Chapter 59 - The Great Crusade 2.0

The little Tech-priest, after leaving Ventris, had intended to go have some fun, but before the party even started, Calgar called him again.

Over the course of a year, other Ultramarines had removed their helmets after receiving letters of condolences from Guilliman, but Calgar stubbornly refused, insisting on maintaining the Ultramarines's last bit of dignity—his bottom line!

His status had now risen, thanks to Gamma, putting him on par with the Regent, with several Custodians accompanying him wherever he went.

Speaking of which, the five Custodians, including Kirkan, had practically latched onto Gamma. At first, the little Tech-priest thought these 'big corn cobs' would return with Yvraine, but the Eldar left the Craftworld, and the Custodians stayed.

They didn't seek out Gamma; instead, they just wandered around the Craftworld all day, making him grit his teeth in frustration. However, the Webway Management Committee's work was slowly getting underway, and the Custodians also had the status of special envoys, making it difficult for the little Tech-priest to deal with them.

Finally, not wanting them to be an eyesore on the Craftworld, he packaged them up and sent them to Calgar as advisors, using the excuse:

"We are currently saving the dark side of the Imperium. Do you want to join 'The Great Crusade 1.5' and relive the glory of ten thousand years ago?"

The Custodians considered it for a moment and then agreed. As for their true thoughts, only they knew, and the little Tech-priest didn't care. Could they really pull the Imperium's several Great Crusade fleets into the dark side?

"Why are you looking for me at this time?"

Even with a thick helmet covering his face, others could sense Calgar's exasperation from his body language. Calgar said:

"The preparations are almost complete. You should give us a direction for the offensive so we can make our plans!"

To which the little Tech-priest replied, "Why ask me about this?"

"Huh? If not you, then who do I ask?"

Calgar's voice was a bit irritable. He had fought so many uphill battles for so many years, constantly putting out fires across the Imperium. Only after the 'heresy' did he get a chance to fight an easy, well-resourced battle. He had been busy, wanting to get his fix early, but now he was stuck at the finish line. How could he not be irritable?

"Ask yourself. You are the overall commander. I'm in charge of technology and production."

The little Tech-priest looked at Calgar unhappily, feeling that ever since this guy got Custodians as bodyguards and advisors, he no longer 'respected' him as before, a typical case of 'a small man puffed up with success.'

Calgar: Bah! Who wants to go everywhere with these living 'fathers'? I have my own honor guard, thank you very much!

"Gamma, have you forgotten? You are the supreme leader."

"Can you stop being as sarcastic as Ventris? Does a leader necessarily have to manage military affairs? I'm telling you, professional matters should be handled by professionals. You're not good at researching technology, and I'm not good at marching and fighting. It's that simple."

After saying this, the little Tech-priest also became sarcastic and added, "Having technical personnel fight is a disaster. The last show-off technical officer is still paralyzed on Terra."

Calgar: —

Custodians: —

That one sentence silenced Calgar for a long time. As for the Custodians?

They were almost used to Gamma dissing the Emperor whenever he felt like it. In their view, this was a good sign; better to vent resentment than to keep it bottled up. Gamma was so confidently entrusting military power to them, who were absolutely loyal to the Imperium and the Emperor.

The goodwill released was boundless. So let him diss; they would just pretend to be deaf.

"Alright, let's choose a target," Calgar said, as if resigned to his fate.

"Hmm, that's right. You fight on the front, and I'll build things in the back."

After saying this, he suddenly remembered Calgar's unlucky constitution, so he quickly added, "Come on, let's go to my treasury and pick out some powerful equipment. You're the overall commander; you need to pay attention to safety!"

The eyes on Calgar's helmet immediately glowed red upon hearing this. Any equipment that the current little Tech-priest considered a treasure to collect would be extraordinary.

What exactly was chosen, only Calgar and Gamma knew. In any case, from Calgar's swaggering gait, which made everyone want to touch him, it was clear that he would definitely give a huge surprise to any enemy who tried to decapitate him in the future.

It wasn't just Afak that had changed over the past year; the Ulthwé Craftworld had also undergone significant transformations. Under Yvraine's enthusiastic and intense efforts, news about Gamma and Ulthwé had spread throughout Eldar society.

This news was like a meteor, causing a huge stir among the Eldar. It was considered the most explosive news since the Fall of the Eldar, apart from the Great Rift and Innyed, the God of the Dead.

The first thing the Craftworld Eldar did upon receiving the news was to send envoys; the second was to rectify their armaments. Eldrad and his peers had already prepared for this.

The number and influence of civil officials grew severalfold by taking advantage of this opportunity to host various envoys. They skillfully handled the envoys' inquiries using the 'wisdom' they had learned from humans.

The little Tech-priest also contributed by performing several 'soul-serving' demonstrations, with remarkable results. Several envoys privately expressed an 'unwilling request': could Gamma, despite his busy schedule, help them 'send off' their relatives? It wouldn't interfere with important matters; the soul stones on their weapons would be sufficient.

The civil officials inwardly rejoiced at this request but outwardly refused, one by one, giving a very real reason: His Highness Gamma dislikes soul-serving, and they all had to beg on their knees, so how could they dare to add more tasks for him?

However, when these envoys left, they were all missing something. "We are all friends, and we must help each other. Please also help us on your Craftworld."

The Laughing God, for some unknown reason, also had the Harlequins help guide public opinion. The final result was that no fighting broke out, but every Craftworld established a 'consulate' on Ulthwé, assigning personnel to constantly monitor the situation on the Ulthwé Craftworld while also inserting their influence into the 'Webway Management Committee.'

This made the little Tech-priest realize that the Eldar weren't incapable of vying for power; it was purely because they were isolated from each other and lacked opportunities. Yvraine also hadn't anticipated this situation, but with an experienced politician behind her helping to plan, her position as chairperson was secure.

As the news spread further, wandering Eldar also began to seek refuge on the Ulthwé Craftworld. After a single injection of omega spores, they all felt they had come to the right place, and their hard times were finally over.

This also meant that Eldar with varying attire and color schemes could often be seen on the Ulthwé Craftworld. Through the absorption of external populations, the Craftworld's population experienced its first positive growth in thousands of years.

With good news comes bad news; everything has two sides.

News about Gamma, learned from demons, had spread through the Warp. Demons and their masters all knew that an extraordinary figure had emerged among humanity.

His first act upon his debut was to snatch food from the mouth of Slaanesh, one of the Four Gods, a feat of incredible bravery. In comparison, 'demi-gods' like Vashtorr, who had their own power and ambitions, seemed as timid as a child.

The great chaos in the Warp continued, but Vashtorr had been rendered 'crippled.' Most of his Soul Forge (which could be understood as a weapon factory, Forge World, etc.) had been seized by the Four Gods and other Chaos Undivided demons. They no longer wanted to be dependent on others for weapons.

The current situation was that Tzeentch and the Emperor had teamed up to stop Slaanesh, who was frantically seeking trouble with Gamma. Khorne remained as he was before, and Nurgle stood by, watching the show with his arms crossed, occasionally lending a hand, as if to vent his 'wife's' anger.

Although Slaanesh was held back, his unaligned subordinates who hadn't joined the great chaos were eager to seize the opportunity to prove themselves. This was why Afak was so strictly managed, yet cults still dared to emerge and court death.

Fortunately, the demons currently knew little about Gamma. The intelligence they had was limited to him being human, having means to destroy souls, bearing some resemblance to the Cursed Ones, being very good at hiding, and whether he could reach the Emperor's height remained to be seen.

This was also why the little Tech-priest insisted on not leaving his main base. The Craftworld was always in motion, making it difficult to pinpoint its location.

With him in charge, prophecies also had no effect. In the worst-case scenario, there was still the Webway as a retreat. There was no safer place in the entire galaxy.

Alpha's memory was very short. Although his stature was very tall, the time since he and his brothers 'were born' was barely over a year, because they were the first Omega Warriors to emerge from Gamma's experiments, they were engineered humans.

Alpha and his brothers deeply admired and respected Magos Gamma. They would never forget the first words they heard upon waking from their growth pods:

"My warriors, congratulations on embarking on your lives. Although you are destined to be baptized and ravaged by war, I sincerely hope you can find meaning and happiness in life."

At that time, Alpha, still naive and ignorant, did not understand the meaning of these words. With training, with the absorption of knowledge in his mind, and with the growth of his personality, he slowly understood, making him realize how fortunate it was to be born as an Gamma Warrior, and how loving Magos Gamma was to regard them as 'people' rather than tools.

Now it was time for them, leading their new brothers, to repay Magos Gamma.

"Captain Alpha, the combat mission has been issued."

Taking the mission handed to him by the communicator, Alpha quickly scanned it, then looked at his brothers, who were lined up and ready for battle, and said:

"The Commander-in-Chief orders us to proceed through Webway 2 to the target star system, suppress the rebellion initiated by the local cult, and seize that world for Magos Gamma!"

Upon hearing this, a thousand Omega Warriors simultaneously clenched their right fists and pounded their left chest plates, roaring, "For Gamma!"

