After the end of the war, there were a series of troubles to deal with.

For example, the Space Wolves left Nirvana overnight with the standard construction template of the L-Star Gate provided by the Great Sage of Musbell, and quickly returned to their home planet, Fenris.

For example, sensitive Inquisitors are trying to find out the truth about the vast elven fleet that mysteriously disappeared into the depths of the Lost Dream Nebula.

Another example is that the technical priests who have come to support from other star sectors are relying on Falla's urban planet Embra and refuse to leave; At some point, a small tribe within the state religion has splintered that believes that the star is an embodiment of the emperor walking in the world, and this tribe is currently jumping on the verge of heresy.

In addition to the above things, there are many big and small things that happened during this time, and people need to deal with them. Russell, who was afraid of trouble, didn't stay in Falla for too long, and walked around the senate to get acquainted with the elders who had changed again, so he ran without hesitation.

Leaving the Knowledge Seekers base, Russell informed the two battlecruisers Ark of Elysium and the Oracle of Truth to return to Falla, and all the Truth Cult personnel on it also disembarked and returned with him to the underground research base located in the southern continent of Falla.

Russell was certainly concerned about the vanishing flame of repentance, and wanted to try to visit the AI core from the dark age of technology as soon as possible, and count the various loot recovered by the swarm from the corpses of the Ark World, but before that, Russell felt that he had to fulfill his promise first.

The promise to lead these monks who follow their ideals on a "path to ascension".

After being attacked by the Spirit Race on the main planet of Nifer, the Truth Monk that Russell brought out at the beginning lost nearly half, and now counting the part of the underground research base left in the Southern Continent, the total number of people in the entire Church is only 1,919.

Not even two thousand.

Russell summoned everyone to an open area called the Altar of Truth, located in the middle of the underground research base. Most people didn't know why the leader had put down his task and gathered here, and under the eyes of everyone mixed with doubt and expectation, Russell asked the scientific director of the research base and everyone else:

"What do you think is the most important thing to achieve the goal of seeking and spreading the truth?"

"Sanity."

Without the slightest hesitation, the scientific director replied: "There are many strange and chaotic idealistic things in the world, and only by experiencing seemingly unexplained mysterious phenomena can we still maintain ourselves, look at them dialectically with a clear mind and rational thinking, seek the logic behind them, and explore the principles therein, in order to seek the boundary of truth." ”

"Reason, this is the quality that my generation should have."

The scientific director's argument was supported by many, but there were also people with different views who debated it, and Russell listened quietly, and there was a cacophony on the altar of truth.

After a long time, when the crowd had calmed down again, Russell finally said the second sentence:

"Intellectual, patient, exploratory...... Each of you has your own opinions, and I can't give you an authoritative verdict on what is most important. But the only thing I know for sure is that there is one thing that can never be unimportant at any time. ”

Russell stretched out a hand and slowly clenched it into a fist:

"Force."

At that time, the dozen or so survivors of the Oracle of Truth and the Monks of Truth who participated in the war in the Lost Dream Nebula were deeply impressed, and many things could have been avoided if they had been strong enough.

As an academic organization formed by the Bullet Star himself, Russell's position as a monk of the Order of Truth has never been a technical nerd who is bored in the base doing research.

Russell needs them to drive a research ship on an expedition to the galaxy, to dig up the remnants of the past at the bottom of the nest capital where the demons are dancing wildly, to communicate with the ghosts, snakes, and gods in the chaotic world, and sometimes to dig up the graves with the oil guys...... Once academic discussions come up, it is inevitable that there will be a big fight.

This universe is never friendly, whether it is excavating ancient ruins, investigating the ecology of the nest, or even discussing debates with people with different opinions, the followers of the Star Bullet need to have enough force to protect themselves and convince others.

Academic organizations have been full of martial virtues since ancient times.

So Russell brought them a path to ascension.

Grey Wind duly projected a mentally complex theoretical explanation onto the altar of truth, bringing its obscure content to the fore of everyone – perhaps for the average person, but not necessarily for researchers who have been immersed in the field of science for many years.

