Chapter 211: Praise the Emperor, Loyalty to the Emperor
Inside City Hall, large numbers of people moved in and out, each carrying stacks of documents. They were most likely clerks, busy but clearly efficient in their work.
This left Helmut both curious and surprised. Clearly, before these people occupied Sokovia, they had already done a great deal of work and preparation. This was not a short military operation, but a seizure of power planned with long-term considerations.
Then he met the Commander.
The man had a buzz cut and a powerful body nearly two meters tall. He wore a simple army uniform, thin and practical. It bore some resemblance to the standard uniform of the U.S. Army, but it had its own distinct features.
Helmut had never seen it before. It did not belong to any nation's army.
"Helmut Zemo, hereditary baron of Sokovia, current commander of the EKO Scorpion elite assault team, colonel."
"I am Reacher Jack, Commander of the Astartes."
Reacher did not waste words. He stated Helmut's background first, then introduced himself.
His style was capable and direct, the way soldiers spoke.
Helmut silently formed a profile of Reacher in his mind. He stood perfectly straight, hands clasped behind his back as he looked directly at him.
On the surface, he appeared calm and composed, but deep down, an inexplicable fear had begun to grow. It was like facing some natural predator in the wild—an instinctive fear he couldn't control.
"Commander Reacher."
"Your background is clean. Your reputation is good, and you have a passionate desire to serve your country. More importantly, you are an elite. You are proficient in science, engineering, psychology, and special operations."
Reacher felt a deep appreciation for the Helmut standing before him, who was not yet thirty.
As a soldier himself, Reacher disliked twists and turns. He admired capable people and disliked useless men who occupied positions without doing anything.
"But unfortunately, your passion for serving your country has no effect."
"I think you should know why."
"Yes. I know very well," Helmut replied.
Being praised did not make him happy. He remained rational and calm.
However, unlike his composed appearance, the guess that had already existed in his mind was becoming clearer and clearer.
Sure enough, Reacher no longer concealed anything.
"We need your capabilities, and the Emperor requires talent like yours. Are you willing?"
"The Emperor?"
Hearing this, Helmut froze for a moment.
"The Emperor's name is Matthew. He is the guardian of this world."
"You should know about the battle in Manhattan. This world has never belonged only to humanity. There are also threats beyond Earth. Compared with those things, mankind is far too weak."
The big man's way of doing things was capable and direct, but he was not lacking in patience.
Buzz!
Reacher raised his hand, and a holographic projection appeared from the watch on his wrist. Several panels of images emerged around the two of them one after another.
Helmut's eyes widened as he looked at the holographic images before him.
On a barren plain, a swift and agile figure was locked in battle with another being—an ugly shape that looked like a demon. Every punch and kick seemed powerful enough to shatter the world.
They moved so fast the naked eye could barely follow them. Each brutal collision of flesh against flesh blasted a ring of pressure through the air. Terrifying black-red lightning crisscrossed the battlefield, while dense golden rays of light shot through the sky.
Then the earth split open, and raging hellfire erupted from below, staining the sky crimson.
The other images were no different.
In one city, a monster so grotesque that words could hardly describe it rampaged through the streets. Standing before it were several Astartes in deep-crimson power armor, women in red windbreakers, and several sorcerers in yellow robes.
Brilliant magic filled the air. Soldiers clad in heavy power armor moved with such speed that every action broke the sound barrier.
All of it struck Helmut's senses with overwhelming force.
Had this been before, he would only have thought these were scenes from a movie.
"This is…"
"One of them is the war between our Emperor, Matthew, and Mephisto, the demon lord and king of Hell. The others are battles between us and foreign life-forms that invaded Earth."
Reacher gave a brief explanation, then closed the holographic projection.
Helmut took a deep breath and silently digested everything he had just seen.
One image remained fixed in his mind—the young boy with messy black hair and a black coat, standing against the demon. That side profile.
Helmut understood that the boy was the Emperor Reacher had spoken of.
He couldn't explain how he knew. He simply did.
"Listen. I don't plan to convince you with lofty talk about the fate of all mankind." Reacher raised a finger, direct and straightforward. "I'll only say one thing. The Emperor needs territory and development. He has chosen Sokovia."
"The Emperor pities the suffering of the Sokovian people. We will drive away all war, restore peace, and develop this country with full force."
"From now on, no one will need to worry about going hungry or cold. No one will need to worry that a shell might fall from the sky one day. No one will need to worry about being unable to earn money, and no one will need to worry about corruption."
"So, are you willing to do your part?"
After saying that, Reacher fell silent and waited for Helmut's answer.
He was confident the other man would not refuse.
After all, no one could refuse such an opportunity.
Sure enough, a flame of hope ignited in Helmut's eyes, and his expression grew solemn.
"I am willing."
"Good. From now on, I need you to cooperate with us in conducting internal reviews."
"Go. Move."
…
The storm across Sokovia did not last long. In fact, the Sokovians barely felt any turmoil at all.
Instead, all they felt was calm.
If they had not personally heard the commotion that night, they might even have thought it was an illusion.
But the changes that followed were beyond anything the people of Sokovia could have imagined.
Because everyone discovered that someone was handing out welfare to them.
The Republican Square at the center of Novi Grad was no longer as bleak and desolate as before. In the past, all that remained here after the war were broken bricks, twisted scrap metal, and cold wind sweeping dust through empty streets and alleys. Now, it was packed with civilians from every district of the city, retired soldiers, and lonely elderly people.
The platform was clean and solemn. The Sokovian flag stretched in the wind, while fully uniformed soldiers surrounded the square to maintain order.
Karla, dressed in a simple black coat, looked at the weathered faces below her—timid, uneasy, and wary.
She had no intention of giving empty speeches. She would use real benefits to soothe this country's decades of suffering.
After enduring corrupt regimes and war, the people of Sokovia no longer believed in hollow slogans. They only recognized food and warmth, a safe home, and stable days.
Karla understood this.
So what she needed to bring were tangible benefits and real change.
Her voice was steady and clear as she spoke in the official Sokovian language she had already learned, carrying across the entire square.
"The suffering of Sokovia is over. We will distribute free food, clean water, fuel, and clothing, and we will rebuild this nation from the ground up."
...
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