After the initial unification of Universe 17—Star Wars—the Human Empire underwent a qualitative leap in scale.
The vast population and advanced interstellar civilization of this universe provided the Prime Universe with unprecedented developmental momentum.
Millions of colonized planets, a mature interstellar trade network, and sophisticated cloning technology caused the Empire's overall power to multiply several times over in just a decade.
Currently, all seventeen Imperial Legions have stationed numerous companies and fleets in this newly conquered territory for joint governance.
The main sectors are held by the Expeditionary Force, composed of the Scourged Sons, Imperial Fists, War Hounds, Iron Warriors, Word Bearers, and Night Lords, as they were the first to initiate the unification of the Star Wars universe.
Among them, the Word Bearers have seen the most rapid growth. Under Lorgar's exceptional leadership, this "fertile ground" became the ideal stage for their expansion.
They established a robust conscription system in the Core Worlds and, leveraging local advanced technology, greatly enhanced their legion's combat strength.
According to the latest statistics, the Word Bearers have surpassed 2.2 million Astartes, making them the third-largest legion, second only to the Ultramarines and the Shadowmoon Wolves.
The Night Lords established a tightly controlled network in the Outer Rim Territories.
They incorporated many new Mandalorian recruits and trained an elite force of Night Hunters.
Though their numbers don't rival the Word Bearers, with one million Astartes and support from locally conscripted auxiliaries, they maintain firm control over this vast region.
By comparison, the Scourged Sons, Imperial Fists, War Hounds, and Iron Warriors have expanded at a steadier pace.
Each specializes in different domains: scientific research, fortification construction, rapid response, and industrial production. While their troop numbers haven't grown as explosively, they've made significant technological and logistical breakthroughs.
The Imperial Fists built orbital defense platforms using local resources, and the Iron Warriors developed automated production lines—solid foundations for long-term imperial control.
This universe's integration has also inspired many innovative policies.
Each legion adapted its recruitment standards to local conditions and absorbed valuable military traditions, significantly improving Astartes combat efficiency.
Additionally, the Empire's seventeenth legion was formed around its youngest Primarch: Ferrus Manus' Iron Hands.
As a relatively new force in the Empire's military structure, the Iron Hands reflect their gene-sire Ferrus' defining traits.
Though they number only 200,000 Astartes for now—far less than the Ultramarines or Shadowmoon Wolves—their quality sets them apart.
Stationed primarily in Star Wars' industrial hubs, each new Astartes must undergo five years of mechanical augmentation training.
Recent readiness reports show that Iron Hands warriors have a mechanical augmentation compatibility rate of 99.8%, far exceeding the Imperial average.
As for Vulkan and his Salamanders, they maintain a special strategic posture.
Though they've deployed many companies and fleets within the Star Wars universe, their primary duty remains guarding the Prime Universe, ensuring the safety of the Imperial Palace and the Emperor in cooperation with the Custodian Guard.
Thus, their territories in Star Wars are governed collectively by company captains, who convene with Vulkan via holographic conferences only for major decisions.
This system ensures the Salamanders remain synchronized with both the Prime Universe and the colonies.
At present, the Empire's total Astartes force exceeds a staggering twenty million.
On paper alone, the Prime Universe's Human Empire has far surpassed the Imperium of Man from Warhammer 40K, even exceeding its peak-era record.
Of course, had the 40K Great Crusade not been derailed by countless crises—Horus Lupercal's treachery and Magnus' "psychic phone call"—it could've achieved even greater glory.
With such vast military power, the Empire now enjoys overwhelming strategic superiority.
In the pacification campaign within Star Wars, the Imperial Fists deployed only a single standard company to suppress an entire star system's Chaos-induced "minor" rebellion.
Battle records show rebels often surrendered at the moment of seeing orbital drops begin.
Those descending steel giants had become the embodiment of Imperial might.
Smart AI analysis reports noted that this psychological intimidation effect boosted pacification efficiency by 60% and reduced resource consumption by 45%.
Particularly notable was the inter-legion coordination.
In both exercises and real combat, specialized units from each legion worked in seamless harmony, showcasing the Empire's high degree of military professionalism.
This complementary structure allows the twenty million Astartes to exert a combat force equivalent to three times their number, enforcing absolute suppression of xenos and heretics.
Of course, this suppression applies to the physical universe. Even with its current strength, the Empire still cannot recklessly invade the void-ridden, chaotic Warp.
As of May 1st, Year 0050 of the Imperial Calendar, in the Prime Universe—
The Meditation Hall remained shrouded in a solemn golden glow.
Samuel Young still sat on the Golden Throne, his black robe rippling like water under the pulse of psychic waves.
The faint golden light in his eyes had lasted an eternity, like twin suns that would never set.
Since the Empire's founding, seated upon the Throne, he had never truly relaxed or rested.
The hardlight screens orbiting the Throne projected a galaxy of real-time data from all Imperial territories, forming a radiant star river before the Emperor.
Amid his quiet satisfaction, Samuel also felt an increasing weariness.
He had journeyed from the "Wild West" era to this trans-multiversal empire—a path of hardship known only to him.
As for the family and friends who had crossed over with him to the Prime Universe, all had returned to dust. Their graves were relocated to the Memorial Mausoleum.
Even his adopted son Arthur Morgan's grandson had grown old and retired from military service to live out his days peacefully.
Though satisfied with the Empire's state, the loneliness and fatigue Samuel felt had only deepened.
