect that when we set off, someone noticed the goods we were transporting. Those mercenaries, blinded by greed, didn¡¯t dare to act near Revival City, so they followed us all the way¡­¡± Gu Hang cut him off, ¡°You¡¯re saying you were robbed just fifteen kilometers from my camp?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your group was small, not carrying enough guns, and after they surrounded you, you surrendered immediately. Then the raiders didn¡¯t kill you but just took the goods?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Gu Hang had lost interest in talking with this man any further. He left the temporary housing for the bedraggled transport team members and called over Yan Fangxu, ordering him to take the twenty-odd marine troopers in the camp, along with the trained Abandoned Cave Company, to the scene of the incident to investigate and attempt to track down the raiders. As for himself, he returned to his room and instructed his attendant, Zhang Chao, to establishmunication with Hodgson, the Chairman of the Revival City Council. ¡°My goods were robbed. I need an exnation from you.¡± Chapter 18: 18, It’s a Pity to Burn into Ashes the Monster Chapter 18:, It¡¯s a Pity to Burn into Ashes the Monster
The Governor¡¯s assertiveness had rendered Hodgson silent. He knew that silence at this time was quite disrespectful, but he indeed felt very embarrassed. What could he report to the Governor? But he knew he couldn¡¯t keep silent forever. ¡°I will try my best to find out who did this¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Gu Hang interrupted him, ¡°If you simply bring out a group of mercenaries or some looter to take the me, then there¡¯s no need. What I want is simple: the eight-day deadline was set, and by tomorrow, I want to see everything I was promised, not a thing less. Otherwise, have Revival City send a new batch right now¡ªit¡¯s still possible to make it on time; or I could go get it myself.¡±
Hodgson felt his throat was very dry. Asking Revival City for a new batch of supplies was nonsensical. One hundred tons of grain and ten thousand pieces of textiles couldn¡¯t just be conjured up. Even in Revival City, not everyone could have their fill. The core of the Governor¡¯s speechy in thetter part: he could go and get it himself. Where would he go to get it? It seemed to depend on his response. If he could provide a satisfactory answer, perhaps the Governor could go after the thieves, and he would only need to provide a name. If he couldn¡¯t provide an answer, then the Governor would likelye to Revival City to retrieve it. Wherever he went to fetch it, the process would probably not be gentle. So who would have to endure this harshness? By this point, Hodgson knew he had no other choice. He gave Gu Hang a name, then added, ¡°Give me two or three more hours, and I will send you the exact address as well, Governor.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give you one final three hours.¡±
After themunication had been cut off, Hodgson pressed another button, summoning an attendant. He wanted to say something but, before he could speak, an unbearable itching sensation caused him to cough loudly. The cough was fierce and intense. On the other end, the attendant¡¯s voice was also filled with panic: ¡°Councilman? Councilman? What¡¯s happened to you?¡± Hodgson couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°I¡¯m on my way! Hold on!¡± A few minutester, two people burst into Hodgson¡¯s office. One was the attendant, and the other, brought by the attendant, was Lambert Hodgson, Hodgson¡¯s grandson. By that time, Hodgson had stopped coughing; he was slumped in his chair, gasping for breath. Seeing that his grandfather was not in serious trouble, Lambert finally rxed a bit. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about that now.¡± Hodgson raised his hand to stop his grandson¡¯s questions, ¡°Go immediately to the Wohan Company, and make sure to find out where those mercenaries they hired took the goods intended for the Governor.¡± Lambert was stunned. ¡°Did he really make a move?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No more ¡®buts,¡¯ we only have three hours.¡± ¡°Has the Governor lost his temper?¡± Lambert guessed. ¡°Yes.¡± Hodgson sighed, ¡°Our Governor is much more decisive and ruthless than I imagined¡­¡± ¡­ Gu Hang did not consider himself to be ruthless. He just knew, and insisted on one approach: He could not afford to engage in squabbles or resort to political tactics with these people. It wasn¡¯t about whether he could outsmart them with schemes and deceptions; the main issue was, even if he could, what would that aplish? It would be inefficient and time-consuming, and Gu Hang did not have that time to spare. He preferred a straightforward, decisive approach. He called his men, took the radio, and with a hundred men, leaving another hundred behind, they set off. Gu Hang nned to catch up with the team led by Yan Fangxu, which had set out earlier, to see if they could find any leads at the scene of the incident and attempt to track the enemy. If there were gains, all the better; if not, he would wait and see what news Hodgson would bring him in three hours.
The worst-case scenario was simply that he would have to take more than two hundred men to Revival City to demand the supplies he needed. His own men were definitely not enough; when the time came, he might even need to ask Colonel Yelisia for some modest help. He believed Yelisia wouldn¡¯t refuse, by then she should be able to achieve quite a bit of merit. Gu Hang hoped that scenario would not happen, but if it came to that, it would be unavoidable. And he would definitely take the most thunderous, resolute measures. How could a swordsman notmand a deterrent presence? If anyone thought the Governor¡¯s deterrence was insufficient, he did not mind setting an example through concrete actions. Let¡¯s see if Revival City would be willing to be that example. Two hourster, Gu Hang and his troops arrived at the site of the incident and met up with Yan Fangxu. The Navy Captain had made some discoveries here. ¡°We¡¯ve found some clues. The raiders tried to cover their tracks when they left, but their methods were rather amateurish. I¡¯ve dispatched a squad to follow them and we should be able to obtain further information soon,¡± Yan Fangxu reported. After hearing Yan Fangxu¡¯s report, Gu Hang nodded, ¡°Finally some good news, then let¡¯s wait. Let¡¯s see whether Revival City¡¯s response will be quicker, or if your squad finds those raiders first.¡± ¡°Revival City?¡± Yan Fangxu sounded puzzled, ¡°I thought we were talking about raiders. Are you suspecting people from the so-called Alliance in Revival City?¡±
¡°Is that hard to guess?¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± Yan Fangxu scratched his head, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite easy to guess.¡± Even though I didn¡¯t guess it, I won¡¯t admit it. Gu Hang looked at Yan Fangxu with a bit of helplessness. Good at warfare, but so obtuse with things like this. Gu Hang said no more. His gaze swept around the vicinity; the traces of the raid weren¡¯t that obvious. There had been almost no fighting, no deaths, hence no bodies, and not even much blood; all the transport vehicles had been taken, and almost nothing was left behind at the site. From this perspective, being able to track the raiders hours after the crime, especially since they attempted counter-surveince, indicated Yan Fangxu was not ipetent. Thinking this, Gu Hang felt somewhat satisfied. It was fine as long as their military skills were solid; he didn¡¯t expect them to be all-rounders. What followed was a period of patient waiting. News from both sides arrived almost simultaneously shortly after.
The elite marines dispatched had returned a telegraph; they had found traces to continue the pursuit, deducing several possible escape routes and destinations for the raiders. On the other side, the Chairman of the Revival City Council had contacted Gu Hang through telegraph, providing three specific locations and ranking them ording to the likelihood of uracy. Both sets of intelligence, examined against each other, shared some ovep. Finally, Gu Hang roughly identified the target: Mantan River Valley Manor. It was a private domain belonging to an Alliance Councilman named Wohan. Mantan River Valley Manor was his property, the foundation of his wealth, and one of the few pieces of qualitynd around Revival City suitable for agriculture. After Wohan made his basic wealth umtion, he didn¡¯t just produce grain, he also engaged in the grain trade and made quite a profit, which led him to be an Alliance Councilman. Now, Wohan¡¯s main business was in the grain trade, with Mantan River Valley Manor¡¯s grain production being only a small fraction for him, but he still valued it highly, treating it as a holiday spot, his stronghold. ¡°It sounds like a beautiful ce, a shame to reduce it to ashes.¡± Chapter 19: 19, Valley Manor Chapter 19:, Valley Manor
Valley Manor, indeed a rare ce of beauty in this Wastnd World. At least, that¡¯s how it was from a scenic viewpoint. A narrow river meandered gently by, its untainted water source nourishing the surroundingnd and fostering a patch of green. A fence built of broken stones enclosed therge area of shade. Scattered buildings adorned the area, and crops in the fields grew robustly, swaying with the wind as if to boast of the forting bountiful harvest to the world. The time was approaching dusk, and the river¡¯s water reflected the sunset¡¯s glow, twinkling with gold, like a mirror that made the surrounding scenery even more beautiful. The sky slowly turned a soft orange, the afterglow of the setting sun gradually disappearing, reced by the brilliant starry sky¡ªRage Owl Star had no natural satellites, no moon¡ªso the farnd around the small river bay was half bathed in the sunset¡¯s afterglow, half illuminated by starlight, presenting a beautiful and peaceful scene.
¡°So beautiful,¡± Yan Fangxu remarked with emotion, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen such a sight in a long time. Since I¡¯ve been either on a starship or, afternding on Rage Owl Star, all I¡¯ve seen is devastation. Thest time I witnessed a scene like this was many years ago.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear to ruin it either,¡± Gu Hang responded casually, ¡°but I¡¯m even less willing to let the goods I want stay here, then be harvested by that man named Wohan as a means to jack up grain prices after he¡¯s hoisted them. Such a beautiful manor and farnd, if fate has brought us here, we will make it even better.¡± An hour ago, the troops led by Gu Hang had already arrived at this ce and dealt with the sentries on the perimeter. Next, they began to regroup nearby. The manor became tense due to the sentinels¡¯ loss of contact, but Gu Hang didn¡¯t care. His men had already surrounded the area; they could ignore anyone trying to flee, but it was impossible for anyone to leave dragging arge amount of supplies with them. While the soldiers regrouped, Gu Hang admired the scenery, and the people inside the manor trembled. When the sun had just set, the designated time for the attack had arrived. He said to Yan Fangxu beside him, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Scattered soldiers started their assault outward, and four ck armored vehicles emerged from the sparse woond, their engines roaring and echoing through the valley. The leading Mechanized Servant Infantry, wielding ¡®Strikers¡¯, charged towards the defensive line of Valley Manor, their bullets cutting through the air with piercing screeches. At the same time, mortars began pounding Valley Manor, with explosions raging like thunder from hell, smoke filling and enveloping the manor. Where the artillery reached, vegetation was engulfed in mes, the ground became utterly shattered, and sparks and debris harshly struck the stone walls and rooftops of the manor, emitting bursts of thumping sounds. The raiders also immediately mounted a resistance, taking advantage of the buildings and stone walls to return fire. The sound of gunfire was so intermingled that it was impossible to tell who was shooting; one could only see bullets flying through the air, kicking up dust and stone chips. The raiders¡¯ resistance was exceptionally fierce, with perhaps a couple of hundred people inside. Facing mortar bombardment, a hailstorm of bullets, and casualties, they still dared to stand firm and fiercely return fire. Both in terms of equipment andbat will, these foes were far more formidable than the ¡®Prisoner¡¯ bandits they had encountered before.
The ¡®Prisoner¡¯ bandits had been using hand-crafted iron pipe rifles, not only were they horribly inurate, but their power was also weak, hardly making a dent in the Mechanized Servant Infantry¡¯s stisteel te vests. At that time, the main casualties in battle were caused by mutated green-skinned beasts. The mercenary troops active around Revival City, however, weren¡¯t equipped so poorly. They at least had automatic rifles to use, with much more intense firepower, bullets that were stronger, and a high degree of uracy. They were even equipped with machine guns. Taking cover, they had the advantage against the attacking Mechanized Servant Infantry, and from time to time, a soldier would be shot down. A fallen soldier wasn¡¯t necessarily dead. Their bulletproof vests and helmets, though lightweight, were still made of alloy stisteel with excellent performance and could save their lives. Those who fell were generally shot in the legs, and a considerable proportion could return to the ranks after their wounds healed. But overall, the struggle in the attack was visibly growing. And as the soldiers got closer to the manor, the more difficult things became. The closer the distance, the more precise and fierce the enemy¡¯s fire became, and the soldiers would suffer particrly heavy casualties. At a distance, the enemy¡¯s bullets hardly pierced the body armor, but up close, they didn¡¯t have to pierce through to be lethal, as the unprotected face, neck, and limbs were much more likely to be shot. Under normal circumstances, if Gu Hang wanted to quickly take down the manor, there would have to be casualties. If they were to assault by force, he feared that it might cost them half apany in casualties. To avoid heavy losses, they would need to be prepared for a long siege. Digging trenches on the outer perimeter, extending inward, a prolonged standoff and exchange of fire, and non-stop bombardment from mortars until the enemy¡¯s manpower and ammunition were reduced to a rtively low level. Then they couldunch a final assault, which would keep casualties within control. However, Gu Hang was not willing to suffer high casualties, nor did he intend to drag out a protracted fight with these mercenaries. He had weapons that could settle the situation decisively. And he had two of them. The first were the four Strider V-Type Armored Vehicles. Once they closed the distance, their mounted machine guns roared in rapid fire. The 45mm twin-barreled cannons fired rapidly, spewing out projectiles¡ªhard to say whether they should be called bullets or shells¡ªsweeping across a section of broken stone walls.
Eachrge-caliber bullet carried immense destructive power, shattering stone and splintering debris, leaving the walls unrecognizable. The mercenaries relied on the walls for cover, but they were utterly incapable of withstanding such a ferocious attack. The four Striders advanced while mercilessly sweeping their fire. Shells ripped through the walls and tore apart the bodies of many mercenaries, the grisly scenes terrorizing those nearby. After the Strider Vs opened fire, the mercenaries¡¯ intensity of resistance was firmly suppressed. With the Mechanized Servant Infantry Company held back, the Wastnd Infantry Company moved up with the four Striders, forming a second wave of attack. Even the mortars¡¯ positions began to advance with the Striders¡¯ forward push, and as the distance closed, the precision and destructiveness of the mortars continued to increase. At that moment, a mercenary suddenly emerged from the side, carrying a tube-shaped weapon in his hands. It looked rough in construction, but it was undoubtedly a rocketuncher. Whether by a stroke of luck or truly exceptional skill of a seasoned veteran, he nailed it with a single shot. Aiming, firing, the rocket propelled by a long tail me, solidly hit one of the armored vehicles that was firing. The mercenary smiled, promptly discarding theuncher and preparing to find new cover. However, just as he ducked behind the wall, he felt the wall next to him crumble, was violently flipped over, andnded on the ground, his vision filled with a mist of blood. He saw his own hand flying away, saw his lower body not far to the side.
He was desperately aware of his situation: he had been hit by a high-caliber machine gun, his waist blown apart. The cover he relied upon did not provide any protection, the stone wall was sted into flimsy fragments. But what seemed impossible to him was that the very vehicle he had hit with the rocketuncher had killed him. Thest scene in his eyes was the armored vehicle emerging from the gunsmoke, without a scratch on it. Why was this? He died in pain and confusion. Chapter 20: 20 s, all about geniuses Chapter 20: 20 chapters, all about geniuses
Four ¡®Walkers¡¯ were the first weapon Gu Hang could deploy to shatter the defenses of Valley Manor. And the second weapon was he himself. He had joined the battle in person. Gu Hang sat in an armored vehicle, his eyes fixed on a bunker. There was a hole dug there and oveid with heavy stone to construct the upper structure, leaving space for firing ports. Inside were mounted heavy machine guns, posing a significant threat to infantry. Even the autocannons on the ¡®Walkers¡¯ struggled to shake the sturdy bunker. The bunkers built by the mercenaries were three in number, forming their second line of defense.
Realizing that the simple stone walls couldn¡¯t hold any longer, arge number of mercenaries had already retreated. They nned to rely on these bunkers to continue their resistance. Gu Hang closed his eyes; he could feel the vibrations of souls and the taste of blood. Within his psychic perception, the resisting mercenaries formed blurry shadows, detected through his Psychic Vision. He locked onto the nearest bunker, and an unseen de in his real field of vision shed across the heads of two mercenaries inside, decapitating them. In reality, the two mercenaries¡¯ bodies showed no outward signs of anomaly, but they fell backward rigidly, as if beheaded, their bodies twitching from nerve spasms. Then, Gu Hang dealt with the machine gunners in the other two bunkers in the same manner. He felt his spiritual consumption was manageable, at least it was less than what it took to deal with that mutant Green Skin prisoner. The reason might be twofold: firstly, after being modified with drugs, the Green Skin¡¯s extremely robust body also resulted in an enhanced spirit strength. The energy used to sever one of its legs had been much greater than that needed to kill several mercenaries. On the other hand, after hisst upgrade, his spiritual attributes had increased slightly. This slight improvement meant that he could control 150% more spiritual energy than before the upgrade. The value of one attribute point was enormous. Killing these mercenaries, whose will was slightly stronger than that of ordinary people, was not too strenuous. The simultaneous silence of the three bunkers¡¯ firepower caused a significant gap in the mercenaries¡¯ defensive line. Under the cover of mortar fire and advancing armored vehicles¡¯ autocannons, the infantry seized this opportunity to charge forward at a fast pace.
Some mercenaries tried to re-enter the bunkers to restart the heavy machine guns, but those that tried were either torn apart by the armored vehicles¡¯ autocannons or urately picked off by the elite Marine Corps. Those who actually made it inside were clearly visible to Gu Hang¡¯s Spiritual Vision, and with a ¡®Soul Severance,¡¯ decapitating the enemy was effortlessly done. By this point, the morale of the mercenaries hadpletely copsed. They knew they couldn¡¯t escape. Leaving cover on t terrain, they couldn¡¯t possibly outrun the pursuit of the armored vehicles on foot. Not to mention the fearsome psychic. A considerable number of mercenaries wereying down their arms and raising their hands to indicate surrender. This marked the destruction of the second defensive line of Mantan River Valley Manor. The main forces of the mercenaries within the manor were almostpletely annihted. ¡­ Exactly how many people had surrendered, and how many had been eliminated, was not something they had time to tally up yet. However, based on simple inquiries and confessions, the remaining enemies shouldn¡¯t have exceeded twenty, and they were all concentrated inside the central building. This location wasn¡¯t far from the small river bay; it was the residence of the master¡¯s family. Not all of the twenty men were mercenaries, mostly they were Wohan¡¯s personal bodyguards. Moreover, they had learned about the storage location for the supplies that had previously been looted¡ªa few warehouses not too far from the main building. They had just returned not long ago, and the goods had not beenpletely unloaded. Livestock still tied up, and wooden carts loaded with wares were all nearby.
Gu Hang had already dispatched Abandoned Cave Company¡¯s troops to sweep the warehouses. On one hand, to guard against any people that might still be inside, and on the other to inventory whether the goods wereplete and exactly how many there were. The remaining personnel then surrounded thest building that had not been conquered. That building was built rather elegantly; the four-story western-style building had a substantial footprint. Whenever Wohan wasn¡¯t in Revival City, he would generally live here. Inside that house were his servants, housekeepers, and a series of others who served him. As for the tillers of the entire manor¡¯snd¡ªthe serfs¡ªthey weren¡¯t allowed near this ce. The serfs lived in a more out-of-the-way location, where there were some simple nk houses, holding roughly two hundred people inmunal living. That area had already been seized by the soldiers, and the unarmed serfs obediently stayed inside the houses, not daring to move. At least twenty-or-so armed individuals were inside the main building. The soldiers of Abandoned Cave Company had already tried to persuade them to surrender, but the soldier sent to negotiate was met only with bullets. Thankfully, the distance was somewhat far, so only two bullets hit his chest, which were stopped by the bulletproof inserts. The young soldier, with pain in his chest, scurried back, cursing up a storm after his narrow escape. Thepanymander Perbov went up and kicked the youngd a couple of times, ¡°What¡¯s there to panic about? Could those two bullets have taken your life?¡± The young soldier shrank his neck. He had dared to charge fiercely during the fight, and he wasn¡¯t afraid to go alone to negotiate up close, but he was scared of thispanymander. Logically, he really shouldn¡¯t have been. Commander Perbov was an old acquaintance, originally a local from Abandoned Cave Society, the head of an ore extraction team. When everyone was conscripted from their hometown, the leader had Perbov lead the team. After they were reorganized into the military, Perbov was also promoted to actingpanymander, in charge of training. A head of an ore extraction team, what did he know about military training ormand?
Yet, during the days of training that followed, themander miraculously acquired the skills and ability to lead andmand troops. Even he found it incredibly strange, as if during those days of training, his memory,prehension ability, and even including muscle memory were all enhanced dramatically. He quickly became apetent officer. He knew how to train the soldiers, he knew that at times he couldn¡¯t be as lenient with everyone as before, and that the discipline and rigor essential to the military could not becking. But at the same time, he retained his understanding and care for everyone, because they all came from the same hometown, his kinsmen and brothers, whom he regarded as family from the bottom of his heart. Under his training, the soldiers also, as if touching a superhuman trigger, acquired a range of skills befitting a qualified soldier. They went from initially not even knowing how to shoot to bing proficient marksmen who could execute urate tactical maneuvers, understandbat terms, know how to form teams, how to attack, how to retreat¡­ Throughout the whole process, Perbov felt it was magical but also natural. He could feel all those changes happening within himself¡ªthe process was just too fast. Perhaps every one of these hundred or so people was naturally soldier material, all of them geniuses? Of course, from the perspective of Yan Fangxu, an old soldier and experienced officer, this speed was downright horrifying. Perbov, when sharing these experiences with Yan Fangxu, had also heard suchments from him. Worried there might be an issue, he approached the governor, but only received this response: ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it; under normal circumstances, you¡¯re all geniuses.¡± Chapter 21: 21, The Wind Ballad Chapter 21:, The Wind Bad
The Governor said there was no need to worry, then there truly was no need to worry. No matter how great the heavens or earth may be, the Governor holds the greatest sway. The exceptional training results and performances triggered a significant shift in the mentality of all one hundred men in the Abandoned Cave Company. Upon learning they were going to war, they mustered their strength, eager to achieve a resounding victory and proim their loyalty and bravery to the Governor. Indeed, they went to do battle, but it didn¡¯t quite y out as Perbov initially thought. Afterpleting the encirclement of the manor, he requested the honor of leading the first assault to the esteemed Governor but was denied. He could only follow behind the armored vehicles as part of the second wave of the attack. Of course, this was easier than leading the first wave, with fewer casualties, but he and his warriors felt itcked honor.
Now, as his youngsters were shouting before the Governor, Perbov felt it was quite embarrassing. After chastising the young warriors, he turned to Gu Hang, saluted him militarily, and asked, ¡°The enemy has rejected our offer of surrender, may we proceed with the attack?¡± Company Commander Perbov appeared eager, just waiting for the Governor to nod, and then he would lead his brothers into the fray. He had the attack nned out: mortarmen were to bombard the first and second floors¡¯ windows while the squad machine guns strafed the main entrance; after this routine, the most skilled infantry squad from training would charge through the battered main entrance and windows to secure the lobby¡­ ¡°An attack is to beunched, but you don¡¯t need to move.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this myself,¡± said Gu Hang before calling out, ¡°Yan Fangxu! You too, bring two assault teams.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the Captain saluted, then turned to select his men. ¡°Governor¡­¡± Perbov was starting to feel anxious. But Gu Hang raised his hand to prevent him from continuing, ¡°I know you¡¯re eager, but hold off on that for now.¡± The Governor¡¯s gaze returned to the building in front of him, his eyes changing to a blue-white in this moment. He saw a swirl of wind, gathered inside the house. ¡°There¡¯s a formidable enemy inside.¡±
¡°We, the people of Abandoned Cave Company, fear nothing!¡± Perbov¡¯s chest puffed out boldly, ¡°You gave us new life, Governor, and we are willing to prove our loyalty with our lives!¡± ¡°That¡¯smendable,¡± Gu Hang said with a smile, ¡°but loyal warriors shouldn¡¯t sacrifice needlessly. Your lives have greater value to fulfill.¡± Watching Perbov about to speak again, Gu Hang waved his hand, ¡°Carry out the order.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Themander, though reluctant, returned to his troops. Seeing several warriors crowding around him, eagerly inquiring if they could charge in, he ryed the Governor¡¯s order once more. Like him, the warriors were reluctant and tried to encourage him to ask for permission again, but he scowled and sternly sent them back. Gu Hang didn¡¯t concern himself with what themander was doing; he continued to observe the situation inside the building with his Spiritual Vision and calcted how much Spiritual Energy he had left. He had used some previously, but it wasn¡¯t severe, and it should suffice for the uing conflict. By this time, Yan Fangxu had readied his elite marine squads, and he too would join the battle. All told, this team that had descended from the Quintet lived up to their elite reputation. Their equipment was exceptionally good, and their tactics and skills were high-level, making them reliable allies. Even so, they wouldn¡¯t simply break through the doors or windows head-on. It¡¯s a sign of idiocy to forsake avable advantages in favor of brute force.
The Abandoned Cave Company still had a role to y in this battle. Thepany¡¯s mortars, as well as those from the servopany and the squad machine guns, had been individually deployed. The machine guns strafed the windows and the main entrance for a sustained suppressive fire; mortar shells were lobbed through the windows. With the distance being short, well-trained warriors could urately hit their mark. Even the asional misfire that hit the exterior wall wasn¡¯t an issue; just reload and keep bombarding. Although the territory now under Gu Hang¡¯s control stillcked the capability to produce and replenish ammunition, the current stockpile, which was essentially pilfered from the starship, was sufficiently ample and not yet to the point of needing to be conservatively managed. After two bombardments, Gu Hang and Yan Fangxu, leading the marine troops, made a sudden intrusion. They were not attacked the moment they entered. The areas they attacked had all been subjected to a barrage of fire, and no mercenary dared to stay in rooms covered by machine guns and artillery. Next, the Marines began to rapidly sweep outward. They were well trained and split into multiple small groups, kicking down doors one by one after ensuring no one was outside or in the corridors. They strictly followed the tactical requirements for breaching: use a battering ram to open doors, toss in tactical grenades, engage with crossfire to seal the room, then enter¡­ Whether the rooms were empty or not, they followed the same fixed procedure each time. If no one was there, it just meant spending a bit more time and wasting a grenade; if there were people, they often didn¡¯t stand a chance to resist before being swiftly taken down by the Marines¡¯ efficient and deadly action. That¡¯s how they cleared each room inside the vi. Gu Hang walked up the stairs, hearing the sporadic sound of gunfire from various parts of the house that quickly subsided.
The situation had been settled. He could see that swirl of wind, always concentrated in one particr room, remaining motionless. ¡°Not even daring to resist? What a waste of my caution¡­¡± After the Marines had cleared each room, one by one, Yan Fangxu came to Gu Hang¡¯s side and reported softly, ¡°All the rooms in the vi have been cleared. Only this one ahead remains.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Gu Hang ordered, ¡°proceed with the breach as usual.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± The prepared Marines began their operation. However, this time it wasn¡¯t as easy and calm as before. The very instant the wooden door of the room was smashed open, a dense, visibly white spiral of Storm Bullet sted from inside out. The Marine who had just broken down the door was caught off guard and was about to be hit without any means of defense. But in that instant, the Storm Bullet suddenly dissipated. At the critical moment, Gu Hang intervened.
The collision of spiritual energy shattered the spiral Storm Bullet. The residual force still amounted to a strong wind that blew the breaching soldier backward, quite in disarray; the wind swept through the corridor outside, causing everyone to stagger. Disheveled but unharmed, at least no one was injured. A man¡¯s voice came from inside: ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! Stay back, all of you!¡± His voice was filled with panic. Clearly, the person inside was not a strong warrior. But the Marines outside wouldn¡¯t weaken because of this. Although they realized the enemy possessed extraordinary energy, they continued their operation without the slightest hesitation. Amidst the wind, Yan Fangxu was the first to react; he personally leaned in and immediately saw a middle-aged man with a pale face, surrounded by two bodyguards. The ck-d bodyguards attempted to shoot at him, but Yan Fangxu¡¯s actions were much faster than the bodyguards¡¯. As their guns were just being raised, the captain¡¯s electromaic rifle had already fired first. The metal spikes elerated by electromaism instantly killed the two men. Immediately after, he turned the rifle towards the middle-aged man. When he saw the other party raise his hands to attempt something again, he did not hesitate to fire once more.
A mini-storm flickered around the man, the power of Spiritual Energy shing, blocking the metal spike bullets. But following Yan Fangxu, several soldiers entered and fired together. The Storm Shield¡¯s defenses became precarious in an instant. Finally, Gu Hang entered. Chapter 22: 22, Primordial Wrath Owl Sect Chapter 22:, Primordial Wrath Owl Sect
Several Marines¡¯ electromaic guns were firing fiercely. The middle-aged man, under the ferocious shooting, had no strength left tounch a counterattack like before. He could only barely maintain a Storm Shield to avoid being shot to death. But he was not going to hold on much longer. Superhuman strength was indeed powerful, but it couldn¡¯t withstand the full-force shooting from several electromaic rifles. The fact that he could hold on for a few seconds was actually quite surprising. Seeing that the Storm Shield was about to fail, and the frail human body behind it certainly wouldn¡¯t withstand a single metal spike before being killed. But just at that moment, the Marines stopped firing.
At this point, there was of course only one person who could make them stop: Gu Hang. ¡°Capture one alive.¡± Yan Fangxu raised his fist, signaling a cease-fire. At this moment, the Storm Shield around the man was already very weak. The rotating white cyclone had be very faint, almost about to dissipate. The guy himself was pale, half from being frightened by the desperate situation at hand and the other half from the difort of excessive consumption of spiritual energy. Gu Hang stepped forward with just a wave of his hand, an invisible soul de found the exposed weakness of the Storm Shield and cut it straight open. The bacsh of spiritual energy immediately made the middle-aged man spit out a mouthful of blood. Gu Hang looked into his face and then said, ¡°Wohan, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve met once, when I had just arrived at this.¡± Hearing Gu Hang¡¯s words, Wohan¡¯s somewhat vacant eyes became slightly more animated, as if he hade to his senses. Without time to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, he began to speak, ¡°Governor¡­ Lord Governor¡­ I can exin¡­ I¡­¡± At this point, he sort of choked up. ¡°Hmm? Why not continue? Even don¡¯t know what to say for your defense?¡±
Wohan indeed didn¡¯t know what to say. Lying through his teeth was pointless; he had just stolen some goods, and they had just been delivered back, not even having time to be put into the warehouse, when the Governor¡¯s troops had already arrived, utterly defeating the mercenaries he had cooperated with for many years. Captured in the act, with both the person and the goods seized, how could he possibly defend himself? ¡°I lost, Lord Governor. I ept all charges against me. Ipletely surrender to you, begging you to spare my life. I am willing to pay any price¡­¡± As he spoke, he struggled to move a bit and knelt on the ground, bowing deeply to Gu Hang. He had put his attitude as sincerely as possible. Gu Hang smiled happily, ¡°When faced with a dead end, you finally think of turning back; it¡¯s a bit toote. Wohan, I regret to say that you were once an Alliance Councilman. You should have been a member of theary government led by the Governor, potentially bing an officially recognized imperial official. But you havemitted serious crimes, plundering goods, attacking the Governor, deceptivepliance, and¡­ colluding with a cult.¡± ¡°I fully admit¡­ what? Colluding with a heretic cult? No no no¡­¡± When Wohan heard thest four words, his eyes widened. He was no obliviousmoner, he understood the truth perfectly well. If it were only the first three charges, he might still have a glimmer of hope. After all, his greatest offense was merely opposing the Governor. Now, he had lost, but notpletely. He still had assets in Revival City, still had influence, and he controlled a very important part of the food trade. These would surely be of value to the Governor, and if he surrenderedpletely, willing to hand over everything and serve as a loyal and reliable dog to the Governor henceforth, perhaps he really could have a way out. Or perhaps, if he could just get through this tight spot, in a couple of years when this Governor was finished, he might still be a significant figure in Revival City. However, if he got involved with a cult, that would be the end of him.
Throughout the entire empire, so-called heretics and cults are considered the most significant internal traitors, a crime of extreme severity, unforgivable offenders. Within the empire¡¯s borders, there was only one belief¡ªthe great Divine Emperor. On Rage Owl Star, the situation for cults was rtively slightly better¡ªbut only just. This was because there were too many factors threatening human survival on Rage Owl Star, leaving little room to carry out widespread purges of heretic cultists. But that didn¡¯t mean there would be any leniency shown to those confirmed as heretical members. The heretics on Rage Owl Star were essentially equivalent to the ¡®Primal Owlbeast Sect¡¯. The name of Rage Owl Star originated from a kind ofrge predatory terrestrial creature that lived on the before the apocalyptic war, bearing a body like a bear d in feathers, a head simr to an owl, and antlers like a deer¡¯s. ording to the existing records, this creature looked somewhat silly and cute, with a gentle and docile temperament, but extremely fierce when enraged. The sect believed that on the once beautiful Rage Owl Star, the Owl Beasts represented a positive image. The first Owl Beast was born with the and became a deity, protecting the entire. The war that destroyed the world enraged the Primordial Owl Beast, and Its wrath transformed into a Low Energy Storm that raged eternally on the¡¯s surface, never ceasing until the sins of humanity were redeemed. The ¡®Primal Owlbeast Sect¡¯ was dedicated to atonement. Aside from their own religious rituals, their most significant act of atonement was to sacrifice sinners who did not embrace their faith to the deity, in hope of ¡®forgiveness¡¯. They indeed caused quite a bit of destruction. The horrific blood sacrifices were one thing, as human life on Rage Owl Star was cheap, being eaten by mutated monsters, starving to death, or dying of illness seemed not much different from being sacrificed in a cult blood ritual. But the key was they didn¡¯t target just a few individuals; the goal of this band of cultists was to have the entire atone for the deity. They created several events that destroyed entire settlements, they strove to expand the area polluted by the Low Energy Storm, which resulted in lessnd for farming, made mining veins inapplicable, and ruined factories built with investments. This made them public enemies. Regardless of whether it was from the perspective of imperialw or the local situation on Rage Owl Star, Wohan knew, if he were pinned down on colluding with the cult, he would be undoubtedly doomed. Now, he deeply regretted why he had used the Storm Shield sorcery when the opposition burst through the door.
And he didn¡¯t even manage to escape! He could only try to defend himself in this regard, ¡°Please believe me, Governor! I have not colluded with any cult! I don¡¯t even know them! I just¡­ I just¡­ one day I found out that I could use¡­¡± Gu Hang nodded, ¡°I have heard your testimony, and I will verify it. Next, you will be interrogated, reveal everything you know. And finally, I will hold your trial in Revival City and make the final judgment. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take long, you will soon receive your due end.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I¡¯ve been surprised, chapters 22/23 should have been tomorrow¡¯s content, I set the timing wrong¡­ Consider it a bonus for today, brothers! There will be two more updates tomorrow as usual. My reserves have suffered a hit¡­ Chapter 23: 23, The Captain’s Thoughts Chapter 23:, The Captain¡¯s Thoughts
The battle by the river bend had ended. The serfs, who had been shivering in the crude shacks andmunal bunks next door, were driven out. A low-ranking officer from the Abandoned Cave Company announced to them that they had been liberated by theary Governor and had gained their freedom. Upon hearing these words, the serfs showed no reaction. These people had never considered freedom to be anything of value; they didn¡¯t even understand what freedom meant. Did freedom refer to the precarious life of wandering the wastnds in the past? Did it mean the biting cold and hunger when trying to eke out a living at the foot of Revival City? They were quite free back then, free to do as they pleased, but there was no food or clothes, and every day they would see dead people¡ª starved, sick, or killed by robbers¡­ all sorts. Especially in winter, it was most difficult to endure.
Compared to those times, they were quite satisfied with their current life. Although the food was poor and the work was hard, they wereborers in the fields, and their masters would not let them starve to death¡ªat least not until they lost the ability to work. Now, a group iming to be subordinates of theary Governor had arrived, and after a flurry of fighting, it seemed their masters were finished, and they had been liberated, regained their freedom. But they were at a loss. Ah? I¡¯m free? They were nearly moved to tears. However, the next announcement put their minds at ease somewhat. They didn¡¯t know what was good about freedom, but at least they knew bread was a good thing. Arge supply of food was distributed. The serfs¡ªwho, oh, were now free people¡ªdevoured the food ravenously, having been ustomed to going half-fed every day. While they were eating, someone announced the next set of arrangements to them. They were no longer serfs but free citizens under theary Governor¡¯s jurisdiction. The Governor himself would personally take charge of the entire Mantan River Valley Manor, which required arge number of agricultural workers. They would be provided with room and board, and in addition, a modest bonus that would grow with production. They were free toe and go as they pleased, and those who wished to stay were wee to take up employment. Only a fool would not stay. Instantly, the panic, confusion, and helplessness in the serfs¡¯ hearts all but dissipated.
They didn¡¯t need to understand anything more; knowing that they wouldn¡¯t be starving or braving the cold winds was enough for them. After they had eaten their fill, it was time for them to go out and work. Corpses had to be collected and burnt, fences destroyed during the war had to be repaired, and trampled or sted fields had to be sorted out, to save as much of the harvest as possible. The entire manor was bustling with activity. After Yan Fangxu had more or less finished making arrangements, there wasn¡¯t much else for him to do. He gazed at the rolling hills across the river bend, lost in thought. Using the spiritual energy user he had just encountered, or rather, the cultist, as a reference, he pondered his own future. When he was assigned to the surface as a guard for theary Governor, he originally thought his prospects had dimmed. He remembered the day the governor was about to leave the starship and descend to the surface, seeking armed protection from Captain Yelisia. The generaldy initially nned to give the governor three hundred mechanical servants, a perfunctory gesture at best. But who would have thought that on that day, he, out of boredom, would shoot the breeze with a colleague and mention the joke about an inexperienced woman being promoted to captain and general at warp speed? More importantly, the captain overheard it. Before the Divine Emperor, he actually didn¡¯t have much of an issue with the female captain in his heart; it¡¯s just that his colleagues all joked about it, and he joined in casually. But why did the captain hear it exactly when he started to speak?
Dammit! And just coincidentally, the governor named Gu Hang wasining that three hundred mechanical servants was a bit too few; thus, with a grand gesture, Yelisia allowed him to take thirty Navy Marine Corps soldiers with him, joining the governor¡¯smand. Amidst the jubnt cheering and Schadenfreude of his colleagues, the young Navy Marine Corps captain could only lead thirty men down to the surface. He was in despair, seeing life as bleak. Everyone knew that the governors of Rage Owl Star were consumables every two years. As a mere captain who had offended the captain and was cast down to the surface, it amounted to exile. Even if he protected Mr. Governor well, thetter was bound to be executed for failing to submit taxes eventually. He would also waste two fruitless years on Rage Owl Star, making no progress. But he still had to fulfill his duties. On one hand was the sense of responsibility as a soldier; on the other was the fact that it was one thing for the governor to be executed by the Department of Taxation, but quite another if he died under his protection, which would greatly increase his ountability. As for the lord governor ultimately managing the taxes and securing the position ofary Governor, leading the¡¯s revival, andter being grateful for his minor help from early on, bing his backer and enabling his meteoric rise? He had dreamed of that, but when awake, he dared not think about it. Of course, he hoped the future would be like that, but it was too improbable, especially since His Excellency the governor was entertaining wildly impractical hopes. He wasn¡¯t nning to start by quickly taking over the alliance¡¯s government to find a way to get the taxes but was thinking about developing his territory from scratch¡­ Divine Emperor above, where would you find the time for that? On second thought, what did it matter to him? After all, it wasn¡¯t himself who would be executed when the time came. Then, as time went on, he began to feel more lively. Thoughts that only surfaced in his dreams when he firstnded on the started to sporadically bubble up during his waking moments. Could Gu Hang really seed?
The reason for thinking this way was certainly not just because Governor Gu Hang always appeared in control. He had seen many posers; he did not know, nor did he want to confirm, whether the governor was one of them. He didn¡¯t want to judge by attitude; he only believed in facts. The fact was that the governor was a rare spiritual energy user who would join the soldiers inbat. They had won two battles and taken two camps. These results were not significant enough to save anyone¡¯s life, but the governor was indeed pushing his ns forward. Moreover, Lord Governor somehow acquired two ck Box Manufacturing Machines. Those magical devices, the Empire Mechanical Church would probably pay a hefty sum to purchase. These performances gave him more confidence in the lord governor, beyond just a sense of duty, especially regarding those two ck boxes. It seemed, might there be some hope after all? And today, he met a spiritual energy user with the governor. At first, he thought that Wohan was just an ordinary spiritual energy user, but ording to the governor¡¯s judgment, he was a member of a Heretic Cult. Cults, heresies¡­ these make for very good enemies. If that so-called ¡®Primal Owlbeast Sect¡¯ was firmly identified as a Heretic Cult, then the credit for eliminating them would not be small. But he still had doubts. Was it really a ¡®cult¡¯? Was it some fabrication by the lord governor, a pretext to seek more assistance, or was it real? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª I¡¯ve been caught off-guard; chapters 22/23 were supposed to be for tomorrow, I set the timer wrong¡­
Consider it an extra update for today, guys! Two more wille as usual tomorrow. My manuscript buffer took a hit¡­ If you haven¡¯t read chapter 22, you can go back and check; it¡¯s already up. Chapter 24: 24, Spoils of War Chapter 24:, Spoils of War
¡°That matter isn¡¯t so important.¡± On the return journey, Gu Hang replied to Yan Fangxu¡¯s question. Captain Yan had sought him out and voiced the doubts in his heart, to which Gu Hang had given an answer: ¡°What difference does it make if it¡¯s a sham? The Navy needs merits, I need a target, and a cult that does not believe in the Divine Emperor is one of the long-standing causes preventing Rage Owl Star from recovering. This merit will satisfy Colonel Yelisia and will also provide me with ample benefits, as well as unite the people of this world. Therefore, the cult should be real, and that Wohan should be a true cultist.¡± After a pause, seeing hesitation still lingering on Yan Fangxu¡¯s face, Gu Hang smiled and patted the captain¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Besides, it is real. The Primal Owlbeast Sect is a cult, and that person named Wohan is indeed connected to the Primordial Owl Beasts.¡± ¡°How did you determine that he is a heretic and not just an ordinary psychic?¡±
Gu Hang pointed to his head and exined, ¡°The power of a psychices from within, from our spirits. We have enough talent, enough spirituality, to borrow spiritual energy from the omnipresent yet imperceptible Spirit Realm and manifest psychic spells. The power of heretics, on the other hand,es from the filthy Evil Gods they worship, not from themselves. These two types of power arepletely different, and clearly distinguishable to my senses.¡± As he spoke, Gu Hang silently added that the divine magic wielded by the priests of the Imperial State Religion was roughly the same idea, but he did not say this aloud. Upon hearing this, Yan Fangxu rubbed his head, ¡°I really hadn¡¯t understood all this before. But since he is indeed a true heretic cultist, then there¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Gu Hang said, ¡°we are on the right path.¡± ¡­ Gu Hang was quite serious about reassuring Captain Yan. This man was one of the few capable subordinates under hismand. He hade alone to Rage Owl Star without taking over the powers of the Alliance Government and had no support base to speak of. The only person he could rely on was Captain Yan. The people of the Abandoned Cave Society seemed to have settled down for now, but they were a bunch of illiterates, unreliable for significant matters; his little attendant Zhang Chao was trustworthy enough, butcked sophistication. Perhaps with enough training over time, he might be talented, but he was far from it right now. The rest was up to Yan Fangxu. He was, after all, an Imperial Navy Captain, a legitimate officer of the Imperial Navy. He didn¡¯t care that Yan Fangxu was still part of the Navy and not his man, and that he was under hismand only by order of Yelisia.
It made no difference, as long as he was serving him for the time being, was capable, and trustworthy; that was enough. Gu Hang turned his head, looked past Yan Fangxu, and observed the entire battalion. The entire troop, nearly three hundred men strong, were pulling ox carts along the road back to the Governor¡¯s Camp. The bounty from this mission was plentiful. He left twenty soldiers from the Abandoned Cave Company at Mantan River Valley Manor to ensure the safety of the manor while also making sure the tenant farmers worked hard. A man named Si Lamu was chosen from among the tenant farmers to manage them. The rest of the soldiers, about two hundred in total, along with roughly a hundred tenant farmers, set off on the return journey together. Those tenant farmers were responsible for transporting the reloaded supplies to the Governor¡¯s Camp. The so-called ¡®carts¡¯ were ox carts, pulled by a type of livestock known as ¡®barbaric oxen.¡¯ These barbaric oxen presumably were not native to Rage Owl Star, but rather a species introduced from another long ago. After surviving the apocalyptic wars, they not only avoided extinction but even underwent further mutations while still retaining traits that made them tamable. In today¡¯s Wastnd World, barbaric oxen are a vital source of draft power. The supplies that had been transported from Revival City hade by ox carts, and now all of them had fallen into Gu Hang¡¯s hands. After inventory, the supplies matched what Gu Hang had requested from Revival City. The materials could be considered returned to their original owner.
In addition, Gu Hang had seized nearly two hundred sets of individual weapons and equipment, primarily rifles. ¡°` The variety of rifles was quite diverse, and the overall production level couldn¡¯tpare to the ¡®Striker¡¯ Rifle. At least thetter was the standard rifle for the Imperial Army and the Navy Marine Corps. Although it was used by cannon fodder, the minimum manufacturing standard and technical level were up to par. As for the weapons used by these mercenaries, which were locally produced on Rage Owl Star, it¡¯s hard to say. Not only was the quality inconsistent, but even the best among them wasn¡¯t as good as the ¡®Striker¡¯. But at least they were more reliable than the metal pipe rifles that pirate bandits carried, which Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t even bother epting as scrap metal. They could at least be considered military-grade products. Gu Hang nned to make use of this batch of equipment as well. With this batch included, he now had around a hundred sets of ¡®Strikers¡¯, along with two hundred sets of locally made equipment. He could arm another three hundred soldiers. Having the weapons and equipment was one thing, but sourcing soldiers wasn¡¯t too big of an issue. Abandoned Cave Society could provide some more people, and some of the three thousand ves he had brought down from the starship could also be allocated. Those ves were not originally suitable soldier material, their physical condition couldn¡¯t even match that of the mechanized infantry. However, they surely wouldn¡¯t be worse than those malnourished people from Abandoned Cave Society. Under Gu Hang¡¯s system, people from the Abandoned Cave could undergo a metamorphosis, turning into soldiers with eptable training standards. Not to mention the former ves. The quality of the soldier source wasn¡¯t high, limiting their ability to upgrade further, but with the capabilities of the system, getting them trained up to T5 level, to achieve regr army capabilities, was not an issue. Besides the materials he was entitled to, as well as the captured weapons, equipment, and ammunition, arger gain was the bounty awarded after the victory in battle.
[Complete Victory, 33 points of grace received] [Losses: 20, Killed: 116, Captured: 42] [1st Automaton Light Infantry Battalion (Partial): Losses: 16, Killed: 43] [Abandoned Cave Company: Losses: 4, Killed: 21] [Navy Marine Corps (Partial): Losses: 0, Killed: 52] In this battle, a total of 158 people were killed or captured, with a total loss of 20 on his side. A T5-level army with an additional thirty T4-level marine corps membersbined was much stronger than those second-rate mercenaries. Even though the defenders had more advantages and, under Gu Hang¡¯s orders, the soldiers went on the offensive, the final exchange ratio was still an impressive 1:8. Of course, if not for the walkers operated by marine corps members and the participation of Gu Hang, the psychic, the exchange ratio would have been less favorable. Most of the losses on his side came from machine guns and rocketunchers. Heavy machine gun fire hit major arteries in the thighs causing severe blood loss, or soldiers were killed directly by rocket explosions at close range. Among these 20 people lost, aside from a few who were immediately killed, many were severely injured and unable to return to the battlefield. This level of loss was still within the bounds of what Gu Hang could ept, as one could not expect to go to war without casualties. However, replenishing the forces was something that Gu Hang also had to consider. The losses to Abandoned Cave Company weren¡¯t significant; he could easily rece the four soldiers from Abandoned Cave Society.
In contrast, there was nowhere to replenish mechanized infantry soldiers. In the future, Gu Hang could not rely on mechanized infantry as the main force of his troops. Instead, he would have to conscript soldiers from the local poption. These are matters for another time. What he had to consider now was how to use the newly gained 33 points of grace. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The order of the chapters was posted incorrectly yesterday; chapter 23 was posted before chapter 22, and actually, both chapters were meant for today. The schedule was set to the wrong date¡­ Consider it an extra update for yesterday! Those who only saw chapter 23 and missed chapter 22 yesterday can go back and read it. ¡°` Chapter 25: 25: New Technology, G9 Gun Family Chapter 25: New Technology, G9 Gun Family
33 points of grace, that was thergest sum Gu Hang had received so far. He nned to save three points to train three more squads. As for the remaining thirty points, he contemted the possible directions he could allocate them. First, he opened the [Hero] interface; his own personal information panel was still stuck on the message that hecked enough experience to level up. The way to gain experience was through war, beyond that Gu Hang didn¡¯t know if there were other means, such as whether dealing with government affairs would grant experience? Gu Hang felt it should, but he hadn¡¯t verified it, so he wasn¡¯t sure. In any case, the war he had just won was not enough to allow him to reach the leveling threshold.
Instead, he spotted a new name there. [New Hero Activation Avable: Yan Fangxu, Activation Requires 10 points of grace] Hmm? This caused Gu Hang a bit of a dilemma. Should he activate Yan Fangxu as a hero? After bing a hero, he could umte experience, level up, and gain talents¡­ That guy didn¡¯t seem to have any spiritual energy talents, so probably, once activated, he¡¯d just be a warrior temte. And if he truly invested effort into cultivating him, once the Yelisia Starship left in a couple of years, Yan Fangxu, this navy captain, would likely leave as well, and by then, all the resources invested in him would have gone to waste. Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t distrust him just because he was in the naval hierarchy, but investing and cultivating him was another matter entirely. Let¡¯s wait on that, Gu Hang decided, and then opened the [Technology] panel. He tried by investing 10 points of grace. [Invest 10 points of grace to illuminate new basic-level technology with a 70% probability, confirm investment?] No no no no no! Gu Hang was taken aback.
The probability could decrease? Before, ten points of grace directly exchanged for a basic-level technology. He had thought that every exchange for ten points would get him two ck Box Manufacturing Machines, but now they¡¯re saying the probability will drop? A 70% chance wasn¡¯t low, but Gu Hang was concerned that it might continue to decrease! ¡°Every sessful technology illumination causes the sess rate of the next attempt to drop?¡± Gu Hang guessed at the system¡¯s technology panel¡¯s function. A heavy blow. He had thought that with such a huge advantage, he would easily be invincibleter on, since technology was the primary productive force. Even if the imperial taxes became oppressive, by selling ck Box Manufacturing Machines, wouldn¡¯t organizations such as the Empire Commerce Guild and the Empire Mechanical Churche eagerly handing over money? There was no need to worry about tax issues at all. The issue with the declining probability was a real setback. ¡°Looks like I have to do this the honest way,¡± Gu Hang thought reluctantly. Lucky for him, he had never considered the sale of technology as his only lifeline. If he could resolve the tax issue normally, he would; these ck boxes, including those umted from future technology illuminations, were the capital for him to continue growing stronger. In his position as governor, he wasn¡¯t just nning to grit his teeth and get through a few challenging years before figuring out how to be transferred elsewhere. The position of aary governor was very special. Governors of ces like Rage Owl Star, of course, weren¡¯t held in high esteem; but fors with top-notch productivity and military capability, the governor¡¯s voice could be immensely powerful. Pei Desi, the leader of the Tianma Star Sector, was able to secure his current position primarily because his younger brother was the governor of the Flying Wing, the Star Sector Capital, with a poption of tens of billion and a vast, stable production capacity as his solid backing.
Technology was the primary developmental force. Unless absolutely necessary, Gu Hang would certainly not sell the ck Box Manufacturing Machines. Currently, the sess rate for the [Technology] function had decreased, but no matter, the remaining 70% was still a decent probability. With over thirty points of grace in hand, he should at least be able to sessfully exchange for one. [Invest 10 points of grace to illuminate new basic-level technology with a 70% probability, confirm investment?] Taking a deep breath, this time he clicked yes. [Basic Level Technology: G9 Rifle n] [Developed by the Empire Mechanical Doctrine to fulfill the order requirements of the Star Realm Army¡¯s new generation of kic rifles. They continued to advance in lightweight and modr design while managing to lower overall costspared to the previous generation of rifles. With different essories and simple modifications, they could be transformed into machine guns, automatic rifles, precision rifles, and short submachine guns, further adapting to alloy bays.] Gu Hang¡¯s mouth curled into a smile, and then he could not help butugh more and more joyfully. What a treasure! I don¡¯t know about other ces, but at least in the Tianma Star Sector, whether it¡¯s the main force of the Imperial Guard Star Army or the main force of the Navy¡¯s Marine Corps, the firearms in use are still predominantly the G7 type, also known as the ¡®Striker¡¯ Rifle. Previously, Gu Hang¡¯s memory also indicated news about the gradual recement with G8 rifles, but at least until now, the scale of the recement has not beenrge, and the production capacity has not been sufficient. And now, he has directly obtained the even more advanced G9! Another great weapon.
If Gu Hang could integrate the entire, just the production of the G9 rifles could bring in a massive amount of orders. The Star Realm Army of Tianma Star Sector, the Navy, and even the local defense forces of variouss, shouldn¡¯t bother switching to the G8¡ªjust directly upgrade to the G9 and call it a day. Taking those orders would be enough to pay the Empire¡¯s taxes. Of course, this is just wishful thinking. For one thing, ramping up production capacity that much is a difficult task; and for another, if he made such a big move, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin the origin of the technology. Unlike the production process for foundational, widely-used materials like alloy steel, the G9 Gun Family is still very scarce. If he made too much noise, he wasn¡¯t afraid of much, but would the greasy folks from the Mechanical Churche knocking on his door? And if he really couldn¡¯t exin the origins of this thing¡­ even the Tribunal mighte calling. Possessing knowledge of an unknown origin is a sign of chaos and corruption. Of course, Gu Hang was not going to throw the baby out with the bathwater. He still had to use it. At the very least, there should be no problem equipping his forces on a small scale. He was just nning on utilizing the weapons and equipment captured from those mercenaries; now, it seems, there is not much need for that anymore. With great enthusiasm, Gu Hang clicked on the [Technology] interface again. [Invest 10 points of Grace, with a 40% chance to unlock a new basic level technology, do you confirm the investment?] As expected, it had dropped again.
One sessful technology unlocking leads to a 30% drop in the sess rate? If this happens two more times, won¡¯t it plummet to zero? Outrageous! Who would want to keep investing in this? Gu Hang cursed under his breath. Then he invested another ten points. What else to do? The technology system¡¯s offerings were too tempting. [Unlocking failed.] Gu Hang¡¯s face fell, and, blood rushing to his head, he invested the remaining ten points as well. Yan Fangxu can wait a bit, pulling cards is a tad more important right now. [Unlocking failed.] Hang on, with a 40% chance, two tries in a row both failed, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Actually, Gu Hang really didn¡¯t like this kind of probability-based gambling and loathed failure. But right now, he could only y at the 10 Grace points tier, as the next tier required 100 Grace points for a single attempt. In this way, it seems that in the [Technology] panel, each tier¡¯s prize pool is limited. The more you draw, the more the chances decrease, so you either have to move up to a higher tier to pull better items or pay a higher price to chase the low probabilities.
Under this concept, there¡¯s probably a hidden mechanism: when the odds are high at the start, you need to get the good stuff; otherwise, if the good stuff is left until the odds are low, it would be a terrible loss. Chapter 26: 26, Long-term Planning Chapter 26:, Long-term nning
¡°` Nothing out of the ordinary happened on the way back to camp. The Governor, for some reason, kept a grim face the whole time, making him unapproachable. Gu Hang¡¯s aide, Zhang Chao, was already waiting outside the Governor¡¯s Camp. He had received advance notice from Gu Hang and had arranged for the camp to receive the supplies. Since Gu Hang was desperately short of manpower, he was also intentionally training Zhang Chao. The kid didn¡¯t seem cut out for soldiering, but he appeared to be quite capable of handling clerical and administrative work. No choice though, as there weren¡¯t many literate people under Gu Hang¡¯smand, and he had no better candidates.
Moreover, Zhang Chao was doing quite a good job. They hadn¡¯t had time to build a big enough warehouse, but they had cleared out some prefab houses for storing supplies. Items that didn¡¯t require shelter from the elements were simply piled up on open ground, covered withrge tarps¡ªenough for temporary storage. After that, Zhang Chao busied himself with inventorying the supplies and arranging their distribution, including deciding how much to send over to the Abandoned Cave Society. He was reliable enough, so Gu Hang felt reassured and his expression brightened slightly. As for the frustration ofing up empty in the previous two couplets, that had almost entirely dissipated by now. Technology lotteries always required grace points to draw from. The odds justy there, and if you didn¡¯t hit, there was nothing to be done about it¡ªjust hope for better luck next time. Retreating to his own room, Gu Hang took out paper and pen and began to n for the uing events. He didn¡¯t n to instantly materialize the G9 Gun Family ck Box obtained from this round of the technology lottery. Based on his experience with the alloy steel ck box, these two items would also be quiterge and couldn¡¯t be put away once materialized. Zhang Chao was already arranging for people to dig bunkers. Gu Hang intended to set up a core secret base within the camp, to serve as the future ¡®research¡¯ center, requiring strict confidentiality. It was best to keep items like the ck box out of public view as much as possible. The technology lottery was a minor detour. The key was what to do next. The supplies extorted from Revival City had alleviated the shortage of goods in the camp, especially the scarcity of food. He couldn¡¯t achieve self-sufficiency in food within his territory just yet. The Mantan River Valley Manor could indeed produce grains, but a bountiful harvest wouldn¡¯t be possible until autumn, a few months away.
For the time being, they could get by on these supplies. The prerequisite was that the poption he had to feed would not expand further. But that was impossible. Gu Hang¡¯s next goal was to expand the poption. The alloy stic steel industrial line needed to grow, the G9 Gun Family¡¯s production line also needed workers, construction work needed workers, and in the future other technologies might be drawn to establish other production lines¡ªall requiring more people. Where would these peoplee from? That was an easy question to answer. Despite being a wastnd with a sparse poption, especiallypared to Nest Capital Worlds with poptions easily topping hundreds of billions, people on Rage Owl Star were incredibly cheap. The wandering Survivor Tribes, the destitute living hand-to-mouth around Revival City¡­ these were Gu Hang¡¯s sources for poption intake. But he couldn¡¯t just take anyone in. With peopleing in, Gu Hang also had to provide jobs and consumer goods like food. To put it inly, he had to be able to afford them and allow them to add greater value.
¡°` This required more materials, and greater production capacity. In practical terms, the first step he had to take was to sell the currently most important and future key output¡ªalloy stic steel. Only by making sessful sales could he talk about expanding production. Thinking thus, Gu Hang¡¯s gaze once again fell upon Revival City. It wasn¡¯t that he insisted on fleecing a single sheep; primarily, it was so close and his identity was so suitable that it made fleecing exceptionally convenient. Besides, he had long regarded Revival City as something in the bag. What¡¯s yours is mine; what¡¯s the harm in borrowing it first? After all, he was definitely going to take control of that city eventually. He only had two years, and it was impossible for him to cultivate a white field from scratch and grow enough economic and material wealth to pay the taxes of an entire in two years. Starting anew outside was fundamentally another attempt at a different approach to gain control of the entire. Topletely control Revival City, he could not just barge into the city and engage in a political struggle with the local big shots¡ªthat would be a dead end. But if he had his own force to rely on before taking over Revival City and even the administrative power of the whole Alliance Government, that would be a different situation entirely. In the near future, when he was ready to take charge, there would certainly be a time when he could be confident in purging the entire power hierarchy of the city up and down, enabling the entire city¡¯s forces to truly serve him.
Such power could not rely solely on the ¡°Quintet¡¯s¡± deterrence from the sky. Mutual destruction meant ruin for himself as well, and the council members of Revival City were also aware of this fact. ¡°Nuclear deterrence¡± alone was not effective; Gu Hang requested a hundred tons of materials and they provided them. If Gu Hang wanted to conduct a major purge, if he wanted their lives, then they would brace themselves against orbital bombardment and fight to the death against Gu Hang¡ªit was a matter of life or death for all. He needed a real usable, conventional force to support the things he wanted to do. ¡°Still have to expand the army,¡± Gu Hang concluded. Expanding was easy. Picking two hundred people from the ves brought down from the Starship. One hundred would use the remaining G7 ¡®Assaulters,¡¯ and the other one hundred could make do with local mixed-brand guns for the time being. With a systematic approach and a bit of grace spent, together with the one hundred people from the Abandoned Cave Company, another light infantry battalion was formed. Gu Hang delegated the work of recruiting new soldiers from those three thousand servants to Yan Fangxu. Captain Yan was numbed. He knew that his Governor would once again demonstrate that sort of training which could produce a regr army in a few days that would normally take one to two years to train. He genuinely couldn¡¯t fathom it and eventually could only assume that it was simply the Governor¡¯s capability. His lord was a military training genius. This exnation might seem far-fetched, but he could not think of any other. Of course, even though he knew that under the Governor¡¯smand, even the worst sources of soldiers could be decent within a few days, he still conscientiously picked the best two hundred from those three thousand servants when selecting the soldiers.
After distributing the equipment and weapons, Gu Hang casually spent 2 points of grace in the [Soldier Token] to get a package deal for the training of these soldiers, and then he didn¡¯t pay much more attention to it, only making a token appearance each day. It wasn¡¯t long before new information emerged. [2nd Infantry Battalion: light infantry, overall rating¡ª, non-upgradable] [Number: 300 men] [Equipment: T5, Training: T5, Experience: -] Themander of this troop was Perbov from the Abandoned Cave Society, who had been promoted to battalionmander. Chapter 27: 27: Took Away My Wallet Chapter 27: Took Away My Wallet
This was a sight Dennison Henry had never seen in the Abandoned Cave Society. He simply could not have imagined that such earth-shattering changes could have taken ce in the mere month he had been away. He was from Rubbish Town and worked as a merchant. The ores produced by the Abandoned Cave Society were the ones he would purchase and then sell to Rubbish Town for primary processing into usable pig iron before selling them off again. He had heard that a group of plunderers had set their sights on the Abandoned Cave Society. He thought it was the end for them and had even offered a silent prayer for these unfortunate people, while also feeling a pity at having lost a cheap resource import site. This meant he would earn less money. But to his surprise, not only had the Abandoned Cave Society survived, but it had also received help from theary Governor. What was this if not a blessing in disguise? In the Abandoned Cave Society, Henry saw rows of factories, and the erect smelting furnaces emitting white smoke, signifying industrial power;
He saw the residential areas that were being constructed nearby, and as it was mealtime, he could see the cooking smoke. The standard of food the residents of the Abandoned Cave Society were eating was actually better than that in his hometown, Rubbish Town. He also saw the soldiers on guard, wearingbat suits, vests with bulletproof tes on the outside, and their left eyes uniformly transformed into mechanical ones, shining with a cold blue light, looking very elite. Patel saw the expression on Henry¡¯s face and took it all in. The surprised look of this ¡®old friend¡¯ gave Patel immense satisfaction. He really enjoyed seeing others surprised. It affirmed from the bottom of his heart how utterly right he had been to fully embrace the Governor and to be his lordship¡¯s subject. He patted Henry on the shoulder and said, ¡°Stop gawking, let¡¯s go. There¡¯s even more great stuff to see.¡± Returning his gaze, Henry turned to Patel, ¡°You¡­ is the Governor really that generous?¡± Patel¡¯s expression was devout, ¡°Yes, and this is just the beginning. I believe that under the rule of the Governor, we will live better and better! Honestly, why don¡¯t you go back and talk to your bosses, too? Get them to join under the Governor¡¯smand sooner rather thanter.¡± When this topic came up, Henry grew a little moreposed, ¡°We are already under the governance of the Governor, we are also members of the Alliance.¡± Patel could hear the perfunctory tone in his voice. He felt a bit disappointed. He genuinely believed that Rubbish Town could join in and contribute to the Governor¡¯s cause. Of course, he also knew that his old friend Henry was just an ordinary merchant from Rubbish Town, and his status was so-so. Rubbish Town had a poption of over one hundred thousand and was a massive settlement. Those who had a say there were called ¡®agents.¡¯ These agents, big and small, determined the direction of the entire Rubbish Town.
Henry was just a merchant, and he was even still striving to qualify as the smallest of agents, so he didn¡¯t have much say in Rubbish Town. Patel simply hoped that Henry could go back and persuade those agents. But it seemed, indeed, he had been naive. Those agents were making money from raw materials and energy, from scrappers and adventurers, with their bellies full and their minds content, why would they easily let go? Unless they witnessed the Governor¡¯s authority with their own eyes. Putting aside those thoughts, Patel¡¯s face broke into a smile again. He took Henry along to see some more good things. These were alloy steel products created by the Abandoned Cave Society. Seeing the neatly stacked alloy steel, Henry was once again dumbfounded. ¡°This¡­ is alloy steel? You can actually produce something like this?¡± He truly hadn¡¯t anticipated this. Watching those smelting furnaces, he thought at most they could produce steel, which was already very impressive to him. He had been calcting in his heart, in the future materials would be transported from Rubbish Town, then produced by Abandoned Cave Society, and sold to Revival City¡ªthis route would be much more economical than profiteering from mineral resources.
But unexpectedly, what Abandoned Cave Society was producing was not just any steel, but alloy stic steel! This material¡¯s performance was far superior to steel! With different formtions, it could exhibit very strong resistance topression and tensile strength as well as great sticity. From a merchant¡¯s perspective, its selling price would naturally be higher than that of steel, but in reality, the increase was limited. Mainly because those manufacturers, whether using alloy stic steel for munitions, machinery manufacturing, or construction materials, most of therge demand low-end product lines are very sensitive to cost. If the cost of alloy stic steel is too much higher than steel, then they¡¯d rather continue to use the cheaper steel. Of course, if there is some alloy stic steel with particrly special properties, then for some particr devices, like making better gun barrels or more robust mechanical structures, when used in high value-added production, it¡¯s definitely valuable and can fetch an especially high price. But even though ordinary alloy stic steel materials can¡¯t be sold for a very high price, with a reasonable pricing strategy, there¡¯s no worry about their marketability. At the same time, currently, there are very few powers in the wastnd that have the capability to produce alloy stic steel. Perhaps ckbird Heavy Industries has this capability, but their production capacity is barely enough to meet their own consumption, and they have never been seen selling this material externally. From this perspective, the alloy stic steel produced by Abandoned Cave Society is practically a unique business. Beyond making money, this represents a huge power of influence. Dennison Henry was bursting with impatience! ¡°How much for these? Sell them to me!¡± he said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t rush.¡± Patel chuckled and then took Henry to another ce. Here, there were some finished products made of alloy stic steel¡ªindividual armor vests and helmets.
Patel proudly introduced, ¡°Take a look at these things. If you shoot them with an iron pipe rifle, it¡¯ll at most leave a mark!¡± Having said that, he was worried Henry wouldn¡¯t believe him and actually took out an iron pipe rifle. The weapon looked crude but was especiallymon on the wastnd. A basic iron pipe was tied to a wooden handle with the most simplistic firing mechanism, capable of shooting gunpowder bullets. Because there was really no technology to speak of, its power was rather unpredictable, and its uracy even more so. A well-made one might be passable, but a poorly made one was just a noisemaker that could or couldn¡¯t hit a target; it all depended on luck. The Abandoned Cave Society had hundreds of these guns, confiscated from the bandits after the ¡®Doomed Prisoners¡¯ were annihted. Theary Governor thought little of this junk and gave it to them for self-defense. Patel put the armor vest on a target, pulled the rifle bolt, and at a distance of more than a dozen meters, he fired more than a dozen rounds at it. After the deed was done, Henry stepped closer to take a look. There were bullet marks, but not a single one prated the single soldier¡¯s vest, and the back of the target was knocked slightly askew, but indeed there was no real damage. This level of defense was sufficient. Henry even tried on the vest himself and found the weightpletely within an eptable range. Alloy stic steel was able to maintain enough strength and toughness while ensuring light weight. This stuff, on the wastnd, was a deadly weapon. Equipped with such a set, the mostmon iron pipe rifles on the wastnd would indeed turn into mere fire sticks. He could already imagine how enthusiastically these individual armor vests would be sought after by scavengers and adventurers in Rubbish Town. This was all money!
¡°Stop talking! I¡¯m buying! Take away my wallet!¡± Chapter 28 -
Chapter 28:, Corpse Starch ¡°` Henry truly wanted to buy. The alloy stic steel material itself, as well as the single soldier vests that had been made from it, had already shown him the huge profits to be made. In his hometown, Rubbish Town, he was indeed just a merchant, but he harbored greater aspirations¡ªhe was pursuing the status of an ¡®agent¡¯. Rubbish Town was a chaotic ce, but also a holynd for business: rich in resources and with a substantial poption.
There, if you conducted big enough business, had enough people under you, and strong enough military force, you could gain enough influence to be an ¡®agent¡¯. And in the chaotic political ecology of Rubbish Town, it was the agents who called the shots. Each monopolized a unique line of business,peting and allying with each other, wielding enormous power. Henry didn¡¯t have enough people under him or a big enough business. But if he could really secure the alloy stic steel business, then he would have his own unique line of business. As long as he had support from the Abandoned Cave Society to monopolize it, he could rapidly gain a huge profit. The remaining issue was money, but that was an easy problem to resolve. The status of an agent was already beckoning him. Truth be told, if it weren¡¯t for the Governor behind the Abandoned Cave Society, he would have definitely turned around and left by now, and then tried to gather a team to wipe out the Abandoned Cave Societypletely, to firmly grasp the production capability of alloy stic steel in his own hands. Unfortunately¡­ But it didn¡¯t matter, as long as he could secure the exclusive agency rights for this business, that would be enough. Henry solemnly said to Patel, ¡°I¡¯ll take all the goods you have, and I¡¯ll offer you the best price. We can also sign a long-term cooperation agreement, trust me, I can definitely help you sell these treasures throughout the entire Wastnd World! We will be the best partners, as long as you sign an exclusive agreement with me.¡± ¡°Wait a minute¡­ just wait a moment.¡± ¡°?¡± Henry¡¯s brows deeply furrowed, ¡°Do you have any other conditions? Just speak up!¡± Patel quickly waved his hand, ¡°I don¡¯t have any conditions, but I can¡¯t make this decision!¡±
Without waiting for Henry to speak, he continued, ¡°Everything here belongs to the great Mr. Gu, the Governor. I wouldn¡¯t dare to promise you anything rashly. Without Mr. Gu¡¯s nod, not a single piece of alloy stic steel can be sold.¡± ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡± Henry calmed down and began to feel a headacheing on. Convincing Patel might not be difficult, but to persuade the Governor¡­ The deeds of the Governor named ¡®Gu Hang¡¯ had also reached Henry¡¯s ears. He was independent and unconventional, and afternding, he didn¡¯t take over the power from the Alliance Government but instead went to the rural wilderness to undertake construction work. Could construction save the entire Rage Owl Star? Henry didn¡¯t believe it. Even if the Abandoned Cave Society had undergone drastic changes under the rule of Mr. Gu in a very short time. But just this kind of change was far from enough to alter the ecology of the entire Rage Owl Star. Two years down the line, Mr. Gu, the Governor, would probably be dealt with by the empire¡¯s tax authorities, just like his predecessors, right? But before that happened, he was the Governor, the nominal supreme ruler of this. What capital did a small merchant like himself have to hoodwink an imperial Governor? Seeing Henry¡¯s dilemma and hesitation, Patel didn¡¯t know what kind of intense thoughts were turning in this ¡®old friend¡¯s¡¯ mind. He just grinned, soothingly saying, ¡°Mr. Gu is a good man. As long as you serve him with sincerity, you will surely receive a generous reward.¡± When Patel said this, he appeared very sincere. But somehow, Henry vaguely felt like there was another meaning behind his words:
¡°` ¡°If you¡¯re not sincere enough, you¡¯re doomed.¡± It must be an illusion; where would Patel find such deep thoughts? Henry took a deep breath and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯m off to see the Governor now!¡± ¡­ The great Governor, Gu Hang, was at that moment studying a corpse. It vaguely resembled a biological creature, with limbs and a semi-upright posture¡ªsomewhat like a headless ape with disproportionate limbs covered in boils, its chest cavity grossly swollen. It was fast, incredibly ferocious, and its limbs bore sharp ws. After hunting, it would tear its prey to pieces and then use the boils on its body to corrode and dissolve the fragments before ¡®absorbing¡¯ them into itself. This creature, referred to by the locals as ¡®boil monsters,¡¯ was amon menace in the Wastnd. He was napping in his house when he suddenly heard noises outside; then Zhang Chao reported to him that a dozen boil monsters had appeared at the expansion site on the perimeter of the camp, attacking the workers. Even though the soldiers guarding the camp arrived quickly and annihted this group of monsters, three workers had still met their deaths. Death and injury were, of course, very unfortunate events.
But this was the Wastnd. Gu Hang did not focus on what had happened, the unchangeable past. Looking at the monster¡¯s corpse before him, he asked a soul-searching question: ¡°Can this thing be eaten?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Yan Fangxu didn¡¯t understand what Mr. Gu was thinking, but he was shocked nheless. Mr. Gu was somewhat displeased by Yan¡¯s shock and he emphasized, ¡°In the Wastnd, food is of utmost importance! Every day, as soon as I open my eyes, I have to think about how to feed the several thousand people in three camps. Living off existing stores just won¡¯t cut it; we need to find a way to tap into every possible source of food. I think these creatures hold potential. It¡¯s said there are plenty of them in the Wastnd, and other creatures like zombified dogs. If they¡¯re all edible¡­¡± ¡°Please wait, Mr. Gu¡­¡± Yan Fangxu said helplessly, ¡°These monsters carry arge amount of highly corrosive boils on them. How could they look edible?¡± ¡°How do you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Gu Hang remained persistent, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mean to let our people eat it directly. I¡¯ve heard that on mosts in the Nest Capital, there is a technology capable of breaking down all organic material to produce food. They call it¡­ corpse starch? In any case, it¡¯s starch blocks. I wonder if Rage Owl Star has this technology? Anyway, we surely have it on Quintet. We still need to get our hands on it by any means necessary.¡± Yan Fangxu became even more helpless. Big brother, I¡¯ve eaten those starch blocks too! Essentially, those are a type of food chemical product that can take recycled organic waste, including old textiles and wood scraps, industrial organic waste, and even nt fibers and animal limbs, and break them down into smaller molecules to refine and process into synthetic starch blocks.
While it¡¯s true that some Nest Capitals, particrly those with scarce resources and high poption densities, do recycle the dead and even fecal matter, leading to their being humorously and darkly referred to as ¡®corpse starch,¡¯ you shouldn¡¯t say it out loud! After all, the primaryponents of synthetic starch are still normal¡­ The minor, trace elements¡­ Let¡¯s just stay friends and not talk about them. Chapter 29: 29, What’s Wrong with the Puppet? Chapter 29:, What¡¯s Wrong with the Puppet?
Gu Hang said he was considering using those abscessed creatures as a food source, and he wasn¡¯t just talking nonsense to disgust people. He truly thought that way. If there were a choice, of course, normal food would be better than anythingelse. But in this wastnd, with production conditions like this, the number of people that could be sustained was limited, so wasn¡¯t one obligated to find every possible solution? Being well-fed was more important than eating well. This technology, of course, could potentially be drawn from the ¡°Technology¡± panel. But the mechanism that, once a technology was highlighted, significantly dropped the probability of that technology being produced next made each technology quota precious. If there was a choice, Gu Hang would prefer not to acquire this technology from the ¡°Technology¡± panel. He¡¯d rather achieve his goal by normal means. His gaze turned to the sky.
A certain power on Rage Owl Star might possess simr technology. However, first, Gu Hang hadn¡¯t seen it around Revival City, implying that if this technology did exist, it was far away and difficult to obtain. Second, the synthetic starch technology was probably very valuable on a wastnd, and those powers wouldn¡¯t just hand it over. It was less effort to fleece the ¡°Quintet¡± than to go through the trouble of securing such technology. On a massive starship like the ¡°Quintet,¡± which housed a poption of a hundred thousand and didn¡¯t always have the opportunity tond for supplies, especially during missions, they certainly had the technology to recycle almost any usable organic matter. Thinking this, he coughed lightly twice, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°I just asked her for two hundred sets of equipment and four armored vehiclesst time, and today I¡¯m going right back to ask for new technology? Doesn¡¯t feel quite right.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask today, I¡¯ll go ask her tomorrow.¡± With this thought in mind, Gu Hang felt much more at ease. Gu Hang, in high spirits, hummed a tune and waited for Dennison Henry, the trader from Rubbish Town. ¡­ Dennison Henry finally met Governor Gu Hang. After an exhaustive body search, he was led to the entrance of the governor¡¯s house. It was just arge board house, and on the surface, it didn¡¯t differ fundamentally from the board houses inhabited by the servants nearby. It was neither specially decorated nor made from any particrly precious materials. The guard pushed open the door, and Henry walked in to find everything inside in and unadorned.
The room had no special decorations, just an ordinary long table. A man who appeared quite young sat at the far end of the table. That must be Governor Gu Hang. The governor himself seemed out of ce in his surroundings. His clothing was exquisite despite the simplicity around him, yet this contrast became almost negligible due to the governor¡¯s indifferent attitude to his humble environment. Henry dared not observe further. He lowered his head, came to this side of the long table, and without daring to sit down, he ced one hand on his chest and then bowed deeply. Maintaining the bow, he said humbly, ¡°My name is Dennison Henry, from Rubbish Town. I am here to offer my sincerest greetings to your Excellency the Governor. Your speech uponnding on this was thunderous, making me profoundly understand that you came to this dying world with grand ambitions andpassionate sentiments, to save us, your subjects. As a resident of Rage Owl Star, I hold your nobility in the highest esteem.¡± A rainbow fart, firmly delivered. As he spoke, Henry also took out an exquisitely packaged box. ¡°Upon learning that I had the honor of meeting your Excellency, I was overjoyed and resolved to prepare a gift for you, to express my deep admiration. Sadly, due to the haste, I only have this modest offer. I hope your Excellency the Governor will not take offense.¡± He continued to maintain the bow, holding the gift box above his head with both hands. The guard beside stepped up, took the gift from his hands, and then brought it before Gu Hang. Gu Hang didn¡¯t even nce at the gift box, his gaze remained fixed on Dennison Henry, with an interested smile ying on his lips.
¡°Rise, or you might just break your waist if you keep this up.¡± Henry straightened up as instructed. ¡°Sit down, let¡¯s have a good talk.¡± Only then did Henry dare to sit down. Tapping the table with his hand, Gu Hang said, ¡°Dennison Henry, I am aware of your purpose ining.¡± Henry cautiously replied, ¡°I hope Your Excellency the Governor would grant me the opportunity to serve you.¡± Gu Hang chuckled and said, ¡°You have a way with words, and I am satisfied with your attitude. I know that what you say may not necessarily reflect your true intentions, but I don¡¯t mind that. I can entrust the business to you, but I have two conditions. First, I will supply you with goods, and you will also bring me what I need, in full quality and quantity, without any shortfall.¡± The first part of Gu Hang¡¯s statement, the implied ¡®may not necessarily be sincere,¡¯ made Henry somewhat nervous. However, thetter part immediately made his heart blossom with joy. Securing the agency rights was his primary objective in meeting the Governor. As for the other condition, Henry saw it as no different than being given a freebie. It couldn¡¯t really be considered a demand, more like another generous gift from the Governor. He would of course pay for the goods, and that payment, as it seemed now, he could recoup by helping the Governor acquire the things the Governor needed. How could that possibly be a bad thing? Without hesitation, he nodded, ¡°No problem! I am willing to serve Your Excellency!¡±
Gu Hang waved his hand and added, ¡°I have a second condition. You need to expand your influence in Rubbish Town as much as possible, to be an agent, even a major one.¡± Hearing this second condition, Henry calmed down a bit. Striving to be one of the agents of Rubbish Town was his aim. Logically speaking, since the Governor had offered this as a condition, it shouldn¡¯t conflict with his goals, and he ought to be pleased. However, he didn¡¯t consider himself a fool and could read between the lines of the underlying implications of the request. Supported by the Governor, he would be an important agent in Rubbish Town, but then what? Who would have the final say, himself, or the Governor as his behind-the-scenes boss? But he quickly cast aside these hesitations and conflicts. Wondering about such things was absurd. When a big opportunity is presented, shouldn¡¯t he seize it? So what if he became a puppet? Countless people yearn for such a position and can¡¯t attain it. And it might not even be a puppet situation. Seriously serving the Governor could bring its own powers, couldn¡¯t it? With the Governor managing myriad affairs daily, wouldn¡¯t he have final say over the small matters of Rubbish Town when presiding over it? He would just need to achieve the Governor¡¯s goals and follow his steps, which is as it should be! Moreover¡­ putting it a bit more rudely, who knows if the Governor will still be the Governor in two years. With that thought, he caught the quasi-smiling expression on Gu Hang¡¯s face and dared not continue the line of thinking.
He felt as if his thoughts were being read. Chapter 30: 30, Applying Pressure Chapter 30:, Applying Pressure
Dennison Henry was very, very surprised at the start of his meeting with the governor. He had obtained what he wanted without much sacrifice. Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean there was no cost involved. Having taken the goods, he had to pay for them using Alliance currency; the governor provided a series of lists, asking him to buy this and that¡ªhe nced through them, some items were difficult to procure, such as wanting Revival City¡¯s best textile and sewing machines, importing raw textile materials, desiring thermoelectric generator sets, the thermoelectric material itself, wanting to build cement and brick factories¡­ Moreover, the governor seemed to have a good grasp of the market, the list he provided was almost equal in value to the goods he was permitted to take this time. By his own estimation, the profit margin was severelypressed. If he wanted to earn more money, he would have to try his best to sell the alloy stic steel and armored vests at a higher price, and find cheap yet effective supplies for the governor. Difficult as it may be, Henry was still filled with motivation.
Wasn¡¯t this the time to showcase his capabilities? If everything were easy, would the governor need to bother finding someone like him to take on this task? However, as the conversation moved to thetter half, he gradually lost his joy. Primarily because a crucial issue was raised. Dennison Henry wanted to secure exclusive sales rights for the alloy stic steel industry. It was a protection of his own interests; he needed this to ensure the market channels he carved out wouldn¡¯t be snatched away by neers. Eliminatingpetitors to monopolize the market naturally meant more profit. But Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t allow it. He argued with reason, saying things like ¡°this would allow me to serve the governor better¡± and ¡°this will help me expand my influence in Rubbish Town, and assist you with more matters in the future.¡± However, none of these arguments could persuade Gu Hang. Gu Hang simply responded with two sentences, blocking any counterarguments: ¡°I can grant you the powers you desire, but I won¡¯t give them to you for nothing. You haven¡¯t done anything yet, so why should you demand so much from me?¡±
¡°Prove your loyalty through your actions.¡± With the conversation reaching this point, what more could Henry say? He nodded emphatically, ¡°I will prove myself to you, Governor.¡± ¡°Also, do one more thing for me.¡± ¡°Please give yourmand.¡± ¡°My camp needs morebor; Revival City has so many refugees living on the outskirts, bring them here.¡± ¡°No problem, I will definitely bring you healthy and reliable refugees at a very affordable price.¡± Gu Hang shook his head, clearly unsatisfied: ¡°What is this talk of money? Those refugees, not recognized by Revival City as official residents, but I recognize them. Every human on Rage Owl Star is a subject of the Empire, my subject. I want you to convey my benevolence to them, my policies, my derations, and have them migrate here. If they face difficulties, you should offer them the necessary help, and if needed, I will personally intervene. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Henry was taken aback. How could he not understand? Of course, he understood. Freeloading, right?
You just don¡¯t want to spend money but still want the people brought over? Henry put on a very ashamed expression: ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, I was shallow¡­¡± However, ording to the governor, it didn¡¯t seem like there was no benefit involved. Although Revival City wasrge, the number of jobs and people it could support was limited. Outside the city, there were plenty of refugees who couldn¡¯t survive. It wasn¡¯t impossible through propaganda to inspire these people to migrate voluntarily. ¡°But¡­ Your Excellency the Governor, please forgive me. If we proceed this way, we won¡¯t be able to ensure the number or the quality of the migrants. Most of the desperate migrants are the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled; those who are strong and in their prime can still find a job to support themselves.¡± Gu Hang waved his hand dismissively, saying, ¡°That¡¯s your job, to convey my will to the public and to show your loyalty. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Damn, he really wants a free ride! Dennison Henry could only respond helplessly, ¡°Yes, I understand what needs to be done.¡± ¡­ After sending away the merchant brimming with ambition, ready to embark on a significant endeavor while also meeting his own reasonable and unreasonable demands, Gu Hang immediately busied himself with another matter. He had his attendant, Zhang Chao, send anothermunication to Revival City. As for the issue of Wohan, the Alliance Councilman being a cult member, Gu Hang needed Revival City to give him an exnation.
Of course, the nature of the exnation was not important. What Gu Hang needed was an excuse to take action. This excuse was something he had to work hard to find originally. Now, there was one ready-made. An adherent of a Heretic Cult had emerged within the ruling structure of the Alliance, the Alliance Council. When Wohan resisted, employing Storm Sorcery which Gu Hang identified as definitely not his own spiritual power but originating from a certain source, Gu Hang almost burst intoughter. After capturing Wohan, the necessary interrogations and the intelligence he had to obtain were almost in his hands. The man was indeed a follower of the Cult, there was no mistake about that. Although he was not a devout believer, he did believe in the teachings of the Primal Owlbeast Sect and was willing to use his status as a councilman to provide convenience for cultist activities and to contribute money and resources. He wasn¡¯t a core member; he was just a wealthier believer. He also received certain things in return, such as being ¡®blessed by the gods¡¯ and mastering Storm Sorcery; he could have cultists do some dirty work that he could not handle directly himself. Indeed, the very reason he sought to trouble the governor this time was to request the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect¡¯s intervention, but they rejected him due to their busy schedule and inability to arrange manpower on short notice.
With these confessions, and with Wohan still alive, Gu Hang had the perfect opportunity to attack. Upon connecting with Revival City, the person Gu Hang faced was still the Chairman of the Alliance Council, Milian Hodgson. ¡°Good day to you, Governor,¡± Hodgson began with a greeting. Gu Hang offered no pleasantries in return, his tone severe, ¡°Mr. Hodgson, I am extremely disappointed in your work.¡± Upon hearing the Governor¡¯s words, Hodgson felt a nerve in his head throb with pain. The Governor is at it again! I gave you the massive supplies you wanted; I sold the people you asked me to betray; what more do you want now? Hodgson replied wearily, ¡°Please instruct me, Governor.¡± ¡°An Alliance Councilman corrupted by a Heretic Cult? What kind of job have you been doing as Chair of the Council? Is the Alliance¡¯s Council still loyal to the Empire? Has Revival City now be the nest of the Primal Owlbeast Sect?¡± Gu Hangunched a series of usations, hitting Hodgson hard and fast. Hodgson waspletely caught off guard by Gu Hang¡¯s revtion of such news, the usation leaving him utterly dumbfounded. He had no prior knowledge that Wohan was a cult member.
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Let the investments heat up!~ Chapter 31: 31, is it this governor? Chapter 31:, is it this governor?
Hodgson indeed did not know that one of their Alliance Council members, Wohan, was a cult member. He had no prior knowledge of this information. Now that Gu Hang had exposed this, he waspletely dumbfounded. When he had slightly regained hisposure, his first reaction was to suspect: Was the usation against Wohan of being a cultist fabricated by Mr. Gu himself as an excuse to cause trouble for Revival City? ¡°This matter is of great significance. Do you, Governor, truly have concrete evidence to prove this?¡± ¡°The evidence is irrefutable. The people who attacked the transport team were directed by Wohan. I have wiped out the bandits on his manor and captured him. I personally saw this scoundrel use Storm Sorcery¡­¡±
¡°Right now, you seem to know nothing about it, President of the Council Hodgson. I¡¯m very disappointed. With an Alliance Council member corrupted, and you, as president, having no knowledge of it, is this negligence, or has the Alliance Council been condoning the spread of the cult in Revival City all along?¡± Hodgson immediately denied it: ¡°Absolutely not! We have been intensifying our efforts to crack down on the cult. How could we possibly condone its spread? I will investigate this matter¡­¡± Before Hodgson could finish, he was interrupted by Gu Hang: ¡°Investigate? How much longer will we have to wait for you to slowly go about your investigation? Revival City will be what? With even Council members being corrupted, how can I believe you¡¯ll uncover anything?¡± Hodgson was under immense pressure from Gu Hang. This totally unexpected news caught him off guard. He had no contingency ns in ce, and at this moment he could only insist: ¡°We will definitely take effective measures to deal with the problem. We will carry out background checks on all Council members and also strengthen the investigation into the cult in the entire city.¡± Gu Hang said: ¡°I¡¯m giving you this chance. But I also want to remind you that our city is facing a severe threat. I need you to resolve this problem quickly and thoroughly! If I don¡¯t see a more proactive attitude from you, then I will personally take action, and you will be held ountable.¡± Hodgson could only strive to assure: ¡°We will do everything necessary to ensure the safety of the city. I assure you, we will give you an exnation.¡± ¡°You had better keep your word.¡± ¡­ After hanging up the phone, Hodgson¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed. He did not wish to always be at a disadvantage inmunications with Mr. Gu. Yet, what could he do?
The first time, he demanded supplies by wielding his authority, with a not inconsiderable amount, yet just within the limit that Revival City was capable of paying, forcing them to reluctantly agree. Nobody wanted to entirely offend the Governor over such a matter, risking a fall-out with him. The second time concerned Wohan¡¯s unauthorized attack on the transport team, an action he undertook alone. Hodgson sold him out without any psychological pressure. In both instances, the Governor hinted at using his authority, even suggesting orbital bombardment from the heavens to exert maximum pressure and make threats, his goal being to obtain something. Once the conversation reached this point, not wanting a confrontation, Hodgson had little choice but to concede. This third time, though the Governor had neither made too many threats nor demanded anything, he used the sternest tone thus far, directly using the Alliance Council of either negligence or treason. The usation could not be more pointed. Yet Hodgson could not refute it. The Governor now held the high ground. The Primal Owlbeast Sect, themon enemy of the many forces on the wastnd, who do not worship the Divine Emperor but instead follow that ¡°Primordial Owl Beast¡±; skillful in Storm Sorcery, they have indeed caused many devastating disasters that annihted settlements. How could an Alliance Councilman be a member of this cult? How can this be exined? It can¡¯t be exined at all! Mr. Gu was justifiably angry. He thought he was just dealing with a greedy grain merchant, and if that guy wanted to go against Mr. Gu, then let him stick his neck out and be the target, he deserved to die. But it turned out this person was actually a member of the cult, whichpletely took Hodgson by surprise.
He also realized the seriousness of the situation. After hesitating, Hodgson turned to his grandson Lambert and asked, ¡°Mr. Gu said that Wohan is a member of the cult, do you think it¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s true, maybe it¡¯s not,¡± Lambert Hodgson, having listened to the entire conversation between his grandfather and Mr. Gu, cautiously offered his considered answer, ¡°But that¡¯s not the key issue now. Since Mr. Gu is acting on this trump card, it means he must possess some evidence. Even if that evidence isn¡¯t real, Mr. Gu would have forged it well enough. We¡¯re truly on the defensive now.¡± In response to Lambert¡¯s spection, Hodgson sighed and continued to ask, ¡°What do you think Mr. Gu will do next?¡± Lambert pondered, ¡°He might use this as an excuse to further intervene in the politics of Revival City, to strip us of our power under the guise of striking at the cult, and eventually take control of the entire Revival City.¡± ¡°From what you say, it sounds like you¡¯re quite unhappy with this?¡± Lambert was taken aback. ¡°Grandfather?¡± He didn¡¯t understand why his grandfather would ask this. ¡°Mr. Gu, theary ruler appointed by the empire, is also the head of the Alliance Government. If Mr. Gu takesplete control over Revival City, isn¡¯t that justifiable and proper?¡± Lambert frowned deeply and spoke with difficulty, ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­ but¡­ ¡± Hodgson brought up another matter, ¡°I remember, you once said your dream is to save the world?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, the nonsensical babble of my reckless youth¡­¡±
¡°So I ask you now, is that dream still buried in your heart?¡± Lambert didn¡¯t want to answer, ¡°Grandfather, why are you bringing this up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you, only the Governor can save this world. I don¡¯t know if Mr. Gu is the one, so I¡¯ve always hesitated, just like the previous governors have all failed. But I recently realized something: How many more governors can we wait for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ do you mean, you want to?¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that stage yet, I just feel that this governor is a bit different from the previous ones,¡± said Hodgson, ¡°As for now, I think you¡¯ve got the emphasis wrong.¡± ¡°Please enlighten me.¡± ¡°The focus now isn¡¯t what the governor will do next but what we must do. What we need to do is simple, ascertain how widespread the Primal Owlbeast Sect has be in Revival City, and what their aim truly is. That¡¯s the most important thing, a matter of life and death. What¡¯s the point of all these power struggles? It would be ridiculously tragic to defeat Mr. Gu only to have the cultists destroy the city afterward.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Chapter 32: 32, Courtesy Light but Affection Deep Chapter 32:, Courtesy Light but Affection Deep
The news of cult proliferation sent everyone in Revival City into a frenzy. However, the instigator of the crisis, His Excellency the Governor, seemed to have no sense of urgency at the moment. Early the next morning, he began to address the food supply issue of his territory and once again made contact with the ¡°Quintet¡± above. Colonel Yelisia still showed him no kindness in her expression. Gu Hang was indifferent to this, even understanding. Had he been in her shoes, having his wool sheared by others haphazardly day after day, his reaction would have been more intense than Yelisia¡¯s.
Considering how empathetic I¡¯m being, why don¡¯t you just hand over the synthetic starch technology to me? Of course, Gu Hang knew he couldn¡¯t just ask for it for nothing; he had to offer something in return. ¡°Colonel Yelisia, I¡¯ve brought you another piece of good news!¡± Upon hearing this, Yelisia remembered the loss of her three thousand ves, three hundred mech servants, a pile of weapons and equipment, and the four Strider Vs. Her heart ached. As for the previous gift of a Marine Corps captain? Was there such a thing? She didn¡¯t recall. Yelisia said with a stern face, ¡°Your Excellency¡¯s good news alwayses at a high price.¡± ¡°How could that be? I am sharing our achievements with the best of partners.¡± ¡°If you have something serious to say, then get on with it.¡± ¡°About the issue of heretic cultists brewing on Rage Owl Star, I¡¯ve already made some progress. I¡¯ve captured a cult member, who happens to be a high-ranking official in the¡¯s government!¡± On hearing this, Yelisia became grave, ¡°Has it deteriorated to such an extent? Tell me where the enemies are, and I will eliminate them.¡±
¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s not time for that yet. I¡¯ll soon track down the exact whereabouts of these cultists, and by then, I may need you to send your elite Marine Corps, even the power of the Shipborne Church, to assist me in cleansing these heretics.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, but it would be best if you could create an opportunity for me to conduct orbital bombardment directly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Yelisia had no reason not to agree to this. Orbital bombardment was the most convenient; if ground troops were needed, that was fine too. She didn¡¯t mind, as long as it meant earning merits. Moreover, deploying the Marine Corps was different from the previous situation where people were said to be ¡®lent¡¯ but were essentially given away. The people ¡®lent¡¯ to Gu Hang were working for him on a long-term basis. With regards to missions, to fight or not, and how to fight, the entiremand system was still under the starship¡¯s control, with Gu Hang at best providing a target and some advisory suggestions. It was not a conceptually simr situation. Yelisia¡¯s expression became somewhat calmer, and her heart rxed a bit. Her investment in the Governor seemed to be finally showing some sign of return. Eradicating the heretic cult entrenched in the capital city of theary government somewhat counted as a noteworthy achievement. Although it wasn¡¯t a major victory, the prospect of a return on investment invited anticipation, and there were still two years left. Yelisia, in a better mood, asked a question she wouldter somewhat regret: ¡°Very well, is there anything else?¡± ¡°Yes, I need synthetic starch technology,¡± Gu Hang said.
Yelisia¡¯s face stiffened. I originally thought you were just here to deliver a message, but it turns out you¡¯re here to ask for things, huh? ¡°I am only responsible for striking down the enemies of the Empire,¡± Yelisia said. ¡°Supporting construction is not my job.¡± ¡°But this is for the purpose of striking down the enemies of the Empire!¡± Gu Hang argued. ¡°What is at the core of the growth of cults? It¡¯s when people see no hope. When they can¡¯t even have enough to eat, they are easily tempted by cults. Synthetic starch technology could help us solve this problem.¡± Yelisia felt that Gu Hang made sense, but¡­ could saving people with this method be considered a naval victory? As she pondered, Gu Hang¡¯s voice came again: ¡°Colonel Yelisia, please understand, it is necessary to wipe out our enemies with thunderous might. But if the situation deteriorates to an uncontroble state, where salvation can only be achieved through utter destruction, that may not necessarily be a good thing.¡± ¡°A city corrupted by a cult then destroyed; or, the heretic cultists spread to a terrible extent, but arepletely annihted under themand of the madam colonel, with hundreds of thousands of citizens of the Empire saved. Pleasepare, which of the two scenarios is better?¡± The destroyer, or the savior¡­ The former seems a bit cooler, but within the Empire¡ªat least in the Tianma Star Sector¡ªthetter holds more value. Moreover, the identity of a savior aligns more with Yelisia¡¯s current mission. She came to orbit Rage Owl Star for two years not to fight and destroy enemies but to assist the governor in reviving thes. At this point, Yelisia had to admit that Gu Hang¡¯s argument had moved her once again. She began to calcte what it would take to provide Gu Hang with the synthetic starch technology. Was the price too high?
The conclusion was, not particrly. Starships of course have synthetic starch technology; during the long interster journeys, when resupply is scarce, the ability to recycle nearly any organic material into edible starch blocks is an essential auxiliary technology. However, as important as it is, the synthetic starch machines aren¡¯t used frequently. In peacetime, starships can get supplies fairly smoothly, and no one really wants to eat starch blocks. Currently, the food reserves on the ¡°Quintet¡± are quite abundant, enough tost for several years. And besides, there¡¯s more than one synthetic starch machine on the starship. Handing over one shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Of course, what Gu Hang wants is the technology, not just the machine. But that¡¯s not too troublesome either. Send down a logistician from the starship with one machine, some spare parts, and that should meet Gu Hang¡¯s demands. In theory, this should be enough for Gu Hang to produce his own synthetic starch manufacturing machines, provided he has a certain industrial base. If he does not, there¡¯s not much Yelisia could do: I¡¯m not your mother, can I possibly feed you milk directly? ¡°I agree,¡± she said. Having given her consent, a transport with technicians and equipment arrived on the ground and, when it returned, Gu Hang loaded it with a fair amount of goods. ording to him, these were gifts for Colonel Yelisia from Rage Owl Star, the specialty of the ce. But in fact, they were just a small portion of the food and textile supplies brought from Revival City, allocated to be sent skyward. It wasn¡¯t meaningless, though; it would improve the crew¡¯s diet on the starship and provide some supplies.
It was, in any case, a way to show that the governor did not take without giving in return! As for the difference in the value of the two¡­ it¡¯s the thought that counts! After watching the transport fly off into the distance, Gu Hang plunged back into his grand ns for expanding production. Chapter 33: 33, The Fast Track to Development Chapter 33:, The Fast Track to Development
In Gu Hang¡¯s n, he intended for the Abandoned Cave Society to serve as the heavy industrial production center of his territories. It was well located, being closer to future raw material and energy sources in Rubbish Town and already possessed some mineral resource output. The production line for alloy steel was there, and once the merchant named Dennison Henry brought back the heat-generating limestone power unit, Gu Hang nned to set up a power nt in the Abandoned Cave Society. However, with the heavy industry and energy industry of the Abandoned Cave Society developing, a workforce of merely eight hundred would certainly not suffice. Gu Hang had been continuously sending workers from the Governor¡¯s Camp, who were originally expanding the camp and building an ¡®airport¡¯, to the Abandoned Cave Society to meet thebor needs of the alloy factory there. But thisbor pool had its limits, and the Governor¡¯s Camp needed people as well. Production required people, expansion of the army required people, and right now, Gu Hang¡¯s demand forbor was very high. It was inevitable to absorb poption from outside, which was precisely why he had made a special request to Dennison Henry to find ways to promote and bring in people. Of course, those refugees recruited from outside Revival City might not necessarily be qualified industrial workers.
Let alone the refugees, even the people from the Abandoned Cave Society and the former ves brought down from the starship were not really qualified. Illiteracy was a significant issue; illiterates could perhaps toil, but it would be hard for them to grow into skilled technicians. However, this was a solvable problem. Gu Hang had already requested the creation of night school sses in the Abandoned Cave Society, including his own direct camp, starting with literacy work before moving on to some basic skills training, experience summary, and sharing. Inside the Abandoned Cave Society, there were indeed many who were willing to learn and eager to advance. These people did not need much worrying over; as long as they were given the opportunity, they would be keen to strive upwards. But not everyone had such a drive to improve themselves. Now that they could live above ground, security concerns were no longer an issue, they could eat their fill, have clothes to keep warm, and they heard that soon there would be electricity and heating¡­ Such treatment was enough to make them quite content. Freed from the motivation to improve. Gu Hang was certainly not pleased with this. If no one strives to work hard, how am I to expand production and rebuild the world? To address this, Gu Hang introduced a strategy: a work point distribution system. Work resolved into work points, which determined material and welfare allocation. If you wanted to eat well, live well, and dress well, even allowing your closest kin to also lead a good life, then you needed to work diligently.
Moreover, several technical job categories were introduced at the worker level. Bing a skilled technician through assessments meant earning more work points than an ordinary worker. The requirement to be a skilled technician was to study diligently. Also, although attending school did not grant work points, it did provide a free evening meal, which spared one from spending their allocation and saving money in the process. With tangible upward motivation and a real increase in food allocation, night schoolsunched in the Abandoned Cave Society and Governor¡¯s Camp were widely weed. On the other hand, finding teachers was not easy. For now, they could only use a few literate individuals among the servants brought down from the ¡°Quintet¡± Starship to act as teachers; as for so-called professional technical training, it mostlyprised some experience and tips formed by a handful of sharp-minded workers during theirbor, which were summarized and disseminated. With an inadequate teaching force, expecting to educate exceptional students was unrealistic. Gu Hang understood this point; given the circumstances, all he could do was to make the best of the situation. As for the work points mentioned earlier, Gu Hang did initially consider whether to introduce a currency. In the wastnd, the cirction of goods was extremely chaotic. Currency existed; the Alliance had issued the Revival Currency, and several major forces had also issued their own. However, these currency systems were not only disorganized, but the exchange between them was also cumbersome, and some remote settlements might not even recognize certain currencies. The most popr method of trade on the wastnd still involved the very primitive barter trade. The scale of Gu Hang¡¯s power was still too small to issue his own currency without exerting great effort to promote it, and using others¡¯ currencies could easily overwhelm the internal system with their volume. Thus, he simply decided not to implement a currency and instead created an ¡®work points¡¯ system for internal use only, to serve as a motivational tool.
Earn work points by participating in production; consume work points to obtain housing and rations; this became a simple prototype of a currency under a nned economy. Gu Hang did not n to stick with a nned economy forever, but it would certainly constitute a majorponent. Concentrating efforts to aplish big projects was, in Gu Hang¡¯s view, a very sessful experience during development stages. If the goal of the Abandoned Cave Society was to develop towards an industrial hub, the role Gu Hang envisioned for the Governor¡¯s Camp was as a transport hub and a center for light industry. Transportation requires no further exnation, with its core task being the connection with the great treasure trove in the sky, the ¡°Quintet.¡± When Gu Hang chose the location for the camp, he picked a t terrain with no natural defenses, primarily for this purpose. The textile machinery and rted technologies that Gu Hang requested Dennison Henry to purchase were part of the light industry that Gu Hang had nned. Apart from textiles, there was also the food industry. The synthetic starch manufacturing machines brought down from the ¡°Quintet¡± had already begun operating under the guidance of technicians who came down with the ship. Additionally, a new synthetic starch production line was being constructed, mainly relying on various parts that had also been brought down from the starship. The alloy factory at the Abandoned Cave Society had also received orders to manufacture qualifiedponents as per the technicians¡¯ requirements; for parts with high demands on processes and materials, Gu Hang would produce them using ck Boxes of finished alloy stic steel. Of course, there were still some coreponents that the current industrial capabilities under his power couldn¡¯t produce. The technician who hade down from the starship was, at the Governor¡¯s request, trying to figure out a way to master this technology. There was a good chance of sess. The industrial base at the Governor¡¯s Camp started from scratch but had developed quickly, mainly thanks to some incredibly powerful materials and technology. Even if the alloy stic steel produced by the Abandoned Cave Society was not satisfactory, the premium alloy stic steel produced directly from the finished ck Boxes was of outstanding quality. However, the scale of the synthetic starch production line could not be further expanded until the technology had been mastered. Even so, the current production capacity was more than enough.
As long as there were sufficient raw materials and the production line was running at full capacity, there would be more than enough food to ensure that everyone under Gu Hang¡¯smand was well fed. In fact, there was significant excess capacity to stockpile food, or even sell it for export. All these various ns of Gu Hang were waiting for Dennison Henry to bring back the first batch of goods and people before they could truly get underway. The merchant from Rubbish Town did not keep him waiting too long and soon returned. The inflow of people and resources was ¡®devoured¡¯ by the power under Gu Hang¡¯smand. With the two major industrial centers, along with the Mantan River Valley Manor already gradually restoring agricultural production, the overall productive power of the Governor¡¯s power began to embark on a rapidly developing fast track. Chapter 34: 34, A Ray of Light Chapter 34:, A Ray of Light
Osenia surveyed her surroundings, her vision filled with a vast construction site. Thend of the esteemedary Governor, proimed by that kind-hearted person as the nd of salvation¡¯, seemed quite different from what she had imagined. After the end ofst winter, a massive surge of mutated monsters erupted in Osenia¡¯s homnd, an area called the ¡®southern provinces¡¯ by the people of Revival City. It was a huge disaster thatpletely destroyed many settlements. Barely surviving the wave of mutant creatures did not mean the end of the disaster. Unable to sow seeds in spring, having endured another winter, and due to fighting against the alien creatures¡­ various factors caused a significant loss of food reserves. Hunger and shortages of supplies gued the southern provinces.
What do people do when they can¡¯t survive? They be monsters. Osenia and her younger brother originally lived afortable life. The soil in the southern provinces was more fertile and suffered less from the Low Energy Storms, so many of the local settlements could live off agriculture. In fact, the southern provinces were an important food-producing area, with hundreds of thousands from both the inner and outer parts of Revival City relying mainly on grain imports from the south. Osenia¡¯s father was the owner of a ntation. Before everything copsed, their ntation had a poption of tens of thousands; during productive times, they not only fed everyone but also had ample surplus to sell in exchange for industrial goods. Understandably, Osenia¡¯s standard of living was akin to that of a little princess, far exceeding that of the vast majority on this wastnd. But all of that fell apart at the turn of spring and summer. Outside, a great number of raiders besieged the ntation; then, a riot broke out within its bounds. With their guards¡¯ protection, her family tried to break out and flee from the ntation at thest moment. Many who didn¡¯t take part in the riot attempted to escape alongside them. But amid the chaos of war, she was separated from her father. Concealing their identities, smudging ash on their faces, cutting off their hair¡­ She took her brother and followed the stream of refugees, finding herself aimlessly in Revival City. Along the way, she suffered through many hardships.
For a morsel of food, she was willing to do anything, no matter how small the job, as long as it procured some sustenance. Even more desperate measures included begging, fighting tooth and nail, stealing, and deceiving¡­ Before the copse, she was educated to be a properdy; she had never imagined herself in such a state. But she persevered. Throughout these past months, she was so hungry she felt dizzy; her just over ten-year-old brother was malnourished. Yet at least, they were both still alive. However, she often found herself lost in confusion. If one has never experienced goodness, perhaps they can fall endlessly in darkness. But just months ago, she was a little princess, the apple of her father¡¯s eye, worried daily about authenticating and restoring expensive pre-war art, helping manage the estate, and overseeing ounts. Now, she hesitated over what to eat the next day. More critically, there was no end in sight to such a life, no hope, no glimmer of light. She felt she could hardly hold on any longer. More than once she had thought that living in such a terrible world, perhaps death would be more of a relief? But every time she looked into her brother¡¯s eyes, she shoved that thought away, clenched her teeth, and continued the grueling struggle.
Oddly enough, she hadn¡¯t been very close to her brother, seven years her junior, in the past. She even often found the mischievous little devil quite annoying. However, over these past few months, she would rather die than abandon her brother. Once, when her brother was kidnapped, she bit the kidnapper like a madwoman, taking a beating that left her bleeding without loosening her grip. She didn¡¯t know why, but she knew that if anyone dared to harm her only remaining family, she would fight them with everything she had. But she deeply understood they were on the brink of not being able to survive any longer. The great chaos in the southern provinces had a huge impact. The shortage of food imports caused food prices in Revival City to keep rising. Her part-time jobs were bing increasingly insufficient to feed herself and her younger brother. Recently, an even worse piece of news had spread: thergest grain merchant in Revival City had disappeared. Shortly thereafter, the city¡¯s food prices became even more vtile. It was at this time that a traveling merchant opened a free porridge shop outside Revival City, in the slums. Anyone could receive a warm serving of porridge in the shop, provided they listened to the entire deration made by Mr. Gu Hang, theary Governor, on his first day on the wastnd. She had fought someone to secure a spot for her and her brother there. The so-called Governor¡¯s deration was a long one, and she was thinking about skipping some parts to get to the meal quicker. She couldn¡¯t remember much about what the Governor¡¯s deration actually said. Only one phrase remained clear in her mind: the Governor would ensure that everyone who submitted to him would have a good life. The next day, the porridge shop was still open, and she came back. But this time, she was told that those who had eaten once were not allowed a second serving, unless they were willing to follow the caravan to the Governor¡¯s Camp and be subjects of the Governor.
She didn¡¯t hesitate and pressed her handprint on the paper. After waiting for a few days, she headed to the camp with her brother when the caravan set off. Although driven by desperation to follow the caravan to the Governor¡¯s Camp, wasn¡¯t there also a desire to change their circumstances and seek some light and hope? She thought she would see a city that was quite well-developed, but instead, she saw vast areas of dust. There were many rudimentary cement buildings already erected, but even more were under construction. However, looking at therge-scale construction across the camp, there should at least not be ack of work opportunities. But could her small frame handle construction work? Osenia, who was full of confusion and uncertainty about the future, held her brother¡¯s hand and went to the registration area as arranged by the caravan. When it was her turn, the registrar asked for some basic information. Name, age, skills, desired upation¡­ She answered truthfully ording to her actual situation. ¡°Huh?¡± The person registering her suddenly eximed, ¡°You¡¯re literate?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ yes.¡±
¡°That¡¯s great!¡± The registrar was overjoyed, ¡°Head over to that table and fill out another form, congrattions, you will receive a good treatment.¡± Osenia went over bewildered. There were hardly any people at that table. After she filled out a form, she was assigned two tasks: during the day, she would work as a clerk in the soon-to-be-established textile factory, arranging and implementing production ns, keeping track of the output, and managing the production process¡­ The second task was to teach literacy sses at the evening school. The work content reassured her quite a bit. This was something she was truly adept at; back at the estate, she would assist her father with some management tasks. While then it was agricultural production management, now she would be a clerk at a textile factory, that was still closer to her skill set than manualbor. Especially when she heard about the treatment, she became even more excited. ording to the work point system, she could earn more than enough supplies every day to support herself and her brother, with some to spare. Although everything was iparable to her days as a little princess in the past, this was the only ray of light she had seen during her months of hardship Chapter 35: 35, Henry ah Henry Chapter 35:, Henry ah Henry
Dennison Henry discovered that every time he visited the Governor¡¯s camp, he would see something new and surprising. This time, havingpleted a business deal anding to meet the Governor again, he was apanying Gu Hang, inspecting the newly established synthetic starch production line. He saw workers mixing the dposed corpses of exotic monsters, scrap wood materials discarded after construction, and leaves and branches collected from the nearby woods, and feeding them into a machine. The other end of the machine output rectangr blocks of starch after crushing, dposing, and restructuring the materials. Each block weighed a standard fifty grams, and a few pieces could keep an adult from starving to death. Even though the raw materials used in production seemed somewhat¡­ strange, Henry still realized the enormous value of this technology. Toxic monster carcasses, wooden waste, weeds with very low nutritional value, old clothes, torn fabrics¡­ these things of little worth could be transformed into precious food in the wastnd after processing by this machine.
So what if the ingredients were disgusting? When people were starving to death, who cared about that? This was bona fide food, carbohydrates, high in calories. Wasn¡¯t this much better than foraging for wild vegetables, grass, bugs, and mixing them with a bit of grain to cook up a bowl of watery porridge? Henry pinched his nose and personally tried eating a block. The taste¡­ it could be said was virtually tasteless, like eating ster, at most with a hint of sweetness from partially saliva-digested starch, and a bit of saltiness. But again, these issues were not problems in the wastnd. Not to mention the life-threatening environment of the wastnd, even in the Imperial Star Realm Army and the Imperial Navy, when supplies were not so smooth, a significant proportion of food rations were met through ¡®corpse starch¡¯. So who was nobler than whom? It was a terrifying technology. Henry was so amazed that his eyes bulged as he said, ¡°Incredible, I¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Gu Hang raised his hand to interrupt him, ¡°No talking, I just brought you to have a look.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Henry¡¯s face turned slightly red with embarrassment.
But he quickly understood that this part of the business, especially the production line and technology, was something he could not obtain from the Governor. In a sense, this technology had the potential to change the whole world, and it was immensely significant. He could only feel regret and even more determined to cling closely to the Governor¡¯s coattails. After visiting the newly established synthetic starch production line, Gu Hang took Henry to his office. Henry, who had justpleted a business deal, had quite a few things to report to Gu Hang. Sitting in front of the Governor, Henry was somewhat reserved, ¡°This time I¡¯ve sessfully aplished my mission, and the alloy stic steel has caused a sensation among the material merchants in Revival City. This material, which used to be avable only in small quantities from ckbird Heavy Industries and was tightly controlled by them, now has an additional channel, and those merchants are very happy, and our goods sold very well.¡± ¡°The items you wanted, I have mostly exchanged for you. The generators powered by thermoelectric stones should be enough for establishing a small-scale power nt. Moreover, I have mobilized connections in Rubbish Town to allocate a batch of thermoelectric stones. The looms are also adequate to open a production line. The gruel shops cum propaganda stations we set up recruited over two thousand vagrants¡­¡± ¡°However, Revival City has been somewhat turbulenttely, affecting our prices. The Alliance Council has gone mad with a city-wide hunt for Heretic Cultists. Many people got caught up in it, leaving everyone on edge. Rumor has it that a councilor responsible for food was discovered to be in collusion with the Cult. It¡¯s said¡­ it¡¯s said that you, Governor, even lost your temper?¡± Henry paused, stealing a nce at Gu Hang. Seeing no response to that question, he understood¡ªthe silence was as good as an affirmation, right? Maybe the person was even taken care of by the Governor himself. He continued, ¡°This matter has caused a greatmotion, the whole Revival City is in chaos. And now that the councilor is finished, the food trade market he controlled has also be disordered, and the entire market is unstable. If not for this, we could have sold our alloy steel at an even higher price.¡± ¡°But still, things aren¡¯t too bad now, are they? Revival City is thergest market nearby, not only capable of consuming various raw materials but, more importantly, it acts as a trade nexus connecting multiple forces and regions. I have also reached long-term agreements with many agents. They can take on a considerable production volume, so there is no worry about sales.¡± ¡°Additionally, those bulletproof vests we sold are an even bigger hit in Rubbish Town. They can even withstand a shot from Green Skin Orcs! Now our goods arepletely popr in Rubbish Town! The activity of those Green Skin beasts has been expanding recently. Scavengers and adventurers are shing with them more frequently, and arms and bulletproof equipment are now the hottest-selling items.¡±
¡°This is an opportunity, Governor. I don¡¯t ask for exclusive rights to everything, but if you would grant me the exclusive sales rights for the armored vests, it would greatly help me secure the position of agent in Rubbish Town. Then, I could serve you even better!¡± After reporting a multitude of information¡ªmainly to take credit¡ªDennison Henry couldn¡¯t help but bring up the matter of the exclusive rights he coveted. In his eyes, Governor, you want me to prove my loyalty, but I¡¯ve done enough this time, didn¡¯t I? The materials and equipment you wanted, I wracked my brains to get them for you; the poption you wanted to attract, I paid from my own pocket to bring them over. Isn¡¯t that enough to prove my loyalty? You¡¯re not willing to give me exclusive rights to the entire alloy steel production line, so granting exclusive rights just for the bulletproof vests isn¡¯t too much to ask, is it? ¡°Henry, oh Henry¡­¡± Gu Hang murmured his name, ¡°Should I say you are smart, or foolish?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°You are so clever; you show me that you have aplished things, made contributions. You also express loyalty and say you will do more, do better in the future, hoping to obtain exclusive rights from me. You worry that if you create a market for materials and bulletproof armor, more merchants wille to me to do the same business, preventing you from making exclusive profits.¡± Having said this and though it was meant to be apliment, Dennison Henry just felt awkward. What Gu Hang said was indeed exactly what he was thinking. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess. But¡­
Who justys it out so directly? Where do you expect me to put my face? He didn¡¯t speak, while Gu Hang continued, ¡°But you are so foolish, failing to see the essence of the matter. The production capacity of alloy steel isn¡¯t abundant, and expanding scale also takes time. For now and the foreseeable future, you can absorb all the goods¡ªwhat is there to worry about?¡± ¡°Are you worried that if you don¡¯t work wholeheartedly for meter, I will find a better coborator?¡± ¡°Are you worried that I will restrict your ability to manipte the goods¡¯ prices, limiting how much money you can make in the future?¡± ¡°Are you afraid that you won¡¯t keep me reliant on you, the one behind the Governor in power?¡± ¡°Henry, oh Henry, tell me, are these your concerns?¡± Chapter 36: 36, Knocking Chapter 36:, Knocking
Dennison Henry dropped to his knees with a thud before Gu Hang. Cold sweat had permeated his forehead. The Governor¡¯s three questions peeled away his psychological defensesyer byyer until they werepletely stripped away. He had not thought this way. At least, he didn¡¯t dare to consciously think this way. But upon introspection, even by the instinct of a businessman, hadn¡¯t he subconsciously done just that?
He was a merchant, and he was in the business to make money. The Governor, however, was not a merchant and always wanted him to do this and that. The additional conditions attached to the business inevitably impacted his profits. He truly didn¡¯t want other merchantspeting with him for this business, even if in the future he couldn¡¯t handle the full production capacity himself. As for going one step further, he indeed hadn¡¯t thought about it, but¡­ If he were the only one with exclusive authorization¡ªand if in the future he managed to secure the agent qualification of Rubbish Town¡ªpowerful and influential under hismand, and continued to grow stronger through exclusive rights, the Governor, looking to expand trade routes and further development, would gradually be more reliant on him. He would be a key official for the Governor; his every word and deed would have a significant impact on the Governor¡¯s strategies, his voice bing increasingly influential¡­ These unthinkable yet inevitably contemted scenarios were crushed to smithereens by the Governor¡¯s interrogation at this moment! He kowtowed deeply: ¡°Governor, I absolutely did not dare!¡± Maintaining his kowtowing posture, he couldn¡¯t see Gu Hang¡¯s expression, only hearing the Governor¡¯s indifferent tone after a moment: ¡°Really? You¡¯re so clever, thinking about such deep matters, yet you can¡¯t even imagine this?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to think.¡± Henry no longer dared to y any tricks¡ªtoday, he had truly been dealt a clear lesson, ¡°You¡¯re right, Governor, I am indeed a fool, unable to see the true nature of things. I should have realized that as long as I work diligently for you, I don¡¯t need to worry about those elusive matters. Thanks to your guidance, I¡¯vepletely understood. Please give me another chance.¡± After speaking, he lifted his head, looked at the Governor sincerely, and then once again kowtowed deeply and heavily. Seeing Dennison Henry¡¯s submissive demeanor, Gu Hang finally let a slight smile cross his lips, and his tone softened, ¡°Since you can be a bit smarter and think deeper, that¡¯s good. Get up now, no need to kneel anymore, I¡¯ll take you to see a new batch of goods. Didn¡¯t you say that weapons and equipment are the bestmodities in Rubbish Town? I think the standard weaponry widely equipped by the Imperial Star Realm Army would be very attractive to those adventurers.¡± Dennison Henry suddenly lifted his head, his eyes brimming with surprise.
After being pped across the face, this date stuffed into his mouth was unexpectedly sweet! The standard equipment of the Imperial Star Realm Army! If he could get a batch to Rubbish Town, wouldn¡¯t they sell like crazy? From the start, Gu Hang hadn¡¯t intended to chastise Dennison Henry. Objectively speaking, the job the guy had done this time was not bad. Everything Gu Hang wanted was there; the thousands of workers had greatly supplemented hisbor needs for the uing expansion of production capacity. But the guy was persistent about exclusive authorization, which had annoyed the Governor. So, Gu Hang did not hold back. At the same time, he rified something further: what exactly was Dennison Henry¡¯s position? Maybe the guy saw himself as a coborator. As a merchant, it was only natural to want profit from a partnership, to make money for oneself. But of course, Gu Hang didn¡¯t share that attitude. What he actually wanted to say was: ¡°I¡¯m not scamming you or bluffing you. I¡¯m offering you a chance to rise to the heavens in one step. Do you want to keep being a merchant, or be my subordinate, a high-ranking official in the futureary Government?¡±
A regr merchant, even if one has made some money by relying on His Excellency the Governor, how could thatpare with the status of a real senior official? Of course, this was an extremely risky matter. Whether the Governor could truly consolidate power in the future and develop his domain were decisions Henry had to make, risking his own capital investment. But Gu Hang was full of confidence in himself and generously offered the opportunity to Henry. At least for now, Henry seemed willing to seize the opportunity. That was good. What he said aloud wasn¡¯t the important part. After this statement, Gu Hang would carefully observe how Henry would perform in the future. As for providing Imperial Star Realm Army standard equipment to Dennison Henry for sale, that was something Gu Hang had nned to do anyway, giving him a date to eat just came in handy. The G9 Gun Family production line wasn¡¯t avable yet, but it would be soon enough. In fact, they were already using the ck Box Manufacturer for small-scale production. Afterwards, aplete production line replicated from the mother machine would increase the heavy industry capabilities of the Abandoned Cave Society with another line of armaments. With the production capacity for alloy stic steel material being sufficient, the production capacity of the G9 Gun Family would quickly catch up. Before long, they would be able to fully reequip the two infantry battalions currently under Gu Hang¡¯smand. The phased-out G7 Gun Family would need a destination. Selling them to Rubbish Town was a good idea, as Gu Hang¡¯s territory was rapidly developing and his demand for raw materials was significant.
Of course, he wasn¡¯t nning to sell them all. He would set aside a small portion, mix them with the local mixed-brand weapons confiscated from mercenaries in the battle at the Mantan River Valley Manor, and make a bundled sale, which should fetch a reasonably good price. The rest, Gu Hang nned to temporarily use them for the expansion of his forces. He still intended to add to his military. Currently, a portion of the newly recruited refugees, after simple registration and organization, would be assigned to the Abandoned Cave Society. Some would join the alloy stic steel industry line, while others would participate in the construction of the Hot Ash Stone Power nt. Although Gu Hang still had enough energy crystal blocks, using these valuable high-energy batteries for industrial production was too extravagant. If there were cheap power nt construction capabilities, then saving the energy crystal blocks would be better. Apart from dispatching people to the Abandoned Cave Society to fill the manpower gaps in heavy industry, the rest would set up a textile factory here at the Governor¡¯s Camp. Human resources were still scarce, and yet, under such circumstances, Gu Hang was still intent on expanding his military. In this Wastnd World, he did not feel secure. Frankly, everything he was doing was still like dancing on a tightrope. The Quintet above was mighty indeed, but it didn¡¯t belong to him. He was the Governor, the ruler, but his directly-affiliated loyal forces were still too weak.
If powers nearby, like Rubbish Town or Revival City, were driven to desperation by him one day andunched an all-out strike, aside from having the Quintet strike back in revenge and obliterate a force from the surface, Gu Hang would have no choice but to await death. And that¡¯s not even considering those low-probability events that were not yet in sight, just the present situation alone posed a threat to his sense of security. The threat of the mutant aliens. Chapter 37: 37, Hatching Nest Chapter 37:, Hatching Nest
Gu Hang couldn¡¯t help but elerate the expansion of military forces due to an imminent matter, not to mention his personal anxiety over the weakness of his own direct lineage and his paranoia about being persecuted. Previously, there had been an attack by ¡®pustule monsters¡¯ within the Governor¡¯s Camp. Subsequently, Yan Fangxu led an investigation into the source of the monster attacks and discovered they wereing from a forest to the west. Afterward, while Yan Fangxu took his soldiers for training, they used it as both a training exercise and an opportunity to exterminate these monsters. They had no idea until they went there and were shocked by what they found. They encountered many monsters in that forest, not just pustule monsters. And they even discovered numerous monster breeding nests. Gu Hang himself went to check it out. The infested forest where the corrupted nests were densely packed had trees with bark already riddled with holes corroded by the secretions of alien creatures, emitting a strong stench of decay.
The breeding nest he saw was hidden in a damp and dark area of the forest, its entrance concealed by dense vines and thorns. Upon burning away those vines and thorns, one could enter the nest. Parasitized trees surrounded the nest, creating a breeding ground that was dark and damp inside, filled with a strong alien odor lingering in the air. In the corners of the nest, numerous alien creature eggs clung to the moist ground, with embryos of mutant monsters wriggling inside their semi-transparent shells. The eggs were covered in a thickyer of mucus, from which droplets asionally fell, turning into pools of foul-smelling green pus. Cracks in the eggshells emitted eerie glimmers of light, casting sinister shadows on the walls of the nest. At that time, Gu Hang ordered the destruction of the nest, burning it with fire and blowing it up from the inside. However, that was just one small nesting site, and there was no telling how many more might be in the forest. ording to their subsequent assessment, if left unaddressed, a wave of mutant monsters would sweep towards Gu Hang¡¯s camp, including the Abandoned Cave Society, in a few months. By then, the cost to quell this wave would be unpredictable. Fortunately, the situation was discovered rtively early, and there was still time. Gu Hang needed to expand his army to ensure the safety of the camp. ording to his n, once the troops were reorganized, apart from the necessary guard forces, the other units would take turns clearing the monster nests in that forest. The main goal, of course, was to nip the problem in the bud as much as possible. Besides that, there was also the immediate benefit to be gained, which Gu Hang valued highly. That benefit was the Earned Rewards points.
When Yan Fangxu led his troops to destroy the first alien breeding nest, Gu Hang¡¯s interface showed the battle settlement. No losses, two Earned Rewards points gained. Afterward, he learned that there was a significant number of breeding nests within that forest. His eyes lit up at the news. You can call it a threat, and you would be correct. But in Gu Hang¡¯s eyes, it was also like a huge gold mine! He had gone to great lengths to develop his territory, bring in poption, deal with light industry, heavy industry, construction industry, got his hands on everything, and had barely managed to double his monthly fixed ie from the previous 12 to 25. He was nning to persevere further and increase that number a bit more when he would receive his rewards at the end of the month, but he had stumbled upon such a gold mine. Destroying one breeding nest for two Earned Rewards points meant that burning down ten would equal a month¡¯s gains! Why should I bother with farming¡­ oh, farming is still necessary, these two matters don¡¯t conflict. However, precisely because there was something to gain, he paid it a bit more attention. The First Automachinary Battalion had barely moved, with forces split to guard Valley Manor, the Governor¡¯s Camp, and the Abandoned Cave Society. The 2nd Infantry Battalion, on the other hand, was mostly thrown into the Strange Monster Forest¡ªthis name was newly coined by Gu Hang.
The battalion was left under themand of Captain Yan Fangxu, who was responsible for sweeping through the forest. Over the past few days, seven nests had already been burned. Captain Yanmanded the operations with caution; he would rather progress slowly and carefully to avoid losses as much as possible. Conversely, Perbov, the formermander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion, was not too satisfied with this. In his opinion, during this time frame, let alone burning seven nests, he wished he could burn seventy! How could he live up to the Governor¡¯s trust without achieving the battle results as quickly and as much as possible? Gu Hang was very satisfied with Perbov¡¯s highbat enthusiasm. Then, he chose to support Yan Fangxu¡¯smand strategy. The situation wasn¡¯t so dire that it required filling gaps with human lives; Gu Hang had no need to order his soldiers to die unnecessarily. The eradication of monsters within the Strange Monster Forest could still proceed methodically: eliminate the monsters, destroy the breeding nests, and take it slowly. There were still several months ahead; even with Yan Fangxu¡¯s cautious strategy, the problem should be resolvable. Of course, as a leader, Gu Hang needed to be even more cautious. Destroying those seven monster nests brought Gu Hang a total of 11 divine grace points.
He nned to recruit another infantry battalion from among the refugees and veborers. With the ck Box Manufacturer, he could quickly produce enough weapons and ammunition to equip them; by spending divine grace points, he could also quickly train these newly recruited soldiers into qualified warriors. In Gu Hang¡¯s care, the rate of soldier production was exceedingly fast. The Governor¡¯s will was quickly implemented. A recruitment office appeared in both the Abandoned Cave Society and the Governor¡¯s Camp. Residents of both ces eagerly enlisted. Of course, their reasons for enthusiasm were not the same. The most eager were the residents of the Abandoned Cave Society; they had enjoyed a period of good days and fully cherished this time. They were willing to take up arms to defend the hard-earned results. Next in willingness were the refugees who had just been allocated. They didn¡¯t have any particr thoughts, purely attracted by the Governor¡¯s generous treatment for recruiting soldiers. Guaranteed food, two sets of military uniforms, weapons and equipment¡­ These were enough to attract those refugees who had nothing. Moreover, Gu Hang would also issue work points to them, which could be used at the distribution station to ¡®purchase¡¯ whatever they wanted. After two days of exnations, they clearly understood that work points were valuable. Following Gu Hang¡¯s instructions, of the 300 soldiers in the 3rd Infantry Battalion, 150 were selected from the refugees, 100 from the starship veborers, and 50 from the Abandoned Cave Society.
Theposition of the personnel wasplex, but Gu Hang himself hoped that the military, this great melting pot, could amalgamate soldiers of different backgrounds as much as possible. The more effective melting pot, however, was the [Soldier Tag] System. With a short duration of training, Gu Hang would have a qualified infantry battalion. With three to four days of training and about six days of equipment production, this infantry battalion would be formed. While busy preparing the troops and nning a strike in the alien woond, Gu Hang also didn¡¯t forget another matter: How is the investigation of the cult situation in Revival City progressing? Chapter 38: 38, Attack Warning Chapter 38:, Attack Warning
The cult crisis sparked by Senator Wohan reverberated throughout Revival City. Through the ounts of those refugees and the words of Dennison Henry, Gu Hang had learned that the authorities of Revival City were already inplete disarray. He was quite satisfied with this situation. The turmoil created an opportunity to set the stage for his future intervention in the politicalndscape of Revival City. So, even though he knew that the Alliance Council was in a state of panic, Gu Hang had no intention of backing down. On the contrary, he was nning to fan the mes even higher.
He connected with Hodgson. ¡°Hodgson, why haven¡¯t you taken the initiative to contact me during this period? Where is the exnation I demanded?¡± Hodgson¡¯s voice was filled with fatigue, ¡°Your Excellency, we have taken a series of actions and initially achieved some results. I had nned to report to you after gathering more information. However, since you need an answer now, I can report our current findings¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Hodgson began his report. Clearly, he was prepared for the possibility that Gu Hang might seek him out earlier than expected. His speech flowed smoothly, detailing the actions taken by the Alliance Government in Revival City during this time. Gu Hang listened patiently until Hodgson finished. Hodgson was a bit surprised; he had been ready to be interrupted at any moment during his ount, but the Governor had not done so. However, he did not feel relieved. This might signify that the Governor harbored even greater fury in his heart. As Hodgons¡¯s anxiety began to mount, Gu Hang¡¯s voice rose slowly, ¡°Oh, is that all? What remarkable achievements indeed.¡± ¡°Several cult-affiliated suspects have been arrested, some cult materials have been uncovered¡­ But what then? There is no rity on the extent of the cult¡¯s infiltration in Revival City, nor any understanding of the detestable heretics¡¯ ns. Those cult materials, even someone like me who has been on Rage Owl Star for less than two months is already vaguely aware of; the few small fries caught haven¡¯t disclosed any useful information, I can¡¯t even be sure if these individuals are scapegoats put forward by someone else.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you think that the Alliance Government should put forth more effort for the safety and security of Revival City?¡± As expected, the inevitable had stille. Faced with the Governor¡¯s questioning, Hodgson slowly began, ¡°You are right, the Alliance Government does indeed need to exert more effort. Our following sweeps will intensify. However, as for results, we do have one piece of intelligence that hasn¡¯t been confirmed.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°We have reason to believe you may be the target of a cult attack. It seems they¡¯re aware that Wohan was dealt with by you, and they may even know that the current crackdown in Revival City, which targets them, was personally ordered by you. They might be nning a retaliatory strike against you.¡± Gu Hang¡¯s expression had turned utterly cold, ¡°Unconfirmed intelligence mentions they want to attack me¡­ How exactly is this intelligence unconfirmed?¡± ¡°In an interceptedmunication, your camp¡¯s location was mentioned, as well as an approximate number of armed forces you might have. Although the intelligence doesn¡¯t specify what will be done, our analysts believe your current situation is somewhat dangerous. I strongly advise you to return to Revival City as soon as possible, where the Alliance¡¯s military can pledge their undying allegiance in ensuring your safety.¡± After Hodgson finished speaking, Gu Hang fell silent. This was truly a formidable warning. In an instant, Gu Hang considered many things. He finally spoke slowly, ¡°Speaker Hodgson, you¡¯ve truly given me a major surprise.¡± Hodgson sighed.
The tone of Gu Hang¡¯s voice let him know that his earlier concerns were justified. This matter, not easy to discuss, could easily be misunderstood, and he had no way to rify. He said, ¡°I maintain my suggestion, Your Excellency, please return to Revival City as soon as possible, where your safety can be assured.¡± ¡°I will take care of security, as for the cult¡­ I hope that the next time Imunicate with you, you¡¯ll have more to show for it.¡± As for Hodgson¡¯s proposal to have him return to Revival City, he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to reply with half a word. ¡­ After hanging up themunication, Gu Hang did not look pleased. A warning of an attack targeted at him¡­ This matter had too many and too deep implications behind it. Was it true, or was it false? Regardless of the answer, it was no longer good for Gu Hang to pressure the old speaker. In terms of results, they had one, wasn¡¯t the safety of the governor a big deal?
Yet, upon learning this piece of information, Gu Hang found himself in a dilemma. How should he respond to this security threat? Focus on his own safety, and thereafter be cautious in everything? That would obviously take up his attention, and he might not have as much energy to trouble Revival City afterward, to the extent that even the fast track of his power¡¯s development that he had just embarked on could be affected as a result. But he couldn¡¯t just ignore it, what if it turned out to be true? Yet, if he were to take action, what could he do? The method of attack waspletely unknown. Was it an assassin hidden among the refugees he had taken in? A bomb? A raid by a squad? An army? Even if nothing happened, Gu Hang couldn¡¯t go after Hodgson. After all, ording to that old fellow¡¯s words, the intelligence was unverified, and he did not say that it was forced out by Gu Hang insisting on results. Even if nothing happened in the end, it would not have much to do with the Alliance Government. Telling the lord governor to be cautious about his safety was never going to be wrong, right? Hodgson¡¯s warning cast a shadow over Gu Hang¡¯s heart. He could even consider the issue from an even darker perspective: was this a warning from Hodgson or the Alliance Council not to manipte the governor¡¯s authority too much, hinting that just as he had the power to sever ties and perish together, they had it as well? Even if the information was fake, the authorities in Revival City had the means to turn it into reality.
Considering this possibility, Gu Hang¡¯s expression grew even grimmer. However, the bad news today kept oning one after another. Only a short while after ending the call with Hodgson, his aide Zhang Chao rushed in, looking somewhat panicked. ¡°Lord Governor, we¡¯ve received a distress signal from Captain Yan Fangxu! They¡¯re trapped in the monster forest, under siege by arge number of beasts!¡± Gu Hang did not respond immediately. After a while, Zhang Chao swallowed hard, finding it difficult to speak again, ¡°Governor?¡± It wasn¡¯t until then that Gu Hang let out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯m aware. Gather our troops, prepare to rescue Yan Fangxu.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Watching Zhang Chao rushing off again, Gu Hang sighed once more. ¡°This warning, it¡¯s been realized quite timely.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
Thanks to the great Fox Tail for the chapter rmendation~ Also, a friend made a few fan arts of the characters, but it seems I still can¡¯t post a bonus chapter¡­ you can go back to thetest chapter and click into the character page to see them~ Chapter 39: 39, The Fire Holder Chapter 39:, The Fire Holder
In fact, up to now, Gu Hang still couldn¡¯t be sure whether Yan Fangxu¡¯s entrapment was part of Hodgson¡¯s warning. If it was, then the capabilities of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect were rather significant. Not only did they wield the Storm Sorcery bestowed by the Evil God they worshipped, but they could even control those mutant monsters to some extent? But to say it wasn¡¯t would be too much of a coincidence. He had also wondered, could this possibly be a case of luring the tiger away from the mountain? Surrounding Yan Fangxu, drawing away the main forces from the camp to rescue him, and then attacking the camp? But soon, Gu Hang discarded the idea.
Not very likely. If his enemies were simply those mutant monsters, it seemed those creatures didn¡¯t have the intellect for it. If his enemies were the cult, or even worse, certain individuals within the Alliance Government, then destroying Gu Hang¡¯s camp wouldn¡¯t be of much value to them. After all, whether Gu Hang was causing trouble for the cult members or the Alliance Government, his main reliance was always his power as the Governor. As long as he was alive, what did it matter if his camp was destroyed? Those people¡¯s troubles would not lessen one bit. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. If the rescue troops sent by Gu Hang weren¡¯t led by him personally, then the enemies might take the opportunity to kill him by attacking the camp. And if he personally led the rescue team, he would have to be prepared to face an ambush. No matter how one looked at it, the situation wasplicated. But Gu Hang was not one to dwell on issues. Since the challenge had arrived, he would meet it head-on. ¡­ Within Revival City, Hodgson sat in his wheelchair, gazing at the entire city through therge ss window of his office. Truthfully, Revival City wasn¡¯t particrlyrge, nor did it have many tall buildings. The nning of the buildings and roads within the city was orderly, a sound foundationid by the first Governor when establishing the Alliance.
However, after so many years, although the inner city still looked decent, the outer city clinging to the perimeter of the city walls, and considerablyrger, was chaotic. Hundreds of thousands, nearly a million people, depending on the city for their existence, yet unable to live within the city walls, formed vast slums. There,cking nning and order, everything was a mess. Sewage ran openly, supplies were scarce, and living conditions were harsh. These issues hung over the area, an undesirable sight not fitting for a capital city of an Alliance. Many Alliance Councilmen and inner city residents disliked those disced persons. They believed these people brought chaos, and considered the slums a breeding ground for filth. But the smarter ones clearly understood that Revival City in fact could not do without those people. The disced living in the outer city consumed the worst and least food, with hardly any clothes to cover their bodies and their dwellings haphazardly constructed. The inner city did not pay them for any public services or welfare benefits, yet theybored in the most grueling jobs, receiving only a dismal amount ofpensation, just enough to keep them alive. Without them, how could the inner city residents livefortably? How could those councilmen earn wealth far exceeding their contributions? Therefore, these smart individuals asionally disyed theirpassion generously. They offered more work, distributing charity to the disced, as if they were truly saving them. But they had no intention whatsoever of seeking welfare for those who barely counted as residents. Letting nearly a million disced live a better life? That was simply unthinkable. Inner city residents were still dissatisfied with their own lives not being good enough, so how could they spare the energy to care for the outer city¡¯s disced? Their only kindness was allowing fewer to die. The even smarter ones might see the crisis lurking in the lowly, broken houses beyond the city walls. Under those submissive and numb expressions, was there not also rage? Indeed, the fire had burnt numerous times before. But the sparks were too feeble. The sporadic resistance was either crushed under the immense inertia of the deformed system or scattered in the face of armed police.
In summary, these sparks had not yet be the inferno that could consume everything. But that day would inevitablye. What was needed was a fuse, what was missing was a firebearer. Hodgson was acutely aware that he belonged to ¡®the smarter ones¡¯. He could see all of this, but his wisdom ended there. He could not find a solution, nor did he have the ability to unite and consolidate everyone. He couldn¡¯t even control the Alliance Council. There were those in the Council who secretly supported the Cult, unbeknownst to him; There were those who dared to attack the goods bound for the Governor, which he could not stop; The endless obstacles when mobilizing military police to investigate the Cult,bined with endless debates and queries in the Council, left him exhausted. More than once, he felt that he had truly grown old. But he dared not step back. The investigation into the Cult was originally an order from the Governor, meant to stir Revival City¡¯s political scene. However, as he delved deeper, he began to sense that something was amiss: The fuse he had feared, the firebearer, seemed to have already emerged. ¡°Grandfather.¡± Lambert Hodgson pushed open the doors to the office. Hodgson did not turn around, merely asking, ¡°Is there a result?¡±
¡°We have still not located the whereabouts of the supplies. Councilwoman Marlene has denied the supplies passed through her hands. Two agents responsible for this line have vanished; in the outer city, we¡¯ve found many Rage Owl statues, supposedly originating from a relief station. A group of police attempted a search there but sparked a minor riot among the vagrants, returning empty-handed. When we deployed more forces, the ce had already been torched¡­¡± Hodgson sighed deeply, ¡°This time, we are in serious trouble.¡± Lambert agreed with his grandfather¡¯s assessment, and for that reason, felt somewhat helpless. He asked, ¡°We thought it was just the Governor giving us problems, but as we kept investigating, it really sent chills down one¡¯s spine. Those Cult followers are nning a big event in Revival City, but we still don¡¯t have any clear intelligence¡­ What do we do next? The Governor could very well be attacked; shouldn¡¯t we offer support?¡± ¡°Who should we send? I can¡¯t even be sure that the ones we dispatch won¡¯t turn out to be the same ones attacking his Excellency the Governor. The Governor himself might think the same and wouldn¡¯t trust us easily.¡± ¡°Then we must make our stance clear,¡± Lambert insisted, ¡°I¡¯ll go, leading a squad of absolutely trustworthy men.¡± ¡°Do you understand what this means?¡± ¡°I do, it means we¡¯ll face the Governor¡¯s suspicion and be considered by those Council members aspletely siding with the Governor, getting squeezed from both sides.¡± Despite speaking of grave consequences, Lambert¡¯s tone grew firmer as he went on: ¡°But I¡¯vee to understand what you meant when you said ¡®only the Governor can save this world¡¯st time. We can¡¯t be sure if this Governor is the right one, but at least right now, he seems a bit different from his predecessors. He¡¯s chosen a path the previous Governors dared not take; he has the support of a Starship that previous Governorscked. I want to try. If he isn¡¯t the Governor we¡¯re hoping for, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to help him be one.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have much time to wait for more Governors; the whole is yearning for revival, the sooner the better. I would rather contribute now instead of continuing to wait in silence. Being a catalyst for the times is far more meaningful than waiting for the times to change before frantically jumping on board.¡± The young man spoke of his grand ideals in front of his elder, who just quietly watched him.
After a long while, Hodgson let out a long breath, ¡°I¡¯m quite old now, living to this age in this wastnd, I have lived enough and can¡¯t make bolder decisions. You¡¯ve always been better than your father, if that¡¯s what you want to do, then go ahead and do it.¡± Chapter 40: 40, The Storm is Coming Chapter 40:, The Storm is Coming
As the young man bid farewell to his elders, within the confines of Revival City, Perbov, the Primal High Priest of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, was performing his daily mandatory ritual. In a brightly lit hall, stood the divine statue of a god that resembled a bear with the wings of an eagle. Carved from white marble like stone, the furious visage of the Rage Owl God threatened to engulf any onlooker in its wrath. Those who stood before it felt as if a storm was hurtling toward them, and the faint of heart could be shattered by its winds. Primal High Priest Perbov sat steadily before the statue of the Primordial Rage Owl God. He was receiving the baptism of the storm, while also hearkening to the fury of the divine spirit. At that moment, a cleric wearing a gray hood silently appeared behind the High Priest. Keeping his distance, he did not feel the wind, but he knew well the consequences of standing before the stormy effigy.
And the High Priest had been standing there for a long time. The cleric¡¯s eyes were filled with fear and devoutness as he reported in a low voice, ¡°High Priest, our actions within Revival City have encountered some resistance. The governor who is not in the city has put too much pressure on the Alliance Government. They have increased their scrutiny of us substantially. Many supplies can no longer be transported openly using official channels, and our proselytizing among the outer city¡¯s vagrant poption has been forced underground.¡± The High Priest turned around, his gaze deep, as if peering into the soul of the cleric. Though his lips did not move, his voice, like a gentle breeze, arose at the cleric¡¯s ear, ¡°The power of the storm is boundless, and we shall ovee all obstacles to fulfill our divine mission. Any hindrance will ultimately be destroyed by the storm, even if it is that governor.¡± The cleric was wholeheartedly convinced, ¡°You are right. The Howling Wind Divine Envoy sent a message earlier; the enemy has taken the bait. We should soon receive good news. Once the governor is dead, all of Revival City will be thrown into chaos! They cannot endure the fallout of the governor¡¯s unnatural death. They will be too afraid of the starships above, and no one will have the capacity to care about what we are doing.¡± The High Priest sighed, ¡°Time flies, and humanity still wallows in ignorance, only the storm can lead them out of the darkness. Our mission is to spread God¡¯s glory to every corner of the world.¡± The cleric respectfully responded, ¡°As you say, High Priest. We will spare no effort and not disappoint the expectations of the storm.¡± The High Priest prayed in silence once more, thenmented, ¡°May the storm guide our path, that we might be a beacon to those wandering in the dark. Go now, my child, and be blessed by the Lord.¡± The cleric bowed reverently, then slipped away quietly, leaving the High Priest alone before the statue of the Rage Owl God. ¡­ Yan Fangxu was bing acutely aware that something was amiss. He led the newly formed 3rd Infantry Battalion, freshly equipped, on a cleansing mission through the alien woond. Four hours earlier, his troops had purified a monster nest.
They had in dozens of the creatures lurking around the den, and the tasks that followed were no different from before. Although the size of this hatchery wasrger than any they had encountered before, it still hadn¡¯t exceeded their imagination. After destroying the nest, they prepared to depart for the next location. Then, the surrounding woonds erupted with the sound of dense gunfire. Yan Fangxu¡¯smand style had always prioritized stability. Even though he had already destroyed many hatching nests before, upon encountering this one, he still didn¡¯t rx his vignce in the slightest. He didn¡¯t miss a single perimeter alert that should have been set, and when it came to destroying the hatching nest, he also didn¡¯t neglect to establish a temporary defensive position. In short, his approach highlighted methodicalbat, leaving no ws whatsoever. He knew that old fellow Perbov had been grumbling behind his back about his slow efficiency, wishing to get the 2nd Battalion to do the job, allowing the newly formed 3rd Battalion to stay at home. But obviously, the Governor-General trusted him¡ªa bona fide Imperial Captain¡ªfar more than the crash-trained Perbov. And he didn¡¯t let the Governor-General¡¯s trust down. Since the operation began, the team he led had suffered very few casualties. Especially today, his caution paid off. The soldiers on perimeter alert discovered a veryrge group of monsters approaching. They opened fire first, dying the monsters¡¯ advance, and also bought time for Yan Fangxu here. The alert soldiers fought as they retreated, and by the time they returned, Yan Fangxu had already directed his troops to construct a triangr defensive position. Each of the three infantrypanies took a position, with parts extending outward to create angles, ensuring that their fire could provide mutual cover and support for one another. To be able to achieve all this in the more than ten minutes bought by the perimeter alert soldiers was due in part to Yan Fangxu¡¯s skilledmand and prior preparation, with his troops strictly adhering to discipline, without any letup; on the other hand, it was also because the overall military proficiencies of the entire 3rd Battalion were fully up to the mark. Even though they hadn¡¯t been in a tough fight yet, the soldiers were visibly tense. But their morale remained high, and they carried out their orders meticulously, meeting the standard norms of the Imperial Star Realm Army. Every time he saw this, Yan Fangxu couldn¡¯t help but sigh in amazement.
Such troops weren¡¯t toomon even on the Quintet Starship. Most of the ve servant army or mechanized soldier servants didn¡¯t reach this level. Only a fewnd battle regiments were capable; and as for the Land Assault Team he brought down, they were indeed more elite, but there were only about a thousand soldiers of this caliber on the entire starship. The soldiers smoothly constructed the defensive position, which considerably eased Yan Fangxu¡¯s tense mood from the sudden attack. When those enemies appeared in front of them, the soldiers began to fire fiercely. Under the crossfire, the monsters fell in swathes. They quickly repelled the monster horde¡¯s assault. The disgusting, differently shaped pus monstersy dead everywhere. The dark green pus that oozed from their bodies was exceptionally foul-smelling. Disgusting as it was, the threat was indeed not much of one. Enemies that can only rely on biting, short-range pus spray corrosion, and can die from being shot, stood no chance under the barrage of firepower. But before they could rx a little longer, the enemy¡¯s second wave of attacks arrived. It was still arge number of Pus Spewers, human-shaped, beast-shaped, and indescribable things covered in swellings, rushing out from the woods, screaming towards the position. And among this second wave of attack, there were some that possessed long-range attack capabilities. Pus Spewers. These monsters looked simr to the ordinary pus monsters, except they had a nozzle, either in the chest or on the top of the head. They would stop at a distance of around fifty meters, umte for a brief moment, and then spray out arge volume of yellow-green pus from the nozzle. These monsters capable of spraying highly corrosive pus posed a significant threat to the position.
Chapter 41: 41, Encircle the Point to Reinforce? Chapter 41:, Encircle the Point to Reinforce?
The appearance of the Pus Spewer posed a rather tricky problem for Yan Fangxu. The pus that spewed from these monsters wouldnd on the defensive position and create a pool of pus, corroding the ground with a hissing noise. No one could stand on that ground anymore. If one was unlucky enough to get sprayed, the spattered pus that hit individual armor was okay, since it wouldn¡¯t eat through; however, if itnded on an arm or leg, it would quickly prate the clothing and cause extensive corrosive burns, rapidly incapacitating the soldier. The unluckiest were those who got a full-body spray and died screaming. What kind of biochemical artillery was this?
If they let these monsters spray at will, chances were they might be wiped out altogether. Fortunately, there were not many Pus Spewers to begin with, and secondly, their spraying distance was very short at only fifty meters, not nearly as far-reaching as real artillery. Within a fifty-meter range, even if there were lots of other pus monsters covering them, they were still easily hit. After witnessing the threat brought by the Pus Spewers, the soldiers would prioritize their fire on these monsters. The 3rd Battalion, though a newly formed unit, was the first to be equipped with G9 Gun Family weapons produced by the camp. The firearms, powerful and stable, were the soldiers¡¯ bestpanions. Especially the G9 machine gun version, with greater power, faster rate of fire,rger magazine capacity, and more sustained firepower. Against these monsters, they were likewnmowers. Bullets were poured out like water, and the monsters standing in front of the Pus Spewers were mowed down in swathes, their bodies even shot to pieces. Then the bullets would shred the Pus Spewers as well. At a certain cost, they repelled the monster attack once more. The surroundings of the forest became eerily quiet. After two rounds of assaults, the monsters had left behind at least a thousand corpses. Before this, Yan Fangxu had never discovered such arge-scale congregation of monsters in this dense forest. The event was unusual in itself, but what happened next gave him a strong sense of a sinister plot. It seemed that the monsters also realized that maintaining their previous fierce offensive was pointless and merely led to needless casualties. They stopped theirrge-scale attacks, but didn¡¯t leave altogether.
The soldiers, including Yan Fangxu, could see shadows moving about deep within the forest from their current position. The monsters hadn¡¯t departed; instead, they were hiding behind the trees in the forest, and even from a distance, one could feel their malicious intent. The soldiers, Yan Fangxu among them, tried firing into the depths of the dense forest. The effect was poor. The area they upied was originally a monster¡¯s hatching nest; to clear the nest, they cut down and burned many trees that were parasitized by the hatching eggs, resulting in a small clearing. When the monsters attacked, they had to approach within a hundred meters of the soldiers¡¯ defensive positions, a distance with no cover. However, beyond a hundred meters out in the forest, the power of the bullets diminished significantly. These soldiers, indeed, had be qualified warriors after brief training. But even qualified warriors aren¡¯t always sharpshooters. At a hundred-meter distance, with the enemy hidden in the dimly lit forest andrgely obscured by trees, hitting them was indeed very tricky. Yan Fangxu, with his superb military skills and the powerful performance of his electromaic rifle, could ensure a hit with every shot, immediately taking out any target he saw. But after firing two shots and killing two suspected Pus Spewers, he stopped shooting. He didn¡¯t just stop firing himself, he also ordered his men to cease fire. He had now realized a problem: the enemy numbers were toorge, and they might run out of bullets without being able to kill all of the monsters. Ammunition was limited. Originally thinking that they were just entering the forest to carry out the task of destroying the hatching nest, not going to war, they hadn¡¯t brought too much ammo reserve. Plus, even if they were actually going to war, the ammunition reserves would still need to be delivered by the logistics team. In fieldbat, how much could they carry on them?
Despite being cautious, when Yan Fangxu led his team out on a mission, he hadmandeered a buffalo tbed wagon, pulling a cart full of food and ammunition supplies. But even that is not unlimited. Holding out would only result in exhaustion of ammunition and supplies. He led an attempt to break through, but it ended in failure. Once the troops entered the dense forest, their firepower advantage was significantly reduced, and the threats they faced increased. Not only were the ¡°bioweapon soldiers¡± harder to eliminate and more likely to cause casualties among the warriors, but even the ordinary Pus Spewers became more threatening. After all, there was no telling which tree would suddenly produce such a monster. And a bigger problem was that no one knew how many monsters were hiding in the dense woods around them. If they insisted on breaking through, the casualties would be significant. After an initial attempt and realizing the difficulty, Yan Fangxu ordered the troops to retreat before actual casualties urred. They continued to hold their ground and sought reinforcements from headquarters. Soon, he received a reassuring reply. ¡°Hold your position, hang in there, the governor will lead the 2nd Infantry Battalion and the Land Assault Team to rescue you.¡± Receiving such a response indeed brought relief. The governor would not abandon them.
But as more time passed, Yan Fangxu¡¯s sense of unease gradually magnified. He sensed intelligence in the behavior of these monsters. The first two attacks were quite mindless, akin to the style of these monsters. They would blindly charge upon encountering other species, disying aplete disregard for death. But now, utilizing the terrain of the dense forest to encircle them without attacking was by no means a decision a mindless creature would make. Either intelligence had emerged among these monsters, or someone was manipting their actions. Yan Fangxu was more inclined to believe thetter. So why would these monsters choose to surround without attacking? To starve them out? Clearly imusible. Then their goal¡­ Did they anticipate reinforcements? Was this an ambush¡ªa conspiracy to attack the rescue forces?
Were they after the governor? A series of thoughts flooded his mind, throwing Yan Fangxu¡¯s thoughts into chaos. The path of the rescue would mostly pass through dense forest terrain. If the governor¡¯s forces were attacked by arge group of monsters while marching, the oue would be unthinkable! He immediately activated themunication device again. This time, he sessfully contacted Gu Hang and reported his suspicions to the governor. But after hearing his report, Gu Hang simply said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a n. Take your time.¡± Chapter 42: 42, Fishing, Just Bold Fishing Chapter 42:, Fishing, Just Bold Fishing
¡°` Gu Hang indeed had his own ns. Having suspected that the situation was unusual and that the route to rescue Yan Fangxu would likely not be a calm one, he certainly wasn¡¯t about to walk into the enemy¡¯s trap unprepared. At present, he was fairly certain that the people targeting him were from the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect. This cult had been pressured by his actions in Revival City and now, unable to solve the problem, they had begun to try and deal with the person presenting the problem. That is, himself, the Governor. They also possessed the initial ability to manipte mutant monsters, which was somewhat unexpected.
However, he judged that the cult members¡¯ ability to mobilize forces should not be too strong. If they had that capability and wanted his life, then there would be no need for the currentplications; they would have simply amassed their forces andunched a direct assault on his camp. The fact that they didn¡¯t do so was obviously because they couldn¡¯t. They had to choose a dense forest environment for the battlefield in order to leverage the advantages of the monsters they could control, thus having a better chance at victory. With this understanding, Gu Hang was not about to rashly lead the 2nd Infantry Battalion into the woods. Four armored vehicles led the way, with arge group of foot soldiers following behind, the whole team advancing on the edge of the woond. Gu Hang led his troops, searching for a route that was closer to the besieged Yan Fangxu and had sparser trees. Even if they had to walk a bit slower, it didn¡¯t matter. After all, Yan Fangxu had said that there wasn¡¯t any immediate danger where he was. So Gu Hang was content to take it slow. Actually, rescuing Yan Fangxu wasn¡¯t really Gu Hang¡¯s main objective foring out this time. His actions were not urgent. Despite appearing to be on a rescue mission, he was actually just trying to lure the enemy out. At the edge of the woods, before even entering, his troops suffered a small-scale attack. A bunch of pustule monsters rushed out, but were cleanly wiped out by a round of firepower from the soldiers.
That seemed more like a probe, or a disy of insufficient control over arge number of monsters. Unfortunately, it did not lure out the enemy¡¯s main force. So after some thought, Gu Hang waved his arm grandly and led the troops into the dense forest. To continue the lure. After officially entering the woond, Gu Hang¡¯s team moved even slower. They always maintained a tight formation, relying on the four Walkers and refusing to let their guard down. If the trees became too dense, they preferred to temporarily stop, burn, or cut down the trees to ensure clear visibility. When fishing, using oneself as bait, one mustn¡¯t actually get bitten. The Governor¡¯s army with its unruffled, unhurried demeanor was truly exasperating. Perbov was getting a bit anxious. His 2nd Battalion had not outdone Yan Fangxu recently and had missed out on the opportunity to clear the woond of mutant monsters, which was somewhat frustrating. Stuck in the camp, they could only vent their energy by drilling the soldiers. Upon suddenly receiving orders from the Governor to gather his troops, he and his subordinates instantly perked up. Especially when they heard that their mission was to rescue the 3rd Battalion led by Yan Fangxu, who was surrounded by arge number of mutant monsters in the woods, he was even more eager to jump into action. An old-timer, huh? A bona fide Imperial Navy officer, huh? Still, isn¡¯t it me, this country bumpkin, who has toe save you? ¡°`
He truly wished he could lead his team through the entire woond right away, confront Yan Fangxu and, in front of that guy¡¯s face, loudly mock him. However, he was still able to contain his yearning for battle. Upon departure, the Governor had roughly outlined the objectives of the operation. Rescue was secondary; the primary goal was to anticipate and draw out any ambushers they might encounter en route. When he heard the news, he was utterly enraged. Someone dared to target the Governor? That truly made them irreconcble enemies! In Perbov¡¯s heart, plotting against the Governor was even more detestable than plotting against himself. Some time ago he had returned to the Abandoned Cave Society. Even though he hadn¡¯t been gone long, there had already been earth-shattering changes. Eating well and having warm clothes were the basics; everyone had moved into houses on the surface and no longer needed to crowd in dank, sunless burrows. The residential houses were only temporary prefab structures for the time being, but ns were already in motion to build new brick and cement factories. A plot ofnd had also been allocated for the construction of a row of detached small buildings. Perbov had seen the architectural designs; they were beautiful. Back when he was working in the caves, he could only dream of living in such a home. Eventually, housing would be allocated based on work points. Given the work points Perbov earned as a soldier and those earned by his wife in the factory, they would definitely be among the first to move in once the nned houses were built. Life was getting better and better, and Perbov deeply understood that at this moment, he was not just fighting for the Governor, but also for the defense of his hard-earned, ever-improving life. All of this was brought about by the Governor. Whoever dared threaten the Governor, whoever dared to disrupt their pursuit of a better life, would be his sworn enemy!
It was for this reason that he could fully restrain his desire to fight. He executed the Governor¡¯s cautious orders withoutpromise, keeping all his rage inside, waiting for the moment to release it. This rage, when it burst forth, would surely burn fiercely. And this moment to unleash didn¡¯t make Perbov wait too long. The enemy was here. They could hear the distinctive roar of pus monsters growing clearer from all around the dense forest. These roars were unique. These brainless, mouthless creatures would emit an intimidating sound to prey, a shrill and unpleasant noise produced by high-frequency vibrations of swellings all over their bodies. Upon hearing the noise, there was no need for the Governor to say anything; Perbov immediately ryed orders to each toon. They stopped their trailzing work on the spot and swiftly shifted to defensive positions. A short whileter, the grotesque figures of those monsters could be faintly seen through the woond. Yet the soldiers, upholding strictbat discipline, did not open fire immediately. Only the designated sharpshooters within each toon, armed with precision rifles and superior shooting skills, attempted long-range kills. For the moment, gunfire was sparse, but with almost every shot, a creature in the forest fell. After another short while, the monsters came even closer to the edge of the woond, even closer to the small clearing that the soldiers had made. It was at this time that the officers at all levels gave the order to fire.
In an instant, bullets, artillery fire, and the machine guns of thebat vehicles nketed the entire surrounding area. Under the storm of metal, many of the creatures were felled before they could break out of the dense woods; those that did were met with a closer embrace of death, gunned down by bullets. The prepared human soldiers held their ground, impregnable as a fortress! Chapter 43: 43, come out quickly Chapter 43:,e out quickly
The battle intensified in an instant. Mortars began to flex their muscles, with a few shells being blocked by trees, but the shrapnel from the explosions still posed a threat. More unobstructed shells plunged into the midst of the monsters charging through the woods at a distance of about a hundred meters, clearing out an entire swath of enemies with a single hit. Overall, due to the forest environment, the range and power of the mortars were greatly reduced. But after all, these were mortars, and their lethality couldn¡¯t be ignored. The machine guns were even more fearsome killers. If the enemy hid in the dense forest, it would be different; they would have cover, poor visibility, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to hit them from afar; but as soon as those monsters charged out, or even just to the edge of the forest where the trees¡¯ obstruction lessened, the machine guns¡¯ power would rapidly increase. And once they really broke out of the forest¡¯s cover, the bullets fired from the machine guns would whip through like a steelsh, leaving no survivors in their wake. Beyond that, regr rifles were only needed to spot check and fill the gaps. A multiyered and three-dimensional firepowerwork ensured that those monsters couldn¡¯t pose a real threat to the troops led by Gu Hang.
Bioweapon gunners, swift-action zombie dogs, none of them were effective. What¡¯s there to fear from the Pus Spewers¡¯ range of fifty meters? The sharpshooters in the toon focused on such high-value targets. Even leaving aside these shooters from the T5-level forces, the soldiers from the Land Assault Team were truly elite. The electromaic rifles in their hands performed better and packed a bigger punch. With their attention, it was extremely difficult for the Pus Spewers to get within fifty meters and spew their corrosive pus into the formation of human soldiers. As for the zombie dogs, it¡¯s even less worth mentioning. Sure, their targets were rtively small, fast, and agile. However, under the dense firepowerwork, these little creatures were often taken out incidentally. Often a round of undirected heavy machine gun fire would riddle a few bullets into a zombie dog, exploding the pus-filled canine-like creature. If they actually broke through to close range, it really wasn¡¯t a big deal. Vicious as the little things were, their estimated weight of about thirty kilograms limited the threat they could pose. Soldiers¡¯ firearms were all equipped with alloy bays without exception. Thrust at a lunging dog and it would be pierced cleanly. Thrown to the ground, stepped on its head, pull out the bay, then fire a couple of shots, and it would gopletely quiet. And in the midst of battle, the most terrifying presence was the four Strider Vs. This kind ofbat vehicle, which could also y a role in interster warfare, was simply beyond what these monsters could handle. A very few Pus Spewers managed tounch their biocannon projectiles, with two hitting the Strider Vs, yet causing no effect whatsoever. The corrosive effect of this pus seemed terrifying to organic matter. Soldiers¡¯ uniforms provided poor resistance to the pus; and on contact with flesh, it was excruciating.
But the armored vests alone worn by the soldiers could block the corrosion. Not to mention the Strider V¡ªits outer armor was solidly made of alloy and stic steel, and additionally covered with ayer of cermet, a more advanced material than alloy and stic steel. Conversely, the twin-barreled forty-millimeter autocannons mounted on the Strider¡¯s weapons tform were lethal upon contact. The terrifying rate of fire and overwhelming power meant that hiding in the forest was futile. A few more shots, and it would destroy not just the trees but also the monsters hiding behind them. In some ways, it truly resembled a long-range lumberjack machine. Facing such intense firepower, the attacking monster swarm suffered far more damage than when it attacked Yan Fangxu¡¯s team from a distance. Inparison, Gu Hang¡¯s team was at a somewhat greater terrain disadvantage than Yan Fangxu¡¯s side. After all, the clearing they were in had just been carved out as a result of their march. They were the ones being attacked, not the initiators of the battle, and did not have the choice of the battleground. However, aside from that one point, Gu Hang¡¯s team held advantages over Yan Fangxu¡¯s in every aspect. Their firepower was more abundant, their soldiers more exceptional¡ªalthough both were T5-level teams, Gu Hang was apanied by more than twenty warriors of the Land Assault Team. On this battlefield, they could all serve as sharpshooters, with utterly reliable shooting uracy within dozens of meters. This also meant that the alien monsters died even faster. But they did not retreat; they kept surging out of the woonds as if they were infinite. These mindless creatures of course didn¡¯t know fear. Their lives were worthless, merely cannon fodder. However, even cannon fodder had value.
If the puppet masters behind these monsters were hoping to exchange their deaths for the ammunition in Gu Hang¡¯s hands, they were sorely mistaken. Having known beforehand what kind of enemy he would face, he had prepared ordingly before setting off. The G9 production line hadn¡¯t had time to expand yet, just meeting the equipment needs of the 3rd Infantry Battalion with the stocked ck Box Manufacturing Machine, and ammunition production wasn¡¯t on the schedule yet. But at least the ammunition stocked from the starship was still considered sufficient. And now, Gu Hang had brought out arge part of the reserve in one breath. Multiple bullish tcars carrying ammunition reserves were right in the center of the position. With such ample quantities, not to mention fighting one battle, even if the intensity increased further, it would be enough to sustain them through several more. Gu Hang observed the entire battlefield with a cold gaze. He was currently in the middle of the position, with a Strider V serving as hismand vehicle. The range of his sight was very narrow, but this did not affect his control over the entire situation. Psychic Vision was activated, and he had a clear understanding of the overall situation on the battlefield. Initially, he was prepared to step in if particrly threatening monsters appeared, such as a group of Pus Spewers entering within firing range and lobbing biocanisters into their formation¡ªhe would act first to solve the problem. But now, it seemed there was no need for him to intervene. The soldiers were doing a ster job, making his contingency ns unnecessary. Gu Hang was quite satisfied with this. Since there were no significant issues with the overall battlefield, Gu Hang could now focus his efforts on the possibility of cultists making an appearance. He didn¡¯t believe that the cultists¡¯ tactics were limited to merely driving these mindless monsters; such acts had no chance of posing a threat to him. They surely had other means at their disposal.
¡°The mindless monsters have drawn the vast majority of my soldiers¡¯ firepower. Now it¡¯s your turne out quickly.¡± Chapter 44: 44, Howling Wind Divine Envoy Chapter 44:, Howling Wind Divine Envoy
¡°` ¡°The monsters have already drawn the majority of the governor¡¯s soldiers¡¯ firepower, what are we waiting for?¡± In the dense forest not far away, three people dressed in gray-white robes stood on the branches, looking towards the distant battlefield. Around them, a light breeze swirled, obscuring their view and making it hard to spot them from afar, even Gu Hang¡¯s Spiritual Vision failed to detect their presence. These three were none other than the apostles of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect. The leader was exceptionally tall, his presence on the branch seemed somewhat out of ce. But upon closer inspection, one would realize that he was not merely standing; he was only touching the branches with the tips of one foot. A pale white vortex of wind beneath his feet cradled his body.
It was more like floating. His real name was known to very few. But his code name within the sect was infamous. He was one of the twelve executive Divine Envoys, the Howling Wind Divine Envoy. Although they were not involved in specific affairs, they had powerfulbat capabilities. Within the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, each of the twelve executive Divine Envoys had received the true blessing of the Primal Fury Owl, granting them the ability to use the formidable Storm God Skill. Their exalted status within the sect was second only to the four High Priests. However, at this moment, the Howling Wind Divine Envoy was hesitating. Upon hearing the query from the subordinate clergy behind him, he responded, ¡°Now is not a good opportunity, the impact caused by that pus-filled monster is far smaller than we estimated. The guard soldiers around that governor have not been thrown into disorder at all.¡± The clergy who spoke earlier spoke up again, ¡°But¡­ Your Excellency, Divine Envoy, are we really going to give up this opportunity?¡± This question plunged the Howling Wind Divine Envoy into silence. The man waited for a moment before speaking again, unable to restrain himself, ¡°This mission was personally given by High Priest Cikao, it is crucial for our god¡¯s great endeavor in Revival City.¡± The Howling Wind Divine Envoy still didn¡¯t speak. The third person beside them spoke up, ¡°Do not disturb the Divine Envoy¡¯s contemtion.¡±
The former¡¯s face stiffened as he added, ¡°I apologize, I did not mean to question anything; I am just a bit anxious. The controller we obtained from the Life School is already in an overloaded state. To maintain control over this scale of numbers, we can hold on for less than ten minutes¡­¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± the third clergy from earlier interrupted once more, ¡°No need to borate, we are all aware, let the Divine Envoy make the decision.¡± Finally, the man closed his mouth. A few minutester, the tallest Howling Wind Divine Envoy standing at the forefront heaved a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s take action, today is the day we sacrifice ourselves to the storm.¡± The other two felt a chill in their hearts upon hearing this. By the Divine Envoy¡¯s implications¡­ sacrifice? Could it be a one-way journey? Has ite to this extent? But now there was no time for them to ponder further. The Howling Wind Divine Envoy leapt from the branch first. The wind that initially suspended him above the branch turned tumultuous in an instant, taking on the shape of a Storm Giant Eagle, emitting a clear cry, carrying the Divine Envoy as it soared forward. The other two clergy hurried to follow. They too called forth their Storm Eagles and, riding them, quickly caught up. The three of them formed a triangr formation and swiftly flew toward the human soldiers¡¯ position not far away.
Not long after they started their move, the governor¡¯s soldiers had already spotted them. ¡°` It was hard not to notice, three Storm Giant Eagles in total, onerge and two small, each carrying a person. They were too conspicuous. Bullets immediately covered the three of them. However, they were of little effect. Moving targets, especially those flying at high speeds, are not easy to hit. The training package provided by the system made all the soldiers qualified within a few days, but that didn¡¯t mean every qualified soldier was a marksman who never missed. Most people couldn¡¯t guarantee uracy when shooting at distant and fast-moving objects. Even with machine-gun fire, chasing after the targets, the results were very poor. Of course, with bullets flying everywhere and the number of shots increasing, there would eventually be hits. But with the fierce attacks of those pustule monsters on the ground, most of the firepower was needed to suppress these enemies. There were only a few who could redirect their guns to shoot at the three unidentified flying objects above. Originally in short supply, and with questionable uracy, the number of bullets that actually hit was even fewer. It was only the specially trained sharpshooters and the Marines who could guarantee a certain hit rate. But soldiers with such abilities were far too few. Moreover, even if stray bullets or those from sharpshooters did hit, they were not very useful.
Even Wohan, who had only gained Storm Sorcery because he had paid enough money, could use a wind shield to block a few seconds of concentrated fire from electromaic rifles. Not to mention a Divine Envoy and two official priests. Underneath the wings of the Storm Giant Eagles, the power of the wind swirled around the three, and the few bullets that did hit had no effect at all; they were simply deflected. Howling Wind Divine Envoy led the two priests, riding the Storm Giant Eagles, to the airspace above the governor¡¯s troop position. They began to circle. Then, the winds picked up. A white storm enveloped the area below. Wind, by all ounts, is colorless, just the movement of air. But the gusts called forth by their hands carried a white mist. The mist that came with the wind was not cold nor damp, but rather had a cutting sensation. Putting aside the slight pain of the wind against the skin, many soldiers were even blown about haphazardly. Afterward, as the mist thickened with the wind within minutes, it started to affect visibility. Direct casualties were limited for the moment. Many people had minor cuts from the wind imbued with supernatural energy, but these cuts were certainly far from fatal. If these three Cult Divine Envoys and Divine Envoy had concentrated the storm in a much smaller area, those minor cuts could actually be lethal, like death by a thousand cuts.
But not now. Compared to just killing a small portion of the main troops, the Storm Sorcery they released was more about disrupting the human soldiers¡¯ ability to continue fighting below, allowing the pustule monsters on the outskirts to breach their defense line. That was more efficient. The Storm Sorcery they circled and cast above the position indeed affected the soldiers¡¯ firepower output. Blown about, struggling to even stand steady, feeling sharp pain when the wind struck exposed skin such as the face¡­ these factors prevented the soldiers from shooting urately. And the white fog that came with the wind, continually swirling, impacted visibility as well. As the soldiers¡¯ firepower weakened, arge number of monsters closed in! Chapter 45: 45, The Governor Will Make a Move Chapter 45:, The Governor Will Make a Move
Perbov felt a chill in his heart. He understood all too well what would happen if these monsters actually broke through the fire blockade and reached their faces. The Pus Spewers, previously thought to be very dangerous among the enemy, were actually nothing at all. The most terrifying were those ordinary Pus monsters. It was mainly their numbers; there were simply too many of them. Once engaged in closebat, the soldiers, even though they were equipped with bays, naturally couldn¡¯t fire their weapons at close quarters. And when more and more, almost endless, monsters rushed in, how could his men possibly outfight the enemy with just their bays? Even if a soldier could kill three or five Pus monsters in closebat, it would be useless. The enemy would use their overwhelming numbers topletely drown them.
In fact, signs of this were already showing. Twice as many zombie dogs as before had already taken the lead and rushed into the soldiers¡¯ formation after the fire support weakened. This was the first step in shaking the entire defensive line. The zombie dogs that rushed in had to be dealt with up close by the soldiers, and if they took even a little more time to handle these zombie dogs, it would further weaken the firepower, and more zombie dogs might rush in subsequently. The situation would quickly enter into a vicious cycle and copse rapidly. Perbov could see this trend. But he felt somewhat powerless. He had already shouted himself hoarse, demanding his soldiers hold on and maintain fire. But it was difficult. His warriors were not cowards, but pain, strong winds, and white fog were objective difficulties that could not simply be ovee. Especially the white fog, which severelypromised the soldiers¡¯ visibility. Even those who could stay at theirbat posts could only fire blindly into the surrounding fog. Only at a much closer range could they see some vague silhouettes. The decline in shooting uracy greatly reduced the effectiveness of the firepower grid. What he could truly do effectively at the moment was to ensure the more critical fire support units maintained their assault.
The mortars, unified under themand of the battalion headquarters, could not stop, and Perbov also demanded the mortar operators drop their shells closer to their positions. Previously, the shells were mostly targeted at the edge of the woods, as the first wave of killing and interception. Not cing them too close was due to fear of friendly fire, as well as because the enemy¡¯s formation would be sparse due to casualties on the charge, which would reduce the lethality of the shells. But now he couldn¡¯t care about that. Additionally, the machine gunners positioned at various points were also trying their best to hold their positions. Their situation was slightly better, with the temporary fortifications made of wood and sandbags at the fire points providing some protection from the wind. The machine gunners endured the pain, lying on the ground with their fingers wrapped around the trigger, not caring if the barrel would overheat and fail, wildly pouring bullets into the mist. At the same time, the fire from the four Striders never ceased. It was because the mortars, machine guns, and autocannons, these three major fire points, had not been silenced, that the entire defensive line still had a certain level of fire support. If this were not the case, the defensive line would have already copsed. However, Perbov knew that with just hismand, this was all he could do. The fragile bnce could only slow down the process of the defensive line copsing and could not return to the previous level of keeping all the monsterspletely outside the range of fire. In frustration, he looked up through the fog and saw the vague figures of three Storm Eagles¡ªonerge and two smaller ones¡ªflitting through the sky. He knew that therey the root of the problem. But for those three creatures in the sky¡­ Perbov truly had no solution.
He had already ordered all the sharpshooters in thepany to shoot at the sky, but to little effect; he himself had also drawn his sidearm, firing shots up into the sky, but that seemed more like a venting of frustration, utterly useless. He had tried his hardest, but what followed seemed to signify that his efforts were about to be destroyed. The current stability of the defensive position was due to the mortar positions and the machine gun fire points still being active, a factor clearly seen by the Storm Apostles flying above. They didn¡¯t trouble the Strider V; their Storm Sorcerycked the means to prate the armor and injure the drivers inside. And to damage the armored vehicles themselves¡­ Forget it. Byparison, the machine gunners and mortar men were easier to deal with. The sky unleashed wind bullets. A wheel-sized wind bullet, tearing through the white fog from mid-air, descended rapidly and exploded upon a machine gun position with a thunderous st. It was as if the sudden explosive pressure of the bullet sent people flying; the high-pressure dispersed wind des cut bodies to ribbons, truly like shrapnel. The machine gunner and the two soldiers beside him, when they hit the ground, were already lifeless. The removal of a machine gun fire point had a significant impact. The area it covered was immediately breached by several zombie dogs, followed by Pus Spewers.
The pressure suddenly increased. Seeing two more wind bullets descending from the sky, Perbov was panic-stricken. Instinctively, he moved towards thending point of the wind bullets, trying to block them with his body. But just then, a rather familiar voice rang in his mind: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, lead your team with your heart.¡± ¡°Governor?!¡± Perbov recognized the voice, but when he looked around, he saw nothing. It was only then that he came to the bted realization that the voice had sounded directly in his mind. A light bulb went off in his head, and he recalled that battle beside the valley, those people with peculiar deaths. The Governor possessed some mystical power known as Spiritual Energy, not powerless at all. If it was the Governor, there would be no problem at all! Perbov had such deep trust in the Governor in his heart. And indeed, Gu Hang did not let him down.
The two wind bullets that he was desperate to block with his body dissipated into nothingness before they even touched the ground. Immediately after, the three Storm Giant Eagles flying in the sky also vanished. Three figures fell from the sky. In an instant, the situation had greatly changed. All of this was, of course, due to the intervention of Gu Hang. At this moment, he had already disembarked from the Strider V. The transmission of Spiritual Energy through the armor of the Strider V to cast spells outside would attenuate to a certain extent. To ensure sess, he left the Strider V and went outside. ¡®Spiritual Energy Cutting¡¯ is indeed a handy spell. Gu Hang did not use this spell directly on those three Cultists. The soul strength of those three was quite high, distinctly visible in his spiritual vision. Even if he had exerted his full strength, it was not certain that he could sever their heads or kill their souls. The target Gu Hang chose to strike was the Spiritual Energy link they used to control the Storm Eagles. Destroying the flight sorcery and causing the three to fall, then annihting them physically, was a more convenient method. And beside him, 11 soldiers of the Land Assault Team darted out, each targeting one of the falling figures.
These assault team members, while sprinting at high speed and firing their guns, were uncannily urate, their metal spikes precisely targeting the free-falling figures in mid-air. This was a standard far beyond theirrades. The reason why these 11 special forces soldiers were able to perform at such a high level was that they had transcended the T4 level of warriors and reached the T3 tier. Chapter 46: 46, T3 Troops Chapter 46:, T3 Troops
¡°` Before heading out on the mission, dubbed a rescue but in reality a fishing expedition, Gu Hang had emptied his savings. Originally, the grace he received from the battle at Mantan River Valley Manor was spent on extracting technology and during the training of the 3rd Regiment. However, a few days ago, when Yan Fangxu led a team to burn the alien breeding nests in the wilderness, Gu Hang would receive 1-2 points of grace for every nest they destroyed, depending on the scale of the breeding nest. After seven breeding nests were burnt down, Gu Hang had gained 11 points of grace. And he invested this grace into 11 soldiers of the Land Assault Team. The Elite Assault Team soldiers, descending from the starship, were starkly different from regr soldiers. They wore dark brown, one-piecebat suits with masks, skillfully equipped, with no inch of skin exposed duringbat. The seemingly lightweightbat suits, once fitted with ceramic steel tes, were even more useful than armored vests.
These were the elites of the Imperial Naval Marine Corps, considered special forces. The training level of these forces was already ranked at T4 by the system. To elevate their training to T3 level would cost 1 point of grace per soldier. 1 point of grace was enough to train a hundred ordinary people into a wholepany of warriors, equivalent to the level of the Imperial Regr Army. But when it came to training T3 level soldiers, it was only enough for one individual¡¯s advancement. To further train them to T2 level would require 10 points of grace per person, which was enough for Gu Hang himself to level up on the ¡®Hero¡¯ panel. Nevertheless, despite the high cost, the value was extraordinary. At that time, he took the 11 Marine soldiers aside and conducted some secretive, special training maneuvers. The maneuvers were made up by him, but when dered, he imed they were blessings from The Emperor, derived from a special training method he possessed. Ordinary people would find it hard to believe in such things, but not when it came to Governor Gu Hang. These Marine soldiers had seen with their own eyes how those country bumpkins transformed intopetent soldiers in an incredibly short period of time. How could they not believe? The Land Assault Team soldiers were ecstatic! All 11 individuals, meticulous and devout,pleted the motions as instructed by the governor.
Then, in an incredibly short period of time, they truly felt revolutionizing changes within their bodies. They became stronger, even to a somewhat superhuman extent. They could run faster, had greater strength, more resilient to impacts, and even small-caliber bullets might not prate their foreheads; their strength had nearly tripled, and rocks they couldn¡¯t lift before now seemed somewhat light. Their neural responses also became quicker, with birds in flight appearing to them as slow-moving paper nes; their military skills improved massively in a short period of time, with each transitioning from a tolerable marksman into a sharpshooter; they also felt they had mastered highly efficient closebat techniques, paired with theirbat knives, they were capable of taking down five or six past selves in closebat¡­ Profoundly feeling the changes within themselves, they felt as if they were in a dream. Why was this happening? It was too unscientific! But it was indeed reality. They could only attribute it to The Emperor¡¯s grace, the governor¡¯s magic. And they were one of the trump cards Gu Hang had prepared for this operation. ¡°` At this moment, these soldiers, enhanced to T3 level, were also making good on the role Gu Hang had expected of them. 11 ¡®Eagle¡¯ Electromaic Rifles were firing at the falling Evil God Priest. They didn¡¯t need verbalmunication, with every three soldiers taking on one target. The metal spikes followed like lock-on tracking, rarely missing their mark even though they themselves were running, and their target was still in freefall.
Meanwhile, Gu Hang was up to no good. The opponent was strong, so Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t frivolously expend his limited spiritual energy. Just like he cut off three Evil God Priests¡¯ control over the Storm Eagle moments ago, he could do something with minimal effort at some critical junctures. And this time, the mischief he was causing was disrupting and severing the three priests¡¯ control over the Storm Shield. Although the Navy Marine Corps soldiers had been enhanced to T3 level, it was the soldiers who had been upgraded, not their rifles. The ¡®Eagle¡¯ Electromaic Rifles in their hands remained unchanged. The metallic spikes hit those three individuals, all blocked by the Storm Shield. To break through the Storm Shield with just the force of bullets was difficult; one would need to stand still and be shot for quite a while. But it still had some effect, reducing the intensity of the Storm Shield and forcing the Evil God Priests to mobilize spiritual energy to maintain the shield¡¯s intensity. This gave Gu Hang an opportunity. All he needed was a light touch, not even needing to put in much effort topletely dismantle the Storm Shield, just destabilizing it was enough. A Storm Shield that suddenly weakened and even showed gaps and ws was quite fatal to the falling Divine Envoys. The least skilled among them suffered particrly dreadful. In mid-air, at least five or six metal spikes prated his body. With the overwhelming power of the electromaic rifle, the human body couldn¡¯t withstand it. That guy was destroyed mid-air and by the time he hit the ground, there was no discernible human shape left, just shattered remains. But the other two were in better shape.
In Gu Hang¡¯s view, he could see that the strongest of the pair was barely affected. After his Storm Shield encountered problems, he quicklypensated, preventing himself from being hit. The other reacted simrly, but there was a clear gap between his level and the strongest one; he ended up getting hit twice, breaking an arm and a leg. The two Divine Envoys who were still alive after hitting the ground each had their actions. The strongest one, almost unharmed, suddenly sprouted a pair of white storm wings from his back. The wings resembled turbines, and as he suddenly jetted backward, he reached extreme speeds in the blink of an eye. He ignored the Land Assault Team soldiers rushing over and instead directly targeted Gu Hang, who was in the back. The Howling Wind Divine Envoy hadn¡¯t forgotten his mission, his most important target on this trip was to kill theary governor. He had nned to use the storm, use the white fog, to disorient the soldiers¡¯ position, letting those pustule beasts charge in, and eliminate all of the soldiers, leaving only the governor hiding in the armored vehicle to be dealt withter. But to his surprise, the governor had left the protection of the armored vehicle on his own. However, that Governor Gu Hang surprisingly possessed psychic powers and was even using very advanced techniques, which greatly shocked him. This caused a significant w in his n; the governor¡¯s actions not only halted their destruction of the human soldiers¡¯ position but even put him and his two subordinates into dangerous territory. But he still had a chance. As long as he could kill the governor on the spot.
Chapter 47: 47, luckily I’m one step ahead Chapter 47:, luckily I¡¯m one step ahead
The whirlwind carried the vortex-formed wings, providing Howling Wind Divine Envoy with explosive speed! He charged straight for Gu Hang! As long as he killed Gu Hang, his mission would still be consideredplete. The soldiers, who appeared to be very elite, seemed to have sensed his intentions. Half of them set out to suppress the other living Divine Envoy, while the remaining soldiers attempted to block him. Bullets flew towards him, but the Storm Shield remained faithful to its duty and could not be easily breached. Two soldiers who were rtively close stood in his way, pulling out daggers in an attempt to engage him inbat. The reaction speed and agility of those soldiers surprised the Howling Wind Divine Envoy.
He was moving at ultra-high speeds, with the Storm Turbine Wings bursting so quickly that ordinary people could not possibly react in time, much less intercept him. But those soldiers could do so. And their willpower was beyond imagination. Getting near to him meant bearing the force of the storm. High-pressure wind des cut through theirbat suits, and even shed dense wounds on their bodies. Yet, they remained resolute and unshaken. More crucially, the daggers in their hands, when they shed down, could indeed pierce through his surrounding wind. This was definitely non-human strength! If he hadn¡¯t reacted extremely fast and detonated a wind bomb between himself and that soldier, sending him flying, he would have been stabbed. But he could only repel one. The other soldier fiercely thrust the knife into his body. If it weren¡¯t for the power of the wind helping him to deflect the de at the critical moment, it wouldn¡¯t be his abdomen, but his heart that got pierced. But the current situation was still critical. The soldier very quickly released the knife-holding hand, ignoring the blood, picked up an electromaic rifle, and prepared to give the Divine Envoy a close-range volley.
If hit by that, Howling Wind Divine Envoy feared he would fall on the spot. His Storm Shield had been punctured by that recent stab, and he didn¡¯t have full confidence topletely block the ¡°Eagle¡¯s¡± shooting. In the nick of time, Howling Wind Divine Envoy became fierce. He spread his arms, didn¡¯t retreat but advanced, embracing the soldier to prevent the special forces elite from firing his bullets directly. His physical strength was no match for his opponent¡¯s, and he would be released eventually, but the Storm Sorcery was spectacr at that moment! Wind des instantly spun around him, showing no mercy as they poured into the soldier¡¯s body. The ceramic te armor wouldn¡¯t be easily destroyed, but it wasn¡¯t full-body coverage. Thebat suit was cut open under the high-pressure wind des, followed by the flesh. Blood spurted wildly, blown about by the wind. In an instant, a fully-grown person was chopped down to nothing, leaving behind a gun, bulletproof tes, helmet, fragments of personal items, bones¡­ The blood-soaked Howling Wind Divine Envoy dared not linger for a moment. In his moment of desperation, he had unleashed all his might, achieving such a terrifying effect. However, he had firsthand experience of the strength of these elite soldiers, unlike ordinary soldiers, and the knife stuck in his belly was proof of this. If he hesitated for a moment longer, soldiers would immediately rush at him.
If he could create some distance, relying on the bullet-deflecting Storm Shield, he might be confident in killing all the soldiers. But firstly, there was Gu Hang, who could manipte delicate Psychic Spells to interfere; secondly, he could not create distance now, and the Storm Shield¡¯s defenses against closebat des were not as effective as against bullets; moreover, his bodily strength andbat skills, which were not much stronger than those of an average person, put him at too much of a disadvantage against those elite soldiers. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to muster strength again. The Storm Turbine Wings formed by sorcery on his back let out an intense roar, as he once again burst from his position with a limit speed! And this time, finally no one stood in his way! With an extremely fast speed, he rushed toward Gu Hang. Flying close to the ground, the already thin mist waspletely dispersed! He was like an arrow in flight! The next moment, he mmed into Gu Hang with great force, sending him flying through the air. The wild windpletely enveloped Gu Hang. Howling Wind Divine Envoy was even more brutal to Gu Hang than to the soldier he had just shed to pieces. He once again overloaded the power of Storm Sorcery, heedless of the severe bacsh that might ensue, determined to ensure Gu Hang¡¯s death. Gu Hang mmed hard into the ground. Then, he stood up. Howling Wind Divine Envoy¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, utterly unable to understand why this was happening.
The force he had exerted should have been enough topletely shred Gu Hang¡¯s body, so why did the Governor appear to bepletely unharmed? Clenching his teeth, he tried to unleash his power once more, but this time the winds did not heed his call. Instead, he felt an intense pain in his lungs, as if the wind was cutting through his chest cavity. Unable to bear it, his body convulsed, and opening his mouth, he vomited blood profusely, mixed with pieces of his lungs. As the pain subsided slightly, he raised his head and saw the assault vehicle beside him, its cannon already aimed at him. Fire. In an instant, severalrge-caliber cannon shells shattered his already fragile Storm Shield, and then destroyed his body as well. ¡­ Gu Hang still felt a bit scared afterward. After the enemy appeared, he had sensed that one among the three was particrly strong. While dealing with these three, he proportionately allocated his strength. The other two presented no surprises; one was dead before he hit the ground, and the other was nearly dead, with severed hands and feet still trying to resist. Now, he was held down by a group of special forces and stabbed to death in a frenzied assault. But the strongest one was still beyond expectation. He had already made his move. When that man flew towards him and was intercepted by the elite marines, had it not been for Gu Hang taking the opportunity to strike him from the shadows, he would not have been so easily stabbed in the stomach.
But unexpectedly, even though the guy had clearly pushed his sorcery to the limit and had a knife embedded in his abdomen, he was still able to unleash a tremendous amount of power. He not only used the storm to dismember a marine elite in a horrific manner but also continued to burst forth towards him, blowing him away and a violent storm swept around him. Under normal circumstances, he should have been dead, like the dismembered marine elite. At the crucial moment, it was his talent ¡°Spiritual Energy Shield,¡±which he had gained when hest upgraded his personal level to LV2, that made the difference. This thing didn¡¯t need activation; it triggered passively and came into effect as soon as he took a hit. It indeed saved Gu Hang¡¯s life. As he was sent flying, Gu Hang could feel the violent winds surrounding him, constantly shing and grinding against his spiritual energy. The power of the storm was so fierce that in almost an instant, Gu Hang¡¯s spiritual energy was almost depleted. Fortunately, the force of the storm came fast and left just as quickly, representing the total power of the opponent¡¯s burst. Once withstood, it was gone. However, after surviving that wave of attack, Gu Hang¡¯s spiritual energy was almostpletely drained. But he was not alone; the assault vehicle helped him take the final step. Looking at the enemy that had been blown to smithereens, certain never to rise again, Gu Hang sighed in relief. Luckily, I had a bit more skill.
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Tsk tsk, the female captain¡¯s fan hearts have surpassed the protagonist? LSP¡­ I mean, there really are many discerning readers and lords. PS, there was a data bug earlier; there are 11 members of the T3 marine team, not 9, corrected! Thanks for pointing out the issue! Chapter 48: 48 s, shall we practice together? Chapter 48: 48 chapters, shall we practice together?
The Howling Wind Divine Envoy was dead, left without any human shape to speak of. The priest that had been blown up by the metal spikes also had no recognizable shape left, just a pile of broken remains. Thest one looked slightly better in death but only slightly. He was struck in mid-air, breaking an arm and a leg, and even as he fell to the ground trying to resist, he was faced with the onught of elite ground warriors, who broke through his Storm Shield and then stabbed him to death with a flurry of knives. After the death of the three priests wielding Storm Divine Power, the winds quickly subsided, and the fog dissipated just as fast. In that short period, the soldiers indeed fell into chaos, their firepowerwork was affected, and many monsters breached their defenses, with over a dozen Pus Spewers entering range and causing casualties among the soldiers with their spray of pus. However, overall, the chaos caused serious damage but was not fatal. Once the winds and fog cleared, the soldiers regained control of the battlefield. Despite the casualties, they killed all the monsters that had breached their position, and the Pus Spewers, which had only fired one or two volleys of bio-shell, were eliminated by machine guns and the cannons of armored infantry vehicles.
Even though the three Storm Priests had perished, the battle did not end immediately. The monsters, to some extent, did follow the Storm Priests¡¯mand, but after the priests¡¯ deaths, the uncontrolled creatures were still tremendously dangerous, maintaining their ferocious state as they constantly surged out of the woods, attempting to attack any living being they could see. But despite their ongoing frenzy and reduced firepower within the position due to earlier casualties, they still couldn¡¯t break through. The gap in firepower was something these primitive monsters couldn¡¯t contend with. It¡¯s said that during arge-scale, mature ¡®Other Tide¡¯, even more advanced monsters would appear, not just limited to the inferior Pus Monsters and Spewers. But at least Gu Hang and his men didn¡¯t encounter any this time. The nests within the woods were still in the phase of umting power. Perhaps given a few months to slowly hatch and consume one another, they could grow into a batch of higher-level monsters, and the situation would be troublesome. But now, the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, in an attempt to kill Gu Hang, prematurely elerated the maturation of most of the nests in the woods, resulting in what seemed like arge-scale attack but was in reality not fraught with many high-level monsters, therefore the threat level was rtively average. In fact, to some extent, the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect¡¯s actions even helped Gu Hang. Arge number of nests were matured ahead of time, and a vast number of monsters were gathered here, which could be dealt with all at once. This reduced a significant workload for the troops under Gu Hang¡¯smand in their subsequent task of clearing the entire Other-species woods. As the battle continued, it was evident that the number and density of monsters charging from the thick forest were significantly decreasing. Clearly, they were not truly endless. After being massively culled, there were not many left.
Eventually, with Yan Fangxu¡¯s forces arriving on the scene, the battle essentially entered its final stage. When he learned that the governor might be ambushed, he couldn¡¯t stay put waiting for rescue. He took the initiative to lead his troops out, breaking through slowly and methodically. ording to his n, it was not necessary to break through sessfully. Even if they could draw some attention to help the governor, that would be good enough. As it turned out, as they moved on, he soon noticed a sudden decrease in the number of monsters he encountered, as if they had all run off elsewhere. He spected that this was because the battle on the governor¡¯s side had already begun, and he could even hear the roar of gunfire. So, they sped up and reached the battlefield, meeting up with the governor. But by that time, the battle was already drawing to a close. He could only lead the 3rd Battalion to join the fight and help clear the remaining monsters. Soon, there was not a single active monster left in front of the soldiers. ¡­ Perbov stepped on a Pus Monster that had lost its lower half, relying on its hands to crawl on the ground, and he watched as it vainly stretched out its arms to grab him. After pondering for a moment, he lifted his pistol and fired at the monster¡¯s head, silencing it for good. Hearing the footsteps behind him, he turned to see a weary-looking Yan Fangxu approaching.
His gaze naturally fell on the other¡¯s shoulder, where the corrosive-ridden fabric revealed reddening, wounded skin underneath. He grinned and said, ¡°Yo, captain, you look quite a mess.¡± Yan Fangxu rolled his eyes irritably, walked up and punched him in the chest, ¡°You¡¯re not looking any better, limping as you walk.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that toe and save you?¡± Having reached this point, Yan Fangxu couldn¡¯t deny it anymore, and hisplexion turned a bit dark. Perbov, on the other hand,forted him, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, this bunch of trash, rubbish, conscience-fed-to-dogs traitors, they just wanted to use you to ambush the Governor. It¡¯s not on you. Our mission is to be the sword and shield of the Governor. Today, both of us didn¡¯t do a very good job at that, but from now on, I¡¯ll put in even more effort. What about you?¡± Yan Fangxu looked at the officer who had risen through the ranks of the Abandoned Cave Society with some surprise. Why had this guy suddenly voiced such sentiments? He wasn¡¯t aware that the Storm Priest had just charged at Gu Hang, directly threatening the Governor¡¯s life, nor could he imagine how deeply this scene had impacted Perbov, the captain. Unaware of these things, Mr. Captain could only scratch his head and nod, agreeing to it. After saying goodbye to Perbov, Yan Fangxu went to find Gu Hang. The Governor was inside an armored personnel carrier. One of his old subordinates stopped him, ¡°The Governor is resting.¡±
¡°I have something I need to report.¡± The marine seemed torn but still barred his way, ¡°But¡­ Captain, the Governor is resting. It¡¯s better not to disturb him.¡± Yan Fangxu was again surprised. This was not one of the soldiers recruited by Gu Hang on Rage Owl Star, but one of the marines he had brought down from the starship, a direct subordinate. Historically, they had been closer. Even to speak a bit disrespectfully, in private, they had not refrained fromining about various matters regarding the Governor. The soldiers were loyal to the Governor, but it seemed more out of duty and role. But now, he truly saw respect for the Governor in his old subordinate¡¯s eyes. A question mark slowly rose in his mind: What had just happened? It wasn¡¯t that he found the deep respect and loyalty his subordinates had for the Governor problematic. On the contrary, it was as it should be. But that didn¡¯t stop him from being curious about what had caused these changes. He decided not to wake Gu Hang, but instead pulled his old subordinate aside to ask in detail what had exactly happened in the recent battle. After learning about the situation, Yan Fangxu also fell silent.
