From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 734: Commands Powerful Enough to Affect the Future of the Entire Galaxy and Even the Entire Universe
The first light of dawn, like a soft veil, slowly spread across the outline of the city that had just experienced a catastrophe.

The smoke of yesterday's battle seems to linger in some corners, leaving a faint trace, but more than that, there is a vibrant new life force, awakening with the dawn.

Especially in the formerly dirty, crowded, and forgotten urban slums.

At this moment, this place has become a huge construction site. Unlike before, the main people busy here are not human laborers, but a large number of simple-looking and highly efficient Hextech robots.

These automated units, deployed by the engineering department, are like diligent worker ants, carrying out renovation and construction work with astonishing efficiency under the command of preset programs.

They use laser cutters to precisely demolish dilapidated buildings, composite printing arms to construct new building frameworks, and multi-functional arms to carry out interior decoration and pipeline laying.

The low, dilapidated shacks and crumbling tenement buildings are being rapidly demolished, replaced by the prototypes of modular mega-apartments with simple lines, sturdy structures, and uniform appearances, which do not appear cold, as well as planned public green spaces, community centers, and medical stations.

For the impoverished people who once struggled to survive here, their past lives seem like a distant nightmare.

Every morning upon waking, the first thing I worry about is what to eat for the next meal: how to survive on the cheapest homemade pancakes, and how to find a relatively warm corner to curl up in the cold wind...

Now, all of this seems to have changed overnight.

At the temporary distribution points maintained by auxiliary soldiers, people could receive hot, nutritious meals, as well as fresh fruits and clean drinks that were rarely seen before, without having to pay any price.

What's even more unbelievable to them is that those brand-new apartments that are rising from the ground are not an unattainable dream. Community staff clearly told them that all of them can move in for free and have a real home of their own that can shelter them from the wind and rain.

Hope, like the morning sun, shines so vividly into this once-forgotten corner for the first time.

Among this group of people waiting for a new life, there is a particularly eye-catching grandfather and grandson.

The elderly man, named Mousse Gulangbang, was nearing seventy. The hardships of life and the years had etched deep lines on his face, and his back was hunched from years of labor and malnutrition. He clutched a worn-out duffel bag tightly in his hand, containing all their belongings.

The grandson's name was John Grumbone. He was about ten years old, thin, and pale, but his eyes shone brightly with the novel sight before him. He clung tightly to his grandfather, his little hands clutching the rough hem of his grandfather's clothes.

At that moment, a young woman dressed in an Imperial-style, plain-colored but fully functional community work uniform walked over. She was holding a data tablet and had a formal yet gentle smile on her face.

“Moose Grumbun and John Grumbun, is that right? Please come with me, your assigned accommodations are ready.”

The grandfather and grandson exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with trepidation and a hint of unbelievable anticipation.

Gulangbang nodded hurriedly, grabbed his grandson, and followed the staff member's steady steps, albeit somewhat unsteadily.

They walked through the still-under-construction but orderly area toward an apartment building whose exterior had been completed and which exuded the scent of new building materials.

The automatic sensor door slid open silently, revealing a bright and clean lobby. Although the decoration was simple, the lighting was warm, and the floor was so shiny it was practically a mirror.

They followed the staff into the silent elevator and arrived at the middle level.

The corridor was equally spacious and bright, with identical doors on both sides.

The staff stopped in front of one of the side doors, which was made of sturdy composite material and looked safe and private.

"This is your residence, unit B12 on the 17th floor."

As the staff member spoke, he took out three physical room cards from the side of the data panel and handed them to Gulangbang. Then he guided the grandfather and grandson to a terminal embedded in the wall next to the door to enter their biometric information one by one.

"Both the room card and biometric information are keys. Please keep your room card safe as a backup."

After completing all this, the staff member did not leave immediately. Looking at the elderly woman and the young man before her, she spoke calmly and clearly:
"Regarding daily life, all three meals can be taken care of in the public canteens on the third and ninth floors of the apartment building. The service hours are from 6:00 to 8:00 in the morning, 11:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon, and 5:30 to 7:30 in the evening."

Food is provided free of charge, but please remember not to be wasteful and take only what you need.

The Empire advocates for the conservation of resources. Any wasteful behavior will be recorded and may result in the deduction of your personal credit points. In severe cases, you may face corresponding community service or other penalties. Please remember this.

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the grandfather and grandson, before continuing:
"Furthermore, according to the determination of the Social Affairs Department of the Imperial Army Corps, John Grumbon is deemed to be without a guardian, and you, Mr. Mousse Grumbon, are deemed to be too old to continue performing regular work."

