Death of Psykers

Before donning Star Power Armor, everyone also wore a Black Carapace Combat Suit similar to a black shell. The Black Carapace Combat Suit covered everything below the head and connected to the neural-wave amplifier at the back of the neck.

Once connected to the neural-wave amplifier, the entire Black Carapace Combat Suit became the body's second skin. It provided the wearer with limited protection while greatly enhancing strength and speed.

The Black Carapace Combat Suit also had many circular ports. Once a full set of Star Ceramite Power Armour was worn, the Black Carapace Combat Suit perfectly linked the wearer to the Power Armour, synchronizing every movement of the Space Marine.

The nuclear-powered backpack on the back provided the wearer with formidable individual combat capabilities. The energy within the nuclear-powered backpack could supply a Space Marine with stable energy output for thousands of years.

Star Power Armor was based on Mark 10, with limited enhancements. After all, the gene-enhanced warriors under the Art Student were still vastly different from the genetically modified Space Marines of the Imperium.

The Imperium's Space Marines had greater survivability, having undergone nineteen biological modifications. Even without helmets, they could adapt to all kinds of harsh environments—the helmetless chosen.

The helmets of Star Power Armor enhanced biological scans and data analysis related to the environment and food. The oxygen circulation inside the Power Armour greatly improved the survivability of the Star Space Marines.

Star Power Armor was primarily black and gold, with mountains, rivers, sun, moon, and stars engraved upon it. There was also a huge golden five-pointed star ★ on the chest, along with a golden cape on the back. The cape had decent bulletproof properties.

Star Power Armor gave off an initial impression of luxury and exquisite craftsmanship, yet this did not affect its overall performance. To the Art Student, being strong was temporary, but being handsome lasted a lifetime.

"Mo Tuo, I never expected you to be rather ugly before. Who would have thought that after putting on Power Armour, you'd become so handsome?"

Gray looked at Mo Tuo, who stood before him and had now reached a height of 2.8 meters, and teased him with a smile.

"Don't talk about me. Aren't you the same? You're much more handsome now than before. Back then, you were just a scavenger."

Mo Tuo did not get angry at Gray's teasing and shot back with a smile.

"And my lord has said that if we like, we can make minor modifications to the Power Armour and decorate it. After all, Power Armour will become our second life from now on."

Gray looked at the already splendid Power Armour and said with a smile.

A total of 178 Space Marines clad in Ceramite armor had gathered in the Space Marine training hall. The entire hall glittered with golden light.

This batch of Space Marines qualified to wear Power Armour had trained for seven years. They had all become familiar with one another, teasing each other without taking offense.

This was the first group qualified to wear armor. Another group was still training in the gravity chambers. The second batch of Space Marines numbered more than three hundred, exceeding the first batch.

After several years of development, the base had entered a steady rhythm in all aspects. Training periods for recruits had also grown longer. Unlike the beginning, when they could only be hurriedly trained for three months and barely grasped the basics.

Now, it took three years of training for a recruit to become a true veteran. After genetic matching, suitable candidates joined the Space Marines, while the rest chose to join the navy and defense forces for deeper training.

The warriors wearing Power Armour began a new round of training. Their current training focused on individuals and five-man squads, tempering their survival and combat abilities in all kinds of harsh environments.

Much of the training took place in virtual reality. Every piece of data in virtual reality was identical to reality, and the combat capabilities of the major races within it were primarily based on the Void Dragon's past memories.

It contained all manner of psychic races, such as the Aeldari and Greenskins, as well as some servant armies of the Old Ones.

Another three years passed in the blink of an eye. During those three years of training, the Space Marines showed remarkable improvement in both individual combat ability and team-based combat capability.

Hive World Two of the Teda Galaxy, the upper spire district. A magnificent building steeped in history stood there, occupying an enormous area.

The Imperium Ecclesiarchy Cathedral.

Outside the cathedral stood a sacred statue of the Emperor over a hundred meters tall, radiating majesty and holiness.

Inside the Imperium Ecclesiarchy Cathedral, in the bishop's residential quarters.

A bald, burly man wore a linen-colored robe trimmed in gold. Countless lines of High Gothic were inscribed upon it, all sacred quotations praising the Emperor.

The bald man sat in a massive stone chair. Looking at the Ecclesiarchy guards kneeling below him, he wore a stern expression and asked in a deep voice:

"A Luoshi, you said you had an important matter to report to me. What exactly is it? Do you realize you are wasting my precious time for praying to the Emperor?"

Hearing the bishop's imposing words, A Luoshi, who was kneeling on the ground, lowered his head even further and said in a trembling voice:

"My lord bishop, I received reports from below that thirteen psykers certified by the Imperium have died throughout the upper district this year, including two astropaths.

"While the astropaths were transmitting messages to the Imperium, their heads suddenly exploded. Neither our Ecclesiarchy personnel nor the planetary governor's people have uncovered any useful information."

"Hmm!"

Upon hearing A Luoshi's report, the bishop, who had initially paid little attention, suddenly turned grave. So many legally registered psykers dying unexpectedly in a single year was no small matter.

Every psyker certified by the Imperium Ecclesiarchy was a high-end asset on a planet and could help the Imperium maintain better control over it.

"Is it only these psykers whose deaths you have learned of, or have more psykers died? I mean those illegal psykers hiding in the shadows."

The bishop looked at A Luoshi kneeling on the ground and asked sternly.

A Luoshi answered honestly:

"My lord bishop, those illegal psykers are deeply hidden. For the time being, we have received no news of any illegal psyker deaths."

"Send people to investigate. Dispatch investigators to the middle and lower levels, as well as the Underhive. Do not overlook any clues. I want to know whether all this is some evil ritual being conducted by those hidden scum, threatening the safety of the Imperium."

The bishop spoke solemnly.

"Yes, I will send people to investigate immediately."

A Luoshi replied seriously.

Watching the Ecclesiarchy personnel depart, the bishop's mood grew somewhat heavy. Conflict now raged throughout the Galaxy, wars were everywhere within the Imperium, and rebel forces across the regions resisted Imperial rule.

"Troubled times indeed. May the God-Emperor protect us."

The bishop looked at the empty hall and sighed inwardly.

Thanks to 936, Fu Family Mansion, and A Lover of Pan-Fried Dumplings, the three generous patrons.