Warhammer: Striving to Be a Grinding Man

Chapter 197 Network Protocol 947.M41

Ten days after the Anglican Army's mopping-up operation, the administrative core of Dagonus's capital, the city, had resumed basic operations. Bullet holes in the outer armor plating hadn't been completely patched, and the ventilation ducts emitted intermittent whistles when restarted, but the holographic projection console in the command center was already lit again. Herman had ordered the conference table moved into the former tactical room. On that long, adamantite-cast table, there was a groove melted through by an energy weapon; the technical craftsmen had repeatedly suggested replacing it, but Herman had rejected it. That groove needed no explanation. The city had been on the verge of falling just days before.

Cohen sat opposite Herman. Lady Silver stood behind Herman, clutching a data tablet, her shoulders slightly relaxed compared to a few weeks ago. With the war over, the weight of the family's survival had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

Herman spoke without looking at the data panel, his gaze fixed on the gear and skull emblem on Cohen's chest, as if using that emblem to ascertain the level of opponent he was facing: "Your Excellency, Director of Foundry. We've gone through the draft agreement three times. The toll calculation method—based on both relative mileage and tonnage in the real universe—Gallos hasn't made any excessive demands on this clause. We are well aware of the dangers of warp space, so we accept this."

Cohen didn't respond. Herman waited a moment, making sure he wouldn't get any more information, then spoke again: "The navigation ships are provided by Garros, the garrison is dispatched by Garros, and use of the network channels requires application to the garrison, who then dispatches navigation." He paused, tapping his finger lightly on the edge of the table. "These are the terms that must be accepted for passage through Garros' network channels. We know that. The terms themselves are not the problem."

"What's the problem?"

Hermann's prosthetic eye contracted slightly, as if closing an overloaded reading window, then reopened: "The problem is that the network currently connects to too few galaxies. I've looked at the node distribution map of the real universe. The network that Dagonus connects to is the first node Galos connects to in the Colonus expansion. The most crucial gold route to Terra is still at war in Karasta. The Valancius family's ability to use the network for foreign trade remains limited."

"The war in Karata will end," Cohen said. "Until then, the Garros Web Fleet will continue to expand. Dagonus is the twenty-third system in which the Garros Web has intervened, and the fifth hive world."

He paused for a moment: "Galros is continuously searching for and opening new network nodes. This can be confirmed as the process is faster than expected."

Hermann's prosthetic eye briefly locked onto Cohen, as if assessing a number never before seen in intelligence. In the Colonus Expansion Zone, this attitude had only two interpretations: either an inflated bluff or an ironclad confidence forged over centuries. Hermann chose the latter. He set down the data panel, his fingers pausing briefly on the edge of the table, before speaking: "The agreement is fine."

"Navigation ship is a relatively new term," Hermann said. "Could you elaborate on its specific duties and capabilities?"

Cohen remained silent, not responding. Marcus continued, "The navigation ship is a modified artillery barge based on the Forged World. The standard configuration includes four psionicists, one navigator, one astro-speaker, four tech priests, and a squad of ecclesial guards. The psionicists possess the activation keys to the Webway gates and are responsible for opening and closing them; the navigator plans the Webway path, their senses extending along the psionic energy channels to determine the direction and stability of the tunnel ahead; the astro-speakers are adapted to the unique nature of Webway communication—they not only conduct regular astral broadcasts but also embed information into the pulse of Webway psionic energy itself, transmitting it to receivers within the tunnel's coverage area. The tech priests operate the hull, servants, and weapon systems. The ecclesial guards are responsible for the navigation ship's own security."

Ms. Yin quickly jotted down notes on the data panel without looking up: "What about the navigation ship's scheduling cycle?"

"It depends on the size of the garrison and the need for passage. A typical hive world has a garrison of 1,000 troops plus one navigation ship. An important world has a garrison of 10,000 troops plus a squadron of five navigation ships," Marcus said. "Dagonus is configured according to the important world configuration."

