The Emperor Above

For five consecutive days, the Logistics Machines worked at full capacity to produce teleportation Protection Devices.

To make the teleportation Protection Devices easier to carry, Qin Mo miniaturized them and integrated them into the backpacks on the backs of ordinary soldiers' Power Armor. The Terminator Power Armor was, of course, also fitted with Protection Devices.

Since there was no immediate need for interstellar travel, Qin Mo did not continue researching dimensional technology to invent a Dimension Engine. Instead, he first turned to another important matter.

That was turning Yao En into a warrior.

Outside the fortress, Grey and Grot sparred with Yao En. All three wore Terminator Power Armor.

Qin Mo stood nearby, silently observing and recording Yao En's various data.

"You're too cowardly!" Grey roared as he fired scatter lasers at Yao En. "You're just as cowardly as when you faced those mutated spiders in the passageway, except you haven't been scared witless yet!"

Yao En dodged frantically, but Grey's scatter lasers always struck him and were absorbed by his Power Armor.

"One thousand four hundred and twentieth hit." Qin Mo was somewhat helpless.

Yao En did have combat ability, just like every other underhive dweller.

But he was far too insecure and cowardly. Faced with Grey's fire, he did not dare fight back and merely dodged. How could someone who had only just put on Terminator Power Armor possibly evade Grey's attacks?

"Stop fucking dodging!" Grot strode over and kicked Yao En flat on the ground, then mounted him and hammered fist after fist into his helmeted head.

Every time Yao En's head was hit, it slammed against the ground. He endured both Grot's punches and the shocks from striking the floor, leaving his mind a little muddled.

"Enough." Qin Mo raised a hand to stop him.

Grot immediately rose and stepped back, glaring furiously at Yao En.

It took Yao En a while before he managed to climb back up. He removed his helmet and apologized to Qin Mo. "Sorry for disappointing you."

"No. People need time to grow and learn. You simply need more instruction." Qin Mo shook his head slightly, then looked at Grot.

Though he said nothing, Grot understood Qin Mo's meaning. He walked over to Yao En, grabbed him by the neck, and forced him upright. "From now on, I'll teach you properly until you learn how to fight. Right now, you're disgracing that Custodian armor!"

After Grot led Yao En away, Grey suddenly felt relieved. He let out a breath and looked at Qin Mo. "Forgive me for speaking frankly, but that man truly isn't suited to be a soldier."

"He isn't suited to it yet, but it's fine. Grot will teach him," Qin Mo said.

Grey could not understand why Qin Mo was so persistent about Yao En, but he knew Qin Mo had his reasons for everything he did.

"What do you think about the Servants?" Qin Mo asked.

Grey immediately recalled Qin Mo ordering him to monitor the Servants yesterday. Without hesitation, he answered, "The Servants have undoubtedly betrayed the Emperor."

Qin Mo nodded.

But Grey hesitated again, then said quietly, "Still, I don't think it's wrong for them to believe in you. You were the one who led us out of desperate circumstances. The miracles you displayed..."

"I also think I'm a god, but I don't need their faith. Their faith could lead to them being exploited." Qin Mo lowered his voice. "Imagine if these people were corrupted by something strange, then suddenly turned into rebels..."

Grey did not understand that statement, because he did not know why the Servants might be corrupted. What could possibly corrupt them?

Like the overwhelming majority of the Imperium's civilians, Grey did not know Chaos existed.

"Forget it." Qin Mo could not explain much to Grey, since he was not an Untouchable. "How about this? Go warn them that they are forbidden from spreading faith any further, because I am the Emperor's messenger."

"Yes..." Grey nodded and turned to leave.

As he watched Grey depart, Qin Mo carefully savored the phrase "the Emperor's messenger."

Then even Qin Mo could not keep a straight face. If I weren't worried that Chaos would seize the chance to corrupt them, or that the Ecclesiarchy would cause trouble, I'd gladly accept the Servants' worship.

Five days later.

After all ground forces had been mobilized, assembled, and begun receiving protection devices, Duncan also received his own protection device, which replaced the ordinary backpack on the back of his Power Armor.

At the same time, Duncan received a direct order from Qin Mo. As the first person to be teleported, he was to leave the underhive ahead of the others and deploy a teleportation beacon outside the blocked passageway, ensuring that the main force could teleport successfully.

Once the teleportation device had finished charging and Duncan was ready, he was teleported out of the underhive.

The instant teleportation began, the protection device released a shield. Thus, Duncan was not tortured half to death like the first criminal who had used teleportation.

After the Master Control Intelligence performed extensive calculations and determined the optimal destination, Duncan was sent into the Dimensional Channel.

It was a peculiar experience.

When Duncan lowered his head, he could see his own shell. The surroundings began to blur, yet he could clearly sense everything around him.

Then Duncan felt something pull him back into his shell. Once he readjusted to his body, he discovered that everything around him had changed.

Behind him lay a vast open area. In the distance stood the massive checkpoint leading into the underhive, sealed off completely.

Ahead lay a defensive position jointly established by the Planetary Defense Force and the Hive City Adeptus Arbites.

After the teleportation ended, Duncan looked toward the defensive position and discovered countless heavy weapons aimed at him. The soldiers in the position had braced their rifles against the fortifications and prepared for battle.

At that moment, a general led several Adeptus Arbites personnel to the very front of the position. He stared at Duncan in utter amazement, his jaw nearly dropping.

This man in Power Armor had appeared out of thin air. Before that, the others had only seen an energy rift appear where Duncan stood.

"Are you human or xenos?" the general shouted.

Duncan removed his helmet and revealed his true face. "I am Duncan, Regimental Commander of the 87th Infantry Regiment of the First Legion."

"The 87th Regiment? Are you talking nonsense?" The general glanced incredulously at the sealed passageway. "How could you possibly still be alive?"

Duncan took out the teleportation beacon, turned around, and threw it backward with all his strength.

The spherical beacon hit the ground and immediately anchored itself. Its casing unfolded outward, revealing the locator data transmitter.

Everyone besides Duncan was utterly confused, having no idea what this was for.

"I'm still alive." Duncan glared at the general, his tone icy. "All of us are still alive."

Countless energy rifts appeared across the open ground. Drones that generated Gravity Shields emerged first, followed by Grey and the others in Terminator Power Armor, then the other infantry, tanks, Artillery Drones, Logistics Machines...

An orderly army, already prepared for battle, was teleported over.

Seeing this, the general's dry lips slowly parted. "The Emperor above..."