sbdcsierra Chapter 1473 First Courtesy, Then Military Force
Chapter 1473 First Courtesy, Then Military Force
Xiao Ce awaited his generals.
At this moment, Yin Pan'er, who was standing next to Xiao Ce, saw this scene and said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, do you believe this person?"
Xiao Ce smiled and then said, "Of course! To be honest, I actually considered killing him..."
"But since I already have him completely under my control, there's no need to kill him... and it's pointless..."
"He also proved that he actually has value...and there's one more important reason for keeping him around..."
After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Yin Pan'er stared at him and then said, "A thousand pieces of gold for a bone horse?"
Xiao Ce smiled at Yin Pan'er and then said, "That's right, that's exactly what I meant..."
As he spoke, Xiao Ce embraced Yin Pan'er and said, "Pan'er, we've accomplished what we wanted to do..."
"Now it's just some finishing touches..."
Yin Pan'er smiled at Xiao Ce, then said, "That's right... However, from beginning to end, I've always felt that Your Highness was capable of doing it..."
The two looked at each other and smiled.
The next day...
Xiao Dingshan's shuttle ship arrived at Xiao Ce's base...
This base is no longer what it used to be, just an island.
He was originally the core of the Star Network Hub, so modifying it wasn't difficult...
The ship's hull lightly touched the alloy deck, and the hatch slid open!
Xiao Dingshan walked down the gangway alone...
The warm sea breeze from the island swept over me...
Unlike the fervent supporters and somber atmosphere of Fort Lingas!
The air here is filled with a deeper, more absolute stillness, as if even the surging waves have quieted down under some unseen will.
There was no grand welcoming ceremony, no rows of guards.
Only one guide, dressed in a dark blue uniform and with a blank expression, was waiting at the edge of the tarmac, gesturing for him to follow.
Xiao Dingshan took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions surging within him!
It was a complex feeling that mixed awe, a hint of barely perceptible humiliation, and a strong will to survive and ambition.
He strode after him, his metal boots clicking monotonously on the polished deck.
After passing through several automatically opening security gates that glowed with a faint energy, they entered the core building of the island.
Throughout the journey, Xiao Dingshan was actually very nervous.
Because although he returned victorious this time.
However, he knew that during this time, he actually did very little...
Most of it was thanks to Xiao Ce...
He was genuinely afraid that Xiao Ce would discard him after he had served his purpose...
After all, once the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked; once the birds are all gone, the good bow is put away...
He understood this principle very well...
The space suddenly opened up, yet it also felt unusually empty.
The cold metal walls gleamed with an eerie light, and outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows lay the rolling dark blue sea and low-hanging clouds.
At the heart of the entire space is a command platform suspended in the center, enveloped by several soft beams of light.
On the platform, a figure stood with his hands behind his back, facing away from the entrance, gazing out the window at the surging horizon where the sea meets the sky.
He was tall and straight, dressed in a simple yet exceptionally high-quality dark-colored casual suit. Just by standing there, he seemed to be the center of the entire space, with all the light, the air, and even the flow of time subtly revolving around him.
Xiao Dingshan's heart clenched.
He knew that it was Xiao Ce.
This Xiao Ce exudes an even stronger aura of authority...
The true ruler of this planet, a being who can decide the life and death of billions of people with a single thought, is also the prince to whom he must now serve and rely.
Before, Xiao Ce, it could be said, still harbored rebellious intentions.
But at this moment, Xiao Ce had no will to resist whatsoever...
The guide silently withdrew...
Xiao Dingshan stopped in his tracks, bowed slightly, and broke the silence with a deliberately respectful voice:
"Your Highness, Xiao Dingshan has come to report back on orders."
The figure standing by the window slowly turned around...
Xiao Ce's face became clearer, and he was not as dignified and rigid as imagined, but rather carried an almost indifferent calmness.
If we're talking about majesty, Xiao Ce seems to embody a more divine quality...
His eyes were deep, like a universe that encompassed the entire starry sky...
The calm and stillness fell upon Xiao Dingshan, without the sharpness of scrutiny or the gentleness of acceptance!
There was only a pure, overlooking sense of insight. That gaze made Xiao Dingshan feel as if he had been instantly analyzed, from his skin to his soul, with nowhere to hide.
An invisible pressure made him subconsciously bend his waist even lower.
