Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 552

Rostov III, the world's forging starport, is the beating heart of the subsector logistics network.

Before the engines of the massive transport ships had even cooled down, a massive amount of supplies—organic rations from distant agricultural worlds, rough ores mined from nearby mining planets, and even mysterious alloy ingots bearing enigmatic runes from beyond the star sector—were pumped like blood through the intricate network of pipes and orbits of the starport to the planet's insatiable foundry.

The air is perpetually permeated with engine oil, ozone, metal dust, and a faint but persistent scent of incense, creating a unique and indescribable atmosphere of the foundry world.

In the heart of this bustling steel jungle, near the numerous security checkpoints leading to the internal foundry area, stands the "Gears & Spirits" bar.

This is one of the few upscale venues in the Starport Hub, catering to transport ship captains, senior cargo supervisors, and distinguished visitors like Maria Nearl.

The bar is relatively spacious inside. The heavy, fine gold floor has been worn smooth by countless footsteps. The plasma tubes hanging from the dome emit a steady, low hum. The light shines through the carefully wiped but still dusty protective shield, casting a steady but slightly hazy halo.

The metal benches and bar counters have been worn smooth and shiny by millions of people's touch. Faded mechanical prayers are etched on the backs and pillars, the most striking of which is "Knowledge is power, keep it safe!"

In addition to the basic scent of the Forged World, the air was mixed with purified circulating air, the slightly intoxicating aroma of high-quality synthetic liquor, and the mixed body odor and perfume scents of crew members from different star systems.

In the distance, automated cargo arms roared along the elevated tracks, carrying mountains of ammunition boxes and servo components, the Imperial double-headed eagle emblem painted on the vehicle flashing by in the shadows.

Maria Nearl leaned against a supply station that was half-embedded in the wall in the corner of the bar.

She wore the iconic white knight uniform of the Nearl family, trimmed with gold, and even in the relatively dim bar lighting, the delicate silver-white pony crest on her cuff shimmered with an undeniable gleam.

Her posture was as upright as a javelin, carrying a knightly alertness that ran deep in her bones.

She held the data tablet firmly in her hand, the blue light from the screen illuminating her focused, pale golden eyes—beneath which lay the encrypted instructions she had just received from the Sage Oregana.

Her shoulder armor still bore traces of fine dust brought from the testing ground, and the exquisitely crafted pendant at her waist swayed slightly at the hem of her uniform in rhythm with her almost imperceptible breathing.

Command: The target, identified as "Gruuk" (disguised as a rare mineral merchant), has passed through Starport security and is expected to enter this area.

According to the plan, the "Fortress Shield" project was released with three levels of misleading information, emphasizing the technical bottlenecks and resource consumption of "energy overload protection".

Your words and actions represent the honor of the Lin Guang family and their loyalty to the Emperor.

May the Machine God protect you. - Oregana 7-4-1
She raised her hand, her knuckles quickly tapping across the binary rune array on the side of the supply station. With a soft click of a mechanical latch opening, a warm, military-grade nutrient solution was ejected.

The metal casing transmitted steady heat to her palm, and the imperial image pressed onto the surface was clear and solemn.

Just then, the thick, dustproof sliding door at the bar entrance hissed as it was hydraulically driven, and a short, stout man squeezed in sideways.

He wore a synthetic fiber jacket covered in cheap imitation gold sequins, which stood out conspicuously among the uniform gray-black and ochre-red work clothes, technical robes, and a few well-dressed but understated captain's uniforms around him.

The smile plastered on his face looked like a carefully practiced template; the enthusiasm didn't reach his eyes, and it revealed a kind of professional slickness.

A shrewd, assessing light gleamed deep in his eyes as he scanned everyone in the bar like a scanning array, finally fixing his gaze precisely on the unique Pegasus emblem on Maria's cuff. The curve of his smile seemed to become even more perfect.

"Praise be to Om Messiah, may the light of Om Messiah guide us on every voyage." The man's voice had a deliberately hoarse quality, like sandpaper rubbing against metal. "Ah! A noble knight! Please forgive my intrusion, but look at this insignia, is she a lady of the Nearl family? To see such an elegant figure in this place filled with engine oil, sweat, and stardust is truly... impressive."

