Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 911 Hydra's Warning
Casa Octavius ​​III.

This is a barren and desolate planet. Although it has oceans, a cradle for life, its thin atmosphere is almost unable to block the radiation from the star, making it extremely difficult for life to survive here.

The landmass, which covers half of the planet's surface, is crisscrossed with ravines and scarred by ancient geological activity, with little trace of intelligent life.

But this planet is not without life. In the distant past, a human colony ship accidentally drifted here. Because the transport ship was damaged, the colonists simply settled here and used their technology to change the living environment.

As technological creations gradually deteriorated and knowledge was continuously lost, the descendants of the first colonists became increasingly ignorant.

They have developed ancient and complex rituals, remembering how to drive the Knight mechs and activate weapons beyond comprehension, in order to summon the power of their ancestors and protect the lives and property of their people.

However, the humans living in villages and castles did not notice that, outside their sight, the cult hive ship, like an enormous monster, silently fell into the atmosphere and then disappeared into the planet's oceans.

The high-ranking members of the esoteric sect have been extremely cautious, and after hiding their nest ship at the bottom of the sea, they have remained completely silent.

The biomechanical structures extending from the nest ship burrowed into the seabed rock layer, frantically absorbing the material from the rock layer as if feeding, trying to replenish the energy and material consumed in the high-frequency prediction and emergency subspace jump as quickly as possible.

Inside the nest ship, a suffocating atmosphere permeated almost every corner.

The ship's systems, which used to roar, are now operating at low power to reduce noise and energy fluctuations throughout the entire naval vessel.

The corridor was dimly lit, and the patrolling guards moved with light footsteps, as if afraid that the slightest extra sound would bring about their doom.

The overload of the pre-sensitivity system put a huge strain on the minds of the high-ranking sages, who returned to their cabins to rest and recover, trying to regain their composure before the next possible crisis.

Within the rest area belonging to the Sage of the Ocean, the environment has been simulated by psionic technology to resemble the tranquil and beautiful pastoral scenery of the Tau homeworld.

A gentle breeze swept across the gleaming grass, carrying the moist scent of a distant lake—a stark contrast to the desolate, over-radiated world outside.

However, this artificial tranquility could not soothe the turmoil in the heart of the fire warrior, Kuren Shova.

He stood beside the Sage of the Sea, his posture still upright. His Fire Clan's scarlet battle suit was spotless, but his eyes, hidden behind the optical sensors in his helmet, were filled with confusion and struggle.

Compared to the Cullen Shova who once hunted and fought on his home planet, he has now completely transformed into a different person.

The bronze spears of yesteryear have been replaced by the powerful pulse carbine, and the rudimentary leather armor has been transformed into multi-layered protective combat suits capable of withstanding high-speed bullets, while also providing battlefield stealth, enhanced survivability, and other functions.

In a very short time, the Tau race was transformed from a primitive species that was still in a state of ignorance into a space race capable of dealing with danger.

Shova knew very well that these changes originated from the sincere help of the "ethers".

They brought enlightenment, civilization, and technology to the Tau people. It can be said that Ether was the enlightener of the Tau people and their most holy teacher.

Therefore, Xiao Wa, as the leader of the Fire Clan, was so devoted to serving as a guard captain by the Sage of Yu Hai's side, allowing himself to be at the Sage's beck and call.

He had just finished patrolling the area surrounding the hive ship, and although the sages believed that the human pursuit would not be so swift, Shova insisted on fulfilling his duty of guard.

Every time he closed his eyes, Shova felt a strange sense of suffocation and being watched, as if many eyes were watching their lonely nest ship in the darkness.

This feeling was absolutely terrible for the proud Fire Clan warriors.

He preferred to take his destiny into his own hands rather than rely on the mercy or mistakes of his enemies.

"Great Ether, Sage of the Ocean."

Shova had long since removed his helmet; he preferred to observe the world with his own eyes rather than with various sensors, communicators, and other auxiliary devices.

When will we stop hiding like this? When will the glory of the highest good shine upon this cold starry sky, instead of... instead of forever lurking in the shadows?

