Outside the Thedan system, two fleets faced each other in silence.
On one side were over a dozen vessels bearing the cogwheel symbol of the Adeptus Mechanicus: Dictator-class cruisers, Lunar-class cruisers, Tyrant-class cruisers, and smaller Defiant-class light cruisers, Endurance-class light cruisers, and so on.
Behind these ships were two enormous, almost miraculous vessels: a Forge Ark and a Goliath-class Factory Ship.
This was an entire, massive Adeptus Mechanicus exploration fleet.
The markings on the other side were varied, but any one of them could strike fear into Xenos and heretics, as these symbols represented the Imperial Navy, Space Marine Chapters, and the Inquisition…
"Captain Ventris, how much longer must we remain in this standoff?"
"We will standoff until a result is determined on Thedan, Inquisitor Griffin, sir!"
The Inquisitor, nearly half a head shorter than a Primaris Space Marine, looked at the Ultramarines Gaius before him and said fearlessly, "But according to our instruments, the Warp energy on Thedan is rapidly increasing. It won't be long before it breaks through the critical point, and then…"
The Space Marine Captain rubbed his brow, saying with some helplessness, "Didn't we already know we might face such a situation when we received our orders?"
Inquisitor Griffin: "…"
"I understand your concern, but you and I both know that regarding the ownership of Thedan, we must persevere, we must endure, we must sacrifice."
"My apologies, Captain, you are right. It is I…"
"No need to apologize. I am as conflicted as you are. I'm merely repeating the words I used to persuade myself."
The Inquisitor gave a bitter smile and pointed at the holographic projection before him, saying, "I bet the other side isn't conflicted at all. Their machine brains only calculate."
The Ultramarines Gaius was amused by the Inquisitor's words. He said, "Ha, not necessarily. After all, having an entire exploration fleet accompany us here means they'll miss out on a lot of grave digging!"
"Heh heh, that's true. Then let them continue to accompany us."
"Sir, emergency!" The officer in charge of the augur array on the bridge suddenly shouted.
…
Gamma didn't know what was happening outside the system. He was currently hunched over his hand-cranked telescope, watching the spaceport fall.
"The Archmagos suffered heavy losses this time! How many people will die from that direct fall?"
What weapon did the Temple use to knock the spaceport directly down?! Gamma had no idea; he had just received the notification and rushed out to watch the spaceport fall.
"That shouldn't be. Wasn't the spaceport in a parallel orbit? Why did it suddenly fall? Even if it was bombed, it should still be orbiting as a satellite!"
"Gravity weapon? It can only be a gravity weapon; otherwise, the spaceport's fall can't be explained. Where did they unearth such a powerful gravity weapon?"
Gamma watched and muttered to himself, analyzing the reason for the spaceport's fall. He had built this telescope not to watch… well, to watch the spaceport, but not to watch it fall.
One day, Gamma had a sudden thought: since he could steal technology just by seeing a tech-item, if he had a telescope, who within eight hundred miles could defend against him? He could steal from anyone he wanted. Thus, this telescope came into being, and it proved his idea was great! He should never think again!
With such a major event, Gamma couldn't stay in the lab any longer. He needed to discuss it with the Magos.
Walking down the currently under-construction defensive tunnel in the Cave , a task he had arranged himself, Gamma's sense of security hadn't increased one bit after the outer defenses that could be repaired were completed. He immediately began construction of a shelter, planning to move his home underground in times of crisis.
Arriving at the Magos' location, they also seemed to know what had happened in the sky. They were gathered, discussing, and Gamma smoothly slipped in to listen.
"Hmph, how wasteful! How much manpower and resources were spent building that spaceport back then."
"It's none of our business, why are you worrying? You should worry about the future instead."
"What's there to worry about? That brat Gamma… Gamma, you're here!"
Gamma: "I'm here!"
(Hmph, gossiping Magos talking bad about me behind my back.)
The veteran Tech-Priest, not feeling awkward at all, continued, "Didn't Gamma predict this already? I think his calculations are quite accurate."
"Thank you for the compliment, Magos…"
"…"
"For us to even be able to protect ourselves is already a blessing from the Omnissiah. Let's take it one step at a time."
"I wonder how much strength the Archmagos can still retain this time?"
"It would be best if he were also smashed to death; the civil war could end directly."
"If the Temple had control of such lost technology, it would have ended much earlier."
"Just wait, if the Temple has it, does the Archmagos not? I believe a counterattack should appear soon!"
"Alas, if they keep fighting like this, Thedan will be ruined."
"Instead of worrying about that, worry about Chaos. According to my detection results, the Warp energy fluctuation index has been rising!"
"…"
Gamma: "How's the ruin?"
"The ruin is almost…" The Magos, realizing, stopped halfway through and stared at Gamma, who had suddenly interrupted.
Gamma: What are you looking at? You 'dirt-digger' Magos with your half-baked skills, you've been searching for half a year and still haven't found where the 'main tomb' is.
"I'm asking because it's important. I'm already preparing to open up a shelter in the location with the lowest radiation, so I need to know your progress." Gamma said righteously.
"Wait a little longer, we'll be able to confirm it soon."
"How long is 'soon'? Everyone's lives are hanging by a thread right now, Magos!"
"…"
Gamma pressed on, speaking with righteous indignation, "Magos, I need a specific time. I need to consider everyone."
"…"
The Magos realized that this kid was trying to corner them today. If they didn't reveal some information today, he wouldn't give up. The key was that this little guy had much more prestige in the settlement than they did, and he commanded fully armed soldiers—an army complete with armored vehicles.
Gamma: Hmph hmph, I've been waiting for this day for a long time. Today I'm going to…
"Ow! Who hit my head!" Gamma cried, clutching his forehead.
"It was I!" Magos Lauster replied.
Gamma: Weren't you not here just now?
"Oh, Magos Lauster." Honest kid Gamma replied honestly.
"This is the location with the lowest radiation in the entire underground space. Build your shelter here."
"Understood, Magos Lauster." Gamma said and scurried away.
One of the Magos present said, "Lauster, if you hadn't come back, we wouldn't have been able to keep him in check."
"Just now? Are you sure we could ever keep him in check before?"
"He respects Lauster, he doesn't fear us."
"What a little scoundrel!"
"We should thank the Omnissiah for giving this kid a conscience. If it were me, after a few years out of a cultivation pod, you'd have long been 'snapped' by me and had your memory units pulled out of your bodies."
"I knew you had no conscience!"
"You…"
"Lauster, honestly, where did you get Gamma from?"
"The Great Foundry Temple sent him." Magos Lauster replied with a hint of pride and a smile.
On his way back, a frustrated Gamma took a detour to the front lines of the war with the White Skin Orcs to shoot a few Orcs to vent his anger.
"Xenos, die! Behold my laser cannon!"
"I almost got a piece of the pie! Damn it! Take my bolter!"
"Ruins! My knowledge! You can even drive such broken vehicles, plasma for you!"
"Let that Grot come over here, let it taste the sharpness of my Power Axe!"
The Orcs from the White Skin tribe who had been routed today bragged to the young Orcs who had recently emerged from the ground, had no choppas, and were still scavenging:
"Today I followed the boss to waaaagh, and we met a Little Shrimp who was also super waaaagh. Our boss hadn't even charged up before he was shot dead by Little Shrimp, and the other lads who drove their dirty vehicles to ram him were also scattered by his shots. Little Shrimp was super waaaagh and also super brutal; he even cut our boss's pet Grot in half. If I wasn't stronger than our boss, and I waaaaghed with him and made him run away, I wouldn't have come back and would have gone to see Gork."
"You're not lying to us, are you? You made Little Shrimp run away, so why are you the only one who came back?"
"What do you know, you kid who just grew out of the ground? I'm strong, that's why I came back. The weak ones all went to see gork and mork."
"Oh…"
"From now on, you listen to me here. You lads do whatever I tell you to do! If you don't listen, I'll beat you and put your teeth in my pocket."
"Okay, boss."
"Pah, take a punch! You lot remember, from now on, call me boss! Listen to me and I'll take you out to waaaagh!"
"Boss!"
"Out to waaaagh!"
