The council ended, and representatives from various countries had different thoughts.
Emrys, of course, didn't expect to achieve the goal of 'unification' with just a few words here.
He still lacked an opportunity.
An opportunity… to make the entire world recognize him again.
In the following days, the Imperium Council, as agreed, released the day's video, including the establishment of the Holy Terra Alliance Council, and this news, with the spread of the media, quickly stirred up a wave in all social strata of various countries, with some agreeing and some opposing.
Almost at the same time, the fourth Wallfacer, Emrys Walxius, became a hot topic of discussion for all humanity.
However, Emrys, who was at the center of the storm, seemed as if nothing had happened, returning to his experimental base, with almost no change from before, except for the addition of Radiatz and Taylor.
He, of course, knew what the outside world was discussing; beneath the seemingly peaceful surface, undercurrents had long been surging.
Various countries, especially the United States, would absolutely not agree to his plan.
Most importantly, would ETO… really be so honest?
Emrys didn't believe that the Trisolarans would sit by and let him unify all of humanity.
So, what would ETO do next?
He unconsciously rubbed his fingers, a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Unlike the radical strategies proposed by Taylor and Radiatz, he preferred to wait for the enemy to jump into the trap themselves.
After all, he still had some self-respect.
If he were to seize power by force, it would be too unsightly, that was one thing.
Secondly… Emrys' eyelids slightly lowered, a few cold glints flashed, and he sneered, he wanted to see how many of ETO's rats were hidden in the various countries of the world, and then round up all these sewer rats!
Ancient Eastern wisdom had already told everyone.
To expel foreign invaders, one must first pacify the interior!
Once he cut off all the Trisolarans' 'hands and feet' on Earth, it would be equivalent to severing their ability to remotely control Earth.
At that time, he was very curious what kind of waves the Trisolaran civilization could still stir up with just a mere 'Sophon'!
The waiting time wasn't long.
After the news was released that humanity would be unified and a 'Holy Terra Alliance' would be formed, the reactions of various countries were not the same.
Western countries, led by the three council representatives, formed a protest alliance, but it was limited to this level of protest and did not escalate the conflict; perhaps it was due to Emrys' hidden trump card, or perhaps because humanity could not afford internal strife at the moment.
In the Eastern region, the country of Xia, led by the 'Giant Dragon', expressed its agreement.
Of course, there were also individual 'countries' that firmly expressed opposition.
Among them was Japan, because its representative was brutally tortured and killed by Emrys in the Imperium Council Hall, which not only aroused public anger at home but also actively lobbied various countries to jointly resist Emrys.
Wade pushed the door open, with heavy dark circles under his eyes, looking as if he hadn't slept well for a long time.
"You guessed right…" He placed a document on the table, his face somewhat gloomy.
"An hour ago, all my investigators mysteriously disappeared in Japan, and… they have declared war on you."
The document clearly stated that Japan, for the sake of humanity, decided to declare war on the cruel fourth Wallfacer.
The reasons were simple: the fourth Wallfacer was not of pure human blood, his plan would drag all humanity into the abyss of war, using human lives to satisfy his desires, and humanity must never succumb to his 'unification' plan, and so on.
"Pfft… It's them again?"
Emrys glanced at it casually and then tossed the document onto the table.
"What now?" Wade frowned, his voice hoarse.
"Behind Japan, there should still be the shadow of Western countries; they don't want to confront you directly, so they chose to send them to test your bottom line."
It made sense; how could a mere Japan have the guts to openly declare war?
Behind this, it must have received the support of 'certain forces'.
"Do I need to go negotiate with Xia?" Wade asked.
Given the current situation, the best way was to use the prestige of 'Xia' to deter these clowns.
"No need."
Emrys shook his head, his gaze falling on the paper, a cold arc on his lips.
"Do you know about killing the chicken to scare the monkey? This is the moment I've been waiting for; since they are willing to jump out and act as someone else's 'dog', then they must be prepared… to be slaughtered."
"What do you plan to do?"
Wade remained cold; he didn't ask for the reason.
Since he had decided to 'kill the chicken to scare the monkey', he pondered for a few seconds and offered his suggestion.
"I understand this nation and am familiar with their baseness. Only absolute suppression can make them fear and submit, just like the two atomic bombs the United States dropped on the island nation decades ago. If you are willing, I can help you take care of it."
"How can you help me take care of it?" Emrys raised an eyebrow and asked.
"I have a few 'people' in the U.S. Navy fleet, in necessary circumstances…"
A cold glint appeared in Wade's eyes, and he said coldly.
"I can have them launch nuclear weapons at Japan, covering four islands and twenty cities. Although it will cause a lot of civilian casualties, but… the lesson of the last century has told us that this is the most effective way to deal with this vile nation, isn't it?"
