Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 367 The Emperor Appears (Second Update)
Then, Chen Yu proposed a second option, which, to Sigismund, was even more... unbelievable than the first.

“As for the other option…” Chen Yu’s synthesized voice seemed to be lowered slightly, carrying a peculiar meaning, “that is, we pray to the Emperor.”

This suggestion, coming from a sage of the Mechanicus, seemed particularly abrupt. The Mechanicus worships Omnesia, the god of machines, and while their beliefs overlap with those of the state religion, such a direct suggestion to "pray to the Emperor" for help is far from the Mechanicus's usual practice.

Chen Yu watched for any subtle change that might appear on Sigismund's face and continued to explain, "The Emperor... He sits on the golden throne, his psionic radiance transforming into starlight, guiding the entire empire's course."

If anything can transcend the chaos of the warp and directly show us a viable path to Terra in the physical universe, then it is most likely Him.

“We don’t need to understand how He did it; we just need to believe and make a request. After all…” Chen Yu added, with a certain deeper meaning, “Your ability to break through the subspace storm that sealed off the galaxy and arrive here precisely is itself a near-miraculous, low-probability event.”

The fact that the Emperor was able to successfully traverse such a violent psionic turbulence without the support of high-precision navigation and relying solely on shallow jumps may well be a testament to the Emperor's immense power.

It is His will that guides you through the torrents of the warp, like a starlight piercing the fog.

Sigismund fell silent; Chen Yu's words did indeed sound absurd to him.

Pray to the Emperor? In an era when imperial truths were still considered sacred, such a suggestion was almost blasphemous.

Loka and his "The Emperor's Words" have long been condemned to the pillory of shame. The emperor is the leader of human reason, not a god.

However, cold, hard logic ruthlessly points to this seemingly unreliable conclusion.

If not for some force beyond reason, how could his fleet have accurately reached this heavily sealed-off star system in such a violent subspace storm by relying on the inefficient "skipping stones" method?
This cannot be explained by coincidence or luck.

Reason and cognition are in fierce conflict at this moment.

His brows were furrowed, and a rare trace of struggle appeared on his resolute face.

Imperial truths taught them to reject superstition, but reality forced him to consider the possibility of this "irrationality."

Ultimately, pragmatism and absolute loyalty to the mission prevailed over everything else.

He took a deep breath, as if to suppress all his doubts, looked up at Chen Yu, and asked the crucial question in a deep voice: "What should we do?"

Chen Yu's response carried the pragmatism unique to the Mechanic Church and a hint of composure in the face of the unknown: "There are no ready-made ritual procedures to refer to regarding how to pray to the Emperor."

Within the framework of Imperial Truth, this is inherently a… non-standard operation.

His crimson optical lens shone steadily as he continued to explain the simple, almost naive, solution: "But logically speaking, the most direct way is to call upon the name of the Emperor with the most devout heart, to explain our predicament and demands, and to pray that the will of the Lord of Mankind can penetrate the veil between reality and the subspace and point us in the right direction."

This is not about dogma, but a necessary attempt based on the current dire situation.

He assigned the task: "Lord Sigismund, please find a relatively quiet place, preferably with an image of the Emperor, concentrate your mind, and make the invocation."

I must immediately and properly encapsulate the warp drive core and the miniature ecosphere used to demonstrate the Genesis Factor. At the same time, this base cannot be abandoned; it is a crucial base for my academic research, and a defensive force must be properly deployed to guard it.

After saying that, Chen Yu's massive mechanical body began to move.

He first went to the core laboratory, where he directed the servitors and technical priests to carefully remove the sophisticated and critical warp drive core from the test platform and place it into a specially made, robust transport case lined with a buffer force field and an anti-scan coating.

Next, he packed the ecosphere containing the creation factor into a box.

At the same time, Chen Yu issued a series of clear instructions to Ignis and the commander of the Papacy via data link.

The base's highest defense protocol was immediately activated, all automatic turrets and sensor mine arrays went into standby mode, and damaged shield generators and communication arrays were prioritized for repair and simultaneous reinforcement.

To ensure the long-term independent operation of the defense system, energy controls are implemented across non-core areas.

All personnel remaining on duty must immediately enter a state of combat readiness and strictly implement the rotation and reporting system.

In addition, Chen Yu quickly coordinated with the newly arrived Neksam reinforcements—two full-strength Hongzhi Guardian Army units and the Titan combat group of the Steel Dog Legion—ordering them to establish a joint defense system on the spot to jointly guard this strategic location.

His scheduling was precise and efficient, with each step meticulously calculated.

Once all the commands were issued, the fortress of the dead world had once again transformed into an indestructible rock, enough to deter any potential covetous individuals.
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While Sigismund was still trying to concentrate and perform that awkward and heavy prayer in front of the mural depicting the emperor's glorious image, Chen Yu had already efficiently completed all the pre-departure preparations.

Two creations that are crucial to the future of the Empire—the Warp Engine Core and the Genesis Factor Ecosphere—have been carefully sealed in specially made, sturdy containers, and the base's defense system has been fully restarted and strengthened to the highest alert level.

During this brief interval of waiting, Sigismund, focused on his prayers, seemed to have reached an invisible critical point with his unwavering spirit.

His consciousness suddenly veered out of normalcy and entered a mysterious state that was difficult to describe.

All the sounds and sensations of the surrounding reality have faded away, replaced by a profound awareness that is enveloped and scrutinized by an infinite power.

He "sense" it—a vast, ancient will, containing unimaginable power and coldness, yet carrying an endless burden, like light from the origin of the universe, piercing through layers of dimensions and precisely focusing on his soul.

Without a doubt, Sigismund instantly realized in the depths of his soul—this was the gaze of the Lord of Mankind, the Emperor.

The Emperor did indeed respond to Sigismund's prayer.

Despite the absence of any external signs or miracles, Sigismund was absolutely certain that the profound perception that pierced the depths of his consciousness was the will of the Emperor, the ruler of mankind.

Although he did not receive specific verbal instructions, Sigismund understood his mission the moment he came into contact with that will.

(End of this chapter)