Northern Macro Sector

Vennidar was clearly driven to desperation.

But he believed that Lucien would understand, after all, the list of nobles whose homes needed to be confiscated was enough to pile up on his desk!

With such a small force, even if they searched the houses day and night without rest, let alone before sunset, it would conservatively take at least until next month.

"Colonel, are we... really going to do this?"

The adjutant beside him was somewhat apprehensive. That was the Upper-hive of the nobles' quarters; wouldn't they face retaliation?

"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of?" Vennidar glanced at his adjutant, a cruel glint in his eyes. "If anything goes wrong, the higher-ups will take the blame. Now that things have come to this... I'm not afraid to tell you, the Governor has promised that we'll get ten percent of the confiscated property!"

Those are over a hundred noble families, some with a history of a hundred years, others a thousand years, who have been based on the Alert Star. Even if they only represent 10%, that's still an unimaginable fortune!

"One, one-tenth?!"

The adjutant's eyes widened immediately.

Money can be a powerful motivator, and the fear and apprehension in his eyes quickly turned into excitement. "Colonel, what are we waiting for? I'm willing to lead the armored regiment to clear the way!"

Clearly, no one can resist the temptation of having their property confiscated.

Lucien followed Alvin's advice and shared a portion of the profits, believing this would better motivate the Astra Militarum ' "initiative," wouldn't it?

As it turns out, even the Astra Militarum, when faced with enormous profits, are willing to become the "sword" of the Planetary Governor. What does Imperium accountability Department of the Munitorum orders matter? None of that matters!

The Imperium only cares about Tithe. Apart from that, as long as you give a reasonable reason, let alone wiping out the vast majority of nobles, even if a rebel becomes the Planetary Governor, the Ministry of the Interior might not care about you!

The brutal and bloody raids on the homes began!

The Astra Militarum armored regiment led the way, and any family forces that showed the slightest resistance or dared to resist were immediately met with a barrage of fire from their Basilisk!

What resistance? It doesn't exist!

While the Imperium nobles could indeed maintain their own private armies, even elite private soldiers could not stop the Astra Militarum's frontal advance!

Six whole hours!

Vennidar commanded the armored and infantry regiments, slaughtering their way from the Upper-hive all the way to the east, then circled back to the north, slaughtering from top to bottom without blinking an eye!

This day is the day of suffering for the nobles on the Alert Star!

The usually arrogant and domineering nobles were now like trembling ostriches, desperately burying their heads in the ground, fearing that they would be next.

Why didn't the nobles rebel?

Actually, it's not that they didn't resist, but they really couldn't win. The Astra Militarum is the Emperor's army. Although they are often jokingly called "coins," in fact, being called a coin is already a great honor!

Don't they even look at the enemies of the Astra Militarum? What kind of monsters and demons are they? It's like they've been playing on Hell difficulty and suddenly they're back to normal mode. Fighting these nobles is like child's play.

Furthermore, the Astra Militarum doesn't care at all. If the infantry regiments don't work, then they'll use the armored regiments. If the armored regiments still don't work... then it'll be the artillery regiments' turn.

No matter how thick the gates of a noble family are, how many cannonballs can they withstand?

If the Astra Militarum really push you to the limit, Vennidar is fully entitled to order the 47th Antrel Lion Regiment to deploy. No matter how powerful you are, can you defeat the Tempestus Scions?

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the once brightly lit and lively Upper-hive District is now as quiet as death. The pooled blood flows into the sewers like a stream, and the air is filled with the lingering smell of gunpowder and Blood Qi.

"It's finally over..." Vennidar wiped his sweat. He never imagined that one day he would be able to "raid" houses until he was sick of it. Fortunately, it was finally over.

Watching the wealth being continuously emptied from the treasury of the last nobleman, even Vennidar couldn't help but be shocked, exclaiming, "Damn it, I always thought nobles were rich, but I never knew how rich they were. Today I've really broadened my horizons!"

Putting everything else aside, the wealth that this one noble family alone possesses is enough to cover the military expenses of ten regiments of the Astra Militarum for a whole year, and there would even be a surplus!

Of course, this wealth confiscated from the homes of the deceased needed to be sent to Agamemnon, where it would be distributed by the governor before being converted into military funds and handed over to the Astra Militarum.

After all, the Astra Militarum have no use for those luxurious decorations, paintings, and works of art. It would be more worthwhile to exchange them for something more practical to improve their living conditions and military equipment.

The opulent banquet hall was filled with an unusually oppressive atmosphere.

The corpses of the nobles executed by the Astra Militarum were laid out in the hall, the pungent smell of their blood serving as the best warning to all the remaining nobles.

