Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 536

Chapter 534, New World Torch

Aboard the battle barge Triumphal Flame, the flagship of the New World Torch Chapter, a Space Marine, his lower body painted bronze and his upper body painted orange, flanked by a phalanx of guards, strode forward, heading for the command bridge.

Mortal auxiliaries attempted to intervene, but were rudely pushed aside by his guards.

He personally and roughly pushed open the bridge door.

Wang Mengsong, leading his guards

, strode in. The Fury Marines guarding the bridge had long heard the commotion outside.

Even though they were allies, the unceremonious approach made them all lay hands on their weapons.

However, there was no reason for further action—unless the New World Torch was truly determined.

Wang Mengsong barely spared the anxious expression of the Fury Marines.

He was the Chapter Master of the New World Torch Chapter, with three hundred years of combat experience, and arguably the foremost New World Torch Marine.

In reality, their entire Chapter is relatively young, having been established for only three hundred years.

This founding effort, known as the Faro Founding,

saw the creation of nine new Chapters to counter the growing regional threat within the Faro System, the southern border of the Empire. Upon their creation, all nine Chapters were urgently dispatched to the Faro System to deal with recurring rebellions, the invasions of two Ork clans, and the escalating Chaos invasions that erupted simultaneously from multiple worlds.

After a century of fighting, the situation in the Faro System gradually stabilized.

With their work accomplished, it was time to receive their rewards. Logically, these newly established Chapters should have settled where they had fought, assigned a planet as their homeworld, recruiting worlds, and then settled down there to defend their territory.

However, with seven Chapters already established in the Faro System, there was no way to accommodate all nine new Chapters.

Of course, this “no way” didn’t mean there weren’t enough worlds. After all, a universe has at least three to five thousand worlds under its jurisdiction, and at most tens of thousands. Is finding nine worlds to allocate to a Chapter difficult?

Indeed, it is.

Allocating nine worlds is not difficult in itself. Even if the allocation means a loss of Imperial tax revenue from these nine worlds, it is not unacceptable given the sheer size of the universe.

Furthermore, it doesn’t necessarily require the allocation of particularly developed and wealthy planets.

Many famous Space Marine Chapters have homeworlds that are quite desolate, their natural environments even harsh and brutal.

This can actually be beneficial.

The people forged in these harsh and brutal environments are more suited to the Chapter’s needs in terms of their spiritual outlook, physical fitness, and traditional culture.

As for the impoverished planets that lack sufficient material wealth… for many Chapters, this is not a problem.

Maintaining and developing a Chapter does indeed consume a significant amount of wealth, but who says it must be sourced from their homeworld?

Furthermore, under normal circumstances, a Chapter, comprising a thousand Space Marines, supplemented by numerous auxiliary forces and a Chapter fleet, would require a military force of this magnitude that most Imperium worlds could not finance with the financial resources of a single planet.

Each Chapter had its own unique methods for meeting these financial needs. Some

worked for the Mechanicum, others for the Ecclesiarchy, others for the High Lords of Holy Terra, for the Inquisition, or for the powerful Imperial Chamber of Commerce…

This could be called the “laboring faction.”

The nature of this so-called “laboring” varied greatly. Some were independent, or simply pure partnerships, with shared interests; others were mercenaries, receiving payment for services; and some, though rare, were highly dependent.

Some Chapters relied on combat to support themselves. These ship-based Chapters were more common. They lacked fixed territories and relied primarily on spoils of war to maintain and even expand their Chapter. They frequently respond to calls from various Imperial powers, planets, sectors, and regions, participating in battles and collecting their own spoils and rewards.

The most famous of these is the Black Crusaders.

However, both types of Chapters are relatively few in number. The most numerous Space Marine Chapters are those with “fiefdoms.”

From their homeworld, they radiate their influence throughout surrounding regions, even across them. The Space Marines’ privileged status, standing, and immense combat prowess allow them to expand their influence to this extent.

While maintaining peace in their region, every world within that region owes a certain amount of tribute to the Chapter… the names vary, but the essence is tribute.

Only at this level of the sector can a full Chapter be supported.

This is where the conflict in the Faro sector stems.

The New World Torch and the other eight newly formed Chapters urgently need to recuperate after their battles. They have fought in the first war of their formation, earning a reputation and achievements. Next, it was time to recuperate and develop the chapter.

As it turned out, the Faro sector had already been completely divided up. The remaining territory could only accommodate one or two chapters at most; any more wouldn’t be a matter of overcrowding, but rather of starvation.

Who wouldn’t want to recuperate and develop?

The New World Torch, as a newly established chapter, had indeed earned its own recruiting planet thanks to its merits. However, that planet was mediocre and couldn’t sustain them. Furthermore, they couldn’t expand their influence like a normal chapter, as two other chapters were already crowded in the same sector.

