Warhammer: Start with a dog.

Chapter 752 Full Moon and New Moon, Truth and Lies
"You mean, you want me to pretend none of this happened?! To hide this from everyone else?! That's impossible! Azekael! You know I can't get over this!"

“This is necessary. Gavial, you must understand that this is a complete victory, just as the preachers have been telling everyone. Astartes has orchestrated a series of efficient, decisive, and precise victories. We have suffered no casualties, the enemy has been completely annihilated, the resistance's momentum will be severely damaged, while our prestige and morale will remain as high as ever.”

The chief platoon leader of Shadowmoon Wolves, the most outstanding warrior in the Great Crusade and a hero in the Empire's propaganda, walked over, reached out and pressed his hands on Loken's shoulder armor as he sat on the wooden bench, stopping him from saying anything more.

"On the other hand, if this small-scale raid, which lasted less than an hour, had resulted in such severe losses—nearly two squads of Astartes against mere mortals—it would have been a fatal blow to the reputation of our Legion, the authority of the Primarchs as Warmasters, and even to the entire Great Crusade, do you understand?"

—Loken’s shoulder wound had indeed healed, but the gash caused by Jubo’s dagger was still there.

“You’re a bit agitated… I understand your grief over the deaths of your men, Gavial, but you must understand what our legion’s current impeccable reputation is based on, why we are able to use all the new equipment before other legions, and why we can drive other legions to be our pioneers?”

"Isn't it because of our honor, the fighting of our brothers, and the adoration we receive as Warmaster? What are you trying to say, Azekael? Didn't we earn all of this through our own efforts?"

Loken looked up, his blond hair, unlike Abaddon's and the other sons of Horus, shimmering with a golden glow at the edge of the candlelight. His glassy eyes looked at the chief platoon leader with a pleading yet hopeful gaze.

The full moon and crescent moon markings on their helmets at their waists stood silently facing each other.

Abaddon shook his head almost imperceptibly, the end of the chief platoon leader's black braid brushing against the edge of his collarbone with the movement, like a senior looking helplessly at a clueless young man.

“You are still too inexperienced in the Council of the Four Kings, and there are many things you do not know… If Togarden were here today, he would understand why I asked you to do this.”

"When you accepted me into the Council of the Four Kings, you didn't tell me about all these intricacies. Even the rule about placing things before speaking in the Strategy Room was something Togarden told me on the spot. I thought it was an honorable duty to offer honest advice and strategic suggestions to our beloved Warlord. Did you expect me to figure out all the secret rules you set up beforehand? Azeroth, is there anything you can't just say directly?"

"Although you have been accepted, there are still some things that need to be observed over a long period of time and given opportunities before they can be granted."

"for example?"

Abaddon frowned and glanced at him again. "It's hard for me to say."

"But only three members of the Spurs squad survived, and Wootton is dead too! They all saw it!"

“I’ll speak with them individually later to make sure things don’t spread,” Abaddon said. “And what about the rest of the Poison Rose Squad?”

"Besides Zhu Bo, I didn't see anyone else. Judging from the scene, I think... they were all ambushed. There were no distress signals or unusual calls. They should all be..."

Loken paused for a moment, "...They were all killed. We didn't find any bodies, so we speculate that they were all pushed into the abyss."

“Well…” Abaddon muttered, “Now I have to talk to the apothecaries… So, are there any others?”

“Sindemann was there; he witnessed everything,” Loken replied. “The narrators, however, did not see Jubo’s body…”

Loken paused again. "How did it transform into that monster? They only saw the monster rush out from inside."

"Tsk. I understand. I will speak with Malhohorst and the War Marshal personally about Sindeman's words. Who are the other narrators?"

The title of Warmaster that Abaddon mentioned caused Loken to visibly deflate suddenly, "Euphrates Qile, Messati Eurydone, Ignas Calcacy, and..."

Loken suddenly got stuck on the last name.

Was there really a fourth narrator present? Why did he feel a sudden, inexplicable, intense heart palpitation when he uttered that name?

It was as if he had witnessed something incredible, inexplicable, and irresistible, or perhaps more like the feeling he had when he saw Zhu Bo shoot and kill his first brother... a sense of uncertainty about everything and the future.

Fear. Why does saying that name terrify him?

"Who else?" Abaddon pressed.

“Lamizane?” Loken said. “Lamizane. There’s no one else. Rusek and the others saw Jubo’s body. I spoke to them briefly and asked them to keep it a secret for now, but they didn’t witness the fight or what happened afterward.” “You’ve done well,” Abaddon said. “These four mortal chroniclers are all unharmed. I’ll speak to them too. I’ll have them all taken to a central location immediately. I need to make sure no one blabs.”

He even sounded a little regretful that they hadn't died.

Loken thought to himself.

He was unwilling to speculate about the chief platoon leader, the hero of the Great Expedition and the greatest warrior among the Shadowmoon Wolves.

But ever since the killing on the cliff platform, something seemed to have begun to take root in his heart.

He didn't want to think about it, but all sorts of thoughts kept arising.

"You sound like you're quite disappointed that not all mortals died out."

Someone said in a sarcastic tone. The voice sounded so abrupt in the dim stone house that it seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Someone else sighed.

Before the first person could speak and the second could sigh, Abaddon had already turned around abruptly and pounced on a corner of the stone house with a speed and reaction that Loken admitted he could not match.

"Who's playing tricks there?!" he roared, drawing his power axe and hacking at the dark shadow.

—The towering shadow remained motionless, then a strong, black-gloved hand reached out from the side and grabbed Abaddon's wrist.

The ceramic armor made a teeth-grinding internal cracking sound under immense pressure.

Abaddon roared furiously.

Loken had already drawn his bolter and aimed it at the owner of the hand, but then he lowered his weapon in confusion and surprise.

"Shout it out? Why did you stop?"

A figure emerged from the shadows, instantly transforming the small mountain dwelling into a vast, starry void. His blue eyes, like those of a hunter eyeing its prey, fixed on the chief platoon leader from the abyss of darkness.

"You can go out now, Azekel."

The person next to him spoke up, and Loken, who was dizzy from staring at those eyes, finally saw who the person who had captured Abaddon was.

Abaddon silently sheathed his weapon, saluted, and left the stone house.

"Warlord Horus" whispered a few words of comfort to his brother beside him, who was also only dressed in winter clothes, chainmail, and a cloak, before walking toward Loken.

The dizzying, disorienting pressure vanished instantly, and Loken found himself being firmly pressed back into his seat by the other's large hand.

“Listen.” Loken looked up in confusion, his heart pounding wildly.

His lower back slammed against the edge of the table, and the aromas of patchouli, animal scents, and the burnt smell of burning wafted over as the war commander leaned forward in shadow.

He heard the other person say, "You now have two choices."

“The truth that accompanies death.” He raised the first finger.

"Or a lie to survive."

(End of this chapter)