Never before had Inquisitor Finnie, young as she was, come so close to death since inheriting her teacher's position and legacy; an ultrasonic blade, emitting a nauseatingly deep, resonant hum, was pressed against her fair neck, its sonic waves making her dizzy, yet she dared not make the slightest move, for the weapon was held in the hands of the Adeptus Mechanicus's most notorious "Blade-Rust Tracker."
(Blade-Rust Tracker)
"This Guard is really powerful!" Gamma, who had half-risen from his seat and then sat back down, exclaimed with emotion as he watched the scene unfold before him.
Just now, as soon as Gamma's shout escaped his lips, before he could even finish speaking, several figures darted out from the ceiling at an imperceptible speed; one restrained the Inquisitor, who was suspected of being a traitor, while the others shielded Gamma.
This Guard unit was given to Gamma by Archmagos Will; although he wanted Gamma to leave Thedan, he was also very concerned about his safety, so he carefully selected a Guard team for Gamma from among the best of the Om-Messiah Guard, a team that would Guard him 24 hours a day, ready to eliminate any enemy that threatened Gamma.
"Cough, cough, let her go first. If it stays pressed against her any longer, the sonic waves will kill her."
"Yes, Magos Gamma!"
The Blade-Rust Tracker retracted its blade, stepping back to create distance from the Inquisitor, a distance just enough to spare her from the ultrasonic weapon's sonic damage, while still ensuring the Inquisitor remained within his attack range.
"Finnie is an Inquisitor, are you colluding with xenos?!" Gamma sternly questioned the Inquisitor, who was suspected of heresy.
("Blood": Confess, or I'll show you the perverted methods of the Tech-priest! Inquisitor Yuan Ren!
"Cough, Magos Gamma, you misunderstand, I am loyal!"
"Hmph, traitors always claim to be loyal before they're exposed! What is your conspiracy with the xenos? Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite!"
The female Inquisitor rubbed her temples, suppressing her nausea as she explained to Gamma:
"Magos, this 'Purge the Xenos Crusade' has already deviated from its original plan; continuing this stalemate will only deplete the Empire's strength in the Far East, and doing so will give other xenos and heretics an opportunity."
"Uh…" Gamma, unaware of the situation, didn't know whether to believe her.
"The T'au are also facing this situation, so some among them wish to end this war through peace talks, and the same is true among us."
"'Some among'?"
The Inquisitor smiled wryly: "Where there are those who advocate for peace, there are those who advocate for war."
"Hmm, but if that's all it is, do you need to hide yourself like this by borrowing my name?"
"If it were only obstruction from the war faction, there would naturally be no need for this, but heretical traitors also do not want us to stop this war, and they will use every means to prevent it."
"Hmm." Gamma nodded after hearing this.
"Among the T'au's allies, there are many who harbor extreme hatred for the Empire; once they learn the news, they will also try every means to hinder peace talks."
When will this cycle of vengeance end? Can't they do things a bit more cleanly? Gamma was displeased with those bugs who ran off without finishing their work, but the mistake had already been made, and his displeasure wouldn't change anything, so he said:
"Alright, I understand, but this plan is merely something you peace advocates self—"
"I have Lord Regent Guilliman's personal order!"
"If you had it, why didn't you say so earlier? Why waste so much spit explaining? If you delay the Regent's important affairs, can you bear the responsibility?" Gamma complained discontentedly, immediately pulling out the communicator from his pocket and pressing a button, saying:
"Notify everyone, pack up immediately, we need to leave Eun'er as fast as possible!"
Holding the communicator, Gamma added, "Oh, and bring me Lord Regent Guilliman's order so I can see it. I can tell if it's real or fake at a glance!"
Miss Inquisitor: —
Thus, after Gamma promised the "Big Three" that he would definitely return, and under their "get it in writing" gazes, he left Eun'er, plunging into the Warp and heading straight for the Titan Empire.
Gamma, the Adeptus Mechanicus Magos codenamed "Mount Emei," was currently cultivating his emotions, getting into character; soon, he would go to the captive quarters to console the prisoners, telling them the purpose of saving them—that as long as they delivered a message to the T'au, emphasizing how friendly Magos Gamma was and how well he cared for them, Magos Gamma would give them great benefits!
Feeling that he had fully embraced his identity as a Tech-Priest interested in T'au technology, Gamma, once again playing himself, accompanied Inquisitor Finnie to the prisoner-of-war camp.
Their appearance caused a stir among these scarred, emaciated T'au, who clearly had suffered much abuse from humans.
Gamma surveyed the abused captives, momentarily unsure who the villain in this play truly was.
Could it be that I am the villain? A hint of confusion flashed in his mind, but then he tore it up and tossed it to the back of his head; mere xenos weren't worthy of confusing him; the Emperor himself had said: Xenos must die!
(The Emperor: Xenos who dislike close combat deserve to die even more!)
Among the agitated T'au, one stepped forward; judging by the attitudes of the other T'au, this T'au was the highest-ranking among them.
This heroic-looking T'au, dragging his injured and disabled body, walked step by step towards Gamma.
His gaze held no fear, only the sense of responsibility of a leader and the courage of a warrior.
Gamma saw that this was a tough nut to crack, and he enjoyed dealing with—appreciating—such heroic (xeno) tough nuts, so Gamma spoke:
"You, what doing?"
Finnie (OAO;)
T'au: When did human High Gothic become so distorted?
"Khairen, former regimental commander."
"Yoshi, me Gamma doing, Magos Gamma, your lives saved by me!"
"...Thank you very much."
"Me want you to bring message to T'au, as long as you cooperate, great benefits for you!"
Inquisitor Finnie finally couldn't bear Gamma's peculiar accent; such a tone in High Gothic was truly blasphemous, so she interjected:
"Magos Gamma, allow me to explain to Khairen!"
"Ah? Why?"
"Commander Khairen is not proficient in human language!"
"Yes, I am not proficient in human language!" Khairen immediately admitted.
Gamma (0_o)??
Gamma, left to the side, watched Finnie gibber in T'au with Khairen, and after Khairen gibbered a few replies, Finnie turned to Gamma and said, "Commander Khairen has agreed to your request."
