Chapter 442

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

That mysterious STC Template the Saint Galus Family has guarded for over a thousand years!

When he previously perused the Brevis Archives, he had seen related records.

They said the reason the Saint Galus Family, as a Wandering Knight Family, settled on Brevis was because they unearthed an STC.

It provides a significant boost to Knight Mecha, its effects far surpassing ordinary standard templates.

At the time he only took it as a legend the noble family used to gild their own reputation, and didn't take it too much to heart.

But now, combining the words of the two Death Guard...

That so-called STC is fundamentally not a pure product of human technology at all!

It is a Spell Fragment of Yi Su!

No wonder the Saint Galus Family's Knight Mecha can always unleash performance far beyond the norm.

So the root cause lies here!

Dominic only felt a chill run down his back.

A single planet simultaneously harboring Gene Thieves, Chaos Wizards, the Thousand Sons Legion, Death Guard, and even the shadow of the Tyranids.

The waters of Brevis run far deeper than he imagined.

"Thank you for the reminder." He steadied his mind and looked at the two veterans.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me?"

Balo shook his head, then seemed to recall something, his expression shifting slightly:

"Wait, there's one thing you must be wary of."

"Phelps didn't board the ship rashly; he has an inside man on Brevis Planet."

"An inside man?" Dominic's gaze sharpened.

"Someone of very high status, who swore allegiance to the Kindly Father very early on."

"The plague in the Bottom City was spread with his help, the disease in the Tithe Fleet's supplies was also planted by him, even the coordinates for our arrival at Brevis were provided by him."

Kelun spoke in a low voice.

"Phelps didn't give a name, but we can sense that person is right inside Brevis's power core."

"Also, Phelps has always been cautious; it's impossible he wouldn't leave a backup plan."

"His Main Body might not be just one, or there could be other plague vessels hidden in some corner of this ship."

"You'd best investigate thoroughly, don't be careless."

Having said this, Balo let out a long breath, as if unburdening himself of all his loads.

He and Kelun exchanged a glance, both seeing relief in the other's eyes.

Enough.

To regain clarity before death, to personally slay a fallen comrade, to give a warning to these mortals still fighting for the Empire.

"Kid, remember our words."

Balo picked up his Power Axe again, but not pointing it at Dominic; instead he turned the Axe Blade around, aiming it at his own neck.

"Trust no one, in this damn era, betrayal always lurks where you cannot see."

Kelun also gripped his Power Hammer once more, pressing the hammer face against his own chest.

"To die as a human is still better than living a lifetime as a maggot."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

In their smiles were regret, release, and a final trace of pride belonging to the Fourteenth Legion.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Two dull thuds rang out almost simultaneously.

The Power Axe severed the neck, the Power Hammer crushed the heart.

Two veterans who had lived through the Great Crusade, the Horus Heresy, and the Thousand Years of Chaos Expedition, just like that maintained their seated posture, falling into eternal silence.

No lament, no struggle.

They departed peacefully, and with dignity.

The corridor fell completely silent.

Only twenty-one Death Guard corpses remained, and corruption flesh and rust stains covering the ground.

Dominic stood in place, quietly watching the two bodies, not speaking for a long time.

Wind blew from the ventilation pipes, carrying metallic coldness, stirring fine dust.

A catastrophe sufficient to wipe out the whole Battlecruiser drew its curtain in such an absurd, tragic, yet faintly melancholy way.

Yet the string in his heart tightened even further.

The traitor within.

Yi Su Fragment.

Phelps's backup plan.

And that bottomless mess on the Ground.

The crisis was far from over.

"Pass the order down." After a long while, Dominic finally spoke.

"Full ship-wide sweep, all compartments, all pipelines, not a single spot to be missed."

"Focus the sweep on the areas around the Mechanicus Temple and the Lower Cargo Hold, find every possible hiding place."

"All compartments immediately initiate full-spectrum sterilization."

"All areas that have come into contact with Chaos Contamination are to be completely sealed off, corpses concentrated and incinerated, ashes handed over to the Pastor Group for sanctification."

"Also, send a transmission to the Ground Governor's Mansion."

He paused, his gaze turning toward that planet with undercurrents surging.

"Tell Keli Feng, there is a traitor in Brevis."

"And, the Saint Galus Family's STC has a problem."

His voice carried the post-battle rasp.

"Yes, General!" The Deputy Officer's reply carried the slight tremor of a survivor.

Six Imperial Fists Terminators dispersed to stand guard, seven Silent Sisters also slowly retracted the Untouchable Force Field.