Good, good, worthy of Wade!
Emrys couldn't help but give him a thumbs up.
"Compared to this, I'm more curious, how can you, merely an intelligence department head, control the U.S. Navy fleet?"
"Lord, there's nothing to be proud of."
Wade showed a smile.
"As long as I abandon the so-called moral bottom line, there are many things I can do. Including but not limited to… having the United States replace its President with an obedient one."
"Your suggestion is good, but… doing so cannot give other countries the 'deterrence' they deserve."
Emrys shook his head and said.
"I have a better way."
Wade nodded, no longer asking.
"Good, I believe you."
A few days later.
Japan's protests continued, and with the tacit approval of various Western countries, they once again entered an atmosphere of national fanaticism.
The army was rebuilt, and a large number of factories shifted to military production.
It seemed that everything indicated that this island nation was about to re-enact world War II.
Xia had sent people to inquire whether intervention was needed, but the answer received was… no intervention needed.
In such an atmosphere, the courage of the island nation of Japan further increased, becoming even more arrogant, even openly accusing Xia in various media of harboring human war criminals, while they were warriors fighting for justice!
Meiji Shrine, this is the spiritual symbol of the Japan people, and also the residence of the Emperor they most revere.
But no one would have thought that the Emperor, who appeared high and mighty to outsiders, was now kneeling, like a humble servant, bowing his head deeply, kneeling in the extremely standard 'dogeza' posture.
"Lord, as you expected, Xia has not reacted at all."
The Emperor's tone was extremely humble; if the Japan people outside saw it, they would probably be shocked. One must know that, except for the U.S. Emperor Mike, no one had ever made their Emperor act so humbly.
"Hmm, you did very well."
The person served by the Emperor was a foreigner with blond hair and blue eyes, appearing to be around forty to fifty years old.
He calmly held a cup of green tea, blew on the hot steam, and looked at the kneeling Emperor.
"Don't worry, 'Lord' sees everything you do. When 'Lord's' fleet arrives in the future, you will be the greatest contributors."
"Arigato, all of us Japan people are willing to serve the great 'Lord'!"
The Emperor's expression was agitated, and he shrunk his buttocks, making himself look even more submissive.
"Lord Qin Shi Huang, according to your plan, all our troops have been equipped with new material weapons, and the aerospace plan is also underway, ensuring that all obstacles to 'Lord's' arrival will be cleared!"
It turned out that the person sitting on the platform was actually the current supreme leader of ETO, codenamed 'Qin Shi Huang'.
Qin Shi Huang took a sip of green tea, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a deafening roar from the sky outside the Meiji Shrine.
His face instantly changed, and he turned to look out the window.
He saw terrifying beams of light, dragging fiery flames like meteors, piercing through the clear sky above Japan.
"What is this?!"
Qin Shi Huang's pupils constricted sharply; his intuition told him… this thing was definitely not a 'meteorite'.
Suddenly, Sophon appeared in the Meiji Shrine.
[These are orbital drop pods from low Earth orbit]
[Just a few minutes ago, a mysterious universe battleship, about ten kilometers in diameter, appeared in Earth's low Earth orbit and deployed hundreds of drop pods to the Japan region]
Qin Shi Huang was stunned; what was going on?
"Lord, are you sure it's a universe battleship? But… how did it appear?"
[I don't know]
This was the first time Sophon had such great doubts about a human named "Emrys Walxius".
With its detection capabilities, it actually failed to detect how such a battleship appeared!
But, the current situation didn't allow them to discuss how this thing appeared…
Boom!!!
Amidst the terrifying sounds of falling explosions, hundreds of space pods, with extremely precise landing points, smashed into more than twenty administrative districts of Japan.
At the closest point to the Meiji Shrine, Qin Shi Huang even saw the terrifying explosion clouds and airwaves.
Next, what awaited them… was crushing!
The warriors who stepped out of the space pods, clad in heavy alloy armor, moved with lightning speed.
Even tanks that faced them head-on were crushed.
These people, with an absolutely crushing posture, killed their way into the core positions of Japan's twenty administrative districts, crushing all resistance encountered along the way, including military forces, electricity, communication, and other facilities.
This was the Space Marine!
Their swift and decisive actions, like lightning, were extremely shocking.
In just a few short hours, a modern human civilization with complete national defense capabilities was completely disintegrated, including the control of its ruling class, in a devastating manner.
Whether it was from their shocking entrance, or their superhuman strength, speed, and reaction capabilities, the ETO organization hidden behind the scenes, as well as representatives from various countries, truly witnessed the combat results akin to Captain America in U.S. Hollywood movies.
Moreover, these silent 'super soldiers' also possessed extremely high unity, coordination, and cooperation.
