Warhammer: Beginning with Planetary Governors

Chapter 721 Roger Dorn: The Savior is at risk of betrayal, I am the most loyal son!

Seeing that the big man in front of him didn't react, the guard slammed his rifle butt into Dorn's lower back.

He spoke loudly, almost shouting, "You subspecies, are you deaf?!"

The guards' rude attitude frightened the pilgrims around them.

The pilgrims instinctively shuddered, silently praying for the Emperor's protection, then lowered their heads and distanced themselves from Dorn, fearing they might be implicated.

They had been to many ports and knew that the local guards were not to be trifled with; even if they killed the Voidborn or demi-humans on the pilgrimage ship, no one would care.

The butt of the rifle hitting Dorn was barely a tickle, but he was still somewhat angry.

He was angry not because someone disrespected him, but because of the darkness of the empire.

He had originally thought that the empire would change under the leadership of the savior, especially on this ship that belonged to the savior.

But judging from the guards' attitude, one can tell what kind of treatment the citizens of the empire usually receive.

More importantly, this was a pilgrimage ship, filled with the emperor's followers, yet the guards were still so brutal.

It is evident that many who wield military power have lost their reverence for emperors, or at least their genuine respect for them.

That went against the Emperor's original intention in creating the empire, and also revealed the Savior's attitude towards the Emperor—

There is no sense of awe.

"Perhaps the savior wasn't as benevolent as Corax said, or perhaps his ambition grew even more inflated after he gained power."
Power can easily turn people into despicable and greedy individuals.

Just like Horus before him, that guy, after becoming a war marshal and leading the imperial army, no longer respected his father and even wanted to replace him..."

Dorn's gaze changed; it was a shift in his view of the savior.

Even Horus, one of his father's most trusted sons, would betray him, let alone the savior.

Who can guarantee that he won't develop other ideas and uncontrollable ambitions, which might threaten the Golden Throne?

Now only I can guarantee my father's safety.

As the emperor's most loyal son, this master of the mountain formation always remained vigilant against other beings.

"The Savior may be abusing Father's authority to do whatever he wants. I must go to the Golden Throne in person and confirm this with Father."

Dorn, recalling his father's faint plea for help in his sleep, made a decision and was glad he had been cautious.

Although he felt a surge of anger, he managed to control his emotions well and did not take any rash actions.

That would expose the disguise.

More importantly, he didn't want the savior to discover his return, giving the other party a way to deal with it.

"There are no high-ranking beings on this ship who can't detect my disguise. At least that forbidden relic will allow me to get close to the palace smoothly..."

Dorn thought to himself.

The forbidden relics on his body could deceive most detection devices, and even the perception of higher-level beings.

Without the help of high-level technical priests, think tanks, or warriors, mortal guards cannot detect themselves.

The master of the mountain formation played the role of a subhuman about to be interrogated, appearing fearful and at a loss.

In any case, he had to avoid conflict, or he would have to find another way to secretly travel to Terra.

That would waste a lot of time.

However, before the reprimanding guard could take any further action, he was criticized by the guard captain.

"You bastard, what are you doing?!"

The captain of the guard, wearing power armor, came over and slapped the rude guard, nearly knocking him to the ground.

He frowned deeply, his expression serious: "Don't bring your old ways from the old imperial capital here, and you absolutely cannot discriminate against any pilgrims. That's against the rules!"

The captain of the guard was very angry.

Are these bastards trying to get me fired and lose my job? I shouldn't have given them the chance.

Even if that bastard is my brother-in-law, it's still unacceptable!
The Redemption series of pilgrimage ships belong to the New Empire's religious department and are a fleet specifically designed to generate revenue and support pilgrims, responsible for multiple pilgrimage routes.

The Redemption Pilgrimage Ship primarily caters to wealthy merchants and nobles from various regions of the Empire, charging exorbitant fees. It then tours the major holy sites before finally making a pilgrimage to Holy Terra.

Along the way, they could also promote and reinforce their reverence for the savior and the emperor.

Those were all safe routes, escorted by the Redemption Fleet along the way, and every now and then, the War Angels would board the ships to check for potential safety hazards.

Of course, the pilgrimage fleets primarily relied on the wealthy merchants, nobles, and other upper classes to generate revenue.

In addition, the fleet would also receive more impoverished pilgrims and honorary citizens, essentially using the money of the upper class to cover the transportation costs of ordinary pilgrims.

Thus, it operates in a virtuous cycle.

In other words, the Redemption series of pilgrimage fleets are service-oriented.

It is also one of the windows into the spirit of the new empire, requiring not only the protection of ships but also strict discipline.

