These miraculous fungal strains could become a line of defense within soldiers' bodies, blocking attacks from naturally occurring alien pathogens. Though the Imperium did not place much value on the lives of Astra Militarum soldiers, having entire regiments lose their combat effectiveness because of food was simply too foolish.
Of course, this was not a perfect defense. Diarrhea and vomiting caused by unfamiliar local conditions could still occur sometimes. But at least you would not become a festering, sore-covered source of infection because of some unknown natural pathogen.
The Imperium's longstanding tradition was to ensure the safety of most people. As for the rest, they could only pray that nothing happened to them.
When an expedition fleet docked at a planet to procure supplies, the Departmento Munitorum would also allow the soldiers to disembark and rest. At such times, soldiers would use their issued military scrip and goods vouchers to conduct small transactions with the planet's citizens.
They would buy local specialty drinks, snacks, or collectible souvenirs.
That said, when Lin Fan went out with the soldiers to purchase supplies, what he saw more often was still barter. Military scrip and goods vouchers circulated more within the soldier population.
Even the military scrip and goods vouchers used by different Astra Militarum regiments were clearly different. Some particularly impoverished regiments issued their soldiers with nothing more than a few slightly sweet ration bars.
Yet even these ration bars, which Imperial soldiers found difficult to swallow, were rare food in the hands of a planet's impoverished residents. At least they could recognize the military labels on the packaging and knew that eating them would not cause them to die of some strange disease.
The Imperium was both so advanced and so backward. Extreme inequality spread throughout humanity's territory. Some people could casually