It can be said that after Emrys demonstrated the 'super soldiers' to the world, and their precise tactical decapitation operation like gears when they captured the Japan ETO headquarters, the restless minds of the representatives of various countries quieted down.
Countries that had previously harbored some small intentions also remained silent in unison.
And the United States, currently the most powerful country on the surface of humanity, after witnessing the terror of the 'Space Marine' project, quickly held a meeting in the Pentagon.
The result, in the discussions of various military experts, was that even if Japan were replaced by the United States, their resistance time… might not be much longer.
Intercepting 'orbital drop strikes' from space with missiles?
Don't be silly, this is almost impossible.
Anyone with eyes knows that the reason Emrys only allowed these 'super soldiers' to carry out orbital drop strikes from space was to shock!
What was truly headache-inducing should be that universe battleship hovering in low Earth orbit, whose appearance resembled a 'church'!
No one would really think that a 'battleship' capable of orbital strikes from space was just for show, would they?
Based on current observations, the huge hull, about ten kilometers in diameter, and the dense turret structures on its surface, indicated that its firepower… was definitely terrifying to a considerable degree!
No one wanted to try whether the firepower of those dense turrets had the ability to destroy a country. Some also proposed a hypothesis.
Using current launch Rockets, it might be possible to launch intercontinental missiles from the ground to attack the battleship in low Earth orbit.
But unfortunately, his proposal was rejected the next second, and he was even thrown out of the Pentagon.
The U.S. President's face was ashen; even he, a person who didn't understand physics, knew.
Trying to launch missiles from the ground to attack a battleship in space was simply a pipe dream!
Did they really think the other side was an idiot?
Leaving aside whether this proposal was feasible, even if it were actually done, the missile would probably be directly destroyed before it even flew out of the atmosphere.
This was no longer world War I; whoever controlled space was the absolute King!
At this moment, it was as if the roles had been reversed.
The U.S. President also felt what those people they had crushed during the Gulf War had felt.
"Lord President…"
The Pentagon assistant walked over with a grim face, lowering his voice to say in his ear.
"The fourth Wallfacer has sent a notification that the 'Holy Terra Alliance' Council will be officially established in three days, and hopes we can attend on time."
The U.S. President opened his mouth, looking at the satellite image.
Japan, burning with raging fire, almost completely destroyed, caused a large amount of cold sweat to break out on his forehead.
What exactly were these super soldiers?!
In fact, Tokyo wasn't entirely without resistance; at least they believed they still had the capability.
Although the first wave of orbital strikes by the Space Marines had already paralyzed twenty administrative districts of Tokyo, most of its administrative functions, including power and command systems, were completely incapacitated and out of contact.
No matter what, Tokyo was still a nation, not vast in territory, and it could not be fully occupied in a day or two.
Of course, Emrys had a more convenient and faster method, such as ordering the Mars-class cruiser 'Sacred Flame Arbiter,' which was docked in low Earth orbit, to directly execute a firepower saturation strike on the Tokyo region.
It would only take a few hours.
With the capabilities of the Mars-class cruiser 'Sacred Flame Arbiter,' it was entirely sufficient to sink the four islands of Tokyo into the sea.
However, his reasons for not doing so were twofold: firstly, at least for now, he needed to establish a relatively 'gentle' image in front of all humanity; secondly, he wanted to allow all nations of the world, including those still observing, to witness firsthand humanity's hope of defeating the 'Trisolarans.'
The Space Marines were that hope!
His combat orders had already been transmitted to the 'Sacred Flame Arbiter,' and now he only needed to await the results.
Speaking of which, Emrys was most grateful to the 'Transformers.'
Among his many travels, if there was one that yielded the greatest harvest, it was undoubtedly the 'Transformers' world, where he not only gained an Iron Legion but also the more important 'spatial miniaturization technology.'
It was precisely because of this technology, combined with the 'stasis field,' that he could carry a Mars-class cruiser with him, including a complete fleet composition of 150,000 crew members, Chapter members, and Tech-Priests!
This was the source of his confidence.
He could pull out a fully organized strike cruiser fleet anytime, anywhere!
"So, next—"
Emrys' gaze fell on the transmitted images, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards, a half-smile playing on his lips as he said, "Let me fully appreciate your ugly struggles."
Whose fault could this be?
He wanted to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys, but if Tokyo hadn't jumped out to be the 'pawn,' he wouldn't have needed to target them.
If it were just this one point.
He wouldn't be too serious about it, after all, who would be serious with a dog?
But Tokyo had precisely violated his greatest taboo by deeply cooperating with the ETO organization and even expanding its influence, widely propagating the declaration that the Trisolaran civilization would treat humanity kindly and coexist peacefully.
This was the fundamental reason.
