Legally speaking, Mao Yuanzuo was nothing more than a long-retired politician. The title of lifetime honorary senator was more like an award bestowed upon so-called "founding heroes."
In fact, this political heavyweight had served as the Commonwealth's prime minister three times, speaker of parliament twice, and chairman of the Glory Party for nearly half a century. Yet he hadn't shown his face in parliament for over five years. The last time he'd appeared in the media spotlight, he'd simply served as a witness at his granddaughter's wedding to some Imperial noble.
Of course, that had been almost three years ago. Back then, the Empire and the Commonwealth were friendly neighbors and allies, even trying to figure out how to join forces to wipe out the marauders pouring into the New World.
Who could have imagined that things would come to this in such a short time?
In any case, even a nearly hundred-year-old retired politician was, to put it uncharitably, unfit to serve as a mascot. It would be most unfortunate if he keeled over halfway through the ceremony.
Ordinary people had no idea that this old monster, who seemed to belong to a bygone era, had always kept the Commonwealth's largest political organization firmly under his control. They also didn't know that he was a partner of the World Serpent. A large number of the Serpent's members had already arrived on Earth, led by two of the Thirteen Faces, "Kindling" and "Spirit Healer."
They were probably planning to use this Imperial operation to make some enormous news.
The problem was, the Imperial army had entered the Solar System back in June. They had painstakingly wiped out every outpost and fortress in the system before launching their invasion of Earth.
The capital of the Blue Star Commonwealth had surrendered without