The Emperor’s Angel of Death

The boy's answer obviously surprised Soshjan a bit. He hesitated for a long time, and finally spat out a few words.

"But you"

The Wise One suddenly tilted his head, interrupting Soshjan's words.

"What do you think the Emperor should be like? Or rather, what kind of person should He be?"

"Should should should be perfect, with incredible ruling power, enlightened, wise"

As he spoke, Soshjan's own mind became a little confused. He suddenly realized that he couldn't really imagine what kind of person would become the Emperor, or what kind of personality the Emperor would have.

Or should He not have a personality?

At this moment, he suddenly remembered that the Schemer seemed to have asked him a similar question.

The boy pressed his hands on the back of the chair, leaned forward slightly, and said slowly:

"All of humanity is chanting 'For the Emperor,' but they don't even know who the Emperor is. Doesn't that sound a bit ridiculous?"

"Humans ultimately need something to rely on."

"He once despised this view, but in the end, He became the greatest proof of this view. Interesting, interesting Soshjan, what do you think constitutes a person's self?"

After a moment of silence, Soshjan replied softly:

"The perceptions and experiences that only oneself clearly feels from birth, the recollection, evaluation, and judgment of memories, the connections established with others, and the connections established with the environment."

"It seems you are quite experienced, so can you imagine that the thing you call the Emperor may be an existence that even He cannot fully recognize."

"This"

"When a person lives too long, learns too much knowledge, knows too many people, and sees too many landscapes, old memories fade away, and new memories are layered upon layered. The self seems to be a constantly stacking tower. Imagine a story written by dozens, hundreds of authors at the same time, what would the person in the story be like?"

Soshjan was speechless.

"Contradictory, inconsistent in words and deeds, chaotic in behavior, and upside down? Sometimes like a tyrant, sometimes like a great man, sometimes like a sorcerer, and sometimes like a sage. When a person has a thousand faces, has he long lost himself?"

Soshjan savored what the Wise One said, but he still had many doubts in his heart.

"So, Wise One, are you a part of the Emperor's personality that has split off?"

The other party shook his head.

"We have never split. We have always been one, but each has its own trigger for birth. That's why the Schemer is in the Blackstone Fortress, and I am here."

Soshjan lowered his head to think about this sentence. After a long while, he looked at the towering bookshelf.

"Wise One, this expedition was arranged by you, right?"

"Yes, and no. I just wanted you to come here, but how you came here was not controlled by me."

Suddenly, a person flashed in Soshjan's mind. He looked at the boy.

"Li, it's Li, right?"

"It seems you've met him."

Li said before that he represented Eldar, but now it seems that he should represent the Wise One, which means that Li did lie.

But on second thought, it doesn't seem to make sense, because if it was really according to the Wise One's plan, then it was almost inevitable that he would meet the Wise One. What was the point of Li lying?

Thinking about it this way, the most likely thing is that Eldar should be in the same camp as the Wise One, and her appearance in the Blackstone Fortress can probably also prove one thing - that the Schemer and the Wise One are indeed likely to be the same person.

"So, Wise One, what do you want me to do?"

The boy was almost lying on the back of the chair, staring at Soshjan expressionlessly, then shook his head.

"It seems you have already determined that we are using you as a tool?"

Soshjan didn't speak, but just looked away.

"The Singer is right about this. The more you know, the more resentment you will have in your heart. Is it possible that you will repeat the tragedy of Mortarion in the past? Perhaps it would have been a better choice to let you know nothing at the beginning? Actually, it's not too late now."

The boy's last sentence made Soshjan instinctively clench his fist, but he quickly let go.

"But what's the point of doing this?"

The Wise One didn't know whether he was asking Soshjan or himself.

"We have always emphasized that we cannot make the same mistakes, but we are always making the same mistakes, again and again, like Sisyphus trying to push a boulder to the top of the mountain, but I now know Li's intention."

As he spoke, the boy straightened up and looked at Soshjan very seriously.

"Soshjan, if one day, it is necessary to sacrifice you in exchange for a very important opportunity for humanity, would you agree?"

Even though he had been prepared for it, when this sentence was spoken from the mouth of the existence that Soshjan had to be loyal to from the day he became an Astartes, he still felt very painful and depressed—

Xerxes, Xerxes, Xerxes!

Everyone is waiting for Xerxes!

Because he is a Primarch, the Emperor's son, the most sacred bloodline!

Then no matter what Soshjan does, no matter how many enemies he defeats, no matter how many people he saves, no matter what achievements he has, it is not worth mentioning!

His existence is for the sake of another person—

At this moment, he felt a force tearing at his soul, making him refuse, making him turn around and leave, and telling all the Primarchs and the Empire to go to hell!

Looking at Soshjan clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, a playful expression appeared on the boy's face.

But suddenly, Soshjan closed his eyes and sighed, and his tense body relaxed.

"I agree, but I just hope you can give me a little more time to arrange some things."

"Why?"

Soshjan turned his head to meet the other party's gaze.

"Maybe I already died on the World Engine, but I promised the Chapter Master of the Amurad that the blood of my brothers cannot be shed in vain. No matter how you look at me, my brothers and relatives are the people around me, the people I have experienced, not some legends. You can take this body if you want, but I hope the name Soshjan can be engraved on the World Engine monument, at least let my soul be with my brothers. Soshjan is Soshjan, never Xerxes, never will be!"

As he spoke, he slapped his chest hard with his palm, and the gold armor made a crisp collision sound.

The boy stared straight at Soshjan, then chuckled.

"Have you ever thought that perhaps this is an easier path for you? Soshjan has to bear far more than Xerxes, and the road is much more difficult. If you really have a choice, do you really have the determination to bear everything that the name Soshjan entails? Maybe you might regret it in the end"

"I understand, but I will do my best, not just for me."

At this point, there is nothing to hide anymore.

The boy supported his face with his hand and nodded.

"I know now why He would choose you, choose you, a descendant of the Aleksey family."

"Chose me"