Chapter 448– Multiverse Containment! Summoning Guilliman!
Facing the Emperor's question, Song Zhaomei only gave a faint smile before offering her explanation.
In truth, the Universal Megacorp's subsidiary universes were far more than just a handful.
As of now, The Megacorp's official "Multiversal Conquest Action Plan" clearly listed the following: the Prime Universe, Universe 001 spectre, Universe 002 Pacific Rim, and Universe 003 Edge of Tomorrow.
These three were primarily designated as The Megacorp's industrial production hubs, forming its core manufacturing base. The Prime Universe, meanwhile, served as the political and administrative center—effectively the capital of the Megacorp.
Universes 004 Halo, 005 Dune, 006 Transformers, 007 Star Wars, and 008 StarCraft were classified as the backbone of The Megacorp's interstellar trade network.
Countless alien races and civilizations moved back and forth for the sake of The Megacorp's growth. The Covenant, Cybertronians, Jedi, and Protoss forces had long since become part of The Megacorp's military.
From this data alone, it was clear that The Megacorp had already unified nine separate universes. If the Warhammer Universe were added to the tally, that would make ten.
Yet in fact, several months earlier, The Megacorp had already launched a "Pocket Universe Construction Project" for the purpose of building Aether Resonance Engines.
These pocket universes, engineered by elite Megacorp research teams using the Xeelee Nightfighter, possessed vast dimensional space. But limited by the imperfections in the Grand Unified Theoretical Model, their internal frameworks and fine structures were far from ideal. Simply put, they could not yet sustain a full-scale Aether Resonance Engine.
A balanced and orderly cosmos—streamlined in design and elegant in its cycles—was a rare divine creation. The "source code" of heavenly order was not something just any civilization could fabricate.
Even entities like Amon, Primus , and Unicron could not replicate it. Beings of creation such as the Supreme Tai-jun or Pangu might only manage, through sheer chance, to fashion a universe that met the necessary standards.
The Megacorp's pocket universes, by contrast, were flawed. They lacked the graceful mechanisms of cyclical rebirth and inevitably drifted toward collapse and entropy.
Let alone constructing higher-order systems like the dual "illusory-real" framework of an integrated universe.
"Indeed," Song Zhaomei continued, "according to our Conquest Action Plan, nine universes are already formally under our control. Counting the pocket-universe project outputs, there are over fifty more.
"Unfortunately, these pocket universes cannot sustain long-term habitation. We use them only for scientific experiments with AI robots."
The Megacorp's Science Hub had first modeled these universes within the Matrix, refining theory and simulations until they could deploy the Xeelee Nightfighter to slice open spacetime and generate real dimensional space.
Thus, what was once a weapon capable of annihilating worlds had been re-purposed as the proudest "scalpel" of the Science Hub, allowing them to cut new universes into being. Without it, such pocket-cosmos engineering would never have been possible.
"In addition," she went on, "we established a special division—the Multiverse Containment Department. Its 'Containment Plan' is independent from the Multiversal Conquest operations.
"Their staff focus on consolidating lower-difficulty worlds."
What the Emperor had worried over, Li Ang had already anticipated. While Paul sparred with the Emperor over strategy, Li Ang had been quietly preparing this Containment Plan—dispatching expansion teams into additional universes.
Since completing the unification of the StarCraft Universe, the Stargates had reached maximum level, unlocking access to countless new science-fiction worlds.
At present, Multiverse Containment personnel were already at work in the Resident Evil, Alien, and Battle Angel Alita universes.
Upcoming targets included NieR: Automata, The Matrix, and Borderlands.
These would be consolidated over the next two decades. However, they would not be given "Conquest Program" serial numbers—instead, they would remain under the Multiverse Plan.
For example, the Resident Evil Universe currently being absorbed would be catalogued as [Containment: 01].
In other words, the Warhammer Universe—marked as 009—was the current mainline conquest, while the [Containment] universes were treated as side missions.
Neither Li Ang, The Megacorp's Chief Executive, nor high-ranking officers like Song Zhaomei paid much attention to these side projects. They cared only about results, not process.
"What… this—!"
Even the battle-hardened Emperor felt his mind reel at her explanation.
Pocket-universe engineering, a Multiverse Containment Plan—such things bordered on the inconceivable.
Malcador, standing by, was utterly stunned. It was as if he finally understood why peasants dreamed their monarchs plowed fields with golden hoes—because the limits of imagination truly shackled the mind.
Until this moment, Malcador had still fantasized that perhaps The Megacorp merely owned billions of warships, or held a territory unimaginably vast.
But reality surpassed even that. The Megacorp had effectively entered the business of "mass-producing" universes. Their Warhammer realm, from this perspective, might be nothing more than another trivial acquisition.
"Our Chief Executive places immense value on the Warhammer Universe," Song Zhaomei added with a knowing smile, as if reading Malcador's thoughts. "Otherwise, he would never have dispatched us to receive you."
