But when he tried to take another step, he found that he couldn't move his leg forward no matter what.
"?"
He turned back in surprise, only to find that all the Adeptus Custodes in the path of the current were immobilized, just like him. These mechanical warriors, who had undergone the Adeptus Mechanicus' most rigorous modifications, were now no different from Mortals paralyzed by an electric current!
Magos Lifar's heart sank. He quickly activated the diagnostic program within his body, only to discover that a microscopic electronic virus was continuously injecting itself into his body from the current.
He suddenly widened his eyes, staring in disbelief at the paralysis trap on the ground.
It's over.
This was the only thought in Lifar's mind.
This trap, it really was a trap!
Kurland stared at the Adeptus Custodes who had fallen into the trap, then looked at Dio standing beside him, asking in disbelief:
"They fell into the trap... Is it that simple?"
Dio nodded: "You're right, but this is the Adeptus Mechanicus."
This trap was very simple; it was based on the paralysis trap from Monster Hunter, with a miniature electronic virus injected into the current.
Dio didn't even hide the trap; he just brazenly placed it on the ground, and these Adeptus Mechanicus members had already walked straight into it.
Those humble individuals who feel smaller the more they know are ultimately a minority. The Mechanicus Magos, possessing vast knowledge, always harbored a kind of arrogance that they themselves found difficult to perceive. This arrogance ultimately led them to make the foolish mistake of peremptorily judging the trap as harmless and stepping right into it.
Knowledge does not equate to wisdom.
It wasn't Dio's trap that led them into a rut, but their cherished experience.
Kurland didn't understand the intricacies, but that didn't stop him from looking at Dio with admiration. Beside them, the Imperial Fists warriors were still maintaining their alert formation, while the veterans of the Second Legion had already filed out.
"Robbery!"
"Hand over everything useful on you!"
"Are these gears on the Adeptus Custodes useful? Help me pull them off; I'll show them to Dio later."
These veterans, looking fierce, approached the Adeptus Custodes, snatched their weapons from their hands, and some had even started pulling parts off the Adeptus Custodes. They looked less like battle-hardened elite space marines and more like desperate bandits.
They were truly impoverished on Caerulea.
Dio could understand their actions, but since there were outsiders present, their behavior made him a bit awkward. He glanced at Kurland, only to find Kurland admiring the veterans' plunder with a look of profound respect.
"Seizing every opportunity to scavenge usable resources—is this the difference between us, who haven't experienced true desperation, and the veterans...?"
Dio: "?"
Now there was no need to worry about exposure, but Dio felt his toes starting to curl.
To alleviate the awkwardness, he simply walked directly towards the Magos trapped in the snare. When Magos Lifar saw Dio, clad in his red robes, his suspended heart finally sank.
Damn it, it turns out he ran into an old ass.
Magos Lifar's heart was filled with bitterness. This movement-restricting virus wasn't complicated; he only needed a few more seconds to disarm it. But those few seconds were an insurmountable chasm for him.
Facing Amidel's bolter aimed at his head, Magos Lifar was completely stiff. He looked at Dio approaching, forcing a fawning smile, and said:
"Hiss, can we reconcile?"
"We don't have any conflict, so what's there to reconcile?"
Dio patted Lifar's shoulder twice with force, smiling kindly: "You agree, don't you, Magos from Maximus?"
"Of course, that's how it is."
Magos Lifar forced a smile that was uglier than crying. To show sincerity, he didn't even dare to deactivate the virus that restricted his movement.
"However, meeting is fate, as we Adeptus Mechanicus say, it's about mutual assistance and selflessness. How about I share some of my recent research findings with you..."
"Hey! What are you talking about?"
Dio waved his hand: "What would I want with that stuff?"
Magos Lifar's heart sank to rock bottom.
If it were just space marines, he could still work for them to save himself. But the moment he saw Dio, a fellow Tech-Magos, he knew that his precious knowledge would likely not be safe.
Infighting among Mechanicus Magos is not uncommon, and such conflicts are often sparked by the desire for the unique knowledge held in the other's mind.
However, unless the losing party would rather die than surrender their knowledge, such knowledge wars generally do not result in the Magos' demise.
But what did this person mean? He was willing to hand over his knowledge, yet he said he didn't want it? Did he think that if he died, all his possessions would become his?
The more Lifar thought, the paler his face became. He pondered whether to subtly remind the other party that the knowledge in his mind was locked.
But Dio had already enthusiastically put his arm around his shoulder, even taking the initiative to deactivate the virus that restricted his movement.
"How does it feel? Being driven out of the forge world to carry out a mission isn't pleasant, is it?"
Dio asked.
"It's a bit..."
Lifar answered honestly, not knowing what trick Dio was playing.
"We are not enemies here to plunder knowledge. On the contrary, we can help you complete your mission better."
Dio coaxed: "Although merely going through the motions is acceptable, if you perform well and achieve merit, then this perfunctory task can become a stepping stone for you to advance within the forge world, can't it?"
He had already discerned from the Adeptus Custodes that the disgruntled Magos' situation was not good. This so-called Adeptus Custodes force consisted only of basic Rangers armed with galvanic rifles and melee servitors modified from slave labor. Such a meager configuration indicated that this Magos was at the bottom of the forge world's hierarchical system.
For such a Magos, a combination of coercion and inducement was naturally the best approach. And Lifar was indeed tempted by Dio's suggestion:
"You mean...?"
Seeing the Magos so agreeable, Dio clapped his hands with a smile. He actively helped the disheveled Magos stand upright, gesturing for him to look at the yellow-armored space marines around them.
"As you can see, we are the Imperial Fists, and I am the Imperial Fists' attached Magos."
"I know, my mission also includes checking on the Imperial Fists' situation on this planet..."
Magos Lifar wasn't unaware of this group of 'Imperial Fists'; it was just that the previous situation prevented him from thinking about such matters.
"I didn't find any trace of you on this planet, and I thought you had already withdrawn."
During the waiting period of the past few days, Dio and his team hadn't found any other survivors, but they had collected as many bodies of Imperial Fists warriors as possible, recovering their gene-seed and power armor. This was precisely why Magos Lifar hadn't seen any Imperial Fists.
"We suffered heavy losses."
Dio frankly admitted: "And precisely because of this, we need a forge world to help us quickly restore our combat strength."
Lifar wasn't a fool: "So you help me complete my mission, and in return, you want me to take you with me when I return to Maximus?"
"Exactly."
"I'm afraid that won't work."
Lifar suppressed his earlier eagerness: "We, the Adeptus Mechanicus, have an equal relationship with the Imperium... Even a newly formed Chapter must obtain permission from the Fabricator-General of that world to enter a forge world. I have no authority to bring you into a forge world."
Chapter 53: Pointing Out the Threat.
"Won't you reconsider?"
Lifar shook his head decisively. Dio even saw fine beads of sweat on his half-metalized face: "Absolutely not! The merit of successfully completing the mission cannot outweigh the mistake of bringing space marines onto a research vessel and back to a forge world without reporting it! The Fabricator-General will not let me off!"
"Let's discuss other solutions. How about I transfer all the data from my ongoing projects to you?"
"Is that so? Even the merit of bringing back a warning of the forge world's impending destruction cannot outweigh the mistake of bringing us into the forge world?"
Magos Lifar was stunned. He stared at Dio, his visual display reflecting Dio's confident expression.
"What did you say?"
His voice carried obvious disbelief.
"The forge world is about to be destroyed? What do you mean?"
"Do you even need to ask? The ork threat is right under your noses, isn't it?"
"There's no such possibility!"
Lifar flatly denied: "When I arrived, I had already detected large-scale warp transmission fluctuations. The target of those ork fleets couldn't possibly be our forge world. That large-scale warp transmission was clearly aimed at the Hive City planet Terminus. Are you trying to trick me with this?"
This Magos clearly didn't yet know that the ork fleet he spoke of was actually a terrifying Battle Moon, but that wasn't the main point of explanation at the moment.
Facing the Magos' denial, Dio merely pointed to the ground unhurriedly.
"Then what about the orks on this planet?"
Dio retorted.
