Chapter 1055: That

A furious roar rang out!

Count Kainuo completely lost control.

All the anger accumulated previously erupted under this series of demands that trampled on dignity and bottom lines.

Count Kainuo rushed out of the noble ranks, his gaze fixed directly on Li Fengmin.

"Collars?! Gene Sampling?! And you want to destroy our Ancestral Mural?! Li Fengmin! You Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance are simply a bunch of greedy, shameless interstellar bandits wearing the cloak of order!

You never intended to accept us at all! You just want to destroy us completely! Turn us into your slaves! Trample our history and our pride under your feet!"

"I tell you! We of the Saike-shan clan would rather die standing on this ice field than kneel and put on your damned collars!

You want to touch our royal bloodline? You want to destroy our Heritage Wall? Step over my corpse first!"

This angry outburst from Count Kainuo plunged the entire great hall into silence.

All the Saike-shan nobles, including Ailamande and Grand Duke Moge, were stunned.

They had not expected Kainuo to be so direct.

But was what Kainuo cursed not exactly what they wanted to say but dared not?

Facing this finger-pointing rage, Li Fengmin not only showed no anger, but instead revealed a trace of a smile.

This was the effect he wanted.

The moment Kainuo erupted, Sergeant Safo and the Dark Angels behind him adjusted their positions; their Power Armor Servo Systems emitted a sound of energy charging, and the four Dark Angels Space Marines shielded Li Fengmin in the center, scanning every Saike-shan noble who might make a move, especially the out-of-control Kainuo and the Cold Blade who had their hand on their sword hilt.

Meeting Kainuo's gaze, which was almost murderous, Li Fengmin's tone remained flat.

"Count Kainuo, please mind your words and attitude. Your current behavior constitutes a serious insult and threat to a Special Envoy of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance.

Are you representing the Saike-shan clan in formally rejecting the Star Alliance's final request for sincerity verification? Are you representing your King in declaring yourselves enemies of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance?"

These words awakened Ailamande on the throne.

"Kainuo! Stand down!"

He could not let Kainuo's impulsiveness ruin the entire plan.

General Cold Blade grabbed Kainuo's arm, his immense strength preventing Count Kainuo from taking another step forward.

Grand Duke Moge hurriedly tried to smooth things over, his voice filled with urgency and panic.

"Your Excellency, please calm your anger! Count Kainuo was just impulsive for a moment and spoke without thinking! This is absolutely not our clan's intent! Absolutely not our intent!"

Kainuo struggled violently under Cold Blade's restraint, glaring at Li Fengmin, a low growl of unwillingness escaping his throat.

Li Fengmin ignored the seemingly crazed Kainuo and cast his gaze back toward Ailamande on the throne.

"Frost King Ailamande. It seems your side is not of one mind regarding submission to the Star Alliance.

Regarding the three requirements I just proposed, as well as Count Kainuo's hostile words and actions, I need a clear answer from you, the supreme ruler of the Saike-shan.

Will you accept the rules of the Star Alliance and prove your value and Loyalty? Or... as Count Kainuo wishes, choose another path? Remember, you must answer now, and there are further requirements to be added."

More? Were they never going to finish? Were they interstellar pirates?!

No, even interstellar pirates knew how to leave a way out; these Xiuluo Saints wanted to swallow them skin and bone, not even leaving behind a single ash of their civilization!

Collars, Gene Imprint, destroying the Heritage Wall... these already exceeded the scope of "submission"; this was to brand the Saike-shan clan with the mark of slaves from body to soul!

Kainuo was right; they were a bunch of bandits wearing the cloak of order! No, worse than bandits!

Ailamande had originally thought he could buy time through forbearance and disguise, thinking the Xiuluo would at least maintain the superficial "order" and "procedures."

But now Ailamande understood, the other side did not care at all!

They wanted to use this undisguised humiliation and oppression to either force you to willingly become a walking corpse, or force you to resist, so they could then "justifiably" eliminate you completely from a physical standpoint!

A surge of anger rose, and the dark purple Condensed Essence Crystal Core on Ailamande's forehead began to flicker.

Ailamande slowly stood up from the Ice Crystal Throne. His gaze swept over the Saike-shan nobles below, whose expressions varied due to Kainuo's outburst and Li Fengmin's relentless pressure.

He could not retreat anymore. Not one more step. To retreat further would mean the total destruction of the clan's bloodline and civilization.

Ailamande's line of sight met General Cold Blade's in the air.

It was only for an instant, but it was enough.

That was the tacit understanding honed through hundreds of years of fighting side-by-side and sharing life and death.

General Cold Blade's pupils contracted slightly, and then he nodded.

Then, Ailamande's gaze returned to Li Fengmin.

"Li Fengmin... Envoy. Your Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance's 'sincerity'... I, the Frost King of the Saike-shan clan, Ailamande, have today... learned my lesson.

Collars... Gene Imprint... destroying my Heritage Wall... Hahahaha...

What you want is not a vassal, but slaves whose very souls are to be stripped away! A blank slate whose history is to be erased!"

Li Fengmin's smile widened.

"How could you interpret it that way? So that's how you interpret it? That's what you said! It has nothing to do with me!"

Ailamande's voice rose sharply.

"Then as you wish! The Saike-shan clan would rather be shattered jade than an intact tile!"

Almost the same instant Ailamande's words fell, Sergeant Safo's enhanced senses had already captured the anomaly.

"Sergeant Safo, detected a large number of hostile life signals approaching rapidly! Energy Weapon charging signatures! They are assembling!"

Sergeant Safo did not hesitate; his Power Armor Servo System emitted a low hum. He stepped forward, standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder with Li Fengmin, while simultaneously emitting a low, warning-filled voice through his external speakers:

"Alien! Cease your hostile mobilization!"

The other four Dark Angels Space Marines deployed into combat formation, two moving forward to form a triangular assault formation with Safo, while the other two provided rear-flank cover, their Bolter muzzles raised slightly, scanning every direction from which an attack might be launched.

Li Fengmin met Ailamande's eyes with a calm gaze.

"Finally stopped pretending, Ailamande? Or should I say... should I call you, the surviving remnants of 'Fengqi Game'?"

How could he know?! That was an incident that occurred on the Xiuluo Holy Mother Star before the founding of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance; the participating Saike-shan princes were all wiped out, and the Xiuluo side should have long ago attributed it to the marauders or unknown Aliens of that time!

Li Fengmin watched Ailamande's complexion change drastically and continued to speak in a measured tone.

"The Intelligence Department of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance has a deep memory of past humiliations; how could it possibly forget? Did you think you were hiding it well?"

"So-called submission? It was nothing but a delaying tactic to buy time and accumulate strength. So-called suffering under oppression? It was nothing but a performance to win sympathy and cover up your bloody history. From the very beginning, you were carrying sin and deception, attempting to fool the Star Alliance... enemies of history!"