His voice carried a deep longing, as well as a hint of weariness that was hard to conceal.

Since being saved by Ether, he has served by the side of the Sage of the Sea for a long time, which is a torment even for the most resilient Fire Clan warriors.

He was no longer young; for the Titans, a species that is not known for its longevity, he could even be considered old.

If it weren't for the Sage of the Sea using life-extending technology on him, Shova might have died of old age long ago.

Xiao Wa constantly observed the expressions and actions of the Sage of Yu Hai. His long-term following had allowed him to figure out some ways to understand psychology.

Seeing that Yu Hai was not angry, he paused for a moment, but still could not suppress his burning desire and continued to ask.

"When will we be able to avenge those human demons? My people, my comrades, must we continue to endure their sacrifices forever?"

Deep in Cullen's memory are burning villages, the unstoppable figures of the giants known as Astartes, and the screams of his comrades before their deaths.

If it weren't for the fact that this etheric sage had led him and his people on a "strategic retreat," his ashes would probably have been cold long ago.

The Sage Yu Hai hovered in mid-air, the colorless crystal on his forehead emitting a gentle, reassuring aura, just as he had done countless times over the past hundred years.

He looked at the powerful fire warrior before him, his voice kind and infectious, like that of a wise prophet.

"Patience, my valiant child, Kulen Shova."

Youhai's voice, like a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves, carried a unique rhythm that soothed the restless spirits of the Fire Clan warriors.

"The realization of the highest good requires time and opportunity, not recklessness and impulsiveness. The human empire is vast and barbaric, and direct confrontation is by no means a good strategy. We must be like the most skilled hunters, hiding in the shadows and waiting for the right moment."

He slowly approached, the halo of light from the crystal on his forehead almost enveloping Shova.

"Human stupidity and infighting are their greatest weaknesses. They will consume themselves, just like the Great Civil War of the past—which was the masterpiece we orchestrated."

"We lured and bribed Alpharis and the Twentieth Legion, secretly fueling the civil war within the Empire of Man, making the flames of their internal conflict burn even brighter until they consumed themselves."

“But Horus’s rebellion failed. Although the human empire was weakened, it did not collapse.” Shova was still unwilling to give up. He was afraid that if he waited any longer, he would die of old age first.

He had also heard some rumors that the reason their nest ship had hidden underwater was to escape the spying and pursuit of possible enemies.

"Do you think you are wiser and more forward-thinking than the Ethers?" Yu Hai suddenly changed his tone, and the smile on his face became slightly stiff.

Shova immediately lowered his head, indicating absolute obedience: "Your wisdom illuminates the way, Lord Ether, I will continue to remain patient and vigilant."

The displeasure in Yu Hai's eyes slowly faded. Kuren Shova was a guard he had promoted and trained a long time ago, and he was a handy weapon. He would not replace him unless necessary.

He also understood that the esoteric sect was now under surveillance, and it was normal for the people below to be restless.

However, the Tau race was implanted with a special genetic instinct long ago, which makes them unconditionally obey the will of the Aether, thus ensuring that they have absolute control.

Yu Hai wasn't worried about the Tau people in the hive ship having too many ideas; he was more worried about whether the other high-ranking members of the cult would stab each other in the back at a crucial moment.

While the possibility is slim, it's not entirely nonexistent.

However, what Yu Hai didn't realize was that something solid was slowly cracking in the heart of Kuren Shova, who was loyally guarding him.

The seeds of doubt have already been quietly sown.

Shova had become suspicious of a common occurrence—that almost all Tau people had an almost innate and irresistible reverence and trust in Aether.

However, images from the past kept replaying in Shova's mind:

It wasn't the brutality of the battles against humans, but rather the chilling gazes and merciless orders of abandonment from Yu Hai and the other Aethers when facing the Tau, who were intellectually inferior or had lost their value due to old age or injury.

They were like tools that were being cleared away, not even given a second glance.

Those abandoned tribesmen refused to believe until the very end that their ether had abandoned them; they firmly believed that they actually had other missions.

This blatant instrumental attitude contrasted sharply with the benevolent face of the wise man Yu Hai, creating a suffocating effect that Xiao Wa found hard to accept.

