This is our Warhammer journey

Chapter 291 Empire: I'm Dead, But It's Unlikely That I'm Dead (6k-in-1)

Vigilant Star, Hyperion Nest City, Eagle Council Government District, Romulus's Office
Since returning from the sanctuary of primordial power, Voschi has been fondling the materials in his hands.

That was what he had always been pursuing: to amplify the subspace influence through the black stone component, thereby replacing, to some extent, the firing of small and medium-sized volcano cannons.

Its purpose was to enable Huangquan-8 to independently produce volcano cannons, thereby breaking the blockade imposed by Mars and its casting world on the volcano cannon manufacturing industry.

This long research experiment has lasted for tens of thousands of years, from Vosschi to his teacher's teacher, all the way back to when they first diverged from Mars.

These Martian oil makers supplied them with volcano cannons at exorbitant premiums, and they also monopolized the launch crystal materials, so Huangquan VIII has always had a tight budget in building the Titan Legion.

But it's a must-buy, even if it's through other channels in the Forging World.

After all, the Volcano Cannon is the Empire's most powerful laser weapon, and the Underworld VIII doesn't have any better technology. They can't just follow Riza's example and equip all the Titans with superheated plasma, can they?

Voschi had been in despair, but he continued to push forward this ancient work and conduct his own archaeological research, trying to find some inspiration from those ancient and alien creations, hoping only to leave his mark on history in his lifetime.

By picking up a weapon, one can know how to use it; by observing the appearance of an object, one can see through the composition and working mechanism of the material; and by simply listening to descriptions, one can create an infinite amount of basic science and applied knowledge.

The sage Vossich believed that this was the true God.

“The Sage of Voschi”.

Romulus spoke aloud, while secretly complaining to himself.

Aside from ballistic weapons and small laser weapons, the Empire has very few weapons that don't involve the warp.

The crystal fired from that volcano cannon was clearly a crystallization that absorbed and stored spiritual energy. After a large number of psionicists were slaughtered on the mining planet that produced this type of crystal, the echoes of those emotions could still be felt from these crystals.

Ramses also experimented with using Soulstones to power several Dark Eldar as batteries, which would have a more powerful output and extremely high durability. Unfortunately, the Eldar themselves were short of Soulstones, and the planets that produced them were all located in the Eye of Terror, making it difficult to deploy them on a large scale.

But it doesn't matter.

Dawnwings can be bought in bulk, and Dark Eldar pirates are everywhere. This branch of Eldar may not be good at other things, but their ability to reproduce is a major advantage.

Now that we have Wosch's research data, they won't have to spend this expense anymore.

“The sacred primordial force, you say.”

The standing Vossi immediately bowed in a gesture of utmost reverence.

Originally, I planned to kneel down, but the original motivation thought that was too extravagant. Without a scientific and rational development perspective, kneeling down multiple times would be useless.

Look how rational!
"Just use the normal form of address; there's no need to keep saying it every day."

"I feel a little awkward," Romulus said.

While they were indeed acting strangely, we can't let this guy interfere with his normal social interactions with others.

Although Romulus did not consider this place to be home, he still believed that he and the people around him were of the same kind: the modified Astartes and the unmodified ordinary humans. Together, they formed Romulus's social relationships in this world.

He felt he could find a sense of belonging in it, just like he would often chat with Delacroix and the others about Imperial jokes and Primarchic slang.

I wonder how beautiful the scene was when Guilliman met these offspring.

"Yes, my lord!"

Amidst the tense expressions of the Invincible Iron Guards, Sage Voschi immediately replied.

Look how humble he is!
Hey.

Noticing De la Cruz's expression, Romulus sighed.

I shouldn't have teased Old Man Huang before, since he always stubbornly insisted, "I'm not a god."

Now the boomerang has returned.

"That's good."

Romulus didn't intend to argue and offered another Infinity Cube to store physical objects.

"It comes with an unlocking tutorial. Just read the first document, go through the appendix, and then give your own opinions."

Among them was "Essential Knowledge and Standards for the Education and Promotion of Mechanical Priests," which he commissioned Coul to write, to integrate members of the Mechanical Cult.

The main purpose is to prepare for the online education model, which has already been promoted in the advanced technical education within the Shuguang Star District.

However, it removed a large number of religious elements, removed the deconstruction of the mechanical god, and retained the direct worship of Om Messiah.

Even Arthur agrees with this. In the 21st century, everyone is offering incense and kowtowing to machines. In fact, offering incense and kowtowing in this universe really works.

On the other hand, Kaul didn't like to take the blame, and Romulus fully respected his opinion, always communicating with the Mechanicus members he could on his own.