Maria unscrewed the nutrient solution's sealed cap with a calm and unhurried movement, carrying the rhythmic quality characteristic of a knight.

Her tone was as calm as a server in optimal condition, exuding the politeness and aloofness characteristic of nobility: "Maria Nearl of the Nearl family. Awaiting approval from the Sanctuary of Technology for the transfer." As she spoke, her wrist subtly and naturally tilted the data panel screen outward at an imperceptible angle.

On the screen, a complex energy flow simulation diagram is clearly visible, with the title bar prominently displaying "Bastion Shield - Energy Buffer Array Performance Test (Iteration 7)". Several key nodes in the diagram are flashing a glaring scarlet color, representing an overload warning.

“Transfer permit? Oh, I see,” Gluck took a half-step closer without making a sound. The mingled smells of cheap perfume, human sweat, and the stench of a bar assaulted his nostrils. His face wore the typical businessman’s helpless expression at the tedious process. “'Fortress Shield'? That name sounds extraordinary! Lately, in the unloading area, I’ve been hearing the crew whispering about how Forgeworld is working on a major project that will make the knights’ mechs indestructible. If this really works out, it will be a blessing for the Empire, a boon in the fight against the heretics and aliens!”

Maria took a sip of the nutrient solution, and the bland yet highly effective taste made her habitually furrow her brow slightly, as if complaining about the troubles caused by some kind of technocratic bureaucracy.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the noise in the bar's background: "The project does exist, but its goal is not 'indestructible'."

"'Bastion Shield' is designed to raise the Knight Mech's defense threshold against heavy kinetic energy impacts."

She paused deliberately, lowered her voice slightly, and spoke with just the right amount of technical concern, "However, the technical bottleneck is quite thorny."

“The last extreme load test…” she shook her head slightly, her fingertip tapping the scarlet warning area on the data board, “The energy overload directly caused the three main heat pipes to melt.”

“Sage Aurejana was furious and rebuked us for our lack of understanding of the mysteries bestowed upon us by the God of Machines.”

"The mechanical priests are now praying day and night, seeking a way to break through the limits of heat dissipation efficiency and material tolerance." Her words naturally incorporated her piety toward the Ohm Messiah and her awe of the technical challenges.

"Heat dissipation?" Gluck's concern deepened instantly, his right hand seemingly unconsciously slipping into the bulging pocket of his coat—where a miniature recording device's microphone was pointed directly at Maria. "This is the lifeline on the battlefield! What if the shield overloads and fails at a critical moment..."

“That’s why every second is so precious.” Maria interrupted him decisively, her sharp gaze sweeping over the precision timer integrated into her wrist armor, the Imperial Eagle emblem reflecting a cold glint in the dim light. “Excuse me, Mr. 'Gluck'.”

"The approval window for the transfer permit is about to close, and the rules of the Mechanical Sanctuary cannot be delayed." She ended the conversation with an impeccable, aristocratic nod, then turned around smoothly and firmly, heading straight for the heavily guarded checkpoint leading to the inner foundry area.

The moment Maria turned around, Gluck's professional, enthusiastic smile vanished like the tide, leaving only a cold, focused expression.

He didn't stay in one place, but quickly and naturally blended into the flow of people near the bar.

Just as Maria passed the first identity scan and was undergoing biometric verification with her back to the bar area, Gluck's figure appeared like a ghost next to the supply station where she had just stopped.

He pretended to adjust his cuffs, and a ring with an inconspicuous data interface flashed swiftly and almost silently across the surface of the simulation image she had left on the data board screen, completing an extremely brief data contact read.

The entire process takes less than a second.

After doing all this, he quickly put on that businessman's smile again, turned around nonchalantly, and disappeared into the bar entrance with the crowd surging towards the public transportation platform.

The heavy blast door closed silently behind Maria, completely isolating the hustle and bustle of Star Harbor from the noise of the bar.

The cold air inside the passage carried the scent of purified metal.

At an angle unseen by anyone, the corners of her mouth curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

The bait has been cast, bearing the mark of the Nearl family and the will of the sage Oregana.

Now, all we need to do is wait for the target lurking in the undercurrents to follow the carefully woven light of flaws and walk right into the trap.

(End of this chapter)