"Hmm?"
"The Imperial Fists' fleet crashed on this planet. Magos, since you also specialize in biology, you should be very familiar with the ork species' characteristics? As long as they can get wrecks, they can quickly replicate technology of a corresponding level."
"That's true..."
Lifar answered hesitantly, still not understanding what Dio was trying to say.
"Then why do you think the orks would deploy orks on this planet, merely to pick a fight?"
"Isn't that right? They are creatures whose minds are only focused on combat..."
"What you say is true, but you clearly haven't considered it as thoroughly as the ork warboss in this ork tide."
Dio casually plucked a mushroom from the ground. This was a genetic spore of a half-plant, half-creature ork that had already sprouted. Before long, these spores would grow into new Gretchin, Squigs, and orks.
"They sent orks to this planet not just to fight Imperial forces. They will take root and sprout here, creating a new Waaagh."
"By then, this Waaagh, having built its own warships, won't be following in the exhaust of the already departed ork fleet. Their target will definitely be focused on the surrounding worlds that haven't yet been visited by the ork fleet. For example, the nearby Maximus."
Flames erupted from Dio's palm, and he used the flamethrower attached to his hand to burn the ork mushroom clean. Then, he looked at Magos Lifar, who was already breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Do you think what I'm saying makes sense, Magos?"
Lifar froze. He subconsciously swallowed—even though he no longer had glands that could secrete saliva, he still had to do something to alleviate his tension.
His earlier perfunctory attitude had prevented Lifar from thinking deeply about this. But once Dio pointed out this possibility, his professional expertise as a Bio-Magos told him that this possibility was actually over 95.81%!
The initial rough estimate during the research vessel's scan had already informed Lifar that the orks on this planet numbered in the millions. Coupled with the ork mushrooms still growing, the orks with spacefaring capabilities would eventually number at least in the tens of millions.
He had previously been immersed in the inertia of thinking that the orks were not heading towards their forge world, completely failing to consider that no one could escape unscathed in this spreading Green Tide.
Especially since ork technology relies on the technological products they can loot, and now there's a forge world right next to this group of orks. As soon as they discover this forge world, how could this group of orks possibly abandon such a juicy target?
Even if it wasn't in the main direction of the ork advance, Maximus would at least be besieged by tens of millions of orks!
Maximus being besieged by orks, such a thing must not happen!
At least, not until I've fled, no... not until I've transferred all my assets on Maximus!
For a moment, Lifar considered simply piloting the research vessel and never returning, but the knowledge and resources he had left on Maximus made him reluctant to flee just like that.
He looked at Dio, who had proposed this possibility, with a mournful face, and the latter comforted him:
"It's alright, don't we still have us? You know that orks are a species that needs a leader. As long as the forge world can help the Imperial Fists Chapter restore its combat strength, this elite team of astartes can penetrate deep into the ork forces and decapitate their leading warboss."
"As long as you bring us back, when the ork invasion happens, you will be the greatest hero in saving the forge world!"
"Then why don't you kill these ork leaders now? That would delay things a lot, wouldn't it?"
Lifar suggested tentatively.
"Ha, and let you freeload on that extra time we bought?"
Dio shook his head: "I came out of the Adeptus Mechanicus too; I know better than anyone how quickly everyone turns their backs."
Putting aside the immense cost of beheading these ork leaders given their current shortage of ammunition and personnel, Dio, as a Tech-Magos, knew that the character of Tech-priests was the least trustworthy. To make them acknowledge their debt, their interests must first be tied to his own.
Against these tech-priests, the orks' overwhelming army was the best leverage.
Lifar sighed: "It seems I have no choice..."
"Don't worry, in this situation, as long as you bring us back to the forge world, that forge world will certainly credit you with a great achievement no matter what. You won't lose anything."
"I'm just afraid that if they discover space marines on the research vessel during the entry inspection, they won't let us in directly. This isn't about whether I'm willing to take you, but whether the Fabricator-General will agree to your entry into the forge world after I bring you back."
Lifar was still unwilling to take such a risky action. Compared to vague, ethereal merits, he preferred to find a reason to quickly return to the forge world and then pack his valuables and flee.
"My relationship with the Fabricator-General isn't good. If the Fabricator-General doesn't agree and you still try to force your way in, the Fabricator-General certainly wouldn't mind using the orbital defense system to send everyone on this research vessel to meet the omnissiah!"
"You could say we are your 'evidence'."
Dio was well aware of the upper echelons of the forge world; their highly modified brains had replaced conventional thinking organs with electronic logic processors. As long as it was logically sound, they couldn't refuse this 'reasonable' entry: "Isn't it perfectly logical for you to bring back Imperial Fists who personally experienced the ork War to corroborate your hypothesis of an impending ork invasion?"
Lifar was startled, but after careful thought, he realized it was indeed feasible: "Then we also need to collect some ork samples…"
Dio waved his hand, and Kurland, who had been waiting behind, stepped forward with several warriors, neatly arranging a dozen different ork specimens they had previously hunted in front of Lifar.
"Are these enough?"
Dio asked kindly, though there was undisguised menace in his eyes.
The warriors carrying ork corpses took another step forward, their massive bodies casting terrifying shadows over Lifar.
Lifar blinked, realizing he seemed to have no further excuses to put them off.
From the electronic virus-laden paralysis trap, Dio's foresight and ability to exploit logical loopholes had left him astounded. He couldn't help but ask:
"Which forge world's Magos are you from, exactly?"
Dio replied modestly:
"This humble one is Dio, from Underworld No. 8."
"Underworld No. 8?"
Magos Lifar's expression immediately relaxed; the frustration of being outmaneuvered from start to finish now transformed into relief.
"That explains it…"
With all his escape routes cut off by Dio, Magos Lifar could only compromise with Dio and his group. He boarded the Adeptus Mechanicus research vessel with the specimens and Dio's group, then turned the ship back towards the forge world Maximus.
Dio arranged for Amidel to be on the Hunter, which, piloted by an felynes, followed closely behind the research vessel.
If the research vessel made any unusual moves, the Hunter would ram into it with its dragon-head ram, and Amidel would lead a boarding party.
Kurland, however, boarded the research vessel with Dio. The Imperial Fists warriors secured the chokepoints of key compartments on the research vessel, effectively placing Magos Lifar under house arrest on the bridge.
This arrangement completely eliminated any possibility of Magos Lifar defecting or escaping. Magos Lifar could only proceed towards Maximus with a heavy heart, taking these space marines to "claim" a credit he utterly did not want.
However, it wasn't just this forced "reward" that made Lifar most despairing; it was the presence of the knowledgeable Dio on the ship. In the short time it took to travel through the warp, Dio had thoroughly searched every nook and cranny of the entire research vessel.
Dio didn't even force him to hand over data passwords. The machine spirit, which should have vehemently resisted decryption, seemed to turn into a toy upon seeing Dio, allowing him to invade at will.
Lifar could only watch like a victim as Dio tampered with the various cogitator arrays on the ship, thoroughly analyzing all the data on the research vessel in a matter of days.
Dio didn't find anything of value to him in this information, but one thing did pique his interest.
Just as the research vessel arrived in the Maximus star system, Dio, who had thoroughly understood all the information on the research vessel, tossed the data-slate containing Magos Lifar's identity onto the conference table on the bridge.
Kurland, standing nearby, curiously craned his neck to examine the contents of the data-slate.
"Lifar, Bio-Technology Director of the Titan Order?"
Kurland turned to look at Lifar, who was sulking nearby: "There's a Titan Order on Maximus?"
"forge worlds are divided into four tiers, from four to one. Any forge world of Tier Three or higher will have its own Titans, though the scale varies."
Lifar didn't speak; Dio answered Kurland's question.
Kurland was very interested in this information. His mind was already beginning to conceive how to prepare defenses against the orks, and heavy firepower platforms like Titans were naturally what he hoped for:
"Maximus is a Tier-3 Alpha forge world, Magos Dio. How many Titans do you think such a forge world would have?"
"Warhound-class or reaver-class, at most one warboss-class titan just for show."
Hearing Dio's assessment, Kurland was slightly disappointed.