"Boss, out to waaaagh!"
Gamma, unaware that he had become a stepping stone for the White Skin Orcs' new boss, returned after venting and began assigning tasks to his "Six Strategists." He didn't care about the process; he just wanted to see a shelter large enough to accommodate everyone in the settlement built at the location given by Magos Lauster in the shortest possible time. The "Six Strategists" were to discuss the specifics themselves and report any difficulties to him.
While arranging the shelter, Gamma also pulled together an elite team. Their task was to destroy all other sewage wells connected to the underground space at the locations he provided, leaving only two of the most hidden ones. After destroying the other shafts, they were responsible for clearing these two karst cave passages connected to the underground space and determining their positions within the underground space.
After arranging all this, Gamma began to wander around the settlement with his three illegal psyker attendants. He truly didn't have much to do now; he had finished organizing the technology, the OMG series of personal weapons and vehicles were mostly adjusted, the firepower of the "Sapper" Legion had been pushed to the maximum under current conditions, and food and material reserves were sufficient for them to last a long time even if their "supply lines" were cut. Even the two castellan robots were repaired and had their performance improved.
In the following days, the Gamma psychic wasn't reeled in; instead, the Archmagos's retaliation was, and though he wasn't the target of the retaliation, he was injured as a result.
Gamma, with his 'horns' looking menacing, slammed the table and said fiercely, "I'm not done with Archmagos Will!"
Leia looked at the 'horns' on Gamma's forehead and laughed so hard she nearly fell over, saying, "I can't believe that in this earthquake, the only one injured here would be you, the Warmaster of the Legion, hahaha."
"That's going too far! If I took a few more steps up, I could have broken my neck!" Gamma accused the Oil Girl in front of him with a displeased tone.
"Yes, yes, I was wrong. I just didn't expect it. Jacob, did you guys?"
"Haha, alright, Leia, don't bring that up anymore. Can't you see Gamma's face is red with anger?"
"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more, but the Mechanical Temple should be completely destroyed this time. The war is about to end," Leia said in a relaxed tone.
"You have to admit, the Archmagos's move of using their own methods against them is brilliant. Attacking the Mechanical Temple's void shield with lost technology is too inefficient. Smashing through the crust directly with warships to let the areas defended by the Mechanical Temple be destroyed by earthquakes and lava—truly ruthless! Truly brilliant!"
"Who would have thought that the Archmagos was hit a few days ago, and yesterday the Mechanical Temple was hit by the Archmagos? The Mechanical Temple probably had no defense against this move," Yard said.
Paul said with emotion, "It's finally going to end. I can finally live the life a normal Priest should live. Since I became a Priest, I haven haven't had a few days of normal Priest life."
Jacob asked, "What is a normal Priest's life?"
Gamma said, "Being a technical workhorse in a factory?"
Louis pleaded with Paul, "Hey, hey, Paul, be happy, but don't bring up such painful things!"
Paul: "..."
"Gamma, have you and the Magos discussed how to deal with the Archmagos?" Leia suddenly asked.
Gamma noticed that several people pricked up their ears, so he didn't keep them in suspense and said:
"Although it's not as I imagined, where we could gain benefits, the Archmagos is also suffering heavy losses now and won't treat us like that. Most likely, he will first appease and recruit us, and then slowly squeeze us out after a few decades."
"Still have to wait a few decades?"
"Of course, Thedan is almost ruined. At a time like this, anyone with a brain wouldn't force us, an armed force. After all, we've never raised a rebellion!"
"Why a few decades later?"
"We have to wait for Thedan to return to normal, and this won't be less than a few decades. Mars won't miss the opportunity to kick us while we're down. During this time, we are even Thedan's necessary defense force."
"Are you saying they will only act when the Archmagos no longer needs us?"
"Yes, so we don't need to worry. We'll wait for the Empire to step in and clear up all the messy things. Afterwards, we'll have plenty of time to acquire resources and technology. After a few decades, with enough capital, even if the Archmagos wants to keep us, we might not want to stay, right?"
"Hahaha, really, I haven't even been on a spaceship yet."
"Having been here for decades, another few decades would be more than enough."
"Travel among the stars!"
"Excavate ruins!"
...
Sevenfold curses, sevenfold diseases
Sevenfold blessings, sevenfold sacrifices
Sevenfold decay, sevenfold eternity
Viral proliferation is also proliferation
Fungal flourishing is also flourishing
Attain eternity in putrefaction
The one who is eternally stained with joy
Look directly at the essence of decay
Be grateful to father!
Vik considered himself a failure. He had let down his father's sacrifice and his mother's expectations. His first failure to be selected cost him his father, and his second failure cost him his mother. His repeated failures led to him having no family left.
O Omnissiah! Why do you no longer favor me!
O Omnissiah! Why have you never enlightened me!
From the time Vik could remember, everyone told him he was a child favored by the Omnissiah. As he grew up, he also believed this. He had a better memory than other apprentices, a better understanding than other apprentices; he was the best among all the Mechanical Temple apprentices.
But he failed, he, who everyone thought could become a Priest, failed, and he failed twice!
Two failures cost him everything, including himself. From that day on, only this shell named 'Vik' remained alive.
What faith, what knowledge, what Source Power, what Omnissiah, what Omnissiah—all of it was bullshit!
Later, war broke out. Vik heard people panicking, heard the Adeptus Ministorum dying, heard Priests beginning to kill each other. The deaths of these objects of reverence, envy, and aspiration, paradoxically brought a hint of joy to the 'Vik' shell, but what did it matter? He had already lost everything, he no longer cared about anything. Whether it was pain or joy, nothing mattered.
Later still, food no longer flowed from the cabin pipes. Everyone was hungry, everyone was going mad. Vik simply locked himself inside, ignoring the chaos outside.
Just let it all end like this... he thought.
After one day, his stomach was twisted in knots. After two days, his intestines were spasming. After three days, he finally understood that death was such a painful thing. Every inch of his body groaned, and one second felt as long as a year. Vik didn't know how much time he had left to die, but he didn't want to endure this pain for another second!
I want to live! I don't want this pain! I want to live! I want to live! father, save me! Mother, save me! I hurt so much! I'm in so much pain!
He wanted to get up, but found that his body, apart from giving him pain, simply wouldn't obey his commands. He could only lie there helplessly, continuing to endure the torment of a second feeling like a year.
Someone save me! Anyone can! Save me! Save me! I want to live! I want to live!
"Alas... poor child."
A voice sounded in Vik's mind. He clutched at it like a drowning man grasping a straw. He wanted to cry out for help, but was too weak to make a sound.
Save me! Save me! Shout! Shout! Make a sound!
"No need to rush, no need to rush, I hear you, I hear you," the voice came from Vik's mind again.
Save me! I don't want to die! I want to live! I'm in so much pain! Save me!
"No problem, no problem, it will stop hurting soon, don't worry, everyone likes children like you."
Vik felt this voice was so kind, like his father's stern reprimands, like his mother's loving worries. This voice was so kind, as if it had a magic that could soothe his body's pain.
Thank you, I feel much better now. I really want to talk to you more, but I...
"Sleep, sleep, everything will be better when you wake up."
The pain had tormented Vik for too long, eroding too much of his will. He was too tired, he needed to rest.
Vik didn't know how long he had slept this time. When he woke up, he found that the pain seemed to have lessened a lot, but his body still couldn't move, and he seemed to have grown some bumps, but these were minor issues. Don't all workers have minor ailments? He had something he wanted to do more now; he wanted to know if that voice was still there.
Are you still there?
"I am. You haven't recovered your health yet, how could I leave?"
Thank you, you are too kind, too endearing.
"Is that so? My family are all people like me."
I envy you so much, I no longer have family...
"Oh, I'm sorry, you are too unfortunate, too pitiful, how can you not have family!"
They were all for me, they were all because of me, they...
"So pitiful, how pitiful. Don't be sad. I'll be your family, and then you'll have so much, so much family. Everyone will sing together, everyone will play together, everyone will offer gifts to father."
Ah! Me! Someone like me! I'm not worthy! I'm not...
"You can, you can. I've asked everyone, and they all like you very much."
