Forced to die just after becoming invincible in Warhammer?

The originally fast-paced sounds of hammering suddenly slowed down by half a beat, and the burly Astartes men of the 11th Legion also slowed down their movements, which was unusual, and cast astonished glances.

Lord Huile, their genetic mother holds an extremely important position in the field of psychic power. The basic psychic power book signed by her is a precious item coveted by countless psychics, and its value is inestimable.

The scale of the transaction, exchanging such a rare treasure for the head of a Necron King, really shocked everyone present.

Brightman looked at everyone's reactions and just smiled slightly, seeming to be quite satisfied with his deal.

He urged Astelan to speed up and said, "Don't stand there, hurry up."

The two of them quickened their pace and left.

In the forging workshop behind them, everyone was still immersed in the shock brought by the amazing deal just now.

On the way, Astelan couldn't contain his confusion and regret, and couldn't help but speak again: "You really shouldn't have traded that book signed by the Primarch for the head of a Necron Lord. You have to know that the value of that book is enough to make an entire company of the 11th Legion obey your command for a short period of time. The strategic significance and potential value of this far exceeds that of a Necron head."

Brightman smiled disapprovingly, looked at Astelan, and said with a hint of sarcasm, "Sorry, Astelan, you, a fellow without a mother's love, can't understand why I do this. This matter must be said openly and clearly in public. Let those people stare at me, jealous and envious of me, knowing that I am a big spender. That feeling is much better than commanding a company."

When Astelan heard this, he was speechless for a moment. He opened his mouth slightly, but didn't know how to refute.

He shook his head helplessly, secretly admiring Brightman's unusual way of thinking, but he still spoke. "Brightman, while you may act differently, you must sometimes weigh the pros and cons. The head of a Necromancer, while rare, offers little practical benefit besides satisfying our vanity. If we could use that book to command a company of the 11th Legion, at a crucial moment, we might even be able to change the course of a battle."

Brightman paused and turned to look at Astelan. The playful smile on his face faded a little, and his expression became serious. "Asteran, I know you are considering the overall situation, but you also know that the life of us Astartes is not to fight on the battlefield forever. In this long and boring interstellar journey, we must find some fun for ourselves. It is true that in the end there may be no fun, only tragedy, but we must learn to entertain ourselves and not let our tense nerves make us even more crazy and unrecognizable."

……

In the magnificent palace of Terra, in the luxurious restaurant, the left and right prime ministers were leisurely having a meal.

Macador, the experienced and steady old man, and the young and promising Yuanming formed a distinctive combination of old and young.

On the dining table, the tender steak was carefully cut into small pieces with a delicate knife and fork, and then slowly put into the mouth.

"The sour taste of today's steak is particularly prominent." Yuanming frowned slightly, put down his knife and fork, and commented with a little dissatisfaction.

Malcador smiled calmly, "This is lemon steak. Without that sour taste, how can it be called lemon steak?"

As he spoke, he put a piece of steak into his mouth and chewed it carefully, although the sour taste was indeed so strong that it stimulated his taste buds.

At this moment, below their seats, countless imperial officials dressed in gorgeous costumes were eating quietly.

However, although they seemed to be concentrating on the food on their plates, they actually had their ears slightly perked up, listening intently to the conversation between the two highest-ranking officials of the empire.

After all, these two big men only need to communicate with each other a little and respond to each other, and the decrees issued from Terra can be like a surging wave, easily changing the fate of countless planets.

Such awe-inspiring power made everyone present dare not slack off in the slightest.

Malcador swallowed the food in his mouth and wiped the corner of his mouth gently. His expression turned serious and he began to speak, "Chaghatai has sent news that he has successfully captured and rescued a planet in a star region. Now, he has expressed his hope to add more Imperial officials to the local planet."

Macador picked up another piece of steak and put it in his mouth to chew. The sour taste was still strong.

Yuanming almost didn't think twice before responding decisively: "Reject him. The reason is that the empire is extremely short of talented officials. The number of planets expanded during the Great Crusade is too large, and it is impossible to add more talents to the local area."

Makado nodded, indicating his approval of Yuanming's decision.

"That's an appropriate response. The Great Expedition has indeed stretched our resources in terms of talent allocation. But Chagatai will probably be a little dissatisfied." The old man sighed softly, put down his knife and fork, picked up the wine glass beside him, and took a sip.

