The Creators: From Night City

Page 484

The Gothic-class freighters were indeed enormous, but most of their bulky hull space was occupied by cargo holds. Apart from the high-powered engine clusters concentrated at the stern, their armament was very weak, with only a few laser turrets for defense against close-range bombing by fighter jets or to defend against small pirate ships. They were a prime example of being thin-skinned but heavily armed.

Compared to the Imperial Navy and the Astartes Fleet, these cargo ships were a mixed bag, a prime example of a den of iniquity.

Smugglers fleeing planetary law to escape slavery, family feuds, or religious persecution; refugees fleeing over-polluted, resource-depleted, or war-torn homelands, hoping to start a new life in a new agricultural world or a newly established colony; gold prospectors dreaming of striking it rich after hearing of a newly discovered world rich in rare minerals or a colony recruiting a large workforce; illegal psychics who have undergone physical mutations or awakened psychic powers to evade purges by the state religion and the Inquisition; heretics and cultists simply spreading their Chaos beliefs, taking advantage of the chaos, and stirring up trouble everywhere…

All sorts of "talents" gather inside cargo ships as large as cities, either hiding in maintenance channels, abandoned cargo holds, and unattended pipeline networks, or simply bribing lower-ranking crew members to hide in the less harsh living areas, spending their days "competing for attention" and "showing off their skills," all for the sake of surviving better.

Of course, there are always exceptions.

It is also possible that a 'Emperor's Eye', who is three meters tall and has lived for thousands of years, is hidden inside the cargo ship.

Chapter 981 The Emperor's Eye

The 'Emperor's Eye' is a very mysterious group of people, so mysterious that their numbers are even fewer than those of the Grey Knights.

Every 'Emperor's Eye' was once a member of the gleaming Imperial Guard. When they realized they were beginning to age, they would remove their golden helmets, lay down their spears and halberds, don black robes, and disappear into the shadows of the human empires in the galaxy, continuing their protection of the sacred Terra and the Golden Throne as 'Emperor's Eyes'.

Each of them is a perfect warrior, a perfect weapon created by the Emperor himself, and naturally, they also represent the Emperor's will.

Therefore, they were all steadfastly carrying out the emperor's will.

The bridge of the HMS Hardworking is located at the very top of the forward section of the hull, where most of the senior personnel operate.

Captain Harken stood on the clean, bright command deck with huge observation windows and strategic display screens, gazing at the distant starry sky, and couldn't help but sigh: "The battle of Vessos was truly fierce; the planet's orbit is almost destroyed."

His first mate was busy in front of the screen, casually responding to his captain's lament: "At this rate, we don't know if we'll be able to sell all our cargo, Captain."

"Don't worry, war is a money-devouring beast. I guarantee we'll make a fortune from this."

The merchant alliance fleet began a complex and cumbersome docking procedure.

The communications officer sent an identification signal and arrival notification to the planet's governor's office and orbital control center, which included the fleet's identification code, a copy of the cargo manifest, and the Imperial-issued business license.

Soon, the track control command verified their identities and assigned them a designated parking track.

However, they cannot dock yet. According to procedure, the "Worker" must undergo a rapid routine inspection of the ship's subspace engines and plasma drive by the Mechanicus to ensure that it does not carry technological heresy or chaotic contamination and obtain an "engine cleanliness certificate" before it can be allowed to approach the external space station.

"Make sure you contact my communications officer in advance to arrange for promethium refueling and replenishment," the captain instructed sternly.

"Once we've docked, we'll begin the promethium refueling process. Although the aftermath of this war has deterred merchant ships from coming near the planet, I don't want to waste any more time on refueling with promethium or argue with the planet's administrators over it."

"Let's get our part sorted out in advance. After all, this place seems rather turbulent. If things don't go smoothly, war could break out again. I'm responsible for the safety of the caravan."

The "Hardworking One" hovered between the cold stars, awaiting the boarding inspection by the Mechanical Order.

Fortunately, although these procedures are cumbersome, they are surprisingly efficient compared to space travel, which often takes years.

Four hours later.

After passing the verification process, the "Hardworking One" carefully navigated the cargo ship to the designated track, where it was guided by a professional tugboat to dock with a huge track pier.

Under normal circumstances, the captain of the merchant alliance would then bring the necessary documents and rush to the ground as soon as possible to negotiate and hand over the business with the person in charge of commerce on this planet.

Meanwhile, the lower-ranking crew members would begin their busy unloading work.

The long voyage finally brought a place to rest. The merchant guild would purchase fuel, food, water and oxygen for the ships, and some crew members would take turns going to the 'crew rest station' on the track for limited rest.

Personnel mobility also begins at this stage.

Cats have their ways, and mice have theirs. Interplanetary smuggling is a well-established industry, and such matters are an open secret among the high-ranking officers and planet-related personnel on cargo ships.

Once the ship had come to a complete stop, Captain Haken was finally given a chance to rest.

He has at least a dozen hours of free time before the planetary legal department officials complete the process.

