The Lavishness of the Adeptus Ministorum

Chen Xi's planet cleansing operation lasted for about two and a half weeks.

This was considered a core duty for an Inquisitor, even one from The Inquisition.

Don't think that The Inquisition doesn't investigate corruption. The ways in which aliens seduce and infiltrate the citizens of the Imperium are diverse. Aside from the T'au, who rely on the silver tongues of the Water Caste to persuade people, there's genetic modification, mind control, identity theft, and so on...

There's no limit to the methods they'll use; if you can think of it, they can do it.

This is why Inquisitors from The Inquisition, like those from the other two orders, are very skilled at using every clue to catch their targets.

And so, under the direction of this Inquisitor Planetary Governor, the traces of corruption on Rostov II were almost impossible to hide.

Nobles suspected of corruption were found one family at a time. Aside from the true Heretics who were executed with white phosphorus, these nobles were relatively uncorrupted, but their acts of depravity were just as numerous.

They weren't Chaos Heretics, but they had still abandoned the faith of the God-Emperor and betrayed humanity and the Imperium.

However, compared to the Heretics who turned to Chaos, they were still human.

But that's precisely why their crimes were even more outrageous.

After all, corrupted Chaos Heretics could claim they were tainted by Chaos daemons, while these degenerates, with no signs of Warp corruption, were driven purely by greed, betraying the Imperium for their own ambitions.

Even though many noble families on this planet were descended from Astra Militarum veterans who retired here, it didn't mean they were all unfailingly loyal.

In fact, apart from the Krieg Death Korps, there have been cases of loyalty wavering in every Astra Militarum regiment in the Imperium.

That's why the Commissar exists in the Astra Militarum, to maintain the troops' high morale and loyalty.

So, it wasn't strange that some had fallen.

However, punishing these people was a bit more complicated; they couldn't just be burned with white phosphorus.

After carefully considering the introductions and suggestions of Rachel and General Gregory, both locals, Chen Xi decided to issue a writ of Excommunication against these traitors and degenerates in the name of the Inquisitor.

The ringleaders were naturally executed without exception, using the rather classical method of beheading.

Their families and anyone else implicated were made into slave laborers, sent to work in the planet's mines until they atoned for their sins.

However, betraying the God-Emperor is usually unforgivable, and they and their potential descendants would never be rid of this status.

In some ways, Chen Xi was still too merciful. According to the Inquisitor's own experience, he should have killed them all or turned them into Penitent Servitors.

But Servitors didn't quite suit Chen Xi's aesthetic, so he didn't do it.

Although this might leave some hidden dangers, Chen Xi felt the cost was acceptable.

After dealing with these "valuable" individuals, he received a vox message from the sector capital: an investigation team initiated by the Adeptus Ministorum would arrive on Rostov II soon to verify the authenticity of the Blessed Wine.

Chen Xi wasn't surprised that the Adeptus Ministorum was coming to verify the authenticity of 'Loyalty'.

It would have been stranger if the Adeptus Ministorum had accepted the authenticity of the thing without investigating.

Although the Adeptus Ministorum canonizes nameless saints as if they were mass-produced, the certification of genuine God-Emperor miracles is a very rigorous process for the Adeptus Ministorum, with a whole set of procedures.

After all, in the Warhammer world, it's too easy to fake 'miracles' with various psychic powers or other technological sorceries.

If someone really wanted to cause trouble, they could even create real 'miracles' to disguise as 'miracles'.

Therefore, the caution of both the Inquisition and the Adeptus Ministorum in dealing with such matters is understandable.

However, Chen Xi wasn't nervous or worried about this. The authenticity of 'Loyalty' was beyond doubt. If anyone said it wasn't real, then that person was undoubtedly a Heretic or a traitor.

Of course, most of those who would do this were nobles or other powers. The Adeptus Ministorum was very trustworthy in this regard.

For the sake of faith, these religious fanatics were capable of anything, but as long as you proved you were loyal, then everything was fine.

The Adeptus Ministorum might be crazy, but when it came to loyalty to the Emperor, it was truly willing to pay any price.

Chen Xi informed Rachel of this matter, asking the Chamberlain to arrange the various related matters, while Chen Xi himself took the time to leave the 40K era and send a package back to the 3K era.

At Rostov II's starport, a voidship with a massive, hundreds-of-meters-tall Imperial Icon erected on its bridge was docked at a berth.

Looking at this light cruiser-class ship and the huge Imperial Icon on its hull, which would be an absolute miracle in the 3K era purely for decorative purposes, the expression on Chen Xi's face was a little strange.

Religious decoration seemed normal to Chen Xi. It wasn't a big deal for a huge voidship to have some exaggerated decorations. After all, the Adeptus Ministorum had a practical need for propaganda. A ship full of sacred aura could often bring great faith deterrence to the Imperium's ignorant citizens.

But an Imperial Icon made of Adamantium was too extravagant.

The Adamantium used to cast this purely decorative icon could even be used to build an Adamantium ram for the ship.

This hardest material in the universe is very difficult to destroy. It's widely used in the Imperium's military industry. The keels, rams, and frontal armor of voidships are often made with large amounts of Adamantium.

Even the Power Armor of Space Marines has a frame made of Adamantium.

This ensures that even if the Imperium's voidships are destroyed, their Adamantium keels are often intact and can be dragged back for reconstruction.

And the Space Marines' Power Armor is even more so: the armor survives even after the man dies, passed down through generations.

It's conceivable how extravagant it is to use so much Adamantium just to make an icon.

If this Adamantium were used to make Power Armor for Space Marines, it would be enough to arm at least one chapter.

As Chen Xi had these somewhat sacrilegious thoughts, the voidship opened its boarding ramp, and several Adeptus Ministorum priests, accompanied by Crusaders and Sisters of Battle, walked down from the voidship.

"Welcome, devout servants of the God-Emperor." Chen Xi took the initiative to greet them, welcoming the arriving Adeptus Ministorum priests.