Voschi first subconsciously examined these alien creations, then began to quickly analyze the appendices, occasionally focusing on the data whose authenticity he could directly discern.

Vosschi frowned.

“Sage Voschi, what is your opinion on this?”

'They've touched the cake of the Mechanicus.'

But Voschi obviously couldn't say that, and after pondering for a while, he spoke:

"If the content of this material can be guaranteed to be correct, it is sufficient as a study material for a mechanical priest to a generalist sage. If one has enough talent and can perform a lot of practical operations, one can even complete independent learning."

This content is extremely detailed.

As is well known, the research path of members of the Mechanicus is basically strongly tied to their mentors. So, if you want to switch from a Biological Sage to a Forging Sage, you either have to figure it out from scratch on your own or spend a lot of money to find a new mentor.

Whichever choice you make, it will ultimately consume a lot of time and energy.

Even those great sages who oversee the creation of a world do not have enough lifespan to allow them to venture into more areas.

Now someone has brought over a book on the fundamentals of the entire field.

You can think of it this way: in the past, mechanical engineering was taught by private tutors who set their own questions and then educated their students. The teaching effectiveness depended entirely on the teacher's own level and understanding of the existing technology.

But now someone has compiled a complete textbook explanation, covering everything from elementary to high school.

Now it's not just students who need to learn, teachers need to watch too.

There are bad people among my colleagues!
Wosch couldn't help but mutter something to himself, and after searching through the signatures, he still couldn't find them.

What am I supposed to write if you've already written everything?
"Can it be widely adopted?"

"It's difficult, sir."

Voschi put aside his own thoughts and immediately replied:

"This would disrupt the knowledge transmission system within the Mechanical Church and infringe upon the interests of the vast majority of sages who linger in the middle ranks."

"what about you?"

“We would find it convenient to cultivate this level of sages in a short period of time, which would greatly facilitate our work. Moreover, the dissemination of this knowledge, strictly speaking, would not shake our position. Although it is comprehensive, it is also quite superficial.”

Vosschi explained carefully.

If he were a polymath in the process of being promoted, he would certainly oppose the plan, because it would mean that he would not be able to use his knowledge to control more mechanical priests to work for him.

But it's different now.

Although he was obsequious in front of the adults, he was technically a Great Sage, with his own forging city and was also in charge of research in specific areas required by the forging world, so he could not be considered a middle-level figure.

At their level, the expansion of knowledge to a deeper level cannot be solved simply by exploiting a few people.

They need more money.

Therefore, he will have an open-minded attitude towards anything that can create more value for the city.

As for the low-level mechanical priests who work for polymaths and sages, that goes without saying.

Such an opportunity is right in front of us; only a fool would not support it or learn from it.

"Ah."

Romulus nodded.

This version seems to be a good improvement.

It wouldn't provoke the entire Mechanicus community, but rather stir up conflicts of interest among its various classes.

Having integrated a series of communication data from the past decade into his mind, Romulus finally finalized his plan.

Great, we'll use this version for the initial rollout.

"Can you promote it?"

he asked.

Voschi immediately looked troubled.

It's not that he's afraid to sacrifice himself for the original power, but is it too much to ask him to promote the technology?

At his level, daring to promote this material on a large scale would most likely lead to his downfall, and the resulting teaching materials would likely be drastically altered to better suit the interests of those who build the world.

"You can promote this within the forging city you lead. Secondly, I hope you can propose this motion in my name within the council of the Eighth Underworld."

Voschi immediately agreed.

These are all things he is capable of doing.

"As for the results, that's not your responsibility. You need to ensure the progress of the forging city under your control."

Romulus handed over a data sheet.

He still preferred dealing with the Mechanicus, especially the Mechanicus members who had been badly beaten up.

Once these people are forced to set aside their arrogance, they are able to communicate with you seriously about data. You only need to set reasonable indicators, and they will understand.

"Secondly, while granting production licenses for some technologies, we also hope that the Dawn Star Sector can achieve in-depth cooperation with Huangquan-8 on projects such as alien research and relic excavation."

Romulus did not rush to pull out the documents; these matters, which would determine the course of a forging world, were not something that Voschi could decide.

"Can I sign first? On my own behalf."

".Can."

Romulus somewhat underestimated their strength.

Sage Vosschi nodded quickly.

"Sir, who should I contact regarding the excavation work on the Vigilant Star ruins?"

"This research was overseen by the Great Sage Tarasin, the Caster."

Tarasin also has a clone in Huang Ba, which makes it easier for Dawn Wings to better understand Huang Ba's situation.

Not surprising then.

Voschi immediately thought of the sage who dared to openly unleash the Wild Scorpion.