Indeed, while the Containment Plan could rapidly increase The Megacorp's holdings, such low-tier universes contributed little in the way of groundbreaking technology.
Still, no one complained about owning too much land.
These worlds would simply be repurposed into new development projects for The Megacorp's employees.
After all, the Megacorp had already founded countless Arasaka Academies across its domains, teaching students how to handle advanced technology, train combat skills, and complete missions.
Yet as time passed, graduates no longer enjoyed the same prestige. Cases like David Martinez—who rose from a graduate to an executive—were increasingly rare.
For this reason, Arasaka Yorinobu, president of the academies, had met with Li Ang for a long discussion. From that meeting came the Containment Plan.
Unifying and reshaping the Warhammer Universe would be a long-term undertaking, offering little immediate work for fresh graduates.
Thus, only by opening up lower-tier universes could they ease the employment pressure on the younger generation of scouts and agents—another vital link in the industrial chain.
As long as The Megacorp kept expanding the pie, the bubbles within would not matter. Most problems could be smoothed over.
The Emperor and Malcador exchanged glances, awestruck.
Though they did not understand The Megacorp's internal systems, they could feel the sheer scale and power involved.
Without question, The Megacorp already surpassed humanity's Golden Age. If mankind back then had possessed such cross-universal reach, the Iron Men rebellion would never have ended their peak era.
Malcador marveled at The Megacorp's might, while the Emperor contemplated whether they might even solve the Warhammer Universe's greatest plague—obliterating the Chaos Gods once and for all.
If The Megacorp truly exceeded the Golden Age, then eradicating the Warp's Four Powers and their daemonic legions might not be impossible.
Even if it demanded a price, the Emperor was willing to consider it.
Lost in thought, he said nothing until some time later, when the Voyager-class ship entered the Solar System of Universe 003 Edge of Tomorrow.
Only then did Xu Shiming remind him: "We've arrived."
Startled from his reverie, the Emperor realized he had been swept away by visions of traveling freely across the multiverse. If such a luminous future could truly be achieved, he would die without regret.
"So soon? Less than an hour's flight?" Malcador exclaimed.
Imperial warships always shuddered when entering the Warp. Yet this Megacorp vessel, passing through a Stargate between universes, produced not the slightest tremor.
Their navigation technology was astonishingly smooth.
With a calm smile, Xu Shiming began explaining the state of Universe 003 Edge of Tomorrow.
This world, capable of unfolding into four dimensions and intervening in causal chains, was a key experimental site for high-dimensional studies and cosmic model construction.
Among all The Megacorp's domains, Edge of Tomorrow ranked second only to the Prime Universe—an advanced hub of industry and cutting-edge scientific achievement.
"How marvelous…" Malcador could not suppress his awe.
And the Emperor, too, felt wave after wave of astonishment.
Had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, he would never have truly understood, from Guilliman's sparse words alone, the chasm between the Imperium and The Megacorp.
At this moment, the Traveler's warship had already entered the atmosphere of the Edge of Tomorrow Earth, swiftly descending toward its designated destination.
Whoosh—!
As the hatch opened, three figures descended in ornithopters, landing where a grand welcoming formation was already assembled, awaiting the Emperor's arrival.
Warriors from the elite tribes, brave soldiers of the Fremen legions, Autobots and Decepticons from Cybertron, along with Jedi Knights and Sith Lords—all stood as guardians. Their combined presence radiated an overwhelming, awe-inspiring might.
At first sight of this extraordinary host, the Emperor felt a wave of surprise and astonishment. It was his first time encountering such a diverse coalition of alien forces—none of whom looked easy to contend with…
At the head of the reception stood Li Ang's chief secretary, Lucy. With her refined features, sharp presence, and professional demeanor, she immediately left a favorable impression on the Emperor.
From her upright posture and confident, commanding air, it was obvious Lucy was far more than just a decorative "pretty face."
"Welcome to you all."
Without showing much expression, Lucy gave the group a slight nod, then spoke directly: "My name is Lucy, Secretary-General to the Chief Executive of the Universal Megacorp."
"In the time ahead, I will personally lead you on a tour of The Megacorp's key facilities, so that you may gain a basic understanding of its scope and structure. This is a procedure the Chief Executive has instructed me to carry out."
Though the Emperor was spared the trouble of visiting each individual universe under The Megacorp, the necessary formalities still had to be observed.
That meant inspecting critical megastructures, frontline forces, scientific hubs, and other essential sectors—giving him a direct sense of The Megacorp's industrial output, scientific prowess, and future potential.
"You have my thanks."
Song Zhaomei stepped forward, shook Lucy's hand, and after a few polite exchanges, Lucy began officially escorting the Emperor into the visitation phase.
During their initial discussions, the Emperor raised a question that had weighed heavily on his mind: Was the Universal Megacorp's origin tied to the Warhammer universe?
To put it more bluntly: Was this Megacorp in fact the remnant of humanity's Golden Age?