Titans are also known as God-Machines. These steel behemoths, ranging from fifteen to eighty meters depending on their model, are equipped with as many advanced weapons as possible. Their powerful Void Shields and artillery make countless enemies tremble.
But power does not mean invincibility, especially for the smaller models of Titans; the firepower they provide is not much stronger than a heavy weapon battery. A nearly thirty-meter tall warboss-class titan could be a decisive force in a battle, but against orks with a Battle Moon, even one warboss-class titan would be a drop in the bucket.
"You're already complaining? You think these few Titans are a drop in the bucket, but the forge world itself is reluctant to let you use these precious treasures."
Dio teased: "Am I right, Lifar, our Bio-Magos who works for free for the Titan Order?"
Lifar's mood worsened.
"I'll go coordinate the research vessel's docking."
He stiffly dropped this sentence, stood up, and fled from the conference table as if escaping.
Kurland watched Lifar storm off, a little puzzled.
"Why is he so averse?"
"Because working for the Titan Order for free hit a sore spot for him."
"I thought serving God-Machines like Titans was an honor for Tech-priests in the Adeptus Mechanicus?"
"Yes, but only for most Tech-priests."
Dio retrieved the data-slate from the conference table and marked the words 'Bio-Technology Fabricator' and 'Magos': "Tech-priests take pride in serving God-Machines, but most Magos mostly have their own research projects and topics; they have many of their own things to be busy with. Titans hold little appeal for them, as they already possess sufficient knowledge."
Kurland understood: "So this Lifar is actually a poor wretch who was forced to work for the Titan Order?"
"Yes, 'Bio-Technology Fabricator' sounds good, but it's actually just grunt work, responsible for leading teams to check the physical condition of pilots undergoing neural link with Titans. Unless one can enter the Titan Order's management, such work is meaningless no matter how much you do. This Magos must not have been doing well on their forge world to be entrusted with such a 'heavy responsibility'."
"Does this information help us?"
"The help is that it reminds us this Magos is unreliable. He won't be of much help when negotiating with the Fabricator-General here; everything will be up to us… Do you have anything to prove your identity to the Imperium? Give it to me."
"We have a unique code for our communication with Terra."
Kurland was a little strange: "There are no Astropaths who can transmit information across star systems right now, what do you need that for?"
"Just in case."
Under Dio's command, the Hunter quietly docked with the research vessel, and all injured warriors and some felynes were transferred to the research vessel.
Dio only brought Sergeant Arlo as a guard. Amidel, Lieutenant Vigan, Lieutenant Ebo, and about ten warriors remained on the Hunter.
He left this unique code with those who had retreated to the Hunter. The Hunter reversed its engines and quietly disappeared into the deep, dark cosmos.
Just as Dio completed these transfers, the research vessel, gradually approaching the forge world's Spaceport, entered the docking procedure.
The research vessel's cogitator system was taken over by the forge world, and the forge world's docking inspection program simultaneously performed a comprehensive scan of the research vessel's interior.
Soon, the cogitator system, which scanned space marines on board, emitted a piercing alarm.
"Warning, warning! Unapproved species detected. Life signs identified as astartes. Requesting higher authority processing, requesting higher authority processing!"
The moment the alarm sounded, all power to the ship, except for emergency energy, was cut. In the dim bridge, only the radar frantically issued warnings that the ship was targeted by hundreds of weapons.
But Dio, who was already prepared, remained unfazed. He and the Imperial Fists warriors stood by the conference table, their only task being to wait patiently.
Before long, basic illumination was restored to the pitch-black bridge, and a person's projection appeared on the conference table.
The figure, rather than a person, looked more like a machine with a bit of flesh. Although no one on Dio's side knew his name, everyone knew at a glance that this person must be the Fabricator-General of this planet.
The Fabricator-General first scrutinized the space marines present, then turned his gaze to Magos Lifar, who stood far away.
"Error. Magos Lifar, I asked you to bring back several Imperial Fists corpses."
The Fabricator-General's voice sounded mechanical and emotionless. He spoke of this without hesitation in front of the Imperial Fists warriors on the ship: "Perhaps your logic processor is even worse than a servitor. How can I trust a Bio-Magos who cannot distinguish between a living body and a corpse?"
"Cut the nonsense, Augustus!"
Lifar responded angrily, trying to straighten his back to increase his presence, but his trembling voice betrayed his nervousness: "I completed the task you forced on me, don't try to find fault with me here! Let me in quickly!"
"Negative, Magos Lifar. Do you consider this complete?"
Fabricator-General Augustus' tone remained un fluctuation, but there was a chilling presence: "How will you prove your completion? Will you eliminate these Imperial Fists now?"
Seeing that Lifar was unreliable, Dio had to step forward proactively to help Lifar out of the predicament.
"Magos Lifar has indeed completed his mission, Lord Fabricator-General."
Dio tried to appear as polite as possible.
"We are not space marines attempting to intrude upon the forge world without permission, but rather Magos Lifar's 'evidence'. We are here to corroborate Magos Lifar's significant discovery."
Director Augustus shifted his gaze to Dio, this Mechanicus Magos he had not previously paid attention to.
His gaze swept over the Magos' emblem pinned to Dio's chest, identifying Dio's identity.
"Interesting. A Underworld No. 8 Bio-Magos with the Imperial Fists."
His gaze lingered on Dio for a moment, then returned to Lifar.
"Question. Magos Lifar, what discovery requires you to bring these space marines as corroboration?"
"It is an impending ork invasion!"
Lifar raised his hands, attempting to describe the vastness of this invasion: "We must prepare early, or the entire forge world will be swallowed by the ork tide! In the name of the harbinger of this crisis, omnissiah above, let me in!"
Fabricator-General Augustus did not speak.
A silent atmosphere spread, leaving only the chaotic coding sounds of binary code flickering on the bridge.
Dio knew that now was the time for a test of patience. He soothed Kurland with his eyes, urging him and his warriors to suppress the anger that had just been sparked by the Fabricator-General's dismissive remarks.
The Imperial Fists responded to Dio's expectation; their resilient nature allowed them to bury their anger deep within their hearts. They simply stood in silence, making no move that could be used against them.
Seeing no way to expel these space marines, the Fabricator-General in the projection finally nodded slowly.
"Anger. Magos Lifar, my emotion processor tells me that at this moment, I should feel anger at your insubordination."
Despite saying this, the Fabricator-General's tone remained steady. In fact, having modified himself to such an extent, he had lost the right to experience human emotions: "But logically speaking, your request conforms to Adeptus Mechanicus standards and procedures."
"Bring these stragglers. We will discuss this ork invasion in the Forging Council."
After announcing his decision, he shut down the projection. The research vessel's equipment unlocked, the radar alarms were deactivated, and the entire ship proceeded to the next step of traction and mooring according to the scheduled procedure.
Magos Lifar breathed a sigh of relief. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. But Kurland's fist slamming on the conference table startled him again.
He sprang up from the deck and darted to the conference table, seeing the projection equipment shattered by Kurland's punch. He cried out in pain: "What are you doing! This isn't my ship! If you break something, I'll have to pay…"
Kurland glared at Lifar, the anger in his eyes immediately making Lifar stammer.
"Your Fabricator-General, he dared to insult the honor of the Imperial Fists!"
"But that doesn't mean I have to pay for his mistakes and your anger…"
Lifar mumbled his opinion. Members of the Adeptus Mechanicus are only so brave when it concerns their own vital interests.
"The Adeptus Mechanicus is a combination of selfishness and opportunism, and the Fabricator-General at the apex of the Adeptus Mechanicus is the epitome of this."
Dio saw it clearly: "A Chapter that has suffered heavy losses, even a founding Chapter, he certainly has the capital to look down on them. Kurland, we are in need of something from him now."
"I understand that."
Kurland sighed: "I just don't know… how much longer I can endure."
The heavy responsibility of defending Terra now rested upon him, and he had not fully emerged from the shadow of the Chapter's near annihilation. Even for the resilient Sons of Dorn, their patience was not limitless.
Dio reassuringly patted his shoulder.
