Rostov II was a desertified planet, discovered and first settled by a Rogue Trader Dynasty over a hundred years ago.
However, that Rogue Trader Dynasty did not possess Rostov II for long. About thirty years later, an entire Astra Militarum Regiment retired collectively and was resettled on the planet.
From then on, the planet became an Imperial World, while the Rogue Trader Dynasty lost the Sub-sector it had opened up.
What exactly happened remained unknown, but from that point onward, the planet slipped from the Rogue Trader Dynasty's control and became an Imperial World directly administered by the Departmento Munitorum.
Rather than, as was customary, belonging to the Rogue Trader Dynasty that had developed it.
The Departmento Munitorum poured vast resources into the planet. It not only allocated funds for its initial construction, but also paid Rostov II's grain procurement costs for an entire century.
Although the Departmento Munitorum only needed to deduct a portion of an agricultural world's Tithes to meet Rostov II's needs, it was still an unimaginably enormous sum.
That was enough food to feed more than a billion people on a planet for a hundred years! Though seventy years' worth had already been consumed, the remaining share meant Chen Xi would not need to worry about Rostov II's food supply for thirty years.
"In other words, we need to achieve food self-sufficiency on Rostov II within thirty years, or find a source of income capable of supporting food purchases." Chen Xi summarized the key information, though his face showed no concern.
At first glance, it sounded like an extremely difficult task. After all, thirty years could pass in the blink of an eye.
But to Chen Xi, it was not an unattainable goal.
For the moment, however, he did not rashly offer any opinions. He had yet to understand Rostov II's actual circumstances, and blindly making suggestions would probably leave only two options: blow up the planet to mine it, or sell its population to the Adeptus Mechanicus.
"This actually isn't much of a problem. During the previous Planetary Governor's tenure, he reached an agreement with Magos Ovilia of the Adeptus Mechanicus. The Magos agreed to help Rostov II build enough protein-processing plants to feed everyone, and construction is already halfway complete." Rachel explained with confidence and pride on her face.
Hearing Rachel's words, Chen Xi looked surprised and asked for confirmation. "You said there's a Magos on this planet? And she agreed to help you build protein factories? Have the Tech-priests changed their nature? Or is there something on this planet that attracts them?"
Tech-priests were stingy, and not merely ordinarily miserly.
For ten thousand years, the Imperium had endured endless turmoil. Humanity struggled to survive in apocalyptic darkness, and every citizen of the Imperium sustained its existence—and everyone's survival—through sacrifice and service.
But what about the Adeptus Mechanicus?
The Adeptus Mechanicus clung tightly to advanced technologies and immense productive capacity that could save the Imperium, simply standing by and watching.
In the eyes of those Tech-priests, how could the precious techniques and technological creations bestowed by the Omnissiah be wasted on primitive, lowly, worthless ordinary humans?
Not all Tech-priests were like that, but without doubt, the higher a Magos's status and power within the Adeptus Mechanicus, the less humanity she possessed in this regard.
Yet what had Rachel just said? A Bio-Sage was actually helping build protein factories on this godforsaken remote planet? Had the Tech-priests changed so much that they were doing charity now?
Or was there something on this planet that attracted the Tech-priests?
"I'm not very clear on that. If you're interested, my lord, you may ask Magos Ovilia yourself." As the chamberlain, it was difficult to say whether Rachel knew the answer, but clearly, some matters were best left unspoken even if she did know.
When Chen Xi heard Rachel's answer, his expression immediately turned amused.
Clearly, when faced with an Adeptus Mechanicus Magos who could solve the planet's food problem, even if this young chamberlain knew something, she would keep her mouth firmly shut.
Still, considering it was an Adeptus Mechanicus Magos, Chen Xi felt that even the former Planetary Governor would have obediently kept his mouth shut rather than investigate what such a big shot was stirring up on this planet.
After all, what if he really uncovered something?
So Chen Xi asked no further questions and turned instead to the planet's military strength.
"At present, the Rostov Planetary Defense Force has ten regiments. They are all trained to Astra Militarum standards, though they lack weaponry and equipment. They are equipped only with light weapons and lack heavy equipment such as Hydras, Basilisks, and Leman Russ tanks." Perhaps because the planet had an Astra Militarum background, Rachel seemed considerably more animated when discussing this. "If you intend to expand the Planetary Defense Force or improve its equipment, this would be a good place to start."
"Perhaps, but we currently don't have the funds for that." Chen Xi had no intention of trying to become fat in one bite, and these things were simply too expensive.
Based on the experience he had accumulated from reading official Warhammer novels and playing tabletop campaigns, an Astra Militarum soldier's salary was around fifty Throne Gelt per month. A full set of gear, including a Bulletproof Vest, lasgun, combat knife, and other equipment, cost around four hundred and fifty Throne Gelt.
A qualified Astra Militarum soldier also required roughly one thousand Throne Gelt in training expenses, while training officers and administrative command personnel cost as much as two thousand Throne Gelt.
A standard Cadian infantry regiment had five thousand men: three thousand five hundred ordinary soldiers directly engaged in combat, with the remaining fifteen hundred assigned to command and logistics.
Training such a standard infantry regiment alone would cost 6.5 million Throne Gelt, while its monthly payroll would exceed three hundred thousand Throne Gelt.
And if such a standard infantry regiment were equipped only with heavy weapons such as Heavy Bolters, Rocket Launchers, meltas, and Plasma Guns, while omitting vehicles like Goddesses, Tauruses, and Leman Russ tanks, it would still require an additional 4.1 million Throne Gelt.
That did not even include the costs of wartime consumption. One soldier would eat and drink thirty Throne Gelt's worth per day, while ammunition expenditure came to roughly one hundred and fifty Throne Gelt daily. Just the basic cost of feeding and supplying such a force amounted to six hundred thousand Throne Gelt per day.
Ten regiments meant nearly fifty thousand soldiers. Training and equipping them alone would cost over a hundred million Throne Gelt, and that did not even account for the bottomless military expenses once they began moving.
Chen Xi did not even know how much the planet earned in a year. How could he possibly be considering military expansion already?
Before you continue