The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Whether the definition of depravity and morality in the Imperium are linked is a seemingly simple question, but in reality, it is extremely complex—so complex that if it were truly brought up for discussion, it would lead to bloodshed and the deaths of many, many people.

Therefore, Illyrian couldn't say for sure, as the overall moral standards in the Imperium weren't particularly high.

However, for an Astartes Chapter Master, revered as a hero by the Imperium, to have a relationship with a woman, or even rumors of an affair with a Sister of Battle, was simply too shocking. It exceeded the bounds of "depravity"; being unconventional was a standard derogatory term in the Imperium.

And the more it was like this, the more curious he became about Sotha Nul.

He was perhaps the most unique Astartes he had ever encountered. Illyrian had a strong curiosity about his entire past. How exactly did Sotha Nul manage to build a Chapter on the verge of destruction into what it was today?

However, he wasn't so ungrateful as to overstep boundaries. Excessively probing into the secrets of an Astartes was dangerous, even among the Ultramarines. Much information about their Primarch Guilliman was considered forbidden, and anyone who tried to investigate would certainly face the Iron Fists.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a door opening, followed by the footsteps of two people.

"...No need for restraint. Kill if necessary. I'll handle the Inquisition."

"Understood. Then, you go ahead and get busy."

After Vayllets left, Sotha Nul approached Illyrian and smiled:

"It's perfect timing. Let's head to the flight preparation area."

"Yes."

The two then boarded a high-speed train within the ship and arrived at the flight deck of the Randal, where a teardrop-shaped, all-silver-white aircraft was parked. It bore the Imperial Aquila emblem on the front and the badge of the Star Knights on the side, and it was slightly larger than a Starhawk bomber.

Of course, Illyrian couldn't see it, or rather, he only knew there was an aircraft in front of him but wasn't aware of the details. After all, psychic perception wasn't the same as eyesight; it was easier to sense living beings or strong energy fields, but its effectiveness was much worse for the environment and inanimate objects. However, he roughly assumed it was a shuttle or something similar.

After all, he could never have imagined that this was a creation from the Golden Age of Humanity, the first aircraft Gellan built for Sotha Nul. Its standard designation was Phase Shuttle, but Sotha Nul named it Silver Sword One, even though Qing Zhao repeatedly said it was too cheesy.

The most distinctive feature of this aircraft was its speed. It had virtually no weapons of its own, and its defense relied mainly on shields. Most of its systems revolved around the engine.

How fast was it?

Sotha Nul had never seen a human-made aircraft that could match the speed of a Necron vessel!

Of course, this speed was mainly reflected in straight-line acceleration; the maneuverability of the two was still not in the same league. Even Gellan was deeply astonished by the Necrons' inertia-free engines.

And such a high speed in realspace naturally required a special structure, after all, it carried humans inside, not bodies of steel. However, Sotha Nul didn't quite understand what a full suspension structure was; the general idea was that no matter how fast the speed, it wouldn't have any impact on the people inside.

But this wasn't the most special thing about Silver Sword One; after all, its name included "Phase."

Its true core lay in a phase transfer device, which was somewhat similar to certain Necron technologies. It allowed the ship to enter a dimensional space channel at ultra-high speed. However, the difference between the two was in the positioning mode. The Necrons' mode was currently unknown, while Silver Sword One relied on Gellan's phase wormhole generator for positioning. In other words, as long as it activated the phase transfer device, it would quickly travel towards Gellan at a speed beyond physical limits. This was a point-to-point mode.

This sounded like it wasn't as flexible as the Necrons', but for humans, it was already an extremely rare and convenient mode of space travel. Although it still couldn't compare to the efficiency of warp travel for ultra-long-distance voyages, it was mainly used for short-distance, high-speed voyages within five light-years, but its safety, timeliness, and convenience were far superior to warp travel.

More importantly, it also had physical cloaking capabilities, which made it very convenient for Sotha Nul to travel.

After the two entered the crew compartment of Silver Sword One, the outside sounds disappeared, followed by a melodious music. Sotha Nul didn't appreciate human "classical music," so he chose choir hymns.

As Sotha Nul's private vehicle, he had basically not interfered with the interior design of Silver Sword One; Qing Zhao had done it all herself. The final result was quite good. The cabin was simple and bright, with a small conference table and many devices. The walls were realistic holographic screens that could turn the cabin into any scene—a garden, a beach, or even a snowy mountain. In addition to the cabin, there were also two functional areas: a medical bay and a repair bay. There was also Sotha Nul's independent office, where he could handle confidential matters during the voyage, and a small lounge.

"Please have some tea."

Illyrian had just sat down in the hemispherical seat when he heard Kaneli's soft voice, followed by a fragrant aroma mixed with a hint of perfume. He immediately nodded his thanks.

"Thank you."

"There are also some desserts here. Please enjoy."

After the sound of her footsteps disappeared, Illyrian picked up the teacup, took a sip, and fell into thought. Sotha Nul, sitting to his right across a round table, held his cup and seemed to be admiring the "scenery." The cabin had now been transformed into a cottage by a beautiful lake, with a humid breeze, the morning sun, and even strands of golden sunlight.

"Chapter Master Sotha Nul."

After a long while, Illyrian spoke in a very soft and cautious tone:

"...Perhaps I'm being presumptuous, but in these days, I've seen the excellent and powerful side of you as an Astartes Lord. I finally understand why Terra values you so much, entrusting you to lead the expedition concerning the entire Maelstrom. I also firmly believe that you are a warrior of high moral character, unwavering faith, selfless, and fearless. But there are some things I can't quite understand... Of course, I don't want to interfere in your personal affairs, but, uh, just consider this the ramblings of a blind astropath. The image of Astartes among the populace is still quite important to the Imperium. It gives people an example and confidence, that is to say..."

Sotha Nul smiled slightly, put down his teacup, turned his chair, and looked at him.

"Women, you mean?"

"Uh, no, what I mean is..."

"The fact that you're willing to say these things to me shows that you truly acknowledge me and consider me a friend. I'm quite pleased with that. I can also answer frankly, I do... have women."

Illyrian didn't show too much surprise at Sotha Nul's admission, but his expression was a bit awkward.

"This is difficult for you to accept."

"It is a bit unexpected."

"Because I'm not a normal Astartes. You've probably seen that already."

"Yes."

"As an astropath, Illyrian, since you've undergone the soul-binding ritual, I think it's okay to say these words to you. I am a product of a special plan of the Emperor, which has given me power similar to that of a Primarch, but it has also returned many things that originally didn't belong to Astartes to me, whether psychological or physiological."