Warhammer: Striving to Be a Grinding Man

Chapter 29 Wandering in Harbor

Two days passed many times faster on the orbit of the Cintira than in the Warp. Liu En never left the Black Pearl. The hive world, with its more than 25 billion inhabitants, lay just outside the porthole, brightly lit and bustling with activity. He glanced at it twice and then couldn't be bothered to look any longer. What lay beneath those lights? Countless laborers who had exhausted their lives on industrial assembly lines, ordinary people whose bones had been crushed by the Empire's machines yet still got up and continued to work. More than 20 billion people breathed, toiled, and died in the layers upon layers of the hive, never seeing true sunlight from birth to death. Looking at those lights, Liu En only wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

Ironwall and Truth Seeker clearly don't think so.

Vera was incredibly excited on the communication channel, saying she'd strolled around Sintira's commercial district, bought some rare items, and vowed to stay longer next time the port docked. Liu En didn't dampen her spirits; he simply grunted a couple of times and hung up. Marcus stood beside her, his lips twitching slightly, but he said nothing.

On the morning of the fourth day, all three ships departed simultaneously. The Black Pearl brought up the rear, the Ironwall led the way, and the Truth Seeker was sandwiched in between. The formation sailed along the predetermined route toward Mandeville Point, and then leaped back into the warp. This journey was much shorter than coming from Lucis—the Wandering Harbor was just at the very edge of the Calicis Sector.

The subspace journey went surprisingly smoothly. Sera reported through the communication channel in the navigation cabin that the Imperial Navy had been navigating this route for over a thousand years, and the star flow was extremely stable. The Black Pearl only made one short jump, and the hull barely shook. The chaotic colors outside the portholes seemed to have been neatly sliced ​​off by a knife, revealing a completely new starry sky.

Liu En looked out the porthole and saw the Wandering Harbor right there.

It is not a planet, not a space station—it is a world. A colossal deep-space port woven from steel, ceramics, and void shields, it is the steel fist of the Calithis Sector extending into the Colonus Expansion. The framework of the Xerxes Mark IV naval fortress forms its backbone, but after more than a dozen centuries of expansion, the original hull outline has long been submerged by countless docks, berths, weapon platforms, communication arrays, and living domes. It resembles a metallic starfish lying in a sea of ​​stars, its tentacle-like barges extending in all directions, each barge laden with ships of all sizes—Imperial Navy patrol ships, armed merchant ships of wandering merchants, mine tugboats, and even a few smuggling boats of unknown origin.

Wandering Harbor. Its Low Gothic name itself carries a sense of wandering, but any veteran sailor who has sailed the Calicith Sector will tell you that it is the most fortified fortress on the Imperium's borders. It guards the only stable sea route to the Colonus Expansion Zone, and all supplies, personnel, and intelligence entering and leaving the Expansion Zone must pass through here. Adamantite ore is transported from resource gathering points deep within the Expansion Zone, sorted, cleaned, and repackaged here, before being loaded onto ships bound for Lucis, Agrippina, and even the more distant Forge Worlds. Alien artifacts are excavated from the ruins of the Halo Cluster, preliminarily identified and sealed here by the Tech-Priests, then loaded into sealed containers and sent to secret laboratories in various Forge Worlds. Wandering merchants stockpile supplies, recruit sailors, and gather intelligence before setting sail, and upon returning, they settle accounts, sell their goods, and celebrate their survival. Every day, hundreds and thousands of tons of cargo flow between the holds of Wandering Harbor, the industrial lifeblood of the Imperium converging into a thick vein.

The flow of ships on the track was as dense as Cintira's traffic lines. The Black Pearl's sensor screens were covered with countless dots of light, with the Ironwall leading the way, its attitude thrusters rhythmically spewing out streams of ions. The Truth Seeker was sandwiched in between.

"Captain, Ironwall has sent berth assignments." Marcus looked at the data panel. "Sector B, berth 8. Ironwall is in berth 7, Truth Seeker is in berth 9. The three ships are side by side."

Liu En nodded. "Boat up."

Guided by the berth's guiding beams, the Black Pearl slowly steered into the docking support. Huge robotic arms extended from both sides of the dock, clamping onto the hull's joints with a dull metallic clang.

The airlock opened, and the air of the Wandering Harbor rushed in—dry, cold, and carrying the mixed smell of rust and incense ash.

The communication panel flashed. Marcus glanced at the identification code and pressed the connect button.

A middle-aged man's face appeared on the holographic projection platform. He wore a deep red robe, his left arm was entirely mechanical, and the badge on his chest read fourth rank—Technology Priest. He had a lean face, sharp eyes, and spoke quickly but clearly.

"Father Cohen Severus? I am Valentius, Lucius's liaison officer at the Wandering Port. Sage Helios Vitellius requests your presence. Please proceed immediately to forge the Temple. Father Eisenhorn of the Ironwall and the Nazari craftsmen of the Truth Seeker will also be present."

Liu En frowned slightly. "Now?"

