Warhammer: Start with a dog.

Chapter 755 Murder Above the Star
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*Transition Chapter
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140-20 is named after the 20th world it conquered for the 140th Expeditionary Fleet.

However, judging from the current situation, this 20th world has not only failed to complete the mission it was registered for, but has also devoured the Holy Blood Angels who landed as the main force of the 140th Expedition.

It was after receiving the last, fragmented communication from Company Commander Fromm, who led three companies of the Holy Blood Angels, that Captain August, who remained aboard the capital ship Journey of Mercy, immediately sent an emergency distress signal to all the nearest Imperial forces.

Now, just as Expeditionary Fleet 140, which remained in orbit, was waiting with anticipation and deep anxiety for the Sons of the Emperor rescue team, which had already landed on the ground, to send back some good news or at least some contact, another message was delivered to Captain Mather August, whose face was dark and swollen from excessive pressure.

"Fleet 63?" he said in surprise. "But the distance... they should be at least six weeks away from arriving. Are you sure it's them?"

"Yes, sir!" the communications officer reported, both frightened and excited. "The Spirit of Vengeance has arrived at the same time! We have received Captain Comenus's communication code confirmation!"

“By Terra,” August said, “let us quickly prepare to welcome the Warlord.”

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Although he was prepared to welcome one of the noblest and most radiant of the Primarchs, August found that his reception might have been unfortunately too hasty and simplistic.

He discovered that the visitors were not just one Primarch, but two—incidentally, Roger Dorn and his two companies had quietly departed before the Whispering Mountains operation began, returning to Terra on the Emperor's orders from Ulanor.

What surprised him even more was the strange attitude of the two Primarchs.

"Oh no! How come I still missed it?! What happened?!"

Amidst the utter astonishment of the crew on the Journey of Compassion, the Lord of Steel slapped his thigh. "Is the Eldoron really so impatient? We've already arrived at top speed!"

Beside the captain, a man dressed in a purple and gold robe and light armor suddenly looked up, clearly furious at someone making such a flippant comment about his master.

But when he saw the unusually tall stature of the person who spoke, and the powerful four-barreled wrist storm arrows, and recalled certain rumors, he had to move his lips and hold back.

"I told you long ago." Zhan Shuai sighed and rubbed the lines that were beginning to form on his forehead.

"If the emperor's son is led by this person, then no matter how fast we travel, it will be useless. As soon as he hears that we are about to arrive, he will immediately disregard his own safety and use the fastest landing method to drop his soldiers to the ground."

"Why is that?"

"With him in command, having the Emperor's Son rescue the Blood Angels would be an obvious way for him to prove that he and his legion are superior to their peers."

Captain Augustus dared not look at the faces of the attendants left behind by Commander-in-Chief Adoron.

"...So you're saying he airdropped his soldiers in this devastating weather because he was afraid we'd take away the credit for rescuing another renowned legion?"

"Although he'll call it 'honor,' it's 'merit,' no doubt about it," Zhan Shuai said expressionlessly. "I'd call him a vain opportunist and arrogant..."

Only then did the Council of Four Kings and the Warlords' entourage, who were just recovering from their shock, finally utter a clear cough – it was Loken, who coughed loudly under the relieved gazes of Togarden and Malhohorst.

"...The Commander-in-Chief, whose nose hairs are always so prominent that it's obvious he's trimmed, is undoubtedly a favorite of Forgrim. Although I don't understand why he has won my brother's favor so much, rest assured, I won't do anything strange to Shadowmoon Wolf."

This time, even Togarden and Asimand started coughing without regard for decorum.

Everyone watched in horror as the Lord of Steel, who had seemed to be nitpicking just moments before, revealed a slight smile, as if amused by the War General's overly blunt comments.

“Excellent. Then let’s not waste time on these futile and stressful rituals. After all, besides this lovely lady, there are some true sons of emperors waiting for our intervention. Captain August?”

The tall, thin officer, whose mouth had been agape under his white beard, stiffly realized what was happening and gave a barely perceptible salute. "Sir?" "A quick briefing, the quickest one possible. Go to your captain's command room. Since you say the Sons of the Emperor landed and lost contact thirty-six hours ago, I expect we can get everything we need to begin our operation within 30 minutes at most."

"But this is against propriety..."

"Are you going to listen to us or to your own etiquette?"

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The warlord's attendants and the Council of Four Kings stood uneasily guarding the entrance to the command room. The serious and oppressive atmosphere around them silenced the officers and technicians who were busy on the bridge.

“This shouldn’t be the case,” Malhohorst spoke first. “I don’t quite understand your intentions.”

“Indeed.” Asimand nodded slightly, clearly the first to understand the attendant’s meaning. “If a warlord needs to take over an entire army that is demoralized and has lost all its commanders, he shouldn’t speak up himself. We should speak up and criticize him on his behalf, and he can quickly gain respect and recognition through friendly maneuvering… Taking over the fleet directly based solely on his warlord authority is not a way to win people’s hearts… The content of his words is also… In short, this should be the responsibility of the Council of the Four Kings.”

“And he even publicly humiliated the commander of the Emperor’s reinforcements,” Abaddon said in a low voice. “Look! The Emperor’s son is coming.”

"I never knew that the Warmaster viewed the most noble and Primarch-appreciated officer among the Emperor's sons in this way," the aide said angrily.

“So what?” Torgarden interjected. “You really weren’t planning on waiting for us at all.”

"What reason do we have to wait? The situation is urgent—"

"After a planet has swallowed up three companies of Blood Angels and Imperial Army soldiers with Thunder Eagles and other vehicles carried by eighteen ships, you are going to use a company of Sons of the Emperor for emergency deployment via airdrop pods."

Asimand's voice was not loud, but it was very clear.

"Isn't the formidable enemy that swallowed up three Holy Blood Angel companies enough for you to wait a little longer?"

"We're just desperate to save them—"

"Or does the commander not want his perfect achievement to be shared?" Togarden chuckled.

The aide glared at the black-haired Shadow Moon Wolf, "Company Commander, you are insulting the honor of the Emperor's son—"

"so what?"

Abaddon raised an eyebrow in surprise, while Asimand looked at him with the same gaze he had when he first met Loken.

Moon Wolf, whose helmet bore a crescent moon brand on his right eyebrow, stepped forward.

“If you’re not satisfied, we can settle this in the arena,” Loken said calmly. “I think twenty minutes will be enough.”

In the end, Aidoron's squire retreated in resentment under the watchful eyes of the five Shadowmoon Wolves.

"Well done, kid," Togarden said with a laugh to Locken. "For a moment just now, you had the air of a swordsmanship master like Sigismund. Where did you get that kind of aura?"

"Perhaps I've learned to fear, Tarik."

Everyone else laughed at the excellent humor.

(End of this chapter)