Starting from the Planetary Governor

Chapter 1083: Chapter 591, Everyone Has a Bright Future

Galaraldo became one of the High Lords, stepping into the Empire’s highest decision-making body. This was undoubtedly a matter of great joy for Gu Hang.

Although, during his last trip to Holy Terra, Gu Hang had already sensed that the seed of Spiritual Energy he had planted in this “close friend” had disappeared. He was more inclined to believe that the seed had been naturally absorbed. Originally subtle and existing merely to exert some influence, the seed had now completely become a part of Galaraldo’s personality.

There were both advantages and disadvantages.

The disadvantage lay in the absence of the coercive force formed by Spiritual Energy. If the relationship was not carefully maintained, there was a possibility of the two turning against each other.

The advantage lay in the elimination of any further risks. If no one had discovered it by now, then in the future, no one could claim that Galaraldo had ever been controlled by Gu Hang.

Gu Hang preferred the current state of affairs.

He was also not worried about falling out with Galaraldo.

At least not in the short term.

On the contrary, their relationship was growing ever closer. Personal ties aside, what mattered more was the highly intertwined nature of their political alliance.

Mutual prosperity, mutual destruction.

Galaraldo’s ascendancy brought tremendous benefits to Gu Hang, especially when coupled with his position as Prime Minister of the Military Affairs Department.

What does the Military Affairs Department manage? Military logistics, army development, the drafting and execution of military plans… Except for directly commanding troops in battle, their responsibilities almost encompass all military operations of the Empire.

Of course, while their scope of authority is vast, they also face significant checks and balances.

For example, the relatively independent Star Realm Army and the Imperial Navy, as well as the highly autonomous Warhosts, impose significant limitations on troop deployment and command orders.

For example, the Department of Taxation controls budget allocations and spending, requiring approvals for funding.

Yet, despite these numerous restrictions, it remains a powerful department with substantial real authority. Allocating more Star Realm Army and Imperial Navy quotas to the Alliance can carve out significant military budgets from the Imperial Tax. These forces, upgraded to Star Realm Army and Navy status, can not only be used for local defense but also deployed offensively across various Star Domains and Cosmos Domains, intervening in regional military affairs as Gu Hang sees fit—as long as he could maneuver directives through the Military Affairs Department. This renders such operations perfectly legitimate.

Furthermore, Galaraldo’s role as a High Lord and his political influence on Holy Terra provided strong legitimacy for Gu Hang’s alliance regime.

Without a powerful political spokesperson embedded within the Central Government, a regional political entity like the Alliance—spanning multiple Star Domains and potentially surpassing Cosmos Domains in the future—could not survive. It would inevitably be met with suspicion and obliteration from the Empire’s central authorities.

Take, for example, Ironwrath Peak’s retaliation after former Military Affairs Department Prime Minister Norberto’s downfall.

And Gu Hang was equally critical to Galaraldo.

His support for the Southern Line battlefield had finally paid off.

From the moment Galaraldo assumed office, he was under immense pressure. His position was precarious and unstable, at times teetering on collapse, even leading to tension with Ou Juren over the Alliance’s offensive timing.

But as the Alliance surged triumphantly through the Proudclaw Cosmos, the political pressure on Galaraldo began to ease significantly.

Although the campaign had not achieved any decisive victories, the continuous advancement of the frontlines was morale-boosting in and of itself, helping Galaraldo consolidate his support within the Military Affairs Department.

Without this, he wouldn’t just have lost his bid for High Lord; he wouldn’t even have retained his post. The internal unrest alone would have overwhelmed him, let alone any attempt to cozy up to the Prime Minister.

And did anyone think cozying up to the Prime Minister was easy?

When reports of the Alfonso Fleet’s annihilation came in and were confirmed, his prestige peaked.

He no longer needed to cozy up to Zebert. Instead, Zebert was now the one trying to win him over.

This made him fully grasp a crucial truth: the Alliance’s victory was his victory, and the reputation earned by the Alliance was his reputation.

The two were now bound by an overwhelmingly strong alignment of interests, far more reliable than any manipulation through Spiritual Energy.

After all, powerful mental control is easily discovered, while weaker control is readily broken. Should either of these scenarios occur, it would result in a complete rupture, a mutual hatred that leaves no room for compromise. Such acts of political treachery were taboo in Imperial governance and would provoke disdain and hostility from the entire Empire’s factions.

By contrast, a closely-knit alliance avoids these pitfalls. While there’s still a risk of the alliance fracturing due to conflicting interests, the fallout remains significantly milder compared to mental manipulation.

Gu Hang was deeply satisfied with the nature of their current relationship.

The conversation then shifted to frontline warfare.

When this topic arose, cheerful banter naturally came to an end.

Certainly, the collapse of the Western Front gave Galaraldo an opportunity to seize, leading to Ou Juren’s downfall. This not only dealt with a political adversary but also garnered him a seat among the High Lords.

However, no matter how one looked at it, it was merely profiting amidst chaos. The collapse of the military campaign itself was an unchanging reality.

Viewing the issue from the broader perspective of the Empire, then focusing on the Southern Line and the Alliance, the ramifications remained significant.

Gu Hang remarked that he would send personnel to the Western Front to try and uncover what had truly happened and assess the current situation.

Simultaneously, the Alliance had to prepare for the enormous challenges this would bring.

The current date was February in the year 10328, exactly eight years since the Princess’s rebellion had erupted; two and a half years had passed since the Alliance formally entered the war.

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