But this was a real hardship for the pampered nobles. Lucien sat in her chair without saying a word, and none of them dared to get up. They knelt there until sunset, their knees almost stiff, but not a single one dared to speak.

Mars was an old nobleman, not only because of his family's long history, but also because he was quite old. He looked at Lucien countless times with longing, hoping that she would give him some face.

Unfortunately, Lucien ignored them all.

Until, covered in blood, Vennidar stepped into the magnificent hall, his right fist slamming into his chest, the deep, resonant voice echoing throughout the hall. "Your Excellency, Vennidar of the Astra Militarum, I have been ordered to eliminate heretics, and the task is complete. One hundred and seventy-four families, not a single survivor!"

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!

The kneeling nobles wore expressions of utter horror. They had guessed it might be cruel, but thought it would at most involve picking a few examples to intimidate them.

To their surprise, they never intended to intimidate them from the start; instead, they wanted to eliminate them completely!

How ruthless!

Amidst the trembling gazes of the nobles, Lucien slowly rose from her chair and walked step by step to the center of the hall, her gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over each of the kneeling nobles.

"I will only say this once."

Her voice was calm, completely devoid of any fluctuation, but the murderous intent hidden in her tone sent chills down the spines of all the nobles. "I hope you all remember this: there is only one Planetary Governor on Alert Star, and only one Agamemnon. I hope that when you return, you will all think carefully and not go down the wrong path, lest you become traitors to the Imperium, understand?"

This statement is practically a blatant threat, and its implied meaning is simple: make them realize who they should side with, and anyone who dares to be so blind... will be considered a "heretic"!

No one cares about the truth, just as no one questions Lucien whether the nobles she's the Scouring today are all heretics or Xenos.

Unless someone is determined to die, no one will ask.

Everyone here is a smart person; we'll stop here. Even if there were any fools who saw the situation clearly, they would have been eliminated long ago.

Seeing the fear in the eyes of the nobles, Lucien knew the time was right; further pressure would backfire. So she spoke, "Praise be to the Emperor! You have successfully passed the test. From this day forward, you are all... my friends, Agamemnon's friends. We are never stingy with our friends!"

As she spoke, Lucien pretended to help Mars, who was nearly kneeling and fainting, to his feet, and smiled, "I remember you. The Mars family once fought valiantly for His Majesty in the galaxy. To make up for my apology today, I am willing to hand over all the real estate and factories of the House Kools to you for management. What do you say?"

After the initial beating, it's time for the sweet treat.

When it comes to dividing up the spoils, no one is more shrewd than the nobles. Mars was just moments before feeling a sense of shared misfortune, immediately perked up upon hearing this, his eyes widening. "Your Excellency, how could you be wrong? It's clearly those damned heretics who are at fault! We should thank you for eliminating these damned insects for the Imperium and for Alert Star!"

The other nobles' eyes twitched, and they all cast strange glances at them. No wonder they were old nobles; their ability to change their expressions so quickly was something everyone could learn from.

"Of course, everyone who passed the test today deserves credit!" Lucien smiled at the crowd, "Those who have made contributions should be rewarded. The vacant real estate, properties, and factories... consider this a small token of my appreciation, and a meager compensation to all of you loyal subjects of the Imperium!"

You should have said so earlier!

The nobles immediately felt no more backache or knee pain, their faces beaming with smiles as they rose from the ground to echo their sentiments.

"That's right, that's right! We should thank His Excellency the Governor for protecting our safety. It's all the fault of those heretics!"

"I firmly support Your Excellency the Governor!"

"Your Excellency Governor, on behalf of the House Charl, I swear my allegiance to you. We stand firmly on your side!"

The oppressive atmosphere was instantly swept away.

At this moment, the waiters, who had been instructed beforehand, entered the hall one by one, bringing expensive drinks. Lucien raised her glass, smiling at everyone, "To the Imperium, to Agamemnon... I toast you all!"

"Honorable Governor Lucien Agamemnon!"

Outside, blood flowed like a river, but inside the magnificent hall, nobles beamed with joy, raising their glasses in celebration and praising the wise and mighty Governor Agamemnon.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the bloody and brutal political purge came to a perfect the Veil. Not a single nobleman mourned the dead; instead, they clung to the corpses like vultures, devouring the flesh and blood of the fallen nobles!

Everyone got what they wanted.

As for Governor Lucien, what she gained was... power. From this day forward, no one in the entire Hyperion Sector would dare to defy the majesty of Agamemnon!

But all of this is thanks to one person!

