Chapter 262

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

Lena's voice instantly rang out in Lin En's mind, carrying unprecedented wariness and disgust.

"Lin En, the humans on that ship... are dangerous."

"Their existence makes my psyker abilities feel a stabbing pain."

"The Insect Swarm Will and their aura are completely antithetical; I cannot infiltrate near them."

Lin En's eyelashes fluttered lightly, and he replied in his mind: "I know, they are Silent Sisters, the Star Tongue Court's Black Ship has arrived."

"Those traces on the Ice Plains..."

"I've already had them cleaned up." Lin En's calm tone put Lena at ease.

"Rest assured, as long as we don't actively expose ourselves, they won't discover anything."

"But during this period, you and all Bug Race units must converge all psyker fluctuations, absolutely must not show yourselves."

"Good." Lena's voice sank, yet she still did not relax her vigilance.

Just then, a deafening engine roar transmitted over.

That dark gold and wine-red interlaced Victory-class Battleship, the "James Tong," sailed into the Main Star Port's largest berth.

Lin En's conjecture in his heart regarding the fleet leader's origin grew increasingly certain.

Viewing this colossus at close range, that sense of oppression increased by more than tenfold.

Those terrifyingly large-caliber Macro Cannon muzzles, their exquisite appearance could not stop their destructive essence.

The luxurious gemstone decorations on the hull, far from weakening its war aura, instead further highlighted its master's unfathomable wealth and power.

To refit a capital battleship into this state, in the entire Menglong Star Domain, even the entire Empire, only a few Clans could be found.

The heavy air pressure door descended, emitting a loud "hiss~~~" sound, white gas spraying out from both sides of the hatch.

A burst of neat, uniform metal footfalls transmitted over.

A dozen or so elite escorts wearing dark gold Exquisite Power Armor stepped out of the hatch first.

Their Power Armor was inlaid with the same gemstones as the James Tong, every detail polished to incomparable precision.

But at key positions they were covered in thick Orichalcum Armor, luxury and combat practicality perfectly fused.

Just the Power Armor on these escorts, its quality already far surpassed the Exquisite Power Armor jointly crafted for Lin En by the Brewis Guilds' chairmen.

They held Bomb Guns, movements neat and uniform, gazes resolute, swiftly deploying a warning line on both sides of the hatch.

That battle-hardened iron-blooded aura on them rushed forth.

Even Lin En's most elite Vanguard Army veterans, before these escorts, appeared inferior by several degrees.

Immediately after, a young man stepped out of the hatch at a measured pace.

He wore a set of gorgeous Exquisite Power Armor in the same color scheme as the James Tong, his helmet removed and tucked under his left arm.

He had a head of flame-like red hair, handsome features, fair skin, yet not a trace of a noble scion's frailty.

His eyes brimmed with sharpness and arrogance, bearing an indifference born of long standing at the top, as well as the martial valor and killing intent only a general long tested on battlefields possesses.

His figure was tall and straight; even without wearing Power Armor, one could see that body tempered by a thousand hammers.

And at his side stood a woman clad in pure black Exquisite Power Armor.

Her figure was tall and slender, a signature skyward braid extending from her helmet, hanging down her back.

Her face was hidden beneath a face guard, only revealing a pair of cold, utterly emotionless gray pupils.

She emanated a chill that made one's soul feel frozen, the unique trait of an "Untouchable."

Merely standing there, the surrounding atmospheric pressure dropped by several hectopascals.

Isud beside Lin En could feel his own internal psyker energy uncontrollably agitating, recoiling, as if encountering a natural enemy.

Even the connection with Lena's main body weakened somewhat.

But fortunately this "Doll" employed an extremely special link method; the other party did not detect any clues.

Lin En instantly confirmed her identity.

Silent Sister, Black Ship's wielder, End Hunter · Ralph.

He took a deep breath, suppressing all emotions in his heart, and actively stepped forward.

Before an absolute strength gap, any arrogance is courting destruction.

He bowed slightly, performing a standard Imperial Noble Ceremony, tone calm and respectful:

"Welcome, honored Adults, from afar. I am Brevix Planet's Planetary Governor, Keli Feng."

Finished speaking, he extended his hand, wishing to express his friendliness via a handshake.

But that red-haired young man merely glanced indifferently at his extended hand, with not the slightest intention of responding.

In his eyes, filled with contempt and indifference toward a remote sector's Governor.

In his view, these Governors entrenched on the galaxy's fringe are all just worms who climbed up via connections, caring only for pleasure.

They fundamentally lack the qualification to stand on equal footing with him, let alone shake hands and make friends.

His voice possessed magnetism, carrying an undeniable hardness and arrogance:

"I am this Tithe Collection Fleet's highest responsible person, Imperial Internal Affairs Department Tax Officer, concurrently Imperial Navy Major General, Dominic Wenturia."

Wenturia.

Hearing this surname, Lin En's pupils contracted slightly.

Indeed.

His guess was not wrong.

Wen Tu Li Ya, a Gemstone World renowned throughout the Empire, a planet known for its extreme wealth and extreme martial culture.

There are produced the most top-tier gemstones in the entire galaxy, the top-tier materials for making laser weapons.

Relying on the constant gemstone trade, they accumulated wealth difficult for ordinary people to imagine.

Even more, relying on the gemstone trade, they have intricate close connections with the Machine Cult of Mars, able to obtain the most top-tier war equipment from the Machine Cult's hands.

And the nobles of Wen Tu Li Ya are even more outliers in the Empire's noble circle.

They do not indulge in wine pools and meat forests like nobles of other star domains; on the contrary, they extremely revere martial force, every noble scion from childhood must accept the most severe military training.

Their customs are actually quite similar to some Ancient Tera Nordic Regions, believing that scars and glory are a man's dignity.

If a Wen Tu Li Ya noble only covets pleasure, he will be unable to hold his head high in his homeland for a lifetime.

Only Wen Tu Li Ya youths who have served in the military, achieved decent military merits, and retained a few scars.

Have the qualifications to, upon returning to their homeland, sit at the table drinking and boasting.

Therefore, the Wen Tu Li Ya noble army is a ceiling-level existence in the entire Imperial Star Realm Army.

They are top-tier players who can both fight and pay-to-win.

Equipment luxurious to the extreme, soldiers well-trained, combat will even far surpassing ordinary Star Realm Army troops.

Lin En does not doubt in the slightest the combat power of this fleet behind Dominic.

Those warships must be masterpieces carefully modified by the Machine Cult; those soldiers must also be warriors with high combat morale.

The true strength of this fleet is absolutely not as "flashy but useless" as it appears.

Dominic ignored the emotional changes in Lin En's eyes, continuing in that cold tone:

"I have come this time responsible for collecting from Brevis Planet the Imperial Tithe for three fiscal years total: M40.815, M40.998, and M40.999."

"Collection categories include: soldier sources, weapons and armaments, grain, and all strategic materials produced on Brevis."

Three years?

The corner of Lin En's mouth couldn't help but twitch; he expended great effort to keep from voicing the complaints in his heart.

The Tithe for these two years M40.998 and M40.999, because the previous Governor died in a Green Skin attack, plus Brevis had years of continuous war, unable to pay on time — he had long been mentally prepared.

But this M40.815 Tithe, where did it come from?!

That is an old account from nearly two hundred years ago!

The Ministry actually dug up rotten accounts from two hundred years ago — which year's Tithe Fleet disappeared?