Warhammer: Starting with Industrial Revolution

After instructing the guards to send Governor Karl back, Ronin immediately began to examine the intelligence sent by his spies.

Dani's movements this time were very ordinary; it was simply a normal undercover visit.

She didn't linger in the middle-level factory area, heading straight for their destination, the lower nest area.

There, she and her adjutant randomly interviewed more than a dozen residents of Xiachao, asking them all about the core content of the whistleblower's letter:

His views on the Governor-General's new policies, the process for vagrants to obtain citizenship, the scale and standards of the conscription of the defense army, and his evaluation of Luo Ning himself.

Before it got completely dark, they took the elevator back to the top-floor starport.

After Dani returned to the Inquisition ship, she never came out again, and the security level around the ship remained unchanged.

Luo Ning looked at the two reports in his hands and fell into deep thought.

At least for now, the traitor in the shadows has not made contact with Dani, and at least his secret police have not detected anything unusual.

He waited until late at night, but no new messages came, so he simply didn't go home and spent the night on the sofa in his office.

Before going to sleep, he still remembered to instruct Galan: the surveillance of the airport and the lower nest must not stop for a moment, and any abnormal situation must be reported to him immediately, no matter what time it is.

The next morning, Dani arrived at the governor’s mansion on time with her adjutant.

Today's itinerary is to go to the chromium mining area on the outskirts of Chaodu for inspection.

Luo Ning immediately agreed, prepared a special car, and the group set off immediately.

Whether it's to help Dani verify the contents of the whistleblower's letter or to further lower the guard of the traitor lurking in the shadows, this mine is a place Dani must go.

Upon arriving at the mine, Dani refused all accompaniment, even dismissing the guards sent by Ronin, leaving only Ronin and her personal adjutant.

The mine that appeared before her was completely different from any slave mine on any other planet within the Empire.

In a normal imperial mine, the workers are always thin and numb, covered in wounds. Overseers will beat and scold them, or even execute them on the spot, if they are a little slow.

But the workers here are a completely different story.

They weren't exactly ruddy-faced or physically robust, but their eyes showed no signs of numbness or despair. Their enthusiasm for their work was evident, and their physical condition was far better than that of workers in other mines.

Even the supervisors on the sidelines had a completely different attitude than those on other planets.

He was more of a safety officer than a supervisor.

The only situation that could make them swear was when the workers didn't put on their safety helmets immediately after returning to work following a break.

This is nothing like a slave mine.

"The governor has reformed the employment system in the mines, abolishing the previous forced labor and implementing a system of payment based on work," Ronin explained politely beside her. "As long as you complete your daily work quota, extra work can be exchanged for food, drinking water, or even credit points."

Dani simply nodded, her data tablet rapidly recording everything before her; no one could discern a trace of emotion from her expression.

Soon, they reached the depths of the mine, which was distinctly different from other areas.

A high fence separated the entire area, and a large number of armed guards were on guard, preventing ordinary mine workers from getting any closer.

More importantly, the entire mining process is extremely secretive:

The conveyor belt transporting ore extends from deep within the mine shaft, with the other end directly connected to a nearby enclosed refining plant. The entire process is highly sealed, clearly indicating that the contents inside are not meant to be seen by outsiders.

"Lord Luo Ning, where is this place?"

Dani's voice was as cold as ice. Even Luo Ning couldn't tell for a moment whether it was an act for someone in the shadows or if she was genuinely suspicious.

Ronin maintained a calm smile and explained unhurriedly, "This is a special mining area under the full jurisdiction of the Mechanical Church. The ore here has low stability, so we have to use this closed transportation method to avoid safety accidents."

"Really?" Dani's gaze, sharp as a poisoned dagger, swept over every corner behind the fence before she slowly asked, "So, what kind of ore is being mined from this vein?"

"Your Honor, it is chromium ore," Ronin replied, maintaining his respectful demeanor and giving a flawless answer.

Without saying a word, Dani walked straight toward the mine entrance inside the fence.

The guards at the door instinctively raised their guns to stop them, but the next second they saw Luo Ning slowly shaking his head in a gesture, so they immediately lowered their guns, stood at attention, and made way for him.

Seemingly unconcerned about the dust and potential dangers in the mine, Dani walked deeper into the mine without looking back.

Just then, Luo Ning suddenly called out to her.

"Wait a minute, Your Honor!"

Dani turned around abruptly, her expression seemingly saying: I've got you caught red-handed.

Luo Ning simply smiled and handed over a brand-new safety helmet, his tone remaining calm: "The situation inside the mine is complex, safety comes first. Please make sure you wear a helmet before entering, Your Honor."

Dani stared intently into Ronin's eyes for a full three seconds, but ultimately said nothing. She took the helmet and silently put it on.

The group slowly ventured deeper into the mine. Dani looked up and surveyed her surroundings, her gaze growing increasingly sharp.

This mine is completely different from ordinary industrial chromium mines:

The tunnel walls are firmly secured with high-strength alloy support arms. The density of these support arms is almost extravagant, and the robust alloy structure gleams coldly under the light of the miners' lamps.

Clearly, the value of this mineral vein is on a completely different level from that of ordinary industrial titanium mines in the surrounding area.

As they ventured deeper and deeper, nearing the end, the pitch-black walls were clearly unlike any ordinary chromium mine.

"Lord Luo Ning, I remember that the mineral resources you reported to the Star District Government were all industrial-grade basic iron, right?"

Dani slowly turned around, her voice devoid of emotion, yet every word carried an undeniable sense of pressure.

Luo Ning nodded, his tone remaining calm: "That's right, Your Honor."

"I want to see the priest in charge of the mechanical church here."

Without almost a second's hesitation, her question was so sharp that it gave Luo Ning no time to react.

For a moment, Luo Ning was even a little dazed, wondering if this woman really intended to take this opportunity to thoroughly investigate all his violations.

Just as his mind raced, a figure emerged from around the corner at the end of the mine.

"An inquisitor from the sector? What business does he have with me?"

The person who came out was Father Lucizer. His deep red hood still covered most of his face, even in the well-lit mine, giving him an indescribable eeriness.

Since they discovered this high-purity chromium vein six months ago, this place has been entirely under the priest's responsibility.

Ronin almost never had any in-depth conversations with the priest, and he spent almost all his time buried in the mine, never asking about anything outside.

Before setting off, Ronin specifically instructed his subordinates to notify Viktor in advance, but he never expected that the person who would arrive in the end would be Father Lucize.

A thought instantly exploded in Luo Ning's mind: Can this person really be trusted?

By personally eliminating Baron Harker's power, he effectively destroyed his patron and cut off his continuous source of income.

Will he take this opportunity to retaliate against the judge?

Could it be that the very person who started that whistleblower letter is this unfathomable mechanical priest standing before us?

Just as Luo Ning's thoughts were racing, Dani had already gone to meet him.

Even when facing a priest from the Mechanical Church, she did not diminish her intimidating aura as an inquisitor.

"Father, I need to see the official exploration rating, mining permit, and all production records for this vein."