Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 754 Guilliman: I am deeply shocked (Seeking monthly votes)
Rosie's sudden statement was like pouring ice water on a pot of boiling oil.

The fact that everyone present was able to remain calm and prevent the pot of hot oil from exploding on the spot is a testament to their composure and rationality.

Guilliman immediately realized why Rosie had seemed so nervous and uncomfortable when he mentioned the green-skinned orcs.

That's because there's a bombshell about the green-skinned orcs that hasn't been detonated yet.

Well, what a terrifying green tide that surpasses even the Ulanor Greenskin Orc Empire, what ancient orcs that escaped from the Necropolis in space...

It seems there are still so many shocking revelations waiting for him.

"Tell me any other bad news at once. My mental fortitude is much stronger than before, and I can handle it," Guilliman said with a forced smile.

"I originally thought that by driving those remaining Chaos rebels into the Eye of Terror, they would no longer be able to pose a threat or cause damage to our world."

"I never expected this. I underestimated them. Horus's eldest son has such a far-reaching plan."

"Trying to stir up trouble in the Milky Way and use the ancient orcs to restrain us? This is a scheme to use one wolf to devour another, with great risks but also great rewards."

"How come I never noticed before that this pointy-headed guy had such a brain? I thought that after Sejanus died, there were no wise men left in the entire Council of the Four Kings."

But if Abaddon were truly that clever, how could he have led all the Gastrin Terminators to their deaths beneath Saturn's wall?

It's no wonder that Guilliman didn't anticipate this risky move by his opponent.

It's true that Abaddon, one of the "Three Heroes of the Great Expedition," never impressed Guilliman with his wisdom or strategic vision.

"That's because Abaddon may have become a new choice for the Warp Gods."

"He reunited the fragmented rebel forces, transforming them into a new force that obeyed a single command and had a clear objective."

Loshi explained, adding that he also believed it was definitely not Abaddon's idea.

"Among those missing rebels, there are some Astartes that require special attention—"

“Angeltai, the blessed son of the Word-bearer; Eribas, the Hand of Fate; and Lajak, the Apostle of Darkness.”

"It is worth noting that although they are all proponents of discourse, they have completely different stances and need to be judged separately."

"And the leaders of his rebel legion were Cain the World Eater, Lucius the Emperor's son, Fabius Bayer, Typhon the Death Guard, Azak Ahriman the Thousand Sons, and Azekel Abaddon the Son of Horus."

"Each of them possesses unique abilities and influence, making them a formidable enemy of the human empire."

Loshi roughly listed the most troublesome enemies. Of course, besides them, there were also many traitors who were not so famous, but were by no means simple.

"Among these people, the only ones who could come up with such a wicked trick are probably Rayak and Irebas."

"I'm more inclined to believe the latter; this rotten, rotten guy is the biggest instigator of this human civil war."

Listening to Roche's analysis, Guilliman gently rested his right hand on his chin and nodded in agreement from time to time.

"It seems my crackdown wasn't strong enough, allowing these damned traitors to gain power."

"I think these evil gods are really hungry; they can even put someone like Abaddon out as a new face."

"Is this a plan to have a son inherit the mantle and create a second-generation Chaos War General?"

"Even the Chaos War General plays the father-to-son succession game?"

Guilliman acknowledged that his neglect had led to signs of reunification among the rebels, but he did not consider it a major problem.

One thing needs to be understood: Roboute Guilliman, the leader of the Ultramarines, was among the top five, or even the top three, in military command ability, even during the most turbulent and heroic era of the Great Crusade.

Those who could rival him were all among the best of the Primarchs—Horus, Lane Johnson, Feralus Marus, and Roger Dorn.

Horus's army advanced in such a hasty manner that it did not even completely conquer or overcome the resistance forces along the way, because Guilliman's quill pen kept urging him on.

Horus even dreamed that endless Ultramarines would breach his rear and drag him to his death in the quagmire of war.

No matter how many Ultra Warriors he kills, as long as his Ultra Brothers howl, those Smurfs will spring out of the ground like Greenskins.

If Guilliman had sided with Horus from the beginning, Terra would probably have fallen long ago.

If the Ultramarines' massive army were to actually catch up, Horus wouldn't even be able to defeat Terra, barring the blessing of the Chaos Gods.

Now Horus is dead, Feralas is in the Emperor's Cursed Legion (007), and Guilliman can now secure a top-three position, aiming for the top spot.

An enemy of Abaddon's caliber is not enough to make him feel anxious or worried.

The only things he cared about were the Chaos Gods behind the other party, and those Primarch brothers who had not yet been judged.

