Rogue Trader

Late at night, Gao Yi stared at his computer screen in boredom.

"Is it really this hard to make a good game these days? If you can't innovate, just stitch things together! At least make it fun!"

He looked over the game icons scattered across his desktop, none of which sparked any interest in opening.

"I'm only twenty. Did I develop electronic impotence at such a young age?"

Gao Yi said weakly.

Holding onto a final shred of hope, Gao Yi opened the gaming forums once more.

Yet as he waited for the page to load, he noticed his computer screen begin to flicker, and the webpage along with the desktop icons dissolved into clusters of garbled code.

"A virus? I didn't even download anything sketchy!"

Before Gao Yi could hit the restart button, the computer screen flashed with a blinding white light.

Feeling his consciousness slowly slip away, the only thought left in his mind was:

Am I experiencing the seizures and other negative symptoms warned about in game startup prompts from bright lights?

Gao Yi felt his soul leave his physical body, instantly plunging into a kaleidoscopic spatial vortex.

In this tunnel he seemed to catch glimpses of a rotting garden, a labyrinth built from crystal, a fiery world topped with a colossal brass throne, and an ornate palace constantly echoing with moans and wails.

Seeing these sights, Gao Yi almost burst into tears. How could he not know what they represented?

As Gao Yi passed by, the masters of these warp domains also seemed to sense something and cast their gazes toward him.

"Nurgle, Tzeentch, Khorne, Slaanesh... I just beat Space Marines II, and the internet said the game agreement states that if you agree, you have to go to 40k and work for the Emperor? It wasn't a meme, it's real?! Don't do this!"

Continuing deeper, as Gao Yi saw that pitch-black, freezing sun, that cold sun seemed to grow exceptionally glaring, and he reached the end of the spatial tunnel.

"Pain... So much pain..."

Gao Yi opened his eyes and found himself inside a solemn hall.

Unknown energy conduits and runes covered the walls of the hall.

A massive flood of memories washed over Gao Yi's brain, causing a splitting headache.

"I... I am Gao Yi Mongert... a captain of the Mongert Rogue Trader Dynasty tasked with exploration, and I'm here to participate in the Rogue Trader heir trials?"

Gao Yi, currently absorbing the memories of this body, tried to stand up, but a sharp pain from his abdomen caused him to instantly collapse to the floor.

He looked down at his stomach, where crimson blood continually gushed out. Lifting his clothes, he discovered a massive bloody hole in his abdomen.

Looking at this gruesome wound, Gao Yi was utterly bewildered. The intense pain almost caused him to lose consciousness, and his body began to tremble violently.

"What happened? What kind of hellish starting scenario is this?! I'm about to die right at the start?!"

Feeling his life slipping away, Gao Yi panicked. He didn't know if dying here meant absolute death. He looked around; he was entirely alone in the grand hall, and he couldn't find a single thing that could help him.

Relying on memory, he grabbed the sonic array communication device from his chest pocket, but the device contained only chaotic static, and no matter how he called out, there was no response.

His severe injuries prevented him from even rising to his feet.

The massive loss of blood caused Gao Yi's consciousness to blur, and just as he thought he was about to kick the bucket, a voice rang out in his mind.

Entered the Warhammer universe

Current Psionic Crystals: 1000

Optional game programs available to load (0/1)

The host may load a second game program upon securing control over an entire planet

The available game list also displayed a massive number of choices, all of which were games installed on Gao Yi's computer.

Games like DOOM, Star Wars, StarCraft, Stellaris, Space Marines, Warfire, Warhammer Fantasy, Warcraft, Titanfall, etc.

Looking at this huge pile of options, Gao Yi's brain had no time to think; he was only focused on saving his life! A sentence flashed through his mind.

The medic is here~

"StarCraft! Whatever! Save my life first!"

Gao Yi directly selected StarCraft II.

StarCraft Module loaded

Shop opened

SCV: 50 Psionic Crystals

Space Marines: 100 Psionic Crystals

Medic: 200 Psionic Crystals

Reaper: 200 Psionic Crystals

Looking at these options, Gao Yi did not hesitate to exchange for a Medic first.

As the Psionic Crystals were consumed, a Medic wearing a white CMC-405 light combat suit slowly transformed from a phantom into reality in a flash of white light.

"Terrans can use protoss recall technology? You can do that?"

Once the Medic fully arrived in this world, she immediately began administering emergency aid to Gao Yi.

"Don't move! Your wound is very severe!"

A female voice came from the combat suit. She lifted the medical equipment in her hands and then released a green beam toward Gao Yi.

Accompanied by this beam, a massive number of nanites entered Gao Yi's body. They released side-effect-free anesthetics, and Gao Yi instantly felt the agonizing pain vanish. Afterward, these nanites began repairing Gao Yi's body at an extremely rapid speed.

Both internal organ damage and external injuries were recovering at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Seeing this scene, Gao Yi felt it was incredible. He knew games were ultimately just games; if he were truly in the StarCraft universe, a Medic's treatment could not be this simple, as Medics were equipped with many surgical tools. However, under the influence of some unknown rule, the Medic's treatment produced the exact same effect as in the game.

"If this is really the case, then Terran recruitment buildings like the Barracks, Heavy Factory, and Starport are also similar to those in the game. Doesn't that mean a single barracks is equivalent to an Adeptus Mechanicus STC construction template?"

Gao Yi realized something. This was the true power of the loaded game template. He didn't need to consider reality, as it was presented directly with the actual in-game effects. Of course, this still required further verification from Gao Yi.

Under the treatment of the female Medic, the fatal injuries healed, and Gao Yi climbed up from the floor.

Only after recovering did he have the energy to properly observe this hall and organize the new memories in his mind.

From his memories, he knew this hall was where the Rogue Trader family's most important sacred Trade Warrant was kept. The surrounding energy conduits and runes were built by generations of his Mongert Dynasty, who had at great expense invited Ecclesiarchy priests, Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priests, and even Inquisition inquisitors to construct and imbue them with anti-psionic and anti-Chaos technology.

The owner of this body had only been able to enter because he possessed the bloodline of the Mongert Family.

This hall existed within the dynasty's flagship voidship, the Golden Ram. He had come here to undergo trials; the dynasty was searching for an heir. He did not know who had attacked him, but it was clear the other party did not want him to pass the trial.

Those who wanted him dead were still outside the hall.

Curiously, Gao Yi walked over to the Trade Warrant.

A huge, archaic sheepskin parchment was housed inside a small stasis field, ensuring it would not suffer any damage over time.

I reaffirm that, in accordance with my will and the authentic contents of this document, I appoint this individual as the holder of the Trade Warrant. Become a paragon of humanity, never yielding in adversity, and forging a path forward through the darkness.

"An actual Trade Warrant. And I'm still one of the heirs."

To be honest, aside from almost dying right at the start, he could accept this identity. At least he didn't end up as an IG trooper or some wretched hive city dweller, and if he truly became a Rogue Trader later on, having this Trade Warrant would spare him many limitations. Doing things normally classified as heresy wouldn't get him hunted down by the Inquisition.

After all, under the Trade Warrant, a Rogue Trader was permitted to contact and even trade with xenos, provided it did not endanger humanity.