The Governor's Speech

Under Devere's orders, the Logistics Department's corpse collectors continued their work. 👻💥  🐼🐠

They skillfully dragged away body after body, bagged them, and tossed them onto corpse transport trucks.

Before long, another young soldier could no longer hold on and fell completely unconscious.

Seeing this, a corpse collector approached, opened a body bag, and moved to drag him away.

But he was stopped.

"Please, my son's injuries aren't that serious. A single healing injection can save him!"

The gray-haired old soldier clung tightly to his son, refusing to let the corpse collector take him away.

But his hopes were doomed to fail. Given the current circumstances, even the lowest-grade healing injection was more valuable than the lives of these Defense Force soldiers.

The Black Armor Troopers immediately surrounded them, their alarms issuing cold electronic voices. "Warning! No one may interfere with the Logistics Department's collection operations!"

"Move away from the protein source immediately and retreat to a safe distance, or you will be executed on the spot!"

As if he had not heard the warning, the old soldier pleaded helplessly, "Please... don't take my son away... Can I take his place instead? Please..."

The Black Armor Troopers ignored him. Things like this happened far too often.

According to their disciplinary code, they could show no mercy and had to protect the Logistics Department's protein collection work by any means necessary.

If they violated the protocol, they themselves would be executed!

Devere watched the scene calmly, with barely a ripple of emotion.

He had been responsible for this work for three years. His heart had long since hardened like iron.

In recent days, the Logistics Department had exhausted itself to ensure supplies for every district.

They no longer had time to rest.

Several administrative personnel had even worked themselves to death.

What Devere saw now were not living people or corpses, but pure protein enough to make dozens of blocks of Corpse Starch!

With it, they could preserve the lives of more laborers and keep them from starving to death.

The Palatine District's rule could also continue, while chaos and riots would be kept within manageable limits.

It might be cruel, but everything was for survival!

Besides, the Logistics Department had already been more than lenient with these Lower Hive refugees.

Those bastards from Homan House and the warbands had long begun drawing lots to randomly select districts for slaughter, ensuring their protein supply.

As for the Lower Hives ruled by followers of the Dark Gods, they were even more like hell on earth!

This was the brutality of Warhammer 40K!

The Black Armor Troopers raised their guns and aimed them at the old soldier and his son.

"Final warning. Execution will be carried out!"

Seeing all this, the surrounding soldiers' faces flushed red, their hands gripping their guns tightly.

They truly could not endure it any longer.

Meanwhile, Kais saw the resolute look in Ari's eyes and knew he could no longer persuade his old comrade.

He nodded, ready to join him in rising up.

The entire position was like a volcano on the verge of eruption!

Protected by the Black Armor Shield Guards, Devere felt the atmosphere as well, but had no intention of stopping it.

The law had to be enforced resolutely. There could not be the slightest exception!

If a breach were opened, people would lose their reverence for the law, and everything would collapse.

The Palatine District would lose its authority, leading to even more terrifying consequences!

Besides, this kind of riot had not happened only once or twice.

After all, only the dead produced more protein.

That might have been the true purpose of those bigwigs in the Logistics Department.

He had already stopped it once, and had done all he could.

Now, the only thing he could do was enforce the law without hesitation!

Offer all Loyalty to the Governor!

Click!

It was the sound of gun safeties being released.

Everyone held their breath, ready for the bloody moment to arrive!

Bzzzt!

Static crackled from an electronic loudspeaker. "Warning. All units below, drop your weapons immediately, or you will be deemed traitors to the Palatine District!"

The Black Gold Assault Ship, its red warning lights flashing, hovered before the crowd, its loudspeakers repeating the warning without pause.

At the same time, it trained two Heavy Artillery cannons on everyone below.

"All units below, drop your weapons immediately, or you will be deemed traitors to the Palatine District..."

The Logistics Department personnel were all dumbfounded.

Why was their own Assault Gunship aiming its artillery at them?

When Devere saw the Golden Lion emblem on the Assault Gunship, he immediately understood and shouted for the Black Armor Troopers to lower their weapons!

"Everyone, lower your weapons immediately! That is a ship from the Spire!"

The Spire?

The Governor!

Their long-standing awe made the Logistics Department personnel immediately throw down their weapons and stand at attention facing the Assault Gunship.

Seeing this, the soldiers also lowered their weapons, their eyes filled with Fear.

Ari and Kais likewise watched the Assault Gunship in the air with tense expressions.

Everyone seemed to be awaiting judgment from fate.

At last, the Assault Gunship from the Spire ceased its warnings, and the loudspeaker announced something new.

"The great Governor Ron Grant hereby abolishes Article Nine of the Protein Collection Protocol. The protein of any living person may not be collected...

All Logistics Personnel must immediately cease using violence and assist in treating the wounded.

After the mission is complete, assemble and return to the Logistics Department to receive new assignments and training!"

Announcement after announcement rang out.

The sudden change shattered everyone's previous understanding.

The Logistics Department personnel in particular were left completely stunned.

The electronic voice from the Assault Gunship's loudspeaker paused briefly before continuing.

"All present must remain silent for the following announcement, or it will be considered a grave betrayal of the Palatine District!

The great and benevolent Governor Ron Grant will now deliver a speech!"

At those words, everyone could not help holding their breath.

Devere even adjusted his bearing, listening to the Governor's instruction with the utmost reverence.

Bzzzt!

Ron's recorded message began to play, his tone solemn: "

Soldiers!

I am Ron Grant.

You defended the Palatine District and made outstanding contributions!

I hereby express my respect to every soldier of the Defense Force!

At the same time, I feel deeply ashamed.

Because you have not received the treatment you deserved!

I promise every one of you that your efforts will receive fair recompense in the future, and your contributions will receive the honor they deserve!

The rescue teams will arrive shortly. The Palatine District will spare no effort to save every soldier. No one will be abandoned!

The Palatine District stands with you!"

The recording ended, and the Assault Gunship flew back into the sky. It joined several other Assault Gunships that had completed their missions, returning together to the Spire of the Palatine District.

By then, the rescue teams' Hover Cars had arrived as well.

The rescue personnel rushed down and began aiding the wounded soldiers.

The old soldier held his son and begged for help.

A rescuer injected his son with a precious healing injection.

Under the effects of the healing injection, the old soldier's son's breathing steadied, and he was completely out of danger.

Seeing this, the old soldier's taut emotions finally gave way.

As if remembering something, he dropped to his knees in the direction the departing Assault Gunship had flown and wailed, "Governor!"

An emotion swelled in the soldiers' chests, tears filling their eyes.

For so long, Lower Hive refugees like them had been treated as vermin, never receiving any recognition.

Their only value had been to fill the battlefield with their lives.

They lived in degradation and died in humility, unknown and unsung.

Their lives had seemed to hold no meaning at all.

Yet today, they had received recognition from the most noble person on this planet.

They were heroes!

Ari was somewhat excited. He nudged Kais beside him. "Did you hear that? The Governor said we're heroes. Let's see if that damned Logistics Department still dares to make things difficult for us!"

Watching the crowd, Kais curled his lip but did not dare say anything.

The Logistics Department personnel looked at one another, suddenly unsure of what to do.

They looked toward Devere.