Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 389 Mars' Defeat (Fifth Update)
The news of the successful warp drive test was like a thunderclap in a confined space, completely changing the negotiation situation between the Martian Council and the Forging World Alliance.

The impact it brought, especially Chen Yu's explicit statement of support for the alliance plan, standing on the same side as Vox and others, was nothing short of a spiritual earthquake for the Mars Council.

When negotiations resumed, the atmosphere was completely different from before.

In the data stream of the Mars delegation, the composure and arrogance based on absolute authority that were once present have disappeared, replaced by a kind of sluggishness and heaviness that is tried to be concealed but is still discernible.

They are facing a situation that is almost unsolvable.

The core contradiction is laid bare: if the monopoly on technology certification and production licenses is lifted as demanded by the alliance, the foundation upon which the Mars headquarters relies to maintain its superior status will collapse instantly.

Mars' control over other forged worlds does not stem from mere military or economic superiority, but rather from a set of technological constraints, manifested in "standards" and "licenses," established since the Great Crusades and the founding of the Empire.

Without this privilege, Mars, in legal terms, will no longer be fundamentally different from other forged worlds such as Nexus, Gloria, and Lucius; it will simply be one of the larger and more ancient ones.

This is something Mars would find extremely difficult to accept.

However, reality forced them to accept it.

Before the test was successful, the existence of Primarch Rogue Dorn was more like a potential deterrent, forcing the extreme opposition within Mars to subside and be willing to sit down at the negotiating table for "consultation".

At that time, Mars still had room to maneuver, believing that at most it would have to pay some price to "compromise," and was far from needing to "bow down."

But now, everything is different.

The warp drive is no longer a theory on paper or a prototype yet to be verified; it is a mature technology that has been tested in real-world scenarios and witnessed by the Primarchs.

What Chen Yu holds in his hands are real bargaining chips that are enough to reshape the future of the empire.

He chose to place his bet on his ally.

More importantly, the will of the Primarch of Dorne, bolstered by the success, became clearer and stronger than ever before.

Continuing the confrontation is no longer a wise move.

The problem facing the Martian Council at this moment is not whether to bow down, but how to bow down.

They must make every effort to "kneel less unsightly" amidst inevitable concessions, attempting to salvage some clauses from the ruins of the collapsing old order that can maintain face and even residual influence.

"...Regarding the necessity of standardized technology, we still stand firm." The code of the Martian Chief Sage carried an almost rigid insistence, but behind this insistence lay a waning strength. "However, in specific technological fields, a 'Joint Research and Certification Committee' could be established, with joint participation from Mars and the major forging worlds..."

Vox's mechanical tentacles emitted a soft, questioning click, interrupting him: "The definition of 'participation' needs to be clarified, Chief Sage. Does it mean having the power to decide, or merely the power to advise?"
We believe that for technologies independently developed and successfully validated by each foundry, the certification authority should belong to the developing party. The committee should only be responsible for registration and information sharing to ensure basic compatibility.

Chen Yu calmly joined in, his data stream precise and deadly: "The technical standards for the warp drive will be formulated by me personally, combining test data with the actual needs of the Imperial Navy."

I suggest that this serve as a model for the new standard-setting process—led by the technology creators, with all parties negotiating to ensure applicability.

The data stream from Mars experienced a period of severe disruption.

Chen Yu's remarks are tantamount to stripping Mars of its say in new core technology standards and completely marginalizing it.

The negotiations entered their most brutal phase. The Martian side was suffering setbacks, attempting to establish defenses in every detail and retain even the slightest bit of their past privileges.

Meanwhile, the Allies pressed forward relentlessly, using their strong factual backing and united front to dismantle Mars' resistance one by one.

Mars, the center of the Mechanicus, is being forced to dismantle the technological barriers it itself had built and was so proud of.

This process is painful and slow, but the tide has turned and there is no turning back.

All they can do now is leave as many Martian marks as possible on the new agreement that is destined to be signed and symbolizes the transfer of power, in order to delay the moment when they will be completely dethroned.
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Faced with a series of setbacks at the formal negotiating table and an inability to hold any substantial line of defense, the Mars side finally resorted to their least preferred but last resort – bypassing the alliance and making private contact with the key figure, Chen Yu.

An extremely secretive meeting takes place deep within an ancient data sanctuary on Mars.

Representing the Martian Council was a highly respected sage who rarely appeared in public; the edges of his red robe were embroidered with silver threads symbolizing ancient traditions.

Without any unnecessary pleasantries, the other party directly presented Chen Yu with astonishing conditions using a tightly encrypted binary stream:
Mars will use all its resources and influence to help Chen Yu establish a completely new forging world that belongs entirely to him in a resource-rich star system, and Mars will guarantee that the world will receive long-term production orders sufficient to sustain its operation and even prosper.
Immediately grant Chen Yu the title of "Great Sage," a title with extremely high authority and honor within the Cult of Mechanics, thus securing him a place in the Martian Council.
He was given a complete, un-cracked STC template in private, which was of immeasurable value;
In addition, it includes opening up a portion of Mars' secret technological treasure trove, allowing him to choose several precious ancient technological relics...

Any one of these conditions would be enough to drive most tech priests crazy, willing to pay any price.

This is undoubtedly the greatest sincerity Mars can offer in order to protect its core interests, aiming to bring Chen Yu, the biggest variable, back into Mars' camp, or at least keep him neutral.

However, Chen Yu's dark red mechanical body stood still in the dim light of the temple, its scarlet optical lens steadily watching the other party without any fluctuation.

He calmly received the entire stream of information without even spending extra time "weighing" or "calculating".

“Thank you for the Mars Council’s high regard.” Chen Yu’s synthesized voice remained calm and composed, showing no sign of being swayed by the enormous benefits. “But what I pursue is not the creation of a personal world or a title.”

He paused slightly, allowing the meaning of his words to be clearly conveyed: "Technological progress should serve the empire as a whole, rather than become a tool for a minority faction to consolidate power."

A more open, competitive, and dynamic technological environment is far more valuable than an isolated island belonging to an individual.

While STC templates and ancient relics are undoubtedly valuable, their significance is greatly diminished if the knowledge they contain is monopolized and cannot be transformed into a practical force propelling the empire forward.

He flatly rejected this tempting offer, his code conveying an unwavering resolve: "My stance will not change. I support establishing a fairer system for technology sharing and certification. This is in the best interest of the Empire."

The data stream of the Martian Great Sage instantly froze. Although his heavily modified face could not display a wide range of expressions, the drastic changes in the focal length of the optical lens and the sudden increase in noise from the internal cooling system revealed his shock and incomprehension.

He couldn't imagine that someone could so readily refuse such a "generous gift," simply for the sake of a seemingly intangible "overall interest of the empire."

Chen Yu's refusal completely blocked Mars' last chance to undermine the alliance from the side.

He not only possesses the technology to change the landscape, but also a frightening clarity and foresight that remains unmoved by immediate interests.

This clarity makes Mars' final struggle seem particularly pale and futile.

The reality they now have to face is that they have not only been surpassed technologically, but they have also lost in terms of morality and overall perspective.

(End of this chapter)