Countdown to Lies

Inside and outside the cell, there was a deathly silence. Only the faint glow of the projection flowed soundlessly across everyone's stunned faces.

"Lord Regent! Maximum alert in Sector D-7! Those captured xenos mechs suddenly went out of control! They smashed through the Archmagos's laboratory! They have reached the detention area! The Inquisitor and the Living Saint are already on scene. The situation... the situation is somewhat strange!"

Guilliman abruptly raised his head from the mountain of strategic star charts.

The adjutant's urgent, faintly panicked voice pierced the heavy air in his office like icy steel needles. Evelyn stood beside him, her movements freezing instantly as a glimmer seemed to flash deep within her star-like eyes.

"Out of control? Strange?" Guilliman's voice was terrifyingly low.

Without the slightest hesitation, he rose to his feet, his towering body moving as the joints of the heavy Armor of Fate gave a dull metallic scrape.

He strode toward the door, his steps heavy and swift.

Evelyn followed close behind like a silent shadow.

The atmosphere in the passage leading to Sector D-7 was grave.

Fully armed Ultramarines Space Marines had already taken control of the key points, gripping their heavy Bolters as their gazes swept every corner vigilantly from beneath their helmets.

Guilliman's arrival made the killing intent in the passage tighten. The warriors silently struck their chests in salute and opened a path for him.

Guilliman and Evelyn, surrounded by the Space Marines, surged into the core passage of Sector D-7 like an unstoppable torrent of blue steel.

The sight before him made Guilliman pause slightly.

The passage was in ruins.

The shattered Adamantium blast doors lay twisted and warped across the floor.

Imperial Guardsmen had formed several defensive lines, their guns aimed tensely toward the cells, fingers tight on their triggers.

The Inquisitor stood at the very front, her Bolter raised and aimed into the cell, her face so dark it seemed water could drip from it.

The Living Saint Celestine stood slightly ahead and to one side of her, holy Glory surrounding her like burning white flames.

Inside the cell, the Spartans led by Carter, clad in Mjolnir Power Armor, had formed a defensive formation.

Their weapons were not aimed at the Imperium. They were simply holding their positions on alert.

"Captain Carter, report the situation!" General Kent's holographic projection appeared before them, with the vast fleet at the spaceport faintly visible behind him.

"General!" Carter's voice came through his armor's speakers, clear and composed. "During an investigation of an 'anomaly point,' the squad encountered an unknown spatial vortex and was transported to an unknown region of space. We are unable to connect to the Imperial backbone network. We encountered intense vigilance and detention by the local force known as the 'Imperium of Man.'"

"The Imperium of Man?" General Kent frowned deeply. His sharp gaze seemed capable of piercing the projection as it swept over the surroundings, the giants in blue-and-gold power armor, the Inquisitor, and the Living Saint radiating a sacred aura. "Status of negotiations?"

"Negotiations have been obstructed. Our equipment was forcibly disarmed for study, and our personal freedom has been restricted," Carter reported truthfully.

"Outrageous!" The general's voice suddenly rose, carrying unquestionable authority. The invisible pressure made even Greyfax instinctively step back half a pace. "This is a provocation against the Hilling Empire!"

"Heretics!" Greyfax shouted sharply, aiming her Bolter at the projection.

Guilliman's footsteps echoed through the corridor like a warhammer striking every heart.

He stopped before the holographic projection, his gaze icy as he met the general's eyes.

"I am Roboute Guilliman, Regent of the Imperium of Man." His voice was low and commanding. "Now tell me—what exactly does the Hilling Empire want?"

General Kent's projection flickered slightly, as though the signal were being disrupted, but his sharp eyes remained steady.

"Lord Guilliman." His tone eased somewhat, though it still carried an inviolable firmness. "The Hilling Empire has no intention of becoming humanity's enemy. But our warriors will never tolerate being imprisoned, interrogated, dismantled, and studied."

He raised a hand and waved it. The spaceport image behind the projection enlarged, revealing countless warships moving through orbit, their scale far surpassing the Ultramarines' fleet.

"If you insist on hostility, it will be regarded as a declaration of war against the Hilling Empire."

Greyfax gripped her Bolter more tightly, but Guilliman raised a hand to stop her.

"General, misunderstandings arise from the unknown." Guilliman's voice was steady. "The Imperium of Man is plagued by troubles within and without. Remaining wary of every anomaly is necessary for survival. But if the Hilling Empire truly is a branch of human civilization... then perhaps cooperation is possible."

General Kent fell silent for a moment before finally nodding.

"A reasonable explanation." He inclined his head slightly. "I am Kent von Stirling, commander of the Third Fleet of the Seventh Expeditionary Sequence of the Hilling Empire, Governor of Reach, rank: five-star general."

Guilliman narrowed his eyes.

A five-star general? This rank system was entirely different from the Imperium's, but the organization of the Seventh Expeditionary Sequence and Third Fleet suggested that the Hilling Empire's military scale might vastly exceed initial estimates. As for Governor of Reach, that was likely comparable to a lord.

"Lord Guilliman, I understand your caution," the general continued. "But interstellar communications are fluctuating violently, and this connection may be interrupted at any moment. I authorize Captain Carter to disclose basic information about the Hilling Empire within reasonable limits. As for deeper exchanges..."

He paused, and the projection blurred for an instant from signal interference.

"We need to establish a stable Beacon Channel."

"A Beacon Channel?" Guilliman frowned.

"Wormhole transmission technology." The general's tone was calm, as if he were stating an utterly ordinary fact. "The Hilling Empire's interstellar communications and material transport rely on directed wormholes. The beacon is currently being established and is expected to achieve preliminary stability within three cosmic months."

The entire corridor fell into dead silence.

