Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 756 Who's in favor and who's against (Seeking monthly votes)

When Guilliman raised the major threat of the Orcs, Diocletian, the Tribunal Protector, did not hesitate much to express his support for him.

The Imperial Guard, meticulously crafted by the emperor to be perfect human beings, consisted of outstanding military strategists, politicians, and historians.

They have too many channels and means to find out what happened in the distant past.

As for events as grand and ancient as the War of Heaven, the Imperial Guard naturally conducted specialized research on them.

Humanity's understanding of the War of Heaven existed long ago, but as a latecomer, humanity's understanding is inevitably partial and incomplete.

"I never imagined that ancient beastmen would still exist in this era."

"We originally thought that these ancient beings had been completely destroyed by the space necromancy and their path of evolution had been cut off."

Diocletian was not seriously harmed by Guilliman's venting of anger.

For them, clad in radiant gold armor, even if Guilliman dropped them from near-Earth orbit, it wouldn't cause much harm, let alone simply plastering them against a wall.

This was more of a humiliation than a deterrent; Guilliman was giving a warning to the Imperial Guard who were opposing him.

Diocletian did not care about personal honor or disgrace; unlike the extremely emotional Astartes, they cared only about the safety of the emperor.

He understood that if Guilliman was telling the truth, Terra, the throne world of the Emperor, would face its greatest threat since the Horus Rebellion.

The best option now is to fully cooperate with Guilliman, reshape his authority, and at the same time reclaim the supreme power from those mortals.

The surrender of the Imperial Guards was something the other high lords absolutely did not want to see.

Although in terms of military power, the Commander-in-Chief of the Astral Army and the Admiral control 99% of the Imperium of Man's military strength.

However, the remaining 1% of the Astartes Legion were able to bypass all obstacles and directly behead them.

The Imperial Guard was one of the few forces that could rival the Astartes in terms of quality, and in fact, the Imperial Guard was of much higher quality than the Astartes.

If they can win over the Imperial Guard, they will be qualified to oppose Guilliman.

"You're the Emperor's personal guards, after all! You should at least put up a fight!"

"Guilliman just threw out some information, whether true or false, and you all surrendered?"

The admiral cursed inwardly, his mind racing as he frantically tried to figure out what to do next.

The High Lords who were most unwilling to see Guilliman's power expansion included the Navigator Ambassador and the Commander-in-Chief of the Astral Army, while the representatives of the Court of Starspeak and the Court of Starfire had somewhat ambiguous attitudes.

Representatives from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior have already sided with Guilliman without hesitation, since they didn't have much conflict with him to begin with.

Pope Euphrates Cilicia, the head of the state church, also expressed her support, and her opinion, in a sense, represented the emperor's opinion.

“Lord Guilliman, your guarantee is indeed very valuable, but we cannot put the lives and fortunes of all our families on your word.”

"Let's set aside those cumbersome political tactics and be more open and honest."

I have the support of numerous Navigator families and the Star Language Court, which is in turn closely tied to the Star Torch Court.

“Our position comes from our irreplaceable role. Whether you think we are selfish or short-sighted, we cannot consider issues beyond our own position and class.”

Alicia's words were indeed very sincere; such a genuine expression of her thoughts was almost unheard of among the High Lords.

These politicians, who have weathered countless conspiracies, know all too well that if they are seen as straightforward and without guile, they will soon be brought down by intrigue and treachery.

However, times have changed, and continuing to test the waters will only anger Guilliman.

"Even if I agree to your request, my supporters will never agree with my choice."

Perhaps I'll suddenly die after I get back, and then they'll replace me with a high lord who obeys their will.

No matter how powerful a high lord is, he is still a mortal, and mortals are mortal.

Each high lord has his own faction of supporters, and when those supporters no longer choose a high lord, he is no longer a high lord.

Hearing Alicia's threats, Guilliman was both annoyed and amused.

That's human nature. Even after being told that a great calamity is coming, some of them will still fight tooth and nail for their own interests.

