Chapter 241: Is the County Magistrate of Goose City a Bandit Too? A Lackey's Life Still Counts!
This time, the expeditionary force dispatched by V to suppress the rebellion wasn't particularly large.
At least, compared to the 004 Universe Expeditionary Army that Li Ang was assembling, it was like a child's toy next to a giant.
Still, the smaller scale didn't mean the mission itself was unimportant.
This campaign—and the political aftermath that came with it—was a major test of V's political acumen.
After all, war is always an extension of politics.
Fighting is just a means, never the end.
V's decision to personally lead the campaign wasn't just about intimidating the riffraff of the 003 "Edge of Tomorrow" Universe.
It was also to get to the bottom of the rebellion and make the right strategic decisions.
That's why, before heading out, V had already delegated most of the solar system's management in Universe 003 to the AI known as Europa.
If any emergency arose within the 003 system, AI Europa would first notify Li Ang at the Base HQ, then issue a faster-than-light warning to V directly.
Though the rebellious faction within the Universal Trade Ring wasn't highly advanced and its fleet was rather outdated—
It was still a genuine spacefaring civilization. Showing a basic level of military respect was the bare minimum.
At this moment, inside the command chamber of the Infinity-class flagship:
"Governor, ground forces have completed embarkation. The fleet is scheduled to make its space jump in forty minutes."
"Also, our field investigators have sent back updated intel from the rebel planet. The details have been transmitted to you."
"Lastly, members of other civilizations in the Universal Trade Ring have expressed willingness to deploy troops and help us stamp out the rebellion."
"All in all, the odds are stacked in our favor this time!"
…
A logistics officer projected a full-body hologram onto the command platform, delivering all the critical updates clearly and concisely to Governor V.
V, clad in powered armor, stood silently, eyes fixed on the real-time data displayed across the command screen.
Once the report was complete, he finally nodded and said,
"Understood. If anything unexpected comes up, report to me immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
The officer's hologram dissipated as he returned to his tasks.
In the command chamber, efficiency ruled—communications were kept to minimal words, as long as the message got across.
V glanced at the crew below, then activated the central control panel's holographic display to review the latest intel sent by the frontline investigators.
A 3D miniature of the rebel planet hovered before him—a precisely scaled model that laid out the terrain in stark detail.
Contrary to what V had imagined, the planet wasn't prosperous. Industrial zones had dried out the land, leading to severe desertification.
Steel cities choked the planet's surface, and toxic waste flowed from factory complexes, leaving the environment in shambles.
Clearly, the local civilization had recklessly plundered its resources to the brink of planetary collapse.
With the investigation's findings, V now fully understood the roots of the rebellion.
The uprising had taken place within a civilization known as Latwu. The conflict started with a classic power struggle among the ruling elite.
Nothing unusual there.
But the trouble began when one faction of the elite manipulated the lower classes to help eliminate their rivals.
Then came the betrayal.
Once the dust settled, and it was time to divide the spoils, the same elites turned their backs on the very people who had bled for them.
The lower classes were furious.
If you won't give us our share, we'll just take it ourselves.
And so they rebelled—stormed the palace, seized power, and even looted the Universal Trade Ring's precious "tribute convoy."
As for those backstabbing elites? Most of them got the full "Nine Generations Package" straight to the underworld. Only a handful escaped by airship.
And of course, the first thing those lackeys did after getting beaten was to run crying to big brother for help.
The rebellion, while on the surface simple, was deeply entangled with more than just the Latwu civilization—it implicated other members of the Universal Trade Ring.
No matter which side V aimed his guns at, it would stir up trouble.
If he backed the Latwu elite, the commoners would cry foul:
"We risked our lives to help you eliminate your rivals and topple the last tyrant. All we wanted was a shot at moving up in the world. Not only did you deny us that, now you're calling in outside help to beat us down? Really?! Why don't you just wipe out the entire lower class while you're at it, huh?"
