"I will depart for Reality on a chosen date."
After Alex messaged Guilliman from the control console,
he began to ponder what he still needed to do on Baal.
The first mission: Rebuild Baal, and strive to transform the savage appearance of Baal Prime and its two moons into a paradise world, is currently in progress.
The second mission: Promote the Primaris transformation of the Blood Angels Chapter and its many successor Warbands, rebuilding each Warband to continue fighting for the Human Empire, is currently in progress.
The third mission: Collect soul fragments, seek the help of the Aeldari, and resurrect Sanguinius, is currently in progress.
"For now, everything that needed to be done has been done. I must wait for these matters to progress before moving to the next stage."
After Alex confirmed that all his tasks were done, he summoned Cortana.
"Report to me on the current situation of the Calixis Sector and the Players."
"Understood, Master."
Cortana nodded. She projected several displays, showing detailed information.
Alex swiped through the projections, examining them.
The Calixis Sector is currently developing well.
In the military domain,
the Departmento Munitorum has established a defensive line at the Landing Port to prevent xenos species and Chaos forces from the Koronus Expanse from invading the Calixis Sector.
At the same time, they have begun stockpiling supplies at the Wandering Port, using current technology to solidify the Great Maw Passage, preparing for the complete conquest of the Koronus Expanse.
Centuries have passed since the Great Maw Passage was discovered, and the Human Empire's influence first reached the Koronus Expanse.
Over these centuries, Rogue Traders, adventurers, ambitious individuals, and other groups have continuously poured in, occupying many planets in the desolate Koronus Expanse and establishing Human colonies.
The Human Empire's conquest of the galaxy has never stopped, though it is not as intense as before.
Whenever a new area is discovered, Rogue Traders, adventurers, and other groups are sent to scout ahead first.
Due to the existence of the Edict of Founding, many people flock to a new area once it is discovered.
The Edict of Founding stipulates that if an adventure team or Rogue Trader develops a planet that has never belonged to the Human Empire,
they will gain legitimate ruling power, which can be hereditary, allowing future generations to live comfortably.
Alex's reforms did not overly target the descendants left by these pioneers.
They were only required to send members of their family to join the military and earn merits to maintain their family's status.
If they died in battle, the merits would automatically transfer to the next generation.
Simply put, as long as they don't court disaster and govern their planets honestly according to Human Empire law, their families can generally retain the position of governor.
If they cause widespread resentment and suffering, then it can only be said that 'the mandate of heaven has been lost,' and it's time for others to take over.
The Koronus Expanse first appeared in public view in 101.M38.
When the Human Empire was preparing to incorporate Calixis Sector into its rule, information provided by some Rogue Traders and Adeptus Mechanicus exploration fleets mentioned the existence of Koronus.
They claimed to have discovered a stable navigation route on the edge of the Calixis Sector that could pass through a large Warp Storm and reach a new star system.
The data also marked dozens of mineral-rich worlds, life-supporting biospheres, and numerous areas yet to be explored.
However, this stable Warp passage had no definite record, so Koronus was only considered a footnote to the expedition at the time.
After the Angevin Crusade, the Calixis Sector was incorporated into the Human Empire's rule.
In 878.M39, the mad Navigator Abenikus, from the Benetek family, through studying ancient texts and his talent for seeing fragments of the future, speculated on the existence of a tunnel that could safely pass through the Drusus Marches.
Many Rogue Traders and adventurers believed him and embarked on a path to endless wealth and prominent power.
In 997.M40, after dozens of accompanying Rogue Traders failed and met tragic ends, Rogue Trader Pretty Latimon succeeded, discovering and charting the 'Great Maw,' finding a safe passage to the Koronus Expanse, thus becoming a legend.
After the discovery of the Great Maw Passage, humanity officially began its exploration of the Koronus Expanse.
According to intelligence provided by the Inquisition, the Koronus Expanse contains numerous xenos empires, as well as some Human colonies that worship the Dark Gods.
Those entering this star system are not only servants of the Emperor but also rogues and scoundrels, who will not honestly obey the Human Empire's commands.
To bring the Koronus Expanse under the Human Empire's banner, a grand crusade is essential.
Besides preparing for the conquest of the Koronus Expanse, the Calixis Sector is also planning to provide support to other star systems.
Of course, the army would not truly be deployed until Alex gained Guilliman's support and established reform as a fundamental national policy.
Although such an approach is cruel, sitting by and watching so many innocent people die.
But Alex remained unmoved; in his view, there was no need to waste soldiers' blood in a cesspit.
Without him personally overseeing, the Calixis Sector army sent out to provide support would only be a tool for local rulers, unable to truly save the local humans.
Loyal blood would be spilled on the battlefield, but the ultimate fruits of victory would be taken by the nobles who clung to the Human Empire's body, sucking its blood.
They would make a mess of things, then simply pack up and leave.
The loyalists would fight tooth and nail, reclaiming the planet, only for those shameless nobles to return and rule, continuing to heavily tax the lower classes to demonstrate their loyalty.
Once he travels to Reality, gains Guilliman's support, and fully promotes reforms,
the deployed army can both provide support and reform and rebuild the local area, transforming it and helping it escape its fate as a cesspit.
After understanding the military domain, Alex then examined the economic domain.
Thanks to the development of the Imperial Bank and the instant communication network,
the Calixis Sector's economy has soared, with a surge in interstellar trade and an exponential increase in transport efficiency, finally achieving some semblance of the scale expected of an interstellar civilization.
