Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 899, 08.898: 'Who is the ruler of this port city today?'

Inside the lavishly decorated old-fashioned train carriage, Horatio sat with his legs crossed, his entire body sinking into the deep red velvet seat.

The interior walls of the carriage were covered with intricate gold trim, and the filtered air carried a sweet, cloying scent of incense, creating an absurd contrast with the rusty, chaotic steel world of the port outside the window.

The train glided silently on the magnetic track, with only the slightest vibrations coming from underfoot.

"Why?" Horatio's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sharpness. He turned to the envoy sent by the governor. "Why are these gangsters so audacious as to take action right under the nose of the Emperor's sacred navy?"
Aren't they afraid we'll burn them, along with their tin rat hole, to ashes?

The governor's envoy, a woman whose face was stiff from too many implants, smiled upon hearing this.

It was a smile that suggested someone was used to everything and even found the question somewhat ridiculous.

"My lord, because in the port of call, there is another rule that is 'sacred and inviolable'."

That is: when a wandering merchant arrives at a port, he becomes its master. If multiple wandering merchants arrive simultaneously, the 'highest-ranking' one becomes the de facto ruler of the port.

The woman didn't explicitly explain how this 'superior' was defined, as if it contained a secret that couldn't be known to outsiders.

"So, you mean..." Horatio instantly saw through the truth beneath the bloody disguise from her nonchalant tone, "that farce just now was merely a power struggle between traveling merchants and wandering warriors?"

"Yes, my lord."

The envoy shrugged gracefully, as if discussing something as mundane as the weather. "Such things happen almost every day in the port. After all, not all merchant ronin have the illustrious background and powerful fleet of the Wintersco family or the von Valancius family."

Anyone holding the charter can eliminate their rivals through direct violence to achieve their own interests. The title of 'ruler of the port' is subject to ruthless and bloody changes at any time.

Her words had barely left her lips when a deep, soul-shaking bang interrupted the conversation.

It wasn't transmitted through the ears, but directly through the vibrations of the carriage deck.

In the void above the landing port, the battle on the ground has escalated into a duel between fleets.

Two escort ships belonging to different merchant ronin dynasties began a brutal exchange of fire.

A blinding spear of light even struck the armored shell of the landing port out of control, but was intercepted by the void shield of the Star Fortress, causing a buzzing sound of dissipating energy.

This duel has seriously jeopardized the Charter fleet, which was loading and unloading cargo.

The piercing distress signal was sent out, and several cruisers from the Imperial Navy's Gothic and Calicus fleets immediately broke position and sailed toward the battling merchant ronin warships like enraged sharks, demanding an immediate ceasefire from both sides via unquestionable wide-area communications.

"We are His holy navy." Horatio's tone carried a chilling threat. "We have the right to rectify any illegal acts that occur before us."

"Of course, my lord."

The envoy smiled and seemed unconcerned about his threat, "Since the rule that 'the highest-ranking merchant ronin are the rulers of the port of call' applies here, then the Imperial Navy can naturally apply it as well."

Whoever possesses more cannons and light spears holds absolute sway over the port today. This has been the port's sole rule of survival for centuries.

Horatio looked out the window. On the void battlefield diagonally above him, the fighting had not stopped, clearly indicating that the Imperial Navy's warnings had been ignored.

Two Luna-class cruisers from the Calicus fleet opened fire on the two merchant ronin ships that were still engaged in combat.

There were no probing shots, no warning shots, only a devastating volley.

The merchant ronin escort ship's fragile void shield was torn apart by the ferocious fire in the first salvo, and the scorching light spears immediately ripped open the hull.

However, the first merchant ship wisely surrendered shortly afterward.

It lowered its stance, disarmed itself, and floated quietly like a tamed wild beast, waiting for the Imperial Navy to board and inspect it.

The second ship continued to put up a stubborn resistance. The two Luna-class cruisers launched torpedoes without mercy.

In the silent void, several beams of light precisely struck the reactor core of the frigate.

There was no loud noise, only a brief but dazzling burst of light, like the birth of a star. All the assets of this merchant ronin, along with his arrogance, vanished into ruins slowly drifting away into the void.
-
"Quiet down! Line up! The Governor has more important matters to attend to!!"

