Chapter 77: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Bug Race

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

Inside the Governor's Office, Lin En leaned back in a wide high-backed chair, his fingers unconsciously stroking the small creature lying on his knee.

It was a purple creature, only palm-sized.

Covered in fine, smooth chitinous carapace, its body streamlined, six slender jointed limbs curled against its abdomen, its two eyes on its head comfortably narrowed.

This was a Mini Shredder Worm.

Precisely speaking, it was the unit currently hosting Lena's main consciousness.

And for Lin En, compared to the human shell called "Isud," he clearly preferred Lena in her Bug Race form.

After all, what Lin En wanted was the Bug Race.

Soft, warm, with the touch of a beating life came from his fingertips.

Lin En lowered his head to look at the small thing on his knee, his gaze complex.

The system interface displayed Lena's status bar.

【Affection Level: 54.2】

The progress was really too slow.

A trace of guilt welled up in Lin En's heart.

After all, he currently had no ability to give Lena more and better resources.

He reached out and lightly tapped the Miniature Shredder Worm's head.

The small thing raised its head, its compound eyes blinked, then rubbed its head affectionately against his finger.

The movement was gentle, carrying dependence.

Lena could vaguely perceive Lin En's emotions through the Soul Link.

She could feel his apology and helplessness, as well as his pressure.

So she responded in this way.

"It's okay~"

Lin En felt even worse in his heart.

When on Necromunda, he could recklessly collect biomass and feed it all to Lena.

Watching her grow quickly, evolve, and become stronger.

But on Brevis, the situation was completely different.

"Food" was the most precious resource on this Hive World, the foundation of power and the lifeline of survival.

The Upper City Nobles controlled the food production lines, thereby controlling Middle City and Lower City, maintaining their rule.

Lin En wanted to stand firm here, so he had to master enough food.

He could no longer feed all resources to Lena as before.

He needed to use this food to win over people's hearts, exchange resources, and build his own power.

For Lena's growth, this was undoubtedly a sacrifice.

But Lena did not complain.

She just quietly stayed by his side, expressing her support in her own way.

"I've wronged you." Lin En said softly.

The Shredder Worm rubbed his finger again, then climbed up along his arm, found a comfortable spot, and lay down.

Lin En's restless heart was also soothed somewhat.

He took a deep breath, suppressing his miscellaneous thoughts.

Now was not the time for sentimentality.

This time coming to Brevis, Lin En brought only Lena's Main Body, Lena No. 2, and some Elite Units.

They were now temporarily settled in an Iceberg Cave about one hundred kilometers from the Main Hive.

The environment there was harsh, with extremely good concealment.

It was just too far, inconvenient for providing biomass.

He needed a convenient, and preferably "legal," channel to provide biomass for Lena.

His plan was to set up a "Large Alien Research Institute" in Upper City.

Nominally to "develop biological weapons targeting Green Skins."

Behind the scenes, he would bring Lena and the Genestealers over, extensively absorb biomass, and conduct some research on the side.

This way he could legitimately allocate resources and provide Lena with more biomass.

But the premise of this plan was that he first had to master a certain amount of power and resources on Brevis, so that this "research institute" could be smoothly established and operated.

Lin En's gaze turned sharp.

He lightly touched the Shredder Worm on his shoulder.

"Wait a little longer."

"I'll let you eat your fill."

"Knock knock."

The office door was knocked on.

"Enter."

The door opened, and the Butcher walked in.

He had put on a proper steward's uniform, but his scarred face still carried an ineradicable savagery.

"Adult," the Butcher said, bowing.

"Speak."

"The preliminary intelligence network has been established," the Butcher reported in a low voice.

"Following your orders, I have placed our more than one thousand 'Same Kin' in various areas of the Main Hive."

"Eight hundred of them went to the Lower City, where it is easiest to hide and build power."

"Two hundred went to the Middle City, focusing on infiltrating the middle and lower positions of the Industrial Alliance."

"One hundred mixed into the service industry of the Upper City: servants, cleaners, low-level workers."

Lin En nodded.

These Genestealers would become Lin En's "eyes" and "ears" in Brevis.

"Also," the Butcher continued.

"Following your previous orders, I have had the 'Same Kin' develop subordinates in their respective areas of activity."

"The targets are mainly lower-level residents who cannot survive and workers dissatisfied with the status quo."

"The process went very smoothly." A hideous smile appeared on the Butcher's face.

"In the face of hunger and despair, many are willing to pay any price for a mouthful of food."

"So far, about ten thousand peripheral members have been developed, scattered in every corner of the Lower City."

"They do not know the truth, only thinking they have joined a 'Mutual Aid Society,'

and by the time they realize it, they have already become our new 'Same Kin'."

Lin En nodded with satisfaction.

Ten thousand, sounds like not many.

But in an intelligence network, this is already a considerable base.

And this is only the beginning.

As time passes, this network will "spread" like a virus.

"Have you collected any valuable intelligence?" Lin En asked.

The Butcher's expression turned serious.

"Yes."

"And the situation is worse than we thought."

He walked in front of the office desk, called up a three-dimensional map, and began reporting:

"First is the battle at the Frost Ban Wall."

"According to news gathered by our people from the PDF."

"The Brangte Longsword Star Legion, fifty thousand strong, fought for two months, and now only slightly over ten thousand remain."

"Ammunition supply is severely insufficient, medical resources are nearly exhausted."

"And support from Brevis itself," the Butcher coldly smiled, "is almost nonexistent."

"Those damn noble lords, few have sent troops to support the front line."

"Their private armies mostly guard their own manors and production lines, or suppress famished people's riots."

"The defense of the entire Frost Ban Wall basically relies on those outsiders under Brant Longblade holding out."

Lin En's complexion sank.

"Those rabble of the Noble Council, because of food shortages, are all fighting within their own nest."

"The Twelve Clans fight each other for control of production lines, and minor nobles attach themselves to different clans, attacking each other."

"For one more production line, for one more warehouse, they can fight until their heads are broken and blood flows."

"And in fact, these noble lords were originally the group that lacks food the least in the entire Nest Capital!"

Lin En's gaze gradually turned ice-cold.

"What about the Industrial Alliance and the 'Wasteland Walkers' of the Lower City?".

"Slightly better," the Butcher said.

"The Industrial Alliance provided many weapons and ammunition to the front line."

"The Wasteland Walkers sent several thousand hunters skilled in ice warfare to assist Brant Longblade with reconnaissance and guerrilla warfare."

"But." He paused.

"Since the food problem worsened, the Upper City nobles' control over food has become stricter."

"This has caused the Middle City factories to still be operating, but workers cannot even eat their fill, and production efficiency has dropped significantly."

"The Lower City is even experiencing a Great Famine."

"According to our rough statistics, in the past three months, the Lower City has lost at least thirty percent of its population."

"Countless Green Skin Corpses became starch, but did not flow back into the hands of Lower City people."

Lin En closed his eyes and began to ponder.