The new version update and video release happened at 6:30 PM, which was exactly when people were getting off work.
Without any surprise, as soon as the new version announcement was released, topics on forums and chat groups surged, and official website traffic increased exponentially.
"Good news! Good news! Warhammer OL has a major update, version 3.0 is officially online."
"Bad news, the number of pre-registrations has exceeded ten million."
"When will the tenth batch of pre-registration slots be released!"
"Another update? I haven't even gotten a closed beta slot yet!!"
"My heart is broken. I've been pre-registered for so long, why haven't they opened the tenth batch of pre-registration slots yet."
"So many new things updated, and I've missed them all. Boohoo, I'm so sad."
"Does anyone know the address of the Warhammer OL development company?"
"It's written on the official website."
"The address on the official website is fake, it even says Holy Terra. Could it be that the Emperor is personally writing the code?"
"Hard to say. After all, He's been paralyzed for ten thousand years; He has plenty of time. Writing game code could be a way to pass the time."
"Latest news: all companies that went to GW headquarters to discuss copyright cooperation and game agency returned empty-handed."
"Don't even think about it, I bet GW is on vacation in Bali, having so much fun they've forgotten to return!"
"I want to sell my ass, just for one closed beta slot. Please, sirs, this child can't take it anymore, give this child a closed beta slot."
"By the way, why did the East Asia Research Institute suddenly announce a breakthrough in nuclear fusion? It's expected to complete commercialization within five to ten years."
"Didn't someone dream of the double helix shape of genes? Maybe those researchers got their inspiration from playing games!!"
"Haha, the person upstairs is hilarious."
"Honestly, let's stick to discussing the game on the official website. This update is really powerful. They actually added a fountain function to the Lighthouse. It seems our identity as Warp demons is going to be confirmed."
"Wasn't that already confirmed a long time ago?"
"Demons can resurrect, Players can too. Demons can't be corrupted by other demons, Players can't be corrupted by other Chaos Gods. Aren't demons just modeled after Players??"
"..."
While the forums were buzzing with discussions about the new version update,
Players in the game were also discussing this update in the regional chat channel.
Old Thirteen: "I think this update is very meaningful. Besides the dungeons, it also added Lighthouse healing and negative status expulsion."
Warmaster: "Old Thirteen seems to have said a lot, but in fact, he said a lot (witty)"
Tenjiro: "When an Ogryn thinks, the Warp laughs."
Old Thirteen: "Damn you scoundrels..."
"Guilliman is My Sun" violated channel speaking rules and was muted for 1 hour.
Little Alpaca: "Don't always bully Old Thirteen. He's already an Ogryn, and you're still bullying him."
Batman: "Angry, trembling, cold. Old Thirteen, don't be afraid, I'll take you to Arkham later."
Desert: "Old Thirteen asked me to tell you: if you've got the guts, meet him in the gladiatorial arena. We'll decide who's superior and who lives or dies."
"..."
The chat channel went quiet for a moment.
Warmaster: "Let's discuss the game. Who wants me to stab them with a sword to see how effective the Lighthouse's recovery is?"
Engaging in a melee duel with an Ogryn is something only someone with a brain problem would do.
An enraged Ogryn can smash an Astartes wearing Terminator power armor onto a wall, so stuck they can't be scraped off.
Warmaster: "@One Night Output Slaanesh Ten Times, you stab me once and see how it works!"
Tenjiro: "How about I stab you instead? Your godfather will be gentle."
Little Alpaca: "You perverts."
Zhuge: "As the boss of our Emperor Niuma Battle Group, you're not chickening out, are you?"
King of Mount & Blade: "Oh right, boss, give it a try. As our boss, you can't lose face!"
Warmaster: "Ah, no, you're playing this trick again, aren't you? I absolutely won't. Even if I don't remain Chapter Master, I will never be a guinea pig."
Tenjiro: "How about I endure some pain, take a stab, and then I'll be the one."
Zhuge: "You can't do it. I'll do it instead; I have more of a sacrificial spirit."
Warmaster: "..."
...
Regarding the updated content, Players quickly started experimenting.