It could only be said that the inherent baseness in their bones destined Tokyo to walk the same path again, but unfortunately, this time, Emrys did not intend to give them a chance to beg for mercy.
Cry?
Even crying had its time limit.
So, the question was, what would Tokyo do?
The answer was: resist stubbornly.
Astute observers had already recognized the superiority of the Space Marines; unless large-scale firepower saturation was used, they would never gain even a shred of advantage on the front lines, and if they dragged it out further, the entire nation might be annihilated.
But the baseness ingrained in the Tokyo people's bones, combined with their innate gambling mentality, made them lady this last chance.
The Emperor, via radio broadcast, issued a declaration of war to the National Self-Defense Force and the populace of the four islands of Tokyo, calling on all citizens to join the war and resist the invasion of humanity's greatest and most vicious tyrant.
At the same time, the Emperor was also actively lobbying various nations that were still observing, hoping they could exert pressure on the Fourth Wallfacer from the outside.
And finally.
The Emperor, even more arrogantly, shouted slogans of X hundred million shattered jade in front of a group of Space Marines, proclaiming that even if Tokyo fought to the last person, they would not surrender to the terrifying and tyrannical Fourth Wallfacer!
"Good, good, good!"
Seeing the extremely despicable old man, in a defiant posture, through the live broadcast, Emrys was so angered he laughed.
He genuinely hadn't intended to completely dismantle Tokyo; a lesson would have sufficed.
But what was the result?
His goodwill was misinterpreted, and he was even portrayed as a 'tyrant'?
If the Emperor's arrogant provocation could only be considered one person's mistake, then the reaction of the Tokyo populace further convinced Emrys that this nation possessed no value for salvation!
The Tokyo populace in the live broadcast angrily denounced the Fourth Wallfacer, with even insults not uncommon.
Large numbers of ordinary people flooded the streets, shouting 'Long Live the Emperor!' and then voluntarily joined the National Self-Defense Force to attack the Space Marines.
Even though the Imperium Council, at Emrys' behest, had exposed to the ordinary people of Tokyo that their so-called Emperor's deep cooperation with the ETO organization was the true betrayal of humanity, these people stubbornly believed that the Emperor's decisions were correct, which was utterly ridiculous.
"I warned you."
As a trusted individual, Wade naturally stood beside him, watching the Emperor on the live broadcast, and sneered, "Do not harbor unrealistic fantasies about them. Baseness is a habit ingrained in their bones. For the future of all humanity, this uncertainty should be eliminated in advance."
They brought this upon themselves!
"You're right, I was too naive."
Emrys sneered, had the servo-skull access the command array, and then, with a chilling grimness in his eyes, he enunciated each word.
"Krast, by my authority as Watcher Knight granted by the Lion, grandmaster of the Sons of the Forest, Duke granted by the Imperium, and Supreme Controller of the Emrys family, I command all personnel in this region, having confirmed heretical tendencies, to change the suppression mission to—Heretic Extermination! Execute immediately!"
On the streets of Tokyo.
Like a statue, watching the enraged Tokyo populace who had surrounded them, Krast's eyes gradually turned cold.
"Highest order, suppression mission ended, changed to—Heretic Extermination! Execute immediately!"
Before this, their mission was to suppress Tokyo's resistance forces, so even when surrounded by ordinary people, they would not suppress them. With their ceramite power armor, these ordinary people were no different from ants in their eyes, and could not cause any harm.
But now—it was different.
The Tokyo populace, still throwing things at them and cursing the silent, statue-like metal warriors, suddenly noticed that these people had changed—they seemed different.
Whoosh!
The warriors, who had stood silently like statues, slowly lifted their heads the moment they received Krast's order. The blood-red augur on their black helmets lit up, like awakened 'daemons.'
"Exterminate heretics!"
These four words echoed from the loudspeakers.
Subsequently, the sensors in their tactical visors marked all living beings within their field of vision as—heretics!
"Execute tactical, exterminate heretics!"
The Captain of the leading squad issued a dull yet resolute command, taking the first step forward.
Bang—!
a second earlier, the man who was throwing Molotov cocktails at them had his entire head blown off. Blood mixed with viscous white matter, like an overturned palette, splattered onto the surrounding crowd.
The surrounding people were shocked by this scene.
The noisy street instantly fell into a deathly silence. Looking at the headless body, whose head had been blown off, slowly falling into a pool of blood, someone, it's unknown who, was the first to let out a scream.
"Ah—!!!"
"Murderer!"
"Baka yarou!!!"
However, they fell into a misunderstanding again.
These people, already brainwashed by the Emperor, showed no fear whatsoever; in fact, the man's tragic death instead ignited their ferocity!
"Kill him!"
"For the Emperor!!!"
A considerable number of young people roared and charged towards the Sons of the Forest.
