Warhammer 40: Shattered Steel Soul

Chapter 362 Iron Warrior·Four Seasons·Part Four
Rogal Dorn knew that before Perturabo entered the healing chamber, he was cautiously skeptical of Barabas Dantioch's return. The Iron Lord simply didn't think anyone could make it out alive from that dead splintered planet.

As far as common sense is concerned, there is nothing wrong with his idea. Whether it is the disguised identity that some legions are good at, or the psychic fraud used by some enemies, they can all achieve the effect of impersonation.

But no matter what, the Primarch rushed to the Phalanx in person after the funeral ceremony to find out the truth of the incident.

The look in Perturabo's eyes immediately after seeing Dantioch told Dorn that the Iron Lord had already identified the Grand Battalion Commander. This also made Rogal Dorn secretly relieved.

Perturabo sat down on the other side of the bed, and Dorn shared Dantioch's medical report with him, explaining what he knew. As for the assault boat, Dorn did not send anyone in without authorization. After completing a simple safety check, he ordered the assault boat to stop where it was and had people watch it at all times.

Perturabo's heart was touched, as quantified by the increase in the Primarch's blink rate.

When Barabas Dantioch's physical signs fluctuated, Rogal Dorn was half an instant slower than Perturabo and noticed this.

Even though there was a golden skull hanging on his waist, Dorn still consciously shut up and remained quiet. He discovered to his distress a few years ago that the skull could not help him solve all his social problems.

"...Thank you for your hard work, my warrior."

Perturabo held onto the side rails of the hospital bed and spoke in a solemn tone. He acted as the leader of the legion, facing the soldiers returning from the mission.

Dantioch seemed to want to show a smile. His facial muscle movements were quite unfamiliar, and coupled with his old face, he seemed to be smiling and crying in the same way.

"You can speak more slowly, warrior." Perturabo nodded, "The Battle of Satrada Abyss is over. I have enough time to receive the precious information you brought to us."

"How long did it take?"

"How many Hrud did you execute after that, Barabas?"

"Twelve small Hrud ships, the specific number of aliens cannot be counted."

Dantioch blinked instead of nodding, and said happily: "As long as I don't interfere with your marching plan."

"Sir, I have brought to the Iron Warriors...ahem...the energy stone fragments of the Hrud people, a list of unknown materials available to the empire, the distribution and intelligence of some human civilization forces and alien forces, and Sergeant Zoran Anderson's A gene seed..."

"The Hrud who escaped from the planet with me have also been wiped out by Sergeant Zoran and I. We have lived up to the oath of the Iron Warriors, sir."

"No, this is what we have to do," Dantioch said urgently, unable to get up without knocking anything over thanks to the efforts of the Imperial Fists Apothecary, and so remained in his bed.

Perturabo's jaw muscles tightened. "After you and Sergeant Zoran Anderson disappeared, I was prepared to issue an extermination order."

"This is what I should do." The battalion commander paused, took a breath, and continued, "I apologize for destroying a planet unplanned by our army, sir."

The Grand Master did not want the Genefather to comment on his suffering, he only wanted the Primarch to notice that he had done something of which he could be proud.

"You did well," Perturabo said, his expression still solemn. He crossed the guardrail and gently put his hand on Dantioch's shoulder. "You have fulfilled all your responsibilities and even exceeded my expectations. It is an honor."

Dantioch was stunned, the answer stuck in his throat, blocked like gravel.

He didn't know how to answer the question, or maybe he didn't want to say it. Facing Perturabo, for some reason he was unable to express his lost experience.

"Well," said Perturabo, "Sergeant Zoran Anderson accomplished this feat alongside you, and I wish to know of his exploits, Barabas."

"He suffered serious physical injuries and was unable to directly participate in battles most of the time. However, he completed a large amount of calculation, analysis, integration and other auxiliary work, which took him...seven hundred years." Finally, Danti Oak still gave the specific year.

Rogal Dorn listened silently, motionless, recording the scene in front of him. With the return of most of the Primarchs, the Emperor seems to have recently intended to arrange narrative envoys to write their own histories for each legion, and to build statues on Terra in order to spread and promote the achievements of each legion among the people in the future. First, as a reminder of the Great Crusade Secondly, it assists with publicity and stabilizes the expectations of each legion for the future.

But based on his understanding of Perturabo, the Iron Lord would probably be tight-lipped about a large number of internal details of the Legion; if given the opportunity, Dorn would not mind writing more public stories about the Iron Warriors on behalf of Perturabo. In the history books.

"After that, according to the star map you submitted, you visited an extremely wide range in the Milky Way." Perturabo said. I don't know when his tone became rare and gentle. "Does that assault boat have a name?"

"...Odyssey, Lord Primarch."

"This is an allusion to the Old Land, my warrior."

"Yes," Dantioch said with difficulty, "it tells the story of the shipwrecked people who wandered back home. The library of Olympia contains the old Terran epic."

Perturabo's hand on the commander's shoulder tightened slightly. Taking into account the strength of the Primarch and the physical condition of the warrior, he restrained excessive force.

"I acknowledge all your efforts, plans, achievements and struggles on the journey. I will always recognize your status as the most noble and respectable warriors. I respect your ideals, beliefs and pursuits. I go beyond personal self for you. The realization touches my heart.”

He spoke each word clearly, making sure Dantioch could hear his sincerity.

"I am proud that the Imperium of Man has Iron Warriors like you and Zoran Anderson, Barabas Dantioch," the Iron Lord said. "You are the true Iron Warriors."

"Thank you, sir." Dantioch supported his state and tried his best to stabilize his emotions.

Perturabo nodded.

"Because I mistakenly believed that you had already died, the transfer and work handover process for the commander of the Eleventh Battalion has begun."

Dantioch coughed and said, "I'm glad that my mistake did not delay the regular affairs within the legion."

Perturabo gave a small smile: "However, after we verify all the information you brought back, your verified abilities and unparalleled military achievements are enough for you to advance to another level."

He paused for a moment and said, "Welcome home, Warsmith Barabas Dantioch. Now...tell me what has happened to you in these years, my son."

-

"The Primarch Rogal Dorn left the ward silently, leaving space for the Iron Lord Perturabo and the warsmith Barabas Dantioch.

Dorn understood that from that moment on, the Primarch and the Warsmith no longer communicated as generals or warriors, but as father and child. And the content of their conversation, whether it was laughter or tears, frankness or choking, there is no longer any reminiscence that I am lucky enough to know.

Likewise, the return of the last warrior and the end of the debriefing process also brought a complete end to the one-year campaign in the Satradar Abyss.

According to the imperial calendar, the prelude to the war begins in the first quarter of the year, the correct siege route is obtained in the second quarter, the strong assistance from other legions is obtained in the third quarter, and the victory comes to an end in the fourth quarter. After discussion in the court, this classic battle should have been named the War of the Four Seasons.

However, under the orders of the Iron Warriors Primarch Perturabo himself, the author needs to add emphasis words related to time series during the naming process of the battle.

Finally, after Perturabo's second review and approval, this model battle was finally named the Millennium Battle of Four Seasons. "

——"Iron Warriors Classic Battle·Millennium Seasons"

(End of this chapter)