"That's all I can do about my dissatisfaction," Yuanming said grimly. "The empire's overall plan can't be easily altered based on the needs of a single region. Furthermore, the empire currently has numerous core affairs, and officials are overwhelmed. Even if they wanted to support, they'd be powerless."

Yuanming picked up the napkin, wiped the corner of his mouth, and glanced at the officials who were eating quietly below.

"However, we cannot completely disregard Jaghatai's feelings," Malcador said after a moment's reflection. "His efforts and contributions in that sector are evident to all. If handled improperly, it might dampen the enthusiasm of the other Primarchs. Perhaps we could promise to prioritize his request once the Imperium's talent pool has been alleviated."

Yuanming frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.

After a moment, he slowly said, "This is a compromise, but promises are promises. When they can be fulfilled depends on the actual situation of the empire. We need to make him understand that this is not our intention to shirk responsibility, but the current situation forces us to do so."

"Well, let us do this," Malcador said. "I will personally write a letter to Chagatai, detailing our difficulties and future considerations. I believe that with his wisdom, he will understand the Empire's predicament."

The imperial officials below continued to listen quietly, not daring to make a sound.

They knew very well that every word and every decision made by these two adults, like the trajectory of stars, had a profound impact on the empire's huge operating system.

The decision made at this moment regarding Chagatai's request may trigger a series of chain reactions in that distant star region in the days to come.

Malcador and Yuanming continued to dine, but the conversation gradually turned to other matters of the Empire, such as the cultural integration of newly conquered planets and the defense deployment in border areas.

The officials below listened silently, secretly pondering the deeper meaning behind these high-level decisions, while also thinking about their own position and mission in the grand chess game of the empire.

Malcador turned the conversation back to the Primarch, saying calmly, "Lorgar has recognized his mistakes, and now leads his Legion on a crusade of atonement for his followers."

He paused slightly, as if waiting for Yuanming's opinion on the matter.

"Is it true that the empire's tax revenue is not being collected in some areas recently?" Yuanming did not respond directly to the topic, but changed the subject and asked solemnly.

"Well, the situation is quite difficult. Besides, many of the tax collectors I sent out have unfortunately died in the line of duty."

Malcador, Nebal's father, nodded gravely, worry in his eyes.

The casualties of tax collectors not only meant the obstruction of tax collection work, but also hinted at the potential instability within the empire.

"Then please write to him and tell him that the human empire created by the Emperor is now facing its first extremely serious internal difficulty - the problem of taxation. He needs to set an example in person."

Yuanming spoke with a firm gaze and a steady tone.

In his opinion, as the Primarch, Lorgar should contribute to solving the empire's predicament and demonstrate his loyalty and responsibility to the empire through practical actions. Taking the lead in solving the tax problem is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity.

Malcador frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said, "Letting Lorgar handle the tax issue is one possible solution. However, he is currently focused on the Atonement Expedition. I wonder if suddenly distracting him from this matter will allow him to fully cooperate, and whether it will affect the expedition's progress."

Yuanming shook his head slightly, his expression resolute. "The empire is currently facing difficulties. Taxation is related to the foundation of the empire, and all aspects of its affairs require funds to maintain. Now that Luo Jia has recognized his mistakes, he should understand that the empire needs him to make greater contributions at this time. The Atonement Expedition is certainly important, but the stability and logistics of the empire are equally urgent. If he truly repents, he should prioritize the greater good."

Malcador nodded in agreement. "You are right. Lorgar and his legion hold considerable influence among the faithful. If he could personally coordinate, it might serve as a deterrent to those areas resisting taxation, allowing for smooth tax collection."

"That's right." Yuan Ming's eyes were sharp. "We must make him understand that what the Emperor desires is a strong and stable human empire. Every Primarch shoulders an unshirkable responsibility. His exemplary role will not only solve the current tax problem, but also send a signal to other Primarchs and the people of the Empire: when the Empire faces difficulties, everyone should work together to overcome the difficulties."

Malcador stood up with a solemn expression. "Very well, I will do it. I will write a letter informing Lorgar of the Empire's dire situation and our expectations. I hope he will understand our intentions and respond positively."

Yuanming also stood up and nodded slightly. "This matter is of great importance. We must make him understand the urgency of the matter. In addition, the security of the tax collectors must be redeployed. No more unnecessary sacrifices can be made."

"I'll see to it," Malcador replied, and hurried from the dining room to his study to write a letter.