In the gladiatorial arena, Warmaster, wearing only a robe, looked at the many members of the Emperor Niuma Battle Group before him.
"It's agreed, if I accept this experiment, you can't impeach me anymore."
"Don't worry, absolutely." Tenjiro patted his chest and shouted.
Other Players also nodded repeatedly.
"Alright then, come on."
Warmaster shouted.
"Here we come."
Tenjiro picked up a sword and plunged it into Warmaster's body, piercing him straight through.
Titus, Beren, and other Deathwatch members who witnessed this scene were dumbfounded.
What kind of operation is this again!!
Are these God Chosen crazy?
Stabbing their own people with a sword?
Kasareth and other Eldar who saw this scene also widened their eyes.
They thought these God Chosen were already abnormal enough, seeing demons like a pervert seeing a married woman.
Now it seems they can be even more abnormal!!
Warmaster, who had been stabbed, was quickly placed on a medical bed.
A moment later, an ethereal glow appeared at the wound, causing it to heal at a visible rate.
"Wow, awesome."
"And it's a group effect. This Lighthouse is like a Fountain of Life."
"Such a healing effect, truly the God of Healers!!"
"I love it, I love it."
Warmaster, lying on the stretcher bed, saw his wound heal as good as new in no time.
He immediately jumped up excitedly, wanting to spontaneously break into a DJ dance.
But soon, he saw that his contribution points had decreased by three thousand.
"Holy crap, such a small wound costs three thousand contribution points? This is robbery."
Tenjiro: "Does it still cost contribution points? But in this day and age, monopoly business is so good; earning money is faster than robbing."
Zhuge: "The official side has seen through the essence of you freeloaders. If they didn't charge contribution points, you'd drag your injured bodies back from the other end of the galaxy just to leech off them."
King of Mount & Blade: "That's a harsh thing to say. What do you mean freeloading? We call that reasonable use of resources."
"..."
Unlike the Emperor Niuma Battle Group's imaginative and exploratory nature,
the newly formed MC Dynasty exudes a pragmatic aura.
MC Legend, MC Epic, and other Players took the opportunity to scavenge after the battle and entered the main planet of the Las Forge World, Hut.
This is where the Omegid Sanctuary of the Las Covenant is located.
This massive structure was once the seat of the Adeptus Mechanicus's governing council for the entire Calixis Sector.
Beneath the sanctuary, the Las Forge World has stored various black tech creations and knowledge found over the years from areas like the Calixis Sector and the Koronus Expanse.
The members of the MC Dynasty entered this treasure trove of knowledge under the guise of purging rebels.
They inserted pre-prepared storage hard drives into the database interface and began downloading the black tech knowledge of the Las Forge World.
"Mind Controller: can emit brainwaves to induce and deceive neural activity, thereby achieving command control, usable on beasts and intelligent species."
MC Legend reviewed the description in the tech archives.
Mind Controllers were rampant during the Golden Age.
Many ambitious individuals used this device to control large numbers of slaves, thereby ensuring the stability of their rule.
The Imperium considers it forbidden technology and does not allow the Adeptus Mechanicus to openly research and use it.
"This thing is definitely a divine artifact. If we take it to Catachan to tame those beasts, wouldn't we create an unstoppable army of giant beasts?"
"It could also be used for the Zerg. Then, 'I am the Swarm,' hehe, just thinking about it is exciting."
"Void Dust: can make covered objects almost invisible in dim light. Even with technological means, it's difficult to detect. Good stuff! Midnight Lord Astartes, who like stealth operations, would buy it like crazy."
"Camo-net: can instantly change its color according to the surrounding environment, perfectly blending in and achieving an invisibility effect. This is awesome! If they develop stealth power armor, they'll make money hand over fist."
"..."
MC Legend looked at the dense list of black tech descriptions.
The angle of his smile became increasingly exaggerated, almost turning into a crooked-mouthed dragon king.
This operation was a huge profit!!
What the ancients said was indeed true: 'One cannot get rich without ill-gotten gains, just as a horse cannot get fat without midnight grass.'