"Oh, as long as he agrees, that's fine. How was my High Gothic with a T'au accent just now? He should have understood it."
Khairen (): We don't have that accent!
Finnie asked speechlessly, "Where did Magos Gamma learn T'au?"
"I haven't learned it."
"Have you had contact with the T'au before?"
"No, this is my first time seeing a live one today."
Inquisitor (o.o)
Gamma, who had been clever since he was a child, understood from the expressions of the two that his self-created T'au-style High Gothic was a minor language and had not yet been widely accepted by the warhammer populace. He could only forcefully save face by saying:
"Hahaha, I was just joking earlier, I just wanted to appear friendly—"
Khairen was quite perceptive; he picked up on Gamma's words and said, "Magos Gamma's kindness, I have received it, and I thank you again for your help."
Gamma was starting to like this xeno who spoke, and compared to the Inquisitor who was glaring at him, the difference was obvious. Seeing how accommodating the other party was, he had his apprentices outside bring in the prepared items.
"I've prepared some daily necessities and food for you."
"Thank you very much, Magos Gamma, I have an impolite request."
"Speak. As long as it's not excessive, I won't make things difficult for you."
Hearing this, Khairen's face showed a hint of joy; it seemed the human female hadn't lied, and this Magos Gamma truly valued them. He said:
"As you can see, we have suffered cruel abuse, and everyone who has survived to this point has sustained very serious injuries. We need treatment!"
These words made Gamma's face flush with embarrassment, reminding him again that in the eyes of the xenos, his faction was absolutely the villain. To cover his embarrassment, he quickly said:
"Of course, no problem. Fortunately, I have a few of your medical instruments on my ship. I'll have someone send them over immediately!"
"Thank you for your benevolence."
During the subsequent journey, Gamma frequently went to the T'au to show his face, and the effect was significant; comparing his appearance with his benevolent attitude, and the praise for T'au technology expressed in his words, his favorability among these T'au captives soared.
Especially after he learned in a conversation with Khairen that the T'au had a food called "Nimo Yi," similar to instant noodles, his longing surged, and he developed several nostalgic creations overnight. The next day, he gathered several "Nimo Yi" enthusiasts among the T'au to taste them together, and Gamma's instant noodles were greatly praised by the T'au.
Even some T'au who disliked the bland taste of "Nimo Yi" expressed approval for Gamma's uniquely flavored, strong-tasting instant noodles.
The cunning little Tech-Priest secretly recorded the T'au's approval of instant noodles, using it as yet another piece of evidence of xenos pilfering human technology.
Of course, not all T'au accepted Gamma; a considerable portion of the captives still intensely rejected him. Gamma didn't bother with these T'au, treating them the same as the others, and he even hypocritically told Khairen:
"You are all victims of war, and your plight is pitiable. I am not an absolute pacifist, but I also believe the Empire has acted too barbarically in this war."
Gamma: Behaving inefficiently like barbarians. This made Khairen of the Fire Caste look at Gamma with renewed respect. He believed that if Gamma hadn't chosen to become a scientist, he would surely have become a virtuous warrior. After Gamma heard Khairen's evaluation of him, he said:
"My ancestors would not be honored by me killing an unarmed enemy—"
After a not-so-long journey, the Gear Boy successfully arrived at the location Inquisitor Finnie had provided. After waiting for a period, the ship's augur array detected a T'au Ambassador-class cruiser. In the Titan Empire, such ships are often used as high-speed transports for Water Caste Ambassadors, Fire Caste Commanders, and Ethereals.
(Ambassador-class cruiser image)
The Ambassador-class cruiser that arrived was the ship of the Water Caste Ambassador who was colluding with Inquisitor Finnie. Now, the two of them were communicating through the comms-matrix, while Gamma, the ship's owner, was left aside, which made him feel a bit displeased. After Finnie finished communicating with the T'au female named Liuying, Gamma eagerly asked:
"So, what's the word?"
Inquisitor Finnie told Gamma, "Liuying has made arrangements. Once the prisoners are transferred, we just need to follow her ship. She will handle any T'au we encounter along the way."
"Alright, anything else?" Gamma, with his own ulterior motives, asked again.
Inquisitor Finnie understood what Gamma was asking but pretended not to, asking in return:
"Anything else?"
(">Blood<"): This little wench, you embezzled the benefits the T'au gave me, didn't you?
Gamma asked discontentedly, "What about the minerals and supplies?"
"I didn't mention that to Liuying just now," Inquisitor Finnie said.
Gamma was furious. He wanted both fame and fortune: fame from the Regent and profit from the T'au. But Finnie didn't care at all about the wealth of Magos Gamma, which made him incandescent with rage.
"Inquisitor Finnie, if you continue like this, I'll leave immediately!" Gamma threatened.
"Magos Gamma, the timing isn't right now. For such an important peace negotiation between two parties, do you expect me to ask for supplies from them at our first meeting?"
The young Tech-Priest felt that what she said made a lot of sense, and he seemed a bit too greedy for wealth, so he stammered:
"...Alright."
"Hmm, thank you for your understanding, Magos Gamma. In the future, I will clearly state Magos Gamma's contributions in my report. I believe the Regent will surely praise you greatly when he sees it!" Inquisitor Finnie said to a slightly blushing Gamma with a smile.
"Hmm..."
Gamma responded with a hum and then stuck his tongue out at the Inquisitor's retreating back.
Ever since the "T'au High Gothic," the two of them had been secretly competing for dominance. This competition was initiated by Inquisitor Finnie, who, through her observations, believed that Gamma's behavior was too unpredictable.
He might do something unexpected if not watched closely. For the peace talks to proceed smoothly, she had to maintain control.
Using the experience she learned from her mentor, she realized that while Magos Gamma was a bit greedy, he valued the Regent's impression of him the most. By leveraging these two points, she had slowly started to gain the upper hand in their competition.
