67: So-called scientific research is just going to other people's graves for archaeology.

[Lunar Surface - Site of Gene Breeding Laboratory No. 7]

The air was thick with the stench of scorched protein, mixed with the sulfurous scent left behind by rocks vaporized at high temperatures.

C-19 stood up from behind a semi-molten bunker.

The surface of his black Mk II power armor was covered in a layer of grayish-black dust, a mixture of rock powder and the ashes of biological tissue.

He looked up.

The sight before him was as magnificent as it was terrifying.

A massive crater occupied his entire field of vision.

It was over five hundred meters in diameter.

The crater walls were still glowing, showing a vitrified dark red—a searing scar left by the Macro-cannon, emitting an ominous light in the lunar shadows.

The biological structure that once resembled a living mountain range, along with the powerful priestess inside, had been physically erased from this world.

"The psychic pollution... has disappeared."

The relieved voice of a recruit came through the communication channel.

That nauseating whisper that had occupied their minds completely dissipated as that "heart" stopped beating.

C-19 did not speak.

He simply raised his hand and made a "forward" gesture.

His tactical visor was rapidly scanning the energy signatures of the crater.

[Scanning...]

[Surface Life Signals: Zero.]

[Subsurface Energy Reaction: Weak but stable. Depth: -800 meters.]

"As expected."

Inside the Holographic Operations Cabin, Li Cang looked at the same scan results, a flash of realization in his eyes.

"Strategic deception. Those witches aren't stupid either."

An orbital cannon could destroy everything on the surface, but it couldn't destroy a gene vault dug deep into the lunar core.

"C-19."

Li Cang's voice transmitted directly into the Commander's helmet via the data link.

"Target: the center of the crater."

"Bring the drill."

...Half an hour later.

At the bottom of the crater.

The temperature here was frighteningly high; the power armor's cooling system was running at full power, emitting a dull hum.

Several Astartes worked together to carry a temporary industrial drill rig modified from a Stormbird gunship.

Beneath their feet was a bottomless fissure blasted open by the Macro-cannon.

"Begin operations."

At C-19's command.

The drill emitted a deafening roar, its massive bit spinning and gnawing through the rock layers deep within the fissure.

This time, they weren't playing the role of soldiers, but an archaeological team.

An archaeological team wearing power armor and carrying Bolters.

Another twenty minutes passed.

"Drilled through!"

A hollow echo came from the front of the drill bit.

An Astartes took out a High-Energy Plastic Explosive Pack and attached it to the drilled hole.

A muffled bang sounded.

An entrance large enough for power armor to pass through appeared before everyone.

Below the entrance was not the cavern they had imagined.

Instead, it was a silent hall.

This place was completely different from the filthy, twisted flesh-style of the upper layers.

It was clean, orderly, and filled with a certain sense of sanctity.

The walls were made of some sort of pure white bone-like material, with soft bioluminescence flowing over them like moonlight.

There was no stench in the air, only a strange fragrance similar to sandalwood.

In the center of the hall were rows of cryogenic storage tanks made of crystal.

Inside each tank suspended a tube of shimmering liquid of various colors.

[Scan Result: High-purity gene template library.]

[Discovery: Old Human noble lineages, Terra-specific animal genes, and various unknown synthetic sequences.]

As Li Cang watched this scene, his pupils contracted sharply.

What kind of gene laboratory was this?

This was clearly a "Gene Noah's Ark" left behind by humans of the Golden Age!

The value of these things was higher than ten geothermal cores!

"Pack it all up and take it with us!"

Li Cang ordered without hesitation.

The Astartes immediately sprang into action.

They took out specially-made cryogenic storage boxes and began to crate the rows of precious gene templates like porters.

Just then, C-19 stopped in his tracks.

His gaze was drawn to a main console at the end of the hall.

The console was still lit.

On it was a single, lonely audio log playing.

He stepped forward and pressed the play button.

An ethereal, gentle, yet slightly weary female voice echoed through the empty hall.

"Log No. 9973. I am the 'Moon Speaker', the Chief Gene Priestess here."

"The 'Emperor' of Terra... we have sensed his rise. A powerful tyrant filled with the will of iron and fire. He wants to unify all humanity with logic and order. But he is wrong."

"The future of humanity lies not in cold iron, but in the infinite possibilities contained within the flesh itself. We are not creating monsters; we are 'listening' to the song of genes, guiding them toward a more perfect form."

"Our ultimate creation, the [Son of the Moon Goddess], is nearing completion. He will be the perfect life, the pinnacle of flesh, an existence capable of rivaling that 'Emperor'..."

"They are coming, those soulless black iron cans."

"The song... has ended."

The audio ended there.

C-19 stood silently in place. His visor flickered as the system automatically tagged the audio as [Heretical Propaganda - Awaiting Purification] and archived it.

He turned, preparing to order the troops to speed up.

Suddenly, he felt a slight anomaly.

It came from the massive crystal tank at the deepest part of the hall, marked as the "Ultimate Creation Incubation Vat."

Thump.

A faint sound, like a heartbeat.

C-19 snapped his Bolter up, aiming in that direction.

"On guard!"

Inside that massive translucent crystal tank, the originally turbid nutrient solution began to turn clear.

A figure curled up inside like an infant slowly opened its eyes.

They were a pair of golden eyes.

Pure, majestic, and filled with a divine golden light.

It was exactly the same as the light emitted by the drop of [Emperor's Blood] that Li Cang had previously obtained.

[Warning! T4-level life signal detected!]

[Species Identification: Gene God-Child - Prototype/Incomplete Form!]

Li Cang jumped straight out of his chair.

He had only intended to steal some gene templates, but he ended up causing their "Hero Unit" to have a premature birth with one cannon shot?!

Just as Li Cang was shocked beyond measure, an even more urgent alarm sounded on the bridge of the "Sword of Truth".

"Reporting to the Commander! High-energy warp signal detected!"

"A Martian fleet... has just arrived in lunar orbit!"

Archmagos Ul-02's communication request, laden with mechanical static, forced its way through.

"The Agent... you seem to have... discovered some 'extra spoils' not included in the protocol."

"According to the second clause of the Olympus Treaty... Mars has the right to conduct 'joint research' on all newly discovered 'Sacred Technology'."

These greedy tin-heads had come sniffing as soon as they caught the scent!

Li Cang looked at the "golden infant" who had just opened its eyes on the screen, then at the Martian warships eyeing them greedily in orbit.

An unprecedentedly crazy idea began to form in his mind.