Chapter 1060: We Do Not Need Your Loyalty

Horus's order left some Luna Wolves Space Marines feeling puzzled.

But out of unconditional trust in their Primarch, no one raised any questions.

Horus saw their doubts and explained.

"Remember, conquest is not just about destruction. The Emperor's great undertaking requires resources and labor.

These low-level Aliens have limited loyalty to the upper-class nobles; survival is their primary need.

Exterminating them completely would consume our precious ammunition and time, whereas letting them live... they can mine the rich mineral resources of this sector for us and maintain those existing facilities.

In some future situations, they could even serve as case studies for negotiations with other Alien forces, or... be used to fill labor roles unsuitable for Humans."

Horus paused, then continued.

"What we need is efficiency and control, not indiscriminate slaughter. Kill the lead sheep, and the remaining flock will naturally be of use to us.

Remember, we Luna Wolves are both the Emperor's Angels of Death and the pioneers of his expanding territory.

We must learn to achieve the greatest results with the minimum cost."

"Do you understand?"

Horus's voice rose again.

"For the Emperor! For Horus!"

The Luna Wolves officers on the Bridge roared in unison.

Seeing this, Horus issued his own command.

"Very good! Immediately formulate a detachment plan. Target: within one standard week, make the noble class of every world in the Saikeshan Territory history! Move out!"

Following Horus's order, several ships from the Luna Wolves fleet detached from the Capital Ship formation, ignited their thrusters, and each locked onto a Saikeshan world.

Bingsuixing - Mining World.

On this planet, known for producing high-purity ice-crystal minerals, the Saikeshan Governor and his nobles were holding a banquet in a luxurious ice-crystal palace, still completely unaware of the cataclysm that had occurred on Yongshuang Star.

Suddenly, alarms blared across the entire planetary orbital defense network!

But the alarms lasted less than a minute before being destroyed by a precise laser volley from orbit.

A Luna Wolves Cruiser appeared in the planet's orbit, directly launching Thunderhawk Gunships toward the palace and several major noble residential areas.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

After several rounds of bombardment, squads of Luna Wolves jumped down from the Thunderhawk Gunships.

"For Horus! For the Emperor! Clear the targets!"

The leading Luna Wolves Sergeant cleaved a charging Saikeshan guard in two, armor and all.

The banquet turned into a slaughterhouse.

Ice-crystal tableware and food were mixed with blue blood and shattered limbs.

The Saikeshan Governor looked at these gray-white warriors in terror.

"Wait! We are peaceful! We are willing to negotiate! We can offer all our mineral resources..."

The Luna Wolves Sergeant did not even look at him, merely tilting his head toward the Luna Wolves warrior beside him.

The Luna Wolves Space Marine raised his Bolter.

"Bang!"

The Governor's gem-encrusted head exploded, and the headless corpse slumped to the ground.

The battle ended within half an hour.

All marked nobles, officials, and their direct bodyguards were mercilessly eliminated.

Meanwhile, millions of Saikeshan miners on the planet hid in their Nests or deep in the mine shafts, shivering.

"Up there... what exactly happened up there? I heard explosions, louder than the ice sheets cracking..."

A young miner asked his father with a trembling voice.

The old miner shook his head.

"I don't know, child. But it certainly isn't anything good. In the direction of the noble lords' palace... the fire is reaching the sky. We are like blind fish under the ice, never knowing how great the storm is above."

Another female Saikeshan miner whispered.

"I heard... it's the new 'Star Alliance' that has come. Stronger than the Fengqi... are they, are they here to kill us all?"

As she spoke, she clutched her young daughter.

"Kill us all? Why?"

The young miner asked, puzzled.

"We are just miners, we haven't done anything!"

"Who can say for sure when it comes to the nobles' affairs?"

The old miner said bitterly.

"Perhaps they provoked some existence they shouldn't have again. In the end, it is always us at the bottom who suffer."

Just then, a burst of heavy footsteps came from the main passage of the mine.

Several gray-white figures appeared under the dim lights.

Their gray-white Power Armor was still stained with ice shards and a few spots of blue blood.

The miners were too terrified to breathe; some cubs couldn't help but let out faint whimpers, only to be immediately covered tightly by their parents' hands.

The leading Luna Wolves Sergeant scanned the area.

"Miners of Saikeshan.

Your former rulers, the nobles of Bingsuixing and their cohorts, have been executed for offending the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

This news triggered a wave of gasps and commotion.

The nobles... all dead?

That noble lord who threw his weight around, forced them down to the most dangerous mining levels, and yet skimped on their food rations—is he dead?

"From this moment on, Bingsuixing is occupied by the Luna Wolves Legion and under the jurisdiction of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

"I know what you are afraid of; you are worried about whether the new rulers will oppress you like the old nobles, or... simply wipe you out."

All the miners raised their heads to look at that giant of Steel.

"Listen, Aliens.

The Luna Wolves are different from those old nobles who only know how to take. We bring order, and we also bring... opportunity.

The old nobles viewed you as tools to be consumed at will; they lounged on the fruits of your labor while ignoring whether you lived or died.

But we value efficiency, and we recognize worth."

This Luna Wolves Sergeant raised his arm, encased in Steel, and pointed toward the mine.

"Starting today, the original unreasonable production quotas are abolished."

A glimmer of light flashed in the miners' eyes.

"We will establish a new, more efficient mining plan. As long as you complete the designated mining Task, you and your families will receive stable food rations sufficient for survival.

The Nest you live in will receive basic maintenance to ensure no one freezes to death anymore. Those who perform exceptionally well may even receive additional... rewards."

Rewards?

This word was far too unfamiliar to the Saikeshan miners.

For them, just being able to stay alive had always been a blessing.

"We do not need your Loyalty; that is meaningless for Aliens. We only need your labor.

Obey our rules and complete your Task, and you will be able to live—and you will live better than you did under the rule of those dead nobles.

Remember, this is the new order.

Work hard, prove your worth, and your future days will depend on your own two hands.

Resistance, slackness, sabotage... these mean you have chosen destruction.

The muzzles in orbit are ready at all times to reduce any destabilizing factors, along with this mine, to nothingness."

"The choice is in your own hands."