Chapter 731, Gate of Triumph
On Holy Terra, a grand triumphal ceremony is unfolding.
This ceremony was not simply to welcome Gu Hang, but Gu Hang was definitely the most important guest in the triumphal ceremony.
It had been eight days since he arrived at Holy Terra, but he had not been to the ground. Instead, he was arranged to visit Holy Terra's natural satellite, the Moon, and wait.
Here, Gu Hang met many of his former comrades.
There are both western and northern lines.
Space Marines, Marines, Astra Militarum, Inquisition... they are all there.
Marshal Le Roux, who has already entered the dreadnought - oh, he has now resigned from the title of Marshal of the Second Fleet of the Black Crusaders, and the current Marshal of the Second Fleet is Marshal Xi Rui.
Xi Rui's Fourth Fleet was merged into the Second Fleet.
It is said that both fleets were severely damaged in the last war. Even Le Roux was put into the Iron Coffin. The Second Fleet was already in name only, with only a few remaining members.
The Fourth Fleet is slightly better.
In this case, there is little point in keeping two organizations. They should be merged together, and their battle histories should be merged together. Marshal Xi Rui, who should have been rewarded but had some flaws in his record, should be promoted two ranks to lead the Second Fleet.
Even after the merger, the new Second Fleet is actually not fully staffed.
However, the Black Crusaders were replenishing their troops very quickly. They soon had enough troops to join the Second Fleet, filling up the troops and fleet. At the same time, they also established a new Fourth Fleet.
Su Lie from the Phoenix Regiment was also there.
The internal communication among the Space Marines has been completed, and he has basically confirmed that he will replace Organgon of the Angels of Death as the new representative of the Space Marines. This will help him to obtain resources from the Empire and restore the vitality of the Phoenix more quickly.
Lu Salilius of the Ortopis Chapter was also there, as were several Astra Militarum generals and admirals who took part in the war, the admirals and admirals of the navy, the sage of Mars, the battle sister of the Inquisition, and the chief judges.
There were many people waiting, some had arrived several months ago, and some had just arrived.
But no matter who it is, there is only one person to wait for: the undisputed commander-in-chief, the first meritorious person, and the leader of the alliance in the Iron Armor War and the Zerg War, Mr. Gu Hang.
On Gu Hang's side, there were not only him and his wife's family, but also the two chapter leaders of the Phoenix and Blood Shark.
Not to mention Martins, the Blood Shark's Chapter Leader, Almar Ewing, could hardly contain his excitement.
In the past, the Blood Sharks were a warband walking in the dark, unknown to the public and unwilling to be known. But since he was determined to change the current situation of the warband and return to the glory of the empire, the current occasion was what he had always dreamed of.
The Chapter gained fame overnight, and with the Alliance as a very good partner, it can now play a role on the most honorable and glorious stage of the Holy Terra Triumph.
Of course, he is not the protagonist, but he plays a big role too.
How could this not excite him?
This triumphal ceremony was held for them to celebrate the victory of the Ironclad War.
It's a bit embarrassing to say. The news of the victory of the Iron Armor War has been reported for two years, but the triumphal ceremony has to be delayed until now.
But there is no way.
There was no set time for holding the triumphal ceremony. In fact, after the news of the victory in the war was reported back earlier, the masters on Holy Terra did not want to hold it for a while.
Such a grand ceremony would cost a lot of money. Moreover, the army that had won the victory had to go to the capital of the empire for a triumphal ceremony. It was impossible for the central government to return with honor without any expression, right?
Although there were originally plans to provide sufficient rewards, such as replenishment of personnel and equipment for each unit, promotion of officers, placement of retired soldiers, and additional rewards for active soldiers...
However, if we do not come to Holy Terra and let these troops return to their respective homes, it will be unclear when these rewards, reinforcements, supplies, and grants will arrive.
I didn’t say no!
It’s true that the central government is in a difficult situation right now. Just wait and it will be there.
It is only natural to delay war rewards, especially in times of financial difficulty.
However, the masters on Holy Terra still have to have some dignity. They can't come to Holy Terra to hold a triumphal ceremony without paying, right?
It was because of these considerations that I hesitated between doing it or not in the beginning.