Such a move could sow panic among the lower classes of other civilizations, fearful that they might suffer the same fate.
No one could predict the chaos that might follow.
On the flip side, if V supported the rebel commoners, the elites would protest:
"Unbelievable! Our big brother won't defend us, and now he's siding with the rebels?! Aren't we supposed to be quelling bandits? But you're running with them now? What is this, the county magistrate of Goose City being a bandit himself?!"
"Fine. If our great leader can't keep things fair, we'll take our business elsewhere—set up a rival trade network behind your back. We're done playing your game."
Sure, with its sheer power, the mega-corp could force the trade members into submission—but that would increase the cost of Li Ang's governance.
The essence of running a successful megacorp is careful accounting: maintaining partnerships, managing relations, and focusing on sustainable profit.
If V angered all the members of the trade ring, his governorship would be as good as over. He might still be a fearsome general, but never again a ruler of star systems.
A political career is measured by foresight. The short-sighted have no place in leadership.
"No wonder these rebels would rather risk annihilation by our fleets than continue living like that. They've been pushed too far."
V pondered this quietly. If the rebellion truly stemmed from such desperation, perhaps it was worth attempting a peaceful resolution.
He could offer a second chance under corporate oversight: redraw the power structure, relocate the rebels to other planets as laborers, put them to work mining resources for the megacorp.
No promise of riches—but it beat living on borrowed time with a bounty on your head.
And if they refused, well, then he could always drag them into the Matrix and drain every last watt of electricity from them later.
V wasn't a mindless brute. Scheming was fair game—but excessive cruelty would eventually come back to bite.
At its core, this rebellion was a clash between the ruling elite and the lower class—both sides waiting to see which one the megacorp would side with.
To truly understand the full scope, and avoid tunnel vision, V had chosen to personally lead the expedition to Latwu.
In truth, he already had a strategy in mind—borrowing Li Ang's favorite playbook:
Kill some, support some, suppress some.
"Kill some" was straightforward—execute the rebel leaders, make an example of them, and send a clear message about betraying the megacorp.
"Support some" meant leaving the remaining elites in place but allowing new blood from the rebels to rise—those who knew when to surrender would be rewarded.
The deadliest move was the last.
"Suppress some" meant selectively promoting pro-megacorp rebels while crushing the hardliners—splintering the rebellion from within.
So much for brotherhood and solidarity—once someone defects for cushy benefits, the others will start falling in line.
Or keep fighting, until nothing remains.
---
But no matter which choice they made, the internal structure of this rebel force was bound to fall apart, completely collapse, and vanish without a trace.
As for the rest—well, everything was now perfectly in order, and V had no need to concern himself further.
A rebel force that had accepted amnesty would not show any more mercy to their own people than the ruling elites had before.
The goal of a dragonslayer was to become the "dragon." And if one didn't want to be replaced by another dragonslayer, then it was best not to show a single weakness.
The dragon's ultimate fate was always to be replaced by a newer dragonslayer. This rule held true across all universes, including the Latu'u civilization in Universe 003.
High-ranking elites were eternally consumable and replaceable commodities—after all, they too had once risen from the lower ranks.
Unless, of course, you were someone like Li Ang—a rule-maker. Someone who could make others compete within a framework of rules he alone defined, endlessly wasting their energy in a game devoid of meaning.
"Let's do it that way."
V nodded lightly, musing to himself.
After working alongside his boss Li Ang for so many years, he'd grown familiar with most of Li Ang's methods and style. He'd also learned things few others could begin to comprehend.
The one who sets the rules is the only eternal winner.
And as the lawmaker among the countless civilizations, once a megacorp like LA Megacorp personally stepped in, it could only mean one thing—
To restore the imbalance. To return the scales to equilibrium. To keep the natural cycle intact.
Let the ruling class be reminded: the blessings of a gentleman last no more than five generations. Either behave yourselves and stop ruthlessly depleting your own grassroots, or—
Be shattered by the fury of the lower class. Give up your share of the power pie and reward it to the new victors.
