This is our Warhammer journey

Chapter 272 The Storm Is Brewing (4.6k words, more to come around midnight)
The war in the world of knights is progressing with extraordinary speed.

Despite being surrounded by sturdy steel fortresses, the offensive continued unabated thanks to the combined technological support of the Black Templars and the Crimson Fist.

However, many people are not very happy.

Inside the steel wing base of the Silent Oath, Azrael stood silently, his gaze fixed intently on Roch's actions.

Kai and Gareth, one a guard and the other in charge of post-war wounded care, came here to observe.

The flashing data changed constantly with Roch's precise operations; this was a field he needed to understand but didn't need to master.

Azrael's ambitions are far greater than simply wielding the boulder, but he also needs to be able to understand the truth behind these actions to guard against possible deception and betrayal.

The surrounding air gradually solidified.

As the fragments of the data core were analyzed one by one, the whispers of the surrounding technical officials gradually fell silent, replaced by a sense of oppressive tension.

Azrael could feel an invisible weight pressing down on Roch's shoulders. His fingers paused on the control panel for half a second, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly before quickly smoothing out.

There are very few records of Dark Angels clashing with large Mechanicus forces, perhaps because Azrael, as a new recruit who has just entered the Inner Circle, does not have the qualifications to look into such matters.

Therefore, Azrael is currently unclear about what the criteria are for an operation to achieve its objectives for the Dark Angels Legion.

However, Azrael still sensed from Roch's various subtle reactions that the outcome of this operation did not meet the Dark Angel's expectations.

Azrael looked around.

The familiar faces were the same ones, indicating a low casualty rate. The tactics were personally decided by His Highness, and Azrael did not encounter any difficult situations throughout the entire process, which means the problem was not on their side.

It's the opponent's problem.

The harvest did not meet expectations.

Roch's gaze lingered briefly on Azrael before returning to his own.

"This is the Treaty of Olympia that the Emperor was tasked with signing back then. Take a look."

He casually pulled out a toilet paper roll to distract the other person, and while the other person was looking down at the roll, Roch connected to Arthur's encrypted channel.

"Your Highness, the results are in."

In the conference hall, Arthur's figure paused slightly in the holographic projection. He was standing in front of the tactical sand table, the light and shadow of the star map reflected on his cold and handsome face.

"Please say."

His response was also transmitted back in the form of encrypted pulses. The auditory enhancer could detect the subtle electrical sound, and Roch quickly analyzed the other party's attitude.

Roch's gaze swept over the still-analyzing data stream, and he continued his report:
"We conducted a detailed analysis of the remaining information units from the Dark Mechanicus, but did not obtain any useful information."

"According to current information, Omega 3 experienced a split several years ago. A group called the Creator Cult communicated with Omega 3, which was then split up. 91.3% of the forges were dismantled and subsequently moved through unknown means."

"The remaining Dark Mechanicus members are a branch that does not obey the Creator's cult, so they remain on Omega 3 to restore the lost production capacity."

"Regarding the rebellious world of Dalowa, it is known that the Supreme Queen chose to leave the planet that her dynasty had cultivated for so long at the invitation of the Creator Cult, but the remaining information is unknown."

Secondly—

Azrael was still looking through the secret treaty.

Luo He withdrew his gaze and continued:

"During our analysis of the technology inventory, we discovered new types of Terminators and Dreadnoughts, as well as individual disintegration weapon technology, which were shared by Lord Volkan, the Lord of Fire Dragons, with various legions during the Great Crusade. The other technologies overlap with those we currently possess, and require further detailed comparison by technical personnel."

After listening, Arthur understood and replied:
"Replicate the Terminator and Dauntless technologies and conduct tactical tests to determine if they can be integrated into the current tactical reserves. Continue the thorough search of Omega 3. You can contact Sage Cald for information exchange."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Roch's response was swift and decisive; he immediately cut off the communication.

Arthur looked at Ramses.

"It is the Creator's Cult, and it is inextricably linked to Vashtor."

The core members of the Dawn Fleet surrounding them all tensed up without prior agreement.

At this moment, the fleet's communication channels were filled with cheers of victory, and the young soldiers they had brought with them still had lingering excitement on their faces, clearly unaware of the seriousness of the situation. Meanwhile, the atmosphere inside the command center was so heavy it could drip water.

The veterans of the Great Expedition had already brought their younger generations to the command center and were beginning to report the anomalies they had noticed.

Those knights were clearly new recruits, lacking any of the exaggerated combat experience accumulated with the ancestral souls. They were easily slaughtered by the Titans controlled by the 'demi-humans', like mowing grass.

Although the veterans had never ridden knights, they had led knights to defeat Eldar who dared to block their way during the Great Crusade. They knew exactly how each type of knight could perform against Eldar Titans.

"Unfortunately, even those demons only half-understand."