Really? How is that possible! I have family again!
"Yes, yes, from now on you are my family, and I am your family."
That's great! That's wonderful! I have family! I'm not alone anymore!
"Being happy is what matters. Every day from now on, you should be happy. Let me tell you about our family."
Okay, I want to know, I want to understand our family.
"Yes, a family should understand each other. First, let me tell you about our loving father!"
On the day he met his family, He helped Vik alleviate his pain. On the second day, He made Vik a family member. From that day on, Vik was no longer lonely. The first thing he did every day when he woke up was to talk to Him, and He always patiently told him about their father, their ideals, their desires...
The third day
The fourth day
...
On the seventh day, Vik recovered. He survived. His body was no longer in pain, but instead full of strength and vitality. In these seven days, Vik understood much, comprehended much, for he was already smarter than others. He knew that all of this was father's gift, father's blessing, father's grace.
Now Vik had his own mission: to share this father's love with more people, to let them understand father's greatness. He felt no confusion or fear about the unknown future, because his great brother, Rainfather Rotigus, had always encouraged him in father's garden. He had to work hard, he had to go to the garden to reunite with his family!
Vik's neighbor was lying on the corridor floor, waiting to die. His intestines had already spilled out of his abdominal cavity and he had barely managed to stuff them back in. He knew he was going to die, so he simply lay there to slightly lessen his pain.
The long-unopened cabin door was opened. Hearing the sound, he, even though he was dying, was still a little surprised. He had originally thought Vik had died inside long ago. If only he had known Vik was hiding food, he would have pried open the cabin door and stolen the food earlier.
So smelly!
What is that monster? Why is a rotten, bloated corpse moving? He... It's Vik! Don't come closer! Omnissiah, save me! I was wrong! I repent! Don't let me fall into the hands of this monster!
"Oh, Yard, you're dying. It's okay, I'll save you. Death is really too terrifying, but it's okay, I have father's love. Yard, do you know father?"
---
Thedan Forge World's Great Foundry Temple welcomed several unfamiliar guests today, some of them demigods, others mortals.
"Welcome, esteemed Captain Ventris, Inquisitor Griffin, and Admiral Aleksey."
"Greetings, Archmagos."
"The Fabricator-General is already waiting for you in the hall; he has arranged the highest standard of welcome ceremony for you."
Ventris, with an impeccable single-hand-on-chest salute, said, "Many thanks, Archmagos. Let us proceed quickly!"
The Forging Priest responsible for welcoming them returned the salute and said, "Very well, please follow me."
Everyone followed the Tech-Priest's steps, passing through the ranks of the Adeptus Ministorum, and arrived before the Great Foundry Temple.
Although the Great Foundry Temple currently showed no damage, not even a single broken brick, it felt weak, dilapidated, and on the verge of collapse, just like Thedan itself.
After Ventris and his companions entered the Great Foundry Temple, they saw the Fabricator-General, who had little flesh left, seated on his throne. The number of people in the hall was far sparser than in other Forge Worlds they had visited.
The Inquisitor, standing one step behind the Primaris Space Marine Captain, thought upon seeing this scene: It seems they also suffered heavy losses!
Ventris led everyone in saluting and said, "Our respects to you, esteemed Fabricator-General Will. Congratulations on quelling the rebellion on the Forge World."
"Haha, they were merely ignorant and foolish rebels who didn't know their place. It's a pity they still managed to escape in the end!" Archmagos Will's words seemed to carry a hint of resentment.
He was naturally angry. After paying such a heavy price, he had intended to completely annihilate everyone from the Temple to eliminate future troubles. But who would have thought? The last Mars exploration fleet's landing craft directly ignored his warnings and blockade, forcibly landing on the surface to pick up the Temple's survivors. He was, of course, angry at the allies who merely watched and did nothing.
Ventris and the others below the throne were all experienced individuals. They naturally heard the Fabricator-General's dissatisfaction and understood why he was displeased. But could they really start a civil war with Mars? Fortunately, Ventris was prepared. He respectfully said:
"The Regent has a message for you: he will remember your efforts and sacrifices."
"You didn't… *cough*! These are merely the duties of loyal individuals, nothing worth mentioning, nothing worth mentioning."
Inquisitor Griffon: As rumored, he is indeed the Regent's loyal dog.
"You are too modest, Archmagos. Please allow me to introduce Inquisitor Griffon from the Ordo Malleus, and Admiral Frank from the Imperial Navy."
"Thank you for your arrival and assistance. I will forever remember this kindness."
The favor of a Forge World Fabricator-General is not something easily obtained. Among the Imperium's million worlds, how many Forge Worlds are there? Hearing Archmagos Will's words, even Griffon and Frank, who were already high-ranking and powerful, felt a surge of joy, thinking they should exert more effort in their upcoming tasks to make this favor tangible and real.
After they saluted and thanked Archmagos Will, Archmagos Will also introduced the Magos beside him to Ventris and his companions. Once the atmosphere became familiar, both sides began to praise each other, avoiding any discussion of serious matters, as if they had nothing to do next.
Fortunately, Magos Gamma was unaware of the situation in the Great Foundry Temple. If he knew, he would surely be unable to resist dissing Lord Regent Guilliman:
No wonder you're not likable. Look at this inherited behavior. Other Primarchs bury themselves in hard work, and when they look up, they see you, dressed splendidly, performing hypocritical noble politics, speaking in such fake yet beautiful words. It's like an old sow wearing a bra—one act after another. They'd be damned to like you!
But this is warhammer; how could these hypocritical Macragge people be so comfortable? While they were still feasting, the Archmagos's remaining forces encountered an attack from Plague Zombies.
…
"I knew it! What you fear comes true!" Magos Gamma peered over the city wall, observing the dense Plague Zombies in the distance with his binoculars.
The Oil Girl, aspiring to be a Bio-Magos, observed these walking corpses that were clearly dead yet could move. With her thick mask, she buzzed, "This is unscientific…"
"What in the Warp is scientific?" Magos Gamma retorted.
"…"
"How are the disinfection efforts progressing?" Magos Gamma asked into his communicator, lowering his binoculars.
Paul's voice immediately came through the communicator, "Spraying across the entire area. One more hour to completion."
"Good. Take your time, but don't miss any spots. Don't spare the weapon vehicles either."
"Jacob is already arranging that."
Magos Gamma asked again, "Alright, is Doug there?"
"Received, Magos Gamma."
"Is the disease monitoring arranged?"
"It's arranged. We've already started checking everyone's health status," Doug said.
"Will it be like this every day from now on?"
"Yes. Any abnormal personnel found will be isolated and controlled. Resistance will result in immediate execution."
"Good."
"How about the food transfer?"
"It's all been moved underground."
"Phew…"
Magos Gamma let out a long breath. He had done everything he could. Now it was up to the Imperium to deliver.
"Ah… Behold my laser cannon! Fire all weapons that can hit these blasphemous things."
Magos Gamma was annoyed looking at the distant Plague Zombies. The Plague Zombies, who still had self-awareness, were also annoyed looking at the "artificial cliff" before them. This "corpse"-aching drop could easily smash their skulls, which was the only weakness on their blessed bodies.
At this moment, these Plague Zombies were gathered, cursing the builders of this chasm.
(Magos Gamma: (▼ ヘ ▼ #))
"These shameless cowards! They use such despicable methods to refuse father's blessings!"
"I'll strangle him with his own intestines, then revive him, then strangle him again!"
"Offer his soul to father!"
"Too despicable!"
"We can't cross it, hmph!"
"What if we can't complete the Prophet's demands?"
"The Prophet's task must be completed. Let more people feel father's love, let Rain Father descend upon this world, and dedicate everything in this world to father!"
…
Magos Gamma didn't have high expectations, only seeking psychological comfort from his 1K defensive measure. Against brainless walking corpses, it could be said to hit their weak point, achieving a surprising victory.
This artificial cliff, in front of people with brains who could make tools, could be crossed with a little effort. But the Plague Zombies clearly lacked this ability. They relied on their tough, hard-to-kill, undead bodies and Nurgle's blessed plague. What use was a brain, such an inconvenient thing?
