Zeke ascended to the throne, and the Human Union Empire—commonly abbreviated as the "Human Union" or simply the "Empire"—was officially established.
The Herrscher Squad, consisting of top combatants like Gaterisa, Siegfried, Durandal, and others, were bestowed with the title of Royal Knights. They guarded the Imperial City, representing its cultural heritage while fulfilling various duties, always ready for direct deployment by the emperor's command.
Welt and Otto, along with their Anti-Entropy and Schicksal forces, underwent reorganization. These units now operated under unified command from the Command Center, led by professional officers such as Bronya, Cocolia, Raiden Ryoma, and others. Currently, they successfully carried out tasks related to expanding the military and conducting integrated training exercises.
Led by Otto, Tesla, Ein, and Mobius, the scientific research teams continuously pushed boundaries across different fields, driving breakthroughs and applications of cutting-edge technologies.
As for the unmentioned Heroic Spirits, Kevin remained within the Imperial City, awaiting his moment to be deployed. Once the Cosmic Juggernaut was repaired, Su took it to establish a presence on the moon, working on various world-bubble-related technologies to prepare a contingency plan for humanity. Fu Hua, holding Truth Hall, oversaw the selection and appointment of officials for the Central System. Elysia occasionally imparted her wisdom to the younger girls but spent most of her time leisurely wandering about.
Overall, things were looking good. Despite numerous challenges inherent to this new era, compared to the past when humanity relied on indirect coordination through two major organizations to mobilize global efforts, the current Empire had vastly different capabilities in resource reserves and readiness—most notably, during Honkai outbreaks, civilians no longer passively awaited rescue from Schicksal or Anti-Entropy.
Now, with everyone's physical enhancements and resistance modifications, aided by ubiquitous worker bees, waging people's wars against Honkai was becoming increasingly commonplace.
For the first time in history, spanning both the previous and present civilizations, humans were genuinely resisting Honkai collectively.
And all of it fell within Zeke's calculations.
At first glance, although the frequency and intensity of Honkai incidents increased with the progress of civilization, humanity's counterattacks were formidable, seemingly tipping the scales of victory in their favor. However, only Emperor Zeke understood that he did not clearly see triumph ahead but rather mounting pressure.
"The biological experiments for targeted quantum transmission technology have been successfully completed. With the capabilities of the Lunar Base and Cosmic Juggernaut, we can now reliably transfer large numbers of people, critical resources, and equipment into world bubbles. This will create ample space for combat operations while ensuring stable supply chains. Additionally, the meticulously constructed thirteen world bubbles have all achieved indirect branch connections, allowing them to persist stably within the Sea of Quanta. This ensures our civilization's fallback option; even if we fail this time, we can still invade new Leaf Worlds and rebuild everything. These are the updates on the two most crucial projects. Detailed progress reports for the other initiatives have already been transmitted to your personal database, Your Majesty. Do you have any further instructions?"
In the projection screen, Chen Tianwu, faint dark circles under his eyes, solemnly saluted. Beside him stood Su, nodding with a smile.
Zeke gazed at the screen, resting his chin on one hand, and said,
"Well done. Now, please compile an inventory of the Empire's current human resources and key assets. We'll start transferring some items ahead of schedule."
"Is... that perhaps too hasty? The environment within the world bubbles ultimately differs from genuine Leaf Worlds. Transferring too early might diminish some of our capabilities."
"Just proceed as instructed; I have my reasons. Moreover, it serves as a rehearsal. Without conducting a trial beforehand, potential issues might not be fully apparent."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Chen Tianwu saluted once more, resolutely accepting the command.
After concluding their official business, Zeke noticed Chen Tianwu's characteristic dark circles under his eyes, and his gaze softened slightly. With a hint of warmth at the corners of his mouth, he asked,
"How is Chen Tianwen doing?"
"Ah, well... Your Majesty, aren't we discussing work matters here?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, Tianwen is performing exceptionally well. The professors in her laboratory have given her numerous outstanding evaluations, stating she will undoubtedly lead significant projects someday... Heh heh, thank you, mentor, for nurturing her talent!"
Initially, Chen Tianwu had no intention of changing the subject, but when Zeke lowered his voice, memories of past intimidation flooded back. This caused his serious demeanor to instantly crumble, and with a playful grin, he began recounting his sister's achievements.
It was evident that Chen Tianwu took great pride in this, his eyes sparkling brightly, as if all traces of fatigue and numbness were swept away.
Zeke chuckled softly and said, "I've prepared a personally signed document for her. In a few days, it's her birthday; give it to her as a gift."
