Warhammer: Black Emperor

Chapter 9 Conquering the Dome
Facing the arbitrator's pressure, Ningluo remained calm.

"I took the Magnito Steel Works under my command not for myself, but for the Khanty-Mansi Dome, and even more for you, the Arbitrator."

The young master of the Finder family looked at him with great interest, and the arbitrator was amused by his anger.

"Don't talk nonsense, kid. You robbed the steel mill for yourself, how could it be for me?"

"Vostonia has served Mars for thousands of years. Efficiency is a top priority for Om Messiah's followers. Am I right?"

Listening to Nimrod's calm and soothing voice, Dimitrov's irritable mood gradually calmed down, but he still didn't understand how the other party's words had anything to do with him.

The arbitrator asked, his tone slowing down slightly.

"You're right. What does that have to do with your seizure of the steel mill? And how is it for me?"

"Magnito Steel Works is part of an upstream steel industry, directly upstream of the D-46 Foundry. Ancient Terra's management expert, Chandler, has long stated that controlling upstream companies can optimize resource allocation and improve resource utilization."

"Once my foundry takes control of the steel mill, its efficiency will be greatly improved. The Khanty-Mansi Dome will stand out from the crowd, and you will come into the sight of the Tech-Priests."

Dimitrov fell into deep thought after hearing this. The entire Vostroya was ruled by nobles and technical priests from Mars. If he could gain the favor of even one technical priest, he would be able to ascend to the nest.

He was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Why you? Wouldn't it be better if I could control it myself?"

Nimrod smiled confidently and spoke.

"If the arbitrators take matters into their own hands, it will inevitably lead to strong resistance from many factories, and you will lose a lot of manpower."

"When I merged the factory, they wouldn't immediately form an alliance. They wouldn't have expected me to have such a big appetite. By the time they realized what was happening, the situation was already decided."

"I have the ability to swallow up all the factories, and only I can improve the efficiency of the entire dome."

Dimitrov looked at Nimrod. He was convinced by the other party's logic. He felt even more confident, as if the boy would do what he said. But when he thought of Finder's instructions, he still forced himself to find a reason.

"The rules cannot be broken."

"otherwise."

Nimrod instantly recalled the legal knowledge he had gained when he drank the potion, and found a case from Tezwok that he could cite.

"As far as I know, thirty-eight years ago, the Kournikova family launched an unprecedented raid, seizing fifty-two chemical plants in the Upper Nest within nineteen working cycles. They ultimately won the Judgment Assembly composed of the nobility and the Mechanicus, and have since monopolized the chemical industry."

"Also, according to the 'Om Messiah's Guide' written by Sage Kivio, Chapter 11, 'Regulations for the Governance of Tezwok,' Article 11 of the Factory Management Rules, has the following clause: 'All past precedents of this hive may be cited as a basis for punishment.'"

Although Vostronia has not yet joined the Empire and the Ministry of Justice has not been stationed in the Tezwok Hive, the local dual-headed political system has formed a unique decision-making body.

They inherited the arbitration system of ancient Terra and established an arbitration institution with the same name as the Ministry of Justice’s adjudicative body, the Court of Arbitration.

The members of the Arbitration Court are composed of nobles and technical priests, who make decisions on major issues. This has also led to the emergence of special groups such as lawyers.

When this system is extended to the lower nest, it is simplified to the arbitrator making the decision alone.

Upon hearing this, the blond noble stared at Ningluo. The precedents and details cited by the other party were likely to be mastered by only the great lawyers of the Hive City, and he was just a teenager from the Lower Hive, how could he know them?

[Looking at his appearance, he doesn't look like a Lower Nester at all, but he's still a teenager. Even a lawyer from Upper Nester would still be learning the basics at this age, and it's impossible for him to have mastered the law to this level.]
Dimitrov looked blank. He was not even sure whether there was such a detailed rule in the "Om Messiah's Guide". As an independent arbitrator, he only needed to grasp the first level of the rules.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Nimrod speak.

"I believe this noble from the Upper Nest must be aware of this rule."

"How dare you! How dare you address me by my name? You should address me as my Lord!"

"That's all right," the young nobleman said, applauding and looking at Nimrod with admiration. "It's a wonderful argument, just like the great lawyer's argument I heard in the judgment hall."