As for culture, a new education system combining the Ecclesiarchy faith has been fully implemented.
While enhancing the loyalty of the populace to the Human Empire and the Emperor, various kinds of knowledge are also being taught, including some harmless knowledge about the Warp, which has now been made accessible.
Religious studies have been listed as the most important course.
With the unfolding of the Great Rift, it has become impossible to conceal the existence of the Warp from the public.
Humanity must learn to coexist with the Warp, understand its dangers, and learn to combat demons with faith.
In terms of scientific research, the Adeptus Mechanicus has also begun to show new vitality.
Under safe conditions, they have started to attempt to complete humanity's fundamental sciences.
Technologies that other races have used without issue, humanity must also catch up to and establish corresponding disciplines.
Most technologies, as long as they do not involve the Warp, have an extremely low probability of being corrupted.
Only those fields that utilize the Warp, or even actively interact with the Warp, are prone to corruption.
To solve this problem, the Adeptus Mechanicus proposed a solution:
Completely separate all technologies involving the Warp and establish a new subject: Mysticism.
The study of Mysticism can only be conducted by Adeptus Mechanicus loyal to the Emperor, and must be carried out under the supervision of the Inquisition and many other departments.
"Very good."
Alex praised.
The current development of the Calixis Sector can be said to have taken a significant step, proving that humanity still has the ability to reach its peak.
As long as it develops steadily in the years to come, that will be enough.
Alex checked on the Players' situation.
Since the game's launch, a total of eleven batches of Players have entered.
15, 30, 80, 200, 600, 1500, 3500, 8888, 18000, 50000, 100000.
Roughly estimated, there are about 200,000 Players.
The number is not large, not even a fraction of the casualties in a single battle.
But the Players are not meant to be cannon fodder; they are meant to be disruptors.
Clearly, they have done very well.
They are active in fields such as technology, culture, military, and even cuisine,
Allowing the stagnant Human Empire civilization to radiate new vitality.
In terms of Player levels, the highest currently are Warmaster and Tenjiro, both at Level 17.
They need to advance one more level to become Primaris.
As for promoting technological development,
Dora Workshop is conducting research using the remains of Necrons.
With Cortana's powerful computing capabilities and the assistance of numerous Adeptus Mechanicus, they are reverse-engineering technologies such as dimensional space, Warp jumps, and fundamental materials science.
Once a breakthrough is achieved, it will further promote the development of human technology.
Alex is quite optimistic about this and has secretly communicated with Cortana, asking her to pay more attention to dimensional space.
How could his little Players not have personal inventories?
That is a must-have in every game.
Without a personal inventory, they wouldn't be able to carry pets, mounts, equipment, or health and mana potions.
Alex thought about using dimensional space technology to create small spaces for Players to use as personal inventories.
The MC Dynasty, seeing that they couldn't compete with Dora Workshop in the field of physical technology, found another way, preparing to take the biological technology route.
With the help of numerous biological Adeptus Mechanicus and Cortana, they have initially controlled the Norn-Queen and stolen the Tyranids gene pool.
The Great Devourer has reacted quite strongly to this, attempting to connect to the Norn-Queen every day in an attempt to delete the database.
Unfortunately, the MC Dynasty has defended against this very well, and The Great Devourer's numerous attempts have failed, leaving it to watch helplessly as humanity steals its hard-earned results.
The Great Devourer: "So, all my hard work collecting this, it's all for you bastards, right?"
Besides stealing The Great Devourer's gene pool,
The MC Dynasty is also researching the Hive Tyrant, preparing to promote human evolution.
They plan to use genetic and other means to give the human brain capabilities comparable to, or even surpassing, silicon-based computers.
Alex has seen their plans and can only say they are quite insane.
Of course, there is a certain possibility.
Currently, there are ongoing brain evolution projects.
The MC Dynasty plans to create a human brain computer comparable to a mountain.
In addition to the human brain computer, the MC Dynasty also has many projects related to biological evolution.
These projects all revolve around one theme: how to ensure the purity of human genes while giving humanity greater intelligence and strength.
Besides the MC Dynasty and Dora Workshop, another main Player organization researching technology is the East Asia Research Institute.
This organization was founded by Old Bird and Wu Mou, and the elites gathered around them are all PhDs and similar talents in Reality.
They do not focus on physical technology or biological technology, but rather on fundamental theories, intending to complete humanity's fundamental sciences.
This matter is of extraordinary significance,
Because fundamental science is the basis of all technology.
Alex has therefore given them considerable resources and computing power to support them in continuing their research.
Whatever their goals, humanity will benefit from the perfection of fundamental science, and Alex must support it.
The remaining Warbands also conduct research, but their scale is far smaller than that of the three major organizations.
For example, the Agricultural College's research on Orks, the Demon Hunter's research on Dark Tongue, and Hogwarts' research on psychic spells.
Alex's attention to them is not as high.
Besides doing research, the Players are also adventuring and completing quests everywhere.
However, currently, the scope is limited to the Calixis Sector, Ultramar, the Baal System, and the most important heartland of the Human Empire—the Sol System.
Alex learned in detail about the Players' recent movements,
Confirming that they were still diligently working as little oxen and horses according to his plan, changing the status quo of the Human Empire, he then turned to ask Cortana about another matter,
"How is the reverse-engineering of energy-to-matter conversion technology progressing?"