Hermann's prosthetic eye contracted again—he was calculating rapidly. The network management fees for a garrison of one thousand and those for ten thousand were not on the same scale. But the Valancius family had just escaped death; the scorch marks still floated in orbit, and the wounds of their home planet had not yet healed. That weariness overwhelmed his instinctive wariness of the garrison. The calculation was quickly sorted out in his mind.

"There are also confidentiality clauses." Ms. Yin looked up from the data panel. "I need to confirm the implementation details of the descriptions of the Emperor's Psionic Imprint and the declassification conditions in the appendix to the agreement."

Marcus's voice remained silent: "Network information must not be disclosed to any third party in any form. Violators will be subject to extermination orders, depending on the severity of the offense. This treaty is witnessed by the Emperor's Psionic Imprint and the conditions and timing for declassification are yet to be determined. The Valancius family will remain silent about the contents of this agreement to other factions in the expansion zone, and Garros will also remain silent about the flow of resources to Dagonus. This is a two-way street."

Hermann's prosthetic eye contracted slightly the moment the words "Imperial Psionic Imprint" were uttered, then returned to normal. He didn't inquire about the origin of the clause. In the Imperial political system, the Emperor's Psionic Imprint meant that the validity of the agreement was directly linked to the direction of the throne—any attempt to overstep the agreement could be interpreted as a violation of the Emperor's will. Hermann knew what this meant.

He picked up the data pen and signed his name in the signature section at the end of the agreement. The strokes were steady, with a slight pause at the end. Lady Silver stood behind him, watching the dark gold signature spread along the grain of the paper. Her gaze didn't linger on the signature for long, but instead moved to a tiny note etched with golden runes in the corner of the data panel: "The Emperor is watching you."

Hermann put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. As his fingers left the pen, his hand lingered on the table for a moment, as if confirming that what he had just signed was not an IOU, but a ticket to a new sea route. The Valancius family had operated in the Colonus expansion for countless millennia, experiencing both prosperity and decline, but never before had they signed a document that granted them both security guarantees and navigational privileges.

"The agreement is in effect." Cohen didn't reach for the data panel. "The Dagonus garrison will be in place within a month. The first batch will consist of a fully-fledged Apostolic Legion and a fleet of subordinate navigation ships. Any Chaos Cult remnants and Genestealers left over from the cleanup will be handled by the Valancius family. If these enemies of the Empire are found to be resurfacing, request reinforcements directly from the garrison."

Hermann raised his prosthetic eye slightly: "Do these troops have autonomy?"

"The command chain for the Garros garrison here," Marcus said, "is at the legion level, with autonomous command and decision-making authority. Dagonus is a crucial node; its stability benefits Garros and the Empire."

Ms. Yin then asked, "What is the construction timeline for the space anchoring facility?"

"The Valancius family is responsible for providing fuel, backup water, and assisting the garrison in building space anchoring facilities in the Netway area locally in Dagonus," Marcus said. "Small-scale spaceport, berths and habitation modules, and appropriate weapon arrays. The technical team from Garros will arrive within a month and begin planning."

As soon as Marcus finished speaking, Cohen got up and walked towards the door, with Marcus following behind.

Ms. Silver and Herman rose and bowed until their figures disappeared around the corner of the corridor. Ms. Silver closed the data panel and placed it back on the edge of the long table. Herman sat down again, the focus of his mechanical eye slowly shifting—a habitual action he performed when deep in thought.

"We have been forged into the skeleton of cyber warfare," Ms. Yin said, her voice slightly softer than before.

Hermann's prosthetic eye stopped. He was silent for a moment, then spoke: "Very clear. The Valancius family has entered another golden age. The Emperor is watching us."

Ms. Yin turned to look at her brother: "This is an opportunity. We also have a mission to fulfill."