"Now," Valentius said, leaving no room for negotiation, "I've already sent the route from the berth to the temple to your data panel. Someone will meet you when you arrive." The screen then cut off.

Liu En and Marcus exchanged a glance.

"They called us over as soon as we arrived at port, and all three ships together," Marcus said in a low voice. "That's not normal."

Liu En didn't reply, but stood up and straightened his robe and the third-tier trainee technical priest badge on his chest. "Marcus, come with me. Take four more veterans with you."

The journey from the berth to the Forging Temple was quite long. The interior passageways of the Wandering Harbor were even more complex than those of the Black Pearl, with a spiderweb of pipes and cables overhead, and every few steps on the walls embedded icons of the Emperor and the gear and skull emblem of the Mechanical Order.

The entrance to the temple was a massive, airtight door, flanked by two rows of guards clad in crimson power armor—these were the temple's own armed forces, not the retired veterans from the Black Pearl. Leading them was a sergeant major with a mechanical implant on his left cheek. Upon seeing the badge on Liu En's chest, he identified himself using a binary pulse and then stepped aside to open the door.

Valentius was already waiting inside. Without exchanging pleasantries, he led the way. "This way, please. Father Eisenhorn and the Nazari craftsmen have arrived."

He led Liu En through a short corridor to a tightly closed metal door. Two elite members of the Papacy, each wielding a power halberd, stood on either side of the door. Valentius pushed open the door and gestured for Liu En to enter.

This is a small conference room. There is a long, dark metal table, a few chairs, and no decorations on the walls except for a huge data screen that is currently displaying a star map of the area surrounding the Wandering Harbor.

Eisenhorn was already seated at the table, with his adjutant standing behind him. Vera sat opposite him, flipping through a data panel. When she saw Liu En enter, she nodded to him without saying a word.

A person was sitting at one end of the long table.

He wore the deep red robes characteristic of sages, the hem of which was trimmed with golden gear patterns. His body had been almost entirely replaced by machinery—his arms were intricate metal structures with tiny hydraulic tubes at the joints; the left half of his face was completely mechanical, with an optical lens embedded in his eye socket, slowly extending and retracting to focus; the right half of his face still retained human skin, but the outline of metal was visible beneath; his head was bald, replaced by a dozen or so data cables as thin as hair.

A fifth-tier Technological Sage. Liu En had seen Aurelius in Lucius and was no stranger to beings of this level. But the aura of the man before him was completely different—he lacked Aurelius's scholarly air, replaced instead by a sense of oppression forged in iron and fire.

Valentius bowed slightly. "Sage, Captain of the Black Pearl, Third-Tier Apprentice Technical Priest Cohen Severus."

The sage raised his head, his optical lens aimed at Liu En. "Sit."

Liu En sat down next to Eisenhorn. Marcus stood behind him.

"I am Helios Vitellius, the plenipotentiary representative of the Lucius Forging World to the Wandering Port." The sage's voice was deep and unhurried. "To make a long story short, the reason why your three ships have been transferred to the Wandering Port has already been explained. Now, I have an arrangement for you."

His optical lens turned to Liu En. "Cohen Severus, your enlistment agreement includes a service clause for overseas missions. For this joint mission at the Wandering Port, if the Black Pearl can survive the entire rotation cycle, the Temple will grant a one-time, substantial tax deduction—equivalent to the total rewards for completing three standard missions. But this is contingent on you staying at the Wandering Port for at least a year. Maybe two."

He paused, then looked at Eisenhorn and Vera. "The Ironwall and the Truth Seeker are resident ships of Lucis and are not assigned to overseas missions. However, the Temple will still record your contributions during this joint mission. You will each receive a reward after the rotation cycle ends."

Eisenhorn nodded. Vera nodded as well.

"This is the will of the sage Aurelius, and also my will," Helios said. "The port needs a long-term, stable fleet for deployment. Your three ships, along with the other subordinate vessels that have already arrived, and the original garrison fleet, will form a joint formation. The rotation cycle will be at least one year, possibly two years."

Vera was the first to speak: "This ship is a supply ship, so it doesn't matter where it is. I have no objection."

Eisenhorn was silent for two seconds. "Ironwall accepts."

Liu En did not hesitate. "Black Pearl accepted."

He didn't hesitate because he knew very well that there was no room for refusal in this mission. The moment he signed the enlistment agreement, he had already relinquished most of his choice. The sage wasn't seeking consent, but rather announcing a decision. The so-called "acceptance" was merely a formality. Since he couldn't refuse, he might as well accept it decisively, at least to show a good attitude.

Helios nodded. "Alright. Then it's settled. During your stay in the port, all supply, repair, and berthing costs will be borne by the Temple. Battle damage compensation will be calculated separately."

He stood up. "Now, come with me to the main conference room. The commanders of the other garrison fleets, representatives of the merchant ronin, and the naval liaison officer are all waiting. The task assignments will be announced at the joint meeting."