Magos Gamma on the city wall originally wanted to reduce the enemy's numbers while the Plague Zombies could only take hits and not retaliate. But after a chaotic barrage, the effect was not ideal. Except for direct hits to the head, which could kill them, hitting other locations only incapacitated them.
"Stop! Everyone stop!" Magos Gamma ordered the attack to cease.
"You think I, Magos Gamma, can't do anything to you just because you're tough-skinned, do you?!"
"I'm telling you, I have 99 ways to kill you."
"You just wait."
A barrage of attacks that failed to break through their defenses only left the enemy unmoved, which infuriated Magos Gamma. He began to remove the kinetic weapons from the city wall and replaced them with high-power laser weapons.
"Today, you disgusting things will learn what the omnissiah's blessing is, and what the omnissiah's wisdom is."
"No matter how many of you there are, you can't outlast my inexhaustible geothermal energy. Everyone, listen to my command: 3, 2, 1, volley fire!"
Magos Gamma: Kill one, count one. My energy is free.
The Plague Zombies surrounded the settlement for three full days. For these three days, the weapons on the city wall never stopped. The Plague Zombies did try to attack; they tried to fill a passage with corpses, but when they were close to succeeding, tons of promethium were dropped from the sky, burning them back to their original state. In the end, they could only retreat the way they came.
Magos Gamma's first battle against Chaos ended in complete victory.
Although the Plague Zombies had left, Magos Gamma's mood did not improve at all, because infected individuals were still found in the settlement, and quite a few of them.
The Priests were baffled by the way this plague spread. They hypothesized various possible transmission routes, but all were later ruled out. The spread of this disease was illogical, and the distribution of infected individuals was random.
Finally, a Magos suggested that this might be the "Unbelief Plague," a plague that could spread through thought.
This disease would not only cause the infected to die from the plague, but also make them "rise from the dead" again, pulling more people into their ranks.
Even more terrifying was that this plague was not only transmitted through the physical body; it also infected those who lacked complete faith.
"So these infected people are all those without faith?" Magos Gamma asked.
The Magos nodded and said, "They are all hateful individuals who have abandoned the Omnissiah. Proceed with harmless disposal."
Magos Gamma: Uh… What about me? I don't believe either… Why am I fine? Is high magic resistance this willful?
Faith was no small matter, and Magos Gamma didn't dare to openly contradict. But to burn these thousands of people with a barrel of promethium, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
So he said, "But we currently have no way to confirm if it is the 'Unbelief Plague.' If we act directly, our settlement is only this big, with only these people. Rumors will surely spread, and it might instead cause loyal believers to waver and become infected, leading to a vicious cycle."
Magos: "This…"
"We cannot act."
"But if we don't clear them out, they will actively infect others!"
"Leave it to me to handle. Even if a greater price might be paid, we cannot walk down the path of a vicious cycle. We must sever it."
…
Magos Gamma decided to abandon his "integrity" and do something he wanted to do in his previous life but couldn't, and something he could do in this life but his "hardware" wasn't up to par for—he was going to be an "erotic anime" protagonist, and not the pure-love type, but… it couldn't be explicitly stated.
The reason was that Magos Gamma was leaving the Magos, frowning and deep in thought, when he suddenly saw a man with a shining forehead!
Gamma always thought that Khorne, who only liked to hack people, and his demons were the most brainless of the four major factions in the Warp.
Now he had to admit his mistake; Nurgle's subordinates were the truly brainless ones. To think they could rely on plague wagons to defeat the great Adeptus Mechanicus on the Omnissiah's territory! Gamma just wanted to tell them—you thought well, but don't think like that again!
Once a person's mindset opens up, and they lower their standards, the original problems cease to be problems.
The spread of plague inevitably involves transmission routes: small animals, insects, airborne droplets… diverse methods, broadly categorized into two types: biological transmission and contact transmission.
Apologies, but my Forge World doesn't have a single small animal. How could we survive on land blessed by the Omnissiah without some serious methods?
As for "contact"… well… how should I put it? Protective suits and respirators are the only "regular attire" on my Forge World!
Gamma felt that the Nurgle demons probably had no other choice but to use the "Unbelief Plague," a plague that relies on "faith" to spread.
But "little demon," you still don't understand the methods of my great Adeptus Mechanicus. "Hypnotic suggestion" isn't just for "harem anime" protagonists; Tech-Priests are equally proficient at it.
After Gamma was momentarily dazzled by Jacob's alloy forehead, he immediately thought of the "suggestion" hidden within the blessing ritual, and then linked it to "hypnosis."
He then found a way to deal with the "Unbelief Plague"—thus, the Faith Enhancement Room was born.
A simplified Adeptus Ministorum hypnotic brainwashing process, a fool-proof one-button brainwashing, to physically implant faith in the Omnissiah into your brain.
"This little plague is so uninteresting it makes me laugh!" Gamma smugly told Leia and the others.
They were currently watching the stream of people lining up to enter the "Faith Enhancement Room." Gamma required everyone in the settlement to have their faith strengthened.
"How are the infected in the quarantine zone doing now?" Louis asked the swaggering Gamma.
Gamma wiggled his backside as if mocking the plague's insignificance. He said, "The original version, aside from a slight brain-damaging side effect, is very effective. Now, everyone is comparable to a fanatical believer, it's just that their average IQ has dropped by 20 points, making them a bit foolish."
"Has the plague been cured?"
"Not yet, but the symptoms on their bodies have significantly lessened. I believe most people will be able to get through it."
Leia's eyes lit up. "In that case, we can completely formulate a specific antidote by collecting serum data from these people."
Gamma clapped his hands upon hearing this and said, "That's right! This way, even the pathological changes that occur after being bitten and infected can be cured. Selling it to the Ecclesiarchy will definitely make us a fortune!"
"Indeed!"
"I'll go collect the data now!" Leia said, then quickly left.
Louis chased after her, shouting, "Leia, wait for me! I'll go with you, you can't hog all the profits!"
Gamma: Hmph, that money-grubbing Tech-priest Girl didn't even mention giving me a cut…
…
The scene shifts to Gaius Ventris of the Ultramarines, who was currently discussing with Inquisitor Griffon how to deal with the "Unbelief Plague" and the deadly environment of the Forge World. The reason was the excessive non-combat casualties suffered by the Astra Militarum accompanying them.
"The Archmagos has already replied; they are currently unable to provide us with enough protective suits," Griffon helplessly handed the Archmagos's reply to the Space Marine opposite him.
Upon hearing the news, Captain Ventris frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table. He said:
"It's already a miracle that we were able to assemble such a fleet in such a short time. We originally thought we could resupply on the Forge World, but who would have thought there would be a shortage here."
Griffon gave a bitter smile and said, "The workers are almost all dead, the factories are damaged, and supplies are short. Thedan has practically been shattered; it won't recover for decades."
"Now our losses are starting to affect morale at the front lines, and the Unbelief Plague is taking advantage of the weakness to further worsen the situation. If this continues, the front line is very likely to collapse."
"We must find the source of the plague as soon as possible, but the location shown in the prophecy is too vague to pinpoint."
"If we let this continue, we might soon meet the Warp's evil entities. By then…"
"How about orbital bombardment?"
"Burn the Fabricator-General's last remaining assets into glass?"
The two exchanged glances, both seeing the other's helplessness. Their opponent this time was very cunning. The heretics had seen their reservations; they had dispersed the Plague Zombies into various relatively intact industrial zones. While orbital bombardment could easily eliminate the Plague Zombies, those industrial zones would also be destroyed. By then, Thedan would need to be rebuilt, not merely repaired.
Ventris and Griffon both understood that they absolutely could not do this unless it was a last resort. Rebuilding a Forge World takes too long, and with Mars alienated, whether Thedan could even be rebuilt was unknown. The industrial zones that remained were too important to Thedan, and too important to the entire Far East.
Without them, the consequence would be that the Far East, this imperial frontier, would revert to its original chaotic state, overrun by heretics and xenos.