These black technologies are enough for the MC Dynasty to release many new products, catapulting them into a top-tier heavy industry group.
"Won't this be bad for us? It feels like we're thieves." MC Silver whispered.
"How can you call what Players do 'stealing'? That sounds so unpleasant."
MC Legend looked at his unpromising teammate and said righteously:
"We are learning from the advanced technology and knowledge of our friendly forces; it is for the rise of humanity."
"Hurry up! Take all the good stuff. We'll rely on them to build the megastructures."
"......."
.......
The Warp.
Thanks to the bravery of Bald Donkey and others, the Pilgrimage Expeditionary Fleet successfully escaped the trap meticulously designed by Magnus.
However, the crisis was not over. Magnus's schemes were interconnected and incredibly malicious.
The Pilgrimage Expedition was swept into the Warp, which had long been occupied by Chaos servants.
Traitor ships constantly attacked.
But the Pilgrimage Fleet maintained powerful firepower, fiercely retaliating against all invading enemies.
Those enemies did not succeed; instead, they all became the Pilgrimage's fallen souls under the sword.
With the help of Woldaes, the powerful psyker, the Pilgrimage, after a period of difficult exploration, finally saw the light of the Astronomican again.
They began a difficult journey, attempting to escape the Warp.
Seeing this, Magnus launched the next phase of his plan, determined to keep Guilliman in the Warp.
The leader of the Red Corsairs, Black Heart King Huron, with a massive fleet and a Blackstone Fortress, blocked the Pilgrimage Fleet's path.
"My father, it is truly a pity that I could not go to Macragge to pay my respects to you."
Huron connected to the Macragge's Honour's communication and sent a mocking greeting to Guilliman.
Black Heart King Huron, formerly known as Lufgt Huron, former Chapter Master of the Astral Claws, now master of the Red Corsairs Warband, and Lord of the Warp.
The Astral Claws were a successor Battle Group of the Ultramarines, founded during M35.
After the former Chapter Master Rovik Blake was killed in action, Huron, as the Captain of the Third Company, took over as Chapter Master.
His abilities were outstanding; not only did he defeat the invading Orks, but he also suppressed the Chaos forces in the Warp, bringing a rare period of peace to the surrounding areas of the Warp.
Despairing of the incompetence of the Imperial bureaucracy, he promoted the Great Astartes doctrine and once transformed the Badab Sector, where he was stationed, into a prosperous sector.
Because he refused to pay the tithe, illegally expanded the Battle Group's size, and turned the Badab Sector into his private domain,
ultimately, members of the Inquisition who came to investigate deemed many of Huron's actions as betrayal of the Imperium.
The Imperium mobilized Battle Groups such as the Red Scorpions, Salamanders, Minotaurs, Exorcists, Carcharodons, and Sons of Medusa to launch the 11-year Badab War against the rebellious forces led by the Astral Claws.
Huron ultimately failed, fled into the Warp, formed the Red Corsairs, and in just a hundred years, made the Red Corsairs a Chaos force second only to the Black Legion.
Guilliman's heart was filled with indescribable anger, "Traitor, do not call me father."
Huron was not moved by the Primarch's anger; he continued to speak.
"How can you save humanity by being with those insects?"
"They will only mess everything up and treat those who try to improve the situation as traitors."
"Join us, only..."
"Enough of your nonsense."
Guilliman interrupted Black Heart King Huron, "You've made a deal with that traitorous brother of mine, haven't you? Tell that fool that ten thousand years ago, he hid in the Eye of Terror. This time, I will never let him escape again."
"My brother, you're the one who should be fleeing."
Magnus's arrogant voice rang out.
The magnificent 'Revenge of Prospero' appeared out of thin air on the battlefield, accompanied by a massive Thousand Sons fleet.
Red Corsairs plus Thousand Sons,
the fleet's strength far exceeded the size of the Pilgrimage Expeditionary Force.
"This time, you have nowhere to run."
Magnus was full of confidence.
This time, his plan was flawless.
Guilliman would be played like a fiddle, with no chance of turning the tables.