On the surface, those imperial officials still maintained the appearance of eating quietly, but their hearts were already surging like a raging storm.

They listened to the two adults' plans in secret with fear, each of them

The words were like heavy hammers, hitting their nerves.

The taxation issue has always been the key lifeline of the empire's operation. Now it has become so serious that the Primarch needs to step in to solve it. The difficulties of the empire reflected behind this are far beyond their previous imagination.

The boldness and crucialness of the decision to allow Luo Jia, who was on a sin-atonement expedition, to step aside and deal with the matter made them realize the urgency and complexity of the situation.

They knew that once Malcador's letter arrived, Lorgar's response would set off a chain reaction.

If Lorgar actively cooperates, it may bring a turnaround to the empire's tax difficulties. However, if he resists, it may not only cause the tax problem to continue to worsen, but may also cause subtle conflicts among the Primarchs.

These officials did not dare to make any sound. They could only glance at their companions out of the corner of their eyes and saw the same shock and worry in each other's eyes.

Amidst this storm of decision-making at the top of the empire, they were like tiny specks of dust on the edge of a vortex, filled with fear of the impending changes, yet secretly hoping that the empire could use this opportunity to overcome the difficulties and restore its former prosperity.

They silently swallowed the food in their mouths, but it tasted like wax. Their minds were no longer on the food, but were closely tied to the unknown fate of the empire.

Yuanming appeared calm on the surface, his eyes sweeping subtly over the imperial officials who seemed calm but were actually in turmoil inside.

In front of Malcador, he had already acted out the entire scene to its fullest, and all the seemingly impromptu discussions were actually part of his careful planning.

Those officials thought again that since the two prime ministers could tell them such important matters so frankly in person, there must be a deep meaning behind it.

Based on their understanding of the two adults, they were very likely to have this matter well planned, and it was even very likely that they had already secretly communicated with Lorgar, the Lord of the Word Bearers.

After all, such a major decision, which concerns the core lifeline of the Empire's taxation and involves the Primarch and his legion, cannot be made rashly.

The two prime ministers must have considered it carefully, weighed the pros and cons, and communicated and coordinated with all relevant parties in advance, so they could discuss it so calmly in front of everyone.

It's too brain-burning, but I have to think about it because this is what I do.

Chapter 316: Layout, Iron City

"Being an official and making decisions is incredibly difficult! You have to consider everything, weigh everything, maintain a balance of power, and constantly worry about cultivating talent."

Yuanming sat at his desk, busy dealing with the pile of documents, and couldn't help complaining.

The documents flipped in his hands, and his brows became more and more furrowed as the work became more and more complicated.

"The conversation you just had with me was too abrupt. However, at least we managed to hold on. We are responsible for the operation of the entire empire."

Macador said from the side, looking at Yuanming gently, but noticed that Yuanming was processing documents more and more slowly.

"But why are you processing things more and more slowly lately?" Macador couldn't help asking, with a hint of worry in his eyes. He felt that his workload was increasing and his rest time was decreasing.

"For the safety of my Lord, I had to devote a great deal of mental energy to analyzing his safety and deducing his location in the galaxy."

Yuanming continued to process the documents in an orderly manner as he explained, his words revealing his loyalty and concern for his lord.

"Have you deduced anything?" Malcador asked curiously, knowing full well the importance of the Regent to the Empire and the Knights.

"No, my lord is unfathomable. His whereabouts cannot be easily calculated or inferred." Yuanming shook his head helplessly, but his hands did not stop moving.

"Then shouldn't you focus on the matters at hand?" Macador advised. At this moment, this old man was processing documents more efficiently than the young man in front of him.

"No, my brain cannot stop deducing the position of my lord in the vast galaxy for even a day." Yuanming was firm in his attitude, and there was no room for negotiation in his tone.

"Then what can you infer?" Malcador asked again, wanting this guy to do his job well and steadily.

"There is no definite result, but based on my lord's preferences, I have inferred that there may be planets that my lord likes. However, there are already hundreds of thousands of planets that have been reclaimed by the empire that meet the requirements." Yuanming said helplessly.

"...Then what are you going to do?" Malcador couldn't help but ask. He was filled with worry, fearing that Yuanming would lose his mind because of this incident and do something ridiculous like sending the talents he had carefully trained to serve as interstellar governors of the hundreds of thousands of planets he had inferred.

"This decision is simply ridiculous." Malcador thought to himself, his heart filled with helplessness and shock.

