Warhammer: In the Name of Nirvana

Chapter 369 Luther—Jonson—Loyalty

"I think we need to have a talk, Jonson."

"Let's talk openly and honestly."

Once again, these words rang in the ears of the Caliban Lion: Even if you look at the entire Dark Angel Legion, there is probably only one person who dares to speak to the original body in this tone.

Luther.

"..."

Ji Yuan of the First Legion, who was working at his desk, did not respond to this sentence at first. He just raised his head and looked forward: his commonly used desk was placed close to the inner wall, facing the door of the room. There is a distance of about ten meters between them, which is enough to accommodate various filing cabinets and weapon racks on both sides.

There is no decoration between the table and the door, only a stone floor wide enough to accommodate several Astartes warriors standing side by side: in the past dozens of Terran standard years, there have been countless warriors of the Dark Angels Legion. Standing here, reporting to Zhuang Sen what he needs to know, or receiving orders from the lion, leading the team to kill in all directions.

Among these people are Terran veterans who hold high positions and have fought with the Emperor; there are also young and reckless new blood of Caliban who have just lost the scent of the forest; there are prestigious champions who have made a name for themselves in many legions with their martial arts and achievements. There are swordsmen and secret walkers that no one knows and whose names are not recognized in any files.

The abilities, personalities, appearances and styles of these warriors are all very different, and there is no possibility that they know each other. However, with only Zhuang Sen's order, they can unite to form the most efficient organization in the galaxy. The killing machine: It is by relying on such military miracles that the Lion of Caliban has become the only person in the entire galaxy who can completely master the entire First Legion: at this point, I am afraid that even the Emperor is not as good as him.

However, this secret that once made the Dark Angel Legion stand out among the others has now been fundamentally shaken: just like those Dark Angel warriors who once stood on the bluestone floor and listened to Zhuang Sen's words, they have also unknowingly Most of them have disappeared, and although the others are still faithfully performing their current duties, those serious or dim pupils are also involuntarily flashing with the haze about the current situation and the future.

Nothing could better express the current weakness of the First Legion than this, although this weakness did not shake Jonson's will at all: he still entrenched himself on his throne, just like a stubborn knight garrisoned in his fortress, he His will and command are still stronger than steel, driving the entire First Legion to move forward steadily on the track of war without falling.

No one knows how much pressure Jonson is under. As the only person who knows the entire situation of the Dark Angels, he may know better than anyone else that the nerves of the First Legion have been stretched to a terrifying level, but in the face of every attack, When Ming came to receive orders from his subordinates, his eyebrows and eyes still didn't tremble at all, and his voice was still like a clockwork machine, issuing orders one after another. These orders still made most people dare not disobey them. Don't even dare to ask questions.

Even Coswayne, who is called the Lion King's steward by others, has not raised his inquiry in front of Jonson for a long time: the more confusion he has in his heart, the more he considers it and does not dare to ask his genes. The father spoke, because the real dilemma and the pressure of blood were blocking him at the same time, making this famous warrior appear hesitant and hesitant.

But luckily, there's always someone braver than Coswayne.

When he first witnessed how the mortal walked into Jonson's office with his head held high, the Lion King couldn't help but admire Luther's courage from the bottom of his heart: and the facts proved that Luther was absolutely Deserving of such praise, he faced Zhuang Sen's cold air pressure time and time again, but never gave up his persistence.

This time, no matter what, he decided to solve it all.

It's time for closure.

These ambitious words echoed in Luther's chest, and the fire of courage burned brightly. Just like that, Luther opened the door that he was already familiar with and stepped on the hard bluestone ground. , the figures of filing cabinets and weapon racks passed by the corner of his eyes. When they disappeared, the old knight of Caliban was already standing in front of the original body's desk, and Jonson had already raised his head and turned to him. A cold light like an iceberg rippled in his sight.

"Luthor."

"Jonson."

Luther responded, his voice a dead breath like dust after the flames burned out.

Zhuang Sen put down the pen in his hand, and put both his arms on the desk, pressing down the various documents, which recorded shocking numbers. The Primarch's vision swept over these numbers indifferently. , then turned to Luther's gray face.