The only way was to gradually clear them out with ground forces. If it weren't for Chaos, this method would be fine, but this time it was Chaos. The current situation was that the veil between the real universe and the Warp could break at any moment. They had to race against time to clear one industrial zone after another, rapidly reduce the range of the Plague Zombies' activities, leave the source of the plague nowhere to hide, and then crush this greatest root of evil with overwhelming force.
Currently, the front-line troops were short on supplies, and non-combat casualties were high, affecting morale, leading to combat progress far below expectations. The consequences of continuing like this were unimaginable.
Just as the Primaris Space Marine was racking his enhanced, superhuman brain for a solution, the Inquisitor pulled out a stack of parchment from her Pregnant and said, "I have some intelligence here that should be helpful to us."
"Oh!"
Ventris took the intelligence and quickly scanned it, feeling like the Inquisitor was playing a trick on him, yet he also felt that the usually serious Griffon wouldn't engage in such trivial matters. He said uncertainly, "The Archmagos's illegitimate child?"
"It's rumored, but it's most likely false."
"But aren't they barely holding their own, with constant riots within the settlement?"
"That's just the information provided by the Archmagos's side."
"Hmm?"
"According to intelligence sent back by my agent while tracking the Plague Zombies, this settlement not only defended against the Plague Zombies' attack without any losses, but also avoided riots caused by the Unbelief Plague."
"Oh!"
"Their weaponry and equipment are very abundant, and they also have an unfamiliar type of small aerial vehicle, and quite a few of them."
"What about intelligence from inside the settlement?"
"My agent couldn't get in."
"Why?"
"Because he couldn't fly."
"…"
Having obtained intelligence on the settlement, Ventris decided to lead a team himself to investigate. His intuition told him that the key to breaking the deadlock might be there.
Observing the settlement from the Thunderhawk Gunship, the Space Marine now understood what the Inquisitor meant by "couldn't fly." Looking at the battle scars left behind, the Plague Zombies couldn't even cross this "cliff."
"Company Commander, what was the commander here thinking? Digging it so big!" a battle-brother accompanying him asked in surprise upon seeing Gamma's "moat."
"It's very effective, isn't it?"
(Ventris: Don't ask me, in hundreds of years, this is my first time seeing something like this.)
"Uh…"
"Has the other party received our communication?"
"They've already replied, telling us to fly straight in."
"Good, it seems they have no dissatisfaction with our sudden visit."
"Why dissatisfaction? We are the Emperor's Angels of Death," a new recruit who had just undergone the transformation surgery muttered, not understanding his Company Commander's words.
Ventris patiently explained to his young battle-brother, "Because this is a Forge World, and they are Tech-Priests of the omnissiah, not Imperial nobles or commoners."
"This…"
"You'll slowly understand later. For now, let's go."
The Thunderhawk Gunship smoothly landed on the plaza in front of the Mechanical Temple. The plaza was already surrounded by onlookers, and the Tech-Priests were already waiting in front of the Mechanical Temple.
Ventris strode majestically out of the Thunderhawk Gunship's hatch, followed by his battle-brothers who marched out in formation. Their cerulean power armor gleamed in the sunlight, and the ornate decorations on their armor added a touch of nobility to these tall and powerful demigods. Simply by standing there, they made those who saw them believe they were witnessing heroes from a myth.
While being observed, these Space Marine also observed the people around them. This was a warrior's instinct. The people in the crowd looked healthy and full of spirit, and the Space Marine all had an answer in their hearts:
This settlement's supplies were quite abundant; you couldn't feed people like this with just corpse starch.
Ventris's anticipation for this operation grew even more. The next step was to take the initiative and turn the settlement's strength into a force he could use.
Although the Archmagos leading this settlement was quite extraordinary, otherwise he wouldn't have managed to create such an area under these circumstances, Ventris was confident he could achieve his goal using his centuries of experience.
He slowly walked towards the Tech-Priests in front of the Mechanical Temple, simultaneously using his extraordinary observation skills to try and find the leader among the Priests.
Not here! Are they deliberately avoiding us?
Ventris felt a hint of disdain. He was an Ultramarines Company Commander, and as an Ultramarines adept in politics, he had too many ways to deal with such situations. Since the other party was giving him this opportunity, he wouldn't be polite…
"My lord! You're finally here!"
A joyful and tearful child's voice interrupted Ventris's thoughts. He saw a small child… a small, young Tech-Priest crying and running towards him, then hugging his ceramite thigh.
Ventris -..-
Gamma -..-
Ventris: Where did this little thing come from?
Gamma: No one has ever been able to withstand this move of mine!
---
"My Lord, are you here to protect us?"
"Of course, child, you first…"
"My Lord, I'm scared of those stinky guys."
"Of course, you're still small, you first…"
"My Lord, I'm very brave."
"Of course, child, you first…"
"My Lord, if you need me, I can also fight those stinky guys with you."
"No need, no need, it's already excellent to have such courage, you first…"
"My Lord, do you really not need us?"
"No need, no need, you first…"
"My Lord, really…"
"Really, I guarantee it on my honor, you…"
Magos Gamma, having achieved his goal, decisively let go of the leg he was hugging, looking up with a pure expression at the Primaris Space Marine who was nearly two meters taller than him.
Although Captain Ventris was being hugged by the leg for the first time, he somewhat understood what was happening. This child was not right; he seemed to have said something wrong just now. But it didn't matter, he didn't care about such a despicable trick using a child. He had ways to turn a disadvantage into an advantage, and at the same time, he felt even more disdain for the Magos who led this settlement.
Ventris picked up Magos Gamma and placed him on his shoulder, not minding at all that Magos Gamma's shoe soles touched his armor, which he regarded as his life.
His actions triggered wave after wave of thunderous cheers from the onlookers, with an effect that exceeded Ventris's own expectations. He really hadn't thought that the first step in winning over the people would receive such an enthusiastic response from the settlement's inhabitants.
He walked towards the Tech-Priests with Magos Gamma on his shoulder, but what puzzled him was that these Priests seemed to be trying their best to hold back something. But it didn't matter, he was the Ultramarines Gaius, and the wisdom of the Primarch flowed in his veins. He was confident in handling any unknown situation.
"I am Uriel Ventris, Gaius of the Ultramarines Chapter."
"My Lord, I am Magos Gamma," Magos Gamma said in Ventris's ear.
Gaius: My Lord is speaking, children should not interrupt!
"Okay, Magos Gamma, sit still and don't move around, falling is very dangerous!"
"Oh."
Ventris continued speaking to the Priests: "I have been ordered to come to Thedan to clear the Plague Zombies, and now I need your assistance."
The Tech-Priests just looked at him… and Magos Gamma on his shoulder, neither answering nor responding.
Ventris: The local Priests are really too rude!
"I need to see your leader now."
"My Lord, you've already met him," Magos Gamma said again in the Space Marine's ear.
Ventris ignored Magos Gamma, simply lowering him from his shoulder. He was starting to get annoyed with this little brat.
Seeing that the Priests still hadn't responded, he said in a serious tone: "I said I need to see your leader now!"
"But you've already met him!" Magos Gamma replied.
The Gaius was getting angry. He hadn't wanted to be aggressive, but the evasive Magos, the indifferent Priests, and the chattering brat all made him feel not even a shred of goodwill. It seemed he had been too optimistic at first.
"Then where is he? Answer me, Magos Gamma!"
"It's me!"
"Heh, youth is not your…"
Ventris's words were cut short because he saw Magos Gamma simply extend a hand to the crowd, making a stop gesture, and the cheering crowd immediately fell silent.
Ventris: Something isn't right…
Magos Gamma took out his communicator, and his voice came through the sound system in the square: "Everyone, disperse. I have something to discuss with Captain!"
Upon hearing Magos Gamma's words, the crowd replied in unison: "Yes, Magos Gamma."
"Clang!"
Ventris heard something drop, and looking back, he saw that it was the chainsword in his young battle-brother's hand, which had fallen onto the square ground. He understood this behavior, which was unbecoming of a Space Marine, and wished he had also "slipped" just now and dropped this little brat to his death!
Inside the Mechanical Temple, two groups of people were silently staring at each other. One side was Magos Gamma and the Priests standing behind him, and the other side was Ventris and the Space Marine behind him. The silence had lasted for some time; specifically, Ventris hadn't spoken since Magos Gamma's identity was confirmed.
