Extraordinary Pedigree.

Chapter 873: Astra Militarum Hub: Fleet Training World

Xia Xiu raised his eyebrows slightly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"They want to develop a fourth-era etheric general-purpose machine?"

There was no anger in his tone, but rather a hint of thoughtful interest, as if he had suddenly heard someone digging in front of his door to build a well, and he happened to be holding an entire ocean in his hands.

Hey, I just happen to have the fourth-generation machine you want.

Camille nodded.
“This is the most reasonable speculation at the moment.”

She opened the terminal and quickly called up the confidential intelligence module about the Valraven Company. She confirmed it and said:
"Based on their current deployment scale, covert mobilization frequency, and deduction from their employee structure and outsourced experimental data, they do have the ability and ambition to initiate trial production of the fourth-generation etheric machine."

She paused and added:

"In fact, I still think that we should not let them become too arrogant. Training the Astra Militarum for them is already the biggest concession made by the Courtyard."

"The Valraven Corporation is an abnormal military-industrial structure based on mercenaries."

“They never serve an idea or an alliance, but the highest bidder.”

"The strongest combat individuals who have retreated from the major wars in the heavens and myriad worlds, anomalous and non-anomalous, Terran and non-Terranian, and even some human races labeled as 'forsaken by the old gods'... all serve in their legions."

"It is a multidimensional mercenary complex."

Xia Xiu's expression didn't change, he just listened more attentively.

Camille continued, in a slow and steady voice:

"More importantly, it is its leadership structure - a mysterious collection of beings known as the 'Supreme Round Table'."

“No one knows how many people there are at the round table, and no one has ever seen their true faces.”

"But all employees believe in the 'Round Table Directive' as the only command structure."

“In other words, it’s a religious enterprise.”

“It’s also a corporatized religion.”

Xia Xiu glanced at Camille and asked her:
"Did the Assassin's Court collect this information?"

Camille nodded.
"Yes, these were collected by Chief Vito and Henry Harding, who has the ability to shapeshift among the Sons of the Courtyard."

The Lord of the Courtyard was quite pleased:

"This kid Henry is really a natural born intelligence guy."

After praising Henry the Shapeshifter, he motioned for Camille to continue:
"continue."

Camille nodded and continued:
"Ideologically, their system is highly unified - a belief model known internally as a 'pagan determinism-capital worship fusion'.

This kind of "doctrine" comes from the grafting of two extreme cultures: one is the Viking-style worship of the warrior of destiny; the other is the plundering logic of the old capitalist sect. "

"They see war as a sacred exchange."

"The loser pays with his life, the winner takes the profit."

"And under the iron laws of fate and necessity, moral responsibility is nothing more than 'an oxymoron in the universe' - meaningless."

"——War is their business."

"——Profit-making is their sacred duty."

When she said this, she glanced at Xia Xiu with a slight warning in her eyes:

"A company that sees 'eternal conflict' as fertile ground - it cannot be tamed."

“Even if we temporarily cooperate with the courtyard now, it will not be out of any loyalty or philosophy.”

"They believe that you are the biggest profit target at this stage."

“So, they want to understand the Gospel.”

"I want to develop the next generation of machines."

Xia Xiu nodded, indicating that he understood:
"I'll keep an eye on the latest developments at Valraven."

But the next sentence revealed his true interest:
"I'm very interested in their development of the fourth-era machine."

——A machine from the fourth era.

They are 'Guardians of God' and 'War Vessels of God'.

The biggest difference between it and the previous three generations lies in the radical shift in structural concepts.

No longer pursuing intelligent operation, no longer worshipping machine-soul personality.

Only the construct that can allow the Great Power Unit to enter the [Supernormal Crown Form] is worthy of being called the fourth generation.

The fourth generation machines are no longer "weapons" but extensions of divinity.

It is a royal holy body forged for war, and currently, only one has been proven to be able to enter this state.

That is——【God of Mercy·Prometheus】.

Xia Xiu said to Camille:
"There are currently no known fourth-generation machines except the Holy Machine of Gospel, and its prototype is a [God-given Colossus] buried deep underground."

"There are only three in history. I have one, and the other two are missing..."

His tone suddenly changed:
"If Valraven wants to develop a fourth-generation aircraft, there are only two possibilities."