In light of this situation, the Legion will provide your family with special care and ongoing welfare support.

Starting this month, a fixed number of credit points will be allocated to your account linked to your identity information each month, which can be used to pay for expenses other than basic living costs.

Her tone became more serious: "At the same time, according to the Imperial Humanity Basic Act, the Empire promises to provide all school-age children with twelve years of free compulsory education."

John has reached school age and will enroll in a nearby Imperial public school, where all his education expenses from elementary school to university will be covered by the Empire.

A detailed notification will be sent to your room's terminal at that time; please check your messages.

After explaining everything, the community worker's face once again displayed that formulaic smile:

"Okay, that covers the basics."

The room contains a detailed living guidebook, and if you have any questions, you can contact the community service center through the communication terminal in the room.

"I wish you a pleasant life." After saying this, she nodded slightly and turned to leave.

Only the grandfather and grandson remained in the corridor.

Gulangbang held the "cold" room cards, feeling their immense weight. He then took a deep breath and tremblingly pressed the cards close to the sensor area.

With a soft "beep", the door lock slid open.

John, looking both eager and somewhat timid, stepped into the room.

The sight that came into view made the old man and the young man hold their breath instantly.

This is a two-bedroom, one-living-room residence that is not particularly spacious, but has an extremely reasonable layout and is full of a warm atmosphere.

Warm beige walls, smooth engineered wood flooring, and simple, practical recessed lighting fixtures emit a soft glow.

Directly opposite the door is a small and exquisite living room, with a set of comfortable and durable-looking fabric sofas surrounding a low coffee table, and an interface for a video receiver is reserved on the opposite wall.

One side of the living room connects to a balcony with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the morning sunlight to stream in unobstructed, making the entire living room bright and warm.

To the left of the living room are two adjacent bedrooms.

The master bedroom is slightly larger, with a single bed and a wardrobe. The second bedroom is smaller, obviously prepared for John, with a bed of suitable size and even a desk.

Both bedrooms have windows, ensuring ventilation and natural light.

To the right of the living room is a fully functional independent kitchen with a clean white countertop, built-in energy cooktop, refrigerator, and cleaning equipment. Although they may not need them for the time being, this completeness gives them peace of mind.

Next to the kitchen is a clean bathroom, which is separated into wet and dry areas and has a shower, toilet and sink.

In another corner of the living room, a small study space was even partitioned off, furnished with a desk and chair, clearly intended for the child's future studies. All the facilities were brand new and clean, and the air was filled with the unique scent of a new home.

There was no dampness or musty smell of the slums, no hustle and bustle or danger of the streets, only an unprecedented peace and stability.

John looked up, his eyes gleaming with disbelief. He tugged at his grandfather's sleeve, his voice trembling:

"Grandpa...are we...are we dreaming?"

The old man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stretched out his calloused hand and tremblingly stroked the smooth wall, feeling the real touch. He then looked around at this fully equipped and luxurious "home".

Finally, the turbid tears welled up in his eyes and slid down his deep wrinkles.

He knelt down and hugged his grandson's small body tightly, his voice choked with emotion, filled with endless gratitude and relief.

"It's not a dream...it's not a dream...we...we really...have good days ahead..."

On this brand new morning, in this brand new home, hope is no longer a distant fantasy, but has transformed into the "heavy" room key in my hand, into the warm sunlight shining in through the window, and into the tears of joy for new life that fill the grandfather and grandson as they embrace.
The scene shifts, the perspective changing from a hopeful and warm morning on Earth to the cold void of Earth's near-Earth orbit on the sunlit side of Dead Space.

The magnificent, mountain-like Man-Mighty Forever is suspended in orbit between the blue planet and the dazzling sun.

Inside the bridge, in stark contrast to the tranquility of the universe outside the windows, there is a highly focused and orderly atmosphere of busy activity.

Countless holographic screens floated in the air, flowing with waterfall-like data streams. Ordinary support staff in standard uniforms communicated quietly and worked efficiently at their respective workstations, while Imperial Warrior officers clad in light power armor stood like "pillars of stability" at key positions, ensuring the smooth operation of this flagship and even the nerve center of the entire legion.

Beside the widest control panel in the center of the bridge, overlooking the entire command area, Sui Meng stood with his back to the main observation window, arms crossed, gazing at the largest strategic star map in front of him, which displayed the entire solar system's situation.

His towering five-and-a-half-meter frame exuded an invisible sense of oppression, even within the magnificent bridge.

Boom, boom.

At that moment, a series of heavy, rhythmic footsteps approached from afar.

