Inside a large washroom within the Sky Dome Cage, an interrogation facility belonging to the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters.
The washbasin, set at a right angle, was filled with water. Suddenly, a face was pushed into it, and blood stained the clear water.
After choking for a minute, the head was pulled up by Senior Sergeant Valina, who gripped the man's hair.
Thanks to the healing tank, the wound on her upper arm had healed, but it left a terrifying scar, which put her in a very bad mood.
As soon as she recovered, Rear Admiral Hood sent her to interrogate these vermin caught from the smuggling ship.
"How many military supplies have you smuggled? What do you plan to do with these weapons?" she asked coldly.
The Ship Owner trembled all over, his lips purple, his face ashen. His eyes, swollen with bruises, tremblingly glanced at the First Mate beside him, who was tied up and drowned in the water, his head bobbing up and down with the ripples.
Pot-bellied, he limped against the washbasin. Louise, dressed in a training uniform, rotated her arms to stretch her muscles. The Cadia White Shield emblem slightly expanded and contracted with her shoulder movements, and blood occasionally dripped from the knuckle guard of her trench knife.
Fidio sat behind a table, recording the confessions of the Chaos conspiracy, while Lydos leaned against the wall, arms crossed, resting to ensure continuous interrogation.
"These... were mainly for the Howling Teeth Gang. I just did it for the money. I really don't know anything else."
He was clearly lying, shirking his responsibility. If things were truly that simple, why would there be so many crew members on the ship with the Chaos Eight-Pointed Star symbol tattooed on them?
Valina let out a cold snort, a hint of chill flashing in her eyes. She and Louise stepped forward.
"Ah! Ah!! Ah!! Ah ah ah ah ah!"
Heart-wrenching screams echoed into the next room.
It was a dark room, separated from the washroom by a one-way mirror.
Sitting in a chair was a trembling man, his upper and lower eyelids completely propped open by a frame. He had endured 48 hours of Imperial-style brainwashing, his eyes bloodshot, and the lacerations on his body had begun to fester.
Hearing the terrifying wails, his body couldn't stop trembling. His physical and mental state were now on the verge of collapse.
Two days ago, he was still a noble Starport customs official.
For the sake of petty gains, he had endangered the safety of the Imperium and the Navy, and was 'invited to stay' by the Imperial Navy.
Sergeant Major Horatio stood beside him, the blood-red rose knot swaying on his chest.
He placed the interrogation tools back on the metal tray. They were covered in blood, but soon someone would collect and clean them for reuse.
"You know very well, this is the consequence of betraying the Imperium. Conceal anything, and you'll be next to go in there," his icy-blue eyes, radiating an ice-amber glow, coldly glanced at the traitor beside him.
At these words, the man trembled violently, his legs instinctively kicking forward. Horatio held down his chair.
He had already been in there once, and he would rather die than go in a second time.
"This is at least... at least the sixth batch... I'll tell you everything I know..."
Lieutenant Sterling sat with his legs crossed at the desk behind, meticulously recording his confession on a piece of parchment.
—
Inside Rear Admiral Hood's office.
"The Howling Teeth Gang is a syndicate formed by Corpse Guild corpse collectors. During their work, they developed a taste for cannibalism and blood-drinking, gradually degenerating into Evil Cultists who worship the Crimson Great Power. They have immense influence in the Lower Hive and Underhive, and recently unified the gang forces of the Vegas Middle and Lower Hive by force.
According to recent intelligence, a large-scale terrorist attack is brewing. Their objectives include causing widespread chaos, instilling fear in the populace, eroding trust and hope in the Navy, ultimately escalating corruption and disorder, as well as sabotaging and attacking the Starport and the fleet," Horatio reported.
"The firearms they've smuggled are enough to launch a small war," Lieutenant Commander Elphinstone said. "And there's bad news."
"Speak," Rear Admiral Hood said grimly, sitting behind a luxurious mahogany desk, his hands clasped in front of him.
"The Ministry of Internal Affairs wants us to hand this over to the Adeptus Arbites. We are not allowed to mobilize Navy troops before the situation becomes severe, to avoid a false alarm and causing panic in the Upper Hive."
"Those damned bureaucrats, they only care about stability right under their noses," Rear Admiral Hood fumed.
"Other areas can't be managed, but the Starport and the detention area are our Navy's jurisdiction. Let's first strengthen security in these places. The fleet must not be damaged."
Rear Admiral Edward looked at the list of sealed warships, rubbing his temples, exhausted. Dozens of cruisers were berthed there, and even sealed Apocalypse-class and Opal-class battlecruisers.
Even his own Armageddon-class battlecruiser, Unyielding, was undergoing maintenance in the dry dock.
"I will personally go to the Adeptus Arbites, and I believe they will do their best, but their numbers are limited after all," Rear Admiral Hood looked out the window:
"Sergeant Major Horatio, do you have any suggestions?"
