Chapter 34

In Priest Aluman's description, Alvin roughly understood their past.

Aluman Villa and Take belonged to the Imperial Guard Infantry Regiment, numbered the 175th Regiment, and had participated in hundreds of battles, large and small.

Later, they were sent to the planet Cadia to participate in that tragic battle. The entire 175th Regiment was almost wiped out, leaving only a few people who survived by luck, and under the order of the Departmento Munitorum, they retired and settled in the Nachmund Gauntlet outpost, Loser Hive World.

After retiring, the members of the 175th Regiment were assigned to different jobs, from then on far away from the noisy flames of war.

They thought that the rest of their lives would be like this, finishing their lives in the leisurely but quiet mid-nest.

But unsurprisingly, an accident appeared!

One day, a suspected Genestealer Cult was discovered outside the hive city, so Galken Hadley gathered the Planetary Defense Force to go to the wilderness to investigate the specific situation.

And the remaining seven people of the 175th Regiment, except for Take and Aluman who felt it was troublesome and declined the job, the remaining five comrades-in-arms basically served as instructors in the Planetary Defense Force.

But they didn't expect that the comrades of the 175th Regiment and that Planetary Defense Force unit would disappear without a trace since then.

Galken Hadley sent two Planetary Defense Force teams several times to search for the five missing squads in the wilderness, but the results had no clues.

Those five squads were like evaporating from the world, leaving no trace, disappearing silently.

Take and Aluman also formed a team to go to the wilderness to investigate after learning the news, but gained nothing.

This was what happened later. Take suspected it was a cult, and under Rashid's deliberate guidance, assassinated Karen, the first heir of the Hadley family at the time, and was almost shot by Galken Hadley. It was only after Rashid pleaded for mercy several times and the evidence that Karen was suspected of being a cultist that it was changed to exile.

Awesome... After listening to Priest Aluman's narrative, Alvin only had one thought in his heart.

It is said that this Rashid is still a collateral branch, but the direct bloodline of Hadley is thin. Galken Hadley has only two sons, one of whom, the eldest son Karen, was suspected of being connected to a cult and had his head blown up by Take with a bolter gun after he sneaked into his bedroom, and the remaining youngest son is still young.

In order to protect his young second son, Galken Hadley established Rashid as the first heir, with the purpose of blocking assassinations from other families before his young son came of age.

But now it seems that from Karen being suspected of being related to a cult, to being assassinated, to himself being established as the heir, it was completely manipulated by Rashid!

"I'm going to find Galken!"

The veins on Take's forehead jumped, and he got up and was about to rush out.

But he had only walked two steps when he was pulled by Aluman's mechanical arm. This Tech-Priest's eyes were gloomy, and he said coldly: "How can you be sure that Galken... definitely doesn't know about these things?"

One sentence made Take stiffen all over, his legs as heavy as if filled with lead, unable to take another half step.

"But... he is a hero!"

Take argued as if struggling, but his throat felt blocked, his mouth open but unable to speak.

"Even if he was a hero before, you and I have both seen how terrifying Chaos is."

Aluman's tone was very low, his eyes dim: "Even the firmest will is difficult to resist the corruption of Chaos. What's more... Galken Hadley being a hero was sixty years ago. Who dares to guarantee that he is still loyal to His Majesty the God-Emperor now?"

Yes, even if Galken Hadley was once a hero of the Empire, who can guarantee... after so many years, he can still maintain that loyalty?

Take was silent, but his face was still an expression of pain.

It is precisely because he knows too well how powerful Chaos corruption is, having witnessed the roaring power of the Chaos Gods on Cadia with his own eyes, that he understands how difficult loyalty is!

In the end, all emotions turned into a long sigh.

"How is the person you contacted?"

Take was a veteran who had experienced slaughter after all, quickly adjusted his emotions, turned his head, and asked Aluman.

"I contacted an Inquisitor, but it will take at least a month and a half to arrive." Aluman glanced at Alvin inexplicably when mentioning this matter, and then said: "As for the other one... the distance is relatively far, it will take at least two months."

Alvin noticed Aluman's gaze and couldn't help but mutter in his heart.

If you have something to say, why look at him?

"Two months, according to the current progress of the lower nest, I have a premonition that in at most a month and a half, something big will happen."

