Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 803 08.802: "Caiface Kane"

"I will ask the Grand Marshal of Justice," a calm voice responded, with a tone of caution unique to bureaucracy, "You can rest assured, Your Excellency.

Since the Abyssal Port Incident, the Imperial Navy has stepped forward to make up for the omissions of the Ministry of Justice, not only successfully defending the Empire's property, but also eradicating the entrenched heretics. The Ministry of Justice will do its utmost to provide the Imperial Navy with all necessary assistance."

Lord Horatio Cochrane nodded slightly. "I am relieved to hear your words, Your Excellency the Lord Attorney."

As soon as he finished speaking, a clear sound of footsteps came from behind him - clang, clang.

The sound was heavy and rhythmic, hitting the cold metal grille floor of the observation deck, making a unique, slightly scratchy muffled sound.

These were not any of the standard shoes issued to officers by the Admiralty, with their soft soles designed for walking on the mirror-like decks of bridges; nor were they the officers' boots he was accustomed to hearing in the empty corridors of the Home Office, which were more concerned with respectability than practicality.

The texture of the footsteps was too hard, and each step revealed an unmistakable weight. It was obvious that there were anti-slip studs on the bottom that were designed specifically for complex terrain.

Such rough equipment would definitely not be used on the shiny ship deck and smooth marble tiles.

Horatio's heart trembled and he turned around quickly.

His posture tensed in an instant, and his eyes, as sharp as lightning, swept towards the source of the sound - two figures were climbing up the gangway to the observation deck, one in front and one behind.

Walking in front was a man and a woman, walking side by side.

The man was impressively built, unlike Horatio, who had been well-proportioned and strong after years of military service. He was pure, broad and strong, as if he was carved from rock, and contained a kind of restrained explosive power. He was nearly two meters tall, only slightly shorter than Horatio.

He wore a dark black wide-brimmed hat with a striking red border around the brim and golden tassel decoration, silently indicating his extraordinary status and authority.

He was wearing a neat black and red military prison uniform with a tight lapel and every metal button that symbolized discipline was buttoned meticulously. However, the uniform could not completely get rid of the traces of weathering - a few fine wrinkles stubbornly entrenched on the fabric, perhaps because the owner neglected to take care of it, or perhaps, this was a true portrayal of its owner's casual habits and years of running around on the front lines of war.

Despite this, the tassels of the golden epaulettes on his shoulders, representing his status as a military inspector, were still neatly combed, gleaming with a cold luster, which contrasted with the slightly worn-out uniform and added a bit of fearless and intimidating aura.

When the man saw Horatio turning around and their eyes met, a warm smile immediately appeared on his face. The smile was bright, but also carried a hint of imperceptible and just the right amount of familiarity.

He raised his right hand in a white glove and waved it at Horatio in a distant greeting.

The woman walking alongside him had dazzling blonde hair and a graceful figure, enough to sway the heart of any weak-willed man.

However, beneath her elegant gestures and bright smile, there lurks a chilling aura of danger.

Every movement she made was alert and calm like a cat, and there seemed to be no smile in the depths of her bright eyes.

An exquisitely carved rosette badge of the Inquisition was worn neatly on her chest, swaying slightly with her light steps. The main body of the badge was a deep red, and under the light cast from the observation deck, it refracted a nearly lethal glow, which was particularly eye-catching against her plain clothes.

This was undoubtedly an Inquisitor, an agent of the God-Emperor.

About two steps behind the man and woman, there was a Valhalla soldier who had done his best to tidy himself up, but was still not in good order.

His appearance was not only ugly, but even hard to look at. On his ordinary face, the beard, which was against the rules, stood out particularly.

It was the height of summer in Abyss Harbor, and the heat was unbearable, but he still wore a thick leather hat with earmuffs. The leather of the hat was shiny, and the edges were worn and blackened, obviously it had not been cleaned for a long time.

He carried an old-fashioned hot melt gun on his shoulder, with scratches and dents of varying depths all over the gun body, as if silently telling of the countless fierce battles it had experienced. He carried this heavy weapon, but he seemed to lift it with ease, and his steps were steady.

And... I don't know what the reason is, maybe it's because I didn't keep my body clean, or maybe it's because of some special reasons.