You know, the White King's servants are all extraordinary people. Not only can they handle complicated official business in an orderly manner, but they can also always get along with others in a normal manner, without any arrogance of a superior. They can be called extremely rare super humans in the empire.

And those knights are the best among the squires. Each of them has unique skills, and their respective areas of expertise and the meanings they represent are completely different. They are all rare talents.

But the young man in front of him gave an order and sent them all into the vast galaxy.

In Macador's view, this was undoubtedly a waste of resources. Such a waste of precious human resources really made him feel sad.

Yuanming keenly noticed the expression on Malcador's face and quickly said, "Don't worry. I've been sending them out for quite some time now, and there haven't been any unexpected incidents so far."

Malcador, the old man with silver hair and a figure that showed his age, asked in confusion, "That's not right! I really don't understand how you can command them?"

"It's very simple. I will just tell them that my lord has disappeared and now we urgently need them to find him." Yuanming said lightly, as if it was just an ordinary matter.

"It's... it's that simple? Is that all?" Malcador's tone was full of uncertainty. It was hard to believe that such a major personnel deployment could be achieved with just such a simple reason.

"What else? As her chief knight, if I can't even command these, I might as well go back to bed early." Yuanming responded as a matter of course, with confidence in his eyes.

After all, he had been commanding these guys thousands of years ago.

"I have already taken action. I have sent all of the White King's servants and knights out to search for him," Yuanming said.

"This decision is simply ridiculous." Malcador thought to himself, his heart filled with helplessness and shock.

You know, the White King's servants are all extraordinary people. Not only can they handle complicated official business in an orderly manner, but they can also always get along with others in a normal manner, without any arrogance of a superior. They can be called extremely rare super humans in the empire.

And those knights are the best among the squires. Each of them has unique skills, and their respective areas of expertise and the meanings they represent are completely different. They are all rare talents.

But the young man in front of him gave an order and sent them all into the vast galaxy.

In Macador's view, this was undoubtedly a waste of resources. Such a waste of precious human resources really made him feel sad.

Yuanming keenly noticed the expression on Malcador's face and quickly said, "Don't worry. I've been sending them out for quite some time now, and there haven't been any unexpected incidents so far."

Malcador, a man with silver hair and a figure that showed his age, asked in confusion, "I really don't understand how you can command them?"

"It's very simple. I will tell them directly that my lord has disappeared and now they are urgently needed to find him." Yuanming said as if it was just an ordinary matter.

"It's... it's that simple? Is that all?" Malcador's tone was full of uncertainty. He really couldn't believe that such a major personnel deployment could be achieved with just such a simple reason.

"What else? As her chief knight, if I can't even command these, I might as well go back to bed early." Yuanming responded as a matter of course, with confidence and determination in his eyes.

Malcador was speechless for a moment, lapsed into silence, mentally comparing the situation to having Constantin Valdor command the Emperor's Custodians, whether the elite within the Shadow Monarch or elsewhere.

In his opinion, this was almost a fantasy.

After all, the Emperor's Guards are all proud and have extremely high loyalty and unique insights into their missions, and they cannot be easily deployed by others.

But seeing Yuanming able to command the White King's servants and knights so easily really overturned his cognition and made it difficult for him to accept such a reality for a while. He could only secretly sigh at the strangeness and incomprehensibility of it.

Malcador shook his head helplessly, trying to drive these puzzling thoughts out of his mind. After all, the most urgent thing was to discuss serious matters with Yuanming in front of him.

"There's been some issues with the Adeptus Mechanicus lately. The Fabricator-General and the Arch-Sage of Domination, whom we support, appear to be plotting, arguing and bickering from time to time. However, it seems like a pre-planned drama."

"Then kill him. Who do you plan to get rid of? The Casting General, or the great sage we support, or both of them?" Yuanming said without hesitation, his tone revealing murderous decisiveness.

Malcador's expression was serious, a flicker of disgust in his eyes. "Great Sage of Domination, this fellow has been completely disloyal lately. We've been supporting him vigorously, providing him with all kinds of resources, and setting him against the Forge General, yet he's secretly colluding with him behind our backs."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away. I'll have him come to Terra secretly and tell him that there's something extremely important to discuss with him. Within three days, he will completely disappear from the galaxy, without even a trace of ashes left." Yuanming's tone was cold, as if he was talking about a trivial matter.

"But there's a crucial question: what should we do with the knowledge in his head?" Malcador looked puzzled.