Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 147 The Secret of the Internet
Are you familiar with Netway?

Doom's voice echoed through the cave, and the toad-like mouth of an ancient saint opened slightly.

Prima's eyes widened in shock. Pointing to herself, she asked earnestly, "Are you asking me?"

It deliberately spun around, its gaze fixed on the crystal falcon: "Or are you asking it?"

“I’m asking you, elder.” Doom’s expression remained unchanged; the ancient saint’s exaggerated gestures did not affect him.

"Hehe~" Prima closed one eye, a forced smile on her face, and a low chuckle echoed in her thick throat.

With one eye fixed on Doom, it crossed its legs and hovered in the air, saying earnestly, "Are you asking an ancient saint if he understands the Way of the Net?"

"When the ancient sages built the network that spans the Milky Way, humans were still digging holes in the ground to avoid being preyed upon by dinosaurs."

"I still remember the universe cheering when the first network was completed; our civilization shone like a galaxy."

As Prima spoke, her toad-like eyes moved more slowly, as if she were lost in memories.

"Unprecedented and unparalleled, that's how we described it at the time—an eternal achievement that blesses all living beings in the Milky Way."

Doom wholeheartedly agreed, believing that if it weren't for the war in Heaven, the glory of the ancient saints could have shone eternally among the stars.

The four gods will never awaken, the warp will remain as peaceful as ever, and the real universe, with the Old Ones mediating, will be much more peaceful.

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in the world.

The war in Heaven destroyed everything, the waves of the Warp will never subside, and the awakened Four Gods exist in all timelines.

"You know it very well, don't you?" Doom looked delighted. Ancient Saint understood the internet and should have some relevant knowledge.

He only sought out the ancient sages and examined the shield incidentally; his main purpose was to acquire knowledge of the Net Dao.

After careful consideration, he concluded that the Emperor's Webway project was indeed feasible, and Doom hoped to help him expedite its progress.

“Child, you need to understand one thing.” Prima crossed his arms, his face full of arrogance: “In this universe, no one understands the ways of the internet better than me.”

"Do you know how to build it?"

"do not know!"

The ancient saint's answer was simple and straightforward, while Doom looked at it with a puzzled expression and furrowed brows.

“I know it very well,” Prima reiterated, “I know it very well, but I have absolutely no knowledge of the technology that built it.”

"My title is 'Life Forger' rather than 'Master Builder'."

"Throughout the long past, I have been adept at studying the path of life and have mentored thousands of races."

"For the research and construction of the network, the clan has specialized construction masters who are responsible for the construction and maintenance of the network."

After saying that, Prima casually grabbed the pipe and put it to his lips, enjoying it immensely.

"I see." Doom felt a little regretful, and his inner joy dissipated somewhat.

"You really don't have any technical means to build a network, even just a small section?"

Despite the harsh reality, Doom remained hopeful and sought some help.

His unwilling expression was seen by the ancient saint, and Prima couldn't help but feel pity: "Child, you don't understand what the Way of the Net is."

It took a deep drag on its pipe, puffed out its cheeks and crop, and exhaled smoke that filled the entire cave.

Prima's narration is as melodious as a poem, with the ancient language rising and falling in rhythm, conveying profound truths.

Doom could not understand the language of the ancient saints' chants, but he understood the true meaning of the melody and the specifics of the Net Way.

The Net. A miraculous feat of engineering by the ancient saints that traverses the galaxy; it exists independently of the real universe and the subspace, existing between the two dimensions.

Its construction is extremely complex, unlike networks and roads that humans can understand.

The Webway connects to the real universe through gates, with its entrances and exits scattered throughout the galaxy like stardust.

Its interior space is vast and boundless, forming its own universe, capable of accommodating intelligent life.

Its internal physical laws have been rewritten, enabling it to move at supersonic speeds and cross the Milky Way in just a few days.

But the greatness of the Internet lies not in its self-contained universe, nor in its high-speed movement.

The technology for building the network is ineffable and violates the rules of the universe and the common sense of the subspace.

The real universe is the realm of matter and energy, while the subspace is the realm of spirit and energy. The two are completely different, yet closely intertwined.

They are a mirror, representing both sides.

The internet exists independently of both, yet it also exists within both.

Within the barrier between the real universe and the subspace, the ancient sages used technology beyond thought to implant the Net Way into it.

The three-dimensional barrier of the real universe overlaps with the subspace dimension. The dimensional barrier has no thickness; it may be a point or a surface.

