One hour later, in the Dawn Hall.
Thousands of players crammed inside—those who could fit were squeezed in, and those who couldn't listened to the live broadcast through the regional channel outside.
In the center of the hall sat a massive, roughly hewn wooden table. Spread across its surface was a hand-drawn parchment map—a rudimentary topographical map of the surrounding area surveyed by the Crimson Wind players over the past few days.
"Comrades!"
Zeke stood at the head of the table, his enhanced voice booming with greater resonance. "First of all, on behalf of the Supreme Command of the Crimson Dawn Chapter, I have good news to announce!"
He paused, a smile breaking across his face. "After three days of hard work, our home has been initially established!"
"We have walls! We have houses! We have latrines! We have clean water! And we have a potato field!"
"For the bottom rung of the Warhammer universe, this is already a fucking luxury mansion setup!"
The hall erupted in laughter and applause.
"However!"
Zeke's tone shifted sharply. "We cannot rest on our laurels!"
"The breathing tax is 0.3 coins a day. For five thousand people, that's 1,500 coins a day!"
"Base maintenance costs money! Enhancements cost money! Buying gear costs money! And piloting mechas in the future will cost even more money!"
"Therefore!"
He slammed his hand on the table, making the parchment tremble:
"The Crimson Dawn's first large-scale exploration operation will depart on time today at 2:00 PM!"
The crowd stirred, a spark of excitement lighting up everyone's eyes.
"Quiet! Let me finish!"
Zeke pulled up the system interface and projected a more detailed operational map onto the wall. This was the result of him and several Chapter officers staying up half the night.
"We have five exploration vectors. One team per vector, five hundred personnel per team, formed by mixed detachments from all Chapters."
"Team One, heading northeast."
Zeke pointed to a marked spot on the map. "According to previous reconnaissance, there's a small Promethium vein thirty kilometers in this direction. It was mined eighty years ago and subsequently abandoned."
"Objective: Confirm the vein's reserves, evaluate its mining potential, and see if there's any leftover mining equipment we can recycle."
"Command: Tax Bro's Crimson Strike will act as the main force, accompanied by fifty technicians from Crimson Machina."
Tax Bro stood up, slamming a fist against his chest. "I guarantee we'll haul that mine back!"
"Team Two, heading southeast."
Zeke pointed to another location. "Fifty kilometers this way is an abandoned outpost, suspected to be a ruin from the House Blaec era."
"Objective: Explore the ruins, collect any potential technical data or artifacts. Watch out for potential defensive traps or... other things."
"Command: Schrödinger Bro's Crimson Spirit will lead, escorted by one hundred personnel from Crimson Wind."
Schrödinger Bro nodded. He was toying with a Psychic Focus Crystal bought from the shop. It cost him 200 coins and could slightly amplify his psychic perception range.
"Team Three, heading due south."
Zeke traced a line across an area. "Seventy kilometers away is a human settlement called Red Town. Population roughly three to four thousand, primarily reliant on scavenging and small-scale handicraft."
"Objective: Make contact with the local residents, gather intel on the current state of Aurelian, and attempt to establish trade relations. Use our surplus pelts and other supplies to trade for ore, mechanical scrap, or information."
"Important Reminder: NO ROBBING! NO FORCED BUYING OR SELLING! We are the Crimson Dawn, not bandits! If we're going to rob, we rob the big capitalists and the Great Houses!"
A collective sigh of disappointment echoed through the hall.
"Command: White Scar's Crimson Wind will lead, escorted by fifty bodyguards from Crimson Strike, and twenty appraisers from Crimson Machina to evaluate goods."
White Scar grinned widely. "Don't worry, we'll win them over with virtue!"
"Team Four, heading northwest."
Zeke pointed to the edge of the map. "A hundred kilometers out is a major transit artery connecting Aru City and several other large Hive Cities."
"Objective: Establish hidden observation posts, monitor traffic flow, and gather intel on the movements of passing merchant caravans and military forces."