"The first type - they want to challenge the mechanical monopoly of the Gear Orthodox Church, and try to use corporate structure, military industry, and abnormal technology to fight against the Orthodox Church's 'Holy Machinery Canon' system."

"They want to rely on technical violence, data training, and the collective research and development of millions of believers to 'build a military-grade machine that surpasses the belief system of the God of All Machines.'"

Xia Xiu paused, shook his head and sneered.

"This possibility...is just wishful thinking."

“Even I know how powerless algorithms are in front of McKeon.”

"Although the Gear Orthodox Church is decadent and old-fashioned, they do possess a large amount of the God of Myriad Machines' broken technologies, original structures, and most importantly - activation authority."

“If Valraven gambled based on data, he wouldn’t even be able to put together a blueprint.”

He paused, his eyes became deep:

"So, there is only the second possibility."

"They... have information about another [God-given Colossus]."

Camille stood there, his brows slightly furrowed, a look of true solemnity flashing in his eyes.

She rarely showed this emotion.

But at this moment, she finally couldn't help it and whispered:
"You mean they found the Broken Module of the Broken God?"

Her tone was not exaggerated, but it was filled with almost uncontrollable subconscious awe.

That was not to Valraven.

But about "that thing".

Xia Xiu simply shook his head, the golden light in his eyes dimmed slightly.

"It's just speculation."

"But one thing is certain - no one is stupid enough to think that science and technology alone can create a fourth-generation machine."

"You want to create the 'God's War Vessel'..."

He paused for a moment, and then said something that made people shudder lightly:
"You will have to face the God of All Things."

No matter what anyone has hidden or studied, as long as they really want to "climb up", they are destined to ring the bell in front of that door.

Although the God of All Machines has been broken, He still sits on the throne of machinery and watches over the rebels and thieves who attempt to rebel.

The believers of the Cogwheel Orthodox Church have always believed in one truth:
When the fragments of the Broken God are gathered again, when the God of All Machines returns to the throne, when the great God of Machines returns to the world...

——All traitors must die!

Therefore, as a fire thief and as the [Om Messiah], Xia Xiu certainly hopes that the God of All Things will die completely.

He would definitely nail the lid of His coffin shut, leaving Him no chance of resurrection.

The half-dead Broken God is a good mecha god.

Xia Xiu did not explain anything further. He just turned around and looked at the red map of the Star Realm Hub on the tactical terminal.

"You will continue to be in charge of the affairs of the Blood Oath Legion."

"I will arrange for Eden and the engineering team's auxiliary units to support you."

"I'm going to go see what those abnormal capitals have done in the autonomous economic hub I allocated to them."

He raised his head slightly, his eyes sharp:

"The war with the Soul Sucker Empire is approaching."

“I don’t want a fire in my backyard.”

Camille nodded immediately upon hearing this and quickly called up the dispatch authority:
"I understand. I'll arrange for the ships right away."

"You will receive a full mission group departing within two hours."

Xia Xiu didn't look back, but just raised his hand to confirm.

The colonial hub area on the light screen enlarged inch by inch, and the coordinates fell on the complex and twisted heterogeneous business district. The overlapping logos flickered in the dim light, like a capital-breeding structure that was quietly combusting.

*******
Two hours later.

Tunaras Orbital Port, Zero Gravity Departure Tower.

A low ship roar cut through the high orbit.

A silver-and-black ship with a slender hull and sharp lines like a blade slowly left the port. The dual emblems of the Heavenly Courtyard and the Earthly Courtyard were engraved on the hull, and its edges were coated with a golden-red halo symbolizing the "sword-bearer's identity."

The ship number slowly lights up:

【VII-114】

[Codename: Hercules Observation Ship]

The psychic lens at the front of the ship trembled slightly, and a wisp of azure gravitational tail flame gushed out from behind the ship, burning into a dark blue spiral in the gravitational layer, like a torn prayer paper ribbon in the sea of ​​stars.

The bow of the ship is pointing towards the depths of the star realm.

[Destination: Courtyard World, Alleson Hub Group, A-22 Commercial Structure Colony]

The lights on the bridge slowly dimmed and the ship entered "observation silent mode."

