Emperor's Bane

Chapter 602 Morgan's Good Friday
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This is the first day of the nine hundred and forty-eighth year of the thirty-first millennium, and the one hundred and fiftieth year since the Emperor of Mankind began His Great Crusade on Holy Terra: the zero at the very beginning indicates that this time is a very accurate record of the Solar System.

On this day, news of war swept across every land covered by the double-headed eagle. Alarms and conscription orders sounded on thousands of imperial worlds. The moment when the old year and the new year turn will become the death day of countless people. Their kings are calling on them to sacrifice their lives.

So, they went to the battlefield: the first official confrontation between the Human Empire and the Ullanor Orc Empire started on this day. Wearing the battle flags of thunder and eagle and shouting the name of the Emperor, the warriors rushed towards the last opponent standing in the way of eternal galactic hegemony.

News of victory and death invaded every high tower of salvation with the cold wind. The rustling sound of trumpets spread throughout the bridge and the compartments in the orbital space station. All the busy people put down their work and personal affairs. In the command room, in the communication station, and in the newly built fortresses, fear and expectation spread along with the invisible flames of war.

People passed the most exaggerated rumors from mouth to mouth, and after being exploited through eighteen levels, they became the most accurate front-line intelligence: thousands of watchtowers were attacked at the same time, hundreds of fleets submitted reports seeking credit and assistance, and the first batch of real victims and triumphs had already written down their names, and in the blink of an eye, they covered half the world.

The most important piece of information had spread to the lounges of all participating legions within an hour of it happening, because that was the honor that the Angels of Death valued most, and even the Emperor's children would be quite curious about it.

They all wanted to know which Primarch, and which Legion, would be the first to strike the Ullanor Empire with the Emperor: this was destined to be a place written into history, and become the most glorious footnote of the entire Great Crusade.

Hundreds of gambling games were launched.

The Luna Wolves, Blood Angels, Imperial Fists or Ultramarines, the most powerful legions, have become popular candidates, but none of them are the right answer.

When the first message of victory arrived along with the skinned and boiled skull of an orc warrior, people discovered that a series of inspiring declarations had already been engraved on this trophy, which was almost the size of an Astartes warrior's chest.

------

Thorhan, the White Scars.

With this victory, I pay the highest respects to the Emperor of Mankind, the Khan of the Ice and Blue Skies, and the Undefeated Wolf-God.

The declaration was written in blood, leaving a series of beautiful marks on the ugly skull of the orc warlord: elegant and brutal.

------

【Unexpected, but reasonable. 】

When she received the first intelligence of the Ullanor Crusade, the Spider Queen gave only the briefest of comments: the Primarch of the Dawnbreakers did not care who took the first credit, nor was she surprised by the White Scars' victory. She was not even bothered to care how Thor Khan's troops had done it.

After all, the genetic father of the victor is standing next to Morgan at this moment, and he will explain it clearly to his blood relatives: and even if Chagatai Khan keeps silent, the White Scars fleet has already given the real answer.

Compared with the number that was announced in advance, the number of White Scars ships that actually joined the Second Legion was obviously wrong, lacking the size of two or three Brotherhoods: Chagatai Khan's legion had never been formally assembled. He scattered those sons with high autonomy and brought the rest to meet Morgan.

Therefore, the White Scars' Ullanor expedition had actually begun long ago.

Naturally, they took the first credit.

【Perhaps I should congratulate you, my eagle brother? 】

Standing in the newly renovated Universal Command Room of the Aurora, the giant curved star map covering the entire northern galaxy occupied every inch of the two Primarchs' vision, while the Knights of the Round Table and the Kexue stood ten meters away to ensure that no one would stand closer.

Under such circumstances, communication between blood relatives is naturally more relaxed.

"I don't think a company-level conflict is anything to celebrate, Morgan."

Although they had not seen each other for a long time, the feeling Chagatai Khan gave Morgan was no different from the first time they met: he was still like a mist, elusive, as if he could just reach out and grab his proud beard, and he seemed to be standing at the other end of the galaxy, ready to leave the world of the Primarchs at any time.