"This is a long-term mission. The team will establish a forward operating base there and rotate shifts."
"Command: Handled by the Main Chapter's direct reconnaissance detachment. Members will be drawn from the elites of all Chapters."
"Team Five, heading due west."
Zeke finally pointed to an area marked in red, his expression growing serious. "This... is the Redblaze Wasteland. The direction of the former industrial zone."
"Objective: Maximum-range reconnaissance. Confirm the status of the industrial zone, gather intel, and see if there's an opportunity to go back and loot another wave."
"Warning: This is the most dangerous direction. We may encounter mutated creatures, Warp daemons, rebel organizations, or Aru Group forces."
"This is strictly a reconnaissance mission, so we don't need a large force! Only 100 operatives are required."
"However, all operatives must have completed at least Type I Basic Enhancement, and carry sufficient ammunition and purification gear."
"Command: I will lead this team personally."
The moment he finished speaking, the hall exploded.
"Zeke, you can't go!"
"It's too dangerous!"
"If anyone goes, it should be us from Crimson Strike! We're tanky!"
Zeke raised a hand, suppressing the clamor.
"I have to go precisely because it's dangerous."
His voice was calm. "As the Chapter Master, I need to know exactly what we're facing."
"And besides—"
He smiled. "I've completed my Type II enhancement. I can take a beating right now. If we really need to run, you guys might not even be able to catch up to me."
The statement was half-joking, but it did put the crowd slightly more at ease.
"Alright, the specific team rosters will be finalized internally within each Chapter. Assemble at the training ground at 1:00 PM for equipment checks. We move out precisely at 2:00 PM."
Zeke delivered his final words: "Remember, our mission is to explore for intel and gather resources, not to throw our lives away."
"If you encounter something you can't beat, run! If you encounter something weird, fall back! If you encounter something you don't understand, record it and bring it back for discussion!"
"Even though we can respawn, most of us have undergone enhancements. If you die, you have to pay a hefty resurrection fee to perfectly restore this vessel, otherwise, you can only spend 5 coins to respawn in a basic body."
"I want every single one of you coming back alive, you hear me? We're having potato and meat stew when you get back!"
"FOR THE CRIMSON DAWN!"
"FOR THE CRIMSON DAWN!"
The roars shook the heavens.
–
After the meeting adjourned, the players mobilized rapidly.
The brutes of Crimson Strike began inspecting their weapons and armor, sharpening their machetes until they gleamed.
The speedsters of Crimson Wind packed their gear, ensuring everyone had enough water and dry rations—mostly nutrient paste; terrible tasting, but high in calories.
The Psyker reserves of Crimson Spirit, led by Schrödinger Bro, conducted one final group meditation to stabilize their mental states.
The intern Tech-Priests of Crimson Machina performed final maintenance on the vehicles, loading them with tools, spare parts, and some newly purchased light machine guns for firepower.
Zeke returned to his cabin. As the Chapter Master, he had a private room. Though it was only ten square meters, it at least offered some privacy.
He opened his personal panel to check his status:
[Individual ID: Eternally Loyal to the Emperor]
[Physiological Status: Excellent | Stamina: 94%]
[Enhancement Progress: Basic Physique Type II (42%), Neural Reflexes Type I (22%), Sensory Acuity Type I (24%)]
[Psychic Talent: Unawakened]
[Imperial Coins: 1,276]
[Daily Survival Tax: Paid (0.3/0.3)]
[Chapter Rank: Crimson Dawn Chapter Master]
[Chapter Contribution: 2,150 points (Rank 1)]
Everyone had donated funds and labor to the base's construction. As the Chapter Master, he naturally had to set an example, donating two thousand Imperial Coins to the public fund.
He now had a little over a thousand coins left. It seemed like a lot, but Zeke knew it was nowhere near enough to buy anything truly good.
"I hope this trip to the Redblaze Wasteland yields something worthwhile!" Zeke sighed.