"It won't be for too long, trust me."
However, Dio did not say everything.
In fact, a Fabricator-General of a forge world showing such contempt for an Adeptus astartes Chapter was indeed rare.
Normally, even if a forge world secretly looked down on a destitute Chapter, they wouldn't mind a normal transaction to build goodwill.
For the astartes, who value honor and promises, a single act of timely aid would be enough for them to incur an honor debt, allowing a single company to be at the forge world's disposal once. Which of those Tech-priests with many enemies wouldn't wish to have a group of astartes working for them?
This Fabricator-General, who dared to disrespect a founding Chapter, must certainly have his own agenda and secrets… The research vessel and the Spaceport officially docked. Guided by servitors, the group leaving the research vessel entered the Spaceport's elevator. As agreed, Dio and his group would be directly guided to Maximus' Forging Council.
Maximus was not large. As a Tier-3 forge world, Maximus had only one main Hive City and two auxiliary Hive Cities very close to the main Hive City.
Although there are Hive Cities wherever there are large populations, the Hive Cities where the Adeptus Mechanicus has established production lines are more orderly than typical Hive Worlds. As for areas outside the Hive Cities, only the mining zones stretching across the planet remained.
Most structures could not be clearly seen from the Spaceport, but the location of the Forging Council was an exception.
It was the most magnificent building on the entire planet. As a place with religious significance, the various production lines that should have covered the entire forge world were all cleared away by the Forging Council, leaving precious space solely for the Forging Council.
A massive mechanical palace stood on the desolate red sands, its cold metal exterior engraved with mysterious binary prayers. Tens of thousands of lights flickered on the hemispherical dome, casting an eternal, dim glow upon the magnificent omnissiah statue in front of the Forging Council, making the omnissiah, cast in adamantium, appear both mysterious and sacred.
Dio secretly clicked his tongue.
This luxurious setup didn't seem like something a third-tier forge world should have.
However, apart from the temple, Dio didn't have the fortune to witness the other splendors of this forge world. All the irrelevant personnel were dispersed, and the roads were blocked, leaving only a straight path directly to the Forging Council for Dio and his group. Kurland, seeing this scene, curled his lip in disdain:
"I only wish they would put this much effort into fighting the orks."
"Then you're probably going to be disappointed."
Dio looked at the roads, blocked everywhere to prevent them from wandering off: "I guess they only care this much when dealing with the Imperial Fists."
After all, the last time the Imperial Fists deployed in formation on a forge world was a thousand years ago on Mars. That time, the Imperial Fists directly pilfered over forty thousand sets of power armor and countless production facilities from Mars. The "losses" incurred are likely still fresh in the Tech-priests' memories.
Magos Lifar, however, noticed something unusual in this out-of-the-ordinary situation: "Maximus hasn't formally welcomed a group of people like this in a long time."
"That's good! It means the forge world values the intelligence you brought back. The promotion you've been hoping for is right before your eyes!"
Dio encouraged him.
"Whether they value it or not is another matter."
Lifar said with a long face; he still hadn't given up the idea of packing his bags and running: "I just feel like I really can't escape now…"
There wasn't much interaction to be had before entering the Forging Council. Soon, Dio and his companions walked into the palace's statue-lined corridor.
The low hum of machinery echoed through this deeply religious building, as if the entire structure itself was a living, organic entity.
Deep within the building, a massive cerulean energy core floated above an altar-like control console, pumping energy into every part of the palace.
"This energy core is the pinnacle of the core power supply system here, and it can also oversee the main production lines of the forge world,"
Lifar explained this unique building of the Maximus to Dio and his group: "Each major production line on the planet diverts a portion of its energy to this core. This not only powers the Forging Council but also symbolizes the Forging Council's absolute control over the entire forge world, witnessed by the omnissiah."
No sooner had Lifar finished speaking than the lift in front of the control console began to rise slowly.
The Fabricator-General, whom they had only seen in projections, now appeared before them.
On either side, slightly below the Fabricator-General's position, a total of eight Magos or High Magos accompanied the Fabricator-General.
Dio could tell from their attire that they were likely the high-ranking officials of this forge world, responsible for manufacturing, biology, military, data, and other aspects.
However, this forge world was ultimately not large. Apart from the Fabricator-General, only the military and forging roles were held by Dominus Magos and Forgers among the High Magos. The other Magos were still ordinary Magos, having not yet earned advanced titles like Logis or Genetor. And from their insignia, the Dominus Magos in charge of the military was also the Vice-Overseer of this planet.
They stood on the high platform, looking down at Dio and his group in the center of the hall, their gazes full of scrutiny.
Compared to the grandeur of the palace, this entrance was quite ordinary. However, the last person to appear, a woman, slightly caught Dio's attention.
She was a blue-eyed woman with reddish-brown hair, wearing a white lab coat, with almost no signs of bionic modification. She stood out significantly among the half-human, half-machine Magos.
Noticing Dio's confusion, Magos Lifar quietly explained to Dio: "Christina, the core of the Titan Order, the pilot of the only warboss-class titan, and also the Legion Commander of our planet's Titan Legion."
Dio understood.
"Silence!"
Seemingly noticing Dio and his group whispering, Fabricator-General Augustus struck the ground with the haft of his omnissiah's Axe, a symbol of his status, emitting a dull thud.
"This is the Forging Council, and also the sanctum that upholds the will of the Creator. Everything that happens here will be witnessed by the Great Omnissiah."
The Fabricator-General's voice was cold: "Question. Magos Lifar, you said that a tide of orks is about to engulf our forge world. Under the witness of the omnissiah, can you provide sufficient proof?"
"Omnissiah above, I swear every word I speak is true!"
Lifar raised his hands, trying to prove his piety to the omnissiah. He instructed the servitors to present the ork specimens Dio and his group had captured, one by one, while simultaneously transmitting the results of the survey ship's scans to each Magos.
"Following the guidance of the Omnissiah, I traveled to Ardamantua and found that the ork fleet had already destroyed all resistance on Ardamantua."
"When I arrived, the ork fleet had already departed, but they left approximately ten million orks on Ardamantua. These orks are rapidly multiplying on Ardamantua and have achieved a technological leap based on the Imperial warship wreckage that crashed on the surface!"
"Within a month, I believe these orks will be able to build a massive ork fleet on Ardamantua and launch their Waaagh! against nearby systems. Our forge world, being so close to Ardamantua, will undoubtedly be the first to be hit!"
"Even if the orks have wreckage they can imitate, they won't build warships that quickly."
The Archmagos overseeing the biological aspects of the Maximus was clearly also an expert on orks: "All data indicates that it takes at least three months for a group of orks to evolve from a ground-based stage to a space-faring stage. Magos Lifar, how did you arrive at your conclusion of less than a month?"
"Of course, based on their technological level…"
"Negative. The remains of the ork mek boss you provided do not demonstrate that they possess near-space-faring technological capabilities."
Lifar was stunned, and he cast a pleading look at Dio. Both the mek boss' corpse and the estimate of "about a month" had come from Dio. Now that this narrative was being refuted, he was completely at a loss for a moment.
If they had hunted a mek boss from Ardamantua, these Magos would surely have been able to determine the level of the orks on Ardamantua from the corpse. However, Dio would not risk the lives of his warriors just to get a corpse to prove his point.
Moreover, he had other corroborating evidence.
"Magos of Maximus. The reason these orks can launch a Waaagh! in less than a month is simple: their origin was not ordinary from the very beginning."
Dio stepped forward and activated his projection device: "Please look, everyone. What attacked Ardamantua was not an ork fleet at all, but an armed satellite modified by orks!"
The projection device displayed the audio-visual recording Dio and his group made when they first emerged from the warp. The ork totem emanating an evil aura on the Battle Moon almost filled the entire camera screen. As the distance gradually increased, the full view of the Battle Moon, surging with a green tide, was presented to every Magos present.
Even as a mere recording, such a fully armed satellite was still visually impactful.
"This is an ork Battle Moon. It is essentially a planet hollowed out and heavily modified by orks. Although its size is similar to the fortress satellites armed by our Adeptus Mechanicus, it can autonomously travel through the warp!"
