Warhammer 40: Starting as a Rogue Trader

Chapter 156 Tax Collection Fleet
“Captain, the amount of tax collected this time is very large… The total amount of tithes levied on Malfy has been increasing every time, and this time it has doubled. Is this really reasonable?”

"The amount of tithes is determined by the Ministry of the Interior, and it should not be within our scope of consideration!"
What we need to do is make those planets fulfill their obligations to the Empire!

"Soldier, now that you have accepted this sacred duty bestowed upon you by the God-Emperor, cast aside the pity in your hearts."

"This is what the captain of the tax-collecting fleet said firmly."

With more experience, one gets used to it; he once had thoughts similar to those of this officer.

"But Captain, under normal circumstances, it will be difficult for Malfi to meet this tax quota. Won't this provoke their resistance?"

"Resistance? That possibility cannot be ruled out, but the governor of Malfi has always done an excellent job of collecting the tithes. This time should not be too much of a problem either. It will definitely cause some damage, but even if they resist, we will suppress them. Haven't we done enough of this kind of thing?"

However, with the God Emperor above, I hope they won't do anything irrational.

Accompanying them were two mechanized infantry regiments from Kadia, all of whom were among the Empire's finest warriors.

There are also several elite Kashejin squads.

They had just finished a battle and needed to replenish their ammunition and equipment.

A portion of the tithes collected this time needs to be directly transferred to them.

With their assistance, coupled with the Ministry of the Interior's purchasing support, no one can evade the obligation to pay taxes.

As the captain said this, his eyes showed an expression of admiration.

No one in the Empire can deny the fighting spirit and discipline of the Cardians; otherwise, they wouldn't have been used as a model for countless Astral Army soldiers to be imitated.

When the fleet arrived at Malfie, the tax-collecting fleet was unaware that Malfie had changed hands.

However, this was not their concern; their only task was to collect taxes.

However, the size of the enemy's fleet far exceeded their expectations.

The new owners turned out to be an alliance of traveling merchants and wandering warriors.

The captain looked at his tax-collecting fleet and realized that if the other side really refused to pay taxes, they might not even be able to land.

However, the anticipated resistance did not materialize; otherwise, this tax-collecting team would not have known how to deal with the dynasty's fleet.

The subsequent tax collection process went more smoothly than expected.

Using Gorgon's warp ability, Gao Yi temporarily transported a large number of C-14 weapons and ammunition from Agathos to Malfurion.

These weapons and ammunition will replace the tithe that Malfi was originally required to pay.

The fleet was initially skeptical of these unfamiliar weapons, but after receiving confirmation from the Mechanical Guild and witnessing their actual power, they stopped arguing.

The twenty regiments, each consisting of a thousand soldiers wearing various combat uniforms, also became part of the tithe.

A larger logistics force also set off.

The captain exclaimed about loyalty, saying that apart from a few well-known Astral Forces, who else would lay bare their wealth like this when paying tithes?

The soldiers that Malfi once handed over were of very ordinary quality.

The Cardians are considered to be well-equipped within the Astral Army. As the troops stationed at the Eye of Terror, they receive a large supply of materials from the Ministry of Military Affairs and do not need to worry about equipment and ammunition.

Even those units that are on missions outside the base receive very good treatment.

After all, the battlefields they went to were ones that ordinary imperial troops couldn't handle.

"Unbelievable, are these soldiers wearing force feedback armor? But they look more like power armor."

"As the commander of the 99th Mechanized Infantry Regiment of Cadian," Philip murmured.

Looking at his full suit of armor, Philip suddenly felt ashamed... Moreover, the opponent's combat skills were no less than theirs.

Although the soldiers of Agathos did not receive training from childhood like the Cadias.

However, their combat effectiveness skyrocketed due to their loyalty, incredibly generous rewards and benefits, and superior equipment.

Philip had been quite fond of this set of shell armor, even though the Cadia soldiers didn't have it widely deployed.

Only the most elite Kadian Blitzkrieg troops, or even more elite Kashezin, would be equipped with shell armor on a large scale.

But now, in front of him lay a CMC combat suit. "Commander Philip, consider this combat suit a gift for you! The name of the Cardians resounds throughout the entire Empire; your contributions deserve everyone's gratitude."

Gao Yi watched the Kadian soldier with purple pupils from the side. Having been stationed at the Eye of Fear for a long time, their bodies had also undergone benign mutations, and purple pupils were their mark.

Gao Yi also had a great fondness for these Kadians. Loyalty, resilience, and the motto of Kadia standing firm were not just empty words for these Kadians; they dedicated their lives to their cause.

"This……"

"Don't refuse. You deserve these equipment. With it, you can contribute to the empire even better."

"Very well! May the God Emperor bless you, Lord Gao Yi!"

As they watched as large quantities of weapons and equipment were loaded onto transport ships, the Rangers also stepped onto the troop transport ships in neat formation.

The Rangers did not choose to travel on the ships of the tax-collecting fleet.

Instead, they traveled on the dynasty's own warships.

This made the tax-collecting fleet secretly think that the tax collectors were big spenders. What kind of Star Force has its own warships? Under normal circumstances, they all have to rely on the Imperial Navy.

This is the first time they've encountered this situation in all the years they've been collecting taxes.

Among these transport ships, several were fully loaded with alien insects whose bodies still retained the power of the God Emperor.

It will be surprisingly effective against these alien insects of Chaos.

Accompanying these rangers were a large number of vehicles and SCVs. As long as there were SCVs, various interstellar buildings could be constructed at any time, so that these soldiers who had left the dynastic territory would not have to worry about the supply of weapons and equipment.

Philip looked at the Astral Legion called the Agathos Rangers and was amazed by the level of mechanization of the force.

He searched his memory for the name of this unit, but to no avail. How could such a unit be unknown in the empire?

What he didn't know was that the Rangers were built from scratch in just ten years.

"Commander Philip, are you aware of Cardian's current situation?"

“I don’t know either, but Kadian has issued a call to all the legions that are abroad. I heard that Chaos has once again set its sights on our homeland.”

But it's alright, we'll defeat them again, just like we did before!

Philip said confidently.

Gao Yi did not reveal Kadia's predetermined fate, because even if he did, Kadia would not believe it and might even curse him.

This was one of Abaddon's rare, truly significant victories, given his undefeated record.

After completing their tax collection, the tax-collecting fleet left Malfi and headed to Sintira to prepare for aiding Kadia.

Gao Yi did not go with these teams. Instead, he sent Damon and five squads of Night Guards to command this force.

If he needs to be there in person, Gao Yi can go anytime.

Meanwhile, he remained in Agathos, using the biological cloning device to carry out his plan to clone soldiers.

Meanwhile, in the Eye of Fear, a large number of Chaos warships were gathering together.

Blackrock Fortress and the massive warship known as Planet Killer are located at the very center of this fleet.

Chaos warbands with different beliefs in evil gods, along with traitors, are gathering under Abaddon's command, forming a massive force known as the Black Legion.

Meanwhile, Abaddon was aboard his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit.

A group of veteran soldiers, clad in Terminator power armor, stood guard beside him.

"Abaddon, let's make a deal. Use your power to capture that human named Gao Yi Mengert, and my followers and I will provide your legion with all kinds of weapons and equipment without expecting anything in return."

They might even take your orders and fight directly for you!

A parchment made of human skin was handed to Abaddon.

"Vashtor, is an ordinary mortal worth such a high price?"

(End of this chapter)