Chapter 76: Huang Laohan Rewards My Initiative (Seeking First Subscription)

"Why?"

The Emperor of Mankind asked, puzzled.

"I have not yet done anything for the Imperium, so a celebration should not be held for me."

"I wish to lead my Legion to conquer lost human colonies; only when I have achieved sufficient glory will it be time for me to return to Terra to accept a celebration."

Ninglu had no interest in going to Terra to farm reputation; running back and forth was a waste of time.

He also knew that it was currently the early "Great Crusade," and his Gloriana-class was likely not yet built.

Since he could not ask about the progress directly, he could only say this.

As for when his merits would be sufficient, it would naturally be when the Legion Flagship was built, allowing him to complete both tasks in one trip.

The Emperor looked at Ninglu, his gaze full of appreciation; Ninglu's initiative greatly satisfied him, given his own tight schedule.

"Good, very good. I will provide you with support."

"I have prepared a Gloriana-class warship for you, still under construction in the shipyards of Mars, but I will provide you with a powerful vessel; it is a relic of the brilliance of ancient human civilization."

"The Priest of Mars brought your data to me; the armor forged for you by the best ordnance Artisan in the galaxy on the Moon is aboard your descendant's ship."

A smile appeared on the Emperor's face as he spoke in a slightly teasing tone.

"I know you like all sorts of peculiar items, and I will open the private treasury of my flagship to you; you may choose one item from it."

"This is a reward for your initiative; I hope you will not disappoint me."

Ninglu felt a clear digestion; his unintentional behavior had once again met the requirements for acting as the "Briber."

The feedback from gaining benefits made the digestion effect even more obvious than before, and he felt he had reached a new node.

He had not expected such an unexpected joy.

The warship Huang Laohan spoke of must be a warship from the "Dark Age of Technology," surely a powerful vessel.

Yet Ninglu valued Huang Laohan's treasury more; born in the 8th century BC and possessing the power of a god, his flagship's treasury must contain many good things, and he would certainly be able to find high-Tier Potion Material.

In a great mood, he smiled and said.

"My Lord, please allow me to host a banquet for you, to announce to my subordinates and to all of Vostonia our return to the Imperium."

"Very well."

Ninglu immediately sent a message to Yelena Kurnikova: "Prepare a grand banquet, of the highest standard."

"Notify all the high-ranking officials of Vostonia to attend the banquet; I have important matters to announce."

On the other end of the communication channel, Yelena was berating the head of the intelligence department; two powerful, conspicuous outsiders had come directly to the monarch's palace, and she, the Cabinet Head, had not received a report.

Now, hearing Ninglu's words, she had a faint feeling that something big was about to happen.

"As you command, my King."

"Order my factories to forge a throne out of gold; I have already sent you the design."

The notified Leaders and Hive City Family Patriarchs all arrived at the ceremonial hall early, dressed in black formal attire.

They were surprised to find that the throne, which symbolized the monarch's unification of Vostonia and was decorated with thirty-three crowns as trophies, had been moved from the highest point of the dais to stand on the left side.

A new throne had been added on the right; it was slightly smaller, but cast from gold, and it was actually positioned higher than the monarch's throne on the left.

The guests were all puzzled; there was no one in Vostonia with a status higher than the monarch.

Only a few well-informed individuals had already received news of the two outsiders during the Rini Class.

On the palace Dome, the golden hand of the black clock turned to the moment symbolizing the Yekai Shift.

The bell tolled, and three figures walked out; the crowd curiously sized up the two outsiders.

The man in the golden robe was the shortest, yet he exuded a majesty like a mountain, even overshadowing the two giants.

In both physique and bearing, Ninglu surpassed the other giant.

The crowd curiously sized up the other giant; compared to Ninglu and the other man, he did not give off a feeling that made one unable to look directly at him, but when their gaze touched the lifelike hydra on the right side of his cheek, they still felt uncomfortable and immediately looked away.

Alpharius stood behind the golden throne, and the Emperor sat down comfortably.

Ninglu stood before his throne, feeling that the "Briber" Potion had digested a little more.

He scanned the crowd, taking in their curiosity, anxiety, and worry at a glance.

"Before the banquet begins, I have a major event to announce."

His voice covered the entire banquet hall, and everyone listened with bated breath.

"Everyone in Vostonia and the Cradle of the Sea, we all have one homeland—Terra."

"We stepped among the stars and established human colonies, but the Storm of the Warp cut us off."

"While the warlords of Terra were in conflict, the Master of Mankind stood forth; he unified the home planet of humanity and resolved to gather the scattered humans of the galaxy under one Imperium again."

He turned and looked at Huang Laohan.

"Now, the Master of Mankind, the Emperor, has come to Vostonia."

"I have already sworn allegiance to him; now you, too, should swear allegiance to the master of the Golden Throne."

Ninglu spoke slowly, and the crowd, hearing of Terra, the Master of Mankind, and the Emperor, was struck by a series of revelations and felt deeply shocked.

After a moment of stunned silence, they looked toward the Golden Throne.

The Emperor of Mankind also revealed himself to the crowd in a perfect image at this moment.

In everyone's eyes, they saw the perfect image they held in their hearts.

Subconsciously following Ninglu's words and the etiquette of Vostonia, they knelt on one knee.

"We swear our allegiance to the Master of Mankind, the Emperor."

A smile bloomed on the Emperor's face, "I accept your allegiance; rise."

He said appreciatively: "You have done well under the leadership of my descendant, Ninglu."

"From now on, you must continue to work hard, be loyal to Ninglu, and create new glory."

"Let the banquet begin; let us enjoy this moment."

Yelena habitually cast her gaze toward Ninglu, and after seeing him nod in signal, she pressed the Communication Bead in her ear.

"The banquet begins."

The crowd walked silently toward their seats; they had yet to accept this sudden transformation.

Chefs in white uniforms pushed dining carts covered in ice sculptures as they filed in, and the air was filled with the fresh aroma of seafood intertwined with ingredients.

Crystal-clear oysters lay upon crushed ice, their meat plump; paired with a special lemon juice and herb sauce, a gentle slurp allowed the fresh sweetness and tartness to interweave in the mouth, awakening every cell of the taste buds.

The colorful sashimi platter—the tender pink of the tuna, the richness of the salmon, and the sweetness of the sweet shrimp—was sliced as thin as cicada wings, arranged exquisitely, and as pleasing to the eye as a work of art.

Huge lobsters stood proudly, their shells bright and fresh, their meat firm and springy; they had been steamed to preserve the purest deliciousness, garnished with minced garlic and scallions.

The sweet shrimp froze into ice spheres in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, bursting with an amber flash when they dropped into the White Las Vodka.

The guests found the food tasteless, as they were all still pondering what joining the Human Empire would bring to Vostonia.

After eleven work cycles, the massive fleet led by Horus jumped out of the Warp and arrived at the Vostonia system.

(End of this chapter)