Terra, the Royal Palace, the Hall of Glory.

There is no better place for a war council than the Hall of Glory. The dome of this hall is more than two hundred meters wide and more than one hundred meters high, supported by intersecting columns like the towers of a castle. Hall of Glory, which is said to be the place where Rogdorn met his original brother on the eve of the Siege of Terra.

The Grand Mentor of the Assassin Court, Wangorich, was a little unhappy at the moment, as he had to wait in the halls with a few undesirable High Lords, even if that was in some ways in his favor—inconspicuousness was the perfect disguise for an Assassin. But he still doesn't like the feeling very much.

After the split of the Astarte Legion, the military development and construction of the human empire entered a new era. At this time, some people may ask: among the many existing military sequences of the Human Empire, who is the most powerful military force?

Undoubtedly, the Imperial Navy.

In interstellar warfare, space naval warfare is the premise of all battles. This phrase is true for the vast majority of grand sci-fi background IPs, whether it's Halo, StarCraft, Star Wars, or Warhammer 40K. It makes sense that the human empire would focus its resources on prioritizing the development of its navy, as most of the interstellar empires in the sci-fi universe do. The Imperial Navy is the most powerful military force in the Human Empire.

Space Marines have a unique weapon in space naval warfare, but most of the time the Imperial Navy does not need to rely on the Jumpers to solve problems, and they can destroy enemies with light spears and torpedoes before they can get within reach of the Jumpers.

It's just that in the past, in the era of the Astarte Legion, both the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy were military forces under the command of Space Marines, but now the scale is in front of the Astarte Order, which is really embarrassing.

Over the past few weeks, the High Lord Admiral Lanzon's behavior has become more and more brazen, as other Imperial institutions, or those allied with them, such as the Cult of the Mechanicus, suddenly realize, one by one, how much they rely on the benevolent support of the Imperial Navy.

With the arrival of the Beast and the tidal waves of battles that unleashed before he devoured the entire galaxy, the arrival of orcs seemed endless, dozens of worlds fell under attack, and only the Imperial Navy could fight the invaders, and only the Imperial Navy could protect the dignitaries and allow them to flee before the Green Tide arrived.

In the face of such a crisis, the Supreme Lord Admiral certainly did not sit idly by, and he decisively sent a fleet to support those in the star field who had defected to his camp. Those who do not obey will slowly find themselves losing naval protection from their outposts and merchant fleets.

Yes, that's right, even if the time has come, even if the orc army has approached the capital, the Supreme Lord Admiral Lansong is still thinking of ways to use this disaster to expand his sphere of influence, and this greedy thinking seems to have been deeply ingrained in the marrow of every politician.

Wangorich watched from the sidelines.

The Cult of the Mechanics also has its own warships, and they are essential to maintaining Lansong's fleet and status. Apparently, the admiral and the cast admiral have quietly reached some agreement, and the lord of Mars is happy to watch the lord of the fleet receive the honor, while they secretly divide the spoils.

Wangorich quietly assessed in his mind.

"Woohoohoo......"

Cheers rang out in the distance to signal the arrival of the main members of the Imperial Diet. Lucifer's Black Guard, the Imperial Guard who guarded the palace and was also the bodyguard of the Imperial Officials, formed two columns and walked down the corridor towards the Hall of Glory, their footsteps neatly and loudly.

Wangorich smiled contemptuously.

The original Lucifer Blackguards were known for their loyalty and professionalism during the War of Unification and the Horus Rebellion, but now these bodyguards under the name of "Blackguards" are nothing more than a group of well-trained and well-dressed but flashy people. They had already been bribed with favors and material goods by one of Lansong's political allies, Sun General Itola, who was in charge of the defense of the solar sector, like a mercenary.

Each Lucifer Blackguard wore carapace armor covered with a thick bulletproof net. They walked into the hall, armed with flashy longpole weapons, their faces covered by tall helmets and goggles. Their presence in such large numbers not only demonstrates the sheer amount of resources that Lansong possesses personally, but also signifies the relationship between the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Guard.

For Wangorić, it was a red flag, and he was surprised that the High Lords would allow such a thing to happen. Such blatant cooperation in the past was almost unimaginable – the Astarte Regiment was torn to pieces in order to prevent the re-emergence of a powerful force with both a navy and an army. The Imperial Guard has an army without warships, and the Imperial Navy has warships without an army, which is a kind of checks and balances.