That night, hundreds of meteors streaked across the night sky of the war-torn planet, bringing hope to the desperate and death to the rampaging cultists. Gamma's Warriors also faced their trial.

Clearing out the cultists on Afak was not a true battle for Alpha and his men, and the command was handled by the teachers Magos Gamma had found for them. But this time was different; this time, from tactics to command execution, they would accomplish it themselves.

A thousand men, the classic personnel configuration of an Astartes Chapter, deploying such a force against a planet experiencing only a cult rebellion was clearly overkill.

However, as the Captain of this great company, Alpha knew very well that they could not achieve the same results as the Imperial Astartes Chapters. Even though Magos Gamma had equipped them with gear that would make any Astartes drool, the gap in combat experience was simply too vast. The results of countless simulated confrontations with their teachers proved everything.

Thinking of the simulated confrontations, Alpha couldn't help but smile. He remembered how Magos Gamma, upon learning that they had been thoroughly thrashed by their teachers, immediately went to confront them, fuming.

He recalled how tall and reliable Magos Gamma looked, standing in front of them with hands on his hips, angrily scolding the Ultramarines. The teachers believed Magos Gamma was too doting, arguing that without cruel tempering, how could they grow quickly? But the Wise One completely disagreed with their viewpoint.

"What kind of 'frustration education' is this? They're not even a year old, and you're being so harsh. What if they develop psychological trauma?"

"At your age, you were still wetting the bed. They can already punch a cultist's head clean off."

"Can't you just go easy on them, let them win a few matches, give them some confidence? They're practically 'bitter gourd warriors' now."

"What? They can regulate their own emotions? Are you truly ignorant or just pretending not to know the consequences of abusing stimulants? What if they become mentally addicted?"

In short, no matter how correct the teachers' arguments were, Magos Gamma would always find a reason to refute them. In the end, he even directly modified their training plan. However, after Magos Gamma left, Alpha and his brothers proactively sought out the teachers and requested to continue training according to the original plan.

Training was tough, and failure was disheartening, but Alpha and his brothers didn't want to embarrass the Wise One. They liked the feeling of the Wise One protecting them, but they didn't want such an incident to happen even once more. Because the Omega Warriors were Magos Gamma's Ultramariness, they should be the ones to protect their creator, the 'father' who gave them life.

"Landing imminent, brace for impact." The machine spirit's reminder echoed in the drop pod.

The Omega Warriors inside the pod calmly and silently double-checked their restraints, then placed their hands on the armrests. Using a small number of elite soldiers for a decapitation strike, directly destroying the enemy's core and command system, was the optimal choice, both from the perspective of manpower and resources used, and from the perspective of minimizing damage to the world.

However, this also meant that the warriors executing this mission would bear immense risk and pressure. A slight misstep could lead to total annihilation.

Feeling a force immense enough to liquefy ordinary humans, and hearing the tremendous roar of the impact, Alpha and his eighteen brothers rushed out of the drop pod, completely unfazed. The surrounding cultists had already been flung away by the shockwave from the impact, either dead or unconscious.

After quickly securing advantageous positions, Alpha did not rush to act. Instead, he cautiously observed the surroundings while having his brothers finish off any enemies still alive.

At the same time, their drop pod was also transforming. The bottom plates, responsible for cushioning and heat insulation, were discarded after a series of mechanical unlocking sounds. Six mechanical legs extended from the drop pod, supporting it as it stood up. The space Alpha and his brothers had occupied vanished, and the entire drop pod transformed into a six-legged mobile fire platform.

"Captain, we're ready!" The voice of his last accompanying brother echoed in Alpha's helmet.

"Move out!"

"Yes!" × 19

The same scene unfolded in various cult encampments across the planet's surface. After the initial chaos, these corrupted individuals, whose minds had long been twisted by the Warp, quickly launched an attack on the impact sites under the command of Khorne cult priests.

Their fanatical spirits and their mutated, ugly, yet stronger, tougher, and pain-immune bodies were their invincible confidence. The Emperor's followers were only fit to have their heads chopped off in fear and wailing. As long as they offered more skulls to the blood god, their generous god would bestow more power upon them.

"Hahaha, Blood for the blood god, Skulls for the Skull Throne!"

Wild Dog snarled and yelled, swinging his blood-stained, flesh-hanging, tattered machete. He had no name; others said he was like a wild dog, so Wild Dog became his name. Because he was small and thin, he was always bullied. He wanted to resist but had no strength, until he found the true god.

Completely different from the Corpse Emperor, the false god he had prayed to countless times, this was a god who granted blessings simply for offering skulls, and it didn't even matter if one didn't worship him.

Wild Dog truly loved this god. He gave him a strong body, he gave him the power to get revenge. He only wanted more blood, more skulls. Such a simple request, Wild Dog would certainly fulfill it. Wild Dog also wanted more!

"The first skull is mine!"

Wild Dog saw the tall warriors in full armor, saw them raising their weapons at him.

Fear?

Ridiculous, how could cowards who only dared to shoot from a distance make him afraid?

Worry?

The great blood god protected his warriors. Countless battles had already proven that the cowards' shooting would at most only scratch him.

So what was Wild Dog thinking now?

Blood! Skulls! Power! Slaughter!

But a green beam of light stopped Wild Dog's fantasy. The last thing he saw was his body tissue turning to ash.

"Captain, just as the teachers taught, these cultists have resistance to ranged weapons."

"Hmm, continue testing." Alpha fired while observing the cultists' reactions after being hit.

At this moment, another brother's voice came through the public channel: "What's the use of resistance? None of them can withstand a single hit from the weapons Father prepared for us."

"Hahaha, that's true. Their brains have been burned out by the power of the Chaos Gods. They don't even bother to dodge. It's easier than target practice." Another person said.

"But when are their leaders going to show up? Didn't the teachers say that leaders who believe in the 'blood god' like to lead the charge?"

"They like valuable heads. Your value isn't high enough right now, hahaha."

Alpha heard his brothers chatting and laughing, and he smiled too, but he also reminded them in a serious voice: "Don't be arrogant, and don't take pleasure in killing. Always pay attention to your emotions!"

"Yes!" × 19

Alpha's tactic was simple: occupy advantageous terrain and let the enemy leaders come to them. The teachers had already taught them the characteristics of Khorne followers and their preferred combat styles.

Unlike when the teachers previously carried out such decapitation missions, Alpha and his team didn't have to worry about ammunition. If an Imperial Astartes tactical squad were to execute this mission, due to limited bolter rounds and grenades, they would have to actively seek out important targets, killing them before their ammunition ran out. Otherwise, they would be forced into close combat with enemies far outnumbering them.

While Power Armor provided Astartes with powerful protection and extended combat endurance, melee combat carried far greater risks than using ranged weapons, because no one knew if there were enemies carrying melta bombs or other weapons among them.

The Omega Warriors had no such concerns. Their energy weapons, as long as the nuclear reactor was operating, provided infinite bullets and bombs. The six-legged fire platform following them was an all-terrain, offense-and-defense integrated, powerful vehicle.

These were the foundations of Alpha's confidence in executing this tactic.

As a great company, a thousand Omega Warriors, fought, Ventris and other Ultramarines observed their performance from a warship in orbit.

"Isn't Alpha a bit too cautious? With such a huge advantage, shouldn't he launch an offensive?"

Ventris, the Chapter Master of the Gamma Legion, explained for the Captain of the First Company he had promoted: "It's normal to be a bit cautious when commanding this level of battle for the first time."

"Cautious? He dropped himself down with them! I didn't see any caution. Did he forget that we won't interfere in the battle? This warship theoretically has no Commander!" The Ultramarine who had been responsible for guiding Alpha said angrily.

"When he gets back, I'll show him!"

"Uh—he's still a child. It's understandable if he hasn't adjusted to his new role—"

Alpha's teacher slammed the command console and shouted: "Understandable what? I think this kid did it on purpose, for his own vanity and brotherly affection, deliberately making such a mistake! What does he think combat is? A game of house?!"

"Alright, when he returns, he's yours to deal with." "Hmph, he's the worst student I've ever had!"

"Isn't that right, Brother Ramsey? I remember you clearly saying that if Alpha lived long enough, he would definitely become an extraordinary figure." Another Ultramarines said in a teasing tone.

"Get lost! Take care of your Second Company!"

"Hahaha, alright, alright, I'll go sit with the brothers responsible for the other companies over there."

"Come on, come on, Brother Ramsey is different from us. Our students are still developing and growing, but his have already started real combat! No comparison!"

Upon hearing this, the faces of several individuals responsible for the First Company's training mission with Ramsey darkened. They were in competition with the other companies still being formed, and it wasn't just about pride. Magos Gamma had said that whoever taught well would be rewarded with a great treasure. But with their most promising student 'committing' such a low-level error, it would be strange if their faces weren't dark.