Do they really care about us?

A terrible thought was born in Shova's mind for the first time so clearly.

"Or are we essentially no different from those experimental subjects they discarded? Just... more useful tools?"

Kuren Shova would still obey Aether's orders, but his heart had wavered. He gripped the pulse rifle in his hand, the cold touch bringing him back to his senses.

He needs to observe and needs more evidence to prove his guess.

Meanwhile, in a highly shielded chamber within the core area of ​​the hive ship, Eldar Warlord Slaw Da was frantically meditating to restore his mental energy.

Despite having reached a "safe" area and lying in wait, his unease did not subside; on the contrary, it intensified.

The feeling of being manipulated by an invisible hand and forced to choose the only option made him feel uneasy.

This time, humanity has come on with overwhelming force, like a prophetic flood that has breached all their prophetic defenses.

Just as he was trying to clear his mind and meditate, an extremely weak psionic communication crossed the barrier between reality and warp, precisely bypassing all the conventional shielding of the hive ship, and directly entered his private psionic receiving channel.

A sudden voice rang in his mind, and Slau Da's heart skipped a beat. Instantly, he was enveloped in layers of psionic energy protection.

It was a voice so calm it was almost eerie, yet it possessed a unique magnetic quality.

“Slau Da, you should still remember me.”

The Spirit Clan's War Master immediately recognized the other party's identity.

Hydra, Alpha Rex, or Omega – no one can tell the difference, not even the cult.

"Since you still remember me, I won't waste any more words," the person on the other end of the psionic communication said.

“Listen, your so-called safe haven is just an elaborate trap. The human fleet is already lying in wait. Escape immediately, and you might still have a chance to survive,” Hydra warned.

Slau Da was deeply shocked, but on the surface he maintained the calm and arrogance of an Eldar noble.

He quickly traced the source of the communication in reverse, using his precognitive abilities to investigate and try to find where Hydra was hiding.

"Why hide your true colors, Omega?"

Slau Da responded coldly with his consciousness, while trying to extract more information.

"What is your purpose in sending me a warning at a time like this?"

"If you are truly sincere, why not show up and explain in person? After all, we should be allies."

"Although the human civil war ended in Horus' defeat, our alliance has not ended. We can continue to cooperate to deal with the current crisis."

“I know that you are not having an easy time either. The human empire is hunting you down, and you have suffered several major defeats. We need to cooperate more closely now.”

The Eldar's words were full of probing, deliberately emphasizing the concepts of "cooperation" and "crisis."

However, his real plan was that as long as he could drag Hydra into this mess, he would have another target to share the firepower, or even a powerful fighting force or scapegoat to deal with humans, thus buying himself time to escape.

As for these laughable allies? The esoteric sects never hesitate to use anyone, even their own people.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communication. Just when Slau Da thought the other party would refuse, the voice sounded again, with a hint of amusement.

"Since you have extended such a warm invitation, then so be it."

Keep your receiving beacon stable. I will come to this location in person, and I hope you won't regret this invitation.

Slau Da immediately gave a secret order for his most elite Eldar guards to quietly surround the communications room where he was located, preparing for the highest level of combat readiness.

At the same time, he urgently notified several other high-ranking sages who were in slightly better condition, including Yu Hai and the energy life form sage.

Hydra's warnings and entry into the game are factors that they must carefully consider.

Before long, in a dark cabin of the cult's nest ship, the air began to distort unnaturally, and shadows seeped out and gathered from every corner as if they were living things.

The source of this power is a uniquely shaped broken dagger, which is being stuck into the bulkhead of the hive ship by a cold-faced crew member, and is quickly slicing open a chaotic eight-pointed star symbol.

As the eight-pointed star appeared, a complex magical ritual circle was born out of thin air, briefly tearing apart the structure of reality, yet cleverly avoiding the nest ship's own alarm system.

The light suddenly brightened and then dimmed, as if it were just a temporary illusion caused by visual persistence.

The next moment, a figure quietly appeared in the center of the magic circle.

He was wearing a dark gray cloak, was about three meters tall, and had blue-gray power armor engraved with totems of twisted giant snakes.

