This is the bonus chapter for reaching 100 Powerstones.
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"Withdraw!"
Zeke spat out that single word. Tax Bro and Schrödinger Bro caught the hint instantly. Without a second thought, the three turned and retreated rapidly through the foul-smelling tunnel they had come from.
Those rusted pieces of equipment were certainly tempting, but the refinery's alarms had already quieted down. The chaos was ending. Now was not the time for greed.
A few minutes later, they blended back in with the other workers returning to the rest area. Panting and covered in grime, they slumped onto the freezing ground, looking indistinguishable from the truly exhausted native workers around them.
The overseers counted heads while grumbling, confirming that none of the "consumables" had taken the chance to escape.
"Damn pipes exploded again. The higher-ups really need to swap out those brain-dead servitors," the lead overseer barked before the group finally dispersed.
The rest area sank back into a heavy, oppressive silence. Zeke closed his eyes, focused his mind, and began typing in the regional channel.
[Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]: "Brothers, stop complaining for a second."
"Since it's now set in stone that this is a 40k world simulator wearing a mecha-skin, we need to clarify our primary objectives."
"First, figure out the timeline. Is it M30? M31? Or even later? Is the Emperor sitting on the Golden Throne, or is he out there leading the Primarchs on the Great Crusade?"
"Second, which sector? Which system? Which planet? Where in the galactic boondocks is this Aurelian IV?"
"Third, and most importantly: raise your hands. If you plan to keep playing this game after logging out, type '1'. If you think it's too hardcore or scary and want to delete your account and run, type '2'. I need to know where we stand."
The channel fell silent for a few seconds. Then, the numbers started rolling.
It was an almost solid wall of '1's, with the occasional '11' or '111' to express double or triple certainty.
[Soul of Cadia]: "1! Is that even a question? The start is a bit miserable, sure, but let's be real—if a massive open-world game with this level of virtual simulation hit the market, how much would it cost? 99,999 credits? And you'd still have to win a lottery just for the beta invite!"
[Did the White Scars Speed Today?]: "11111! Is killing bugs in Space Marine 2 on a PC the same as actually standing in the Warhammer world moving bricks? This immersion, these details... even this nutrient paste that tastes authentically disgusting... who wants to go back to PC games after this?!"
[T'au-Kun, You're Right, But the Bolter is Righter]: "1! I spend all day arguing with people online saying 'everyone is loyal until it's time to go.' Well, the chance is here. I'm 100% loyal, okay?! We can respawn anyway. It hurts, sure, but just treat it as... ultra-realistic haptic feedback! Let's get it done!"
That comment was like a spark dropped into a fuel barrel.
[I Want the Halo of Tranquility But I'm Broke]: "1! Damn, I remember the days of slaughtering Greenskins and Tyranids on a monitor. Now a real-life VR version of Warhammer is right in front of us. You think I'm gonna pussy out? That's an insult to the Emperor... I mean, to us, the Fourth Scourge!"
[Slaanesh Champion Candidate]: "111111! I have to keep playing! I want to see if this game actually lets me become a Champion of Slaanesh. What does 'ultimate pleasure' actually feel like? Even if the women in the Warhammer world look a bit... uh, unique, a cross-species robo-romance sounds kind of vibe-y, doesn't it?"
[Papa Nurgle Loves Everyone]: "1. Accept reality, embrace change. Every day here is a blessing from the Grandfather, even if the blessing comes in the form of a whip or moldy paste."
[Fugitive Cogboy of the Mechanicus]: "1. From a technical analysis perspective, the physical laws, social complexity, and technical detail of this simulated world far exceed any existing virtual product. Even as a research sample, it has incredibly high value. Plus, I want to see a real Titan with my own eyes."
[Schrödinger's Loyalist]: "1. Though I am currently in a superposition of being both loyal and a potential traitor, this game is too fun to pass up!"
[Pay the Tithe Even if the World Ends]: "1! I haven't even finished paying my taxes yet, how can I leave? Wait... am I being PUA'd by the System...?"
As more people responded, the channel flooded with determination and banter. Zeke watched the messages, a small smirk playing on his lips.
