Warmaster, back on Macragge, saw the prompt right after his training session. Without hesitation, he immediately chose to update.
After about ten minutes, his datapad finished updating. Two new features popped up: Instant Recall and the regional chat channel.
Warmaster clicked into the regional chat channel.
Yuji: "Wow, this update dropped fast!"
WrongHammer: "They said they were launching 2.0 just a few days ago, and now we can teleport? Seriously?"
BaldCustodian: "Somebody ought to try it."
Yuji: "We tried it already. Sotha to the Imperial Glory is an instant hop. You Macragge guys, step up to the plate."
Players from the two planets, Sotha and Macragge, were lighting up the regional channel.
Yuji: "No players in the Atomal area are chiming in. Guess our instant chat is capped at Sotha and Macragge."
BaldCustodian: "That's probably par for the course."
Rigby: "It looks like the Pharos Lighthouse is the key. When it's pointed at Macragge, we get instant comms. If it's not, no dice."
Veteran: "That's an easy fix. Just build a few more Lighthouses, establish an interstellar internet, set up some relay stations, and the whole galaxy is connected."
Yuji: "Cut us psykers a break! What are we supposed to do for work?"
Daigo: "This is the pain of progress, a necessary sacrifice."
Veteran: "Seems like nobody from Macragge has teleported yet. Who's going to be the guinea pig?"
Twisted Person: "That job has Warmaster's name written all over it."
Warmaster: "Why me? You teleport."
WrongHammer: "I'm in Sotha—how can I teleport? Instant Recall is a one-way ticket. You can only go back to a safe point; there's no way to jump to another place."
Yuji: "Warmaster, you're the best of us. You don't want to chicken out now, do you?"
Daigo: "You're Warmaster. Don't lose face over this."
Rigby: "Think about the cheering people in Atomal. You gave them a passionate speech back then!"
Reading the chain of messages, Rigby was dead to rights.
"Okay, okay, cut the flattery. You just want me to be the guinea pig, right?"
Yuji: "We've got no choice. You're the highest-ranked player among us."
BaldCustodian: "Yeah, I'm too broke on EXP points to afford it. Otherwise, I'd take one for the team."
Rigby sent a contemptuous emoji to the channel.
Then, he operated his datapad, selected the Imperial Glory, and clicked the Instant Recall button.
After waiting for a few seconds, a confirmation popped up.
Are you sure you want to spend 1025 Exp Points to return to the Imperial Glory?
Warmaster clicked confirm without hesitation.
Request received and being processed.
Your coordinates have been locked, please do not move.
Jumping Countdown: 30s, 29s, 28s... 3s, 2s, 1s, 0s
Jumping.
As the countdown hit zero, the warlord felt the surrounding space warp and distort. When everything returned to normal, he materialized out of thin air on the transporter deck of the Imperial Glory.
Yuji and WrongHammer, who were waiting nearby, cheered when they saw him.
"He actually made it!"
"Awesome! GOAT status!"
Rigby was delighted, too, seeing Yuji and WrongHammer in person. "This teleport is slick!"
Rigby opened his datapad interface and clicked into the chat channel.
Warmaster: "Brother Garry, it's confirmed. The Instant Recall really works! It only takes a few seconds to hop from Macragge to the Imperial Glory."
Warmaster: "@BaldCustodian, stop kissing up to me and get over here."
BaldCustodian: "Okay, I'm on my way."
A dozen seconds later, BaldCustodian appeared on the teleportation deck.
"That's truly amazing. Sotha and Macragge are worlds apart, but we were teleported here in an instant."
"I have to tell the other guys to teleport over."
The players who discovered the new feature were having a field day. One by one, they jumped over from Macragge.
Once the novelty wore off, they realized their mistake. Jumping over only took a finger swipe. Getting back is another story—they'd have to take a ship and slow-boat it.
The official website forum was also buzzing.
The "Cloud Gamers" were fuming. They didn't even get a spot in the closed beta, and now these guys were playing around with teleportation!
"They should all be deleted!"
"When will the ninth batch of closed beta keys drop?"
"Extremely sad, extremely upset."
"I've missed so many patches. Do I have to wait until the Emperor and the Chaos Gods throw down before I get my hands on a key and become a war correspondent?"
While players were trying out new features and Cloud Gamers were gnashing their teeth, Daniel and Arale were calibrating the Imperial Glory's Lighthouse array.
Unlike the Astronomican's psionic design, the Pharos Lighthouse was built by the Necrons using the principles of quantum entanglement resonance. It operates according to the user's thoughts.
If Daniel thought of Macragge, the Lighthouse would point to Macragge, allowing for navigation and faster-than-light communication.