He could enjoy a couple of drinks in the comfortable captain's cabin, or simply take a stroll on the deck with his lover, or go down to the surface and receive a 'private reception' from the local nobles.

But Vessos had just experienced the Chaos Rebellion, and the planet had just undergone a reshuffle. Captain Harken's old acquaintances had all vanished, and it was likely that their souls had returned to the Golden Throne.

He knew nothing about the power dynamics within the planet, and as a precaution, he planned to stay on the ship until the official imperial transaction process was completed.

'The tapestry and jewelry deal I promised the Mikira family is probably going to fall through, and I'll probably have to pay for those decades-old spirits myself.' After making several unanswered calls to his old clients' private communications, Captain Harken was already prepared.

The door, adorned with the imperial eagle emblem, opened. The captain left his guards at the door and went to his beloved liquor cabinet to select a 'festival drink' to share with his lover.

“I recommend that bottle of Interx wine; its aging is just right,” a deep voice said in the room, catching the captain completely off guard.

"Who?!"

A massive figure was hidden beneath a black robe, yet moved with the agility of a ghost, emerging from the shadows.

"Captain Harken, the time has come to test your loyalty to the Emperor." The 'Eye of the Emperor' lifted his hood and stared intently at the empire's subject with sharp eyes, as if to ascertain his loyalty.

Without needing to activate ancient devices from the Dark Ages, a single Imperial Guard member's stealth abilities were enough to move silently and freely throughout the entire cargo ship. If he so desired, no place, including the bridge, remained a secret to him.

He has not come here to kill or punish, but to carry out the Emperor's will, find the 'Black King', and deliver the monarch's decree. Therefore, no force should be used on this trip, and secrecy should be the top priority.

The Royal Guard rarely appears outside of Terra, but encountering them elsewhere signifies the presence of the Emperor himself, as they possess unimaginable authority.

If it weren't for the need to operate covertly, this "Emperor's Eye" could easily have requisitioned the entire caravan's fleet from the start, had he revealed his identity.

If necessary, he could even mobilize all the navies and Astartes Chapters in the surrounding star systems to escort him, and even report to the Commander of the Imperial Guard, 'directly reaching the ears of the Emperor'.

Vessos, outside the city of Nest.

Flying Eagle reported a special request for a meeting to Jiang Bing, who was busy in the wilderness.

The leader of the newly arrived caravan suddenly submitted an application, requesting an audience with the head of the Anti-Entropy chapter stationed on this planet, stating that he was acting on the Emperor's orders.

This caught Jiang Bing's attention.

Chapter 982 Guiding the Way Through the Open Ditch

"As you can see, sir, the starry seas are not peaceful. As a merchant captain, it's reasonable for me to have a strong guard by my side, isn't it?" Captain Harken replied, sweating profusely, in response to the Black King's guard's question.

Zhao Anmin looked up and stared intently at the 'guard' who was about the same height as him, and really wanted to say, "Are you making fun of me?"

"Let them in."

Jiang Bing's voice came from inside the door, saving the poor captain who was almost dehydrated from disaster.

The heavy doors were pushed open, and the captain, along with his 'guards,' was able to meet the Lord of [Anti-Entropy].

"Good day, sir," the captain bowed obsequiously, but his master's gaze did not fall upon him.

“I knew it,” Jiang Bing said, sitting in a chair behind the long table, sizing up the “uninvited guest.”

"He won't give up easily."

The moment the other person stepped into this room, they had no secrets left.

In Jiang Bing's memory, the emperor had many identities.

Immortal, Golden Man, Dictator, Warlord, Master of Sorrowful Wind Cosplay, Primitive Man of Asia, Ohm Messiah, Dragon Slayer, Deadbeat, Dishonest Person in the Warp, Strongest Psionicist, Lord of Mankind, Lord of Darkness.

These identities are a mix of true and false, and most of them are based on conjecture and rumors. But there is no doubt that even if the Emperor was not a golden man, he should have had a close relationship with them.

His research abilities were recognized by the 'craftsman' at this moment.

The Imperial Guard, the emperor's most perfect creation, weapons of war personally crafted by him, were the emperor's ideal model of humanity.

Perfect genetic creations, derived from the Emperor's genes, have brought their speed, strength, and reaction abilities to the biological limits of their bodies; similarly, they have inherited some of the Emperor's essence, achieving a certain self-perfection in both psychology and psychic abilities.

The absence of obvious psychological flaws is a very important thing in the idealistic universe of Warhammer.

They are indeed 'outstanding' creations, bringing Jiang Bing many new gains.

The Emperor's Eye lifted his hood, revealing an aged face. His hair was completely white, but his eyes remained sharp.

"I carry the Emperor's decree."

This remark made Captain Harken feel like a rat in a frying pan, anxiously looking around.

At Jiang Bing's signal, the loyal captain, as if granted a pardon, ran out of the reception room without looking back.

"The monarch has sent me to guide you to the sacred Terra, my lord." This former Guardian was completely unlike the Astartes, who were usually arrogant and stubborn. He spoke with elegance and tact, and was clearly a man of great importance. He was probably a promising talent in the Guardian ranks.

