Chapter 1710: Chapter 971: The Mutinous Marines
The Expeditionary Fleet provided cover, and the Regent King’s command deterred the neutral Imperial Navy, keeping them neutral and inactive. Some engaged Navy forces and orbital defense cannons seized by the Sun Legion attempted interception, but were responded by the ships of the Moon Guard.
After landing, the commander of the Ever Victorious Army brought the Regent King’s directive.
He demanded that all forces on the Moon cease fire, remain stationed, and come under the Regent King’s jurisdiction.
Any forces that defy orders and persist in battle will be recognized as traitors and suffer devastating strikes.
The Navy Marine Corps and Moon Guard both halted, obediently accepting the orders.
Although they had significant doubts about the sudden arrival of the Infinite Corps and Robert’s resurrection, and were reluctant to easily hand over their weapons and positions, at least the ceasefire was entirely in the interest of the loyalists.
However, the soldiers of the Sun Legion, the most numerous on the planet, paid no heed, instead launching even more frenzied attacks.
The warriors of the Infinite Corps were thus uncompromising. They first labeled these invading Sun Legion soldiers as traitors, then authorized some Navy Marine Corps and Moon Guard units to join them in mounting fierce offensives against these Star Realm Army soldiers.
During the battle, the warriors of the Infinite Corps also relayed the real-time battle conditions back to the flagship where the Son of God resided.
Frontline reports showed that those soldiers of the Sun Legion were indeed traitors—they could largely be judged as corrupted by Chaos, having lost their sanity, with red eyes and charging with howls in inhuman form.
So far, the accounts from the Moon Guard and Navy Marine Corps have been consistent and credible.
The major battle lasted several days, with strong suppression of the insurgents.
Meanwhile, as ground battles raged fiercely, Robert was not idle.
Matters need to be resolved one by one, and the greatest force in the Moon’s situation isn’t anything else but that largest-scale naval force which has been keeping still.
Robert believes they are entirely worth winning over.
Although they seem quite muddled and haven’t done anything to aid the situation, doing nothing in such chaotic circumstances proves their loyalty even more.
Typically, not seeing clearly, understanding nothing, not knowing what happened, unsure who to believe, with completely conflicted internal opinions... Various reasons compounded, rendering them unable to make any decision.
But if someone could earn their trust through an imposing and undisputable stance, especially once this person’s identity is confirmed and holds supreme prestige, what would be the result?
This chaotic, leaderless fleet could be immediately usable!
Besides, despite many issues surely existing within the fleet, Chaos corruption is omnipresent, and nobody knows if it exists here.
However, as long as it hasn’t immediately surfaced, under the urgency of the situation, these forces can be utilized.
The stability of the ground battles on the Moon also bolsters the credibility of Robert’s rhetoric.
Especially the valiant fighting appearances of the Infinite Corps warriors corroborated Robert’s identity to a considerable degree.
Who else could gain the devoted allegiance of the Infinite Corps?
Only their Father of Genetics, Son of God—Robert.
Finally, after several rounds of negotiations, eight Major Generals, four Lieutenant Generals, and three Generals were willing to represent the entire fleet to meet Robert.
As Robert predicted, there were many factions within the fleet, with none capable of fully controlling everyone to make a comprehensive decision. It took so many to meet him.
But that’s exactly what he wanted.
He gladly accepted the meeting, willing to take the risk of bringing only a few guards to the Moon’s surface to a neutral landing platform to show sincerity.
The clearing of this landing platform area was not under the Expeditionary Force’s control but instead let those Navy General’s troops land first, securing control around, all to maintain sincerity.
Yet Robert wasn’t rash. Quite a few forces on the Moon maneuvred nearby under the name of combat. Also, the entire Expeditionary Fleet was combat-ready.
Although he didn’t believe these Navy Generals could stir much trouble, if anything went awry, from space orbit to ground troops, he ensured he had ample forces to intervene.
Initially, everything in the meeting went smoothly.
Those Navy Generals indeed harbored little malintent; upon seeing the Son of God’s majestic figure and resolute yet gentle face, mythic, canonical, and historical images of the Son of God emerged in their minds.
With these two images overlapping, over half the Navy Generals knelt on one knee, expressing their reverence.
The rest might not have knelt immediately, but raised hardly any questions.
This identity blending mythology, religion, and history with the living image in front was overwhelmingly stirring, instantly capturing everyone’s hearts.
They all knew, whether on the scale of the current fleet’s predicament or the entirety of Holy Terra’s crisis, the fundamental reason lay in lacking a central figure uniting everyone and making them willingly fight.
Now, this natural centerpiece arrived.
Robert wasn’t surprised by this outcome. He had prepared his speech long ago, lightly patting each General’s shoulder, waving to the officers, guards, soldiers they brought. His smile was measured, his expressions calibrated, knowing well how to inspire everyone as a leader.
At this moment, everything seemed perfect.
The largest force on the Moon’s orbit, previously neutral Imperial Navy, was entirely aligned with Robert.
On the ground, the Moon Guard and Navy Marine Corps appeared loyal, following his orders and attacking the visibly Subspace-psychically controlled army soldiers alongside his troops.
Whether Chaos Cultists or corrupt Imperial soldiers, they were being defeated steadily.
Continuing this trend, the Moon would soon be recovered.
By then, he’d have a stable base. Whether sorting out possible Chaos corruption within his ranks or gradually planning toward Holy Terra with this base as a core, this was indeed a decisive first step.
However, at this critical juncture, an unexpected development occurred.
First, the frontline had a unit urgently report that corrupted soldiers from the Sun Legion under Chaos Wizard leadership seemed to be constructing a Sacrificial Array.
No need for Robert’s order; the frontline naturally set destroying this mysterious Chaos Array as the top priority.
But just as the action neared success, a Navy Marine Corps unit attacking alongside suddenly turned traitor.
This traitorous Navy Marine Corps suddenly revealed many extremely formidable individuals. Even, some soldiers directly transformed into demons!
No, rather than saying they transformed into demons, it would be better to say they were disguised as demons all along.
They seized control of that Sacrificial Array!