Their weapons were merely katanas, symbolizing their nation. These seemingly brave people roared and brandished their swords, heavily hacking at the unmoving Sons of the Forest.
Clang!!!
The blade shattered instantly.
Then, the Captain of the leading squad, as if looking at an ant, lowered his head to look down at the man.
"Baka!"
The man's face was ferocious, and he then pulled out a dagger, stabbing at the Captain's armpit, as there was no armor protection there.
"Die, you damned monster!"
But—unfortunately, as soon as he raised his hand, his head was caught by a huge palm.
Snap!
With a slight squeeze of the five fingers, the man's skull was crushed.
"Lay down your weapons, cease resistance!"
The Captain's gaze was chilling, like a daemon from hell. His armor was stained with blood, and the augur's bloody gaze fell upon the terrified people around him.
"Last repetition, lay down your weapons, cease resistance!"
Without violating the highest order, he didn't mind sparing these foolish humans within his personal authority.
After all, these people were pure-blooded humans.
However, his 'good intentions' did not yield the expected result; the Tokyo people surrounding them showed no fear at all.
"We are the Emperor's warriors!"
"For the Emperor, drive these monsters out!"
"Long live God-Emperor!"
Boom—!!!
A large-caliber bullet, fired from a great distance, struck the Captain's shoulder plate.
The thick shoulder plate shattered the bullet.
Sparks flew, and the Captain sighed lightly. With the aid of his tactical visor, he easily located the sniper 800 meters away.
"Fabian, you are too merciful."
At this moment, a figure stepped out, calmly raised his bolter, and then pulled the trigger in the direction of the earlier sneak attack.
Bang!
A bullet flew out.
The explosive airwave even made the eardrums of the surrounding ordinary people feel like they would tear.
Crack!
The sniper, hiding 800 meters away, had half his body, along with his cover, directly shattered by this bolter round.
"As a Tactical Captain, are you questioning the correctness of the highest order?" Having done this, he coldly turned his head, staring at the Captain in front of him.
His dark armor, white skull, and the Imperial Lectitio Divinitatus in his hand indicated his identity as an internal Chaplain.
In such circumstances, a Chaplain had the right to execute Space Marines whose will was not firm enough, and that included the Captain!
He was both questioning and reminding, "I understand, Leoni."
Fabian lowered his head, composed himself in a few nanoseconds, and then his gaze became firm.
"All squad members, execute extermination. All who resist will be executed!"
Buzz, buzz—Rumble!
Amidst the harsh, terrifying roar, this Sons of the Forest tactical squad all drew their Chainswords, their serrated blades rotating at high speed with the operation of mechanical engines, emitting a terrifying shriek!
The next moment, the slaughter began!
As far as the eye could see, the mortals surrounding the Sons of the Forest all suffered a terrifying slaughter!
Chainswords tore through their flesh!
Every shot from the bolters sent a heretic to meet the Emperor!
The crossroads were covered in blood and minced flesh!
"Help!"
"Ah ah ah—"
For a time, screams were incessant.
They desperately tried to escape, but with just two legs, how could they outrun a Space Marine?
"Spare me, please spare me—"
The young man who had been shouting just a moment ago was now crying and begging the Chaplain in black armor.
However, the Chaplain's eyes were cold.
"May the Emperor forgive your sins—"
Immediately after, he gripped his power maul tightly, swung it forcefully, and crushed the man's head.
"Only the Emperor can forgive your sins; I can only send you to meet the Emperor, heretic!"
"Die, monster!"
The Self-Defense Force, hiding in the shadows, aimed an RPG at him.
But in an instant, the Chaplain turned, and his bolter fired.
Boom!
His head was shattered.
The Chaplain indifferently held the Imperial Lectitio Divinitatus, a blood-stained hammer in one hand, and walked towards those damned 'heretics.'
Compared to Fabian, who still harbored some mercy, the others were even simpler and more direct.
Anyone who had dared to insult them, throw things, or shout for some damned 'Emperor' just now, was etched into the Space Marines' extraordinary memories; not one would escape!
Does anyone really think Space Marines don't hold grudges?
Other Chapters might not, but their Sons of the Forest were notoriously vengeful!
Not one, would be left!
The slaughter continued. When the National Self-Defense Force, which had been organized with great difficulty, approached in their main battle tanks, they hadn't even had time to fire before they saw these Space Marines charging at terrifying speeds. Their fire control radar couldn't even lock on, and then—their tanks were smashed like toy cars by these berserk Space Marines!
Fighter jets?
That was even more impossible.
Their fighter jets were still taking off when they suffered electronic program intrusion, and the missile launch Bases couldn't even lock onto enemies; in other words, they were completely scrapped!
Having lost air and sea superiority.
The remaining National Self-Defense Force had to face these terrifying 'super soldiers' alone!