Daniel sat on the throne connected to the Lighthouse. The first planet he thought of was Terra, but that thought was quickly rejected. Then he thought of Atomal.
The quantum entanglement device installed on the ship's keel roared, and the spacecraft vibrated violently. Arale adjusted the ship's buffer structure, releasing the impact of the quantum pulse engine into the void.
A vague projection formed in front of Daniel. The power of a single Lighthouse was limited; the Calixis Sector was too far from Ultramar. Only a hazy outline could be sketched.
Daniel thought of Governor Fax, and the projection changed again, outlining a magnificent conference room. He saw Governor Fax, Bishop Hydrak, and Tech-Magos Theresa. Their figures were blurry but vaguely recognizable.
"There's still no word from the Guide, and the Colin family is throwing their weight around more and more," Hydrak said.
"Let them come. The Valancius family has never been traitors. We will fight to the last man," Fax stated firmly.
"Governor, I must solemnly remind you that you are the last of the Valancius line, and your wife is not yet pregnant," Theresa interrupted, with the dry humor unique to the Mechanicus.
"Is this the time to talk about this?" Fax was a little annoyed. "I'm expressing my determination to resist the Colin family!"
"The Adeptus Mechanicus only follows objective laws. You are, in fact, the last one."
Daniel tried to call them. "Fax? Hydrak? Theresa?"
He tried several times, but still, no response.
Having hit a dead end, Daniel cut off the communication and chose another target: Guilliman.
In the spire area of Tyrian Hive on the planet Atomal, Fax, who was discussing matters with Bishop Hydrak and Magos Theresa in the conference room, suddenly looked puzzled and glanced around.
"What's wrong?" Hydrak asked.
"I think I heard the Guide's voice. Is he here?" Fax's tone was full of confusion.
"You're seeing things," Hydrak said bluntly. "The Guide is on Macragge right now."
"But I really heard it just now. It was a very ethereal voice." Fax was still unsure.
"By the Omnissiah, you have no psyker talent. Even if the Guide wanted to talk to you, he couldn't do it," Magos Theresa denied Fax's words with cold logic.
"Okay, maybe I really was hallucinating," Fax conceded.
On the bridge deck of the Glorious Queen-class battleship, the Macragge's Glory.
"Who would have imagined that after ten thousand years, I would see the light of the Pharos Beacon again? It makes me think of Dantioch, the loyal Iron Warrior whom Perturabo humiliated for his own pitiful pride."
Guilliman looked at Daniel's projection and offered a wry smile.
"It's pointless to dwell on Perturabo," Daniel said. "Let's talk about the Pharos Lighthouse."
"It works by inducing the principle of quantum entanglement between particles. Quantum entanglement is a fundamental phenomenon, but the Pharos somehow manages to manipulate its state, creating resonances between objects and locations across vast distances."
"It's a beacon and a weapon of immense power. If we can control it, humanity may be able to cut back on its reliance on the Warp."
Guilliman nodded. "I know all this. When I first used it, I received a full-bore report detailing its principles, mechanisms, and usage—written by Dantioch himself."
"You might wonder why it wasn't the Mechanicus. It's because the Mechanicus back then was already too old-fashioned and pedantic. They would dither around for years just deciding whether to destroy or research the Pharos? Their inefficiency is infuriating, frankly."
Daniel smiled. "Now you can put that worry aside. This is the core technology of the Pharos Lighthouse. Arale has already reverse-engineered it. This is a technological path humanity has never imagined. It will only take us a short time to replicate these technologies."
"If humanity could build ten, twenty, or even a thousand of these beacons to light up the night sky, the Warp Storms would become a non-issue."
"Your speed is astonishing, and your vision is excellent," Guilliman nodded. "But what about the risks? Let us not be too hasty. Figure out the risks this tech brings, then we can evaluate its necessity. Greed and impatience only lead to disaster, just look at my own Father."
"The Emperor also believed that controlling the Webway would let humanity rest easy. So he launched the Great Crusade at all costs, built the Empire, and then bet everything on the Webway. In the end, he lost all his friends, his sons turned against him, and he's suffered for ten thousand years on the Golden Throne."
"I will weigh the pros and cons," Daniel said.
"That would be best." Guilliman smiled. "Sotha is all wrapped up. Why not stick around and help me launch the campaign to reclaim Ultramar? That would let me book it for Terra sooner."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Guilliman's face. "So soon?"
"The rebellion there is getting out of hand, and I have to go back to take charge of the situation," Daniel explained.
"A number of Saints will remain to fight with you. I will implement new policies and various new technologies in the Calixis Sector. When you take charge of Terra, you can use the Calixis Sector as a model to explore reforms."
