Over the next few minutes, the veteran from the Astra Militarum and the tech-priest of the Mechanicus from Mars engaged in a physical exchange.
They thoroughly deepened their mutual understanding and discussed the range and power of bolters in greater detail. After sacrificing a door, several windows, and numerous shattered chairs, the cordial and friendly exchange finally concluded.
Emrys shivered behind cover, his forehead slick with cold sweat.
Who said tech-priests were calm?
This tech-priest was clearly a hot-tempered individual, pulling out a bolter at the slightest disagreement, and even using his mechanical arm to wield a power axe for intense and friendly communication!
The first meeting with a tech-priest was terrifying and left Emrys with immense psychological trauma.
So much so that every time he encountered Mechanicus personnel afterward, the scene from today would subconsciously flash in his mind.
"Alright, what do you want from me?"
The tech-priest unceremoniously plopped down on the steps, casually taking the rolled cigarette offered by Jackal. He skillfully lit it and put it in his mouth, looking like an old smoker.
Emrys' worldview shattered once again.
Damn it, a tech-priest sitting on the ground smoking? Could this guy be an imposter?
"Let me introduce you, this is Galahad, a Tech-Priest of the Mechanicus."
Jackal lit a rolled cigarette as if nothing had happened, putting an arm around the disgruntled tech-priest beside him and enthusiastically saying, "Kid, you can come out now."
"Uh, hello, Priest Galahad."
Emrys' mouth twitched as he slowly poked his head out from behind a pillar, greeting him awkwardly, "My name is Merlin Emrys, and I'm a scavenger from the lower hive."
"What, have you taken up charity?" Galahad glanced at Jackal beside him, disdainfully shaking off the arm on his shoulder. "What do you want from me? Hurry up and say it, I don't have time to waste on you."
"Do you still remember the Hadley Family?" Jackal took a deep drag from his rolled cigarette, his eyes seemingly hiding a fierce beast.
"I remember. Weren't you thrown into the lower hive for killing Hadley's heir?" Galahad said slowly.
"In the lower hive, there have been shadows of a Chaos cult, suspected to be worshippers of the Blood God."
Jackal extinguished the cigarette butt with his bare hands, then turned to stare at Galahad, enunciating each word: "Now, I can confirm that the heir of the Hadley Family was definitely involved with this cult."
"You should go to an Inquisitor, not me, Jackal."
However, Galahad's reaction was calm, not as agitated as expected.
"Nonsense! If I could find an Inquisitor, would I bother coming to you?"
Jackal was so angry he cursed loudly, "Did you forget to lubricate your brain, are your gears jammed? I'm a criminal now; even if I try to contact an Inquisitor, I can only rely on you!"
"Don't you dare mention gears again, or I'll blast your damn head off first!"
Galahad was also thoroughly enraged, roaring, "I'm a tech-priest, not an astropath! Where am I supposed to find someone for you? Can't you contact the Astra Militarum?"
Hearing the Astra Militarum made Jackal laugh, "The Astra Militarum? By the time I contact the Astra Militarum, the cult will have already blown up the world!"
Emrys nodded in agreement from the side.
Indeed, given the speed at which the warhammer Astra Militarum handles official business, by the time they discover a distress signal, the world would likely have already fallen to Chaos.
This was no exaggeration; for some worlds that sent out distress signals, by the time the Astra Militarum discovered them and went through a series of cumbersome approval processes, the problem was either solved or it had been eliminated.
The Astra Militarum and the Department of the Interior were appallingly inefficient!
If they waited for the Astra Militarum to send support, it would probably be too late in the next life; it was better to find a solution themselves.
"Then how the hell am I supposed to contact an Inquisitor? I'm a tech-priest, a tech-priest, do you understand what that means?!"
Galahad immediately spewed profanities, mixed with completely unintelligible binary language, almost drowning Jackal in his spittle.
"I know, I know you're a tech-priest!" Jackal wiped the spittle from his face and said, "What I mean is, you should contact your mentor; he'll definitely have a way."
"Get lost, impossible!"
Galahad sneered, immediately getting up to leave, "I'd rather have my head chopped off by a Chaos Warband than contact that old bastard!"
"What time is it now? Are you still sulking over that?"
Jackal frowned, glanced at Emrys, then switched to another language and lowered his voice: "Don't forget, this is near the Nachmund Corridor. Do you want the events of Cadia to repeat themselves here?!"
Wait, wait a minute. Emrys' mind suddenly became a bit muddled, and cold sweat instantly drenched his back!
Did he just hear things?
Was the Nachmund Corridor the only passage to the Imperium's dark side amidst the raging Warp tides after the Great Rift opened?
