Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 748

Chapter 744: The Great Sage Visits

The other side of the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle is the Mechanicus, a fact everyone must acknowledge.

Without the Mechanicus, a significant portion of the Imperial Navy and Astra Militarum would lose their equipment and supply sources; a significant number of Chapters would suddenly be starved of food.

This is their most important value—the largest sector of the Empire’s industrial production.

This is true both in terms of technological prowess and productivity.

Furthermore, the Mechanicus possesses a formidable military force.

Within the Mechanicus, the Martian Cult holds the most prominent position.

While the Mechanicus encompasses various sects, many are not entirely submissive to their overlord, Martian.

However, no matter how much they secretly disobey, they must act in defiance.

Any overt ambitions must be concealed, and any minor actions dared only to be carried out in secret.

Otherwise, should they be truly punished by their overlord, few other Mechanicus branches across the Empire would be able to withstand the consequences.

Among the Martian Cult, the most exalted and leader of the Martian Cult is the Forge-General of Mars.

The Martian Cult controls not just one Forge World, Mars, but many. However, the most important of these is Mars. The Forge General of Mars is the supreme leader of the entire cult. Furthermore, the position of High Lord on the Mechanicum’s Supreme Council has always belonged to the Forge General since the Council’s inception ten thousand years ago, unwavering.

Below the Forge General, the Martian Cult boasts the largest number of Grand Magos of any cult.

This is a higher level than the Magos of the Main Work.

Alliance intelligence agencies remain closely monitoring the Martian Cult, especially the Foreign Intelligence Branch brought to Holy Terra by Salihovich.

While the Alliance has had limited interaction with the Martian Cult to date, their presence alone should not be ignored.

Of course, the Foreign Intelligence Branch doesn’t directly infiltrate the Martian Cult; at most, it has sent a few dozen agents to Mars under various identities. Their role is limited to periodic intelligence gathering.

Publicly available reports list seventeen Grand Magos on Mars. It’s possible that there are still a considerable number of Great Sages whose identities remain undisclosed.

Among these seventeen, Kaul’s name is included.

However, overall, he is a rather low-key and somewhat mysterious Great Sage. He rarely appears in public, and is rarely seen at the many Great Sage lectures on Mars. His current research and past key achievements remain unknown.

All that can be said is that this Great Sage hails from a very ancient era. His exact age is unknown, but fragmentary accounts of him date back at least five hundred years.

He may be the oldest of all the Great Sages on Mars.

Upon hearing that he was coming, unannounced and already at the door, Gu Hang gave it a moment’s thought and decided that this meeting was a must.

It would be inappropriate not to meet him.

He couldn’t help but wonder what Kaul’s purpose was in meeting him,

but he didn’t let him speculate.

This great sage, hunched over, completely hidden beneath a robe, his entire face covered in a mask, revealing his completely remodeled facial features, leaving little skin behind. Upon entering and confirming that no one else was around, he bluntly stated his purpose.

“Mr. Gu Hang, I’m looking for you. I have three matters.”

“Go ahead.” Gu Hang wasn’t surprised by the other party’s directness.

It was natural for someone who showed up uninvited to be direct.

There’s been a lot of roundabout talk in the last month, so a bit of directness would be welcome.

The Great Sage’s somewhat jarring electronic voice continued:

“First, I want to inform you that Yasdai has issued a directive to the Assassin’s Court to assassinate you.”

“Huh?”

Gu Hang hadn’t expected it to be about this matter.

He’d been investigating this matter relentlessly. Salihovich’s Foreign Intelligence Bureau had a skilled team dedicated to it.

There was also a line through the Assassin’s Court.

However, so far, nothing had been found. The matter was too secretive, and the Foreign Intelligence Bureau had been unable to uncover any information. The Assassin’s Court, abiding by the rules, refused to disclose any information.

Gu Hang had been losing hope. After all, they were enemies, and they would eventually face each other. We’d just have to show our abilities and wait and see.

But he hadn’t expected to obtain a clue this way.

Gu Hang knew Yasdai.

He was the Chairman of the Devouring Star Realm and one of the High Lords currently on the Imperial Supreme Council.

All Realm Chairmans were eligible to elect High Lords, but the chances of being elected were quite low. Of the more than fifty Cosmic Domain Presidents, only one or two are among each group of High Lords, sometimes none at all.

Furthermore, these are often the lowest-ranking among the High Lords. They often serve in other departments eligible for election, such as the Ministry of Justice, the Order of Psychics, and the Imperial Chamber of Commerce, which haven’t yet secured their seats.

Beyond these, there may be some additional seats, but they aren’t permanent. For example, there was once the Holy Mother Superior of the Sisters of Battle, and also the Sun Lord, once held by Sohkaim.

Sometimes, when the incumbent, or the department itself, is too weak to assume the position of High Lord, the vacant seat is filled by an elected Cosmic Domain President.

To put it bluntly, they’re just filling in the numbers among the High Lords.

But no matter how much they fill in the numbers, they’re still High Lords. Status aside, their vote on the Supreme Council is no different from anyone else’s.

For this reason, some powerful High Lords, especially those whose interests are closely tied to local governments, favor the appointment of a Cosmic Domain President who has a good relationship with them and is obedient to them.

Isn’t this vote equivalent to being your own?

For example, the position of High Lord of the President of the Devouring Star Universe was helped up by the Prime Minister. When the Prime Minister needs it, the vote will follow the Prime Minister.

Of course, he is at least a local lord at the level of the President of the Universe, and with the status of High Lord, he is not ordered around like a dog. When the Prime Minister does not have a clear request, Yasdai can still vote according to his own ideas, especially on matters that are closely related to the interests of his own universe.

For example, in the Iron Armor War.

The Devouring Star Universe is a little dissatisfied with the rush to provoke conflicts, which has caused damage to its own universe.

Therefore, it seems natural that he would be a little unhappy with himself.

But will the conflict between the two sides be so serious that they have to resort to assassination?

And why did the Grand Sage of the Mechanicus come to tell him this news?

Staring at the face that has been transformed to the point of being inhuman, Gu Hang’s doubts are increasing.

(End of this chapter)