Greyfax's face turned pale.

Cawl's mechanical eyes flashed frantically, data streams nearly overflowing.

Even the Living Saint Celestine's wings trembled slightly.

Wormhole transmission? That was a forbidden field in Imperial technology! Not even the Adeptus Mechanicus's most secret laboratories had achieved stable, controllable interstellar wormholes!

Guilliman's expression remained calm, but he could not entirely conceal the shock in his eyes.

"You... can open wormholes at will?"

"Not 'at will.'" The general shook his head. "They require precise coordinates and enormous energy. Even the Hilling Empire can only open them with celestial-body-class motherships."

Guilliman's thoughts raced.

If this was true, the Hilling Empire's technological level had already crushed that of the Imperium of Man!

If this was a lie, then this 'general's' acting and projection technology were equally terrifying.

General Kent's projection began to flicker erratically, and the fleet image at the spaceport warped and fractured.

"Lord Guilliman," the general's voice broke in and out, yet retained its authority, "I deeply sympathize with your current situation..."

His gaze swept over the Imperial soldiers standing ready in the corridor, over Greyfax's tense face, and finally settled on Guilliman.

"But my authority is limited. Before I receive formal authorization, I cannot make any promises to you."

The projection shuddered violently, and the general's figure split into overlapping images.

"However, I can personally provide you with a batch of supplies... Before then..." He looked toward Carter's squad. "I entrust these warriors to your care."

Guilliman's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

This was a test.

The general was observing his reaction and evaluating the Imperium of Man's sincerity.

"They helped Macragge," Guilliman replied steadily. "I will not mistreat them."

The general in the projection nodded.

"Very well... Communications are about to... be interrupted..."

His image began to break apart into points of light, and his voice became fragmented.

"Carter... I authorize you... to make your own decisions... when necessary..."

With his final words, the projection vanished with a snap.

An eerie silence descended inside and outside the cell.

Greyfax still held up her Bolter, but her finger had left the trigger. The holy light around the Living Saint Celestine gradually receded, and her wings folded in slightly.

Guilliman drew a deep breath and turned to Carter.

"It seems we need to get acquainted again, warrior."

Three hours later · Macragge Administrative Palace

Carter sat in a chair in the reception room, having removed his helmet to reveal a weathered yet resolute face.

His squad members stood behind him, likewise having removed their head armor, though the rest of their Mjolnir Power Armor remained armed.

Guilliman sat opposite him, with Evelyn standing at his side.

On the other side of the room, Cawl's mechanical tendrils moved soundlessly as they scanned every minute reaction of the Spartans.

"So," Guilliman said, interlacing his fingers atop the table, "what is the structure of the Hilling Empire?"

After thinking briefly, Carter explained, "His Majesty the Emperor is the highest decision-maker, assisted by the Supreme Wisdom and the Senate. The Supreme Wisdom is an intelligent supercomputer, while the Senate is the Empire's upper council, mainly composed of the leaders of high-ranking legions."

"Your territory?"

"The entire Hilling Star System belongs to the Empire, and Reach is the Hilling Empire's primary border military world." Carter's answer was flawless. All of this was "background information" Hua Wei had implanted into him through the system.

Guilliman's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why have we never discovered your existence?"

"Perhaps because the distance is too great... Your current technology cannot observe us." Carter's expression did not change.

That answer made Guilliman lightly tap his fingers on the tabletop. "You are saying the Imperium of Man is very backward, aren't you? It must be."

"The... intelligent system you use, the Supreme Wisdom?" Cawl suddenly cut in, his mechanical voice carrying restrained excitement. "Are you not concerned that they may rebel?"

"Rebel?" Carter looked at the mechanical Archmagos. "I do not understand that aspect very well, but under Hilling Empire law, once an artificial intelligence awakens, it enjoys the same status as Imperial citizens. If it has enough Hilling Credits, it can customize its own body."

Cawl's mechanical eyes flashed even faster.

Guilliman noticed the Archmagos's abnormality but did not expose it. He turned to a more practical question.

"What exactly will the supplies mentioned by the general include?"

"Without Imperial authorization, no military supplies can be transferred out. The general is the Governor of Reach, and within his authority, it will likely be basic survival supplies, medical supplies, and perhaps some civilian technology." Carter answered cautiously.

Greyfax gave a cold snort. "Just that?"

"Inquisitor," Carter said, meeting her eyes directly, "without any formal diplomatic relationship, this is already an enormous gesture of goodwill."

Guilliman raised a hand, stopping the argument before it could erupt.

"That will be enough." He stood. "Captain Carter, you and your squad may move freely, but you must cooperate with our... basic security measures."

He looked toward Calgar. "Arrange for them to stay at Glory Fortress. Assign a squad of honor guards... to protect them."

He placed heavy emphasis on the words "honor guards." Carter understood immediately—this was surveillance, but also a form of protection, preventing the Inquisitor from causing trouble in private.

"Thank you for your understanding, Lord Regent." Carter rose and gave a standard Hilling military salute.

After the Spartans left, Greyfax finally erupted.

"You trust them just like that? Those suits of armor contain Abominable Intelligence! They may very well be a scheme of Chaos!"

"Greyfax," Guilliman's voice turned cold, "they saved Macragge, and now they are willing to offer aid. I understand your concerns, but given the Imperium's current state, we cannot afford the luxury of making enemies at will."

He turned to Cawl. "What do you think?"

The data streams of the mechanical Archmagos went quiet for a moment.

"Their technology... is fascinating," Cawl finally said. "I would rather believe they truly exist."

Guilliman nodded and looked out at the sky above Macragge.

Three cosmic months.

He wanted to see exactly what kind of change this "Hilling Empire" could bring.