Warhammer 40k: Melee Warriors

"I named myself Bai Yuheng."

"Then I will give you a name."

"What is it?"

"Hunlinxiu".

Chapter 487: The Name of the Primarch

Hunlinxiu.

Gu Jian heard it clearly; the emperor spoke those three words in fairly standard Chinese. This perfect pronunciation puzzled Bai Yuheng for a long time.

Bai Yuheng did not resist the emperor's bestowed name, but only asked himself if he could retain his original name.

The emperor nodded, granting Bai Yuheng's small request.

The father-son exchange was so cold it was suffocating. Koji believed that even if the Emperor had seen the enraged Angron, he wouldn't have been so cold. He looked at Bai Yuheng as if he were looking at a useful but also dangerous tool.

The moment of bestowing a name, which should have been an honor, was filled with indifference. It was as if if Bai Yuheng frowned, the emperor would bury the name in his heart forever and forget it.

Was the Emperor testing Bai Yuheng? Or was he trying to soothe Bai Yuheng's heart with his incurable sense of humor?

Gu Jian was unclear about the emperor's intentions, but he knew Bai Yuheng's feelings. Beneath his calm face was an overwhelming sense of astonishment. Having witnessed countless genetically mutated and deformed beings, he was awestruck by the emperor's inhuman, godlike aura!

Beyond the shock, he also harbored deep concern. He wondered if such a perfect king would allow a group of deformed freaks to live, even if they were his subordinates...

Bai Yuheng's thoughts were in turmoil, while Gu Jianze pondered the name bestowed upon the Hunlinxiu.

He believed that the name was not chosen randomly. As a transmigrator, he was quite clear that the original's name often summarized their personality, their life, and even their fate to a certain extent.

The Primarch's name carries a tragic sense of fate and a strong sense of irony!

Take Fuggen's full name, Fuggen, for example.

His name is extremely typical. The first part, Fog, means "dazzling" in Latin, while the second part, Rim, means "depressing." These two words with completely opposite descriptive meanings make up the name Fogrim, which perfectly summarizes his brilliant glory when he was loyal to the emperor, as well as his cruel madness after falling into chaos.

The name Peturab is derived from the first part of an English mystic named Aleister Crawley Peturab, who claimed to be a prophet who would usher humanity into the Horusian era. During his lifetime, he was known as the most wicked man in the world, an incorrigible Satanist whose motto was: "I will endure." The second part, "Labau," sounds similar to the word "mob," suggesting that Peturab's achievements were merely the whims of a mob.

This is almost the best summary of Peturab's character: a paranoid man who endures the pressure he creates out of thin air, and finally, when he collapses, he sets the whole world ablaze. His enemies neither approve of Peturab nor fear him; they only give him the most contemptuous smiles and despise his twisted mind and childish behavior.

What about the mixed-elemental mythical creature?

The significance of this name must be even greater!

Perhaps interpreting the meaning of these three characters troubled Bai Yuheng throughout his life, but for an outsider like Gu Jianlai, he could find a reasonable answer simply by directing his thinking toward ancient Chinese mythology.

The term "混" refers to a mythical beast called Chaos, whose image is indistinct and lacks distinct facial features and limbs. It represents the undifferentiated primordial chaos, symbolizing the initial state of the universe and signifying the origin and potential creativity of all things.

The "Lin" refers to the Qilin, an auspicious mythical beast that resembles a deer but possesses dragon scales, an ox's tail, and horse hooves. It is often seen as a symbol of benevolence and good fortune, foreshadowing a peaceful and prosperous era. Ancient legends say that the Qilin only appears where virtuous rulers or wise men are present.

The character 貅 refers to the Pixiu, a mythical creature with a dragon's head, a horse's body, and a qilin's feet. It is depicted as majestic and fierce, symbolizing the warding off of evil and misfortune. Because it is fond of gold and silver and only takes in wealth without giving it out, it is also seen as a symbol of attracting wealth.

By combining the meanings of the three characters, Komi arrived at an interesting theory.

The Emperor believed that Bai Yuheng was a Primitive with great potential, but he had not yet found his goal and was moving forward in a daze.

At the same time, Primarch Jade Heng also possesses a precious heart of benevolence. He has the ability to guide a group of carnivorous deformities toward civilization, thus ushering in an era of prosperity and peace for the human empire.

Having a kind heart does not mean being indecisive. Bai Yuheng is also a brave and powerful warrior who can make difficult decisions decisively in the most critical moments. He will become a sharp sword for humanity to fight against the darkness of the universe! But this sword also has its own little thoughts. It has a kind of caution that can be called selfishness, and it is unwilling to reveal all its secrets and powers to the public.