The pale silver halo retracted inward like a receding tide, the previously suppressed Warp embers beginning to slowly drift in the air.

No one noticed, in that pool of Corruption Flesh and Flesh where Phelps exploded, a segment of White Flesh Bud was gently wriggling.

It was too small.

Small as a common maggot, even smaller, whole body Translucent, surface covered in a layer of Warp coating.

Phelps had compressed his own core will and the purest Rust Plague Source into this "Seed" comparable to a grain of rice.

The explosion's impact force was its best cover, the Untouchable Force Field's retreat gave it a window to breathe.

The Silent Sisters' Perception could easily sniff out Demons and psykers, yet found it Very Difficult to Capture this kind of extreme compression, a parasite with soul fluctuations near zero.

Like a genuine speck of dust, borne on the Airflow stirred by soldiers moving, it lightly floated down onto the hem of a Mechanicus Priest who had come to inspect the Contamination.

The red robe's hem was stained with oil and traces of Holy Oil, fiber gaps an excellent hiding spot.

The maggot steadily burrowed in, like a mote of dust embedded deep in the weave, completely concealing all its Breath.

This Priest was merely a low-level Acolyte Priest, Responsible for Contamination level detection and Mechanical Damage preliminary assessment.

He lowered his head recording the Ground's Rust data, Eyebrow tightly furrowed, completely unaware he had become the Plague's Trojan horse.

……

The Mechanicus Temple's Door opened amid heavy hydraulic sounds.

The brass-cast dome reached dozens of meters high, countless thick Energy Circuits like Blood Vessels extending from the surrounding rock walls, Dense and converging toward the Temple's most Central point.

There floated a Pure Steel Throne over two meters high, its surface engraved with Dense Adeptus Mechanicus Holy Runes and Machine Spirit litanies.

Blue-white electric arcs jumped wantonly around the Throne, emitting crackling explosions, violent Energy fluctuations forming visible Force Field Ripples.

This is the James Tong's heart -- the Mechanical Soul Throne.

Over a thousand years of voyage and Warfire have tempered this Retribution-class Battleship's Machine Spirit into an unruly wildness.

Like a steel beast imprisoned, normally only the Mechanical Priests' daily Prayers, Holy Oil offerings and rituals could barely appease it.

Once it senses Blasphemy and offense, its Violent Anger is enough to instantly paralyze half the Warship's systems.

"Machine Spirit fluctuation Abnormal, Spirit Energy Level risen twenty-seven percent compared to Pre-war."

The leading High Priest's voice carried a metallic quality, Optical Lens flashing Red Light.

"Chaos Contamination approaching Core Area, must appease immediately, otherwise Main Energy Circuit risks Uncontrolled."

Four Priests walked slowly toward the floating Throne, that Acolyte with the maggot also following at the Team's end, holding a Detection Instrument.

The closer to the Throne, the stronger the static electricity sensation in the air, hair and fabric slightly standing on end, crackling electric sounds painfully vibrating eardrums.

Just as the Acolyte stepped within the Throne's ten-meter range, the originally chaotic jumping electric arcs suddenly went berserk!

"Hum!!!"

A piercing shriek tore through the Temple's solemnity, wrist-thick blue-white Lightning erupted without warning from the Throne Core.

Like a Violent Anger Dragon, precisely and unerringly striking that Acolyte Priest!

"Careful!"

The leading Priest cried out in alarm, but simply couldn't block it in time.

The instant the Lightning pierced through the body, not even a Shriek could be uttered.

The Acolyte's red robe, flesh and mechanical implants instantly carbonized under one hundred thousand volts.

Only a wisp of Green Smoke and a ground full of fine charred Gray ashes remained, scattered by the wind on the smooth Metal floor.

Everyone in the Temple froze.

"Machine Spirit... Machine Spirit is enraged?" A Young Priest's voice trembled.

No one found it unexpected.

The Chaos Army had fought to the Temple Doorway, the Death Guard's Plague Power had permeated the Lower Deck, the unruly Machine Spirit provoked by Blasphemous aura making an excessive reaction was perfectly normal.

The High Priest quickly recovered, ordering in a deep voice:

"Fall back! All Members withdraw from the warning perimeter, prepare the appeasement ritual!"

Everyone retreated, no one spared a second glance at that pile of ashes.

Even More No One knew, at the very moment the Lightning pierced the Acolyte's body, that Seed of Plague hidden in the clothing corner.

Had already seized the violent electric torrent, plunging straight into the Mechanical Soul Throne's Energy Circuit.

This was the moment Phelps had been waiting for.