Chapter 977, Gu Hang's opinion must be respected.

Chapter 977, Gu Hang's opinion must be respected.
The Silent Sisters and the Lawbreakers, under the protection of the Imperial Guard, suddenly advanced to a point very close to Magnus, bringing a crucial change to the course of the battle.

Although Gu Jing was unable to easily project his spiritual energy due to the influence of the Silent Sisters and the Lawbreakers, Robert seized the opportunity.

With a swift swing of the Emperor's Sword, Magnus's arm was severed; then another strike came straight for his head.

If it weren't for the fact that two of his nine golden horns broke off, unleashing a powerful burst of spiritual energy that deflected the Emperor's Sword, he probably would have had his head cleaved open by that sword!
But this also brought Magnus to his senses.

He knew that if the fight continued as it was, he might really die by the Emperor's sword.

However, dying under the Emperor's Sword would be a different fate from being banished from the real universe in the past.

Even 'divine abominations' can be slain.

Having to admit defeat, Magnus could only take the initiative to 'leave' before all the warp rifts were closed.

No matter how vicious the curses he left behind before he fled were, they couldn't hide the fact that he ended up slinking away in disgrace.

……

Magnus fled, and the warp rifts were closed one by one. The demons on the moon were left adrift and rootless. They didn't even need to be killed; they were rapidly weakening and turning into ashes, disappearing without a trace.

The remaining cult members will require a little more effort to deal with, but it's not a big deal and can be handled by ordinary troops.

Given the current situation, it can be said that the moon has essentially settled down.

The naval fleet orbiting the moon is only a small part of the Solar Fleet. The main force of the Solar Fleet is actually in orbit around Holy Terra—which is also very close to the moon's orbit—and they have chosen to remain neutral and observe from the sidelines.

But at least, the surrender of this part of the fleet is a good sign.

This not only greatly supplements the size of Robert's fleet, but also provides an opportunity to use their connections to contact other generals in the Solar Fleet. If another meeting could be held, as before, perhaps more naval commanders of the Solar Fleet would be captivated by the Regent's imposing figure.

Meanwhile, the Moon Guardians had largely sided with Robert. They had no other choice, and frankly, their importance had diminished considerably once the moon was completely under their control. After all, their weaponry and training were specifically designed to defend the moon. Their absolute strength and numbers were insufficient; they were more conservative than aggressive. If a war were to break out against Holy Terra, the assistance they could provide would be minimal.

To reclaim the entire Holy Terra, Robert will primarily need to rely on his own strength.

Of course, another key point is the military force that already existed on Holy Terra.

The Imperial Guard was a prime example. Their sudden arrival during the confrontation with Magnus represented a fairly clear statement—these guys, who had been 'hiding' in the palace for ten thousand years, seemed to be breaking their usual neutral stance and deciding their true fate.

This is actually not surprising.

While for most people in the empire, the Imperial Guard's apolitical stance seemed like an ironclad rule, this was not the case for Robert. In the early years of his reign, the Imperial Guard accompanied the Emperor on campaigns, actively participating in the founding expeditions.

Even after the emperor's ascension, the Imperial Guard still played a significant role in combating numerous traitors to the empire.

Even during Robert's reign as regent after the Imperial Civil War, he maintained a good working relationship with the Grand Marshal of the Household Guard, who was a formidable asset under his command.

Robert did not think the Imperial Guard was someone who could not be won over.

Their proactive participation in the lunar campaign is a very good sign.

These palace guards did not rush back to Terra Palace after the war, but remained on the moon. The tribunal who led them also had a conversation with Robert, and they would now take orders from him, and he also conveyed the Grand Marshal's greetings.

"The Grand Marshal looks forward to speaking with you."

A chaotic warp surge shrouds Holy Terra, making long-distance communication with it difficult, and it would likely suffer from deliberate interference from other factions on Terra.

But the Imperial Guards probably wouldn't worry about these things.

They've guarded the palace for ten thousand years, and beneath the palace walls, in countless secret chambers of the Imperial Guard, lie countless trump cards. Presumably, they'll find a way to maintain regular communication with Robert.

It wasn't just the Royal Guard; Robert planned to communicate with many other forces on Holy Terra.

The military operation on the moon is a rehearsal for the Terra operation. The situation on Terra may be more complex than on the moon, with more intertwined forces, and he must distinguish friend from foe and proceed with greater caution.

If Chaos could create a former blood brother to oppose him on the moon, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause on the even larger, and corrupted Holy Terra?

However, before engaging in dialogue with any faction on Holy Terra, Robert knew there was one more thing he had to do.

That means talking to Gu Hang.

At this moment, he realized more clearly than ever before that the most crucial force he needed to save the Empire, and even more so to save Holy Terra, was the power of the Alliance.

Without Gu Hang's support, and without the support of the alliance, his idea of ​​saving the empire was just a pipe dream.

In fact, without the Alliance's help, he wouldn't even have been able to reach the moon.

Even if they barely made it, Gu Jing's presence was key to victory in the previous lunar battle, and the Alliance's Lawbreaker forces that emerged from the miniature veiled spirit gate were equally formidable.

And if things don't go well in the attack on Sacred Terra—which is very likely to happen—the Alliance's help will be his strongest support.

Without alliances, there is nothing.

He already had a clear understanding of this, but this time, he planned to have a serious talk with Gu Hang about it.

The discussion covered not only the current battle, but also how the imperial central government should exist after the war.

