Chapter 1379: Deep into the People's Sentiment (1)

Viktor Star, in the northwest quadrant of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance territory.

This planet was once a military stronghold of the Fengqi Star Alliance, garrisoned by a large number of Alien troops.

Human slaves built fortifications, hauled ammunition, and cleared rubble here; every day, slaves died in accidents.

Two years ago, the fleet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance conquered Viktor Star, wiped out the garrisoned Alien troops, and liberated the Human slaves.

Today is the second anniversary of the liberation of Viktor Star.

Liberation Square in the capital of Viktor Star, a temporary square converted from an abandoned military camp.

In the center of the square stands a simple monument, engraved with the names of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the liberation of Viktor Star.

Today, the square is packed with people.

They are wearing clothes of various colors, standing before the monument in silent tribute.

Leading them is a middle-aged man who lost his right arm, named Ma Dongxing, who was struck by shrapnel during the liberation campaign three years ago and lost his entire right arm.

He holds a bouquet of fresh flowers in his left hand, walks slowly to the monument, lays down the bouquet, and takes a step back.

"Two years ago, the Humans of Viktor Star were enslaved.

Two years ago, the fleet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance came here and liberated us with blood and lives.

Today, we stand here to commemorate those sacrificed soldiers and celebrate the third anniversary of the founding of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance.

Long live the Emperor, long live the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance."

"Long live the Emperor, long live the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance!"

The trees around the square are covered in yellow ribbons, a custom to pray for the blessing of those sacrificed soldiers.

A breeze blows, and the ribbons flutter gently, like countless gentle hands.

Xiuluo Holy Star, Yingzhou's study.

The night is deep; Yingzhou stands before the window, looking at the starry sky outside.

Yingzhou knows the news from every place.

Selina compiles and organizes the intelligence, placing it on his desk.

He has read it, read it all.

He turns and walks back to the desk, sitting down.

On the table lie the ritual procedures drafted by Guilliman, the speech written by Luojia, the security plan by Angron, and the civilian evacuation contingency plan by Vulkan.

He picks up a quill and signs his name on the documents.

This morning, Yingzhou sits at his desk, with a draft of the celebration procedures just sent by Guilliman spread out before him.

From the military parade to the reception of foreign guests, from the square speech to the banquet seating, every page is densely marked with times, locations, and persons in charge.

Yingzhou reads a few pages, puts down the document, and leans back in his chair.

Selina's holographic projection appears in the corner of the room.

"Your Majesty, you have been working for four consecutive hours."

Yingzhou does not answer.

His gaze falls outside the window, and he suddenly speaks.

"Selina, are the numbers in the reports real?"

Selina's data stream flickers.

"To which data is Your Majesty referring?"

Yingzhou says.

"Livelihood data. Resident satisfaction. Public security status. Social welfare coverage."

Selina says.

"All data has been cross-verified, with an error rate of less than 0.3 percent. The comprehensive resident satisfaction index is 87 percent, an increase of 5.2 percent compared to last year. The number of public security cases has decreased by 12 percent year-on-year. Social welfare coverage has reached 95 percent."

Yingzhou's brows furrow slightly.

The number of public security cases has decreased by 12 percent.

But there are still cases.

What kind of cases? Who was harmed? Who was the perpetrator?

He stands up and walks to the window.

"Selina, I am going out for a while."

Selina asks.

"Where is Your Majesty going?"

"Central City. Just for a walk."

"Your Majesty, there are only seven days left until the ceremony begins, and the security pressure is immense. If you leave the Primarch Residential Area at this time, Lord Angron will..."

Yingzhou raises a hand to interrupt her.

"Do not notify Angron, do not notify anyone; I am going alone."

Selina's data stream flickers violently.

"Your Majesty, this does not comply with safety protocols."

Yingzhou turns to look at her.

"Selina, you are my recorder, not my warden. Besides, I will not be going out in the identity of the Emperor."

His body begins to change.

Soon, it becomes the face of an ordinary middle-aged man, and he takes an identity card from the desk drawer.

"Ke'en Dian."

Selina's projection flickers slightly.

"Your Majesty, your disguise technique is excellent."

Yingzhou tucked his identity card into his pocket.

"Psionic power has altered my appearance, voiceprint, fingerprints, and irises. Even the most advanced scanner wouldn't recognize me; I am just an ordinary middle-aged engineer, out for a stroll on my day off."

He paused.

"Selina, keep the study quiet until I return. If anyone comes looking for me, tell them I am meditating and not seeing anyone."

Selina said.

"What if Lord Guilliman has an urgent matter?"

Yingzhou thought for a moment.

"Tell him to coordinate with Luojia."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Yingzhou walked out of the study, crossed the corridor, passed the gate of the Primarch Residential Area, and used his psionic power to leave smoothly.

The streets of Central City were gradually waking up in the morning light.

Shops were opening one after another, queues were forming in front of breakfast stalls, children were carrying schoolbags to school, and the elderly were carrying vegetable baskets to the market.

Yingzhou walked very slowly, his gaze sweeping over every corner.

The products in the display windows, the trash cans on the side of the road, the pedestrians on the crosswalks, the countdown on the traffic lights.

He walked up to a breakfast stall.

Steam rose from the steamer, carrying the fragrance of meat buns.

The stall owner was a woman in her fifties, wearing a white apron, her hands moving with great agility.

"Boss, two buns and a bowl of porridge, please."

Yingzhou said.

The stall owner looked up at him, her hands never stopping.

"Two buns and a bowl of porridge, three Star Alliance coins."

Star Alliance coins were paid electronically; Yingzhou picked up the scanner by the steamer and scanned it.

He sat on a small stool by the stall and took a bite of a bun.

The meat filling was fresh, tender, and juicy, and the bun skin was soft and fluffy. It was actually quite delicious.

Sitting next to him was a middle-aged man in work clothes, with a toolbox at his feet, slurping his porridge.

He finished his porridge, wiped his mouth, and looked at Yingzhou.

"Brother, what kind of work do you do?"

Yingzhou said.

"Engineer."

The worker nodded.

"Oh, under Lord Perturabo? You guys have it tough. The new buildings in the East District, were those built by you?"

Yingzhou said.

"Yes."

He did not know who built the new buildings in the East District, but he knew Perturabo had participated in the design, so saying "yes" should not be wrong.

The worker gave a thumbs up.

"My cousin lives in the Dawn Building; I've been to see it, the house is sturdy, the heating is sufficient, and the sewers aren't clogged. It's a hundred times better than the Shanty Town we used to live in."

Yingzhou did not speak, only smiled and nodded.

The worker sighed.

"But prices have gone up recently; pork is two Star Alliance coins more expensive than last month. Wages haven't gone up."

Yingzhou's brows furrowed slightly.

"Prices have gone up?"

The worker nodded.

"Yeah, they say the price of imported feed has gone up, so the cost of raising pigs is higher. Didn't Lord Guilliman say he would stabilize prices? Why are they still going up?"

He stood up and picked up his toolbox.

"Enough talk, time to go to work. Still have a whole family to support."

Yingzhou watched his back disappear around the street corner.

Rising prices; Guilliman had mentioned it in his report.

The reasons were complex: transport lines blocked during the war, the Zerg invasion causing trade disruptions at the borders, a decrease in feed exports from the Ash Star Alliance, and various other reasons...

But ordinary people could not understand these reasons, nor did they need to.

They only knew that the money in their wallets was not enough to spend.

Yingzhou finished the remaining bun, drank the rest of the porridge, and stood up.

"Boss, check please."