Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 644

Chapter 642: How did corruption occur?

Amidst the Imperial rebellion, the commanders-in-chief of the two northern and southern fronts engaged in a dispute.

Honestly, within the Imperial public opinion landscape, Gu Hang was undoubtedly the one who suffered.

What kind of reputation did the Black Crusade Grand Admiral hold, and what kind of reputation did Gu Hang hold?

While both were theater commanders in terms of status, the actual power they wielded was vastly different. Gu Hang’s position was entirely his own, unlike Leroy, who held a temporary, albeit limited, position as an alliance leader. Leroy had the powerful Black Crusade behind him, but he wasn’t their Grand Admiral. Gu Hang, on the other hand, effectively controlled three star systems, with two more on the verge of capture. With over two thousand worlds under his command,

he was undoubtedly superior to Leroy. However, Gu Hang was a Space Marine, a renowned Grand Admiral of the Black Crusade, seen in battle across the Empire, his battle stories widely known and revered.

In this respect, Gu Hang was far behind.

Gallardo had indeed used various methods to promote Gu Hang on Holy Terra. His stories of defeating great demons, saving the world, and defeating green-skinned orcs were indeed quite good, and his actions were even more artistically choreographed, emphasizing heroism.

But the people of the Empire still loved brave and fearless warriors the most.

Space Marines were simply cooler than psykers; pure military commanders were more popular than politicians who stood back and pointed fingers, harboring countless schemes.

Furthermore, Gu Hang’s exploits were confined to the eastern border of the Empire, unlike the Black Crusaders, who flaunted their power everywhere.

They were also a chapter with thousands of years of history, with an untold reputation, something Gu Hang couldn’t match.

Gu Hang’s voice couldn’t rival theirs.

However, Gu Hang did one thing right: he didn’t fall into the trap of self-defense.

In a “confrontation,” defense is absolutely forbidden. If someone criticizes you, just explain that you didn’t do it. Don’t talk nonsense, or you’ll be criticized for the rest of your life.

As soon as the speaker opens his mouth, the defender will burst forth.

This is especially true when there’s a disparity in voices between the two sides.

Upon hearing Leroy’s scolding of Gu Hang, the first to follow were voices from various Chapters, commanders of various Astra Militarum forces, members of the Inquisition… Gu Hang, on the other hand, could be heard by his own men, so his voices were muted outside.

At this point, it’s time to lash out back, directed at the person.

You say I’m separatist and preserving my strength, then I’ll accuse you of prioritizing military glory over your own, a fate destined for failure. This

wasn’t just a case of accusations; Gu Hang truly believed it.

Ever since the Ironclad Chapter crushed the Phoenix on the western front and entered the Magre Realm, their actions had seemed rather strange to Gu Hang.

As for an offensive, there was certainly one. In a very short period of time, they had swept across thousands of worlds in the Magre Realm, as if they had broken up their main force and were attacking here and there.

The momentum was immense, especially with the prestige of their previous victory over the Phoenix, it was truly intimidating.

But Gu Hang still found it odd. Their massive force was like a floating duckweed without a foundation. Without a strategic focus, they simply expanded their attack area. Sooner or later, everything they had previously consumed would be vomited out.

Even Gu Hang could understand that they were trying to spread the Zerg infestation, turning more worlds into a source of manpower for direct biomass conversion. They had indeed achieved this to a certain extent. However, each planet had its own resistance and would not readily accept being consumed. The Iron Armor, with its forces spread too thin, was unable to quickly suppress the resistance on many worlds due to insufficient strength.

So how far could the Zerg infestation spread? How much biomass could it consume?

Gu Hang’s assumptions proved correct.

When the Western Front reorganized, with the Ortopis Chapter led by Salilius at its core, and returned to the battlefield, vast swathes of the Magre Sector were quickly retaken, and the Iron Armor was completely annihilated.

Reports from the Western Front indicated that the Iron Armor’s forces were widely dispersed. They had captured the Iron Armor several times in smaller battles, with the vast majority of those victories resulting.

But after carefully analyzing their reports—which he obtained from Gallardo—Gu Hang concluded that the situation on the Western Front was far less optimistic than Salilius had reported.

The Ironclads had indeed been silenced, and the main Western Front forces were indeed advancing rapidly. However, beneath these glaring battle reports lay the fact that they had never completely and systematically annihilated the Ironclad’s main force in a single decisive battle. Even their victories in smaller battles, upon closer inspection, were mostly against rebels, cultists, and infected clusters that had developed on various planetary homelands. The few instances of engagements with the elite of the Princess Legion, or even Ironclad Space Marines, were prominently reported, but a closer look revealed the use of terms like “rout” and “expel,” rather than “annihilate” and “kill.”

This was Gu Hang’s observation, ignoring any possibility of falsification in the battle reports.

Could battle reports be flawless? Honestly, even the disciplined Alliance army couldn’t achieve that.

Not to mention the deliberate inflated figures, battlefield statistics themselves are incredibly complex, with numerous circumstances, sometimes requiring estimations—or, frankly, fabrications.

Even Gu Hang, with the Alliance’s battle reports, had to compare them with the reports his system generated after each battle to confirm certain figures.

Gu Hang doubted the reliability of the reports Salilius submitted.

Combined with the information he’d gathered from Varuk, he pieced together a very plausible scenario.

The larval Zerg Queen that the Iron Armor Legion had acquired was undoubtedly problematic.

After being handed over to Varuk for research, it initially yielded some results. The growing Zerg Queen seemed to be controlled by the equipment Varuk had developed, enabling humanity to control the Zerg swarm, just as the Iron Armor and the Cult of Alfonzo had hoped. This established a chain of control: humans controlling the Zerg Queen, and the Queen controlling the Zerg swarm.

