Warhammer: Empire Reboot

"The Ministry of Justice's loyalty to the Golden Throne is as unbreakable as pure gold."

He threw the blame with pinpoint accuracy:

"The defense vulnerabilities and intelligence gaps you pointed out are indeed the Ministry of Justice's dereliction of duty. But the bureaucracy on this planet is corrupt to the core. Governor Cassius and the Monopoly Guild have been physically blocking the Ministry of Justice's surveillance network and embezzling funds for years. Many of our arbitrators have died unexpectedly in the line of duty during investigations."

“We have long suspected that a malignant tumor lurks deep within the tower, but lacking the force and direct authorization from the Inquisition, I can only lie low and wait for a sharp blade like yours, representing the Emperor’s will, to descend.”

Thorne stood up and pounded his breastplate:

"If you decide to thoroughly cleanse this planet, I, Gideon Thorne, in the name of the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of Justice, swear that the Ministry of Justice will unconditionally cooperate with your sacred audit."

Lawson almost applauded these words from behind his helmet.

Dealing with a smart person who values ​​their life is so easy.

"very good."

Lawson suppressed his murderous intent and sat down again.

"Since the Grand Marshal claims to be loyal, then please prove it with concrete actions."

He began to truly extract the essence from the bones.

"First, transfer absolute control of orbital strike capability."

"Hand over the highest-level encryption for the First Nest City's surface-orbiting defense laser array and all near-Earth surveillance satellites. In this purge, if any exposed heretics attempt to escape the atmosphere in a shuttle, I need the absolute cooperation of the ground-based laser array. Without my permission, not a single bird on this planet is allowed to fly into space."

Thorne took a deep breath.

The orbital defense laser array is the last resort for planetary defense. Normally, it can only be activated with a dual key from the governor and the Ministry of Justice. Handing over the overwrite key is tantamount to completely surrendering air superiority.

"Password overwrite protocol, sent to your tactical terminal within ten minutes."

"Second, provide arbitrators to assist in law enforcement."

“You are most familiar with the structure of this planet and the hiding places of the powerful. Deploy three battalions of heavily armed Arbitrators, as well as no fewer than fifty Suppressor riot control armored vehicles. Disperse them and integrate them into my infantry formation.”

"When my bomb gun kicks open those guild doors, I want to see your people at the forefront, reading out death sentences. That's the best way for you to prove your innocence."

Thorne gritted his teeth behind the mask.

“I agree. Three battalions, assemble outside the Governor’s Mansion within an hour.”

"Third, and most importantly."

"Full opening of the intelligence network."

"Hand over the highest access privileges to the Central Thinker Array of the Ministry of Justice. I want to see all your secret surveillance files on the Third Hive City's business oligarchs, the Clean Water Guild, and the top echelons of the Second Hive City PDF."

"The hidden destination of every supply, the private ledger of every general, the coordinates of every nobleman's hidden assets and secret armory."

Lawson stood up:

"After all, only by following the flow of this black gold can we accurately identify those greedy heretics, right, Grand Marshal?"

Thorne sighed inwardly.

The intelligence network that the Ministry of Justice has painstakingly built over hundreds of years was forcibly stripped away in just a few words.

But under the watchful eyes of four nuns armed with explosive pistols, and bound by both absolute force and absolute law, he had no choice.

"The ultimate key to all surveillance files and the Thinker's array,"

Thorne lowered his head: "The legal department will be open to you unconditionally."

Chapter 96 I'm going to blow up that ship

Obolos No. 1 Main Hive, Spire District, Governor's Chambers.

The air seemed to have solidified into lead.

Those high-ranking PDF generals who usually wielded immense power now stood like prisoners awaiting their final judgment on the edge of a pool of blood that had not yet dried.

No one dared to speak.

The heavy double doors to the governor's office were like the gates of hell, separating life from death. Everyone was waiting for the space marine and the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of Justice to reach some kind of deal that would determine their fates.

crunch.

The door slid open slowly.

Everyone in the hall straightened their backs at the same time.

Thorne was the first to come out.

He maintained his towering posture, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

Behind Thorne, Lawson stepped forward, followed closely by four nuns like a guard of honor.

Thorne walked to the steps in the center of the hall, stopped, and scanned the entire room before fixing his gaze on the PDF generals.

"In the name of Holy Terra and the Imperial Code."

Thorne's voice came through the loudspeaker, devoid of any personal emotion:

"The Department of Justice of Planet Obolos has completed a comprehensive review of intelligence and security situation with Lord Astartes. In view of the threat of heretical infiltration facing this planet, as well as the dereliction of duty and corruption exposed in previous defensive operations."

"I hereby formally announce: The Ministry of Justice will unconditionally cooperate with Lord Astartes's sacred audit and investigation into heresy!"

"From this moment forward, all arbitrators, intelligence networks, and firepower nodes of the Ministry of Justice are under the control of the Master! Any act of obstructing the investigation, concealing information, or attempting to transfer assets and forces is tantamount to treason and heresy, and the Ministry of Justice will work with the Space Marines to carry out the highest ruling on the spot!"