Ramses's sigh echoed in the meeting hall, carrying a rare hint of frustration.

He had served them very well, but these demons couldn't extract any useful information from them even after they died.

Clearly, their adversaries are evolving rapidly; at the very least, the mastermind behind this series of actions has already discovered their information gathering channels.

"Vashtor's Soul Forge has not been expanded, and no facilities related to this forging world can be found. I must have extracted the experience from it."

Ramses was all too familiar with this tactic.

Under his torment, those lesser gods learned from Ramses's advanced experience, learning not to put all their eggs in one basket.

They're all opening branch mines now, so it's really hard to find one.

While it is certain that Vashtor was involved in the operation, the most urgent task at hand is to find out where the missing knights and members of the Mechanicus have been taken.

Romulus, on the other side of the tactical table, had a very serious expression.

For this war, Romulus waited until the end of two five-year plans, invited several chapters that planned to go to the Eye of Terror, and did not even dismantle the fleet to house the forging ships before making contact with the planet.

The result was an easy victory!

You could say Romulus was definitely not happy.

It's like when you've already set up your board in Yu-Gi-Oh! and are ready to wipe out your opponent in one fell swoop, only to find that your opponent has three face-down cards and just a skeleton that can be easily killed.

I was sweating profusely.

Everyone now has this inexplicable feeling that as soon as they make a move, they'll be chained to death by the opponent.

"It's troublesome."

Romulus pressed his fingers against his temples, a headache throbbing as he considered various possibilities in his mind.

This was the first time he had faced such a targeted change, leaving him feeling momentarily at a loss.

"Please feel free to speak your mind."

Forcing himself to loosen his clenched fist, he projected the intelligence onto the central holographic platform and then addressed the veterans.

These seasoned warriors may offer a different perspective from their long and arduous military careers.

Faced with the Primarch's usual peaceful demeanor, the people present exchanged glances, cursed inwardly at the Ultramarines for their incredible luck, and then began to express their judgments.

Click!

The discussion went on for an unknown period of time when the heavy hatch suddenly slid open.

A steel guardian clad in sophisticated power armor strode in, walked straight to Ernesto de la Cruz, who stood like a statue behind the Primarch, and leaned down to whisper a few words in his ear.

Ernesto de la Cruz, whose body had remained as still as a statue, stirred slightly, then reported in a deep voice that only Romulus could hear:

"Judge Aglaia has arrived."
-
Aglaia was very upset.

She used to have an easy job.

The four officials were very reliable and knew how to conduct themselves properly. There was almost nothing particularly noteworthy to record or report throughout the day. Sometimes, even after a week or a month, the number of events that could be reported was not enough to cover the daily tasks of the star sector governors.

This means her workload will be very light.

During the initial expedition, she worried that if the report she submitted contained too little useful information, it might displease her superior, the judge, and her new superior, the Grand Instructor of the Assassin's Court.

But after she nervously dealt with the dreadful report from Sage Caul and then truthfully reported the Primarchs' itinerary, she finally dispelled her concerns.

Unexpectedly, the Grand Instructor of the Assassin Court not only did not hold her accountable, but was quite satisfied with the outcome.

She was even specially rewarded, given a squad of Calidus assassins to assist her, and encouraged to persevere and try to survive longer alongside the Primarch. In the Imperial system, the Inquisitor profession is the most vulnerable to investigation.

The constant bombings on Terra have enraged the Guardians, especially since Primarch jokes keep circulating from the Primarchs' side.

Now, after a systematic investigation, the entire Inquisition is found to be heretical according to Imperial standards.

At first, the killing became unbearable. The Grey Knights realized that if they continued killing like this, many Inquisition orders would be wiped out, leaving no one to carry out their future work. So they reported to the Imperial Guard and asked them to develop standards and procedures for loyalty identification, because they could no longer continue killing like this.

Even the Grey Knights felt that the Imperial Guard was going to extremes.

The Imperial Guard, who had always looked down on Astartes, were much more lenient with the Grey Knights and readily agreed to the plan.

However, the mortality rate remains high.

And Aglaia, she is the one who can withstand the most scrutiny.

The Guardian Navaradaren was the one who saved her on the Black Ship, and she encountered the Primarch on her first official Inquisitor duty.

Although his resume is suspected of colluding with local nobles in Terra, infiltrating noble pilgrimage groups, developing personal political power in various star systems, illegally cultivating special humans, and other forms of forming cliques for personal gain, it can be described as clean and impressive to the Inquisitors.

Judge, you should be thankful you're not possessed by a demon.

His workload was among the highest of his colleagues in the courtroom, though it was the other way around.

However, the fact that their treatment and benefits were among the best in the court group made Aglaia somewhat suspicious and embarrassed.

In future reports, if there is enough content for the month, Aglaia will report it truthfully; if there is not enough content for the month, she will add some trivial matters about the Primarch.

