Chapter 1004: Assassination

Keerwa, Hui Guang City East District, "Rust Belt" slum.

Lieutenant Eisenhart stood a few paces behind and to the side of Sheng Wolun, scanning the restless crowd.

On the periphery of the crowd, several "onlookers" who were dressed no differently from those around them, but were clearly more robust in physique, exchanged glances.

Their hands hung seemingly casually at their sides or were tucked into the pockets of their tattered coats.

Lieutenant Eisenhart's gaze locked onto these individuals.

Their positioning appeared scattered, yet they formed a fan-shaped area that allowed for mutual support and rapid advancement to Sheng Wolun's location.

"Watch the three o'clock direction, the one in the grey coat with his hand in his pocket.

And the thin, tall one to his left who keeps licking his lips.

Nine o'clock direction, the burly man leaning in the shadow of the shed."

Lieutenant Eisenhart's voice was extremely low, transmitted into the ear of every member of the guard squad via their built-in communication devices.

"Stay alert, they may have weapons. Without my order, do not act rashly to avoid causing mass panic."

The Wentuiliya soldiers of the guard squad began to adjust their positions, their fingers resting near the laser pistol holsters at their waists.

Sheng Wolun continued his speech, his voice resonant.

"I promise you, and I swear to the Emperor, that I will exhaust all my efforts to ensure that the law is executed here without compromise. Anyone who attempts to obstruct this, regardless of their identity or how high their status, will face the severe punishment of the law!"

Just as Sheng Wolun's voice fell.

The man marked by Eisenhart pulled a crudely fashioned energy pistol from his pocket.

The thin, tall man next to him also drew a short blade flickering with high-frequency vibrations from his back waist!

The burly man leaning in the shadows lunged toward Sheng Wolun, brandishing an iron rod with a sharpened tip!

"For the glory of Ke'erwa! Kill this alien lapdog!"

The grey-clad man roared, raising his pistol to aim at Sheng Wolun!

"Protect the Governor!"

Lieutenant Eisenhart's roar rang out.

As the assassins acted, Lieutenant Eisenhart turned, drew his pistol, aimed, and fired—all in one fluid motion!

A laser beam struck the wrist of the grey-clad man holding the pistol!

"Ah!"

A scream erupted; the energy pistol flew from his hand and was kicked away into the air by another Wentuiliya soldier.

Another Wentuiliya soldier performed a standard grappling maneuver, side-stepping the vibrating short blade thrust by the thin, tall man, gripped the opponent's wrist, and twisted to disarm him!

The sound of bone cracking accompanied another scream, and the short blade clattered to the ground.

A third Wentuiliya soldier met the charging burly man, delivering a sweep kick to his ankle.

The burly man crashed to the ground, and the iron rod in his hand was knocked away.

In the blink of an eye, the threat of the three main assassins was neutralized, while minimizing the impact on the panicked civilians nearby.

Just as the crowd fell into chaos due to the sudden turn of events, a "old woman" who had been hunched over on the further periphery suddenly straightened her back and pulled out a fist-sized spherical object.

"For the noble lords! Fight them to the death!"

The old woman shrieked, her arm swinging back, about to throw the explosive toward Sheng Wolun's direction!

"Watch out for the projectile!"

A Wentuiliya soldier warned loudly.

Lieutenant Eisenhart shifted his aim toward the "old woman" who had not yet thrown the explosive.

A laser beam struck the "old woman" in the chest, and the unthrown explosive slid from her hand and dropped to the ground.

The scene fell into dead silence.

There were only the groans of the wounded assassins, the terrified sobbing of the slum dwellers in the distance, and the footsteps of the Wentuiliya soldiers securing the scene.

Sheng Wolun stood there from beginning to end, without moving a muscle.

Lieutenant Eisenhart holstered his pistol and walked quickly to Sheng Wolun's side.

"Governor, you have been startled."

Sheng Wolun nodded.

His gaze swept over the subdued and killed assassins on the ground, finally landing back on the slum dwellers who were looking at him.

"Do you see? This is the method of those who uphold the old order.

They dare not contend with the law in the sunlight; they only dare to hide in the shadows, driving poor wretches they have blinded or bought off to use such despicable means to stop the arrival of light, to stop you from obtaining the dignity and rights you deserve!"

Sheng Wolun pointed at the killed "old woman."

"Look at her! She should have been at an age to enjoy her twilight years, yet she became a pathetic pawn in the hands of others, throwing away her life in vain to maintain the crumbling privileges of those noble lords!

Is this what they call the 'glory of Ke'erwa'? To be watered with the blood and lives of the innocent?

But I tell you, and I tell those hiding behind the scenes! Such despicable acts cannot scare me, nor can they block the will of the Emperor and the law of the Holy Xiu Luo!"

Sheng Wolun turned to Lieutenant Eisenhart and spoke.

"Lieutenant!"

"Present!"

"Escort the living assassins to the Planetary Enforcement Force Headquarters immediately, and have the Xintila Squad, in conjunction with the Judge, conduct the interrogation!

I want to know who directed them, their communication network, everything about them!"

"Yes!"

"At the same time, make everything that happened here, including the assassins' corpses and weapons, public! Issue a bulletin to the entire planet, severely condemning this despicable act of terrorism!

Announce that effective immediately, the planet enters a state of temporary control, and strengthen security forces in all critical departments and public areas!

Authorize the Planetary Law Enforcement Force and the garrison to have the power to search, summon, and even take necessary coercive measures against any individual or organization suspected of planning, participating in, or shielding this assassination attempt!"

"Understood!"

Sheng Wolun then said to those impoverished people.

"As for you, children of the Emperor, please remember today.

Remember that there are those who, in order to stop you from living a good life, would stop at nothing to use assassination and terror.

But please also remember, the Luosheng Star Alliance will not shrink back because of this, and the law will not be shaken by this.

Everything that is owed to you will not be missing a single bit! The Emperor's protection will be more indestructible than an assassin's dagger!"

After speaking, Sheng Wolun left under the protection of the guard squad.