He spoke, his tone no more human than that of an iron man.

"I remember that when we last talked, I told you not to mention your proposal in front of me again. There is a limit to my tolerance for this kind of weakness. No matter how many times you come, There is only one answer I can give you."

"Now, get out and don't delay my productivity any longer."

"Remember what I said to you, and what I commanded you."

At the end of his words, the Primarch's tone rose slightly, just like the fierce cold wind chipping away at the boulders on the top of the mountain, showing the anger in his heart: Even the greatest and proudest Astartes warriors, He would also feel instinctive timidity because of the anger stemming from the original gene, but Luther did not have it. He even gave Jonson a smile in response.

"Don't be like this, Zhuang Sen. I have fought side by side with you for decades. I have seen how you look when you are really angry. It was silent thunder, not the pretense you are now."

"..."

"And in our last conversation, I also said that I will persist in appealing my bill, no matter how many times, I will persist: until you pass it."

"As for your order..."

Luther pursed his lips, but in the end he didn't say any more.

Jonson frowned, and several ferocious ravines began to appear on his forehead and face. Just as Luther said, when the anger began to burn in the chest of the Caliban Lion, he His body will trigger an aura like thunder.

"I say it again, Luther, get out with your weak bill!"

"Don't forget to follow my orders!"

"And don't forget, you are my warrior now. My orders have always been clear, and your responsibilities have always been clear: you are not qualified to disobey my orders, and you have no right to dictate my strategic arrangements. .”

"You are right, Jonson, and I am not dissatisfied with this. You once told me that I am your left hand, and it is still the case now, right?"

"I have never denigrated your abilities. I do regard you as my left hand."

Zhuang Sen's voice was extremely deep.

"But that doesn't mean you can be as rude as you are now. As my left hand, you actually want to control my will and command me how to win a victory?"

"I never wanted to manipulate you."

Luther placed the document in his hand on the Lion King's table, then gently pushed away the chair next to him, and looked at Johnson across the table. When Luther straightened his chest, he could barely Keep your gaze at the same level as the sitting Zhuang Sen, so as not to lag behind in terms of momentum.

"However, it is precisely because I am your left hand, or to be more clear, I am a soldier under your command, a member of the legion, and a part of this war, so I have to come to you again and again to talk. My opinion: I don’t have the power to dictate any of your strategic arrangements, but I do have the power to prevent this war from slipping into a worse situation.”

"You have to admit this. You are making our situation worse. Jonson has become even worse. This war has become a bloody symphony of massacre. Glory and victory have long been left behind. All we have is bitter casualties and a future that is unacceptable to all."

"So, I have to stop you."

"..."

Luther's words were like a stone accidentally dropped on the steel floor, reverberating far louder than its own weight: the old knight knew very well that these words of his would anger this man. He was a lion on Caliban, so when the cold silence swept over him, Luther was not surprised at all.

He could see clearly that Zhuang Sen was arching his body instinctively, his dangerous emerald pupils narrowed, and a glimmer of light leaping through them. It was a carnivorous beast stalking its prey. The final warning given before attacking.

But fortunately, when this ray of light crossed Luther's face, it was finally suppressed forcibly. But in contrast, Zhuang Sen's next words were a roar that was forced out of his throat.

"You think I'm wrong, Luther?"

"Do you think I am causing this war to fail? Do you think my command can no longer allow the Legion to win? Can the Emperor's will be carried out?"

"..."

The tone became calmer each time, and the words became heavier each time. Although he had been fully mentally prepared before entering the door, Luther could still feel large waves of cold sweat sliding down his spine. It quickly solidified and stuck to my clothes, which was disturbing.

After a moment of silence, Luther slowly opened his mouth. He had to withstand the beast-like pressure of the Primarch, which was more difficult than he imagined, but he still tried hard to suppress the words. Restlessness and trembling.

He had expected such a scene, and also expected his current ugly appearance. He accepted it all more calmly than he imagined. For a moment, he even imagined that maybe he should have done this a long time ago. It’s long past time to stand in front of Zhuang Sen and say something.