The Governor had been approached and attacked by the Heretic Cultists but escaped unharmed, only a bit tired; the Governor¡¯s psychic spells had once again proved powerful; his own old subordinates had undergone earth-shattering changes after the Governor¡¯s rapid ¡°special training¡±¡­ All this information was like a fantasy to Yan Fangxu¡¯s ears. Why was there no harm done? Why did those cultists fall from the sky while flying so properly? All this could only be attributed to the marvel of Spiritual Energy. The news that the Governor was a spiritual master, Yan Fangxu could more or less ept. After all, it was not his first day knowing the Governor was a psychic; it was just that his feats seemed more miraculous now. Yan Fangxu tried to convince himself it was no big deal. But could his old marine elites be even stronger? And in such a short period of time? Just like how the Governor trained those ordinary people? Yan Fangxu found it hard to ept and believe. He joked, ¡°So, youd, are you even more skilled than me now? Want to have a go?¡± In the past, no marine would dare to ept the challenge. Captain Yan Fangxu was famously tough, and sparring with him meant seeking difort. But now, things had changed. The soldier, brimming with eagerness, said, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it!¡±
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Hey, don¡¯t just look at the girl! Why did we exceed that much in one night? The Governor is pretty handsome too, right? Chapter 49: 49, Battle Settlement Chapter 49:, Battle Settlement
Gu Hang sat in an armored infantry vehicle, his face pale as he closed his eyes to recuperate. He was aware of the noise outside, but he was toozy to bother with it. The battle had just ended, and it had drained him significantly. The main issue was that he had been directly charged. ¡°Spiritual Protection¡± had blocked nearly all the damage, but it had also depleted all of his spiritual energy. In fact, this was a very dangerous situation. ording to the education on psychic spells he had received from his memories,pletely depleting one¡¯s spirituality could lead to uncontroble consequences: death, madness, mental abnormalities, personality disintegration¡­ All of these were possibilities.
After the battle ended, Gu Hang rested while checking the state of his spirituality, which fortunately, allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. The severe conditions hadn¡¯t appeared; his current symptoms were just some fatigue and a slight headache. Generally speaking, they would improve after some rest. But he still took away some lessons from this experience. This time, it was slightly risky, to the point that he had put himself in danger. But upon careful reflection, Gu Hang didn¡¯t think there was anything particrly wrong with his actions. It was true that he was a governor, but it wasn¡¯t to the extent that he would avoid risk altogether. His enterprise was still in its early stages, and there were times when he had to fight. This time, there was no second psychic in his entire domain. If he hadn¡¯t taken action himself, today¡¯s situation wouldn¡¯t have been resolved. He couldn¡¯t just stand by and let Yan Fangxu and his 3rd Infantry Battalion be trapped and perish in the woods. But the oue was definitely good. The methods of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect in nurturing and controlling so many monsters certainly weren¡¯t easy; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t still be rats in the sewers. Having used such tactics and lost three formidable priests here, the sect must have suffered significant losses. Even before that, they must have been in a lot of pain already. If it weren¡¯t for him urging Revival City to intensify the crackdown on the cult, forcing them into desperate action and attempting to assassinate him at a great cost, they would not have done so. Well, that¡¯s good. If you didn¡¯t finish me off this time, wait until I get to Revival City and uncover everything you¡¯re hiding.
¡­ After resting for a good while, he felt his condition had recovered a lot. It was only then that he truly had the energy to properly tally his gains. This time, the victory was substantial, though the losses were also the greatestpared to previous battles. But the results were equally significant. [Having a slight upper hand, 86 points of grace obtained] [Losses 103, exterminated 6597, captured 0] [2nd Infantry Battalion: Losses 77, exterminated 4447] [3rd Infantry Battalion: Losses 24, exterminated 1613] [Navy Marine Corps: Losses 2, exterminated 537] Just looking at the casualty ratio, it was impressive, but Gu Hang wasn¡¯t the least bit happy about it. All that had been exterminated were brainless monsters. If they acted ording to Yan Fangxu¡¯s strategy, they could almost no loss cleanse each of these monsters¡¯irs one by one over the next few months, rather than facing them all at once after they had been rallied.
Not to mention facing three Storm Priests at the same time. In total, 103 soldiers were lost, with the 2nd Battalion already exceeding a 25% casualty rate. Most of these casualties happened amidst the raging winds and dense fog. Among them, two recently promoted tier 3 members of the Marine Corps had been killed by the most formidable priest, meaning the invested 2 points of grace were gone. The two regr infantry battalions, especially the 2nd, needed a substantial number of recement troops. Gu Hang¡¯s total poption under his control amounted to just under six thousand. Excluding the Mech Servant Battalion, he had already supported two infantry battalions totaling six hundred men, with a mobilization rate exceeding ten percent. In fact, given theposition of the poption, this was already a significant pressure, not to mention Gu Hang needed manpower for various rapidly expanding production lines outside the military. The excessively high mobilization rate was already affecting production efficiency. Especially for the young and able-bodied workers, the shortfall at the Abandoned Cave Society was significant, bing a limiting factor in development. The army¡¯s casualties would require a further hundred men to be drawn from thebor pool¡­ which was going to be a strain. Gu Hang could already foresee Patel, who was in charge of heavy industry at the Abandoned Cave Society, tearing his hair out. The guy wouldn¡¯t put any obstacles in the way of the young men joining the military for the Governor; in his heart, that was an honor, a defense of theirbor achievements. But after the decrease in manpower, how to maintain or even expand production was certainly going to be a headache for him. As for other costs¡­ the textile factory had been set up, and uniforms could be produced in-house, with the relevant design ns already passed on; alloy and stic steel production lines could turn out armored vests; firearms could either be salvaged from battlefield remnants or newly produced. Even if it was just for soldier training, a hundred soldiers would only cost 1 point in grace. All of these were not an issue. The problem was still the poption.
They still needed to bleed others dry. The Quintet in the sky was no longer easy to exploit, and going after the lower-end poption was also not very meaningful. Gu Hang had other ns for the female captain; on the Quintet, there were plenty of talents he coveted. To annihte the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, or at least give them a severe blow, he would need to borrow the female captain¡¯s power and also consider it as a form of repayment to Yelisia, but that could be discussedter. What remained were Revival City and Rubbish Town. Most of those in Rubbish Town were adventurers dreaming of striking it rich, and it wasn¡¯t ruled out that some who had been through trials and tribtions now wanted to live the life of an honest person¡­ no, to settle down as an honest person, but it couldn¡¯t be forced. Revival City was a huge source; Gu Hang did not disdain the refugees who could no longer survive outside the city walls. Tens of thousands of people were unrealistic to take in all at once, but he now had ample job positions and abundant food to support many. ¡­ Having thought through the losses, it was now time to consider the gains. 86 points of grace, thergest sum Gu Hang had rued thus far. It was even more than all the previous ones added together. This gave Gu Hang a sense of having struck it rich. The heavy shadow of the soldiers¡¯ massive casualties and losses was much dispelled by this joy.
Of the 86 points of grace, it was estimated that over thirty were ¡®contributed¡¯ by those three priests, with the strongest one alone providing over twenty points. That high priest, just in terms of Spiritual Energy strength, was even greater than Gu Hang. However, when it came to the application of Spiritual Energy, Gu Hang had the nuanced ¡®Soul Severing¡¯ inherited from an ancient family and ¡®Spiritual Protection¡¯ provided by the system, which were much stronger than the high priest who could only use the native Evil God¡¯s power to perform Storm Sorcery. In other words, Gu Hang¡¯s victory was due in part to his powerful spells and numerical advantage. In terms of sheer strength of spirituality, Gu Hang at LV2 still couldn¡¯t match the opponent. Eliminating such a formidable enemy and receiving extra grace seemed only fair. As for the remaining fifty points, they were the spoils of war from the soldiers wiping out over six thousand different monstrous creatures. Clearly, the lives of these creatures were cheap. But the sheer number was impressive, and after more than six thousand fell, they had brought a fair amount of grace to Gu Hang. It was just a pity that the victory rating only reached a slight advantage, so the grace coefficient gained post-battle was not high enough; otherwise, there might have been room for more. Next came the issue of how to spend this windfall of grace. Feeling ted, he summoned the panel and then saw one old item shing and a new item appeared. The shing one was the [Hero] panel.
The new appearance was a function named [Event]. Chapter 50: 50, Battle Group? Chapter 50:, Battle Group?
The movement within the [Hero] interface was something Gu Hang had anticipated beforehand. After such a brutal battle had ended, he should be able to level up, right? Indeed, upon checking, he was the only one in the Hero panel who met the criteria to level up. But the cost of upgrading made him furrow his brows. 50 points. The price to advance to level 2 was simply too expensive.
However, after this ordeal, his desire for personal strength had grown considerably. Leveling up would not only provide him with greater safety but also, a powerful wielder of Spiritual Energy could have a tremendous influence on battles below a certain scale. Even though it was pricey, he was ready to grit his teeth and upgrade himself. But there was no rush. There were some other changes inside the [Hero] panel. He saw that there were two more characters eligible to be activated as Heroes. One was Perbov. This mine foreman from the Abandoned Cave Society, following this battle, seemed to have been recognized by the system as a person of talent, capable of being activated as a hero. And the other one was named Osenia Qinko. Who is this person? Gu Hang waspletely baffled. Did he have such a person under hismand?
Oh, it seemed that he did. Gu Hang remembered skim reading the list of literates among the refugees who had recently moved from Revival City, and it seemed that this name had appeared there. What had this person done to make the system believe she had the capability? Gu Hang¡¯s curiosity was piqued. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to promote her to a hero right away, but if the system had identified her potential, then even if she wasn¡¯t upgraded, she could be pulled out and entrusted with an important task. Gu Hang felt like he had discovered another way to use the [Hero] function. He could find capable people without upgrading them. Satisfied, Gu Hang closed the [Hero] panel and opened the newly-appeared [Event] panel. [An unknown event is urring, and you can steer the event in a direction rted to you.] [Initiating this event will cost 50 grace points.] [Event countdown to the end: 1 day and 06 hours] Is that it?
They want to swindle 50 grace points from me without any information? Without a second thought, Gu Hang closed the [Event] function. Then, after pondering for a bit, he reopened it. He just couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity! The allure of the unknown was just too strong. ¡°Generally, the quality of the system¡¯s products strongly corrtes with the number of grace points spent. The more you pay, the better the stuff you get. Except for those two draws of the technology card, where I had a 40% chance but missed twice in a row, it seems it hasn¡¯t duped me yet¡­ Hiss? But wouldn¡¯t drawing an unknown event card also likely be a scam? What if there¡¯s some hidden probability?¡± In just this short while, Gu Hang¡¯s mind wavered, and many thoughts surfaced. He wasn¡¯t usually one to agonize over decisions, but what could he do? Too poor! All problems are problems of poverty. If Gu Hang had enough favor, wouldn¡¯t he have immediately activated this event to see what it was all about? But if he activated the unknown event, the remaining 36 favor would not be enough to upgrade.
After thoughtful deliberation, Gu Hang decided to trust the system once more. Although it was a gamble, he still upheld the belief that ¡°system products are worth their value¡± and made his choice. Of course, another important reason was that he had a fallback n. In a couple of days, a month would go by. By then, the fixed monthly ie woulde in. With the development trend of the forces under Gu Hang¡¯smand, it should be possible to earn thirty or forty points by then. Adding them up, it should be enough for him to upgrade to LV3. Byparison, the unknown event might be a bit more precious. After all, it had a countdown, and once time expired, the event would disappear. Limited-time lottery, got to win something, right? With that mindset, Gu Hang made his final decision. The 50 points of favor were gone in a snap, and what reced them was the new information that appeared before his eyes: [Event Activated: Phoenix on the Brink of Death] [A Starfighter Battle Group that is on the verge of annihtion ended its century-long penance expedition and is approaching Rage Owl Star, which seems to have what they¡¯re seeking: redemption and hope.] [Please make your decisions cautiously. Your actions will determine the next phase of this event.] [Event Branch: Unknown.]
¡­ Seeing new event prompts that mentioned a Starfighter Battle Group nearing Rage Owl Star, Gu Hang nearly couldn¡¯t control his facial expression. If a Starfighter Battle Group was offering help, what was there to worry about? Any difficulties on Rage Owl Star would not be able to halt an entire Battle Group¡¯s progress. The term ¡°Starfighter¡± symbolized glory, greatness¡­ and death within the Empire. They are the Death Angels of The Emperor. It is said that thousands of years ago, the Divine Emperor used himself as the temte to create many different gic seeds. He selected the finest people, imnted them with these gic seeds, and formed the initial Starfighters. Each of them was extraordinary, possessing bodies that were countless times stronger than ordinary people, wearing specially made power armor connected to their nerves. Their solobat power was extremely formidable; fighting against a hundred was just standard procedure for them. Often, just a few Starfighters in a squad could slice through tens of thousands of soldiers, behead generals, and that was just their routine duty. They were true killing machines, and the Death Angels lived up to their name. During the founding era, the various Starfighter legions were the sharpest swords in the hands of The Emperor, and they made indispensable contributions to creating the Empire¡¯s boundless territories. Latter, about ten thousand years ago, after The Emperor ascended to divinity, all Starfighter legions were divided into smaller Battle Groups. ording to the holy scriptures, the size limit for the Starfighter Battle Groups was set at a thousand members. Typically, a Battle Group would have a home. The home of a Battle Group did not need to pay taxes to the Empire; all its manpower and resources were at the Battle Group¡¯s disposal. A Battle Group could establish a Mortal Auxiliary Army and a Battle Group Fleet, possessing immense autonomy. They would respond to the highest calls to arms from the Empire and engage in the most terrifying of battles. Aside from that, their actions were often whimsical and enjoyed high freedom.
In Gu Hang¡¯s understanding, it was like abination of warlords and feudal lords. Such a Battle Group wasing to Rage Owl Star? Gu Hang quickly became calm again. It¡¯s that same old phrase, system products are worth their value. 50 points of favor likely couldn¡¯t even exchange for a single Starfighter, let alone a Battle Group. It couldn¡¯t be that good of a deal. He also noted the information provided in the event interface ¨C this was a dying Battle Group. That¡¯s good. If it were a thriving Battle Group, he wouldn¡¯t have any say. The status of a Battle Groupmander might even be higher than that of a Star Sector leader. Gu Hang realized that this event could be a blessing or a curse. He truly had to be as cautious as the system prompt suggested, or the consequences would be dire. But overall, this also meant opportunity. If a Starfighter could provide him with help, he would have an absolute guarantee in terms of military power on Rage Owl Star. Chapter 51: 51, Phoenix on the Brink of Death Chapter 51:, Phoenix on the Brink of Death
In a void of the universe infinitely distant in physical space, a fiery red spaceship was sailing. It was scarred, it was not huge, and it carried a battle group on the brink of death. The Phoenix Battle Group had ended their long redemption expedition and now their glory had been restored. The Tribunal of the Eastern Star Domain, representing the Central Empire, personally announced this to the world. But what of it? ¡°We have won the victory of the hundred-year redemption expedition and achieved the victory we most desired, yet we are about to be annihted,¡±
Ss Matins, the leader of the Phoenix Battle Group, would always think sorrowfully. He was the 64th leader of the Phoenix Battle Group. This battle group, with its countless glorious histories, was very likely toe to an end in his hands. What was life like for the battle group before the redemption expedition? Back then, the Phoenix Battle Group was glorious and powerful, they guarded their mother star, received the worship of countless mortals, selected the most excellent youths from among them, subjected them to gene seed modifications, and turned them into one of their own. All the manpower and material resources of the entire were at their disposal. Besides being responsible for the defense of their mother star, they would also answer the call of The Emperor, heading to all corners of the universe, participating in one glorious and great war after another. They either crushed each of The Emperor¡¯s enemies to dust or defended one world after another on the brink of destruction. He and his brothers were called The Emperor¡¯s Angels. This glory, umted over thousands of years, came to a sudden halt a hundred years ago. Matins bore no resentment. In the ¡®Crape Myrtle Catastrophe,¡¯ the Phoenix Battle Group found themselves on the wrong side. By the grace of the Divine Emperor, they were not purged as traitors, but they were still guilty, and the Tribunal sentenced them to a hundred-year redemption expedition. The so-called redemption expedition meant sending the convicted battle groups on the most difficult and casualty-heavy assault missions without support, supplies, or reinforcements. Once assigned, the mission could not be refused and must be carried out with all effort until death. The vast majority of battle groups sentenced to a redemption expedition could not evenst until the end of their punishment. But the Phoenix, true to their name, were indomitable¡ªthey miraculously endured the redemption expedition.
They fought in one brutal war after another for a hundred years. During these days, they were still fighting for the empire, but without any honor to speak of. Their battles were for redemption, for a death sentence. During the century-long expedition, the leader of the battle group changed hands six times, and it finally fell to Matins¡ªa man who considered himself of little talent. A few months ago, in the final battle of the redemption expedition, the previous leaderunched a suicide charge with thest of the battle group¡¯s elite. They won, but the cost was that no one survived except for Matins and six others who had been left behind. He would always remember the look in his mentor¡¯s eyes when he passed on the medal symbolizing the leader of the battle group before the charge. It was a look filled with expectation, with hope; the future of the battle group weighed heavily on his chest. He was determined to rebuild his battle group, yet he didn¡¯t know how. Their homeworld had long been assigned to another battle group; the fleet had all been destroyed, leaving only the ¡®Burn Feather,¡¯ a small spacecraft that could not even be considered an escort ship; power armor, the armory, the gene seed vault¡ªall had been lost with the crash of the gship¡­ Perhaps no battle group has ever been in a more miserable state than they were. They could only drift aimlessly in the cosmos like headless flies. Indeed, there were many forces that wished to ¡®help¡¯ them. However, Matins could see through the malicious intentions of those people. They only wanted the seven remaining members of the Phoenix Battle Group to serve as their high-level enforcers. There was no glory, let alone any hope to speak of. Matins thought of the chance to rebuild the warband, the opportunity to continue fighting with honor. Unfortunately, those who tried to help them fell silent when these topics came up.
Recently, their spaceship had passed through a Spirit Network tunnel, aimlessly arriving at the Tianma Star Sector. It was just like many other star sectors they had drifted through over the past few months, nothing special. However, it was then that the warband¡¯s priest approached him, iming that during prayer, he had received a revtion: the hope for the Phoenix Battle Group¡¯s rebirth was right here. Hope rose in Matins¡¯ heart, like a drowning person clutching at a straw. Rationally, he knew he shouldn¡¯t believe it. What was so special about the Tianma Star Sector? An obscure star sector with neither special resources nor a glorious history, nor had any other warband ever been stationed there. How could the hope for the warband¡¯s rebirth lie here? Yet emotionally, he almost instantly believed it. It was only a matter of months, trivialpared to the modified, elongated lifespans of interster warriors, but he felt he had already endured an endless ordeal. This emptiness was even more painful than the punitive expedition. Given the chance, he was eager to seize it. The warband¡¯s priest, also his most trusted battle brother, had been holed up in the prayer room for two days without any sign of activity. Matins¡¯ anxiety gradually intensified. But now, at this moment, the anxiety found its oue.
He heard heavy footsteps, turned his head, and saw someone d in the distinctive ck power armor of a priest, with a helmet shaped like a skull, andrge shoulder pads painted in the warband¡¯s fiery red colors and the Phoenix design, symbolizing their identity. It was Rizzo, the eldest of the surviving seven, who had fought with the warband for four hundred years. He was supposed to have joined the final battle to the death, but the former warband leader had forcefully held him back. The warband needed his experience, to assist Matins. ¡°Priest Rizzo, you¡¯ve finally emerged. Was your prayer fruitful?¡± ¡°Yes, warband leader,¡± Rizzo¡¯s voice was tired but also held a hint of anticipation, ¡°I have received a more precise revtion. The Phoenix¡¯s chance of rebirth lies right here!¡± The priest¡¯s finger came to rest on the star map. There, was Rage Owl Star. Matins looked bewildered, scouring his memory anding up with nothing special about this world. He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no mistake?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Rizzo confidently replied, ¡°The Divine Emperor¡¯s revtion states that the chance for the Phoenix Battle Group¡¯s rebirth is there¡ªat the hands of that world¡¯s governor.¡± Matins paced back and forth, then finally made a decision, ¡°Alright, change course. To Rage Owl Star, we go!¡± The revtion received by Priest Rizzo was the only opportunity in the past few months that Matins had been looking forward to. Although he had never heard of the world of Rage Owl Star having any particr significance, since it was a revtion by the Divine Emperor, surely it meant a powerful governor, who might be willing to help the warband in its reconstruction!
Chapter 52: 52 s, not considered a beating Chapter 52: 52 chapters, not considered a beating
After activating the event ¡°The Phoenix Shall Die,¡± Gu Hang had 36 grace points left. Not few, but not enough. For a moment, he was itching to use these grace points for drawing cards. A 40% chance of winning, could he really not get it after three draws? Impossible! Absolutely impossible! But in the end, he chose not to do it.
He still wanted to level up. He would wait for the monthly fixed ie to be disbursed, and along with these 36 points, it would be enough. If he spent the grace points now, he wouldn¡¯t be able to level up in a few days. Finally, he suppressed the urge to draw cards. ¡­ After Gu Hang had sorted out the various system functions, he had also rested quite well. Although his head still hurt a bit, it was much betterpared to when the battle had just ended. This also reassured Gu Hang quite a bit: it seemed that the previous depletion of his spirituality was not severe and didn¡¯t affect his foundation. Leaving thebat vehicle, the work of cleaning up the battlefield continued. The soldiers had collected arge number of monster corpses, or the remnants shattered in the battle. There was too much to transport in one go, so the leftovers were piled up to be transportedter. These were all raw materials for the synthetic starch production line. In other ces, ¡°corpse starch¡± might be a dark term, but for Gu Hang, it seemed literal¡­ Despite the fact that people starving in the wastnds might not care about this, as long as they faced no illness or not too severe an illness from eating it, anything was better than hunger. But Gu Hang still strived to keep this information concealed. It wasn¡¯t entirely secret, but he definitely wouldn¡¯t promote it actively. After all, it wasn¡¯t something glorious.
While the troops were busy, Yan Fangxu came to find him again. Seeing the Captain with a slightly crooked nose and a bruise above his left eye, Gu Hang was taken aback for a moment: ¡°How did you get injured like this? That doesn¡¯t seem to be the kind of injury a pus monster could cause, right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s nothing much¡­¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Realizing something as he looked at the captain¡¯s embarrassed face, Gu Hang suddenly understood and remembered something he had almost forgotten, ¡°Were you beaten up by your former subordinates?¡± Yan Fangxu immediately became anxious, ¡°What beating up? How could you say it was a beating? I just¡­ just identally lost one or two moves¡­ It¡¯s not a beating¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Gu Hangughed, ¡°Right, right, not a beating, just a small beating.¡± Yan Fangxu fell silent. He didn¡¯t want to talk to the governor anymore, but couldn¡¯t help feeling eager. He hesitated and nheless couldn¡¯t resist saying, ¡°That¡­ Governor¡­ regarding that intensive training¡­ I¡­¡± He was somewhat embarrassed to fully express his request. Having been beaten by his former subordinates, and then having to ask the governor for special intensive training felt somewhat embarrassing to him. Gu Hang patted Yan Fangxu on the shoulder and said, ¡°How could I refuse such a small request? Not now though. You have greater potential, and you deserve more rigorous, more valuable training.¡±
Yan Fangxu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Thank you, Governor!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be haste to thank me, but let me be clear, with gainse sacrifices, nothing in this worldes without a price. If you want to receive my grace, you should serve me with even greater sincerity.¡± Yan Fangxu understood Gu Hang¡¯s meaning. But he dared not agree. He was a member of the Imperial Navy, his future stilly in the stars and the vast ocean. Should he transfer allegiance to aary governor and join theary Defense Force? There is a disparity here. The Imperial Military¡¯s system is roughly divided into three parts: the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Star Realm Army, and theary Defense Force (PDF). The first two are direct imperial forces with rtively higher status, theoretically takingmands directly from Central Empire and receiving supplies from it. As for the PDF, it¡¯s just aary-level defense force, established and led by the¡¯s governor. The Empire does not take care of the training, equipping, or supplying of the PDF, but sometimes it would draft the PDF into the Star Realm Army, or when Imperial taxes evaporate. Often in intense interster wars, the PDF would also be used as cannon fodder by the Empire¡¯s main forces. Would those Navy bigshots even deign to nce at the Star Realm Army¡¯s grunts, let alone a mere PDF? Compared to a captain in the Imperial Navy, who would be stupid enough to choose the former? But what if it were a general from theary Defense Forcepared to a Navy captain? Well¡­ that¡¯s not so easy to say. A captain from the Navy Marine Corps, like Yan Fangxu, at his peak, onlymanded a special Marinepany, with just over a hundred men; now, he has even fewer, only thirty. But if he became a general, he might be able to be a pivotal figure on this.
But could he really be a general? Relying on the governor would mean betting everything on this one person being able to win. Yan Fangxu was a bit hesitant to wager. He wasn¡¯t a barefooted man, unlike the native residents on Rage Owl Star. Watching Yan Fangxu, who was caught in a dilemma, Gu Hang did not press him. He smiled and patted Yan¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, there¡¯s still time. You don¡¯t have to make a decision now. No matter what, you are my subordinate right now, you follow my orders. As for the future, I believe when ites, you will make your decision.¡± Yan Fangxu breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Gu Hang with gratitude. Thankfully, the governor didn¡¯t force him to make a choice right there and then. He was afraid of choosing wrongly. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. What do you need to see me for?¡± ¡°Actually, there is an important issue. A contingent from Revival City has approached our location. They seem to bear no hostility, and the person leading them ims to be the grandson of Lambert Hodgson from the Alliance Council,ing to ensure the governor¡¯s safety.¡± Gu Hang wore a strange expression, his tone somewhere between sarcasm or sigh, ¡°A force from the Alliance Council¡­ Whether theye with ill intentions or indeed to protect me, their arrival is a bit toote.¡± ¡°What should we do now? Drive them away?¡±
¡°No,¡± Gu Hang waved his hand dismissively, ¡°The affair has concluded. I¡¯m curious to see what they really want. Take the 3rd battalion up there, disarm them all, and then bring them here. The battlefield needs more people for cleanup, and I also want to meet this grandson of the Council Chairman to see what news he brings me.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yan Fangxu went to work. He didn¡¯t keep Gu Hang waiting long, and soon he brought the people. About five hundred soldiers, empty-handed and honestly started cleaning up the battlefield, moving monster corpses alongside Gu Hang¡¯s own warriors. Also, a young man dressed in military attire was brought before Gu Hang. ¡°Lambert Hodgson,¡± Gu Hang read his name. The young Lambert saluted Gu Hang and greeted loudly, ¡°Good day, Excellency the Governor!¡± ¡°Why have youe?¡± ¡°I havee to protect the Governor.¡± ¡°Does your grandfather know you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here on the orders of the Chairman of the Council!¡±
¡°Then your timing is rather fortuitous, my battle has ended, and the enemy has been eliminated. You should have arrived earlier, no matter what you intended to do.¡± Lambert said, ¡°I apologize, Governor, for our tardiness¡­ I understand your suspicions. But please believe that we indeed came to protect you. My men and I will unconditionally obey any of your orders, withoutint or regret.¡± Gu Hang smiled. Chapter 53: 53, The Second Governor General Chapter 53:, The Second Governor General
Gu Hang revealed a smile. He stepped forward and gave Lambert a big hug, ¡°I¡¯m willing to trust you, wee aboard, youngrade.¡± Lambert¡¯s expression was sincere, but Gu Hang didn¡¯tpletely trust him either. After all, the guy brought a group of people with him, surrendered his weapons when asked, and worked when told; what was there to worry about? Gu Hang didn¡¯t expect much from them, nor would he use them for important tasks. Just let them clean up the battlefield, carry loads¡ªwho couldn¡¯t do that? Using them was simple. As for trust, that wasn¡¯t something to be shown through words.
With more time and more shared experiences, he would eventually show his true colors. Moreover, this guy brought Gu Hang an even bigger surprise. Following him, apart from five hundred armed soldiers, there were also more than two thousand refugees. ording to Lambert, these were the people he had recruited from outside the city when he set out. The reason he did so was that he had heard of a merchant named Dennison Henry who had recruited refugees for the governor. Figuring there was a significantbor shortage here, he did the same upon departure. Not only that, he also arranged for people to carry out long-term resettlement propaganda outside Revival City, promoting that the governor¡¯s ce offered good jobs, treatment, and enough food and clothing to live on. Wow, the young man was on the right track. Gu Hang was overjoyed in his heart. Because of this, he even felt embarrassed to chastise Hodgson when he was on the phone with him. But, in fact, there wasn¡¯t much to criticize. The attack shouldn¡¯t have had anything to do with them, at least currently there was no evidence to prove this. It was the cultists who took action, and the powerful Storm Sorcery made it very clear. Moreover, before the attack, it was Hodgson who had given him the warning in advance.
Now, Hodgson also said that they had made further progress in their crackdown on the cult. They had captured two mid-level missionaries of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, and had learned that this cult organization was indeed secretly stepping up its actions in Revival City and that there might be a n underway. If followed up, there should be more to be gained. In addition to the cult issue that Gu Hang used to leverage against the Alliance Government, Hodgson¡¯s performance in other aspects also satisfied Gu Hang. Sending a grandson over, whether to serve him or to be a hostage, was in itself a statement on the attitude. Practically, he also made his stance very clear. The five hundred soldiers and two thousand refugees might not mean much; Hodgson had already implicitly promised that he would act in ordance with Gu Hang¡¯s instructions within Revival City and cooperate with the governor. But Hodgson also said that he needed the governor to understand his difficulties. He was the Speaker of the Council, but not an autocrat. Directly providing resources, promoting aw, recing a councilman, or moving the military on arge scale¡­ all these ultimately required discussion by the entire council and the formation of a resolution. Gu Hang didn¡¯t press the issue any further. There was no point in pressing. Currently, Hodgson could be considered on his side, at least that¡¯s what his attitude suggested. Pressuring him was meaningless. On the contrary, Gu Hang needed Hodgson¡¯s help to push the other councilmen. This time, Gu Hang had a long talk with Hodgson. They discussed what Gu Hang needed Hodgson to do, what support to provide, how to progressively advance Gu Hang¡¯s will, and under what conditions Gu Hang would consider moving back to Revival City. They even briefly touched on some of the policies and reforms he would implement as head of the Alliance, how to ensure the could pay taxes in two years while still guaranteeing its development¡­ The conversation wasn¡¯t deep, and most topics were just touched upon. After all, Gu Hang didn¡¯t fully trust this council speaker who had expressed his willingness to side with him. But the fact that they could discuss such issues so extensively meant that Gu Hang, to some extent, had epted the council speaker. For now, Gu Hang did not n to visit Revival City anytime soon. The cult issue had not been resolved, and his safety in Revival City was not guaranteed; power was not yet fully centralized, and without this concentration of power, he would not be as effective; his own power reserves were also not yet sufficient, and without them, he would not be able to exert full authority once in Revival City¡­
But that time won¡¯t be too far away. ¡­ Revival City, inner city district, a private club. Three individuals, famous throughout the entire Alliance, were gathered here. These three were Alliance Councilmen, and each owned significant industries within Revival City. However, their expressions were very grim.Bradford spoke, ¡°The recording, everyone has listened to it. Don¡¯t be silent, let¡¯s discuss our thoughts.¡± He was a business tycoon in Revival City. While he didn¡¯t own many industrial businesses, he had strongmercial channels to the east, south, west, and north. Many products from Revival City had to go through his channels to be sold; things that Revival City did not produce needed to be purchased through his channels. In Revival City, a ce centered aroundmercial hubs, his status was evident. After Bradford had spoken, the old man sitting beside him shook his head and said, ¡°I just can¡¯t understand why Hodgson would do this. Is he not afraid of the same situation that the second Governor-General faced?¡± This man was Norris, his family were industrial magnates in Revival City. Their enterprises included food, chemical, and textile factories, among other important categories, and they were also involved in the medical industry. He was an important ally of Wohan, and the copse of Wohan¡¯s industries after his death had also significantly impacted him. When he mentioned ¡®the situation of the second Governor-General,¡¯ the other two¡¯s expressions became even darker. They all simultaneously recalled that dreadful era.
Twelve years ago, the second Governor-General arrived at Rage Owl Star aboard an escort ship. At that time, the Alliance was very powerful. Although its structure was somewhat loose, it was suited to the reality of Rage Owl Star, where the major powers, if not absolutely obedient, would at least respond to the requests of the Alliance Government. This was the solid foundation built by the first Governor-General. However, this foundation nearly copsed within a mere six years. Upon taking office and seizing the reins of the Governor-Generalship, he did not follow the previous Governor-General¡¯s approach of recuperation and development above all. He believed that it was due to the mercy and weakness of the previous generation that tax revenues were insufficient. The natives of Rage Owl Star were disloyal and needed to be punished with the harshest attitudes to make them pay their taxes. He held this position for six years, in the first two of which he managed to collect enough imperial taxes through plundering and coercion. However, his tyranny also sparked unrest that swept across the entire world. Rebellions red up everywhere, some powers withdrew from the Alliance, some paid lip service while defying in secret, some resisted violently, and some were destroyed¡­ The poption of the entire suffered a huge loss in those six years. This loss included arge number of people who were handed over as imperial taxes and many who died due to the unrest or starved or froze to death due to the shortage of supplies¡­ The seventeen years of recuperation by the first Governor-General on Rage Owl Star were almost destroyed in an instant. And the second Governor-General, naturally unable to sustain the third tax collection, died at the hands of the Imperial Taxation Department. Those six years were a time that no person on Rage Owl Star ever wanted to live through again. Whether poor or rich. Thest of the three, stood up. He was burly and still wore camouge military uniform even when meeting with friends. He was Mondok, a general of the Alliance. Inside Revival City, those constantly ready ten thousand soldiers, those more than twenty aircraft, those seventy tanks, in theory, were all under hismand.
¡°Everything must get back on track. Hodgson¡¯s mistakes must be corrected.¡± ¡°Impeachment in the council? I remember the next council meeting is in four days, but we might not be sessful. Hodgson has been operating for many years and has quite a few supporters; it would take us a long time to coordinate¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Mondok rejected the idea, ¡°That¡¯s too slow, we need a faster way.¡± The other two were stunned. They saw Mondok¡¯s somewhat ferocious expression. Chapter 54: 54, activate this girl for me Chapter 54:, activate this girl for me
The situation in Revival City was tricky, and Gu Hang could guess a bit, but he couldn¡¯t know too explicitly. He also didn¡¯t have the inclination to bother with it. He was still squeezing every bit of progress out of the entire territory. The replenishment work of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions continued, and Gu Hang nned to conscript another infantry battalion. The new migrants were an important source of soldiers. When he had a choice, Gu Hang always strived to avoid having soldiers from the same source within a single unit. But now, all the other groups under hismand had been mobilized several times already, making it hard to draw more hands.
Therefore, Gu Hang simply took the three hundred newly conscripted soldiers, spent 3 points of grace for their initial training, then drew some veterans from the 2nd and 3rd Battalions and mixed them into the 4th Battalion. By now, the total poption under Gu Hang¡¯smand had reached eight thousand, with one thousand one hundred soldiers. The manpower gap was stillrge. However, the preparations made by Hodgson and his grandson were gradually beginning to have an effect. Apart from the over two thousand migrants who arrived with Lambert, every day migrants kepting in trickles, drawn by the propaganda about the Governor¡¯s Camp, bringing their families along for the migration. This allowed Gu Hang¡¯s forces to grow by a few dozen to a couple hundred people every day. Though it was not quite quenching the thirst, having a steady supply of water was a good thing. One by one, smelting furnaces were being produced by the ck Box Mother Machine and sent to the Abandoned Cave Society; carts of calcined lime, metal scrap, and metal ores were transported from Rubbish Town and delivered into the smelting factories. The alloy steel fabricated at the Abandoned Cave Society was partly sent to Revival City to be sold through Dennison Henry¡¯s channels, partly remained at the Abandoned Cave Society to be fashioned into armored vests, prioritized for the Governor¡¯s newly conscripted soldiers, but also partly sold in Rubbish Town. Another part of the alloy steel entered the newly established G9 Gun Family workshops, being processed into various parts before being assembled again¡­ The G9 Gun Family had gradually begun mass production within Gu Hang¡¯s territory, no longer relying solely on production from the Mother Machine as before. The poption of the Abandoned Cave Society had even surpassed that of the Governor¡¯s Camp. Heavy industry was like a ck hole for poption; it seemed as if no matter how many people were thrown into it, it could consume them all.
Here at the Governor¡¯s Camp, however, the development of light industry was not as rapid. The textile factory and the synthetic starch factory had started operations. But thetter did not have enough machines, and the technicians who hade down from the starship had not yet cracked the way to manufacture the synthetic starch machines based on the current industrial foundation. Currently, only two production lines were operating. The former, in theory, should have been able to absorb a lot of people, but ording to the n, the heavy industry of the Abandoned Cave Society had a higher priority when it came to recruiting workers, which meant that the textile factory here could only recruit female workers¡ªeven many of the female workers had gone to the Abandoned Cave Society. Meanwhile, there was also a high demand for construction workers in both ces. Factories needed expansion, residences needed erging, and besides these, structures like shops, distribution centers, canteens, schools, and administrative bodies¡­ all required construction. And the corresponding facilities needed more people to fill them. Poption, poption, and still poption. The unemployment rate within Gu Hang¡¯s forces was nearly zero. This also meant that every citizen who arrived at the Governor¡¯s Camp was warmly weed. The heads of factories, production lines, and departments were scrambling to recruit people. Men went to the factories, women to the textile mills, children were taken care of collectively, with educational institutions; even the elderly who could still walk were always given some work to free up anotherbor force¡­ At a time when the forces under him were running as if wound up by a spring, Gu Hang also weed the settlement of his second month after arriving at Rage Owl Star. [Current Grace Points: 88] [Monthly Fixed Ie: 56] [Governor¡¯s Temporary Camp: 17/Terra month] [Abandoned Cave Society: 39/Terra Month]
The fixed monthly ie was distributed. Previously, he had 36 points of grace left. After replenishing troops for the 2nd and 3rd camps and establishing the 4th camp, a total of four hundred new soldiers needed training, which cost 4 points of grace. With the 56 points issued this month, the total was now 88. Here in the monthly ie figure, the development speed was quantitativelypared. About half a month ago, this number was just over twenty, and now it had more than doubled. This was already the limit under the current poption size. To increase it further, a significant rise in poption was necessary while still maintaining an extremely low unemployment rate and a rtively high production efficiency. With this in mind, Gu Hang looked at the hundreds of thousands of impoverished people outside Revival City and felt it was a sheer waste of resources. With this scale of poption, what a terrifying figure it could be if everyone was utilized to their full potential? To let them suffer outside the city from unemployment, hunger, and cold was an immense loss. However,ing back to the development of his own power, Gu Hang felt that his thinking had expanded after meeting a certain individual. That person was named Osenia. It was after the battle in the alien woond that he noticed her appear on the [Hero] interface, a person who could be awakened as a hero. Initially, Gu Hang thought that this girl, who did not seem like a warrior at all, might possess some spiritual energy talent and could awaken as a spiritual energy wielder after being activated in the [Hero] interface. Spiritual energy talent was one in a million among the human poption. But after all, he had eight thousand people under hismand; wouldn¡¯t it be reasonable for one to emerge?
But after meeting her in person, Gu Hang was initially a bit disappointed. The girl did not have the spiritual energy talent he had imagined. As a spiritual energy master himself, he was able to make that judgment. But after in-depth interaction, and even getting to know what the girl had done after joining the textile factory and bing a management member, Gu Hang realized he might have picked up a treasure no less valuable than a spiritual energy wielder. To put it inly, there wasn¡¯t anything too extraordinary. Osenia hadn¡¯t improved any processes; she simply reorganized the entire factory¡¯s work system ording to her own ideas and trained a few deputies to implement and execute the system with her. ounting records, work ns, incentive policies, result assessments, execution efficiency¡­ When all these things were put into practice, one after another, the management efficiency of the textile factory was tangibly improved. The inevitable chaos and rudimentary practices during the rapid development of his territory were effectively mitigated. This made Gu Hang realize that maybe the limit hadn¡¯t been reached. Even without an increase in poption or equipment, the establishment and continuous reform of administrative management systems could still enhance productivity. The rtionship between the economic base and the superstructure? Gu Hang pondered wildly in his head. To be honest, these jobs, these systems and policies, if Gu Hang were to do them himself, of course, wouldn¡¯t be bad. But he was the Governor, the ruler, with all matters of military, politics, and finance to consider. Getting bogged down in the details of every little thing was unrealistic. It might still be manageable now, but in the future, as his power grew evenrger, it would be increasingly impossible for him to do so. He needed an efficient administrative system, bureaucrats, civil servants; these roles were essential.
And this girl seemed like a good choice. Her potential had even been recognized by the system. With that, Gu Hang didn¡¯t have many other hesitations. System, activate this girl for me! Chapter 55: 55, Excellent Government Officer Chapter 55:, Excellent Government Officer
Osenia felt somewhat dizzy as she left the Governor¡¯s residence¡ªreally just a big house. At first, when she learned that His Excellency the Governor wanted to see her, she was quite nervous. She was naturally poised and graceful, and after several months of hardship, she had added a wildcat¡¯s tenacity, willing to fight and desperate to survive. Yet she still felt nervous, at a loss. The ordeals of those months were deeply etched in her heart, so much so that upon arriving at the Governor¡¯s Camp and settling into a stable life where she no longer needed to worry about tomorrow¡¯s food or safety, she cherished it immensely. She worked hard at her job, entering the textile factory and, because she could read the most, she became a manager. She did her utmost to put forth and implement her ideas and experiences, as well as the knowledge from books she had read before the war.
She felt she was doing quite well, but admittedly, in some areas, if not ¡®heretical¡¯, at least she was different from other factories and units. Could it be that His Excellency was angry about this? With a heart full of trepidation, she met with the Governor. This was her first time seeing the Governor up close. She had expected him to be a dignified man, but to her surprise, he was quite young, not much older than herself. He had a handsome face, wore a golden, gorgeous, crisp military uniform, but his smile was quite amiable. The Governor first inquired about her living situation and her past experiences to which she answered one by one. As the conversation progressed, her mood eased slightly. They then discussed her work at the textile factory and her thoughts, and while listening, he would asionally pose more in-depth questions and suggestions. Osenia found her exchange with the Governor very pleasant. She discovered the Governor was a great listener and posed appropriate questions. At the same time, she also found the Governor¡¯s insights profound, providing her with much inspiration. It was a great harvest. And after their conversation concluded, somethingpletely unexpected happened. His Excellency mentioned establishing a new department, named ¡®Production Department,¡¯ aimed at overseeing all the factories, setting production ns, and optimizing systems. And she was to be appointed as the acting head of the Production Department. Osenia was stunned.
Her first doubt was whether her ears were broken and she had misunderstood. After confirming it was correct, she began to wonder if there was something wrong with¡­ oh, such thoughts were disrespectful. But that was more or less the gist of her concerns. How could she, a little white rabbit who knew nothing, suddenly take on such an important job? Gu Hang did not give her the power to refuse. Nor would she refuse. She felt flustered and panicked, at a loss. If this had happened a few months earlier when she truly was a youngdy, she might have chosen to flee out of fear of not being able to handle it. But now, after months of hardship, she understood that every opportunity had to be fought for, had to be grasped. His Excellency had given her the opportunity, and she was fully aware of what the position, this job, meant. She had no idea what she was doing, but it did not prevent her from trying to convince herself that she had to try to do it, she had to change her own destiny. She couldn¡¯t waste the chance given by the Governor, she had to be worthy of his trust, only then could she take her fate into her own hands. And besides¡­ it wasn¡¯t as if she reallycked the ability to do it. The past her, probably wouldn¡¯t have been up to it.
But now, after her talk with the Governor, as she walked out, her mind kept churning. His words seemed to have turned into some strange, massive, and useful knowledge. Many things that previously stumped her, that she didn¡¯t know how to handle, now seemed to click, and she was able to find suitable methods to deal with them; many areas that she thought were well-handled before now seemed to have better solutions to improve the oues. She had sensed this during her conversation with the Governor. He wasn¡¯t quite sure why that was the case and casually expressed his wonder. Then he saw the governor reveal what seemed to her a rather strange smile: ¡°Under normal circumstances, perhaps this is The Emperor¡¯s revtion.¡± ¡°This is your revtion,¡± sheplimented thus. Gu Hang burst intoughter at the time and waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Don¡¯t, please don¡¯t say that. I can¡¯t shoulder such a responsibility.¡± ¡­ [Hero Activated: Osenia (N)] [Level: lv1] [Physique 4, Spirituality 5, Command 7, Politics 9]
[Trait:] [Excellent Civil Servant: Skilled in statistics, arrangement, and nning of political and economic affairs. cing her in a suitable position can enhance administrative efficiency. Politics +1] ¡­ Looking at the ¡®n,¡¯ Gu Hang had an awkward expression. Above the ¡®n,¡¯ shouldn¡¯t there be ¡®r¡¯, ¡®sr¡¯, ¡®ssr¡¯ too? Turns out this wasn¡¯t some farming system, nor was it a war system, but a gacha system, right? And it even includes elements of character development. So far, three features with a random element had appeared in his system. Gu Hangined inwardly. However, being able to activate Osenia was quite good. It was even more valuable than activating Yan Fangxu. Within the current scope of Gu Hang¡¯s influence, there was a shortage of poption, but an even greater shortage of talent. On the military side, it might be slightly better. After all, the Army Badge System could provide a training bonus for the entire troop, and there was Yan Fangxu, the bona fide captain of the Imperial Navy. Even without activating him as a hero, he still had exceptional militarymand skills.
Put simply, he was serviceable. On the other hand, for administrative work, Gu Hang really didn¡¯t have any suitable candidates under hismand. Until now, he had only been able to use his little attendant Zhang Chao and Patel to manage the entire camp¡¯s affairs. This was a lot of pressure for both of them. Zhang Chao did a passable job, without any major mistakes, but that was also because Gu Hang did not have many expectations for him. If there were any further demands, it would likely be too much for Zhang Chao to bear. Additionally, Patel, the former leader of the Abandoned Cave Society, was currently in charge of their heavy industry conglomerate. He was learning while doing the job, and his past experience was far from sufficient to deal with the various emerging issues during the rapid development of the Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s heavy industry. He was working hard, but it was also tough, and even with such efforts, it was very difficult to elevate his own skills to the necessary level. Now that he had Osenia on his team, Gu Hang could be a little more at ease with the administrative work. As for promoting someone to such an important position so quickly, which might seem like rushing things and, in the future, possibly leaving no room for promotion¡­ that was possible, but Gu Hang didn¡¯t have the luxury to worry about that now. First solve the immediate problems; the right way to use people,ter, will do. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Osenia now had a picture too!
Chapter 56: 56, Draw Cards! Engine! Chapter 56:, Draw Cards! Engine!
In the process of activating Osenia as a hero, Gu Hang also discovered a hidden mechanism within the system. It seemed that the individuals who could be turned into heroes were not fixed. Osenia had not been at his camp from the very first day, but it was only after she exhibited exceptional abilities that the system detected her potential and determined that she could be activated. Then, as people like Patel and Zhang Chao gained more work experience and improved their insights, was it possible that their potential could rise and they could be candidates eligible for activation? Even Osenia, who was initially designated as the lowest ¡®N¡¯ rarity, could there be a chance for her potential to increase in the future? Gu Hang felt it was very likely.
The real world was not a game; people change. Those with outstanding talents might fall short, and those with less talent might one day have a sudden epiphany; all of this was unpredictable. ¡­ After spending ten points of favor on Osenia, Gu Hang still had 78 points in hand. Without a doubt, he spent 50 points directly on himself. Level up! [Level-up sessful, Physical attribute +1, Spiritual attribute +1] [Please choose one new talent from among Physical, Spiritual, Command, Leadership, and Unique directions.] Gu Hang, as usual, tried clicking on Unique, but nothing came of it. With no other choice, Gu Hang could only take the pathid out before him. What to choose, he had already made up his mind¡ªit was still the Spiritual path. [Telekinesis Control: You can now use Spiritual Energy to directly manipte physical objects. Spiritual +1] This Spiritual Talent was quite in and unadorned. Gu Hang remembered that many Psychic Casters had their Psychic Talents manifest in this way, which was quite conventional.
But conventional didn¡¯t mean weak. On the contrary, it was a very powerful talent, especially when a Psychic Caster¡¯s own Spiritual strength was sufficiently substantial. It was indeed a bit of a pity not to have drawn an even more awesome and powerful Psychic Talent, but the result itself was not bad. Subsequently, his overall attributes became as follows: [Hero: Gu Hang (Faction Leader), LV3, insufficient experience to level up] [Physical: 9, Spiritual: 17] [Traits: Psychic Caster, Governor of Rage Owl Star] [Talents: Protective Spiritual Energy, Telekinesis Control] ¡­ A special note on attributes: Gu Hang had now figured out that the average level for a healthy average person was around 5. Take Osenia as an example; she was somewhat frail, had normal Spiritual Energy simr to an average person, had decent Command ability fit for leadership, found militarymand challenging but could manage logistics without much trouble. Her highest attribute was political, making her more suitable as a high-quality civil servant. Gu Hang¡¯s own traits, however, did not disy Command and Political points. It seemed the system was reluctant to quantify his abilities in these two aspects. On the other hand, his Physical and Spiritual abilities, being objective, would each increase by one point with every level he gained. Every point represented approximately a 1.5 times growth.
Now, his physical attributes, from strength to resilience to neural response speed¡­ a range of abilities, together, were approximately five times that of an ordinary person. And his spiritual attribute had reached 129 times that of a normal person! If before, his total spiritual strength could only be considered that of an excellent Psychic Caster, now it could be regarded as powerful. Who isn¡¯t a master of spiritual energy now? Gu Hang was quite satisfied with this. If he were to go back to the battle in the alien forest a few days ago, it would be incredibly easy. When those three cultists rode out of the woods on their storm birds, he could have crushed the trio mid-air, without having to wait for them to get within a certain range as he did before, or rely on the elitend troops that had been enhanced to assist him. In fact, he had almost figured it out by now; things like spiritual talent were just icing on the cake. What truly made a decisive difference was the spiritual attribute itself. This factor determined the overall strength of spiritual energy. As long as it was high enough, even the most rudimentary methods of use could be decisive at critical moments. A single stroke of strength defeats ten sessions of training; that¡¯s the idea. Havingpleted his self-improvement, Gu Hang still had 28 points of grace left to spend. After some thought, he couldn¡¯t resist and spent them on drawing a technology card. This time, with a 40% chance, he struck gold on the first try. Gu Hang let out a long sigh of relief; if he had missed twice in a row, he would have called the police.
He couldn¡¯t wait to see what the newly drawn technology was. [Basic Technology: ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Hybrid Engine] [The most frequently used engine within the limitless boundaries of the Empire World. It can adaptably utilize a variety of power sources including diverse types of biofuels, fossil fuels, and batteries. Configurable and scble, while not advanced or powerful, it¡¯s remarkably versatile and is seen in countless Empire Worlds.] Gu Hang was ecstatic. Technology cards always bring out the good stuff! Uh¡­ given the current ragged state of the forces under hismand, it seems that anything drawn would be impressive. But regardless, the ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engine still had an irreceable role. As the system description says, this thing is not exactly cutting-edge. At leastpared to those mighty engines that utilize matter reactors, energy crystals, or superpressed energy sources, it falls far short. But if Gu Hang were given one of those high-end engines, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it. He had no ess to adequate, quality nuclear fuels, couldn¡¯t mass-produce energy crystals, let alone superpressed or spiritualized energy sources. And even if he had these advanced energy sources, they would be of little use. These more powerful sources of energy are used in power armors, Titan Mechas, mobile fortresses, and various starships. Gu Hang couldn¡¯t build any of that. The low-end properties of the ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engine were just right.
Its most outstanding feature was its indifference to the type of fuel used. Hook it up to a battery, and it works; fill it with diesel, gasoline, or kerosene, and it works; toss in some biomass fuel, throw in some firewood or crops, which after pyrolysis or gasification produce liquid or gaseous fuel, and it still works. Moreover, its range of application is very wide. It can be configured to be small, rudimentary, and durable¡ªlike a tricycle; or a bitrger and more powerful for making tanks; or evenrger, set up as a power group to drive cargo ships; or made lighter and of higher quality, with better fuels, to serve as an aviation engine¡­ It¡¯s incredibly suitable. With it, the construction machinery and vehicle manufacturing industries under Gu Hang¡¯smand have found their solution. He had been thinking that, as the territory developed and transportation demand grew, the brute oxen strength he had ¡°extorted¡± from Revival City and subsequentlymandeered during material transportation was bing increasingly insufficient, and he was considering where to get some more oxen. Now, he need not worry about that anymore. Who still uses outdated animal power! At most, it would be used in some rough terrain where vehicles couldn¡¯t run, to make some use of the remaining heat. Chapter 57: 57, The Curious Engineer Chapter 57:, The Curious Engineer
¡°` Having an engine doesn¡¯t mean you have a car or construction machinery. Chassis, moving parts, suspension systems, transmission systems, body design, control systems¡­ to build a good car, many things are needed beyond just the engine. However, the issue of quality can be solvedter; having an appropriate power source marks the beginning of everything. To put it bluntly, if you take alloy steel to make a frame, a transmission rod, some wheels, and create a running tricycle, then pull a tbed cart behind it, it¡¯s already a big step forward from relying on human or animal power. Now that we have the engine, if we could also pull out some vehicle or construction machinery design, the heavy industry of Gu Hang¡¯s territory could take a big step forward.
Before that, Gu Hang nned to first find someone to design a simple, functional vehicle to improve transportation efficiency, and incidentally, to explore some export possibilities. If the production volume is sufficient and the performance adequate, creating a small three-wheeled truck to equip his troops would result in a motorized infantry battalion. Gu Hang arrived at his secret base, where a basement was dug, walls erected, and the loyal and reliable mech-servant soldiers, having received strict orders, guarded the ce, allowing no one to enter. Of course, Mr. Gu could enter at will. Here, the two previously extracted technologies and four ck Box Manufacturing Machines were present. In addition, a lot of space was reserved. On one hand, to amodate the feeding and production of the existing four machines; on the other hand, to facilitate the cement of more machines in the future. He configured the new two machines that had been set up. This secret factory also employed workers. Due to the high security level, they lived in the factory with strict orders not to let information leak, were not allowed to go out without special circumstances, and were monitored when they did go out. They poured the raw materials into the production ck Box for engines, and quickly, under Gu Hang¡¯s initial setup, two engines, onerge and one small, that met his requirements were produced. These two engines would be sent to the research institute, where the technician from the Quintet would study them. After all, there was no clear path to conquering the production line for synthetic starch; it was difficult to craft. The industrial and scientific research foundations under Gu Hang were shabby, and even the more basic technologies on the scale of the imperial civilization were hard to achieve. This also indirectly proved how valuable the technological capabilities within Gu Hang¡¯s system were. Frankly speaking, if Gu Hang wanted to meet the imperial taxation every two years, it would be crucial how well he could utilize the technological offerings from the tech panel.
If Gu Hang managed to transform Rage Owl Star into a mini casting world, then the lowest tier of imperial tax would no longer be a concern. Back to the present. He first used the ck Box to make twopleted engines. Once the research institute had a specific application n, they could produce more. There was also no rush to start the production line ck Box; simrly, it would begin operating at full capacity to produce engines once the application n was in ce. All these didn¡¯t need to be rushed. ¡­ The person Gu Hang had high hopes for, who was to ponder how to ovee the challenges of synthetic starch technology ande up with an application n for the ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engine, was now using a mechanical hand to scratch his head, contemting his secret factory. Wu Jiarong was just too curious. She came from a casting world and was a technical officer who might have been promoted to mechanics. But¡­ the infighting within the Sect of Mechanics was much more severe than outsiders could imagine. She lost the fight, not only failing to get promoted but also losing all her possessions and knowledge to others, along with her personal freedom, and was traded as imperial tax. But after that, she couldn¡¯t say her luck turned, but at least things didn¡¯t get worse. She was at least a technical officer and not a ve worker, and when the Tianma Fleet needed more personnel, she was thrown onto the Quintet, where she remained for ten years.
She had already resigned herself to that fate. ¡°` Having left the casting world and the system of the Sect of Mechanics, she was unlikely to have any room for advancement anymore. Even aboard the Quintet, she was not the only technical specialist; several tech-priests were present, but it was difficult for her to be taken on as a student and have the chance to be taken off the starship and develop further in the future. Over time, she even began to think that her current life wasn¡¯t so bad after all. It wasn¡¯t too busy, there was no need for cutthroatpetition, just do her own job well, maintain her portion of the starship¡¯s structure¡ªespecially the logistical system. She still had a group of veborers and junior specialists under her to manage and allocate. As for herself, she also had some free time when she was off work to research things she was interested in and tinker with little gadgets, which was quite entertaining. Life didn¡¯t seem too bad at all. Just when she had almost epted her fate, an order from Colonel Yelisia transferred her, along with a few junior specialists and the production line and spare parts for synthetic starch, to the surface. The good days were over. That¡¯s what she thought. Wu Jiarong found that it seemed she could never entertain the thought of resigning to her fate. The moment she did, fate would immediately p her in the face, press her down further, and see if she still epted it. Ten years ago, she hadn¡¯t won the fight, she admitted defeat, and nned to think about promotion next time. She was thoroughly defeated, became untouchable in the empire, and could never return to it; now, she no longer struggled, thinking that spending the rest of her days on the starship was quite good, even considering marrying a man and having a child while her body modifications hadn¡¯t extended to her belly yet, only to be assigned to the surface of Rage Owl Star.
After all, there¡¯s always a lower bottom. But what could she do about it? She could only endure and work hard withoutint. However, after arriving on the surface, she discovered¡­ things didn¡¯t seem as bad as she had imagined? She knew that Mr. Gu, the governor, could almost be said to have started developing this ce from scratch. The industrial and research foundations were virtually nil. But beyond that, everything else seemed to be a benefit! She had no worries about food and clothing, and even ate better than on the starship; although she followed the governor¡¯s orders to research how to realize synthetic starch technology under limited conditions, she herself didn¡¯t have to eat synthetic starch. ording to the work points system devised by the governor, her work points were quite high, and the allocation quota and quality were not bad either. In the daytime, she could bask in the sun, and at night she could enjoy the breeze, none of which the starship had. And more importantly, she had found a long-lost ¡®goal¡¯. This thing, seemingly abstract, but when ites down to reality, it¡¯s just one point: knowing the significance of her own work. Seeing the hungry looks of the refugees from Revival City, she honestly didn¡¯t have much sympathy for them, but her research could help them get food, and that couldn¡¯t be considered a bad thing. Eventually, she would see people¡¯s happy faces, receive praise from the governor, and know that her work was truly making a difference.
Unlike on the starship, day after day, year after year, without seeing a clear work achievement. Those cannons, those machines, maintaining them daily or every so often seemed to make no real difference. Besides, the task of synthetic starch given by the governor was quite interesting in itself. It was challenging, yet it seemed to be within her capabilities. She was motivated to do her job well. And apart from motivation and goals, she had rediscovered another thing that had been missing for a long, long time: Curiosity. She was very curious about what the governor¡¯s secret factory was all about. Chapter 58: 58, indeed, one must not accept fate. Chapter 58:, indeed, one must not ept fate.
Was the power under Governor Gu Hang truly a technological wastnd? Yes, but not entirely. In most ces, the conditions were so primitive and backward that they were unspeakable. Yet, Wu Jiarong was able to see the finest alloy steel materials here. These were not the ones produced by the so-called Abandoned Cave Society¡¯s alloy factories, but rather special supply alloys that the Governor had specifically had transported for her. Others were not aware, noticing only that these two types of materials seemed more attractive and probably better to use, but beyond that, they couldn¡¯t articte the specific differences. But she understood clearly that this kind of alloy steel could be considered special materials.
Not to mention a dpidated ce like Rage Owl Star, even many areas with strong industrial foundations were unable to produce this type of special alloy steel. Even in the casting world where she used to stay, the production of this material was very low, and it was often a great challenge to apply for or purchase it for research or production work. She did not believe that this was locally produced in Rage Owl Star. There had to be some secrets unknown to others inside. She had inquired about it, but didn¡¯t dare make too much of a fuss. Initially, she thought the Governor might have hoarded a batch of high-performance materials when he arrived at the, and they just hadn¡¯t been used up yet. Butter, when the G9 rifle began to appear, she knew things couldn¡¯t be as simple as she had imagined. And now, the Governor had sent her two ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engines of different specifications. These engines, while not particrly high in technological content at the level of the entire Star Sea, were not advanced products. However, like the special alloy steel, what was most valuable was the craftsmanship they contained. Grindstone Engines could be made anywhere, but to make them this well was something Wu Jiarong had never seen before. It was as if someone had dedicated their entire life to study how to properly make an engine that could only power a tricycle. It was absurdly outstanding. A bold idea formed in her mind. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, feeling at one moment that she was just wildly specting, but at another thinking that maybe it was true, as no other exnation seemed to fit.
How could a governor without any real power on a barren possibly have something like a ck Box Manufacturing Machine? If you said that Mr. Gu¡¯s family from the Tianma Star Sector, the powerful Gu Family, had treasured one, that might be slightly possible¡ªjust slightly. Could it be that his family had brought it for him? It still didn¡¯t seem realistic. Wu Jiarong still couldn¡¯t understand it, but she didn¡¯t dare to think further. It could be deadly. Indeed, she had already started to regret why she inquired about the secret factory in the first ce. What should she do next? This restless state of mind continued into the next day, making her somewhat uneasy while at work. Then, she heard a piece of news that made her even more unsettled. ¡°What? The Governor ising?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± One of her apprentices, a juniormissioner, didn¡¯t quite understand why his mentor seemed so troubled by the news. What¡¯s so abnormal about that?
Seeing the apprentice¡¯s confusion, but having no desire to exin, Wu Jiarong said nothing. What could she say? That your mentor suspects she¡¯s stumbled upon the Governor¡¯s secret and now fears he might silence her? She could only hurry to prepare. Truth be told, the new assignment given by the Governor for her toe up with two schemes to utilize therge and small ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engines was not difficult. With her expertise and the provision of excellent materials, designing two operational vehicles was quite easy. However, time was short and recently she had been restless, so she hadn¡¯t been able to work on it properly. The governor wasing soon, and she had no other choice; she couldn¡¯t just say she hadn¡¯t done anythingtely. She gripped at straws, hoping that even if she couldn¡¯t present a design n immediately, at least when Mr. Gu askedter, she would have some thoughts and a few sketches to show. As it turned out, her advance preparation was indeed valuable. When Governor Gu Hang arrived, she could talk quite freely, and she could present small parts she had just crafted by hand with tools, along with the design diagrams, discussing her ideas. At first, she was somewhat stuttering because the thing she hastily brought out felt a bit rough to her, only just runnable at best. But as she saw Governor Gu Hang continually nodding, she gradually rxed. I still have standards, after all. Mr. Gu¡¯s requirements aren¡¯t that high. With her mood lightened, she was able to more effortlessly exhibit her technical prowess to the governor.
This one aspect was her only source of pride since arriving on Rage Owl Star. In the past, whether in the forging world or on a starship with technical priests, her technical level was nothing to mention. Only on the surface of Rage Owl Star was she truly unique. As she watched Governor Gu Hang continuously nodding and listening intently, Wu Jiarong¡¯s mood improved even more. She even began to feel that leaving the starship for the surface might not be such a bad thing. Here, nobody could overshadow her. She was the most trusted technical staff by the governor¡ªof course, that was because nobody couldpete with her. But wasn¡¯t that a good thing? Why join the chaos with other technical giants when she could reign supreme and lead? Just as she entertained such thoughts, Gu Hang spoke again: ¡°Specialist Wu, I have another question.¡± ¡°Please, Mr. Gu, any doubts you have, I can certainly help you with,¡± Wu Jiarong confidently offered. ¡°Why are you so curious about the secret factory?¡± Wu Jiarong felt as if plunging into an ice cave. Her only thought now: one really shouldn¡¯t resign oneself to fate. Every time she resigned herself, it never ended well. Thest thing she wanted to face still happened. At that moment, she couldn¡¯t even remember the various excuses she had agonized over when anticipating interrogation.
Seeing Wu Jiarong flustered and at a loss for words, Gu Hang revealed a gentle smile instead. ¡°Specialist Wu, don¡¯t be so nervous. You have some spections, right? Just speak your mind.¡± Hearing Gu Hang ask in such a manner, Wu Jiarong seemed to dete. ¡°Yes¡­ The ck Box Manufacturer is in your secret factory, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed, it is,¡± Gu Hang admitted with a smile. Wu Jiarong received the answer to the question she was so curious about, confirming her spection. But under the current circumstances, she didn¡¯t feel happy at all. Wu Jiarong sighed deeply: ¡°I wish you hadn¡¯t told me that. You could have just told a simple lie, and I would have believed it.¡± ¡°But there was no need, right?¡± Gu Hang said as he stood up and looked out of the window, ¡°Look at this ce, just two months ago, it was still a wastnd. And now, it already looks like a town. The Abandoned Cave Society farther away, you¡¯ve seen it too, is thriving even more.¡± ¡°Perhaps to many people, this doesn¡¯t seem like something a governor should be doing, but I am convinced that I am on the right path.¡± ¡°Here, I want to create a seed that will eventually take root and sprout throughout the entire Rage Owl Star.¡± ¡°The future I envision is a Rage Owl Star with production power as strong as the forging worlds, with a living environment like the Garden Worlds.¡± At this point, Gu Hang turned his gaze back to Wu Jiarong:
¡°Do you believe in it?¡± Chapter 59: 59, from the Golden Age Chapter 59:, from the Golden Age
¡°Do you believe it?¡± Wu Jiarong did not. A productivity on par with Forge World? Possible; Living standardsparable to Garden World? Such examples were not unheard of. But to possess both? That was a joke.
Garden Worlds boasted beautiful environments, ample resource supplies, and superior quality of life; they usually served as administratives or trade hubs. Forge Worlds, on the other hand, often did not enjoy pleasant environments. The entire world would resemble a massive factory, where countless people had to toil and contribute not just sweat but blood and flesh. Could these two things be simply merged? Among the myriad stars within the empire¡¯s domains, how many such examples could be found? Could even the imperial capital Holy Terra achieve what Mr. Gu described? She did not know. Propaganda would say yes, but without having been there to see it with her own eyes, she dared not believe it readily. If she couldn¡¯t trust Holy Terra to be as Mr. Gu had said, much less could she believe it of this deste backwater wastnd. Rationally, she felt that Mr. Gu was just talking nonsense, pie in the sky. The pie was big and round, yet so far-fetched and illusory it was almostughable. Yet, emotionally, she could sense Mr. Gu¡¯s grand ambition. Ambition, of course, couldn¡¯t put food on the table. She once had aspirations to be a mechanic, or even go further to advance to a Mechanical Priest; but in the end, wasn¡¯t she merely used to pay the empire¡¯s taxes? However, she felt she could believe in Mr. Gu¡¯s ambition.
Believing he was ambitious was one thing; believing that the ambition could be realized was another. But just believing in Mr. Gu¡¯s ambition, she could roughly paint a picture in her mind that her Mr. Gu wouldn¡¯t just tinker along, only thinking about scraping by, aggressively levying taxes, and skimming off the empire¡¯s taxes every two years while enjoying the rest of the time. Working under such a Mr. Gu seemed, maybe, and probably¡­ to be a good opportunity she never had before? Ten years ago, on a Forge World, she considered herself exceptionally talented and gifted. But back then, she only aspired to be a mechanic; aboard a starship with a dead end, her only thought was to find a decent man to marry, have children, and then coast along. Maybe retire when old and frail, but more likely, she might be destroyed along with ¡°Quintet¡± in some battle, turning into just another piece of space debris. Following a Mr. Gu and bing his most crucial technical staff, her future achievements might not just be a mere mechanic or Mechanical Priest. Perhaps, she could have the chance to be a Mechanical Bishop, or even¡­ She dared not think further, ascending to a Sage was too difficult. Wasn¡¯t such idle fantasy just as empty as Mr. Gu¡¯s dreams of turning Rage Owl Star into abination of Forge World and Garden World? All of this was still far off, yet not so distant. Indeed, Mr. Gu was currently impoverished andmanded a poption barely breaking ten thousand, and even his administrative powers couldn¡¯t reach the entire. But on the other hand, if Mr. Gu wielded great power now, would he even notice someone like her, a small technical officer? Surely it would be easy to attract a host of higher-level experts. It was precisely now, in the early stages, that there was an opportunity to gift coal in snowy weather, to grow as Mr. Gu¡¯s power expanded. Besides, Mr. Gu still had the ck Box Manufacturer¡­ The value of this device was immeasurably precious. Legend has it that theye from the distant Golden Age, a time before the Empire was even established, almost impossible to verify. It is said that, at that time, humankind was the master of the entire universe, and every human being had dignity, enjoyed the finest life, and could pursue any profession ording to their interests, or choose not to work at all without any consequence.
The ck Box Manufacturer was a product of that era, designed to ensure that humans could easily and quickly acquire products in any environment. Interster colonizers, with only a ck box, could swiftly establish suitable homes on a new deste. It was also with the help of ck boxes that humans in the Golden Age managed to spread their footprints across the entire universe and maintain a fairly consistent level of technology in every world. And now, the Empire¡¯s technology is starkly different from that of the Golden Age. Scientific research depends on archaeology; this is no joke. A study that might take a forging world a hundred years to crack could be solved overnight with just a hint from some ancient ruins discovered one day. In fact, many of the various technologies now widely used in the Empire have been restored through archaeology, yet they are not even one percent as advanced as those from the Golden Age. The precious Titan Giant Armor might have just been the kind of vehicle a lumberjack drove back in the Golden Era. And the likes of the ck Box Manufacturer are, well, the utmost priority in archaeological¡­ er, I mean scientific research. This device can directly produce finished goods and also has extremely high research value. Although the three types of ck boxes that seem to have appeared in Mr. Gu¡¯s hands only produce items that are alreadymonce within the Empire, having no value in themselves. After all, which decent world can¡¯t produce rifles, alloy steel, or Grindstone Engines now? However, it is the ck box itself that is tremendously valuable. The output isn¡¯t that important, but the technology from the Golden Age that is encapsted within the ck box itself is enough to drive the Mechanical Church mad. ¡­
Gu Hang was listening carefully as Wu Jiarong briefed him on the situation. Some things he knew from rummaging through his memories, others he did not. These messages were important, but perhaps not so crucial. ording to Wu Jiarong, he had virtually dismissed the idea of selling ck box manufacturers. It¡¯s not that he couldn¡¯t sell them at all; after all, it would take effort for others to forcibly take them. Buying them could also be seen as a more efficient approach. However, Gu Hang would not sell them. It was too dangerous. Compared to the Sect of Mechanics, whose power is immense across the entire Empire, he, a mere governor, was insignificant. What¡¯s more dangerous was that if he sold a few units, wouldn¡¯t the Mechanical Church keep an eye on him? Desire to acquire more? Or eager to find out how exactly he obtained the precious ck boxes? As for why this wasn¡¯t such an important matter, it¡¯s because Rage Owl Star was too remote, too inconspicuous. It was difficult for anything that happened here to reach the ears of the Sect of Mechanics. For now, Rage Owl Star¡¯s interstermunication was solely with Quintet. If the news wasn¡¯t leaked to the skies, it¡¯s as if it never happened. Moreover, Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t ignore the essentials and chase the trivial, not using the ck boxes when he had them. He had been cautious before, but inevitably, some things would slip through the cracks as long as they were put to use.
In the future, he would be even more careful. At the same time, he also needed someone to lend him a hand. Gu Hang¡¯s gaze turned towards Wu Jiarong, filled with expectation. Chapter 60: 60, Technology Tree Planning Chapter 60:, Technology Tree nning
Today, one thing that delighted Gu Hang in his exchange with Wu Jiarong was the attitude of this female technician. Although she didn¡¯t answer his previous question about ¡°whether she believed or not,¡± she expressed her stance through her subsequent exnation. And in the end, the meaning became even clearer: ¡°If Mr. Gu trusts me, I can work in the secret factory. That will be your research and development center, where all your future technological outputs will have a usible exnation.¡± Wu Jiarong¡¯s attitude was modest. Gu Hang looked at her, full of smiles.
¡°Very good, I am very satisfied with your suggestion. I hope you can fulfill all that you have promised, and I, in turn, assure you to get what you desire.¡± Wu Jiarong felt a jolt in her heart but soon calmed down again. She was confident that Mr. Gu had understood the implication of her words. Working in Mr. Gu¡¯s secret factory would indeed allow her, in the future, to attribute all exceptional outputs to herself. On top of the regr secrecy mechanisms, by creating an illusion of a talented technical master working for Mr. Gu, it would be a good rationale for the outputs of the secret factory¡ªor rather the future Wu Jiarong Research Institute. Thus, if outsiders wanted to uncover this secret, they would first have to break through the confidentiality measures and methods, and then they would see her. Only after dealing with her would they be able to discover the secrets of the ck box. The level of security was greatly increased. But at the same time, she could gain even more. She would be Mr. Gu¡¯s most important technical advisor. Even if more outstanding technical experts were to arrive in the future, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being reced; even if she did nothing, a continuous stream of technical knowledge would be attributed to her, and various technological achievements would be credited to her mind, especially as Mr. Gu¡¯s territory developed and more and better new technologies emerged. She might truly be a Sage while lying down and doing nothing. Moreover, being able to closely study the ck box technology from the Golden Age was something the past her could not even imagine. With her former status, she could never have had ess to such top-level research materials. She knew she wasn¡¯t capable of dismantling the ck box andprehending what was inside. The Sect of Mechanics, with so many top Sages, hadn¡¯t figured it out, so she, a mere technical staffer, was even less likely to understand it. But what if she could gain even a little bit of insight or inspiration? Just a tiny bit of the essence might be equivalent to the results of her long period of technical study in the past.
She was determined! ¡­ The arrangements were made swiftly. After Gu Hang left, Wu Jiarong immediately took her team, under the escort of Mr. Gu¡¯s loyal mechanical soldiers, to settle in the secret factory. The ce was renamed a research institute, although, unfortunately, it did not carry the name ¡®Wu Jiarong Research Institute¡¯ as she had hoped, but was nameless. But she didn¡¯t mind. She already saw a bright future, and this directly maxed out her motivation to work. She quickly came up with the application scheme for Mr. Gu¡¯s demanded ¡®Whetstone¡¯ Engine. It was not the rushed, rough-hewn creation made to appease Mr. Gu that day, but a proper, earnestly crafted one. Still not advanced¡ªsomething too advanced was beyond her capability. But Mr. Gu¡¯s requirement was not for advancement but for sufficient reliability and rtively low mass production difficulty. In these aspects, she had already achieved the ultimate. ¡°` She believed that, among her peers at the technician level, no one could do better than her.
After all, she had almost been promoted to a mechanic, had her promotion not been thwarted due to a failed struggle. She had always felt that her true skills had already reached the level of a mechanic. What she presented was not merely a set of design ns, but also included two prototypes. One was a three-wheeled cart with a cargo bed capable of carrying three people, including space on the side of the small bed to mount a machine gun. A military tricycle had just emerged. Therger engine was used to build a truck tractor. It was alsopatible with multiple types, such as cargo beds and tbeds, that could be hitched to the back of the tractor. It could be used for transporting goods or as a troop carrier truck. Having seen the final products and even personally test-driving them, Mr. Gu was very satisfied with Wu Jiarong¡¯s work! He designated model names for the two vehicles. The tricycle was named ¡®Scout-XL100¡¯. The truck tractor was called ¡®Iron Bull-RN100¡¯. These two types of vehicles would definitely undergo further iterations in the future. Wu Jiarong had alreadypleted the ns for mass production of these vehicles, and subsequent rted work would be handed over to the Abandoned Cave Society. The alloy and stic steel processing nt would undertake the production of some parts andponents; a new vehicle factory would be built, with the production line set up under the guidance of Wu Jiarong¡¯s processes, to start trial mass production.
The engine nt was in no hurry, as the mother machine¡¯s ck box could directly construct production lines for two different specifications of Grindstone engines. There was no need to rush now, as they were not immediately needed. If the engines were produced too quickly and there were not enough vehicles to equip, the excess engines would just gather dust. Afterward, Wu Jiarong continued to ramble on to Mr. Gu about many other things she nned to do. Refining the ck box, improving technological proficiency without disassembly, perfecting theory, researching the various products of the ck box¡­ these were her own ¡°cultivation¡± and not worth going into detail about. Additionally, she would also make the ¡®research institute¡¯ worthy of its name. Going forward, she nned to work on developing propents and projectiles. This should be easy to manage, as the G9 Gun Family production line obviously included cartridge manufacturing processes, and propent was a keyponent among them. However, the production line created by the ck box was purely for the G9 Gun Family and not quite suitable for artillery. But since the production process was already there, it was only appropriate for Wu Jiarong, with her capabilities, to appropriate the propent production segment for dedicated production. Combined with the production of warheads and explosive charges, they would soon be able to produce their own artillery shells, so Mr. Gu needn¡¯t worry about running out of mortar shells in the future, turning his mortars into empty racks. And it wasn¡¯t just mortar shells, manufacturing rocket shells was also possible. With the capability to produce shells, artillery had to be scheduled next. Unlike mortars, ording to Wu Jiarong¡¯s design, she nned to create real,rge-caliber artillery pieces. Artillery is the god of war! She envisioned a 155 mm howitzer, with a process still tailored to local conditions, focusing on ruggedness, durability, high reliability, and simple manufacturing. Of course, this might affect precision, but that was a minor issue. This was in line with the Sage¡¯s philosophy of ¡®solving for existence first, then for quality¡¯.
In addition, man-portable rocketunchers and rapid-fire rocket nests would also be scheduled. In time, paired with the ¡®Iron Bull¡¯ truck, perhaps with some improved models, there would be rocket nestunch vehicles, towed artillery, and even self-propelled artillery among such heavy armaments. Chapter 61: 61, Let Them Come Chapter 61:, Let Them Come
Wu Jiarong was a treasure. She could make Gu Hang¡¯s ck box technology exinable¡ªactually, the ck box technologies he had extracted were also low-end goods. It wasn¡¯t inconceivable for a technical officer or even a mechanic toe up with such things. Furthermore, she could bring more technological products to Gu Hang¡¯smand, besides the ck box technologies. Climbing the technological tree couldn¡¯t rely solely on ck technology from the system. Of course, the so-called technological tree wasn¡¯t just military technology. Further development of civilian industrial factory technology was also necessary.
Wu Jiarong wasn¡¯t capable of remodeling the production lines of alloy stic steel made by the ck box technology that was already very mature. However, technologies such as the thermocline electric generator sets, textile machines in textile factories, cement nts, brick factories¡­ many of which were imported from other ces on Rage Owl Star, still had a lot of room for improvement in her eyes. However, Wu Jiarong wasn¡¯t omnipotent. If all these research and development tasks were scheduled, her workload for a long time toe would be fully packed. This female technician also felt quite regretful, as if she couldn¡¯t wait to help the governorplete the technological upgrade of the entire camp in a very short time. This made Gu Hang sigh in his heart. Indeed, to bring out their value, humans¡¯ initiative was the most important. Merely relying on duties or envement resulted in weak production efficiency and capacity. Once people truly wanted to do something, viewing it as a way to realize their own value and goals, they tended to unleash tremendous energy. This energy was the core that changed the world. And after Wu Jiarong¡¯s allegiance and her genuinely positive attitude, new changes appeared on Gu Hang¡¯s system panel. While checking the ¡°Hero¡± interface, he found Wu Jiarong¡¯s name among the activatable heroes. This was within his expectations. After figuring out that the ¡°Hero¡± feature would present new activation options as people grew, and after talking with Wu Jiarong and observing her subsequent performances, Gu Hang was able to guess that this person definitely had potential. In fact, she herself was a talented person. Ten years ago, when she was younger, she was already able to challenge the position of a mechanic. At just over twenty years old, a female technician without any background reaching that stage was impossible without hard work and talent. If things had gone smoothly, her bing a main pastor in her lifetime would have been wildly optimistic, but bing a technical priest or even an Engine Spirit Priest wouldn¡¯t be a problem. It¡¯s just that her life hadn¡¯t gone smoothly, which meant she couldn¡¯t develop to such an extreme and wasted ten years on the Quintet. Now, she had found a different path with Gu Hang, gaining further opportunities¡ªthough unorthodox, they were enough to invigorate her to strive for upward movement.
It was normal for such a person to be recognized by the system as having potential. Gu Hang carelessly allocated the remaining ten points of grace to Wu Jiarong. [Activated Hero: Wu Jiarong (N)] [Level: lv2] [Physique 6, Spirituality 8, Command 5, Politics 3, Technology 11] [Trait:] [Once a Technical Genius: She was once a technical genius, but time has worn down her talent. She may continue to sink, or she could rise again and recover her lost spirituality. Technology +1] ¡­ The just-activated Wu Jiarong was at LV2. Presumably, this was because her past umtion as a technical officer made her recognized by the system as a ¡®hero¡¯ of level 2. As for the activation cost, it was still a fixed 10 points. It was unknown if activating higher-level individuals as ¡®heroes¡¯ would require more grace points. One difference was that,pared to Osenia, Wu Jiarong had an additional type of attribute point: Technology. As the name suggested, it should represent her level of technical expertise.
This guy has a political score of just 3, which is a big cut below normal, no wonder he couldn¡¯t make it in a ce full of infighting like the Sect of Mechanics, and it¡¯s no surprise that he was so devoid of guile when he directly inquired about the secret factory¡¯s information, without knowing how to conceal his anxiety. But it doesn¡¯t matter, Gu Hang didn¡¯t turn her into a hero to have her deal with political work. As long as her technical score is sufficient and she can develop and improve more technologies for him, that¡¯s all that counts. After activating Wu Jiarong, Gu Hang now has only 8 grace points left. Looking at Yan Fangxu and Perbov who still await activation in the hero interface¡­ Next time for sure! ¡­ With part of the workload from the research side lifted from his mind, Gu Hang¡¯s attention shifted back to the construction of the camp¡¯s productive forces. And he found that Osenia was doing quite well. In a camp with a poption nearing ten thousand, with dozens to hundreds of people being added daily, manpowercking everywhere, and all affairs needing attention, she was still able to arrange matters quite efficiently. Very good indeed. Pointing to that girl as a hero, letting her shoulder a greater burden, he certainly hadn¡¯t made the wrong choice. Zhang Chao didn¡¯t seem to have much ambition; now with Osenia¡¯s help, Gu Hang specifically observed thed and found that rather than be upset about Osenia sharing power, he seemed happier with the reduced workload.
Gu Hang didn¡¯t know whether to be relieved that no signs of infighting had emerged among his subordinates, or toment that hisckey couldn¡¯t be propped up against a wall. But all in all, Gu Hang was quite satisfied. With Osenia¡¯s help, he could set aside many concerns, freeing up time to do other things instead of spending so much of it on political affairs as he had before. The energy he saved, he could further invest in his next strategy, which was Revival City. With the help of Alliance Chairman Hodgson, Gu Hang felt that the n he had previously devised to control the whole of Revival City could elerate a bit. But as he was amending his ns, he received amunication request from Yelisia Fu Fana. The female captain conveyed to him a message that somewhat surprised him: ¡°Gu Hang, do you know the Phoenix Battle Group?¡± Upon hearing this question, Gu Hang¡¯s first reaction was that the ¡°event¡± he had previously activated had already begun? How long had it been? The battle group had arrived so quickly. As for Yelisia¡¯s question, Gu Hang thought he should answer cautiously. Saying he knew or didn¡¯t know, both seemed not quite right.
So he counter-asked, ¡°Colonel Yelisia, do you know what¡¯s going on with the Phoenix Battle Group?¡± Yelisia didn¡¯t indulge in roundabout spections; after a moment of contemtion and showing hesitation, she still gave Gu Hang a word of caution: ¡°Their situation¡­ isplicated.¡± Yelisia spoke in vague terms, but the gist was conveyed, ¡°A hundred years ago, they were sentenced to a penitent expedition; they were supposed to be extinct, not survive. Now they have held on, and some people will have headaches because of that. You¡­ I won¡¯t give you any advice, just treat it with caution.¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°They request tond on the¡¯s surface and want to see you. I shouldn¡¯t obstruct them, but if you need me, I can try.¡± After weighing his options, Gu Hang still said, ¡°No need, let theme.¡± Chapter 62: 62, all very disappointed Chapter 62:, all very disappointed
Every Starfighter Battle Group is a formidable force. If fully staffed, not only do they have a thousand of the topmost warriors, but they also have a fleet and hundreds of thousands, even millions of well-equipped Mortal Auxiliary Army. The Empire establishes such battle groups to garrison certain critical worlds and, when necessary, dispatches them to key battlefields within the Star Sea to serve a decisive role. After having cleared their name, the Phoenix Battle Group should have been supported by the Empire to rebuild. Having one more such battle group might safeguard the stability of one or several Star Sectors. But the Empire did not do so. Gu Hang could not concern himself with the higher-level games now, but as Yelisia had warned, the Phoenix Battle Group was definitely in trouble. What Yelisia meant by saying she could stop them if Gu Hang needed was that intercepting a Starfighter Battle Group¡ªeven a remnant one¡ªwas not something she was keen to do due to the extensive trouble it could cause.
However, if Gu Hang was willing to ¡°carry the pot¡± and make the request as theary governor, she could take the risk to help him out. To go to such lengths was already very good. Gu Hang knew she meant well. Including her help and her warnings. It seemed that the female starship captain had unconsciously started to treat Gu Hang as an ally. This was a very good sign. However, Gu Hang still declined Yelisia¡¯s kind offer. Why intercept these interster warriors? For the time being, Gu Hang had no intention of giving up this active event chain. He was too tempted by the remnant battle group. Even if the Phoenix Battle Group was now weakened, it was still a battle group. If he could secure their allegiance, sweeping through Rage Owl Star would be unobstructed. Starships are awesome, but even the mightiest starships can only bombard from above; Yelisia wouldn¡¯t send ground troops. Even for a real ground war, her fewnd forces were not up to much. Orbital bombardment is a strategic deterrent akin to nuclear weapons, not used unless absolutely necessary. And if it¡¯s just for intimidation¡­ hasn¡¯t Gu Hang been doing just that over the past month? Otherwise, the Revival City government would not have been so ¡°obedient,¡± supplying whatever was asked for, and rushing to exin themselves over the Cult investigation when told, even with Hodgson, the head of the Alliance Council,ing over. How can the title of Governor alone be enough? Previous governors had titles too, and weren¡¯t they still doomed when the time came?
Insubordination is a low-level tactic. Deceiving superiors, covert nonpliance, receiving orders but not executing them, hiding the actual information¡­ Without his own forces, eventually, he might be duped and might still feel everything was under control. Feeling all merry as the native leaders seem quite submissive and diligent in their duties. The collection of the Empire¡¯s taxes is also progressing well, and before the tax officer¡¯s arrival, it seems that the quota is met in the warehouse. After a few inspections with no issues, suddenly, on the eve of tax delivery: surprise, the amount is short. Gu Hang doesn¡¯t want this to happen, and deterrence alone is not enough. On the ground, he needs actual force, subordinates who will definitely obey him, and reliable military power. This ensures he cannot be fooled, and those who do not follow orders will be forcefully suppressed¡ªand such suppression cannot be the devastating kind like orbital bombardment. Rage Owl Star is already in bad shape; if he was to bomb Revival City with ship cannons, then taxes really couldn¡¯t be paid. And the Phoenix represents such conventional force. With the help of the Starfighters, Gu Hang could ensure that when judgments are made, the culprits would be dealt with without resorting to orbital bombardment that destroys an entire city just to kill a few individuals. Yet, when he actually saw the Phoenix Battle Group, he was still taken aback. ¡­ Several hourster, he stood at thending field, watching as something descended from the sky¡­ That was the Burn Feather, a ship¡­ well, one couldn¡¯t call it a starship, it was merely a vessel. It was too small.
When he had just learned that the battle group intended tond their ship directly on the¡¯s surface, Gu Hang was shocked, fearing there would be nowhere to put it. In his mind, even an Escort Ship would have a crew in the thousands and would be a massive presence on the ground. But now, seeing it: that¡¯s it? It was only slightly bigger than the transport ships used formunication with the ground from the Quintet. No, are remnants supposed to be so depleted that not even a single starship remains? The Starfighter Battle Group? Is this it? Could it be an advance force? As the hatch opened, Gu Hang first saw a figure far stronger and taller than a normal person, d in power armor with a bright red body and white edges, holding a bomb gun, walking out from the spaceship¡¯s hatch. His heavy footsteps exuded an extremely authoritative air with each step. His power armor was not shiny or immacte, showing fine signs of wear and tear in many ces. But this served to symbolize even more that he was a battle-hardened veteran soldier, fighting to the death numerous humans, monsters, aliens, and traitors. Under that bright red helmet, cold eyes stared at Gu Hang. Gu Hang felt a bone-chilling coldness. Was this called killing intent? He wasn¡¯t afraid; on the contrary, Gu Hang felt somewhat excited.
Seeing a starfighter in person for the first time, Gu Hang thought they truly lived up to their name, indeed the formidable warriors whose fame spread widely throughout the universe. He watched as one starfighter after another walked out from the hatch, his satisfaction growing. Then, the satisfaction in his heart came to an abrupt halt. Only seven people came out, with emptiness behind them. Only seven? No, what kind of battle group is seven people? They can¡¯t even form a tactical squad! He knew it was a dying battle group, but¡­ to be reduced to this state, wasn¡¯t that a bit too close to death? Gu Hang was somewhat disappointed. ¡­ Matins was somewhat disappointed. He walked outst in the line, seeing the governor who hade to wee him. He knew that was Gu Hang, the man he was here to meet, the bright light that Priest Rizzo had foreseen could possibly save the battle group.
On his way here, he had imagined Rage Owl Star to be a rich, or a developed forging world. That the governor here held considerable power and would be friendly to the battle group, willing to help them rebuild¡­ But¡­ things didn¡¯t seem to be as he had expected. The governor in front of him, didn¡¯t he seem too ordinary? He was neither tall nor strong, and aside from being fairly good-looking, he just looked like an average mortal. Of course, Matins could sense spiritual energy reactions from this governor, not weak ones at that, but that was only rtive to an average mortal. That level of spiritual energy was not threatening to him or any of his battle brothers. Their power armors were equipped with some anti-spiritual energy effects, and their bodies, modified by gene seeds, as well as their robust mental will, were not something an ordinary spiritual energy wielder could shake. Saying he could kill Gu Hang as if squashing a chick might be an exaggeration, but like a strong man strangling a wild dog should be quite urate. Of course,paring an ordinary mortal to the Death Angel is too harsh. The strength of aary governor does not lie in his person. But¡­ Look at this? Look at what¡¯s in front of him¡­ Matins didn¡¯t even know whether to describe it as a small town or a camp. This is the ruling core of the governor?
Chapter 63: 63, What to Save With? Chapter 63:, What to Save With?
The first meeting between Gu Hang and Commander Matins was hard to categorize as good or bad. On one hand, both were disappointed in their hearts. Yet to call it bad didn¡¯t quite fit either, since they simultaneously put aside their disappointment and exchanged words rather smoothly. The governor always wore a smile, making one feel at ease like basking in the spring sun. Commander Matins and his Starfighters maintained their cold and austere expressions¡ªbut that was simply their style; they¡¯d always been that way. Gu Hang was able topose himself because he hade to terms with his feelings. The Phoenix Battle Group was more wrecked than he had imagined, which indeed disappointed him; however, even if there were only seven of them, each was an incredibly strong man. He even wondered whether his own forces, now numbering over a thousand soldiers,bined with him as a Spiritual Energy user, could face these seven head-on in battle? The chances seemed slim.
So what was there to say? These seven Starfighters still represented a decisive force. Moreover, if this battle group had been less decimated¡ªif they had about a hundred men, one or two great starships, and a crowd of Mortal Auxiliary Army¡ªwhat would there be for him to do? He¡¯d probably be put to use by the Phoenix Battalion Leader, lucky to even serve as a logistics manager. Instead, the opportunity seemed greater now. Inparison, Gu Hang was more curious about the attitude of this self-proimed Phoenix Battalion Leader, Matins. Their conversation could be put nicely as mutual understanding or, less tteringly, as rambling about nothing in particr¡ªthey touched on many topics, but none of them substantial. So why did the battalion leader, despite keeping a stern face, still engage patiently in this trivial chatter? Even when Gu Hang delved into their past experiences, he could sense that Commander Matins was resistant from within, seemingly unwilling to answer such questions. However, just when Gu Hang thought his inquiries were perhaps too bold, Commander Matins followed his lead, sharing some of their experiences and battles over the years. That was quite peculiar. The Emperor¡¯s Death Angels were not usually talkative¡ªnot that they couldn¡¯t converse, but they often saw themselves as distinct from so-called mortals. They always saw themselves as descendants of The Emperor, inheritors of his gic legacy, his Angels, who, though born of humankind, were transcendent. Among them, some were kind to mortals, others cruel, and yet others indifferent¡ªbut regardless of their attitude, even if benevolent, it was a condescending benevolence, the grace of Angels upon mortals. In a normal situation, if Gu Hang broached a topic the battalion leader found displeasing, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for the leader to bristle with rage, or at least frown, refuse to respond, or change the subject. Reluctantly giving an answer seemed to signal a particr stance from the battalion leader. Why was that?
I am seeking your help, could it be¡­ you are also seeking mine? And what are you seeking? Gu Hang recalled the wording of the event description. [A Starfighter Battle Group on the brink of extinction, having finished a century of penitential expedition, is approaching Rage Owl Star, which seems to hold the redemption and hope they are seeking.] On the brink of extinction, seeking redemption and hope¡­ Oh, you want to rebuild your battle group, and you need my help, is that right? But why me? From the way things look around here, poverty-stricken as we are, how could I possibly seem capable of helping you rebuild a battle group? Is it because of the system¡¯s functions? Has the system made you believe that I can help you? The key is, the system hasn¡¯t told me how to help. Gu Hang kept a smiling, sincere, yet dignified demeanor in his exchange with Commander Matins while internally he was panicking quite a bit. ¡°`
However, as they talked, Gu Hang gradually let go of these thoughts and became enchanted with the stories that Matins recounted. Matins¡¯s storytelling was not systematic. He merely narrated snippets of missions they had carried out during the Redemption Expedition. But¡­ On the Star Sea Battlefield, amidst relentless artillery fire, undertaking boarding actions and seizing ships; plunging deep into enemy territory, alone, to destroy heavy weaponry positions; prating enemy-filled Nest Capitals to eliminate the heretics and traitors lurking within; facing massive alien beasts, cleaving off their heads¡­ Those exploits sounded too legendary to be true. Gu Hang let out a long sigh and said, ¡°Commander Matins, your experiences are deeply moving. Regardless of what others may think, I believe you have already atoned for whatever sins you may havemitted, no matter how grave. The Emperor certainly won¡¯t me you any longer. You are great heroes and shouldn¡¯t wander aimlessly through the Star Sea.¡± Pausing, Gu Hang continued, ¡°Although the conditions here aren¡¯t the best, if you don¡¯t mind, I am willing to offer the Phoenix Battalion a ce to stay. You are wee to rest and resupply here anytime. I know it may sound presumptuous, but if you wish, Rage Owl Star is also ready to be your second home. My doors are always open to you.¡± With that, Gu Hang had turned around, facing the battalion leader, who was much taller than himself. In their gaze, he appeared candid, sincere, and enthusiastic. But Matins hesitated. As an Angel of the Divine Emperor, he avoided the gaze of a mere mortal. ¡°I appreciate the Governor¡¯s generous offer, but I need to consider it further,¡± he said.
¡­ Within the camp, Gu Hang had already arranged for a house to be cleared out temporarily for the Phoenix Battalion to stay in. They were too tall, resembling seven small giants. The houses built for normal human needs seemed somewhat cramped for them. But that was the best they could do with the avable amodations. Fortunately, they didn¡¯t have many demands regarding their living conditions. Though in a safe environment, in theory, not one of the seven warriors took off their armor; at most, they just removed their helmets. They were seated together, when a bald, square-faced warrior with three golden service nails on his forehead spoke in a muffled voice, ¡°Phoenix Battalion Leader Matins, I don¡¯t understand why you were so polite to that mortal earlier.¡± ¡°Brother Schneider, we all fight for the Divine Emperor, we are all His subjects, and we should not be overly proud. We must show the basic respect due to aary Governor,¡± Matins replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t see it that way. Battalion Leader, do you still believe that mortal is our salvation? A mortal, a governor of a shattered world, who can¡¯t even control his own¡ªwhat can he possibly do to help us rebuild the entire battalion? We are just wasting time here!¡± Schneider¡¯s attitude was far from respectful. He touched the service nail on his forehead, a symbol of his pride. A golden service nail signified one hundred years of service to the battalion. Three nails meant he was a veteran of three hundred years. He always believed himself more suited for the position of battalion leader than the younger Matins. Yet, when the position became vacant, he had passed over the responsibility to Matins.
He almost wished he had died in battle with the previous leader, rather than live under Matins¡¯smand¡ªalthough, in truth, he found the present uncertainty even more undesirable. He knew that the Phoenix Battalion currently had no room for power struggles; they needed unity. Even though he did notpletely recognize Matins as the battalion leader, he would obeymands unconditionally, as it was his duty as a warrior. But while matters were still under discussion and no orders had been given, he was not going to mince words. He would ask bluntly and openly what was in his mind. And he believed this doubt was not his alone; it lingered in the minds of his brothers-in-arms as well. Chapter 64: 64, Fight for the Newborn Chapter 64:, Fight for the Newborn
Facing the questioning of his battle brothers, Commander Matins let out a long sigh. The face of this leader, always meant to be steadfast, nevertheless showed signs of weariness and bewilderment. ¡°We have no choice,¡± he said. His words brought down everyone¡¯s spirits. Bald Schneider spoke up, ¡°We¡¯vee this far, seen the situation here, and now we should realize, we¡¯vee to the wrong ce. We shouldn¡¯t waste precious time here; we should return to the Star Sea and search for new hope.¡± Another warrior joined the conversation, ¡°How do we search? Keep wandering? Until the Burn Feather¡¯s fuel ispletely depleted? We can¡¯t even find a single willing to supply us normally! Are we to be like those pirate traitors, and start plundering?¡±
Schneider was taken aback, also recalling the hardships of the past few months. But he quickly retorted, ¡°So what¡¯s the use of staying here? That mortal is willing to help us supply, but he doesn¡¯t even have a bullet for a bomb gun!¡± The Phoenixes rarely quarreled like this, understanding that they were each other¡¯sst brothers,st family. Yet, the bleak future still made it impossible to always maintain a positive mindset. It wasn¡¯t a time for battle, although the current situation was arguably more crucial than a fierce fight, but at such times, they needed the right direction even more. Commander Matins didn¡¯t stop the brothers from arguing. He knew that part of the reason for this situation was his insufficient authority, but even he himself felt lost at the moment, unsure whether to ept Governor Gu Hang¡¯s invitation. How could he then talk about ending the argument? In the end, the one who stood up was the oldest in terms of service in thebat team and also the most special. Priest Rizzo. The priest¡¯s power armor was painted differently from the other six battle brothers, not entirely red but primarily ck, with only a bright red Phoenix pattern on the shoulders. The priest, with his helmet removed, had a slightly aged face, half his beard and hair already graying. Star warriors live incredibly long lives, so much so that none had heard of a Death Angel dying of old age. But that doesn¡¯t mean star warriors don¡¯t age. Time is the sharpest de, always able to cut deep marks on the face, on the body.
The priest spoke, ¡°Stop this pointless argument.¡± After he spoke, the battle brothers indeed fell silent. The identity of a priest, and the oldest of thebat team, gave his words even more weight than those of themander himself. But after stopping the argument, Rizzo didn¡¯t say much more. He just looked at Commander Matins and said, ¡°Commander, you need to take responsibility for the entirebat team. You should make this decision.¡± Commander Matins hesitated. He understood that Priest Rizzo¡¯s intervention was in support of him. Just now, under such controversial circumstances, his inability to make a decision, even to stop the argument from continuing, had worn away at his credibility as amander. But understanding all this did not mean he really knew what to do next. His gaze returned to Priest Rizzo as he inquired, ¡°You said you received a revtion that Governor Gu Hang embodies the hope for rebuilding our battle group. But how exactly can he help us rebuild the battle group?¡± Rizzo shook his head and replied, ¡°You should not ask me that question, for the revtion did not provide me with an answer. But the one who has received the revtion is in this town, so why not ask him yourself?¡± Matins let out a deep sigh and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go now.¡± As they watched themander leave the building, the bald Schneider spoke up, ¡°Ourmander is too indecisive.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because the responsibility he bears is so great that he must be continuously cautious.¡± ¡°Even so, that shouldn¡¯t be the case,¡± Schneider still seemed somewhat dissatisfied. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we have to leave here, but at the very least we need a firm goal, and then decisive action. We cannot waver here. Those months drifting in the Star Sea were also terrible, I hate this kind of uncertainty. A warrior should not be like this.¡±
¡­ Facing the question posed by the returning Commander Matins, Gu Hang was somewhat at a loss for words. How can I help you rebuild the battle group? You¡¯re asking me? Where the hell would I know from? If I say I can¡¯t do anything about it, won¡¯t you suddenly get angry and pull out a bomb gun and shoot me? Inside, I¡¯m panicking like crazy, but my face remains calm andposed. He said, ¡°Commander Matins, you¡¯ve caught me off guard with this question. I don¡¯t know where to begin¡­¡± Hearing Gu Hang say this, Matins also felt somewhat disappointed. It¡¯s no wonder, right? Even if he didn¡¯t know how to rebuild the battle group, what answer could he expect from a mortal? But at this moment, Gu Xing continued, ¡°But, Commander Matins, please forgive my bluntness, but your current confusion is somewhat unwarranted. Rebuilding a battle group is a grand, arduous n. When you think about how to achieve it all at once and want a definitive answer, of course you¡¯ll feel at a loss, clueless, and the hope slim. These issues will turn into thousands of troubles, standing in your way. Why not break this immense n down into several achievable small targets and work towards them step by step on solid ground?¡± Matins would not sigh in front of Gu Hang, but only said, ¡°I understand these principles, but¡­¡± Gu Hang shook his head, gesturing with his hands to prevent Matins from continuing, trying to take control of the conversation: ¡°Since you¡¯vee to ask me, why not listen to my thoughts. Commander Matins, in your view, what exactly is needed to rebuild the battle group?¡±
Matins¡¯ thoughts were redirected as he considered Gu Hang¡¯s ideas for a moment and then responded, ¡°I need sufficient manpower and material resources to build the foundational forces of the battle group. Including logistics and arge number of Mortal Auxiliary Army.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Gu Hang said with a smile. ¡°That seems like a more specific issue, so let me attempt to answer it. The manpower and material resources you need can be provided by Rage Owl Star in the future. Ourary Defense Army can act as an Auxiliary Army for the battle group, and the entire can contribute a great deal of manpower and material resources for logistical support. Everything from maintenance of powered armor to replenishing war supplies can be done.¡± Matins was puzzled: ¡°Even if I believe you, as far as I know, although you are theary governor, you still do not have control over this, and the manpower and material resources you can mobilize are limited; the production capacity of the entire is also very doubtful, and you can¡¯t even produce a single bomb¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Gu Hang, faced with skepticism, did not feel embarrassed, but insteadughed out loud, ¡°Yes, Commander Matins, you are correct. But I have a n. In the future, I will make Rage Owl Star into a forging world, able to supply everything the battle group needs. I won¡¯t ask if you believe in my n, belief is irrelevant. I only ask you¡­¡± ¡°Are you and your battle group willing to fight for the rebirth of the battle group?¡± Chapter 65: 65, For the Emperor Chapter 65:, For the Emperor
Would the Battle Group be willing to fight for its rebirth? This question didn¡¯t even require Matins to think. It was a matter of course. But was he so easily swayed by Gu Hang in a few words? ¡°We will certainly fight for the revival of the Battle Group, even if it costs us our lives. However, I must make sure that our fight is truly for the renewal of the Battle Group, and not for the power of a few,¡± Matins said. ¡°The two are the same,¡± Gu Hang said, ¡°I will be honest with you on this matter. My actions, of course, will not all be for the Phoenix Battle Group. I was ordered toe to this wastnd to develop and strengthen it. But isn¡¯t our goal the same?¡±
¡°I believe there are three major elements for the Phoenix to rebuild. First, manpower and material resources, requiring arge number of Auxiliary Armies and sufficient logistical support; second, you need a Battle Group Fleet; third, seven Angels hardly count as a Battle Group, you need to regain vitality and recruit enough brothers to fight.¡± ¡°The third point, I cannot help you with. But for the first and second points, as long as Rage Owl Star grows ording to my n, it will be your solid backing, solving the problems of Mortal Auxiliary Armies, fleets, and logistics supplies.¡± ¡°I want to develop and strengthen my world, while you need a world that has grown strong to rebuild your Battle Group. Phoenix fights for the future of Rage Owl Star, and Rage Owl Star fights for the revival of the Phoenix. We are naturally meant to work together.¡± The leader of the Battle Group was indeed not cut out for politics, but interster warriors often don¡¯t need to think too much. Many of them have always been straightforward: ¡°Why then shouldn¡¯t I choose a world that has already developed?¡± Gu Hang showed a smile: ¡°If you had a choice, you wouldn¡¯t havee to Rage Owl Star.¡± Matins had to admit, Mr. Gu was right. The Phoenix Battle Group had been wandering for months, passing through many worlds, big and small. If they had had a choice, they would have settled down long ago. Their goal had always been to rebuild the Battle Group, but no one really wanted to help them do it. To take a few interster warriors as ¡®allies¡¯ or thugs was certainly good; To rebuild the Battle Group? Forget it. Maintaining a proper Battle Group almost required an entire¡¯s effort. Arge number of troops, a lot of logistical manpower, and starships were incredibly expensivemodities. Not to mention, the particrity of the interster warriors meant they were a group of highly independent, exceptionally positioned super-warriors within the Empire.
The Emperor¡¯s Death Angels were not only a description of them but also a title for their special status. After all the hard work of rebuilding the Battle Group, do you think they will serve you, or will the Battle Group call the shots over the governor? In the eyes of most interster warriors, the governor was nothing more than a mortal who provided them with supplies and managed the¡ªat best, a steward. To think aboutmanding interster warriors this way and that? Dream on! Most governors, or the generals who built worlds, didn¡¯t want to spend all their efforts only to end up with a supreme governor over their own heads. Most of the people Matins had encountered on his journey were like this. He didn¡¯t think much himself, but he could see through the thoughts of others. Those insincere smiles, those chest-thumping promises, in his view, they were all false. They dangled the carrot of rebuilding to keep them working themselves to death, and once they were of no value, they¡¯d kick them away¡­ But a dying Battle Group would find it hard to resist a powerful governor. Yet upon arriving at Rage Owl Star, though he was disappointed with the backwardness of the entire world, in some ways it might also be a good thing. His Battle Group was already in tatters, with only seven warriors remaining. But Rage Owl Star was also a broken world. Mr. Gu, the governor, really needed them. With their assistance, his Excellency the governor would be better able to control the entire. And as the governor¡¯s power grew, their side would benefit and grow stronger as well. They didn¡¯t have to worry about Gu Hang deceiving them or acting against them. Given the dire straits Mr. Gu was currently in, even as debilitated as the Phoenix was, with just seven people they had the ability to fight back and make a full retreat if necessary. They also didn¡¯t have to worry about the governor renegingter on, because under the phased fulfillment of their duty to support the Battle Group, the Group would draw nutrients and grow stronger. As long as the Battle Group could grow in strength alongside the governor¡¯s increasing power, by the future, even if the two sides were to fall out after the governor had strengthened his forces, the Battle Group would likely have enough strength already. By then, if they were to go their separate ways, they would have enough power to return to the Star Sea and start anew as a Starship-based Battle Group¡ªwhat was so difficult about that? Even in the worst-case scenario, they could ensure to kill¡­
Oh, wrong, we¡¯re a loyal Battle Group; we don¡¯t do such things. Looking at Matins¡¯ face, which seemed to betray no thoughts at all, Gu Hang smiled amiably and sincerely, seeminglypletely unconcerned about what Matins really thought. Matins began to speak, ¡°Perhaps we really should grow together, you reviving your world, me reviving my Battle Group. But how can you ensure that you can do it, that your world can truly develop as you n?¡± ¡°You see, my situation might be simr to yours. You are on the brink of extinction, and if I can¡¯t achieve something in two years, I too will die. But our difference lies in that I am full of confidence in my future, while you harbor uncertainty; you don¡¯t know how to seed, and I do.¡± ¡°So, you who are lost, would do well to tie your fate to mine.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long, just two years, and we shall see the oue.¡± Matins was already swayed by Gu Hang¡¯s words. Why shouldn¡¯t the directionless Phoenix hitch a ride on a train that knows the way? It¡¯s merely two years, after all, which for the long-lived interster warriors, isn¡¯t too much time. They had endured a hundred-year penance expedition; spending two years on Rage Owl Star, watching time pass by, wasn¡¯t a big deal. If Mr. Gu truly failed, then two yearster, when the officials from the Empire¡¯s Administrative Department decided to execute the governor, he could personally send Mr. Gu on his way. Matins was leaning towards agreeing to cooperate with Mr. Gu. He had intended to go back and discuss with his brothers in arms before giving a final answer. But at this moment, he remembered Priest Rizzo¡¯s words. You are the Battle Group leader; you must shoulder the responsibilities of the Battle Group.
And so, Matins changed his mind. He stood up, towering over Mr. Gu, who was much smaller in stature. Although his own bodypletely covered that of the governor, forcing him to crane his neck to see his face, with an overwhelming sense of oppression, the governor¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. In the end, Matins extended his gigantic palm towards Gu Hang: ¡°I hope our cooperation will be blessed by the Divine Emperor.¡± The smile on Gu Hang¡¯s face grew even more brilliant. He reached out his hand and sped it together with that of Matins, disproportionatelyrge: ¡°For The Emperor!¡± Chapter 66: 66, just a little bit of deception Chapter 66:, just a little bit of deception
Gu Hang deceived Matins. It wasn¡¯t much, just a little bit. Painting a pie in the sky couldn¡¯t be considered deception, if the Starfighters were willing to help him, and Rage Owl Star did indeed develop as he¡¯d nned, then he wouldn¡¯t mind supporting a Battle Group. He had never intended for Phoenix to be entirely, utterly at his service. The difference was too significant. Within the Imperial system, aary governor and a Starfighter Battle Groupmander werepletely separate entities; there was no subordination to speak of. However, when it came to status, thetter held much greater esteem than the former.
If it were the heyday of the Phoenix Battle Group, they would dominate their home, where theary governor would merely act as a mortal housekeeper, handling the menial tasks the Starfighters couldn¡¯t be bothered with. His influence would be incredibly strong within the span of a Star Sector, with every governor respectfully weing themander¡¯s arrival and praying for their neighbor¡¯s aid should their world face threats. Throughout the entire Star Realm, even across countless light-years of distance, the reputation of the Phoenix would be widely known. Once arge-scale war broke out, and if only one Battle Group were involved, the Battle Groupmander would often be the supreme militarymander. The Imperial Navy and the Imperial Star Realm Army might not be nominally under the Battle Group, but they would fully respect themander¡¯s wishes, and even follow theirmands¡ªunless, of course, there was some highly reputed general present, which could change the situation. Although the Phoenix was no longer what it had been a hundred years ago, its organizational structure remained, and themander¡¯s identity persisted, so there was no way Gu Hang could make a Battle Grouppletely obey him. Not even the head of a Star Sector could achieve that. But forming an alliance, a mutual benefit, that was enough. You live in my house, drive my car, eat the food I provide, use the supplies I acquire for you, and I¡¯ve even promised to rebuild your Battle Group¡­ In such circumstances, it-¡®s not too much to ask you to fire a couple of shots to help me out in times of trouble, right? As long as this covenant was maintained, Gu Hang didn¡¯t mind, after some time, fulfilling his promise to help them rebuild their Battle Group. Whether it was providing manpower, resources, or finding ways to build or purchase starships for them. As for where Gu Hang deceived them¡­ It was what he mentioned earlier, the third point about ¡®replenishing enough Starfighters.¡¯ Gu Hang actually had a way. How does one be a Starfighter? It is a very difficult task. A ¡®Gic Seed¡¯ is needed.
Once chosen, the candidate would undergo intense gic modification. After enduring one or two years of transformation, allowing the Gic Seed topletely and meticulously alter their entire body, they would be a new recruit. Then, after lengthy training, when the Battle Group believed the new recruit met their standards, they would be granted powered armor, thus truly bing a Starfighter. It may sound easy, but in reality, the process is extremely tough. After the Gic Seed is imnted, enduring the intense modifications is immensely challenging. Candidates who aspire to be Starfighters are selected from billions of people for their robust physique and resolute will; but even so, most cannot withstand it. Whether their body gives out, or their will falters, failure to endure either would lead to gic copse and death. They made it through, and then came the new recruit training phase. Fortunately, this part was merely harsh, typically not resulting in too high a mortality rate. In this entire process, the two most important things were high-quality soldier sources and gic seeds. Soldier sources were rtively easy toe by, as most battle groups had an entire as their recruitment world, their so-called mother. They could select soldiers from a¡¯s poption, choosing the best of the best, generally without worry; even starship-based battle groups could try recruiting on somes. Inducting on aary scale wasn¡¯t too practical, but handpicking a few hundred people to take away for training was hardly ever opposed by any governor. Even in the sorry state that Phoenix Battle Group was in now, they could randomly go to a world, abduct a few promising seeds, and mosts wouldn¡¯t bother pursuing a group of starfighters over a few people. But even if they solved the soldier source issue, Phoenix Battle Group still couldn¡¯t solve thetter problem, that of the gic seeds. How the Emperor once created the starfighter gic seeds is no longer known; the technology from tens of thousands of years ago wasn¡¯t preserved. In this era, starfighters mainly relied on ¡®giving birth¡¯ to their own kind. Each starfighter could produce two gic seeds in their lifetime. The first seed would mature inside them after five years as a starfighter and could be extracted to develop new recruits; the second seed matured ten yearster but couldn¡¯t be extracted and was only obtainable after their death.
Theoretically, starfighters could duplicate one to two, two to four, four to eight¡­ growing exponentially. But in reality, that was impossible. Starfighters were always fighting in the most dangerous battles. It was verymon to have bodies shattered beyond recovery or no time to collect the corpses, making the second seed difficult to retrieve. Only the first seed was a rtively stable source. Furthermore, each battle group was required to hand over 10% of their gic seeds to the Empire within a certain timeframe as a gic tax. This was to check whether the battle group¡¯s gic seeds were pure, uncontaminated, or had mutations. The collected gic seeds also formed the seed bank used by the Empire to create new battle groups. On top of that, the surgery for imnting gic seeds had a not insignificant failure rate. A failure meant the loss of both person and seed. With multiple factors stacking up, it was almost impossible for Phoenix Battle Group to go from seven to fourteen to twenty-eight. What was worse, the seven living members of Phoenix were all veterans over a hundred years old, and their five-year seeds had long been harvested. To harvest again, they would have to die. Moreover, it seemed they no longer had a Pharmacist specializing in gic seed imntation surgery; they could only ask Priest Rizzo to do the job. He was capable, but certainly not as reliable as a professional battle group Pharmacist. Less skill meant an even lower chance of the recipient sessfully awakening. Gu Hang said he couldn¡¯t help Phoenix with this matter, and Matins didn¡¯t doubt it at all, considering it just a fleeting topic of discussion. No starfighter would expect a mere mortal to be able to provide any help to Phoenix in this regard. But the truth was, Gu Hang did have the ability. In the [Event] panel, the [Phoenix on the Verge of Death] event had taken on a new development. [Phoenix on the Verge of Death: Gic Seed (Repeatable Event, can be selected indefinitely)]
[The Phoenix Battle Group hase to Rage Owl Star, reaching a preliminary cooperation agreement with you. A governor seeking to grasp and develop a world, and a battle group on the brink of death yet determined to rise again, make a good match.] [The most important thing for the resurrection of the battle group, the gic seed, is nowhere to be found. If you had the capacity, how would you choose?] [Pay 100 points of Grace to receive one gic seed (Phoenix Battle Group).] Looking at this system feature, feeling happy was secondary; the biggest feeling for Gu Hang was the cold sweat running down his back. Chapter 67: 67, The Real or Fake Phoenix? Chapter 67:, The Real or Fake Phoenix?
100 points of grace, for one seed. It¡¯s really expensive. And the seed thates with 100 points of grace can¡¯t be equated with a Starfighter. How much is a young, strong, determined, and highly gifted person worth? How much is it worth after they¡¯ve undergone the imnt surgery, survived the transformation, and trained the long and extremely harsh way of the Starfighter? And how much is that specially designed power armor for Starfighters, which can neuraly connect with them, worth?
Gu Hang still preferred using the grace point system to calcte value. He had now leveled up twice, to LV3, and his total approximate value was about 70 grace points. Activating at 10 points, 10 points to level up to 2, and 50 points to level up to 3. But when it came to leveling up to 4, it would cost 200 grace points. He wasn¡¯t a match for any Starfighter right now; he estimated that he would have to wait until level 4 to be on equal footing with an ordinary Starfighter. For veterans like the Phoenix Battle Group, probably level 5 was required for him to stand a chance. And individuals like Matins, Priest Rizzo, and a bald warrior he observed seemed stronger than the other four veterans. With that in mind, one could say that a Starfighter¡¯s value was roughly around 300 grace points, and a veteran¡¯s value was about 800 points. If Gu Hang wanted to use the system to create a Starfighter from scratch, he would probably have to exchange 100 points for a seed first and then perform the imnt surgery. If it failed, 100 points would go down the drain, and only if they survived could they proceed to the next step. A rookie who made it would have the hardware but not the experience or skill. Gu Hang would have to spend at least 111 grace points to train them up to T1-level soldiers, and then figure out a way to acquire a set of power armor. With that, he would be close to having a standard tin can. Completing this entire process would cost at least over 200 grace points, and assuming the power armor is worth a hundred, it would indeed be close to the 300 points for a tin can he had estimated based on his ownbat power. That¡¯s why Gu Hang sighed, ¡°This is really f*cking expensive!¡± I¡¯ve been mixing for a few months now, and I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ve racked up 300 grace points in total! However, what stopped Gu Hang, and what gave him a chill when he looked at the repeatable branch event ¡°Phoenix on the Brink of Death¡± where he could exchange for a gic seed, was the grave danger he realized this feature entailed. If he exchanged for a seed and then presented it to Matins saying, ¡°This is my support for you,¡± Matins would absolutely not feel the slightest bit of gratitude. Instead, he would undoubtedly pull out a bomb gun, demand to know how he acquired the gic seed, and then send him to the Tribunal. There was no use arguing; this seed was even specifically marked as belonging to the Phoenix Battle Group.
Each Battle Group¡¯s gic seed would be slightly different. It might not be easy to tell for outsiders, but for them, it would be obvious at a nce. What could Gu Hang say then? He couldn¡¯t exin it at all. This was a feature he dared not use. But soon, a bold idea came to Gu Hang: ¡°Could I possibly¡­ take over their nests?¡± When I¡¯m better off, exchange for a bunch of gic seeds, secretly find people, ensure their loyalty, brainwash them with Spiritual Energy, secretly imnt the seeds, and covertly train them. I can also secretly purchase their armor from some forging worlds. When I¡¯ve amassed enough power, a grand ambush, signal by smashing a cup, with seven true Phoenix members surrounded by seventy fake ones trained by me, Gu Hang. After killing them off, the true Phoenix will belong to me, Mr. Gu! ¡°Poption recement n? Er¡­ that¡¯s really not right¡­¡± Gu Hang shook his head and put the thought aside. Sabotaging allies, am I, Mr. Gu, that kind of person? Moreover, it¡¯s easy to talk about it now, but it would be quite troublesome to actually do it¡ªthere are countless details to take care of.
Let¡¯s talk about itter. After all, they can¡¯t afford such high-end units now. ¡­ The Governor¡¯s Government of Rage Owl Star and the Phoenix Battle Group henceforth became informal allies. It was informal because they had not signed any specific agreements, nor put anything in writing. It was simply that the Phoenix Battle Group had agreed to ept task invitations from Mr. Gu whenever he encountered any trouble. They would then decide based on the situation whether to ept and execute the tasks as requested. Besides the Governor¡¯s task invitation, their operations were essentially free, provided that they gave Mr. Gu a heads-up out of respect for his sovereignty over the entire. Mr. Gu was likewise obliged to provide them with a base on the, supply them with provisions, and pay for the necessary aid for the battle group¡¯s rebuilding efforts within the boundaries of what he could afford. In fact, this assistance in rebuilding had already begun. First of all was ammunition supply. Wu Jiarong received a request from the Governor; she had to initiate the production of bomb-gun bullets. This was difficult; the industrial base of Rage Owl Star waspletely inadequate for production. Diamond warheads, secondary propulsion, mass reaction fuzes, and characteristics of secondary explosions¡­
Being both armor-prating and explosive, these items had high requirements for technology. It wasn¡¯t impossible to make them, but it would rely on Wu Jiarong to craft each bullet by hand¡ªher mechanically modified arms were capable of this work. Her few junior technicians could probably manage a workbench well enough to help. The output would be quite touching. And asking her, the ¡®technical leader¡¯ of the Governor¡¯s Camp, to spend substantial time doing manualbor as a bullet-crafter was obviously a waste of talent and would affect the development of Gu Hang¡¯s territory. But all in all, it was a method of supply. Subsequently, Wu Jiarong also moved some equipment from the Phoenix Battle Group¡¯s ship, Burn Feather, to research how to achieve mass production, at least to the point where her junior technicians could take over the task. Then there was the maintenance of powered armor; currently, only Wu Jiarong was capable of it. As long as the damage wasn¡¯t too severe, small repairs and maintenance were within the capability of this technical officer. Typically, maintenance of the battle group¡¯s equipment was the responsibility of technical sergeants. The technical sergeants from Phoenix had been to the Mechanical God Cult¡¯s headquarters¡ªMars¡ªfor advanced training. They were more skilled than the average technical Priest. But what more could be done? Under these conditions, they had to endure. Rebuilding wasn¡¯t an easy task¡ªit relied on struggle and perseverance! Nevertheless, Mr. Gu¡¯s investment in the battle group¡¯s rebuilding efforts was recognized.
An engineering team was formed explicitly. They would construct a Fortress Monastery some distance from the camp. Starfighters pride themselves as descendants of The Emperor and Death Angels of The Emperor; they always consider themselves the most steadfast believers in the Divine Emperor among the empire. Although they are a military organization, they are also a religious organization. Many Starfighter Battle Groups refer to their headquarters as ¡®Fortress Monasteries¡¯. The construction site that had already started attracted the warriors of Phoenix to visit. They couldn¡¯t help but recall their battle group¡¯s headquarters on their homeworld. Compared to what it once was, the current one was world¡¯s apart. But at least, it was a good start, and the battle group was getting on the right path. On the next day, the seven warriors of Phoenix left the housing previously arranged by the Governor and moved directly next to the construction site of the Monastery. They wanted to watch the Monastery being built from the ground up. Chapter 68: 68, Something Happened Chapter 68:, Something Happened
The arrival of the interster soldiers didn¡¯t have much impact on the Governor¡¯s Camp. Even the people on the wastnd had heard of The Emperor¡¯s Angels. Before the was shattered, their stories were enduringly popr, showing up in texts and visual images. Now, in the post-war era, those things were gone, but ¡®stories¡¯ themselves still existed. The older generation told the younger generation, who passed it on to the next, and so on¡­ This made people under the Governor curious when they saw the interster soldiers, and they couldn¡¯t help but look over repeatedly. But, as characteristic of wastnders, they were sensitive and timid toward danger. They only dared to watch from afar, not daring to be too bold or direct with their gazes, to avoid angering these giants who could crush them with a mere p. And the interster soldiers¡­ honestly, were already incredibly used to this kind of attention.
As for the impact on the camp¡¯s development¡­ Honestly, there was a bit. In Gu Hang¡¯s case, there had always been a significantbor shortage for production development. Now, setting aside other supply needs, they even had to allocate an engineering team to build houses for the interster soldiers. Key was the fact that these interster soldiers took the matter very seriously, living right next door and supervising directly, not daring to cut corners at all. Lots of produced alloy steel, cement, and bricks had to be transported over for their use. The materials provided were already the best, yet the soldiers were still not quite satisfied until they were assured that they truly were the highest quality items avable from the Governor¡¯s Camp. However, overall, this impact remained within the range that Gu Hang could ept. It was like hiring seven strong men; you just had to think of it as paying their wages. Beyond attracting attention, slightly slowing the development speed of the Governor¡¯s Camp, and using somebor and resources, their presence was otherwise quite low-key. Every day, aside from inspecting the construction site, they were praying and training, living like monks. Later, perhaps feeling a bit sheepish about having nothing to do all day¡ªafter all, they were supposed to assist inbat¡ªthey began entering the alien forest in groups to fight the mutant monsters. Definitely for the defense of the Governor¡¯s enterprise, and not because they were bored after not seeing blood for a while! Only, the monsters in the forest couldn¡¯t satisfy the interster soldiers. Previously, although there weren¡¯t any high-level monsters in the alien forest, there were still a good number of them. However, after the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect¡¯s ambush n against Gu Hang, when a catalyst was triggered that caused arge number of hatching nests to emerge prematurely and a vast number of monsters to be killed, the number of monsters in the alien forest had drastically reduced, even the nests were scarce.
This made it difficult for the interster soldiers to get in some practice and find that feeling of ughter they were craving. But soon, their opportunity to wield their weapons appeared. ¡­ While the Phoenixes had nothing to do, Gu Hang returned to the task of worrying about the camp¡¯s development. The total poption of the camp had officially surpassed ten thousand these days. With production ns and poption distribution, Osenia might not have arranged everything perfectly, but she at least had things well organized, leaving Gu Hang little room to step in directly. Having a political officer with a rating of 9, the camp of ten thousand was being managed quite well. After just a brief focus, not needing to worry much, he saw his camp¡¯s monthly ie steadily increasing, reaching 61 points at present. He hoped that by next month¡¯s ¡®payday,¡¯ it would break a hundred! Also, during this period, he had selected and conscripted over a hundred soldiers from the new refugees, who alongside the five hundred troops previously brought by Lambert from the Hodgson Family¡ªwhosemand and ownership had beenpletely transferred to the Governor¡ªformed two additional infantry battalions. That would be the 5th and 6th battalions. These six hundred soldiers had also undergone training enhancements through Gu Hang¡¯s system function, which meant Gu Hang used 6 points of Grace, but also meant that his forces now exceeded 1700 people.
Out of caution, Gu Hang made substantial changes to the officers of these two battalions and redeployed them. A significant number of soldiers were also reorganized with the previous 2nd, 3rd, and 4th battalions. The mixed forces had been disentangled as much as possible from their formermand systems. After the reorganization, even if Lambert harbored ulterior motives, it wouldn¡¯t be of much use; it was unlikely he could incite the troops to defect in the middle of a fight. Of course, based on interactions over this period, Gu Hang tentatively believed that the two members of the Hodgson Family, old and young, were truly cooperative. Still, even so, it was wise to guard against others. It was only right for Gu Hang to take precautionary measures. Lambert had no objections to this. He even had no qualms about losing military power and being assigned to assist young Osenia, which earned him praise from her for his diligent work. He understood that his identity could cause misunderstandings and precautions from the Governor. But he had resolved to prove his loyalty through his attitude and everything he did over the uing lengthy period. Gu Hang was pleased with this. The young man was proving his worth. His grandfather was doing so as well. Poption growth within the camp would have been difficult to achieve without help from Revival City. Moreover, most of the goods from the Governor¡¯s Camp, besides internal consumption, sold very well in Revival City on the foreign market. Purchasing food, minerals, and other consumer goods also went smoothly. During this time, Dennison Henry even felt that business was too easy. But today, Lambert came to Gu Hang somewhat flustered, bearing some unsettling news.
¡°I can¡¯t contact my grandfather.¡± Gu Hang frowned, ¡°Be more specific.¡± ¡°This morning, I made a routine check with Revival City, but couldn¡¯t get through. It¡¯s not that no one was picking up, but the line waspletely dead. I realized something wasn¡¯t right, tried to connect to other wirelessmunication lines of our family, but the situation was simr; I also contacted some people who have a good rtionship with our family. Nobody knew what had happened, but they told me that Revival City is under lockdown, preventing the poor from the outer city from entering¡­¡± Gu Hang narrowed his eyes. ¡°This is really bad news¡­ It sounds like Mr. Hodgson might have run into trouble.¡± ¡°I implore you to save him!¡± Chapter 69: 69th , The Daughter of The Emperor Chapter 69: 69th Chapter, The Daughter of The Emperor
Gu Hang patted Lambert on the shoulder and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but impatience will only make things worse right now. Calm down; you need to mobilize all your connections and hidden forces in Revival City as much as possible and figure out what exactly happened.¡± After a pause, Gu Hang continued, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll make preparations. When necessary, I will enter the city.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going into Revival City?¡± ¡°A governor must always return to his post,¡± Gu Hang said, ¡°Moreover, President of the Council Hodgson is now working for me. If he has been put in jeopardy because of this and is alive, I will do my best to save him; if¡­ I mean if, the worstes to pass, I will avenge him.¡± ¡°Thank you, Governor!¡± ¡°Go on, attend to your matters.¡±
Watching Lambert leave, Gu Hang sat back down in his seat. Revenge was certainly something Gu Hang took seriously. Hodgson had been sitting pretty for many years without a solid foundation to be President of the Council. He¡¯d survived so many trials and tribtions without incident, but after he had made clear his support for Gu Hang, he suffered this misfortune¡­ It wouldn¡¯t do if Gu Hang, as the governor, did nothing. And apart from that reason, Gu Hang had another stronger, more pressing reason for making his decision: Someone had dered war on him. Although the situation was still unclear, the fact that someone had dared to take action against him in Revival City after Hodgson had made his support clear was undoubtedly a deration of war. Whether it was the Heretic Cultists who followed the Primordial Wrath Owl or the conservative factions within the Alliance Government who had dered war on him, Gu Hang must respond. Actually, his current preparations were insufficient. In his previous ns, he himself would enter Revival City in about two to three months. By then, the economy and productive capacity of his territory would be able to support an army at least three timesrger than the present one for a short period of military action. By that time, with the orbital cannon of the Quintet as the biggest deterrent and his troops, which had undergone systematic training, as the conventional means, he would return to Revival City and takeplete control of the city. With that, he would gain a poption of nearly a million. The production potential provided by the technology panel would be greatly realized; politically, he could genuinely exercise the governor¡¯s powers, use military force as a guarantee, and swiftly sweep all surrounding settlements into his production system. Now, it seemed his n had to be elerated. Since it was war, there was no such thing as ¡®being prepared.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t expect others to wait until he was ready before they fought.
But there was also good news. Gu Hang¡¯s strength hadn¡¯t fully umted, but now he had the support of interster warriors, an unexpected boost in his ns. The help provided by the 7 Phoenix Veterans was probably more valuable than the military power Gu Hang could expand over the next two months. ¡°If it¡¯s war, then let it be war.¡± ¡°Having the n pushed forward might not be a bad thing after all.¡± It¡¯s a real shame about old Hodgson¡­ I hope he¡¯s all right. ¡­ The troops under Gu Hang¡¯s directmand quickly assembled, leaving the Mech Servant Battalion to hold down the fort while the remaining five battalions formed an infantry regiment, awaiting further orders; The mission request was sent to the Phoenix Battle Group, which responded positively; Gu Hang personallymunicated with Yelisia for about half an hour. Yelisia stated that from now on, the entire starship would enter a state ofbat readiness and that an orbital cannon strike could beunched at any target specified by the governor within twenty minutes if needed; starting tomorrow, the starship wouldplete itsbat readiness tasks, entering a wartime state, which meant that the response time for orbital cannon strikes could be reduced to within ten minutes. At the same time, given that thebat target was likely to include Heretic Cultists, Gu Hang¡¯sbat mission would receive support from the National Church Team aboard the starship. A Battle Nun Squad would arrive on the surface six hourster.
That was another delightful surprise! Only now did Gu Hang learn that there was actually a squad of Battle Nuns on the Quintet? He had no idea about this during the trip to Rage Owl Star! Battle Nuns are a group steeped in legend. They are the only overt armed force of the Imperial State Religion. After the Theocratic Wars, the Church was no longer allowed to have any armed men. However, they fostered the Sisterhood by exploiting this rule, establishing the Battle Nun regiments. These sisters, blessed by the National Church and with unwavering faith, were called ¡®The Emperor¡¯s Daughters¡¯. They might not be as formidable as the gically-modified Interster warriors, but with The Emperor¡¯s blessing, they could attain extraordinary power. They also wore specially made power armors. Unlike the Interster warriors, they could not connect directly to modified spinal cords for neural linking with the armor, but they could activate their armor with the power of sacred spells. And their blessed armor, though not as heavy as that of the Interster warriors, was still a formidable weapon. Initially, Gu Hang found it odd that there was a squad of Battle Nuns permanently stationed on the Quintet, but after searching his memory, he had an epiphany. The Sisterhood had many branches. Apart from the main ones, there were also second-tier, third-tier sub-orders. They naturally needed ces to station, usually alongside significant institutions of the National Church. On Korolya III of the Nest Capital in the Tianma Star Sector, there stood a great cathedral of the Imperial State Religion, not only the most crucial division in this Star Sector but also a faith hub for several surrounding Star Sectors. And there, the ¡®Sainte-Lys Nun Association¡¯ was stationed. On arge starship like the Quintet, a chapel was essential. Normally, priests and nuns needed tofort the crewmembers¡¯ spirits on the battleship; in wartime, they would resist corruption from evil. In this context, if the Star Sector Government had rtively close military cooperation with the National Church, then aside from the standard shipboard chapels, it was not impossible to additionally equip a Battle Nun Squad. Like Interster warriors, Battle Nuns were not exactly subordinates directly under themand of Yelisia, the captain. But, being on the same ship, it was normal for them toply if requested.
Moreover, it wasn¡¯t Yelisia who made the request this time. It was when the news of the Cult on Rage Owl Star made its way to these ¡®Emperor¡¯s Daughters¡¯ that they volunteered to join the battle. Zealous Battle Nuns would not tolerate the existence of Heretic Cultists. And with the help of these sisters, who might be weaker than Interster warriors but not by much, Gu Hang¡¯s operation gained an even more powerful boost. Moreover,pared to the warriors, these Battle Nuns were more specialized anti-cult experts. If the shadow of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect loomed in this affair, the Emperor¡¯s Daughters would give them a huge surprise. Chapter 70: 70, I’ll Go Chapter 70:, I¡¯ll Go
¡°` Under the circumstances of Gu Hang assembling all the help he could get, news from Revival City kept pouring in. Lambert became an intelligence officer. He had already activated his own contacts as well as his family¡¯s to obtain intelligence from Revival City by all possible means. Meanwhile, Dennison Henry, although he was in Rubbish Town when he received the message, had quite a number of partners in Revival City. He was also actively mobilizing his contacts to help collect information. The situation inside Revival City was bing increasingly worrisome.
The person who initiated martialw was General Mondok. As the suprememander of Revival City¡¯s military power, this meant that the military might have already taken a stand against the governor. Old Hodgson was still without news to this day, his life and death unknown. But what was even more troubling was that various hints indicated that several key members of the Hodgson Family were also missing, including Lambert¡¯s father. Rumors had it that the bodies of the Hodgson Family¡¯s servants had been discovered. The Hodgson Family manor was locked down by the authorities. Armed soldiers stood guard around it, and no one could get close. These were all extremely bad pieces of information. The inquiries sent to Revival City in the name of Governor Gu Hang, although replied to, were insincere. The authorities imed that they too had discovered the disappearance of President of the Council Hodgson and suspected cult involvement. The martialw and the lockdown of the manor were deemed necessary steps in order to investigate the matter. They promised to inform the governor immediately if any findings were made. Gu Hang didn¡¯t believe any of it for a moment. If that was true, why hadn¡¯t the authorities in Revival City reported Hodgson¡¯s disappearance to him immediately? It was only when Lambert tried to contact his grandfather as usual that they found out. And even more absurd was the second message from Revival City officials, inviting the governor back to ¡°take charge¡± of Revival City, but with the difficult stiption of not being able to provide supplies and amodations, they ¡°requested¡± the governor not bring more than a hundred followers. At this point, Gu Hang had confirmed that the situation in Revival City hadpletely spiraled out of control. To this second message, Gu Hang returned only four words.
¡°I will go.¡± ¡­ ¡°Will hee?¡± industrial tycoon Norris cautiously asked, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°If he said he wille, he definitely will,¡± Bradford replied, ¡°But our esteemed governor doesn¡¯t seem like someone who will surrender without a fight. He wille, but it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯ll bring only a hundred people.¡± Norris continued to probe, ¡°The people we nted with him are reporting that recently, seven individuals suspected to be interster warriors arrived at his camp. If that¡¯s true, what do we do?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Bradford was stumped. His gaze involuntarily turned to Mondok beside him,ced with a hint of reproach. ¡°` Norris was already very dissatisfied, ¡°I said earlier, we should not rush things. If Mr. Gu really is capable of enlisting the aid of intergctic warriors, what do we do now to resolve this situation?¡± Mondok sneered,
¡°Now that things havee to this, what¡¯s the use of being afraid? Norris, have you lost your edge?¡± Norris argued, ¡°What does this have to do with edge? Even if you¡¯re sharp, would you go head-to-head with an intergctic warrior?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Bradford interjected, trying to smooth things over. ¡°This might not even be true. How could such legendary figures as the intergctic warriors be summoned at someone¡¯s beck and call? It¡¯s very likely a ruse by the governor to blind us, we must not lose ourposure.¡± Despite his words, Bradford¡¯s expression betrayed an undeniable panic. Most likely it¡¯s not true, but what if it is? Mondok, witnessing the ambivalence of both men, disyed an even more pronounced look of disdain. However, he knew he still needed their support, so he had to instill some confidence in them. ¡°First off, Bradford is right, this whole thing is probably not true, just a fa?ade created by our governor.¡± ¡°Secondly, even if it were true, what¡¯s there to fear? Reports from several sources say that there are a total of seven intergctic warriors. Just seven. We have an army of ten thousand! We have seventy Challenger tanks! We have one hundred artillery guns of various models! Are we supposed to fear seven intergctic warriors? Have you been reading too many pre-war stories and really believe these warriors are gods descended from the heavens? I¡¯ve never believed such exaggerated fabrications. They¡¯re all just flesh and blood with a single head and two hands. Can they tear apart tanks with their bare hands? That¡¯sughable!¡± Pausing for a moment, Mondok continued, ¡°The governor¡¯s forces amount to barely a thousand men with hardly any heavy weaponry. Stop worrying about this all the time. Instead, you could spend the time helping me with some actual work.¡± Reassured by Mondok¡¯s words brimming with confidence, Norris and Bradford felt somewhat more at ease. Upon further reflection, it really did make sense.
Even if there really were intergctic warriors, what could seven people achieve? Could they really massacre a thousand, decimating the entire Revival City¡¯s forces? But at this moment, Norris, the cautious one, raised another issue, ¡°Have you considered the problem of the orbital strike?¡± Mentioning this, Mondok fell silent for a moment. Inparison to the uncertain issue of intergctic warriors, the real headache was the Quintet hovering in the sky above. The starship was undoubtedly real, with its formidable presence floating in the sky, so noticeable that its lights could be observed with the naked eye on clear nights. The main cannon of the Quintet might not be able to obliterate the entirety of Revival City in a single shot, but a few more rounds should do the job. Spending half a day or a full day meticulously bombarding a city-sized target would ensure no inch of ground was left untouched. Revival City had underground air-raid shelters left from the war era; hiding there might offer a chance to survive an orbital assault. But firstly, not many could take refuge in them, and secondly¡­ even if people survived, what good would it do if the city was destroyed? Could General Mondok conjure up food and ammunition out of thin air to sustain his army? Could Norris, the industrial magnate, continue his manufacturing operations underground and keep production high? Could Bradford, the business tycoon, find anywhere to trade and amass his wealth? They were too attached. They usually looked down upon the several hundred thousand refugees outside the city and even the ordinary citizens within the city walls. Yet these people were the true source of their wealth. The death of a few was trivial, but if the city were cleansed and the popce eradicated, it would spell the end for them too. And yet, the problem of the starship was insoluble. In the end, all Mondok could say was, ¡°Gu Hang wouldn¡¯t do that. If Revival City is destroyed, he¡¯ll surely die within two years!¡±
Chapter 71: 71, Life is the Coin of the Emperor Chapter 71:, Life is the Coin of the Emperor
If Gu Hang knew Mondok¡¯s thoughts, he¡¯d surelyugh: I just need to kill a few people, why would I bombard an entire city? Would he really order Yelisia to bombard Revival City? Yes, and no. Yes, meaning a small-scale, rtively precise military strike; no, meaning there would not be a destruction of Revival City until the veryst moment. The poption of the inner city plus the slums outside Revival City roughly approaches a million. And what is the poption of the entire Rage Owl Star?
Six years ago, in thest year of the second governor¡¯s era, when thest tax payment was made to the Empire, the number was forty-two million plus. A with a poption of forty-two million, that was 0.5% of Rage Owl Star¡¯s poption during its heyday before the war. 99.5% of the poption was lost in that war and in the century of darkness and chaos that followed. And after the end of the rule of the second governor, with governors changing every two years for the past six years, has the situation on Rage Owl Star improved? Obviously not. Given the circumstances here, the poption is probably still in decline. Compared to the poption, the loss of productivity is probably even more severe. This has led to the situation where, although the poption is already quite small for an entire, people are still cheap. This is because even this small number of people are barely sustained by the current output of Rage Owl Star. So now, the answer to this question is very clear: why would Gu Hang absolutely not want to make a light decision to order the starships to bombard Revival City? Because here lies one of the very few densely popted areas of Rage Owl Star. Based on a poption of one million, that¡¯s already 2.3% of the total poption of the six years ago. And the actual proportion is only higher than this figure. By Gu Hang¡¯s estimate, the current total poption of Rage Owl Star may already be less than forty million, or even less. Moreover, despite the poor people outside Revival City being destitute, the city is still a jewel of Rage Owl Star. This city, which gathers a million people from both the inner and outer areas, benefits from the scale effect, with an increase in productivity that a hundred settlements, each with a poption of ten thousand, could not match. ttening Revival City and losing 2.3% or even more of the global poption, along with more than 5% of global productivity, are already oues that Gu Hang is unwilling to ept. Not to mention, without Revival City as an existing hub of poption, a massive potential for development would be lost. If the city could be peacefully taken and controlled, a million peoplebined with Gu Hang¡¯s technological system could unleash tremendous production capacity. Without Revival City, Gu Hang would have to wander the wastnds gathering people by the thousands or hundreds, searching for countless small, hidden, and highly guarded ces like the Abandoned Cave Society to collect the poption.
Peaceful control of Revival City is worth a thousand Abandoned Cave Societies to Gu Hang. This is the greatest reason why Gu Hang would not order the destruction of Revival City unless absolutely necessary. ¡°Life is the coin of The Emperor,¡± fits the situation precisely, yet there¡¯s a subsequent half to it: ¡°Spend it wisely.¡± If The Emperor still holds true to this, Gu Hang, who theoretically may possess less than forty million in total assets, has no reason to be so extravagant as to waste a million ¡°coins.¡± ¡­ When they say six hours, it means six hours. A transport vessel from the Quintet arrived with a Battle Nun Squad. Under the leadership of Sister Chang Ge Ruite, eleven nuns came to the surface. With their height stretching beyond one meter eighty, once d inbat armor, they appeared both taller and more substantial. Their creamy white armors adorned with green patterns made them seem holy and elegant, truly like a living group of lilydies. As they emerged from the hatch, Gu Hang thought he saw another Battle Group walk out. Of course, it was just d¨¦j¨¤ vu. The difference between the two was quite significant. The red armor of the Phoenix made them look like battle-hardened warriors who had fought their way through rivers of blood; the tender green and creamy white of the Saintly Lilies¡¯ armor made them look like elegantdies spreading the gospel.
And their most significant differencey in their size. The Battle Nuns, all towering over one meter eighty and already considered tall and strong among women, were even more massive with their powered armorspared to regr troops. ¡°` However,pared to interster warriors, who averaged heights of two meters thirty or two meters forty and whose frames were substantial even in width, there was no contest. Gu Hang collected his thoughts and advanced to meet them. ¡°Mrs. Georgette, wee to your arrival. With your help, the traitors of Rage Owl Star and the heretic cultists will have nowhere to hide.¡± Unlike the interster warriors who always maintained stern, deadpan expressions, the attitude of the battle nun leader was gentle and amiable¡ªat least Mrs. Georgette was like this. The woman with short white hair extended her hand with a smile and shook hands with Gu Hang. Her voice was low, gentle, and veryforting, ¡°I am also very pleased to meet you, Governor. I hope that we can cooperate well in theing times.¡± Having said that, she turned her gaze to Commander Matins, who stood not far behind Gu Hang. She nodded with a smile. Matins nodded back in response. Gu Hang noticed this.
These two have a story. Curiously, he asked, ¡°Do you two¡­ know each other?¡± Mrs. Georgette smiled and said, ¡°If Governor wishes to know, it might be better to ask Commander Matins. If he does not wish to tell you, it would not be appropriate for me to say too much.¡± Gu Hang turned his gaze back to Matins. Matins was silent for a while, and Gu Hang thought he wouldn¡¯t get an answer, but in the end, the serious interster warrior spoke up, ¡°We have fought side by side in the Organ Star Region.¡± Mrs. Georgette said, ¡°I have to thank you. Without you, the Order of the Blessed Lily might no longer exist.¡± ¡°No, it is I who should thank you. You could have retreated, but you chose to stand with us.¡± Mrs. Georgette¡¯s smile took on a hint of cleverness, ¡°That¡¯s not what you said at the time.¡± Matins, uncharacteristically, looked somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I¡­ ¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Mrs. Georgetteughed heartily as she stepped forward; despite being much shorter than Matins and both of them wearing power armor, it didn¡¯t stop the Sister Superior from giving the Commander a big hug. ¡°Anyway, I am very happy to see you again, myrade-in-arms. Congrattions on redeeming yourselves, and may the Divine Emperor bless your future.¡± ¡­
It was rather miraculous for tworades who had long been separated to run into each other again in a ce as minor as Rage Owl Star, and to have the opportunity to fight side by side once more. Their so-called ¡®Organ Star Region¡¯ was quite a distance from the Tianma Star Sector. But they didn¡¯t have much time to reminisce. The time to depart had arrived. The reason for the dy was that Gu Hang was waiting for the arrival of the battle nuns. Although there were only eleven of them, they were still eleven exceptional warriors. Just two or three nuns working together could have a fair chance of defeating an ordinary interster warrior. Not to mention they had Sister Chang Ge Ruite. Gu Hang could vaguely sense through psionic perception that the Sister Superior¡¯s strength was probably not much weaker than Matins¡¯s. Admittedly, no further news hade from Revival City, and old Hodgson seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, his fate unknown. But Gu Hang was not willing to wait any longer. The Mech Servant Battalion stayed behind to guard the home, while thebined forces of over fifteen hundred warriors from the 2-6 Battalions, the terrestrial troops, Phoenix Interster Warriors, and the Order of the Blessed Lily Battle Nuns¡­ a whole team, escorted the Governor as they embarked from the camp, heading towards Revival City. Chapter 72: 72, are you pretending? Chapter 72:, are you pretending?
From the Governor¡¯s Camp, getting to Revival City by infantry speed would take almost an entire day. By evening, the team arrived outside Revival City. And Revival City had long since been informed of Gu Hang¡¯s approach. Gu Hang hadn¡¯t nned on remaining incognito, moving with quite a disy, making it somewhat difficult to go unnoticed. There were too many ways for those in Revival City to have advance notice. If one only considers the inner city, Revival City isn¡¯trge; but taking into ount the outer city and the haphazardly constructed dwellings of the poor, the area it covers isn¡¯t small at all. And when Gu Hang¡¯s team arrived at Revival City, they merely stopped at the outer city.
An army stood in their way. It was Revival City¡¯s garrison. A multitude of soldiers upied the slum area in front of the main gate. They were stationed inside houses, ring outside with predatory eyes; tanks were hidden among civilian residences, with most of their bulk blocked by the low buildings, their dark barrels protruding. They were blocking the Governor¡¯s team from proceeding further. An officer, apanied by a few attendants, approached the Governor¡¯s team to request an audience with the Governor. Gu Hang met with him. The Revival City officer saluted Gu Hang, ¡°Good day, Your Excellency the Governor, I am from Revival¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to report your name, I¡¯m not interested in knowing. Tell me, why is my city blocking my entry? Why are you soldiers, who should be loyal to me, standing on the opposite side?¡± The officer, whose self-introduction had been cut off, swallowed his saliva. He felt incredibly tense. He looked to his left, seeing a red-armored giant, knowing that was a starship warrior; he looked to his right, ady in white and green armor, that was a Battle Nun. His gaze then turned back to the middle, to his Governor, the highest ruler of this. He thought, with what merit or bravery does he dare to speak in front of these legendary figures?
But he still spoke up, ¡°I am acting on orders from the Alliance Council, from the Marshal of Revival City¡¯s defenses, Major General Mondok, to¡­ to request that you halt your advance. There is no issue with Your Excellency the Governor entering the city, but you are allowed no more than a hundred guards, and¡­ and that must not include a starship warrior or Battle Nun.¡± Gu Hang reacted as if he heard a preposterous joke, ¡°Mondok? Major General? He¡¯s making requests of me?¡± The officer seemed to realize himself how ridiculous his statement had been, and could only slightly lower his head in silence. ¡°So,¡± Gu Hang said, ¡°I now inform you in my capacity as the Governor of Rage Owl Star, regardless of whatever posts, whatever authority that Mondok you spoke of previously had, he no longer holds. He is no longer an Alliance Councilman, nor a militarymander. Now, take this message back to yourrades-in-arms.¡± Gu Hang had already given the officer a chance. But he hadn¡¯t seized it. It was evident that he was under tremendous psychological pressure, but he still resisted, saying, ¡°I apologize, Your Excellency the Governor, but pleaseply with General Mondok¡¯s¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. He felt an incredible power clutching at his throat. Quickly, he fainted due tock of blood flow to the brain. Releasing the power of his telekic control, he let the body fall to the ground. Gu Hang waved his hand and soldiers came forward to drag the man away. This officer was very courageous.
But his courage was misced. At that moment, Commander Matins spoke up, ¡°Governor, the situation is now very clear. That man who ims to be General Mondok, his actions amount to rebellion. What stands before us now are all rebels.¡± ¡°So, Commander Matins, what do you suggest we do? Kill all the ¡®rebels¡¯? Can the seven Phoenix Warriors aplish that?¡± Matins actually began to calcte carefully before replying, ¡°Relying solely on the seven of us topletely defeat an army of ten thousand, equipped with heavy firepower and armor, would be difficult. I need the cooperation of the Sisters of Saint Lily of Mercy along with the artillery fire from the Quintet. At night, we could enter the target area, mark it for an orbital strike, and then let the starshipsmence the bombardment. We could move in to sweep the area afterward. With this n, we should be able toplete the mission with a rtively small loss.¡± Battle Nun Georgette, however, raised an objection, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Commander Matins, I would relish another opportunity to fight alongside the Phoenix again. But our mission on this descent to the¡¯s surface is not to quell a rebellion, but to deal with Heretic Cultists. I will not partake in a campaign against human rebels. Mr. Governor, I also ask for your understanding.¡± Gu Hang was not disappointed; instead, he disyed a calming smile, ¡°I understand, I certainly do. Commander Matins, your n is sound¡ªwhen I deem these enemies before us all need to be eliminated, I will adopt your n. But for now, we don¡¯t need toplicate matters to such an extent.¡± ¡°What do you n to do, then?¡± ¡°Rest for now. You might be unaffected by a whole day of marching, but my soldiers need rest to recover theirbat strength. As for the specifics of the n, I will inform youter. I also ask you, and Superior Georgette, to coordinate with me tomorrow.¡± Matins gazed at Gu Hang for a moment before ultimately nodding in agreement. Georgette also expressed her stance, ¡°We will not ughter human soldiers, but we will provide you, Mr. Governor, with the necessary protection.¡± ¡°To have achieved this step is already very much appreciated.¡± ¡­
Within Revival City, Norris and Bradford waited anxiously for news from the outer city. Upon learning that Gu Hang had set out, and that he actually had space warriors with him, even Battle Nuns, these two Alliance Councilmen who were merchants were quite panicked. Regret filled their hearts, and even when General Mondok decided to lead his troops to defend the outer city, they raised their objections. But their objections were weak and powerless, as always. They could only watch as Mondok positioned himself in front of the Governor and then pray that conflict would not erupt. And indeed, it did not. Mr. Gu, the Governor, had stopped right outside the outer city. This was indeed joyful news! Bradford spoke, ¡°It seems we overestimated how tough Gu Hang would be. Perhaps, his toughness was all just an act.¡± Norris said with a chuckle, ¡°At least we can sleep peacefully tonight. We indeed need a hardliner like Mondok; he¡¯s done very well.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bradford said, ¡°the threat of war has greatly diminished. Now, the remaining issue is how to get that capricious Governor to stop ying around building camps outside and quickly return to where he belongs.¡± ¡°Yes, once he¡¯s back, everything will return to normal.¡±
¡°Just like the previous three Governors.¡± ¡°Yes, we have countless ways to deal with him. There¡¯s no need for him to dream of saving the world¡ªthe Rage Owl Star doesn¡¯t need his salvation. All he has to do is to dutifully serve as Governor, enjoy a couple offortable years, and then retire peacefully when it¡¯s time.¡± Chapter 73: 73, why isn’t anyone hitting him? Chapter 73:, why isn¡¯t anyone hitting him?
On the second day, at dawn, the sun had not yet risen, and the sky was just beginning to brighten. Outside Revival City, many soldiers had been on duty throughout the night. At the very front, the officers in charge of the checkpoint were two lieutenant colonels. ¡°Last night, Landolf didn¡¯te back,¡± one of them said, ¡°I don¡¯t know whether he¡¯s dead or if the governor detained him.¡± ¡°Did General Mondok get angry?¡± asked the other. ¡°No,¡± the first lieutenant colonel replied, ¡°The General was actually quite pleased when he saw that the governor¡¯s troops really had stopped outside.¡±
¡°Pleased? But Landolf is his own nephew.¡± The former simply shrugged his shoulders, indicating that that was just the way things were. ¡°So cold-blooded, poor Landolf.¡± While chatting idly, suddenly one of them stretched out his hand, pointing towards the faint morning fog on the outskirts: ¡°What is that?¡± The other looked in the direction of the outstretched hand. It was not yet fully light, the visibility was obscured by morning fog, but he could still make out, vaguely, the figures of a few giants slowly approaching. The two exchanged a nce; one retreated and blew his whistle, alerting all the soldiers at the checkpoint to be vignt, while the other took aim with his gun into the thick fog and asked, ¡°Who goes there?¡± However, there was no response from within the fog. The figures approaching through the mist remained silent. Only after they drew somewhat closer could heavy footsteps be heard. The sound of footsteps was somewhat abrupt; there had been no sound before, as if they were ghosts; and now, after being spotted, the sound was so distinct, so heavy, it was as if a war drum had been struck in their hearts. He had already realized who wasing, but he didn¡¯t know what to do about it. Should he open fire? He didn¡¯t dare! First of all, he did not dare to take the responsibility for firing the first shot;
Second, and more importantly, considering his current situation, standing in front of the checkpoint without any cover, if he dared to fire the first shot, he¡¯d be dead the next second. But should he just do nothing? Amid his dilemma, he noticed that the soldiers stationed behind him had prepared themselves following the reminder of the colleague with whom he had just spoken. Dozens of guns were aimed in this direction, which reassured him considerably. He refocused his gaze towards the front and called out again. ¡°Who goes there? Please respond!¡± This time, there was still no answer. But as the footsteps drew closer, he could now faintly see the figures approaching. The fiery red powered armor and the signature colossal stature undoubtedly marked their identity. The man they were escorting, though he had never seen him before, must surely be the governor. As they walked closer and closer, the obstructing officer grew more and more nervous, his hands sweating on his weapon. He couldn¡¯t help but issue a third warning. ¡°Please halt, you are not permitted to pass!¡± Still, there was no response, as if what approached were not living people, but a host of ghosts.
After the third warning was issued, the figures were very close. He couldn¡¯t help but turn his head back, looking to hispanion, as if seeking guidance on what to do next. To his dismay, he found that hispanion was also looking back at him, eyes revealing the same question. ording to the rules of the wastnd, when faced with such a situation, there would be no hesitation; one would just fire a salvo first. If the people were dead, they wouldn¡¯t pose a threat anymore. But here, regardless of political decorum, could the rifles in the soldiers¡¯ hands be of any use against these steel-bodied adversaries? What to do? No one knew what to do. Under hesitation, conflict, helplessness, enormous pressure, and intense nervousness, these checkpoint soldiers and officers simply allowed the star warriors and battle nuns, escorting the governor, to approach them. The moment for a final decision hade. Themanding officer, still not daring to give the order to fire, could not just let them pass either. Atst, gritting his teeth and bravely stepping in front of the advancing crowd, he stretched out his palm to the leading star warrior, making a halting gesture while saying: ¡°Halt! Ahead is forbid¡ª¡± There was a dull thud.
His head caved in. The red-armored warrior at the front had no intention of stopping. When faced with an obstruction, he simply extended his hand as if swatting away a fly, his backhand striking the officer¡¯s face. The movement was too fast for the officer to react or dodge, and his head caved as if struck by a sledgehammer. The sttered blood stained the vivid red armor, hardly noticeable. His body slumped to the side, legs still twitching. Blood kept pouring from his misshapen head, quickly pooling into arge puddle. No one cared, no one paid attention. The Death Angel who struck the blow didn¡¯t even alter the rhythm of his pace. Those who followed didn¡¯t spare a nce to the side. Even the holy and merciful battle nuns were indifferent. Themanding officer was dead, but the soldiers still did not dare to shoot, not even when a star warrior kicked Landolf aside. Nor did anyone dare to block their path. Like this, they simply let the governor¡¯s procession pass. The way behind, for Gu Hang and hispanions, was also clear. Although someone had died at the first checkpoint, themotion wasn¡¯t great. There were neither gunshots nor cannon fire, and many soldiers behind werepletely unaware of what had happened, with a considerable number still asleep, undisturbed.
Under these circumstances, the 19 of them, including Gu Hang, strolled confidently down the street from the outer city to the inner city gate. The outer city¡¯s environment wasn¡¯t great, haphazardly constructed with no nning¡ªnarrow alleys typical of densely popted slums. However, the main avenues extending from the gates leading to the inner city remained spacious. The deliberately produced heaviness of the powered leg armor echoed far and wide. Many soldiers on duty, now awake, peeked out and saw them. The imposing star warriors and the striking battle nuns were an awe-inspiring sight, further entuating the governor¡¯s distinguished aura under their protection. Were such figures something these lowly soldiers could contend with? No one dared think so. At the same time, they felt more at ease in their hearts. Before, General Mondok had firmly prohibited the governor from entering the city, even adopting a stance ready for a forceful confrontation. Thankfully, General Mondok had since changed his mind. ¡ªMost of the soldiers in the rear were unaware of what had happened at the checkpoint. Seeing the governor¡¯s procession moving arrogantly on the main road, they assumed it was normal, that the general had allowed them passage. Otherwise, why wasn¡¯t anyone shooting at them? Chapter 74: 74, Dilemma Chapter 74:, Dilemma
¡°Why has no one stopped them?¡± Located in the outer city, guarding the gate, and presiding over the military, Mondok had just been woken up when he received the news, and he already felt very anxious. Yesterday, after the arrival of the Governor¡¯s troops, although his deployed nephew failed to return, the Governor¡¯s forces had indeed stopped outside, honestly not moving an inch. This satisfied him; his tough stance seemed to have been effective. The next step was to consider how to negotiate with the Governor. But who could have expected that early this morning, he would hear such shocking bad news! With the escort of seven Star Realm warriors and eleven Battle Nuns, the Governor strolled through his army and was now walking on the main road, heading towards the inner city. And throughout the process, the interactions between his army and the Governor¡¯s guard were very ¡®peaceful.¡¯
It was said that an officer who tried to block the way had his head crushed with a single punch. But besides that, not a single shot was fired, not a single cannon was shot. His soldiers just let the ¡®enemy¡¯ walk right through. Why is that? Could it be that all my troops have mutinied? This was the source of Mondok¡¯s anxiety. Because it wasn¡¯t impossible. He was a general, amander, but nominally he was a subordinate to the Governor, who was the suprememander. The ordinary soldiers didn¡¯t understand the twists and turns above them and wouldn¡¯t easily categorize the Governor as an enemy. To some extent, if the soldiers really ¡®rebelled,¡¯ what could he do? Mondok even couldn¡¯t help but look around, fearing that the next moment, before the Governor¡¯s people arrived, his own soldiers would bind him, chanting something like ¡®lending General Mondok¡¯s head for use.¡¯ But fortunately, that situation did not happen. His personal guard was still loyally guarding outside. The adjutant who came to report responded to his earlier question, ¡°Indeed, no one stopped them. I inquired about it, and it is said that you might have allowed the Governor¡¯s troops to pass, so the soldiers did not dare to block or open fire¡­¡±
Not to mention others, even he himself thought so. ¡°Bullshit!¡± Mondok bellowed! ¡°Er¡­ You never issued such an order, Sir?¡± Faced with this question, Mondok instead calmed down. Heposed himself and quickly analyzed the current situation in his mind. The situation might not be as bad as he had initially thought. Right now, the soldiers were just confused, bewildered, and at a loss; they had not yet shown any intention of mutiny. The prestige Mondok had established within the troops was still intact; the soldiers would still consider him the highestmander of the forces. And more importantly, the propaganda that they had been doing within the alliance authorities, the troops, and the whole city, was still effective. The era of the brutal rule of the second governor had only ended six years ago, and the memories were still fresh in people¡¯s minds; no one wanted to return to those times. It was with the help of this public sentiment that they, over the past six years, had puppetized the governor on one hand, making sure his decrees could not leave his office, let alone affect the broadernds beyond Revival City. On the other hand, they had also silently shifted the me for many of their own misdeeds onto the governor. In Rage Owl Star and Era City, despite some still cherishing the gubernatorial revival led by the first governor, people now held not too much affection for the governors sent by the Imperial Faction. Hatred was perhaps an overstatement, since the new one had not had enough time tomit bad deeds. But the lingering fear and resentment had not diminished in the slightest.
After Gu Hang arrived, the fact that he ventured beyond the confines of Revival City to meddle in external affairs was beyond the expectations of the alliance¡¯s upper echelons, but it was a development they were happy to see. If he wanted to y some construction game, then let him y by himself. No one believed he could survive the imperial tax two years from now by starting from scratch with external construction. Once the governor was executed two yearster, the top brass of the alliance would simply scapegoat some members of the Governor¡¯s Government, have them finished off together, and then just wait for the arrival of the next governor¡ªall to endure another two-year cycle. Because of this, they had recently loosened their smear campaign against the new governor. Not to mention, amongst them had emerged a traitor like Hodgson! Unintentionally, the news of the new governor¡¯s thriving activities outside had spread among the poor outside Revival City. It was only recently that they realized the seriousness of the problem. Not only had they executed Hodgson, but they had also made it clear to the governor that they were ready for confrontation. Under these circumstances, they restarted a round of urgent propaganda, attempting to mold Gu Hang into a new ¡°second governor,¡± iming he would return to seize power and sentence half of Revival City¡¯s poption as tribute for the imperial tax, and portraying how tragic it would be to be given as human tribute¡­ But in truth, if the poor were taken as human tax¡­ it might not be such a bad thing. Working as ves on starships might be better than living as poor in Rage Owl Star. Of course, there was also the chance of being sent to the Star Realm Army as ves, cannon fodder, or to the front-line logistical transport team¡­ That could be slightly worse. Though they would have enough food, the average lifespan measured in hours was a downside. However, in their propaganda, they would neither mention having enough to eat nor discuss issues of glory and honor¡ªonly the short life expectancy. Their propaganda was somewhat effective. Previously, Gu Hang¡¯s construction projects outside had been vibrant and absorbed many refugees. Henry and Hodgson hadn¡¯t held back with their positive promotions, which greatly boosted his reputation. Now, as they began to speak ill of Gu Hang, the effect was somewhat limited. But at the very least, they had managed to dilute his previously good reputation, reigniting the fear of being ruled by a governor in the people¡¯s minds. Attitudes that had begun to lean a certain way became uncertain again.
Reflecting on this, Mondok couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. It had been a good move; otherwise, he might truly have faced the scenario where the soldiers might have defected en masse at the governor¡¯s call to arms. Having analyzed the situation, Mondok had a rough idea of what he needed to do. He needed to personally step up and, with his own authority, strengthen the soldiers¡¯ resolve, helping them understand the situation clearly and distinguish who was the ¡°enemy¡± and who was themander. Even at critical moments, he needed to further maintain his tough stance, inspiring his personal guard to decisively prevent Gu Hang from advancing, thus influencing the entire army. But at this thought, he hesitated again. Rationally speaking, there was no issue; but to confront star realm warriors personally? If the governor really acted recklessly, ordering a sudden assault, could a few hundred men from his personal guard hold them back? He feared that before the army could react, and the heavy artillery could be deployed, his own head would be rolling. Mondok found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce. Chapter 75: 75, 3 Warnings Chapter 75:, 3 Warnings
Mondok knew what the right course of action was, he just didn¡¯t dare to take it. There was no other reason, simply the fear of death. Hesitant and wavering, but as he floundered, Gu Hang¡¯s steps were so firm, and they were getting closer and closer. He knew this, and as time passed, he began to realize that he couldn¡¯t hesitate any longer. At this point, making a choice, even the wrong one, wouldn¡¯t be worse than doing nothing at all. He really didn¡¯t dare to face the governor¡¯s dignity and the threat of the Star Realm warriors in person; but he couldn¡¯t surrender to the governor either, that option was no longer avable; he was also unwilling to give up the current situation and retreat back into the inner city, which would amount to aplete loss of face. A general who abandoned his troops would never again earn their loyalty, and then the governor might actually be able to takemand of the troops by asserting his moral high ground.
In the end, he came up with apromise. ¡­ Gu Hang finally met with resistance. To be honest, he was disappointed. The reaction was too slow. Even though, in the current scene, this was one of the many possibilities he had anticipated. The soldiers might be at a loss because of the governor¡¯s status, because of the suddenness, because they had never opened fire. This was also why Gu Hang chose to set out when the sun was about to rise and many were still asleep, and why he didn¡¯t let anyone shoot at the previous checkpoints. But now that it had happened, he stillmented his opponent¡¯s indecisiveness. If Gu Hang himself had been in the opponent¡¯s position, he would have already made a decisive order: pull up the heavy artillery, pull up the tanks, never mind idental injuries or the consequences after firing, just st the hell out of them first. That Mondok, didn¡¯t he realize that he wouldn¡¯t survive? He was still hedging his bets, unaware of what there was to be cautious about. Of course, if the enemy really did that, Gu Hang wasn¡¯t afraid either. Since he dared toe, he naturally had means to break the situation. Heavy artillery wouldn¡¯t kill the Star Realm warriors, wouldn¡¯t kill the Battle Nuns, and wouldn¡¯t kill him either.
To be more precise, they couldn¡¯t hit him. But since that didn¡¯t happen, there was no need to discuss it further. And at the moment, Gu Hang cared even less about this slight impediment. About apany of soldiers, led by several officers, blocked the road ahead tightly. They had obviously arrived in a hurry; there was no time to set up a roadblock, so they just used their bodies to block the way, and hadn¡¯t even started shooting yet. But there was an officer at the front, with a megaphone, shouting: ¡°Stop advancing! After three warnings we will open fire! The governor muste forward alone!¡± Hearing the warning, Gu Hang could also see the soldiers blocking the way; their guns had already been raised, hands on the triggers, ready to fire at any moment. Three warnings? Gu Hang¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. ¡°Those up ahead, are definitely rebels,¡± Gu Hang said softly. The officer opposite was about to issue a second warning, but at that moment, a bomb burst his body apart. Arge-caliber bullet, made of diamond,pletely destroyed most of the officer¡¯s torso. The bomb, with extreme prative power, continued unabated and killed another soldier before exploding among the crowd.
The characteristics of a standard bomb include, besides arge-caliber bullet with strong pration, an internal explosive fuse and a micro shaped charge. When it detonates, thebined power of the impact and shrapnel is even more ferocious than that of a typical hand grenade or rifle grenade. In the hands of the Star Realm warriors, the grenade gun is an overwhelmingly powerful weapon against ordinary armies. It can be used as a rapid-firing small-caliber grenadeuncher against light infantry or as an armor-piercing shell against armored units. Piercing through the armor, the bomb then explodes inside the vehicle, killing the targets within. Seven Star Realm warriors opened fire simultaneously. The firepower of the grenade guns nketed about a hundred soldiers acting as a human wall on the road, and almost instantly,pletely obliterated them. Even if there were two tanks among those soldiers, that was equally meaningless. If they were the main battle tanks of the Star Realm Army, like the Lion King Tank, the grenade guns would indeed be less effective. However, the two tanks present were just local products manufactured by some military industries of Rage Owl Star, not the main battle tanks of the terrestrial forces in the Star Realm Army. Although their armor looked thick, their design, technological content, and the materials themselves were not up to standard and couldn¡¯t withstand the diamond-constructed bullets of the bombs. The bomb pierced through the armor and exploded inside the tank. A hole in the tank might not seem too bad, but the people inside were certainly not able to survive. During this process, as some of the hundred or so soldiers started to react, they pulled their triggers and fired at the Star Realm warriors. But by the time they were almost wiped out, the number of bullets that made it their way probably didn¡¯t exceed twenty, and most went astray. Those few that did hit couldn¡¯t even leave a scratch on the Star Realm warriors¡¯ powered armor. A Star Realm warrior at the forefront spoke up, ¡°What gave these mortals the courage to think they could block us, without any cover, without any fortifications, and with outdated equipment, daring to hold their position in a dense formation on an open road?¡± Gu Hang knew the speaker was Schneider. This bald-headed warrior when not wearing a helmet, was a more elite fighter than the veterans. And Gu Hang could tell, this fellow was also at odds with the battle groupmander, Matins. But right now, Gu Hang didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to these matters or to the words Schneider had just said.
He had more important things to do. Spiritual Energy surged, Telekinesis amplifying the vibration of the air caused by his voice speaking, sending his words to the ears of many soldiers who had just witnessed the one-sided, devastating ughter: ¡°I am the Governor-General of the Empire, I am the ruler of the Coalition; anyone who dares to obstruct me will be considered a traitor! I order all soldiers to obeymands, stand by on the spot, and await the oue!¡± ¡°I am the Governor-General of the Empire¡­ all soldiers, obeymands, stand by on the spot, and await the oue!¡± ¡­ This sentence, as if forming waves in the air, echoed continuously. Meanwhile, the speed of Gu Hang and hispanions suddenly increased. When the Star Realm warriors and the Battle Nuns moved at full speed, their velocity wasparable to that of armored vehicles, with an explosive power more intense than that of sprint champions and stamina stronger than marathon champions. And of course, Gu Hang wasn¡¯t going to chase them on foot. His Telekinesis took effect again, an invisible force lifting his body, allowing him to half float, closely following the advanced soldiers, ensuring he remained within their protection. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Releasing two chapters together at noon, does it feel better? Previously, I was publishing them in two separate updates, one at noon and another in the afternoon, which seemed a bit disjointed.
Chapter 76: 76, Can’t Escape Chapter 76:, Can¡¯t Escape
Although Gu Hang used the power of Spiritual Energy to convey the warning andmand to every ally soldier in the vicinity, he was not about to leave fate in uncontroble hands. The soldiers might very well ignore the warnings andmands, whether due to their loyalty to Mondok and the Alliance or a stress reaction, and open fire directly on Gu Hang and his team. Therefore, Gu Hang needed to be prepared to receive a blow. If the surrounding soldiers did make a move, the armor on the warriors and Battle Nuns in motion would serve as Gu Hang¡¯s best cover, impervious to ordinary firepower. Should any heavy artillery shellse flying, not to mention whether they could easily hit in a high-speed movement state, even if they did, Gu Hang had the ability to identify them in advance and use the power of Spiritual Energy to cause a slight deviation while they were mid-air, making them miss their target. At the same time, they would turn into a sharp dagger, piercing through the entire army and heading straight for Revival City¡¯s militarymand center, to capture General Mondok alive.
He believed that under a high-speed charge, nothing could stop the neen top warriors, along with his assistance as a Spiritual Energy user. At least the Revival City military didn¡¯t have the capability. However, despite Gu Hang¡¯s preparation for the worst, this bad situation did not ur at all. The surrounding soldiers still did not fire. Perhaps the words Gu Hang had sent with Spiritual Energy had indeed had an effect. The soldiers hesitated due to Mr. Gu¡¯s position and the pressure of bing traitors to the Empire, daring not to make a move. Or perhaps, the sight of the star warriors annihting an entire tank and infantrybined squad in just a few seconds was simply too terrifying. Admittedly, this was because Mondok¡¯s personal guard,pletely misunderstanding thebat style of the star warriors, chose an extremely wrong deployment, leading to their group¡¯s annihtion. But the ordinary soldiers onlooking were probably just caught in shock and disbelief, and it would take a while before they could make sense of it. Besides, even after making sense of it, would it be any less frightening? The wreckage of over a hundred bodies along with two tanks was the result of just seven people in two seconds; it was literally to die for. And those Battle Nuns hadn¡¯t even made a move. Of course, these two factors might have worked together. The soldiers were indeed scared, and Mr. Gu¡¯s words gave them a reason to convince themselves. In any case, the soldiers did not act. And in the midst of their sprint, Gu Hang and his group continued inward. Their speed was even faster than the time it took for Mondok to receive the message.
Those who could contact Mondok directly had just been killed; and some clever ones, wanting to go back to report, had to run faster than the star warriors and Battle Nuns. This led to the situation where, by the time Mondok learned that his personal guard sent to intercept had been wiped out, Gu Hang, leading his team, had almost reached his face. And Mondok¡¯s face had long turned deathly pale. The force he could count on for assured loyalty was his personal guard. This part of his troops, in a previous decision, had been divided into three parts. Apart from those sent to stop Mr. Gu and those still by his side, the rest had been ordered to rally more troops. Of course, he had considered what would happen if a conflict really broke out and Mr. Gu chose to take action¡ªor rather, whether he should prepare to take action himself? He had thought he was prepared, but when he discovered that Gu Hang could pass through checkpoints without being stopped, he began to doubt this and dispatched a squad to try and directlymand therger force below. But it seemed toote. What to do? He felt that he had only pondered for a moment in his mind, still undecided whether to leave or stay or fight, when the sound of gunfire rang in his ears. The most loyal guards to him bravely returned fire against the neen people charging straight at them. However, such resistance was utterly meaningless. Mondok¡¯s so-called mand post¡¯ was essentially arger, rtively nicer-looking house selected within the outer city, which had been requisitioned. A portion of the surrounding buildings had been demolished, and the debris was used to hastily construct defenses. The guard soldiers were stationed around it, along with four ¡®Challenger¡¯ tanks and abatmand vehicle.
In the face of an attack, the post could hold out; if necessary, given the cleared surrounding buildings, he could also escape conveniently in themand vehicle. His guard troops had a suitable ce to station themselves and had preemptively adopted a defensive posture. They weren¡¯t bunched up and had cover and foxholes for protection, so they couldn¡¯t be easily wiped out with a volley from a grenade rifle. Although there were many casualties from precise shots and small-scale explosions, at least they could still fight. At the same time, when these guards engaged in battle, a significant number of nearby allied soldiers were also spurred into action. After all, General Mondok was right there, and a considerable portion of these allied soldiers also started attacking instead of standing idly by. But even though the space warriors couldn¡¯t clear the defenders in one wave, they were not stopped either. Without needing cover, they charged forward. Bullets fired at their cerametal armor were mostly ineffective; thrown grenades didn¡¯t reach them; there were few rocketunchers to speak of, and those with low uracy that did hit were deflected by Gu Hang using Spiritual Energy. In fact, even without deflection, it might not have been a big problem. At worst, they would stagger a bit, feel a little ufortable from the shock, get some soot and smoke on their armor- but nothing too serious. Of course, the Battle Nun might be more affected. The Saintly Lilies¡¯ white-green armor was beautiful but definitely not as sturdy as that of the space warriors. So, Gu Hang paid a bit more attention to the firepower aimed at the Battle Nun. Sister Chang Ge Ruite also noticed this and nodded slightly to Gu Hang before throwing herself even more vigorously into the fight. She charged to the forefront, elerated and broke through the line, swiftly nearing a tank that was trying to turn its cannon to fire. She brandished a long-handled battle halberd in her hands, and with a single swing, the golden de sliced the tank¡¯s cannon clean off. After that, she leaped high, prating the tank from the top with her halberd. The soldiers inside only saw a golden light shining down upon them before they witnessed theirmander and driver skewered together like candied haw. The men were terrified.
And this was just a glimpse of what was happening on the battlefield. The firepower of ordinary soldiers could not at all stop the advance of the superhuman warriors. And the grenade rifles in the hands of the space warriors and the Battle Nun could easily eliminate any enemy that stood in their way. They didn¡¯t quickly kill all the soldiers, but there was no need for that. In just a moment, they had already broken through the soldiers¡¯ defensive line. Gu Hang could even see Mondok. The Revival City general was right in front of his eyes, just having hurriedly boarded amand vehicle, seemingly intending to flee. But thinking of fleeing only now, how could he possibly escape? Chapter 77: 77, Execution by Shooting Chapter 77:, Execution by Shooting
By this time, Mondok was destined not to escape. The one who made the move was still Sister Chang Ge Ruite. She knew that for Gu Hang, capturing this rebel leader alive would be of greater value, even though the guy¡¯s ultimate fate would still be an inevitable death. After cutting through a tank, Sister Chang didn¡¯t stop but instead sped up. She leaped high into the air, and the battle pack on her back suddenly burst into a deep green me, propelling her body to elerate fiercely in midair. Themand vehicle that had just started moving didn¡¯t have time to pick up speed before Sister Chang was upon it. In midair, she fired with one hand, and the infantrymen apanying themand vehicle were each picked off with precision. By the time shended, there were no enemies left around her.
With a swirl of her ive, a pair of themand vehicle¡¯s rear wheels were sliced in half; another sh, and the door was cut open, revealing Mondok¡¯s startled face. At this time, the rebel leader still showed some bravery. Trembling, he raised the pistol he had prepared earlier and pulled the trigger at Sister Chang. But how could a regr self-defense pistol shake Sister Chang in her reactive power armor? He managed to fire only once before the bullet ricocheted off the armor. Right after that, he was grasped by the cor with one hand by Sister Chang and dragged down from the vehicle. The general, like a dead dog,y on the ground and was dragged by Georgette towards Gu Hang. He kept struggling, but it was meaningless; Sister Chang¡¯s hand was like steel, not loosening in the slightest. The surrounding bodyguards, who were still alive, could only watch helplessly. The general, who used to be so high and mighty, was now being dragged on the ground. Some wanted to save him, but they didn¡¯t know what to do. Should they shoot bullets that were utterly ineffective, or should they bombard with heavy firepower and risk killing the general in the process? And even more terrifying were these male and female warriors themselves. They had also faced these extraordinarily elite super soldiers of the Empire head-on, and their only impression was: could such an enemy even be considered human? Immune to des and guns, impervious to bombardment. Yet, on the other side, a casual shot meant that if the ranks were dense enough, groups of them would be taken out. The Death Angels, as if leisurely strolling through their own backyard, captured their general from within their protection. They did not fail to fight desperately, but all they could do was to die.
This kind of battle, destined to be lost with no chance of victory, they could no longer continue to fight. Seeing the general captured, they even felt a sense of relief: since they had already lost, could they stop fighting now? This thought filled their minds, and the fingers of the soldiers pulling the triggers were no longer so resolute. The star warriors, too, lowered their firepower. Soldiers who had stopped firing and just hid, they couldn¡¯t be bothered with them any longer, focusing their grenades only on those who still resisted stubbornly. The Phoenix, a battle group so impoverished, valued their grenades much more than the lives of these local rebel natives. At this moment, Georgette had already brought Mondok in front of Gu Hang. Now, General Mondok, who was always tough and dressed in battle uniform, hadpletely lost his usual image and demeanor. Being dragged along the ground all the way, due to Sister Chang¡¯s excessive roughness, he spent half the time with half of his face on the ground. By the time he reached Gu Hang, the dragged half of his face was a bloody, unrecognizable mess, and his bloodied, dusty clothes were tattered, making him look extremely pathetic. He was thrown in front of Gu Hang, struggling to stand, but he was in too much pain to get up. Not that he needed to get up by himself. An invisible force lifted his body, raising him up. He was able to face Gu Hang directly. He opened his mouth with difficulty, trying to say something, but couldn¡¯t utter a word. Simrly, an invisible force blocked his throat, making even breathing difficult, let alone speaking.
Of course, this was Gu Hang¡¯s doing. Whether the man in front of him wanted to stay tough to the end or beg for mercy, Gu Hang no longer nned to listen. Now, whatever Mondok¡¯s attitude was, it no longer had any significance. For Gu Hang, capturing this guy alive meant he was only good for one thing. ¡°The security issue, it¡¯s up to you now,¡± said Gu Hang, his voice ringing in the ears of the star soldiers and battle nuns. Georgette nodded with a smile. Actually, thatment was primarily intended for her. Next, Gu Hang would be exposed to the gun barrels of all enemies. He wasn¡¯t worried about the ordinary soldiers, nor even the bombardment of artillery fire. He could handle all that. Only, he was concerned there might be Heretic Cultists from the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect hidden within the army. It was possible. If they made a move,bined with the bullets and artillery fire from some controlled soldiers, they indeed could pose a threat to him. Death was unlikely; at worst, he would just sneak into the protection of the star soldiers and battle nuns if the situation turned dire. Was there anyone on Rage Owl Star capable of breaking through the protection of these neen people and killing him? Impossible, absolutely impossible!
However, that would be somewhat embarrassing and detrimental to Gu Hang¡¯s efforts to establish his authority. What he needed from Sister Chang Ge Ruite was to ensure he wouldn¡¯t end up in that awkward position as much as possible. This had been discussed in advance, and the sister had agreed very promptly. Or, in other words, if it were merely about helping the governor crush the rebellion, the Sisters of the Merciful Lily were somewhatcking in enthusiasm. Their core objective ining to the¡¯s surface was tobat the Heretic Cultists. And this job of ¡®guarding against the possible emergence of Heretic Cultists¡¯ suited them perfectly. Gu Hang shifted his gaze away and then returned his attention to Mondok. It was time to make use of this Alliance general. Under the dominion of Telekinesis, Gu Hang¡¯s body began to rise, taking Mondok with him. Gu Hang¡¯s golden governor uniform moved without wind, as he looked stern and solemn, overlooking the entire battlefield. Mondok¡¯s figure was slightly lower, his limbs and throat bound by Spiritual Energy, leaving him unable to move or speak. Only Gu Hang¡¯s voice, carried by the power of Spiritual Energy, echoed at the scene. ¡°All soldiers,y down your weapons!¡±
¡°I am Gu Hang, I am the representative of the Empire to whom you have sworn your service, I am the vicar of the Divine Emperor who rules thisnd¡­¡± ¡°I am the master of Rage Owl Star, I am your governor!¡± ¡°And this man, whom you call general, has betrayed the Empire, betrayed the Divine Emperor, betrayed¡­ me!¡± At this, the star soldiers and battle nuns showed subtle changes in their expressions. Betraying the governor indeed meant betraying the Empire; and to betray the Empire was to betray the Divine Emperor, wasn¡¯t it? He was absolutely correct, yet the way His Excellency the Governor equated himself with the Empire and the Divine Emperor¡­ something felt a bit off, didn¡¯t it? But they didn¡¯t say anything. Gu Hang didn¡¯t care what these devout believers of the Divine Emperor thought, and he continued: ¡°I hereby dere, in the name of The Emperor, to strip General Mondok of his title and sentence him as a traitor to the Empire!¡± ¡°Soldiers, regardless of any orders you have received before, they are now entirely terminated. In the name of the governor, Imand all of you toy down your weapons. Your past actions will no longer be pursued; but from this moment on, those who still refuse to obey orders will be simrly regarded as traitors!¡± Amidst his words, Gu Hang raised a pistol and aimed it at Mondok¡¯s forehead, executing him with a single shot.
Chapter 78: 78, Lay Down Your Arms, Don’t Be a Traitor. Chapter 78:, Lay Down Your Arms, Don¡¯t Be a Traitor.
Killing Mondok in his current state was as easy for Gu Hang as snuffing out a chick. His spiritual energy could lift Mondok¡¯s entire body into the air; the same force could easily break Mondok¡¯s neck without any problem. Gu Hang did not do so; instead, he chose to shoot Mondok, and the reason for an execution by gunfire was the sense of formality. Gu Hang wanted to use this symbolically significant method of execution by firing squad to tell all the soldiers that their formermander was a criminal, a traitor to the Empire. And they should, at this moment,pletely disassociate themselves from the traitor and ept the leadership of the Governor. He also did not n to immediately put to use all of these ten thousand soldiers of Revival City. But at the very least, these men definitely could not be an obstacle to his next actions. If a great purge was inevitable, it would start first within the army. The surrounding soldiers almost all saw what happened in the sky and heard the Governor¡¯s deration.
The General, a traitor? This news was somewhat difficult to ept all at once. It wasn¡¯t as if the soldiers would really consider Mondok a traitor and Gu Hang theirmander just because Gu Hang said so. After all, they were not very familiar with Gu Hang before this, whereas Mondok had been their leader for many years. Many among them were officers promoted by General Mondok. However, Mondok was now dead. He died right before their eyes, executed as a convicted criminal. The object of their loyalty had been lost. Many were left in a state of confusion. What was toe next? To avenge the General? This¡­ For some who were deeply indebted to Mondok, this was indeed an option. In fact, some had already tried to do so. An officer attempted to continue rallying his soldiers tounch an attack.
But this was not particrly effective. The most crucial point was that they had no way of denying Gu Hang¡¯s status as a ruler. He was the genuine Governor, and he had executed the General, leaving the surviving soldiers with almost no reason to continue fighting. Merely incited by officers, the efforts were not so potent. Only a few who were muddled in their minds would draw their weapons and attempt an attack. Facing these attacks, Gu Hang remained unmoved in the air. This was not the time to back down. He had to stand here, repeatedly broadcast the deration he had just made to the soldiers, and imprint his identity deeply into the soldiers¡¯ minds. As for those who were stubbornly deluded, their attacks were within the range that Gu Hang could handle. His telekic control was enough for him to catch the bullets aimed at him from a certain distance, and deflect them away from hitting the target. And even if there were a few bullets that he could not capture in time, he still had spiritual energy as ast resort to protect himself. If faced with a barrage from ten thousand people, no doubt, Gu Hang would have to flee instantly; but that situation did not ur, and the ones who attacked him were only a minority in the end. This small number of hard-liners was soon suppressed powerfully. The star warriors would take action. The bomb guns in Phoenix¡¯s hands were always precise in eliminating the rebels. However, the cultists Gu Hang was worried about posed no threat to him. His previous spection had been correct; within the Revival City army, there surely were sorcerers from the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect hiding. After he took to the sky, these sorcerers quietly emerged and targeted him. Within the range of Gu Hang¡¯s psionic perception, he had already detected the traces of these heretic cultists.
Aside from nning to attack Gu Hang with their spiritual energy, they were also trying to incite the soldiers around them to continue their assault on Gu Hang. Yet, trusting in the battle nuns, Gu Hang did not move. And the sisters, led by Superior Georgette, indeed did not betray Gu Hang¡¯s trust. In the previous action, the Sancta Liliums, who had seemed somewhat ck, now became proactive. Eleven of them, without the need formunication, neatly paired up into teams of two, with Georgette acting alone. In total, six groups rushed into the crowd of soldiers. Shouting in the name of The Emperor, they rooted out the cultists who had revealed themselves and were ready to attempt using forbidden magic to attack Gu Hang. They were true experts inbating heretics, the nemesis of all that is heretical, cultist, and spiritually powered. A faint glow arose from the Sancta Liliums, the Divine Emperor¡¯s blessing had arrived. Within a certain range, all hostile spiritual energy and malevolent methods were directly hindered. Of course, this obstruction was not absolute. If the target was too powerful, the evil magic that should be cast would still work. After all, their anti-psionic strength came from the divine magic they wielded, from the blessings of The Emperor. Essentially, when any hostile spell took effect, their divine power would immediately counteract it. However, at least the sorcerers present could not break through the suppression of the battle nuns¡¯ anti-psionic power. With their magic and psychic abilities ineffective, those cultists mixed among the soldiers had no ability to fight back and were easily eradicated. Seeing the battle nuns kill their rades¡¯ nearby, some soldiers began to resist. Whether their counterattack was instinctual or they were truly bewitched by the cultists, the Sancta Liliums showed no mercy and eliminated all resistance. The cultists infiltrated among them looked no different in appearance and attire from ordinary soldiers. The soldiers did not know that these were cultists, with some thinking they were being ughtered.
To prevent the spread of such a misunderstanding and avoid the already tense situation sliding into total chaos, Gu Hang used his spiritual energy to amplify his voice and again spoke next to the ears of all the soldiers: ¡°Lay down your weapons! Cease resistance! Cultists intending to destroy Revival City are plotting action, and the battle nuns are purging the heretics. Lay down your weapons! You will not be implicated! Anyone continuing to hold weapons will be regarded as traitors!¡± ¡°Lay down your weapons! Do not be traitors!¡± In confusion, a considerable number of soldiers finally stopped resisting. And at this moment, Yan Fangxu¡¯s infantry brigade also appeared on the scene. They cautiously approached the Alliance Legion¡¯s defensive line, also shouting along with the governor toy down weapons and stop resisting. The disarmed soldiers stayed in ce peacefully; those few still holding weapons, whether they resisted or not, were all executed. As a human loudspeaker in the air, plus casting a ¡®persuasion to surrender aura¡¯ over the entire Alliance Army; star warriors and battle nuns inside rooting out stubborn traitors, confiscating ordinary soldiers¡¯ weapons; Yan Fangxu leading the infantry brigade began disarming from the outside¡­ The main battle thus ended; most Alliance soldiers, after witnessing the execution of General Mondok by firing squad, the governor¡¯s personal orders to surrender, and facing the overwhelming star warriors and battle nuns, chose to surrender. They did not want to fight any longer. Unable to win and unclear about the meaning behind continuing the fight, why keep fighting?
Chapter 79: 79, The Situation is Set Chapter 79:, The Situation is Set
¡°` The overall situation had been decided. Gu Hang also breathed a sigh of relief. He had reason to be happy, his prepared ultimate measure had not been used. His actions today involved some risk, but not arge one. Under the dual protection of the star warriors and the battle nuns, and being a rather powerful spiritual energy practitioner himself, he was not too likely to run into trouble. Moreover, his authority as the governor acted as a deterrent, rendering the Alliance soldiers indecisive, fearing to damage valuable equipment, and unable tomit fully to battle¡ªadding anotheryer of protection. It was with these advantages that he dared toe and behead Mondok, and subsequently subdue the entire army.
And the greatest risk was simply the failure of the operation. At this moment, the goals he had set had been achieved. Of course, he had also considered the possibility that this venture could spiral intoplete chaos. In that case, he might have to face being trapped in the midst of an army ten thousand strong with only neen people. But on one hand, he was confident that in such a scenario, he still could manage a full-force breakout; on the other hand, he had the ultimate measure topletely resolve the problem. In space orbit, the Quintet was already on fullbat readiness, the starship¡¯s Colossal Cannon ready to rain orbital strikes down on the ground at a moment¡¯s notice. If the situationpletely spiraled out of control, Gu Hang would leave a mark and break out with all his might. The team led by Yan Fangxu would also provide cover outside and build defensive lines to blockade the Alliance Legion outside Revival City. After he had broken out, the starship¡¯s cannons wouldmence orbital bombardment, striking the Alliance Legion stationed in the outskirts of the city with rtively precise, smaller-scale attacks. An orbital strike wasn¡¯tpletely unbeatable; if those under bombardment had dug deep enough air-raid shelters and tunnels,plemented with strong bunkers specifically designed to withstand orbital strikes, then the destructive power of the bombardment could be greatly reduced, minimizing damage. But clearly, the Alliance Legion had not prepared for this, and hastily digging in was impossible. Once the orbital bombardment had ended, Gu Hang could then lead his forces to sweep the battlefield and achieve the goal of destroying the Alliance Legion just the same. But that was ast resort, a final measure. Orbital bombardment couldn¡¯t bepletely precise, and it was inevitable that some of the shells might fall on Revival City¡¯s inner city, or nonbat areas of the outer city, causing severe coteral damage; the fear of orbital bombardment would spread through Revival City. This panic could potentially assist Gu Hang in his subsequent actions, but it might also intensify the resistance of the city¡¯s residents.
If it came to that, the troubles ahead would be numerous. But if it did reach that extent, Gu Hang would not be merciful. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made such contingency ns. But of course, it was better not to resort to such measures if possible. The current oue was much better than paving the way with orbital cannon fire. The Alliance Legion was now his. These ten thousand fully armed legionnaires, topletely control and turn them into reliable subordinates, that would certainly not be enough. Even just disarming them and taking them into custody had already taken quite an effort. After executing Mondok, disarming and settling these soldiers had taken up almost an entire day. Mainly because among these soldiers, although most had epted their fate, there was still a small minority who refused to surrender their weapons, resulting in conflicts with the infantry brigade led by Yan Fangxu, with incidents of bloodshed urring. At the same time, a considerable number, while they didn¡¯t dare openly resist, took the opportunity to flee with their weapons. Gu Hang¡¯s direct troops, totaling just about fifteen hundred soldiers from five battalions, were somewhat stretched thin. Although they did their best to prevent such events, a significant number of Alliance soldiers still managed to escape with weapons. These fellows would likely be troublesome in the future. If they hid in the slums of the outer city, they could be future security risks; if they fled outside the city, they might be bandits. Troublesome as it was, this was just a minor irritation, not a major issue. Excluding those who died and those who fled, about seven thousand soldiers ended up being taken into custody.
Next, Gu Hang did not rush into the city. The situation in the city, the problem with Hodgson, were no longer the main issues. After the army had been disarmed, the city had be prey easily seized, unable to move, just waiting for Gu Hang to harvest it. Actually, what Gu Hang was facing now was far from the full military potential of Revival City. This operation couldn¡¯t even be considered a ¡®war¡¯. If Gu Hang were to name it himself, it should be called a ¡®special military operation¡¯. Gu Hang¡¯s keen judgment had discerned that although Hodgson¡¯s disappearance meant that the Alliance authorities had dered war on him, in this ¡®war¡¯, his enemies were not the entirety of Revival City. On the contrary, that city should be his; the people in it and the army defending it should not be his enemies, but rather his subjects. Clearly understanding who the real enemy was, and who should be persuaded to join him, was the core reason why Gu Hang was able to achieve such significant results at such a small cost. It was only by understanding this that he could achieve maximum effect with minimal effort and avoid foolishly treating the entire city as the enemy, which would have resulted in a pyrrhic victory. With the question of strategy resolved, what remained was how to execute it. With star warriors, battle nuns, starship Colossal Cannons, and his governor¡¯s status¡­ the means to solve the problems were not a big issue. After dealing with the Alliance Army, Gu Hang sent people to split his forces in five directions. Four infantry battalions, each took charge and closed off one of the four gates to the inner city. Those in the inner city who had protected themselves behind high walls now found, to their astonishment, that the walls had be their prisons, and the four exits were no longer passable. Thus, the elites of the inner city, and the one hundred thousand residents living there, were locked inside, isted from the eight or nine hundred thousand people outside.
Another battalion was guarding the seven thousand disarmed, captured Alliance soldiers. Gu Hang was there as well. These seven thousand were critical. Gu Hang didn¡¯t delude himself into thinking he could turn them into his subordinates immediately, but in the future, they would be an importantponent of Gu Hang¡¯s military force. He could not afford to ignore these seven thousand. Even though he had the system¡¯s training capabilities, good sources of troops were still important. But before he could incorporate this army, Gu Hang still had a lot of work to do. ¡°` Chapter 80: 80, Ideological Construction Chapter 80:, Ideological Construction
Over seven thousand soldiers had been disarmed and gathered for surveince, but that didn¡¯t mean the matter was over. Were there still Heretic Cultists among them? Was it possible that some cult followers had not revealed themselves during the recent actions against Gu Hang? It was very likely. The Battle Nuns were in charge of this task. Unlike the Phoenix, which had be idle after the battle, the Sisters of the Holy Mercy became even busier. They began searching within the entire army for anytent cult members. Under the watchful eyes of the Holy Mercy, the Heretic Cult had nowhere to hide. They were quickly identified, exposed, and executed publicly. Their actions did not provoke a bacsh from the soldiers; on the contrary, they further aided Gu Hang.
