"As an alien, you actually speak the human language?"
White Wolf showed a surprised expression, then asked, "What's your name? And who is your master?"
"To be honest, your language isn't that difficult in the galaxy," the alien said, looking at White Wolf.
"You can call me Kilke, Human. I serve Inquisitor Rostov."
Don't Eat Beef observed Kilke, then laughed.
"An Inquisitor keeping an alien as a pet, that certainly fits the stereotype."
Inquisition stereotypes: Inquisitors of the Holy Hammer Conclave are ambiguously close with demons.
Personnel of the Xeno Conclave recruit aliens as their enforcers.
As for those guys from the Hereticus Conclave, there's no need to even mention them.
If you check, nine out of ten Hereticus Inquisitors are also leaders of heretical cults.
Some cults were even founded by Inquisitors themselves, with the purpose of fishing, attracting those with ill intentions.
Many things have happened in the past that caused cultists to collapse.
Diligent cultists worked conscientiously, always meeting their KPIs on time.
After earning the honor of meeting their boss, they would discover that the cult leader was an Imperial Inquisitor, immediately collapsing before being shot down.
"I serve Rostov, I am not his pet. Employment, understand? We have an employment relationship."
Kilke was a bit annoyed, her voice becoming much louder.
"He pays me, and I serve him. It's that simple."
Seeing the alien getting agitated, Don't Eat Beef quickly tried to appease her.
"OK, OK, you serve Inquisitor Rostov, you are his partner, not his pet."
Only then did Kilke calm down.
"Do you worship the Chaos Gods?" White Wolf asked curiously.
"The Chaos Gods?" Kilke repeated the word, then burst into loud laughter.
Her unbridled manner was as if she were in a multi-racial trade market, rather than an Imperial fortress.
The other Imperial personnel frowned and showed dissatisfaction at this scene.
But given the God Chosen's status, they merely watched and did not interfere.
"What is your opinion on the Chaos Gods?" White Wolf asked.
Kilke shrugged, "I believe in the existence of the Chaos Gods, but I do not worship them. Every being familiar with the Warp knows very well that the Chaos Gods bring more trouble than they are worth."
"I've heard some rumors that your creators are the Old Ones. Is that true?" Don't Eat Beef asked.
"Yes, in the ancient memories of the K'tanc'ti race, there are many images about the Old Ones."
"When the K'tanc'ti race was still reptiles, the Old Ones descended from the heavens, used supreme power to reshape our world, and enlightened our ancestors, creating the K'tanc'ti race."
Kilke frankly admitted that the Old Ones were their creators.
The K'tanc'ti race does not have strong reproductive or research capabilities.
However, they have very long lifespans, even longer than the Eldar, and can inherit memories.
The memories of ancient ancestors are hidden within their bloodline.
Therefore, they know many things that happened in distant eras, including the Old Ones creating them and helping them ignite the flame of civilization.
During the Paradise War, they even sent warriors to assist the Old Ones against the powerful Necrons.
"So, do you still remember what the Old Ones looked like?" Don't Eat Beef continued to ask.
"The Old Ones do not have a precise appearance; we can only see the image we most worship," Kilke said, "Even in memories, it's the same; we can only see the most beautiful image."
Kilke's answer left White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef somewhat disappointed.
They had thought it would confirm the truth that the Old Ones were frog-people, but it turned out these Old Ones had a Thousand Faces, with no fixed appearance.
It seems the Old Ones may not necessarily have looked like frog-people.
It's more likely that the frog-people described the Old Ones as they saw them in their minds.
"If you are truly curious about the Old Ones, why not go search for their ruins?"
"Perhaps you can find some records about their appearance and living habits within the ruins."
As soon as Kilke said this, White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef exchanged glances, then their faces lit up with wild joy.
This must be a hidden questline trigger!
Searching for the Old Ones' ruins, exploring the ancient Paradise War, restoring historical truth—just thinking about it felt exhilarating. Maybe they could even find a living Old One.
"Do you know where the Old Ones' ruins are?"
White Wolf's tone was urgent, her eyes filled with anticipation.
As long as they got the coordinates, the ruins would be theirs.
"I don't know," Kilke shook her head, "The Old Ones placed seals on their creations during their lives, which obscure prophecies or fate divinations! Some will even quietly slip away from memory!"