No wonder the other side was so arrogant; it turns out the adults are open to the idea of ​​researching alien creations.

This is a pretty good premise for promoting cooperation between Huangquan-8 and the Dawn Star Sector.

Huangquan-8 was originally a research base for heretics, consistently ranking among the top in the various forging worlds in its analysis and research of alien technology, and it was also extremely diligent in excavating graves. Therefore, they faced the greatest pressure from Mars, and if the two prospector fleets met in the extreme star field, one side would inevitably perish.

If adults can endorse the research on Huangquan No. 8, then strengthening communication between them will be an inevitable result.

Voschi thought that he would be able to secure more favorable conditions for the adults within the council of the Eighth Underworld.

"Sir, how should we ensure our communication?"

he asked again.

“We will send a team of Star Speakers to liaise with you.”

"I see."

Sage Voschi remained silent, respectfully awaiting orders.

"Look at this again."

Romulus finally retrieved a star map.

It marks the Mechanicus fleets that have been discovered so far, and their areas of activity.

"."

Voschi didn’t notice anything amiss at first, until he discovered that apart from the fleet that Incaladion had forged the world, the other fleets were composed of small fleets from various sects.

“That doesn’t make sense.”

He said immediately.

The Cult of Mechanics is a complex web of factions, and apart from Mars, which is large enough, the others are relatively isolated due to their conflicts with each other.

It's not uncommon for collaborations to occasionally arise due to shared interests, but such a large-scale organization and gathering—

Voschi's gaze swept quickly across the dozen or so node planets where the Mechanicus was present, and he began to analyze them with the mindset of a strategist.

The last time was during the great rebellion!
At that time, it was Horus who brought together those traitors from countless tribes.

So now, what force has brought them together here?
"This is the problem we are about to face."

Shaking his head to indicate that this gathering was not led by them, Romulus gave the order:

"These forces have been assembled by chaotic forces. The mastermind is currently unknown, but it is certain that they are related to that false god in the warp."

Voschi immediately became serious, while finding no fault in Romulus referring to Vashtor as a false god.

How can that inferior being, whose ability to forge war machines requires the Creator Cult to scrape the ground in the real universe, compare to the primordial power of creation from the void?
“I will immediately report this discovery to the council and have the sages of the various forging cities submit to your rule.”

He silently repeated the name of the false god.

They actually dared to challenge a real mechanical god.

"I don't expect Huangquan No. 8 to be on my side in this war, but I hope it can hold its own little territory."

Seeing that Voschi was somewhat agitated, Romulus spoke up.

Huangquan No. 8 is located in the Taiping Starfield, which is quite far from the Eye of Fear.

However, based on the example of Vigilant Star, due to the need for excavation and research of the undead ruins in space and the demand for black stone deposits, Huangquan No. 8 has built quite a few forging cities around the Eye of Fear.

Romulus didn't expect to be able to command those guys who were far from the emperor's reach.

After all these years, Romulus knew that giving a reminder was more than enough. At least as the Primarch, his words carried enough weight most of the time. All that was left was to do his job.

“I understand, sir. I can certainly guarantee that the forces under my command will obey your orders.”

"Okay, thank you for your hard work. Please go back now—the handover will begin in 13 hours, so please be prepared."

Having completed all the necessary communication, Romulus then issued an order to leave.

"Yes, my lord."

Vosschi replied, then turned around.

He was going to assemble the fleet.

Those tasks and affairs were all political and military issues.

Lord Romulus has already set the requirements and generously defined the boundaries.

He wouldn't do anything unnecessary, because the commands of the Primal Force were not to be questioned.

But there's one more thing.

The most important thing.

He wants to resolve the religious issue.

A fanatical glint appeared in Voss's eyes.

This is the contract he made with the primal force.

He must convince his colleagues, who are still lost in confusion and arrogance, to believe in the true mechanical god.
-
After seeing Voschi off, Romulus finally breathed a long sigh of relief. Looking at the encirclement surrounding Kadia, he couldn't help but rub his temples.

It's almost on par with the scale of the Dawn Expedition, with at least ten Titan Legions alone, not to mention the supporting fleets.

Even though Arthur led the Wolf Pack and the Dark Angels to eliminate many branch fleets through provocation or secret executions, the number of Mechanicus members gathered here has reached an extremely exaggerated level.

Large fleets, on the other hand, are not easy to move, as they could easily provoke the already sensitive nerves of the Mechanicus. The mastermind behind the scenes might be even happier if the conflict were to be ignited prematurely.

The mere fact that several branches of the Mechanicus alliance had to be combined forced them to proceed with caution, which only speaks volumes about the sheer size of the Empire.

Especially when they are opponents.