"I will also use the Pharos Lighthouse technology in the Calixis Sector to see if I can build a communications network."
The two chatted for more than two hours before cutting off communication, shutting down the quantum engine, and plunging the communication room into darkness.
Daniel sat in the darkness, thinking about returning to the Calixis Sector. The rebellion started by the Colin family had intensified. It was time to go back, deal with the unrest, and field test some new technologies while he was there.
After resolving Sotha's problem, Daniel began preparations to return to the Calixis Sector.
Within the galaxy, Arale could now use the quantum properties of the two Lighthouses to resonate. This effectively solves the problem of not being able to keep tabs on players across the galaxy's vast territory. In the future, they would build more Lighthouses, hoping to cover most of the Milky Way, completely solving the problems of player task distribution, reward processing, and teleportation between beacons.
The only bummer is that Guilliman doesn't fully trust the Pharos Lighthouse technology. Daniel understood the Primarch's mentality: after the Horus Heresy, the Primarch is gun-shy when it comes to gifts of fate, fearing he'll be played for a fool by the Chaos Gods again.
The Emperor's original plan was also perfect. If it hadn't been for that bonehead Magnus and Abaddon, everything would have gone off without a hitch. The two of them perfectly demonstrated that no matter how bad the enemy is, friendly fire is always worse.
Magnus's psychic call decimated the Imperial Guard on the Webway, rendering all the Emperor's plans in vain. The Custodes were forced to fight demons in the Webway for several years with the Sisters of Silence and the Mechanicus army.
The fighting was so brutal that many were running on pure stimulants. This is why there were not many Custodes present during the Siege of Terra. With the Ten Thousand backing them up, the Siege of Terra could have held out for at least a third longer—maybe even indefinitely.
Not to mention Abaddon. Who's the genius who decided to throw his own Primarch under the bus? Abaddon, that's who. Despite repeated warnings from Loken and Torgaddon of the Council of Four Kings that Erebus was conspiring, Abaddon refused to listen and insisted on sending Horus into the Temple of Davin.
When Horus's humanity briefly resurfaced, Abaddon even let his own men drive a ritual dagger into Horus's last shred of humanity. He truly embodied the meaning of filial piety to the fullest.
The Emperor's plan was perfect, yet the Chaos Gods warped it beyond recognition. Those who despise the gods will pay a heavy price. They will wait patiently until humans reveal a flaw, and then they will attack instantly, like a venomous snake, hitting the vital point.
Daniel planned to use various new technologies in the Calixis Sector first, and then promote them after confirming that there were no glaring issues.
Before leaving, Daniel spent some Faith points to designate the Macragge's Glory Chapel as the official player resurrection point. This made Guilliman feel much better, despite his original dislike of having a chapel on his flagship; this development meant the players would now follow his military movements. This sweetened the deal for Guilliman.
To help Daniel quell the rebellion on Calixis as soon as possible and promote reforms, Guilliman issued a letter of authorization in the name of the Regent, giving Daniel management of the entire Calixis Sector and the Colonus expansion. He also dispatched a battleship and several cruisers to supplement Daniel's fleet so he could better suppress the rebellion.
"How about I appoint you Warmaster of the Imperium? I'll draw up the official documents once we hit Terra," Guilliman suggested over the comms.
"I appreciate the thought, but that's a hard pass," Daniel immediately declined politely.
"Why? Is there anyone in the current Imperium who is more suitable than you?" Guilliman looked puzzled. "Now, I am the only one of my brothers confirmed to be alive. You are the only one who can take this position."
"It's hard to say." Daniel shook his head. "Several Primarchs are still missing. The only confirmed deaths are Ferrus and Sanguinius. If none of the others have had their bodies found, we can't assume they're dead."
"When the Emperor created you, he did so in the image of the Eternals. Theoretically, their physiological lifespan is far more than ten thousand years. As long as there is no confirmed death, they might still walk through that door."
"I hope so," Guilliman said, looking skeptical but nodding.
Daniel didn't want to be the Warmaster right now, but they could revisit the topic later. With the Lighthouse technology, Daniel could still stay in contact even from the Calixis Sector, so there was no need to rush.
The Eldar prophet Eldrad sought out Daniel before he departed. The Saint's recent actions had sent shockwaves through the threads of fate. Eldrad had to treat this matter with caution.
"The Emperor's Saint," Eldrad spoke respectfully, without the arrogance the Eldar usually displayed toward humans.
"Farseer," Daniel nodded. "Thank you to the Eldar for helping humanity. I hope our cooperation can continue. In this dark universe, there are not many races that can serve as allies against Chaos."