The large conference room is the main hall of the Forging Temple. A soaring circular dome houses a massive holographic projection platform, currently displaying a tactical star map of the surrounding Wandering Harbor. Dozens of people are already standing around the projection platform, divided into several distinct small groups.

As Liu En followed Helios into the hall, dozens of eyes swept over them simultaneously.

He quickly scanned the entire area. Officers from the Imperial Navy's Calicus Fleet liaison office wore dark blue uniforms with silver double-headed eagles embroidered on their chests. Representatives of merchant ronin families, their attire varied but all were expensive, with fully armed guards standing behind them. There were also seven or eight technical priests wearing robes from different forging worlds—judging from their insignia, some were from Lucis, some from Agrippina, and even a few from more distant forging worlds.

Along the wall of the hall, squads of Cleric soldiers and AI-controlled mechs stood silently in formation, their optical lenses flashing a dark red light in the dim light. Their equipment was far superior to that of the veterans on the Black Pearl—their shoulder armor was engraved with the insignia of different forging worlds and imperial institutions, clearly indicating that they were the elite of their respective factions.

This was not the "three boats meeting" that Liu En had initially envisioned. It was a military conference involving multiple forces, and its scale and level far exceeded his expectations.

Helios walked to the main seat on the holographic projection platform. The hall quickly fell silent.

"Gentlemen," his voice boomed through the loudspeaker, "I have gathered you all here today for one purpose only—the joint defense of Wandering Harbor."

He raised his robotic arm and tapped it a few times on the holographic projection platform. The star map magnified, and layers of red markers appeared.

"The Dark Eldar have launched more raids in the past two months than in the past two years combined. Gamor's madmen are testing our limits." His optical lens swept across everyone present. "Now, the Imperial Navy's Calicus Fleet, the Lucis Forge World, and the merchant ronin families and mining conglomerates represented by you have reached an agreement—joint formations, zoned patrols, and unified command."

A low murmur arose in the hall, but it quickly subsided.

Helios began assigning tasks.

"Ironwall, Chief Technician Eisenhorn, responsible for patrolling the outer perimeter of the Eastern Sector. Covering the main shipping lanes entering from the direction of the Colonus Expansion Zone, and the area near the entrance and exit of the network channel." Eisenhorn nodded.

"The Black Pearl, with Third-Tier Apprentice Technical Priest Cohen Severus, is responsible for patrolling the outer perimeter of the Northern Sector. It covers the routes commonly used by mining and merchant fleets, and also serves as a rapid response force to support the Eastern and Western Sectors at any time." Liu En nodded.

"The Truth Seeker, with Tier 2 Technical Craftsman Vera Nazari, will remain in Wandering Harbor as a supply ship and evacuation vessel for the wounded." Vera pursed her lips but said nothing.

Next, Helios assigned tasks to the other seven subordinate ships—each responsible for alternating patrols of the western sector, the southern sector, and several key shipping lanes. The Imperial Navy's Calissis fleet patrol ships were responsible for inner-circle surveillance and rapid response. The armed ships of the merchant ronin family undertook some escort and reconnaissance missions.

The entire allocation process lasted nearly an hour. The responsibility area, communication frequency, and emergency response procedures for each unit were clearly defined. Liu En noted that the Wandering Port itself also maintained a land defense force composed of the Guardians of the Faith and internal security troops, responsible for the security of the core area and key facilities of the Temple—these people knew every single duct of the space station like the back of their hand; they were the true garrison force.

Finally, Helios braced his hands on the edge of the projection table, and the optical lens swept across everyone.

"The military strength of Wandering Harbor is now three times its usual strength. But if the Dark Eldar has the support of the network, they can send even more fleets to our doorstep at any time." His voice was not loud, but every word was like a nail driven into the air. "Therefore, if any ship encounters a situation that is beyond our control, immediately use the Star Speaker to send a distress signal to Wandering Harbor. Once the Temple receives the signal, all capital ships will immediately assemble and attack."

As the meeting adjourned, Eisenhorn walked over to Liu En and whispered, "I'll maintain communication silence over the Eastern Sector. Keep an eye on the Northern Sector. If anything unusual is detected, the Star Speaker should send a signal immediately. Don't hesitate."

Liu En nodded.

"One to two years," Eisenhorn added, unusually. "In a place like Wanderport, surviving for a year is better than spending ten years in Lucis."

He turned and left. Liu En watched his figure disappear into the crowd.

Liu En returned to the Black Pearl, walked to the porthole on the bridge, and stood there for a moment. "We depart tomorrow. Everyone can rest today." He paused, then added, "Put the entire ship on level two alert. Everyone check their equipment, and all veterans are on standby."

Outside the porthole, the steel dome of the harbor gleamed a cold gray under the spotlights, and various ships hung from the distant docking arms. The Black Pearl's exterior was mottled, and the wear marks on its armor plating were even and natural, making it appear to be just a decent second-hand cruiser. But only Liu En knew that those unseen parts—the ceramic steel composite layer in the armor plating, the overclocking redundancy in the reactor, the energy pipelines of the weapon systems—were all far beyond Imperial standards.