Seeing his battle brothers 'sown discord' by the little Tech-priest, Ventris was helpless, but he was the Chapter Master. For things beneficial to the Chapter's construction, he 'couldn't' say much. He could only believe that the brotherhood of the Ultramarines was unbreakable. And wasn't Chapter Master Calgar still here?

Alpha had no time to consider how his teachers would punish him upon his return. When the first enemy not disintegrated by the gauss beam appeared on the front line, he knew that the mission's objective was about to emerge.

Khorne is the simplest god; his only divine decree is to spill blood in his name.

Khorne is also the easiest god to satisfy.

While other rigid gods demand long prayers and hymns, the construction of massive places of worship, and other unmanly nonsense, Khorne only asks you to fulfill an ancient cult tradition: to hack and slash.

The clash of steel is his hymn, the swinging of hammers and battle-axes is his worship, the war cry "Blood for the blood god!" is his prayer, and the blood spilled in his name is the offering he requires.

Facing the power of a Chaos God for the first time, Alpha, upon seeing the Blood Father surrounded by a terrifying red aura of blood, felt an uncontrollable urge to fight and kill in his mind. He yearned to decapitate his enemies, believing it would bring him glory.

"Hoo—"

As he exhaled, Alpha regained his composure. The mental disturbance made him understand why Magos Gamma viewed Chaos as the greatest enemy of all life, and why Magos Gamma created them. Anyone facing such will-altering power, if they show a moment of weakness, will fall into eternal damnation, becoming the pathetic, repulsive beings they are.

"Report your status," Alpha said into his communicator.

"I'm fine, Captain."

"No issues."

"It was terrifying, but still not as good as Father's blessing."

"Recovered."

After confirming everyone was safe, Alpha commanded: "Fire!"

Many believe that the Khorne cult has no Priests, but this is not true. As Priests of the "God of War," these Priests are often also warriors.

Or rather, the prerequisite for being favored by Khorne is to be a fearless warrior.

Powerful and fearless warriors are Khorne's chosen, and those mindless brutes also hold a special place in his heart.

If he fights well, Khorne will bless him. If he continues to fight well, Khorne will continue to bless him. While other gods typically grant magic to their Priests, Khorne only bestows a plethora of super-strong combat skills and bloody visions.

Those who decapitate enough enemies will grow stronger, and through bloody visions, they will naturally learn how to Priest Khorne, how to build altars, and how to summon demons.

They don't actually understand why an altar must be built from eight hundred and eighty-eight skulls; they simply follow what they see in their visions. They do whatever Khorne likes.

Although the blood god Warriors leading the charge also disliked using ranged weapons, compared to lower-ranking cultists, they better understood their god's preferences. Technology is the skill and power of mortals themselves; opponents with powerful firepower are not cowards, but excellent prey, and their heads are equally favored by their god.

It's just that this time, the enemy's firepower was a bit too strong. Halfway through the charge, the warriors suddenly realized: Where are my men?

Alpha could tell him the answer: Your blessing indeed has something, but my firepower has even more!

Gauss weapons are a bit lacking; perhaps you'd like to try particle weapons? They fire a stream of tiny anti-matter particles that only detonate upon contact with other matter. An explosion within your body can hardly still be called a ranged attack, can it?

"It's completely unscientific; their internal organs are blown away, yet they can still continue to attack!"

"Talk less, shoot more." Alpha said, looking at the cult leader who had already charged to their position.

With that, he drew the weapon from his waist and actively met the enemy, who was now just a few feet away.

"Coward!" the blood god Warrior roared, spitting blood.

Alpha ignored him, parrying the enemy's cleaving great axe with his sword. Simultaneously, two power swords crossed, severing the enemy's head. "Idiot," the warrior standing beside Alpha said with disdain.

"Captain, I think you could have taken him out with a single backhand swing. Why did you let us intervene?" another warrior asked.

Unexpectedly, this question earned him a reprimand from Alpha: "Have you forgotten everything in 'Precautions for Fighting Chaos God Followers,' which Father specifically wrote for us?"

..

The reprimanded Omega Warriors immediately recalled the contents of the book regarding precautions for Khorne's followers:

First, do not feel pleasure, honor, or any other positive emotion from killing; no negative ones either.

Second, if you don't have to fight alone, never fight alone; if you can go in together, never go in by yourself.

Seeing Alpha kill the cult leader, one of the Ultramarines in orbit suddenly blurted out:

"Alpha is truly too steady!"

The subsequent battle was quite routine. After all, this training ground, specially chosen by Calgar, was highly unlikely to present enemies that a thousand fully armed Omega Warriors couldn't handle. Even if there were, several hundred Ultramarines were still in orbit, ready to descend and assist at any moment.

With space battleships overhead and superhuman warriors running rampant, the cultists here were truly blessed. Opponents that other Khorne followers could only dream of finding were here in droves.

Just as excited as the cultists were the Governor and his noble subordinates. When the drop pods streaked across the night sky and slammed into the cultist camp, the corpulent Governor was so thrilled he nearly jumped. He knew he wouldn't have his head chopped off by the cultists and turned into minced meat.

Originally, he had intended to bravely sally forth from the city, hoping to add a glorious chapter to his family's history of fighting alongside the Emperor's Angels. But at the last minute, he chickened out, instead preparing a banquet and gifts to await the arrival of the Emperor's Angels.

However, he waited and waited, but the legendary armored Angels showed no interest in him. This made the Governor begin to waver and suspect. Could a traitor have emerged among his ranks? Had the Empire discovered his secret dealings with the cult?

At the thought of this possibility, the Governor felt truly wronged. He had only secretly provided some weapons and ammunition to the cultists, asking them to help eliminate a few annoying individuals. Such an operation was perfectly normal for a planetary noble. Who didn't have their white gloves and black gloves? Which noble didn't keep some unsavory thugs to be used and discarded?

Gangsters and cultists are also people, also the Emperor's currency, and also have their uses. He was merely utilizing everything he could for the stability of the Empire.

But who could have imagined that with an extra "scar" in the sky, the cult would spiral out of control, fighting with astonishing ferocity? The Governor regretted it deeply. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have used the money for weapons to renovate his garden.

The longer he waited, the more the Governor grumbled, but he only dared to grumble. He would never dare to resist. Didn't he see how the cult that had beaten him to a pulp was being swiftly dealt with by the Angel Lords, one shot at a time?

To be safe, the Governor finally decided to bite the bullet and dispose of everything he had related to xenos and heretics. It pained him to burn these valuable items, but compared to his life and status, they were mere external possessions.

You ask why there were still people inside?

Nonsense! If he didn't silence those paparazzi who specialized in dirty work, how could he sleep?

After all this, the Governor felt completely uplifted. He believed there were probably few people cleaner than him—

—among the nobility. He was now flawless. Even an Angel couldn't dismiss him without evidence.

I shall perish with the Empire! The Governor thought.

And then… there was no 'then.' Would Gamma leave such a worm alive?

In his domain, the only one qualified to be a worm was himself. Everyone else, put on your wristbands and get to work honestly. If you don't obey, you'll have to eat "mental injection."

Such a great and auspicious event as successfully doubling the "territory" definitely called for a celebration. Driven by the spirit of "it's better to share joy than to enjoy it alone," the little Tech-priest slapped his thigh and decided to "feast all his ministers," to properly reward himself. But before the banquet even began, while Eldar Miss was still warming up backstage, someone popped out to spoil his fun.

"Magos Gamma, I believe the dark side is in chaos, and your enterprise has just begun; it is not appropriate to be so extravagant. The resources and time saved should be invested in production and construction!"

"Hiss!" Hearing this, all the ministers gasped, and the temperature in the hall dropped a few degrees.

Who is so brave? Don't they know the temperament of the "tyrant" on the throne? Everyone looked at the Tech-priest who walked to the center of the hall, eager for a show.

The moment Gamma saw the other party, the fruit juice a maid had just brought him immediately lost its sweetness. He asked, as if he'd seen a ghost:

"How did you get out?!"

The speaker was none other than Sage Kobe, whom Gamma had imprisoned in a labor camp over a year ago. Hearing the question, the upright Tech-priest replied neither humbly nor arrogantly:

"Naturally, I was released through labor and evaluation."

You're lying! No one could pass those damn standards. Do you know what a "perfect person" is?

A person of perfect virtue!

Kind, honest, selfless, altruistic, wise, truthful, highly disciplined, tenacious, persistent, extraordinary leadership skills…

Which of these things can be associated with a Tech-priest?!

Order, you have disappointed this Magos too much! To allow such a "sanctimonious" and "greatly evil" individual to come out and wreak havoc among humanity!

Thinking this, the little Tech-priest's face turned cold. In public, he couldn't directly say it. He had set the "perfect person" standard precisely to imprison people he couldn't directly kill until they died, never expecting anyone to actually pass.

"Hmph! This Magos's territory, I'll enjoy it however I please. What's wrong with everyone having some fun after a victory? Stop making noise! Get out!" Gamma imperiously waved his hand, ordering the annoying person to leave at once.