"What is the origin of these ancient orcs that you are so wary of?"

"I need information about the enemy, the more detailed the better."

Guilliman remained calm and continued to question Losi about the enemy.

Being anxious is useless and will only make the situation worse.

Most of the time, Guilliman's reason prevailed, while his recklessness and pride were firmly restrained.

"The ancient orcs are the ultimate war weapons created by the ancient creators during the War of Heaven."

"The Orcs we are familiar with today are actually a degraded version of the Ancient Orcs."

According to existing data, mature ancient orcs could exceed twelve meters in height, and their intelligence and strength far surpassed those of their modern descendants.

"Their genes contain advanced genetic technology left behind by the ancient sages. As long as their numbers reach a certain level and the waaagh energy is strong enough, then those ancient and powerful technologies will naturally awaken."

"We don't yet know how the released ancient orc will react with the current green-skinned orcs, but in my opinion, they have probably already joined forces."

Lothie talked a lot about the ancient orcs, most of which came from Talasi, a person who personally experienced the War of Heaven.

To be honest, Guilliman, who thought he was fully prepared, had only one reaction after hearing Roche's description.

Guilliman: Huh?
He originally thought that these so-called ancient orcs were just like the green-skinned orcs, except that they were a little stronger.

But now it seems that this is not just a little stronger, it is definitely a billion times stronger.

During the Great Crusade, Guilliman's Ultramarines also fought against countless small empires composed of green-skinned orcs.

In general, a single, swift decapitation strike is enough to destroy these greenskin settlements.

To deal with the green-skinned orcs, we must nip them in the bud before they form a green tide; otherwise, if we get bogged down in a war of attrition, it will only escalate the intensity of the war.

The escalation of the war acted like a catalyst for the green-skinned orcs, causing them to evolve and reproduce at an alarming rate.

But even the largest orc warlord wasn't twelve meters tall.

Guilliman had only ever seen an enemy of this caliber when he fought against the orcish empire of Ulanor.

The Emperor dispatched Horus to personally lead the 63rd Expeditionary Force, centered around the Spirit of Vengeance, to launch a war of annihilation against the Orcish Empire entrenched in the Dragon Sector.

Upon arriving at the Orcish Empire's homeworld, Geron, Horus encountered a group of green-skinned orcs with more advanced technology, greater strength, and even a more advanced level of civilization.

Even the Wolf God was powerless against this orc legion whose strength far surpassed his own, and could only struggle to fight back.

At a critical moment, the Emperor once again joined the war with the Imperial Dream to support his beloved son.

However, to everyone's astonishment, the great human ruler, the invincible emperor, was choked by the green-skinned orc warlord of Goron Star and nearly crushed to death.

If Horus hadn't risked his life to save him, the Emperor might have really met with an accident.

“In the past, I might have believed that the Emperor was physically exhausted, but now I can only say that the Emperor went to great lengths to put Horus in the position of Warmaster.”

"He put on a really good show on Gorong Star, he really went to great lengths."

As Guilliman thought about these things, he couldn't help but complain in his heart about the Emperor's favoritism towards Horus.

The Emperor could even kill Horus, who was blessed by the Four Gods and infused with chaotic energy, let alone these green-skinned warlords who were just slightly larger in size.

Therefore, there is only one answer: the emperor at the time was putting on a crazy show just to give his adopted son the credit for "saving the emperor in time."

Since ancient times, there has been no greater merit than saving the emperor. Horus, having rendered meritorious service in saving the emperor, had no grounds for complaint, no matter how much his brothers who were vying for the position of war commander were dissatisfied.

If they were so capable, they could also perform a feat of saving the emperor, but the Emperor's power is so great that even the four Chaos Gods would have to fight him one by one in the real universe. What could these Primarchs possibly use to save the emperor?

“Orc warlords like those on Goron Star, and Orc Emperor Urak Uger on Ulanor, also have physiques comparable to or even surpassing those of ancient orcs.”

"But these orc warlords are leaders one in a billion, and are the core of the orc green tide."

"The twelve meters of the ancient orcs is the average level of their race."

Sage Tarasin explained that the ancient orc in his collection was actually just a small squad leader of the Heavenly Warriors, the Kirk orcs.

Tarasin nodded in agreement, but he sensed that the humans around him were looking at him strangely, as if they wanted to skin him alive, tear him apart, and scatter his ashes to the winds.

He even felt a little embarrassed, and the fire in his chest seemed to be throbbing faster.

If he hadn't been so bored as to collect a remnant of an ancient orc, it wouldn't have been so easy for Abaddon to use the orcs.