Not convinced? Then where were you earlier?
Only now, when you're on the verge of annihilation, you panic and come running to beg for reinforcements?!
And with this barrage of blows from V, he'd not only sounded the alarm for other trade-circle elites, but also made a gesture toward the lower classes of those civilizations.
Make no mistake—LA Megacorp only welcomes victors into the trade circle!
Any civilization that can't even keep its own lower classes in check has no right to stand here. Get lost.
As for the muscle-bound, battle-ready underclass? Go ahead—smash the old bastards on top. Win, and you get promoted to the elite. Lose, and you'll get plugged into the Matrix to power up a new game.
Either way, it's not a life wasted.
As for the high-ranking elites sitting on the sidelines? We're still close business partners. As long as you're strong enough to keep your rabble in line, we can continue making money together.
The strong shall always prevail. The doors of LA Megacorp are forever open to capable and powerful allies!
Having finalized the deployment plan, V immediately ordered the preparation of the amnesty documents and battle operations.
If peaceful negotiations failed, then they'd start by dropping a few bombs to let those Latu'u rebels see what divine firepower really looked like.
Conveniently, a fresh batch of Astartes members had just arrived—V intended to use this suppression campaign as their training ground.
After verifying the finalized deployment plan for errors, V waved his hand to dismiss the holographic map of Planet Latu'u and turned to review the personnel roster for the expedition force.
"Governor, reporting!"
At that moment, a staffer popped up on a holographic screen with a notification:
[All air squadrons transporting new members of the Iron Hand Legion have successfully docked in our fleet's hangars.]
"Good. Let them rest for now and prepare for battle."
[Understood!]
With that, V no longer focused on fleet operations. His attention shifted fully to preparations for post-rebellion stabilization.
…
…
Universe's 04 Star System.
Located in the UNSC's core colonial region, the Tianyuan IV system was considered one of humanity's richest colonies.
Its central star, Tianyuan IV, was nearly identical to Sol in terms of size, mass, and planetary orbits, with Earth-like planets ideal for human settlement.
The third through sixth orbits around Tianyuan IV were fully terraformed and colonized by the UNSC.
On the third orbit lay Reach—a commercial and industrial megacity planet with a diameter of 14,000 kilometers and a massive population, making it one of the UNSC's core colonies.
Planets in the fifth and sixth orbits were renowned for luxury resorts and university towns, frequented by the wealthiest elites from across human space.
Every regime has its core territory. And with Tianyuan IV just 10 light-years from the Sol system, this place was essentially the "imperial capital's backyard."
Thus, while distant colonies, dozens of light-years away, toiled in hardship growing crops, Reach flourished by enjoying their produce.
To be fair, Reach truly was the crown jewel of the Tianyuan IV system.
Thanks to its striking auroras, the planet looked from afar like it wore a radiant green halo. Paired with deep blue oceans and lush continents, its beauty rivaled even that of Pandora.
When the UEG first landed on Reach, it took less than 30 years to terraform it into a livable paradise.
Two centuries later, its population had exploded from tens of thousands to nearly 800 million.
Factoring in the rest of Tianyuan IV's colonies, the system's total population surpassed two billion—second only to the Sol system.
Reach's beauty wasn't its only asset. Its rich titanium deposits made it a vital military stronghold and naval HQ for the UNSC.
Titanium was ideal for constructing warship hulls and armor. Alloys made with it produced highly durable ship decks.
Because of this, the UNSC had deployed immense firepower on Reach.
Its low orbit was guarded by twenty mobile railgun defense arrays, able to repel attacks from any direction.
On a massive equatorial space station, a shipyard capable of hosting hundreds of capital ships operated around the clock.
Every day, dozens of carrier-class warships underwent maintenance and refits there.
Of all UNSC warships, the most prestigious was undoubtedly the Carthage-class Supercarrier.
