Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 400 Apprentice Assessment (Sixth Update)
After dealing with matters concerning Holy Terra and submitting a detailed report to Roger Dorn regarding the first phase of the Imperial Fist Expeditionary Warriors' repair plan, Chen Yu did not linger in the vortex of power.

His core logic clearly prioritizes each task.

While waiting for feedback from the Primarch and the slow-moving Imperial bureaucracy, he turned his attention to another arrangement that had already been on the agenda.

The Eternal Seeker once again sailed into the turbulent waves of subspace.

However, this journey to the Death World base did not rely entirely on traditional subspace travel.

When the ship's sensors detect a subspace storm disturbance zone ahead that is difficult to bypass or that would take a lot of time to forcibly cross, Chen Yu will instruct the ship's control system to execute a brief but precise real-world surfacing procedure.

After briefly appearing in the void of the real universe, the warp drive at the tail of the Eternal Seeker will start, and a deep hum will replace the eerie echo of the subspace engine.

A stable warp bubble enveloped the ship's hull, allowing it to pass through the region of the physical universe that was blocked by the subspace storm at a speed exceeding the speed of light.

This not only effectively avoids navigation risks and significantly shortens the time required for detours, but also provides Chen Yu with valuable data on the compatibility and stability of various systems of the ship in the "subspace-warp" hybrid navigation mode.

The purpose of this trip is twofold. First, to further plan and strengthen the ancient ruins base located in the world of death. This facility serves as a backup base for exploration and important research in other dimensions, and its construction and security level need to be continuously improved.

The second purpose was to complete the assessment of apprentice David Martinez's one-year learning cycle.

When the massive hull of the "Eternal Seeker" completed its final short warp jump and finally stabilized in near-Earth orbit in the Death World, Chen Yu did not allow the cruiser to attempt to re-enter the atmosphere.

A modified, sharply styled shuttle was launched from the cruiser's belly, piercing the thin atmosphere like a metal arrow, and landed precisely on the take-off and landing platform of the ancient ruins base.

Chen Yu's massive, dark red body passed through the shuttle's door, stepped onto the base's metal floor, and headed towards the core area.

Ignis and several apprentice technologists, having been notified, were already waiting there, respectfully making a cog-shaped gesture.

"Report on the operational status of the base and the progress of the expansion of the East District Laboratory." Without any pleasantries, Chen Yu issued the order directly, his crimson optical lens scanning the scrolling data stream on the main screen of the control center.

Ignis stepped forward and began to report in a modulated, flat tone: "The energy core output is stable, with a deviation of less than 0.03 percent."

The defense array has completed its third round of periodic self-checks, and all nodes are online.

The newly added multi-functional environmental simulation system in the East Zone laboratory completed its final commissioning last week and has now been fully integrated into the base network.

Based on your plan, the next step is to establish a secondary storage facility beneath the rock strata on the north side of the ruins to accommodate any potential future increases in supplies or...samples.

While listening to the report, Chen Yu directly accessed recent detailed logs and energy allocation records through the data interface.

All parameters were within the preset range, and the base operated well under the rigorous, albeit somewhat uncreative, maintenance of his apprentices.

"You are responsible for submitting the proposal for the site selection and preliminary structural design of the secondary storage facility," Chen Yu said to Ignis. He then turned to the other apprentices and inquired about their maintenance of their respective modules and their understanding of the basic chapters of the Mechanical Bible.

The question-and-answer process is concise and efficient, much like a system self-check.

After finishing the base's routine affairs, Chen Yu's gaze finally fell on David Martinez and Lucy, who were standing quietly at the back of the apprentice team.

“David Martinez,” Chen Yu’s synthesized voice rang out. David immediately straightened his back, stepped forward, and tried to keep his voice steady: “Sage.”

“Your one-year study period is over. Come with me.” After saying this, Chen Yu turned and walked towards the specially designated biological research area within the base. David took a deep breath and followed.

Lucy watched his retreating figure, a barely perceptible hint of concern flashing in her purple eyes.

Inside the biological research area, various precision instruments operate quietly in a low-temperature environment, and the air is filled with the faint smell of disinfectant and nutrient solution.

Inside a transparent isolation chamber, there are arrays of biological tissue samples from different dimensions and with varying forms. Some of the samples show obvious characteristics of artificial gene disintegration or xenogeneic contamination.

“Your assessment task,” Chen Yu’s mechanical tentacles pointed to the isolation chamber, “is to independently complete the gene sequence stability assessment of a designated sample (labeled Beta-7) within the three standard timeframes, using existing equipment and knowledge, and submit an analysis report on its potential mutation tendencies and possible suppression strategies.”

Verification procedures using basic gene-editing tools are permitted.

The servo skull slid silently to David's side, projecting a detailed list of initial data and requirements for the assessment sample into its eye sockets.

David stared at the complex data stream and the unhealthy, grayish-white mass of biological tissue, his heart pounding involuntarily.

He knew this was not a simple test.

The genetic chain of the Beta-7 sample is extremely fragile and contains an inert code that is difficult to decipher; any improper operation could accelerate its collapse.

He recalled his year of study, poring over vast and complex textbooks on mechanical biology in front of the data panel, spending countless tedious practice nights with Lucy by his side, repeatedly operating those precise yet cold instruments, and understanding that understanding genetic code requires absolute precision and logic, just like understanding mechanical code...

He suppressed his nervousness, walked to the control panel, put on sensor gloves, and connected the neural interface.

His movements were a little awkward at first, but he quickly became focused and steady.

The optical microscope adjusted its focus, the gene sequencer began to hum, and the micromanipulator, under his control, performed sample extraction and reagent addition with extremely fine movements.

Chen Yu stood to the side, her crimson optical lens locking onto David's every step, recording his operational precision, logical judgment sequence, and coping strategies in the face of sudden data fluctuations.

There were no evaluations, no hints, only absolute observation.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on David's forehead, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He identified an atypical telomere wear pattern hidden in the sample and adjusted the original analysis path, using a little-known catalytic reagent mentioned in "Basic Xenogenetics" to successfully activate part of the inert coding and obtain more crucial mutation tendency data.

David submitted the report on time when the three-hour deadline arrived.

The report is detailed and well-supported by data. Although the proposed suppression plan is somewhat conservative, it is logically sound and takes into full account the current equipment limitations of the base laboratory.

(End of this chapter)