Warhammer: Empire Reboot

“If you are going to inspect the throne, I would like to be there to explain those structures.”

This statement serves two purposes.

Technically, he certainly knows best what the Mechanics have been doing for the past ten thousand years.

Politically, he also needs to prove that he still has value.

Guilliman looked at him: "I'll give you time to explain, but not now. Get all the files ready first."

"...Yes, sir."

Further on, only Lawson, Guilliman, Lane, Trajan, Leontus, and Morven Val remained.

The Gate of Eternity is now visible. It stands at the end of the long corridor.

The Imperial Guards stationed here are few in number, but each of them has the power to directly refuse entry to high-ranking officials of the Empire.

Leontus stopped first, then turned toward Losen.

"Sir, my authority ends here."

"The military forces surrounding Terra and the defenses of the palace have been adjusted according to Lord Guilliman's orders. If troops are needed next, I will execute them immediately."

Lawson nodded, and Leontus stepped back.

Moven Waal also stopped.

"My lord, the nuns are on high alert. If the palace needs to be cleared, I await orders."

Moven Waal clenched his fist and pressed it to his chest, then stepped back to Leontus' side.

Ryan stopped here as well.

He gazed at the Gate of Eternity, and after a moment, said, "Father wants to see you today. I'll wait outside for the outcome."

Trajan commanded: "Open the Gate of Eternity."

"Yes, sir."

The heavy mechanical structure began to operate, and the Gate of Eternity slowly opened!

Chapter 292 Emperor: Don't worry, I'll fully support you.

The silver door closed behind Lawson.

This place is now close to the very depths of the Imperial Palace in the true sense.

Losen walked forward along the ancient passage.

The further you go in, the clearer the presence of the golden throne becomes.

The swarm intelligence swept across the outer structure, and a large amount of data immediately entered Lawson's consciousness.

The Cult of Mechanics wasn't lying. The Golden Throne is indeed nearing its limit.

Lawson continued forward, and finally he saw the Emperor.

The person on the golden throne bears little resemblance to the figure who led the great expedition ten thousand years ago.

The mechanical structure occupies the entire field of vision.

Countless life-sustaining tubes and neural interfaces extended from inside the throne, connecting to the long-withered body.

The skin clung tightly to the bones, the arms were withered and shrunken, and the chest showed almost no normal rise and fall.

Metal components pass through the body, connecting to the spine, skull, and remaining organs.

Once capable of wielding a sword with one hand, fighting orc giants, and possessing a body that could suppress even the Great Demon City, now only a shell forcibly maintained by machinery remains.

But what Klossen saw was far more than just this body.

In his psychic vision, the emperor on the golden throne shone brightly.

It was a golden sea of ​​fire that covered the boundary between reality and the subspace.

In the sea of ​​fire, countless fragments of consciousness intertwined.

There were even more consciousnesses scattered in directions that Lawson couldn't immediately discern.

The emperor's consciousness had been stretched into countless parts, without rest for ten thousand years.

Lawson stood there for a long time.

Even though he had seen so much, at this moment, he still didn't know how to evaluate the person in front of him.

Emperors are never easy to judge.

Some consider him the greatest savior in human history.

Some also believe he was a failed father and a dictator who dragged the entire galaxy into war.

He deceived his own son and took advantage of those closest to him.

He destroyed religion, yet was ultimately revered as a god by the entire empire.

He built a human empire that pursued reason, but what he left behind was a ruin supported by the church, bureaucracy, mechanical superstition, and endless wars.

But there is one thing that no one can deny.

When the Horus Rebellion ended, when his body was shattered, when the Human Network Project failed completely, and when the entire Empire began its long decline.

He sat on the golden throne and remained there for ten thousand years.

There are countless people in this world who are willing to let others die for humanity.

The only person who could truly make me burn little by little through ten thousand years of suffering, yet still refuse to let go, is the one right in front of me.

Lawson approached the throne and bowed in respect.

What he was doing was not the etiquette between a ruler and his subject, but the most basic respect a human being could show to another human being who had endured ten thousand years of suffering for the sake of their race.

