Chapter 552: Meeting Guests

Half-Life

In this game, Sui Bian, when he was in middle school in his previous life, often went to those shady internet cafés, spending two yuan for an hour of single‑player gaming at night.

What left a deep impression on him were the Halo and Half-Life series, especially Half-Life: Opposing Force and Half-Life 2.

Physics Holy Sword…

War God Gordon…

Can't count to three…

And so on; the meme layers are endless.

Mainly because the HECU (Hazardous Environment Combat Unit) in Half-Life dresses in a style that fits Sui Bian's aesthetic, so he spent about half of his gaming time on Opposing Force.

And the universe where Dan Ting and his companions reside is much the same as the Half-Life universe.

It also has a United Empire spanning multiple universes and dimensions, but lacks the legendary War God Gordon Freeman and familiar figures like Alex.

Sui Bian sent six Holy Blood Angel recruits over, just to let them test their skills and gain a foothold.

Later, Sui Bian will gradually dispatch more offspring, for among the two thousand recruits participating in the trial, many experience a relatively static flow of time.

Sui Yang, Sui Yue, and Dan Ting felt that three months or seven days had passed during the trial, but in the main universe the trial had barely begun, less than twelve hours.

After all, time and space are merely "toys" before Sui Bian.

The evil deities such as the Color Sin, the Treacherous Oddity, the Filth Accumulator, and the Terror Abuse dominate the alternate dimension, making him the "Administrator" of the real universe.

Within the alternate dimension, he may temporarily be unable to oppose all the evil gods single‑handedly, but in the real space, the term Sui Bian dislikes most yet fits better than "Administrator" is simply "the sole deity".

Seated on the throne, Sui Bian naturally can hear the prayers of youths, bald heads and priests from the universe where Dan Ting, Ba Er and others reside.

Moreover, as Sui Bian deliberately accelerates the flow of time in that universe, the prayers grow louder.

He then directs his energy toward Psychic Gaze.

One can see Dan Ting, Ba Er and the other four recruits, using over 150 auxiliary troops equipped with Umbrella's old gear, seize control of City #13 in just six hours.

Among them, the individual quality of the National Guard, though far inferior to synthetics and augmenteds, offers no less fierce resistance, even can be described as intense.

Because the human traitor has nowhere to retreat.

Surrender?

If it truly is surrender, without the Wailing Camp intervening, the angry crowds inside City #13 could beat the surrendering National Guard to death.

Immediately after, Dan Ting and others, upon discovering the new batch of "supplies" he transmitted, saw their strength surge.

In terms of biotech content, the United Empire's synthetics and augmenteds cannot at all match Umbrella's "antique‑grade" products, the undead engineered two centuries ago.

Conveniently, the Wailing Camp can help consume Umbrella's long‑obsolete equipment, since the cost of destroying or disposing of it far exceeds the maintenance cost of freezing and storing it.

And after Soldier Boy helped Chris Redfield's granddaughter complete the defense against the Tai Luo Insect Race, Umbrella, citing "you still need cryogenic recovery", coaxed Soldier Boy back into slumber.

However, when Sui Bian transmitted the second batch of "supplies" to Dan Ting's group, he casually employed a strand of Spiritual Energy to completely rewrite Soldier Boy's thoughts and memories, ensuring this "walkable nuclear bomb" is in a fully stable state, fundamentally eliminating any chance of loss of control or betrayal.

Originally the Wailing Camp was already unstoppable; once the undead and Soldier Boy arrived, and after activating a low‑intelligence AI, the Wailing effectively seized full control of City #13.

Having an entire city means population, troops, production lines, and a positive feedback loop.

Even more worth celebrating is that nearly two hundred surviving soldiers from major world powers, hearing the call in the later stage of the liberation of City #13, joined in, accelerating the liberation further.

These surviving soldiers' units were originally slated to join the task force's final counter‑offensive, but stayed behind to guard the base, thus evading the nuclear bombardment.

After City #13 was established, the surviving soldiers, relying on their terrain knowledge and civilian assistance, killed nearly two thousand guards and synthetics over the past year.

Just this fact alone suffices to infer that the original 200,000‑strong task force, had they not credulously believed Hua Lai Shi·Bu Lin's lies, might truly have become humanity's last hope.

After all, as long as humanity is granted enough time and space, even in a dire predicament miracles can be forged.

What a pity for those human warriors.