Fleeting memories—saloon brawls, "honest" business rivalries, sunlit afternoons with his children—made the gold in his eyes ripple faintly.
He reached out to touch the "scene" before him, but it dissolved into particles the moment his fingers made contact.
As the broken memories receded, Samuel's gaze sharpened once more.
He slowly raised his right hand and dismissed most of the hardlight screens, letting out a soft sigh.
Data showed that in the past three standard months, military activity in Universe 17 had dropped by 78%. Security operations had transitioned to routine patrols.
This meant that universe had finally achieved the expected level of stability.
The World Eaters and heretics who once plagued it had been nearly wiped out—no longer able to cause any significant disturbances.
Thus, Samuel decided it was time to open the next warp gate.
Even if it wasn't linked to the Warhammer 40K universe, he had full confidence in assembling a new expeditionary fleet to unify that rotting cosmos.
Though Chaos and traitors remained the main threat, the Necrons, Aeldari, Orks, and Tyranids posed the gravest dangers.
Especially the Tyranids.
A single "tendril" could sweep across the 40K galaxy—so the size of the main body might rival the entire Milky Way.
Even with the Prime Universe's current power, a full confrontation against all Tyranids remained extremely risky.
Therefore, deep down, Samuel had no intention of linking to Warhammer 40K prematurely.
As for the Alpharius twins who had infiltrated that universe via the Fertile Star Chaos incident—they had gone dark long ago.
Though Samuel had faith in those "children," worry was unavoidable.
His golden eyes swept over the two intelligent AIs standing below the Throne. In a deep and commanding voice, he broke the silence:
"App, Melissa. Instruct Constantine to lead the Custodian Guard and reconnaissance units to the standby zone for Gate Eighteen."
"At once, Your Majesty."
The two AI bowed in unison, their eyes flickering with light as they issued commands and mobilized relevant units for gate activation.
After a brief silence, Samuel slowly closed his eyes.
At once, his silhouette flared with brilliant, gentle golden light—like a miniature star igniting in the Throne Hall.
Within the light, countless intricate Chinese characters swirled. Clearly, he was preemptively "paying" psychic energy to the Golden Throne to grant himself temporary freedom.
When the light faded, Samuel had already risen.
His black robe trailed across the Throne's steps, each stride leaving a faint golden trace.
One hundred Custodian Guards in the Meditation Hall turned in unison like a perfectly synchronized machine. Their black-gold armor gleamed in the lamplight, and the tips of their thunder-pikes trembled with each step.
The two AIs and the Custodians followed Samuel out of the hall toward the ruins housing the dimensional gate.
Soon—
The central altar of the ruins lay in eerie silence.
Samuel stood at the skull-marked focal point, his black robe billowing without wind.
Raising his right hand, a tiny wound opened in his palm, and golden Imperial blood dripped onto the skull sigil at the altar's center.
The moment blood touched the mark, the ground began to quake.
The altar's basin—like a parched throat—greedily swallowed every drop. Blood streaks traced ancient grooves, quickly forming a full crimson skull.
BZZZ—!!!
A deafening resonance burst forth. Every rune on the warp gate's frame flared with blinding white light.
It was like a supernova, engulfing the entire ruins.
The Custodian Guards instinctively dropped to one knee. App and Melissa's quantum cores processed data at blinding speed to maintain basic visual functions.
As the light subsided, a towering warp gate stood before them.
A colossal 6 km x 6 km gate shimmered with a metallic liquid sheen. At its center spun a mercury-like vortex.
In the waiting area, another hundred Custodian Guards had assembled along with over a thousand elite recon troops in mortal power armor. Numerous technicians stood at makeshift consoles nearby.
Their expressions were solemn, eyes fixed on the warp gate.
"Scanning protocol initiated. All units on standby."
The lead technician's voice echoed through the comms network.
At his command, numerous biological and mechanical units surged toward the gate.
Upgraded mass-production bio-weapons—hellhounds carrying wired sensors—were the first to enter the "mercury mirror."
They were followed by airborne recon-killers and Terminators, all wired for data feedback.
These soulless, expendable weapons paved the way in place of human soldiers to analyze the environment on the far side of the gate.
Their data was rapidly transmitted to the technicians' terminals.
On-screen, numbers fluctuated—
Gravity coefficient, atmospheric composition, energy readings—all being analyzed in real time.
If results met safety thresholds, the Custodian Guard and recon units would proceed with formal exploration.
Standing atop the altar, Samuel watched it all with golden eyes.
His psychic senses had already extended to the gate's edges to ensure no abnormal energies were leaking.
Though he could peer directly across dimensions, caution remained the Empire's first principle of expansion.
Soon, real-time visuals from the other side appeared before the technicians.
It seemed to be a desert, with distant badlands on the horizon.
Initial data was also displayed:
"Gravity: 1.09g," "Temperature: 34°C," "Atmosphere: Suitable for humans," and more.
Everything indicated this was not Earth, but a habitable, terrestrial-like world where humans could breathe and move freely.
Moreover, no moving targets had been detected within visual range, suggesting the planet was either uninhabited or its native civilization had suffered some calamity.
"Stable readings. No threats detected. Safe to cross."
A technician reported via comms.
The Custodian Guards and recon troops began advancing, vanishing one by one into the mercury mirror.
Meanwhile, long convoys of floating transport trucks arrived, carrying building materials.
Clearly, once the far side was secured, forward base construction would begin immediately.
(End of Chapter)
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