This behemoth, the Trafalgar, measured 4,000 meters in length and 800 meters in height—only slightly smaller than the Infinity.
Before the Infinity drained UNSC's full resources to build, the Trafalgar had been its navy's flagship and a proud creation of humanity in the Halo universe.
Yet despite such formidable defenses, LA Megacorp's expeditionary forces still managed to bring their warships into Reach's near orbit.
Thanks to cutting-edge optical camouflage from the Science Nexus, the RCS-class armored cruiser carrying Reed and Jack now hovered undetected over a remote region of Reach.
Not even UNSC or ONI surveillance satellites could easily locate them.
Days prior, the expedition's engineering team had constructed a forward base in a nearby forest, serving as support for investigators and special forces.
And now, after days of investigation and careful planning, Reed's team had locked onto their target and finalized the timetable for action.
…
New Alexandria!
This bustling capital city of Reach housed over ten million people. Towering skyscrapers, aerial gardens, shopping malls, and orbital elevators filled the skyline.
But within one of its central research centers, chaos now reigned. Alarms blared, and screams echoed through the facility.
A bombing had just occurred—an unidentified force had attacked the research base!
The mastermind? None other than Reed and his Astartes warriors.
While Jack and the others successfully secured Dr. Catherine Halsey and a number of Spartan test subjects, Reed stayed behind to cover their escape.
Dozens of armored riot vehicles had arrived, packed with ONI special forces. But before the soldiers could even disembark, a heavy laser sniper blew one vehicle to pieces.
BOOM—!!
A thunderous blast sent ONI troops scrambling for cover.
Clearly, they were under fire from a powerful, unknown enemy and weren't eager to charge in blind.
"Enemy has laser weapons! Take cover! All units, find cover!"
Following the ONI commander's order, soldiers pulled back under the vehicles and sought alternative flanking routes.
But the Astartes had anticipated everything. They had memorized the terrain and set up snipers at every key vantage point.
Their deadly overlapping fields of fire completely locked down the zone, deterring any approach.
BOOM—! BLAM!!
Another wave of blasts tore through incoming ONI troops, vaporizing them into chunks of bloody meat and steam.
Realizing the grim situation, the ONI commander quickly deduced that this was a coordinated kidnapping—and the attackers aimed to extract their scientist.
The enemy wasn't firing at civilians or soldiers standing behind police lines—only those who moved in got hit.
"Could these be elite rebel units? But why target a research base and kidnap personnel? Even if they got away, they couldn't outrun our fleet..."
Though uncertain, the commander knew one thing: sending more troops in would just be a bloodbath.
He opened a comms line and reported to HQ:
"Command, we're pinned down by sniper fire. Request immediate UNSC air support."
But before he could finish, a cold order came from high command:
[You are to break through at once. Retrieve Dr. Catherine Halsey at all costs. She is vital to UNSC interests!]
The commander nearly cursed aloud. But knowing the consequences of disobeying, he held his tongue and responded:
"Command, we've taken heavy casualties. We need reinforcements and additional firepower. The enemy has laser snipers and heavy artillery!"
He hoped to stall until reinforcements arrived.
But command's next reply was heartless and cold:
[Execute your orders now. I don't want those rebels escaping with Dr. Halsey. Either capture them or die trying.]
The commander went numb. A chill ran through him, followed by fury.
There was no choice. Orders were orders.
"…Understood!"
Clenching his teeth, the ONI commander shut off the comms and turned to his troops:
"All personnel, advance ten meters and open fire freely. I want every last bullet emptied. No exceptions!"
The soldiers were confused, but quickly understood the message. In unison, they responded:
"Yes, sir!"
The commander sighed. It was the only way he could follow orders without sacrificing his men.
Grateful, the troops aimed at nearby zones and began firing blindly.
RAT-A-TAT! TAT-TAT-TAT!
A hail of gunfire echoed outside the lab facility.
Of course, such indiscriminate fire was unlikely to hit anything...
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