Even if they can't fully understand the true meaning of this theory in a short time, it does not prevent them from roughly understanding the general purpose of this theory.

- Quantum neural connections.

By applying quantum theory to neurobiology, the theory can completely unlock the unexplored areas of the human brain, and further optimize the connection and interaction of human brain nerves, so that the modified human beings have incredibly powerful thinking ability and the speed of thinking and reaction that truly reaches the physiological limit.

And only the new human who has been transformed by the quantum neural connection can perfectly control the various powerful bionic prosthetics that will be implanted into the body next.

"When the footsteps of exploration cross the heavenly dome and go to the sea of stars, we can no longer endure the weakness and inefficiency of the human body. In order to fully reach our potential, both body modification and prosthetic implantation are imperative. ”

The flesh and blood are weak, and the prosthetic body is soaring, this is the way that the Star Bullet has given to the Monks of Truth.

"I will not force you to make a choice, it is entirely up to you whether or not to accept this power." Russell said lightly.

Gray Wind comprehendedly removed the theoretical outline of "quantum neural connection" from the altar of truth, and instead showed the general flow of the prosthetic ascension.

The nearly two thousand people on the altar stared intently at the theoretical knowledge that had been recompiled by Gray Wind, and from time to time whispered to the people around them.

They are no strangers to prosthetic implants.

Many members of the Mechanic Order, which represents one of the heads of the Sacred Imperial Double-headed Eagle, are keen to mechanize and add prosthetics to their bodies, and over time they become more and more sophisticated, until they transform themselves into a completely inhumanoid mechanical monster.

Many physically disabled workers, soldiers, and nobles will also choose to customize prosthetics to repair their own defects from the Mechanic Order, and there are also many war maniacs who implant prostheses simply to gain greater strength. For a high enough price, the Order of the Mechanics could even transform a mortal into something more powerful than Astarte.

In general, the mechanical prostheses and artificial implants of the Human Empire are quite developed and well-developed, but - generally fragmented.

Every casting world, even two technical priests who belong to the same casting world, rarely have much similarity in the style and degree of body modification, there are various types of prostheses and implants, and thousands of different models of prostheses can be made into the same body part, and different objects may not be compatible with each other.

Prosthetic implants performed by the Mechanics are always associated with a high risk of death and great suffering, and they refuse to admit that it has anything to do with their practice of burning incense and praying for half an hour with every screw.

But at this moment, Russell's path to the ascension of the prosthetic body in front of the Truth Order is a standardized, safe, complete, and systematic route for strengthening and transforming the sound human body.

The basic Adamantite skeleton, artificial muscle fibers, synaptic nerves, nanorobots that replace red blood cells to supply oxygen to the body while also maintaining and repairing damaged tissues, and lens implantation that enhances vision...... The artificial implants fit together, support each other, and are well organized, almost rebuilding a near-perfect human body system from scratch.

Coupled with the quantum neural connections that perfectly integrate and manipulate these implants, every Monk of Truth present understands how perfect and great this path of ascension is, and can even lead a race to elevation.

Although the well-modified prosthetic is already extraordinary, it still looks like a normal person, and there are no additional mechanical arms or weapons, but the hard physical fitness alone is enough to make the Emperor's elaborate Angel of Death: Astarte fall behind.

Although ordinary prosthetic reformers will not have the harsh selection criteria of Brother Astarte, and the hellish training without humanitarianism, they also lack the combat experience of high-pressure combat for many years, and most of them will suffer if they really fight.

"I have a task for you next." Russell looked around and said, "This mission requires a ship to wander around to various human planets in the Far Eastern Frontier, passing through a large area of war, and may encounter many dangers. Therefore, I will only send monks who have completed the ascension of the prosthetic body. ”

"So, make your choice."

As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of people came forward, and Russell noticed that most of them were crew members who had worked on the Ark of Elysium and the Oracle of Truth, and they were obviously better able to understand how important strength was after having experienced war.