Sage Kobe sighed deeply, as if lamenting for countless suffering humans, then silently returned to his seat,

not even glancing at the dazzling array of glowing food before him.

What a pity! The little Tech-priest sensed the old Tech-priest Kobe's obstinacy. He had been thinking that if the other party said one more word, he would put aside his pride and have the guards seize Kobe, send him back to the labor camp, this time giving him a hundred-year sentence. Then, who would dare to bother him again?

He hadn't expected this old fox to retreat without a word, giving him no opportunity to act.

"Order, how did he get into the banquet?" Gamma asked.

"Sage Kobe was originally the head of the Afak Mechanical Temple, and he holds high prestige among the Priests. As soon as he was released, he was elected as the representative of the Tech-Priests."

"Where is the original representative?"

"He resigned."

The young Tech-priest found it incredibly difficult, no, incredibly annoying, to build his own faction!

Initially, it was easy to overthrow the previous rulers with violence, but once he established the Order and laws he desired, the young Tech-priest could no longer act as arbitrarily as before.

Violence creates Order, and Order creates power; to exercise power, one must maintain Order.

If he himself took the lead in breaking the rules, those below him would inevitably have the same idea, and since he was the one who broke them first, he couldn't very well use the shattered pieces to control others.

"I must have lost my mind, wanting a rule of law society—" Gamma tossed and turned in bed, too angry to sleep.

Sage Kobe was deliberately opposing him; whenever there was a meeting, he would propose all sorts of uncomfortable suggestions, such as how a leader should set an example by reducing his expenses, how he should be a role model for the people, thereby saving more resources to invest in army building and saving more suffering humans.

He also suggested that he shouldn't only be served by Eldar Misses, but should also select a group of male attendants from among humans. In short, Magos Gamma, as a leader, you should hold yourself to "strict" standards and become an enlightened ruler, not the corrupt one you are now.

Each time, he would only say it once and not insist, sitting down after speaking, slippery as an eel, giving the young Tech-priest no chance to deal with him.

Even when Gamma angrily threw a tantrum, Kobe would just look like he was saying, "Go ahead and scold me."

Unable to find any dirt on him in official matters, the young Tech-priest resorted to underhanded tactics, but Kobe showed him what "strength in lack of desire" truly meant.

He even found out what number holy oil Gamma used daily, yet he couldn't find any evidence to incriminate him.

"Order."

"I am here, Magos Gamma."

"Is Kobe truly loyal?"

"Based on Sage Kobe's performance, private words and actions, and records and evaluations during his re-education period, no signs of disloyalty have been found."

"Heh, he wants to be Hai Rui, huh? I'm determined to be this corrupt ruler! I said it, not even the Omnissiah can stop me!"

"What was that poem again? 'Practicing one's body like a crane,' 'under a pine tree, reading sutras,' trying to contend with me!"

Gamma didn't have eunuchs, but he had the Eldar; the lives of the Ulthwé Eldar were all tied to him, Gamma, making them even more devoted than eunuchs.

After secretly instructing Eldrad in the palace, the Eldar civil officials, who had been "watching from the sidelines," began to exert their influence; they had long been annoyed by this talkative Tech-priest.

If His Highness Gamma became enlightened, how could they stabilize His Highness's humanity? How could they make His Highness consume more souls?

His Highness already favored humans, and the number of humans under him was growing. If humans were allowed to meddle in His Highness's bedchamber, what good would the Eldar be?

Their previous inaction was because they hadn't seen His Highness Gamma's true attitude; now that they had, they no longer needed to endure.

"Flowers bloom and fall, filling the sky; love comes and goes, following fate—"

Gamma hummed a song, swaying his hips. He experienced another kind of joy as a corrupt ruler—watching "sycophants" besiege the unpopular "loyal minister." It was quite interesting, he had to admit.

Now that "Hai Rui" had an opponent, the young Tech-priest's life became happy again. Calgar was also doing well, having captured... ahem, recaptured two planets for the Imperium. This was even before Gamma's legion had fully formed. Once the first batch of ordinary human-modified warriors matured, the Great Crusade 1.5 would accelerate exponentially.

With Order, the transformation and development of recaptured worlds were not a problem, but there were other issues Gamma needed to solve. First, the Webway was in terrible condition. The War in Heaven damaged the Webway once, the Fall of the Eldar damaged it again, and the Great Rift damaged it yet again.

The current Webway was, to put it mildly, full of holes. Except for the main thoroughfare, which remained intact, other branches either had holes where demons ran rampant, or were completely severed.

Even the Eldar now had to take circuitous routes, making nine turns and eighteen bends to reach their destinations, often passing through narrow Webway branches that large units couldn't traverse.

In the future, once the Great Crusade 1.5 began to accelerate, if the Webway's condition remained poor and there was no guidance from the Astronomican in the dark, Gamma would face the dilemma of being unable to efficiently integrate his forces unless he replaced all his military power with Iron Men and AI, extensively using Necrons's inertia-less engines.

But doing so would inevitably attract the attention of the Necrons. The young Tech-priest was already exposed to Chaos; he didn't want to provoke the Necrons as well.

Who knew what they would do if they found out he had plagiarized their technology?

Gamma was left with two choices: 1. Repair the Webway, or 2. Develop new faster-than-light travel technology.

He was currently working on both tasks with full effort, and both had already shown promising signs. However, this wasn't because the young Tech-priest was so brilliant that he had fully grasped the technology of the Old Ones, but rather because Gamma had used a clever trick.

The material the Old Ones used to build the Webway had a certain similarity to spirit bone. spirit bone could be considered a lower-grade material of this substance, which gave Gamma an idea: if he couldn't build roads, he could at least fill in the potholes.

Without asphalt, filling the potholes with stones and dirt could still make the road usable.

The small section the Emperor built on Terra back then probably also used this method.

The only problem was that the Eldar's spirit bone production rate was too slow, relying entirely on Bonesingers for manual cultivation, making it completely unreliable.

The Emperor, when he swept across the galaxy, only built a "small dirt road" by scavenging resources. Gamma, with the resources he controlled, wanted to undertake galactic "infrastructure" and would not even hear a sound if he poured everything into it.

Fortunately, Gamma had the Ulthwé Craftworld's great treasure: spirit bone nanomachines. The young Tech-priest never stopped researching the self-replicating spirit bone nanomachines. His awakened talent allowed him to see more technical information hidden by the Old Ones, which greatly accelerated Gamma's research efficiency.

"I hope this time it succeeds," Gamma murmured, looking at the solitary nanomachine under the microscope.

After speaking, he channeled his power into the nanomachine. As a familiar feeling grew in his heart, the young Tech-priest began to dance with joy.

"Hahahaha, I think the Old Ones were nothing special, hahahaha—"

"Music!"

"Come on, my little darling, let's sway together! Let's sway together!"

As the music began, the robotic arms in the laboratory started to move to the rhythm. Gamma, swaying, held a white ball that was continuously growing. If one were to zoom in to a microscopic level, they would find that this ball was composed of countless dividing spirit bone nanomachines.

Having taken the most difficult step, Gamma now had to face his old adversary once again: materials.

As we've mentioned before, spirit bone is a complex and diverse material with biological characteristics. It can be harder than adamantium, as soft as water,

It can react to psychic energy and also exhibit resistance to Warp energy.

The specific properties depend entirely on the skill of the Bonesinger who cultivates the spirit bone and how many methods of spirit bone cultivation they have mastered. Gamma has already solved the technical problem of industrializing spirit bone production; now he needs to find a spirit bone cultivation method that most closely matches the performance of Webway materials.

Once that is done, all problems blocking the Webway repair project will be resolved.

The spirit bone technology on the Ulthwé Craftworld did not satisfy Gamma; although it was usable, it couldn't be so easily breached by just any demon.

To find suitable spirit bone, Gamma went to the office building of the newly established Webway Management Committee. He needed to search throughout Eldar society for the most suitable material.

"Why did you suddenly come here?" Yvraine, exuding the aura of a professional strong woman, asked curiously.

"I need your help with something."

The young Tech-priest noticed Yvraine's eyes light up and unconsciously pursed his lips. He found this xenos increasingly cunning, more and more like the Guilliman in his memory, now full of schemes and plots.

"You've helped us so much, I'll definitely help if I can!" Yvraine gave a polite yet friendly professional smile.

Don't think I don't understand what you mean. You won't help unless there's a benefit, right? Where did the Harbinger of Death, who once shed blood for the Eldar, go? Guilliman, why do you teach everything? How could you teach humanity's most cherished "wisdom" to xenos, you scoundrel! Gamma glared at her and then said:

"I've been researching recently and need a spirit bone cultivation technique that is resistant to Warp energy and can protect the user from the Warp's harms."

"Oh, Ulthwé should have that type of spirit bone, right?" Yvraine's eyes twinkled, wondering what she was thinking.

The young Tech-priest, who still planned to build toll booths and collect tolls in the future, naturally wouldn't reveal his true purpose, so he chuckled and said:

"Ulthwé does have it, but its performance doesn't meet the experimental requirements."

