Chapter 1369: The Reactions of Various Factions (2)

Keluo Nuo Si Imperial City, Capital Star of the Imperium.

Keluoke Ershisi Shi sat on the throne, with Luojia's speech playing on the holographic screen before him.

Zenuosi stood to the side, awaiting His Majesty's instructions.

The Minister of Military Affairs, Keluoweisi, sat below, his brow furrowed.

"Your Majesty, the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance is warning us."

Keluoke Ershisi Shi watched the screen.

"A warning? They are warning all factions. Not just us."

Zenuosi asked cautiously.

"Your Majesty, do we need to respond?"

Keluoke Ershisi Shi shook his head.

"No need. Perhaps they truly just do not want the Zerg to spread to their territories, which is why they took action, or perhaps they have exaggerated the facts about the so-called Tyranid."

He paused, then continued.

"Zenuosi, notify all departments: there are to be no inappropriate actions directed at the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance in the near future. Ensure the members of the Imperial family are also kept in check."

Zenuosi stood at attention.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Keluoke Ershisi Shi looked out the window at the orange-red Imperial City.

The Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance loves peace?

To the courtiers of the Imperium, this statement sounded as ironic as announcing a truce on a battlefield.

Capital Star of the Sargon Free Territory, Parliament Hall.

Speaker Kaerweinuo sat on the podium, with Luojia's speech playing on the holographic screen before him.

His four eyes were filled with fear, and his hands were trembling.

The councilors whispered among themselves below the stage; some were pale, others cursed under their breath.

"Speaker, the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance is warning us!"

A councilor stood up and shouted.

"We have issued statements against them three times in the past week; they must be watching us!"

Another councilor also stood up.

"They wouldn't take action just because of a few words, would they?"

Kaerweinuo raised a hand to signal for silence.

"They will not take action because of a few words, but they will take action the moment we make a mistake. Notify all media to immediately cease all hostile rhetoric against the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance. At the same time, draft a diplomatic note to express our friendly attitude toward the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

The councilors nodded one after another.

Headquarters of the Zelar Commercial Alliance, Alliance Conference Hall.

The business tycoons sat around a round table, with Luojia's speech playing on the holographic screen.

Alliance Chairman Kelasusi had a livid complexion, his four eyes fixed on the screen.

"Chairman, will our secret contact with the Imperium be discovered by them?"

A business tycoon asked in a low voice.

Kelasusi gritted his teeth.

"So what if it is discovered? We only made contact; no agreement was reached."

Another business tycoon said.

"But they won't care about that. They only look at the results."

Kelasusi stood up abruptly.

"Notify all trade routes to suspend all secret contact with the Imperium. At the same time, dispatch a trade delegation to the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance to express our willingness to cooperate."

Royal Palace of the Viridian United Kingdom, King Viridian II sat on the throne, with Luojia's speech playing on the holographic screen.

"Where are the Kingdom's scientists, those who downloaded the rift data, now?"

He looked at the Minister of Intelligence.

The Minister of Intelligence lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, the data has been destroyed, and the researchers have been detained."

The King breathed a sigh of relief.

"Immediately send a message to the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, stating that the Kingdom is willing to accept their supervision and will never touch any Forbidden Technology again."

The news spread rapidly throughout the Bode Star System.

Public screens in the busiest commercial district of the Canaan Star Alliance's Capital Star played the content of the speech in synchronization; pedestrians stopped to watch, their faces filled with unconcealable fear.

In a bar in the Ashes, the patrons listened quietly, no one speaking.

The anti-Human tabloid of the Sargon Free Territory changed its tune the very next day, reprinting the statement from the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance at great length.

The front-page headline was changed from the fierce rhetoric of the previous days to "Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance: Guardian of the Bode Star System."

Xiuluo Holy Star, Yingzhou's study.

Yingzhou stood before the window, watching the night sky outside.

Luojia stood behind him, holding the string of Psionic Crystal Rosary.

"Father, the message has been sent out; the surrounding factions should all know by now."

Yingzhou nodded. "What is their reaction?"