Kairos stood beside Magnus, admiring this perfect plan.
"It's so lively; it seems I'm not too late."
A sickeningly sweet voice rang out.
It echoed in the ears of Magnus, Kairos, and Black Heart King Huron.
A magnificent fleet appeared on the battlefield, none other than Fulgrim, who had come for revenge against Guilliman.
Magnus and Kairos looked solemn.
They realized that to take Guilliman away, they might have to fight this Daemon Primarch, who served the Prince of Pleasure, again.
The Imperium, on the other hand, fell into despair.
The enemy's warship numbers were greater than theirs, and two traitor Primarchs had appeared; this was truly pushing them to a dead end!
Guilliman's heart sank.
He had no chance of victory.
It seems I'm really going to die here.
Guilliman thought dejectedly.
The Players standing next to Guilliman also started discussing.
"Given this situation, it looks like the Guide is about to make an appearance."
Bald Donkey, who had already revived, analyzed seriously.
"Why?" Pig Head Strong asked, puzzled.
"You've been playing for so long, haven't you felt it yet? The Guide is the official's favorite son; he's bound to appear in any major storyline."
Bald Donkey explained.
Krieg nodded, then asked about something else.
"Don't you think the plot is going off track? Shouldn't the original plot be Guilliman being captured, then Skarbrand's curved loyalty, and then Lord Cypher and the Harlequin Troupe helping him escape to Terra for pilgrimage?"
Dòu Zǒng patted Krieg's helmet and explained to him.
"You're stupid! This game claims to be 100% realistic. With us here, how can it still follow the original storyline 100%?"
"Do you think you're playing those old online games where you kill heaven and earth in story missions, but nothing changes in the end?"
"Missions and NPCs are all one-time; the plot must also be one-time and will change with our actions. Otherwise, why would the official repeatedly reiterate not to kill NPCs randomly?"
Krieg scratched his head, "If that's the case, if we had an Aetheric Phase Engine now and directly detonated the Warp, would it be the grand finale?"
"Theoretically, yes," Bald Donkey said. "Maybe after the explosion, it'll be open beta."
Magnus stood up; he didn't speak, but his voice reached everyone's minds.
"Surrender, Guilliman, surrender to me, and you can still retain some dignity. If you surrender to that madman Fulgrim, what you would become is truly unimaginable."
"Magnus, slandering your brother like this, do you really have no brotherly affection left?" Fulgrim let out a strange laugh, his voice sickeningly sweet.
"Unfortunately, Guilliman won't surrender. He looks adorable when he's angry. He will declare war on us two in the name of his father, and of course, this time, his sons won't be able to save him."
Guilliman's rage grew hotter and hotter.
The other party was humiliating him right in front of him, already treating him as a prisoner.
"Magnus..." Guilliman was about to declare war,
when a terrifying roar came, carrying eternal fury and a thirst for slaughter.
"Guilliman, I'm here."
A Khorne fleet beyond imagination appeared.
The hull of every warship was covered with hideous ramming prows and dense skulls.
At the same time, a crimson comet rushed ahead at a speed surpassing everything else.
It was a destructive star, wrapped in furious flames, with demonic wings.
The Red Angel, King of the Red Sands, the Gene-Primarch of the Twelfth Legion—the World Eaters, Angron, had arrived.
Magnus's lips curled upwards.
Three Primarchs had come for Guilliman simultaneously; no matter who got him, Guilliman would never return to Terra.
But Magnus's smile quickly faded, because Angron's flight path was blocking his flagship, the 'Revenge of Prospero,'
and the other party showed no sign of slowing down.
Boom!
The massive body crashed into and pierced through the 'Revenge of Prospero.'
Magnus: "......."
"Damn it, Angron, I really want to..."
And the crisis wasn't just that; the Khorne fleet, following closely behind Angron, opened fire on the Thousand Sons fleet.
They roared the slogans: "Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne."
The Blood God doesn't care who the enemy is, only about bloodshed.
Whether it's Guilliman's, or the Thousand Sons, or the Prince of Pleasure, He doesn't care, as long as enough blood flows.