The Creator Vashtor!
The Fernando Family's secrets, hidden for so many years, are finally about to be revealed, even by Lillian.
I couldn't help but feel a little excited.
She followed Lloyd, taking the elevator deep underground, to the place where she had taken Alvin to the "Shadow Dome Council" earlier.
Soon, the two arrived at the circular auction hall, which was shrouded in the Veil.
"Here-"
Lillian was somewhat puzzled.
"Isn't it strange?" Lloyd walked ahead, a mysterious smile on his face. "Many people think that the Shadow Dome Council is just an auction house, but they don't know that the real secret is hidden beneath this auction house."
As they spoke, the two arrived at the center of the auction hall. Lloyd inserted the cane he always carried into a hidden slot that was difficult to detect, and after turning it, the entire hall resounded with the rumble of mechanical operation.
The circular platform beneath their feet was slowly sinking!
"What are you thinking about?" Noticing that Lillian beside him seemed a little absent-minded, Lloyd asked gently, "Are you still thinking about how you could actually become the heir?"
"Yes, Grandpa."
Lillian quickly lowered her head, not wanting him to see the expression on her face.
In fact, even now, she still feels like it's all a dream.
Despite his painstaking efforts and utmost caution, he had remained a lowly figure in the Fernando Family for so many years. Who could have imagined that overnight, he would transform from a lowly collateral descendant into the most esteemed heir of the entire Fernando Family?
Calling it a dream wouldn't be an exaggeration!
And all of this is thanks to that Inquisitor.
If it weren't for Aldrich taking advantage of the family's vulnerability to infiltrate the Eternal Forge Temple and send out that Astropathic Message, completely disrupting Lloyd's plans, she probably wouldn't have been able to become the "heir" even if she had worked hard for another ten years!
Despite having passed the test, Lillian still harbored a deep-seated doubt: could this be yet another test?
She wouldn't hesitate to assume the worst about her "grandfather"!
Lloyd Fernando, over a period of more than two hundred years, seized the most chaotic moments in Nomad Port and gradually transformed his family, which was then just an ordinary Rogue Trader, into the Merchant Dynasty, the uncrowned king of Nomad Port!
With such a deep and unfathomable person, you can never be too careful!
Lloyd, leaning on his cane, turned and looked at Lillian meaningfully. "So, why do you think I chose you to be my successor?"
"I—I don't know, Grandpa." This was also what puzzled Lillian.
Logically speaking, there must be people in the Fernando Family's direct bloodline who are more outstanding than her. After all, it's normal for a family to have some useless members after so many years of existence, but there are also quite a few outstanding ones!
However, it's somewhat puzzling that Lloyd chose her, a child from a collateral branch, from among so many direct bloodlines.
"Lillian, the most important thing for a family to continue forever is not how capable you are, but that you must be able to clearly choose the option that is most beneficial to the family in every complex situation." Lloyd's voice seemed to contain a complex emotion.
Unfortunately, Lillian, blinded by hatred, failed to hear the complexity in Lloyd's tone.
"I still don't understand what you mean, Grandpa—" Lillian was bewildered, but she was already on high alert, fearing that this was a test.
"It's okay, you'll understand later."
Lloyd didn't offer an explanation, but chuckled lightly, "As the head of the family, one must always put the family first."
Setting aside personal feelings and preferences, and calmly choosing the most suitable path—that is the duty of the head of the family.
"This is the first lesson I'm teaching you. Remember it well and never forget it!"
In the dimly lit corridor, Lillian couldn't see the old man's face clearly, but she could sense the weight of Lloyd's entrustment from his serious tone.
"Yes, Grandpa, I will never forget the lesson you taught me." Lillian said expressionlessly.
He clenched his fist inwardly.
Should she be allowed to continue this "sinful" bloodline?
It's a joke! Her greatest wish is to burn everything belonging to the Fernando Family to ashes, leaving not a single trace behind!
Boom!
Just then, a loud mechanical roar erupted.
The circular platform beneath their feet finally stopped sinking, and what came into view was a colossal palace-like structure, with steel pillars seemingly reaching into the clouds, shrouded in wispy smoke, highlighting the entire palace.
It's like being in the heavens!
There is almost no light here, making it difficult to visually identify what is depicted on those massive columns.
The eerie, distorted lines made Lillian feel uncomfortable and disgusted from the bottom of her heart!
"Grandpa, where is this—" she asked, forcing back her feelings of nausea and disgust.
"Follow me." However, Lloyd did not explain, but stepped off the platform and walked straight into the depths of the palace.
Despite her inner unease, Lillian took a deep breath, quietly clutched the iron plaque given to her by His Highness, and followed.
The deeper you go, the thicker the fog becomes.
Moreover, the remaining twisted mechanical artifacts and the writhing steel cables that resembled flesh and blood only exacerbated Lillian's unease.
Finally, the thick fog in front of us dissipated a bit.
Before them lay an extremely narrow iron bridge, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, and below them burned flames that resembled Purgatory!
"This is a factory," Lloyd said calmly as he walked across the bridge. "The flames below, combining biological energy with steel, will forge something called 'Symbiotic Armor,' which is also the most important deal between our Fernando Family and various Xenos forces."
"Symbiotic Armor?" Lillian's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't touched on the Fernando Family's true secret.
It's armor that combines living organisms with steel.
"That's right, this 'symbiotic armor' is far more powerful than the armor the Imperium provides to the Space Marine, but it also has drawbacks. If used for too long, the user will be completely consumed by the armor," Lloyd said calmly. "Of course, even with such a major drawback, its excellent performance still makes it highly sought after by the Xenos, after all, its cost is very low."
Lillian looked down at the shadow struggling in the flames, her pupils shrinking slightly. "Grandpa, the figure in there, could it be—"
"That's right, they're slaves from Nomad Port."
Lloyd nodded.
Even though she had already guessed, she still couldn't help feeling fear when she received the exact answer.
It turns out that the slaves in Nomad Port were not there for trade, but rather as raw materials to forge this "Symbiotic Armor"!
"Only a soul that has endured torment can forge the highest quality Symbiotic Armor."
Lloyd seemed completely unconcerned, casually remarking, "Those slaves should feel honored to have forged these Symbiotic Armor, worthy of being called 'miracles,' with their filthy, vile souls!"
This "sinful" bloodline should not be continued— Lillian's heart trembled, her fists clenched, and a hint of hatred flashed in her eyes!
"Let's go, the real secret is yet to come."
Lloyd continued walking forward.
After the two crossed the iron bridge, the thin fog dissipated, and a mechanical statue suddenly came into view!
The scythe-like blades form the wings of the statue, its ferocious and evil appearance seemingly a manifestation of machinery, blending the characteristics of both living beings and Daemon. The most striking feature is the long-handled weapon it holds in its hand, resembling a forging hammer!
"Grandpa, what is this?" Looking at the "statue" hidden in the darkness, which was difficult to make out clearly, Lillian felt as if her heart was about to stop beating. The pressure that was coming at her was like a violent tsunami that was about to swallow her up and tear her apart!
"You'll see it more clearly if you get closer."
Lloyd looked up at the Machine God: "This is the true reason why my Fernando Family is able to control Nomad Port and why so many Xenos forces are willing to submit to us—a god from the Warp —'The Creator Vashtor '!"