47: Chapter 47 The Inquirer Awakens

Cawl suddenly stood up. His massive mechanized body emitted a harsh metallic grinding sound. His tone was firm and resolute, and his eyes shimmered with unprecedented light: "I am going."

Hester was stunned for a moment, then immediately regained his composure, his tone carrying a hint of dissuasion: "Now? Cawl, have you thought this through?"

"Vulcan-IV is remote and unknown. Although that document seems sincere, it could also be a ruse of the Warp, a trap of heresy."

"Furthermore, as the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, if you suddenly leave your flagship to head for a remote Forge World, the conservatives on Mars will inevitably question you, the Inquisition will target you, and they might even brand you a heretic."

Cawl's tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. He clutched the letter tightly in his hand, the golden light reflecting upon his mechanical face: "Now."

Just then, the machine spirit of the Ark Mechanicus, The Inquisitor, suddenly spoke—it had just recovered from the appearance of the Legion of the Damned.

In the past, it would only emit low, dull, mechanical whirring, requiring Cawl to soothe it with litanies.

But ever since it read the README.md, its voice was no longer dull; instead, it was filled with unprecedented vitality and agility, as if it had instantly awakened a true consciousness: "Master."

Cawl was slightly taken aback—he had never heard the machine spirit of The Inquisitor speak in such a tone.

It was a tone filled with curiosity and anticipation, a sign that the machine spirit had truly come "alive."

He slowly opened his mouth: "What is it?"

The machine spirit's tone carried a hint of urgency, along with a trace of imperceptible anticipation: "What are you still waiting for?"

Cawl sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of concern: "I am considering the route, supplies, and how to explain to Mars why I have suddenly disappeared."

"After all, I am the Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus; my every action affects the nerves of the entire Adeptus Mechanicus."

The machine spirit fell silent for a second, then spoke with a firm tone, carrying a certainty as if blessed by the Emperor's will: "Master. The Legion of the Damned delivered the letter personally. It bears the Emperor's personal annotation."

"What else do you need to consider? The Emperor's will is our direction forward. Compared to the Emperor's guidance, what do the doubts of those conservatives or the surveillance of the Inquisition matter?"

Cawl fell silent.

The machine spirit's words were like a hammer, shattering the concerns in his heart.

Indeed, the Legion of the Damned were the Emperor's messengers. They delivered the letter in person, and it bore the Emperor's personal annotation; this in itself was a form of guidance, a tacit approval.

He had lived for ten thousand years, always striving for the survival of humanity, always searching for a path to break stagnation and revive the Imperium of Man. Now, such an opportunity was right before him; what reason did he have to hesitate?

The machine spirit's tone softened significantly, carrying a hint of anticipation and pleading: "Master, the machine spirits of Vulcan-IV are waiting for you. Helmut is waiting for you."

That entity called Icarus, it might not care at all whether you come or not; it will continue building its things, but what about you?

"Don't you really want to go and see? Don't you want to see that world capable of truly awakening machine spirits, don't you want to see what that philosophy that changes everything can actually bring?"

Sedayne spoke within Cawl's mind, her tone carrying a hint of urgency, returning to her usual sprightly demeanor: "Listen to what it says."

"Your machine spirit has more initiative than you! Cawl, this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity; we cannot miss it!"

Hester sighed, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness, yet also filled with anticipation: "Go. The Legion of the Damned has been deployed, and the Emperor has personally annotated it; what else is there to hesitate about?"

"Even if it is a trap, even if it is heresy, we should go and see—after all, this might be the only hope for the Imperium of Man, the only chance for us to break the dogmas of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

Cawl looked at the letter on the screen that still held a golden warmth, looked at the concise and elegant README.md, and listened to the expectant words of the machine spirit of the Ark Mechanicus, The Inquisitor. The concerns in his heart completely dissipated.

He had lived for ten thousand years, experienced countless life-and-death situations, and witnessed countless despairs. Now, he finally saw a glimmer of light, a glimmer of light to break through the darkness and move toward the Rational Age.

He finally made his decision.

Cawl lifted his head and broadcasted to the entire ship. His voice was dignified and firm, spreading to every corner of The Inquisitor. In that voice, there was unprecedented resolution and hope: "All systems, prepare for Warp jump."

Over the broadcast, the crew's uniform response rang out immediately. Although they did not know why their Archmagos was suddenly heading to a remote Forge World, they had absolute loyalty to Cawl and executed the order without hesitation.

Cawl's mechanical oculars looked toward the screen, and he slowly spoke, stating the destination: "Destination: Vulcan-IV Forge World."

He paused, a rare curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. His tone carried a hint of mockery, yet was also filled with certainty: "ETA: Depends on the mood of the Warp—but this time, with the Emperor's gaze upon us, the Warp had better behave itself."

The machine spirit cheered happily, its voice agile and lively, completely devoid of its usual dullness: "Received! Master, I am already planning the optimal route!"

"By the way, may I go and chat with the machine spirits there after we arrive? I want to ask them what it feels like to be understood and heard!"

Cawl shook his head helplessly, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence. For the first time in ten thousand years, he revealed such a humanized emotion: "...Whatever makes you happy."

The machine spirit cheered excitedly: "Thank you, Master! You are so kind, Master! Master, you have finally enlightened!"

Cawl spoke to the three personalities in his mind, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness, yet also filled with a smile: "Which one of you taught it to speak like that?"

Sedayne smiled and spoke, her tone carrying a hint of smugness: "It wasn't us. It was Icarus's patch—and also, perhaps it was the appearance of the Legion of the Damned, the Emperor's will, that made it truly awaken, that finally made it dare to speak its own heart."

Hester also laughed, his tone carrying a hint of relief: "Congratulations, Cawl. Your 'The Inquisitor' is a chatterbox now."

However, this was quite good; at least it was no longer a machine without emotions, it had truly come alive.

Cawl did not speak, simply walking slowly to the porthole of the contemplation chamber. Before his fingertips touched the glass, a low mechanical prompt sounded on the bridge— "Warp jump ready, Geller field activated, porthole armor plating closing." Thick alloy armor plates slowly descended from the inside of the bulkhead, covering the distorted starry sky outside the window. The faint light of the Warp jump could only seep through the gaps in the armor, casting a long shadow of his mechanical figure.

In his mechanical oculars, an unprecedented light shimmered—it was the light of hope, the light of the Rational Age, the light to break the darkness—even if he could not see the Warp tunnel outside the window, he could clearly sense the pulse of The Inquisitor, could sense the barrier propped up by the Geller field, isolating the chaos and corruption of the Warp outside.

He fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice. It was not loud, but firm and powerful, as if speaking to himself, to the three personalities in his mind, to the Emperor, and to the entire galaxy: "Rational Age... I am coming."