The Primordial Wrath Owl Sect did not have a good reputation. When the soldiers realized there were many heretics among them, they were actually angry. They wondered whether the previousmander had intentionally tolerated this. Did they really want to continue opposing theary Governor alongside the treasonous cultists? Certainly not. In other words, this gave the soldiers another reason to convince themselves to peacefully ept the decision to surrender. At the same time, the Sisters of Holy Mercy also seized the opportunity to proselytize, instilling the national religion¡¯s teachings, faith in The Emperor, and loyalty to the Empire into the hearts of the soldiers. Their strength had already made a deep impression during the previous bloody battles; now, they were showing mercy. Their faces carried gentle smiles, and from them radiated a divine light. The faith in the ascended Divine Emperor was already the most widespread belief throughout the Human Empire, Rage Owl Star being no exception. Capitalizing on the cult¡¯s defeat, carrying the victor¡¯s authority, and leveraging the soldiers¡¯ post-defeat confusion, their proselytizing was quite effective. The Sisters of Holy Mercy did this not specifically to help Gu Hang. Was there any other reason for the nuns to evangelize? As for the fact that it objectively helped Gu Hang, the spokesman for the Empire¡¯s rule andary Governor, by reinforcing the soldiers¡¯ loyalty, that was an unexpected boon. While the Battle Nuns were busy, Gu Hang was not idle either. He met with all the survivingpany and battalion-level military officers in the POW camp and talked with each of them for a while. Afterpleting the one-on-one meetings, he gathered all thepany-level and higher military officers for a closed-door meeting.
During the conversations, Gu Hang listened a lot and also said a lot. He learned about the soldiers¡¯ confusion, demands, and hesitations, and he gave many firm responses. Gu Hang had note to destroy Revival City; on the contrary, he hade to build it. Loyalty to the Empire was every soldier¡¯s duty. They would be able to earn more merits on the battlefield, fighting for a better tomorrow for themselves, their families, and their hometowns. Of course, such things were abstract. But Gu Hang also discussed many concrete matters: In Revival City, the treatment for those of the Alliance Regr Army was fairly decent, and Gu Hang could ensure that their material supply would only be higher than before, officers included; In the future, the army would expand, and well-performing officers were likely to have more opportunities for promotion; The army would receive more attention, better equipment, which would be distributed among the troops; All soldiers¡¯ and officers¡¯ families would get subsidies ording to their ranks; If there were casualties, thepensation ratio would be higher than before¡­ On both the spiritual and material levels, Gu Hang provided assurances to these mid- and lower-tier military officers. The officers, one after another, were as though injected with adrenaline, thumping their chests and assuring the Governor that they had been deceived in the past and now understood that loyalty to the Governor was the only right path. Overall, the conversations were satisfactory for both host and guests.
Of course, Gu Hang was not naive. Could he fully trust the words of people thumping their chests? Could he immediately consider them his own people? ¡°` That was clearly unrealistic. For instance, Gu Hang could not possibly assign the task of blockading the city to these Alliance soldiers now. If that were the case, a bunch of powerful individuals familiar with the officers, drawing on connections, and offering bribes with money¡­ It would be feared that in the end, an unknown number of people would escape. In the current situation, it would be exceedingly foolish for those seasoned soldiers and officers mixed within the political circles of Revival City not to say some pleasant things. But Gu Hang didn¡¯t care. As long as he presented the right attitude, that was enough. After that, Gu Hang would have plenty of methods to increase the armed forces¡¯bat effectiveness and tighten his control over the military. He would truly fulfill the promises regarding material conditions without deceiving anyone. Soldiers rely on provisions, and by ensuring the promised benefits were delivered, he could establish a foundation of loyalty; the construction of a spiritual civilization needed further strengthening. In this regard, Gu Hang nned to adopt some special measures. He would select a batch of people from the six infantry battalions he had created and put them through special training. He nned to invite Battle Nuns and interster warriors to teach them sses.
After theypleted these sses, Gu Hang himself would also teach. He would not conduct any particr military training, but rather cultivate ideological awareness. Loyalty to the Empire and faith in the Divine Emperor needed to be further emphasized. And Gu Hang had to associate loyalty, honor, and faith with himself. There was no problem with that, logically speaking. If you have faith in the Divine Emperor and are loyal to the Empire, then as theary Governor appointed by the Empire, I am the very person executing the Divine Emperor¡¯s rule on Rage Owl Star. Loyalty to The Emperor equates to loyalty to the Governor. There was nothing wrong with that. However, inserting this personal merchandise into the mix was not a job for the Phoenix or the Merciful Lily; Gu Hang was willing to take on the extra burden himself. And all the individuals who were trained would be ced among the various levels of officers within the Alliance Legion. They were not there to seize power or act as military leaders, but to work as political officers. Their responsibility was to spread devotion to the Governor throughout the entire army and review the actions of military leaders. If there were any signs of disloyalty among the officers, the political officers would report it to their superiors for action to be taken; in times of war, or other emergency situations, they even had the authority to execute military leaders and take overmand of the troops. Simr positions existed within the Imperial Regr Army. But what Gu Hang intended to do was even more radical. He intended to establish political officers right down to the level of individual units!
Building the army, strengthening discipline, boosting morale, and spreading loyalty¡­ these were the tasks these individuals would undertake for Gu Hang in the future. For these tasks, Gu Hang stayed outside the city for a full two days. The nearly fifty ¡®political officers¡¯ were also selected. They temporarily donned ck coats, put on newly dyed red military hats, moved into the prisoner of war camp, and joined the various units within the Alliance Legion. Although these individuals were pushed into their roles rather abruptly, and even the nned ideological indoctrination by Gu Hang was quite basic¡ªhalf a day of conversation with the nuns, and a half-day chat with Gu Hang himself¡ªthat was it. Regardless, their personal loyalty to Gu Hang was somewhat guaranteed. Throwing them into the army would enhance control over the military, no matter what. As for training, once there was spare time and the situation had calmed down, it wouldn¡¯t be toote to start a more in-depth process. While Gu Hang was busy with the army, the inner city was turned upside down in these two days. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It is estimated that at zero o¡¯clock on Monday (twelve o¡¯clock Sunday night), the story will be on the shelves. There are three chapters added today; there will also be two regr chapters tomorrow noon; chaptersunching on the shelves start at night! Chapter 81: 81: Each Harboring Their Own Schemes Chapter 81: Each Harboring Their Own Schemes
Norris and Bradford, these two men who used to call the shots within the Alliance and in Revival City, had utterly lost theirposure. ¡°Damn that Mondok! Insisting on taking a hard line! He sent himself to his doom without due consideration, and now what are we to do? We¡¯ve lost our army, and the city is under siege. We are all fish on the chopping block now!¡± Bradford, disheveled, looked both frenzied and panicked. Yet, within his ranting, he kept stealing nces at Norris across from him. Despite hearing Bradford¡¯s words, the aged Norris did not speak. Under his thick white hair and beard, the expression formed by his eyebrows and lips was one of deep gloom. Bradford, grinding his teeth, continued toin, ¡°What are we supposed to do now? Nothing we do is going to work, is that it? Have you seen the photos? Have you seen the videos? That Gu Hang! He was flying through the sky! He publicly executed Mondok! Damn it, why did we never know before that Gu Hang was actually a powerful wielder of Spiritual Energy?!¡± After he finished, he looked at Norris again.
The old man was still not speaking. Bradford went on to speak, ¡°Those star warriors! Battle Nuns! Weren¡¯t they supposed to be fake?! They ughter fully-armed soldiers as easily as if they were chickens, and they destroy our tanks as if opening a can was nothing! How could we dare to wage war against such enemies? That brute Mondok misled us and doomed us all!¡± ¡°And those soldiers! How dare they? Each month, each year, so much money from the treasury was spent on those soldiers, allowing them to live lives they could never have dreamed of when they were beasts of burden, granting them higher status and positions. But how did they repay us? When we needed them most, theycked the courage to fight to the death and instead surrendered! Gu Hang ims he is the ruler, that he is themander of the army, nonsense! Why can¡¯t those soldiers use their heads for once and think, has Gu Hang ever paid them a single penny?¡± Bradford, the business magnate, abandoned all decorum, cursing left and right, first Mondok, then Gu Hang, and returning to ranting about both Mondok and themon soldiers. He finally seeded in annoying Norris. ¡°Enough, put aside that insane facade, and stop posturing in front of me,¡± Norris said, ¡°You want to ask me, want to know what I¡¯m going to do next? I can tell you, no problem, now that Revival City has be our prison, what¡¯s wrong with dead men talking? But even if I tell you, do you really dare to join me in whateveres next?¡± Bradford immediately abandoned his previous crumbling demeanor, and with a different face, he said, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? The Legion is done for, Mondok is dead, and now in the entire city, only you, Lord Norris, are a true power yer. You have the people, and with ess to the armory, you have guns and cannons. Anyone in the city who doesn¡¯t want to return to the Governor¡¯s rule will rally around you!¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Norris snorted coldly. After Mondok¡¯s death and the Alliance Legion¡¯s surrender, the political nature within Revival City had changed. Any clear-sighted person could see that the Alliance had changed rulers, right? If in the past it was possible to confront the Governor by relying on the Alliance Legion and the military potential represented by Revival City¡¯s numerous poption, now that had be utterly impossible. With all four gates sealed and the army¡¯s defection, not even leaving the city was possible, let alone overturning the situation.
And what remained was the question of how to survive. Their fate was now solely at the discretion of His Excellency the Governor. ording to their thinking, although the Governor had not yet entered the city, waiting until he did to make decisions might be toote. At this moment, the choices they could make were indeed limited. It boiled down to flee or kneel. But wanting to flee Revival City now was no simple task; as for kneeling before the Governor, if the posture wasn¡¯t right, one might still not live to tell the tale. Friends who used to work together now inevitably mistrusted and sabotaged each other. For instance, right now, Norris could tell that Bradford, pretending to be distraught in front of him and ttering him, definitely had no good intentions. That guy seemed to be riling him up, wanting to arm the industrial workers to resist to the very end, but if he really did so, he feared that the first one to sell him out would be this very man in front of him. Of course, his ims of having a way and knowing what to do were equally false. He would arm the workers, he would turn the factories into military strongholds. But this wasn¡¯t for resistance; rather, it was to concentrate as much of the actual power within the city into his own hands, to increase his bargaining chips so that when the time came to kneel before the Governor, he could kneel with more weight. The organized poption, weapons and equipment, the means of production within the factories¡ªall of these belonged to me, Norris. The Governor kept me around for a reason; I must be of great use in the future! As for the current Bradford?
A man who, in the past, made his living through connections and trafficking, had better fend for himself. ¡­ After finishing the brief conversation with old Norris, Bradford¡¯s expression was extremely grim. He felt that Norris had seen through his intentions and hadn¡¯t fallen for them. Damn it! Without a conspicuous fellow to hold and attract the Governor¡¯s attention in the city, how could he make his escape? That¡¯s right, Bradford wanted to flee. Bradford did not want to stay and be a dog¡ªhe didn¡¯t have the assets to be a dog like Norris did. On the contrary, the extensivework he had built over the years as a channel merchant meant that he had many other ces to go after leaving Revival City. Even if life wasn¡¯t as good as before, it was still better than staying. As long as he could get out. There was no hope in counting on Norris. He didn¡¯t believe Norris¡¯s words; he didn¡¯t believe that man would truly confront the Governor. Instead, he felt that Norris was looking for a way to make himself more valuable in surrendering to Gu Hang, potentially even using him as part of the bargain to add weight to his own situation. But to him, such thoughts were not worth mentioning.
If you¡¯re not going to survive, the Governor will already have struck with thunderous force, and no matter how beautifully you kneel, it can¡¯tpare to being a dead man. To clear the space, to sweep the upper echelons clean, the Governor needed a nk te to begin his new work. And even if one did survive, the one whose words would count in this city in the future would be the Governor; the Alliance Council was unlikely to retain the power it once had, and whether it would exist at all was another matter. Old Norris was certainly done for, but the infuriating thing was, if you¡¯re going to be finished, why not do it in a more spectacr fashion and give me a better chance to escape? After much deliberation, Bradford gritted his teeth and decided he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. If he waited any longer, the Governor might enter the city at any time; the big purge could start at any moment. If he waited any longer, his chances of escaping would only diminish. He made up his mind. Chapter 82: 82, The Value of Living Chapter 82:, The Value of Living
Bradford decided to make a run for it. Without dy, tonight was the night. He didn¡¯t dare take too much with him; despite his considerable wealth in Revival City, these tangible assets would obviously be a burden. Carrying them would hinder his escape. His greatest asset was his own life, along with the connections he¡¯d made over the years in business. As long as he made it out alive, lost wealth could be regained. On the contrary, he took out a lot of money, giving it to his bodyguards and the skilled mercenaries he had hired, promising that if they could leave the city and get outside, there would be even more money waiting for them. At night, Bradford headed to the northwest side of the city.
This wasn¡¯t where the city gate was located, but it wasn¡¯t impossible to leave. His years of business experience, of course, had given him control over some special passages. In the past, this route through the sewer, dug under the city walls to the outside, was used for smuggling. Special goods that needed to be secretly imported or exported, as well as for tax evasion, this route saved a lot of effort and money for these shady dealings. And now, this passage would save Bradford¡¯s life. After half an hour in the dark sewer and the secret tunnel that followed, they had arrived. A group of bodyguards led the way, some climbingdders upwards, forcefully pushing open the manhole cover above. This wasn¡¯t easy, as the manhole was sealed with dirt for camouge. If it wouldn¡¯t budge, they had to insert knives along the rim of the cover, loosening the soil above. It was troublesome, but manageable. After much effort, the cover was pushed aside, and three bodyguards emerged. They held their guns professionally, watching in three directions on high alert, and waited for the others toe up. Before long, protected by the bodyguards in front and behind, Bradford reached the surface. The sky was dim, the surrounding environment was very familiar to him, as he¡¯d seen it many times before, but it was too quiet. In the past, after crawling out from here, the noise from the outer city could be heard. The poor in the night sometimes made a lot of noise, reflecting the nightlife. But this was normal. There had just been a battle, and it was customary to stay hidden in fear at night. Besides, for all he knew, the Governor might have imposed martialw outside the city.
While lost in thought, the bodyguards covering the rear also surfaced. ¡°Move, move, move!¡± Bradford urged them. Getting through the tunnel wasn¡¯t too difficult; what came next was the most perilous part of the journey. They needed at least half an hour topletely leave the outer city. Only then could they consider themselves safe. Before setting out, they restored the manhole cover of the secret passage to its original state; otherwise, if spotted, it would reveal that someone had escaped. After they finished these tasks, they were ready to depart. ¡®Swoosh¡¯! Two white searchlights cast an extremely bright light upon them. At the same time, a shouting voice carried over: ¡°Drop your weapons! Kneel and surrender!¡± Bradford, blinded and in pain, could not open his eyes. His heart was filled with despair. He knew it was over.
He resigned himself to his fate, dropped his gun, and knelt on the ground obediently, daring not to move. But his bodyguards, they reacted differently. Some were attempting to flee, others were trying to fight back, squinting against the ring light to aim at its source. But the next moment, the distinctive ¡®pop pop pop¡¯ of the G9 rifle¡¯s gunfire erupted. Those who wanted to run, those who resisted, they all died. ¡­ On the way back to the camp, themander of the Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment Second Battalion, Perbov,ughed out loud: ¡°Haha! I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d actually be a catch! That information about the tunnel was spot-on!¡± His adjutant was also beaming with joy, ¡°Yes, yes, sending someone to act as that politicalmissar was really useful. I was a bit reluctant when Kodi was picked, but to think we got this news about the smuggling tunnel the very next day. We just set up a blockade here on a whim, and we unexpectedly hit the jackpot!¡± ¡°Did that captured man say anything?¡± ¡°He did. He said he¡¯s an Alliance Councilman and that he wants to meet the Governor himself.¡± ¡°Fuck. Can just anyone meet the Governor now? But¡­ still, let¡¯s report to the Governor, see if he¡¯s willing to meet this man. If he is, we¡¯ll send a squad to escort him over; if not¡­ damn it, I don¡¯t have anywhere to keep him anyway, might as well just execute him.¡±
The bound Bradford, following behind, was scared out of his wits. ¡°The Governor must see me! I know a lot of things! I will be very useful to him!¡± ¡­ Bradford had thought that his fate wouldn¡¯t be decided until the next day, but unexpectedly, despite it beingte at night, Gu Hang hadn¡¯t rested and met with him in the early hours of the morning. This gave Bradford a sigh of relief. The Governor had shown willing to see him, so at least he wouldn¡¯t be shot by the military officer who had caught him. But now was far from the time to rx. What came next was the real moment that would decide his fate. Whether he could exhibit his worth was to be determined in the next few words. To live, he had to demonstrate his value. He needed to tell the Governor that he was more useful alive than dead. However, the conversation with the Governor was a bit beyond his expectations. He was baffled from the very first sentence.
¡°Bradford, we met on the day I firstnded on the surface. Back then, I felt that you would die at my hands, because I really hated the way you looked when you smiled. Now, it seems my feeling was right.¡± Bradford panicked: Why the fuck did I have to smile that day? If the reason for his death was that, it would be too unjust. Without giving him a chance to speak, Gu Hang continued, ¡°I know you want to convince me to let you live, to show your value. I¡¯ll give you that chance, but let me first tell you the benefits of your death. This way, you can weigh in your mind what it is you¡¯ll have to offer that could rece those.¡± Nervously swallowing, Bradford listened as Gu Hang spoke slowly: ¡°I¡¯m going to carry out a major purge within Revival City. The performance of the entire Alliance Government these past few months has utterly disappointed me. How can good politics arise with you vermin around? Therefore, I n to arrest all the Alliance Councilmen, senior governmental officials, conduct public trials, and exim your crimes to the world¡­¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­¡± Bradford couldn¡¯t help but try to exin, but Gu Hang interrupted him. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you¡¯ll be found guilty anyway. People inside Revival City not being able to live better lives, those outside the city struggling for food and warmth, the world inplete chaos, these are your original sins, and they will be woven into specific and outrageous crimes. In the end, you will pay the price on the gallows, the public will be satisfied, cathartic, maybe even scared, but ultimately they will respect me more. Don¡¯t worry about being lonely, you¡¯ll have plenty ofpany on your way up.¡± ¡°After aprehensive purge, the politicalndscape within Revival City will be renewed. I¡¯ll promote some new officials, people without solid foundations or deep connections. They came up from the lower ranks and will be a new stratum of interest. Their entire glory and shame will be tied to me; they might not perform well at first due tock of experience and capability, but they¡¯ll be utterlymitted to executing my will. And I, I will control this citypletely and thoroughly, implementing my determination to revive not just the city but the whole world.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve had my say. Now it¡¯s your turn, Mr. Bradford. Can that intelligent brain of yours think of a reason why you living is more valuable than your death? I¡¯m quite looking forward to it.¡± Chapter 83: Listing Remarks Chapter 83: Listing Remarks
The book is going on the shelves tonight! The idea to start this book was actually quite impulsive. Many friends advised me not to write it, saying that the niche is too small, the market limited, and it¡¯s rtively obscure, so the performance is probably uncertain. When ites to writing a book, what¡¯s the most important thing in choosing a subject? Is it market eptance? Is it within one¡¯s ability to write? These are important, but they¡¯re not the most important. To me, what¡¯s most important is, what am I really passionate about creating and expressing?
What do I want to write about? Space opera, interster themes, World War I/II style warfare, cannons and tanks, Mecha, special forces, trench warfare, human wave assaults¡­ Then find a way to concretize these ideas. Total War + Steris + Hearts of Iron + Warhammer 40k¡­ Mixing all these together is something that really excites me. So I started writing without listening to advice, and once I finished, I published it. The start wasn¡¯t smooth, the results weren¡¯t great, to the point where my editor told me I could be featured on Sanjiang, I was actually surprised and thrilled¡ªI thought it was a no-go¡­ Of course, overall, the performance still wasn¡¯t considered good. I was prepared for that. To write what I want and then hope to find readers who can vibe with my thoughts, that¡¯s my goal. That¡¯s roughly the background of the creation of the book. Tonight it goes on the shelves, and I¡¯m here to talk about the update n. For the long-term updates, I n to write a fixed 4000 characters every day, which is about 2 chapters. Sometimes it may bebined into one chapter, and I¡¯ll try to release it all by noon. Somerades have said that¡¯s too little, but I can¡¯t help it. Approaching middle age, my energy isn¡¯t what it used to be, with a day job and family, it¡¯s hard tomit to more. But I¡¯ll strive to add more on top of the 2 chapters, hoping to often reach 3 updates, but I can¡¯t guarantee that. I can only say that 2 chapters are guaranteed. If any good things happen, like if the average subscriptions hit a round number, or if I get arge tip (10 chapters for a Leader!), or if my boss gets hit by a car when he goes out (just kidding)¡­ On those asions, I¡¯ll try to add more on top of the 2 chapters!
Now, let¡¯s talk about the update n for the day of theunch. The two chapters for today were released at noon, free chapters; After midnight tonight, I¡¯ll directly release 5 chapters; Then at 11 a.m. tomorrow, there will be 2 regr chapters; That makes for 7 chapters on the day of theunch. If the average subscription goes over 1000, I¡¯ll add one more chapter! And another for every additional 1000! (Though I doubt it¡¯ll go any higher). So that¡¯s the n, and I hope everyone cane and show their support! Your support will allow me to write this book for a long time toe, ensuring a steady output, and hopefully, some of the ie can help supplement the family expenses! See you tonight! Chapter 84: 83, Is This the CPU? Chapter 84: Chapter 83, Is This the CPU?
Gu Hang spoke with an attitude that seemed earnest, as if he were not conversing with a prisoner. However, the content of what he said was so chilling. What mattered most was that Bradford believed every word that Gu Hang uttered. He was acutely aware that Mr. Gu held no interest in deceiving him. His mind raced, the pressure of death forcing him on. ¡°You can¡¯t make me wait too long; the night is long, but I have even more to do and no time to waste on you,¡± Gu Hang¡¯s words rang out again, undeniable harbingers of doom.
Bradford had never felt his mind work this fast in his life; his thoughts were still iplete, his reasoning not yet thorough, but he was forced to speak immediately, ¡°I¡¯ve been on the Alliance Council for four years and am well-acquainted with many businessmen inside and outside of Revival City. I know a lot of intelligence!¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s one point,¡± said Gu Hang, ¡°But it¡¯s not enough. Your will isn¡¯t strong enough to withstand torture; in the end, you will tell everything. There¡¯s still some time until the public execution meetingmences, enough time for us to pry out everything we want to know from you, and it won¡¯t interfere with your ultimate execution. Only then will you have served your purpose to the fullest.¡± The words that Mr. Gu spoke with a smile sent shivers down Bradford¡¯s spine. Served your purpose to the fullest¡­ is this what it meant? Truly ¡®use¡¯ me? Sometimes he really wished Mr. Gu wouldn¡¯t be so honest; he wasn¡¯t ustomed to such candid conversations and felt extremely frightened. But he had no choice but to toughen up and deliver another reason, ¡°After the Purge¡­ The quality of the administrative personnel you promoted is hard to guarantee, and their work will be very difficult. I started from scratch and got to where I am today because I am capable. I will serve you loyally, doing everything you want without regret orint!¡± ¡°A valuable proposal, but keeping an old councilman would w the deterrence of the Purge and the revtion of crimes at the public trial. Your personal capabilities are not enough to outweigh the loss,¡± Gu Hang continued after a pause, ¡°Bradford, you¡¯re disappointing me. I thought you were smart enough to understand that neither intelligence nor service could save your life, yet you still proposed those two reasons, making me doubt whether listening to you was worthwhile. My time is running short, and so is yours.¡± With every exchange with Gu Hang, Bradford felt the fear and despair building inside him. The Governor¡¯s words, his demeanor, were like giant hands gripping his heart, squeezing tighter with each moment of conversation. He felt like he was running out of breath, his faculties almost shattered by the terror of impending death. But at this point, he was finally ready toy everything on the line. Gu Hang had always been candid, openly discussing the Purge and his subsequent ns. And now, more than ever, he needed to be equally forting with all his thoughts and ideas. ¡°I¡¯m a channel merchant; my foundations aren¡¯t just in Revival City, they are spread everywhere. In the many city-states of the Eastern Province, each with a poption of over two hundred thousand, I have contacts; thendowners in the Southern Green Valley Region enjoy mypany, even Wohan, who wanted to engage in grain trade, had to use me to connect with them; as for the Oasis Kingdom on the Western Great Wastnd and further west, ckbird Heavy Industries, I¡¯ve painstakingly built trade routes there. That is one of the very few industrial cores on the entire Rage Owl Star¡­¡± ¡°My connections, the trade routes I¡¯ve established, and the many hands I¡¯ve ced along these routes are my greatest wealth. Yet, it is invisible and will vanish with my death. Even if I wanted to hand them over to you, if I were dead, I couldn¡¯t do it. You can torture me into revealing every contact person, method ofmunication, and even their personalities and histories, but their trust in me isn¡¯t something you can rece just by sending someone else. Once I¡¯m dead, they will disappear like raindrops falling into the sea, never to be found again.¡±
¡°You might worry that if I don¡¯t die, the public trial will be wed. But I am willing to be your tainted witness and, ording to your needs, testify against every councilman¡¯s crimes. There are many things for which you wouldn¡¯t even need to fabricate or enumerate¡ªI know plenty of truths.¡± ¡°Being a liaison officer, a diplomat, a trade representative, an intelligence officer¡­ These are the irreceable values I hold while alive. But you will invariably have doubts. Given my vastwork of connections abroad, I could easily escape once I am freed. To address this, I am willing to relocate all my family members to Revival City to live; I am willing to be constantly apanied by your most loyal guards when I act outside, who can monitor and execute me at any moment; or if you have some kind of periodically administered poison and antidote, I am also willing to ept that.¡± ¡°Of course, all this may not be secure. I could heartlessly abandon my family, loyal guards might be taken out by me, and an antidote for the poison might also be found outside¡­ But that¡¯s the risk.¡± Having said this, Bradford gritted his teeth and spoke the audaciously brave words that even he found too daring in hindsight, ¡°You are testing whether I am smart enough, honest enough, and I¡¯ve given my answer; now it is your turn to see, Mr. Gu, do you have the courage to take the risk?¡± ¡°Do you have the confidence that the great deeds you will do in the future will make me sincerely impressed from the bottom of my heart, so much so that I would not consider betrayal?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Gu Hang burst intoughter and pped Bradford on the shoulder, taking the somewhat provocativest words in stride, ¡°I now think you are indeed a smart man. It is clear that I have full confidence in myself. Let¡¯s do as you say, and I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me. I also hope you will see the day when the great endeavor seeds and be a part of it, rather than fall by the wayside.¡± Bradford knew he had passed the test. But, unexpectedly, his heart wasn¡¯t filled with much joy. His feelings at this moment were strange. Relief from surviving a catastrophe? Certainly, that was there, but there was also a special emotion towards Gu Hang. A mix of a little hatred, a lot of fear, some admiration, some respect¡­ and a touch of hope he himself scarcely noticed.
He remembered Gu Hang¡¯s deration on his first day after arriving on the surface. He said he would rebuild the entire Wastnd World, ensuring everyone who submitted to him would live a good life. This Mr. Gu, unlike any governor before him¡­ At first listen, his deration seemed full of titudes, but on closer inspection, does he really have the capacity to achieve it? If he does, would his future prospects really be worse than being an Alliance Councilman, a channel businessman? At this thought, Bradford suddenly came to a realization: Eh? Have I been CPU¡¯d? Chapter 85: 84, An Epic Victory (Please Subscribe!!!) Chapter 85: Chapter 84, An Epic Victory (Please Subscribe!!!)
Bradford¡¯s initial answers did indeed leave Gu Hang unsatisfied, but thosest words truly made him reconsider. They were precisely what he had hoped for. Initially, Gu Hang had wanted Hodgson to take on the task. That old man, who had lived for a very long time, had even been through the establishment of the Alliance on Rage Owl Star by the first generation of governors. Although not specifically a channel merchant, having lived for so long was wealth in itself. But now, it seemed that Hodgson had died. Although he had not yet entered the city to investigate, little Hodgson, that is, Lambert, could no longer wait. After wrapping up matters in the outer city, he was eager to enter the city. Gu Hang assigned a part of the Marine Corps¡¯ elite to him, letting him go ahead to investigate.
The Hodgson family estate was no longer sealed off, the city¡¯s nobility no longer saw the need to do so. However, upon returning home smoothly, Lambert didn¡¯t manage to find anything of value. After capturing Bradford, the man informed Gu Hang: Old Hodgson was indeed dead, killed by Mondok¡¯s hand. During the negotiations, Bradford had been involved; he and Norris had both attempted to object, thinking it too cruel. But they did not seed in their objections. At that time, Mondok wielded much more power than them, his main support, of course, being the military. Of course, in the end, they were persuaded and acquiesced to the n, allowing for the assassination of old Hodgson to proceed, and they helped with the aftermath and participated in dividing the Hodgson family¡¯s wealth in Revival City. In this matter, he certainly was guilty, Lambert¡¯s personal bane; but strictly speaking, he wasn¡¯t the mastermind, more an aplice. He certainly had to pay the price for his actions. Even if his earlier answers had greatly satisfied Gu Hang, it didn¡¯t mean that Gu Hang would let him go. His life might be spared for the moment, but the status of prisoner could not be removed just yet. Only after he hadmitted actions to atone for his sins would Gu Hang consider pardoning him. Murdering the head of the Alliance Council is a grave sin; linked with the previous collusion with the cult that happened to Senator Wohan, along with Mondok¡¯s act of treason outside the city thwarting Gu Hang, the governor¡­ Gu Hang now had a thousand ways to hang the elites of Revival City. When the timees, it would just be a matter of seeing which hat fits best on their heads; if one didn¡¯t fit, there would be another. There was no shortage of charges. Investigating cases required evidence, quelling rebellion only needed a list. Bradford¡¯s first act of atonement was to help Gu Hang perfect this list, and his own name would also be on it. Working on this task with him would be Lambert, who had not found his grandfather and was about to receive the tragic news. Under the drive of hatred, Lambert was unlikely to show kindness or mercy to these former neighbors; at the same time, he wasn¡¯t going to allow Bradford, his enemy, to have easy days.
But Gu Hang didn¡¯t bother to care about these matters for now, as he believed Lambert would handle it well. Tomorrow was the day to enter the city. And on this night before entering the city, Gu Hang finally finished dealing with various issues at hand and atst had the time to review the spoils he had gained from a system-level perspective after thest battle had ended. [Epic Victory, earned 133 points of Grace] [Lost 13, killed 1097, captured 7388] [Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment: Lost 13, killed 177] [Sainte-Lys Nun Association (Allied): Lost 0, killed 169] [Phoenix Battle Group (Allied): Lost 0, killed 757] ¡­ This battle actually brought him over a hundred points in rewards! This was even higher than the profits from the previous ambush against the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, which also happened to eliminate most of the pus-filled creatures in the alien woods. The key thing was, he actually hadn¡¯t anticipated it. He even considered that the battle might not be considered a war by the system¡¯s standards, but rather an assassination or a surprise military operation against a special individual.
Moreover, even if it was judged to be a war, the mainbat achievements were made by the ster warriors. The Battle Nuns were a bitzy at first, but when those cult members emerged, they got serious and went to work. But no matter which side it was, they weren¡¯t Gu Hang¡¯s subordinates. Would the system award points for their aplishments? The reality was that it wouldn¡¯t, but the value was immense. Although Gu Hang didn¡¯t gain any points for the killings done by the ster warriors and Battle Nuns, their actions undoubtedly crushed the Alliance Legion. Aside from the fleeing enemies, most of the restid down their arms and surrendered, while a few resistors were killed. And those top-tier fighters surely had no time for taking prisoners. That task was done by Gu Hang¡¯s infantry unit. The infantry¡¯s 13 casualties and 177 kills happened during this time. And the 7,300 prisoners were also credited to the infantry. Now, that was something he could score points on. Although the main battle wasn¡¯t won by Gu Hang¡¯s subordinates, leading to a low coefficient for rewards, the low losses and high victory had been rated as an epic victory, which added back some of the coefficient. Moreover, capturing so many people was valuable not only due to the invincible performance of those mighty men and women, but also because of Gu Hang¡¯s influence as governor and the demoralization caused to the soldiers by Mondok¡¯s execution in midair. Various aspects and factorsbined to make up these 133 points in rewards. An unexpected joy, so to speak. Up to now, he had 135 reward points, quite a sum. However, he hadn¡¯t yet thought about how he wanted to use them. In the ¡°Soldier¡¯s Badge¡± system, to modify the over 7,000 captured soldiers? But that would have to wait until he could ensure their loyalty and the politicalmissars he had ced could exert their influence. Otherwise, after the training and enhancement, if they revolted, it would be troublesome.
The ¡°Technology¡± system was also something to draw from, producing several powerful items was crucial for the development of his territory, but there was no rush for that either. How to use these reward points was something Gu Hang needed to ponder. ¡­ Dawn came, and Gu Hang entered the city. There was no wee with open arms, no food and drink offered; the inner-city folks had heard the sounds of battle from outside a few days ago in the early morning, and through various rumors they knew the governor wasing, and the city¡¯s four major gates had already been sealed by the governor¡­ Though it had only been a few days, the city still had ample supplies and there definitely wouldn¡¯t be people starving to death just yet. However, these inner-city people hadn¡¯t really heard of the governor¡¯s benevolence and good governance. On the contrary, they had fresher memories of the previous governor¡¯s terrible deeds. Regarding Gu Hang¡¯s arrival, they were hesitant, doubtful, and distrustful. Right now, they were hiding in their homes, with doors and windows shut, only peeking through the cracks at the ster warriors, Battle Nuns, and the passing army on the main roads. Gu Hang felt the countless gazes from both sides of the streets, but he didn¡¯t care. He led his people straight to the Alliance Council Hall at the city center. Chapter 86: 85, The Alliance of the Revival City (Please Subscribe!!!) Chapter 86: Chapter 85, The Alliance of the Revival City (Please Subscribe!!!)
Sitting in the Alliance Council hall, Gu Hang looked around. The ce was constructed to look the part: the circr dome was adorned with manyplex reliefs, which seemed to hold religious significance, with the image of The Emperor present everywhere; it also seemed to vaguely recount the grand story of the ancestors forging paths out of the rubble to establish the Alliance. At the top, there was a small opening covered by a ss dome, allowing daylight to pour through. On sunny days, there was no need for lights to brighten the room. Below the dome was a long table where the Alliance Councilmen presumably held their meetings. Above the long table and up five steps, there was a throne-like chair ced on a tform. ording to the original design, this should be the seat reserved for the Governor.
Back when the Alliance was revived, the first Governor must have sat in that elevated position, watching the councilmen discuss and solve various problems arising during the reconstruction of Rage Owl Star. Proposals were brought forth, problems were solved, and ns were implemented one after another¡­ It must have been a glorious era. Even now, many people on Rage Owl Star fondly remembered those times¡ªespecially after the tenure of the second Governor. Gu Hang didn¡¯t know much about the achievements of the first Governor, nor did he consider himself a sessor to the legacy. But that didn¡¯t stop him from doing simr things in the same ce. As he sat down, Gu Hang¡¯s system pinged with new messages. [You have upied the city: Revival City.] [Revival City¡¯s fixed monthly ie: 68 points of Grace] Seeing the city upied and Revival City included in the system¡¯s tally, Gu Hang was initially pleased. When he first arrived to serve as Governor a few months back, he had been eagerly awaiting this message, but it never came. Today, his wish was finally fulfilled. However, upon seeing the number 68, Gu Hang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply. That was way too low! Absurdly low!
The Governor¡¯s Camp, which he had built from scratch,bined with the ramshackle Abandoned Cave Society he had taken over, could together provide him with 61 points of Grace. To reach that figure, the two campsbined barely surpassed a poption of ten thousand; so how could Revival City, with its poption of nearly a million, contribute so little? Then, he saw a string of negative effects listed under Revival City in the integrated domestic affairs interface. [City Standstill: Greatly reduces city ie.] [Anarchic State: Significantly reduces city ie.] Apart from [Anarchic State], there were several statuses with the entry ¡®significantly reduces city ie¡¯, including: [Restless Poption], [Extremely Low Standard of Living], [Hungry City], [Poor Management Level], [Terrible Infrastructure], [Low Poption Quality], [Low Public Order], [Insurgents],¡­ There were also several entries for ¡®moderately reduces ie¡¯, such as: [Disorderly Market], [Trade Disruption], [Extensive Development], [Post-War Turmoil], [Military Control], [Administrative Disarray], [Grassroots Loss of Control], [Heretic Cultists],¡­ He didn¡¯t even mention those with ¡®minor reduction in ie¡¯, as there were plenty of those as well. Gu Hang was left speechless and choked up. With so many negative effects weighing down on it, it seemed not so surprising that the Grace ie had plummeted to rock bottom¡­ However, Gu Hang quickly adjusted his mindset. He hadn¡¯t entirely failed to anticipate this situation.
His previous thought was that even if the city were taken by military means, governance would still be necessary for the system to recognize the city as belonging to him. The current situation, with a plethora of negative effects stacked on top of each other, which greatly reduced the benefits, probably meant the same thing. Simrly, this matter could also be viewed in a positive light. The clear-cut negative effects pointed out to Gu Hang the problems that needed to be addressed. Tackling them one by one, things would likely improve. In his view, the debuffs of Revival City could broadly be divided into two categories: development and management issues. The former wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved instantly. It required an increase in productivity and the restoration of trade routes so that people could be well-fed and clothed, have the energy to rebuild the city, and achieve a better quality of life. As for management issues, some deep-rooted ones likewise needed time to be gradually dealt with. However, at least a few problems could be solved immediately. For instance, the biggest debuff: ¡°City Standstill¡±. Factories were shut, shops were closed, and the citizens of the city were too frightened and unsettled to even venture onto the streets, whether due to martialw or due to fear and unease. Unable to work, with insufficient food reserves¡­ This was precisely what Gu Hang needed to tackle right away. He needed to immediately establish an administrative system, however rudimentary, that could at least function to begin addressing the issue of the city¡¯s standstill.
It would be a brand-new administrative team. He had once hesitated over whether to proceed in this way, but the death of Hodgson extinguished that thoughtpletely. If there had been a fully supportive elder with a good reputation in the Alliance to assist him, he might have taken over the existing administrative system of Revival City and slowly implemented reforms. But now? Forget it. Using the old administrative system would only bring constraints. He had won the battle, so why should he entangle himself with the old system of Revival City and the Alliance Government? Moreover, was there anything good about the old system of the Alliance Government? The previous governors,cking control, had to coordinate with all parties, various factions, making mutualpromises. However, Gu Hang didn¡¯t have to. At least, not for the time being. He saw no need to establish a parliamentary system, where representatives of every faction, industry, and all those with power and influence had to be gathered in one ce to get things done. He decided to abandon the existing system and overturn it,pletely rebuilding a highly centralized authority and system to efficiently implement his will.
He would retain the name ¡°Alliance,¡± as it was a necessary political designation to subjugate and rule the settlements beyond Revival City. But apart from that, he did not intend to keep much else. He would abolish the council entirely, and in its ce would be the Alliance Government. The government would consist of multiple departments led by officials who, in the future, would make decisions and guide the city¡¯s development. The old system would be swept away; those who once held power and profited from it would be purged; the entire ss of industrialists would be wiped out in one stroke, to be reced by collectively owned factories under government ownership¡­ With the old interest groups eliminated, their vacated positions and benefits would be opportunities for neers. The newly-formed interest groups would grow from the new system and would emerge thanks to the Governor. In return, they would also be the Governor¡¯s most steadfast supporters. This process would seem a fierce revolution to some. Footsteps were heard at the door, and Gu Hang snapped out of his reverie, looking up to see a slightly frail girl in a grey-blue blouse walking in. Osenia had arrived. Chapter 87: 86: Am I the Minister of Production? (Please Subscribe!!!) Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Am I the Minister of Production? (Please Subscribe!!!)
After receiving the instructions from the Governor, Osenia was a bit stunned. She had only just stabilized her job recently, formed a governmental team, and took charge of managing two camps when she was suddenly reassigned with an order to lead a ten-plus-member governmental team to Revival City. Shortly after that, she received her appointment from the Governor. She was to serve as the acting Minister of the Production Department for the Alliance Government. The experiences of the past few months were all too fantastical. One moment she was a refugee struggling to stay fed and warm, then somehow, she became the production manager at the Governor¡¯s Camp, responsible for overseeing the production work for tens of thousands in two camps, arranging various production ns, and recruitment of personnel. And now, she had suddenly be a ¡®high official¡¯ in the Alliance Government, with nearly a million people in Revival City depending on her for production nning and consumption arrangements!
Initially, just managing ten thousand people, she had no idea if she could do well, only bracing herself for the task ahead. Fortunately, after that exchange with the Governor, her mind, for some reason, suddenly became clear. While she was still somewhat inexperienced, the various problems that arose could always be swiftly resolved by her. As her work became more and more second nature, Osenia gradually relieved much of her anxiety and began to dedicate herself wholly to her job. She found herself loving this work. On one hand, she was free from worries about food and clothing; on the other hand, seeing those wanderers who had once shared simr experiences with here to the Governor¡¯s Camp and lead lives that weren¡¯t extraordinarily good but at least hopeful, with her help, brought her joy. She did not particrly understand the grand ns and lofty goals of the Governor, but in her view, those people who could work properly, eat well, and live well, were the foundation of this great enterprise. But now, the scale of responsibility had increased from ten thousand to one hundred thousand. With the increased scale, there would undoubtedly be endless problems to solve. She was even less sure if she could do well. It wasn¡¯t that she was afraid of losing the Governor¡¯s trust by doing poorly. In this regard, Osenia¡¯s ambition wasn¡¯t very great. What she feared more was that her mistakes could affect the livelihood of a million people. The hardships endured during her time of discement, the struggle for survival outside of Revival City, made her acutely aware of just how difficult the ordinary civilian¡¯s life could be in this wastnd. Especially for the poor outside the city with no savings at all, their ability to withstand risks was extremely low. Yes, she was born into a well-off family, but it was precisely because she had seen the light that the suffering in the darkness was all the more deeply etched into her memory. ¡°It¡¯s because you have this concern that I have entrusted you with this task,¡±
said Gu Hang, offering her encouragement once more. ¡°It¡¯s because you care that I can entrust the livelihood of nearly a million people in Revival City to you. If even you can¡¯t do it well, how can I trust those who have not deeply experienced suffering?¡± Osenia took a deep breath and firmed her resolve, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll work hard!¡± ¡­ Following that, Gu Hang spoke with Osenia for a long period of time. Gu Hang fully expressed his expectations to Osenia. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t let this youngdy, Osenia, start from scratch, out of nowhere. Even if Osenia were to do it, he wouldn¡¯t be at ease. Here, Gu Hang imparted many things. He told Osenia that the first issue to resolve was hunger. The city¡¯s granaries had been seized, and she needed to ensure that the poor outside the city did not riot out of starvation. The situation had be critically precarious; those poor people really had no savings, and without distributing food, deaths from starvation were imminent. Secondly, she needed to urgently restore the production work in Revival City. The small workshops in the outer city had already been taken over, and they could be the first to resume operations; therge factories located within the city would be confiscated from the nobles and parliamentarianster on, and would simrly require immediate implementation of the resumption n. This was the most pressing matter.
The rest was to transnt the work-point system into Revival City to serve as a basis for distribution; to rify the production capacity of various industries in Revival City, formte production ns, and consider how to upgrade industries; to expand the civil service system, improve administrative efficiency¡­ With this approach, various problems could be addressed separately and systematically. ¡­ After grasping Gu Hang¡¯s intent, Osenia set off to work. However, the sess of her work depended on how well another person performed his duties. That person was Lambert Hodgson, who had been tasked by Gu Hang with the ¡®Great Purge.¡¯ To distribute grain from the granary, there had to be grain avable; to resume production, there had to be shifts to work. The previous Alliance Government was a ssic example of a small government that didn¡¯t prioritize food security. They didn¡¯t even have an official government granary for strategic reserves. The city¡¯s food supply was only found in the reserves of food merchants and some factory canteens, which needed to be confiscated first before it could be essed. Simrly, to tackle the resumption of production, it was necessary toplete the confiscation of production materials¡ªthat is, the confiscation of the major factories. At that moment, a fire burned in Lambert¡¯s eyes. Bradford felt a chilling scrutiny from him and said helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. The Governor sent me to work with you; I am here to atone.¡±
¡°Your sin cannot be redeemed,¡± Lambert said through gritted teeth. ¡°But that¡¯s not up to you, it¡¯s up to the Governor.¡± Bradford retorted at first, but quickly realized he shouldn¡¯t offend Lambert any further. Even though he had already grievously offended by killing the man¡¯s grandfather, there was no need to provoke further and have this man, who had already invested in the Governor, demand his life vehemently before the Governor¡ªthat would be too difficult to manage. Even though the hope was slim, the best course of action for Bradford was still to try to mend their rtionship as much as possible. He said, ¡°Your anger and your desire for revenge are understandable. I will pay the price for my actions, in fact, I am already paying it. Look, I¡¯ve obediently provided you with lists of names; by arresting those on the list, you can avenge your father and grandfather. Mondok was the main perpetrator and the staunchest member, with deep influence in the military through his family¡ªyou can eliminate them all¡­¡± ¡°I am already doing so,¡± Lambert interrupted. ¡°And there¡¯s Norris¡ªhe¡¯s gathered at least five thousand people in hisrgest manufacturing factory, preparing for a siege. It looks like he wants to turn the factory into a fortified stronghold, but in reality, he wants to surrender.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Lambert asked. ¡°So, you don¡¯t necessarily have to assault it by force, which would require you to request more troops and support from the Governor. You could, on behalf of the Governor, agree to Norris¡¯s terms of surrender. I could even act as an envoy to help you negotiate,¡± Bradford suggested. ¡°The Governor¡¯s order is to purge all the old nobility,¡± Lambert remarked. ¡°I know, of course, I know,¡± Bradford said with a bitter smile, ¡°but once that old man agrees and he¡¯s in your hands, then you can do whatever you want, can¡¯t you?¡±
Chapter 88: 87, The Cannon (Please Subscribe!!!) Chapter 88: Chapter 87, The Cannon (Please Subscribe!!!)
Bradford suggested a cunning n. Pretend to ept Norris¡¯s conditions for surrender and then, renege and kill him. Lambert was somewhat tempted by the n but ultimately rejected it. Indeed, as Bradford had said, it would save a lot of effort not to fight at all. A hard assault, with thousands of people, even if they were just ordinary workers armed with light weapons, defending inside a reinforced factory, would require considerable force to ovee and could even result in significant casualties. But Lambert still intended to do it. The main reason was that he did not want Gu Hang to bear the name of a traitor.
In private, any means were eptable, but publicly, as a ruler, credibility was extremely important; it even signified the reliability of public policy and the ease with which it could be believed by the people. Under such circumstances, one must put on a fair and upright front. ying smart here might save a lot of effort in dealing with Norris, but the cost of taking shortcuts now could very well be paid doubly elsewhere. After making this decision, he even mocked Bradford, saying he could only ever be a merchant and would never understand the grandeur that a politician aspires to achieve in aplishing great things. Bradford was left speechless. And Lambert received additional support for his actions. He assembled two battalions that had apanied the governor into the city, and from the captured military supplies, he pulled out about ten heavy cannons and adopted a posture for a forceful attack. Norris sent envoys to negotiate terms of surrender, but was once again sternly rejected by Lambert. Lambert demanded that everyone resisting inside the factory surrender unconditionally,y down their weapons, and await the governor¡¯s trial. This was the final ultimatum, and Lambert would only give them one hour. The message was taken back inside the factory by the envoys, and everyone fell silent. An hourter, no one came out to surrender, and Lambert ordered the battle tomence.
He ordered Perbov, who he had brought along for assistance, tomand his second battalion to start ying with their newly acquired ¡°toys.¡± Those were five 155mm howitzers; next door, the sixth battalion, which was also dragged into work, was equipped with five captured artillery pieces as battalion firepower support. Ten heavy guns fired in unison, with shell after shell beingunched into the factory. With a salvo, thick ck smoke billowed from the factory. The governor¡¯s soldiers did not rush in hastily. With the enemypletely surrounded and heavy artillery at their disposal, it would be foolish to send soldiers in as cannon fodder. They had plenty of ammunition in stock, so they would let the ten cannons fire a dozen or twenty rounds first¡ªafter a few hundred heavy shells bombarded them, then they would discuss sending in the infantry to mop up. In the midst of this, Lambert received additional assistance. Superior Georgette arrived with six nuns. ¡­ Lambert had seen the nuns of the Holy Lily of Mercy before. To be honest,pared to the Phoenixes who always had a grim face and an unweing demeanor, he preferred these battle nuns who always wore a gentle smile. Although when it came to fighting, the nuns were just as ruthless.
However, despite having seen them before, this was his first timemunicating with them, and Lambert seemed somewhat reserved. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Superior Georgette. I thank you very much foring to our aid,¡± he said. Georgette said, ¡°No thanks are necessary; we are all fighting for the Empire. Mr. Lambert, I have heard about the tragedy that befell your family, and I am truly sorry that such a thing happened to you.¡± ¡°Thank you. However, I remember that you and your subordinates are supposed to be investigating the traces of the Cult within the city. How do you find the time to participate in the battle here at the factory?¡± Georgette replied, ¡°This factory harbors evil. Moreover, the Cultists¡¯ activities may be rted to the cmity that has befallen the Hodgson Family.¡± Lambert immediately took the matter seriously. ¡°Can you tell me about it?¡± ¡°There is no harm in doing so.¡± Following that, Superior Georgette gave Lambert, the descendant of the victim, a rather detailed ount of her recent discoveries. She had investigated the scene of old Hodgson¡¯s death and had found remnants of heretical energy in the Hodgson Family estate. Therefore, she believed that the assassination of old Hodgson involved the participation of Heretic Cultists. The other sisters went to investigate other clues, but she came here with six people.
The mastermind behind the assassination plot was Mondok, but that man was already dead; the remaining two participants were here, and she was here to gather information. After learning of this, Lambert immediately dragged Bradford out. This guy had not mentioned anything about the Cult when he previously revealed details about old Hodgson¡¯s death. Upon hearing Superior Georgette¡¯s questions, Bradford was also baffled. He had no idea! He was not lying; with things having reached this point, he was desperately seeking a way to save his own life, hoping for a possible sentence reduction. If he had been aware of the Cult, why would he ever conceal information for those deranged individuals? He would have been eager to betray them in their entirety. But indeed, he was not aware of this matter. The assassination was Mondok¡¯s scheme; Bradford was only involved in the aftermath and the division of spoils. He had not concerned himself with the details of the assassination. In his eyes, it was not difficult for Mondok, who had control over the Alliance Army, to aplish this task. The results proved him right: the Hodgson Family disappeared from their mansion one night. Upon confirming that Bradford was indeed not lying and that there were no traces of heretical energy on him, Superior Georgette let him go. Afterward, she turned her attention to the factory area, which was still under the bombardment of artillery fire. There, thest conspirator involved in the Hodgson assassination plot was located ¡ª old Norris.
Within that factory, she could sense the vibrations of Storm Heresy. This was the energy of heretical sorcery ¡ª any extraordinary power not derived from the Divine Emperor and instead solicited through foreign prayers was considered heretical by the state religion. Even some hardliners believe that self-manifested Spiritual Energy wielders are also heretics and that the world should not tolerate legal users of Spiritual Energy. And these extremists are often used by the Empire¡¯s Spirit Cultivation Association of heresy themselves; verbal sparring between them is a daily urrence so much so that physical destruction of each other is not umon. The Order of Merciful Lilies is not one of those extremist factions; otherwise, they would be the first to oppose the Governor himself. However, the supernatural energy obtained from other extraordinary beings through faith connections and heretical rituals is something that members of the state religion from all factions detest intensely. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª All five chapters have been posted!!! I hope everyone will continue to support me! Two more chapters areing at noon tomorrow; see you then! Chapter 89: 88, Then You Stay Chapter 89: Chapter 88, Then You Stay
The disheveled Norris hadpletely lost his formerposure. He was nning to surrender to the Governor. In his view, although the resistance formed by the Alliance Councilmen had been disintegrated, the future of the city was now destined to be determined by the Governor. But for the Governor to enforce his rule, relying solely on himself was definitely not enough; he certainly needed a certain ss or group of people to execute his will and implement his policies. Norris indeed had lost before, but he epted the loss willingly. He was willing to pay the price and help the Governor rule the city, and in the process of this rule, regain the part that belonged to him. In his view, this was only to be expected, and the Governor would surely agree. The only thing to consider was how much authority the Governor would be willing to leave him?
It was with such considerations that he had gathered and armed the workers. This was a move to increase the weight of his surrender. In doing so, he dered to others the strength of his control over the key industrial enterprises of Revival City, thus to gain greater attention from the Governor. However, after the Governor entered the city, the envoys he sent out were unable to see His Excellency the Governor, let alone discuss any terms. Then, Lambert showed up with the army and surrounded his fortified factory, demanding his unconditional surrender. By this time, he was feeling a bit uneasy. Having Lamberte to handle the siege of his factory was in itself a strong signal. He was practically Lambert¡¯s sworn enemy! If the Governor intended to ept his surrender, he logically shouldn¡¯t have sent Lambert. Wouldn¡¯t that be intensifying the conflict? But he still clung to a glimmer of hope and tried to negotiate, but Lambert waspletely impervious and issued the final ultimatum. When he heard the final ultimatum, Norris still couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Does the Governor really not want me? I¡¯m the biggest industrial magnate of Revival City! The entire city¡¯s cycle of work and production depends on me, countless workers¡¯ livelihoods are tied to me! Knowing this, how can you dare let me die?¡± Then, when the time for the ultimatum passed, ten heavy cannons fired at the factory. A round of shells fell, and ck smoke rose from various parts of the factory. The 155mm caliber cannons were enough to pierce the factory buildings and create terrifying casualties inside. The entire factory was filled with wails.
Among them, Norris¡¯s top floor office in the main factory building also took a hit. If it weren¡¯t for his bodyguard pulling him into the basement when the ultimatum was issued, he would have been reduced to nothing by now. He waspletely at his wits¡¯ end, his mind wholly filled with fear. And he wasn¡¯t the only one trapped in fear. A barrage of cannon fire came down, and the not-so-well-prepared armed workers suffered significant casualties. If it weren¡¯t for a group of individuals in dark blue robes shouting around, maintaining order, perhaps just a few rounds of bombardment would havepletely copsed their morale. They called on the armed workers to hide in the sturdy factory buildings, using all sorts of rubbish, building materials, and scrapped machinery to construct barriers that could resist the shrapnel and shockwaves of the shells, or to take shelter in the basements, ready to endure the bombardment. Then, when the Governor¡¯sckeys attacked, they were ready to give them a taste of their own medicine. Inspired by the blue-robed individuals, the morale of the armed workers was somewhat stabilized. In the basement, watching the blue-robed figures busilying in and out, his vacant face suddenly showed a trace of life. ¡°Right, right, right¡­ I¡¯m not done for yet¡­ you! Stop!¡± Norris grabbed one of the blue-robed individuals. ¡°I¡¯m your most important coborator, you have to protect me! I want to leave this ce, I want to¡­¡± He was cut off by a gust of air that pushed him away.
The man in the blue robe stared at him and said, ¡°Coward, if you want to escape, then go by yourself. We are staying here to fight.¡± His gaze was filled with zealotry. Norris shouted, ¡°You¡¯re all going to die!¡± The man in the blue robe looked even more scornful, ¡°True believers of the divine do not fear death. We are going to teach those governors¡¯ckeys a profound lesson!¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± The blue-robed man ignored him and ran upwards. Within the bustling factory, where everyone was prepared to resist to the end, Norris was like an abandoned old dog, filled with despair. ¡­ In another underground chamber of the factory, the Primal High Priest Cui Kao was also present. By his side were two men in grey and white robes. Their attire was very simr to that of the Howling Wind Divine Envoy Gu Hang had encountered in the alien forest. They were indeed two Divine Envoys from the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, their ranks equivalent to that of Howling Wind who died at the hands of Gu Hang, they were another two of the twelve Divine Envoys. The Shadow Wind Envoy was a corpulent woman, her fat body not even the loose robes could hide; the Gale Envoy was a very muscr man.
¡°Has the ¡®Storm¡¯s Blessing¡¯ already been nted?¡± Cui Kao asked. Both Divine Envoys bowed, ¡°We have followed the sacred decree, it has all been nted.¡± Cui Kao¡¯s expression carried pity, ¡°The children of god will return to the Divine Realm. Then we too shall leave, there are greater ns awaiting our dedication.¡± Excitement was evident on the faces of both Divine Envoys. The Shadow Wind Envoy¡¯s voice even trembled with excessive rapture, ¡°I can barely wait to see the storm descend.¡± The Gale Envoy beside her was much calmer, ¡°Do not indulge too much. The n was forced tounch early due to the governors, we do not have as much certainty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s being too cautious!¡± The Shadow Wind Envoy was interrupted at her climax, showing displeasure, her shrill voice rising, ¡°We could have offered this city to the storm long ago, but it¡¯s all because¡­¡± At that point, she abruptly stopped talking. She saw Cui Kao¡¯s gaze turned towards her. ¡°This is the will of the storm,¡± Cui Kao said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, ¡°Shadow Wind, Chapter 90: 89, Ground Assault Chapter 90: Chapter 89, Ground Assault
Gu Hang suddenly felt a palpitation. He stood up from his seat, walked over to the window, and looked out. From here, he couldn¡¯t see the specific situation on the battlefield, but the sound of heavy artillery, nheless, carried over half the city. He already knew that Georgette and the Battle Nuns had rushed over there, and in theory, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. However, Gu Hang couldn¡¯t ignore the unease he had felt before. As a Spiritual Energy user, his intuition often concretely forewarned that something was about to happen.
Even as the artillery roared on, Gu Hang never felt at ease. Instead of agonizing over it here, it would be better to go there in person and investigate. Gu Hang made his move. As he did so, he sent out a message, hoping that the Phoenix Battle Group, which was resting somewhere in the city, would also hurry over as soon as possible. This was still a mission request, in his words, it was that Superior Georgette might run into trouble. Believing in the past that Commander Matins, who had¡­ oh, not that, who had fought side by side with the Superior, would surely not sit idly by. After all, they were idle anyway. ¡­ Gu Hang hurried over at high speed, his mind made up, and he soared into the air. That¡¯s the benefit of being a Spiritual Energy user. By the time he arrived at the scene, Lambert, Perbov, Georgette, and others had already been carrying out the ground attack for quite a while. The previous rounds of artillery fire had sent over a hundred heavy shells into the area. The entire factory district wasn¡¯t reduced toplete ruins, but it wasn¡¯t far off. ording to their assessment, under such conditions, the non-professional soldiers and mere workers who had been temporarily armed inside would not only have suffered heavy casualties, but their morale was likely almost copsing.
What followed was for the infantry, led by the Battle Nuns, to enter and clear the battlefield. The dead were ignored, the living were pulled out as prisoners and thrown into the POW camp, and what to do with them afterward was not the army¡¯s concern; those who resisted stubbornly were, of course, to be killed on the spot. In Perbov¡¯s opinion, this should be an easy operation. Indeed, all fears stem from insufficient firepower. Without the kind of heavy artillery that could directly damage concrete and cement structures, relying solely on the 60mm mortars, hand grenades, rifles of the past¡­ even if the opponents were just some armed workers, it would probably cost many lives to take down this factoryplex. But now, with just ten 155mm heavy howitzers they had captured, the battle became so much morefortable to fight. Who the hell would willingly sacrifice their life to charge trenches if you can st with heavy bombs first, bombarding their mother¡¯s for several rounds, and then have the infantry sweep the battlefield afterward? No wonder they say artillery is the god of war. However, before they went in, Georgette issued a warning to him and themander of the 6th battalion. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, there¡¯s a tough enemy inside.¡± ¡°A tough enemy?¡± Perbov was a little skeptical at the time. What kind of enemy could be tougher than a 155mm howitzer? Then he remembered the heroism of the Phoenixes and the Sisters of Saint Mercy on the battlefield. Uh¡­ if there were enemies of that caliber, then it might indeed be a problem.
If someone else had said it, he might not have believed it, but the speaker was the gentle and formidable Superior. So, he decided to believe her. Perbov consulted with themander of the 6th battalion and decided not to blindly throw all their forces into the fray. Although they only had a total of six hundred men, which seemed insufficient for such arge factoryplex, they preferred to proceed slowly and cautiously. Each of them sent out apany to advance first. As thepanies entered, they moved forward in squads, each responsible for clearing sections; the squads maintained a broad distance between them, and each was divided into teams of three to sweep through the half-ruinedplex. At the officers¡¯ request, the soldiers crept forward with waists bent, using the ruins as cover. It was slow and cumbersome, yet very solid progress. They would not advance until they had thoroughly confirmed the safety of an area. Indeed, there were enemies. And these enemies had a very strong will to resist. Those d in workers¡¯ attire and wielding weapons only slightly better than iron pipe rifles emerged from the ruins. When they popped up, they were usually only thirty to fifty meters from the searching soldiers¡ªnot far at all. Upon their emergence, they unleashed a volley of bullets at a squad of infantry with the weapons they held. The soldiers reacted quickly, dropping to the ground and seeking cover. The armed workers¡¯ marksmanship was not very good, and most of their shots went wide. Even if a bullet did hit, the stic-steel armor being worn could save a life.
While one squad was suppressed, another team of three not far away would immediately counterattack. Comparatively, Gu Hang¡¯s soldiers were far superior in marksmanship to the armed workers. The performance of the G9-type assault rifles was also much more reliable than the weapons in the hands of the armed workers. A burst of fire from the group of three was enough to kill all the emerging armed workers. Havingpleted the kills, they did not lower their rifles but continued to aim at the location, signaling to the squad that had been suppressed earlier with tactical gestures. The three quickly got up and moved toward the location of their in targets. They needed to confirm the results and see if any enemies remained. If any were found alive, they would finish them off with a coup de grace. The three who had made the kills provided fire cover. If any enemy appeared, they would strike with immediate firepower. Not far away, Georgette, who was just about to intervene, lowered her gun. Even she looked somewhat astonished. The performance of these soldiers somewhat exceeded her expectations. Previously, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to thebat readiness of Mr. Gu¡¯s ordinary infantry. Though the individual equipment they donned looked simr to that of the Imperial Regr Army¡ªG-type rifles, stic steel vests¡ªthese were only considered the most basic of cannon fodder gear. Ideally, a squad should be equipped not only with mortars but also might need several LR-typeser guns, HS-type electromaic rifles; fragmentary grenades alone might not be enough, and if they couldn¡¯te up with thermobaric bombs orpressed energy grenades, the least they could do was bring more rocketunchers. Even purely as light infantry, the equipment of Mr. Gu¡¯s troops fell somewhat short.
But this was understandable, forgivable, and evenmendable. At the very least, His Excellency the Governor was making an effort to align his armed forces with those of the Star Realm Army. What more could be asked of him? However, when actualbatmenced, the soldiers¡¯bat discipline and performance were eye-opening. Although their equipment wascking, their training level was straight out of the Star Realm Regr Troops¡¯ ybook. Such a force demanded Georgette¡¯s respect. With their help, she felt that she and her sisters could afford to rx a little. But just as she thought this, something unexpected happened! Chapter 91: 90, Corpse Bomb Chapter 91: Chapter 90, Corpse Bomb
Through Georgette¡¯s keen eyes, the governor¡¯s soldiers who had just killed those few enemies had performed very well. The bullets were urately and meticulously sent into the heads and chests of those armed workers, two rounds each. The virtually unprotected enemies, once hit in their vital spots by G9 bullets, were undoubtedly dead. Confirming kills was a necessary tactical move, and Georgette would not interfere. In fact, her gaze had already moved on. The resistors popping up here and there, though scattered, were indeed numerous. The armed workers who survived the bombardment were now using the ruins of the half-copsed factory as cover and positions,unching counterattacks as the governor¡¯s soldiers approached. The soldiers¡¯ advance was impeded, and they too had to find cover to return fire. But, as Georgette had just witnessed, in most cases, the governor¡¯s soldiers gained an overwhelming victory by virtue of their superior soldiering and equipment advantage.
There were of course some losses, but not significant; on the other hand, the emerging armed workers suffered even heavier casualties and injuries. And if there was a spot where arger group of armed workers gathered, fighting prudently and exposing only their gun barrels for the barrage, Georgette wouldn¡¯t waste time, and she and her sisters would go straight in. To her, all the armed workers mingled with heretics were detestable traitors. However, just as she set her sights on a spot of stubborn resistance, the area she thought was resolved and safe suddenly changed! Georgette sensed an intense surge of Storm Heresy there. Her expression shifted and she immediately warned, ¡°Danger! Get away from there!¡± But by then it was already a bit toote. The bodies of the dead armed workers, like a cluster of corpse bombs, exploded on the spot. Their flesh flew in every direction, as if their bodies had been embedded with apressed air bomb. The soldiers who heard the warning but didn¡¯t grasp where the dangery were blown meters away by the sudden burst ofpressed air. Their limbs were twisted uponnding, the force of the st damaging their innards; sharp air des tore open the unprotected parts of their bodies, shredding faces, limbs, and throats to a pulp. Georgette immediately started shouting again, ¡°Don¡¯t go near the enemy¡¯s bodies! They¡¯ll explode!¡± This urate information, along with the just-witnessed scene, was observed by the other soldiers nearby and then rapidly spread outward. The governor¡¯s soldiers became much more cautious in their actions.
The gruesome fate of theirrades killed by the corpse storm bombs taught them a severe lesson. They altered the conventional tactical requirements, no longer approaching for close confirmation after a kill; instead, they would shoot from a distance if it was convenient; if not, they¡¯d leave it be. This way there was no worry about approaching bodies being as dangerous as approachingndmines, but the enemy soon came up with new tactics. Some people in blue robes emerged beside the armed workers. The power of Storm Sorcery pulsed through them. In Georgette¡¯s eyes, these people weren¡¯t very formidable sorcerers, but they were numerous and cowardly. What they were doing wasn¡¯t using sorcery to strike directly at the governor¡¯s soldiers or the Battle Nuns, but instead, they were stirring up winds that carried the bodies of the gunned-down workers onto the soldiers¡¯ positions. These bodies, likepressed air cannonballs, caused a lot of trouble for the soldiers. The potency of these wind-delivered bombs might not have matched a 155-caliber howitzer, but their precision was key. Some soldiers ducked behind slopes formed from copsing walls or found small recesses. A gust of wind, spinning as it blew, brought a body right in. The soldier had seen it in advance and firing at the body to break it up was useless, so all he could do was run out. The corpse bomb exploded, killing three. This position, which had seemed like a good cover, now appeared to be unsafe. In fact, nowhere was safe then. The soldiers¡¯ progress was hindered by the undead bombs. Even with the support of the Battle Nuns during this time, the problem was only somewhat alleviated.
The Battle Nuns could snipe those in blue robes from a distance, but those targets needed to expose themselves. Hidden behind possibly a few meters thick of building rubble or in shell craters, even the fiercest grenade gun couldn¡¯t prate. After all, they could send over the bodies with the wind, no need to show their heads. In such a situation, Georgette made up her mind. ¡°Sisters, for The Emperor! Follow me in the charge!¡± She leaped out, and her sisters followed suit. Her ¡®Sacred Gold Halberd¡¯ was a transcendent weapon blessed with divine powers; the other nuns didn¡¯t have anything as formidable, but there was no need, whether it be ordinarybat des or grenade guns, they were enough. Instead, it was the Battle Nun Superior¡¯s Sacred Gold Halberd that dealt devastating damage. Compared to the weapons in their hands, their defensive capabilities were equally despairing. After they began their charge, their bodies werepletely exposed and naturally suffered concentrated gunfire from the armed workers. But the ability level of the armed workers wasn¡¯t up to par, while the nuns of the Holy Lily moved quickly and agilely, causing their hit rate to plummet significantly whenbined. Even if they were hit, their power armors didn¡¯t suffer much damage. The Holy Lilies advanced unstoppably, and as they charged, the grenade guns in their hands fired away. Simultaneously, the soldiers from the governor¡¯s army also intensified their firepower projection as cover, suppressing the enemy and inflicting causalities. The nuns sessfully broke into the enemy ranks and began to eliminate the opponents at close range.
Their target, of course, was not the ordinary armed workers but the blue-robed Cultists who acted as ¡®cannons,¡¯unching the mortals as projectile bombs. Their appearance dealt a devastating blow to the enemy. Whenever a Battle Nun approached an entrenchment, the cover lost its protective function, and the grenade gun could annihte a cluster of entrenched enemies. Even at close enough proximity, the des in their hands became more efficient than gunfire. However, killing those enemies was never the biggest problem the nuns faced. It was the exploding corpses. Even the nuns d in power armors didn¡¯t want to take a close-range st from a heresy bomb. The nuns had the ability to counteract spells, but for one, they had to be rtively close to the caster; secondly, the explosion of the corpses didn¡¯t seem to be a casting process. Or rather, the casting process was alreadypleted, and all that wascking was a method of detonation. That was a very subtle action, not easy to suppress. The nuns could only counteract spells, but not nullify all supernatural powers in an area. There was an essential difference between the two. The shockwave of the Storm Sorcery bombs, if too close, could damage the power armor; a few more hits, and cracks might appear, leading to a drop in defense capabilities, resulting in casualties. That¡¯s why, after killing at close range, they would quickly distance themselves to avoid getting sted. As long as they increased the distance, the impact¡¯s strength weakened, and the damage remained within a tolerable range. Even because of this, they might only get close enough to ughter the blue-robed Cultists and then leave the armed workers, who would be used as undead bombs, alone, or wait to deal with them from a safer distance. Mere armed workers who would explode upon death were not much trouble, but those blue-robed Cultists were.
Chapter 92: 91, The Storm Trap Chapter 92: Chapter 91, The Storm Trap
¡°` The Battle Nuns were on the right track. The factory, already sted into ruins, was of little value to shell anymore. The half-destroyed ruins provided better cover for survivors and were sturdier than a normal factory building. To take it down, it still relied on the infantry assault. If it had only been the armed workers as the opponent, two infantry battalions would have been more than enough to handle it. The number of armed workers still alive wouldn¡¯t be thatrge, and theycked heavy weaponry as well as military skills. Even if they seemed fearless in the face of death, it was just a matter of time before all were killed. With the skills of the governor¡¯s soldiers, even in the bloodiest of close-quarters battles, the actual losses would be quite limited.
They just needed to kill those in the blue robes. And that¡¯s exactly what the nuns were doing. Indeed, they were doing it well, with courageous actions, leading the soldiers to start advancing again. Moreover, after getting a clear picture of the situation on the battlefield, themanders of the 2nd and the 6th battalions participating in this fight also nned to increase the frontline soldiers. Thus, four infantrypanies were thrown into the frontlines of battle, including the onlypany with a special number in the entire troop¨CAbandoned Cave Company. With the Battle Nuns systematically striking and eliminating the blue-robed inrge numbers, without the ¡®artillery¡¯ support, the remaining armed workers found it extremely difficult to continue their desperate resistance. The situation tilted back in favor of the governor¡¯s soldiers. Under such circumstances, the battle should have been drawing to a close. ¡­ After Gu Hang arrived at the scene and briefly met with Perbov, Lambert, and othersmanding the outskirts, he used telekinesis to lift his body high and survey the battle from above. The situation seemed approximately as described. By rights, this should have eased his worries significantly. The nuns of Saint Mercy Lily were putting in amendable effort against the Heretic Cult; the soldiers, apanying the battle, were in high spirits. Although there were some casualties, it was entirely within the eptable range. Although a factory was wrecked, this should be the only ce within Revival City still capable of mounting arge-scale armed resistance. Once this was over, the job would be considered done. This show of force was a warning to the remaining Alliance elites, leaving them with no chance to resist, trembling under the ughter wielded by Lambert.
However, Gu Hang felt a sudden surge of unease at that moment. It was as if a great disaster was about to take shape right before his eyes. He directly activated Spiritual Vision to inspect the entire battlefield. Gu Hang saw many specks of Storm Heresy reactions. Those armed workers had been preemptively imnted with some kind of heretical power that could be detonated after death, or even while they were still alive. The specks of Storm Heresy that Gu Hang saw were likely these, under normal circumstances. As for others that were strong or weak, those had to be the cultists in blue robes who had exposed themselves. They were being fully assaulted by Saint Mercy Lily and were dying fast. If things continued at this rate, in a few more hours, before the sun set, the entire factory area would be thoroughly cleansed. In conclusion, at a nce, Gu Hang didn¡¯t see any problems. So what was that earlier feeling of unease all about? Could it be that it wasn¡¯t a spiritual warning at all, just his brain glitching from recent exhaustion? Thinking this, Gu Hang felt somewhat relieved.
Of course, that would be for the best. ¡°` Otherwise, if there really were a crisis, then that would be troublesome. With that thought, Gu Hang took another nce at the battlefield. Still no problems¡­ Wait a minute?! Gu Hang furrowed his brows deeply. It wasn¡¯t that he saw anything new, but he realised he might have missed something. The dots of light that symbolised Storm Sorcery seemed a bit too numerous. ording to the reports from Perbov about the previous state of the battle, even if any armed workers died, their bodies would be used asnd mines and fired out as cannon fodder. The corpse bombs that were used up, of course, shouldn¡¯t still have light dots. And when the nuns of Saint Lily started to show their power, targeting those blue-robed Cultists, the soldiers followed suit, dealing with the remaining armed workers. Without the control of a sorcerer, the dead bodies wouldn¡¯t detonate on their own. But even so, the soldiers kept their distance from those bodies that hadn¡¯t exploded, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be blown up by some Cultist sorcerer who hadn¡¯t been eliminated in time.
The problem of how to deal with these remaining bodies would be troublesome, but at least for now, they didn¡¯t pose a threat to the battle. However, the number of light dots that Gu Hang saw didn¡¯t quite match the number of workers the soldiers had killed and those who were still stubbornly resisting in the center of the ruins. Moreover, many of the Storm Heresy light dots ovepped with the positions of the soldiers. He had thought before that it might be the soldiers identally getting too close. But upon closer observation, it became clear that the soldiers had no idea they were standing next to the bodies of armed workers. It was normal for one or two people to be careless, but for so many to be ovepping was anything but normal. Did they have a death wish? Impossible. Considering the previous situation, Gu Hang was startled to realize: Were those the bodies of the workers who had died in the bombardment, buried under the factory ruins, triggered by hundreds of previous shellings? They were imnted with the energy of Storm Sorcery just like the others and could also be used as corpse bombs. It was just that because of the previous shelling, arge area of the factory buildings had copsed, burying many bodies or even living people under the debris. But being buried didn¡¯t mean they were no longer a threat. What if these thousands of corpses were to detonate at the same time beneath the rubble?
It would be like thousands ofpressed air bombs exploding underneath, releasing shockwaves and air pressure that would blow the seemingly solid and stable semi-ruined site into the sky. For those deeply entrenched within, the consequences would be catastrophic. The four infantrypanies of the 2nd and 6th battalions would probably be annihted, not to mention even Georgette¡¯s six Battle Nuns, who might suffer greatly from this one wave. After understanding the risk, Gu Hang didn¡¯t even have the time tomunicate with Perbov, Lambert, and others. His order, transmitted through the means of spiritual energy shaking, resonated across the entire battlefield: ¡°I am Gu Hang, Imand everyone to cease fighting and evacuate the factory area.¡± ¡°Repeat, evacuate the factory area immediately!¡± To prevent Georgette, who was not his subordinate, from misunderstanding his orders, he specifically pulled a spiritual energymunication line to her, sending his voice directly into her ears: ¡°This ce is likely a trap, evacuate first, we can make long-term nster!¡± Chapter 93: 92, The Mother Superior, Please Expedite Chapter 93: Chapter 92, The Mother Superior, Please Expedite
The soldiers under Gu Hang¡¯smand, of course, obeyed the order. Though they did not know why, they still followed Mr. Gu¡¯smand and retreated. Of course, they didn¡¯t just foolishly turn and run. Some provided fire cover, while others established defensive lines to prevent the armed workers from taking the opportunity to attack and inflict unnecessary casualties. As for Georgette, she didn¡¯t understand why they had to retreat when she first heard Gu Hang¡¯s voice. In her view, they were on the verge of winning the battle; retreating now would not only risk throwing the victory away, but at the very least, it would give the Cultists a chance to breathe, something she did not want to see. But she couldn¡¯t just continue the attack with her six nuns either. Seeing Mr. Gu¡¯s soldiers retreating, she, reluctant as she was, had to fall back as well. The enraged Battle Nun was prepared to retreat and then confront Mr. Gu for an exnation.
However, the subsequent information that reached her ears about Gu Hang¡¯s judgment that this was a trap immediately put her on alert. She hadn¡¯t noticed anything, but that didn¡¯t prevent her from taking the warning seriously. Mr. Gu was a Spiritual Energy practitioner; perhaps he could see something she couldn¡¯t? She beckoned, signalling her sisters to retreat with her. However, the enemy also realized the intentions of Mr. Gu¡¯s troops and the Saintly Lilies¡¯ nuns to retreat. The surviving armed workers, like madmen, leapt out from their cover and began to pursue fiercely. They continuously fired their weapons while moving ceaselessly. By the look of them, it seemed they were not expecting to cause much damage with their light arms, but rather, even in death, they wanted to deliver their corpses closer to the nuns and soldiers. This level of coordination and morale could not havee from ordinary workers; madness was evident in their eyes, and not a glint of reason remained. Indeed, they could not live much longer; even the Battle Nuns and Mr. Gu¡¯s soldiers, still retreating, maintained good organization, and the rearguard soldiers and retreating nuns took out these rashly exposed armed workers. However, behind those armed workers, a figure d in grey-white robes, corpulent, quietly emerged from the ruins. She didn¡¯t move forward or expose herself within the firing line. She opened her arms, palms to the sky, and the power of the storm began to radiate out from her as the center. It was as if a pervasive breeze wafted through. The corpses of the workers that the ¡®breeze¡¯ touched, even those buried under the rubble, all underwent some change.
Georgette felt intense Storm Heresy energy being activated on the previously silent corpses under her feet and all around. The bombs were not yet exploding, just activated. Afterward, all they needed was a ¡®spark,¡¯ and these corpse bombs would naturally detonate. Georgette knew she couldn¡¯t escape. Before the enemy could detonate the trap, everyone was already out of range from escaping the trap¡¯s reach. But as the enemy activated the corpse bombs, it also revealed their position. She stopped in her tracks, powered up forcefully, and charged toward the source of the Storm Heresy energy. She leapt into the air, the power pack on her back spewing mes, propelling her to extreme speed in an instant. On the way, her grenade gun was continually raised, but the strong Storm Heresy energy target she sensed never appeared in her field of vision. She could only clench her teeth and continue the sprint. In these brief moments, a bit of sentiment crossed her mind: The sisters who followed her had just retired from a grueling war. The Order stationed them aboard the Quintet Starship as members of the national religion, intending to provide them a quiet ce to recuperate for two years. Obviously, staying in orbit around Rage Owl Star, the Quintet should¡¯ve encountered no trouble. They could¡¯ve spent two peaceful years in the ship¡¯s small chapel, soothing their weary hearts from years of constant war.
It was well-meant, but Georgette didn¡¯t quite appreciate it. Aboard the starship, her demeanor was calm, but her heart struggled to settle. ustomed to life on the battlefield, she felt oddly uneasy in the calm. Upon hearing that Rage Owl Star was gued by a cult, she couldn¡¯t wait to bring her sisters to the surface and join the battle. In her opinion, it was a waste to be donned in armor blessed by the Emperor and possess strong powers but not use them to vanquish the enemies of the Emperor, instead cultivating oneself within the starship church. But what she didn¡¯t expect was that this decision would lead her sisters, who could have rested safely, into a desperate situation. She herself might survive the uing explosion due to her own strength, but her sisters would certainly suffer casualties, possibly even total annihtion. They had survived battles far more difficult and terrifying than the minor skirmishes on Rage Owl Star, but now they might die or be injured here because of her orders, stepping into a trap¡­ It¡¯s pathetic how a slip in the gutter could cost blood. If she couldn¡¯t stop this explosion, she might live with regret for a very long time. But, no matter how fast she moved, it seemed toote. She could already feel the spread of the Storm Heresy¡¯s power, activating more and more corpse bombs. The explosion was likely to happen in the next moment. However, at that moment, everything came to a sudden stop.
Those corpse bombs were not further activated, nor did they explode. Then, from the center of the Storm Heresy, she heard a sharp, exasperated voice: ¡°You deserve to die!¡± A wind bullet shot out from that point, aiming for the sky. Georgette¡¯s gaze followed the wind bullet upwards, and she saw a man dressed in a golden nobility robe, floating there. Just as the wind bullet was about to hit, it suddenly dissipated, leaving only a gust of wind that whipped his robe and ck hair fiercely about. The man¡¯s eyes shone with blue Spiritual Energy, and his target was none other than the cult leader. Georgette realized that Mr. Gu had used some kind of Spiritual Energy technique to cut off the cult leader¡¯s control over the corpse bombs and stop the imminent explosion. It was then that Gu Hang¡¯s voice reached her ears: ¡°Battle Nun, please eliminate that heretic quickly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Georgette hadn¡¯t wavered with the change in the situation and now felt even more invigorated by Gu Hang¡¯s words. She maintained the eleration provided by her jetpack¡¯s me spray and moved as fast as possible toward the cult leader. The few surviving armed workers tried to stop her. Their guns posed no threat to the Battle Nun, so they could only hope to get close enough for the sorcerer to detonate the Storm bombs within them, using this method to hinder her.
¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, charge with all your might.¡± Gu Hang¡¯s voice sounded again. Georgette now hadplete trust in Mr. Gu. She didn¡¯t bother with the armed workers, only executing them with a bomb gun when convenient. And indeed, those armed workers didn¡¯t manage to explode. All the detonation signals sent out by the sorcerers were intercepted by Gu Hang! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª We¡¯ve hit a thousand subscriptions! Adding an extra chapter! To be honest, I¡¯m not very satisfied with this result, and I¡¯ve been criticized quite harshly, leaving me feeling somewhat down. Chapter 94: 93, I underestimated you guys Chapter 94: Chapter 93, I underestimated you guys
Watching the armed workers who were supposed to act as bombs to hinder her actions copse around her without a single explosion, Georgette felt overwhelmed with gratitude towards Gu Hang. She had seen more powerful spiritual energy users before, many in fact. In her opinion, Mr. Gu¡¯s spiritual energy was excellent, but that was about it; he was not at the level of a master. Yet today, the spiritual energy control he disyed was enough to amaze anyone. That method that could sever the sorcerers¡¯ extension of spiritual energy was truly magnificent! It was Georgette¡¯s first encounter with such spiritual energy abilities. Her understanding of spiritual energy wasn¡¯t profound, but she saw Mr. Gu¡¯s actions as decisive.
And she, of course, wasn¡¯t going to squander the opportunity created by Mr. Gu. She had already sprinted to a position where she could see the Cult leader. The sight of the Divine Envoy wearing a grey robe and being extremely obese made Georgette feel sick. Her bomb gun fired two bullets at her, barely repelled by the Storm Shield. Gu Hang had the ability to weaken the Storm Shield, aiding Georgette¡¯s two bullets to directly attempt to assassinate the cult Divine Envoy. But he did not bother to do so. His most important task now was to intercept the sorcerers¡¯ signal to detonate the corpse bombs, and not a single one could slip through. Interfering with the Storm Shield was considered superfluous, unnecessary. After all, it would only let that fat woman Divine Envoy live for two more seconds. Incensed, the Battle Nun had arrived right before her. The ¡°Sacred Golden Halberd¡± was raised high! The Shadow Wind Envoy¡¯s face showed terror. She tried to unleash a gust of hurricane energy in front of her to blow the Battle Nun away, but after the sorcery took form, it was merely a breeze. At such a close range, the nun¡¯s ability to suppress spiritual energy was fully utilized. The spells that were actively released were hindered by her, failing to have their intended effect. Immediately after, the ¡°Sacred Golden Halberd¡± came shing down. The Storm Shield dissipated like real air; following that, the Shadow Wind Envoy¡¯s sinful and ugly body was cleaved from head to toe, vertically split into two halves. ¡­
The greatest threat had died, but that did not mean everything was over. Theoretically, as long as a single sorcerer nearby was still alive, the danger persisted. The Battle Nun understood this. After ying the strongest grey-robed cult leader, she didn¡¯t pause for half a moment and immediately targeted the ordinary Blue-Robed Sorcerers nearby. One shot from her bomb gun meant one life lost. At the same time, the soldiers who were in the process of retreating, along with six other nuns, turned back and joined the fight. During this process, Gu Hang¡¯s figure was always floating in mid-air. The soldiers in battle asionally looked up, gazing at their governor with eyes full of reverence. They didn¡¯t quite understand what Mr. Gu had done, but through the messages conveyed by their officers, through the encouragement shouts of the battling nuns, they still knew that just now, the situation was extremely critical and Mr. Gu had saved everyone¡¯s life. The Battle Nuns also frequently looked up. They knew a bit more about what had just happened, and their gaze at the moment was even brighter. Gu Hang, flying in the sky, could feel the gazes from below. However, he did not pay too much attention to them.
Half of his focus was now on the battlefield, remaining vignt for any signals indicating corpses being triggered to explode. Although the fat Divine Envoy had died, hence no one could activate all the Storm Bombs at once, scattered detonations by those Blue-Robed Sorcerers were still a possibility. Since Gu Hang was already there, he intended to prevent them from seeding as much as possible. As for the other half of his focus, it was spent pondering over the entire situation. The infiltration of Revival City by the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect was more severe than he had anticipated. After taking over Revival City, a plethora of debuffs rted to the current condition of the city had popped up on his system interface. Among them, there was one called ¡°Cult Rampant¡±, but this was categorized as ¡®moderately decrease benevolence ie¡¯, which was negligiblepared to the numerous ¡®significantly decrease¡¯ and ¡®greatly decrease¡¯ debuffs above it. For this reason, Gu Hang had slightly overlooked this issue. Even before, when the Alliance Government, under his pressure, had conducted aprehensive investigation of the Cult, forcing members of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect tounch an ambush to assassinate him, Gu Hang had even made a misjudgment: these people didn¡¯t wield much influence in Revival City, and having been dealt with severely, they were resorting to desperate measures. Gu Hang knew they still had forces in Revival City, but he thought they were inconsequential, nothing more than a minor nuisance. And yet, they had managed to cause him such a huge problem here! Even Battle Nuns, experts inbating Heretic Cults, almost capsized in this gutter. ¡°I underestimated you¡­¡± Gu Hang thought to himself. This was not a trifling matter, but a serious internal threat.
Especially the Storm Bombs imnted inside human bodies, this technology was perfect for terrorist attacks. The Cult followers even concentrated people in the industrial district, preparing for a significant strike. If they realized this approach wouldn¡¯t work and decided to brainwash ordinary people to be human bombs in crowded ces, factories, or on military routes, that would indeed be a significant headache. Gu Hang realized that if he did not thoroughly deal with these people, he could not expect to live in peace. A deadly animosity had been forged between the two sides. As for how to catch them? Firstly, finding clues and investigating was the standard method. During the fight, the Nuns had deliberately spared the lives of a few Blue-Robed Sorcerers. Getting fanatical Cult members to talk was no easy feat, as they likely feared death little. However, Georgette also mentioned they had some special methods in this regard, and Gu Hang chose to trust her. Secondly, there were some unconventional methods: a city-wide rigorous screening. In this respect, it was perfect for Osenia to cooperate. The outer city was the main concern since its residents were poor andcked savings. After Lambert had taken control of the city¡¯s food warehouses, Osenia was to immediately go to the outskirts to distribute food, preventing chaos caused by starving people while also encouraging them to return to their jobs and resume production as soon as possible. Now, it¡¯s just a matter of having Osenia include a Cult screening during the food distribution process.
But there wereplications with this n. Without technology to simply poke someone¡¯s throat and determine if they were a Cult member, figuring out how to screen for Cult followers was indeed troublesome. Chapter 95: 94: Why Take Advantage of Me Chapter 95: Chapter 94: Why Take Advantage of Me
After the battle hadpletely ended and it was confirmed there were no enemies left, the soldiers withdrew from the area. As long as no one interfered anymore, the storm heresy contained in the bodies of the armed workers who had died in the rubble would gradually dissipate on its own and notst very long. Of course, these activated storm bombs were very unstable entities. It was not ruled out that they might explode for some reason before their energy waspletely dissipated. Meanwhile, Gu Hang also had to be vignt against the cultists returning to retrieve and make use of the bodies again. Therefore, apany of soldiers would be stationed nearby, put up a cordon, andpletely lock down the vicinity until the problem here was resolved. Actually, the best way to deal with this was to have specialized personnel safely handle the energy contained in these bodies. Gu Hang had this capability, and so did the Sisterhood. However, there were simply too many things to handle inside Revival City now, and there was no time to waste here dealing with the bodies and aftermath.
Gu Hang himself needn¡¯t say much, he was incredibly busy, from civil affairs to economic production to military governance, all required his attentiveness; the sisters of Sainte-Lys Nun Association still had to further trace the trails of the cult, it was certain they had done more than just the incident at the Norris Factory, and surely had plots elsewhere. So, they could only be left here. The factory had already been bombed to ruin by earlier artillery fire, and as long as there were no people inside, even if all those storm bombs exploded and blew the ruins to the sky again, it didn¡¯t matter too much. Next, Gu Hang needed to find Georgette again to have a good talk about pursuing the cultists. However, before Gu Hang could find her, Georgette sought him out first. ¡°Your Excellency the Battle Nun, your timing is perfect, I¡­ uh¡­¡± Gu Hang¡¯s words were choked back by a hug. Georgette hugged him tightly and whispered in his ear, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Gu, without your help, my sisters would have suffered great losses, and I might have been lost in self-me and regret for a long time.¡± Gu Hang didn¡¯t know where to put his hands at that moment. They felt ufortably firm everywhere. All he could say was, ¡°Uh¡­ we are allies, after all, it¡¯s what I should do. We need to continue working together to eliminate those who have betrayed the Divine Emperor.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Georgette released him, ¡°but I still need to thank you, this is a blessing from The Emperor.¡±
Having said that, she kissed Gu Hang on the forehead and then turned and left. As Gu Hang watched Georgette walk away, a thought suddenly popped into his mind: ¡°Blessing is a blessing, but why did you have to take advantage of me?¡± ¡­ [Tremendous Victory, Earned 221 Blessing Points] [Losses: 154, Enemies Killed: 5073, Prisoners: 9] [Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment: Losses: 154, Enemies Killed: 4488] [Sainte-Lys Nun Association (Ally): Losses: 0, Enemies Killed: 585] After the battle had ended, as usual, Gu Hang saw the operational statistics within the system interface. The bounty of blessing points was quite good, even more so than the rewards from resolving the battle in the outer city. Almost capturing an entire Alliance Legion yielded only 133 blessing points. Now, by eliminating four to five thousand adversaries, the score had gone over two hundred. The discrepancy possiblyy in the fact that the action to capture the Alliance Legion was basically picking low-hanging fruit, as the main issues had been dealt with by the allies, resulting in a lower coefficient for earning blessing points.
This current battle, though the Battle Nuns¡¯ help was significant, the main problems were still resolved by Gu Hang¡¯s own subordinates. The bombardment from the heavy artillery was the most significant source of damage in this battle. Without the several hundred shells fired by those ten heavy guns, a direct attack on the factory would likely have failed, even if two entire infantry battalions were deployed. The offensive side attacking the defensive side is inherently at a disadvantage, not to mention a troop difference of 600 vs 5000, almost tenfold. However, the firepower gap brought by heavy artillerypensated for this issue. Afterward, the help from the Battle Nuns was significant. But despite that, during the attack, both the 2nd and 6th Battalions suffered considerable casualties. Thepanies that took the lead in the charge were essentially wiped out, and with the subsequent troop deployment, the total losses amounted to 154. These casualties were quite disheartening. Since Gu Hang pulled out his troops and began his campaign, this was the battle with the singlergest number of casualties. However, thinking coldly, the cost-benefit ratio was still eptable. After acquiring the entirety of Revival City and offering proper treatment, Gu Hang would be able to easily replenish manpower from the outskirts of the city; training more than a hundred soldiers to T5 level is merely 1 point of divine favor, effectively free; and the weapons and equipment could bepletely replenished from the current military production capacities of the Abandoned Cave Society. By now, Gu Hang¡¯s current points of divine favors had reached 356. Wealthy!
Satisfied, he closed the battle settlement page and turned his attention to the new changes in his personal information on the [Hero]interface. There was an additional item: [Blessing of Sainte-Lys (15 days): Slightly increases spiritual and physical attributes, diminishing over time.] After receiving ¡®The Emperor¡¯s Blessing,¡¯ Gu Hang felt a warmth in his body. He found it peculiar, but it wasn¡¯t ufortable; and now, upon checking, getting kissed actually came with such benefits? Gu Hang was already contemting how to get kissed every 15 days. No other intentions, purely for the buff increase! ¡­ After the small interlude, everyone went back to their respective tasks. The Sisterhood continued their pursuit of the Cult. Old Norris was dug out, this guy actually survived. The cultists didn¡¯t silence him, probably because they felt it unnecessary. If the Storm Trap in the factory area had been triggered, not even the nuns in their power armor might have lived, let alone Old Norris.
He had been hiding in an underground chamber all the while, and during the final stage of the bombardment, the entrance was buried under the rubble, trapping him inside. It wasn¡¯t until the soldiers were cleaning up the area that they heard his cries and dug him out. However, his subsequent fate might be quite grim. The Sisterhood would catch him and inquire about his dealings with the Cult. The interrogation process by the Sainte-Lys, though, probably wouldn¡¯t be as gentle as the smiles on their faces. Certain special methods would ensure they got the answers they wanted, but these methods probably weren¡¯t too kind to the interrogated¡¯s brain. Once the Sisterhood was done questioning him, Norris would be handed over to Lambert, the head of the ¡®Alliance Rectification Committee.¡¯ Then Lambert would get his revenge. Beyond Norris as an important source of intelligence, the Sainte-Lys nuns also captured several living Blue-Robed Sorcerers. These individuals, likewise, were sources of intelligence, with the hope of extracting some information from them. Furthermore, with Lambert clearing Norris, the most significant obstacle, the cleansing of other elites within the city would be easier, and it¡¯s likely no one would be able to resist anymore. Currently, it seems the elites of Revival City are deeply intertwined with the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect. The Sisterhood should be able to find some breakthroughs here as well. A two-pronged approach. The conventional path of pursuing the Cult handed to the Sisterhood, and Gu Hang started focusing on citywide screening to catch cultists. That¡¯s what Osenia was doing. Chapter 96: 95, The Governor Can’t Come for Nothing, Right? Chapter 96: Chapter 95, The Governor Can¡¯t Come for Nothing, Right?
The reason for having Osenia handle the city-wide screening wasn¡¯t to have the girl investigate cases. That wasn¡¯t her specialty. In reality, Gu Hang hoped that she could distribute grain throughout Revival City to ensure the welfare of the citizens, and, by the way, take care of this matter as well. But with this city-wide screening, Gu Hang didn¡¯t hold much hope; it was just something done incidentally. Mainly because there wasn¡¯t a particrly effective method of screening. Cult members wouldn¡¯t admit to it if you simply asked them whether they were part of it or not.
He had also told Osenia that this task was to be done conveniently, and the main focus should remain on ensuring people¡¯s livelihoods. The army that had entered the city with Gu Hang had already taken control of several grain warehouses. However, it was at this time that bad news arrived: The city¡¯s grain reserves were not plentiful. If one considered regr consumption for a poption of a million people in the city, there was roughly only a fifteen-day supply. For a city that primarily relied on imported grain for trade, such a level of grain reserve was dangerously low, as if the previous Alliance Government had no understanding of the importance of food security. But from another perspective, it made sense. After taking over the grain warehouses, Osenia had included the poor of the outer city in her calctions of consumption at the same per capita standard as at the Governor¡¯s Camp and Abandoned Cave Society; but before this, the Alliance authorities might never have counted it like that. They probably only saw the hundred thousand people within the inner city as proper citizens; the poor in the outer city? They were left to fend for themselves. Of course, the supply of food for the outer city residents definitely came from these warehouses¡ªhow else would they survive? They certainly couldn¡¯t live on tree bark for eight or nine hundred thousand people. It¡¯s just that the outer city residents didn¡¯t consume as much as the standard per capita consumption calcted by Osenia. Eight hundred thousand to nine hundred thousand people might only consume the equivalent of three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand people/day/grain consumption. On average, they could only eat one-third to one-half of the food daily, so malnutrition was normal. And since this is an average, it means that some residents of the outer city could eat their fill while others might go without food for two days in a row. This situation aligned with the actual conditions in the outer city of Revival City. Having survived in the outer city for a few months, Osenia was very clear about how the residents lived there.
By such standards, a fifteen-day supply of food could be stretched to reservessting thirty to forty days. But Osenia decided not to calcte it this way. She would provide the outer city poption of Revival City with a standard portion of food. Otherwise, if we were hungry before the Governor arrived and remained hungry after he came¡­ then what was the Governor¡¯s visit for? During this current phase, increasing the ration distribution to ensure everyone could eat enough was an important step in establishing loyalty to the Governor. The inner city residents are indifferent to the new Governor? Let them be indifferent. Do they really think it¡¯s still the era of the Alliance? When only the inner city residents counted as people? In the long conversation between Gu Hang and Osenia, they had made it clear that the greatest treasure of Revival Cityy in the hundreds of thousands of residents in the outer city. As long as they wholeheartedly supported the Governor, everything else would be a paper tiger. The elite could be overthrown, their production materials confiscated. Gu Hang didn¡¯t need their support to rule; The rtively well-off inner city residents, no matter if they harbored resentments, just needed to behave and work diligently. If they dared cause trouble, there were ways to deal with them; The vast number of impoverished people in the outer city would see an improvement in their living conditions. They would live better lives under the Governor¡¯s kindness and quickly return to the factories and their jobs, glowing with dedication for the Governor¡¯s cause. Of course, distributing only food would not suffice. Or rather, the distribution of food is the foundation of solidifying the rule of the Governor, the price paid; beyond that cost, how to steadily reap rewards is where the real challenge lies for Osenia.
Osenia was well aware that simply opening the granaries was no proof of her abilities. As if anyone couldn¡¯t do the same. Along with providing food, she had to make it clear to the residents that this was a favor from the Governor. Only then would the true value of distributing the grain be realized. At the same time, she had to anchor a principle from the outset: she couldn¡¯t allow people to live on handouts. She didn¡¯t n to define this batch of food as mere relief or welfare. Whether Revival City was seen as impoverished or wealthy depended on the perspective. To say it was wealthy would mean considering only the Inner City people. Indeed, by the standards of this wastnd, they were quite well-off. Their wealth, however, was built upon the exploitation of the tens of thousands of people in the Outer City who were treated as if they were less than human. But now, Osenia intended to treat the eight or nine hundred thousand people in the Outer City as human beings, which immediately added a significant burden. By such a standard, it was impossible to consider the city wealthy. The reserves of Revival City now could not support high welfare. Osenia would provide the Outer City residents with the opportunity for a normal life, but what she could offer was just the opportunity and tform. If they wished to live decently, it would still depend on their own hard work. Of course, this wouldn¡¯t be as generous as directly distributing food, but Osenia would rather sacrifice a bit of the benefit of bestowing favors to ensure that Revival City¡¯s finances were on a rtively healthy path. Moreover, there was no doubt in her mind that the Outer City residents were willing to work hard. Having lived in the Outer City herself, Osenia firmly believed this.
In regard to this, Osenia had roughly established a temporary system. She would indiscriminately distribute food to the residents outside the city but only enough for a few days, and just one-third of their ration to ensure no one would starve to death. For those who wanted more, they would have to purchase it. The government grain sale outlets that were set up would sell grain at an affordable price, and purchases would be limited to a certain quantity per person. The government would strictly crackdown on any gang activities involving buying up grain using others¡¯ quotas for hoarding. For a considerable time toe, the grain industry would be a state-run industry, and the Governor¡¯s Government would go all out to ensure the stability of grain prices. Private individuals were not to intrude into this industry for the time being. As long as the Outer City residents had ess to a stable and affordable grain supply, their basic needs would be ensured. Of course, a considerable number of Outer City residents had no savings at all. Recently, due to the war, they were unemployed and had no means of livelihood. Osenia also had corresponding measures. Following the regaining of control over the factories, workshops, and shops, as they reopened, they would absorb the unemployed. Wages would be settled daily in the form of ¡°grain tickets,¡± which could be directly exchanged for food. Osenia considered introducing a work-point system but decided against promoting it in Revival City for the time being. With just a handful of administrators on hand, she was in no position to implement a work-point system to rece the existing currency system. Such upheaval would require a stronger administrative capacity and grassroots control to carry out.
In fact, even just distributing grain and promoting the resumption of work and production, she and her dozen subordinates were not up to the task. Fortunately, the military would be there to assist her. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Adding one more update! Chapter 97: 96, The Wind Rises Chapter 97: Chapter 96, The Wind Rises
¡°` The 3rd Battalion of the Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment will be responsible for food security, and incidentally, for the safety of Osenia herself. Of course, relying solely on an infantry battalion is certainly not enough. And at this time, the work that Yan Fangxu had been doing finally paid off. He had not shown his face in Revival City because he was with the 4th Battalion and the fifty politicalmissaries drawn from various teams, still entrenched in the prison camps outside Revival City. With a shortage of manpower in Osenia¡¯s area, she made a request to the Governor. Gu Hang turned his head and asked Yan Fangxu about the training status of those prisoners.
It had only been a few days; naturally, more than seven thousand prisoners could not be reorganized so quickly. However, their training level was sufficient. Although it did not meet the T5 standard produced by the system, they were after all formally part of the previous alliance¡¯s regr army. The main issue was their reliability. But if manpower really needed to be drafted, it was not impossible. Yan Fangxu selected sevenpanies that had shown the best performance to date. Within these sevenpanies, the politicalmissars deployed had already seeded in establishing branches of the Soldier¡¯s Committee and had done very good ideological work. And those who were put into practical action immediately faced their first test. ¡­ Osenia seemed rather overwhelmed. The administrative team she led had virtually no control over the suburban areas outside Revival City. Everything had to start from scratch. It was also difficult to establish control quickly.
So how was Osenia going to spread the word about distributing food at set times and ces? She resorted to a crude method. She got hold of several tricycles, fitted them with loudspeakers, recorded the messages for food distribution, and had them drive around the city ensuring the message could be heard everywhere. The work of cult screening issued by the Governor, in Osenia¡¯s understanding, was something that needed to be done, but the priority was not as high. Of course, she knew that if cult members were not caught, they would cause trouble and make mischief. But rtively speaking, if the people in the suburbs had enough to eat, it would not be so easy for the cult members to stir up trouble; the difficulty would increase. Who would follow a cult when there are prospects for the future? Of course, screening work still needed to be done. Three nuns had been assigned by Georgette to assist with the final processing of the screening work. But clearly, relying on three nuns, it was impossible to screen hundreds of thousands of people. Amidst her busy schedule, Osenia found time to create a registration form. When collecting food, the public needed to register their personal information, which had to be cross-verified with the information provided by others. The hope was that through this method, it would be possible to identify any recent abnormal behaviors, people living in close proximity whom their neighbors didn¡¯t recognize, or even more directly, to report those suspected of being cult members.
Those identified as anomalies would be subject to further scrutiny, and ultimately, by thest check, the nuns would be directly involved. This was the best solution Osenia coulde up with under the limited conditions and time. Her core focus, however, was still on food distribution. However, just as the tricycles with loudspeakers were spreading the word everywhere, and the food distribution points guarded by teams of soldiers scattered around the suburbs were set up, waiting for the food to arrive so that the work could proceed smoothly, news came that the convoy transporting food from the inner city had been ambushed. ¡°` When Osenia heard the news, she felt as if she¡¯d been struck by lightning. If there were problems with the food transportation, it could lead to a major crisis. The people¡¯s sense of anticipation had already been built up by the continuous mobile loudspeaker propaganda. ording to front-line reports, many citizens were already queuing up at the distribution points, waiting for the arrival of the food. Now, what could she do if the food ran into trouble halfway? Was she really going to tell the starving people lined up for their meal that the food was gone? Wasn¡¯t that nonsense?
It was likely to spark a riot on the spot! Osenia was somewhat panicked. Her experience wasn¡¯t expansive. In her past managerial roles, she had done well, typically identifying problems, pondering solutions, and finding ways to get things done. Usually, if she followed her own n, issues would be resolved. But she had never encountered a sudden,rge-scale emergency like this, one that couldpletely copse if mishandled. Panic was natural. However, she quickly forced herself to calm down, ¡°Osenia, Osenia, don¡¯t panic, think of a solution¡­ just like before¡­¡± Regaining herposure, she began to think. Managing the food distribution for the vast poption outside the city was a veryplex process. First, she had chosen six locations in the outer city as warehouses to serve as distribution hubs. The food transported from the main warehouses in the inner city would first be delivered there. Then, each distribution hub would correspond to about ten specific food distribution points. The food transported to the hubs would be further distributed to these points. Citizens could register there and directly receive food after confirming their identities. The security issue was quite tough. The forces Osenia could enlist included sevenpanies provided by Yan Fangxu and the third battalion sent by the Governor¡¯s Camp, adding up to a total of tenpanies. Apany would be responsible for each distribution hub. They had to garrison the hubs to ensure the safety of the food upon arrival; they also had to monitor each food distribution point and provide immediate support in case of emergencies. In addition, there were twopanies mainly responsible for escorting the food shipments. Each of the six routes needed a toon to apany the convoy. Thest twopanies were pulled out to act as clerks. They would be dispersed among all food distribution points, serving as guards while also handling personnel registration and the actual food distribution tasks.
When there weren¡¯t enough clerks, soldiers would fill the gap. Now, the problem was with the food transportation route. Currently, the news Osenia had was that a mob, armed with weapons, emerged from theplicated environment of a slum as the convoy passed through,unching an attack on the team. The oue of the battle was still unknown. All six food transportation routes had almost simultaneously been attacked. After rifying the situation, she may not have beenpletelyposed, but she still issued one firm order after another. ¡°Immediately send a telegram to the Governor, report our situation, and request support. We need loyal and reliable troops to help.¡± ¡°Immediatelymand allpanies stationed at the food distribution hubs to deploy in full force, support their respective food convoys, and eliminate all armed militants.¡± ¡°Teams established at the sixty food distribution points are not to move. They must focus on the situation of the queuing citizens, with appeasement as the highest priority. Use of force is not permitted unless absolutely necessary.¡± ¡°Contact Captain Yan Fangxu. I need him to prepare the military rations from the prisoner camp¡­ I fully understand those supplies are critical, they determine the stability of the prisoners. I hope we won¡¯t need them, but if any food transportation route indeed encounters issues, we need those supplies for emergency use. Also, inform him not to worry, as I¡¯ve already arranged for supplies from the Governor¡¯s Camp¡¯s starch block factory. A convoy carrying a hundred tons of food is on its way, which can replenish the military¡¯s needs. Our synthetic starch factories are also operating at full capacity.¡± The clerks receiving her orders went off to carry out their tasks. Osenia, while pondering whether there were any issues with the orders she¡¯d issued or if anything needed to be added, looked out the window. It had started to get windy outside. The houses in the slum, built haphazardly, creaked in the wind.
Looking at the gusty wind, Osenia¡¯s worries deepened. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª One more chapter to go, it¡¯ll bete, not finished yet¡­ Chapter 98: 97, comrades, charge with me! Chapter 98: Chapter 97,rades, charge with me!
¡°Hurry, hurry, hurry! Move faster!¡± Kodi shouted loudly. At his side, two infantry toons moved quickly. These soldiers, still in the uniform of the Alliance Legion, had now be reliable troops. Although they were not as dependable as Kodi¡¯s old unit, he believed that with his efforts over these days, they should be willing to fight for the governor. Besides, today¡¯s mission was for Revival City. Kodi came from Abandoned Cave Society and was among the first batch of soldiers to heed the call and join under the governor¡¯smand; Perbov was his former superior. When Perbov was ordered to form the 2nd Battalion, Kodi was promoted too, assuming the role of squad leader. After the battle for Revival City concluded, he was elected as a politicalmissar, donning a ck coat, a red military cap, and epaulets, looking stylish and domineering, a striking contrast to the ordinary soldier¡¯s attire.
It¡¯s hard to say how much the clothes had yed a part in Kodi¡¯s willingness to take on the role of politicalmissar back then. Of course, he understood the responsibilities that came with his position more clearly. To be honest, even after a half-day of lessons on loyalty to the Empire, loyalty to The Emperor given by the nuns of the Holy Lily, followed by a heartfelt half-day lecture from the governor himself, he was still not very clear about what exactly a politicalmissar should do. The so-called ¡®forcing a duck onto a perch¡¯ was just like this. When he first arrived at thepany, facing over a hundred unfamiliar faces, Kodi was nervous. But his crisp uniform, the bright red cap, and epaulets forced him to straighten his chest firmly and quickly assume his role. During these days, he had made contact with every soldier. He now knew everyone¡¯s name, their past, and their reasons for enlisting. In his view, he didn¡¯t have any special methods. He chatted with everyone, understood what they were thinking, then shared his own thoughts with them. Why enlist as a soldier? Because we want to change the world. No one wishes to live in this disordered, chaotic wastnd world filled with death and hunger. Now, a savior has descended from the heavens, the governor himself, and we must seize this opportunity. This is the only chance to change our fate and, by extension, the fate of the entire world. Why say so? Kodi used his hometown, Abandoned Cave Society, as an example. The people of Abandoned Cave Society once lived a life far worse than that of the citizens outside Revival City or you soldiers of the Alliance. But now, Abandoned Cave Society has warmed and fed its inhabitants without question. Everyone lives in solid concrete houses with jobs and industries, and the roaring heavy machinery is producing hope in bulk. Those stic steel alloys, those machines, engines, car bodies¡­ As these items increase, it signifies that people¡¯s lives are getting better and better.
Abandoned Cave Society has undergone an earth-shaking transformation. And why have theye to Revival City? It¡¯s because they want to help the governor bring the same drastic changes to Revival City. Kodi had spoken these words to almost every soldier in thepany during these days. He did so tirelessly, his words sincere. He then established a Soldiers¡¯ Committee, allowing everyone to share their thoughts, where he either facilitated discussions or provided answers. Then he selected the most suitable dozen or so soldiers, those with the most progressive and firmest thoughts, to assist the squad leaders in their work. As a result, a special piece of information came to light at that time. A soldier mentioned that before he enlisted, there was an underground passage from the inner city to the outer city where he lived. He had stumbled upon it identally and knew it was being used for smuggling. He didn¡¯t dare divulge it earlier because someone who discovered it with him vanished into thin air just dayster for talking too much. But now, he had the courage to speak up. Kodi then passed this information to his former superior. Perbov really made a catch there, apprehending what was said to be a high-ranking official of the Alliance. Of course, that was just a minor incident, and Kodi didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it, instead continuing to focus on constant conversations and interactions with the soldiers. He didn¡¯t feel like he was doing ideological work; he was simply conveying his own thoughts to every soldier in the most sincere and earnest way possible. Then, in a daze, he received Captain Yan Fangxu¡¯smendation, saying that his and his unit were the best at ideological work and were awarded a silk banner. When he brought the silk banner back, it was met with the cheers of the entire unit. This might have been that sense of team honor that The Governor had talked about during training.
When Captain Yan Fangxu announced the need to select a unit to undertake the task of food distribution, hemunicated with thepanymander at the earliest opportunity, eagerly volunteering for the mission. During the mobilization, he made it clear to all soldiers. ¡°This is a great deed, distributing food to the whole city, so that no one has to go hungry; there are rebels and cult members in the city, they are very bad, and they may very well cause chaos. Their objective is to oppose The Governor¡¯s rule using the hunger and death of countless innocent civilians.¡± What we need to do is to protect the food, defend our achievements, and crush the schemes of these traitors and cultists. The soldiers fully understood the objective of this battle and their morale soared. This gave Kodi a new insight: The Governor had said that warriors need to know what they are fighting for. And just now, they had received new orders: The convoy responsible for transporting food had been ambushed while delivering to Distribution Point 2, and they needed their support. Without a second thought, aftermunicating with thepanymander, themander took a toon to continue securing the distribution points where civilians were already lining up. He, on the other hand, took two toons, about sixty soldiers, to support the transport convoy. By the time he arrived at the scene, he found that the fighting was still ongoing. The attackers had not yet seeded. The soldiers guarding the food trucks, wearing different uniforms from theirs, must be a toon from the 3rd Battalion of the Infantry Regiment. They were fighting the enemy by using the vehicles and two outward-facing houses as cover. They were under some pressure as many rioters in various clothes, armed with a mix of crude and sophisticated weapons, were besieging them, numbering at least a hundred.
Seeing this, Kodi was much relieved. Thank goodness, the situation hadn¡¯t escted to an unmanageable level. He could tell that therades from the 3rd Battalion, althoughcking heavy firepower and having to protect the grain trucks to avoid breaking through, were at least holding their ground solidly. Those rioters were not able to break through either. But getting a bit closer, he noticed that his previous assessment might have been a little off. The casualty rate among the 3rd Battalion¡¯srades was unusually high. At this point, he saw among those rioters a few individuals who were clearly different from the rest. They weren¡¯t holding weapons, but instead, white mists were condensing in their hands. Once thrown, these white mists causedpressed air explosions, the impact of which was nearly equivalent to that of a grenade¡¯s explosion; the scattered wind des also resembled shrapnel wounds. Those must be the so-called cultists. Kodi hesitated no longer and shouted, ¡°Support ourrades! Warriors, follow me in the charge!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Comrades, charge! Let¡¯s get those monthly tickets!
Chapter 99: 98, Tactical Interweaving Chapter 99: Chapter 98, Tactical Interweaving
In the midst of the battle, getting nked was disastrous. After the militia behind the rioters were attacked by Kodi¡¯s two infantry squads advancing from two directions, they could barely put up any effective resistance. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Battalion 3, facing them head-on, wasn¡¯t quite sure what was happening behind them, and prioritized the protection of the food transport convoy without coordinating an attack from the front as well, the rioters would have copsed even faster. But even without that, there was no big problem anymore. Objectively speaking, Kodi felt that the military skill level of the troops he was now leading still fell short of his old unit¡¯s, but they were a bit better than the mob and better armed too. At least it wasn¡¯t just rifles with iron barrels anymore.
Meanwhile, after realizing that the cultists capable of unleashing Storm Bullets were the most significant threat among the enemy, he paid special attention to those two foes. He singled out some of the most progressive-minded andbat-ready soldiers under hismand, and personally led them to target those cultists. Siege warfare had to be fought in this manner. And after he definitively led his men to kill those two dark mages, the battle was no longer in doubt. The remaining rioters were either killed or fled. Kodi didn¡¯t pursue them but instead drew his troops closer to the food transport convoy. The soldiers responsible for the convoy remained very cautious and did not allow them to get close. Only when Kodi showed his face and the soldiers opposite recognized a familiar figure did they lower their guards. After exchanging secret signals, Kodi left behind a squad, along with the seventeen surviving members of the original convoy crew, took the wounded, and headed for their designated Distribution Point No. 2. First, ensuring that this batch of food could be delivered, they could also ensure the normal operation of about ten food distribution points associated with Distribution Site No. 2. After that, the two squads from that ce and the convoy responsible for the escort would be as secure as possible. As for Kodi himself¡­ He adjusted the brim of his cap, listening to the intense gunfireing from a distance.
His battle was not over yet. ¡°We continue to advance! There are morerades who need our support!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the soldiers had just won a victory, and their morale was high. ¡­ Kodi quickly led his troops to a new battlefield. The situation here was much more problematic than the one he had just resolved. This ce should be on the transport route of Distribution Site No. 3. A mob had overtaken the convoy. The number of rioters was more than before, probably reaching two hundred, and there were more cultists among them. At a nce, Kodi spotted five. He knew how troublesome it was to deal with these magic-wielders. Bullets hitting their Storm Shields would require emptying at least three magazines before prating, while one Storm Bullet from them was like a hand grenade. Besides, many armed rioters provided them with protection. Looking at this, the infantry squad responsible for escorting the food likely met their doom. Whether they werepletely wiped out or routed with some turning to desertion, they could no longer be relied upon. Simrly, two infantry squads hade to support from Distribution Site No. 3. Kodi recognized the leader, also a ¡®Red Hat¡¯ politicalmissar. But the enemy they faced was too strong; they couldn¡¯t break through at all. All they could do was maintain the line, ensuring the enemy couldn¡¯t break out.
But without a numerical advantage and with the help of the cult mages on the enemy side, they hesitated to use the mortars they had for fear of destroying the food. In this situation, their line was somewhat precarious. Kodi immediately led his troops and pushed to the front. His arrival with several dozen fresh troops greatly eased the situation. In the midst of the fight, Kodi found another Red Hat. ¡°Tadeusz! Tadeusz!¡± ¡°Kodi?¡± The red-hatted one turned his head, looking somewhat surprised. Kodi had no time for pleasantries, he immediately stated his purpose, ¡°We can¡¯t keep fighting like this, we need to bring our guns into y!¡± ¡°But those supply wagons¡­¡± ¡°Stop worrying about that! Win the battle first, then worry about the food!¡± Kodi said as he pointed outside, ¡°Look over there! Someone is pouring fuel; they¡¯re going to burn the supplies! We can¡¯t let them seed!¡± Having said that, he fired a burst of bullets in that direction, killing the fuel pourer, then quickly pulled his head back in.
¡°Okay!¡± The politicalmissar named Tadeusz also made up his mind. He crouched down, retreated, and began to issue orders. Soon, the mortar teams from three toons were in ce. The firepower suddenly increased significantly. When Tadeusz returned, Kodi continued, ¡°It¡¯s still not enough, we need to figure out a way to handle those sorcerers.¡± ¡°Do you have a n?¡± Kodi grinned, showing his teeth, ¡°Nothing particrly good, just fighting desperately. Dare or not?¡± Tadeusz hesitated for a moment. Kodi patted his red armband and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re a politicalmissar, why the hesitation?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± Tadeusz clenched his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± The two quickly formed a small squad. Seventeen men, assembled into two spearhead teams.
They each led a team, dividing into two groups, and began to advance from the outer nks. About ten minutester, Kodi¡¯s team was in position. He estimated that there were two minutes left until the agreed time tounch a joint attack. He strictly ordered the soldiers not to show their heads, patiently waiting. The enemies seemed to sense that the frontal firepower had weakened somewhat. They became restless, sent out some men, and tentativelyunched a counterattack. Seeing this scene, Kodi worried whether the frontal defense, having lost almost a fifth of its manpower, would hold. But thankfully, it held for those two minutes. When the time came, the multiple mortars fired simultaneously; the previously silent and repositioned machine gun squads also unleashed powerful fire. The soldiers also courageously raised their heads and began to shoot with full force. In that instant, the volume of firepower from the entire troop increased several-fold. The armed thugs who had seized the convoy were suppressed momentarily. Even the several sorcerers didn¡¯t dare to show their heads recklessly, for even with Storm Shields, as mere wearers of blue robes, they weren¡¯t at the level of the gray-robed or the Divine Envoys. Too many bullets could still shatter their shields. And it was at this moment that Kodi bellowed, ¡°Charge, charge, charge! It¡¯s our turn to go! Don¡¯t waste the opportunity ourrades have created for us!¡±
With that, he was the first to rush out. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It¡¯s a bit tough, no drafts saved, wanted to post more but didn¡¯t finish writing¡­ more toe this afternoon or evening. Chapter 100: 99, Kodi’s Death Chapter 100: Chapter 99, Kodi¡¯s Death
Kodi¡¯s actions had obviously attracted a lot of attention. But due to the previous detour and interspersion, he had secured an advantageous terrain. When he burst out, many of the enemies were facing away from him, and there were no covers in between to protect them. Seizing the moment, Kodi and his subordinates killed a significant number of enemies with fierce gunfire. This even included two enemy mages. One mage was killed by a volley of bullets before he could react, as he failed to adjust the direction of his Storm Shield; the other did manage to react but was taken down by concentrated fire from several soldiers. In a matter of seconds, multiple soldiers had emptied a magazine, shattering the Storm Shield and killing the person within.
Lower-level enemy mages, with insufficient strength, could be broken and killed by ordinary bullets. But afterwards, when the enemies recovered from their initial shock, Kodi and his team¡¯s situation deteriorated. Especially since this nking charge had depleted their ammunition after eliminating a number of enemies. Some soldiers were positioned to ensure their magazines still had firepower, but a lull in firing was inevitable for the others while reloading. Not only were they taking iing bullets, but also a wind spell from an enemy mage was hurtling towards them. One soldier was hit in the leg and fell to the ground, only to be further struck by multiple bullets, which ended his life; The wind spell went off-course, exploding at the edge of their formation, but still imed the lives of two soldiers. Despite Kodi¡¯s best efforts to lead the team to cover, by the end of it, only four remained by his side. This was within his expectations, and Kodi remained calm. Frontal firepower drew attention while he led a squad on the nk, striving to inflict maximum damage and continue drawing focus. Next, it was up to Tadeusz. Leading another squad, the time hade for them tounch their assault as well. The number of enemy mages left among their foes was down to three. If Tadeusz could achieve results simr to Kodi¡¯s squad, they would have little trouble winning this battle.
It was best to also ensure as many survivors as possible to retain their fighting strength. If they, Kodi and Tadeusz, could then drive their troops like steel nails into the enemy¡¯s rear, with the front-line troopsunching an attack under covering fire, they would be able to achieve a victory against the odds, taking back the supply carts from the Cultists and rioters! As he thought this, Kodi heard gunshots and screams not far away. Tadeusz hadunched his attack as nned! But the next moment, Kodi¡¯s brow furrowed tightly. The sounds seemed off. Too distant. He couldn¡¯t help it and nced sideways, only to see an unfavorable situation. It appeared that Tadeusz had been exposed before they could initiate their nned assault and was now under enemy attack, caught in disarray. Kodi realized he couldn¡¯t just wait for the oue. He looked to the four soldiers on either side of him. Their expressions were somewhat panicked.
Even though they were chosen as the most excellent and steadfast warriors, they were essentially trapped deep within enemy lines, surrounded by adversaries, and morale was inevitably shaken after nearly half their team had just been killed. Kodi knew he needed to say something, ¡°We¡¯vee this far, we must disregard life and death. Do we even have space to retreat now? Victory is our only path!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! Take down the remaining enemy mages, victory belongs to us!¡± With that, he charged out of the cover. The remaining four soldiers, either genuinely moved by his words or simply acting on instinct, followed closely behind. One soldier stayed in the rear to provide covering fire, striking at the enemy attempting to attack hisrades, while the other three, under Kodi¡¯s leadership, attacked the sorcerer who was advancing on Tadeusz with his back turned to them. The sorcerer was instantly trapped in a dire situation, with enemies in front and behind, and no possibility of dodging to the side, as it would expose him directly to the firepower from ahead. The overwhelmed sorcerer was shot dead. But the remaining two sorcerers were a tough problem. The pair, back to back, were behind a pile of rubble from a sted building. The shattered construction debris served as cover, shielding them from direct gunfire; whether it was Tadeusz¡¯s side or Kodi¡¯s, they could only attack the enemy directly facing them, and the enemy¡¯s Storm Shields were also open towards them. What made things even more difficult was that around these two sorcerers, there were a significant number of armed thugs guarding them. Their fire was mainly directed towards Tadeusz¡¯s side, suppressing themissar from advancing. Quickly assessing the situation, Kodi took two actions.
A grenade, with its pin pulled, was tossed toward the enemy by him. The explosion of the grenade killed several armed hooligans and also caused the two sorcerers¡¯ Storm Shields to tremble violently. Then, anticipating the enemy¡¯s counter-attack, he dodged to the side, indeed avoiding an iing wind shot. The wind shot sent the two warriors beside him flying. Kodi, half-crouching and kneeling on the ground, endured the pain of a de of wind slicing off a piece of his facial skin and, in an awkward pose, fired ferociously at the sorcerer facing him. The already quaking Storm Shield, under the fierce fire of the G9 rifle, flickered incessantly, clearly on the verge of copse. The sorcerer, along with several surviving armed thugs, had their attentionpletely drawn by the man in the ck coat and red hat. Bullets flew at Kodi fiercely, forcing him to hide. He was shot several times in the torso, but fortunately, the hard stic vest he was wearing under his coat protected his vital parts; being shot in the shoulder, in the leg, or even having an ear shot off¡­ these were all minor issues now. The gunfire he drew away created an opportunity for the two surviving soldiers. Both of them fired all the bullets in their new magazines at the sorcerer. Even if only half the bullets hit their mark, they were enough to shatter the Storm Shield. The one a bit further away, who had run out of bullets in his magazine and wanted to duck back to reload, was hit in the head by a bullet and died instantly. The closer one, thest remaining soldier, dropped his rifle and threw a grenade.
But the grenade didn¡¯t have the desired effect, as it was blown away by an evil wind. The sorcerer with the broken shield was terrified at this moment. He had been distracted by the man in the red hat and had almost been swept away by this assault. Restarting his Storm Shield would take time, and if a grenade was lobbed at him, he feared it would be the end for him. Enraged, he even summoned another wind shot, hurling it at the soldier who was trying to reload to attack him, sending his body flying like a torn rag, only then feeling relieved. Having dealt with this one, he could finally shift his target and deal with the red-hatted man who was barely clinging to life. Huh? Where was that red hat? Looking up again, he saw the red-hatted man, dragging a wounded leg, climbing on top of a piece of building wreckage that served as cover and jumping down. On his person, two grenades already had their pins pulled. The sorcerer¡¯s eyes widened, but by then, it was already toote for any action. With a thunderous explosion, the shockwaves and shrapnel from the two grenades took the life of the Storm Shield-shattered sorcerer and, by chance, the life of the other sorcerer facing Tadeusz¡¯s squad with his back to Kodi.
It also took Kodi¡¯s life. Chapter 101: 100, Passive Response Chapter 101: Chapter 100, Passive Response
Kodi died. He blew up thest two sorcerers. Tadeusz¡¯s eyes were about to split with rage. He felt it was his own inadequacy that forced Kodi and his squad to engage in a fight to the death,ing up to mop up the situation. They coordinated a nking maneuver andunched an attack as agreed, the enemy sessfullypleted their mission, while his own side was obstructed. All five sorcerers were dealt with by Kodi¡¯s squad¡­ What am I really doing?
Objectively, Tadeusz certainly yed a role in creating diversions and opportunities, and he killed many of the armed rioters protecting those sorcerers. It can¡¯t be said that he waspletely ineffective, in fact, quite the contrary. However, looking over at Kodi¡¯s situation, the contrast made the gap apparent. He wished he could rush forward like Kodi did, even if it meant dying, just to take down a few more enemies. Only then could he quell the burning frustration in his heart. But in the end, reason still prevailed in his mind. He waved his hand and led his team to retreat. He still had five warriors by his side, himself included, enough to form twobat units. When the frontalradesunched their attack, his men would firmly block the enemy¡¯s retreat path. Tadeusz¡¯s eyes shone with hatred as he red at the enemies. I want you all to die here! ¡­ Gu Hang heard about Kodi¡¯s heroic deeds from Osenia. He originally tried to mimic the military system in his memory to quickly integrate prisoners. For military skills, he had the ¡°Soldier Tag¡± feature, which allowed him to quickly train his men with a bit of grace, but cultivating loyalty took time.
Now, he was both gratified that his previous arrangements had been useful and pained by the loss of a loyal warrior. But his sacrifice was valuable. ording to the information Gu Hang had received, all six food transport routes were attacked, but four were now secure. There was some loss of food, but it was not significant. The Phoenixes had already rushed to the other two routes for which there was no news yet. After Osenia had asked for his help, he immediately turned to those interster soldiers and asked them to assist. When ites to fighting cult members, the fervor of the Phoenixes might not be any less intense than that of the Saintly Sisters of the Lily. No matter how many enemies there were or how strong they were at those two locations, when six interster soldiers were divided into two teams and took their stand, the problem was definitely solved. In terms of military force, they were not worth mentioning. The army under Gu Hang, though not numerous, was elite enough to easily handle those cultists. The battle at Norris Factory had already made this clear. Gu Hang guessed that the cultists probably didn¡¯t have too many forces left to mobilize. Their total investment in attacking the food transport routes might be around seven or eight hundred people, including about twenty sorcerers. This force was much less than what they had deployed inside Norris Factory. On one hand, the personnel and strength of this bunch of cultists are not infinite. These past few days, they¡¯ve lost about sixty or seventy core members. Those who can wield Storm Sorcery are certainly not so easily cultivated.
Aside from their core sorcerers, they¡¯ve stirred up nearly five thousand people in the factory and deployed seven to eight hundred in attacks on grain conveyance teams. No matter whether they control so many people through some form of insidious brainwashing or just converted many fervent followers through their usual preaching, this all undoubtedlyes at a cost. Clearly, they must be nearly depleting the umted energy. Otherwise, if they could double their invested forces this time around, of the six grain conveyance teams, at least four would be destroyed. Then, Gu Hang¡¯s trouble would truly be great. The most irritating aspect of those guys is that they¡¯re hiding in a city with a poption of a million, and where the grassroots control is particrly weak, making them very difficult to root out in a short time. The failure at Norris Factory must have also taught these cultists a clear lesson that it is absolutely uneptable to confront us head-on. These guys are messing around covertly, while we can only passively respond. This is not enough. Gu Hang felt certain that these cultists definitely had a backup n. Furthermore, this n must be centered around those fifty food distribution points. The enemy lies in darkness while we stand in the light. Having experienced simultaneous attacks on six transport routes ending in failure, the cultists should sober up and realize that biting off more than they can chew isn¡¯t realistic. Despite their heavy losses in two consecutive failures, their remaining forces, if targeted at a few food distribution points, could cause significant trouble byunching attacks and stirring up the public while people are queuing for grain. Gu Hang decided to assign to every food distribution point one military unit that had been equipped with a politicalmissar from the prisoner-of-war camp.
Come on! I want to see, after you concentrate your forces, whether you can destroy an entire unit before reinforcements can even arrive! Of course, Gu Hang was also able to remain clear-headed. He didn¡¯t expect all units appointed with politicalmissars to reach the level of Kodi¡¯s unit. In fact, whether Kodi or Tadeusz, ording to Yan Fangxu¡¯s assessment, who was responsible for the retraining of prisoners, they were the best-performing units among all. Yan Fangxu was only able to pick out seven units of simr caliber. Otherwise, how could a bunch of recently disarmed and detained prisoners distribute their forces and face the kind of fierce battle with significant casualties that Kodi¡¯s unit had encountered ande out on top? It would be quite good if they didn¡¯t just skive off at work, and it was very likely they might copse and run off with their guns at the critical moment, unlike now, where they can withstand casualties and fight to the death. But even so, given the current dire shortage of personnel, Gu Hang still decided to mobilize them all. Even if their performance didn¡¯t match the bravery of Kodi¡¯s unit, or was even far inferior, as long as they could reliably follow orders during battle and not too easily desert their posts, that would be enough. They just needed to hold on for a while, and reinforcements would continuously arrive on the scene, including patrolling interster warriors. With such arrangements, the security of the food distribution should receive a considerable guarantee. What remained was specialized suppression. Merely responding was too passive. In addition to defense, there must also be strong offensive strikes.
In this regard, the nuns of Saintly Lily had brought him good news. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The content got deleted, I give up, what¡¯s sensitive about this? Chapter 102: 101, Mind Manipulation Chapter 102: Chapter 101, Mind Maniption
Georgette found Gu Hang with a very serious expression, the usual gentle smile nowhere to be seen. ¡°We roughly know what that group of cult traitors wants to do.¡± ¡°Do what? Destroy the city, sacrifice to the Evil God, all that stuff?¡± Gu Hang tried to crack a somewhat poor joke. ¡°Yes.¡± Georgette was not joking at all and nodded earnestly, ¡°Those cult traitors always like to do this. The filthy creatures they worship, they just love all this.¡± ¡°Alright, so what exactly do they n to do? Any leads?¡± Georgette said, ¡°Not yet, two sisters are still on the investigation. However, we might have figured out the hiding ce of the cult traitors¡¯ leader.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Gu Hang finally became interested, ¡°Is it reliable?¡± ¡°It should be reliable, at least worth a try.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s try.¡± Gu Hang decided on the spot, ¡°What support do you need? I¡¯ll arrange it as quickly as possible, we better act immediately, don¡¯t let them get away.¡± ¡°I need you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Apetent Psychic Caster, who can help us achieve a lot of things.¡± Gu Hang quickly calcted in his mind. He was indeed very busy now and couldn¡¯t spare much time, but everything surely had its priorities. Those governmental matters could wait and wouldn¡¯t kill anyone, or at least not too many; if he could take down the cult leader sooner, that would save many more lives. He had no qualms about participating inbat personally. Of course, appropriate security measures would still need to be taken. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust the nuns, but the more forces at his disposal, the better, obviously. From the Phoenix side, they could probably assign four people to join the operation and keep three for maneuvers outside the city. They shouldn¡¯t reject this request.
Aside from two people handling the food distribution checks in the outer city, Georgette and her team would have nine people participating in thebat. Counting Gu Hang himself¡­ this lineup was certainly enough. However, after some thought, Gu Hang decided to bring along that elite marine squad. That squad had now be his personal guard. After reiming Revival City and receiving lots of gifts before, he instantly upgraded the remaining members to T3 level. That was the upper limit for now. Their equipment, physical fitness, andbat experience were not sufficient to support a promotion to T2. Perhaps in the future, after more baptism of fire or some special opportunity or technology, their ranking could be further promoted. But no matter what, 28 T3 level soldiers were the most elite force Gu Hang could field from under hismand. And he himself was described by Georgette as an excellent Psychic Caster. But he could immediately elevate his own rating by a notch. After the battles outside the city had quieted down, Gu Hang found that his experience was enough to level up. With just 200 gifts, he would be an LV4 Psychic Caster as determined by the system. This level also was what Gu Hang considered his ability to take on a fully armed superhuman such as a star warrior in singlebat.
After figuring all this out in his mind, Gu Hang nodded and said, ¡°Okay, then I will join you.¡± ¡­ After seeing off Georgette and sending a request to the Phoenix side and getting a response, Gu Hang used thest bit of time before the team assembled to focus on two things. The first was checking the battle settlement. [Blood Battle Narrow Victory, 65 points of grace earned] [Casualties: 427, Enemies Killed: 742, Prisoners Captured: 121] [Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion: Casualties: 89, Enemies Killed: 266] [Prisoner Brigade: Casualties: 338, Enemies Killed: 337] [Phoenix Battle Group (Allies): Casualties: 0, Enemies Killed: 139] A hard-won battle¡­ This was actually Gu Hang¡¯s first time achieving such a result. Obviously, the gap in strength between the two sides wasn¡¯trge, but the victory, with rtively heavier losses on his side, led to a smaller bonus in divine grace points. After subtracting the Phoenix¡¯s share of the spoils, what remained was a mere 65 points of divine grace. As for that unorganized, hastily assembled prisoner brigade, their weapons and equipment were not up to scratch. Apart from being equipped with some crew-served heavy weapons, their level of gear was virtually indistinguishable from that of armed thugs. The enemy had the bonus of brainwashed religious zeal, and although our politicalmissars fired them up, there was still a gap to be closed.
Despite this, having equal casualties wasn¡¯t something Gu Hang was entirely satisfied with. It showed that their military skills really did leave something to be desired. Gu Hang felt a bit of a headache. He had originally thought, considering they were from the Alliance¡¯s regr forces, they wouldn¡¯t be too bad even if they wouldn¡¯t reach T5, right? Maybe he could save some divine grace points and just use them normally. But looking at it now, it seemed they were a bit toocking. It seemed he would still need to invest in them after all. Seven thousand men, raising them to T5 would also cost 70 points of divine grace, his heart ached! After checking the battle results, the second thing Gu Hang needed to do was level up. With 200 points of divine grace spent, Gu Hang felt a warm current, signaling his base attributes were increasing. At the same time, a screen for selecting talents appeared on his interface. As usual, he clicked on the [Unique] line first, not expecting to be able to select it. Without second thoughts, he clicked on [Spirituality]. [Mind Maniption: Allows you to prate the target¡¯s mind, creating illusions, altering memories, and exerting direct control. At the same time, it strengthens your resistance to psychic attacks. Spirituality +1]
Having obtained a new talent, Gu Hang was fully satisfied. Mental abilities, which he had longed for, were toolsmonly used by Psychic Casters and were very frightening. Moreover, after acquiring the Mind Maniption spiritual talent, its potential uses extended far beyond justbat. Of course, Gu Hang also reminded himself that such abilities should not be abused. The order he hoped to establish was certainly not one founded on the maniption of minds. He would not use this method on his own people. But when necessary, this technique could be incredibly effective. Afterpleting the level-up process, his attributes were as follows: [Hero: Gu Hang (Faction Leader), LV4, Insufficient Experience for Level Up] [Physique: 9, Spirituality: 18] [Traits: Psychic Caster, Governor of Rage Owl Star] [Talents: Protective Spiritual Energy, Telekic Control, Mind Maniption] Not much was added to his attributes this time, apart from gaining one point in Spirituality from the [Mind Maniption] talent, none of the Physicality or Spirituality attributes increased from the normal leveling process. Of course, that did not mean they hadn¡¯t increased. In fact, he could feel his physical condition and spirituality improving.
It was just that the increase wasn¡¯t enough to ount for a full attribute point, so it wasn¡¯t reflected on his personal interface. After all, the higher one went, the more difficult it became to level up, requiring more experience umtion and more investment of divine grace points. Likewise, the actual difference between each attribute point after leveling also grew bigger and bigger. Chapter 103: 102, Laughter with Profound Meaning Chapter 103: Chapter 102, Laughter with Profound Meaning
Upgradeplete! Feeling the sudden surge of immensely powerful Spiritual Energy, Gu Hang¡¯s confidence skyrocketed! He even wanted to find a Phoenix to spar with, not for anything else just to test his current strength! Of course, that was not feasible. He and the Phoenix were allies now, but their rtionship wasn¡¯t that close yet. Gu Hang could only regretfully give up on the idea.
Speaking of the Phoenix Battle Group, Gu Hang got along quite well with Commander Matins, but he wasn¡¯t very familiar with the others. Mainly because those space warriors all had an unapproachable air about them, making it hard to strike up a conversation. Except for Priest Rizzo, with whom Gu Hang had quite a good impression¡ªa kind-looking old bald man with white whiskers¡ªthough it was strange to describe a four-hundred-year veteran who had blood on his hands as kind and benevolent. Although Gu Hang had not met him many times, each time he saw him, the priest would smile at him. He always felt that there was some deep meaning behind the old priest¡¯s smile. ¡­ Commander Matins always felt that Priest Rizzo¡¯s gaze towards Mr. Gu was somewhat peculiar. After receiving Mr. Gu¡¯s mission request, he epted it without any hesitation. Ignoring Schneider¡¯s eagerness to fight, he had the bald guy stay in the outer city to continue coordinating the security work of the food distribution points in the entire outer city area. Schneider was certainly not satisfied, but obedience was instinctive, and he could only keep his dissatisfaction to himself. Then, with two of his brothers and Priest Rizzo, Matins rushed to the inner city. As they were gathering and preparing to depart, he noticed the exchange of nces between Priest Rizzo and Mr. Gu, which sparked his curiosity. Being the closest of battle brothers, there was nothing to be embarrassed about, so Matins straightforwardly voiced the question in his heart.
Priest Rizzo just gave him a smile and said, ¡°Did we note to this world to seek the help of this Mr. Gu? We should at least have a good attitude.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Hearing Rizzo¡¯s response, Matins was somewhat at a loss for words. I asked with such sincerity, and the old priest is brushing me off? Is there some secret he can¡¯t tell me? Wanting to inquire further but Rizzo took the initiative, ¡°Why did you choose not to bring Schneider this time ande personally? Because¡­¡± While speaking, the white-whiskered old bald man winked towards Superior Georgette not far away. Caught off guard and suddenly embarrassed, Matins said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Rizzoughed, patting Matins on the shoulder. He sessfully diverted the topic. This slippery old man! He didn¡¯t have time to ask any more questions, as the operation was about to begin.
Four space warriors, nine Battle Nuns, twenty-eight elite marines, and the 2nd Battalion led by Perbov¡ªthough under-full strength¡­ This formation, although not particrly numerous, was the most elite small action team that Gu Hang could offer at the moment. They sat in many army vehicles, heading towards the outer city. These military vehicles had also been seized from the Alliance Legion. Produced by the Abandoned Cave Society, the IR Iron Bull series had just entered mass production with not much output¡ªbarely enough to organize a convoy from Weixing City transporting synthetic starch and was being directly used in Revival City. This so-called Weixing City was the initial camp. Gu Hang had recently given it a precise name. It was a y on words: it could either be referred to as Revival City¡¯s satellite city or be interpreted as ¡®defending the achievements of Revival¡¯. However, even though the IR Iron Ox series isn¡¯t needed yet, the original military vehicles were sufficient for the task. The Battle Nuns were fine, but the massive size of the four interster warriors made it difficult for them to squeeze into the canvas-covered trucks, which also challenged the vehicles¡¯ load-bearing capabilities. Enduring this inconvenience was necessary. Their operation this time was a decapitation strike, seeking swift and rapid action to catch the enemy off guard. The giants d in blood-red battle armor running through the streets towards their target would make a lot of noise. Merely showing such a stance would likely alert the target to flee immediately. They had no choice but to hide in the vehicles. As for whether the movement of military vehicles would attract attention¡­ there was indeed such a possibility. However, fortunately, military mobilization in Revival City had been frequent ofte, and military vehicles moving back and forth in the narrow passages of the outer city had almost be the norm. In any case, riding in vehicles would certainly be more stealthy than if they were to reveal themselves and move openly.
As for what Commander Matins was obsessively thinking about¡­ Pah! Not at all! Regarding the Battle Nuns, Matins realized they hadn¡¯t boarded the trucks. He remembered the previously agreed n of action, where the nuns would enter the battlefield directly from the air. Why couldn¡¯t the interster warriors do the same? Because they were too heavy, and the aircraft couldn¡¯t bear them¡­ The Battle Nuns¡¯ powered armor was much lighter than theirs. Thinking about this exnation, Matins was infuriated. What a piece of junk, not even a damn aircraft capable of carrying them could be found! They were wearing standard tactical powered armor, not some vanguard type, and certainly not the terminator type. If even this wasn¡¯t possible, thumbs down! ¡­ Sitting in the military vehicle, which was significantly narrower rtive to their size, with a hint of gloom for a while, they came to a stop. It seemed they had arrived at their destination.
At that moment, inside the helmet connected to the radio message, information came through that they were in position. Matins ordered the team to disembark, spread out in formation, and surround the target location. He assumedmand. This was a very natural thing for him, as Matins had gotten used to such a role from his past experiences. Interster warriors always held a core tactical position on any battlefield. Especially when coordinating with other imperial forces, they naturally ced themselves in the most pivotal position and then tookmand. However, Gu Hang had an issue with this. Having Matins inmand was certainly great tactically. He had at least two hundred years ofbat experience and possessed the status of a battle groupmander¡ªdirecting such a small-scale team battle was definitely within his grasp, meticulous in every aspect, something Gu Hang, who had not undergone specialized militarymand training, could notpare to. But this would let the interster warriors establish their prestige among the troops without saying a word. When the soldiers got used to taking orders directly from the interster warriors, where would the governor¡¯s authority stand? Although Matins himself might not have intentionally aimed to build influence, merely acting normally, Gu Hang did not wee this development. Sometimes, on many non-homeworlds, where interster warriors stayed for a long time, the governor slowly turned into a nanny for the battle group, often evolving step by step in this way. There was still a long way to go before reaching that state, but it didn¡¯t prevent Gu Hang from nipping it in the bud. Feeling guilty, he certainly didn¡¯t want the Phoenix, especially the Phoenix he hadn¡¯t yet dealt with, to have too much sway over his direct subordinates. Gu Hang issued a new order, ¡°Commander Matins, pleaseunch the attack directly. We can¡¯t afford to slowly wait for the encirclement to form, the enemy might escape during this time.¡±
Matins was taken aback for a moment, slightly unustomed. He thought again of Priest Rizzo¡¯s smile, but ultimately said nothing more, simply acknowledging and then signalling the other three brothers to begin their action. After getting out of the vehicle, Matins looked up at the sky. The gloomy sky had begun to rain, and the wind was growing stronger. Chapter 104: 103, The Battle of the Power Plant Chapter 104: Chapter 103, The Battle of the Power nt
As the star warriors began their assault, two transport helicopters, carrying a total of nine battle nuns, along with Gu Hang himself, also arrived above the target location. The target location had six wind turbines arrayed in its vicinity. After Georgette and others had, through various intelligence, determined that the cult leader was very likely hidden there, Gu Hang urgently had the ce investigated, and to his surprise, he discovered that it was actually a small wind farm. There were a total of eight such wind farms within the whole scope of Revival City. Sincest year, the Alliance Council had approved the construction of these power stations. Apany from the north called Pr Industrial Group had won the bid for this project and had started the construction work. ording to the project timeline estimates, these eight wind farms, situated in different locations around the city, should have beenpleted around some time before now.
From the documents, the whole process of approval and construction didn¡¯t seem to have any issues. However, in reality, Gu Hang could sense something odd from other aspects. Does Revival City need wind power? Isn¡¯t it more stable and practical to generate electricity using thermoelectric nts built with pyrite? Is there a need for wind energy, an uneconomical and unstable method? And don¡¯t even mention environmental protection or clean energy. Not to mention on Rage Owl Star, this barren, it¡¯s not an issue in the majority of Imperial worlds either. Even if you could exin this with the abundance of wind energy resources, why build eight at once? And why eight small ones? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to select a location with particrly good wind energy resources to construct arge set of turbines? The locations of these eight wind farms were positioned almost in the eight cardinal directions of Revival City, enclosing the entire city along with its outskirts, which made Gu Hang feel that something was not right. Then, he noticed the names signed on the approval document. Norris, Mondok, Wohan. All three former Alliance Council members were people whom Gu Hang had clear evidence to believe were deeply involved with the cult. Going one step further, what is the signature ability of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect? Storms. All these factorsbined, Gu Hang truly felt a deep chill. He really wanted to convince himself that he was overthinking, that there was no definitive evidence of anything.
However, as long as his brain could stay even a bit normal, he couldn¡¯t make himself ignore these strongly corrted clues when put together. But, regardless, capturing this ce and catching the cult leader was the top priority. The strong winds that had started from the cult¡¯s attack on the food supply route were now intensifying. Not to mention, it had also begun to rain since a short while ago. In the midst of the swaying, the transport helicopters were very unstable, jolting violently. Gu Hang held onto a handle on the edge of the helicopter with one hand, while looking down. His azure eyes clearly showed that he had fully activated his spiritual vision. Under his vision, amidst the wind and rain, the power station revealed very obvious, even somewhat ostentatious, energy fluctuations. It seemed as if it were taunting: We are fully prepared, and you are toote. Gu Hang¡¯s expression was stern. His gaze shifted outward, observing four conspicuous and powerful figures entering into the power station. In the middle of the six wind turbines was one with structures surrounding it. Functionally, Gu Hang was unsure of the specific significance of having a wind power generator shaped like a windmill tower, but the most important enemy should be there. The star warriors arrived at the main entrance of the windmill tower. One of them kicked open the door and burst inside. Soon, the booming sound of explosive guns, despite the considerable altitude, despite the sound of the wind and rain, despite the noise of the helicopter¡¯s rotors, still reached Gu Hang¡¯s ears.
Enemies holed up inside the windmill tower were being rapidly eradicated. The star warriors¡¯ attack was relentless and fierce. Georgette and the nuns apanying her had alsopleted their rappelling. Their descent wasn¡¯t quite like what Gu Hang remembered; the helicopter hadn¡¯t even dropped to a safe height when they deployed their ropes. They slid down swiftly, and halfway through, they swung slightly to gain momentum, then let go and one by one smashed through the windows of the windmill tower. Soon after, the sound of bomb guns came from inside, probably apanied by the slicing of storm shields and human flesh, but, regrettably, Gu Hang couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Governor, we might need to return ahead of schedule. The storm is too intense,¡± the pilot¡¯s voice came from ahead. Gu Hang responded, ¡°You all head back.¡± As he said this, he too jumped down. Seeing the body of the Governor plummeting in free fall, the pilot¡¯s eyes widened with fright. But it quickly became a non-issue: he saw the Governor¡¯s descent slow visibly to the naked eye, then he floated gently, moving toward the location where the battle nuns had broken in through the windows. His golden robe fluttered wildly in the strong wind, yet not a drop of rain could touch him. ¡°They are all some bizarre folk¡­¡± the pilot muttered as he maneuvered the helicopter to ascend, heading towards the inner city. The rain was getting heavier, and he was somewhat worried. Revival City often had windstorms, but the rainfall was usually moderate. ording to the season, it wasn¡¯t the time for stormy weather.
The stronger the wind and rain grew, the worse the omen. Had the Rage Owl God been angered? His body shivered slightly, he needed to hurry back. ¡­ By the time Gu Hang entered through the broken window, the fight was nearly at its end. Some cultists were entrenched here, not many, but each one was rather powerful. Leading them were three individuals wearing gray-white robes. From his several encounters with the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, Gu Hang could roughly discern their hierarchical differences. Those capable of using Storm Sorcery were undoubtedly core members. The ones in blue robes were ordinary members; Grey-white robes, of which Gu Hang had seen a few, were generally a notch above the blue robes, roughly equivalent to his own strength at LV2. Among the grey robes, Gu Hang had so far encountered two with distinct physiques. The one who ambushed him originally, and the fat woman he met at Norris Factory, both belonged to this category, approximately as powerful as Gu Hang was at LV3. Right now, just three ordinary grey robes, they couldn¡¯t turn the tide. The blue-robed ones were being pincered. The nuns smashing in through the windows were beating them mercilessly; star warriors were climbing up from the staircase below. The three grey robes kept releasing powerful sorcery, trying to harm the nuns, but to no avail. Their spells were easily countered and greatly weakened, utterly incapable of shaking the power armor on the nuns. This time, the one tond the final blow was still Georgette.
Her sanctified golden halberd, which served as her transcendent weapon, seemed to possess a special demon-dispelling property. As a spiritual energy wielder, Gu Hang could instinctively sense the threat from it. Moreover, Gu Hang could clearly see that when Georgette charged the three grey robes, her raised sanctified golden halberd sliced through their storm shields like a hot knife through butter, cutting open the people inside as well. The other two quickly cast spells in resistance, but to little effect; emted by the lead nun, two more shes followed, and subsequently, all were in. The devastation caused by the sanctified golden halberd was terrifying: clean cuts andpletely split bodies made the scene grotesquely bloody. Watching this, Gu Hang internally remarked, ¡°Yikes¡­ Does the head nun have some peculiar hobbies? Why does she always end up making it look like this?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Struggling for the third update today! Chapter 105: 104, otherwise how to crack it Chapter 105: Chapter 104, otherwise how to crack it
Under the three-dimensional strike of the Battle Nuns and the interster warriors, those cultists holed up in the windmill towers didn¡¯tst even two minutes before they were all in. Gu Hang didn¡¯t even get a chance to join in. He pursed his lips discontentedly, don¡¯t freaking take all the kills! Even if the scale was small and the number of enemies few, the reward for such a battle wasn¡¯t much, but a mosquito was still flesh. If you take all the kills, won¡¯t I miss out on even a single point of grace? He sighed and walked forward. The interster warriors and Battle Nuns made some space, revealing the area they surrounded.
There, was a door, covered with certain patterns. This door should lead to the closed top level of the windmill tower. Further up, there should be the windmill des. Under Gu Hang¡¯s Spiritual Vision, he could clearly see the Storm Heresy contained within. He had a guess in his heart, but he did not speak up first, instead, he looked over at Georgette with an inquiring gaze. Georgette frowned and said, ¡°This should be some kind of solidified seal enchantment, I¡¯ll try to break it.¡± Matins nced at the wall beside them. ¡°Don¡¯t bother, there¡¯s a seal there as well.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we try to force it open?¡± asked Matins. He didn¡¯t have much talent for Spiritual Energy; it seemed that the Phoenix gene seed naturally didn¡¯t quite mesh with this stuff, with a low chance of awakening spiritual abilities. Even in their heyday, the think-tank responsible for the battalion¡¯s spiritual affairs was just symbolically set up. He remembered the previous think-tank director¡¯s favorite activity was swinging a big hammer to smash people. These mystical and ponderous methods of spiritual decryption were what he found most irksome. Resorting to brute strength, violent destruction, that was his forte, hence his question. To his surprise, Georgette responded to his question with another, ¡°What else do you think I meant by breaking it?¡± ¡­
Fine. Georgette didn¡¯t say anything more, she raised her holy gold halberd and struck down on the door marked with sealing runes. The thing was quite sturdy; even though Georgette¡¯s holy gold halberd had demon-breaking properties, and she was chanting and invoking the name of the Divine Emperor during the strike in hopes of receiving a blessing, it still didn¡¯t break through. But it did create a big hole. Storm Heresy was wildly leaking out from the hole. Had there been any ordinary people in this room, they would likely be blown right out by the fierce winds. Of course, those standing in the room had no such issues. Such winds, of course, could not budge them. Georgette, her first strike having failed to shatter the seal, felt a bit embarrassed. Gritting her teeth, she roared and shed again. Now it was thoroughly smashed. The wind became even more violent, to the point that the ordinary nuns had to call upon divine grace just to stand firm; even Gu Hang had to consciously channel his Spiritual Energy, using Telekinesis to divert the force of the wind. The interster warriors also had their method¡­ oh, they didn¡¯t need any other techniques, they were too heavy to be blown away. On the contrary, they could step forward, guns in hand, charging inside. This most dangerous task, they took upon themselves unhesitatingly.
Wearing the heaviest armor, those willing to take the deadliest hits must be prepared to endure. ¡°` Then it really started to take a beating. A wind bullet exploded on the body of a Phoenix warrior charging at the very front. The power of this strike was not to be underestimated. The interster warrior was sted sideways. Matins, closely following behind, continued to press forward. He charged ahead while firing his grenadeuncher vigorously. This time, there were no new wind bulletsing their way. After they breached the first line of fire, the rest followed suit. The interster warrior who had been knocked down by the wind bullet struggled to his feet, appearing mostly unharmed, albeit a bit disheveled. Gu Hang was thest to enter. Raising his head, he saw the specific appearance of the enemy. Inside, there were actually only two people.
One of them was dressed in a gray robe, with an exaggeratedly strong physique; standing over two meters tall, just slightly shorter than the interster warriors. This was a Cult sorcerer of a special size, and Gu Hang instantly assessed his strength to be roughly equivalent to his own when he was at LV3. Such strength was barely enough for a wind bullet to knock down an interster warrior, but that was about it. During their breach, the people behind the door must have been umting power in preparation. Now, his full-force strike could only leave the Phoenix a bit disheveled and then standing up again as fit as before. In a real fight, even if ambushed, a standing Phoenix could counter with a burst of grenades, definitely sting the person and the Storm Shield into bits. However, at this moment, it was more than just a grenadeuncher strafing. What Gu Hang saw, however, was a wall of wind, lying in front of the Battle Nuns and interster warriors. The grenades hit it and exploded upon the wind wall. mes and smoke were swept around by the wind wall, blowing everywhere, even blowing off the ceiling above, yet not harming the people inside the wall. Through these scenes of light and shadow, Gu Hang saw the true host behind that robust gray-robed figure. It was an old man, wearing a white undergarment with a ck robeyered over it, adorned with golden edges. A rather luxurious belt buckle was embedded with shimmering blue diamonds; he wore a huge amulet covered in crushed blue diamonds on his chest; and even his ck high hat was iid with gems. The multitude of small gemstones on his essories emitted strong Storm Heresy energy. And he himself, under Gu Hang¡¯s Spiritual Vision, was as blinding as the lightning in the midst of a storm! Gu Hang immediately realized that he must not underestimate this opponent. Even though he had reached LV5, this ck-robed old man was a Spiritual Energy practitioner far stronger than himself.
Behind him stood a native ¡®god¡¯ of Rage Owl Star. Although, oftentimes these so-called ¡®gods¡¯ were just powerful beings. But being given such a title meant they possessed certain ¡®Evil God¡¯ characteristics¡ªreceiving worship, granting blessings. A native god, no matter how you slice it, is still a god. And this ck-robed old man was a direct beneficiary of a god, an emissary of the deity. The Spiritual Energy glow on him was nearly blinding Gu Hang¡¯s vision. The wind wall he summoned could perfectly withstand the fierce attack of thirteen grenadeunchers, a fact that proved this point very well. Gu Hang recalled the information that the Battle Nuns had gathered, mentioning the title of the Cult leader: Primal High Priest, Cui Kao. Chapter 106: 105, Cui Kao Chapter 106: Chapter 105, Cui Kao
Cui Kao watched the alien visitors who had arrived before him andughed madly. ¡°Hahahaha! You¡¯ve found this ce, but what does it matter? Everything is already toote!¡± ¡°The will of the divine is about to descend, our preparations areplete, Revival City! All people! You will be the cornerstone of the God¡¯s revival!¡± ¡°The revival of Rage Owl Star does not need the support of a false emperor, nor the help from outsiders. Rage Owl Star will be revived under the will of the God!¡± He delivered his fanatical speech, and these words, without a doubt, enraged the space warriors and battle nuns. Especially the term ¡®false emperor,¡¯ which was the most intolerable and sphemousnguage.
¡°Silence, traitor!¡± ¡°You will pay for your sphemy!¡± ¡°You and the evil god you worship will both atone with your deaths!¡± The infuriated warriors and nuns began to further attack the wind barrier that blocked their way. When they found that the bomb guns were not very effective, some of them brought out even stronger abilities. Georgette, Matins, and Priest Rizzo charged straight ahead. The sacred golden halberd in Georgette¡¯s hand, a powerful weapon against evil, was not as effective as before at this time. With a sh, the golden de would burst into intense shes of light upon hitting the wind wall, symbolizing the sh of spiritual energy. The wind wall would sustain an ¡®injury,¡¯ but this damage would be rapidly healed by the swift flowing wind the very next moment. Matins¡¯s fine chainsaw sword, though perhaps more powerful than the golden halberd, was less effective against such defense mechanisms built of some form of spiritual energy. When the roaring chainsaw sword struck, it would be repelled instead. If it wasn¡¯t for Matins¡¯s superior martial skills and extraordinary swordsmanship, he could have been injured by the recoil. Priest Rizzo, on the other hand, proved to be more reliable than his battle group leader. His priestly scepter, like a war hammer, smashed into the wind wall. When the gravity generator in the head of the scepter was activated, it made the force of the scepter¡¯s strike even more ferocious than a real war hammer. Every swing of Rizzo¡¯s scepter caused arge area of the wind wall to shake. The all-out attacks of the three experts made the defense of the wind wall not so impregnable. Coupled with the continuous firepower from others, the entire wind wall seemed to be in a state of turmoil.
Seeing this, the Primal High Priest¡¯s smile faded. He took a small magical instrument from his waist and directed it toward the burly man in a grey robe who served before him. ¡°Gale Envoy, it¡¯s time for your sacrifice.¡± The Gale Envoy humbly lowered his head and spoke with devotion, ¡°It is my honor.¡± Cui Kao nodded appreciatively and then activated the magical instrument in his hand. From the tip of the instrument, a golden bolt of lightning was released, striking the Gale Envoy. With a scream of agony, the golden current started to surge and travel about his body, forming a golden electric pattern thatpletely enveloped him. The pattern of the electric grew denser and more magnificent, until finally, his whole body spasmed and transformed into a pure golden humanoid lightning. He stopped trembling, slowly stood up, and turned his head. He had lost his human appearance and became a pure yet unstable form of energy. The next moment, he truly turned into a bolt of lightning and merged into the wind wall. Among all those whounched attacks on the wind wall, Georgette and Priest Rizzo were considered the most threatening.
The Gale Envoy¡¯s target was set on Georgette. Priest Rizzo on the other side, wearing power armor that clearly had better defensive capabilities, was not someone to be trifled with. When Georgette struck at the wind wall with another sh, the man merged with the wind wall and lightning instantly arrived at her side. Seizing the moment she attacked, a golden bolt of lightning extended from within the wind wall. It was like a spear, thrusting at Georgette. The Battle Nun reacted extremely quickly. Unable to dodge in time, she managed to retract the Fine Chainsaw Sword that hadn¡¯t yet struck the wind wall and counter-shed at the golden lightning spear, cleaving it apart with one strike. An arc explosion, the intense energy knocked Georgette back. Seeing that the Battle Nun did not immediately rush back into the fray, it was evident that she had taken some difort. On the contrary, the Gale Envoy, transformed into golden lightning, seemed unaffected and continued to weave like a dragon through the wind wall. The distant shooter wielding a bomb gun was no threat to him; however, the three close by, whenever theyunched an attack, would be harassed by him. The power of that golden lightning was not weak. A slight misstep in handling it could lead to injury. In turn, they had nothing that could threaten the Gale Envoy. Direct attacks were effective, but only if they could hit their mark. That guy, moving freely within the wind wall, would just run if he missed. If they couldn¡¯t tear through the wind wall, they couldn¡¯t harm the Gale.
A group of space soldiers and Battle Nuns were stopped by a single wind wall and, for the moment, were at a loss for how to proceed. And throughout this process, Gu Hang had not made a move. It wasn¡¯t that he harbored any ill intentions. In fact, Gu Hang felt incredibly angry with Cui Kao¡¯s earlier speech. Insulting the ¡®false emperor¡¯ felt alright to him; but the idea of sacrificing the several hundred thousand people of Revival City really infuriated Gu Hang. I suffered indignities and worked the fields outside to preserve this bit of poption as seeds for the future¡¯s prosperity, and now you n to sacrifice them all in a whim? And you keep spouting about the revival of Rage Owl Star, but with everyone sacrificed and sent to meet your so-called Rage Owl God, what will you have left to revive Rage Owl Star with? Are you relying on your insane Evil God? The Empire may not be anything good, but does that make you cultists any better? However, even with his rage boiling, Gu Hang still managed to stay calm. He didn¡¯t make a move because it was pointless. The power of the Battle Nun¡¯s Fine Chainsaw Sword and the Priest¡¯s Gravity Scepter was far greater than any force Gu Hang could muster with all his Spiritual Energy. Even if Gu Hang joined in, it would be roughly equivalent to adding another bomb gun to their side, which wasn¡¯t very helpful.
Instead, as a user of Spiritual Energy, what Gu Hang should do was to think and find a way to break the deadlock. This wasn¡¯t like the situation they¡¯d encountered at the entrance with the enchantment. Back then, their strengthpletely overwhelmed the opposition, so it didn¡¯t matter how clever the design was ¨C if one strike didn¡¯t break it, just use two. Now, they had to think of a clever solution. Though Gu Hang hadn¡¯t figured out how to break the wind wall, his observations in this short period had brought him some other insights. These insights not only shocked him but also showed him a glimmer of hope. Chapter 107: 106, the ceremony is complete Chapter 107: Chapter 106, the ceremony isplete
Gu Hang knew that the Primal High Priest wasn¡¯t putting all his energy into dealing with the interster warriors and the Battle Nun. It certainly wasn¡¯t because he underestimated his opponents. Although Cui Kao was strong enough, he wasn¡¯t so powerful as to have that kind of capital. In actuality, that guy probably had more important things to do. Those things were even more significant than the battle at hand, more critical than his own life. He seemed to be conducting some kind of ritual. Within Gu Hang¡¯s field of vision, he could faintly see strands of Spiritual Energy extending from Cui Kao¡¯s body. One of these strands continued to the des of the wind power generator above the tower; five others were dispersed among the des of five other generators in the area. Many more strands stretched out in groups, extending towards the horizon.
Although Gu Hang couldn¡¯t see the end, he could guess that these connections of Spiritual Energy probably extended to the other seven power stations as well. After realizing this, Gu Hang had a thought and used the power of Spiritual Energy to send an order to Perbov, who was stationed outside. ¡°Destroy all the wind power generator sets, including the one we are at, immediately execute!¡± ¡°Inform Yan Fangxu to dispatch additional troops to the other seven wind power stations, eliminate all the people there, and destroy the power stations.¡± After sending this message, Gu Hang saw that Cui Kao¡¯s gaze was fixated on him. Obviously, although his Spiritual Energymunication wasn¡¯t intercepted, that old man might have ¡®heard¡¯ it. Gu Hang opposed him with a faint smile, carrying a somewhat provocative taste. Of course, at this moment, Gu Hang had also raised his vignce to the utmost. As soon as the seemingly crazed old man attempted to make a move, he would immediately react, striving to control his own body and defend against the attack through Telekinesis. The pressure was quite substantial; after all, the old man was a Spiritual Energy user much stronger than him. However, Cui Kao didn¡¯t lose his temper as he had shown in his previous crazed state. He didn¡¯t pay any attention to Gu Hang and was wholly absorbed in his own business. Gu Hang was somewhat disappointed. If the old man had angrily attacked him, it might have indicated that Gu Hang¡¯s punch had hit a critical spot. But if not, could it be that those power stations weren¡¯t the key?
Whatever. The wind power stations themselves weren¡¯t of high value to Revival City; it was better to blow them up first and ask questionster. Perbov resolutely executed Gu Hang¡¯s orders. He selected demolition experts and began to install explosives on the windmills outside. Gu Hang also saw this scene. With this in mind, he was at ease. After that, Gu Hang began to study the wall of wind that stood before everyone. In fact, he had been looking at this wind wall for a while and indeed found no clear way to breach it. But now he did, after the grey-robed Divine Envoy turned into a pure energy state as a lightning person and entered the wind wall. This action was, of course, a reinforcement of the wind wall. With this lightning person causing havoc inside, the three main forces attacking the wall would be harassed and their concentration would be diverted, which in turn would make the wall seem even more impregnable. But in Gu Hang¡¯s eyes, this was instead a weakness. Once that guy merged into the fire of the wind wall, Gu Hang had already started to make some small moves. However, he was trying hard to control the intensity carefully and not be too obvious.
He was attempting to use his newly acquired ability ¡°Mind Maniption¡± to influence the guy operating inside the wind wall. If Cui Kao noticed and interfered, Gu Hang¡¯s n might fall through. Therefore, he¡¯d rather be slow but careful. Now, he wasn¡¯t far from sess. But at this very moment, Cui Kao slowly lowered his hand. The man with white hair, looking towards the enemies in front of the wind wall, spoke: ¡°Pawns of the false emperor, the harder you try, the more pathetic you appear.¡± ¡°This city, it was destined to ascend in the midst of the gods¡¯ gaze, within the storm,¡± ¡°Your little tricks are utterly meaningless!¡± When he said this, Cui Kao¡¯s smile was maniacal! It was as if he hadpleted thergest, most important task, and was now finally able to let loose and revel in his own ego. Gu Hang¡¯s expression was stern. Had the ritual already beenpleted?
Was it beyond stopping now? What exactly was the ritual? ording to what Georgette had said earlier, it was a sacrifice of the entire city, but¡­ in what way was the sacrifice to be made? The raging storm outside? Would it evolve into a catastrophic storm capable of annihting everything? Gu Hang was lost in wild thoughts, hisplexion not looking good. He was thinking of a way out while carefully, subtly continuing to use Mind Maniption. He also tried to speak, to see if he could taunt or provoke Cui Kao into revealing more by provoking him with words. Viins seemed to always like to be verbose. However, just at this moment, the sound of an explosion, which even the raging storm outside could not suppress, came through. Following that, there was intense turbulence under their feet, and the entire tower was copsing. The six wind generators on site, including the one which this tower, where they were located, relied on, were simultaneously blown up by Perbov outside. Perbov had hesitated upon hearing themand to detonate. It didn¡¯t matter about the other five, but blow up the one where the governor and his party were? The governor himself was still inside! But since the governor himself had explicitly included the tower he was in, then just do it! The governor was always right!
The governor spoke urgently, plus they weren¡¯t professionals in building demolition. To ensure total destruction, they loaded a generous amount of explosives aiming for a decisive blow. At this time, Gu Hang could no longer worry about using verbal provocations. He immediately threw his spiritual energy into protecting the interster warriors and Battle Nuns. From the height of four or five floors, it wasn¡¯t certain whether they would suffer any casualties from the copse, but even if it was just being temporarily buried under the ruins, it would be a hassle. By the time they dug themselves out, who knew how long it would take. Of course, theirbat suits provided some defense against spiritual energy. Their firm resolve also made it difficult for Gu Hang to directly apply telekinesis on them. But who said Gu Hang was such a pedant? He controlled the flying floorboards and debris amidst the explosion, forming a temporary, floating ¡®ground¡¯ that supported all his people, and he managed their slow descent to the ground. On the other hand, as an even more powerful psychic, what Gu Hang could do, Cui Kao could certainly do even better. He and his 365-degree revolving wall of wind alsonded safely. Gu Hang¡¯s mouth was slightly agape, just about to use the destruction of the six wind turbines as a basis for verbal probing, when he looked up and saw a scene that rendered him speechless! The wind generators had indeed been destroyed, but in mid-air, at the original positions of those generators, there were huge des made of white vapor still spinning. At the same time, an even more terrifying change urred.
The white wind blowing from those vapor-formed des gradually took shape in the air¡ªthe silhouette of a monster. It was an Owl Beast, over ten meters tall. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The release failed, so another chapter willeter. That chapter will probably be a bit longer. Chapter 108: 107, you deserve to die! Chapter 108: Chapter 107, you deserve to die!
¡°` Gu Hang was seeing the Owl Beast for the first time in reality, and although it was merely an illusory form made up of the white storm, it did somewhat resemble the extinct ancient creature depicted in the pictorials. It possessed an extremely majestic body, akin to that of a giant bear; its head resembled that of a mighty eagle; with antlers like those of a deer¡­ When still, it might seem a bit dim-witted and endearing, but at the moment, as it roared angrily at the sky, with the storm converging and dispersing at itsmand, it was truly terrifying. And as this illusory embodiment of the Owl Beast wantonly unleashed its power, the violent storm became increasingly aggressive. In just this short span of time, the ground was not merely covered with flowing water; it was already deep enough to submerge one¡¯s feet; the strong wind,den with raindrops, was painfully striking faces; debris from copsing buildings was being swept everywhere by the gale, with smaller pieces even flying off into the distance; branches were being torn from trees, and even the thinner trees were being snapped by the wind¡­
This was no longer a mere storm; it had gone beyond nasty weather and could be called a natural disaster. Gu Hang wasn¡¯t having much trouble here, and neither were the space warriors and the battle nuns, but the soldiers further away were struggling. They were not at risk of being blown away by the wind, but the flying building debris had already injured quite a few of them. Even with the enemy Cui Kao still in front of him, and that storm-ravaged Owl Beast, Gu Hang¡¯s thoughts inexplicably drifted to Revival City. The distribution of food, after the setback of the transport routes being ambushed by the enemy, should have returned to normal a few hours ago with Osenia¡¯s efforts. However, distributing food to hundreds of thousands of people, even across sixty distribution points, would still mean queues of tens of thousands, or even more, at each point. The distribution would take far longer than a mere moment or two. Up to this moment, today¡¯s food distribution in that area would have only progressed by a fraction. But now, the storm had arrived. What was the situation over there? Gu Hang was indeed worried. However, he was stretched too thin at the moment. No matter how much he worried, there was nothing he could do about the situation there. What¡¯s more, the source of all these problems was here.
Gu Hang forced himself to focus on the present. His mental maniption of the Divine Envoy transformed into a golden sparkle was about to yield results. But before that could happen, Cui Kao¡¯s offensive reached them first. ¡°My greatest mission has been aplished. Now, let me teach you imperial stooges a lesson,¡± he dered. No sooner had he spoken than his outstretched hand fired a bolt of lightning, attacking the group of space warriors. The lightning struck a battle nun. Her body convulsed violently as she fell to the ground, motionless. Upon closer inspection, one could see that her breastte had been pierced by the lightning. Even without moving closer to check, Gu Hang could distinctly sense from his vantage point that the nun¡¯s vital signs had vanished. Gu Hang¡¯s expression turned extremely grim. One strike had killed a battle nun, an expert in fighting heresy. This High Priest¡¯s power was off the charts. Saddened by a sister¡¯s death in battle, Georgette¡¯s attacks became even more furious, and she increased her offensive tempo yet again. But still, she couldn¡¯t swiftly break through the wind wall and was even sneak attacked by the golden lightning figure, sustaining some injuries. And the enemy¡¯s attacks were far from over.
As Cui Kao seemed to be gathering another bolt of lightning, the illusory enraged Owl Beast swung a massive paw at a space warrior. The space warrior, along with the armor that probably weighed two tons, was sent flying by a p. They were lifted three to five meters into the air by the white misty giant hand before being mmed harshly back to the ground. Although it wasn¡¯t lethal, that member of the Phoenix definitely wasn¡¯t feelingfortable. Protected by the wind wall, Cui Kao couldunch attacks without restraint, unhindered. And now, his Spiritual Energy was so strong that he was capable of causing real harm, even capable of killing, the nuns in powered armor and the space warriors. And that was to say nothing of Gu Hang. That bolt of lightning just now could instantly kill a nun blessed with Divine Grace and protected by powered armor; if it hit him, even with Spiritual Energy as a shield, he might at best save his life. Beingpletely drained of Spiritual Energy in an instant was unavoidable, and whether he would survive depended on luck. The reason he had not been targeted first was probably that Cui Kao didn¡¯t think his level of Spiritual Energy posed any threat. Killing a nun or a space warrior first would alleviate the pressure on him more effectively. However, Gu Hang couldn¡¯t always rest easy, nor could he pin his hopes on not being attacked by others. Thus, although his mind interference was not fully prepared, Gu Hang decided to initiate the mind control effect immediately. He had been working on this quietly for quite a while, taking care always to be subtle and slow in order to avoid detection. He was using a rtively slower method to let his spiritual energy infiltrate the Divine Envoy¡¯s soul, who had transformed into a being of lightning. He hoped toplete the infiltration unnoticed, ensuring a one hundred percent certainty and then effect a reversal of the situation. But now, he had to take the risk and try. He changed the maniption effect to ¡®interference.¡¯
¡°` To tell the truth, he wasn¡¯tpletely sure of himself, but the effect after he initiated the magic was unexpectedly good! This pure energy mage was almost losing his rationality as a human. He was burning himself up in some way and, with the additional blessing from Cui Kao, could perform as he now did. Against such a brainless target, direct control was a bit difficult. The impatient part of his mind was extremely hard to tame; but if it was just about causing interference,pletely copsing what little rationality he had was rtively much simpler. Gu Hang was doing just that, and he also imnted a more impulsive and aggressive thought into the mage¡¯s soul. In an instant, the guy lost control. He no longer maintained his body within the wind barrier for protection, engaging in guerri tactics; instead, he darted straight out from the wind barrier. The crackling sound of electricity seemed like his roar as he charged towards the Phoenix Battalion Leader. Matins couldn¡¯t be happier! You¡¯re finally willing toe out and throw your life away! He didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened, but two hundred years of battle instincts led him to subconsciously raise his chain saw sword and swing it down hard. When the chain saw sword hit the mage¡¯s arm and then moved to his head, a huge burst of electric light exploded at the point of contact. Sparks flew violently in all directions. In that instant, as the energy state binding was destroyed by the chain saw sword, all the power inside the mage erupted and uncontrobly surged out.
Meanwhile, Matins stood unshaken. He could feel the immense force acting on his body, and through the power armor, he felt the severe pain of the electric shock. But with firm willpower, he endured it all and even pushed the chain saw sword forward harder,pletely shattering the burst of light. In reality, after Gu Hang had interfered with the light mage¡¯s mind, sessfully making him run out from the wind barrier, he no longer paid attention to the situation here. Though the guy was fierce, once he lost the protection of the wind barrier, his abilities were no match for any of the three great experts in closebat range. And Gu Hang¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t just to kill a light being made of energy. Having one less hindrance to their attack and breaking the wind barrier from inside was just the first step. If he could only achieve this much, it might count for something, but it certainly didn¡¯t reach the turnaround effect Gu Hang wanted. The moment the Gale Envoy charged out, Gu Hang seized the opportunity. He used almost all of his Spiritual Energy, employing Telekinesis to fill the void left by the Gale Envoy! This action had to be fast! Gu Hang believed that if he were even a bit slower, the swiftly revolving wind barrier would immediately close the gap. His chancested only a fleeting moment. Thankfully, Gu Hang managed it. He felt immense pressure. The Storm Divine Power within the wind barrier fiercely rejected the Spiritual Energy he ced there, treating it as an intruder, frantically pushing outward. He had to throw all his strength into maintaining the gap. ¡°Seize the chance!¡± Gu Hang¡¯s voice rang out beside every warrior and battle nun.
They indeed did not let Gu Hang down. Priest Rizzo strode forward, his staff imbued with all his might, heavily mming beside therge hole Gu Hang had created. The immense force made the already iplete, vulnerable wind barrier tremble mightily. Next up was Georgette, and her sacred golden halberd inflicted further destruction on the wind barrier. Their attacks were effective, of course. Gu Hang could clearly feel the pressure he was enduring suddenly decrease. Meanwhile, the wind barrier became increasingly unstable. If they could just keep up this momentum and continue their relentless assault, breaking the wind barrier would happen very soon. Inside the protective encirclement of the wind barrier, Cui Kao¡¯s face had turned extremely grim. His previously somewhat arrogant, crazy smile had all but faded away. He raised his finger towards Gu Hang: ¡°You deserve to die!¡± The power of storm lightning was building up, coalescing. Gu Hang¡¯s hair stood on end; he felt the threat of death. In that moment, he was considering whether to withdraw the effort maintaining the hole in the wind barrier. If so, he could move his body using full-powered Telekinesis with a decent chance to evade Cui Kao¡¯s attack. Even in the worst case, if he did get hit, the extra Spiritual Energy could perhaps save his life with a protective aura. But that would mean losing most of the ground gained so far. Just then, a whistling noise filled the air. The sound ofrge-caliber artillery shells came hurtling from not too far away! Gu Hang could almost hear Perbov yelling: ¡°Fire! Fire! st them ferociously!¡± Chapter 109: 108, blow it up for Laozi! Chapter 109: Chapter 108, blow it up for Laozi!
¡°Bombard them fiercely! I¡¯ll take full responsibility! What the hell are you afraid of, friendly fire? Can you morons really fuck up so bad you¡¯d identally hit the Governor with that massive wall of wind and that big whatever-the-hell that looks like a bear just sitting there? Can¡¯t you get your aim right? Bomb! Bomb the shit out of them for me!¡± Just as Gu Hang had thought, Perbov was indeed hopping mad and cursing nonstop. The reason he was hopping was that a chunk of building debris the size of a fist had just smashed into his shin. It wasn¡¯t broken, but it had lost its strength. But he was still angry and irritable. Being unable to help, being weak, that was what irritated him the most. Since the ambush in the alien woods, Perbov had always seen it as a disgrace that the Governor had to personally go into battle, to face the enemy firsthand.
The Governor came from beyond the stars, bringing steel, machinery, and weapons. And they, as warriors and soldiers, should be the ones to eliminate any threats for the Governor, not expect him to be both father and mother to all. To handle development, to lead battles, was one thing. But if the Governor had to fight on the front lines, then what the hell were we there for? At this moment, he was determined to do something. He was furious, he was fierce, and perhaps even a bit reckless. But he also had the cunning and cleverness unique to the wastnders. Even if his decisions were rash, in action, he wasn¡¯t so reckless as to disregard everything. Perbov couldn¡¯t understand spiritual energy, dark magic, sacrifice rituals. But he had one thought ¨C there was nothing in this world that couldn¡¯t be destroyed with explosives. If it didn¡¯t blow up, then the caliber just wasn¡¯t big enough yet. In the past, the camp only had 60mm mortars, but now they had 155mm howitzers. Regardless of effectiveness, bombard the hell out of them first! That was the source of the artillery roar Gu Hang had heard. Perbov¡¯s heavy artillery actually totaled just five cannons, supplemented by some mortars to make up the numbers. But they had indeed produced remarkable effects! The star warriors¡¯ bomb rifles boasted specialty diamond-tipped bullets, secondary eleration, and close explosion functions, with off-the-charts firepower. Still, caliber is caliber. What¡¯s a 155mm howitzer? Just the shell is 0.8 meters tall standing upright, weighing nearly 50 kilograms. Being near the explosion of such a beast was definitely a shockingly visceral experience.
Two artillery shells burst high above the enraged owl transformation. The monster that had just swatted away a star warrior and was preparing to further maul the Phoenix had two massive holes blown into it. Essentially made of concentrated spiritual energy, half its form dispersed instantly. Though a lot of energy was reassembling, reconstructing its body, it significantly affected its strength. And three more shells fell on the 360-degree Storm Shield. The shield, already reeling from Gu Hang¡¯s breach and the Gravity Scepter and Holy Golden Halberd¡¯s stabs, couldn¡¯t withstand such an assault and shattered instantly. The st radius of a 155mm howitzer shell could be several dozen meters. If it hit the ground, it could create a crater five meters in diameter. And without a doubt, Gu Hang and hispanions were all within this lethal range. From this perspective, Perbov¡¯s im of not worrying about friendly fire wasplete bullshit. Actually, Gu Hang, the other two Phoenixes, and the seven surviving Battle Nuns might be somewhat better off, as they were a little further away. Matins, Rizzo, and Georgette were right up against the wall, using more powerful closebat weapons ¨C they were even closer to the heart of the bombardment. But in that moment, the disintegrating Storm Shield actually provided them with protection. The destroyed shield absorbed the majority of the st wave¡¯s force, and many of the flying shrapnel pieces were significantly weakened. The three in close proximity, all d in powered armor, remained uninjured. Lying t on the ground, simr to a nk hold, helped them avoid much of the shrapnel and st wave. At least, after the explosion, all three were able to stand up without being too badly affected. If they were mostly unharmed, then Cui Kao inside would be fine as well. As a spiritual energy user of his strength, the Storm Shield swirling around him wouldn¡¯t be weaker than the powered armors until the spiritual energy faded.
Still, he wasn¡¯t free from looking dirtied and disheveled. The real fatal issue for him was the broken shield. Clearly, though the Storm Shield was Cui Kao¡¯s handiwork, it definitely took him a long time to prepare, borrowing much external power not his own. Otherwise, however strong a spiritual energy user he might be, a defense purely built from his own power could never withstand such a long, terrible onught. This also meant that once the Storm Shield was destroyed, even if he wanted to put up another one immediately, it would be impossible without half a month¡¯s time to construct slowly. And now, with no obstacles left, the Phoenixes and Battle Nuns could seek revenge. Cui Kao was still struggling. He shot a bolt of lightning towards the swiftly approaching Matins. But this time, the battle-hardened and preparedmander wouldn¡¯t be easily hit like the previous nun. Amid the smoke and blurred vision, he still judged Cui Kao¡¯s intention urately, avoiding the lightning spell a moment before it was cast. The lightning missed its target, and Matins reached close quarters, shing his chainsaw sword hard against the Storm Shield. The Storm Shield wasn¡¯t immediately shattered, but the terrifying feature of the chainsaw swordy in the fact that, apart from the initial sh, as long as the star warrior wielding it continued to exert force downward, the rotating chainsaw would keep on cutting fiercely. It was a force capable of severing heavy-duty armor! Within just a second, the Storm Shield on his body was already flickering wildly as it showed signs of fracturing.
In his urgency, Cui Kaounched another bolt of lightning. He knew that it was meaningless to purely reinforce the shield with Spiritual Energy to resist the attack. As long as Matins remained alive, he had no chance of surviving at such a close range. However, this lightning spell, though it hit its target, did not interrupt Matins¡¯s actions in the slightest. Matins had already anticipated and judged the High Priest¡¯s intention in advance. He couldn¡¯t dodge, but he could make slight adjustments to his body so that the lightning bolt shot out would hit his massive shoulder armor precisely. In a star warrior¡¯s armor, the strongest part is definitely the shoulder armor. In theirbat techniques, using shoulder armor to absorb excess damage is an option. Often, they treat the shoulders as shields. The lightning that could pierce and y battle nuns could not prate Matins¡¯s heavy shoulder armor. And at that time, Rizzo arrived. The Priest¡¯s scepter swung down with full force, and the Storm Shield, which was already on the verge of destruction, shattered instantly. The scepter, now with the gravity generator activated, continued its relentless descent upon Cui Kao¡¯s body. The physical strength of a Spiritual Energy user is far fromparable. Under the effect of the gravity generator, Cui Kao¡¯s body was almostpletely crushed. Then Georgette, who arrived shortly after, thrust her holy gold halberd through the old man¡¯s head. From her many years of experience battling such enemies, destroying the body was not always enough to kill a Spiritual Energy user. Some individuals¡¯ brains were the core. Some could even transcend their physical forms and exist in an energy state, just like that lightning person before. As the holy gold halberd pierced the skull, a holy fire ignited simultaneously,pletely incinerating Cui Kao¡¯s vile face.
Georgette sniffed, the powerful Spiritual Energy user was indeed dead. However, the matter was far from resolved. Gu Hang first sent a message to Perbov behind him: ¡°No need for a second round of bombing, you almost killed me.¡± Upon hearing this, Perbov¡¯s expression stiffened instantly. However, Gu Hang¡¯s next words rxed him again, ¡°But well done.¡± A smile returned to Perbov¡¯s face. I always said we needed to be more decisive in our action! Ah? Wait, could Governor-General¡¯s words be sarcastic? Could they mean, ¡®You almost killed me, well done indeed.¡¯? But Gu Hang no longer had the energy to concern himself with Perbov¡¯s state of mind at that moment. He looked up at the slowly reassembling Storm Fury avatar and the relentless storm. This confirmed his previous guess: killing Cui Kao was not the key. Or rather, they were toote in killing him.
By the time they had arrived at the scene, the entire ritual had already entered its final stage. Even, in a sense, Cui Kao didn¡¯t take his own life and death seriously afterward. For such a fanatical believer, he had aplished his mission, and what he did afterward was merely a flurry before death, seizing whatever he could. However, the big mess he left behind was what troubled Gu Hang the most. The storm could no longer continue. A longsting typhoon, exaggerated rainfall, frequent lightning strikes¡­this would destroy Revival City. Even the current intensity of the storm was already a catastrophe. Not to mention, the wind and rain were growing stronger, and the lightning strikes more frequent. In just a short while, Gu Hang had observed several trees nearby being struck by lightning. It was unthinkable what the condition of the city would be like. He didn¡¯t know to what extent the storm would continue to intens Chapter 110: 109: Don’t Let the Governor’s Efforts Go to Waste Chapter 110: Chapter 109: Don¡¯t Let the Governor¡¯s Efforts Go to Waste
¡°` Stopping the storm meant to sacrifice the entire city was something the Starfighter Battle Group and the Sisters were also bound to do, and without question. Even if they didn¡¯t regard the civilians of Revival City as people, the cult leader, who had repeatedly called the Emperor a ¡°false emperor,¡± a ckey,¡± and his followers as ¡°cheap ves,¡± had already thoroughly aroused their anger. Under these names, the man had undisguisedly dered his hostility towards the Empire, bing the most despicable traitor. Wouldn¡¯t it be a great shame if a city that housed members of the Sisterhood and the Starfighter Battle Group allowed the ns of these traitors to seed? When Gu Hang suggested that they must find a way to solve this problem and prevent this catastrophe, both of them agreed and began to look for a solution. Georgette was the main force.
As the Prioress, aside from herbat capability, and apart from the divine grace bestowed upon her over the years, her other major task was to study various spiritual powers and cult materials. She armed her mind so that she could quickly find targeted solutions when facing simr problems in the future. Rizzo was of a simr nature, just not as specialized as the Battle Nuns. After all, he was a Starfighter and had been on a penitent crusade for an extended time, where battle missions and training were more frequent, and as a Priest, he also had to soothe the emotions and morale of his fellow fighters, and handle their confessions. But no matter what, he had lived for so long, seen much and knew much, and perhaps some of his past experiences could offer insight into simr issues. While the Prioress and the Priest of the Battle Group sought a solution for this evil ritual from a religious perspective, Gu Hang considered solutions from the aspect of spiritual energy. Currently, the huge storm avatar is about to be reformed, but in itself, it might look intimidating, but that¡¯s not a big problem. Using a 155mm howitzer again to bombard it seems too extravagant, as a shell is quite expensive, and inventory isn¡¯t plentiful to begin with. But they could use much cheaper mortar guns. Perbov had already sent out several mortar teams to encircle the giant monster incarnation. Whenever it shows signs of reforming its body, a few shells would directly st down, and the just reformed part of the body would be sted into pieces again, entering the phase of reforming once more. It was quite pitiful. However, while it may seem pitiful, if it truly stood up, it would be extremely fierce. A p from it could send a Starfighter flying, and even through the powered armor, they would be injured. Against ordinary people, it could perhaps sweep away a whole squad of infantry with one move. Don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that two howitzer shells sent it away, but if it wasn¡¯t for the Phoenix and the Holy Mercy Lily drawing its hatred beforehand, and the fact that they had a rtively high chance of survival under the bombardment. Relying solely on ordinary troops to deal with it would be extremely difficult. It might require death squads to attract the attention of the storm fury avatar.
But a death squad would surely suffer heavy casualties under the attack of the storm fury avatar, and then, when the heavy artillery arrives, the ordinary soldiers who are closer are likely to bepletely wiped out. Not to mention organizing a death squad that is bound to be a suicide mission is a difficult task in itself, but even if it¡¯s sessful, the soldiers would find it very hard to hold their ground. Without the ability to counter, the storm fury avatar would easily rampage through the military formation, not restricting its movement, making the uracy of the artillery fire worrying. If not hit, then a new death squad must go up. Are there enough men to die? This death squad can¡¯t rely on the troops who have just been recruited from the prisoners. Coercion won¡¯t work, and they simply can¡¯t do the job. But what if they call on more Starfighters and Battle Nuns to go to each wind power station to solve the problem? Will there be enough time? Faced with this problem, Gu Hang thought of a solution: The Quintet in the sky. However, even if they could deal with the threat of the storm fury avatar, what about the problem of the storm itself? Gu Hang had thought that the generators and therge des were the core of this storm. However, after they were bombed and physically no longer existed, they left behind white misty des that blew into a huge storm fury avatar. What if the core of this storm was in these white misty des, in the storm fury avatar?
The fact was just so, Gu Hang could clearly see that the power of the storm fury avatar was projected into the sky, causing a strong spiritual energy reaction. But the problem was, this connection couldn¡¯t be cut off. Gu Hang had already tried using his soul-cutting ability to block it, but to no effect¡ªor perhaps Gu Hang was not powerful enough to have an effect. And when the fury avatar was sted into pieces, and the white mist forming the wind turbine des were also shattered, it did not affect their spiritual connection at all. The lightning storm and torrential rain were still getting worse. sh floods from the downpour, the hurricane itself, and even more frequent lightning strikes¡­ If this trend continues, the growing storm would destroy Revival City in about three hours. Standing in the rain, Gu Hang pondered all of this. While observing the constantly exploded and minimally replenishing storm fury avatar through his Psychic Vision, he contemted many tactics moving forward. ¡°` He began to speak, issuing onemand after another: ¡°Inform Osenia, beyond distributing food, to put all her efforts into the evacuation of personnel. Prepare for the worst-case scenario¡ªshe has two hours to evacuate Revival City. During this time, I need her to do her utmost to evacuate as many people as possible from the city.¡± ¡°Tell Lambert to mobilize all the forces he canmand within Revival City to assist Osenia¡¯s evacuation efforts.¡± ¡°Notify Yan Fangxu to deploy the entire former Alliance Legion to fully support Osenia. The troops must also withdraw from Revival City after two hours.¡±
¡°Another order for Yan Fangxu¡ªtakemand of the teams sent to the various wind power stations. Ten minutes from now, he must provide the precise coordinates for seven wind farms and ry them to me. After the orbital bombardment, all troops must quickly approach the bombardment sites and exterminate everything still alive there. If anything continues to reconstitute or resurrect, keep destroying it. This mission is to carry on for two and a half hours; once the time is up, if there are no new orders, the troops must withdraw immediately.¡± ¡°Connect me to Quintet and convey my request to Colonel Yelisia, please prepare for an orbital strike immediately. In ten minutes, we will provide the strike coordinates. They must carry out three rounds of precise orbital bombardments at the locations, with low firepower and the highest uracy. Emphasize¡ªnot to use heavy-caliber ship cannons. I do not wish to destroy Revival City.¡± Perbov, upon hearing thesemands from the governor, couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Back when the torrential rain had soaked him through, he didn¡¯t feel cold, but now the wind and rain seemed piercing to the bone. He hurriedly followed the governor¡¯s instructions, sending out eachmand through themunication soldiers of the camp. Connecting with Quintet proved slightly more troublesome, but fortunately, the mission included a device specially for orbitalmunication. After some time, he managed to get it done. After finishing the tasks at hand, Perbov had nothing else to do. As he sat idly, he began to grasp the implications behind the governor¡¯s orders. This was making preparations for both possibilities. If the storm disaster remained unresolved by the end, the worst-case scenario woulde into y: relinquish Revival City and evacuate as much of the poption as possible within two hours. Of course, as long as the people survived, there was still hope. But with only two hours under a fierce storm, how many could they evacuate? Hardly any! Not to mention the manufacturing equipment, the food¡­
But in such a dire situation, the governor¡¯s choice was undoubtedly rational. Before everything came to an irrevocable end, it was crucial to preserve as much as possible¡ªsaving as many lives and as much material as they could. It was better than losing everything along with Revival City. Part of the work assigned to Osenia, Lambert, and Yan Fangxu was in an effort to achieve this. But clearly, the governor was not so easily willing to give up. He was still doing his utmost to save the city. The secondmand to Yan Fangxu and the request for an orbital strike to Yelisia were made with this in mind. Three spaced out orbital strikes, even the smallest firepower a starship could deliver, would be enough to destroy the wind farms; the subsequent two salvos, with a slight interval, could then eliminate any manifestations of the Storm Fury that appeared. Of course, this wouldn¡¯tpletely solve the problem. Even if the avatars of the Storm Fury were extinguished, their shells would regenerate over time, as it was happening now. But the troops dispatched to the other seven sites could handle the follow-up. Like Perbov¡¯s own situation, they just needed to surround the remnants of the Storm Fury and bombard it with mortars whenever it showed signs of regenerating. As long as they had enough shells, the thing couldn¡¯t wreak havoc. And then, there was only one problem left: the monster might be contained, but how to stop the storm? Watching the governor still furrowing his brows, seeing the Holy Lily and the Phoenixes look helpless, Perbov¡¯s heart twisted in anguish.
He couldn¡¯t help but pray silently: ¡°Divine Emperor above, please let them find a way, please don¡¯t let the governor¡¯s hard work go to waste.¡± He hadn¡¯t been a devout follower of the Divine Emperor, but having heard and thought a lot, he could now say this. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Although there are only two chapters, there are 6000 Chapter 111: 110, The Storm Chapter 111: Chapter 110, The Storm
Osenia was already soaked through. She had been running in the storm for a long time. Even though she wore a raincoat, her slender figure seemed as if the wind could blow her away at any moment amidst the heavy rain and strong winds. More than once, her subordinates had hoped she would return inside the building, but she had refused them all. ¡°You¡¯d do better to do something useful than waste time persuading me,¡± she said. And that was what she did. In theory, once all the work arrangements at the food distribution points were in ce and the attack on the food convoy had been resolved, there should be no significant problems as long as the n was executed step by step.
At most, they had to worry about public security. Over the past few days due to war and unrest, many of the residents of the outer city of Revival City had fallen into starvation. While they weren¡¯t called rabble or rioters, one couldn¡¯t expect these people, most of whom had experience wandering the wastnds, to be rule-abiding. Many of them had blood on their hands. It was all toomon for public security issues to arise during the long wait to receive food. She had anticipated these issues and had established some rules. The armed soldiers would sternly warn those in line to behave. Those who didn¡¯t would not only face suppression from the soldiers but would also lose their qualification to receive food. Coupled with her tireless propaganda that there was an adequate supply of food, the likelihood of disputes and security problems was greatly reduced. In the beginning, everything did indeed go as she had nned. That is until the storm hit. When the storm first arrived, Osenia sensed trouble. Waiting in line in the wind and rain was a test for the people¡¯s health, a test for their mood, and a test for her subordinates and the soldiers maintaining order. When would it be a good time for wind and rain? Why did it have to be now! There was no choice but to grit their teeth and carry on.
The storm caused a great deal of chaos, significantly increased her subordinates¡¯ workload, and led to numerous emergencies that were reported to her, one after another, requiring her toe up with solutions or even handle them personally. Many things couldn¡¯t be resolved just by sitting in an office, listening to reports, and making decisions. She ran through the rain among the various food distribution points, confronting one issue after another on the front lines. Busy, tired, and challenging, but her will was resolute. This was the first and most crucial day of building a bridge of trust between the governor and the people of Revival City. She had to do her best in her role. No storm could hinder her determination to see everything through smoothly. That was until the two-hour evacuation order was ryed to her. It left her feeling disillusioned. She had neverined about the hard work, but this news nearly made her copse. She couldn¡¯t help but feel lost. What was the point of the previous efforts, including the sacrifice of those soldiers guarding the transport routes? She stood there, staring nkly at the people queuing in the storm.
There were parents with young children, couples hunched over, creating a small shelter for their child against the wind and rain, but the little boy, who looked to be only four or five years old, was still inevitably drenched; There was a limping man who hade alone; he slipped while walking forward, fell into the water that was deep enough to submerge his feet, and couldn¡¯t get up for a long time, relying on the help of others to stand again; Everyone in the storm seemed so hard-pressed, so helpless. Were they to abandon them after only two hours¡¯ time? Osenia felt she couldn¡¯t do it. But momentster, she told herself in her heart: ¡°You must do it.¡± She couldn¡¯t see the whole picture, but she wasn¡¯t a fool. She could guess that the pressing reason behind the evacuation had to be this storm that kept getting worse. It had even urred to her that the storm could potentially kill everyone. If there were a choice, His Excellency the Governor certainly wouldn¡¯t make such a decision, but it was theck of choice that drove him to it. So what she needed to do was to ensure as many people as possible could survive. This held the same meaning as the earlier food distribution, only it was now much more difficult. Whether it was the specific tasks that needed to be done or the determination that had to be made.
