Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 263 Accusations of Heresy
After awakening the slumbering Autonomous Titan underground, Chen Xi left the ancient forge with the supplies promised by the Great Sage Kaul. The massive divine machine was carefully placed in a specially made cargo box to protect it from detection by the Mariupol Forging World.

The crew busily loaded crates of precious supplies into the cargo hold of Chen Xi's flagship using a magnetic crane. The most important cargo was a specially made container the size of a small fortress—inside which lay the newly awakened Titan.

The mechanical priests of the Mariupol Cast World were filled with curiosity about the shipment, but they were never able to catch a glimpse of its true form.

They could only learn about some unimportant, routine supplies through the logistics list on the data board.

Whenever a priest tried to approach the huge container, the armed servants on the black ship would silently block his way, and the protective force field around the container would emit a warning hum.

This left the mechanical priests of the Mariupol Forge World unaware of what Chen Xi had taken from Kaul's furnace, nor did they see the divine machine hidden in the large cargo crate.

However, Chen Xi's almost "plundering" behavior still caused a huge uproar within the Mechanicus.

Inside the core data hall of the Forging World, dozens of high-ranking priests were engaged in a heated debate.

Their prosthetic eyes flashed with angry red light, and their data cables swung wildly in agitation.

“This is blasphemy against Omnisiah!” A conservative priest’s synthesized voice trembled with rage. “Those technological relics should remain in the world of casting, to be worshipped and studied!”

“Even if it is the private property of Sage Caldwell,” another radical representative added, his mechanical tentacles making dangerous slashing motions in the air, “a corresponding ransom should still be paid!”

The casting director's sudden intervention brought the argument to an abrupt end.

In the holographic projection, the figure of this mysterious person was blurry, with only the Mechanicus emblem on his chest clearly visible.

“Enough,” his voice, though heavily encrypted, carried an undeniable authority: “Do you intend to openly attack a Lord Inquisitor of the Inquisition? Or have you forgotten who he represents?”

When Chen Xi's black ship finally departed from its orbit, a number of disgruntled priests still gathered on the observation tower of the Forged World.

Their mechanical eyes, glowing red, stared intently at the black ship sailing further and further away, their data streams filled with longing and resentment for what they had not obtained.

On the bridge, Chen Xi calmly watched the shrinking forging world, his fingers lightly stroking the data panel containing the Titan control key.
-
Having successfully left the Forge World, Chen Xi reunited with the Space Marines who had gone ahead and the fleet carrying the Astronauts, preparing to return to the Rostov Subsector together.

Just as the fleet was preparing to activate its subspace engines, a black-painted Sanctuary shuttle suddenly broke through the escort formation and headed straight for Chen Xi's flagship.

After the shuttle docked with the flagship, the heavy airlock slowly opened, and Marshal Mordreck's tall figure appeared in the passageway.

Beside the Space Marine clad in magnificent power armor stood a petite yet imposing nun. Her blood-red robes swayed slightly under the artificial gravity of the warship, and dark red liquid in a test tube at her waist trembled gently with each step. In the captain's cabin on the top deck of the flagship, Chen Xi watched the assembled fleet outside through the enormous observation window until the automatic door behind him slid open.

As he turned, his gaze first fell on Marshal Mordreck's battle-scarred visor, before he noticed the nun's unusual attire.

Although the blood-red nun's robes were not much different from those of ordinary medical nuns, ordinary medical nuns would wear white veils, while this one wore a veil as bright red as her robes, giving people a strange sense of déjà vu.

If the lighting in the captain's cabin hadn't perfectly illuminated the nun's young yet resolute face and the golden imperial emblem on her forehead that gleamed under the light, Chen Xi might have reached for his plasma pistol.

"Sister, what brings you here?" Although he was wary of the Blood Oath Order, with the Black Templar Marshal by his side, Chen Xi decided to listen to what the nun had to say.

“In the name of the God-Emperor, I thank you for agreeing to see me, Your Honor.” The nun’s voice was clear and firm, but Chen Xi noticed that her knuckles were white from gripping her fists tightly. “I am Irene of the Blood Oath Order, and I bring you a terrible truth that could shake the entire star sector.”

Marshal Mordreck stood silently to one side like a statue, but he did not speak, as if he had simply brought the nun to see Chen Xi.

Upon hearing Eileen's words, Chen Xi looked her up and down before speaking slowly and seriously: "Sister Eileen, you should know the seriousness of accusing a member of your own sect of heresy."

The young nun suddenly stepped forward and took out a data chip from her bosom, which was stained with dried blood.

“This was secretly recorded by one of my sisters!” Her voice trembled with anger, yet it was also filled with sorrow as she thought of her sacrificed sister and fallen followers: “My sister discovered that the sect was performing blasphemous rituals with holy blood! Her servant skull recorded those blasphemous rituals, but she was also discovered by those fallen heretics.”

After handing me the evidence, she was captured by those heretics while trying to buy me time. They drained her blood and brutally murdered her!

The temperature in the captain's cabin seemed to drop suddenly, and Marshal Mordreck's face instantly turned furious.

Chen Xi stared at the bloodstained chip, his mind already rapidly assessing the potential chain reaction this accusation might trigger.

This is not a simple accusation, and the Blood Oath Order is not a small sect. Whether this matter is true or false, it will cause a huge uproar throughout the entire sector as soon as it gets out.

“I need more evidence. I cannot condemn a highly influential branch of the state religion as heretical based solely on your accusations.” Chen Xi’s opening remarks were naturally polite, but he immediately changed the subject and said to Marshal Mordrek beside him, “Marshal Mordrek, could you please send a team of Black Templar warriors to investigate this matter? The expeditionary force is currently too busy, and I do not have the energy to investigate this matter.”

"It's my duty," Mordreck agreed.

"You can stay on my ship for now. As for the Blood Oath Order, I'll investigate first," Chen Xi said to Sister Irene.

(End of this chapter)