"If you just need spirit bone, I might be able to help you figure something out, but if you want the technology, I'm afraid those Craftworlds that worship the Forge God Vaul won't agree. They rely entirely on spirit bone trade to sustain their Craftworlds," Yvraine replied with a look of regret.

"..."

Looking at the xenos who were price gouging and holding out for a better offer, the young Tech-priest gnashed his teeth in hatred, but thinking of the future torrent of tolls, Gamma still endured and said with a smile:

"Please help me out. How about this: you handle the acquisition. I won't ask how much you give them; I'll only trade with you!"

Upon hearing this, Yvraine couldn't help but smile, but what she said was: "I can only help you ask; whether it works out, I don't know. But even if they agree, the price won't be low!"

Knowing he was about to be fleeced, the young Tech-priest could only meekly offer his neck to be chopped. Before, he was always the one using technology to corner and exploit others; this was the first time he had been cornered and exploited. Gamma felt incredibly miserable.

"Alright! But I want the best!"

"I believe His Highness Gamma understands the principle of getting what you pay for."

In the young Tech-priest's eyes, the hateful xenos smiled like a fox that had stolen a chicken. Gamma was filled with resentment, deciding that in the future, the Death Guard's tolls would be double everyone else's. He would make Yvraine pay for today's actions!

The Tech-priest, having been fleeced, didn't want to see Yvraine's hateful smiling face again. He turned to leave, thinking, "Thirty years east of the galaxy, thirty years west of the galaxy, don't bully a poor Tech-priest."

"When I throw the toll bill in your face, I'll ask you if you regret that day's decision. Even if you beg me, I won't lower the price! Hahahahahaha," Gamma thought, elated and arrogant.

"Oh, Your Highness Gamma, please don't be in such a hurry to leave," Yvraine called out, seeing the Tech-priest about to depart.

Hmm! Could it be that he wouldn't have to wait for the three-year agreement, and could get his revenge today? Hehehehe. Thinking this, Gamma raised his noble chin. Oh, never mind, he saw that the other person always had to raise her chin. Gamma's expression stiffened, and he awkwardly asked,

"What is it?"

"Guilliman asked me to ask if Archmagos Cawl wishes to visit you. Do you agree?"

"Huh?"

Gamma was startled by this news. He had once wanted to go to his Grandmaster for further study. Over a decade had passed, and he had almost forgotten about it. Now, to hear news of Archmagos Cawl again, and that the Archmagos wanted to visit him!

"According to Robert, he mentioned you in his conversation with Cawl, and he was very interested in you, so… "

You call him so intimately, you Aeldari traitor! Guilliman has good methods! The gossipy Tech-priest scrutinized the xenos before him with a meaningful gaze, then said,

"No problem, the Archmagos can come whenever he wants."

"Alright, I'll tell him next time I see him."

"Do you really need to go in person for something like this?" Gamma asked, with a hidden meaning in his words.

"Hmph, don't think everyone is as idle as you, Your Highness. Of course, there are more important matters. The first batch of Inquisitors to join the committee are ready. I'm going to bring them over."

"The Regent's efficiency is truly high. I thought just selecting people would take over a decade. I didn't expect it to be settled so quickly," Gamma said in surprise.

"Robert also overcame many difficulties and used strong-arm tactics to make it happen so fast. Otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken."

At this point, Gamma thought of something and seriously said to Yvraine, "When you see the Regent, please convey another message for me: The Regent knows the character of those devils in the Inquisition. I will not show mercy to anyone who doesn't follow the rules!"

The spirit bone matter required time, so Gamma decided to use this period to fully focus on the Tau's Gravitic Drive and AL-38 Sub-current Module. Although Gamma often ridiculed the Tau for their short legs behind their backs, he had to admit that the Gravitic Drive's skip-and-jump method of FTL travel was highly safe.

Moreover, the Tau used the Gravitic Drive to establish an empire with a diameter of three hundred light-years (before the Fourth and Fifth Sphere Expansions), indicating that this speed was sufficient within a certain range.

The Imperium of Man's Warp engines, under normal circumstances, had a cruising speed of approximately 2.22 light-years per Terra day.

This was calculated by the Tech-priest using data he had acquired from the Tau Empire previously. During the Damocles Gulf Crusade, from the discovery of the Imperial expeditionary fleet at a Tau Empire outpost to the fleet's traverse of the over two-hundred light-year Damocles Gulf, the Tau Empire's post-war statistics showed that the Imperial fleet took approximately 90 days.

The Tau Empire itself calculated the maximum speed of the Gravitic Drive to be approximately 0.74 light-years per Terra day.

Of course, the Tau would not use Terra time; they used Titan Star time, where one Titan Star day is equivalent to 15 Terra hours = 0.625 Terra days. The 0.74 light-years per Terra day was Gamma's conversion.

This speed is completely sufficient within a 10-20 light-year range. Gamma could completely emulate the Tau Empire's administrative divisions, using the Webway as a network. For every planet conquered, he could establish a 10-light-year diameter administrative district centered on that planet. A 5-light-year distance would take less than 7 days, and from one end to the other would only take about 14 days.

The combination of the Webway and the Gravitic Drive would be enough for the Tech-priest to consolidate a major power with an area more than a dozen times that of the Tau Empire. By then, Gamma would be a truly renowned figure in the galaxy.

However, the difficulties were also considerable. The biggest problem was the large size of the Gravitic Drive. The Imperium of Man's Warp engines were already very large, only able to be equipped on larger tonnage vessels. The Gravitic Drive was even larger than a Warp engine, and its size would increase proportionally with the ship's tonnage.

To equip his future warships with more weapons and his cargo ships to carry more cargo, the Tech-priest was racking his brains to reduce the size of the Gravitic Drive while also wanting to improve its performance.

The Gravitic Drive's travel mode involves the spaceship diving into the gap between the real universe and the Warp, submerging and resurfacing, submerging and resurfacing, skipping forward without actually entering the Warp.

Gamma's idea was to extend the time spent submerged. Wouldn't that increase the travel speed?

If he could submerge for as long as he wanted, why would he need anything else?

However, achieving this is extremely difficult. The gap between the real universe and the Warp repels not only Warp entities like daemons but also creatures from the real universe. The difficulty of achieving this is no less than allowing a daemon to manifest in the real world in its true form. Currently, Gamma has not heard of any Chaos God or daemon capable of this.

But since the Emperor could create "Primarchs" as a kind of loophole, Gamma felt he could also try to push the boundaries. What if he succeeded?

As for the AL-38 Sub-current Module, the Tech-priest was only researching it and not focusing his main efforts on it. Relying on antimatter bubbles to envelop the ship and travel outside the real universe could easily tear the veil. The Tau only avoided disaster because of the help of the Tau Va, and even gained a "Star-tide Nexus" wormhole channel from the misfortune. Otherwise, the Tau Empire would not have gained a wormhole, but a massive Warp Rift from which countless daemons would pour out.

Currently, the Tech-priest is still a "small fry" who only controls a few planets, so the demand for new technology is not yet very urgent. This gives him more time to optimize the Gravitic Drive.

Optimizing a purely physical Gravitic Drive is not a simple task. Many Tau, including those from the Golden Age of Humanity, had similar ideas to Gamma, but none of them succeeded.

Gamma also hit many walls, but as the saying goes, the fundamental driving force of technological progress comes from humanity's inherent laziness. To achieve more with less effort, humans invented all sorts of technologies.

After a period of intense research with little progress, the Tech-priest's lazy streak began to act up, and cunning, crooked ideas started to take over. He once again set his sights on the Aeldari.

Thus, a certain public opinion began to emerge on Ulthwé Craftworld: the Webway would eventually completely break down, and what then would be the fate of the Aeldari?

At the same time, information about the state of the Webway began to circulate within the Craftworld, with a strong implication that the Webway was on the verge of collapse tomorrow.

This caused many Aeldari to panic. Many Aeldari who had never understood the outside world began to actively inquire about the state of the galaxy. It wasn't a problem not to inquire, but once they did, they were almost scared to death.

Things like the Necrons are awakening, the Tyranids are about to devour the entire galaxy, the Human Emperor is ready to rise at any moment to create a second Eye of Terror, a greenskin Warboss named Bonebreaker is leading five million greenskin warships to WAAAGH! across the galaxy, and so on.

When Yvraine arrived at Ulthwé Craftworld with Archmagos Cawl and the Inquisitors, she distinctly felt that the atmosphere within the Craftworld was different from when she left. It gave her a sense of extreme alarm and imminent disaster.

Yvraine was so startled that she thought some enemy was about to attack. Only after inquiring did she realize they were just scared.

"I say, Your Highness Gamma, can you be any more bored?" the Harbinger of Death said to the Tech-priest, annoyed.

Gamma, who had just greeted Archmagos Cawl, twisted his head and said, "Hmph, superficial! Do you know what 'born of adversity, dying in comfort' means?"

