Nachmund Gauntlet

For the next few minutes, the retired veteran of the Astra Militarum and the Tech-Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus engaged in a physical exchange.

They deepened their mutual understanding, discussed their opinions on the range and power of Bolters, and after sacrificing a door, several windows, and a number of shattered chairs, their friendly and cordial exchange meeting finally concluded.

Alvin shivered behind cover, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Who said Tech-Priests were all calm?

This Tech-Priest was clearly a hothead. He drew his Bolter at the slightest disagreement, and could even wield a power axe with his mechanical arm to engage in intense and friendly exchanges!

The first impression of this Tech-Priest left a huge psychological scar on Alvin.

To the point that, every time he encountered anyone from the Adeptus Mechanicus in the future, this scene would subconsciously flash through his mind.

"Speak, what do you want with me?"

The Tech-Priest unceremoniously plopped down on the steps, took the cigarette Tark handed him, expertly lit it, and stuffed it into his mouth like a seasoned smoker.

Alvin's worldview shattered once more.

This was insane. A Tech-Priest sitting on the ground smoking? Was this guy a fake?

"Allow me to introduce, this is Aruman Vera, a Tech-Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

Tark lit a cigarette, as if nothing had happened, and slung an arm around the displeased Tech-Priest beside him, saying enthusiastically, "Kid, you can come out now."

"Uh, hello, Priest Vera."

Alvin twitched his lips, slowly emerging from behind the pillar, and greeted him awkwardly, "My name is Alvin Valerius, I'm an Underhive Scavenger."

"What, you've taken up charity?" Aruman glanced at Tark beside him and disdainfully shook off the arm on his shoulder. "What do you want with me, hurry up and say it, I don't have time for your nonsense."

"Do you remember the Hadley family?" Tark took a deep drag from his cigarette, his eyes seeming to hold a ferocious beast.

"I remember. Didn't you get thrown into the Underhive after killing the Hadley heir?" Aruman said slowly.

"In the Underhive, the shadow of a Chaos Cult has appeared, suspected to be worshipping the Blood God."

Tark crushed the cigarette butt with his bare hands and turned to stare at Aruman, saying word for word, "Now, I can confirm it. The heir of the Hadley family back then must have been involved with this cult."

"You should go to an Inquisitor, not come to me, Tark."

However, Aruman's reaction was very calm, not as excited as expected.

"Nonsense, if I could find an Inquisitor, would I be here looking for you?"

Tark cursed in frustration, "Did you forget to lubricate your brain? Your gears are stuck! I'm a criminal now, even if I contact an Inquisitor, I can only rely on you!"

"Don't you dare mention gears again, or I'll blow your damn head off!"

Aruman was also furious, roaring, "I'm a Tech-Priest, not a Astropath! Where am I supposed to find someone for you? Can't you contact the Munitorum?"

As soon as he heard the Munitorum, Tark burst out laughing, "The Munitorum? By the time I contact the Munitorum, the cult will have already blown up the planet!"

Alvin nodded in agreement from the side.

Indeed, with the processing speed of the Warhammer Munitorum, by the time they discovered this distress call, the planet would probably have already fallen to Chaos.

This wasn't an exaggeration. For some planets, by the time the Munitorum discovered their distress signal and went through a series of cumbersome approval processes. The problem would either be solved, or they would be solved.

The Munitorum and the Departmento Administratum were notoriously inefficient!

If they actually waited for the Munitorum to dispatch reinforcements, it would be a miracle if they arrived in the next lifetime. It was better to figure something out themselves.

"Then how the hell am I supposed to contact an Inquisitor? I'm a Tech-Priest, do you understand what that means?!"

Aruman began to curse profusely, interspersed with binary language that was completely incomprehensible, his spittle nearly drowning Tark.

"I know, I know you're a Tech-Priest!" Tark wiped the spittle from his face and said, "What I mean is, you should contact your mentor. He'll definitely have a way."

"Get lost, impossible!"

Aruman sneered, getting up to leave, "I'd rather have my head chopped off by a Chaos warband than contact that old bastard!"

"What time is it now? Are you still sulking over that petty matter?"

Tark frowned, glanced at Alvin, and then switched to another language, lowering his voice, "Don't forget, we're near the Nachmund Gauntlet. Do you want what happened on Cadia to happen here again?!"

Wait, wait a minute. Alvin's mind suddenly went blank, and cold sweat drenched his back!

Did he just imagine that?

The Nachmund Gauntlet, was that the only passage to the Imperium's dark side amidst the tides of Warp power unleashed during the Great Rift?

No, no, he must have misheard!

As Alvin pricked up his ears, listening intently, Aruman fell silent for a long time, his voice hoarse as he said, "Tark, you know very well that if the Hadley family is connected to the cult, then it means Governor Garken is likely not clean either."

"That's precisely why I came to you, Aruman," Tark said with a serious expression. "The location of this planet is too important. If the Imperium wants to reclaim the dark side, which is cut off by the 'Scar of the Warp', they must pass through the Nachmund Gauntlet. If Losel falls under cult control, Chaos will completely dominate this vital route!"

Finally, Alvin heard a definitive answer from Tark.

This was the planet Losel, a Hive City, located near the Nachmund Gauntlet in the hazy northern star systems!

In an instant, Alvin felt a despair that was beyond sorrow.

I thought being an Underhivers in a Warhammer Hive City was bad enough, but I didn't expect any surprises.

The Nachmund Gauntlet, after the fall of Cadia and the opening of the Great Rift, was the only important passage to the Imperium's dark side, a place of vital strategic importance.

So, here's the problem: what usually happens to places in Warhammer that are called "strategically vital"?

No, that's too terrifying, just imagining it makes me feel like I'm going to die!

"Emperor Lord, is this how you treat your loyal subjects?!"

Alvin silently shed tears in his heart, wondering if it was too late to change his birthplace now!

Just then, the Tech-Priest Aruman noticed Alvin's suddenly accelerated heartbeat and stared at him suspiciously, "Kid, can you understand High Gothic?"

Instantly, Tark's suspicious gaze fell on Alvin.

He had specifically used High Gothic just now to prevent Alvin from hearing the content, but who would have thought this kid could understand it?

Under their gazes, Alvin was completely flustered.

Damn it, I almost forgot, the Underhive speaks Low Gothic.

Under normal circumstances, a scavenger from the Underhive would absolutely not be able to understand the Empire's official High Gothic!

Navigator System, save me!

Help me~ The update time is around midnight every day, there is no situation where only one chapter is updated daily, two chapters are released at once~