"That's quite true," Eldrad agreed. "The fates of our two tribes are closely linked."
"I heard you were planning to leave and return to the Calixis Sector." Eldrad's tone was somewhat regretful. "The Chaos Gods have set their sights on Guilliman, and his treacherous brothers are plotting how to deal with him. Only you can help him and get him back to Terra safely."
Eldrad didn't know that Daniel could use the player's teleportation and Daniel didn't plan to tell him. This was a crucial trump card for the loyalists.
"My moving back to the Calixis Sector doesn't mean I'm abandoning the Primarch," Daniel countered. "On the contrary, I can better help him if I leave. If he and I stay here, the Chaos Gods will pull out all the stops to deal with us."
Eldrad nodded. "That consideration does make some sense. The fate of humanity ultimately rests in your hands, so it's not appropriate for us to interfere too much. Besides, I'm planning on leaving too. I've been stationed in Macragge for too long."
"I wonder where the prophet is going?" Daniel asked.
"The Eldar's fate is now even more tragic than that of humanity. The Bie-Tan Craft World has been destroyed. The Avatar of Death and the Phoenix Lord wielding the Spear of Twilight were lost on the Webway. These matters need addressing."
Daniel nodded. "Then I wish the prophet a safe journey. By the way, can you send a few of your tribesmen who are proficient in psyker energy to the Calixis Sector to teach humans how to use psyker energy?"
Eldrad smiled; his previous gesture of goodwill toward the Saint was paying dividends. This was a legitimate opportunity to place Eldar members on the other side. Whether to monitor the Saint's movements or to bring humans and the Eldar closer, people had to be sent.
"Of course. I will contact the Ultwe Ark World and send a few friendly instructors."
"Thank you for your help to mankind," Daniel reiterated.
After the conversation, Daniel led a group of players on their journey back to Calixis. Under his guidance, the fleet sailed true through the Warp's fiercest storms.
Atomal, too, was developing rapidly. With the outbreak of the Colin Rebellion, many refugees flooded there. They brought with them abundant labor, technology, and capital, kicking Atomal's industrial development into high gear once again.
The Doraemon Workshop expanded exponentially, constructing various space factories and docks. Recently, the first light cruiser they built, the Natural Selection, was about to undergo its maiden voyage test.
Although the Valancius family had declined, the planet Atomal they controlled was once a prosperous world with a complete industry for building void ships. Among the refugees who fled were many skilled workers and Tech Priests.
After obtaining sufficient manpower, the entire shipbuilding industry chain was quickly restarted. With the technical support of the Mechanicus and the unrelenting efforts of the players, the first light cruiser was completed in just a few months and named "Natural Selection" by the players.
The Natural Selection is 1,300 meters long and 414 meters high, equipped with macro cannons, light lances, electromagnetic missiles, and other weapon systems. It uses conventional plasma engines for real-space propulsion, in conjunction with warp engines.
This ship is the result of Doraemon Workshop's first attempt at modular construction and design. If successful, such ships will be mass-produced.
Legendary MC was put in charge of the Natural Selection's maiden voyage test. As a god-level farming player, he participated in a lot of the design and production work, so the testing task naturally fell to him.
Legendary MC stood on the bridge of the Natural Selection, gazing out the porthole into the vast void. The ship was rough around the edges; welding flash still clung to many places.
"The track is all clear. Natural Selection is cleared for ignition and takeoff in ten minutes," the tower's voice came through the comms.
"Natural Selection received. We will ignite and set sail in ten minutes," Legendary MC repeated, suppressing his excitement.
The comms went silent, and the only sounds on the bridge were the low hum of running machines and the held breaths of the crew. Everyone was clearly nervous. After all, this was the first player-built ship capable of long-distance navigation in the Warp.
Legendary MC glanced at everyone and quipped, "Legendary MC Lieutenant, how is the war between the Three-Body Problem and Earth going today?"
Legendary MC Lieutenant was stunned for a moment, then laughed. He stood up and gave the Aquila salute. "Reporting to the Commander, the Earth fleet was completely wiped out yesterday. Only the Bronze Age and the Quantum survived."
Legendary MC put on an exaggerated look. "Those Three-Body bastards are going too far! I order Wade—scratch that—I order the Black Watch to obliterate their home world and take out Cheng Xin!"
Seeing the two players' performance, the others all laughed, and the tense atmosphere was swept away.
"Natural Selection, you can ignite and set sail now," the tower's voice announced.
"Understood, the Natural Selection will set sail."
After answering the tower, Legendary MC turned and looked at the players and Tech Priests standing by.
"Natural Selection, ignition. Full Throttle! And let us sail towards the sea of stars!"