These three mythical beasts, with characteristics of other organisms, hint at Bai Yuheng's genetic talent. He can use genetic engineering to make warriors not purely human, but superhuman life forms that combine the advantages of many biological evolutions.

Koken's interpretation of the mixed-elemental beast is as described above; he still needs more input from the emperor to refine this newly emerging viewpoint.

As he pondered, the conversation between the Emperor and Bai Yuheng entered its next phase.

"What about them?" Bai Yuheng asked, pointing to the planet filled with decaying matter. Although the incessant rain had stopped, the rotting flesh did not disappear with the arrival of the golden light.

Looking down from the ship, you can even see the warm, foul fumes from the decaying matter swirling in the air, forming a somewhat benign smile.

The emperor understood that Bai Yuheng was referring not only to this planet, but also to the deformed people under his protection.

"Destruction is the only answer," the Emperor said coldly. "Anything that threatens the existence of humanity must be utterly destroyed."

“But they are human beings too, and the blood flowing in their veins proves that.” Bai Yuheng questioned, his voice rising and his fists clenched.

The Imperial Guards raised their power halberds at the Primarch; the weapons, as gleaming as they were, looked incredibly imposing with the red plumes on their helmets.

Compared to them, Primarch Bai Yuheng, dressed in armor made of interwoven skin and bone, was extremely poor. His attire was only suitable for appearing in the abandoned Nest City's Bottom Nest.

The emperor raised his hand, and the imperial guards lowered their weapons. He looked at Bai Yuheng seriously and said, "They were once human, but they are not anymore. In order for the majority of people to live normally, the minority of mutants must die; in order to save the health of the whole body, the diseased parts must be removed. You should understand this principle."

“That’s because you’re incompetent…” Bai Yuheng retorted without backing down. He disagreed with the emperor’s ideology. “The suffering these humans endured was not something they asked for, but a helpless act for survival. If you want to become the emperor of humanity, their supreme ruler, then you must extend a helping hand to these people with tragic fates. Today you see them as a burden, as filth. Tomorrow, who will you see as a burden?”

Chapter 488: Another Brother

Bai Yuheng looked at the Imperial Guards behind the Emperor; he could smell the scent beneath their armor.

That wasn't a pure human being, but merely a genetically engineered creation wearing a perfect human skin. Given time and resources, he was confident he could transform the deformed man into an entity like the Imperial Guard.

Under the emperor's emotionless gaze, Bai Yuheng pointed at the Imperial Guards and said, "Perhaps one day, you will regard those below the standard of the Imperial Guards as a burden to the human race."

Such an offense was unthinkable to the Guardians, but they would never kill a Primarch without the Emperor's permission.

The Emperor remained silent, only patting Bai Yuheng's shoulder and saying, "You have chosen a difficult path, one that yields no reward. One day, your efforts will be scorned by those who don't know you, or even those you have helped. Even so, will you still hold fast to your beliefs?"

"I still maintain that if you can't sweep your own house, how can you sweep the world? If you can't save one person, how can you save ten thousand people?"

That's so well said!

Komi cheered for the Primarch's brilliant speech, but he could also understand the Emperor's thoughts. Not all deformities should be saved. For example, those twisted beings who prolong their lives with infant adult stem cells and drive war machines with the blood of living people—if they don't suffer a fate worse than death, it would be a disservice to the innocent people who have been sucked to death over the past few centuries.

Upon hearing Bai Yuheng's words, a ripple finally appeared in the Emperor's calm eyes. He removed his hand from Bai Yuheng's shoulder, sighed softly, and turned to leave.

"They can live, but that planet must never continue to exist."

The Emperor's voice drifted over from afar, and Bai Yuheng's tense nerves finally relaxed. He was prepared that if the Emperor wanted to kill all his remaining followers, Bai Yuheng would fight to the death.

Fortunately... he didn't have to do that.

What a formidable opponent...

Bai Yuheng thought to himself that facing the pressure of the emperor was not easy even for a Primarch. He turned to look at the world that had nurtured him.

The Emperor's fleet surrounded the planet, and light spears burned the stinking swamps formed by the accumulation of decaying matter. The towering flames even formed a huge red spot that could be clearly seen from space.

Bai Yuheng reunited with his followers, leaving only sixty-four men. This filled Bai Yuheng with sorrow as he mourned the kingdom he had painstakingly built and also met his brother, Horus.

Horus is like a freak with a father complex, that was Bai Yuheng's first impression of him.

This is all thanks to Horus's intentional or unintentional boasting about the origin of the ring on his hand when he met Bai Yuheng, as well as the undisguised respect and admiration Horus showed when talking about the emperor.

Bai Yuheng had never encountered anyone who was his equal. Those who had surrounded him before were cannibalistic deformities who had transitioned from a primitive state to civilization.

