How could a lazy bum like Fu Qinghai possibly go to graduate school?
Laziness and the pursuit of knowledge are not contradictory.
A person's laziness sometimes stems from personality, and sometimes from their physical energy levels.
However, for Fu Qinghai, who had undergone the Space Marine surgical modification, the first possibility—fatigue or insufficient energy—was ruled out.
It left him energetic and eager to learn every single day.
After confirming that he would be studying under Master Kunto to become a Tech-Sergeant, Fu Qinghai's schedule became even more packed. In addition to daily training and military knowledge studies, he added learning about the unique science and technology of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe.
Before Fu Qinghai even pledged himself to Master Kunto, he had quietly crammed a lot of basic theoretical knowledge about the Warhammer 40,000 Universe in the Frigate's small Library, mainly focusing on cosmic physics. He first built the Worldview framework of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe in his mind, cramming everything from what the Warp was to what the Gellar Field was.
After all, the body assigned to him by the Reincarnation World—the Lower Hive Youth Locke—was, by the standards of the Imperium of Man in Warhammer 40,000, practically an illiterate person.
As mentioned before, Tony Stark's Electronic Soul Backup is not completely equivalent to another Iron Man. Although this thing copies some of the Iron Man's memories, its essence is an Electronic Brain, not a Human Brain. It has the flaws of an Electronic Brain, but also the advantages that far surpass a Human Brain, especially in terms of memory capacity.
Based on the characteristics of the Electronic Brain, his reading speed was comparable to a Scan, and his memory and comprehension abilities were somewhat different from a traditional Human Brain. He quickly grasped the setting of this Universe.
With basic theoretical physics knowledge, he could begin studying prerequisite disciplines for Engineering—Materials Science and Energy Dynamics, among others.
Materials Science, especially the Warhammer 40,000 Universe's unique rare natural material—Adamantium—as well as the Imperium of Man's advanced composite materials—Ceramite and Plasteel.
Energy Dynamics: Promethium, the Imperium's most basic and common liquid fuel, was something Fu Qinghai, or rather Locke, was already very familiar with. He mainly studied technologies like fusion nuclear power, which were commonplace in the Warhammer 40,000 World.
…………
Training Cage.
Fu Qinghai, covered in wounds all over his body, sat cross-legged in the center of the Training Cage. His upper body was bare, wearing only a pair of athletic Shorts, his entire body relaxed, eyes slightly closed, silently meditating and regulating his breathing according to Wo Kuotai's method.
Even without the assistance of the Power Armor's Life Support System, the physique of a Space Marine was sufficient to heal these seemingly shocking superficial injuries.
Outside the Training Cage, Wo Kuotai and Albus Lang were whispering to each other.
Wo Kuotai looked at Fu Qinghai quietly meditating inside the Training Cage, tilted his head, covered his mouth, and whispered:
"Albus, what do you think of Locke?"
"He is a Cunning warrior," Albus Lang concluded first.
"I like him a lot. He is very smart, a person who truly fights with his brain. He is not constrained by any single technique or style, whether it's wide-sweeping attacks or tricky maneuvers, nor does he pursue some damn aesthetic like those narcissistic Emperor's Children. This kid values results; to defeat me, he could intentionally take a few light hits from me, feign retreat, and fake injuries—he thought of everything."
Wo Kuotai's mouth twitched. Albus Lang's description made him feel it wasn't intelligence, but shamelessness.
However, Albus Lang's evaluation of him was quite high. Techniques are ultimately limited; finding one's own path is the fundamental pursuit of a warrior, and Fu Qinghai seemed to show signs of this right from the start.
…………
Nine standard Terra months passed again.
Nine months of silent travel—if it were Fu Qinghai, he might have been bored to death, but for the Crew members who had adapted to long-duration space travel, it wasn't too unbearable.
In the lower deck, in Kunto's Laboratory.
Fu Qinghai was once again covered in wires and sensors, sitting on a metal crate.
On the Screen of the nearby Workbench, Master Kunto, clad in a dark red robe, silently watched the fluctuating readings on the Screen.
Kunto was analyzing Fu Qinghai's physical data, and Fu Qinghai wasn't idle either; he quietly opened the Attribute Panel in his mind.