“Yes,” Herman said, his finger tracing the edge of the groove melted through the table. “Our mission is to use the Web, to identify the Web, and to use it as much as possible as a means of trade. At the same time, we must strengthen our military forces to defend the Web if necessary. Director Garros has already given a clear indication of this. And a 10,000-strong Guardian Legion is permanently stationed in Dagonus—this is to protect the Web, and also to monitor us. It’s obvious we need to strengthen our own capabilities.”

Lady Silver picked up the data tablet again and turned to the appendix at the end of the agreement. The Emperor's psionic imprint glowed with a faint golden light on the paper, like a layer of lingering warmth pressed into the paper fibers. She looked at it for a few seconds, then closed the data tablet: "The Valancius family is on the crest of the wave. The Web is expanding, and the war in Karata will end sooner or later. By then, the entire Empire will be using the Web, and we, being ahead of the curve, are both the blade and our hands, able to cleave the way forward."

Herman stood up and walked to the window. Dusk fell over Dagonus outside, the lingering smoke from the Apostolic Guard's mopping-up operation still drifting low in the air. His prosthetic eye fell on the hull of the hive city under repair: "How's the shipbuilding order progressing?"

"The three ships ordered from Garros are already on the slipway. Other orders from the foundry world are lined up on the slipway and are expected to take more than ten years to arrive. The earliest we can expect to receive them are these three from Garros."

"Find a way to increase shipbuilding orders in Garros, go all out," Herman said. "The equipment we bought for Garros earlier this time has been invaluable, otherwise our home planet would have fallen long ago. No matter what it takes, we must strengthen ourselves. Put everything in the family treasury that hasn't been used yet into the furnace."

While in orbit around Dagonus, Cohen received a notification from Garros Netway Port after returning to the Black Pearl.

The first page reports the latest developments in the expansion of the Web. The number of Dark Eldar raiding fleets is steadily decreasing, and while Garros's ambush tactics remain effective, their gains are diminishing. There are two reasons for this: First, Gamor's main fleet has largely shifted its focus towards Karasta. The Emperor's efforts to repair the Web have drawn the attention of the entire Eldar, resulting in a significant reduction in the number of raiding fleets operating in the Kronus expansion and peripheral sectors. Second, after several fleets disappeared within the Web, Gamor began sending out reconnaissance squadrons to search along the original routes. Garros's Web fleet clashed with these reconnaissance squadrons multiple times, annihilating them all, but Gamor has sensed the anomaly and has begun consciously shrinking its raiding range. The prey has become more cautious.

The Garros Webway Fleet Command recommended a strategy adjustment: abandoning ambushes in favor of proactive reconnaissance. Engineering teams, carrying portable Webway portals, entered the target system to conduct on-site testing. If usable Webway nodes existed in the system, the engineering teams recorded the node sizes and implanted psionic markers.

"Continue the ambush tactics," Cohen said after reading the first report. "At the same time, advance active exploration."

Marcus stood behind the tactical platform: "What about the risks for the engineering team? What if the Eldar discover that the anomalous nodes are being continuously activated—"

"The engineering teams are only responsible for opening doors, marking, and withdrawing." Cohen put down the data panel. "The risks have been compressed to an acceptable level under the Emperor's watchful eye. The engineering teams themselves are all frigate-class, with portable netgates operating inside the ships, which is enough to strengthen the Guardians. This method is faster than an ambush. We no longer passively wait for the prey to come to us; we are actively creating maps. Especially the psionic markings—a breakthrough granted by the Emperor. Our trained navigators are highly proficient in exploration and identification. The compatibility of navigators and star-speakers in the net—these designs seem to have been pressed under the throne for millennia, just waiting for a pair of hands that could bear their weight."

The first page also reported that the internal construction of Eternal Bulwark II and III has entered a high-speed phase, with the Tech-Priest team installing weapon platforms, industrial facilities, and living modules. From the outset, these base ships were designed as purely military fortresses—they will be deployed at known major passageways to Gamor, serving as defensive nodes. The military dependents originally planned for the base ships have been transferred to permanent facilities at the Garros Network Port. As mineral resources from the Shattered Galaxy flow unimpeded through the network, the Garros Network Port is rapidly expanding into a complete residential node, with increasingly sophisticated and larger facilities.