Before this, no one had ever given Morgan such a sense of...mystery.

Not even the original Jonson.

【Don't say that.】

Morgan smiled.

[You know, your Legion will go down in history for its role in the Great Crusade: even in the history books of ten thousand years from now, children will recite poems about the White Scars warriors firing the first shot of the Ullanor War.]

【Everyone will remember you. 】

"yes……"

The Khan's voice was like a sigh.

“It’s like torture.”

【…】

[Do you think it is torture to make everyone remember your name, Chagatai? ]

"At least, it's a punishment."

"Eagles should exist in invisible poetry and oral tradition, soaring in the sky beyond the edge of vision, rather than being locked up in huge cages and performing hare-catching tricks for spectators on ornamental trees in order to show their bravery and strength."

The Khan's voice was decisive.

"what happened?"

[No, nothing: I just suddenly felt that maybe you and our Conrad brother would have a lot in common.]

"That's not common."

Chagatai Khan seemed to have no interest in Morgan's hint. His eyes were focused on the flickering of the star map and on the gradually unfolding Eastern Front Legion: the first batch of Imperial auxiliary troops had already engaged in a firefight with the greenskin vanguard, while the Astartes warriors were staggered on the front line, like pillars holding up a dam.

The White Scars and Night Lords were spread out behind enemy lines and on the flanks, with the most accurate information coming back from the Khan and the Dread Lords; the Raven Guard under Corax were seeking opportunities as a separate group, their fleet advancing towards a heavily armed Greenskin fortress world.

A mixed force composed of the Dawnbreakers, Emperor's Children and expeditionary forces of other legions is now at the forefront. The star map symbols of Morgan, Fulgrim and Jaghatai Khan have also been nailed here, and the army of the Ultramarines is arriving one after another, gradually taking over the most difficult front line of defense. The densely packed Macragge symbols are more than those of others combined.

Moreover, this is not the main force of the Thirteenth Legion. Their main force is currently under the command of Guilliman, and it will take at least nine hours to reach the front line of the battlefield: Fortunately, the pace of the greenskins is slower than that of these Ultramarines.

"So far, I have only had common language with three of my primarch brothers."

[Including me? ]

Morgan's smile only earned a silent look from Chagatai Khan.

For some reason, this look made Morgan feel hurt: she had not faced such pure contempt for a long time. The last person who dared to look at her like that was Conrad who had just crawled out of Nostramo.

No! Even worse than Conrad!
Morgan felt that her breathing seemed to have become heavier, but in the next second, she successfully suppressed her anger. The absolute calmness that never stopped made the Primarch turn her blue pupils to the shining points on the star map, in order to ease the embarrassment caused by her blood relatives.

The Spider Queen did not see that at the moment when her emotions were slightly out of control but she quickly adjusted her mentality and temper, there was a hint of appreciation in Chagatai's eyes when he looked at her, as if he was appreciating a fine scimitar: although it was quickly covered up by the Khan.

Now, it was the Khan who looked at his Spider Sisters with a smile.

"But now, I have changed my mind."

"Perhaps we do have something in common when it comes to temper control, Morgan."

"Your generosity is something I can learn from."

[It is… an honor…]

Morgan pursed his lips slightly to hide his clenched teeth. Chagatai Khan's words sounded like a compliment, but combined with the meaningful smile on his face, the irony went straight into people's hearts, and even Morgan's heavy defense almost failed.

Moreover, the attack hit the target immediately. The Khan had no intention of continuing to pester the enemy. He quickly shifted his gaze away from Morgan's face, not giving the Spider Queen any chance to fight back, and directed the topic back to his own hands.

"If you want to ask me about my friendship among our Primarch brothers, then I can only give you a few answers: my best friend is undoubtedly Magnus. I like to discuss knowledge and the mysteries of the universe with him, and we are both outsiders to this Great Crusade."

"Besides that, I have a good relationship with Horus and Sanguinius, but that's nothing to brag about. Anyone who has a good relationship with Horus and Sanguinius will have a good relationship with them: and the friendship between these two is truly legendary."

