Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 168 The Shadow of Ran Dan
“Waldo.” Rarely, the Emperor spoke in front of everyone, saying to his loyal servant, “These gifts from Nur are entrusted to you. Make sure they are used to their fullest potential.”

"Understood, my lord." Waldo knelt on one knee before the emperor, then rose and descended from the platform, instructing the royal guards to move the safe.

“I will always be grateful for your gift.” He looked up at the Primarch, placed his left hand on his chest, and performed a rare warrior’s salute.

“There’s no need for that,” Doom said to him seriously. “We will fight side by side one day, and protecting our allies is a soldier’s duty.”

“You have extraordinary foresight.” Waldo nodded, a friendly smile appearing on his usually expressionless face, which also showed a hint of approval.

“Here’s how to use it.” Sophia stepped forward and tapped her long, slender fingers to send the data into the Imperial Guard Commander’s Armor.

The power of digital life lies in the direct manipulation of data and electronic creations.

Waldo shook his head helplessly at such an ability.

The digital wall built by coding craftsmen seems to have served no purpose.

After finishing his chores, Doom straightened his expression and asked the Emperor, "You summoned me back not just to reunite with my brothers, did you?"

He was not naive enough to believe that the emperor had summoned him back from afar simply to reunite with his brothers.

The emperor was a habitual offender; he was used to concealing the truth, hiding it beneath riddles and appearances.

“Randan.” Waldo spoke, uttering a single word, and the Emperor’s will descended upon his body.

“Randan?” Doom repeated in a low voice, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Waldo.

He couldn't deduce anything from just two unfamiliar words.

“This is the specific situation.” Waldo’s spear shaft hit the ground, and a holographic image was projected onto the pillar.

Ran Dan. A mysterious name that represents a terrifying alien race.

The Fifth Legion fleet, roaming deep space, discovered an alien race in the Spiral-Morse system.

Legion warriors attacked the alien ship, stormed into its cabins, and were astonished by what they saw.

The alien ship has a complex internal structure, and humans and various alien species live together inside.

Humans and aliens screamed as they charged at the Space Marines, displaying unparalleled fanaticism in their counterattack.

They were fearless and their weapons were not weak; they overwhelmed the Space Marines with sheer numbers.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the Fifth Army Corps quickly launched a second wave of attacks, using a rapid raid to bring back the prisoners.

Using a series of methods, the Legion warriors obtained intelligence about the aliens, but the intelligence was scattered and limited.

The homeworld of the Xenomorphs was called "Randan," and the Fifth Legion named the Xenomorphs after Randan.

As for the true name of the alien race, the Legion warriors found nothing.

We gained absolutely no crucial information, such as the extent of the aliens' territory, their strength, or their military capabilities.

As Doom watched, his thick eyebrows furrowed, and his expression gradually turned cold.

The Fifth Legion tried every possible method, yet ultimately obtained so little information; this was not due to their incompetence.

The Xenomorphs must be incredibly powerful to have been able to protect the race's information despite the Space Marines' various methods.

He continued looking down, the information scrolling by.

The Fifth Legion's greatest discovery was the reason why humans and aliens coexisted.

The humans and aliens on the ship are merely slaves to another kind of alien; their minds and wills are controlled by an even more terrifying alien!

They obeyed their superiors unconditionally, charged into battle fearlessly, and disregarded their own casualties.

Doom's expression turned grave; he saw danger in the report.

Ran Dan! Aliens capable of manipulating the minds of other races; their existence is extremely dangerous.

What's even more terrifying is the absolute control that superiors exert over subordinates after their minds are manipulated, and the selfless devotion of subordinates to superiors.

Fearless and undaunted warriors, even if they are ordinary mortals, possess a power that should not be underestimated.

The Fifth Corps continued deeper into the region and discovered a large alien force at "Horn-Morse".

The aliens are expanding their expedition, and the expeditionary force is attacking rapidly, striking multiple human worlds in the region.

Using local natural resources and the unclean technology of the aliens, they created an army of slaves who obeyed their every command.

After a dangerous reconnaissance mission, the Fifth Legion made a cautious assessment and concluded that the existence of Randan had already threatened the survival of the Human Empire!

Doom's pupils contracted sharply. He was a Space Marine from the Fifth Legion, the most professional scouts.