Those green-skinned orcs who are always thinking about war don't care if you're a good shrimp or a bad shrimp. As long as you're a fightable enemy, they'll take you down and fight first.

"Ahem." Tarasin coughed lightly twice.

“I have received instructions from the Silent King of my race. The Nihilak dynasty behind me will send some forces to assist you in dealing with the Green Tide launched by the ancient orcs.”

"Based on my understanding of the ancient orcs, these treacherous and cunning fellows must be secretly accumulating strength."

They weren't simple-minded fools like the green-skinned orcs; every ancient orc was capable of taking command of the war in crucial moments.

"If it weren't for the fact that those ancient saints completed this weapon of war far too late, coupled with the backstabbing from the warp and the alienation of the ancient spirits, our race might not have been able to win the War of Heaven back then."

The ancient orcs are stronger, more rational, and more difficult to deal with than the orcs.

To be honest, Guilliman would rather face the former Ulanor Orc Empire than fight this Orc Empire dominated by ancient Orcs.

"In the last ten years, I have not received any intelligence about a large-scale war involving the green-skinned orcs."

"Although these persistent galactic plagues can never be truly eradicated, as long as they are kept within a certain scale, there won't be too much of a problem."

Guilliman quickly searched through his super brain, recalling the government documents he had reviewed over the past decade.

However, his expression didn't improve much, because the lack of news meant that Tarasin was right.

The enemy is exceptionally cunning and is still hiding themselves.

Given the vastness of the Milky Way, if an ancient orc deliberately hides in some remote, godforsaken corner of a star system, and with the cover provided by those green-skinned orcs, no one would be able to detect his existence.

"This is a time bomb that becomes more and more dangerous over time. By the time we find out where the enemy is, the ancient orcs will surely believe that they have accumulated enough power."

"Great Sage Land, I entrust the technical testing and mass replication of the Space Bridge to you. My focus will shift to combating the threat of the ancient orcs."

"I must ensure that the Advanced Technological Community and the Cult of Mechanism cooperate with my war plan."

"As for Terra, I will summon the Navigator Ambassador and confront him directly. I will get him to cooperate with our war preparations."

Guilliman's original plan was to hold multiple rounds of negotiations with the navigator families, represented by the navigator ambassadors, but now he has no time to waste.

As Loshi said, those damned traitors are bringing about an even larger war of destruction across the galaxy.

The Horus Rebellion was largely confined to the human realm and did not involve many alien civilizations.

However, a galactic-scale green tide not only threatens human dominance but also poses a fatal threat to other civilizations.

Even if humanity is defeated and destroyed, Chaos will be completely banished from this universe; those green-skinned orcs have this ability.

"Since Horus' death, we have spent over a hundred years scattering our legions to cleanse the galaxy of rebels and traces of Chaos corruption."

"If the devastating green tide really comes, I might have to send a distress signal to my brothers."

"The only person I can definitively contact right now is Vulcan, who has returned to Nocturne."

“Ryan, Chagatai, and Ruth have all vanished without a trace for their own reasons. Damn it, I have to bring them back!”

“My friend, it seems we will have to fight side by side again, just like we did back in the Five Hundred Worlds.”

Guilliman patted Rosie on the shoulder with a hint of guilt. The two had been separated for a century, and after this poignant reunion, they should have enjoyed a good drink and shared their experiences.

But reality is always so cruel; the first priority now is to restart the war machine of the human empire.

Since Macardo reorganized the Empire's political system, the large number of mortal auxiliary troops who were originally under the command of the Astartes Legion have been reorganized into the Astral Army.

The original conquest fleets, which were directly commanded by the Primarch and Holy Terra, were reorganized into the Imperial Navy.

These two war forces each hold a non-staff seat in the High Lords Council and are also influential forces within the Empire.

"It's just a war; we've been through too much already."

Luo Xi laughed heartily, "Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was the Emperor's will, but the timing of his return was just right."

The faster-than-light technology and the original Space Marine upgrade technology he brought back will greatly enhance the human Empire's war-making capabilities.

"The same as always, you and I each do our own job."

"I'll take care of the Mechanicus, you go and take care of the High Lords Council of the Empire."

The two fists, one big and one small, bumped into each other, and Guilliman strode confidently toward the spaceport.

The Ever Victorious Guard remained loyal to their father, the creator of their genes.

"War is coming, Auguston."

"A war far exceeding our imagination, in which countless more people may bleed and even die."

Auguston's massive, mountain-like body remained completely unmoved.

“Then come on, Father. We were born for war, we are the children of war.”

"I am already starving and thirsty. Let those damned green-skinned orcs die."

Hearing his son's spirited answer, Guilliman smiled with satisfaction.