"I like to discuss various ways to quickly end a battle with the Wolf God. His Gastalins are experts in this area. The Terminator decapitation tactics of the Moon Wolves are unmatched even in the entire galaxy. They may lack talents in strategy and internal affairs, but they definitely do not lack geniuses in tactics."

"Besides that, the common topic between Sanguinius and I is the think tank plan. We used to discuss Magnus' plan, but now we both prefer to discuss your plan. My progress is always a little deeper than that of the archangel. After all, our angel brother has always been deeply worried about his legion. He instinctively rejects any changes and temptations."

"But compared to these two people, the friendship between Magnus and I is real. We have a lot of common topics, and our positions in the Empire are the same: as I said before..."

“We are outsiders.”

【Maybe me too?】

Another look, but at least this time it wasn't one of contempt, but...

mercy?

"You have a Far Eastern Frontier, so you can't be an outsider, Morgan. I used to think that only that stupid guy Guilliman could not understand this simple truth. I didn't expect that you are making the same mistake as him."

【…】

#Teeth clacking#

[Stupid guy? ]

Morgan changed the subject to give his wounded heart some time to breathe.

[Your evaluation of Guilliman sounds strange, Khan. After all, our other brothers usually like to use...]

"Ambitious?"

The Khan interrupted him.

"Or is it a conspiracy?"

The man on the grassland chuckled.

"It is obvious that most of our blood brothers are born kings, the sons of destiny who have never experienced betrayal. They don't know what a true ambitious person is like. Guilliman is not even the worst ambitious person. He is just a programmer who is oblivious to the world outside."

Have you ever experienced betrayal?

"And I lost my adoptive father because of this." [Ah... Sorry... I...]

"nothing."

The Khan shook his head. During his conversation with Morgan, Chagatai was surprisingly sincere: he could tell that Morgan was apologizing sincerely, and he did not intend to put his blood relative under psychological pressure.

"Eagles will eventually fall, and death from conspiracy is just the norm on the grassland. The intrigues in the big tent are no less than those in the royal court. And precisely because survival is more difficult, the struggles on the grassland are even more cruel: my adoptive father died at the hands of his opponents, and I sent a thorough massacre to all the participants."

"Their women and men had their heads hung on spears, and their cattle, sheep and pastures became the property of my tribe. My adoptive father had dreamed of planting the flag of the tribe on every inch of land where an eagle could spread its wings, and I did this in revenge for him."

"He died without regrets: that's enough."

【indeed. 】

The Spider Queen nodded.

[Compared to that, my adoptive father just stopped breathing peacefully.]

"And you don't miss him?"

【…】

For the first time, Morgan felt that her turning of her head was so stiff: Sure enough, Chagatai looked into her eyes again, and his eagle-like vision easily penetrated the blue pupils and saw through Morgan's calmness when she recounted the death of her adoptive father, without even the slightest fluctuation.

That is not the mentality anyone should have when discussing the death of a loved one.

The Spider Queen sighed.

【Keep a secret for me, brother.】

"My fault."

The Khan spread his hands.

"Well, let's continue talking about our ambitious man with no ambitions."

[That's fine... Why do you say that? ]

“It’s just the truth of life.”

The Khan's eyebrows were sharp.

"Eagles don't scream before they dive, wolves don't howl before they hunt, and truly ambitious people will try their best to keep a low profile before they kill with one blow: a guy who makes his ambition known to everyone is either the worst ambitious person or a farmer without any ambition at all."

"Guilliman is more like the latter, isn't he?"

He will like this review.

Morgan smiled in response.

【Maybe you should talk to him in person? 】

"No: I don't like him."

【why? 】

"The riders on the grassland and the farmers in the fields may not be enemies who fight each other, but they will never be friends who drink and chat happily: riders will only drink kumis with riders. At most, I can accept merchants who dare to step out of their comfort zone and withstand the wind, snow and disasters on the grassland, rather than farmers who shrink in their mud-brick houses."

[…I understand.]

Morgan was silent for a moment, then nodded in relief. Every time he got to know a new Primarch, it was like stepping back into a child's free-spirited inner world. Compared to others, although Chagatai Khan's views were a little weird, he was already among the most acceptable.