No, no, he must have misheard!
Just as Emrys pricked up his ears and listened intently, Galahad remained silent for a long time, then said in a hoarse voice, "Jackal, you should know very well that if the Hadley family is connected to a cult, then it means the Governor of Galken world is likely not clean either."
"It's precisely because I know that I came to you, Galahad."
Jackal said with a serious expression, "The location of this world is too important. If the Imperium wants to reclaim the dark side, which is cut off by the 'curse scar', it must pass through the Nachmund Corridor. If Losel is controlled by a cult, Chaos will completely control this vital passage!"
Finally, Emrys heard a definite answer from Jackal.
This was the world Losel, a hive city world, located in the northern nebulous starfield, near the Nachmund Corridor!
In an instant, Emrys was utterly disheartened.
He thought being a lower hive scavenger in a warhammer hive city world was unlucky enough, but he didn't expect another surprise.
The Nachmund Corridor, after the fall of Cadian and the opening of the Great Rift, was the only important passage to the Imperium's dark side, making it a strategically vital location.
So the question was, what usually happened to places in warhammer that were described as 'strategically vital'?
No, it's too terrifying, just imagining it feels like he'll die!
"Emperor, is this how you treat your loyal subjects?!"
Emrys silently shed tears in his heart, wondering if it was too late to change his birthplace now!
Just then, the tech-priest Galahad noticed Emrys' suddenly accelerated heart rate and stared at him with a suspicious look: "Kid, can you understand High Gothic?"
Immediately, Jackal's suspicious gaze fell on Emrys.
He had deliberately used High Gothic just now to prevent Emrys from understanding the content, but who would have thought this kid could understand it?
Under their gazes, Emrys was completely flustered.
Damn, he almost forgot that the lower hive spoke Low Gothic.
Under normal circumstances, a scavenger from the lower hive would absolutely not be able to understand the Imperium's official High Gothic!
Emperor! Help me!
Just as Emrys was racking his brain, pondering how to fool them...
The tech-priest named Galahad suddenly frowned, his modified bionic eyes flashing crimson as he stared at Emrys: "Wait, what did you say your name was again?"
Emrys was a bit confused but happy to change the subject: "My name is Merlin, esteemed Magos Galahad."
"No, I asked what your last name is!"
Galahad's temper was a bit volatile, and he said impatiently: "Don't make me ask a second time, kid, what's your full name?"
"Uh, Merlin Emrys." Emrys' mouth twitched as he silently grumbled: Would it kill you to be clearer?
Galahad obviously couldn't guess his thoughts. After hearing it, he frowned deeply, showing a pensive expression: "Merlin. Who is your father?"
"I don't know."
Emrys shook his head, looking bewildered: "I haven't seen my father since I was born."
"And your mother? What was her profession? What was her name?" Galahad's questions made Emrys feel like he was being interrogated for a household registration, which made him slightly uncomfortable.
Emrys looked at Jackal, seemingly asking for his opinion.
"Magos Galahad might not be a good person, but he definitely has no ill intentions."
Jackal nodded slightly, looking at Galahad beside him, and explained to Emrys: "We once served in the same legion. He is absolutely trustworthy, it's just that his temper is a bit strange and volatile."
"Alright, although I'm not sure why you're asking about my mother."
Emrys paused, reorganized his thoughts, and said: "But since Sir Jackal believes you are trustworthy, then I also trust you."
"My mother's name was Hunith Adhan, and she was a female worker in the middle-hive."
"I don't know my father, but according to my mother, they met by chance. After a night of pleasure, my mother became pregnant. Later, she was driven to the lower hive due to debt, and my mother soon died of hunger and illness when I was six."
"As for my father, I'm sorry, I've never seen him. He probably died in the lower hive, or perhaps the middle-hive."
Emrys briefly described it, then looked at the thoughtful Galahad, shrugging: "That's all, Magos Galahad. Do you have any other questions?"
"No, that's all. Thank you for your cooperation."
Galahad gave him a deep look, then turned to Jackal and said: "I have an idea that might allow me to contact the Inquisitor, but it will take some time."
"How long?"
Jackal frowned and asked: "Those cultist scumbags have already started the sacrifice ritual. We don't have much time left."
"It's no use rushing me, Jackal." Galahad calmly stood up, dusting off his rust-red robe: "Unless you can close that damned Warp Rift, then shut your mouth!"
"One last thing."
Jackal hurriedly grabbed Galahad, who was about to leave, and said with a fawning smile: "This kid is being hunted by psyker cultists. Take him in for a while."