"You've convinced me. The steel mill you seized originally supplied raw materials to the Finder family. That's why I'm here."

"When I heard that a young man ten years younger than me had achieved such success in such a short time, I decided to meet you in person."

"Now, I'm impressed by your performance."

He turned to the referee and said, "Dimitroff, give him a chance. I want to see how far he can go."

"Yes, my lord."

The arbitrator saw that Nimrod was favored by Lord Howard, and his eyes were full of envy. Howard Finder turned around and said, "But I have one condition. I want to send an observer to your side."

"Don't rush to refuse. He won't restrict any of your actions. He's just observing your abilities. If you perform well enough, I'll support your expansion into the Lower Nest, and even help you move to the Upper Nest."

Ningluo pondered for a moment. He thought that psychic crystal was a scarce material. Apart from psychic craftsmen, only nobles and oil men were most likely to have it.

"Okay, but I want a psychic crystal."

"You're asking a high price," Howard said after a moment of silence. "That's fine, but you need to take control of all the factories in the Khanty-Mansi Dome within a month and increase production capacity by more than 10%. Can you do it?"

"of course."

Seeing Nimrod so confident, Howard became more curious and said to a subordinate holding a plasma gun beside him.

"Yasin, follow him."

"As you command, Master."

Dimitrov said to Nimrod, "Congratulations, Nimrod. The Magnito Steel Works is yours, and you have also been granted permission to annex all the factories in Khanty-Mansi Dome."

When Nimrod heard these words, he felt much more spiritually alive.

[Well, by playing the role of "lawyer," I gain benefits and gain recognition from others, which allows me to digest them more effectively than simply grabbing benefits.]
After sixteen working cycles, it goes on the nest.

Howard Finder sat in his office with a frown on his face.

Just as he was lost in thought, the voice communication system in the Seiko Power Armor began to beep. After he answered it, he heard the voice of his personal butler.

"Master, Yasin is back."

Howard frowned even more tightly when he heard this. He ordered Yasin to come back and report when Nimrod's action had produced results.

[How is it possible that he took control of all the factories in the dome so quickly?

It's impossible that he's dead. It's impossible. With the abilities he's shown, it's impossible that he can't do it. But how could it be so fast?]
"Tell him to come in."

A moment later, Yasin hurried in.

"Sir, Nimrod has taken control of all sixty-three factories in the Khanty-Mansi Dome. He has increased production capacity by fifteen percent."

Howard was stunned for a few seconds before he came to his senses.

"How did he do it?"

"Sir, his fighting power can only be described as terrifying. Even if all of us who you trained came together, we would not be his match."

"I suspect he's the product of a genetic drug, perhaps even cultivated in the genetic laboratory of the Mechanicus. In just over ten days, he's grown a lot taller. His fighting skills can be described as art, precise, efficient, and deadly..."

Yasin spoke incessantly, describing the entire process of Nimrod's conquest of the dome in vivid detail.

Howard, lying on the leather seat, gradually sat up straight, finally supporting his chin with his hand and listening carefully to the report from his confidant.

"He has certain qualities. His speeches are very inspiring. Those lifeless workers seem to have been brainwashed by him and are now full of energy. There are even gang leaders who, after listening to his speeches, brought their men and the factory to pledge allegiance to him."

"But he did achieve it. He standardized the factory's management, improved the efficiency of the entire production chain, and he also ensured that the workers and thugs were well fed."

"Not only the workers, but even those former gang scum, followed his rules and implemented them seriously. They were like..."

Yasin thought for a while before finding an appropriate word from the vocabulary the adults had said.

"Those scum have been completely transformed. I dare say the Arbitrator's men are no longer as effective as Ningluo's men."

"He really did it."

Howard was stunned for more than ten seconds, and suddenly thought of the problem he was facing.

[Maybe he can help me solve my current troubles.]
He suddenly stood up and used the family emblem with a red background and golden lightning to open the secret room. He took out the largest piece of psychic crystals from among the dozen or so. It was one meter long and had a cross-sectional diameter of ninety centimeters.

　Howard Finder is the future captain of the 11th Legion's first company. He is a member of the in-group "I love hot pot and cold drinks" character.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)