Emperor's Bane

Chapter 983 Atheists

Year 194 of the Great Crusade Calendar, Month x, Day x: Five years before the Terra Crisis and the Horus War.

Just like I said.

Long before the Great Expedition ended, I had already become aware of the existence of Chaos.

This is all thanks to the Spider Queen.

She was my mentor on my journey through the subspace.

Ok……

Although she herself may not admit to this statement.

However, Morgan's attitude did not diminish my gratitude towards her.

You could even say that, apart from my genetic father, Forgrim, the Lord of Avalon is the second person I respect in this galaxy.

As for emperors?

I don't think he needs our respect.

In fact, I had a feeling about it.

The emperor not only doesn't need our respect, but he also doesn't really need us.

This idea is strange.

But I believe that if the time is right, the Lord of Humanity may not linger in power.

During my brief time with the Emperor, he struck me as unlike any other ruler or emperor. He was not a beast of power, but rather more like a scientist like myself who preferred to use any means necessary: ​​I believed that the Emperor had no interest in power whatsoever, and that he would conduct some heinous experiments behind the scenes that even I would avoid.

At least on the path of the subspace, he will certainly go further than all of us.

His true nature may be colder than we imagine.

Even the entire human empire is probably just a tool to achieve a greater goal in his heart.

This is quite evident. The great expedition that made millions willing to shed blood was, in the emperor's eyes, just a troublesome thing that wasn't worth him staying for even a quarter of an hour. What he valued was completely different from what we ordinary people valued. He never thought of sharing his inner world with us: or whether he had ever tried.

That effort was called Imperial Truth: it was one of the great achievements that made the Emperor's dream come true.

However, it is obvious that his dream cannot gain the support of the vast majority of people in the galaxy: based on my observations in the Sons of the Emperor and the Dawnbreaker Legions, the prospects for Imperial Truth are bleaker than I imagined. The vast majority of people do not have the idea or determination to be independent and autonomous, and they would rather submit to an absolute strongman.

Even in the more open Far East, the worship of the imperial religion was by no means a coincidence.

If nothing else happens.

Of all the Primarchs, Logar might be the one who has the last laugh.

But this also shows how precious people like me are.

My belief in Imperial Truth does not stem from blind obedience to the Emperor's commands, but from a well-considered choice to believe in the way of the world as explained by the Lord of Mankind. I know that the essence of Imperial Truth is nothing but a lie, but this lie is closer to the truth than the sincerity of religion: as long as I can expose what the Emperor is trying to cover up with Imperial Truth, then I will reach the end of all things.

I am not someone who bows my head in prayer.

And I also believe that the true Milky Way is what the Emperor left for people like me.

This is why I would try to create the Imperial Guard.

The Imperial Guard was a noble tool.

And I am entitled to them.

However, before that, I must first make sure my mind doesn't become the next target of the subspace.

……

If someone were to ask me exactly when I realized that the warp was corrupting me...

The answer is simple:
After I succeeded too many times.

To be more specific: ever since I began to incorporate the power of the warp into my experiments, the development of projects related to the warp has progressed by leaps and bounds, with research progressing at an almost unbelievable pace.

The subspace elements, which are known for their manic and unpredictable nature, are surprisingly well-behaved in my laboratory. They often demonstrate remarkable intelligence and coincidence: they just happen to arrive at the position I need, precisely reaching the exact scale. And when I list thousands of experimental methods and alternative materials, the real answer often lies hidden on the top few sheets of paper.

Often, all I have to do is reach out my hand, and the target I'm looking for will automatically jump into my palm.

All of this is so lucky.

It was as if my simple, unpretentious methods were enough to subdue the turmoil of the subspace, as if my meticulous experimental records were the path to truth, as if the fate of the entire galaxy had been decided at this moment: to deliver the greatest scientific discovery of the thirtieth millennium to my name, destined to be etched in history.

If it were anyone else, any of my apothecary colleagues in the Third Legion, they would have been blinded by this tremendous success. Their ignorance of the warp and their pride and dissatisfaction with their own abilities would have made them instinctively ignore any inappropriate factors and attribute everything to their perfect personal abilities.

Unfortunately, this kind of person is everywhere among the sons of emperors.

But I'm not.

The more successful my career is, the more worries accumulate in my heart; the faster my progress, the more cold sweat pours down my back: because I clearly realize that everything in front of me is not due to my ability, which means that they are far beyond my personal control, and they are no longer something I can completely control.