Even if they were drinking poison, they would still enjoy it.

When a small interest group places its own interests above the interests of humanity as a whole, it will inevitably face a backlash from the collective will of humanity.

This principle has been demonstrated countless times throughout human history, but even today, even if an empire on a single planet becomes an empire on the entire galaxy, nothing fundamentally changes.

"You think only the navigator family behind you can replace you?"

“Even within the navigator family, there are those who disagree. It’s impossible for all of you to be of one mind. Someone will eventually agree to my conditions.”

"Your only choice is to believe my promise. I guarantee that even if the Space Bridge disrupts warp travel, you will still have a place in the Empire, and the Empire's finances will continue to support you."

"The Empire is about to start its war machine to fight the green tide formed by the green-skinned orcs, and all navigator families must obey orders."

"If I discover any passive resistance, any trace of betrayal, the Assassin's Court and the Inquisition will strike immediately."

"You can choose to fight to the bitter end, even to the death, and then see whether your necks are sharper or my blade is sharper."

"I obey your will, my lord."

Representatives from the Assassin's Court and the Tribunal, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up in response.

When Macardo founded these two organizations, it was to supervise and monitor the operation of the power structure within the empire.

Now that Guilliman held the knife in his hand, the ambassador felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his whole body turning ice-cold.

She now fully understood Guilliman's resolve; the Primarch had absolutely no room for compromise or retreat.

He wants to tell all those with ulterior motives that if they disagree, they should try to test his bottom line.

"That's too domineering... Primarch."

"The Emperor no longer governs his empire, and the one who holds the seal has vanished without a trace. Who can stop Guilliman now?"

The ambassador thought resentfully, but the situation was beyond her control. She dared not provoke Guilliman again, for that would be tantamount to courting death.

The best option now is to agree to Guilliman's demands first, and then make proper plans after the greenskin orcs have been pacified.

Most of the High Lords have already sided with Guilliman, while the remaining abbots of the Starlight Court and the Star-Speaking Court are beginning to waver.

After all, the promotion of the space bridge does have an impact on them, but it is only an indirect impact, rather than directly costing them their jobs like navigators do.

"As for you two."

Guilliman turned his attention back to the Commander-in-Chief of the Astronautical Army and the Imperial Navy Admiral.

"All your power was given to you by me. What I can give you, I can also take back. You don't really think you're some kind of imperial warlord who can hold onto your military power, do you?"

"Even if I kill you, your generals and commanders will not react excessively in the slightest."

"Your power comes from the clothes you wear, from the position you occupy. Don't you understand?"

The two high-ranking military officers were immediately drenched in sweat.

"I'll give you fifteen seconds to consider whether to replace me or obey my will."

Guilliman said, glancing at the mechanical clocks decorating the wall.

Before the appointed time had even arrived, the Commander-in-Chief of the Astral Army and the Admiral had already made their choices.

"As you wish, Imperial Commander."

Guilliman gave a satisfied smile, then returned to his seat.

"The Imperial Guard, the Assassin's Court, the Inquisition—all intelligence networks must from this moment on fully investigate any information concerning the green-skinned orcs."

Even ambiguous guesses and hearsay rumors must be collected and reported.

“This time our enemy is exceptionally cunning. They are secretly accumulating their strength, and we must pinpoint their location before they are ready.”

Guilliman surveyed the chaotic meeting hall. Aside from the absence of bloodshed, he had almost completely broken ties with the high lords.

However, he didn't care. Things weren't as bad as he had imagined. Guilliman was even prepared to completely purge the High Lords. What he said to Alicia was not a threat.

“Diocletian, there is one more thing I need you to do.”

Guilliman summoned the tribunes of the Guard and then spoke.

"Now my brothers are scattered in various places. Some have returned to their home planet, while others have disappeared without a trace for various reasons."

"I need you to use the Imperial Guard's channels to find them for me, and also bring their legions into a state of war."

