8: They won, but at the cost of eating their comrades.

[PVP Tactical Deduction Settlement.]

[Victor: Imperium of Man.]

[Loot List:]

genesis points (GP): 3000 points.

Material Resources: Refined Brass x200 units, High-Energy Steam Core x5 (Automatically decomposed into universal energy).

As the smoke cleared, the cold and damp underground foundry disintegrated, returning to a cold stream of data.

Inside the holographic pod.

Li Cang ripped off the neural link cables, his chest heaving violently as he greedily breathed in the turbid air. Sweat slid down, dripping onto the nutrient solution lines.

On his retina, the red countdown stopped flashing. In its place were numbers emitting a faint green glow: 24:00:00.

Blood money for his life.

But he had no time to celebrate.

In the corner of his vision, on the [civilization forge] interface, the [Thunder Warrior Legion] icon was flashing red frantically, like a necrotic heart.

[Severe Warning: Card durability has fallen below 65%.]

[Biological Alarm: Large-scale genetic collapse. Muscle group dissolution, nervous system overload. Immediate maintenance suggested, otherwise permanent damage will occur.]

This was the cruelty of "Epoch". The cards were alive.

Every wound, every overload, if not repaired, would weaken their strength or even cause them to shatter completely—permanent death.

Li Cang endured the stinging pain of the neural connection and dove his consciousness down... [Deduction Epoch: M2 Gene Cathedral Ruins]

The scene cut in.

Inside a steel fortress converted from an abandoned biochemical laboratory, the air was thick with the pungent smell of rust, machine oil, and high-concentration disinfectant.

Under the dim surgical lights, Arik Taranis sat on a stainless steel operating table.

His naked upper body was like a scroll of hell.

Muscles tore through skin, and hypertrophic bones pierced through flesh. His body was like a sealed barrel full of explosives, collapsing from within.

"Ugh..."

This iron-blooded warrior, who could flip a mecha with his bare hands, let out a suppressed groan.

Beside him, several dull-eyed [Gene Servants] were busy. These low-level units, whose frontal lobes had been removed, mechanically inserted thick needles into Arik's spine, pumping in high-concentration sedatives.

"Legion Commander, metabolic rate exceeds the critical value by 300%."

A Gene Servant reported mechanically: "Cellular autophagy. If combat continues, internal organs will turn into pus."

Arik gripped the edge of the operating table tightly; the alloy surface was squeezed into deep finger prints, emitting the sound of twisting metal.

He looked up, eyes bloodshot and pupils constricted. The beast deep within his genes was roaring, craving slaughter to fill the void.

"For... Unity."

He squeezed these words through his teeth. This was the only incantation that could keep him sane... [Holographic Pod Perspective]

Li Cang's gaze was cold.

This was the fate of the Thunder Warriors.

Products of short-sightedness, half-finished results of Gene Alchemy. They possessed power exceeding that of the Astartes, yet constantly faced collapse.

Burning torches, destined for short lives.

"System, initiate maintenance."

Li Cang's voice was beyond question.

"Consume 'Refined Brass' and exchange it for 'Medical Bio-Glue' and 'Ceramit Repair Fluid'."

[Command confirmed.]

[Material transformation in progress... Loss rate 40%.]

[Executing biological repair...]

The Gene Servants' movements quickened.

New Ceramite plates were riveted onto Arik's body, covering his wounds. High-energy nutrient solution was injected into his body, temporarily calming the restless fires of his genes.

But this was only treating the symptoms.

Unless he unlocked the highest-level genetic engineering, maintenance was merely delaying death.

"I must enhance firepower."

Li Cang looked at the massive technology tree.

"I can't keep consuming their bodies. I need them to end the battle before the enemy reaches them."

With 3000 GP in hand, he could do something now.

In "Epoch", GP wasn't just for buying cards; more importantly, it was for [Accelerating Research and Development].

He clicked on [Military Technology].

Although the Thunder Warriors' Chainswords were invincible, they suffered too much against long-range fire suppression. In the battle just now, had it not been for the terrain ambush, at least half would have died.