These guys... they really are a scourge. Give them a sliver of hope—even if that hope is just respawning to get tortured again—and they light right up.
[Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]: "Good! Since most of you have decided to stick it out, let's manage these accounts properly. But we have a practical problem: logging out to rest. Our real bodies need to eat and use the bathroom, but we can't just leave these vessels here unattended."
"I propose we set up an out-of-game group chat. I'll post a thread on the Warhammer forums titled 'Aru's Lament.' Once you log out, find that thread, DM me, and I'll pull everyone into the group."
"Once you're in, don't mute the notifications! We'll implement a shift system. During the game's rest periods, we keep two people online on watch. If an overseer starts the shift early or something happens, the watchman logs out, pings the group that it's time to move bricks, and everyone logs back in immediately."
"We'll rotate shifts. This way we ensure our real lives aren't trashed, and we avoid our game bodies being recycled as 'ownerless waste.' Thoughts?"
The channel buzzed with agreement.
[Soul of Cadia]: "Got it! Zeke's got it all figured out! But..." his tone shifted. "Are we really going to work shifts mining until we die? Even if we can respawn, sorting Promethium ore by hand is a total prison-sim gameplay loop, isn't it?"
Zeke laughed.
[Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]: "How could we spend our whole lives mining? We're lying low, staying with these scumbags temporarily to save up our start-up capital."
"Didn't you see the System prompts when you touched those waste ores? One chunk of Promethium scrap provides about 0.5 to 1.5 units of standard energy matter. The purity is low, but it can be exchanged for 0.05 to 0.15 Imperial Coins."
"I looked closely at the store just now. There's a [Portable Matter Recycling Terminal (Basic)] for 50 Imperial Coins. It lets you recycle matter directly without a submission point. There's a small fee, but it's convenient. Me, Tax Bro, and Schrödinger Bro can pool our money from today and buy one."
"Starting tomorrow, we become 'Mine Rats.' When the overseers and native workers aren't looking, we pocket the waste ore into our inventory. Items of the same type stack, we just have to watch our weight limit. We steal twenty or so pieces a day, hit our weight limit, then head back to the rest area and sell them all through the terminal."
"We fleece the Aru Group first to save up cash. Also, we found some damaged gear in that sewer tunnel earlier. That proves there are resistance groups in this factory, they're just hidden for now. When they make their move, we use our saved coins to buy weapons and pull off a massive heist. How's that sound?"
He paused, his text carrying a manipulative edge.
[Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]: "Don't you guys want to get a little revenge for those dozens of players who were dragged off to be lab rats, and for all the whipping we've taken?"
That ignited the channel completely.
[Did the White Scars Speed Today?]: "Holy shit! Zeke, you really are a loyal subject of the Emperor! That plan works! Infiltrate, fleece 'em, then counter-attack. I know this plot!"
[T'au-Kun, You're Right, But the Bolter is Righter]: "For the brothers who died! For a bit of payback! I'm in!"
[Slaanesh Champion Candidate]: "Revenge is also a peak emotional experience... I'm in!"
[Fugitive Cogboy of the Mechanicus]: "From a resource optimization standpoint, this plan is viable. Seconded."
[Schrödinger's Loyalist]: "I both agree and disagree, but I'm definitely stealing ore." (TL/N: is this PEAK?!!)
[Pay the Tithe Even if the World Ends]: "Tax evasion... I mean, stealing ore for money? It's only natural! Count me in!"
Seeing the response, Zeke continued his orders.
[Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]: "Good! As for the players who died, if you know them, find a way to contact them once you're offline and get them into our group. Their respawn points are random, so they might be scattered across the planet. They can be our outside help later."
"Also, while you're grinding, try to chat with the native workers to fish for info. When they captured us, the leader used the phrase 'In the name of the Emperor.' It might just be a figure of speech, but it suggests the Emperor might still be around. We might not be in the darkest timeline where the Emperor is dead and Chaos rules everything... but we have to figure it out slowly."
"That's it for now. Anyone willing to take the first watch, DM me."
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Next Goal = 250 Powerstones.
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