"I know he's in a hurry, but I told him not to rush."

Under the other person's twitching gaze, Jiang Bing tapped the table piled high with documents and said, "Wessus has just survived a demonic calamity and is in dire need of rebuilding; it can't do without me!"

Jiang Bing's affected and pretentious behavior made the Imperial Guard frown. He couldn't imagine that the 'great being' that his lord valued so much would be like this.

"Forgive my bluntness, sir, but this planet is insignificant in the face of the great undertaking you are about to accomplish, and your excuse is far too simplistic."

"That's not important. What's important is that I can't leave right now, do you understand?" Jiang Bing pretended not to understand.

This former imperial guard seemed to have anticipated Jiang Bing's refusal and had also anticipated Jiang Bing's attitude.

"Our lord has said that a generous reward has been prepared for this transaction."

"I think he might have misunderstood. I'm not the kind of person who only acts out of self-interest."

"My lord has instructed me to tell you that this reward is stored on Mars. I hope that you will seriously consider this deal because of this reward."

Jiang Bing raised an eyebrow and immediately changed his tone.

"You're really good at judging people!"

It's no wonder he was arrogant at first and then obsequious. Whatever the Emperor hid on Mars, others might not know, but how could Jiang Bing not know?

In the ancient Terran era, the Emperor single-handedly defeated a Celestial fragment known as the 'Void Dragon' and sealed it beneath Mars.

So here's the question: what is a Star God?

Simply put, it is an energy life form born in the early stages of the Big Bang, a manifestation of the physical laws, a being comparable to a subdimensional evil god, and a deity of the material universe.

He was also the mortal enemy of the ancient 'Sages' and the creator of the space necromancers.

There are many Star Gods, and the Void Dragon is one of the top three.

He can almost be considered the embodiment of technology.

Rumors circulate that the technology of humanity's Golden Age and the Omemesia worshipped by the Mechanicus originated from fragments of a star god known as the Void Dragon.

The importance of such a treasure to a craftsman is self-evident.

It has to be said that the emperor, being an old fellow who has lived for tens of thousands of years, has thoroughly studied the subject of human nature.

Jiang Bing was prepared for the Emperor's coercion and enticement. He couldn't avoid the trip to Terra, both emotionally and logically. Not only did the Emperor need him, but he also needed the Emperor's power.

But rushing around won't make a sale.

"Our lord awaits your arrival in Terra, my lord. Now that you have accepted this deal, when shall we depart?"

"Let's go now!" Jiang Bing put down his pen, stood up, and prepared to leave.

But things weren't that simple. With the explanation from this former 'Imperial Guard,' Jiang Bing understood the problem.

The seventh sector, where Vessos is located, is more than tens of thousands of light-years away from the solar system, so even if you just want to go, you need a suitable means of transportation.

In fact, there really is.

The strike cruiser 'Incinerate' is still docked in Vessos. The Emperor has already appeared, so how could the Killing Squad be running around? They're too busy guarding Jiang Bing to bother with anything else.

Besides, for a craftsman, building a spaceship capable of subspace travel is a piece of cake.

However, even with the transportation problem solved, Jiang Bing still couldn't get to Terra.

The main problem is that he cannot enter the Warp unless he wants to engage in close interaction with the evil forces led by the Four Gods in the Warp right now.

His dazzling essence is like a miniature starlight in the warp. If he were to actually follow that ship into the warp, no matter what type of Geller field it was, it would be useless. He would definitely become the most dazzling star in the warp, and there would be sparks and lightning all the way.

As long as the Four Gods aren't blind, they will definitely be able to spot Jiang Bing, the third wheel.

At that time, these old folks will definitely get involved, and the timeliness of this journey can't be guaranteed.

Jiang Bing didn't care, but the Emperor was clearly unwilling to delay any longer.

Another simple, direct, and quick method is for Jiang Bing to perform a 'divine descent' right now, directly breaking through the 'veil' and shattering the void along the direction of the star torch, forcibly creating a path in the subspace.

Of course, given the nature of the Four Gods, doing so would inevitably lead to a chaotic and passionate battle in the subspace. It's hard to say whether Jiang Bing can win with his current size and strength, but he would definitely be beaten to the point of obliterating the Great Dao, shattering the void, and drying up the Sea of ​​Souls in the subspace.

Correspondingly, the number of lives in the real world that have perished is at least in the trillions.

Barefoot Boss Jiang didn't really care; he could just run away with the bucket. But that would completely ruin Old Huang's little scheme.

The great emperor had long planned for this.

His solution was one of Jiang Bingxin's long-cherished goals—the internet.

It's important to know that one of the largest network nodes in the Milky Way is suppressed right below Emperor's Gulch. As a highway independent of the subspace, the secrecy of traveling inside is hundreds of times greater than running naked in the subspace.

The net path was built by the ancient saints into a maze-like place, and apart from their former servants, the spirit race, other races could easily get lost inside.