Dio loudly explained the Battle Moon to everyone, while observing the changes in the Magos of Maximus on the platform.
"At Ardamantua, an entire planet like this directly arrived in Ardamantua's circumlunar orbit via warp translation. The orks didn't even have to lift a finger; the Battle Moon's gravitational field had already caused severe geological disasters on Ardamantua."
"These disasters led to heavy losses for the Imperial forces on Ardamantua. Subsequently, the orks who landed on Ardamantua shattered the Imperial army's counterattack and remained on Ardamantua to form new tribes."
"Although the Battle Moon has departed, the orks on Ardamantua are descendants of orks capable of constructing an armed satellite! That manufacturing technology has long been unearthed from their genes. They don't need to imitate at all; they are only one manufacturing process away from a crusade."
"This is precisely why the green tide will sweep across all star systems. Even if a world is not directly in the path of the Battle Moon, it is absolutely impossible for it to remain unscathed in this ork crusade!"
Lifar stared in astonishment at the video, information Dio had never shown him before. The Magos on the platform also began to whisper—but only those Magos.
Dio noticed that those who started discussing were supervisors of Magos level, while the High Magos and Fabricator-General remained silent.
The most significant reaction came from Christina of the Titan Order; she leaned forward slightly, her azure eyes meticulously examining the video of the Battle Moon.
To avoid revealing unnecessary things, Dio did not record for too long, but this video was enough to prove the terrifying nature of these orks. When the video stopped playing, the Magos on the platform, having exchanged opinions, also ceased their discussions.
Dio noticed Augustus' gaze shift from the video to him. He, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke.
"Question. Magos Dio, as the Bio-Magos of Underworld No. 8, why are you here with the Imperial Fists Chapter?"
"I was previously conducting research on Chroom and followed their movements to Ardamantua."
Dio's answer was watertight: "After the orks appeared, I, having crash-landed on the surface of Ardamantua, reached an agreement to assist the warriors of the Imperial Fists. They exchanged a debt of honor for my cooperation. With my help, the Imperial Fists survivors held out until Magos Lifar's research vessel arrived, and they brought us back to Maximus as witnesses."
The truth was, of course, not like this, but sometimes a layering of lies can become a convincing "truth."
Fabricator-General Augustus inspected Dio's Magos badge.
Communication in the Warhammer Universe is quite primitive, and it's impossible for different forge worlds to cross-reference each other's rosters, so a badge is essential as proof of identity. The badge showed that Dio had registered as a Magos only thirty years ago.
Augustus found no trace of forgery on it—because it was real.
But Kurland, who felt that neither Dio nor his identity as a veteran of the Heresy should be exposed to the forge world, naturally assumed this timeframe was merely Dio's disguise.
A potential future problem thus vanished into thin air.
With no issues found in either the video or his identity, Fabricator-General Augustus fell silent for a moment. He seemed to be contemplating something before once again striking the ground with his power axe, announcing the end of this Forging Council gathering of high-ranking officials.
"Confirmed. Magos Lifar, we have acknowledged the situation you brought. The forge world will conduct another verification of the actual situation. Before the verification is complete, you are not to return to your post and must be available to the Forging Council at all times."
Lifar's eyes widened.
"No, this evidence is already sufficient to prove the situation is true, isn't it? I don't even get a reward, and now I'm to be under house arrest? Augustus, you must give me a reason!"
Fabricator-General Augustus completely ignored Lifar. He turned to leave but was called back by Dio.
"Wait a moment, Fabricator-General Augustus!"
Augustus turned his head slightly.
"The Imperial Fists Chapter has suffered heavy losses. The Chapter needs the power of the forge world for reconstruction."
"Denied. Magos Dio, you arrived at the forge world as evidence. There is no provision in the Forging Act requiring the forge world to assist evidence. In nature, you are no different from ork corpses."
"So, this is a new transaction."
Dio nodded slightly at Kurland, who stepped forward and declared loudly:
"I am Chapter Master Kurland of the Imperial Fists Chapter! I hereby pledge that if Maximus provides assistance for the reconstruction of the Imperial Fists Chapter, the Imperial Fists will assist Maximus in beheading the ork leader during the upcoming green tide attack on Maximus!"
Augustus turned back, his gaze flicking between Dio and Kurland, but he did not respond to Kurland's pledge.
Only when Kurland became visibly anxious did he reply in his usual cold tone, "Agreed. Submit the manifest. Maximus will provide you with the minimum necessary supplies."
The lights in the Forging Council chamber extinguished, and the Magos followed the Fabricator-General, disappearing without a backward glance into the depths of the palace. Only Christina looked back, giving the clenching-fisted Kurland a deep look before being swallowed by the darkness.
"Only the minimum necessary supplies?"
Kurland looked at Dio, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief.
"Heh, having anything is good enough."
A servitor stepped forward: "Please follow me. I will escort the sirs to the residence designated for you by the Fabricator-General."
"Let's go first, Kurland."
Dio did not want to linger: "We will have plenty of time to discuss this issue, but not now."
Forging Council Secret Chamber.
The Magos and Christina, who had initially left with the Fabricator-General, had been dismissed at some point. In this secret chamber belonging to the Fabricator-General, only the Fabricator-General and two High Magos remained.
Behind them stood a silent squad of servitors. The room was filled with the smell of oil and burnt metal, and the walls were covered with ancient crests.
For the Fabricator-General, these were all proofs of his former identity.
If any knowledgeable Adeptus Mechanicus personnel were here to carefully distinguish them, they would surely recognize that most of these crests originated from Mars.
"The arrival of the Imperial Fists has disrupted our plans."
The Vice-Overseer, a High Magos, spoke first: "Their arrival has warned the entire forge world. How should we proceed?"
The other High Magos, responsible for overseeing manufacturing, showed disdain: "Proceed as planned. A band of defeated soldiers, are you afraid they will overturn the sky?"
Fabricator-General Augustus did not participate in their discussion. He simply admired the crests on the wall until the two ArchMagos turned their gaze to him, then he slowly asked: "Report. Where has the Battle Moon arrived?"
"The Hive World Terminus' star system has currently reported sightings of the Battle Moon, considering the time it takes for message to transmit, it was likely about a week ago."
"Situation. What are Mars' demands?"
"They only demand that we extract important technological data and the Titan Legion... nothing else was mentioned."
"Assessment. These astartes will not pose any obstacle to Mars' demands; the focus remains on the Titan Order."
"It cannot just be 'no obstacle'!"
The Vice-Overseer became somewhat agitated, "Just fulfilling the demands is not enough! If there aren't enough Magos and production lines, our status will...!"
"Not 'our', just 'yours'."
The Forger corrected him, "Important production lines have already been transferred. Only you will be affected by these things."
Fabricator-General Augustus' bionic eyes scanned the two High Magos; the two Magos, who had been debating, immediately fell silent.
"Regardless, I only require that Mars' demands are met without error."
Fabricator-General Augustus issued his final command, his gaze returning to the wall full of crests.
"I often say, existence is everything, everything for existence."
"As long as technology is preserved, the glory of the omnissiah will never fade."
He murmured: "The glory of existence belongs to Mars, the faith of existence... belongs to the true omnissiah!"
After that, everything was calm.
The Forging Council made no moves, and Dio and his group, following the Forging Council's instructions, stayed in the area assigned to them by the forge world, causing no further trouble.
But not everyone could endure the solitude of inaction.
At least Kurland, whose mind was entirely focused on defending Terra, could not.
The mission of the Imperial Fists called to him, yet he had done nothing.
This growing anxiety, the feeling of drifting further from his goal, scorched him, making the Son of Dorn increasingly intolerant of his current situation.
"I don't understand why, when I swore an oath on the Chapter's honor, all I received were the most basic supplies!"
Kurland paced back and forth in frustration, complaining to Dio, who was tending to some machinery nearby: "I've already promised to step forward in the war against the orks, yet they don't believe in our strength!"
"A few organs and thirty sets of MK5 power armor? Such provisions are akin to charity! It's practically an insult to us!"
"Relax, Kurland.