Gamma, who never admitted defeat, naturally wouldn't give up easily. On the way, following the T'au warship, he launched several counterattacks against the Inquisitor, but all ended in failure. After another defeat, Gamma, sulking alone in his laboratory, said viciously:
"Hmph, I'll design a creature like a goblin later, clone a room full of them, and then throw that woman in!"
"I shouldn't have agreed to her plan. Now look, once we enter Titan Empire territory, I'll have to listen to her for everything. It's infuriating."
"You just wait, I've recorded all the scenes of you and that noseless xeno chatting and laughing. When the peace talks are over, you won't want those audio-visuals to get out, hehehe—"
Gamma, somewhat 'blackened' by the Inquisitor's manipulation and suppression, was interrupted from his mental victory method by a communicator alert. He picked it up and saw that they were about to arrive at the T'au homeworld, Bork'An.
Although the Titan Empire is called an "Empire," this designation is not entirely accurate. The T'au government is a democratic system built on meritocracy and nepotism. Officials at all levels are appointed by their superiors or relevant committees, while the Supreme Ethereal, the highest leader of the nation, is elected. Their status is more akin to a president than an emperor with absolute power. Therefore, structurally speaking, the Titan Empire cannot be considered an "Empire" because it is not an imperial regime at all.
A "homeworld" is an inter-system administrative district, similar to a "province," and a "homeworld world" is similar to a "city." The naming convention, taking "Bork'An" as an example, means Bork is the homeworld name, and An is the world name.
"Oh, I see. Thank you, Ms. Liuying."
Gamma thanked the Water Caste Ambassador next to him who was explaining Titan Empire common knowledge. On someone else's territory, Gamma was always adaptable. This diplomat, who spoke fluent High Gothic, continued to introduce to Gamma:
"Bork'An is a center of knowledge and learning. Its star system contains many rich mining planets,
Therefore, the Earth Caste accounts for a high proportion of Bork'An's population, making it very suitable for academic exchange."
"Thank you, I'm already a bit impatient."
For Gamma, who was already at the T'au spaceport, the act had to be complete. Although both he and Liuying knew the true purpose of this trip, the moment he stepped out of the Gear Boy, Gamma had to treat academic exchange as his genuine purpose. Only this way could he deceive others and provide cover for Inquisitor Finnie.
Accompanied by Liuying, Gamma led the Tech-priest from his ship onto T'au soil. Their destination was a T'au academy. The highly sci-fi streetscape truly shocked the Tech-priest. This shock wasn't because the technology was too advanced for the Tech-priest to comprehend, but because the ubiquitous artificial intelligence drones truly broke the Tech-priest' composure.
"What blasphemy!"
"Why?"
"Don't the xenos worry about rebellion?"
"Their technology hasn't reached the point where they can intelligently rebel."
The Tech-priest discussed animatedly, their words betraying envy, jealousy, and hatred. The Adeptus Mechanicus's prohibitions meant no Tech-Priest dared to openly drive this 'Land Rover' called "artificial intelligence." Now, the xenos were driving it.
This was even more unforgivable than a brother driving it.
Many of the Tech-priest, who felt like Liu Grandma entering the Grand View Garden, began to revert to their "petty thieving" habits. Several Tech-priest who had used their tendrils to tamper with drones were caught red-handed by the T'au, which embarrassed Gamma. He could only warn them that anyone caught doing such a thing again would be sent back to the ship for confinement.
Tech-priest: We understand what Magos Gamma means! It's not our fault if our skills aren't good enough.
However, Gamma's warning did make the Tech-priest restrain themselves considerably. To appease the Priests on board, Gamma had selectively informed them of the general situation. Although only a few on board knew the full story, all the Tech-priest knew they had a powerful backer this time, and no matter how they interacted, they wouldn't be called heretics. This kind of "mandated exchange" opportunity was something they couldn't find even with a lantern. Those who could disembark with Gamma today had earned the opportunity by defeating numerous competitors.
Thus, with many jokes and incidents along the way, Gamma and his group finally arrived at the T'au academy. The human visit caused quite a stir in this T'au academy. T'au who came to observe the "humans" filled every space except for the specifically designated pathways.
"Ambassador Liuying, why are there so many people?" Gamma asked with some curiosity. The number of people already exceeded the concept of an "educational institution."
"Unlike you humans, we T'au do not have surnames, and we rarely have family structures like yours. Few T'au raise their own offspring; most send their children to public nurseries for collective upbringing," Liuying explained.
"No wonder. But I heard you have spouses and such?"
"The Earth Caste's population control committee arranges spouses based on genetic information to ensure that the genetic makeup of offspring is biologically optimal."
"Uh—"
Liuying's answer immediately dispelled the slight goodwill Gamma had developed towards the T'au from his journey's observations. As someone from the initial stage of socialism, he simply couldn't feel good about such a system.
Seeing Gamma's silence, Liuying, with her own ulterior motives, immediately added:
"Regardless of race, as long as they believe in the Greater Good, they can become citizens of the Titan Empire. Although they cannot participate in high-level decision-making, they enjoy a high degree of autonomy and are respected by society. Furthermore, as long as it does not affect the Greater Good, any foreign religious or cultural activities are unrestricted."
Gamma nodded on the surface, but inwardly he dismissed Liuying's words. It was absolutely impossible to shake his loyalty to the Imperium with mere words. Without some real gold, cough, cough—it was also impossible!
Liuying and Gamma thus conversed intermittently as they advanced, and soon met the Ethereal in charge of this "Academia-City"—the City of Students. The Ethereal's first impression on Gamma reminded him of a word he had long forgotten: refined.
Gamma hadn't expected to see such a temperament in a non-human creature. On someone else's territory, the proper respect still had to be given, so Gamma took the initiative to greet him:
"It's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you very much for agreeing to my presumptuous request."
"Those with good intentions are our friends. We naturally try our best to fulfill the requests of friends. You may call me Riva."
"I am Gamma."
Ethereal Riva appeared quite approachable. Not only did he speak fluent and pure High Gothic, but he could even discuss some human customs with Gamma. Gamma could only go along with it; as someone who grew up on a Forge World, he knew nothing about the customs of remote human worlds.