She wiped the rain off her face, but it was in vain, as more cold rain pped against her skin. She gestured for her subordinate toe over, and yelled into their ear over the sound of the wind and rain, ¡°Notify all food distribution points! Instruct each one to keep a line clear, arrange for everyone who has received food to gather outside the city!¡± ¡°Tell them the storm is a conspiracy by the Cult! Leaving the city is for their safety!¡± ¡°Use all the megaphones, put them all to work!¡± ¡°Select volunteers from those who have received food, have them quickly inform everyone they know! Leave the city! Leave some reliable vagrants to help us maintain order!¡± ¡°You go now and rally a squad of soldiers, set up a temporary camp outside the city, find a ce without wind and rain! Get all the drivable vehicles moving, take the food from the gathering point over there!¡± After that, she connected with Lambert¡¯s signal, instructing him to move as much of the inner city¡¯s food as possible to the temporary camp outside. Having done all this, she heard a rumbling sound. At first, she thought it was thunder, but then the ground started to tremble, and it didn¡¯t seem like thunder at all. Stepping outside, she saw seven orange glows from around the city, streaking across the sky and crashing to the ground. The sounds like muffled thunder came again. A little whileter, another seven orange glows fell from the sky.
Was this orbital bombardment? What issue had escted to the point of needing an orbital bombardment? Osenia shivered. Although it was only at the edges of the city, about ten to twenty kilometers away from the center, such terrible power meant that if there were people or homes in those areas, they would likely¡­ She shook her head; those things weren¡¯t for her to worry about right now. The matter at hand was more important. The food distribution point here was already in chaos. The order to evacuate had been given. Osenia knew clearly that the forces under her control couldn¡¯t guarantee orderly evacuation under such a storm. She also wanted to organize the poor into orderly groups, each apanied by at least a squad of soldiers to maintain order and guide them to the evacuation points outside the city. But that waspletely unfeasible. Given time and a stable environment, she might have managed, but now, arranging for as many people as possible to leave the city in two hours amid the storm was too difficult.
The noise of the wind and the rain, mixed with the thunder, was so loud that even if she shouted at the top of her voice, it would not carry far. If the goal was to evacuate as many people as possible, then she¡¯d rather sacrifice some order, even if it meant more chaos, as long as she could spread the message further and wider. Let the locals figure out their own way to get out; they might be faster than trying to organize personnel herself. Her top priority was to ensure the evacuation routes stayed open, preventing arge number of people from getting stuck on the roads out of the city, culminating in nobody being able to leave; she also needed to set up points outside the city to ensure supplies, to avoid the scenario where lots of people leave the city only to die of starvation in the wilderness instead of the storm. There was a list of tasks to do, each critical, yet hindered by environmental and logistical difficulties; time was of the essence, two hours were not enough to do much, even if one fought tooth and nail. But the saying still stood, one must fight with all one¡¯s might. Chapter 112: 111, Emptiness Chapter 112: Chapter 111, Emptiness
In the wind farm, Gu Hang and his group were still there. After issuing numerous orders, Gu Hang focused all his attention on the problem at hand. Abandoning Revival City and giving up the hard-won aplishments of so long was ast resort. Although he had made this decision and instructed his subordinates to start executing it, he was still striving to save the city until thest moment. He wasn¡¯t just standing there like a fool, all determination and no method. In fact, with Spiritual Vision working at full strength, Gu Hang was gathering every bit of Spiritual Energy flow information he could and analyzing it in his mind.
Gradually, Gu Hang observed something. He had an idea. After two rounds of mortars sted the reassembling body of the Primal Fury Owl into pieces again, Gu Hang issued an order. ¡°Speed up the pace, bomb it at the first sign of reshaping.¡± In the midst of the storm, it was difficult to ry orders, but this obstacle was nothing to Gu Hang. His voice, powered by Spiritual Energy, rang clear and urate in the ears of every mortar team soldier. The warriors in the rain carried out Mr. Gu¡¯smand. The reason this wasn¡¯t done before was due to the consideration of the ammunition stock. No one knew how long this would have to continue, and every fired mortar round was one less in the supply. After all, the monster needed time to reconstitute its body. It would have almost the same effect to bomb it again once it had regenerated to a certain extent, preventing it from fully reforming while significantly conserving ammunition. But now that Mr. Gu had given an order, they would follow it. Meanwhile, Gu Hang observed the flow of Spiritual Energy during the first reconstitution, after the Primal Fury Owl¡¯s incarnation was thoroughly shattered by the bombings, more frequently and more times than before. Finally, during this process, he solidified an idea. ¡°Stop,¡± hemanded again. The soldiers obeyed and halted.
Gu Hang walked forward, his eyes shining as he carefully observed and stood at a spot based on the information he had analyzed previously. This was a crater. After being bombarded back and forth multiple times by heavy artillery and mortars, the area where the avatar of the Primal Fury Owl could resurrect wasn¡¯t veryrge, so finding a good spot was somewhat challenging. Gu Hang waved his hand, and Spiritual Energy gently seeped forward. Under his will, the released Spiritual Energy bore a hint of blue, tinting a small area ahead in color. A momentter, when Gu Hang stopped pouring in energy, his blue Spiritual Energy was quickly washed away by the wind and rain, except for an oval-shaped Spiritual Energy core, about twenty centimeters in diameter, floating in mid-air. As he said this, he reached out again. His Spiritual Energy, controlled through Telekinesis, tried to influence this insubstantial, oval-shaped sphere that could only be marked by staining it with Spiritual Energy, but it remainedpletely still. ¡°Telekinesis is ineffective, which probably verifies my theory,¡± he concluded. Then, he attempted to influence it by means of mental maniption and soul cutting. ¡°Mental maniption is ineffective; it must not be a life form, or it has no cognitive abilities. Soul cutting has some effect, but it¡¯s not significant. I can¡¯t sever the ritual core¡¯s residual influence on its surroundings afterpletion. This thing is less of a sphere and more of a hole opened in the real world.¡± As Georgette listened, she moved forward. Seeing the Battle Nun reach out her hand, as if to touch it, Gu Hang considered speaking up to stop her. But then, noting the golden glow on her hand, he swallowed his words of caution.
A Battle Nun blessed by The Emperor might possess some special means. Although thedy was rather rash in her actions, her vast experience meant that if she dared to touch it, it was unlikely to be in vain. Then Gu Hang watched as she made contact with the dyed void. The moment after she touched it, as if having endured a tremendous force, she was repelled. She stumbled several steps backward before regaining her bnce. She reached up to remove her helmet, during which Gu Hang observed her hands shaking violently. Once the helmet was off, everyone saw blood gushing from her nose. Her white short hair quickly got drenched by the rain, mixing with the blood, which smeared all over, making her look very bedraggled. I thought you wouldn¡¯t do it for nothing, but you actually did? Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t anything serious. She wiped her face with her hand, realized it was futile, and then turned to the others and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ve found a solution.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Gu Hang asked immediately. ¡°Challenge it, then defeat it,¡± Georgette gave an answer that was a bit perplexing but swiftly exined, ¡°As Mr. Gu said, this is a void that connects to a mad and powerful entity. That must be the Primal Fury Owl worshipped by the Cultists. Regardless of its origins, it has likely be a fearsome Spiritual Energy creature by now. I just faced it directly, and it¡¯s beyond my capability.¡± Georgette candidly admitted herck of strength. Even just a fleeting glimpse at a spiritual level had subjected her to a massive impact, causing severe mental strain.
Of course, if they had met in the real world, it wouldn¡¯t have been quite as dire. Engaging in unprotected Spiritual Vision is inherently high risk. But she was already quite admirable. Even for a Battle Nun, directly confronting a deified and potentially insane Spiritual Energy creature in the mental realm and only suffering a nosebleed was quite remarkable; she came out rtively unscathed. Although she was reckless, she clearly had the wherewithal to be so. Georgette continued with the valuable information she¡¯d just obtained: ¡°Its power, through this void, is projected into the real world. We need to defeat it to close the portal, to prevent the resurrection of the Fury Owl incarnation, and to stop this storm.¡± ¡°And we may need to do this eight times. Every wind farm, besides this one, needs to be shut down.¡± Chapter 113: 112, Annihilation Projection Chapter 113: Chapter 112, Annihtion Projection
After Georgette finished speaking, Gu Hang asked the critical question, ¡°How can we defeat it? Are we supposed to defeat a Primal Psychic Creature that has achieved godhood?¡± ¡°No, it hasn¡¯te to that,¡± Georgette continued to exin. ¡°I¡¯ve sensed that it is still some distance away from tearing apart the veil of reality and truly awakening. If nearly a million people from Revival City indeed perish in the storm, such a vast spiritual reaction would echo repeatedly at the site of the ritual, and it really could pull it out of hell.¡± ¡°But to approach thisyer of the True Universe, it still needs an anchor. Its eight spiritual avatars are here. What we need to eliminate are these avatars, soul to soul. A strong spirit is the key to defeating it.¡± ¡­ Gu Hang roughly understood what Georgette meant. Although she had mentioned some rather abstruse concepts, they seemed rted to the underlying logic of the entire world. He found some answers in his memories.
In the legitimate study for Spiritual Energy users, it is understood that beneath the entire reality of the universe, there¡¯s a believedyer of an illusory universe filled with pure energy but no matter, considered to be the birthce of the real universe, its foundation, also referred to as the ¡®True Universe.¡¯ It is spected that tens of thousands of years ago, during the Golden Age, humans wielded advanced technology, properly harnessing the energy of the True Universe. This boundless energy source gave rise to a brilliant civilization. All of this ended after the emergence of ¡®hell.¡¯ ¡®Hell¡¯ is seen as the gathering ce of energies that are unusable or discharged after use. It is rife with madness, destruction, and chaos. Modern Schrs of Spiritual Energy generally believe that the True Universe is now divided into twoyers. The Star Spirit Realm is the outeryer, a usable sea of Spiritual Energy. The Spirit Network constructed by the Divine Emperor supports the entire Spirit Realm, allowing safe Spiritual Energy users to emerge among humans, who also utilize Spiritual Energy as an advanced source of energy. Of course, the Theological Council of the state religion doesn¡¯t see it that way. In their theory, the Spirit Network is the Divine Realm established by the Emperor upon His ascension. The Emperor blesses the people of this world from within His realm. People should believe wholly in the Emperor and upon death, their souls should return to the Divine Realm, achieving transcendence. The Mechanical Sect has their own theories, to be set aside for now. But regardless of the debate, in essence, Spiritual Energy originates from the Spirit Realm and the ascended Emperor bestows protection upon humanity. However, hell still exists¡ªdisordered, chaotic, insane¡ªfilled with destructive energy. ording to Georgette, the ¡®Primal Fury Owl¡¯ is ssified as a kind of powerful psychic creature, and it has fallen into hell for reasons unknown. Now, due to the rituals of the cultists, it is about to tear open the veil of the real universe and descend. Within the eight wind farms, there exist eight avatars of the Fury Owl, essentially eight mental projections of the Primal Fury Owl that have torn a small opening in the real universe, allowing the insane Spiritual Energy storm to sweep through it. If these eight Fury Owl projections are killed in the Mental Realm, it would mean aplete termination of the avatars¡¯ reconstitution, preventing the arrival of the Primal Fury Owl and permanently solving the storm issue.
How do we kill these Fury Owl projections? ¡°Just touch the void,¡± Georgette provided a very specific solution, further exining, ¡°I was trying to see the source earlier; that¡¯s why¡­if it were only about challenging the projection, it wouldn¡¯t be like this.¡± Oh, so you still went and acted rashly. ¡°Then, has the projection avatar here been dealt with?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Georgette admitted somewhat awkwardly, ¡°After my injury, I no longer have enough mental strength to destroy the projection.¡± Oh, after acting rashly, you¡¯re too weak to do the actual work. Isn¡¯t that just giving it away for free? Gu Hang took a deep breath, deciding¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Priest Rizzo stepped forward. ¡°Just touching it will suffice?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Georgette replied. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t venture too deep, just annihte that creature.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Priest Rizzo reached out and touched the void.
Momentster, he lowered his hand, looking a bit wilted and weak, but his voice was light as he spoke, ¡°Mission aplished.¡± As his words fell, Gu Hang could clearly see the void shrinking at a visible rate, soon disappearing entirely. Gu Hang was overjoyed! Dawn was in sight! ¡°We now need to rush to the other seven wind farms immediately! We have less than three hours; we can still make it!¡± Watching the governor be invigorated, the priest sighed and cooled the excitement. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± Rizzo began, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not as simple as we thought.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Projecting the soul into the Mental Realm forbat is much more difficult than imagined. Defeating that creature doesn¡¯t cost me much, but the transit back and forth burdens the spirit heavily. I can¡¯t do it again in a short amount of time. Otherwise, just the act of projecting the soul could leave me unconscious, and I need at least two days of rest to recover.¡± Everyone has a two-day cooldown to enter the Mental Realm? Gu Hang looked at Georgette. ¡°I¡¯m in a simr situation.¡±
Rizzo continued: ¡°To withstand the pressure of soul projection, one needs a very resilient spirit. Even for the Sisters of Saintly Lilies, it would be extremely dangerous. Only we Phoenixes have the capability to endure it.¡± Chapter 114: 112: Annihilation of Projection_2 Chapter 114: Chapter 112: Annihtion of Projection_2
As soon as these words were uttered, the nuns of the Holy Mercy Lilies disagreed vehemently. Several stepped forward: ¡°We can do it!¡± ¡°The will of the Holy Mercy Lilies is in no way inferior to that of space warriors!¡± ¡°Leave it to us!¡± Their emotions ran high, feeling insulted.
But Rizzo had no intention of employing reverse psychology, and even Georgette fell silent at that moment. Gu Hang saw all this and acknowledged that Rizzo¡¯s words were the truth. The abbess was no fool¡ªif she was confident, she wouldn¡¯t remain silent. Clearly, it was because she also believed that the ordinary battle nuns faced a near-certain death doing this task, and thus she kept quiet. In the previous battle, she had already lost a sister-in-arms. Gu Hang turned his gaze to Matins and directly made his request, ¡°Commander, I need your help.¡± Matins didn¡¯t demur, ¡°To fight for The Emperor, eradicate the corrupt Spiritual Energy creatures, and save the Empire World, the Phoenix cannot refuse!¡± The Phoenix is indeed reliable! Initially, I even considered a ¡®change the cage for a bird¡¯ n¡ªsimply too inhumane. But¡­ the Phoenix only has seven members. That¡¯s a problem too. Rizzo had already been spent here, leaving only six of Phoenix, yet there were seven wind farms to deal with.
Georgette looked somewhat ashamed. If she still had the strength to fight, she could have taken care of one, and there would be no problem. Or, if she dared to risk sacrifice, one nun might not be enough, but they had ten people, taking turns, they would surely be able to bring down one projection. But when it really came to making this decision, she hesitated. However, Gu Hang did not make it difficult for her, ¡°I will deal with one myself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Priest Rizzo advised. Gu Hang waved his hand, his decision already made. Moreover, he felt that in pure Mental Realmbat, he, a user of Spiritual Energy, might even be stronger than the warriors of Phoenix. Subsequently, the personnel were split into many groups and began rushing toward the other seven wind farms. Besides Rizzo, the three Phoenix members present rushed to three different sites; the nuns also formed teams to follow as reserves; another three Phoenix members, led by the bald Schneider in the city, received orders and went to three other locations. Ordinary troops did not apany their actions. Perbov and his team were ordered by Gu Hang to go to the city to help, following themands of Yan Fangxu and Osenia. The remaining space warriors and nuns could then proceed at full speed. With the aid of their powered armor, they strode through the storm, not much slower than a car.
Gu Hang headed toward the farthest of the seven power stations. The reason for this assignment was because he could fly, making him the fastest. Whether it was bad luck or being targeted, he was struck by lightning twice on his way there. But there was no harm done. Before the lightning struck, he had already detected unnatural gatherings of Spiritual Energy through his Spiritual Vision, allowing him to dodge in advance. Upon his arrival at the destination, local soldiers were bombarding incarnations of the Primal Fury Owl in the enormous craters left by orbital bombardments. The strategy that Gu Hang had previously formted was working. Originally, following Yan Fangxu¡¯s orders, the many troops that came to this location encountered resistance from Cult members. The Cult¡¯s numbers and quality weren¡¯t especially high, and given time, the soldiers should have been able to ovee the enemy, followed by demolishing the wind farm, not a big problem anymore. But while they were engaged inbat, they received new orders, so they withdrew from the fight. Those Cult members didn¡¯t chase after them. Their mission was to protect the wind farm; even if it couldn¡¯t be held, they were to dy as much as possible. Even when the enemy¡¯s retreat seemed strange, their happiness outweighed their confusion. Then, in their joy, they faced orbital bombardment.
The bombardiers aboard the Quintet followed the governor¡¯s orders and carried out 7¡Á3 rounds of minimal yield bombardment, not using the Colossal Cannons and the Light Spear Array, but only the secondary cannons. Yet, the effect on the ground was still terrifying. The direct destruction range of the bombardment extended over half a kilometer; the shockwave retained lethal force even a kilometer away. Even the troops stationed at an almost two-kilometer theoretical safe distance from the target could feel the intense shock. Some houses on the city¡¯s edge copsed under the bombardment. Fortunately, by now, most people had gone to various food distribution points to queue for supplies, so the casualty figures should not be too high. Just as they were hurrying back, washed by the rain and witnessing the rapid dissipation of the residual heat after the three bombardments, the wind farm was already gone. The Primal Fury Owl, which should have appeared, was making an effort to reconstitute itself. No doubt about it, the artillery attackmenced. The barely reconstituted Primal Fury Owl was sted apart again. In this way, with a strategy of sting a bit as soon as it reconstituted a bit, the local Primal Fury Owl¡¯s incarnation became very miserable. Until Gu Hang arrived. Hemended the troops on the scene, and through themunications soldier integrated into their team, received thetest situation updates. Good news hade from the other two wind farms closest to the one where Cui Kao had been eliminated. Two ster warriors, including Commander Matins, had already annihted the projections of the Primal Fury Owls in those locations.
This was a good start, indicating the n was proceeding smoothly. Without hesitation, Gu Hang stepped forward and touched the void. Suddenly, he felt a palpitation and before his eyes appeared a vast fog. The fog came quickly and vanished just as fast. Within a few breaths, it disappeared. Before himy a steeply descending road, endless in length, with rolling mists of endless colors. Gu Hang felt a strong pull of temptation as if being called to walk down, but also a strong sense of fear warning him of the great horror thaty below. These two conflicting feelings interwove in his heart, even causing him a moment of trance. A roar awakened him from the astounded sense of conflict. Turning around, Gu Hang saw a two-person tall, phantom incarnation of the Primal Fury Owl, strutting arrogantly. Are you the one? Without a word, Gu Hang unleashed a psychic sh at it. Upon his psychic projection entering this illusory Mental Realm, his Spiritual Energy could, of course, be utilized. Additionally, because he was closer to the Spirit Realm, and even to Hell, his spiritual sensitivity became keener and the Psychic Spells he could unleash were stronger. The monster lost a leg, losing its arrogance immediately.
Unyielding will? Maybe the Battle Nuns and ster warriors really needed it when they entered the Mental Realm to fight. They had to engage in fierce meleebat with the frightful Primal Fury Owl incarnations, hence, their willpower determined the strength of their ¡®bodies.¡¯ But a psychic like Gu Hang didn¡¯t need that. He relied on spiritual attributes to battle here, and all his Psychic Spells were effective¡ªa few even stronger than usual. Gu Hang¡¯s psychic sh might not kill the Primal Fury Owl projection in one blow, but no matter, one sh at a time would suffice. With less spiritual consumption and stronger psychic power¡­ at this rate, he could continue for a hundred shes. In other words, he could execute the Primal Fury Owl projection by dismemberment. In reality, it didn¡¯t even survive fifteen shes, never once touching the hem of Gu Hang¡¯s clothing before being cut into countless pieces. A thick fog enveloped his vision once more, and by the time it cleared, Gu Hang found himself back in the real world. It was at this moment that he felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Upon leaving the Mental Realm, his soul had suffered a tearing. It wasn¡¯t an injury per se, but if he entered that ce again within a short period and then left, he might genuinely harm the core of his being. He came to understand; this must be the price Georgette referred to, the cost of projecting one¡¯s soul into the purely Mental Realm. Thankfully, the price was paid upon exit. If it had to be paid upon entry, going in with a debuff of weakness and having to fight a Primal Fury Owl projection would make the challenge substantially harder. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The content isn¡¯t easy to split, so two chapters have beenbined and posted together. Chapter 115: 113, Termination Ritual Chapter 115: Chapter 113, Termination Ritual
¡°` Dizzy and disoriented, Gu Hang refused the support of the approaching soldier and made his way to the group ofmunication soldiers on his own. While taking a rest beside them, he said, ¡°Let me know immediately if there¡¯s any news from other ces.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± With that, Gu Hang closed his eyes and sat in the rain to recuperate. It wasn¡¯t that they couldn¡¯t afford to set up a shelter for the Governor; it was just that in the current conditions, any awning would be blown away.
Fortunately, Gu Hang didn¡¯t care about such things. In the following fifteen to twenty minutes, messages from all around came one by one. Three more projections of the Wrathful Owls at the wind farms were taken care of. Together with the previous four, that made seven in total. A smile appeared on Gu Hang¡¯s face, even with his eyes closed. It seemed there wasn¡¯t much of a problem anymore. But a few minutester, the news from thest wind farm that he had been waiting for still hadn¡¯t arrived. The smile disappeared from Gu Hang¡¯s face. ¡°Send a message, ask what¡¯s going on over there, what¡¯s the situation now.¡± Themunication soldier did as ordered, and soon there was a reply. ¡°Five minutes ago, an interster warrior and two nuns arrived, they¡­ they¡­¡± At this point, themunication soldier stammered, and Gu Hang already had an ominous feeling: ¡°Quick, say it.¡±
¡°Yes, sir!¡± No longer bothering to organize his words, themunication soldier hurriedly reported the situation as it happened, ¡°An interster warrior touched the void first. Then after a little while, the void didn¡¯t disappear; instead, the interster warrior fell. Then the two nuns checked, and said the interster warrior was already dead. One of them touched the void and also fell¡­ The remaining nun is using themunication signal, calling for help.¡± Gu Hang¡¯s face turnedpletely dark. Although not yet aplete failure, he was aware that there was a big problem now. Besides himself, a high-level spiritual energy user, only the interster warriors could deal with the Wrathful Owl projections lingering in the wind farms. These Phoenix veterans, who had undergone the Penitent Expedition and each had at least a century ofbat experience, were all extremely determined. There were only seven of them, and added to Gu Hang himself, they should have been able to handle all the Wrathful Owl projections. It was indeed a stretch, but Gu Hang hadn¡¯t really considered the possibility of them failing. However, even though the Phoenixes had a seventy to eighty percent chance of winning against a Wrathful Owl incarnation in the Mental Realm with pure willpower, facing it seven times in a row could lead to an ident, which wasn¡¯t unthinkable. Moreover, Gu Hang remembered that among the Phoenixes, one unfortunate soul had been hit by an air st and then, during the appearance of the Wrathful Owl incarnation, was pped by the same being. Although there was no concrete evidence, Gu Hang suspected that the one who died was this very person¡­ Perhaps the previous warrior had already been seriously injured and in a poor state before entering the Mental Realm to face the Wrathful Owl projection with pure willpower and unfortunately lost the battle. The loss of an interster warrior was painful. Although the Phoenixes were still only his allies, their rtionship wasn¡¯t the kind where one would stand still if an ally was in trouble. On the contrary, the two sides had cooperated fairly well recently. Even though their presence required Gu Hang to invest a considerable amount of manpower in building monasteries for them and Wu Jiarong¡¯s research institute had to spare time to hand-make bombs for them, the interster warriors truly showed their worth in action. The price Gu Hang paid was not even as much as the money he would give to hire mercenaries. On the flip side, these Phoenix warriors had been a great help to him.
The loss of one meant that Gu Hang felt he had lost at least three hundred points of grace¡ªthat was the price of a standard interster warrior, not to mention the veteran¡¯s experience. Beyond the personal loss, the downfall of a Phoenix dered that the mission to halt the Cult¡¯s ritual had suffered a significant setback. Seven interster warriors for seven wind farms left no room for error. If a mistake urred, the difficulty of fixing it was immense. The battle nun who died following the fallen Phoenix was a case in point. In the whole Revival City, where could one find another being with spiritual will as strong as that of the interster warriors? The only person Gu Hang could think of asking for help was Superior Georgette. ¡°` Would the Mother Superior be willing to let her nine remaining nuns, one by one, attempt to duel to the death with the Angry Owl Projection? Gu Hang felt a bit reluctant to broach this request. The Mother Superior had already lost two of her subordinates; if it were only about sacrifice that would be one thing, but the critical issue was that no one knew what chance the nuns stood as they entered the Mental Realm to challenge the Angry Owl Projection. What if all nine nuns died and the problem still wasn¡¯t resolved? Georgette would hesitate.
But it seemed Gu Hang had no other option. He took a deep breath and said to themunications soldier standing by, ¡°Go inquire where Superior Georgette currently is, I need to speak with her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Themunications soldier hurried off to carry out the order. However, at that very moment, Gu Hang heard a roar of extreme unwillingness,ing from the edge of the sky, from the void. Suddenly, he felt that the dark clouds hovering over the city showed signs of dispersal; the increasingly fierce storm and heavy rain seemed to have lessened a great deal. Gu Hang was somewhat startled in his heart: Had the ritual been terminated? Had the Angry Owl Projection been dealt with? But why? Who had intervened? Could it be that thest remaining nun mentioned in the previous reports had a major outbreak and defeated the Angry Owl Projection? Gu Hang¡¯s heart was enveloped in immense surprise!
Regardless of the details, this was undoubtedly excellent news! Although the oue was positive, such a rollercoaster of emotions was hardly friendly to the heart. If possible, Gu Hang really did not want to experience something simr ever again. Shortly afterward, anothermunications soldier came to report the news. ¡°Governor, we have new intelligence from the wind farm where we lost a star warrior and a battle nun! The problem has been solved!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Gu Hang said with a smile, ¡°Who resolved the issue in the end? Was it the battle nun?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hmm? At that response, Gu Hang was taken aback. ¡°Then who was it?¡± ¡°It was Tadeusz.¡± Tadeusz? Gu Hang found the name somewhat familiar. He instantly recalled the series of battles during the previous food transport convoy ambush. He had read the battle report, and in that battle, the position of politicalmissar he had established yed a significant role.
Back then, the most impressive person he had noticed was naturally Kodi, who sacrificed himself to turn the tide of battle from defeat to victory. As for Tadeusz, it seemed that in the story of Kodi, he was just part of the backdrop. However, it was this character, who seemed as inconspicuous as part of the backdrop, who became the key to saving the entire city. Now Gu Hang was very curious about how exactly Tadeusz had achieved this. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª An additional chapter will be added; another one will follow shortly toplete this entire segment. Chapter 116: 114, Among mortals, there are also heroes. Chapter 116: Chapter 114, Among mortals, there are also heroes.
Tadeusz didn¡¯t know how he had done it. He had led his toon, following Yan Fangxu¡¯s orders, to this wind farm to carry out their mission. After the orbital bombardment, his troops couldn¡¯t even be considered the main force; they were merely supporting teams from the Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment in executing a blockade. Late on, the Star Realm warriors and Battle Nuns had arrived, and he didn¡¯t even understand what had to be done at first. It was not until a Star Realm warrior and a nun had died at the core location after the previous orbital bombardment. Only when the surviving nun reported the situation to her head nun in somewhat of a panic, using themunication soldier¡¯s channel, did Tadeusz understand what was probably going on.
Then, he strode towards that void. Everyone watched his actions, confused at first, not knowing what he was up to. But soon, somerades reacted,ing up to try to stop him. In the pouring rain, hisrade grabbed Tadeusz¡¯s waist from behind and yelled in his ear, ¡°Have you gone mad? Have you no regard for your life?¡± ¡°Let go!¡± Tadeusz struggled violently. ¡°Don¡¯t go to your death! It¡¯s something even the Star Realm warriors can¡¯t handle! You¡¯re just throwing your life away for nothing!¡± ¡°Who says?¡± Tadeusz broke free with a twist and, turning to hisrade who had fallen to the ground, said, ¡°What this battle needs most is steadfast will, and I certainly am notcking that!¡± As he said this, he thought of his friend Kodi, remembered his pulling the pin of the grenade and jumping into the enemy, remembered what he himself had not been able to do. These memories did not strike him down; rather, they reinforced his determination, ¡°This world has nothing to do with those Star Realm warriors or Battle Nuns, and yet they still fought with all they had. To save our own homnd, to fulfill the aspirations of the Governor and all our people, why shouldn¡¯t we dare to sacrifice?¡± ¡°I am not afraid to die; I¡¯ve been afraid once, and I¡¯m not afraid this time! I will go and fight! I know I may be going to my death, but when I am dead, I hope more brave warriors will stand up!¡± ¡°We will surely prevail!¡± He shouted with his arms held high, turned resolutely, and walked toward the void in the storm, adjusting his red cap. He couldn¡¯t see where the void was, but he could approximate its location based on previous intelligence, and then he could reach out and search with his hands.
A few minutester, he found it. A fog passed before his eyes, and when he came to his senses again, he found himself in the Mental Realm. A roar from the projection of the raging owl marked out the enemy¡¯s location for him. Tadeusz didn¡¯t hesitate for a second and immediately plunged into the fight. When he arrived in this Mental Realm as a soul projection, he was unarmed, but when he had a strong desire to attack, a rifle somehow appeared in his hands. He let out a roar not unlike that of the raging owl projection, and pulled the trigger towards the monster. The bullets swept over the beast, at least twice his size and requiring three or four of him to encircle, causing it to stagger. Fundamentally, both the rifle and the bullets firing were manifestations of power projected from Tadeusz¡¯s own will to fight. He was battling with his own will, and the specific form it took was of little consequence. The scenario within the Mental Realm only materialized the scenes he was most familiar with and adept at. The bullets had a significant effect, but it was not realistic to think he could kill the raging owl projection with just those. Ignoring his gunfire, the raging owl projection let out a furious growl. From its open beak, a white Storm Bullet fired out, hitting him square in the chest. The Storm Bullet seemed far more terrifying than the spells cast by the blue-robed individuals he and Kodi had faced in battle; by all rights, he should have been undoubtedly dead. But he ignored all that, focusing only on hitting the raging owl as much as possible before the hit. Then, the Storm Bullet struck him in the chest, blowing him away. He smashed to the ground a short distance away, his body aching terribly, feeling as though he was falling apart.
But feeling pain was a good thing; if the Storm Bullet had killed him instantly, he would not have felt anything at all. Unlike now, where he could endure the pain and struggle to his feet. But in the process, the raging owl projection had already reached his face. He swung his left arm to defend, and a riot shield appeared on his arm, blocking a heavy strike from the owl. In fury, the owl lifted a pair of front limbs high into the air, ready to m down once more. One blow, two blows, three¡­ Tadeusz held on with all his might. His mouth and nose were bleeding. If there had been an observer, they might have seen that his entire soul¡¯s representation, his spiritual form, was bing unstable, with signs of disintegration. In the midst of his mind dissipating, Tadeusz¡¯s thoughts again turned to his friend Kodi. They had grown up together in the Abandoned Cave Society, shivered together in utter darkness when the ¡®Convicts¡¯ had attacked their home, seen the light the Governor brought to them, enlisted together, and be politicalmissars¡­ Then unavoidably, he remembered thest moment before Kodi¡¯s death, his friend with the red cap crawling from the half-ruined building, leaping down with two grenades in hand, killing the enemy.
Tadeusz, defending against the owl¡¯s attacks with his riot shield, felt as though the memory ovepped with the current scene. He really saw Kodi jumping down from midair, grenades in hand and waist, smoke billowing around him. Boom! The explosion urred! The raging owl projection, raising its front limbs to strike him onest time, was sted to pieces. In his confusion, Tadeusz was enveloped by a white fog, and then he felt a fierce, cold rainshing his face. He fell downward, crashing into a puddle, with a roaring in his ears. He felt the warmth of blood uncontrobly flowing from his nose and mouth, quickly washed away by the rain sshing across his face. His blurry eyes looked outward, seeing many robed figures rushing towards him. He struggled to stretch out his hand, gave them a thumbs-up, and then the world turned pitch-ck, and he knew no more. ¡­ Schneider still couldn¡¯t believe what he had just witnessed. After resolving the trouble at the wind farm he was responsible for, he had been worried about his injured battle brother and rushed over here. On his way, he received the terrible news.
A brother who had survived the century-long expedition had died here. His heart was filled with rage, with resentment towards Matins. He wasn¡¯t incapable of epting the sacrifice of a battle brother. In fact, in his past experiences, he had grown ustomed to sacrifice. But he couldn¡¯t ept that his battle brother¡¯s death was in vain. Yes, in his eyes, this event seemed pointless. They were supposed to die for the rebuilding of their warband, not on this that couldn¡¯t even support the rebuilding of the warband. He had always felt that Matins and Rizzo were wasting time. But if it were just a waste of time, then so be it. Perhaps time would enlighten his two brothers that cing hope on that frail Spiritual Energy Governor was a ludicrous idea. But now, what they had squandered was not only time but the lives of their battle brothers! This was uneptable. He hade here to retrieve his brother¡¯s body, and then to confront Matins and Rizzo, to challenge them whether their decisions were really correct. If they were truly set on following this Governor down a dark path, would the remaining six of them be even enough to die?
One brother had already been sacrificed, yet there was still no sign of the dawn of the warband¡¯s rebuilding! Conversely, the Mirthless Governor, after much plotting, had acquired a city that was about to be annihted by a storm. Enraged, Schneider arrived at this ce. And then he witnessed a mere mortal oveing the enemy that his battle brother had failed to defeat until his death. How could this be possible? A mere mortal, how could he have aplished this? He had just experienced a battle against the projection of the fury owl himself, and he had won with ease. He was a Phoenix Warrior who had fought for three hundred years, his spirit, his will, were much harder than steel. He agreed with the previous judgments from Georgette and Priest Rizzo that such relentless spirit could only be possessed by them, the Emperor¡¯s Death Angels. Even the Battle Nuns couldn¡¯t attain such a level. But now, a mere mortal? By what right? He admitted, among the countless battles he had fought in his long career, many of the mortals who fought alongside were indeedmendable even by the standards of the ster warriors. But such heroes, even in the most elite Star Realm Armed Forces, were rare. How could this indigenous officerpare? He instinctively refused to believe this reality. Yet thest void was indeed rapidly shrinking and finally vanished. The dark clouds that had enshrouded the city sky, turning the entire city pitch-ck, were also swiftly dissipating, allowing a ray of sunlight to fall through. The wind was calming, the rain retracting¡­ No matter how much Schneider didn¡¯t want to believe, everything before his eyes was indeed real. ¡­ [Hero Activable: Tadeusz] Gu Hang, extremely curious about how Tadeusz had achieved this, tried to find the answer from his system interface. Therefore, he discovered a new message in the hero interface. Tadeusz could now be activated as a hero. He tentatively clicked. The cost for activation was 50 graces. He didn¡¯t spend the graces, but he could infer something from the cost. 50 points, that was the cost to upgrade from LV2 to LV3 for him. Did this mean that once Tadeusz was activated, he would be a hero starting at LV3? A content smile appeared on Gu Hang¡¯s lips, ¡°Among mortals too, there are outstanding heroes!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This part of the story isplete. I¡¯ve taken a lot of ktely, and there¡¯s a lesson and an apology from me at the end. I hope everyone can give me a bit more confidence, I know I was wrong! Chapter 117: 115, Hero Upgrade Chapter 117: Chapter 115, Hero Upgrade
Facing the option to activate Tadeusz, Gu Hang hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose to activate him. This wasn¡¯t specifically to reward the hero who had performed great deeds, nor was it simply out of Gu Hang¡¯s curiosity about what made a person who had achieved what even interster warriors had failed, so special. While there were factors like these at y, the activation of Tadeusz as a hero genuinely helped with some of the work that Gu Hang had to do next. Next, several thousand soldiers from the former Alliance Legion needed to be reorganized. Gu Hang¡¯s own direct troops only numbered a little over a thousand in a small infantry regiment. It was impossible for him to mix and integrate troops as he had done in the past. If the measure of a politicalmissar seemed effective presently, then it should be continued and reinforced. And Tadeusz was a very good candidate for that. Gu Hang nned to implement this policyprehensively in his troops in the future, adopting a dualmand system. Military affairs, such asbatmand and training arrangements, would be primarily overseen by the military chief with themissar aiding; whereas themissar would take the lead on aspects like daily life, army construction, and ideological discipline, with the chief assisting.
For the moment, Yan Fangxu was still the highest military chief in charge; as for the politicalmissar side, Gu Hang nned to promote thisd Tadeusz swiftly up the ranks. Under the current circumstances, Tadeusz arguably had a heavier taskpared to Yan Fangxu. After spending 50 points of the grace toplete the activation, Gu Hang instantly saw Tadeusz¡¯s attributes. [Activated Hero: Tadeusz (SR)] [Level: lv3] [Physique 10, Spirituality 6, Command 10, Political 13] [Traits:] [Calmer of Storms: Having endured the baptism of the storm, the cleansing of the Mental Realm upon his return has had a reflective effect on his physique. Physique +1, Spirituality +1] [Awakened Political Leader: Simple political ideological education enlightened him; witnessing the sacrifice of a friend shocked him; the idea of sacrifice during the action to save the city made him a hero. He has awoken, his thoughts solidified, knowing exactly what his goal is. Political +2, Command +1] [Talent:] [Unyielding Will: This person has an unbreakable will, no difficulty can bring him down. Physique +1, Special Effect: Unbreakable] [Inspire Morale: This person has a strong influence and can boost the morale of all friendly forces around him, the effect depends on the firmness of his will.]
¡­ Looking at Tadeusz¡¯s attributes, the first thing Gu Hang noticed was the level. SR, wasn¡¯t that two tiers higher than the N level of the two characters he had activated before, Osenia and Wu Jiarong? But in reality, looking at the attributes, there was nothing particrly outstanding about them. When Gu Hang was at LV3, his spirituality was already at 17. Of course,paring with Gu Hang was not fair. Even at LV1, before acquiring the system, Gu Hang had already reached a high spirituality of 14 thanks to his predecessor¡¯s legacy. And before activation, Tadeusz and the others were merely ordinary people. As a three-level character, Tadeusz¡¯s highest political attribute was only 13 points, but the advantage was that besides spirituality, there were no real weaknesses. This meant he was more of an all-rounder, capable of shouldering arms and engaging in the frontline battle as well as handling political work in the rear. And his SR rating was likely more valuable for the two talents and one trait that he had over the twodies. Those twodies only had one trait each: [Excellent Bureaucrat] and [Former Technical Genius]. These two traits were probably simr to Tadeusz¡¯s [Awakened Political Leader] trait, but not equivalent. His [Political Leader] trait was obviously a bit more advanced. What¡¯s more, he had three more. The advantage of the SR rating seemed to lie here. Beyond the quality tier, Gu Hang was also very curious about another point: how had Tadeusz¡¯s attributes increased? Set aside the political andmand capabilities, which might have been dormant military/political talents in Tadeusz that were simply awakened by the system, the physique attribute couldn¡¯t be faked.
The past Tadeusz, Gu Hang knew clearly, was just an ordinary person. After being selected for the military, even with training from the [Soldier Tag] System that made him a T5-level soldier, it meant he had acquired some level of military skills. There wouldn¡¯t be a dramatic change in his physical condition. This also implied that his physical attribute, even if better than that of an average person, would at most reach around 7 or 6 points. In fact, Gu Hang had never heard of anyone in his troop having some innate Divine Power or other special physical characteristics. So, the case was pretty clear. Tadeusz¡¯s attribute growth was given by the system. The mechanism of this [Hero] panel is such that when someone with potential or talent appears under Gu Hang¡¯smand, he can use his blessings to realize that person¡¯s talent. It is as if the system uses some magical means to elerate the individual to a level that might normally require extensive training to achieve. Activating a hero¡¯s ability is quite beneficial for Gu Hang to rapidly develop talent. Thinking of this, Gu Hang went to check on Osenia¡¯s status again. To his surprise, the girl had reached LV2! That she could level up did not seem strange to Gu Hang at all. As a political talent like her had undergone such a high-pressure ordeal, growth and development were to be expected. What surprised him, though, was that this upgrade did not require any of his own blessings!
Could it be that aside from the initial cost of activation, leveling up does not require additional expenditure? As long as they grow to a certain point on their own, they can level up? This suggested to Gu Hang that the function of activating heroes might be even more important than he had anticipated. Then he remembered Yan Fangxu. Old Yan¡­ missed the chance! However, even now, he wasn¡¯t nning to activate Yan Fangxu. That guy still hadn¡¯t made up his mind whether to give up his title of naval captain or not. So, keep working then. Taking his attention back, Gu Hang continued to look at Osenia¡¯s character card. [Hero: Osenia (N)] [Level: LV2] [Physique 4, Spirituality 5, Leadership 8, Politics 11] [Trait: Excellent Political Officer] [Talent:]
[Handling Politics Under Pressure: When affairs are urgent, she makes very few mistakes. Politics +1] ¡­ Osenia¡¯s political points had increased by 2, and her leadership points by 1. And she had acquired a new talent. [Handling Politics Under Pressure], true to its name, was not particrly powerful, but very practical. For political officers, the fear is making mistakes under heavy pressure, which coulde with a higher cost and be more irreparable than usual mistakes. Chapter 118: 116, Reactor Technology Chapter 118: Chapter 116, Reactor Technology
Gu Hang received benefits not only from the system interface but also from the aftermath of the storm event. The battle settlement he¡¯d been waiting for did not appear. It seemed as if the system did not regard this action as a battle. However, it did show up elsewhere. His ¡°Events¡± interface was flickering slightly. With a thought, Gu Hang opened it.
A new event appeared before his eyes. ¡°Extinction Storm: Event Completed¡± ¡°The Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, believers of an evil god, plotted to sacrifice Revival City in its entirety, but you foiled their scheme. You and your allies eradicated the Primal Fury Owl¡¯s projection, halted Its revival, extinguished the storm, and saved your city.¡± ¡°But evidently, you have also incurred the wrath of that fallen primordial deity. It will watch you from hell; Its followers will target you.¡± ¡°Event Reward:¡± ¡°Grace Points +500¡± ¡°Acquire Trait ¡®Enemy of the Storm¡¯¡± ¡°You are the enemy of the storm; you canmand storms to bend to your will. When there is a target using storm-rted psychic spells near you, they must have your permission, or their spiritual energy¡¯s potency and spellcasting sess rate will be suppressed.¡± ¡­ This ¡°Enemy of the Storm¡± trait was very specific. Its general utility wasn¡¯t great, but if Gu Hang were to encounter followers of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect in the future, this trait could be greatly beneficial. As for the part of the event description mentioning that the native primordial god who fell into hell would from then on view him with great enmity, and Its followers would target him¡­ Gu Hang was not worried about this in the slightest.
It was as if without this event, they wouldn¡¯t already be enemies. In Gu Hang¡¯s view, there was no difference between ny percent hatred and one hundred percent hatred. On the contrary, he might not even need to wait for them toe seeking trouble; he would likely be the one to seek them out. ¡­ Beyond this trait, the 500 grace points from the event reward was another huge boost! It once again set a new personal record for Gu Hang¡¯s singlergest gain of grace points. Ever since he entered Revival City, his acquisition of grace points had never stopped. From the initial war, to the victorious ambush on the grain transport convoy, and now this 500-point haul¡­ During this process, Gu Hang spent 17 grace points to upgrade the remaining 17 of 28 Navy Marine Corps soldiers¡ªwho turned out to be of little use; 200 grace points to raise himself to Level 4; and 50 grace points to activate Tadeusz. In total, that amounted to a consumption of 267 grace points. Yet, even so, the number of grace points remaining in his hands still reached a whopping 654! He had never been so affluent before!
Within the entire system, the ces where one could spend money were very few. The character system is a major investment, but if no talent is detected, it cannot be activated; Gu Hang¡¯s own upgrades are quite costly, yet without sufficient experience, money alone cannot buy advancement. The Army Badge System can also consume funds, but if the training only reaches T5 level, even if the more than seven thousand people from the former Alliance Legion were all trained, it would only cost about 70 Grace points¡ªa mere trifle. Unless in the future the army reaches tens or hundreds of thousands in strength, the cost of training, even at just T5 level, might escte to hundreds or thousands of Grace points, potentially bing a significant burden. But at least at the current scale, the expenditure pressure for troop training is minimal. The event interface can be paid for, and a repeatable event for a Phoenix Seed worth a hundred points sits there, ready for Gu Hang to activate whenever he wishes. Then, upon hismand, a gene seed coveted by the Phoenix Battle Group would materialize. Coupled with a boy of outstanding talent, a set of powered armor, and several years of training, a new Phoenix would be born. If all goes well, that is. But this is the kind of thing that¡¯s likely to result in failure upon testing, so for now it¡¯s not being considered. The remaining area where money could be spent was on the [Technology] panel. This was the real money pit. He had by now roughly figured out the mechanics of the [Technology] system. The investment of Grace into this system is tiered. 10 points, 100 points, 1000 points¡­ and so on. 10 Grace points can only exchange for basic level technology, with a guaranteed sess on the first try; subsequent sesses have a decreasing probability by 30%. He had already hit the jackpot three times at this tier: alloy steel production line, the G9 Gun Family production line, and the ¡°Whetstone¡± Engine production line were the results of those three sesses. Now, the probability of winning the 10 Grace point tier had dwindled to 10%. Another win might deplete the chances entirely or something else entirely. In any case, the cost-performance ratio was already very low.
As for the 100-point tier, the ¡®first-time purchase bonus¡¯ was still avable; just one infusion guaranteed a prize. There was a 50% chance of acquiring a basic level technology and another 50% chance that it could yield an advanced level technology! The specific decline mechanism for the winning odds at the 100-point tier was unclear, and it might take a few more investments to understand it. But as it stood, spending money on the 10-point tier to gamble on that 10% chance, the expected value to hit a prize once would still consume 100 Grace points. Although there is a chance to hit the jackpot on the first try, it is equally possible to spend over a hundred points without yielding any results. Yet for the same price of 100 points, one could guarantee sess at the 100-point tier. So why would Gu Hang have any reason to continue investing in the 10-point tier? In any case, he still had quite a few Grace points on hand, so why not¡­ take a shot and see what happens? Thinking this, Gu Hang went ahead and clicked on the [Technology] interface. ¡°Advanced Technology: Controlled Reactor¡± ¡°The main source of energy in most of the empire¡¯s medium-to-high-level worlds.¡± Upon seeing this item, Gu Hang¡¯s first reaction was: He¡¯d hit the jackpot! Its simple description implied limitless possibilities!
Indeed, as the technology description suggested, in most of the more advanced worlds, controlled reactors were the primary energy source. Using the simplest elements¡ªwater and air¡ªas raw materials, they could refine nuclear fuel for electricity generation. In many resource-rich worlds, relying solely on controlled reactors for power generation, alongside the production capabilities for energy storage cells, was enough to produce batch after batch of fully charged cells and pay considerable taxes. Rage Owl Star, in this regard, was a world rich in resources. In many worlds developed over a long period, water resources were scarce. In the Nest Capital Worlds with hundreds of billions of inhabitants, water had to be deliberately and continuously recycled. Moreover, a significant amount of energy had to be invested in the regeneration of water resources. But on Rage Owl Star, water resources remained abundant and inexpensive. Just recently, a storm nearly flooded Revival City. Gu Hang knew that with this technology in hand, he might not be able to roll out a mass production line for mother machines to explode the capacity of reactors, but that was not key. All he needed were three ready-made ck box reactors, cing them both in Revival City and Weixing City, ensuring that for a very long time toe, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about energy issues. The era of importing thermite stone for power generation in Rubbish Town, whichsted only a brief period, could be dered over! Chapter 119: 117, Continuous Draw of Science and Technology Cards Chapter 119: Chapter 117, Continuous Draw of Science and Technology Cards
After obtaining the controlled reactor technology, Gu Hang was very satisfied and excited about the one-hundred-point tier science technology draw. He still had more than five hundred points, enough for five more draws! However, he first checked the probability decay situation. The probability of getting a basic tier item had be 70%; the intermediate tier had be 30%. There was still a one hundred percent chance of winning a prize. So what was there to say?
Draw again! [Basic Science Technology: Medicine Production] [Provides the capability to produce over one hundred and forty-three types of basic medicines, covering mostmon diseases and injuries.] After acquiring this, the probability of basic tier items decreased to 50%, while the intermediate tier remained at 30%, and there was a 20% chance of drawing nothing. But overall, there was still an 80% chance of obtaining something, so Gu Hang did not hesitate to draw again. [Basic Science Technology: Fifth-generation ¡®Walker¡¯ Series Armored Vehicle] [The mostmon armored vehicle in the Imperial Star Realm Army; capable of extending into various models, producing the ¡®Advancer¡¯ Armored Transport Vehicle, the ¡®Wanderer¡¯ Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the ¡®Defender¡¯ Anti-Air Warfare Vehicle, and the ¡®Listener¡¯ Armored Communication and Command Vehicle, etc.] Once again, the probability for the one hundred tier items had decreased, turning into 30% for basic science technology, 30% for intermediate tier, with the chance of drawing nothing rising to 40%. At this point, Gu Hang started to hesitate. He still had 354 blessing points, enough for three more draws. But if he got nothing on the one hundred tier, it would be quite painful. Conversely, the expected value of ten consecutive ten-point draws yielding one basic science technology started to seem more attractive. After thinking for a moment, Gu Hang decided to take another shot at the one hundred tier.
He drew nothing. It was indeed painful, but with the probabilitiesid out, it was within Gu Hang¡¯s expectations. He did not hesitate and spent another hundred points. [Intermediate Level: Bomb Gun] [A high-tier individualbat weapon in the Empire; only Star Realm warriors, Battle Nuns, and a few exceptionally elite troops can master it.] He indeed won a prize, but it was somewhat off the mark! The bomb gun wasn¡¯t very useful to Gu Hang at the moment. An ordinary soldier equipped with a bomb gun would likely break their own arm with a single shot. However, it could be set up as a fixed machine gun position, and its firepower would undoubtedly be much more formidable than that of a G9 machine gun. The issue is that it¡¯s not very portable; soldiers couldn¡¯t just lie down and shoot, as they likely wouldn¡¯t be able to control its uracy. To use it, time would need to be spent setting up the gun properly and using it as a fixed firing point. Despite this, its tactical value was sufficient. Moreover, once the bomb gun was avable, Gu Hang¡¯s technical experts, led by Wu Jiarong and her technical team, would no longer need to spend each day hand-making bullets for the Star Realm warriors, as the ck box could produce them. However, acquiring the bomb gun technology posed another problem ¨C Gu Hang currentlycked the capability to expand production. While the mother ck box could directly roll out a production line, a production line was different from the finished product ck box. Thetter could turn trash into bomb guns, but the former required the most basicponents and raw materials.
For the production of bomb guns, alloy stic steel would not suffice; even the best stic steel would not meet the requirements of certain gunponents. It would require alloy ceramic steel, a much higher grade of alloy material. Clearly, Gu Hang¡¯s forces currently did not have the capability to produce this. It seemed they could only use the finished product ck box for small-scale production for now. A bit disappointing. Although the bomb gun technology could indeed be considered intermediate level, it did not hold high value for Gu Hang at the moment. However, he soon got his emotions in check. In the future, once the production capacity catches up, this thing will eventually be able to shine with the brilliance it is supposed to have. Think of it as a technological reserve for the future. There were still 154 blessing points left, enough for one more attempt. However, this time Gu Hang ultimately chose to stop. He needed to save some blessing points for backup. [Controlled Reactor], [Fifth-generation ¡®Walker¡¯ Series Armored Vehicle], [Basic Medicinal Production], [Bomb Gun].
With this haul, two advanced-level and two basic-level technologies¡ªa total of four technologies¡ªwere a huge gain. Now that he had the technology in hand, it would take Gu Hang quite some time to realize their value, allowing his domain to slowly digest the scientific achievements until they could truly transform into productive capacity. Drawing too many technologies at once would still require a gradual conversion into productive capacity. There was no rush. Nevertheless, while he stopped drawing, he didn¡¯t forget to take onest look at what the probabilities for the 100-tier had be. Basic level: 50%, Advanced level: 10%. Hmm? So the probability for the advanced level had gone to the basic level, and if you win at the basic level, the probability would then decrease to that of the air force? He felt he had grasped another mechanism of the technological lottery system. ¡­ Tallying up the gains was always a joyful thing. But Gu Hang couldn¡¯t indulge in his happiness alone in his room for long. The storm disaster was over, and the things he had to do became even more numerous.
Disaster relief, resettlement of people, resumption of work, follow-up production nning, city development, and the investigation and sweep of the remaining cult members in the city¡­ This series of tasks was extensive,plicated, and heavy. He received amunication request from Osenia and discussed with her what needed to be done next for a little while. Gu Hang shared his thoughts with Osenia in broad strokes, and the youngdy went on her way to continue with her tasks. Then, Gu Hang immediately went on to meet with some people. The first ones he needed to meet were the warriors of the Star Realm and the Battle Nuns. This belonged to the nature of diplomatic work. These two groups were Gu Hang¡¯s most important allies at the moment. And during the previous operations, they had paid a painful price for his cause. Out of the seven Star Realm warriors, one had died; out of the twelve nuns, two had perished. Gu Hang had to make some gesture of acknowledgement. Not to mention offering some real benefits, which he now didn¡¯t have much of to offer that they would value. But it was precisely because of this situation that he had to be even more satisfactory in his attitude.
No matter how busy he was, Gu Hang still attended the funeral of the Phoenix. Matins and the others returned the body of their fallen brother to their still-under-construction monastery for burial and held a small-scale funeral underneath the statue of the Divine Emperor, officiated by Priest Rizzo. Afterward, Matins sought out Gu Hang and put forth his request. He wanted to select two hundred youths between the ages of 12 and 19 from within the scope of Revival City to be apprentices for the warband. The warband would personally train these youths and choose one among them to inherit the gene seed and equipment of the fallen Phoenix. Although the death of one had grieved the remaining six Phoenixes, wasn¡¯t this also a new beginning? Chapter 120: 118, Just Crush the Bones and Scatter the Ashes Chapter 120: Chapter 118, Just Crush the Bones and Scatter the Ashes
¡°No problem, leave it to me,¡± Gu Hang assured Commander Matins, thumping his chest confidently, ¡°Within Revival City¡­ no, even further away¡ªyou can have whatever or whoever you want within the entire bounds of Rage Owl Star. Just let me know, and I¡¯ll see to it they¡¯re delivered to you.¡± It was only two hundred youths, and Gu Hang was more than amodating. Consider it as the Phoenix Gang¡¯s own contribution for waging war. As per the tradition of the war band, they would train these two hundred young men rigorously and after a period of training, select the most outstanding lucky chap under neen to undergo the gic seed imntation surgery. The rest would continue to stay in the training camp; those who surpassed neen without being selected weren¡¯t released, but instead transitioned to auxiliary personnel for the war band. The treatment and designation for these individuals varied among different war bands, but ording to Phoenix traditions, they would be called ¡°down¡±, apanying the star warriors in battle. Their learned skills in power armor, grenade rifles, chainsaw swords maintenance, and the tactical literacy fostered in the training camp would not go to waste. However, Matins¡¯s face was always tinged with mncholy.
This matter caused him great anxiety. If the seed imntation was sessful, that would of course be wonderful. The war band would have fresh blood, and this new blood would produce a new gic seed five yearster¡ªa new cycle of renewal. And if sessful again, another woulde after five years¡­ But, if it failed¡­ then there would be only six old soldiers left with the existing Phoenix Seeds in the entire universe. Matins couldn¡¯t afford to take this lightly. ¡°I hope everything goes smoothly,¡± he said to Gu Hang. ¡°The war band¡­ we really can¡¯t afford another failure. I hope that when the timees, you could help us out again by arranging for some specialized equipment for the imntation surgery. Although we can perform it now, Priest Rizzo isn¡¯t a professional pharmacist. High-quality equipment would increase the likelihood of sess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to help you guys out, but it depends on whether the next interster merchants arriving at Rage Owl Star carry simr goods. If they do, I¡¯ll secure them for you,¡± Gu Hang replied. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I should do, as I promised to support the rebuilding of your war band.¡± After brief exchanges following the funeral, Gu Hang took his leave. Before he left, he noticed a bald warrior approaching Matins. That person¡¯s gaze lingered on him until he boarded the helicopter and flew far away. ¡­ After attending the funeral at the monastery of the star warriors, Gu Hang went to visit the battle nuns as well.
They hadn¡¯t held any funeral or mourning, simply preserving the bodies of the two sisters carefully. The headquarters of the Sainte-Lys Nun Association were on Korolya III in the Tianma Star Sector. On their journey back, they would take the bodies of the sisters with them, and a funeral would be held at the chapel of the headquarters. As theary Governor, Gu Hang expressed gratitude and condolences to the Mother Superior, and through the subsequent conversation, understood roughly what they nned to do next. With two sisters gone, Georgette certainly wouldn¡¯t let it rest. She and her sisters intended to doggedly pursue the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect¡¯s trail. Gu Hang expressed some worries. Judging from earlier events, those cult members should not be underestimated. At Cui Kao¡¯s level, they were sufficiently menacing to threaten the safety of the Mother Superior. Especially since they would move on to search for the cult¡¯s stronghold after concluding their investigation of the cult in Revival City¡ªexposing them to even greater dangers, and Gu Hang might not always be able to provide support in time. Nevertheless, Georgette herself remained optimistic about it. ording to some intelligence previously obtained, Cui Kao holds a very high status within the entire Primordial Wrath Owl Sect. The highest power structure of the entire sect is the so-called Grand Priest Council. There are only six people who are named High Priests, and even fewer¡ªjust two¡ª can be crowned with the title ¡°Primal¡±. One had already died in Revival City, leaving only the other who was not invincible. In fact, if it were a fair fight, Georgette didn¡¯t think that a spiritual energy practitioner of Cui Kao¡¯s level was her match. The reason why the previous battle was so fierce was mainly because Cui Kao was fighting on his home ground. That wind farm was essentially a ritual site, where they had been preparing for more than a year. Including that disgusting wind wall and the incarnation of the Rage Owl that manifested, were all products of the ritual site. If it were just Cui Kao himself, Georgette believed that he wouldn¡¯tst more than three strikes against her.
¡°The blood debt of my sisters, I want these cultists to pay back a hundredfold!¡± ¡°It should be a thousandfold, ten thousandfold,¡± Gu Hang echoed. Hearing this, Georgette was quite satisfied. Her face stern, she said to Gu Hang, ¡°Your Excellency the Governor, in the name of the State Religion Holy Cultivation Association and the Sainte-Lys Nun Association, I formally request your assistance. I need you and your forces to do everything in your power to help us search for cultists, eradicate them, and provide necessary support!¡± Having said that, she took out a somewhat yellowed piece of paper. Gu Hang took it, nced over it, and saw the content was roughly simr to what Georgette had just said, only the wording was more formal and written in officialnguage. This was an official request for cooperation, signed at the bottom right with Georgette¡¯s name, her position within the state religion, and sealed with wax. Gu Hang¡¯s expression also grew serious, ¡°I ept your request. I will provide you with the help you need. I will appoint a liaison officer. Tadeusz Political Commissar will be responsible for the coordination. He will be one of the militarymanders under mymand. As soon as you need assistance, contact him directly and I¡¯ll authorize him to provide you with the supplies, investigative help, and military attack support you require.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Excellency the Governor. I have already sent a request to the headquarters of the Sisterhood; after a month, another squad of battle nuns wille to support us, and we willpletely eradicate those cultists!¡± ¡°It is I who should thank you.¡± ¡­ Truth be told, Gu Hang was slightly surprised by Georgette¡¯s decision.
He had thought that these nuns would return to their starship after the battle. But the cult crisis that erupted in Revival City was bigger than imagined, and it was the battle nuns¡¯ inescapable responsibility to eradicate the cult members. The loss of two battle sisters was also a significant shock, igniting a raging fire of vengeance in Georgette, determined to fight the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect to the end. Gu Hang certainly supported this decision. Those cultists were also his targets for a relentless crackdown, as both sides had already be irreconcble enemies. Now, with the help of a team of professionals adept at countering heretics, Gu Hang couldn¡¯t be more weing. As for the support she was seeking? Give! Give it all! As long as it would turn the cultists¡¯ ashes to dust, he would provide whatever was needed! Chapter 121: 119, Rebuilding the City Chapter 121: Chapter 119, Rebuilding the City
Osenia did not find herself idle just because the disaster had ended. On the contrary, she became busier. In the process of arranging the evacuation of Revival City, the urgency of the matter inevitably led to considerable chaos in the midst of the storm. But fortunately, the problem was ultimately resolved. When the evacuation was halfpleted, the storm subsided, and the sky cleared up. Although the governor had not issued new orders at that time, Osenia could see that the disaster sufficient to obliterate the entire Revival City seemed to have passed.
Despite the houses that had copsed in the storm, standing in the flood caused by the torrential rain, everything appeared immensely messy. There were also quite a few people who had been electrified to death by lightning strikes¡­ But overall, the casualties were still within an eptable range. By that time, she had already been requesting the troops assisting her to implement more orderly control; and after confirming the governor¡¯s order that the disaster had ended, she directly halted the evacuation of the city. At this point, Osenia¡¯s focus shifted to emergency rescue and disaster relief. The already organized popce was not sent back directly. She took the stage with a loudspeaker, personally exining the entire process to the people. The dreadful Cultists had tried to summon a storm to destroy the city, but this plot had been personally thwarted by the wise and valiant governor. Now that the city was safe again, those who hadn¡¯t received their food could continue to collect it at the distribution points; those who had received it were required to participate in the city¡¯s emergency rescue and disaster relief operations under the arrangement of the troops. As for the tens of thousands of people who had already gone to the evacuation points outside the city, Osenia had not crammed them back into the city. As per the great governor¡¯s request, they would carry out indoctrination and education on those 30,000-plus people, facilitating their relocation to Weixing City. This was the pre-established poption strategy. Revival City actually did not need to maintain such arge poption. The past Revival City, not to mention the exploitation of the suburban poor and the refugees by the inner city people, faced difficulties just in terms of industrial structure in sustaining so many people. Revival City¡¯s light industry was decent, but it could not absorb a working poption of millions; the service industry was mainly targeted at the inner city, and even themoners there lived rather tightly, with only the wealthy truly having money, but they did not require that many people to serve them. inly put, the production capacity could not support so many people, and exploitation was not really the key issue.
If Revival City couldn¡¯t support them, Weixing City could! There was a severe shortage of people there, and the expansion of production was hampered by the poption numbers. In his original ns, Gu Hang had intended to relocate arge portion of Revival City¡¯s poption to Weixing City to establish a heavy industry base. Now it was the perfect opportunity. Those who had left the city had their belongings washed away by the flood, and with their food for the journey already prepared, the masses might be slow to move, but a two-day march should get them to Weixing City. Of course, they would not be sent on their way just like that. The wastnd was not safe. Captain Perbov had received orders to lead his troops in coboration with the third battalion, to escort the convoy back. By then, Patel, the representative of the Abandoned Cave Society, would probably be overjoyed to distraction. As for the emergency rescue and disaster relief of the outer regions of Revival City, it was actually quite blunt and straightforward. Originally, there was no nning to speak of in the outer region of the city. When people arrived, they found a spot, set up a shelter, and called it home. The materials for the shelters were diverse; none of these houses had any fire or disaster resistance to speak of, the ones that didn¡¯t leak wind or rain were considered well built. They had not considered whether the traffic was convenient or not. In the especially dense areas, having a small path for people to get in and out was decent enough.
It was only when the inner city folks couldn¡¯t bear to see it anymore¡ªmainly because they couldn¡¯t have the country folks block the roads in and out of the city¡ªthat they nned several main roads and strictly forbade obstruction, thereby maintaining basic supplies andmunication. This too was in Osenia¡¯s ns. Little by little, she aimed to clear the outer city, using the main roads as a reference to develop a more rationalwork, and establish administrative districts based on industrial structure, dividing the areas by blocks and zones. The storm and the floods it brought were disasters, but¡­ looking on the bright side, it unwittingly helped to demolish the houses. Even though the ruins were a mess, they still had to clear them by hand. So let them clear it. What was called emergency rescue and disaster relief was just that. They searched through the ruins piece by piece, rescuing people first, and then clearing an area to concentrate the debris in one location. The cleared space would then immediately be used to construct simple, inhabitablerge houses, where people could at least sleep inrgemunal bunks to begin with. The construction teams would then move in synchronously, building new houses ording to the ns in the cleared areas. Watching many people simply having a full belly, wading through water, rolling up their sleeves, and getting down to work enthusiastically, a long-lost smile appeared on Osenia¡¯s face. She liked such vibrant scenes the most. However, after smiling, she immediately turned back to her temporary office. Since the emergency rescue and relief work was to bebined with city reconstruction, the necessary nning needed to be started promptly. This caught Osenia somewhat off guard; she had thought there would be plenty of time to think about this. How to demolish, how to rebuild, including how to settle andpensate the civilians whose homes were demolished¡­ Now, many problems didn¡¯t require thinking, but new ones had arisen.
Chapter 122: 119, Rebuilding the City_2 Chapter 122: Chapter 119, Rebuilding the City_2
She was full of energy. ¡­ ¡°What are they up to now!¡± ¡°It was them who said we had to evacuate, and it¡¯s them saying we have toe back!¡± ¡°And having to move so much stuff, clear what ruins, if you ask me, what¡¯s there to clear? When the water¡¯s gone, can¡¯t all this be used again¡­¡± ¡°Ricky, boss, you got something to say?¡±
Listening to theints one after another, Ricky probably felt something simr. But when people asked him, he just waved his hand and said, ¡°Less talk, more work.¡± ¡°Tch¡­¡± The person gave up, disappointed, waved his hand but didn¡¯t dare to say much else. Ricky had some influence in this area. After all, he had led hundreds of people through the wilderness, struggled to survive, and made it to Revival City. Then, with his bravery and fierceness, he carved out a small territory for his own people to have food; at the same time, due to his loyalty,pliance with rules, and sensibility, he didn¡¯t bully others. Instead, he was willing to stand up for justice for others, establishing considerable prestige so that people from arge area of the neighborhood respected him, even the gangs didn¡¯t bothering this way. But this was all he could do, at most, at most. And now, this neighborhood was already destroyed, the people had scattered everywhere, with very few acquaintances remaining nearby. But Ricky didn¡¯t care. He just quietly lifted the waste material boards from the ground and transferred them to the cart beside him, then repeated the action. In his view, what was the use of saying so much, doing so much? When had those above ever regarded them as people? In truth, this new governor, who provided grain and food, was already very good. He wanted to y his games, let him be. As long as they were fed, he could do whatever he wanted. Whoever fed them was the boss. As for the storm that could destroy the city, it was said that it was stopped by the governor¡­ Anyway, I didn¡¯t see it, whatever you say goes, could I even oppose it?
Of course, it¡¯s not like Ipletely disbelieved it. After all, that storm was definitely not normal, and I did see red lights falling from eight points around the city, apanied by the sounds of explosions, as if fierce battles were happening. Eventually, the storm did stop. Maybe it was indeed handled by the governor? But it was unrted to small fries like me. Could I influence anything? I couldn¡¯t influence anything. Even in matters that could destroy a city and lead people to death, for the poor like me, even those with a bit of influence, doing anything was meaningless. Even if a storm, lightning, or flood really imed my life, I would have to give in, what else could I do? Byparison, all I could do was strive to secure a meal for myself. If I was going to die, I should have a meal before I die, right? During my past wandering life, I came close to starving to death, and I¡¯ve seen people starve to death. I think it¡¯s the most terrible way to die in this world. However, speaking of having a meal, it seems better that the governor won. After all, the governor did provide a meal.
As for working now? Well, after being fed, it¡¯s only right to work. Where on this wastnd could you get a free meal? Even when working, there was always someone in a ck jacket and red hat, shouting through a megaphone, which was kind of annoying. But I didn¡¯t dare say a word. They carry guns andmand troops. There are thousands of people working at this site, with nearly a hundred soldiers guarding it. These soldiers didn¡¯t just supervise the work; under the leadership of the person in the red hat, they alsobored. But if you¡¯re going to work, work, don¡¯t keep making noise. Talking about how this is cleaning our homnd, how in the future better houses will be built here, how we¡¯ll be the ones living in those homes¡­ Damn, where¡¯s such good fortune in the wastnd? I¡¯ve never heard of this in my whole life. But saying this, I can¡¯t help but wish for it a bit. Could we really live in sturdy houses, live orderly lives in neat neighborhoods? Forget it, better not to have too many hopes, to avoid greater disappointmentter. As the work in my hands continued, the fatigue and weariness of my body gradually made it difficult for me to have any idle thoughts.
But just then, the sound of gongs and drums began. It was time for a meal. I looked up and realized that the sky had darkened, and it was about time to finish work for the day. Following the crowd to the meal site, I picked up my portion. It wasn¡¯t delicious, just a hard blob like a pancake. But I was still happy. Whether it tasted good or not was never my concern. All I knew was that this rock-hard pancake was substantial and filling when eaten. Not to mention, it was apanied by a bowl of thick soup. Soaking the pancake in it, that was already a great delicacy. After a day of toiling, saliva was triggered by this meal, and my stomach embarrassingly growled. Picking up the food, I was eager to move away to a quiet spot and enjoy it, but someone called out to me. ¡°You didn¡¯t take this.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± I looked back, and it was a pair of gloves. ¡°These just came in with the supplies. You can use them tomorrow. Be careful when you work, don¡¯t cut your hands.¡± The girl in charge of distributing food and gloves said this.
Chapter 123: 119, Rebuilding the City_3 Chapter 123: Chapter 119, Rebuilding the City_3
Ricky hesitated before taking the gloves, but he couldn¡¯t help looking around and noticed that almost everyone had received a pair. He began to reconsider his earlier thoughts. The food in his hand, the gloves, it was as if they were telling him that the new adults who had arrived seemed willing to treat them as humans. Otherwise, if all they wanted was work, wouldn¡¯t just giving you food be enough? Why would they care if you might scratch your hands and give you gloves? Collecting his thoughts, he nodded slightly in acknowledgment, took the food and gloves, and left. After eating and drinking his fill, hey down on themunal sleeping area, ready to sleep.
It was a bit noisy around him, as the construction crew was working through the night to build houses. The materials they used were the junk they had collected earlier, and the houses they were building were simple prefabricated ones. In fact, some had already been erected that day. ording to the man with the red hat, they were building temporary shelters for them, and everyone would move in first for resettlement, andter on more houses would be built, and distributed to everyone ording to their contributions. He still didn¡¯t quite believe thetter part, but he had no doubts about the former. Although he hadn¡¯t moved into one himself, that was because there simply weren¡¯t enough of these prefabricatedmunal houses yet, not enough to go around; only a portion of people, focusing on the old, the young, and women, could be amodated. Where he was sleeping now was outdoors, with just a pile of waste material arbitrarily stacked to raise the ground a few dozen centimeters, encircled by makeshift shelters to avoid sleeping directly on the damp ground, and to provide some shelter from the wind. But by tomorrow, when more of the resettlement houses were built, he should be able to sleep inside, and wouldn¡¯t have to endure conditions like today¡¯s. Although living conditions were harsh, in truth everyone could bear this sort of hardship; it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Hey down, ready to quickly fall asleep, since tomorrow there would still be a lot of work to do. Just then, he heard a loudspeaker calling from outside. ¡°Ricky! Ricky! Who is Ricky? Does anyone know Ricky?¡± He sat up, his expression grave. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but as a wastnd traveler by instinct, he assumed any unexpected event to be bad news. He was already considering how to conceal his name, how to slip away quietly.
However, he wasn¡¯t given the opportunity. Having a reputation isn¡¯t always a bad thing, and he was quickly identified. More than one person outside was saying, Ricky is right here. He could only walk out reluctantly, ring at those who had exposed him. A young man who caught his re spoke somewhat sheepishly, ¡°Boss Ricky, these people looking for you don¡¯t seem to have bad intentions, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have told them where you are, I¡¯m not betraying you!¡± ¡°Save it!¡± After a rebuke, he could only resign himself to following the person with the loudspeaker and the red hat. He got into a car¡ªfor the first time in his life¡ªand arrived at a ce that wasn¡¯t much different from their temporary dwellings. Here, too, the night was bright with lights, and many people wereing and going, seemingly very busy. After waiting for a while, someone led him inside, to a girl in a blue shirt. She seemed unaware of his arrival, still engrossed in her paperwork; her shoulders looked frail, as if a breeze could blow her over; her face was also very haggard, as though she¡¯d been working hard for a long time. But this person, Ricky knew. He couldn¡¯t quite believe his eyes, ¡°Os¡­ Osenia?¡±
Hearing his voice, the girl who had been looking down lifted her head, revealing a surprised smile: ¡°Uncle Ricky? I finally found you! Are you okay?¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Two chaptersbined Chapter 124: 120, The Little Steward Chapter 124: Chapter 120, The Little Steward
Ricky was surprised. ¡°How are you¡­ now?¡± He wasn¡¯t blind, he could tell that Osenia held a high position here. ¡°Um¡­ something like a minor manager,¡± was all Osenia could say. A clerk who was just about to go out to deliver some materials couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡®Minor¡¯ manager.
You, Miss, are now the chief officer of the Production Department, directly appointed by the Governor. In the absence of any other civil departments or actual positions, you could be considered the de facto highest civil manager of Revival City at the moment. And you call that a ¡®minor¡¯ manager? When Osenia heard theughter, she red fiercely at the clerk. The clerk gave her a titteringugh and quickly scurried away. Turning back, she gave Ricky an embarrassed smile, ¡°Colleagues don¡¯t really understand¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin further.¡± Even if Ricky wasn¡¯t exceedingly shrewd, he had been mixing in the wastnd for a long time and would be too foolish if he couldn¡¯t see through certain things. His demeanor became a bit more reserved. The two were acquaintances from the past. During her flight to Revival City, Osenia had actually traveled in Ricky¡¯s group. She had received quite a bit of help from Ricky during the flight and for a while after arriving at Revival City. Ricky wasn¡¯t helping her specifically, but he was a rare kind of person who valued fairness and loyalty. On the road to refuge and after settling in a small block of Revival City, having that much support was already a great help to Osenia, a young girl trying to survive with her younger brother. Of course, since they were not rtives or close friends, the help only went so far. Later on, Osenia left Revival City with her brother.
Ricky said, ¡°I heard someone say they heard you give a speech and that you became an employee under the Governor. I was happy for you. But I didn¡¯t expect that you were more than just an employee.¡± ¡°At that time, I heard that you and your brother got taken to the Governor¡¯s Camp after sharing a bowl of porridge with someone. I thought you were tricked since there are no such good deals in this world. But, it seems I was the one with limited knowledge. As long as you¡¯re doing well now, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Osenia smiled wryly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m doing too well. I¡¯ve barely slept in two days. And, the reason I asked Uncle Ricky here is that I have serious business.¡± ¡°What serious business?¡± Ricky was very cautious. He was still somewhat afraid of falling into a trap. But Osenia had already eagerly pulled out a sketch of a nning map from the pile of papers under the table. ¡°Take a look at this.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Ricky took a quick look and, although he couldn¡¯t understand many of the detailed parameters on the nning map, just by looking at it, he quickly recognized it, ¡°This is our block? But¡­¡± It¡¯spletely transformed! But how much money would it take to do this? ¡°Stop with the ¡®buts¡¯.¡± Osenia said, ¡°As I remember, Uncle Ricky is not the kind of person to be indecisive. I¡¯ll be straightforward, I didn¡¯t ask you here just to catch up. You see, my work now is very voluminous, very busy. I asked you toe to help me.¡± ¡°What can I possibly do to help you¡­¡± Ricky instinctively wanted to refuse. Everything was too unknown, and he didn¡¯t want to step in without clearing things up first.
However, Osenia waved her hand dismissively. She was no longer the timid girl of the past, or rather, the tenacity inside her hadn¡¯t changed, but she had learned that sometimes, to achieve her goals, she needed to show that tenacity outwardly. She said, quite indisputably, ¡°Uncle Ricky, don¡¯t refuse me. Your prestige in the neighborhood and your good reputation can provide me with great help. I¡¯m in dire need of capable people to handle affairs¡ªhelpers who are reliable in both character and ability, to help me speed up the work.¡± ¡°This matter isn¡¯t just about me, nor is it simply amand from the governor. It¡¯s also for the welfare of the entire city¡¯s people. Even if you don¡¯t consider other aspects, think about our old neighborhood. Do you want to return to our previous life or would you prefer to live in the houses I¡¯ve designed?¡± Ricky said helplessly, ¡°Of course, I¡¯d want to live in the houses you¡¯ve designed¡­¡± ¡°Thene help me. I guarantee you¡¯ll be able to move in, just by working for me and serving in the new government. That alone will earn you enough credits for a house. And your work will help many others move in as well. I also assure you that you¡¯ll be an even more respected person.¡± ¡°It seems like I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you don¡¯t,¡± Osenia smiled and extended her hand, continuing toward the man before her, ¡°But I promise you won¡¯t regret it, never.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ricky sighed and continued, ¡°What specifically do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Find more reliable manpower, organize the teams, follow our nning maps and work more efficiently. We need to make everyone understand and believe that what we¡¯re doing now is for a better life tomorrow. In this respect, our politicalmissars, those with the red hats, will help you. But our peopleck enough knowledge about Revival City, so we need locals like you to organize teams, distribute food, supervise the progress of work¡­¡± She started to exin the specific tasks to Ricky in detail. Ricky was also listening very carefully.
¡­ In fact, Ricky wasn¡¯t the only person that Osenia had recruited. Throughout the process of clearing debris and rebuilding the city, Osenia encountered too many problems. She had already identified the number of workers needed for the factories and shops within the city getting back into operations and hoped that corresponding workers and clerks would go back to their jobs. And many people without jobs, or those whose work was ruined by the disaster, were temporarily transitioning to construction workers on site. Through work-for-aid programs, she also meant to handle the city¡¯s infrastructure. But when it came to the point where more refined management was needed, Osenia realized that her control wasn¡¯t sufficient. She didn¡¯t have enough people to disseminate her ideas and ns to every construction team and every district. She alsocked the personnel to assist her with a series of ns she was making. For now, this problem wasn¡¯t particrly noticeable. The army, still maintaining its organizational structure during the disaster relief, was helping her. But this situation obviously couldn¡¯tst forever. She had to establish an administrative foundation. Among the poor in the outer city, she actively sought out those with good character and reputation, those with prestige, those with professional capabilities, and then tried to fit them into her administrative framework. But this was still not enough. Among the outer city¡¯s poor, people with a rtively good educational background like herself were a minority, while there were many more in the inner city.
And in this regard, she had already approached Lambert. Chapter 125: 121, Terror Engulfs Chapter 125: Chapter 121, Terror Engulfs
In the midst of that terrifying storm, the Inner City was certainly affected too. However,pared to the Outer City, the better-nned and more modern Inner City fared not too shabbily. The sturdy houses were not easily blown over or copsed due to flooding; the drainage system, though overwhelmed, resulted in the city being submerged for a while, but reliable sewer systems and drains quickly diverted the water away once the skies cleared. Even for the people of the Inner City, a few days of shutdown did not lead to starvation. They generally had food reserves and savings at home. But their days were far fromfortable. It was just that the nature of their difort was somewhat different. If one were to say that the person currently in charge of Revival City¡¯s outer restoration was Osenia, the Civil Affairs Chief, and the general mood of the Outer City was one of bustling post-disaster reconstruction,
Then the most powerful figure in the Inner City was Lambert, the grandson of a former chairman of the Alliance Council, and what he brought to the Inner City was a reign of terror. Lambert, almost thest of his family, had transformed into a vengeful specter¡ªat least, that¡¯s how the people of the Inner City saw him. Before the storm, this reign of terror had already begun. Following Norris¡¯s capture, based on his and Bradford¡¯s testimonies ¨C both former heavyweights in the Alliance Council ¨C people were taken away by soldiers every day. Those taken vanished without a trace. The ones responsible for the abductions weren¡¯t any unit familiar to the people of Revival City. The Governor¡¯s Direct Troops from Weixing City werepletely impartial, not even offering a way to discreetly inquire about the fate of those taken. The Inner City now resembled a deadly game of murder, where every time you closed and opened your eyes, someone you knew might have been invited for tea, never to return. To describe the situation as panic-inducing would be an understatement. A notion began to circte within the Inner City: the vengeful specter intended to drag the whole of Revival City into hell, as a burial for his family. The tempest that seemed poised to destroy the city actually became a respite for the troubled mind. At least for many who harbored guilt, it was so. At least during the storm, they didn¡¯t have to worry about soldiersing to take people away. However, once the storm subsided, the atmosphere of terror swept back in, and the people of the Inner City began trembling with fear once more. Lambert had be a name within the Inner City capable of silencing a crying child.
¡°It¡¯s not that frightening, is it?¡± Listening to Osenia¡¯s teasing over themunications signal, Lambert couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry at the same time. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the situation though? I¡¯ve heard all about it! Don¡¯t try to deny it!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just spout nonsense!¡± Lambert continued to defend himself, ¡°I¡¯ve been acting ording to Mr. Gu¡¯s instructions. I have no need to misuse my power for personal vengeance, after all¡­ after all, ording to Mr. Gu¡¯s instructions, those connected to my grandfather¡¯s death are all enemies of this city. Striking at them is merely official business. As for those additional ones, it¡¯s not that I want to take it out on them; it¡¯s just that they¡¯ve all done their fair share of bad deeds. By Mr. Gu¡¯s standards, they need to atone.¡± ¡°How are they to atone?¡± Osenia asked, quite curious. Lambert didn¡¯t hesitate with his answer: ¡°Those who havemitted heinous acts will, three days from now at the public trial, have their crimes announced and be executed publicly; others will be sentenced to varying periods of forcedbor. These prisoners, sentenced tobor, will be escorted to the mines of the Abandoned Cave Society to work as unpaidborers, or to the state-run textile factories that specifically use prisoners as their workforce, to operate the sewing machines.¡± ¡°How many people in total?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ around two thousand, I suppose.¡± ¡°Two thousand¡­¡± Osenia couldn¡¯t help but marvel, ¡°The Inner City only has a total of a hundred thousand people, right? You¡¯ve locked up 2% of the poption. No wonder the whole city is talking about you like this.¡± ¡°They brought it upon themselves,¡± Lambert snorted coldly, not wanting to continue the topic. His actions were not driven solely by his own will. Mr. Gu had instructed him to take action, and it was intended as a thorough cleansing of the Inner City. If they were nning to seize all means of production to convert them into state assets, how could it possibly be done peacefully? The so-called ¡°extremely wicked and deserving of execution¡± individuals, as well as many sentenced to long-term hardbor, had their specific penalties decided not just by their crimes but also by their influence. Those who were not quick enough, thorough enough, or resolute enough in their loyalties had their transgressions magnified by their greater influence.
However, there was no need to say these things to Osenia. He changed the subject and said, ¡°I already know the favor you need from me. I will select a group of people with minor ¡®misdeeds.¡¯ They were supposed to be released anyway. I will kill two birds with one stone; those who were originally terrified will suddenly have a chance to serve Mr. Gu and obtain positions and opportunities even more important than before. They will probably be overjoyed to the point of tears.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Osenia tried to imagine such a scene. It was indeed one of tears and sobs. Lambert paused and then continued, ¡°But you need to be careful. These people have abilities, and there¡¯s no major issue with their backgrounds. However, they have been struck down by an iron fist. Whether they harbor resentment towards Mr. Gu or the new government in their hearts is something I can¡¯t guarantee. You must be very attentive to this when using them.¡± ¡°I will be.¡± ¡­ After ending the call with Osenia, Lambert organized his documents and went to see Mr. Gu. When he arrived, Gu Hang¡¯s secretary, Zhang Chao, asked him to wait a bit longer as the previous meeting was running long. Lambert waited patiently, and after a while, he saw Yan Fangxu and Tadeusz leaving the room. He stood up to greet them, and they quickly returned the courtesy as they passed by each other. They didn¡¯t talk about anything. The two military chiefs under Mr. Gu¡¯s power were evidently in a hurry, clearly having many tasks to attend to, and Lambert himself was also in a rush to report to the Governor, having no time for pleasantries.
After entering the Governor¡¯s office, Lambert was about to salute but was stopped by Gu Hang. ¡°Skip the formalities and get straight to the point.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lambert, not daring to dy, stepped forward and ced a stack of documents in front of the Governor. While the Governor was looking over them, Lambert began to report the situation. The main content was whom he had recently arrested; which ones needed close attention; and which ones were uncertain and needed Mr. Gu¡¯s decision. As Gu Hang listened, he amended some text in the documents and then handed them back to Lambert. ¡°Follow this.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lambert responded. ¡°I¡¯ve said what I needed to, so I won¡¯t trouble you any longer¡­¡± He was halfway through his farewells when Gu Hang interrupted him, ¡°Wait a moment, there¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°Your public trial is going to be moved up; it starts tomorrow. After your public trial is over, I want to use the same venue to hold a military honors ceremony for our forces.¡± Lambert was taken aback and quickly said, ¡°Yes, I understand what needs to be done.¡± Though he said it like that, the task was actually somewhat troublesome. With the date moved up two days, many preparations hadn¡¯t been made yet, and it looked like he and his subordinates would have to work overtime that night.
Gu Hang was clearly aware of this as he reassured him, ¡°Mm, thank you for your hard work, go and prepare well.¡± Chapter 126: 122, Tycoon’s Journey Chapter 126: Chapter 122, Tycoon¡¯s Journey
The public trial was brought forward to coincide with the medal awarding ceremony, which was a great opportunity for publicity. The awarding ceremony was for the uing military restructuring. During this period, Osenia had been busy, Lambert had been busy, and so had Gu Hang. Not to mention that although those two were officials in charge of different areas, the ultimate power stilly with Gu Hang. Anything of slightly broader scope or requiring inter-department coordination or assistance had to go through Gu Hang. Major decisions also needed his approval. And these matters were already quite numerous. Not to mention, Gu Hang was personally overseeing the military issues.
Internal politics were important, and so was military administration. Gu Hang decided to implement a rank system, organizing the troops ording to the standard of the Imperial Regrary Defense Forces. Officers would be ssified into three categories and ten levels: generals, colonels, and lieutenants. There were four levels of generals, none currently existing; three levels of colonels, with colonel being the highest; and three levels of lieutenants, with captain being the highest. Yan Fangxu was promoted three ranks at once and became the highest-ranking officer under Gu Hang¡¯smand. He would assume the rank of colonel; next was Tadeusz, who would oversee the Military and Political Department as a lieutenant colonel. The entire army was to be restructured into two major formations. One was based on the infantry battalion that Gu Hang brought from Weixing City, expanded into a heavyposite brigade. This brigade would be equipped with fiveposite camps, one artillery camp, one engineer camp, one anti-air camp, one logistics camp, making a total of nine camps; the brigade headquarters and direct reporting included the staff department,mand center, battlefield medical department, political department, guardpany, engineerpany,municationpany, brigade-affiliated reconnaissancepany, and and aviation squadron. Let¡¯s not mention the rest, the fiveposite camps were going to be expansions of the current five infantry camps. Each camp would incorporate 1 artillerypany, 1 armoredpany, 2 motorized infantrypanies, 2 mechanized infantrypanies, and 1 supportpany, totaling sevenpanies in all. The camp headquarters also included a reconnaissance toon, amunications toon, and a guard team. Such a mainposite camp would have a total strength of over 800 people. There would be 40 Iron Bull trucks, 30 Scout Rider motorcycles, 24 ¡®Walker¡¯ Infantry Fighting Vehicles, armoredmand vehicles, armoredmunication vehicles, as well as 12 155mm howitzers, and 12 tanks¡­ Just the fiveposite camps alone would have a total force of over 4,100 people, not including various heavy equipment, to say nothing of the lighter gear. And at the brigade level, along with the four other camps plus the brigade headquarters, the scale would exceed 7,000 people. Considering that there were less than 1,500 people currently under-strength due to casualties, scaling up to such a force of 7,000¡­ Clearly, Gu Hang was going to absorb quite a bit of fresh blood from the former Alliance Legion. At the same time, it was even more important that the production of weapons and equipment keep pace.
The tanks would make do with the 60 that were left over from the former Alliance Legion and still operational, though they were somewhat outdated and there was no choice. As for the production of other equipment, Gu Hang was about to take a trip back to Weixing City to tackle the problem with Wu Jiarong. The other items could be managed, as the transport trucks and fast motorcycles required for the motorized infantry could just use the ¡®Iron Bull¡¯ and ¡®Scout Rider¡¯. But the heavy artillery needed by the gunners was not quite sufficient from what was captured from the Alliance Legion. Gu Hang had to consult with Wu Jiarong about the current status of the self-developed 155mm howitzers. On the other hand, Gu Hang had to make use of the few technological items extracted this time. For the ¡®Walker¡¯ series of armored vehicles that needed to be produced at scale, Gu Hang nned to first set up the production line for the ¡®Wanderer¡¯ Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The demand for these wasrge and their impact significant. In the technologically undeveloped Wastnd World, the ¡®Walker¡¯s¡¯ firepower was probably more ferocious and more reliable than the locally produced tanks. As for the ¡®Listener¡¯munication armored vehicle, ¡®Defender¡¯ anti-aircraft vehicle, and ¡®Navigator¡¯mand armored vehicle, which had lower demand, they would be directly produced from finished ck boxes, not rushing to set up production lines for now. After Gu Hang presented the idea of this heavyposite brigade, both Yan Fangxu and Tadeusz were somewhat taken aback. The number of personnel was fine, but that equipment requirement¡­ was just too damn extravagant. A¡­ luxury brigade? If such a heavyposite brigade were indeed formed, wouldn¡¯t it travel horizontally across the Wastnd World?
Even from the perspective of an imperial officer like Yan Fangxu, such a troop, stationed among the many regr Star Realm Army Corps units, would also be considered luxuriously equipped¡ªif the tanks were exchanged for higher-tier tanks of the Star Realm Army. In fact, the Star Realm Army was not in the habit of organizing eliteposite brigades. More often, the Star Realm Army faced muchrger and broader battlefields, where deploying hundreds of thousands, or even millions of troops, wasmon. Larger divisions and corps structures were moremonly used. Dozens or even hundreds of divisions would form an army group to handle a particr warfront; multiple army groups would assemble into an army group cluster to manage continental warfare¡­ The Star Realm Army was called the ¡®Hammer of the Empire¡¯ for good reason. It had to smash the enemy to smithereens with unmatched force, like a hammer. However, this does not mean that the Star Realm Army, having a hammer, does not need a knife. Some eliteposite brigade units would be used as spearheads for assault. Theposite brigade that His Excellency the Governor was assembling had a bit of that edge. If this force were fully integrated and equipped and could somehow be deployed to the Quintet Starship in space, it¡¯s probable that the troops on the starship would be in for a challenge. If they were not adequately guarded, it was not impossible for them to be pierced through all the way to Colonel Yelisia¡¯s face. True, there were one hundred thousand people on the starship, but most of them were workers, ves; the armed forces might only number twenty to thirty thousand,cking in heavy equipment. Beyond this mainposite brigade, the remainder to be organized was a standard infantry division, made up of three infantry regiments, each with an artillery battalion. Though it¡¯s called a division, including the division headquarters, the total force was only seven to eight thousand personnel, quite simr in number to the mainposite brigade but much less equipped. Yan Fangxu didn¡¯t think too highly of this force. Even if their training was decent, their equipment was far inferior, and in the Star Realm Army, they would be nothing more than a regr ¡®fill-in division¡¯. Of course, in the environment of the Wastnd World, they were not bad at all. The total force, which had about fifteen thousand personnel, was Gu Hang¡¯s current n. With a poption of a million, maintaining an well-equipped force of over ten thousand seemed to be no big issue for the time being.
There was of course a reason he needed to maintain such arge force. Internal development was important; the production potential of a million people had to be fully tapped into. Yet, the drive for outward expansion could not be halted. Gu Hang had not forgotten he had only two years. More than two months had passed. Relying on a million people to pay their taxes was not impossible in an all-out production surge, but that would mean all his resources would be devoted to that effort. That was definitely not feasible. He had to bring more territories and more poption into his order. Leaving Revival City to start afresh was to nt a seed; now, this seed had taken root and sprouted in Revival City. The city would be a fulcrum, which he intended to use to leverage the entire. Even the necessary expansion actions were being prepared before all the logistical supplies arrived. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Last month, a total of 160,000 characters were updated, with basically all the saved drafts used up during theunch. For May, there¡¯s a minimum of 4,000 characters per day, which makes 120,000 for the month; without drafts saved, an effort will be made to challenge 160,000 characters to maintain the update volume consistent with April. Chapter 127: 123, throwing chaos couldn’t even do this Chapter 127: Chapter 123, throwing chaos couldn¡¯t even do this
¡°` When Gu Hang ced several new ¡°ck Boxes¡± in front of Wu Jiarong, her mouth opened wider than it ever had in her life. Where on earth did these thingse from? Initially, she had suspected they were provided by the Gu Family, but then she realized even the Gu Family wasn¡¯t capable of this;ter, she harbored the daring thought that perhaps Mr. Gu was the son of some great Sage from the Sect of Mechanics, but then again, any Sage would undoubtedly value the ck Boxes more than their own flesh and blood. Those who had mechanical parts recing everything in their bodies except their brains, did they still possess familial affections? That was uncertain. After that, Wu Jiarong couldn¡¯t think of any other reason. Even if she imagined the worst-case scenarios, such as Mr. Gu pledging allegiance to chaos and bing a traitor to the Empire, it still didn¡¯t seem usible: where would a chaotic power be willing to give so many ck Box Manufacturers to aary governor just to undermine a broken world like Rage Owl Star?
The input-output ratio just didn¡¯t make sense! Unable to figure these things out, she simply stopped thinking about it. Wu Jiarong listened carefully to the governor¡¯s instructions, asionally manipting the mechanical arms extending from her back to write and draw on a piece of paper beside her. Rather than pondering things that were impossible to figure out, it was better to consider how to meet Mr. Gu¡¯s demands. Mr. Gu was like a client withplex ideas and strict requirements, yet he offered a price she simply couldn¡¯t refuse. So many different ck Boxes, each with immense research value. Although most of Wu Jiarong¡¯s time was to be dedicated to various tasks assigned by the research institute by Mr. Gu, just taking the opportunity to research the ck Box products and the operation of the ck Boxes themselves during her rest time amounted to valuable gains. Of course, she couldn¡¯t understand how the ck Boxes worked; that was a problem even the great Sages of the Sect of Mechanics couldn¡¯t solve, and she was far less likely to do so. Yet, merely observing them presented rewards. An even greater benefit was researching the standard products output by the ck Boxes, which was more suited to her current level. It hadn¡¯t been long before she felt she had made considerable progress from the past. She had a rtively clear understanding of her own technical skills. Although her official title was just a technical specialist, she had been preparing to be a mechanic ten years ago and had actually reached that level. However, due to wasted time in the past decade, she had neither the ambition nor the time nor the opportunity to study further.
And now, she felt that sense of rapid advancement returning. Probably, in not too long, she would be able to promote herself to the next level of a technical priest. Besides helping Mr. Gu conceal the existence of the ck Boxes, she also needed to strive to prove her own worth. Although the former was important, it actually wasn¡¯t irreceable. She had to work even harder on thetter. It¡¯s just that Mr. Gu¡¯s requirements were still quite challenging. ¡°Monthly production of 50 units of 155mm heavy artillery¡­ This one is a bit difficult. But I have looked at the 155mm artillery produced by the local natives, and I realize my design can be further simplified. With effort, we should be able to achieve that this month.¡± ¡°` ¡°` ¡°Producing 50 ¡®Strider Vs¡¯ each month, and subsequently needing to gradually increase¡­ this is much harder than producing artillery. The finished ck Box cannotpletely solve the problem; it can only produce 15 units with nonstop work for a month. To further expand production, we still need to set up dedicated manufacturing workshops.¡± ¡°Just setting up the production line requires the slow production of the ck Box, and the assembly of the line requires the full participation of the technicians. The Strider has manyponents; we can use the improved Grindstone Engine, but the chassis, body, internal instruments, and weapon systems all need to be produced separately. When ites to assembly, that¡¯s another challenge. We have to train more skilled industrial workers to be up to the task.¡± ¡°I estimate that it might take two or three months to reach the production rate of 50 units/month; however, once we achieve this level, subsequent increases should be faster. There¡¯s also good news: We can initially use the finished products directly from the ck Box to meet the demands of the troops as much as possible.¡± ¡°The production line for the G9 Gun Family is rtively mature, so it¡¯s not difficult to increase the output.¡± ¡°The same applies to the production process for stic steel bulletproof inserts used in textile clothing.¡±
¡°Explosive guns can only be produced by the ck Box, and even if we set up a production line, we don¡¯t have the corresponding raw materialponents. However, the demand isn¡¯t great, so it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s mainly making resupplying much more convenient for the interster warriors. The extra capacity can be used to make explosive machine guns, mounted on the Striders, recing the original parallel machine guns. At that point, the infantry fighting vehicle will have dual-barreled 40mm autocannons and explosive machine guns, plus anti-tank missileunchers, making the entire armament station quite formidable.¡± ¡°We alsock the capability to produce reactors, only relying on the ck Box. But perhaps we don¡¯t need to mass-produce these things for now? With finished product ck Box, I can have a controble reactor power generator set deployed in the outskirts of Weixing City within a month. Both Revival City and Weixing City already have existing power grids. If we integrate into them, we won¡¯t have to worry about energy problems for a very, very long time. This will provide immense power for all our production lines, and our production capacity will see exponential growth in the near future.¡± ¡°Basic medical technology is rtively simple; we can quickly arrange to build a chemical nt. Once the imported raw materials are in ce, we can swiftly start production. This includes over a hundred types ofmon medications. When the timees, the military and city hospitals will have their pharmaceutical needs met. These drugs can also be traded internationally, or even stockpiled to deal with future imperial taxes.¡± ¡­ Wu Jiarong was giving Mr. Gu detailed ounts of her thoughts and assessments. In some respects, Gu Hang was somewhat disappointed, such as with the burst production capacity of armored vehicles being slower than he had imagined. But what Wu Jiarong spoke of were all realistic factors, especially the scarcity of qualified automotive workers. Had it not been for the production of the Iron Bull truck series and the Patrol Rider motorcycle series, which slightly cultivated some experience, the gap in this area would surely have been even greater. The demand for qualified industrial workers will only continue to grow in the future. Gu Hang calcted that after returning this time, he would have to get the education industry started. Compulsory education for children and teenagers; technical schools for the rapid training of youths and adults; management schools for training new administrative officers; military academies¡ªor Loyal Heir Academy¡ªparticrly for ideological education and the cultivation of political officers¡­ As he thought about this, he began to feel a sense of helplessness. The education sector ah, it¡¯s another area that requires a great deal of time and energy investment.
Moreover, he didn¡¯t have the right person to get this thing up and running. Osenia? She was capable, but she was too overwhelmed with work right now. Rebuilding the city, restoring production, and the insufficient administrative personnel already had the young woman¡¯s hands full. She likely wouldn¡¯t be able to tackle another equally heavy task in the short term. Gu Hang had no choice but to consider other candidates. ¡°` Chapter 128: 124, Guarantee to Complete the Mission! Chapter 128: Chapter 124, Guarantee to Complete the Mission!
After having an extensive discussion with Wu Jiarong about the production of various technology industry lines that followed, Gu Hang then inspected the situation at the Abandoned Cave Society. The former leader of the Abandoned Cave Society, who is now the head of the heavy industry base, Patel, didn¡¯t even have time to meet him! Of course, that was an exaggerated way to put it. If truth be told, what task could be more important than meeting with the Governor? It wasn¡¯t that Gu Hang didn¡¯t let Patele to see him. Instead, it was he who took the initiative to apany Patel and observed their work situation. They were indeed very busy. Perbov had also changed into a set of military clothes and apanied him on the side. The day before, following orders, this man led hispany, escorting tens of thousands of citizens to the Abandoned Cave Society.
These tens of thousands were among those who were evacuated from Revival City before the storm disaster, the homeless. They were not reassigned by Osenia to return to the city for reconstruction but were instead directly brought, along with some of the food supplies taken from the city, by military escort, to Weixing City. A small number of people were settled in the former Governor¡¯s Camp, the main city of Weixing City, and poured into the light industries factories there. The textile mills, construction teams, tool assembly factories, cement nts, electric appliance factories in Weixing City, like and parched for rain, weed in a lot of newbor. Underprehensive strategic nning, there was no shortage of business. The arrival of so many people meant a need for more housing, more raw materials for construction, more clothing, more basic electrical appliances such as water heaters and lights. And these items are in even shorter supply in the outer areas of Revival City that are under reconstruction, with more orders than could be filled. The enhancement of productivity required morebor to be integrated into the system, and after they earned work points, or even ¡®borrowed¡¯ them with an advance on their pay, they needed to produce these goods themselves to meet their own demands. Yet, even so, not everyone could stay in Weixing City. The more important Waste Pit Industrial Zone, also under the administrative jurisdiction of Weixing City, could amodate even more people. The core alloy smelting industry has always been a big consumer ofbor. The central alloy stic steel machine ck box had never stopped, but many of the resulting production lines could only remain in the assembly stage, or even sit gathering dust in storage, simply because there were not enough hands to operate the machines. The burgeoning metal processing factories, bulletproof insert production lines, automotive industry, military industry¡­ the potential for employment seemed endless. Most people who migrated from Revival City were settled near the residential areas adjacent to the industrial hub of the Waste Pit Zone in Weixing City. The empty housing previously constructed here became temporary settlement spots. Homes initially meant for a single family might suddenly house twenty people. Even so, space was still inadequate, considering the iing poption was several timesrger than the entire original poption of the Waste Pit Zone. In the end, temporary tents and huts had to be used for shelter, waiting for numerous construction crews to work at full capacity to build houses.
Moreover, not all these people could be put to work right away. The Abandoned Cave Society industrial zone did have some low-end industries where individuals could be sent for short, pre-work training sessions, barely sufficient for them to manage. However, when it came to more delicate processing, vehicle assembly, and a series of jobs requiring a higher skill set from industrial workers, brief training was inadequate. Fortunately, Gu Hang had previously implemented night school policies in the Abandoned Cave Society, which continued to have an effect. Literacy and basic skills training were well underway. Now that so many more had arrived, they too were herded into it. Whether it¡¯s herding a sheep or a flock¡­ although this ¡®flock¡¯ was exceptionallyrge. Nevertheless, the poption of the wastnd had numerous issues, but there is one aspect that should not be underestimated. There might be many illiterate people, but many of them had useful skills. After all, wastnd society wasn¡¯t primitive; most had seen guns, used guns, maintained guns; while many couldn¡¯t recognize many words, they weren¡¯tcking in fix-it skills or craftsmanship. In the past, these people simplycked opportunity. Now that they had it, the cost of training them wouldn¡¯t actually be too high. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before these people are no longer a burden but the freshest blood for the continued development of our industry!¡± Patel proudly said to Gu Hang. ¡­ Gu Hang was fairly satisfied with the development of the Waste Pit Industrial Zone. After all, things were on the right track. As time went by, the overall production capacity was set to grow exponentially. The seeds that had been sown were now at the stage of taking root and sprouting. With a satisfied mindset, Gu Hang spent the night in the Abandoned Cave Society and, early the next morning, he hurriedly boarded the helicopter to return to Revival City.
Joining him was Perbov. He was to take part in today¡¯s award ceremony. Perbov was not the main event, but he hadmanded 2nd Company and had stood out in several fights in Revival City. His troops were still carrying out tasks in the Waste Pit Zone and couldn¡¯t rush back immediately, but as themanding officer, he had to go back and bring his brothers the medals they deserved. While on the same aircraft as Mr. Gu, Perbov was a little nervous. Although he was quite familiar with him, he had never spent such a long time in a rtively private space with the Governor he respected and admired. This made him somewhat uneasy. He was usually quite open and talkative. But now, without any tasks at hand, he wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Yet staying silent didn¡¯t seem quite right either. However, he soon had to stop worrying about the awkward atmosphere. Gu Hang spoke, raising the topic of official business. It was about some arrangements concerning his own duties going forward. ¡°Now, themand for the 1st Composite Brigade should be assumed by Yan Fangxu as brigademander; and for the 2nd Infantry Division, it should be Tadeusz taking on the position of divisionmander, who will also double as themissar for both units. This situation is definitely temporary and cannot be maintained for long.¡± ¡°Following that, once the troops are established and we move into routine training andbat operations, both men will still be pulled for unified coordination. Specificmand and management of the troops will be handed over to others.¡±
¡°I have in mind that you should take on the role of brigademander for the 1st Composite Brigade.¡± Perbov seemed somewhat agitated at the moment. It was not possible that he hadn¡¯t thought about these things before. After hearing about this round of military expansion, he had given it thought. Aside from that guy Yan Fangxu, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone else in the entire army more qualified and capable of holding this position. Frankly, the only realpetition were the battalions leaders brought into Revival City by the governor himself. He was the most senior, the most experienced, and had the most distinguishedbat achievements among them. But then, who knew if there might be a surprise? After all, when it came to seniority, the differences were not significant; it was merely a matter of more than a month¡¯s time difference, what seniority is there to speak of? He was just lucky to have had a head start. Moreover, who knew if there might be some special circumstances? After all, there was the example of Tadeusz. That kid also came from the Abandoned Cave Company, starting as a squad leader, and after a single battle, became a hero, even leaping to be a divisionmander and the head of the army¡¯s political department. His rise through the ranks was unmatched. In fact, many privately felt envious.
To be honest, Tadeusz had only taken a risk with that particr void. Despite the void taking the lives of an interster warrior and a Battle Nun, marking certain death for any mere mortal that approached, he emerged victorious. But some would not think that way. What Tadeusz could do, they could do as well; it was just a matter of not being there at the time or not running fast enough. Otherwise, they would be the divisionmander now! And whenever Perbov heard these kinds of rumors within his own troops, he would curse vehemently. What¡¯s the use of saying such things? When the timees, the vast majority wouldn¡¯t dare to move forward one step, afraid of being ordered to go on a suicide mission. Not to mention having the capability to walk out of there. Others might not have seen it, but had he not witnessed how fierce the interster warriors and Battle Nuns were? A task that took their lives was aplished by Tadeusz, that was no small feat, and everyone had to acknowledge it. Sarcasticments deservedshes. And now, the words Mr. Gu had just mentioned¡ªof course, they were true, would he deceive him? He would soon officially be the third most important person in the army after Yan Fangxu and Tadeusz. In fact, when it came to actual authority, he was number one. After all, thergest and strongest armed force was directly under his control. Could he shoulder this responsibility?
Even after Tadeusz achieved a remarkable feat, people whispered behind his back. If he took on the brigademander role, what would the other four battalionmanders think of their former peer bing their supervisor? Rattling his brain in the helicopter, Perbov¡¯s mind was filled with many thoughts because of Mr. Gu¡¯s words. But these thoughts were also reeled back in because of Mr. Gu¡¯s words, ¡°However, our situation is always a bit special. It¡¯s hard to talk about seniority; we¡¯ve juste out of the struggle. To speak of ability, to speak of contribution, that¡¯s what really convinces people. So, I n to appoint you, but I cannot simply dictate it; that would make your future work difficult.¡± Perbov listened intently, sensing the key point. ¡°After the award ceremony, you¡¯ll immediately return to Weixing City. At that time, people from the recruiting division separated by Tadeusz wille back with you. I am temporarily authorizing you to recruit a batch of soldiers within Weixing City to fill up your battalion, including arge number of weapons and equipment. Even if they have not started mass production, I¡¯ll arrange for you to get them from the research institute.¡± ¡°By then, your battalion will be reorganized into the first battalion of the 1st Composite Brigade, the first topleteprehensive equipment. I want you to get your troops ready within half a month and then start operations centered on the Waste Pit Industrial Zone.¡± ¡°At that time, Yan Fangxu will give you a clearbat objective. Centered on the Waste Pit Zone, within a hundred kilometers, there should be approximately 7-10 survivor settlements of varying sizes. Give you another half a month, I want to see those settlements definitely flying the g of the New Alliance and definitely submitting to the new order.¡± Unable to stand, Perbov excitedly straightened up in his seat and saluted, ¡°I understand! I promise toplete the mission!¡± He was a bit excited! He knew that Mr. Gu was giving him this opportunity to umte merits in advance, paving the way for his next step and facilitating his future work. With this opportunity, he felt that if he failed to carry out Mr. Gu¡¯s instructions, he honestly deserved to drown himself in a cesspit! Chapter 129: 125, Execution Chapter 129: Chapter 125, Execution
¡°Marinus nagan, charged with murder, subversion of the government, envement, imprisonment¡­ by the name of The Emperor, you are sentenced to death!¡± ¡°Jesse Dutra, charged with murder, fraud¡­ by the name of The Emperor, you are sentenced to death!¡± ¡°Lloyd Eukic, charged with¡­¡± ¡­ Many people, originally dressed in exquisite clothes which were now dirty and soiled from detention and interrogation, were bound and kneeling on the ground. They looked at Lambert, seated at the judgment bench, reading out their charges, but they could not utter a single word in their defense.
They couldn¡¯t speak; their tongues had all been uniformly cut out to prevent them from speaking out of turn at such an important event. They were only needed here to make an appearance before meeting their fates. In fact, they weren¡¯t the first ones. Before them, beneath the high tform of the trial, there was another tform, sttered with bloodstains. Just moments ago, in groups of ten, after the sentences were pronounced, they were dragged down to the lower tform. Then, a gun was ced against the back of each person¡¯s head, and with the executioner¡¯smand, gunshots sounded simultaneously. The kneeling people immediately fell forward as blood sprayed everywhere. Immediately afterward, people came to drag away the bodies, and while the next group¡¯s crimes were being read, workers carried buckets of water to ssh over the execution tform, then swiftly mopped it down. It was certainly impossible to cleanpletely at once; by the time the next group was dragged over, the ground was still damp, the smell of blood rushing up to one¡¯s nostrils. Scared enough to wet their pants, twisting and turning trying to resist¡­ it was all routine, but utterly meaningless. Then came more orders, another series of gunshots, another group sentenced¡­ The prisoners prepared by Lambert would take over twenty batches to finish. During this period of terror politics that enveloped Revival City, roughly two thousand people had been captured. Of course, not all of them would be executed here. On one hand, not everyone was sentenced to death, and on the other hand, sentencing and executing two thousand people one by one would take too much time. A total of about two hundred would suffice to make a point. The remaining four or five hundred death row prisoners would be dealt withter.
Among the arrested, there were also those who were truly innocent; about five hundred or so were eventually released. The remaining thousand or so were all sentenced tobor, prepared to be sent to the mines at the Waste Hole Society Ruins to dig for ore. This group of people, by the standards of the Waste Lands, seemed rather delicate. Presumably, they had never engaged in such intense physicalbor. After toiling in the dark mines for five years, it was unknown how many would survive to see the end of their sentence. Below the execution tform was the Square of Punishment. This ce was located in front of the Alliance Council¡¯s great hall, a ratherrge space capable of amodating about twenty thousand people with no problem. Now, about half that number, roughly ten thousand people, were standing there. These spectators were essentially from the top 10% of residents in terms of status within Revival City. They had been ¡®invited¡¯ to watch this trial, and they were quite touched upon receiving the invitation. The scenes unfolding before them were indeed chilling to the bone. Among those being executed, there were many they knew, many they were familiar with. In the past, these were their leaders, their superiors, their bosses. Whenever they encountered them, they would probably have to bow and scrape, greet them respectfully, hoping to get some small benefit; a bit of patronage might mean a better future. But now, these individuals who were once so lofty, were being executed in batches before them, like dead dogs.
During the execution, the onlookers fell silent as cicadas in winter. My lord Governor, it¡¯s real this time. This made many among them have to deeply recall the second-generation governor from six years ago¡­ No, even more outrageous than the second-generation governor. The original second-generation governor, in order to implement his reign of terror and extort wealth, also relied on the administrative power and military strength of the Alliance itself. In that era, although it caused a horrific disaster, since the administrative measures depended on the Alliance system, many of them were within this system, they themselves were the executors of the terror. Many times, terror did not descend upon their own heads. But the new governor is not like that. He has established a set of forces out of thin air, forces that carry out his will. The new governor truly does not need them. Over two thousand people were arrested, two hundred are on the execution stage, being executed as simply as ughtering pigs. This means, almost all the leaders of the ruling ss under the Alliance system, all the heads of various interest groups, were wiped out in one sweep. Isn¡¯t this enough to reflect the Governor¡¯s determination and ruthlessness? Now, they could truly feel that Revival City, the Alliance, and even the whole Rage Owl Star, had truly changed. ¡­ From the highest tform, Gu Hang looked down silently at everything.
The fresh blood on the execution stage, the silent and fearful popce below, none of it caused the slightest change in his expression. He was indeed destroying the existing order. The goal was to clean house, to more conveniently rebuild the order he desired. His methods toward the Inner City residents were different from those toward the Outer City. The Outer City people were poor, miserable, and couldn¡¯t even fill their stomachs, so he used a gentle approach, showing mercy, giving hope, establishing credibility. Let them be fed and clothed, let them live and work in peace and contentment, and they would naturally be his force. The Inner City people lived decent lives, and it was not cost-effective to buy them off with more benefits. Thus, he used decisive means to nt terror in their hearts and minds, to prevent them from daring to be obstacles. Gu Hang obviously couldn¡¯t let these Inner City people continue to be vampires. Furthermore, he wanted the Inner City people to bleed, otherwise, who would bear the cost of the resources for buying off the Outer City people? Contrary to what he had imagined, after cleaning out the nobles in the city, Gu Hang did not gain much of any real value. Money was meaningless. The so-called Alliance currency, issued by the Alliance Government with a rather limited cirction, seemed like waste paper to Gu Hang. He had not yetpletely abolished the use of Alliance currency, but it was just a matter of time. Gu Hang had no patience to engage in any financial industry here. Could the financial industry help with taxes? Could they use Alliance currency to negotiate with the tax officials of the Empire? Obviously not.
Currency is merely a means for regting the economy. The destructive storm unleashed by the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, in some ways, had helped Gu Hang quite a bit. With the Outer City people having next to nothing, Gu Hang realized that he did not need to maintain the original financial system of Revival City. And what he obtained from those so-called nobles, the most important thing was the industries they originally controlled. Next, Gu Hang wouldrgely abolish and not recognize the use of Alliance currency, which would directly make all the Inner City people impoverished. Their past umted wealth would, under this decision, all be piles of waste paper in their homes. They wouldn¡¯t end up with nothing, after all, they still had their homes, some material savings, far better off than the Outer City people who were starting from scratch. But their past lives would surely be gone forever. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Updated 5.5k today, aiming for a big chapter tomorrow. Chapter 130: 126, Long Live the Governor! Chapter 130: Chapter 126, Long Live the Governor!
Actually, not all the people in the inner city are wealthy. With such poor productivity, it¡¯s impossible to support that many rentier sses. Most of the people in the inner city still have to rely on their own work to support themselves and their families. They just have a rtively more substantial family background, better education, and more plentiful opportunities. They work as industrial workers, staff in factories and enterprises, clerical workers in trade associations, and officials under the Alliance Government¡­ They have a stable and even somewhat respectable job, but that¡¯s all they have for their livelihood. In fact, under the new system designed by Gu Hang, if these people did their jobs well, their opportunities would still be much greater than those of the people outside the city. A moreprehensive education and a wealth of work experience were their advantages. But this couldn¡¯t merely be made credible through propaganda. For the moment, Gu Hang did not need to maintain stability through empty talk; his military could manage that in a short time.
As for the future, these inner city residents woulde to experience this for themselves. In reality, for the entire political and economic framework of the future, he already had some preliminary ideas, which he had discussed with Osenia. The entire welfare system would be established on forty-five grades: a stratification of A-E, with nine levels in each category. Each level woulde with corresponding welfare benefits, including food rations, housing benefits, medical care, and determine the purchase rights for a small number of scarce goods. Upon entering the workforce, every official employee would have at least an E6 level of benefits. Below E6, there would be apprentice workers, interns, some schrship recipients, convictborers, and relief for those unemployed through no fault of their own¡­ And specific levels would be determined ording to the position and the individual¡¯s work contribution. Although there is a certain link between rank and position, they are not entirely equivalent. In the early stages, those at lower levels will be promoted year by year based on seniority and work contributions, which means an increase in basic benefits. The pace of promotion will slow down at higher levels. Those with outstanding performance will be eligible for leapfrog promotion. The treatment for military soldiers does not follow this line, but it corresponds. Privates and corporals receive allowances simr to the E tier, with specific differences depending on the unit; after retirement, efforts would be made to arrange jobs at corresponding levels. Sergeants, senior NCOs, and some lower officers correspond to the D tier; middle and upper officers receive C tier treatment upon retirement; and senior officers and generals receive B tier or A tier, depending on the situation. Rank and position would also be paid monthly wages, only it¡¯s no longer the Alliance currency. It¡¯s now work points, and there could be some sort of currency reform in the future. You can spend work points or currency to buy things in stores. Most civilian goods, as long as they¡¯re not scarce items, will be normally ced on the shelves.
Want to eat better side dishes beyond the regr food allocations, such as cake, ice cream, meat and dairy products? You can buy them; Want high-quality electronics? You can buy them; Want to buy a tricycle or even a car to use? You might not be able to buy it in the short term, but once production increases in the future, the military¡¯s needs are met, and there is extra capacity, you can buy it. There might initially be level restrictions, which can be liftedter when capacity is more abundant. When there are more materials avable, personal hobbies, reading, entertainment, art pieces¡­ all can be bought. In other words, housing, food, and medical care, the three big mountains, will be secured once you¡¯re part of this new system; wages will then satisfy higher-level, more personalized, and diverse needs. Want something better? Well, work hard to get promoted and earn a raise. The only exception is education. That matter, Gu Hang ns to make it public, free, and solely dependent on performance. And this whole system will include future civil servants, industrial workers, service industry workers, farmers¡­ all of them. Of course, for now, this whole system looks beautiful, with a somewhat utopian notion, but there will probably be quite a few problems in implementation. Ensuring fairness, reasonable promotions, adequate supply of materials, satisfying individual diverse needs, fighting corruption, avoiding system rigidity, nning material distribution and production¡­ the list of issues is long. But this collectivized, nned system has a fundamental advantage: it¡¯s easier to concentrate resources to aplish big things.
On Rage Owl Star, there is a fundamental difference from the modern world: there is no problem of overproduction for a long time. The meaning of market regtion is not that significant. All excess productive capacity would be absorbed by the immense pressure of imperial taxation. The only thing Gu Hang needed to do was to expand productive capacity as much as possible. Making more goods, whether they could be sold or used, didn¡¯t matter; the empire¡¯s vast system would consume it all. And with this premise, what Gu Hang valued the most was how to fill the people within this system with motivation. He would not tolerate widespread attitudes of idleness and dependency on welfare benefits. These detestable ideas must be addressed by Gu Hang. Incentives such as rank progression, sry increases, and active promotion of values are all forms of positive motivation. Performance assessments,petitive promotion slots, and a demotion penalty system¡­ These kinds of rtivelypetitive incentives are also essential. If the people don¡¯t work hard, how can Gu Hang prosper? Work hard, and next year, the governor can change to a sports car.
Chapter 131: 126, Long Live the Governor!_2 Chapter 131: Chapter 126, Long Live the Governor!_2
Of course, this was a joke. What Gu Hang wanted was not those lowly pleasures. Expanding the military, developing industry, constructing starships, and maintaining one or severalbat regiments¡­ his ambitions were grand indeed. As for the present reality, once these inner city folks entered his new system, thanks to their own advantage in education level, professional skills, and past work experience, they naturally outperformed the impoverished people from the outer cities who might not even be able to recognize all the characters. They would easily strive for a higher starting rank and a faster promotion speed. As long as they supported the governor, they would feel the benefits. Restoring their past standard of living was not difficult, and it was inevitable with the increase in productivity. Moreover, better ss mobility would give them opportunities they could never have had before. The good days were still ahead!
¡­ Gu Hang¡¯s divergent thoughts came to a close with the death of thest batch of executed convicts. Next, another big event was toe: the award ceremony and the military parade. These two events werebined. In fact, the vast square was now upied by only about ten thousand citizens, leaving open space for the uing parade. The various units would one by one, apanied by bugle calls and majestic music, set off from the outside assembly area, pass the main road outside the parliamentary square, and advance along the path made way by the audience to arrive here at the podium. Themanders of the units woulde to the tform to receive medals, military ranks, and more importantly, on behalf of the entire unit, ept the designation and the gs. The military music had already started, with four bands in four directions of the square creating quite a din, along with trumpets arranged in various locations to further amplify the sound. Then, a formation slowly approached. Four ¡®Strider V¡¯ armored vehicles led the way, followed by tanks still not fully repainted, captured from the previous Alliance Legion, and then a column of Iron Bull trucks apanied by Scout Rider Motorcycles advancing. Some of these trucks carried full loads of soldiers as troop transports, and others towed huge 155mm howitzers. This was the 3rd Battalion of the original Governor¡¯s Infantry Regiment. Among the leading officer vehicles, Perbov from the 2nd Battalion and the 3rd Battalion¡¯smanding officer were seated. In fact, the 2nd Battalion should have been reviewed first and Perbov, as itsmanding officer, was indeed the first. Unfortunately, he was a bit of a lone wolf; his main force was still recruiting and reorganizing in Weixing City, so he could only tag along with the 3rd Battalion¡¯s formation.
As the entire formation arrived below the podium, whether riding in vehicles or marching on foot, all the soldiers shouted their slogans loudly! It began with the officers at the front belting out ¡°For the Emperor!¡± followed by all the soldiers chanting together. Then came another ¡°For the Governor!¡± Gu Hang stood at the forefront of the viewing tform, watching his troops march past, his face expressionless, merely nodding slightly in acknowledgment. The soldiers followed the directions to the space set aside for them in the square and took their positions. Perbov and the 3rd Battalion¡¯smanding officer went up to the tform together. Gu Hang personally adorned them with the shoulder boards that signified the rank of Major; following that, he also presented them with medals. Gu Hang had personally designed two styles of medals. This moment, they were all being awarded the ¡®Revival Medal¡¯. The design of this medal was roughly circr, featuring a fist clutching a hammer raised upward, surrounded by wheat ears. The Revival Medal, Gu Hang intended as a foundational award to be given out. It was primarily meant for soldiers and officers who had disyed excellence in the series of battles involving Revival City. Half of the awardees were either valiantly killed in action or wounded. The former needs no further mention, while thetter were generally expected to retire upon receipt of the medal. These medals were not recognized within the entire empire, unlike military ranks. The titles from theary Defense Force were acknowledged by the Imperial Military¡ªalthough the prestige attached to them varied greatly.
But Gu Hang still needed to establish this system. Soldiers fighting for their own should rightfully receive honor. Moreover, aside from honor, the medals also had tangible benefits. The ¡®Rejuvenation Medal¡¯ itself equated to an E5-level allowance, a seemingly insignificant amount, but this was in addition to the basic allowance soldiers already received and would continue until retirement. In cases of disability or death, the pension would also be more substantial. In fact, awarding medals to disabled retirees and fallen soldiers was also to provide additional constion to the rtives of valiantly fallen soldiers. For those without rtives, the military¡¯s political department would arrange for an orphan¡ªthere were too many on the wastnds¡ªto inherit these, but the precondition was that the orphan had to take up the hero¡¯s surname. They would be raised and educated by a specialized War Orphans Institution. After Gu Hang had ced the ranks and medals on the two battalionmanders, the award ceremony for them concluded, and the formation of the 4th Battalion was alreadying up behind. The two battalionmanders and a few soldiers who had joined them on the podium hurriedly received a sizable box and many furled gs from the governor¡¯s attendants, then quickly made space for their brothers in the approaching 4th Battalion. In the boxes were several Rejuvenation Medals, to beter awarded by themanders to their own battalion¡¯s soldiers; the furled gs were the battalion andpany red banners, which would clearly disy the unit¡¯s numerical designation. Chapter 132: 126, Long Live the Governor!_3 Chapter 132: Chapter 126, Long Live the Governor!_3
These regimental banners were distributed, and soon they were raised by the g bearers. Quickly, during the next batch of ceremonies for awarding ranks and medals, red banners began to flutter within the first square formation. Among them were two special unit designations¡ªthe 1st Abandoned Cave Company and the 4th ¡®Kodi¡¯ Company. These two banners belonged to Perbov¡¯s 1st Composite Brigade, 1st Composite Battalion. Although he had not brought personnel with him, allies stepped in to help as temporary g bearers, raising the gs high. The first banner recognized Gu Hang¡¯s establishment of the very firstpany made up of native people from Rage Owl Star, which had exhibited outstanding performance in many battles; the second was to honor the heroic deeds of the martyred Kodi, assigned to thepany where he served as politicalmissar, which was incorporated into the 1st Composite Battalion as the fourthpany. This concluded the entire process of conferring ranks and awarding medals.
To be honest, the level of the military band, which provided the apanying music in loops, was quite average, and the formations of soldiers and vehicles were not particrly tidy when moving. In Gu Hang¡¯s opinion, especially whenpared to the military parades he had seen on TV before crossing over, it was stillcking. But there was an entirely different aspect here: this was truly his own army. At hismand, the guns and cannons in these formations would fire at any enemy; the soldiers in the formations would die for him. Watching them from the podium, Gu Hang felt an infinite surge of pride. The citizens from the inner city watching alongside him, however, remained silent. In fact, among the soldiers marching in formation, many were familiar faces to them. Quite a few were indeed former soldiers of the Alliance Legion, a significant portion of whom had been integrated into the 1st Composite Brigade; the rest would be infused into the 2nd Infantry Division as its framework. Yet, to the inner city¡¯s residents, these familiar soldiers now seemed quite unfamiliar. There had never been a military parade within Revival City, and they only saw these soldiers when they were on duty or out on missions. The inner city residents generally harbored an indifferent attitude towards the military. But now, the entire army seemed to be different from what they remembered. Their whole spirit had changed. Under the leadership of those with red caps, the soldiers puffed out their chests, striding with vigorous, proud steps.
When had the citizens ever seen their own army with such a spirited appearance? Oh, that¡¯s not right, it¡¯s now the Governor¡¯s army¡­ Eh? That¡¯s also not right, we seem to be the Governor¡¯s people too, so this is still our army¡­ It¡¯s a bit confusing. The citizens watched these familiar yet strange soldiers marching past them and then assembling neatly on the other side of the square, their emotions quite mixed. The mood among the residents of the outer city was not soplex. Revival Citycked the capability to broadcast live images, which made it impossible for everyone to see the ceremony. But at least the technology to broadcast via radio was avable. The pronouncement of death sentences on various individuals by Lambert was also broadcast live via radio. Compared to the calm of the inner city, the outer city was quite lively. As people worked, they heard of various prominent figures being executed. They might not have known who each person was, but they could recognize a detestable name being mentioned as gunned down. Consequently, cheers erupted sporadically on the worksites. During the subsequent award ceremony, the radio announcer would also read the details of the awards received by the units and their exploits, following the script. This also made the poor in the outer city realize that previously there had been such a reliable army fighting to protect Revival City from being destroyed by a cult conspiracy.
¡­ After all the troops had passed, thest two to appear on the stage were Yan Fangxu and Tadeusz. For the former, Gu Hang bestowed the rank of colonel. epting this rank meant that he was saying goodbye to the Imperial Navy sequence and joining the ranks of the Rage Owl Starary Defense Force. The relevant formalities were already in progress, and Gu Hang had even made a special point of discussing his case with Colonel Yelisia. Therefore, Gu Hang spent 10 points of favor to activate Yan Fangxu. In the system¡¯s appraisal, he was ssified as a rarity of N, which stands for normal, a level 2 militarymander with his highest attribute,mand, reaching 12 points, and only one trait, [Excellent Military Commander], nothing special. Beyond receiving the rank of colonel, Yan Fangxu was also awarded a ¡®Revival Medal¡¯. And standing next to him, Tadeusz was conferred the rank of lieutenant colonel, and further, was awarded a ¡®Wind-Extinguishing Medal¡¯. The medal was irregrly conical, resembling the abstract shape of a tornado. Designed by Gu Hang as the second type of medal, only one was issued this time, and it was for Tadeusz. Without a doubt, the ¡®Wind-Extinguishing Medal¡¯ was a hundred times more precious than the Revival Medal in the entire military¡¯s medal system.
After the personal conferring of ranks and awards waspleted, both men also received a g each. They saluted Gu Hang, donned their ranks, wore their medals on their chests, and holding the banners, descended from the stage. Next, each moved to the very front of the tworge square formations, passing the gs to the g bearers who had been prepared. The g-bearing squad raised the red gs, and both banners were established at the forefront of the two military units. Chapter 133: 126, Long Live the Governor! _4 Chapter 133: Chapter 126, Long Live the Governor! _4
The g that Tadeusz took down was nothing special; when unfurled, it was simply the banner of the 2nd Infantry Division. The g that Yan Fangxu took down, however, had something to talk about. Once spread out, the words written on it were: [1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade]. Without a doubt, this was also an honorary designation given to the entire brigade, in recognition of the outstanding performances of the officers and soldiers of the whole brigade, including those former Alliance Legion soldiers who were absorbed into it, during the Wind-Extinguishing operation¡ªthis included the toon that Tadeusz had previously led as politicalmissar. After the ceremony of conferring ranks and bestowing medals had concluded, the broadcast signal switched to the microphone in front of Gu Hang. His voice, amplified by the loudspeakers, echoed throughout the entire square and then throughout the entire city. People quieted down; they began to listen carefully to the Governor¡¯s words, seeking to find a new, reliable support for their future lives.
¡°Residents of Revival City, my most loyal warriors, greetings. I am your Governor, Gu Hang.¡± ¡°Just now, I have adorned our brave warriors, who fought valiantly to protect this city, with the honors they rightly deserve.¡± ¡°I have bestowed one hundred Rejuvenation Medals, each of the honorees is a true hero. They have made outstanding contributions to the defense of Revival City, even at the cost of their own lives.¡± ¡°I have awarded the Wind-Extinguishing Medal, the highest honor, to Comrade Tadeusz.¡± ¡°Many still vividly recall the storm from ten days ago. With the help of the Phoenix Battle Group and the Sainte-Lys Nun Association, we thwarted the cultists¡¯ scheme; we extinguished the storm, saving the entire city. And without a doubt, Comrade Tadeusz was among the most outstanding of them. At the most critical moment, with the most fearless stance, he aplished the most heroic feat¡ªhe struck the final blow to extinguish the storm.¡± ¡°Extinguishing the storm is precisely the origin of the name for the Wind-Extinguishing Medal and the honorary designation of the Extinguishing Wind Brigade. All the soldiers who fought bravely, everyone who maintained order and rescued the city amidst the disaster, can rightly be called heroes.¡± At the beginning of his speech, Gu Hang started with the origins of the Wind-Extinguishing Medal and the honorary title of the Extinguishing Wind Brigade. The inner-city residents remained silent, not deeply moved by this; but the people from the outer city remembered the images of those soldiers. In the battles over food transportation, they had seen with their own eyes soldiers fighting the cultists who tried to destroy the food carts and leave them starving. In that escting storm, which then abruptly ceased, they might not have known what happened in several wind farms, but they clearly saw arge number of soldiers maintaining order, distributing food and supplies in the wind and rain, and arranging for people to evacuate the city. This military force seemed indeed different. In the midst of disaster, they did not use their weapons to loot and plunder, nor oppress the poor. Instead, they stood with the people against the wind and rain.
All this was witnessed by their very eyes, and the Governor¡¯s summarizing words of praise reinforced their impressions. This was Gu Hang¡¯s intention. He wanted to bring honor to the military. Honor keeps the military disciplined, honor makes the people cherish the military. After saying these words, Gu Hang paused briefly and continued his speech: ¡°Hundreds of years ago, before the era of war, Rage Owl Star was a civilized world, the pearl of the entire Tianma Star Sector. Leveraging advanced industrial technology and special psychic energy fields for energy extraction, Rage Owl Star¡¯s contribution to the Imperial Tax could rank in the top three in the Tianma Star Sector, only behind the Star Sector Capital Wing Star and the Nest Capital World Korolya III; the standard of living of its inhabitants could rank second, only slightly inferior to the Garden World Winged Star.¡± ¡°Back then, the people of Rage Owl Star lived in cities, many with respectable jobs; for the majority, the problem of food and clothing was a distant concern. They enjoyed the sunshine, the nightlife, the variety of delicious foods produced, and a thriving cultural industry¡­¡± ¡°Such an affluent world was not something you could see on many Imperial worlds. The people of Rage Owl Star were deserving of envy from most inhabitants of the Empire World.¡± Gu Hang¡¯s words left many with mixed feelings. No one had seen the pre-war condition with their own eyes. But they had heard about it from their ancestors, passed down from generation to generation; some artifacts asionally unearthed from the ruins before the war also proved this point. The past Rage Owl Star was indeed prosperous and flourishing. So why are we, the descendants, living such wretched lives?
The Governor provided an answer: ¡°Despicable traitors betrayed us. The highest quality energy resource on Rage Owl Star, the psychic energy field, was used as a source by the Chaos Traitors to open a psychic tunnel. This tunnel connected to a world corrupted by chaos; under the shroud of dark magic, even demons from hell were summoned.¡± ¡°A brutal war erupted on Rage Owl Star as its battlefield.¡± ¡°The people of Rage Owl Star, united with the soldiers of the Empire, with endless sacrifices, defeated those Chaos Traitors, closed the psychic tunnel, and destroyed the psychic energy fields¡­ But at the same time, this war, whichsted for decades, turned Rage Owl Star into ruins, transforming this once flourishing world of nearly ten billion inhabitants into a deste wastnd. The copsed ecosystem gave rise to terrible low energy storms and mutated monsters, rendering vastnds uninhabitable.¡± ¡°Since then, Rage Owl Star went from being the Star Sector¡¯s pearl to a deste, abandoned by the Empire, removed from the Star Sector¡¯s nning.¡± Chapter 134: 126, Long Live the Governor!_5 Chapter 134: Chapter 126, Long Live the Governor!_5
¡°` This part was somewhat difficult for many people to understand. Terms like ¡°Chaos Traitor¡± and ¡°demons¡± didn¡¯t seem familiar, and they were even more perplexed by ¡°psychic energy fields¡± and ¡°spiritual energy tunnels.¡± But it didn¡¯t prevent them from grasping the gist: our world had been betrayed by a traitor and destroyed by the Chaos Traitor. Those abominable things were the culprits responsible for destroying the good life we should have had. It inevitably reminded them of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, that damn cult that almost brought Revival City to ruin! Gu Hang¡¯s speech continued:
¡°After a dark century with no light of day, an Imperial Officer named Huo Haibin stumbled upon Rage Owl Star and was startled to discover that tens of millions of people were still alive. He helped the locals and appliedyer byyer through the Star Sector Government. Finally, he obtained permission to rebuild Rage Owl Star, reintegrating it back into the Empire¡¯s bosom. He also became the first Governor of the Rage Owl Star Wastnd era.¡± ¡°Governor Huo was a man worthy of everyone¡¯s respect. He toiled hard on Rage Owl Star for 17 years. Leveraging the first 15 years of tax exemption, he worked tirelessly to restore the poption, established a united alliance, brought together various forces across the, ended the constant conflicts over scarce resources on the wastnd, and rebuilt the preliminary productivity.¡± ¡°But it still wasn¡¯t enough. In his 17th year as Governor, Rage Owl Star had to pay taxes to the Empire for the first time, standard Imperial Taxes. But Rage Owl Star hadn¡¯t recovered sufficiently to even meet the lowest tax bracket. He was executed by the Department of Taxation, and the Alliance Government underwent a major reshuffle.¡± ¡°Then came the era of Niel Farches as Governor, an era that filled countless members of the Alliance with dread at the mere thought. He learned from Governor Huo¡¯s failure, utilized the power of the Alliance Government, and implemented many policies a lesser man would prefer death over. He plundered the far and wide, solely focusing on paying the full taxes to the Empire, which resulted in aplete halt to all production and recovery efforts.¡± ¡°He managed two terms of tax collections but at the cost of squandering over a decade¡¯s worth of Governor Huo¡¯s efforts. Numerous families were torn apart, and innocent people were taken as tax payments; countless grains that should have fed the people, numerous essential industrial goods, were seized and handed over to the Empire.¡± ¡°Rage Owl Star faced a disaster, and his unsustainable actions incited rebellion. He held his position for six years, with the Alliance on the brink of copse. Many people left the Alliance, many practiced deception, many violently resisted, many were utterly annihted¡­ The poption of the suffered immensely, and seventeen years of recovery were nearly ruined in an instant. His deeds brought him to the guillotine in his third term.¡± ¡°Afterwards, for three sessive generations, each Governorsted only two years before being executed for their inability to pay taxes. The remaining forces conspired to control the Governor¡¯s actions, manipting his orders and deceiving both above and below. They used the Governor, along with officials of the temporary Governor¡¯s Government elected to serve for two years, as scapegoats every two years.¡± ¡°During this entire process, Rage Owl Star endured another six years. These six years of division and chaos did not improve from the time of the second Governor; still many people died, and the saw no glimmer of hope for revival. The name Revival City became a mockery, bothughable and tragic.¡± Gu Hang gave a lengthy speech detailing the history of Rage Owl Star over the past several decades. And this period was very familiar to the people. From the first to the fifth Governor, spanning twenty-nine years, many of the younger generation had grown up during these times; the older ones had lived through those years in full. They knew that what Mr. Gu spoke of contained no falsehoods; it was their lived experience. However, before this, few amongst them had given deep thought to why all of this had happened.
But after Gu Hang shed light on these issues, they naturally began to ponder them. Was it because of the Empire? No, before the Empire retook Rage Owl Star, during that six months of dark post-war times, Rage Owl Star was on the verge of copse. It was the first Governor who established a semnce of order, using the Empire¡¯s aid and interster trade to support the structure of the Alliance and revitalize many local industries. The screw-up was the second Governor and the subsequent powerless Governors. The brutal yet ipetent reign of the second Governor brought huge disasters; The following three Governors were powerless, without troops or supporters, subjected to deception and maniption. Almost every one of them believed they could meet the tax demands, hearing only the news that things were steadily improving, only to find the warehouses insufficiently stockede tax time, and the poption centers meant to serve as tax payment deserted. ¡°` ¡°` The three governors could only sit in Revival City like wax figures, blindfolded and deaf, totally unaware that the Alliance was so loose it was on the verge of disintegration. The various powers would not heedmands or promations; under this loose and autonomous system, thes¡¯ strength could not be integrated, let alone developed. So, it seems the answer is on the verge of emerging: the problem is not entirely with the Empire, the main issue is that there isn¡¯t a governor with enough power, enough daring, or enough capability. Of course, there are many people who can¡¯t see this at all. The hardships they had personally experienced were, when spoken of from a broader, more macro perspective, almost like a script from heaven. Their thoughts could only passively follow the governor¡¯s narrative. But what Gu Hang was about to say was for those not so clever, yet the most important and solid group of people:
¡°Until I arrived.¡± ¡°Over two months ago, I came to this world and saw it was full of scars.¡± ¡°At that time, I leveraged the Alliance¡¯smunication system to announce my arrival and my philosophy to the entire. I said I would rebuild the entire Wastnd World so that every Rage Owl Star person could live a good life through their own efforts. I did note purely to collect taxes, nor would I collect taxes regardless of the people¡¯s well-being.¡± ¡°When I realized that the Alliance¡¯s officials could not assist but were instead an obstruction, I left Revival City.¡± ¡°Now, I have returned. My deration has never changed, and those who obstructed me from bringing you a rebuilt, revitalized, and better life are all dead. From now on, no one will prevent us from jointly building our city, our world!¡± ¡°I will establish a welfare system to ensure that everyone who works hard can have enough to eat and clothes to wear!¡± ¡°I will establish schools to ensure every child can learn and grow in a bright ssroom instead of scraping a living through thievery, begging, or working in sweatshops as a childborer!¡± ¡°I will establish factories to produce more goods and create more jobs, allowing you to live a better life!¡± ¡°I will establish hospitals so that every injured or sick person can be cared for.¡± ¡°I will establish a more fair and efficient government to maintain order and security.¡± ¡°I will establish a more excellent and honorable military to fight for the protection of everything we have created!¡± ¡°These are my responsibilities, my mission, the mission of the new Alliance Government, and the mission of every Rage Owl person.¡±
¡°Hand in hand, we will surely triumph!¡± What Mr. Gu, the governor, had finally said was something that everyone could understand. The people cheered and jumped for joy, they were extremely excited! ¡°Long live the governor!¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter 8.7k Chapter 135: 127: Ideals and Unforgiveness Chapter 135: Chapter 127: Ideals and Unforgiveness
Gu Hang¡¯s speech ended amid the thunderous roar of ¡°Long live the Governor.¡± Hisst few words could be taken as pie in the sky, yet spoken at this moment, they were a clear and explicit political promise that genuinely instilled hope for the future in the listeners. The residents of the outer city were anticipating that the Governor would fulfill all the promises he had made for the future. Considering the activities of the officials obedient to Miss Osenia and the propaganda of those wearing red hats, they started to believe that none of this was too far off. The me of hope was burning brightly on thisnd for the first time. Even the residents of the inner city couldn¡¯t help but be moved. Not to mention, at least in this speech, the Governor seemed to indicate one thing: he was not the type to extort and plunder like the previous generation of governors. They apparently didn¡¯t have to worry about toiling endlessly in factories just to pay taxes or how many people would be sent as tax contributions to the imperial transport ships, heading off to unknown parts of the starry sky, never to return, without any news.
If that were the case, it seemed that supporting this new Governor might not be a bad idea. Hmm¡­ human¡¯s baseline for tolerance is breached step by step like this. A harsh p, followed by a bit of sweetness, and it seemed the situation wasn¡¯tpletely uneptable. ¡­ Was this public trial, execution, military parade, and medal ceremony merely a performance? Of course, it was. But who can deny the importance of propaganda in politics? The inner city residents, having received the p of watching their old acquaintances being publicly executed, were then fed some dates. The atmosphere of terror fostered by Lambert after many days of turmoil should, after this event, ease a little. For the residents of the outer city, they simply received a sweet date. There was no need for a p; they had already suffered too many over the years. The morale of the people, now bolstered, began to truly look forward to the prospects dered by the Governor, to a future with a better life; even their daily work was done with more vigor. However, propaganda is just that, propaganda. These things needed to be implemented, and it wasn¡¯t as simple as announcing them over loudspeakers.
Things needed to be done one by one. How to build schools? Where would the teacherse from? How to allocate resources? Hospitals were in the same boat. The so-called welfare policies were tied to the forty-five ranks Gu Hang had previously envisioned, but what exactly were the benefits for each rank? What was the allocation of materials? How long could Revival City¡¯s current resourcesst? Where would the shortfalle from? How to ensure continued production could keep up? Not to mention, the output mustn¡¯t all be consumed. The imperial tax was a matter for two yearster, but preparations had to start now. These detailed matters didn¡¯t need to be broadcast widely, and many of the methods involved couldn¡¯t be discussed openly. After the medal ceremony, Gu Hang convened an internal meeting. This meeting was where the real substance and key issues were. The meetingsted a full two days. ¡­ When Lambert stepped out of the meeting room, it was already the morning of the third day. The morning sun wasn¡¯t too harsh, yet it still made Lambert¡¯s eyes ufortable. For the past two days, he had been in literal darkness.
Eating and sleeping all took ce in the meeting room, with an all-night session held just yesterday. The Governor, on the other hand, always managed to appear lively and spirited, but Lambert was only human and couldn¡¯t handle such strain. At the moment, he was truly exhausted. Yet he couldn¡¯t suppress his excitement. In the two-day meeting, a significant portion was devoted to personnel appointments. Now, he was the head of the Supreme Legal Committee, the highest judge of the Alliance. His important task going forward was to draftws in ordance with the spirit conveyed by the Governor during the meeting. For this, he needed to establish the Legitive Council for legitive work, the Executive Council for judicial work, and additionally, the Disciplinary Council to oversee and audit government officials and factory managers. Right from the start of the New Alliance Government¡¯s establishment, there was an awareness of the risks of corruption and systemic ossification. He needed to tackle these issues aggressively. This indeed matched the work he had been doing in the previous period. Legition, judiciary, oversight, auditing¡­ With many powers vested in him, he, as the Alliance¡¯s highest judge, was in a position of authority that, in a sense, was on par with the government head¡ªthe Alliance Premier. And currently, the Alliance Premier was none other than Gu Hang himself. This almost meant that he had be the highest-ranking official in the New Alliance. The Hodgson Family¡¯s early investment in the Governor was now paying off. However, the concentration of such considerable power in one individual was inherently unsustainable, merely a temporary measure due to theck of qualified personnel. After all, positions had been left vacant, presumably to be filled in the future.
But what of it? If Lambert was in charge, wouldn¡¯t those who took over in the future essentially be his former subordinates? Even if he were to move on from this work area, he would have left a significant legacy of influence behind. Chapter 136: 127: Ideals and Unforgiveness_2 Chapter 136: Chapter 127: Ideals and Unforgiveness_2
However, senior officialdom and lucrative sries were not the reason for his excitement now. For him personally, were these things worth exchanging for the lives of his entire family? If given the choice, he would not choose this path a hundred times over. But his grandfather had chosen it, and it was only when disaster struck that he realized it. When he had just decided toe to Governor¡¯s Camp to help the governor, he knew his decision represented the Hodgson Family¡¯s stance beingid bare. But at that time, the worst oue he could imagine was that his grandfather would face tremendous pressure in Revival City, and the family would be suppressed. But all that could be recovered, all would be taken back after the governor¡¯s sess.
He never thought that the Speaker of the Alliance Council would die in the capital of the Alliance. But Hodgson had probably foreseen this; he just hadn¡¯t told him. Was it for him? Was it for the Hodgson family? Lambert didn¡¯t think so. If it was for these reasons, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to go this far. What Hodgson Family is there to speak of now? Everyone¡¯s dead except for him. So what was it all for? He remembered the conversation with his grandfather just before he left Revival City to join the governor. ¡°The whole is longing for revival, the sooner the better. I¡¯m willing to make the first contribution, rather than wait in silence. Being a promoter of the era is far more meaningful than waiting anxiously to board the train when the era changes.¡± This statement doomed a political family of Revival City, but it also became the catalyst that allowed the governor to be the owner of Revival City much earlier. Regardless of how many twists and turns there were in the process, it had now be a fact. Why say that only the governor can save the world?
This question is better transformed into what exactly did the empire bring to Rage Owl Star? History is a witness. Imperial taxation was indeed a heavy oppression, but in the hundred years after the war and before returning to the empire, was the situation on Rage Owl Star any better? It was terrible, even worse than during the second governor¡¯s era. When the first governor established the Alliance, the total poption on Rage Owl Star was probably just over twenty million; after his seventeen-year rule, this number rose to nearly fifty million, doubling. The birth rate increased significantly, the death rate dropped dramatically, and arge number of hidden poptions re-emerged due to social development. Only in thest twelve years, it has fallen to less than forty million again. Returning to the empire indeed brought heavy taxation. But apart from that, it wasn¡¯t without benefits. In rebuilding the world, the empire would allocate financial subsidies, distributed by the Star Sector Government. This aid, in the hands of the first governor, led to seventeen years of substantial development on Rage Owl Star, tantamount to being the engine of the¡¯s revival. Without these, could the first governor have formed the Alliance, integrating the various forces by risking his neck? Besides the reconstruction aid, another significant benefit of returning to the empire was interster trade. Upon returning to the empire, after having their governor, the Imperial Merchant Fleet would make Rage Owl Star a trading stop. Many things that could not be produced locally on Rage Owl Star would be avable through interster trade.
These two aspects were the greatest benefits after rejoining the empire. Was Rage Owl Star really unable to develop? Not at all. Though difficult, with imperial aid and joining the interster trade routes, Rage Owl Star should have been thriving. What they needed was a reliable governor. He could not be as ipetent as the first three governors, controlled as soon as they stepped into office, their decrees never leaving the office; nor could he be like the second governor, who ruled the world with violence and fear,pletely disregarding development, draining the pond to catch the fish, which would inevitably lead to copse; even the first governor, capable though he may have been, was too kind andcked the authority of a ruler. The loose structure of the Alliance allowed the various forces to have a considerable degree of independence, making it impossible to gather the¡¯s strength for focused development and to handle the imperial taxation rationally. This was the scourge left by the first governor. These were the conclusions Lambert had reached by himself. He was betting on whether Gu Hang was a governor who met these requirements. At least so far, he felt he had bet correctly. Given the circumstances, saving the entire world seemed to be no longer an empty notion. And this is precisely why he and Hodgson were willing to give their all.
¡­ After leaving the meeting room, Lambert didn¡¯t immediately attend to the legitive work assigned by the governor; instead, he went to the Alliance Prison to see a person. A former Alliance Councilman, Bradford. This individual had not appeared on the previous execution list. Normally, he would have been condemned to death. The number of crimes he was involved in far exceeded that of many who had been sentenced to death and executed. But he had not been killed. It is said that this was because he had made significant contributions to justice. Primarily, Bradford had used many people of crimes and had provided evidence of those crimes. Of course¡­ ¡°You know,¡± Lambert said to Bradford inside the cell, ¡°when being so-called ¡®stain witness¡¯ cannot redeem your crimes, we really don¡¯t need the usations you¡¯ve made, that evidence.¡± Bradford¡¯s mental state seemed to be quite good as he nodded: ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Now, the real opportunity to make a contribution has arrived,¡± Lambert continued, ¡°Minister Oseina has a task for you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s about the food issue, isn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°Yes, you are smart,¡± Lambert said, ¡°Now, Lady Ossina is the only appointed minister, in charge of finance, civil affairs, production, andmerce. These responsibilities will definitely be divided in the future, and you must surely be interested in the position of Minister of Commerce. However, this position is highlypetitive, and you are at an inherent disadvantage.¡± Bradford listened carefully. And he was somewhat surprised by Lambert¡¯s attitude. Lambert, however, ignored this and just continued: ¡°If you truly want to make your way into the new government, you need to make a strong first impression and prove your value. Tackling the food issue is an excellent starting point.¡± ¡°I understand, thank you.¡± Lambert held up his hand, stopping the thanks: ¡°Someone will let you out in a moment and take you to see Minister Oseina, do your job well.¡± With that, he turned to leave. ¡°Wait.¡± Bradford called out to him. Lambert stopped but did not turn around. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, truly sorry.¡± Lambert knew that Bradford¡¯s apology was directed at the Hodgson Family. He waved his hand, his back still to Bradford, and said: ¡°Don¡¯t be under any illusions, I¡¯ve heard your apology, but I will never forgive you. The sole reason you are still alive is that you are still useful to the governor. You¡¯d better ensure that reason remains valid, otherwise, no matter where you flee, I will make you pay the price you owe.¡±
¡­ The newly free Bradford felt quite good. Even though Lambert had verbally threatened him just before his release, he did not take it to heart. Or rather, Lambert¡¯s attitude was entirely to be expected. Even if he wasn¡¯t the mastermind, he was still a key aplice in the downfall of the Hodgson Family; the two had irreconcble differences. Asking himself honestly, if he had been in the same position, he might have risked the governor¡¯s punishment just to kill an enemy. In fact, by delivering Bradford into Lambert¡¯s hands, the governor probably intended to leave the decision up to Lambert himself. If Lambert had truly wanted his life, the governor might not have said a word of reprimand. No matter why Lambert chose not to act, at least Bradford was still alive. Moreover, he now had the opportunity to climb even higher. Minister of Commerce¡­ If he secured that position, his status might not be any less than before. Feeling motivated, after meeting Ossina, he truly gave it his all. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 4k dual integration. Chapter 137: 128, Food Crisis Chapter 137: Chapter 128, Food Crisis
After the city reconstruction work in Revival City began to set on the right track, the second problem that Osenia urgently needed to tackle was the food crisis. There was not enough food. Revival City was amercial hub and a center for light industry. Now, with the addition of the heavy industry developing at high speed in the waste-hole district of Weixing City, industrial development was booming. But Revival City did not produce grain. Although there was a small farm like Mantan River Valley Manor on the outskirts of the city, the output of a single season¡¯s crop was decent if it reached 2000 tons. The yield for an entire year could barely feed the whole city for about ten days. Considering Revival City and Weixing City as one, it was an urban area with a poption scale of one million. Based on the lower-end grain rationing standard, daily food consumption needed to reach at least 500 tons; for a whole year, the required food supply was at least 180,000 tons, with 200,000 tons being a safer provision.
When Gu Hang initially took over the city, the entire city¡¯s grain reserves couldst only about fifteen days. And now, twelve days had already passed, leaving the grain reserves at around nine days¡¯ worth. The reason for this situation was not just because they were idly consuming the stockpile. On one hand, following the initial end of the war, when the city¡¯s blockade and the wind disaster hade to a halt, grain trades had resumed to some extent. The grain caravans that had already been on their way finally mustered the courage to enter the city, offloading their cargo and loading up on industrial goods before leaving. On the other hand, there was aid from Weixing City. The two synthetic starch production lines in Weixing City were operating at full capacity, day and night. Theirbined daily output could reach 100 tons. Excluding what was set aside for local supply in Weixing City¡¯s two districts, the rest was being sent to Revival City. However, even with these reinforcements, it was still a case of more outflow than inflow. This was definitely not sustainable. The synthetic starch production lines couldn¡¯t be counted on for the moment, since the tasks of research and mass production led by Wu Jiarong were quite challenging. The progress of local deployment and development of the synthetic starch production lines was slow. Even if she devoted all her energy to this, it was unlikely to solve the immediate crisis. The only option left was to rely on the old method. Revival City did not produce grains in the first ce; its prolonged existence was thanks to foreign trade.
Of course, relying solely on foreign trade meant that the supply of grains would be inherently unstable. The former Revival City didn¡¯t care. If unstable situations arose, so be it. After all, the inner city dwellers wouldn¡¯t starve; if people in the outer city starved to death, so many would die, and it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Eventually, there would always be many refugees who would drift in from unknown ces and replenish the lost poption. But the current Revival City couldn¡¯t operate like this anymore. Osenia knew that the high morale among the city¡¯s residents was based on Mr. Gu¡¯s political derations. People had begun to believe that Lord Governor could bring them a better life, which led them to support the new government and work with great enthusiasm. However, if they were to face hunger, Mr. Gu¡¯s political derations would bankrupt shortly after they were made, which would severely damage the credibility of the new government. Osenia would not allow this to happen. In the long term, securing food self-sufficiency within the territory of the new Alliance Council was the fundamental solution to the food security issue. But until then, the short-term solution still had to rely on foreign trade. This task had originally fallen to the first Alliance Councilman to die at Gu Hang¡¯s hand¡ªWohan. He was thergest grain trader in the old Revival City. After his death, his grain trading channels were quickly divided up, and the greatest share went to none other than Bradford. He himself had been a trade magnate, but he had avoided engaging too much in the grain business in the past to avoid internalpetition with Wohan. After Wohan¡¯s death, there were no such concerns. At that time, while he was condemning the Governor¡¯s tyranny in the Alliance Council and shedding tears for Wohan¡¯s death, he was also hurriedly snatching up the industry, fearing that hesitating even for a moment would mean missing out.
With the loss of the war, he ended up a prisoner. He thought everything he had grabbed was lost, but now, it turned out there was a time when it could be put to use. Of course, not having him didn¡¯t mean it was entirely impossible to manage. All the merchant employees weren¡¯t dead, after all. Still, with Bradford, who knew many people, and had trade channels in various ces outside Revival City to help out, things would be a lot simpler. And at this moment, he was exining to Osenia the specific situation of grain trade in Revival City: ¡°¡­ Revival City¡¯s grain imports can be summarized into two main arteries and a bunch of capiries,¡± Bradford was carefully sharing his experience and understanding with Osenia. ¡°The two main arteries, one to the west and one to the south. The southern one leads to the Green Valley Region. I¡¯ve heard that you, Lady Ossina, were born there, so you should be quite familiar with that area.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Osenia nodded slightly. She was indeed familiar with it¡ªshe was the daughter of a ntation owner with a tens of thousands strong workforce and had been helping her father manage the manor¡¯s ounts for years. The Green Valley Regiony more than four hundred kilometers south of Revival City. There was no clear boundary line; it was simply that the further south one went, the better the climate became. Chapter 138: 128, The Food Crisis_2 Chapter 138: Chapter 128, The Food Crisis_2
That was also one of the rare ces on Rage Owl Star with a favorable climate, where Low Energy Storms urred infrequently and there was a vast expanse of arablend. The only scene of sprawling fertile fields on Rage Owl Star could be found in the Green Valley Region. One ntation after another was spread across thatnd. ¡°And the road to the west, it leads to the desert. You might not be familiar with it, even though it¡¯s covered in sand, there are dotted green oases. Many people surviving in the West Desert Region have found underground ntations left over from the era before the war. Once repaired, these factories allow for high-density vertical cultivation. They don¡¯t need arge area to produce very high yields.¡± ¡°These two major arteries support the main food consumption of Revival City. Last year, Wohan mentioned in his work report to the Alliance Council that Revival City imported a total of four hundred thousand tons of food from these two sources.¡± ¡°The so-called capiries refer to the various medium and small settlements with food production capabilities within a radius of five hundred kilometers around Revival City. Within this range, there are some cultivablends, although not as extensive or concentrated as in Green Valley. Still, there are some, like Mantan River Valley Manor; there are also some environmentally special caverns that allow for the dense cultivation of certain fungi; and some ces have breeding farms¡­ There are many types, with varying yields. They primarily support nearly all the settlements within this range, and the surplus is brought to Revival City for sale.¡± ¡°To give an example fromst year, through these capiries, Revival City purchased a total of one hundred thousand tons of various foods.¡±
¡°Thesebined rough estimates amount to five hundred thousand tons. In fact, Revival City did not consume that much, with 70% of the food being distributed to various locations outside of Revival City. After all, Revival City is thergest trade hub on the entire.¡± Lady Ossina¡¯s expression grew solemn, ¡°This means that what we need to do is not only ensure our own food security but also, as much as possible, allow food to circte throughout the wastnd with Revival City as the hub.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bradford sighed, ¡°If we can¡¯t manage that, perhaps Revival City won¡¯t starve, but many settlements in the wastnd with no food production capacity may suffer catastrophic disasters.¡± Lady Ossina said, ¡°Moreover, there have been issues in the Green Valley Region this year. A muchrger monster invasion than in previous years has destroyed many ntations; there are many, many disced people, and many of them have turned into raiders, furtherplicating the situation¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bradford agreed, ¡°The chaos in the Green Valley Region has led to a more than 30% decrease in food imports from there this year, and if the situation does not ease, that import figure is likely to copse dramatically.¡± The discussion about the Green Valley Region was something Lady Ossina had experienced personally. It had been several months since she had fled the Green Valley Region, but ording to thetest intelligence, the situation there had not improved. Refugees from the Green Valley Region were still trekking hundreds of kilometers and wandering to Revival City. Behind every refugee who managed to make it to Revival City alive, perhaps two or three people fell along the way. Thinking about this, Lady Ossina felt almost unbearable. But she had to bear it. She knew that they did not yet have the capability to cross hundreds of kilometers southward and rescue those suffering along the way. She had to ensure that Revival City was well taken care of first.
Gathering her thoughts, she said, ¡°We must restore food trade imports as soon as possible. Next, under the structure of the Department of Commerce, I will establish a Food Trade Bureau. I have sent people to tally everyone who has worked in the food trade in the past, and they will be immediately transferred to the Food Trade Bureau.¡± ¡°They will each have their responsibilities and, based on the three main directions we¡¯ve discussed today, will form three working groups. They will try to reach out to those who have had food trade dealings with Revival City in the past and work to restore the scale of the food trade as much as possible.¡± ¡°Mr. Bradford, I need your help.¡± Bradford was pleased inside but maintained a serious expression, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Good, I can appoint you as a special advisor to the Food Trade Bureau. I need you to take special charge of the revival efforts for both the ¡®capiries¡¯ and the ¡®West Desert artery¡¯ trade routes. I hope that within two weeks, our ¡®capiries¡¯ can mostly resume their function; and within a month, our ¡®West Desert artery¡¯ can start to flow again. Can you do that?¡± Hearing the title of just a special advisor, Bradford felt a little disappointed. An advisor, after all, might not amount to an official position. When he first heard the term ¡®Food Trade Bureau,¡¯ he had hoped that he might have a chance to be the head of it, even if only on a temporary basis. Having an official position seemed to represent the beginning of his integration into the new government structure. All that was left was to speak with his abilities and performance. Food trade was, of course, the most important sector of Revival City¡¯s manymercial categories. If he did well in this area, solving the food crisis, then would he really have a chance at the Minister of Commerce position in the future? After all, Lady Ossina could not possibly continue to take on the work of multiple departments indefinitely. But now, being just an advisor, a negligible and easily dismissible position, was somewhat disappointing to him.
But he quickly rallied. Being guilty, having the opportunity to serve and wash away his sins, he should cherish and give it his all. Putting aside these thoughts, he began to calcte carefully and did not speak for a while. Osenia patiently waited. Bradford finally spoke, ¡°I will do my utmost to fulfill your request. I will work hard to restore the relevant trade routes. However, the whole matter cannot be aplished by my efforts alone. After the trade channels are established, to take in such arge quantity of food, we will also need enough goods to trade.¡± He paused, there was a topic he did not really want to bring up, but in the end, he decided it had to be discussed: ¡°Alliance currency¡­¡± Osenia raised her hand to stop him from continuing. ¡°That¡¯s not up for discussion. But you can rest assured, we are not going topletely abolish the Alliance currency. In foreign trade, we will recognize the value of the Alliance currency for a long time toe. For internationalmerce, we can still ept trade settlement in Alliance currency.¡± ¡°With your word, I¡¯m much relieved.¡± His concern was quite normal. If the Alliance currency were to bepletely abolished, then it wouldn¡¯t just be the residents of the inner city who were ¡®plundered¡¯, it would be all the forces that had traded with Revival City in the past. For convenience in trade, many forces had umted a certain amount of Alliance currency. If it were suddenly all abolished, it would mean that the money they obtained from selling food or othermodities in the past would now be worthless.
This would be uneptable to many forces. If Revival City could achieve aplete internal cycle, not depending on the outside, then it wouldn¡¯t matter. But now that even basic food needs rely on foreign trade, this clearly cannot be done. It would destroy the trading credit of Revival City and offend the highly independent other settlements. ¡°Go ahead with confidence,¡± said Osenia, ¡°I will do my utmost to prepare the other trading goods.¡± ¡­ The problem Bradford mentioned was actually not a concern for Osenia. As for the currency, it could just continue to be acknowledged in foreign trade. Of course, we cannot simply buy food with Alliance currency without giving something else in return. People getting Alliance currency would also want to buy things. Osenia was confident about the rted trading goods. Revival City has quite a lot to offer for sale. Revival City has a not weak industrial production capacity¡ªtextiles, electrical appliances, some metal tools, and even power generators using thermal limestone¡ªit goes without saying. Additionally, there¡¯s arge variety of goods stored in the warehouses of Revival City.
A trade hub does not only deal in food trade. After those nobles were caught in a single sweep, many channel merchants like Bradford had their goods fall into the hands of the current government. These are all goods that can be used for trade. Moreover, Revival City now has two particrly valuablemodities for sale: Arms and medicine. Chapter 139: 129, Decree by Proclamation Chapter 139: Chapter 129, Decree by Promation
¡°` Medicine is a hard currency in the wastnd, and there are few ces with the corresponding production capacity. Currently, Weixing City¡¯s Alliance First Pharmaceutical Factory has already started production smoothly. ording to reports, it can produce over a hundred different types of medicines and medical supplies. However, there is no need to implement and produce such a wide variety of medicines all at once. Some medications for treating stomach diseases, skin diseases, osteoporosis¡­ These are certainly not useless, but at least for now, they are not a priority. Quick-acting hemostatic agents, antibiotics, pain relief drugs, and external injury medications¡­ These are much more important, and the demand on the wastnd is also much greater.
As for armaments¡­ The arms to be sold are obviously not those newly produced ones. Gu Hang¡¯s opulent brigade hasn¡¯t evenpleted its reorganization, so where could there be spare arms to sell to others? However, it¡¯s precisely because he is setting up a heavy synthetic brigade that many of the weapons and equipment left by the Alliance Legion have be stockpiled goods. Osenia is nning to sell these items off in batches. But they can¡¯t just be sold recklessly. Selling arms is a sensitive matter. In her n, this trade must not only exchange enough food supply for Revival City but also achieve reasonable political objectives. Osenia is now cing great importance on the stability of the Green Valley Region. This isn¡¯t just due to personal feelings but also for the food security of Revival City. The Green Valley Region has always been an important trading partner for Revival City, being the thicker of the two major food arteries. If it falls into prolonged chaos, the impact on Revival City will be significant. Selecting appropriate trade partners, reaching out to those orderly Green Valley estate owners, and selling them arms to equip them is the best choice.
Osenia hopes that the armed ntations can maintain the order of food production and keep supplying Revival City with food; they can defend against and even counter-attack the looting gangs that arise from turmoil. Ideally, they can unite and quell the monster surge that has been ravaging the Green Valley Region for several months. She is determined to handle this herself, with Bradford assisting on the side, providing some contacts and channels. However, dealing with arms sales is a bit beyond Osenia¡¯s authority. She is in charge of civil affairs,merce, and production, but she doesn¡¯t have the final say on military equipment. She turned to Gu Hang. If I can¡¯t handle it, the big boss can. After carefully listening to Osenia¡¯s report, Gu Hang approved her n. ¡­ Half a monthter. The food crisis in Revival City was somewhat alleviated. Bradford demonstrated his capability. The first phase of the work to restore food imports was rtively sessful. The ¡°capiries¡± restored blood flow, and the various food production areas around Revival City began to resume food trade and transportation. In half a month, a total of ten thousand tons of food were imported. Endless convoys of barbaric ox carts and trucks have started to reappear frequently outside Revival City.
Of course, this is due to the fact that many food transports were not in ce due to the war and blockade, causing a backlog at various locations. Now, with Revival City¡¯s trade routes restored, that food was certainly no longer hoarded, hurriedly transported over in exchange for various other necessities of life. In the future, the trade volume might drop a bit, but it should be able to maintain at about five to ten thousand tons per month. Just relying on the ¡°capiry¡± blood flow is not enough topletely solve Revival City¡¯s food crisis. The food output in the surrounding areas is not enough to meet the city¡¯s food consumption. However, during this half-month, Bradford made contact with an old acquaintance who runs to the Western Desert and a transport convoy from the Western Desert is already en route. The current stockpile of food can still hold up, and a monthter, that transport convoy carrying over fifty thousand tons of food will arrive in Revival City. Meanwhile, Osenia has reached out to Dennison Henry, Gu Hang¡¯s agent in Rubbish Town, and purchased arge quantity of lime ash. The Western Desert has a high demand for lime ash, a good fuel, which is one of their main imports after selling food. The underground nt factories from before the war consume a lot of water and electrical energy. Water resources are supplied by oases and are locally extracted; for energy, they heavily rely on imports. On this front, Osenia has new ideas. Can¡¯t the electric grid be extended to the Western Desert? What they really need is energy. Lime ash is transported back for electricity generation. Then, constructing a high-voltage power grid and directly transmitting electricity would be much cheaper than hauling lime ash by ox carts and trucks, right? Moreover, the cost of directly exporting electricity is even cheaper.
Ms. Wu Jiarong has already deployed a reactor generator set around Weixing City. Osenia also made an appearance at the inauguration ceremony. Once connected to the grid, almost all of the lime ash power generation units stopped. They aren¡¯t needed anymore, as the electricity generated by a single reactor unit upon grid connection is already enough for the production and living needs of thebined one million poption of Revival City and Weixing City. Even, there¡¯s some surplus. Chapter 140: 129, Issuing a Proclamation to Settle Things_2 Chapter 140: Chapter 129, Issuing a Promation to Settle Things_2
¡°` Adequate, inexpensive energy brought about tremendous changes. Thermagstone wasn¡¯t eliminated, but could now be fully used as vehicle fuel. The mass-produced Iron Bull trucks could now run freely withoutpeting with power nts for fuel; the extra energy could be used for some seemingly extravagant things in the wastnd, such as air conditioning. Revival City¡¯s air conditioning factory expanded its production capacity. Osenia nned to get a batch of air conditioners on the Alliance store shelves before the weather turned to summer. Those living in the outer city might not be able to enjoy this luxury, but there was hope. After all, without worries for food and clothing, those who really wanted to buy could save up their work points to purchase one; while those in the inner city who were more proactive in integrating into the existing system, if they were capable and had reached higher ranks, and had also earned bonuses for meritorious service¡ªsuch as the clerks who had joined the food trade bureau and worked hard. Their bonuses were enough for them to afford an air conditioner and enjoy afortable and cool summer. Even if there were quotas for electricity use, it didn¡¯t matter, as the part exceeding the rank quota, also due to the cheapness of electricity, could easily be afforded with work points.
In fact, it was the same for everyone in the city. Those who couldn¡¯t afford an air conditioner could always afford an electric light or some other appliance and were able to use them freely. All of these were visible improvements to the quality of life. After the nuclear reactor generator sets were integrated into the grid and electricity prices plummeted, Gu Hang¡¯s two cities both took on the character of cities that never sleep. And subsequently, as a variety of industrial goods that used electricity were mass produced and entered thousands of households, this scene of development based on advanced energy would be more and moremon. As electricity consumption increased, what would happen if it became insufficient? Just build another nuclear reactor generator set. Abundant electricity could, of course, be sold as amodity. Osenia thought it was a good idea to sell electricity to the Western Desert, and the technology for building a power transmissionwork was avable. However, constructing a long-distance high-voltage transmissionwork over distances of thousands of kilometers was difficult, but maintenance was even more challenging. There were many dangers along the way. Monsters might be a lesser concern, for while they have a strong desire to attack humans, they usually don¡¯t interfere with human constructions. But the plunderers along the way were another story. Cutting off or destroying the power grid wouldn¡¯t bring them any particr benefit, but they could use such means to extort and ckmail.
Osenia once mentioned this idea to Gu Hang during a report. Gu Hang smiled and told her to write it down in the long-term n. ¡°Wait until I clear out everything along the way, and then we can build our high-voltage transmission stations all the way through,¡± he said. ¡­ Clearing out several thousand kilometers from Revival City to the west seemed far off, but it wasn¡¯t as distant as imagined. In just a few days, Major Perbov¡¯s battalion had made a fierce advance two hundred kilometers centered around Weixing City. Before the award ceremony, Major Perbov had received orders from the governor to take on this task afterpleting preparations. His unit was the first in the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade to be fully staffed and equipped. In half a month¡¯s time, not only were the troops in ce, but all the heavy equipment and vehicles were almost entirely filled in as well. But even before all the equipment had arrived, he had already started moving, unable to wait. Some especially small settlements, with only dozens or hundreds of people, that were well hidden and hard to find, were let be; but those with a poption over a thousand, especially those registered with the Alliance as ¡®members of the Alliance¡¯, were easy to deal with. At that size, most were cases of ¡®the monk can run away, but the temple can¡¯t¡¯. Actually, most settlements didn¡¯t require fighting to be reimed.
They already considered themselves members of the Alliance. Previously, it was because the Alliance had no interest, no capability, or some other reason that they did not exercise direct administrative control over them. However, these ces faced a different attitude when the now governor of Revival City demanded that they unify and ept direct governance. Some dly epted, and generally those who did, like the Abandoned Cave Society, were struggling to survive in an impoverished ce. ¡°` Some, though reluctant, had no alternative. The towed artillery pulled by the trucks lined up neatly, the imposing armored vehicles and tanks were disyed prominently, and the fully armed soldiers, uniform in their attire, were clearly an elite force. How could one resist? Major Perbov¡¯s Composite Camp alone had more than eight hundred men, and some camps possibly had a total poption that barely exceeded this number, with not enough guns to arm even a handful. They could only send out representatives with sweaty palms to negotiate with Perbov. There was not much to talk about, only one sentence, ¡°Surrender all weapons unconditionally and ept governance.¡± Following that, the civil affairs officials apanying Perbov¡¯s troops would enter the captured survivor camps along with the military. Their people would do two things in batches. Firstly, inside the camps, they would promote the policies of Revival City. The politicalmissars from the First Camp¡¯s variouspanies would mobilize some ideologically progressive soldiers to join the civil affairs department in undertaking this task.
The general idea was, bying to Revival City, one could earn their keep. Depending on work ability and nature of the job, ranks could be assigned and with these ranks came assurances of basic living needs, from food to medical care to housing improvements. With this approach, many camps with poor living conditions could generally be stabilized. Even though most people wouldn¡¯t so easily believe that all of this was true¡­ since there was no way to resist, they could only choose to enjoy the benefits. The second thing they had to do was to analyze the camp situation and industry, assessing whether the survivor camp needed to be preserved. Those camps without any special local resource-derived outputs did not need to be preserved. Their poptions would be collectively relocated to Weixing City to fill the gaps in various industrial outputs. Within half a month, four abandoned camps were closed down, totalling nearly seven thousand inhabitants. However, some ces with local resource output¡ªmainly agricultural output¡ªwould be preserved. There were three such camps, one of which was a cave dwelling camp, where a special type of fungus could be cultivated in the underground environment. Relying on this fungus, they not only sustained a poption of over three thousand people but also had a surplus for export. However, this cave dwelling camp would not be entirely preserved. Maintaining and expanding the fungus cultivation industry did not require so many people, two-thirds of the poption would be relocated, and the remaining would be reemployed as mushroom cultivation workers and managers, with ranks assigned. The relevant resource allocation would be transported from the city to this ce, but at the same time, the entire mushroom cultivation industry would be government-operated and publicly owned. The other two cultivation gardens, each with a poption of around a thousand, underwent simr arrangements. Apart from the remaining agricultural workers and mushroom cultivation workers and managers, a batch of weapons would also be sent to the camp. Arms would be distributed among the remaining poption to form militia organizations, thus enabling them to protect themselves. In the half-month of Perbov¡¯s operation, he added more than ten thousand people to Weixing City¡¯s poption and secured three vige-level strongholds with food production.
Even though it was a military operation, there had barely been any resistance encountered throughout the process. Of course, this was a good thing. With no battles to fight, Perbov felt a bit downhearted. He recalled the words he heard on the ne while apanying the governor to Revival City. In this campaign, he was favored by the governor to be the future leader of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade and hade especially to build his merits. Although his actions were highly sessful, at the end of the day, it was due to the prestige of the governor and the legitimate name of the Alliance; to im it was all his own doing was somewhat like having the audacity to boast without shame. Without firing a shot and securing victory by decree, what did it have to do with him, Perbov? Yet he couldn¡¯t engage in the reprehensible acts of killing the innocent and iming their merits. The politicalmissar of the brigade and those of thepanies were all watching him. It was said that Revival City was still building a military court, and he had no desire to be its first guest. His own conscience wouldn¡¯t allow him tomit such deeds, either. But it couldn¡¯t always be smooth sailing. A work team from the Civil Affairs Department and the Bureau of Immigration had sent a distress signal and then lost contact. Before the loss of contact, they were in ¡®Sanchi Town¡¯, working on poption relocation matters. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª There will be an extra update tomorrow! I¡¯ll also try my best the day after!
Chapter 141: 130, Selfish Desires Chapter 141: Chapter 130, Selfish Desires
Jason Morgan, with a lump swollen on his forehead, felt he was out of luck. He was a clerk at a small factory inside Revival City, doing some statistical work. With no special skills or power, he diligently performed his duties, earning his due sry. Life was much better than it was for starving refugees outside the city but was by no means wealthy. He could barely afford a room within the inner city and, with his wife¡¯s ie, just managed to support their three children. After the war, his wife, taken in by some superstition, believed that the newly established government by the iing governor was reliable. She not only joined it herself but also persuaded him at home for two days. ¡°We¡¯re literate, we can do math, we have work experience¡ªwe can make it big.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that Lady Ossina got promoted to such a high position just because she could read!¡± ¡°The sooner we get in, the better. If we ingratiate ourselves early, we might also be important people someday.¡±
Bewitched, he agreed and, after initial political screening and training, was dispatched to the Immigration Bureau under the Civil Affairs Department. At that time, he thought that though it was tough and he had to leave the city to work, just looking at the E9 rank set for him initially,bined with the basic rank quota with his wife, was enough to feed the family. Add to that the sry beyond the quota, their quality of life wouldn¡¯t be reduced at allpared to before. Moreover, just before this ¡®business trip¡¯, the newly appointed head of their bureau, encouraging them, said that this was a valuable experience. If they did the job well, it would all be counted as meritorious service. He promised to apply for the Rejuvenation Medal for those with the most outstanding performance and give priority to promotion in both rank and position upon their return. Morgan was fed to the full by these promises. Coupled with the extra allowance for the trip, it all sounded advantageous. After discussing with his wife that evening, supported by her, he signed up that very night. The next day, a work group was formed, and a vehicle took them, a group of people, to Major Perbov¡¯s military force. Dealing with the first settlement of about a thousand people, they were a bit frantic and encountered some difficulties and setbacks, but ultimately, they managed to handle it. They even became the first group toplete the relocation task, and when reporting to their leaders via telegram, they receivedmendation from their director. He was in high spirits until, without any rest, they were sent overnight to newly liberated Sanchi Town. Sanchi Town had a poption of over three thousand. ording to the former leader of the town, the name ¡®Sanchi¡¯ came from threerge pools surrounding the town from which they could harvest some aquatic products that they relied on for a living. They would consume part of it and dry the rest to make dried fish and canned goods for export. Additionally, the town¡¯s location was favorable, with traders passing through regrly. They ran a small tavern and provided food, lodging, and recreational services to traders, which kept the town¡¯s livelihood modestly sustainable. Following such a narrative, the first direction the work team took was that the town could be preserved. It could serve as a trade transit point, and the three productivekes could also serve as aquaculture sites for food production. They began their work along this direction. However, after some field surveys, they quickly noticed that something was off. There were ¡®three pools,¡¯ but they were just three ¡®ponds.¡¯ They couldn¡¯t be called ponds, at most, very smallkes. There was some aquatic production, but it was clearly limited due to poor management.
And the tavern? There was indeed one, but adding up the rooms, there were probably only about ten, and the first floor had twenty or so tables¡ªhardly a trading station. If this were just a small vige of a few hundred people, those three pools plus the tavern might just about manage to make a decent living. But three thousand? They would¡¯ve starved long ago, relying on that, right? The people of Sanchi Town had lied. At first, Morgan didn¡¯t understand why they would lie, but on the third night after the military left, leaving only their work group behind, he saw crates of weapons and equipment being moved out of a warehouse and the townspeople began arming themselves. That¡¯s when he knew something was terribly wrong. Those people had pretended to surrender unconditionally and show loyalty to the military as soon as they arrived, and as soon as the military left, they began to arm themselves. Lately, he saw arge number of looters enter the town, getting along well with the townspeople. Combining this with the previously investigated mismatch between industry and poption scale, he finally realized that they had walked into a den of thieves! No wonder how those three small pools and a run-down tavern could support three thousand people¡ªthe town didn¡¯t rely on that for sustenance at all. Trade route transit point¡­ They indeed depended on trade along the route for sustenance, but perhaps not in the way he thought before. Running shady inns, highway robbery¡­ If they said their livelihood was rted to merchants, that wouldn¡¯t be wrong.
Add to that plundering and extorting other settlements, along with acting as a hub for robbers to deal with stolen goods, provide supplies, and hide out as a criminal center¡­ Well, then it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to support a poption of three thousand. Jason Morgan, covered in cold sweat and not daring to finish urinating for fear of being noticed, tiptoed back to his room and told his other six colleagues about his discovery. Chapter 142: 130, Personal Desire_2 Chapter 142: Chapter 130, Personal Desire_2
Please visit ¦¢OX¦­?VEL.?¦¯M to enjoy reading Everyone was somewhat panicked. Even during the most intense battles in Revival City before, all they did was listen to the sound of gunfire and feel the vibrations when the orbital bombardments hit the wind farms on the outskirts of the city, shivering with fear inside their homes. But as for a clear and present physical threat, it hadn¡¯t been as palpable as now. If they stayed any longer, death was certain. The plunderers, no matter what they were nning, clearly weren¡¯t going to let them go. The seven people discussed and decided to make a run for it before those guys came to trouble them and restricted their movement.
Unfortunately, it was toote. They were no stealth experts, not even soldiers; they had no training in this area, how could they possibly sneak out of a town unnoticed? In fact, they hadn¡¯t gotten far before they were caught. Morgan was struck on the head with two strikes of a gun butt, leaving him dizzy. By the time he regained most of his senses, he and his colleagues were already tied up in a room. Now, all he felt was regret, immense regret. Back then, choosing to go on a business trip had been because he was dazzled by the pie in the sky painted by his boss, blinded by the extra travel allowance. He had only seen the benefits and forgotten how dangerous the wastnd was. Now what? ¡°No choice, just wait for death,¡± said one person optimistically. A true pessimist would have said, ¡°Is there any way to die quickly, preferably painlessly? The plunderers here actually eat people, and some even more twisted, to ensure the meat is fresh, slice and roast while the victim is still alive¡­¡± Morgan, who had just recovered from his dizziness, was scared almost to the point of fainting again upon hearing their conversation. Wait, just a few days ago I was at home enjoying a blissful future with my wife, and now you¡¯re telling me I might be skinned alive?
His mindset was copsing. Morgan didn¡¯t want to die. He shook his head, trying to think of a way out but couldn¡¯t. The seven of them were tied up tightly, thrown on the ground, struggling even to squirm like caterpirs, let alone think of a way to untie themselves. It would be futile anyway; they were unarmed, and there were two armed plunderers guarding the door. What to do? No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn¡¯t think of a solution. And then an even more despairing situation arose. He heard footsteps outside. It seemed like several people wereing over, then started talking to the guards at the door, and then there was some arguing. The conversation was slightly muffled by the door and wall, but it sounded like¡­ ¡°¡­orders¡­toe¡­is it these people?¡­execute¡­just bury outside¡­release¡­no good¡­¡± Those words made Morgan go pale. It¡¯s over!
They wereing to execute them! As he thought this, the door was opened. He saw three armed plunderers walk in. Morgan was terrified. He felt that everything was over. At that moment, all he could do was close his eyes, preparing to face death, praying his end would be swift. But just then, he heard one of the neers speak. ¡°Chief Terrell¡¯s orders are to kill all of you.¡± Just as I thought¡­ Morgan thought to himself. Then he heard a twist that gave him a flicker of hope: ¡°But I can let you go, only if you agree to one condition.¡± Before Morgan could speak, his colleague beat him to it:
¡°What condition?¡± The neer sighed, ¡°Chief Terrell insists on opposing Revival City, which I disagree with. I see this as an opportunity to wash my hands of this, stop plundering, and live as a peaceful citizen of Revival City. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He paused, then added with some dejection, ¡°But, I can¡¯t change his mind. So, I took the task to execute you, but I want to let you go. When Terrell is defeated, you must remember my kindness. If I¡¯m captured, you have to rescue me; if I escape, I hope you report this and help us secure a ce in the New Alliance.¡± Morgan hurriedly responded, thumping his chest, ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll certainly do that!¡± The others also hurriedly made various promises. The neer rxed a little and threw them some clothes, ¡°Then quickly change into these, and I can find a route to have my men escort you out. I still have to find some bodies to burn as yours; we¡¯re short on time.¡± Morgan and the others sprang into action. While hurriedly changing, it crossed his mind: The promotional work for the New Alliance policies in Sanchi Town was actually effective. After changing, Morgan and the others were led out. At the moment of parting, Morgan hesitated but still said, ¡°You might as well escape with us. Otherwise, if your act of releasing us is exposed, it could be very dangerous.¡± ¡°If I escape with you, we won¡¯t make it. My identity will cover for you. As for the risk of exposure¡­ I¡¯ll be prepared.¡±
¡°All right then.¡± Since the man had said so, Morgan didn¡¯t insist, but he asked another question: ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Reddy Bore.¡± ¡­ ¡°Reddy Bore¡­ these seven, are they really from the New Alliance?¡± Faced with Chief Terrell¡¯s question, no matter how much turmoil was in his heart, at least Bol managed to maintain a calm exterior: ¡°Of course.¡± Chief Terrell¡¯s green eye peered at him for a good while, then turned his gaze onto the other members beside Bol, ¡°Then tell me, why is it that your Captain Bol specifically wants the bodies burnt?¡± Chapter 143: 130, Personal Desires_3 Chapter 143: Chapter 130, Personal Desires_3
Please visit ¦¢OX¦­?VEL.?¦¯M to enjoy reading Bol opened his mouth, hoping to speak, but Chief Terrell lifted a hand to stop him. ¡°Shut your mouth. I didn¡¯t ask you. Say one more word, and I¡¯ll kill you,¡± he said. Bol could only close his mouth and remain silent. The brothers beside him, however, couldn¡¯t maintain theposure that he had when facing the notorious and brutal Chief Terrell. Terrell looked at these men with their nervous and confused expressions and revealed a fierce grin: ¡°Speak up. The one who speaks, I¡¯ll spare your life,¡± he said.
Finally, someone couldn¡¯t resist any longer. A tall, thin fellow quickly distanced himself from his brothers and said, ¡°It was Bol! Bol convinced us to do this! He let the person go, talking about needing to keep a way out, not to take things too far!¡± As these words were spoken, Bol and therades next to him turned pale. Some were shaking so badly they could barely stand; others cursed the traitor; some sought to make excuses¡­ Bol¡¯s gaze, however, was locked on Terrell. At this moment, life and deathy within the great leader¡¯s whim. As the noise gradually subsided, Terrell calmly took out a gun and spoke, ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± Taking a deep breath, Bol answered, ¡°All I did was for the good of our brothers. If we killed everyone, we¡¯d make an enemy for life, and then¡­ ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at keeping options open for yourself,¡± he was interrupted. Bol tried a different approach, earnestly pleading, ¡°Chief, I¡¯ve followed you for ten years now. The brothers from the early days are dead or missing, and few of us are left. We¡¯ve built a great enterprise, with thousands dependent on us for a living, and we¡¯ve united many tribes around us¡­ We¡¯vee to an end here. ¡°What wille next? We couldn¡¯t stand against the old Alliance Government, and we stand even less of a chance against the New Alliance Government. Haven¡¯t you seen the army that recently came here? They have armored vehicles! They have tanks! They have artillery! Are we really meant to fight such an enemy? ¡°Though we greatly outnumber them, and we have the advantage of surprise, even if we win, they will send a second, a third army. We can¡¯t afford such losses. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with taking this chance to join the New Alliance¡¯s system? All the brothers would have a ce, and you could still lead us, enlisted by the Alliance into the army. Look at that Major Perbov, how impressive he seemed arriving in that armored vehicle. In the future, you could also be a general¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be good? I really don¡¯t understand why you insist on being a bandit, a plunderer?¡±
Bol¡¯s words indeed came across as sincere. Regrettably¡­ Terrell was utterly unmoved. He quietly said, ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± Bol replied. ¡°For the sake of your father, who once saved my life, and for the ten years you¡¯ve been with me, I gave you a chance to speak. You know if you begged for mercy, I would have let you live, but unfortunately, you have said such things,¡± Terrell responded. He pulled the trigger. The bullet mercilessly passed through Bol¡¯s head. The raider captain immediately fell to the ground, lifeless. Terrell looked at the other followers of Bol with disgust and waved his hand: ¡°Kill all these traitors.¡± A burst of gunfire ensued, leaving no one alive. Then, Terrell turned to the fellow who had reported Bol earlier. The man was so scared that he was about to wet his pants: ¡°You¡­ you said you would spare my life.¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Terrell approached him, his hands gripping the man¡¯s head, ¡°I did say that. I will forgive your act of betrayal, but you caused the death of my dear nephew Bol; I never said I would forgive you for that.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± The man barely had time to say anything more when he felt a tremendous force. Terrell broke his neck with his bare hands. After executing the men, the raiders dragged the bodies away, while others continued to keep watch. Terrell turned to the few people who had been standing behind him, watching the scene unfold, and with a grin said: ¡°In my life, I despise traitors the most. I apologize for the disy, gentlemen.¡± ¡°Nothing to apologize for, Chief. You¡¯re still merciful,¡± someone replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know how old Bol could produce such a naive fool of a son,¡± remarked another. ¡°We¡¯ve roamed this wastnd for so many years, relying on our guns, being tougher than anyone else. To expect us toy down our arms and be farmers, workers? Hell, I¡¯d rather die!¡± Among those standing behind Terrell were some of his tribal leaders and some raider chiefs he had invited from elsewhere. At this moment, they were all moring, praising Terrell for the killing. Meanwhile, they left unsaid what was tacitly understood among them. What Bol had said wasn¡¯t entirely without merit. Were the days of being raiders actually that good?
