Chapter 241 — A Better Tomorrow
More than two months had passed since the fall of the False Emperor.
Varrak Prime had changed completely.
The chaos that once consumed the planet had slowly disappeared beneath strict military control, endless reconstruction efforts, and constant Ultramarine supervision. The riots were gone. Warp cults had vanished. Public executions had ended weeks ago after the final waves of purges finished across the hive cities.
Now the world moved with order.
Not freedom.
Order.
The massive destruction left behind by the battle inside the Palace Spire had already been repaired across most important sectors. Burned transit routes had been rebuilt. Manufactorums restarted production lines. Communication towers rose once again above the polluted skyline.
And most importantly,
People were eating again.
The Sea King meat distribution changed the hive cities faster than anyone expected.
At first, civilians feared it was temporary. Another false promise. Another short moment of relief before starvation returned.
But day after day, food continued arriving.
Large distribution stations were established across every major district. PDF soldiers maintained order while Ultramarines supervised the operation personally. Long food lines stretched across streets daily, yet unlike before, people no longer fought desperately for scraps.
There was enough.
Inside one lower hive district, a large food distribution center operated beneath heavy guard.
Several PDF soldiers stood watch near metal barricades while tired civilians slowly moved through organized lines. At the center of the area stood Captain Vale himself, helping distribute food alongside volunteers and workers.
One Ultramarine stood nearby silently guarding the station.
Just his presence alone kept the entire crowd disciplined.
No one wanted trouble near an Ultramarine.
Vale handed out another large lunch box filled with cooked Sea King meat alongside small side dishes packed carefully beside it.
The smell alone made people hungry instantly.
A man stepped forward with his wife and daughter beside him.
Vale recognized him immediately.
Before the Ultramarines arrived, the man had looked half-dead from starvation. His ribs used to show clearly beneath torn clothes full of holes. His daughter had been even worse.
Now all three looked healthier.
Not rich.
Not comfortable.
But healthy.
The man's cheeks no longer looked hollow. His wife had regained some color in her face. Even the little girl standing beside them looked energetic now.
Vale handed over three lunch boxes.
One for each of them.
Each container held enough food for an entire day if eaten normally.
Maybe two days if rationed carefully.
Compared to the old days, it felt almost unbelievable.
Vale handed the final box to the little girl before lightly patting her head.
Then he looked toward the man.
"John," Vale said calmly. "How is the new job?"
John's eyes immediately brightened.
"It's good," he answered honestly. "The work is hard physically… but not cruel."
That alone already meant everything.
Before, workers constantly lived under overseers carrying shock batons or whips. Punishments came easily for slowing down, making mistakes, or simply collapsing from exhaustion.
And after all that?
The pay barely kept people alive.
Even during the False Emperor's rule, although food improved somewhat, abuse and corruption still existed beneath the surface.
Now things were different.
The Ultramarines executed almost every corrupt official they discovered.
Overseers.
Nobles.
Managers.
PDF officers.
Anyone judged corrupt, abusive, or connected to the old regime vanished quickly.
So many bodies piled up during the early purges that entire cremation zones were established far outside the hive cities where promethium fires burned for days.
People feared the Ultramarines deeply.
But they also knew something else now.
The abuse had stopped.
Vale gave a small nod.
"That's good to hear."
John looked genuinely grateful.
Not fake gratitude.
Real relief.
Vale glanced briefly toward the lunch boxes.
"You understand these free distributions will not continue forever."
The little girl froze slightly hearing that.
So did the mother.
John's expression immediately tightened with worry.
For a brief second, old fear returned to their faces.
They remembered starvation too well.
Vale noticed immediately.
He gave a faint smile.
"Relax. The Sea King meat isn't disappearing."
The family visibly calmed slightly.
"It just won't remain free after next week," Vale explained. "The new production facilities are almost ready. After that, the food will simply be sold normally."
John swallowed nervously.
"…we can afford it?"
Vale nodded once.
"It will be cheap."
Not cheap for nobles.
Cheap for workers.
Cheap enough that ordinary families could eat properly every day.
John visibly relaxed after hearing that.
"Thank you, Captain Vale."
The wife lowered her head gratefully as well.
"Thank you."
Even the little girl quietly bowed.
Then the family stepped aside carrying their food carefully while the next civilians in line moved forward.
And the distribution continued.
Across the hive cities, reconstruction efforts never stopped.
Construction crews worked constantly through day and night shifts. Damaged transit rails were rebuilt. Collapsed districts were cleared away. Entire streets were repaired beneath heavy military supervision.
New communication towers rose across the upper hive.
Supply depots expanded.
Security checkpoints became permanent structures.
But some of the biggest changes were not military.
They were educational.
Schools.
That order came directly from Gaius himself.