Cohen turned the page and paused when he saw the Netway ship planning proposal attached to the end of the report. He read a few lines, then turned to Marcus and said, "The Netway ship proposal is a priority. Tell the technical committee to reserve a place for it in the schedule of the new orbital port dock."

Marcus made a note on the data board. The Netway Ship was a completely new ship design capable of warp travel in the real universe, equipped with a void shield, Geller field, and standard weapon arrays. But its core function lay elsewhere. When the Netway Ship arrived in a system with a Netway node, it could automatically deploy a five-kilometer-class Netway gate folded onto its hull's spine, which could be activated by the ship's psionicists once deployed. This meant that in most systems, Garros would no longer need the Forging Director to personally shape the gate; the ship itself was the gate, connecting automatically upon arrival. It could be deployed mobilely, or become a permanent facility. This would be the standard paradigm for expanding the Netway in the Forging World. The biggest challenge for the Netway Ship at present was that the Netway gate itself still needed to be pre-shaped by Cohen—a step that could not be skipped at present, but each step was reinserting the legacy of the Old Ones into the Imperium's framework.

The second page contained military intelligence on the Solar Star Region. The content was even more dense than before—Imperial Regent Guilliman had issued dozens of orders in recent weeks, deploying resources across all star regions of the empire: the Solar Star Region was placed on full mobilization, with all mobile forces deployed towards the Karasta direction; the Storm Star Region, Pacific Star Region, Misty Star Region, and Limit Star Region were all required to strengthen their defenses and patrol density, while closely monitoring the Solar Star Region's movements and being prepared to send forces to stabilize the situation at any time. The entire empire was on high alert.

"Guilliman is drawing on the entire Empire to maintain the defenses of the Solar System," Marcus said. "He's using the depth of the Empire to dilute the pressure on Karasta."

Cohen didn't reply. He turned to the second half of the second page—another piece of news was even more eye-catching than the military mobilization. The original High Lords Council had been reorganized into the Governing Council, expanding its seats from twelve to one hundred, covering the major powers across the Empire's star systems. Those old powers that originally held seats in the council dared not utter a word of opposition to the reforms. Meanwhile, the emerging powers—military commanders, representatives of the Forge World, and generals of the Astral Army—were loudly praising the new council. Guilliman was carrying out reforms while waging war, and his first move was to restructure the Empire's power structure, all under the Emperor's watchful eye.

Cohen put down the second page and picked up the third page.

The third page contains encrypted communications sent from the direction of Lucius via messenger ships. Vitellius's signature is at the bottom of the page.

The text was short, but Cohen read it twice.

Vitellius confirmed that Commissar Arrek had gained unprecedented political support after the Emperor's psionic manifestation and had been appointed Supreme Commander of the Armageddon Sector, with authority over the entire northeastern frontier of the Solar System. Within weeks of the appointment, Arrek began a full-scale mobilization. Those nobles and governors who attempted to delay, evade, or even openly defy orders were dealt with one by one by Arrek using his wartime emergency powers. Well-informed sources said that Arrek imprisoned disobedient nobles and publicly executed delaying governors. Vitellius concluded his report by saying that he was frantically assembling an army, everyone was ready to fight, with a clear objective—the Greenskins of Karasta.

Cohen lowered the data panel and leaned back in his chair. Outside the porthole was the night hemisphere of Dagonus, the firelight having changed from a pulsating dark red to intermittent orange-red. The Black Pearl began its voyage, heading towards the outer network gate of the galaxy.

