I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 189 Ionid Hill
With Sicarius in front and Nguyen Van Bo behind, the two walked side by side into the temple-like interior of Hera Fortress. Magnificent pillars supported the towering dome, which was painted with the glorious epic of the Ultramarines over the past ten thousand years. Every step felt like walking on the long river of history.

“Every brick and stone of Hera Fortress is steeped in history, Your Excellency,” Sicarius’s voice echoed in the empty corridor, carrying an innate pride. “Our archives are vast, but if you wish to experience the chapter’s glory firsthand, there are a few places you cannot miss. Would you rather behold the statues of our forefathers who stand in Valhalla, their legends forged with their lives, or would you rather be admiring the narrative reliefs etched in the Victory Gallery, recording our millennia of conquest?”

Ruan Wenbo's eyes lit up, and he said almost without hesitation, "The statue! I want to see the statue."

“A wise choice.” Sicarius nodded slightly and led Nguyen Van Bo toward a more ancient passage.

They first arrived at a brightly lit hall, where heroes from the last few millennia stood. Sicarius pointed to a statue holding a power sword with glaring eyes and spoke eloquently: "This is Company Commander Sol Invictus. He held his ground in the war against the Xenomorphs until his death, buying precious time for his comrades to launch a counterattack."

He then pointed to another, more somber statue: "This is the predecessor of Varo Tigurius, the director of the think tank, who sacrificed his soul to close a massive warp rift during an expedition against Chaos..."

Sicarius knew the lives of these heroes like the back of his hand, from their glorious birth to their even more glorious death, every detail crystal clear. Ruan Wenbo listened intently, his eyes shining with admiration, as if he had witnessed those magnificent epics firsthand.

But gradually, as the two ventured deeper into the more ancient halls, the introduction of Sicarius became shorter and shorter.

"This is... Brother Oren, a company commander during the M36 era. He distinguished himself in the expedition against the Ork."

“This… all we know about him is his name, Kesto, an ancient champion swordsman.”

This wasn't because Sicarius harbored any resentment, deliberately omitted details, or lacked sufficient knowledge. On the contrary, as a prodigy among the Ultramarines, his knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary people. However, the history of the Ultramarines was simply too long; ten thousand years was enough to bury too many memories. As they ventured deeper, even Sicarius, who graduated with top honors from Macragge Academy, didn't know why these silent statues stood here. Their deeds were lost in the burned databases and forgotten battle reports; all that was known was that they were all once Ultramarines, and must have performed meritorious deeds worthy of being remembered here.

The light dimmed, and the air was filled with the mingled scents of ancient stone and dust. The statues here were increasingly archaic, even bearing the ruggedness of the Great Crusade. Sicarius had fallen completely silent; he could only act as a guide, leading Nguyen Van Bo among these giants forgotten by time.

Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Governor Nguyen Van Bo, are you going to continue? Further ahead is an area that isn't even recorded in the archives."

“Yes,” Nguyen Van Bo answered firmly, “I haven’t seen what I’m looking for yet, let’s keep moving forward.”

They walked a long way further, reaching the deepest part of Hera's Fortress. Most of the statues here were broken, and even their names were blurred. Sicarius was convinced that perhaps only those old scholars who had spent their lives studying in archives would be able to find a few words about them in some tattered manuscript of unofficial history.

It was here that Nguyen Van Bo stopped abruptly without warning.

He didn't look at the towering statues, but instead focused his gaze on a wall. Embedded in that wall were relatively small memorial plaques, commemorating those soldiers who had made outstanding contributions.

Sicarius followed Ruan Wenbo's gaze and found him staring at one of the bronze inscriptions. The inscription was carved in a very ancient style, and contained only a name and a line of small characters.

【Ionid Hill】 "In memory of the brothers Ionid Hill. After the Primarch fell into slumber, he continued to fight for the Empire for five hundred years. His will was unwavering, his loyalty steadfast."

Sicarius stood beside Nguyen Van Bo, his tall frame casting a long shadow. Reason told him that as a guide, he only needed to wait quietly. But when his gaze swept over that name, an unprecedented, indescribable feeling surged from the depths of his genes, like distant thunder echoing faintly in his soul. This impulse made him break his silence.

“Governor Nguyen Van Bo,” Sicarius’s voice was a few decibels’s lower than usual, “do you know this Ultramariner?”

"I know a little bit about him, but unfortunately I probably won't be able to get his autograph or a photo with him." Ruan Wenbo's reply carried a hint of mockery that only players would understand. He looked at Sicarius with some suspicion, "What's wrong, Company Commander Sicarius? Have you heard of him?"

Sicarius realized that his lapse in composure was quite obvious. He composed himself and tried to calm his tone: "I only just learned about him myself... but for some reason, seeing that name gives me a strange feeling."

The extreme warrior, known for his perseverance and confidence, now spoke with a hint of hesitation: "This feeling... I've never experienced it before."

"What the hell? Could the rumors be true..." Ruan Wenbo muttered to himself.

He remained expressionless and said in a joking tone, "Perhaps your genetic seed, Captain Sicarius, was inherited from this Ultramariner predecessor named Hill?"

To Ruan Wenbo's surprise, Sicarius fell into a long silence after hearing this. After a moment, he replied in an extremely serious tone, "Although the probability is very small, it's not impossible. Every Space Marine's gene seed originates from the Primarch, but it also records some of the host's traits through generations. If my gene seed is truly related to the Hill brothers, then my feeling just now can be reasonably explained."

"Uh..." Ruan Wenbo was momentarily at a loss for words. He had spoken the truth in a joking manner, but the other party had taken it seriously. He could only cough and change the subject, "I don't think there's anything left to see if we go any further. How about we turn back here and go check on the sleeping demigod?"

“Father?” Sicarius replied. Even with his straightforward nature comparable to the Fist of the Empire, he could tell that Ruan Wenbo’s main purpose in coming here was to see this Ultramariner named Hill, since Ruan Wenbo had never hidden himself from the beginning. However, he didn’t ask any further questions; there was no point in investigating such matters.

“Of course,” Sicarius turned around and gestured for him to enter, “but Your Excellency, you will most likely not be able to get your father’s autograph and a photo.”

"puff--"

Ruan Wenbo almost lost control of his expression and nearly choked on his breath.

"What's wrong?" Sicarius turned to him, his face hidden beneath his helmet, his tone filled with pure doubt. "Governor Nguyen Van Bo, is there something wrong with your body?"

“No, it’s nothing,” Ruan Wenbo waved his hands repeatedly, forcibly suppressing his smile. “Let’s hurry and see the Primarch, I can’t wait…”

(End of this chapter)