Nimrod's Order to Conceal the Spoils of Conquest

Captain Diana Pauline, captain of the flagship Shadow of the Throne, set foot on the surface five hours after the surrender of the Head of Gardinal.

Her blonde hair wasn't neatly tied up as usual; it cascaded over her shoulders, and her deep eyes beneath the military cap were softer than usual.

Diana looked up at the large screen in front of her, where High Lord in magnificent robes was giving a speech to the working-caste people.

Ismail's voice sounded like the vibration of metal, and standing beside him was Primarch's Attendants Arsena Dunn.

"Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and all the people of Gardinal."

"As you know, we have surrendered to the 'Shadow of Order' and will become Lord Nimrod's territory."

"..."

Diana prepared thoroughly for her mission, learning the local language from the captives of Gardinal and understanding the High Lord's speeches.

The Primarch's Attendants's plan has succeeded; he has used the Osiris Mind-Control Staff to control the mind of the High Lord.

Ismail's millennia-long influence within the industrial caste will ensure the rapid restoration of the industrial facilities at the Head of Gardinal.

Diana's blue-green eyes shone brightly; she was determined to perfectly complete the task assigned to her by the Primarch.

The Gardinal abandoned Warp travel, and therefore their fleet, despite its powerful industrial capacity, did not extend beyond the size of the star system, and they did not contribute much in the previous battles.

Now, it's finally time for her, the "Psychiatrist," to start working.

Diana immediately scrutinized the industrial castes. After becoming a "Psychiatrist," her eyesight had improved further, and she could clearly see the gray figures standing outside the range of the Lumen Lamp.

The "Psychiatrist" smelled the scent emanating from the bio-engineered body and tasted complex emotions within it, including relief and bewilderment.

The "Psychiatrist" stared for a long time until the images on the big screen began to repeat, and then she began to act.

The "Psychiatrist" reached out and selected those she deemed necessary to speak with from the industrial caste list. Among them were those who had just been gripping their tools and showing resistance, as well as those who appeared lost and helpless.

Diana instructed her attendants, "This one with thick hair, this one with an injured arm..."

A moment later, Diana sat down in the industrial caste dormitory. The smell of sweat mixed with mildew made her frown slightly, but she decided to continue the conversation in an environment familiar to her conversation partner.

The "Psychiatrist" took out a prepared bottle of hydrosol from her pocket; it was a collaborative creation made by Hathor Matt after they experimented with thousands of items before Hathor Mhat returned to "Thousand Sons".

The main ingredient is Brot Flower, a herbaceous plant of the Mu Jin genus, which emits a fragrant aroma.

Aromatic scents have a strong inhibitory effect on the central nervous system, relieving tension and stress, and inducing sleepiness.

The industrial caste member who entered the dormitory had thick hair; he had started growing it out in violation of the ban the moment the Head of Gardinal was attacked.

He no longer wants to take orders from anyone, including those who want to liberate their "Shadow of Order."

His eyes lit up when he saw the slender figure sitting in the folding chair.

The next instant, his body suddenly froze, his eyes staring in terror at the woman before him, as if she were a Great Beast.

The "Psychiatrist" used "intimidation" to dispel the evil thoughts of the pale-skinned man in front of her, and then asked "reassuringly".

What's your name?

"I am Lafa of Cardona." The pale-skinned man's fear subsided, and he stood there somewhat dazed.

"Lafa, sit down." Lafa sat on the stone bed. The industrial caste's bed was made from granite from the surface of the Head of Gardinal.

The manufacturing process was simple; the edges were simply smoothed out. Even sitting on the quilt, Lafa felt the firmness of the bed.

"Lafa, let's talk about your experiences first."

"I am the 105th generation of the Cardona caste..."

The "Psychiatrist" listened patiently to the ashen-skinned man's story. Just as she had expected, Lafa's life had been dedicated to the industry of Gardinal from the very beginning.

The "Psychiatrist" didn't speak until the candle was a third burned.

"Lafa, are you willing to serve Lord Nimrod, the new master of Gardinal?"

"I don't want to." Lafa revealed his true feelings without hesitation.

"I don't want to sleep on a hard bed anymore; I want to sleep in Hab-Tower..."

Diana felt a slight dissolving sensation within her body, much like the feeling she had after drinking coffee while working.

She gently Brainy Cat's fur, her mind racing as she sorted out the key points the other person had made.

[A more comfortable living environment, living in the same Hab-Tower as the Lower Caste in the city.]

...]

Diana knew she couldn't possibly speak to every single one of the Gardinal, not even a tenth.

Above the Head of Gardinal, there are at least tens of billions of people.

As a "Psychiatrist," she set two tasks for herself.

One approach is to negotiate with representatives of different castes, uncover their inner desires, and relay these to the Primarch's Attendants for future governance.

After listening to Lafa's words, the "Psychiatrist" began another task: to mold her conversation subjects into the standards of the new era, so that more people in the Gardinal would take them as role models and serve the Primarch.

She spoke in a soothing yet magnetic tone.

"From this moment on, you must work hard and serve Lord Nimrod."

You will soon find that your life is about to change.

The word "Psychiatrist" echoed in Lafa's mind, and as he walked out the door, only one thought remained in his mind.

Work hard!

Diana took out her Data Slate and jotted down key points of the conversation before the next person arrived.

She has witnessed many worlds become Nimrod's territory, and the demands of the industrial castes such as the Gardinal and Lafa, who manage the future, are always met, regardless of the Chapter.

While Diana was speaking with the second industrial caste, at the estate of High Lord Mathis in the capital, the Primarch's Attendants, holding Data Slate, began to report.

"My lord, the Head of Gardinal have been preserved almost entirely."

"Based on the caste system, we have control over the majority of the population—over 75.2 billion people—who are now embracing a new era."

Nimrod smiled and nodded, thinking to himself.

Although Ferrus Manus met the Old Man in Yellow's demands and did not damage the industrial facilities, he turned the Head of Gardinal into a deadly place.

The forbidden weapon he used killed most of the people of Head of Gardinal. For centuries after the war, the planet was completely uninhabitable. Robert Guilliman, who took over, didn't know how long it would take to restore Gardinal to its previous production capacity.

After all, besides industrial facilities, people are also the foundation of Gardinal's industry.

Nimrod was pleased with his strategy, which yielded both industrial facilities and population as assets.

With his deep black eyes, he spoke and gave the order.

"When the situation in Gardinal was reported to the War Council, Gardinal consisted of only one habitable world with a population of ten million."

Arsena was taken aback, his long, narrow blue eyes filled with surprise.

"My lord, this will render your glorious achievements insignificant."

"Furthermore, as you mentioned before, the Emperor has begun to consider retiring to Terra and choosing a commander from among the Primarch to replace him."

"Your actions will reduce your chances of succeeding as commander of the expedition."

Arsena said with a puzzled look, "Although Horus Lupercal's record has always been slightly better, it is not insurmountable."

Gardinal is a heavyweight, with a production capacity surpassing many Forge World and a large population, which can inject new momentum into the Great Crusade.

This was a tremendous victory that would delight the Emperor and the entire War Council, a brilliant achievement that could turn the tide of battle.