Guilliman understood that in the face of such a disaster, his own strength was not enough; he had to unite all the Primarchs, and he needed the help of his brothers.

He would have the Ultramarines send people to find other Primarchs, and notifying the Imperial Guard was merely to increase the likelihood.

"I will obey your will." Diocletian said nothing more and turned to leave.

The Imperial Guard's intelligence network relies entirely on those retired Emperor's Eyes and a number of mortal families who are absolutely loyal to the Imperial Guard and have served them for generations.

Thanks to these people, the Custodians were able to remain in Terra, be fully aware of all the events happening in the galaxy, and keep crises at bay.

The high lords left one after another, while Guilliman sat alone in his seat.

Only Pope Euphrates Cilicia remained by his side, this woman with a face full of compassion and love looking at Guilliman with a strange gaze.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Guilliman asked.

"In order to convey the will of the God-Emperor to you, Primarch."

Guilliman immediately sat up straight. He didn't know if this woman could truly communicate with the Emperor's will or was just putting on an act.

As the creator of the "Guilliman version of the Word," he knew all too well what the state religion he had created was all about.

Aside from the added emphasis on faith in the emperor, the rest of the content is essentially just a repackaged version of imperial truths.

Qi Le said solemnly, "Although the God Emperor is in a deep sleep, he is not completely unaware of the situation of the Empire and humanity."

"Many times, he was watching, but he didn't say anything."

"He has always hoped that humans can make their own decisions, rather than relying on him to make judgments."

Guilliman nodded; that was indeed something his father would say.

If he didn't think that way, then there wouldn't be this conflict and argument with the High Lord today.

The emperor granted these mortals power so that they could stand against Guilliman.

"The God-Emperor conveyed his will to me—he told me, 'Go ahead and do it.'"

Behind the ancient orcs lies yet another attempt by the Chaos Gods; these dark entities from the warp have never relinquished their covetousness towards humanity and this universe.

"The rules and order established by the Emperor and Macado were to adapt to the post-war situation and environment."

"With the emperor preoccupied and humanity suffering heavy losses, the best course of action is to recuperate and rebuild our strength."

"During the period of recuperation and restoration, it is natural to need checks and balances from all sides, and the High Lord Council came into being."

"But now the situation has changed. With the help of the technology that Roxi brought back from other universes, it is inevitable that humanity will regain its strength. We may even be able to surpass the past and reach a new level."

"Go for it. Don't let the old order become a shackle that binds you. Only by breaking the old order can we create a better human empire."

Guilliman paused, then instinctively asked in return:
"Are these my father's original words, or your translation?"

"Naturally, it's the latter, my lord. No one can withstand the God Emperor's immense will, not even a trace of his power." Qi Le smiled.

"The National Church fully supports your will and will unite and mobilize those believers in the National Church."

"Only the state religion is the emperor's most loyal follower, and our loyalty is unwavering."

After saying this, the first pope of the state religion turned and left.

Guilliman stared at Qile's retreating figure, then looked towards the direction of the golden throne in the palace, and fell into deep thought.

"Father, what exactly is wrong with you right now...?"

"Why is there no response? Why must I bear this responsibility and pain alone?"

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon and night fell once more, Guilliman gazed at the ever-deepening darkness, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

……

Just as Guilliman was angrily rebuking the High Lord and forcefully seizing the power of the Empire, Rosie was on Ganymede, contemplating how to proceed with the next steps.

"My situation here is obviously much better than what Guilliman is facing. Although there are other voices within the Advanced Technical Community and the Cult of Mechanics, they are generally under control."

"Besides the Space Bridge, a key project, the transformation of the Protocast Space Marines must also be accelerated." "Compared to the firstborn of the first generation, the Protocast Space Marines have been significantly enhanced in all aspects, giving them a greater chance of victory against the equally enhanced Orks."

"However, promoting Prototype upgrade technology may not be welcomed by Space Marines who adhere to tradition and uphold Legion culture."

