Starting from the Planetary Governor

Gu Hang was handling the documents at hand while listening to the incessant complaints of General Hans from the speakerphone.

"Commander Gu, are you even listening to what I'm saying?"

"Of course I am listening," Gu Hang replied, indicating he was still there.

"But I feel like you're not taking my concerns seriously. I need troops, more troops! We need to at least double the size of the Salvation Army, or we cannot continue to guarantee control over the Bottom Nest District! My troops are too dispersed, I cannot keep an eye on so many people, and we suffer losses when we are attacked..."

Hans had started again.

Ever since a month ago when he entered Mingyan City with his troops and fell into an endless battle for public security, he had made many calls to Gu Hang, requesting reinforcements.

Gu Hang completely understood.

The Star Realm Army combined with the Salvation Army amounted to forty million people, which seemed plentiful. But in comparison, Mingyan City had a population of four billion. The chaotic conditions of the Bottom Nest District practically required a large number of troops in nearly every block to maintain martial law.

A strict martial law strategy had caused the troops to be severely dispersed. Often a battalion stationed in a district with over a hundred thousand people would have no major problems if facing a direct enemy assault, as the enemy couldn't amass enough firepower to resist the military.

The problem was the soldiers on guard, patrolling, or on duty, who could easily fall victim to an ambush around the corner. Military vehicles could encounter roadside bombs within a few steps out.

Those gangs as well as the Rebel Army didn't want to give up control over their own territories.

No surprise Hans was complaining non-stop.

In the past month, they had lost thousands of men.

This number was certainly not on the same level as during the decisive battle when an entire division was wiped out in a few hours, but the loss of personnel was significant nonetheless.

The Salvation Army fared slightly better, but there were already many grievances among Hans's elite troops.

After the big battle, they had wanted to go home, but instead, they were sent to fight in a security war. The casualties weren't so much the issue, but the key was the constant anxiety whenever they went out, which took a huge toll on their spirits.

Quite a few were saying that they would rather launch a proper fight than continue this way.

Hans hoped for reinforcements not because he couldn't control the situation, but because he wanted to give his troops a chance to properly rotate and rest.

Gu Hang was well aware of all of these issues.

Yet, he continued to reject Hans's request over and over again.

Martial law was just a temporary measure.

If the solution to the security war was to rely on the military in the long term, then there was no point in proceeding. No amount of troops would be sufficient and the root cause of the problems would remain unsolved. Could martial law be maintained for a few months, a few years, even a lifetime?

Gu Hang had long thought of the real means to resolve the issue.

It was time to send General Hans, full of complaints, on his way and for Gu Hang to meet with the person who could truly address the issue.
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There was a large group of people.

Among them were Alliance officials from Rage Owl Star and Heijian Star, as well as those who had performed well in Mingyan City in recent months and had appeared on Lambert's list—the blue list.

Among them were people from the Alliance Foreign Affairs Department, responsible for external communication, exchanges, peace offers, and negotiations, led by Nicola Salihoovich.

He was to travel through the Lower Nest District and Bottom Nest District to negotiate with powers worth saving, in hopes of peacefully dissolving them or incorporating them into Korolya's new government.

Among those worth saving, the Rebel Army were in greater numbers.

The Rebel Forces in Nest Capital typically referred to themselves as the "Rebel Army." Some were radical, not recognizing the rule of The Emperor or the Korolya government; the more rebellious ones even denied their faith in The Emperor. Others were more conservative, merely fighting to negotiate better real benefits for the people and territories under their power.

The reasons for the Rebel Armies' appearance, regardless of whether these were dirty or noble, essentially boiled down to one point: life had become unbearable, and they had rebelled!

But Gu Hang saw this as an opportunity for reconciliation.

Now, after being beaten, many of them couldn't even act openly anymore. It was time for Salihoovich to act—if he could negotiate and incorporate them into the Planetary Government system, then they would be directly absorbed, and martial law could gradually be lifted to see how things went.

Problems like gangs, regional monopoly alliances, Cults... these might be more complex than the Rebel Army. Their demands were more complicated, their appetites bigger. Especially the Cults, which virtually lacked any foundation for negotiation.

But no matter the target, the many hands drawn from the Foreign Affairs Department and the Commerce Department, led by Salihoovich, had the task of creating different plans according to the characteristics and demands of different forces. Those who could be integrated would be integrated; those who couldn't would be decisively destroyed.

Salihoovich's work was important, but not the most crucial.

Whether incorporating after successful negotiations or rebuilding after destructive strikes following failed negotiations, both required a second wave of people.

The Alliance Premier, Lady Ossina, had already arrived in Korolya.

A month prior, with Gu Hang as the Governor, Korolya had officially joined the 'Alliance,' the planetary organization. Naturally, the Alliance Premier had to visit this suddenly emerged territory with a population eighty times larger than the original Alliance.