The dregs of the old empire must not be allowed to exist.

In particular, the rough actions and discrimination against sub-humans were clearly violations of discipline.

So the captain of the guards rushed over to stop him immediately.

He showed no mercy, tearing off the guard's badge and disarming him.

They even directly announced the punishment:
"According to the disciplinary regulations of the Academic Affairs Department's Guard Team, you have been temporarily suspended from your duties and will need to undergo a re-evaluation before you can continue working. Also... apologize for your shameful behavior just now!"

"But……"

The guard wanted to explain something, but after seeing the captain's gaze, he deflated and lowered his head: "Yes, I violated discipline and am willing to accept punishment."

He turned and bowed to Dorn in apology, then slunk away.

The captain of the guard looked at Dorn, full of apology:

"We apologize. That guard offended you. It was our guard's fault, and we will provide compensation later."

He pointed to another passage:

"However, please undergo an examination and then proceed to the cabin reserved for subhumans, where the rooms are more suitable for your size."

If you have any complaints or requests regarding the guards, please let us know, and we will strive to make improvements…

Dorn then realized that the guard had wanted him to go to another passage for inspection.

Their attitude was just a bit rude.

The captain of the guard's apology improved his impression of the ship considerably. At least the guards on the ship were disciplined and did not act recklessly towards the common people and treat their lives as worthless.

"The armed guards on this ship are very well-equipped..."

Dorn turned and walked toward another passage, observing the guards on the ship.

The soldiers' equipment was brand new, even better than that of the previous legion's auxiliary troops, and many of them were equipped with power armor.

Such an armed force would be considered an elite force in any civilized world, capable of fighting even against small-scale alien invaders.

Moreover, he noticed that the guards treated the pilgrims quite well, with smiles on their faces.

Perhaps the intimidation caused by the captain earlier had an effect.

However, when Dorn arrived at another area, he found that the guards were indeed very nice, and that what he had encountered was just a low-probability event.

He was patiently guided to undergo quarantine checks, which ruled out the risks of corrosion and carrying viruses.

Afterwards, Dorn successfully passed through the defenses and entered the ship.

He was even more amazed once he entered the ship.

The air here is so fresh, and the ship is decorated with a lot of plants, making it a luxurious ship environment even in the Empire.

And it's free.

Dorn followed the demi-human group into the ship's reception hall to register for accommodation, as instructed by the guard.

That was quite a novel experience. In this hall specifically for receiving subhumans, there were more than a dozen clerks working at the same time, as well as guards on duty.

Good afternoon, Mr. Pilgrim.

Welcome to Redemption Ship 113!

After completing the registration at the window, the clerk in charge of registration smiled and made a welcoming gesture; she was very satisfied with this permanent job.

In particular, this pilgrimage ship was a vessel with a sacred number and had even been visited by Her Majesty the Savior, which made her feel extremely honored.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the tall man in front of her:

"Thank you for choosing this ship as your harbor for this journey. I am Lucyra, the front desk concierge, number A14578. I am at your service at any time."

As the clerk spoke, she busied herself, the recording equipment aimed at Dorn under her control:
"This is the recording equipment for you, please don't worry."

Since this is your first time boarding the ship, I need to process your identity information. May I ask what your home planet is?

Dorn answered the clerk's question with a mix of truth and falsehood. Having been to too many planets, it was easy for him to fabricate an identity.

Especially given that the civilizations in the various star systems of the empire are not interconnected.

However, after answering the questions, he discovered that he was an unregistered resident and not included in the new empire's citizenship register.

Fortunately, that shouldn't be a big problem.

"Sorry, your hometown is located in a region awaiting restoration and has not been officially included in the new empire's citizen list, so you cannot use the network service at this time."

But please do not be discouraged, for His Majesty the Savior's expeditionary fleet has set sail for various star systems, and they will restore all the empire's territories.

Perhaps your hometown will soon return to the embrace of the empire, be restored and rebuilt, and have its shipping routes and networks connected...

The clerk said apologetically, then handed over a card and a booklet:

"This is your registration card and the ship's sightseeing brochure. All the questions you want to know are on it."

If you have any questions, you can always ask the nearest server or staff.

"Thank you."

Dorn smiled and accepted the items from the clerk; it was the first time he had been treated so gently.

The other party's attitude and tone were very pleasant, but they were a bit too meticulous, patiently explaining every step as if afraid the other party wouldn't understand.

"Oh, is this Mr. Eugene? Welcome!"

The clerk's voice rang out in surprise; she seemed delighted by the arrival of the Oglins.

Dorn turned around.

He saw an Oglin man walk in blankly, speaking slowly and deliberately as he said he wanted to register.