Later, didn't they discuss a new tax plan with the alliance? It was expected that there would be a considerable amount of income, and the war was over, and after a year or so, the central government's finances also recovered a little.
My mind became active.
The headquarters of the Navy and the Astra Militarum are something that we urgently want to establish.
The Ministry of Military Affairs also wants to do it.
Space Marines want to do it too.
Secondly, I also want to do the Tribunal, Mars and so on.
Those who directly fought in the war, paid huge sacrifices and won the war always have to show their faces.
This kind of thing is a way to accumulate political capital and expand influence. Moreover, it is also helpful to approve subsequent budgets through the triumphal ceremony.
They are naturally positive.
The Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Taxation, the Ministry of Justice, the State Religion, and the Assassin's Court don't mind too much, and some even oppose it.
After all, these things have little to do with them, but they cost a lot of money.
For Qi Bodu, who is in the middle of making the decision, the attitude is the most important.
For the Prime Minister, holding a grand triumphal ceremony was also quite attractive. After all, in a sense, this war was also initiated by him. He even went against all odds and invested a considerable part of the power of the Solar Star Region centered on Holy Terra to carry out expeditionary operations.
At that time, in order to gain support for the war, he clearly gave it to Holy Terra. People from all walks of life said that this war was not a distant matter that had nothing to do with them. It was not only a part of the empire, but also concerned the safety of Holy Terra itself.
If left unchecked, the enemy will likely break through from the east and reach Holy Terra.
Originally, the people on Holy Terra were skeptical about this, but when the Western Front Legion collapsed for the first time, the threat seemed to become more substantial.
The man who quickly led the reconstruction of the Second Western Army and ultimately won the war was Prime Minister Zibbeto. He could have led this victory as a wise leader, further consolidating his own ruling position and strengthening his authority.
He had the motivation to hold this triumphal ceremony.
Especially if finances allow.
In addition, he needed to meet with Gu Hang to see whether this de facto battlefield hero and the "big man" who was the rise of the empire in the east was a "hero" who could be used by him, or a treacherous tyrant.
Thus, the triumphal ceremony was decided.
But there were problems after the decision was made.
The overall preparation time for the triumphal ceremony takes a long time and costs a lot of money.
At the same time, as the protagonists of the triumphal ceremony, they did not receive the news that they would be attending the triumphal ceremony at the beginning, and many of them fought the final battle in the Spider Web Universe for a few months, and some returned to their hometowns. Now, this group of people have to gather all back to Holy Terra, which must be very tiring and take a lot of time.
For example, Gu Hang has been on the road for almost a year.
There are others who are farther away, and they will set off earlier than Gu Hang.
However, in general, most people are willing to participate, even if it takes a long time to travel.
Putting aside all practical interests, the sense of honor alone is enough to drive the soldiers to make a trip.
This is the honor they have earned with their own hands, brought about by the sacrifices of countless comrades. They must take this journey and pass through the most famous Triumphal Gate on Holy Terra, which was passed by the expedition led by the Emperor ten thousand years ago. Only then will their life of military service be worthwhile.
Because of this, the soldiers who responded positively arrived at the location before the scheduled time.
Of course, it is impossible for all the troops involved in the war to participate in the triumphal ceremony.
Otherwise, would all of the Alliance Army's billions of troops and hundreds of warships have to come?
How much money would it cost to travel? And who would guard the alliance's territory?
Even without considering these, would Holy Terra agree? Would the imperial guards responsible for the palace's security agree?
Gu Hang and his family came, Martins came, Ewing came, plus some Alliance army and navy generals, and some troops that had made outstanding contributions in the war. All in all, there were no more than 50,000 people.
For example, the Union Army can only send one representative per division.
The same goes for other troops.
The only ones who had more people were from the Second Western Front Legion, which was already in the Solar Star Region.
There are about 300,000 people who will participate in the triumphal ceremony, and half of them are locals of the Sun Star Region.
During the days of waiting for the ceremony to begin, comrades who once fought side by side raised their glasses to celebrate together.
Gu Hang is the absolute protagonist among them.
After reconnecting with these people, the grand triumphal ceremony officially began.
On the long red carpet, in front of countless cameras, with the Lunar Defense Force standing on both sides, Gu Hang was riding in a chariot with only half of his body exposed, and he was slowly moving forward as the vanguard of the 300,000 expeditionary representatives being reviewed.