The Imperial Fists' desperate situation has made you too focused on past glories and others' doubts, but in reality, we only need to concentrate on the task at hand."
Dio didn't even look up at Kurland.
He was focused on his work, his mechanical movements like some kind of ritual: "Besides, this forge world doesn't even have a complete power armor production line; it's a pleasant surprise that they could even produce thirty sets of power armor."
Kurland remained dissatisfied: "At least they should have given us more weapons!"
This battle-hardened warrior was now as anxious as a big boy.
He slumped down, confiding his worries to Magos Dio, the only Tech-Priest he could trust: "Maybe you're right, but I just… I feel like I have so much to do, yet I don't know what I should be doing."
Dio glanced at him: "What, five days of house arrest is already too much for you?"
"How many more five-day periods do we have to waste?" Kurland retorted.
"We haven't wasted these five days; I've been repairing the power armor collected from Ardamantua and cultivating organs."
"You need patience, Kurland.
To achieve better results, preparation is always essential; opportunities are only seized by those who are prepared."
Dio stood up and walked towards the rooftop, gesturing for Kurland to follow him.
They stood on the rooftop, looking out at the landscape of this forge world.
They looked down together at the harsh land.
On this land, eroded by severe pollution, the exposed rock strata showed a sickly reddish-brown, as if splashed with corrosive acid.
Thick pipelines snaked across the ground like crawling serpents, connecting massive smelters and processors.
Metal ventilation ducts wound across the skyline, like metallic veins.
These ducts constantly released heat and toxic fumes into the already polluted air, keeping the sky perpetually gray.
"What do you see, Kurland?"
"This forge world is very large," Kurland replied.
He surveyed the surface of the forge world, noticing details he had previously overlooked in his agitated state: "Although it's only a Class Three forge world, its scale is comparable to some Hive Cities on Mars.
This scale, like that of the Forging Council before, I don't think it should belong to a Class Three forge world."
"You're right, Kurland, this forge world is very large.
But from my professional perspective, this forge world can only be described as large but empty."
Dio pointed to the tallest forge furnace within their line of sight: "Do you know what's produced in there? It's the Mars MK2 Lasgun."
"The standard issue weapon of the Astra Militarum?" Kurland was clearly quite familiar with this most common weapon in the Astra Militarum.
"Exactly.
However, within our Adeptus Mechanicus, we generally jokingly refer to this technologically unsophisticated weapon as a 'flashlight'."
"But this technologically unsophisticated item happens to be in high demand.
This part of the production is tasteless for Adeptus Mechanicus members who pursue more profound technology, yet it's a pity to abandon it."
"Some more central forge worlds will transfer these low-end production lines to other planets to set up more advanced production lines on their own forge worlds."
"So, this is where the core forge worlds' low-end production lines are located?" Kurland reacted quickly, "Their core forge world is Mars?"
"After all, Mars is the closest, isn't it?"
Dio returned indoors and continued to tinker with his machinery.
It was something similar to a satellite dish, with an antenna for receiving signals.
"If I'm not mistaken, this Fabricator-General should be a Archmagos appointed by Mars to serve as the director, which is why he speaks with such arrogance.
And the reason he doesn't value us is simple: he doesn't need us to carry out a decapitation strike."
"This planet, like the production lines it hosts, is tasteless.
All its data can be found in other forge worlds, making it lack essential value for the Adeptus Mechanicus."
"New or unreplicable knowledge is the heart of the Adeptus Mechanicus; this planet is, at most, a capillary for the Adeptus Mechanicus.
If it comes to a crucial moment, they will abandon this place without hesitation, and naturally, they won't need us to decapitate the ork warboss."
Kurland was struck by Dio's analysis.
He tried to clear his thoughts, to discern whether Dio's words were reasonable.
"…Magos Dio, both you and I are under house arrest here, confined to specific areas of activity.
How did you deduce so much?"
"I already sensed it when the Archmagos at the Forging Council were almost indifferent, but further confirmation came from them."
Dio leaned down and stroked Tom's belly, and the felynes purred contentedly.
The Magos of the forge world were quite accustomed to these "xenos."
Rather, it would be abnormal if a Bio-Magos didn't have two biological experimental subjects by him.
After leaving the Forging Council, Dio, using his status as a Magos, was assigned an idle small forge on the forge world.
He could conduct his experiments here, at the cost of not being allowed to move freely on the forge world.
But there are always many ways; since he couldn't go out himself, Dio made the Magos of the forge world come to him.
He fully utilized the Ailu Cats' characteristic of being welcomed by machine spirits.
He customized a batch of cloaks for these felyness, embroidered with gears on their backs, and then rented them out to Magos who needed maintenance.
The felynes genome had an encryption of the World Soul, preventing any potential gene theft.
This allowed Dio to confidently execute his plan, and the Magos who needed to appease machine spirits indeed flocked to him.
Dio, trading with cats, exchanged many good things from these Magos, including Psyker ashes, and also analyzed the situation of this forge world from the abnormally large number of Tech-Priests and their scattered remarks.
"You really pay a lot of attention to detail."
Realizing that these five days had indeed not been wasted, Kurland could only exclaim: "And I never expected these little guys to be of such great help to us…"
"And there's more."
Dio placed the signal dish he had made from materials exchanged from other Magos onto Tom's head.
The faint golden psychic energy stimulated from Tom's body converged on the dish's surface.
Soon, a faint sound came from the antenna of the signal dish, which contained Psyker ashes.
"We don't have a Psyker who can send and receive Astropathic message, but these felynes do have some psychic potential.
I've stimulated their psychic energy, allowing this device to temporarily turn him into an Astropathic signal receiving station." Dio briefly explained.
Kurland questioned: "Can this really receive any useful information?"
His doubts were well-founded; Astropathic message, in most cases, functioned as a public broadcast, with encryption often relying on pre-arranged codewords between sender and receiver.
For other receivers who didn't know the codewords, it was akin to an incomprehensible enigma.
But in the face of Kurland's question, Dio appeared calm and composed.
"Just wait; truly urgent message won't have time for encryption."
Dio continued to work on his tasks, leaving Kurland to wait there for half a day.
Just as Kurland thought he would have to continue waiting, intermittent sounds came from the receiver.
"I am Governor Cattimus of Planet Terminus, hereby notifying all surrounding planets.
The orks'… satellite has been des… we have already… the orks on the ground."
The words describing the battle seemed to be interfered with by other psychic energies, and Kurland couldn't hear them clearly.
But the sound became clearer towards the end, and Kurland was able to hear the Planetary Governor's final decision.
"Given the situation on the Hive World Terminus, I have decided to detonate three virus bombs on the planet to delay the ork invasion, hoping to buy time for the surrounding star systems."
His voice blurred again, and ork roars could be heard in the background noise; clearly, the orks had already invaded the location from which the Governor was sending the Astropathic message.
"May we meet again beneath the Golden Throne, all of you who receive this Astropathic message.
No matter what, glory to humanity!"
The formal communication ended there, but the Astropathic message still faintly carried the roar of chainswords and the Planetary Governor's shouts.
"You orks, come and fight me all at once!
Don't give me a chance to kill you one by one!"
Kurland abruptly stood up.
He picked up Tom and went upstairs to find Dio, who was cultivating organs and limbs.
The basic supplies provided by the forge world included various organs needed to heal warriors.
However, the hunters of the Second Legion, who had spent several centuries on Caerulea, not only showed no signs of aging but also grew taller and more formidable than regular space marines.
This mutation forced Dio to perform an additional tests on these organs to ensure their compatibility.
Non-specialists would find it difficult to notice such subtle differences, and Kurland naturally didn't notice either.
He simply placed the bewildered Tom next to Dio, then gravely replayed Governor Terminus' broadcast.
"The Hive World Terminus has fallen," he said.
"A little faster than I expected." Dio mused for a moment, contemplating the current situation.
Knowing some of the vague history, he naturally understood that the Hive World Terminus could not withstand the ork attack, but he did not know the exact timing.
Now, only twenty days after they departed from Ardamantua, they had already received news of Terminus' fall.
