49: Chapter 49 The Golden Age History of Fenris IV

In front of the console, the holographic screen expanded, glowing with a soft, pale blue luster. Lin Qiming took a deep breath, calming the excitement caused by his breakthrough and the acquisition of new permissions. He needed to view this information calmly, especially the history of the planet beneath his feet—it very likely contained clues about the Old Ones' facilities, the Imperial quarantine zones, and even the root cause of all the current chaos.

"Hephaestus, retrieve the 'Fenris IV' archives. Priority: Golden Age colonization records, planetary geology and resource surveys, and major historical event nodes."

[Searching... Keywords: Fenris IV. Location: Eastern edge of the Storm Sector, fourth planet of the Gamma-7-9 system.]

[Archive retrieval successful. Data sources: Golden Age Human Colonization Administration (partial), Adeptus Mechanicus early exploration logs (summary), Imperial Administration discarded records (fragments). Data integrity: approximately 42%. Starting playback of overview.]

In the center of the screen, an image of a planet emerged. It was not the death world Lin Qiming was familiar with—wrapped in grayish-brown clouds, its surface scarred by industry and Hive City spires—but a terrestrial planet interwoven with azure and emerald, full of vitality. The outlines of continents were vaguely discernible, and the oceans were vast.

"This is... Fenris IV?" Lin Qiming said, somewhat incredulous.

[The image is reconstructed from the early colonization period of the Golden Age (approx. M25-M26).] Hephaestus explained, [According to the records, Fenris IV was assessed at the time as a 'highly suitable for colonization' planet. The atmospheric composition was close to Terra standards, with 65% liquid water coverage, a rich terrestrial ecosystem, and considerable reserves of mineral resources (especially the rare crystals associated with 'ashstone'). It was designated as a resource supply and light manufacturing node for the eastern part of the Storm Sector.]

The scene switched, showing the early colony: neat prefabricated building complexes, shuttling aircraft, busy but orderly robot laborers, and agricultural zones thriving under artificial ecological domes. Compared to the oppressive filth of the current Hive City, it was simply the difference between heaven and hell.

"ashstone..." Lin Qiming noted this keyword, "Is that the kind mined in the Remains Mine?"

[Yes. ashstone is a highly efficient thermal conductor and stabilizer, widely used in Golden Age energy systems and precision manufacturing. Its associated 'psyker-conductive crystals' (the same type as the purple unstable crystal you obtained) were considered highly valuable byproducts at the time, used for high-end communication and energy transmission. The mining industry was the main economic pillar of Fenris IV.]

The imagery continued to flow, displaying a cross-section of the planet's subsurface. A complex network of mine tunnels, like the roots of a great tree, extended deep into the strata. And in the extreme depths of certain veins, scanning images showed the existence of massive, non-natural voids and geometric structures, labeled as "Unknown Ancient Relics (Inert) — Restricted Mining Zone."

"Old Ones' facilities! They were discovered back then?" Lin Qiming pressed.

[Humans of the Golden Age detected their existence, but because their technological level far exceeded human understanding at the time, and they showed no obvious activity or threat, they were cautiously labeled as 'archaeological reserves' and 'potential research targets,' and were not developed on a large scale. Records show that small-scale research teams once moved in to study them, but the results are unknown.] Hephaestus pulled up a few vague report summaries, mostly filled with terms like "unable to parse," "structurally stable," and "suggest long-term observation."

The scroll of history moved forward. The glory of the Golden Age gradually faded, and the shadows of the Age of Strife enveloped the galaxy. The connection between Fenris IV and its mother world was severed, and it fell into isolation.

[During the Age of Strife, records are severely missing. Speculation: Planetary order collapsed, the colony shrank, technology regressed, and survivors may have retreated to a few fortified strongholds or gone underground. 'ashstone' mining became chaotic and dangerous.] The screen turned dark, showing scenes of collapsed mine tunnels and abandoned facilities.

Then, the light of the Emperor's Great Crusade swept across the star sea.

[Around the early M31, the Imperial fleet rediscovered Fenris IV. By this time, the planet's surface environment had deteriorated due to disorderly mining and war, but the underground mineral deposits and residual industrial base still had value. The Empire incorporated it into its territory, established initial rule, and began large-scale, systematic mining of the ashstone veins to support the war machine of the expeditionary forces.]

The holographic projection showed Imperial-style giant excavators, orbital elevators, and the embryonic form of the Hive City that gradually formed around the mining center—the predecessor of "Ironfast Hive." Compared to the refinement of the Golden Age, the Imperial style was brutal and efficient, exuding a cold pragmatism.

"And then? The Empire discovered the Old Ones' relics, and then established a quarantine zone?" Lin Qiming associated this with the decay battery fragments.

