"Gamma, what is this?" Louis asked, looking at the Mechanical Hounds playing behind Gamma.
"Restored ancient machinery."
"Restored from relics excavated on Kosa Star?"
"Yes."
Hearing Gamma say this, Louis's face showed no surprise, only curiosity about the creations of humanity's Golden Age. He wanted to get closer for a careful look, but the Mechanical Hounds nimbly dodged him, running a short distance away and watching him warily.
"Their machine spirits are creations from the Golden Age, making their behavior indistinguishable from real animals. *Tsk tsk tsk*."
As Gamma made the *tsk tsk tsk* sound, the two Hounds quickly ran towards him, circling him, fawning, acting cute, and being silly. Louis, seeing such lifelike machine spirits for the first time, showed an expression of disbelief. If it weren't for the Hounds' metal bodies, even as a biologist, he wouldn't be able to distinguish their movements from living creatures.
"This is the technology of humanity's Golden Age! Incredible! Were they modeled after dogs from Ancient Terra?" Louis asked.
The two Hounds sensed Louis approaching and immediately blocked Gamma, lowering their forelegs in a crouch, bending their hind legs, and simultaneously letting out low growls, warning the unfamiliar Tech-priest not to approach their master.
"Big One, Little Two, stop. He's my friend."
Hearing Gamma's voice, Big One and Little Two looked back at Gamma, then dropped their aggressive stance. When Louis walked up to Gamma, they even sniffed at Louis with their noses.
"They're memorizing your scent. Next time you approach them, they won't shy away like before. You can pet their heads."
Louis, petting a dog for the first time in his life, was having a blast, his lips unconsciously curling into a smile. Seeing this, an idea popped into Gamma's mind: has the joy of petting a dog been ingrained in human genes?
"Why did you come to me this time?" Louis asked, still petting.
"Hmm, later, help me find opponents for them. I want to test their combat effectiveness."
"Alright, follow me."
Under Louis's arrangement, Big One and Little Two's opponents were quickly set up.
First, 1v1. Big One, relying on its sturdy metal body and the strength and self-weight it provided, used only one move, "Vicious Dog Pounce," to make the greenskin vomit blood and roll on the ground.
Then, still 1v1. This time, Gamma had the greenskin use a melee weapon to fight Little Two. Little Two, seeing the weapon in the greenskin's hand, did not use the same tactic as Big One. It began to run circles around the greenskin. Although the greenskin tried to chase Little Two, it was too slow compared to Little Two and was spun around in circles, finally being defeated by a surprise attack from behind.
In the 1v2 result, one of Big One's forelegs was broken by the greenskin's weapon, and two greenskins were torn to shreds by Big One.
In the 2v2, Big One and Little Two, now repaired, achieved a complete victory. One feigned an attack in front while the other ambushed from behind, easily taking down the greenskins.
Gamma, very satisfied with the Mechanical Hounds' combat effectiveness, did not continue. He positioned the Mechanical Hounds as disposable suicide weapons and tools that could snatch biomass from the Tyranid amidst a hail of bullets. This level of combat power was already sufficient.
"What amazing machine spirits! They actually know how to cooperate, even without anyone directing them."
"Dogs were the first animals domesticated by humans. They evolved from wolves on Ancient Terra, and pack hunting is their instinct. When people in the Golden Age created the machine spirits for mechanical dogs, to make them more like real dogs, they also mimicked their innate nature," Gamma explained.
"*Tsk tsk*, truly a fascinating era. Are you planning to deploy the mechanical dogs in the war against the Gorgon?"
"Yes, although the machine spirits of the mechanical dogs are amazing, their body structure is not complex, and the requirements for part precision and materials are not high. They are suitable for mass production and can replace humans in dangerous tasks. They can also be used to snatch biomass from the Tyranid and serve as emotional support dogs for soldiers. The ancients created them precisely to be pets for mental relaxation."
"Uh—are you saying they were just toys from the Golden Age!?"
"Of course, otherwise, would they be used to fight aliens?"
Mining operations on Kosa Star resumed full capacity, metal refineries were expanded, and unmanned factories sprang up not far from the Cog Camp. In just over a month, the first batch of one thousand Mechanical Hounds rolled off the production line. From then on, a thousand would be produced daily, and as other production lines were gradually adjusted, output would further increase until it could consume the full capacity of the metal refineries.
The Tech-priest who followed Gamma became the first people to have pets, and they contributed many famous scenes, such as bowing to each other with their Mechanical Hounds. Before satisfying them, the Tech-priest would absolutely not allow a single Mechanical Hound to flow out, which made the accompanying Priests who came for exchange green with envy and scratching their heads in frustration.
Many Tech-priest, after experiencing the joy of being a pet owner, were no longer satisfied with just one dog. Seeing their own dog actively approach another 'silly dog' and 'wag its tail begging,' this greatly angered the Tech-Priest owners. However, they couldn't bear to scold or hit these 'Golden Age legacies' that displayed pitiful postures, so they decided to find a companion for their dog, satisfying both the dog and themselves.
As time passed, some Tech-priest would have two or three Mechanical Hounds accompanying them, and a few outrageous ones even seemed to be aiming to become 'Dog Kings.' Upon realizing this situation, Gamma immediately issued an emergency ban: a person could 'adopt' a maximum of two Hounds.
As a result, this ban caused strong backlash from 'dog lovers.' Gamma did not compromise, simply telling these people: "Even I, the Archmagos, only keep two. Do you dare to have more than me?!"
Only then did the Mechanical Hounds begin to flow to various human fortresses and camps. The Hounds entering human camps first served to soothe the mental trauma of these battle-hardened veterans, adding a few laughs and cheers to the originally tense and solemn atmosphere by nudging, head-petting, ball-fetching, and acting silly.
However, with advantages came disadvantages. With a flash of inspiration from a certain Commissar, the contraband hidden by these Astra Militarum soldiers suffered a devastating blow. No matter how concealed the hiding place, under the Mechanical Hounds' keen electronic noses, everything was found by the Commissar.
This made the big heads both love and hate the Mechanical Hounds, but they dared not do anything to the Hounds. The accompanying Priests had long since spread the word, telling the big heads that these Mechanical Hounds were Golden Age technology, and each one was sacred. To disrespect them was to disrespect the Omnissiah, and they would end up as Servitors!
Besides arranging the production of Mechanical Hounds, Gamma also arranged for the construction of explosives factories. After understanding the Astra Militarum's armaments, he found that although their reserves of high explosives were large, already an excessive reserve, they still couldn't achieve the effect he envisioned of suppressing the Gorgon swarm with suicidal charges of mechanical dogs. This led him to urgently begin producing more high explosives.
While he was busy arranging various production tasks, the Inquisitor also sent a communication. She had completed the preparations for the prophecy ritual and could begin at any time.
After replying, Gamma put down what he was doing and rushed to the Inquisitor's side as quickly as possible. Looking at the ritual, which was mysterious yet bizarre, the little Tech-Priest patted the back of his hand. He wanted to touch it, but was afraid of breaking it.
"When do we start?" Gamma asked Finnie, who was dressed like a witch with various feathers and dried small animals on her body.
"We can start now. Do not approach the magic circle I've drawn on the ground. If my body mutates, remember to use the most powerful weapon you have to kill me directly. Do not try to save me, and do not communicate with me, understand?!" Finnie solemnly instructed Gamma.
....
"Gamma, I know you have items that can suppress psychic powers, but do not try to save me!"
"Understood. I was just thinking about what weapon would be appropriate. If I use the most powerful one, I'll also be affected," Gamma said in a joking tone.
The Inquisitor just smiled when she heard this: "As long as you understand."
After reiterating a few more things to pay attention to, Finnie walked alone to the center of the magic circle, lit an incense stick made of unknown material, and then took out several alien-style ritual artifacts from her Pregnant and placed them around her, then sat kneeling and began to meditate.
