Chapter 1366: Other Risks Must Also Be Considered

Yingzhou raised his hand, stopping the argument.

"Luojia is right, the Bode Star System needs a unified defense system. Who will lead it? Naturally, the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance. We have the most powerful fleet, the most elite warriors, and the richest experience. Other factions must either join or face the next crisis alone."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"However, integration cannot be rushed; we must use both soft and hard tactics."

Lu Zhenda stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I have a proposal."

Yingzhou turned around.

"Speak."

Lu Zhenda said.

"Your Majesty, integrating the Bode Star System is not a matter of a day or two. I suggest a three-step approach. First, consolidate existing achievements. The garrisons in the Ashes Star Alliance must be maintained, the calls for help from the Canaan Star Alliance must be properly responded to, the Non-Aggression Treaty with the Daikong Star Alliance must be renewed, and contact with the Luoke Imperium must be maintained."

He opened the Data Pad.

"Second, gradually expand our influence. Establish observation stations on key planets of other factions, dispatch advisory groups, and help train their armies. Nominally, it is 'assisting in defense,' but in reality, it is expanding our influence."

He turned to the next page.

"Third, when the time is ripe, push for the establishment of the Bode Star System Defense Council. All factions will send representatives to participate and jointly formulate defense plans. The Council will be led by the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, but we will give other factions a certain degree of say so they won't feel oppressed, while we maintain actual control."

Guilliman's eyes brightened slightly.

"Mr. Lu, you have considered this very thoroughly."

Lu Zhenda bowed slightly.

"I am just doing my best."

Yingzhou walked back to the desk and sat down.

"Lao Lu, your suggestion is excellent. Proceed according to this line of thought. Luojia, you are responsible for external liaison. Guilliman, you are responsible for military coordination. Lao Lu, you are responsible for administrative support."

The three nodded simultaneously.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Yes, Father."

After the meeting ended, Luojia and Guilliman remained in the study.

Yingzhou went to rest, and Lu Zhenda also left to prepare the relevant documents.

Only the two brothers remained in the room.

"Guilliman, what do you think Father is worried about?"

Luojia asked.

Guilliman looked out the window.

"Father is worried about the existence on the other side of the rift. Not just the Zerg, but also the thing in that dark red rift. You also saw Magnus's Psionic Echo. That entity attacking the Zerg within the swarm is trickier than the Zerg."

Luojia was silent for a moment.

"What do you think it is?"

Guilliman shook his head.

"I don't know. But no matter what it is, it is not on our side, at least not for now. But if it finds a way to come over..."

He did not continue.

Luojia said.

"That is why Father wants to integrate the Bode Star System, for the sake of Humanity. The threat on the other side of the rift is too great; if Humanity faces it alone, the losses will be too heavy."

Guilliman looked at him.

"Luojia, other factions will not listen to our opinions."

Luojia said.

"They will, just as Father said, by using both soft and hard tactics."

Guilliman leaned back in his chair.

"I hope you are right."

Luojia looked at him.

"Guilliman, when did you become so pessimistic?"

Guilliman laughed.

"The Feng Qi Xing Alliance chose Forbidden Technology and was wiped out. The Canaan Star Alliance chose Forbidden Technology and was Devoured by the Zerg. You think the Ashes Star Alliance doesn't want to study the rift? They just haven't had the chance yet. What about the Daikong Star Alliance? They are also researching it in secret. These Aliens are always ticking time bombs! If we could just wipe them all out..."

Luojia said.

"Brother, we need their obedience. When the time comes for sacrifice, it can be those Aliens rather than our own kin. Father said that in front of the Tyranid, there are no enemies, only survivors and the dead. We don't want to die, so we must make other factions not want to die either. For those who don't listen, we will make them protect the Bode Star System in other ways."

"You are right."

Night fell, and Yingzhou stood by the window, looking at the starry sky outside.

The night sky of the Xiuluo Holy Star was clear and deep, with countless stars twinkling within it, like countless worlds, countless lives, and countless stories.

But in his eyes, those stars were all potential battlefields.

The calm of the Bode Star System was merely an illusion.

Magnus's Psionic Echo.

That huge red figure.

Yingzhou's fingers tapped lightly on the window frame.

"Selina."

A holographic projection appeared in the corner of the room.

"Your Majesty, I am here."

"Notify all Primarchs to quickly resolve the matters at hand and return to Xiuluo Holy Star."

Selina's data stream pulsed rapidly.

"Your Majesty, should other factions be notified?"

Yingzhou shook his head.

"No need. This is a meeting internal to the Humans. As for the other factions, we will notify them once we have made our decision."

"Understood."

Yingzhou lowered his head in thought.

In the Bode Star System, there were still quite a few interstellar factions, and their risks had to be taken into account as well.

Some of them were secretly researching rift technology, some were harboring the routed troops of the Fengqi Star Alliance, some were stealthily imitating the fleet tactics of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, and some were even attempting to form an alliance with the Luoke Empire to oppose the Humans.

Their names piled up like mountains in the reports from the Intelligence Department: Sargon Free Territory, Zelar Commercial Alliance, Viridian United Kingdom, Octavia Duchy, Solan Federation... there were some Yingzhou couldn't even remember; it wasn't that his memory was poor, it was that there were too many of them.

In Selina's records, at least thirty-seven small Alien factions had shown dangerous tendencies within the past three months.

They thought the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance was too busy dealing with the Zerg to pay attention to them.

They thought they could profit from the chaos.

They thought those Forbidden Technologies were a free lunch.