Their assessments have always been cautious, listing Randan as an "Xenomorph that threatens the survival of the human empire," demonstrating the terrifying nature of the Xenomorph threat.

Their existence instilled fear in the Space Marines.

The holographic projection ended abruptly there, providing no further useful information. "We cannot obtain any more information." – Fifth Legion report conclusion.

Through the simple words, Doom saw the helplessness and guilt within.

The legion's soldiers felt guilty, having lost dozens of their comrades in the early stages, and later, when they went in to scout the aliens, they obtained very little information.

He also understood these soldiers and their intense self-reproach for failing their duty.

What are the racial characteristics of the Xenomorphs? Where is their home planet? What specific Xenomorphs are responsible for mind control?
This document describes a powerful alien race shrouded in darkness.

The report submitted to the War Council stung the war lords, who dared not draw any conclusions.

Finally, it was submitted to the Emperor, so that the Lord of Mankind could make a decision.

“I accept this job.” After reading the overview, Doom looked at the Emperor on the high platform. “How many troops have you prepared for me?”

Getting straight to the point, Doom took on the responsibility and immediately threw himself into his work.

Macado, holding the Eagle Scepter, presented a list: "One hundred capital warships and a million Imperial auxiliary troops."

"The First Legion of 50,000 Space Marines are gathering in the Forgeworld 'Shana,' along with the Forgeworld's Guardians."

“Okay.” Doom nodded in agreement, his mind quickly calculating the army’s combat strength.

Such a powerful force is capable of fighting against Ran Dan's threat.

From the high platform, the emperor's long, calm voice rang out: "Child, a thousand imperial guards will accompany you."

The Emperor's words interrupted Doom's thoughts. His expression turned solemn, and his dark eyes looked toward the throne.

"What was the outcome of this war?" Doom pondered for a moment before directly inquiring about the result of the Emperor's prophecy.

Such a horrifying report, a terrifying alien that threatens the human empire, the Emperor will surely foresee.

He must have had some concerns, perhaps foreseeing some unfavorable future, by sending the Imperial Guards to accompany him.

Doom directly asked the Emperor about the prophecy's outcome.

"Nothing was gained." The Emperor's long sigh was like a star going out, and his answer surprised Doom.

As one of the most powerful entities in the universe, the Emperor's psychic power is so great that it can turn galaxies upside down.

He received nothing from a simple prophecy.

The emperor shook his head, stating a helpless fact: "Randan is very powerful, and it involves the fate of too many powerful entities. The prophecy has lost its accuracy and become a vague and ethereal mist."

"I have only come to one conclusion—the price the Empire will pay to defeat Randan is extremely high."

“I understand.” Doom did not feel regret; the prophecy was of little use to him.

Instead, he felt a sense of relief.

If a prophecy is clear and obviously beneficial to the empire, the emperor will intervene to bring about the prophesied outcome.

The emperor dared not intervene easily, which gave him confidence.

The Nur War Academy has long held the view that one should gamble with courage against the future, and that everything is created by oneself.

"I'll set off immediately." After saying that, Doom was about to leave, preparing to head to Shana, the world of forging.

With the alien threat looming, arriving at the assembly point sooner will allow more time to prepare for war.

“No need to rush,” the Emperor spoke again, calling out to Doom’s retreating figure, “Meet your brothers first.”

Facing the questioning gaze from Doom, the Emperor slowly explained to him, "The First Legion has withdrawn from other battlefields, and the assembly process of the Faith Guard is lengthy and not in a hurry to be completed in a few hours."

"Come with me," the emperor rose from his throne, concealing the divine aura behind him. "This place is too formal; it's not suitable for a brotherly atmosphere."

He stepped down from the throne, his golden armor gleaming, a heavy red silk cloak cascading down his back.

"follow me."

"Have the rest assemble at Lionsgate Spaceport, ready to depart at any time," Doom said to Ra, before following the departing Emperor.

If Nur were to face this war, Doum would drop everything and go to the battlefield, but this is the Empire.

The Empire was responsible for allocating most of Randan's military forces.

"How's the supply going?" Doom asked Sofia again, his staff coordinating the supplies.

"Ninety percent of the supplies have been resupplyed." Sophia's eyes flashed with numbers as she immediately gave the answer: "The fleet will be fully resupplyed in three hours."

“Very good, be prepared to depart at any time.” Doom took a step forward, following the departing Emperor and Macado and the others.

(End of this chapter)