Gamma noticed that after Finnie began to meditate, psychic frost appeared on the ground around her. He knew the appearance of the frost meant that the Inquisitor was releasing her psychic energy, and she was putting her consciousness into the Warp, using her soul to feel the fluctuations of the Warp.
He concentrated intensely, observing the changes within the magic circle with utmost focus. Time unknowingly slipped away. Gamma didn't know if it was due to his concentrated attention, or if the physical laws in the secret chamber became unstable due to the Inquisitor's psychic power. When he wanted to check the time to see how long had passed, he suddenly realized that 9 hours had already gone by!
"Has it been that long?!" Gamma said in confusion.
Just then, the Inquisitor, who had been meditating in a kneeling position, suddenly stiffened and straightened her upper body. Her previously closed eyes snapped open to their limit, and blood streamed down her torn eye corners, leaving two bloody red marks on the Inquisitor's cheeks. Psychic light burst from her eyes, making it impossible to see the Inquisitor's pupils.
"Oh no! Something's wrong!"
If it were just these situations, it wouldn't be enough for Gamma to conclude that the Inquisitor was in trouble, but the blue feathers growing on her exposed skin allowed Gamma to directly determine which type of demon had come calling. With his conclusion already made, Gamma's first reaction was to pull out the relic pistol on his person, but his hand had barely touched the grip before he let go again.
"What the hell am I afraid of?! If I'm afraid, why did I run over here?!"
Raising a hand to pat his face, Gamma walked towards the Inquisitor within the array, carefully dodging the array and artifacts on the ground. The little Tech-Priest furtively touched a feather on Finnie's body, then quickly ran out of the array.
As he expected, demons were just a dish in front of him. Now, the feathers on the Inquisitor's body had disappeared, but other strange phenomena were still present. After confirming that the Inquisitor was fine, Gamma closed his eyes. He was going to meet a guest.
When Miss Inquisitor's consciousness returned to her body and reality, a sense of emptiness and weakness, from an omnipotent god to a pathetic mortal, surged through her heart. Compared to this feeling, the physical pain was infinitesimally small. Finnie forced herself to concentrate, using her will to suppress the urge to throw herself back into the Warp. Only after she had again overcome this curse brought by psychic power did she open her eyes and speak:
"The Gorgon will arrive in two years and four months!"
Psychic power is just this! Flowery fists and embroidered legs, a complete mess, I already knew that, and even to the second! Gamma, who was secretly pleased, said aloud:
"That's wonderful! Finnie, you're amazing. Are you alright, physically? Do you want me to call your servants in?"
The Inquisitor just gently shook her head. She had just managed to suppress the urge in her heart and didn't want to talk much. Seeing this, Gamma said, "Get some good rest," and slipped away, leaving the Inquisitor alone in the secret chamber.
After an unknown amount of time, when Finnie felt she had returned to normal, she did not call the servants waiting outside the door. Instead, she began to tidy up the ritual artifacts on the ground herself. These artifacts were dangerous and not something ordinary people could touch.
The Inquisitor, bending down to pick up the artifacts, suddenly stiffened. Her eyes were fixed on something that absolutely shouldn't have been there: a faint footprint. If not for the angle of the light, she might not have noticed its existence.
"He came in! What did he do? Is the disappearance of the demon's voice related to Gamma!?"
Gamma, still unaware that he had exposed himself, immediately measured his height upon returning.
"The time is too short to measure, but I can do it!" Gamma comforted himself with a touch of Q-spirit.
In fact, after absorbing the Tzeentch demon, Gamma had a rough idea of the demon's "nutritional effect": it boosted intelligence.
He felt himself becoming smarter, with improved memory and faster thinking than before.
Through the demon's reaction, Gamma also discovered a passive talent of his: the ability to conceal his soul.
At least for now, the demons were unaware that a new natural predator, one that fed on them, had emerged, which greatly eased Gamma's constant fear of exposure.
Now knowing the future arrival time of the Tyranid, Gamma decided to unleash his cultivated Orks, letting them WAAAGH against the Snakebites Clan within the confinement zone, stimulating the Orks' growth through war.
He convened a meeting with high-ranking commanders, including the Inquisitor, the Astra Militarum General, and the Chapter Master of Dorn's Hammer.
During the meeting, Gamma announced his plan and sought their opinions.
After some discussion, everyone else agreed.
Before the plan officially began, Gamma notified the Tau on the other side of the planet.
After all, they were allies now, and a misunderstanding leading to accidental conflict would only weaken both sides.
Who knew that those blue-skinned aliens were thick-skinned enough?
The same day Gamma notified them, they sent a large group of people with lavish gifts to visit him, under the guise of facilitating timely communication between both parties.
The Tech-priest, who were even more cunning than before, immediately saw that these Tau were here to learn, wanting to know how to raise Orks themselves.
"Hahaha, Magos Gamma is indeed as easy to communicate with as the rumors say," the leading Water Caste Tau flattered.
"Haha, we are old friends.
I received a lot of care from you during our exchanges in Bork'An.
Between friends, isn't it all about reciprocity and mutual help?"
"Yes, yes, then we'll settle it, Magos Gamma."
"Don't worry, I will help take care of your people and ensure they don't return empty-handed."
"Then I thank you very much.
I didn't expect this mission to go so smoothly.
To be honest with you, Wise One, when I received the mission, I never thought it would succeed.
Knowing that you were in charge, I dared to try my luck.
In the future, if you ever need my help, I will do my utmost to assist you."
"No need to be so polite, we are all friends."
After the Water Caste ambassador left, Gamma arranged for the Tau he brought to be placed in the Ork breeding farm to learn "advanced breeding experience" from the humans.
He was so generous because he wanted to trick the Tau.
As long as they dared to raise them, the Orks would definitely give the Tau a surprise.
Even now, Gamma still didn't believe he had mastered the method of controlling Orks.
If it were that easy, the Orks would have been wiped out long ago.
Even those Ork wardens, if left to grow too strong, would definitely betray him in the future.
However, with the Tyranid not waiting, the Orks had their uses.
He could only wait until Gorgon was defeated, then incinerate all areas where Orks had been active with a lance.
All the Feral Orks in the Ork forest were recalled and handed over to the Astra Militarum, and all the defense lines managed by the Inquisitor were dismantled.
Gamma's plan, named "Green WAAAGH," began to be implemented.
"Ironhide, you need to put in more effort.
Iron Jaw has many more lads under him than you," Gamma said to the Ork nearby.
"Hehe, gear boy boss, why don't you get me some more powerful gear?
I'll definitely beat the crap out of that bumpkin."
Looking at the Ork trying to take advantage, Gamma snapped, "Get lost.
The weapons your lads have right now are borrowed from somewhere else by me."
The Ork didn't get angry at being scolded, and scratched his head foolishly, saying, "Boss, giving me a few Mechanical Hounds would also work.
I'm the boss of the lads, so I need to have something the lads haven't seen or don't have, otherwise the lads won't respect me."
"Alright, I'll equip you with a few Mechanical Hounds.
Tell your lads that as long as they are WAAAGH enough, I will reward them with even more WAAAGH weapons."
"Understood, boss!
Does that apply to me too?"
"Hmm, just don't die, Ironhide!"
"Thank you for your concern, boss!
I don't want to meet gork and mork before I've WAAAGHed enough."
While Gamma and Ironhide were talking, not far from them, Orks in uniforms, carrying Astra Militarum weapons, were escorting Ork "recruits" in a long single file, slowly advancing towards the Hunting Town next to the Ork forest.
From now on, the deserted Hunting Town would be Ironhide's base of operations.
He had chosen this location himself, planning to first absorb the wild lads in the forest to strengthen his forces before going to war with Iron Jaw's Snakebites Clan.