"You people are typical individual heroes, thinking you can save the world with your passion alone. Without the courage to fight with your backs against the wall, where will the opportunity for survival arise? You must understand how to mobilize the strength of the masses!"

Yvraine was no longer the Amon of yesteryear; she immediately saw that Gamma was quibbling. She looked suspiciously at the Tech-priest and asked,

"You wouldn't be trying to spread this public opinion through the Aeldari coming to Ulthwé Craftworld to other Craftworlds, would you?"

"..."

The Tech-priest, whose scheme had been exposed, remained awkwardly silent.

Seeing this, the Harbinger of Death said with an un-friendly expression, "Other Craftworlds don't have Ulthwé's means of suppressing extreme emotions. Do you think we don't understand the reasoning behind it? We just don't dare to let too many people know!"

"That's not my fault. If you're worried about that, I'll just bleed a little more and distribute omega spores to other Aeldari worlds."

The Tech-priest's words were merely stubborn, but to Yvraine's ears, they took on a completely different meaning. She thought Gamma intended to use an open conspiracy, a method of creating panic, to conquer other Ark Worlds without a single soldier.

Already, a few small Craftworlds had such intentions, but currently, the Aeldari society as a whole distrusted Gamma, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, preventing those struggling small Craftworlds from taking any concrete action. However, if this public opinion were allowed to spread and ferment within Aeldari society, once panic reached a certain level and public opinion rose, the first Craftworld to voluntarily align with Ulthwé would immediately be followed by a second,

and a third...

Thinking this, Yvraine immediately became worried. But faced with Gamma's unresolvable, straightforward scheme, she didn't know how to counter it.

Ignoring everything else, Yvraine hastily left the Tech-priest's palace to find the other members of the Webway Management Committee to discuss countermeasures.

"Hmph, leaving without even eating! These alien Aeldari are truly impolite!" Gamma, who didn't understand the situation, said with dissatisfaction as he watched Yvraine leave. Just for this, the future tolls would have to be doubled again.

"Your Highness, you're right. Don't stoop to her level. Here, open wide," the maid beside him advised.

"Ah, I won't stoop to her level. Just you wait, there will be a time when she'll beg me. When that happens, if she doesn't bring you gifts, I won't see her, hehehe."

"Your Highness, you're truly mischievous," the maid giggled, amused by Gamma.

At this moment, the Inquisitors, who had been observing the Tech-priest at the banquet, saw this scene and their faces twitched. Everything, from what they had seen and heard after entering Ulthwé Craftworld, to the Tech-priest's almost comically inept ruling style, and the scattered yet "blasphemous" rumors they had investigated, made the Inquisitors feel like they had truly seen something extraordinary!

Sitting next to Gamma, Archmagos Cawl, whose physique was comparable to a giant beast, looked down at this scene and said nothing, but the thought modules in his brain were constantly operating at high speed.

"Grandmaster, why did you suddenly decide to visit me?" Gamma asked with some curiosity.

The Archmagos did not reject the title of "Grandmaster" due to Gamma's heretical actions and kindly replied,

"These past years, I have been trying to find a way to close the Great Rift. I had some new discoveries that I wanted to discuss with the Regent, but I unexpectedly heard about your existence from him, so I wanted to come and see."

"Oh, so that's it. Grandmaster truly has grand ambitions. I haven't even considered closing the Great Rift," Gamma said, scratching his head.

"It's difficult, but someone has to do it. I've grown accustomed to doing things that are long and have little hope."

These words filled Gamma with reverence. If Archmagos Cawl was a brave man who, with astonishing perseverance and courage, challenged a mountain whose peak could not be seen, then Gamma was a lazy coward who set up a tent at the foot of the mountain and would only move when the floodwaters reached his feet.

Seeing the Tech-priest's respectful gaze, which also revealed fear and shame, the Archmagos calmly said,

"Being expected by many people is a terrifying thing. I only understood this truth after living for a long time. Tell me, in the history of mankind, who at your age has achieved such accomplishments? You are already very remarkable and very brave."

"Haha, really? I don't even feel it; I'm just being pushed along," the Tech-priest said, immediately feeling embarrassed after being praised.

Then the Archmagos added, "I came to see you for two reasons: first, to meet you and see what you are, and second, I learned from the Regent that you seem to possess many secrets."

"Although I have found many clues over the years, their authenticity is hard to discern, and they are very disorganized. So, I would like to ask you some questions."

Gamma hesitated after hearing the Archmagos's words. After some thought, he retorted, "Archmagos, what do you think I am?"

"Hahaha, after learning about you, I specifically looked into your past, but the information I currently have is not enough to determine what you are," the Archmagos replied candidly.

"Personally, I still believe the Emperor fits the characteristics of the Omnissiah more, but it's understandable that your worshippers might think you are, after all, they haven't seen the Emperor."

The little Tech-priest laughed upon hearing this. Archmagos Cawl's ideological awareness was indeed high; he was worthy of being a Tech-priest personally "enlightened" by the Golden One.

"The Archmagos is right, the Emperor is the Omnissiah. He has a great connection with the founding of the Adeptus Mechanicus. I have already explained this to those who are unaware of the truth, and I believe that with the passage of time, their faith will gradually return to the right path."

"Time can indeed change many things. I once believed the human body was sacred, but to fulfill my responsibilities, I had to change. You just said the Emperor…"

Gamma interrupted Archmagos Cawl, looking at him seriously and saying, "Archmagos, please don't ask me about faith, about 'gods,' or about the Warp. I don't want to harm you. Knowing certain things means you will be noticed by certain entities; it's too dangerous!"

An undisguised atmosphere of disappointment appeared around the Archmagos. Since birth, he had been a person with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Now the answer was right before his eyes, but the "answer" itself said, "I cannot tell you."

How could Archmagos Cawl not feel disappointed? Fortunately, he also understood that Gamma was thinking of him and quickly adjusted.

"What do you know about the Necrons and their Blackstone technology?"

The little Tech-priest's face fell. He realized that the trouble-making ability of warhammer celebrities was proportional to their fame; the more famous a person, the more they liked to provoke formidable opponents.

"Uh—does the Archmagos want to use Blackstone to close the Great Rift?" Gamma asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, I have established a testing ground in the Maelstrom and have achieved some results, but it is far from enough to close the Great Rift."

At this point, the Archmagos paused, thought for a moment, and then continued, "I learned how to operate Necrons Blackstone obelisks from a friend and acquired some Necrons technology. From the information I have, the Great Rift is not new; it existed in ancient times."

"But the Necrons used Blackstone constructs to stitch it up like sutures. Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade aimed to destroy these Blackstone constructs left by the Necrons."

A friend? Trazyn! How could I forget that guy? He's even more dangerous than the Four Gods! As soon as the little Tech-priest thought of the Collector King, he immediately looked around suspiciously, wondering if this old metal relic was hiding in some corner, secretly observing him, ready to arrange a "new home" for him at any moment.

Gamma's actions left the Archmagos a bit perplexed, but he also realized that the little Tech-priest's reaction was due to the "friend" he mentioned.

Does he also have abilities similar to prophecy? Otherwise, how would Gamma know about my cooperation with Trazyn? It seems he indeed possesses many secrets! The Archmagos's uncertainty vanished, and his desire for answers grew even stronger.

After calming down from his paranoia, the little Tech-priest remembered the natural animosity between the Eldar and the Necrons, and he had never heard of Trazyn infiltrating an Eldar Craftworld!

Omnissiah, for crying out loud! There are the Four Gods in the Warp, Trazyn in the real universe, and the Emperor stuck in between. Who did I ever offend?! I'm still just a child! Gamma grumbled resentfully in his heart.

"Are you very afraid of that xenos?"

Hearing the Archmagos's question, the little Tech-priest gave a wry smile and asked, "Does the Archmagos know about the War in Heaven?"

"I received a copy of 'The War in Heaven' from a Harlequins friend. Although it's incomplete, I generally know about it."

"The Archmagos has many friends…" Gamma couldn't help but quip.

"Hahaha, they've helped me a lot," Archmagos Cawl's massive metallic body boomed with laughter.

The little Tech-priest looked at Cawl speechlessly. He found the Archmagos to be quite heretical. Shrugging helplessly, he said, "Since the Archmagos knows, he should understand just how powerful the Necrons are. Your 'friend' is the overlord of a powerful Necrons Dynasty, and he's known as the galaxy's little thief, with an almost obsessive collecting habit."

"You know how special I am, Archmagos. What do you think I am in his eyes?"

"This…"

Cawl recalled some details from his interactions with Trazyn, remembering how that damned xenos would often stare at him blankly. Gamma might be highly collectible, but Archmagos Cawl's own collectible value wasn't low either.

"Damn xenos!" x 2

Cursing in unison, the two Tech-priests, one large and one small, exchanged glances and both inwardly decided to further increase their security levels.

After cursing, the little Tech-priest continued, "The Necrons are currently in a state of separation and civil war, which means they haven't focused their energy on humans and other species. Additionally, tens of millions of years of contemplation have caused them to have more or less mental issues."