Even with planet-destroying virus bombs to delay, the time left to them would not be extended much.
"It seems the green tide is unstoppable," Dio concluded, "The Battle Moon has swept through everything, and with everyone scrambling for self-preservation, no one will come to help defend Maximus.
This forge world will also be abandoned before long."
"Abandoned?" Kurland's mind struggled to grasp it.
He had learned from his previous conversation with Dio that this world held no essential defensive value for the Adeptus Mechanicus, but the Imperial Fists' ingrained thinking still led him to consider how to inflict as much damage as possible on the orks by relying on this planet before evacuation: "Shouldn't we be building defenses?"
Dio chuckled, pointing to the transport ships taking off and landing at the Spaceport in the distance, and retorted: "Do you think it preserves the Adeptus Mechanicus' assets more to evacuate after turning the forge world into ruins, or to start evacuating now?"
Kurland fell silent.
Dio heard his breathing gradually deepen, and his fists clench.
But eventually, Kurland unclenched his fists, accepting the bitter reality.
First, the value of providing a decapitation strike was negated, and then even the glory of participating in battle was stripped away.
But Kurland would eventually have to learn to accept all of this.
His goal had to be, and could only be, one: to defend Holy Terra.
"Magos Dio, how much longer until you can finish cultivating these organs and restore our warriors to combat readiness?"
"About a week.
Don't worry, definitely before they evacuate."
"Then we need to prepare a plan to evacuate Maximus now.
If the Adeptus Mechanicus only cares about their own evacuation, we must seize a ship in the Spaceport so that we can evacuate."
Kurland pondered, his expression pained and heavy.
This was not anxiety about whether they could evacuate, but rather he was considering whether to make that earth-shshattering decision today.
"Before seizing a ship, if possible, I also need to seize the Astropathic relay station on this planet… I originally thought that with the help of the forge world, the worst outcome could be avoided.
But if the Adeptus Mechanicus only cares about escaping, I must issue a summons to all successor Chapters of the Imperial Fists."
Dio looked at Kurland, and Kurland looked back at Dio.
Although his expression remained troubled, Kurland's gaze was unusually resolute.
"Before our father Dorn disbanded the Legion, he demanded that all successor Chapters split from the Imperial Fists swear a secret oath together.
That oath was that when Holy Terra faced a crisis, the Imperial Fists would issue a summons to all successor Chapters.
All Chapters receiving the summons must return to Terra at all costs, collectively forming The Last Wall to protect Terra."
"Even though a thousand years have passed, I believe all Sons of Dorn still remember this oath.
And I, Kurland, as the successor to the Chapter Master of the Imperial Fists Chapter, must reassemble our Legion before the situation becomes irreversible!"
"Where is the rallying point?" Dio asked.
"Abra Sector."
"That's quite close."
Dio checked the star chart on his data-slate: "If it's in the Abra Sector, they'll be able to reinforce Maximus very quickly."
"…?"
Kurland's resolute expression wavered slightly: "Didn't you say the Adeptus Mechanicus would abandon Maximus?
What's the point of reinforcing here from the Abra Sector?"
"It's simple." Dio smiled faintly: "What if I defend it?"
Kurland's wavering expression turned to one of horror.
"With just our hundred or so warriors?" He wanted to check if Dio was having a delusion: "Without the Adeptus Mechanicus, how can we hold Maximus?"
"Then we'll seize the entire forge world!" Dio made a fist with one hand, as if grasping the entire forge world.
"Kurland, have you ever considered why, if Maximus doesn't need our assistance at all, he still provides us with the most basic supplies?"
Kurland was stunned.
As a founding Chapter and a floating member of the High Lords of Terra, the Imperial Fists' supplies had always been directly procured from Mars on a large scale.
He had never fought a penny-pinching, impoverished war, so he naturally hadn't thought of this question.
"They are disguised," Dio asserted.
"The evacuation of an entire forge world requires the transport capacity of several worlds. Do you think they can take all the production equipment from here when everyone is preoccupied? Obviously not. They will inevitably only take the most critical materials and personnel. Everything else here will be abandoned."
"The high-ranking officials of Maximus should have known about the Battle Moon's existence for a long time and started preparing for the evacuation early. They deliberately sent Magos Lifar, who had grievances with them, to conduct the investigation, precisely because they knew Lifar wouldn't take the investigation seriously."
"As long as Lifar didn't uncover any results, they could logically claim that the ork outbreak was only small-scale and wouldn't affect Maximus. This way, they could continue their secret transfer. But our arrival disrupted their plans. We brought the news of the impending Green Skin invasion to the Forging Council, making it difficult for them to conceal it."
"So that's why they provided us with basic supplies? Because supporting an Adeptus Astartes Chapters can show their determination to resist to those uninformed Magos?"
Kurland still found it a bit hard to believe: "But why would they do that?"
"Then we have to talk about the organizational structure of the Adeptus Mechanicus… but don't worry, I'll only give you the simplest explanation."
"The Adeptus Mechanicus is a selfish organization, and it always has been."
Dio tapped the floor, signaling Kurland to pay attention to the small forge allocated to him.
"This forge might have belonged to a deceased Tech-Priest… but that's not important. What's important is that as long as you become a Tech-Priest, you can be allocated a small workshop like this on a forge world. You can conduct your private experiments here, and everything here will become your private wealth."
"So guess what happens after a forge world that cannot be entirely relocated is evacuated?"
Kurland began to understand: "These Magos will lose all their private wealth…"
Dio nodded: "Exactly. That wealth is what allows them to advance further in the Adeptus Mechanicus. If a Tech-Priest loses these things, it's no different from directly killing him."
"When the Magos evacuate, they will take their knowledge, move the most valuable production lines into their Forge Ships, and even bring many of the Tech-Priests under their command—but this is absolutely not out of pity. It's because their status as Magos requires these things to be maintained. As for the rest, they never care."
"So, they don't dare to announce that they are abandoning this forge world because they are afraid of resistance from the Tech-Priests below?"
Kurland seized the key point, "Once the news is announced, the Magos who have no chance to evacuate and are unwilling to abandon their wealth will start a civil war?"
"Precisely, and this is our opportunity to seize this forge world."
Dio walked to the rooftop, gazing at the planet's Spaceport, then turned back to look at Kurland.
"How about it? Isn't this much more exciting than your plan to seize the Astropath relay station? Would you consider joining me for a score?"
Kurland fell silent.
He certainly trusted this Magos of Underworld No. 8 who led the Imperial Fists veterans out of Cthonia.
But even though Dio hadn't mentioned a single word about risk, he could still sense the undercurrents that would surge beneath this plan.
To be conservative, he should refuse this plan and return to Terra as soon as possible to organize defenses against the orks.
But if they didn't take some unconventional measures, could the Imperial Fists truly defend Terra?
He wasn't sure.
Although standing before Dio, Kurland vaguely felt some of the pressure his gene-father bore during the Siege of Terra.
He tried to convince himself to abandon the idea of taking risks and do his best to reinforce Terra. But he always felt another voice in his heart telling him that he needed to do more than just his best.
If Terra still couldn't be defended after doing his best, what was the point of doing his best?
"I just hope you already have a complete plan, Magos Dio."
Kurland sighed: "I don't want the Imperial Fists, which you just pulled back from the brink, to be destroyed because of my decision."
This answer was tantamount to an affirmation, and Dio was quite pleased.
Resilience doesn't mean adhering to rules; the fanaticism ingrained in the Black Templars is also a facet of the Sons of Dorn. But Dio's satisfaction wasn't about that; he was simply happy that Kurland was willing to join this plan, with him in the lead.
This meant unreserved trust.
"Without further ado, what's your plan?"
Having made his decision, Kurland was decisive: "Through what channels will we spread the news that the Fabricator-General is about to abandon this planet? What tasks will my warriors and I have in this?"
"The Fabricator-General still controls Maximus. He controls the voice of this world, and mere rumors are not enough."
Dio denied Kurland: "Even if this forge world falls into chaos, with only a hundred astartes, we won't be able to gain dominance in the internal conflict."
"Then what exactly is your plan…?"