His power armor remained spotless, clearly having received excellent maintenance, showing no signs of being corroded or damaged by subspace energy.

The crew member who used the dagger to guide the giant knelt on the ground, his disguise melting away at a visible speed, revealing his true form in no time.

"Long live Hydra!"

"For Alpharis!"

The Alpha warrior lurking in the cult's hive called out softly, and the giant merely smiled slightly.

The cult initially used him to try and force himself and twenty legions to completely side with Horus, thus causing humanity to collapse in the civil war.

But who says that exploitation is only one-way? Hydra has also been using Tantric Buddhism to achieve its own goals.

Hydra stood there silently, its aura almost completely contained, yet it gave off a deadly and secretive feeling, as if it could launch a fatal attack from any angle at any moment.

Then several more Lerna Terminators emerged from the magic circle. Following in the Primarch's footsteps, they made no attempt to conceal themselves and walked out of the cabin openly.

Slau Da and his guards, along with other high-ranking members such as the Sage of the Sea and the energy lifeforms who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, immediately sensed the arrival of Hydra.

A large number of cult tactical forces surrounded Hydra and his retinue, and the atmosphere on the scene was extremely tense.

"You really came." Slau Da suppressed the shock in his heart, forced himself to remain calm, and waved to signal the guards to calm down.

"Now, can you explain clearly what you're trying to do? How did you know we'd fallen into a human trap? And how did you find this communication frequency and sneak into our hive ship?"

He fired off a series of questions, trying to take control of the situation between the two.

Hydra's gaze swept over every high-ranking member of the esoteric sect present, pausing briefly on Sage Yu Hai, the barely perceptible curve at the corner of his mouth seeming to become more pronounced.

“I am Alpharis.” His voice was calm and even.

"Hydra is everywhere, what's so strange about that?"

"You know my capabilities; infiltrating your nest ship is not a difficult task for me."

“My Macurag brothers may know very little about you and lack an intelligence advantage, but as for me… hehe.”

"Or perhaps, I am not Alpharis, but Omega?"

He added with a hint of amusement, seemingly enjoying the fleeting look of astonishment, disbelief, and deep apprehension on the faces of the esoteric Buddhist leaders.

Well, Hydra's answer is quite convincing.

They studied the Primarchs for decades, especially the two youngest, Alpharis and Omega. The cult believed that the most important Primarchs were the eldest, Horus, and the youngest, the Hydra brothers.

Even their allies have never truly grasped the capabilities of this prototype.

"As for the traps..." Hydra continued, his voice as calm as if stating a given fact, "Do you really think that with your precognitive system you can always control the future?"

There's a famous saying in ancient Terra: "If you walk by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet." The fact that you've been able to live so carefree until today is beyond imagination.

"With the combined prophecy of at least three Primarch-level psionicists, plus an experienced and shrewd Eldar prophet, breaking through your defenses is not impossible."

“The three Primarchs?!” The energy lifeform sage emitted an incredulous electromagnetic wave, its form slightly distorted with excitement.

“That’s impossible! Who else could it be besides Guilliman? Sanguis and Coz have long since vanished without a trace, and nobody knows where they went. Magnus is still atoning for his sins on the Golden Throne. It’s impossible for any of the Primarchs with the most powerful psionic abilities to be here.”

Relying on its own pre-sensitivity system, the Tantric religion maintains a high level of attention to the actions of important beings in the galaxy, with the Primarch being a primary focus.

"Clonate".

Hydra interrupted him casually, as if he were talking about something trivial.

“You are too proud and superstitious about your own prophecy. In fact, Fabius Bayer has been trying to clone the Primarch recently, and obviously, he has succeeded.”

His words made the sages' hearts sink again; they were completely unaware of the Primarch's existence.

When Bayer launched the cloning project, he had already made preparations against the prophecy. After all, warp demons are also extremely good at prophecy, and if they hadn't been on guard, they would have been wiped out long ago.

“From the moment you were struck by their combined prophecy, all your choices have been calculated and guided.”

Hydra took a step, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the thick hull of the ship and see into the void outside.