"They primarily intend to act in the Vegas District, a prominent area. Our intelligence has roughly identified certain sections where terrorist attacks are likely to occur. I suggest a full mobilization of Hellspawns, disguised in plain clothes, monitoring in pairs, to prevent the Adeptus Arbites from being completely passive."
"Do as you say," Rear Admiral Hood nodded.
"Your Excellency, Rear Admiral, there's another situation I need to add."
"Go on, Sergeant Major Horatio," the Rear Admiral lit a cigarette and took a long drag.
"According to feedback from the underground intelligence network, the Evil Cultists Chief Priest who kidnapped your daughter hasn't appeared in the Middle and Lower Hive for a long time. If he were from the Middle and Lower Hive, our informants would have surely seen him."
"You mean..." Rear Admiral Hood narrowed his eyes.
"This person is very likely from the Upper Hive or even the Spire District. From social contact traces and interrogation confessions, he may very well serve the Imperium, thereby coming into contact with Adeptus Arbites and customs officials, and then disappearing without a trace in the Middle and Lower Hive."
Horatio brought this up separately because matters involving personnel from other Imperial official agencies, whether to investigate and how to investigate, must be coordinated and handled by the top superior. Otherwise, it could easily cause conflicts, and even bloodshed, between the Navy Department and other departments.
And the underground intelligence network finds it difficult to directly penetrate the inherently complex and dangerous circles of the upper echelons, where the curtains concealing conspiracies and shame are thick and layered.
If they wanted to investigate thoroughly, it would take a lot of effort, even establishing another intelligence network among the upper-class elites. The cost would not be small.
"I will handle this intelligence search and verification. Once there are results, the documents will first be reviewed by Commodore Peru, and then they will come to you," Rear Admiral Hood seemed prepared.
"Thank you, Your Excellency," Horatio saluted.
This was within his expectations.
If Rear Admiral Alexander Hood didn't have some capabilities, he wouldn't have volunteered to become the head of the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters.
Coupled with the information he had glimpsed from Rear Admiral Hood's diary, he clearly had extensive intelligence channels among the upper echelons.
He might even have dedicated informants.
"Next, we will begin equipment testing."
Rear Admiral Hood extinguished his cigarette and said, "Sergeant Major Horatio, please come to the parade ground with me."
[Equipment testing?] Horatio was somewhat surprised by Rear Admiral Hood's efficiency.
On the parade ground, Horatio's 13th squad conducted comprehensive tests wearing experimental armor custom-made by the Fleet Military Intelligence Headquarters for the Hellspawns.
This set of equipment was designed with reference to the Battle Sisters's power-feedback power armor and the Knight power armor, combining a power backpack with energy cells, making it adaptable to existing equipment such as Hellguns and hot-shot volley guns.
It was divided into light, stealth-enhanced'Shadow Type', medium, multi-functional 'Glory Type', and heavy, with supporting exoskeleton 'Assault Type'.
The most innovative design was the power boots designed by Father Lati, which had adaptive retractable power rollers on the bottom.
On flat terrain (such as ship decks), this not only allowed Hellspawns to reduce physical fatigue from running but also eliminated aiming jitters caused by the up-and-down leg movement during running.
Horatio felt like he was automatically rollerblading. During the initial attempts, several people even fell, but after a few tumbles, they gradually mastered it.
The Hellspawns participating in the experiment sped across the firing range, simultaneously shooting at targets.
At a steady speed of 20 km/h, through advanced guided optical sights, they still hit every shot, and as their figures swept past, the targets clattered to the ground.
Raising their left forearms, the forearm armor could also shoot out a grapnel, and by rapidly retracting the steel cable, it could make them glide even faster.
[She probably... dug up some Dark Age of Technology STC from Abyss Port, right?] Horatio thought, looking at the smiling Father Lati.
Horatio's speculation had a basis. Abyss Port was an unfinished artificial planet from the Golden Age, so it wouldn't be strange to dig up anything from beneath it.
These armors were not cheap. The Gothic Fleet had to pay a large sum to the Adeptus Mechanicus, especially to Father Lati, so only enough to equip five squads were produced. Fortunately, Father Lati agreed to a lifetime warranty; even if they were shattered, they could be replaced or remanufactured.
As it was the MK.1 experimental armor, some areas were still not fully mature, but both its defensive capabilities and ergonomics were better than the Childer of Loyalty carapace armor, and the existing Aom Shield Helmet could also be directly adapted.
After the test, as everyone was preparing to leave, Rear Admiral Hood suddenly looked up and called out to Horatio: "Sergeant Major Horatio, tomorrow I would like to invite you to my official residence. Will you be free?"
Horatio, holding his removed helmet, saluted the Rear Admiral, feeling a little surprised: "Is there something, General?"
"Regarding your mission, and a new team member."