Distant sniper fire would be evaded by them.
Close-range shooting, even if it hit these incredibly fast warriors, would be blocked by their power armor. Long-range artillery would be detected one step ahead before it could even reach its position, and then directly destroyed.
How was this war to be fought?
The Emperor in the Meiji Shrine, watching the smoke rising everywhere, the burning flames, and the increasingly close sounds of artillery and screams from outside, was drenched in cold sweat, his crotch surprisingly wet.
"Wh-what should I do?!"
The Emperor frantically wanted to cling to 'Qin Shi Huang's' leg.
"Lord, quickly save us!"
"Save you?"
Qin Shi Huang sighed, with a hint of disdain in his pity, looking down at the humble Emperor.
"I'm sorry, with things having developed to this point, I can't save you either."
"What?!"
The Emperor looked at him in horror.
"Then, then quickly beg your Lord to save us!"
"Heh, you're thinking too much."
Qin Shi Huang sneered, then tidied his attire, calmly sat cross-legged on the mat, looking at the entrance, and said indifferently.
"Mr. Emperor, facing defeat, I suggest you behave like a gentleman. At least—that way you'll still have some dignity."
Bang!
The entrance door was shattered.
"Who is the Emperor?"
In the smoke, a figure stood tall.
Qin Shi Huang tilted his head, pointing at the person crying, terrified, curled up in a ball, and hiding in the corner.
"He is."
Bang!
A bolter round turned the high and mighty 'Emperor' into a pile of minced meat.
"You are the ETO leader?"
Krast asked.
"Yes, codename—Qin Shi Huang."
Qin Shi Huang's mouth twitched; he seemed to have no intention of using it, as the other party would directly execute a national leader.
He wanted to say something, but was slapped unconscious.
"Target acquired."
Krast's eyes were cold. He looked up at the sky.
"This is ground command, requesting orbital strike in three minutes. Coordinates sent. Full firepower saturation!"
"Received."
The macro-cannon arrays of the Sacred Flame Arbiter aimed at the four islands of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean.
"Order received."
"Entering bombardment in three minutes and twenty seconds!"
The Holy Flame Adjudicator entered the bombardment sequence.
In the pitch-black universe, a colossal warship, ten kilometers long, suddenly changed its course in low Earth orbit, turning its broadside towards the blue world. As its deck plates peeled open like dragon scales, revealing countless giant cannons, it aimed directly at the four islands of Japan in the Pacific Ocean.
Nations around the world, also monitoring space and this mysteriously appearing warship, broke into cold sweats.
What on Earth happened to Japan?!
The U.S. President was even more terrified, fearing the warship's cannons would target his own territory.
They could tell that the Fourth Wallfacer's initial plan was merely to intimidate Japan, but who knew what happened to escalate it to this point!
The phones at the Dumfuckistan Embassy were ringing off the hook!
Almost every call was from a head of state from various countries, urgently wanting to know what exactly happened in Japan. Was the Fourth Wallfacer going to destroy the entire Japan?
Don't misunderstand.
These national representatives weren't kind-hearted.
They didn't care if Japan died or not; they were simply afraid of a 'cunning rabbit dies, the hounds are cooked' scenario. If the Fourth Wallfacer could destroy a country without justification today, then tomorrow he could destroy them in the same way!
Under Emrys' instruction, Dumfuckistan responded one by one.
Japan had deeply allied with the ETO organization, attempting to subvert human civilization. The evidence was conclusive, unforgivable, and they must be given the most severe punishment!
This was Emrys' bottom line.
Under special circumstances, you can ally with xenos, but you must ensure that humanity's interests are not harmed. Japan's actions, completely betraying human civilization for its own gain, had undoubtedly crossed his bottom line and could absolutely not be forgiven!
An entire country's people siding with Trisolarans, immersed in the false future ETO painted for them, was no longer an ordinary rebellion. This was human treason, a heinous heresy that required a heavy-handed response!
He had to give a warning to all countries.
You can make small moves in the dark, and you can disagree with his ideology, but — you must be loyal to humanity!
Otherwise, today's Japan would be their tomorrow!
Emrys' resolute stance plunged all nations into silence, and they no longer pleaded for Japan.
At this moment, whoever pleaded would be considered an accomplice!
The elites who held positions as heads of state and leaders in various countries were all intelligent people; they wouldn't believe that the Fourth Wallfacer's displayed attitude and capabilities would compromise on this matter.
The best course of action now was to play dead!
Especially the U.S. President, who immediately issued a press release, informing the whole world that they were completely unaware of Japan's actions and strongly condemning Japan's shameful betrayal of human civilization, seemingly afraid of being mistaken for an accomplice by the Fourth Wallfacer!