The Imperial Warriors, clad in Terminator armor of unique design, inscribed with intricate patterns and personal achievement marks, arrived at the central control panel.

He was over three meters tall, a formidable figure even among the Astartes, and was one of Sui Meng's most trusted adjutants.

The heavy Terminator armor did not make the adjutant appear clumsy; on the contrary, it added to his composure and majesty.

The adjutant stopped at a suitable distance from Sui Meng, nodded slightly in respect, and then began his report. His deep, clear voice came through the speaker on his helmet and echoed in the relatively quiet central command area.

"Father, in accordance with your wishes, I will now provide a summary report on the current situation."

On Earth, the order in major regions of the world has basically stabilized.

The elimination rate of residual necromancy threats reached 99.8%, and scattered individuals no longer pose an effective threat.

All known high-ranking officials of the former Earth Federation have been purged or detained according to their crimes and the degree of resistance. Their administrative system has been completely dismantled and has been taken over by the Legion's provisional military government and advance personnel from the Ministry of the Interior.

The original Earth Defense Force (EDF) has had its grassroots units systematically dismantled after assessment, and unstable elements and die-hards have been eliminated. They are now undergoing reorganization and initial training in accordance with the Imperial Guard's basic manual.

Loyalty reviews and ideological education are being conducted simultaneously, and it is expected that preliminary auxiliary defense capabilities can be formed within the next three months.

All colonies within the solar system, including major strongholds such as Mars, Venus, and Europa, have sent back confirmation messages, declaring their acceptance of the rule of the Imperial Army.

Our fleet and ground forces have completed the deployment of key nodes and have not encountered effective resistance.

The colonies’ resource output and industrial facilities are gradually being integrated into the imperial economic system.

Regarding the Unification Church, its senior members, including all known regional bishops, cardinals and above, have been completely and thoroughly purged in accordance with the heretical purge order, and it has been confirmed that no one has escaped.

For the large number of basic believers who were mainly drawn in by deception and incitement, a mandatory thought-restructuring program has been launched.

The core teaching material is a basic popular version of the "Code of Humanity" personally compiled by the emperor, supplemented by education on historical truth.

A branch of the Inquisition has intervened and will conduct long-term, rigorous monitoring and evaluation of these individuals to ensure that no resurgence of heretical thought occurs and to prevent them from posing a renewed organizational threat.

The adjutant finished his concise report, covering key areas such as military, political, and social affairs, demonstrating the Imperial Guard's efficient and ruthless command capabilities in a short period of time.

Sui Meng listened quietly, his gaze never leaving the steadily flashing imperial dragon emblems on the star map, representing the areas under his control.

He nodded slightly to indicate that he understood only after the adjutant finished his report.

"The situation has been initially brought under control, but follow-up work to consolidate it needs to be continued and cannot be relaxed."

Sui Meng's voice was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. "Wu Ji, compile a detailed summary report of the current situation, including military deployments, progress of administrative takeover, resource assessments, social stability data, and potential risk analysis. Encrypt the report and upload it to the main universe for submission to the Emperor."

As Sui Meng finished speaking, countless tiny, shimmering blue hard light holographic particles suddenly appeared in the air in front of the center console.

These particles, as if drawn by an invisible hand, rapidly converged and shaped, outlining a clear human figure in the blink of an eye.

She is a woman with a tall and straight figure, a beautiful face, and a heroic air.

In addition, there was a well-tailored, simple yet dignified white military uniform, with bright red soft armor covering key areas such as the shoulders and elbows.

Her long hair was neatly tied up at the back of her head, and her eyes seemed to hold a galaxy flowing slowly.

This is the Imperial Warrior Legion's dedicated strategic-level intelligent artificial intelligence—

Wu Ji.

Her presence is one of the core guarantees for the legion's efficient operation and data analysis.

"The instruction has been confirmed, Primarch."

The image of Wu Ji bowed to Sui Meng, her voice melodious but devoid of superfluous emotion, conveying only absolute rationality and efficiency.

"All data is being integrated, and the final verification and encryption process is complete. It will be uploaded to the designated receiving node in the main universe immediately through a secure channel."

Sui Meng nodded, acknowledging Wu Ji's efficiency.

He paused slightly, as if pondering something, then turned his gaze back to the star map, finally settling on Earth from Dead Space.

Finally, he spoke again, his tone calm, yet he issued a command that could influence the future of the entire galaxy, and even the entire universe:
"By the way, Wu Ji, add a note to the report: request the Emperor to allow the Imperial Martial Corps to use the large-scale equipment array."

(End of this chapter)