In fact, the United Forces had already devised a full "Hunting Plan"; without the Wailing's sudden intervention, those two hundred surviving soldiers might have perished or been forcibly augmented.

After completing the liberation.

The Wailing Camp, using City #13 as a base, removed reproductive suppression policies, filtered water sources, and began gradually restoring the old‑society direction.

The auxiliary forces' total strength expanded to 2,500.

Seeing this, Sui Bian knows Dan Ting and his group intend to use the isolation window to fortify City #13 into an impregnable stronghold, then launch a raid on City #17.

Take note.

Sui Bian once again waved his right hand, sending Dan Ting's party a batch of siege tanks, Yuyou transport aircraft, pirate fighter jets and other ground and aerial vehicles.

And the main universe's various vehicles are easy to master; even the Wailing's auxiliaries, after selecting some high‑talent individuals for training, can quickly operate them.

Only the proficiency varies from person to person.

During the Wailing's preparation, the low‑intelligence AI completely dismantled the Earth United Government's communications, cutting off all contact between cities.

Such a massive paralysis finally made the United Empire on the other side of the Space Gate notice a hint of anomaly, yet they have not yet considered dispatching main forces.

And precisely because of that, the ready Wailing successfully carried out a raid on City #17.

Soldier Boy, dropped from high altitude, rushed alone into the central castle; guided by the low‑intelligence AI, he captured Hua Lai Shi·Bu Lin in the twelfth minute of the raid.

After delivering this chief traitor to the awaiting Yuyou, Soldier Boy, in the central district of City #17, demonstrated to the United Empire what a walking "human‑shaped nuclear device" looks like.

Moreover, the custom vibranium shield in Soldier Boy's hands seemed to function more smoothly than during the Tai Luo Insect Race invasion…

Or rather, it was handled more deftly.

Cooperating with truly emotionless, painless undead, the Wailing's capture of City #17 shattered records, taking only four hours.

Individual gear and various weapons, together with the elite troops' absolute crushing power, plus the locals' responsive assistance, made victory and success inevitable.

Through Psychic Gaze, one sees the Wailing still advancing like a hot knife through butter, progress is good.

Thus Sui Bian sent the sixty Holy Blood Angel recruits, who were in a stasis state, to the central castle of City #17, giving the Wailing a battalion‑scale fighting force.

Power Armor…

Sui Bian thought for a moment, then waved his right hand, sending his sons the obsolete Type‑1 ceramic‑steel armor along with TPS and CMC power armor, plus the corresponding kits and maintenance equipment.

Although Type‑1 lacks an energy shield, it suffices to aid the Holy Blood Angels in further "informationized" operations.

Moreover, the multidimensional space at the other end of the Space Gate, as well as the territory of the United Empire, poses a certain degree of danger if there is no sealed equipment.

He does not want to send his son over for training, only to have him accidentally killed; this is something Sui Bian cannot tolerate.

He wants his sons to endure hardship and grow, yet fears they will be injured and overworked…

Upon reflection, it seems all parents share this same dilemma; even Sui Bian, as Human Emperor, cannot escape this law.

There are the infantrymen (infantrymen are one of the physical peaks, and their thinking has also been altered and strengthened by Sui Bian), and with sufficient troops and equipment, there is nothing for him to worry about on the Mourners' side.

But there is still one last point.

Sui Bian uses Spiritual Energy, deliberately with an extremely imposing voice, and says: "I will personally judge Wallace·Blin and the utterly evil traitors, and bring them to the central plaza of City 17."

??

Dante, who was in the process of integrating the Mourners' headquarters, heard his father's voice from beside his ear; for a moment he didn't react, but quickly replied: "Yes! Father."

Immediately after.

The Psychic Gaze's field of view shows several Mourners wearing Type 1 Tau-Steel Armor personally escorting, including Wallace·Blin, the chief traitors of Cities 13 and 17, numbering nearly thirty, to the central plaza of City 17.

Meanwhile, the surroundings were a sea of people, and moreover, the people's complexions and physical conditions were worlds apart from when Dante and his group had just arrived.

Upon seeing the traitors appear, the onlooking crowd shouted curses, wishing the Mourners would smash them to pieces.

When the crowd then saw a flash of golden light and the traitors' figures vanished without a trace, they instantly fell silent as if crows, each one astonished beyond belief.

