Chapter 152: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Zerg

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

The battle was finally over.

Lin En stood in the center of the restaurant, looking around.

The golden flames had been extinguished, the purple psychic energy had dissipated, leaving only corpses covering the ground, shattered furniture, and the wounded being carried away.

The Imperial Cult Armed Forces suffered heavy losses.

Of the Imperial Cultists who entered the restaurant, less than one percent survived.

Those who had just been shouting the Emperor's holy name as they charged now either lay in pools of blood or were supported by their comrades, weak as guttering candles in the wind.

And every single survivor had aged at least thirty years.

That blue weakening shockwave, though he had dispelled it with golden flames, was borne in full force by the mortals who had no protection.

Some pastors who were already old simply died on the spot.

A Sister walked past him, supporting another Sister.

The one being supported—Lin En remembered her; during the battle just now, she had been at the very front, hacking down countless demons with her power sword.

Back then she looked to be in her thirties, capable and spirited.

Now her face was full of wrinkles, her hair white, and she needed someone to help her walk.

Lin En silently gave her a salute.

Isud walked up to him and gently took his hand.

Her palm carried Lena's chill.

"Let's go," she said. "There are still people waiting outside."

Lin En nodded and walked out of the restaurant.

The moment he charged out of the castle, Lin En was stunned by the sight before him.

Outside, people were packed thickly—at least ten thousand Imperial Cult Armed Forces, plus tens of thousands of PDF, surrounding Saint Galus Castle completely.

The Imperial Cultists held crude weapons, the Combat Nuns stood in neat formations, and the pastors raised holy icons, chanting the Purification Prayer in unison.

What caught Lin En's attention most were those few towering figures.

Model Mechas.

Though not large in size, their combat power was equivalent to the Imperial Cult's own Fearless Mechas.

Piloted by the most steadfast and loyal high-ranking Combat Nuns.

Against Chaos Demons, this thing was even stronger than ordinary Fearless Mechas.

At the very front of the crowd stood two familiar figures.

Archbishop Goodwin and Chief Executive Carter.

Goodwin wore a gorgeous sacrificial gown and held a scepter in his hand.

His face, for once, bore no smile, but a rare solemnity.

The moment he saw Lin En come out, his eyes lit up.

Carter was more direct; this usually steady Chief Executive charged over.

"Governor Sir!" He grabbed Lin En and looked him up and down.

"Are you all right? Are you injured? Shall I call a physician?"

Lin En patted his shoulder to indicate he was fine.

Goodwin also walked over.

"May the Emperor protect you, you're still alive." His voice carried relief.

Lin En gave a bitter smile: "Close."

Goodwin did not press further; he simply nodded, then turned and issued orders to the pastors behind him.

"Purification Ritual, begin now. No trace of corruption is to be left."

The pastors responded in unison and began organizing personnel to enter the castle.

Carter, meanwhile, sent people to cooperate with the Combat Nuns in searching the castle for Karadong's figure.

But Lin En knew they probably wouldn't find him.

The search lasted a full three hours.

As Lin En had expected, Karadong was not found.

Traces of battle were everywhere in the castle, remnants of corruption everywhere, but that Supreme King had vanished as if evaporated—neither alive nor dead could be found.

After the Purification Ritual ended, the Imperial Cult held a mourning ceremony on the square outside the castle for the believers who had sacrificed in this battle.

Tens of thousands stood solemnly in the cold wind; no one spoke, only the pastors' chanting echoed around.

In the center of the square a huge pyre was piled, upon which were placed the bodies that could be found, or relics they had used in life.

A broken sword, a helmet, or a blood-stained scripture.

Goodwin personally presided over the ceremony.

He stood before the pyre, loudly reciting the Martyr's prayer, his voice grand and solemn.

Lin En, with Isud, stood in the very front row of the crowd.

He wore that already tattered Governor's Uniform, and the Valyrian Sword was slung on his back.

Goodwin had already acknowledged that this sword belonged to Lin En.

The ceremony was halfway through.

An attendant hurried over and said a few words beside Carter's ear.

Carter's expression changed, and he walked to Lin En's side, whispering the report.

"Governor Sir, news has come from the Saint Galus Family..."

Lin En listened intently.

"Luna Saint Galus, that is, Lei Ou's aunt and the family's Technical Director, just announced..."

"Supreme King Karadong has disappeared, Calem Saint Galus and his confidants have submitted to Chaos, and Lei Ou Saint Galus is suspected of treason."

"Luna is now temporarily controlling the Saint Galus Family, becoming Regent King."

Lin En: "?"

Afterwards, he smiled somewhat helplessly.

Just after this happened, they're already rushing to seize power? Isn't this too fast?

Isud leaned in, lowering his voice:

"This Luna should be that Tzeentch Wizard from just now."

Lin En nodded: "Nine times out of ten."

But he still felt it was somewhat unbelievable:

"But how did she do it? Saint Galus is a Knight Family, how can a mere 'Technical Director' hold them in check?"

Isud, or rather Lena, fell silent for a few seconds.

She was synchronizing her consciousness with her Main Body.

A few seconds later, her voice rang out in Lin En's mind, and what she said next could not be heard by anyone else.

"Lin En, from the moment you lost contact, I mobilized the information network formed by all the Genestealers in the Main Hive to investigate the Saint Galus Family without stopping."

"Now I have some leads."

Lin En maintained his composure, listening seriously.

"The power structure of the Saint Galus Family, besides the Supreme King, belongs to the three Lords responsible for major affairs, who hold the greatest power."

"They are the War Lord, Internal Affairs Lord, and Technical Lord."

"The War Lord was originally the eldest son Alistair, who died in battle two years ago, and the position has remained vacant."

"The Internal Affairs Lord is Calem, who is now also dead."

"Supreme King Karadong himself is missing."

"Lei Ou Saint Galus, though deeply loved by the soldiers, is too young, lacks seniority, and has always been excluded from the core power circle."

"He is nowhere near the position and age to hold power."

"So..."

Lin En interjected: "So Luna taking power is legally reasonable."

"Yes." Lena nodded.

"And she has close ties with the Machine Cult; at this critical juncture, the Machine Cult will definitely support her."

Lin En felt a growing sense of dread.

He began to sort all this out in his mind.

He had only just learned about the Forbidden Wall.

The civil war initiated by the generals of the Noble Council, and Lei Ou being chased by Knight Aiden.

These two things happened at the same time; it absolutely was not a coincidence.

And the fact that Aiden could be mobilized shows that someone can control Knight Mechas.

Luna is the Technical Director and has long been interfacing with the Machine Cult.

If she and the Machine Cult have both been seduced by Yi Su...

"Lena," Lin En lowered his voice, "how many Knight Mechas does Saint Galus have?"

"No one knows the exact number." Lena replied.

"But back when Saint Galus first arrived on Brevis, in that key battle, twelve mechas were deployed."

"That is to say, Holy Bear Galus has at least twelve Knight Mechas."

Lin En's heart sank.

Twelve Knight Mechas, plus the power of the Machine Cult, that energy is not low.

But he changed his mind and breathed a sigh of relief.

Luna cannot possibly control all the Knight Mechas.

The Saint Galus Family has hundreds of years of inheritance; those old Knight Families, those Holy Knights who have piloted mechas for generations, how could they all submit to Chaos?

There is still room for maneuver.