Shiloh and Raynor's Hometown

Meinhoff geosynchronous orbit space station, launch port.

Augustus and his Heaven's Devils 1st Squad are waiting at Launch Port C for the interplanet jumpers to arrive, along with Rory Swann, whom he recently hired to work for the Korhal Revolutionary Army's shipyard and technology lab.

"You're telling me that Korhal IV is facing some 'minor troubles'?"

While waiting, Swann Augustus, who was standing beside him.

"If you call the revolution a minor trouble," Augustus didn't hide this from Swann.

"Oh, I thought you were going to say, 'All we have to do is kick those nobles in the ass and turn their fortunes upside down.'" Swann wasn't afraid at all. "You always have a habit of making something very difficult sound easy."

"For example, someone might say that Mr. Mengsk wants to pluck the sun from the sky today. He would only say, 'Oh, we need to build a pyramid that leads straight to deep space first, which is a small matter, of course.'"

"I don't want to lecture you, Swann," Augustus. "Sometimes someone has to step up and inspire, and you know I often have to play that role. Okay, enough of that. Have you memorized which exit to take from Sterling Skyport, and what your meeting person looks like?"

"I'm taking notes," Swann said. "It shouldn't be difficult. I'm not some stupid little dwarf; you don't need to remind me repeatedly."

A few days ago, Augustus found Horry Swann, who had lost his job again after the departure of the Heaven's Devils.

Augustus signed a five-year contract with Swann, giving him a salary of 20 million Confederacy Credits, equivalent to approximately 15 million Kel-Morian Credits. This was enough for the Swann Family to survive until the Confederacy army withdrew.

Swann stated bluntly that after Confederacy- appointed officials took over the New Apollowin mines and factories, the Kel-Morian people were enslaved, receiving very little food each day and living like slaves, far worse off than when the Heaven's Devils were still around.

Rebellion was inevitable, but even so, his family was unwilling to leave Meinhoff, while Swann decided to follow Augustus to find work, as he needed to earn money to keep his people alive.

"My cousins won't be going to Korhal for a while, but I still need to recruit some extra people locally to research an improved version of that Goliath Combat Robot and design new Power Armor. Fortunately, you gave me two obsolete prototypes, CMC Power Armor, and electromagnetic guns." Swann suddenly shook his head. "Hopefully, those Korhal people will be as reliable as Meinhoff."

"Where did you find those treasures?"

"Back at Pride of Boke, we ran into a lousy gang that I suspect is some wealthy rebel organization," Augustus told Swann.

"Is there more than one rebel? Oh well, the more the better." Swann clicked his tongue.

"So, how about it? Can we obtain the design blueprints for Goliath and the Power Armor through reverse engineering?" Augustus not entirely convinced.

"If we were starting from scratch, it would take at least a few years, but we (Kel-Morian) have been working on these Power Armor and Goliath Combat Robot, and we've already overcome some of the technical challenges. Besides, didn't you say the Umojan would also send experts?" Swann said.

"Umojan's reverse engineering is astonishing. They must have already been able to perfectly replicate Power Armor and Goliath Mech. Some of my relatives who work outside have even said that if the Umojan were to acquire a Confederacy battlecruiser, they could immediately build an elite Fleets."

"The Umojan also attempt to reconstruct mysterious alien ruins they've discovered on certain planets, hoping to obtain alien technology through reverse engineering. But who knows if these aliens were destroyed millions of years ago, or if it's just a joke of the century."

"Maybe there really is a group of aliens, who knows?" Augustus shrugged. Just then, a large shuttle flew into the port, and Augustus and the others waved goodbye to Swann.

"Good luck, Mr. Swann of Meinhoff."

"Good luck to you too, Mr. Mengsk." Swann waved, then sat down in a round chair, beginning to feel a pang of loss at the thought of leaving his hometown.

Fate is truly wondrous. Just a few months ago, he never imagined he would one day leave his hometown to make a living elsewhere. Augustus's unwavering trust in Swann's abilities was one factor, but more importantly, the wealthy boss offered him a price he simply couldn't refuse.

Ultimately, Rory Swann finds himself inexplicably the head of the Korhal Revolutionary Army's weapons research and manufacturing department, with several research stations and laboratories under the Mengsk Group under his command.

At this moment, Swann remembered what Augustus had told him more than once: Swann, you will surely become a great inventor, think more and learn more.

Make more friends in the field of weapons design.

If the preceding part makes sense, then this last sentence is not quite right.

Centerville Town, Planet Shiloh, Territory of the Terran Confederacy.

From a geosynchronous orbit, Shiloh appears as a vibrant and brilliant orange, with several main continents separated by a vast ocean.

The suitable temperature and water resources for human habitation are the main reasons why this planet became one of the Confederacy's colonies, but Shiloh is not a rich planet. It lacks mineral and metal reserves, and the land is mostly dry areas covered with alkaline peat, requiring double the hard work and sweat to cultivate.

Unlike prime planets like Korhal IV, Shiloh is spared from war due to its lack of distinctive features and strategic value, but its people are starving due to heavy taxes.

"Perhaps we can establish a Revolutionary Army base here." Augustus stepped out of the rented Hover Car and onto the dark gray land of Shiloh for the first time. "The people here are resilient and brave, and most importantly, they are starving."

"It's become even more desolate here." Raynor stood behind him, looking wistfully at the domed buildings of Centerville Town.

"Many people from this town have enlisted. But how many of them will actually come back? We fight for the Confederacy, yet the Confederacy leaves our parents and families to starve."

"And the Revolutionary Army will change all of this," Augustus assured him.

Then, Raynor led Augustus and the others to his home. Like many houses in Charlotte, eighty to ninety percent of the colonial cottages here were buried deep underground to escape the scorching sun and cold winters.

At the door of Raynor's house, Augustus met Raynor's mother, a woman with green eyes and jet-black hair. She was unusually thin, and her once beautiful face was no longer full.

It was this woman who taught Raynor to be honest and kind.

Carol Raynor.

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