Before the gates of the governor's extravagant and ostentatious palace, many people seeking favors from the local ruler were anxiously queuing.

The governor’s guards roughly cleared a path to make way for Captain Horatio Cochran, the Supreme Lord of the Imperial Navy, and his guards.

The crowd watched the rare high-ranking officer with curiosity, and whispers rose like a tide.

Some people recognized him.

“It’s him! The Knight of Honor of Macrag! A Lord of the Empire! I saw him from afar at the Macrag triumph!” A ronin merchant, dressed in fine clothes and proudly wearing an inverted Ω-shaped 'Honorary Citizen' medal collected from the five hundred worlds of Alteramar, shouted in a low voice.

"The only living bloodline of Spyr... I heard about his legend on my way to trade with Abyss Harbor, but I didn't expect him to be so young... By the God Emperor, this is the first time I've seen a real person who is even more imposing than in a beautified photo..."

Amidst the whispers of awe and curiosity from the crowd, Horatio ascended the palace's tiered steps.

"Welcome, my lord! I have long admired your name. You are the Governor of the port, Vladimir Tokala. I am ready to serve the Supreme Lord Captain of the Imperial Holy Navy!"

As the magnificent gate, hundreds of meters high and cast from an unknown golden metal, slowly opened, a meticulously groomed man with gleaming hair stood respectfully inside.

He gave Horatio a warm, almost insincere welcome, his original eyes replaced by a pair of wearable prosthetics that emitted a constant, slight buzzing sound, making it impossible to see his true thoughts.

"Your laxity has greatly displeased Rear Admiral Brues of the Calicus fleet."

Horatio's voice was icy, devoid of any politeness. "Moreover, he's currently cleaning up a mess for you—a merchant ronin from some faction orchestrated a murder right under our noses, leading to a clash between the fleets of two families."

"I'm so sorry, sir. The port's geographical location is unique, and such things happen all the time."

Please come in. Lord Carrigos Winters and Lady Theodora von Valancieus are waiting for you.

Judging from the governor's tone, these two traveling merchants were more important figures than the Imperial Navy, whom he respected.

Although he didn't express it directly, the importance he placed on those two people was obvious from his words.

[Carrigos Wintersko...]
Horatio was somewhat familiar with the name.

He vaguely remembered that this seemed to be a powerful merchant wanderer who could be considered a hegemon in the Colonus expansion, wielding immense power in the area and acting as the empire's representative in this lawless land.

He was even more familiar with Lady Theodora. As the current head of the von Valancius dynasty, this powerful and domineering woman had single-handedly greatly expanded the influence of the von Valancius dynasty in the expanded region.

[Then let me meet the two most powerful merchant ronin in the entire Colonus expansion.]
Horatio maintained the dignity of a high-ranking officer in the Imperial Navy, merely nodding slightly to the governor without returning the greeting or offering any thanks.

He walked straight past the governor of the port of call without a word, and strode proudly toward the main hall of the palace, his cloak fluttering behind him.

Even the guards behind him did not lay down their arms, but were fully armed, their fingers on the trigger guards, and followed their leader into the magnificent palace.

"According to the rules of the port, anyone entering the 'Prince's Court' must be disarmed! ...Hey! Stop!" Upon seeing this, a captain of the governor's guards quickly stepped forward and tried to disarm the guards.

boom!
His response came from the butt of a shotgun held by a naval boarding man.

The dull thud of the rifle butt striking the bridge of the nose echoed particularly harshly and hostilely in the magnificent, towering palace.

Finally, the governor of the port, Vladim Tokala, personally made a gesture to stop him, indicating to his captain of the guard, whose face was covered in blood, not to interfere with any actions of this high-ranking officer representing the Imperial Navy's Gothic Fleet.

Horatio rarely displayed the arrogance of someone in a high position, but today, he was determined to show the "supreme ruler" of this so-called "lawless land" what was going on—

In the eyes of the Imperial Navy, there is no place outside the law.

Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the emperor; on the shores of the land, all people are subjects of the emperor.

No one is exempt.

nobody!
Any local tyrant who relies on his military might and attempts to defy the authority of the Divine Emperor in the Vast Universe will be punished by the Imperial Navy!
(End of this chapter)