*******
Time becomes blurred in the etheric channel.

[Hercules] quietly passed through the space gap, following the pulsation of the ether traction wave, and slowly advanced in the depths of the subspace that was surging like a tide.

I do not know how long it has been.

The ship began to slow down slowly.

The etheric oscillation frequency of the engine nozzle sank and adjusted back to the physical universe dimension.

Ahead, a huge ring-shaped structure tinged with the colors of war and industry slowly emerged.

That is part of the Alleson Hub Group - the A-22 Commercial Cluster.

At this moment, it is like a huge military loading belt placed on the edge of the sea of ​​stars. The lights flicker like nerves, and the industrial giant exudes the taste of war and capital.

The [Hercules] slowly approached the port.

The ship's hull tilted slightly, with its side wings spread out, like the metal wings of a god spreading out before his arrival.

In the center of the harbor is an extremely grand square.

In the center of the square stands a seventy-meter-tall alloy statue.

That is Walraven's favorite war sculpture.

A Valkyrie in battle robes, holding a pitch-black scepter in her right hand, with a star-shaped electric core on top of the scepter, symbolizing military power.

In her left hand, she held a still-burning engine helmet, like a trophy just torn out from a battle.

She is not a keeper.

She is a conqueror.

She is not a praying person.

She is a prophet—a prophet of war.

At the feet of the Valkyrie, the motto of the Walraven Company is engraved in brass, embedded deep into the base:

——【Peace can only be brought by war! 】

Xia Xiu stood in front of the main ship's porthole, looking at the statue.

He didn't speak.

But at that moment, his eyes sank slightly.

He was not examining the statue.

He was looking at the Hub - a mythical machine constructed by abnormal capital, praying towards war.

The ship slowly docked.

The connecting bridge leading to the port is unlocked, extended, and fitted, and the hatch is about to open.

Xia Xiu stretched out his hand, leaned on the silver-white cane, and slowly stepped forward.

He slowly raised his head and looked forward——

That hub world built by abnormal capital.

At the end of the square is the magnetic rail staircase leading to the "training ring", where hundreds of crew members, instructors, and engineers are moving around in an orderly manner, wearing uniforms with different structural color bands, representing that they come from different education systems, contract affiliations, and "employment factions."

Xia Xiu's gaze passed through the crowd.

Look into the distance.
There, the fleet training platform suspended in the core of the star port slowly rotated, like a planet forged of steel and will to fight, with the orbital layer surrounding it like a spiral nerve.

Floating above its structural belt are numerous training and ritual facilities.

The huge training corridor surrounds the central core of the ship like a rib, and tactical simulations are repeatedly performed in it; the mental anchor tower rises into the void, and the spire constantly flashes psychic patterns to prevent the invasion of subspace signals.

The ether stabilizer group is like a suspended crystal tube bundle hanging in the sky, with twisted and clear energy vortex flowing inside; the long-distance fire control simulation field, inside which holographic enemy ship data is projected, the crew operates the simulated guidance and control, just like training priests immersed in a neural network.

All the training is happening.

All the kinetic energy is in motion.

This is a machine.

A war-making machine born for war, operated for capital, and packaged for abnormality.

Xia Xiu stood at the harbor and remained silent for a long time.

In the distance, the giant training bridge slowly passed through the night sky, like a matrix center suspended above the cracks of the stars. Its huge signal antenna, machine soul link array, and gear prayer platform flickered like steel magic weapons in the morning light.

Like a nerve centre breathing.

The light flickered and disappeared.

It's like a saint opening and closing his eyes.

Xia Xiu watched all this quietly.

After a long while, he whispered:
"It is indeed a well-mixed, yet filthy, cathedral of military industry."

The moment the words fell, the wind started to blow across the entire harbor.

The steel giant stood in the wind, and the capital war creed behind it was like a prayer in the abyss, oppressing the entire space.

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes passing over a metal structure on the west side of the square.

It was as if I could smell a hint of blood, a mixture of grease and caramel, masked by artificial flavors.

He sniffed gently.

Then he slowly turned around, walking silently but firmly in that direction.

It was a colorful building that was out of tune with the entire military industrial hub:
A [Gaizhibao fast food restaurant].

(End of this chapter)