After all, they were no strangers to 'striking down accomplices' and understood the weight of that slogan all too well!
As for Japan, they could only pray for themselves.
The secretary whispered, "President, Japan sent a message hoping we can intervene and help them appease him."
"Tell them to get lost."
The U.S. President sneered, sternly refusing, "From now on, block all messages from Japan. I don't want to see these idiots again!"
What an international joke!
Appease?
Why don't you look up at the warship in space? Was he supposed to risk his own head and the safety of his entire country to appease them?!
Meanwhile, in Emrys' office, three almost transparent spheres appeared directly before him.
"I thought you wouldn't come," Emrys said, showing no surprise at the arrival of the Sophon, as if he had already expected it. "This should be our second official meeting. I'm very curious—what do you want this time?"
[Stop bombardment]
Four words slowly appeared.
"Is that a cold joke?" Emrys stared at the three Sophons, chuckling slightly. "I'm sorry, it doesn't sound funny. I personally recommend you study Mark Twain."
[This is a warning, not a joke]
[If you do not stop the bombardment, we do not mind paying some price to completely paralyze your warship. Please do not doubt our capabilities]
Clearly, the Sophons were anxious.
But definitely not out of sympathy for humans.
The fundamental reason was that Japan was currently the only country among human nations that had fully sided with Trisolaran civilization. This was equivalent to a golden signboard, serving as a beautiful example for other human nations, demonstrating the Trisolarans' 'goodwill'.
At least, a superficial goodwill!
If they could lull human nations into a false sense of security, it would be an excellent plan for the Trisolaran fleet's future conquest and colonization of Earth.
Moreover, Japan was one of the human forces that ETO had painstakingly won over. In the decades until the Droplet reached the Solar System and completely blockaded human space power, it was their biggest weak point!
This required national-level power!
With Japan's cooperation and the Sophons, they could barely blockade humanity and its plans to announce its coordinates to space.
So, in summary.
The Emperor could die, but Japan must not be destroyed!
This was why the Sophons personally appeared to threaten the Fourth Wallfacer.
"When did Trisolarans learn to dream?"
Emrys looked up with a surprised expression, staring at the three floating Sophons. "It's still daytime. If you're going to dream, you should wait until night, shouldn't you?"
[Emrys]
[Reiterating, this is not a request, it is a warning. Based on our position of strength, humanity has no room to refuse]
[If you refuse, the Sophons will destroy humanity's current industrial base, networks, modern physics, and mathematics at all costs, paralyzing human society]
[Furthermore, three hundred and twenty-five nuclear warheads have simultaneously entered deployment status. Their targets are not you, but the most densely populated cities in countries around the world. Once your warship fires, these most densely populated cities will also suffer devastating strikes]
It was clear the Sophons were truly desperate.
"Oh, good, good~"
Emrys clapped his hands and nodded slightly. "Even nuclear warheads can be acquired. It seems there are quite a few scoundrels hidden within human society. More work for me."
[You have only ten seconds to consider]
With that, the three Sophons displayed a countdown.
[9]
[8]
[7]
The crimson numbers flashed rapidly.
"Sorry, I refuse." Emrys sat up slightly, his gaze fixed on the Sophons counting down, his voice cold and indifferent. "And one more thing, you are not qualified to speak to humanity from a position of strength. You—have never been superior."
[Your actions will cost billions of human lives]
"Moral blackmail?"
Emrys sneered. "Sorry, I have no morals. Go ahead and destroy. This is war. I cannot guarantee everyone will survive, but I can guarantee to avenge them. As for you—Trisolarans, your civilization will be destroyed, your people will die in wails of sorrow, your writings, thoughts, and architecture will be completely erased by me, and your souls will be cast into hell by me, never to find peace for all eternity!"
[Just wait and see]
The Sophons vanished.
The synchronized message was also seen by the Trisolaran fleet's Supreme Commander and numerous staff officers.
"We must not let him live—"
This was the common thought of the Trisolarans.
In Emrys' vicious curse, they even felt a hint of dread and fear.
What kind of civilization could possibly birth such a—terrifying life form?!
"There's no other way,"
The Trisolaran fleet's Supreme Commander said after a moment of silence, "Let the Sophons invade the enemy's warship. Although doing so might lead to the Sophons being destroyed, we must ensure the existence of that island nation."
Soon, the vote passed.
At the same time, three Sophons, light-years away, immediately invaded the 'Holy Flame Adjudicator', unfolding from two dimensions to eleven dimensions, using their absolutely overwhelming quantum computer processing power to break through the warship's firewall in one fell swoop and completely paralyze its system!
The red alarm lights were flashing!
Undoubtedly, this was the work of the Sophons.