"We need to start with the most powerful group on this forge world."
Dio said meaningfully.
He recalled the Titan captain with burgundy hair and blue eyes. The way he seriously scrutinized the Battle Moon at the time clearly showed that he viewed the orks as opponents.
"Magos Lifar was previously responsible for monitoring the Titan captain's physical condition. We'll start with him."
Leaving Kurland and the remaining warriors awaiting organ repair there, Dio set off to find Magos Lifar.
Compared to Dio, who could still move freely within a certain range, Magos Lifar, who had brought Dio back, was in a worse state. He, like Dio, was placed in a small forge not his own, but he wasn't allowed to take a single step out.
However, if he didn't come out, Dio could still go in. He quickly obtained permission to enter and met with the grim-faced Magos Lifar.
"Magos Lifar, quite leisurely these days, aren't you?"
"Don't even mention it! You talked about some reward, but I've been locked in here for five days without stepping out! That old man Augustus even said he might interrogate me, which is why he put me here, but he hasn't come to see me once in five days!"
Finally catching someone, and the very culprit who had harmed him, Lifar immediately launched into complaints.
Dio just listened with a smile as he poured out his grievances, only asking a rhetorical question at the end, neither hot nor cold.
"Have you ever wondered why Augustus would imprison you here?"
"Why?"
Lifar frowned and thought, "Because I have a grudge against him?"
"You can think further back. The entire forge world has heard about the Green Skin invasion. If they really wanted to confirm whether the situation was true, the Fabricator-General should have sent his trusted confidants to investigate."
"Why didn't he send his trusted confidants? Why was such an important task entrusted to you, who would certainly muddle through it? Why didn't he care if you brought back incorrect information?"
Lifar realized something, and his face began to whiten. He looked at Dio with pleading eyes:
"Don't say another word!"
But Dio mercilessly snuffed out his last hope.
"There's only one answer!"
"Magos Lifar! Your Fabricator-General knew about the orks long ago; he just didn't want the Magos below to know!"
"Whether it was sending you to investigate or soft-imprisoning you after the investigation, the only purpose was to prevent the news of the impending orks from spreading!"
Lifar's face, from this moment on, turned a true, ghastly white.
He sprang from his seat, reaching out to smash the surveillance equipment, but Dio's voice came from behind him:
"Don't worry, I'd already prepared a forged feed when I came in."
Lifar turned to look at Dio, his expression not improving in the slightest.
"I've just entered a tiger's den only to fall into a wolf's lair…"
He wailed, clearly guessing that Dio, who had come prepared, couldn't just be looking to reminisce: "I was just locked up for five days because of you; please let me go!"
"Oh, what kind of talk is that?"
Dio, with the same enthusiasm as he had on Ardamantua, put his arm around Lifar's shoulder: "How was I harming you before? It's just that your Fabricator-General, who only wanted to flee without a fight, couldn't see your efforts and value!"
"He confined you, who are familiar with this forge world, to prevent news of the approaching orks from leaking, so he could escape. With such a Fabricator-General, don't you want to strike back at him? Only by striking back will your efforts truly be rewarded!"
"But..."
Lifar was still hesitant; more than any revenge, he wanted to preserve his own small domain.
"And think about it, why doesn't he want the Magos below to know? Isn't it because the evacuation capacity is limited, and he only wants to take his own assets and not the Magos below? Although you are a Magos, you are so at odds with him. He certainly won't take you when he evacuates, right?"
"Are you willing to let all your property go to waste? When the Green Tide presses down, will you, confined here, really be able to secure a ship to evacuate the forge world?"
Dio's words broke through Lifar's defenses, becoming the final straw that crushed him. He clenched his teeth, a hint of ruthlessness appearing on his face.
"Let's do it! What do you need?"
Dio smiled; he knew his plan had entered its third step.
"You don't need to do anything. You should still remember the structure of the Titan Order, right?"
In this world dominated by machines, the abandoned pipe network was like an underground river lurking beneath the steel framework.
No one knew where these pipes ultimately led, nor was anyone sure what would happen if these pipes were disturbed. Humans of the past couldn't even figure out the underground waterways they themselves had designed in a metropolis after a mere two hundred years, and this was no exception for the Adeptus Mechanicus today.
After some attempts to remove abandoned pipes resulted in the inexplicable shutdown of sacred machinery, all efforts targeting abandoned pipes were halted. The Adeptus Mechanicus would merely lay a new layer of pipes over these, thus building up layer upon layer of steel planets.
These abandoned pipes often became a haven for certain mutated creatures on forge worlds. Unless they affected the operation of machinery, the Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus usually left these mutated creatures alone.
However, in the harsh natural environment of a forge world, most mutated creatures that could survive were insects or rats. The felynes, having taken over, quickly swept away these mutated creatures, ruling a small kingdom within the abandoned pipes.
Based on the locations Magos Lifar pointed out from memory on the blueprints, Dio, realizing that the Titans were stored in an underground hangar, thought of having the felynes use these abandoned pipes to go deep underground, thereby reaching the Titan Order without permission.
But even for a Tier 3 forge world, its abandoned pipelines were sufficiently complex. Coupled with the need for cautious movement to avoid detection, Dio spent about four days with the felynes to find an abandoned pipe that led near the Titan Order.
There wasn't much time left, but it was enough.
As the rusty metal pipes snaked downwards, Tom deftly navigated the conduits that once connected to the lifeblood of the forge world. He passed through several creaking valves amidst the cyclical hydraulic sounds, quietly infiltrating to a ventilation shaft near the Titan Order.
As the core of a forge world's armaments, the location of a Titan would inevitably have layers of protection. But the nature of a hangar also dictated that there would inevitably be preparation rooms, ventilation shafts, and a large number of personnel entering and exiting.
Tom, following Dio's instructions, tore half of a cable on an exhaust fan, then quietly lurked on the ceiling, waiting for the fan's speed to decrease.
Footsteps broke the calm, where only machinery operated; two Tech-Priests were coming down the corridor beneath the ceiling.
"Maintenance, maintenance, it's endless maintenance every day."
A voice came through the ceiling, sounding somewhat distorted, as if transmitted through some low-quality communicator.
"Can't we do something more meaningful?"
"I heard the Titan Legion is about to depart to reinforce the front lines fighting the orks."
Another voice replied, "If you find it extremely boring here, perhaps you could join the Magos accompanying the army."
"No! I don't want to be a laborer on the front lines! What I want to do are experiments, experiments like those Magos! I don't want to waste my life on maintenance and combat, seeing no hope of climbing up!"
"In fact, I heard a whisper about this deployment order. They say the Titan Legion isn't going to the front lines to support combat at all, but is using the deployment order to evacuate Maximus."
"Evacuate, why?"
The two Tech-Priests found scaffolding; they opened the ceiling, and one of them climbed onto the scaffolding, peering into the exhaust fan opening. Fortunately, he saw the damaged cable even without activating a scan. The Magos, realizing it was probably a simple malfunction caused by some mutated creature gnawing, breathed a sigh of relief.
He shut down the fan, then lowered his head, looking at his questioning colleague.
"Give me a spare cable... Also, do you really not know why we need to evacuate?"
Tom, taking advantage of the fan's shutdown, passed through it, successfully entering the interior of the Titan hangar, leaving the discussion of the two Tech-Priests behind. But the discussion between the two behind him gradually escalated into an argument; even though he was far away, he could still hear snippets.
"Our esteemed Fabricator-General values the production lines more than our lives. Do you think he would be willing to abandon the production lines on this planet, blessed by the omnissiah?"
"In the face of a great enemy, the best way to preserve one's wealth is to—run away. Haven't you heard the news of Terminus' fall? If you ask me, our Fabricator-General from Mars has already secretly been preparing to return to Mars!"
"But Terminus isn't even on the same warp route as us! However, you're right, I might indeed have to consider joining the accompanying Magos..."
Distrust of the Forging Council had quietly spread among the Magos, but this was not enough. The felynes delved deep into the hangar, observing the Titans within with an examining gaze.
Dio, through the visual information reported by Tom, immediately noticed the only warboss-class titan in this hangar.