"Hmm? Wait, about that... Your Majesty's signature shouldn't be given out casually, right?" Chen Tianwu waved his hands, thinking inwardly—She promised to marry her big brother when she grew up. Now she's all 'Sir Zeke' and 'His Majesty Zeke' every day. If she gets this autograph too, won't my position as her big brother become even more threatened?
Zeke seemed oblivious to Chen Tianwu's internal conflict. He smiled warmly at the visibly troubled young man and said, "It's alright. As the sister of my undisciplined student, she certainly deserves it."
"...Sir, if you have any issues, please feel free to voice them directly."
"Alright, let's get serious now. This is a special privilege granted to you. In case of an emergency, you can use this signature to command the full strength of the Lunar Base."
"Is the situation already so dire? Even you need to prepare for such contingencies? I understand, I'll ensure it's used responsibly."
"One more thing, after finalizing your list, remember to include your parents."
"Eh?" Chen Tianwu was taken aback.
The individuals and resources entering the world bubble early must be crucial to civilization's survival, ensuring their maximum safety. Chen Tianwu understood that his parents did not possess such qualifications; although prioritizing their safety would benefit them personally, it amounted to favoritism.
After considering this, Chen Tianwu hesitated briefly before responding:
"Sir, I don't believe there is any need for that. It's best to prioritize official matters."
"This is an official matter. The Lunar Base has reached its current state largely due to your contributions, so naturally, you have the eligibility. The list can include relatives of those who made significant contributions as both a reward and an incentive for others. As long as the publicity handles it well, it won't be detrimental."
"Yes, sir! I understand!"
Chen Tianwu saluted once more, graciously accepting Zeke's goodwill.
Unbeknownst to him, apart from acknowledging his contributions, Zeke also considered Chen Tianwu's potential to become a Herrscher. Although the plot had changed, spots for Herrschers still remained open. Who could say if the Will of Honkai might yet favor Chen Tianwu? Therefore, maintaining Chen Tianwu's personal stability was paramount in various respects.
Rubbing his eyes and yawning, Chen Tianwu continued, "That covers most things. Do you have any further instructions?"
"No, nothing else."
"Then I'll log off now."
"Go ahead."
"Oh right... Although it might sound presumptuous, if there's ever a crucial mission lacking manpower, I can help out."
"I appreciate the offer, but your primary task is to take care of the Lunar Base. Keep up the good work, siscon," Zeke replied with a hint of teasing.
With that, Zeke cut off the communication without witnessing Chen Tianwu's subsequent reaction or attempted defense—after all, it would just be some comical argument like "Does caring about astronomy make me a siscon?" Regardless, it mattered little whether he listened or not.
Having concluded matters related to the Lunar Base, Zeke reviewed information from other aspects for a while before pulling up a special list:
[First Herrscher: Herrscher of Reason - Welt Yang]
[Second Herrscher: Herrscher of the Void - Kiana]
[Third Herrscher: Herrscher of Wind - Wendy]
[Fourth Herrscher: Herrscher of Ice - Ana Schariac]
[Fifth Herrscher: Herrscher of Rock (Deceased)]
[Sixth Herrscher: Herrscher of Death - Seele Vollerei]
[Seventh Herrscher: Herrscher of Dominance (Already corrupted and controlled)]
[Eighth Herrscher: Herrscher of Thunder Raiden Mei]
[Ninth Herrscher: Herrscher of Sentience Fu Hua/Senti]
[Tenth Herrscher: Herrscher of Flame Kiana]
[Eleventh Herrscher: Herrscher of Corruption (Deceased)]
Each entry meticulously documented the current status of every Herrscher since this civilization's inception, naming them based on their counterparts from the previous era. Zeke perused these records with a solemn sigh.
According to the accounts from the prior civilization, only the Herrscher of Binding and the highly unpredictable Thirteenth Herrscher had yet to emerge.
Setting aside the Herrscher of Binding, the Thirteenth Herrscher was Elysia in the previous era. However, her experiences and acquired powers remain enigmatic even to memory fragment Ellie, Kevin, and Su, who personally witnessed those events. Currently, there is no reliable data available.
Zeke lowered his gaze.
"All Herrscher powers must serve me," he murmured softly, glancing at the three golden orbs hanging at his waist. One contained the crystallized strength of the Young Lady, while the other two were the Cores of the Herrscher of Rock and the Herrscher of Corruption.
Indeed, all Herrscher powers were meant for Zeke's use, whether from living Herrschers or their dead Cores. Given the unpredictability surrounding the Thirteenth Herrscher, why not orchestrate their birth to ensure control?
However, timing was crucial. After the Thirteenth Herrscher emerged, the final trial would truly descend upon them.