However, the communication skills of that Oglin seemed to be much better than before.

The clerk patiently taught the Oglin residents how to register, just like teaching a child.

Seeing this, Dorn gave a wry smile; he knew where that strange feeling had come from.

It turned out that the clerk thought of him as a big, dumb ogle like Oglin.

Afterwards, his keen hearing detected more information.

After processing the registration of the Oglins, the clerk explained to his companions and other curious subhuman pilgrims why he had been so kind to the Oglins.

"Savior above."

"If it weren't for the arrival of Mr. Oglin and his family... Good heavens, I would have died in that disaster long ago. They saved me, they saved my hometown!"

The clerk spoke eloquently, recounting her past.

Those Oglin Emperor Angels and Titan Warriors defeated all the invaders, saving her home planet's peripheral star system and bringing it back to the Empire.

"Mr. Oglin of the Giants Warband is really amazing."

Not only did they drive away all the demons, but they also sang, played instruments, and recited poems, and danced with us at the victory feast. Even the artists of our planet couldn't compare.

They can also draw...

"That's what the clerk said."

She pointed to the more than twenty-meter-long ceiling painting on the dome of the hall, her eyes filled with admiration:
You guys don't know, do you?
Look, everyone, that sacred painting is the work of Mr. Gauss, the head of the Eugene Corporation and an artist. Of course, it's just a copy; the original is in His Majesty the Savior's Treasury.

???

"How did the words 'Oglin Astartes warrior,' 'singer,' 'musician,' 'poet,' 'painter,' and 'artist' come together?"

Did I hear that right?

Dorn became more and more confused as he listened. Like everyone else, he looked up at the dome. When he saw the huge oil painting, his scalp tingled.

The crowd's praises of the emperor were endless.

"Could this be painted by Oglin? Is it some kind of evil spirit?!" Within the vision of the Mountain Array Master was an oil painting with a religious epic theme.

In the painting, the Ogren kneels in prayer, reaching out to the sky with pleading eyes, while the Savior casts a loving gaze from mid-air, like a holy deity.

The image is so impactful that even those without any appreciation skills would recognize it as a highly skilled work of art.

It is precisely because of the superb craftsmanship and special significance of this oil painting that it became the decoration of the dome of the reception hall for the subhuman race.

As for Gauss himself, the leader of the Eugenian Grand Master, he became a well-known artist in the empire, and many nobles vied to collect his works.

As for the unlabeled oil painting on the dome of the hall, it is titled "To Our Great, Sublime and Almighty Father of Genes, Immortal Savior Who Dispels Darkness".

"How could this happen? Is this reasonable?"

The impact of the Oglins left Dorn in a daze.

If Oglin could achieve that level, wouldn't it make him, the Primarch who doesn't understand art, seem dull?

Dorn found his eight-person cabin in a daze; several demi-human pilgrims had already moved in.

The metal bed in the cabin was much larger than that of an average human, and must have been custom-made. Even a big guy like him could easily lie down by slightly tucking his legs in.

And there are also soft blankets.

This proves that the empire did not discriminate against subhumans and was quite wealthy in resources.

"If the Empire could do this to demi-humans, it would surely be even more generous to humanity."

Dorn pondered.

Now the empire is launching a new expedition, reclaiming lost territory in the Dark Side on a large scale, and has also established shipping routes, cross-regional communication networks, and its resources appear to be abundant.

How astonishing!

Is this merely a regional luxury, or a general trend in the development of imperial territories? Has human suffering been redeemed?
Dorn found himself somewhat unable to understand the Empire.

He changed into the cotton robe provided by the pilgrimage ship and sat on the edge of the bed in silence.

The savior portrait on the wall opposite the bed is majestic, looking benevolently in this direction, as if looking down at us, inspiring awe in us.

That's the design habit of the bishopric of the Church of Christ; they want to hang the image of the Savior everywhere so that people can admire his holy countenance at all times.

If it weren't for the fact that hanging it in the bathroom is inappropriate and carries a blasphemous connotation, they would even have liked to hang the sacred image there.

Several subhumans knelt on the ground and prayed to the sacred painting, thanking the savior for the blessings bestowed upon them, their devotion evident.

Suddenly, the cabin began to sway, the lights flickered, and the pilgrimage ship seemed to slowly come to a stop.

"What...what's going on?"

A burly, pale Qytri man said with some concern, "By the Emperor, have we been attacked by Chaos or pirates?"

Under normal circumstances, a ship cannot stop midway unless it encounters warp chaos or is intercepted by pirates.

That would be a terrible disaster for the pilgrimage ships!

(End of this chapter)