"What is Captain Ventris's purpose in coming here?" Magos Gamma broke the silence first, asking with feigned sincerity.
Ventris: I want to drop this stinky brat to his death.
"Thedan is in a critical situation; we have come to seek help."
Ventris, who had guaranteed on his honor not to let Magos Gamma fight the Plague Zombies, was now on the defensive. He had no choice but to adjust his attitude and lower his stance to seek assistance.
Magos Gamma had no intention of remaining aloof. From the day he saw the Plague Zombies, he understood that a battle with Chaos was unavoidable. The Archmagos could run, but they could not.
Since it was unavoidable, how to participate in this battle against Chaos became crucial. He certainly wasn't willing to hand over his military authority and let others command the forces he had painstakingly accumulated. Not only was he unwilling, but the "engineers" were also unwilling. When it came to their own lives, who would trust a stranger? Hence, the performance in the square. Magos Gamma's "engineers" were all seasoned actors.
Hearing the Space Marine's polite request, Magos Gamma happily said: "Of course, no problem, these are all things we should do."
Ventris: So easy?
"But…"
Ventris: I knew this cunning little brat wouldn't agree so easily.
"Our strength here is very limited, and the assistance we can provide may not meet your expectations."
"I understand that."
Magos Gamma was mindful that he couldn't be the first to bring up the issue of military authority. Whoever spoke first would be at a disadvantage, and how could he negotiate if he was at a disadvantage? So he said: "So, Captain Ventris, what do you need us to do?"
"Mainly, we hope you can provide some supplies."
"Uh…"
Magos Gamma hadn't expected the Space Marine Captain to come all this way just for supplies, and suddenly felt that the Captain opposite him had lost a lot of face.
Ventris, who had campaigned across the galaxy for hundreds of years, could tell from Magos Gamma's reaction that he had asked for too little, far too little! However, he was thick-skinned, both physically and psychologically.
"Actually, our front-line operations are very difficult. Radiation and plague have caused very high casualties. Now, the soldiers' morale is low, and the actual progress is far behind the original operational plan."
Magos Gamma: Are all Ultramarines so adaptable? It's different when you have a Primarch who is good at politics!
Lord Regent Guilliman: Isn't face just something to be dropped and then picked up again?
"Captain Ventris, we will do our best to provide assistance, but there is one problem you need to solve for us."
"Please speak."
"We are Priests and workers of a Forge World."
Ventris understood Magos Gamma's subtext: Don't give me this empty talk. If you want us to truly exert effort, you need to report our achievements to the Fabricator-General.
Since he didn't have to give the rewards himself, Ventris replied with conviction: "No problem."
No one expected that Ventris would send back news within a day that the old man Will actually intended to come in person. The Magos hadn't expected it, and neither had Magos Gamma.
Upon receiving the news, Magos Gamma went to discuss countermeasures with the Magos.
"Magos Lauster, what is the Archmagos thinking?"
"Who knows? You can't think about the actions of that old man Will based on the impression of a typical Tech-Priest."
"Oh, then based on what?"
"He's more like a noble, a merchant, a politician."
"…"
"Loyal, vain, profit-driven, opportunistic."
"The Archmagos is truly complicated."
"So this time, we need to let Will know our strength, let him know that he needs us now."
"Understood, Magos. We will prepare a grand welcoming ceremony for the Archmagos, let the settlement resound with the Archmagos's name, let the legion hold a parade, and tell the Archmagos that we are loyal, united, and strong!"
"Yes, the more capable we appear, the more the Archmagos Will be reluctant to let us be consumed in the war with Chaos now, because every loss we incur now will be a loss to his strength for a long time in the future."
"Don't worry, Magos, I will definitely give the Archmagos a surprise this time."
Archmagos Will's thoughts were not as complex as the Magos imagined. He had simply heard Ventris say that the small settlement he had never paid much attention to actually still retained considerable strength.
The Archmagos certainly didn't appreciate such self-serving factions, but given Thedan's current situation, having them was better than not having them. Overall, they could be said to have preserved a sliver of vitality for Thedan. It was just a trip, and he wasn't like others who liked to stay in their experiments all the time.
There was also another reason, which was his "illegitimate son." A few muddle-headed Magos actually took that rumor seriously and even put that "illegitimate son" forward as a superficial leader, which was truly laughable. This time, he would expose this lie and also give those muddle-headed Magos a good dressing-down.
As for that "illegitimate son," he would let him off. After all, he was an innocent child. The Archmagos had originally planned to punish him, but upon checking the child's birth records, he truly was his bloodline. This made Archmagos Will feel that the Omnissiah had played a huge joke on him.
He heard that this child was particularly good at business at a young age, and had made a lot of money from apprentices even before the war. While the Archmagos felt a headache, he couldn't help but sigh to himself: "Strong lineage!"
So the Archmagos decided not to deal with this child. He would clear his own name and also give this child a freedom from being coerced. He believed that with the "great" talent inherited from him, this child would surely achieve his own great deeds.
(What the hell is this if not paternal love?)
The day for the Archmagos to arrive at the settlement quickly came. Accompanying the Archmagos were the Magos of the Great Foundry Temple, the Gaius of the Ultramarines, an Inquisitor, and a Naval Admiral.
These people were all invited by the Archmagos to witness the event. Since he was going to clear his name, how could it be done without witnesses of sufficient standing?
---
As an Inquisitor of the Imperial Inquisition, Inquisitor Griffin had dealt with many Space Marine; their demeanor might be aloof, unrestrained, fanatical, or mysterious, but he could always feel an extraordinary divinity from them.
It was a calmness that prevented them from panicking no matter what they faced; they might be angry, ecstatic, or melancholic, but they would never be at a loss, always facing and confronting everything head-on.
That was until a few days ago when he met Captain Ventris and his Space Marine squad who had just returned from the settlement.
The feeling they gave Inquisitor Griffin was that they were in pain...
He had initially thought that the people in the settlement were uncooperative, but Captain Ventris handed him a supply list. Everything they needed was on it, and even things they hadn't asked for were there, including various high-grade ingredients like Fire Scorpion and Ant-Ox, as well as fresh vegetables, although the names of the vegetables sounded very unfriendly.
At the end of the list, there were even some common medicines and special serums for the Unbelief Plague. Griffin still remembered their conversation at the time:
"Captain Ventris, these?"
"Uh... yes."
"High-grade ingredients?"
"Yes!"
"Vegetables?"
"...They taste pretty good..."
"Serum?"
"It should be genuine."
"Quantity of protective suits?"
"Absolutely enough, I went to their warehouse and saw!"
"Praise the Emperor!"
"..."
Griffin: You're not going to add a line? Are you going to betray?
This time, Inquisitor Griffin intended to see for himself what was in the settlement that could turn the Space Marine into such a state.
Then, from the Archmagos's airship porthole, he saw armored vehicles covering the mountains and plains, countless fully armed infantry phalanxes, and hundreds, possibly thousands, of flying vehicles circling in the sky.
These armed forces, either through banners or formations, displayed in High Gothic: "Warm welcome to Archmagos Will, the loyal settlement will forever be loyal to the Archmagos."
"(ง ᵒ ̌ dish ᵒ ̌ )ง ⁼ ³ ₌ ₃ ಠ ︵ ಠ Convex "
Archmagos Will emitted a string of indecipherable binary gibberish.
Forging Sages: "..."
Ventris: "..."
Space Marine: "..."
Inquisitor: "..."
Admiral: "..."
"Archmagos, why aren't they coming down yet?" Gamma asked the Magos beside him, unaware.
Magos: Because you scared them...
Although the Magos had always known that Gamma had managed the settlement very well, they truly had no concept of how well. Their minds were focused on the ruins, and their main impression of the settlement's strength came from the troops fighting Orks and hunting underground.
(Gamma: Are you kidding? That's training, rotation. Everyone else still has to work in the factory, otherwise they'd get bored. Don't worn-out parts need replacing? Unused weapons and vehicles are of course stored in the warehouse. Do you know how much effort I put into clearing out hundreds of kilometers around here?)