It feels like she's about to transform from a judge into a historian writing daily records.

Over time, this somewhat soothed her anxiety, making her feel more justified in enjoying Terra's rewards.

Honestly, isn't this kind of job a dream job?

In fact, Aglaia has always thought so.

Unfortunately, this cushy job was completely ruined shortly after encountering a certain 'alien'.

"I don't know what those guys in Terra are doing. They let an alien infiltrate and spread rumors, and they even gave my job to an alien!"

When Aglaia thought of the judge's certificate that Tarachin had given him some time ago, and the appointment letter from ten years ago that seemed absurd in light of the current situation, he was speechless.

At first, she couldn't find out who the judge was who had taken over her job, and she always thought that the other party was really capable. It turned out that the alien judge was right next to me.

There are just too many Terran bugs. Is it really possible for a human to make such an outrageous decision?

The Imperial Guards weren't extreme enough; they actually allowed the person who gave the order to live.

So after his job was taken over, in order to maintain his niche and to personally cope with the work of the Grand Master of the Assassin's Court, Aglaia had no choice but to pick up his old profession again.

It refers to using one's personal connections to smooth relationships between different levels and assist the Primarchs in devising a specific plan.

For example, what happened next.

"Judge Agleia".

The Invincible Iron Guard responsible for the briefing walked out from the side door and then opened the main door of the conference hall.

"Please come in."

"It's troublesome."

After saying her thanks, Aglaia strode into the conference room, her black judge's robe billowing like waves with her hurried steps.

"Lord Romulus."

She bowed to the four Primarchs in turn, then turned her gaze to the other meeting members.

"Just tell me."

Romulus said.

"The first step is the investigation of the Istefan system."

She brought up a holographic projection, and an ancient star map rotated in front of everyone.

"The Istvan system has disappeared. We went to search for it based on ancient coordinates, but apart from some information sent by the son of an ancient emperor, the planet itself has vanished."

"."

The group exchanged surprised glances.

Ramses shook his head helplessly, clearly unaware of the matter as well.

"continue."

He nodded slightly in understanding and gestured for Aglaia to continue her report.

"Secondly, regarding the infiltration of the Vigilant Star nobility, a consensus has been reached with the surrounding star sectors. As long as the Primarchs can guarantee that the Vigilant Star can continue to provide life extension services to the upper class of the Empire, they will not interfere."

The atmosphere in the meeting room relaxed slightly.

This is indeed good news—

Vigilant Star's rejuvenation technology is second only to core worlds like Terra and Mars, which are full of advanced technology, within the Empire. These technologies, which can slow down aging and extend lifespan, have allowed the local rulers to accumulate unimaginable wealth and connections.

For those in power, nothing is more desirable than a longer lifespan.

This also made the time travelers very cautious in their handling of the warning star.

If possible, they still don't want an imperial-style civil war to break out over Vigilant Star and the surrounding star sectors.

However, the warning star definitely needs to be dealt with.

Let's set aside the importance of the warning star.

The current rulers of the planet Vigilant are the Agammenus dynasty. Within this family, Denos Agammenus, the brother of planetary governor Sinnie Agammenus IX, has an unusual collecting obsession, enjoying collecting all sorts of destructive ancient weapons.

This included six deadly missiles.

In the future Unyielding Expedition, they will face Calgar, who holds the Regent's Decree, and the demand that the Dynasty use the six Deathstrikes from its collection for imperial warfare.

This guy actually dared to say no!
If these imperial nobles, who don't even understand loyalty, don't suddenly rebel, Romulus is certain that the tactical equipment produced by their forge ships will end up in the enemy's collection the very next day.

"It's troublesome."

Upon hearing this, Romulus spoke, but his voice remained somewhat low.

This task seems simple on the surface—

All it takes is to convince the powerful figures in the surrounding star sectors that the Primarchs can offer better terms in exchange for their neutrality.

But convincing so many imperial nobles of the promises of a few suddenly returning Primarchs was no easy task.

Romulus shook his head slightly; now was clearly not the time to delve into this issue.

Looking at the vanished Istvan, and then at the vanished knightly family and the Mechanicus, I felt inexplicably uneasy.

It was completely unplanned.

"For humanity."

Aglaia solemnly performed the Eagle Salute, and at Romulus's gesture, slowly retreated to her position.

As he took his seat, Aglaia keenly sensed that the atmosphere in the conference room was somewhat unusual.

She observed her surroundings discreetly.

The Primarchs exchanged glances with a certain unspoken understanding, while the veterans' tense shoulders revealed an unusual vigilance.

Even the air seemed to be filled with an indescribable tension.

Aglaia was very familiar with this feeling.

It feels like a storm is brewing.

　P.S.: More to come later, I won't sleep until tomorrow.
　　By the way, everyone can check out the latest GW promotional video. Saturn has actually been officially launched, and a bunch of new gadgets have been released to match it.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)