Now, Ranzon has ignored all these rules, using the Orc invasion as an excuse to overturn past objections and amass such a powerful military force.

The Grand Mentor of the Assassin's Court crossed his fingers again.

Four hundred tall Lucifer blackguards scattered and circled the hall, leaving only a gap in the door. Their blades were raised high and crossed like arches to show the honor of the councillor who was about to enter the hall.

The Admiral of the High Lord was the last to arrive.

The incessant beating of drums and the high-pitched sound of trumpets announced his arrival. Amid the smoke of incense under the dome, the chandelier carved into a baby angel holding a torch suddenly lit up, dispelling the gloom that had previously lingered in the room.

Lan Song stepped into this glorious venue, the medals on his broad chest and the brocade that spanned his chest glistened. Although still obese, his massive physique had clearly been slowly eroded by the exertion of the recent days, his double chin had sagged a little, and the fat hidden under his shaky chin had been significantly reduced.

As a rough estimate of Wangolich, Lansong has lost about fifteen kilograms, maybe twenty kilograms, in the past few weeks. He wondered what the specific reasons for that were the causes. Whatever the reason, weight loss cannot be ignored. Certain compounds, stimulants, and sedatives must be administered at precise doses related to the target body weight. If the agenda for the upcoming meeting did not go his way, the Grand Mentor of the Assassin Court would have to take this into account and take more necessary measures.

It was no coincidence that Lan Songxuan made a statement in the Hall of Glory - half of the commemorative names engraved around the hall belonged to space battleships. For an interstellar empire, this is the essence of war. Similarly, Roger Dorn's meeting with his original brother here is a memory that can be used.

With a wave of his ring-wearing hand, the High Lord Admiral invited his fellow High Lord officers to take a seat at the ornate table. Wangorić sat at the other end of the table, far away from Lansong, between the lower councilors.

Surprisingly, Lanson did not sit directly at the top, as Vangorić thought, but between the Minister of the Interior, Tobris, and the Merchant Marine Fleet's spokesman, Yuskina. The two of them were so close to the first seat that they showed their prominence, but no one dared to occupy the first place that had belonged to Makado or Roger Donn, who had been in the palm of the seal.

If you think about it, Lan Song's arrangement of location is very reasonable. Wangorich knew that the Imperial Admiral was about to announce a new offensive against the Orks who were approaching the Sunzone—as all the High Lords were aware of it, and that would require a lot of material and logistical support. Lanzon placed the leaders of the Ministry of the Interior and the merchant fleet at his side, elevating the two institutions to a new status.

Lanson did not pretend to be modest to let the Commander-in-Chief of the Empire, Udo, or the Minister of the Interior, make the opening remarks, this was his parliament. He stood up, his hands clenched into fists and hammered hard against the table, his gaze scanning back and forth along the edge. With the humming of the movement, the servo skull began to record the speech, and other narrators were recording the scene for future generations, the light of High Gothic reflected onto the stone pillars and walls.

"In every age of humanity, there is always a time when we will face the greatest challenges."

Lan Song said slowly.

The voice is calm and sincere.

"I ask the great Imperial Council, which defines this era, to allow me to make a proposal, and humbly present to you all the intelligence information I have gathered so far on all the problems that plague us today."

Wangorich wanted to laugh a little, but Lansong was not at all humble when he said this. But he remained calm and silent, seemingly paying attention to the admiral's words, but in fact quietly observing the reactions of the other high lords present from the corner of his eye.

"We are shocked by the invasion of the Orcs, who we once thought were as weak, divided, and unworthy as the other aliens. Like so many, I have allowed the desire for peace to trump vigilance and responsibility. Their powerful onslaught caught us off guard - even the Fist of the Empire, the glorious Terra Guardians are not enough to deal with this threat. ”

Several councillors took a deep breath when they heard this—Lansong looked like he was going to openly criticize a start-up warband?

"We must not be intimidated by the sudden appearance of the Orc Armed Space Station behind our front. If they are going to penetrate our fronts, then we also want to actively penetrate their fronts in certain areas. This will put both sides in extreme danger, but if the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Navy can cope properly – as I believe, if the Imperial Navy can continue to use their talents for recovery and counterattack, if the Imperial Guard can show tenacious endurance and tenacity to fight, as they have shown in the past, then the offensive and defensive forces will be distorted! ”

Lan Song said loudly with a hard fist.

