第19章 战团的发展

Time slowly passed. Several more months went by, and the underhive and mid-hive of Palatus Hive grew increasingly different.

With two successive batches of sixteen million and thirty-two million auxiliary personnel deployed to administration, the Astral Claws tightened their grip on the underhive and mid-hive. Under the premise of a sufficient supply of starch, the crime rate across the underhive and mid-hive gradually declined.

Especially in the underhive, as a massive number of anti-human gangs were gunned down and countless gang leaders were killed, with the remaining gang members incorporated as peripheral personnel, the mortality rate of the entire underhive plummeted by an order of magnitude.

Several major engineering projects also gradually yielded results. Water purification and air purification circulation systems in many areas were completed and began trial operations, removing toxic and hazardous substances from the water and air.

Although the pollution within them remained severe, to the underhivers of these areas, this was already an unimaginable luxury.

When breathing, there was actually no burning sensation, no feeling of suffocation, no drowning sensation, no dizziness or nausea—only a choking sensation!

After drinking water, there was no burning sensation from the mouth to the stomach, no knife-like pain in the abdomen, no full-body spasms, and it only felt a bit scratchy in the throat when swallowed!

To the underhivers, this was no different from a dream. No, they could not even dream of such a wonderful thing, because they had never experienced this feeling and could not even imagine it.

All these actions caused the underhivers' trust in the Astral Claws to increase significantly, and this phenomenon in turn accelerated the progress of various projects.

As manpower gradually became plentiful, more projects were also launched, such as the construction of surveillance networks, ruins clearance, road maintenance, and so on.

Aside from a few delicate tasks, most of these projects were simple physical labor, requiring only the moving of things.

After all, without the blessing of civilian factories, and with underhivers mostly being illiterate, if they were really asked to do some complex major engineering projects, the casualties would probably be a bit too high.

Even though their enthusiasm wouldn't wane even if people died, Lufgt Huron was no monster, and he wasn't in a rush for this year or a half; naturally, he had them do some simple chores first to practice their skills.

The current engineering workforce expanded slightly, reaching a scale of six billion, basically covering all underhive households. This was also an important reason for the skyrocketing stability of the underhive.

With food to eat, work to do, and a living environment that was gradually improving, they naturally settled down.

As the fine breed rigorously selected by the Imperium over ten thousand years, most underhivers belonged to the category of those who behaved once they were full. Because those who dared to make trouble, regardless of the reason, were basically weeded out by over ten thousand years of the culling process.

As for those born bad seeds who simply liked to torment and abuse others as a form of entertainment?

Lufgt Huron didn't lack troops in his hands. There were several million Auxilia members who hadn't become administrative personnel, acting instead as armed police to maintain underhive stability.

Coupled with the support of the Boarding Assault Division and the Space Marine companies, those who dared to make trouble were sent straight to the heavens!

That was right. Aside from regular all-infantry divisions, Lufgt Huron had already trained several ten-thousand-man special operations divisions. While drilling, they wiped out regular enemies like gangs and mutated beasts to farm experience, striving to reach level 3 training proficiency as quickly as possible.

Moreover, after months of production, the military industry produced over a hundred sets of Cataphractii Terminator armour. Counting the chapter's original Terminators, the veteran companies of the two grand battalions finally had Terminator armour for everyone, becoming a true "Terminator company."

This kind of equipment was usually not deployed, considering how precious it was. But Lufgt Huron didn't care; with a wave of his hand, he had the veteran company wear their Terminator armour straight onto duty to accelerate their proficiency growth.

Anyway, a set of Terminator armour was produced every day now, and even if one broke in an accident, it could be directly replaced with a new one.

This also made all manner of monsters and freaks in the underhive wailing in misery. Being hunted down by Space Marines was one thing, but why were Terminators popping up now too?

How on earth did they deserve to be swarmed and beaten by so many Terminators!

Under the multi-pronged daily purges of large-scale armed police, elite special operations divisions, Space Marine grand battalions, and the Terminator company, the accidental mortality rate in the underhive plummeted, and several originally dangerous areas were brought under the control of the Astral Claws.

Inside the lounge within the Astral Claws Monastery, Lufgt Huron watched the steadily rising stability within the system and hummed softly.

The buff bonuses granted by over 50% stability were still quite good: approval ratings increased by 5%, factory and dock yields increased by 5%, engineering speeds were faster thanks to civilian worker bonuses, military production capacity was improved, and frigate repair times were reduced by nearly 20 days.

More importantly, high stability brought him joy.

If stability was rock-bottom before I came, and still rock-bottom after I came, wouldn't I, damn it, have come for nothing?

Transmigrating to the cesspool of Warhammer 40,000, and onto Lufgt Huron—a Space Marine who would eventually betray—his mental pressure had never ceased.

Even with the system, he wasn't sure how strong this system was. What if it was some useless cat-themed system that only knew how to turn into a human and wait for beatings with a stick?

Then the two noobs would just rot in prison together.

Fortunately, the system's functions were indeed powerful; in less than a year, it could accomplish so many things.

Lufgt Huron pinched a few grape-like alien fruits and tossed them into his mouth, chewing while admiring the data on the system panel.

Over six hundred armed police divisions, 6 special operations divisions, 2 Space Marine grand battalions, an inventory of over two hundred sets of Mk7 Power Armour, and 6 sets of Terminators.

"Oh, we common folk, we're so happy today..."

Just as he hummed a couple of lines of out-of-tune lyrics, the door to the lounge was knocked upon.

Lufgt Huron's face instantly twisted into a mask of agony, before shifting back to a blank expression. "Enter."

Odinson pushed the door open, his expression somewhat strange. "Chapter Master, former Planetary Governor Valen Watt invites you to attend a banquet."

"?" Lufgt Huron looked somewhat surprised. "Inviting me at a time like this? Did he say what it's about?"

"He said he hopes to discuss how to deal with those restless nobles."

"Restless? Isn't he the most restless noble of all?"

Lufgt Huron was somewhat speechless. Valen, who spent every day conspiring and holding meetings with nobles, had the nerve to call other nobles restless; it almost made him laugh, which was also the reason for Odinson's eerie expression.

"So, Chapter Master, should we go to this banquet?"

Lufgt Huron pondered for a moment. "Go, why wouldn't I? I want to see what he's up to. But we need to make preparations first."

Lufgt Huron took the invitation brought by Odinson, checked the time, and instructed, "Arrange for Corian to take his 1st Company with me. Have all troops make ready, prepared to deploy at any moment."

"Understood, Chapter Master." Odinson executed an Aquila and left to make the relevant arrangements.

Lufgt Huron rubbed the intricate golden patterns on the invitation, feeling somewhat curious about what this man wanted to do.

I hope he behaves himself.