But with Gamma's intentional cooperation, the atmosphere of this meeting was quite harmonious, showing no sign that humans and T'au were locked in a life-and-death struggle.
Ethereal Riva gave Gamma the title of exchange scholar, allowing Gamma free access to this Academia-City. However, the other Tech-priest were not so lucky; they could only move with Gamma.
As for Inquisitor Finnie, after meeting Ethereal Riva, she abandoned Gamma and his group and disappeared to who knows where. This left Gamma momentarily unsure of what to do, as he truly didn't know what academic exchange entailed.
He couldn't possibly exchange ideas using the Adeptus Mechanicus's methods, could he?
Just as Gamma was beginning to consider whether he should return to the Gear Boy to bring down a squad of castellan robots, the T'au approached him, wanting to know if he would be willing to give a public lecture.
Gamma did not refuse this request; it presented a perfect opportunity to break the ice. He could attract T'au interested in him by proactively extending goodwill, thereby achieving the goal of academic exchange. Otherwise, doing nothing would make anyone suspect that Gamma's visit had an ulterior motive.
However, this request was so normal that it made Gamma uncomfortable. He couldn't tell if he was abnormal or if the T'au were too normal, giving him a sense of déjà vu, like returning to normal society after spending too long in a mental hospital.
The public lecture was scheduled for the next day. Using the excuse that he needed to go back and prepare, Gamma left the academy city and returned to the Gear Boy. Since he wanted to extend goodwill, he thought he could give the T'au attending the lecture a small gift. Instant noodles would be a good choice for the gift, as Khairen and the others had given them rave reviews.
To be fair, in terms of teaching standards, Tech-priest and T'au are incomparable. This also gave Gamma a revelation: exchange can involve technology, but it can also involve other things. He now plans to copy the T'au's educational model and then select usable parts from it to arrange for the apprentices on the ship.
During his covert contest with Inquisitor Finnie, he repeatedly tried to find Finnie's flaws by checking surveillance, but instead of finding flaws, he found several pairs of wild lovers embracing and kissing, which not only polluted Magos Gamma's eyes but also his soul. Thinking about how apprentices in the past never had such thoughts, he felt he had been too lenient with them and needed to initiate a "study style rectification movement" to make them focus on learning and not on these eye-damaging things.
Gamma chatted with the T'au assisting him through a translator, asking them how they managed so many students, while waiting for the public lecture to begin.
"Are your caste divisions so strict?" Gamma asked, surprised, after hearing that inter-caste marriage was a serious crime.
The T'au assisting Gamma was still a Water Caste member, and he answered very matter-of-factly:
"Free love and sex are not encouraged, and cross-caste unions are even a serious crime."
"I understand your collectivism, but does it need to go to this extent? Why?"
"The Ethereals believe this will blur the biological differences between various castes or species, and consequently blur the boundaries of social status," the T'au explained to Gamma.
His answer sent a chill down Gamma's spine, because the Water Caste member's expression and tone when saying that were too natural, too matter-of-fact. This was the second time Gamma had felt this way. He realized that beneath the seemingly normal social environment of the T'au lay something very unsettling, especially regarding the Ethereals, who were quite unsettling.
"Is this done to better enable your four castes to fulfill their respective duties?" Gamma asked again.
"That's right. The Fire Caste are warriors and generals, the Earth Caste are workers and engineers, the Air Caste are pilots and captains, and we, the Water Caste, are diplomats, merchants, and civil servants."
"I see. Your division of labor here is very clear. Is it almost time?"
"Yes, Magos Gamma, please follow me."
Guided by the Water Caste T'au, Gamma arrived at a passage. After passing through several identification doors, they entered a hall resembling an auditorium, which was already packed with T'au.
Gamma was led to the podium. This kind of scene, for someone who had often presided over large meetings, did not make him nervous at all. Instead, it made him feel like a "life mentor." He spoke through the translator:
"Today, I am very pleased to have this opportunity to communicate with all of you. First, let me introduce myself."
"I am Gamma, a Tech-Priest from the Adeptus Mechanicus of the Imperium of Man."
As soon as Gamma finished speaking, the T'au, still showing respect, began to "understand, applaud!"
"This is also my first public lecture in my life, so I don't know what to talk about. Therefore, I want to hand over the right to ask questions to you. You ask, and I will answer."
But this time, the T'au's reaction left Gamma a bit confused. The reason he only found out later was that if you were to ask a T'au what he lacked most in his life, Gamma's answer would definitely be "the right to choose."
The T'au have no right to choose; from birth to work to death, they have no right to choose. The terrifying aspect of Titan Empire society is that every race, every class, and every individual is deprived of the right to choose.
Suppose you are a good-for-nothing living in the Titan Empire. Don't worry, you won't be executed and turned into corpse starch. Instead, you'll get a one-bedroom apartment, universal healthcare, a broom, and a job cleaning.
But that's it. You're not allowed to pursue other jobs, not allowed to go to school or further your education, not allowed to decide who you love. In short, you're not allowed to create value beyond your social status.
If you dare to cross the line, you will be sent for re-education. If you cross it again, you will be re-re-educated, and so on, until you no longer transgress. But they won't execute you, because that's not the "Greater Good."
From infancy, T'au were collectively raised and instilled with these ideals. Their growth process also demanded such adherence. When Gamma gave these students the right to choose the questions, they didn't know how to choose.
Seeing that no one was asking questions, to avoid an awkward silence, Gamma had no choice but to continue:
"You don't have to worry about asking sensitive topics. For such questions, I will choose to avoid them, so feel free to ask anything you want."
Fortunately, rebellious students exist everywhere. The natural instincts of living beings can be tamed, but not eradicated. Finally, a T'au stood up and asked:
"What is a Tech-Priest? Is it an engineer?"
"That's a good question. In my opinion, the duties of a Tech-Priest are similar to an engineer, but strictly speaking, we are clergy, Priests of the omnissiah, followers of the omnissiah."
Gamma's answer left the T'au present feeling bewildered. They couldn't understand how science and theology could be combined, and another reason was that the T'au are atheists; in their education, gods are considered false.