And the last thing I couldn't fully control just destroyed my entire laboratory.

It's not difficult to see this clearly.

Although I am an excellent pharmacist, I am also an even more outstanding scientist.

And what is the thing that a researcher is most familiar with?

The answer is: failure.

Failure is the norm in scientific research.

Setbacks are as common as air, and detours and wrong paths are the very food and water we rely on for survival. A scientist who devoted his life to a great project found in his later years that he had actually gone astray and found a dead end with no way back: such things are countless in the history of science.

Even for me personally, if I could succeed after conducting hundreds or thousands of experiments, it would be a cause for celebration. More often than not, even after experimenting with all possible species, I would still be met with nothing.

I have to start from scratch, and sometimes I have to sift through tens of thousands of samples four or five times or even more before I can get a result that is barely satisfactory.

This is the norm for scientific research.

It's a development that makes me feel at ease.

The rapid progress I'm seeing now is something I can't achieve with my current level and resources.

Well, there is only one answer.

Unbeknownst to me, a more powerful force was quietly interfering with my experiment.

Given that this anomaly occurred after I decided to introduce subspace elements into the experiment, the culprit is quite obvious.

They weren't even trying to hide: they were just waiting for me to find out, or for me to be unable to keep up the act.

But I was concerned about something else.

What scientific name should I use to name this new thing that I have just confirmed to exist?
Perhaps, as Morgan once murmured to himself.

chaos?

Or: God?
……

No.

I refuse to admit it.

There is no such thing as a "god" in this world.

There shouldn't be, and there can't be, a "god".

……

At least, there are those eyes watching me from behind.

They are definitely not gods.

……

The idea took root in my mind the moment I became aware of their existence.

It is destined to live on with me forever.

Even until death takes my soul, I will not acknowledge these illusory natural forces as "gods".

Only in this matter did the all-knowing Lord of Avalon make a colossal mistake.

Actually, back in that experiment, when she hinted to me that there were strange energy waves, consciousness entities far beyond our imagination, and even "gods" in the common sense, deep in the subspace, I really wanted to refute her.

However, I did not do that.

In our short but incredibly harmonious teacher-student relationship, Mr. Morgan was patient and guiding in many ways, and I should have shown him the same respect in other areas: for example, even if my laboratory was completely empty of materials, I would not purchase goods from the Far East from the slave market.

No, Avalon did not practice slavery.

They may be one of the few regions in the human empire that has completely banned slavery.

But some people on the Far Eastern frontier were more unfortunate than their kin: those sailors who died in shipwrecks or those traveling alone on tours, once they collided with slave ships flying the flag of the Son of the Emperor, their fate was predictable.

Of course, on the surface, the Third Legion would never admit that there were outsiders in their slave markets: all slaves were born under the banner of the Emperor's Sons, and they became slaves because of their crimes and despicable conduct, without any coercion involved.

Of course, such a claim is as ridiculous as calling these subspace entities gods.

……

My skepticism toward these false gods is well-founded.

The simplest sentence.

If they are truly gods.

They would never be that bored.

They will absolutely not interfere with my experiments.

This is a simple self-contradiction.

Indeed, those entities existing deep within the warp possess immense energy, capable of interfering with my experiments without my knowledge. Their power is far beyond my current comprehension and reach.

But at the same time, their willingness to observe and intervene in my experiments speaks volumes.

If they really are omniscient and omnipotent gods.

They don't need to get involved at all.

Because they know from the beginning and are able to determine the outcome of such an experiment.

Their decision to intervene and flaunt their power before me proves that they are not omniscient or omnipotent.

They were interested in my experiment.

There is also a real need.

In other words, there are still interests in the real world that they need to pursue, and their way of thinking and behavior are not beyond our imagination: they value the same things we value, and they choose the same methods we choose. The only difference between us and them is that they possess enormous power that we cannot even imagine.

But power is ultimately just power.

Given time, and with sufficient resources, we may well possess equally powerful strength.

In other words, these so-called gods can still be accepted into the world we can understand. They are just highly powerful advanced life forms, not completely incomprehensible beings. They have desires and interests in humanity and the real universe: this shows that they are not beyond our scope.

We can understand them.

One day, we too will be able to become, or even surpass, them.

And things like this.

How can it be called a god?
At least in my opinion: no.

