Warhammer: Empire Reboot

“Lossen may not believe it,” Elena said, “but he needs efficiency. Hundreds of worlds are waiting to be taken over. If Castor performs steadily, cooperates, can supply food and troops, and can open starports, he won’t immediately send down the main force of the Bi’an.”

She paused for a moment.

“He is a ruler, not a judge who only burns. A ruler uses order to his advantage.”

This statement is very accurate.

Augustus nodded slightly.

"you're right."

The high command of Castor-7 was unaware that the Foundation Sequence had infiltrated.

Their judgment was based on the external situation.

An announcement from Lawson.

Trial sample from Albitl-3.

Political intuition stemming from a shrewd governor and a high-ranking mixed-race heir.

They knew the wind had changed.

They also knew that the Squire of Agrippina was organizing the sector's internal affairs.

So they began preparing for censorship.

But they didn't know that Lawson's eyes were already in the room.

Those foundational sequences bowed their heads and worked quietly, like the most ordinary screws in this nest.

No one noticed.

The banquet at the Governor's Palace was held two days later.

This was an internal meeting, nominally the "Sector Reconstruction Response Council".

Attendees included Governor Augustus, his eldest daughter Elena, representatives of the seven noble families, the president of the Water Purification Guild, the director of the Food Bureau, the director of the Corpse Guild, the director of the Star Harbor Authority, the acting director of the Ministry of Justice, the chief priest of the state church, and the commander of the local defense forces.

Of these, more than half have already been placed in the ring.

The term "entering the circle" is used internally within the Castorian sect.

The person receiving the first kiss is the first link.

Its direct bloodline is the second link in the chain of infection.

Those of mixed blood who can integrate into human society are considered the third ring.

Those who control key nodes in administration, military, religion, and labor unions are known as the "Star Ring."

They considered themselves pioneers of a new kind of human being.

The chief priest of the state religion was also among them.

He wore a gold-trimmed ceremonial robe, and the imperial emblem still hung on his chest. However, on the back of the emblem were engraved four-armed symbols that only those who had entered the ring could understand.

After the banquet began, Augustus raised his glass.

"Gentlemen, the Sealholder of Agrippina has begun rebuilding the sector. Castor will face scrutiny sooner or later."

The VIP section fell silent.

The head of the grain bureau spoke first.

“Our accounts can withstand scrutiny. The number of grain warehouses, the flow of rations, and the records of relief efforts are all accurate. In the past three years, we haven’t even cut rations for middle-level workers like Albitel did.”

The president of the Water Purification Association said, "The same goes for the water purification system. The water usage in the aristocratic district has been reduced to a reasonable level. Several secret pipelines have been dismantled, at least on paper."

The director of the Corpse Guild coughed.

"The incineration records have been compiled. Some traces of early treatment have been classified as an epidemic isolation incident. The chain of witnesses has been completed."

The acting minister of the Ministry of Justice was seated at the table; he was one of the later ones to be infected.

Before joining Starring, he was a typical legal bureaucrat: cold, skeptical, and a believer in procedures. After joining, he didn't become dumber; instead, he became even more adept at handling procedures.

“The problem isn’t with the accounts,” he began. “The Bi’an Warband will look for the chain of motives. Albitel was breached because the Governor’s Mansion traded people with the Red Pirates; the motive and the evidence are consistent. Castor needs to present the opposite image.”

Elena took over the conversation.

"Therefore, the relief center will expand its porridge distribution. The local defense forces will publicly arrest several smuggling gangs. The noble council will hand over two old clans. The grain bureau will provide a batch of reserve grain. The water purification workers will open three mid-level water stations."

A noble representative whispered, "Won't handing over the old clans cause panic?"

Elena looked at him.

“We need to show the Seal Bearers that Castor has the ability to self-purify. Sacrificing a few non-circling ancient races can ensure the stability of the entire planet.”

That was said very lightly.

But everyone present understood.

Those old noble families might be somewhat corrupt, might have some private armies, and might still be secretly wary of the governor's office. Handing them over would both serve as a means of investigating gifts and further eliminate forces outside the ring.

The local defense commander asked, "What should we do if Rosson requests the deployment of management personnel?"

Augustus said, "I accept."

This statement caused some nobles to change their expressions.

Augustus continued, "Refusing to send troops is tantamount to admitting guilt. Only by accepting them can we control what they see."

The acting minister of the Ministry of Justice nodded.

“We can design a reception route. Let them go through the cleanest departments first.”

Elena added, "Don't overdo it. Overdoing it will seem fake. Give them some minor issues, a few instances of mid-level corruption, a few corrupt union officials, a few illegal money laundering schemes. Give them something to investigate."

The high priest whispered, "Let them think they see the shadow, so they won't immediately lift the floorboards."

This remark brought smiles to the faces of many people at the table.

They are confident.

Castor-Seven has been operating for too long; the sect's roots have bypassed too many walls, too many ledgers, and too many bloodlines.

They believed that unless Lawson burned the entire planet like the Inquisition, it would be difficult to discover the core in the short term.

But Lawson wouldn't do that.

He wants star sectors, population, food, and factories.

Castor is valuable.

If something has value, there is room for negotiation.

Augustus raised his glass.

"For Castor."

Everyone raised their glasses.

Some say, "For the emperor."

Some say, "For the four-armed emperor."

The two voices did not conflict in the banquet hall.

Chapter 183 The Cunning Invasion and the Regent's Plea for Help

At the same time, on the outer perimeter of the Governor's Palace, a cleaning mechanic was inspecting equipment in the corner.

His uniform was dusty, his toolbox was old, and his identification tag belonged to a temporary employee of the Governor's Office Logistics Department.

The cleaning machine maintenance worker closed the toolbox, bowed his head, and left.

Nobody gave him a second glance.

On Castor-Seven, low-ranking logistics personnel were like dust. The nobles were used to letting dust exist, unless it fell into a wine glass.

This is the perfect disguise for the cornerstone sequence.

As night fell, Castor-7 remained calm.

In the lower level of the Third Main City, workers walked past the promethium pipes, cursing that their work tickets had been reduced by another unit.

At the mid-level relief center, Elena personally distributed hot soup to the children, her smile relaxing the tired mothers.

Inside the governor's mansion, the noble council concluded its meeting and began preparing for the "Proactive Loyalty Announcement" to be issued a few days later.

They plan to submit an application to Agrippina for the opening of the Starport.

The plan is to publicly invite cornerstone members to join the three prepared data chains.

The plan is to hand over two former noble families.

The plan is to crack down on several groups of smuggling gangs operating outside their designated locations.

Every step is smart.

Every step was reasonable.

Every step is in line with the reaction a stable planet should have when facing a powerful new master.

They only miscalculated one thing.

Lawson no longer needed to wait for them to open the door.

midnight.

Castor-7, with 3,721 keystone sequence nodes, simultaneously received the activation command.

The pale blue light curtain unfolded silently.

Static fields lit up in various parts of Castor-7.

The next second, the combat order suicide soldiers appeared.

Squads of fully armed assassins emerged from the pre-marked nodes within the hive.

The White Tiger Squad appeared outside the Starport main control room.

The Red Dragon Firepower Team appeared in the underground warehouse of the Grain Bureau.

The Bixie Trial Team appeared in the Ministry of Justice Archives.