He saw a large net slowly unfolding, beginning to close in and encircle the area unseen by the esoteric Buddhists.

"They created countless false future branches, each showing your destruction, with only one exception—Kasa Octavius ​​III."

This is not the way you have found a way to live; it is the only path they have shown you—a path to the grave.

He turned and stared at Slau Da: "This is the graveyard Guilliman has chosen for you. His massive fleet is currently gathering in a neighboring star system via the Infinity Network."

"Once the encirclement is complete and you land here directly through the network node, your cumbersome hive ship won't even have enough energy to perform another warp jump, will it?"

You're like insects caught in a spider's web, completely unable to move, only to be slowly digested by digestive juices.

Hydra's warnings were like cold daggers, piercing through the last vestiges of hope of the esoteric Buddhist leaders.

Slau Da's face turned pale. He realized that his little scheme to shift the blame was probably transparent to the other party.

The crystal on Sage Yu Hai's forehead flickered violently, clearly indicating that his heart was not at peace.

"How...how could you know so much?!"

Sage Yu Hai asked sternly, his voice losing its usual elegance.

“Even if you are Alpharis, you couldn’t possibly know everything about humanity’s plans, since you’ve already been traitors, unless…”

“Unless what?” Hydra looked at him with a half-smile. “Unless I’m one of them? Or, I’m cooperating with them again?”

He shook his head firmly and said, "No, my brother Guilliman may want to invite me back for a chat, but certainly not in a collaborative manner."

"They probably dream of capturing us traitors and making us kneel before the emperor to atone for our sins."

“Angron has been freed, and Forgrim’s soul has been shattered into countless fragments. All that remains are me and Luo Jia.”

“As for how I know,” his gaze deepened, “I have my own methods.”

“In the galaxy, there are other ways to uncover secrets besides pre-sensitivity. Infiltration, disguise, intelligence networks... these ancient and effective methods are sometimes more reliable than relying on the subspace.”

"After all, psionic energy always leaves a trace, while a perfect lie, or a lurking agent, can remain silent."

He looked around at the high-ranking members of the cult who considered themselves the manipulators behind the scenes.

"I think what I've said to you already makes my attitude and stance clear. We are friends, not enemies, aren't we?"

“I also know the human fleet’s attack timeline, and I even know… that some of you have already begun to waver.”

His gaze seemed to drift unintentionally toward the doorway, where Cullen Shova was being summoned by an internal emergency order. He happened to overhear the last few words and froze in the shadows by the door, too afraid to move.

Hydra's words ignited the panic in the hearts of all the high-ranking members of the esoteric sect.

"You say you know the attack timetable?" Slau Da took a step forward impatiently. "When will they arrive?! How much time do we have?!"

"time?"

Hydra did some calculations and then replied, "According to the last information I received before my sources were cut off, Guilliman's strike fleet has already reached the nearby Taranis system via the network."

Their final jump and attack deployment are not expected to exceed twenty Terra hours.

Twenty hours?!

The energy life form sage exclaimed in surprise, clearly on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"This period of time is simply not enough for us to complete the minimum energy reserves. Forcing a jump will only cause the hive ship to disintegrate in the warp storm!"

"Then we have no choice but to hold out!" A ruthless glint flashed in the eyes of the Sage of the Sea. "Using the terrain of the planetary canyons and the defensive capabilities of the hive ships, we can buy time. Our military strength should not be underestimated either!"

"Hold on to the death?" Hydra scoffed, as if he had heard an extremely foolish suggestion.

"Who do you think you are, fighting against elite forces including several Primarchs, Deathwatch specializing in alien assassination, Grey Knights who are psionic nemesis, and possibly the Eldar? Horus reincarnated?"

Hydra's words extinguished Yu Hai's newly ignited fierce determination like ice water.

"Then what do you think we should do?!"

Slau Da almost growled, "You've come, just to tell us our end is near?! You talk about cooperation, but where's your sincerity?!"

Hydra finally suppressed his mockery; he knew that these high-ranking members of the cult had fallen into a dilemma they had set for them.

Now, the initiative is in his hands.

(End of this chapter)