Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 1011

Chapter 1002, Complete Restoration

. In the sky, the massive banner symbolizing the Imperial Sky Eagle stood side by side with the simple yet powerful Alliance Thunder Phoenix emblem, fluttering in the strong wind.

A massive holographic projection system, beamed from an orbiting satellite directly to the center of the square, simultaneously transmitting the scene to every corner of Terra and, in the future, to every system in the Imperium.

This moment was destined to go down in history.

Atop the podium sat the core of power and might of the old and new Imperiums. The solemn and awe-inspiring Ten Thousand Guards stood like historical monuments on either side; Blood Angel Dante, representatives of the major core chapters, Cardinals of the Ecclesiarchy, high-ranking members of the Inquisition, and the few surviving and loyal members of the High Lords’ families…

Everyone’s gaze, without exception, was fixed on the forefront of the podium.

Robert, Regent of the Empire. His exquisitely crafted blue-gold power armor, weathered by millennia of battle, gleamed in the sunlight.

When Terra’s ancient, restored, massive clock struck its twelfth long chime, the entire Newborn Plaza, and the entire empire connected by radio waves, fell into a breathless silence.

Trillions of eyes, both physical and visual, were focused on the platform.

Robert, the Son of God and Regent of the Empire, took a firm step forward.

“People of the Empire! Guardians of Terra! Those who are rebuilding their homes in the ruins of Holy Terra! Warriors who are on the alert in the fortresses on the front lines of the Imperial Expedition! Compatriots who are anxiously awaiting the light of dawn in distant star regions! Brave warriors who are sailing on the scarlet scar that separates Order and Chaos! – Please listen, and engrave my voice in your hearts!”

“We have just crossed an abyss! The darkest and most desperate abyss in the ten thousand years of human history!”

“Holy Terra, the heart of the Empire, the holy city of mankind, the home of our souls, has endured unprecedented desecration and corruption! The minions of the devil, the hateful traitors, have almost torn the last bastion of human civilization into pieces! Hundreds of billions of lives have withered in suffering, the palace that carried glory has turned into ruins, and the land that breeds hope has fallen into deathly silence! This unforgettable pain, this shame that goes deep into the bones, will be forever engraved in the depths of the soul of the Empire!”

“It warns us that if the foundations of the Empire are rotten, even if it has ten thousand years of glory, it will be destroyed in an instant!”

“However, please always remember – that heart is still beating! Terra, still standing! The Human Empire, has never surrendered! All this is because of you – because of your courage! Because of your perseverance in despair! Because of your persistence on the ruins!”

“I saw mortal soldiers, holding simple weapons, fighting for an inch of land behind them, and fighting the plague zombies to the last breath! I saw nuns and priests, igniting the fire with pure faith, purifying the shadow of despair! I saw the Space Marines – the Emperor’s angels – fighting like towering mountains in the filthy mire, just to protect this land where His Majesty the Emperor once walked!”

“And finally, I witnessed the heroic torrent from the dark side of the Empire! They crossed the vast sea of stars torn apart by Chaos and rushed to the aid of the Imperial Capital on the verge of destruction! With iron will and unparalleled spirit of sacrifice, they tore open a bloody road to final victory for us! The roar of the Titans of the Alliance, the cold gleam of the blades of the elite mortals, the figures of fearless warriors – their names will be immortal with Terra!”

“Their arrival is by no means limited to a reversal on the battlefield. Their efficiency! Their tenacity! Their ability to rebuild order on the ruins! Like the blazing morning light, they injected Terra’s dying pulse! They proved one thing to us: order can be rebuilt! Hope can be revived! When the entire Empire abandons stale internal friction, breaks the rigid cage, and embraces the path of rebirth, human civilization will surely stand tall again!”

“The bloated, rigid, internally-consumed, and incompetent bureaucratic machine of the Old Empire is the breeding ground and accelerator of this catastrophe! It has failed the expectations of the Father God-Emperor! It has failed the trust of hundreds of millions of people in the Empire! When the shadow of chaos first appeared, when the Prime Minister’s corruption had already sown the seeds of disaster, this huge machine turned a blind eye and even became an accomplice in the spread of corruption! It has proven its own corruption and ineffectiveness – it must be changed! It is being changed!”