Other than lending Ironhide a batch of weapons from the Astra Militarum as "startup capital," Gamma did not intend to interfere with the Orks' WAAAGH.
He wanted to unleash the Orks' war potential before the Tyranid arrived, so he naturally wouldn't restrain Ironhide.
At the same time, he also intended to observe and evaluate Ironhide's actions for any signs of losing control.
As for why he had to borrow weapons from the Astra Militarum, the reason was simple: Gamma's production capacity was all focused on Mechanical Hounds.
Although he still had weapons produced earlier, if he gave these weapons to Ironhide, Ironhide's strength would surpass Iron Jaw's, which Gamma did not want to see.
What he wanted was a evenly matched WAAAGH, as only that would best stimulate the Orks.
The Ork breeding farm did not cease production, which was also Ironhide's request.
He understood that until he captured a self-sufficient base, this was his only stable source of troops.
Before leaving, Ironhide promoted a deputy warden to manage the prison and left half of the wardens behind, taking only the other half and the cooperative Ork prisoners with him.
Gamma observed all of Ironhide's actions without any reaction, just as he had told Ironhide: as long as he didn't turn his guns on humans, he could do whatever he wanted.
Unbeknownst to Ironhide, this cunning Ork had already been added to Gamma's kill list.
Unrestrained, the Orks quickly displayed their war talent.
In a very short time, Scavenger Lads began to emerge among them, and these Scavenger Lads could find equipment lost by Feral Orks in the forest just by wandering around.
Spurred by these equipment and Astra Militarum weapons, Ironhide's Orks directly evolved to the point where they could produce simple firearms.
At the same time, Ironhide's WAAAGH against all the Feral Orks in the forest also made his lads increasingly recognize him.
His physique also grew larger day by day under the influence of the Ork WAAAGH field.
After personally chopping down a few Orks who dared to challenge him, the Orks who were originally dissatisfied with Ironhide and his Blood Axe followers were also subdued.
While the Blood Axe Orks were strengthening their forces, the Snakebites Orks under Iron Jaw, upon discovering that the small fries who had been blocking them were gone, immediately occupied the human fortress originally used to defend against them.
They also began to explore outside the confinement area, wanting to find the small fries to continue their WAAAGH.
"Ironhide, did you come back just to ask me for more weapons?" Gamma asked, a look of extreme disdain on his face.
"gear boy boss, it's not that I'm useless, it's that those bumpkin Squigs are too numerous, more than the lads I have.
Our improvised guns can't even penetrate the Squigs' hides."
"Useless, you never say you're useless."
"Yes, yes, boss is right."
"Come with me."
Gamma knew everything that was happening in the Ork forest.
He had been closely monitoring the war between Ironhide and Iron Jaw.
This Ironhide, who had run back begging for help, had not dared to show his face in front of Iron Jaw after hiding and secretly observing Iron Jaw's physique.
One boss led the charge, while the other hid and dared not show his face, letting his Ork lads charge.
Was the result still a guess?
Leading Ironhide to a warehouse, the Ork's eyes were immediately drawn to the exoskeleton equipped with power claws in the center of the room as soon as he entered.
He eagerly wanted to run over, but stopped halfway, his eyes shining as he said,
"Boss, is this for me?"
"Hmm, considering you'll get bigger, it's designed as an exoskeleton.
It should last you for a while."
"Thank you, boss!"
Ironhide finished speaking and eagerly ran towards the exoskeleton.
Without Gamma's explanation, he instinctively put on the exoskeleton and adjusted its size to perfectly fit his body.
The Ork, wearing the exoskeleton, tried to move his body and found that not only did it not restrict his flexibility, but it also multiplied his strength several times.
He then lifted the power claw and activated the disintegration field.
Ironhide didn't know what the blue light on the claw was, but he knew it must be very WAAAGH!
"Are you satisfied?" Gamma asked the Ork, whose face was contorted in excitement.
"Extremely satisfied!
I knew you were the smartest small fry, boss!"
"Over there are the weapons prepared for your lads.
Don't disappoint me again, Ironhide!"
The Ork heard the warning in Gamma's words and immediately patted his chest, smiling apologetically, "Don't worry, boss, I'll go back and chop off that Iron Jaw's head."
Gamma didn't respond and just turned and left.
After he left, Ironhide looked in the direction Gamma had departed, his crimson eyes pondering something unknown.
Eager to replenish his forces, Ironhide first drew another batch of lads from the Ork breeding farm.
Only after these lads were loaded with weapons and ammunition did he lead the Orks back to the Ork forest.
At the same time, a giant power axe also descended from the sky, smashing into the center of Iron Jaw's Ork camp.
With the exoskeleton's enhancement, Ironhide managed to regain the upper hand by leading a few charges, but after Iron Jaw, wielding a power axe, appeared on the battlefield, the battle once again entered a stalemate.
Humans were very satisfied with this stalemate, and the secretly observing Tau were also very satisfied.
The Orks, who were WAAAGHing with gusto, were naturally also satisfied.
During the continuous WAAAGH, the Snakebites Orks grew larger, their war beasts became more numerous, and they grew faster and faster.
At the same time, more Weirdboyz and Runtherdz began to appear among them, and their Gretchin also became smarter than before, able to craft better weapons for the Snakebites Orks and provide stronger long-range fire support.
The Blood Axe Orks also leveled up during the WAAAGH.
Specialist Lads, skilled in sneak attacks and tactical usage, began to emerge.
Many Scavenger Lads were promoted to Mekboyz, and various strange and wonderful shootas, flamethrowers, and other weapons were created by them, then traded away by other Orks with their teeth or fists.
Ground vehicles crafted from junk and scrap also appeared among the Orks.
The mushrooms in the Ork forest grew faster and more abundantly under the stimulation of the Ork WAAAGH, and every day, an unknown number of wild Orks flocked from all directions to the camps of these two Ork factions, picking up a suitable big stick to begin their first WAAAGH in their Ork lives.
More than a year passed in a flash, and under Gamma's precise control, the Orks had a very enjoyable WAAAGH!, but a powerful earthquake changed everything.
This earthquake brought together the high-ranking human commanders on Kosa again, and the T'au were also invited to the meeting; their only topic of discussion this time was the Gorgon Hive Fleet.
"Everyone, the Gorgon Hive has locked onto this location, and we don't have much time left!" Inquisitor Finnie, the convener and host of the meeting, said to the humans and T'au present.
Hearing the Inquisitor say this, the tense atmosphere between the humans and T'au in the room suddenly paused. They knew a more terrifying enemy was coming, but some also raised questions.
"Inquisitor Finnie, how did you determine that Gorgon has locked onto this location?" a Fire Caste T'au asked.
"More than a year ago, I used psychic powers to predict the arrival time of Gorgon, but considering the accuracy of psychic prophecies, I did not announce it publicly. The reason I am telling you now is because of this earthquake; it confirms my prophecy," the Inquisitor explained.
"Psychic powers? Prophecy?"
"I know you are skeptical of psychic prophecies. Now, please welcome Magos Gamma to give you a more scientific explanation."
After the Inquisitor finished speaking, she made a gesturing motion. Magos Gamma nodded, stood up, and walked onto the podium, bowing to those below. Everyone, whether human or T'au, returned the bow.
"Everyone, it is well known that Tyranid rely on gravity for their faster-than-light travel. There is a special unit in the Hive Fleet called a 'Narvhal Bio-ship,' which can sense a wide spectrum of gravitational signals and then use the galaxy's gravity to create a compressed space corridor."
"It's like spitting a thread towards the target star system, and then all Tyranid bio-ships rapidly slide along this thread. However, the action of force is reciprocal, and so is gravity. Therefore, this method of manipulating galactic gravity will cause frequent earthquakes, solar flares, tides, or other natural disasters in the target star system. These are all manifestations of gravity being disturbed by external forces."