"Moreover, the overlords and phaeron of each dynasty have different ideas. Having lost their souls, they are more like embodiments of their past obsessions, which makes them act very 'willfully' and 'arbitrarily.' All of this disperses the Necrons's power."

"In the battle of the Soulforged, even with our Dark Age relics of containment, we only managed to put up a fight, but the result was still our defeat and retreat."

"But this also showed Szarekh the threat. He has now unsealed a dangerous organization among the Necrons called the Technomandrites. In the future, as the Necrons's power recovers, our situation will become increasingly difficult!"

Gamma's words brought silence to the atmosphere between him and Archmagos Cawl. The Eldar handmaidens serving beside the little Tech-priest were trembling uncontrollably, the immense fear compelling them to scream.

Noticing this, Gamma frowned, realizing his mistake. He shouldn't have left the handmaidens here. As soon as the thought occurred, the handmaidens fainted, their bodies losing gravity and floating towards Eldrad.

"Eldrad, take them away. Erase their recent memories. These matters are too heavy for them!"

The Supreme Seer heard Gamma's voice and immediately responded, "Yes, Your Highness."

The Inquisitors in the distance also witnessed this scene. Although they didn't know what Gamma and the Archmagos had discussed, it was clear from the Eldar handmaidens' expressions that it must have been something terrifying.

At the same time, the miraculous power displayed by Gamma also made the Inquisitors begin to fantasize. These Daemon Inquisitors were the most elite and talented psykers in the Imperium, yet even they couldn't comprehend or understand the little Tech-priest's power.

"Eldar are too sensitive. To live happily in the galaxy, you need a strong heart."

The little Tech-priest, who hadn't eaten by himself in a long time, suddenly felt that the food he prepared himself tasted uniquely good. He mused that humans are indeed creatures that seek novelty and excitement.

"Hmm, that's true, but I heard you've already helped the Ulthwé Eldar overcome this?" the Archmagos asked curiously.

"These handmaidens have been with me for too long and are most deeply influenced by me. They believe every word I say implicitly, which sometimes leads them to over-interpret my words. Just now, when I said 'it will become increasingly difficult,' in their hearts, they might feel that the end of the world is imminent."

Looking down at Gamma, who exuded extraordinary charm at all times, and feeling the constant sense of closeness being born in his own thought-space, the Archmagos said:

"That's truly a terrifying power. Is this why you're hiding here?"

"Uh—partially. Until I can control it, I can only try my best to minimize contact with others."

"You have many similarities with the Emperor. No wonder some people are mistaken."

Gamma pouted. He was much more honest and kind than the Emperor, but he didn't say anything. Archmagos Cawl was considered a "die-hard fan" of the Emperor, so there was no need to say anything to upset him.

"Archmagos, shall we make a deal?" the little Tech-priest suddenly proposed.

Facing Gamma's sudden proposal, Cawl asked, "What do you want to trade?"

"I'll exchange the Blackstone technology and improved human STC I possess for your collection. I assume the Archmagos also acquired a lot from the battle of the Soulforged."

"Hahaha, good, but I thought you would want something more valuable," Archmagos Cawl said happily.

"If you're willing to offer it, I have no objection. However, I must state upfront that the Blackstone technology I possess is relatively low-end among the Necrons."

"That's fine. Fundamentals are often more important. Basic technology is easier to understand and learn," the Archmagos said with satisfaction.

After the welcome banquet ended, the little Tech-priest led the Archmagos to his laboratory. All the way, Gamma's eyes never left the Primaris Exemplar who constantly followed the Archmagos.

The silent Primaris Exemplar naturally noticed this, and the Archmagos also noticed it. Then they saw the little Tech-priest constantly pursing his lips and shaking his head.

"What do you think of my masterpiece?" Archmagos Cawl asked curiously.

Gamma had no intention of revealing his talent, so he said, "I can only determine after he is willing to cooperate with an examination. Based on my intuition, I feel there are many discordant areas in his body, which undoubtedly causes him constant torment."

"..."

The Archmagos did not answer Gamma until they entered Gamma's laboratory. Then he spoke, "Please examine him. I have always regarded him as my pride and my son. The ailments on him are caused by my mistakes, but I am powerless to cure him."

"Too many memories fill my memory modules, causing me to clear parts of my memory every few centuries. This has made me forget much knowledge."

Lies!

A surge of anger rose in the Primaris Exemplar's heart. His feelings for Archmagos Cawl were complex, a mix of a child's admiration and reverence for a father, and hatred for the culprit who single-handedly caused his suffering.

More than once he had fantasized about twisting the neck of the "old man" before him. He had countless times wanted to question the Archmagos: Even if you clear your memory every five hundred years, you are a genius beyond mortal reach. No matter which field you turn your attention to, you would immediately become a cutting-edge genius!

You constantly say I am your masterpiece, your son, so why have you never focused your attention on me? Why don't you dedicate the energy you spend researching other projects to alleviating my pain!

"Primaris Exemplar?"

The Archmagos's call roused the Primaris Exemplar. The Primaris Exemplar could feel a connection between them, and he suspected he could never sever it.

I am the Primaris Exemplar, and I am also Cawl's servant, Cawl's personal property! The Astartes told himself.

"Yes, my lord!" the Primaris Exemplar responded.

Gamma carefully observed the naked Primaris Exemplar lying on the operating table; his body, illuminated by the shadowless lamp, resembled a strange painting.

The exposed power armor interfaces were scattered fortifications, his muscles were stern and unconquerable hills, and his scars were cold roads dividing the texture of his skin into fallow fields.

He was not handsome, nor was he ugly, but his entire being gave Gamma a sense of practical artistry.

"The Archmagos altered you at a genetic level," the little Tech-priest said to the Primaris Exemplar.

The Primaris Exemplar did not respond; he behaved like a resigned lab rat, which made the little Tech-priest a bit uncomfortable. Gamma turned his head to look at Archmagos Cawl, who was humming happily around the "Omni-Magos" mainframe.

"Dealing with a Tech-priest is not easy for a sane human being."

This remark elicited a reaction from the Primaris Exemplar; he looked at Gamma with a strange expression. The little Tech-priest, while operating the instruments, said, "You don't have to look at me like that. I'm also a Tech-priest, and I understand better than you how crazy Tech-Priests can be."

"Cawl prefers to call himself a scientist," the Primaris Exemplar said in a deep voice.

Seeing that the other party finally reacted, the little Tech-priest smiled and said, "That's not wrong. He does seem more like a scientist, but also a mad scientist."

"Oh, Gamma, what's the difference between me and the scientists of the past?" the Archmagos suddenly interjected, asking.

"Normal ones are constrained by morals and laws. Daring ones will violate morals and laws, but they will know they are doing wrong, though they will use 'for the advancement of technology' or 'this is for the pursuit of truth' as excuses to absolve themselves."

"Mad ones rationalize all their actions."

"Does the Archmagos want to know what the creator of the atomic weapon said after inventing it?" Gamma countered.

"What?" Cawl asked curiously, not at all angered by Gamma calling him mad.

"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds!"

After hearing this, the Archmagos nodded and then said, "The difference is indeed vast, but what he said was not precise enough. Facts prove that his creation did not have the ability to destroy the world."

The little Tech-priest rolled his eyes and exchanged a look with the Primaris Exemplar; both saw speechlessness in the other's eyes.

"Then how do you evaluate the people of the Golden Age and the Dark Age of Technology?"

"The Golden Age is hard to say. For the Dark Age of Technology, I can only think of the term 'tech barbarians'."

"'Tech barbarians'? Tech savages, I think I understand what you mean, Gamma, regarding artificial—"

Gamma interrupted him, saying helplessly, "I've said it many times, Archmagos, artificial intelligence-related technology is not within the scope of our deal!"

A lost atmosphere once again enveloped the Archmagos. An emotion he hadn't felt for a very, very long time arose in his heart. He envied Gamma, even to the point of jealousy.

"Alright, but it seems the Custodes' conjecture was correct; you were actually born very early," the Archmagos changed the subject to Gamma.

This truly was classic Tech-priest style, bold enough to even steal the Custodes' little secrets, Gamma thought to himself, making no mention of his own direct eavesdropping on the Custodes.

"Don't listen to their wild guesses; I'm very young."

After speaking, the little Tech-priest even deliberately showed off his childlike physique. The Archmagos did not respond to this, but continued to ask the Omni-Magos various questions.

"Alright, that's enough," Gamma said to the Primaris Exemplar after collecting all his data and blood tissue samples.

The Primaris Exemplar did not hesitate for a moment, climbing off the operating table. From his movements, it was clear he disliked the feeling of being a lab rat.

"It will take some time, but rest assured, your persistent physical pain can be resolved."

"Really!?" The Primaris Exemplar looked at Gamma in disbelief. To be honest, he never thought the other party could truly solve his problem. In his view, his actions just now were merely a part of Gamma's transaction with Archmagos Cawl.

Gamma didn't know the Primaris Exemplar's thoughts; he thought the other party was doubting his technology, and unhappily said, "Of course, I am Gamma. Can such a small problem stump me?"

