The Emperor withdrew his gaze from the distant stars and fixed it on Guilliman.
His eyes were calm, yet they carried an unquestionable finality.
"Robert," his voice was no longer majestic, but it was steady, "in my name, and in the name of the highest leader of the Imperium of Man, I issue one final command to every world across the Imperium."
Guilliman immediately dropped to one knee and bowed his head to listen. The Primarchs, Space Marines, and even all the Imperium's senior officials held their breath.
"From this moment onward," the Emperor's voice rang clearly throughout the Throne Room, "the Imperium of Man, along with all its territories, people, armies, and legacy, shall unconditionally... belong to the Hilling Empire. Emperor Hua Wei shall become the new supreme ruler of humanity. This order takes effect immediately!"
The command struck like a thunderbolt.
Though they had long been prepared, when the order came from the Emperor himself, immense loss and bewilderment still swept through every Primarch and high-ranking official present.
The Imperium of Man they had fought for, the one sustained by countless sacrifices, had changed hands.
What made them feel even more powerless was that before the absolute strength of their new masters, they—Gene-Primarchs who had once dominated an age and stood at humanity's pinnacle—seemed so insignificant.
How much value would their proud strength and military talents still possess?
A deep self-doubt and confusion about the future lingered in their hearts.
Guilliman was the first to break free from those tangled emotions.
As the current Imperial Regent, he knew that the most important thing at this moment was to carry out the order and stabilize the situation.
He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, rose at once, turned to the officials behind him, and commanded in an unwavering