"The Ultramarines should be fine with Guilliman's influence, but the other legions will be more difficult to deal with."

Rose felt constrained all over, with a sense of frustration that he had no way to use his strength.

He had many valuable items: space bridges, original space warrior technology, and so on, but it was absurd that he still needed to vigorously promote them before he could give them away.

The Space Bridge had to contend with the hostility of the Navigators and Star Speakers, while the Primitive Forging technology faced resistance from the Space Marines.

"Damn it, is there no one who recognizes its value and comes knocking on our door?"

"I work hard outside, and when I come back to my hometown, I'm still criticized and complained about."

“That’s right, there aren’t many people as discerning as me,” Tarasin said smugly, realizing that the best decision he had ever made was hitching a ride with Rosie.

"Stop bragging. This trouble was ultimately caused by you. Hurry up and think of a way to find that damned ancient orc."

"You space necromancers have always boasted about how incredible your technological capabilities are, so how come you can't even find an ancient orc?"

"Ahem, yes, we do have some, but I might not be able to borrow them if I step in."

Tarasin gave an awkward smile and continued.

"The Brilliant Star Chart, a divine artifact crafted by the most outstanding artisans of the Olusca Dynasty, allows its user to see even the smallest star in the Milky Way."

"It was placed in the center of the Crown World Thanatos and is under close guard and surveillance."

"And simply touching a point of light on the brilliant star map can cause stars in the real universe to enter the supernova explosion stage thousands of years earlier, thereby destroying everything around them."

"However, I wanted to borrow this treasure from them to admire it, but I was discovered by them and they are still after me."

Loxi was speechless.

"Excuse me"? This is clearly burglary, but you got caught.

"Don't panic, that ancient orc escaped using a broken net gate that I kept in the museum."

That portal to the net-like passage wouldn't allow us to travel very far; it would at least define a large area for us.

Taracin finally revealed some useful information, and Loxi immediately created a star map in front of him that included the five major star regions of the entire galaxy.

Solemnas is located in the northern Misty Starfield, so the ancient orcs most likely fled to the vicinity of the Misty Starfield, or even further to the northern part of the Extreme Starfield.

Moreover, given the advanced intelligence of the ancient orcs, before they possess sufficient self-defense capabilities, they would most likely not wander around, but instead choose a sufficiently secluded and dangerous place to hide themselves.

After this selection process, Rose already had several options in mind.

The Misty Starfield was once home to a powerful alien empire called [Randan]. This power was so strong that it once caused the complete Dark Angel Legion, personally led by Ryan Johnson, to be defeated.

Of the three Glory Queen-class warships that the First Legion originally possessed, two were destroyed in the war with Randan.

Later, the emperor deployed even more forces, and even the human sovereign himself went to fight against Ran Dan. After a fierce battle, the original territory of the Ran Dan Empire was almost completely destroyed by humans.

All remnants were destroyed, all records were burned, leaving only fragments preserved in the shadow prison guarded by the Imperial Guards.

Because both sides used forbidden weapons in that war, destroying too many areas, the ruins of Randan, which were widely distributed in the hazy star field, became one ghost town after another.

It is highly likely that the ancient orcs are hiding here.

Secondly, there is the Eye of Terror, located in the northwest of the galaxy. As a huge rift created by the intersection of the warp and the material universe, this place is also the weakest point of the human empire's rule.

However, Loshi did not believe that the ancient orcs would choose to develop in such a barren place. After all, no matter how magical the orcs' thinking power was, they were still flesh and blood beings in the real universe.

Even orcs suffer from stunted growth in the Eye of Fear, making it far from the best choice.

The vortex region in the southeastern part of the Milky Way is also an area that is difficult for humans to reach.

This place has always been a hideout for Chaos Space Marines and space pirates, but it's unlikely to be there because it's too far from the Misty Starfield.

"Actually, if we want to find the ancient beastmen, we can ask some people who know more about the net way."

Tarasin's words were pointed, and Lothie understood that he was referring to the Aidalings.

