After Qin Mo laid out his generous terms, a noblewoman rose and bowed slightly to him. "Forgive my bluntness, but we no longer have status or wealth to speak of."
She then turned her gaze to a rotund middle-aged man beside her. "Sir Laurenell was the wealthiest noble on Tyrone II, yet he gave up all his wealth to fund bounties and soldiers' wages, ensuring the army could endure during the darkest times."
She looked at another nobleman. "His family produced many renowned generals throughout history, yet now he is the only one left alive."
The noblewoman continued, recounting the plight of each noble present. It was clear that the loyalist nobles of Tyrone II had sacrificed everything, not just their allegiance.
After quietly listening to her tale, Qin Mo finally spoke. "Your loyalty to the Emperor and humanity is indeed moving. However, when I spoke of preserving your wealth and status, I meant restoring them to what they were before the heretics seized control."
Hearing these words, the nobles exchanged surprised whispers, as if they had just been given an unexpected reward after facing cold indifference.
"I will conduct a fair assessment," Qin Mo continued. "You shall have restored to you the exact wealth you possessed before the heretics took power. But the funds will come from the coffers of those nobles who sided with the heretics, not from me."
"For those of you whose titles were stripped, I will reinstate them. For those whose honors were revoked, I will see them restored as well."
"But I cannot bring the dead back to life. They sacrificed themselves bravely for the Emperor and humanity, and their memory will be honored alongside all who perished in this war."
These decisions had long been in Qin Mo's mind. The remaining nobles of Tyrone II did not wield great influence. They may have had considerable wealth, but they held no real military or territorial power before joining the Resistance.
Had the powerful nobles, who once controlled the military and regions, not sided with the heretics or been eliminated in various plots, the Resistance on Tyrone II would not have been forced into such a desperate guerrilla war, skulking in the sewers, with knights like Donna and her father wading through the filth.
Restoring these nobles' status and wealth would not grant them the power to rebel.
After Qin Mo finished speaking, the marshal—who carried the bloodline of the last governor—rose and bowed. "You will have our unwavering loyalty, Lord of Tyrone."
"Your deeds in this war shall also be rewarded," Qin Mo said with a smile, addressing all present. "I will directly govern your world, but in doing so, I must also fulfill my duties to you. It is only right."
And so, the matter of Qin Mo's direct rule over Tyrone II was settled.
He then outlined a series of subsequent decisions: eliminating the remaining enemies on Tyrone II, conducting a fair census, transforming the Resistance into the planetary defense force…
And even grander plans.
Establishing a stellar defense zone around Mandeville Point within the star system, constructing colossal fortresses the size of celestial bodies within this zone.
Building massive teleportation devices in the orbit of stars, enabling dimensional travel across the three worlds of the Tyrone star system and aboard every ship.
Drafting plans for the construction of more warships...
Everything within the Tyrone star system was finally falling into place.
…
Night fell.
Qin Mo busied himself drafting documents that would affirm the honor and status of families like the Lannis family and others. The intricate rules of the nobility were a headache, but fortunately, each noble provided detailed written instructions.
Once completed, Qin Mo would pass these documents to the officers of the First Army for review. Most of them were nobles, well-versed in these matters, so there was little fear of hidden traps in the instructions.
Still, Qin Mo had little interest in such things. Learning High Gothic only a year ago was taxing enough, and writing in it left him exhausted.
"What a bother," he muttered, setting down the quill and gazing out the window.
The night view of New Kato City was no different from the day, for there was no sunlight in the underhive. Yet the city looked rather appealing, a forest of steel adorned with screens and colorful lights that lent it a semblance of warmth.
In Qin Mo's eyes, however, the city was far from ideal. People ate only synthetic food, had to submit to sentry drones scanning them on the streets, underwent regular psychological testing, and even leisure activities required approval from the central AI, with logistics drones dispatched to notify them.
This was the reality for all the new cities within the underhive world, and soon, it would be the same in the other two worlds of the Tyrone star system.
"Well done."
A voice suddenly echoed in Qin Mo's ear.
"You've done well to have these humans defend you until you regain your full strength, so you won't be slain by the Necron or fragments of other C'tan."
The voice belonged to the Shapeshifter, speaking through the telepathic communication used by the Star Gods, transmitting its words across the vastness of space via the magnetic fields of stars.
"Don't distract me from my work," Qin Mo replied, picking up his quill once more.
"Do you see yourself as human or C'tan?" the Shapeshifter asked.
Qin Mo knew that by C'tan, the Shapeshifter was referring to the Star Gods. He did not respond immediately, instead contemplating his journey to this universe.
His body and appearance had remained unchanged, as far as he knew. Yet, there had been a dream—a dream of soaring through the stars, devouring suns and souls, until something had struck him down.
Qin Mo recounted the dream to the Shapeshifter.
After hearing it, the Shapeshifter analyzed, "That was likely a memory of yours... of the Forger. It seems some tremendous power shattered his consciousness, fusing his strength with yours. That's why you bear the black markings on your body."
"That makes sense," Qin Mo nodded in agreement, recalling how the black markings had appeared when he first awakened in this universe, like someone had secretly tattooed him while he slept.
"But you remain the Forger," the Shapeshifter added. "C'tan do not ponder where they come from or where they are going, but they do contemplate what it means to be C'tan."
"Do tell," Qin Mo put down his quill, listening intently to this Star God philosophy.
"Power and law—these are what define the C'tan. As long as you wield the power of the Star Gods and bend the laws of physics to your will, representing a certain principle, you are C'tan."
"So, do you think I am human or a Star God?" Qin Mo asked.
The Shapeshifter pondered the question for a while before responding, "You're likely a new species entirely."
Qin Mo fell deep into thought.
As he considered, the Shapeshifter continued, "But you are the Forger, for if you were to die, the material universe would lose the law of forging. And since you are alive, you are the Forger."
"You should also seek out and reassemble the fragments of the Star Gods… not that I'm asking for your help," the Shapeshifter quickly added.
"Of course, you shouldn't reforge the stronger Star Gods like the Nightbringer. You should consume them. And if you ever encounter shards of the Deceiver, devour them before it speaks its first word, or you'll soon learn why it has such a foul reputation among us."
After a long stream of words, the Shapeshifter paused briefly before adding, "If you help me escape from my imprisonment one day, I will serve you. Though my combat power is not great—the Nightbringer could cleave me in two with a single strike..."
"Very well," Qin Mo agreed with a nod. "But you'll have to assist me as well—provide prophecies willingly and help me observe any corner of the universe."
"That is a fair exchange. I will gladly comply," the Shapeshifter agreed.
Qin Mo, no longer procrastinating, resumed his paperwork. However, he did not end the telepathic link, listening to the Shapeshifter as it shared more stories of the Star Gods while he worked.