Take's expression was serious, he frowned and pondered for a quarter of an hour, smoked one cigarette after another, until the ground was piled with cigarette butts, and then said slowly: "I will find a way to solve this matter, you contact a few more mid-nest officers, try to make preparations in advance."

"I will try to contact the nearby Imperial Guard regiments."

Aluman sighed deeply. The current complicated situation had completely deviated from their expectations.

Involving Planetary Governor Galken Hadley, unless an Inquisitor or the Imperial Guard intervenes, it is difficult to stop the rise of the cult with just their power!

"Wait, Mr. Take." Seeing Take was about to leave, Alvin hurriedly spoke: "I want to go back to the lower nest with you, can I?"

Hearing this, Take revealed a surprised expression: "Did an Ogryn chew on your brain? The lower nest is almost in a mess now, why are you going to the lower nest instead of staying in the mid-nest?"

"Mr. Take, of course I know the lower nest is dangerous, but I have a reason I must go."

Alvin knew very well that a simple lie couldn't deceive Take, let alone the Tech-Priest next to him, so he braced himself and said.

This kid has a lot of secrets... Take looked at Alvin meaningfully, then nodded: "Okay, I'll take you back."

"Wait, Take, he can't go with you!"

Just at this moment, Priest Aluman, who had been silent, suddenly spoke and interrupted Take, revealing a rare serious expression: "Alvin must stay in the mid-nest, I will be responsible for protecting his life safety, he absolutely cannot go to the lower nest with you!"

What's the situation?!

Alvin was shocked by Aluman's tone.

Terrible, could it be that he was possessed by a priest and really took a fancy to his body?

Just as he was letting his imagination run wild, Take noticed something unusual from Aluman's expression: "You have to give me a reason at least, right? Aluman."

"No, just no." Aluman shook his head, his face calm and indifferent: "In short, he cannot go to the lower nest with you, it's too dangerous there."

Take was speechless, turned to look at Alvin, as if saying: I can't help it either.

"Priest Aluman, I must go to the lower nest." Alvin took a deep breath, looked at the Tech-Priest in the rusty red robe, and said sincerely: "Thank you very much for taking care of me, but this matter is very important to me. Even if you don't agree, I will sneak out."

Priest Aluman was expressionless, walked slowly to Alvin, and the shadow cast by his height of nearly 1.9 meters enveloped the boy.

An invisible sense of oppression permeated. Under the scanning of the Tech-Priest's scarlet electronic eyes, Alvin still maintained calmness and composure, without any timidity, looking directly into Aluman's eyes.

Take didn't mean to pull them apart at all, staring at them with interest, and even complained gloatingly: "At this distance, it's either kissing or fighting."

The originally serious atmosphere was suddenly destroyed.

Priest Aluman glared at the unreliable Take, then snorted coldly: "Fine, if you insist on going, I can't stop you, but I want to give you a word of advice."

For the inexplicable concern of this Tech-Priest, although Alvin was a bit confused, he still nodded respectfully: "Please speak, Priest Aluman."

"Protect yourself well, if it really doesn't work, go find Take."

As he said that, Priest Aluman hesitated for half a second, took out a gear pendant from his arms, his face full of pain: "Take this thing, it can save your life at a critical moment."

Take on the side, after seeing that gear pendant, immediately widened his eyes: "My God-Emperor, you are willing to give him this thing? Could this kid be your illegitimate son?!"

【Item detected: Deflection Field Defense Device (Fine)】

【Product manufactured by Tech-Priest Aluman Villa of the Adeptus Mechanicus, can self-defend against lethal damage, and has the blessing of an Ecclesiarchy priest, with a certain probability of resisting Warp corruption】

【Energy provided: 1000 units】

Damn?

A full-energy deflection field defense device!

Before Alvin's shock ended, Aluman slowly took out a firearm with an exaggerated caliber from his rusty red robe and handed it over directly: "Believe me, one shot is enough to solve most problems. If you encounter something that cannot be solved... don't hesitate, run immediately!"

"I'm really doubting now whether you are Aluman's illegitimate son..."

Take stared at him with envy, drool almost flowing out: "I asked him for this thing hundreds of times, he wasn't willing to lend it to me, and he just gave it to you like this, this is unscientific!"