“Today! What we are welcoming is an unprecedented nirvana in the history of the Empire! It is the rebirth of the human regime in the ashes of its own failure, drawing bloody lessons and declaring it reborn! To this end, the Imperial Regent Throne will jointly exercise the highest authority with the Imperial Prime Minister’s Office to form a Supreme Council representing all loyal forces in the Empire!”

“This is the new empire we are going to build together! An empire that dares to face up to historical trauma, has the courage to admit its own mistakes, is determined to reform, and is determined to face the future! An empire that remembers the greatness and pain of the sacrifices, but will never indulge in sorrow, and will surely turn grief into a driving force for progress!”

“The fire of reconstruction of Holy Terra has been ignited! The blade of the Imperial Expedition has never cooled! Those territories lost in the catastrophe! Those worlds tainted and enslaved by the shadow of Chaos! They call for the light of order in the darkness! Waiting for the liberation of the Imperial sword! Waiting for the protection of the mother’s arms! Waiting for us to bring them back into the glorious order of human civilization!”

“We will embark on a grand expedition, symbolizing the indomitable spirit of mankind. The fleet will set out from Holy Terra and bring the glory of the new empire to every inch of the world that should be illuminated by the Emperor!”

“In the name of the Emperor! In the name of Holy Terra! In the name of all the billions of our fellow citizens who have perished for this dawn! The flame of human civilization—eternal and unquenchable!”

Robert’s voice, like an invisible hammer, struck deep within the souls of every listener.

After a brief, heart-wrenching silence, the entire New Plaza erupted like a long-simmering volcano, erupting in earth-shaking cries!

Countless cries of “For the Emperor!”, “Long Live Terra!”, and “Long Live the New Empire!” coalesced into a torrent of emotion.

The Imperial Guards responded with thunderous oaths, striking their breastplates.

On the dais, even the most reserved of the Old Empire nobles straightened their backs.

Robert nodded slightly, acknowledging the surging crowd below. Then, with a subtle hint of relief and that familiar, slightly helpless, yet comforted, “As expected,” he calmly stepped back, sideways, and glanced toward Gu Hang, simultaneously making a perfectly clear, inviting gesture to the holographic camera.

The camera captured the moment, and the focus of billions of eyes shifted like a tide.

The gentle and deep smile on Gu Hang’s face, as deep as the sea of stars, remained unchanged.

He walked forward calmly and stood where Robert had just stood. His voice, without any electronic amplification, resounded clearly in everyone’s ears, as calm as a stream in a deep valley, but with an indescribable penetrating power and rational soothing power:

“The Regent has given our era a definition full of power and historical weight – a brand new empire.”

“But what is ‘new’?”

“This question tortures us: How can we make our new empire avoid repeating the mistakes of the old empire?”

“The cornerstone of the new empire is by no means dependent on the lofty throne!” Gu Hang’s voice suddenly became sonorous and powerful, with steely conviction, “but the millions of people who burn themselves, silently contribute, fight for a future for the entire civilization, protect order, and rebuild their homes!”

“Only humans are truly worthy of the praise of a thousand years!”

“So, how should the new empire respond to this glory? How should it safeguard the precious foundation built through this rational sacrifice? His Majesty the Regent has already pointed out the necessity of reform. The core lies in building a mechanism that allows this glory to flourish to the greatest extent possible and maximizes the value of this sacrifice—a governance system that is efficient, transparent, service-oriented, and deeply rooted in the consensus of hundreds of millions of citizens. It must ensure that every ordinary spark can illuminate the path forward, rather than becoming a new shackle.”

“Terra’s reconstruction process is a testament to the power of this system!”

“Fifteen years ago, post-war Holy Terra was plagued by corruption and chaos. These were people’s firsthand experiences. But now, water supply, sewage disposal, energy, medical care, food rationing… these life-sustaining blood systems are recovering their flow and vitality.”

“This is not a miracle from heaven!” His voice was unquestionable and objective. “Engineers, doctors, teachers, technical experts, and civil servants from all over the world of the Alliance have been working side by side with the local survivors of Terra, day and night, relying on clear goal setting, scientific overall planning, strict implementation standards, and selfless dedication to create miracles.”