The banquet lasted until late at night, and having satisfied the greedy nobles, Lucien couldn't wait, or rather, dared not delay, and headed straight for the Valshius Residence.

This time, she concealed her whereabouts to avoid being guessed by those cunning nobles.

At the entrance stood Nelgas, the captain of the Kill Team. He seemed to have anticipated her arrival. "Your Excellency, my young master has been waiting for you for a long time. Please follow me."

Soon, she arrived at a smaller living room and saw Alvin sitting at the dining table by candlelight, with exquisite food on the table, and in his arms... there was a little girl with dry, yellow hair and a thin figure, but bright eyes.

"You're here, have a seat."

Alvin gently wiped the soup from the little girl's lips and patted her head. "Alright, brother has something to talk about. Penny, go find Elsa. You should go to sleep."

"Mmm~ See you tomorrow, brother!"

Little Penny was very well-behaved. After wiping her mouth clean, she got down from his arms and skipped away from the room. Before leaving, she politely waved to them, saying, "Goodbye, brother! Goodbye, auntie!"

Goodbye...

Lucien was a little dazed. She subconsciously waved her hand, looking at Alvin as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. Then she thought... maybe he just liked that kind of thing? Alvin saw the ambiguity in her eyes but was too lazy to explain, and said indifferently, "Is everything done?"

"Yes, it's all done, Your Lord Alvin."

Lucien snapped out of her daze and quickly lowered her head to show respect, "This time, 174 noble families were purged. According to the agreement, 50% of the assets confiscated from their treasuries belong to you. I have already ordered them to be specially sealed up, and you can take them at any time."

"Except for weapons, everything else will be exchanged for supplies and distributed to the civilians in Middle Hive and Underhive." Alvin said casually, distributing countless riches in a single sentence.

Even Lucien was shocked. "You... you mean..."

Wasn't I clear enough?

Alvin glanced at her and repeated, "Besides weapons, armaments, and minerals, all remaining luxury goods should be exchanged for supplies and distributed to the civilians in Middle Hive and Underhive."

For those nobles, the only things that were truly meaningful and useful to them were weapons and armaments. Other than that, luxury goods, works of art, and so on were of little use to Rogue Trader.

Besides, with the resources of the two worlds he now controls, wealth has long lost its practical value. It would be better to give it to those who need it more, which could also be considered... a way to make up for some of the debts he owes to Penny.

When he was a scavenger, he often encountered deceit and betrayal, but many people also helped him. So Alvin didn't mind helping ordinary people within his means.

"Yes, Your Lord Alvin."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Lucien didn't say anything more. She secretly reminded herself that, judging from Alvin's attitude, she would have to pay more attention to the commoners in the Middle Hive and Underhive in the future.

Suddenly, the communicator in her arms vibrated, causing Alvin to frown slightly. She then directly dismissed him. "If there's nothing else, Your Excellency can return."

"I apologize for disturbing your rest, Your Lord Alvin."

Lucien's cautious demeanor was a complete change from before.

This scene was absolutely dramatic.

In just a few days, the positions of the two sides quietly reversed, and Alvin became the stronger party.

In fact, from the moment Lucien slaughtered the nobles, there was no turning back for her.

Either completely side with Valshius, or wait for the Ecclesiarchy and the Styx Eight to seize even more power!

Watching Lucien leave, Alvin glanced at the communicator with a headache. Sure enough, it was Rosales. He guessed that Rosales had run into trouble again.

"Your Lord Alvin, your prophecy has been fulfilled."

On the small communicator, Rosales's projection looked like he wasn't in good shape.

The robotic arm that was removed last time hasn't been reattached this time, and it seems to be hiding in a dark place. The whole person looks extremely disheveled.

"Lord Rosales, so... you didn't escape?" Alvin's expression was somewhat strange. In just a few days, how could the Grand Sage of the Dark Adeptus Mechanicus have fallen into such a state?

"Well, things are a bit complicated." Rosales said with a very somber tone, "I took your advice and ran away that very day, but after thinking it over, I realized I had nowhere else to go, so I returned to Celerus."

"Then what?"

Alvin found it strange; even if he returned to Celerus, he shouldn't be in such a sorry state.

"That's where the problem lies, damn Tyran. Because they infiltrated so many people, the Adeptus Mechanicus launched an investigation." Rosales sighed deeply. "You can probably guess what happened next—my identity was discovered."

No wonder it turned out this way, it makes perfect sense!

It's important to understand that the Martian Adeptus Mechanicus has always been willing to pay any price to Dark Mechanicum!

This can be seen in the religious wars of the 2K era.