【Name: Fu Qinghai （True Name ）
Reincarnation Number: 60731920
Race: Space Marine （Bio-engineered Human ）
Height: 249cm
Weight: 301kg
Special Ability: Tony Stark Backup （Completion Degree 17% ）Bound Brain Domain
Reincarnation Equipment: None
Assimilation Points: 990 points
World Anchor: X1
Reincarnation Life: X2 】
Compared to nine months ago, he had grown a little taller and heavier.
The body's various Superman Organs had finally developed into their complete forms through continuous growth over these nine months.
Master Kunto's hoarse voice sounded: "I see no issues on my end. How do you feel yourself?"
"Me? I feel great every day, full of Energy."
Kunto chuckled hoarsely, "That's your adrenaline urging you to enter combat quickly. That day won't be too far off, Little Locke. Think about why Wo Kuotai chose you. Becoming a higher organism surpassing a Mortal is not without its cost."
Pausing, Kunto continued, "Dying on the battlefield is the fate of all Astartes. I just hope you don't die too quickly, so I can observe you a bit longer."
"Even if you must die eventually, don't die too ignominiously. After all, you are a creation of Kunto Anastasio. Try to die spectacularly, so that the common folk don't question my standards."
"Return to your squad; they should have prepared something for you."
Master Kunto, your words are so auspicious, your mouth is smeared with honey... Fu Qinghai grumbled internally. Can't I just live a long, comfortable life?
Hearing that Wo Kuotai and the others had prepared something for him, he was about to ask further, but seeing Kunto wave his hand, seemingly unwilling to explain, Fu Qinghai didn't press the matter.
After rising and nodding respectfully to Master Kunto, he turned and left.
…………
Dagger-class Frigate, Bridge.
The Bridge was somewhat lively today; many people who weren't usually there were present.
They seemed to have been waiting here for a long time, awaiting Fu Qinghai's arrival.
The Dagger-class Frigate's Captain, Konrad Adenauer, a middle-aged man with a black beard who always wore his uniform, the Bridge was where he ought to be.
The highest military Commander of this vessel, the Space Marine representative, the Company Captain of the White Scars Falcon Brotherhood, Fu Qinghai's old acquaintance, Wo Kuotai Mangnut.
Besides Wo Kuotai, the remaining six Space Marines, including Taral and Albus Lang, were all present on the Bridge.
This was unusual.
During the nine months of getting along, Fu Qinghai had become familiar with his Company mates. He raised his arm across his chest and saluted them in a marching gesture, and the Space Marines standing in a line watching him returned the salute politely.
There was one more person: a tall, thin Youth with messy, flaxen hair, pale Skin, and some Freckles.
His eyes and forehead were tightly wrapped in circles of white cloth, yet he seemed unaffected, turning his gaze toward Fu Qinghai along with everyone else's.
The moment he was "stared" at, Fu Qinghai felt his heart skip a beat.
So this is what it feels like to be watched by a Psyker... Fu Qinghai thought.
This was the Frigate's Navigator, Vanriel, a descendant of one of the Imperium's Navigator Families.
Navigators, a special type of Psyker, grow a Third Eye on their forehead when their Psychic Ability matures. This eye is usually kept closed and covered to prevent Mortals from accidentally meeting its gaze, which could cause them panic and Dread.
Fu Qinghai nodded respectfully to Navigator Vanriel.
The other party returned a barely perceptible nod; he wasn't as cold and unapproachable as the rumored Psykers.
Astropaths are usually blind, but Navigators are not. Vanriel covering his eyes might just be to enhance the sensitivity of the Third Eye on his forehead, Fu Qinghai guessed.
"Alright, Little Locke, come over here," Wo Kuotai's hoarse, loud voice rang out. It was clear he was in a good mood today.
He motioned for Fu Qinghai to approach him, sizing up the tall, young Space Marine before him. Wo Kuotai's eyes were filled with satisfaction.
The warriors of the White Scars believe in the existence of Killing Intent. In Wo Kuotai's eyes, after this long period of training, Fu Qinghai was now showing his potential, gradually exuding a trace of the so-called "Aura" and "Presence."
"Today is the day you officially undergo Ascension and become one of us. I have arranged a simple ceremony for you," Wo Kuotai explained.
"I believe you know everyone present, so I won't introduce them further. Oh, right, this is Vanriel, Marco Ba-la-ba-la-ba-la Vanriel. I can't remember the middle name. He is our Navigator, from the noble... uh, the Riel Family of the Imperialis Terra lowlands."