According to the Magos' original intention, they would express their loyalty, reveal their assets, the Archmagos would be impressed, and they would pledge allegiance.
Who knew that Gamma was even better at hiding things than a hamster? After all this time, what they saw was only a small part; the main bulk was hidden by this kid in the warehouse whenever he had nothing to do.
(Gamma: That's too much! Didn't we agree on universal conscription? Don't you know how many people are in the settlement? Just calculate how many armed vehicles these people need, and it'll be clear! Uh... it seems you don't know, I don't think I've reported it to you. Putting aside the facts, aren't you wrong?)
Now, Gamma, according to the Magos' request, put on the highest-level welcome for the Archmagos's arrival. Except for him, anyone with a higher status would see it as an armed demonstration.
"Archmagos Will, let's go down..."
Ventris spoke, feeling an inexplicable sense of guilt. He didn't know why he was using a persuasive tone when the settlement was perfectly cooperative with them.
"Go down?" Archmagos Will's reply sounded exactly like a woman forced into prostitution.
"Let's go down, Archmagos," Inquisitor Griffin also advised.
Admiral Aleksei, as an Imperial noble and a seasoned veteran, appropriately said, "Since we're already here, can we go back?"
"Alright..." The thousand-year-old mature man, Will, finally compromised and chose to face reality.
As the Archmagos's airship landed on the pre-reserved spot, the moment he stepped out of the hatch, he saw a small figure, whose features were eighty percent similar to his before his modifications, greeting him with the same enthusiastic smile he was familiar with. He often used that expression to fool people when he was young.
Compared to Archmagos Will's mechanical prosthetics, Gamma's physique could indeed be described as "small." Seeing that the Archmagos had already descended from the airship, he immediately quickened his pace and performed the highest-grade Cog Mechanicus salute to the Archmagos.
"Welcome your arrival, Spokesperson of the Omnissiah, Builder of Thedan, Leader of all here, Great Fabricator-General Will."
Will: So this is the child, he really does resemble me.
"Let us cheer for the arrival of Archmagos Will." Gamma's words were broadcast through the communicators to the tens of thousands of people present.
Cheers, like a volcanic eruption, echoed through the sky. This display was much grander than Ventris's last time. For some reason, the Gaius began to feel fortunate that the cheers were not directed at him this time, probably because the previous scene had left him with such a terrible feeling.
Only extraordinary individuals accompanied Archmagos Will, all seasoned commanders. Even the Forging Sages had frequently engaged in combat with xenos and heretics. Everyone could see that these tens of thousands of people not only possessed abundant equipment but also displayed an extraordinary level of organization, and in the military, organizational capability often translates directly to combat power.
"Alright, that's enough."
Archmagos Will spoke, telling the soldiers to stop. His words were also transmitted to everyone through the communication network. This technology was as simple as blinking for him, a Archmagos, but the cheers on site continued, as if they hadn't heard him.
Archmagos Will: (╬ ◣ д ◢)
Entourage: "..."
Gamma: Hey, hey, aren't you putting me on the spot? You have no discernment at all.
Gamma: "Stop!"
The scene became completely silent.
Archmagos Will: ! Is this kid trying to show me up? How dare he?
Gamma: I'm still a child, I don't understand anything, Magos, quickly come to my rescue!
Gamma and Will, one big and one small, one machine and one person, one scrutinizing and one embarrassed.
Just as Gamma was at a loss, the Magos behind him finally stirred. One Magos was heard saying:
"Archmagos, listen to our explanation. Everyone here listens to Gamma, and it has nothing to do with us!"
Another Magos said, "They are all his people; we can't command them either!"
The other Magos also began to "betray" Gamma, chattering away.
"The weapons and equipment were also invented and modified by Gamma!"
"The workers were also organized and trained by him."
"They are utterly devoted to Gamma."
"They are fiercely loyal to Gamma."
"They are completely obedient to Gamma."
"They would go through fire and water for Gamma."
Gamma: Oh, you damned Tech-priest, you sold me out so easily.
Gamma looked helplessly at Magos Lauster, who, to his surprise, looked back and said, "I can vouch for these things!"
Archmagos Will and his entourage looked at the absurd scene before them, unsure what to say. However, they couldn't dwell on it, because the soldiers, sensing that something was wrong, had already begun to aim their weapons at them.
"That's too much, Magos! How can you push everything onto a child like me?" Gamma angrily rebuked these "Traitor" Magos. He felt like his sincerity had been completely wasted.
"Didn't you do what we said?"
"..." Gamma.
"Was what we said false?"
Gamma changed the subject, "Wasn't everything planned?"
"It's only because you're such a troublemaker!"
"You're lying! I'm the most honest! And Magos Lauster, you're such a disappointment!"
Magos Lauster glared fiercely at Gamma, then said grumpily, "Go confess to the Archmagos for leniency, and tell them to put down their guns!"
"What guns? Magos, don't... What do you want to do?! Put down your guns, do you want to kill me too?!"
Under Magos Lauster's reminder, Gamma finally noticed the tense situation on site. He had been so enraged by the Magos' actions that he hadn't noticed, only focusing on arguing with them. This was the first time Gamma had lost his composure and completely broken down since his reincarnation. Why did they suddenly betray him collectively? The feeling of betrayal was too awful.
Rewind to an hour ago. Reluctantly putting down their "Luoyang shovels," the Magos were seething with anger. Why did they have to come now, just when the "door" was about to open?
They had grown accustomed to letting Gamma handle everything outside of archaeology; the kid had always done a good job.
But this time, when they came to the surface after a long time and saw the "grand display" Gamma had prepared, they knew they were doomed. This wasn't expressing loyalty; someone might even believe he was forcing the Archmagos to abdicate. Of course, no one would believe it would succeed, but the attitude was what mattered.
Original plan: Archmagos, we are loyal and useful.
Reality: Old Man Will, behold my sharp sword?
As for why they didn't communicate with Gamma, it was because when they came up, the Archmagos's airship was already hovering in the sky. From the airship's flight posture and speed, it was flying very hesitantly...
The Magos were afraid that any slight movement from their side might scare the airship away. As long as the Archmagos came down, even if they, the Magos, prostrated themselves more thoroughly, everything, though not reaching expectations, wouldn't be too bad. But who could have predicted what would happen next...
After Gamma pulled out the "Can't you hear? The Archmagos told you to stop" stunt, the Magos discussed it among themselves and calculated that the probability of the Archmagos launching an orbital bombardment on them upon returning was 50%, and the other 50% was that he intended for them to die at the hands of Chaos. In summary: they had to die, otherwise Archmagos Will wouldn't be able to sleep!
The Magos, including Magos Lauster, were no longer calm; after considering various options, they found no way to dispel the Archmagos's doubts.
In the end, they had no choice but to lay all their cards on the table, presenting everything to the Archmagos, letting him know that this brat had 'good intentions but bad results,' and that this brat held significant military power, with hundreds of thousands of troops willing to fight to the death. They urged the Archmagos to think twice before acting!
Gamma's loyalists, as expected, did not disappoint the Magos. As soon as they saw the situation was amiss, they immediately prepared to send the Archmagos "to his demise" without the slightest hesitation.
Archmagos Will: Don't they know my airship has a void shield? Are they that brave?
That's why there was a collective "betrayal" of Gamma. Gamma felt he was in the right and that the Magos were "Traitors," while the Magos believed Gamma was way out of line and that they were saving him, as well as themselves.
"Stand down! Everyone stand down!" Gamma shouted into the comm unit.
When Archmagos Will and his entourage saw Gamma speak, the soldiers immediately put away their weapons, and they instantly believed Magos Lauster and the others' words a bit more.
Eliminate all possibilities, and the remaining one, no matter how absurd, must be the truth.
If there was anyone present who believed the Magos from the start, who was it? It was Ultramarines Gaius Ventris, for he had been schemed against by this brat before!