"As the successors of the ancient saints, the Aidaling race has lost the ability to repair and build the Infinite Web, but they still have a good grasp of the Web."

"Some Aidalings have the ability to access the records of Webpath usage. The Webpath is not an inanimate object, but a semi-living entity with a peculiar self-awareness."

"Ugh, this is a headache. I'll try to get the Prophet Uslan to come to Terra and see if I can get any clues."

Rose was having a headache from all these troubles when, just then, Caul suddenly appeared outside Rose's door and knocked loudly.

"Lord Loshi, a wandering merchant wishes to see you."

"She claimed to be from the Calissis sector and wanted to talk to us about a deal involving the practical applications of the space bridge."

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed across Rosie's face.

He was just lamenting how everyone was so clueless, refusing good things when they were offered them, when now a discerning person has come knocking on his door.

"It seems there is no shortage of smart people in the world. We just finished our experiment and hadn't even had time to announce it to the outside world when they came."

"Quickly bring them to the reception room; I want to see them personally."

Loshi waved his hand, and Kaul immediately went to greet the guests.

Normally, even a wandering merchant, even one from a long-established family whose ancestors had been granted a trading license by the emperor, would not need to be received by Roxi in person.

But now we are at a critical juncture, and Losi needs the first person willing to try to break this deadlock.

A moment later, a figure carrying a strong lavender scent entered the room, accompanied by several merchant ronin guards who had been disarmed.

The other person's crystal shoes tapped rhythmically on the floor, and once they came into Rosie's view, the owner of the sound immediately became more cautious.

"What an honor to be received by you, Great Sage Roshi."

“I am Orpheus Agamund, from a family of traveling merchants from the Calicus sector.”

Although this female merchant was wearing a long dress, her movements were exceptionally efficient. Through the outline of her clothes, Rosie could vaguely see the traces of her strong and muscular body.

Orpheus had a few shallow scars on his profile, and his two resolute eyes beside his high nose showed no fear as he confidently and generously bowed to Rosie.

"This is the founder of the advanced technology community? How young he is..."

Orpheus quickly and discreetly surveyed the area, inwardly reflecting on his observations.

Roche looks like a young man in his early twenties; time has left no trace on his appearance.

"Welcome, guests from afar."

Rose smiled warmly and extended her hand to shake hands with the other person.

Ophie was somewhat flattered and returned the handshake with both hands. She really didn't expect such a famous person to be so approachable.

Even the mechanical priests of some small-scale forging worlds have a much higher level of style and demeanor than Roxi, and they particularly emphasize their identity as followers of the God of Machines.

"You are too kind. I have never met such a humble and wise person."

After exchanging pleasantries, the initial awkwardness between the two faded considerably.

Loshi invited the other party to sit down and talk slowly. As the saying goes, "spend a fortune to buy a horse's bones," he had to use Orpheus Agamund, this wandering merchant, to set a good example for others.

Orpheus tried her best to relax, but her well-trained muscles still tensed up instinctively.

Even as she leaned back on the soft, comfortable sofa, her back muscles remained taut, making her appear even more focused and energetic.

While Rosie could remain casual when being polite, the vast difference in their social status was undeniable.

"I'm curious, how are you so sure we already have the new technology?" Losi asked leisurely, taking a cup of coffee from the Stone Golem administrator.

"Based solely on that one experiment?"

Orpheus nodded solemnly.

"Indeed, it was through that experiment that I realized the advanced technological community had mastered faster-than-light technology in non-subspace."

"Although it's just a guess, I still think it's worth a try. I just didn't expect to receive you personally as soon as I sent my invitation."

Orpheus wasn't exaggerating; she genuinely hadn't expected to meet Rosie in person.

"A keen sense of smell; no wonder you've become such an excellent traveling merchant," Rosie praised.

"Indeed, we have achieved a technological breakthrough, with a brand new technology called the Space Bridge emerging."

"With this technology, we can establish space bridges similar to stargates between different star systems, and then use the interaction between these space bridges to directly transport objects there."

