Chapter 977: Gu Hang’s opinion must be respected

The Sisters of Silence and the Lawbreakers, escorted by the Guards, suddenly advanced to a place very close to Magnus, bringing about a crucial change in the situation.

Although Gu Jing was unable to project his psychic power easily due to the influence of the Silent Sisters and the Lawbreakers, Robert still seized the opportunity.

The Emperor's Sword swung swiftly, cutting off one of Magnus' arms; then another strike went straight for his head.

If two of his nine golden horns had not been broken, releasing a powerful psychic force that deflected the Emperor's Sword, he would have had his head split open by this sword!

But this also made Magnus sober up.

He knew that if he continued to fight as the current situation was, he might really die under the Emperor's sword.

But if you die by the Emperor's sword, it will be different from being expelled from the real universe in the past.

'Divine evil' will also be killed.

Magnus, who had to admit defeat, could only take the initiative to "leave" before the warp rifts were completely closed.

No matter how vicious the curse he left behind before he ran away, it could not cover up the fact that he escaped in disgrace.

…

Magnus ran away, and the warp rifts were closed one by one. The demons on the moon naturally became rootless duckweed. They didn't even need to be killed. They quickly became weak and then turned into a pile of ashes and disappeared.

However, the remaining cultists require a little more effort to deal with, but they are not serious and can be handed over to ordinary troops.

As for the current situation, it can basically be said that the moon has settled down.

The naval fleet in lunar orbit was only a small part of the Solar Fleet. The main force of the Solar Fleet was still in the orbit of Holy Terra—actually very close to the lunar orbit—and they also chose to observe and remain neutral.

But at least the surrender of this part of the fleet is a good sign.

Not only would this be a great addition to Robert's fleet, but it would also provide a way to leverage their connections to contact the other admirals of the Sun Fleet. If another meeting, like the previous one, could be held, perhaps even more Sun Fleet admirals would be captivated by the regent's imposing presence.

Meanwhile, the Moon Guards had largely sided with Robert. They had no other choice, and once the Moon was completely under their control, their importance was, to be honest, greatly diminished. After all, their weapons and equipment, as well as their training, were specialized for Moon defense. Their sheer strength and numbers were insufficient, making them conservative rather than aggressive. If a war were to truly commence against Holy Terra, their potential assistance would be limited.

In order to reoccupy the entire Holy Terra, Robert will have to rely mainly on his own strength.

Of course, another key point is the existing military power on Holy Terra.

The Custodians were a prime example. Their sudden arrival during the fight against Magnus was a clear statement—these men, ensconced in the palace for ten thousand years, seemed ready to break their traditional neutrality and decide their fate.

This is actually not surprising.

While it seemed like an iron rule for most people in the Empire that the Custodes stayed out of politics, this was not the case for Robert. In his early years, the Custodes accompanied the Emperor on numerous expeditions, fully participating in the founding of the Empire.

Even after the Emperor's ascension, the Imperial Guards played a significant role in combating many Imperial traitors.

Even when Robert was in power as regent after the Imperial Civil War, he maintained relatively good cooperation with the Grand Marshal of the Guards. The Guards were a very sharp knife under his command.

Robert didn't think the Guards were an unattainable target.

The fact that they took the initiative to participate in the battle on the moon is a very good signal.

After the battle, the imperial guards did not rush back to the Terra Palace, but remained on the moon. The tribune who led them also had a conversation with Robert. They would follow Robert's orders and also conveyed the Grand Marshal's greetings.

"The Grand Marshal looks forward to a call with you."

Holy Terra is shrouded in a chaotic warp surge, making long-distance communication with it difficult, and there is a fear that other forces on Terra may intentionally interfere with communications.

But the Imperial Guards probably won't worry about these.

They had been stationed at the palace for ten thousand years, hiding countless hidden weapons in the underground chambers of the imperial guards. I thought they would have a way to establish regular communication with Robert.

It's not just the Imperial Guards. Robert plans to communicate with many forces on Holy Terra.

The military operation on the Moon was a rehearsal for the Terra operation. The situation on Terra would likely be more complex than on the Moon, with more forces fighting each other. He would have to distinguish friend from foe and be more cautious.

If the Chaos forces were able to create a former blood brother of his on the moon to fight against him, who knows what they could do on the even larger Holy Terra, where no one knows how corrupted it is?

However, before engaging in dialogue with any forces on Holy Terra, Robert knew that there was one thing he had to do.

That is to talk to Gu Hang.

At this moment, he realized more clearly than ever before that to save the empire, and even to save Holy Terra now, the power he needed most was the power of the Alliance.

Without Gu Hang's support and the alliance's support, his idea of saving the empire would be in vain.

In fact, he couldn't even reach the moon without the League's help.

Even if they managed to make it, Gu Jing's presence was the key to victory in the previous lunar battle. The Alliance Lawbreakers who emerged from the miniature curtain spirit gate should not be ignored either.

And next, if the attack on Holy Terra does not go smoothly - which is very likely to happen - the help of the Alliance will be the most powerful support behind him.

Without alliances, there is nothing.

He actually already had a clear understanding of this point a long time ago, but this time, he planned to lay it out and have a good talk with Gu Hang.

What they discussed was not only the current battle, but also how the central government of the empire should exist after the war.

…

Robert stared at the crimson-marked planet on the tactical holo-table. Holy Terra's silhouette loomed distant and heavy in the void. The lunar command center still stank with the metallic scent of disinfectant gel and plasma. Beyond the heavy, soundproofed doors lay a battlefield where the moondust had yet to settle. Engineers and Skitarii raced against time to repair the demonically desecrated orbital defense array.