"If it were just earthquakes on Kosa Star, it would not be enough evidence for Gorgon's imminent arrival. However, I have also detected intense crustal movements on two other planets, and based on my observations of the Kosa Star, its activity is also abnormal."
"All of these corroborate the Inquisitor's prophecy!"
While Magos Gamma was explaining to everyone, relevant detection records were also being played on the projector behind him. In fact, when the Inquisitor introduced Magos Gamma, the people present no longer doubted him; they were well aware of this Tech-Magos's abilities and all he had done.
"Inquisitor Finnie, how much time is left until the time you predicted?"
"Ten months!"
Hearing there were still ten months of preparation time allowed the commanders to relax their tense hearts a little. This time was enough for them to complete the construction and improvement of their defensive fortresses. However, at this point, Magos Gamma spoke again, delivering another blow.
"Don't think we still have time. Don't forget, before facing the Gorgon Hive, we will have to fight a war without smoke and fire against the natural disasters it causes. Frequent earthquakes will delay our construction speed and even directly cause the destruction of defensive fortifications!"
Magos Gamma's words made the atmosphere tense again. The audience began to discuss amongst themselves, and some furrowed their brows. In the face of nature's power, no one dared to be careless.
After the commotion in the room lasted for a while, Magos Gamma tapped the wooden hammer on the podium, signaling that he had something to say. After it quieted down, he spoke:
"Considering that we don't have much time left, I have a suggestion and would like to ask for your thoughts."
"Magos Gamma, please speak."
"I also want to increase the stimulation of the Orks, provide them with more advanced weapons, and further unleash their war potential!"
Although there were twists and turns, Magos Gamma's proposal was eventually passed, and humans and T'au reached a consensus. In the next ten months, they would temporarily set aside their guard against each other and instead focus their vigilance on the Orks, preventing them from getting out of control.
The day after the meeting ended, Magos Gamma's castellan robots appeared in the most intense combat zone between the Snakebites and Blood Axes. After eliminating the Ork lads who dared to WAAAGH! up to them, "Gamma's Arms Supermarket, Ork Branch" officially opened for business.
"Boss, what are you thinking?" Ironhide asked Magos Gamma's holographic image.
Magos Gamma, who was genuinely assembling a power choppa in an Ork style, said without lifting his head:
"You're not WAAAGH!ing hard enough. When the bugs come, you'll just be food for them. I'm here to teach you how to WAAAGH! harder."
"What?"
"Don't worry, Ironhide, I won't interfere with your decisions. You can still do whatever you want, but I won't help you anymore either."
Ironhide, unwilling to give up, continued, "But Boss, I work for you. How can you sell weapons to those Snakebite coppers?"
"You're working for yourself. If you want to WAAAGH!, I'll give you WAAAGH! Didn't I sell weapons to you too? I only recognize teeth now. Whoever has teeth in their pocket can buy more WAAAGH!-y stuff from me."
After saying this, Magos Gamma's holographic projection was turned off. The Blood Axe Warboss let out an unwilling roar, scaring the Orks nearby. The Snakebite lads peeking from a distance snickered. Although they feared this tall Warboss, they knew that no Ork here dared to disobey the owner's rules; the Ork heads hanging outside were the fate of those who broke the rules.
Opening a branch in Ork territory was an idea only Magos Gamma would have. But only this way could he simultaneously strengthen the Snakebites and Blood Axes, achieving his own goals.
Of course, opening a shop in a combat zone is difficult, and opening one in an Ork combat zone is even harder. Fortunately, Magos Gamma's castellan robots were more powerful, killing wave after wave of WAAAGH!ing Orks and telling the surviving Orks that as long as they had teeth, they could buy all sorts of incredibly WAAAGH!-y gear here.
After a daring Ork pried out the teeth of his dead comrades and exchanged them for a blue-glowing, incredibly WAAAGH!-y big choppa, Magos Gamma's shop became famous among the Orks in the area. Ork lads with teeth in their pockets all started flocking to Magos Gamma's shop.
But before entering the shop, they were warned to follow the rules:
One: Fighters die. Two: Thieves die. Three: Robbers die.
Many Orks proved with their heads that the incredibly cunning Little Shrimp meant what he said. Besides looking not WAAAGH!-y, he was also incredibly WAAAGH!-y in his actions, sticking to his word.
Ironhide quickly followed the scent and found Magos Gamma, leading to the scene just now. After venting his dissatisfaction, the Ork scanned the Ork lads who dared not meet his gaze, then walked directly to a counter. Standing by the counter were two castellan robots and a human holographic projection. Seeing Ironhide approach, the human greeted him proactively:
"Oh, isn't this the Warden? Haven't seen you in a while."
The Ork's face did not show the anger from before; instead, he asked with a playful grin, "Hahaha, I'm rich now! What's that big can behind you? It looks really WAAAGH!-y."
"Good eye! This set of power armor was specially prepared by Magos Gamma for Warbosses of your large physique. It has reserved space, so you can wear it even if you get bigger in the future." The former Ork trainer, now an Ork salesperson, explained.
"I knew Gear Boss would think of something! It looks like it was made for me."
"Of course. I've met many Ork lads during this time, and their physiques are too small to wear it. But Ironhide, I'm also working for the Boss, so there are still some things that need to be done, you understand."
"I understand. How many teeth?"
"Five hundred thousand."
"How many?!"
"Five hundred thousand. The Boss set the price, and I can't do anything about it. But if you don't have enough teeth, you can exchange your strange gadgets for teeth over there and then buy it." Saying this, the human projection pointed Ironhide in a direction.
The Ork followed the direction and, not far ahead, saw a group of Ork lads clutching various Squigs and weapons made of junk, obediently queuing up. Ironhide grew curious, so he walked up. The queuing Orks, whether Blood Axe or Snakebite lads, all moved aside to make way.
Ironhide walked to the front amidst the Orks' reverence, and then he saw a familiar projection of Little Shrimp. This Little Shrimp was listening to the Snakebite lad in front of him explain the use of the Squig he was leading.
"Boss Louis?"
"Oh, it's Ironhide. Haven't seen you in a while. Your size has changed so much!" Louis said, looking up at the towering Ork Warboss in front of him after hearing the voice.
"Hahaha, I can get even more WAAAGH!-y! Why are you here, Boss Louis?"
"After you took all the Orks from the valley, I didn't have much to do, so I came to help. I must say, you are truly incredible creatures!" Louis finished, then said to the Snakebite lad who had moved aside:
"Alright, I'll take this Squig. That'll be a thousand teeth for you."
This price was unexpected for the Ork lad. He had just picked up an unwanted oil can Squig from a junk pit, only wanting to try his luck with Little Shrimp. Who would have thought Little Shrimp would be so foolish? A thousand teeth—how many lads would he have to beat down to earn that? He didn't care about Little Shrimp or no Little Shrimp anymore and blurted out:
"Thank you, Boss! Thank you, Boss!"
Louis had a castellan robot take out a full bag from the warehouse behind him and hand it to the Ork. Then Louis looked at Ironhide again, wanting to extract more information from him, but Ironhide and the other Orks' eyes were all fixed on the opened warehouse door, which was piled high with bags just like the one given to the Ork.
Louis, far away, immediately pressed a button on the console in front of him, and then a team of castellan robots appeared next to the Ork branch's "vault," helping the Orks, whose eyes were fierce and faces greedy, to calm down.
"Bah, you brats, wipe your drool! You're an embarrassment." The forcibly calmed Ironhide cursed at the Ork lads behind him, then put on a fawning smile with his ugly, contorted face for Louis:
"Boss Louis, don't misunderstand, I just came to see what this place is about."
"As long as you know what's what."
The Ork, after a few more laughs with Louis, found an excuse to leave. He now had to quickly return to his lair and figure out how to gather enough teeth to buy the power armor. If that thing fell into Iron Jaw's hands, he wouldn't have much of a future. Ironhide knew after talking with Magos Gamma that Little Shrimp only cared about whether the Orks were strong or not; as for whether he was the Warboss or Iron Jaw was the Warboss, the other party didn't care.