He had expected to give some benefits, as Galahad had always been like that in the past, but this time, the situation was beyond Jackal's expectations.
Galahad readily nodded and agreed: "Okay, no problem."
"So readily?"
Jackal even became suspicious, curiously examining Galahad as if he had seen a stranger: "That's not right. Didn't you always extort me to death before?"
"What, not used to it?" Galahad sneered, reaching out his hand: "Alright then, as per custom, 500 crowns a month, pay up."
"Damn, what's wrong with my ears again?"
Jackal immediately pretended to be foolish, patting his ears, and turned to walk outside, muttering to himself: "Alas, I'm old, and I don't know who I saved that caused my ears to stop hearing. All I heard was 50 crowns."
Several blue veins visibly formed a cross on Galahad's forehead: "Get out! Get out of here!"
Jackal chuckled, took a few steps to Emrys' side, lowered his voice, and said seriously: "Kid, behave yourself these next few days. Don't cause any trouble."
"Don't worry, Sir Jackal, I understand." Emrys nodded, but then asked curiously: "Sir Jackal, are you still going back?"
"Nonsense, I'm going back to monitor the cult's movements." Jackal cursed in a low voice, and instructed: "Galahad has a strange temper, try not to provoke him, got it?"
From the words of this Astra Militarum veteran, Emrys felt a hint of care, and was a little touched: "Thank you, Sir Jackal, please be very careful."
Jackal waved his hand, said no more, and strode out of the sanctuary.
Tech-priest Galahad ignored him completely, returning directly to the room by the side door, not knowing what he went to do.
The idle Emrys finally had some free time.
"Nachmund, huh..."
Good. Bah, where's the good news? It's all bad news!
Emrys sat on the ground dejectedly, his mind filled with the Nachmund Corridor and the Sentinel Star campaign that would soon occur!
Thanks to Jackal, he finally had some understanding and knowledge of the current timeline.
M41.999, the great Warmaster Abaddon, piloting the Blackstone Fortress, shattered the Cadian world, and the violent explosion caused by this tore through the real universe, allowing the power of the Warp to flood into the Milky Way Galaxy, forming a 'curse scar' similar to a scar in the hazy starfield north of the Imperium!
Unrestrained Warp tides surged through the Galaxy, freely unleashing the malice from the Chaos Gods!
Nearly a third of the Imperium's territory was completely isolated in the dark side.
The Nachmund Corridor was the only relatively safe passage to the dark side, which was cut off by the curse scar!
If there were no accidents, then very soon, the Nachmund Corridor would become an important chokepoint contested by the Imperium and Chaos, with both sides committing forces without regard for cost, fighting until their brains flew out!
To be fair, Emrys had some faith, but definitely not much.
Sacrificing himself for the Imperium was absolutely impossible.
To stop the Nachmund Corridor War? Don't be ridiculous, that's purely a joke!
As things stood, Emrys' only way out was to find a ship as quickly as possible, immediately, and roll to other star systems, as far away from the Nachmund Corridor as possible!
He lowered his head and looked at his wrist; the Traveler System was still exploring new Worlds.
"It looks like I'll most likely be staying in the middle-hive for a while."
Galahad returned to his private workshop, which was filled with many mechanical creations.
Sitting on a chair, after a moment of thought, he summoned a Servo Skull and input a piece of information.
Soon, the query results appeared on the screen. Galahad looked at the not-so-long information, his eyes moving from initial calmness to slight emotion.
"Merlin Emrys, if my conjecture is correct."
Galahad's eyes flickered, and he muttered meaningfully to himself: "It seems it's necessary to use that thing."
The tech-priest went directly to a wall in the workshop. After an iris scan, the wall suddenly flipped open, revealing a path to a secret room.
Galahad hurriedly stepped into the secret room. This was his important 'family fortune' accumulated over so many years.
The reason it couldn't be shown to others was simple: because inside, there were 'Alien creations' in the common sense of the Imperium!
Galahad came to a skull that had been cut off and modified. He placed his hand on it, and the psychic power slowly diffused. His consciousness instantly sank into the Warp, weaving the words in his mind into a message. Under the effect of psionics, it was like a homing pigeon delivering a letter, crossing numerous obstacles.
This 'email' would cross star systems.
If all went well, he would receive a reply in a few days.
However, after a moment of thought, Galahad used another device to dial a contact on another world within the local star system.
"I am Galahad, Tech-Priest of the Mechanicus."
His voice was deep, hoarse, with a unique rhythm, and he slowly said: "I know you are currently in the assessment phase and must be in great need of a meritorious deed to prove yourself to your teacher, right, Inquisitor Winnie Winslet!"