Simultaneously, the evolution of Sarah's primary body did not cease. In the deepest cavern of the Twin Peaks, Sarah floated within a cradle of biomass fluid. Her body now exceeded seven meters in length, with a wingspan reaching nearly twenty-five meters, and complex energy circuit patterns began to emerge on the surface of her scales. She kept her eyes closed, her consciousness interfaced with the entire Tyranid Hive Mind network of Brevis.
Every combat datum from the Frost-Soldiers, every assassination record from the Assassins, and every death report from the Ork clusters—all information converged in her mind for analysis and conclusion. This data was then fed back to Sarah II to optimize the genetic sequences of the next batch of units. As the swarm expanded, her psychic power grew stronger. It was a perfect positive feedback loop.
The only regret was...
She detached a sliver of her consciousness, reaching across hundreds of kilometers toward the Primary Hive. There, Raynor was dealing with a headache-inducing pile of noble affairs. Through the senses of the Rippers, Sarah felt Raynor's exhausted mental waves. She sensed his irritation while maneuvering through the council chambers and saw him occasionally rubbing his brow while reviewing documents late at night.
She wanted to help him. But she knew that now was not yet the time.
"Wait a little longer," she murmured in her heart. "Wait until I am a little stronger."
Compared to the simple slaughter on the ice plains, the atmosphere at the Primary Hive was of an entirely different nature. Geth's "working style" had spread through the Upper Hive with frantic speed. The total annihilation of House Winter and House Hostein spread like wildfire to every noble estate.
But what truly terrified the nobles was the manner of their deaths. It was said that the elderly patriarch of House Winter was shot in the head while preparing beef noodles for a guest. It was rumored that Lady Stella of House Hostein was personally "wooed" by Geth only to be killed by his own hand. As for Alumi Hostein himself, he had committed suicide in a detention cell after witnessing his wife's betrayal.
The details grew more absurd with each telling, but the core message remained consistent: "Do not provoke the Governor, or Geth—who is even more terrifying than the Governor—will come knocking."
Consequently, no one dared to miss the banquet invitations for the following week. The next group of banquet guests arrived proactively, bringing the remainder of their family assets. They kept their heads bowed throughout the event, not daring to utter a single word. They signed the documents immediately upon entering and left the moment they were done, refusing to stay a second longer.
Geth stood in the corner of the banquet hall, watching the trembling nobles with a satisfied smirk. "Now, this is more like it."
Raynor looked over from the head seat and gave a subtle nod. However, Raynor also knew in his heart that while temporary violence could suppress people, it could not suppress their hearts. True governance required a real change!
Sure enough, after receiving "contributions" from over a hundred nobles, someone finally stepped forward.
Callum Saint Gallus. This lord, responsible for the internal affairs of the Saint Gallus family, usually never participated in council disputes and only managed family matters. But this time, he made a rare public appearance at the Noble Council, delivering a speech that was mild in wording but firm in stance:
"The Saint Gallus family offers no comment on the Governor's methods. However, if things continue in this manner, the foundation of Brevis... I fear, may be shaken."
Translated: "Don't push it too far!"
With the backing of House Saint Gallus, the once-shivering nobles suddenly found their spine. Hundreds of families began to secretly coordinate and huddle together for warmth. they gathered for meetings to discuss countermeasures, eventually reaching a consensus:
"We cannot let him continue like this!" "Right! We shall unite and collectively refuse to attend the banquets!" "If he dares to use force, we will, we will..." "We will start a civil war!"
The words sounded valiant, but after they were spoken, silence fell over the room. A civil war? Against the man who had slain two Ork Warbosses, commanded over ten million Vanguard troops, and was hailed by the masses as the "God-Chosen"?
But the words had been spoken; there was no taking them back. The next day, a joint letter was delivered to the Governor's Mansion with forceful language: "Should the Governor persist in his headstrong ways and destabilize the foundation of Brevis, we shall be forced to take all necessary measures to uphold the legitimacy of the Empire!"
After reading the letter, Raynor let out a disdainful laugh.
Less than half a day after the news broke, the hall of the Governor's Mansion was packed. This was the first time since Raynor's return from the ice plains that all his core subordinates were essentially present.
They were divided into four groups.
The first group sat closest to the head seat. They were few in number, but each possessed a sense of detached indifference. These were the original crew from the Hymn of Offering, Raynor's most core "inner circle." Most of them had already been infected by Genestealers and held a degree of authorization within Sarah's network. Their loyalty to Raynor and Sarah required no questioning.
The second group was led by Carter. The "Governor's Loyal Dog" sat straight-backed in his chair, his expression solemn. Behind him stood over a dozen high-ranking PDF officers—his old subordinates whom he had raised himself. Their loyalty to Raynor stemmed from their trust in Carter.
The third group sat on the left side of the hall, led by President Trevor, accompanied by several representatives from the Middle Hive unions. These men, born of the working class, wore clean work clothes and looked slightly out of place in the ornate chairs. But their eyes held no fear, only anticipation. Raynor had provided orders to the Middle Hive, food for the Lower Hive, and dignity for the workers. They held this kindness close to their hearts.
The fourth group was the smallest, consisting entirely of battle-hardened officers representing the Vanguard. Leo himself was still at the front lines of the Forbidden Wall and had only sent a trusted confidant. But his stance was clear: whatever Raynor intended to do, he had their unconditional support!
When Raynor walked into the hall from a side door, everyone stood to pay their respects. He walked to the head seat, turned, and scanned the room. Carter's gaze was steady, Trevor's was fervent, the officers' were firm, and his "own people" remained calm as ever.
He nodded. "It seems everyone has reached their resolve."
He spoke, his voice not loud, but enough to make everyone's blood surge. "For the sake of Brevis, this is a step we must take. If we fail," he paused for a moment, "I will bear the guilt alone. You may pin it all on me, claiming you were forced or deceived. The Empire will believe you."
Carter snapped to his feet. "Governor! We—"
Raynor raised a hand, silencing him. "But if we succeed..." His gaze swept across everyone, and a hint of warmth entered his voice. "I will not enjoy this glory alone!"
The hall was silent for three seconds. Then, Carter was the first to stand and perform a perfect Aquila salute. "Loyalty!"
President Trevor followed immediately, saluting with both hands, his voice deep and powerful: "Loyalty!"
The officers, the union representatives, the veterans of the Hymn of Offering—everyone stood simultaneously.
"LOYALTY!!"
The roar echoed through the hall, lingering for a long time. Raynor looked at these people, nodding repeatedly as a complex wave of emotion welled up within him. He remembered the dark pipes of Necromunda, the panic he felt when he first activated the system. He remembered Cassius's hollow eye sockets burning with golden fire, and the stiff, awkward sound of Sarah's voice when she first called his name.
He had come all this way. It wasn't for some grand ideal. It was simply to survive. But he didn't mind helping those who believed in him along the way, within the scope of his abilities.
"Good," he said. "Then... let us begin."