They are merely subspace life forms with self-awareness and exceptionally powerful strength.

In terms of their divine conduct, they were even inferior to the absent-minded human rulers.

Although they are indeed troublesome for me: neither the unknown energy of warp power, which is completely outside the scope of my academic field, nor the ability to silently interfere with my laboratory and experiments, are things that I cannot currently contend with.

But on the other hand, this might also be an opportunity.

At least.

On one issue: they can indeed help me.

……

of course.

That will only be on this issue.

I know the meaning of "drinking poison to quench thirst".

I will not place my real hopes on them.

Because I had a feeling, deep down.

Gifts from the warp will only be taken back from you at a thousandfold cost. If I fall into this trap...

So the thousand sons on Nicaea represent my fate.

I don’t know about others.

Mr. Morgan will surely kill me with his own hands.

Although I don't mind dying at her hands.

But at least I'll have to wait until I've fulfilled my dream.

I can't die before that happens.

Or to put it another way: Fabius cannot die.

……

“I know you are watching me.”

After the latest experimental subject was assembled, Fabiu stood in front of the nutrient tank with his hands behind his back.

Looking at the cold air in front of him, he muttered to himself.

For a moment, the scene seemed rather strange.

If there were a second person, he would surely think that the Emperor's Son's chief apothecary had gone mad.

“From the moment I decided to introduce the subspace, you have been watching me from the deepest part of that space.”

The pharmacist stared at his own face reflected in the thick glass dome of the nutrient tank. The dashing air that belonged to the son of Forgrim had gradually faded with the passage of time, replaced by the withered face typical of a researcher, and a somewhat bald head with clumps of hair falling out. But none of this saddened Fabius.

In fact, he was smiling.

"I know what results you desire."

"I can roughly guess what you want."

"But there is one thing I should remind you of."

"If you want a piece of the pie from the experiment, your current investment is far from enough."

"I can terminate the experiment at any time."

"Unless...you're willing to show more sincerity?"

Fabius stretched out a hand, quietly observing the figure in the incubation chamber that was taller than him.

"For example..."

"tell me."

"This vessel before me: does it still bear the influence left by the emperor?"

His face appeared distorted in the dim light.

"..."

"very good."

"Is it completely gone?"

"I hope you can vouch for your promise."

"After all, you need it more than I do."

……

Although Fabius once tried to completely replace the existence of the brain with a whole block of subspace energy, this idea, which was too far-fetched even by scientific standards, was quickly proven to be completely wrong: even the subspace energy that he had divine assistance with could not replace the crystallization of millions of years of human evolution.

For an intelligent being, a brain is essential.

Even Fabius couldn't change that.

Unless he just wants a muscle baby with dementia.

However, the sentence is still the same.

This problem is no challenge for the genius of the emperor's son.

In the time that followed, he prepared two things.

First, sufficient genetic material was extracted from the flesh and blood of the Imperial Guards: yes, that's it.

Back then, on Nicaea, Fabius, with the spirit of "since I'm already here," and the wicked sense of humor that any mad scientist might have, extended the probe between the legs of the Imperial Guard. But who would have thought it would actually work today?

Even he himself hadn't expected this.

The second item is much easier to obtain.

A female psionicist: She is said to have once been a genius navigator. However, she went insane after an unfortunate warp voyage and was found on a shipwreck by the Emperor's sons' slave-hunting crew.

She was not placed in any slave market of the Third Legion, but was given to Fabius by Edoron as a personal gift in gratitude to the chief apothecary for performing an extremely successful modification on the lord commander's throat.

Fabius had no interest in what Edoron intended to do with his throat, which was powerful enough to shatter the Terminator Armor.

In the time that followed, he focused all his energy on combining two genetic materials: the absolutely pure power of the human sovereign and the warped subspace mutation caused by chaos. After a highly sophisticated artificial embryo program and several experiments that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of breeding mothers, finally, a blood-soaked success was born.

A living, breathing baby that retains full intelligence.

A twisted combination of the Imperial Guard and the Chaos Mutants.

If the emperor knew about this, he would surely execute him personally, wouldn't he?

The moment Fabius saw the baby, only one thought remained in his mind.

In the time that followed, this seemingly healthy newborn occupied almost all of Fabius's energy.