They burned, killed, and plundered, but there had to be something to plunder. Finding a fat sheep, a wealthy merchant, a survivor¡¯s camp with some savings, they could have a full meal, but such opportunities were not always there, and people wouldn¡¯t just willingly hand over their possessions. To rob at gunpoint meant risking lives. Even after attaining significant military strength, they dared not ruthlessly plunder many camps; they had to learn sustainable development. They would demand tribute from weaker survivor camps. But those camps barely eked out an existence themselves¡ªhow much could they give? In times when life was hard for everyone, the raiders didn¡¯t feast on meat and drink every day. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 144: 130, Personal Desires_4 Chapter 144: Chapter 130, Personal Desires_4 In Sanchi Town, during hard times, it wasmon for people to starve to death. Those who survived would divide and consume the dead, in an effort to endure the lean years. Under such circumstances, if what the officers from the New Alliance were saying was true, as long as you worked, basic food and warmth were guaranteed; then what harm was there in bing a farmer, a worker, or even a soldier? For the lower-ss plunderers, it was indeed so, but it was different for those present. No matter how hard the days were, could they ever really be unbearable for their leaders? After all, they were the rulers. They received offerings; theymanded thousands of plunderers, roaming freely through the wastnds, whistling past, living with satisfaction. Having joined the New Alliance, those middle and lower-ss looters could perhaps conceal their pasts and live peaceful lives. But what about these leaders? Could they still dictate and act recklessly? I¡¯m afraid not. It was nearly impossible to expect a group of plunderer leaders to think of the greater good, considering the welfare of all their subordinates, and giving up their privileges. However, their minds weren¡¯tpletely controlled by selfish desires, forgetting the reality of the situation. They were well aware that, in their current state, even though they had a few thousand guns, it was still unrealistic to confront directly the troops led by Major Perbov. Numerous men and guns they had, but they were seriouslycking in heavy firepower. With only twenty light mountain cannons and some individual rocketunchers, they could threaten the heavy armored vehicles, but the risk was too high; deploying all their forces might not guarantee the destruction of even a few tanks. A single anti-tank group encountering an armored vehicle or tank definitely had the potential to cause damage, but the requirements were too stringent. It wasn¡¯t impossible for them to stealthily approach within a few dozen meters and then hit the vehicle¡¯s side armor with two or three armor-piercing rockets. But it was more likely they¡¯d be discovered before getting close, and then a barrage from the enemy would wipe them all out. It was precisely for this reason that they had never considered a head-on collision with the New Alliance¡¯s military forces. Otherwise, there would have been no need to y the part ofpliant citizens when Major Perbov first arrived with his troops. In fact, they were prepared to give up on Sanchi Town altogether. They weren¡¯t any sort of legitimate settlement; whether it was the industry Mesh had built, those three broken ponds, or the decrepit tavern, if they decided not to cling to these, they would simply depart. Once the word was out, why couldn¡¯t they sleep anywhere out in the wilderness? Guerri warfare was nothing remarkable for a gang of bandits who lived off plunder. There weren¡¯t many mountains here, a few small woods but not many, yet most crucially, there were plenty of extensive urban ruins! These were even better suited for guerri warfare than any other kind of terrain. Take part in whatever business is avable, strike when there¡¯s an opportunity for an ambush, and retreat into the city whenever a powerful enemy force approaches. I have noir, no foundation, are your armored forces going toe into the urban ruins to fight me? In the ruins, do armored forces have the agility, the speed of a person? However, before actually moving into the ruins or the forest, they still had tounch an ambush. After those officers from the New Alliance had fled, Terrell realized that Major Perbov¡¯s forces would surelye. Far from telling his troops to hurry and escape, he decided instead to stage an ambush along the way. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 6k words; I¡¯ll try to push out arger chapter tomorrow. Chapter 145: 131, Battle of the Three Ponds Chapter 145: Chapter 131, Battle of the Three Ponds After receiving the telegram about Morgan and others escaping, Perbov realized the road to Sanchi Town would certainly not be peaceful. To be honest, he was somewhat annoyed. His troops had spent more than two days in Sanchi Town and yet had failed to recognize it as a den of thieves! In hindsight, there were indeed some signs. But at that time, he was entirely focused on nning the subsequent operations, considering how many settlements could be taken over through intimidation, and where some military measures might be necessary¡­ Put simply, he hadn¡¯t paid enough attention to Sanchi Town, which had already been secured, and that led to this huge blunder. The escape of the seven civil affairs officers was good news. The intelligence they brought back was also of great importance to him. In the wastnds, plunderers had always been a major problem. The reason why he decided to relocate all the poption except the essential agriculturalbor was not only because there was a significant shortage of manpower in Weixing City, but also there was another major issue, as Gu Hang had previously mentioned to him: theycked the capacity to manage those less valuable small settlements. Those ces weren¡¯t entirely without value, but the input-output ratio was seriously unbnced. If you wanted to run them, you would need to input arge amount of materials and support industries, which basically meant engaging in ¡°poverty alleviation¡± work. Besides poverty alleviation, military forces had to be invested for protection. Otherwise, settlements that became even slightly wealthier would be targets for looters. Plunderers, monsters in the wild, these were all major threats in the wastnd. And now, in addition to consolidating various settlements, Perbov¡¯s forces had another mission: bandit extermination. The three agricultural settlements that were left behind needed a stable environment to expand production; this region was also an important trade route from Weixing City to Rubbish Town. Rubbish Town was a crucial source of raw materials for the industrial base of Weixing City, and it also needed to ensure the security of this transportation route to import food. ording to the governor, he wanted to see every power in this region fly the g of the New Alliance, and that included the plunderers¡¯ forces. Originally, Perbov was unaware of the severity of the banditry in the area, and he had nned to settle the survivor settlements first before dealing with the bandit suppression. Now, it seems that action had to be taken ahead of schedule. Simrly, Perbov could tell that those plunderers definitely didn¡¯t have the guts to confront him head-on, otherwise they would have attacked when he entered Sanchi Town unguarded. But since they ultimately chose to rebel, they must have had something to rely on. Urban ruins¡­ guerri warfare¡­ Perbov subsequently thought of these and made a judgment: he couldn¡¯t let this band of plunderers get away. A few thousand people dispersing and running into the pre-war ruins to thenunch intermittent strikes at the trade routes would leave him with very few options to counter them. The entire bandit suppression operation would turn into a prolonged counter-guerri campaign. He almost immediately made a decision. ¡°All forces, attack immediately! To Sanchi Town!¡± Apart from his main forces¡¯ swift and fierce advance, he also gave orders to several other deployed squads. Following his instructions, the two mechanized infantrypanies that could move the fastest were to cut into the back of Sanchi Town. The ¡®Strider V¡¯ armored vehicles had exceptional off-road capabilities, allowing them to maintain a rtively good speed even off the road. The orders he gave to the twopanymanders were to block Sanchi Town¡¯s retreat routes. If the evacuation had already started, they were to attack immediately, dy their retreat, and wait for the main forces to arrive for an encirclement. The two motorized infantrypanies advanced rapidly along the roads in two different directions, with trucks carrying soldiers charging toward Sanchi Town from the connected routes. Perbov himself led the headquarters along the main road towards Sanchi Town, with the tank battalion and the artillery battalion possibly moving slower, but they were also the strongest units. And a dayter, Perbov¡¯s main force, still two days¡¯ march from Sanchi Town, received two pieces of news. The fight had already begun at the front. The mechanized infantrypanies he sent to cut off the rear arrived just in time. Each of them caught the tail of a retreating band of plunderers andunched an immediate attack. The enemy clearly had ack of understanding of the mechanized troops¡¯ marching speed. The bandits, relying on foot travel and ox carts for transport, were caughtpletely off guard. The ¡®Strider V¡¯ yed an enormous role in the open field. The 40mm autocannons, firing without restraint, made it difficult for the plunderers to withstand, even using ox carts and various goods as temporary cover; the grenade machine gun substituted for the twin machine guns on the armored vehicle¡¯s weapon station acted like a rapid-fire small grenadeuncher, bombarding the enemy forces relentlessly. The dismounted infantry, following the armored vehicles and sweeping through the area, were mainly tasked with finishing off the survivors. The enemy had artillery. The caliber of those mountain guns wasn¡¯trge, but a few direct hits could potentially damage a few armored vehicles if they got unlucky. Unfortunately, those few mountain guns didn¡¯t even manage to set up a firing formation before they were destroyed by concentrated fire from the autocannons and grenade machine guns. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 146: 131, The Battle of Three Ponds_2 Chapter 146: Chapter 131, The Battle of Three Ponds_2 After these few mountain guns failed to make an impact, the only means they had left to threaten the armored personnel carriers were direct-fire rocketunchers. But these things, beyond two hundred meters, were hard to aim urately, and even when they hit, the power wasn¡¯t sufficient. To ensure both uracy and enough power to threaten the ¡®Wanderer¡¯s¡¯ side armor, one would have to get within a few dozen meters, and it would be best if two or three groups attacked at once. How difficult was this condition? Quite a few brave warriors tried to carry their rocketunchers closer, but in this open field with little cover, there was no chance to approach. The crew inside the Wanderer was equipped with a considerably sophisticated battlefield reconnaissance system, which could detect most threats through observation ports. Then came a round of machine-gun fire or explosive shells, promptly blowing those brave ones daring to advance to pieces, along with the tubes in their hands. Even if there were blind spots in the armored personnel carriers¡¯ observation that allowed one or two rocketuncher teams to emerge, it was not a big deal. The soldiers who dismounted to fight on foot were for just this task. T5 level soldiers, no matter which military skill, all had sufficiently solid proficiency. You have auncher, I have one too, plus more; the gun in my hand is more urate than yours, with longer range and fiercer firepower. A few controlled shots or a pre-emptive rocketunch, and those raider fire teams that had managed to get close were wiped out. When the brave warriors daring to counterattack had mostly died, those left with less courage finally couldn¡¯t hold out any longer, and inplete copse, they scattered. Then, likembs awaiting ughter in the wilderness, they were eliminated by soldiers wielding all sorts of weapons while fleeing. Actually, even if they all fought to the death, what could that have aplished? Caught in a surprise attack by mechanized forces, without any position, without cover,cking heavy weapons, out in the open field, they were just sitting ducks. Of course, there were many of them, and in thepletely disordered rout, quite a few managed to escape. But without any transport, without supplies, it was uncertain how many of the raiders who fled would survive, how many could regroup and return. ¡­ If the two mechanized infantry toons responsible for the encirclement fought an exceedingly beautiful ambush and imed a great victory, then the two motorized infantry toons rushing towards Sanchi Town along the roads had suffered a small loss, a sort of draw. These two toons were a bitcking in heavy weapons and heavy vehicles. The motorized infantry toon only had the Iron Ox transport trucks and Scout Rider Motorcycles. But the enemy they faced came prepared. The battle reports indicated that the raiders had clearly expected Perbov to lead his troops here. Along the way, they nted mines and bombs; they constructed roadblocks and positions along the roads; they set ambushes on both sides of the roads, ready to emerge and strike when the troops passed by. All these preparations had been effective. However, what they absolutely did not foresee was that the soldiersing to fight would be of such elite caliber. During the advancement, a toon led by Scout Rider Motorcycles detected the enemy troops blocking the road ahead of time and ryed the information back; the toon¡¯s scout squad also spotted the ambushes on both sides and immediately deployed from the trucks to meet the threat on both nks. Bombs and mines along the road destroyed two trucks, but they did not cause further casualties, as the toon¡¯s engineers began mine-clearing operations and constructed positions using the vehicles. These responses and reactions left the raiders, who were supposed to be the ambushers, somewhat dazed. This is not right! It wasn¡¯t the first time they had used simr tactics. The caravans they had ambushed before, even if protected by rtively strong mercenaries, would be disoriented after such an attack, and aplete route was very possible. Even if they didn¡¯t scatter, it was already good if they could barely organize a defensive line relying on their baggage train, let alone have the spare capacity to counterattack the ambushers? And this counterattack was especially fierce! A single infantry squad dared to face over a hundred enemies. Their tactical movements were standard and effective, crouching low, using the slight undtions of the terrain to conceal themselves; during fire exchange, their marksmanship was precise and surprisingly powerful. In contrast, sending an indiscriminate burst of gunfire from their side, whether they hit their mark or not was unknown, but certainly no one on the opposite side was falling; on the other hand, a few three-shot bursts from the enemy and people on their side were getting killed. One infantry squad managed to hold back the attackers on one side, which was rather exaggerated. But what could be done? Surely over a hundred men on their side couldn¡¯t truly be chased away by a mere dozen from the other side? After a brief regroup, they began a forceful assault. They intensified the firepower directly in front, while others were sent to infiltrate from the nks. Who doesn¡¯t know how to infiltrate? The result was, the team responsible for infiltration ran right into another infantry squad. Next, the limited heavy firepower from the toon andpany came into y. At the convoy, hastily constructed mortar positions began to assert themselves; rocketunchers from the squads were drawn, loaded with high-explosive ammunition, and as the raidersunched their attack, a single shot would explode and kill several. Chapter 147: 131, The Battle of Three Ponds_3 Chapter 147: Chapter 131, The Battle of Three Ponds_3 They really couldn¡¯t break through. Then more soldiers flushed out from the positions built around vehicles andunched a counter-charge in the direction of the two ambushing forces. The ambushing forces on both sides of the road, each numbering about two hundred men, were actually overrun by this assault. However, these soldiers did not pursue too aggressively. After all, a gunfight between infantry in the open field still results in a certain level of casualties. There was simply no need for it. They retreated to their positions, allowing those looters who had started to fall back toe forward again. This was exactly what they hoped for. In battle, the efficiency of killing with guns is just too low. In fact, at the very start of thebat, they had already sent word to the rear. Upon receiving the message, the driver of the artillery supportpany, parked quite a distance away at the main camp, floored the elerator. In less than half an hour, they had covered almost twenty kilometers. This was a somewhat risky decision; moving the artillery battalion forward without protection was hazardous. The only defense they had was a few dozen soldiers from the guard, engineering, and logistics units, riding ¡°Scout Rider Motorcycles¡± for protection. But obviously, the looters who had never encountered heavy artillery didn¡¯t take that into ount. The artillery supportpany, having advanced twenty kilometers, halted the Iron Bulls acting as tow trucks and quickly set up the towed howitzers. Using the coordinates ryed from the front-line infantry, they adjusted their firing parameters. Then, the ten gods of war before them began to roar. The 155mm howitzers they deployed had a range that could reach nearly 25 kilometers. And there, that was exactly where the two motorized infantrypanies at the front were engaging inbat. After entangling in battle with the ambushers in the front and on both sides for nearly an hour, they finally received support from friendly artillery. Twelve heavy artillery shells fell about two to three hundred meters outside their positions, covering a half circle. The looters were dumbfounded by the explosion. The fifty-kilogram shells, standing half the height of a person, sted craters two meters deep upon impact, with a lethal range nearly the size of a ser field. Those near the st center were obliterated; those a bit further away suffered from shattered organs due to the shockwave or were wounded by shrapnel¡­ Without defensive fortifications or cover, this round of artillery fire resulted in extremely heavy losses for the ambushing looters. Besides the loss of personnel, an even heavier blow was to their morale. In the hour ofbat preceding, they exerted themselves only to fail in vanquishing this group of soldiers, less than half their number, and even suffered a few countercharges, losing men. With all the advantages on their side¡ªbeing prepared against the unprepared, resting against the weary, using terrain for ambush, outnumbering the enemy¡ªthey still ended up in a deadlock. This had already disheartened them. And with a round of heavy artillery pounding down, it further shattered their already low morale. The number of men killed in the hour-long fierce battle was probably fewer than those killed by this round of artillery fire! Immediately, looters whose morale had entirely copsed began to flee; and the few who obeyed their leaders¡¯ orders to stay were soon met with a second round of artillery fire. After the deafening barrage of heavy artillery, not a single survivor dared continue the battle. What was the point of fighting if they couldn¡¯t win and just took bombs on the outskirts? But now, escaping was not so easy. Within the motorized infantrypanies, there were indeed motorcycles. The ¡°Scouts¡± that had been pulled back inside the positions raced out with a sputtering sound. Two men per vehicle, one driving, the other operating the machine gun mounted in the sidecar, began the pursuit. Arge force of infantry followed closely, apanied by the re of the charge horn. How could the fleeing looters outrun the ¡°Scouts¡± with their superior off-road capability? Many were mowed down by the light machine guns on the motorcycles, and any attempt to stop and retaliate was met with a brief engagement from the ¡°Scouts.¡± The following infantry would instantly greet them with rocketunchers, then a dense shower of gunfire. The looters involved in this ambush and blocking battle suffered extremely heavy casualties, and less than one in ten managed to escape the battlefield. ¡­ Two battles, two reports¡ªthe information reaching Perbov¡¯s hands still served as a wake-up call. There was no doubt it was a great victory. In the two battlefields, at least two thousand enemies were defeated; the number of dead and wounded was countless, with no time to tally, but certainly exceeding a thousand. Meanwhile, the two mechanized infantrypanies had suffered fewer than double-digit casualties; the two motorized infantrypanies fared slightly worse, with abined total of about thirty casualties. With a casualty ratio of 1:50, what was there not to be satisfied with? Still, there were concerns. Perbov was summarizing the lessons learned. For instance, he should not have allowed the motorized infantrypanies to advance too far ahead, leading to artillery support not being avable until an hour into the battle. If that timeframe could be moved up by half an hour, the casualties of the motorized infantry could perhaps be further reduced. Moreover, considering he had spread his forces quite thin, he also needed to consider how the main force of looters from Sanchi Town would act next. After all, he was still unclear about the exact number of enemies, their arms and equipment, especially regarding heavy weapons. Chapter 148: 131, The Battle of the Three Pools_4 Chapter 148: Chapter 131, The Battle of the Three Pools_4 If the enemy also has formidable heavy firepower and takes advantage of his current situation of having divided forces byunching a fierce attack on one of his units, what then? But on the other hand, this problem is unsolvable. If he were to gather his troops in one ce, they might still be en route, and if the enemy were tounch an ambush during this time, even a small one, holding them off for just a few hours through progressive resistance, what if the main plunderer force in the rear got the message and seized the opportunity to scatter and escape? Conversely, the current situation is still rtively good. The motorized infantrypany, with the help of artillery, broke through the enemy ambush and has entered the area before Sanchi Town, where they are now constructing positions andying siege. The mechanized infantrypany is cruising behind, blocking the retreat. Looking at the four separatepanies, they have locked down the four directions of Sanchi Town, effectively trapping the gatherings of plunderers who were preparing to evacuate. As long as he can achieve another significant victory, a battle of annihtion, then coupled with the previous battle oues, at least five thousand upward plunderers would have been dealt with. From Weixing City to Rubbish Town, the route would essentially be cleared of plunderer bandits. Of course, there will inevitably be a small number of fish that slip through the, but they will no longer pose any threat. How did the plundererse to be? While some were born bad to the core, they are the minority. The majority of the plunderers are just ordinary people unable to make a living, who in desperation began to rob others of their chances to survive on this wastnd. Murder and theft, though reprehensible, bes somewhat understandable upon deeper thought. And if the welfare policy for the 45 upational sses being promoted by Lady Osenia in Revival City could sessfully be extended to all the areas here; and if the majority of property-less poor people were relocated away, then the breeding ground for the plunderers in this area would be swiftly eradicated. Without a source, without more impoverished potential plunderers, these bandits would decrease with each one eliminated, negating the situation where the more you suppress them, the more they multiply. Sitting in themand vehicle, Perbov thoroughly pondered the whole situation and ultimately decided to maintain the current method of divided encirclement and suppression. Despite the risks, from a purely military standpoint, this wouldn¡¯t be the preferred way to fight. There was a hint of waging a political war, but¡­ Perbov remembered something the governor had said during a casual chat with them military officers, ¡°Military actions are an extension of politics, and war is the most brutal and intense form of special violent political means.¡± He was beginning to understand what that meant. ¡­ ¡°Damn it! They¡¯re really looking down on us!¡± ¡°We must teach them a harsh lesson!¡± ¡°So what if they have armored vehicles and cannons, does that make them so great?¡± Inside Sanchi Town, the leaders were holding a meeting. From Terrell down, emotions ran high, and everyone was yelling. Though they talked tough, in reality, each of them was panicking. How could they not panic? The original n was to quickly evacuate once the army left, trying to take as much from their homes as possible. However, a traitor emerged, allowing several detained officials to escape. Then, sticking to the n to continue the evacuation, they even decided to get a jump start by having some people take part of the supplies and leave first, while also setting up ambushes along the enemy¡¯s path,plete withndmines and roadside bombs. The result was that the enemy breached their ambush in just an hour, and most of those sent to participate in the ambush were killed or injured; the forces that left early with some supplies were ambushed by the enemy¡¯s mechanized troops from behind on the ins. The escorted supplies werepletely lost, and of the two thousand people, less than four hundred made it back. One piece of bad news after another truly bewildered them. And what made them even dizzier was thebat strength exhibited by the New Alliance Army. About forty armored vehicles and fewer than two hundred infantrymen crushed ten times their number with almost no casualties; about two hundred infantrymen formed a defensive position using trucks, stuck it out against nearly a thousand men for an hour, and then everything was wiped clean after a round of artillery fire¡­ How were they supposed to fight this? Indeed, their group of plunderers still had their main force untouched, and there were over three thousand men in Sanchi Town. But judging by the disyedbat power of the New Alliance Army, if all three thousand men were thrown into battle, they would probably be swept away by several rounds of artillery fire and a charge by the armored forces. No one was willing to admit defeat; they only acted fierce with their words. Terrell had already attempted to muster a force to attack, but when it came to leading their own trusted troops out for a fight, nobody was willing. Amidst the mor, Terrell finally lost his patience. He banged the table several times until everyone fell silent, then he spoke: ¡°Are you done arguing?¡± Seeing the grim face of Terrell, the leading chief, no one dared to speak further. But in reality, many still held a disdainful attitude, and some even dared to openly disy such feelings. How does a plunderer leader maintain his authority? It¡¯s nothing but battle honors. If you can lead your men to victory and indulge in feasting, then you¡¯re the toughest, regardless of whether you are known for loyalty or brutality¡ªit¡¯s merely a matter of style. But if you lose¡­ those who are known for loyalty get backstabbed, and those who rule with cruelty face rebellion. Chapter 149: 131, The Battle of the Three Ponds_5 Chapter 149: Chapter 131, The Battle of the Three Ponds_5 He hadn¡¯t reached this level yet, but there were already signs of it. Two devastating defeats, coupled with being cornered in Sanchi Town and facing a deadlock, had greatly shaken his authority. He could even guess that there must be many people whose faith was wavering, who were already considering Bol¡¯s words. Would surrender be a better choice? Following the previous opportunity to join the New Alliance Army, would it not spare them from facing the sharp edge of des? Even without privileges, being just an ordinary civilian was better than losing one¡¯s life. There were probably not a few people with this mindset, and all these thoughts would turn into resentment, falling onto him, the great leader. But there was still a way out. He had to find a way out for his brothers; then perhaps his authority had a chance of being maintained. Seeing that his action of mming the table had silenced the crowd below, he felt somewhat relieved. His authority, built up over many years, had notpletely vanished. He took a deep breath and began to outline his n: ¡°Those governors¡¯pdogs, to put it inly, are only about eight hundred strong, armed with fierce weapons, but they¡¯ve spread their forces too thin in their attempt to surround us. If we concentrate our remaining cannons, all our explosives, in one ce and strike with all our might, we¡¯re sure to break out.¡± Someone jumped out with a dissenting view, ¡°The great leader makes it sound so easy! It¡¯s our men who will be going out to die!¡± Another spoke up, ¡°Talking about breaking out, who knows how many would die on the way! Bore is right, we should have just been honest from the start.¡± First there were scattered remarks, then the remaining crowd seemed eager to try, as if the whole meeting was on the verge of descending into a marketce again. But the sound of gunfire cut off the brewing argument. The three who had just spoken each now had a bullet hole in their forehead. They fell backward with disbelieving faces. The shooter was Terrell. Everyone else was startled, their faces carrying a look of disbelief as if they never expected Terrell to dare to draw a gun and kill people in such a setting. All from ouw backgrounds, some instinctively reached for their guns within moments. ¡°Nobody move!¡± Terrell bellowed loudly. But at that moment, was shouting alone enough? There were still those continuing to reach for their guns. However, the many plunderers guarding nearby, as if prepared, raised their weapons and aimed at those who were stirring. These men were undoubtedly Terrell¡¯s confidants. With the present situation foreseen, Terrell was naturally prepared. These guards, already in position, targeted the agitating leaders and opened fire, but bullets don¡¯t discriminate, and stray shots hitting the innocent were all toomon. Many fell and died; those not involved yet injured called out, some tried to resist, but in the end, they were all swept to the ground like the others before them. Quickly, all the plunderer leaders on one side of the meeting hall were shot dead. On the other side, there was littlemotion. That side consisted of Terrell¡¯s staunch supporters, who even anticipated the current turn of events. Once the tumult subsided, Terrell stood up and cursed, ¡°A bunch of ungrateful bastards.¡± After finishing his tirade, he directed his supporters to take over and integrate the troops of those who had been killed. After making arrangements, he had someone bring in two wooden crates from outside. Upon opening them, green vials of medicine wrapped in straw were revealed. ¡°Hand these out, and when it¡¯s time to break through, have the assault team drink them.¡± ¡­ The battle came even more suddenly than expected. Terrell, after clearing out the internal opposition, had almost exhausted all the authority he had umted over the years, managing to keep the tribes of the in leaders under control as he took them over. Then, he struggled to mobilize the troops, hoping to rally the remaining 3,000 to nearly 4,000 people within Sanchi Town tounch a full-scale breakout in the same direction. The heavy artillery the New Alliance Army possessed was the weapon he feared the most. One shot from that thing, if the troops were a bit too clustered, meant dozens, even hundreds of casualties; yet the width of the battlefield for breaking out of the city would not be toorge, and if one were determined to break through, ensuring enough force in the assault team meant troops couldn¡¯t spread out too much. However, that would significantly increase the lethality of the enemy¡¯s artillery. It was truly a dilemma. But a choice had to be made in the face of any dilemma. Terrell nned to order his troops tounch a desperate assault, rushing to fight at close quarters with the enemy, just tens of meters away, so they could engage in closebat. In this way, the distance between friend and foe was greatly reduced; the New Alliance Army¡¯s heavy artillery would not be able to perform as well. They would have to be wary of causing friendly fire, as the enemy could not afford to take losses any more than they could. However, he somewhat underestimated the difficulty of reassembling his forces after the killings. Although he managed to avert outright mutiny and internal strife, the speed of regrouping the entire military force was far slower than expected. Before he was ready to lead his forces in the breakout, the New Alliance Armyunched an attack first. Chapter 150: Chapter 131, The Battle of the Three Pools_6 At the start of the attack, the plunderers in Sanchi Town were already a little stunned. Even Terrell, when he bravely ascended a high tform to observe the battle, was somewhat dazed. It was unquestionable that the heavy artillery fired first. Around the edges of Sanchi Town, and then at the buildings, followed by the plunderers who had dug trenches, were too scared to stick their heads out under the bombardment. If it weren''t for the leaders exerting pressure, nobody would have dared to run, and it''s possible that this artillery barrage alone could have totally shattered the outer defenses. The plunderers hiding in fortifications, bunkers, and trenches actually suffered rtively few casualties. If they weren''t hit directly by a shell, or too close to the st to be killed or injured by the shock wave, the deadly and terrifying shrapnel couldn''t prate their cover to cause harm. After all, they wouldn''t die as miserably as those unlucky ones who had been defending in the open field ¡ª being bombed there was truly horrific. However, the ear-splitting roar of the cannons and the terrifying force that made the earth tremble filled people with fear and horror. It seemed the enemy''s artillery must have been more than twenty kilometers away; even if they wanted to retalitate, they couldn''t see a thing. They could try to calcte the enemy''s artillery position based on the trajectory of the shells, but it was useless. They did have cannons of their own, but those small-caliber, assorted mountain guns could barely maintain uracy beyond ten kilometers, let alone affect the heavy artillery positions twenty kilometers away. Their only option was to shrink back and bear the bombardment. But if that had been all, it would still have been within Terrell''s expectations. However, following this round of artillery fire, he could see that the Alliance Army hadunched a full-fledged offensive. Just after the shelling, maybe just two hundred meters from the st site, the infantry of the Alliance Army had already appeared. The mortar teams also showed their might, unleashing a round of shelling toward the front. The soldiers were rapidly charging forward; before the warmth of the artillery barrage had even dissipated, they had already rushed into the position that had just been shelled. The stunned plunderers, with the wounded getting finished off by rifle fire, and those lucky enough to be unharmed, were too scatterbrained to put up any effective defense and were quickly and messily eliminated. But of course, there wasn''t just oneyer of defenses, aside from the locations that were bombed, there were still other plunderers present behind them. If they had shown themselves and started shooting at this moment, they could certainly have posed a threat to the attacking soldiers. But they didn''t, as another round of artillery had already covered their position. The most terrifying thing was that the infantry of the Alliance Army were only about two hundred meters from the st site. The lethal range of those fearsome heavy cannons was nearly one hundred meters. Weren''t they afraid that if a shell were to fall just a bit off course, it mightnd on their own men? The gunners weren''t afraid, themanders weren''t afraid, weren''t those frontline infantry afraid? Terrell had never seen anything like this before. A few terms he had only heard of but never witnessed crossed his mind:bined arms operation, creeping barrage. He knew that the outer defenses he had spent so much time building were now doomed. But Terrell quickly realized that he couldn''t really let the outer defenses be destroyed. Otherwise, once the Alliance Army broke through, without the town''s edge fortifications and trenches, the battle would be even more difficult. That area was intended to be hisunch point for a breakout operation from behind. Terrell, gritting his teeth, issued orders to the troops behind him to open fire with their own artillery. The much smaller caliber mountain guns, even if they couldn''t reach the Alliance Army''s artillery in the rear, at least had to threaten the enemies right in front of them, making them taste the artillery fire as well. Moreover, under hismand, more plunderers counterattacked in the direction of the Alliance Army''s advance. He didn''t want this, but the situation changed too fast, and there was no time to slowly organize troops and find a breakout direction. If they truly had to fight a breakout battle, then they needed to crush the enemies before them and they could potentially kill their way out. However, just as he had ordered arge number of his own troops to fill into the first line of defense and engage in close-range firefight with those new Alliance soldiers, two new developments urred. First, the artillery barrage they had just fired two rounds of, was finished. He had ordered his own artillerymen to fire and then move positions after each shot. Nevertheless, the narrow spaces within Sanchi Town made it difficult for the artillery to maneuver, and relocation was even tougher. Moreover, although their cannons were light, theycked towing vehicles, and relying on manpower to push meant the speed of movement was not at all guaranteed. As a result, they were caught in the act. Their artillery could not reach the Alliance Army''s artillery formation, yet the enemy''s heavy cannons undoubtedly brought their cannons within their firing range. After two rounds of bombardment, the raiders'' artillery positions were no more. Not only were there heavy casualties among the gunners, but arge number of the cannons were destroyed or damaged as well. Of course, once the Alliance''s artillery had focused its firepower on the town''s artillery, there was no way to provide cover for the soldiers fighting at the front. Although the attacking infantry still had some mortars avable to them, these were nowhere near as powerful as the 155mm howitzers. This slowed the pace of those soldiers trying to break through the outer defenses, but the raiders who continued to push forward actually seeded in pulling thebat range to within a hundred meters. At this distance, the effectiveness of firearms greatly increased, and it became difficult for the Alliance''s heavy artillery to cover this area. Even if the Alliance''s gunners were urate and their soldiers fearless, friendly fire from artillery was a real concern. Hesitant to risk hitting their own, of course they couldn''t continue to recklessly bombard an area where both sides were intermingled in closebat. However, just as he started tofort himself with this thought, Terrell saw another scene that sent a chill through his limbs. The Alliance''s tank toon had advanced! A total of twelve tanks stirred up clouds of dust on the dirt roads. Their 76mm smoothbore guns began to assert their dominance. Knowing they wouldn''t be facing any armored targets, all the tanks were loaded with high-explosive fragmentation shells. A dozen guns fired in unison, and at a range of just a few hundred meters, not even a kilometer, they began to strike at the raiders'' newly-formed counterattack posture. The raiders appeared to have no answer to these steel beasts. And taking advantage of the tanks'' suppressive fire, the infantry began to surge forward. They specifically targeted raider fire teams trying to threaten the tanks. As for ces firmly held by the enemy, such as scatter pits and temporary positions built from building debris, there wasn''t much to discuss¡ªjust call for the tankers to fire a couple of shots, or even sweep through with co-axial machine guns, and it was all over. The tanks'' tracks rolled over trenches, moving closer and coordinating with the infantry inbat. The raiders'' counterattack was directly destroyed, and those who dared to close in for hand-to-handbat all learned of the power of tank cannons and co-axial machine guns, suffering heavy casualties as a result. Seeing this scene, Terrell finally lost hisposure. Frantically grabbing the field radio, he shouted, "Drink all thosebat drugs! Drink! Fight them with everything! If we can''t win, there''s no way out!" After finishing, he took several deep breaths, then shook his whole body as if realizing something, and hurriedly left themand post. Immediately afterward, his closest and most trusted squad, protecting him, headed out of Sanchi Town in another direction. He was running away. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is ten thousand words! Chapter 151: Chapter 132, Global Strategy Schedule Perbov, as themander, rode in the ''Listener''mand vehicle, not far from the frontline. The enemy didn''t possess much in the way of long-range firepower, so he wasn''t too worried. The overall progress of the battle had not surprised him. The lines formed by the marauders, under the coordination of infantry and artillery, were quickly broken. The troops that were deployedter also suffered a heavy blow under the cooperation of the infantry and tanks. Despite the enemy outnumbering his men by far, the battle at this stage was not about manpower, it was about firepower. Compared to firepower, these marauders stood no chance against his newly formed Composite Camp. Merely two dismounted mechanized infantry toons, with the support of the artillery support toon and the tank toon, had routed the marauders head-on. The defensive line pierced with a poke, the counterattack shattered with a touch; such was the true portrayal of these marauders. The battle was won, with no suspense remaining. What was left to do was to expand the victory. Of course, Perbov hadn''t forgotten that his mission was not just to defeat this group of enemy forces. He needed to fight an exemry annihtion battle and utterly eradicate these bandits that threatened the trade routes and surrounding settlements. Killing everyone or capturing the vast majority were both options. If they were dead, there would be no more thieves; for those who didn''t die, picking out some who hadmitted heinous crimes and executing them, then sentencing the rest to five or ten years of hardbor, to be sent to work as miners in the Abandoned Cave Society or to chop trees in the alien forest to make building materials or raw materials for synthetic starch, were all possible options. And to truly expand the victory, the two mechanized infantry toons that were cruising in another direction had also received orders and began their assaults. Truth be told, the most formidable forces within his Composite Camp were these two mechanized infantry toons, not the tank toon. The ''Challenger'' Tanks that were captured were merely domestic products, imported from a heavy industrial conglomerate named ckbird, located to the west. ckbird Heavy Industries was reportedly once part of the Alliance, a heavy industrial center established during the era of the first governor with the help of the empire, situated a bit further west than the Western Desert. However, during the time of the second governor, they had essentially be detached from the Alliance, and now apart from trade, there was little interaction, with the Alliance''s orders being as good as farts in the wind. As a result, the seventy tanks among the Old Alliance Legion were relics from a very long time ago, probably all having a service life of at least a decade. Compared to the ''Strider V'' armored infantry fighting vehicles, which were widely equipped among the Star Realm Army''s main forces, except for the tank cannon, they were utterly useless. In terms of armor, it''s true the armored vehicles had thinner skin and fillingpared to the ''Challenger'' Tanks, and their armor tes were much thinner, but they managed to maintain better defensive capabilities despite the thinness. How does one even argue with that? As for mobility, with exceptional off-road performance, whether ''Strider V'' was climbing hills or traversing muddy fields, everything was manageable; it was just a matter of speed. The ''Challenger'' Tanks, on the other hand, had to move on t terrain, or they could get bogged down at any moment in difficult ground. And when it came to speed, the tanks were no match for the armored vehicles. Even if we talked about firepower, indeed, the 40mm twin-barreled autocannon was not as fierce as the 76mm smoothbore gun, but its much faster rate of fire made it a superior support weapon for infantry. Once those two mechanized infantry toonsunched their attacks, the marauders were even less able to make a ssh. The defenses they had set up were blown to pieces by the autocannon and grenade machine guns, and the dismounted infantry squads that followed swiftly captured one position after another. They advanced quickly, and after poking through the rear end of Sanchi Town, they cut towards the back of the main battlefield. Logically speaking, things should not have gone so smoothly. Having fought a few battles with these marauders, they shouldn''t have be so incapable. When their rear was attacked, they should have taken some countermeasures; though the oue was already determined, at the very least, they should have caused some trouble for the two assaulting mechanized infantry toons to look credible. But that didn''t happen. The marauders seemed to have lostmand, appearing rigid, ossified, and chaotic. Perbov was somewhat baffled. I don''t have any elite special forces or anything to carry out beheading operations, nor to cut offmandmunications. Why have these people be like this? But soon, he figured out the key. Could it be that the enemy chieftain has already fled? It was very likely indeed! Expecting the leaders of these marauders to fight to the death was hardly realistic. Moreover, connecting it to what Morgan''s people had previously suggested¡ªthat they pretended to surrender but then rebelledrgely because their leader coerced the group with his own selfish desires¡ªthe lower-level marauders would not resist if given a chance for a stable life, would they? Having realized this, he had an idea. He ordered the camp headquarters to move forward, including the severalmunication vehicles. Soon after, the loudspeakers of the army started to re: "Your leader has fled!" "Lay down your weapons, surrender and you will not be killed!" Two short sentences kept transmitting through the loudspeakers to the ears of the resting marauders, interspersed with intense artillery fire, and what they saw before their eyes were dozens of steel behemoths... Chapter 152: Chapter 132, Global Strategy Timeline_2 They truly couldn''t hold out any longer. Moreover, the statement "The leader has escaped" might actually be true. Many middle-ranking leaders had indeed not received any directives from Terrell, the supreme leader from the rear, for a long time. Even when they tried to inquire back, there was no news. Battlefieldmunications had been jammed by the ''Listener'' who had advanced to the front, leaving only static on the radios; those who were sent back to ask in person either never returned, leaving it unclear whether they were dead or had deserted, or they came back as clueless as headless flies, having found nothing. Under such circumstances, it was only natural that there would be a widespread urrence of leaders from all levels surrendering starting with the Marauder Tribe. The battle should be nearly over by now. However, Perbov soon received news that wiped the smile from his face. He received intelligence from the front line that the soldiers had seen dozens of Green Skin Orcs on the battlefield. He immediately thought of the Marauder Tribe named ''Prisoner of War'', the one that nearly annihted them around the PoDong Society. During that battle, he was not enlisted and had not seen it with his own eyes. But he had studied thepiled materials on it; he had also heard some details during his exchanges with Captain Yan Fangxu¡ªwho was now a colonel. If those kinds of Green Skin Orcs, especially in such numbers, had indeed appeared, they''d be in big trouble. Those monsters were such that ordinary rifles and even machine guns in the hands of regr soldiers could hardly inflict effective damage. It was said that the squad of the governor''s bodyguards killed the one outside PoDong Society with more powerful electromaic rifles, and the governor himself even took part. His soldiers did not have such powerful individual weapons at their disposal. Given the firepower the soldiers had, it would probably take bazookas, armored vehicle-mounted machine guns, and grenadeunchers to inflict actual, effective damage. Yet those monsters possessed immense destructive power, capable of tearing human bodies apart with their hands. Not to mention, they might also have some kind of powerful individual firearms. Perbov immediately prepared to order the frontline soldiers to not engage these enemies head-on, but to seek nearby ''Strider'' Infantry Fighting Vehicles and rely on the vehicle''s firepower forbat. If none were nearby, they were to rely on fire support teams and use individual rocketunchers to eliminate the enemy. At the same time, he was mentally prepared for the troops to suffer a significant number of casualties. "Just when we''re on the verge of a great victory, we encounter such an unexpected problem!" he cursed inwardly. If they had prior intelligence and were prepared, it might have been better. But to suddenly encounter this kind of enemy during the pursuit of victory, while expanding the battle results or even while conscripting the enemy, casualties were almost unavoidable. However, while he was worrying, new frontline battle reports came in. After hearing the report, he finally let out a sigh of relief. It was good news. On one hand, the enemy was also quite unprepared when those Green Skin Orcs appeared, mainly within the ranks of the Marauders. It seemed they had no real control over those creatures, who attacked all the humans indiscriminately once they appeared. As a result, the Marauders themselves bore the brunt of the casualties. The other piece of good news was that those Green Skin Orcs were far from being as formidable as Perbov had remembered. Although their ability to withstand injury was indeed exaggerated, they were notpletely immune to conventional firearms. After taking dozens of bullets, they could still be killed. Most importantly, they had little intelligence, often charging out recklessly. The firearms they used belonged to the Marauders themselves and were of average power. In that period, there had indeed been many casualties reported, with even entire squads being wiped out. But at the same time, arge number of Green Skin Orcs were also killed. Especially after the Infantry Fighting Vehicles entered the fray, performing dedicated sweeping tasks, the situation had stabilized once more. Half an hourter, the main battlefield had quieted downpletely. The Green Skin Orcs had been wiped out, and most of the remaining Marauders had surrendered, with only a few scattered individuals fleeing. ''Hunter'' motorcycles and some Infantry Fighting Vehicles had already set out, beginning the pursuit operations in the ins area. The pursuit was estimated tost for a day or two; very likely, less than a hundred of the Marauders would manage to escape with their lives. After the basic fight was considered over, Perbov personally went to the frontlines and saw the bodies of those Green Skin Orcs. No more, no less, a total of eighty. Their appearance had resulted in about twenty-seven soldiers'' casualties. Perbov sighed deeply; he was pained by the loss of his soldiers but also understood the principle thatpassion did not lead an army. In the end, he could only order, "Burn the bodies of these Green Skin creatures. Make sure they are burnedpletely." ... [You have gained an upper hand, received 347 points of grace] [Losses: 154, kills: 2772, captures: 2468] [1st Calming Wind Brigade (1st Composite Battalion): Losses: 154, kills: 2772] Only after the pursuit was entirely over did Gu Hang receive the bted battle statistics in the system. By that time, Perbov''s battle report had already arrived first. The casualties and number of prisoners matched, but there was a slight difference in the number of kills. After all, Perbov had to clear the battlefield, using prisoner interrogations and body counts to confirm the specific results. Some of the missing and unounted for, those whose bodies couldn''t be pieced together after being shelled, buried beneath the rubble and not dug out in time... Chapter 153: Chapter 132, Global Conquest Schedule_3 In various situations, discrepancies between the numbers and the system''s outputs are normal. The profit from this wave of bounty was quite good, butparatively speaking, Gu Hang cared more about the green skin orcs mentioned in the intelligence. If he allowed this ''cancer of the universe'' to develop on Rage Owl Star, then they''d truly be doomed. This race is legitimately capable of sparking wars sweeping across multiple star systems. In fact, when Gu Hang encountered a human outside the Abandoned Cave Society who could turn into a green skin after taking some medicine, he already became vignt. However, given the mere few hundred guns and the not-so-strong base he had at that time, he really didn''t have the strength to tackle that problem first. But now, he felt that this issue couldn''t be dyed any longer. Moreover, ording to recent developments, it seemed that the green skins might be on the path to further strengthening their presence. This was corroborated by two pieces of intelligence. First, was the incident encountered by Perbov. Second, came from Rubbish Town. Gu Hang had long made arrangements in Rubbish Town, an important source of raw materials. Dennison Henry continued to importrge quantities of decent-quality munitions and bulletproof vests from the Abandoned Cave District to Rubbish Town, as well as managing the trade route of alloy stic steel to Revival City and then buying food from Revival City back to Rubbish Town. This trade had made a lot of money in recent months. Although that trade route stopped for a few days due to war and disasters, it was quickly restored after the war. He even took up a consultant position in the New Alliance Ministry of Commerce, specifically responsible for raw material imports and finished goods sales. And he was recently stepping up the purchase of munitions. The weapons to be phased out left by the Old Alliance Legion hadn''t been shipped to Green Valley based on Osenia''s military aid n too much before a lot were already sold to Rubbish Town. Why did Rubbish Town suddenly need so many weapons and excellent bulletproof vests? They even wanted the originally very sturdy stic steel bulletproof tes, which normal bullets could hardly prate after many shots, to be further strengthened and thickened! It was tobat the green skins. The number of green skins in the high tower ruins had increased significantly this year, seriously threatening the survival of Rubbish Town, which collected scrap materials from the ruins. This matter could not be ignored anymore. Tomorrow, Henry Dennison woulde to Revival City, and Gu Hang would meet with him in person to decide what to do about Rubbish Town''s affairs. It was actually thergest settlement in the direction that Perbov''s camp had raided. There are three continents on Rage Owl Star, not to mention the other two that once had psychic energy fields abundant with spiritual energy; those were the main battlegrounds of the apocalyptic war a hundred years ago and were the most thoroughly destroyed. They can essentially be regarded as deste wastnds with low energy storms enveloping them daily. The main continent they were currently on could roughly be divided into six regions. With Revival City at the center, the region within a thousand kilometers to the south, north, east, and west is conventionally considered the Central Region, which used to be directly governed by the Alliance Government at its height. About five million people live here, with one million in Revival City alone. Nearly two thousand kilometers east from the eastern border of the Central Region lies the Tower Cluster Region. This was where the most prosperous metropolitan areas were located before the war, with a multitude of super-cities densely packed together, connected by a developedwork of highways. Of course, now the Tower Cluster Region is nothing but superrge urban ruins. The poption eking out a living in these urban ruins is estimated to be around five million¡ªonly a ballpark figure. Five to six hundred kilometers south of the Central Region, or one thousand kilometers south along the eastern coastline from the Tower Cluster Region, is a noticeably converging penins, surrounded by sea on three sides, known as the Green Valley Region. This name has been passed down from before the war and is the area on the entire continent that was least ravaged by the war. It used to be an agricultural area, home to about fifteen million people. Going six hundred kilometers north from the Central Region and entering the cold region, that area was once an industrial hub, now a mix of ruins and wilderness with the least poption, about three million. Five to six hundred kilometers west from the Central Region lies the two-thousand-kilometer stretch of the West Desert Region. The people there survive on sparse oases and the vertical agricultural bases underneath them from before the war, with a poption of around five million, yet the food production is considerable and the export voluminous. Past the West Desert Region to the west is the heavy industry area that was also an industrial center in the past, or it could be simply said that the heavy industry of the cold region spread from there. There is a significant force¡ªthe ckbird Heavy Industries¡ªthat wholeheartedly supported the rise of the first generation governor but quickly turned against the Alliance during the second generation, even reaching the point of waging a battle across the West Desert Region. Most of the grain exported from the West Desert Region is sent westward to the heavy industry area. This is the overallyout of the main continent of Rage Owl Star. Gu Hang''s current n is to take control of the entire Central Region of the main continent with Revival City at its core, sort out these five million people, and then opportunistically expand eastward and southward, especially focusing on Green Valley Region with itsrge poption, which is of paramount importance. He set a half-year target to control the Central Region; seizing Green Valley Region and Tower Cluster Region needed to bepleted within half a year. In doing so, he wouldmand a poption exceeding twenty million and control crucial food production bases and industrial raw material bases. Coupled with the ck box technology from the system in Revival City and Weixing City, after a year''s development, taxation would now be tangible. After all, the privilege he''d been granted was that for the first tax collection, he needed to pay only a quarter of the standard amount. Of course, that was the minimum guarantee. In actuality, historically, people from the West Desert Region, heavy industry area, and cold region would also bring their due taxes during the collection period¡ªthough far from the full amount. But if they paid something, it meant less production pressure for Gu Hang''s region, allowing retention of a bit more in hand. And once past the first tax collection hurdle, with two more years'' time, he could further n for two years to gain global control, so as to face the first full tax collection four yearster. ording to this timeline, his expansion n could not stop. Rubbish Town was a ce that needed to be taken over soon without dy. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 5200 words. Chapter 154: Chapter 133, Loyalty is the Top Priority Before meeting Dennison Henry, Gu Hang had some time to do another thing. A Terra standard month had passed since thest fixed ie distribution. It was time for the system to pay out sries again. Last time, when sries were paid, he only controlled two campgrounds that could not yet be called Weixing City. By continuously "shearing sheep" from Revival City, he managed to just barely reach a poption of around ten thousand before the month''s settlement, pushing the fixed ie slightly over fifty points. In contrast, he now had control over a poption of a million. After acquiring Revival City, various debuffs attached to the city''s status caused its million poption to provide him with a reduced fixed ie of just over sixty points. When he first saw this, Gu Hang was almost shocked senseless, quite dissatisfied with the situation. But upon further consideration, those debuffs weren''t imposed by an external force; they were genuine issues that emerged right after he took the city. In the half-month since, he had instructed Osenia and Lambert to do many things in the city. Even though they had gone through a near-disastrous storm that almost destroyed the whole city, everything had at least returned to the right track of reconstruction by now. And many debuffs were indeed eliminated through their efforts. [City Standstill], [Anarchy], [Post-War Chaos], [Rebellious Elements]... not limited to those mentioned, many simr terms that described how bad the city''s situation had been disappeared. There were still issues like [Starving City], [Lower-Level Chaos], [Administrative Disorder], [Trade Disruption]... that hadn''t beenpletely resolved, but they were downgraded to [Food Shortage], [Lack of Basic Level Management Personnel], [Insufficient Administrative Efforts], [Obstructed Trade Routes], implying that although problems persisted, they had been alleviated. Of course, there were still quite a few unresolved, such as [Extremely Low Living Standards of the Citizens], [Poor Infrastructure], [Low Poption Quality]... altogether more than ten negative statuses. There was even [Widespread Damage], a new debuff. But overall, it was still much better than before. This could be directly seen from the numbers. Revival City''s monthly fixed ie had increased from just over sixty to 211. On the other side, Weixing City experienced even more growth. Initially only surpassing fifty by a small margin, now, with a continuous migration of one hundred thousand people from Revival City, and Perbov''s efforts bringing in nearly twenty thousand people to Weixing City, it gathered a poption of one hundred and thirty thousand, most of whom were potential industrial workers. Automotive, military, and pharmaceutical industries were all expanding vigorously with enough people to support them. Even though many of the poption had not yet been integrated and many could not be considered qualified industrial workers, needing sufficient training and learning, the current monthly grace ie had still surged to 187. Combined, the total was 398. The sry could be described as having skyrocketed! More importantly, this was obviously not the limit. With the urban reconstruction and production ns of both cities gradually beingpleted, with the implementations and advancements in ce, whether it was eliminating negative city statuses or the tangible monthly grace ie increases brought about by actual production capacity improvements, these were foreseeable. With uninterrupted development momentum, this number could continue to soar at a considerable rate. And just the ie of this current month, added with the battle Perbov fought, along with previous leftovers, Gu Hang now had a whopping 889 grace points on hand. He had to spend it. Grace points wouldn''t earn interest by being hoarded; spending them could truly enhance the territories under hismand. Where to spend it used to be a question. Continuing to invest in the [Technology] interface was certainly good. So far, nearly every technology he acquired had brought substantial benefits to Gu Hang. They either became an important industry within his territories or an essential resource¡ªreferring to the reactor. Without that power nt generating electricity from the reactor, heavy industry wouldn''t know how much coal to consume for energy. However, the training of industrial workers was a big problem. Many of the technological methods drawn out had yet to be digested. Moreover, as more items were produced on the technology interface, the probability of winning within that tier would decay, forcing one to draw from a higher tier, making Gu Hang somewhat reluctant to throw all his current grace points into it. He first took out 134 grace points to train troops. The newly formed two division-level brigade units had their soldiers mostly in ce. The majority of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade''s personnel came from the Old Alliance Legion. Those soldiers had some military training but obviously fell short of a higher standard. Perhaps for someone like Yan Fangxu, who came from a formal military officer background, if you just fed and housed them well and had them do nothing else but train for two or three years and then go through one or two intense battles, they could indeed be T5 level soldiers and officers. But obviously, Gu Hang couldn''t wait that long. The newly conscripted regiment of about seven thousand people, constituting three battalions of infantry, was under the same logic. Adding them all up amounted to just over thirteen thousand people. Calcting the cost, the 134 grace points were spent. Chapter 155: Chapter 133, Loyalty is the Top Priority_2 This allocation of grace points would give his two division and brigade level units considerablebat strength. Whether speaking of the military skills and quality of the soldiers, or in terms of their weaponry and equipment, this was the case. Even that infantry division, which might look shabby, was only so inparison to the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade. If you just look at them, each soldier is equipped with aplete G9 set, which includes alloy-steel bulletproof tes, the squad''s machine guns, the toon''s mortars, thepany''s Ranger Rapid Reconnaissance Squad, the battalion''s artillery battery... They had everything that was needed. Still benchmarking against the Empire''s Main Star Realm Army, an ordinary third- or fourth-tier force, what''s so-called a line-filling division, would only be at this level. On Rage Owl Star, it would be quite rare for any power to be able to field an infantry division with soldiers of such qualified calibre and properly equipped. After these predetermined grace points were spent, Gu Hang still had 755 points in hand. And these grace points had a new destination. Because as his monthly fixed ie surged past 300, a new interface appeared on the system panel. [Architectural System]. Upon opening it, Gu Hang saw a very long dropdown menu, densely packed with rows of icons in ck, followed by text descriptions that were simply marked with a question mark¡ªthese buildings. Clearly, these were in an unlocked state. At the very top were five unlocked ones, which were the Technical Academy, Comprehensive Academy, Loyal Heir Academy, Military Factory, and Civilian Factory respectively. The first three were quite simr, to take the Technical Academy as an example. [Technical Academy I: When you have built a school that imparts mechanical technology and put it into operation, you can exchange this option to grant it to the specified academy. It slightly increases student learning efficiency and weakly increases the likelihood of activating tech talent. Exchange value: 500 grace.] The Comprehensive Academy had the same effect, but it just reced the mechanical technology description with aprehensive one, and the increase in learning efficiency was ''slight'', yet the grace points spent shot up to 1000. The Loyal Heir Academy, however, had a significantly different feature, with the main difference being that it didn''t teach knowledge, but ''loyalty'' instead. The main focus was on loyalty to the Empire, but Gu Hang could add a little something extra, forcibly binding loyalty to the Empire with personal loyalty to himself, something he had deliberately done in the past. In addition, the Loyal Heir Academy had an extra functionality¡ªit offered a new troop training option. Beyond the original five levels of T1-T5, there would be a T3 variant provided: the training option forpany politicalmissars. The required unit needed to study at the Loyal Heir Academy for a week toplete the training. The price was 10 grace points per person. This price was ten times more expensive than ordinary T3 troops, but Gu Hang thought it was very valuable. He didn''t need to train a bunch ofpany politicalmissars to form an army forbat; that would be crazy. This was clearly a way for him to quickly train sufficiently loyal soldiers and send them into various basic-level units, serving as his firm means of controlling the military and ensuring discipline, morale, andbat effectiveness in battle. They might not have excellentmand abilities, and theirbat capabilities might be at the T3 level just because of a more steadfast will, but their most important role was to inspire theirrades and resolutely hold their ground to the death. He was now eager to get the Loyal Heir Academy built as soon as possible and then have over a hundredmissars of all levels go through a concentrated week of training beforeing out. Moreover, Gu Hang came up with another idea from this. One difficulty in the rebuild n he had previously thought about for the Phoenix Battle Group was how to find absolutely loyal youths to cultivate from a young age. The Loyal Heir Academy seemed to be just the ticket. Adopting orphans or children of clear origins from a young age and nurturing them, then spending some grace to turn them into politicalmissars, thoroughly re-educate them ideologically, and then advance them all the way to T1 level to be elites, before going through with gic seed surgery and imntation... n approved! Now, all that''s missing is a channel to purchase, or even manufacture, power armor. To do the former, one would have to find a manufacturing world with the capability to produce power armor. Generally, such worlds are closely associated with the Mechanical Cult Guild. Gu Hang doesn''t have the connections in this area, nor does he have any means of keeping the purchase of power armor a secret. As for thetter, it is unclear what level of technology the Star Realm warriors'' power armor belongs to, and even less clear when time could be afforded to work it out. But problems are always solved one by one, haven''t we already found a solution to the staffing issue? There must be a way when wee to the mountain. As for the two remaining buildings, the civilian and military factories, the situation is simr. [Civilian Factory I: When you have built a civilian factory and put it into operation, you can redeem this option, and the designated factory will receive a moderate increase in production efficiency. Redemption price: 100 Favor.] The military factory is the same, with the same price, but the description changes to military-specific. From seeing the different effects but simr descriptions of the Architectural System options, one can roughly understand the mechanism. It''s not that the system constructs a building out of thin air. The building, even the interior facilities, and the apanied staff, all need to be managed by Gu Hang himself. The Architectural System simply provides some bonuses. It''s like a bonus card, which you apply to the appropriate factories or schools. Currently, only these two types have been unlocked. Moreover, among the options currently avable in the Architectural System, all bear an ''I'', which suggests that there might be level 2, level 3, or even higher levels in the future. Beyond bonuses for the building itself, there might also be things simr to the Loyal Heir Academy, which could bring about changes to the system''s own functionality. The Loyal Heir Academy can provide him with a new type of troop; could other buildings do the same? For example, a level 1 Technical Academy only has a bonus effect, but as it levels up, could it eventually produce special troop types? He remembers that within the Mechanical Cult Guild, there is a dedicated Protection Army. They are not the castrated version of the Imperial State Religion; they are a legitimate military force. Among them, the most famous is the Titan Legion. Those towering, Mecha-like war machines are incredibly fierce. A single one could sway the oue of a battle. In the future, even if Gu Hang had the capability to manufacture such top-tier war machines, he would still need people who could pilot them, right? Even if it''s just for now, Gu Hang is quite interested in the entire Architectural System, especially the Loyal Heir Academy. Unfortunately, with a redemption price of a thousand points, it''s a bit too expensive for him to afford at the moment. As for both the civilian and military factories, he could afford to exchange for them, but there''s no need to do so now. Industrial workers, technology absorption... The means to boost his own production capacity have yet to be fully sorted out, and there''s still a significant room for improvement in overall production efficiency. Therefore, it''s not pressing to use the system''s functions to spend favor points to increase production efficiency, which would be getting the priorities wrong. Under these circumstances, he really did consider keeping the 755 favor points he had on hand for now. Don''t spend them. Wait for the next allotment of favor points to arrive, save up a thousand, and then go for the Loyal Heir Academy first to give it a try. Not only can the politicalmissars of the army units be directly trained through the system, but the ideological education function of the Loyal Heir Academy itself is also very important. In the future, all civil servants, administrative officials, military officers, and even as the scale expands, factory managers, business owners, merchants, and even the most ordinary industrial workers, could take some time each year to study there. In terms of policy, it would also be possible to define the experience and duration of study at the Loyal Heir Academy as bonus points or even a requirement for promotion through the 45 ranks. Loyalty is the primary concern. Chapter 156: Chapter 134, What Trash is the Agent? The construction of schools was entrusted to Osenia by Gu Hang, who specifically instructed her to set up the frameworks of the three academies first. Osenia felt somewhat puzzled; ording to previous discussions, their primary focus in education should have been adult education, which included literacy campaigns and basic worker training to facilitate factory work. In addition to four to six years ofpulsory general education for children and teenagers. This was a very pragmatic approach. Isn''t education supposed to cost money? Adult education aimed to train individuals for short-term roles so they could quickly adapt to their positions, even if the training was somewhat perfunctory, it was still better than having manpower that couldn''t be utilized effectively; education for children and teenagers, on the other hand, was focused on building for the future, as well as a reluctance to employ childbor which bothpromised future potential and offered low productivity. However, in terms of education, besides the students being dedicated full-time, a substantial number of full-time teachers are also required. All of these individuals would need governmental financial support, all costing money. As for school buildings, that was an easier matter. It was only a few buildings, and nning a specialized construction area during Revival City''srge-scale development wasn''t a difficult task at all. But ording to the governor''s current statements, these three academies each qualified as institutions of higher education. How long has it been since Rage Owl Star had such schools? Intellectuals in the wastnd, at least those Osenia had seen, mostly pursued private education, small-scale elite training involving private tutors, education from elders, and families with substantial assets. She herself was somewhat of that sort. Higher education? It wasn''t that it was a bad idea, but wasn''t it a bit premature? Not to mention the difficulty of finding enough qualified teachers. The Comprehensive Academy might be manageable, and Loyal Heir Academy could rely on reassigning military personnel, even unabashedly asking for help from the Phoenix, or even sending people to the Phoenix Monastery for advanced training. But what about the Technical Academy? Among the forces under the governor, Wu Jiarong was the only one who could truly be considered a superior technician; the rest, her students, were merely ordinary junior specialists and could not assume the responsibilities of a teacher. The same was true for Comprehensive Academy; was it really feasible to have local intellectuals who were brought up on so-called elite education and family education take on teaching? It wasn''t impossible, but they would have to be carefully screened for suitability and undergo retraining at Loyal Heir Academy first. She presented these concerns to the governor, and Gu Hang didn''t insist on her implementing the ns without question but instead provided an exnation. Of course, the "exnation" wasn''t about revealing some system or something of the sort. "It''s not that we have to put it to use right now; I am aware of the issues you mentioned. However, we need to start by putting the framework in ce. Even if the content taught isn''t good enough yet, it will at least provide a destination for teenagers who havepleted theirpulsory education and for those with potential who are eager to further their studies. It''s correct to do things step by step, but we must also initiate the process," he said. "I understand," she replied. After epting the exnation, Osenia left. The matter of education, even without a new [Architectural] System interface, was still something Gu Hang would have pursued, it was merely brought forward in time, with the added benefit of divine support. The boosts provided by the Architectural System weren''t massive, but their critical aspect was their longevity. Whether it was for the academies or for factory enhancements, as long as the core areas under control could maintain stable production, these benefits couldst for a long time. Compared to short-term expenses, the long-term output was definitely valuable. Of course, if warfare constantly threatened the areas, even the factories and schools with Architectural System benefits would be destroyed, and there would be nothing to say about it. ... After Osenia left, Dennison Henry entered shortly afterward. He hade over from Rubbish Town just this morning. It wasn''t specifically to serve as an advisor to Gu Hang; he actually had business to attend to. "Do you need more military supplies?" Gu Hang asked. "Yes," Henry replied, his expression showing a touch of embarrassment. It seemed like onlyst week he''d said that the previous request for military supplies was thest one, but here he was again needing more. But he had no choice. Currently, he not only served as a consultant for the New Alliance Ministry of Commerce, aligning with the governor, but over the past two months in Rubbish Town his status had risen significantly. The once coveted role of an agent, which he could only dream of before, was now within his grasp, and he had indeed secured it. Besides assisting the governor, he now had to consider the interests of Rubbish Town as well. Fortunately, in his view, these two roles did not conflict. Choosing his words carefully, he continued, "The main threat is still those Green Skin Orcs. Their numbers seem to have grown even morepared to two years ago. Our scavengers in Rubbish Town... have abandoned several scavenging sites with decent yields; adventurers have gathered and fought against those Green Skin Orcs several times, but to be honest, the physical strength of those green beasts is too high. Even though their weapons are rather primitive, their individualbat capabilities far surpass that of the armed adventurers." As he said this, he paused and looked up to gauge the governor''s reaction before continuing, "Affected by those Green Skin Orcs, all of Rubbish Town''s waste recycling industries have reduced their output by about 20%. If the situation worsens, this figure is likely to increase. Thest batch of military supplies sold to Rubbish Town definitely proved useful; we armed over three thousand scavengers and managed to withstand the invasion of those Greenskins. However, the losses were significant, and not only are we incapable of retaking the original scavenging sites, we are also unsure how much longer we can hold them off." Chapter 157: Chapter 134, What Trash is the Agent?_2 After hearing Dennison Henry''s report, Gu Hang mused, "So what do you need?" "More arms, more powerful heavy equipment. The armed adventurers of Rubbish Town can''t keep using ordinary rifles to risk their lives fighting those Green Skin Orcs in the high tower ruins," Henry said firmly. "The old Alliance''s equipment isn''t enough. We need G9 series rifles from your regr army, as well as cannons, and if there are armored vehicles, those would be excellent! Rubbish Town can trade anything for them; our future output can be supplied entirely to Revival City, with Revival City acting as the broker. We can also offer more discounts on the price, whether it''s metal raw materials or thermal ash stones!" A splendid smile appeared on Gu Hang''s face: "How about this, then? I give you twenty or sobat vehicles, a dozen tanks, over a hundred heavy guns, and eight thousand fully equipped sets of individual gear. What do you think?" Henry was stunned. He had been trying to bargain with Mr. Gu. He knew that whether it wasbat vehicles or cannons, the New Alliance Legion itself was still in the middle of reorganizing its forces, and every unit was short of supplies. Officers kept urging the logistics department to hurry up and provide the corresponding equipment. He had never really expected to get those two items. He was just trying to bargain in a sky-high manner in the hopes of getting the more reliable G9 series rifles instead of the locally produced firearms. With those weapons, they could manage to have a certain advantage when fighting the Green Skin Orcs with three to five times their numbers, rather than the current situation where they needed ten times the number just for a stable defense, and nearly twenty times the advantage to dare to attack. Dennison Henry had seen the capability of the G9 series rifles: well-maintained, durable, adaptable to various environments, and more powerful than domestic arms¡ªwith the added benefits of being lighter and more precise. Truth be told, in times of absolute necessity, even affixing a bay would make for a good long-handled melee weapon, more reliable than carrying an extrarge knife. His thoughts had been on securing one or two thousand sets of equipment, even willing to lower the price of various raw materials to sell, but Mr. Gu had started with eight thousand sets, plus heavy artillery andbat vehicles? Was this a surprise? More like a shock! Suddenly, Henry wondered, was this Mr. Gu''s way of being sarcastic? But instantly, the thought took a more rming turn. The amount of equipment Mr. Gu mentioned sounded an awful lot like an entire infantry division. Of course, he wouldn''t know the specific details of the military reorganization, but he had heard some rumors. Thinking of this, when he lifted his head again, his face was full of shock. And Mr. Gu''s smile seemed filled with a chilling air to him. Suppressing the unease in his heart, he asked, "Mr. Gu...we don''t really need that much armament...Rubbish Town might not be able to gather enough raw materials and supplies to purchase that all at once..." But Gu Hang wasn''t nning to y any more guessing games, and his following words were quite straightforward: "I know Rubbish Town can''t afford this, but I could reluctantly ept it if you use the entire Rubbish Town aspensation." As his guess was confirmed, Henry suppressed the unease in his heart and forced a cheerful smile: "Do you want to take over all of Rubbish Town?" "Of course, what''s wrong with that?" Gu Hang said. "Rubbish Town is after all a member of the Alliance and an important raw material supply base. Now, it''s under serious threat from the Green Skin Orcs, and of course, I will not stand by and do nothing. By the way, I''ve always found Rubbish Town''s production methods and power structure to be less than ideal¡ªit''s about time to bring them in line with Revival City." Henry''s mind was inplete turmoil. I''ve toiled so hard for so many years, and it wasn''t easy to finally sit in the position of a proxy in Rubbish Town. Now, just half a month into my role, the town is about to bepletely gone? But could he resist? Clearly impossible. His position as a proxy was raised by Mr. Gu. Even more so, Mr. Gu''s appointment of him as the proxy was clearly a preparation for the day when he would take over Rubbish Town. He himself was well aware of this. He just hadn''t anticipated that the day woulde so swiftly that he hadn''t even managed to settle in properly. ``` "Go back and think it over. I hope my army will only need to deal with those Green Skin Orcs when the timees," Gu Hang gave him hisst words. ... Dennison Henry didn''t stay in Revival City for long, he took the vehicle back to Rubbish Town that very day. Two hundred kilometers, given the infrastructure between Revival City and Rubbish Town, it would take seven to eight hours. That''s if the road is clear. But this was already a clearmercial route. On the way back, Henry thought very carefully about the whole thing. He quickly understood. What was there to not understand? He was just a newly appointed agent in Rubbish Town, relying on the goods supported by Mr. Gu, not even the biggest among the agents. On the contrary, by leveraging his rtionship with Mr. Gu and gaining an entrance into the New Alliance Legion system, wouldn''t his position be much more significant than being a leader in Rubbish Town? Besides, would the future Alliance still be as rotten as it was over the past ten years? Judging by Mr. Gu''s demeanor, keeping the so-called "Alliance" shell was in fact centralizing power. One could foresee that the New Alliance would rapidly expand outward. Mr. Gu had people, guns, money, and righteous cause at his disposal, with starship support from above... In the future, the authority of the New Alliance would grow stronger, directly governing more territory. Why wait and not ally with it at once? Whether under the New Alliance system as a high-ranking official, or continuing in his current trade as a businessman, clearly, both options held much more promise than muddling along in Rubbish Town. And besides, was this something he could stop? No sooner had the vehicle left Revival City than he began to regret the way he''d presented himself before Mr. Gu. Why did he take such a stance on Rubbish Town''s side when he spoke? What was a Rubbish Town agent but rubbish? He was clearly an advisor to the Commerce Department! In his dismay, he quickly thought of a way to remedy the situation. He exchanged a few words with the driver, and the vehicle swiftly turned towards the abandoned mining area of Weixing City. There, Henry met with Patel, and through their old rtionship, he got in touch with Perbov, found out where his camp was, and then hurried over. In Sanchi Town, Henry saw Perbov, who hadpleted his mission of eliminating bandits. He hadn''t known before that Sanchi Town was a den of thieves. At best, he knew it was rted to plunderers, an important ce for disposing of stolen goods and hiding, but he truly didn''t know that the whole town was a bandit''s nest. He started off with a flurry of praise, saying that wiping out this ce was a great thing. At least five to six thousand bandits perished in one battle, making the two hundred kilometers between Revival City and Rubbish Town much clearer. When had Perbov ever been so ttered and praised? He was a bit embarrassed by all the adtion. Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Dennison Henry smoothly extended an invitation. It was for Perbov to move fifty kilometers to the northeast. That''s where Rubbish Town was. "You want me to attack Rubbish Town?" Perbov''s head shook like a rattle, "That''s impossible, without military orders, I won''t make such a big move." "Major Perbov, you misunderstand. I don''t want you to lead a charge on Rubbish Town, just to station your troops not far from there. Of course, I understand such an important action definitely needs Mr. Gu''s consent. My purpose ining to you was also to use your military line to contact Mr. Gu," Perbov thought for a moment: "You want to use my soldiers to bolster your own authority?" Henry pped his hands, smiling: "Exactly. Mr. Gu intends to mobilize the army and take down Rubbish Town. I thought, if ites to that, wouldn''t it mean we''ve been inefficient?" ``` Chapter 158: Chapter 135, On the Verge of Collapse Is something not going well? Perbov appeared somewhat perplexed. At this moment, Henry was also patient enough to exin. He first pointed to himself and said, "I am the wedge appointed by the Governor to Rubbish Town. If the Governor wants Rubbish Town, I am obliged to do so. It would be best if I can settle things before the Governor''s army arrives. Then, the army would only need toe over and help enforce the New Alliance Government''s system in Rubbish Town. If ites to the point where the army has to fight, wouldn''t that be a sign of my ipetence?" After some thought, Perbov nodded slightly, seemingly in agreement with Henry''s idea. Then Henry moved his hand to point at Perbov: "As for Major Sir, you have received the Governor''s orders toe to this wilderness to sweep through all the settlements, relocate the popce, and even those settlements that remain must change their allegiance and ept theplete and thorough rule of the New Alliance Government. You must tten all opposition. You have done an eptable job, but not the best. Within these two hundred kilometers, there is Rubbish Town, a peculiar existence. It gathers a hundred thousand permanent residents, another hundred thousand dependent on Rubbish Town''s operations for their livelihoods, and yet another hundred thousand armed scavengers and adventurers who enter the High Tower ruins on a long-term basis..." "Whether in terms of poption or the importance of raw material extraction, this is the most critical ce among all the settlements around Revival City. And it''s in an awkward position at the edge of your mission range. The Governor indeed did not expect you to take down Rubbish Town with just eight hundred soldiers, but if you could do it, wouldn''t that turn what was merely a passable test score into a perfect one?" After serious contemtion, Perbov had to admit that he was indeed persuaded by Dennison Henry. There was a key point Henry didn''t know¡ªdidn''t he himself clearly understand that he came here to umte merits and smoothly take over from Yan Fangxu, who would eventually be the Commander-in-Chief of the whole army, and be the Brigade Commander of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade? Right now, he indeed went by the book andpleted his assignment eptably. Nearly ten settlements within two hundred kilometers had surrendered to the New Alliance''s rule, and the Battle of the Three Pools was won with a minimal cost, almostpletely annihting the bandits that upied the area. No one could say he hadn''t done well enough. But Perbov himself always felt it wasn''t enough. Now, with Henry putting Rubbish Town before him, he couldn''t help but salivate. Rubbish Town... He still remembered when he was just a miner in the PoDong Society, living a life truly devoid of daylight, Rubbish Town was a ce of might far away. The entire Abandoned Cave Society''s next meal depended on whether the traveling merchants of Rubbish Town were willing to pay extra for the ore produced by their society. For him, the presence of Rubbish Town, even more so than the closer Revival City, weighed heavier. And now, could it be that he, this former mining team leader, had the chance to lead his troops and seize such a ce? But beyond his thirst for recognition, Perbov still managed to stay rational. Even if Rubbish Town could be considered within the Governor''s two hundred kilometers of autonomous activity, he still remembered not to act rashly. It''s no small settlement. As Henry had said, within the sphere of Rubbish Town''s influence, there were likely two to three hundred thousand people, and due to its unique industrial ecosystem, nearly everyone was armed. The armed scavengers and adventurers who licked blood off their des amounted to a total of around a hundred thousand. They were indeed not an army, but their equipment might be even better than those of robbers, and theirbat experience and will were also stronger. If things went wrong and led to a military conflict, he wouldn''t be able to win such a battle with just his eight hundred men. Not to mention, there was a chance he could get mired in the swamp between Rubbish Town and the Green Skin Orcs. Thus, he stuck to his previous stance: "I need further authorization to take action." Henry smiled slightly: "Of course, we''ll speak together once we connect the signalter." His objective had been achieved. Even if Perbov dared toe along now, he wouldn''t dare let him just follow along. He didn''t have the audacity to encourage the army to do something beyond their authority without a military order. Too taboo, for even if he seeded, it might lead to the Governor finding a reason to have him killed afterward. He wouldn''t make such a mistake. Comming to see Perbov, he indeed wanted to borrow the military''smunication radio. Of course, beyond that, his greater hope was to persuade Perbov himself. Executing orders versus Perbov''s own proactive engagement were two entirely different scenarios. If Major Perbov could also speak up during his subsequent report to the Governor, increasing the chance of sess, that would be even better. But he hadn''t expected his ultimate n to fall throughpletely. Because once the radio connected with Revival City, he received news. The Governor was no longer in Revival City but had set out with Colonel Tadeusz and the 2nd Infantry Division towards Rubbish Town. The Governor had left a message. "I hope my army will only have to deal with those Green Skin Orcs when they arrive." This was something he had heard once before when he met with the Governor, but hearing it this time felt different. He turned to Perbov: "Do you understand what the Governor means?" Chapter 159: Chapter 135, On the Verge of Collapse_2 "Understood," Perbov said, "I will lend you a hand. But simrly, I hope it doesn''te to the point of drawing knives and guns, my forces will stop twenty kilometers outside of Rubbish Town. The rest is up to you. If things don''t go smoothly, I will wait for the 2nd Infantry Division to arrive before proceeding." "That will be enough." ... Henry appeared to be in control during his conversation with Perbov, but in reality, he was extremely anxious. Because he had calcted his own timing. Mostly on foot, the distance from Revival City to Rubbish Town was a little over two hundred kilometers. At a normal marching speed, quickly it would take three to five days, at a slower pace, it would at most not exceed ten days. Combining this with the phrase left by the governor, this was the time he was given to handle Rubbish Town. He had to hurry. Fortunately, with Perbov''s Composite Camp in action, the speed was somewhat guaranteed. This Composite Camp was almostpletely motorized. Even the clumsiest 155mm howitzers had wheels fitted and were towed by trucks; all the soldiers, including the engineerpany and logistics supportpany, had transport trucks and supply trucks at their disposal. In the troop, the slowest and most dragging unit turned out to be the Armored Company. The twelve old tanks chugged along in the back, only able to move at a speed of twenty kilometers per hour, chugging along, making one fear they would break down along the way. In fact, this situation did ur. Midway through, a tank indeed broke down. But this did not affect the overall pace of the troops. Leaving some repair personnel and crew behind, the rest continued smoothly over a distance of fifty kilometers, arriving at the outskirts of Rubbish Town. By then, it waste at night. The troops stopped in situ, setting up camp, while Dennison Henry, apanied by a small retinue and guards, went forward to meet the scouts who had cautiouslye from Rubbish Town to check out the situation. After exining things to them, he then entered the town withposure. Those who came out to reconnoiter did not disperse, still surrounding Perbov''s forces in the darkness. Perbov was not concerned. He had dispatched sentries and guards; as long as these people did not get too close, they were wee to watch from the periphery. This calm demeanor further intimidated the outsiders peering in from the edges. Of course, what was most intimidating were thoserge cannons, armored vehicles, and tanks that could not be seen clearly in the darkness, but were decidedly present. Add to that the soldiers'' discipline and well-trained appearance, the onlookers clearly understood that although this troop was notrge in number, itsbat power was formidable. Considering the background of the newly appointed agent, Mr. Henry, who could not guess that this was a force from the New Alliance, under themand of the esteemed governor? ... The next day, Dennison Henry met the person he wanted to see. His name was Jason Swan. He was a man with strands of white in his hair, his face stern, his brows and eyes fierce, weathered, and seasoned. He was the biggest agent in Rubbish Town. In his youth, Jason Swan had already been mixing it up in Rubbish Town. Initially, he was just an ordinary scavenger who was willing to fight and struggled to lead a small adventure group. Later he became the boss, and then he built that small adventure team into an organization, seized a portion of the refined materials business, andter opened up some trading routes... He became an agent, then gradually the biggest one. It might only take a few sentences to say, but from the age of fifteen to now, thirty-five yearster, he experienced countless acts of treachery, life-and-death struggles, to reach his current position. He controlled Rubbish Town''srgest initial processing nt for raw materials, had a 20% share inmerce, and the adventures group he built his fortune with, called ''Clockwork Iron de,'' was one of the top armed forces in Rubbish Town. Industrybined with military powerposed the prestige of Mr. Swan. He was always serious and stern, presenting a dignified front to people, and even in the recent troubled times, he had maintained this attitude, which to some extent had a stabilizing effect on the people''s hearts. Actually, whether he was truly panicked or not, no one knew. Dennison Henry had met Jason Swan before, not just once. In every past encounter, he had been as meek as an ant. Even after his nomination to serve as the proxy, the state of their rtionship had not changed. Stripping away the new industry of alloy stic steel he controlled, Henry''s actual power paled inparison to that of the real big shot in Rubbish Town. But today, he had to change his way of thinking, to stand up straight. He represented the Governor! His mindset had already begun to shift. Behind me stands the ruler of the entire; once the Governor took control of Revival City, that ruler was no longer just a title but was backed by tangible and formidable power. With such a strong backing, why should I grovel to a mere armed merchant leader in Rubbish Town? I was simply too used to kneeling before! Swan seemed to sense something and lifted his head. His gaze, sharp as an eagle''s or a wolf''s, swept across Henry''s face. He began to speak in a somewhat hoarse voice: "Are you here to persuade me to surrender to that Governor in Revival City?" Henry''s calves still felt a bit weak, and his mind involuntarily shed with many rumors of Swan''s ruthlessness and decisiveness. He wasn''t someone with a sturdy backbone at all. But he still tried his best to maintain his dignity. "Yes," he said, "Do you have any other choice?" "I could kill you," Swan said indifferently. Henry''s heart clenched at those words, but then he rxed a little. At first hearing, it sounded scary, because Jason Swan did indeed have the capacity to do it. Yet, upon closer analysis, it became apparent that Mr. Swan was merely posturing. Because if, a month ago, Henry had dared to speak of surrender, Mr. Swan would probably not have wasted half a word with him before blowing him away. Now, by saying he could kill him, it was actually a sign of Swan''s own apprehension. Instantly grasping this, Henry felt somewhat more rxed. "Of course, you could do that. You might consider yourself the master of Rubbish Town. What difficulty could there be in killing someone like me?" Henryplimented along Swan''s line, but then his tone shifted, beginning a new line of persuasion: "But that''s not called a choice." Swan said no more, just stared at Henry. But Henry was getting more heated as he spoke: "Isn''t Rubbish Town in its most vulnerable state right now, both externally and internally? The proliferation of the Green Skin Orcs causing a decline in production is the least of the impacts. When those scavengers, those adventurers realize that the danger of entering the high tower ruins has greatly increased while the rewards have diminished, will they still gather here? Especially when Revival City has now intensified its attractiveness to the disced, with very tempting policies." "Without these scavengers and adventurers, what will happen to the industries that rely on them? The taverns, brothels, and haberdasheries will all close; the primary processing industries for the rubbish will copse; the once-thriving trade will no longer be sustainable, and ultimately Rubbish Town will be a real dump, unattended and forgotten." "To destroy Rubbish Town, we don''t need the Green Skin Orcs to break through our defenses and ughter our people. They just need to maintain this pressure, make scavenging a high-risk, low-reward venture, and that alone will be enough to destroy our town built on picking through trash." Henry outlined the crisis from an economic foundation. Swan just listened in silence. It wasn''t anything insightful. This danger, some had already foreseen, was even already beginning to unfold. Most of Rubbish Town''s adventurers and scavengers didn''t have much personal attachment to the proxies. A minority was on a hiring basis, and a considerable number were independent adventure groups. They went into the ruins of the city, scavenged, and sold for basic profits; if they found usable technology from before the war, artwork, or rtively intact Spiritual Energy crystals, they could make a fortune. Now, the risk of adventuring had increased due to the confrontation with the Green Skin Orcs, and the returns were visibly diminishing. They were also specially conscripted to fill the most contentious battlefronts. Although offered bounties and equipment, the fight was still too tough, and many adventure groups refused conscription, even leaving Rubbish Town in entire bands. The departure wasn''t yet widespread or on arge scale, but it was an extremely dangerous sign, a precursor to the dam''s copse. Chapter 160: Chapter 136, You Have No Choice Rubbish Town is now facing a cmity of epic proportions, a fact that many are well aware of. Mr. Swan was waiting to hear Henry''s "brilliant insights." He could certainly guess that when Henry spoke of these things, he wasying the groundwork to secureplete allegiance to Mr. Gu from Rubbish Town. He was waiting for Henry to state Mr. Gu''s terms. Henry knew as well, but he merely smiled, uttering a sentence that nearly made Mr. Swan lose hisposure: "Mr. Gu ising to Rubbish Town, he''s on his way with his army," Mr. Swan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is he...ing in person?" "Yes." Henry had now be veryposed, "Mr. Gu is set on taking Rubbish Town, you...we are incapable of resisting. Even without military action, if Mr. Gu were to block trade routes, stop buying raw materials produced by Rubbish Town, and stop selling food to Rubbish Town, it would fall apart without a fight." "Huff..." Mr. Swan let out a long sigh, his face growing increasingly ugly, "Does Mr. Gu really have to do this?" Henry spread his hands, "What''s so surprising about that? He is the Governor of this, it''s only normal for him to strive to bring the entire world under his rule." He paused, then continued, "And to be honest, Mr. Swan, I don''t understand why you''re so reluctant." "Hmph." Mr. Swan said, "Given a choice, who would want to be a dog?" "Hahahaha!" Henryughed loudly, "That''s not a fairparison, offering loyalty to the Governor, to the Empire¡ªhow could that be likened to being a dog?" Afterughing, heposed himself and said earnestly, "Mr. Swan, honestly, I once entertained such foolish thoughts as well. When Mr. Gu told me he intended to take full control of Rubbish Town, my initial reaction was frustration that I had barely savored half a month of an agent''s power, having reached the upper echelons of Rubbish Town, and now it was going to belong to Mr. Gu, rendering my position meaningless." "But that stupid thoughtsted only ten seconds before I realized how ridiculous it was." "Who is Mr. Gu? He''s the man who, realizing that Revival City was a lost cause, started from scratch and retook Revival City within a matter of two months, securing the entire city under his grip." "He''s the man who thwarted the Cult''s conspiracy and saved the city. If you go to Revival City now, you''ll see that the disaster hasn''t destroyed people''s spirits; rather, it was like doing demolition work. The whole city is rapidly rebuilding, recovering, and visibly bing more orderly." "If you could see the Abandoned District in Weixing City, where nearly one hundred thousand heavy industry workers are gathered, they produce a vast quantity of high-quality alloy every day, tanks, heavy artillery, individual soldier equipment, mass-produced from the factories." "If you could see all this, you''d have no doubts that Mr. Gu could eventually extend his rule over the entire world, given enough time. Once he integrates a sufficient poption, meeting the Empire''s tax demands in two years'' time won''t be too much of a challenge." "I now feel incredibly honored that I followed Mr. Gu very early on. In the future, as Mr. Gu expands his influence across the entire, might I not also have the chance to disy my abilities on aary scale, or even be an interster merchant navigating the cosmos? To speak frankly, this is something I never dared dream of in my past life. My highest aspiration at first was to be an agent. It seems now that my vision was too narrow." "What about you, Mr. Swan? You''re different from me; you''ve been at the very center of the stage in Rubbish Town for many years, investing untold effort just to secure a bit more profit, to stand a little more stable on the stage of Rubbish Town. Now, an opportunity lies before you, are you truly not tempted in the slightest?" After hearing Henry''s words, Mr. Swan scoffed, "Heh... you''re trying to persuade me with suchughable reasons?" He dismissed it contemptuously, too displeased to even voice a rebuttal. As beautiful as it sounds, if passing the threshold of imperial taxes were so easy, five governors wouldn''t have perished. Having control of just a Revival City, a shell formerly known as the Alliance, which virtually no one obeys anymore, and having the audacity to im certainty over future global dominance is overly arrogant. Indeed, as Henry said, the position as the ruler of Rubbish Town was as high as he could ever hope to rise in this lifetime; there was no further room for advancement. But what of it? In this wastnd strewn with starvation, isn''t it enough to be someone of status? Mr. Swan felt that he was content enough. However, his expressed attitude did not dissuade Henry, who responded, "It''s a shame you have no interest in the stars and seas. But even now, you have no choice. Mr. Gu has the power to destroy Rubbish Town¡ªI already mentioned that. He doesn''t want you to continue being the master of Rubbish Town, and that''s just a matter of his will. He could obliterate you with a flip of his hand, but conversely, he''s also the only one capable of saving you." "Once Rubbish Town submits entirely to Mr. Gu, the approaching troops will not be our enemies but our protectors instead. His forces will direct their firepower against those orc raiders, not at Rubbish Town itself. The issues that concern and trouble you the most will be resolved with ease." Chapter 161: Chapter 136, You Have No Choice_2 Henry still didn''t fully agree with Swan''s words, "Just rely on those eight hundred people outside? Just rely on the seven or eight thousand people that Mr. Gu is bringing along on the road? Battles we can''t withstand with a hundred thousand armed adventurers, and they would be able to resolve them?" Henry just smiled again, did not speak, and simply stretched out his hand and pointed to the sky. Swan understood immediately, and then he really went silent. He was still unwilling to ept it, but he had to admit that every word Henry said was right. To live, they had to rely on Mr. Gu; no one else could save Rubbish Town. To die, Mr. Gu had far too many ways to kill them, even without lifting a finger himself. In such a situation, what right did he have to negotiate any terms? But not to negotiate any terms at all? To hand over everything he had fought for over the past thirty-five years? Henry seemed to see his worries and a voice tempting like a devil whispered in his ear: "Even if we don''t mention those ideals and the future, I will just say one thing: Mr. Gu, all of a sudden, gained control over such a vast region from a starting point of almost nothing, and with Rubbish Town under his control, the total poption would exceed one million three hundred thousand. Conversely, Mr. Gu''s rapidly expanding power is in short supply of talents. A female refugee from the Green Valley Region can be the Civil Affairs Chief of Revival City; a small merchant like me who was once insignificant in Rubbish Town can now represent Mr. Gu in discussions about the life and death of Rubbish Town with someone like you. So, if someone like you, experienced and capable, is willing to help Mr. Gu wholeheartedly, what kind of status would you obtain?" ... Henry felt that Swan must have been persuaded by him. Although he did not give a definitive answer in the end, and even when he expressed a desire to contact Mr. Gu directly, he was brushed off on the pretext that he needed to report to Mr. Gu, but Henry still felt that in the end, Swan would definitely kneel before Mr. Gu unconditionally when he arrived at Rubbish Town. Because he had no choice. Besides, he could not really make any specific promises on behalf of Mr. Gu. He did not even think that Mr. Gu would agree to anything; at most, he would allow Swan to earn what he wants through his own performance. It also reminded him of the time he wanted the exclusive rights to alloy steel for Mr. Gu but ended up being scared stiff. That''s when he realized what kind of person Mr. Gu was. Mr. Gu, even when he had nothing, already had the mentality of someone in a superior position, let alone now. Furthermore, he believed that even if Mr. Gu agreed to nothing, Mr. Swan would still end up humbly prostrating himself before Mr. Gu. Henryforted himself by staying in the room Mr. Swan had prepared for him, waiting for Swan to give him a definite answer before the deadline or for Mr. Gu''s arrival. On the third day, a servant came to ask him to see Mr. Swan. Despite his expectations, Henry still could hardly conceal his delight. He was absolutely confident that Swan must have submitted. Following the servant, he saw Mr. Swan in the office. "You''ve realized..." Henry hadn''t finished speaking when Swan interrupted him: "I agree, and I will make all the other agents agree as well. If there are any who don''t, I will make sure they have no other choice but to agree as soon as possible." Henry was stunned. That was a one hundred and eighty-degree change in attitude. But why are you more anxious than me? He keenly felt like something big had happened. "When can Mr. Gu''s army arrive?" "At the earliest, in two days, and at thetest, five..." "Can we go any faster?" "Wait a second, what''s happened? You need to tell me first." Henry''s heart was already uneasy, "Those Green Skin Orcs?" "...Yes," he sighed. There wasn''t much point in hiding it. Poormunication of military intelligence could easily lead to strategic misjudgments. Afterward, Swan gave Henry a rough outline of the current situation. In the past, Rubbish Town didn''t have much by way of management. It was originally just a town formed by adventurers picking up trash, but as the number of adventurers increased, many industries reliant on the rubbish collected by them started cropping up, gradually forming the town. But as the town took shape and the industrial chain became moreplete, a somewhat finer level of management became essential. The agents roughly divided Rubbish Town toward the pre-war era''s supercity ruins, also known as the high-tower ruins, into four levels: valueless safe areas, valuable safe areas, high-value dangerous areas, and unknown areas. Valueless safe areas, true to their name, are ces where, after years of exploration, the number of mutant monsters has greatly diminished, but simrly, due to many years of scavenging, they have almost no yield. The only output here is the hot ash produced after a Low Energy Storm has passed. Valuable safe areas are ces that have been cleared many times, have few monsters and are not very dangerous, but have only be rtively safe in the past one or two years. They haven''t been scavenged for long and still yield a fair amount. This is where the most metal waste is produced, and asionally, some precious pre-war items can be found. High-value dangerous areas are ces teeming with monsters, but with ample rewards; unknown areas are almost unexplored, or where very few who enter manage toe out alive. These four types of areas, in terms of distance rtive to Rubbish Town, grow progressively further away. And in the fight against the orcs, the defense zones were divided in the same way. Or rather, in recent years as the Green Skin Orcs began activity within the high-tower ruins, even bing more and more numerous, eventually turning into adventurers'' main foes, the ssification of the four areas wasrgely rted to the orcs'' activity frequency. One month ago, when the Green Skin Orcs began to emerge inrge numbers, the high-risk areas basically became no-go zones, only essible torge adventure groups with many members; after a month of this Green Skin disaster, a considerable part of the low-risk area turned high-risk. Adventurers could no longer easily scavenge but had to form teams and battle lines to fight these Green Skin Orcs. This had nearly evolved into a warfare situation, rather than skirmishes between small groups of adventurers and lurking or wandering monsters. For that very reason, adventurers were reaching the point where they could hardly hold on, not willing to endure any further. "We''re here to make money through adventure, not to fight a war." Now, thetest news was that in the 18th District, an important ce where adventurers formed a battle line and had built fortifications for arge-scale battle with the invading Green Skin Orcs, had fallen apart. Nearly twenty thousand adventurers had gathered there, fighting against more than three thousand orcs for a week, under immense pressure. And just this morning, three adventure groups, without notifying anyone, withdrew from their positions; a total of six thousand people left directly. Consequently, during an expected orc assault on the defences, with nearly a third fewer hands, the defensive linepletely copsed, and the remaining adventurers had no choice but to retreat or even scatter. By morning, the Green Skins had broken through three districts, and it was only in the Fifth District that they were barely held back. And this area was traditionally a valueless safe zone. Even, Swan had already deployed his most treasured adventure group, ''Clockwork des'', to the frontlines. They were well-equipped and highly trained, a rare elite force. It was their intervention that plugged the breach. However, the casualties were significant. What was crucial was that, through the breach, more Green Skin monsters kept emerging from the deeper ruins, exerting tremendous pressure on them. If the Fifth District fell, the other parallel districts'' defences would surely not hold either, and before long, Rubbish Town might genuinely face the Green Skins at its gates. That''s why Swan was in such a hurry. "Fuck!" Henry couldn''t hold back and blurted out a curse. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 74k/150k Aiming for 6,000 tomorrow! Chapter 162: Chapter 137, Beast Slaughter Group (6.4k Subscriptions Please!) ``` "Fuck!" Henry couldn''t hold back and blurted out a curse. Swan had indeed submitted, and from that perspective, the deserters'' rout and the Green Skin Orcs'' sudden onught had helped a bit. However, Henry surely couldn''t hand over a Rubbish Town turned to ruins to Mr. Gu and then shamelessly im he had fulfilled his mission, could he? With a grim expression, Henry asked, "What''s the situation in the Fifth District now?" "It''s terrible, there''s been no time to build new defensive positions there; our people can only fight desperately with those Greenskins among the rubble. No one knows whether the adventurers can hold on, I can only guarantee that my men will hold firm until the end." "I will pass this message to Mr. Gu as soon as possible, Mr. Swan, If you don''t want to present a Rubbish Town turned to ruins to Mr. Gu and thoroughly disappoint him, please do whatever you can in the next few days to hold the line, at least until Mr. Gu''s troops arrive." Swan said solemnly, "You don''t need to tell me that, but please urge them on. Nobody in Rubbish Town wants it to be ruins, but sometimes it''s not about what we want." After saying this, he paused and hesitantly made another request: "Additionally... the troops stationed outside Rubbish Town, can they help?" Henry hesitated. He paced back and forth, conflicted. Without Swan asking, he had already thought about the strong army outside Rubbish Town that could be called for reinforcement. But there was a risk involved. Convincing Perbov to seek authorization for action from Mr. Gu seemed manageable. Perbov was eager to fight, and Mr. Gu, knowing of Swan''s submission and Rubbish Town''s surrender, would likely allow Perbov to join the battle. But that would mean sending the Composite Camp to fight the fearsome Green Skin hordes! Were they an easy opponent? Perbov''s Composite Camp was formidable, ughtering looters as easily as ughtering pigs, but the Greenskins were a different matter entirely. If casualties were heavy, would that responsibility fall on him? Yet in the end, he gritted his teeth and told Swan he was willing to try. With Rubbish Town willing to fully submit to Mr. Gu, it was worth protecting. Securing Rubbish Town was of great significance to Mr. Gu''s expansion of power. It was the most important raw material production area around Revival City, as well as the strongest military force among the uncontrolled powers in the vicinity. It was also his biggest stepping stone to advancement. ... As Henry had expected, convincing Perbov to go into battle was not difficult. Once Mr. Gu was informed of the entire situation here, especially the likelihood that Rubbish Town''s defenses might indeed be breached by the Green Skin Orcs and destroyed, he of course did not want to see that happen. He granted Perbov the necessary authority, allowing him to make decisions based on the situation. Meanwhile, the troops led by Mr. Gu himself also elerated their march. With authorization in hand, Perbov did not hesitate for long and quicklyunched a full assault. The fully mechanized troops rapidly bypassed Rubbish Town, heading towards the so-called Fifth District. Along the way, all Perbov saw was chaos. Many adventurer groups, hastily assembled for a hefty fee, formed up and rushed towards the Fifth District; but at the same time, Perbov saw even more adventurers retreating from the front lines. Among those moving back, a considerable part looked very shabby and frightened. These clearly were deserters who had fled from the front lines. Additionally, some of the retreating adventurers bore no signs of battle. This group was somewhat odd. Perbov had several different groups of adventurers stopped and brought to him to inquire about the situation at the front lines. From the ounts of the deserters, he received news that was uncertain whether to be considered good or bad: The battle at the front was still ongoing, but without fortifications, the Orcs easily got close enough forbat, causing massive casualties. One group of adventurers after another couldn''t withstand such terrifying losses and retreated from the front lines. To say it''s good news was because the front lines were still holding; to take it as bad news was because it was on the verge of copse. The other group retreating without having fought told a more intriguing story¡ªthey had received orders to pull back. These orders came from the merchants and agents who had paid to hire them. Perbov didn''t know much about Rubbish Town, but Henry, who hade to the front lines with him in themand vehicle, immediately understood what it meant. The pessimists thought Rubbish Town was indefensible. They had withdrawn the teams they had paid for, no longer maintaining the battle line at the front, instead wanting them to protect themselves and flee from Rubbish Town. Even likely, the news that Mr. Gu was taking over Rubbish Town might have leaked, which also fueled the desire of these merchants and agents to flee. After all, if Rubbish Town was defended sessfully, it wouldn''t be theirs anyway, so why spend money defending it? Better to run away quickly. Thinking of this, Henry was particrly angry! How could Rubbish Town be saved amongst these vermin! This could certainly lead to aplete copse of the front line! Perbov''s Composite Camp continued to advance, while Henry used themunication equipment on hismand vehicle to contact Swan, who was still in Rubbish Town, informing him of the situation here. ``` Chapter 163: Chapter 137, Beast Slaughter Group (6.4k Subscriptions Please!)_2 Swan said he would find a way to deal with it. He wasn''t just going to handle those who wanted to flee; he would also try to rally the fleeing soldiers and maintain the battle line as much as possible. Hearing Swan''s assurance, Henry breathed a sigh of relief. This big shot from Rubbish Town, if he truly intended to stop this situation from worsening, probably had a way to do so. But there was one thing that Henry felt uncertain about: what if Swan himself wanted to run? What if he had convinced Perbov to go to the front lines just to buy time to move assets and wealth? To put it bluntly, he was afraid Swan was deceiving him. For a moment, he felt a confusing turmoil inside. Seeing that Perbov had already begun to give orders for the artillery support unit to deploy, he said to Perbov: "I''ll stay here." He paused, then continued, "There''s no help I could provide at the front, better to stay here. Leave me a radio set, and I''ll keep in touch with the interior of Rubbish Town at all times to ensure no unrest urs. If all goes well, I''ll manage to rally some fleeing soldiers and retreating units here. If... if there really is a major problem inside Rubbish Town, I''ll notify you in time. I won''t let your army get mired alone." "Alright, let''s do that." ... Half an hourter, at the front lines of the Fifth District. As expected, the battle was still ongoing, with many adventurers resisting, but they had no advantage. From a distance, the Green Skin Orcs were killing the adventurers one by one, and asionally, entire teams of adventurers were copsing and retreating. Among them, those with the most resolute fighting attitude were a group wearing graybat coats. On their arms, they had uniform armbands with the image of a spear piercing upward through the skull of an orc. This armband represented an adventuring group that had only been established six months ago but had rapidly expanded and swollen in size: The Beast ughter Group. These were people determined to take revenge on the Green Skin Orcs, gathered together to form a team. Its founder, who was also the current leader, was named Lucy Lee Ko Xi. Li Kexi used to be the leader of a medium-sized adventuring group, often mixing in Rubbish Town, known for his generosity, enthusiasm, and loyalty he held a reputation within the entire adventurer industry. Six months ago, his group encountered a band of Green Skin Orcs and were nearly wiped out. He and a significant part of hisrades were captured by the Orcs. He witnessed many of his closestrades having their heads split open and their brains devoured, their abdomens ripped open to be used as food by the Orcs. Among them were even his wife and two sons. Later, the small Orc encampment was raided by another team of adventurers. During the chaos, Li Kexi managed to escape. Since then, he dissolved his former group and established a new adventuring team named ''Beast ughter Group'', intent on revenge. Anyone harboring a grudge against the Green Skin Orcs and determined to eliminate them could join the adventuring group. In fact, it could no longer be considered a usual adventuring group as their main goal was no longer urban exploration and scavenging for high-value items, but instead hunting down Green Skin Orcs. In the past few years, there were no shortage of people with grudges against the Green Skin Orcs. Some would be terrified by the Orcs'' strength, brutality, and belligerence, but naturally, there were also those who were instead filled with anger and hatred. They gathered in the Beast ughter Group and began their war against the Green Skin Orcs. For Rubbish Town, which was facing an increasingly severe threat from the Orcs, such a team was, of course, very wee. Although they were not productive, no longer scavenging, and rarely epting employments, the merchants and agents from various districts of Rubbish Town were still willing to provide generously for their weaponry, logistics support, and even additional financial aid. With hatred fueling them internally and financial support externally, the Beast ughter Group expanded rapidly over six months and also proved to be the best performing team inbating the Green Skin Orcs out of all adventuring groups in Rubbish Town. Their original defense zone was neither in the eighteenth district nor in the Fifth District. However, after the outer defense line of the eighteenth district was breached and pierced through to the Fifth District, they too had to retreat to avoid being nked. At the same time, they realized the Orcs'' breakthroughs were not yet over. If they were allowed to continue their assault, Rubbish Town, the major rear area, could very well be lost. Li Kexi led his Beast ughter Group, which boasted more personnel than usual, to the Fifth District for reinforcements, trying to plug the gaps in the defense line. Then, as the battle raged on, his forces became the mainstay. Other allied forces retreated one after another until only a few remained fighting alongside them. Grasping his personally modified shotgun, which had threerge barrels bound together, Li Kexi pulled the trigger, and the barrage ofrge-caliber shot at close range blew apart the head of a Green Skin Orc. "Pah," he spat out the cigarette in his mouth that was almost burnt to the end, looking around him. A sense of sorrow welled up inside his heart. He knew this might be where his bones would finally lie. The number of Green Skins rushing towards the gap in the defense line seemed to have surpassed three thousand; by contrast, the only ones still persevering inbat, apart from his own three-thousand-strong Beast ughter Group, were probably just a thousand or so other adventurers. Chapter 164: Chapter 137, Beast Slaughter Group (6.4k Subscriptions Please!)_3 Based on past experience, to withstand the onught of the Green Skin Orcs, especially at such a close range, one would need at least ten times the number of enemies to gain victory; holding out with five times the number is the bare minimum to maintain a defense. Despite his Beast ughter Group mastering some special techniques through long-termbat with the orcs, and even with weapons specifically modified to fight them, they could at best manage to fight three against one. Now, the number ofbatants on each side had not even reached a two-to-one ratio, a situation which, ording to experience, meant the defense would not hold. But beyond the Fifth District, there was no other line of defense. His deputy had already asked more than once what to do. And his answer had always been the same: "We must fight to the death!" His own will to fight was unwavering, and he understood that if they let the Green Skin Orcs break through Rubbish Town, they would no longer have a chance for revenge. The orcs would gain greater living space, and humanity would face utter defeat in this region. He was prepared to die. But the Beast ughter Group was faltering. Although the performance of the Beast ughter Group was better than that of any other adventuring band, they were still human. Hatred and anger could sustain their ferociousness in battle, but fear remained, and not everyone could face a certain death with equanimity. He could feel that many of his brothers were already wavering. At first, he was anxious, but he soon settled into a calm state. Go ahead, if a few more can live, that''s good. In such a desperate situation, I simply wish to die in battle against these orcs; I can''t necessarily ask the same of others. After painstakingly loading his ammunition, he strode forward. Another Green Skin Orc charged towards him howling, and three of his brothers opened fire. Despite being shot several times, the orc stood firm, lifted a crudely made firearm, and quickly killed two men. The third man charged forward with a long-handled greatsword and shed at the orc''s head. The flesh burst open and blood flowed, but the skull was not cleaved, the de stuck in it. The orc, however, pulled out a hand axe and split the brave Beast ughter Group warrior''s head with a backhand swing. The orc pulled the greatsword out from its head, blood smeared all over its face, and howled to the sky as if mad. "Bang!" Seizing the opportunity, he approached within five or six meters of the orc. The exaggeratedly designed triple-barreled shotgun was pointed at the orc''s head and he fired. The orc''s face distorted by the st, it fell backward to the ground. Rubbing his shoulder, aching from the recoil, he saw two more orcs approaching. At that moment, there were no brothers by his side, and he clearly didn''t have time to reload the triple-barreled shotgun. He dropped the firearm and took out the Beast ughter Group''s signature long-handled greatsword. This must be thest fight before death, he thought. He wondered if he could take down an orc before he died. He couldn''t aim for the head, limbs, or torso, which would not be instantly fatal. The only target was the neck. He needed to exert full strength and get the angle right as the de prated the flesh; only then might he have a chance of severing the spine. He had only one chance with his de. If he missed, the orc''s strength, far superior to a human''s, would tear him to shreds in no time. He took deep breaths, waiting for the final moment toe. The two orcs, one in front and one behind, drew ever closer. They seemed to bepeting to get to him first, fearing that slow movement would rob them of the chance to kill. Just then, a loud noise came from behind, followed by a rocket trailing mes. The rocket exploded right in front of him, hitting the two monsters, one behind the other, and flipping them over. The one behind was already dead, while the othernded not far from Li Kexi. Ignoring the singed hair from the trailing mes, Li Kexi quickly walked up and chopped off the monster''s head with three swings of the sword. Only then did he have a moment to turn his head and see a squad of unfamiliar soldiers approaching from behind. It was a smallbat team of three, two armed with rifles, one with a rocketuncher. The recent rocket came from them. And now, the man with the rocketuncher was pulling new rockets from therge tactical pack on his back to reload; the other two kept firing at another approaching orc in the distance. The firearms in their hands were unfamiliar to Li Kexi. He had never seen such rifles, ck and clearly well-crafted, different from the iron tube rifles many adventurers carried. Looking in the direction of the gunfire, the orc being targeted was clearly hit repeatedly. The two groups were about a hundred meters apart. A hundred meters, what does that mean? From a distance, the orc seemed hardly bigger than a small ck dot. At this range, urate shooting not only indicated the precision of the unfamiliar soldiers but also meant that their rifles were extremely reliable in terms of uracy. Using the riflesmonly employed by adventurers, even if aimed precisely, the bullet trajectory at a hundred meters was unpredictable. In fact, the firearms used by the Green Skin Orcs were simr, perhaps even less reliable. The orc firearms were surprisingly powerful; within the effective range, a single shot could st apart an entire upper body. But their effective range was only within fifty meters, beyond which the bullets would stray significantly, even worse than the adventurers'' iron tube rifles. Chapter 165: Chapter 137, Beast Slaughter Group (6.4k Subscriptions Please!)_4 For this very reason, the adventurers used to engage in regrbat with the Green Skin Orcs at distances within a hundred meters. Between fifty and a hundred meters, the adventurers had some firepower advantage, but the Green Skins were able to rely on their thick hides to charge within fifty meters, at which point exchanging fire was no contest at all. One of their shots could blow apart a person, while our side''s puny guns needed to pour a hundred bullets to kill a single Green Skin, how could we fight like that? Moreover, once the Green Skins got within fifty meters, aside from shooting, their steps wouldn''t stop, and they would charge even closer to take advantage of the high power but low uracy of their guns. Or more directly, they''d get into melee range and resolve the battle with cold weapons. And often by that time, it was when the human adventurers'' moralepletely copsed. Except for the Beast ughter Group, who dared to wield big knives and engage in chopping at the Green Skins with an exchange rate of more than five to one, nobody dared to engage these monsters in closebat. But these new and strange infantry seemed a bit different. Not only did they have the extremely precious rocketunchers, but their rifles still worked effectively at distances beyond a hundred meters. This was significant. The orc charging toward this location got hit by at least thirty bullets when it reached fifty meters away, and despite firing two shots, both missed. Following that, it continued its charge, and when it got within fifty meters, it finally couldn''t withstand the frequent hits and fell dead. The shooters weren''t just from this infantry squad; there were two additional infantry squads who had evidently also spotted it and were firing six guns at it. Li Kexi couldn''t help feeling envious. Envious of the rocketuncher, and of those guns. At the same time, he couldn''t help but wonder a bit: where did these strangerse from? He had extensive connections; he knew most of the named adventure groups that mingled around Rubbish Town. He had never seen any group equipped like this. He saw someone waving at him. Li Kexi hesitated for a moment but still went over. He asked, "Which group are you from?" The person waving at him was momentarily confused, then quickly responded, "We''re not from any adventure group, we are warriors from the New Alliance! I am Sergeant Luke Duffy." "..." The amount of information was a bit overwhelming, and Li Kexi for a moment didn''t even know what to say. Sergeant Duffy noticed the armband on his arm and asked, "Are you also from the Beast ughter Group?" "... Yes." "Then get to the rear as quickly as possible; many of yourrades are regrouping there. We still need your help to put in a joint effort to clean out these filthy Green Skin monsters." Li Kexi was stunned again. His resolve to die retreated. If there was still hope of victory, then indeed he shouldn''t die. If possible, he still hoped to see more Green Skin monsters die before his eyes. "Sergeant Luke Duffy, I''ll remember you. I am Li Kexi, captain of the Beast ughter Group. May we meet again under better circumstances." "You''re the captain?" Duffy was startled, then quickly added, "That''s even better! You have to get to the rear then, your brothers still need your leadership." "You''re right." Li Kexi picked up his rifle and followed the direction Luke Duffy had pointed. After walking a bit further, intense gunfire and the sound of rocketunchers firing came from behind him. He couldn''t resist looking back and saw ten soldiers form into threebat squads. They didn''t advance further but held their current position. Before them, a group of about twenty Green Skins was approaching. Li Kexi''s heart sank heavily. Especially seeing that two rocket projectiles thrown at them killed only three Green Skins. Ten soldiers, their distant gunfire raining down, even with focused fire at long range, killed only two. Fifteen remained! They had already charged very close. Within this distance, in just a few seconds, these monsters would rush upon the soldiers'' faces. And in the meantime, they couldn''t even reload their magazines, nor could the rocketunchers be replenished with new ammunition in time. Li Kexi was not optimistic about their fate and hesitated whether to turn back and fight alongside them. Of course, this was not a wise decision, but... they had just saved his life, and now was he to turn his back on them, to live in ignominy? While he was in the throes of indecision, he heard two rumbling sounds from behind him. Turning his head, he saw two steel behemoths emerge from behind a building. One of them was a tank, the ''Challenger'' Tank he had seen once before. The other was a somewhat lighter-armored but more robust-looking wheeledbat vehicle. They both fired at the Green Skin Orcs. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 6.4k. Half a month has passed, and I''ve updated 80k words, it looks like reaching 150k words this month isn''t going to be a problem. Chapter 166: Chapter 138, The Limit of Perseverance Seeing the appearance of a ''Challenger'' tank and another war machine he didn''t recognize, Li Kexi was initially stunned. He had truly not expected to see such a thing here. He had once thought about buying a Challenger tank, especially after forming the Beast ughter Group, his desire grew stronger. If he had such a tank as thebat core, surrounded by arge number of infantry troops with a cannon ready to provide fire support at any time, battles would be much easier to fight. Unfortunately, affording it was one thing; the key issue was that there was no channel to purchase it. Not to mention the armored vehicle next to it. Though it had norge cannon, the twin-barreled machine gun was not something to be underestimated. And when these two opened fire together, the effect was astonishing. A tank shell sted into the midst of the Green Skin Orcs, killing at least three on impact; even more terrifying was the volley from the armored vehicle''s machine gun and the alongside "machine guns" that didn''t look like regr ones. The 40mm caliber machine gun could cause fatal damage when it hit the Green Skins; the strange, explosive twin-barreled "machine gun" could still detonate inside an enemy after a direct hit, ensuring the death of an orc. Under the frenzy of the strafing fire, six or seven Green Skins were killed on the spot with one round. After this round of fire projection, coupled with the casualties inflicted by the infantry squad, a total of fifteen Green Skin Orcs were killed. Facts proved that orcs were not brainless creatures that only knew how to charge in battle. On the contrary, their wisdom¡ªor rather, instinct, inbat was exceptionally sharp. They knew that continuing to charge forward under such firepower would result in their deaths before they could cover the final twenty to thirty meters. They scattered to the sides and quickly found cover. One even poked his head out and took a shot at the infantry squad, actually hitting and breaking a soldier''s left arm. Someone quickly administered first aid with gauze¡ªmainly pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding and minimize blood loss¡ªand then two others helped to evacuate the injured to the rear. The remaining seven soldiers were in no hurry to advance¡ªthey would wait for the tank and the armored vehicle toe up. Only after clearing this wave of enemies would they continue forward, encountering and stopping at the next enemy, fighting to try to eliminate the enemy, or if not possible, preserving theirbat power, with the tank and armored vehicle soon supporting them again. Infantry and tank coordination is not as simple as armored units leading with infantry following behind, using the tank or armored vehicle as cover; that''s a very rudimentary approach. Indeed, in rtively open terrain with few obstacles, armored units can lead the assault with infantry closely following within tens of meters to support the attack. But at this moment, in this location, in the midst of urban ruinbat, it is usually necessary for the infantry to lead, with armored units providing fire support from behind and leveraging the infantry''s closebat advantage to eliminate the enemy one by one. If armored units led under these circumstances, withplex terrain and enemy situations, who knows what sort of enemy might emerge and what weapons they could use to threaten the armored vehicles? For example, enemy infantry could be lying in ambush, utilising explosive charges, anti-tank rocketunchers, and other weapons to deliver a severe blow to the tanks and armored vehicles. Of course, these so-called infantry-tank coordination tactics were not something Li Kexi could understand clearly; he only knew that the seemingly numerous cluster of Green Skin Orcs stood no chance of turning the tables, and their fate was certain annihtion. Compared to the tactics of coordinated operation between tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry, what Li Kexi envied even more were the tanks and armored vehicles themselves. His entire Beast ughter Group, with six or seven thousand men, couldn''t muster a single tank; yet an infantry squad''s attack tactic included the coordination of tanks and armored vehicles... All were human, so why what a huge gap there was! Tactics could be practiced; but equipment, if you didn''t have it, you really didn''t have it, and there was nothing you could do about it. ... Perbov was not in the best of spirits. He had already received several casualty reports. ording to the earlier n, there were nearly twenty infantry-tank coordinated assault groups operating in phases, controlling a battlefield front about three to four kilometers wide. He had ordered the frontlinebat units to advance two kilometers forward, nning to strike a blow to the Green Skin Orcs that were still rushing in. Perbov''s troops did indeed aplish the predetermined objectives, and in the two-kilometer advance, at least 300 Green Skin Orcs were eliminated under the fire of the infantry and armored units. But his troops did note out unscathed during this process. Two tanks were destroyed, three armored vehicles were lost, and over 50 soldiers were casualties... That was distressing enough for him. And indeed, such casualties would impact the entire battalion''sbat effectiveness. The biggest single loss was when an assault group nearly got wiped out. Perbov saw a verbal briefing from the evacuated wounded soldiers, who reported that during their march, they were ambushed by Green Skin Orcs. Those Green Skins cleverly hid in the building ruins and avoided the infantry''s search range. Then theyunched a simultaneous assault, and by the time they were discovered, they were already within sixty to seventy meters. Chapter 167: Chapter 138, The Limits of Perseverance_2 ``` These orc-like creatures tactically divided into four formations andunched simultaneous attacks on both the infantry at the front and the armored units at the rear. Suddenly engaging in close-quarters, the infantry squads suffered greatly in the exchange of fire. They managed to kill four or five enemies at close range, but they were also subjected to close-range sts from the Green Skins. The crude firearms in their hands could incapacitate a soldier with a single shot, even if it hit a bulletproof vest¡ªit might not be fatal, but breaking ribs and causing internal injuries that significantly reducedbat capability was not an issue. What was even more terrifying was that the Green Skins were fond of using shotguns; the scattered pellets sometimes even shattered limbs. In close-quarterbat, the casualties among the soldiers were heavy. After that, when the Green Skins closed in to the range of meleebat, despite the G9 rifles being equipped with bays and serving as decent pole weapons, they were still no match for the Green Skins. More critically, they could not get immediate fire support from the armored units. The armored units had their own troubles. Over twenty Green Skin Orcs, using obstacles as cover, approached the vehicles from the side and continuously moved while the artillery and machine-gun angles were rotating, forcing the vehicles to be unable to fully utilize their firepower advantage. Despite a considerable number of Green Skins dying in the charge and two being taken down by the protective infantry apanying the armored units, seven or eight still managed to get close. With their shotguns, they eliminated the apanying infantry and ced explosive packages on the tanks'' tracks and the rear sides of the armor, and the armored vehicles received the same treatment. Such explosive packages destroyed a tank and an armored vehicle. Had it not been for the squad leader who was ambushed immediately sending out a distress signal, and fortuitously, a team located just a few hundred meters awaying to their aid, they might have beenpletely wiped out. Yet, even so, their losses could still be considered severe. Of the more than twenty infantry who survived, only six remained, one tank was destroyed, and out of two infantry fighting vehicles, only one was left. A warning bell sounded in Perbov''s head. The enemy they faced this time wasn''t something easy to deal with likemon marauders. Although these Green Skin Orcs only had light and melee weapons at their disposal and had to rely on such primitive methods as manually cing explosives to destroy armored units, it was apparent that the Green Skins were severelycking in long-range firepower. But by virtue of their beast-like physical fitness and their surprisingly strongbat ability at close range, as well as their reckless disregard for death... Even if his forces had a significant firepower advantage over the enemy, they still could not avoid losses in battle. From the time they left Weixing City until now, Perbov''s First Battalion had already lost two tanks (one had broken down en route and had not been repaired), two armored vehicles, and nearly a hundred personnel were either killed or wounded. This meant his forces had already lost over 10%. The battle against the Green Skins would surely be tough, but they had already sustained such heavy casualties at the very beginning... What about moving forward? Unthinkable! But soon, he pushed these tentative thoughts back down. The fight had to go on. The troops that set out earlier had, as nned, advanced the frontline by two kilometers, eliminating a considerable number of Green Skins. Also, because of their decisive push forward, many Green Skins that had been on the offensive had to pull back. It must be stated again that although these Green Skins were wild, warlike, and bloodthirsty, prone to get carried away, they were not without intelligence. On the contrary, they were quite cunning and pragmatic when it came tobat. Realizing that they were at a great disadvantage and suffering heavy losses in open groundbat against armored assaults, those Green Skins didn''t continue to stubbornly charge headlong into firepower with their flesh and blood. This made Perbov somewhat regretful; otherwise, the number of Green Skin heads taken might have been more than just over three hundred. The retreating Green Skins started to construct simple fortifications, or simply relied on the ruins of the terrain, and set upyered defenses. The difficulty for the armoredbined force to continue advancing would be much greater after that. It was foreseeable that further assault would not only see a sharp decline in military achievements, but their own losses would be significant, and it was possible they would face a one-to-two or even one-to-one casualty rate. Perbov did not have enough troops to wear down these Green Skins. Having achieved the predetermined objectives, there was no need to continue pushing forward. The front-linebat units began to fortify their positions on site, also relying on the ruins of the terrain, and started constructing key fire points and defensive fortifications. Their advantage over the Green Skinsy in the fact that their defensive positions were supported by armored vehicles and tanks providing mobile firepower from a distance. If the Green Skins dared to rush out and charge the positions, tank cannons, machine guns, and bomb-firing machine guns would teach them a lesson. Both sides thus entered a standoff phase. If this situation were maintained, Perbov could ept it. He had already discussed and agreed upon the objectives of this operation with themissar at the battalion headquarters, as well as with several staff members and adjutants. They could not possibly reverse the deteriorating situation of the entire war with the strength of just one battalion. What they needed to do was to stabilize the frontlines, be the mainstay, plug the gaps, and stop an all-out copse. ``` Chapter 168: Chapter 138: The Limit of Perseverance_3 As long as the battle could be sustained until the Governor arrived, it would be considered a sess. But those Green Skin Orcs seemed to have no intention of backing down, they still had ideas of breaking through human defenses. But this time, Perbov wasn''t going to be polite with them. Ten miles from the front lines, the 155mm howitzer positions were fully constructed. It wasn''t the rush stage anymore, arge number of adventurers had retreated from the front lines and reorganized, there was no need to worry about friendly fire, and the shooting elements from the front lines had already been transmitted back. Without a second thought, they fired five rounds of artillery. Sixty heavy artillery shells fell on the Green Skin Orcs'' attack route within less than ten minutes, and the nearest shellnded less than a hundred meters from the front-line soldiers. It was difficult to determine the exact casualties caused by these five rounds of artillery beyond the front line defenses, but a rough estimate suggested that the Green Skin Orcs suffered more casualties than previously inflicted by tanks, armored vehicles, and infantrybined. After another loss of three to four hundred Green Skin Orcs, the attackers at the Fifth District had basically lost 20% of their fighting force. After five rounds of shelling, the surge of strength the Green Skin Orcs had been gathering for a charge came to an abrupt end, and they finally ceased their aggressive push. A 20% loss, of course, hadn''t exceeded the threshold of what the Green Skin Orcs could withstand. But casualties must have meaning. Stubbornly advancing under heavy artillery to attackyered defense positions isn''t about bravery, it''s about stupidity. Green Skins are never stupid in battle. Moreover, the Green Skins weren''t necessarily forced to continue this deadly struggle. The width of the first battalion''sbat front stretched at most five to six kilometers. Yet the overall width of the attack front toward Rubbish Town within the High Tower ruins probably exceeded sixty kilometers, epassing the entire High Tower District as well as the surrounding suburban areas. There was ample frontline width for maneuvers such as nking and encirclement. If they couldn''t bite through, then they would simply stop biting and strike elsewhere. Perbov understood this as well. The scale of this war was, after all, nearly a hundred thousand adventurers and armed scavengers facing off against ten to twenty thousand Green Skin Orcs. An eight-hundred-person Composite Camp, however well-equipped, served as a significant weight, capable of tipping the bnce of the scales. But that was the extent of it, one couldn''t expect a single camp to hold a sixty-kilometer front line. Achieving the current battlefield results was sufficient. They had inflicted significant casualties on the Green Skins'' fighting force and stabilized the defense line, holding off the peak of the Green Skin Orcs'' assault forces, gaining time to reorganize the follow-up troops. Perbov had done all he could. What remained to be seen was how people like Dennison Henry and Jason Swan would handle the situation. Oh, and one more thing, he had received intelligence that the leader of the Beast ughter Group had been rescued by them. Perhaps he could be counted on as well. Perbov had an estimate of how long he could hold out: he could defend until the artillery support ran out of ammunition; if the pressure became too great and the 155mm howitzer shells were exhausted, then there was no room for discussion, it was time to retreat promptly. Not to retreat would mean sacrificing the troops for nothing. A 155mm howitzer shell weighed 60 kilograms, and with twelve guns firing five rounds, they had already shot out three and a half tons of shells. The logistics support had three trucks dedicated to transporting ammunition. Subtracting the ammo used at Sanchi Town, the remaining shells were enough for, at most, thirty rounds of fire. That was the limit of their defense. Chapter 169: Chapter 139, just because he is the governor? Dennison Henry was anxious too. He didn''t know much about military matters, but he understood the simplestparison of numbers. Perbov''s troops could fight, but they couldn''t rece the role of a hundred thousand people. Here at the artillery positions, he was gathering the fleeing soldiers, and the effect was actually not bad. Mainly, the twelverge cannons lined up in a row were extremely intimidating. When the fleeing soldiers retreated here and saw these cannons, they couldn''t help but slow down. Then, Henry would step forward, offering a carrot and stick, and keep people around. The so-called carrot was money. Henry had money, but not as much as it seemed. He had only be wealthy in the past two months and had made quite a bit, but hecked umtion. But the key was that he was now willing to spend money, even spending all his money and going into debt if necessary. After all, as long as they "won" and held their ground, and Rubbish Town was ultimately incorporated by the governor into the new alliance''s system of governance, "money" wouldn''t matter much anymore. This information was unknown to the ordinary adventurers. Therefore, his willingness to spend generously still had an effect. Another big stick was the policy on deserters implemented by Rubbish Town. For the adventurers who kept fleeing, Rubbish Town certainly had toe up with a measure. In fact, during this period, quite a few adventurers who had left the front line had already been executed as deserters. This pressure had somehow reached the front lines. During the great copse, everyone was running, and with no officers enforcing military discipline, no one took this matter seriously. But now, with mention of heavy artillery here and the offer of double pay, the adventurers naturally had to seriously consider their choices. Of course, another key factor that could not be overlooked was that after the adventurers were reorganized, they were not sent to the front lines immediately. Having just been routed by the Green Skin Orcs, sending them straight to the front line would likely have no effect. But just reforming the organizational structure and regrouping on the spot, staying beside the artillery positions without having to fight directly, was much more ptable. And by using these adventurers, they could continue to gather more adventurers, which could have an expanding effect. In a few hours, Henry had gathered around four to five thousand adventurers. With these people, Henry began to think about sending them to the front line to fight. However, after contacting Perbov, the answer he received was that no more people were needed; they were managing fine on their end. Mainly because the Beast ughter Group had been reorganized. Colonel Li Kexi, whom Henry knew, had led half the Beast ughter Group. Behind the defensive line formed by the First Composite Battalion, they finally had time to properly regroup and boost their morale. They were reorganized and then deployed to the front lines, significantly reinforcing the various firepower points and relieving the manpower shortage of the First Composite Battalion''s infantry. With that, the defense line of about six kilometers in the Fifth District could be considered impregnable. The difficultyy in the rest of the battlefront, which was about fifty kilometers long. The Green Skins had quieted down in the face of the first battalion, but they could strike at other positions at any time. In fact, this situation was likely already urring. But what was worse was that neither Henry nor Perbov had a good grasp of the overall situation. The army,posed of Frence Adventurers'' Bands, even chose which defensive line they were responsible for by themselves, self-selecting their tasks. They didn''t even have a unifiedmand structure. Despite their great numbers, many thought more about adventuring, scavenging, and making money rather than fighting the Green Skins. Teams without contracts weren''t even considering confronting the enemy head-on, consequently, their enormous numbers couldn''t exert their full strength. But at least, Swan should have an understanding of the overall situation. He reached out again to the Rubbish Town magnate, partly to find out the current state of the battle and if any areas needed support. The three to five thousand men he had gathered could temporarily hold the line¡ªthough theirbat effectiveness shouldn''t be overestimated. On the other hand, he was more eager to know whether the issue of numerous adventurers'' bands, either choosing for themselves or being hired away by other vaciting merchants and agents to protect those fleeing bugs, had been contained or not? ... "I am about to address this problem." After ending themunication with Henry, Swan wore a solemn expression as he pushed open the door of the meeting room in front of him. Inside, quite a few people were already seated. His influence was evident at this time. Without him, no one could have gathered so many agents and important merchants together during such chaos, with many considering abandoning everything to flee. But that was as far as it went. The meeting hall was noisy, and many faces showed clear signs of impatience. Their arguments were routine, having been debated many times in the past. There were those who advocated for holding out, and others for giving up; Even among those who wanted to hold out, opinions varied¡ªsome were calling for the establishment of a unified Rubbish Town army to end the disarray; some suggested stricter supervision of the adventurer groups and more rational task distribution with increased rewards... Chapter 170: Chapter 139, Just Because He Is the Governor?_2 Swan had actually eavesdropped for quite a while before entering the room. The situation of the argument was pretty much as he had understood before. Most people still wanted to continue holding on. Even though the situation was dangerous, everyone''s investments were still in Rubbish Town. On these wastnds, the value of "floating wealth" was very low. Currency? This thing that can''t be eaten or drunk isn''t the same as in a stable society where money can buy everything. In the wastnds, it was toomon to have currency but not be able to buy anything. Even if it was the Alliance currency issued by the Alliance, it might not be epted much farther afield, and its purchasing power fluctuated greatly. What was truly valuable were tangible goods, whether it was food, raw materials, or weapons and equipment¡ªthese were wealth. Another important form of wealth was industry. Industry depended on many things¡ªmachinery, locations, sources of raw materials, trade channels, business environment... Many of the people present had worked their way up to being agents because they owned industries. Giving up Revival City was tantamount to surrendering their greatest wealth. Not even seeing a coffin would necessarily bring tears, let alone without seeing one. The situation was just a bit dire now¡ªthe Green Skin Orcs hadn''t charged into Rubbish Town yet. Indeed, many people were unwilling to give up Rubbish Town; that would be like dispersing their wealth and breaking up the group. But on the other hand, many agents who had no fixed property and relied on transportation and channels, the trader-type agents, wanted to flee. Although the losses from disbanding and fleeing were not small, it was still better than continuing to hold on and ending uppletely copsing and unable to escape. However, the next piece of news that Swan was about to announce could very likely change the situation. When he stepped onto the podium, the noisy and chaotic arguing gradually subsided. People began to wait for this big shot to speak, hopefully with some good news. And Swan did not disappoint them, "The retreat that spread from the 18th District to the Fifth District has stopped. A force from the Alliance Army in Revival City has responded to my request. They have not only plugged the holes in our defensive line but have also pushed back out two kilometers. Meanwhile, other units on different fronts made an orderly retreat and have now reestablished a new defensive line centered around the Fifth District. The situation has temporarily stabilized." This news was exhrating! The arrival of the army belonging to Mr. Gu near Rubbish Town was known to everybody. Those who were not well-informed wouldn''t be able to sit in this meeting room. Someone couldn''t help but ask, "Is Mr. Guing to help us? Will he resolve the trouble with those Green Skin beasts for us?" "Yes," Swan gave a confirming response. In fact, he had not had the chance tomunicate with Mr. Gu, only with Henry. But that didn''t prevent him from speaking confidently now. And this message, indeed, was inspiring! Anyone with clear eyes knew that the Green Skin crisis had spread to a point where it could not be resolved by the power of Rubbish Town alone. By bringing in Mr. Gu, who hadpletely taken control of Revival City, there was hope for a solution to the problem. However, some even smarter people thought of another key point. A man with dirty, tangled, blond hair stood up and questioned Swan, "What''s the cost? What is the cost?" Swan looked toward him. That was Nasr, his rival. The second-ranked agent in the whole of Rubbish Town, unlike him, Nasr didn''t control much in the way of physical industries. His greatest "industry" were the adventure groups. At least thirtyrge and small adventure groups active around Rubbish Town had been brought together by him through funding, sponsorship, direct organization, and other means. He controlled these adventure groups'' earnings and sales channels and could directly issue tasks to those adventure groups. The thirty adventure groups, thergest with thousands of members and the smallest with dozens, collectively added up to two or three tens of thousands of armed adventurers under his influence and control. Moreover, he also had close connections with many raiders on the wastnds. This was an annoying fellow, and precisely the person Swan was most wary of during this Green Skin crisis. He was the typical type with no industries; his wealthy within those "people." Even if Rubbish Town was ruined, Nasr would indeed suffer severe losses, but he could take his people and try to develop another ''Ruin Mine,'' or simply be a raider for some time. With a gun, there''s always a way out. Facing Swan''s intimidating gaze, Nasr seemed utterly unconcerned. Splitting his mouth into a grin, he revealed his yellow teeth and said, "Would Mr. Gu be so kind as to help us fight this war without asking for anything in return? Our dear Mr. Swan, just what exactly did you promise Mr. Gu?" His question sent the room back into silence. It''s certainly good that Mr. Gu is willing to help, but one must indeed rify what the price will be. The other various agents awaited Swan''s answer. Swan revealed a smile, "The price? The entirety of Rubbish Town." With those words, the room fell silent. Even his old rival Nasr waspletely thrown off bnce. He tried to create difficulties for Swan, but how could you blurt out everything on your own? He had nned to press further, to rify what specific rights over Rubbish Town Swan had sold out, wanting to embarrass him further. Unexpectedly, he heard news that left him speechless. It wasn''t a matter of selling out some rights; it was the selling of the whole thing, stripped clean, with nothing left! Nasr, regaining hisposure, burst outughing. His hoarse, unpleasantugh sounded incredibly shrill: "You sold the entire Rubbish Town to Mr. Gu? What right do you have to do that! Is Rubbish Town yours alone?!" In the face of the usations, Swan wore an indifferent smile. "Let me correct you on one point; it''s not ''selling out'' but a ''price.''" Swan said. "Whether Mr. Gu chooses to save Rubbish Town and what he asks as a price, do you think those are decisions I can make?" "What do you mean?" "Let me be even clearer." Swan continued, "Mr. Gu believes that Rubbish Town is already part of the Alliance, and as the ruler of the entire, it is only right that he would rule Rubbish Town and rightfully incorporate it into the new Alliance system. It''s just that Rubbish Town happens to be facing a huge crisis, under the threat of Green Skin Orcs. He ising to help his own people." Swan emphasized the word "helping his people" heavily. Many understood his implication and fell into thought. Others either did not understand or refused to ept it even if they did. Nasr continued to make noise: "What gives him the right to do that? Do our hundred thousand people, our hundred thousand guns, mean nothing?! Those factories, those industries, they are our property! How can he just take them because he''s Mr. Gu?!" Some, confused, joined in themotion. Swan just looked at them and let out a cold snort, not saying much else. Gradually, some began to understand and gradually fell silent. Finally, Nasr''s face turned sour. His supporters were no longer numerous. Clenching his rotten teeth, he said to Swan: "Are you intending to wipe us outpletely?" "I never said that," Swan retorted. "I''m taking my people and leaving! Right now!" Nasr dered. Finally, Swan smiled, a radiant smile: "That''s not going to work. We are in a state of emergency. The battle outside the city has not yet ended, the threat of the Green Skin Orcs is still severe, and with Mr. Gu''s imminent arrival, I propose that, effective immediately, Rubbish Town enters a state of emergency, the entire town under martialw, with no one allowed in or out!" Following procedure, Swan''s proposal should go to a vote, but today, he didn''t ask for those in favor to raise their hands; instead, he asked for the opponents to raise theirs. Nasr shouted in opposition, and a minority roared angrily with him. But it was to no avail as the majority maintained an eerie silence. With a smile, Swan announced: "Then from this moment on, Rubbish Town is officially under martialw." Chapter 171: 140, want to be the boss Henry had already learned about the recent events in Rubbish Town. He was also an agent; the meeting should have provided a ce for him. Being busy outside, one of his subordinates had to attend in his stead. His subordinate had informed him of the situation and was one of those who had kept quiet at the time. Martialw was of course a good thing, preventing the situation from further deterioration, preventing those agents and traders from fleeing with supplies and arge number of adventurers. If itsted too long, it would surely be uncontroble. Rubbish Town,cking a centralized power structure, didn''t support the continuation of such strict policies for long. But despite that, he still felt it was somewhat miraculous. When he re-establishedmunication with Swan, he couldn''t wait to ask, "Was the martialw order really passed so easily?" "Ha, do you think it was easy?" Although he said this, Swan''s voice was steady, yet with a hint of pride, "I had contacted many agents close to me who have industries in Rubbish Town in advance. Passed, that''s how it had such an effect." Henry noticed a subtle shift in Mr. Swan''s attitude towards him: the personage, whose status was far above his own, seemed to be trying to befriend him, and the tone of his speech was attempting to be more intimate. It wasn''t exactly ttering, but at least it was an overture of friendship. It was because he had aligned himself with the governor before Swan did that Mr. Swan needed to befriend him, to make it easier to speak in the future... Thinking of all the twists and turns involved, Henry couldn''t help feeling somewhat smug. Curbing this minor smugness, Henry continued with the previous topic: "Then... wouldn''t this push Nasr into a corner, making him desperate?" "There''s that possibility." Swan said, "But the situation should be controble." "How so? Those agents with industries should oppose it when they hear that the governor wants to reim the whole of Rubbish Town and implement the New Alliance system here. Their industries will be repossessed, right? On the contrary, it would seem that those without fixed assets would be rtively less opposed to the governor." Swan, unusually patient, exined the situation in Rubbish Town: "It seems that way on the surface, but with your intelligence, you should think deeper. We who have assets are truly the ones who cannot run. If we run, what else do we have? Nothing. We don''t have enough resources or even enough people to obey ourmands; attempting to be raiders would only make us a minor force." "Even if the governor confiscates all assets when hees, I''ve carefully examined your policies. Those assets, once repossessed, won''t just be abandoned, will they? They would need to be restarted. And we who once owned them, at least understand these industries, so why couldn''t we switch from being business owners to factory managers? As a manager, ording to the 45-level rating, that should be higher than that of an ordinary worker or clerk, right?" "Being a manager who has to report to the so-called Alliance Production Department, and doesn''t own the produced goods, certainly isn''t as satisfying as being a real owner. But your policies can guarantee a lower limit, allowing people to live a steady, decent life. Believe me, just that is enough to attract quite a few agents who don''t want to live in constant fear." "Moreover, what room do we have to refuse? Either Rubbish Town is destroyed and bes nothing, or one goes from being an agent to a factory manager, a member of the management staff¡ªmany people would make this choice." "On the other hand, those without assets are the ones who cannot ept the arrival of the governor. After the governor arrives, will he continue to allowrge numbers of armed forces to remain in their control? Once all production is allocated by the New Alliance Government, can they still profit from buying and selling goods? Taking the chance with enough manpower while one still can, having guns and people, where can''t they carve out a domain for themselves? Even as raiders, they would be the leaders, living luxuriously, with people at theirmand. They are the ones who are least willing to stay within the governor''s system." Henry listened thoughtfully. Swan paused, with more to say: "For us, the proprietors, the only real point of concern is the situation of those who had assets in the past in Revival City. Many are most afraid of surrendering their assets, only to be liquidated in the end, as was the case with therge executions before the governor''s speech in Revival City. Frankly, that set a very bad precedent; your... our governor took harsh measures to quickly take control of the city, but it was a very, very bad start." With these words, Swan revealed his stance and concerns to Henry, who had clearly sided with the governor. Henry also understood that he was seeking assurances from the governor through himself. But this insurance... Henry felt he couldn''t provide it. And he didn''t need to provide it. He responded, "If you really understood the situation of those who were executed back then, you would know they got what they deserved. They killed the old council president Hodgson, who had supported the governor; they tried to violently prevent the governor from entering Revival City; they colluded with the Cult... For these crimes, they deserved to die. The situation is different between Rubbish Town and Revival City. If you can bring the whole city under the governor''smand and actively help the governor restore production afterward, without hatching any more schemes, then why should you worry about those baseless concerns?" Chapter 172: Chapter 140, Aspiring to be the Boss_2 ``` Having heard these words, Swan stood by the window, unsure whether he had gotten what he wanted or not. Indeed, he felt somewhat at ease, but notpletely. After all, there had been no formal guarantee. But to havee this far was probably the limit. The call ended, and Swan stood by the window, full of ambition. His office was perched at the highest point of Rubbish Town. Looking down, his feelings wereplicated. In the past, he had always strived to climb higher and higher. Once he reached the top, he extended his hand, wanting to grab more and more. He wanted to be the master of Rubbish Town. At one point, when the Green Skin Orcs brought severe harm to Rubbish Town and Henry said that the Governor intended topletely reim it, he thought his dream was going to shatter. But now, it seemed that he could achieve this goal from another angle. After all, Rubbish Town was two hundred kilometers away from Revival City. If he did well, could he be the mayor of Rubbish Town? As the highest administrative official, to some extent, it seemed he could fulfill his old desire. Previously, to be the master of Rubbish Town, he had to fight against heaven and earth, figuring out ways topete with those who didn''t follow his path; yet this time, it might be an opportunity. The Governor would help him sweep away those damned things, and he could then be the boss in this clean house. It couldn''t be anything but a good thing! Once the Governor arrived, he needed to put on a sufficient performance. He had to ensure proper logistics support, proper restructuring of the adventurers, proper inventory and transfer of the overall industry of Rubbish Town... These things had to be done perfectly. Thinking of many specific action ns, he momentarily got lost in thought. A series of footsteps from behind brought him back to reality. Turning around, he saw a rather handsome young man dressed in a greybat uniform. That was Mark Ferry, his confidant, whom he had promoted to help him manage the most crucial armed force under hismand, the ''Clock Iron de'' adventurer group. "Boss, the martialw order has been carried out." "Good." Swan''s voice regained the indifference he always showed to others. He was always like this, keeping a distance from people. In his view, a sense of distance was one of the key points to maintaining mystique and authority, especially towards his subordinates. As usual, Ferry should have just left after getting a "good" from him. But today, things didn''t seem to be quite the same. Ferry hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Nasr won''t let things go; he''s mobilizing the adventurers he can control who are still in town. There might be conflictter." Swan frowned and looked at Ferry, "Isn''t that what I''ve told you before? He surely won''t let things go, but he has no chance. I''ve had people cut off themunication lines with the front line; now only I can contact the front line, cutting off his ability to call people back; the armed forces he can mobilize in Rubbish Town definitely do not exceed ten thousand men, while my ''Clock Iron de'' has returned, with three thousand well-equipped men. Blockade the town, no need to kill them, just hold until the Governor arrives, and we win." "Yes, if the Governor arrives, we win," Ferry echoed, "But what about us? Just now... Boss, you were talking to Dennison Henry, right? Did he give you any assurances?" "He did, I will be Rubbish Town''s master in the future." Swan didn''t want to tell the whole truth, but he felt what he said was the truth. He would be the master of Rubbish Town, he believed it. "And what about us?" Ferry pressed. "You?" Swan turned around, looking Ferry up and down as if seeing him for the first time. "Yes, us." Swan broke into a broad smile, "You''ll be fine!" Then he added, "No need to fight anymore, you can put down your guns. Factories need workers, stores need waiters, and Ruin Mine also needs scavengers. Although scavenging should no longer be risky by then, as the Governor would have cleaned up those mines. Of course, if you still want to be a soldier, that''s fine too. The Governor''s army will continue to recruit, and with your experience, enlisting shouldnd you a good position. In short, life will definitely get much better then." "Yes... life will get better then..." While Mark Ferry said this, he pulled out his gun without hesitation. Swan, who had sensed something was off with the young man just now, had already heightened his alertness. He quickly drew his own handgun. But he was too slow. He was no longer the young man who fought bravely on the frontlines with his brothers. His gun, while exquisitely made with intricate patterns, was more like a work of art than a weapon. The bullet found him first, hitting his neck with precision. He toppled backward uncontrobly, followed by several more bullets aimed at his head, neck, and heart. It wasn''t until the magazine waspletely empty that Mark Ferry slowly put down the gun. Looking at Swan, whoy on the ground twitching, he said softly, "Boss, you would have been Rubbish Town''s master when the Governor came, but the Governor doesn''t need people like me. I would only be left to work as aborer or a scavenger, to start over as a soldier, which doesn''t seem fair. Even if you lied to me about a better future, I would have believed you. But you weren''t even willing to do that... don''t me me." ``` Chapter 173: Chapter 140: Wanting to be the Boss_3 Having said that, he withdrew his gaze and turned away. A dozen minutester, he met Nasr in another part of Rubbish Town. Nasr, who had been pacing restlessly, stopped in his tracks upon seeing Mark Ferry. After staring at him for several seconds, he suddenly burst out with a smile, "I was torn between wanting to see you and fearing it, but now I''m sure, I wanted to see you. You''ve got it, haven''t you?" "Yes." "Fantastic! That old ghost Swan! Despicable for trying to kill us all to achieve his dream of bing the lord of Rubbish Town. Good riddance!" Mark Ferry, however, did not want to dwell on the topic, "We''re short on time, I don''t have the leisure, nor the opportunity to clean all of ''Clockwork Iron des,'' and ording to Swan, many wealthy agents supported him. The best chance to leave is now. We must hurry, taking advantage of the chaos created by Swan''s death." "You''re right!" Nasrughed heartily, wrapping an arm around Mark Ferry''s shoulder, "Let''s go! We''ll leave right away! From here on out, we''ll be as free as the eagles above the yellow sands! We will hunt for whatever we want to eat! Who wants to be a dog to some governor? Eh? Our prey will be those who are willing to be sheep, to be dogs! From now on, Ferry, you''re my best brother and our most important leader! If there''s ever only one piece of meat left, I''d rather starve myself and let you have it first!" ... Chaos engulfed Rubbish Town. The death of Swan had already spread on a small scale. The troops enforcing martialw were mostly adventurers, with ''Clockwork Iron des'' at the core, supported by the teams of adventurers hired by other agents. But with Swan dead and Mark Ferry, themander of the ''Clockwork Iron des,'' suspected of betrayal, the ''Clockwork Iron des'' were left temporarily brain-dead. Some of the remaining officers disappeared¡ªthey had fled with Ferry. Others were panicked and clueless, with only a few resolutely carrying out the martialw. As for the other wealthy agents, for the time being, they were all unable to choose someone to take temporary control. When the thousands, nearly ten thousand, that Nasr had gathered started to move, and fired without hesitation at anyone who blocked their exit from Rubbish Town, they virtually became the only organizedrge-scale team within Rubbish Town. They became unstoppable. At the beginning of the breakout, Nasr and Mark Ferry were still tense, fearing further twists. But as the vanguard managed to break out and they with the main force stepped through the gates of Rubbish Town, both involuntarily rxed. Breaking away from Rubbish Town and heading for the vast wastnds became certain! But just at that moment, they noticed the pace of the column had slowed. The crowd ahead of their vehicle had grown dense, and people began to shrink back, afraid to move forward. Nasr, too, sensed something was wrong. He grabbed the walkie-talkie and bellowed, "What''s the matter? What''s happening up front?" There was only a hiss of static from the walkie-talkie, not a single useful message. After a long wait, just as Nasr was about to impatiently ask again, a message finally came back: "The... the governor... the governor has arrived!" Nasr felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head. Why would the governore? Wasn''t there supposed to be at least three more days? At this moment, from the walkie-talkie in his hand, another voice came through: "What now... what do we do?" Nasr was stunned, and for a moment, he truly did not know what to do. But Mark Ferry, standing beside him, seemed very decisive. He snatched the walkie-talkie from Nasr''s hand and yelled, "Open fire! Command the vanguard to open fire! Have everyone ready to break out!" "No!" Ferry red angrily at Nasr, who had instinctively denied his words: "What are you thinking?! We''vee this far, is there any room for hesitation now?!" Nasr was almost grinding his rotten teeth to pieces: "Can''t fight... can''t win..." "You''re fucking realizing now we can''t win?" Mark Ferry was furious, half turning and grabbing Nasr by the cor, almost pressing face to face as he continued to roar, "I''ve been with the old boss for so many years and you''re fucking telling me now we can''t win?!" Nasr was frightened by the governor and by the ferocious face of Mark Ferry at this moment. He stretched out his hand, forcefully blocking between himself and Ferry: "For... now... now we can only split the team, flee in all directions... However many can get out... that''s how many... and then regroup safelyter!" Hearing this, Ferry seemed to calm down all of a sudden. He let go and asked, "How many people do you estimate can escape? And how much time will it take to regroup our forces?" "Definitely a lot can get out!" Nasr rapidly calcted in his head, "The governor is eager to take over Rubbish Town, as long as we don''t cause him too much trouble, he won''t pursue us full force; some people will die, but not many; once we''re out, with my call to arms, everyone will quicklye together again, and by then you''ll still be the big boss...uh..." Before he could finish, gunfire erupted inside the vehicle. Unconsciously, Ferry had drawn his pistol and fired several shots at Nasr''s stomach. His other hand was tightly choking Nasr''s neck. Staring at Nasr''s rather ugly face, he said, "You still want to deceive me at this point? If we really scatter and run, do you think you can just call everyone back together? When the wastnd is full of little marauder tribes, why would anyone with guns and people listen to you? I fought my way out to be the top dog, not to be some small-time chieftain in a tiny tribe! I hate being lied to the most!" He hadpletely forgotten what he had said to Swan when he was facing death. Taking a long breath, he realized the walkie-talkie beside him was still on. But he didn''t care about that anymore, picked up the walkie-talkie and yelled to the other side, "Get everyone ready! We''re going to gather our forces! Focus on one direction to break out! Only by concentrating can we have a way out! Now I''m the boss, listen to me!" There was silence on the other end of the walkie-talkie, no response at all. In Nasr''s team, he had just ''joined,'' with neither direct lineage nor prestige. It was not as simple as killing the former boss and iming to be the boss to actually be the boss. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 5.3K! Chapter 174: Chapter 141, Crumbles Upon Touch The current state of Rubbish Town, and the many emotional entanglements that had just unfolded, were unknown to Gu Hang. Thetest news he received still came from Dennison Henry. ording to the intelligence, Jason Swan, Rubbish Town''s most important agent, should have confirmed that he would try his best to lead the entire town to submission. There were indeed resistance forces within the town, but they would enforce martialw, locking up those dissenters within Rubbish Town until he arrived to take over. This should be going smoothly, right? Yet, when he led his troops to the outskirts of Rubbish Town, they encountered an adventure group of over a thousand people leaving. They looked like an advance party. At first, there was no exchange of fire, just a standoff from a fair distance apart. At this moment, Gu Hang''s keen judgment told him that something might have gone wrong inside Rubbish Town. When the frontline troops came to ask what should be done, he pondered for a moment before issuing an order, "Convey mymands to those adventurers: Rubbish Town is the territory of the Alliance, and asmanded by me, should now be in a state ofplete martialw. Order everyone to immediately halt their advance and retreat back to Rubbish Town to rigidly enforce martialw." Soon, Gu Hang''s order was ryed to the adventurers in front by the soldiers using loudspeakers. This statement left the adventurers feeling very hesitant. Just retreat because they say so? What about the ruckus they had stirred up in front? A military parade? But if they didn''t retreat, were they supposed to fight a battle with the army of the governor on the other side? The military forces that hade this timecked the intimidating armored troops. At least the ones that appeared before them were only ordinary infantry. However, seeing the enemy''s uniform ck and gray military outfits,bat gear, and the firearms that seemed much more reliable than the iron pipe rifles in their hands, not to mention the far greater number of rocketunchers and machine guns... In short, the enemy was much more elite. But the warriors of the 2nd Infantry Division didn''t care what those adventurers thought. The troops confronting the adventurers in the very front included threepanies. Other troops were still marching from behind, while some spread out to the sides. The governor had to enforce martialw, and he wouldn''t just do it through the megaphones; he needed sufficient power to ensure that those who disobeyed orders would have a miserable end. In fact, the entire 2nd Division was next ordered to seal off the town, making sure to fully blockade the area outside the town entrance. And as for the threepanies tasked with the most direct confrontation, they busily got to work in front of the adventurers. Quite a few of them took out their entrenching tools and began digging foxholes on the spot. The expansive area outside Rubbish Town was an unobstructed wastnd. With rtively close proximity to each other, the officers of the threepanies were quite tense. Should there be any idental discharge, they definitely needed some form of cover. Given the urgent situation, digging trenches on the spot was clearly impractical, but any hole would be more useful than being out in the open. Even if shallow, as long as it allowed someone to lie down and reduce their exposed area, it would suffice. Their actions left the adventurers on the other side even more at a loss. Dare not fight, yet reluctant to retreat. More crucially, there was not even one person among them who could make a decisive call. Those group leaders and team leaders, unsure of what to do, heard Mark Ferry''s orders from the radio,manding them to perform an armed breakout. But... The adventure group leaders didn''t immediately start to act. "Who are you? Should I just listen to you? Where is my boss, Nasr?" "You, a random nobody, are telling me to lead my people to sh with the governor''s obviously elite army; am I an idiot to heed your orders? Aren''t our lives valuable?" Most people, in this state, still possessed some sanity. But, well... with the crowd big enough, anything could happen. Moreover, this group of adventurers was far from being as disciplined as regr armies. Whether someone was truly a fool, unconsciously following whatever orders came through the radio, or perhaps someone was simply too tense in the current situation and identally fired... In any case, in the wilderness, a sporadic three shots rang out from among the adventurers. The soldiers of the governor stationed a couple of hundred meters away, however, were unharmed. The adventurers'' widely used decrepit iron pipe rifles had a maximum theoretical range that could hit beyond five hundred meters; in reality, past one hundred meters, they were hardly urate, even for a marksman. These three bullets did the same, merely kicking up three patches of dust in front of the digging infantrypanies. But this was a matter of principle. When the enemy used lethal arms tounch a direct attack, a counterattack became an almost inevitable option. Nearly four hundred soldiers from the three infantrypanies began retaliation at the same time. The most furious among them were over thirty squad machine guns. While digging and constructing temporary simple positions, the priority task of the 2nd Division''s warriors was to get variouspany-level firepower deployed first. Mortars, rocketunchers, squad machine guns... all included. And the ones that got angry first were these thirty-odd squad machine guns. With high firing rate,rge ammunition capacity, and the firepower that burst forth in an instant,bined with the shooting from the other three hundred rifles, the force inflicted significant casualties upon the adventurers right across from them in no time. Chapter 175: Chapter 141, Crumbles Upon Touch_2 The iron pipe rifles in the hands of those adventurers had no uracy at a distance of one or two hundred meters, but the G9 rifles in the hands of the Alliance soldiers were not the same. Even at that distance, where the person seen through the iron sights was tiny, by suppressing the muzzle and carrying out precise pinpoint shooting at the general location of the enemy, there was still a certain probability of hitting the target. What''s more, those nearly two thousand people stood quite densely and had no cover to speak of. People fell in droves. And those who were still alive couldn''t possibly remain indifferent at this moment. They immediatelyy down and began to attempt to return fire. The two sides thus exchanged fire at a distance of one or two hundred meters. The adventurers were numerous and had many guns, but not only did they suffer greater casualties, their firepower was alsopletely suppressed. What was the use of nearly two thousand rifles? If they were inurate, they were no different from noisy fire sticks. Moreover, not only were these two thousand rifles inurate, but they also severelycked powerful suppressive firepower. In terms of the density of firepower alone, one G9C general-purpose machine gun could match a hundred iron pipe rifles. The three infantrypanies in the front also suffered casualties; there were not enough foxholes dug, and those with no ce to hide could only lie down and raise their guns to exchange fire. But rtively speaking, there were far fewer deaths than on the other side. What''s more, they then took out even more ferocious weapons. Rocketunchers and mortars. The three infantrypanies together had nearly ten mortars, plus twenty to thirtyunchers. When they concentrated fire in one salvo, it brought heavy casualties to the adventurers. And the greater blow was to their morale. Having already low morale and uncertain whether they should fight at all, the fighting started mainly because a few people were not thinking clearly or due to idental discharges, and most knew the fight was hopeless. As a result, after being forced to start the fight, they were one-sidedly suppressed by firepower, ughtered, and indeed, as predicted earlier, they stood no chance at all. After being bombarded like this, they copsed entirely. Some started to run. But while fearing being shot at from behind, most stilly t and didn''t dare to move much. Then they discovered that those who turned and ran really had no issues, whereas the ces where no one ran and people dared to poke their heads out to counterattack, often attracted a hail of machine gun fire, with mortars and rocketunchers asionally targeting them. Then, the adventurers all started to flee en masse. From the start of the battle to the total copse of the line, the entire process probably took less than ten minutes. About two hundred adventurers died at the front line, while the three infantrypanies of the 2nd Division lost two men and had seven or eight injured. At the same time as this side was fighting, the troops that were setting up the blockade in other directions also encountered conflicts with those adventurers. However, the results were much the same. Gu Hang saw the situation on the front line and even felt somewhat ''disappointed''. At ten kilometers away, the three artillery battalions of the 2nd Division, along with the direct artillery supportpanies of the division headquarters, had already set up their artillery positions. Originally, they had nned to send over a few rounds of firepower from the more than eighty 155mm howitzers if the front line encountered any disadvantage, to give those Rubbish Town adventurers a little shock in terms of firepower. It seems, there was no need at all. Without even using heavy artillery, the firepower of an infantrypany was already enough to settle matters. The armed adventurers, numbering well into the tens of thousands, vividly demonstrated what is meant by crumbling upon contact. They were too weak to withstand a single blow. No wonder the entire Rubbish Town, with its tens of thousands, was beaten into disarray by the greenskins from the ruins of the high tower. Of course, from Gu Hang''s perspective of taking over Rubbish Town, this was a good thing. Afterward, Gu Hang thought for a moment, then called over Tadeusz, who had been rapidly promoted to divisionmander, and issued new orders. The infantry division, havingpleted its blockade of Rubbish Town, began to gradually move inwards, shrinking the encirclement. At the same time, their loudspeakers were constantly rying the Military Governor''s orders to the adventurers: "Lay down your weapons! Those who resist will be treated as insurgents!" "Lay down your weapons! Those who resist will be treated as insurgents!" Under the incessant repetition, the adventurers who had witnessed the might of the Military Governor''s forces andcked organization and unifiedmand surrendered en masse. As for the few who didn''t surrender, they could only take their weapons and run back to hide inside Rubbish Town; they simply didn''t have the courage to fight against the Military Governor''s army anymore. However, hiding had be difficult. Rubbish Town wasn''t their turf anymore. The segments still loyal to Swan from the ''Clockwork Iron de'' adventurer group had previously enforced the martialw in Rubbish Town as an armed force. Now, they had changed roles and be the barricade preventing the adventurers from returning. After losing their boss and being betrayed by their ''captain,'' these elite few among the adventurers of Rubbish Town indeed experienced a period of chaos, but now they had regrouped. The mid-level leaders loyal to Swan had united to continue enforcing the martialw and sealed the main entrance to Rubbish Town. Revenge? There might have been a bit of that sentiment, but mainly, after rifying the situation, they chose to stand with the victors. Following the Military Governor, obviously, had more prospects. Apart from the people of ''Clockwork Iron de,'' the other property agents still in Rubbish Town had alsoe together after the initial chaos. They had a hand in persuading Clockwork Iron de to continue following orders and even sent out some of their own direct forces to join the adventurers of Clockwork Iron de in barricading the town. The adventurers trying to flee back were cornered and opened fire on them. I couldn''t beat the Military Governor''s army, but you think I can''t beat you? Turns out they couldn''t. ''Clockwork Iron de'' might have been an adventurer group, but it was truly the most loyal regiment of Swan. He had spent no small sum on this troop. In terms of weaponry and training, they were stronger than the average adventurer. Breaking through their defensive line quickly wasn''t so easy. With numerical superiority, they might have had a chance over more time, but these adventurers clearly didn''t have enough time left. As the number of those surrendering in the back kept increasing, severalpanies from the 2nd division began to quickly move forward through the gaps, reaching the rear of the adventurers who were unwilling to surrender andy down their weapons, and started attacking them. Caught in a pincer attack, these adventurers copsed just as swiftly. Now there was nowhere to run; they only had the choice toy down their arms and surrender or fight to the death. Those willing to die were, of course, a very small minority. And for those rare cases, it wasn''t even necessary for the alliance soldiers to take action; their own people would find a way to resolve the issue. Among those ''resolved'' were some adventurer group captains nning to continue resisting, followers of Nasr, those with a history of looting¡­and one particrly special individual. Mark Ferry. He was shot three times in the back of his head and six times in the back of his heart, presented by several adventurer captains during surrender, alleged to havemitted suicide out of fear for his crimes. ... The issue outside the city was basically settled. An infantry battalion from the 2nd division stayed behind to guard these disarmed prisoners. They would be detained en masse inside the adventurer''s camp within Rubbish Town. Gu Hang, on the other hand, led the other two battalions into the town. Greeting him were Clockwork Iron de with their weapons stowed and numerous property agents. Only after entering thergest conference hall in Rubbish Town and sitting down did Gu Hang cast a lively look as the property agents rushed impatiently to pledge their loyalty to the Military Governor. They talked about their properties, the amount of output they could produce; they discussed the modes of production and operation in Rubbish Town; they debated the best candidate to manage these things and the qualities they should possess... Gu Hang listened absently. It wasn''t until Tadeusz, who still wore his bright red cap even as a divisionmander, pushed the door open and strode in that Gu Hang''s expression became animated. These agents had indeed been the masters of Rubbish Town in the past, but as of today, they were no longer. Here in this ce, thest thing Gu Hang cared about was them; it was the army, the armed adventurers. The appearance of Tadeusz here meant the information he wanted had arrived. Chapter 176: Chapter 142, New Troops Gu Hang stood up and made a pressing down gesture with both hands. The proxies quieted down obediently. "I understand the urgency in your hearts, and I believe that in the future, you will make outstanding contributions to the prosperity of Rubbish Town," he said. Hearing this speech, which set the tone, the agents felt much more at ease. With this tone set, everything would be fine for them. It meant that the Governor still nned to use them, and they were not too worried about ending up like the elites in Revival City. In fact, Gu Hang did not intend to do that at all. The situations in the two ces were different, and the property-owning proxies in Rubbish Town had not acted against him. Instead, they had quickly chosen sides and acted swiftly to help him just now. In such a situation, Gu Hang certainly did not need to conduct any major purge in Rubbish Town. He just needed to deal with the dissenters. In Revival City, where he had ordered more killings¡ªalthough necessary and effective in eliminating the city''s incurable vices¡ªaffecting governance, news of these actions reached the wastnd and indeed caused some ces that would have easily submitted to experience some unrest. But Gu Hang wasn''t overly concerned about these matters. It wasn''t bad to face some resistance. If he were to take over fully, there were countless malignant tumors and vampires clinging to the survivor settlements in the wastnd, which would need to be dealt with after they were incorporated into the Alliance''s system. After all, fighting corruption did require some evidence; it was better to resolve these issues under the guise of dealing with traitors while reiming territory. It was a matter of gains and losses. Governing Rubbish Town without purging would certainly be moreplicated than starting almost from scratch in Revival City. The remaining proxies had intricate yet firm control over the industries that belonged to them. Corruption, the inability to fully mobilize society''s productive forces, and resistance to policy innovation and promotion... These issues would probably be inevitable. However, besides the fact that they had submitted quickly and it felt wrong to punish them for it, another very important point was the pressure of the situation. The most pressing issue for Rubbish Town right now was undoubtedly not governance, but war. The threat from the Green Skin Orcs was far from over. Now, Gu Hang really had no time to fuss with these proxies. Having set the tone and reassured these people, Gu Hang smoothly announced the strategy he would implement in Rubbish Town: "Rubbish Town is undeniably in a state of war, and the previousx and uncontroble system cannot win a war. Now, I dere that Rubbish Town has fully entered a wartime system and is under military management. All productive and business activities, except for the production of necessities of life and military goods manufacturing, are suspended; all residents of Rubbish Town must remain at home, and the city is in full lockdown; all essential goods for the residents will be distributed by the military logistics department under themand of Colonel Tadeusz." The proxies who heard Gu Hang''s announcement looked at each other, bewildered. Such strict management had never been seen in Rubbish Town before, and they appeared lost. Some instinctively felt that this was not right. But no one dared to speak up. Gu Hang paused and continued, "Just now, I had someone record everything you said. Each of you is in charge of an industry and the people dependent on those industries; you need to help manage them. You will temporarily work in the military logistics department to assist Colonel Tadeusz and maintain order in the town. Your performance during this time will determine what treatment you will receive after Rubbish Town has settled down. I guarantee that if your job ranking reaches C5 or even above B, your personal ie and standard of living will be better than before, and the power you hold will also be greater." It seemed to be another reassurance to them. These proxies, who had previously nned to turn to the Governor, had gained some understanding of the policies implemented by the new alliance in Revival City. They knew that currently, no one in Revival City had received an A-tier treatment; those who were getting B-tier treatment were very few. If an E-tier treatment is considered the poverty line, D-tier treatment already represented the good life many in the wastnd could only dream of. One would have to be a technical worker, a professional, or a lower-to-mid-level manager to receive this level of treatment. C-tier treatment was reserved for senior government officials withmendable achievements, top factory managers, and senior technical experts in their fields. ording to the Governor, if they worked hard, they even had the chance to reach B-tier ranking. It was said that Lady Ossina of Revival City¡ªwho was actually just a minister¡ªcurrently had a ranking of B3. Of course, they were sober enough to realize that the Governor''s words were not just reassurance but also a tantalizing promise. The promise was tempting, but achieving it wouldn''t be easy. But at least there was something to look forward to. Seeing that the proxies were getting excited, Gu Hang also showed a smile. With the help of these influential figures, things would indeed be much easier. ... Wartime system, military control, material allocation... With these three aces in hand, Gu Hang was no longer anxious about maintaining order in Rubbish Town. Chapter 177: Chapter 142, New Troop Type_2 This part of the work, he had almostpletely handed over to Tadeusz. Themander of the 2nd Infantry Division had hardly had any direct involvement in militarymand since the beginning of the battle, nor was he likely to in the uing conflicts. But his responsibilities were clearly much more important than those of a mere militarymander. And Gu Hang believed he would do well. After all, he was the only SR-level talent under hismand. Once Gu Hang had ensured that there would be no major issues with the city''s order, he immediately shifted his attention to military matters. The threat of the Green Skin Orcs was far from over. The two regiments of the 2nd Infantry Division had only rested in the town for one night before they had to set off again. To be honest, they were exhausted. From Revival City to Rubbish Town, what was normally a six to seven-day march, Gu Hang led his troops to arrive in less than four days. Marching a hundred li a day, most of the troops hade by foot, and by the time they reached the outskirts of Rubbish Town, many had already reached their physical limits, only to have to fight another battle before they could enter. It was lucky that this battle was easy to fight, as the adventurers'' will to fight was very weak; they shattered upon contact. Otherwise, it would''ve been a bit troublesome. Although they had rested for only one night and were about to head to the front lines, there was no alternative. Just during that very night, Perbov at the front line had already sent multiple pieces of bad news. Once the Green Skin Orcs knew that the defenses built by the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade were tough, they quickly changed their direction of attack and began assaulting other positions. At the moment, the adventurers still fighting on the front lines numbered just over fifty thousand. Many teams that had been routed and retreated were still reorganizing and had yet to return to the front. The defense line they had formed was full of gaps, forcing Perbov to deploy two mechanized infantrypanies to put out fires along the entire front that stretched over sixty kilometers. In the ruins of the high tower, the terrain was much moreplicated than in the wilderness. Even though the engineering corps had tried to clear a convenient route for support, there were often times when help couldn''t arrive in time. There had even been instances where the enemy had breached the defenses and a significant number of Green Skin Orcs had infiltrated, ambushing the teams as they moved to support. If it hadn''t been for the Strider Type-V Walking Tanks in thepanies, which were truly powerful, a major disaster could have urred. In essence, Perbov simply didn''t have enough men at his disposal, and he couldn''t directlymand all of the adventurer squads, which made his manpower seem clumsy and inadequate along the tens of kilometers long battle line. The 1st Regiment and division headquarters of the 2nd Division stayed in Rubbish Town to suppress civil disorder, while the 2nd and 3rd Regiments, these two infantry regiments totaling nearly four thousand men, took over the front line. A unifiedmand center was established in Rubbish Town, where all the Alliance Army forces, including those adventurers, would receive orders from here and carry out their military tasks. With these four thousand regr troops, the problem at the front line could be somewhat alleviated. Moreover, what was more important was the three artillery battalions along with the direct fire support from the division headquarters. Counting Perbov''s own artillery, there were altogether over a hundred cannons. The artillery was dispersed across many positions, with a range of about twenty kilometers, to cover the sixty-kilometer-long position as much as possible, hoping that whenever the front line needed support, the artillery could immediately strike. And this time, the logistics were reliable. Thirty supply trucks that came with the 2nd Division were specially brought to transport artillery shells, a total of 4,500 rounds of heavy artillery ammunition. This involved almost the entire stock of artillery shells from Revival City, in addition to all the production capacity from Weixing City over the past half-month, which had been almostpletely transported here. But in reality, they still needed to be conservative with their use. It was only enough for a hundred cannons to fire a few dozen rounds each, after all. If they fired these heavy artillery pieces as if they were free, providing full fire coverage, they would be expended in two hours. However, the logistics vehicles had already started their return journey, and the military industrialplex in Weixing City had been ordered to work at full capacity. The production of all kinds of ammunition and bullets would be of paramount importance in the time toe. Moreover, new military production lines were already being built. When there were enough people and raw materials, increasing production capacity wasn''t a big issue. Even so, this could only be said to ease the situation at the front line. Four thousand men were still not enough to fill a sixty-kilometer-long front line. The two regiments, assisted by some of the armed adventurers who were still at the front line, could actually only be responsible for about ten kilometers of the line each. There were still a lot of gaps. Not to mention, this was only for defense. What about offense? Artillery could indeed cause terrible casualties to any Green Skin Orcs daring to attack. But when it came to advancing with the enemy having defensive fortifications, relying solely on bombardment wouldn''t suffice, especially in a city ruins environment. Once the Green Skin Orcs hid in the ruins, with cover and fortifications everywhere, the killing power of the artillery would be greatly reduced. Even tanks and armored vehicles might not fare well in the terrain of the ruins. One shouldn''t be misled by Perbov''s reports from previous battles, where two armored vehicles, a tank, and two infantry squads managed to eliminate thirty to fifty Green Skin Orcs with the casualty of only five to ten men, but that was in defensivebat. Try attacking? The whole battle situation was more akin to urban street fighting. In the end, even after the artillery barrage, it all came down to soldiers going in. Chapter 178: Chapter 142, New Troops_3 ``` Can we make do with just the 2nd Infantry Division? It''s a bit difficult. Thebat environment in the urban ruins can easily pull you into engagements within dozens of meters, even face-to-face. Even for T5 regr soldiers, they are at aplete disadvantage against Green Skin Orcs. The Green Skins on the other side might number nearly ten thousand. If it''s an offensive operation, even if we were to expend the entire 2nd Division, I''m afraid it wouldn''t be enough. In such a situation, Gu Hang had two strategies in mind. The problem lies in firepower and troop numbers, right? Then, we simply have to address these two issues. In terms of firepower, the 155 howitzer''s firepower is indeed the strongest Gu Hang can offer under conventional forces. It''s more than enough for defensive operations but indeed not effective enough topletely annihte the Green Skins hiding in the ruins during an offensive. But besides the firepower at his own disposal, Gu Hang could also ask for external support. If the 155 howitzer isn''t sufficient, what about the Colossal Cannon, whose caliber is beyond description? An orbital strike from space can provide considerable firepower support. And the second problem, that of troop strength. The regr army under Gu Hang''smand indeed isn''t enough to cope with this war, at most sufficient to maintain the front but incapable of advancing. However, those adventurers active on the battlefield are a good pool of manpower. Right now, they might look pathetic, with shoddy equipment, lousy discipline, disorganized, uneven training levels, and low morale... But under the baptism of the "Dog Tag" system, issues of discipline, organization, and training level can be resolved. The morale problem... that''s somewhat troublesome. But fortunately, Tadeusz had prepared in advance by nurturing some candidates for unit politicalmissars, reserved for enhanced troop recruitment. Before the Loyal Heir Academy was established, the temporary politicalmissars pulled together weren''t very reliable. Even though they had a bit more training time than the ones allocated to the Old Alliance Legion right after the conquest of Revival City, these armiesposed of adventurers could be ideologically even worse than the Old Alliance Army. The former at least used to be regr troops, while thetter are just too varied. We can only hope that the training effectiveness of the "Dog Tag" panel and the methods of allocating politicalmissars can raise their standards as much as possible. As for the level of equipment, there is a preliminary solution. Gu Hang certainly anticipated the situation in Rubbish Town. The supply trucks from the logistics department, aside from carrying enough logistics supplies, including ammunition, shells, and rations, also brought five thousand sets of individual soldier equipment, along with associatedpany and toon-level weapons such as machine guns, mortars, and rocketunchers. Gu Hang nned to first conscript five thousand people from this group of adventurers to form an enhanced group. This force''s source of troops was also already targeted by Gu Hang. Beast ughter Group. There were two reasons. Among the adventurer teams in Rubbish Town, if he had to say which team he could somewhat approve of, it would be the one called the Beast ughter Group. This statement originated from Perbov''s report. The other reason he set his sights on this group was because he saw a slight flicker in the [Events] interface on the system screen. After opening it, Gu Hang saw an activatable event. [Event Activated: Green Skin Threat] ``` [The Green Skin Orcs that mysteriously appeared on the have grown into a threat that cannot be ignored in just a few years. Just as they were about to destroy Rubbish Town, your troops arrived at the scene. Yet the danger was not eliminated, as the Green Skins'' attack continued.] [Phase 1 Objective: Defend Rubbish Town, ensuring that it remains under your control until the Green Skin Orcs retreat.] [Event Reward: T5-level Additional Troop Training Option - Beast ughter Group] [Beast ughter Group: A specifically trained infantry unit, for soldiers who havepleted T5-level training and can undergo further specialized training against the Green Skin Orcs to be the Beast ughter Group. Troops of the Beast ughter Group have masteredbat experience and techniques against enemies like the Green Skins, and under a mysterious blessing, have a slight enhancement in physical condition when fighting the Green Skins.] [Training Price: every 1 point of grace per 100 people] [Note: There is a special force that, despite a severeck of equipment, has learned some unique skills from long-term confrontations with the Green Skin Orcs, possessing the potential to be a ''Beast ughter Group.'' Once they are trained into a T5-level or higher force, they will automatically gain the characteristic of the additional troop type ''Beast ughter Group.''] This message sparked a strong interest in Gu Hang for the Beast ughter Group. Firstly, the event itself. The activation of an event by fighting the Green Skins was somewhat unexpected to him, but it was definitely a good thing. It was different from the ''Phoenix Will Die'' event. The chain of events for the Phoenix Battle Group could have been irrelevant to him, but it ended up being directed towards him. However, events like that one require spending points of grace to activate. But now, his actions triggered the event, which meant there was no need to spend additional points of grace. Activating an event was certainly good news. The defense of Rubbish Town was a battle that had to be fought; having an ''Event'' apany it effectively meant additional rewards. Moreover, the objective of the eventrgely aligned with Gu Hang''s n¡ªdefending before considering attacking. The preparations for a counterattack were far from ready, and since there were advantages to defending, it made sense to focus on defense first. The Green Skins colliding with a prepared defense line, suffering heavy losses, was ideal. Gu Hang wanted to turn this defensive line into a meat grinder, depleting as much of the Green Skins'' forces as possible. As for the reward for the event, it was a pleasant surprise to Gu Hang. An additional troop type...this was a new mechanism. Did it mean that after T1-T5 level training of troops, additional grace points could be spent on special training to create special troop types? The characteristic of the ''Beast ughter Group'' was closely rted to the current war. If every soldier gained the ''Beast ughter Group'' characteristic, the advantage against the Green Skin Orcs, a monstrous enemy, could be further amplified. Not to mention the details mentioned in the event note. A special force with the potential to be ''Beast ughter Group,'' if not the Beast ughter Group itself, then what? ording to the notes, as long as the force at the front lines calling themselves the Beast ughter Group was trained to T5 level, they would automatically possess the Beast ughter characteristic. That adventurous group had about six thousand people, which equated to Gu Hang saving sixty points of grace that would have been spent on additional training. And conveniently, Gu Hang had an extra five thousand sets of individual equipment, which he could first allocate to arm them. Forming the first group from adventurers, and reorganizing them into a team, was also quite fitting. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Although it''s just one chapter per day, the word count has not decreased; each chapter is at least 4k words, often with bonus updates! This chapter is 5.2k! Chapter 179: Chapter 143, Rubbish Town Adapted Lucy Lee Ko Xi received the order to withdraw for rest and reorganization. Since being saved by the Alliance Army and fighting alongside them with his brothers, two days had passed. These two days had been tough. Knowing that the six to seven kilometers of the front line in the Fifth District were hard to ovee, those green-skins tried to break through elsewhere. And his Beast ughter Group had also withstood the pressure of the green-skin assaults from surrounding directions. Had it not been for the artillery support from the Alliance and the swift-moving armored vehicles sent by Captain Perbov, even if they could have held their ground, the casualties would have been heavy. But however tough life was, it was still better than before. At least, there was a war to fight. It was true his brothers suffered heavy casualties, but seeing those green-skins dying under the barrage of gunfire and artillery, he felt that the sacrifice was not without value. And for this reason, he was actually reluctant to receive the order instructing his troops to withdraw for rest and reorganization. In his view, aside from those Alliance forces, no one could fight better than his men. If his five or six thousand men conducted an organized retreat, the front line might not hold. However, what happened next made him hold his tongue. The recement troops belonged to the Alliance Army. They were from the 2nd Infantry Division''s 3rd Regiment, taking over his defense line. Despite the 3rd Regiment having less than half of his troop''s numbers, barely two thousand men, andcking armored cars or tanks, they brought thirty pieces of heavy artillery. Well, indeed you are more formidable. Moreover, while he wanted to fight, his subordinates were beginning to struggle mentally. He could only depart with his troops in reluctant eptance. Before leaving, he met with Perbov once more, mainly to express his gratitude. It wasn''t just for saving their lives, but for saving his whole team as well. Had it not been for Perbov''s troops arriving in time, following his death, the demoralized Beast ughter Group would likely have dispersed. Perbov epted Li Kexi''s thanks withposure. Afterwords, the two of them discussed the current state of the war situation and exchanged views on the Beast ughter Group being called back. "Prepare yourself, as the Governor might be looking to incorporate your forces," Perbov advised. "Incorporate?" Li Kexi furrowed his brow, instinctively resistant to the idea, "Why incorporate? Isn''t it quite good as it is? We already fully obey themands from the Governor''s headquarters established at Rubbish Town." "It''s more than that, in the future, you''ll be proper soldiers of the Alliance Army," Perbov exined. "I don''t really want that¡­ Before, there were many agents, even Mr. Swan, who wanted us to follow orderspletely, all of whom we refused. It doesn''t quite align with the original intention of establishing this group," Li Kexi replied. Perbov shook his head, "Whether you ept incorporation is your decision, but I strongly rmend you ept it¡­" He said, holding up two fingers, "I''ll give you two reasons to consider carefully." "Firstly, Rubbish Town won''t offer the space for mercenary groups to survive as in the past; everything will definitely be regted. You have to think about the future for your brothers. Do you really intend to die here for revenge? Or even after getting revenge, and exterminating those green-skins, then just stop living? Being incorporated is the best option¡ªenjoy military provisions, allowances. Just train well, carry out orders, and don''t worry about anything else. There''s even a generous pension in case of death, and future retirement will be properly arranged, ensuring security for the rest of your lives." "Secondly, even if we only consider the present and how to fight the green-skins, incorporation is better. You''re the most formidable adventurers against green-skins, but true encounters still cost the lives of three or five of your men to take down one of them; after incorporation, you''ll get direct weapons and equipment support, which will greatly assist you in killing those green-skins." Having said this, Perbov put down his fingers and indeed said no more. And Li Kexi, who had initially been resistant, found no arguments to counter Perbov''s two points. ... After parting ways with Perbov, Li Kexi led his troops to retreat towards the rear. After half a day''s march, they reached the Alliance Army''s camp. This was a new rear army camp, now amodating nearly forty thousand people. The personnel distribution of the hundred thousand adventurers from Rubbish Town was approximately as follows: ten thousand were locked up in a prison camp in the west district of Rubbish Town, where starvation was the least of their concerns ¡ª this group had tried to escape with Nasr and Mark Ferry. Forty thousand were in the Alliance Army camp, mostly adventurers who had broken ranks on the frontline days ago; after retreating, they reorganized, were resupplied with ammunition, and received rest and reorganization right there. Fifty thousand were maintaining the front lines. In the Alliance camp, after two days of rest, the headquarters began rotating the troops. It was difficult to count on these unevenly skilled adventurers to endure the hardships and casualties of frontlinebat indefinitely. Rotating troops was more reliable than throwing all hundred thousand into the fray at once. Of course, the most important thing to maintain their morale was money. They were adventurers, mercenaries, and they fought for money. Gu Hang undoubtedly issued Alliance currency to them generously, also promising that this currency could be spent in Rubbish Town during the war. He managed to procure a considerable amount of supplies from within Rubbish Town. Furthermore, he promised that those who continued to stay within the Alliance after the war and reforms could exchange the Alliance currency they currently received forbor points. Chapter 180: Chapter 143, Rubbish Town Adaptation_2 It seemed like a significant expense, but in reality, the costs weren''t as high as imagined. It was just Alliance currency, and much of it was just promissory notes. What''s the use of issuing Alliance currency? If adventurers spend it immediately, they''re spending the savings that Gu Hang pulled together from various ces in Rubbish Town. If they hoard it without spending, it represents future redemption. Truthfully, if one wanted to be nasty, it would be easy to talk about integration into the Alliance system and converting to work points in the future; for those who want to leave and cash out their Alliance currency, you don''t get to set the price of goods anymore. Of course, Gu Hang wouldn''t do this unless absolutely necessary, as it would be quite damaging to his reputation. Gu Hang still hoped that these people would be able to stay in the future. Even if they didn''t remain soldiers, transforming into workers would still mean a poption of a hundred thousand. And among these people, Gu Hang valued the Beast ughter Group the most. After they retreated for rest and reorganization, Gu Hang called for a meeting with the leader of the Beast ughter Group, Lucy Lee Ko Xi. Faced with Gu Hang''s proposition of integration, Li Kexi ultimately chose to ept. On the way back, he had a thorough discussion with his brothers. From the team leaders, to the mid-levelmanders, even the lower-ranking soldiers, he asked for many opinions. The words they used were different, but the sentiment was nearly the same: they were willing to be integrated. What more was there to say? Ever since the Beast ughter Group was formed, they had been fighting for half a year. Constant death, constant sacrifice, living conditions harsh beyond measure... Hatred was what drove them, but another fact could not be ignored. They were originally a group of adventurers who, aside from this, didn''t know what else to do. Revenge was a motivator, surviving on just that, perhaps an even greater one. What was so bad about being integrated? Life could be better, the future more secure, and it wouldn''t impede their fight against the Green Skin Orcs. As for maintaining independence... It was indeed one of the initial ts of the Beast ughter Group, only epting sponsorship and not orders, but that was for the sake of focusing on fighting Green Skin Orcs, to avoid being sent on private jobs by the agents in Rubbish Town. Now, Rubbish Town had been turned on its head, the situationpletely different, continuing to hold on to that old principle was unnecessary. Since that was what the brothers wanted, and Li Kexi himself had been more or less persuaded in his previous conversation with Perbov, epting the personal overtures of the Governor was met with little resistance. However, he did make one additional request in the end. "I want to retain our name ''Beast ughter Group,'' as a separate designation. I heard from Perbov that the Alliance Army allows for this," he said. "Hahaha!" Gu Hangughed heartily, "Of course, I can agree to your request, but not right now." Then, seeing the puzzled look on Li Kexi''s face, Gu Hang contained hisughter and spoke seriously, "You want to preserve the name ''Beast ughter Group'' as the designation for your troops, then you must show corresponding performance. Go kill those Green Skin Orcs. Once you''ve killed enough and truly upheld the ''Beast yer'' trait, I will grant you that designation." Li Kexi took a deep breath, his expression resolute, "Then it''s a deal." ... The adventuring group known as the Beast ughter Grouppleted their reorganization in the following days. Five thousand sets of G9 individual weapons were equipped, and they also received a new designation: the 3rd Independent Regiment. Gu Hang had spent fifty points of grace on them. After theypleted their training and became T5-level troops, they also activated thebat experience umted within them, turning them into infantry with the ''Beast yer'' Trait. The transformed 3rd Independent Regiment then returned to the battlefield. Although they were only equipped with many individual weapons,cking regimental artillery and with not many mortarsrgely just a significant number of rocketunchers¡ªtheir G9 rifles were much better than their previous equipment. Moreover, the training conducted under the direct supervision of the Governor over the past few days had made them feel a huge change in themselves. These changes were directly reflected on the battlefield. With the support of concentrated artillery firepower from the rear, the Independent Regiment could hold a defensive line of more than ten kilometers on their own, with at most some help from ''Militia Regiments''. Those so-called Militia Regiments were the original, other adventure groups. Over these past few days, it wasn''t just the 3rd Independent Regiment that was reorganized. All other units also underwent reorganization while rotating into the Alliance Army camp for rest. Their willingness was also asked. Those who wished to stay as soldiers were reformed into garrison divisions. Although Gu Hang didn''t have enough individual equipment to supply them all at once and did not intend to train all of them to T5 level right away¡ªwithout enough equipment, thebat effectiveness wouldn''t be sufficient, so there was no point in wasting effort. But reorganization was still necessary, otherwise,mand would be too chaotic. In the end, after seeing the treatment offered by the Alliance Army, the number of people willing to embrace change reached over seventy thousand. Just byparison, one could understand that even just starting as privates in the Alliance Army offered them better conditions than their previous scavenging at Rubbish Town. Out of these seventy thousand, besides the Beast ughter Group, which was reorganized into an independent regiment of six thousand troops, the remaining sixty-three thousand were formed into six garrison divisions and assigned numbers four to nine. There was no major change in the weapon equipment; just promises of better treatment and a revision of themand hierarchy. Officers for the division and regiment levels were either transferred from the 2nd Division or from Perbov''s camp or were promoted from among the leaders ofrge adventure groups or highly respected adventurers. Moreover, it was impossible to extend politicalmissars down to thepany level due to the massive scale of the reorganization. Currently, they could only be ced within division and regiment levels, where they were to develop loyalty to the Empire and to the Governor from within, nurturing political instructors at thepany and battalion levels. Additionally, more than twenty thousand others did not wish to transition to soldiers but preferred to be ordinary civilians or to leave the Alliance structure. Gu Hang did not let them go but temporarily employed them forbat at the pay grade of privates. They were formed into ten Militia Regiments without specific numbers but just sequential ordinals, with their internal structures andmand levels based on those of the original adventure groups. When garrison divisions rotated back to the front lines forbat, they would also be assigned some of the main tasks, while those Militia Regiments would be basically doing hardbor, like building fortifications. There was no need to use people as cannon fodder; Gu Hang did not do such things. It hadn''te to that. After reorganizing into six garrison divisions, if all the equipment is issued and the soldiers'' training ispleted, Gu Hang would have nine division-sized units, which should be essentially sufficient for military power. With an army of nearly one hundred thousand and critically with higher-quality equipment, future military expansion should not be too worrisome about theck of troops. After all, besides fighting, the army also needed to be stationed locally. Recently recaptured areas, whether to retain or relocate poptions, needed military presence to suppress resistance for policy implementation. Of course, that is a use forter. For now, the priority is the war against the Green Skin Orcs. Gu Hang nned to hole up here for two months, fighting a defensive battle for that duration. In two months'' time, the reorganization of the nine division-sized units, the training requiring grace points, and the production and distribution of all light and heavy equipment should all bepleted. Afterward, it would be time for a counter-offensive. Chapter 181: Chapter 144, More Deaths, More Waaagh! A¨¦ro Lacroix felt that the war had changed its nature. Or rather, this was what war truly was, and what had passed were just minor skirmishes. He was born into a wandering Survivor Tribe, where staying meant struggling to survive, so under the lead of a senior, he and a dozen other youths left the tribe and followed a merchant to Rubbish Town, where they joined an adventure group. To call it an adventure group was actually a stretch¡ªthey were armed garbage collectors. After getting a dozen guns on credit from the merchant, they began their scavenging life. Not daring to venture too far, they scavenged in the safe zones just outside Rubbish Town, looking for metal scraps and picking up radiant stones to make it through the day. They''d then trade their haul for food back in town. Their daily earnings went to buying food and paying off a bit of their firearm loans, leaving nothing left over. And if they ever encountered a fight, like with the mutated monsters asionally found in the city ruins, they had to be conservative with their ammo since bullets were expensive. That period of his life was devoid of hope, of a future. But he didn''t find it particrly sad; having food to eat was good enough. For a long time in the past, he didn''t even know what it felt like to be full. He and hispanions spent two years drifting through Rubbish Town. Just when he thought he''d end up scraping by for the rest of his life until he could no longer work, he encountered the Green Skins. Out of the severalpanions from his hometown, only six survived. The rest, including the senior who had led them out, were all killed by the Green Skins. If it had been just casualties, that would have been one thing, but the way hispanions died was too horrific. The Green Skins devoured and skinned people alive in front of them, cracking open skulls to eat the brains. He wanted to retrieve the bodies but didn''t dare, so he was pulled back by others as they fled. Among the survivors, somepletely gave up the life of scavengers and adventurers because of that incident. But he and two other brothers could never forget that scene. After hearing about the Beast ughter Group, they joined it. It was shameful to admit that even though they joined with the intent to take revenge on the Green Skins, after four months in the group, only he survived, and he had personally killed only one Green Skin. When they went looking for trouble with the Green Skins, they could only try to find very small targets, no more than two or three together. But even then, they needed to assemble a force of thirty to fifty people before they dared to make a move. Using iron pipe rifles when exchanging fire with those Green Skins offered no advantage; they had roughly the same range but far less power, and humans unlike the Green Skins couldn''t endure many bullets. So, people in the Beast ughter Group had to think of other methods. They modified their firearms, increased the caliber, and added more powder. Although this severely decreased the reliability of their guns, it definitely increased the power of the bullets; they equipped themselves withrge knives and long spears, so when the Green Skins got close, they had handy weapons to fight back. In the time it took for one Green Skin to rip through three or four people, six or seven spears could be plunged into its body. Everyone said that the Beast ughter Group had special methods for fighting the Green Skins, but to Lacroix, what special methods were there? It was nothing but stronger courage, a deep-rooted hatred, and a reckless willingness to outnumber and sacrifice many lives just to kill two or three Green Skins. It was just like that. But now, it was different. Earlier, when the leader asked if he wanted to ept reorganisation, he thought it was simple: better treatment than before, better equipment, and still able to fight the Green Skins. What''s not to like? But what he didn''t expect was that after epting the reorganisation, the entire way of waging war had changed. After resting in the barracks for a few days and undergoing a round of training under the governor''s watchful eyes, he felt like he suddenly understood a lot more. Shooting posture, military skills, constructing fortifications, squad coordination, armored support, artillery support... Those days were miraculous. His mind suddenly cleared up, and he immediately understood any principle he was told, and any skill he practiced. Arriving at the front again, he was led by the team... oh, now it was the squad leader. Under the squad leader''smand, their ten-man group constructed two fire points. They were made from themon rubble and broken bricks of the ruins, located on a small slope to create a high-ground firing position. And such fire points were scattered at intervals, built by otherrades in the samepany, ensuring crossfire could be exchanged between points and providing smooth mutual support. This knowledge was newly acquired. Before, they could only rely on experience and guesswork,cking such efficient construction of positions. And these positions soon proved their worth. A group of about a dozen Green Skins, taking advantage of the night, stealthily approached, and they were already near one of the fortifications when the sentry spotted them. The sounds of gunfire woke everyone, and the few soldiers stationed there began resisting fiercely. Brothers from the neighboring point who could provide fire support also immediately opened fire. The machine guns and rifles blended into a chorus of shots. Two or three Green Skins were killed on the spot by the dense gunfire. The small group then retreated while firing, losing three people, allowing the Green Skins to conquer the position; but then, reinforcements came,unching two rockets into it. After firing, seven or eight men charged in together, bays fitted, and started fighting the remaining Green Skins hand-to-hand. Chapter 182: Chapter 144, More Deaths, More Waaagh!_2 Lacroix was one of them; he had even personally stabbed one to death. In closebat, humans were naturally at a disadvantage, even though many of the Green Skin Orcs were wounded or killed by the sts. The remaining four still managed to y seven soldiers. But overall, the exchange ratio between the two sides was only one to one. In the past, these dozen Green Skin Orcs would have been enough to wipe out their entire toon. However, the battle was far from over at this point. Their position had been thrown into disarray, and it seemed like the Green Skin Orcs seized this opportunity, sending in more troops tounch an assault on them. Tonight was moonless, but with the help of the searchlight illumination from the position, Lacroix could clearly see at least fifty Green Skin Orcs formingyers of dark shadows, charging toward their piece of the battlefield. At that moment, he was extremely tense, frantically opening fire along with hisrades. It seemed like everyone knew there was no way out. There was no escape; they couldn''t outrun these Green Skin Orcs. At this moment, their only thought was to take at least one enemy with them before dying. And just then, a whistling sound came from above their heads! Lacroix remembered that beforeing to reinforce, the toon leader had said that as soon as the fight broke out here, thepanymander would send a telegram to the rear joint artillery regiment. If they held on, they could get artillery support! And here it came! At least three artillery shellsnded in front of them. The huge explosions almost deafened him. But Lacroix was inexplicably excited! This is what fighting in a war was like! The orcs had thick hides and flesh, but they were still made of flesh and blood. Under the power of the 155mm howitzer, those within a radius of five or six meters from the explosion were obliterated; within fifty meters, the shock wave and the dense shrapnel were lethal enough to kill. The three shells hit their mark precisely. If the Green Skin Orcs hadn''t been so spread out and had known to lie down and hide when the shells wereing, those three shells would have been enough to kill them all. But even so, at least twenty Green Skin Orcs were finished. The rest, howling, got up and continued to charge up the slope. But by then, more of the surrounding firepower points had reacted, opening fire frenziedly on this position, with at least ten machine guns targeting here, and countless rifles as well. The G9M light machine guns, paired with the G9A automatic rifles, formed a firework that was many times more powerful than the old iron-barreled rifles they had used before. Under the dense fire of thework, the Green Skin Orcs eventually all fell on their way to the charge. After that, the entire night and the entire defense line seemed toe alive as if battles were raging everywhere. The sound of gunfire was faintly heard from as far as ten kilometers away, and the constant roar of artillery never ceased. Lacroix and his men also suffered several attacks after that; they too sustained many casualties, especially when those Green Skin Orcs got within thirty to fifty meters, as the enemies'' crude firearms could ensure the death of one of their own with a hit. But when has there ever been a battle without casualties? Tonight, what Lacroix could assure was that at least on his stretch of the front, more Green Skin Orcs died than his own men did. After dawn, the Green Skin Orcs'' offensive stopped. After tallying losses and counting the enemy dead, there were over fifty Green Skin Orc corpses in front of them. Thirty to forty of them had been killed by artillery and rocketunchers, about ten had been shot, and five or six had been bayed to death after charging into closebat. On Lacroix''s side, they had lost thirty warriors. A new toon, carrying their breakfast, took over their position at ten o''clock in the morning. Lacroix and hisrades, after fighting all night and losing 30% of theirbat strength, were allowed to retreat and rest for a while. He himself didn''t even feel tired, his heart was actually filled with excitement, and he even wanted to fight another battle! ... Roastaxe felt exhausted and incredibly irritated, yet he still wanted to fight another battle. Fighting, killing, and seeing blood stter... These were the biggest hobbies of the Green Skin Orcs, ingrained in their genes as a natural instinct. They were savage, ferocious, battle-driven by nature, fearless of death. The one thing they feared the most was not having a fight, and losing a battle would also put them in a foul mood. Today was one of those not-so-happy days. To avoid losing, Roastaxe could only temporarily order his boys to withdraw. A few mad surgeons were performing surgeries on Green Skin youths with severed hands, feet, and heads. If a hand was missing, they''d chop one off another Green Skin and sew it on; the same with feet. Some of those hit by the cannons were missing quite a few parts, but as long as the head was still there and they weren''t dead, they''d just cut the head off and transnt it onto another body with a more intact physique but a ruined head... Roastaxe watched his boys being put back together again and felt a little bit better. I like to fight, I ain''t afraid to die, but that don''t mean I don''t know when a fight can''t be won. Living is for fighting another day. Too many Green Skin boys dying makes it bad for future battles. He returned to the makeshift barracks built from the rubble, grabbed a red, crudely mademunicator with no apparent system, and fiddled with it to contact the boss at the rear. However, themunicator crackled with electric noise but failed to connect. Roastaxe grew angrier. He yelled out, "Carcha! Carcha! Get in here!" A guy who looked much skinnier than him, but actually was stronger than the average Green Skin Orc, came in holding a wrench. "Boss Roastaxe, what do you need me for?" "Fix this thing for me! I need to talk to boss Ripflesh!" "It''s broken again?" Carcha took themunicator from Roastaxe''s hand, scratched his head, then tapped it a few times with a small hammer, and dismantled some parts with the wrench. Then, he handed themunicator back to Roastaxe, "I reckon it should be good now." Roastaxe didn''t care much; he fiddled with it again and, indeed, it connected. He gave Carcha a kick in the butt, sending the wrench boy on his way. Once he heard familiar panting from the other end, Roastaxe couldn''t wait to shout, "Boss Ripflesh! I listened to you and led the boys in a charge during their shift change! We lost a whole lot ofds, and we still didn''t break through. Those shrimps'' cannons are too fierce. I want big booms! I want trucks! I want speed bikes!" "No!" boss Ripflesh refused, "You just hold there! Any boy who wants to fight should go fight! The elders say to wait a bit longer, and we can have a big thing, a big boom! We can''t reveal it yet! Once we get new boys and new squigs grown, we''ll take these big booms and wipe out all those shrimps in one go!" "Alright... you''re the boss, I''ll listen to you," Roastaxe spoke grudgingly, "but you gotta promise me, when it''s time, you''ll give me extra big booms!" "You''ll get them, you''ll get them!" ... With a smack, themunication was cut, and the big boss of the Iron-Tooth n, Ripflesh, with heavy steps, went to find the elder. He was an old orc, with teeth nearly all fallen out. Among the Green Skins, elders were rare. An orc that couldn''t fight wouldn''t live very long, for Green Skins had no tradition of respecting the elderly or caring for the young. But on the other hand, if a Green Skin managed to survive to old age but still held a position of great importance within the n, it meant they must have something special about them and were definitely not as feeble as they appeared. In the presence of the elder, even boss Ripflesh, the leader of the entire n, maintained some respect¡ªan arduous task for a Green Skin. "When will our big booms be ready?" Ripflesh asked. "The boys keep asking and demanding support. If not, I can only have them pull back. Some new shrimps have arrived, and they''re giving the boys a real beating!" After a moment''s thought, the elder said, "We still need to fight, more deaths, more WAAAGH, more new boys, even more deaths, even more WAAAAGH, even more new boys, and more and more deaths... and then we''ll win! We all can be bigger orcs! The boys at the front need to push harder. If not, send more squigs up there. We''ve got too many of those squigs. We don''t need that many. The new mushrooms are growing well, but we still need morend to grow even more mushrooms." Chapter 183: Chapter 145, I want this big guy! ``` "I don''t want to hear so much reasoning, I just want to know when you can finish making the big thing!" Tearing Flesh growled, growing somewhat impatient. The elder grabbed Tearing Flesh''s hand, "If you want to see those big guys,e with me, I''ll show you." Following the elder, Tearing Flesh arrived at an ''factory''. This was an open-air site, with lots of wrench kids working here, kicking their pixie assistants'' butts,ughing loudly, and asionally brawling with each other. Sometimes a greenskin was even killed on the spot. But this didn''t affect their work efficiency, and the scene was bustling with fervent activity. And here, Tearing Flesh saw a lot of good stuff. There were greenskin trucks being assembled that looked like a pile of junk casually put together into a semnce of a truck, with multibarrel autocannons awkwardly stuffed on top, both capable of transporting the boys to the front lines and acting as a fiercely firing armed transport. He also saw what looked like cannons made out of iron drums, two or three iron drums were simply bound together with wire, and fitting them with a couple of wheels was considered apleted job. Besides these, he also saw several roughly three-meter-tall tin cans with ''arms and legs'' painted with a crude andughable orc face in white paint. He turned his head, and the elder was watching him. "This is a gift prepared for the strongest boss in the n! Once it''s done, if you put it on, with the clickety-ck of chainsaws, the boom of artillery, and the rat-tat-tat of rotary guns! You''ll surely be able to kill those shrimps to thest one!" Tearing Flesh couldn''t help but caress the big fellow, and, finding a pixie worker in the way, kicked it a few meters away with disgust. It was quite a while before he cracked a wide grin andughed delightedly, "Hahahaha! I want this big guy! When can I wear it?" "Don''t worry, don''t worry, soon, very soon!" ... One month had passed. Gu Hang didn''t stay in Rubbish Town all the time, flying back to Revival City several times in between. After all, the twin-city area of Revival City and Weixing City is the foundation. He inspected the reconstruction of Revival City. The outer city area, which had been devastated, was now beginning to take shape. Although it was still a big construction site, ording to Osenia''s nning, the city area was starting to look like something. The poption still active in the outer city was about 600,000, nearly 200,000 of whom were engaged in the city''s reconstruction. With the efforts of nearly 200,000 construction workers, the city was being rapidly rebuilt. Now, the total poption of Revival City was around 800,000. Of the nearly 900,000 people who used to live outside Revival City, 200,000 moved to Weixing City and another 100,000 to the inner city. The entire city''s poption structure and industrial structure would be more rational in the following time. But Gu Hang was more concerned about the situation in Weixing City. His main industrial area was here. The poption in Weixing City had exceeded 300,000 after receiving arge number of people who had migrated from Revival City and from other settlements within a two-hundred-kilometer radius to the east. The military industry was particrly important. Under the round-the-clock work of the ck box within the research institute and through Wu Jiarong''s efforts, various military industrial production capacities were rapidly increasing. In thest month, the military industry in the Waste Hole area produced 55 armored fighting vehicles, 40,000 sets of individual soldier equipment with the G9 rifle as the core, 100 various types of artillery, 40,000 rounds of various types of ammunition, 200 military trucks... The equipment for the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade wasn''t fully produced yet, but at least two more heavyposite camps were ready and would be sent to the frontlines. Along with the 1st Wind Extinguishing Brigade''s 2nd and 3rd Battalions heading to the frontline were also logistics supplies carried by those two hundred trucks, along with numerous ammunition and weapons. Two hundred trucks couldn''t carry all this in one trip; it would take several trips. And once this batch of equipment and logistics supplies were in ce, the four garrison divisions from 4-7 could be fully reorganized. Of course, Gu Hang still had to spend more than four hundred points of grace to train them. With trainingplete and equipment in ce, theirbat power wouldn''t be far behind the 2nd Infantry Division, except for the insufficient number of artillery pieces. Besides military construction, Gu Hang''s grace points had surged again in this month. It had nothing to do with the war. Although there was a big war going on outside Rubbish Town, and it was the biggest war since Gu Hang arrived on Rage Owl Star, so far, there has never been abat settlement interface. Obviously, the previous battles, whether they were counter-push frontline or defensive battles, the many individual fights weren''t counted as concluded. If you wanted to see thebat settlement interface, you would probably have to wait until the entire campaign was over. But not having the grace points from battles wasn''t a big issue, as his monthly grace point ie had risen from less than four hundrest month to 588 points now. This spike in monthly ie wasn''t due to the surge in poption, but a genuine increase in productivity. The biggest increase came from Weixing City, where nearly two hundred thousand more people moved in. With short-term concentrated training and on-the-job training, most of the people solved the unemployment problem. Most importantly, heavy industry and military industry received manpower supplements. ``` Chapter 184: Chapter 145, I want this big guy!