Luojia thought for a moment.

"The Canaan Star Alliance, the Ashes, the Daikong Star Alliance, and the Imperium have yet to state their positions, but those smaller factions are in a panic and have ceased some of their dangerous activities."

He paused.

"Father, no one believes the phrase 'the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance loves peace'."

The corners of Yingzhou's mouth lifted slightly.

"They don't need to believe it. They only need to know that we have said it, and that is enough."

Xiuluo Holy Star, Spaceport.

Yingxin stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of the observation deck, her eyes wide, her little face pressed against the glass, the hot air she exhaled condensing into a white mist on the pane.

She was wearing a light blue dress, her hair tied into two braids, with two bows tied at the ends.

"Grandma! Is that ship Brother Horus's?"

She turned her head and shouted.

Mother Ying sat on a bench behind the deck, knitting a sweater in her hands; her silver-white hair was combed meticulously, and her face was kind.

She looked up and glanced at the giant warship slowly descending outside the window; the Luna Wolves emblem on the hull glittered in the sunlight.

"Yes, Horus's flagship."

Mother Ying said with a smile.

"Haven't you seen his ship before?"

Yingxin pressed her face back against the glass.

"But it's been a long time, I forgot!"

Her little hands pressed two handprints onto the glass.

Nearby, the youth Fulgrim leaned elegantly against the wall, wearing silver-gray casual clothes, his long silver hair neatly tied behind his head, holding a cup of steaming tea in his hand.

"Xiaoxiner, Brother Horus's ship is very big, you can't see it all from the window. Once it lands, I will take you up to see it."

Yingxin nodded vigorously.

"Brother Fulgrim is the best!"

The youth Leman Russ sat on the ground, leaning his back against the wall, wearing a loose brown leather jacket, his long golden hair draped loosely.

He was holding a piece of roasted meat and eating it in big mouthfuls, sauce smeared on the corners of his mouth.

"Fulgrim, don't spoil her. Last time you took her onto the ship, she almost drew all over Horus's command chair."

Fulgrim raised an eyebrow.

"That was because she drew well; didn't Horus frame that drawing later?"

Leman Russ choked.

"Fram... framed it?"

Fulgrim took a sip of tea.

"Yes, it's hanging on the Bridge of the *Loyal Soul*. He said, 'This is my little sister's drawing, it is more meaningful than any battle flag'."

Leman Russ was silent.

He lowered his head and continued eating the roasted meat.

Fulgrim looked at him, his eyes full of smugness.

The youths Alpha and Omegon were huddled in a corner, both wearing identical deep blue casual clothes, whispering about something.

Mother Ying put down her knitting and looked at these children.

"Alpha, Omegon, what are you two whispering about?"

The twins looked up at the same time and shook their heads at the same time.

"Nothing, Grandmother."

"We were discussing the weather."

Mother Ying smiled and shook her head, not pressing further.

The youth Curze sat by the windowsill.

He did not go near the others; the sunlight shone on him, and he narrowed his eyes slightly.

He held a book of the Xiuluo Holy Law in his hands, but his gaze remained fixed on the warships outside the window.

He wore a black turtleneck sweater and black trousers.

No one disturbed him, and he did not disturb anyone else.

But every time Yingxin ran past him, she would stop to say "Brother Curze," and he would nod slightly in response.

Jaghatai stood on the other side of the observation deck, wearing a long white trench coat, with a belt tied loosely around his waist.

His black hair fluttered slightly in the wind, his hands in his pockets, his gaze following the warships that were landing.

"Perturabo hasn't come yet?"

He asked casually.

Luojia stood beside him, wearing the ceremonial robes of the Word Bearers Legion.

"He said the Engineering Team has work in the East District and will be late."

The corners of Jaghatai's mouth lifted slightly.

"He says that every time."

Guilliman walked over, wearing a deep blue jacket.

"Perturabo's Engineering Team finished work long ago. He is probably dawdling on the way, not wanting people to see that he is in a rush to get home."

Luojia nodded. "Very likely."