However, he still showed amazing affability in their interactions, and Horus soon regarded Bai Yuheng as a younger brother who needed his guidance, rather than a competitor for the scarce father's love.

Although Bai Yuheng is ranked second in the numbering, his body is far less robust than Horus's due to the dangerous and harsh environment of the planet. He needs a stable environment to unleash the potential of the Primarch.

During this period of leisure, Koken watched as Bai Yuheng nestled in the enormous library aboard the Emperor's warship, absorbing all the knowledge with great eagerness.

Years later, Bai Yuheng had taken off those clothes made of skin and bone, keeping them only in a corner of the room as a way for him to remember the past.

He wore a simple, white robe, loose and flowing, swaying naturally with the wind and his movements. It was embroidered with delicate bird patterns in dark silk thread.

Bai Yuheng now possesses the refined and reserved temperament characteristic of his given name, much like a piece of warm and lustrous jade.

His appearance was exceptionally striking; a slight smile from his eyes could leave the crew stunned for a long time, until his robes swept past them before they reacted. He, along with Fugen and Sangilius, formed the trio of Primarchs at their peak of good looks.

Horus... was still Horus... his bald head, devoid of a single hair, contrasted sharply with the white jade pendant that required a crown to hold his hair back.

The two became familiar with each other over a long period of time. Before Bai Yuheng was about to finish his studies and lead the legion alone to serve the human empire's great expedition, Horus and Bai Yuheng had a long talk.

Horus took the flask of wine that Bai Yuheng handed him. The wine was clear and transparent like water, and the aroma of the wine was strong as soon as the lid was lifted.

"Tsk tsk tsk... This is truly fine wine. Where will I find such wine without you? Why don't you tell me the secret recipe now, so I can brew some myself?" Horus said with a chuckle after taking a sip of the wine. Bai Yuheng smiled slightly and then said...

“Alright, I’ll tell you how to brew it right away.” Bai Yuheng tore off a piece of paper and wrote down words in a few quick strokes that Horus found impeccable.

Horus pointed to one of the steps and asked, "What does this mean? What does it mean to mix in human virginity?" Horus shook his head slightly as he asked. Some of Bai Yuheng's techniques were beyond his comprehension. Even the Emperor himself would frown and ponder for a while when he saw them.

Appropriate amount, moderate heat, a little, a handful, a small amount, as desired...

Such vague terms permeate the books written by Bai Yuheng, which tormented the mechanical monks who tried to learn. They repeatedly asked Bai Yuheng to give them a precise number, or even a general range, but the reply they always received was always the same.

"This is the appropriate amount," Bai Yuheng explained to the mechanical cultivators, counting on two fingers.

"Human urine frost?" Bai Yuheng glanced at the words on the paper and answered lightly, "It's the frost formed by dried and hardened urine of children. When you're brewing wine, just remember to scrape some off with your fingernail and sprinkle it in."

Horus's face instantly turned even uglier than the orc who had been shot in the face. "You mean this is the essence of urine?"

“It’s like a child’s urine drying and then condensing into frost,” Bai Yuheng patiently pointed out. “The difference between the two is significant.”

Horus wouldn't listen to Bai Yuheng's explanation; all he could smell was the stench of urine in the sake jug in his hand...

Bai Yuheng sighed, and to soothe Horus's spirits, he explained, "Form doesn't matter, what matters is the ingredients. Didn't you use that invigorating perfume I gave you the other day quite frequently?"

"Was that also done by this person Chu Bai?" Horus asked nervously.

Bai Yuheng smiled and said, "Of course not. That's a component I extracted from feces called indole. Low concentrations of indole have a very refreshing taste."

Horus's face turned purple and then green, then purple again, and finally he sighed heavily and said to Bai Yuheng, "I'm really fed up with you... Enough of that. I've come to hand over command of the Legion to you. You will be embarking on an expedition to a lost sector with another brother."

"Another brother? How interesting. I thought I would be fighting alongside you."

"Haha, how could I not want that?" Horus laughed heartily. It was hard to imagine that he would later become a Chaos Warmaster with a broken mind. He subconsciously brought the flask to his lips, about to take a swig, then realized something and awkwardly put it down. "Ahem... I came here this time to remind you that brother's personality is a bit eccentric and withdrawn. I hope you two can get along well and not fight over personality differences, which would affect the progress of the expedition."

"Haha... my brother, I have unique insights into handling interpersonal relationships, I believe we'll get along well. Oh, by the way, what's that brother's name?"

Horus answered in a muffled voice, "Engelmov."

Engelmov?

There's someone like this in the Primarchy?

How come I didn't know?

Komi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly his eyes widened. Could this Engelmov be the original of the lost 11th Legion?

So what does this name mean?

Engelmov... Engelmov...

A combination of Engelberg and Asimov?