If Lawson's execution of Klaus was purely a show of force, then Thorne's official endorsement completely stripped everyone present of their last pretext for resistance from a legal standpoint.

Even the Ministry of Justice has bowed its head, so what can they use to resist?

“No…” An elderly logistics general’s legs buckled and he knelt on the ground. He knew how dirty his ledgers were.

Lawson watched Thorne's performance with satisfaction.

Once this seasoned veteran makes a choice, he goes all out, completely blocking his own escape route in order to secure his survival space within the new power structure.

"Generals."

Lawson stepped forward: "Now that the Grand Marshal has read out the legal principles, I will now announce the discipline."

"Until the Holy Audit concludes, none of the PDF senior officers present are permitted to leave this hall. You will line up one by one to be questioned about your loyalty by us and the nuns. Hand over your keys and open your ledgers."

"As long as you are loyal enough to the Golden Throne, the Emperor's wrath will not befall you."

No one dared to resist.

Lawson turned to Cassius.

"Don't be nervous, Lord Cassius."

He bent down to soothe him: "You are the sacred ruler of this planet, a high-ranking official on the Ministry of the Interior's register. How could I possibly harm a loyal subject of the empire?"

“Until the investigation is complete, you will remain the planetary governor. Your title and honors will remain. However, your administrative power, military command, and financial allocation authority will be temporarily taken over by me. This is also to protect you from potential heretics.”

"After the investigation is completed, if the Holy Audit proves you innocent, all your powers will be restored to you. I will even report your outstanding contributions to the fight against the Xenomorphs to the Holy Terra."

Lawson pinched Cassius's shoulder, causing the governor to let out a scream: "But during this special period, you cannot leave the governor's mansion. Thank you for your cooperation."

Cassius could certainly hear the blatant threat of house arrest and death in those words.

What if you prove innocence? Once labeled a heretic and subjected to censorship, how many people can walk out alive?

But what could he say?

"Cooperate! Cooperate fully!" Cassius even wanted to kiss Lawson's armored boots: "My lord! I'll give you the vault's password too, all of it!"

Lawson was satisfied. A living but powerless puppet governor was far more valuable than a corpse.

After resolving the two biggest political obstacles, Lawson transformed the Governor's House into a battlefield command headquarters, occupied the central offices, and designated the entire top of the spire as a military restricted area.

He then arranged the best accommodations for the nuns.

In a sky garden suite on the east side of the Governor's Mansion, which originally belonged to the Governor's family, four battle nuns stood out out of place in this luxurious environment.

The environment here is worlds apart from that of Xiachao.

The strong smell of gunpowder still lingering in their tattered power armor was shocking amidst the fragrance of roses.

They huddled together and placed the reliquary on the crystal tabletop.

Lawson walked in alone.

He had removed the Tiger King helmet, revealing a resolute face with sharp features.

"Due to the haste of war, we can only make such rudimentary arrangements. We hope you will understand."

Lawson stopped at a safe distance, his tone calm, carrying the camaraderie of a veteran towards his comrade: "I have already had the logistics department prepare holy water, medical supplies, and incense from the State Religion. You have fought hard in Lower Nest for many days, and your wounds must be treated."

Katarina glanced at Lawson's helmetless face and lowered her guard slightly. In Imperial military etiquette, it was a high-level gesture of trust for an Astartes to remove their helmet in front of a mortal.

“We appreciate your kindness, sir. But more than physical pain, we are concerned,” she said, casting her gaze out the window at the still war-torn city of Hive, “when will this sacred audit burn the heretics to ashes?”

"That's why I came to you. The situation is more serious than I thought."

Lawson's face darkened: "I have already taken initial control of the defense network and the intelligence array of the Department of Justice. The betrayal you suffered in Lower Nest is just the tip of the iceberg."

"The corruption here has reached the point of the secret worship of the Chaos God. Those nobles are secretly sending millions of commoners as sacrifices to the slaughterhouses of the cultists. Even some of the higher-ups in PDF have become hosts of the Genestealer cult."

"This imperial world with a population of tens of billions is already standing on the edge of destruction. And that cowardly governor is still trying to cover it all up."

Upon hearing this, and realizing that most of it was fabricated and exaggerated by Lawson to find an excuse to raid the house, the four nuns' eyes instantly filled with blood.

"Unforgivable! This is the most wicked blasphemy against the Golden Throne!" Sena gritted her teeth.

Vera gripped the eagle badge on her chest tightly.

Lawson took in their reactions and said solemnly:

"Therefore, I have come here to express my gratitude to you, and also to make a request."

“If it weren’t for your desperate efforts to protect the sacred relic, your perseverance in the ruins until the very last moment, and your drawing out of those cultists, I would never have been able to find the crack that tore through the darkness.”

"You are the last ray of pure light on this planet."

These words acted like a catalyst injected into the nuns' hearts.

What did the Battle Nun pursue her entire life? It was to prove her absolute loyalty to the Emperor and become his torch in the endless darkness.

Now, a powerful Astartes has not only affirmed their sacrifice but has even elevated them to the status of the planet's last hope.

Katarina's eyes welled up with tears, tears washed away by a sense of honor.