I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 223 Making History in One Move

Three days later, a military conference of far greater scale than before was held in the main strategic hall of the "Magna Macurag's Glory".

The huge circular conference table was packed with people. The Ultramarines and their many chapter commanders, senior officers of the Imperial Navy fleet, commanders of the Alteramar auxiliary forces, representatives of the Cult of Mechanics, observers of the Inquisition, military clerics of the State Church, and military officials from various departments—almost all the prominent figures of the expeditionary fleet were gathered here.

Important matters are addressed in smaller meetings, which set the tone; large meetings follow procedures, announcing the decisions made in the smaller meetings. This set of rules applies in every universe.

Everything seemed normal at the beginning of the meeting.

Everyone took turns speaking, discussing the allocation of logistical supplies, the initial plan for the purification operation, and the current status assessment of each front. All reports indicated that the Human Alliance was well-equipped, morale was high, and they were ready to launch a full-scale counter-offensive against the surface of Plantim at any time. The atmosphere was rigorous and efficient, filled with the solemnity of the impending battle.

Until it was Nguyen Van Bo's turn to speak.

He stepped onto the podium, his gaze calmly sweeping across the room, and with his first words, he dropped a bombshell.

"Gentlemen and commanders, all the suggestions you have made are excellent. I am deeply impressed by the fact that everyone here is working wholeheartedly for the final victory in this war. Therefore, I would also like to make a suggestion."

He paused briefly, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

"We should make full use of the forces we currently possess, rather than letting these valuable forces fight independently without coordination. This would undoubtedly be a serious waste of Imperial resources. Therefore, I propose that we establish a unified command and communication system between the currently independent Astartes Chapters, and even between the Astartes and the mortal forces, so that they can be closely linked and fight together!"

Many people were initially bewildered upon hearing this suggestion, but then they realized the terrifying implications behind it.

The previously noisy conference room fell silent instantly. The sounds of flipping through data tablets, pens scribbling notes, and even the slightest rustling of clothing against skin vanished. The air seemed to freeze.

The suffocating silence lasted for a while, then was broken by a sharp shout.

"I object!"

Nguyen Van Bo looked in the direction of the voice and saw a bureaucrat from the Ministry of Military Affairs in a splendid uniform, his obese face filled with fear and anger. As expected.

"This proposal is utterly absurd!" the bureaucrat rambled on, spitting as he spoke. "Maintaining the size of a thousand-man warband in the Astartes is a glorious tradition established by the Primarchs themselves since the Great Crusade! This tradition has lasted for ten thousand years and must not be broken! Countless cases have proven that Astartes at the warband size can strike the enemy more flexibly and efficiently! As for the idea of ​​Astartes cooperating with mortal forces, that's even more ridiculous! Their fighting styles are completely different. Forcing them to cooperate would be like a long leg and a short leg tied together—not only would they not walk faster, but they would only walk slower, and they might even fall down on the spot!"

The official had expected his impassioned appeal to garner the support of most of the people present. But to his surprise, after he had spoken until his spittle was dry, not a single person stood up to echo his sentiments, not even a peep of agreement.

An eerie silence fell over the entire venue.

And the Astartes? Dozens of chapter commanders, led by Calgar, sat like silent Buddhas, their faces expressionless. Of course, in such a public setting, they couldn't openly support Nguyen Van Bo's proposal; that would undoubtedly cross a political red line. But their silence, their lack of opposition, spoke volumes. And the Navy? Some of the battle-hardened fleet commanders had even closed their eyes, as if feigning sleep. As the foundation of the Empire's existence, no one would be foolish enough to attack the Navy casually. In such sensitive political struggles, their wisest course of action was to remain neutral, waiting for the victor to offer them terms of appeasement, rather than actively jumping into the muddy waters.

What about the Astragalus? Ruan Wenbo was the leader of the suicide squad, and their officers and executive committee members naturally responded to the bureaucrat's statement with disdain and sneers. But why were the other Astragalus commanders silent? Only then did the official notice that the commanders all wore the U-shaped insignia of the Ultramarines on their shoulder armor. Oh, right, they were Ultramarines auxiliary forces. How could they speak without the Ultramarines' consent?

That leaves only the Mechanicus, the Inquisition, and the State Church. The officials turned their pleading eyes to the representatives of these factions: Sage Wick Taren, Inquisitor Koptman, and Iso Guni.

Well, as if they had agreed beforehand, none of the three said a word.

The official's heart sank. He looked back at Nguyen Van Bo on the podium. The leader of the suicide squad was looking at him with a half-smile. A sudden chill ran through him as a terrifying thought crossed his mind—the other party had probably already coordinated with everyone here!

Ruan Wenbo spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice echoing clearly in the silent hall: "However, the enemy we face today is unlike any we've encountered in the past ten thousand years. Faced with a completely new threat, we need to seek new methods of warfare, don't we? And if we're talking about 'tradition,' isn't it... the most 'traditional' way to unite all forces and fight under the banner of a large army?"

"As for your claim that Astartes and mortals cannot cooperate, that's laughable," Ruan Wenbo said with a hint of sarcasm. "Does that mean that in a naval fleet, battleships, cruisers, and frigates must be divided into different formations to fight better because of their performance differences? Does that mean that the Astronautical Army's armored forces can only have tanks, and its artillery forces can only have cannons? Forgive my bluntness, sir, but... have you ever fought a war?"

"Pfft-"

Many naval officers could no longer contain themselves, lowering their heads or covering their mouths to hide their laughter. Meanwhile, on the Astronautical side, the officers facing their deaths took the lead in clapping and whistling: "Well said! Well said!"

"Enough!" The official's face turned a deep shade of purple. He had assumed that this proposal, clearly intended to expand the power of Astartes, would be met with unanimous opposition from all non-Astarte factions. Therefore, he didn't care how absurd his reasons were; he figured they would support him, an imperial bureaucrat, based on their own interests. But to his surprise, no one responded!
In desperation, he blurted out the most lethal words: "We all know the real reason! Who can guarantee that if the Astartes unite, they will only point their guns at the Xenomorphs?! At least if it stays at the size of a chapter, it can still be controlled..."

"Can I understand that you are accusing all the Astartes present of being capable of rebellion?" Nguyen Van Bo immediately interrupted him, his voice suddenly turning cold. "Sir, this is a very, very serious accusation. They have come here from afar, ready to shed their last drop of blood for humanity, to fight the Xenomorphs, all with a heart full of loyalty to the Emperor. If you make such a statement without any basis, it will be very hurtful."

As soon as the words were spoken, the dozens of Astartes commanders, who had been silent like statues, finally reacted. They didn't utter a word, but all turned their gazes to the standing official.

Which of the Astartes who could participate in this meeting wasn't a ruthless man who had fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood? Their gazes were filled with the weight of death, steel, and war, far beyond what a pampered bureaucrat could bear.

Under the oppressive, almost tangible pressure, the official opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately couldn't utter a single word. His eyes rolled back, and he simply collapsed unconscious to the ground.

Seeing this dramatic scene, Ruan Wenbo was stunned for a moment before he reacted, thinking to himself: This gentleman is quite clever; he knows that staying any longer won't end well. Once he's carried out and wakes up, he'll probably suddenly "contract" some serious mental illness, or simply be in a "coma" for three or four years…

After the unfortunate official was carried out by the guards, Nguyen Van Bo looked around at the audience again and asked with a smile, "So, is there anyone else who objects to this reasonable proposal?"

This time, no one spoke up, and the proposal was passed smoothly.

(End of this chapter)