"Even their darlings, the Eldar, find it difficult to remember those mysterious ruins."
Hearing this, White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef immediately showed disappointment.
They had thought they could find the Old Ones' ruins and make a huge fortune!
Kilke saw their expressions, grinned, and continued, "Although I don't know about the Old Ones' ruins, I can give you a clue."
"My race is a creation of the Old Ones; from the moment we were created, my race began recording history."
"Perhaps in the oldest library, there will be records about the Old Ones."
These words made White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef's eyes light up.
They eagerly asked Kilke, "Where is your library?"
Kilke coughed before continuing, "It is buried deep beneath the surface of my race's homeworld, maintained by unique secret methods, ensuring that the books inside will never decay."
"Unfortunately, my race was invaded by another species, forced to leave our homeland and wander among the stars."
"Before leaving our homeland, our ancestors sealed the library entrance and hid it to protect it."
"As long as you can help the K'tanc'ti race reclaim our homeworld, we can unseal it and allow you to access the information."
White Wolf: "…"
Don't Eat Beef: "…"
This bait is too obvious, isn't it?
It's clearly an attempt to get them to help the K'tanc'ti race re-establish their nation in exchange for clues to the Old Ones' ruins.
Kilke saw that the two were silent and ignored them.
She sat down on the ground, draped her robe over her crossed legs, and took out a leather pouch.
Then, she pulled out some smelly ration sticks from the pouch and began to chew.
The K'tanc'ti race's homeworld has been fallen for who knows how long; there's no use in rushing.
If these Humans aren't willing to help, for Kilke, it's just maintaining the status quo, no real loss.
If these Humans are willing to help the K'tanc'ti race reclaim their homeworld, Kilke will naturally persuade the elders to allow these Humans into the ancient library.
Of course, if they don't let them in, the K'tanc'ti race might be driven out again on the same afternoon they return to their homeworld.
White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef discussed it.
Then they posted the matter on the Warband channel, seeking the opinions of their other companions.
"Agree first. This clearly looks like a long-term questline; at the very least, it should guarantee a golden eagle medal at the end."
"The Old Ones' ruins, I wonder what rare treasures they hold!!"
"The problem is we have to assist the K'tanc'ti race in reclaiming their homeworld, and we don't even know what race drove them out! Asking us to fight a planetary-level battle feels a bit overwhelming."
"Can't we hire other armies?? Do we really have to fight every step of the way ourselves??"
"If worst comes to worst, we can ally with Mars and split the profits fifty-fifty with those Tech-priests. It's definitely profitable anyway."
"…"
The Players discussed the matter intensely.
The final result was that most Players agreed to the deal.
After all, as the ceiling of Warhammer OL, the ruins left by the Old Ones must be extremely valuable.
If they could conquer one or two Old Ones' ruins and acquire the wealth and ancient artifacts within, the Hunter Demon Battle Group would surely soar, becoming the top among many Player organizations.
Of course, internal agreement within the Warband alone was not enough; they also needed to seek the Guide's opinion.
After all, when entering the game, the rules clearly stated that once important plot points were involved, the Guide had to give approval, and they could not act on their own.
White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef organized the matter and submitted a report to Cortana.
…
Alex was currently inspecting the nearly completed Terra 01 Space City.
Engineers, Tech-priests, Cardinals, and others accompanied him, jointly inspecting the Space City.
In the void, countless magnificent machines were working day and night, welding massive steel structures, filling marble, and completing the final finishing touches.
The completed areas had all activated life support systems and gravity fields.
Walking in the Space City felt no different from being on the ground; Humans could already live normally.
The main structure of Terra 01 Void City was a sphere.
Inside the sphere were energy reactors, life cycle maintenance systems, gravity field generators, and other devices.
Residents' dwellings and factories were built on the surface of the main body, continuously extending into the void.
Although this magnificent Void City had not been officially declared complete, many Terra residents had already moved in.
Compared to the bloated surface Hive City, the nearly completed Space City was more suitable for living and working.
The roads in the Space City were planted with greenery and flowers, vibrant and full of life.
Each living community was equipped with parks, plazas, churches, and other facilities according to the population ratio, comprehensively caring for the residents' physical and mental health.
Even the living environment had been greatly improved; a family of three could have a room of over a hundred square meters.