As long as the Ultramarines exist, no enemy can threaten the Empire's existence.

For over a century, his legion commanders and heroes have diligently managed the five hundred worlds of Altrama, actively preparing for war and expanding their manpower.

Even Guilliman didn't know the answer to how many Ultra Warriors existed in the Extreme Starfield at this moment.

But one thing is certain: this number is definitely much higher than 25.

……

After Guilliman left the Advanced Technology Community, Losi announced another internal meeting.

All the mechanical priests of the advanced technological communities, as well as the priests of the Martian mechanical cult, will gather together to participate in this meeting.

The Advanced Technology Community places more emphasis on scientific research and academic fields, while the Mechanical Education focuses more on practical applications and casting production.

Although they are independent entities in terms of structure and nature.

However, considering that most of the mechanical priests actually hold positions on both sides, it's not a problem to treat them as a whole union in critical moments.

The highest level of the Planet Control Tower, the Hall of the Truth Council.

Loshi once again took the seat of speaker, the seat made of Radiant Gold bearing no trace of its former self a century ago.

Time seems to have lost its influence on these metal creations; a deep, flowing light emanates from the surface paint, bringing an aura of solemnity and grandeur.

"I sat right here back then, announcing to those sages of the Cult of Machines my views on seeking common ground while respecting differences and pioneering innovation."

"I want to break the outdated rules and framework of the Mechanicus, and I want to reignite the flame of innovation and invention in the human mind."

"When knowledge begins to circulate, our civilization will surely benefit from it; indulging in past glories will only lead to decay and destruction once again."

More and more mechanical priests are taking their seats. After more than a hundred years of development, the number of registered members of the Advanced Technology Community has increased by tens of thousands of times compared to the beginning.

Most people are not qualified to enter this Truth Council Hall, and those who are not qualified are currently on Ganymede or a nearby starship, witnessing the situation here through holographic projection.

Some of the more experienced mechanical priests were deeply moved, noticing that Rosie looked exactly the same as she had back then.

So young, so full of vigor, the Great Sage Roche is still the same Great Sage he always was.

For science, youth itself is an asset; even the most brilliant mind will become dull and confused as it ages.

The Sage Rand was the first to take his seat. He was the successor personally chosen by Loxi, although he had not actually become the Speaker and had always considered himself the acting Speaker.

Belissau Caul was also present; he was no longer the naive young man who had fled to the solar system.

The genetic cult witch Ta Lab Vita 37, which Caul retrieved from the moon, also earned a place in the field of biological genetics thanks to her outstanding contributions.

She and Caul were the architects of the original Space Marine enhancement program, and they have made some achievements over the past century.

Of course, their progress cannot compare with that of Roshi. They do not have as many natural genetic samples as references in the X-Men universe, and their progress can only be achieved through gradual breakthroughs and accumulation.

Under normal circumstances, it would take at least a thousand years for Caul and his crew to acquire the technology of the next generation of Proto-Forged Space Marines.

The gene witch remained indifferent, even towards Rosie.

"I heard from Kaul that you've completed the Primitive Space Marine upgrade program?"

“A remarkable achievement. I look forward to discussing it with you after the meeting.”

Rosie nodded slightly in respect; he didn't believe that only those who developed technology deserved respect.

In fact, most people cannot achieve breakthroughs and qualitative changes; this is the domain of true geniuses.

However, without the groundwork laid by these people, perhaps genius would not have been able to bring about a qualitative change.

And a gravity-defying chair slowly floated over to the seat next to it.

Ezekiel Senede sat in his anti-gravity levitation chair, silently taking his seat and waiting for the meeting to begin.

A look of surprise flashed in Luo Xi's eyes. This old guy was still alive?

The Sage Ezekiel was active from the time Astartes was created, and it was he and his team who completed the "Black Shell" module.

The people who worked with him back then were the Emperor himself and Astartes' mother, Amar Astartes.

This old guy has used every available method of life-extending surgery. A hundred years ago, Rosie predicted that this guy might die tomorrow.

"Could it be that he has discovered some forbidden technology from the dark age of science, giving his utterly decaying soul a new lease on life?"

"Ezekiel was dying because his soul could no longer sustain him."

Loxi really couldn't be sure, after all, the Dark Ages of Technology was like a giant black box of technology, and no one knew what incredible things could be pulled out of it.

Ezekiel sat upright in his seat, looking even younger than he had a hundred years ago, full of energy as he awaited the next session.

Once all the key personnel had arrived, the bronze bell hanging high in front of the council chamber slowly rang.

The servants and priests around them held burning candles and chanted sacred hymns in binary language.