……

Robert gazed at the crimson-marked image of the planet on the tactical holographic platform; the silhouette of Holy Terra appeared distant and heavy in the void. In the lunar command center, the air was still thick with the smells of disinfectant gel and the metallic stench of burning plasma. Outside the heavy soundproof doors lay a battlefield where lunar dust had not yet settled, and engineers and frigates were racing against time to repair the orbital defense array desecrated by demons.

Gu Hang stood beside him—it was an illusion projected from a remote call, but it felt incredibly real.

Only the two of them remained in the hall. The heavy alloy doors shut out the mechanical hum and the suppressed commands of the communications officer. The air was thick with the weight of post-war smoke and the choices of the future. Robert broke the silence first, his gaze still fixed on the planet that symbolized the heart of the Empire, yet could also be a festering sore: "The putrid abyss on the moon is nothing more than a bubble rising from the mire of Terra. The Solar Legion has rebelled under Khorne's lash, and who knows how many naval units, as well as the Ministry of Military Affairs, have been corrupted by the Tzeentch cult, even the cannons of the starports can be pointed at loyalists... I have to admit, the last vestige of hope I once held has been completely shattered."

Gu Hang took a step closer, his fingertip lightly touching the void between Terra and the Moon on the star map: "The structure of space is constantly tearing apart. This is not a natural storm, Regent, but a man-made blasphemous ritual that is penetrating to the bone. The tentacles of chaos are not only entwined in the filth of the lower hives, but have already choked the throat of Terra's administrative center."

“Every chaotic report from Terra is a severing ties with past glories. The Golden Knights are bogged down in the mire and unable to respond, and communications in the Starspeaker Hall are swallowed by a silence—it’s not a simple technical malfunction. The wave of uprisings erupting in the hive city clusters is far more coordinated and destructive than a simple riot driven by hunger or despair…”

"The instructions came from the Four Gods, but the mastermind behind their execution is hidden in the deepest shadows." Gu Hang's voice was as calm as an ancient well. His judgment sent Robert's spirits plummeting.

He knew of the four evil gods, though they weren't widely known during his glorious past. However, after his resurrection, through the numerous documents he had seen and his personal experience leading the expeditionary force through warp space—a space so different from what he remembered—he had come to fully appreciate the terrifying nature of those four evil gods.

The civil war he experienced, which nearly destroyed the empire, was also closely related to the four evil gods. All his blood brothers, under the influence of these four, had become despicable creatures.

Now, it seems that the eyes of these four are all focused on Holy Terra.

This seems to be a given.

As evil gods, if they want to destroy humanity and once again unleash a chaotic frenzy in the real universe, wouldn't the heart of the human empire, the overlord of the universe, be the brightest pearl in their eyes?

It is only natural that they wanted to get their hands on the pearl.

So much so that it's hard to say how much of the turmoil on Holy Terra is actually a contest between these evil gods.

They not only wanted to obtain the pearl, but also wanted to keep it for themselves.

After the cataclysm occurred and the Crimson Scar tore the Empire apart, the Four Gods' gaze had likely already turned to us.

For over a century, their worshippers have patiently orchestrated countless corrupt schemes within the Holy Terra. Now, Robert's arrival in the Solar System with his expeditionary force is a massive catalyst.

The worshippers of the evil god must have realized that their time is running out. They can no longer afford to be patient, just as the Tzeentch cult radically stole the sacrificial rituals of the Khorne followers on the moon, summoning the 'divine abomination' Magnus.

Even if they fail this time on the moon, it will surely only be the beginning. They will likely launch even more radical actions on Holy Terra next.

"I need your support, Gu Hang."

"Of course," Gu Hang replied very clearly.

He turned around, looked at Robert seriously, and gave his promise and guarantee: "When the battle to restore Holy Terra begins, the Alliance will do everything in its power to provide you with all the support you need."

Robert remained silent for a moment.

Even though Gu Hang used the word 'everything,' he still needed further confirmation.

Does that include you?

Gu Hang's answer once again put his mind at ease: "Yes, I will come when you need me."

Robert breathed a sigh of relief.

Gu Hang himself is the only guarantee of everything.

Having witnessed the current state of his blood brother Magnus, he was less confident about the upcoming war.

The existence of an unparalleled, absolutely powerful individual has a far greater impact on war.

It's even possible that the great battle in the future might directly attract the personal intervention of some evil god!

Of course, it's only a possibility.

After all, if an evil god were to personally intervene, the conditions would likely be extremely stringent and the difficulty would be very high.

If they could reveal themselves so easily, where would the real universe have the basis for its current existence?

But Gu Hang's existence is at least a safety net in case the situation slides into an irrecoverable abyss.

Of course, there is another safety net, which needs no further explanation.

We can't expect too much, since we can't even get in touch with them.

The two did not discuss the specific war strategy in detail.

Later, the advisory teams from both sides will naturally have a proper discussion about this matter.

Their conversation was about to delve into something more profound:
"In what form should the imperial central government exist after the war?"

Robert brought up this question himself.

Robert certainly had his own thoughts on this matter.

After he awoke and embarked on his expedition to Holy Terra, he pondered this question countless times.

But at this moment, he needed to listen carefully to Gu Hang's thoughts.

Gu Hang met Robert's scrutinizing, sharp gaze without flinching.

Since you want to hear it, then tell me.

"The anchor of imperial divine authority cannot be moved. As Regent, you are the only legally valid spiritual beacon in this shattered galaxy. But the operation of a vast empire requires a precise and efficient machine. The old lord council and those oligarchic clans that have hollowed out the empire's body must be uprooted! The new imperial government must be based on absolute duty and ability."

"And the coalition government I lead is better suited to take on this responsibility than any other group at present."

(End of this chapter)