Wo Kuotai's tone carried a hint of teasing. He even turned to Marco and asked, "Is my description accurate, Navigator Sir?"
The pale young man did not react strongly to Wo Kuotai's obvious teasing. He merely shook his head lightly, "It is accurate, Lord Wo Kuotai."
Fu Qinghai certainly knew why Wo Kuotai was putting on this show. This group of White Scars warriors urgently needed to return to the Sol System to complete their mission and participate in subsequent operations against the Traitors. However, because they couldn't perform a Warp Jump, they were currently crawling through the vast Universe at Sublight speed. At this rate, even ignoring fuel and supplies, by the time they reached the Sol System, the Traitor and Loyalist factions would have already decided the victor.
The reason the Frigate couldn't perform a Warp Jump was that the Navigator was affected by a Berserker Warp Storm and couldn't find a suitable node or path in the Warp.
Given Wo Kuotai's personality, it was normal for him to give Vanriel a hard time.
Judging by Vanriel's reaction, he seemed long accustomed to it.
"Ahem," Taral coughed lightly, signaling Wo Kuotai to return to the main topic.
Wo Kuotai understood, turned to face everyone, and said, "Today is the day Little Locke officially undergoes Ascension to become a glorious and great White Scars. I have invited you all to witness this moment. The wartime situation is special, so we will keep everything simple, without the complex rituals of the Astartes Monastery."
Saying this, Wo Kuotai turned to face Fu Qinghai and announced loudly:
"Today, you shed the sequence of Mortals and become the closest progeny of the Emperor—an Astartes, becoming the most powerful warrior under the Khan—a Chaghatai Ordo. In the future, when you ride across the starry seas of the Universe, proclaiming the Imperium's truth, reclaiming humanity's ancestral lands, and crushing the Skulls of your enemies, do not forget today, do not forget the promise you make today!"
"This is not the Quanzhou Monastery, so face the direction of Holy Terra, kneel on one knee, and follow me in swearing the oath..."
Fu Qinghai complied as instructed.
After the oath-taking segment concluded, Fu Qinghai stood up. Wo Kuotai said to him:
"Starting today, you must sever ties with your past self. Abandon your former Name; you will become a completely new person. Give yourself a ChoGoris Style name; it will help you integrate into the Legion."
Wo Kuotai had mentioned this to him before, and Fu Qinghai had already decided on his answer.
Fu Qinghai said loudly, "Qingshan, my name shall be Qingshan."
He never liked the overly simplistic three-letter name Locke anyway.
The name "Qingshan" reminded him of an online novel he had read over a decade ago in his previous life on Earth, which was also the first online novel he had ever read. The characters and roles in it were still vivid in his memory.
"Very good, an excellent name," Wo Kuotai praised, patting Fu Qinghai's Shoulder. "It reminds me of Mount Lu, a powerful warrior from the Dawn's Light Brotherhood."
Then, Wo Kuotai handed over a small bowl of thick, black liquid. "This is a Highly Toxic Potion that I asked Master Kunto to formulate for me. Dip a bit onto your blade, then carve your own scar onto your Face. The Ascension ceremony will then be complete."
Fu Qinghai solemnly accepted the small bowl of poison.
The reason for using a Highly Toxic Potion is that the physical recovery ability of Space Marines is too powerful; ordinary cuts from sharp objects cannot leave scars on their bodies, and the tattoo inks used by Mortals cannot leave color on them either. Therefore, only corrosive poisons can be used to maintain the traditional custom of the ChoGoris warriors.
The normal Space Marine Ascension ceremony is an internal affair of the Space Marine Legion, usually witnessed only within the Company, without needing outsiders. The reason Wo Kuotai insisted on holding this Ascension ceremony on the Bridge today was likely the same reason—
Fu Qinghai's process of becoming a Space Marine did not follow the normal procedure.
Wo Kuotai's action was a grand gesture to inform everyone on the ship that he, Wo Kuotai, was acting purely for the public good and with integrity.
…………
PS: Ordo originally means tent or Palace, but in a broader sense, it can also be understood as a military unit. It is a unit noun used by nomadic peoples such as the Turks, Mongols, and Khitans. In the official novels of Warhammer 40,000, it is an internal term for the White Scars Space Marines, roughly equivalent to "Soldier" or "Warrior," considered a borrowing of steppe culture terminology by British writers.