"You are not from the same universe as the Imperium of Man, are you?" the Emperor asked.
"That is correct," Lucy replied calmly. "Our origins lie in a world designated Primary Universe 000. Once, it was ruled by multiple colossal Megacorps, but in the end all were consumed and absorbed—until only one vast Megacorp remained."
"That was the predecessor of the Universal Megacorp."
As she recalled those years, Lucy's thoughts turned to many names—the global-spanning Arasaka Megacorp, the North American military-tech giant Militech, the meteoric Kang Tao Megacorp…
One by one, every rival was monopolized and devoured by Li Ang. He became the ultimate consolidator in human history—the final terminator of competition.
Countless worlds, all reduced to the private assets of a single man.
At Lucy's frank account, a faint shadow of disappointment crossed the Emperor's expression. Just as he suspected, The Megacorp did not belong to his own heritage.
From the beginning, he had doubted they could be a human offshoot predating the Golden Age. After all, he had never heard of any human exodus beyond the galaxy.
Now, with their origins confirmed, he could not help but feel a grim sense of resignation—like entrusting the Imperium of Man to a stepmother. Would The Megacorp truly treat humanity with care?
After deliberation, the Emperor resolved to join The Megacorp, assuming a senior executive position while continuing to watch over the Imperium.
His attachment to the Imperium ran deep. Until he could fully trust The Megacorp, he intended to safeguard humanity a while longer—while also seizing the chance to use its resources to fulfill his own wish: traversing the myriad universes.
With his unmatched abilities, earning a place in The Megacorp's highest management was no challenge.
What's more, he could see plainly that The Megacorp was deliberately trying to recruit him. Otherwise, with their overwhelming superiority, they would not have wasted time negotiating with the Imperium on such equal footing.
The Emperor knew that if he merely expressed the desire to join, they would immediately offer him a prestigious position.
With that, he could channel Megacorp resources—legitimately and openly—toward supporting the Imperium, guiding it toward a true Golden Age.
At that instant, countless strategies and visions swirled through the Emperor's mind.
"We will be staying in Universe 003—Edge of Tomorrow—for about one month."
Lucy's calm gaze swept over the group. "Our first stop is Paris, Europe—the point of origin for the Alpha bio-weapon outbreak."
"That site has since been converted into a Faster-Than-Light Particle Research Institute. Selected guests may use specialized instruments there to observe future divergences from a four-dimensional perspective."
A four-dimensional perspective…
The Emperor felt like he was listening to a fairy tale. Yet, he had to admit, most fairy tales could be reinterpreted as science fiction from a certain angle.
Ever since The Megacorp unified the Edge of Tomorrow universe, they had embarked on high-dimensional technology research. Beyond their mastery of faster-than-light systems, they delved deep into studies of temporal causality.
To attract the brightest minds into these fields, they invested staggering sums—pouring resources into improving researchers' status, welfare, and conditions, while also establishing countless exhibition parks to ignite children's curiosity.
Curiosity is the best teacher—and the greatest natural gift.
The passions and interests chosen in childhood, if nurtured with perseverance, would one day bear fruit.
Through such foresight, Li Ang cultivated an entire generation of young scientific prodigies.
"Then we're in your hands," Malcador said with a smile and a nod toward Lucy. This journey had indeed been worthwhile; he felt lighter and more carefree than he had in ages.
Since resigning and slipping into early retirement, Malcador had relished his newfound ease. No longer crushed beneath Infinity bureaucratic duties, for the first time he discovered the joy of letting go.
As Regent of the Imperium, he would never have had the chance to tour other universes.
Looking upon this Earth—so unlike Terra—his face lit with genuine laughter. This was real living. Before, he realized, he had been nothing but a wage slave.
Lucy returned his smile with polite acknowledgment, then turned and led the group onto a shuttle, beginning their tour of the Edge of Tomorrow universe.
…
…
Warhammer Universe—Macragge.
This planet was a world of strict law and meticulous order. Under Guilliman's governance, Macragge stood apart from the corruption and exploitation that plagued so many Primarch homeworlds.
Its Imperial citizens lived in peace and prosperity, with standards rivaling even the capital world of Terra. A complete industrial system, advanced technological resources—Macragge was hailed as the Imperium's City of Progress.
Its rich cultural atmosphere had also nurtured generations of intellectuals and visionaries.
But on this calm, ordinary day, Guilliman received an urgent communiqué at the governor's palace—sent directly from Terra, signed by none other than the current Regent of the Imperium, Horus.
"Horus… why summon only me back to Terra? What of the other Primarchs?"
Reading the holographic message, Guilliman's brow furrowed in puzzlement.
In truth, he had paid little attention to Terra's political maneuverings lately. He knew the true fulcrum of history lay in the establishment of the new Warp Route system.
Once that system was complete, the entire political structure of the Imperium would be reshaped from the ground up.
Compared to that, every so-called clever political scheme of the moment seemed pale, powerless, and utterly meaningless in the face of genuine technological change.
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