Sorry everyone it seems I made a mistake while scheduling the chapter that's why there was delay for this chapter.
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It happened quickly.
Because of Guilliman's iron-fisted reforms, the gears of the rusted machine that was the Imperium began to mesh more tightly and turn faster.
Coupled with the establishment of the Officio Logisticarum, changes began, even rippling out to the most marginal corners of Terra.
At the edge of Terra's outer city, a few steps further out, lay the desolate plains.
In a narrow alleyway where sunlight never reached all year round.
Several emaciated, sallow-skinned children were wrestling together, fighting over a tiny bit of filthy water in a mud puddle.
An Inquisitor, a middle-aged man with eyes like a hawk, arrived at this place.
He cleared a small area and, following instructions, planted a "Jiyuulia" flower together with a mana-generating flower.
"Can such a delicate-looking flower really survive in this hellish environment?"
A trace of doubt flickered in the Inquisitor's heart.
The pollution of the Hive City had penetrated deep into the bone; even the most tenacious warrior weeds struggled to survive here.
"It has the unbelievable ability to drive away monsters. Surviving in polluted soil doesn't seem too strange in comparison, does it?"
The accompanying Ecclesiarchy preacher whispered. As a clergyman, his acceptance of miracles was higher than that of the average person.
Both knew that planting was only the simplest step.
The real difficulty lay in how to prevent these Hive City commoners from destroying the flowers.
The Jiyuulia could block monsters, but it couldn't block stones thrown by ignorant children or the greedy hands of those who wanted to dig it up.
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
The children, who had just finished their battle for water, noticed the plant emitting a faint glow in the alley.
"What is that?" a slightly bolder child asked in a hushed voice.
"I don't know, but it looks like it might be delicious?" Another child licked his cracked lips, a gleam appearing in his eyes.
The Inquisitor's gaze sharpened. He took a step forward, blocking the path between the children and the flower.
He didn't draw a weapon; merely standing there was enough to send shivers down one's spine.
"This flower is a resource of the Inquisition. Anyone who dares to destroy it is a heretic."
The word "Inquisition," to the ears of Hive City residents, was no less terrifying than a daemon.
The children were instantly scared witless. To be branded a heretic was no different from being dead.
At this moment, the preacher stopped the Inquisitor.
"The Emperor is merciful. All who are born on this land illuminated by His light are His subjects and deserve His care."
He turned to the children trembling with fear:
"Children, do not be afraid. Please look at this flower."
The preacher's mouth was full of praise, loudly proclaiming the sacred nature of the flower.
He subtly indicated the flower's function: to resist the forces of Chaos and protect.
His words cleverly combined religious faith, which was far easier to accept than simple intimidation.
The two played their roles: one bad cop, one good cop.
After doing this, the Inquisitor marked the protective range of the Jiyuulia and left the area.
After the Inquisitor left, the bold child swallowed his saliva and took a few steps forward.
"It smells good."
Not the smell of food, but a fresh fragrance. The bold child smelled the scent wafting from the flower.
He looked at the Jiyuulia emitting a faint glow.
Even if I ate this thing, it wouldn't fill my stomach much. A thought suddenly occurred to the child: It's actually quite nice just letting it shine there.
At this moment, an unprecedented wind blew in from the direction of the wasteland outside the alley.
The wind was moist and fresh.
Attracted by this wind, the bold child turned around, poked his head out, and looked in the direction the wind came from.
What did he see?
On the wasteland soil, a vast expanse of blue water appeared.
The child's meager vocabulary couldn't describe this scene.
He only knew that the dirty water in the mud puddles they fought over before didn't even count as a drop compared to this boundless, massive puddle in front of him.
The water was so blue, so clear.
At the edge, some people in uniforms were patrolling the shore, spreading out blueprints and discussing something.
"This size should be about right, no?"
"I think it's still a bit small. According to that Lord, he wanted to create a true 'ocean'."
"There's no helping it; this is already the limit. Expanding it further would require re-planning the outer structure of the Hive City."
The conversation from the Officio Logisticarum drifted over with the wind.
"Ocean?" The child chewed on this word.
He saw that more and more Hive City residents like him were pouring out from various alley entrances, hesitantly walking toward that blue expanse.
Someone knelt on the shore, scooped up a handful of water, took a sip, and then practically threw themselves down, drinking greedily in big gulps.
"It's... it's sweet! It's really drinkable!"
"Quick! Go call the children!"
Artificial Lakes.
This was one of the projects designed by Zeke for the Officio Logisticarum to temporarily solve the drinking water crisis for the lower classes of Terra.
The method was simple: use blueprints to designate an area in the wasteland, then divert water from the Infinite Water Source provided by Zeke to fill it.
The cost was low, and the effect was immediate.
Building a few more might even save Terra's hopeless water cycle.
The construction team of the Officio Logisticarum completed the establishment of the first artificial lake, left a team of inspectors behind, and rushed non-stop to the next location.
The specific heat capacity of water is different from that of land. Hot air rises, creating a lake breeze with the adjacent Hive City.
The wind carrying moisture rushed toward the bold child's face.
Several familiar figures cheered as they ran past from the other end of the alley—the very playmates who had fought him for water earlier.
They held brightly colored objects in their hands, their mouths stuffed full, juice dripping from the corners of their mouths that they didn't even bother to wipe.
"What is this?" The bold child stopped one of them.
"I don't know!" The child called "Smarty" swallowed the food in his mouth with effort. "Those people said they're called carrots and potatoes. They're right in the back, giving them out for free."
Afraid the bold child wouldn't believe him, he shoved the carrots and potatoes in his arms over all at once.
"Here, take these. That way I can go get some more."
Smarty shoved the vegetables into the bold child's arms and ran back toward the rear. Not long after, he received another armful.
The bold child hugged the carrots in his arms tightly and walked back to the front of the shack barely held together by rusty iron sheets.
Everything was different.
He didn't know when this change began.
It felt like just an instant. Those Imperial Lords who previously wouldn't spare a second glance at the Hive City brought all sorts of changes.
He slowly chewed on a carrot. The sea breeze blew through his withered, matted hair, and also ruffled the silvery-white petals of the Jiyuulia.
From tomorrow on, I will be a happy person;
From tomorrow on, I will care about food and vegetables;
I have a house, facing the sea, with spring flowers blossoming.
On the child's dirty face, a smile slowly bloomed.
Tomorrow, perhaps, really could be different.
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Goal = 1750 (Not complete)