Warhammer: Empire Reboot

Huron stared at the direction of Agrippina on the star map.

"Do not approach the core area."

"They just squat in the abandoned waterways, smuggling anchorages, and deserted mining areas on the outskirts."

"Report back immediately once the main fleet of Lawson leaves Agrippina."

Valcke asked, "Who should we send?"

A Red Pirate officer standing nearby hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice.

"Overlord, all forces that have recently approached the Agrippina Sector have been thoroughly wiped out."

Huron slowly turned his head.

The officer's throat moved.

“What I mean is, Lawson’s patrol fleet is expanding. Their fleet is reacting too quickly. A small squad approaching could very well…”

Huron didn't wait for him to finish speaking.

The next second, the officer's head was crushed.

Blood and bone fragments splattered on the deck.

The body stood for a moment before collapsing.

Huron shook the blood off the iron claws.

"I'm asking who went."

"It's not that anyone is afraid of death."

Valcke lowered his head.

"I will select two experienced fleets skilled in stealth. They will be disguised as dilapidated cargo ships, will avoid the main shipping lanes, and will not bear obvious red pirate markings. The mission will be to observe but not engage."

Huron said, "Give them a death order."

"Report immediately that the main fleet of Lawson has left."

"If there is no response, assume they are dead."

"If the report is wrong, they will die when they come back."

Valcke said, "Understood."

Huron sat back on the throne.

He seemed to have finished dealing with Agrippina's matter, but in reality, he still had that sentence weighing on his mind.

I've got my eye on the giant whirlpool.

Once someone like Lawson speaks, it's hard to take it as a simple threat.

Huron knew very well that he had a lot of resources at his disposal.

The empire hates him.

The mechanical engineering department remembered him.

The Black Legion wanted to use him.

Other pirates wanted to replace him.

The Dark Mechanicus wants to steal the ancient engine from his warehouse.

The slave traders wanted to get a cut of the shipping route from him.

Even some Chaos Warbands are scheming to take over the shipyards and Star City of the Great Vortex.

But in the past, no one dared to actually put their hand in.

Now, there's another one, Lawson.

A person who does not follow the rules of the empire.

A person who dares to say he's into the vortex on the entire frequency band.

Huron is not afraid of threats.

But he respects danger.

He told Valcke, "Transfer the core vault to the Ghost of Destruction."

Valcke raised his head slightly.

"all?"

"Everything that is truly valuable."

Huron said, "Ancient weapons, Blackstone fragments, Mechanicus caskets, star maps, ransom ledgers, STC-related data, dark technology relics, alien power cores, high-value hostages, and anything that could drive the Mechanicus mad—all of it is being loaded onto the Ghost of Destruction."

Valck cautiously remarked, "This will unsettle some of Star City."

Huron sneered.

"The whirlpool is mine."

"Star City is mine."

"The dock is mine."

"They are all mine too."

"I decide where I put my things."

Valcke lowered his head.

"As ordered."

Huron looked at Hamadleya.

"From now on, you will be in charge of the Destroyer Ghost."

Hamadleya's laughter paused for a moment.

"I've always been by your side."

"I mean, whenever."

Huron stared at it.

"Sleep, sail, fight, trade, interrogation, feast, execution."

"You're always on the flagship."

"If any psionic energy fluctuations that do not belong to the Great Vortex approach the treasure vault, tell me immediately."

Hamadley stuck out her long, thin tongue and licked her teeth.

"What if it's already inside?"

Huron's iron claws slowly tightened.

"Then close the door."

"Then kill everything that moves inside the door."

Valcke immediately understood.

Huron has raised the Great Vortex to wartime alert level.

The outer area remained chaotic, business continued, and pirates, black marketeers, and slave traders continued to believe that they could still make money here.

However, restrictions will be tightened in the core area.

The truly valuable items will be on the Ghost Ship.

The truly important shipping lanes will be redeployed.

All small gangs will be investigated.

All unfamiliar faces will be skinned.

This is Huron.

The Pirate King didn't survive to this day by being reckless.

After Valcke stepped down, the bridge began to operate again.

The command was transmitted along the encrypted channel to each star city.

The pirate crews on the outer edge of the whirlpool were unaware of what had happened.

They only saw a sudden increase in the number of Red Pirate patrol ships, a temporary doubling of the berthing tax, the blockade of several slave markets, and the appearance of more heavily armed Red Pirate soldiers outside the Dark Mechanicus warehouse.

Some of the small groups that had just arrived to join them were still cursing and swearing.

Several hours later, their boat was towed into the quarantine dock.

They never came out again.

Deep within the Ghost of Destruction, the vault gates opened layer by layer.

The slaves dragged sealed boxes off the Star City barge.

There were boxes containing gold bars.

There was a box containing fine gold ingots.

There was a box containing a sealed casket of the Mechanicus.

Some of the boxes were locked with rune chains, and knocking sounds could be heard coming from inside.

There was also a long black box that required eight Dark Mechanicus servo arms to lift together, and the surface of the box was engraved with ancient warning patterns.

Hamadleya squatted at the entrance of the vault, watching each box pass by.

It suddenly chuckled twice.

One of the slaves was so frightened that his legs went weak, and a red pirate next to him shot him through the head, dragging his body to the wall.

That's just how the Great Whirlpool works.

Goods are more expensive than people.

Huron stood on the high bridge, watching the transport team unload batches of treasure onto the Ghost of Destruction.