After Ironhide drove away in the dilapidated war buggy built for him by a Mekboy lad, spewing thick smoke all the way, an Ork riding a giant Squig and wielding a power axe appeared in front of Magos Gamma's arms supermarket camp, crashing straight through and entering.
"Roar, hummie! I'll kill you!"
The Snakebite Boss, his face bruised and swollen, head bleeding, roared at Gamma's projection, but his body had multiple fractures and he was firmly held down by several castellan robots.
Besides roaring, he couldn't do anything.
Gamma looked at Iron Jaw lying on the ground, feeling speechless.
He thought that anyone who could become a Warboss, if not cunning, would at least be a greenskin with a brain, but who would have thought he was a pure brute, daring to break into his shop with just one beast and himself.
If he hadn't received the report and promptly told the castellan robots to stop, this greenskin would have met the same end as his mount, his story ending today.
"Tsk, tsk, you're not even close to Ironhide."
"Bah, Ironhide is a coward, a wimp who doesn't dare face me." Iron Jaw roared, panting heavily.
Even in his current situation, he still didn't give up struggling, trying to overturn the castellan robots holding him down.
"Ironhide just left here perfectly fine.
When he comes back with his Teef, see the power armor next to you?
That'll be his.
I hope you'll still be as arrogant then." Gamma said, having the castellan robots adjust Iron Jaw's direction.
Iron Jaw's eyes, upon seeing the Brutal Power Armor, which exuded a violent aesthetic and a touch of greenskin style, were immediately drawn to it.
It was as if he had seen some rare treasure, staring intently without struggling.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly twisted his head and looked at Gamma, saying:
"Are you the hummie, the one who thinks the most, that the boys under Ironhide talk about?"
"Heh heh, so you've heard of me.
By the way, let me tell you something else: that axe you're using was also made by me.
Is it good?"
"Nonsense, wasn't it given to me by gork and mork?"
Gamma didn't even know how to respond to that.
He just realized that Blood Axe greenskins were disliked because their brains were relatively normal.
The other greenskins' thought processes were just insane; it was a case of normal beasts being ostracized by crazy beasts.
Looking at the greenskin, who had a look of certainty that said "Who the hell are you kidding?", Gamma remained silent for a moment, then had no choice but to go along with the greenskin's words: "gork and mork asked me to give it to you.
If you don't believe me, let me ask you, isn't there an OMG mark on the axe handle?"
"…" Iron Jaw fell silent, because there really was.
He had originally wanted to rub it off, but he genuinely cherished that treasure that chopped everything so cleanly.
The grots in his tribe were too stupid, so he was afraid of breaking the axe and had kept it, just wrapping it in a piece of beast hide.
Only he knew about this; the other greenskins who knew about it had long gone to see Gork.
"Now look at the chest plate of the power armor in front of you.
Isn't there an identical mark?"
Iron Jaw turned his head and indeed, there was.
Now he knew that hummie hadn't lied.
Gamma saw Iron Jaw fall silent and stop struggling, so he had the castellan robots release the greenskin.
Then he said to the ork, who sat up, baring his Teef:
"I imagine you've heard from the Blood Axe boys that there's going to be a super big Waaagh! soon, but you guys aren't qualified to participate.
You're too weak."
"But you're lucky enough to be here.
Gork doesn't want you lucky greenskins to run off to see him before you've had your fill of Waaagh!ing.
They think it's too embarrassing for the gods, because you can't even take one hit from a bug, so they asked me to get you some powerful gear."
Iron Jaw still said with a bit of disbelief: "I heard from the Blood Axe boy that you want to use us to help you fight the bugs."
"Is there a difference?
You want to Waaagh!, and I'll give you Waaagh!.
Gork thinks you're not Waaagh! enough, so I'll help you become more Waaagh!."
"Just like I told Ironhide, you're not Waaagh!ing for me, you're Waaagh!ing for yourselves!"
The brute greenskin's brain was smooth; he couldn't quite understand Gamma's words.
However, Gamma's constant use of "Waaagh!" made Iron Jaw feel that this hummie was a hummie who understood Waaagh!.
A shrimp who understood Waaagh! was a good shrimp.
"Hmm, you're a good shrimp who understands Waaagh!." Iron Jaw said with an approving tone.
"...."
Gamma, approved by the greenskin, opened his mouth and forgot what he was going to say next.
He just wanted to trick this seemingly not-so-smart greenskin.
It wasn't time to kill him yet.
If Iron Jaw died, Ironhide would have no opponent.
A greenskin without an opponent would seek one out himself.
A unified greenskin Ironhide would be a considerable problem.
"Cough, yes, there are too few creatures in this world who understand Waaagh!.
You understand me." Gamma had no choice but to brazenly continue with Iron Jaw's words.
"Hahaha, exactly, the boys just follow the Waaagh!, they don't understand Waaagh! at all." The greenskin said with a "wise" expression, then changed the subject and said to Gamma:
"Since you're a shrimp who understands Waaagh!, why did you sell Ironhide such un-Waaagh!y, cowardly weapons?"
The little Tech-priest was a bit confused whether this Iron Jaw was truly foolish or feigning foolishness.
Was he testing him with these words, or genuinely discussing Waaagh! with him?
But since the conversation had reached this point, Gamma had no choice but to continue:
"It's just different Waaagh! ways.
Just like some boys like big guns, some boys like big choppas, some boys like riding Squigs.
Waaagh! is also an inconvenience.
How you Waaagh! isn't important, finding the Waaagh! you like is the most important."
"'Waaagh! Way', 'Finding the Waaagh! you like is the most important'… Hmm, although I don't quite understand, I think you're right!" The greenskin said to Gamma again with an approving tone.
Gamma didn't know if it was his imagination, but he actually found a bit of a connection with the greenskin in their communication.
If he weren't immune to psychic energy, Gamma would even suspect if he was affected by this Snakebite Boss's Waaagh! field.
After thinking about it, he decided to go with his gut feeling and said:
"I'm helping gork and mork, bringing you guys some more Waaagh!y gear.
Who knew I'd accidentally kill your big Squig?
How about this, you can take this power armor as my compensation to you."
"Really?
You're really a good shrimp!"
Iron Jaw, who scrambled up, ignored his injuries and, dragging his clanking body, eagerly ran towards the power armor.
Without anyone's help, he squeezed himself into the power armor and, upon activating it, wanted to smash something to test its power, but Gamma stopped him and told him to test it outside.
A greenskin who received a gift was as easy to talk to as a human who received a gift.
After a good smashing spree outside, Iron Jaw ran back and said to Gamma:
"I never believed them when they said you were the one who thought the most, but now I believe it."
"As long as you're satisfied.
I have countless better and more Waaagh!y things here, but greenskins who aren't Waaagh! enough don't deserve them.
Go Waaagh!, become more Waaagh!, then bring more Teef to find me."
Gamma, who had transformed into a greenskin visionary, continued: "However, Iron Jaw, when you're here, you must follow my rules, do you understand?"
"Don't worry, I'll go back and warn the boys to behave themselves when they come to your place from now on."
After the Snakebite Boss left, Gamma had the castellan robots bring another set of power armor with a similar style.
Being able to wear power armor personally crafted by Magos Gamma, Iron Jaw's life could be considered worthwhile.
In the following days, Gamma, who had established connections with both greenskin Warbosses, saw his business flourish.
"Vaults" were built one after another, but unfortunately, Gamma was not a greenskin, and looking at these Teef, he couldn't be happy at all.
It was a pure losing business.
This greatly displeased Gamma, who had never lost money since opening his shop.
He approached the humans and the T'au, asking them to also contribute, as he shouldn't be the only one losing money.