From that point on, the Iron Armor Legion experienced unprecedented growth. They can leverage the Zerg threat to secure vast resources from the Empire, while also freely establishing their own independent kingdoms across the Princess Star Region and even the entire Spider Web Universe.

If anyone disobeys or refuses to obey, they unleash the Zerg.

The Zerg’s cooperation is naturally due to their control,

even towards the Imperial Center.

Holy Terra, don’t believe our claims about the Zerg threat? Then let them witness it for themselves.

Having seen and believed, and with the necessary resources allocated, Ironclad would take action—no need to fight tooth and nail, simply using the Queen to divert the Zerg.

At this stage, both Ironclad and Alfonzo still felt they had everything under control.

They had no desire to expand the Zerg to its limits, much less revere it. Ironclad viewed the Void Zerg as mere tools, biological weapons. Alfonzo also saw them as a source of immense scientific advancement. By studying the Zerg’s structure and breeding them, precious biological materials could be obtained; by studying the Zerg’s organizational structure, new technological inspiration could be gained; and by studying the Zerg’s ultimate individuals, whether powerful Hive Tyrants or Cerebrate Tyrants, significant advances could be made in the research of bio-machines and psionic machines.

Some of Varük’s biotechnologies even leaked outside.

Members of the Mechanicus often had a habit of modifying their bodies. Normal Mechanicans believe that machinery is a form of beauty, binary information a noble evolution, and flesh and blood are of little value. However, some sects, versed in genetic and biochemical modification, are moving towards mutation.

The original Alfonzo Cult was a relatively normal Mechanicus, but the spread of these advanced biotechnologies has intrigued many. Using cultivated Zerg materials, they have created mechanical and biological structures, modifying their own bodies.

The sect has also developed potions that, when injected, can significantly enhance physical fitness and mental focus, imparting incredible strength with virtually no side effects. These precious injectable d*rugs are also used as combat d*rugs within the Ironclad Chapter.

So far, everything seems fine.

But to Gu Hang, the sound of this gave him a chill.

Using Zerg bodies, gene fragments, and construction materials to modify oneself… Using Zerg genes to create potions and inject them into one’s body to strengthen it… Oh

my God!

If you don’t become corrupted, who will?

Hearing this, Gu Hang was not surprised by the subsequent complete loss of control.

But in reality, no one knew when everything spiraled out of control.

It wasn’t a sudden, uncontrolled appearance of the Void Queen, who utterly lost control and took control of them all.

Gu Hang speculated that it was more of a gradual, subtle process.

Using the Zerg to coerce the Empire was inherently dishonorable, and within Iron Armor and Alfonzo, this was kept strictly confidential, accessible only to a select few. And it was these highest echelons of power who were the first to be corrupted.

Initially, their perception of the Zerg Queen as a tool and biological weapon—a subject of respect and caution—gradually shifted to respect, believing it to be immensely useful. The Zerg Queen, always gentle and controlled, eventually developed into worship, believing the power of the Void Zerg to be immense. Finally, they were completely controlled, calling the Zerg Queen the “Princess.”

Naturally, with the Princess, there must be something higher.

Varuk called her the “Supreme Mother.”

He repeatedly stated that the Supreme Mother was about to descend upon this universe, devouring everything and carrying away all living things. Everyone who believes in the Supreme Mother will become a part of her, attaining eternal life and becoming an ascended deity, immortal and indestructible. Those who do not believe in the Supreme Mother are the lowest of the low, destined to be devoured and digested, ultimately obliterating all traces and meanings of existence from this universe.

The above information was all extracted from Varuk by Gu Hang.

The process was extremely difficult.

Gu Hang initially planned to use his psychic powers to directly search the Archmagos’s brain, but failed.

As an Archmagos, Varuk’s body was highly modified. Generally speaking, the Mechanicus is quite tolerant of body modifications; the bottom line is that one’s brain cannot be altered, only the insertion of chips. Of course, there are likely many who secretly cross this line, and being discovered would certainly be a serious problem. But who would bother to perform a craniotomy to examine the contents of one’s own brain, as long as it’s not too obvious?

Who would dare to examine a Archmagos?

Varuk’s brain had long been altered, and he would naturally apply the biotechnology he obtained from the Zerg to his own brain.

The dissected remains were completely devoid of a human brain.

Furthermore, he—or rather, “it”—no longer possessed a distinct soul. The image he initially projected into the Warp resembled a shadow, a black hole, a fragment plucked from the Warp, unlike a normal living being whose soul was bound to matter.

With a different biological structure and no soul, even if Gu Hang tried to piece together the facts from his memories, it would be impossible.

Fortunately, this individual had been increasingly deranged since his capture. While communication was somewhat difficult, and his speech was often disjointed, the best part was that he could still be spoken to. Ask him questions, and he would often offer strange perspectives.

The above information was slowly pieced together from his frantic utterances during these difficult interrogations.

There were certainly many discrepancies with the truth, but overall, it should be highly reliable.

The last time Gu Hang communicated with Gallardo, he also told this political ally of his in Holy Terra all the information he had obtained and raised his concerns.

The two discussed it and made a decision.

First, a ship will come from Holy Terra. A team of the most elite teams from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Military Affairs will come to pick up the great sage Varuk. The Church of Mars is very interested in him, and at the same time, the high lords of Holy Terra are also very interested in publicly letting such a big traitor be tried and punished.

A living Varuk can be sold at a very high price. In this rebellion, his value may be second only to the big traitor Humphrey Paul.

In addition, Gallardo also expressed his attention to Gu Hang’s warning.

But he also said tactfully that he could not control the actions on the northern and western fronts. The authority of the two commanders-in-chief is the greatest. He can only package this information and then tell them.

(End of this chapter)