At this point, another T'au asked: "Magos Gamma, can you tell us the reason why humans attack us, and why you are so hostile to other races?"
"This question is difficult to answer. The specific truth has been buried by time, but the only thing that is certain is that we humans once treated xenos like you, but they betrayed us."
Gamma's answer caused a stir among the T'au present. They had not expected such an answer from Gamma. Since the disaster of the T'au's Fourth Sphere Expansion, the T'au's attitude towards auxiliary races had subtly changed. Although the Ethereals had blocked related information, there is no such thing as a completely airtight wall.
"This universe is far less peaceful than you imagine. I believe you must have witnessed the dangers of some races, such as the Greenskins and the Tyranid."
"As for the reason the Imperium attacks you, although I can tell you, you won't like the answer."
The T'au who asked the question did not sit down. He continued to ask: "Please tell us!"
"Attacking you, in the eyes of the Imperium, is merely the cleaning and suppression of xenos who threaten the frontier, nothing more."
"Thank you very much for your honesty, Scholar Gamma."
"Honesty is the prerequisite for communication, isn't it? Does anyone else have questions?" Gamma asked.
Next, several more T'au asked questions, and Gamma answered each one. Because they were all students, they had not personally experienced the harsh realities of the Imperium of Man, so their attitude towards Gamma was still friendly, without any aggressive remarks. Of course, this was also due to the T'au's weak family concept; they had little affection even for their biological parents, let alone others.
Overall, Gamma's first public lecture was a success, especially after the students who received instant noodles went back and tried them. Their attitude towards Gamma was noticeably better than towards others. After discovering that instant noodles' diplomatic properties remained strong among students even in 42K, Gamma proactively gave the recipe and production process for instant noodles to the T'au, which directly elevated Gamma's reputation in this "Academy City" to "Friendly." To achieve such a feat as a human, it was enough for Gamma to be subjected to "white phosphorus execution"!
Gamma only took a little over a week to acquire another title, "Tutoring Instructor." This title allowed Gamma to participate in T'au training courses. For example, he was currently having his bodyguard teach the Fire Caste the sacred art of close combat.
"Among the warriors who have made a name for themselves in the galaxy, none are known to rely solely on guns; they all rely on close combat to defeat their opponents," Gamma lectured the Fire Caste members on the training ground, imparting the "Way of the Warrior."
"Magos Gamma, I don't understand why?" asked an apprentice with a bruised and swollen face.
"Various shield technologies mean that when decapitating important targets, ranged firepower is far less effective than close combat. At the same time, a high-ranking commander also needs good martial arts to deal with various assassinations; without them, they often don't live long enough to become famous."
"Is that so?"
"Moreover, I tell you that in the universe, various artifacts with miraculous effects are basically all close combat weapons. These weapons are all legacies of former galactic overlord civilizations. It's not just you who are smart; those ancient races designed weapons this way for a reason."
"Ah?"
"For example, that unnamed individual among your Fire Caste; he is the most successful one in your Fire Caste for hundreds of years, and he has quite a reputation in the Imperium of Man. Don't you know what his weapon is?"
"Remote—he can live for so long and maintain his physical functions, which is related to his weapon. Longevity technology has never been your strong suit. I heard you are still using cryogenic stasis to extend the lifespan of your elites."
"Hiss!"
Watching the flames ignite in the eyes of the Fire Caste members, Gamma felt genuine pride in turning these "heretics" who favored ranged combat back to the "righteous path"!
Since it was an academic exchange, it naturally couldn't be limited to interacting with apprentices; the teachers responsible for instructing students were the primary focus of the exchange.
However, after several attempts to communicate with the teachers, Gamma realized he had been played by the T'au, which infuriated him.
"These blue-skins never intended to have a proper exchange; with the level of those teachers, what kind of exchange could we possibly have?" Gamma complained to Leia and the others, looking like a stunned fool.
"Isn't the academic exchange just a cover?"
The Tech-priest Girl was as tactless as ever, directly pointing out that Gamma had forgotten their true purpose, which made Gamma's expression very awkward.
The atmosphere of their interactions with the T'au was so harmonious that he almost forgot he was actually part of the "antagonist faction" in the Titan Empire.
No matter how much the Ethereals put on a show, it was impossible for them to truly let him access any confidential technology.
Feeling that his sincerity had been completely wasted, Gamma grumbled discontentedly, "Hmph, hypocritical xenos, they only speak beautifully."
Paul then said, "Boss, after communicating with the xeno teachers at the academy, I feel it's quite alright.
Although their theories are blasphemous, they do have some merits."
The others also nodded, expressing their agreement with Paul's words, which left Gamma speechless.
How could he tell his good friends: your standards are too low; I, Gamma, look down on them.
During his time in Eun'er, although Gamma collected a lot of T'au technology, what he truly wanted had always eluded him—the T'au's advanced battlesuits.
(T'au Battlesuit Image)
This caused Gamma's "Imperium of Man Gundam Project" to be shelved.
He had initially thought of using this opportunity to steal them.
His original idea was that once relations were good, with his identity as a "tutoring teacher," he could openly observe the Fire Caste's battlesuit training.
At that time, it would be like a mouse entering a granary, free for him, Gamma, hehehe.
As a result, he did get the "tutoring" identity, but when he proposed wanting to see some more advanced courses, the answer he received was "none."
Initially, Gamma thought the T'au were guarding against him, but after he used some methods, he discovered that there truly were none!
After extensive investigation, Gamma learned that the Titan Empire not only has five castes but also six ranks: SAAL, LA, UI, VRE, EI, and O.
Each T'au is only allowed to do things permitted at their respective rank.
The SAAL rank refers to apprentices who have not yet entered society; these individuals still need to stay in school to study, and there is no clear time required for a SAAL to upgrade.
This depends on the apprentice's personal skill, which is similar to the Adeptus Mechanicus apprentices.
And the increase in rank also brings greater power.
A UI-level Fire Caste can only pilot battlesuits or be a Fire Warrior team leader, while an O-level Fire Caste can command an entire army.
The lowest-level Ethereal can only manage a settlement, while the highest-level can manage an entire star system.