The gunner named Eugen always exudes a slightly headache-inducing odor.

It was this very characteristic trio that made Horatio gasp for air the moment he saw them clearly. His heart seemed to be tightened by an invisible hand, and then it began to beat violently. An incredible mixture of astonishment and ecstasy instantly swept through his limbs and bones, making him almost frozen on the spot.

[It's him... Caiaphas Cain! The legendary man.]
Horatio's mind was buzzing, and... one of his mysterious "partners", Inquisitor Amberley Vail, and his most loyal deputy, Eugen.

Before accidentally traveling to this cruel universe, Horatio was a loyal fan of the Commissar Caiaphas Kane series of novels.

It was written by Sandy Mitchell, who is known as the ace writer of 40K. Against the dark background of the 41st millennium filled with despair and destruction, it became a popular best-selling work with its rare mortal perspective and humorous style.

Compared to those conventional battlefield novels filled with blood and glory, the Caiaphas Cain series is more like a road movie that flickers a faint light in the endless darkness, full of black humor and unexpected twists.

And at this moment, the protagonist of the legendary story, Caiaphas Kane himself, was standing alive in front of him.

A... well, a man who once escaped unscathed from the most deadly temptation of Slaanesh, and could even be said to have "gotten away" the apostles of Slaanesh for free many times.

He had fought many battles with the Necrons in his mortal body, and according to the average level of the Empire, he could be considered completely unscathed.

Genestealers, Tyranids, Eldar, Cultists, Necrons, Orks, Tau, Chaos Rebels and even Traitor Space Marines have fallen to his chainsword, laser pistol and Jurgen's melta-gun.

Horatio's thoughts were a little confused, and he tried to calm the shock in his heart.

It's incredible that after going through so many hardships, he is still safe and sound and still in high spirits. There is no trace of the several rejuvenation surgeries that he may have undergone in order to maintain this heroic image.

"Oh, Abridar Loyalty College is really magnificent and the place is surprisingly large. This is my first visit and I almost got lost inside."

Kane's magnetic voice broke Horatio's distraction, and he said with his usual, slightly exaggerated friendly smile, "Fortunately, I saw a figure swaying on this high platform, so I came to ask my colleagues for directions.

Gentlemen, and this lady, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is..."

"Sir Caiaphas Kane!" Without waiting for Military Inspector Kane to finish his formulaic opening remarks, Horatio could no longer contain his inner excitement. With an expression of joy that was difficult to conceal on his face, he quickly walked up to him.

His voice was even slightly higher than usual, with a barely perceptible tremor.

"Our great hero, Military Supervisor Caiaphas Kane." Horatio's tone was deliberately relaxed and familiar, trying to hide his astonishment, "Do I need to introduce myself?"

"Your Excellency is..."

Kane's gaze lingered on Horatio's young and handsome face for a moment. A quick thought flashed across his deep eyes, and he was obviously searching in his mind for the identity of the senior naval officer in front of him.

No, his gaze quickly moved downwards and landed on the chest of Horatio's brand new uniform - there was a huge thirteen-pointed star emblem on it, and in the center of the star was a golden steering wheel symbolizing the supreme authority of the Imperial Navy.

Although Kane did not have much direct dealings with the Imperial Navy during his long military career, he still had a considerable understanding of the rank insignias of his colleagues who ruled the endless void.

Especially an emblem that is so eye-catching and represents a very high status.

Kane's face showed just the right amount of realization and respect.

"Lord Horatio Cochrane, the newly appointed Supreme Lord Captain of the Gothic Fleet? I have long heard of your name. Nice to meet you! When I was an instructor at Perria Academy, I often listened to the news broadcasts of the Ministry of the Interior. Of course, most of the time, I heard it from my venerable colleague, the Sister of the Sisterhood of Perria Academy.

Your Excellency's great achievements in the boundless void are truly astonishing!"

But Horatio, who had read the Caiaphas Cain series of novels, knew that it was actually the military supervisor Caiaphas Cain who often went to the dormitory of the nuns where he taught at the Faithful Academy to chat while playing poker, or listening to the radio while playing poker.

(End of this chapter)