"If everyone in the Empire were to perform their duties diligently, it would undoubtedly be the most powerful force in the galaxy. Unfortunately, this is just a concept."

The oak door closed again, and Romulus couldn't help but sigh.

The warning star has been dealt with. The next step is to radiate outwards to connect with Cardia and then wait for the opponent to make a move.

Unity is strength.

Thinking about the current situation around the Eye of Fear, Arthur couldn't help but look solemn.

And he wasn't wrong.

True unity is never a superficial unity of one's spiritual friends or political allies.

That cannot be called unity; it is forming cliques for personal gain.

True unity means uniting all those who can be united and then integrating them into a completely new framework.

This is exactly what these mechanical teachings are all about.

But Arthur was optimistic about the situation.

Just as the Dark Angels under his command crushed their former colleagues, under Romulus's command, the power of the Vigilant Star began to concentrate more and more in the Wings of Dawn.

The aristocracy was quickly dealt with, the planetary government was reorganized, the industrial structure began to be optimized, and a large amount of productivity was utilized more efficiently.

The next step is expansion, which means consolidating the Empire's existing military forces to the maximum extent possible before the enemy makes a move.

The area that had long been contested by various forces was opened up and began to be further developed under the overall coordination of the Dawn Wings, while the distribution of benefits was carried out to ease the conflicts between the parties.

The Vigilant Star is about to be transformed into a factory and a fortress.

Next, its surrounding area will be built into an impregnable defensive line, and this will be expanded outwards.

Arthur is keeping an eye on the star chart of the Vigilant Star, and they are also uniting more forces, with equally flexible methods.

He felt his partners needed to do even better.

But this also reveals the problems of empires.

There was absolutely no mutual trust, and no one or government as powerful as them could step forward to take charge of the overall situation, just like those fallen angels, just like the chaotic situation on Vigilant Star before.

Undeniably, if the empire continues to maintain this status quo, it is inevitably heading towards its demise.
-
"I don't believe the empire is dying."

Chaotic energy in the subspace surged like the tides, and distorted light and shadow intertwined in the void.

A demonic furnace planet belonging to Peturabo floats beneath a crimson sky, its pulsating lava reflecting off its entire surface like a hellish landscape.

On the bridge of the Steelblood, Perturabo stood tall, his cold metal armor reflecting the burning world below, his dark eyes fixed on the metal and flesh twisting and deforming in the flames.

"Because the empire is dead."

The entire planet awoke under his will, and the veins of steel pulsed deep within the Earth's crust.

Countless steel warriors executed his commands with mechanical precision, and the furnace fortress rose from the ground with a roar, the sound of gears meshing piercing the sky.

Ordinary slaves staggered forward under the whip, their figures elongated in the firelight of the lava, pulling on chains and dragging heavy objects.

In the lava river, newly cast war machines slowly took shape, their metal shells gleaming with a dark red luster in the high temperature.

The shrieking demon was bound by iron chains and forcibly stuffed into a mechanical shell.

"It was already an empty zombie. Every day they struggled was nothing more than prolonging the suffering of this corpse, letting it continue to take aimless steps in the boundless space."

"Then let me destroy it, destroy this corpse!"

"Let us liberate those poor brothers, those deceived offspring, from their father's bondage!"

Fricks listened silently, his eyes calm as he pondered the tactical requirements given to him by the Iron Lord. He remained motionless, which made his Primarch's body, which had grown stronger with the great power of embracing the Sea of ​​Souls, appear even more imposing.

Peturabo was very jealous.

Yes, he was jealous.

Back then, the Emperor withdrew from the Great Crusade and returned to Terra to pursue his ambition of becoming a god, handing over the rule of the Empire to mortal bureaucrats rather than to his sons who had fought and bled for him across the galaxy.

In Peturab's view, the emperor's actions were undoubtedly a betrayal of him and his brothers.

Now, Peturabo is consumed by jealousy.

The privileges they longed for back then are now being exercised at will by four 'brothers' they've never met.

The galaxy they conquered with countless lives is now being wantonly smeared by these substitutes who never participated in that great expedition!

And what about them?

What else do they have?
Led by Fricks himself, the ancient AI, developed since the Dark Ages, was captured and bound inside the bridge of the Steelblood, connected to Peturabo by countless pipes.

"Leon, Saint Geres, Guilliman, Magnus."

Ignoring yet another request for a meeting from the Black Legion's representatives, Perturabo gazed at the treacherous Sea of ​​Souls, squeezing every last bit of computing power from the AI.

A path that could leap out of the eyes of fear slowly took shape in his eyes.

he murmured.

“You really need to see them, see how they came to replace you.”

(End of this chapter)