Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 449 Chen Xi's Policy

For the Empire, mutants are a rather unpopular group.

After all, genetic mutations are something that are very difficult for emperors who are still living in the human world to accept.

This is a persistent problem left over from the time when the warp storms of the Old Night Era engulfed the galaxy and human civilization was shattered and isolated.

In those dark ages, countless human colonies were isolated and helpless, and the gene pools inevitably slid toward mutation under the influence of isolation and the whispers of the warp.

To give a simple example, in the solar system alone, there are multiple pocket empires or forces, such as the various warlords of Terra, the lunar gene cult, the Martian mechanical cult, and the Saturnian technology secret meeting.

The Emperor first launched a war of unification to consolidate the resources of the entire Terra before conquering the Moon, deceiving Mars, signing a pact with Saturn, assembling the Astartes with twenty legions, armaments sufficient to launch a great expedition, and the legendary Solar Auxiliary Army, which was said to be able to achieve a beautiful exchange ratio with the Astartes.

(According to the latest Saturn lore, after the Saturn Tech Consortium joined the Empire, their army was reorganized into the Solar Auxiliary Army.)
It's easy to imagine how human civilization, once so widespread throughout the galaxy, would have mutated due to the effects of subspace storms after its fragmentation.

A rumor that was widely known in the 3K era but could hardly be called a rumor: the Empire determined whether someone was human by looking at their skull; if the skull was human-shaped, then they were human, and human genes had been modified to be worse than bananas.

The first half of this statement is correct, but the second half is pure nonsense.

The Empire examined skulls to determine the degree of mutation, not to determine whether the genes still belonged to humans.

Because after humans are affected and mutated by the subspace, the skull mutations are often very severe, which usually represents the degeneration of the soul.

For this reason, having horns on its head and a skull that is not human-shaped is considered by the Empire to be a sign of serious depravity, and it is indeed something that needs to be purified.

General mutations in limbs and flesh are considered tolerable within the Empire.

This is precisely why gene stealers, who don't seem much different from humans, are often able to conceal their identities and even infiltrate the noble courts of the Empire world, polluting the entire planet.
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Inside the port building, Chen Xi was asking the High Nun about mutants.

"Who is currently in charge of Novaya Zemlya Airport? What about the former airport governor?" Chen Xi looked around but did not see the governor in charge of the airport's daily management. His tone was questioning.

High Sister Katarina stood ramrod straight, the servos of her power armor humming softly, her voice as cold and hard as metal: "Former Airport Governor infected by Genestealers, Your Honor."

He and his core followers have been purged. Currently, the main daily operations of Novaya Zemlya Airport are being temporarily managed by me and my Battle Sisters.

She paused, suppressing the impatience in her voice, but her aversion to management was still clearly evident: "Your Honor, please send someone to replace me as soon as possible! I am really not good at management."

More than these documents and orders, I yearn to purify those mutants and heretics for Her Majesty! This is the duty of a battle nun!

“High Priestess Katharina, I understand, I understand…” Chen Xi sighed, a hint of helplessness on his face: “To be honest, I don’t like these management jobs either. But it’s our duty, and we have to keep the airport running.”

The Rostov sub-sector is currently facing an extreme shortage of manpower, not only in basic labor but also in qualified managers.

He looked earnestly at the High Nun: "Until the new Airport Governor arrives, I appoint you as Acting Governor. You are free to manage this place according to your own ideas and wishes—within the framework of Imperial Law and the doctrines of the State Religion, of course."

Feel free to tell me if you have any needs, and I'll try my best to meet them.

High Nun Katarina's expression instantly became extremely complicated.

Obeying orders is the duty of a battle nun, but to manage imperial citizens who she sees as "flawed," especially to tolerate their lack of piety, is an ordeal for her faith.

“Your Honor, I obey your command.” Her voice was filled with struggle: “But you know, my sisters are the sword that purifies heresy, not the staff that soothes foolish souls!”
We know how to command combat squads to purify heretical lairs, but we don't know how... how to 'manage' those subjects whose faith in His Holiness is weak, or even who are complacent! This causes us... pain.

She finally couldn't help but bring up the core point of contention. "As for mutants..." Her words trailed off, but the burning, zero-tolerance attitude towards any form of "alienation" and "corruption" in her eyes said it all.

Chen Xi fully understands this conflict that stems from the depths of faith.

He took a step closer, his voice low and serious: "I understand your zero-tolerance attitude towards heresy, that's beyond question."

But Katarina, please remember that those less-than-devout citizens, and those who have been mutated by misfortune, are still citizens of the Empire, still members of humanity.

Sending them all to the stake irresponsibly would be a tremendous waste and a disregard for the emperor's grace.

'Life is an emperor's currency; we should use it wisely, not waste it.'

Guiding them and placing them in useful positions to serve the Empire is equally difficult a sacrifice, perhaps requiring even more patience than purifying the battlefield.

“I… understand, Your Honor.” High Sister Katarina took a deep breath, seemingly suppressing an inner conflict. Ultimately, obedience and rational considerations prevailed: “I will do my best to fulfill the duties of the acting governor until a successor arrives.”

But I must once again request that you promptly dispatch personnel skilled in administration and evangelism to assist you, especially in handling matters of faith.

She quickly steered the conversation to a more practical question that was more in line with her current responsibilities: "Also, what are your plans regarding the mutant settlements in the airport underground pipeline area?"
Under the previous governor's policies of 'limited constraints and management,' they had formed stable settlements, even families and communities, and were quite numerous.

The former airport governor's policy was to tolerate the existence of mutants as long as they did not damage the underground structures and pipelines.

Security forces regularly purge individuals that have mutated significantly and are considered dangerous.

The advantage of doing this is that the mutants handle a large amount of the airport's waste and can replenish the crew of passing ships, thus increasing the airport's attractiveness.

However, the drawbacks are equally obvious: the mutations are aggravated in the genetics, mutants cannot get treatment, and the despair and increased degree of mutation make them more susceptible to subspace contamination, becoming a potential breeding ground for chaos cults.

They were part of the empire, yet they were excluded and were considered dangerous "outcasts."

Chen Xi's gaze became focused and pragmatic, which was one of the key considerations for his trip.

“The old management method was ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ which doesn’t solve the fundamental problem and instead creates hidden dangers.” He explained his plan: “My idea is to bring them under effective management.”

By regularly distributing basic treatment drugs, the degree of their mutations can be controlled, preventing them from deteriorating to an uncontrollable level.

At the same time, they can be utilized as labor force—those with mild mutations can be assigned simple jobs such as porters.

The airport has been cleaned up and is now lacking in low-level labor.

This will not only alleviate our manpower shortage, but more importantly, placing them under management will allow for effective monitoring, reducing the risk of them being misled by chaotic cults and improving public security.

High Sister Katarina listened attentively. Although allowing mutants to exist "legally" and providing them with drug support still made her instinctively uncomfortable, Chen Xi's logic was clear and in line with the real needs of the Rostov sub-sector—a shortage of manpower and the paramount importance of stability.

In particular, their ability to fill labor shortages and curb the spread of chaos is extremely valuable to the current subsectors.

After careful consideration, she finally nodded: "Your Honor, I understand your considerations! This... does indeed meet the current practical needs of the Rostov sub-sector."

I will try to bring those underground settlements under management, provide limited medical support and medication as you wish, and identify and arrange employment for the available workforce.

(End of this chapter)