[Correct. During the large-scale mining process, Imperial exploration teams inevitably reached deeper into the Old Ones' facility areas.] Hephaestus's tone carried a hint of mockery, [Unlike the caution of the Golden Age, some factions of the Adeptus Mechanicus showed great... interest in these 'xenos technologies,' as well as a typical attitude mixed with greed and fear. They attempted to study, replicate, and even utilize them. Records show that around M33, in the underground area corresponding to the current B-9 zone, 'Isolation Zone 73' was established, with the main research direction being 'ancient relic energy extraction and application'.]

A crude schematic appeared on the screen: a complex built on the periphery of the Old Ones' facility, equipped with energy restraint devices, laboratories, and... decay battery arrays. Next to the image were scribbled notes: "Project Codename: 'prometheus.' Goal: Tame xenos energy. Status: High risk."

"The result is predictable." Lin Qiming had already guessed the ending.

[The archives record: In the mid-M34, a major accident occurred in 'Isolation Zone 73.' The cause is unknown, and the records have been heavily altered. The only remaining information indicates that there was a 'large-scale energy leak,' 'facility structural collapse,' 'partial activation of research subjects,' and 'severe personnel casualties and contamination.' The isolation zone was urgently sealed and abandoned, and related information was classified as 'restricted.'] Hephaestus displayed the last few documents marked with red warning signs, [Since then, the Empire's interest in Fenris IV seems to have diminished significantly. The ashstone veins gradually dried up or became too expensive to mine, and coupled with the continuous deterioration of the planet's environment and its remote location, it was gradually forgotten by the core worlds, reduced to a peripheral, abandoned mining world. The Hive City 'Ironfast Hive,' in the absence of upper-level management and investment, evolved on its own into the layer-upon-layer oppressive, gang-ridden state it is today.]

The image finally froze on an aerial view of the current Fenris IV—gray, scarred, with only sparse lights at the top of the Hive City, like foxfire on a tombstone.

The archive playback ended. The control room was silent.

Lin Qiming remained silent for a long time. A brief history of the planet spanning thousands of years echoed in his mind: from a vibrant colony to a frontier jewel of the Golden Age, then to a lost land during the Age of Strife, rediscovered and exploited by the Empire, abandoned for touching forbidden things, and finally sinking into a living hell.

All the clues were connected. The Old Ones' facility was the root cause. The Golden Age knew of its existence but kept it at arm's length. The Imperial Adeptus Mechanicus attempted to "steal fire," triggering a disaster and leaving behind decay batteries and the ruins of the isolation zone. The facility itself may have been further damaged as a result, with energy and information leaking through water veins and mine tunnels, creating the "wickedness" of the B-9 zone and the anomalies in the Pump Station drainage. And after the planet's value was exhausted, it was abandoned by the Empire, and the Hive Bottom bred everything that exists today in despair.

"So, the Iron Tooth Gang, the Adeptus Mechanicus Explorators, and perhaps even the Deep Well Gang... what they are chasing is nothing more than a fragment of this huge iceberg exposed above the surface. And the main body of the iceberg, that damaged Old Ones' facility, still lies silently deep within the planet." Lin Qiming said slowly, his eyes flashing with complex light, "And I, the one who inherited the Old Ones' legacy, may be the closest and most qualified person to truly understand it at the moment."

[An accurate summary.] Hephaestus affirmed, [What you have now is not just the key to opening the database, but a perspective to understand the ins and outs of all this. The tragedy of Fenris IV is a microcosm of the fate of countless peripheral worlds in the Warhammer universe: used, plundered, forgotten. And the legacy of the Old Ones is a variable, a danger, and also... one of the possibilities to break out of this cycle.]

Is it possible? Lin Qiming didn't know. But he knew that the path beneath his feet was already tightly interwoven with the long scroll of history. He was no longer just a transmigrator struggling to survive, but a pathfinder stepping into the dust of history, trying to uncover secrets and find a way out.

"In the database, is there more information about the specific location and internal structure of that 'Isolation Zone 73'? What about the scan data of the Old Ones' facility itself?" He raised his head, his gaze as sharp as a knife.

The exploration had only just begun. And this time, he had a map.

[Historical archive review completed. Worldview depth unlocked: The rise and fall history of Fenris IV.]

[Key information acquired: Early discovery history of the Old Ones' facility, the Imperial 'prometheus' project and the isolation zone accident, the root cause of the planet being forgotten.]

[Main quest 'Mystery of the Deep Well Edge' intel significantly updated, exploration direction further clarified.]

[System evaluation: Reading history makes one wise, but also gives one a headache. Now you know, the cesspit you live in was once a toilet with dreams. Unfortunately, those dreams were flushed down the sewer by a bunch of tin cans and red-robed lunatics. Now, you, the guy holding the ancient toilet plunger, intend to unclog it, or... blow it up?]