_2 The significant increase in productivity brought about an ie rise of over one hundred and fifty Grace points. In terms of Revival City, the construction speed of the outer city was fast, and with the recovery of various industries, the rise in management ability, and the elimination of debuffs, the situation in Revival City kept improving. Although two hundred thousand people had moved out, the Grace points provided by Revival City each month did not decrease but instead increased by thirty points. This monthly ie, after ounting for the four hundred points spent on training soldiers, along with the expenses for activating Tadeusz, and the training costs for the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade and the 2nd Division, left Gu Hang with only three hundred Grace points remaining, which then again rose back to eight hundred and ny. Gu Hang wouldn''t squander these Grace points carelessly. The war against the Green Skin Tribe he now faced was thergest scale battle he had encountered since his arrival at Rage Owl Star. These Green Skins turned out to be much more troublesome than imagined. Over the course of this month, the soldiers under Gu Hang had suffered a total casualty loss of around four thousand. On a sixty-kilometer frontline, an average of more than one hundred and thirty died each day; the number of Green Skins killed was also around eighty or so. Thebat loss ratio was 1:1.6, slightly unsightly. The main reason was that, recently, the Green Skins had acquired some new things¡ªartillery and armed pickups. Both of these put great pressure on the front lines. The former directly attacked with firepower. Now, the infantry holding the line asionally suffered attacks from heavy firepower. The artillery of the Green Skins was potent, and a direct hit meant even fortified positions couldn''t withstand it. And thetter was also troublesome. The armor tes on those armed pickups were rough but indeed quite tough, and they could speed along quickly. Belching clouds of ck smoke from their rears, the multiple machine guns on top fired fiercely. Without discussing uracy, they could carry four or five Green Skins close to the positions. Usually, a couple of rockets would be enough to damage the vehicle, but not necessarily kill all the Green Skins aboard; just getting troops face-to-face was enough. Consequently, the face-to-face Green Skins would bring no small number of casualties to the soldiers on the defense line. But if it were just that, the problem wouldn''t be too big. The soldiers under the Governor''smand had not retreated a bit on the frontline. The artillery of the Green Skins was powerful, but clearly, its range was not as far as that of human cannons. After determining the position of the enemy artillery from their trajectory, the 155mm howitzer positions would often fire three or four rounds of artillery barrages toward that area. After the bombardment, although it was difficult to confirm the results, the Green Skin''s artillery usually fell silent, likely having been swept clean. As for those newly emerged armed pickups, they could only be dealt with by tubes, bynd minesid by scouts, obstacles, and the like, to block them. They would try to dy their advance as much as possible and then destroy them with fire. If they managed to transport the Green Skin infantry up front, then it woulde down to a melee, but casualties would be high. The emergence of heavy firepower and ''armored'' strength in the enemy was very bad news. Gu Hang himself was already feeling that something was not quite right. After he inspected the military production line in Weixing City and returned to the Rubbish Town frontline, the five interster warriors who had arrived by vehicle two days earlier immediately sought him out, issuing a warning. Gu Hang had previously extended an invitation to the Phoenix Battle Group, hoping they would help solve the Green Skin problem outside Rubbish Town. The Green Skins were old adversaries of the interster warriors. Throughout the Phoenix''s history, during their century-long penitentiary expedition, they had encountered countless Green Skin opponents. The ''Cancer of the Universe'' wasn''t a term thrown around lightly; these enemies truly had a widespread presence throughout the universe. Certain particrly ferocious tribes of Green Skins were capable of sweeping through and destroying several star systems. The Phoenix responded to the Governor''s call, arriving here from their monastery by truck. The ten Iron Ox trucks assigned to the Phoenix by Gu Hang had been painted in the Phoenix style, predominately red with white edges and patterns, a stark contrast to the Alliance Army''smon gray and sandy yellow. Not only did these ten trucks bring five interster warriors, but they also brought a hundred fully-armed young soldiers. The monastery of the Phoenix had previously taken in two hundred teenagers under the age of neen for training as reserves. One hundred of the younger ones stayed in the monastery, continuing their training with Priest Rizzo; the hundred that apanied Commander Matins to Rubbish Town were generally a bit older. The Phoenix nned to throw them into battle. These young soldiers had only received a month of training at the Phoenix monastery and didn''t have the external enhancements that Gu Hang possessed. Even with the remarkable ability of the Phoenix to train new recruits, it wouldn''t be enough to turn them into elite soldiers within a month. Indeed, that was the case, but the Phoenix''s intention wasn''t really to expect these hundred teenagers to make any significant battle achievements. Essentially, this was a selection process. They had only one gic seed in hand, which certainly required selecting the most outstanding, the most likely candidate for sessful surgery. Only those who survived on the real battlefield, those who performed the best, could potentially enter the final selection round. Gu Hang actually had reservations about this. But as it was something within the battle group''s affairs, he didn''t feel it was his ce to meddle, so he let them be. Turning back to the present. Commander Matins and his four brothers found him as soon as hended at the joint military camp outside Rubbish Town. Facing the five giants that towered over him by half, Gu Hang felt somewhat nervous. Matins spoke with a serious tone, "This war, we can''t keep fighting it like this." "What do you mean?" "We mustunch an attack as soon as possible," Schneider spoke up first, "The sooner the better, a full-scale offensive, to quickly annihte all the Green Skins andpletely purify thisnd with fire." "Hold on... at least tell me the reason first," said Gu Hang, "I was nning to have the troops continue to show off for a while. The equipment for two garrison divisions hasn''t yet arrived, the stockpile of shells isn''t sufficient... not to mention, the overall casualty ratio is still within eptable limits, we estimate there are about twenty thousand Green Skins in the ruins of the high tower. At this rate of casualties, we''ll be able to exterminate those Green Skins at the cost of thirty thousand of our own soldiers." Schneider, of course, didn''t mince words with Gu Hang, "Ha, that''s assuming those Green Skins keep running into our defenses until they are all dead. Do you think that''s possible?" Gu Hang rolled his eyes, "Of course I know that''s not possible, but the casualty ratio has to be better than if we were to attack. ording to normal thinking, we should continue to maintain the defensive, let those Green Skins crash against our lines until they can no longer withstand the casualties and are exhausted. Meanwhile, our side''s armaments would be more abundant, and then we could counterattack. Wouldn''t that be better?" "There''s no chance of that," Matins said, his tone much more patient than Schneider''s, "Green Skins... are a very tough enemy to deal with; they''re quite unique. You know they grow from the ground, right?" "I know, but growing from the ground still requires time to mature, right?" "You''re right, but the Green Skin Tribe is an alien species born for warfare, and the more intense the battle, the faster their tribe grows." Gu Hang frowned deeply, "You''re saying... war, death, might actually cause their numbers to grow inversely?" This was a counterintuitive piece of information. Before now, Gu Hang truly did not know that the Green Skins had such a characteristic. Chapter 185: Chapter 146, do you know how expensive orbital strikes are? "Green Skins are born for war; as long as they keep fighting, the development speed of Green Skin spores within the same tribe will increase, resulting in more and more Green Skin aliens. It''s not just about the numbers, their technology also grows rapidly in the process." Matins was carefully supplementing Gu Hang''s knowledge about the ''cancer of the universe.'' "Fortunately, you didn''t lose. If they had won a key battle, their growth rate would have escted even more. In fact, those guys at Rubbish Town already handed those Green Skins a victory, basically stepping on the elerator of their tribal development." "Thankfully, this Green Skin Tribe hasn''t been developing for long, and their starting point was in the urban ruins, where they say Low Energy Storms often blow through... If it was a warm forested area, with more fertilend, we might be facing millions of Green Skins." "Facing such an enemy, engaging in an attrition war is not a smart choice. A human soldier takes twenty years from birth to be a qualified warrior; those Green Skins can fight as soon as they emerge from the ground." "If we don''t resolve this issue quickly, we could be facing not just twenty thousand Green Skin Orcs, but double that number of Green Skins, and ten times that number of low-level Green Skin creatures like fart spirits. Their technology could even advance further, with cannons bing more powerful and reaching further, and armed trucks bing bigger and more ferocious. It wouldn''t be surprising if some beings that could be likened to demons or monsters appeared; sometimes among the Green Skin race, there are beings that rely solely on physical strength and can match a star warrior inbat." ... After hearing Matins'' extensive information about the Green Skins, Gu Hang''s face hadpletely darkened. Some of his previous ns had to be overturned. Just as Matins described, the best way to counter such an enemy is to tten them in one fell swoop, avoiding any attrition war and not hoping to reduce the enemy''s numbers. Even if one doesn''t tten them in one go, it''s essential to reduce their numbers to a very low level. Otherwise, the subsequent troubles would be endless. "I understand what you mean, thank you for the information," Gu Hang thanked Matins and then made a request, "I will contact the ''Quintet'' right away. Colonel Yelisia will provide us with orbital strike support. Once the orbital strike firepower cover is in ce, we''ll immediatelyunch an attack. Let''s set it for three days from now." Matins nodded, "Three days should be fine." "Then it''s settled; we''ll still need your help when the timees." ... Three days was the time Gu Hang needed to distribute equipment to the garrison divisions and spend the grace points to train them to T5 level. This was a necessary preparation of the troops. Meanwhile, he also used this time to have an in-depthmunication with Yelisia in space. When Yelisia''s holographic image appeared in front of him, he saw the golden-haired woman captain elegantly slicing a piece of steak and having a ss of red wine on the side. Gu Hang''s mouth twitched slightly. These were the supplies he had sent up to the Quintet. The ''Quintet'' had its own synthetic starch production capability and had replenished military logistics supplies before departing for Rage Owl Star. Even without any new supplies during the two years of the mission, they wouldn''t starve, but they couldn''t expect to eat too well. After all, she had helped a lot, so Gu Hang had to show some appreciation. When he was poor before, Gu Hang would remember to load up the return transport ships with consumer goods after scrounging wool from Yelisia. Now, he would do even more so. Of course, the Quintet did not dispatch ships specifically for logistical supplies. Otherwise, the cost of the transport ship taking off andnding would not even be worth the food transported... Thest time the transport ship came, it was on serious business. There was a squad of Battle Nuns from the Saintly Lily who hade down, which was support summoned by Superior Georgette. From the Sisterhood headquarters on Korolya III, twenty Battle Nuns had arrived at Rage Owl Star. Including the two who had died, there were twenty-nine of them in total. Superior Georgette had taken issue with the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, and in the previous period, they had finished their investigation within Revival City, capturing some deeply hidden Cult members. During the previous period, the twenty-nine Battle Nuns had already left Revival City, following the clues they had acquired, and headed north. Gu Hang hoped they would have good luck. If they could solve the problem of the Cult on Rage Owl Star by themselves, nothing would be better. And if they needed help, Gu Hang would not be stingy. After all, they were essentially doing work on his behalf. And the ship that had brought down the twenty Battle Nuns, on its return journey, also took one of Colonel Yelisia''s most valued items: a letter ofmendation. The letter ofmendation was personally written by Gu Hang. It essentially expressed his gratitude, in his capacity as the Governor of Rage Owl Star, for Colonel Yelisia''s outstanding contribution tobating and eradicating followers of the Evil God who did not worship The Emperor, as well as the Evil God''s projections. Of course, if the letter were only written by Gu Hang himself, it wouldn''t be of much use. Chapter 186: Chapter 146, Do You Know How Expensive Orbital Strikes Are?_2 Themendation letter from theary governor can indeed serve as a reference for military leaders to receive honors after actions. In other words, when Yelisia presents thismendation letter and reports it, the Imperial Military will recognize it. However, the degree of recognition is uncertain. For a strong governor, or even one of the Foundry Generals who build worlds, a letter is enough for a promotion; for someone like Gu Hang... it''s not quite sufficient,cking in value. But if themendation letter also carries the signature and the wax seal of a Starfighter Battle Groupmander and a Mother Superior from the Sisterhood, then it''s a different story. Gu Hang wasn''t sure just how valuable such amendation letter was, but at least at that moment, seeing the smiling face of Yelisia, he knew it should be pretty good. Of course, when the transport ship returned, it wasn''t just going to bring up a letter. Although themendation letter was the most important, it wouldn''t do for the cabin to be empty, so it would be good to transport some rare logistical supplies as well. Just to curry favor with thedy of wealth above. Inside the package were some red wines, which had been confiscated from the homes of the nobility in Revival City, said to be crafted products from certain areas in Green Valley Region. As for the steaks, they came from the wild oxen beasts. After the truck production in Weixing City had increased to nearly two hundred units per month, the demand for animal power had greatly decreased. Not only did the wild oxen used by arge number of merchants in Revival City lose their value of service and were sent back to the pasture to be raised for beef and dairy purposes. And the steak Yelisia was eating now came from those. "Colonel, you seem to be in a good mood," "Indeed, not bad," Yelisia replied leisurely as she swallowed the beef and took a small sip of wine, thenmented, "However, the quality of your beef is subpar, the texture is too rough; the taste of the wine is also somewhat inferior." "Getting choosy, are we?" "Just a reflection," Yelisia continued as a server took away the dinnerware, "This is the hardest time I''ve ever had in my life. Actually, I am still grateful for the supplies you sent up, otherwise my collected provisions wouldn''t havested two years." "..." Gu Hang coughed lightly twice, not wanting to talk further with Yelisia about these corrupt luxuries, and turned to the matter at hand, "I hope to get support for an orbital strike." "What scale?" Yelisia remained unhurried. "Full force." "What?" Yelisia was no longer calm, "What enemy on the surface do you need to face that requires me to carry out a full-force orbital strike?" "Alien threat." Gu Hang''s answer was sinct, while Yelisia''s frown deepened. "Still those aliens? Has there been some particrly significant change?" Yelisia asked this because she had been following the alien threat on Rage Owl Star before. Rted intelligence, as the war progressed, would bepiled every so often and sent to the starship. She was clear about the situation on the ground. It was for this reason that she questioned it. ording to thetest situation she had seen before, the fight was in a deadlock, but far from a major crisis. Gu Hang coughed lightly and said, "We can''t keep having a war of attrition here with those aliens. If we don''t resolve the issuepletely, after a while, when a new batch of aliens emerge, we''ll have to face another war on arger scale, with an enemy that has be even more troublesome, and by then we might not be able to win." "I understand the principle, but... do you know how much it costs to fire the ''Quintet'' at full specs once?" Gu Hang hadn''t expected Yelisia to bring up this question. He waited silently for Yelisia to continue speaking. Clearly, this wasn''t really a question aimed at him, but more of a rhetorical one. Yelisia continued, "Thest time you asked me to help with a precision strike, it was with the ''Scalpel'' shipboard missiles from the ''Quintet,'' the least powerful and most cost-effective attack method. The price of such a missile is three hundred tax coins; a full-scale barrage consists of over a hundred ''Scalpels.''" "Going up one level, there is the ''Heat Hammer'' Colossal Cannon, a small-scale Colossal Cannon. The cost of one round of ammunition is four thousand tax coins, and a barrage consists of twenty rounds." "The highest level is the ''Wrath of Loyalty'' Colossal Cannon, where a single round costs fifty thousand tax coins, and I have only two such cannons on my ship." "Now do you understand how expensive it is?" The more he listened, the uglier Gu Hang''s expression became. He knew it was expensive, but he didn''t realize it was this expensive. The so-called ''tax coin'' isn''t a conventional concept of currency. It is a tool used by the Imperial Taxation Department to measure the value of resources provided bys during tax collection. One tax coin roughly equates to the minimum standard annual output of a poption on an ordinary world, as valued by the Empire. To surrender a healthy adult is worth five tax coins; a well-trained soldier with a full set of individual equipment is valued at ten tax coins. In the Imperial records, Rage Owl Star was taxed at the minimum level ¡ª paying ten million tax coins every two years. Moreover, the preferential treatment Gu Hang received meant he only had to pay a quarter of that amount the first time, which was two and a half million tax coins. And ording to Yelisia, the total cost of such a barrage would be two hundred and ten thousand tax coins. Firing fifty barrages would expend enough ammunition to pay for a full tax payment from Rage Owl Star; twelve barrages, enough for Gu Hang''s first tax payment; four barrages would cost as much as the lives of all the soldiers from the nine division-brigade level units that Gu Hangmanded. He understood the unspoken message of Colonel Yelisia: An orbital strike is possible, but after it''s done, are the lives of the soldiers you saved worth the cost of my ammunition? This is the ''stature'' of a navy person: they calcte the cost of ammunition in terms of human lives. A single barrage is worth the lives of twenty thousand well-trained soldiers. If you have a gap that can be filled with twenty thousand lives, then don''t ask the esteemed navy masters to bomb it for you. But... All of a sudden, Gu Hang wore a smile, deeply understanding one truth: the navy''s money is not my money, but the soldiers who die, those are truly my soldiers! So he said, "We still need to bomb it." Yelisia shook her head helplessly, "I knew you would say that. If you insist, then I''ll help you." After all, the navy''s money is not my money either. Of course, one shouldn''t be too excessive. Therefore, Yelisia added, "But... you have to agree to two conditions. First is to identify the target. I''ve looked at your original ns, and I can''t let expensive firepower be wasted on an indiscriminate bombardment of the entire city ruins; that would be too costly. You need to give me precise targets to improve the efficiency of the strike; this is for your own good. With such a level of targets, a full-scale attack can only happen once, so you should cherish this opportunity and strive to achieve the bestbat results." "Secondly, after the battle, you need to provide me a report of the effectiveness. Later, the Military Affairs Department will review these things; thebat results and expenditures need to have a reasonable justification. If the oue is too outrageous, the Military Affairs Department wille looking for you, and you might be made to bear the costs of the used ammunition. There have been precedents for this and I will be held responsible as well; don''t make this difficult for me." "I understand, thank you, Yelisia." By thanking her this time, Gu Hang dropped the honorific, sounding more intimate. He knew that Yelisia really had helped him. Otherwise, if Yelisia truly treasured her own safety and was unwilling to take on too much responsibility, sticking strictly to regtions, it would be really difficult to get approval for the orbital strike; at most, he would probably be able to finalize some minor token action. Since she had helped him, Gu Hang was not going to deliberately put her in a difficult position. urately finding the target? The brothers from the Phoenix Battle Group could lend a hand. The Starfighters, more elite than any special forces unit, infiltrating behind enemy lines to designate important strategic targets for an easier orbital strike¡ªwasn''t that standard practice? Chapter 187: Chapter 147, Offensive Initiative (6k subscriptions please!) Mr. Gu''s request was promptly epted by Matins without hesitation. It really was the kind of task they excelled in¡ª at least one of them. Interster warriors are formidable, sure, but a perpetual weakness is theirck of numbers. In any battle of significant scale or intensity, it would be extremely foolish tomit these elite but scarce interster warriors to a head-on fight where attrition is the strategy¡ª they themselves would never ept such an order. No matter how tough a powered armor is, to be honest, it can''t withstand a direct hit from a 155mm howitzer shell; no matter how powerful a bomb gun is, it may prate the locally-produced ''Challenger'' tank with no big deal, but on top-tier battlefields, if it encounters the regr Lion Tanks of the Star Realm Army, much less the Lion King Tanks, it would be like scratching an itch. They are a scalpel, not meant to be used as a hammer. Taking advantage of the three days Gu Hang needed to prepare his troops for a counterattack, the five warriors of the Phoenix would infiltrate behind enemy lines to seek out and mark high-value strategic targets. Joining them were 28 warriors from the ''Storm Squad.'' They were the elite marine unit from the Quintet, now trained by Gu Hang to T3 level, ensuring the strength of each individual was guaranteed. Even engaging in close quartersbat and facing off against an ordinary green-skinned grunt wouldn''t be a big problem for them. They would temporarilye under themand of Phoenix, follow orders, and act in coordination. Without much ado, a total of thirty-three people set out under cover of darkness. They left from the southernmost end of the entire north-south frontline. To cover their operation, the 4th Infantry Battalion of the 7th Garrison Division stationed there initiated an attack. From the artillery positions in the rear, a battalion of gunners were allocated. Thirty cannons were pushed forward five kilometers and fired twenty rounds of covering fire in the direction of the infantry battalion''s intended attack. The first five rounds were rapid fire, and the subsequent fifteen rounds were spaced about three to four minutes apart, maintaining the overall rhythm of the bombardment. Those greenskins were stunned by the explosions. In the past, they had been shelled, but generally, artillery woulde into y when theyunched an attack ¡ª the shrimps then would call for artillery support from the rear, and fierce firepower would cover their attack or retreat routes. The main target was still to break their advance and inflict casualties. There were also many cases where the shrimp would retaliate after the greenskins'' own big guns opened fire. Firing at one''s own position like today wasn''t unprecedented, but it was only asional. This moment, however, with six hundred heavy artillery shells falling within an hour on a not-sorge area, was certainly something these greenskins stationed here had never experienced before. At least, the greenskins stationed in this area hadn''t seen it. The orc leader here, named Bone Strength, wasn''t killed by the bombing. His fortification was built on top of the ruins of a reinforced concrete building, further reinforced by hauling various building materials, quite sturdy. Unless hit directly by heavy artillery on this particr fortification, shrapnel and shock waves were unlikely to cause any trouble. However, there weren''t many fortifications across the entire position that could match this level of protection. In addition, the shelling was too sudden, and casualties were feared to be significant. Of course, most casualties urred early on; those who survivedter took cover in various bomb-proof shelters. There would indeed still be considerable losses, but these were within eptable limits. Yet even if Bone Strength was clear on this point, he paced back and forth restlessly in his fortification, spewing green-skin profanities. He knew that the shrimp''s inexplicably aggressive shelling mustn''t be mere child''s y. His green brain could clearly deduce that this was likely the prelude to the shrimp mounting an offensive. But at the moment, he couldn''t run out of his fortification and kick his boys into gear, making them brace for battle. With artillery falling every few minutes, leaving the fortification could easily get him killed. If he were killed, he wouldn''t be able to fight anymore. So he had to continue to stew in his fury, hiding. But soon, the opportunity to fight came. After thest round of shelling and ten minutes without any new shells falling, he heard gunfire and the shouts of closebat. He perked up, leading a few boys, and burst out of the fortification. They reached the ground still warm and smoky from the heavy artillery bombardment. Looking toward the direction from which the shots wereing, he could vaguely see the approaching shrimp in the not-so-distant ce. The shrimp advanced quickly, constantly splitting off forces to clear every fortification and pile of rubble they passed. In many ces, in Bone Strength''s recollection, there were his own boys on guard. However, there were very few ces where battles urred. In those ces without fighting, the shrimp would just go in ande out again. Bone Strength could guess that the boys he had sent to hold those positions were probably obliterated during the previous artillery strikes. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have allowed the shrimp to walk in without any resistance. How many boys had died? He didn''t know. He bellowed loudly, "Waaagh!! Boys! Roll out! The shrimp are storming us! It''s time to show how tough we are! We can''t let the shrimp look down on us!" Chapter 188: 147, Offensive Initiative (6k subscriptions please!)_2 ``` "waaagh!!" Roars of battle echoed from the numerous orc youngsters around, and a crowd of them crawled out from their previous hiding spots. Some even drove out armed pickups that had survived the previous shelling, while others rolled out ''cannons'' made from iron barrels strapped together. However, the overall number appeared to be significantly less than what had been estimated. Half of them had note out. Those damn big booms were indeed formidable. But no matter! Even if only half were left, they could still ughter all those shrimps that dared toe out to fight! With his subordinates in tow, he charged forward! ... Observing the situation at the front, Reed Meshako couldn''t help but shake his head. He was formerly a staff sergeant from the original Kodipany andter enlisted as a political officer under Colonel Tadeusz''s recruitment. After the reorganization in Rubbish Town, he was assigned to the 7th Garrison Division 4th Regiment as a political officer, his rank jumping directly to captain. His military rank had risen extremely fast, but this was amon urrence among the old units that had followed Gu Hang for a longer time. The army expanded rapidly, and as long as the old soldiers ensured loyalty and a willingness to advance, their promotion was swift. When the rearmand center demanded their full cooperation with the Phoenix Battle Group''s operation, and Commander Matins ordered a diversionary frontal attack, Meshako carried out the mission resolutely. He knew their regimentmander was not keen on doing this, even trying his best to disrupt the organization when the adventurers were incorporated into the regr army, stripping the formerly adventurouspanymanders of their private ownership over the troops. However, the adventurers'' nature was not so easily worn away. They would instinctively fear such missions that required significant sacrifices, especially when it was to cover someone else''s operations. Yet, this is the difference between soldiers and adventurers. Under his strong insistence and the military orders, the 4th Infantry Battalion stillunched the attack. Before the battle, whether soldiers or officers, all harbored fear. In the past, the orcs had cast a vast shadow over them. Even if hundreds of shells had paved the way for them, the inherent fear persisted as they took over. This was where Reed Meshako felt discontent. Fortunately, the resistance they faced during the fight was not strong. The orc troops were clearly stunned by the bombardment, with arge number of orcs dead in their fortifications. The number that could initially mount a defense was small. Those orcs still disyed a strongbat will. In close exchanges of fire, it often took the lives of two or three human soldiers to kill one orc. If the orcs got too close forbat, and since they were not Beast ughter Group soldiers¡ªeven with bays¡ªthey often hesitated to fight. This wasn''t an issue of tactics or military skills but a matter of morale and courage. But eventually, the 4th Regiment overwhelmed the orcs with their greater numbers. It turned out that orcs could run away too. When three or five orcs poked their heads out from the fortifications and then saw hundreds of human soldiers, guns drawn, firing at them, they too would turn tail and flee. Stay updated with m-vl-em,py-r Some were shot dead from behind, and such orcs were the most despised. Soon, the few surviving orc youngsters returned, rallying arge wave of over two hundred orcs behind them. The orcs howled in scorn at the fleeing youngsters, and those being mocked turned back in anger and fury. In the exchange of fire, orcs kept falling, as did soldiers. This was a bloody melee, where the death of one orc often resulted in two or three human soldiers being killed. Continuing to fight at such an exchange rate, victory was of course inevitable for the human side. Especially as they brought out weapons such as rocketunchers and mortars, and one of the charging armed pickups was blown up halfway there. All it would take was about five hundred casualties at most. This was estimated based on the worst-case scenario. In reality, once a certain number of orcs were killed, their threat level drastically decreased, their morale copsed, and they turned to flee, just like those encountered before. Persisting in the fight, the humans wouldn''t suffer nearly as many losses. But even so, the first to flinch and hesitate to move forward were the human soldiers. The sight of theirrades being blown apart by the orcs'' powerful firearms chilled them to the bone. After sustaining about a hundred casualties, they started to show signs of breaking down. Reed Meshako was furious. He bellowed at the regimentalmander beside him, "Look at these soldiers! It''s a disgrace!" Themander of the 4th Regiment found himself in a dilemma. He had given orders for the units to maintain the line and push forward, but what could he do if they wouldn''t budge? He dared not talk back; this red cap was an officer assigned directly by the governor, ying a role simr to that of a supervising officer. Seeing his demeanor, Meshako became even more enraged at theck of spirit. "To the front line! Let''s go to the front line together! We must lead by example!" He drew his pistol and yanked themander along. The two of them, along with the securitypany, began to personally push forward. Meshako knew that as amander, his greatest responsibility was to direct the battle, not to fight on the front lines. Going to the forefront, even for him, wasn''t much different inbat ability than an ordinary soldier. ``` Chapter 189: 147, Taking the Initiative to Attack (6k Subscription Request!)_3 But now is a special moment, there''s no moremanding to be done. What the soldiersck is not strategy, not tactics, but courage. What''s needed is for senior officers to lead by example, to put themselves at the front. While leading the guardpany, the battalionmander pressed forward and encountered a unit that was fighting while retreating. Meisheke was furious. He grabbed the unitmander by the cor and screamed, "The military order given to you was to advance! Advance! Advance again! Who gave you the order to retreat?!" "I... " Thepanymander''s face turned pale, unable to speak. Meisheke kicked him in the stomach, knocking him down, and raised his pistol to his head: "Disobeying orders and showing cowardice in battle is seen as desertion. As an officer, your crimes are even greater!" "No, no..." Thepanymander was still trying to argue his case, and the battalionmander standing beside Meisheke also wanted to say something to persuade him. But Meisheke wasn''t interested in listening and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The bullet went through the head of the officer who had just received the rank of second lieutenant, and his body fell lifelessly. Then, Meisheke shouted to the squad instructor beside him, who seemed a bit dazed by what he witnessed, "You''re inmand now! Take yourpany and follow me!" The instructor snapped to attention and quickly called out to the troops. Meisheke waved his hand, signaling for the guardpany to follow, and said to the battalionmander beside him, "For the Governor! We are bound to win! You can''t continue as before! We are soldiers! Not scavengers searching for scraps in a trash heap!" "I... I understand." "Pick up your rifle! Fight like a warrior!" Watching the battalionmander reluctantly move out, Meisheke picked up the field telephone again and issued orders to every squad instructor in the battalion, strictly ordering them to ensure that the troops were always on the offensive, and those who showed timidity could be executed on the spot. Afterward, Meisheke fired his pistol into the air and roared to those around him, "Comrades! Charge with me!" Under his strictmands and after he and the battalionmander led the guardpany into battle, the troops'' timid situation finally began to reverse. Under the leadership of officers at all levels, especially the politicalmissars in the instructor system, the troops began to regain an offensive posture. As the distance between the two sides closed further, the fight quickly became bloodier and more brutal. The Green Skins'' advantage in closebat was being put to good use, and the casualties on the human side increased. However, the advantages of greater numbers and stronger firepower on the human side were still maintained, along with higher precision in close-range shooting. Human warriors continued to fall, even among the officers, but the Green Skins were also falling at an even faster rate. When the 4th battalion''s losses reached 15%, meaning over two hundred people were down, there were only about seventy to eighty Green Skins left. Reed Meshako knew clearly that they were now in a desperate situation. Because they were too close to retreat, the bloody battle had fully triggered his fighting spirit. His skin turned greener, and his body size even grew slightly during thebat. Find your adventure at m-vl-em,py-r "Waaagh!" He bellowed, bursting out of the cover and charging toward the nearest position upied by human warriors. Inspired by him, all the living Green Skins entered a frenzied state. The final charge began. Reed Meshako, wielding a heavy spear, fired six shots on the charge, killing five soldiers. At the same time, he was hit by at least a hundred bullets. Blood covered his green skin; one of his eyes was blinded, but his remaining single eye grew even more ferocious. He burst into the position of the infantry toon, instantly turning into a meat grinder on the battlefield. His heavy chopping knife spun like a whirlwind of death, and in just a short while, he ughtered all the warriors there. Despite followingbat tactics, arming themselves with bays for closebat as he approached, the human warriors were no match for the Green Skins in terms of strength, durability, or even agility. Stabbed by the bay seven or eight times, Reed Meshako showed no signs of weakening, and with a backhand strike, he ughtered all those daring enough to engage him in closebat. When the courageous had all died, the rest lost their will to fight. After the Sergeant Major was killed in battle, the few surviving members of the infantry toon panicked and fled. When the supportingpany instructor also had his upper body blown apart by a shot, the entirepany began to copse. This triggered a chain reaction; the Green Skins, who charged with Reed Meshako and after suffering twenty-odd casualties, broke through the front line of onepany. Then, the twopanies beside it, caught off guard, began to show signs of copse in the face of the ferociously charging Green Skins. Reed Meisheke observed this sign. He would not allow a victory within reach to slip away again. He immediately led the guardpany to the breach, and strictly ordered several nearbypanies to do the same. In his words, stacking corpses would still suffice to kill off the remaining fifty Green Skins. Reed Meshako also saw the continuously shouting Red Cap; he howled as he charged towards him. He reloaded his heavy spear and fired wildly toward Meisheke''s direction. In a moment, three or four of Meisheke''s surrounding warriors were sted dead, and that unkible Green Skin leader was rushing straight toward him. Chapter 190: 147, Offensive Initiative (6k subscriptions please!)_4 Meisheke''s mood was very calm at this moment. He knew he had made a mistake, having forcefully boosted the morale of the entire battalion, and now he hade too close to the front line, so close that the enemy could charge directly at him. If he were to die here, the morale of the whole battalion could copse. Then, it would truly be a joke where thousands were overwhelmed by just dozens of green skins. Yet, this mistake was also one that had to be made. This troop, newly reorganized from adventurers, had not had sufficient time to instill proper ideological work, and their morale was low. If he had not done so earlier, they might not have been able to fight to this extent. He knew the odds were against him, but he could not run away, either. He could only draw his handgun, stand still, his ck coat fluttering in the wind. He stood tall and proud, firing bullets continuously at the green skin charging towards him. Even in death, he would die standing. He hoped that his bearing before death would inspire the surrounding soldiers. The enemy was already on theirst legs; just one more push and they could wipe them outpletely. The handgun''s ammunition did minimal damage to the green skins, offering only a symbolic resistance. But right then, the sound of booming gunfire came from behind him. Immediately after, heavy footsteps approached quickly and soon passed by him. It was a giant in Red Powered Armor. The Emperor''s Angels had arrived. The gunfire in front, it was obviously from a grenadeuncher. The flying grenades hit three green skins behind the bone leader, each one killed with a single shot. With the level of a veteran Space Marine, within a distance of tens of meters, there were no wasted shots. The power of the grenadeuncher could not bepared to the small barrel of a G9 rifle. A shot hitting the green skin was lethal. However, the two grenades aimed at the bone leader did not im his life. He managed to dodge the first one at thest moment¡ªnot truly dodging a bullet but making a predictive move based on seeing the Space Marine charging out from behind that red helmet. As for the grenade that did hit, itnded squarely in his right chest, leaving a gaping hole. The enraged orc chieftain merely paused in stride, showing no sign of weakness, and continued his charge with a howl. The bone leader had never seen a shrimp of his size¡ªespecially one entirely wrapped in red cans¡ªbut he could sense this was a formidable foe. He was thrilled to face such a strong opponent! He raised his thick-ded cleaver high, shing at the red-armored giant. The charging Phoenix Warrior twisted his waist, dodged the sh, and smoothly drew abat de, stabbing into the green skin''s midsection. With the momentum of the charge, he sliced open the wound, and arge amount of blood mixed with entrails sprayed out. Stay informed with m-vl-em,py-r But the bone leader was still not dead! He even had the strength to counterattack! He grabbed the Space Marine''s arm with one hand, pulling fiercely, and with a trip of his foot, he managed to throw his opponent to the ground. The bone leader flipped on top, snarling, seemingly oblivious to the pain in his midsection. He pressed one hand against the chin of the Space Marine''s helmet, while the other hand raised his thick-backed cleaver high, as if to decapitate the Phoenix this way. Yet that blow would nevernd. In the midst of this, the downed and pinned Phoenix Warrior had rapidly stabbed the bone leader several times in the chest and neck with hisbat dagger, ending his life once and for all. Pushing the corpse aside, the warrior in the red armor stood up, looking around. The battle had all but ended. Chapter 191: 148, The Murder Jar After Schneider had killed the biggest, greenest orc chieftain, the battle was almost at its end. His four battle brothers, along with the twenty-eight ''Storm Squad'' soldiers who were considered quite capable in the eyes of the interster warriors, and with the covering fire from the infantry battalion, killed all four or five dozen orcs that had charged with the chieftain. The abilities of the interster warriors need not be mentioned; apart from encountering a gically-enhanced, somewhat capable green-skinned chieftain that made him exert himself a little, his battle brothers scarcely found any opponents of note. The ordinary green-skinned brutes stood no chance against the electromaic rifles in the hands of the Storm Squad''s special operations soldiers. Unlike the G9 rifles, which they could resist, a dozen or so bullets from these would typically kill them. Once he was sure that all the orcs had been killed and there were no survivors to leak any information about their own party, he could finally rx. They hadn''t nned on taking action originally. The proactive strike by the 4th Infantry Battalion was meant to cover their operations. It would certainly be best to eliminate all the orcs in the area, for the most perfect infiltration is achieved by killing every enemy. Even if the attack failed, it didn''t really matter. After drawing enough attention, the 33-man special task squad couldpletely bypass the battlefield from the nk while the front lines were hot, just as stealthily. In fact, that was their original n. However, upon observing the situation on the frontline, the respectedmander changed his mind and decided to execute the first strategy: eradicate the enemy. Schneider knew that their Commander Matins couldn''t bear to watch those mortal soldiers dying in droves, especially to cover their mission. Of course, he didn''t object either. After all, as long as they killed every orc so none could run back with news, it was fine. With only a few dozen left, it wouldn''t be a hassle to kill them all. The key point was also to satisfy a thirst forbat. After the battle, Schneider removed his helmet, revealing his shiny bald head. He felt a peculiar gaze, so he turned his head and saw that red-hatted soldier staring at him. Ordinarily, Schneider would disdain and outright ignore these mortals, but at this moment, he couldn''t help but remember the red-hatted Tadeusz who had achieved what his dead brother could not. And the one before him, though he had performed no feats of valor, nevertheless faced danger without fear, maintaining a warrior''s dignity in the face of death. Continue exploring on m-vl-em,pyr He deserved respect. Almost involuntarily, he nodded to the red-hatted soldier, then turned and walked away. Reed Meshako also snapped out of it. He had actually survived. Given thebat between that interster warrior and the orc, there was no doubt that if it were him, he would have died eight hundred times over. It seemed that the gap between him, a mere mortal, and those monstrous demons was still vast. But regardless, they seemed to have won the battle. Slowly lowering the gun in his hand, he turned to find theirmander. They still needed to sweep the area, and then transport the wounded and even the bodies of deadrades back, even those whose deaths were particrly gruesome, taking at least the identifiers, such as armbands or breast badges, that symbolized soldier status. After cleaning up the battlefield, they would retreat. This position couldn''t be held for long. The fortifications made by the orcs were shoddy to begin with, and now they were even more so after the bombardment; moreover, this ce was far from other friendly lines and difficult to support. All these issues meant that they couldn''t possibly stand a chance if the orcs counterattacked. But abandoning this position didn''t mean their sortie was in vain. In addition to providing cover for the special operations squads, the casualties they inflicted on the enemy were considerable. In this battle, nearly five hundred orcs had died. In contrast, on the human side, the toll was over three hundred and twenty casualties. This casualty ratio even exceeded their defensive battles. Of course, there was a special reason for this. After all, the cost to the human side wasn''t just over three hundred lives but also included six hundred rounds of heavy artillery shells. Had they not recently received a shipment of newly manufactured shells from Weixing City, they would have hated to fire off so many in just one hour. At least half of the orcs killed were blown up during the initial artillery barrage. Of the remaining two hundred or so, more than fifty were dealt with by the special operations teams, and the real achievements of the 4th Infantry Battalion were just over a hundred orcs. Yet, a nearly 3:1 exchange rate was still eptable. What couldn''t be ignored, however, was the inherent risk. They had won this time,pletely annihting the enemy. But what if they hadn''t won? If it wasn''t for Meshako decisively executing several officers by his iron hand during a moment of wavering morale, mandating that supervisors at all levels maintain discipline, and leading by example at the front to boost morale, they might well have crumbled at that time. Once copsed, the death toll during the retreat would likely have skyrocketed. Not only would they fail to outkill the orcs, but during the pursuit, their casualties could have multiplied several times, and if pursued fiercely, even upon returning to their original positions, they might not have been able to stop a total copse, leading to serious trouble. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 192: 148, The Murder Jar_2 Fighting is a matter where the winning side always ends up with more spoils. Besides wiping out a considerable number of Green Skins, they had gained something else: an improvement in the army''s spirit and morale. This had been a somewhat hard-fought battle, but they had won in the end. Although the process had its twists and turns, as long as they won, it bolstered the entire army''s morale,bat confidence, and experience. The soldiers who had directly confronted the Green Skins and survived would be less fearful when facing them again. The shadow that these Green Skins had cast over them during their time as adventurers had been profound. Any alleviation in their phobia of Green Skins was wee. ... While the 4th Infantry Battalion was cleaning up the battlefield, a 33-member special operations squad had already embarked on their journey once more. From this point onwards, there would be no more friendly forces to cover them. But that wasn''t much needed anymore. After breaking through the enemy''s most concentrated front lines and reaching the rear, within the 60-kilometer-wide and nearly 100-kilometer-deep urban ruins, it was clear that the Green Skins couldn''t possibly staff every area with their forces. On the contrary, with only tens of thousands of them, the area "belonging" to them was full of gaps. asional glimpses of Green Skins and goblins did not mean they could easily spot the traces of the squad. The space marines'' stealth capabilities were unrivaled. Despite being d in heavy powered armor, when they wished to be silent, their footsteps were indeed soundless. Likewise, the 28 special forces members were just as proficient in the art of stealth. They would spot the enemy first in most instances; it was rare for them to be discovered. When operating deep behind enemy lines, they avoidedbat as much as possible to reduce the chance of being exposed. However, if they couldn''t avoid a confrontation¡ªfor example, if they were actually discovered, or if someone was on their route of advance and bypassing them would take too long¡ªthey would then choose to engage. Even when they engaged, they would strive not to fire their guns. They would close in quietly, strike swiftly, withbat daggers and military sabers bing their primary weapons. Matins'' chainsword did not rev its roaring sound, merely relying on its teeth to tear through people was enough. And truly, there was no target worthy of engaging his chainsaw for. And so, they operated within the ruins for approximately twenty-four hours, with only a few hours of rest in between. They pushed as deep as possible and then spread out as much as possible to broaden their reconnaissance. Unfortunately, the Green Skins were very difficult tomunicate with, and since there was nomonnguage, they couldn''t capture one for interrogation to obtain the desired information. But in the afternoon of the second day, they made a significant discovery. They discovered a staging ground for the Green Skin Tribe. Located some sixty kilometers deep from the front line, a team from Storm Squad stumbled upon a group of goblins driving trucks and pushing carts, converging on a particr spot. After rying the information back, the entire team began moving in that direction, and soon they found the staging ground. The Green Skins had cleared arge open area where over ten thousand Green Skin creatures were rowdily assembling. One-third were Green Skin younglings, and about twice their number were goblins. Goblins are also a kind of Green Skin, monstrous creatures that grow from Green Skin spores as well. They are much smaller and weaker than the orc young, cowardly and timid, but not any less cruel. They bully the weak and fear the strong; facing a strong enemy, they quickly disintegrate in morale and scatter unless kept in line by orcs. But when the enemy is weaker than them, or vastly outnumbered, their psychological advantage kicks in, and they be the cruelest executioners, especially fond of torture. In Green Skin society, goblins often serve as veborers, orc servants, or even food. In this starting position, the mere number of enemies was already substantial. Setting aside those nimble devils, there were more than three thousand orcs alone. This was almost more than any other Green Skin Orcs they would face on the front line. Moreover, reinforcements continued to stream in from all directions. As for the final number they could gather, no one knew. Not to mention, the Green Skins gathered here not only outnumbered others, but their equipment was also very "sophisticated." Armed pickups and iron barrel cannons had already been encountered, but Matins and his crew had spotted two other big fellows. One of them was an armed truck. It was called a truck, but in reality, its rear cabin was covered with armored tes and provided outward extending firing positions, making the whole back of the truck awkwardly shaped. On top of the cabin was a turret gun, and the front was equipped with a bulldozer de. Overall, the appearance was one of chaos, wildness, and irrationality. However, this is the essence of Green Skin technology. No matter how irrational it might seem, if Green Skins believe it to be rational, then it can move and is quite effective. The other invention, also in the same style, made those present feel somewhat heavy-hearted: it was a "powered armor," a "war mecha?" Whatever it was, it had been seen among many of the Green Skin Tribes. Humans called it a "killer can." They stuffed a nimble devil or a disabled orc into a metal can. Due to the Green Skins'' staggering technology, this was clearly not something that could be worn or removed at will, but rather something that would fuse with the machine for life. From the upper and lower sides of the can, mechanical structures extended out as limbs. On the upper limbs, there were melee or ranged weapons attached, and on both sides of the can wererge-caliber machine guns. This contraption had appeared on many battlefields ravaged by Green Skins. They were not the main armored force of the Green-Skin Army, as they had even bigger contraptions. However, when such a three-meter tall device appeared on the battlefield and could maneuver in ces where many armored vehicles couldn''t, its level of armor and firepower caused despair among human infantry. Even interster soldiers could not ignore such an adversary. A few shots from the machine guns on the sides of the can were enough to breach powered armor; the twin-barreled, auto-loading rocketuncher it held in one hand also had formidable lethality, and being hit by thatrge axe was fatal. Of course, generally speaking, the interster soldiers won more often. Each of the five veterans present had destroyed at least five killer cans in their careers. But those were career achievements, not the result of a single battle. If they were suddenly surrounded, even two or three of them could be overwhelming. And now, in this still-gathering Green-Skin Army, they had spotted ten killer cans. With more Green Skins joining, who knew if there would be even more. The armed trucksparable to Strider Armored Vehicles, the killer cans equivalent to a beggar''s version of powered armor, over three thousand Green Skins gathered with several powerful leaders, or "tough"ds far stronger than the average orc... Such a force, if directed to the front line for a direct assault, would result in catastrophic consequences. Unprepared humans would almost certainly be crushed instantly. Fortunately, they had discovered them. Now that they were aware of the intelligence, things were easier to handle. They did not alert the enemy, and after marking the coordinates, they quietly left and conveyed the intelligence to the governor. They had not brought anymunication equipment, nor was it necessary. The powered armor worn by the interster soldiers was equipped with the necessarymunication modules and was already connected to the frontlinemand post''s wirelessmunication channel. Themunication towers erected at themand post did this job, and during encounters with Green Skins, there was little concern about the threat of eavesdropping on the radio. What the governor would do with this intelligence was beyond their concern for now. They received further orders to continue their reconnaissance, following the designated objectives to find the Green Skins'' main base, their armories, their "farms," their breeding grounds. They might havecked clues before, but now things were manageable. Two interster soldiers were left with a few members of Storm Squad to keep an eye on therge group of Green Skins at the starting position, while the rest followed the route of the converging Green Skins in the opposite direction to search for the source. Chapter 193: 149, Orbital Bombardment After receiving the message, Gu Hang couldn''t even enjoy his meal. There were ten thousand Green Skins, over three thousand of which were proper orcs, and their numbers were still growing. There was already a disparity in singlebat capabilities, with the greatest difference being in their ability to withstand attacks. Now, the enemy also had all sorts of crude,ughable, but absolutely formidable heavy firepower and equipment... This was already a very huge threat. Well, Gu Hang had been nning to wait two days to call for orbital bombardment beforeunching a full counterattack, but now were those Green Skins going tounch a full-scale attack first? Luckily, this intelligence was gathered in advance. Had they been caughtpletely unprepared by such an onught, there would have been serious trouble. Gu Hang was considering solutions. First and foremost, the mobilization of troops must be elerated. The troops that were resting at the joint military camp now had to be urgently assembled. The soldiers currently on the front lines had actually been reduced to about fifty thousand strong. Roughly another fifty thousand were resting and reorganizing in the rear. Even though the front line was short-handed by half, it was definitely much more stable than when those adventurers from Rubbish Town were stationed there. The soldiers, who had been reorganized and equipped more reliably, and whose military skills had dramatically improved, were much more effective than the adventurers. But wasn''t the n to prepare for an onught, even a full counterattack? The follow-up troops, of course, needed to be brought forward as a reserve force, ready to be deployed at a moment''s notice. Of course, if they weren''t needed at all, that would be for the best. The orbital strike firepower that had been requested previously from Yelisia was meant to address this kind of situation, wasn''t it? If those Green Skins were scattered, hiding in the ruins of the city, they would be difficult to hit. Orbital strikes may be powerful, but could they reduce an already ruined city to dust? Those Green Skins hiding in the rubble, with their strong vitality; those in the core area of the bombardment would be doomed, buried alive. But those in the peripheral areas might well survive. Now, however, they had gathered together and even cleared an open space to use as a staging ground for their attack. Wasn''t this just setting themselves up to be targeted? Gu Hang was even tempted to ask Yelisia to first conduct a small-scale, yet more targeted bombardment. With a few ''Heat Hammer'' Colossal Cannons and ten ''Scalpel'' shipborne missiles directed at that staging ground, it might not be possible to kill all the Green Skins assembled there, but taking out ny percent of them was likely doable. But after some thought, Gu Hang restrained this tempting impulse. Haste won''t bring sess. To strike now would not maximize benefits. Yelisia could secure just one chance for bombardment; it had to be timed well. Be patient, just a little more patient. What he needed to do now was ensure that his troops were ready for any challenge and for taking the offensive before patiently waiting for front-line reports to make his decisions. ... Deep within the ruins of a tall tower, while on the move, Matins suddenly posed a question to Schneider by his side: "These Green Skins are not quite right, do you feel it?" After pondering for a moment, Schneider replied, "They themselves are not a problem, they''re no different from the Green Skins we''ve eliminated in the past." "That is the biggest problem." Matins said, "They shouldn''t be this powerful. Their numbers are not enough, just a few tens of thousands, insufficient to sustain a disaster. If the Green Skin sporesnded on this due to some reason, took root and sprouted, and then this tribe developed from scratch, by this stage, at this number, they should only be able to maintain a very primitive state of technology. Even the natives of Rubbish Town who gave those Green Skins some intelligence in battle to elerate their development shouldn''t have allowed them to reach this level of technology so quickly." "Are you suggesting that these Green Skins did not develop purely from the local environment?" Schneider''s attitude became more cautious. If that were the case, and these Green Skins came from a powerful, interster tribe, it would be a big problem. But soon, Schneider dismissed the idea: "It''s unlikely. No reports have ever suggested Rage Owl Star has been attacked by an extraterrestrial force. If a Green Skin tribe with star-traveling capabilities set its sights on this, they wouldn''t just send a very small team. Severalrge warships carrying hundreds of thousands or even millions of Green Skins to rapidly reproduce and inundate the¡ªthat''s their usual modus operandi." Matins agreed with Schneider''s reasoning: "That''s what makes this whole affair contradictory. We must remind our brothers not to treat these Green Skins as mere savage or primitive orcs. They must heighten their vignce. Losing a brother in the battle at Revival City Outer Power nt is something I truly do not wish to see again." Hearing the squad leader speak this way, the other four also fell silent. They spoke no further. Following the Green Skins'' supply routes and troop reinforcements to track down the enemy headquarters was not challenging. By the evening of the second day of their journey, they had already found their target. Those Green Skins were, of course, busy preparing for war. Their headquarters were brightly lit, and their factories were bustling. Chapter 194: 149, Orbital Bombardment_2 Interster warriors of Storm Squad didn''t have the capability to infiltrate the enemy''s main base. After all, without the conditions for disguised reconnaissance, cross-species exploration can only go so far. But it was enough. They marked the location of the Green-Skin main base, their munitions factory, and then in the surrounding area, they found threerge-scale breeding farms. Those huge, tropical nt-like things had grown sturdily amidst the urban ruins. Just as Matins had told Gu Hang before, this was definitely not an ideal ce for the Green Skin Orcs to breed and thrive. Even though these Greens Skins had tried their best to clear a rtively t area, exposing the soil and diverting waterflows as much as possible, the soil was unsuitable, the light insufficient, and the water resources not abundant enough... The Green Skins were resilient enough to grow in such an environment, breeding one batch after another. It was now the ''harvesting'' season for the Green Skin nts. They saw with their own eyes, under the lights, the crooked nts with huge seed pods hanging down, something seemed to be wriggling inside, and then suddenly, the pods opened, and a Green Skin creature would fall out. Such a process kept happening before their eyes. Most of the time, the creatures that fell out were of varying sizes but simr in form to beasts. These creatures, known as Skuggs, were a domesticated livestock bred by the Orc herders and had always been part of the Green Skin tribes. These creaturescked intelligence and were vicious by nature, with sharp teeth and mouths that could open exaggeratedly wide. In fact, in the Green Skins'' ecosystem, they served the role of livestock. Some were used for grooming, some for food, some raised by the Orc kids as pets, and thergest ones could even be ridden into battle. These Skuggs fed on various kinds of trash. Skuggs ate what the Orcs wouldn''t, and the Orcs ate Skuggs in return. They, along with fungi, were a major food source for the Orcs. Besides the Skugg Beasts, the second most numerous were the ''fart spirits.'' They were the Orcs'' servants, cannon fodder, and also a source of food when necessary. And fewer in number were the regr Green Skin Orcs. Whether Skugg Beasts, ''fart spirits,'' or Orcs, all of them were in an adult state the moment they hit the ground. This breeding farm was indeed in its harvest season. If the three breeding farms they found operated with such efficiency andpleted their incubation, there would probably be an additional twenty thousand Green Skin Orcs and at least fifty or sixty thousand ''fart spirits'' within a month. Matins was grateful that he had seriously warned Gu Hang of the risks involved and was relieved that Gu Hang heeded his warning, not ignoring the threat. Otherwise, they would have been in big trouble. What followed was rtively simple. It was just a matter of marking the coordinates. They couldn''t be very precise because they were still some distance away from their targets when marking them. Even at that distance, they encountered Green Skins a few times but silently took them out. Given the disciplinary standards of the Green Skins, losing a few individuals likely wouldn''t be noticed¡ªthey lose plenty every day just from their internal brawls and revelry. But even if the markings weren''t exactly precise, it didn''t matter much. An approximate location would suffice. The Colossal Cannon''s area of impact was still veryrge. A ''scalpel'' missile could almost destroy a small wind farm, not to mention the far more powerful Colossal Cannon and the Wrath of Loyalty, arge-scale Colossal Cannon. Of course, to increase efficiency, they still assigned different value levels to these ces. The two highest value points were the main base and the departure position where the Green-Skin Army was gathering. The next priorities were the munitions factory, the breeding farms, and the locations within the Green-Skin Army where the killing jars were positioned. Then, they marked a bunch of ces that they couldn''t explore thoroughly but suspected were of value. Afterpleting these tasks, they moved away from the Green Skin main base and then notified Mr. Gu. Soon after, they received a reply from the governor: "Leave the area as soon as possible, you have 14 hours to get out of the orbital strike''s range. Please ensure your safety, and after the orbital strike is over, confirm the results of the strike." "Received." "You''ve worked hard." ... After replying to the special task force''s message, Gu Hang let out a deep breath. All preparations were finallyplete. He contacted Yelisia again, provided the relevant strike coordinates, and informed the female colonel that all actions were proceeding as nned. The orbital strike would arrive as scheduled at 11:00 Terra standard time the next day. His troops wouldplete their pre-battle preparations before then, eating a good meal, and after the orbital bombardment ended, they wouldunch an attack against the enemy in front. The Green Skin Orc front with which they were faced would not be subjected to overly intense bombardment, only a few ''scalpel'' missiles would precisely hit several key points, the Colossal Cannon would not strike here. The main reason was that the power of the Colossal Cannon was too great, its coverage too broad, and its precision,pared to ''scalpel'' missiles, was less reliable. A slight deviation and it could easily cover their own positions as well. It was better to use a few ''scalpel'' sts, and then leave the rest to their own troops. Chapter 195: 149, Orbital Bombardment_3 ... At the front line, Lucy Lee Ko Xi, themander of the 3rd Independent Regiment who was earnestly striving to regain the title of "Beast ughter Group," had just concluded a battle meeting and seen off Colonel Tadeusz, the inspector general of the army''s political work. Colonel Tadeusz had conveyed the Governor''s orders to them, announcing in a meeting attended by all military chiefs of staff frompany level upwards and political instructors that the 3rd Independent Regiment would be the fist, the vanguard, in theprehensive counteroffensive at noon the next day. Their objective was to tear open the Green Skins'' defenses right at the middle section of the entire defensive line,pletely seize their positions, split the frontline into two, and create a gap for the mechanized three Composite Camps to prate. Afterwards, once the subsequent friendly forces took over the position, and troops were allocated, apanying one Composite Camp, they were to execute a sweeping movement to the north side, cut off the retreat space of the northern Green Skin Orcs, andplete an encirclement with the forces on the front, thoroughly annihting the Green Skin Orcs present. All themanding officers and warriors silently listened to Tadeusz recounting the battle objectives and demands. The silence continued. But this was by no means fear or dread. Li Kexi could see a fire in the eyes of his subordinates. And he felt the same way. They had waited for too long. "All right, everyone go back," Li Kexi broke the silence. "Return to yourpanies and get ready. There are 13 hours left until tomorrow noon. The staff will break down tomorrow''s assault mission, and by tomorrow morning at thetest, it will be in your hands. This is the battle we have long awaited, and an opportunity we wouldn''t even dare to dream of in the past. I have just one request: fight beautifully! We must honor those we have lost, the hatred for which we wouldy down our lives to avenge, and the opportunity the Governor has given us!" "Roar!" The officers stood up thunderously, then returned to their respective troops. Andre Alexey, the politicalmissar assigned to the Independent Regiment, was somewhat at a loss. He had just been thinking of using his position as a political officer to boost the morale of the officers, only to find it seemed entirely unnecessary. Commander Li Kexi patted his shoulder without offering much in the way of exnation. The warriors of the Beast ughter Group had no idea how many of them could truly sleep well. But they would force themselves to rest properly, all for the sake of showing their best in the battle of the following day. The night was exceptionally long. ... No matter how long the dark night, there alwayses an end. As daylight brightened, Li Kexi, who had awakened, went to inspect the front lines of the troops. He watched the soldiers eat, he observed them checking and maintaining their weapons, he saw officers conversing with the warriors... All of this strangely settled his anxious heart. They had done everything they could, only waiting for the order to attack. The issued pocket watches ticked to eleven o''clock at noon. The order to attack had not yet been given, but he first saw many red dots vaguely appearing in the sky. A meteor shower? No, he quickly dismissed that thought. These must be part of the powerful strike Colonel Tadeusz had mentioned earlier. At the time, he had thought that the rear artillery positions would fire relentlessly, but it seemed that wasn''t all. He watched those red meteors streaking across the sky, getting closer and closer, then falling onto the ruins that stretched as far as the eye could see. Immediately thereafter, two huge, almost city-epassing spheres of light, suddenly appeared. Along with those two enormous orbs of light, there were many smaller ones, but because of the obstruction from the ruins, they didn''t seem quite as distinct. The scene felt strangely peculiar, with only brightness and no sound, as if watching a silent film. But the thing they were waiting for soon arrived. The earth was shaking. It was as if there had been an earthquake, with some soldiers, who hadn''t secured their footing, even staggering about. Even some of the ruins that had been weakened by artillery fire during previous battles copsed amidst this tremor. Fortunately, the fortifications they were hiding in had been specially reinforced, so there were no casualties as a result. Then came the shockwave, apanied by a tremendous noise! It was like a gust of wind blowing through, carrying with it a sensation of scorching heat, causing many to retreat several steps, feeling a heavy pressure in their chests. Although physically ufortable, from Li Kexi down, all the soldiers of the 3rd Independent Regiment felt immensely relieved in their hearts! The explosion had urred deep within the ruins of the tall towers, where the Green Skin Orcs were most concentrated! If the aftermath of the explosion could be felt so clearly from dozens of kilometers away, whether it be the searing heat or the shockwave... what about those Green Skins at the epicenter? Even if those monsters had much stronger resilience than humans, they could not possibly survive such an onught! As long as they could eliminate the enemies before them, this Green Skin disaster that had spread over several years and had be increasingly severe would end by their hands! Li Kexi was already eager tomand his troops to charge. But it wasn''t time yet. The order to attack had still note. Instead, a whistling sound came from overhead. The artillery positions in the rear began to assert their power. On the joint artillery grounds, a hundred 155mm howitzers were lined up in sequence, barrels pointed towards the sky, firing without interruption. The production of artillery shells was limited, and Weixing City had to produce a lot to sustain the logistical supply for an army totaling hundreds of thousands, including armored vehicles, bullets, guns, equipment, explosives, hand grenades, rocketunchers, and cannons... They had been working hard to increase the production of shells, but it still couldn''t withstand too intense a consumption. However, since today had been decided as the day for the final battle, there was no need to conserve anymore. Hundreds of cannons fired at full speed, raining down shell after shell on the Orc positions at a rate of five hundred rounds per minute. This was an all-out barrage like never before, with the artillerymen no longer caring about the lifespan of their barrels or the consumption of shells. They nned to drop 15,000 heavy shells on the Green Skin Orc positions within half an hour, and the total stock of shells left was just under twenty thousand. The remaining four to five thousand shells were not to be conserved either, but kept in reserve to coordinate with the infantry charge. While the artillery was firing, Lucy Lee Ko Xi finally received themand to attack. He impatiently ryed the charge orders to the entire regiment. More than five thousand soldiers of the 3rd Independent Regiment needed to move within about two hundred meters of the enemy''s positions within 25 minutes and stand by. They had five minutes to rest, and at the moment the bombardment ceased, they wouldunch a full-force attack on the Orc positions. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It''s the end of the month, and over the month we''ve already written 135,000 words. There are still four days left, which leaves a gap of 25,000 words from the 160,000 word target. Here''s to striving for 6K or more each day over these next four days! Chapter 196: Chapter 150, The Death Iron Can The private of the 3rd Infantry Corps, A¨¦ro Rakrosha, had never even in his wildest dreams imagined such a horrific scene unfolding before him. It could only be described as cataclysmic! The lowly soldier had no idea about any orbit-strike ns from higher-ups, he only knew that a meteor shower had streaked across the sky and struck the Core Area of the High Tower Ruins in the distance, followed by the earth shattering! Not to mention the scorching wind that blew, the shockwave, the massive noise... at the very least, just the things he saw with his eyes were enough to astonish him. It was as if tworge, and many small suns had risen from deep within the ruins of the high tower. Then, the High Tower Ruins he had grown so familiar with over the past few years had changed beyond recognition. Despite being ruins, there were still ndmark buildings.'' Many of the city''s skyscrapers had copsed, but a considerable number remained in ce. The high-rise buildings erected by pre-war technology were meant to stand for centuries, and rightly so. No matter how derelict they looked, they simply would not fall. Many battles around these tall structures of the pre-war era, all those bullets and artillery fire, had not managed to bring them down. Even a 155mm howitzer, hitting those standing buildings, would only scrape off some surface or further scramble the already haphazard structure inside, but aplete copse had never happened. But this massive bombardment from the sky not only achieved that, it went ''overboard.'' Not only the pre-war skyscraper ruins had copsed, but in the central area, there were no longer any forests of high buildings to be seen. From Lacroix''s viewpoint looking into the depths of the ruins, it was as if some monster had bitten off a huge chunk of the steel jungle, leaving a vast absence. Before he could recover from the shock, a continuous whistling sound came from overhead. He was familiar with the sound, having heard it often over the past month. But he had never heard it this densely. Before he had time to think further, themand of the toon leader was passed down level by level, the squad leader ordered to move out, and he quickly gathered his thoughts to follow the troops. As he advanced toward the front lines, he felt his body heat up. He couldn''t tell if it was due to the rapid marching or the excitement bubbling up from the bottom of his heart. Continuous booming explosions came from the direction he was heading towards. That was the sound of artillery bombardment falling on the Green Skin Orcs'' positions. During the advance, he was still nervous, fearing that an artillery shell mighte hurling in or a Green Skin armed pickup might appear. These things had been their nightmare for some time. But none of that happened. When he and hisrades arrived a mere hundred or two hundred meters away from the Green Skin Orcs'' positions, he clearly understood why there had been no resistance on the way: The Green Skins had been blown away, what strength did they have left to stop them? Those artillery pieces, those armed pickups, had probably been blown to bits long ago. He only waited there for five or six minutes, but he had already seen hundreds of shells smash into the positions in front of them. The intense bombardment made his head numb. To be honest, Lacroix was still quite fearful at this position. If those shells deviated slightly, they wouldnd right on their heads; even if they did not hit, being only a hundred or two hundred meters away, he could still clearly feel the power of the explosion. Even the officers kept tirelessly warning the soldiers below to not let their chests and abdomens touch the ground while lying in wait, and though it might be ufortable, to prop up their bodies. This was to avoid the shock waveing from the ground, which could damage their internal organs. They stood by in this position for seven minutes. ording to the squad leader, they had arrived a bit earlier than the scheduled time. Lacroix didn''t understand these details since he didn''t even have a watch. He only knew that now the time hade, it was time to charge. He was still a bit afraid. It wasn''t fear of the Green Skins, for how many would be left alive after such a bombardment? Even if a good number survived, it was just a matter of shooting it out; he had a gun, and if they got too close, he''d fix bays and fight it out. What he feared was the artillerymen behind him having a shaky hand, which would mean his end. But he charged anyway. Crossing the two hundred meters, they broke into the Green Skins'' positions and quickly sought out all potential defensive points where Green Skins might exist. Intermittent resistance gunfire emanated. Clearly, not all of the Green Skins were dead. In the copsed houses, in the narrow holes formed by toppled multyered reinforced concrete, there still lurked some Green Skin Orcs who had survived the artillery strike. As the human soldiers mounted their attack, they emerged from various ces, howling as they counter-charged. But their numbers were too few. In front of Lacroix, three appeared. He and hisrades began shooting immediately. The squads in his toon were not far apart, over thirty guns aimed at these three Green Skins, showering them with concentrated fire. The Green Skins fired back, but they only managed to get off two shots each before they were hit by nearly a hundred bullets and killed. As for theirst stand, they merely managed to break a soldier''s leg. Chapter 197: Chapter 150, The Deathly Iron Can_2 The soldier with the broken leg had hisrades dragging him back, where the follow-up logistics support would take over and ry him back to the field hospital in the rear. The remaining men continued to advance. The artillery fire from the rear was still ongoing, the intensity had diminished a bit, but the target area of the bombardment shrunk from the full coverage of the green-skinned positions to a smaller scope, roughly covering only about two hundred meters in front of the infantry. The coordination of infantry and artillery was such that, after they cleared the area, the artillery barrage would extend another two hundred meters forward, and the newly vacant area would be scouted by the infantry as they moved ahead. This process would repeat four times until they broke through the enemy positions that stretched about eight hundred meters wide. Truth be told, the only thing Lacroix was genuinely afraid of during the whole operation was his own gunners having shaky hands. The heavy artillery sting around two hundred meters in front of him was indeed frightful. As for the green skins? He had seen green-skinned corpses scattered all over the ground, mutted beyond recognition, finding an intact body was difficult. asionally, a few living ones would pop up, but they were scattered and met with dozens of guns firing at them, posing no real threat. To be honest, apart from the fear brought by his own artillery, Lacroix''s greatest feeling was... a bit of boredom? Of course, he knew this feeling of his was somewhat absurd. A bit further ahead, he and hisrades entered a ruin with four walls. The roof of the building was covered with a resting concrete b, likely hit by a shell, with smoke still billowing out. There was a fifty-fifty chance that it was empty; the other fifty percent was that it contained green skins mangled beyond human recognition or still alive yet equally disfigured. If they encountered thetter, they would just deliver a few shots to end their lives. Even so, ording to tactical protocols, they still had to go in and make sure it was cleared. This time, they ran into an unlikely event. With a loud ''bang'' of a gunshot, the first brother to enter had half his face blown open, his helmet was sted away by therge-caliber green skin weapon, and his body fell backward violently. Lacroix was second in line. He instinctively took a step back, opening up a position to raise his gun easily. His G9A assault rifle began to wildly sweep the pitch-dark space inside. He couldn''t see the target, so he fired blindly. Hisrades from the same squad rushed over and, like him, poured bullets inside. Lacroix was the first to empty his magazine. He deftly straightened the bay, then, once the others in his squad had ceased fire, he rushed in first. In the darkness, he vaguely saw a monstrous figure taller than himself approaching, with a pungent odor. His mind went nk, but his hands moved in the most standard position, thrusting the bay forward. Immediately, he felt a huge resistance; he had struck something. He pushed forward desperately, twisting the rifle. The resistance made him step back a few paces, but it quickly lost its strength and was fiercely pushed down by him. Lacroix fell as well. He felt his clothes were wet, stained with the stench of fresh blood. Suddenly, severalrades from his squad rushed in. Someone pulled him up, while others stabbed at the corpse under him with their bays. The green skin was indeed dead. Upon leaving the narrow bunker, and with the help of light, Lacroix saw that he was indeed in a sorry state, covered in blood. But it seemed all to be green skin blood; he did not feel injured, only a bit shaky in his arm from overexertion. As he regained his senses, he was amazed that he had actually managed to kill a green skin with a bay! Although the creature had probably been severely wounded from the earlier gunfire and suffered multiple injuries, it was ultimately he who had delivered the killing blow. Looking around, he noticed that along with himself, there were only six men left. The one who had entered before him and had his head shot off was the fourth from their squad to die. Today, only two had been killed; the other two had died over the past half-month; their squad hadn''t been replenished with new soldiers. He became more alert, and the previous thoughts of ''boredom'' had flown far away. The squad leader came over, patted him on the shoulder, and shouted in his ear, "Good job! But private! We don''t have time to rest now! Move out!" The war, was still harsh. ... Li Kexi also felt that war was cruel. The heavy artillery had cleared a wave of enemies for them, especially with such intense fire. The remaining number of the enemy was not much, but during the close-quarters clearance, his soldiers still paid a considerable price. Of course, it wasn''t to the exaggerated extent of Lacroix''s infantry squad, which lost six and had two wounded, mainly because they were the vanguard and so their plight was somewhat worse. The overall casualty rate for the regiment was around 2%. They had lost about a hundred warriors, eliminating over two hundred scattered green skins that emerged. As for the total death count of green skins in this position, that was harder to estimate. The heavy artillery had been firing for more than an hour; at least five thousand shells had exploded here, the number of dead green skins was at least over five hundred. Of course, this was an estimated figure, many bodies were too mutted or buried under the rubble to be precisely counted, so it could only be said that the number was much more than five hundred. Chapter 198: Chapter 150, The Deathly Iron Can_3 The artillery bombardment had now basically ceased, guessing that the gunners had almost exhausted their shells. However, the target area that their 3rd Infantry Corps needed to conquer had also been cleared by them. Two Composite Camps from the 1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade swiftly moved through the breach they had created, followed by each moving south and north to start encircling the Green Skin Orcs. The rest of the allied forces had also begun a full-scale offensive. Leaving two battalions to hold the position, severing the connection between the Green Skins to the south and north of the front line, while the main force, led by Major Perbov of the 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, started maneuvering northward. However, it was the southern part of the Green Skin positions, now divided, that ended the battle first. Not many Green Skins survived there, especially at the far south, which had been previously overrun by the 7th Garrison Division 4th Regiment. The fortifications were almost entirely destroyed, and although the Green Skins recaptured it after the retreat, the quickly rebuilt defenses were clearly subpar, and the artillery had nearly wiped out all the Green Skins there. Compared to the southern positions, the north theoretically had more troops engaged, with the 3rd Independent Regiment also joining the encirclement of the enemy. But the Green Skins that were alive there, especially inrge numbers, and more importantly, there was a Green Skin leader present. ... The presence of a powerful leader among the Green Skin Orcs makes a night-and-day difference in their performance. Without a leader, they would squabble amongst themselves, unable to form a group, recklessly charging without thinking; with a leader, even though they were still mostly reckless and thoughtless, they at least could act in unison. Roast Axe was such an Orc leader,manding great influence. He was the second-inmand within the n, only subordinate to the Big Ripper leader,manding many strong underlings. He knew that ording to the elders, ording to Big Ripper''s n, they were about tounch a full assault on those shrimps. Many big booms, along with many big tanks, big cans, were all ready and Big Ripper had even sent him the secondrgest one to the front line in advance to calm his mind. This was bigger than a Murder Can; the elders called this thing the Fear Big Can. Even though to operate it, it would require sawing off one''s legs and integrating them into the machinery, inserting many tubes into one''s brain and spine, never to leave it again for life. But... so what? With such a powerful thing, one could hack, shoot, and st with many barrels more exhratingly... no Green Skin would want toe out of such a device, right? Once inside the Fear Big Can, Roast Axe was in constant pain and torment, only able to alleviate it by killing. He couldn''t wait to lead his boys and ughter all those shrimps. But Big Ripper kept telling him to endure, endure, endure. Enduring, he endured until the sky-breaking, earth-shattering bombardment came. Where was more support from the big machines? Gone, all of it! What to do now? Up to this point, they were surrounded by shrimps from all directions, and if this continued, even if he and his boys fought bravely, it would all be over. Under his call, at least four hundred Green Skin Orcs gathered around him. He led this team of Green Skins to break out towards the east. On this path, they bore a sense of invincibility, ying anyone who blocked their way, may it be gods or buddhas. Roast Axe, now encased within the Fear Big Can, stood four meters tall, muchrger and stronger than an ordinary Murder Can, and its armor strength had even surpassed the power armor of a Star Warrior. Bullets fired at him had very little effect, unable to breach the defense; a group ofmanders organized dozens of rocketunchers for a concentrated volley, killing several Green Skins, but Roast Axe, who was the main target, took the bombardment head-on with minimal damage. That thing even targeted themander, charging forward, cutting down any soldiers in its way like chopping melons and slicing vegetables, with multibarrel autocannons firing, with wheels of sawtooth des sweeping, dozens of infantry soldiers butchered along the way. Themander tried to retreat in the face of imminent danger but failed to do so, with the instructor killed by the autocannon, and themander himself bisected at the waist by the sawtooth. The entire battalion was routed, and even that particr breach was difficult to reinforce in the short term. Thankfully, Major Perbov''s battalion had maneuvered into position. But even so, the interception was extremely difficult. Whether it was the Strider V or the home-produced ''Challenger'' Tanks, they were all at risk of being torn apart in the presence of the Fear Big Can! The autocannons mounted on the armored vehicles had difficulty hitting the Big Can. Despite its wild shape and massive size, its agility was not weak at all, and the gun turrets had less than perfect uracy. Even with a substantial number of bullets hitting, they merely left small dents on its metallic armor, failing to prate. inly put, the caliber was insufficient. Even the 76mm tank gun of the ''Challenger'' Tank seemed inadequate. Mainly, the local artillery technology wasn''t up to par, with shell velocity alsocking; despite the caliber, it struggled to prate armor. Of course, the tank''s effectiveness was still somewhat better than that of the autocannons. Unless there was a barrage of hundreds of autocannon rounds concentrated on it, or dozens of sessful hits from 76mm tank shells, whereby metal fatigue would rupture the armor of the Fear Big Can, there was no dealing with Roast Axe. On the other hand, he could approach close to armored vehicles, his massive pincers even capable of grasping the vehicle''s head, causing deformation; a few seconds of direct fire from the multibarrel autocannon could breach the armor, killing those inside; and a spray of sparks would fly as the wheel of sawtooth des cut through the armor te... Chapter 199: Chapter 150, The Deathly Iron Can_4 He did it, using various methods, he destroyed two armored vehicles, two tanks. Infantry pressed forward, again trying to attack with rocketunchers, but could only achieve rtively minor effects, unable to deliver a decisive blow. To annihte this terrifying steel behemoth, one must either bombard it with enough firepower after making substantial sacrifices, until it is blown apart. If dripping water can wear away stone, then imagine the effect of thousands upon thousands of various bullets and artillery shells smashing into it. But the sacrifice required was too great, before the ''Waaagh'' force field was destroyed, it was uncertain how many people would die and how manybat vehicles would be damaged on our side. Another n was to st it with 155mm howitzers. This was a reliable approach; a couple of hits, or even a single direct hit, might well be enough to aplish the mission of destroying it. However, this n would also result in significant casualties¡ªmainly from friendly fire. But there was no other choice. If they didn''t find a way to deal with it, the human troops wouldn''tst until the steel beast was destroyed and would be breached, allowing the orcs to break through. Perbov gritted his teeth, ordered some of the troops to press forward, and at the same time called for an artillery barrage from the rear. Many of the soldiers from his First Battalion of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade were within the targeted area. When the artillery came down, many of his brothers would be killed in the st. His heart bled, but not only could he not allow his warriors to retreat, he strictly ordered them not to fall back. This was trading the lives of soldiers for tactical gains. "Let our soldiers pull back." Just then, this sentence echoed in Perbov''s mind. It was the voice of the Governor. Perbov was stunned for a moment, but quickly came to his senses, altered the orders, and had the soldiers fall back. As the armored vehicles and infantry began to retreat, hiding in bunkers, the terrifying steel behemoth was about to give chase. However, suddenly, a strange power caused it to freeze in its tracks. It wasn''tpletely immobilized, but it was as if it had lost its controller, its massive body momentarily halted. This was Gu Hang''s doing! The Governor himself had joined the assault team and had arrived on the battlefield. It wasn''t that he was particrly concerned about his own safety, this was a battle destined for victory, and as a Spiritual Energy user, he wasn''tcking self-defense capabilities. In this battle, as long as he didn''t wish to die, it was unlikely he would. Meanwhile, his presence not only boosted the troop''s morale but also addressed some special issues. Like the orc leader they were currently facing. His Spiritual Energy abilities yed an important role! Gu Hang had no interest in engaging the steel behemoth in a test of pure strength; that would be a foolish move. Although his Spiritual Energy was not weak, to confront such a mechanical monstrosity of steel was folly. What he controlled was the orc leader inside the iron behemoth itself. Clearly, as formidable as the orc war machine was, itcked the Spiritual Energy resistance provided by Interster Warrior Powered Armor. Against Spiritual Energy, thisrge contraption had no defense. However, the orc leader''s ''Waaagh'' Force Field was quite formidable. Gu Hang had to use all his might to attack the part of the soul representing the central nervous system through soul cutting. This was difficult, only slightly easier than killing the soul itself. Gu Hang''s strike could only temporarily immobilize it; after about one or two minutes, it would recover. But, this period was long enough for the 155mm howitzer shells to arrive from the artillery position in the rear. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª 6k! Three days left, still 19,000 words short. Quite the challenge. Chapter 200 : 151, its so big, so green The axe-wielding warrior, along with the dreadful iron tank he was piloting, was blown to death by fifty descending 155mm howitzer shells. The dense barrage smashed down; just as he regained power, he had no time to escape the st zone. Even if his armor was extremely strong, it couldn''t withstand such intensive artillery bombardment. Of course, in this process, coteral damage was inevitable. Within two minutes, quite a few of our soldiers couldn''t make it to a safe ce in time. Even if they found cover on the spot, being too close to the explosion meant they still couldn''t avoid death. But this was a necessary price to pay. Gu Hang''s proactive strike merely minimized this cost. Saving a hundred or two hundred soldiers was, of course, valuable. The death of the axe-wielding warrior also signaled that the Green Skin Orcs'' front, which had been confronting the human forces for over a month, hadpletely copsed. Furthermore, with their morale shattered, the Green Skins had no path of escape. With human forces encircling them from all sides, even if they could fly or burrow, escape was still no easy feat. And this was precisely Gu Hang''s goal. What he wanted was not just a defeat, but an upromising annihtion. Although the casualties, on the whole, were not few, with more than a thousand soldiers likely wounded or killed in the full assault, the victory achieved was at least four thousand Green Skins annihted. Among the enemies, 70% perished under the initial rain of artillery fire. It was at this time that Gu Hang saw a new change in his "Event" panel. [Event: Green Skin Threat] [Mysteriously appearing on this, the Green Skin Orcs had grown into a formidable threat over the years. But under your leadership, the valiant warriors not only held off the Green Skin Orcs'' incursions but, with orbital bombardments, artillery cover, and full-scale assaults, annihted their main force. Yet, whether it''s the intelligence gathered from the front or your own feeling, these Green Skin Orcs seem unusual. They don''t appear to be wild orcs independently evolving on Rage Owl Star, nor do they seem like space orcs invading from beyond the stars.] [Phase 1 Objective: Completed] [Phase 1 Reward: T5-level additional troop training option ¨C Beast ughter Group, obtained] [Phase 2 Objective: Ascertain the cause of the Green Skins'' rise.] [Phase 2 Reward: Important intelligence data] ... The reward for the first phase of the "Green Skin Threat" event had been distributed in the "Event" panel. Gu Hang was now able to see the "Beast ughter Group" training option among the additional troop types on the "Troop Card" interface. As long as the unit is T5 or above, by spending some extra grace, they could add some special attack effects against the Green Skin Orcs. As for the ''Beast yer'' Trait, that the 3rd Independent Regiment got for free, it could be counted as part of the rewards for the first phase, saving him sixty points of grace. The second phase, on the other hand, was something Gu Hang intended to do anyway. But he was somewhat intrigued by the reward of so-called "important intelligence data." What could it be? He would find out in time. After briefly checking the updated event information, Gu Hang no longer paid attention to it. The situation on the battlefield was still the foremost priority. After copsing the main resistance of the Green Skin Orcs, the bulk of the troops took a rest on the spot, and at 5 p.m., they unifiedly consumed the dinner supplied by the logistics, rested for another hour and a half, and departed at 6:30 p.m. toward the depths of the Tower Ruins. This was not considered rash. There were likely still a few Green Skins surviving in this area, but they were no longer of significance. It wasn''t feasible topletely ignore them, as subsequent forces would still need to fulfill their missions deep within the Tower Ruins, and logistics supplies also had to be transported through this area, so the security of this ce still needed to be safeguarded. Therefore, Gu Hang left behind the Sixth and Seventh Garrison Divisions, one to the north and one to the south, responsible for continuing to eliminate any possible surviving scattered Green Skins within the area and to serve as a reserve force to ensure the safety of the supply line. Let''s put aside the mopping-up task for a moment; it wasn''t difficult anymore. And the main force advancing deeper faced no real difficulties either. The previous orbital bombardment was no joke. Under such a scale of strikes, very few Green Skins could have survived. Especially the most crucial targets: the departure positions of the Green Skin offensive forces and their main camp had been the focus of the strikes. Other areas received lighter firepower, but there were inherently fewer Green Skins there to begin with. As the troops advanced, indeed they still asionally encountered some isted Green Skins, but they posed no threat. Of course, for the sake of safety and future progress, every twenty kilometers traveled, one Garrison Division would still be left behind. While ensuring supply routes, they also had to take on the duty of eliminating the local Green Skin Orcs. Fast forward to nearly midnight that same day, the troops arrived at the rallying point of the Green Skin Orcs, which had been reported by the interster warriors. ording to thetest intelligence before the orbit bombardment, this ce was meant to have gathered over 4000 Green Skin Orcs and three times that number of cannon fodder grunts, along with a significantlyrger number of heavy-duty equipment, more sophisticated than anything encountered before. However, now all that was left was a vast crater and a vast expanse of wreckage. In the center of the Green Skin rendezvousy an immense crater, empty. Atop this massive crater, logically enough to contain thousands of individuals, there was now no trace to be found. Chapter 201 : 151, Its So Big, So Green_2 The very definition of ''obliteration''. On the outskirts of the crater, some suspicious debris began to appear. Looking at the scraps, one could roughly guess that they probably belonged to the bodies or equipment pieces of Green Skin Orcs. But that was just conjecture. Pieces without any discernible shape, stuff that had melted and then cooled down, were all there was to specte with. Further away, there were parts that could be identified as belonging to something before destruction, like fingers, halves of thighs, and in these areas, the bodies tended to be more concentrated. Even further out, one could see some individual pieces ofplete equipment wreckage, such as overturned, charred and tattered trucks, immobilized killing machines, and rtively intact scorched corpses. The Green Skin Orcs, once boasting with pride and ready to depart to annihte everything, had suffered a catastrophic blow here. It was uncertain whether any Green Skin Orcs survived on the fringes of the bombardment zone, but even if there were any, they were certainly few and no doubt they would have already fled. Gu Hang was quite satisfied with the effects of the strike. However, there was one slight unease troubling him: why had the space marines not reported the effects of the strike to him before? This was not supposed to happen. The special operations team had marked the targets for the strike more than a dozen hours ago and left the range that could be affected by the orbital strike. They had more than ten hours to evacuate, which should not have been a problem. Even, there was no need to retreat so far, just maintaining a certain distance and ensuring their own positions were not marked for orbital strike would suffice to avoid fire from space, and naturally, they would be safe. After the orbital strike had ended and the maic field for wirelessmunication stabilized, they had a conversation with Gu Hang, reporting their safety, indicating they were not affected by the orbital bombardment, and upon Gu Hang''s request, they went to the two most important targets: the assembly area of the Green-Skin Army and their headquarters, to investigate the impact of the orbital strike. In all logic, given their distance, they should have been able to report back very quickly. Yet, the reality was therge force that Gu Hang led had already witnessed the situation at the Green Skin Orc assembly area, but the special operations team, which should have reported back by now, had not transmitted any message. It was now midnight, far into the night. Every officer had been involved in a battle since eleven in the morning, continuously pushing through the ruins, clearing out Green Skin Orcs. For thirteen hours, apart from a short rest at lunch, there had been no time for respite, and they were all very tired by now. It also wasn''t good to keep therge force moving. He found amunications soldier and sent out a radiomunication request to the Phoenix Battle Group. There was no response. His feeling of unease grew. He called Perbov over and arranged for his forces to move toward the direction of the reported Green Skin Orc headquarters for reconnaissance at break of dawn the following day, after getting some rest. If they encountered Green Skin Orcs along the way, they didn''t necessarily have to clear them out unless it was convenient; the main mission was to find traces of the special operations team. Gu Hang was quite anxious. Although there were five space marines in the action team, theoretically, there shouldn''t be any major problems, but... During the conflict with the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, they had lost a space marine, not to mention fighting Green Skin Orcs. Especially since these Green Skin Orcs seemed slightly different from the wild ones that developed independently from spores. Read thetest stories on M-VL-em|p,yr Wild Green Skin Orcs and space Green Skins were both Green Skins, with not much difference from physical structure to social form, except that thetter developed more robustly, with a higher level of technology, powerful Orc Warlords, and even an Orc n overlord. The most terrifying orc disaster in the legends urred seven thousand years ago, nearly destroying the entire Human Empire. However, excluding that kind of powerful space orc n, the ones that developed independently on certains without bing a gctic-scale threat were called wild orcs. The process of Green Skin infection spreading to another is difficult to trace. During one interster voyage, invisible Green Skin spores on some cargo might be taken aboard a spaceship. As the cargo is unloaded andnds on the ground, or is blown away by the wind and finds a suitable environment, it begins to take root and blossom, producing the first Skugg Beast. This ferocious little beast, in its hunting, fighting, when injured, during excretion, or upon death... secretions, the splitting spores give rise to more Skugg Beasts, impish critters, and eventually Orc juveniles. Generally, when the Green Skin ecosystem on a has not fully unfolded, the Green Skins exist in a primitive tribal state. They have neither technology to speak of nor any sort of organizational structure¡ªthey are essentially just a group of wild beasts with rtively high intelligence. They will fight each other, continuously struggling for power. After all, fighting is in the nature of Green Skin Orcs, and it doesn''t really matter to them whether their opponents are of the same tribe or not. Through the battles, they will select a Green Skin chief, who bes the leader of the tribe. The Green Skins forming the tribe will start fighting against anything nearby under the chief''s leadership. If they can''t find opponents, they will split and then start fighting themselves. Chapter 202: Chapter 151, Its So Big, So Green_3 During this process, their numbers would slowly spiral upwards. Many Green Skin Orcs would die in internal conflicts, but despite fluctuations, the overall poption continued to grow. At the same time, as more battles were fought and more Orcs were present, so their so-called ''Waaagh'' Force Field became increasingly potent. This force field was intricately rted to Spiritual Energy yet not quite the same; akin to some kind of ''idealist technology,'' it would make their tribal strength grow stronger, and their technology would inexplicably advance. Various weapons and equipment ''devised'' by the Orcs themselves and usable only by them would one day enable them to embark on a journey to the Star Sea. Of course, without external interference, this process would be incredibly lengthy. However, with external forces at y, such as if they consumed enough brains from other species or witnessed sufficient warfare technology from humans or other intelligent races, then the sparked Goblin Technicians, sly young Orc tech geniuses, and various other technically adept Greenskins would rapidly elerate the process. By this standard, in the ruins of Rage Owl Star''s tower, the Orc n that numbered merely in the tens of thousands shouldn''t have developed killer cans or terrify iron tanks. They had guns, they had thermal weapons, and that could be deemed as fast enough progress. Simrly, the reports from Rubbish Town in the past never mentionedrge-scale warsunched among substantial Green Skin factions. This isn''t quite consistent with the situation of wild Green Skins. But it''s even less equivalent to spacefaring Green Skins. If a Green Skin Tribe capable of crossing the Star Sea should set its eyes on Rage Owl Star, then it''s time to call it a night, for they would be unstoppable. The appearance of the Green Skin Orcs at the ruins of Rage Owl Star was indeed an exceptional case. It could also be that humanity''s research on the ecology of Green Skin Orcs was still inadequate, something that even the knowledge that Gu Hang had frantically been catching up ontely failed to elucidate. For this very reason, he felt concerned about the current situation of the special operations team. With such an unusually distinct Green-skin Orc Tribe, who could know whether an incident could arise that could catch even the star warriors off-guard? The Emperor''s Death Angels often lived up to their demi-godly reputation; but amidst thebat against the numerous ghouls and demons of the universe, sometimes they would die in droves. Green Skins were one of those many ''ghouls and demons.'' ... It wasn''t that Gu Hang was a jinx, but the special operations team really did run into major trouble. Setting the clock back to eleven in the morning, after the orbital strike hit, they indeed were unharmed. They patiently waited for some time, after the lingering effects of the bombardment dissipated and radiomunications were restored, they reported back to the governor that they were safe. Then, following the orders of the governor, they made their way to the site of the orbital bombardment. The primary investigation site was actually the gathering ce and the main base of the Green Skin Orcs. They went to the main base first. There, the scene was almost identical to where they set out from, also a huge crater with surrounding buildingspletely leveled. The differencey in the massacre here where there were many more goblin sages and orc artisans among the wreckage of Green Skin structures. That was about it. They wandered around the area of the strike, assessing the effects of the assault, while also keeping an eye out for any survivors nearby. The Green Skin Armory confirmed destroyed; Green Skin camp confirmed destroyed; Three Green Skin Spawning Farms confirmed destroyed; And it has to be said, Green Skins were terrifyingly tenacious. Even an apocalyptic level of bombardment¡ªthat which was more intense than a nuclear strike¡ªcouldn''t take down those who were farther from the st center, especially those who, at the time of the bombardment, happened to be in more robust shelters. Thankfully, their numbers were not many, and they were scattered. Without being detected, they didn''t waste time exterminating them. Of course, if it was convenient, they''d take them down. Due to the nature of Green Skin Orcs, as long as their leader was killed in the bombardment and if none of the surviving Orcs stepped up as a leader, they would revert to ''intelligent beasts,'' acting solely on instinct and fighting among themselves until a new leader emerged. During this time, they were at their weakest. If humans seized this opportunity, they couldpletely wipe them out. Then, with thorough cleaning of every inch ofnd the Orcs had tread upon, the Orc crisis could be considered resolved. Of course, due to their tenacity and spore-based propagation, one must never let their guard down regarding the Orc threat. For a long time toe, this must remain vignt, keep monitoring the ces once afflicted by the Green Skin cmity, and periodically eradicate any suspicious nt life. But as long as they didn''t growcent and carried out the empire''s regtions diligently, any problems that did arise would be minor, mostly nipped in the bud before they could escte into a major crisis. However, just as they were rxing a bit, a roar reached them from afar. Startled at first, they quickly realized it probably wasn''t because their presence had been detected. It sounded more like a Green Skin Orc rallying itsrades with a battle cry. Chapter 203: Chapter 151, Its So Big, So Green_4 Communications were basically by yelling, a bit amusing, but no one could muster augh now. The emergence of this situation meant that in this area, there still existed an orc leader with considerable appeal. And it was unlikely that this leader had just emerged from a recent fight. On one hand, such things didn''t happen so quickly; on the other hand, a newly risen boss wouldn''t have this kind of charisma. So, the answer seemed obvious: under the previous, formidable orbital bombardment, a powerful leader of the Green Skin Orcs had not perished. Nobody knew whether it was sheer luck, being outside the core area of the bombing, or some other reason, but clearly, it was not good news. They decided to go and check the situation out. If arge number of Green Skin Orcs had already gathered under its call, then it was best to report the news to the Governor and then assign someone to monitor the situation. But if the number of gathered Green Skins was still small, Matins and the other four star warriors nned to take action and kill that Green Skin leader. Decapitation Tactics were among the most effective strategies against Green Skin Orcs. A grand ''waaagh'', even if it spanned across Star Sea during a campaign, needed a strong orc warlord to organize and initiate it. Only a sufficiently powerful leader could unite the Green Skins. Discover worlds on m-v le-mpyr But likewise, as soon as their leader was killed, the remaining Green Skins would quickly disperse, and they normally had to fight among themselves until more than half were dead. They had no concept of uniting against amon enemy to save their race from extinction. Even in a specific battle, the death of a squad leader could greatly shake the entire squad; the death of amanding leader during a campaign could lead the entire fight toward copse... When facing Green Skins, finding the biggest, greenest, and strongest one and then ughtering it was the best approach. So, who was best suited for such a task on the battlefield? Of course, it was the star warriors. In past wars, whenever the Phoenix fought against Green Skins, they regrly carried out simr missions five or six, or even seven or eight, times in a single campaign. Now, they were simply revisiting an old craft. Even the star warriors felt a touch of nostalgia. However, when they silently arrived on the scene and saw the Green Skins that had gathered there, they dismissed the idea of a surprise attack. The number was greater than they had anticipated. There were easily more than a thousand orc youngsters. And it wasn''t just light infantry; there were battle trucks and killer cans, AT LEAST fifty pieces ounted for among various kinds of heavy equipment. Moreover, stray Green Skins were continuously converging at the location. The number gathered surprised even Matins. Why were there so many? While discussing, they came up with a usible conjecture: It was possible that this orc leader had been leading the troops he gathered toward the rally point. Then the orbital bombardment happened en route. The most important targets of the bombardment were the main camp and the rally point, which suffered the most violent, unavoidable strikes; but they, being halfway between the two, were fortunate enough to narrowly escape the disaster. There were certainly many Green Skins who had died, and from what Matins and his team could see, many of the orcs bore injuries. After all, this round of orbital bombardment didn''t consist of just two Great Macro Cannons; there were also twenty smaller Colossal Cannons and hundreds of orbital missiles raining down everywhere, and those devices were extremely lethal. But overall, over a thousand Green Skins had survived. Executing the Decapitation Tactics had be difficult. It wasn''t just therge number of enemies that was the issue, but the Green Skin orc leader itself warranted attention: It was huge. It was very green. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is also 6k words Chapter 204: Chapter 152, Tribe (7K words, please subscribe!) If there had been a reliable ally force drawing attention at the front, Phoenix''s five starfighters might have had a chance at sess. But at the moment, the only allies by their side were the 28 soldiers of Storm Squad. Although they were also elite, asking them, all 28 of them, to face off against an enemy fifty times their number and distract them for the starfighters... that was impossible, even if they were all killed, it couldn''t be done. Moreover, even if they could draw the enemy''s attention at the front,unching a sessful decapitation strike would be very difficult. The Green Skin leader looked very strong. He was d in heavy-duty equipment, his entire stature reaching up to three meters. His heat weapons and cold arms, after modifications, seemed all exaggerated. His heavy armor was certainly not something that could be easily broken through. Matins and his team were experienced and well-informed, and after evaluating the monster''s strength, they concluded that not even a veteran starfighter could take it down in a one-on-one fight. Only the five of them, attacking simultaneously, could ensure a swift, no-hassle kill. But any minor issue in the process or dy, and with the constant reinforcement of Green Skins, they might get trapped and unable toe out. Forget it, forget it. Focus on surveince, and wait for Mr. Gu to arrive with the main forces. By then, with arge army pressing forward fully, it would be much easier for the five of them to make a move in the chaos of battle. There was no need to be adventurous now. However, as they dampened their efforts, the Green Skins seemed to have discovered them. The conspicuous Orc leader cast his gaze towards their hiding ce from afar. Matins furrowed his brows. "Why were we discovered?" He was truly perplexed. Had his senses deteriorated from not having fought against the Green Skins for a while? But upon careful consideration, their actions seemed wless, and the elites of Storm Squad also did a good job. Logically, they shouldn''t have been so easily detected. "I don''t know how they discovered us," said Schneider, "but I do know we''re in trouble." Get ready forbat...bat my ass! Thirty men against a thousand well-equipped orcs led by a boss was a suicide mission. While the distance between both sides was still great, running away was the most sensible option! However, during their escape, they soon realized what had revealed their position. It was, of course, another Green Skin Orc, standing right beside the Orc boss. His hunched figure did not look tall, nor was it equipped with any exaggerated weapons; it looked quite ordinary. The unusual part was the silver-gray metal rod in his hand, which was not originally a product of Green Skin technology. However, on its upper part, it was decorated with beast teeth, multicolored paint, and filled with the style of the Green Skin Orcs. The old orc pointed his scepter towards the location of the starfighters. An intuition of imminent danger made them immediately start to dodge. Just then, a redser beam shot towards them. The starfighters were unharmed, but the beam prated the bodies of two Storm Squad soldiers. The bulletproof alloy steel tes beneath their uniforms barely served any purpose; both soldiers had fist-sized, prating wounds burnt through them. The beam, after passing through the two men, extended far into the distance until it hit a distant ruined wall and disappeared from sight. The two soldiers copsed to the ground, weakly convulsing and struggling on the earth. They weren''t dead yet, but death was certain. No one could save them, and during a retreat, it was impossible to bring along two wounded who would inevitably die within minutes. This couldn''t really be considered abandoningrades, but morale inevitably dropped during the escape. Even without the burden, their escape was far from smooth. The hunched old orc continually released beams from his hand, firing every few minutes. The highly prating energy beam was something not even the starfighters could ignore. A direct hit by two beams would damage the power armor; three could be fatal. Even without hitting the same spot, two hits would weaken the armor''s overall defense due to structural changes, allowing the third to be deadly. Fortunately, the old orc''s attack range was extremely far, still deadly even over two thousand meters away. However, hecked high-magnification aiming scopes and the ability to aim shots. Although the beam didn''t suffer from trajectory deviation over long distances, if he couldn''t aim properly it was all for naught. The reason the first shot was fatal was because the team had not had the chance to fully disperse their formation, and they were too close to each other; a random shot was likely to hit, which resulted in the fatal blows to the two Storm Squad soldiers. Now, as they were on the move and had dispersed their formation further, hitting them was not so easy. Furthermore, they weren''t without the means to fight back. Explosive guns, the electromaic rifles in the hands of Storm Corps, had the capability to kill enemies at a distance of two thousand meters¡ªalthough there would be significant attenuation, a hit would still be lethal. T3 ss soldiers were already reliable in shooting uracy, not to mention the starfighters who could not be evaluated simply by the ''T'' rating, and even had built-inbat assistance systems in their power armor to help them aim and shoot more urately. Chapter 205: Chapter 152, Tribe (7K words, please subscribe!)_2 Even though their firearms were not the sniper models specially designed for long-range kills, they could still pose a threat to the old orc at a distance of two kilometers. However, they did not seed in shooting it dead, killing only a few unlucky Green Skins who got in the way. The old orc was quite cunning, too. Upon realizing he had be a target, he didn''t stubbornly exchange fire with the interster warriors of the Storm Corps. Instead, he took cover behind the Orc Warlord. That was arge shield; even a grenade rifle couldn''t damage the armor on him at a distance of two kilometers, let alone harm the old orc hiding behind him. But simrly, while taking cover might have spared him from being killed by grenade rifles or electromaic rifles, he also couldn''t continue to pose a threat to the fleeing humans. Nevertheless, the situation for the human side was hardly any better. A considerable part of the Green-Skin Army had started to move. Armored trucks and killer cans were chasing them. Even the Orc Warlord had personally joined the fray. Bullets were fired at them over a two-kilometer gap relentlessly. The Green Skins'' shoddy firearms made a racket, but their bullets couldn''t even travel the two-kilometer distance, falling to the ground halfway, not to mention having any uracy. But the Green Skins were not left without weapons that could threaten them at this distance. Setting aside the tin barrel cannons, whichcked precision and were like using a cannon to swat a mosquito and actually had to hit, the heavy machine guns on the armed trucks and the Multibarrel Autocannon mounted on the killer cans could still be threatening beyond two kilometers. The precision of the Green Skin Orcs'' weapons was hard to predict, but when bullets came flying in a dense stream, as long as the general direction was correct, the bullets would still be lethal at two kilometers. With their vast numbers, even random shots were threatening enough. Members of the Storm Squad kept falling during the retreat. At this moment, turning around to return fire was not particrly useful. They could neither kill all the enemies nor fend them off. They could only keep running. Of course, escape was actually impossible. If the interster warriors ran at full speed, they might have a chance, but the elite soldiers of the Storm Squad were certain to be caught. But even for the interster warriors, the chance of escape was slim. After all, running at full speed meant exposing their backs to the enemy, and if there was one ce where the Mecha were weakest, it was definitely the back. To die with one''s back to the enemy was undoubtedly a great disgrace for an interster warrior. And even if they decided to forsake honor and abandon theirrades to flee with all their might to preserve the fire of the battle group, the oue might not be any better. Until they hadpletely left the enemy''s attack range and evaded pursuit, it was likely that someone among them would fall, paying who knows how many lives in order to escape, with no chance to recover their gic seeds. Now, although they were still retreating, sometimes they faced the enemy while firing and moving backward, and other times they took shelter behind a slope or the ruins of a building, temporarily stopping the bullets from hitting them... Retreating in such a manner, they obviously couldn''t run fast. On the contrary, even if the path was rugged, those armed trucks with their six wheels were at least mobile. Even if some areas were inessible to wheels and they had to detour, they wouldn''t slow down much. As for the killer cans¡ªthose walking Mecha¡ªthere were even fewer issues. Matins and Schneiderbined their efforts to take down a killer can with concentrated fire from their grenade rifles at a distance of over a thousand meters, but that hardly quenched their thirst. While fighting and retreating, they could only do their utmost to dy the enemy''s pursuit. They also couldn''t run in a straight line¡ªthey had to avoid iing fire and also be on guard not to be outnked by the armed trucks taking detours. They were fully aware that being caught up to was now inevitable. But that didn''t mean they were utterly hopeless. Although they didn''t speak to each other, Matins believed that hisrades probably shared his thoughts: they were looking for a defensible location to hold out until reinforcements arrived. Although they didn''t know how long they would have to wait, this option seemed more reliable than running. Of course, they also had to be prepared for the worst-case scenario: total annihtion. But what of it? War is like that. Especially when facing an Orc n that had surpassed the level of ordinary wild Green Skins¡ªwho knew whether a mishap or a victory woulde first? Along the way, they indeed found some locations conducive to defense: there were severalrge, sturdy buildings with three or four stories. Even though this ce was no longer the central target zone for orbital strikes, those buildings had stood for a century without copsing and had weathered the quake-like aftershocks of near-orbital bombardment without falling. This proved that the pre-war structures were sufficiently robust. Taking refuge in the high-rise buildings and fighting inside, the armed trucks would struggle to enter, and the killer cans would find movement difficult. They would only need to defend a section in front of them and wouldn''t have to face bulletsing from all directions as in an open field. But those high-rises were still not the best choice. Chapter 206: Chapter 152, Tribe (7K words, please subscribe!)_3 They were worried that those Green Skins, if they made use of explosives in a targeted manner, would be able to blow up their location, and they might face attacks from all sides¡ªespecially if the enemy useddders to climb up. Matins and his group were still searching for a more suitable location to hold their ground. Despite no one knowing whether thest abandoned high-rise, which seemed defensible, was the best spot they could find next, or if the next would be even worse, they had to keep searching in order to maximize their defensive advantage. This time, The Emperor seemed to have heard their loyal prayers, and their luck suddenly changed for the better. A soldier discovered an underground space amidst the ruins of a building. As for defending, this kind of basement was well-suited. Although there was still the danger of copse, if it was deep and sturdy enough, the risk of being buried would be smaller than having a high-rise blown up. And as for other aspects, it was nearly all advantages. There was only one entrance, which made it easy to defend; the inner space was more restricted, reducing the number of enemies they would face, preventing the enemy from leveraging their numerical superiority; in such limited space, not even a killing jar would fit, which was even better. If worst came to worst, they could seal the entrance. Though they wouldn''t be able to get out themselves, at least there would be no worries about being overtaken for a significant time. After staying a day, when Mr. Gu''s army arrived, the outside might be much safer, and they could dig themselves out in power armor with their bare hands¡ªmaybe even make their way out in a few days. In any case, it was better than waiting to die. The only concern was whether the vertical depth of the underground space was sufficient. If it was just a small basement, once they entered and enemies rushed in, getting trapped with no room to maneuver would also be very dangerous. However, just by briefly passing by the underground entrance, Matins dismissed this concern: This wasn''t any kind of basement; it was an underground research facility! You could tell just by the thick, solid circr iron door at the entrance. In the past, this iron door must have been power-driven, as it would have been impossible to close or open by human strength alone. Now, though, it was merely ajar, its power mechanism long ineffective. Without any room for hesitation, Matins chose to enter. Five interster warriors and 21 surviving soldiers from the Storm Squad stepped into the underground space. At Matins''s signal, a squad of elite soldiers ventured deeper to explore. They needed to understand theyout, to know where to fall back if the fighting turned unfavorable; moreover, they also needed to ascertain if there were other entrances or exits, for a possible escape or to guard, preventing the Green Skins from discovering them and attacking from behind. The rest remained about twenty meters inside the entrance, hurriedly gathering any materials they could find¡ªbroken bricks, building materials... in short, quickly constructing a defensive position. They were to hold the entrance, dy the enemy as long as possible, and inflict casualties. But they didn''t have much time at all. Only two minutester, enemies appeared at the entrance. It was just a few Green Skins, apparently dismounted from an armored truck that couldn''t pass through. No sooner had they shown their heads than they were mercilessly killed. Within the thirty-meter range of the entrance, the interster warriors and elite soldiers of the Storm Squad were urate with their shots. What was critical was that their weapons were far from weakpared to the G9 series rifles. Bomb guns could kill Green Skin brats with one shot, and electromaic rifles only took a few more. In other words, if those Green Skins only tried to storm in using infantry, they were likely to die without capturing the ce. The interster warriors each had nearly three hundred rounds; the Storm Squad soldiers had at least one hundred eighty rounds each. Used sparingly and urately, they might be able to hold on. The Green Skin Orcs understood this point as well¡ªEven if they didn''t, after the killing jars couldn''t make it through, and they had gathered metal barrel cannons to bombard the entrance, with twentyds rushing in and noneing out alive, it became clear. They stopped sending more men to die, which gave Matins and the others a chance to catch their breath. But he also knew this was the calm before the storm. It was deep into the night, yet they dared not rest. They attempted to contact Mr. Gu, but the wirelessmunication had been cut off. It was likely that the Green Skins had the technology to blockmunication signals. In any case, they didn''t have many options now; they had to hold on with the natural advantage of the location. ... The Orc Elder Gorgon red angrily at the flesh-tearing figure before him, much stronger andrger than himself, wishing he could kill him. But that was not an option. He was no longer a match for the flesh-tearer. He couldn''t even stand by and watch the flesh-tearer go to his death. He knew those hiding were ''cans''. In his distant memory, he had seen these cans before, and they killed Orc youngsters as easily as Orcs ughtered little devils. The flesh-tearer was already the strongest warrior in the tribe, but ording to his old memories, he judged that if the flesh-tearer charged in recklessly, he might kill one or two cans, but he would ultimately die there. The flesh-tearer couldn''t die. If he did, the more than a thousand youngsters that had just been regrouped would immediately plunge back into copse. Below him were five or six Orc chiefs of equal rank, all following the flesh-tearer because he was stronger and greener. Stay tuned with m,v le,mpyr If the flesh-tearer died, a bloody struggle would undoubtedly ensue among them, and they would fight with their followers, not caring about anything else until only one remained. Chapter 207: Chapter 152, Tribe (7K words, please subscribe!)_4 ``` If it were usual times, Gorgon wouldn''t mind these things, but not now. He still needed the n to continue existing. He could only plead earnestly once more, "Why won''t you listen to me? When have I ever deceived you?" "Nothing will do!" Tearing Flesh was still so stubborn, "I must kill all those shrimp! I''ll only leave after I''ve killed them all! All my boys are dead, the munitions factory is gone, the farm is gone, but I haven''t personally killed a single shrimp! This is absolutely uneptable!" "But we''ll all die here!" Gorgon growled, "Those shrimp have already killed Broil Axe, wiped out all the boys in front, and they areing to kill us! We must leave now, this isn''t the time to fight! Once we have more boys, more big guns, then we''lle back and kill these shrimp!" Pausing for a moment, the Orc Elder Gorgon pointed to the barely visible tunnel entrance in the dark night, continuing, "Years ago, I was dug out from there, and after I personally killed the few shrimp who had dug me out, I carefully inspected the ce. It''s very sturdy, only essible from the front entrance, but with those canned goods guarding it, even you couldn''t break through..." At this point, Gorgon suddenly fell silent. He saw that Tearing Flesh''s eyes filled with brutality were staring at him. It was as if he had made a mistake, he had just told the strongest boss in the tribe, you can''t do it. And this was something most Orc bosses would never believe. The enormous Tearing Flesh looked down at the decrepit Gorgon. Tearing Flesh said, "I''m the boss, I don''t have to listen to you. I''m the biggest in the tribe, the greenest, there''s nothing I can''t kill." With that, his mechanized arm grasped Gorgon''s throat, lifting his frail body up: "You''re too old, too weak, I''ve had enough of your words. I''ll keep your head and let you watch with your own eyes how I tear those shrimp to pieces." Gorgon hissed as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately couldn''t utter a word. Tearing Flesh didn''t want to listen to him anymore, his mechanized arm just tightened, twisting Gorgon''s throat. The light in Gorgon''s eyes quickly faded. In that moment, he remembered many things. He was originally just an ordinary craftsman boy from the Iron-Tooth n. He was born on a warm where his n hadpletely conquered the ce, and the remaining shrimp were corralled as food, as ves, as tools of amusement... Then, the shrimp came. The n''s battleship was destroyed, lots of canned goods fell from the sky, together with many shrimp, they raided and destroyed the''s anti-orbit cannon. Then using incessant artillery fire, they purged the entire again and again. All the Green Skin Orcs he knew died, and he was lucky to survive. But afterwards, he was captured. And after being transferred around, he ended up here, locked in that underground research facility nearby, for who knows how many years. He was dissected, but the tenacious life force of the Green Skin Orcs allowed him to survive time and again after simple stitching; he was injected with all sorts of strange liquids, used as a guinea pig for various experiments... But suddenly one day, everything stopped. He was stuffed into a cold storage unit, it was very cold, and he soon lost consciousness. When he regained consciousness, there were a few ragged shrimp standing in front of him. They had never seen a creature like himself, but once he had regained his strength, he broke out of the ss sarcophagus that held him and ughtered all those shrimp. But he had forgotten many things, how to make cannons, how to make killer cans... only recently had he started to remember these. Then, he walked out and encountered many monsters. He fought those beasts, hunted them for food, and in the process, he bled. Wherever his blood was shed, within a year, some green nts started to grow, Skugg beasts, farts, and other Green Skin Orcs gradually began to emerge. ``` He was happy, he wasn''t alone anymore. There were people to fight with, to apany him in battle. He still remembered, among the newds that appeared, there was one he fancied most, called Ripper. Thed didn''t let him down and became the first leader. Together they gathered all theds, and Gorgon, following the memory of the n from the past, established their own tribe and gave it the same name as before¡ªIron-Tooth n. Over the years, the tribe''s numbers kept growing; they began to expand outward until they encountered many tiny shrimps. He was delighted, for fighting with shrimps was the most fun. As they fought, the tribe would grow stronger. Theds went to battle, to die, and then those who survived grew bigger, greener; even the dead would sprout more Green Skin Orcs...until there were more and more of them, stronger and stronger, and then Ripper could bring about a great ''Waaagh,'' and the Iron-Tooth n would sweep across the entire, turning it into a ce just like the one he was born on. A little over a month ago, tougher shrimps appeared. Gorgon was not worried; on the contrary, he was even more excited. Amidst the intense battles, the ''Waaagh'' force field grew denser, Ripper grew bigger, and as he reveled in it, he even recalled many technologies he had once forgotten, making killing cans, terror iron cans, and even crafting a set of warlord armor for Ripper. Only...why did something like what destroyed the Iron-Tooth n before begin to fall from the sky again? Gorgon couldn''t fathom it. If only we could make big ships that fly outside the too. This was hisst thought. Content from m-vl|em|p,yr And thest sound he heard was Ripper''s roar of fury. Then, his consciousness faded into darkness. ... Matins and Schneider wore solemn expressions when they saw Ripper. At such close range, they could finally confirm that this was an Orc Warlord. From their pastbat experience, they clearly understood the level of strength this creature could possess: Average interster warriors couldn''tst three blows in front of an Orc Warlord; to defeat one in a duel, at least a squad champion was needed. And at this moment, with the arrival of this Orc Warlord, countless Green Skin Orcs began to swarm in, too numerous to count in the moment, restricted only by the narrow entrance that prevented them all from squeezing through at once. Matins and Schneider exchanged a nce, and what they saw in each other''s eyes was not panic, but excitement. Opportunity hade! They weren''t afraid of the Orc Warlord''s appearance, because its appearance meant a great opportunity! To kill an Orc Warlord required the intervention of a squad champion. Isn''t that a coincidence? Squad champions, there are two right here. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 7000! More 6000 words tomorrow! This month''s challenge n will then bepleted! Chapter 208: Chapter 153, Death of the Interstellar Warrior Interster warriors, of course, have their strengths and weaknesses. Apart from weapons, power armor models, and other hardware configurations, an individual''s strength cannot be overlooked. Veteran soldiers can take on two, even three new soldiers without much trouble; the champion of a toon is the strongest among a hundred warriors. Matins and hispanion Schneider both were such champions. Of course, theoretically, the strongest member of a battle group should be the group''s champion or its leader, but Matins had been temporarily promoted after the battle group was nearly annihted. His true strength was at the level of a toon champion. Even so, he had a chance against an Orc Warlord. If it were a warlord who had control over an entire, that might be very difficult; but the one at hand was far from that level. Moreover, his armor, while looking fierce, had probably not yet reached the level equivalent to the Terminator Model Armor among interster warriors, so there was a chance of victory. The issue now was to create an opportunity for a one-on-onebat. This was difficult, but not entirely impossible. Many green skins had surged in, and the entrance became very crowded. The Orc Warlord, along with his mechanically enhanced armor, was only a little smaller than a killing can, and was quite squeezed in the underground entrance corridor. Behind and in front of him were more killing cans streaming in as well. Interster warriors, the soldiers of the Storm Corps, were already firing with all their might. There was no need to worry too much about uracy; the entrance was clogged with green skins, and even a blind man, holding his gun and firing towards their roar, could hit the enemy urately. However, as this continued, a lot of green skins died, but their ammunition was running out rapidly. Especially after the frontline green skins were almost dead, what they faced now were killing cans that nearly blocked the entrance solidly, having to bend their mechanical knees, slowly and clumsily moving forward. If killing cans wanted toe in, that meant pure brute forcing. Their body size was only slightly smaller than the height and width of the entrance. They could squeeze in, but they couldn''t use their limbs freely at all. Especially since there were many green skin youngsters following them, if they raised their multibarrel autocannons to open fire, it''s difficult to say how many human soldiers they could kill. But surely not many green skins standing in front of it would survive. But...do green skins care about such things? The first one to open fire was not the squeezing killing cans, but the flesh rippers. They struggled to find a gap behind the killing cans to thrust theirrge guns out and then opened fire towards the front. The killing can, squeezed and ufortable, was hit by the ster gun and in agony, also went berserk and followed with fire from its multibarrel cannon. Under the intense firepower, neither the interster warriors nor the elite of the Storm Corps could risk poking their heads out. Too close¡ªif the helmet of a power armor was hit byrge-caliber autocannon at a distance of twenty to thirty meters in rapid session, it would still get blown off. They could only hunker down. Fortunately, cover made from various metal scrap and rubble was not so easily destroyed. But even so, they eventually chose to abandon this position. The killing can, straining to reach their previous location, forcefully pushed some obstacles aside, finally freeing up some space for movement. New chapters at m v|le|mp|yr However, the next moment, a violent explosion urred right there! The thick red light rolled over, and the killing can was immediately immobilized. Ordinary explosives, of course, would not easily destroy a killing can. But if it were the thermite grenadesmonly used by the interster warriors, that would be a different story. The metal-built body of the killing can, hit by a thermite grenade hidden beside the obstacles and hard to spot, was blown into two pieces. The instantly elevated extreme temperature was unbearable even for armored metal. In an instant, the armor tes began to melt and fray. If the thermite grenade had been a bitrger, turning the killing can into molten iron was also a possibility. Of course, that would have been somewhat overkill. The current extent was enough to induce its destruction. Not only did the armored body lose its ability to fight, the shaved-off imp inside, with limbs removed and tubes plugged into its brain, was already scorched to death. This mini thermite grenade was one of the remaining supplies of the battle group. Simr disposable equipment was still avable, but the more they used, the less they had, and it was impossible to resupply on the godforsaken Rage Owl Star. Yet, the interster warriors couldn''t afford to grieve their losses. High-value equipment was meant to be used at times like this. Moreover, frankly, the most precious thing in the Phoenix Battle Group was the lives of its warriors. In their minds, they counted the time. The extremely high temperature from the thermite bomb would notst long. With rapid decay, the interster warriors knew exactly that after 6.72 seconds, the temperature would no longer be able to prate the power armor they wore and cause any harm. And that was precisely their moment to act. Five interster warriors struck simultaneously at that time. Three stood firm, their ster guns already switched from urate single-shot mode to full-speed firing mode. Thest full magazine, loaded in advance, poured out countless bombs in an extremely short span of time. These bombs, almost all of them, went past the destroyed killing can, hammering towards the Orc Warlord behind it. Chapter 209: Chapter 153, The Death of the Interstellar Warrior_2 Aside from the three of them, with Schneider in the front and Matins a bit behind on the nk, the two former champions of the Phoenix Battle Group, now the strongest individuals in hand-to-handbat within the battalion, sprinted towards the Orc Warlord. Their speed burst to an extreme in an instant, following the bombs, as they charged at the Orc Warlord. Nearly all the bombs hit the Orc Warlord. His ultra-heavy armor, which not even a space warrior''s grenade gun could prate, failed to inflict direct damage on the orc chief behind. Yet, with dozens, if not hundreds of bombs, the diamond-tipped projectiles clinking against it unrelentingly, he still felt a significant impact. Not to mention, the bombs would explode a second time, causing additional damage. After nearly a hundred miniature explosions, even the toughest flesh and thickest armor could not help but be dizzy and uncontrobly staggered backward. During this time, his body, far stronger than that of an average space warrior, was still capable of counterattacking at the critical moment. He struggled to lift his spear and fired forward without aiming. In a split second, about a dozenrge-caliber bullets fired off. The power of this weapon''s caliber was certainly no less formidable than that of the grenade guns in the hands of the space warriors. More crucially, even though he didn''t aim, the narrow terrain was fair to everyone. The space warriors were not small in stature either. Two-thirds of the bullets still hit their targets. Schneider took four hits, with his thick, curved shoulder armor deflecting three, but one still prated where the shoulder met the chest armor. There was armor there too, of course, but it was rtively weak and the bullet struck at a good angle. This shot injured Schneider. But his stride only faltered for a moment, then he continued to rush forward without any reduction in speed. Behind the two men, one of the most unlucky brothers-in-arms took two shots to the helmet. He grunted and fell to the ground. Three or four men from the Storm Corps tried to pull the fallen warrior back but failed to seed. Even with their strength enhanced to T3 level, far surpassing that of an ordinary person, three or four men could not hope to drag a fully-armed space warrior. At this moment, Matins and Schneider had both reached the front of the Orc Warlord. Schneider took a slight leap, raising his striking position, and hisbat knife urately stabbed into a fissure where the orc''s armor joined. It pierced through. Schneider could hear the Orc Warlord let out a deep roar of pain, evidently hurt, and his body was even brought to the ground by the force of Schneider''s thrust. But this only incited the orc''s ferocity. His metal-coated arm bent inward, and the autocannon mounted on his wrist aimed at Schneider. With one more pull of the trigger, a storm-like barrage from the autocannon would unleash countless rounds in an instant, all of which would hit Schneider at close range. Even with his powered armor, he could not avoid serious injury. But at that moment, Matins arrived. His chainsword struck down hard from the other side, hitting a weak joint on the arm, with the chainsaw''s power turned up to the maximum, sparks flying. He felt a massive resistance but gritted his teeth, pressing down hard with the chainsword. A momentter, the gun-mounted hand was severed. Schneider was somewhat unsatisfied. Matins indeed saved him, but in his view, this was also a wasted opportunity. If Matins had chosen a more lethal spot, it might have been possible to kill this formidable foe directly. Although he would pay for it with serious injury or even death, the calction under his coldbat will deemed it still worthwhile. However, Schneider said nothing about it, not because his life was saved, but because at this moment in the fight, the slightest change could be the difference between life or death. The Orc Warlord had only lost an arm; he wasn''t dead yet. Without his spear, the brute still had a massive cleaver welded to his other hand. The greatsword suddenly shed toward Schneider, and Schneider freed one hand to seize its arm, wrestling with it, while his other hand tightly gripped the dagger plunged into his battle armor, drawing it outward along the trajectory of force, aiming to erge the wound, hoping to reach vital organs. At the same time, Matins, who had lopped off the hand of the Orc Warlord and was covered in blood inside his helmet, lifted the chainsaw once more; this time, he aimed for the neck, the fleshy part. The gap between his heavy helmet and his breastte was the best point of entry. However, the entire battle process, though extremely swift, did have its dys. When the massive body of the Orc Warlord fell, the enemies who had been blocked behind had a clear line of fire tounch their attack on the two of them. The crude firearms in the hands of individual orc brats could be temporarily ignored. Although the firepower of the green-skinned guns was generally high, it was unrealistic to expect to injure a star warrior with just a few shots. But the weaponry in the hands of the killer cans was different. The multibarrel autocannon opened fire. Schneider was hit several times, which affected the strength of his grip on the green warlord''s arm. Therge, ruthless sword shed across his lower back. Chunks of his tough armor were blown away, blood sttered. The flesh-tearer still nned to pull out the greatsword for another blow, aiming topletely sever the shrimp can in half at the waist. But at that moment, Matin''s chainsaw sword arrived. The fury of the Phoenix Battalion Leader was immense, all vented through that one sword strike. With the burst of firelight, the chainsaw tore through the gap between the helmet and the breastte, the enormous volume of blood spurting out due to the motion of the chainsaw, like a fountain. Just as Matins had previously severed the Warlord''s forearm, this time he also cut off the opponent''s head. Immediately afterward, Matins didn''t check on Schneider''s condition but pulled out his chainsaw sword and, despite the fire from the killer cans'' autocannon, charged forward. The killer can seemed slightlyrger than the Orc Warlord and bore a range of frightening closebat weapons. However, in terms of armor strength and power output, it couldn''tpare with a genuine Orc Warlord. Moreover, with the confined space limiting movement, itsbat effectiveness was further reduced. Matins, in his rage, had also been injured by the autocannon, but still quickly dismantled the orcish walking mecha. At the same time, the other two star warriors also charged out, and the three began a frenzied ughter of those orcs whocked the cover of heavy equipment. In the narrow space, the three were like highly efficient killing machines, and those green-skinned brutes had no power to fight back against chainsaw swords andbat des. The elite soldiers of the Storm Corps at the rear wanted to help, but they found it unnecessary when they raised their guns; the green-skins they targeted often ended up in the next moment. The soldiers looked at each other and, in the end, lowered their weapons. Better to stand down and avoid friendly fire. But in truth, the star warriors didn''t kill that many green-skins at the entrance. After another twenty or so were dead, the remaining live orcs had all fled. Orcs weren''t always endlessly courageous, especially after the death of their leader, their morale would copse, and they would flee. The retreating green-skins ran, all the while bellowing somenguage. Although it was hard to understand, one could guess they were saying their boss was dead. Matins, panting, did not lead the charge out. He was furious, but still rational. In this ce, they could utilize the terrain to kill countless green-skins. Out there, in the open, they couldn''t withstand dozens of killer cans and armed trucks to annihte thousands of orcs. They could only retreat, dragging Schneider and the star warrior wounded in the head to safety. At this moment, the noise from outside also became audible. Having lost their strongest leader, the green-skins predictably showcased their traditional skill¡ªbeginning to fight amongst themselves. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª One more chapter toe tonight. Chapter 210: Chapter 154, I saw it Interster warriors are not invincible; there are too many strange and terrifying things in this universe. Actually, if those greenskins had been a bit more strategic and, in particr, if that leader Tear Meat hadn''t been so impatient to lead the charge, but instead kept sending murder cans with ordinary greenskin kids or even fart spirits to consume the ammunition and pave a way, and then had Tear Meat lead enough troops for a decisive, final blow, Matins and the others'' ultimate fate might have been total annihtion. Ultimately, there were too few interster warriors, and their weapons and equipment were too light infantry-oriented. If they had had more heat guns, sma guns, heavy explosives, or micro heat bombs, or if they had traded theirbat des and chainsaw swords for power weapons... Perhaps the battle would have been easier, and the cost not so great. The two fallen interster warriorsy quietly on the ground, while the remaining three huddled next to them. The elites of the Storm Corps did not dare toe close; they naturally left space for these superhuman warriors. Today''s battle, after those who had undergone Mr. Gu''s special training and felt strong, clearly recognized the gap between themselves and the real superhuman warriors. Without these five interster warriors, relying on themselves alone, they probably would have been crushed like chicks by that Orc Warlord. However, even such powerful demigods have their moments of death. The warrior who was shot in the head had breathed hisst. The first shot from therge-caliber machine gun had deformed his helmet, and the refined ceramic steel material could not withstand such a bombardment; the second shot went through the helmet whose defense was greatly reduced after deformation, causing fatal damage to the brain tissue. Schneider was not yet dead, but... If they had had a Pharmacist and a Dreadnought Mech, he might have been able to change his identity, find a new way to continue living, and keep fighting for The Emperor. But they had none of these things. Schneider knew what wasing. He understood the condition of his body better than anyone else. With half his waist sliced open and multiple vital organs destructively damaged, the fact that he had not yet died and was even temporarily conscious was already a testament to the robust vitality of an interster warrior. Hey half-reclined on the ground, his helmet long since removed, and the fresh blood bubbling from his mouth soiled his beard and half his face. Enjoy new tales from m-v l''-NovelFire Yet his expression was very calm. In contrast, Matins and the other two Phoenixes appeared much more sorrowful. It was then that Schneider spoke up, "Why such a look?" His voice was weak and strained. Excessive blood loss and organ destruction had allowed a great deal of blood to fill his lungs, making even breathing difficult, let alone speaking. But from his voice, one couldn''t hear too much pain; he sounded very calm. The warriors beside him did not speak, nor did they stop Schneider from continuing. Logically, since he was nearly certain to die, they felt it was only right to let him speak hisst words. "Don''t look so sad; isn''t this our destiny? Is there really any interster warrior who can serve a certain term and retire peacefully? Dying on the battlefield is our inevitable end; ites for all of us eventually." "My only regret is that I won''t get to see the revival of our war group." "Matins, to be honest, I have never epted you as the leader of the war group. I''m stronger than you, more ruthless, more decisive, more like a tough warrior, yet the leader chose you to seed him. Even now, it still bothers me." "Since you became the leader, I''ve disagreed with almost every decision you''ve made. Sometimes I genuinely thought those decisions were indecisive and weak. But other times... well, I admit it was just because I couldn''t get over it, intentionally opposing you, like this timeing to Rage Owl Star to seek help from Mr. Gu." "On our way to Rage Owl Star, we encountered so many worlds where no one truly wanted to help us. This was one of our few options. Although Mr. Gu doesn''t even have full control over his own world, and although this world is so barren, at least everything started to look hopeful." "Now that I''m about to die, I must confront my inner feelings and tell you honestly: I acknowledge this Mr. Gu; I believe he really can help our war group to revive." "Matins, I know that since we''ve arrived at Rage Owl Star until now, we''ve already lost three brothers, including myself. This might shake your heart, after all, you''ve never been one to hold steady. But I need to tell you, don''t waver, don''t hesitate. Since we''ve made our choice, we must stand firm and keep going." "I..." Matins was at a loss for words. The person who knows you best is yourpetitor, and he had to admit that Schneider had indeed seen into his heart. He did feel lost and shaken. How long had they been on this? Merely two months, yet three out of seven brothers had died, including Schneider, a warrior even more seasoned than himself. The problems on this were far more severe than he had anticipated. A native Evil God who had already fallen into Hell, an orc tribe that had produced a Warlord... these enemies were ones he had never considered before arriving at this star. With things continuing this way, could the four remaining members of the war group endure until the moment of Revival City''s rebirth? What if Revival City''s rebirth never arrives, and the war group perishes here? What he hadn''t expected was that the person urging him to stay resolute would be Schneider. They say that a man''s final words are often his good ones, and perhaps these were Schneider''s true thoughts. But why had he undergone such a change? Matins wanted to ask, but he was somewhat afraid to speak. Schneider, however, seemed to see right through to the thoughts in his heart: "I''ve seen Mr. Gu''s troops, that army under hismand. If he was able to train such a formidable army in such a short time, with heroes inside it that even I have to acknowledge, what''s not to believe?" Matins remained puzzled. Schneider was right, but those so-called brave soldiers¡­ truth be told, in their long history of fighting, they had seen many such units of elite troops from various empires working together inbat. Is it really that significant? The blood-covered Schneider, however, revealed a faint smile. He struggled to raise his hand and gestured with a crook of his finger. Matins leaned down, bringing his ear close to Schneider''s mouth. Between the movements of his lips, Matins heard news that shocked him: "I''ve been to that Secret Research Institute in Weixing City, I''ve seen... many ck boxes." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Although a bitte, this chapter has still made it! Our goal of 160,000 words for May has been achieved! But I''ll have to take a day off tomorrow, thepany notified us of overtime tonight, and it looks like it''ll be a busy day. I''ll make up for the missed days in the following two days! Chapter 211: Chapter 155, Whats the deal with those black boxes? When Gu Hang received the message, the battle was already over. Setting out early in the morning, the First Battalion of the Extinguishing Wind Regiment, under themand of Perbov, pushed forward rapidly and soon discovered the group of Green Skins that were still embroiled in internal strife, making no attempt whatsoever to conceal their tracks. They appeared to be divided into several factions, fighting among themselves ceaselessly. Perbov was in no rush to provoke them. There was no need. With the Green Skins fighting so fiercely among themselves, it was better to let them continue¡ªideally, to have them all perish would be best. He would not be foolish enough to throw the lives of his soldiers into a battle while he could watch the enemy destroy each other. He passed the message backward and dispatched a few action teams to search for traces of the missing special operations team, while the main force remained at a distance, patiently monitoring the situation. After a few hours, the second and third battalions had also arrived. Having gathered threeposite camps, or nearly two thousand men, and watching as the Green Skins were on the verge of finishing their fight, with a leader about to emerge, and some orc youth even attempting to flee in all directions, Perbov chose to act. He did not want to let any of the surviving Green Skins escape and add to the difficulty of subsequent mop-up operations. Before taking action, Perbov requested artillery support from the rear. If it had been any earlier, the artillery would truly have been of no help to them. They had only just attached the towed artillery to trucks and reached the predetermined shelling position bytest night. As a result, early this morning and without a moment to catch their breath, they received his request for artillery support. Shell supplies were low, and the artillery brothers were exhausted. At that moment, only about twenty guns could be spared, firing five rounds each to deliver a hundred shells in total. Enjoy new stories from m-v l''e-NovelFire But that was enough. The Green Skins, who had just been brawling, had no time whatsoever to set up anti-artillery positions and were bombarded into disarray. After the shelling, the mechanized threeposite camps began their fierce charge. Perbov''s camp took the lead, with the second and third camps nking from the left and the right. With numerical superiority andpletely mechanized teams, except for the artillery troops left behind at the joint artillery position, they had tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry transported by trucks, giving them formidable overallbat power. In contrast, the Green Skins initially numbered only about a thousand, with many dead after their internal fighting. The most threatening of them, the killer can walking mechas, were destroyed in great numbers both during their own fighting and under the artillery barrage. The remaining ones, when facing tanks and armored vehicles, still posed a threat but became the primary targets for concentrated fire. Fortunately, the killer cans were different from the powerful Death Tin Cans or even the defense capabilities of the Heavy-Armored Orc Warlord, which could match the strength of the Interster Warrior Powered Armor. The smaller and much thinner killer cans, when facing the concentrated fire of at least ten or more twin-barreled machine guns, experienced continuous deformation of their metal armor until it was eventually prated and torn apart. Besides the machine guns on the armored vehicles, the 76mm smoothbore guns on the domestically produced Challenger tanks, in coordination with the machine guns on the Walkers, could deliver significant damage to the killer cans with a single shot. If they had unifiedmand and sufficient armored strength, relying on the formidable physique of the Green Skin Orcs, they might have had a chance to break out. But clearly, they did not. Green Skins do not surrender, but they will run, charge mindlessly, and fight independently¡­ Annihting this group of Green Skin Orcs was not a problem. Casualties were inevitable, but this was likely thest organized troop of Green Skin Orcs. This was the final battle before victory. ¡­ ``` After the battle was over and the battlefield was being cleared, Major Perbov received word from the special operations team he had sent out to search. They had found the interster warriors. Themander of the Phoenix Battle Group requested to see themanding officer here. And so, Major Perbov met the stern-faced Matins. The two did not converse much, Matins simply informed Major Perbov about the underground space where they had been hiding before. Previously, Matins had ordered a few soldiers from the Storm Corps to thoroughly investigate the area. The initial intention was to find other exits to prepare escape routes and avoid being ambushed. However, what the Storm Corps soldiers found was unexpected. It turned out to be a research institute, conducting biological research from the prosperous era before the destruction of Rage Owl Star. The data contained within might reveal the origins of the rapidly developing green skin orcs found within the ruins of the high tower. However, since their main focus at the time had been on the battle, they did not delve deeper into exploration. Matins suggested that Major Perbov should take good care of and protect the site for future exploration. After presenting this information, Matins left with his four brothers, including the bodies of two fallenrades, requesting a troop transport truck to depart. Two interster warriors, together with the two bodies, headed for Revival City. They hadpleted their mission, and it was time to leave. Matins, on the other hand, went straight to the rear to find Mr. Gu. ... Gu Hang encountered Matins on his way to the wartime research institute. He had already received information in advance and roughly knew what had happened, especially about the two interster warriors who had died. To be honest, this was not what Gu Hang wanted to see. He had previously thought about waiting until all the interster warriors were dead, then, using the event of the "Phoenix''s demise" which granted him the ability to exchange for gene seeds, to mass-produce his own super-soldiers. But regardless of whether this action was despicable, one shouldn''t do it now. Not to mention the considerable expenditure of grace points, he hadn''t found a ce to buy powered armor yet. He had already felt the significance of super-soldiers like the interster warriors in the war. Furthermore, the Phoenix Battle Group led by Matins had always cooperated quite well with him. They had never shirked from the tasks he issued and got straight to work. Wasn''t that good enough? Gu Hang certainly did not wish for them all to die. Even the loss of two of them pained him, just like losing two of his own elite men. Upon meeting Matins, he offered his condolences to the groupmander who had lost his brothers and then expressed that if anything was needed subsequently, he should speak up. For instance, the equipment suitable for gene seed surgery had already been ordered through others. This was not to deceive Matins; in fact, Gu Hang had indeed contacted a caravan of the Empire Commerce Guild through Yelisia. That caravan had agreed to slightly alter their trade route to pass through Rage Owl Star and was expected to arrive before too long. However, even after hearing Gu Hang speak thus, Matins''s expression did not improve much. Sinceing to find Mr. Gu, he had already nned to be frank about everything. "Governor, about that secret research institute... what''s with those ck boxes?" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Came back from overtime at ten o''clock... For today, let''s leave it at this, I''ll try to stay up a little longer at night to get back to a stable noon update schedule. ``` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 212: Chapter 156, Green Skin Campaign Settlement Matins suddenly mentioning the Secret Research Institute and the ck boxes was beyond Gu Hang''s expectations. But his expression remained very stable. He replied, "Have you seen them yourself?" "No, but Schneider had," Matins responded. "Huh..." Gu Hang let out a breath, thinking again about deploying his interster warriors ahead of schedule. Just to be watchdogs; how great that would be! If a team of interster warriors were guarding his research institute, Schneider wouldn''t have had such an easy time getting his hands on them. ck boxes were his second biggest secret, second only to the system. The security level there was very high, and under normal conditions, no one could get close¡ªanyone ignoring warnings would be shot on sight. But... as was said, that''s under normal conditions. A master like Schneider was clearly not a normal circumstance. d in power armor and covered by a dark cloak, slipping in by night, his huge frame moving soundlessly and very quickly¡ªit''s hard to do anything against such a master, who could scout everything out with such methods. It''s unreasonable to expect those mechanical servant-soldiers to defend against interster warriors; it''s just not realistic. Lacking sufficient security forces, it''s impossible to prevent such things. As for Matins''s current questioning... Gu Hang sighed and continued, "Commander Matins, we are partners, so I don''t want to deceive you with excuses. Please don''t ask where these manufacturerse from. I can only say I have my secrets. Can you understand that?" Matins remained silent. Secrets? He instinctively felt something was amiss at the word. Aary governor with some unspeakable secrets¡ªis that ever good news? While the ownership of a ck Box Manufacturer itself is not illegal¡ªin fact, such ancient super-technological items are treasures ceaselessly sought by the Human Empire throughout the universe¡ª It''s precisely because they are so valuable that a seemingly unremarkable and even somewhat shabbyary governor should not possess them. Why would he have one? Let alone several. Gu Hang chuckled softly and continued, "I really cannot tell you the origins of these ck Box Manufacturers. But please believe that my faith in The Emperor and my loyalty to the Empire are unwavering. You are right here on Rage Owl Star, right next to my government, my city. You are more than wee to keep your eyes wide open and see for yourself whether there is anything disloyal going on here." "We are exterminating the Cultists lurking within the city, we are annihting the green-skinned aliens that are popping up on the; we are building our cities and factories, reimingnds controlled by what could be called traitors. All of this, is to ensure the entire remains loyal and able to better pay its taxes to the Empire." "Everything I am doing is perfectly in line with the Empire''s expectations of aary governor. Even, I believe I''m doing a better job than most governors." Gu Hang emphasized his loyalty, supporting it with his actions on the during this period of time. After hearing all this, even Matins had to nod. If you im there''s something wrong with Gu Hang, you need to have proper evidence, right? You can''t just use possession of the ck Boxes against someone. There is no crime in owning treasures. Continue reading stories on m|v-l''-NovelFire In fact, Matins saw no signs of decay, corruption, or disloyalty under Gu Hang''s power. At this point, even Matins had to soften his expression, "Mr. Gu, I do not doubt your loyalty, but..." He didn''t know how to continue appropriately. But Gu Hang followed his pause, stating, "But you suspect that these ck boxes of mysterious origin imply I could be deceived or lured by some sinister force?" Matins said nothing, which was as good as agreeing. Gu Hang responded with a smile, "Then as I said earlier, just wait and see." Matins looked hard at Gu Hang and dered, "I will be watching you closely, Mr. Gu." "Hahaha!" Gu Hangughed heartily, open and unreserved, "Then it''s settled." Ending hisughter, Gu Hang adopted a serious demeanor, "However, Commander Matins, I hope you can keep this matter confidential." "You are aware of the preciousness of the ck Box Manufacturer, and you understand the trouble I would face if word got out that there''s more than one such device on Rage Owl Star, amidst the Star Sea." "Commander, you need to understand one thing: we are closely connected. The development of Rage Owl Star and the rebirth of the Phoenix are strongly linked. The ck Boxes are not just tools that I use to build the entire; they are also key to the Phoenix''s reconstruction. This news should never be leaked; wouldn''t you agree?" By this point, Gu Hang spoke with an earnest attitude. Matins once again had to concede that Gu Hang was right. When the fate of the battle group was tied to the''s development, what reason would he have to betray this information? He even recalled what Mr. Gu had told him when he first persuaded him to keep his forces on Rage Owl Star. At that time, Mr. Gu had made a bold im that he would turn the entire into a forging world. Back then, Matins thought Gu Hang was just making empty promises, boasting. But now, it seems Gu Hang genuinely had the capital to fulfill them. No wonder, just before Schneider''s demise, he had made statements that strengthened his resolve, prohibiting any wavering and ensuring he stood by Mr. Gu. Chapter 213: Chapter 156, Green Skin Campaign Settlement_2 It seems I''m still too indecisive. Schneider wasn''t too fond of Mr. Gu at first, but after seeing the ck box, he kept the secret to himself and even changed his mind, hoping that the battle group would cooperate fully with the governor. And yet, I wavered... He forced a wry smile and said to Gu Hang, "I will keep your secret, Your Excellency the Governor, the battle group''s future rebuild is in great need of your assistance." "Rest assured, I will not forget the Phoenix Battle Group''s outstanding contributions to the safety of Rage Owl Star. The gene seed imntation devices needed by the group will be ready soon." ... After seeing off a preupied Matins, Gu Hang also let out a slight sigh of relief. He wasn''t really too worried about Matins spreading the secret of the ck box after learning of it. The sincere conversation they just had was merely to make sure that the head of the battle group didn''t do anything foolish. As long as he wasn''t muddle-headed, when the fate of the battle group was tied to the development of the, even from his own self-interest, he shouldn''t betray the. And now, since Matins had already made guarantees and promises, there was even less need to worry. Without dwelling any further on the matter, Gu Hang continued to follow his nned schedule and headed to the pre-war research institute that was located underground, where the interster warriors had previously fought to the death. By the time he arrived, the ce had been secured by soldiers from the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade. They had also conducted a thorough investigation to ensure its safety and had marked out the general function of every different room and area. Further exploration, let alone the excavation of research materials inside, was not something the grunts were fit to handle. Gu Hang had already sent a message to the Secret Research Institute in Weixing City, asking Wu Jiarong to bring people over to check it out. If the research materials here were indeed of great value, then thedy, whose level had actually risen to that of a Mechanical Priest, would stay here for a while; if they were of average value, then it would suffice to leave a few ordinary technicians to do some archaeological work. This time, Gu Hang hade in person not for the potential technical materials that might be contained in the research institute. He just wanted to know the historical records of why Greenskins had appeared on Rage Owl Star. It was not merely out of curiosity; the requirement on the [Event] panel was just as such. Getting what he wanted to know wasn''t difficult; soon, he found some simple record materials. It turned out that in the pre-war era, this ce was a biological research institute, employed by theary Government. They had acquired a live Greenskin craftsman technician in an attempt to study the biological form of Greenskins and to understand how their brains were structured and why they could create such unique Greenskin technology. They had some research findings, but they were not key, mostly being theoretical stuff. However, just as they were about to destroy the experimental materials, the war broke out, and this ce was quickly overrun. After initiating a full lockdown of theb, there was no need to worry about it being broken into by Chaos Traitors, but it also meant that theb had been sealed for a very long time without being opened. The records stopped there, but Gu Hang could roughly guess the rest. After all, having been sealed for such a lengthy period, the safety systems might not have been able to hold up any longer. Moreover, this was a ce that scavengers and adventurers explored. Due to some reason, the research institute being reopened and the preserved experimental specimen¡ªthat Greenskin craftsman technician being released¡ªwas also a possibility. No wonder this Greenskin tribe developed quite rapidly. Starting with a craftsman technician from a spacefaring Greenskin tribe could not be considered a pure start from scratch. Even though the environment wasn''t quite suitable and it started with just an old aging Orc, ten years after being unearthed, a strong Greenskin tribe had tenaciously emerged here. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelFire Gu Hang could even imagine, if not for his intervention, what would this Greenskin Orc Tribe have developed into afterpletely conquering Rubbish Town, ughtering, and enving its two to three hundred thousand people? Especially after leaving behind the ruins of the high tower, an inhospitable ce for the growth of Greenskin spores, and reaching a ce with abundant water and rtively fertilend, where live humans could be used as raw materials, their numbers would likely explode in growth in a short amount of time. By that time, what he would have to face wouldn''t be just a Greenskin Orc Tribe of tens of thousands. And as long as their numbers increased three to five times, coupled with their technology level far surpassing that of the primitive Orcs, the trend of Greenskins rampaging across the entire would have been unstoppable. Given the current state of Rage Owl Star, how could it withstand the fric development of several hundred thousand Greenskins? One could only say, thankfully, that worst-case scenario didn''te to pass. ... After Gu Hang figured out the intelligence on the origin of the Green Skin Orcs on Rage Owl Star, the second phase of the "Green Skin Threat" event in the [Event] panel was also consideredplete. The so-called important intelligence that served as a reward for this phase was obediently lying in the panel, ready for him to im with a mere thought. However, before that, another piece of news caught his attention. The entire campaign against the Green Skin Orcs had finally brought up the settlement page. Previously, the back-and-forth skirmishes took ce more than once, but there had never been any battle settlement data in the system interface. At that time, he had a suspicion: Those battles would probably not be calcted separately but would be incorporated into the overall campaign of the "Green Skin Threat." The rewards would not be settled until the entire campaign was over. And now, his conjecture seemed to indeed be true. [Slight Advantage Achieved, Granted 2189 Favor Points] [Total Losses 9144, Enemies in 37823, Prisoners 0] [Rubbish Town Militia (Allies): Losses 3447, Enemies in 217] [Governor-General Corps: Losses 5697, Enemies in 15022] [Phoenix Battle Group (Allies): Losses 2, Enemies in 230] [Imperial Navy (Allies): Losses 0, Enemies in 22354] ... 2189 Favor Points in profit! Seeing this figure, Gu Hang had only one thought in mind: War is indeed more profitable! It was just a pity that only over fifteen thousand were counted as his confirmed kills. The Rubbish Town Militia item could be ignored; it seemed that the adventurers there were counted as allies before the major reorganization of Rubbish Town and weren''t considered as his troops. After all... the Rubbish Town Militia was truly rubbish at that time, losing over three thousand for a mere two hundred kills. It didn''t have much impact. The exchange ratio achieved by the Interster Warriors was really fierce. Despite beingpletely outnumbered, they not only managed a ratio of one hundred to one but also included the highest leader of the Orc n, the Orc Warlord. If he had been present in the frontal battlefield, he could have likely ughtered hundreds of human soldiers. However, their total number was small, and the number of enemies they killed was notrge, so their achievements could temporarily be ignored. The most important was the Imperial Navy''s "Quintet," whose full round of orbital bombardment killed over twenty thousand Green Skins. This achievement would not be credited to Gu Hang''s ount, nor would it provide him with any Favor rewards. But it was equally crucial. Without the twenty thousand Green Skins killed by the orbital bombardment, if it had all been left to the forces under Gu Hang to push forward, the cost to him could have been unimaginable. He couldn''t risk the victory of the entire campaign just for the Favor Points he could gain from killing enemies. Moreover, even these two thousand or so Favor Points were very satisfying. Adding the previous bnce, Gu Hang now had 3079 Favor Points in his hands! At this, he felt greatly relieved. With so many Favor Points, many of Gu Hang''s ns could finallye to fruition. The Architectural System, which he hadn''t been able to work on previously, could now be invested in, especially the Loyal Heir Academy he had long desired. The exchange of Interster Warrior gene seeds which he had previously hesitated over due to their high price was now achievable with his surplus Favor Points; he could exchange for a few to try out. The traveling merchants he had contacted had brought him several sets of Interster Warrior Powered Armor, and now he could experiment with creating his own Interster Warriors. He could also continue to invest in the technological system, further expand the technological level of his territory, and develop several more industrial lines. Every technology he had elicited had yielded results. In short, with enough Favor Points, there was a lot he could do. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 214 : 157, The Eve of the Star War With three thousand grace points in hand, Gu Hang felt the troubles of sudden wealth. However, after calming down, he thought that although the number of grace points was not small, there were equally many ces that were eagerly waiting for money to be spent. If he really followed his n, he feared that even if he threw all three thousand grace points in, it would only make a few sshes. For example, the exchange of gic seeds for Interster Warriors; if he threw all three thousand grace points into it, it would yield only thirty seeds. Building them was something that could not be sustained. He still needed to n carefully. While making money is important, how to spend it is also a matter of knowledge. But this was something that didn''t need to be rushed for now; the grace points were already in his hands and they weren''t going anywhere. He had plenty of time to arrange things properly. He shifted his gaze to the "Important Intelligence" that could already be activated on the [Event] panel. What could it be? With a thought, he opened the intelligence. When he truly saw the message, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Now, he had only one thought: it was a good thing he handled this [Event], and he solved it rather quickly. Otherwise, if he missed this intelligence, a disaster would have urred. [An elder of this Green-skin Orc Tribe, the master craftsman Gorgon, created a cosmicmunicator during the tribe''s prosperous times and reached out to his mother n¡ªthe Space Green-skin Orcs of the Iron-Tooth n¡ªwith amunication request. In themunication, he mentioned the location and the cosmic coordinates of Rage Owl Star, inviting the main forces of the Iron-Tooth n toe.] [After sending out the message, there was no reply and Gorgon had forgotten about it. But in fact, his message was sessfully transmitted; he had simply forgotten to build a receiver in themunicator. A pirate plundering fleet of the Iron-Tooth n received the message and is now heading towards Rage Owl Star.] [In the near future, the Tenth Plundering Fleet of the Iron-Tooth n will pass through the Star Realm Tunnel and reach the jump point of the Rage Owl Star System.] [Coincidentally, an Imperial Merchant Fleet is also about to pass through the Star Realm Tunnel and reach the jump point around the same time.] ... If he hadn''t received this intelligence, Gu Hang dared not think about what would have happened! The merchant fleet was one he had invited. The Empire Commerce Guild, belonging to one of the official organizations of the empire, is necessary to get approval and be registered as a merchant in order to form a merchant fleet capable of navigating the endless boundaries of the empire. Otherwise, one might very likely be treated as a pirate. Fortunately, registering as an Imperial Merchant wasn''t tooplicated, nor was the threshold too high. As long as one''s identity and the goods being transported were clear, and they were willing to ept missions issued by the Empire Commerce Guild when necessary, that would suffice. Of course, a spaceship capable of traveling through the Star Realm Tunnel was indispensable. When registering as an Imperial Merchant, the first and third items are generally more rigorously checked. As for the second item¡ªthe goods...in principle, the requirements are also very strict. But sometimes, it''s all down to one''s own abilities. And the people who can do business with the Imperial Merchant also need to have permission. Generally speaking, these permissions are granted toary governors. In reality, as the governor of Rage Owl Star, one of Gu Hang''s major powers was the ability to trade with the Empire Commerce Guild. The output of Rage Owl Star was very limited, but it still needed important goods from other empires'' worlds, and there was a huge profit margin in between. The trade quotas in between were controlled by theary governor, and that was precisely the basis for past governors to acquire power without the support of cruisers and with a scarcity of manpower. Of course, Gu Hang didn''t need to acquire power that way now. However, it had been different when he first arrived. A month ago, he took the initiative through Yelisia to contact the Empire Commerce Guild, hoping that a merchant would adjust the route to pass by Rage Owl Star System and engage in some trade. This was actually a bit difficult; Rage Owl Star was too small, and the past trade records were... rather modest. But what if Gu Hang was a member of the Gu Family? In this aspect, his family''s status still yed a certain role. The merchant who came, named Wang Jiarong, was Gu Hang''s cousin. Besides the regr trade goods, her ship was also carrying two items that Gu Hang had specially ordered and cared about a lot, both rted to Interster Warriors. Interster Warrior Powered Armor and the biological equipment needed for the imntation of gic seeds. Whether it was for the hard-won trade opportunity, for the goods specifically ordered on the ship, or for his smiling cousin who had a pretty good rtionship with his predecessor, he had to find a way to save that merchant fleet. Moreover, the "Tenth Pirate Plundering Fleet of the Iron-Tooth n" mentioned in the intelligence was already targeting Rage Owl Star. Was it not best to deal with them decisively when they might sh with the Imperial Merchant Fleet, rather than waiting for them toplete their plunder before taking action? Given the Green Skin''s technological capabilities, even if the empire''s ships were turned into scrap, that space debris could still be collected by them and used as materials. Not to mention the various goods stored within the merchant fleet. As for how to deal with the Green-skin pirates mentioned in the intelligence... Rage Owl Star definitely did not have the capacity. It was estimated that the entire didn''t even have orbital defense means, a single starship couldn''t be found, let aloneunching an offensive. Chapter 215 : 157, Eve of the Star War_2 But isn''t there a "Quintet" floating in the''s orbit? A legitimate Imperial Navy main cruiser! ... Gu Hang almost immediately contacted Yelisia. The female captain, upon hearing that a squad of Green Skin pirates was approaching, not only did not show gravity or panic but felt excited instead. In the sky, fulfilling the governor''s request, conducting orbital strikes... although this also counted as a merit for the navy, it couldn''tpare to fighting a naval battle, annihting a Green Skin fleet, and saving a fleet of the Empire Commerce Guild. Thetter was the opportunity that Colonel Yelisia longed for in her dreams, where true naval gloryy. However, Yelisia wasn''t blinded by this news. "What''s the source of the information? Is it urate?" "I can assure its uracy," Gu Hang said. "In the battle on the surface, I captured a cosmic signal transceiver that explicitly mentioned this. But I can''t guarantee when that Green Skin pirate fleet will arrive." Yelisia then asked, "Can the size of that fleet be known?" Gu Hang gave a wry smile and shook his head: "That''s where the risk lies. I can only tell you that the fleet should belong to the ''Iron-Tooth n, Tenth Plundering Fleet''. As for how many ships it contains, the scale of its main force... I have no idea." "Then that''s quite troubling," Yelisia said. "I have only one ship here. If the Green Skins are many and strong and we attempt an ambush, it would be like throwing ourselves into the." "Yes," Gu Hang agreed. "So, is there a way to get support? We need more ships. Is it possible to call the Tianma Star Sector Fleet to send more reinforcements?" "I would have done so even without you telling me. But, we must also prepare for the worst: What if they don''t arrive in time?" At this time, Yelisia''s mind was very clear. She craved military honors, yearned for destroying the enemy''s ships in a grand naval battle, earning glory, and erasing the impression that she got her position through connections. But equally, as someone who graduated from the Imperial Navy officer training with excellent results all the way, she was no fool. Nor was she cynical. She clearly understood that her family background was not a burden but a significant aid. If she continued on this path, whether now or in the future, she was destined to be one of the top people in the Tianma Star Sector, at least as a backup. Service honors were indeed important. However, if the risk of seeking them were too great, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. If this naval battle merely resulted in a loss, if only in sacrificing the Rage Owl Star, that might still be okay. She would have borne the shame of defeat or the disgrace of fleeing without fighting, but there would still be a chance to redeem herself. But if she were to recklessly engage in battle and lose the "Quintet," the main cruiser... Dying with the ship would end it all; even if she survived, there would be no chance of aeback, and it would also bring disaster upon her family. Such a high cost made caution mandatory. Gu Hang understood this point. He pondered for a moment and said, "We are not fighting alone. The empire merchant fleet heading to Rage Owl Star is led by my cousin. As far as I know, she has not only one main armedmerce ship but also two escort ships. We could ambush near the warp point. If the Green Skin fleet encounters the merchant fleet, we can decide whether to join the battle or not depending on the situation." In doing so, Gu Hang was suspected of throwing his cousin under the bus. But in fact, without saying so, he couldn''t persuade Yelisia to take the risk and join the fight. "Feasible," Yelisia said. "But I have to be upfront with the ugly part: the specific size of a Green Skin pirate plundering fleet is not fixed, and if the situation turns sour, I will make an immediate decision to retreat and avoid the edge." "I understand." At this point, Gu Hang also felt quite heavy-hearted. "You don''t need to worry too much. Even if that happens, you vigorously resist on the surface of the. Once I rally with the main force of the Star Sector fleet, I wille to your aid immediately. As long as you hold on, there''s still hope." "Hmm." Hearing this, what more could Gu Hang say? He could only nod his head. If the iing Green Skins were truly numerous and fierce, and even the main cruiser "Quintet" had to make a break for it, Rage Owl Star was definitely doomed. He just hoped that situation wouldn''t arise. ... After finishing the discussion with Colonel Yelisia, Gu Hang led his troops away from the tower ruins and returned to the main camp outside Rubbish Town, where he temporarily stayed. He needed to reorganize his troops here. The Seventh Garrison Division was essentially dismantled, leaving only its framework. The officers were mostly retained, but the troops were reassigned to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, and 3rd Independent Regiment. These two and a half brigade-sized units¡ªthe Wind-Extinguishing Brigade only had three camps¡ªhad a total force exceeding twenty thousand men. Their equipment and ammunition were given priority. Furthermore, Gu Hang put the three Composite Camps of the first brigade and the full second division, totaling over thirteen thousand troops, through extra training with the "Beast ughter Group." These twenty thousand troops would soon board the transport ships descending from the "Quintet" and enter the starship. This was the assistance that Colonel Yelisia requested, and Gu Hang had agreed to it. Although... there was a chance of encountering an overwhelmingly strong enemy, and the colonel might take her elite troops and make a dash for it. But Gu Hang never pinned his hopes on resisting alone on the after the "Quintet" had fled. That was unrealistic. On the contrary, he too boarded the ship. He harbored two thoughts: Firstly, if the enemy was rtively strong, and Colonel Yelisia contemted retreat, he would then try to earnestly persuade thedy to join the battle. If necessary, his twenty thousand soldiers and the four urgently summoned Phoenixes would be his bargaining chip to sway Colonel Yelisia. Secondly, if the enemy was indeed too powerful to fight against, then... his life mattered most. He would flee with Colonel Yelisia and wait to join the main fleet of the Star Sector before striking back. But if it really came down to that second scenario, it wouldn''t just mean that all of Gu Hang''s efforts for a long time had been wasted, but also that there might not be a chance to start over. Aary Governor fleeing with the Imperial Navy before the fall of his came with enormous political costs. When the time came, he might end up in court and possibly dead. Therefore, Gu Hang hoped above all not to resort to the second option; he needed to resolve the matter at the first opportunity. ... A few dayster, at the first jump point of the Rage Owl Star System. Beneath the flickering blue light, four ships suddenly emerged from the void. Among these four vessels, thergest, about one-third the size of the "Quintet" andparable to a main destroyer of the Imperial Navy. This was the "Beautiful Girl," an armed merchant ship. Althoughrge, it only carried a little over twenty thousand sailors, and its armor thickness, void shield strength, and firepower were far less than that of a main destroyer of the same size. Next to the "Beautiful Girl" were three much smaller vessels. These were not merchant ships¡ªalthough they could also carry some cargo if necessary¡ªthese were three escort ships. Each, about eight hundred meters long, carrying over seven thousand sailors. Their owner was named Wang Jiarong. This young woman, resembling a girl, dressed in a white skirt decorated with golden patterns, with a golden sheer draped over her. She stood in the captain''s room, gazing out at the boundless Star Sea through a distant window. Supporting the white round-edged cap on her head, her beautiful face bore a trace of concern. Behind her, the vast ship control room, was frantically processing information from the ship''s Thinker Array: at the jump point, they had detected the approach of another unfamiliar fleet. In at most an hour, that fleet would pass through the jump point and arrive in the real universe. Chapter 216: Chapter 158: Star Realm Tunnel In this vast universe, the most critical reliance for interster travel is the Star Realm Tunnel. A single Star Realm Tunnel connects two star systems,pressing distances that span hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of light-years into a journey of just a few days, at most around a month. Cosmic ships, starships, that possess the capability to enter a Star Realm Tunnel essentially enter a state of hyperspace upon doing so. The normal state of travel for a starship in the cosmos is to navigate at sub-light speed within a star system, from one jump point to the next, then into a Star Realm Tunnel, arriving at another star system, and finding the next jump point... This necessitates the use of star charts, as well as navigators. These individuals are trained spiritual energy practitioners. Only they are capable of distinguishing the exact locations of Star Realm Tunnel jump points in the void of space, guiding the ship through the tunnel to the other side. Thus, the so-called star charts also be meaningful. Star charts disy the many star domains connected through Star Realm Tunnels. Two physically adjacent star systems could be vastly different in reality. Perhaps two physically close star systems, only tens of light-years apart, but without a direct Star Realm Tunnel connection, require traversal through several tunnels for travel, making them effectively distant from each other; whereas two physically distant star systems, tens of thousands of light-years apart, may be connected by a Star Realm Tunnel, making them adjacent on the star chart. Within the Human Empire, the physical distance between star systems doesn''t matter much. Without the Star Realm Tunnels, relying solely on the ships'' own propulsion at sub-light speed, even the closest stermunications are unrealistic. Of course, physical distance cannot be entirely disregarded. Some monsters and demons truly manage to endure countless years of time, slowly flying through the cosmic void, and indeed emerge from it. Within the territorial divisions of the empire: Cosmos Domains, Star Domains, Star Sectors, Star Systems, these four structures are all based on the star chart. The densework of Star Realm Tunnels, like a massive web, connects the entire empire''s territories. Within the Rage Owl Star System, there are three Star Realm Tunnels. Tunnel One connects to the Korolya Star System, Tunnel Two to the Heijian Star System, and Tunnel Three, instead of connecting to the Tianma Star Sector, connects to the neighboring Divine Steed Star Sector. Both the Tianma Star Sector and the Divine Steed Star Sector belong to the Dragonhawk Star Domain and are under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Cosmos Domain. Wang Jiarong''s merchant fleet had juste from Tunnel One, having wrapped up a deal in the Korolya Star System. Originally, her travel n did not include a stop at the remote Rage Owl Star, but wasn''t it Yelisia who had conveyed her cousin''s needs to her? After pondering a bit, taking a detour to the Rage Owl Star System, then heading to the Heijian Star through Tunnel Two, and finally returning to Korolya III before going back to Capital Wing Star didn''t seem to pose a major problem. Covering extra distance, visiting two mores, she shouldn''te out at a loss¡ªshe might not earn much, but she decided to consider it supporting her cousin, whom she hadn''t spent little time messing around with during their childhood. From the Korolya Star System to the Rage Owl Star System, the fleet would spend five days traversing the Star Realm Tunnel. Nothing significant urred during the first four days, as the usual bizarre scenes outside the windows passed by, but in reality, as long as one didn''t leave the range of the ship or recklessly send out any probes or the like, there wouldn''t be any danger. However, on the fifth day, the navigator aboard the "Beautiful Girl" reported a message: they had detected an anomalous signal in the Star Realm Tunnel, seemingly a fleet was following right behind them, also traversing the same tunnel. This unsettled Wang Jiarong greatly. The tunnel from Korolya to Rage Owl was deste, not a busy space route; the empire didn''t even bother with building any checkpoints at the jump points on either end. Beyond the destion of Rage Owl Star, this situation had already persisted for over a hundred years. Aside from her fleet, who else would traverse this ce? Heading to the neighboring Divine Steed Star Sector? That wasn''t likely either; the prosperous Nest Capital World Korogia had a direct route to the Divine Steed Star Sector. No one would travel through Rage Owl Star to reach Divine Steed Star Sector, as taking such detours and incurring higher costs was not something people did. So what was the situation with this fleet? In interster travel, any anomaly demands vignce. Even within the empire''s Cosmos Domains, safety isn''t truly guaranteed. Pirates are the mostmon threat, but threats originating from other alien species are nevercking. The empire refers to all non-human species as aliens and ismitted to eradicating all intelligent species other than humans. Not to mention, navigating through Star Realm Tunnels one often encounters... supernatural urrences. For instance, a derelict ship stranded inside a tunnel, dozens or hundreds of people disappearing from a ship during a voyage, or sometimes unexpectedly gaining dozens or hundreds more... These incidents have even be somewhatmonce. And now, being acutely aware that not just one ship, but an entire fleet was behind them, sharing the same Star Realm Tunnel, they couldn''t afford to be anything but cautious. Afterpleting the Star Realm jump, they didn''t dare to linger, choosing to immediately switch engine modes and gradually elerate, striving to reach the upper limit of sub-light speed towards Rage Owl Star. Wang Jiarong was aware that Yelisia''s cruiser was docked in orbit around Rage Owl Star. After joining with the "Quintet," her merchant ships would have strong protective safety. Chapter 217: Chapter 158, Star Realm Tunnel_2 For this reason, she ordered the Star Speakers on the ships¡ªalso psychics who had undergone special training¡ªto try and make contact with "Quintet." However, the Star Speakers brought her some rather bad news: they couldn''t get in touch with "Quintet." Star speech messages had been sent out, but there was no response. This situation deepened Wang Jiarong''s anxiety even further. There were only two reasons for theck of contact: either their star speech messages were being blocked and intercepted, preventing transmission, or "Quintet" was unable to receive their messages. Neither scenario was good news. It took some time for a ship toe out of warp and resume regr sub-light speed travel, as it needed time to elerate its engines. She now only hoped that this eleration process would pass quickly, which is why she had repeatedly urged the Mechanical Priest in charge of the engines. At the same time, she ordered the entire fleet to enter first-level battle readiness, making sure they were prepared to face the enemy at any moment. "Beautiful Girl" was equipped and ready to fire with eleven M-ss "Hammer" Colossal Cannons. Each of the other three escort ships was armed with fifteen S-ss "Defender" Rapid-Fire Cannons and three M-ss "Avenger" Cluster Laser Cannons. All of these ship cannons, as well as the operators behind them, the fire control systems, and navigation systems were part of the Thinker Array, which had also entered the highest state ofbat readiness. The so-called Thinker Array referred to a "wetware" collective formed by psychics, or even ordinary people, who had undergone special training under Thinker technology, along with basic mechanical calctors. It assisted in ship operation and helped the cannons with calibrating and firing. Despite all the war preparations, Wang Jiarong still prayed to the Emperor, hoping that misfortune would not truly befall her. It would be best if nothing happened, and the current tension and extra preparations, even if they turned out to be in vain, would not matter. However, not every prayer results in a favorable oue. "They''reing out..." The navigator''s voice rang in Wang Jiarong''s ears. She quickly returned to the main control console, switching the screen to the position opposite the direction of the starship''s travel. In the void, many ships were gradually revealing their shapes. In reality, the distance between them was already over fifty thousand kilometers. However, this distance was still too close in space. On the virtual screen erged by the Thinker Array in front of her, the identities of those ships that were trailing them, crossing through the warp point, and entering the real universe, became very clear: The Green Skin Orcs'' fleet! This could be determined from their exaggerated, haphazard appearance, looking like a pile of trash haphazardly put together. Only Green Skin Orc warships would have such a look. But as unattractive, with random paint jobs, andcking conventional aesthetic sense they were, and as rough in appearance as to not seem like products of technology...they were indeed bonafide interster warships. "One, two, three, four... twelve Green-Skinned Warships... Can anyone tell me why there are so many Green Skins here?" Wang Jiarong was somewhat distraught. But no one could answer her question. The higher-ups of the merchant fleet at the control console were not inexperienced: the Orc ships that appeared behind them were not easy to deal with. In the starry sky, there is a most intuitive way to judge the strength of a starship: look at its size. ``` Of course, it is impossible to be 100% urate, as countless exceptions can prove this point. However, when the technological levels are not vastly different, as a general rule, therger the warship, the stronger it is. At the moment, of the twelve Green-Skinned Warships, four are asrge as the destroyers in the Human Empire Fleet; the remaining eight are at least the size of an Escort Ship. And these ships are armed with huge, outwardly ostentatious cannons, embodying the Green Skin Orcs'' style: caliber is king! Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin Wang Jiarong struggled to maintain herposure and gave her orders, "Engineering, full speed ahead! We must try to escape before the Green Skin Fleet has a chance to elerate." "All gunnery crews, fire at will at the Green Skin Fleet! Focus fire on single targets! Try to cause as much damage as possible!" "Yes, ma''am!" Who on the entire ship didn''t know that this was a critical moment? No one dared ck off when their lives hung in the bnce. Increasing the distance and attempting to flee was obviously the right choice. The "Beautiful Girl" was slightlyrger than the typical mainline destroyer, but most of that space was taken up by the cargo hold. The strength of its Void Shields and the ship''s own armor could barely match that of a destroyer, yet its firepower was at best only half that of a standard destroyer. The other three Escort Ships were indeed up to normal specifications, carrying only a small amount of cargo. Against the Green Skin Fleet''s configuration of 4+8, a head-on confrontation was hopeless. Firing was just something to do when there was nothing else; running was the key. While trying to escape at full speed, it was impossible for them to adjust the ship''s position to allow all guns to fire at the enemy. In reality, if they fired backwards now, at best only a third of their firepower could be utilized. However, these Green Skin Ships had just left the Star Realm Tunnel. The energy shields on the ships were activated, but it was clear the power hadn''t been cranked up to the maximum yet. Just after emerging from the Star Realm Tunnel, the starships were at their most vulnerable. Because of this, three volleys of concentrated fire directly disabled a Green-Skin Frigate. The energy shield of the Green-Skinned Warship overloaded, swiftly changing from a blue glow to a dangerous red. A barrage of fire went through the overloaded shield and struck the hull. The armor was shattered, the hull severely damaged, and if one zoomed in closer, one could even see numerous Green Skin Orcs being ejected from the broken parts of the ship. This Green-Skin Frigate basically lost itsbat capability. If the Green Skins were to win the battle, they might be able to retrieve and repair the ship, but at the very least, in this battle, the frigate was no longer a threat. With an initial victory, Wang Jiarong was somewhat invigorated, and the morale of the entire convoy improved slightly. However, this was almost the only good news, as the bad news just kepting one after another. When they shifted their focus to the second Green Skin Ship, the Green Skin Fleet had already ovee the vulnerability of just havingpleted the jump. Not only did this mean that the energy shields on their ships were fully operational and not so easily prated anymore, but it also meant that the weapons systems were also up and running. The eleven remaining operational Green-Skinned Starships opened fire simultaneously. Kic Cannons, Green-Skin Laser Cannons, all fired fiercely. The style of Green Skin Ships, in keeping with the overall style of their race, typically features arger number of guns of higher caliberpared to human warships of the same ss. However, they also continue the trait of generally much less precision than human Navy cannons. But the distance between the two forces was just too close: at this moment, the gap had widened to around seventy thousand kilometers at most, which in space warfare was almost considered point-nk range. The human side was set to suffer greatly. Aboard Wang Jiarong''s four ships, blue lights flickered all around almost simultaneously, indicating the Void Shields activating at the impact of iing firepower. In an instant, the Void Shields surrounding the four ships began to show signs of turning purple, signaling an imminent overload. ``` Chapter 218: Chapter 159, The Starting Point of the Road to Glory The proximity firepower of the eleven Green Skin Ships made it very difficult for Wang Jiarong''s fleet to resist. And their counterattack seemed weak and feeble. Charging with their bows facing outward was inherently disadvantageous for firing, let alone when the enemy''s weapon systems came online, their close-range interception abilities were also activated. Whether it was theirser cannons firing or Colossal Cannon shells, a portion was locked onto midway and intercepted by the enemy''s firepower in the void. Of course, the convoy''s interception systems were also at work. ''Defender'' Kic Rapid-Fire Cannons and ''Reflector'' Interception Laser Cannons were doing simr tasks. But overall, they were without a doubt at a disadvantage. Before they could fully extend the distance, they would likely be overwhelmed by the Green Skin Orcs'' firepower. And a worse point was their speed... it seemed not even as fast as the Green Skins. At this moment, when the orc ships'' engine systems began to elerate at full power, despite ate start, they swiftly reached a high speed in a short time. Their lead advantage would likely be nullified before long. Once the speed difference between the two sides was eliminated, the shrinking distance would further enhance the firepower advantage of the Green Skin Fleet. Not to mention, the Green Skin Fleet had a particr preference during naval battles: boardingbat. They could almost be considered, in this universe, the second race that enjoyed boardingbat in naval battles¡ªthe first being the starship warriors. Landing pods,nding ships, even short-range warp... these were all means the Green Skins could employ. Once the distance became dangerous, they would use these methods. The smallnding pods and ships, closing in among a barrage of firepower and equipped with considerable camouge to deceive the target ship''s interception systems, would approach the target ship at low speed, rendering the Void Shield ineffective and thus allowing them to attach to the ship. Holes in the hull from previous naval battles that seemed trivial could be entry points for invasion; if there was no such entry, the various high-performance bombs and cutting devices that came with the boarding troops would find rtively weak spots on the ship and cut through. These breaches in themselves posed little threat to the ship, akin to an adult being bitten by a mosquito. However, what was terrifying was the ''venom'' that came with the bite. A substantial number of warriors would enter the ship through these breaches, engaging in intensebat within the hull. Onboard the ship, there were no particrly spacious areas suited for deploying heavy firepower. Most of thebat environments were cramped, obstructed, and face-to-face. Who, then, could stand against the Green Skin Orcs in such conditions? Elites among the Green Skin ranks would wreak havoc inside the ship. Even if they couldn''t destroy or kill everyone on the starship directly, every casualty they caused would significantly degrade the warship''sbat capabilities. If they reached the weapon systems and silenced some of the firepower, that was a win; if they got to the Thinker Array, they could cripple the ship''s automation systems, greatly reducing the ship''s departmental coordination; if they reached the engine room, a high-performance bomb detonated from within might paralyze the entire vessel. And if they made it to the captain''s quarters... Boardingbat was certainly a high-risk, high-loss action, and in most cases, thending pods and ships would be destroyed by interception fire before reaching the target. But even a small sess could cause disruption; a big sess could outright capture the ship. The Green Skins weren''t afraid of dying. In fact, at this moment, there were already some small drop pods flying over with the cannon shells. However, up until now, no drop pod had managed to break through the interceptionwork, estimating that a hundred or two hundred Green Skinds had been lost in the Star Sea. Yet, Wang Jiarong''s face was still pale. It was good news that the Green Skin ground troops had not yet boarded the starship, but this good news was hardly significant. Seeing the Void Shield had turned a purple hue and witnessing some shells piercing through the Void Shield, striking the hull of the starship, she could already feel the vibrations. The Void Shield is a type of energy protection system, characterized by its ability to intercept solid projectiles, energy cannons, and missile weapons, especially high-speed approaching objects and energies. However, it is less effective against low-speed passing objects. A fully operational Void Shield, that is, when it is blue, offers the best resistance; but when it sustains attacks beyond a certain limit and turns purple, some interceptions may fail, with shells and energy beams having a chance of slipping through. Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin At first, it wasn''t so bad; even if something slipped through, the attacks, weakened by the Void Shield, upon meeting the solid armor of the starship, would normally be withstood. But when the Void Shield''s capacity reached its limit, turning red, the probability of shells slipping through would increase substantially, and the weakening effect on attacks would diminish, leaving it up to the strength of the armor and the ship''s structure to hold out. Although the current state of the Void Shield was still changing towards purple and the starship''s armor was still reliable, the asional attacks that got through the Void Shield had not yet caused severe damage. Chapter 219: Chapter 159, The Starting Point of the Road to Glory_2 However, all this was extremely bad news. From the moment the Green Skins began their counterattack, the situation rapidly deteriorated. What was more crucial was that Wang Jiarong could not think of any way to change the current state of affairs. "Gu Hang, oh Gu Hang! This time you really got me killed! I shouldn''t havee to this godforsaken ce..." She muttered in her heart, her face drained of color. And just then, the Star Speaker suddenly reported a message, "Captain! We''ve received amunication signal from the Quintet!" Wang Jiarong was startled, then burst into joy, "Connect it quickly!" The next moment, Yelisia Fu Fana''s voice filled the entire bridge, "I am Commodore Yelisia Fu Fana of the Empire Navy Pegasus Fleet, captain of the Quintet." Her clear voice sounded like a savior to everyone aboard the "Beautiful Girl." "Yelisia! Thank heavens! Finally, we''ve made contact! Save us quickly!" Wang Jiarong was so happy she was nearly crying. "I''m right beside you," Yelisia said. "Now, you need to get your fleet to turn around and fire full force at those Green Skin ships. We are going to annihte them here, before they can build up their speed!" Wang Jiarong was momentarily stunned. What did she mean by "right beside you"? Had Yelisia anticipated encountering the Green Skin Fleet here and set up an ambush in advance? Was that why there had been no response earlier when the Star Speaker tried to contact, because the Quintet was lying in silent ambush? But why? How had she received the message in advance? Wang Jiarong''s mind was a whirl of confusion, but these thoughts only spun around in her head for a short while before she stopped dwelling on them. Following Yelisia''s instructions was the only chance for survival. Immediately, the four ships of the Beautiful Lady Convoy began to turn their hulls sideways as Yelisia had requested, unleashing their full firepower. Without external assistance, this was tantamount to seeking death. Presenting the broadside to the enemy was dangerous. Doing so would enable the full deployment of the ship''s firepower, but also presented thergest target area; at a sufficient distance, when firing at each other to decide the course of the battle, when both sides were separated by over 100,000 to 150,000 kilometers, facing the enemy broadside or head-on made little difference in terms of the firepower endured, but the capacity of our own firepower could be at least 30% lower. However, also in a broadside position, the ship obviously couldn''t remain motionless. Side-moving ships were easier to dodge cannon fire. Overall, this was a bnced offensive tactic. And at that moment, the charging Green Skin Fleet was unmistakably employing an aggressive offensive tactic. Shortening the distance, their cannons would greatly increase in power and uracy, and for this, they were even willing to sacrifice 20-30% of their firepower. But even so, the firepower advantage of the Green Skins was still much greater than that of the "Beautiful Lady." They didn''t know why these shrimp-like ships all of a sudden adopted a posture as if they were ready for a big battle, but it obviously excited them even more. Their firepower became more ferocious, and they released even morending capsules. However, at that moment, from some previously dark and empty void, hundreds of missiles suddenly shot out. These missiles were targeted at a Green-Skin Destroyer. And the next moment, two giant Colossal Cannon shells streaked across the void, mming ruthlessly into its energy shield. The arrival of two heavy cannons simultaneously also had a huge destructive power against starships. The energy shield of the targeted Green-Skin Destroyer, which had been a calm blue, suddenly shed a dangerous purple. Then out of the hundreds of missiles, seventy prated the Void Shield and bombarded the destroyer. The seventy explosions that suddenly erupted on the hull of the destroyer severely damaged the vessel. The Energy Shield Generators might have been impacted by the explosion, as the originally purple Void Shield vanished momentarily. If they had had a little time, just a few minutes, it would have been enough for the energy generators on the Green Skin ships to restart or switch to auxiliary power. However, there was no chance for that. The next ten slightly smaller Colossal Cannon shots followed, with six hitting their mark and mercilessly pounding the target. The damage inflicted by these six shots was even more dreadful than the previous seventy missiles, instantly turning that green-skinned warship into a huge fireball. Continue reading at m|v-l''e -NovelBin An expensive destroyer was thuspletely destroyed. And the unexpected assault''s achievements did not stop there. Another ten Colossal Cannon shots were fired at a green-skin escort ship, with four making impact, turning its energy shields abruptly red. The strength of the shield generator on the escort ship was much weakerpared to that of the destroyer. ... On the bridge of ''Quintet'', after the Thinker Array faithfully ryed the battle imagery and confirmed the results, Yelisia made no exuberant cheers or leaps for joy¡ªthat would be unsteady and not befitting of a captain. Still, she couldn''t help but throw a punch excitedly. The green-skinned warship that had been destroyed could actually be considered the first realbat naval achievement of her captaincy. And this feat alone was enough to surpass the aplishments of many captains from the Tianma Star Sector. Since the establishment of the Tianma Sector Fleet, there haven''t been many instances of it being used as a support unit by the Imperial Navy, deployed to formrger fleets forbat operations. Besides those veterans who formed temporary United Fleets, the younger and less experienced ones mostly stayed within the boundaries of the Star Sector, at most eradicating interster pirates in the surrounding Star Sectors. What capabilities could those interster pirates possibly have? At best, they might have an escort-ship-level pirate ship, which would be quite decent, and many would just use an ordinary spaceship to perform robberies, daring to attack only ultra-small convoys. In the past, Yelisia never even managed to achieve the feat of eradicating petty pirates, which was one of the reasons she was ridiculed behind her back. But from now on, no one would dare tough at her again. Even those seasoned captains who''ve been assigned to other high-intensitybat zones and witnessedrger battles don''t all have a record of destroying an enemy destroyer. Getting an assist would be considered brag-worthy for many years toe. And today, she, themodore who was often derided as having connections and a rapidly promoted rank, had aplished it. Not only was it not an assist, but she had also been an exclusive main force. What about an ambush from ambush? That''s called tactics! However, after the initial excitement, Yelisia immediately returned to her calm demeanor. One of the enemy''s three destroyers had been destroyed, which certainly counted as a heavy blow to the green-skin fleet, but they had plenty of ships and ample resources left. The battle was far from over. Especially now that the advantage of a surprise attack was gone, without the element of surprise, the next barrage of firepower would not so easily achieve the same results as before. The orc fleet had already discovered their whereabouts and would not allow them to strike unabated. Advanced ship maneuvers would ensure more shells missed their targets; close-range anti-air firepower on high alert would intercept some of the Colossal Cannon shots or deflect them. Of course, as a main cruiser, ''Quintet'' had ample weaponry, particrly the two L-scale ''Wrath of Loyalty'' Colossal Cannons, which wielded destructive power against ships of the escort level. Just one hit and those escort ships'' energy shields would immediately overload. On ''Quintet'', ve workers and technicians were now working at breakneck speeds to load cannon shells for the next round of gunfire; the Thinker Array was striving to observe and lock onto targets that were actually moving rapidly. The firing attack needed preparation time. Before it was ready, ''Quintet'' would have to withstand a round of enemy fire. The ''Defender'' Rapid-Fire Cannons and ''Reflector'' Interception Lasers started operating to counter the orc ships'' firepower, and at the same time, vast expanses of blue light emanated from around the cruiser. That was the sight of the Void Shield activating when the ship was under attack. The naval battle had thus entered an intensely heated phase. At this point, the previous achievements of destroying a destroyer and overloading an escort ship''s energy shield no longer seemed as important. At that moment, Yelisia couldn''t help but turn and look at the man standing not far behind her on her side. She sighed and said, "Gu Hang, if we lose, you''ll truly have let me down." Gu Hang smiled and replied, "If we win, this will be the starting point of your glorious path." Chapter 220: Chapter 160, Brilliant Explosion Hearing the so-called "starting point of the path of glory," Yelisia snorted coldly, looking disdainful and not wanting to bother with Gu Hang. She turned her head and continued to busy herself. She kept issuing orders, constantly listening to the reports from various departments, responding and making judgments ordingly, formingmands that were ryed downwards. She seemed somewhat nervous, struggling to remain focused. Indeed, she was not an experienced veteran of the navy, nor had she had properbat experience, but her outstanding academic record at the Naval Academy was not faked. If her grades hadn''t truly been excellent, how could she have be a captain, especially when the Fufana Family had more than just her in its younger generation? In her mind were all the tactical maneuvers she had learned at the Naval Academy, which she nowbined with the real-time situation on the battlefield, responding in a standard manner and issuing orders. This might appear somewhat rigid, but it was less likely to result in errors. During her school days, Yelisia hade up with many bizarre naval tactics, but after gaining practical experience, she found her early whims were purely self-indulgent. Only a few solid and seemingly effective strategies appeared viable under the current circumstances. But she dared not use them. Who knew if untested methods would turn out to be ingenious or give away an advantage? The most important thing for her to do under the current situation was to avoid making mistakes, relying on the strong firepower and defensive capabilities of the "Quintet" cruiser to fight steadily. She would rather fight in a more rigid manner. Gu Hang watched Yelisia''s serious expression and a smile appeared on his face, his mood rxed slightly. How toter ease the tension with this femalemodore was a matter forter; for now, they had to get through the current difficult situation. A conflict had almost erupted between the two just a moment ago. After Gu Hang boarded the starship with nearly twenty thousand warriors, the "Quintet" reached the jump point of Tunnel One in the Rage Owl Star System. Before this, Yelisia had attempted to have the Star Speaker on the starship send a message to "Beautiful Girl" to warn Wang Jiarong to prepare in advance. However, the message failed to send, likely because the other party was traversing the Star Realm Tunnel. In such a state, it is difficult for a Star Speaker to locate the target of the message and transmit it. Thereafter, they gave up on sending messages and let the ships quietly stop in the void. Muting allmunication signals, other than the necessary energy supply, they turned off most of the engines'' power... The starship floated silently in the void, indistinguishable from a speck of dust on the scale of tens to hundreds of thousands of kilometers. Even if the enemy began scanning the surroundings immediately after emerging from the Star Realm Tunnel, it would be very hard to detect them. Yelisia was strictly implementing her previous idea; she was crouching here, waiting for events to unfold. If they could fight, they would fight; if not, they would flee. And after seeing the Green Skin Fleet chasing after the Beautiful Lady Convoy, Yelisia found herself in a bit of a difficult position. Those escort ships can be set aside for the moment, as their small-caliber weapons would find it tough to prate the defense systems of a main cruiser. But those four destroyers couldn''t be ignored. The medium-caliber firepower they carried could indeed pose a real threat. Yet, when it came down to it, it wasn''t like there was no chance of victory. The Beautiful Lady Convoy still had four ships, and with their help, the chance of victory was there, even quite substantial¡ªsixty or even seventy percent. However, a sixty to seventy percent chance of victory was not enough for Yelisia to take a gamble. Betting and losing everything was not worth it whenpared to retreating now, gathering reinforcements, and easily eliminating the Green Skins with the entire Tianma Fleet assembled. What about the safety of Rage Owl Star? Forget it, a with an annual tax quota of five million wasn''t worth saving. The cost of building one escort ship, even the cheapest ones, starts at half a billion. Rage Owl Star would have to pay taxes for a hundred years to afford just one escort ship. But for Gu Hang, the concept waspletely different. If Yelisia withdrew, Rage Owl Star would be doomed. He strongly urged Yelisia to engage in the battle. Your next read awaits at m v|l-e''-NovelBin The conflict between the two arose just like that. Yelisia was not keen on it, and during the argument, Gu Hang didn''t state it explicitly, but he implied that he had twenty thousand warriors on the starship. Yelisia''s face turned dark. Even if it wasn''t stated openly, it was a threat. She had wanted Gu Hang to bring his troops on board as a precaution. The Green Skins favored boarding tactics in space naval battles, which was written in the naval military doctrine. Although there were already marine troops on the starship, having an additional twenty thousand warriors would certainly make her feel more secure. Yet who would have expected that at this time, it would be a tool for Gu Hang to threaten her with? If an internal riot broke out on the starship, regardless of whether her marine troops could suppress Gu Hang''s twenty thousand warriors, there was no doubt it would result in a lengthy fight. And internal strife on the ship would pose a fatal threat to the safety of the "Quintet." Gu Hang could see that Yelisia was cornered. He didn''t continue to push the issue with a hard stance. A pyrrhic victory would be a cause for the rivaling Green Skins to rejoice. Subsequently, he softened his tone, talking about defending the empire, protecting the convoy, eliminating the alien threat, and painted a picture of how if they really managed to annihte this Green Skin fleet, Yelisia would, beyond doubt, have made a significant achievement. Chapter 221: Chapter 160, The Brilliant Explosion_2 ``` A cruiser, operating independently and annihting an entire Green Skin fleet consisting of four destroyers and eight escort ships, is an outstanding military achievement. Not only within the Tianma Fleet, but even when viewed across the entire Imperial Navy, it''s an de worth mentioning. Even more so, with such a record as a foundation, coupled with sufficient familial backing, her rank might well ascend again in a short span of time. There''s a huge threshold between the ranks of Commodore and Rear Admiral. Generally, Commodores aren''t called generals, but Rear Admirals are definitely recognized as such without question. If she really made it, she might be the youngest general in the history of the Tianma Star Sector, and no one would dare to say that her promotion was merely due to her family''s protection. Her fame would spread far beyond the Tianma Star Sector, so much so that in the entire Dragonhawk Star Domain, and even the entire Eastern Cosmos Domain, her name Yelisia would be well-known, glittering throughout the Star Sea as a rising new star in the Imperial Navy. These words deeply moved Yelisia. She had thought of it herself, but having someone else voice it out, hitting right at what she was thinking, felt different. Combining these considerations, Yelisia finally gritted her teeth, ordered the starship to leave silent mode, prepared to fire at full capacity, and made contact with the Beautiful Lady. The situation had developed to the present state. Gu Hang was instrumental in bringing about the current circumstances, but his ability to influence the situation further was now quite limited. Commanding a starship was not within his capabilities. He could only be a spectator for the time being. And it was quite a sight to behold. In this vast expanse of space, there were still more than a dozen space leviathans exchanging fierce firepower. Those beams of light, light particles, cannon shells, Void Shields, and the colorful shes of energy shields being hit, the ze of explosions when the fire directly hits the ships... At least from Gu Hang''s vantage point on the Quintet bridge, through the Thinker Array''s feedback on the impact of their attacks, and the battle disy diagrams, he could see everything clearly. The deste starry sky hade alive with activity. However, these beautiful lights all contained terrible power and lethal damage. But as Gu Hang yed the role of a spectator, he was not simply enjoying the spectacle. He carefully observed Yelisia, analyzed the current status of the battlefield, and the variousmands she issued, striving to absorb all he could about space navalbat. Read new adventures at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Many of the situations that arose and the responses made by the female Commodore were beyond his understanding, but this didn''t prevent him from making an effort to remember them. He nned to revisit these after getting ess to theoretical training literature, which might help him grow. Learning about these things was of no immediate use to him, but Gu Hang hade to deeply appreciate how crucial space power was in this interster era. It was a decisive force. In the future, if conditions allowed, he would certainly build his own navy. Perhaps with some luck, he could quickly acquire naval technology, couldn''t he? Err... maybe not, even if he acquired it, he couldn''t afford to build starships. Such high-end manufacturing could only be approached once a''s productivity had sufficiently developed. Lost in thought, he noticed that the exchange of fire between the two fleets had reached an intense stage. It wasn''t long before the Green-Skin Frigate, which had taken hits from the Quintet''s Colossal Cannon and had overloaded energy shields, exploded in space. The ship that destroyed it was abined fire from the Beautiful Lady and two other escort ships. The Beautiful Lady Convoy led by Gu Hang''s cousin had seasonedmand officers who sharply caught the change in the battle situation caused by the Quintet''s fire, delivering the fatal blow. This was the second ship to be destroyed since the battle began. With two fewer ships, the Green Skin Fleet''s firepower had been reduced by nearly a quarter. The results of the Quintet''s ambush had tilted the scales of victory once again in their favor by another ten percentage points. If the Green Skin Fleet were led by rational humans, the best move at this moment would probably be to quickly flee. ``` Unfortunately, that was not the style of the Green Skins. They still charged upwards, braving the firepower of the human ships. After sacrificing a destroyer and two escort ships in explosions, they managed to blow up an escort ship of the convoy and sessfully boarded two others, deploying troops onboard. The ship that had been boarded quickly weakened in firepower and explosions urred inside. Whether or not the Green Skin Orcs who had boarded could be driven out was still unknown, but at least for now, their contribution to the naval battle had been reduced by half. The pressure of the battle was bing greater and greater. As the Green Skin Ships advanced, they had lost five ships, but their firepower had be even more fierce¡ªthis was due to the decreased distance between the two sides. The Quintet was indeed well-armored and armed. Out of the five Green-Skinned Warships lost, four were destroyed by it. Its L-ssrge caliber guns, the "Wrath of Loyalty," were devastatingly powerful. However, when some of the Green Skin Ships broke off to approach the "Quintet" within a distance of fifty thousand kilometers, the firepower on the Green Skin Ships greatly improved in precision, and the Quintet felt somewhat overwhelmed. The most direct indication of this was that the Void Shield had turned purple, even showing tendencies of bing red, and the Green Skins'' heavy artillery started to have shells prate the shield and hit the ship''s armor. Gu Hang on the bridge had felt the ship shake violently several times. The ship''s stabilization system couldn''tpletely nullify the tremors, which likely meant real damage was done to the ship. Even if it wasn''t major, the repairs afterward would probablye at a considerable expense. However, in exchange for this effect, the Green Skin Fleet had lost another frigate. Now, all that remained of their ships were two destroyers and four frigates. In Gu Hang''s assessment, the battle had reached its final critical stage. The fearlessness and determination of the Green Skin Fleet to fight to the end had left a deep impression on him. For the human side, victory was almost within grasp. But the remaining question was at what cost. Even though until now the humans had only lost one escort ship, the remaining three ships of the Beautiful Lady Convoy had their Void Shields overloaded, with two boarded, in a dire crisis; even the Quintet''s Void Shield was nearly red. If the fight continued to the end and the Green Skin Fleet was annihted, but the Beautiful Lady Convoy was wiped out and the Quintet severely damaged, then the oue would be quite distressing. The political repercussions could also be quite serious. Gu Hang also heard Matins beside him sigh. "It would have been nice if our battle group''s strength was still present, we could have sent over a hundred or two people, along with a substantial number of the Mortal Auxiliary Army, enough to take a whole ship." Listening to the battle group leader''s words, it seemed they had often done such things before. Gu Hang patted his shoulder, about to say something, but then saw on the bridge, multiple indicator lights suddenly turned red. This was a signal of danger. The Thinker Array ryed the information: "Warning! Multiple intrusions have urred inside our ship! Green Skinnding ships used some unknown energy technology to deceive the interception system, and we only shot down 70% of thending ships, which included arge number of decoy pods. Currently, it is assessed that seventeennding pods have sessfully reached the ground, and over two thousand Green Skin Orcs have entered the ship! The Navy Marine Corps has engaged them but is currently at a disadvantage." Yelisia suddenly turned her gaze towards Gu Hang. "It''s time for you to y your part." Without a word, Gu Hang turned and left. Indeed, the time hade for him to contribute, and there was nothing to discuss. He would go forth. Chapter 222: Chapter 161, The Meaning of Life Lacroix was pondering an important question: what exactly is the value of life? He used to not bother with this shitty question. In his early years of wandering with the tribe, all he thought about was how to get an extra bite of food and avoid hunger; then as an adventurer, it was still about food; and even after bing an adventurer, it fundamentally boiled down to getting a bite to eat. Later on, when all of his brothers from the same wandering tribe had perished, he joined the Beast ughter Group. He could finally eat his fill, but now his goal became fighting the Greenskins, avenging those brothers who had once fought at his side. And then, somehow, the higher-ups convinced him to transition from an adventurer into a formal member of the governor''s regr armed forces,plete with military rank and a unit designation. But he didn''t care much about that, and he was even supportive of it. He could eat even better, and His Excellency the Governor issued them equipment and weapons that were clearly far superior to the rubbish he had used as an adventurer. Plus, they had cannons, and other friendly forces provided support with heavy equipment like armored vehicles. This clearly increased their efficiency in eradicating the Greenskins by a huge margin. What was not to be happy about? Support, ten thousand times support! Some time ago, they had wiped out the Greenskins in the High Tower ruins. ording to what the officers said, to prevent the Greenskins from multiplying again, every area of the High Tower ruins needed to be scorched with mes. Sometimes he wondered whether the Low Energy Storms that often blew up in the High Tower ruins could rece the need for burning with fire. But regardless, the big problem had been dealt with; even if Greenskins asionally regenerated, the numbers wouldn''t be too much to handle¡ªthey could simply eliminate them and burn the area again. Just as he and hisrades were casually chatting, guessing whether their recent performance was good enough to reim the title ''Beast ughter Group'' from the governor, a new mission was handed down. They were to board a transport ship and proceed to a starship orbiting the to carry out their mission. At the news of this assignment, Lacroix and hisrades were utterly dumbfounded. Was this going to take them to the heavens? He had gazed up at the starry sky countless times but never imagined that one day he would leave the ground to fight in the vastness of space. They were inexplicably excited. Though they could foresee the potential dangers, when they sat on the spacecraft and saw the earth recede, breaking through the atmosphere to the point where they could almost see the entire globe below them¡ªthe boundlessnd curving into a sphere, now a mix of dull yellow and te blue¡ªthey were still awestruck. So this is our world. This is Rage Owl Star, where generations of our ancestors have lived. It was hard for him to articte the emotions stirring inside him, and perhaps hisrades felt the same. Therades still conversing with one another had be silent. The transport ship slowly approached the massive steel creation suspended in the void. A hatch opened, the transport ship entered, then the hatch closed as it seemed to fill with gas. Another door opened, and the ship moved further inside to a vast area akin to an airport. One by one, transport ships entered through various exits, opened their hatches, and troops disembarked. Soon, he too had no time to look around as the hatch of their transport ship opened, and their toon walked out, following the ground crew''s instructions, heading inside to the Marine Corps barracks. The space temporarily assigned to them was very cramped. Their whole squad was squeezed into a narrow space of a few square meters. There were four sets of beds with two sets pushed tightly together, leaving about forty centimeters of aisle in between, and each set had three bunks, theoretically allowing for twelve people to sleep. And there were two spare beds to store our stuff... That was theirint. There was a canteen for meals, the food entirely made of synthetic starch which they said could be very nd after eating for a long period, but for now, they felt it was fine as long as they could fill their stomachs. Maybe they would grow tired of it eventually, but would they really stay on the starship until then? However, rumor had it that there were markets and bars somewhere on the starship, offering different things, but they had never seen them, and they weren''t allowed to wander about the starship. Even these rumors were dug up by the more restless soldiers in the toon, who''d go to the canteen to eat but managed to chat with the so-called Starship Marine Corps, who typically didn''t like to interact with them. Lacroix wasn''t interested in that. What he cared about was the question that had arisen since being transported to the starship and seeing the magnificent view of space: what exactly is the value of life? He didn''t know why he was thinking about such a boring matter, but with nothing else to do while confined in the narrow, closed-off cabin, that''s what he did. He pondered the question for days without reaching any conclusion. Until today, when the crimson lights were shing everywhere, rms were ringing non-stop, and he and hisrades received orders to leave their quarters and assemble outside. Continue your saga on m|v-l''e -NovelBin Chapter 223: Chapter 161 - The Meaning of Life_2 Everyone was on edge. They knew that it seemed like war had already broken out. The starship was continuously firing, engaging in battle with the Green Skin Fleet. This was unlike any war they had experienced before. In the past, no matter how powerful the enemy or how dire their own situation, it had always been a battle fought on solid ground, with the weapons in their hands. To some extent, their lives were under their own control. But now, they were who knows how far from their homnd, from their, in a ce where they were told even light took a long time to travel. If the naval battle were lost, all of them would be buried in this Star Sea. But soon, their mission arrived. He saw thepanymander and the politicalmissar exchange a few words, then the order was given for the entirepany to move out. After walking out for dozens of minutes, amid a violent explosion, he witnessed the squad next to them almostpletely engulfed by mes and shrapnel. Immediately afterward, with his head in a whirl, he saw silhouettes charging through the broken breach. Almost instinctively, he raised his gun and fired in that direction. Although it had roughly the shape of a person, Lacroix was certain, very familiar, that it was a Green Skin. Indeed, his firing even saved the life of thepanymander. With his lead, many of hisrades around him opened fire, and the Green Skin was quickly killed on the spot under concentrated fire. However, more Green Skins, stepping over the still-burning mes, charged in. A bloody battle thus unexpectedly erupted at close quarters. There was no heavy firepower, no cannons, no armored vehicles... In the environment inside a starship, it was difficult to deploy such things. All they had were the guns in their hands and wills of steel. As more and more Green Skins poured in, it even became difficult to keep shooting, and they had no choice but to fix bays and engage in hand-to-handbat. A chaotic melee ensued, leaving no room for any art ofmand; both sides were locked in a desperate struggle. Bays, bullets, blood, limbs... all these things whirled chaotically in the narrow corridor. Lacroix had nothing left in his head, just one stabbing motion after another. Hisrades fell one by one beside him, and others took their ces, but he was somehowrgely unscathed, even though his chest was struck by a Green Skin''srge cleaver. The steel bulletproof armor te had saved his life, and in turn, he ignored the pain in his ribs and the fact that he was knocked to the ground by the Green Skin''s great strength, and he plunged his bay fiercely into the unsteady Green Skin''s neck. Lacroix, sttered with blood on his face, pushed the corpse aside with force and stood up, gasping for air. And it seemed like this was thest Green Skin, as there were no more living enemies in sight. But in this hellish scene, there were only seven others still standing, like him. Lacroix looked around, confused. An entirepany of one hundred and twenty men... just seven left? He couldn''t count the number of bodies strewn across the corridor, especially when some were disfigured beyond recognition. He only knew that almost everyone he recognized was dead, the seven before him were strangers. They were all covered in blood, just as confused as he was. The seven of them instinctively gathered together and stood in silence for a long time, none daring to speak. In the end, it was Lacroix who broke the silence, "Here... who has the highest rank?" He remembered that during a break in the surface battle before, thepany''s political instructor had instilled in them many military regtions. If the team''s formation was scattered, the soldiers nearby should gather spontaneously and follow the one with the highest rank as the temporarymander. Now... could this be considered scattered? Or should it be considered gone? "I''m a private..." a timid voice said, "I was just replenished into the 3rd Independent Regiment..." "I''m also a private..." "I''m a corporal..." "I''m ance corporal..." Around the circle, they were all just soldiers. Lacroix scratched his head, now really unsure of what to do. Not even a single officer left, huh? What was to be done now? In a trance, he saw everyone''s eyes turn to him. He then remembered that he had not yet reported his rank: "I... I''m a sergeant." When they werest reorganized, he was still a private; after the battle at the Tower Ruins, he became one of the old-timers of the Beast ughter Group, and during a mass decoration, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. The rank of Lance Corporal signified that he had a position equivalent to a D1 rank within Revival City, as touted in the propaganda. Adding together food rations and training allowances, he already had enough to live a life far better than mere subsistence. If he ever stopped being a soldier, he would be transferredterally at the same rank and have a secure future. Furthermore, duringbat, he would receivebat pay. His promotion had been swift among his squad; only the squad leader held the rank of Sergeant First ss, and the deputy squad leader was a Staff Sergeant. Beyond that, his rank was the next highest. But overall, within the entirepany, he was still a small fry. Then, he heard a Private First ss say, "Well, looks like you''re the highest-ranking here, so we all follow your lead now." Lacroix was stunned. Me, me, me... I can''t be the one in charge, can I?! But he quickly regained hisposure. This was not about power; it was responsibility, and there was no shirking it. ording to regtions, he had to take on this responsibility. Taking a deep breath, it seemed he finally understood the question that had preupied him before. He might not dare speak of the distant future, but at least his current value was to lead the remaining seven survivors of the 2nd Company, 6th Battalion, 3rd Independent Regiment. Thest remnants of the 362nd were all here. What to do next? Previously, their mission was to proceed to Zone B7752 to stand guard and eliminate all the alien enemies that appeared there. However... thepanymander, the politicalmissar, they might know where Zone B7752 was, but how would he, a mere Lance Corporal, know? Scratching his head, he heard the distant sound of battle. With a call, he said, "Let''s go toward that direction and see if we can find any other friendly forces." If there were friendly forces, especially officers, it seemed he could relinquish his responsibility. ... Genie Kuangya, fully armed at nearly three meters tall and wearing ultra-heavy armor, pushed open the half-destroyed hatch and was the first to step out of thending craft. He was met with a volley of over thirty electromaic rifles andser guns firing at him. His armor rang with the impact of the hits, yet none of them could halt his stride for even a moment. He moved forward with his mechanical legs at a swift pace, shielding the Green Skin youngsters following behind him from harm, while also creating space for them to deploy their formation. And during this process, he also lifted his left arm. The rocketuncher mounted beneath his forearm fired a salvo that sent the entire front row of elite marine soldiers and several others about toe forward for support flying into the sky. The violent explosion caused some damage to the metal corridors of the ship''s hull, blowing holes through it and revealing the split mechanical structures underneath, as well as groups of people evacuating below. It seemed to be a gun turret belonging to the ''Reflector'' Interception Laser Cannon of the ''Quintet.'' Kuangya grinned wickedly, his smile fierce. Such a harvest too? He lifted his arm again, aiming the rocketuncher downward. The automatic reloading mechanism had already filled theuncher with a new round of rockets, and two orcish youngsters withrge packs on their backs were replenishing hisbat pack with more rockets through the ammo intake located at the armor near Kuangya''s rear. The next moment, another dozen rockets flew out, striking the isted turret below with solid hits. The crew operating the ''Reflector'' which numbered in the dozens were almost instantly obliterated. Theser cannon''s energy storage device followed, detonating and sting an evenrger gap in the surroundings. The wave of the explosion even reached the upper levels. While Genie Kuangya was unaffected, several unfortunate Green Skin youngsters were caught in the st and hurled out of the ship. Without the ship''s life support and gravity systems, these individuals, even as robust Green Skin Orcs, had no chance of surviving in the vacuum. But that did not matter. Destroying a ship cannon was far more valuable than a few unlucky youngsters being blown away. Seeing such a spectacr explosion right before their eyes, the surviving youngsters were extremely delighted. Kuangyaughed loudly too! He waved his hand, signaling his boys to quickly leave thending bay; they were going to charge deeper in! As the Military Governor of the 10th Plundering Fleet of the Iron Tooth n, he was the fleet''s leader. Today he was determined to win the war by personally entering the fray! The fleet''s suprememander personally joining the fight was reckless to the point of foolishness, but it was quintessentially Green Skin. Chapter 224: Chapter 162, Fleet Military Governor If one were to say that Genie Kuangya personally led his most elite fighters to jump aboard the "Quintet" and take part in the battle, that would make a lot of sense. The sudden appearance of the "Quintet" turned what was originally a certain victory into an extreme disadvantage. The surprise attack that damaged a destroyer and an escort ship tipped the scales of victory in the enemy''s favor. During the subsequent naval exchange of fire, the "Quintet" demonstrated formidable firepower as well as robust defenses. To continue bombardment was more likely to end in disaster than sess. To win, they needed to think of another method. They could forgo charging the energy shield and overload the weapons system, hoping for the entire fleet to make a concentrated, all-out assault and achieve a decisive victory. Alternatively, they could employ what''s termed "pack hunting tactics," using superior ship maneuverability andrger numbers to spread out and carry out a three-dimensional nking operation. This tactic avoids matching the "Quintet''s" consistent velocity, instead relying on bursts of eleration and deceleration, creating significant and frequent changes in rtive speed to reduce the enemy''s ability to anticipate their movements and urately lock on with their firepower. Or, like the Green Skin Fleet is currently doing, adopting the so-called "close-quarter tactic," braving the onught of fire to charge in close for a full-speed, short-range shootout. With no space to dodge and no chance to intercept, most of the firepower must be endured head-on; it bes a contest of whose ship is tougher, whose cannons are more formidable, and who has more ships. However...there seem to be many options, yet in reality, few are viable. The "pack hunting tactics" are not suited for the Green Skin Fleet. To properly execute these tactics, high ship maneuverability and precision firepower are required. Green-Skinned Warships generally aren''t up for this task; their firepower is fierce but imprecise; they''re fast but not agile enough. Humans rtively favor such tactics. And those who most prefer to use "pack hunting tactics" are the beings who im themselves as the Spirit Race. Kuangya despises such opponents the most; they''re impossible to catch, impossible to hit, and they bombard you relentlessly, but just one opportunity for a ruthless counterattack could lead to decisive victory. As for the "close-quarter tactic," the Green Skins are exactly doing that. In fact, before Kuangya left his gship to jump aboard, hisstmand was for the fleet to shut down their power and energy shields upon closing in and to overload their weapons systems to utterly destroy the "Quintet." But looking at the current situation, they probably won''t be able to make the charge; who knows how many ships will get blown up mid-way. Those that do manage to close in likely won''t have overall firepower or defenses to match the "Quintet." In order to ensure the sess of the close-quarter tactic and the mad n to fire all weapons, he personally led the boarding party. Although he is the Military Governor of the fleet, among the Green Skins, regardless of which group, the one who bes the boss, the leader, is always the most formidable among them. And without a doubt, Genie Kuangya is such an individual. Of course, he was also concerned that if their interception firepower exploded the boarding capsules before they couldnd on the enemy ships, it could spell disaster. This was a very real possibility, despite deploying many decoy capsules and using the raw power of "waaagh" to camoulfage and silence the boarding capsules, making them difficult to lock on to¡ªbut these were no guarantees. However, now that he had sessfully boarded the ship, the remaining problems seemed trivial. Continue your adventure with m|v-l''e -NovelBin What human shrimp could possibly stand against him? In his past career of battle, he had killed countless shrimp, even some big fellows in cans among them, whom he had also chopped down. The group of yellow-canned shrimp left a deep impression on him. He had to admit they were mighty, but regrettably, the final victors were him and his subordinates. It was because of that battle, that feat of arms, that he grewrger, greener, and stronger, which earned the favor of Kulo Iron Tooth, the leader of the Iron-Tooth n and warlord, granting him the position of Military Governor of the Tenth Plundering Fleet. And today, aboard this ship, it''s not likely that a bunch of shrimp in cans will leap out, right? Without those formidable beings, he was confident that with his leadership, his most elite troops, even in small numbers, could absolutely push through like a hot knife through butter, ying their way through the entire starship. Indeed, it was just so. After boarding, Kuangya almost single-handedly annihted a squad of Navy Marine Corps from the "Quintet." Then, leading his elite team, he destroyed a defensiveser cannon and began storming toward the most critical area within. The core area was not without resistance. On the contrary, the forces intercepting him were the most elite of the "Quintet." The "Quintet" could muster a maximum of thirty thousand armed troops, of which ten thousand were regr Navy Marine Corps members. These were T4 level troops, well-equipped with weapons. They wouldn''t even regard G-series live-ammunition rifles, using either L-seriesser rifles or HS-series electromaic rifles instead. After realizing they were up against an elite Green Skin assault team, themander of the Navy Marine Corps had already ordered their most elite units to join the battle with their finest weapons. Chapter 225: Chapter 162, Fleet Military Governor_2 The two most important weapons were the Strider Combat Vehicles and the Foxhound-ss Infantry Mechs. As for the former, there''s no need to say more. The reason why they didn''t equiprger vehicles than the Strider Combat Vehicle, such as the Lion Tank, was that thebat environment inside a starship did not quite allow for the Lion to move around everywhere. Although the Strider was quite big, it was still two sizes smaller than a heavy tank and could still run on many of the main roads inside the starship. As for thetter, it was essentially a ''person''¡ªa mech servant, a product of the Sect of Mechanics. During the mechanical transformation, apart from removing part of the brain to turn it into a mech servant who could only follow orders, there was also a significant modification of the body. From the outside, it no longer resembled a human being; almost all of its body was mechanized, and its shape was like that of a half-standing hound, with purely mechanical reverse knee-joint legs. The head structure containing the brain was somewhat canine-shaped and integrated with arge number of sensors. Its overall size exceeded two meters in height and was equipped with a heavy machine gun, along with sturdy ferrosteel armor. Even a space warrior would have to put in some effort to take it down. It was a precious product of the Sect of Mechanics, and there were only about one hundred and fifty of them on the entire starship. Half an hour after Genie Kuangya made a fierce charge, the first batch of elite troops assembled by the Navy Marine Corps included eighty Foxhound Mechs, thirty Strider Armored Vehicles, and more than a thousand marine soldiers, in addition to two thousand armed sailors. As a result, their defensive line was breached by Kuangya in a wave. The rockets in his hands seemed to be blessed by some mysterious force, extremely precise, and even had some tracking effect. There was also a thermal cannon mounted above his left shoulder. His personal firepower was already maxed out to the top. Moreover, he wasn''t fighting alone. On the way up, many Green Skins that hadnded from other ces smelt the scent of their boss and instinctively gathered around. Now, the number of Green Skins following behind Kuangya had also exceeded a thousand. Furthermore, those Green Skins behind him were elite. Not only were they particrly tall among the Green Skins, but they also wore strong armor, carriedrger caliber and more explosive firearms, and were equipped with plenty of explosives. What''s more,pared to the smaller infantry mechs, the Green Skin Killer Cans and the slightlyrger Death Iron Cans were no weaklings. With Military Governor Kuangya as the arrowhead, they charged fiercely. When Kuangya sted the mech''s fire base with his thermal cannon and multiple rocketunchers, then personally charged into close range, fired another round of rockets, and picked up his axe to wield in a frenzy, the Green Skins'' walking mechs and elite infantry also surged forward. The scale of the battle might not have been particrlyrge, but it was extremely bloodthirsty. This blockading force of the Navy Marine Corps, after losing all their infantry mechs andbat vehicles, fought desperately for fifteen minutes and suffered over 60% casualties. Then, the breakdown of the armed sailors triggered aplete copse. Actually, they couldn''t be too harshly med. Even if they all had endless fighting will and were willing to give their lives for this battle, it would only have dyed the enemy for a bit longer and wouldn''t have changed the oue. Of course, the Green Skins also paid a heavy price. At least four hundred Green Skin Orcs and over thirty various Green Skin armored vehicles fell in battle. The two sides left behind over a hundred various machines and nearly three thousand lives, and all this happened within about twenty minutes, on a battlefield that didn''t extend more than eight hundred meters in any direction. Bodies and mechanical wrecks were no longer just scattered everywhere¡ªthey were piled up inyers. The Green Skins'' army would have to walk over heaps of broken limbs and wreckage to advance further. Kuangya himself was unharmed. And with him there, and the remaining six hundred Green Skins, theirbat effectiveness was still intact and they could continue the assault. In contrast, the Navy Marine Corps was unable to gather a force equal to the one just defeated to stop them in a short period of time. Along the way, there were only some small-scale units present. Brave soldiers attempted to use their lives to slow the Green Skins'' boarding assault and buy time for theirrades. However, Yelisia on themand bridge of the gship panicked. Through the intelligence transmitted back from the front line, she recognized that it was the Beastman Overlord personally leading the boarders. She immediately realized that with only the ''Quintet''s''bat readiness, there was nothing that could stop this Beastman Overlord. On one hand, she couldn''t believe the recklessness of this beastman Military Governor. In her view, how could a fleetmander, a fleet admiral, personally lead a boarding assault? It was too easy to die unclearly in the interception fire, which would be a meaningless death. But on the other hand, reality pped her hard in the face. That formidable individual strength, the terrifying advantage it brought to the battlefield, was amplified to an extreme in the special environment of the starship. This wasn''t an open ground battlefield; all fighting happened inside the starship. Even in the most spacious ces, space was limited. It wasn''t possible to deploy artillery miles away to attack the enemy. In a limited environment, a beastman overlord equipped with heavy armor, impervious to gunfire, with individual firepower maxed out, was simply the nightmare of any defense line. What made her more panic-stricken was that the beast seemed to have an extremely keen sense of battle. Its line of attack was unerringly towards the heart of the starship¡ªthe engine center. If it were to breach that area, the consequences were unimaginable. At present, the naval battle had reached its critical moment. Just now, they had sted another enemy escort ship. Yet, the distance between the two forces had closed even further. The Quintet, having been boarded and attacked by troops, had several of its firepower tforms knocked out. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin This caused its return fire to weaken, and the starship''s Void Shield had turned red as more firepower began to prate it, challenging the cruiser''s armor directly. Simrly, those Green-Skinned Warships were also under greater pressure, and the ''Wrath of Loyalty'' of the L-ss was still formidable. At the moment when bays shed, if the Quintet were to be dealt a harder blow inside, with the ship''s power failing and problems arising in the weapon systems and Void Shield''s energy supply, it would be struck by a devastating blow in an instant. What could they do? Was there anything that could stop that beast? Theirst hope rested on Gu Hang. Theary governor had not only brought two thousand soldiers but also four interster warriors. She immediately used themunication system to contact Gu Hang, who had already left the bridge to muster troops. "You must resolve this problem immediately! We''re all in the same boat, if the ''Quintet'' goes down, none of us will survive!" Through themunicator, Gu Hang''s response came swiftly, a simple sentence: "I know, I''m already there." His voice was quite steady. Yelisia felt somewhat relieved. She didn''t know if Gu Hang and those interster warriors with him could stop that Beastman Overlord. But now, other than cing her trust in Mr. Gu, she had no other choice. At that moment, she began to feel grateful for having brought Gu Hang aboard the ship initially. ... Gu Hang was not bluffing to Yelisia; his troops were indeed in position. It wasn''t just him, nor was it just the four Phoenixes. Relying solely on their power would not be enough to stop an army. Apanying him were the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade''s first and second battalions, as well as a regiment from the second infantry division. Earlier, he had learned of the rming news that a Navy Marine Corps unit had been wiped out in twenty minutes. The troops under hismand were no stronger than that rapidly annihted Marine Corps unit. If possible, he wouldn''t want to subject his forces to such brutalbat. But this was war. In war, there is no choice. Chapter 226: Chapter 163, The Moment of Desperation is Here! Genie Kuangya could already sense that victory was not far off. He could even smell the scent from the core engine powerpartment of the shrimp ships. Destroy that, and victory would be his. But soon, a new squad of soldiers appeared before them, blocking their path. Kuangya was slightly puzzled. The attire of these newly appeared soldiers was different from the shrimps they had encountered before. They were not the shrimp wieldingser guns, electromaic rifles, like those of the Navy Marine Corps, nor as formidable; neither were they the armed sailors, though they were a bit stronger than them. But soon Kuangya didn''t care. They were all shrimps anyway, just kill them and that''s good. The hundred or so people even set up bombs in the road, but it was meaningless. The Spiritual Energy kids and artisan kids who stormed with him all had ways to detect these buried bombs in advance and detonate them beforehand. The asional misses weren''t a big problem either. Explosions that somewhat harmed the average Green Skin Orc, barely mattered if they stood a bit further away, let alone the armored units. After the bombs proved ineffective, what remained was a bloody confrontation¡ªor rather, a one-sided ughter. The strongest firepower of this toon was nothing more than some bombs, a small number of rocketunchers. The configurations of machine infantry with armored vehicles in front had been swept clean like cutting melons and vegetables, not to mention these guys. In three to five minutes, the entire toon was nearly wiped out. Their reluctance to retreat in a death struggle was not due to unwillingness, but because they simply didn''t have time to run, or they wouldn''t be able to get away if they tried. Turning their backs to the enemy only led to being shot down more quickly. However, the lives they had given were not without value. At the very least, they had slowed down the orcs'' assault squad by a few minutes. It was these same minutes that allowed Gu Hang and his elite team toplete the defensive preparations outside the core engine powerpartment. Actually, there wasn''t much that could be set up. Even if they wanted to build some fire points or shelters, it was difficult. Aboard a starship, it was not like being on the surface of a. In the wild, you could dig trenches in the soil, and in city ruins, you could use various debris and building materials to build shelters. But on a starship, there was nothing but various rooms or corridors, narrow or spacious. Unless the structure itself had something bulletproof to hide behind, you''d have to exchange fire with flesh and blood or simply turn the corner and dive straight into a bloody close-quarters brawl. In such an environment, the size of the Green Skin Orcs was obviously an advantage. Humans indeed had bulletproof armor inserts, but Green Skins also had scrap metal armor, so no onegged behind the other. And when it came to physical resilience, Kuangya''s elite guards could take a couple of hundred bullets a piece¡ªfar more formidable than humans. All Gu Hang could rely on was greater numbers and stronger firepower. The location he chose for battle was a crossroads. Taking the forward direction of the starship as north, the Green Skin assault squad wasing from the south to the north, and on their route they were bound to pass through a broad crossroads. Gu Hang positioned a heavy force to the north of the intersection, which was the direction leading to the powerpartment. Two battalions of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade were all there, but not heavily concentrated. Instead, they used fighting vehicles as cover, roadblocks, and fire points, with soldiers setting up multiple obstacles on this eight-meter-wide passageway. If Green Skins were to reach the powerpartment, they would have to step over the bodies of the Rage Owl People from this crossroads onward for every meter. At the same time, on the narrower east and west passages of the intersection, troops were also stationed. The 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Division ced abat battalion on each side. Rows of soldiersy prone, with a row crouching behind them, and another row standing behind that. They held their guns aimed at the intersection, and a bit further back, there were rocketuncher troops ready to unleash a full-force barrage on the Green Skin Orcs as they passed. Additionally, there was a reserve forceposed of a battalion also from the 22nd Regiment. They stood by on the fringe of the battlefield and would nk the rear of the Green Skin assault team from the south side of the intersection as soon as the battle started. Gu Hang prepared arge for them. But the key to this was himself and the four Phoenixes. Before boarding the starship, Gu Hang had leveled up. The battle in the ruins of the Eradication Tower, besides yielding generous points of grace, also maxed out his experience, enabling him to advance to level five. Discover more stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin Advancing to level five required a full five hundred points of grace. This brought an increase of one point in constitution, one point in intellect. Beyond that, there was a new talent. When boarding the starship, he had thought that he might need to deal with the Green Skin Fleet''s boardingbat. Although he could never have imagined that boarding would indeed soon threaten the "Quintet," he had prudently chosen to invest in ayer of Spiritual Energy. And this brought him an upgraded talent: [Advanced Telekinesis Control]. [Advanced Telekinesis Control: This talent will rece Telekinesis Control. You can now use Spiritual Energy more forcefully to control physical objects. Intellect +2] Although no new talent arrived, the upgraded version of Telekinesis Control was still quite reliable. Telekinesis Control was a general and potent Psychic Spell with outstanding effects. Chapter 227: Chapter 163, The Moment of Desperation is Here!_2 Moreover, after switching to advanced telekinesis control, his spiritual energy had increased slightly. As of now, Gu Hang''s total spiritual energy attribute had reached 20 points. His attributes had be as follows: [Hero: Gu Hang (Faction Leader), LV5, insufficient experience to level up] [Physique: 10, Spiritual Energy: 20] [Traits: Psychic Caster, Governor of Rage Owl Star, Enemy of the Storm] [Talents: Protective Spiritual Energy, Advanced Telekinesis Control, Mind Maniption] This boost significantly enhanced Gu Hang''s own strength. An increase of two points in spiritual energy meant that both the intensity of his spiritual energy and the power of his psychic spells more than doubled from before. As a level five psychic who had put all points into spiritual energy, Gu Hang was already very strong. To use an interster warrior as an example, before the upgrade, he could barely handle a one-on-one fight against an average star warrior. But now, crushing an old soldier wasn''t a big problem for him, he couldfortably defeat a battle group warrior, and he could barely manage to fight against someone at the level of a squad champion like Matins. The increase in his strength this time would be a great help in the uing battle to eliminate the Beastman Fleet General. Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin As long as they could kill the Beastman Overlord, the encirclementid out with the forces at hand would be meaningful, ensuring the total annihtion of those Green Skin Orcs here and effectively resolving the threat of this round of boarding tactics. There might still be Green Skins alive, scattered throughout the ships, but they would no longer be a threat. If they failed to kill him... Let''s not even talk about it; it''s either dying here or getting blown up in space along with the starship. This is space maritime warfare; when a ship explodes, there''s truly no way out. All preparations had been made, and the battle came swiftly. Kuangya arrived even faster than expected. His assault team appeared at the southern end of the crossroads. After violently demolishing a door, a troop of Green Skins rushed forward. The walkers and soldiers'' firepower quickly filled the entire passage, and even if those five Green Skins were elite and capable fighters, they couldn''t survive a bullet storm in such an environment with no room to dodge. Their crude iron armor shattered, they rushed forward a few dozen more steps with their strong and highly resistant bodies, but ultimately fell under the concentrated fire. But what followed was not as easy to defeat. Those were two parallel killing machines. The machine guns on the walkers could still inflict effective damage on them, but were unable to quickly eliminate them. Simrly, the machine guns in the hands of the killing machines could prate the walkers'' armor. The killing machines advanced while firing. Under their cover, the Green Skins continued to press forward. Fierce exchanges of fire began, and casualties started to ur among the human soldiers. A walker exploded, taking a few nearby soldiers with it, but at the same time, several rocketunchers took effect, overturning one of the riddled killing machines. However, during this process, the Green Skin Orcs'' ranks had advanced a considerable distance. After one killing machine was toppled, the Green Skins didn''t want to just rush forward half-heartedly either. At least, Kuangya didn''t have the patience for that. He pushed aside the young Greens Skins that were rushing faster than him, shoved aside a fear-inducing iron can that still wanted to surge forward, and threw himself into the front line. The heat gun on his shoulder immediately came into y, piercing through half the corridor. From the intense red heat line backward, three walkers were pierced withrge holes, and further melting extended outward from the perforated parts, causing the three vehicles to fall silent. The soldiers standing in line with the heat line didn''t survive either. All of the rocket nests on his left arm were also emptied, and a series of violent explosions urred on the humans'' position. The gunfire that had filled the passage instantly fell silent for a moment. Seizing this opportunity, a mass of Green Skins began to surge forward rapidly. Even though the human soldiers'' firepower was soon restored, it didn''t significantly slow their advance. The Beastman Fleet General at the forefront bore most of the iing fire with his massive and sturdy body. Machine gun fire from the walkers, even concentrated and intense, only literally created a ''metal storm'' on him; the bullets were metallic, making contact like a gust of wind, merely slowing his pace. But conversely, once the heat gun on his shoulder was recharged, and the rocket nests in his hands were automatically refilled, a round of his firepower would obliterate a section of the human position, silencing the gunfire and waiting for another wave of soldiers toe before the firepower could be restored. Moreover, the firepower on the side of the Green Skin Orcs wasn''t solely from Kuangya himself. The Iron Cans of Terror, the weapons mounted on the killing cans, were equally ferocious in their firepower. The orcs kept pushing forward relentlessly. During this process, Green Skin Orcs fell constantly, and asionally a killing can would be destroyed. However, the human side was paying an even heavier price. As a frontlinemander, Perbov''s heart was bleeding. Within his first battalion, the most precious twopanies¡ªthe Abandoned Cave Company and Kodi Company¡ªhe had assigned to the most arduous tasks, to act as the first echelon in blocking the Green Skins. But now, he had lost contact with bothpanies. In just a few minutes, he had lost his most elite twopanies. Among these twopanies, there were many of his ''fellow countrymen''. Heartache, sadness, guilt... these emotions were swirling in his heart. Yet, as amander on the front line, he still had to be ruthless, sending the subordinates he held dear to a battlefield of extreme brutality. They were all fine young men, yet they had spilled their blood so far away from their homnd. But this was exactly in order to defend their homnd. The first battalion had nearly half of its troops empty, it was time for the second battalion to take over. Until new orders were issued, they must fight to the end, even if it meant dying at this position! Soon, the Green Skins led by Kuangya reached the crossroads. At this moment, soldiers who had been positioned early in the passageways to the east and west began to fire with all their might. Beyond bullets, arge number of rocketunchers, as infantry firepower, were fiercelyunched. The two battalionmanders from the 22nd Regiment, although they couldn''t see the fierce battle around the corner passageway, were extremely anxious when they saw countless bullets flying across the intersection and heard the orders over their listening devices, realizing that two of the most elitepanies had been wiped out in minutes. They were no longer thinking about life and death. They were considering that at the first moment of engagement, they had to fire all the firepower at hand as forcefully as possible. If they did not do so, thinking of saving the key weapons for a critical moment, they would likely not have the opportunity to fire them. inly put, it was some rocketunchers. But the Green Skins were not fools. Seeing such a well-defended front and another crossroads ahead, how could they not be cautious? Kuangya took a moment here to continue attracting fire but also waited for more orc mechas to arrive. ording to his strategy, he would split off some forces to strike into both nks, at least holding the ground until the main force had passed through. The infantry on both sides also made a resolute decision,unching all the rocketunchers they had almost in one go. Amidst the powerful bombing, everymander heard a new order in their ears: "All units charge!" This was certainly not an easy order to ept, but whether they were soldiers of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade or the infantry of the 22nd Regiment, all moved at themand of officers, political instructors, and duty officers. "The moment of desperation hase! Follow me on the charge!" the officers, political instructors, and duty officers led the way, and the soldiers followed close behind. While firing, they charged toward the center of the crossroads! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Although just one chapter, each chapter is over 4k words. The drawbacks of not having a stockpile havee, I intended to post this section all at once, but writing every day on the fly, I couldn''t finish... Tomorrow, no matter how many words I post, I will definitely finish this section! Chapter 228: Chapter 164, The Death of the Military Governor (6k, subscribe please!) Kuangya was somewhat surprised. Those shrimps actually dared to charge at them. He really hadn''t seen thating. Actually, the shrimps they had encountered along the way were all quite brave, nearly all of them willing to fight to the death with huge casualties. It''s just a pity that their abilities were a bit weak; otherwise, killing them would have been even more thrilling. Even so, those brave soldiers also tried their best to avoid closebat with them, preferring to useyers of dy tactics and long-range firepower to reduce their numbers, hoping to hold out with their numerical advantage until ultimate victory. This was the first time they had encountered shrimps daring enough tounch a charge at them. Quite interesting. But Kuangya didn''t feel worried about anything. Perhaps they had some special methods, but it didn''t matter. Bring it on, I, Warlord Kuangya, fear nothing! He reaped a decent toll with his furious rocket and thermite cannon, and then some shrimps charged him amidst the fierce crossfire. He took the great axe slung over his back, and with just one horizontal sweep, three shrimps were cut in half at the waist. Then more shrimps charged over. But the human soldiers who reached his face appeared somewhat helpless. Facing a nearly three-meter-tall steel giant, impervious to concentrated machine gun fire, what could they do even if they charged up close? Could bullets prate armor at close range, or could bays pierce through it? However, the soldiers had their own methods. Kuangya saw that some shrimps strapped bombs to themselves. But it was meaningless. In front of him, they didn''t even have the chance to detonate the bombs. The small shrimp had clearly misjudged Kuangya''s reaction speed and strength. His nearly three-meter tall frame moved like lightning. Just a kick sent the human soldier''s chest caving in, the entire person flying several meters away. Another soldier then picked up the bomb pack from the corpse and charged at him again, even pulling the fuse early, but this time he couldn''t even get close, taking a bullet from six or seven meters away. The prematurely detonated bomb did explode, but the heatwave and shockwave from several meters away, of course, couldn''t bother Kuangya, and instead killed two other human soldiers nearby. All in all, the charge of the human soldiers was tragic and harrowing, but it seemed... utterly pointless. Far from killing more Green Skins, their casualties were particrly great, as if they were simply marching to their deaths. If things continued like this, it would not be long before all were dead. Kuangya thought so too and felt the opposingmander had lost his mind, even dumber than the dumbest kid in the tribe. No sooner had he thought this than he was struck hard. Two azure beams shot out from the human soldiers'' formation. These beams were no ordinary means of attack; his armor was prated directly, a smoking hole in his chest and another in his head. This was real damage; especially the shot to the head that caused him excruciating pain. Only, what armor did not stop, his skull did. His head wasn''t pierced, but he could feel immense pain and a sensation of his skull fracturing. The chest was pierced more thoroughly, damaging the respiratory system. Even for him, these two strikes were certainly very serious injuries. Not fatal, but very painful. Damage to the respiratory system made even breathing feel somewhat sweet; a fractured skull made his head dizzy. In a daze, he only then saw two shrimp bigwigs in blood-red power armors, standing about seventy meters away from him, the fully charged glow of their sma guns not yet subsided. At the same time, two more of the same shrimp bigwigs in blood-red power armors had charged to within ten meters of him. Why had I not seen them before? Such big targets, even if mixed within the charging human soldiers, would be extremely conspicuous. Anyone with eyes couldn''t fail to see them. However, at that moment, he had no time to ponder the reasons. At close range, the two shrimp bigwigs had already raised their weapons. The one charging at the front, wearing a ck skull helmet, held a scepter in his hand, none other than Priest Nic Rizzo of the Phoenix! He raised the head of his scepter, aiming it at Genie Kuangya''s head. Taken by surprise, Kuangya could only dodge backwards reluctantly, while forcefully swinging his battle axe, shing hard with the Priest. An even match. Injured and ambushed without being able to muster full strength, this confrontation ended up in a draw. The Gravity Scepter in Rizzo''s hand smashed Kuangya''s defensive stance, but he himself, due to the force of the blow, staggered back two steps. But it wasn''t just himunching a surprise attack. Matins, wielding a chainsaw sword, followed closely and seized the opportunity to strike fiercely at his chest. Kuangya''s thick chest armor was shredded by the chainsaw. The previous concentrated sma gun strike had not only pierced his chest armor and injured his lungs but also weakened his chest armor further. If it had not been for this precondition, Matins'' chainsaw sword would probably not have been able to achieve such an effective blow. Arge wound appeared on his chest te, and the foul blood of the Green Skins spurted out from the wound. Chapter 229: 164th Chapter, The Death of the Military Governor (6k, please subscribe!)_2 But just as Matins was about to strike again, preparing to attempt to cut the Beastman Overlord in two from the chest down with his next blow, a tremendous force came from his waist. Genie Kuangya kicked out, sending Matins flying. His physical strength was so immense that his kick sent a fully-armed space marine flying several meters away, half-crashing to the ground. At the same time, Kuangya twisted his body, trying to point the shoulder-mounted meltagun at Nic Rizzo, who was currently being entangled by a nearby killing can. If this shot hit its mark, the power of the meltagun would be enough to kill the high priest in a single st. However, this did not be a reality. As he tried to aim, he suddenly found that his body was immovable. A mysterious force formed binding bands, making his movements sluggish. He barely managed to pull the trigger of the meltagun, but it fired up into the air, blowing a huge hole in the ceiling and revealing the floor above. At this moment, two distant space marines took action. Their sma guns once againpleted charging and shot toward the killing can entangling Rizzo. The killing can did not have the resilience of their Overlord. Their armor was far from as thick as the Overlord''s, and as the sma beams pierced through the armor, they experienced little attenuation. The flesh of Green Skins or "fart spirits" sewn into the killing cans had less sturdy foreheads and chests. After being shot through, their muscles couldn''t immediately contract to stop the bleeding, and the remaining organs had difficulty continuing to function. With two shots, the killing can was finished, and Rizzo was freed. Several Green Skinds tried toe forward to block, but the human soldiers who charged up with the space marines bravely held their bays and shed with them. Although they were quickly ughtered, more soldiers continued to arrive. They even overturned these Green Skins, shooting bullets at point-nk range into their eyeballs and stabbing bays into their necks and heads. The sacrifice of these warriors and their hard-won victoriespletely freed Rizzo once again. He swung his hammer again, flipping a killing can that was trying to lift its autocannon to bomb the crowd at close range. The Gravity Scepter smashed its chest armor inward with great force. Turning his head, the old priest looked at Genie Kuangya and raised the Gravity Scepter in his hand. He mumbled words as he swung his weapon, and anyone listening closely would realize that it was content from the Emperor''s Holy Words Record. And this truly made him more resolute, further increasing the strength with which he wielded his weapon. This hammer blow smashed fiercely against Kuangya''s chest,pletely shattering the already chainsword-tattered chest te, and might have possibly broken one or more of Kuangya''s ribs. Immediately afterward, Matins followed up, his chainsword ready to chop down again. "Roar!" Facing death, the Green Skin Overlord let out a deafening roar! A strange power burst forth from within him, first breaking through the force that was binding his body. Gu Hang, who was hiding further away, let out a muffled groan as blood started oozing out of his mouth, nose, and ears. Explore more stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin Previously, using mental maniption to make the Green Skin Overlord overlook the four space marines who were advancing with the infantry was certainly his doing. Thus, the Phoenix Squad got an excellent opportunity for a preemptive strike and managed to deal heavy damage to the Beastman Overlord. Later, when Genie Kuangya finished dealing with the first wave of attacks and was attempting to resolve Rizzo with the shoulder-mounted meltagun, it was him again, using advanced telekinesis to halt Kuangya''s attack, causing the shot to go astray. But doing all this came at a cost, and he felt enormous pressure. While performing mental maniption, he could sense a mysterious power in the Overlord''s mind, keeping his brain in a state of frenzy yet still holding onto certain rationality. Disturbing such a brain was particrly challenging and took a lot of time. It was for this reason that he had to dy the timing of the assault by the space marines, resulting in more lives of ordinary soldiers being lost at this crossroads. While using his telekinesis to control Kuangya''s body, he felt as if he was wrestling with a tank¡ªno, after leveling up and reaching twenty points in spiritual attributes, and mastering the more specialized advanced telekinesis, he even felt like he could flip over a Lion Tank in one go. But with Kuangya, he could barely limit his movements. This was expected; to reach this level and provide support to the space marines was adequate. Initially, when Rizzo and Matins produced excellentbat results at close range, and it seemed that the terrifyingly armored beast was about to be killed, there was still a slip up. What was this force that exploded out? It seemed simr to Spiritual Energy, yet it was furious, uncontroble, filled with wonders... Was this the so-called Waaagh energy, the Waaagh field? A type of psychic power unique to the Green Skin Orcs, a power of pure belief, could their technology that functioned on the principle ''if I reckon it''ll work, it actually works'' actually stem from this? Chapter 230: Chapter 164, The Death of the Military Governor (6k, Please Subscribe!)_3 On powerful individual Green Skins like the Beastman Fleet General, this kind of power could even materialize, strengthening his physique, and in crucial moments, it could also provide a surge of explosive capability. The Spiritual Energy enveloping the Beastman Overlord that Gu Hang had cast was shattered by this force, which also brought him severe bacsh damage. However, Gu Hang did not even consider his own injuries. Seeing the erupting energy rejuvenating the severely wounded Green Skin, it kicked Matins away and then shed its great axe against Priest Rizzo. This time, Rizzo found no advantage and was forced off bnce. Kuangya, relentless when at an advantage, shed three times with his axe, smashing Priest Rizzo to the ground, and didn''t even flinch when two sma rays bombarded his body. After sustaining three axe blows from Kuangya, Rizzo''s staff was knocked aside, and hey on the ground, his breathing faint. Just as the overlord was raising his axe, ready to make another strike to chop off the big-headed redskin''s head, Gu Hang''s Spiritual Energy surged forth once again, restraining his right arm. Under the heavy injuries, forcing this action made Gu Hang''s condition even worse, with more fresh blood flowing from his mouth, nose, and ears, even his eyes were bleeding. But he still seeded in limiting the Beastman Overlord''s movement, saving Priest Rizzo''s life. At that moment, Matins, who had been kicked away a second time, charged back in, roaring as he once again shed his chainsaw sword at the Beastman Overlord''s shattered chest. However, the chainsaw sword was blocked by Kuangya''s left arm. His pair of steel w hands mped down on Matins''s chainsaw sword. The chainsaw buzzed loudly, producing spectacr sparks against Kuangya''s steel ws, yet they were deadlocked inbat. The situation was at a standstill for the time being. Gu Hang realized something was wrong. He could only control Kuangya''s arm wielding the axe, and he wouldn''t be able to maintain the control for long. Once his power dissipated, the tide of battle would immediately turn. There had to be further resolution to the problem. He had one more option: to stimte Spiritual Energy even further, abandoning the control of Kuangya''s axe-wielding right arm, and instead controlling the steel ws that were blocking Matins. Doing so would provide Matins the opportunity to slice open the Beastman Overlord''s chest with the chainsaw sword and kill him. But as soon as he released control of the axe, Priest Rizzo''s head would fall. Should he do it? Gu Hang knew there was no time left for hesitation; he had to make a decision immediately. But before that, there arose another variable in the situation. His Spiritual Energy sensed someone appearing in the hole that had been sted in the ceiling by Kuangya''s melter cannon. It was a human soldier, d in the uniform of the Rage Owl Star Governor-General Corps and, judging by the insignia, belonging to the 3rd Independent Regiment. This battle outside the core engine power cabin shouldn''t have involved the 3rd Independent Regiment. The assembly of troops had been too rushed, with no time to call in more forces. The presence of this person here was clearly idental, a coincidence. But they might bring a significant surprise. ... After an entire toon was wiped out, Lacroix, as the highest ranking among the remaining seven, became the actingmander. He had no idea where to go, let alone what the original mission target of the toon was. He could only follow the simple idea of leading the remaining six men towards where the fighting was happening, in the hope of finding proper officers to join and to offload the leadership responsibility he had been reluctantly carrying. Along the way, they encountered mostly aftermaths of battles but no living, proper officers. One particrly gruesome battlefield was littered with heaps of corpses. They passed through it and picked up a few weapons. Lacroix knew that the electromaic rifles from the elite marine troops were much better than their G9A assault rifles. As for their original rifles, they dared not discard them. Throwing away weapons meant facing court-martial upon return. But picking up a few extra on the way back shouldn''t be a crime, right? And it wasn''t just rifles they picked up. From a dead marine soldier, cut in half, they found two Personal Melter Bombs. New and unfamiliar, but after examining them briefly, they roughly knew how to operate them¡ªalthough they couldn''t guarantee it was correct since they dared not actually test them out. Then, they pressed on, and halfway through, they heard more intense gunfire. Lacroix once again led his men towards the sound, determined to relinquishmand. "I''m obviously only suitable to be a soldier, not an officer," he thought. And the reason this thought became even stronger was that even while leading his troops towards the most intense fighting, he could still take the wrong path. They arrived, but to their embarrassment, they discovered that the intense gunfire seemed to being from beneath their feet. The starship''s environment was tooplex¡ªnot like the surface, with only one ground level. They had reached a higher deck, but now it was deserted. Wanting to descend into battle and find a higher-ranking leader proved impossible. However, fortune favors the bold, and just as he and his six men aimlessly searched for a way down, a red beam cannon shot upward from below, punching through the ground not far away. Chapter 231: Chapter 164, The Death of the Military Governor (6k, please subscribe!)_4 Heh, isn''t that a way down? The metal structure there had turned red, the power of the melter cannon was fierce. After a little while, when the temperature wasn''t so high, he carefully approached the side of therge hole with an approximate diameter of 1.2 meters. The hole wasn''t thisrge at the beginning, it just melted to this size in a matter of seconds. He poked his head out of the hole and took a nce downward, spotting a starship trooper d in red powered armor, with a skull helmet, lying at the foot of a gigantic steel Green Skin, and another trooper, who seemed to be chopping with a chainsaw sword but was blocked by a hand. He recognized them, the two starship troopers belonged to the Phoenix Battle Group. Though he had only caught a glimpse of them from afar on the battlefield outside Rubbish Town, the impression they left was simply too profound. But even such starship troopers were embroiled in a tough battle, how terrifying was that immense Green Skin giant? However, it seemed that the giant had met his match. One of his hands was held up with an axe, unable to chop down, the other blocked the chainsaw sword... Witnessing this scene, Lacroix hesitated for a second, or maybe two. Then, he made a decision. I''m really not cut out to be an officer, just a soldier. And as a soldier, what should I do now? He took out the personal melter bomb he had picked up earlier, tore off the adhesive protective cover on the back, and disengaged the safety, seeing a countdown with red numbers appear. Next, he leaped down through the hole with the bomb in his arms,nding right on the shoulder of the Green Skin Orc. His weight of seventy to eighty kilograms falling on the massive Green Skin didn''t make him budge an inch. Of course, he hadn''t expected to squash his opponent to death with anding blow, but he acted quickly, sticking the personal melter bomb onto the giant''s bloody chest, then lost his bnce and tumbled down from its shoulder, crashing to the ground in disarray. While still dazed, he felt a tremendous force from behind his neck, as arge hand grabbed the cor of his clothes and dragged him backward on the run; amidst the whirling chaos, he also saw the previously fallen starship trooper at the feet of the Green Skin giant being pulled back by an invisible force, flying away. After a while, he heard an explosion. So this is the sound of a melter bomb exploding? First came a crackling sound, followed by a dull thud, and then a bubbling noise... When the force pulling his cor ceased, he ignored the pain of his raw back, half rose to his feet, and looked into the distance. He could see the steel giant turned a fiery red color. Its limbs and head were still intact, but inside the previously destroyed chest armor, it appeared as if there was a continually burning red sun, emitting light outward. The power of the melter bomb triggered an extremely high temperature that expanded outwards. The steel armor on the body of the Beastman Overlord was considered one of the most advanced technological marvels of the Iron-Tooth n, not so easily melted, but its flesh and blood were another story. In an instant, its chest and abdominal cavities were almost incinerated. The giant''s huge body twitched futilely a few times and then fell still. Lacroix stared at the scene, somewhat dumbfounded. Suddenly, his view was obstructed by arge shadow. Looking up, he saw the person who had just dragged him back by the cor¡ªthe starship trooper brandishing the chainsaw sword. The trooper patted his head and said, "You''re a hero. Can you tell me what you were thinking before you jumped?" "Uh..." Lacroix was still a bit stunned, and he didn''t know how to answer the question. What was he thinking the moment before the jump? He wasn''t thinking anything, but his mind wasn''t nk either. If he had to give an answer, it would be when he rode the transport ship, gazing back at his home Rage Owl Star in the starry space, and when on the Quintet, lying in an extremely narrow and confined cabin, his thoughts always meandered to that utterly insignificant question: "I was thinking about the value of life." He answered the trooper''s question quite seriously. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter has six thousand words. That''s technically an extra update for today! Also, although I update four thousand words daily, on time at eleven o''clock noon, I really don''t have any drafts. The drafts are writtente into the night the day before, and it was four-thirty when I finished this chapter. Not having drafts is really exhausting... I''ll write more on the weekends to try to prevent this. I''ll publish it on schedule, and correct any typos after I wake up... Chapter 232: Chapter 165, Naval Battle Settlement ``` When Gu Hang opened his eyes again, dozens of minutes had passed, and the battle at the crossroads had ended. The soldier from the 3rd Independent Regiment, who had descended from the sky and used a thermite bomb from who knows where to kill the Beastman Overlord, prompted Gu Hang to release the telekic control over Kuangya. Instead, he employed Spiritual Energy to pull the priest, who was barely hanging on to life and unconscious, forcefully to the rear to prevent him from being affected by the thermite bomb st. At the same time, he also saw Matins, while retreating swiftly, did not forget to drag that heroic soldier back with him. Next, he witnessed Kuangya melting from the chest up, where his armor hadpletely failed, and then the orc was burned through from the inside out. Although many Green Skin Orcs were still alive on the battlefield when Kuangya died, their threat level dropped dramatically once their strongest leader was dead, which is characteristic of Green Skin Orcs. Without their leader, they began to disperse and fight on their own. Moreover, Kuangya''s influence on the Green Skin Orc assault group was immense; without him to withstand countless attacks and kill various infantry and armored units, the remaining Greens Skins, even the Murder Can and the Dread Iron Can, fell far behind inbat strength. The armored personnel carriers began to advance slowly in the eight-meter-wide corridor, with the infantry orderly using them as cover and a firepower tform to attack the enemy. An infantry battalion that had nked from the south side of the intersection caught the Green Skins, now in disarray and weakened in their will to fight, off guard. The rocketunchers fired round after round, with the explosions'' destructive power magnified in the narrow passage. Moreover, even though Gu Hang himself could no longer maintain hisbat strength due to the overload of Spiritual Energy, and Priest Rizzo was in the same condition, there were still three starship warriors left. They turned into super soldiers on the battlefield, taking on a role simr to that previously yed by Genie Kuangya. Perhaps, even Matins, the nominal leader of the battle group, only had the prowess of a squad champion and was badly equipped, far from the strength of the Beastman Overlord. However, they had the advantage of being three men and,pared to the Green Skin Overlord, they were more calcted, rational, and very adept at coordinating with the Mortal Troops inbat. They would not use their powered suits to directly withstand the enemy''s fiercest firepower; they knew when to step in and help the infantry when they encountered difficult situations. Overall, the battle was essentially over, and they had won the final victory. Although the troops under Gu Hang''smand also suffered tremendous casualties, it was still fine because they won. Having witnessed this moment, he felt relieved enough to pass out. The excessive use of Spiritual Energy had left him with a splitting headache. However, he didn''t faint for long. It was just for dozens of minutes, which didn''t really affect anything significant. Upon waking up again, he felt much better. Although still a little shaky and not daring to use Spiritual Energy, fearing it would make his head hurt more, he could at least move normally without any major problems. At this moment, the battle was essentially over, and his soldiers were clearing the battlefield. The Green Skins who hadn''tpletely died were finished off with a few gunshots or had their brains thoroughly scrambled with a bay thrust into their heads; If they encountered theirrades-in-arms, the bodies were properly collected; for those blown too badly to even separate from each other''s corpses, they could only bring back a head. If even the head couldn''t be brought back, then there was nothing more to be done. However, one thing was certain to be retrieved¡ªthe soldier''s armband, which bore the number of the soldier''s unit and their own soldier number. Through this, one could identify the soldier''s identity from the military administrative structure set up by Tadeusz. All the soldiers who died bravely deserved to be remembered. Then Gu Hang found the corpse of the Green Skin Overlord; he called Matins over and asked him for a favor: to sever the orc overlord''s head. The head hadn''t beenpletely burned by the thermite bomb, which was good. Carrying the head, he went to the starship''s bridgemand center, apanied by two starship warriors. As for the other two starship warriors... Rizzo had already been taken to receive treatment by another warrior. ... Quintet''s bridgemand center. Yelisia was still mostly focused onmanding the starship in battle. She had to constantly monitor the movements of enemy ships and keep an eye on the Quintet''s overall condition. However, during this process, part of her mind was always on the battle that had broken out inside the starship. After the Navy Marine Corps assembled their main force in an attempt to stop the enemy''s advance but ended up getting wiped out, a great panic had already enveloped her. What she feared most was that in the midst of battle, her starship would explode from the inside. Yelisia knew that Gu Hang''s troops had the support of four starship warriors. Of course, she had high hopes for these Angels of The Emperor. Yet, thinking rationally, could four starship warriors really win against a Beastman Overlord? She dared not ponder too deeply on this question, fearing that the result would be too desperate to bear. ``` Chapter 233: Chapter 165, Naval Battle Settlement_2 She could only focus all her attention onmanding the naval battle. During this time, she had destroyed another Green-Skin Destroyer, and an Escort Ship of the Green Skins had been blown up by the firepower from the Beautiful Lady. Of the two Escort Ships in the Beautiful Lady Convoy that had been invaded by jumpers, one had returned to normal, while the other had its Void Shield shut down and was subsequently destroyed. But overall, the enemy still had one Destroyer and two Escort Ships left. The remaining strength, even just by the Quintet alone, was more than enough to wipe them all out. Under normal circumstances, such as during drills at school in the past simtions, she would be opening champagne by now, celebrating victory with her colleagues in themand team. But she dared not now. On one hand, this was the first real naval battle she faced; she dared not take it lightly, not until all the Green-Skinned Warships were truly destroyed. The stakes of this battle were immeasurably higher than any drill or simtion she had experienced before. On the other hand, the huge threat inside the Starship had not been resolved. And just then, news arrived. Gu Hang was back and headed straight to the bridge. "So what''s the exact situation? Did we win or not?" Yelisia asked. "I...I don''t know." The naval officer who delivered the message was sweating profusely, "Mr. Gu didn''t say." Yelisia pped her hand, wanting to curse. Rationally, if they hadn''t won, Gu Hang wouldn''t dare toe over ying coy like this. It must be a victory. But without a confirmed message, how could she feel at ease? In the end, she could only say resentfully, "Let him in." No sooner had she spoken than, just a minuteter, the door to the bridgemand center opened. Immediately after, a huge head rolled in, like a wheel tumbling in. Yelisia was startled, the thick stench of blood filling her nostrils almost made her vomit. She was a military officer, a captain; she had seen her share of dead bodies, but... as someone of her noble status, she rarely set foot on the bloody battlefield herself. Most of the brutal battles were represented before her as reports, a string of numbers, at most some footage to view. There was no need for someone like her, a high-born noble from a naval family, an esteemed Imperial Navy Commodore, to personally risk her life, was there? Even the service pistol at her waist was merely ceremonial. But even so, she did not scream. She braced herself, carefully examining the head that had rolled to the front of hermand table. It was the head of the Beastman Overlord. She was certain of it. Explore more stories with m,v l''e-NovelBin Looking up, she saw Gu Hang with a pale face but a proud smile, apanied by two Star Warriors, striding forward. Standing before the Overlord''s head, Gu Hang said to Yelisia on themand tform, "I told you, this is the start of our path to glory." Yelisia''s face also bloomed with a brilliant smile, the blood''s foul scent in her mouth and nose turned sweet. She would wee the bloody scent of such an important enemy, even if unpleasant, wanting to savor it more. "Mr. Gu, you are a hero." It seemed she no longer minded that Gu Hang had subtly threatened her with the Rage Owl Star Troops boarding the ship before the battle. It was not her magnanimity, but rather victory could overshadow all discord. The war was won, the benefits to her were incalcble. She not only didn''t mind Gu Hang''s earlier threats, but from the bottom of her heart, she was grateful that Mr. Gu helped her to strengthen her resolve. If she had missed out on this merit, that would have been a great pity. ... The death of the Beastman Overlord was a significant piece of good news. She finally didn''t need to worry that, amid the fighting, her own starship would explode from the inside out. Had it not been for the ongoing space naval battle outside the starship, with Green Skin ships still charging, she certainly would have prepared a weing ceremony in line for the soon-to-return Gu Hang. Now she could finally devote all her attention tomanding the naval battle. With the unease swept from her mind, shemanded the fight with a buoyant spirit and a settled heart, feeling even the gunfire became more urate and fierce. In contrast, upon noticing that the fighting inside the ''Quintet'' had calmed and the entire ship was no longer in chaos or affected by disorganizedbat, the remaining few ships of the Green Skin Fleet seemed to realize that their leader had really gotten themselves into trouble this time. Despite theck of concrete news, they still started to show hesitation. They didn''t flee but stopped charging, hesitantly exchanging fire with the Quintet and the Beautiful Lady that had caught up from behind at a certain distance. This was obviously a losing strategy. After another main destroyer was destroyed, the remaining three Green-Skin Frigates lost even the courage to continue fighting and directly chose to flee. But by the time they thought of escaping, it was already toote to run away. The Quintet chased after them, taking advantage of the long-range firepower to start picking them off one by one. In the end, as the three Green-Skin Frigates activated their jump drives, desperately trying to escape into the Star Realm Tunnel, their propulsion failed, their Shield System failed, and they were all blown up before the jump could even begin. Destroying Green Skin ships was not a painful ordeal. The Green Skin Orcs'' starships were usable only to them. For humans, even if captured, they were just a pile of junk, totally inoperable and beyond understanding how such a heap of rubble could navigate stably through space. After all of the Green Skin warships were eliminated,bat results popped up in Gu Hang''s view. [A resounding victory, earned 1401 points of grace] [Naval part: Lost 2, Destroyed 12] [Beautiful Lady Convoy (Allied): Lost 2, Destroyed 2] [Imperial Navy (Allied): Lost 0, Destroyed 10] [Groundbat part: Lost 13,468, Killed 2,623] [Beautiful Lady Convoy (Allied): Lost 5,569, Killed 823] [Imperial Navy (Allied): Lost 3,763, Killed 508] [Phoenix Battle Group (Allied): Lost 0, Killed 63] [Rage Owl Star Troops: Lost 4,136, Killed 1,229] ... This battle''s settlement page was a bit special, with the naval part being settled separately, and the destruction of ships had almost nothing to do with Gu Hang. However, the groundbat was more closely rted to him. The damage from the orcs'' boarding andbat was substantial. Those who boarded were elite forces. The reason the Beautiful Lady Convoy suffered over five thousand losses was that an Escort Ship had been nearly massacred after being boarded. As the fight dragged on, many sailors were as good as unarmed, so the casualties were bound to be high. The Quintet had elite ground forces and numerous armed sailors. But the biggest loss came during the attack led by Genie Kuangya, as too many people died without inflicting significant casualties on the Green Skins. Only Gu Hang''s battle yielded a rtively better casualty ratio, mainly because heavy firepower couldn''t be used. He could only fight the Green Skins hand-to-hand, which was a disadvantage, coupled with the many extra casualties paid to kill the Beastman Overlord. The battle was actually quite short-lived, especially whenpared to the nearly two-month battle at the High Tower Ruins, where the annihtion of the Green Skin Tribe took ce. This battle, particrly the groundbat, probably onlysted a few hours in total. But the intensity of the battle was immense. Based on Gu Hang''s estimates, just looking at the Green Skins killed, the awarded grace points should be in the hundreds. Even if those Green Skins were more elite, with quite a several killing machines and terror tanks and the like, they shouldn''t be in the thousands. That was ording to the ratio worked out in the settlement of the battle at the High Tower Ruins. In that two-month campaign, his forces killed fifteen thousand Green Skins and only earned a little over two thousand grace points. However, this time the thousand or so kills earned thousands of grace points. The biggest difference was probably due to that Beastman Overlord''s head. At this point, Gu Hang still had to feel fortunate that the one who got the final kill was Lacroix, one of his soldiers. If the final kill had been taken by Matins, then the victory would''ve been credited to the allied forces that didn''t award grace points, and the settlement would probably result in many fewer grace points. "I must award thatd a heavy medal!" Chapter 234: Chapter 166, Victory and the Fruits of Victory are Not Always the Same Thing As Wang Jiarong sat on the spaceship heading towards the Quintet, the sensation of surviving a disastrous ordeal still lingered in her mind. When the Green Skin Orcs'' fleet emerged from the jumping point, she really felt everything was over, with the probability of escaping being less than one percent. The appearance of the "Quintet" was truly a deliverance from fate. Upon calming down, she knew this was no coincidence. The universe being so vast, it would be extremely coincidental for the Quintet to happen to be jumping away from the Rage Owl Star System to Korolya via the Star Realm Tunnel and then happen to encounter their Beautiful Lady Convoy leaving the Star Realm Tunnel, only to be caught up to by the Green Skins... How low would that probability be? It must have been that the "Quintet" received some information, then deliberately waited here. They already knew about the Green Skin Orcs'' fleet appearing; this could also exin why the Quintet was in stealth mode, then using the element of surprise, fired its weapons full force, instantly destroying an enemy mainline destroyer. She had no intention of ming the Imperial Navy. Communication bes extremely difficult when inside the Star Realm Tunnel, which is normal. Upon boarding the ship and meeting Colonel Yelisia, Wang Jiarong quickly stepped forward and embraced the female captain. "Colonel Yelisia, sister, thank you so much. If not for you, I would have been doomed this time." Her gratitude was sincere. There was a reason she called her "sister." They both knew each other, having mixed in the upper circles of Capital Wing Star in the Star Sector Capital when they were younger, so they had some interaction. As they grew older, both had their own life experiences. Like most of the Fufana Family''s offspring, Yelisia went to the Naval Academy, and with her direct lineage and outstanding achievements, she became a representative of the younger generation, the youngest captain. Wang Jiarong, on the other hand, did not belong to a particrly powerful family, but had a very formidable aunt who married into the Gu Family. Tianma the Gu n was rooted in the Tianma Star Sector, and their reputation had spread across several neighboring Star Sectors in recent years, mainly because they were an important member of the Empire Commerce Guild, owning severalrge-scale interster caravans and many smaller ones, with considerable financial strength. With her aunt''s connections, and also investing some money from her own family as shares, she used the Gu Commercial Fleet''s name to establish her own small caravan, which had been quite sessful over the years. Since everyone had grown up and embarked on their own paths, Wang Jiarong and Yelisia hadn''t seen or contacted each other for many years. Unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, they met here today, and their respective identities matched up perfectly: the Imperial Merchant Fleet was raided by alien pirates, and the Imperial Navy quickly stepped in to rescue the merchant fleet from peril. After a brief embrace and another use of "sister" to try and bring them closer, Wang Jiarong gestured to her entourage who apanied her here, bringing forward three cases. "A modest gift, as a token of appreciation," said Wang Jiarong with a light smile, "and when we return to Flying Wing Star, a more generous gift will be sent to express our thanks." She knew how to conduct herself. Although fighting pirates and aliens was the duty of the Imperial Navy, she was rescued after all, and obligations needed to be fulfilled. This was also a way of developing closer ties. "This is our duty as soldiers," Yelisia said while epting the gifts without any ceremony. Of course, she didn''t open the cases right there and then. There was no need to; it would seem too petty. She also trusted that Wang Jiarong wouldn''t be so clueless. After chatting briefly, Wang Jiarong''s gaze naturally turned to Gu Hang, who was standing by her side. "Cousin." "Hmm," Gu Hang responded with a nod. The interaction between them was somewhat cold. This shouldn''t be. In Gu Hang''s memory, there was indeed an image of this cousin. Her aunt, who married into the Gu n, was Gu Hang''s biological mother. When he was younger, his father died early, so he didn''t y much with his Gu Family cousins and instead spent more time with his maternal uncle''s daughter, Wang Jiarong. The two had a fairly good rtionship. Wang Jiarong''s original trading route did not include Rage Owl Star. She came here because Gu Hang contacted her through the Quintet''smunication system. She then brought a batch of goods that Gu Hang specifically requested, along with some typical bulk merchandise, nning to make a trip to the remote Rage Owl Star System. She had even made up her mind that for this trip, she wouldn''t earn anything and was just doing her cousin a favor. If it weren''t for the close rtionship and the connection of having an aunt/mother, who would do such a thing? But unexpectedly, instead of not making a profit, she was now at a significant loss. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin Losing two escort ships, with the remaining two including Beautiful Lady, all had significant damage, and repairing the ships would also cost a considerable amount of money. This loss was not something a small business venture couldpare to. To earn back this money, she would probably have to run for many years. For this reason, Gu Hang could understand why Wang Jiarong didn''t show him any favorable expression. They may have had a good rtionship, but this trip to the Rage Owl Star System had cost her too much. Gu Hang did feel guilty. But not much. Upon reflection, he couldn''t me himself. He wasn''t intentionally trying to trip up his cousin. He had no idea about the Green Skin Fleet approaching when he sent out the invitation. Chapter 235: Chapter 166, Victory and the Fruits of Victory are Not Always the Same Thing_2 This is like asking a friend to give you a lift in a taxi, and then there''s an ident. You can''t me the passenger for wanting a ride, can you? Plus, I did my best to rescue the people in the car. I''m not a Prophet. Who could have predicted that calling a convoy would result in a Green Skin Fleet lying in wait in the Star Realm Tunnel? If it were just ordinary pirates, it would have been fine. Typical pirates might have a few shoddy ships at best. Her convoy had three escort ships, and including the firepower of the Beautiful Lady itself, handling small-time pirates would have been a piece of cake. However, by pirate standards, the Green-Skinned Fleet that appeared was enormous. It would take terrible luck to encounter such trouble. Furthermore, upon receiving the intelligence, Gu Hang immediately began thinking of a solution. This was certainly to save his own, but also to rescue his cousin''s convoy. I can''t be med for what happened. I tried hard to find a solution when things went awry, and I indeed saved you. Thinking about it at this level, most of Gu Hang''s guilt dissipated. Still, it was only right topensate my cousin for her losses. When Wang Jiarong boarded the ship, Yelisia and Gu Hang weed her. After their initial interaction, they moved to a reception room to continue their in-depth discussion on post-war matters. In the reception room, there was a table with three chairs around it where the three of them sat. There was no particr arrangement regarding the seating order signaling any hierarchy. Yet, it was Gu Hang who spoke first, "The war has ended, but the matters after the war are equally important. Victory doesn''t erase the losses. We need to seek the dividends of our victory, not let the victory be a scar." He made an opening statement. The two others found his words reasonable. Victory is one thing, the fruits of victory another. Don''t think that winning means you can enjoy the spoils. There are plenty of cases where victories end up costing more than defeats. This battle in particr. Fighting the Green Skins, there was no option to capture warships. All twelve Green-Skinned warships became space debris, with practically zero loot. The Beautiful Lady Convoy lost two ships, and the Quintet''s repairs would cost a great deal. Even Gu Hang, with the smallest losses, had over four thousand soldiers killed or wounded and at least forty Strider Combat Vehicles destroyed¡ªthis is roughly the monthly output of Gu Hang''s munitions factory. If we can''t find other ways to reap the fruits of victory, then even a win woulde at a blood loss. Also, there was an unspoken implication: the fruits of victory had not only to be sought out but also divided among them. Gu Hang spoke logically, and Wang Jiarong agreed. However, she found it somewhat strange that her cousin was acting as if he was the one in charge, hosting the meeting. What was more critical was that Yelisia didn''t seem to have any objection and listened intently. "This incident was not an ident," Gu Hang continued. "It was a premeditated, nned invasion by the Iron-Tooth n against the Tianma Star Sector. It included deploying spores to Rage Owl Star, attempting to infect the entire with greenery and use it as a springboard for invading the Tianma Star Sector. I thwarted their ground actions on the, and with the help of the Imperial Navy, destroyed the vanguard n the Iron-Tooth n had cultivated on Rage Owl Star during thest governor''s term..." "The Iron-Tooth n, unwilling to ept defeat, dispatched their main fleet, consisting of four destroyers and twelve escort ships,plete with arge contingent of ground troops, attempting a forceful invasion of Rage Owl Star. I intercepted the intelligence, the Quintet contacted the nearby Beautiful Lady Convoy, and under the authority granted by the War Act, temporarily requisitioned the convoy''s ships. We lured the Green Skin alien fleet into a pre-set ambush location and near the jump point of Tunnel One in the Rage Owl Star System, we conducted a sessful annihtion battle. The entire Green Skin Fleet was eliminated, and the Beastman Overlord was beheaded." Gu Hang was telling a story. The twodies beside him listened more and more intently as he spoke. Now, what they were discussing was the information soon to be reported to the Star Sector Government, to the Imperial Military Department. Lying was out of the question. Inventing facts, exaggerating triumphs, concealing losses...These factual matters could not be falsified. You could gamble on the Star Sector Government not caring, or bet that the Imperial Military Department wouldn''t spot the discrepancies, but if you gamble and lose, you end up with nothing. However, Gu Hang''s statement was not afraid of scrutiny. On the specific facts, there was no fabrication. Indeed, a crisis of green-skinned beings proliferating urred on Rage Owl Star, and the size of the Green Skin Tribe had indeed reached tens of thousands, with technological advancements reaching the level of possessing Killer Cans and Iron Fear Cans, and even the emergence of Green-Skinned Warlords. Who could say that such a Green-Skin Army was a wild, primitive Green Skin? Even if one were to perform gic sequencing, it would undoubtedly be from the Iron-Tooth n. The Iron-Tooth n, arge space Orc n within the Star Sea that has some renown, majorly operates in the Eastern Cosmos Domain. Their most famous deed is the destruction of over fifty Empire Worlds across three star sectors. To date, they still hold those territories and have not been eradicated, with the war between humans and them ongoing. Afterwards, the configuration and scale of the Green Skin Fleet with 4+8 was also entirety true. The ''Quintet'' indeed pulled in the Beautiful Lady Convoy and entirely annihted that fleet around the transition area of the Rage Owl Star System. The general ount of the engagement was factually correct, entirely based on reality. But this narrative, inparison, was much more appealing than the bare facts. The discovery of Green Skin proliferation on Rage Owl Star was due to biological research prior to the world''s destruction; local Green Skins sending messages into space which were picked up by the Green Skin Fleet; that marauding fleet ventured to this area; the Beautiful Lady Convoy happened upon them and got involved, identally attacked, then rescued by the ''Quintet''... What does this mean? ording to Gu Hang''s statement, everyone benefited. The whole event was magnified into a major assault on the Tianma Star Sector by the Iron-Tooth n, with the vanguard defeated. This was a great military achievement, far greater than annihting a group of Green Skin pirates. Especially pleased with this narrative was Wang Jiarong. Her convoy, by changing its banner, was not merely a victim or a rescued party, but became a convoy drafted to coordinate with the Imperial Navy''s operations. And under the relevantws, she could report her losses to the Empire Commerce Guild and the Military Affairs Department to receive certainpensations. It''s not as if she would directly receive recement Escort Ships for the two destroyed ones, but at the very least she would receive a considerable sum of money, as well as perks such as higher-level qualifications for ship purchases, ship-buying discounts, tax breaks, andpensation... Especially when ites to ship-buying qualifications. Large starships aren''t something one can buy whenever they wish; the Empire Government has strict restrictions on this. If handled well, she could obtain the qualifications to buy a destroyer or even a cruiser-grade vessel, and just that qualification alone, even if she doesn''t use it personally and decides to sell it, would be a substantial ie. All of these taken together, it''s quite possible not only to recover all her losses but also to make a hefty profit! At the same time, Yelisia was set to gain the most profit. Or in other words, in this battle her and her ''Quintet'' were undeniably the main force. No matter how the spoils of victory were divided, she wouldn''t miss out on taking the biggest share. The Iron-Tooth n''s vanguard fleet invading the Tianma Star Sector, consisting of twelve naval ships, waspletely obliterated by her leading a small convoy. She was the suprememander, the absolute main force in battle; her decisive judgment, extraordinary strategy, and impressive military achievements were all out in the open. She advantageously thwarted the Beastmen''s assault and inflicted a devastating blow on the Orc naval forces. The ''Quintet'' took damage? What of it? The Military Affairs Department would pay for the repairs, which could hardly be considered her responsibility, but rather a merit. With the Fufana Family''s influence in the Imperial Navy, she was set to be promoted to a rising star general. With just her military academy and drill performances, she could be a provisional general, a starship captain. Now, with her stunning wartime achievementid bare, her rapid promotion to a true general was certain. Even more so, this would pave the way for even further advancement in her future. A promotion to major general within a year, then with a few more years and ample experience, aspiring to take the position of Fleet Commander for the Tianma Fleet was not beyond hope. And Gu Hang could also reap considerable benefits by virtue of eradicating the surface vanguard, providing important intelligence, and participating in the star battle to solve the Beastman Overlord¡ªall being three significant merits. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª It was only while writing today that I realized, the name of the cousin sounded so familiar, no wonder¡ªit''s very simr to the name of the female mechanic under Gu Hang''smand... Let''s call it a beautiful coincidence! Chapter 236: Chapter 167, Gu Hangs Past Compared to those twodies, what Gu Hang could obtain was rtively little. But he was content. The Iron-Tooth n''s raiding fleet was originally targeting Rage Owl Star. By involving the Beautiful Lady Convoy and the Imperial Navy, it was like solving a massive problem for him, one that he couldn''t have resolved by himself. That was the biggest gain. And the thousands of grace points seemed like an incidental benefit, taken for granted. However, Gu Hang would still strive to secure more additional rights for himself. Eliminating the surface vanguard, providing important intelligence, taking part in space battles to take down the Beastman Overlord... Theary Defense Force of Rage Owl Star made such a great contribution in this war and suffered heavy losses; shouldn''t the Military Affairs Department consider issuing some more advanced equipment to cope with the possible future wars? Even more, Gu Hang was contemting something: Now, with definitive intelligence involving a giant like the Iron-Tooth n possiblyunching a massive attack on Tianma Star Sector, they have de facto sent out a vanguard fleet. Thus, the Empire needs to strengthen the defense forces on Rage Owl Star, right? In addition to stationing a starship, deploying a certain number ofnd forces, stationing an actual Star Realm Army Corps would be quite reasonable, right? Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Oh, the Star Realm Army is stretched thin? Can''t temporarily draw a sufficient force? No worries! I, Gu Hang, theary Governor of the Empire, The Emperor''s most loyal subject, will certainly take on the Empire''s worries. This matter, leave it to Rage Owl Star. As theary Governor, Gu Hang will fully support the construction of the Star Realm Army. With just ten million tax currency, a group army of hundreds of thousands, equipped with various heavy weapons, can be established on Rage Owl Star. The people and the equipment will alle from the. And Governor Gu Hang, due to his outstanding performance in thest war, could be the corpsmander of this Star Realm Army. But this point is very difficult to arrange. Aary Governor doubling as a Star Realm Army corpsmander is not unprecedented, but it''s quite rare. If that doesn''t work out, Gu Hang could also settle for promoting Tadeusz to that position. And since they''re establishing a new corps, the Empire will certainly provide funding. Ten million tax currency, isn''t that perfect? Rage Owl Star was supposed to pay an Imperial tax in a year and a half anyway. The Imperial tax quota for Rage Owl Star is at the lowest bracket. With the''s poption officially set at 50 million by the Imperial Taxation Department, it was obligated to pay an Imperial levy of five million tax currency per year, paid biennially, totaling ten million at a time. For his first tax payment, Gu Hang only needed to pay a quarter, thanks to a concession from the Star Sector Government. Of course, the Department of Taxation wouldn''t acknowledge this deal; in essence, the additional 7.5 million was paid by the Star Sector Government on behalf of Rage Owl Star to the Imperial Taxation Department. So, the Star Sector Government''s 7.5 million tax currency shouldn''t be given to the Department of Taxation anymore, but should instead make a detour to my hands, directly to me, plus the 2.5 million tax currency that Rage Owl Star itself has to pay, adding up to ten million. It''s very reasonable to establish a group army of over 500,000, equipped with various heavy weapons, on Rage Owl Star. When the timees, Gu Hang would shove all of his troops under hismand into it. After all, constructing the army was always on the agenda, and it''s a major support effort. With the Imperial tax covering the cost, it''s a win-win. The soldiers are my men, the officers are my men, the highestmander is my man, and the troops are stationed on the; at the end of the day, who gets to call the shots? It''s just a change of name. Of course, it''s not entirely without drawbacks. The Star Realm Army is different from theary Defense Force. Thetter ispletely subject to the Governor and only deals with internalary matters. The former, on the other hand, must obey orders from the Military Affairs Department. Today, if the orders are to garrison Rage Owl Star, then Gu Hang could still use his influence to keep the entire force under control. But tomorrow, for all we know, a dispatch order might arrive, possibly sending troops to fill in on some difficult battlefield. Could he refuse to ept the orders? But such things are uncertain. Not to mention that the likelihood of it happening isn''t particrly high, even if I don''t transform the forces into the Star Realm Army, when there''s a real need, the Military Affairs Department could invoke special emergency statutes to conscript theary Defense Forces into the Star Realm Army. Gu Hang wouldn''t be able to stop that either. Instead of that, it would be better to turn them into the Star Realm Army. If they are to be taken away, then so be it; after all... the money for forming the army, or the people involved, can be considered as purchased by the Empire with allocated tax funds. Consider it as paying the normal tax, what would Gu Hang lose? It''s definitely more reliable than having theary Defense Forces conscripted without anypensation. Of course, all of the above are still just Gu Hang''s ideas. To turn them into reality, there''s still a long way to go. He said to the twodies, "This is essentially about converting the reality of military victory into tangible political sess, and then into corresponding economic benefits. Since everyone agrees with the approach I''ve suggested, what remains is to resolve some minor details." Yelisia agreed, adding, "The overall facts are not a problem, but there are two important nuances. First, what exactly is in the intelligence I intercepted; and second, the matter of Yelisia drafting the Beautiful Lady Convoy into battle in the name of the Imperial Navy needs real evidence." Wang Jiarong said, "Thetter issue is rtively easy to resolve. Sister Yelisia, you can sign a retroactive conscription order on paper, iming it was signed afterward; at the same time, we need to create amunication record that shows I epted the Navy''s conscription from the start of the battle, and all actions taken after emerging from the warp point were aimed at luring the Green Skin Fleet into the predetermined battle location." Chapter 237: Chapter 167, Gu Hangs Past_2 Gu Hang simrly said, "I''ll handle the interception of relevant intelligence in the ruins on the surface." They began to meticulously discuss how to patch things up and ensure all details could withstand scrutiny. In truth, most of this work was likely futile. As long as there were no issues with the broader facts, these details would probably not be scrutinized by the Military Affairs Department. If they had to deploy specialized inspection teams to verify every detail of each battle, they couldn''t possibly keep up with the countless wars happening across the stars at every moment, even if the Military Affairs Department worked to death. Sometimes, even when the Military Affairs Department knew there might be issues somewhere, they couldn''t be bothered to deal with them. As long as things were more or less urate, without fabricating military achievements or inventing facts in major matters, that was sufficient. As for what happened after reporting their achievements, the three of them tacitly refrained from discussing further. How Wang Jiarong would operate topensate for her losses, and perhaps even make arge profit, was a matter for her and the Gu Family backing her. How Yelisia and the Fufana Family behind her would package her as a star of the Imperial Navy was their concern too. And for Gu Hang himself, to turn the things he envisioned into reality, he had to find his own way. These matters didn''t need to bemunicated with each other. With their major contributions confirmed, how they seized political advantages was down to their own skills. ... Gu Hang had a lengthy in-depth conversation with the twodies. They said there were only some details that needed to be supplemented, but even these details had to be perfected. The Imperial Military Department had only a very small likelihood of checking, and even if they did check, they probably wouldn''t be too thorough; as long as they confirmed that a group of Green Skins had been ughtered on the surface, that twelve Green Skin ships had been destroyed at the jump point, and that the severed head indeed belonged to a Beastman Overlord, that would be the end of it. But even for that tiny probability, they wanted to do things as well as possible, to avoid even the slightest chance of mishap. Once they had agreed on everything, what remained was for each of them to execute their parts. And after Yelisia left first, only Gu Hang and Wang Jiarong, the siblings, were left in the small drawing room. They fell silent for a while. Actually, by this time, Wang Jiarong was no longer so upset about the losses. Though the merchant fleet was registered in her name, it was essentially the property of the Gu Commercial Firm. She was themander, a shareholder, and a leader. It wasn''t her fault that they suffered such significant losses; they were targeted by an overwhelming force of pirates, so her guilt would not be particrly heavy. Her status within the firm would decline, and her own investment would take a big hit, which was to be expected, but it wouldn''t ruin herpletely. Moreover, following the new exnation given by her cousin, she might well turn her losses into profits, even a substantial one, so everything would be recovered. The incident itself couldn''t entirely be med on her cousin. With several factorsbined, she really couldn''t stay mad at her cousin, who she had grown up with since childhood. But she couldn''t seem too intimate either. The main reason was another matter. She sighed and said, "Cousin, actually... Auntie really misses you." "Oh," Gu Hang replied with a word. He had no other implications. From the memories of his former self, he could envision the figure of a beautiful woman. However, in his perception, the former self''s deep feelings for his mother were quite ambivalent. Love, of course, was there, but also some resentment. Honestly, he wasn''t too interested in dealing with the previous family squabbles. The things he sifted from the memories always seemed separated by a veil, ayer of cloth. They were clearly there, but the feelings were not profound. It was like watching a movie; the story was clear and even emotionally impactful, but it didn''t feel like it happened to him. Of course, he couldn''t sever ties with them. These things were etched in his mind, in his memory, indelible. Additionally, his ascent to the role ofary Governor was entirely due to his family''s status, an identity he couldn''t shed even if he wanted to. The contradiction of feeling detached, yet unable to cut ties, manifested in his behavior as a nonchnt "Oh." Wang Jiarong on the other side, however, misunderstood. She sighed again, "Cousin, you can''t me auntie, she... sigh, anyway, it was your mistake this time. You shouldn''t have agreed when Mister Pei Desi nominated you to be the Governor of Rage Owl Star, it has put the Gu n in a particrly passive position." Gu Hang''s heart stirred. Was there more to the story? In his memory, he was one of the core members of the Gu Family''s generation; his grandfather had been the previous leader of the family, and his father should have taken his ce but had died shortly after Gu Hang was born. Currently, the Gu Family didn''t have a true leader. His mother, Mrs. Wang Qi, on the other hand, was quite capable¡ªthat was Gu Hang''s assessment of the beautiful woman in his memories. A woman who, after marrying into the family and losing her husband shortly after giving birth, managed to preserve a significant amount of benefits for her own little family in the subsequent internal family struggles and became a significant force within the Gu Commercial Firm. This was no easy feat. However, in devoting herself wholeheartedly to her career, she inevitably neglected her son. In the memories of his previous life, his rtionship with his mother was rather indifferent; they rarely interacted, and with strict discipline, coupled with various rumors within the family, the implicit istion by his kin, mediocre achievements, andck of recognition... these things all contributed to the resentment at the core of his former self. Then, a few months ago, he encountered the Star Sector leader, Mister Luo Ang Pei Desi, at an upper-ss gathering. The gap between the two was vast. One was the leader of a Star Sector, and the other just a rich second generation. But Pei Desi took the time to talk with Gu Hang carefully during a toast exchange. ording to the memories and feelings of his former self, he felt respected. Mister Pei Desi, with a cordial and gentle demeanor, praised him, recognized his yet unseen potential, and expressed hope for his future. They then talked about Rage Owl Star, saying they hoped a member of the Gu Family could take on the role of governor to solve this longstanding problem for the Star Sector. His predecessor was notpletely foolish; he could see that the Star Sector leader was somewhat conning him. But he epted the offer without hesitation. From his perspective: Rage Owl Star was the source of the Tianma Star Sector, which had not paid enough Imperial Tax since its return to the Empire, constantly requiring the Star Sector Government to cover the shortfall. The decision to rebuild Rage Owl Star was made by Mister Pei Desi, and marked the expansion of the Tianma Star Sector into a ninth world, beyond the original eight. Reiming territory was the main achievement that Pei Desi reported to the higher regional government when he had first be the Star Sector leader. The nature of a Star Sector leader and aary Governor, akin to a local emperor, were different. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin Thetter was more like a lord, holding sway over military, political, and financial matters, ensuring loyalty with Imperial Tax collection, making it difficult to challenge them; the former was more like a bureaucrat, a politician needing achievements and stories to embellish their portfolio, requiring the support of powerfulary Governors to secure their position as the head of the Star Sector. However, the story of reiming the oldnd that he had told when he first took office had, unexpectedly, turned into a burden yearster, mired in decades of struggle. This wasn''t merely due to the abysmal conditions and challenges in Rage Owl Star itself, but also because political rivals within the Star Sector were constantly holding things back, causing endless problems for the reconstruction efforts. Pei Desi had had enough of this situation and was determined to resolve it. He hoped to unite the Fufana Family and the Gu Family to tackle this problem head-on. The Pei Desi brothers, the Fufana Family, and the Gu Family formed a solid triad within the Tianma Star Sector. The Fufanas represented the Imperial Navy, while the Gus brought substantial financial strength. Moreover, with one Pei Desi brother serving as the Flying Wing Star Governor and the other as the political influence of the Star Sector leader, they had theplete capability to thoroughly develop Rage Owl Star. The former Gu Hang believed himself to be the most capable person in the Gu Family identified by Mister Pei Desi. Even fearing unexpected turns, such as another family member stealing the governorship from him, he kept silent until the appointment letter was in his hands. And then, he bitterly experienced a p in the face from his mother. Chapter 238: Chapter 168, definitely next time Gu Hang was certain that his predecessor''s greatest resentment towards his mother stemmed from that p. He remembered how Mrs. Wang Qi, gasping for breath after hitting him, said with immense disappointment, "How could I have a son like you? Ipetent, foolish, clueless. If it were just that, I could still ensure you a lifetime of riches. But you have the audacity to harbor ambitions that your abilities cannot back. You really aren''t even one ten-thousandth of your father. You disappoint me so much." Those words pierced his heart deeply. His mother looked down on him. This filled him with anger and resentment, so much so that he took a personal attendant with him and took office alone. But he wasn''t going there just to die¡ªat least that''s what he thought before. ording to his predecessor''s understanding, under normal circumstances, he truly was the one meant to save Rage Owl Star from disaster. It''s true that many governors before him had died, and failing toplete the Imperial Tax collection could cost a scion of the Gu n his life¡ªsuch was a fundamental rule of the Empire. But he wasn''t afraid. What were those previous governors? Mere rotten fish and shrimp? But I, Gu Hang, am the pride of destiny! Driven by political self-interest, the Star Sector''s head honcho was determined to develop Rage Owl Star; Fufana offered full support, and the navy allocated a cruiser to be stationed at Rage Owl Star, so there wasn''t much to worry about military-wise. Combined with the financial power of the Gu Family, wasn''t this task bound to seed? Doesn''t get the olddy''s support? If she doesn''t support it, so be it; the Gu Family isn''t dictated by Wang Qi, there are many other uncles and elders. What''s this about the Tianma Star Sector Iron Triangle? Moreover, the appointment letter had already been issued; in the Central Empire, he was already a registeredary Governor¡ªthere was no turning back on this matter. He couldn''t go back on it after that p from his mother either. As Gu Hang perused the memories, he could clearly sense that his predecessor had a thought: if I really am to die, then I''ll just fulfil Mother''s desires. If such a useless son dies, you''d probably be very happy. The events that followed, Gu Hang was well aware of: he had traveled through time and space, taking the ce of his predecessor on his way to his new position. During the nearly one month journey from Flying Wing Star to Rage Owl Star aboard the starship, and the five or six months of striving to establish himself on the surface, the Gu Family had indeed hardened their hearts and hadn''t provided a single penny in that half a year. That''s how things stood. At this moment, as Gu Hang reyed the entire incident in his mind, it was quite clear that his predecessor had been set up. The few sentences his mother scolded him with weren''t really a big deal. Mainly because Gu Hang didn''t feel it personally. If you''re scolded, you''re scolded. After all, she wasn''t scolding me... Oh, turns out she was scolding me, so, never mind. The problem with his predecessor was significant. He could see something deeper, but not enough. He saw that behind this incident, Pei Desi had schemed from his own political interests. He saw that the coalition of the three was strong and could resolve the issue but was too blindly confident. Why would Pei Desi, as the chief head of the Star Sector, start his n from someone who was rtively a nobody? ording to Gu Hang''s judgment, it was very likely that Pei Desi hadn''t managed to get the Gu n on board at all. Thebined effort of the three families was probably a figment of the predecessor''s imagination. By roping in his naive predecessor, Pei Desi could incidentally drag the Gu Family into the mess. Once a core family member became a governor and the Imperial appointment was decreed, it was a done deal¡ªyou wouldn''t seriously leave him unsupported, would you? Especially Mrs. Wang Qi, this was her only son, and given her status as a widow, which was quite awkward¡ªdecades after her husband''s death, her connection to the Gu Family relied on this son bearing the Gu name. By all ounts, she couldn''t ept her son''s failure and subsequent death as governor. Not to mention the issue of kinship, without Gu Hang, how could she directly control a branch of the Gu Commercial Firm? A split in the family? The others in the Gu n would never allow it, there would be a bloodbath. Unexpectedly, whether the Gu Family or Wang Qi herself, they truly had steeled their hearts and gave no support, leading to Pei Desi''s n to manipte the Gu Family into backing Rage Owl Star''s remation not only falling through but also creating huge conflict between them¡ªthis was deduced by Gu Hang himself, without any intelligence to back it up. Explore stories at m,v l''e-NovelBin However, at its root, Gu Hang didn''t understand: logically, the Gu n, supposed to be staunch supporters of Pei Desi, why would they abandon the stance of the so-called ''Iron Triangle'' and not support Pei Desi''s redevelopment of Rage Owl Star? On this matter, Gu Hangcked sufficient information to analyze further. But ording to his cousin, she might know something. After some thought, Gu Hang decided to be direct. He said, "In the days since my arrival at Rage Owl Star, I''ve achieved some results. In my spare time, I''ve also reflected on the whole affair. I know I''ve made a subtle mistake. I shouldn''t havee here. But what I''ve never understood is, why didn''t you¡ªoh, I mean we, the Gu n¡ªsupport Pei Desi in rebuilding Rage Owl Star?" After Gu Hang finished speaking, Wang Jiarong looked at her cousin with considerable surprise. Based on what she knew about her cousin, most of whatever she said would likely be wasted breath, and might even provoke annoyance. She felt obliged to speak up and offer advice because of her intermediary role. Chapter 239: Chapter 168, Next Time For Sure_2 But the reaction of his cousin didn''t seem to show any dislike; in fact, he seemed to be listening sincerely. This was not at all how he remembered his cousin to be. Of course, Wang Jiarong was pleased about it. She saw a glimmer of hope for solving the problem between her aunt and cousin. If it were possible to mend the rtionship between the two, it would be a good deed not only in terms of family rtions but more importantly, the biggest issue with her aunt''s power within the Gu Family was a matter of legitimacy. Her cousin was the most natural leader of this family force, her aunt''s control over it was legitimized first by herte husband, and second by Gu Hang. The problem, however, was that, after all, her husband was deceased, and the longer he had been dead, the weaker the legitimacy of this splinter force from the family would be; plus, with her son Gu Hang, who not only had a strained rtionship with her but also had epted a task likely to get him killed... But if the two could work together, this issue could bergely resolved. As a result, Wang Jiarong became more serious in her conversation. She pondered carefully and said, "I don''t actually understand the business behind it all that clearly, I can only share with you my understanding." "First, this is a losing deal, or rather, the investment cycle is too long, and the return too slow. We are in the business of trade, not a heavy-asset industry. Although the price of a spaceship is very high, fully-owned purchases are rare; most often it is a pooled investment, a joint purchase. Moreover, once a fully owned starship is bought, it can be put into operation immediately and start generating ie, often paying for itself in a few years." "But the reconstruction of a deste requires such a huge investment, far greater than even arge starship. And it demands many years, continuous input, with returns that are unknown years in the future. Pouring arge amount of capital and resources into one would create a very heavy burden on the family and could even affect normal operations. Moreover, behind the high investment and long cycle, there is high risk¡ªRage Owl Star has been struggling for so many years without sess, who knows if this time will be any different?" "High investment, high risk, long cycle... these characteristicsbined make the familypletely uninterested in a normal investment." "If it were as Mister Pei Desi said, that the Tianma Iron Triangle worked together, it would have been different with the other two families sharing the cost, but the reality is different. The Fufana Family contributed a cruiser, which they encouraged the Imperial Navy to dispatch as part of a mission, so they didn''t spend a penny themselves, and at most, the cruiser will stay at Rage Owl Star for two years." "Mister Pei Desi, the leader, has provided aary Governor appointment letter, as well as political support. In theory, the value of this letter is incredibly high, equivalent to receiving an entire; unfortunately, it''s for Rage Owl Star, a ce where whoever bes governor is bound to meet their demise." "They gave these things but expect the Gu Family to pay almost the entire cost of reconstructing the." "No matter how others might measure the value difference between these three things, at the very least, the internal sentiment within the Gu n is one of dissatisfaction, feeling that it''spletely inequitable." After hearing all this, Gu Hang understood quite a bit better. Certainly, if it was supposedly a joint effort by the three families, but you two contribute just that little and expect me to be the sucker¡ªif Gu Hang were the family head, he wouldn''t be willing to agree either. Wang Jiarong paused, then continued to reveal the second reason: "And moreover, the Gu n has been recently repairing rtions with the Fatches Family. They are the real power in the Tianma Star Sector, and in the eight major worlds of the sector, three of the governors are from the Fatches Family. They have a conflict with Mister Pei Desi and previously also had a bad rtionship with us, but it has improvedtely. To conduct business, we cannot ignore the Fatches Family''s threes." "But they have significant interests on Rage Owl Star. You''ve been on this for a while now, I don''t know if you''ve heard of ckbird Heavy Industries? Thispany on Rage Owl Star is essentially controlled by the Fatches Family. Before Rage Owl Star was reimed as an Empire World, it was a ''no-man''s'' exempt from taxes, and the Fatches Family was interested in maintaining this status. They could operate everything on the through ckbird Heavy Industries without restriction and without paying taxes." "Even, it''s reasonable to suspect that they have moved a lot of their own threes'' output to ckbird Heavy Industries, taking advantage of the special nature of Rage Owl Star to avoid taxes. Of course, this is pure spection without evidence; otherwise, Mister Pei Desi would have used this point to finish them off a long time ago." "Recapturing Rage Owl Star is an action of Mister Pei Desi against the Fatches Family, a battlefield in their political struggle. The Gu Family, at a critical point in mending rtions with the Fatches Family, youring here interrupted the process, destroying the family''s long-term efforts and sending the rtions back into the freezer." Gu Hang nodded again, indicating that he understood. ``` "Approximately these two aspects," Wang Jiarong said, "so I say, the thing you did this time, cousin, not only did aunt get very angry, everyone in the Gu Family is actually quite annoyed. Your arrival here has put even more pressure on aunt. It''s not that she really doesn''t want to help you, she has no choice, otherwise it would be hard to exin to the family internally. And... haven''t Ie?" "Thank you," Gu Hang nodded lightly, "Your arrival was crucial. However, did my mother send you here? Or did she approve of this?" "Umm... That''s not the case, I came on my own." Wang Jiarong''s face turned a bit embarrassed, but she quickly made up for it, "But aunt must have tacitly agreed, otherwise she would have contacted me by now and not let mee." "Heh, tacitly agreed." Gu Hang maintained a polite smile on his face and didn''t mock any further. Wang Jiarong sighed, knowing that reconciling the rtionship between mother and son was not that simple; she had also tried for many years with no effect, not to mention there was now an even greater conflict between the two. Being his cousin/niece is too tough. "Anyway, cousin, you might want to contact auntie when you have some time. Real-timemunication is quite costly, and I don''t have the means here, but Quintet should have a way, just make a reservation in advance, then..." "Forget it, forget it," Gu Hang hastily interrupted, "Stop, let''s leave it at that. Lately, I don''t even know what to say to her." "You can''t just leave it at this, can you?" "Next time for sure." ... Under his cousin''s regretful gaze, he ended the conversation. He had other matters to attend to. His troops under hismand had suffered heavy casualties during their confrontation with the Green Skins who boarded Quintet. Of the total twenty thousand people on the starship, more than four thousand were killed or wounded, exceeding a 20% casualty rate. As themander, Gu Hang had to go and visit the warriors. It was also a way to win over people''s hearts, proving that theary Governor genuinely cared about hisrades. Anyway, it was better than doing nothing on the starship. Additionally, he went to visit Rizzo. That was only proper, as the starfighter had risked his life for him many times. The Priest of Phoenix was in rtively good condition. It was tough taking three axe blows from the Beastman Overlord, but luckily none hit his vital parts directly¡ªa blow to the shoulder, one to the breastte, causing severe injuries, but at least the power armor reduced the damage. It''s just that his armor set was likely beyond repair. Gu Hang also consoled the old Priest. "This time, the trader convoy I invited brought some new power armor, which I had someone personally purchase for you. Get well soon, and don''t worry about not having power armor to wear; you''ll get a brand new set!" After speaking, Gu Hang even turned to Matins, "Commander of the warriors, you also get a share. Among the special items purchased, not only is there regr power armor for the future members of the warrior troop, but there is also a set of Terminator Power Armor, specially prepared for you, as a token of thanks for the support the troop has provided during this time." ``` Chapter 240: Chapter 169: You Cant Bear to Leave Me, Can you? Hearing about the new power armor, which included a set of Terminator Armor, Matins was also moved. Terminator-type power armor boasts far superior performancepared to ordinary power armor. With thicker armor, a more robust internal power system, and the ability to be equipped with heavier weaponry, it serves as a formidable long-to-mid-range fire support tform, as well as excels in close-quartersbat, offering unmatched advantages. Even the hefty pauldrons house a pair of mini shield generators, further enhancing the capabilities of the Terminator Armor. In the days when the Phoenix Battle Group was still prosperous, among a thousand members, there were just a few dozen sets of Terminator Armor. The Terminator Armor has two drawbackspared to ordinary tactical armor: First, it is expensive, and significantly more so. Second, it is not very flexible. Once you don the Terminator, stealthy, silent operations be quite difficult. Weighing three to four times more than ordinary armor and equipped with a shield generator, even with a neural interface and electronic muscle bundles, the Terminator Armor still hampers agility. However, given the stronger firepower, greater strength, thicker armor, and the addition of an energy shield, the loss of some agility is wholly eptable. Matins couldn''t help feeling sentimental: If he had had a set of Terminator Armor in that battle on the surface, Schneider wouldn''t have died. Stronger equipment is not only for one''s own benefit but also to protect more of yourbat brothers at your side. Besides, he noticed that Gu Hang mentioned other power armors in his speech. Clearly, this was to prepare for the future expansion ofbat troops. They could theoretically add three members using the gic seeds of the three brothers who had died in battle. Matins had been worried about the power armor issue before, especially since Schneider''s suit was so badly damaged that it was beyond repair. Now, there was no need to worry. "Thank you," he said to Gu Hang. Gu Hang waved his hand, "I should be thanking you all." ... Inspecting the troops, visiting injured soldiers, and checking in on the Phoenix Battle Group, which yed a crucial role. This was what Gu Hang did on his way back to Rage Owl Star''s orbit aboard the starship. The journey home, even by starship, took several days. Midway through, he received a new system message: another month had passed, and the monthly fixed grace points had been distributed. This time, the grace points increased slightly from the previous month, reaching 678 points. The main growth came from the newly incorporated Rubbish Town. One hundred thousand workers and scavengers, totaling two hundred thousand people, contributed to a monthly grace revenue of 55 points. There was still much room for growth. Rubbish Town had virtually ground to a halt in thest month due to the war; scavenging, raw material processing, and service industries hadrgely stopped, so productivity had not been fully tapped, resulting in many people but few grace points. Now that the war had ceased, the rted production was recovering, and it was expected that this figure would eventually see a significant increase. In addition, Weixing City, Revival City, and other sporadic camps that had been reimed and retained, contributed some as well, totaling the number mentioned. Once this month''s ''sry'' was deposited, even after deducting the 500 grace points Gu Hang had spent to raise his level to LV5, his current grace points still amounted to a substantial 4658 points! He had only one thought: to rush back and construct the Architectural System that he had unlocked but not yet built; to draw the technology that needed to be drawn. After spending these four thousand-plus points, the development of his territory would reach a new level. He had never been so wealthy! He even thought back to those conversations with his cousin. The investment from the Gu Family? Not necessary at all. Why would a badass need to spend real money? I, Gu Hang, have developed my to this stage all by my own efforts! Technology panel, let''s draw! Construction panel, let''s build! To be honest, after learning all about his predecessor''s life, his mother, his family, and the various politicking within the Star Sector Government from his cousin, Gu Hang didn''t have many emotional reactions; he harbored neither hope nor disappointment. At least in terms of his own development, he had never counted on help from others. He was doing just fine on his own, with those ck Boxes that would make anyone from the Sect of Mechanics drool with envy; Gu Hang really wasn''t afraid of anything else. Just give me time and don''t throw too much of a wrench in the works. However, the problem alsoy here. Not counting on support or help from others is one thing, but not having unexpected issues is another. His identity, the reasons for his taking office, the political machinations of various forces converging on Rage Owl Star¡ªthese were all inescapable vortices. If he wished to develop undisturbed, Gu Hang, as the governor, couldn''t afford to ignore everything. He had to be clear about the political ecosystem he was facing. And the information brought by Wang Jiarong provided him with significant insights. As the leader of a mighty Star Sector, Pei Desi, needed to subdue the Fatches Family, the local power. The two factions were engaged in political strife over Rage Owl Star. The Gu n was initially considered part of Pei Desi''s camp, and now it hadn''t quite reached the point of jumping ship, but at the very least, they did not want to be so tightly bound anymore and sought to mend rtions with the local power. Chapter 241: Chapter 169: You Cant Bear to Leave Me, Can You?_2 And the head of Pei Desi was clearly unwilling. He lured the fool who Gu Hang used to be into the game, on the one hand, wanting to get something for nothing, drawing the Gu n to spend their money to help him solve the problem of Rage Owl Star; on the other hand, even if that failed, it would disrupt the process of Gu and Fa repairing their rtionship, avoiding the possibility that one corner of his Tianma iron triangle might fall to the other side. There are many twists and turns in this situation. Combining some memories and information in his mind, he focused on a key point¡ªput simply, over the years, the Gu Family''s business had been doing well, and its influence had been spreading to several surrounding Star Sectors, not just limited to the Tianma Star Sector. Their dependence on the leader Pei Desi had decreased, while the demand from the Fatches Family, a source of goods and key market, had increased. This was a change in the overall situation, leading to an adjustment in the Gu n''s overall strategy. Moreover, the situation would be moreplicated with himself involved. He was a member of the Gu n, but he had a poor rtionship with his mother; the Gu n also opposed him being the Governor, and after he assumed office, they ignored himpletely; He was the one whom Pei Desi wanted to use an appointment letter to put into office, but essentially, Pei Desi wanted to drag the Gu n into the mess. However, due to the Gu n''s rapid disassociation from Gu Hang, the plot failed to materialize, even straining their rtionship further. Now, it wasn''t clear what this leader''s attitude towards Gu Hang was. Yelisia''s Fufana Family seemed to be on the same path as Pei Desi for the time being, so there was no need to treat them separately. The Fatches Family were enemies of the Gu n in the past, and were now in the process of repairing their rtionship. However, his actions as Governor in consolidating power on the would certainly affect their significant asset allocation. Regardless of the final rtionship between them and the Gu n, their stance was certainly not going to be favorable to Gu Hang. "That''s not right! After this analysis, why do I feel my current political environment is so terrible? Am I surrounded by enemies?" He rubbed his head, feeling that his thinking shouldn''t be so inflexible. Such a situation was definitely not right, and Gu Hang really needed to find a political ally, a backer. Otherwise, his earlier thoughts of using military achievements, threatening with the Green Skins, and forming Star Realm Armed Forces to offset taxes would turn out to be pure fantasy. If it were up to him, where would he find a way to deliver a message to the Imperial Military Department? He had to find a suitable partner to help him mize the fruits of victory from this war into tangible benefits. "There must be a way..." He settled his mind again and carefully thought it through. Of the three parties currently essible, the Fatches Family was out of the question first. Not acquainted, and with a major conflict of interest, almost irreconcble. They wanted Rage Owl Star to be independent from the empire''s territory, or at the very least, they would settle for a Puppet Governor, facilitating tax evasion for the ckbird Heavy Industries they invested in and even allowing leakage of taxes from their own threes, unmonitored. Gu Hang couldn''t cooperate with them, even if their major industries were on Rage Owl Star, within his nominal rule. This was an enemy. Therefore, the enemy of his enemy might be the one to pursue, and that was the head of Pei Desi. This was more hopeful than the Gu Family, after all, doing well on Rage Owl Star was Pei Desi''s core goal, which aligned with his own. And there wasn''t apleteck of possibility on the Gu n''s side; after all, there was his biological mother. So continuing to guess blindly was pointless. Gu Hang decided to talk to them separately. Gu Hang''s core demand was to sort out the issue of offsetting taxes using the Star Realm Army, to save ten million in Tax Currency. Whoever could help him with this matter would be his good friend. From this perspective, his goal was quite clear. ... When Yelisia found out that Gu Hang wasing to visit, she had just finished contacting her family. Although the relevant battle report had not yet been submitted, she certainly needed to discuss it with her family first. The Fufana had deep roots in the navy. They knew exactly how to polish the battle report, how to prepare in advance, how to curry favor clearly, build momentum, and pave the way; all that was missing were the official battle achievements. In her mind, she still pictured her father''s face, flushed with suppressed joy, praising her for a job well done. She herself was very happy. How exhrating! Now who would dare say she was just there due to nepotism? She''d smear the solid battle achievements in their faces! What did Gu Hang want bying to see her now? But at this moment, she was in a good mood, so anything would do. In her captain''s quarters, she met with Gu Hang. After some brief pleasantries, Gu Hang stated his purpose: he hoped to have a conversation with Chief Pei Desi. Interstermunication was not avable on Rage Owl Star, and even on the Beautiful Lady, an armed merchant ship equivalent to a destroyer''s specifications, it was only possible to send messages, not tomunicate in real time. After a bit of thought, Yelisia roughly understood what Gu Hang wanted to see the chief about. She smiled and said, "Luckily, themunication cabin on the ship wasn''t damaged during the battle. I have a direct line to the chief''s office, but I can''t guarantee that the chief will have time to see you." "It''s okay." Yelisia called someone to initiate the Spiritual Energymunication. Soon, a message came through: "Chief Pei Desi will have time for a call in twenty minutes, the appointment has been set." Yelisia turned to Gu Hang and said, "It seems we''re in luck." The next thing to do was wait. During the wait, Gu Hang chatted briefly with Yelisia. Mainly about his vision for the Star Realm Army. There was nothing confidential about it; it wasn''t in conflict with the navy. However, after hearing his ideas, Yelisia widened her eyes in surprise and eximed, "You really take the unconventional path, daring to think of such methods." "Then what''s your assessment? Is it feasible?" Continue your saga on m|v-l''e -NovelBin "I think it''s feasible," Yelisia said. "Anyway, even if the Star Realm Army is established and you''re transferred, you won''t lose anything." "Is there a possibility that I won''t be transferred? Or, if I am, it would just be temporary, like the Tianma Fleet?" "I get what you mean," Yelisia said. "If you could be like the Tianma Fleet, that would indeed be a big win, but that''s quite difficult." "That''s why I need to see our chief." "Good luck with that," the female captain said, no longer interested in discussing the matter, as it wasn''t her concern, and she wouldn''t offer Gu Hang any advice or strategies. Gu Hang also dropped the subject and brought up another matter: "After this, will you and your starship continue to be stationed in orbit around Rage Owl Star?" "The Quintet won''t be stationed here anymore," Yelisia said with some regret. "The starship actually suffered significant damage and needs to be taken for repairs as soon as possible. The nearest Foundry World is ''Huo Zun Star'', a two-month journey away. To ensure the Quintet''s safety, the fleet headquarters may even dispatch a force to escort it there. This warship, optimistically speaking, will need two or three years of repairs before returning to full status. But you don''t need to worry; since there''s a two-year escort period, even if the Quintet is not here, another ship will be assigned to do the same job." "Oh," Gu Hang nodded, then asked, "What about you? They won''t make you, a star of rank, apany the Quintet for a few years of repairs, will they?" "That won''t happen," Yelisia said. "There are several possibilities. I might be transferred to another ship; if I''m of the same rank as the current captain, I''ll serve as an observer. If I''m of a higher rank, the captain will temporarily takemands from me. In any case, it''s just a transition, and I''ll carry out the ship''s original tasks. I might also be sent to a higher-level military academy for further studies or teaching, depending on what the higher-ups decide." "Then..." Gu Hang said, "is there a way for you to be transferred to the ship that wille to Rage Owl Star?" Yelisiaughed heartily, her mirth subsiding only after a while. With a remaining smile, she said, "Why, are you going to miss me?" Gu Hang nodded sincerely: "Yes, our previous cooperation was quite pleasant, and any asional conflicts were just that, asional, so I truly will miss you." "There''s nothing you can do about it then." "You''ll think of something," Gu Hang continued earnestly. "After all, we still have battles left to fight." "Oh?" Yelisia was intrigued. When Gu Hang talked about a ''battle'', it was always an opportunity for meritorious achievements. But at that moment, Gu Hang didn''t want to borate: "You''ll find out when the timees. If you get a better opportunity, go for it. If not, you won''t be disappointed staying in orbit around Rage Owl Star." Yelisia pondered: "Well then, I''ll try to think of something." Chapter 242: Chapter 170: Mother (7000-word addition) ``` Not long after finishing the conversation about her stay or departure with Yelisia, the head of the Pei Desi regime sent a message. In the captain''s quarters of the female captain''s ship, with an interface to themunication device, Gu Hang could directly see the virtual image of the Star Sector leader generated on the device. The image was unstable, flickering with waves, but being able tomunicate in real-time with Flying Wing Star, light-years away, was undeniably high-tech. This required the use of special Spiritual Energy devices, as well as advanced Thinker Arrays and navigators that were only avable on cruisers. In Gu Hang''s view, he saw aposed middle-aged man with rimless round sses, hair and a short beard neatly groomed, exuding a schrly air. His simple suit was unassuming, yet adorned with several medals that denoted his distinguished status. Even through countless light-years and some static, when he spoke, the warmth, maism, and charm in his voice still resonated with those who heard him. "Good evening, it''s nighttime on Flying Wing Star, what time is it over there? Regardless, I want to congratte you, for securing another victory for the empire; it''s your glory. Please allow me, on behalf of the Star Sector Government, to express my gratitude." The opening remarks from Mr. Leader,bined with his tone of voice, were quite captivating. Gu Hang nodded slightly: "Thank you, Mr. Leader." Yelisia did not speak, instead she stepped aside. This gesture made it clear that this conversation was for Gu Hang to seek out Pei Desi. And Pei Desi understood. He faced Gu Hang with a smile and said, "Gu Hang, thest time we met was before you rushed to assume your post. I had great expectations for you, but even so, I never imagined you could do so well." That was just a formality. The so-called doing so well referred to the fact that only one city on the entire had been reimed, right? Of course, what kind of person was Pei Desi? He wouldn''t let his words seem like idle talk. He continued, "Although I don''t know to what extent you have rebuilt the order in Rage Owl Star, I can see aary force as powerful as the main force of the Star Realm Army; I can see interster warriors serving you; I know that the limitednd you control on the is bursting with boundless vitality." "Honestly, when I learned that you had reached the''s surface and chose to start from scratch, gradually seizing control of the government, opting topletely reshape the alliance order established by the governor of Rage Owl Star decades ago, I was quite skeptical. But now, it seems that you were right, at least you are on the right track. Perhaps, those past governorscked your kind of boldness and initiative. You''ve given me hope, the hope to see The Emperor''s glory spreading across thends of Rage Owl Star." "Every governor within a Star Sector should take note of your deeds, I''m not joking. Those with lofty status, ruling over billions of people, have never faced a situation as tough and difficult as yours. If they were in the same position as you, they certainly wouldn''t have done as well." After listening to all this, Gu Hang had to admit that Pei Desi, the leader, was indeed an impressive figure. A Star Sector leader, the suprememander of the sector''s securities, was addressing him, who thus far could still be considered a ''minor character'', and was able to humble himself with such enthusiastic praise. Narratives such as not a single one of the eight governors of Rage Owl Star couldpare to you, and all should look up to you; The Emperor''s glory was thanks to you that now once again envelops thends of Rage Owl Star... Yet whenbined with his resonant voice and his sincere demeanor, somehow it wasn''t off-putting. Praise was one thing, but key here was the praise with examples, which truly could scratch an itch in one''s heart. If it weren''t for Gu Hang''s high resistance, he might have been swayed by the ttery. Still, he showed a slightly self-satisfied but also deeply grateful demeanor toward Pei Desi, saying, "My sess today is all thanks to the appreciation of Mr. Leader. This favor I shall never forget in my life. However, our enterprise on Rage Owl Star has reached the point where some crises are emerging. ckbird Heavy Industries does notply with the governor''s orders, and they have not actively contacted me since my arrival on the, posing a risk of insurrection; arge number of mutated creatures have appeared within the, severely troubling the grain-producing region; not to mention, now with the threat of the Green Skin Orcs, the Iron-Tooth n having suffered heavy losses, will surely not rest with their profane nature..." "Numerous risks loom over Rage Owl Star, which urgently needs the power of the Star Realm Army to help me suppress the." And that wasn''t an exaggeration. ording to Gu Hang''s intelligence, ckbird Heavy Industries, located in the west of the continent, further west of the Western Desert, indeed ignored him. The enterprise had the Fatches Family''s shadow behind it, and Pei Desi''s enemy, treating them as rebels was not a problem for him. The mutated creatures were real, and the Green Valley Region was suffering. The threat of the Green Skins was also legitimate, with twelve cruisers arriving, could that threat be anything but terrifying? ``` Chapter 243: Chapter 170, Mother (Extra 7,000 words)_2 Military garrisons are only right and proper! After listening to Gu Hang''s words, Pei Desi slightly furrowed his brows and sighed with some difficulty, "I fully understand the difficulties you are currently facing, but the deployment of the Star Realm Armed Forces is very difficult, and it''s not something I can decide. I will certainly try my best to advocate for you, but please hold on for a while, and be sure to wait for support." His words sounded good, but there were no concrete promises, just stalling. As the head of the Star Sector, he indeed did not have the power to move the Star Realm Armed Forces, but he certainly had a way, it''s just that he didn''t want to pay the price for it. The Imperial Navy sent you a ship in orbit, now if they send dozens or hundreds of millions from the Star Realm Army Main Corps, should they also send a batch of reconstruction materials? I might as well be theary Governor myself. But Gu Hang would not let Mr. Head off the hook so easily. He took the opportunity to propose his earlier conception, which was to use the Imperial Tax from Rage Owl Star to fund a new Star Realm Army force, to be stationed on Rage Owl Star. The grandiose rationale, of course, is that I am a loyal subject of the Empire, moved by the difficult times, the Head''s worries, and the threats facing the Star Sector. Full of enthusiasm and willing to contribute manpower and effort. It''s inevitable there will be losses in collecting taxes and then using it to build an army; deploying additional troops here is also hard to arrange. It would be better for the tax administration of Rage Owl Star to be directly converted into the cost of raising an army. Don''t bother with the promised first-period tax concessions, just give it to me directly. Ten million Tax Currency, and I will pull a Star Realm Armed Forces unit for you, one that is guaranteed to pass the scrutiny of the Military Affairs Department and the Department of Taxation." And implicitly, Gu Hang emphasized three points: first, themander of this Star Realm force had to be decided by him; second, the new Star Realm force''s station had to be on Rage Owl Star; third, the long-term mission of this Star Realm force should be to ensure the safety of Rage Owl Star, including suppressing rebellions, quelling mutant monsters, and repelling foreign alien forms. Pei Desi pondered for a moment and indicated that he supported the n in principle, but there were many difficulties. First off, there was no money, and secondly, the three points demanded by Gu Hang were hard to aplish, especially the third point. The first point was manageable; who to appoint asmander was not an issue? The second point, although the Star Realm Armed Forces were at war in the Star Sea, with movements involving tens to hundreds of millions of people, eating, drinking, and resting, they still needed a rtively stable station, which could be on Rage Owl Star. But the third point was the most difficult; ensuring that the Military Affairs Department wouldn''t just transfer this legion at will was no simple matter. Normally, Star Realm Armed Forces units, whenever there is a conflict, could be moved immediately, which is directly managed by the Military Affairs Department, and in theory, nobody can stop it. Of course, there is actually a way to do it. Highlight regional threats, emphasize the role of guardianship, and when the Military Affairs Department is in need, alternative troops can be found from other ces... But this would incur a substantial political cost, which Pei Desi was reluctant to pay. Of course, Gu Hang was not so easily discouraged. Verbal sparring and haggling over prices are the most fundamental things. Later on, Gu Hang subtly brought up two points: "I can give up this n, but if Ick sufficient deterrent forces, I will have to talk with ckbird Heavy Industries and the Fatches Family behind them. It just so happens that the Gu n are still mending our rtions with them. Looking at it from another angle, if they want Rage Owl Star, I am currently theary Governor of Rage Owl Star and a member of the Gu n. If I help them solve this problem and be a Puppet Governor who doesn''t interfere, it wouldn''t be so bad, certainly better than beingpletely finished." "Alternatively, I could stopplicating things and just report the actual situation of the recent naval battle to the Military Affairs Department. All the talk about the Iron-Tooth n''s vanguard fleet and arge-scale invasion being thwarted in the early stage is false, it was just a random group of pirates. Quintet was even thinking of escaping, and it was I who forced them to fight this battle." When she heard thetter implication, Yelisia, who was sitting on the side enjoying the back-and-forth between the older and younger man like a spectator eating melon seeds, was taken aback. Why am I involved? Nice one, Gu Hang. Just a moment ago you were all about how you can''t bear to part with me, and now you''re digging a pit? Pah! Scumbag! She red angrily at Gu Hang, only to see him wink at her. Frustrated to the point her teeth itched, if it weren''t for Pei Desi''s presence, she''d have loved to bite him. Grinding her teeth, she had no choice but to speak up and express her opinion: The battle situation has been confirmed as fact, and this is not up for discussion. Are you kidding me? I''m on the rise to bing a prominent star, how could I have such a blemish? Pei Desi had to consider Yelisia''s stance, or rather, consider the Fufana Family behind her. The Gu n, part of the iron triangle, was already unstable; if the Fufana became unstable as well, his position as Head would really be precarious. He spoke with Gu Hang again, agreeing to the proposal in principle, but many details still needed to be further discussed. Over the next three months, the Star Sector Government would allocate a total of 2.5 million Tax Currency; plus the 2.5 million Tax Currency due when Gu Hang''s two-year term as governor expired, all of which would be invested in military construction. At that time, the Military Affairs Department and the Department of Taxation would both arrive on Rage Owl Star for inspection. His new military unit,bined from all sides, would have to be worth the value of five million Tax Currency. The remaining five million Tax Currency would still have to wait for two years, acting as the Star Sector''s payment of the Imperial Tax on behalf of Rage Owl Star. The obvious reason for not giving all of it to Gu Hang now was that they didn''t want to. Holding onto it for two extra years was two years, the Star Sector Government wasn''t flush with cash either. Chapter 244: Chapter 170, Mother (Extra 7,000 words)_3 Gu Hang also could basically ept the final scheme that they had discussed. After a year and a half, the taxes he needed to pay would be saved, as long as he waited for the Military Affairs Department and the Department of Taxation toe down, inspect the army to see if the numbers were sufficient, if the equipment was adequate, and if they reached the value of five million Tax Currency, then it would be fine. Additionally, in three months'' time, Gu Hang would have an extra two million five hundred thousand Tax Currency in his hands. This was a veryrge sum of cash! With this money, he could buy a lot of the goods currently stored in the belly of the Beautiful Lady. Previously, when he was short on funds, he had only ordered a very small portion of goods, and when it came time to trade, Gu Hang still needed to think carefully about what to use for payment. Now, there was less to worry about. Two million five hundred thousand Tax Currency could buy quite a few things. Up to this point, Gu Hang could finally consider that he had initially secured his share of the benefits from this war. It wasn''t much, at least notpared to Yelisia, notpared to Wang Jiarong. But Gu Hang was still satisfied. Others made arge profit because they had ships; without a ship, he made this much, which was eptable. Trading the lives of over four thousand soldiers for five million Tax Currency, even with the additional cost attached, was a big profit. To speak so might seem cold-blooded, but the fact was, the lives of over four thousand soldiers were worth it; the interest on five million Tax Currency for a year was more than just that. Now, Gu Hang could begin to consider what he wanted to buy from the Beautiful Lady; he could also start thinking about how to spend the over four thousand six hundred points of favor on his ount most effectively. ... Countless light-years away, Flying Wing Star. This was a Garden World, the administrative center of the Star Sector, amercial trade center influencing several surrounding Star Sectors, with developed productive forces. Although the overall productivity couldn''t match some Foundry Worlds or Nest Capital Worlds, it still ensured that nearly four billion people enjoyed a prosperous average quality of life and living environment. The Empire''s lower limit was very low, with most of the poption living in challenging and tough conditions. The lobotomized or almost lobotomized veborers on Foundry Worlds were living machines on production lines; on Nest Capital Worlds,s crowded with hundreds of billions or even trillion people treated humans like livestock, raising them as resources; serfs on agricultural worlds lived the life of ancient medieval peasants in the interster age; on Death Worlds and Wastnd Worlds, people struggled on the brink of life and death; on Fortress Worlds, people, generation after generation, faced war from birth till death... Your journey continues on mvl But likewise, the upper limit was also quite high. In civilized worlds, people could work nine to five wearing ties, have a coffee after work, and let loose in a bar; people in Garden Worlds could live almost carefree lives under advanced technology and extremely high resource allocation... These two types of worlds were usually the administratives ormercial cores of the Empire, where the apanying manufacturing capacity didn''t carry as much significance. Flying Wing Star belonged to thetter category and had not directly suffered from warfare in the past five hundred years. Tianma Pce on Flying Wing Star was the most important functionalplex, resembling the paradise of legend. The white marble constructed nearly all the buildings here. Masters of design meticulously nned water systems that were broad or narrow, rapid or slow, appearing harmonious and full of life from afar; green nts adorned every building corner,plemented by colorful flowers, creating a vibrant disy; intense lighting ensured that even at night, the entire Tianma Pce shone brighter and more splendid than during day. At the highest part of the pce was Pei Desi''s office. At this moment, having just ended the interstermunication with Gu Hang, he stood in front of the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the entire Tianma Pce. A slightly drunken voice came from behind him, "Why did you agree to that Gu Family kid? The Gu Family has already cut ties with him, his own mother won''t give him a penny, and you''re still adding to it? Aren''t you afraid that the investment you''re making now will be wasted?" The speaker was a man who looked quite simr to him but was thinner and carried a more frivolous and dashing air. He was the Governor of Flying Wing Star, Vaga Pei Desi, also known as little Pei Desi, brother to Luo Ang Pei Desi. The Pei Desi brothers were renowned ¨C one as the governor of Flying Wing Star, the other as the head of Tianma Star Sector, holding the highest power of the entire Star Sector. Luo Ang Pei Desi said to his brother, "What have we spent? Two million five hundred thousand Tax Currency? That was supposed to be paid to the Imperial Taxation Department anyway, we''re just giving it to him a year in advance." Little Pei Desi still sounded confused, "But if he fails to meet the Imperial Tax, and his newly established army doesn''t pass the inspection, we still have to cover the additional difference." "That''s not much money." "It''s always my Flying Wing Star that covers this expense for you." Little Pei Desi murmured, taking another gulp of his drink before saying earnestly, "Are you still harboring the idea of bringing the Gu n into the game? I advise you to admit that this move has failed. As far as I know, that girl Wang Jiarong went to Rage Owl Star on her own ord, Wang Qi didn''t agree to it, and she was furious when she found out. You know that woman; when she says she won''t care for her son, she really won''t care at all, so we should think of other strategies." Pei Desi sighed, "I know what you''re saying, and I''m not counting on it anymore. But being cut off so cleanly is not necessarily a bad thing. Gu Hang has grievances against his mother, and that''s why he was easily persuaded by me to enter Rage Owl Star. Now, with the clean break from his birth mother, his rtionship with Wang Qi will only deteriorate more, and he will have no choice but to rely on me." Chapter 245: Chapter 170, Mother (Extra 7,000 words)_4 Find exclusive stories on mvl ``` "You see, after he had an idea, the first person he contacted was me, the guide, the mentor, without any intention ofmunicating with his mother. Rage Owl Star always needs a governor, and since he has now made some achievements, why not give him a bit more confidence? There might be new rewards to reap. The cost has already been paid, so it doesn''t matter to pay a little bit more. The battle they won is indeed very useful. What if this kid really makes it? By then, he can only rely on me, and I will have a member of the Gu Family who serves me wholeheartedly." Hearing this, Pei Desi fell silent for a moment before suddenlyughing as if he had thought of something very amusing: "That would be quite entertaining. I''m actually quite looking forward to seeing Wang Qi''s son kneel down and kiss your boots. What would she feel like watching from the side?" Pei Desi was somewhat helpless; he turned around, stared at his brother, and said nothing. After a while, Pei Desi finally spread his hands: "Alright, alright, it was just a joke. I know now is not the time to provoke that woman. I won''t look for trouble anymore." After speaking, he added: "At least not recently." Pei Desi was also helpless; he shook his head and said no more to his brother. ... Elsewhere on Flying Wing Star. This was a manor belonging to the Gu Family, and now Wang Qi lived here. It didn''tpare to the Tianma Pce''s majesty and luxury, like a paradise on earth, but it had its own unique charm. At the moment, thedy of the house, Wang Qi, was reading a letter: "Mother, I hope this letter finds you well." "When I left home in a huff, I wanted to make a name for myself." "Now, it has been half a year since I left; fortunately, with the help of heaven, I have achieved some results." "You must have heard about the star battle. Although Icked strong ships and powerful cannons, I managed to lead a reliable army based on my actions on Rage Owl Star in the past six months, oveing the Beastman Overlord, reversing the tide of battle, and securing victory." "In these six months, although I haven''tpletely taken control of the, I genuinely rule over a million people and have established an army of one hundred thousand. Under my governance, various industries are thriving, flourishing. The systems I''ve instituted ensure the million people attached to me have clothing and food, with pay for their work." "I have not received any support from the family since starting this endeavor, but I am not worried about the first tax collection in a year and a half; and I believe there won''t be any problems paying the full taxes three and a half years from now. Rage Owl Star will gradually be a normal Empire World, and I will firmly secure the position of the ninth Military Governor of the Tianma Star Sector." "But this is not the end, it''s the beginning. I once told a subordinate that I would make Rage Owl Star as productive as a Foundry World, and as beautiful as a Garden World. This is my goal, and I am still firmlymitted to it. Mother, do you believe in me?" "Perhaps the goal is still far off, perhaps you still think of this as the delusions of an incapable, foolish son. But I am confident I am on the right path." "I am not as you thought, someone who could just be a worthy sessor like my father; nor do I want to be content with the family''s wealth. Fortunately, a rash decision six months ago has led me to my own endeavor, which has no ties to the Gu n." "You might think that I am saying all this to show off, to respond to the things you said to me thest time we met, and I won''t deny that." "But I want to say more, in these six months I have gone through a lot, and my thinking has changed greatly. I will start to reflect on the uselessness and reckless foolishness of my former self. Those resentments, essentially stem from my incapability and stupidity. When I left, your assessment was correct." "But now, I have realized: epting the appointment to be the governor of Rage Owl Star was harmful to the family, a severe blow to your years of hard work in upholding the family business left by my grandfather and father, and it also put me in a situation where a rescue would cost dearly, and no rescue would mean losing my life." "My fortune lies in a wrong decision leading me to a more correct path." "Mother, I am not seeking your forgiveness, as I am walking my own path, which is not a mistake and needs no forgiveness. But I have let go of the baseless grudges and will look at the past more calmly." "Your assessment was correct about the past me. But as for the current me, the future me, whether it is right, please watch from countless light-years away." "Let''s see if I can indeed surpass my ancestors, achieving a greater legacy." "By then, I hope you can give another assessment, which I will dly receive." "¡ª Governor of Rage Owl Star, Gu Hang, your son." ... ``` The letter was not very long, nor did it talk about anything specific, yet Wang Qi still read it for a long time. Through the lines, she could see that in the first half, a young man was proudly boasting to his mother about his achievements, saying that her previous ''ipetent, stupid'' assessment was the foolish one. But in the middle section, she saw a man who had be steady and settled, admitting his mistakes while keeping his spine straight. He was reflecting on the past, admitting that hisck of thorough thinking led to wrong decisions, yet also feeling fortunate for his good luck. Being able to recognize one''s errors and to learn from reflection, that was already good enough, it was the highest expectation Wang Qi had in the past. Yet at the end, she saw change again. It was as if she saw an entrepreneur full of vitality, telling her about his grand ideals, then coolly turning around and leaving, following the path in his heart with determination. Wang Qi had not expected at all that Gu Hang would write such a letter. Mother knows best, and by her understanding of her son, Gu Hang most likely would never write a letter until his death; If he did write, it would probably say something like, ''You must be happy I''m dead,'' ''As you wished, from now on, there will be no stupid, ipetent son to embarrass you'' and so on. In a very small chance, perhaps her son would have written a letter in tears, admitting his wrongs and begging his mother to save him, in the face of the fear of death. Although, no matter what, Wang Qi would ultimately try to save him. He was her flesh and blood, her only lineage, how could she truly not care? However, that did not change the disappointment in her heart, and perhaps in the future, she might keep him under house arrest, find him a wife, and have them quickly produce a grandson. If he messed up the main ount, find a way to train a ''sub ount,'' and then let the grandson directly inherit the family business, letting Gu Hang go off and y. She was indeed nning to do exactly that, even starting to look for a daughter-inw with good genes. But this letter made her fundamentally change her mind. After reading the letter, Wang Qi''s heart was almost overwhelmed by satisfaction, solidifying into a shallow smile on her face. But besides relief, her feelings were also veryplicated. After being steeped in plots and intrigues for a long time, she instinctively doubted whether the letter was truly written by Gu Hang himself, or if it really expressed Gu Hang''s sincere thoughts? Was it possible that Pei Desi, that sly fox, had concocted some scheme, found an expert to fool her son, and taught him to write such a letter to deceive and ambush an old woman like her? To cloud her judgment with maternal affection? But this likelihood was low, because along with the letter came another one from Wang Jiarong. Her niece talked in her letter about how her cousin had greatly changed; the six months at Rage Owl Star had made him different. Moreover, the letter was penned in her presence, with no one instructing him. Even if it were truly some ploy, Wang Qi had to admit that she would be duped. What mother wouldn''t feel proud upon seeing her son''s growth? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 7,300 characters long, about three and a half chapters'' worth. I''m not brief. The additional update is not for anything else; it just feels better to write this part in one go. Some readers might find it uninteresting, but I think it''s very important. The content of thest two days didn''t involve battles, but it shouldn''t be considered trivial, right? Mainly, it covered: 1. Gu Hang fighting for the fruits of war, 2. Exnation of the interster background and the protagonist''s background, these were already in the outline, but because the previous story didn''t involve interster it wasn''t mentioned, now it has to be addressed. 3. boration on emotions. I hope everyone likes it. Starting tomorrow, the protagonist will go back to farming, beginning to unify the. Chapter 246: Chapter 171, I thought you really came to support my cousin. Miss Wang Qi saw the letter, and indeed, it was written by Gu Hang himself, without any guidance. In writing this letter, he actually had two ideas. The first was emotional. Sharing the same name and having used someone else''s body, Gu Hang felt that, when the time was right, he needed to give an exnation. Having used his body, Gu Hang felt a certain responsibility towards this person with the same name. His predecessor had an obsession with ''proving himself to his mother,'' so he decided to satisfy that obsession. Thus, Gu Hangposed the first half of the letter. But to say that this was the extent of the exnation wasn''t quite enough. Digging deeper into the memories of his predecessor, his resentment towards his mother stemmed from love, didn''t it? If he truly had no feelings for his birth mother, he couldn''t have harbored such deep resentment. Therefore, there was also an admission of wrongs with a straight back and an expression of aspiration. The rtionship between mother and son needed a way to ease. This method couldn''t simply be crying and admitting wrongs; it definitely would not match the predecessor''s ideas. Furthermore, he needed to show that mother a change. However, emotional factors were rtively secondary. What was more important were some practical considerations. From his predecessor''s memories, Gu Hang only saw dissatisfaction with his birth mother. In his predecessor''s view, his mother was the image of a cold, rational, aloof, and controlling strong woman whose identity as a ruler far outweighed her identity as a mother. From a young age, he experienced very little maternal love. But that was the predecessor''s perspective. Through Gu Hang''s eyes, re-examining those memories and observing from the perspective of a bystander, he was fairly certain that Miss Wang Qi did love her son. It was just that her focus was different. It was understandable. The Gu lineage to which Gu Hang belonged had indeed led the Gu n. His grandfather was the family leader, and his father, as the third eldest, was the favorite and most talented, designated early on as the primary heir, but died before his grandfather. When his father died, he had just been born; when his grandfather died, he was only three years old. After the death of his grandfather, it wasn''t certain the heir would be Gu Hang; he had several legitimate uncles. Aside from that, there were also many other n members, each with their lineage and control over certain assets. None of the n brothers, uncles, and blood uncles could wait for a three-year-old child to grow up to be the leader. It was unrealistic. At this time, the only one who could support this small family was Wang Qi. Without his tough mother upholding everything, a more ruthless Gu Hang might not have grown up; even if he did, the assets left by his grandfather would likely have been divided up by the uncles, leaving whatever remained to him at the mercy of others. However, Wang Qi''s aggressive expansion of her influence in the family, leveraging her deceased husband and her determined actions, naturally invited hostility, criticism, and ostracism. She was strong enough inwardly not to fear those adversaries, even fighting tit-for-tat; that was her skill. But when Gu Hang was a child and suffered verbal and even physical bullying from his n, he was powerless to resist or to resolve it. His mother was too busy to protect him all the time, leading to psychological trauma that affected his personality development. In terms of nurturing and caring for a child, Wang Qi indeed could not be considered a qualified mother; but given the special family environment, her priority was to preserve their family''s assets, and it''s hard to say she waspletely wrong in that regard. From an outsider''s perspective, Gu Hang thought that he must still be very important in his mother''s heart; it was just that the actual actions and ways of expression were different. Based on such judgment, Gu Hang believed he must not be deceived by his predecessor''s memories and that the rtionship between them was not entirely irreconcble. If the rtionship could be reconciled, the value of Gu Commercial Firm to a developing was immense. One could tell from Wang Jiarong''s recent visit. The many goods she brought on her ship, Gu Hang had seen and deeply desired. Trade was, after all, an important aspect of a''s development. Moreover, if the rtionship could be mended, the Gu n, especially his birth mother, could in turn be a tremendous boost for the development of his. If the Gu Family could fully support him in building the, dozens of trade fleets, divided into a few groups, could transport batches of materials, which would greatly advance his world rebuilding process. It wasn''t that he couldn''t do without it, but having it would make things faster. Beyond establishing interster trade and direct material support, Gu Hang also valued the interster influence possessed by the Gu Family. This was something hecked. It would bring political benefits, enabling him to obtain things he couldn''t buy even with money. Therefore, what remained to be seen was the effect of his letter and whether it had moved his mother. "It should be okay, right? I thought about how to write the letter for quite a while." Amidst his contemtions, Gu Hang had already seen Rage Owl Star, which had now appeared before his eyes. He had returned home. ... Gu Hang rode on the first transport ship back to the surface. One wave of ships wasn''t enough to return everyone, and the soldiers still needed several rounds of transport ships going back and forth between theary surface and orbit. The three cosmic warships in the starry sky would each remain there for a while. The Quintet would stay for about a month and a half. It needed to perform some preliminary maintenance work in the''s orbit. During this time, the Mechanical Priests and technicians on the starship would check the state of the starship carefully. If there were any minor issues that could be repaired without the help of a Star Fortress or orbital shipyard, they would address them first. Chapter 247: Chapter 171, I thought you really came to support my cousin_2 But when ites to major hull repairs, and the reconstruction of some destroyed weapon systems, that definitely couldn''t be fixed with minor tweaks and maintenance¡ªit had to be returned to the factory. In this task, Gu Hang had also promised to help. There might be some requirements for materials and metallicponents, which Rage Owl Star could supply. It''s too early to say about anything else, but as for the alloy steel industry, Revival City had already matured, so there would be no problem developing building materials, or even processing metals into appropriate parts as needed. Yelisia also expressed to Gu Hang that such support would not be free. The raw materials andponents supplied by Rage Owl Star would be converted into costs, forming a bill to be sent to the Imperial Navy, which would confirm it and forward it to the Military Affairs Department. This wouldplete the requisition procedures and Tax Currency would be paid to the Governor of Rage Owl Star. Initially, Gu Hang didn''t care much about it. Basic processed parts and raw materials, after all, how much could they be worth? However, heter felt fortunate that he hadn''t acted like a big spender. The Quintet, undergoing maintenance in the orbit of Rage Owl Star for one and a half months, had consumed nearly half a month of production capacity of Revival City''s alloy steel processing nt, and the final bill was three thousand Tax Currency. If that had been given for free, it would have really hurt. And in another month, an escort ship detached from the Tianma Fleet would arrive in the orbit of Rage Owl Star to take over the Quintet''s duties. Initially, Gu Hang was quite dissatisfied with this. A cruiser was reced by an escort ship, how could he be happy about that? However, a conversation with Yelisia changed his mind. The logic was simple: if a true cruiser had arrived, its captain would likely be at least a brigadier, holding the same rank as Yelisia, and with much more seniority, she would hardly be able tomand them, at most she could only offer some advice. That would make it difficult to coordinate with Gu Hang''s operations on the''s surface. With an escort ship instead, the likelihood was that its captain would be merely a colonel or even just a lieutenant colonel, which would truly allow her to take charge and ease the coordination with Gu Hang''s actions. Gu Hang admitted her point made sense. Furthermore, Wang Jiarong''s Beautiful Lady, along with an escort ship, would stay in the Rage Owl Star System for three months. Gu Hang also had some doubts about this. His personal trading demands weren''t really that big. He had no special need for bulkmodities. What he truly wanted to buy were several synthetic starch production lines to expand his existing food processing industry in his territory and alleviate food pressure; in addition, there were the high-end goods demanded by the Phoenix Battle Group. Beyond that, a plethora of minerals, weaponry, consumer goods... these were things Gu Hang didn''t covet. He even spotted a Knight Titan on the product list provided by Wang Jiarong! (Note 1) This machine nearly fulfilled Gu Hang''s romantic notion of mechas from watching some sci-fi works in his previous life. With a height of ten meters, humanoid form, equipped with sma cannons, missileunchers, and even a rotary cannon that could fire 105mm kic rounds as if they were machine gun bullets. For defense, it boasted alloy ceramic armor infused with orichalcum, a powerful Shield Generator, and, crucially, was very agile. Standard artillery would find it hard to lock on and hit. Such a device could serve as a super firepower tform at range, and up close, lead an infantry charge. A super weapon. Gu Hang certainly coveted it, but then asked for the price... Ten million Tax Currency? And that''s the cost price without profit? Forget it. For now, it was something he simply couldn''t afford. Besides these high-end goods, for bulkmodities like minerals and food, he also didn''t need to purchase inrge quantities at the moment. Among the items he needed at present, a few transport flights could deliver them to him; why the need to dock for three months? When he asked this question, Wang Jiarongughed awkwardly, saying that after transporting Gu Hang''s goods, she still had to carry some items for ckbird Heavy Industries, some to be brought down to the, and others to be loaded onto starships. Gu Hang then narrowed his eyes. "Well done, wasn''t it agreed toe and support your cousin?" "It looks like you, little sister, have probably discussed things clearly with ckbird Heavy Industries, or rather, with the Fatches Family behind them." "Such a big deal, my cousin''s needs could be transported within half a week, a week at most; ckbird Heavy Industries'' trade, that takes three months, right?" "You''re really being cozy with the Fatches Family in repairing rtions." Gu Hang was being sarcastically unkind, and Wang Jiarong felt quite embarrassed. She immediately rified that this was a decision made by the Gu Family collectively, and it wasn''t just decided by your mother alone. Her emphasis at the end was, "Anyway, it''s to support you, and incidentally to do business with Fatches." Gu Hang replied with a sneer, "Got it the wrong way around, haven''t you? Doing business with Fatches is the key, supporting me is just by the way. Oh, no, that''s not right. It should be by the way of by the way, after all, this Governor is not dead yet, and interster trade needs the Governor''s nod, so this deal can''t bypass me." Wang Jiarong didn''t speak further. Of course, Gu Hang wasn''t really angry. There was no reason to be. It was actually quite normal. Chapter 248: Chapter 171, I thought you really came to support my cousin_3 ``` What''s with my cousin? Does she deserve to pilot an interster starship, bring a shipment for her cousin that might not even cover the cost of the fuel, and sell it to her cousin at a fair price? Everyone''s trying to make money, there''s no need to feel embarrassed. However, this statement also applied to Gu Hang. "I don''t care how you deal with ckbird Heavy Industries, but let me remind you of two things: first, you''ll have to deal with the Fufana Family yourselves, the Imperial Navy Starship is just orbiting above, and I reckon they wouldn''t want to see you and ckbird making a big deal. The political cost of this has nothing to do with me, and I''ll make that clear to Yelisia as well." "Hmm, I understand, don''t worry, the Gu family has already been taking action before we set off, I''m just here to do the work. If there really was a problem, I wouldn''t risk doing it." "That''s good enough," Gu Hang then addressed the second point, "Second, ckbird Heavy Industries is part of Rage Owl Star, and I''m the Military Governor, they''re my subjects. All interster trade on the needs my approval. ckbird Heavy Industries must pay me the Imperial Tax of thest two years, and I''m not asking for too much, just 10% of the production value for two years; besides that, I want to take the same 10% as a transaction tax for this deal." "That... I certainly have no problem, but whether ckbird Heavy Industries is willing, I cannot guarantee." "Then let them send someone to talk to me. No agreement, no deal." "Cousin!" Wang Jiarong still tried to act coquettishly. "There''s nothing to discuss." Wang Jiarong was helpless: "This is a transaction between the Gu and Fatches families, cousin, you..." Gu Hang was not swayed by this plea: "Don''t bring that up; it only annoys me more. The Gu family hasn''t helped me a bit on Rage Owl Star, there''s no reason I should give special treatment to the business between Gu and Fa. I''ve already waived the transaction tax for Beautiful Lady Convoy, and I''m simply asking them to pay the necessary Imperial Tax and transaction tax, which is generous enough." "If even this can''t be agreed upon, then Quintet will destroy all unauthorized orbital transit. I believe Yelisia will be more than happy to help me with this." Realizing she had no other option, Wang Jiarong sighed and said, "I will convey your message to ckbird Heavy Industries. However, I must say, there might be discontent within the family." Gu Hang was indifferent: "Then let my uncles, my mother, pout and stomp their feet at Flying Wing Star, what can they do?" "I thought you wanted to reconcile with the family." "No," Gu Hang corrected his cousin''s impression, "There''s no question of reconciliation. I''m not stopping anyone, I just want what''s due to me, and if that can''t be guaranteed, what''s there to talk about reconciliation?" ... After returning to Revival City, Gu Hang called for a work meeting. He had left Revival City for over a month now, and even his monthly stipend had been distributed. His involvement in the starship''s military actions was necessary this time. Being a powerful Spiritual Energy user, if he didn''t show up in person, it was doubtful the Green Skin Overlord could be dealt with, and it required his presence to persuade the otherwise reluctant Yelisia to go to war; he also needed to personally secure the spoils of the post-war victory. However, the''s surface actually couldn''t do without him. To put it inly, it had only been three or four months since he took control of the Alliance, and his team was still understaffed. Even Osenia had to hold several positions and was busy all the time. The entire new Alliance''s government structure was highly centralized and nned. Without him, the Military Governor, at the helm for too long, who knows what chaos might ensue. In fact, Gu Hang was worried that even a month''s absence could lead to issues. Even though he had left devices with Osenia and Yan Fangxu that allowedmunication with the starship during this time, Gu Hang had not beenpletely out of touch with his subordinates. Yet, intermittentmunication every few days for just tens of minutes was not enough. Gu Hang urgently needed a concrete work meeting to understand what had happened on his territory during the past month and whether everything had unfolded as he had anticipated. And while waiting for his main subordinates to arrive, he continued pondering the matter of ckbird Heavy Industries. Rage Owl Star had threerge continents, along with two smaller ones, previously the main excavation sites for Psychic Energy Fields and also the areas most devastated by war, almost entirely dead zones where Low Energy Storms incessantly raged, the harsh environment making it even more difficult for people to survive and impossible for food cultivation. ording to intelligence reports, those two continents were basically uninhabited. On the main continent, ckbird Heavy Industries held a very significant position. The history of this enterprise was even longer than that of the Rage Owl Star Alliance, existing for a long stretch before the Alliance was even established. ording to the intelligence Gu Hang had, the stronghold of ckbird Heavy Industries was located on the westernmost coastal region of the continent, ten thousand kilometers away from his current location in Revival City. They controlled a vast area and had about ten million people living there, with a portion of the food supplying from their own production¡ªthe west of the continent had fertile ins. Despite the regions shrouded by Low Energy Storms, the remainingnd was enough to sustain a substantial poption. The other part of the food supply came from the technology-based farming factories located beneath the oases of the West Desert Region. ``` Chapter 249: Chapter 171, I thought you really came to support my cousin_4 Seeing the name ''ckbird Heavy Industries,'' one can deduce that this is a super enterprise with heavy industry as its main business. They are nominally still part of the Alliance, but since the second-generation governor, they have gradually distanced themselves from the Alliance. They pay the Imperial Tax every two years as more of a symbolic gesture. Based on their jurisdiction of ten million people, they should be paying products worth two million Tax Currency every tax period to the Alliance Government as their annual tax contribution. However, in the past six years, across three tax periods, the most they''ve ever paid was four hundred thousand Tax Currency, and the least was two hundred thousand Tax Currency. The difference is significant, but the key issue is that the Alliance Government is powerless to collect the full amount. How to collect it? Could the Old Alliance Legion, in its sorry state, cross thousands of miles tounch an expedition to the western world of the maind? Even if all political forces were mobilized, it just couldn''t be done. The sessive governors could only send letters berating ckbird Heavy Industries, using them of being Imperial traitors and rebels for not paying their taxes. But... isn''t it ironic? Suppressingary rebellions is the governor''s job, and failing to do so is a sign of ipetence. In theory, when faced with a rebellion, one could call for Imperial support, the Star Realm Army, the Imperial Navy, or even the arrival of abat group is possible. But unfortunately, that''s just in theory. Unless the situation deteriorates to an extreme extent or could potentially or has already affected surrounding regions, the Empire won''t bother with you. Sometimes, a rebellion on a urs, the rebels kill the governor, and Imperial reinforcements arrive only then. Arriving on the ground, they find that the rebels say: The former governor was tyrannical and ipetent; we''ve overthrown him, but we''re still loyal to the Empire. We are willing to continue paying taxes, and we''ve already prepared the tax for the new period. Hearing this, the Imperial reinforcements say, Well then, you are the new governor, and then they turn around and head home. It''s quite absurd, but from the Empire''s perspective: the rebellion is over, the new governor is loyal, and not even a bit of the tax was missed. No need for battle, isn''t that great for everyone? And the former governor? Just a waste who couldn''t even handle a rebellion, better off dead. This scenario is not likely, but there have indeed been many such records. For Gu Hang right now, he''s incapable of directly intervening in the far west of the maind. He doesn''t have the power to organize arge army to journey thousands of miles and conduct an expedition, and the logistics would not hold up. Orbital support is a joke - without ground troops for control, establishing rule through bombing alone is impossible. Experience tales at mvl Even considering orbital airdrops and orbital transport of supplies and materials for ry, while it''s true that it could disregard the distance on the ground, the Quintet is a standard warship with less-than-ideal conditions for orbital transport, making it unsupportable for this task; the Beautiful Lady, as an armed merchant ship, might be suited for such a mission, but obviously, Wang Jiarong would not support him in waging this war. Even if he were to win, the current industrial level at Rage Owl Star''s surface is incapable of supporting rulership overnds at the other end of the maind in a short period of time. In conclusion, waging war is unreliable, and the timing is not yet ripe. Conversely, by using the critical trade between the Gu n and Fatches, making ckbird Heavy Industries pay up what they owe, and threatening to cut off trade if they don''t pay, is still feasible. The Quintet can tightly blockade the trade connections between the''s surface and orbit. ording to Gu Hang''s n, at the very least, they must earnestly pay up this period''s two million Tax Currency; moreover, Gu Hang is also demanding that they make up the shortfall from the past six years, three tax periods, which amounts to roughly five million Tax Currency. A total of seven million. Of course, thetter demand is something ckbird Heavy Industries, and Fatches would probably be unwilling to ept at all costs. Gu Hang had no intention of pushing them into a corner - if he did and they refused to do business, his scheme of getting money out of their pockets would also fail. That wouldn''t do at all. It alles down to the negotiations. Anyway, two million Tax Currency is the bottom line. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The update iste today, but there are 6000 words! Last night, I actually finished writing 4000, but while setting the timer, I decided it would be smoother to write 2000 more, which I did this afternoon. Tomorrow, we''ll see if it''s possible to update on schedule with 6000 words. Chapter 250: Chapter 172, Work Report While thinking about the matters concerning ckbird Heavy Industries, people gradually arrived one by one. There were still fifteen minutes until the scheduled time, but since everyone had arrived, Gu Hang announced that the meeting would begin ahead of time. The first to report was the person in charge of military affairs, Colonel Yan Fangxu. After Gu Hang had taken the First Cease Wind Brigade, the Second Infantry Division, and the Third Independent Regiment, the remaining surface forces still consisted of six divisional units. The 4th to the 9th Garrison Divisions, after replenishing their personnel and disbanding surplus troops, had settled down. They consisted of seven infantry battalions and two artillery battalions as the mainbat forces, plus two battalions for logistics and engineers, as well as the division headquarters'' guardpany,municationspany, and staff... A single garrison division totaled over six thousand troops. Six divisionsbined amounted to nearly forty thousand troops. As themander of the army group, Yan Fangxu divided the area around Revival City into three war zones, taking Revival City as the center. The first was the Gaota War Zone. The 4th and 5th Garrison Divisions were stationed there. They were responsible for exterminating the remaining Green Skins after the Gaota War and burning all thend and suspect green vegetation where the Green Skins might have resided. After the previous war, there were still some Green Skin creatures that survived, Orcish kids, little sprites, or even just a few Skugg Beasts. At most, they could be considered scattered troops, not a significant threat. But they couldn''t be ignored. Otherwise, who knows how long it would be before a new Green Skin tribe resurfaces? This was certainly a task that needed to be carried out persistently. Such exterminations would continue for many, many years, till there was a long period without any trace of Green Skin Orcs, before they could rx a bit. The second was the Central War Zone, with the 6th, 7th, and 8th Garrison Divisions stationed there. The 6th Division was positioned between Revival City and Weixing City, responsible for defending the capital. The 7th and 8th Divisions, centered on Revival City, swept to the west and south, up to about 300 kilometers as a boundary. They mainly swept the wastnd of marauders. Marauders were exterminated on the spot; those who surrendered or were captured were screened based on their past crimes. Those with heinous crimes, especially those with anti-humanity crimes like cannibalism, were executed outright. Others with less serious offenses were thrown into prison¡ªnot to livefortably of course, but to work in the mines with an F-grade treatment or to pick up trash in the ruins of Gaota. F-grade treatment meant they were no longer considered human. In actuality, anyone below E-grade had no human rights. Common criminals like thieves, robbers, and fraudsters could at most be ssified as E1-grade, at least still regarded as human and not treated excessively harshly when imprisoned or reformed. If someone actually died in prison, the prison would be penalized. Read exclusive chapters at mvl But F-grade was akin to a suspended death sentence, stripped of human rights. Some murderers and other severe criminals were sent to this level. Essentially, they were people who should have been sentenced to death, but it was a pity to waste theirbor, so they were simply put to work. Those with F-grade treatment had to bring back a sufficient quota of yield from the mines and Ruin Mine every day. If they did not meet the quota, they would not eat and would be whipped. Exceeding the quota came with a small food reward and the umtion of work points. If they worked well enough, perhaps in five to ten years, they could escape the F-grade inhumane treatment and get the normal E-grade treatment of a person. Of course, that was quite difficult. Inadequate nutrition, high work intensity, poor living conditions, andck of medical resources... these issues caused a significant number of people to not survive a year. Those who lived past five years and worked hard to shed their F-grade status were very few. The 7th and 8th Garrison Divisions, in addition to eliminating those marauders, would locate survivor camps and bring them under the direct rule of the Alliance. It was estimated that there were about 2.7 million people in this region. For these people, the strategy adopted was consistent with the past: send out work teams to assess the industry structure of the camps on-site. If theyplemented the Twin Cities of Revival well, especially in producing food or industrial and light industrial raw materials, then they were preserved; if theplement was weak or the camp itself struggled to survive without any industry, then the poption would be relocated to Weixing City to fill the industrial workforce void. However, this operation currently encountered some difficulties. At present, only about seven hundred thousand people had been brought under control; among the remaining two million people, there were severalrge settlements each with a poption of about two hundred thousand. It was uncertain what the attitude of their people was, but at least the rulers of those ces did not ept giving up power. In fact, ording to the policy of the new Alliance authorities, they would notpletely lose their power. As long as there was a peaceful transition, settlements with tens of thousands of people would not be disbanded directly, as too many people flooding into the Twin Cities of Revival at once would be difficult to manage. On the contrary, since a settlement could gather so many people, it must have industry capable of sustaining life. Retaining the corresponding camps, or even the ruling ss, meant transferring personal affiliations and abolishing private capital to transform into the job-ranking and duty system of the new Alliance. The original ruling ss would most likely convert into the bureaucratic ss under the new Alliance system, enjoy fairly good treatment, and continue to manage their camps. Chapter 251: Chapter 172, Work Report_2 ``` Of course, afterward they needed to undergo further systemic transformation, and these new bureaucrats began to be assessed by the New Alliance Government. It was definitely not nearly asfortable as the days when they were local tyrants. Some submitted under the military might of the New Alliance Army, especially those smaller settlements close to Revival City, which honestly came under the rule of the New Alliance. But those further away, therger settlements, were not so content. During the advance of the troops, there was some resistance. And as the distance of the advance increased, the resistance became more and more intense. Now, severalrge settlements had forcibly rallied smaller ones to form a coalition army. About seventy to eighty thousand people blocked the 7th and 8th Divisions'' advance, and they were at war. The intensity of the war wasn''t very high, the garrison divisions were far from the core main forces of the New Alliance Army, but even so, their equipment and firepower still had a huge advantage over those rabble. However, with only over twelve thousand menbined from the two garrison divisions, they were at a great numerical disadvantage. They were able to advance steadily, but the speed of the advance really couldn''t be considered fast, and when it came to attacking those survivor camps which were generally situated in easily defensible and difficult to attack terrain, it would take even more time. Even if they were taken down, in order to avoid revolt after surrender, troops still had to be left behind to enforce martialw. Even after personnel from subsequent government departments filled in, during the process of integrating the settlements, the presence of troops was still needed to maintain order. Byparison, the third battle zone, the Central-North Battle Zone, had only ced the 9th Garrison Division. Their work, simr to that of allied forces expanding west and south from the Central War Zone, was more straightforward since the vastnds north of Revival City had a rtively sparse poption and had not encountered any major battles. The assimtion of five hundred thousand people was basically progressing steadily. Of course, there was another factor: the activities of the Sisters of Saint Mercy Lily. In the past two months, leaving Revival City and following the traces of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect, the Sisters headed north. They did quite a bit,bating the Cult while also spreading their faith. Their formidablebat capabilities and their special identity gave them a certain influence in the north, which greatly helped the work of the 9th Division. This also gave the 9th Division an additional task: to be ready to respond to the Sisters'' requests, assisting them in striking against Cult activities. ording to intelligence sent back by the 9th Division, the Sisters of Saint Mercy Lily found that the further north they went, the more traces of the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect''s activities. Superior Georgette had already led the main force into what is traditionally known as the Northern Province, and currently, no updated intelligence hase through. In the northern part of the Central Province, about 600 kilometers north of Revival City in the center, the traces of the Cult were quite evident. In this northern area, six Sisters remained behind, responsible for securing the rear and ready to support the sisters entering further north, while also cleaning up local Cult activity in the northern region. After receiving the relevant requests, Yan Fangxu green-lighted the additional task for the 9th Division. The above was approximately the military briefing by Yan Fangxu, the military overseer, on the situation of the military operations during the month after the Governor''s departure, and even the current stage. After listening, Gu Hang thought for a moment, then gave his instructions, "I have no objections about the clearing operation in the Gaota Ruins, and the actions in the Central-North Battle Zone are also fine, Lao Yan did very well. However, the operation in the Central War Zone cannot continue to drag on like this. I believe that the 7th and 8th Divisions will eventually achieve victory, but slowly advancing is a huge loss. The depletion of poption and time is uneptable. We must seek a quick resolution." Saying this, Gu Hang''s gaze turned to Tadeusz, who sat beside Yan Fangxu, still a Colonel, but Gu Hang had already decided to promote him to the rank of Colonel, and said, "How are the recruitment of new soldiers and logistical equipment going? I need you to replenish the losses of the three units that returned to the stars as soon as possible, after a week of rest, our troops will once again head to the battlefield." ``` Tadeusz answered earnestly, "In the new recruit training base we''ve established, we''ve already recruited over twenty thousand people, who are undergoing basic training. The only issue is the effectiveness of the training..." Gu Hang cut him off, "I''ll handle the effectiveness of the training, but twenty thousand is not enough. In addition to replenishing the troops, I also need to establish three division-sized units. The 10th, 11th, and 12th newly created designations, I need them to be capable of rapid strikes, rapid movement, like the battle groups modeled after the 2nd Division. Read exclusive chapters at mvl At the same time, the 2nd Division also needs to be equipped sufficiently, even if we cannot achieve full mechanization, at least we must reach the standards of motorization." Tadeusz decisively replied, "No problem. Without considering the training situation, I can recruit thirty thousand people within half a month. I will provide a specific nter ording to the current situation of our armament stores. The forecast is quite optimistic; we might still have deficiencies in armored vehicle production capability, but the production of artillery, military trucks, and various types of ammunition is very good. The production capacity of the military factories in Weixing City is growing day by day, we have enough equipment to arm new troops." Gu Hang calcted that with another thirty thousand recruits, the training barracks would have fifty thousand people. Making up for the losses of the three units from the heavens and replenishing the troops of various units would be no problem. The remaining people would be sufficient to form three new division-sized units. The 10th, 11th, and 12th designations would certainly not be formed into garrison divisions with averagebat capabilities. After motorization, with fully equipped armed trucks, the troops could carry out rapid strikes; with stronger firepower and the extra armored vehicles in ce, and forces matched to the 2nd Division, we could reach a scale of around nine thousand people. Thebat power of such a motorized infantry division would have no problem taking on two garrison divisions. As for the training... fifty thousand soldiers, all taken up to T5 level, would cost just 500 grace points. Peanuts. "That''s good. However, I still need to remind you that we must n the recruitment of such arge number of young and strong people carefully so as not to affect the production ns of Revival City and Weixing City," Gu Hang said. "It won''t happen," Tadeusz replied seriously. "At the moment, the poption influx into Twin Cities is quiterge. In the past month alone, two hundred thousand people havee from the Central War Zone; one hundred and fifty thousand people from the Central-North Battle Zone; over fifty thousand refugees from the Green Valley Region; and more than fifty thousand people diverted from Rubbish Town." "A total influx of four hundred and fifty thousand people. Even though the city constructions, industrial constructions, service industry developments in Revival City, as well as the heavy industry and military industry in Weixing City, all require arge poption, the expansion of production lines also takes time. The speed of absorbing these poptions isn''t that fast. I don''t have the exact numbers, but Lady Ossina should have them. Our unemployment rate might be rising quite rapidly. The army has offered rtively good terms for recruitment, and among those who have just arrived in the city, many are eager to acquire formal status and have enthusiastically joined the armed forces. We are actually helping the city to resolve a significant portion of the unemployed poption, easing the pressure on various industries to absorb workers." Gu Hang shifted his gaze to Ossina. Speaking methodically, Ossina replied, "That''s indeed the case. I have corresponding production management reports here that you can review." Gu Hang took over a stack of papers and began to scrutinize them tirelessly. Meanwhile, Ossina began her report: "Currently, ording to the official census, which we dare not im with certainty, our total poption under New Alliance leadership has reached 2.4 million. In ordance with the military department''s battle zone nning, we have ordingly nned the Central Province, Gaota Province, and Central-North Province. As the Central Province''s expansion battle is running smoothly, we estimate that the total poption could exceed 4.4 million when the timees..." ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 4,000 words. Between punctual updates and an additional two thousand words, today I chose the punctual update... I didn''t finish writing yesterday; I underestimated the difficulty of calcting data... The missing 2,000 words must be made up! Today, I''ll strive to write more so that tomorrow I can update both punctually and with 6,000 words! Chapter 252: Chapter 173: Population, Production, Trade Osenia''s report had Gu Hang nodding frequently. The increase in poption was something that Gu Hang cared deeply about. ording to the information she provided, as well as the documents at hand, the total poption directly governed by the New Alliance had reached as many as 2.4 million. Among them, the core governing area was the Twin Cities of Revival. The poption of Weixing City had reached 550,000, with its main industries being heavy and military industry. Industries based on alloy steel transformed arge amount of raw materials into alloy metals, which were further processed into various industrialponents; Wu Jiarong''s research institute continuously churned out new production lines (through the ck Box), sending them to the Waste Pit Industrial Zone to establish new factories or expand existing ones. Those who migrated and entered the short-term intensive training courses operated by various factories and enterprises became job-ready workers afterpleting the trainings. As soon as the corresponding production lines were in ce, new workers would be filled in immediately, and production would begin right away. Revival City now had 930,000 people and the city construction was still ongoing, with its main industries being various light industries, production of consumer goods, and supplying poption needs. Main production industries included textiles, food, various appliances, furniture, construction... Beyond that, Revival City was also an administrative and trade center, with arge poption engaged in clerical work as well. A higher poption scale also heralded the development of a rtively advanced service industry. Cultural and entertainment sectors were still few, but the catering industry had already developed quite a bit. This was different from Weixing City. To solve the problem of meals in Weixing City, besides cooking at home, the main reliance was onpany canteens, which distributed food ording to job ranks. Since Revival City did not haverge, centralized factories like those in Weixing City, the catering industry would be a point of supplement to solve meal issues. This brings us to a new policy implemented by Osenia to stimte economic vitality. To avoid the rather static industrial development after job ranks were tied to duties, and to prevent economic activities urring only when the Industry Department issued construction for factories, shops, and city infrastructure, Osenia encouraged ordinary people to utilize their intelligence and start their own businesses. Not to embark onrge-scale entrepreneurship; big projects would be handled by state-owned enterprises. But to open a small restaurant, a convenience store, or even just a roadside stall; or further, if they had a unique idea, establish a small factory, create a private construction team, or organize a logistics team to transport goods for construction sites, factories, shops... in short, anything. The specific incentive was that people of a certain rank could use their rank as a guarantee to apply for entrepreneurship funds, submit a relevant entrepreneurship report, and upon approval, they could open their business. The higher the rank, the more support funds they could receive. If the entrepreneurship failed, rank would be reduced; if sessful, rank would increase ording to the status of the new industry''s manager. However, regardless of whether it was a restaurant, convenience store, or factory, the ownership belonged to the state, but a certain dividend would be paid out. In simple terms, it was like proposing a project within argepany, submitting the project report to the boss or management, and if approved, set to work. If you win, you get promoted and receive a sry increase, along with stock options; if you lose, thepany incurs losses, and you bear responsibility and demotion. Moreover, if it''s just a stall, you don''t need a particrly high rank to run it, and if it fails, the punishment isn''t very severe; a deduction from the allowance is enough. Experience more on mvl In addition, Osenia opened another loophole: entrepreneurship could also be funded with one''s own money, eliminating the need for a guarantee. If it failed, there would be no demotion and one''s own money would be lost; if sessful, rank would increase and the earnings would be one''s own. This was equivalent to opening a private economy alongside the main public and nned economy to increase economic vitality. So far, since it was encouraged, the conditions for using rank as guarantee to apply for entrepreneurship funds were quite lenient. Those with low ranks who had good ideas, or who conformed to the Industry Department''s industrial development direction, could easily obtain startup capital. The extent of demotion for failure wasn''t toorge, and most of the time, under the guidance of the Industry Department, they wouldn''t incur losses. Near factories and construction sites, setting up a small restaurant or even a stall heating synthetic starch blocks generally would not result in a loss. In the future, if it''s felt that a certain direction has developed enough, or even overheated, or if there are too many losses... in short, if there are issues, the application process will be tightened, the threshold raised, and the penalties for guarantees increased. Anyway, it''s a means of regtion. In general, while the collective state-owned economy is the absolute mainstay in the Twin Cities, the private economy was encouraged to add vitality and create jobs. Currently, based on ''Tax Currency'', the total monthly production value of the Twin Cities can reach about 80,000 Tax Currency. This is the absolute core area of the New Alliance. Other areas, when added together, can manage about 5,000 to 6,000 Tax Currency. Besides the Twin Cities, the other regions in the newly nned Central Province, Central-North Province, and Gaota Province, including those remaining small settlements, Rubbish Town inclusive, were also transforming towards the Twin Cities'' system. The main output was focused on consumer goods, ensuring the basic needs of the poption. But those small settlements couldn''t guarantee production efficiency at all. Chapter 253: Chapter 173: Population, Production, Trade_2 Combined, these ces had a poption of over a million, which might beparable to that of the Twin Cities, but their total output value was probably only about 7% of the Twin Cities''. In response, Osenia''s subsequent n was to continue migrating people from these areas to Weixing City to expand the industrial poption. Additionally, some factories producing raw materials in Weixing City and Revival City would distribute various production machines. For instance, agricultural machinery, construction equipment, trucks, textile machines, food processing machines... a series of gadgets could increase the production efficiency of these small settlements. Here, there would be considerable room for growth. After listening to herprehensive report, Gu Hang nodded in satisfaction. He thought Osenia had done quite well. Read thetest on mvl He had been aware of many things within her report, especially the major directions, which were essentially the instructions he had given Osenia before boarding the Starship. Osenia had then formted policies in these directions and implemented them. Coming up with appropriate policies was not easy; implementing them was even harder. But it seemed that Osenia had performed well in both aspects. It was not just a matter of not disappointing his expectations; she had even exceeded them. This was also evident from the character card. While in space, Gu Hang had seen Osenia''s character card change through the character interface. Firstly, she had leveled up to LV3; her ''rarity'' had risen from N to R level; [Excellent Political Officer] had upgraded to [Outstanding Political Officer], with a slight increase in political attribute; she also gained an extra talent named [Comprehensive nning]. [Comprehensive nning: With her long-term insights into overall production nning, she had be even more outstanding in this area. Politics +1] Thebination of these traits brought her most important political attribute to 15 points. An Osenia of such caliber had be an extremely distinguished political officer, and Gu Hang could rest very assured. Therefore, Gu Hang did not hesitate to praise her, "I think Comrade Osenia has done an excellent job." With that, he started pping. Following his lead, everyone else gave face and joined in the apuse. The role of Osenia was very important. She was currently the foremost figure on the political side, overseeing civil affairs,merce, finance, and production, all of significant responsibility. Although she was still referred to as a minister, in reality, she effectively undertook tasks very simr to those of a government premier. The majority of political worky on her shoulders. Even the military had to please her. After all, the production situation of Weixing City''s military factories also required her support to flourish. Tadeusz, who was in charge of military logistics and equipment, had to maintain constantmunication with her subordinates to ensure adequate supplies of equipment, ammunition, and military provisions. Osenia, ttered by the praise, showed a hint of shyness. She waved her hands and quickly said, "There''s also the report onmerce and trade, Mr. Bradford will speak on that, as he has performed exceptionally well in his work over the past month." Bradford stood up, looking somewhat nervous, especially when Gu Hang''s gaze turned towards him, intensifying his apprehension. He still remembered the despair he felt when he was captured by the governor''s soldiers a few months ago; the subsequent conversation with the governor almost shattered his mental state. But he survived through his ''wit and intellect'' and became an advisor to the New Alliance Ministry of Commerce. With Osenia taking on multiple roles and effectively assuming the duties of the Alliance Premier, she was incredibly busy. Additionally, within the New Alliance, there was a severe shortage of civilian officials and administrative workers, particrly those capable of independent roles. Bradford, with his abilities, naturally rose to the asion. He had the capability, experience, and connections; his proactive work ethic, coupled with his refraining from lining his own pockets¡ªat least in the early stages of his career where he didn''t dare take risks¡ªnaturally set him apart from the rest. Although he still bore the title of advisor, he was already exercising the rights of a principal officer of the Alliance Commerce Department. In fact, Osenia had raised Bradford''s rank from an initial E6 to D6 within her own authority. This was still a mid-to-lower level rank, but it was enough to livefortably with a decent subsidy. Moreover, being in a position of responsibility within the Commerce Department, Bradford, a smart man, was not worried about ack of future opportunities for advancement. He did not disappoint the trust ced in him by Osenia. Previously, he mobilized his connections and experience in trade management to organize caravans, restoring the supply to the Twin Cities'' capiries and easing the grain crisis; then he restored the grain trade with the Western Desert, further alleviating the crisis. As for another major source of grain supply, the Southern Green Valley Region, there hadn''t been much improvement. But that was not his responsibility; mainly because the Green Valley was in a state of chaos, grain production faced significant issues, beyond the scope ofmercial remedies. Just relying on the Western Desert, grain supply would still be quite tense, especially once the expansion strategymenced and the areas around Revival City were engulfed in turmoil. With two million people bing hostile, the capiries suffered further impacts. Chapter 254: Chapter 173: Population, Production, Trade_3 This was why Gu Hang insisted that Yan Fangxu speed up his actions and quickly deploy more troops to resolve the issue: if it were dyed any longer, famine would arise. However, to solve this problem, Bradford had personally made a trip to the Western Desert and had only just returned recently. He brought back a newrge order; the Western Desert''s food trade with Revival City could be doubled in scale. The price that Revival City had to pay for this was arge amount of consumer goods. Revival City''s excess output was enough to cover this part. In addition to this, there was another big deal, which was finding arge order for Weixing City''s automobile industry through Bradford''s efforts. The Iron Bull RN-100 truck was favored by numerous caravans. With its excellent load capacity, off-road performance, durability, and fuel flexibility... such trucks were highly sought after in the wastnds. Bradford sold five hundred Iron Bull trucks to Western Desert businessmen in one go, to be paid for with food. ording to interster standards, the subsequent grain orders to be delivered were valued at over twenty thousand Tax Currency, which could basically satisfy the annual needs of the new alliance''s poption of 2.4 million; the five hundred Iron Bull trucks were roughly a month''s production for Weixing City, and if used to pay taxes, their total value would be about five thousand Tax Currency¡ª the Imperial Taxation Department might not even want trucks with such a level of technology. Earning four times the amount, the Western Desert businessmen were still ecstatic. These trucks were much cheaper than the cargo vehicles produced by ckbird Heavy Industries in the west. Your next chapter is on §Þ?? This deal was a win-win: the alliance found a market for the automotive industry and purchased arge amount of food; the Western Desert businessmen who got the trucks would use them to transport grain to the alliance, greatly improving transportation efficiency. If this isn''t a win-win, what is? Winning twice, till it''s dizzying. Of course, this deal wasn''tpleted in one fell swoop. The Western Desert had that much grain, butcked the capability to transport it all at once; it would take time to collect from various ntations and to cover the over thousand kilometers of distance. Moreover, the delivery of the Iron Bull trucks wasn''t immediate. Although Weixing City could burst produce five hundred trucks in a month, Revival City''s transport logistics also needed Iron Bulls; the military''s logistical transport needs Iron Bulls; the army''s motorization also simrly requires Iron Bulls. Even so, the production capacity of five hundred was still not enough, and the subsequent production department might focus its next burst capacity on Iron Bull trucks, striving to increase this important type of transport truck to a monthly output of a thousand. Beyond food trade, Bradford recently solved another major problem: the import of industrial raw materials. In terms of raw materials, the capacity of Ruin Mine''s ores had long been insufficient. Rubbish Town, due to the cessation of war, had only just resumed excavation work at Ruin Mine, and production had not yet picked up. The gap in raw materials restricted industrial district production. However, rtedmercial trade work was gradually expanding, and the sources of raw materials were no longer limited to the vicinity. To the east of the high tower ruins, all the way to the sea, an area of about six thousand kilometers long, was the Pacific Rage Owl Star''s major urban cluster region before the war. Super-cities like the high tower ruins were broadly distributed across the eastern territories. But in this vast area, the surviving poption might be only about five million. They were scattered across various ruins, struggling to survive amid mutant creatures and Low Energy Storms. They had hardly any industry, mainly relying on scavenging and trading with caravans for food and necessities. In other words, that six thousand kilometers stretch from east to west, and three thousand kilometers from north to south, of the former urban cluster area, was essentially one enormous, highly dispersed Rubbish Town. Regardless of the ecology of that ce, at least the new alliance had now establishedmercial trade rtions with the Eastern Provinces. Consumer goods and resale of food were traditional items in the raw material trade between Revival City and the Eastern Provinces, and now, there was an additional dumping of industrial goods. Among them, the two main gship products were, one, the Iron Bull truck; and two, military equipment. The Eastern Provinces, much like a giant Rubbish Town, weren''t just an appetion; the ecosystem was very simr too. The food capability was very low, mainly relying on imports from the Green Valley Region; the primary output was raw materials scavenged from the pre-war ruins and some primary processing and basic industry. The main force behind ''scavenging'' was, of course, the many adventurers. The G9 series of individual equipment was much stronger than those primitive guns. Just so happened, the current production line of G9 had plenty of surplus capacity, which was perfect to sell to them. As for whether these guns might be an obstacle to the new alliance''s expansion into the Eastern Provinces in the future... It had to be admitted, there was that possibility. But the obstacle wasn''t significant. If it came torge-scale warfare, the value of individual equipment wasn''t so great. Tanks, artillery, air forces, these sources of firepower were more critical. And speaking of arms trade, the current G9 individual equipment wasn''t just being sold eastward; the Green Valley Region to the south was also an important sales point. On one hand, although the Green Valley Region suffered from war, reducing its food capacity significantly, there was still some left. On the other hand, the main reason for trading arms for food was the situation in the Green Valley Region. Disasters like the mutant creature tide, in the rtively favorable natural conditions of the Green Valley Region, would have typically subsided by this time of year, but this year, they seemed to be growing worse instead. Chapter 255: Chapter 173: Population, Production, Trade_4 The tragic decimation of Osenia''s family was beginning to be all toomon in the Green Valley Region. Even estate owners and nters couldn''t endure it, let alone ordinary civilians. Selling arms and equipment to the Green Valley Region was meant to help them better resist the monster waves. And not just selling arms, either. While up in the sky, Gu Hang had heard reports about the Green Valley Region, and he was also greatly concerned about the situation there. The rampant devastation caused by the mutant monster tides was certainly intolerable. With a poption of ten million, the Green Valley Region was a vast penins covering more than two thousand kilometers east to west, and over five thousand kilometers from north to south, narrowing towards the south, its overall terrain somewhat resembling the Indian Penins from Gu Hang''s world before the crossing, with possibly even better natural and geographical environments. The vast, fertilend and the ample poption... These were some of the finest areas on Rage Owl Star. Gu Hang couldn''t tolerate the destruction of thisnd, nor could he allow the needless loss of too many lives in this disaster from the ten million poption. Currently, the Alliance didn''t have enough strength to dispatch sufficient troops to such a vast area as the Green Valley Region to address the mutant beast issue there. Continue reading on §Þ?? But this didn''t prevent him from nning ahead. Exchanging arms for food, or even sending military advisors and diplomats directly to the Green Valley Region. Diplomats were helping survivors who had been disced toe together; encouraging the remaining struggling ntations to form mutual aid organizations; convincing those ntations not yet struck by disaster to understand the principle that one''s own survival depended on the survival of all, urging them to contribute money, effort, and manpower in support and vignce with their neighbors. The military advisors, along with the traded arms, were sent to assist the local forces resisting the monster waves in building their military. The local situation wasn''t something that could be exined in a sentence or two, and the issues in Green Valley were not just conflicts between humans and monsters. But let''s not delve into moreplex matters for now; at the very least, Gu Hang hoped that the personnel dispatched could minimize the damage to the Green Valley Region, saving one more life and preserving one more grain of food if possible. When he was finally able to free up resources to mobilize a real task force to the Green Valley Region to reim lost territory, it would be beneficial to have retained even a fraction of vitality there. ... The rest of the report wasn''t all that important. Patel discussed the industrial situation in Weixing City; Lambert talked about the legal system construction in the Twin Cities Region. He detailed the establishment of relevant legal provisions, court construction,w enforcement team development, intelligence system setup, anti-corruption issues... He had indeed been officially appointed as the Chief Justice of the Alliance, under whose administration there were threemittees: the Legitive Committee, the Executive Committee, and the Discipline Committee. The legitive members were the fewest, responsible for establishing legal provisions at the behest of the governor; the executive was principally involved inw and order; discipline was mainly aimed at anti-corruption. Gu Hang ced particr emphasis on the work of the Discipline Committee. He was acutely aware that under the New Alliance''s highly centralized, nned economic system, the ability to focus resources on major tasks was a prime advantage, allowing for undertakings that might yield little short-term benefit but massive long-term gains. However, issues of systemic rigidity and corruption could be fatal to the new system. As for systemic inflexibility, Gu Hang had already seen Osenia seeking solutions, with encouragement mainly focused on private and market-oriented economic practices. Corruption wasn''t yet an apparent problem, since in theory, the new regime had only been established for three to four months and shouldn''t have significant issues. But this matter required nipping in the bud. If allowed to grow into a pervasive, systemic problem before addressing it, solving it wouldn''t be a simple pain. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Six thousand words. Yesterday''s promise fulfilled. Chapter 256: Chapter 174, Loyal Heir Academy ``` Afternding, Gu Hang''s first important work meeting nearly concluded following Lambert''s discussion on relevant legal system construction. Once everyone had left, Gu Hang remained alone in the vast conference hall. Sitting alone at the top of therge table, with his hands propping up his chin, he was deep in contemtion. Sunlight streamed in from the side, illuminating half his face in light and the other in shadow, while stretching his silhouette long across the floor. Beyond the earmarked 500 points of grace for the payment of the new soldier training base and the preparation of the training of fifty thousand new soldiers, he still had 4158 points at his disposal. That was still arge sum, and Gu Hang was nning how to allocate these points of grace. The highest priority was the Loyal Heir Academy. Gu Hang now personally realized why rulers always felt anxious about the loyalty of their subordinates. His career was still in the expansion phase, and his greatest concern wasn''t rebellion or betrayal but rather corruption and whether people would work diligently and minimize shirking. He worried that under the quickly expanding political system, the need to absorb talent from the Old Alliance to fill positions in the new government could bring bad practices to the New Alliance. He was concerned that the political officers in the military, although trained, had not been trained intensively enough, akin to rushing ducks onto a perch. Currently, many "red-caps" were performing exceptionally well, exceeding Gu Hang''s targets, but that didn''t mean every political officer would perform the same, especially as the military expanded. He also fretted over whether the diplomats and militarymissioners sent to manage affairs in the disaster-stricken Green Valley Region were truly diligent, or whether they would exploit the opportunity for corruption, not only failing to meet Gu Hang''s expectations but also tarnishing the New Alliance''s reputation in the south, creating future obstacles in reiming the Green Valley Region. Equally, he was concerned whether Lambert''s Discipline Committee would loyally carry out their duties in identifying corrupt individuals within the government and military, without themselves bing corrupt. There was too much for him to worry about. Your journey continues on §Þ?? Could the Loyal Heir Academypletely alleviate his anxieties? Probably not, but it could ease them. Overall, ording to the description of the Loyal Heir Academy within the "Construction" interface, the training there was quite effective on its own, not to mention that Gu Hang could use points of grace to directly promote people to the special unit of "trainee political officers". Does a military unit necessarily have to be deployed within the army? Not necessarily. Without hesitation, Gu Hang spent the required 1000 points of grace for the Loyal Heir Academy. And in preparation for this "construction," the Wind-Extinguishing Loyal Heir Academy in Revival City had already been established a month earlier, with a prefix in its namememorating Gu Hang''s initial battle. The main curriculum of the academy focused on loyalty to the governor and the empire, teaching history and politics. It did not immediately recruit young students but primarily geared towards in-service staff for short-term advanced training. In fact, thetest promotion scheme issued by the Civil Affairs Department explicitly mentioned that from rank D upwards, the experience in advanced training at the Wind-Extinguishing Academy would be a plus in the assessment; from D9 to C1, the step that usually signifies entering into a mid-level rank, a one-month training period became a mandatory criterion; further up from C1, that experience would carry significant weight. Loyalty is the foremost duty. This maxim of Gu Hang was thus implemented through such policies. However, the current educational level at the Wind-Extinguishing Loyal Heir Academy was quite concerning. Gu Hang himself held the title of principal, but he indeed did not have the time to manage school affairs personally. Those who actually taught were a selection of political officers and individuals who had followed Gu Hang for some time and had high ideological awareness. Theypiled textbooks ording to his directives and taught by rote. What kind of educational quality could that yield? How could it elevate ideological consciousness? But that didn''t matter. The primary goal was to meet the requirements of the "Construction" system. To redeem the Loyal Heir Academy and allow it to take effect, it was necessary to have an already operational school toyer the construction effect onto and make it functional. This meant that Gu Hang could afford to disregard instructional quality, as long as there was such a school in existence. With the points spent, Gu Hang could already see the option to train the "squad political officers" unit on the "Troop Card" interface. However, unlike other units, this training required sending people to the Loyal Heir Academy to study for one week. The following day, Gu Hang personally visited the Wind-Extinguishing Loyal Heir Academy and audited a few sses. He wanted to personally experience the effects. Since his visit was unannounced, there was no need to worry about excessive preparation that might give a skewed view of the true situation. Certainly, his arrival stirred some turmoil within the school, but any attempt at organizing a wee ceremony was immediately halted by him. ``` Chapter 257: Chapter 174, Loyal Heir Academy_2 Gu Hang simply picked a few random sses and went in to listen to the lectures. ... Jason Morgan and Haier Si Morgan, the married couple, never imagined that one day they would have the opportunity to attend a ss with the Duke himself. Jason, as an official in the Ministry of Civil Affairs - Immigration Bureau, exposed a group of looters disguised as civilians when he was dispatched to Sanchi Town. He nearly lost his life, but after returning, he was acknowledged for his meritorious conduct and was promoted directly to D2 level. The bureau wanted to send him out again, and at first, he was very resistant. The experience from thest time had left him trembling with fear, not to mention that the direction of the dispatch this time was the perilous Green Valley Region. There, it wasn''t just a matter of dealing with looters consisting of the unemployed and the dispossessed. Being captured by looters might not necessarily end in death, as an Alliance official taken as a hostage would fetch a pretty penny. On the other hand, killing an Alliance official would bring major trouble. But the mutated monsters there were irrational, and encountering one meant an almost certain death by their bite. However, he was soon persuaded by his wife yet again. His wife, a person with particrly progressive thoughts, was truly a devoted spouse. "Fortune favors the bold!" After returning from hisst dispatch, he was promoted two ranks, even skipping from E to D, which meant a significant increase in benefits and treatment. And this time, since he was going to an even more dangerous ce, the anticipated promotion would probably be greater. But before this mission, his leader had also managed to secure an opportunity for this ''active participant'': to study at Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy. With just a short period of training, it was a very significant experience, which would greatly assist him in climbing the ranks and reaching higher positions in the future. And it wasn''t just him attending the academy; his wife Haier Si Morgan, as well as his sister-inw, Haier Si''s sister Milia Derong, also came. His wife worked as a clerical worker in amercialpany, and she, being so proactive and progressive in her daily life, with equally good performance, secured the same opportunity and also brought her sister along. Jason could never have imagined that one day he would have the experience of studying with his wife. The learning experience at Loyal Heir Academy was somewhat dull. He and his sister-inw frequently mocked together, criticising how the teachers'' lectures were unexceptional and monotonous like chanting scriptures; the content was the same old detailed ounts of the Duke''s achievements that they were all too familiar with. Executing former Alliance rebel generals, suppressing the resurgence of the Evil God, battling the Green Skin Orcs... Indeed, these were legendary tales, but one would tire of hearing them a thousand times over. Only his most progressive wife managed to maintain high spirits, and even privately urged her sister and husband to study seriously and not to treat it merely as a formality. But... wasn''t this just a formality? Toe and listen to lectures, make up the hours, sing the praises of the Duke on the weekly exams ording to the standard answers, and, in the end, receive a certificate ofpletion that would add to a beautiful resume and make future promotions more convenient. Isn''t that quite good? Pay close attention to the lectures? It''s pointless. But today, the Duke himself came to inspect the ssroom. They controlled themselves not to turn their heads and disrespectfully stare at the Duke, but they couldn''t erase the shock they felt upon entering the ssroom and seeing the Duke casually sitting in thest row. Under this sudden visit, no matter how uninterested they felt, they were determined to appear as if they were deeply moved and full of tears, even if the person on the podium was Mr. Maisike, known throughout the academy as the worst lecturer. Perhaps, by catching the Duke''s attention with an outstanding performance, they might ascend to the pinnacle of their careers? However, as the ss began, they realized there was no need to act. Or rather, they started off intending to perform well, but as the ss went on, they became thoroughly engrossed in instructor Maisike''s presentation. To tell the truth, the content he taught hadn''t changed; it was still the same old material: the illustrious history and tragic experiences of Rage Owl Star, the Duke as a savior, the duty of loyalty to the Duke, the Duke as a representative of the Empire... Yet, the content was much more vibrant and engaging. He didn''t just recite from the book; when speaking about the Rage Owl Star People''s glorious life, his expression was filled with hopefulness; when mentioning their tragic life, it contained sorrow; and when talking about how the Duke alone developed the area outside the city, defeated the looters, and conquered cities, he was passionate and fiery. Even Milia Derong, who had always shown impatience with these subjects, found herself moved by his words. Leaving aside everything else, just listening to the story itself was interesting enough. Your next chapter is on §Þ?? And as people were engrossed in these tales, the multitude of ideas that the ss aimed to instill subtly entered their minds. By the end of the ss, the students were not only free from any sense of aversion but also somewhat captivated, wanting more. It was then that they remembered the Duke was also part of their ss. Turning their heads, they could no longer see the Duke''s figure; when he had left was anyone''s guess. ... Having listened to half a ss, Gu Hang felt much more at ease. He was reassured; the system''s output was indeed effective. After confirming the effectiveness of the course halfway through, Gu Hang discreetly made an early exit. Outside the ssroom, he encountered Reed Meshako, the Dean of Academics at Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy, who had been waiting there. Chapter 258: Chapter 174, Loyal Heir Academy_3 Meisheke was a cripple. He had once been the politicalmissar of the 7th Garrison Division 4th Regiment. He had distinguished himself when he actively led his troops to attack the orc position, covering the star warriors as they prated deep into enemy ranks to carry out orbit strike marking tasks. But during the full-scale offensive following the orbital bombardment, as he was leading his troops deep into enemy lines, a bullet fired by a Green Skin shattered his leg. Meisheke quickly lost consciousness due to excessive blood loss, and after being sent to the rear, he amputated one leg but saved his life. Having lost a leg, Meisheke could no longer go into battle. But he soon received a new assignment from his old superior, Tadeusz: to go to the newly established Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy. Initially, he only served as a lecturer. He used to think, "What qualifies me to teach others to be a teacher?" Since there was no choice, he just had to lecture the way he had done ideological work for soldiers in the army. Butter, he found that among a group of rotten fish and shrimps, he was indeed the best speaker. The worst were really those who simply read out the mediocre textbooks in a nd and uninspiring manner. Soon, when the Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy needed a manager, he became the Academic Affairs Director by virtue of the rank of Major he had received upon his retirement, the Rejuvenation Medal, and his status as abat hero. With Gu Hang, the principal, often away, he, the Academic Affairs Director, became the actual person in charge of the school''s educational work, together with another vice-principal who was only responsible for construction of physical facilities, leading the Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy. He was always dedicated to building up the teacher team. He was consistently dissatisfied with the low standard of many lecturers and nned to fire some to see if that would make a difference. The lecturer Maisike, who was teaching today, was one of those he considered the worst and had already been ced on his dismissal list. However, he hadn''t expected that the governor would show up unannounced today and attend Maisike''s ss. Leaning on his cane, he hurried over but didn''t dare to enter and disturb the ss, so he could only sweat it out at the door. Meisheke had mentally cursed a thousand times, wondering why he hadn''t fired Maisike, this good-for-nothing, earlier to avoid such embarrassment today. He was already trying hard to think of how to exin to the governor that Maisike did not represent the true teaching level of the Wind-Extinguishing Academy. Although there was still much room for improvement at the academy, it was because it had been established for such a short time; given a little longer, a bit more time, he would raise the educational level. Unexpectedly, at the door, he listened to the best ss on ideological education that he had heard since taking office at the school. The impassioned voice of Maisike astonished Meisheke at the doorway. Am I out of my mind to fire such a person? No, why didn''t you show your capability before, young man? Do you have to put on a good show only when the governor arrives? That''s good, too, saving me from shame in front of the governor... Withplex feelings, Meisheke silently removed Maisike from the dismissal list. Then, with one hand on his cane, he saluted Gu Hang with the other: "Governor, pleasemand!" "Well done," Gu Hang encouraged, knowing that the previous inadequate educational level could not be med on Meisheke. After a moment''s thought, Gu Hang added, "There should be no need to worry about the level of lecturers now, but you need to rewrite the textbooks. Don''t stick to one set of materials; they''re too rigid. Incorporate stories of heroes with brave deeds from the empire''s history into the materials, especially those with outstanding performance from governors, andpare them to Rage Owl Star. Of course, don''t make it too obvious..." Meisheke quickly took out paper and pen and began to record the governor''s instructions. Afterwards, the textbook reform moved in that direction. Chapter 259: Chapter 175, Central Blossom Army Corps After personally experiencing the enhanced level of teaching provided by the Architectural System, Gu Hang was very satisfied. What was directly improved was the lecturing ability of the teachers and the educational atmosphere. Simrly, he believed that the increased efficiency brought by the system had not yet been fully realized. If there were to be superior textbooks in the future; better teaching hardware, such as corresponding images and videos to assist with exnations during lectures; and if the teachers themselves had a high enough level of expertise, with sufficient knowledge reserves... With all these elements in ce,bined with significant improvements in teachers'' lecturing ability, educational atmosphere, and students'' concentration from the system''s boosts, the overall effect would be even more noticeable. Only then would he be able to say that the thousand points of favor he had invested in Loyal Heir Academy were maximized. To this end, Gu Hang specifically set aside an entire day to discuss the subsequent reform ns with Meisheke, the Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Vice Chancellor who had rushed over, promising that rted educational funding would be prioritized for Loyal Heir Academy. Additionally, Gu Hang specifically mentioned that Loyal Heir Academy should establish an advanced ss for short-term training. For this advanced ss, Gu Hang would personally teach a lesson. Meisheke noted this down. This so-called advanced version was where Gu Hang nned to use grace points to train the "Battalion Political Commissars." The system called it by this name, and even designated it as a type of troop, but in reality, Gu Hang did not intend to use it merely as a breeding ground for military-political officers. He would gather those who performed well at the Loyal Heir Academy, or those from all walks of life who needed key training, throw them into this advanced ss, and for the price of ten points of favor per person, train them to be "Battalion Political Commissars." After graduation, these individuals would return to their posts with the will of the most loyal warriors, leading by example. Of course, training military-political officers was also a very important part of the n. Gu Hang initially offered seventy slots. This would cost him seven hundred points of favor. But the sacrifice was worth the reward. Fifty qualifiedmissars would be drawn from various military units and after returning, they would enter the staffs of various divisions and regiments, taking on the role of political officers. They would be the most steadfast ideological force within the military, ensuring loyalty to the governor and maintaining morale and discipline duringbat. Out of the additional twenty people, fifteen would be from different levels of government institutions. After returning, they were also expected to bring back their faith, ideals, and loyalty; the remaining five woulde frompanies, factories, and other enterprises. Their promotion speeds would be faster than the average person, but the responsibilities they shouldered would also be greater. Gu Hang looked forward to the time when these seeds would take root and sprout. If the seeds were not enough, then several more batches would be cultivated. ... The Morgan Couple and their sister Milia were all selected for the advanced ss. They were fully aware of what a precious opportunity this was. Simply attending sses at Loyal Heir Academy, regardless of what they could learn, had already be a golden credential in the new alliance society. Not to mention, they were also part of the advanced sses held from time to time, receiving personal instruction from the governor himself. With that, their golden credentials shone even brighter. Who in the future could question their loyalty? Moreover, after the seven-day course, they truly knew more than just a surfaceyer of gold. Jason Morgan discussed with his wife, and they both felt that they had learned a lot of substantial things. First and foremost was military skills. A part of the seven-day course was military training. Just within these few days, they felt like they had be qualified warriors, able to fight with a gun. For someone without any prior military training, this was the most noticeable perception. Another important aspect was that they knew how to inspire morale, excite people, and enforce discipline. This included skills innguage, expression, bodynguage, and how to lead by example in everyday life, what were principles and what could be flexible. They should form deep friendships, care for and understand others'' thoughts, and be a friend, a brother, and a reliable figure; but at the same time, they needed to build authority, instill beliefs and ideals of loyalty in others, and in crucial moments, be ruthless, uphold bottom lines, set examples, and use their authority, prestige, affinity, and even violence to inspire morale and maintain discipline. This knowledge wasn''t just talk; they also understood specific ways to implement it. Truth be told, they still felt as if they were dreaming: Are we geniuses by nature? To understand everything in just seven days? They even doubted the part of the brain that had developed this new knowledge. Would these methods really work in practice? They didn''t know yet, as there was no environment to put it into practice. However, if the asion arises, they would just try it out, surely the governor''s teachings couldn''t be wrong, right? As for whether their own level of ideological awareness had improved... Chapter 260: Chapter 175, Central Blossom Army Corps_2 Others might have different opinions, but at least Jason Morgan didn''t feel much of anything. What''s the big deal about being loyal to the governor, loving the Alliance; having firm beliefs, guaranteeing loyalty... He had recited those things ten thousand times before, he already knew them. So what if he recited them a few more times, could there really be any special change? Could it truly make me stand up and face danger, fight for the beliefs in my heart, even at the cost of my life? Impossible, that would never happen in this lifetime. That was what he thought. However, what he didn''t know was that at certain crucial moments, on certain key decisions, humans are sometimes not purely rational, not purely self-interested. Heroes who stand up often do so because of a single thought, which leads to jaw-dropping feats of valor. ... The benefits of participating in the Loyal Heir Advanced ss came faster than expected. Besides the knowledge gained, the promotion within the Alliance''s internal system was also forting. Moreover, there had been a scramble among some important departments to recruit among these twenty non-military personnel. For instance, Haier Si Morgan, after graduation, was quickly transferred out of her original unit. She was called into the Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy as a candidate for an outstanding lecturer. She had been known as an ''ideological progressive'' even before entering the advanced ss, and now, she was able to further leverage her advantage. Moreover, she was very likely to be involved in the uing curriculum reform of the academy. Her sister, Milia Derong, was poached by the Discipline Committee under Lambert. The anti-corruption and auditing work required people who were intellectually progressive and possessed a sense of justice. Jason Morgan himself didn''t have any job movement, but he was soon promoted to a D3-level employee and was dispatched to the Southern Green Valley Region as the local Civil Affairs Liaison Officer, responsible for the reception of refugees, and he would be departing soon. His past achievements were now further gilded; should he aplish more in the south, the road ahead would be wide open to him. Apart from these twenty government employees, the fifty politicalmissars selected from various levels of the military did not have specific promotions. But that was also alright, as they themselves held high and influential positions. Before joining the advanced ss, they were already military and political chiefs of various units, essentially covering division, brigade, and regimentalmissars, as well as instructors of the Composite Camp within the First Cease Wind Brigade. After returning to their respective units, they basically continued with their original duties, but undoubtedly, they would be far better off than the previous makeshift appointments. Furthermore, although there were no changes in their positions, their military ranks generally saw a promotion. The New Alliance Army was not small in size, butpared to its scale, the levels of officers at all ranks were generally quite low. For example, division and brigademanders often held the rank of colonel; regimentalmanders were mostly lieutenant colonels; battalionmanders were generally only captains, and manypanymanders were mere first or second lieutenants. Arge number of toon leaders weren''t evenmissioned officers but were instead nonmissioned officers. This was due to historical issues. The army had been established for a short period, especially after the recapture of the high tower ruins; many of these garrison divisions were converted from original adventure groups. Although they had been trained through the "Soldier Card" system, the personnel remained the same, with the military chiefs mostly being former leaders of the adventure groups. Even though their groups were severely fragmented and dismantled to minimize factionalism, these individuals were still relied upon as leaders. Therefore, Gu Hang deliberately kept a cap on military ranks. Those who did well and earned military merits were promoted, with futuremanders and brigade leaders matching the rank of colonel; those who did not perform well didn''t need to be demoted, they simply took on tasks corresponding to their ranks. In a situation where military chiefs generally held lower ranks, politicalmissars such as second-inmands could hardly surpass them, often being even a rank lower. But in this round, Gu Hang pulled up most of the returned fifty politicalmissars by one level, mostly bringing them to the same rank as the military chiefs of their respective units. This reflected his attitude. ... Jordan Leroy was an old member of the Abandoned Cave Society, just like Perbov, being one of the first soldiers toe out of the society. He was selected as a politicalmissar in the first batch, in the same period as Tadeusz, and was also a red cap. He currently held the position of brigade politicalmissar for the 1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade. Previously a lieutenant colonel, he had just been specially awarded the rank of colonel by the governor, on par with their brigademander Perbov. His unit left the starship a week ago, and afternding, entered a state of leave. He, on the other hand, was thrown into the Zhongsi Academy by a transfer order to attend the advanced ss. Three days prior, his unit ended their leave and replenished over two thousand soldiers from the recruit camp, along with a set of equipment just transported from the Weixing City Arsenal, filling the losses from the battle at the starship. Subsequently, the unit departed from their garrison and headed west of Revival City. There, the 7th and 8th Divisions were confronting an army formed by the allied rebel settlements. The newly added troops were meant to reinforce the 7th and 8th Divisions and to achieve crucial battlefield results in the shortest time period to end the hostilities. Therefore, right after his course at the Zhongsi Academy ended, Leroy immediately took a vehicle, along with many other politicalmissars who were also going into battle, to a location on the secondary lines of the battlefield about one hundred thirty kilometers west of Revival City. Chapter 261: Chapter 175, "Central Blossom" Army Corps_3 Everyone went their separate ways here, each looking for their own troops. Yan Fangxu found his division as well, the gs of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade were nted in various locations throughout the second-line military camp, fluttering in the wind. As the vehicle entered the camp, under the guidance of the soldiers, he arrived at a military tent. Colonel Perbov, who had just received the news, came out to greet his old partner. The two embraced each other tightly, Perbov pped Leroy on the back,ughing and said, "I''ve finally waited for your return, now I can lead the troops boldly and charge ahead with confidence." Leroy just smiled, pulled Perbov, his fellow townsman and colleague, into themand tent. Right away, he saw a military sand table. Leroy asked, "What''s the situation now? I rushed here immediately after leaving the school and didn''t get a chance to hear thetest updates on the way." Perbov replied, "I was just about to tell you..." Three days ago, the fully equipped Wind-Extinguishing Brigade, along with the second Motorized Infantry Division that hadpleted motorization and organization, and the Beast ughter Group, set off and arrived at the frontline of battle. It''s worth mentioning that the 3rd Independent Regiment finally regained their dearly missed title, "Beast ughter Group." This was thanks to the battle hero from their own ranks, A¨¦ro Rakrosha, who had killed the Beastman Fleet General. That kid has risen high now, not only did he receive the second Wind-Extinguishing Medal in the entire army, but his rank also went from sergeant to senior warrant officer. He was supposed to be promoted to an officer to lead a unit, but he declined it himself. He said he only knew how to be a soldier. There was nothing to be done, the highest military rank for NCOs in the Alliance Army was originally sergeant major, but for him, they especially created the ranks of sergeant major, senior sergeant major, and special sergeant major, making Lacroix the only special sergeant major in the entire army,monly known as the Soldier King. And he, with the unit that reimed the title of Beast ughter Group, arrived herest night. They did not engage in battle immediately, mainly because they needed to rest briefly after a rapid march of over a hundred kilometers, and they also needed time to devise an overall battle n and to wait for themissars who were still in training. Now, everything is ready; all that''s missing is the call to attack. Themander-in-chief of this battle is Colonel Yan Fangxu. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, and 8th divisions and brigades gathered together, forming a corps, and Yan Fangxu, the current highest military official of the Alliance Army, naturally took on the responsibility of corpsmander. His pressure is quite significant. The enemy on the opposite side is not a big concern, a ragtag bunch, and even if numerous, facing the massive army assembled by Yan Fangxu, there should be nothing to fear, right? However, the fervent expectations of the Military Governor made him feel the pressure. This battle, as per the Military Governor''s instructions, had to be fought quickly, to produce significant results, and to be decisive, without any dragging on. There is a political need for this. War is an extension of politics after all. Beyond that, although the Military Governor did not explicitly state it, if the casualties were too great after the battle, even if they achieved all the pre-war objectives, he feared that he would not reap any benefits. Nevertheless, he did not shy away, and still adopted the guiding principle of "rapid defeat,prehensive annihtion" to formte the battle n. He called it "Central Blossom." And the spearhead unit for that Central Blossom, the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade, took on the role without hesitation. Chapter 262: Chapter 176, Making Dumplings "I n to gather all the tank toons from eachbat battalion of the brigade. Over fifty tanks will form an armored fist that, under the cover of artillery, will smash hard into the center of the enemy''s defenses," "Once we achieve a breakthrough, our mechanized units and motorized troops will quickly follow suit. We must open up a thirty-kilometer deep wound in the enemy''s position within a day''s time. That''s the only way to create conditions for the subsequent friendly forces to break through and encircle them," Perbov revealed his n to his old partner. After listening, Leroy thought about it and had no objections. That was truly Perbov''s style: charge in and pierce through the enemy. "If you have no objections, then it''s settled. We set out tomorrow morning. The troops have rested for two days now, which is enough. Hopefully, those new recruits that just joined us will prove their worth and not cause any trouble." ... As it turned out, the new recruits did not disappoint Perbov. Compared with the veterans who had participated in numerous brutal battles, these freshly arrived warriors were somewhat green, but their level of military skills was absolutely adequate. Early the next day, as dawn was breaking, the first brigade set off. The earth-shaking artillery fire nketed the enemy''s positions. The soldiers and leaders of the Anti-Governor Alliance were stunned by the ferocious bombardment. In previous encounters with the 7th and 8th Divisions, they had already experienced the power of Alliance Artillery. But at that time, the two divisionsbined only had about fifty guns. However, it was precisely because of the existence of these fifty heavy guns that an Anti-Governor Alliance Army of seventy or eighty thousand men were unable to advance an inch. It was manageable to defend, relying on fortifications and anti-artillery bunkers; they could just about resist. But when it came to offense, without the counterbnce of artillery and theck of armored unit cover, those fifty heavy guns were enough to annihte any attacking force they sent, no matter howrge. After losing a number of men, they realized they couldn''t fight like that anymore. But before they coulde up with new tactics, the Alliance''s iron fist had already struck. This time, the rebels'' troops were huddled in their usual anti-artillery bunkers and fortifications when the artillery came. They thought it would be like the artillery strikes they had been enduring every day for the past half a month. Although painful and deadly, they believed they would just have to endure it, and then it would pass. But in reality, it was nothing like that. This time, the shelling was much denser and longersting than ever before. This couldn''t possibly be the work of fifty guns! Indeed, it was not. At this moment, ten artillery battalions from within five divisions were able to join forces, and the number of guns firing simultaneously exceeded three hundred! All the artillery units from five division-level brigades were almost entirely concentrated. Thebined artillery position bombarded relentlessly in the direction where the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade was about tounch an assault. Within an hour, a hundred rounds were fired, thirty thousand 155mm howitzer shells mmed into the eight-kilometer-wide enemy positions. On average, every thirty centimeters or so, a 155mm howitzer shell wouldnd ¡ª there was hardly room for all the shells! What about the anti-artillery bunkers? If hit directly, even a slightly shallow dugout would copse. Those lucky enough not to be hit directly would still have to deal with the earth shaking and soil falling down. After who knows how many tremors, these dugouts might copse too. Not to mention that not all soldiers could stay in bunkers; some could only wait in trenches, or even just foxholes. A direct hit from one of these shells means a group of people would lose their lives. And these thirty thousand shells were just the prelude to the attack. When the bombardment ceased, out of a half-buried concrete bunker within the trench, emerged an officer of the Anti-Governor Alliance Army. He was disheveled, deafened by the artillery, and even had dried blood clinging to his ears. Just then, at least ten heavy shells hadnded near the bunker. Luckily, none had directly hit the bunker, or he would have lost his life; unfortunately, both exits of the bunker leading to the trench had been hit by shells, which deafened him and shrapnel from the artillery pieces killed several staff officers beside him, also severing one of his arms. Holding his still-bleeding arm, he stepped out of the bunker to see a trench full of corpses. Some were wailing, but many more were silenced, and there were even parts of people for which the rest couldn''t be found. Staggering, he climbed onto the firing step and looked in the direction of the Alliance Army. He saw fifty steel beasts spaced twenty to thirty meters apart advancing towards the trench in a skirmish line,ing on with great momentum. Following behind these cannon-toting steel monsters were countless armored fighting vehicles, so many that he couldn''t make out the exact number. Further back, many trucks loaded with infantrymen were even less discernible. He shouted loudly at his soldiers toe out and fight, to block the enemy''s advance, but he couldn''t even hear his own voice ¡ª he was deaf. Nobody responded to his call. At least where he stood, there were no survivors left. What to do next? His dazed and buzzing head had not yet figured out a n when he saw a tank turn its gun barrel and aim right at his location. Chapter 263: Chapter 176, Making Dumplings_2 He stared nkly at the pitch-ck muzzle as it emitted a burst of orange me, and then everything went ck, and he knew nothing more. ... Following the charge of the troops, Colonel Perbov, who was several hundred meters away from the front line where they were engaging the enemy tanks, risked poking his head out and surveyed the battlefield with his binocrs. He had just witnessed that scene. He swore under his breath, "Damn it, do you have to fire a shell every time you see a mosquito? Do you think shells are free?" He seemed a bit down. It wasn''t really because the tankers were wasting ammunition, but rather... "Damn it, the artillerymen did all my work! What am I here for?" He sat back down inside the tank, not too pleased. Leroy, next to him, of course understood what his old partner was like. He smiled, patted Colonel Perbov on the shoulder, andforted him, "If a problem can be solved with shells, there''s no need to solve it with lives. I think this is pretty good. Besides, if you want to fight, it''s not like there''s no battle to be fought. Artillery brothers are capable, but can they really finish all the work?" What Leroy said certainly made sense. To say that each artillery shell was less than thirty centimeters across was an exaggeration. The enemy''s position wasn''t just a single line; even the most amateur and foolishmander would know to construct in-depth defenses. They were bombarded quite badly, but it really wasn''t enough to wipe out the soldiers on an eight-kilometer wide, at least three-kilometer thick defensive line. In fact, the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade still encountered resistance. Enemies began to show themselves, and some lucky ones who had survived the artillery fire had, under the strong orders of their officers, emerged from their shelters, fortifications, and bombproof shelters tounch counterattacks against the attacking forces. However... This counterattack was as effective as a tickle. The artillery positions of the Anti-Governor Alliance Army were nowhere to be seen; whether they had been obliterated under the previous 30,000 heavy artillery shells or not, at this moment they were absent; The soldiers did have some makeshift anti-armor weapons, like rocketunchers and explosive packs, but there weren''t many, and their power was not sufficient. Those rocketunchers, whether targeting Walkers or Challenger tanks, were no more effective than tickles unless they could strike very close and hit the precisely vulnerable parts like tank tracks, wheels, or the thin rear armor. The explosive packs had to be ced by someone getting close. But that was difficult, because to ensure uracy and potency, one had to get very close to the armored units. However, the enemy''s tanks and armored fighting vehicles were not turtles¡ªthey moved faster than a person and had much fiercer firepower. Not to mention the tank cannons; the machine guns on tanks, the autocannons and grenade machine guns on armored fighting vehicles, all posed explosive threats to light infantry. Without fire cover, relying solely on light infantry, they''d be torn apart before they could get close. If there were some exceptionally lucky or tenacious individuals who could wait to rush out when tanks passed by, their chances of sess... would likewise be virtually impossible. The Wind-Extinguishing Brigade''s coordinated tactics between infantry and tanks, the armored assault, was their specialty. The infantry of the Alliance Army were no slouches either. This time, the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade''sbined infantry and armor tactic was an armor-led charge, with tanks in front, mechanized infantry alighting to fight in the middle, and armored fighting vehicles at the rear. On each side of the tank, there would usually be one or two squads of infantry following. The firearms in their hands would teach those who thought the tank''s cannon was not turning fast enough and who wanted to strike from the side a lesson. At the same time, the armored fighting vehicles further back served as the major firepower support for the infantry. At the same time, the tank units would not make the mistake of getting cut off; they often maintained a 20-100 meter distance from the infantry. After capturing a position, the tanks would stop for a while and wait for the infantry to catch up. Once the infantry had arrived, they wouldplete the capture and clearance of the surrounding area. After that, the tanks would move out again, break through a stretch of the line, and the infantry would follow. So on and so forth. Once the motorized troops caught up, they would proceed to sweep away the already scattered enemy forces for the final clearing. This tactic, even for an enemy position with a solid defense, was not easy to hold off, let alone for the current Anti-Governor Alliance Army. They were, to begin with, a ragtag group pulled together from various settlements, with visible disparities in equipment, morale, training, and experience. After being plowed by 30,000 rounds of artillery fire, there weren''t that many survivors. What''s more, even those who were still alive had already reached the brink of morale copse. Honestly, if not for the officers'' strict orders to resist, they might have run away or hidden to wait for a chance to surrender. But... were these officers of the Anti-Governor Alliance Army not afraid of dying? Clearly, they were. In some areas, when the soldiers fled, the officers tried to call them back, but it was futile. So they simply followed and ran away too; Some officers, after yelling at their soldiers to go out and resist, were the first to slip away; Some officers simply led their men and ran outright. Overall, the Anti-Governor Alliance Army, after suffering from terrible artillery bombardment, was still able to organize the remaining personnel to carry out a certain degree of counterattack, which was quite impressive considering their motley crew status. However, under the assault of armored troops, this resistance was swiftly crushed. Soldiers who ran to the sides were mostly ignored by Perbov''s men, who had no time to care about matters on the nks of the battle line; whereas those who ran aimlessly backward were chased down by the armored forces, which was clearly very bad. Two legs can''t outrun wheels. Especially after the enemy''s resistance became weaker and weaker, Perbov adopted a bold, aggressive tactic, no longer maintaining close coordination between the infantry and armored troops, loosening tactical discipline and emphasizing attack speed. Armored personnel carriers began to surpass the slower Challenger tanks to the front; engineer battalions riding armed trucks also rapidly caught up, and where something was not crushable, the engineers disembarked to fill in trenches and build temporary roads. This was actually very dangerous, but they did not encounter any danger. Merely two hours after the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade was fully engaged inbat, the entire unit had breached the central area of the enemy''s defense line. Eight kilometers wide, four kilometers deep,pletely torn apart. At this point, Commander Yan''s "Central Blossom" tactic had also been initially sessful. The enemy''s line, which was about fifty kilometers wide, now had a "blossom" right in the middle, with an eight-kilometer-wide bulge punched out from the center. All this, from the artillery strike to the armored forcespleting their assault, all happened within three hours. Next, it was time for the next phase of the Central Blossom tactic: wrapping dumplings. The bulge had been created, of course, in preparation for annihting the enemy. The Wind-Extinguishing Brigade did not stop after breaching the defense line. Once past the difficult terrain and enemy resistance in the trench area, the path beyond was much clearer. The mechanized units of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade picked up great speed on this open ground. Five hourster, the vanguard of the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade had already advanced fifty kilometers. By that time, it had only been eight hours since the bombardment began. Eight hours, not even enough for the two segments of the Anti-Governor Alliance Army to mount any effective response. But Yan Fangxu''s follow-up attack n was already underway. The 2nd Motorized Infantry Division rapidly followed through the bulge created by the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade. Leaving a part of their forces to defend the central bulge, the rest of the troops, along with the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade, began to encircle in the due north and due west directions. This was the rear of the two divided enemy forces. At the same time, the 3rd Beast-yer Independent Regiment and the 7th and 8th Garrison Divisions, with the support of artillery fire, started a fierce overall offensive. The enemy troops began to falter on a massive scale. The center had been breached, the nks had lost contact, the rear was encircled, and the front was being overwhelmed by ferocious artillery fire... Under multi-directional pressure, they became dumpling fillings. Yan Fangxu spent half a day on Central Blossom, and another day to wrap a solid dumpling. With thin skin and a thick filling, but the meat inside the dumpling could not break through the seemingly sparse dumpling skin. Surrounded, they held out for three days. No supplies, no ammunition, no reinforcements... A motley crew expected to fight until they had no bullets left, no food, until every man was dead? Not realistic. By the fourth day,rge-scale surrenders began within the enemy troops. By then, this dumpling with thin skin and a thick filling was thoroughly cooked. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Happy Dragon Boat Festival! Yesterday''s content was missing a part about Lacroix''s promotion, which was just two sentences. I don''t understand where it went wrong, but the review deleted it... This is the second time content was deleted without my knowledge; it''s very annoying. I have already re-uploaded it. Chapter 264: Chapter 177, Draining the Tech Card Prize Pool ``` "...Four days ago, my unitpleted the establishedbat n and annihted more than 80,000 rebel forces, of which over 9,000 were killed and more than 70,000 were captured," "Our military casualties numbered 415, including 164 killed in action." "Currently, our Central Group Army is continuing to advance southwest as nned, with the goal ofpletely disarming 77 known survivor settlements in that direction and liberating two million people in the Central Province. This goal is optimistically estimated to be achievable within one month." "Please rest assured, Governor, we willplete the mission!" Gu Hang nced at the report sent back by Commander Yan and then set it aside. He wasn''t surprised by the oue, so it didn''t stir anything within him. At most, he hadpared it with the war report interface generated by the system. From this war, Gu Hang had earned 774 points of grace, quite a good sum, recouping the cost of training those seventy politicalmissars. However, the numbers of kills and captures submitted by Yan Fangxu were slightly different from those in the system''s war report, but the difference was minor. This discrepancy was normal statistical error. The numbers tallied by the system came from metaphysics, an external aid; the report submitted by Yan Fangxu was after manually counting the numbers. Captives were easy enough, just count the heads; but kills were much harder to confirm, especially since most of the enemy casualties actually died from artillery fire. How could one confirm how many people made up a pile of mangled flesh when the bunkers were demolished and their upants buried, or when bodies were blown to pieces? Close enough. In any case, the so-called Central Group Army, which had been incorporated into this operation, totaled around 38,000 people, seemingly facing an enemy 2.5 times its number. But in reality, there was a huge gap between the two sides in terms of training, experience, and equipment. This was a battle they couldn''t lose unless Yan Fangxu was incredibly stupid. Such a performance was quite normal. As things stood, Commander Yan was certainly not stupid, but rather had done quite well. After the annihtion of those more than 80,000 people, the rebel forces in the Central Province were like grasshoppers after autumn, unable to bounce back for long. When it boils down to it, they were nothing more than disparate settlements, with poptions ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand, or at most a few hundred thousand, with weak productivity and dire poverty, barely managing to survive. It was only the special conditions of the wastnd that allowed each household to have some weapons, so that when threatened, they could raise a rge army" to resist. But after this wave of resistance had been crushed, with their so-called alliance army''s characteristics, it was impossible for them to form a second troop. They imed to be against the alliance, but in reality, they were the loose alliance; the alliance, said to be an alliance, had rapidly been transformed into a highly centralized polity under Gu Hang''s rule. The mobilization capabilities of the two could hardly bepared. Moreover, losing 80,000 young and able-bodied men among the rebel forces, which totaled a poption of two million in Central Province, was akin to losing 4% of their total poption. How could a hastily formed coalition withstand such a blow? Previously, the Alliance had hardly exerted itself, and more than 10,000 men were enough to hold back these 80,000; now, with a little more effort, those 80,000 were gone in four days. Even capturing 80,000 pigs might take this long. Wouldn''t the leaders and people of those settlements be shaken? They must be scared to death. Gu Hang judged that, from now on, Yan Fangxu''s actions would hardly be obstructed. It was likely that under each city''s walls, white gs would be raised in surrender. Even if those fellows wanted to keep resisting, their civilians probably wouldn''t agree; and even if the civilians did agree, it would be extremely difficult for them to muster tens of thousands of guns again. However, although the subsequent actions should go smoothly, and the whole war was not difficult, Gu Hang still decided that, unless something unexpected happened, he would promote Yan Fangxu to the rank of brigadier after he returned from this battle. Amander of a group army in the Alliance was just a colonel, which was quite unsatisfactory. In less than half a year, Yan Fangxu had risen from a minor naval captain to the rank of brigadier, the same rank as Captain Yelisia, who had dispatched him to the border. This significance, tsk tsk. One wonders what Yelisia would think when she saw it. Although there''s a big difference between them. A proper First-ss Imperial Navy brigadier is far from being a brigadier in a minorary Defense Army. But... while the significance may not be great, the rank of theary Defense Force is still recognized by the Empire, and Yelisia would have to pinch her nose and call him brigadier. Quite interesting. Bringing his thoughts back to the war, there was another matter that required Gu Hang''s attention: they had captured 70,000 prisoners. These prisoners were currently being transported over. To amodate these people, the construction team in Revival City would build arge prisoner-of-war camp near the new recruit training base. These prisoners of war could not be treated in the same way as previously captured marauders. Most of them were not marauders and had notmitted serious crimes. Being part of the rebel forces was something done by the leaders of each settlement. Whether they volunteered or were mobilized, or even conscripted, in the end, they were mostly poormoners, civilians. As enemies, there were no pleasantries; but now, as prisoners, there was no need to be too harsh. ``` Chapter 265: Chapter 177, Exhausting the Tech Card Prize Pool_2 All were subjects of Gu Hang, seventy thousand able-bodied youth, all preciousbor. Gu Hang issued an order to Tadeusz, instructing the military governor to prepare the relevant work n, ensuring it was perfected before the prisoners of war arrived. The overall objective was to assimte these people, whether by selecting a portion to be transformed and trained as new soldiers or by ensuring they were problem-free before dispersing them as civilians into factories¡ªboth were possible. With subordinates at hand, Gu Hang no longer needed to take care of everything personally; he simply had to review their work. Tadeusz indeed presented a corresponding n the next day. The general approach was that all prisoners of war would be assigned appropriate jobs in Revival City for a month as punishment. They would be allocated to construction sites, to cargo sorting and transportation centers, to factories... in short, whereverbor was needed, they could be ced. In this aspect, Tadeusz would coordinate andmunicate with the production department''s personnel. They would enjoy an eight-hour workday, would not be mistreated or cursed at, and would receive the same treatment as regr workers. They would notck for upational safety gear, food rations, or medical care. But they would receive no pay and no personal freedom. After work, they must return to the prisoner-of-war camp, then undergo four hours of ideological education from the militarymissars, instructors, and part-time lecturers from Loyal Heir Academy, who would make them understand their past actions were wrong; their former suffering was caused by the rulers of their previous settlements; the Governor came to unite all the Rage Owl Star people; the Alliance wouldn''t harm them, on the contrary, as long as they properly reformed, a beautiful and bright future awaited. These weren''t empty words, for they were underpinned by tangible systemic advantages. During the day, these prisoners wouldbor alongside the residents of Revival City, in factories or on construction sites. They would learn what life was like for the residents of Revival City: stable job ranks, no worries for food and clothing, an additional sry to improve their standard of living; and if they worked long enough or performed exceptionally, they would see promotion opportunities¡ªa tangible upward mobility. Life was hopeful and something to look forward to. The best days were yet toe! After receiving societal education by day and ideological education by night, after a month of being prisoners of war, these paupers drafted from various settlements would likely have changed. Then, based on their performance in the camp during that month, assigning them ranks and integrating them into the city should proceed smoothly. ... After reviewing Tadeusz''s n, Gu Hang hardly made any modifications, with a grand gesture he approved it. At the end of the approved document, he added a note for Tadeusz to summarize this prisoner management experience, to serve as a standard procedure for simr future urrences. This matter was thus considered concluded on his end; it was now time to wait for the results. As for his own tasks... he still had unspent grace points. After returning to the surface, he spent 500 points on training fifty thousand new soldiers, 1000 points on Loyal Heir Academy, 700 points on trainingmissars, and with the recentpletion of the campaign, he gained 774 points, leaving him with a total surplus of 3232 grace points. Still quite a lot. After considering, Gu Hang decided to draw a technology card. Technology is the primary productive force; his territory could support nearly a hundred thousand well-equipped troops with just over two million people, but was that really because of his, Gu Hang''s, charm? No matter how charming, can one conjure armored vehicles, tanks, or food? In truth, the role of the Weixing City industrial base was immensely significant. Its development hinged on the technology system''s ck Box, which directly produced entire production lines. And drawing technology cards, ording to the system''s sinister mechanism, essentially every tier of the card pool is limited and can be depleted, so there is strategy in drawing cards. Currently, the card pools avable to Gu Hang were the 10/100/1000 tiers. The 10-point tier had a basic probability of 10%, and air force probability of 90%. Expecting one basic level for every hundred points, the cost-performance ratio¡­ actually wasn''t bad. The 100-tier, with a basic level at 50%, an advanced level at 10%, expecting an investment of a thousand points to get an advanced level, two hundred points for a basic level, and probably a basic level for every five hundred points on a second guess, the cost-performance ratio was rather dismal. The 1000-tier, with a basic probability of 40%, an advanced probability of 30%, and the higher Elite probability at 30%. This was a card pool he hadn''t drawn from before, the cost-performance ratio maxed out; investing a thousand points guaranteed a technology, getting basic level might be a bit disappointing, but the probabilities for advanced and Elite levels were not low, scoring big if sessful! Gu Hang was a bit eager, but decided to start off with a hundred points of grace to draw a 10-point card, to try his luck. Luck was indeed on his side; he scored within eighty points. [Basic Level Technology: LR5 Optical Energy Gun Family] [The Sect of Mechanics, fulfilling the order requirements of the Star Realm Army, developed the new generation of optical energy rifle family. It can be easily modified with different essories to form continuous fire speed shootingser guns,ser rifles, energy storage rifles,ser pistols, and other functional firearms.] Great stuff! The LR series ofser guns are also the basic weapons configuration of the Star Realm Army. But unlike the G9, which is also a basic weapon configuration, the LR is much more high-end and much more expensive. If the G series kic rifles are given to the five-dor good brothers, troops pulled to fill the lines; then the troops widely equipped with the LR5ser guns can be considered the main force of the Star Realm Army. Without going into details, the damage of this thing is almost the same as the HS series electromaic rifles; it''s just that the electromaic rifleunches metal spikes, while theser gun is a pure energy weapon. But whether it''s one or the other, when shooting Green Skins, you definitely won''t encounter the situation with the G series rifles where it takes dozens of shots to kill one Green Skin. Shooting amon Green Skin kid without a helmet, if you aim well, one shot one kill; shooting the torso, five or six shots will do the job. Overall, this is a weapon that improves the firepower of light infantry and even after sufficient allocation, the basic firearms'' power increases significantly, enough to cause a qualitative change in the entire army''sbat capability. Gu Hang had just been feeling a slight regret, wishing he had drawn the LR5 instead of the G9 initially. With the LR5, who would need the G9? However, upon further thought, he changed his mind again. Back then, it was better to have drawn the G9. Good stuff always has one problem; it''s expensive. The Imperial Taxation Department would take away four Tax Currency per LR5 individual soldier set. You should know, the Department of Taxation takes only five Tax Currency per person. I wonder if I should say the LR5 is too expensive, or that in the eyes of the Department of Taxation, human life is too cheap. As for the price of the G9... let''s say five sets for one Tax Currency. The manufacturing cost of a set of individual equipment centered on the LR5ser gun is twenty times that of a G series kic rifle. If he had directly drawn the LR5 at that time, Gu Hang''s n to massively produce weapons would have probably faced big trouble, unable to produce so many guns. Moreover, even now, there''s a problem with the LR5: Guns can be made, but there are no conditions to manufacture the ''ammunition,'' the high-energy batteries... The finished ck Box would directly generate them with batteries, but not so on the production line. Headache. This is what happens when you rely entirely on ck Boxes for your industrial system; you draw certain technologies but are helpless to implement them. Nevertheless, this problem is not unsolvable. Gu Hang had a ''former genius'' mechanic, Ms. Wu Jiarong. This mechanic, whose name is very simr to his cousin''s, has actuallye up with some results recently: she has conquered the production line process for synthetic starch; at the same time, she has alsoe up with a production n for energy storage batteries. This thing, while having performance gapspared to the high energy density batteries used by the Star Realm Army, is not unusable. It just means that a magazine''s bullet count would drop from eighty to fifteen. Furthermore, if the high-power charging shot is used, one shot can deplete a fully charged battery. But again, it''s about solving the issue of having nothing at first. Whether it''s good or bad, we''ll discuss itter. Who knows, maybe next time I''ll draw the production technology for high-energy batteries? However, although drawing the LR5ser gun family is something to be happy about, it didn''te without a cost. It was not just the 80 points of grace, but the critical point was that the ten-point newbie prize pool had beenpletely depleted. After this, the probability of winning at ten points of grace is only 1%. The expected value is a basic level technology for every thousand points; only a fool would continue to draw. Afterward, Gu Hang began to set his sights on the 1000 bracket. He had high expectations for it. There''s a high probability of drawing an advanced or elite level treasure, but if the draw is for a basic level, that would be a real loss. "Hope I get a bit luckier!" Chapter 266: Chapter 178, This is the Reward of the Divine Emperor He was actually a bit conflicted; he wanted to produce some impressive elite-level technology, but he worried that even if he lucked out in the lottery draw, the current industrial level of his territory wouldn''t be capable of assimting it. Let''s not even talk about elite-level tech¡ª even the advanced-level technologies they drew before, the bomb guns and the controble reactors, could currently only be produced in small scales using finished ck Boxes, and could not be mass-produced. While a mother ck Box could indeed spit out a production line, a production line wasn''t a ck Box; you couldn''t simply input basic raw elements and expect a finished product toe out. Both of these items required alloy ceramic steel as an industrial material, a higher-grade alloy that they currently couldn''t produce. But even if they couldn''t establish a production line, just having a ck Box to create some impressive stuff¡ªthat would still be incredibly valuable. "Anyway, it''s not certain I''ll get one, so why worry? Just go ahead and draw!" Gu Hang started his first 1000-tier lottery draw. His luck was average, not particrly good but not too bad either, and he drew an advanced-level technology. [Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel: Advanced Level] [This is a type of multipurposebat flying vehicle that uses partial anti-gravity technologybined with high-energy engines to achieve extraordinarily high performance. Depending on different equipped modules and weapons, it can serve as a high-speed fighter jet, a ground bomber, a support gunboat, or a small troop carrier.] Seeing this, Gu Hang''s grin almost split his face. The Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel could be considered one of the main flying vehicles of the Star Realm Army. Within the Imperial Military, there is no independent air force unit. Simr roles are either on some space carriers, participating in swarm space battles¡ªwhich is maritime navigation¡ªor assigned to the Star Realm Army as support and a fire supplement to ground troops, which constitutesnd navigation. Gu Hang''s army had always beencking in aerial power. Even though they had inherited over twenty various aircraft from the Old Alliance Army, these were either propeller-driven fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. The operational capability of these crafts... it''s not fair to say it wascking, but there were too few of them, and they never yed an important role in any of Gu Hang''s previous battles. However, the Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel was different. With this ck Box, it meant that Gu Hang could produce arge number of flying vehicles. Moreover, its performance far surpassed the aircraft currently avable to the Alliance Army. Take, for example, the domestically produced helicopters¡ª a homemade rocketuncher might easily shoot one down. In the past, not deploying helicopters inbat was because they were of little help and too easily shot down. A downed aircraft meant one less vehicle avable for Gu Hang''s rapid operations. It wasn''t worth it. Chapter Find: But that wouldn''t be a concern anymore. Homemade rocketunchers hitting the Wind Falcon? That''d be impossible. Firstly, because it wouldn''t be able to hit it, as it might fly even faster than jet aircraft, with high-energy engines and anti-gravity technology enabling it to reach astonishing speeds; it could hover in ce, directly strafe left, right, or up and down, which surpassed traditional fixed-wing aircraft in terms of maneuverability. Using a mechanical aim or a non-fire-controlled anti-aircraft gun to hit it would be incredibly difficult; only a barrage of bullets would have any chance. Secondly, even if it did get hit, it wouldn''t necessarily suffer much damage. The Wind Falcon is called a ''Rapid Attack Vessel,'' not just a ne. Its armor isn''t thin at all, and while maybe not quite tank-level, it probably isn''t much less sturdy than a Strider Combat Vehicle. A Wind Falcon enhanced with anti-gravity technology could carry thick armor and still fly. Against your rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft cannons, and even anti-air missiles, the thick armor might not bring it down. Simrly, its excellent carrying capacity means the Wind Falcon can be equipped with many weapons. Air-to-air missiles, air-to-ground missiles,ser cannons, railguns¡ªwhen equipped with these, it''s like abat vehicle in the sky, with even more ferocious firepower. Pilots would be additionally equipped with a servo skull to assist in fire control. When needed, after shedding some of the heavier munitions, it could transport an Interster Warrior Strike Team, or even an entire infantry toon, for airborne operations. After deploying the paratroopers, it could continue to fly and circle above the paratroopers to provide support. This is a flying weapon with top-level performance. Of course, there''s still one problem: currently, it can only be made with a ck Box, and they can''t set up a production line. If they could set up a production line, they wouldck ceramic steel for the outer armor; they wouldck the anti-gravity engines and high-energy engines as the Grindstone Engine would be insufficient; the military factories in Weixing City can now produce some missiles on a small scale thanks to Wu Jiarong tackling some of the technical challenges herself, but the output isn''t high; they can''t produceser cannons or railguns; the servo skulls used as a fire control system currently can only be manually crafted by Wu Jiarong, with a production rate that leaves much to be desired... Lacking theseponents means the military factory can''t manufacture them, they can only rely on the finished ck Box to slowly churn them out, estimating to create one vessel per week. The problem Gu Hang was worried about, producing high-level technology, nevertheless happened. Yet, it could still bring benefits. One vessel a week, that was still worth it. Just a few Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessels could almost have a decisive impact on a localized war. ... After drawing out the [Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel], Gu Hang noticed that the probability of drawing advanced-level technology became 20%, basic-level was at 50%, and elite-level remained at 30%. Chapter 267: Chapter 178, This is the Reward of the Divine Emperor_2 The rules are the same as the 100-tier, after getting a hit, the probability of the corresponding technology level drops, down to the next level. The only slightly good news is that it only drops 10% probability, much better than the previous two tiers. Gu Hang drew twice more. Luck was good once and bad another, getting him a basic and an elite level. The basic level was particrly bad, yielding a Resource Detection Technology Blueprint. Unlike the technologies obtained previously, this included not only the production of finished ck Boxes and mainframe ck Boxes, but also an extra item: a full set of detection knowledge encyclopedias and tutorials. Thetter was quite impressive. Gu Hang immediately thought that with these, he could form several resource detection teams to explore what valuable resourcesy within thends under his control. ording to the technology''s description, teams equipped with detection devices and who have learned the knowledge can mark the value of thend. Protein soil fertility, what is suitable to nt, and detection and mining n suggestions for mineral resources are of utmost importance. The ruins of cities from before the war will one day be picked clean. Discovering new metal deposits and researching how to dismantle and reuse the materials from the towering buildings in the city ruins are of significant importance. For these tasks, Gu Hang nned to have Osenia take charge. She could establish a National Resources Bureau under the production department, specifically responsible for the exploration, nning, and utilization of various resources. Although only one basic technology was obtained from the 1000-tier draw, if the relevant detection technology could find a major mine, it might break even. Thus, Gu Hang was not disappointed. The actual results proved that the detection technology was well worth the price. Within just a month, after Osenia organized a group of people who had experience in this field, learned the detection knowledge, and equipped finished ck Box produced devices, they immediately began to see returns. The abandoned cave where the Abandoned Cave Society had lived before the war was rediscovered after re-detection, revealing deep metal deposits with quite good reserves. Although the mining difficulty was a bit challenging, they quickly developed a corresponding mining n. Patel, the head of the Weixing City Abandoned Cave District, took this seriously. He promptly dispatched corresponding construction teams, who, with the help of relevant machinery, began excavation and construction of the new mining area. If all goes well, the new mining area will be put into production in three months. By that time, the raw material costs for the Weixing City Heavy Industry Base will significantly decrease: the minerals extracted directly from the new mine carry extremely low transportation costs. Furthermore, this exploration team will also develop aprehensive n for the dismantling and resource recycling of the massive high-rise ruins after an on-site study. This isn''t just about picking up trash; it includes two major aspects: the utilization of the many buildings left behind from the high-rise ruins and the utilization of the Low Energy Storms. The former mainly targets those buildings that have survived the war and a century of Low Energy Storms'' baptism and still stand strong. It''s obvious that the durability of these buildings is extremely strong. Although it will bring high demolition costs, the materialsposing the buildings are also of higher value. The high-strength concrete can be recycled as new construction materials after being crushed, useful for building bridges, paving roads, and constructing new buildings; the buildings also contain arge amount of metal, which can be directly recycled. However, the recovery of these materials is secondary; the more important relevance is the utilization of Low Energy Storms. The high-rise ruins are a frequent site of Low Energy Storms. Rubbish Town was established because it is on the edge of the storm-prone area, avoiding the storms'' path, but when the storm erupts every month or two, all utilization work on the high-rise ruins stops. However, the benefit brought by the storm is the hot ash stones left in its wake, which can be collected for fuel. ording to the exploration team''s research, the Low Energy Storm itself is a resource. The main specialty of the Rage Owl Star used to be the Psychic Energy Field, a direct source of high-grade energy: Spirit Gas, which is very valuable. But the wars destroyed those Psychic Energy Fields, releasing uncontrolled energy that resulted in Low Energy Storms. These storms carry intense energy, making it difficult for living beings to survive through them. Even with sturdy shelters, one must stay put with stocked food until the storm''s end. Just letting these energies dissipate into the atmosphere and turn into some hot ash stones is a waste. Chapter Experience: They should indeed hold higher value. If it just remained an idea, then it would still be wishful thinking. Recognizing the nature of the Low Energy Storm is one thing, but utilizing it effectively is another. However, during Gu Hang''s third 1000-tier tech card draw, he pulled a nice item: [Compressed Energy Crystal Block: Elite Level] [This is an application of advanced energy, capable of extremelypressing various types of energy into energy crystal blocks of different specifications and sizes. Its energy density far exceeds nuclear power and is stable and easy to utilize. It''s the energy foundationmonly seen in starships and heavy ground weaponry.] Chapter 268: Chapter 178, This is the Reward of the Divine Emperor_3 It''s settled. This thing is the ultimate solution to the energy problem. When it''s actually applied, the energy crystal prototype that is manufactured is just an empty metal framework. ced on an energypressor, thepressor connects to a power source, and immediately the energy starts getting drasticallypressed and fills into this metal framework, forming a beautiful blue crystalline body. This thing is the Compressed Energy Crystal Block. Essentially, this technology is not limited to any specific type of energy. Even if connected to a power station, it could also significantlypress electrical energy. Of course, that''s not usually done. The energy density of power stations, even nuclear power nts, is rtively too low. Generally, energy crystals are used to generate electricity, and one single energy crystal canst a long time. But this is but a very minor application. The main thing is, after manufacturing a sufficient amount of Compressed Energy Crystal Blocks, they can be directly sent to space to power starships. Some high-level equipment, such as the Star Realm Army''s Ultra-Heavy Tanks, and various types of Titan Mechas, also use this type of energy. Not to mention other things. If Gu Hang built a device in the Low Energy Storm Zone that could collect the spiritualized gases from the storms, and then connected it to an energypressor, just the Low Energy Storms from the High Tower ruins alone, blowing once a month, a single month''s worthsting one week, could produce energy crystal blocks worth over 40,000 Tax Currency. What concept is this? Rage Owl Star''s annual Imperial Tax is only five million. If this Low Energy Storm could be truly converted into an energy mineral resource as Gu Hang nned, turning waste into treasure, then just the production here, by selling the energy crystals, could solve one-tenth of Rage Owl Star''s annual tax revenue problem. Moreover, once this model gets going, it wouldn''t be limited to the High Tower ruins but could be expanded to the entire Rage Owl Star wherever the Low Energy Storms cover. And there are far too many such ces. How did the people of Rage Owl Star live a prosperous life in the pre-war era? They relied on selling energy, like those Middle Eastern oil tycoons from Gu Hang''s previous life. The Rage Owl Star People mined spiritualized gases to make energy crystals, and they didn''t need to work hard to live a prosperous life. The reason Rage Owl Star was abandoned was also because the Psychic Energy Fields were depleted, and the Low Energy Storms became too difficult to exploit. But Gu Hang found a way to use them. However, he immediately thought of a problem: Am I the only smart person? Couldn''t others think of using this method to reuse the Low Energy Storms? Then he realized it wasn''t that others hadn''t thought of it, but that they weren''t willing to do it. The investment was too huge, not cost-effective at all. He looked at it and saw that as an elite-level technology, the ck Box could directly pull out a production line for making Energy Compressors, but currently, Rage Owl Starpletelycks the potential to realize it. They don''t have the Super-Pressure Engines; theyck the Fine Gold Refining and Manufacturing Technology; these two are the main prerequisite technologies, not to mention some other secondary prerequisite technologies that haven''t been developed. Just look at these things and you''ll know how expensive it is to make an Energy Compressor. With that much money, setting up a bunch of Energy Compressors around Rage Owl Star to collect the dissipated spiritualized energy from the Low Energy Storms, why bother earning such hardborious money? It''s simpler to invest ins with Psychic Energy Fields. With the same Energy Compressor, the output could be many times higher. But Gu Hang is different. A finished ck Box gave him almost zero-cost implementation of what others would have to invest heavily in to achieve. Since there''s no cost, anything goes. Moreover, by being able to steadily produce energy crystals, another big problem was solved. The energy issue of the ''Wind Falcon'' drawn from the first 1,000-tier lottery was solved. Even a Wind Falcon produced directly by a finished ck Box needs energy to fly. It was originally supposed to use concentrated energy cells, and Gu Hang was thinking about importing arge batch from Wang Jiarong''s trade convoy to store for future use. Producing them in-house would probably have to wait until Wu Jiarong conquered the relevant technology for high-concentration energy cells before truly resolving the issue. Now there''s no need to worry. With the energy crystals, what need is there for high-energy batteries? It could even be said that using energy crystals in the Wind Falcon is overkill. In fact, the LR5 seriesser guns could also use energy crystals, and if they really did, one block might be enough tost a very, very long time. This would eliminate the need for ''ammunition'' and ''magazines'' altogether, since one energy crystal couldst a very, very long time. However, that would be too luxurious, too high-cost, not worth considering. As for the production line of Energy Compressors, there''s no need to think about that either. Like the former, even if you could pull out a production line, you wouldn''t be able to make it, entirely relying on the finished ck Box. ording to Wu Jiarong''s estimation, she had found some remnants of pre-war technology utilized for collecting spiritualized gases from the ruins of the high tower. In about two months, she should be able to produce a prototype. During this time, the finished ck Boxes should be able to produce quite a few Energy Compressors, and by then, working together, the first "Low Energy Storm Energy Unit" can be put into use. ... The four technologies Gu Hang had drawn this time included two basic-level LR5 Laser Guns and Land Resource Detection Blueprints, which were quite reliable and faced no difficulties in application; the Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel and Compressed Energy Technology could only rely on the finished ck Boxes and were not mass-producible. However, the help given by the finished ck Boxes alone was already significant, enough to begin small-scale production. Besides, just because we can''t pull together a production line for now doesn''t mean we can never do it. Once the foundation is replenished a bit, these technologies can be scaled up into high-quality industries. After this round, Gu Hang was left with thest 132 points of his grace. He didn''t n to keep these grace points. All these grace points, he poured them into the hero panel, activating heroes. Mainly Perbov. He had been present on the hero interface for quite some time. Since he had some grace points left, activating him was done and dusted. Gu Hang spent ten grace points on him. He was an LV2 N card, specialized in militarymand. Additionally, there was another guy who got activated, Lacroix, the soldier from the Beast ughter Group. He also required just 10 grace points, an LV2 SR card, specializing in physical and military technology. The cost of activating a talent discovered by the system on the [Hero] interface is determined by the character''s level; levels 1 and 2 cost 10 points, level 3 costs 50, level 4 costs 200 points, and level 5 costs 500 points. It''s roughly the same as the price for Gu Hang to level up on his own. As for rarity, it doesn''t affect activation cost but does determine the character''s growth potential. Once a character is activated, they will undergo earth-shattering changes within a few days. Osenia was like that; after being activated, she learned a lot about how to manage a department. It must feel like suddenly bing enlightened, understanding problems that you had never thought of or couldn''t understand before. In militarymand and even in the elevation of spiritual attributes that Gu Hang himself had experienced many times, the process was roughly the same. However, in Lacroix''s case, Gu Hang was somewhat puzzled: he was elevated to an LV2 SR rarity "Soldier King" with his physical attributes directly lifted to 12 points. This meant that his physical strength would reach about 17 times that of a normal person, which was a very exaggerated number. Havingpleted their transformations, interster warriors in their unarmored status could probably reach about 14 to 15 points. But these were soldiers who had undergone surgery, imnted with gic seeds, and sprouted a dozen superhuman organs within their bodies, whereas Lacroix''s body wouldn''t undergo such drastic changes. Gu Hang was quite curious about this. Although he himself had increased his physical attributes, each time he gained a point, the degree of improvement was at most 1.5 times that of the previous instance, and a single perception wouldn''t be so intense. Lacroix''s dramatic changes indeed made him curious. So, over the next few days, when he had some free time, he called the man, who was actually pretty settled with the war at the frontline, and directly asked Lacroix about the recent changes he felt. Lacroix was surprised himself: he indeed had significant changes, ran faster, a lot stronger, more agile in action, ate much more, but never got fat no matter what... This change actually made him somewhat apprehensive. Although it all seemed beneficial aside from eating more, who knew the real reason behind it? Could it lead to even worse consequences? He hadn''t even dared to tell anyone else. But how did His Excellency the Governor know? Was he really that omniscient? Confronted with the young soldier''s question, Gu Hang just smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and consoled him with a phrase, "Perhaps, this is the Divine Emperor''s reward for your heroic performance aboard the Quintet." Chapter 269: Chapter 179: No Need to Worry About Imperial Tax at All ``` With thistest development, Gu Hang had spent all of his grace points, leaving only 62 behind. But all the tasks had already been arranged, and Gu Hang needed some time to patiently wait for the fruits to ripen. In the following two months, Gu Hang did not make any major moves, yet within the territories he controlled, there were still significant changes. The first major event was that the war in the Central Province had finally almostpletely subsided. Under Yan Fangxu''smand, the Central Group Army annihted the main force of the Anti-Governor Alliance Army and in a little over half a month swept through the entire Central Province, and of one million square kilometers, bringing two million people under the full control of the Alliance. As for the leaders of the so-called Anti-Governor Alliance Army and the heads of manyrge settlements, those who surrendered were let be, as long as they hadn''tmitted war crimes; they were given afortable position to enjoy by the government department led by Osenia. A small number who were actuallypetent were considered for continuing to manage the settlements, bing bureaucrats, retained if they performed well, or dismissed if not. But for the hardliners, those who surrendered at the veryst moment, and those who hadmitted egregious crimes, there was no room for discussion. Lambert Hodgson, as the Alliance Chief Justice, once again made a ''show'' of himself by holding a trial and sentencing over three hundred people to death and thousands more to forcedbor ranging from three to ten years. Of course, it was no longer like when Gu Hang had just taken control of Revival City; there was no need for too much bloodshed, so there was no form of public execution at the scene. They were simply taken to a shooting range and shot. Yan Fangxu seemed somewhat regretful about this. He had initially nned to have a triumphal ceremony to present the prisoners to the governor, but it was rejected. As the governor himself put it, did such riff-raff even deserve such treatment? Encountering disappointment, Yan Fangxu was left somewhat embarrassed. However, aftermanding the Group Army in this operation and securing at least a satisfactory record, he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general as a constion. However, despite Gu Hang''s apparent disdain for the insurgent leaders, the pacification of the Central Province was still of significant importance: The total poption of the Alliance broke through the five million threshold, with thergest contributioning from thergest and most populous Central Province among the three nned provinces. With this province pacified, it meant that two million people were added to the Alliance. The poption policy of the Alliance was consistently implemented. Resources were avable, industries were preserved, andrger settlements were maintained and supported for development; the rest were downsized, with their poptions integrated into Revival City and Weixing City to enhance the poption scale effect and meet thebor demands for concentrated industrial development. With the poption growth and more aggressiveying out of production lines, the resource issues had improved in the Weixing City industrial area, and industrial production efficiency had further increased. The production of the RN series trucks had risen to a level of a thousand per month. The production of the Strider Series Armored Vehicle also reached ny per month. The Iron Bull trucks'' output over these two months, excluding the foreign trade portion, replenished the military. The 2nd Division, which had been reorganized from an independent regiment to the 3rd Beast-ying Brigade, hadpleted a full motorization overhaul, and two new divisions, the 11th and 12th, were formed following the 2nd Division''s standards. A motorized infantry division''s fullplement was over nine thousand men, capable of fully motorized marches. With three thousand more than a garrison division, these divisions had greater mobility and more artillery, doubling the overall firepower. These two divisions were incorporated into the Central Group Army, under themand of Yan Fangxu. At the same time, the 7th and 8th Divisions were detached. They were to be stationed in various locations in the Central Province to mp down on the local area. Meanwhile, the Central Group Army, newly reinforced with the 11th and 12th Divisions, together with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Brigades, moved southward, advancing to the border between the Central Province and the Green Valley Region. The Green Valley Region was the next main military target for the Alliance. More units were nned beyond the 11th and 12th Divisions, including the 10th Special Warfare Brigade, the 13th Mechanical Composite Brigade, and the 14th Motorized Infantry Division. The 14th Motorized Infantry Division followed the same specifications as the 2nd, 11th, and 12th Divisions; the 10th Special Warfare Brigade was a special unit, which Gu Hang nned to establish around the surviving elite soldiers from the dozens of Storm Squads, forming a special forces squad for special operations, behind-the-lines missions, and targeted strikes. For the moment, however, it was still just a framework, as the cost of training elite soldiers was quite high, although equipment was no longer an issue¡ªthanks to the LR5 Series Laser Guns, he had the capital to put together an elite special operations team. In the future, aside from the Phoenix Battle Group, Gu Hang would still need a sufficient number of elite troops to carry out special missions. As for the 13th Mechanical Composite Brigade, it was simr to the 1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade, but since there were no more tanks, they had reced the tankpanies in the various Composite Camps with mechanized infantrypanies. In general, aside from theck ofbat experience, thebat strength of the 13th Brigade would not differ much from that of the 1st Brigade. For the 13th and 14th Brigades, they actually had enough personnel. Currently, in the new recruit training base outside of Revival City, there were almost thirty thousand new recruits just waiting for the equipment to arrive so they could be formed into new units. ``` Chapter 270: Chapter 179: No Need to Worry About Imperial Tax at All - Part 2 Looking at the current situation, the motorized infantry division is not too bad, it could be fully equipped in a month; theposite division, on the other hand, may take two months. However, this is calcted based on the current military industrial capacity. Going forward, the capacity will be increasingly explosive. In fact, in the past two or three months, the output of Walkers has risen from the original thirty or forty units to upwards of ny, nearly tripling. And the burst in production capacity, or the overall development of the territory, can be seen quite intuitively from Gu Hang''s monthly welfare point ie. Initially, the month he first came down from the starship, he received 678 welfare points;st month, the welfare points had already reached 817; and this recent month''s ie points have even climbed to 1022 points a month. Among these, thergest increase came from Weixing City, followed by the increase contributed by the two million new poption after the Central Province was recovered. Although thetter had arger poption, the welfare points didn''t increase as much, mainly because their productivity was too weak. The third increase came from Revival City, whose poption also returned to the major milestone of one million people. As for the three hundred thousand people in Gaota Province and the five hundred thousand people in Central-North Province, the welfare points reward they provided were merely trivial amounts. Mainly because, although theirbined poptions were not small, their productivity was weak and their living standards poor. They were barely able to satisfy their basic food needs, with almost the entire poption living in extreme poverty. Starvation deaths weremon, and they could hardly bring any positive benefits to the entire alliance. In fact, the alliance needed to allocate resources to support them, ensuring people wouldn''t starve to death and providing them with funds for development. In the short term, these areas were effectively negative assets for the alliance except for their contributions in manpower. They required long-term investment and construction to improve. ordingly, the welfare points contribution from these areas was very low. At present, Gu Hang was not particrly clear about the calction mechanism for his fixed monthly welfare point ie. He could only roughly distinguish four main factors: poption size, living standards, total productivity, and contributions to the whole political body. Moreover, the rise in welfare points was not linear. Otherwise, it would be difficult to exin why Gu Hang, before even conquering Revival City, could earn several tens of points a month from just a few thousand people at the Governor''s Camp; and yet now, with the fifty thousand people in Central-North Province, the welfare point gains are nearly the same as the camp''s scale back then despite the hundredfold increase in poption base. Perhaps the rise in welfare points could be tiered and segmented? Maybe after the political body reached a certain scale, further improvements needed to be significantly higher to achieve the same rate of increase as before? Nevertheless, no matter what the exact calction method was, one truth was indisputable: as long as Gu Hang worked hard to increase the poption under his effective control, enhance productivity, and improve people''s living standards, then this number would certainly rise. And after receiving the ie for these two months, the welfare points that had beenpletely spent in Gu Hang''s hands once again rose to a rather significant figure, reaching 1901. Since welfare points couldn''t earn interest just by sitting around, Gu Hang still chose to spend them on drawing technologies. However, this time he did not go for the thousand-tier again. High-level technologies, whilepelling, could not be mass-produced and thus didn''t significantly aid in enhancing the overall alliance''s productive capacity. With not so many welfare points on hand, it seemed wiser to allocate a portion to draw from the hundred-tier and see if he could fill in some basic technological gaps. And indeed, it was effective. He first hit a basic level, and then the probability for the hundred-tier became 20% for basic level¡ªa 30% drop¡ªbut the advanced level actually rose from 10% to 20%. The chances for hitting a prize in the hundred-tier should have only dropped by 20%, yet the basic technology tier had plummeted by 30%, with the extra portion seemingly going to the advanced tier? The mechanism was getting harder and harder to understand¡­ but of course, it was good news. After two more attempts, both turned up empty. After all, an overall 40% chance of winning implied that misses were quite normal. Then there was another hit, this time an advanced level. And the overall probabilities turned into 10% for both basic and advanced tiers. After five more attempts, he hit an advanced level. At this point, only a 2.5% chance for either remained. Theoretically, one would need two thousand welfare points to obtain a prize, with the probability divided equally between basic and advanced tiers¡­ At this point, it could be said that the hundred-tier technical cards prize pool was essentially depleted in Gu Hang''s view. However, up to now, he had drawn nine times in total, umting two advanced levels and one basic level. Quantity-wise, drawing from the hundred-tier remained more cost-effective than the thousand-tier until the prize pool was exhausted. As for the three technologies, the basic level was [Servo Cranium], and the advanced levels were [Alloy Cerasteel] and [Anti-Gravity Engine]. Seeing these three items, Gu Hang was very satisfied. All the prerequisite technologies for the Falcon Assault Airship were now unlocked. There''s no need to say much about Alloy Cerasteel, as Gu Hang was extremely happy to have drawn this technology. Like alloy steel, it is an advanced version of high-grade alloy. With it, the production of bomb-guns could be mass-produced; reactors could be mass-produced; and the external armor of the Falcon Assault Airships, as well as some of the internalponents, were now sufficient... In the future, arge number of medium and high-end industrial products would require Alloy Cerasteel, which was fundamental. While the Anti-Gravity Engine could be directly used for the Falcon Assault Airships. Also, this type of advanced engine could be applied in some high-end equipment. This engine is the basis allowing some super-heavy equipment to be operational. Even for some Titans, if the main engine wasn''t this kind, they would still need it in some ces to reduce gravity. Chapter 271: Chapter 179: No Need to Worry About Imperial Tax at All - Part 3 Otherwise, some equipment is so heavy that its own weight is more than some structures, which are not sturdy enough, can bear. In any case, with these two gadgets in ce, the Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel could roll off the production line and be mass-produced on its own. Of course, a servo skull is still missing. If there is no servo skull to serve as the fire control system, production is still possible; it''s just that the copilot or, in other terms, the gunner, would have to aim manually. But clearly, that would reducebat effectiveness to some extent. Once you have a servo skull, it''s like having an auxiliaryputer. As for what exactly a servo skull is...it is actually a form of gic technology that can turn a human with an intact brain and skull into a "wetwareponent". Simr to the way servitors are made, part of the brain is removed, the personality and conscious thought are erased, leaving it to function merely as a type ofputer. In many creations by the Sect of Mechanics, such an object can be found: a human skull connected to some machines by a metal spinal cord, sometimes able to move on its own, floating around... To be honest, Gu Hang didn''t quite understand why this was considered a basic technology. In his previous life, this would have been some seriously ck tech, dark enough to be considered the darkest of them all. Yet, this was indeed just a basic technology. Likend resource exploration, servo skull technology is also blueprint in nature; it includes the manufacturing process. A finished ck box could immediately produce a set of equipment required for a servo skull conversion workshop. It was simpler than imagined. A workshop, a juniormissioner, could produce one per day. But Gu Hang''s attention was caught by a very important part included in this process: burning incense, praying, six hours of scripture recitation... Initially, Gu Hang didn''t understand, but he soon got it. To consider this universe as purely materialistic would be foolish. He himself was a wielder of Spiritual Energy. Clearly, the process that could really produce servo skulls was inextricably linked to supernatural forces. Or rather, almost all technology may have some supernatural element involved to varying degrees, whether overt or covert. Once he realized this, Gu Hang didn''t struggle with it anymore. Just use it, regardless of the principle. After all, he himself couldn''t make sense of it. However, Gu Hang was still somewhat uneasy about the fact that manufacturing servo skulls required aplete human head. He wasn''t obstinately ignorant, nor would he let the strict morals and ethics of the Empire restrict him utterly¡ªsince by the standards of the Empire, making servo skulls from living people wasn''t really a big deal. But he certainly wasn''t going to randomly capture people to use as material. In this regard, he had established certain rules: only convicts on death row and those who had been stripped of human rights,cking even an E9 ranking, could be used as materials. Only those who had no human rights could be treated as non-human and have their desires ignored. In addition, arrangements could be made with the public, and soldiers could sign rted donation documents before death; after death, their bodies could be donated, and their brains would be preserved. Causes of death like a headshot, brain cancer, and the like, were definitely out of the question. Deaths that had urred too long ago were also uneptable. However, other types of bodily organ failure leading to death, if the head was preserved by special means within an hour after death, then it could undergo the conversion operation to be a servo skull. More directly, doing it before death yielded the highest sess rate. However, Gu Hang had not yet decided whether to open up this option. It could lead to ethical issues, even murder and corruption. For now, there was no need, but if the situation changed in the future and the demand for servo skulls was too great to be met by death row inmates, Gu Hang might actually be forced to propose it. It was unfortunate that the prisoners who had been captured for trial and execution had been shot before Gu Hang could harvest their servo skulls, as they would have been a good source of material. In any case, with this technology in hand, the Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel could now beprehensively put into production. In thest two months, finished ck boxes had already churned out eight Wind Falcons. With the continuation of production, the initial estimate is that three can be produced each month. Adding in that the ck box can turn out four a month, the total would be seven per month. Of course, this production capacity will increase over time. By the time tax is due a year and a half from now, Gu Hang optimistically estimates that his Star Realm Armed Forces could be equipped with an Air Force Corps, with around a hundred Wind Falcons without much problem. And this Air Force Corps couldfortably meet the standard of one million Tax Currency. Apart from alloy cerasteel, servo skulls, and anti-gravity engines, with the Wind Falcon Rapid Attack Vessel now in production, the deep mining operations at the Ruin Mine have also been initially constructed and put into production. The "Ruin Mine" and "Storm Mine" in Gaota Province have bothmenced operations as well, Especially the Storm Mine, Wu Jiarong has recently devoted a month''s effort to mastering the primitive technology extracted from the ruins for collecting spiritualized gas and has came up with a trial version; a sturdy group of wind towers has been constructed and connected to the Energy Compressor. ording to Wu Jiarong''s estimates, in two months'' time, they should be able to achieve the projected monthly ie of 40,000 Tax Currency in energy crystals. Of course, this is an average, an estimation, the actual amount mainly depends on how often the Low Energy Storms blow. ording to thetest statistics from the Alliance Government''s production department, in terms of Tax Currency, the annual output value of the entire Alliance can now reach slightly over two million Tax Currency. Chapter 272: Chapter 179: No Need to Worry About Imperial Tax at All - Part 4 This was Gu Hang''s eighth month on the''s surface. Even without the matter of offsetting the Imperial Tax with the Troops of the Star Realm, paying 2.5 million Tax Currency in one year and four months wouldn''t be a problem. Admittedly, a tax yield of two million Tax Currency per year definitely can''t all go to taxes, as people need to eat and drink. But who''s to say that productivity won''t continue to rise? After all, the current main production capacity of the Union still lies with the poption of about 1.6 million in the Twin Cities. The remaining poption of over 3.3 million, most of whom are in extreme poverty, contribute very little to productivity. However, given that Gu Hang was able to construct an industrial center like Weixing City in just eight months, he certainly has the capacity to create another one. Those over three million impoverished people have enormous potential for productive growth. Given a year, he was absolutely confident in boosting the current annual output of two million by more than 500%. Paying a year''s Imperial Tax for a single city, no problem at all. Not to mention, he was still expanding. Gu Hang was no longer worried about the Imperial Tax at all, not the first phase, and even less so for the subsequent phases. He already had too many ways to deal with tax issues, and the pressure brought by Imperial levies would be lighter and lighter with development and expansion. Besides, there was always someone to extort. In the sky, the Beautiful Lady was doing business with ckbird Heavy Industries. As theary Governor, Gu Hang approved the request of ckbird Heavy Industries to engage in interster trade with the Beautiful Lady on the condition that they pay the current tax, as well as the past two iplete tax periods, totaling seven million Tax Currency. It was a reasonable demand. ckbird Heavy Industries, entrenched in the Western World of Rage Owl Star, controlled a poption of over ten million directly or indirectly. Based on a tithe tax standard, collecting two million in taxes per period was no issue. Adding the past dues, seven million Tax Currency was actually on the low side. A month ago, the envoy from ckbird Heavy Industries had already arrived at Revival City and met with Gu Hang. The two parties had several rounds of negotiations on this matter. In the end, Gu Hang couldn''t stick to the seven million and refuse to budge. Clearly, ckbird Heavy Industries couldn''t agree to the seven million price tag. First of all, they didn''t have that much money; secondly, even if they did, they wouldn''t give it, as the value brought by this interster trade might not even be worth that much. Why should they give so much to the Governor? Gu Hang didn''t want to push too hard either. He could have dered ckbird Heavy Industries as traitors for not paying taxes, but he didn''t have the power to quell a rebellion thousands of miles away. He could also block the interster trade of ckbird Heavy Industries, making not only this deal fail but also preventing any legitimate future interster trade. But if things really went that far, nobody would benefit. ckbird Heavy Industries could smuggle, although they would have to face the threat of starships. But after all, starships are only sorge and have to run circles inary orbits. If the smugglers flew to the other side of the, using small ships to enter the atmosphere and fly at low altitudes to evade detection... Although it''s troublesome and risky, it''s notpletely impossible to conduct business. And if ckbird Heavy Industries was hit, what good would that do Gu Hang right now? Nothing at all. It was better to negotiate a reasonable price and secure the deal. If they didn''t agree to seven million, then negotiations would continue, with Gu Hang''s bottom line being two million. In the end, they settled on a price of around three million five hundred thousand. Just this amount of money alone was enough to pay the taxes in one year and four months and still have a surplus. Indeed, Gu Hang was not worried about the Imperial Tax, havingplete confidence. However, not everyone was happy with the negotiations between Gu Hang and ckbird Heavy Industries. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is also 6000 Chapter 273: Chapter 180, Gu Hang, you are really too bad Those who were not too happy about the agreement reached between Gu Hang and ckbird Heavy Industries were Yelisia and Wang Jiarong. Let''s start with Yelisia. This outstanding young woman from the Fufana Family did not have a legitimate stance to oppose the matter, but she clearly hoped Gu Hang would fall out with ckbird Heavy Industries. Moreover, during several calls, she had explicitly stated that should the negotiations fail, she couldpletely block the connection between ckbird Heavy Industries and the starry sky. Publicly and privately, she argued that ckbird Heavy Industries'' failure to pay taxes was equivalent to rebellion, a disdain for the governor''s authority. Gu Hang brushed her off. Dealing with the Fatches Family was a matter for you, the Fufana Family, and the Pei Desi brothers. Why should I act as your enforcer if you''re offering me no benefits? Even if a dayes when Gu Hang mustpletely unify the entire, inevitably facing ckbird Heavy Industries, that day is not today. There are no eternal friendships, only eternal interests. Future conflicts do not prevent turning a profit now. Yelisia was thuspletely out of options. Gu Hang did notbel them imperial traitors but approved their interster trade; Beautiful Lady was a legitimate member of the Empire Commerce Guild, with merchant qualifications. These two parties conducting legal trade activities, she had no proper reason to attack or sabotage. She could only pinch her nose as Wang Jiarong, representing Gu Commercial Firm, and ckbird Heavy Industries, representing the Fatches Family, exchanged goods ship after ship, fuming with irritation. In their most recentmunication with the surface, her anger vented on Gu Hang, questioning him on when he could arrange for a battle suitable for the currently damaged Quintet, to earn more merits? She even ''threatened'' in a fit of rage: "If you don''t find some proper military achievements, I might not stay!" Facing the peevish Yelisia, Gu Hang consoled her with a smile, drew a few pie-in-the-sky promises, and finally satiated her, leaving her content to continue waiting patiently. When Yelisia came back to her senses, realizing she might have been sweet-talked by Gu Hang''s glib tongue, she got upset again. She had an even worse thought: Could it be that Gu Hang, through this incident, was coordinating with the Gu Family to repair rtions with the Fatches Family? Was the payment by ckbird Heavy Industries essentially a gesture of goodwill towards the Gu n? And even, was there some unknown cunning scheming involved? Thinking of all this made Yelisia even more annoyed. "Gu Hang! You''re just too wicked!" ... "Cousin, you''re just too wicked!" In theirmunication, Wang Jiarongined to her cousin. "I''m not, I didn''t, stop talking nonsense." Gu Hang denied it in threefold. Wang Jiarong rolled her eyes. Having a closer rtionship with Gu Hang, she asked more directly, "Cousin, tell me the truth, do you not want to reconcile with the family, feeling it''s better to hold on to the Pei Desi leadership?" "I''m not, I didn''t, stop talking nonsense." Gu Hang consistently denied it again. But to say he hadn''t thought about it? That wouldn''t be entirely true either. ckbird Heavy Industries had spent arge sum, 3.5 million Tax Currency, which hurt them considerably. And Gu Hang''s surname was ultimately unchangeable; he was a member of the Gu Family. It was said that the Fatches Family was very skeptical if the Gu Family had any sincerity in their actions to repair rtions. Internally in the Gu Family, there was also considerable dissatisfaction with Gu Hang''s behavior, and several messages hade through, all of which Gu Hang ignored. Why bother with them? Did sharing the same surname Gu entitle them to point fingers? All things considered, both Yelisia and Wang Jiarong were overthinking, or rather, underthinking. Governor Gu didn''t n to cling to anyone''s legs or shear anyone''s wool. Why should I mix with the Pei Desi brothers? They got me a governor''smission which seemed valuable, but in reality, they were trying to use me to drag my mother into the fray. A cruiser was sent as supposed aid, but they didn''t provide a single bit of resource for construction. Gu Hang wasn''t about to feel grateful for that. Dream on. It was the same with the Gu n, and likewise on my mother''s side, cutting ties mercilessly to avoid getting dragged down. Well, if we''re cut off, then we''re cut off, who needs to rely on you? Gu Hang didn''t consider any of them enemies, but there was no need to treat them as insiders either. Fair cooperation, mutually beneficial transactions. If the price is right, let''s do business; if not, maybe next time. That was Gu Hang''s attitude. Of course, there was no need to say that outright and hurt feelings. With the Gu n, it was all about ''keeping it in the family''; with the leaders, it was about ''gratitude for their favor, willing to devote life and limb.'' No problem. Gu Hang didn''t want to discuss this matter further with Wang Jiarong and changed the subject to another matter: "By the way, I''ve got the demand list for those goods on your merchant ship, and I already know how to pay for them." Wang Jiarong rolled her eyes, "It''s that money ckbird Heavy Industries gave you, right?" Gu Hang alsoughed, "Yes, exactly! They really are great benefactors!" He had no intention of keeping the 3.5 million Tax Currency promised by ckbird Heavy Industries; money thaty idle couldn''t hatch more money. As for using the Tax Currency for taxester? That was not an option either. Wealth has no value if it''s not used. Gu Hang would rather invest it all in production, in the development of his territory. As for taxes? He''d deal with it in a year and a half. The bigger the investment, the greater the output of Gu Hang''s territory, the less he would worry about Imperial Tax. As for what Gu Hang wanted to buy, much of it was rted to interster warriors. First of all, it was the things promised to the interster warriors. Chapter 274: Chapter 180, Gu Hang, you are really too bad_2 He had promised to bring the Phoenix Battle Group a high-quality, advanced gic workshop capable of conducting gic imnt surgeries. The price Wang Jiarong quoted for this set of equipment was 500,000 tax currency. ording to her, this thing wasn''t expensive; some powerful war troops used the same thing. The sess rate of the gic seed imntation surgery mainly depended on the recipient''s own qualifications and, secondly, on the level of gic science of the person performing the surgery. Ordinary battle groups would have a position known as ''Pharmacist,'' responsible for this task, including collecting gic seeds fromrades on the battlefield and creating new soldiers to provide fresh blood for the battle group. Currently, the Phoenix Battle Group did not have this position, but it was said that old Priest Rizzo had been a pharmacist before; they just hoped his skills weren''t rusty now. Additionally, a set of Terminator Power Armor was needed; this was also something Gu Hang had promised to Matins. The quoted price for this set of Terminator Power Armor was 800,000 tax currency. Looking at these prices, Gu Hang could only say that stuff rted to the Starfighter was damn expensive. Gu Hang had estimated the value of his troops. Currently, he had three types of division and brigade formations under hismand: theposite division, the motorized infantry division, and the garrison division. The most expensive military force was the mechanizedposite brigade like the 1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade and the 13th Brigade, whose total production cost, including equipment and manpower, was about 200,000 tax currency. The production cost of a motorized infantry division was only half of that, worth 100,000 tax currency. The garrison division was only worth 75,000. One Interster Warrior''s Terminator Power Armor was worth the total production cost of fourposite divisions or eight motorized infantry divisions, including manpower and equipment! It was outrageous! ording to Wang Jiarong, she hadn''t made much money on the batch she sold to Gu Hang, basically selling it to him for the same price she acquired it. In this regard, Gu Hang believed her¡ªhe had asked Yelisia and received a simr answer. Either of these two women could potentially deceive him, but no matter how good their rtionship was when they cooperated for mutual benefit, there was a natural conflict between them regarding securing Gu Hang. Given the chance, neither would pass up the opportunity to one-up the other. With the prices not being an issue, Gu Hang began to doubt the cost-effectiveness of this stuff. An old Terminator warrior killing off eight divisions? Gu Hang didn''t believe it. Pile them up and he would overwhelm them; no matter how thick the Terminator Armor was, it was still individual armor. If a 155mm artillery shell couldn''t open a can, firing a hundred or a thousand shots, the armored vehicle''s machine guns barraging, bomb-carrying machine guns shooting vigorously... sheer firepower could smash the can open. It just meant more people would die. However, he quickly realized this wasn''t the right way to calcte it. Having elite individual soldiers and pitting them against a formal army in head-onbat was the sign of amander with a screw loose. But at certain critical strategic points, in ces where the enemy couldn''t deploy heavy firepower, for specialbat missions¡ªin short, whererge-scale military forces couldn''t reach¡ªthese super soldiers could demonstrate a value higher than an entire army. But regardless, the total of 900,000 tax currency was amitment Gu Hang had made to the Phoenix, and he intended to keep his promise. After all, with Matins equipped with the Terminator, he would be working for him; rounding off, it was practically like buying it for himself. The gic seed imnt equipment was the same principle. Beyond that, Gu Hang also bought twenty sets of unpainted, brand-new Interster Warrior Powered Armor. They were the seventh generation of tactical power armor, known as ''Sky Eagle Type,'' the mostmon, widely used, and... cheapest powered armor, with the breathing grates on the helmet as the most characteristic feature. But they were still worth 40,000 tax currency per set. A total of 20 sets of tactical power armor cost Gu Hang another 800,000 tax currency. This made him sigh, "Now I understand why a Starfighter Battle Group would need an entire as a home, to supply them with resources. A slightly poor really couldn''t afford it." Wang Jiarong scoffed, "This is just the beginning; your current investment in the battle group hasn''t even touched on the more expensive levels yet." She was right. A standard battle group not only needed power armor and superhuman warriors but also various vehicles and equipment unique to Starfighters, required arge auxiliary army, and even a fleet. ``` Especially at the fleet stage, that''s truly a money pit with no bottom. But fortunately, Gu Hang currently doesn''t need to worry about such things, and he might never have to allocate a fleet to the Phoenix Battle Group, as that does not align with his interests. All he had to do was to meet the current needs of the Phoenix. He could certainly afford to sustain the four living warriors. Of the 20 sets of tactical power armor Gu Hang had purchased, he only nned to give five sets to Matins. The reason he gave was that these were gifts for the two other warriors apart from Matins and Rizzo, who had special armors, to rece their battle-worn, tattered old power armors. The old armors that were reced were supposed to be given to Gu Hang to offset the cost. Of course, Gu Hang actually kept them for himself. The other three armors were gifts for the three iing Starfighters, the new recruits. As for the remaining 15 sets, Gu Hang nned to keep them for himself for the time being. If the Phoenix needed more in the future, then some from these fifteen could be allocated to them. It was also possible that Gu Hang wouldter try to exchange for gic seeds to create new Starfighters, in which case these suits of armor woulde in handy. Rage Owl Star was still a long way from being able to manufacture Interster Warrior Powered Armor, and Gu Hang didn''t even know at what level the technology for manufacturing powered armor appeared in the technology tree interface. Certainly, it was neither basic nor advanced. If he wanted to acquire it, he guessed it was still far off in the future. For now, the only way for him to get power armor was through interster trade. So, he shouldn''t miss this opportunity. After the Beautiful Lady left, he didn''t know when the next sizable merchant convoy would arrive. Besides these power armors, Gu Hang also bought some other items that Rage Owl Star was unlikely to be able to produce in the near future. Such as thermal melt weapons, powered weapons, and so on. He nned to give part of these items to the Phoenix Battle Group and intercept a portion for himself. In any case, the four warriors of the Phoenix Battle Group had indeed undergone quite an upgrade. Not only did the group leader Matins receive a Terminator Power Armor, their weaponry had also been upgraded. If they faced another heavily armored orc boss or a Green Skin Overlord, at the very least, they now had some means to deal with them, and wouldn''t be as devastated in battle. These weapons and equipment cost Gu Hang an additional 400,000 Tax Currency. The most expensive among them was a ''de of Honor'' type powered sword, valued at 200,000 Tax Currency, which Gu Hang gave to Matins, recing his nearly worn-out chainsaw sword. By that calction, after extorting 3.5 million from ckbird Heavy Industries, 2.5 million was gone in an instant. There was 1 million Tax Currency left, and Gu Hang didn''t save any of it. He purchased quite a few misceneous items, including soilless farm technology, water purification technology, high-quality food crops... These technologies and equipment would help Gu Hang establish fiverge soilless farms, simr in technology to what the Western Desert People on Rage Owl Star used from the pre-war era. With these fiverge farms, plus the synthetic starch production line that Wu Jiarong had already mastered, the self-sufficiency rate of grains for the alliance could increase significantly. Not much need to be said about the water purification equipment and technology, as the water on Rage Owl Star wasn''t particrly clean. Any improvement was wee. Whether it''s wastewater treatment and reuse or seawater desalination, this set of equipment could handle it. Beyond that, a production line for exoskeletons was introduced. This too was quite costly. Gu Hang estimated that it could be considered advanced technology, or maybe among the best of the basic technologies. However, this exoskeleton was far from a real power armor; it was not difficult to achieve, and upon introducing a production line, they could be mass-produced, facilitating Wu Jiarong''s subsequent reverse engineering. Once mastered, he could even expand the production line on his own. And thus, thest 1 million Tax Currency was spent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The exoskeleton is simr in design to what''s seen in the movie Edge of Tomorrow, and a picture will be providedter. Additionally, a sentence about the farm was deleted ¨C are the four characters for ''collective farm'' really that sensitive? If it must be deleted, why not leave thetter half about the grain self-sufficiency rate... It has been added back now. ``` Chapter 275: Chapter 181, Gene Seed Implant Surgery Powered exoskeletons are a different beast from powered armor. Even if you welded armor tes onto the exoskeleton to make them look somewhat simr, or even fashioned the steel tes after the Interster Warrior Powered Armor for a cosy, the reality is far fromparable. Essentially, powered exoskeletons simply provide soldiers with additional load-bearing capacity, making it easier for them to carry heavier loads with less effort, and at most, a few steel tes may be welded on for bulletproofing. Systems like the life support, electronic muscle bundles, tactical systems, and assisted firing systems contained in the Interster Warrior Powered Armor... None of that is included, and it''s unlikely to have the same level of protection. But with such a set of equipment, trained elite mortal soldiers can handle bomb guns that would otherwise be difficult to bear due to recoil. Or they could continue to useser guns or electromaic rifles. Strapping on some individual heavy firepower such as automatic rocket nests is also doable. Add a chain sword, and train soldiers to T2 or T1 level... An elite squad like that, with some effort, could barely suffice as a super poor man''s version of an Interster Warrior. The key is that it''s much cheaper. A suit of powered armor costs forty thousand Tax Currency, while the cost to manufacture an exoskeleton is only a thousand Tax Currency, a fortyfold difference in price. Can a single Interster Warrior take down forty elite soldiers armed with chain swords and bomb guns, and enhanced with exoskeletons? Perhaps, but there''s also a high chance of failure. The genuine Interster Warrior might easily blow away these super poor versions with a single shot; but on the flip side, elite soldiers with bomb guns and chain swords, wearing exoskeletons, also have the ability to threaten an Interster Warrior. Ordinary tactical powered armor can resist bullets andser gun pressure, but the loyal bomb gun and roaring chain sword won''t show any mercy. And when facing ordinary soldiers, fully equipped special forces elites can also enjoy the effect of damage crushing. Gu Hang''s 10th Special Warfare Brigade ns to experiment with a few squads like this. It''s a long shot from recing Interster Warriors, but it should suffice for some secondary-level special missions. However, the production capacity of this line is average at best, estimated at about fifty sets a month, so it''s only enough for special elite use. If there''s a n to produce on arger scale, production capacity won''t be able to keep up, and the cost would be too high. If Wu Jiarong can reverse engineer this technology sessfully and expand production, and once the overall productive capacity of Rage Owl Star improves, perhaps Gu Hang could arm an elite division where everyone is equipped with exoskeletons? Hope that dayes soon. ... Afterpleting the specific transaction, Wang Jiarong couldn''t help but ask a question: "If it weren''t for thepensation from ckbird Heavy Industries, what were you originally nning to use to pay for that gene engineering equipment you wanted to buy?" Gu Hang curled his lips, "Rage Owl Star isn''t exactly destitute. Even if it was in the past, it''s not the case now. Can''t our productivitye up with five hundred thousand Tax Currency?" Wang Jiarong remained somewhat skeptical, but she didn''t press further. But actually, Gu Hang never worried about this issue. Without the money from ckbird Heavy Industries, he would simply have bought less. The gene engineering equipment worth five hundred thousand could be scraped together after all. Sell a thousand armored vehicles, a million sets of individual equipment, or dmission two production lines to the skies, and the money woulde. Of course, that would have affected the''s development. Now, with a windfall at hand, it naturally got much better, and he could buy much more. ... Once the corresponding items were delivered, some were transferred to the research institute and others to the Phoenix Battle Group. The Phoenix Battle Group was naturally very happy about this. Although, in the nearly more than half a year they''d been on Rage Owl Star, they had lost three people, and the already nearly extinct Phoenix now faced even more dire circumstances. But at least, this replenishment was a significant boost for them. The replenishment and upgrade of weapons and equipment wasn''t so critical, but the gene seed surgery equipment was a lifesaver. Matins and Priest Rizzo nned to conduct three surgeries in the near future, hoping to bring three new members to the group. Gu Hang had his doubts about this. "Is there such a rush?" he expressed his view, "Out of the group of young men you''ve recruited, do you have three most suitable candidates? They''ve trained for less than half a year." "Ah..." Matins, the normally resolute battle group leader, showed a look of worry, "The Governor''s concerns are valid, to be honest, their qualifications are the best we could find, but they''re still far from enough, and their training isn''t up to standard either. But we... have no other choice. Before this, we didn''t have the technology or ability to properly preserve the gene seeds; simple preservation methods couldn''t maintain seed viability for long. If we dy any longer, the odds will only decrease, we can''t afford to wait to find more suitable people or give those young men moreprehensive training." That was indeed a realistic factor. Gu Hang asked, "So... what do you estimate the chances to be?" Priest Rizzo, who had been silent before, now spoke, "The odds are very low, I have no confidence." "Can the sess rate reach fifty percent?" Matins shook his head with a bitter smile, "Perhaps not even ten percent. But... if we seed with just one, if the Battle Group gains its first new blood, there''s at least hope, everyone can breathe a sigh of relief and not be so desperate." Chapter 276: Chapter 181, Gene Seed Implant Surgery_2 Gu Hang likewise could only sigh. He patted Martins on the shoulder and said, "I hope everything goes smoothly." Gu Hang meant it sincerely. He truly hoped that all three seeds for the Phoenix Battle Group would seed. Building a battle group wasn''t something Gu Hang was ready to tackle yet; he''d let the star warriors handle it among themselves. Three more star warriors, then another three... As long as it was just a matter of tens or dozens, it wouldn''t shake Gu Hang''s authority. Considering the current sorry state of the Phoenix, reaching that level was a long way off. In fact, without Gu Hang''s external help, they might never achieve it. However, things often don''t go as one wishes. Just a weekter, Gu Hang received news from Martins. The first surgery failed; in the following days, two more pieces of bad news came in quick session. When Gu Hang visited the Phoenix Monastery, which now had a semnce of scale, he couldn''t meet Commander Matins. ording to Priest Rizzo, Martins Ss had locked himself in the prayer room and hadn''te out for a long time, nor did he allow anyone to disturb him. To be honest, seeing Martins like this, Gu Hang also felt a pang ofpassion. Every time Gu Hang called upon the fallen Phoenix, they responded without fail, and each time they fought desperately¡ªwith nearly half of them perishing. They had truly lived up to their name, something Gu Hang had to admit. Because of this, he got the surgery equipment repaired, new ones purchased; power swords and Terminator Armor bought... However, he still felt guilty, especially about the matter of offering one hundred points of grace for a seed. But now wasn''t the time to bring that out. As for when it would be the right time... to be honest, Gu Hang didn''t know. Despite hispassion and guilt, Gu Hang couldn''t risk bringing out the gic seeds only to be reported to the Tribunal right afterward. Reporting to the Tribunal depended on the status of the reporter. Random usations against a governor couldn''t prompt an investigation; even if the Tribunal expanded a hundredfold, they would be too busy to handle it all. But if amander made such an usation, it was entirely different; the weight of the charge would be significant. He had to be certain of his absolute safety after revealing the seeds, otherwise, he wouldn''t do it. Privately was another matter. However, Gu Hang noticed something else. Priest Rizzo''s demeanor seemed off. Gu Hang turned and stared at Rizzo for a while. Rizzo looked back and asked, "What''s the matter?" Gu Hang said, "I find it strange, Your Reverence, that you seem very calm, not saddened?" He indeed found it odd. Martins was in such agony he didn''t want to see anyone and had locked himself in the prayer room; the other two members of the battle group were grief-stricken, aimless, at a loss, and in despair...their numb expressions could hardly hide these emotions. But Priest Rizzo seemed very calm, with no noticeable change in his interaction with Gu Hang from before. Now, hearing Gu Hang''s question, Rizzo even revealed a trace of a smile: "Whether the surgery seeds or fails, it is the Divine Emperor''s will. We should learn to ept it." "Yes, of course," Gu Hang responded, then asked further, "But are you not worried about the future of the Phoenix Battle Group?" The smile on Priest Rizzo''s face became more defined. Looking at Gu Hang, he said seriously, "The fate of the battle group does not rest on the sess of these three surgeries but on you, Governor. Gu Hang frowned deeply. ``` This chatan''s demeanor made him quite ufortable. He spoke cautiously, "Your Excellency, Priest, I don''t understand what you mean." At this point, Rizzo didn''t directly answer Gu Hang''s question but simply stated, "The Divine Emperor will decide everything." ... When Gu Hang left the Phoenix Monastery, he was full of confusion. The old priest''s attitude really made him somewhat entangled. He seemed to know something. But it was not suitable to dwell on this matter, thinking would be pointless, he didn''t even have enough manpower to monitor these superhuman warriors, he could only ask the staff who entered the Phoenix Monastery to pay more attention and report back. The Phoenix Monastery was right next to Weixing City, since havinge this far, Gu Hang took the opportunity to inspect Weixing City, hisst stop being the Secret Research Institute, overseen by Wu Jiarong. The items bought from the Beautiful Lady were for either the Phoenix Battle Group or the research institute. Gu Hang initially wanted to see how the Research Institute was doing with the technologies they had acquired, but as soon as they met, Wu Jiarong took the opportunity toin bitterly. This sister from the Sect of Mechanics was quite dissatisfied with Governor Gu''s exploitation of her. Previously, she didn''t dare show such an attitude, for fear that after knowing the governor''s grand secret, her already mysterious and uncertain life would abruptly end. But with prolonged contact, she found that the governor was actually quite easy to get along with. As long as she did her job well, the governor was generally not too harsh. So she gradually dared to express her thoughts. Gu Hang was pleased with this. It was eptable for his subordinates to fear him, but Gu Hang did not wish it to go overboard. Loyalty shoulde from respect, not from fear. This is not to say that fear cannot breed loyalty, but fear, along with loyalty, can also bring hatred, which can quickly turn into betrayal. Respect, admiration, trust... these are much better. Gu Hang hoped his subordinates could dare to express their needs clearly to him; perhaps that would be better. However, what Wu Jiarong said this time still made Gu Hang a little embarrassed. "You can''t keep piling one research project after another on me; I don''t even have a moment to research the ck Box to improve my own skills," she said. Wu Jiarong''s words were not just aint, but also pointed out a very practical issue. "With all kinds of scientific research projects squeezed in here, many projects are unrted to one another. I''m not beingzy orining about the workload, but with this scattered approach and not enough scientific staff, it''s impossible toplete all these tasks. I know these technologies are important in your ns, not trivial matters that you can easily dismiss. That means you cannot ept that many of these things will remain indefinitely queued, with no idea how far into the future they''ll be scheduled..." "Hmm..." Gu Hang nodded his head. He admitted that Wu Jiarong was right. "But what''s your suggestion?" he asked. "My suggestion is that, under yourmand, there must be more people capable of scientific research. I know, under the conditions on Rage Owl Star, it''s difficult to find many such people. But the more challenging it is, the more we need to prepare in advance, just like you established Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy, you also need a Technical Academy," she replied. "Of course, that''s possible," said Gu Hang, "that''s already part of my n, but... Wu Jiarong, are you interested, do you have the time, to serve as a professor at this academy?" Wu Jiarong sighed helplessly and said, "If this is an order from you, Governor, of course I have no problem. But, you also need to bear a consequence: if I dedicate half my time to teaching students, then the time required toplete all research projects will be doubled." That was the trade-off. Would you hasten the research projects or assign someone to teach in a school? The former, although not rapid, was the most effective at the moment. The technology to synthesize starch needed optimization; the effectiveness of the new production line couldn''tpare to the one dismantled from the starship; the ''high energy'' in high-energy batteries was a misnomer as it couldn''t even sustainser gun firing, let alone be used by rapid attack crafts, which foreclosed theser guns from reaching their full potential, forcing the Wind Falcon to use far more valuable energy crystals as fuel, resulting in a tremendous waste. Not to mention, there was a pile of technologies that needed to be reverse-engineered: hydroponic farms, water purification equipment, spirit gas collection equipment, exoskeleton production lines... Without Wu Jiarong, who had effectively reached the level of a Mechanical Priest, all these projects would grind to a halt. ``` Chapter 277: Chapter 182, The Technical Expert You Wanted Gu Hang could not let Wu Jiarong abandon her work. Without her, they could hardly expect those who were, at best, junior technicians to solve those scientific research problems. If Wu Jiarong taught students, all research work would operate at half efficiency. But without teaching students or building schools, Gu Hang''s predicament would never end. If it were someone else, there might be no solution at all. However, Gu Hang still had one. "You''ll have to hold on for a little longer," Gu Hang said, "the construction of the school will start soon. We may have to sacrifice half our time, but I believe we will soon make up for this lost time." Wu Jiarong said, "Teaching a qualified technical specialist, even a mechanic, is very difficult. It requires many years of study." "I know, but maybe we have a genius in Rage Owl Star?" "I hope so." Gu Hang''s solution was to first establish a Technical Academy, then use the [Construction] interface to apply the [Technical Academy I] temte to it, consistent with the operation n of Loyal Heir Academy. The exchange value of [Technical Academy I] was only 500 grace points. And this building had actually two functions: 1. To improve students'' learning efficiency 2. To increase the likelihood of emerging technically talented individuals who could be activated. The former is certainly useful, but what could quickly solve Gu Hang''s current dilemma was thetter. Once there was such a technically talented individual who could be activated, the grace points spent on the activation would immediately endow them with attribute points, allowing for a rapid improvement in their technical level. It would definitely not reach Wu Jiarong''s current level, but at least it could be apetent assistant or independently handle some research work with a determined direction, even a settled n. Relieving some of Wu Jiarong''s work pressure was also good. And Gu Hang nned to build this academy in Weixing City. After all,pared to Revival City, which was more geared toward administration,merce, and light industry, Weixing City was the production center that needed technical talents more. There was no need for Wu Jiarong to travel dozens of kilometers to Revival City for work. Saving this precious technical talent''smuting time was saving time needed for the''s development. The rapid development of the entire alliance needed to be healthier, and there were still too many fundamentals to be supplemented. Sometimes, Gu Hang still wished he could stumble upon another expert in technology. That would be great. ... Sometimes, Hu Ke still wished for a stable life where his son and daughter could grow up healthy and happy. That would be great. At that moment, he was blending in with a group of refugees, holding a pot of thin gruel in his hands. This was ording to the food ration allocated for his family of four. A bowl of thin gruel tost a day. Back in his dwelling¡ªa shabby tent constructed from tattered cloth and building debris that could, at most, measure three to four square meters¡ªhe, his wife, his six-year-old son, and his four-year-old daughter lived temporarily. The conditions were undoubtedly harsh, not only in terms of living space but also the sanitary environment. However, Hu Ke was actually relieved. At least, it was better than when they were fleeing previously. Escaping from the southern end of the Green Valley Region all the way north reminded him of his experience of fleeing to Rage Owl Star from his hometown over two hundred years ago. Of course, when speaking of over two hundred years ago, that was in terms of real time, the actual feeling for him was not as long. He came from ''Chong Lu Fortress Casting World'', and when he left there, he was already an ''Engine Prophet''¡ª a ''title'' within the Sect of Mechanics, one level higher than a Mechanical Priest. He was a technical expert. As for why he left Chonglu Fort... It was because of war. Chonglu Fort was probably dragged into hell by now, no longer existing in the real universe. In that war, he fled for his life and, in the final moments, boarded a spaceship in a panic and left his homnd. After getting on the spaceship, he drifted in space for a few years and spent some time in the Star Realm Army, but he really couldn''t stand the war anymore. He knew that in this turbulent universe, war always existed. But as long as it wasn''t happening before his eyes, that was enough. He admitted he was a coward, but he absolutely did not want to return to the battlefield and witness ughter again. As for those wars still raging, let them be. Although the status of an Engine Prophet was not low, what could he decide in the vast universe? Tired of everything, Hu Ke only wanted to find a secure, peaceful, and beautiful to spend the rest of his life. Indeed, the entire universe was always at war. But that was when looking at the entire empire. Zooming in on individuals, the situations were different. Among many options, he chose Rage Owl Star. The scenery was beautiful, productivity was fairly advanced, and thanks to the Spiritualized Gas Field energy industry, it wasn''t toopetitive. The social atmosphere was stable, and more importantly, there hadn''t been a war for thousands of years, whether from invaders or internal strife, it was rare, or at least the impact was minimal. It was a ce that met his requirements. So, he went there. With his expertise, he applied and joined a Gene Research Institute on Rage Owl Star. It wasn''t difficult; he was an Engine Prophet from the Mechanical Cult Guild and had made outstanding contributions to gic engineering¡ªthough he was slightly less knowledgeable in other areas. Chapter 278: Chapter 182, The Technical Expert You Wanted_2 After he was hired, his life began to feelfortable. He thought this ce was truly paradise¡ªclimate, environment, and other physical conditions were countless times better than his deste homnd, Chonglu Fort, which was essentially one grand factory epassing the entire. Moreover, his work situation had vastly improvedpared to the past. Here he was almost the most outstanding gic engineer. Some projects were quite typical, not too difficult; he just needed to follow procedures and do his job. Not like before, when he used to engage in cut-throatpetition over resources and political struggles within the Mechanical Cult Guild. He settled down in Rage Owl Star, found a woman who could soothe his soul, and together they had a pair of children. At this point, he experienced something he had never felt in his previous life; he thought this might be what happiness looks like. But s, good times are short-lived. ''Happiness'' might just be the most luxurious thing in the entire universe. His daughter was only three years old, and his son just two when war broke out in Rage Owl Star. The war didn''t affect his area immediately, but he still sensed the danger sharply. He was, after all, experienced in such matters. Hu Ke immediately joined the evacuation teams with his wife and children, heading to what he believed was the safest ce. It was a refuge built to the highest standards. In principle, it was easily defended but hard to assault, its location concealed, and it also had the capability for immediateary evacuation. In fact, as far as he knew, the ships meant to evacuate those of high value like themselves should already be en route. However, misfortune sometimes knows no bounds. First, the evacuation ships were shot down mid-journey; then, the very refuge he was in was discovered by the enemy, with a horde of Demons charging towards it. In a critical moment, just before the refuge was breached and themander gave the desperate order to self-destruct, he used the facility''s lowest level to freeze his wife and children. Then, after gathering as much backup power as possible, he managed to cryogenically freeze himself inside a hibernation pod just as the self-destruction sequence was initiated. He didn''t know if this could help him evade disaster, but as a husband and father, it was thest thing he could do. And as it turned out, he seeded. When he was unearthed by a former colleague who was also his student, a native of Rage Owl Star named Ge Wajia, he saw his wife and children again¡ªthey were all still alive. He wept tears of joy, and couldn''t help but pray to The Emperor, thanking him for keeping his most precious possessions in this world. At the same time, he learned that nearly two hundred years had passed since the war''s end. His former student Ge Wajia had lived until now through life-extension surgeries. Nowadays, he had established an organization called the Nature Salvation Society, striving to create a paradise on the devastated Rage Owl Star, and from there to expand outward, ultimately aiming to restore the natural ecology of Rage Owl Star and save the entire world. To be honest, Hu Ke wasn''t interested in that cause. He had long passed the age where he wanted to save the world. There were too many worlds within the Empire to save; destroying a few didn''t really matter. All he wanted was to live a good life for himself. However, on this point, their interests intersected. Ge Wajia needed the technical capabilities of his teacher, while Hu Ke needed the stable order that his student had already established in the southern end of the Green Valley Region. It was a scenic seaside town, with no worries about food and drink, and for the time being, suitable for his family to settle in. He was willing to exchange his knowledge andbor for the right to live for his family. But during his work, he gradually discovered some issues. His student... seemed a bit off-kilter. Or rather, the town called Chanter Town where he lived was all somewhat off-kilter. His technical level was outstanding enough that through some of the content of the projects he participated in, he saw that Ge Wajia was working on some very new stuff. It was not just ecological restoration that was so simple but filled with extensive gic and human research. He saw some of the results produced by the Nature Salvation Society, called bioweapons, natural weapons. If it was just that, then so be it. He tried to convince himself to turn a blind eye. What''s so terrible about developing bioweapons? In this post-apocalyptic world, one needed something for protection. Even if they had crossed the line of skull purity, he could turn a blind eye. The so-called ''Skull Purity'' is an irond rule upheld by the Empire and the Mechanical Cult Guild during human modification and gic technology: no matter how humans are altered, the skull must remain untouched. The Empire''s culture is full of oddities, varying greatly across different worlds. However, some things are consistent throughout. Among them, the Empire itself has three major symbols: the skull, the Sky Eagle, and the gear. The skull symbolizes sacrifice and also the purity of humankind. Traitors, heretics, and beings with aberrant flesh often deviate significantly from pure humans, especially in the structure of their skulls. For this reason, an unaltered skull serves as a symbol of human purity and the sacrifices made to defend that purity. Throughout the Empire, from the Walls of Martyrs to the Skull Badges, from the decorations on interster warriors'' armor to the Purity Seals... the image of the skull is everywhere. Moreover, whether it''s the research of the Mechanical Cult Guild or theological studies of the Imperial State Religion, there is solid evidence to suggest that maintaining skull purity is an important means and factor in safeguarding human souls from corruption. Changes in the skull are signs of degeneration, mutation, and betrayal. The Mechanical Cult Guild manufactures servo skulls, creates mechanical servants, alters brains, and performsrge-scale human modifications... these aremon, but they do not destroy the shape of the skull and typically only modify areas such as the eye sockets, mouth, or ears. But much of Ge Wajia''s research had already crossed this baseline. Even so, Hu Ke could ignore it. However, in the end, he couldn''t lie to himself. The source of Ge Wajia''s technology was problematic. First off, the life-extension surgeries imed by his student were suspicious. Such advanced biotechnology, capable of enabling someone to live two hundred years, was no simple feat. Even he had not mastered such a procedure, let alone his student. Then, he found traces of supernatural forces in many of the studies. This was not umon in itself, as the Mechanical Cult Guild''s research also naturally involved Spiritual Energy, as well as faith in The Emperor as the deity of all mechanisms. Both could yield extraordinary powers. However, he did not believe that the supernatural elements in the Nature Salvation Society''s technological approach stemmed from orthodox belief or normal Spiritual Energy research. As for where exactly this technology originated from, he had his suspicions but dared not speak of them. But even at this point, he remained silent. Despite the extensive preparations he had made in secret, he never brought up these issues at face value. He was very hesitant. He knew the current world had be entirely unsuitable for survival, and he was not alone. Could he ensure the survival of his own family in the harsh wastnd environment once they left Chanter Town? Moreover, the act of escaping was dangerous enough in itself. In the midst of his internal struggle, one final straw helped him make his decision: Ge Wajia asked him to apply the Nature Salvation Society''s gic modification techniques to his own family, under the pretense of better survival in the wastnds. Many residents of the town had undergone simr modifications, and Hu Ke had even performed them himself. But when these technologies were to be applied to his own family, his bottom line was finally breached. He outwardly agreed, but in secret, he initiated all the preparations he had been making for the past half year. A multitude of bio-weapons rioted, and the mutated aberrant beasts that he had umted defended him and his family as they fled the ce that seemed like a paradise but was truly a den of hell. Once outside and having initially ensured their safety, he ordered all the beasts to self-destruct. He dared not carry these creatures with him because he knew that the technological origins of these aberrant beasts were not normal and could be uncontroble at any moment. Then, he and his family endured a hellish escape, heading north until they were sheltered by a coalition. Chapter 279: Chapter 183: What Rank Can the Engine Prophet Set? For Hu Ke, the half-year journey to the north had been even more nerve-wracking than his initial flight from his hometown of Chonglu Fort. The brutality of the battle at Chonglu Fort was far more exaggerated than his current escape to the north. But back then, he was by himself, only concerned with his own life. However, this time, he was with his whole family. This psychological pressure was so much heavier than before. But with his sufficient skills, the Aberrant Beasts on the road often couldn''t pose a threat to him. Sometimes, he could control several Aberrant Beasts to help him find some food. Of course, he adhered to a principle, not to use the same Aberrant Beast for too long to avoid dangerous loss of control. With his own capabilities and a bit of luck, he not only escaped the pursuit of the Nature Salvation Society but also evaded the threat of Aberrant Beasts and the increasingly numerous looters amidst the chaos, sessfully making it from the southernmost tip to the northernmost end of the Green Valley Region. Here, he heard about the Alliance, heard about a Governor arriving at Rage Owl Star, proiming to save the entire world. Of course, just that alone couldn''t touch anyone''s heart. Who couldn''t boast? However, based on what he''d heard, in that so-called Central Province, in the Twin Cities Region of the Alliance Capital... it seemed they were indeed doing well? Especially surprising to him was hearing that a Green-skin Orc Tribe had appeared at the ruins of a high tower, only to be dealt with by the Governor. The high tower ruins, with only a moment''s thought, he knew it was the biological research institute where he had once worked. He could guess why Green Skins had emerged there; part of his job was to research Green Skins. If a mere mortal like himself could rely on being frozen to survive to the post-war era; if Ge Wajia could live until now through life-extending surgeries; then what''s so surprising about Green Skin Orcs, with their vitality far beyond that of humans, living until this time? Not destroying the research live samples was a grave mistake, but in the face of war''s arrival, everything was in utter chaos. Struggling to escape, to resist, to die, it was understandable that they didn''t manage this task. But for live samples to survive to this day and evolve into an entire Green Skin Tribe was a huge disaster. Yet, they were taken care of by that Governor? This was beyond his expectations. He knew how troublesome Green Skins could be once they formed a tribe. Could just two cities, one province, barely supporting a poption of a million, really handle a Green Skin tribe? And even go to heaven to fight a battle and kill a Beastman Overlord? This was quite impressive. Furthermore, hearing that Twin Cities were also doing very well in terms of public welfare, he couldn''t help but fall into deep thought. With his abilities, if he were to reveal his identity, show his knowledge, he was confident that the Governor, if he had even the slightest discernment, would provide him with a good treatment. But he was truly scared by his previous experiences. He feared encountering another unscrupulous leader. If it were only the leader''sck of integrity, that would be tolerable, but such a person often posed a threat to the safety of him and his family. With his capabilities, even if he doesn''t seek refuge with the Governor, he could still make a living by finding a ce to settle in seclusion. It''s just the quality of life... Thinking of this, he couldn''t help but look towards his children, who were wolfing down their food, and his wife, who had turned her back and was silently shedding tears, feeling a touch of sadness in his heart. His children had never had a good life since the day they were born, frozen with him till today; his wife, once literate and well-educated, had experienced so much hardship on the escape northward that now, disheveled, she bore no resemnce to her former elegance. He wanted his wife and children to have better living conditions, for his wife who loved beauty and books to continue enjoying her grace, to brew a cup of tea in her spare time and read stories; he wanted his children to have aplete childhood, not to be secluded with him in a hideaway for a lifetime, perhaps never seeing another new person. If there were no choice, of course, life safetyes first; But it''s not really without choice. He struggled within himself but suddenly heard a noise outside the door. "...This is the ce! He lives here!" Hu Ke''s hair stood on end. A multitude of thoughts raced through his mind, and his biggest worry was that Ge Wajia''s henchmen hade knocking. It was possible, in fact, all through his escape he had always been under the threat of Ge Wajia''s Nature Salvation Society. In the Green Valley Region, this society wielded great influence; they had extended their reach deep into many ntations by helping them with superior breed transformations, soil environment improvements, and teaching nting techniques. All those technologies had hidden corruptions, even secretly turning many ntation workers into deformed puppets for the Nature Salvation Society. These deformed puppets were very difficult to distinguish under normal circumstances, but they were actually controlled by the Nature Salvation Society. Furthermore, even without the deformed puppets, many ntations grateful for the help werepletely blind to the true nature of the Nature Salvation Society. They did not know that the annual exotic tide ravaging Green Valley was the doing of these people. In their eyes, these were good Samaritans, exchanging food for yield-increasing technologies, a wonderful trade indeed. Chapter 280: Chapter 183: What Rank Can the Engine Prophet Set?_2 So, he had experienced many life-and-death moments. Betrayed, falling asleep only to be surrounded by a horde of Aberrant Beasts, and struggling to obtain supplies without revealing his tracks... He thought that by arriving here, supposedly on the turf of the Alliance and far from the south, he could settle down atst, but unexpectedly, there came a time when they caught up to him! He saw the gaze of his wife and children, filled with terror and concern, turned toward him. He extended his hand, signaling them to be silent. At the same time, he was also preparing himself forbat. He was not a warrior by trade, but his experience of multiple escapes in the past had forcibly taught him many fighting techniques. Hu Ke might have appeared to be an ordinary person from the outside, but as a biological expert specializing in gic engineering, his body had undergone many changes. To some extent, it wouldn''t be too far-fetched to say he was a humanoid biological weapon. Of course, by the Empire''s standards, he was still human. His self-modification had not crossed certain outrageous lines. The muscles in his arms bulged fiercely, and his chest heaved, umting strength. When necessary, the power of his punch was not inferior to that of an interster warrior; moreover, the bioelectricity stored within his body could instantly form a high voltage and, through his modified finger bones, pierce the skin and discharge electricity outward. This was a move of desperation. Yet despite being ready, he was still somewhat annoyed. He hadn''t thought things through enough, hadn''t prepared sufficiently. He thought that once here, he could live incognito and not be caught, but he hadn''t anticipated that the Nature Salvation Society''s minions would be here too! He heard footstepsing to the entrance of his shabby tent and then they stopped. ... Jason Morgan rubbed his hands, then turned to the person beside him and asked, "Are you sure this is the ce?" "I''m sure!" replied the man, cradling the food that Morgan had given him, "I was deathly ill, starting to develop pus-filled bumps like those Aberrant Beasts, running a high fever, delirious. And this man, in just a few minutes, cured me. Today I saw him again; his whole family lives here." "Fine, that''s all I need from you." Jason Morgan sent the man away, then cleared his throat twice and approached the ramshackle tent. He wanted to knock but found there was no door to knock on. He could only reach out and shake the curtain that served as the only barrier. At that moment, the curtain was pulled back from the inside. An ordinary-looking middle-aged man appeared before him, his expression wary. Jason Morgan tried to nce behind the man, but was blocked from seeing anything. So, he cleared his throat again and said, "I hear you are a skilled doctor; how may I address you?" The man didn''t answer but countered, "And who might you be?" His tone was less than polite, leaving Jason Morgan somewhat taken aback. He was now a ''big shot'' in the northern part of Green Valley Region, having been there for almost two months. Especially recently, respect and ttery were all he heard, with hardly anyone speaking to him in such a manner. However, there was no change in his expression, just a slight air of self-satisfaction as he said, "I am Jason Morgan, a D4-level official of the Rage Owl Star Alliance,missioned to establish the Survivors Mutual Aid Self-Governance Committee in the northern part of Green Valley Region. I am currently an observer on the Mutual Aid Committee. In the past two months, the Mutual Aid Committee has united over five hundred ntations, sheltered arge number of civilians, and provided a temporary refuge for millions of impoverished people who have lost their homes." "All this is your doing?" "Uh..." Jason Morgan was taken aback, his expression bing somewhat unnatural, "not all of it. It''s mainly due to the governor''s wise and valiant leadership, and next are the military observers and diplomats of the Alliance, who have gathered the refugees, coordinated with the ntations, and with military aid from the Twin Cities of the Alliance, helped them establish basic military self-defense capabilities. Thene the civil servants of the department, bringing in vast quantities of living and medical supplies to stabilize the situation... Damn, why am I telling you all this?" As he spoke, Morgan adjusted his conspicuously red cap, and with a solemn expression, he stated, "We are in dire need of manpower right now. We need all the help we can get for the people of Green Valley Region to settle down. And you, you are such a force." "Me?" "I''ve heard you''re a very good doctor," Morgan continued, "We have arge supply of medicine, but we''re in dire need of people who know how to use them. You can help those infected recover without medicine, so imagine what you can do with it." "Are you trying to recruit me?" Morgan hesitated, then said, "If that''s how you want to interpret it, that''s fine." Hu Keughed. He had thought that the Nature Salvation Society was approaching him, but instead, it was the Alliance. How coincidental. Just as he was considering whether to join the governor, someone from the governor''s office came to him. "What''s in it for me, then?" Jason Morgan looked at the man''s smile across from him. It was somewhat inexplicable, and he had no idea what Hu Ke was thinking. He was just doing his best to try to recruit this talent: "The benefits are plentiful!" He tried to look behind Hu Ke again, and this time he vaguely saw the figures of two children. Morgan showed what he thought was a gentle smile to the two kids, and then said to Hu Ke, "Let me start with what I can offer you. The shelter is temporary, and we provide basic food supplies to all refugees, but... our resources are limited, we are already trying to feed more people with the little we have, but there are still asional deaths from starvation, and we''ve done our best." "I am sorry I can only offer you and your family thin porridge to fill your stomachs, only to let you sleep in rudimentary tents under such poor conditions. But if you are willing to make a greater contribution to the entire Green Valley Region, then I guarantee that you and your family will receive better treatment. A real roof over your heads, ample and varied food; these are all a given." "There''s more that I can''t guarantee, but I believe you have the ability to secure. After a pause, Jason Morgan continued, "You might have noticed that in my self-introduction, I mentioned that I am a D4 level employee of the Alliance. If you really are a capable doctor, even after the cmity in the Green Valley Region is over, you could move to the newly established Alliance Hospital in the Twin Cities. With your own abilities, you could secure a high-ranking position. For someone like me, a D4 level employee, the food supply is enough to feed the whole family. I still have money left to buy various appliances to improve the quality of life, a bigger and brighter house, a friendly, clean, and stable neighborhood... You can even send your children to school. In short, your life could be very fulfilling." "In fact, you see so many people here in the refugee camp, everyone is waiting for a chance to join the Alliance, even just being an E level employee is enough to live worry-free under the premise of hard work." "What do you think?" After listening to Jason Morgan''s lengthy speech, Hu Ke thought for a while and smiled, "I must admit, you''ve persuaded me." "That''s good..." Morgan also smiled. "However..." Hu Ke drew out his words, bringing up a question that Morgan had never anticipated, "I do have another question: what rank could a specialist in gene engineering, an ''Engine Seer,'' hold in your Alliance?" Jason Morgan was stunned. What? What the heck is gene engineering? And an Engine Seer? What is this doctor talking about? Why don''t I understand? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The update iste today. I''ve been working overtime a lot recently, and I typically go home after work, have some supper, take a bath, and start writing around midnight until three in the morning, then I schedule it to be published the next day. Yesterday, I just couldn''t stay awake and fell asleep. Today, I refused to work overtime, came home to finish yesterday''s work and wrote today''s in advance. I''m going to sleep early tonight, hoping the days of overworked corporate very are soon over. Chapter 281: Chapter 184, Treatment of C9 Level Employees By the time the entire situation was reported up the chain and became known to Gu Hang, it was already two dayster. The efficiency was not considered low, but Gu Hang still had to be thankful that no information had been lost along the way. The clerk named Jason Morgan had not dismissed the information as nonsense because he couldn''t understand it and refused to report it; the Migration Bureau, upon hearing of a peculiar, yet potentially key talent, reported directly to the Civil Affairs Department; upon learning the news, Osenia sent him a message... When Gu Hang received the message, he had just spent his grace points to establish the "Technical Academy." Knowing that someone iming to be the ''Engine Prophet'' had appeared under hismand, Gu Hang immediatelyughed out loud. Of course, Gu Hang knew what level the Engine Prophet was. In the hierarchy of the Mechanical Cult Guild, the progression line was: Junior Commissioner - Technical Commissioner - Mechanic - Mechanical Priest - Engine Prophet. The Engine Prophet was already considered a middle-tier figure within the Sect of Mechanics. Above that was the Dominant Bishop. This rank was even the highest in some of the Foundry Worlds controlled by the Mechanical Cult Guild, with some Founding Generals being nothing more than Dominant Bishops. Inparison, Wu Jiarong was initially just a Technical Commissioner with the skills of a Mechanic, sent to the surface of Rage Owl Star. It was only through her intensive study of the ck Box over the past six months that she had made rapid progress, barely reaching the level of a Mechanical Priest. Yet even so, Wu Jiarong had already been able to provide tremendous assistance on many technological projects. What about an even more formidable Engine Prophet? His expertise in gene engineering included technologies such as servo craniums, soilless farms, medical technology, and servant modifications, which were his specialty. Even for some non-specialty technologies, given the time to study, he could do no worse than Wu Jiarong ¡ª possibly even better. Besides, assigning him as a lecturer at the just-established Technical Academy was another avenue, freeing up at least half of Wu Jiarong''s time. Gu Hang would not think that having an Engine Prophet meant he could rece Wu Jiarong. To Gu Hang, Wu Jiarong''s most important duty was guarding the many ck Boxes that had been produced. This task required loyalty rather than technical ability. She had performed well over the past half year, and Gu Hang did not wish to rece her. After all, who knew if the neer was reliable? Moreover, Gu Hang had yet to ascertain whether this Engine Prophet had truly reached the level he imed. However, that did not stop Gu Hang from taking this matter very seriously. Whether he was genuine or not, one would know by taking him out for a spin. On the one hand, he notified Wu Jiarong toe to Revival City to meet the Engine Prophet with him; on the other hand, he dispatched a Falcon Squadron to pick up the individual from the north of the Green Valley Region. Several hundred kilometers in the middle, driving here would take a long time. For the Falcon Squadron, however, they could make the round trip in less than two hours the same day. The Falcon, equipped with an Anti-Gravity Engine and capable of vertical takeoff andnding, did not even require an airport; any reasonably t area would suffice fornding. Not keeping the governor waiting for long, two Falconsnded one after the other on top of the Governor''s Tower. This was his office, which had recently beenpleted by converting the Old Alliance''s Parliament building. On the rooftop outside the office hall, a few helipads were added, facilitating the takeoff andnding of aircraft. With the Falcons, not to mention their potential role in warfare, Gu Hang felt that his time had been greatly saved. Capable of supersonic cruising Falcon allowed Gu Hang to reach any region currently under Alliance control in less than an hour. Especially the trip from Revival City to Weixing City, which for the Falcon was almost the matter of a single takeoff andnding, only taking a few minutes. This greatly facilitated Gu Hang''s travel, allowing him to easily visit multiple locations within a day, to personally inspect the factories in Weixing City, visit the troops on the front lines, and to check the progress of reconstruction nning in Gaota Province or Central-North Province. It is said that the limits of governance are determined by the speed of information transfer. Of course, within a, normalmunication methods can basically cover the entire, but if Gu Hang, the ruler, could also appear anywhere he wished with great speed, it would greatly enhance his governing effectiveness. The Falcon thatnded first brought Wu Jiarong. Gu Hang briefly chatted with her about the progress of the current research projects she was working on, and the conversation had not gone on for long before the second Falcon arrived. An unremarkable middle-aged man, escorted by guards, entered Gu Hang''s office. After a brief introduction, with Gu Hang and Wu Jiarong''s deliberate guidance, they continued the previous topic. After a brief silence, once the man named Hu Ke understood what they were talking about, he joined the conversation smoothly. The three of them talked for almost two hours in the office. In the beginning, Gu Hang was able to keep up with the topic, mainly by stating requirements and inquiring about progress. As the conversation delved into more in-depth technical content, he mainly listened, not fully understanding, but the other two became more and more enthusiastic. Chapter 282: Chapter 184, Treatment of C9 Level Employees_2 By the final stage, Gu Hang hadpletely lost the ability to understand, and even Wu Jiarong spoke very little, turning instead to listening and thinking. Mainly, it was Hu Ke speaking, and even Wu Jiarong appeared to benefit greatly from his lectures. By then, even without asking for Wu Jiarong''s opinion, Gu Hang knew that the man before him was indeed an Engine Prophet. In the end, he was the one who ended the conversation. Having no choice, as he could not understand, he decided to leave the technical issues to those qualified to handle them. His Excellency, the Governor, had no need to continue wasting time there. With a light cough, he said, "Mr. Hu, let''s talk about your past. I am quite curious, how did a Mechanical Cult Guild''s Engine Prophet end up on Rage Owl Star?" Speaking of which, Hu Ke sighed and shared his past experiences. After listening, Gu Hang also felt quite moved. "War has destroyed the beautiful lives of countless people," said Gu Hang, "but it is also the only means by which humanity has managed to survive in this ever-turbulent Star Sea." Hu Ke agreed, "You''re right, but the cost is high, especially when the cost falls on individuals." "But I promise you," Gu Hang stated, "in the future, I will do everything in my power to prevent those cmities from befalling you and your family. I cannot guarantee that such things will never happen again, but at least as long as I can ensure overall stability, you will have a peaceful life. What I need from you is merely your knowledge and your loyalty." "I will always remain loyal to The Emperor." The middle-aged man seemed to say more than he meant, but Gu Hang did not mind. "That''s enough," he said. "Since we have got this far..." Hu Ke knew that he had passed this two-hour interview, and now it was time to discuss hispensation, "I am quite interested in the rank hierarchy you have established on Rage Owl Star. May I know what rank and treatment I can expect under yourmand?" "C9," Gu Hang answered directly, without beating around the bush, revealing the decision he had made earlier, "the highest level of the C tier. You will have arge standalone vi with a yard in Revival City. If you prefer a lively neighbourhood, we can arrange a residence in the residential area, where your neighbours will be government officials or researchers¡ªI guarantee your house will be the best in themunity; if you prefer quiet, your house can also be located in a standalone vi in the suburbs." "Naturally, I will not need to mention that you will have no worries about food and clothing. You will have three E-level employees as nannies and housekeepers to provide services. Your wife can freely choose a job, and I heard she enjoys reading? The museums, archives, and libraries in Revival City are all in their formative stages; we are dedicated to collecting pre-war relics and striving to restore the once-glorious culture of Rage Owl Star. Perhaps your wife would also like to be a C-level employee and contribute to the cultural renaissance of Rage Owl Star." "Of course, if she prefers to stay at home peacefully, that''s possible too. However, without a specific job, her rank can''t be rated too high. Please understand this, as it is the policy of the Alliance and it cannot be broken for any individual," he continued. "Your child will receive the mostprehensive education from the Alliance. Perhaps you do not care about these things, as the quality of the education you could give to your child at home during your spare time is probably higher than the Alliance''s current educational level. But I believe you would still want your child to have a proper childhood and socialize with peers," Gu Hang said. Hearing this, Hu Ke nodded in satisfaction. Solely from the standpoint of living conditions, he had nothing else to ask for. C9, under the current Alliance system, was already very high. It was said that Lady Osenia, who in practice took on the work of the Prime Minister of the Alliance Government, was only at B3. Clearly, the Governor was intentionally reserving higher levels for future promotions. From this level, he was only four sub-tiers away from the current highest rank of the Alliance. With his child and wife properly taken care of, all he needed to do was his job. "May I ask then, what exactly will my job entail?" Gu Hang provided an immediate answer: "Under the Alliance Production Department, a Science and Technology Development Bureau will be nned. Ms. Wu Jiarong will be the director, and you will be the honorary director. You will have an independent research institute in Revival City and I will try to provide enough assistants to help with your work." "The tasks you need to undertake are mainly threefold," she began, "the first is to take on various scientific research projects either from the Alliance Production Department or directly from my office, that is, the Office of the Governor." "The second is to serve as an educator at the Alliance Technical College." "Thirdly, you will act as a direct technical consultant to the Office of the Governor, answering some of my questions when necessary." After listening carefully to these tasks, Hu Ke indicated that there was no problem. Moreover, he immediately demonstrated initiative in his work and, in ordance with the third point raised by Her Excellency, reported a situation. It concerned the incidents at the southern edge of the Green Valley, the Nature Salvation Society, and his student Ge Wajia. Upon hearing this, Gu Hang immediately furrowed his brows deeply. "Are you saying... the aberrant beasts that are ravaging the Rage Owl Star, which are almost omnipresent, are the products of this Nature Salvation Society? And it''s not just simple gic mutations, biological variants, but also involves supernatural phenomena rted to demons from the Abyss?" "That''s the general idea, although some details may vary," Hu Ke rified, "The aberrant beasts of Rage Owl Star might not be entirely the work of the Nature Salvation Society. But they have exploited these creatures, employing their filthy, degenerate demonology. They are conducting inhumane experiments in the Southern Green Valley, attempting to manufacture and control these aberrant beasts on arge scale." Gu Hang stroked his chin, deep in thought. If it was just the aberrant beasts, that would be one thing. He had not not dealt with such monsters before; in the nearly deforested woods surrounding Weixing City, now the site of the Phoenix Monastery, he had once led a fledgling army, besieged by a group of aberrant beasts activated by dark sorcery from the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect. Those creatures were a terrifying threat to the average wastnd survivor force. They did not fear death, grew cyclically, were immensely powerful, and with things like the Pus Spewer, they could almost be considered short-range bio-cannons. The aberrant beasts of the Green Valley region are generally such creatures. Even if there are asionally some strange species, on the whole, their numbers are notrge. And yet, it was these very creatures that had wrought great destruction upon the local ntations of the Green Valley, one by oneying them to waste. At present, the entire central and southern parts of Green Valley were in dire straits. ording to thetest intelligence Gu Hang had seen, the aberrant beasts were the source of the disaster. Aside from the direct destruction of settlements, casualties and reduced food production they caused, the most terrifying thing was the secondary disasters that followed. People wouldn''t just die out; those who had lost their ntations, their food, and their wealth wouldn''t just sit and wait to starve. They would spontaneously band together,pete with each other, consume each other, eventually formingrger, stronger, more cohesive groups. And so one Marauder Tribe after another was born. They would raid, kill, and loot in order to survive. A significant number of ntations were also destroyed by these marauders. The wave of aberrant beasts led to the emergence of refugees ¡ª these refugees formed Marauder Tribes ¡ª which in turn destroyed more settlements, creating even more refugees ¡ª leading to even bigger and more Marauder Tribes... The vicious cycle, like a rolling snowball, had begun. Chapter 283: Chapter 185, The goal of the war is the entire Green Valley Region! The vicious cycle in the Green Valley Region was not a first-time urrence. In past years, every monster wave saw simr events unfold. However, previous waves of beasts were neither particrly long in duration nor particrlyrge in scale. Once the tide of monsters abated, the source of the vicious cycle would disappear, and things would start to improve. Raiders were either eradicated or, in the territories they upied, they would "whitewash" themselves and turn into legitimate ntations. Those who did not whitewash and continued as raiders existed as well, but their numbers would never be too significant. Ultimately, when most people had enough to eat, the situation would gradually settle down until the next wave of beast tides, and the vicious cycle wouldmence anew. In summary, that''s how the people of the Green Valley Region got by over the many years. But this year was different, the wave of Aberrant Beasts toorge, not just sporadic; and itsted too long, nearly half a year now, showing no signs of weakening but instead escting. With the source of the vicious cycle not diminishing but strengthening, that vicious cycle naturally could not be stopped. Yet, the issues in the Green Valley Region needed to be addressed. It is the most important granary of Rage Owl Star, not only feeding the 10 million poption of the Green Valley Region itself but also supplying food to Central Province and the Eastern Provinces. If the problem in the Green Valley Region is not solved, it not only means a livelihood issue for its 10 million poption but will also lead to widespread famine across the entire. Ultimately, this is a poption loss Gu Hang could not tolerate. Poption is extremely important, both for productivity and for the fixed monthly ie in his system. Only with more people can arger industry be sustained, more armies be maintained, and more merit point ie be provided. This grain-producing area, these ten million people, were definitively something Gu Hang had to protect. And several months ago, the Alliance had already taken action. The weapons and equipment reced by the military, from those of the Old Alliance Legion to the adventures of Rubbish Town who were incorporated after being disarmed, were sold inrge quantities as military goods to the Southern Green Valley Region. In need of weapons, the Green Valley Region theoretically could have paid high prices for these firearms and homemade artillery, but under Osenia''s instructions, the Alliance Commerce Department did not proceed in that manner. When there was a shortage of food earlier, the prices were sold a bit higher, but as soon as the food imports from the Western Desert Region increased significantly and the pressure on Central Province''s food supplies eased, the Commerce Department even further lowered the prices. Later on, some of the weaponry produced in Weixing City''s armory was sold to Green Valley Region. And numerous weapons and equipment were not sold for money but were provided free of charge as military aid. Of course, "free of charge" essentially meant everything but money was required. Military aid, assistance in all kinds of essential goods, consumer products, definitely all came with an agenda, a strong political attribute. Without such arge batch of military goods, how could the Alliance''s diplomats, civil administrators, and military observers establish the so-called "Qinggu Mutual Aid Committee"? And this so-called "Qinggu Mutual Aid Committee" was Gu Hang''s preparation for the future andplete control over the entire Green Valley Region. Many ntations, refugees, and even raiders willing toy down their arms and whitewash were brought in. The "Mutual Aid Society" made the ntations give up grain as a protection fee, ensuring that refugees and raiders would not plunder them; they organized refugees and whitewashed raiders, armed with the aid and sold weapons from the Alliance, into militias and patrol teams to strike at other raiders not affiliated with the Mutual Aid Society; these militias and patrol teams would quickly provide support upon receiving pleas for help from various ntations. If they encountered an insurmountable wave of giant beasts, at the very least, they could ensure the people inside could evacuate alive. The existence of the Mutual Aid Society proved to be highly effective over the course of two months. This can be seen from how the Mutual Aid Society, in just two months, rapidly expanded from a smattering of initial locations near Central Province, which was under Alliance control, to a massive organization covering nearly four million people, almost the entire Northern Green Valley Region. To be frank, the poption under the Mutual Aid Society was already nearlyparable to the Alliance proper. Such rapid expansion was not only due to the effective work of Alliance''s external staff and the valuable military goods provided but also because the Mutual Aid Society met the needs of almost everyone in the Northern Green Valley Region. Refugees found a haven, whitewashed raiders had a stable grain ie, and ntations had strong armed support... Gu Hang viewed the Mutual Aid Society as a rapidly growing fruit of victory. Once the Mutual Aid Society expanded sufficiently, the Alliance Army could swiftly move southward, bringing with them the militias and patrol teams of the Mutual Aid Society, to fully regroup and push southward, leveling the mutant beasts that had overrun the central and southern parts of Green Valley. Initially, he had already been capable of annihting tens of thousands of Aberrant Beasts with just a single infantry battalion, let alone now. His army had grown in number, and their weapons and equipment had undergone several upgrades, now possessing powerful long-range firepower, armored troops, and even air forces. Chapter 284: Chapter 185, The Goal of War is the Entire Green Valley Region!_2 Aberrant Beasts are at the original level, even if there are more of them, there''s nothing to be afraid of. All he had to do was wait for the Mutual Aid Society to mature, and after that, it was all about reaping the rewards. After one sweep, Gu Hang would have had the entire Green Valley Regionpletely under his control, and it would have seemed as easy as reaching into a bag and taking what he wanted. But now, the news brought by Hu Ke had raised deep concerns in Gu Hang. The biotechnology of the Nature Salvation Society involved supernatural forces and demon knowledge, and with that, these creatures could not simply be treated as a local environmental monster formation. If he considered Demons as the hypothetical enemy... Gu Hang felt incredibly uneasy inside. To put it bluntly, even the Green Skin Tribe of Gaota Province, which had not fully developed yet, proved to be a tough battle, and if he were to encounter Demons or Chaos Traitors... they definitely wouldn''t be easier to deal with than the Green Skin Orcs. At this point, it was Hu Ke who was trying to reassure Gu Hang not to worry too much. "The situation hasn''t deteriorated to an irreversible point." The C9 employee who had just joined the allianceforted his biggest boss, and said, "At least during my half-year stay in Chanter Town, I only noticed their technology was rted to demon knowledge. I haven''t seen any solid evidence of their more significant ties with Demons and definitely haven''t personally seen a Demon. Lord Governor, you don''t have to be overly worried." However, Hu Ke added another line after saying this: "But we might need to speed up our actions. After all, no one knows what could happen if we give them more time... even this year''s particrly massive wave of Aberrant Beasts, there''s no doubt it''s the doing of the Nature Salvation Society. It''s just a pity that in the past six months, I kept stalling and didn''t undergo their so-called ''sublimation transformation'', and that''s why I couldn''t ess many top-secret details or confirm their exact aims." Gu Hang nodded and said, "I understand. I''m very grateful for the intelligence you''ve provided. You''ve worked hard during this time, and the Civil Administration Office should have prepared your new home for you. Take your family and have a good rest. The future development of the alliance will rely even more on your contributions. As for the Green Valley Region issue..." He paused, then Gu Hang continued, "I don''t n to change our original strategy, we just have to speed up." This was inevitable. Without knowing the enemy''s ns, and also finding it difficult to find ways to investigate, the best response was to strike quickly and ruthlessly topletely eliminate them before the enemy''s actions fullymenced. Gu Hang no longer bothered with the two technical experts, Wu Jiarong and Hu Ke, but made his own calctions. The best resolution time was within a month. The Quintet would remain for another month before leaving. Although the Starship had suffered some not insignificant damage, its weapon systems were still rtively intact. The ammunition reserves were no longer ample, but still somewhat sufficient, enough to carry out an orbital strike on the ground without issue. Therefore, the best solution for Gu Hang right now was to resolve the Green Valley problem within a month, while the orbital strike capability was still present, and to thoroughly eradicate the Nature Salvation Society. If things were dragged out past a month and the orbital strike capability was gone, that would be troublesome. Having thought this through, Gu Hang called his secretary, who was also his butler that hade with him to Rage Owl Star, Zhang Chao. "Send an order to Yan Fangxu, cancel all troop rotations, all soldiers must be ready to mobilize within three days. His troops will depart after three days, war has begun." "Yes!" Zhang Chao instinctively responded, then asked with some confusion, "But... what is the target of the war?" "The entire Green Valley Region." Gu Hang replied. ... Jason Morgan felt that since the establishment of the new alliance, his luck had been particrly good. He had received anothermendation for discovering a top-tier talent for the alliance. It all seemed dreamlike. In all honesty, he had just wanted to find an exceptional doctor to help solve the infection and death problem among the refugees. And from that, he stumbled upon an Engine Prophet? Jason Morgan had sincee to understand what an Engine Prophet represented. He now counted himself fortunate for not having been rude at the time, but instead, had shown the appropriate respect to Hu Ke. If the alliance made any key technological breakthroughs in the future, he could im some credit for it! Still, this matter was merely an episode to him. Although he benefited greatly from it, and during the recentmunication with the leadership of the Immigration Bureau, they even mentioned his promotion by two ranks was a certainty. Naturally, he was overjoyed. However, his leadership also reminded him of one thing. "Your primary job still needs to be done well." "I understand!" And what was his primary job? 1. Ensure the sess of the autumn harvest. 2. Manage poption migration, with the most important task being infectious disease control. Both had been his ongoing efforts. Recently, it was already autumn, and the primary food crops of the major ntations in the Northern Green Valley Region were nearing the harvest season. Although this year''s total yield was bound to be less than ster, it was crucial to harvest what could be harvested. Chapter 285: Chapter 185, The Goal of War is the Entire Green Valley Region!_3 ording to the instructions from the Governor: saving one more grain of food now may prevent someone from starving in the future. For this task, Jason was actually running tirelessly between major ntations, just to see how the harvests were going and to sign future grain procurement contracts with the relevant ntation owners. The second task involved relocating poptions to the Central Province, especially to the Twin Cities Region, continuously. This was his old line of work; the only difference was that previously, the relocation was from other areas of the Central Province to the Twin Cities, and now it was from the Northern Green Valley Region. In terms of the willingness of the poption, moving people from Green Valley to the Twin Cities was even simpler than doing the same thing within the Central Province. Here in Green Valley, most of the people were refugees who longed for the opportunity to go to the Twin Cities Region. However, the situation wasplicated by the outbreak of an infectious disease. This was a peculiar condition discovered only in the past month. Known as ''Pustule Disease,'' the infectious disease wasn''t highly fatal, but those infected would develop blisters all over their bodies causing intense itching. The pus from these broken blisters became a source of infection. Healthy people who came into contact without protection could easily be infected. Therefore, before relocating people to the Central Province, it was essential to first iste the individuals to ensure safety before transporting them to the rear. And within Revival City, another round of istion and observation was necessary, until it was confirmed that the group showed no signs of the disease before they were allowed to enter the city. Jason Morgan''s quarantine policies at various refugee settlements were about more than just monitoring people for symptoms of illness. Those who fell ill were quickly transferred to the sick wards, where they would receive care from health workers. Of course, one couldn''t expect these health workers to be highly professional. Although the hospitals in the Twin Cities had been established for some time, the level of the doctors there was... mediocre, to put it mildly. And in the refugee camps in the Northern Green Valley Region, one couldn''t even dream of having professional doctors. They were health workers conscripted on the spot, equipped with a rudimentary medical manual, administering medication shipped from the Twin Cities to the sick popce. But surprisingly, the results were quite effective. What yed the most significant role was the medication itself. The pharmaceutical chemical nts in Revival City, which had been in operation for some time, produced medication that was genuinely effective. For pain relief, one dose could truly alleviate the pain¡ªnot necessarily curing the disease, but making patients feel much better, and once their mood improved and they were able to eat, their bodies naturally gained more energy to fight off the disease. The drugs for treating skin diseases and immune disorders might not target the exact symptoms, but the barefoot doctors, following the handbook and administering the standard doses, often found sess. Humans are sometimes frail, but at other times, incredibly resilient. With enough food and medications that could relieve pain and soothe symptoms... even without a cure-all, most people would ultimately pull through. The current mortality rate of ''Pustule Disease'' stood between 5%-10%. This was a high figure, and with the number of infected individuals across the numerous refugee camps adding up to over a hundred thousand, it meant that tens of thousands might die from the disease. It was precisely because he had seen too many tragedies that Jason, upon hearing of an outstanding doctor, took time out of his busy schedule to recruit him¡ªan effort that resulted in even greater benefits, but that''s another story. Nevertheless, Jason Morgan was quite optimistic about the future. As the temporarily recruited health workers, the barefoot doctors, gained more experience in treating Pustule Disease, even the most foolish ones would eventually discern some objective principles, allowing for a further refinement of medication dosage and improving the process of patient care. Soon, a new medical manual bearing the ''Revival City Research Institute'' emblem was distributed to his area, detailing how to medicate patients with Pustule Disease, the symptoms expected at each stage, how to adapt medication ns during phase transitions, specific methods of istion, and indicators of patient recovery... This manual was far more reliablepared to the ''Barefoot Book'' they were previously using. He knew that this new researcher was none other than Mr. Hu Ke, whom he had ''recruited.'' He was very reassured. Though he had initially misunderstood, believing Mr. Hu Ke was a doctor, in reality, the contribution he made was even greater than that of a mere physician. In summary, with more experienced health workers and the new treatment manual from the Revival City Research Institute, the situation was bound to improve. Apart from the autumn harvest and Pustule Disease, he had just received news of a new task added to his te: He was to coordinate with the Central Group Army, which had already moved south, and with the military observers from the Mutual Aid Society, to locally assemble militia forces. All militia units were to be ced under themand of Yan Fangxu, a General of the Central Group Army, and be subject to the unified dispatch of the headquarters. Furthermore, the Mutual Aid Society should mobilize all ntations to supply the army with grain on-site after the autumn harvest, as part of the support for the southward moving troops. He had already disseminated the relevant notifications through the Mutual Aid Society''swork to various locations. Yet, the implementation was not ideal. The decision-making body of the Mutual Aid Committee was the Committee Assembly. These so-calledmittee members were mostly the ntation owners who still maintained order, and a minority were reformed former looters turned militia leaders. No official from the Alliance held a formalmittee membership; they mostly served as observers. This arrangement was made initially to dispel the wariness of the ntation owners and militia leaders when the Mutual Aid Society was established. Originally, there had been time to gradually dissolve the power of the Mutual Aid Society, but the Alliance Headquarters'' sudden advance disrupted their ns. Currently, both the ntation owners and militia leaders wielded significant influence and power. And a considerable number of them opposed the Alliance''splete southward move. Now, the Mutual Aid Committee was inplete disarray. It was up to Jason Morgan to resolve this issue. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª This chapter is 5,000 words. Publishing it now; it''s toote when I finished writing, I''ll correct any typos or grammatical errors after I wake up... Chapter 286: Chapter 186, what do you say is the way of loyalty? Crook ntation can almost be considered thergest ntation in the Northern Green Valley Region. The surname Crook has been passed down here for four generations. They have always been the masters of the ntation, and over time they have grown and expanded so that now, their status in the Northern Green Valley Region is of great significance. A few months ago, the old master passed away, and now Kroc is in charge. The younger generation, as it happens, harbors even greater ambition than their predecessors. Disregarding whether this ambition is reasonable or not, at least Kroc believes that he is a man of grand aspirations. He is not content with merely being a local tycoon of the Green Valley Region, living off of thend like his ancestors¡ªalbeit at the expense of others''bor while he reaps the benefits. Nheless, he feels that the Crook family can take things a step further. The current crisis in the Green Valley Region and the establishment of the Mutual Aid Society, supported by the Alliance, present a golden opportunity that he values highly. He responded enthusiastically to the creation of the Mutual Aid Society and, utilizing his own influence, persuaded and affected the participation of many other ntations. This was not difficult. Firstly, the Mutual Aid Society was inherently advantageous and mutually beneficial; secondly, Crook Manor, as thergest ntation, indeed yed a leading role in actively responding to the Mutual Aid Society. His goal, in fact, is not at allplicated: he hopes to be the controller of the Mutual Aid Society, transforming it from an organization of mutual assistance formed under the aid of the Alliance into a genuine political entity stretching across the Green Valley Region. He has excluded all Alliance-appointed individuals from the Mutual Aid Committee, granting them mere observer status, while the real power structures are under the control of the ntation owners and militiamanders. As long as he firmly upies the position ofmittee chairman and leads well, that will suffice. Afterwards, the gradual improvement of various governmental mechanisms will ensure that power is truly implemented from top to bottom. Of course, he is not so na?ve as to believe that transforming the Mutual Aid Society into a political entity will allow him to stand up against the Alliance or the Governor. However... the so-called Alliance is not a centralized government. Ever since the establishment of the Alliance by one generation of Governors, we have always been a member of the Alliance and have never left it. Still under the framework of the Alliance, but as an autonomous regional government that maintains a cooperative and mutually beneficial rtionship with the Alliance Central, wouldn''t that be wonderful? Of course, he is well aware that, given the current state of the GreenValley Region, taking a hard stance against the Alliance Headquarters is definitely not feasible. What he strives for is political benefits. In his view, the Green Valley Region has a poption and significant food production, which provides a basis for negotiating with the Alliance Headquarters. Even if it is inevitable that in the future the region will bepletely absorbed by the Alliance, by then, Kroc would need a satisfactory exnation. Bing a senior official within the Alliance is also not out of the question. But he did not anticipate that the Alliance would not give him time. Kroc is somewhat panicked. Has my cunning n been seen through? Is the Alliance targeting me? He called for a grand meeting of the Mutual Aid Society Committee. The venue was at Crook Manor, which also serves as the headquarters of the Mutual Aid Society. A circr hall, with its center lower and the surroundings gradually elevated. Wooden tables and chairs were arranged on the steps around the hall for themittee members to sit. And in the very center of the circr dais was the podium. Inside the meeting hall, Kroc was inciting the thoughts of the other ntation owners. Standing in the center of the conference hall, Kroc spoke passionately. "I believe many of you have received the news that Commander Yan Fangxu of the Central Group Army is marching southward. ording to thetest orders from the Alliance, we need to provide supplies for this army." "Not just food supplies, but also our militia forces, which we have painstakingly established over these past few months, are to be incorporated under themand of Commander Yan Fangxu." "Consider what happened in the Central Province two months ago. Arge number of settlements were abolished; arge number of survivors were captured by the Alliance; the people who had worked tirelessly to sustain the settlements and protect their people were sent to the guillotine, found guilty." "The Alliance is nning to take away everything from us, just as they did to the people of the Central Province two months ago." His remarks indeed stirred up many people''s minds. The sudden move south by the Central Group Army truly caused panic. The ntation owners are worried that their properties will be confiscated. Under the policies of the Alliance, it seems that fully independent, private properties do not exist. However, even if their thoughts have been provoked, most people are stillrgely silent at this moment. Worries aside, but... should they really oppose the Alliance because of this? Let''s set other considerations aside for the moment and look at the attitudes of the militiamanders. Now, the military force of the Mutual Aid Societypletely consists of militias. Among the militiamanders, those elected by the ntation owners are still manageable, and for the time being, they can maintain a stance that aligns with the ntation owners who elected them. But those bandits who have been surrendered and whitewashed are apletely different matter. Being ced under themand of the Central Group Army... to them, it doesn''t seem so bad. The bandits who were recruited and whitewashed originally took up that lifestyle out of desperation and the need to survive. The ntation owners show no particr mercy to them, and they have no fixed properties in the Beiqing Valley Region. Chapter 287: Chapter 186, what do you say is the way of loyalty?_2 Everyone''s just trying to scrape a living, aren''t they? If they''re incorporated into the ranks of the Alliance Army, surely they wouldn''t let them starve? Who knows, in the future they might even have the chance to be regrs, proud members of the Alliance''s formal military. But imagine expecting a militia with this kind of mentality to risk their lives in military confrontation with the Alliance? Don''t make meugh. Besides, it''s not just about direct military confrontation, even without war, the Mutual Aid Society couldn''t withstand hostility from the Alliance, let alone its hard measures. A militia of over a hundred thousand, who''s going to provide the arms? With just food, could the four million residents of the Beiqing Valley Region survive? Arge volume of industrial products, essential goods for life, all depend on supply from the Twin Cities, especially important is medical aid. If the support of the Alliance is missing, the Mutual Aid Society itself would copse. To be frank, there''s no possibility of any direct confrontation between the two sides. Kroc himself mentioned the Central Province just now, didn''t he? At least the Central Province could pull together an army of a hundred thousand without any help and in total opposition to the governor. Could the Mutual Aid Society do that? Once opposed, it''s likely that the order established by the Mutual Aid Society in the Beiqing Valley Region over the past couple of months would fall apart on its own. Moreover, even if an army were pulled together, so what? Would they be able to defeat the grand forces of the Alliance? How many days did that hundred-thousand-strong army of the Central Provincest? Everyone was rightfully bitter about the Alliance Army''s sudden move southward, but if Kroc believes such feelings could motivate everyone to hard-headedly confront the Alliance, he''s dreaming. No one will join him in such madness. Of course, Kroc isn''t delusional enough to think he could incite the Mutual Aid Society to do such a thing. Even if he could, he wouldn''t. Yet, upon reading the expressions of those around and guessing their mindset, Kroc still felt some disappointment. But he quickly adjusted his attitude. He continued, "I know you all are scared, thinking ''Ah, has this Kroc gone mad, daring to say such words'', but I need to tell you, it is now truly a matter of life and death for us, and no one wants to give up the assets umted by generations for nothing." "Of course, we are not going to confront the Alliance, to confront the governor. I have no such intention. The Mutual Aid Society was established with the help of the Alliance, His Excellency the Governor has helped us a lot, we, the people of Green Valley, will not be ungrateful. We are part of the Alliance, in the past, at the present, and in the future; we will always be loyal to The Emperor, loyal to the governor, this will never change." As he said this, people finally became interested. He had started out talking as if everything we had would be taken by the Alliance, almost inciting us to confront them, but then his speech took a total turn, speaking of loyalty to the governor and the Alliance. What kind of schizophrenic statement is this? What in the world is he getting at? Even though his speech had been baffling, when he mentioned that he didn''t actually mean to turn against the damn thing, everyone''s guard and vignce significantly lessened. People started to expect that Kroc might really have some good n to keep everyone''s assets without causing a direct confrontation with the Alliance. "We are loyal to the governor, to the Alliance, but loyalty does not mean stupidity, we have to consider the way we are loyal," he said. "We will show our will to His Excellency the Governor through nonviolent noncooperation. We will refuse to supply the Alliance Army, we will refuse to transfer themand and organizational power of the militia to the Central Group Army. If there are any direct threats of violence, I allow you to temporarily agree, to promise cooperation; but once the violent threat has ceased, we propose that we will continue to carry out protest actions..." As he spoke, Kroc''s pace suddenly quickened, intensified: "Members, this is our way of protest. We will never engage in any head-on confrontations with the Alliance Army, striking, protesting, stopping food supplies¡ªthese actions will also not continue indefinitely. We just need a civilized way, a bloodless way, to express our demands, and ultimately achieve the goal of resolving issues through negotiation!" This speech stirred the audience. Well done, it''s a strategy of ''nonviolent noncooperation'', right? But upon reflection, it''s not unfeasible. Strikes, protests, withholding supplies... if faced with guns, there''d be no choice; but as long as there are no guns, do nothing. How many people does the Alliance Army have? Are they all going to be supervisors in every area? Both sides just drag it out, the Green Valley Region has always been a mess, how much worse can it continue to get? But it''s different for the Alliance. Can the great endeavors of His Excellency the Governor afford such dys? Creating value in the united front and then at the negotiation table, strive to gain as many benefits as possible... This approach seems really viable. But some questioned, "This is a good method, but if the Alliance performs bloody suppression, arrests or even executes the leaders of the protest, that is, us, then how will you respond to that?" Kroc took a deep breath, "That''s the risk we face: first, would the Alliance do that? Aren''t they afraid of inciting greater resistance? Second, we must protect ourselves. The Beiqing Valley Region is vast, or rather, the whole world is vast, we must hide, in the wilderness, among the people. We must also find a way to ensure that even under such circumstances, we can still wield sufficient influence over the Mutual Aid Society, over food distribution andbor..." Chapter 288: Chapter 186, what do you say is the way of loyalty?_3 Just as Kroc was sharing his thoughts, bing more and more earnest, a "creak" was heard as the massive doors of the circr council hall were flung open. Kroc stopped speaking and turned around furiously. The doors to the meeting hall were located directly behind the podium where he had just been making his impassioned speech. It wasn''t exactly a secret meeting today, but it was certainly important enough. He had explicitly ordered that there be no disturbances during the meeting. There was supposed to be someone guarding the doors to the meeting hall, so who dared to interrupt the meeting at this time? However, upon seeing who had arrived, the angry curse on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back. The neer was Jason Morgan, an unremarkable middle-aged man with a slight paunch, not very tall, and his face always wore a rather friendly smile, nothing out of the ordinary. Yet he still managed to send a chill down the spine of Kroc, who was plotting a big move, feeling full of schemes and knowledge. Of course, it wasn''t that Jason Morgan himself possessed any kind of magical power. It was because behind Jason Morgan stood a symbol of an invincible power, one that could only be dealt with in the shadows. And now, the shadowy plotting wasid bare in the sunlight. Kroc struggled toe up with a n, anything at all, but his mind was nk, as if triggering some physiological mechanism had caused his brain to freeze. Jason''s face still bore that friendly smile as he took a few steps forward, standing in front of Kroc, and said, "The Mutual Aid Congress, huh? Not having observers present doesn''tply with the rules for calling amittee meeting." Kroc managed to force a smile. He thought of spewing harsh words and even considered calling people over to arrest the intruding Jason Morgan or even kill him on the spot. However, after hesitating, all he could say was, "We haven''t had the chance to notify... Mr. Morgan, weren''t you inspecting the disease prevention work in the next park? If we had known you were here, we would certainly have invited you..." Morgan waved his hand dismissively, "Ah, I see, but no matter. The timing now is just right. On my way here, I saw quite a few militiamen armed to the teeth. I thought I might encounter some trouble on my way in, but no one stopped me, and quite a fewrades from the militia even followed along behind me." As he said this, he gestured behind him. A squad of armed militiamen entered. Morgan turned his head again, facing Kroc, and continued, "Just now, I think I overheard something about ''non-violent non-cooperation'', ''we must consider ways of loyalty''..." At this point, that friendly smile on Morgan''s face seemed quite sinister to Kroc. "What a coincidence, although I''m not sure what ''non-violent non-cooperation'' means, I am a graduate from the advance ss at Wind-Extinguishing Zhongsi Academy, having received direct instruction from the governor himself. I think I''m the most qualified here to discuss what loyalty means." "The way of loyalty, in my view, is not up for debate. Even these militiamenrades behind me, who can hardly recognize a few characters, deeply understand this truth:" "The best way to be loyal is to remain absolutely loyal. And loyalty that is not absolute is absolutely disloyal." Jason Morgan adjusted the red cap on his head,pletely suppressing all smiles, and looked sternly at everyone present: "I''d like to know, just how many people still wish to discuss further the way of loyalty?" Chapter 289: Chapter 187, starting from 1, they are all my people The farce ended with the arrest of Kroc. In Jason Morgan''s eyes, it was just a farce. The things Kroc said at themittee meeting, Morgan could only describe as utter nonsense. Could the method of struggle Kroc proposed actually work? It might work, but there were prerequisites. Firstly, external support was necessary. Without it, causing trouble out of thin air with no resources at hand, how could that be achieved? To continue the struggle in the absence of the ring leaders, who would be in hiding or on the run, people must be fed and have a way out. Of course, Kroc wasn''t unprepared for this. During his subsequent interrogation, he admitted to having connections with ckbird Heavy Industries. But Jason Morgan sneered at this. ckbird Heavy Industries, thousands of miles away, providing supplies to support the resistance movement in the Beiqing Valley Region? It wasn''t just a matter of distance, but also significant geographical barriers. From Beiqing Valley to the western part of the maind, one had to cross mountain ranges and the Western Desert which were impassable. The official trade routes had to go through the Central Province, which was under direct control of the Alliance. Not to mention the operational capability and cost involved, the Alliance wasn''t blind and wouldn''t make it easy. Moreover, external support was just one of the elements. The core sess or failure of the resistance movement Kroc envisioned hinged on whether it could gain support from the local residents. If they wanted to hide, they had to be able to remain hidden. Not to mention whether thesendlord lords could endure hardship, even if they could, people need food to eat and a ce to live. If under Mr. Gu''s governance, the Alliance was a brutal regime making lives miserable and stirring up widespread discontent; if Kroc and the other manor owners were reincarnated saints who had always treated their tenant farmers very well, ensuring they never wanted for food while they themselves had enough to eat... If that were the case, their resistance movement would have a chance. With the support of the four million people of the Beiqing Valley Region, they could indeed remain hidden and continuously incite disturbances and provoke the public into resistance. What about bloody suppression? Killing the leaders would only result in new ones emerging; killing a bunch of civilians would see more rise up. The more they were suppressed, the more resentment and resistance would grow. But that wasn''t the problem. The vast number of refugees in the Green Valley Region could hardly survive. It was the Alliance that set up the Mutual Aid Society, moving the refugees to the Twin Cities in batches; even those not yet relocated were at least provided with food, no matter where it came from, as the civil affairs officials of the Alliance kept making their presence felt; there were treatments for those who fell ill... The militia was also organized with the help of the Alliance''s military observers, armed with weapons provided by the Alliance to protect the peace. And while the former manor owners might not have been brutal, they were certainly not particrly benevolent. Four million people of Green Valley were just waiting for a chance to enter the Twin Cities Region, who would listen to your call for resistance? Hide? In minutes, someone would report them, and just like that, they might get a reward and be city dwellers. And without going into distant matters, Kroc dreamt of being the chairman of the Mutual Aid Society, but he couldn''t even control the Society itself. When Jason Morgan rushed over from the neighboring manor, he indeed arrived alone. When he reached the gate of Crook Manor, it opened by itself. He randomly picked a militia squad leader on guard, asked where Kroc was, and after a moment''s hesitation, he was directed there. At the entrance of the meeting hall, many armed militiamen stood guard. A group of people was blocking the door hesitantly. Jason Morgan didn''t say a word and just walked inside. The rifles crossed in front of him to block his path, but he simply pushed them aside. And those militiamen didn''ty a finger on him. Even after he walked past, he turned his head and called out in the name of the Alliance, and those guarding team leaders looked at each other for a moment and then really started to lead their people into the meeting hall with him. When Kroc was arrested and dragged out, he still thought that Jason Morgan had premeditated the collusion, infiltrated his manor with his own people, and prepared to strike at that moment. Heaven and earth are my witness, Jason Morgan really hadn''t nted anyone. He just heard the news, then he came, and then... all the militia switched sides, what could he do? Or is it possible that from the beginning to the end, there were never ''your people,'' that these people were all ''my people'' from the start? With that level ofpetence, to conduct a nonviolent non-cooperation movement and seek negotiation leverage with the Alliance... that''s enough. Jason Morgan''s assessment of Kroc was that he was a young man who had inherited the wealth of his predecessors, full of ambition butcking any practical ability, indulging in grandiose but impractical dreams. Of course, Jason Morgan didn''t kill Kroc either. House arrest, detention, that was enough. If there was to be guilt in the future, let it be for the Alliance Court to judge; that wasn''t his job. And in the meeting hall, the other so-calledmittee members of the Mutual Aid Society, when they saw Kroc being dragged out by what were supposed to be his loyal subordinates, they all woke up from their dreams. Let''s not talk about those who were quite clear-headed and thought Kroc was delusional. The others who were truly swayed by Kroc''s speech and who didn''t want to lose their wealth and autonomy were nowpletely silenced. As for the defection of the militia... no, it couldn''t be called a defection; they had always prioritized obedience to Alliance officials far higher than obedience to the Mutual Aid Societymittee members. Chapter 290: Chapter 187, Everyone Is Mine from the Start _2 If the armed forces won''t listen, what else is there to say? Now, they could only feel relieved that when Kroc spouted nonsense earlier, they hadn''t yet started to make a fuss before Jason Morgan arrived. How embarrassing would that have been now? Fortunately, Jason Morgan did not pursue the matter further. He took advantage of themittee meeting convened by Kroc to steer the topic towards how to ensure the supply of materials needed by the Alliance Army, including the militia assembled for centralized distribution. The southbound Central Group Army consisted of a total of seven division-level units, with over fifty thousand regr soldiers; the militia gathered in the Beiqing Valley Region boasted a scale of about one hundred and fifty thousand. Securing rted material supplies was a major issue that required nning supply teams, allocating vehicles, repairing roads, and arranging materials... It was a head full of concerns. Jason Morgan had already set aside the episode caused by Kroc and was focused on how to handle the follow-up work. That was what he cared about the most. Themittee members spoke enthusiastically, each offering suggestions. One said they could provide a certain amount of food, another said they could mobilize a number of workers for road construction; one offered their manor as a rally point, another suggested their estate was suitable as a logistics hub... With clear minds, the members turned into active participants. Mr. Morgan himself said it: everyone must demonstrate the right way to show loyalty. And now, our loyalty is certainly absolute! However, their ''loyalty'' was soon put to the test once again. A militia captain burst in from outside. Initially hesitant upon assessing the situation, but Jason Morgan urged him to speak frankly, so he reported the situation directly. It turned out that an rm was sent by an outside patrol: arge-scale wave of Aberrant Beasts was about to attack Crook Manor. It was either a coincidence or something else, but the timing of these creatures'' arrival was impable. The NorthernGreen Valley Region was less affected by the waves of Aberrant Beasts, but not immune. These creatures mainly resided in the forest. The dense wilderness spread across the entire Great Qing Valley Region and was essible from every direction. The mutated creatures grew and strengthened in the forests andunched attacks from within the woods. In the Green Valley Region, dealing with the waves of Aberrant Beasts was an omnipresent threat, with no distinction between the front and rear. Any ce at the edge of the forest, or not too far from it, was in danger. The Green Valley Region might boast a poption of tens of millions, but on and of over six million square kilometers, that number of people... well, it''s really sparse byparison. Apart from the scattered ntations and the roads that connect them, most of the area is wilderness, untouched by humans. A wave of Aberrant Beasts could arise from anywhere under normal circumstances. Inside the meeting hall, themittee members who had just been demonstrating loyalty and showing their devotion fell silent. Someone murmured hesitantly, "Shall we... evacuate first? Crook Manor has decent defenses, but us staying here won''t be of much help; we might as well go home first. Let the militia try to hold the Manor, and once support arrives, we''ll work together to repel this wave." With someone taking the lead, others followed suit: "Yes, yes, Mr. Morgan, you don''t have to tough it out here, we can all withdraw together..." Jason Morgan simply raised his hand: "Gentlemen, gentlemen." After repeating himself, they calmed down. He continued, "We are not going anywhere today; we stay right here. Our work is not finished. Kroc has provided us with an opportunity, and it''s not easy to assemble such apletemittee. We must take advantage of this asion to finalize some uing tasks. Otherwise, getting everyone together like this next time will indeed be difficult." He paused, then went on, "As for the enemy we are about to face... we must have full confidence in the militia forces we''ve assembled. I am full of confidence in the defenses of Crook Manor." "We will not let our warriors face the enemy alone; we must stand with them. This is also how we show our loyalty to the Governor, and I believe everyone remains unwavering in this belief." "Am I right?" The crowd fell silent. If you want to court death, why drag us into it? That''s a wave of Aberrant Beasts! We also heard the message that the captain came to report! There are at least over a hundred thousand monsters marching their way here! How many militiamen are at Crook Manor? Indeed, this ce is the headquarters of the Mutual Aid Society, and there are two refugee camps nearby with a poption of over half a million in the vicinity. But even so, the Beiqing Valley Region is too vast, and if a hundred thousand militiamen were to be dispersed to hold their positions, currently, there would hardly be ten thousand militiamen nearby. And the number of militiamen at Crook Manor doesn''t even exceed five thousand! To face a wave of a hundred thousand Aberrant Beasts, even with walls, it would be very difficult to hold them back! Generally speaking, in such a situation, you would have the militia hold their ground, then evacuate personnel, and continuously call in reinforcements from nearby to respond. If it really can''t be held... then whoever can be evacuated will be evacuated, and if this ce has to be abandoned, then it will be abandoned. What else can be done? Why on earth is Jason Morgan hell-bent on holding on here? Morgan couldn''t be bothered to exin to them. Between Crook Manor and the surrounding two refugee camps, there are five hundred thousand civilians, which is a densely popted area of the Beiqing Valley Region. Evacuating and moving people sounds easy, but what does five hundred thousand people mean, and how could it be easy to evacuate them? These people are just cowards. The current militia, can they really be the same as the old concepts in their heads? After receiving military aid from the Alliance, their firepower has long been much stronger than the armed forces they had originally organized. There''s no need to worry too much. He continued to preside over the meeting, arranging work. This working meeting would not be short¡ªit wouldn''t be done in just a few hours. Come evening, everyone went to rest with heavy hearts, estimating that they would have to continue the next day. A couple of days'' effort should be about enough to settle the whole affair. However, the next morning, something began to feel off. In just one morning, the front line lost two positions in session. This even forced Jason Morgan to temporarily interrupt themittee session, having thosemittee members discuss among themselves while he pulled aside a military observer who had just arrived the previous night to discuss the front line situation. In theory, it shouldn''t have been breached so easily. However, the military observer''s exnation made Jason Morgan, who was somewhat of a militaryyman, understand a little bit more about the severity of the current situation. "...This cluster of Aberrant Beasts cannot be looked at with the old fragmented viewpoint. Apart from theirrge numbers, they have many advanced variant types among them." "If they were just ordinary Pus Monsters, it would be easy to deal with; but the number of Pus Spewers among them is very high, and there has appeared a type of super-heavy monster over three meters tall, the lower half of its body wriggling like a rotting worm, acting as some kind of biological artillery, with a shooting range exceeding ten kilometers. Direct bombardment brings extreme corrosiveness, and even if people aren''t corroded to death, the bombarded area bes temporarily uninhabitable, which has greatly affected our defensive line." "There''s also a type of biohunter that''s grown to over one and a half meters long, moving very fast and spitting corrosive pus. In closebat, the militia are finding it very difficult to confront them." After hearing this, Jason Morgan had a headache. He thought for a moment and said, "I need to go to the front line to see for myself." "Okay," the military observer took him to the front line. Of course, it wasn''t too close to the actual front line¡ªobserving from a distance of about two kilometers behind the third defensive line where the firefight was ongoing, he saw the tragic scene through binocrs. In half an hour, at least three hundred militiamen were casualties. Clearly, this defensive line couldn''t hold. Jason Morgan couldn''t bear to watch any longer, and the military observer pulled him into a car and fled back. They stopped only when they reached the fourth defensive line. This was thest line of defense outside Crook Manor, consisting of trenches, foxholes, and small fortresses made of sandbags. Further back, was the manor''s wall. Morgan''s mood was very heavy now. Damn it, I just bragged, and now are we actually about to face something big? Chapter 291: Chapter 188, Whistling In Jason Morgan was now somewhat panicked. At themittee meeting, inspiring morale and making those wavering members stay put didn''t seem wrong to him. But Crook Manor, as the nominal headquarters of the Mutual Aid Society, was now also the gathering ce of numerousmittee members. If it were really breached, there would be serious trouble. Without a doubt, the Mutual Aid Society would fall into organizational chaos. Even if the Central Group Army were toe down southter and resolve the issue, it would take time for the Mutual Aid Society to rebuild and function effectively in its logistical role. That would disrupt the entire n. However, the carnage he had just witnessed through the telescope, and the countless soldiers now retreating from the copsed third defense line to the fourth, left Morgan speechless. Could he say that the militia warriors hadn''t fought fiercely? Obviously not. They understood that their homes and families in the refugee camps were right behind them. Everyone had barely survived the journey to safety here; they were conscripted as militia to defend hope. If they fought, their families would survive; if they defended well, their families might have a chance to get to the Twin Cities and receive proper Union Citizen benefits; if they fought, those who wanted to stay in the Green Valley Region could have their ownnd... Their will to fight was unquestionable. However, the enemy''s vast numbers and fierce firepower were objective facts, not something willpower alone could reverse. Morgan had personally seen the various new types of advanced mutant beasts that military observers had introduced to him. To be honest, his legs were still weak. Had it not been for his experience in the Green Valley Region where he had already seen many Aberrant Beasts, plus the education he had received at Loyal Heir Academy, if he were still the lowly clerk he once was in Revival City, the sight of those monsters would likely have knocked him out cold at first nce. Yet the militia warriors had withstood significant casualties, managing to hold off from yesterday afternoon until now. Just now, three hundred men had died before his very eyes. The military observer sighed, "Actually, that''s rtively good. This morning, when the sun had just risen and the enemyunched their first major attack¡ªafter they deployed many specially mutated high-level biochemical beasts for the first time¡ªwe were caught off guard, and lost over a thousand men at the first defense line. Following that, another five hundred at the second defense line." Jason Morgan remained silent. Here at Crook Manor, there were a total of five thousand soldiers, and by now, one thousand eight hundred had been lost. The observer continued with a bitter smile, "In just one morning, we lost three defense lines; there''s only one left and then it''s the walls of Crook Manor. If this ce falls, there will be a clear path to the two refugee camps behind, with no defensible position left..." He didn''t finish his sentence. It was time to consider evacuation, moving people out. Even if they couldn''t evacuate everyone, and could only move a small portion, leaving the rest to fend for themselves was better than standing firm here, only to be defeatedter, with hundreds of thousands potentially lost. Jason Morgan understood the implication in the military observer''s words. However, that was a consideration purely from a military perspective. Jason had to think about the political issues. He had just quelled some signs of unrest within the Mutual Aid Society due to the actions of the Alliance Headquarters. But now, the imminent destruction of the Mutual Aid Society''s headquarters and the Beiqing Valley Region''srgest ntation¡ªalong with the tens of thousands in the refugee camps¡ªa full-scale evacuation amidst panic, not knowing how many would die in the chaos... What would be the political cost? The ensuing coteral effects would have a very negative impact on the Governor''s ns to reim the entire Green Valley Region. He rubbed his forehead and asked, "When will the remaining five thousand people summoned from the refugee camp arrive?" The observer sighed, understanding that Jason Morgan still wanted to defend. He wanted it too. Perhaps it was better this way¡ªto be decisive rather than vaciting. He provided an answer, "They''ll be here before noon." Jason Morgan exhaled with relief, "At least we have our first piece of good news... Now, we need a second piece. As far as I know, the vanguard of the Central Group Army heading south is Major Perbov''s troops. Can we get in touch with them? I need to know if they can change their route and head to Crook Manor first. If they can, how long do we need to hold out before they arrive?" "We''ve already made contact. The Central Group Army is already aware of our dire situation and has ordered us to hold out as long as possible. Also, the orders for support have been sent to the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade. But..." Upon hearing the first part, Jason Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. That was certainly good news. Support meant that holding out had meaning. But the word ''but'' that followed made his heart race. True to form, what came after that word was never promising: "The Central Group Army just started heading south yesterday. Even if the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade is the avant-garde, there''s a distance of over four hundred kilometers from the southern border of the Central Province here, and at the fastest, it will take them three days to arrive. Actually, the order we received from the Central Group Army is to hold out until dark tomorrow." "Until dark tomorrow..." Jason Morgan pondered, "With the five thousand militia arriving by noon, can we make it?" Chapter 292: Chapter 188, Roaring Arrival_2 "We... can only say we''ve done our utmost, the enemy won''tpletely upy Crook Manor before my death." "Okay, I understand," Jason Morgan turned and left. He didn''t return to the manor. Instead, he took a megaphone and announced the harsh reality to the nearly two thousand soldiers guarding thest line of defense outside Crook Manor''s walls. The core message, of course, was that the soldiers had to hold on until nightfall tomorrow. He promised them that help from the alliance would definitely arrive before darkness fell. This assertion had meaning. The morale of the soldiers was tangibly boosted. Winning the battle on their own, beating back the aberrant beasts, might be difficult, but if it was just holding out until nightfall, then... wasn''t there a glimmer of hope? The shadow of three defeats lifted somewhat. Having a strong will to fight is one thing, but fear of death is another. Suffering over 35% casualties without deserting was already fitting for a militia; the fact that a few words from Jason Morgan could inspire them was partly thanks to the rousing techniques and rhetoric he had learned, but more importantly, it was because the militia really was reliable. However, despite this, the restored morale didn''tst long. When the enemy attacked again, the acidic bombs lobbed by biochemical artillery from ten kilometers away once again exploded upon their position, the militia couldn''t help but waver uncontrobly. If facing biochemical gas shells, the soldiers could temporarily wrap their faces tightly with cloth and hide behind fortifications, praying the corroding bombs wouldn''tnd right on them, then when biochemical artillery fire temporarily ceased, and the enemy began their frontal assault, their remaining strength was not enough to hold back any longer. Full-fledged Pus Spewers weren''t the ones Gu Hang had encountered at the edge of the forest near Weixing City, those pulled out early by the Primordial Wrath Owl Sect with a range of only fifty meters. The Pus Spewers now appearing in front had the capability to hit targets with a viscous stream within a range of two hundred meters. They had negligible prating power, but their severe corrosiveness couldn''t be blocked by the militia''s mere cloth uniforms after contact. Those with quick reflexes, whose skin remained untouched, could save their lives by swiftly stripping off their clothes; those slower, however, soon found their uniforms corroding and sticking to their skin, then they faced a pain intense enough to rob them of theirbat ability, but not quickly enough to kill. As more undead dogs broke through the lines, the militia couldn''t hold back any more. The fourth defensive linested three hours after the enemy bombardment began; it held only thirty minutes after the frontal assaultmenced. Copse, happened for the fourth time. And this time, it was even more disastrous. The enemy had clearlymitted significant forces to the attack. During the rout, the undead dogs that broke through became even more terrifying killers. These quadrupedal beast-shaped monsters were far superior in speed, agility, and flexibility. They''d fall after a couple of shots, but the zombies, quick to hop and swerve, weren''t so easy to hit. When overtaken swiftly by these creatures weighing thirty to forty kilograms, the soldiers were often quickly bitten to death. Jason Morgan, observing the situation from a watchtower within Crook Manor''s wall, had his face entirely ashen. Just now, when the enemyunched a full-scale attack, he wanted to stay at the outer defense line to boost morale, but he was forcibly pulled back by the military observer beside him who fought desperately to do so. When necessary, that person would have no problems with such actions. That''s the admirable tradition of the Red Hats¡ªlead by example to inspire troops. However, the copse of the fourth line was not an issue of morale. Never mind whether Jason Morgan staying there could indeed enable everyone to conquer the fear of death and face the battle fearlessly, even if he could achieve that against all odds, it would be meaningless. It would only lead to the annihtion of all soldiers on that line. Now, by pulling back, they could rely on the stronger defense of Crook Manor''s wall to hold a bit longer. That meant Jason Morgan couldn''t die on the front line. If he died, it would be a severe blow to morale. Mr. Morgan, having realized this, could only return in bitterness, watching from the tower as the militia outside the wall kept falling, his heart in agony. Except for those who had already fled inside the walls, almost all those still outside had been sentenced to death. Morgan couldn''t even open the doors to let the surviving militia in, lest the wave of aberrant creatures might surge straight through. Reinforcements trickling into Crook Manor from the rear were positioned atop the walls to shoot outside, helping to alleviate the pressure on the militia troops below. Those below were instructed to hold their positions and promised that they could enter after temporarily repelling the enemy''s attack. Of course, it was despairing. "What''s this about repelling the enemy''s attack?" By now, anyone could tell that the Aberrant Beasts'' momentum was fierce; how could we repel them? Isn''t it obvious they''re sending us to our deaths? Many anxious militiamen even started cursing aloud at the foot of the city. But in the end, the worst-case scenario did not unfold. The militiamen below, knowing full well that they had been effectively abandoned, did not choose to shoot at theirrades on the walls at this critical juncture. There was no infighting; instead, they turned around and fought desperately against the ever-closer enemy. First, they tried to coordinate with the friendly forces on the walls, shooting down the zombie dogs;ter on, they strived to exchange fire with the approaching Pus Spewers at a distance of two hundred meters. During this period, the enemy''s bio-artillery unleashed its power once more. The main firepower was still focused inside Crook Manor, but asionally, bio-artillery shells wouldnd outside, striking the remaining militiamen and causing casualties. More and more people were dying. At this time, even Jason Morgan had no more guilt for the decision that in essence sent the soldiers who hadn''t made it into the city to their deaths. He had been pulled down from the lookout tower. A few minutester, the lookout tower where he had been standing was hit by a bio-artillery shell, copsing amidst rapid corrosion. It wasn''t just there that got destroyed; those walls, though solid in appearance and even capable of bearing soldiers to fire outward, were essentially wooden structures. Under the bombardment of the bio-artillery, they had begun to breach, with the iing tide of Aberrant Beasts bing more and more visible through the gaps. What was said before? Holding out until tomorrow night? We won''t make it through this evening! Forget about evening¡ªif we don''t fight well enough, and the militiamen''s morale slips any further, we might not even hold until noon! Jason Morgan''s heart had turned to ice. Endless pain surged up within him. He did not fear death now; he even longed for it. If Crook Manor were breached, he would rather die right here than live a cowardly life. This wasn''t some training that had brainwashed him; it was his own heart, which couldn''t get past that hurdle. To watch with his own eyes as the refugee camp he had built with all his efforts over the past two months got destroyed, to see the 400,000 Green Valley refugees, who had finally found hope to live because of his efforts, get ughtered by these Aberrant Beasts... He couldn''t do it. Compared to witnessing that scene, dying here was an easier choice. He pulled out his sidearm and said to the military observer next to him, "I want to go to the front line to fight. If I have to die, I want to die in battle." This time, no one tried to stop him; instead, they also pulled out their guns, "I''ll go with you." The two of them, along with a few guards, started to move forward. And just as they were prepared to die, they both heard a whistling sound from the sky. Looking up, they saw three white streaks cutting through the clouds. Squinting for a closer look, it seemed to be three green aircraft. shes of light appeared, and six streaks of light shed by. Soon after, from a distance that felt far away, a dull boom was heard. The sound wasn''t particrly distinct, as they were on a battlefield where the noise of gunfire was endless. However, they distinctly felt something: The enemy''s bio-artillery fire seemed to have stopped to some extent. Chapter 293: Chapter 189, Allied Air Force, Ace Pilot Requests to Enter the Battle! "Ace pilot, requesting to engage!" "Enemy spotted at twelve o''clock!" "Commencing bombing!" Kuchi''s excited and sharp voice kept echoing in the flight squadron''s channel. Some wanted toin, but in the end, there was silence on the channel. There wasn''t much to say; everyone had long been familiar with what kind of temperament thisrade usually had. The Allied Air Force had just begun construction and had handed over a total of eighteen aircraft. Three aircraft formed a group, making six small squadrons, barely constituting an air squadron. Eighteen pilots, part of whom were picked from the rudimentary ranks of the Old Alliance Air Force and the rest were simply young people selected from the military. The Wind Falcons, equipped with Anti-Gravity Engines and assisted by a primary and a secondary servo-skull, were not exceptionally difficult to fly. Of course, ''not difficult'' refers to the basics; it wasn''t hard to fly the aircraft, take-off andnding were not an issue, vertical takeoffs andndings were possible, and with the help of servo-skulls, crashing wasn''t typical. However, while it was easy to start flying, not falling out of the sky was one thing, but mastering it was extremely hard. Theteral and longitudinal trantional capabilities, the extremely high flying speed, theplex fire control systems, the physical endurance under high-speed flight... To fly the Wind Falcon well was indeed not easy, even with the relentless assistance of the servo-skulls. Yet, among the people who could barely fly the nes into the sky with the help of the servo-skulls, with less than twenty hours of flying experience each, there was an oddity like Kuchi. His flying time was not much different from the others, but everyone had to admit, there truly were such things as geniuses in this world. Although his personality was not very reliable, he just flew bolder than anyone when in the cockpit, performing all kinds of exaggerated maneuvers as if second nature. At first, the instructor critiqued him with a manual in hand, butter they gave up¡ªthe instructor was a novice as well, with about the same flight time as everyone else, and only had a hundred or so hours of propeller aircraft experience from back when he served in the Old Alliance Air Force. The many moves that little Kuchi, who self-proimed as an ''ace pilot,'' performed, were simply beyond his capability. Thus, they let him be, at most reminding him not to pull any stunts during missions and to carry out his duties earnestly. At this moment, this was the Allied Air Force''s first official mission since its establishment. Except for Kuchi, everyone felt a bit nervous. Fortunately, the enemies the Allied Air Force was currently facing probably didn''t require them to engage in any kind of air-to-airbat or dogfight, the kind of high-difficulty maneuvers with the aircraft. Following the navigation and with the aid of the servo-skulls, they arrived at the target site. They fired the six heavy missiles carried by the Wind Falcons, then flew over the enemy, opened the bomb bay, and dropped their bombs, thus basicallypleting their mission. Those confident in themselves flew the Wind Falcons in another loop, hovering and striking the ground with the aircraft''s twin-linked autocannons andser rotary cannons, conducting direct strikes on ground enemies; those less confident, worried about hitting allied troops or making themselves dizzy with the maneuvers, hurried back, rearming with weapons and ammunition, and checking if there were further tasks where they could be of use. The first to arrive at the battlefield and enter the attack range was Kuchi. His flight formation, three Wind Falcons, rapidly depleted their mounts of six heavy missiles. Their targets were the enemy''s bio-artillery troops. Those creatures, looking like giants with their upper bodies raised and huge mouths open as if to roar bio-artillery shells into the sky, were caught unawares by the heavy missile strikes. Clearly, these bio-artillery creatures weren''t prepared for a bombing; their formation wasn''t very tight, but nearly a hundred bio-artilleries were essentially stationed at the same position. Three Wind Falcons, with a total of eighteen heavy missiles, wiped out a third of the bio-artillerists. These living bio-cannons were in disarray. Some still instinctively directed their firepower towards Crook Manor in the distance, but others seemed to cower, beginning to wriggle their massive bodies in an attempt to flee. But they failed to escape. Their mobility and agility were indeed notmendable. What was more, they had encountered an outrageous pilot. Kuchi called out, instructing the two wingmen in his group to bomb the enemy''s concentrated position as nned. As for himself, he reduced the flight altitude and dove toward those bio-artillery troops. The ten kilometers from Crook Manor to the enemy bio-artillery''s position took just one minute for the Wind Falcons at their speed. During this process, Kuchi dropped his bombs, showering down on the enemies gathering to attack Crook Manor. He also brought those bio-artilleries within the firing range of his cannons. The range of the autocannons andser cannons was, of course, not that short. However, Kuchi, determined to seek a more effective and precise strike oue, descended to a very low flight altitude. The Wind Falcon he piloted, colored in shades of aqua blue, began to spew mes of death. The redser cannon fire, along with the roaring autocannons, carved a lethal path on the ground. Three bio-artilleries were sted into pulp along a straight line of attack. Chapter 294: Chapter 189, Allied Air Force, Ace Pilot Requests to Enter the Battle!_2 Theser cannon melted away a part of their massive bodies; 40mm kic cannon shells turned the rest into a mushy mess. The other two pilots in the same flight group looked at each other wordlessly. One of them asked in the channel, "Maybe... we should try it too?" The other refused, "You try if you want, I''m afraid of diving at such high speed and licking the ground, a single mistake and I''ll be nting myself straight into it." "Fair point..." the other pilot could only regretfully give up, "Let''s just stick to dropping bombs honestly." The two Wind Falcons gave up on performing high-difficulty maneuvers and flew stably high above the heads of the enemy, simply dropping the bombs they were carrying. During this process, they watched with envy as Kuchi, who had circled back around, engaged in another round of ground shooting, iming the lives of four bio-artillery soldiers. By now, the whole bio-artillery position had descended into chaos. But his time to show off hade to an end. The other five formations of Wind Falcons had also arrived by this point. Thirty heavy missiles, with the help of servo-skull assisted fire control, hit the enemy''s high-value targets with rtive precision. All the bio-artillery soldiers were history. Kuchi pouted, feeling a bit unsatisfied. Shooting at fixed targets on the training ground, what could be more thrilling than unleashing firepower on the enemies of humanity in an actual battlefield? Given more time and a few more rounds, he was confident he could take out the remaining bio-artillery soldiers all by himself with just his Wind Falcon. Unfortunately, his teammates hade to steal the kills. The newly arrived five formations, fifteen Wind Falcons, started making strafing runs over the enemy''s dense positions and dropping bombs. Having exhausted his bombs in the earlier engagement, Kuchi could only sullenly aim his machine gun at the enemy for ground strafing. Each ground assault dive was apanied by a shrieking howl, followed by the bloody baptism ofsers and kic cannon shells over hundreds of meters in a straight line. Round after round, Kuchi didn''t count how many he''d fired, until the squadron leader called him, urging him to keep up with the formation and evacuate, only then did he stop, still longing for more. On the return flight, passing over Crook Manor, he even shed a ''yeah'' gesture to the soldiers below¡ªhe didn''t care whether they could see it or not. ... Jason Morgan, looking up, of course, couldn''t see the gesture made by the impressive pilot, it was too far and the pilot was inside the cockpit. But that did not prevent him from saluting him. He was the great savior! He had heard that the Twin Cities were assembling the Allied Air Force. In the past, he had seen airnes too. To his mind, whether it was the Old Alliance''s propeller airnes or helicopters, they were at best... just for show. As for their practical use, he had not seen it. At least, there was nothing particrly noteworthy about theirbat records. He had thought that the new Alliance''s air force would be more of the same, perhaps a bit more impressive, but how much better could they really be? However, today, he had truly realized the power of the air force. Under the governor''s rule, these types of aircraft he had never seen before were simply too fierce! A single Wind Falconbined the functions of a missileunch tform, fighter, attack aircraft, and bomber, and crucially, it did all these roles quite well. He had counted, and there had only been eighteen that hade, yet their arrival had dealt a devastating blow to that wave of a hundred thousand Aberrant Beasts. Death rained from above! Firstly, they had almostpletely eradicated the enemy''s artillery forces. The bio-chemical artillery units, with a range exceeding ten kilometers, posed the greatest threat to the militia troops. The militia''s mortars and small mountain guns were not only scarce in number but alsocked the range to hit those bio-chemical artillery units, making it very difficult to engage the enemy. In the face of limited numbers, even if they managed to cover the distance with their firepower, they often couldn''t produce significant battle results, and they would also draw a strong counterattack from the enemy. The pressure from the bio-chemical artillery was too much, frankly speaking, since the beginning of the conflict, most of the casualties within the militia troops were caused by those highly corrosive and wide-impact biochemical shells. After eliminating those dozens or hundreds of bio-chemical artillery monsters, the enemy firepower bearing down on Crook Manor would be significantly reduced. Artillery is the god of war, and this holds true even for the advanced version of the Aberrant Beasts armies. Of course, it would be good just to deal with the enemy''s artillery, but that might still not be enough. The remaining massive number of enemies were still a terrifying threat. Then, the horizontal bombing by the eighteen Wind Falcons, although not very precise, the total of more than two thousand bombs were capable of carpet bombing the battlefield in front of Crook Manor. More importantly, the legions of Aberrant Beasts evidentlycked experience and preparation for dealing with an air force. The dumb creatures didn''t even know how to lie down when being bombed. Previously, the vast enemy force that had brought them immense pressure had already been scattered. Countless corpsesy on the path leading to the assault on Crook Manor. Up to now, Jason Morgan waspletely confident that he could defend the entire manor. At the very least, holding out until dark tomorrow, until the main forces of the Alliance Army arrived, would be no problem. Moreover, if needed, the Allied Air Force coulde for another round during this process. Having emptied their munitions, they would return for resupply and coulde back. Back and forth, a trip of twelve or thirteen hundred kilometers was just a matter of a couple of hours. Just the time for reloading munitions was a bit exaggerated; the ground crew mightin, "I''ve been loading missiles and shells all damn day, and you shoot them all out in just a few minutes?" But all things considered, the problem was no longer severe. ... In fact, even holding their ground was no longer necessary. After the Allied Air Force squadron made their move, those Aberrant Beasts seemed to realize they couldn''t win. The remaining Aberrant Beasts retreated like the tide, back into the dense jungle. And here, three people in green academic robes gathered together. "The air power of the Alliance is much stronger than we imagined," one of them said. "However, if we hide in the jungle, the power of the Alliance Air Force should be greatly reduced..." "Indeed, but that''s not realistic. The chairman demands we take the offensive. The n''s start requires time, it needs more people. People won''t venture into the jungle of their own ord. But if we''re constantly under threat from aerial strikes, we simply can''t leave the jungle to take the offensive." "I''ve reported it to the chairman. We must quickly research anti-air, or even air force-type mutants within the society, otherwise, we can''t fight back." "But, it''s probably difficult to get quick results. To avoid orbital strikes, Chanter Town has been abandoned. The rear is looking for a new hidden location and also dispersing the research facilities to avoid a total wipeout. The defection of the chairman''s teacher has had a big impact." "That''s how it''s going to be then, we can onlyy low for now." "But what will the Alliance do? They''ve made such a show of moving south..." "They''re definitely heading to reim the entire Green Valley Region, but all they can reim are those ntations, those gathering ces. Eighty percent of the Green Valley Region is virgin jungle, our kingdom. Does the Alliance Army dare to enter the jungle on their own?" "It would be good if that were the case." ... "What? Take the offensive into the jungle?" Jason Morgan''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Yes," Perbov said confidently, "I thought those brainless monsters would continue to besiege Crook Manor for a while, allowing me to eliminate part of their main force before entering the jungle. It''s a pity they fled... But never mind, once we''re in the jungle, we can wipe out these creatures just the same." "But why... how?" Jason Morgan asked, puzzled beyond measure. Chapter 295 Chapter 190 Wipe Out the Jungle After the wave of Aberrant Beasts receded, the dire situation at Crook Manor waspletely resolved. Despite the heavy losses of the militia; despite the manor being severely damaged by biochemical cannon fire, with vast areas of corrosion left unresolved, at least the crisis of extinction was lifted. Then, the next evening, Major Perbov¡ªoh, now he''s a Colonel¡ªled his Wind-Extinguishing Brigade to Crook Manor. Jason Morgan and Perbov were old acquaintances; before the liberation of Rubbish Town in the eastward advance, during the bandit suppression operation within the two hundred kilometer expanse between Revival City and Rubbish Town, he coborated with Perbov, who was then a Major andpanymander. At that time, the gap in their statuses was quiterge. Of course, it''s not small now either, but it has decreased since then. Although Perbov''s promotion to the most important Wind-Extinguishing Brigademander and his rank increased by a level, Jason Morgan''s promotion speed was even faster. Although his rank isn''t high, currently a D4, he has already be the main person in charge of the Mutual Aid Society on behalf of the Alliance. The Wind-Extinguishing Brigade''s rapid march and assault required material support, which still depended on him. And after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Perbov revealed his next n to attack the jungle. This shocked Jason Morgan, who felt that Colonel Perbov must be out of his mind, indulging in an impossible fantasy. The main continent of Rage Owl Star can generally be divided into six major regions: the Central Region, the Eastern Provinces, The Nortnds, Green Valley, the Western Desert, and the Western Continent. Among these six ces, the Green Valley Region is known for having the most poption, with over ten million people. However, for this fertile and vastnd, the number of humans is still too few. Far from being the owners, the vast jungle is the true master here. Humans merely opened up one ntation after another on the clearings between the jungles and connected them with roads. The war between humans and the jungle in the Green Valley Region has been going on for a very long time. The jungle breeds Aberrant Beasts. When their numbers be too great within the jungle, they will surge out, attacking humans, trying to expand their territory and the jungle area; this is the so-called wave of Aberrant Beasts of the Green Valley Region. But when humans recover, they will counterattack and reim thend that has not yet be jungle. Overall, the jungle is extremely dangerous; itcks the things humans need to survive and is filled with terrifying monsters instead. In the jungle, humans have no advantage. The numerous thick trees, muddy ground, swamps... these natural environments all form obstacles to human conquest of the jungle. Not to mention the sheer number of monsters bred within it. In the Green Valley Region, to venture into the jungle is akin to seeking death. This is a fact that everyone in Green Valley has been taught from childhood. And now, Jason Morgan hears that Colonel Perbov wants to lead his troops into the jungle to their death. Feeling Jason Morgan''s astonishment, Perbov onlyughed after the other man expressed words of dissuasion. "Of course, of course, I understand that the jungle of Green Valley is hell. But before I set out, I had already studied it for a long time; no one understands the jungle better than I do." After boasting, Perbov continued, "We have a secret weapon in our hands now." Jason Morgan didn''t take the bait, "What secret weapon can enable us to easily conquer the jungle?" "This is the Governor''s arrangement." Jason Morgan immediately fell silent. Nheless, Perbov could tell that Jason Morgan wasn''tpletely reassured. He didn''t exin further but simply patted the civil officer''s shoulder and said, "You''ll be able to see it with your own eyes soon enough, don''t worry." ... While "soon" was mentioned, in reality, Jason Morgan waited several days before he saw what that secret weapon actually was. Experience exclusive tales on empire In fact, the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade began their operation the very next morning after arriving at Crook Manor. The soldiers, driving armored vehicles and tanks, hade to the edge of the jungle and started their clearing operation. Yes, the cleansing of the entire jungle. Jason Morgan was full of curiosity, wondering how this was going to be aplished. However, he still managed to suppress his own curiosity. He had many tasks of his own to attend to. Continuing the meetings of the Mutual Aid Society, providing supplies for the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade and for other units of the Central Group Army that wouldter join them, these were his most vital tasks. At the same time, he had also received a directive from the Alliance''s Civil Affairs Department to undertake the restructuring of the poption in the Green Valley Region. The historical mission of the Mutual Aid Society was nearing its end. The Alliance''s system would be fully implemented in the Green Valley Region. Following the guide materials directly provided by the Civil Affairs Department, Jason Morgan understood what he had to do. He was to transform the Mutual Aid Society into the Alliance''s managing agency for the Green Valley Region, which would be the fourth direct-administered province of the Alliance: the Beiqing Valley Province. The manor lords would be local administrative officers, just as with the restructuring of the central three provinces. They would, subsequently, enter the Wind-Extinguishing Loyal Heir Academy in batches for training; meanwhile, their own manors, in a sense, were also thus confiscated. They no longer held ownership over their former properties; instead, they only maintained managerial rights. This was of course not a thorough reform, bearing deeppromises. Manor lords turned Alliance officials were unlikely to change much about the management of their original manors, and the life of the public was not expected to change sufficiently. Chapter 296 Chapter 190 Wipe Out the Jungle_2 ``` Even so, it''s foreseeable that when the Alliance turns those manor farmers into agricultural workers and then provides them with varying ranks of E5-E7, will they really be able to receive the corresponding benefits? Won''t the benefits they''re entitled to be embezzled by the manor owners, who now wield administrative power? But those are solvable problems. Fighting corruption, persistent propaganda to the lower sses, giving them opportunities for advancement. They will know what they ought to receive at E5 or whatever other rank, and if the manor owners don''t provide it, they can report it. That said, it''s easier said than done. Many people have never left the manor in their entire lives; where would they go to report? Could the reporting channels also be controlled by those with vested interests? There are many issues. But essentially, all this is making way for another practical factor¡ªthe Alliance simply doesn''t have the capacity to appoint enough officials to handle this matter. Cleaning up the system sounds easy, but where will the Alliance find so many suitable officials to take on this part of the work? Administration isn''t something you can just get right by pulling in any person off the street. Letting these natives take on the work may lead to various problems, but at the very least, the operations in Beiqing Valley Province can be maintained in the early stages. In fact, the strategy of the Alliance in the Central Province, Central-North Province, and Gaota Province is consistent, Just start working on it. The Discipline Committee of the Alliance will y their role. Andter, as more students from Loyal Heir Academy and Grammar Academy graduate, these issues will be alleviated. It won''t take too long. The Alliance''s Education Department currently has high investment, teachers can easily be promoted, and school buildings are a priority... As for the education system, minors attend school properly; meanwhile, there are crash courses for adults. However, this so-called crash course is different from the worker education conducted in Weixing City. Even rapid courses cannot produce administrative officials as quickly and easily as factory workers. But overall, the Alliance''s educational endeavors have been underway for some time, and soon enough, suitable students will graduate. At that time, if those manor owners and the old officials in the three central provinces are not doing well enough, they will be reced; the Discipline Committee will also conduct a thorough screening then, both to purify the atmosphere and to make room for the rtively more ideologically correct new officials. However, dealing with the existing operational ntations is rtively easy. But therge number of homeless refugees present a bit more of a problem. The Twin Cities cannot absorb two million people all at once; that''s unrealistic. Even if the Twin Cities metropolitan area is going to expand further in the future, that''s not now. Urban expansion always requires time. A massive influx of poption can''t keep up with the expansion of production lines; they''d be out of work even if they moved there. Of course, relocating residents is still a normalized task, a constant work in progress. For the surplus poption, they can first go to adult schools, night schools, to learn some industrial technology, literacy¡ªthat also requires time. Once they are trained and initially qualified as an industry workforce, and the corresponding production lines have expanded, they can then better integrate seamlessly. As for the remaining poption, they also have their uses. They are generally assigned to the E3-E4 level. The lowest few levels really need to be discussed. In the Alliance, reaching E1 means you have citizenship rights. But at that level, there are no benefits; the Alliance only acknowledges you as a citizen. E2 will receive half of the minimum living standard, which is generally given to children and thosepletely incapable of work due to disability, as a government subsidy. E3 entails benefits of a minimum standard of living, from food allocation to necessary medical assistance. E4 begins to provide a stipend, but not much; it is regarded as a trainee level. It is not until E5 that most adult members of the Alliance with jobs are ssified. This ensures that beyond securing food and warmth, they may even save some money for improving their lives and can afford some entertainment. A couple at E5 can support three to five children and both sets of parents, although that would make life quite tight. ``` Although the refugees were mostly ssified as E3 or E4, this still filled them with joy and excitement. And by taking these people in, considering them as members of the Alliance, it had taken on a great burden. As a civil officer of the Alliance, and the actual person in charge of governmental affairs in the Beiqing Valley Province, he had to get these people moving. They needed to work to find their own value; the Alliance also needed them to work hard to make back the high investments, to quickly turn the burden into positive profits. Fortunately, what the Green Valley Region did notck wasnd. The high-yield seeds acquired from interster trade had also been sent by the Alliance Headquarters. It was now autumn, an opportune time to build one ntation after another, to settle these refugees. By the time construction waspleted, it would be about time to sow the seeds. Additionally, a considerable number of people were dispatched to the military to apany the troops in their operations. The Central Group Army needed arge number of apanying workers, with the Wind-Extinguishing Brigade under Perbov being the most urgent. His troops had already entered the jungle areas and had requested 30,000 young workers from him, the logistics steward. Morgan had supplied them ordingly. They were sent into the jungles to participate in clearing the vegetation. Then, Jason Morgan began to busy himself with his own affairs. Even though he was putting all his effort into maintaining the Mutual Aid Society system, the introduction of Alliance systems locally still left Jason Morgan overwhelmed. There were endless tasks for the workers to do. In the beginning, he could hardly spare a moment away, but after some time, he managed to find time to head to the edge of the jungle. He really wanted to see what Perbov referred to as a secret weapon. And then, he personally witnessed arge tract of the jungle disappearing. The armored vehicles were equipped with a device simr to a methrower, but the purple-red mes that shot out didn''t bring about high temperature orbustion. The trees and vegetation burned by the purple mes withered and dehydrated rapidly. This was much faster than actually setting fire to them. After the armored vehicles finished spraying, after a short wait, the walking soldiers and conscriptedborers began to advance. The work they had to do was also simple. The low shrubs that quickly dried up could be reduced to debris with a few pokes of a stick, providing the soil with nutrients; the tall trees became brittle. A strong man could kick them down with a few kicks. Once the tall trees fell thunderously, they were dragged in batches to the vehicles behind. These materials should not go to waste. The dehydrated timber could be used as construction material. While it wasn''t particrly excellent, not being as good as wood cut down and processed with the appropriate industrial technology, it was a material that could be obtained quickly when necessary. Conveniently, arge number of new ntations in the rear needed to be built. Houses, fences... all required these construction materials. Of course, not all of it could be used up. At the very least, a synthetic starch factory could be built nearby, and these timbers could still be used as raw material for synthetic starch production. This would generate a significant economic value, something Jason Morgan, as an administrative officer, could see. But what he could see even more, was the pathway topletely solving the Green Valley problem. Your journey continues with empire Ever since he arrived in the Green Valley Region, he had been considering this issue, but he had never imagined that the realization would be theplete eradication of the "jungle" itself! If someone had told him this in the past, he would have thought it was a pipe dream. But now, all of this became a reality before his eyes. Chapter 297 Chapter 191, Special Forces "What is it called?" After watching a demonstration of the Purple me Ejector''s capabilities, Gu Hang posed this question to its developer, Mr. Hu Ke. Mr. Hu Ke was rather modest, "It doesn''t have a name, just a little gadget I tinkered with in the past. Bypressing high energy, releasing high-energy particles, and special chemicals, it''s some of the targeted gadgets I developed during six months in the south. If it can be useful and assist Mr. Gu, that would be more than I could ask for." Gu Hang shook his head in admiration, "This is not a mere trifle; this is nothing short of terraforming!" Mr. Hu Ke waved his hands in dismissal, "Mr. Gu, please don''t say that. Terraforming is way beyond my reach. Such equipment, such technology, are far from what a small gadget can achieve. In fact, its ability to be mass-produced is all thanks to the production capacity of the Concentrated Energy Cubes you created. Without this exceptional energy support, it couldn''t function, let alone be mass-produced. Even so, it''s still only capable of dealing with the jungle... " "True,pared to those legendary terraforming technologies, it''s not worth mentioning," Gu Hang said, "but it is indeed the best solution we have for addressing the Green Valley issue now." At this point, Mr. Hu Ke sighed, "Are you truly determined to do this? Eradicate every inch of jungle in the Green Valley Region?" "Why not?" "It will require a massive amount of manpower and resources, and it will destroy the environment of the Green Valley Region..." "Yes," Gu Hang didn''t deny these points, "But we have sufficient capabilities and enough time to achieve this. Moreover, this is not merely an investment. Look at the reportsing from up ahead, this project is already generating positive returns. It has solved the unemployment problem for arge number of refugees in the Green Valley Region, and the wood produced, although of inferior quality, does have value; the production department has already transferred thetest batch of synthetic starch production lines to the Green Valley Region, where factories will be built locally. Once the scale is sufficient, these refugees might not need us to pay extra to support them; their own output will be enough to sustain them, and even generate a surplus..." Pausing for a moment, Gu Hang mentioned a second point, "As for the natural environment, its weight was too small in my decision-making process. Compared to the threats posed by those monsters and the Cult established by your students, the problems caused by environmental degradation are minuscule. And if there really are issues, we will have the opportunity to rectify and solve them in the future." Mr. Hu Ke nodded repeatedly. He was a researcher, a Prophet of the Engine, who, although having a not insignificant status within the Sect of Mechanics, never involved himself in actual management and focused solely on his own tasks. In matters of industry and certain political considerations, he was not thorough. Speaking of the environment, that was because he had witnessed manys ravaged by excessive human exploitation, where the quality of life was far from good. However, what Mr. Gu said seemed reasonable to him. He realized that the per capita resource consumption enjoyed by the inhabitants of Rage Owl Star was by no means considered to be overexploitation. For the''s development, frankly, they were not in a position to care about such things. Not to mention the added threats of the Cult and mutated monsters. Develop first, governter. Yet, Mr. Hu Ke still had his doubts, "Even so, the time required is too long. I understand you have ample time to develop thatnd, even by using years, or even decades as units of time. And indeed, this is a permanent solution. Eradicating the jungle will deprive the mutated monsters of their environment, and the Nature Salvation Society will have no ce to hide. Whatever their ns, they would be meaningless. But isn''t that too slow? Do you really want to take ten years to eliminate the Nature Salvation Society?" "I can see you''re very concerned." "Yes," said Mr. Hu Ke, who had been in the Twin Cities for a little while now. In these days, he had seen the state of the city. Some things could be faked, but the living conditions and psychological states of thergest group of lower-level citizens could not be. He had visited many different worlds. The living conditions of these people on Rage Owl Star certainly weren''t good, even belonging to the poor category. But that wasn''t the fault of the rulers¡ªat least not the current rulers. The conditions on Rage Owl Star themselves were too poor; not to mention themoners, even Gu Hang, the Governor-General, and the various high-ranking officials of the League he had met, led austere lives. However,pared to the less than abundant living environment, the mental state of the ordinary citizens in the Twin Cities was quite good. Something called ''hope'' was brewing in their hearts and overflowing on their faces. They had aspirations for the future and genuinely believed that under the League''s rule, they could improve their lives through their own hands and efforts. This might sound mundane, but across the universe, only a few ces possessed such vitality. Mr. Hu Ke wasn''t infected by this; rather, he could confirm through experience that a League capable of maintaining such a psychological state among its subjects couldn''t be a rubbish government. Chapter 298 Chapter 191, Special Forces_2 Flying into the stars to find another home wasn''t a reliable option. In contrast, staying in the Union and living a stable life was a good choice. Having made this conclusion, he still wanted to contribute his strength to the entire Union. In his view, the Nature Salvation Society was one of the significant threats to this world. He pondered before saying, "I''ve recently given it some careful thought, what Ge Wajia ultimately wants to do. When I was in the south, after being thawed and released by him, he didn''t trust me enough initially, and I couldn''t ess too many secrets in the organization established by my student. However, since he went to the trouble of saving me, he naturally wouldn''t give up on the knowledge I possessed. Some peripheral research projects were ced in my hands. Those projects, I''m working hard to piece together his goals." "What''s your spection?" "I should preface this by saying I can''t bepletely certain, it''s just a guess, with insufficient evidence. That''s also why I didn''t tell you at the beginning..." "That''s okay, I will make the judgment." "Well... I believe that Ge Wajia and his group are trying to summon demons again..." "Oh, that''s a bad guess." "You don''t seem surprised? Did you guess this a long time ago?" "In a sense, yes," Gu Hang spread his hands and said, "I have no evidence and not like you, who conducted experiments with them and pieced together fragments of the truth. I am merely guessing. After all, those so-called Cult members, individuals tainted by the Abyss demons, have this constant thought in their heads¡ªan easy guess reveals their goal." Hu Ke gave a bitter smile and said, "What you said... is indeed correct." "But simply knowing their goal isn''t enough, I hope to know what means they have to achieve it, and how we can stop them." "That''s exactly what I wanted to talk about," Hu Ke sighed, "We can''t eliminate the Nature Salvation Society just by destroying the jungle. I''m not against your strategy, but that''s meant for exterminating Aberrant Beasts, and to eradicate Ge Wajia using this method, by destroying the jungle, it would be too slow. Perhaps, before we seed, that group might aplish their goal first." Pausing for a moment, Hu Ke continued, "My guess is that they might have gained control of an intact Psychic Energy Field that hasn''t been destroyed. If you''re aware of the history of Rage Owl Star, you''d understand that in the past, it was precisely because of the presence of enriched Psychic Energy Fields that an ample energy source was formed, used as a means to open the veil between reality and the Abyss hell." "The primary Psychic Energy Fields of the old Rage Owl Star were on the other two continents, which should have beenpletely destroyed by now; there are fields on the main continent too, but few, and most probably in a state of destruction as well. The one that Ge Wajia found should be of a smaller scale. But we can''t afford to becent about this. Once he truly tears open the veil of the real world, even if it''s just a tiny crack, we will be in huge trouble." Gu Hang mused, "So do you have any guesses about the location of the possible Psychic Energy Field?" "None at all," Hu Ke said with a wry smile, "in fact, I can''t be certain if it truly exists, all of this is just my spection..." "But your spection is somewhat more reliable than mine," Gu Hang stated reassuringly, "I''m still very grateful for your information. I was nning to deploy a special forces squad to the Southern Green Valley to assess the situation there, things like guiding bombings. Now, they might have an additional task." ... A¨¦ro Rakrosha felt like he had been deceived. He said he didn''t want to be an officer, just wanted to be a warrior. His wish had been affirmed by the Governor, and he wasn''t an officer now, but he still ended up with over thirty warriors under hismand. Isn''t this just making me a squad leader? Earlier, he was transferred from the Beast ughter Brigade to the Tenth Special Brigade as a squad leader. He and his thirty new subordinates were equipped with a full set of individual soldier gear, which they had never seen before. Each had an individual exoskeleton, fitted with primary steel and a ceramic-steel ting that protected the torso and limbs. It was nowhere near as majestic as the Interster Warrior Powered Armor but had a slender aesthetic. The full-coverage helmet came equipped with night vision, anti-re, color temperature, and other visual modes, as well as a shooting assistance system. This so-called shooting assistance system was provided by a servo skull that apanied them inbat. That specific servo skull of his could also help control the two drones in his backpack, carrying out tasks such as reconnaissance, supporting fire attacks, and kamikaze strikes. The weapons in their hands had all been switched to LR5 Laser Rifles. Each person carried ten high-energy batteries which could support 15 shots before needing a recement. This firepower sustainability was somewhatcking, but the power far surpassed that of the conventional G9 rifle. To make up for the firepower, they also carried a short-barreled, stockless tactical rifle¡ªa specialized variant of the G9. Lacroix himself had slightly more refined equipment than his team members. The most significant differencey in the fact that instead of high-energy batteries, he used crystal-like energy blocks. These things were said to be much more expensive than theser rifles in their hands. A Wind Falcon flying high above could operate solely on one of these blocks. As a result, this device powered only his rifle and exoskeleton... The potent energy source allowed his ''Ranger 1st Generation'' exoskeleton to maintain a constant overload mode until it broke down; hisser rifle could also fire continuously in overload mode. Other people''s LR5s would waste a high-energy battery with just one overload shot, and ording to their training discipline, it was strictly forbidden to do so unless necessary. But his energy blocks allowed him to fire in overload mode almost limitlessly without needing a recement. All he had to worry about was whether his rifle could withstand the strain without breaking. All of this made him feel as if he were in a dream. People called him ''Soldier King'', and he always felt it was surreal and disliked being addressed that way to his face. But now... it seemed he really was receiving the treatment of a Soldier King. And in the so-called special forces brigade, he was to execute special missions. Afterpleting their bombing mission at Crook Manor, a formation of three Wind Falcons prepared for their return journey, carrying Lacroix and his squad straight to the world''s far southern end. Their target was to reconnoiter a ce known as ''Chanter Town'', reported to be the headquarters of the Nature Salvation Society. There was no specific location, just vague descriptions. After they descended in the Wind Falcons, they continued to search the ground while maintaining constantmunication with the three fast-attack crafts temporarily assigned to work in coordination with them. In this joint air-ground reconnaissance operation, they uncovered numerous potential targets, but all were eventually ruled out. These were merely ruins of viges long deserted, with the jungle slowly extending its reach, reiming those ces. On the third day of the operation, however, they made a significant discovery. Based on the intelligence description and an apanying hand-drawn map, they could almost confirm that this was indeed Chanter Town. But this ce appeared to be abandoned as well. After an internal discussion, the squad still decided to venture in for exploration. Out of caution, they called Lieutenant Kuchi, and the three Wind Falcons were ready to provide air support. Lacroix was quite nervous about this. It was still warfare, going into battle, but the approach waspletely different from his past experiences. He wasn''t sure if he could do well enough and decided it was best to proceed with utmost caution. And his caution saved many lives. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!