Most of the remaining Monks of Truth hesitated and finally came forward, with only a small number of them, including the head of scientific research, refusing.

They are the first part of the people who supported the truth of the empire, and their thinking is also the most conservative, and the attitude of this small group of people towards the transformation of the prosthetic body that destroys the "human sacred body" is that you will not say it, and you say that I will not change.

It's similar to the Human Empire's overall attitude towards the Mechanics.

Russell respected their wishes and did not force them.

"Thank you for trusting me on this path to ascension, and I am so grateful." Russell smiled slightly, and then said, "But I can feel the pent-up resistance and some fear in your hearts. So, I'm going to do a complete body modification and full prosthetic implantation on a person at this base to complete the first case of prosthetic ascension - who wants to be this forerunner who clears the doubts of other colleagues? ”

"I, me, me! Please choose me! Leader, please, wow——! ”

Before Russell could finish his words, a short, thin figure rushed out of the crowd and pounced directly on him, but this figure was obviously a little too thin to run up and stumble directly over the loose trouser leg of the research uniform and fall in front of Russell.

Grey Wind Eye quickly supported the skinny and clumsy fellow, and he was still willing to help the mortals who actively responded to the marshal's call.

But when this person raised his head from Gray Wind's arms and saw her face, Russell's heart became mixed.

Because he knew this man.

Sensing Russell's subtle reaction, Grey Wind quickly recalled in his mind the entire history of the person in his arms:

- Lystia, female, 21 years old, from Falla, at the age of 12, she volunteered to become a slave worker in the Order of Mechanics in order to study, and during her servitude, she showed an extremely devout belief in the god of all machines, and her extraordinary talent, which was appreciated by the technical priest.

But just two years later, 14-year-old Listia drained all the knowledge of the technical priest who had taken her in;

In order to learn more, she gave up her belief in the god of all machines and switched to the state religion, and quietly infiltrated the Northern Rite Cathedral under a false identity and became a miscellaneous nun.

Three years later, Lystia was sentenced to death for peeking at the magic books stored in the church's forbidden room, and managed to escape from prison the day before the execution, giving up her faith in the Emperor and joining the Imperial Truth. Later, he learned about the existence of the Truth Church and decisively joined it.

The Order's possession of the infinite amount of knowledge from the Bullet Star truly satisfied Listia's intellectual curiosity, and it was probably the organization she had stayed with the longest...... 5 years.

I really don't know how the Truth Order recruits people.

Lystia does not believe in the god of all machines, nor in the emperor, although she agrees with the dialectical materialism that the Order of Truth believes, but only with it, and this identification needs to be put in quotation marks.

It is no wonder that the marshal would be embarrassed by such a man who took the initiative to become the first human to receive the ascension of the prosthetic...... After figuring out the situation, Grey Wind let go of the hand holding Listia's thin body and retreated to Russell's side.

The delicate girl was dressed and smiled embarrassedly at Grey Wind, and everyone around her felt that this scene was absurd, and Listia looked at Russell with admiration and longing, so enthusiastic that people did not dare to look directly at her overly dazzling gaze.

The moment she saw the theory of quantum neural connectivity, she fell in love with this profound and beautiful knowledge, and couldn't wait to see the theory in action.

It's best to practice it on your own.

Looking at Lystia's eager expression, Russell seemed to be able to feel the incomparably hot temperature in her eyes, and Gray Wind watched his reaction without saying a word, it wanted to reject Lystia instead of the marshal, but did not speak.

"Okay, that's you." Russell nodded helplessly.

"Praise be to you! Great, wise leader! We are the guides of those who seek knowledge! Kudos to you! Listia was so overjoyed that she wanted to fall on the ground and hug Russell's thigh...... Knee.

Seeing this, Grey Wind didn't say anything more, and it respected Russell's decision.

Next, it will be up to Grey Wind to make this skinny girl the first human to embark on the path of prosthetic ascension.

(End of chapter)