"This technology does not require users to travel through subspace, but rather to make jumps within the physical universe."

Upon hearing Rosie's explanation, Orpheus Agamund's breathing quickened, her hands gripped the armrests of the sofa tightly, and the muscles in her back relaxed.

"Praise be to the God of all machines, praise be to Om Messiah, the wisdom of the wise men is awe-inspiring to us mortals."

Orpheus was also very good at saying nice things, praising all the mechanical priests.

"As you can see, this technology has now completed theoretical verification and is fully ready for use."

"We have reached an agreement with Imperial Commander Robert Guilliman to install space bridges in every star system of the Human Empire, building a comprehensive physical faster-than-light network."

Insider information is the most scarce resource, and Orpheus firmly believes this.

Even if she didn't gain anything today, being able to obtain the empire's next strategic plan was already well worth the price of admission.

"Without a doubt, the future belongs to the space bridge, and subspace travel will inevitably be impacted due to its safety and uncontrollability."

"Seize the opportunity, we must seize the opportunity, even if it's just to hitch a ride, it can bring endless benefits to our family."

Orpheus realized that the greatest opportunity of her life had arrived, and the decisions she made next would affect her own future, as well as the future of her family.

She adopted a listening posture, waiting for Rose to continue.

She naturally understood that since Luo Xi was telling her these things, it couldn't be just some random scientific explanation out of boredom.

Loxi looked at the "horse bone" with satisfaction. The other party was very clever, and it was easier to cooperate with clever people.

"This technology is now in the implementation phase. We need to build stargate matrices for space bridges in various galaxies in the Milky Way."

"However, due to the lack of precedents to refer to, we have been discussing internally how to make them a reality."

"The construction of the space bridge requires a lot of resources, and each use of the space bridge will consume a large amount of energy."

"After the space bridge is completed, the supporting orbital spaceports, defense systems, and logistical support will bring a series of huge problems."

Some people believe that Terra should be completely under its control, while others believe that it should be given some authority.

After all, these space bridges will become the lifelines of transportation between various star systems. If even those within the star system cannot influence the space bridges, it will inevitably cause them sleepless nights.

Rosie looked out the window at the busy air routes coming and going.

"From my personal perspective, people in the galaxy should indeed be given some power."

"The technology of the space bridge is supported and controlled by Terra and the Advanced Technology Community, while the materials and resources required, as well as the subsequent operation and maintenance of the spaceport, are determined by the locals themselves."

“Each space bridge stargate will be protected and guarded by the local Asgardian Army to ensure the safety of the space bridge and the stability of trade routes.”

Orpheus's head was buzzing. The Sage Loxi said a lot, but the gist of it was: the Empire would provide the technology, and everything else would be provided by the star system's native powers.

The Empire owns the property, while the star system's native powers have the right to use it.

No one would be foolish enough to reject this proposal because of the so-called material resources. How many resources would it take to build a space bridge?
Once the space bridge is completed, the native inhabitants of the galaxy will be connected to countless galaxies throughout the empire.

Faster and safer transportation is the lifeblood of the interstellar age. If one can choose not to enter the subspace, who would want to go to this deadly place?
The space bridge is safer, and this alone is enough to justify its superiority over subspace travel.

There is no danger of getting lost in the warp storms, no risk of uncertain time, and no risk of being coveted by those terrifying warp creatures.

Even if it's more expensive, so what?
“I need my first collaborator now. Are you willing?” Rosie looked at Orpheus.

"Yes! Of course I'm willing!" the traveling merchant replied hastily.

“In that case, it’s a pleasure to cooperate.” Loxi smiled, revealing a row of eight white teeth.

Now that the breakthrough has been made, we can simply promote it as a matter of course.

When humans in other star sectors see the space bridge, they will beg Terra to build one for them as well.

Faced with new interest groups, the old interest groups will be swept into the ruins of history without hesitation, treated as garbage.

(End of this chapter)