"Ah."
Xiao Ce simply responded with a soft voice, which, though not loud, clearly reached Xiao Dingshan's ears, carrying a peculiar rhythm.
"The information about Lingas has been shared with me by Star Nexus. You did a pretty good job."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xiao Dingshan felt a slight sense of relief, but dared not relax in the slightest!
"I have successfully completed my mission."
The remnants of the Hyena Legion have all surrendered and been reorganized into the 'Night Owl' interstellar legion, swearing allegiance to the king.
The defenses of Fort Lingas have been fully taken over, and resource allocation, awareness preservation, and database analysis are all proceeding according to plan.
Jonk, Claude, Dr. Sophia, and Victor each performed their duties, and the fortress operated smoothly.
The former captain and his cronies... have been eliminated; there are no further threats.
He paused, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of excitement!
Attempt to emphasize results:
"At this point, the last organized resistance force on the planet no longer exists."
From the Arctic creation base to the western continent, and then to the ruins of Lingas,
Where the prince's will extends, the world will be at peace.
This planet, in a true sense, is now unified under the Prince's command!
He hoped to see a hint of approval or satisfaction on Xiao Ce's face.
However, Xiao Ce's expression did not change at all!
He merely nodded slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through Xiao Dingshan, landing on a more distant dimension of time and space:
"The dust has settled, but it's only the beginning of a new chapter. Resource integration and order reconstruction are the real challenges."
Xiao Dingshan felt a chill run down his spine!
Xiao Ce's calmness was beyond his expectations.
This achievement of "unification" seems to the other side as nothing more than a matter of course, or even a trivial step.
However, Xiao Dingshan could sense it. Xiao Ce seemed unwilling to let him die...
His anxiety eased considerably.
However, Siu Ding Shan knew better.
The more this is the case, the more careful he needs to be.
alert...
He immediately suppressed his slight smugness and lowered his posture even further:
"Your Highness possesses great foresight, while your subordinates are foolish. The Night Owl Legion will do its utmost to integrate and rebuild, sharing Your Highness's burdens!"
Xiao Ce did not respond to his declaration of loyalty, but turned his gaze to the rolling dark clouds outside the porthole, as if he was thinking about something.
Silence spread through the empty hall, broken only by the low hum of the engine and the background sound of waves crashing against the rocks.
Xiao Dingshan knew that enough groundwork had been laid, and it was time to reveal the most important purpose of his trip.
He took a deep breath, his voice carrying just the right amount of worry, and broke the silence:
“Your Highness, although Lingas has been settled and the planet is unified, there is still a huge weight in my heart that I cannot let go of. I worry about it day and night and dare not fail to report this.”
Xiao Ce's gaze returned to him, with a hint of inquiry, signaling him to continue.
"It's about... Yang Xing."
Xiao Dingshan uttered those two words with a heavy tone!
"The former commander-in-chief has suffered a complete defeat! However, Xiao Dingshan believes that the Yangxing reinforcements from Xiao Ce's side, who are on their way, will also pose a danger..."
Xiao Ce was still somewhat surprised by Xiao Dingshan's words...
Without a word, his deep gaze fell upon Xiao Dingshan as if it were a physical presence, signaling him to continue.
This Xiao Dingshan really does have some skills...
Although he wasn't very good at commanding battles, he could still see things clearly!
Xiao Dingshan took a deep breath, as if to pour out all the worries in his heart:
"Your Highness, the Yangxing Fleet is, after all, the one you requested help from under the pretext of a planetary crisis."
They carry the will of their home planet and traverse the vast sea of stars. Their fundamental purpose is not to save us, but to plunder and seize!
Just like those interstellar hyenas, this planet has spiritual marrow veins that we treasure and rely on for survival!
In the eyes of those high-ranking figures on Yangxing, it was nothing more than yet another 'colonial resource' waiting to be harvested!
His words carried a chilling insight, tearing away the veil of warm assistance to reveal its naked, predatory nature.
"They...are ultimately outsiders!"
Xiao Dingshan's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of indignation as he spoke:
"Moreover, according to Yangxing's strict hierarchical system and colonial regulations, the fleet commander who comes to support us must be of a much higher status than Your Highness!"
This is the core principle by which Yang Xing maintains his rule, and there is absolutely no possibility of making an exception for the Prince alone.