After telling the soldiers to put down their weapons, Gamma completely ignored the long guns and short cannons pointed at him and scurried over to Archmagos Will, saying:
"Archmagos, don't listen to the Magos' nonsense. How could someone as small as me have such great ability? Those soldiers were originally your workers; they have always been loyal to you. It was my fault for arguing with the Magos just now, which agitated them. They must have thought there was some change here and wanted to protect you, which is why they acted this way, right?"
Archmagos Will: I say no.
Ventris: You've all seen it now, haven't you?
Griffon: What the hell… Ventris, what did you go through last time?
Admiral Aleksey: What a talent…
Forging Sages: Smooth-tongued, sharp-tongued.
Gamma: Archmagos, for the sake of how well-behaved and cute I am, please take this step down. Otherwise, I'll be in a very difficult position; I don't want to become a black Tech-Priest yet.
Archmagos Will was conflicted! Why did the Omnissiah give him such excellent genetic material? This ability! This thick skin! This cunning! Just like him when he was young… Oh, and this intelligence!
(Father Will, Mother Will: Are you sure?)
Seeing that the Archmagos wasn't responding, Gamma shamelessly continued to act cute: "Archmagos, you don't know, we also have fresh vegetables and ruins here."
Magos Lauster and the others: You little rascal!
"Oh?" the Archmagos responded.
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Seeing the Archmagos respond, Gamma wouldn't let go, pressing his advantage and continuing: "There's so much, so much more. Archmagos, I'll take you inside to see."
Gamma: I feel disgusted by myself!
The Archmagos, as a person who has lived for a thousand years… No need to say his experience in judging people is too rich; he had figured it out. The current situation was definitely caused by this kid overexerting himself and tearing his "pants" open.
Seeing Gamma try so hard to please him, a hint of pleasure arose in the Archmagos's heart. Being too outstanding is a sin when it's on others, but when it's on his own bloodline, it's just a child being too young and ignorant, with good intentions but bad results.
The Archmagos also knew he should show some goodwill to Gamma, otherwise, this kid might very well turn hostile in an instant. He was too familiar with this brat's current micro-expressions; he had often used such expressions in his youth to crush those who wouldn't take the hint.
"Then let's go see," Archmagos Will said.
Hearing the Archmagos's words, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. No one wanted to die in such a shootout. They could die on the path of knowledge, they could die on the glorious battlefield, but they did not want to die in a blunder during a welcoming ceremony. Otherwise, how would their Chapter brothers and family descendants view them?
When they saw the last page of their ancestors' biographies, full of loyalty, sacrifice, and shining honor: Died in a blunder during a welcoming ceremony caused by a young child!
What would these descendants think?
The Archmagos walked at the front, with Gamma half a step behind. As they passed Magos Lauster and the others, both of them simultaneously snorted, expressing their dissatisfaction.
Archmagos Will: o( ´ ^ ` )o Hmph! Letting a child take the lead, what use are you all! Without him, you'd starve to death in your own laboratories!
Gamma: o( ´ ^ ` )o Hmph! Letting me, a child, take the lead, what use are you all! Without me, you'd starve to death in your own laboratories!
Seeing this one machine and one person, one big and one small, utter almost the exact same tone simultaneously, the accompanying guests and Magos Lauster and the others felt a sense of absurdity rise in their hearts: So alike!
Daring not to show any reaction, Magos Lauster and the others could only accept Gamma and the Archmagos's contempt, silently following behind them.
After Gamma and Archmagos Will broke the ice, the old and the young chatted more and more congenially, off and on. The parade procession was very long, giving them enough time to resolve misunderstandings through conversation.
Gamma complained to the Archmagos: "The Magos are unwilling to manage things, and they constantly demand this and that, as if resources come for free."
Archmagos: "Exactly, those in the Great Foundry Temple are all the same. It pains my heart to see them; they don't even bat an eyelid when they spend."
Gamma: "The Temple isn't anything good either; I almost came back with a new leg after going there. Not a single normal person."
Archmagos: "A bunch of ungrateful wretches and lunatics. They took so many resources from me and then turned against me. How infuriating!"
Gamma: "Why fight wars for no reason? If it weren't for them, my business would have already expanded into the Priest circles."
Archmagos: "The Forge World orders are booked for two hundred years out. Without them, in a few years, Thedan's own Titan legions would have started construction. Now they've ruined it all!"
Gamma: "Archmagos, don't be angry. Your health is the capital for striving. Only by eliminating hidden dangers can we develop better, and only with a low point can there be a higher peak."
Archmagos: "As an old man with a thousand years of experience, do you think I can't see through this? Don't worry about me."
Gamma: "Archmagos, those gyrocopters in the sky are my invention. This vehicle's performance is average, but it's cheap to build and easy to produce. When everything is over, I'll modify it again, dividing it into high, medium, and low grades. We'll sell them to the planetary governors; as long as the price is low enough, there'll be no shortage of buyers. It can also be considered my contribution to Thedan."
Archmagos: "Good child, your invention is extraordinary. You can modify it however you want. For those going to Mars, we can produce them however we want."
Gamma: "Archmagos, the individual weapons on the soldiers are also my invention. They're simple, cheap, and powerful. The Departmento Munitorum will definitely like them."
Archmagos: "Exactly, the Departmento Munitorum likes these. They've always complained that heavy firepower is too heavy and not flexible enough to use. It's just that the people within the Church cling to dogma and won't let go. Yours is good; it doesn't even have an external power source, so they can't find fault with it."
Gamma: "Of course, I've been guarding against those old fogeys for a long time."
Even in front of the Fabricator-General, who was not known for his technical prowess, the Magos, including the Forging Sages, dared not communicate using codes. This time, they used humanity's most primitive method—eye contact.
A Magos winked at Magos Lauster: Lauster, tell me the truth, are you the Archmagos's lackey? Is Gamma the Archmagos's biological son?
Magos Lauster retaliated with his eyes: Get lost! How many times do I have to tell you?
A Forging Priest interjected with his eyes: Quickly reveal something! We're all colleagues now, and if we don't talk about funding, we're good brothers!
(How do you interject with your eyes?)
A Magos returned the gaze: Do you know Gamma is the Archmagos's biological son?
The Forging Sages, upon receiving the gaze, were greatly shocked: We didn't know! Isn't that just a rumor?
Archmagos Will was extremely pleased with Gamma now. His extraordinary bloodline and talent were fully displayed in Gamma. Even his little temper was exactly like his own. He had intelligence and emotional intelligence. It's just a pity he isn't… hmm… hmm!
With his mind opened, Archmagos Will suddenly realized that the problem of how to incorporate Gamma's loyalists, which had originally been before him, was no problem at all. Loyalists are good! Loyalists are great! The more loyal, the better!
In terms of lineage, wasn't Gamma his "biological son"? More biological than those unpromising descendants who were still asking him for money. If it weren't for him, Archmagos Will, being an "old Macragge man" who valued family heritage and family honor, he would have let those good-for-nothing wastes fend for themselves long ago.
How many resources and opportunities had he given, yet not one person could uphold the family honor? If he hadn't helped them, they wouldn't even have kept their original positions.
Now it's different. The "biological son" sent by the Omnissiah, the perfect inheritor of his own talent.
As long as Gamma "recovers" his identity, wouldn't Gamma's loyalists become Archmagos Will's loyalists? Isn't it only right for a father to reclaim the business he gave his son for experience, so that the child can focus on his studies?
Archmagos Will, having understood everything, felt not just good, but extremely good. He truly was his son; at such a young age, he already knew how to care for the family and understood how difficult it was for his thousand-year-old father.
Even the longest road has an end. Gamma and Archmagos Will had reached the end of the parade ceremony. To further improve his impression on Archmagos Will, he said to the Archmagos: "Archmagos, why don't you say a few words to your engineer corps?"
The Archmagos saw through Gamma's little scheme. He happened to need such an opportunity to address everyone. Subsequently, the Archmagos's voice traveled through the communication network to everyone's ears.
"Today, I am very happy, very satisfied. I have seen Gamma's achievements, and I have seen your loyalty."
"Therefore, I have decided to tell you the truth that should have been hidden, as a reward for your loyalty."
"Your leader, your master, your savior—Gamma! He is my son! My biological son, flowing with my blood!"
"Son, after I check your homework, come home with Dad!"