"This news will cause a massive wave."
And it did.
The news that the Celestial Platoon will fight the demon army did not come as a surprise to anyone.
However.
The fact that the Inquisitor personally ordered them to do so was a shocking revelation. The more shocking fact was that Aldred asked every world nearby to give him a significant amount of resources.
How much was that exactly? They did not know it yet.
But one thing was certain. The Celestial Platoon would ask them a large number for sure.
Fighting the demon army with a massive territory would not be cheap. It could even become a prolonged war which would force them to give even more resources in the future.
War was always expensive. Especially war in space. Battleships that were capable of long-distance travel with enough armor, enough firepower, enough storage, enough speed, and enough rooms for personnels could cost billions.
The news was too sudden. Everyone was in a state of panic that this event might bankrupt them.
However, Aldred did not give them time to react.
He quickly sent his messengers to every world right after he declared it.
Salamander was one of the messengers he sent to one of the world. This was done for a variety of purpose.
Salamander arrived with some battleships accompanying him.
"Attention! Stop and identify yourself!"
A voice came inside his ship.
"What do we do, sir?" his subordinate asked.
"Ignore them," Salamander said.
Aldred had warned him that they would make it harder for him to obtain the resources they demanded.
Why wouldn't they. Aldred basically asked them money for basically nothing.
Aldred was forced to do this. He was ordered by the inquisitor to fight the demon army who was definitely more powerful than his newly-created group.
He was only in the game for two years. Lord Malgorth had lived for milleniums and had been amassing his forces for hundreds of years.
Although the nearby demon army was only a small part of his demon army, it had been acting independently for a decade.
Aldred did not want to suffer alone so he asked everyone to contribute.
The ships ignored the security vehicles that were surrounding them.
After a few minutes, the ships made their landing on the planet and Salamander and his entourage walked out as if they owned the place.
The local security forces were waiting for them on the ground with their weapons pointing at him.
"Are you really pointing your weapons at me? I am the messenger of the Celestial Platoon! We are under the order of Inquisitor Aeliana to obtain resources in order to vanquish the demon army! If you don't lower your weapons now then I will declare all of you as traitors and heretics!"
The local security forces looked at each other and lowered their weapon immediately.
Traitors and heretics were punishable by death not just to them, but to their families as well.
It was the worst crime in the Imperium. Worst than mass slaughter or mass murder.
You can kill a thousand people and you will be punished a bit, but show disloyalty to the Emperor? To hell you shall go with your bloodline.
The Security forces, now standing with lowered weapons, were visibly shaken by Salamander's stern proclamation. The weight of being labeled as traitors and heretics weighed heavily on their minds, and they dared not challenge the authority of the Celestial Platoon.
Salamander proceeded with purpose, his armored boots echoing as he walked towards the head of the security detail. The local security commander, a middle-aged officer with a distinct insignia, nervously stepped forward to address him.
"Sir, we didn't expect... this. We are here to serve and protect our world. We have received no prior communication about such demands," the officer stammered.
That was of course a lie. Every worlds had already received a personal notification that a messenger will come to 'ask' for resources.
Salamander raised an eyebrow behind his helmet. "Ignorance is not an excuse. The Imperium is at war with demonic forces that threaten all of humanity. Inquisitor Aeliana herself has ordered this operation. Now, I suggest you gather your leaders so we can discuss the necessary contributions your world must make."
The officer hesitated for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "I'll arrange a meeting with our planetary council. But, sir, our resources are limited. We can't simply give away everything without considering the welfare of our people."
Salamander's cold gaze bore into the officer. "You will provide what is demanded by the Celestial Platoon. The consequences of non-compliance are severe, and I need not remind you of the penalties for treason. Now, lead us to your council. Time is of the essence."
It wasn't that Salamander was did not have sympathy for these people, but the resources they asked were for war. This include weapons, munitions, or raw materials to create them. People only need food and water to survive, so he knew the commander was trying to play with words.
The officer nodded again, signaling his subordinates to escort Salamander and his entourage to the planetary council chambers. The news of the Celestial Platoon's arrival and the unprecedented demands had spread through the city like wildfire, causing unrest among the population.
However, it wasn't fear or resentment.
Instead, they were greeted with enthuasm.
As Salamander and his group moved through the streets, they could feel the eyes of the locals watching them with a mix of admiration and awe.
They were waving a sign saying "Celestial Platoon rock!!!"
For two years, the Celestial Platoon mercenaries had taken all kinds of task that helped people from every part of the galaxy. Escorts, rescue, security, transportation, they took them all. Their service was higher than standards and most of the time they would do something extra if their customers were nice.
Aldred had strictly told his generals to prioritize customer satisfactions and the reputation of the company.
He knew it would paid off in the future.
Salamander was never worried about public opinion. Any other organization would never dare to do this kind of stunt.
But Aldred was different. That man always manage to surprise him with his action.
Salamander could only smile and shook his head.
When he entered the government building, they were escorted to a room where the planetary council was.
Their expressions were not great. It was clear that they did not like what Salamander was about to say.
The tension in the air was palpable, and Salamander knew that extracting the required resources would not be a smooth process.
"I will make this simple, gentlemen," Salamander started.