It should be known that on Terra, even a very important person,
The only residence available was a single room of about a dozen square meters.
After all, Terra had too many people; a room crammed with dozens of people was considered good.
Even the Ministry of Interior employees, who had positions for generations, still lived in three-tiered bunk beds.
It's easy to imagine how bloated Terra's population had become.
As Alex stepped out of the port and made his appearance, a tsunami of cheers erupted.
"Saint!"
"Saint!"
Countless people were shouting themselves hoarse.
Citizens who had received the news had spontaneously gathered early on both sides of the road, waiting for him.
Many held bouquets of flowers bought at high prices.
It should be known that although Terra 01, this void city, already had people establishing industries like flower nurseries and sapling cultivation, the output was very low so far, and supply couldn't meet demand in the market.
Flowers, for the vast majority of people, were still a luxury.
The reason they were willing to use years of savings to buy flowers was purely out of worship and faith in the 'Saint'.
Many Terra residents had lived in Hive City since the moment they were born.
The living scope of most people was very fixed: communities, factories, and churches were basically these few places, with not much change.
Moreover, these people lived extremely poor lives.
The things they used were all very old and worn, because they simply couldn't afford new ones.
Their living conditions were extremely harsh; several families would crowd into a small room of about a dozen square meters.
They ate nutrient paste synthesized from promethium or protein blocks made from fast-growing insects.
If they could catch mutated giant rats hidden in the under-Hive, they might even get some meat.
Daily labor had to exceed 14 hours to obtain enough food.
With any slight free time, they had to go to the church to pray and offer their meager money.
Their lives were truly unchanging, a tragic existence that could be seen through at a glance.
No one cared about their lives or the education of their descendants.
In the eyes of the former Terra elites, the only value of these lower-class people was their cheap labor.
Therefore, whether these people learned or not was irrelevant to them.
Until Alex's sudden rise, factory benefits improved, working hours decreased, and there were weekly rest days.
They began to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, and clean, unpolluted meat.
Their homes started to acquire new items, and their clothes became brand new and tidy.
Children were uniformly sent to school to study subjects like history, religion, physics, and chemistry.
Their entire mental outlook had changed as if they were different people compared to before.
People's lives also became richer, no longer as monotonous and boring as before.
Restaurants appeared, night snack stalls appeared, and various shops catering to food, clothing, housing, and transportation emerged.
Citizens began to discuss imperial politics and current affairs at night snack stalls and on drinking tables.
They boasted loudly about the Imperial military and government at the dinner table.
When they heard of a victory, they couldn't help but drink a few more excited sips, then became impassioned, pointing out strategies.
When they learned of a defeat on a battlefield, they cursed the incompetent, believing that even a dog would fight better than those guys.
Upon hearing that the Drukhari / Dark Aeldari were plundering Human Empire planets, they were even more indignant, shouting that one day, the Human Empire would definitely find Gomorrah and kill the entire Drukhari / Dark Aeldari family.
And all these changes were due to the reforms promoted by Alex.
Therefore, when they learned that the 'Saint' was inspecting the space city, they spontaneously gathered, holding flowers, to express their gratitude for everything Alex had done in this way.
"You are more popular than a Primarch! Look at those cheering citizens; as soon as your gaze sweeps over them, they cry with excitement."
Senior General Tura, standing beside Alex, was very surprised to see the tearful citizens on both sides of the street, performing the aquila salute and shouting that they would offer their hearts.
Currently, the elite class was calling for the 'Saint's' death, considering him the Human Empire's number one traitor, and advocating for the Primarchs to dismiss him from his position and bring him down from his pedestal.
These voices were so numerous that Senior General Tura even thought the lower-class citizens would not have a good impression of the 'Saint'.
Who would have thought that the Saint would be so popular?
"This is a simple truth: if you hold the people in your heart, the people will naturally hold you in their hearts."
"If you treat the citizens as enemies, the citizens will naturally treat you as enemies."
Alex smiled and waved to the citizens while answering Senior General Tura.
"Those in high positions should always remember that they are to serve the people, not the people serving them."
"Ten thousand years have passed, and the Human Empire should not be like this."
"It's a pity that in such a vast Human Empire, no one remembers the Emperor's great vision."
"Allowing His most beloved children to sink and suffer in hell, and even branding this as loyalty."