The T'au side was fine; they were quite bright.
They just glanced at Gamma's bill and agreed, sending a message to the nearest Sept to send a batch of rare materials.
But the Imperial side infuriated Gamma.
At first, they were incredibly enthusiastic, but after Gamma stated his intentions, they all became mute.
Some looked at the ceiling, some looked at the floor, and some closed their eyes to pray to the Emperor.
The person in charge who couldn't avoid it started complaining about poverty, saying that the big boss's pay hadn't been issued yet, and that he himself was still wearing patched underwear.
Finally, Gamma received an IOU, telling him to claim reimbursement from the Far East Command.
"Pah, how shameless.
If you can't get it, how can I get it?
I'll give these IOUs to Calgar later and have the Ultramarines get them for me!"
Fortunately, the little Tech-priest had a professional business team under him, all of whom were masters at creating fake accounts.
Their tax evasion, false billing, and inflated invoices were more real than reality.
They could break even just with the compensation from the T'au, with "a little" surplus.
But the principle that not making money equals losing money is understood by all businessmen.
Gamma had no choice but to gather his business team again to discuss countermeasures, but facing the greenskins' "Teef standard" economy, even the expert masters were at a loss.
They racked their brains but couldn't come up with a method that satisfied Gamma.
Finally, with no other option, Gamma, who didn't want the Teef to rot in the vault, had to start "scattering Teef" generously, offering huge sums for items.
He wanted anything bizarre and strange.
He also used Teef to hire greenskins to tell the Mek boys in their clans to think hard, build hard, and bring what they built to him for Teef.
Many Mek boys who were early adopters struck it rich at Gamma's place.
These successful examples stimulated greenskins who lacked Teef, causing more and more greenskins to start thinking.
Under Gamma's stimulating "water release," the entire greenskin society could be said to be flourishing, with GDP rising day by day.
Every day, an unknown number of greenskins came to the armory camp to buy and sell goods.
However, not all greenskins succeeded.
The cruelty of market economics still applied in the "Teef standard economy."
Gamma only paid high prices for creative greenskin creations, offering very low prices for those of average quality.
This caused many greenskin Meks who had invested all their savings into building weapons to lose everything, yet they were helpless, because Gamma told them:
"If you don't sell, there are plenty of greenskins who will!"
Gamma didn't just throw these low-priced greenskin weapons into storage.
Instead, he expanded the camp and opened another greenskin weapon shop, with a 100% markup, acting as a middleman.
However, the prices were still very affordable compared to the weapons he made.
This greenskin weapon shop was a holy place for countless poor greenskin boys, the place where their Waaagh! began.
But it wasn't long before the Mek boys discovered how black the heart of the black-hearted little Tech-priest was, and they began to unite to resist Gamma.
And which Mek boy could have imagined that this greenskin weapon shop had shares from two Warbosses?
The anger of the Warbosses, who sat counting Teef every day and smiled even in their dreams, upon hearing the little Tech-priest say that their boys were going to smash their business, was unimaginable.
Under the combined suppression of the three forces, the Mek alliance, which had gathered for profit, immediately vanished like smoke.
However, the disappearance of the alliance did not mean the Mek boys' compromise.
When Teef were involved, not even a Warboss would do.
They would fight "monopoly" to the end!
"This, this, this is for us!"
Upon seeing the weapons Magos Gamma mentioned, specifically designed for Space Marine, even the well-traveled Gaius of the Ultramarines stammered with excitement. The other Ultramarines were much the same; they said nothing, merely gaping like uncultured bumpkins, looking up at the giant before them.
"Only you, after undergoing enhancement, can unleash the full performance of the mecha. Ordinary humans cannot withstand its instantaneous acceleration, and even if they could reluctantly endure it, after piloting for a period, they would suffer internal organ damage and intracranial hemorrhage," Magos Gamma explained with a hint of helplessness.
Could he be blamed for designing a mecha with such excellent performance? Blame it on the limitations of being human.
"Haha, it's all the Emperor's grace, but Magos Gamma, you know us," Ventris said, unwilling to finish his sentence.
Knowing what he meant, Magos Gamma said nonchalantly, "I know Imperial regulations state that your Astartes Chapter cannot possess large units like Knights. Don't worry, you've seen the mecha's height; it's taller than a Dreadnought, but it doesn't reach the scale of a Knight."
"It's a new type of equipment I developed. It will be ages before the Imperium rates it."
"Besides, the Regent is your gene-father. Can't you just complain a bit and shed a few tears in front of him?"
Upon hearing Magos Gamma's words, the Astartes immediately looked at Ventris, their meaning clear: Brother, it's up to you!
The Gaius, not wanting to be a "wailing infant" in front of his gene-father, glared and said, "Why are you all looking at me! I'm just a Gaius; if anyone's going, it's the Chapter Master!"
The Chapter Master will still assign the task to you in the end, Ventris, don't struggle in vain! The Ultramarines conveyed their thoughts to the Gaius, who was trying to defy fate, with their eyes.
It was Magos Gamma's voice that pulled Ventris, who had fallen into silence and an internal struggle, back to reality.
"The operating system for this mecha combines the neural feedback of power armor, the neural link of Dreadnought mecha, and brainwave scanning. But don't worry, it doesn't have that terrible feeling of a Dreadnought mecha."
"The weapon system uses a modular design; twin-linked autocannons, fusion flamers, phased ion guns, cluster pulse guns, and so on, are all possible. You can also have your Technical Sergeant modify them according to your needs."
"The melee weapons are enlarged versions of power weapons, and defense relies on void shields and deflection fields."
"Gulp!"
The one who swallowed was the Technical Sergeant who came along. After hearing Magos Gamma say they could modify it themselves, he felt too much pressure. He was well aware of his own technical skills, but to modify this black mecha, over 7 meters tall and resembling a mythical headless war god, he truly couldn't do it!
"Magos Gamma, this, this…" The Technical Sergeant didn't finish his sentence.
Magos Gamma, thinking the technical person was worried about energy issues, said confidently, "No need to worry about energy. It uses my improved plasma reactor, the same type used by Titans."
Magos Gamma's words, on the contrary, made the Technical Sergeant relax. This mecha was completely a miniature Titan; it wasn't a problem for a small Technical Sergeant to face and solve. The pressure wasn't on him, it was on the Chapter Master!
Ventris saw the Technical Sergeant's expression change from tension and determination to "Haha, not my problem" and knew something was wrong. Magos Gamma's equipment was too high-end; even the person most knowledgeable about technology had classified himself as a bystander, starting to watch the show with folded arms.
"Magos Gamma, you—"
Seeing Ventris not finish his sentence, Magos Gamma asked, "What is it? Speak up?"
How can I say it? Say it's too high-end, and we country bumpkins can't handle it?! Ventris roared in his heart.
"Haha, the surprise you prepared certainly isn't just this one, right?" the Gaius said guiltily, not forgetting to glare fiercely at his uncooperative battle brothers.
(√): I'm just a Technical Sergeant, why are you glaring at me? If you have the guts, go glare at the Chapter Master.
"I haven't seen you in a while, and I find you've become greedy!" Magos Gamma teased Ventris.
"Hahaha, hahaha." Ventris laughed somewhat awkwardly.
The little Tech-priest, caught up in their show-off mood, didn't notice this. They beckoned to the Ultramarines, signaling them to follow. Though reluctant, the Astartes quickly followed Magos Gamma; they didn't want to miss the initial unveiling.
Following Magos Gamma's steps, the group arrived at another compartment. The moment the compartment door opened, Ventris appeared before Magos Gamma as if teleporting, shielding him behind him. The other Ultramarines also reacted, raising their weapons towards the compartment's interior.
"Alright, don't be nervous, they are very safe," Magos Gamma said.