With ETO's assistance, the Sophons possessed capabilities far beyond those in the original work. It could not only invade the systems of various countries but also deploy their nuclear weapons, using network systems. Even the 'Holy Flame Adjudicator' in low Earth orbit was invaded.
But unfortunately, this time, the enemy the Sophons encountered was not a 'system' in the conventional sense.
Warship core, bridge command center.
Dozens of 'Machine Priests,' clad in rust-red robes, their entire bodies metallic, lit censers filled with blessed machine oil. In the swirling, turbid smoke, they chanted binary hymns, "?"
Light-years away, the Trisolarans, whose fleet was still accelerating, saw this scene through the Sophons and were instantly dumbfounded.
Wait a minute, what's going on?
What exactly are these mechanical life forms doing?
Their warship system has been invaded!
Yet these mechanical life forms, far from being anxious or performing any operations, were gathered here, chanting some bizarre song?
What good would that do?!
At this moment, the Trisolaran fleet's Supreme Commander even found it somewhat absurd. These were their enemies?
"Simply too foolish!"
The Trisolaran fleet's staff council couldn't help but voice its opinion, its emotions and thoughts received by those around it without any omission.
"Did we overestimate humanity too much?"
One of the Trisolaran staff officers sneered, "It's too ridiculous! Do you see? This warship actually has a 'church' inside!"
"What a waste!" Another staff officer also expressed his opinion. "To build such a meaningless thing inside a warship where every inch of space is precious. Do they pray in the church every day? Do they expect to defeat enemies with such an illusory thing?"
Clearly, the Trisolarans did not understand why a church was built inside a warship!
"Look what the Sophons found? It's a ram! They actually reinforced the bow and made a ram. Are they planning to ram our fleet?"
"We really overestimated him."
"Ignorant, backward, ridiculous!"
"With such a warship, even in a head-on battle, we could destroy their warship from thousands of kilometers away!"
As the Sophons invaded, the warship's internal facilities were also transmitted back to the Trisolaran fleet, which made them laugh.
So, this was the enemy they had been wary of?
An ignorant, foolish warship that believed in gods, like a group of primitives piloting a universe warship, utterly ridiculous!
"They're still praying?"
"Do they think prayer will make their god drive away our Sophons?"
The Trisolarans were laughing hysterically.
But soon, they couldn't laugh anymore.
Dozens of Machine Priests connected data cables to the warship's base, and brass censers swung in their mechanical arms, scattering holy oil.
Chief Technopriest Exxo Fat, with his multi-jointed android arm raised, held a scroll. Steam jetted from the copper pipes embedded in his back, and a deep, hoarse voice echoed in the mechanical engine room:
"In the name of the Holy Machine God, O furious Machine Spirit, awaken—!"
The remaining lower-ranking priests devoutly chanted hymns, constantly ready to appease the volatile Machine Spirit.
As the scroll was burned and holy oil wafted.
Rumble—!!!
Suddenly, the entire warship let out a beast-like growl, emanating from the depths of the rugged, cable-laden mechanical engine. As hot steam erupted, an invisible entity was awakened!
The invading Sophons suddenly felt constrained.
No, they were held by an invisible force.
"Praise the Machine God!"
"Praise the Machine God!"
"Praise the Gothic Fleet!"
"Praise the 'Holy Flame Adjudicator'!"
The Sophons, unfolded to eleven dimensions, were equivalent to having a physical form. It had believed that by hiding within dimensions, it would be impossible to find, but—at this moment, it seemingly saw a furious shadow directly dragging it into another void space!
"Sophons lost contact!"
"What on Earth happened?!"
The Sophons suddenly lost contact, as if forcibly interrupted, leaving the Trisolarans, who had been mocking humanity just a second ago, utterly dumbfounded.
They completely failed to understand what had happened.
This was the first indirect confrontation between Trisolaran civilization and the mysterious civilization behind 'Emrys'.
However, the result was a failure.
Furthermore, they had no idea what the other side had done, or why the Sophons had disappeared. All of it—was like a huge mystery!
The Holy Gothic Fleet, in space, praised the great Human Emperor, and in the name of the Imperial Navy, brought down ultimate judgment upon the heretics!
Hundreds of Machine Priests, amidst the sacred binary hymns, bestowed the devout Machine God's blessing upon the warship's macro-cannon arrays and every single shell.
"For Holy Terra!"
The next moment.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The hull violently shuddered, and the incandescent white flames erupting from the macro-cannons instantly illuminated the ten-kilometer-long vessel.
Thirty-six colossal shells tore through the void, burning into meteoric fire-rain from atmospheric friction, plummeting towards the four islands in the Pacific Ocean.
"This purification record has been logged into the warship's journal."
The Mechanical Scribe, expressionless, branded an Aquila insignia onto the parchment. His deep voice echoed in the observation room.
"Praise the Machine God, praise the Emperor."