This made the Primaris Exemplar suddenly feel that the little Tech-priest was a bit unreliable, because Cawl's catchphrase was: I am Belisarius Cawl, and I am omnipotent.

He looked at the Archmagos with an inquiring gaze, but the Archmagos was still focused on communicating with the "Abominable Intelligence," which reignited a surge of anger in the Primaris Exemplar's heart. For some reason he couldn't understand, a wave of hatred welled up within him.

For a moment, he once again wanted to rush over and twist the old man's neck.

Although it was only for a moment, the strong desire was undeniable.

"I am the Archmagos's personal property!" the Primaris Exemplar said in a muffled voice.

The little Tech-priest looked at the Primaris Exemplar, then at the busy Archmagos. He stifled the urge to complain, thinking to himself: Is this stubbornness genetic?

"Archmagos, it's time to talk business," the little Tech-priest called out to the carried-away Cawl.

"So soon?" the Archmagos said with a tone of regret and unfulfillment.

"You, old man, aren't leaving right away. If you like chatting with artificial intelligence, I'll open up some permissions for you later. As long as you're on the Craftworld, you can talk to them anytime."

"Hahaha, good! I haven't been this happy in a long time," Cawl said joyfully, then used his body's projection device to display his collection in the void.

Gamma carefully read through the information of each collection item line by line. Without the physical objects, he could only rely on his accumulated experience to discern the value of these items.

After reading, the little Tech-priest had to admit that besides grave robbing and archaeology, Tech-priests were equally professional at "taking everything they could get"!

Then the Primaris Exemplar witnessed what it meant to "settle accounts clearly even among close brothers." Two Tech-priests, one big and one small, began a fierce negotiation in front of him, so intense that the Primaris Exemplar thought they were about to fall out.

He also witnessed what it meant to ask an exorbitant price and then bargain it down, what it meant to belittle the opponent and elevate oneself, what it meant to divert the conversation and create false pretenses...

After rational analysis, the Primaris Exemplar believed that if this wasn't Gamma's territory, and if the Archmagos's collection hadn't come with him, there was a high probability that these two Tech-priests would have simply resorted to snatching.

"The Archmagos is indeed a person who has lived for over ten thousand years; his skill is profound, and this junior admires him!" — 'Old geezer, you want to take advantage of me by relying on your age? No way!'

"Gamma, you are also not simple. To have such insight at such a 'young age' truly makes me feel ashamed!" — 'Don't pretend to be young, you troublesome 'old monster'!'

The final result was Gamma exchanging his Black Stone technology, improved STCs, and the Emperor's bio-alchemy for the Necron artifacts and a bit of genetic material from the "Primordial Blood Stacks" in Archmagos Cawl's possession. Both parties were very satisfied with this result and returned to their original "loving Grand-Master and grand-disciple" relationship.

"Gamma, why are you putting so much effort into improving existing STCs?"

Hearing the Archmagos's question, the little Tech-priest said without changing his expression or missing a beat: "Archmagos, you have always advocated 'innovation,' but you have also provoked quite a few conservative opposition forces within the Mechanicus. I could design better equipment in this time, but what's the use of just designing it if the Forge Worlds are unwilling to produce it? It's still useless."

"Relatively speaking, improved equipment is more easily accepted by others. The production capacity of a Forge World is limited; only by overall improvement can the level of human armaments be raised most quickly."

After hearing this, the Archmagos thought for a moment and acknowledged, "That is indeed true. The equipment I designed for the Primaris Space Marines is still only accepted by a few Forge Worlds, and these are Forge Worlds with which I have good relations, also partly due to the Regent's pressure."

"Originally, I wanted to secretly use Thedan to spread this knowledge, but since you're here, I thought it would be better to leverage your influence to accelerate the process," Gamma said like a good child. For his grand plan of "arming the galaxy," the little Tech-priest was truly giving his all.

"Hahaha, you didn't say that just now."

"Grand-Master, these are two different matters. You wouldn't give them away for free either. You can make a good profit just by passing them on. What's there to be dissatisfied with?"

"That's true. I'll leave the Primaris Exemplar's matter to you. As for the STC, after I return, I will work with the Regent to find a way to promote it."

"Alright," Gamma agreed.

After a transaction that satisfied both the big and small Tech-priests, the big Tech-priest eagerly began trying to indirectly gain wisdom from the Golden Age, while the small Tech-priest dedicated himself to researching the cure for the Primaris Exemplar's illness. Both Tech-priests understood each other's intentions, but both were confident in their own masterpieces and did not believe the other could gain anything significant—at least, Gamma thought so.

Through observing the Primaris Exemplar, Gamma inferred that the 'yellow-skinned one' must have done something back then that allowed Archmagos Cawl to obtain some data on how the Primarchs were created, because the Primaris Exemplar was a creation of the Archmagos's attempt to recreate the Emperor's process of creating Primarchs.

However, the 'yellow-skinned one' clearly hid the most crucial parts, such as what the "essence" of a Primarch was. This led to the Archmagos ultimately "failing," only creating a more advanced Space Marine. Due to "forgetfulness" (Gamma suspected the Emperor's meddling) of the technology for creating the Primaris Exemplar, he was unable to repeat the process, so he had to settle for manufacturing "Primaris Space Marines" using the Primaris Exemplar as a template.

The reason the little Tech-priest suspected the Emperor's hidden hand was precisely because, during the treatment process and communication with the Primaris Exemplar, he learned that the Archmagos always made backups before each memory wipe. There was no reason for such important technology as creating Primarchs not to be properly backed up. If it were Gamma, he would store it separately in an independent and personally carried memory module, and he wouldn't have the Primaris Exemplar right there without recalling or researching any related technology.

At the same time, the Primaris Exemplar's intentional or unintentional remarks about being ignored by Archmagos Cawl further confirmed Gamma's conjecture.

"You're lucky you met me. Anyone else, and it would be impossible to cure you," Gamma said, operating the spirit bone nanites to gradually "smooth out" the genetic burrs and inconsistencies in the Primaris Exemplar.

"This is?"

"Aeldari spirit bone nanomachines. Their original purpose was to create life, so they are perfectly suited to treat your genetic-level disease," Gamma said.

But this answer was clearly not what the Primaris Exemplar wanted. He asked, "I mean the power you are using."

"Oh, that, I'm not sure either. I just can, as for what it is, I don't know myself, or rather, how to explain it. Your psychic power is very strong; you can answer for me: what is your feeling about my power?"

Whether it was Gamma's extraordinary charm at work, or simply spending a long time with Gamma, which infected this ancient superman, whose heart had long been numb, with the little Tech-priest's unintentionally human actions, the Primaris Exemplar was not averse to communicating with Gamma.

"It's great, it's terrifying. I feel as if I hear countless gears turning orderly yet disorderly within your power. Although Cawl believes the Emperor is the Omnissiah, I feel you are more like him!" the Primaris Exemplar, lying flat on the operating table, spoke his innermost feelings.

Gamma did not jump up to refute the other party as he had before, but chuckled and said, "The Emperor is indeed the Omnissiah, but there are many things in between."

"Many things?"

"That question is over the limit."

The Primaris Exemplar grunted in dissatisfaction; the little Tech-priest had used "question over the limit" to build suspense more than once.

"There is a greater power hidden within you," Gamma added.

This made the Primaris Exemplar recall what that damned spider had said when it took his gene-seed. Thinking of that humiliation, he couldn't help but ask, "Why don't I feel it?"

The little Tech-priest answered without lifting his head, "That's not your fault. You are the Primaris Exemplar; you are the root of all Primaris Space Marines. This identity has special significance."

This hint was enough for the Primaris Exemplar, who was the most powerful psyker in the Imperium. He pondered thoughtfully.

Gamma was not lying; he did feel a dormant yet growing power within the Primaris Exemplar. This made the little Tech-priest sigh at how unpredictable things were, or rather, the 'yellow-skinned one' was unparalleled in the galaxy when it came to scheming and leaving contingencies. As Space Marines were gradually replaced by Primaris Space Marines, the worship of these Astartes naturally fell upon the Primaris Exemplar.

And the Primaris Exemplar's body was precisely modeled after a Primarch. These beliefs just happened to fill his "missing" parts, and what would eventually be born was not hard to guess.

Facing the Primaris Exemplar, who, aside from Guilliman and Lion El'Jonson, had the most complex human body in the Imperium, Gamma dared not "overhaul" him drastically and could only proceed slowly.

Fortunately, the Archmagos was not in a hurry, and neither was the Primaris Exemplar, whose pain had lessened. This gave the little Tech-priest enough time to thoroughly study the mysteries within the Primaris Exemplar's body.

But just as everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion, Yvraine, leading a group of Aeldari, aggressively sought out the little Tech-priest, demanding an explanation from Gamma.

Gamma, not understanding why, thought the Aeldari were deliberately picking a fight with him, and immediately retorted, "I'll give *you* an explanation!"