Chapter 157: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Zerg

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

"Long waited," three light words.

Made Leo's nose sour, almost unable to hold back.

Gus turned around, facing those soldiers.

His voice wasn't loud, but every word was very clear:

"The Governor has ordered!"

The whole place fell silent.

"Leo Saint Galus, still that loyal knight!"

As soon as the words fell, a commotion rose in the crowd.

Some breathed a sigh of relief, smiles appearing on their faces, but others began to whisper.

But Gus knew, relying on just his one sentence wasn't enough.

He represented only Lin En's attitude, not everyone's attitude.

He raised his hand, signaling for quiet.

Next, he invited someone out from the crowd.

That person wore the white gown of a State Religion pastor, a string of large rose rosaries hung on his chest, and he held a thick scripture in his hand.

His hair was white, his face kind, but his eyes revealed unquestionable loyalty.

Anthony Douglas.

State Religion Bishop of Zhong Cheng Qu, the recognized successor to the next Archbishop

Throughout Brevis, his religious prestige was second only to Goodwin himself.

Gus briefly introduced Bishop Anthony's identity to everyone present.

Afterwards Anthony walked up to Leo, bowing slightly.

"Lord Leo, if you are willing, I will here, before everyone, prove your loyalty to the Emperor and Brevis."

He spoke softly, saying what Leo had long dreamed of.

Leo's Adam's apple bobbed once, and he said nothing.

He looked at Gus, and Gus nodded.

Then he looked at Hammond, that Star Realm Army Political Commissar rarely showing a trace of a smile.

Finally, he looked at those soldiers, those who had once fought side by side with him, no longer suspicion in his eyes, but anticipation.

He took a deep breath, raised his head.

"Mm!"

The ceremony soon began.

An open space was cleared in the center of the venue.

Bishop Anthony stood in the middle, Leo standing opposite him.

Around them, people from all factions had arrived.

The officers and soldiers of the Vanguard Army formed a circle.

The pastors and believers of the State Religion stood behind the bishop.

The representatives of the Governor's Mansion, led by Gus, stood to one side.

The surviving commanders of the Noble Council were instead escorted to the side, forced to watch.

There was even one wearing a cyan gown with a purple bald head.

That was the Divine Envoy of the Ice Lord, bringing over a dozen Savage Warriors, standing at the edge of the crowd, silently watching all this.

Leo glanced at those people, feeling somewhat nervous inside.

He had thick skin since childhood, not caring how others looked at him.

As a child punished by his father to stand, he could fall asleep standing.

Later leading troops in battle, speaking before hundreds of thousands, he didn't blink.

But this time was different.

This time was proof, proof that he could reclaim honor and loyalty.

Bishop Anthony raised the thick scripture, flipped to a certain page, and handed it to Leo.

"Read aloud Volume Seven, Chapter Three of the 'Imperial Holy Words Record.'" He said, his voice solemn and dignified,

Leo took the scripture, looking at those dense characters.

He was literate; in noble education, his favorites were always swordsmanship and tactics, and he hated these tedious scriptures most.

But learning these scriptures was a required course for every noble.

He took a deep breath and began to recite:

"Consistent throughout, unchanging for ten thousand ages..."

His voice trembled at first, but the more he recited, the steadier it became.

Those awkward sentences, as he recited them, actually developed a certain rhythm.

Everyone around stared at him.

Lei Ou finished reciting the entire passage of scripture and raised his head.

Bishop Anthony stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.

If there were Chaos Contamination in his inner heart, it would manifest while reciting the Imperial Holy Words Record.

It would show discomfort, hesitation, or other physiological reactions.

But Lei Ou read through the first chapter steadily.

"Step one, passed."

The second step was the Rose Rosary.

Anthony took the string of beads from his neck.

It was a holy relic consecrated by the highest ceremony of the State Religion; every bead was forged from the bones of martyrs and reacted extremely sensitively to Chaos energy.

He walked to Lei Ou's front, raised the rosary, and gently pressed it against Lei Ou's forehead.

Lei Ou felt his forehead turn cool, as if something lightly swept across it, and then nothing happened.

The rosary had no reaction.

After staring at the rosary for a while, Anthony took it back and hung it around his neck.

"Step two, passed."

A low cheer rose from the crowd, but it was soon suppressed.

There was still one last step.

The third step was applying Holy Oil.

A pastor walked up carrying a small silver bowl.

The bowl held pale gold liquid, emitting a faint fragrance.

Anthony dipped his finger in the Holy Oil and drew a mark on Lei Ou's forehead.

Cool, slippery, no different from ordinary oil.

Then came the chest.

Anthony unbuttoned Lei Ou's upper garment, revealing his sturdy muscles.

He dipped his finger in the Holy Oil and drew the same mark over Lei Ou's heart.

Lei Ou held his breath and waited.

A few seconds passed.

No burning, no discoloration, just nothing at all.

The Holy Oil sat quietly on his skin, exactly as it would on any normal person.

Anthony stepped back and examined Lei Ou's forehead and chest.

Then he turned around, faced everyone, and raised both hands high.

"In the name of the Emperor, in the name of the Imperial State Religion!"

His voice rang out loud as a bell:

"I declare, Leo Saint Galus, soul pure, never contaminated by Chaos!"

The whole place fell silent for a second, then cheers blasted open.

"Lei Ou! Lei Ou! Lei Ou!"

Soldiers raised their weapons, shouting the "Great General" they knew best!

Some cried, some smiled, some looked up at the Sky......

They blessed Lei Ou together, thanked the Emperor for his recognition, and rushed forward wanting to embrace Lei Ou, but were stopped by those beside them.

The Noble Council members being escorted had complex expressions.

Some lowered their heads, not daring to look, or gritted their teeth, faces full of reluctance.

But they all knew that from this moment on, Lei Ou had returned.

Even the Wildmen joined in cheering.

Though they might not know what had happened at all, seeing so many people happy, they joined in being happy.

Lei Ou stood there, watching all of this.

He stubbornly tilted his head up, tilting it hard.

Because he knew that once he lowered his head, tears would fall.

"Welcome back, Great General Lei Ou!"

No one knew who started it, but this sentence quickly spread through the whole place, becoming a unified shout.

Lei Ou still tilted his head up, but the corner of his mouth couldn't help curling upward.

Sunlight shone on his face, warm and cozy.