The Adeptus Mechanicus very seriously, but when it comes to cultists, there is absolutely zero tolerance.

But Rosales is just too unlucky, isn't he?

Alvin thought he was incredibly unlucky; he seemed to have stumbled upon all the mishaps that happened on the Alert Star.

"Lord Alvin, I desperately need your help." Clearly, Rosales had been driven to the brink; otherwise, he would never have begged outsiders for assistance.

He thought for a long time, and it seemed that the only person capable of rescuing him was Alvin.

"Your Lord Alvin, I know this is a very dangerous matter for you."

Before he could speak, Rosales hurriedly interjected, "But I have no other choice. If you are willing to help me, I will offer a corresponding 'reward' as a reward for your adventure."

The mention of "compensation" piqued Alvin's interest. "Tell me more about the compensation."

"You should know that in Space Marine modification surgery, besides the crucial Gene Seed, the implanted organs are also very important!" To save his life, Rosales said painfully, "I'm willing to offer 50 sets of implanted organs as payment for this!"

Fifty sets of implanted organs seemed like a good idea. However, Alvin, who knew Rosales's character well, deliberately showed hesitation.

"Lord Rosales, it's not that I don't want to rescue you." He hesitated for a few seconds, his expression grave, "But you should also understand that this is Adeptus Mechanicus territory. Taking you away under their noses will be far too difficult."

On the other end of the communicator, Rosales, hiding in the sewers, wished he could stab him through the screen.

What do you mean by "too difficult"? It's clearly a subtle hint that he needs to pay more!

But when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Rosales knew very well how difficult this was, so he pinched his nose and said, "Mr. Alvin, I can replace it with ten sets of Primaris Space Marine implants. You should understand how significant that is!"

The Primaris Space Marine had three additional implanted organs compared to the original Space Marine.

The enhanced Primaris Space Marine are larger in size and have more stable Gene Seed, reducing the probability of mutation.

At the same time, their speed, strength, and other aspects will surpass those of the original Space Marine!

Currently at 999. M41, on the eve of the Indomitable Crusade, the number of Primaris Space Marine has not expanded to the extent it would later become. Therefore, each implanted organ is extremely precious and rare, as even the Dark Adeptus Mechanicus would find it difficult to acquire many.

He could produce ten sets at once, Alvin calculated, that was already the maximum price he could offer.

"Very well, it's a deal then, Lord Rosales." Alvin made the final decision, speaking earnestly, "Please hold on for a few more days; I need to take care of some matters and will arrive at the Celerus Hive soon."

With Alvin's assurance, Rosales breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, I will wait for you, Your Lord Alvin."

The call ended, Alvin sighed, "Looks like I'll have to go to Celerus after all."

Just then, the door was suddenly pushed open, and when he looked up, he saw it was Elsa.

Seeing Elsa limping in, he frowned immediately, his tone slightly displeased. "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to go and rest and recover?"

"I was worried about you, so I came to see you." Elsa looked at him with a pitiful expression, her beautiful eyes seeming to well up with tears.

"Never mind, I'm not blaming you." Alvin couldn't stand women's tears, so he sighed helplessly and changed the subject, "Is Penny asleep?"

"I just got lulled to sleep, young master," Elsa said, sticking out her tongue in a rather adorable manner.

It's unclear whether it was due to the assassination attempt by the Dark Eldar, but Elsa, who was injured, seemed to have become even more dependent on him.

"You should go and rest too. There's a lot to do once your injury heals."

As they were talking, Alvin habitually reached to pinch his brow, but Elsa, seemingly ahead of him, gently came up behind him and began to massage him softly. "I only hurt my leg, it's not that serious, you see~ I can still massage you, can't I?"

This struck at Alvin's weakness, and he couldn't help but chuckle.

Yes, I don't know when it started, but he's become somewhat inseparable from Elsa.

"Please contact Carroll for me."

Alvin closed his eyes, enjoying Elsa's massage, and whispered, "It's time to go to the Hongbei District, to the territory of Styx Eight."

Upon hearing this, Elsa paused, seemingly surprised. "So soon, we're going to the Hongbei District?"

"Yes, I have to go."

Alvin nodded slightly, closed his eyes, and said, "The Gene Seed brought by Rosales must be retrieved as soon as possible."

He didn't really care about Rosales's life or death, but he absolutely had to get his hands on the Gene Seed and the implanted organ.

Rosales's words made it very clear: if he didn't go to save them, he wouldn't get the Gene Seed either.

So, no matter what, he had to go to Celerus.

It wasn't for Rosales, but for his "Space Marine"!