Emrys arrived at the manufactorum, led by the Tech-Priest of the Mechanicus.
Despite the ongoing ran outside, with Orks, genestealers, and Chaos everywhere, the spires in the core of the hive city remained peaceful.
Numerous Skitarii were spread throughout every corner, with auto-turrets visible everywhere. The defenses were undeniably strict, and from the clues around, one thing could be deduced.
The Tech-Priests of Stygies VIII in the Siluria hive city didn't care about the hive city's fall; their core strength was always controlling the vital areas!
As for what constituted a vital area?
Emrys knew without asking that it must be where the 'Blackstone creations' and the Titan factories were located!
But this scene also made him completely disappointed in Stygies VIII. These fanatics, obsessed with technology, didn't care about the Imperium, nor the billions of lives in the hive city!
Even Space Marines and Astra Militarum were of no concern to them. Perhaps, in the eyes of Stygies VIII, they only had some value for existing to protect technological heritage.
No wonder the situation in Siluria was so dire, yet the core hive city remained peaceful... Emrys sighed. These people were even more detestable than the nobles of the upper hive!
Soon, guided by the Tech-Priest, Emrys arrived at the laboratory and met Drayne. He was still seated in a cradle-like device, guided by mechanical arms, examining data terminals.
"The small energy shield device you requested has been manufactured." Drayne, seated in his mechanical cradle, turned to face him, "But I didn't call you here for that."
The Tech-Priest beside him left, leaving Emrys alone. He looked up at the elevated Drayne and smiled, "Please speak, Archmagos."
"It was you who helped Rosales discreetly leave the hive city, wasn't it?" Drayne got straight to the point, exposing Emrys with a single sentence, and said with a sneer, "Do you know that for this alone, I could have the Inquisition arrest you?"
"Is that so? Although you are a highly respected Archmagos, you still need evidence to speak." Emrys remained unperturbed, looking at the Archmagos with a half-smile, "While I am just an heir, the reputation of the Emrys isn't something anyone can tarnish."
He could clearly see that Drayne had no evidence whatsoever and was merely trying to scare him into confessing.
Otherwise, even if the Emrys was in decline, it was once a 'Rogue Trader of Imperial Blood'!
"Archmagos Drayne, do you... have any evidence?" Emrys smiled at him and said indifferently, "If there's no evidence, may I interpret this as you slandering and defaming an heir of a Rogue Trader Dynasty loyal to the Imperium?"
This was not a burden anyone could bear!
Even the Archmagos Fabricator of Stygies VIII would not, for no reason, bear the ignominy of slandering a Rogue Trader Dynasty of Imperial Blood, let alone Drayne, who was only the Archmagos in charge of Vigilus?
Drayne' eyes immediately darkened. He stared at Emrys, and after a few seconds, a smile suddenly bloomed on his face. "Not at all, that was just a joke. Please don't mind my words, Mr. Emrys."
"Of course, but please, Archmagos Drayne, be a little more careful in the future." Emrys, with a casual remark, defused Drayne' offensive, not forgetting to add, "If my retainers were to hear it, they might take it seriously, don't you think?"
This statement was a genuine threat.
Although it wouldn't pose any substantial threat to Drayne, it was enough to jeopardize his internal competition within Stygies VIII.
"Heh heh, I underestimated you." Drayne sneered a few times, finally understanding why this young man could, in just a few days, make the Agamemnus family unable to raise their heads.
"You are indeed a bloodline of Horen." He praised, then implied, "Actually, I don't care who let Rosales go, but someone has to compensate me for my losses, don't you think?"
"May I ask, Archmagos, what exactly do you mean by 'losses'?" Emrys narrowed his eyes, asking with interest.
This old man was clearly here to 'extort' him; Rosales was just an excuse.
"Rosales was originally a gift someone sent me. This merit... plus the Blackstone creations here, would have been enough for me to exchange for a new Forge world within Stygies VIII." At this point, Drayne' cradle lowered, aligning with Emrys, and he stared into his eyes, "Now, that merit is gone. Where do you think I should make up for it, Mr. Emrys?"
Understood.