The golden light throughout the space changed in the next moment.

A consciousness began to gather from countless chaotic fragments.

Finally, a voice appeared directly in Lawson's consciousness.

You've finally arrived.

Lawson looked up and surveyed the golden throne.

“Your Golden Throne is in trouble, and those idiots in the Cult of Mechanics can’t fix it, so I had no choice but to come here.”

The emperor remained silent for a moment.

The Cult of Mechanics has many problems, but they also maintained the Empire's industrial system for ten thousand years. Lawson, do you know why the Empire's symbol is the double-headed eagle?

Lawson laughed; the Emperor was just giving him a heads-up.

“I do know that. The double-headed eagle, one head looks towards Terra, representing the ancient human empire, and the other head looks towards Mars, representing the Mechanicus. This was the compromise you made when you signed the alliance with Mars to unite all of humanity’s technological power.”

[Just so you know, the Empire cooperated with Mars, which led to the formation of the later Empire.]

Now that you've entered Terra, given your personality, you'll most likely take action against the Mechanicus. If you want to distance yourself from them, you must first consider the consequences.

Lawson said, "The Empire's dark side technology system is mature. I can tell you very clearly that even if we completely abandon the Mechanicus, the Empire will not stop operating."

The emperor's golden consciousness showed a noticeable fluctuation.

Lawson continued, "If the Mechanicus chooses to wage war, I am confident that I can end it within a few months. I have already conducted simulations of the Martian Fleet, the Titan Legion, the Forging World, and the Knight World."

"Of course, I don't like civil war, but if they are willing to continue cooperating, I can reserve a place for them."

"If they insist on challenging us, then that's another story."

Lawson could sense that the Emperor was deep in thought.

That way of thinking is very strange; the other person's consciousness will suddenly become focused.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of fragments were taken away by other things.

Within seconds, Lawson even sensed that a portion of his spirit suddenly drifted out of the solar system, while another portion ventured into subspace.

The Emperor's mental state was far worse than described in the Mechanicus report.

Lawson watched for a while: "How long can you keep this up?"

If the Golden Throne remains unchanged, the future is uncertain and cannot be accurately predicted.

Lawson sighed, "Then don't push yourself like that. I'm not only here in Terra to repair the throne, but I can also help you unload a few important burdens."

This time, the golden light that was originally scattered throughout the space clearly concentrated in the direction of Lawson.

The emperor's attention was now much more focused.

Lawson didn't waste any words.

“I know that you have devoted a significant portion of your energy to controlling and guiding the Star Torch. You can stop this work now. I can replace your system. The Dark Side of the Empire has already used and verified it in practice. During the process of reconnecting more than 400,000 worlds to the Empire, a large number of fleets have been using it.”

"Data is available for interstellar transportation, military expeditions, network node docking, and short- and long-range subspace travel."

"In addition, the Star Court can gradually withdraw from history. The Cornerstone Sequence can also complete cross-sector information transmission, and it is faster than the Star Speakers."

For the first time, a clear sense of joy arose in the Emperor's mind: "Can you really do it?"

Lawson laughed: "I'm already halfway there, of course there's no problem."

A brief mental fluctuation emanated from the golden throne.

If the emperor could still control his facial expressions normally, he would probably have just smiled.

If... you could take over the navigation... it would really make my life much easier. Thank you!

Lawson shook his head: "You've sat here for ten thousand years for the sake of all humanity. All of humanity should thank you."

He looked at the skeleton.

"This is just one of them. There is another one that you need to choose for yourself."

The emperor's will awaits.

Lawson's gaze fell upon the area beneath the golden throne, a dark depth sealed off by endless runes and energy fields.

"As soon as you leave the Golden Throne, the rift in the net below will go out of control, and demons will rush out, turning Terra into a second Eye of Terror. So, you have two choices."

"First, if you want to stand up now, I can immediately begin relocating the civilians of Terra and transforming this planet into the Empire's most fortified military stronghold. We'll kill as many demons as they come out, but Terra will most likely be reduced to ruins."