Arrek identifies himself as a Greenskin, and Cohen is well aware of what the Emperor is doing. The multi-front war in Karasta has raged for months, and the Greenskins' War Moon has further complicated the situation. Arrek's mortal army will be the final blow to the Greenskins. The Commissar's consolidated power in the Armageddon Sector is undoubtedly related to the Emperor's will; otherwise, Arrek couldn't have bypassed so much resistance to rise to the top of the entire sector.

Cohen closed the data panel, stood up, and walked towards his private workshop. Since returning to Garros from Karasta, he had never truly stopped. During each voyage on the Black Pearl, he would take time to create mechs, hundreds to thousands at a time. His sense of crisis was constantly on edge; he couldn't stop. The waiting area at Garros's Webport was almost completely filled with these steel formations. Tens of thousands of Starfortress mechs gleamed dimly in the waiting area's lights, their optical lenses glowing a dark red light in standby mode, like a sleeping steel forest. They didn't need the presence of data craftsmen—their mech souls instinctively connected to Cohen's consciousness during the creation stage, directly linking to his perception. Previously, when using Starfortress mechs, he needed to publicly claim to be a data craftsman to conceal the chain of command; now, at least in front of his own people, he no longer needed to pretend—they recognized him from the moment they took shape and knew whose command to take.

Cohen sat down at the workbench, the field unfolded, and atoms were retrieved from the warehouse, condensing layer by layer according to the blueprint. Batch after batch, the mechs silently lined up in the open space in front of the workbench, then automatically left the workshop and entered the Black Pearl's warehouse. When the Black Pearl entered the Garros Network Port, they would automatically proceed to the depths of the port's waiting area. There, their predecessors already stood, silent and loyal.

After the Black Pearl docked at Garros Netway Port, new messenger intelligence arrived. The Garros Interstellar Relay Tower received the latest Imperial interstellar report. A galactic-wide broadcast had just been decoded and was hastily delivered to Garros Netway Port by messenger: "The Emperor's tenth son, Primarch, Felus Manus, has been resurrected in Karasta. Rejoice for the great Empire!"

Cohen stood before the data panel, staring at the words, silent for a moment. The cold, psionic light outside the porthole seemed to dim slightly. He, this butterfly, had altered the course of the entire empire; he didn't know if it was for better or worse. He recalled that morning in the Deep Nest, when he couldn't even get a sip of clean water. Looking at the cold, psionic light before him and the distant flames of war, he could only move forward. He himself could no longer extricate himself from this machine.

Marcus walked up behind him, the blue halo of his right mechanical eye glowing in the dim light. He had seen the message too.

"Feralus Manus—" Marcus's voice wasn't loud, but each word was delivered with firm composure, "The Primarch of the Iron Hand. He died at the hands of Forgrim during the Horus Rebellion. He has been resurrected."

Cohen didn't answer. He turned and walked toward the bridge, his boots striking the metal grille with each short, echoing step. The Black Pearl was about to set sail again, new coordinates already planned. He stood at the bridge window, watching the psionic walls of the network stretch into the distance on either side.

The agreement with the Valancius family has been signed, and the garrison and navigation ship fleet will be in place within a month. Dagonus's role has changed from "the burning hive" to "the first network node in the Colonus expansion." Eternal Bulwark II and III are taking shape, Starfortress caravans are filling the port's standby area, and new network paths are being connected back to the network one by one. The network ship design has entered the dock scheduling phase, with the first ship to be launched and tested within the year. It won't be the first; Cohen plans to build at least five, with the sixth being artificially constructed.

Feralus Manus has been resurrected. Arek is amassing forces from Amegiddon toward Karasta. Guilliman is reshaping the entire Empire's military and political structure with the power of the Imperial Regent. Gamor's main fleet is lurking at the edge of the rift in Karasta. The Chaos army continues to pour forth, and the Greenskins' war moon continues to roar.

The war in Karasta is not over yet. But the Web is expanding. The Web of Garros is growing simultaneously from two directions, like a furnace forged in the void, its furnace far from full, yet sparks have already splashed onto distant stars.