He kept waving to the crowds on both sides. Every time he passed a place, the soldiers in the two phalanxes would put down their weapons and stand at attention to salute.
The crowd who were further away and could only see Gu Hang's silhouette, and who had to watch the big screen for a clearer picture, cheered.
Inside the life-support shield that covers the entire moon, the sound waves are even more deafening than on a normal planet.
In this way, Gu Hang, as the lead vehicle, entered the lunar orbital elevator, entered the lunar starport, and boarded an Emperor-class battleship that was allocated as a vehicle.
The battleship sailed out from the Moon Starport, and then more representatives boarded the subsequent battleships. They circled the human home planet Holy Terra, circle after circle, and each circle brought them closer.
In this picture, many warships of the Sun Fleet stood on both sides of the sailing track like guards, with their bows facing the review fleet led by Gu Hang, showing boundless respect.
Every time a ship passed by them, the artillery fired upwards and downwards, creating grand fireworks in space.
The fireworks were so conspicuous that when people on the other side of the night looked up, they felt that the sky had become colorful.
As the Emperor-class battleship that Gu Hang was on gradually approached the low-Earth orbit, a magnificent Triumphal Arch came into view.
It is like a gigantic metallic beast that stretches across the universe, made of a special alloy that sparkles with brilliant golden light, and is filled with glorious power under its endless brilliance.
At the top of the Arch of Triumph, a huge energy crystal emits dazzling light, which acts like a beacon, guiding the returning heroes.
Both sides of the door are covered with reliefs, depicting the glorious course of mankind in interstellar conquests, from the difficult initial war of unification of Terra, to the Great Crusade led by the Emperor, and the bloody battles with various alien races; and then, some of the most significant battles in the future, all of which are depicted in them. Each relief is lifelike, telling those magnificent stories.
It is a huge structure built at the end of the victorious Great Crusade led by the Emperor himself.
This is the [Gate of Triumph] of Holy Terra, and it is also a huge satellite-level defense platform on Holy Terra. Because it is a ring shape, even the largest Queen of Glory-class warships can pass through the middle, so when they triumph, the victorious team will pass through it.
This has become the highest honor for the imperial soldiers.
And if there is anything more glorious than passing through this triumphal gate, it is to have your own glorious deeds engraved on it.
Ironclad Wars has this honor.
Although it is only a relief of 80 meters by 30 meters, it is not very eye-catching on the entire Arc de Triomphe. But at this moment, the 2,400 square meters of relief is shining with the brightest light.
The battleship slowly passed through the Arch of Triumph. Gu Hang stood at the bow, looking at the gradually approaching and increasingly awe-inspiring building. Even he couldn't help but feel a surge of blood in his heart.
This is not just a magnificent building, but also a testimony to the glory of mankind.
Not only him, but also every victor of the Iron Armor War who followed him and approached from behind would be shocked and feel great honor.
Die for the Empire, die for humanity, it's a worthy death!
As the fleet continued to move forward, it finally arrived at the starport of Holy Terra. The huge starport was filled with various warships, like a steel forest. When Gu Hang's vehicle was parked steadily at the designated berth, the 300,000 expeditionary representatives quickly and orderly began to organize the team. The warrior representatives were dressed in brand new uniforms, and their armors gleamed coldly under the lights of the starport. They lined up neatly, and their footsteps echoed in the empty starport.
Gu Hang stepped off the warship and onto the passage leading to the land. Behind him, the 300,000-strong army was like a giant iron dragon, slowly moving forward along the red carpet. On both sides of the red carpet were officials and representatives of the public who came to greet them, holding flowers and flags, with faces filled with reverence and joy.
Taking the space elevator from the starport, we arrived at the sacred land of Terra. The red carpet was laid all the way for 5,000 kilometers to the Terra Palace.
Under the leadership of Gu Hang, 300,000 people will take vehicles and travel across one-eighth of the circumference of Holy Terra in about a month to reach Holy Terra.
It won't be day and night, and the speed won't be particularly fast.
Along the way, they will pass through countless areas of Holy Terra, receiving the enthusiasm and cheers of the broadest masses of Holy Terra.
(End of this chapter)
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