Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 264 Neksam's Current Situation (First Update)
The orders brought by Sigismund were like a shot of adrenaline to a weary body, revitalizing the main furnaces in the core area of ​​the Neksam Foundry.

The massive chimneys spewed even denser plumes of smoke into the sky, which was forever shrouded in industrial smog, and the frequency of transport vehicles traveling on the rail network also increased significantly.

The roar of forging hammers emanating from the depths of the Forging Temple seemed to have gained a long-lost strength.

However, beneath this seemingly reviving scene, the oversight sage Casper Vox, through the data screens of his private sanctuary, calmly discerns a far more severe reality.

On the star map, the order data stream that symbolizes the historical connection with the Seventh Legion has undergone a fundamental change in its internal structure.

It was no longer a stable and robust band of light belonging solely to Nexus, but had split into dozens of thin tributaries, scattering towards the newly formed Imperial Fist Legions in the galaxy, far smaller than the original Legion.

Of these, only a portion flowed into Neksam.

Although the total number of orders is considerable compared to the scattered requests before the split, it is still vastly different from the almost endless consumption and equipment demand generated by the legions as the main force of the empire in the Great Expedition era.

Following the Great Rebellion, the Empire ceased large-scale wars of conquest, and the Astartes Order transformed into a more defensive and independent warband model. Naturally, their equipment requirements shifted from supporting large-scale legionary operations to maintaining basic security and regional deterrence.

The empire’s military needs have shrunk irreversibly and severely, which is reflected in the sharp reduction in the overall size of orders.

“Every fifty years, one hundred sets of Mark IV power armor, ten sets of Unyielding Terminator armor, and corresponding weapon accessories…” Vox’s deep, hoarse voice echoed in the Sanctuary, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. “This is enough to keep the core furnace at a certain temperature, to allow the Guardians of the Order’s equipment upgrade program to continue, and to prevent the Starport from falling into complete silence. But this is far from enough.”

His mechanical tentacles languidly swept across the suspended data stream, the dim area on the screen silently revealing the predicament—the stalled Star Ring expansion plan, the cooled secondary furnace complex, and the new warship construction project that had been indefinitely postponed due to resource shortages.

“These orders can only keep Neksam ‘alive,’ but not allow it to ‘grow.’” His deep voice echoed in the empty sanctuary. The last remaining human eye turned to the observation window, gazing at the magnificent yet incomplete orbital structure. “It can’t make this star ring recreate the splendor of the design blueprints.”

Just then, the visitor communication indicator light in the sanctuary lit up, showing that the Sage of Exploration, Chen Yu, was requesting a meeting.

Vox's single eye flickered slightly as he quickly suppressed his emotions, and the charts on the data screen disappeared.

His massive frame shifted into a more authoritative stance on the tracked platform, and his voice regained its usual shrewdness and composure: "Entry permitted."

The heavy metal doors slid open silently, and a tall, dark red figure stepped into the sanctuary, his silhouette appearing particularly solemn in the dim light of the sanctuary.

Chen Yu's steps were steady and precise, and the faint sound of the power joints moving rhythmically echoed in the silent space.

His crimson optical lens swept across the room, finally settling on the Great Sage who was sitting behind the adamantine desk, and then greeted him with a precise nod in accordance with the etiquette of the Mechanics.

“Great Sage Vox.” “Sage Chen Yu,” Vox replied, his tone calm and formulaic, but a subtle scrutiny flickered in the depths of his human eyes. “It seems you’ve adapted to your new identity quickly. Is this visit related to the production progress of your ‘Ancient Logic Core’?”

“That’s one of the purposes.” Chen Yu’s voice was equally steady, but less deliberate and more direct than Vox’s. “I want to know the specific progress of the project.”

Vox tapped a mechanical tentacle on the control panel, and a pale blue stream of production data appeared in the air between the two men.

“The review process is now complete,” he said, his tone relaxed after completing the complex procedure. “The representatives on Mars, you know, are always exceptionally picky.”

However, they ultimately approved it. One of them even privately ordered a Thinker array equipped with this core.

He paused briefly to let the weight of the news settle before continuing: "Currently, the designated production line has completed preliminary debugging, and the first batch of units has officially entered the manufacturing stage."

If all goes well, the first batch of products is expected to roll off the production line within three standard months.

His gaze lingered on Chen Yu's unwavering optical lens as he added, "This batch of products will be prioritized for installation on the Thinker arrays we provide to several surrounding Imperial worlds, as well as on the new batch of Demos Predator tanks and Stormhawk tactical gunships."

Vox’s tone returned to caution, with the composure befitting a leader: “We need to gather the most authentic battlefield data and user feedback from these frontline units.”

While both the Mars representatives and I are optimistic about its potential, the value of technology ultimately needs to be validated on the battlefield and in practice. Market acceptance is the key.

Chen Yu listened quietly. Through the crimson optical lens, tiny data streams flickered like stars, as if they were processing every piece of information provided by Vox in sync.

Only after Vox finished speaking did he calmly respond: "I understand, practice is the only touchstone."

His voice betrayed no emotional fluctuations, only a conviction based on the technology itself. He seemed to have never doubted the fact that the "Ancient Logic Core" far surpassed conventional models and that its superiority would be demonstrated after thorough testing.

The conversation naturally turned to the current state of the casting world.

Vox made no attempt to hide his current predicament. He waved his tentacles, highlighting the data stream on the star map that represented Imperial Fist orders.

"The order brought by Company Commander Sigismund did provide immediate relief, allowing our core production line to operate at full speed for a while. However," his voice lowered, "one hundred sets of power armor and ten sets of Terminator armor every fifty years is enough to maintain the basic operation of a forge world, but it is undoubtedly a drop in the ocean when it comes to reigniting the industrial potential of an entire planet and allowing grand projects like the orbital ring to continue."

If the furnace is to burn as fiercely as it did during the Great Expeditions, we need more, more stable fuel, and new sources of growth.

(End of this chapter)