“This is the most precious ‘gift’ given to Holy Terra by the dark side of the Empire! It is not gold, silver, or treasures, but a model that has been tempered by countless wars and can still be organized efficiently and operated steadily in the deepest despair of human civilization!”

“It lacks the ‘red tape’ of old traditions, and doesn’t conform to some people’s imagination of aristocratic ‘respectability’… But on the ruins and on the brink of war, it has demonstrated its unparalleled vitality and adaptability!”

“One of the most core tasks of the New Empire is to thoroughly integrate the core essence of this system – the pursuit of efficiency, the respect for rules and science, and the recognition of the value and dignity of every ‘person’ – into every inch of the Empire’s blood, and reshape an Empire that is completely different from any previous era and truly faces the future and the stars!”

“But the New Empire needs the entire heartland of Terra, every world that has not yet fallen, and it needs to assemble quickly and firmly! Resources! Manpower! Technology! Talent! Faith! – They must be condensed into an indestructible torrent of steel, rushing endlessly towards the territory tainted by darkness!”

“Your Majesty the Regent and I, along with the soon-to-be-formed Supreme Council, will reorganize the Empire’s resources with lightning speed to build the most efficient and reliable expeditionary operation system. We will build on Terra’s rebirth today and, inch by inch, reclaim the light of order and civilization from the clutches of Chaos!”

“This is also the first solemn promise of the New Empire: to lay a solid foundation for the survival of humanity—for all of humanity! Free us from fear and extinction!” Gu Hang’s gaze, like a substance, swept across every face below, his tone incredibly solemn.

“The second solemn promise of the New Empire: to guarantee every survivor, every descendant—the right to pursue a better life! The fundamental right to be free from fear and want! The right to pursue dignity and happiness!”

…

After the grand ceremony, there was a grand military parade and celebrations across the country, a bustling scene.

But this excitement belonged to the people.

The two leaders of the Empire had only briefly exchanged glances during the ceremony before immediately returning to their respective pursuits.

Gu Hang, needless to say, had a multitude of things to do. He

presided over the Storm Kingdom, maintaining the Thunder Torch Tower and suppressing corruption throughout the Alliance-occupied territory. He observed the Warp surges, witnessed Emperor Olden’s gradual attempts to repair and soothe the Crimson Scar, and occasionally offered his assistance.

As for real-world affairs, while he no longer had much to deal with directly, he delegated more of his work to the Alliance government—no, now, the Imperial government.

Former Alliance government officials like Ossena and Lambert had also become Imperial officials. The former was the Chancellor of the Imperial Executive Council, the latter the Chancellor of the Imperial Law Department.

Truth be told, the current Imperial central government was essentially the Alliance central government.

One team, two names.

In the future—no, rather, now—Imperial affairs would be Alliance affairs.

All the power once held by the old Empire would be completely reshuffled as the Crusade progressed.

The Alliance’s Dark Side Crusade was already underway,

and the scale of the Crusade was set to expand even further.

That was Robert’s job.

He claims to be the “Regent,” but there will likely be no more “political” duties for him to manage. His primary task right now is to assemble an Imperial Expeditionary Force to launch the “Indomitable Crusade” he mentioned in his previous declaration.

This Indomitable Crusade will be divided into three directions.

To the north, they will advance towards the Infinite Realm along the path of the real universe.

Simultaneously, the Infinite Realm has also assembled an army and is advancing southward. Both sides hope to achieve a victorious reunion within a few decades.

The western force is the weakest, primarily serving as a scouting force.

The southeastern force is the largest, aiming to reunite with the Alliance’s Dark Side Expeditionary Western Front within five years.

Yan Fangxu’s Western Front, led by Yan Fangxu, had already advanced from the Seven Star Corridor across the Scarlet Scar decades ago, launching operations on the Imperial Holy Frontier. So far, they’ve nearly conquered a star region and are heading towards Holy Terra.

Once the two armies successfully reunite, the area southeast of Holy Terra, extending all the way to the Scarlet Scar, can be declared completely liberated.

Afterwards, the two armies will merge into one, one heading west to launch the true Western Expedition, while the other will head south to launch the Southern Expedition.

Combined with the progress of the Dark Side Expedition, we hope to complete the complete restoration of all territories of the Empire within a hundred years!

(End of this chapter)