Chapter 375: Holy Terra
The fleet continued to approach that core world of the Imperium of Man.
When the sphere of Holy Terra completely occupied the main viewer of the "Eternal Crusader", Ryo stood before the bridge's observation window, watching in silence.
This was not his first time seeing Terra, but every time he witnessed it, it still triggered a complex data stream deep within his processing core that was difficult to fully parse.
The world before him was almost completely covered.
Massive hive cities were like spreading metallic moss, clinging to every inch of usable surface on the planet, extending all the way to the polar ice caps—if there were still any ice caps left.
The atmosphere was unbearably murky, presenting a sickly brownish-yellow color, within which flickered the never-extinguishing city lights and the reflections of orbital facilities.
The areas once called oceans were now reduced to scattered, polluted dark patches, carved up and surrounded by massive artificial structural dikes and land reclamation zones.
His database retrieved images of that planet from before the Age of Strife, or even earlier, belonging to his distant memories.
That blue gem covered by vast blue oceans and white swirling clouds shared the same name as this world before him—wrapped in metal, concrete, and pollution to the point of near-suffocation—yet they were entirely different existences.
He also recalled the terrestrial planets he had seen in other dimensions, which were still vibrant with life and had crystal-clear waters.
An emotion that did not belong to a mechanical creation, a human sentiment originating from the depths of his essence, quietly surfaced.
It was not anger, nor was it disgust, but a quiet, profound sorrow.
For the vicissitudes this planet bore, nearly crushed by the weight of its own civilization, and for that azure blue representing life and nature—seen in memories and other worlds—that was now nearly extinct here.
Sigismund's voice sounded from the side, breaking the silence: "Make your preparations, Magos. We are about to descend."
Ryo withdrew his gaze, his crimson optical lenses shifting away from the sight of Terra.
That momentary emotional fluctuation was quickly suppressed and archived.
He responded simply, his voice as steady as usual: "Understood."
Within the hangar of the "Eternal Crusader", the two pieces of cargo had already been loaded onto a Thunderhawk gunship. After Ryo, Sigismund, and a squad of Black Templars warriors boarded this Thunderhawk, it flew toward Holy Terra before them under the escort of several fighter jets piloted by mortals.
The Thunderhawk gunship pierced through Terra's thick and polluted atmosphere, descending toward the area known as the heart of the Imperium under the strict escort of Custodian aircraft that had taken off from the ground.
Outside the viewport, the architectural complex of the Imperial Palace gradually became clear. It was not an aesthetic collection, but massive fortresses and defensive fortifications layered and continuously reinforced. It was a behemoth formed after ten thousand years of war and expansion, its scale exceeding the scope of mortal comprehension.
The gunship finally landed smoothly in the designated area.
The hatch opened, and Ryo's mechanical feet and Sigismund's power boots stepped onto the ground of Terra almost simultaneously.
The air was filled with a complex scent of ancient stone, incense, and the indescribable odor produced by a massive concentration of population.
A squad of Adeptus Custodes was already standing quietly in wait.
Clad in brilliantly golden power armor, they were as silent as mountains, holding Guardian Spears. The sensors beneath their helmets scanned the arrivals emotionlessly.
There was no verbal exchange; the Custodian Tribune leading them merely nodded slightly to Sigismund, then turned and made a gesture to lead the way.
The entire operational flow was concise and highly efficient, carrying an unquestionable authority.
At Ryo's signal, two Tech-Priests controlled the servitors to carefully carry the two specially made containment cases, following behind.
Sigismund and Ryo walked shoulder to shoulder. The High Marshal of the Black Templars and the Explorator Magos marched toward the depths of the Imperial Palace under the escort of the golden giants.
Their route had clearly been meticulously arranged, passing through relatively remote yet extremely heavily guarded corridors.
However, the speed of information dissemination within the Imperium's nexus was equally swift.
Just as the group was passing through a magnificent grand hall connecting different fortress clusters, a group of people walked briskly out from an archway on one side.
These people wore luxurious robes representing their status as members of the Senatorum Imperialis, accompanied by scribes and immaculately dressed officials.
The elderly man leading them, bearing a stylized seriousness on his face, raised his hand in an attempt to attract attention.
"Lord Sigismund, Magos Ryo! Please halt." His voice echoed in the cavernous hall. "The Senatorum Imperialis needs to understand the detailed circumstances of the items you have brought to Terra this time.
"According to protocol, any major technology that might affect the Imperium's state policies must first undergo preliminary evaluation by the Senatorum—"
His words were fluent, clearly a prepared speech.
However, neither Sigismund nor Ryo paused their footsteps in the slightest, not even slowing their pace.
And the escorting squad of Custodes turned a deaf ear to these remarks even more so, as if it were merely the air speaking.
The golden procession maintained their precise pace, continuing forward and directly leaving the representatives of the High Lords behind them.
The speaking elder's hand was still frozen in mid-air. The seriousness on his face turned into astonishment, immediately followed by a trace of un-concealable anger.
But in the end, he dared not obstruct a procession escorted by Custodes. He could only watch helplessly as that dark-red mechanical body, the black power armor, and the golden escorts disappeared at the end of the corridor.
"They—they dare to ignore the authority of the Senatorum!" an official behind him exclaimed in a low voice.
The elder lowered his hand, looking gloomily toward the corridor. Ultimately, he only squeezed a single sentence through his teeth: "—It is Dorn's will. And—the Emperor's Custodes."
He realized that the level of this matter had already far exceeded the conventional jurisdiction of the Senatorum Imperialis.
Ryo was not surprised by this.
Sigismund was even more expressionless, as if nothing had just happened.
In the face of absolute power and a higher will, the procedures of the bureaucratic system appeared pale and powerless.
Passing through several massive portals that required special clearance to open, feeling the invisible pressure emanating from the surrounding scanning arrays and hidden weapon systems, they finally arrived at their destination—the iconic, massive main gates of the Imperial Palace on Terra, so huge they made one feel insignificant.
The massive doors, forged from an unknown alloy and carved with the history and mythology of the Imperium, were tightly shut at this moment, exuding an aura of eternal existence.
The Custodian Tribune halted his steps here, turning to Sigismund and Ryo.
"The Lord Primarch is waiting in the audience chamber," the Tribune's voice came through his helmet, still without a ripple. "You may bring the cargo inside. We shall stand guard here."
Sigismund took a deep breath and looked at Ryo.
No expression could be seen on Ryo's mechanical face, but his crimson optical lenses flickered slightly, indicating he was ready.
A deep rumble of mechanical devices operating came from within the heavy doors. A crack of light appeared on the massive door panels, and then they slowly opened inward—