LRAB Chapter 3 Imperial Tax Collectors
Chapter 3 Imperial Tax Collectors
Lowe walked through the dimly lit corridor toward the exit.
It was already dark outside.
The magnificent spire of the hive city pierced the clouds, flashing red warning lights.
In the distance, several massive imperial transport ships hovered on the tracks, like silent behemoths waiting to feed.
The cold wind, mixed with acid rain, blew against Luo Wei's face.
He wrapped his thin robe tighter around himself.
The first step is complete.
He is still alive.
As long as you're alive, there's a chance.
Lo Wei touched the two pieces of corpse starch he had been given as a reward in his pocket; they were as hard as rocks.
He didn't go back to his dormitory; instead, he turned and headed towards the archives.
Since he wants to climb the ranks in the Ministry of Agriculture, he needs to know more.
Data about soil, climate, fertilizer, and everything about this planet.
I'm not going to sleep tonight.
Lo Wei pushed open the heavy door of the archives and disappeared into the darkness.
……
At the same time.
The Planetary Governor's Mansion, top of the spire.
A woman stood in front of the bright French windows.
He was wearing a full set of silver-white power armor, but no helmet.
Her long, silver hair cascaded down her shoulder armor like a waterfall, and her purple eyes reflected the starry sky outside the window.
Alicia van Valentius.
She held a glass of wine in her hand, but didn't drink it.
"Have you collected enough for the tithe?" she asked.
From the shadows behind him emerged a mechanical priest in a red robe.
Half of his face was made of metal, and his voice emitted a buzzing electrical sound.
"According to the data just uploaded by the Executive Yuan, the accounts of the Seventh Grain Depot are balanced."
"It's even?" Alicia turned around, raising an eyebrow. "That idiot Case managed to even the books? Wasn't he always trying to force me to use the family reserves?"
"The data logic is perfect. Although some aspects are quite creative," the robotic priest added, "for example, the substantial costs of appeasing the machine spirits."
Alicia gave a cold laugh.
"They're really treating me like an idiot. But as long as the tax officials can't find fault with it, I can't be bothered to care."
She put down her wine glass and walked to the holographic map.
The map shows different regions of the planet, most of which are flashing red lights that indicate danger.
"Find out who did the accounting," Alicia said.
"The signature is that of Supervisor Case. Based on handwriting analysis and operational logs, the actual operator was a Level 4 clerk."
"name?"
"Luo Wei. Three years with the company, mediocre resume. He collapsed from overwork three days ago."
"Love..."
Alicia read the name aloud.
"Keep an eye on him," she said. "In this rotten Executive Yuan, anyone who can balance the books is either extremely wicked or incredibly talented."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The mechanical priest withdrew.
Alicia looked out the window again.
A shooting star streaked across the night sky.
"May the Emperor bless you."
She spoke softly, her hand resting on the explosive pistol at her waist.
"Hopefully this time, I can find a few useful people."
"My time... is running out."
……
The air in the archives smelled of dust.
Luo Wei closed his two-hundredth copy of "The Historical Changes in Soil Composition".
The flame of the electronic candle flickered and then went out.
Energy rationing period has ended.
Darkness instantly engulfed the rows of data cabinets.
Lo Wei did not get up.
He sat in the darkness, eyes closed, his mind going over the data he had just memorized.
In M37, the Fengrao II crater experienced a "wilt fever".
Records from that time show that, in order to suppress the fungus, the Mechanics had released a high concentration of sulfide into the atmosphere.
This sulfide will remain.
The residues can react with modern high-efficiency fertilizers, leading to soil compaction.
Luo Wei opened his eyes.
He found it.
This was the second insurance he found for the 270,000 tons of "losses".
If the excuse of "religious rituals" is questioned, he brings up this "historical legacy of soil hardening".
This is science.
In Warhammer 40, this is also theology.
A bell rang outside the door.
Morning prayers have begun.
Luo Wei stood up, and a crisp cracking sound came from his knee.
He put the book back in its place very quietly, without disturbing the dormant servo skull in the corner.
He walked out of the archives and splashed his face with cold water in the public restroom.
The person in the mirror was deathly pale with dark circles under their eyes.
Today, judgment is served.
……
The seventh grain depot, the third take-off and landing platform.
The wind whipped up sand and gravel, which lashed against the power armor plates with a crackling sound.
Supervisor Case stood at the very front.
He changed into a new robe, with a gleaming loyalty medal pinned to his collar.
However, he kept shaking.
Sweat streamed down his fat face, soaking a large patch of his collar.
Luo Wei stood half a step behind him, holding a thick ledger in his hands.
"Love," Case's voice drifted in the wind, "Are you sure this is okay? The religious expenditure category, really, will it work?"
"It will work, sir," Lowe replied in a deep voice. "The tax officials don't care where the money went, they only care whether the procedures are compliant."
"If he asks for details..."
"I'll answer that. All you need to do is nod and sign."
A deafening roar came from the sky.
The clouds parted.
A gray-black shuttle crashed down like a hammer.
The landing gear slammed heavily onto the deck, and the blast of hot air nearly knocked Case over.
The hatch opened.
Two armed crew members disembarked first.
They held explosive guns in their hands, and their red electronic eyes scanned the entire area.
Next came a tall, thin man wearing a gray robe.
He wasn't wearing a breathing mask.
Half of his head is covered with metal implants.
The left eye is a multispectral lens, while the right eye is a cloudy human eye.
His right hand was modified into a mechanical claw with several data probes attached to it.
Tax officer and senior clerk at the Ministry of the Interior, Gabriel García Márquez.
Case forced an awkward smile and went to meet her.
"Bravour Emperor! Lord Marquez, the Seventh Agricultural District of Abundance II welcomes you..."
Marquez did not look at him.
The mechanical left eye rotated, emitting a hissing focusing sound, scanning the outer wall of the granary, the kneeling farm workers, and finally landing on Case.
"Stop with the nonsense. I have a tight schedule; I still have four planets to check the accounts on."
Case froze.
He pointed behind him, his hand trembling.
Luo Wei stepped forward and held out the ledger with both hands.
"grown ups."
Marquez extended his mechanical claw.
The probe pierced the binding thread of the ledger, as if tasting the paper.
He then took the ledger and opened it.
The speed at which it flips through the book is astonishing.
Splash, splash.
This isn't reading, this is scanning.
Luo Wei kept his head down, counting his heartbeats.
One hundred and twenty times.
One hundred and thirty times.
Suddenly, the sound of turning pages stopped.
Márquez's finger stopped on page fourteen.
"explain."
His metallic tone was completely flat.
Case's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.
He opened his mouth but no sound came out, then instinctively looked at Rowe.
Loewe looked up at Márquez's flashing red eyes.
"This is a necessary expenditure to appease the Soul of Harvester No. 3, sir," Rowe said.