Chapter 1396: Military Parade (2)

After the Space Marine phalanx marched past, the ground began to tremble.

The Tailin Knight House.

Tall Knight Mechs, each one three stories high.

The mechs' strides were not heavy; they even appeared somewhat agile.

Every step made the ground shake.

The teacups on the Viewing Platform danced, and some representatives involuntarily gripped the armrests.

Gaiwusi opened his mouth wide.

"Lord Tailesi, these are... mechs? Vehicles for Space Marines?"

Tailesi said.

"Intelligence says the pilots are noble Knights, not Space Marines, and their combat effectiveness is no less than that of Space Marines."

Gaiwusi looked at the mechs, unable to speak.

Zeke'er's complexion had already turned iron-gray.

The Kraken warriors of the Luoke Empire, those elites among elites, could fight Space Marines one-on-one.

But the Luoke Empire's mechs mainly relied on imports, and domestically produced mechs could not achieve such agility and balance.

After the Knight House passed, the intensity of the ground tremors suddenly increased.

Warhound-class Titans.

Towering steel behemoths, each one seventeen meters tall.

Their hulls were covered in Adeptus Mechanicus runes and prayers, shimmering with a sacred light under the sun.

The weapon systems were fully armed—twin-linked Laser Cannons and Vulcan Mega-bolters.

Each Warhound-class Titan was a mobile Fortress, a humanoid war machine.

The Alien representatives on the Viewing Platform had already stood up involuntarily.

The footsteps of those Titans traveled into their bone marrow, vibrating their hearts, making it impossible for them to sit still.

Morus's lips were trembling.

He had seen Titans in the intelligence files of the Ashes Star Alliance; it was a blurry holographic photo of Warhound-class Titans lined up on Chengjia Star, seen from behind.

The photo did not show their size.

At this moment, seeing those steel behemoths with his own eyes, he finally understood what kind of existence the enemy he faced truly was.

The Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance had defeated the Fengqi Star Alliance through sheer strength.

These Titans, each one could single-handedly destroy a city.

Lasu clenched his palms.

The Black Stone Consortium was a nation built on commerce, and its military strength was not strong.

If the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance were to take action against the Black Stone Consortium, what would they have to resist with?

He had to pass this information back as soon as possible, so the Consortium's council could re-evaluate their relationship with the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance.

Cooperation, they must cooperate. They could not resist; resistance meant death.

Ayubu pressed his palms together, whispering scriptures.

The Yinsan Alliance did not have much interaction with the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance; they had originally thought the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance's military power was on par with the Luoke Empire, just with more advanced Human fleets and more elite Space Marines.

Now that he saw the Titans, those steel behemoths, he discovered that the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance's strength could actually go toe-to-toe with the Yinsan Alliance.

Following the Warhound-class Titan phalanx were the Skitarii of the Adeptus Mechanicus.

They wore deep red robes, were plugged with conduits, and wore metal masks on their faces.

The weapons in their hands were not Laser Guns, but radiation weapons and arc weapons unique to the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Tailesi looked at those Skitarii, his gaze complex.

Scientists from the Canaan Star Alliance had once tried to establish contact with the Adeptus Mechanicus, wanting to learn their technology, but were refused.

The Adeptus Mechanicus only served the Omnissiah and did not share technology with Aliens.

By the way, who is the Omnissiah?

Lasu whispered.

"Who are those people? They aren't Space Marines, nor are they Astra Militarum; their uniforms and equipment are all different."

Morus spoke up.

"Adeptus Mechanicus. The technological core of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance. They master the most advanced weapon technology of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, but the combat effectiveness of these Skitarii far exceeds that of the Astra Militarum."

The military parade neared its end.

The last phalanx marched past the Viewing Platform, and the square returned to silence.

Luojia walked to the center of the podium again.

"Citizens of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance! Guests from the Bode Star System! The military parade ends here!"

Thunderous cheers erupted in the square once more.

"Long live the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance! Long live Human Civilization!"

The Alien representatives on the Viewing Platform sat down one after another.

Their expressions were all different.

Zeke'er's four eyes stared at the phalanxes leaving the square.

He recalled what he had said in the diplomatic delegation's lounge.

"The Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance is nothing but a Gladiator Arena planet."

Although he did not believe the Luoke Empire would be weaker than the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance, if two equally powerful forces fought, the final result would only be mutual destruction.

Tailesi closed his eyes.

He was thinking about the future of the Canaan Star Alliance.

Joining the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance and becoming a Secondary Citizen might not be the best choice, but it might be the only choice.

Faced with such military power, it was impossible for the Canaan Star Alliance to remain independent; the independence of the Canaan Star Alliance had already lost its meaning.

Morus stood up and straightened his collar.

He walked to the edge of the Viewing Platform and looked at the sea of people in the plaza.

Lasu walked over to Morus's side.

"Your Excellency Morus, your Ashes Star Alliance has a garrison agreement with the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance. Do you think they will deploy these Titans on your planets?"

Morus looked at him. "They have not."

Lasu asked. "Why?"

Morus said. "The fleet of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance can send Titans to any place in the Bode Star System. The Titans on the ground are just the tip of the iceberg; the fleet in orbit is the true power."

"As long as the fleet's naval guns can precisely deliver Titans to any coordinate within the atmosphere, it does not matter whether there are Titan garrisons on the ground."

"Uh... that's true."

On the Viewing Platform, the Alien representatives left one after another.

Zeke'er of the Luoke Empire was thinking about how to report what he had seen and heard today to the Emperor, and intended to let the people of those three factions take action while he extricated himself.

Morus of the Ashes Star Alliance was thinking about how to describe the military power of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance to Salmox.

Tailesi of the Canaan Star Alliance was thinking about how to explain to Speaker Viridius why the Canaan Star Alliance must join the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance as soon as possible.

Weilakesi of the Daikong Star Alliance was wondering how much longer the Non-Aggression Treaty of the Daikong Star Alliance could last.

Lasu of the Black Stone Syndicate was thinking about how many gifts the Black Stone Syndicate should send to the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance in order to exchange for security guarantees.

Ayubu of the Yinsan Alliance was thinking about whether the Yinsan Alliance should take the initiative to contact the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance and join forces to dominate the Bode Star System.

Meanwhile, the million people in the plaza were still cheering.

"Long live the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance!"

An old man raised his fist.

"Long live Human Civilization!"

A young man responded.

The Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance entered the view of the Bode Star System three years ago, rising from the ruins, from slaves to masters.

Three years from the Gladiator Arena to a powerful force in the Bode Star System.

The citizens of the Xiuluo Holy Star Alliance did not need a military parade to tell them this.

They had always known.

The Emperor would lead Human Civilization to rise.