At the very least, he could express his inner thoughts clearly: unlike some maddening steel.

But you just said that you think I am repeating Guilliman's mistakes?

"Yes."

The Khan nodded.

"Why do you think you are no longer the same as Guilliman, Morgan? To the rest of the Empire, how are you different? A throne is still a throne, whether it is luxurious or low-key. Do you expect to not attract everyone's attention when you sit on it?"

"You have written your name in the history books, and that is what I have been trying to avoid: that is why I say that Tolhan's deeds are not worth boasting about, although I will not deny his merits."

【I have no choice.】

The Spider Queen coughed and secretly adjusted her thoughts. She was annoyed to find that she was in a subtle state of suppression during her conversation with Chagatai: she could not find any obvious flaws in the Khan's soul, and the Khan's words always stung Morgan.

Even if it was only for a moment, the slight loss of control was enough to make Morgan furious.

[When the Emperor came to me and handed me power, it was not only a reward, but also a responsibility and mission that could not be refused: I am different from Guilliman. The Five Hundred Worlds were built on his absolute subjective consciousness, while my Far Eastern Frontier was more or less urged by the Emperor and Terra.]

"I agree with that."

The Khan nodded and pointed to a certain location on the star map. Without even giving any instructions, some of the Qiexue Guards behind him retreated and adjusted the movements of the various brotherhoods on the front line for the Primarch: the Khan used such authority and tacit understanding to freely control his legions in the star field.

But Morgan felt that this was not safe. Although it was indeed very convenient, the Spider Queen would not let any Dawnbreaker company leave her sight for too long. She would ensure that every Dawnbreaker could truly feel her presence every few years or months, in order to strengthen the bond between the Primarch and his offspring and ensure her control over the Legion.

“But I don’t want to make the same mistake again.”

"I evaded power, Morgan: Terra's voice never reached me."

[This is not something you can get away with.]

Morgan stretched out his finger, guiding his and Jaghatai Khan's gaze to the lower left corner of the giant star map: the depression of the Great Vortex was clearly marked, and there were the home planets of several Primarchs: Magnus, Fulgrim, Vulkan and Jaghatai Khan were not far from each other.

[But even so, the area around the Maelstrom is still large enough to be divided into several Primarch states with vast territories. The states within states of Magnus and Vulkan have already taken shape. Although their looseness is visible to the naked eye, they cannot escape Terra's order: I don't think any miracle will happen to you. ]

Morgan finally found his first offensive point in this difficult meeting: when the topic shifted to [Rule], the Khan's expression finally became serious, and his words were more like complaints than sighs, a helpless self-mockery of his fate.

"I came to the Great Crusade to escape the responsibility of ruling."

"But now, the Great Crusade has thrown a greater responsibility of ruling on me."

[From the Khanate and the Royal Tent on the steppes to the Khanate and the Royal Tent among the stars. ]

Morgan smiled: for the first time in this conversation, she smiled sincerely.

[Have you ever thought about how to rule this Great Khanate that is destined for you? ]

[My Great Khan of the Universe? ]

"Of course I have."

Chagatai nodded, a gloomy look on his face.

"But, Morgan: trust me."

"You don't want to know how a real Khan should manage his steppe khanate: I know how to be a Khan, and I also know how to be a successful Khan, but I also know that a successful Khan and his khanate may not be a good thing for the current empire."

【……What do you mean?】

Morgan raised her eyebrows. Chagatai's smile made her a little scared.

"You should have read history books."

"In other words, no matter which history book you read, whenever a new Khanate rises on the grassland, the direction and outcome of the story will always point to that one path, right?"

"A successful Khanate?"

"Then you should pray, Morgan."

"Pray for the Empire."

“Pray that there is no god in this world who controls death, plague, war, and famine.”

------

[…You’re kidding, right?]

"Maybe."

The Khan did not retract his smile.

"After all, it's like I said."

"I hate power and domination, Morgan."

[In order not to bring disaster? ]

"Yes."

"For them."

"And for...myself."

(End of this chapter)