Sui Bian knows that before long, more prayers will be heard beside his ear; however, being able to help the Mourners demonstrate "how formidable the Human Emperor is," in order to quickly stabilize the situation, everything is trivial.

At this moment, Sui Bian's pupils have returned to normal, and his gaze is also directed toward the sound-absorbing carpet in the reception hall.

One sees that Blin and the traitors have already been instantaneously transported here by him, and due to the sudden change in environment, as well as being scrutinized by the Imperial Guard stationed all around, who are as formidable as giants, each of them trembles uncontrollably.

Looking at the trash before him, Sui Bian restrains the urge to use Spiritual Energy to crush them, and says: "Constantine, you will be responsible for sending this gang of traitors to the Plague Doctor later; also, don't forget to let them experience the torture of the Cassius Gun during transport."

Yes, Father.

Constantine, who had already completed the extra-dimensional expedition, walked from the right side beneath the stairs to the center, first clasping his hands in salute to Sui Bian, then together with several brothers escorted Blin and the traitors away.

After Constantine left the reception hall, Sui Bian glanced with his peripheral vision at the White Empress standing on his right side, and said: "Let Sui Yang and Sui Yue bring the guests in."

"Understood, Your Majesty." The White Empress assented, and at the same time a blue light flashed in her pupils.

Not long after.

The solid wood doors of the reception hall were pushed open by the Imperial Guard, and Sui Yang and his brother, who had already been equipped with the old-style Thunder Hammer Type IV and whose helmets bore a red plume (the red plume of Tang Dynasty armor, not a braid), with corresponding modifications to the details, then led the group of "guests" into the reception hall.

Stepping onto the red carpet.

Before reaching the steps, Sui Yang and Sui Yue each knelt on one knee, slightly bowed their heads, and in unison said: "Father."

"Greetings, Human Emperor." The guests, too, all imitated the twin brothers' movements, and respectfully performed the salute.

If one listens closely, the guests' words carry a slight tremor, as if from excessive fear or nervousness.

Under normal circumstances, the Astate need not perform the half-kneeling salute when seeing Sui Bian, but if it is a formal occasion they must observe it.

As for the Greek gods, officials, and auxiliary forces, etc., unless Sui Bian says while observing the scene "exempt from rites" or "no need to restrain anything," they must otherwise observe the half-kneeling salute, or the wartime clenched-fist salute.

Although Sui Bian emphasizes equality, after discussing a bit with the OriginalBody's offspring, he becomes even more convinced that the Human Empire must be retained, and that this simple etiquette must be established, in order to ensure the supreme dignity of the Human Empire and the Human Emperor.

If it were not for these reasons, Sui Bian would not satisfy his so-called vanity by having people and his offspring kneel before him.

After completing their trials, Sui Yang and Sui Yue, with outstanding performance, were exceptionally admitted as formal members of the Assault Legion (mainly because the Assault Legion still lacks personnel), and at the same time gained the qualification to directly audience the Emperor.

After all, the universe in which they underwent trials was deemed by the Empire to have no value for colonization or occupation.

However, the Moonlight Goddess-class, while leading nearly 14 million surviving humans in withdrawing from that universe, casually threw two Nova Type IV nuclear bombs, completely eradicating all the Devouring Beasts on Earth.

This both helped them achieve liberation and helped the deceased humans exact their revenge.

As for the guests…

In fact, they are Mark, Ran Bing, Jing Nan, Elon, and others who have only just arrived in the main universe and have not yet fully adapted to the interstellar age, having broken free from the constraints of the Spirit Cage universe, and were selected and invited to the reception hall by Sui Yang and Sui Yue.

At this moment, Mark, moving, has uniformly changed into the Empire's black military uniform, which is much better than his previous disheveled and disordered appearance.

Moreover, Mark, who remains calm even when facing King‑class Devouring Beasts, since boarding the Moonlight Goddess‑class and leaving the lighthouse, has witnessed the vast cosmos and the azure Earth, and has also seen the imperial palace whose ground area exceeds that of some old‑world nations…

His mouth has basically never stopped.

The vast majority of people are likewise.

And the only one whose expression has hardly changed at all is the white‑haired woman whose Imperial uniform accentuates her nearly perfect figure—

White Mooncrown.

She is one of the survivors found by the Imperial Guard during a carpet‑style search on the Earth's surface in the Spirit Cage universe.

Moreover, when faced with the Imperial Guard's visit, she calmly accepted the request to follow them to the main universe.

(End of chapter)