"Your words seem to have a hidden meaning; are you criticizing the Custodes?" Senior General Tura appeared very humble. "If so, the Custodes accept your criticism."
For anyone else, Senior General Tura would certainly not show a good face.
The problem was that the Saint could truly complain to the Emperor.
Senior General Tura was now worried that if he offended the Saint, the Custodes would be swept out, even losing their job of guarding the Imperial Palace.
Over ten thousand years, they had many opportunities to turn the tide and Guide the Human Empire onto a better path.
Yet, they remained indifferent, guarding the Imperial Palace, ignoring the cries of the people outside.
This approach clearly displeased the Emperor, who had never said a word to them.
But as long as the Saint went to the Imperial Palace, the Emperor would certainly manifest.
The difference in treatment between the two was simply immense.
"What's the use of accepting criticism? Change is the most important."
Alex brought up another matter,
"How are the preparations for the expansion of the Ten Thousand Man Corps going?"
"We are already screening; there are many suitable candidates among the rebellious families," Senior General Tura replied.
The Custodes would prioritize selecting the descendants of rebels, having them don armor to atone for the Emperor.
Many people might find this system unreasonable, but if combined with the core philosophy of the Custodes, it wouldn't seem so.
The Custodes were born with only the duty to die for the Emperor, not to have power.
Therefore, although the Custodes held a high status, power that couldn't be realized was equivalent to no power.
The Custodes were not allowed to indulge or to fall into decadence.
Every second of their lives had to be spent fighting for the Emperor.
For most people, living like this was undoubtedly torture.
"Hurry up; the war in the galaxy is intensifying, and the Chaos Gods have seen humanity's change."
"They will not tolerate humanity breaking free from their control; a greater war is about to come."
"I understand." Senior General Tura nodded.
At this moment, Cortana approached Alex and submitted an application from the Demon Hunter Battle Group.
"Master, should we approve their application?"
Alex glanced at it.
Assisting the K'canti race in reclaiming their homeworld and searching for clues related to the Old Ones' ruins.
"At this stage, let's first…"
Just then, a golden light screen appeared, interrupting Alex's words.
[Task: Find the Old Ones' Ruins
As the oldest race in the galaxy, the Old Ones possessed astonishing psychic technology, and the vast majority of life in the galaxy originated from their hands.
Their ruins must contain the secrets of ancient times and the technological crystallization of their race. Please encourage the Demon Hunter Battle Group Players to search for the Old Ones' ruins.
Reward: Large amount of Faith Points, Dark Tongue Skill - Invincible (After casting this skill, you can enter a temporary invincible state where you cannot be targeted, attacked, or damaged, lasting for 6 seconds.)
]
Seeing this task,
Alex felt a bit speechless.
Yellow Old Man was truly as impatient as ever!
Originally, he had wanted the Demon Hunter Battle Group to first complete the task of the Slaughter Crusade.
Yellow Old Man was so afraid he would refuse that he even offered such a powerful Dark Tongue skill as temptation.
Although the invincible state only lasted for 6 seconds, if used well, it would be a decisive stratagem.
"Approve the Demon Hunter Battle Group's application, and promise to provide them with all possible assistance."
Alex said to Cortana.
"Cortana understands; I will immediately convey your reply to them." Cortana nodded and replied to White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef.
[Task Completed, Rewards Issued]
Alex ignored the light screen and continued discussing the expansion of the Ten Thousand Man Corps with Senior General Tura.
The Custodes would restore their former scale and go to various parts of the galaxy to fight.
......
White Wolf and Don't Eat Beef, having received Cortana's reply, walked up to Kilke.
"We agree to this deal, Kilke."
"We will help the K'canti race reclaim their homeworld, and in return, you need to provide clues to the Old Ones' ruins."
"Do not deceive us, or Inquisitor Rostov will not be able to protect you."
Kilke swallowed her ration, "Rest assured, the K'canti race is the most trustworthy."
As the two sides reached a deal, the secret meeting also concluded.
The shielding field was turned off, revealing the figures of several people.
Immediately after,
Cassandra announced to everyone,
"The Third Crusade Fleet will set sail immediately to intercept the Slaughter Crusade, reclaim lost territories, and crush the enemy's conspiracy."
"In the Emperor's name, humanity shall win victory."