There was no Fire Caste qualified to pilot advanced battlesuits to be found in the entire academy.
The "Gundam" that Gamma longed for was even more impossible to find.
To put it bluntly, the T'au had given him the green light all the way to arrange him here, not fearing that Gamma could steal any high-end technology.
His role was merely to create a diversion and provide cover for Inquisitor Finnie.
This result certainly couldn't please Gamma, who had put in a lot of effort to raise his reputation.
He no longer wanted to stay here; he wanted to return to Eun'er and achieve results using the Tech-priest' traditional methods of exchange.
"Inquisitor Finnie, how is your progress now?" Gamma asked, approaching the Inquisitor.
"Still negotiating, do you need something?"
"Can't it be faster? Countless soldiers are sacrificing their lives on the front line every moment; I don't see any sincerity from the T'au."
Gamma's words made Inquisitor Finnie frown.
She understood that Gamma wanted to leave, and with negotiations just entering a crucial phase, she wouldn't allow him to falter at such a time.
She sternly said to Gamma:
"Magos Gamma, patience is very important now, do you understand!"
The little Tech-Priest didn't speak; he also understood that this was a warning to him.
Due to the height difference between them, Gamma rolled his eyes at the Inquisitor from below before huffing angrily and leaving.
Gamma, who deeply felt that accepting this mission was like shooting himself in the foot, was now very helpless.
He couldn't steal anything, couldn't leave, and had to provide cover for that annoying woman, Finnie, by taking her to the academy every day.
Many unscrupulous Tech-priest had privately approached him, indicating that if Gamma just nodded, they could arrange for Finnie to "die of illness."
Gamma ignored them all.
It was unwise to lay hands on someone qualified to receive a personal order from Guilliman.
Turning hostile now would only lead to a complete loss, and he didn't want to become someone who disregarded human life.
The Inquisitor, whom he saw only a few times a day, had been replaced by a "fly" in his mind.
What he found even more annoying was that almost every day, Water Caste T'au would come to discuss the Greater Good with him.
He had absolutely no interest in the "Greater Galactic Co-Prosperity Sphere" of these galactic "little idiots."
But these most talkative T'au were like flies that couldn't be driven away, and Gamma couldn't be forceful.
He was already annoyed, and now he was even more so.
"How do you usually put up with them?" Gamma complained to the Earth Caste individual beside him.
The Earth Caste teacher shrugged after hearing him and said, "They don't like talking to us."
"They dislike you for being slow-witted, right?
So the Water Caste doesn't like communicating with the Fire Caste either?" Gamma asked.
"Heh heh, the Fire Caste would beat them up.
They have a good relationship with the Air Caste; they cooperate most tacitly, one responsible for piloting ships, the other for speaking," the Earth Caste teacher said with a smile.
"I don't dislike your Greater Good, but hearing it constantly is really unbearable," Gamma explained, careful not to ruin the image he had painstakingly built.
"Oh, Magos Gamma, what do you think of the Greater Good?" the Earth Caste T'au asked curiously.
"How to put it... it's beautiful, but unrealistic.
Although many weaker xenos are dependent on you, there is an irreconcilable contradiction between you and them."
"What contradiction?"
"They can never consider themselves T'au!
At most, they are supporters of the Greater Good, and this is because supporting the Greater Good brings them benefits."
Gamma paused, then continued, "The Titan Empire's too small size prevents it from sustaining a high-welfare society domestically while fighting a war of attrition on the front lines.
Therefore, your tactics emphasize precision strikes, mobility, reconnaissance, and individual initiative.
You disdain the simple and crude warfare of the Imperium of Man, partly because your national power cannot afford it."
"..."
"Once you can no longer provide enough benefits to satisfy your client races, what do you think will happen?"
The Earth Caste teacher ultimately did not answer Gamma's question, but he delivered this conversation to Chief Gui Ling, the Earth Caste's chief planner.
As Inquisitor Finnie had said, Gamma's intelligence had long been presented to the T'au high command.
For such an extraordinary human genius, the T'au naturally wouldn't just abandon Gamma at the academy and ignore him.
In fact, five or six out of ten T'au Gamma encountered who were friendly were actually agents.
Their purpose in contacting Gamma was to gather intelligence, and the Earth Caste teacher with whom Gamma had a good relationship was sent by Chief Gui Ling.
"What do you think of Magos Gamma?" Gui Ling asked.
The Earth Caste agent pondered for a moment before saying, "Magos Gamma probably knows many secrets of the Imperium of Man.
At the same time, he doesn't seem to harbor deep animosity towards us like other humans; in fact, I can feel his approval of us during our conversations."
"Oh, does he have a desire to join the Greater Good?"
"No, Magos Gamma, as he said, believes the Greater Good is nothing more than a dream."
"Alright, I understand.
Continue to maintain contact with him."
"Understood, Chief Gui Ling."
After the Earth Caste agent withdrew, Gui Ling repeatedly listened to the conversation between Gamma and the agent.
As an O-level T'au, his status allowed him to do many things and access more classified information.
This information prevented him from blindly promoting the Greater Good like an ordinary T'au.
Gamma's words reminded Gui Ling of how the Fourth Fleet's commander had purged the auxiliary race soldiers from his fleet after escaping the Warp.
Although the Ethereals tried their best to blockade the news, for Gui Ling, this blockade was ineffective; instead, it made Gui Ling feel that there was a secret hidden within.
"T'au Va..." Gui Ling muttered to himself.
He decided to meet Magos Gamma in person.
Gamma scrutinized the small, old T'au man who had appeared out of nowhere.
He didn't know why the mysterious individual was looking for him, but Gamma had no desire to get involved in T'au affairs.
"Chief Gui Ling, is there something you suddenly need to see me about?
I'm telling you, I'm just a scholar here for an exchange; I have no desire to participate in your Titan Empire's internal affairs!"
"I want to make a deal with you," Gui Ling replied.
Upon hearing this, Gamma immediately perked up.
He liked businessmen and quickly invited his esteemed guest to sit down.
Gamma rubbed his hands and said, "May I ask what Chief Gui Ling wishes to trade?"