His words were forceful, but his demeanor was even more respectful, and his language was extremely sharp:
"Your Highness, imagine what will happen when the fleet arrives and they see that the planet has been pacified and resources are readily available?"
Would they willingly hand over command and ownership of this planet to Your Highness?
Will they accept your status as 'Lord of the Planet'?
Xiao Dingshan answered his own question with a resolute tone:
"Absolutely not! They will use high-sounding reasons such as 'maintaining order,' 'resource management,' and 'preventing local separatism'!"
Take direct control of everything!
Your Highness, you have once again placed us, the newly surrendered 'Night Owl' legion, yearning for a new life, under your absolute rule!
At that time, all we will gain from fighting to the death and betraying our former masters is to leap from the clutches of the interstellar hyenas into the jaws of Yangxing, a larger, more greedy, and more irresistible beast!
Essentially, there is not much difference!
It's nothing more than a change of master, and continued exploitation and enslavement! Your Highness, you've poured your heart and soul into consolidating your power...
Ultimately, they might end up benefiting others, or even... struggling to protect themselves!
Xiao Dingshan spoke the last sentence almost through gritted teeth, with a sense of grief and indignation, like that of a loyal subject and a disgraced son.
He clearly saw Xiao Ce's brows furrow almost imperceptibly, and in the depths of his deep, pool-like eyes, it seemed as if cold nebulae were slowly swirling and colliding...
Xiao Dingshan was actually gambling when he said all this.
The empty command hall fell into an even deeper silence.
The rolling waves outside the window seemed to hold their breath at this moment, with only the deep, eternal hum of the Star Network Core resonating like the heartbeat of the universe.
Xiao Dingshan knew that his words were like a bombshell dropped on Xiao Ce's mind.
He was challenging the invisible, perhaps complexly emotional, bond between Xiao Ce and their home planet. But he had no other choice.
He knew all too well that if the Yangxing Fleet really took over completely!
As a "traitorous leader" and "remnant of the former hyenas," Xiao Dingshan's fate would be a thousand times more miserable than under Xiao Ce's command.
He must fight for a true future for himself, and for the newly formed "Night Owl" legion, one that is not subject to the control of Yangxing.
All of this is predicated on Xiao Ce becoming the true ruler of this planet!
Time flowed by in a suffocating silence...
Xiao Ce shifted his gaze from Xiao Dingshan and turned it back to the sea and sky outside the porthole, a blend of dark blue and leaden gray that symbolized the boundless unknown.
His profile, accentuated by the cold metallic sheen, appeared exceptionally hard and profound.
Finally, Xiao Ce spoke slowly, his voice still steady, but with a hint of gravity he hadn't shown before, like an undercurrent surging beneath the ice:
“Yang Xing… what he seeks is indeed resources, that is fundamental. The strict hierarchy is also an ironclad rule. Your concerns… are not unfounded.”
He admitted it!
Xiao Dingshan felt a sudden jolt in his heart, and a current of excitement mixed with even greater tension surged through his spine.
The prince agreed with his judgment!
"but..."
Xiao Ce changed the subject abruptly, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through the barriers of space as he looked at the fleet that was on its way!
“Severing contact directly, forcing them to return, or even shutting down the Starlink hub to cut off all communication... this is the worst possible solution and should not be taken lightly unless absolutely necessary.”
Xiao Dingshan's heart jumped again.
Xiao Ce said calmly, "The Star Network Hub is the core lifeline of the planet's operation."
Maintaining the ecosystem, regulating energy, supporting defense, anchoring spatial coordinates...
Its existence is the foundation for the survival of billions of living beings in this world.
Shutting it down would be tantamount to cutting off one's own arm, exposing the entire planet to unpredictable cosmic catastrophes and future threats.
This price is far too heavy. And…”
He paused, his tone carrying an almost imperceptible, complex longing for the past:
"This technology ultimately originates from Yangxing. To completely sever ties would be tantamount to betraying my mother race, which is not what I desire."
Xiao Dingshan held his breath, awaiting the final decision.
He knew that the prince had already made up his mind, but the process of weighing the options was like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss, allowing no room for error.
"Salute first, then soldiers."
A moment later, Xiao Ce had already made his judgment.
"In my name, I am sending a top-level directional communication to the Yang Star support fleet, which is currently undergoing a jump, through the highest level of authority of the Star Network Hub."