"I need long-range firepower."

"Firepower that is simple, crude, immensely powerful, and capable of blowing apart cover."

Li Cang's gaze locked onto a crimson node—[Bolter Technology].

The pinnacle of violent aesthetics.

[Node: Bolter Technology (Early Prototype)]

Prerequisites: [Basic Physics Lv.2] or [Chemical Propulsion Technology].

R&D Requirements: 500 BP points, 10 years of deduction time.

Acceleration Requirement: 1000 GP points.

"10 years is too long."

Li Cang shook his head. Every second in the qualifiers was life itself.

"Invest 1000 GP, accelerate immediately."

[Investment confirmed.]

[Technological leap in progress...]

...[Deduction Epoch: M29 · Weapon Proving Grounds]

Time flew by.

On the wasteland, crude munitions factories rose from the ground. Gene Servants mined ore veins day and night, furnaces roared, and black smoke obscured the sky.

A grey morning.

Arik Taranis stood at the proving grounds, holding a black firearm that had just come off the assembly line, still warm with machine oil.

No precision scopes, no electronic aids. It was as crude as an industrial hammer dug out of a scrap heap.

Only a thick barrel with a 0.75-inch caliber and a magazine as heavy as a brick.

Holding death in his hands.

"Fire."

Arik pulled the trigger.

Bang!

A thunderous roar echoed, making gravel jump. A two-stage boom—the propellant ignited, followed by the rocket motor firing.

A self-propelled rocket bolt screamed out, trailing exhaust flames, instantly striking an abandoned light tank five hundred meters away.

Boom!

It didn't just penetrate. It detonated.

The mass-reactive warhead relied on kinetic energy to burrow into the armor, exploding a millisecond later.

The tank's side armor plate instantly buckled inward and disintegrated. An internal secondary explosion followed, flames shot into the sky, and the turret was blown several meters away.

[Bolter - Early Prototype]

[Description: This is not a gun; it is an extension of the Emperor's wrath. It does not fire bullets, but miniature rockets of vengeance.]

Arik looked at the hot barrel, feeling the intoxicating recoil.

On his tormented face, a hint of ferocious pleasure appeared.

With this.

Those cowards hiding in the distance would have nowhere to run... [Holographic Pod Perspective]

[Technology Unlocked: Bolter Technology.]

[Card Update: Thunder Warrior Legion (Bolter Equipped Edition).]

[Added Traits: [Mid-Range Suppression], [Explosive Damage], [Armor Piercing].]

Li Cang nodded with satisfaction. This was the army he wanted.

But it wasn't enough.

3000 GP, 1000 for R&D, 500 for equipment repair and healing.

1500 points left.

He had to solve a more fatal problem—population.

Thunder Warriors were consumables. Every death was a permanent loss.

Though he could create new ones, he needed a large number of "subjects". The wasteland world had negative population growth, newborns were deformed, and adults died of radiation and famine.

"Without population, there is no source of soldiers."

"Without soldiers, there are no Thunder Warriors."

Li Cang's gaze turned toward the perpetually grey [Public Star Sector]. That was the major world of the Silver rank.

But at the Black Iron rank, the system provided substitutes—[Skirmish Missions].

Randomly generated instances. Wandering fleets, lost colonial ships, Warp outposts.

[Mission Scanning...]

[Target Locked: Wandering Refugee Ship]

[Description: A colonial ship lost in a Warp storm, crash-landed on the edge of Terra. Carries approximately 2000 civilians in cryo-sleep.]

[Objective: Control this area.]

[Reward: Population Resources x 1000.]

"Control?"

A smile curled on Li Cang's lips. There was no mercy, only the desire to plunder.

In the logic of Warhammer, this wasn't called control, nor was it called rescue.

This was called "Forced Conscription".

This was called the "Blood Tithe".

He reached out and slammed the [Thunder Warrior] card, now equipped with Bolters and radiating destruction, into the preparation slot.

"Arik, take your new toys."

Li Cang's voice was cold and decisive.

"Go and supplement our Empire... with some fresh blood."