Even though they heard Magos Gamma say this, the warriors' instincts kept them from relaxing their guard. The "monsters" inside gave them a feeling of extreme danger; in front of such monsters, even a moment of laxity could be fatal.
"Put away your weapons, don't scare them. They are your future comrades."
"Magos Gamma, what is this?" Ventris asked.
"'Howling Heaven' castellan robots, combat partners I prepared for you."
The Gaius scrutinized the four-legged steel beasts trying to approach, his heart pounding. They were too agile, just like living beings.
"The technology they use comes from humanity's Golden Age, a harvest from Kosa this time. Don't let their extreme agility fool you; they don't possess much intelligence, merely mimicking canines from Ancient Terra, but they can understand commands, such as: Sit."
As Magos Gamma said "Sit," two mechanical giant dogs, over 2.5 meters tall at the shoulder, immediately squatted on the ground. Only after seeing the metal beasts truly obeying commands did the Astartes put away their weapons.
"Haven't you seen Mechanical Hounds before? Why are you still so surprised?"
We were scared when we saw those hounds too, alright! The Astartes complained in their hearts.
"Uh, Magos Gamma, what's the difference between them and Mechanical Hounds?" Ventris asked.
"There isn't much difference in their machine spirit, just the added ability to operate weapons on their bodies. Howling Heaven is a specialized model designed for combat; the materials, power source, and various system components used are much more advanced. In terms of function and performance, Mechanical Hounds are incomparable; Mechanical Hounds are merely consumables."
"Mechanical Hounds' capabilities can't keep up with your combat intensity, which is why I prepared Howling Heaven for you. It can assist you with detection, combat, luring enemies, providing suppressive fire, and so on. If necessary, you can even ride it to retreat. It has an anti-gravity engine; although it can't fly, water won't hinder Howling Heaven's run."
"On flat ground, its speed can reach 200 kilometers per hour, and in mountainous terrain, it's around 100 kilometers per hour."
Is this a combat partner? This is my dearest friend and family! Compared to Howling Heaven, battle brothers are just so-so. Anyone who can't carry me and run 200 km/h isn't my battle brother. The Ultramarines, their brotherhood shattered, looked at each other with expressions of disdain.
"Good, good, good, this is good!"
As Ventris spoke, he reached out and patted the constantly vibrating Weapon-Bug at his waist, telling Nus that he wasn't a fickle scumbag. Unfortunately, his true inner thoughts couldn't be hidden from Nus, who had a psychic link; the longsword continued to vibrate, as if protesting something.
"Howling Heaven's fangs and claws have the effect of power weapons, and they can also be loaded with plasma, laser cannons, heavy bolters, and other ranged weapons. What exactly to use depends on your needs."
The pressure was once again on the Technical Sergeant. The Technical Sergeant, looked at with expectation by his brothers, merely shrugged, indicating that he was just an ordinary Technical Sergeant who only knew how to repair power armor, maintain boltguns and chainswords, service vehicles, and spray them with oil. What more did they want?
"For now, it's just these two. The others are not yet mature and still need improvement. Are you satisfied?" Magos Gamma said, patting Howling Heaven's head as it lay on the ground, extending towards him.
"Enough, enough. Before I met you, I hadn't seen new equipment for hundreds of years. Now, every so often, there are stronger new weapons available. What more could we not be satisfied with?"
"That's good. You should try the mecha. I also want to see what the mecha looks like when its full performance is unleashed."
"Let's go!" Ventris readily agreed.
They returned to the compartment where the mecha was kept, but this time the group included two more "Howling Heaven" castellan robots. With the help of an automated platform, Ventris removed his power armor and put on the pilot-type power armor prepared by Magos Gamma.
The difference between this power armor and the standard MK10 type lay in the neural connections on the helmet and armor surface. The helmet had brainwave scanning capabilities, and the neural connections could transmit neural signals from the power armor.
Having changed, Ventris, with his excellent physical capabilities, climbed into the cockpit of the kneeling mecha by himself, without assistance, then lay down. After a series of authentications and scans, the machinery inside the cockpit began to operate on its own.
Ventris felt his body and limbs being secured, and the power armor's life support system was activated. Neural bundles were inserted into the neural connections on the power armor's surface, making him feel as if he was wearing another suit of armor, though this armor was much larger. At the same time, he heard the mecha's machine spirit prompting him that neural synchronization was in progress.
"Synchronization rate: 10%."
"Synchronization rate: 20%."
"Synchronization rate: 100%. Connect to machine spirit?"
"Yes!"
As Ventris agreed, his consciousness instantly plunged into darkness, then instantly regained clarity. But what was once a completely dark field of vision now allowed him to see his "short" battle brothers, and the even shorter Magos Gamma.
Did it succeed? The Gaius, who had never piloted a mecha, was a bit confused. He didn't know what to do next. The mischievous little Tech-priest hadn't told him how to operate the mecha, only saying: "You'll know once you get in."
"I got in and I don't know anything," Ventris muttered.
"That's because you're stupid."
Ventris had an incredulous expression; he heard Magos Gamma's voice, and clearly Magos Gamma had heard his recent muttering.
"Magos Gamma, what should I do next?"
"Just like you normally would. If you want to walk, walk. If you want to jump, jump," Magos Gamma replied.
Want?!
Ventris tried to raise his arm, and then he saw a metal arm appear before him. He tried to stand up, and now the originally short people became even shorter.
The Ultramarines watched as the mecha piloted by Ventris performed a few adaptive movements, then heard an excited voice coming from inside the mecha:
"Hahaha, Magos Gamma, you are truly amazing! It's like you've given me a new mecha body!"
The Ultramarines marveled at the mecha in the training ground, which was practicing sword moves with fluid grace, lunging forward, swinging its sword, and raising it sideways. To observers, the mecha's movements seemed slow, but they were all battle-hardened veterans and understood that "seemingly slow" was merely an optical illusion.
The sonic boom of the sword cutting through the air, the air currents generated by the mecha's agile movements, and the explosive sound that shook the entire cabin when it suddenly accelerated, all told everyone that it was fast, very fast.
Magos Gamma, wearing noise-canceling headphones, looked at his masterpiece with a satisfied smile. As expected, only the physique of an Astartes could fully utilize the mecha's performance. Ventris, who had already exited the mecha, was carefully "serving" nearby, his fawning expression completely unbefitting an Ultramarine.
"Gamma, you truly are a genius!"
The headphones filtered out excess noise, allowing the Tech-priest to hear Ventris's words. He raised his chin, using body language to tell the Gaius: You don't need to tell me that.
Ventris now showed no trace of the pride of an Imperial demigod. His demeanor and gestures were very much like those of a eunuch or court jester in a feudal world. The other Ultramarines had turned their backs, pretending to be completely engrossed by the mecha, but if one observed closely, they would notice the muscles around their ears were tense, not as unconcerned as they appeared.
"Gamma, look—"
"No way! How can you even say that? What do you mean 'owe it to me'? Even Orks do business with cash on delivery!" Gamma looked at the fawning Ventris with disdain.
"But your price is too high! It's almost as much as a battleship!"
"Do you think I want to? Do you know how expensive materials that can withstand this kind of intensity are? I'm telling you, if I used slightly cheaper materials, the mecha would have fallen apart when you test-drove it. If I used heavier materials, the mecha wouldn't be this agile!"
"..."
The Ultramarines knew the unscrupulous Tech-priest had set a trap for him, but even knowing it was a trap, he couldn't help but fall into it.
After he was forcibly called out of the mecha by his battle-brothers, he went to Gamma and declared: Give me a quote!
Although he was mentally prepared to be fleeced by Gamma, he still shivered when he heard the price Gamma quoted.
The unscrupulous Tech-priest seemed to know that this price was unacceptable to the Ultramarines, and then told Ventris there was also a cheaper "monkey model" and the cheapest "monkey-monkey model."