The atmosphere in the venue suddenly became heavy and solemn.

“Distinguished gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to see you all gathered here.”

Rosie sat in the highest seat, looking down at the crowd in the hall, with countless eyes fixed on him.

There is curiosity, admiration, fear, and a variety of complex emotions that are deeply hidden.

"Let's not waste any more time. I believe you have all received the strategic memorandum from the Imperial Commander."

The Advanced Technical Community and the Mechanics Academy will allocate a significant number of personnel to the implementation of the Space Bridge project.

As Losi announced the news, the holographic projection equipment in the conference room began to automatically play a general overview of the space bridge, including the successful completion of the first teleportation experiment.

For most of the mechanical priests, they only learned about the Ganymede experiments through rumors, but they didn't know much about the specifics.

Upon suddenly witnessing a brand-new technology that could achieve faster-than-light speeds through purely physical means, many mechanical priests immediately experienced a mental breakdown.

The external processors and modified organs on their bodies began to heat up, emitting scalding hot air.

Some people instinctively wanted to stand up and ask Rosie for more details; these believers in the Omnipotent God, who were thirsty for knowledge, didn't care about anything else.

However, some more rational people firmly held back their colleagues, arguing that interrupting in this situation would be like giving the Great Sage Roche a hard time.
"The space bridge technology has been initially verified, but the experiments conducted in the complex environment of space have not yet yielded perfect data."

"These are all for you to verify. Once verified, the Advanced Technology Community and the Cult of the Machine God will fully invest in production capacity to replicate the technical components of the Space Bridge."

"The chief person in charge of this technology is the Great Sage Rand, and his will is my will."

As Loshi spoke eloquently, Akan Rand, whom he had once again chosen, sat up straight, trying his best to appear solemn and serious.

"This plan will be the top priority, and all experiments, research, and production will give way to it."

"If the interests of certain sages are indeed harmed, the Advanced Technology Community will calculate and compensate them with contribution points."

Loshi wasn't entirely heartless. Another galactic war against the green-skinned orcs was about to begin, and the most important thing now was to seize the golden time before the war started.

The more space bridges we deploy and the longer they extend, the faster humanity can react in war.

If that ancient orc pulls out some advanced technology from the War of Heaven, such as a faster-than-light travel method that humans have never seen before, then humanity will need the same technology to counter it.

"Lord Rosie, isn't this a bit too hasty?"

“Before that, even if we recovered lost technology from the STC template, it would take us at least decades to verify it and eliminate all hidden problems before we could use it.”

"I beg you for more time."

Some of the mechanical sages stood up and spoke, but Rosie's answer was always the same.

"This is not a discussion, this is a notification, this is an order."

"With war imminent, the Advanced Technology Community and the Mechanicus must serve the war effort and provide the Empire's war machine with all the necessary resources."

Loxi's answer was stiff and aggressive, and the sage who had spoken immediately sat back down awkwardly.

These sages, accustomed to the style of the Sage of Rand, felt somewhat uncomfortable, because the Sage of Lothie was now behaving more like a tyrannical, autocratic technological tyrant.

"The second item on the agenda is the Original Space Marine Upgrade Program."

"This plan was initially designed as a dual-track approach, with two teams analyzing and deducing the results using different approaches."

"I now announce that this plan has been successfully completed, and all the sages who originally served this technology in the Advanced Technology Community have now been reorganized and adjusted."

"Imperial Commander Guilliman will fully assist us in upgrading and transforming the current Astartes Legion."

"The first generation of Astartes modification surgery is suspended from today. Modifications that have already begun will proceed as originally planned. The second generation of Proto-Forged Space Marine modification technology will replace the existing technology."

Roche couldn't possibly tell everyone about the multiverse, so he could only omit information about other universes and then explain it using the dual-track research.

Although some people are confused about this, Rosie holds the final say.

Loxilin issued a variety of orders, which displeased some with his domineering behavior, while others simply ignored them, since the Great Sage Loxi had already provided them with new technology.

Technology is the real key. Even if the Great Sage Loxi wants to become a technological tyrant, as long as he can offer enough benefits, he will still have the support of the majority.

"The Empire has Lord Roboute Guilliman in charge, while the Mechanicus has Lord Loshi in charge."

"Perhaps this marks the beginning of a new era."

The imperial era brought humanity back together from division and decline, but it did not lead to a true rise of humankind.

Now, their era will truly empower humanity, allowing them to reclaim their future through strength.

“I will give everything for it, I swear in the name of Om Messiah.”

Belisarius Caul looked at Lothar's commanding manner and felt a surge of excitement in his heart.

(End of this chapter)