This old man probably had some private dealings with the Dark Mechanicus, using Rosales' head as a merit, which he then ruined.
In short, he wanted to be promoted and escape this wretched place, Vigilus, but lacked sufficient merit.
Thinking about it, it was understandable. Given the situation on Vigilus, it wouldn't be surprising if it was dragged into war at any time. For a Tech-Priest obsessed with research, this was undoubtedly a big problem.
So, Drayne wanted to escape Vigilus and be transferred to another Forge world!
Having understood Drayne' demands, things would be easier now. A smile appeared on Emrys' face. Since neither of them were 'good people,' then there was something to discuss!
Emrys feigned a regretful sigh, then said sympathetically, "I am very sorry for your predicament, Archmagos Drayne."
Drayne listened, staring at him expressionlessly, a hint of impatience in his voice. "You should understand what I want."
"I don't quite understand what you're saying." Emrys looked confused and shrugged. "Archmagos Drayne, your losses... you should seek compensation from those damned heretics. What does it have to do with me, a loyal Imperial citizen?"
The meaning of this sentence was also very clear.
He didn't do it, so go find the heretics for compensation, don't come to him.
But then again, if there was evidence, Drayne wouldn't have asked him privately.
Watching his feigned innocence, Drayne was so annoyed his teeth itched, and his circuits almost smoked. He stared at Emrys through gritted teeth.
What a shameless young man!
With such thick skin, even Horen would probably admit inferiority!
"Of course" Seeing the exasperated Drayne, Emrys felt the time was right and said with a smile, "Given that you know my retainer, I am willing to assist you. I enjoy making friends the most, don't you think, Archmagos?"
"How do you plan to 'make friends'?"
Drayne' expression was uncertain; he couldn't quite grasp the young man's intentions.
"Before we discuss this, I have a gift... I'd like to show you." Emrys said, then pulled a metal cube from his pocket.
Drayne stared at the metal cube with some suspicion. "What is that thing?"
"Shh~"
Emrys placed his index finger to his lips and smiled, "Please be quiet, Archmagos Drayne. Next... it's time to witness a miracle!"
As he spoke, the metal cube in his palm suddenly seemed to be injected with some energy, and it began to 'expand,' its volume rapidly increasing!
This was Emrys' first experiment with 'micro-spatial compression,' and he was still a bit unpracticed, but even so, it still caused Drayne a shock damage of ten thousand points!
He watched with his own eyes as the palm-sized metal cube instantly unfolded and expanded into a metal cube one meter in diameter.
But despite the shock, Drayne quickly regained his composure. "If it's just compression technology, I think... we should discuss something else."
While this level of compression technology could be called 'amazing,' some artifacts excavated by Stygies VIII could also achieve it, so it wasn't enough to tempt him.
"Don't rush, Archmagos Drayne."
Emrys chuckled, his gaze shifting to the cube, and he said softly, "Transform!"
As his words fell, the one-meter diameter metal cube instantly collapsed inward, and before Drayne' astonished gaze, transformed into a humanoid mechanical creature: "Unit 08-1, ready to pledge loyalty to you!"
"Iron... Iron... Iron Man?!"
Drayne suddenly stood up, shock mixed with fear, his pupils widening as he stared intently at the transforming mechanical life: "You, you actually possess an 'Iron Man'? This is a product explicitly forbidden by Imperial decree, are you mad?!"
"So what?"
Emrys tilted his head, completely unconcerned.
There were many things explicitly forbidden by the Imperium. Anyway, if you have many lice, you don't worry about it. The 'forbidden' items on him were so numerous that even the most extreme Inquisitor would probably give a thumbs up and praise his daring!
"If you think it's too dangerous, then let's just pretend we didn't see anything today, how about that?" He said, about to retract the 'Iron Man,' but saw Drayne next to him grab his hand.
Drayne' eyes were red, and his voice trembled, but not from fear, but from... excitement: "No, this is magnificent! What do you want? I can give you anything!!!"
No Tech-Priest could refuse an 'Iron Man'!
The Iron Man symbolized Golden Age, the pinnacle of human technological achievement, and the ultimate goal pursued by the Tech-Priests of Stygies VIII!