"Tell me the truth about the creatures in the Warp."
Gui Ling had tried to learn about such matters through the shamans of the client races, but their mystical and nonsensical answers did not satisfy him.
He believed that a Tech-Priest like Gamma, who understood technology, was the most suitable person to obtain this kind of information from.
After hearing the T'au's words, Gamma's eyes darted around.
He wanted to raise the price.
Gamma planned to exaggerate the matter, making it seem incredibly vast, and then sell it for a good price.
So he began:
"This involves the very foundation of the Adeptus Mechanicus; I cannot bear such a responsibility!"
"Don't use that excuse to raise the price anymore; your compatriots have already worn that trick out.
Name your price!"
Upon hearing this, Gamma's originally smiling face instantly fell.
He grumbled internally, "Damn xenos, who are those heretics my compatriots!
Damn heretics, what exactly have you all done!"
Gamma, whose thoughts had been seen through and who felt unwilling to give up, did not abandon his plan because of the other party's words.
He said, "Chief Gui Ling, I suppose you've also sought others to answer your questions, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"Were their answers unsatisfactory to you?"
Seeing Gui Ling's silence, Gamma's heart leaped with joy.
He continued, "Information about those things in the Warp is not accessible to just anyone.
Even those heretical Tech-priest you previously contacted are not worthy of knowing."
"You sought me out, so I presume you already know my identity, and that's why you came to try your luck with me, right?"
"Then you tell me, for a truth that only the high echelons of the Adeptus Mechanicus are permitted to know, a truth known by an heir of a Forge World, what price can you offer to satisfy me?"
"I know your true purpose for being here!" the Chief said, staring into Gamma's eyes.
"Ugh, Finnie, Finnie, with your level of professionalism, what kind of Inquisitor are you?
You're leaking like a sieve!"
Gamma's resentment towards the Inquisitor deepened.
This woman not only wasted his ship and time but also hindered him from earning "money."
Seeing Gui Ling's determined expression, Gamma had no choice but to say, "The price is clearly marked: you get what you pay for."
"Agreed."
Gamma followed Gui Ling into a secluded room.
They sat opposite each other, looking at each other expressionlessly.
After a period of silence, Gamma suddenly spoke:
"Chief Gui Ling, can I see the goods first?"
Gui Ling unceremoniously tossed out a data chip.
After Gamma checked it with his portable device, it indeed contained partial data on advanced battlesuits—specifically, the XV9 'Hazard' battlesuit.
"This isn't complete!"
"If your answer satisfies me, I will give you everything, provided it satisfies me!"
"I will certainly tell you everything I know, without reservation!"
In the endless star sea, a massive human fleet was locked in a standoff with a Titan Empire fleet of comparable size. Both sides had adopted attack postures, their warships' weapons aimed at each other, but strangely, despite being within range of each other's armaments, neither side fired first.
Inside the colossal, indestructible, and antenna-laden flying cathedral of humanity, Admiral Heladous of the Karaton Fleet stared grimly at the Titan Empire ships on the holographic projection.
After exhaling a breath, Admiral Heladous slowly said, "These xenos are developing too quickly. Our Luna-class ships can no longer handle their vessels. In just a few hundred years, they can now contend with our main battleships."
The Inquisitor beside him explained, "According to the intelligence we have, after the First Damocles Crusade, these xenos began upgrading their warships, but the results were not ideal. Later, presumably with the help of another xeno species, they adopted an entirely new shipbuilding philosophy to construct new warships. What we are seeing now are the products of the T'au's 'Benson Project.'"
"Those Tech-priest just don't want to bring out the good stuff they have; otherwise, why would we be so passive!" the Admiral grumbled.
"Hahaha, don't let the Tech-Priest on board hear that, or your cabin's drinking water pipes will be connected to the sailors' dormitory toilets."
"Uh—"
The Admiral, his forehead lined with black, subconsciously glanced around for any Tech-priest who might secretly harm him. If what the Inquisitor said came true, it would truly be beneath his dignity as an Imperial Navy officer. If it were to reach the ears of those flashlight-waving Astra Militarum ground-pounders on the ship, he would rather perish with the xenos.
Fortunately, after a detailed search, the Admiral found no Tech-priest, which put his mind at ease. Not wanting to lose face, the Admiral began to speak:
"If those Tech-priest dare, I'll—"
"Report, a Adeptus Mechanicus exploration vessel is approaching at a speed far exceeding the maximum Warp speed of normal ships," reported the officer operating the augury array.
"I knew it! The good stuff is always with these Tech-priest!" the Admiral cursed through gritted teeth, then asked,
"What type of ship?"
"Based on hull structure comparison, it should be an Exorcist-class super-heavy cruiser."
"Should be?"
"This exploration vessel only matches the keel of an Exorcist-class in the database."
"Damn it...."
The Inquisitor helplessly watched the cursing Admiral, then shifted her attention to the exploration vessel's trajectory on the holographic projection. She felt that the ship's heading was a bit off. Sure enough, an hour later, the officer responsible for the augury array shouted in a panic:
101kanshu.com Full text, no errors
"This ship's heading is the T'au's fleet assembly point!"
This news startled Admiral Heladous. If this ship's intrusion were to cause the two confronting sides to open fire, he didn't care about the Tech-Priest's life on that ship. But the Karaton Fleet, which had just recovered from heavy damage, might be reduced to its former state. If it were just that, it would be fine; Admiral Heladous was always ready to die for the Emperor. But if such a misunderstanding led to another war between humanity and the T'au, then this Far East region...
"Report, the exploration vessel is sending a communication."
"Read it!"
"Greetings, brave Imperial Navy soldiers. This is Magos Gamma's Gear Kid. We are proceeding to the Titan Empire fleet to transfer Titan Empire forces. Please do not misunderstand. Report complete!"
What the hell do you mean, "Please do not misunderstand"?!
"Report!"
"Speak!"
"The Titan Empire fleet's ship positions have changed!"
"Hmm?"
"They are forming a welcoming formation!"