The apothecary personally fed him, educated him, and constantly observed and tested him to ensure that he would not retain any fanatical loyalty to the emperor and that he could grow up as a true human being. At the same time, he meticulously tested his body and mind to ensure that his growth was always under his control.

Everything is so perfect.

at last.

On the day this child reaches maturity.

His father, Fabius, smiled as he celebrated his birthday, while simultaneously plunging a blade into his heart.

His last act of mercy toward his child was to calmly remove his brain only after ensuring that the child was in a deep sleep.

For him, that's all he needs.

Everything else—whether it be the child's precious body or the time spent with him—is merely a tool for obtaining the ultimate reward: isn't that exactly how the Emperor treats the Empire and the Great Expedition?

Fabius smiled at this.

Just like he said.

He and the Lord of Mankind are of the same kind.

If there is any difference, it might be that the emperor's vision and mind were broader than his.

But Fabius could never achieve that in his lifetime.

He gave up early on.

Compared to that, Fabius's most important task now is to place this fully developed brain into the body of the perfect Imperial Guard that he has already prepared.

When those familiar eyes slowly opened before him once more, the pharmacist felt a long-lost sense of tension deep within his heart.

But when he saw those eyes...

He knew: he had succeeded.

Just as he had predicted.

Even the descendants of the Imperial Guard's 10,000-man regiment could not inherit their powerful energy and genes.

It turned out that the power of these golden warriors did not come from their non-existent genetic seeds, but was the result of the Emperor using other technologies: the Lord of Mankind seemed unwilling to let the Custods continue forever, just as he had with the Astartes warriors, the Emperor was not prepared to allow any species to rise above humanity.

Even the Imperial Guard: his most cherished possessions.

As the enormous body before him slowly knelt down, Fabius finally realized what his previous test subject had been missing: the Imperial Guard who had, in fact, deceived him for nine years, had never shown him any sign of kneeling or submission.

But none of that matters anymore.

"You are [Work Number One]."

Fabius placed his hand on the monster's head and named his first true creation.

At the same time, he sighed inwardly.

It was such a hassle.

Even though it was a heavily discounted creation, a counterfeit product that could hardly be considered a true imperial guard, it still took such a huge amount of resources and time to produce.

Of course, if it's just for experimental subjects, then all of this effort is worthwhile.

But if he wants to go further on the subject of warp power and the truth of the world.

What he needs may be far more than this.

He will squander far more resources than these.

……

This is not something he can do.

No matter how generous Forgrim was, he couldn't provide him with endless support, and the Emperor's Son's current situation was indeed frustrating; Chemos was no longer a place where he could conduct experiments in peace.

Maybe, just maybe.

At some appropriate time in the future.

He can find a better investor.

Or perhaps... a partner?

As for the price he can offer?

Fabius glanced at the monster in front of him.

A slight smile played at the corners of his mouth.

Regardless, this power is real.

There will always be ambitious individuals willing to pay the price for this rare and powerful force.

Of course, what they could get would be an even more degraded version: whether from the perspective of cost or time, it was wishful thinking to develop thousands of finished products to form an army. Only a more inferior creation could be deployed on a large scale to turn the tide of the battlefield by balancing quantity and quality.

However, these have nothing to do with him.

Fabius shook his head, then turned and walked toward his next laboratory.

A chaotic voice whispered behind him.

He had long since learned to ignore it.

……

He didn't care what those ambitious people would do with these terrifying beasts.

He didn't care what kind of bloodshed his experiments would cause in the human empire.

For Fabius now, the experiment of Biological One is not so important: it is merely providing a necessary experimental subject for the fundamental task of studying the power of the subspace and thus uncovering the truth of the world; it is nothing more than Fabius's own grand expedition.

From beginning to end, he had only one goal.

That is the truth hidden in the deepest part of the subspace.

As for the real universe?

As for the fate of humanity?
Let all ambition and loyalty dance in their cruelty and madness.

After the devastating waves have swept away the earth, perhaps it is the fertile soil that buried hundreds of millions of people that will become the foundation upon which the new humankind stands proudly in the world.

Now, all he needs to do is wait.

……

Wait for the one who will set the galaxy ablaze, who will raise his blade of rebellion amidst the terror of Holy Terra.

------

I've finally finished writing about Fabius; to be honest, it took longer and was more complicated than I expected.

Next, I need to write about other plot points, but because I have something to do tomorrow and will be out all day, there will be no update tomorrow. Updates will resume the day after tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)