5: Chapter 5 Colonel Gareth

Xia Xingchen looked at the soldiers before him, his mind instantly recalling information related to warhammer 40k.

These soldiers before him must be from the Krieg regiments.

Aside from them, Xia Xingchen really couldn't think of any other regiment's soldiers who would wear such iconic gas masks.

Upon seeing Xia Xingchen, the Krieg officer first performed a standard Imperial Aquila Salute, and Xia Xingchen immediately returned the gesture with the same Aquila Salute.

(Right hand placed over the left, thumbs crossed, palms pressed against the chest.)

"Greetings, my lord, may I ask who you are?"

The Krieg officer saw the shimmering golden double-headed eagle emblem on Xia Xingchen's chest and deduced that he must be an important figure.

At this moment, Xia Xingchen was also mentally constructing a reasonable identity for himself.

"I am Xia Xingchen, an agent for the Imperial Departmento Munitorum."

Xia Xingchen set his persona as a civilian personnel temporarily requisitioned, specializing in logistics allocation and affiliated with the Departmento Munitorum.

As for why he had arrived here, it was by the order of the Departmento Munitorum, and because the Warp is capable of anything.

A voyage for an Imperial supply fleet that originally took one year might spend a hundred years in the Warp, which wouldn't be an exaggeration. It was also possible for it to arrive a year early.

Hearing Xia Xingchen's explanation, the Krieg officer immediately believed it to be true.

On one hand, Xia Xingchen represented the Departmento Munitorum, and they had an innate obedience to the orders of the Departmento Munitorum;

On the other hand, a situation like Xia Xingchen's was not without precedent.

Sometimes, Imperial vessels would occasionally appear on the planet Krieg, and they would do their best to provide assistance to their own forces.

"Then it is my turn to ask you: where is Colonel Garris?"

Xia Xingchen inquired about their supreme commander, Garris, and the Krieg officer immediately replied:

"Colonel Garris is currently in the supreme operational command room; please allow me to lead you to see him."

Leading his guards, Xia Xingchen followed the Krieg officer underground.

Upon arriving underground, Xia Xingchen saw a shocking sight: a magnificent and vast underground world presented itself before him.

The underground world was incredibly oppressive, filled everywhere with barbed wire and defensive trenches. Apart from the necessary life infrastructure, everything else served the war effort.

Walking through the underground tunnels, what Xia Xingchen saw most were training grounds and arsenals.

"This place is practically a massive underground barracks."

Xia Xingchen said, looking at the scene.

The leading Krieg officer didn't say much; this was something almost every outsider who came here would say.

In fact, even they felt that this underground city was nothing more than an underground barracks.

However, as penitents, they didn't need good living facilities at all; everything served the war, everything was for atonement.

Xia Xingchen was led by the officer to a room that could barely be called a reception room.

Truth be told, Xia Xingchen had never seen a reception room where the corners and walls were hung with weapons and ammunition.

Xia Xingchen sat on a chair made of steel, feeling the hardness and cold sensation coming from his seat.

This feeling was truly uncomfortable, like sitting on a block of ice.

Just as Xia Xingchen was waiting, the door opened, and an officer wearing a Krieg uniform walked in.

Unlike other officers, he was covered in medals, and also wore the double-headed eagle emblem representing the Empire.

His attire was completely out of place compared to the Krieg soldiers beside him, dominated by black and grey colors, but the golden double-headed eagle allowed others to see the luxury of this garment at a glance.

Looking at him, Xia Xingchen instantly formed a judgment in his mind.

"Are you Colonel Garris?"

Xia Xingchen said to Garris while performing an Imperial Aquila Salute.

Colonel Garris quickly returned the Aquila Salute and, with the posture of an Imperial loyalist ruler, said to Xia Xingchen:

"Yes, I am Colonel Garris. It is an honor to meet you, my lord agent."

After Garris finished speaking, his voice continued to come through the gas mask:

"May I ask what brings you here? Does the Empire have any new instructions?"

Xia Xingchen did not answer immediately upon hearing this, but spoke first:

"Colonel Garris, let us sit down and talk."

Xia Xingchen said this entirely to stall for time; he needed a moment to organize his thoughts and find the most reasonable and appropriate excuse to explain why he had appeared here.

Upon hearing this, a tone came from beneath Colonel Garris's gas mask that was apologetic yet still cold and devoid of emotion:

"Apologies, it was my oversight."

After both sides sat down, Xia Xingchen finally thought of the most reasonable explanation in his mind.

His identity was that of a temporary agent, but he was still under the jurisdiction of the Departmento Munitorum.

Therefore, the orders he brought represented the orders of the Departmento Munitorum.

And the only possibility for the Departmento Munitorum to come here was to collect taxes.

"Colonel Garris, the planet Krieg has been in arrears with the Empire's taxes for centuries; it is time for you to pay off this tax debt."

Xia Xingchen issued the order from the Departmento Munitorum to the Colonel Garris before him in an almost cold, unquestionable tone.

Looking at his own appearance and confident attitude, Xia Xingchen almost fooled himself.

Colonel Garris fell silent for the first time, and Xia Xingchen could clearly feel that he seemed to have some unspeakable difficulty.

It was currently M40.940, and the Krieg Civil War would not end for another nine years.

Nine years later, when the Imperial Departmento Munitorum came to collect taxes, Krieg could easily pay off the overdue taxes with twenty regiments.

But not now; the war was still ongoing, and the vast majority of their forces were still confronting the rebels, even if the rebels were already on their last legs.

Garris dared not question the orders of the Departmento Munitorum; he could only stand up, grit his teeth, and say in a low, emotionless voice:

"My lord agent, I will pay off all the taxes."

Hearing this, Xia Xingchen did not expect Colonel Garris to be so stubborn, actually intending to forcibly pay off all the taxes.

"Wait a moment, Colonel Garris; I possess a certain degree of autonomy on this visit."

After Xia Xingchen finished speaking, Garris was instantly stunned.

"Therefore, this tax payment can be postponed for a few years, until your war ends, at which time the Empire will dispatch specialized tax officials to collect it."

Hearing Xia Xingchen's words, Colonel Garris breathed a sigh of relief.