Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 393 Subsequent Plans (3rd Update)
Chen Xi stood on the observatory of the Governor's Mansion, gazing at the gradually taking shape administrative map of the Rostov sub-sector.

When he first arrived here ten years ago, the entire subsector consisted of only one isolated colony, Rostov II. Now, it has developed into an administrative region with multiple developing star systems.

Now, he must strive to gain more political advantage in the sector capital and make the establishment of the Rostov sub-sector a fait accompli.

An urgent problem was looming ahead—the determination of tithe classes.

Chen Xi recalled the predicament when the Rostov II was first established: this remote, newly established colonial world did not even have a formal tithe class in the archives of the Imperial Ministry of the Interior, and the imperial bureaucrats did not expect to squeeze any profit out of this poor and remote place.

Moreover, the Ministry of Internal Affairs not only did not levy taxes, but also continued to provide food subsidies for the Rostov II. These free rations are still being delivered to this day.

Although Rostov II has long since achieved food self-sufficiency and agricultural development in other colonies in the secondary sector is progressing smoothly, the Ministry of the Interior's administrative system has clearly not yet caught up, and subsidies are still being distributed on time.

Chen Xi couldn't help but feel fortunate for the inefficiency of the imperial bureaucracy—this unexpected windfall had been a great help to him.

But things are different now.

As the war in the sub-sectors gradually subsides, the henchmen of the Ministry of the Interior will sooner or later smell the wealth in this area.

Chen Xi could almost picture what those tax auditors looked like—they would be carrying sophisticated measuring instruments and data boards filled with clauses, scrutinizing every factory and farmland in Rostov with a critical eye.

As an imperial official, Chen Xi never considered evading the tithe.

But he knew all too well that in the empire’s bloated administrative system, paying taxes was never a simple matter of numbers, but a delicate game of strategy.

The key is to utilize the rules to ensure that this tax is paid at the most appropriate time and in the most advantageous way.

"Twenty years..." Chen Xi murmured to himself.

This point in time kept flashing through his mind.

According to his plan, the tax assessment could be delayed until after the Regent's return.

After all, a simple approval from the Ministry of the Interior often takes decades, let alone a comprehensive tax assessment of a new sub-sector.
During this precious period, the taxes that should have been paid could have been invested in the construction of the sub-stellar region.

By the time Guilliman returns, Rostov will be a completely different country, and it won't be too late to pay the taxes then.

When the Great Rift unfolds twenty years later, the Rostov Subsector will lose contact with Holy Terra, leaving the question of whether or not to pay this tax open to debate.

How exactly to proceed depends on how much power Chen Xi will wield by then.

If he could command tens of thousands of Astartes, Chen Xi felt he might as well try for the position of High Lord.

Besides these, how to deal with the various Astartes Chapters that participated in the war became a key issue that Chen Xi needed to consider in the post-war cleanup work.

These imperial angels are quite different from ordinary armies—they do not require monetary rewards, nor do they pursue worldly honors.

For them, being able to fight for the God-Emperor was the highest reward. With the war over, most of the warbands began packing their belongings to prepare for withdrawal.

Those battle groups that suffered heavy losses in the battle were able to recruit qualified new soldiers locally thanks to the replenishment policy specially approved by Chen Xi.

While the number of new recruits cannot fully compensate for the losses, it at least keeps the organization of each chapter at an acceptable level.

In terms of equipment, thanks to the opening of the armory by the Great Sage of Caul, the participating chapters received far better weaponry than expected.

The armories of each battle group are now filled with brand-new explosive rifles, precision-engineered power armor, and even a few rare Land Raiders.

This abundance, ironically, has led many chapter leaders into a happy dilemma—they have begun to privately inquire with representatives of the Cult of Mechanics about whether they could be issued more of the new equipment they are already familiar with.

However, beyond these apparent equipment supplies, the original Astartes modification project that Caul was secretly advancing remained in absolute secrecy.

Unbeknownst to the various warbands, their precious genetic seeds had been unknowingly infused with new possibilities.

This "well-intentioned" intervention may cause new trouble in the future, but for now it is just a confidential file hidden deep in the data panel.

However, these are not the main points. The main point is that Chen Xi needs to establish good relationships and connections with the various battle groups before they withdraw.

He personally arranged several private meetings, holding one-on-one secret talks with the commanders of various battle groups in the strategic command room of Rostov III.

I don't expect them to obey my commands, but at least when something happens, I can call out and they will respond.

To this end, Chen Xi prepared a detailed strategic memorandum, which recorded the heroic performance of each major warband in the expedition, and promised to report these deeds to the Terra Highlord Council.

Because apart from a few chapters from the Holy Blood and Earth Fist factions, the other chapters that were able to participate in this expedition were all chapters stationed around the Rostov Subsector and the Mariupol Sector, or even within the Mariupol Sector.

Chen Xi paid special attention to these local battle groups, and he ordered the quartermasters to prepare ample supplies for each group, including finely crafted weapons and blessed ammunition.

These chapters may not seem like much now, but once the Great Rift unfolds, they will be a vital strategic support and key force for the Mariupol Sector and surrounding sectors in their fight against the threat of chaos!
During the meeting, Chen Xi subtly mentioned future threats, suggesting that these warbands might face even greater challenges.

If we can cultivate good relations with these chapters and organize them all after the Great Rift opens, even if it's just to establish a loose alliance, it would greatly improve the security of the Mariupol sector and surrounding sectors.

To this end, Chen Xi proposed establishing an encrypted communication network to ensure that the various combat groups could maintain real-time contact.

Even before the Unyielding Expedition began, they established a presence in this region similar to the Pocket Empire to maintain the empire's peace.

Chen Xi has begun to formulate a detailed defense plan, preparing to connect the defense zones of the various battle groups to form a mutually supportive defense system.

It should be noted that the Mariupol sector is located on the edge of the Solar Starfield. Although it is in a remote area, it is still within the protection zone of the Imperial Holy Frontier.

Even after the Great Rift opened, this place could still receive the guidance of the starlight, and the overall threat of chaos was relatively small, which provided Chen Xi with a unique geographical advantage for his strategic layout.

(End of this chapter)