Gu Hang was standing beside him - it was an illusion projected by the long-distance call, but it seemed extremely real.

They were the only two people left in the hall. The heavy alloy door blocked out the mechanical humming from the outside world and the suppressed commands of the communications officer. The air was thick with the weight of post-war smoke and future choices.

Robert was the first to break the silence, his gaze fixed on the planet that symbolized the heart of the Empire, yet could also be a festering sore. "The fetid abyss on the Moon is but a tiny bubble rising from the mire of Terra. The Solar Legion has mutinied under the lash of Khorne, and we don't know how many naval units and the Munitions have been corrupted by the Cult of Tzeentch, to the point where even the starport guns can be trained on the loyalists... I have to admit, any glimmer of hope I once harbored has been completely shattered."

Gu Hang took a step closer and gently tapped his fingertips on the star map, the void area between Terra and the Moon. "The fabric of space continues to tear. This is not a natural storm, Regent, this is a man-made blasphemous ritual that is penetrating deep into the bones. The tentacles of Chaos are not only entangled in the filth of the lower hives, it has already strangled the throat of Terra's administrative center."

"Every chaotic report from Terra cuts into the past glory. The Golden Knights are stuck in the quagmire of the ground and have been unable to respond. The communication of the Star Communication Hall is swallowed by a kind of silence - it is definitely not a simple technical failure. The wave of riots that broke out in the hive city cluster is coordinated and destructive, far beyond the simple riots driven by hunger or despair..."

"The orders came from the Four Gods, but the ones who carried them out are hidden in the deepest shadows." Gu Hang's voice was as steady as an ancient well. He made such a judgment, but it made Robert's mood sink to the bottom.

He knew about the four evil gods, though they weren't widely known during the glorious era when he was active. However, after his resurrection, from the many documents he read, and after personally leading an expedition through a warp that was completely different from his memory, he had fully realized the terrifying nature of the four evil gods.

The civil war he had experienced, the one that nearly destroyed the empire, was also closely tied to the Four Evil Gods. All of his blood brothers had been bewitched by these four, transformed into abominable creatures.

And now, the gazes of these four seemed to be focused on Holy Terra.

This seems to be a matter of course.

As evil gods, if they want to destroy humanity and once again stir up chaos in the real universe, then the heart of the human empire, as the overlord of the universe, would not be the brightest pearl in their eyes?

It is only natural that they want to get this pearl.

It is therefore difficult to say to what extent the current unrest on Holy Terra is caused by the struggle between these evil gods.

They not only want to obtain this pearl, but also want to have it "alone".

After the Cataclysm, when the Crimson Scar tore the empire apart, the Four Gods must have already looked here.

Over the past hundred years, their worshippers have patiently advanced countless corrupt schemes within Holy Terra. Now, Robert's arrival in the solar system with his expeditionary force is a huge catalyst.

The worshippers of the evil god must have realized that their time was running out. They could no longer remain patient, just as the Tzeentch Cult on the Moon radically stole the sacrificial rituals of the Khorne believers and summoned the "evil god" Magnus.

Even if they failed on the Moon this time, it was surely only a prelude. They would likely carry out even more radical actions again and again on Holy Terra.

"I need your support, Gu Hang."

"Of course." Gu Hang's answer was also very clear.

He turned around, looked at Robert seriously, and made his promise and assurance: "When the battle to recover Holy Terra begins, the Alliance will do its utmost to provide you with all the support you need."

Robert was silent for a moment.

Even though Gu Hang said the word "everything", he still needed further confirmation.

"Including you?"

Gu Hang's answer once again put him at ease: "Yes, I will come when you need me."

Robert breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Hang himself is the guarantee of everything.

After seeing the current state of his blood brother, Magnus, he was no longer so confident about the upcoming war.

The existence of an unrivaled and absolutely powerful individual has an enormous impact on war.

It is even possible that the future war may directly attract a certain evil god to take action!

Of course, it's just a possibility.

After all, if the evil god were to take action personally, the conditions would probably be very harsh and the difficulty would be very high.

If they could show up so easily, how could the real universe have its current basis of existence?

But Gu Hang's existence is at least a backup in case the situation slides into an irretrievable abyss.

Of course, there is another backup plan, so there is no need to say more.

It's not easy to count on them. After all, we can't even get in touch with them.

As for the specific war strategy to come, the two did not discuss it in detail.

Later, the advisory teams of both sides will naturally have a good discussion about this matter.

The topic between the two of them began to go deeper at this moment:

"After victory in the war, what will the state of the empire's central government be like?"

Robert raised this question on his own initiative.

Robert certainly has his own thoughts on this matter.

After he woke up and embarked on the expedition to Holy Terra, he had thought deeply about this question countless times.

But at this moment, he needed to listen carefully to Gu Hang's ideas.

Gu Hangdi met Robert's sharp, scrutinizing gaze without any retreat.

Since you want to listen, then tell me.

"The anchor of the Imperial Divine Authority cannot be moved. As Regent, you are the only spiritual beacon with legal validity in this shattered galaxy. However, the operation of a vast empire requires a precise and efficient machine. The old Lords' Council and the oligarchic clans that have hollowed out the empire's core must be eradicated! The core of the new Imperial government must be based on absolute responsibility and ability."

"And the Coalition Government that I lead is better suited to take on that responsibility than any other group currently in office."

(End of this chapter)