At that moment, Ventris, who had lived for several centuries, understood that he and all his brothers who had come here had fallen into the Tech-priest' trap. Having tasted the "fresh peaches," how could they endure the taste of "rotten peaches"? And what about the other brothers who hadn't come? After hearing about the "fresh peaches," who wouldn't want a bite!
"It's all for the good of humanity."
"Don't pressure me with righteousness. Go ask around on Kosa. Who doesn't give a thumbs up when they hear the name of Magos Gamma? Who doesn't know I'm the vanguard against the Tyranid? Why should loyal and good Imperial generals suffer losses? Why should good people get beaten?"
Ventris was left speechless by Gamma. When he first arrived on Kosa, he couldn't help but inquire about what the Tech-priest had been doing during his time on Kosa. Not to mention the Mechanical Hounds he provided to the Astra Militarum for free, just the fact that he treated injured and disabled soldiers and accompanying Priests at rock-bottom prices, who on Kosa would dare to say "no" to Gamma without being backstabbed?
"Oh, I forgot to mention earlier, Xiaotian also has a monkey model. Let me know what you want as soon as possible so I can arrange production. Be quick, high-end weapons have low production rates, and we don't have much time to waste." Gamma finished speaking and turned to leave.
Watching the Tech-priest' light, bouncy steps, Ventris felt such hatred in his heart. Were those who didn't understand technology destined to be exploited by the Tech-priest who controlled core technology?
"How about we sell our flagship when Chapter Master Calgar arrives?" an Ultramarine who had approached after Gamma left suggested.
Looking speechlessly at his brother who had fallen into the Tech-priest' consumer trap, Ventris looked around at the others who had gathered before saying:
"If we're going to say it, we should all go together. If I go alone, Chapter Master Calgar won't believe me!"
At this moment, Calgar, who had just emerged from the Warp and arrived at Kosa Star, shivered. Grand Inquisitor Gayss, who was beside him, glanced at him and asked with concern:
"Chapter Master Calgar, is something wrong? Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
"No, thank you for your concern."
"How could your demigod physique shiver? Don't push yourself too hard. You are the supreme commander. I think it's better to have a check-up. The Tyranid are far more cunning than we imagine." The Grand Inquisitor continued to persuade him.
Calgar shook his head and said with a grim expression: "It's an old problem. It's been bothering me for the past hundred years, angered by the spendthrifts in the chapter. Now, just looking at the expense reports triggers it."
You haven't even seen them yet, so why is it acting up? Grand Inquisitor Gayss thought with confusion, but this was the Ultramarines' internal matter, and he didn't want to ask too much.
Within the defensive sector managed by a human outpost on Kosa Star, the Astra Militarum was conducting routine patrols. This area was not far from the Ork forest, and the purpose of establishing an observation post here was to prevent Orks from escaping, slipping through the human and T'au surveillance net, developing secretly, and then surprising the allied forces.
But none of them noticed a monster following behind their squad—a monster that could constantly change its color with the environment. Its huge size moved with incredible agility, leaping and weaving through the forest, yet despite its intense movement, it made no unusual sounds that the Astra Militarum could detect.
"Woof woof woof!" A Mechanical Hound patrolling with them suddenly barked furiously at a certain spot.
Receiving the warning, the Astra Militarum, without hesitation or question, immediately unleashed all their firepower in the direction the hound was barking. Their decisiveness showed that this was not the first time the Astra Militarum had done such a thing.
"Cease fire! John, go see if it's an Ork or another animal." The captain issued the order.
"Yes, Captain!"
"Everyone else, maintain vigilance! We don't have the abilities of Magos Gamma. The Orks aren't afraid of us!"
"Yes, Captain!" The other squad members responded. John, cautiously approaching the area scorched and torn by lasguns and stubbers, after a careful inspection, shouted to his distant comrades:
"Captain, there's nothing here."
Hearing the scout's words, the Astra Militarum captain walked a few steps forward, crouched down, and tapped the Mechanical Hound's metal head, saying:
"So you make mistakes sometimes too."
"Whine—" The hound let out a wronged whimper and rubbed its head against the captain.
The Astra Militarum captain, stroking the hound's head with an affectionate tone, said: "Alright, alright, I didn't mean to blame you. Keep at it next time. Even if we don't hit an Ork and don't get extra rations, at least we hear something, right?"
"Hahaha, Captain, when Steel Fang dug up your hidden contraband, you fiercely threatened to break its leg." One squad member teased.
"Go away, go away. It's all those despicable commissars jealous of my bond with Steel Fang, deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us. Steel Fang was just following orders, it had to do it."
"Woof!"
"You see, Steel Fang also…"
"Woof woof woof!"
The Mechanical Hound's urgent barks interrupted the captain's words and made the atmosphere tense again. However, this time the hound's alert was directed at John, who had just run back.
"Steel Fang, what's wrong with you? Don't forget I charged you yesterday." John grumbled at the Mechanical Hound.
But the hound ignored his words, only barking at him. The others were also very confused, but the captain, seeing the direction and position of Steel Fang's head, suddenly shouted sternly at John:
"John, quickly check if you stepped on something with your shoe sole!"
Hearing this, the scout immediately lifted his shoe sole to check, then began to take off his boot, shouting at the same time: "Captain, something got on my sole, it corroded a pit in it."
However, the captain, hearing this, shouted: "Defensive formation! Flare for backup! It's the Ty—"
The veteran, who had faced death multiple times, hadn't even finished his command when he was cut in half by a huge monster descending from the sky. The Astra Militarum soldiers closer to him also did not escape. The others frantically raised their weapons and fired at the monster, but the lasers that could vaporize flesh and blood had no effect on the monster. The solid rounds fired by the stubbers also bounced off the monster's chitinous carapace.
The Mechanical Hound rushed over, wanting to bite the monster, but the captain, with one breath left, knew deep down that they were no match for the monster before them. He had once miraculously escaped from such a monster, which Priests and commanders called a "Lictor." The sight he saw while hiding under a comrade's corpse was a nightmare he could not shake.
"Run! Steel Fang, run! Get the message out!" The captain, using all his strength, shouted the command to the Mechanical Hound.
Receiving the order, the hound did not hesitate for a moment, turning and sprinting back in the direction they had come from.
"Awooo—"
The captain watched Steel Fang's retreating figure and heard its desolate wail. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He felt his life slipping away. He seemed to see His Imperial Majesty smiling at him, beckoning to him, with melodious music and beautiful, pure angels surrounding him.
"Your Majesty, I will be a little late in joining you."
Clutching his shattered body, he bit his tongue to use the pain to gather his last bit of spirit. The mortal crawled inch by inch towards his lower body, where the weapon he needed lay. He wanted revenge, revenge against the monster that had massacred his comrades, revenge against his own cowardly and weak self.
Hold on! Hold on! Just a little more, you useless piece of trash!
Your Majesty! Lend me your strength, just a little bit.
Closer, a little closer!
The elite of humanity had no chance of resistance against the "killers" created by the Tyranid. It was a one-sided slaughter. Besides the standing Lictor, there were no living creatures left.
After confirming there were no other threats, the Lictor crawled to its first prey. This was the most valuable prey among this group. It had specifically not killed him directly, allowing him to cling to life, keeping him fresh and preventing the loss of information from his brain after his body died.
Using its sharp claws, it lifted the prey, who had only one breath left, and opened its tendril-like mouthparts, aiming them at the prey's head. Before consuming the brain, the Lictor looked at the prey's face. This was its habit; it enjoyed the expressions of its prey before death. Although it didn't understand what "liking" was, it didn't stop it from wanting to do so.
The Lictor found this prey somewhat different from previous ones. Although clearly unable to move and on the verge of death, there seemed to be something burning in its eyes. It sensed a threat and tried to shake the prey off, but it was too late.
"Monster, let's die together!" The mortal's lips moved, silently shouting.