I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield Chapter 612 - 471: Senate, Empire Resolution_2

"The Luoho Clan is incredibly audacious!" One councilor shattered the silence first, pounding the documents on the table, fury lacing his voice. "They dare detain Galactic scholars in secret, flouting Empire law—they're completely lawless!"

"This isn't a minor issue. The Ice Gate's origins remain a mystery; if it traps perilous demons within, the fallout could be catastrophic," another councilor agreed, his voice heavy with concern. "We need to dispatch personnel to Pluto right away, secure the site, and reveal the facts!"

The debate intensified steadily, transforming the council hall's calm atmosphere into one of charged tension and fervor.

Ultimately, all eyes turned back to Zhuge Jin—as Senate Chief, his position would shape the final verdict decisively.

They knew full well the longstanding feud between the Zhuge Clan and Luoho Clan. Thus, Zhuge Jin's ruling in this case was entirely predictable.

Zhuge Jin spoke deliberately, his voice firm and unwavering: "This crisis demands immediate action without hesitation. First, send an urgent directive to the Military Department to mobilize forces to Pluto, fully isolating the Ice Gate vicinity and barring all unauthorized access. Second, alert the Academy of Sciences to deploy top sealing specialists and historical archaeology squads to join Professor Gao Shiniang on Pluto. Their key mission: decode the inscriptions on the ice pillar, investigate the Ice Gate's history and source, and craft a precise seal-breaking strategy only after assessing all dangers—no unsanctioned moves permitted."

His directives were precise and logical, earning unanimous support from the councilors.

"Agreed!"

"Agreed!"

A few councilors voiced approval promptly, while the rest nodded firmly, showing no opposition whatsoever.

Once the session concluded, the Senate's orders raced to the Military Department.

At that moment, the Military Department's internal talks were wrapping up too. With the Senate's missive in hand, both sides aligned swiftly and resolved: send the full 29th Army to Pluto for rapid lockdown and oversight of the Ice Gate location.

Stationed on the Royal star, the 29th Army stood as an elite unit famed for its fierce fighting skills and iron discipline, typically handling vital crisis operations. Mobilizing them highlighted the Empire's grave regard for the Ice Gate.

Following the command, 29th Army troops mobilized at once, boarding their combat shuttles geared up for the jump to Pluto's star gate hub.

At the same time, Ice Gate intelligence fluttered rapidly through Royal star's elite families like wildfire.

Dongfang Clan and Zhuge Clan, informed early via Dongfang Haoyue and Zhuge Yu, quietly readied clan powerhouses for the upcoming probes. Holy Blood Clans activated spy webs, probing relentlessly for Ice Gate details and Luoho Clan's involvement; potent Golden Clans raced to claim pieces of this ancient enigma pie.

Royal star's upper strata buzzed into motion from this revelation, save for the Luoho Clan seething in historic rage.

Luoho Clan heads, discovering the Ice Gate secret's leak and Empire troops en route to Pluto, enveloped their manor in oppressive gloom.

Their hard-won vigil over two-plus years, fueled by massive resources, teetered on success—only to unravel in a single night, nullifying labors and inviting Imperial reckoning, sparking explosive ire among leaders who unleashed blistering rebukes on Inzaghi Luoho.

Before Alaya and underlings, Inzaghi Luoho projected icy authority as unchallenged Military Lord, yet to Luoho Clan elders, he ranked merely as a promising youth amid numerous direct kin.

Thus, discipline struck without mercy.

Pluto's Ice Gate rippled Empire high society's tranquil pond like a colossal boulder, unleashing massive ripples and igniting a creeping scramble for lost lore.

...

Within Soul-Splitting Ice Valley, razor winds howled, slicing with frozen flecks.

"Boom!"

A deafening explosion rocked the valley as a shadow hurtled back like a ragdoll, smashing into the towering ice cliff.

Instantly, the cliff shuddered fiercely, fissures spiderwebbed outward, then it crumbled thunderously, spewing clouds of icy fog and debris.

Soon after, a form staggered from the rubble heap—it was Alaya.

Her chest caved inward visibly, blood gushing from her lips, face ashen like snow. Her stunning features twisted in agony and despair, propped against icy boulders just to stay upright, every shift wrenching her injury and sending shudders of torment through her.

Nearby, Tier Seven experts Crown and Cheng Zhou beheld Alaya's wretched form, legs heavy as iron, hearts hammering like panicked birds, breaths held in terror.

Heads bowed low, eyes flickering sidelong, they avoided Inzaghi Luoho's gaze, dreading his fury's overflow turning them into outlets.

Inzaghi Luoho remained rooted, eyes blazing crimson, his blood-red Spiritual Energy thickening to near-solid, radiating crushing oppression.

He advanced toward Alaya with measured strides, each footfall subtly cracking the ground ice.

Alaya, staring at his looming presence in dread, collapsed fully, forehead grinding into the frozen earth.

Inzaghi crouched, yanked her hair to hoist her pained yet lovely face, clamping her jaw brutally, fingers whitening as if to shatter bone.

"What did I warn you before?" His tone chilled like frost, edged with lethal killing aura. "The Ice Gate falls under your watch! One mistake, and you're done!"

Agony blackened Alaya's sight; fighting sobs and torment, she begged hoarsely, "Military Lord... grant me one more shot... I'll retrieve the sealing team, plug the breach..."

"Shot? The Empire's elite now knows everything, and you seek another?" Inzaghi flung her free, slamming a savage boot into her chest.

"Boom!"

Alaya soared again, rolling across ice before halting, coughing blood, yet clawing to rise once more.

Inzaghi eyed her tenacious survival coldly, voice glacial, "Only clan pleas saved you from death already."

Hearing this, Alaya trembled, ecstasy flashing across her features amid disaster, ignoring bodily throes to kneel and bang her head repeatedly, "Gratitude, Military Lord! Thanks for mercy!"

With Alaya handled, Inzaghi's stare shifted languidly to Crown and Cheng Zhou.

Spotting it, the pair buckled, "thud" hitting the ground, quivering uncontrollably.

They grasped Inzaghi's wrathful nature perfectly: rage-blinded, he spared no rank—even Tier Seven fell to casual decree.

"Mercy, Military Lord! Mercy, Military Lord!"

They begged ceaselessly, brows sealed to soil, frozen in place.

Inzaghi's bloody aura intensified, scarlet eyes boring into them like knives, scouring ruthlessly.

Time froze then; Crown and Cheng Zhou sweated rivers down spines, hairs bristling, breaths shallow lest a twitch invite doom.

Ages passed before Inzaghi quelled his slaughter lust, quashing the impulse to shred them. Amid crisis, he required hands—these two, faulty yet Tier Seven Spiritualists, retained value.

He intoned icily: "You escape this once. Heed: next failure, no need for my hand—you end it alone."

"Yes! Yes! Thanks, Military Lord, for mercy! Thanks, Military Lord!"

Like pardoned convicts, Crown and Cheng Zhou groveled thanks profusely, faces alight with relief and thanks; only post-turn did they peek up, backs drenched, sprawling on ice to pant.

Soul-Splitting Ice Valley's gales raged on, yet failed to sweep away the blood scent and dread haze.

Amid blizzard, Inzaghi glared Ice Gate-ward, eyes igniting with insane kill-will, "Whoever you are, I'll hunt you down and drown you in blood!"