Without a dimension of thickness, the ancient sage's technology is like a knife, slicing through a sheet of paper with no thickness.

Using Nuer crystals as a support, a new dimension is created, with a self-healing material called "spiritual bone" forming the walls of the net-like passageway.

Thus, the online platform was successful.

It sounds difficult, and it's even more difficult to do; it's not the "path" that humans understand at all.

Human-powered railcars are built on a fixed, relatively stable platform.

The Milky Way is constantly changing; under the influence of physical laws, the distance between stars is either moving away or moving closer.

Like a living thing, the net can be stretched, and conversely, it can be stacked.

The portal's location remains constant, anchored to reality; in the ever-changing galaxy, the network can always connect to the gate.

Prima, the Forger of Life—the only remaining ancient sage in the universe, could still clearly explain the principles involved, but the specific technologies involved were difficult for him to replicate.

Prima explained the origin of the Web Dao, its eyes half-closed, its expression once again leisurely: "Child, the profoundness of the Web Dao is beyond your comprehension."

"The entire Aida tribe is able to maintain its operation, and their wise men have tried every means to replicate its mysteries."

"Hmph~" It exhaled smoke rings from its nostrils, and a disdainful sound echoed in its throat: "Even the gods they worship can hardly see a corner of the mystery."

The ancient sages' techniques were so profound that Prima spoke with a slight tilt of her head, her pride undisguised in her description.

Doom gained a deeper understanding of the Net Way, and his worries were completely relieved; he no longer considered the help of the Ancient Saints.

He still didn't understand how the Emperor planned to hack into the network and carry out the Great Migration of the Galactic Population.

“There are some things that can enter the network.” Prima’s eyes darted around, and she muttered to herself as if she had remembered something. “Let me think about it.”

Its suspended body slowly rotates, its eyes tightly closed, searching for ancient memories.

Doom sat cross-legged on the ground, his body upright, not daring to disturb the ancient sage's thoughts.

"At the end of the War of Heaven, there was an artifact used to excavate the Web. The Master Builder dismantled it to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Necromancers of the Abyss."

Prima opened her eyes, raised her hand and held up three fingers to Doom: "Three magical fragments, which were sealed separately."

“Child, if you can find them and reassemble the Web Path artifacts, you will be able to enter the Web Path.”

A flicker of hope ignited within him. Doom opened his eyes slightly, asking expectantly, "Which three artifacts?"

"Heart of Plague, Rattlesnake, Tuchucha."

"When the three artifacts come together, they form a network tunnel excavation device, which can enter the network tunnel and dig deep into the treasures of our people."

"Hehe~" Prima suddenly laughed out loud, but with ill intent.

"I remember there was a rumor that my clan buried a treasure deep in the net channel, and there was even a chance to become a god."

"An opportunity to become a god?" Doom's expectant expression changed, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

Becoming a god? There are already too many gods in this universe; there's no need to add more.

The chaos brought about by the four gods has already plunged the universe into deep suffering. If another god were to appear, it would be even more difficult for intelligent races in the real universe to survive.

“Don’t be nervous…” Prima waved her hand, her expression relaxed with a strange smile: “Becoming a god was just a prank, a lie to deceive demigods.”

"Is there a shortcut to becoming a god? If there were a true opportunity, our clansmen would have already ascended to godhood."

"Wasn't the calm and tranquility of the warp at that time the perfect opportunity to become a god?"

"If one can truly become a god, free from the defilement of the subspace, representing the beauty of truth, goodness, and beauty, then one will become the most benevolent and beautiful god."

"For our people, a god is also a powerful ally, and can completely prevent defeat in the war of heaven."

“So…” Prima sighed, “Godhood is an illusion. What demigods desperately seek is the ancient saints’ mischievous mockery.”

Doom shook his head helplessly, realizing he had been too sensitive to the gods and had overlooked the crucial factor.

As Prima said, there is no shortcut to becoming a god.

With the opportunity to become gods, the ancient sages and ancestors had already ascended to godhood, stabilizing the situation in the war in heaven and preventing the extinction of their entire race.

"But I suggest you keep an eye out for news about the Three Sacred Treasures," Prima's tone changed, offering a friendly reminder.
"Deep within the netherworld lies no path to godhood, but a sealed treasure trove of knowledge belonging to my race, containing a vast array of ancient, deadly weapons."

"The ancient sages' treasure trove of knowledge contains the knowledge of constructing the Internet."

"Child, the galaxy is vast; gathering all three divine artifacts is no easy task!"

(End of this chapter)