Check out my new translation!
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"You need to chop this meat a bit finer," Ignis instructed a boy learning to make meat buns. "To save costs, you can add some green peppers."
The boy nodded and held the cleaver, chopping the braised meat a little more finely. But from his weak, feeble movements, it was obvious he was fatigued.
"See? I told you, a proper cook needs strength and must understand how to handle a knife," Salamander said, pulling a bottle of energy Recovery Medicine from his pocket.
"Take this and rub it well, massage your hands. You'll need to practice more to have enough strength to handle the cleaver properly."
"Th-thank you," the boy said sheepishly, then focused again on making the meat buns.
Ignis was about to say something when his phone suddenly rang. Salamander grabbed the device; it was a video call request from Gotthardt.
Having been busy teaching these kids' new skills, he hadn't had a chance to chat with the veteran in a while. There must be something new he wanted to discuss.
Salamander pressed the green call button, and Gotthardt's face appeared on the screen.
"Has it been several days already? What have you been busy with? I want to hear more of your stories about the last ten thousand years," Gotthardt said cheerfully as usual, holding a bottle of explosive cola. The phone was apparently fixed to the stone sarcophagus's frame.
Ignis didn't answer directly, instead adjusting the phone so the veteran could see the kids learning to make meat buns and other snacks.
"We're giving these kids some vocational training. They're all smart and learn fast. It shouldn't take long before they can start selling their goods," Salamander said, holding up one of the meat buns to show Gotthardt.
His large hand made the meat buns look somewhat tiny. Gotthardt laughed heartily, happy to encourage them.
"I say, Son of Vulkan, can you bring me one? I want to try it! They all look delicious."
"Of course!" Ignis turned to the young apprentices. "Make it well. I'll pick the best one to give to my old senior."
"No problem, Boss!" a boy immediately cheered. "I'll make the best one possible."
Boss? The black-obsidian-skinned Salamander barely kept a straight face—this wasn't supposed to happen.
"Boss? Fine by me," Gotthardt's eyes widened, then quickly took on a mischievous look. "I didn't expect Salamander to start building his own little force. Planning to train some auxiliary troops? I can provide some training plans for mortal auxiliary forces, along with tactical frameworks."
The cool-sounding words made the cooking kids fidget. But the Son of Vulkan immediately subdued them with a sharp look, forcing them to focus on their craft.
"Honestly, I don't have that intention," Ignis said, not wanting to ruin the senior's fun, but also not to deceive him. "These are local kids, many have dropped out and wander the streets, causing trouble. I don't want to see them keep falling. At least let them learn a trade that can sustain them and put them on a proper path."
Gotthardt's joking expression vanished, replaced by seriousness. "You're right, though not everyone wants to learn. For those who do, Belobog Heavy Industries might need temporary workers. I can make some introductions."
The topic shifted to Belobog Heavy Industries. Ignis wanted to ask how things had been progressing these past days.
"Has the Public Security or Defense Force taken any action?"
Gotthardt's screen wobbled slightly. "Hmm? The engine is about to start testing? I heard from Grace during a chat. President Koleda submitted the evidence you found. Yesterday, the Defense Force deployed several units to clear the gathered Ethereals. All workers were evacuated for leave. Construction will resume once everything is done."
"Personnel safety is critical—they can't afford any accidents now," Ignis nodded. "Sounds like you're almost ready to move again?"
"Today, we've started installing the engine." The veteran put down his cola, adjusting the phone to show the main camera.
In the warehouse, Grace was at a computer, debugging data. Numerous Bangboo units were following her instructions, busy with various tasks. The scene was bustling.
"If everything goes smoothly, tonight we can start trial runs. Movement capability should be restored soon," Gotthardt said cheerfully, though he worried about Grace's health. "She hasn't rested properly these past few days and barely eaten. I'm concerned she might harm her body. Even if I advise her, she insists on finishing her current work first. I'm really worried she'll push herself too far."
Ignis, hearing an Imperial fist comment on someone being stubborn, realized Grace had invested tremendous effort in repairing the Leviathan Siege Dreadnought. With her sleep-deprived dedication, if she became a Adeptus Mechanicus tech-priest in a red robe, she'd probably cyberize herself almost entirely in days to minimize unnecessary rest and meals, focusing completely on research.
Imagining Grace in the Adeptus Mechanicus' red robes, with mechanical dendrites sprouting underneath… Ignis thought, slightly unsettling. He didn't quite understand the cult fanaticism but could relate to an addiction to new knowledge.
"So, the repair process went smoothly? No major issues?" Salamander asked, watching the Bangboo units cooperate in moving parts.
These small intelligent units performed tasks similar to an Imperial servo-skull, providing convenience for humans. Their cute rabbit-like design was far more approachable than a servo-skull, with short legs and arms giving a funny, non-threatening impression.
Of course, Ignis had seen the Jaxcalibur Squad use Bangboo units in attacks. These little things, when commanded, could fling explosives with their short arms and legs—a cheap yet effective urban combat weapon.
In New Eridu, intelligent machines were often designed to look cute, such as Bangboo or the oversized versions used by the Public Security Sweeper units. This design reduced human suspicion. A spider-like Bangboo would make people uneasy.
"Grace said it went very smoothly. Of course, I know she's comforting me. With inconsistent design principles, the manufactured engines would inevitably vary. In just a few days, she modified three engines, adjusted pipe connections—only she knows the effort involved," the veteran said, moved. Even a professional team would take a long time for such reverse engineering. But Grace, with solid mechanical design experience and abundant Bangboo assistance, completed it all in a matter of days.
Ignis thought she'd quickly become a Sage if she joined the Mechanicus—or a formidable force among the Orks.
Last time I told the veteran about the War of the Beast… next up is the Imperial Fist's post-war reconstruction… hope Gotthardt's heart is strong enough to hear it without fainting.
"Once I'm done here, I'll bring the kids' creations over and continue your story," Ignis promised. "If all goes well, I'll come by later tonight."
"That's wonderful. You might even see the trial run. Grace said tonight we'll test the engine output and cooling," Gotthardt said happily. Being stuck in the sarcophagus was boring despite the phone and magazines; movement was important.
"Hope you bring enough for Grace and me as a late-night snack," the veteran teased, raising an eyebrow before ending the call.
Joking aside, the kids had been making piles of samples over the past few days—meat buns, pancakes, smoked meat subs. The Cunning Hares were getting a little green seeing all these treats.
Ignis put the phone back in his pocket, continuing to watch the kids' technique, pointing out imperfections.
Then his phone vibrated again. He thought Gotthardt had more to say, but it was a blank message.
The sender was Rain.
"Ignis!" Nicole emerged from the room. "Did you get a message?"
"From Rain?"
"Yes. Several others connected to Rain got the same. For several consecutive days… it's strange. One message every day." Nicole frowned.
"I just received the first one," Ignis recalled. Since adding Rain on the Knock-Knock network, they hadn't chatted. This was the first message.
"Something's off. I need to investigate if Rain's in trouble," Nicole said, resting her chin as she went back.
Ignis felt uneasy. They had given her the encoded coordinates from Jane Doe—could something have gone wrong?
But with Nicole investigating, Ignis trusted the Cunning Hares' leader's intelligence-gathering. Hopefully, it wasn't anything serious.