The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Seeing that Dietrian didn't seem confident, SoShyang bent down, supported the table with both hands, and said slowly:

"Hide in the early stage, this place belongs to a no-man's land, so it's not a big problem. It won't be easy for the Imperium to discover. As for construction, a miracle you can't imagine will soon help us. I'll find a way to work things out with the Imperium. I already have a rough plan."

As he said that, he gently pressed a metal grid on his waist, then took out a Mechanicus symbol from it and handed it to Dietrian.

"From now on, you are a Sage of Zhao-Akad. All your foundations from apprentice to Sage for the past four hundred years have been fabricated. Because you are an exploration Sage, you are not on the Forge World's main planet most of the time, and High Valoria is the new colony you have chosen. We'll decide later depending on the situation. Anyway, the history of High Valoria has long been buried in ten thousand years of dust. Even if you say you dug up an ancient city from underground, it will be difficult for others to say anything. The focus now is on people. Anyway, you can go to the worlds belonging to the Legion to recruit people you think have potential and are worth teaching, or you can go to the Diocese to find them. Just say what you need."

"Yes, I will definitely live up to your expectations. Ah, yes, so will this new Forge World still be called High Valoria?"

"Of course not. Do you have a good name?"

"I think this honor belongs only to you."

"Then call it Galan."

As soon as SoShyang finished speaking, he heard the urgent beeping of the communicator, and then pressed the connect button.

"What's wrong?"

Mark's voice came from the other end.

"Chapter Master, urgent message!"

"Hmm? I see."

SoShyang turned off the communicator and hurried back to the bridge. Everyone was already gathered on the bridge, including Kayan and Talos. They were all surrounding the huge holographic platform.

"What's the situation?"

Mark replied:

"It's a message from the Neson system, delivered by hand."

"Delivered by hand?"

SoShyang was stunned for a moment. It was very rare to use manpower to transmit messages, unless it was a very, very important matter.

"Where is it from?"

"Chapter Master, this is a message in Star Language, received by the Star Language Spire on Neson IV from the Orpheus Sector, the earliest place of departure. According to regulations, it was judged as a special-level message, and a ship was immediately dispatched to deliver the message."

"Orpheus?"

An ominous premonition rose in SoShyang's heart, so he asked Dietrian to turn on the Star Language decipherer. Soon, a line of flickering text appeared.

++Imperial Star Language Signal Interception++

++Security Clearance: Special++

++Star Language Signal Strength: Obstructed++

++Real Space Signal Priority: Top++

++Signal Start++

++By the glorious and eternal Human Imperium, Storm Sector, Orpheus Sector, the legitimate ruling power of the two hundred and thirty-seventh Imperial Governor, the Honorable Garribren Longen: All ships within the transmission range of this message and capable of inter-sector warp travel are hereby requisitioned and shall immediately, at all costs, forward this encrypted document to Lord SoShyang Alexey, Governor of Neson. Failure to comply with this order will result in excommunication and final judgment++

SoShyang blinked. The unease in his heart grew stronger. Others guessed what was happening. Kayan sighed softly:

"It seems something big has happened."

"Dietrian, open the encryption."

++Permission Granted++

++Decoding Complete++

++By the power granted by the Throne of Terra, I, Garribren Longen, invoke the 'Crisis Alert Ordinance' and formally request assistance from Lord SoShyang Alexey and the armed forces under your command. It is my duty that the glorious Orpheus Sector is under invasion and siege. In less than one hundred standard Terra days, billions of citizens have been brutally murdered, more have disappeared into the darkness, and countless cities have been crushed. This onslaught is so rapid and terrible that there is currently little detailed intelligence about our enemies. Star Language signals are also severely disrupted. The only thing known is that they are incredibly powerful, travel extremely fast, and come from the ruthless void beyond the borders of the Imperium. Now already... [Signal Interference Distortion]... have lost contact with eleven major star systems. In the past two standard...++

++Signal Lost++

...May the God-Emperor protect our souls...++

++Signal Lost++

Looking at this bloody message, everyone was silent. After a long while, SoShyang squeezed out a few words from his teeth.

"Necrons... It can only be them!"

Talos also said in a low voice:

"Sweeping through most of the sector in just a hundred days, this dynasty is probably not small. Orpheus, I remember, is not a small sector. Fighting it will be a tough battle."

SoShyang silently walked to the side. Everyone looked at him, but no one disturbed him.

He put his right hand on the command throne and began to think.

The Diocese is still using troops. If we want to support Orpheus, how much force will we need to draw?

And we are facing an unknown Necron dynasty...

After thinking about it, SoShyang decided to go and see the situation himself, but not as a human. After making a decision, SoShyang turned around.

"Mark, notify all fleets to return in 12 hours. Tell the representatives of the various Forge Worlds about the message that Orpheus has been invaded by Necrons. Also, summon the Sages of Ekvoria. In addition, send messages to the Neson system and the Brakato system via the Star Language Spire. All auxiliary forces immediately enter mobilization status. The Dubondelin family begins expedition preparations."

"Yes!"

A dozen hours later, except for the Alatimoss fleet and part of the Holy Flame Order's forces that remained in Volistad, the remaining fleets withdrew from here in a very hurried manner. Viletz also told SoShyang her choice - the Pechinka family became the winner of this power game, but only temporarily, because Yuri, at Viletz's request, married a girl from the Volga family. This also meant that the almost non-existent Pechinka family had to establish a joint rule with the Volga family, which was also severely damaged. At the same time, if Yuri had no descendants, then the inheritance would fall to the Volga family.

Although SoShyang felt that marrying Yuri might be a bit unfortunate for that girl, Viletz's decision was undoubtedly extremely mature and brilliant. Two equally damaged families uniting can form a tripartite force with the other two less damaged families, and the planet's political landscape will quickly stabilize.

Stability, now SoShyang very urgently understood the importance of this word.

Volistad will be rebuilt in the future and begin to form auxiliary forces to serve the Chapter. Even if it is destroyed by the Orks, this is still a world with abundant manpower, and thanks to the good agricultural environment, the population will recover quickly.

But now SoShyang was in no mood to pay attention to this.