476: Submit to the Empire

The Imperial Soldiers ended the communication and turned to walk towards the Sea Soul people.

The sound of boots on the metal floor was exceptionally clear, like a heavy hammer striking everyone's heart. The Black-Robed People of the Sea Soul Civilization instantly tensed up, some instinctively recoiling, even holding their breath.

"You may leave."

The Soldier walked up to Sea Soul General, his tone calm and unperturbed. He lightly pressed a button on the laser handcuffs on his wrist, and with a "click," the restraints came undone.

The surrounding Imperial Soldiers also acted in sync, one laser clasp after another springing open. The moment the cold metallic touch disappeared, the Sea Soul people felt a bit dazed, as if they hadn't yet recovered from their state as prisoners.

"This is..."

Sea Soul General rubbed the red marks on his wrist, looking at the Soldier before him with confusion. He couldn't understand why a seventh-level civilization, for whom crushing them would be effortless, would suddenly release them.

"The Empire never acts against civilizations that show goodwill."

The Soldier left this remark and then turned to walk towards the bulkhead.

The next second, several subtle spatial rifts opened within the cabin, and the figures of the Soldiers successively stepped into the rifts, disappearing without a trace in an instant, as if they had never appeared.

It wasn't until the last rift closed that the Sea Soul people truly woke up as if from a dream. They looked at each other, the fear on their faces gradually replaced by the relief of surviving a calamity. Some even went weak in the knees and slumped directly to the ground.

"Oh my god... General, it's a good thing you didn't order to continue the attack just now!"

A Black-Robed Person wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice tinged with a sob.

"If we had chosen to continue invading that planet earlier, we might not even have dust left now!"

Sea Soul General also let out a long sigh, his black robe on his back already soaked with cold sweat.

He looked at the empty cabin, his heart still pounding.

For a moment there, he almost thought he had lost his gamble, never expecting the Xili Empire to actually show mercy because of "goodwill."

"Quick!"

He suddenly snapped back to reality, grabbing his communicator and roaring.

"Pass down the order, activate the engines at maximum power, and leave this star system immediately! After returning, tell the Elder Council to designate this area as an absolute forbidden zone. From now on, even if we have to detour until our energy runs out, we must never step foot in here again!"

The orders were relayed down, and the starship of the Sea Soul Fleet instantly lit up with engine flames, like a startled school of fish, speeding away from the planet without looking back.

On the bridge, no one dared to look back, only the constantly flickering distance numbers on the dashboard, confirming that they were desperately fleeing this star system that they had once coveted, but which ultimately left them terrified...

On the other side, Li Yang stood with the two military commanders in front of the main ship's command platform, where the coordinates of various regions of the planet were clearly marked on a holographic sandbox.

"Comrade Li Yang..."

The military commander of the three armies raised his hand and pointed to the "Xili Group" headquarters marker on the sandbox.

"The group you established on this planet in just one year has already integrated into the local fabric—it would best stabilize public sentiment if you were to inform the populace."

The military commander of the seven armies added.

"The light screen signal has covered the entire globe; we are just waiting for you."

Li Yang took a deep breath and walked to the light screen control panel.

As his fingertip descended, a giant holographic projection suddenly lit up in the skies around the world—his figure appeared on the glass curtain walls of skyscrapers, on electronic screens in plazas, and even in remote mountainous areas.

"Isn't that Li Yang?!"

On the streets, people exclaimed, holding up their phones.

"The founder of Xili Group! How did he appear in a place like this?"

Some people squinted, looking at it.

"This background... is it inside that alien starship? Was he captured by aliens?"

"Haven't you noticed the emblem on the starship's hull yet?"

Several people in the crowd suddenly shouted.

"That's the Xili Group's logo! Is this fleet his?"

The discussion swept across the globe like a tide.

Looking at Li Yang in an Imperial military uniform, people couldn't help but murmur.

"So... President Li isn't from Earth?"

In the underground Command Room, Decision Makers from various countries stared intently at the screens.

A Decision Maker from a major power, looking at Li Yang on the light screen, also sighed with emotion.

"No wonder their group's technology is always a step ahead of ours; it turns out they really are aliens..."

Li Yang's voice, transmitted through the globally synchronized holographic projection, reached every corner, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable power.

"Everyone on this planet, I presume you are not unfamiliar with me."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the countless astonished faces on the screens.

"In fact, I am not from this planet, but from the Xili Empire. A year ago, I was stranded here by accident, which led to the rise of the Xili Group. Now, the Empire's fleet has arrived, and I hope to invite everyone to officially join the Xili Empire's territory."

In that instant, the entire globe fell into a brief silence, followed by an uproar of discussion like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami raging—

"It really is an alien civilization! The Xili Group really did hide a secret!"

On the street, a girl covered her mouth, her phone screen still on the "Universal Free Healthcare Plan" page that the Xili Group had recently released.

"From an unknown nobody to the world's number one in just one year... No wonder! This isn't a business miracle; it's clearly a dimensionality reduction strike from an interstellar civilization!"

The CEOs of other groups stared at the projection, suddenly understanding why the Xili Group's technology could never be cracked, always a step ahead of them.

"Join the Empire? Will it be like in the movies..."

Besides the astonished, there were naturally also those who were worried. Some clutched their children's hands, their eyes full of vigilance.

"What if we become slaves?"

Such worries spread like a virus, and the discussion was instantly drowned in words like "fear," "test subjects," and "inequality."

Li Yang looked at these concerns, his tone softening a few shades.

"Please do not be afraid. The Xili Empire holds humanity in high regard; this is by no means an empty promise. Upon joining, you will directly acquire Imperial Citizen status equal to that of native residents, enjoying all rights, including free education, medical care, and interstellar travel."

He raised his hand to signal, and the projection switched to a list of Imperial Citizen rights—from basic material security to advanced interstellar resource sharing, each item clear and precise.

"I have lived on this planet for a year, and I have some feelings for it."

Li Yang's gaze carried sincerity.

"If you are unwilling, I will never force you. But please believe that what the Xili Empire brings is not plunder, but a broader stage for civilization."

Of course, this statement was mostly limited to human civilizations.

In front of the screens, some people stared at the various welfare benefits of Imperial Citizen on the list, their previously furrowed brows gradually relaxing.