Warhammer: Empire Reboot

"Want to drink blood? No way."

The nobles in the hall began to stir.

Ash Velos stood in the shadows, his gaze sweeping over the humans.

She liked this moment.

When desires are suppressed, they always reveal their true colors.

But these imperial nobles are even more interesting.

They washed away greed, waxed it, dressed it in formal attire, and called it duty.

Some people's faces showed anger, some resentment, some humiliation, and some had already begun to calculate who they should curry favor with to retain more of what they had.

She almost burst out laughing.

Just then, Serena Agamemnus took a step forward.

All the nobles' eyes were on her.

She is the representative of the governor's bloodline.

If she opposes Lawson, the negotiations can continue to be pulled towards legitimacy.

Serena bowed to Lawson.

"The Agammenus family fully supports the decision of the Sealholder."

A hushed gasp rippled through the crowd of nobles.

Representative Harlow looked at her abruptly.

"Your Excellency Serena! Have you gone mad? Do you know what utterly absurd and stupid things you're saying?! You're betraying the entire noble class! Betraying your noble bloodline!"

Serena turned around with remarkable elegance, surveying her group of stubborn, foolish colleagues.

"Everyone, wake up."

"The reason why Vigilant Star has become so corrupt today is because every family here, dressed in glamorous attire, has dirty hands."

“The Agammenus family will never choose to stand on the same sinking ship as you short-sighted fools at this extremely foolish moment.”

Lawson glanced at Serena.

This woman is smart.

Motwald Nest City Cluster, Longevity Medical Center, Life Science Accumulation, Aristocratic Medical Network.

These things are valuable.

Lawson was willing to give them a way out.

Lawson spoke.

“The Agammenus family, from this day forward, retains your absolute right to reside in the Pinnacles.”

The nobles erupted once again in a violent and extremely unwilling commotion.

Why?

Lawson continued, "Partial administration of the Motwald hive complex will be retained, but administrative, judicial, tax, and military powers will be subject to the supervision of the wartime command."

"The Motwald Life Extension Medical Center continues to operate."

“I will send T-series, Cornerstone Medical Node, and Agrippina technicians to Motwald to assist you in upgrading your life sciences.”

"I want it to become the best physical therapy and longevity center in the entire galaxy."

Serena bowed her head: "Thank you, my lord. The Agammenus family will prove its worth."

Lawson then looked at the other nobles.

"As for you."

"The right to reside in the top-tier area has been cancelled."

"The noble private army is disbanded. Those who are qualified will be incorporated into the new PDF of the Vigilant Star, and those who are not qualified will be dismissed."

"The family manor retains its basic residential area, and any excess land is reclaimed by the Royal Court."

“Legitimate private businesses can operate, but they must pay taxes and be subject to cornerstone audits.”

"You have two choices."

"First, move to Zhongchao and do business according to the new rules."

"Second, leave the Vigilant Planet. You can take your personal property, family crests, untainted bloodline members, and your pitiful dignity with you."

The older nobleman finally lost his temper.

“Your Excellency, what you have done today will be recorded in the annals of the Empire.”

Lawson smiled.

"Make a note of this sentence as well."

"The clean water of the Vigilant Star no longer belongs to the nobility."

This time, even some of the noble scribes raised their heads.

Ash Velos licked his lips in the shadows.

She really enjoyed the pain that those words caused.

It is the spiritual scream of someone stripped of their power.

It sounds better than many of the court music of Slaanesh.

Lawson sat back down.

"Negotiations are over."

The nobles still wanted to speak.

The cornerstone staff walked in, holding relocation orders, asset re-registration forms, and departure application documents.

"Please submit a list of family members and an evacuation plan for the top area within 48 hours."

Representative Harlow glared at him: "I demand to continue the discussion with the Seal Master."

The cornerstone sequence calmly stated, "The negotiations are over."

"I am a representative of the Harlowen family!"

"The record has been updated. You are a person awaiting relocation from the Tower Top District."

…………

When the last batch of battle reports from the Vigilant Star campaign were archived by the Keystone Sequence, the skies outside Saint Harbor had already returned to their long-lost order.

On the orbit, the Imperial fleet rearranged into a defensive formation.

On the ground, the wreckage of the orc caravan was pushed into the furnace.

Underground, the commoner prince's pools of creation were burned one by one.

The vigilant star has survived.

In the main hall of the Wartime Domination Court in Sainte Harbor, the battleband flags were lowered one by one.

The blue battle flag of the Ultramarines.

The wolf head flag of Space Wolf.

The Iron Hand Flag.

The lightning emblem of the white scar.

The yellow and black of Imperial Fist and the crimson of Crimson Fist.

The Tomb City Warhawk, the Brass Claw, several original Forged successor chapters, and many Astartes representatives who had fought in the quagmire of Vigilant Star all stood on both sides of the hall.

They are about to leave.

The fact that the warning star survived does not mean that the galaxy has been given a respite.

Beyond the Nakmonde Corridor, there are more distress signals, more silent galaxies, more shipping lanes severed by the Chaos Fleet, and more worlds surrounded by aliens.

Astartes has never truly rested.

One battlefield has ended, and another is already opening its mouth.

Lawson's gaze swept over the crowd.

"The vigilant star can be protected, not by any one person."

"The Ultramarines rebuilt the war zone command, the Iron Hand stabilized the North Harbor district, the Space Wolves held the water supply line to the Autoc, the White Scars and the Flying Bears broke through the Motwald Wasteland, the Imperial Fist withstood the Iron Warriors' frontal assault, the Crimson Fist compressed the infected area, and the Graveyard Warhawks were trading blows with the Chicken Cunning in the lower nest area."

"There are also the Brass Claws, the various original casting companies, the Astral Army, the Battle Sisters, the Knight Families, the Mechanicus Guardians, and the mortals on Vigilant Star who are still willing to take up arms."

"You played beautifully."

The hall was quiet.

These words, coming from Lawson, carried great weight.

This is especially true for these battle group leaders.

They had all witnessed firsthand the methods of warfare employed by the Seal Bearers.

A simple "Beautiful!" from him is more effective than a three-page gilded thank-you note from many nobles.

Haldo Frosty grinned.

"The words of the Lord of the Seal are much more pleasant to hear than the hymns sung by the state religion."

A Catholic chaplain standing in the back row twitched his face but still chose to bow his head and pray.

Calga glanced at Haldo.

"Be mindful of the occasion."

Haldo shrugged.

“I’ve already been careful, otherwise I would have said something even harsher.”

Khan Olugin, with his white scars, chuckled.