The war against the False Emperor revealed one dangerous truth clearly.
Ignorant populations were easy to control.
Easy to manipulate.
Easy to corrupt.
If Varrak Prime was going to survive long-term, its people needed education and discipline.
Children between five and ten years old received simple foundational education first.
Reading.
Writing.
Basic mathematics.
Imperial history.
Hygiene.
Discipline.
The goal was not freedom of thought.
The Imperium did not work that way.
The goal was creating citizens capable of understanding instructions, records, maintenance duties, and responsibilities inside the hive system.
For children between ten and fifteen, education became far more specialized.
Engineering basics.
Mechanical repair.
Industrial operations.
Agriculture systems.
Medical fundamentals.
Management training.
Logistics.
Students showing talent were identified early.
Some moved toward technical academies connected to forge facilities.
Others entered administrative training programs.
The best students would eventually help govern the very world they lived on.
The schools themselves remained strict.
Uniforms were mandatory.
Daily inspections happened constantly.
Physical exercise was included beside academic lessons.
Discipline failures brought punishment immediately.
Yet despite the strictness, life slowly improved across many districts.
Food became stable.
Crime rates dropped.
Workers received consistent labor schedules.
Military patrols prevented gangs from reforming.
For the first time in many years, many civilians finally felt something unfamiliar.
Predictability.
Not happiness.
Not hope.
But stability.
And inside the Imperium,
That alone already meant a better life.
Far above the hive streets, Gaius stood upon an enormous empty stretch of land.
Once, the Palace Spire stood there.
Now nothing remained.
After the battle against the False Emperor, traces of Warp corruption remained embedded deep within the structure itself. The Ultramarines judged it too dangerous to preserve.
So Gaius ordered its complete destruction.
Entire sections were collapsed deliberately.
The ruins were burned, purified, and buried.
Now only flattened ground remained where the false throne once stood.
Yet despite everything, the location itself still held great value.
The False Emperor chose this place carefully.
The Spire once stood at the center point between the largest hive cities across the planet. It allowed easier communication, easier transportation, and faster military response times.
Strategically,
It was perfect.
Which was why Gaius intended to build something new there.
Not another palace.
Not another false sanctuary.
A command fortress.
A place where Ultramarines stationed on the planet could remain permanently.
A center of military authority.
Administrative control.
Logistics.
Defense.
The future heart of Varrak Prime.
Construction had not started fully yet.
The old Spire had only been completely destroyed last week.
But the plans already existed.
And with the Magnus Structor involved, construction speed would become terrifyingly fast.
The machine could mass-produce complex parts endlessly as long as it possessed materials and blueprints. Entire buildings could rise within days instead of years.
The project would not take long.
Cold wind moved through the empty construction zone while workers and servitors prepared surrounding areas nearby.
Gaius stood silently overlooking the land.
Then he opened the Multiversal Chat.
Messages immediately appeared.
Saeko: Time passes fast. We're getting close to another one.
Naruto: Yeah! I'm excited for the Right of Crossing. I wonder what kind of world it'll be this time?
Mindy: I hope it's similar to the last one.
Naruto: Same! I want another adventure like the pirate world!
Diana: I'm itching for a proper fight again.
Tony: Hopefully it's a technological world this time.
Then Tanya finally sent her own message.
Tanya: I hope it's peaceful.
Naruto immediately replied.
Naruto: That sounds boring.
Tanya: Peace is good.
Tony: That might be the most Tanya answer possible.
After spending time with Tanya, Tony had learned that despite her cold and rational personality, she actually preferred peace and quiet more than anyone expected.
Ever since she started living in his house, she had spent most of her time enjoying the most relaxed lifestyle possible.
So Tony understood her personality a little better now.
Naruto laughed through the chat while Diana sent a small amused response afterward.
Gaius silently read the messages.
The Right of Crossing was approaching again.
Another world.
Another unknown situation.
His eyes slowly shifted back toward the massive construction grounds ahead.
Workers moved like ants below.
Servitors transported metal beams.
Thunderhawks crossed the polluted skies overhead.
Varrak Prime was changing rapidly beneath his rule.
And honestly,
So was he.
Two months ago, he only came to destroy a corrupted psyker.
Now he ruled an entire system.
And according to the Emperor's decree,
Perhaps even more in the future.
Naruto sent another message.
Naruto: Hey Gaius… what kind of world do you want?
The chat quieted afterward.
Everyone waited.
Gaius remained silent for a moment before answering.
Gaius: Something with worth.
The chat became quiet for several seconds.
Then Tony sighed dramatically.
Tony: Damn. That sounded way cooler than anything I was gonna say.
Even Saeko smiled faintly reading it.
Below, construction crews continued preparing the future center of Ultramarine authority on Varrak Prime.
~~~
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