Admiral Heladous: Heh heh, finally, an opportunity to legitimately deal with a Tech-Priest. This is great!
Gamma did not know that his Imperial allies were contemplating how to kill him. The reason he was heading his ship towards the T'au fleet was the same as the content of the communication he sent to the human fleet: there were tens of thousands of T'au on the Gear Kid. As for why he had T'au on his ship, that story began when he was still on Bork'An.
Originally, Gamma, who was waiting at the T'au homeworld, planned to leave after receiving news that the armistice agreement had been officially signed. But with the war over, there was no need for him to return to Eun'er. The question of where to go next once again lay before Gamma. As for sending the Inquisitor lady back, the vindictive and mischievous Gear Kid had no such intention. Gamma, having already achieved "fame and fortune," looked at Inquisitor Finnie in a way that made the psychologically astute Inquisitor realize he was plotting how to torment her. This left the young and beautiful Inquisitor lady with nothing but annoyance and no way to deal with Gamma.
Just as Gamma was planning to find a particularly remote planet to drop off the Inquisitor lady before considering his future itinerary, the T'au approached him, asking for his help in transporting a batch of graduating apprentices. The T'au offered a considerable shipping fee, which greatly tempted Gamma, so he agreed. However, after agreeing and understanding the situation, he regretted it.
It turned out that the armistice between humanity and the T'au had external factors. A Tyranid hive fleet was rampaging through the Far East.
Furthermore, the predicted trajectory of this Tyranid hive fleet indicated that several important human and T'au worlds were under threat from the Tyranid, which prompted this peace talk.
To counter the Tyranid threat, humanity and the T'au not only reached an armistice agreement but also a cooperation agreement. The content of the cooperation was that both sides would temporarily set aside their past grievances and work together to eliminate this Tyranid hive fleet.
This batch of graduating T'au apprentices was meant to replenish the T'au fleet's personnel. Due to time constraints, the T'au's Warp travel speed, which was prone to 'skipping stones,' could not deliver the apprentices in time, which was why they sought out Gamma.
Upon receiving this news, Gamma briefly suspected that he had been manipulated by the blue-skinned xenos. Such blatant collusion with xenos right under the Imperium's nose would surely put him, a "loyal and capable officer," in a compromising position.
The shameless Gear Kid immediately went back on his word, but after the T'au quadrupled the shipping fee, the Tech-Priest forgot his loyalty and became the T'au's good friend again.
However, there was a price. To find a weighty witness for himself, Gamma once again employed his long-sealed ultimate technique—clinging to the Inquisitor lady's leg. After signing various unequal treaties, he gained Inquisitor Finnie's consent, leading to the scene at the beginning.
Upon returning to the human fleet amidst the T'au commander's thanks, the first thing Gamma did was drag Inquisitor Finnie to pay his respects. He didn't want his own people to misunderstand; he and the T'au were innocent.
Gamma didn't expect that as soon as he arrived on the Admiral's flagship, he would see General Nick, Chapter Master Douglas, and Canoness Sali waiting for him on the flight deck. The three of them were extremely enthusiastic upon seeing Gamma.
"Magos Gamma, long time no see. I didn't expect to meet you here."
"When I woke up today, I had a premonition that something good would happen, but I never expected it to be such a joyous occasion as reuniting with Magos Gamma."
"The sisters of the order have always missed Magos Gamma."
"Greetings, three esteemed ones. Why are you here?" Gamma asked curiously.
Why were the three of them there? Of course, it was because after the Eun'er conflict ended, the Far East Command retained only the necessary defensive forces from the original Expeditionary Force, reassigning the rest to the joint fleet organized to counter the Tyranid threat. Of the three, only General Nick was reassigned; the Space Marine and Battle Sisters joined voluntarily.
The Gear Kid, being detected by the Admiral's ship's augury array, was naturally also detected by other ships. The Chapter Master of the Penitent Crusaders soon received notification from his battle brothers: their Magos Gamma had arrived!
Upon understanding the situation, Chapter Master Douglas knew that Gamma would certainly go to the naval flagship to explain. He immediately decided to wait for him there. Going alone to welcome Magos Gamma would seem too abrupt and would also lead to accusations of hoarding from the Astra Militarum General and the Canoness. So, the Space Marine Chapter Master notified the other two, who also missed Magos Gamma, to go together.
After listening to Douglas's "tweaked" explanation, Gamma thanked the three, saying, "So that's it. Thank you for coming to greet me."
"Of course. Why are you here, Magos Gamma?"
"Inquisitor Finnie's mission to the Titan Empire was actually for the armistice, which also forced me to stay in the Titan Empire for a long time. Later, when I planned to leave, those blue-skinned xenos used the Tyranid threat as an excuse to make me help them transport fleet reinforcements. I originally refused outright; who would want to help xenos!"
"But the xenos then said that my refusal would disrupt the cooperation. In short, they came up with all sorts of excuses and reasons. I finally had no choice but to make the trip. Inquisitor Finnie was present the entire time; she knows how despicable those xenos' shameless faces were at the time, isn't that right, Miss Finnie! Miss Finnie!"
"Yes, yes, yes," the Inquisitor lady replied testily.
Gamma secretly poked the Inquisitor, who had taken benefits but wasn't doing her part. The Inquisitor lady, receiving Gamma's reminder, merely glared down at the furious Gear Kid without any other reaction.
The three people opposite were all astute and had dealt with Tech-priest before. They immediately saw that something was amiss. Magos Gamma must have received benefits from the T'au to make this trip. But to suggest that Gamma would do anything to harm the Imperium's interests, they absolutely wouldn't believe it. They had personally witnessed how proactive Magos Gamma was in fighting xenos.
"The xenos are truly utterly shameless!"
"Truly despicable."
"These blue-skinned xenos are very hypocritical!"
The three, with their words, set the tone for Gamma's situation: it was all the xenos' fault. The loyal Magos Gamma was coerced by the shameless xenos and transported troops for them out of consideration for the greater good!
Inquisitor Finnie's popularity differed from Gamma's, but what she didn't know was that Gamma, having gained human support, was already considering whether to tear up the unequal treaty.