For Osiris, self-cultivating and modulating assistants was a technically feasible and practical path that met his current needs.
The core advantage lay in his ability to pre-set loyalty protocols at the genetic level and implant unbypassable control nodes during neural modification, thereby ensuring that from their very inception, the fundamental purpose and core logic of these assistants would be to serve him.
This absolute loyalty, shaped from the roots by biological instinct and mechanical compulsion, was far more direct and reliable than sifting through and cultivating subordinates within a complex and uncertain interpersonal network.
Based on this concept, he formulated a clear, phased implementation plan.
In the current phase, he planned to utilize the existing standard production lines available to him on the Neksum Forge World to first manufacture a batch of relatively basic temporary apprentices.
These initial products were intended to address immediate needs, capable of handling basic and tedious tasks such as data organization, routine equipment maintenance, and resource allocation, thus meeting his most fundamental manpower assistance requirements at this stage.
His longer-term, more central plan was closely linked to the forge ship that would soon belong to him.
He planned to establish a dedicated, higher-standard precision production line on the NXS-07 cruiser in the future. At that time, he would be able to produce "advanced apprentices" with more complex genetic editing and deep mechanical modification.
These customized assistants would possess stronger professional capabilities, capable of undertaking more independent research tasks and more complex technical management, truly becoming the backbone of his core team.
After finalizing this plan, Osiris listed it as one of the priority projects to be executed upon his return to the Death World and began to mentally outline the required technical pathways, resource List, and preliminary design parameters.
This was not an overnight process, but for long-term stability and development, this step was crucial.
A clear plan formed in Osiris' mind: utilize the resources of the Forge World to first produce a batch of basic assistants, then return to the Death World base, and safely teleport back to the Cyberpunk dimension.
Without delay, he immediately used his newly acquired Archmagos authority to commandeer an unoccupied biological modulation facility on Neksum.
The entire modulation process adhered to standard Adeptus Mechanicus protocols.
Within training pods filled with nutrient solution and neural interfaces, fifty bodies based on optimized genetic templates grew synchronously.
Osiris personally supervised the parameter settings at critical nodes, ensuring that each individual was implanted with basic neural control protocols and knowledge infusion interfaces.
One standard month later, this batch of modulators successfully completed their basic modulation and entered the activation and evaluation phase.
The evaluation took place in a quiet, white observation room.
Fifty individuals who had just finished basic modulation stood in neat rows, dressed in uniform plain clothes, their eyes holding the confusion and curiosity of newborns.
Osiris' tall, dark red body moved slowly before them, his crimson optical lenses scanning each face.
The evaluation results showed a clear gradient distribution.
The twenty-three most outstanding individuals performed exceptionally well; they not only rapidly absorbed the infused basic mechanical knowledge but also demonstrated astonishing talent in logical reasoning and pattern recognition tests.
Osiris stopped in front of a black-haired youth, whose data showed him as Unit-07.
"Explain the overload protection mechanism in the transmission system," he asked blandly, his voice emanating from a synthesizer, devoid of any emotion.
Unit-07 hesitated almost imperceptibly, his gaze quickly focusing, his language clear and fluent: "Reporting, Archmagos, the basic mechanism relies on a bimetallic fuse. When torque exceeds fifteen percent of the rated value, local temperature rise causes the fuse to melt, forcibly disengaging the power connection.
However, its response has a delay. I believe a current-sensing predictive module could be added to intervene preemptively upon detecting abnormal power surges. Although this would increase costs by five percent, it would prevent impact damage to the entire transmission chain."
This answer went beyond the scope of infused basic knowledge, showing clear logical deduction.
Osiris remained impassive, merely nodding slightly and categorizing Unit-07 into the "Apprentice Group" on his data pad.
Next to him, Unit-19, a focused young woman, also instinctively nodded upon hearing the question, clearly having thought of a similar optimization approach.
These high-quality individuals were marked as the "Apprentice Group"; they were the core sprouts of Osiris' future technical team.
Another twenty-one individuals met the baseline.
Their memory and execution abilities were stable, allowing them to accurately complete pre-set instruction sequences, but they performed ordinarily in creativity and complex problem-solving.
"You," Osiris pointed to one of them, "repeat the safety procedures for the plasma cutter just now."
"Yes… yes!" The young man swallowed nervously, then repeated the lengthy procedure content word for word, without a single error, but that was all.
When asked, "If cooling fluid accidentally leaks, besides the procedural steps, what should you consider first?", he showed a confused expression and eventually shook his head.
These individuals were classified as the "Foreman Group" and would be responsible for supervising Servitor teams, managing warehouses, or performing other standardized tasks requiring basic judgment.
The remaining six were deemed to have defects of varying degrees.
Unit-33's neural interface stability was insufficient, causing convulsions when receiving high-intensity data streams; his mouth was still twitching unconsciously. Unit-41's metabolic rate was abnormal, making him unable to adapt to long-term space environments, and his face appeared unusually pale.
The most severe, Unit-50, exhibited an uncontrollable aggressive tendency.
When Osiris approached him, this relatively robust individual let out a low growl from his throat, his eyes filled with hostility.
"Name," Osiris commanded simply.
"You… enemy…" Unit-50's voice was slurred, his vocabulary fragmented, more like an instinctive roar than language.
In previous behavioral tests after being unshackled, he had attempted to attack an approaching evaluation Servitor.
The handling of these defective products was swift and efficient, with the characteristic ruthlessness and pragmatism of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Unit-33 and Unit-41 were led away; their lives would be terminated, and their healthy organs and tissues cryogenically preserved as spare parts for future Servitor maintenance.
The aggressive Unit-50, after necessary neural signal recording, was forcibly sedated and sent to the dissection workshop.
His skull structure was intact; after cleaning, embalming, and basic modification, it would be fitted with an anti-gravity unit and sensor array, becoming a new servo-skull, continuing to perform service duties in this form.
After dealing with this initial batch of human resources, Osiris did not linger.
He led Sekhmet, his core Skitarii Corps retinue, and this batch of modulators who had just completed their initial modulation and whose fates had already diverged, back onto his frigate.
The young apprentices followed silently and orderly, their eyes a mix of awe for the unknown and adaptation to their new identities, while the foremen appeared slightly bewildered, merely instinctively obeying commands.
"Set course, return to the Death World base," the order was given.
"Course confirmed, Archmagos," the captain's reply came through the communicator.
The frigate's engines once again illuminated the void, carrying Osiris and his newly acquired, still nascent but already initially formed crew away from Neksum's orbit.
This trip to the Forge World not only earned him titles and ships but also initially resolved the dilemma of manpower shortages.
Next, he would return to the starting point where the ancient teleportation device was located, which was also his springboard to a wider world.