These words further aroused Wangolić's curiosity. There have been rumors that Lanson is going to use the fleet he has assembled on Lebidos Main to launch a new offensive against the Orcs, but will he really publicly promise to turn the tide of the war?

The High Lord's impassioned speech continued, but the Grand Mentor of the Assassin Court listened absent-mindedly. He was silently thinking...... It dawned on him that Lanzon was now demanding the return of the promises he had made, and that his "creditors" of political resources were also in need of a return.

But for other lawmakers, especially Wangorich, it's too early to jump out and accuse Lanson of overstepping his authority. In short, unless the High Lord Admiral can prove that his actions can indeed resist the Orcs, his supporters and followers will all be departing one by one.

It looks like a pre-war speech, but in fact it is full of code words. It was Lanson sending a message to other political allies, and his speech now marks his move from commitment to action. Wangorić didn't know what role the others would play in the events that followed, and what kind of quid pro quo would be in exchange for their support...... But he could probably guess.

First will be the victory of the Imperial Navy, and then Lansong will send the Imperial Guard. Once both of them add a few victories to the roster of honor, their status as guardians of the empire will last for thousands of years. History will not forget the leader who saved the empire from the threat of the beast, and a crisis of alien invasion turned into a great political opportunity.

Everything was so perfect.

"At the same time, let's not waste our tongues on finger-pointing each other."

Lan Song curled up his fat fingers, nodded and gestured to the narrators.

"The common good still exists between the Empire and the Cult of the Mechanical God, the Holy Covenant remains, and the inescapable responsibility remains. Out of the desperate need to fight the 'beast' and its creatures, we must try to free ourselves from the backward system so that Mars can fully support the naval fleet. ”

This is a bit of a mechanical god cult.

Wangorich was in a clear mind.

"Let's look to the future together. Today is September 17th, and the Ascension Day has only been three weeks old. The armies of the empire held a solemn procession on the avenue of the palace for a month, while the ships of the navy flew over them. Who can foresee what will happen for the rest of the year. ”

The Supreme Admiral then looked at the State Pope Meslin, and the two exchanged smiles and exchanged glances, conveying a message to those around him: Lanzon had the support of the emperor's most pious servants. In return, Wangorich speculated that the Anglican preachers would presumably be unhindered on the ships of the Imperial Navy.

"When we stand in awe before the scroll that writes the destiny of mankind, faith gives us support and comfort. And I believe that there will be people among us who will live to see it, that once again people are cheering for the great and glorious anniversary of the Ascension Day, and that there will be people who will once again stand up and fight for the power of all mankind. Whenever the dawn comes, as it is destined to come, all humanity will grant understanding and goodwill to men and women who have not given up, wherever they are, even in the darkest days and nights of the Empire. ”

Lan Song's tone turned low to high-pitched:

"But let's stop talking about the darkest moments, let's call them 'grim moments'. This is not yet the darkest hour, this is the great moment, the greatest we have ever experienced, and we must thank the Emperor for allowing us to make these special days a memorable part of the history of our race in our own way. ”

The admiral stopped, waiting for the applause. The first to applaud was the Minister of the Interior, and the rest responded, including Wangolić. When the applause gradually waned, Lan Song sat down, raised a hand and shook it and said:

"It's over, it's over. I should applaud you for allowing me to speak out the whole council. ”

Wangorich quickly reviewed the entire speech and finally came to the conclusion that although Lanzon had said it for so long, there was nothing to say. Promises and compromises can only be made in secret words to certain people who are waiting to hear certain words. The Grand Mentor of the Assassin Court had limited understanding, and Lanzon did not give any more description of the Navy's plans, some substantive descriptions.

Imperial Guard, Cult of the Mechanica, Merchant Marine Fleet, Ministry of the Interior, Anglican ...... One by one, Wangorich counted the major imperial forces that had been co-opted by Lansong, and in these institutions actually had the "poison" infiltrated by the Grand Mentor of the Assassin Court, but he did not activate it. In a sense, Vangelich believes that the Empire does need this "unity" now to deal with the orcs.

"I look forward to your success, Lansong."

Wangorich said silently in his heart.

"It's best, it's better not to let me down."

…………