After a fierce struggle, the New World Torch emerged as the loser.

Although they had a force of over 700 men, their auxiliary forces were of poor quality, their warships were few, and they lacked even a battle barge. Their flagship was a single strike cruiser, badly damaged in the battle.

They didn’t even have the money to repair their ships!

Meanwhile, the Chapter was constantly called upon to fight wars. Most of the time, the rewards from war more than offset the costs, leaving a surplus. But a single unprofitable battle, a few casualties, or simply insufficient spoils of war could disrupt this fragile cycle.

For seventy years after acquiring their homeworld, the New World Torch struggled. The Chapter’s numbers slowly dwindled, its overall strength weakening.

While they hadn’t faced a crisis that would have annihilated the entire Chapter instantly, the chronic loss of strength, the feeling of facing imminent demise and feeling helpless, was deeply agonizing.

Furthermore, the friction and entanglements within the star system with various local forces, such as the star system government and several other close Chapters, were exhausting.

In these circumstances, one hundred and twenty years ago, Wang Mengsong received an invitation from Humphrey Paul.

After a confidential discussion, Wang Mengsong made the decision: relocate!

Relocation wasn’t something a Chapter could simply wish for.

The conscription world has already been assigned to you, so how can you just change it?

But Humphrey Paul, one hundred and twenty years ago, guaranteed it.

He offered a star system in the Spider Web Universe that was completely devoid of Space Marines, and gave it to them. He sent Wang Mengsong ahead, promising that the replacement of the conscription world would be quickly arranged.

Wang Mengsong trusted Humphrey Paul’s assurances

, and ultimately, Paul actually managed it.

When they announced their intention to relocate, the Imperial Central Government initially issued a document reprimanding them; but soon, their stance changed. They quietly designated a planet in the star region designated by Humphrey Paul as their new conscription world.

From then on, the New World Torch could naturally settle down and live in peace.

Then, the Bauhinia Rebellion soon occurred.

Wang Mengsong was initially hesitant.

Should he side with the Iron Armor?

He’d beg for mercy. Having received favors from Humphrey Paul, how could he just stand by and watch when trouble arose?

However, getting involved wouldn’t be a good idea. The New World Torch had just relocated and settled down, barely having time to build up their wealth. Instead

, they were forced to serve the Iron Armor Chapter, potentially even offending the Imperial Central Government. Although Wang Mengsong had no good feelings towards the Imperial Central Government,

Humphrey Paul considerately told them not to move and just stay put.

Then, Wang Mengsong witnessed the easy resolution of the Bauhinia Rebellion. While the three chapters met tragic ends, the Iron Armor Chapter, with its Fury Flame and Stone Shield, began a century of rapid growth.

Wang Mengsong had always felt a mixture of unease and envy regarding the situation of the three Iron Fury Stones.

Uneasy because their actions seemed… disloyal?

But envious because, though he didn’t know the details, he could easily see that the three chapters were visibly growing in strength.

Not only did they firmly control the Princess Star Region, but they were also constantly exploiting the Empire. High incomes bolstered their power. With their strength, they not only maintained a threat against the Void Zerg that constantly emerged from the Princess Star Domain, but also expanded their influence across many surrounding star domains, even reaching the Eastern Space Domain to the south.

He also secretly began to engage in some… less-than-rule activities. For example, he allowed the number of his Chapters to exceed the prescribed limit; on nearby planets heavily influenced by them, he concealed income, manipulated sector governments, and underreported tax revenues.

He believed his activities were much smaller than those of the Iron Rage Stone, simply minor actions.

However, he was discovered and received a severe warning from the Imperial Center.

This caused him to retract his overreaching actions.

However, it also fueled his resentment and even resentment towards the Imperial Center.

He privately began to liaise more closely with the Iron Rage Stone, hoping to become the “Iron Rage Stone Torch.”

His old friend, Humphrey Paul, welcomed this initiative but also expressed the hope that the New World Torch would wait. Resource support can be in place first, but the New World Torch does not need to stand on the side of the Iron Wrath Stone immediately and clearly. It can just continue to stay quietly.

This stay will bring the time for the Iron Wrath Stone to officially raise the banner of rebellion.

As a Space Marine Chapter local to the Spider Web Universe, the New World Torch naturally joined forces with the Inquisition to form a rebellion army and participated in the suppression of the Iron Wrath Stone.

Then, it naturally became the traitor, and with a backhanded blow, it killed an entire loyal Chapter, tens of thousands of combat sisters of the Blood Rose Order, and a large number of elite soldiers of the Inquisition, all on the battlefield of Tianyuan VI.

After making great contributions, the New World Torch officially became a member of the Iron Wrath Stone.

————

This chapter makes up for yesterday.

There will be another chapter later.

(End of this chapter)