But before that, he had never had the courage to do so.

But now, he has.

Because of Zhuang Sen's order.

Luther had courage, not from a desperate understanding of the war situation, nor from Astlan's hypocritical support, but from some more distant places in the galaxy, from his Caliban The border with the Far East comes from the glorious years he has experienced and the dilapidated hometown in his eyes. It comes from a period of training, a meditation and an awakening that his soul has unintentionally experienced.

"You're wrong, Jonson."

Luther puffed up his chest, and his words were calmer than he imagined. This calmness even stopped the original body's anger for a moment: Jonson's figure retreated invisibly, as if waiting for his words. .

"I have never doubted your strategy from a military perspective, and I have never thought that you would let victory slip away from your fingertips. No matter what the current battle situation is, I am very sure that you will win the final victory. Just like in Caliban, when we faced those invincible beasts in desperate circumstances, I have never questioned your ability as a warrior and a commander, nor have I ever questioned your persistence and loyalty. .”

Luther did not get to the point immediately. He first used a relatively soft tone, avoiding Jonson's sharpest edge. These words were what he had always wanted to confide to Jonson, and they were also what he said. recognition in the heart.

As he said just now, after witnessing the first battle commanded by Jonson, Luther never questioned Jonson's ability on the battlefield. The old knight of Caliban firmly believed that this The lion he brought back from the deepest jungle was the best battlefield killer in the entire galaxy.

He will not waver from this concept, he believes it from the bottom of his heart.

This trust was so dazzling and so deep that even Jonson, whose chest was burning with anger, could recognize it on Luther's face: and Cali, who realized this Ban Xiongshi also lost some of his anger.

Although his face is still an iceberg that can freeze people's hearts.

"so what."

Zhuang Sen's tone was cold. .

"Since you never doubted the victory of this war, why did you stop me again and again: don't tell me that you were impressed by Astlan's little tricks, that fool could only convince him Just myself.”

Luther's brows raised. He thought Astlan's movements were concealed enough.

"I do not doubt the victory of this war, Jonson, but I have to mention another aspect to you, an aspect you never seem to have considered."

Having said this, Luther sighed heavily in his chest.

"According to your plans and arrangements, victory will indeed come, but this victory is too heavy. The blood, dedication and sacrifice it requires are no longer what we can afford: I don't know if you have I have cared about this, but the current Dark Angel Legion may no longer be able to bear the next victory you talk about."

"Yes, if we continue to move forward, there may be a victory waiting for us, but this victory will not be alone: ​​there will be destruction waiting for us together."

"And what's the point of victory when destruction comes?"

"Our destruction."

"The Destruction of the Dark Angels."

"Even……"

"enough!"

Jonson interrupted Luther's words, and Luther didn't even realize it, because he stared closely into Jonson's pupils: when he said these sentences smoothly, his heart was far more than he expected. Even more calm.

It was as calm as falling into an ice cave.

Because he saw accurately that these words did flow into Zhuang Sen's emerald pupils, but those pupils did not change in the slightest: neither touched, nor shocked, nor even angry, as if time had passed. Frozen in it.

Luther's last struggle and attempt also failed: Jonson may have indeed listened to his words, but he was not touched at all.

So, another sigh, another real sigh, echoed in the chest of the old knight Caliban, and along with this sigh, there was the sound of the Spider Queen pushing open the door.

【I hope I'm not late. 】

Morgan's words are extremely iconic. If nothing else, it is just the decorative smile contained in the words. It is also a treasured item that is absolutely impossible to appear in this room.

Luther turned his head. He looked at the Lord of the Second Legion, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his pupils. At this moment, another voice rang out: that was not Luther's voice.

"No, Morgan."

Zhuang Sen's tone was cold.

"You came just in time."

"We have something that we need your testimony about right now."

——————

"Luthor, as I said, you have always been my left hand. This was the case in Caliban and still is now, so I think there is no need for too much red tape between us: I will express my position in the most concise terms possible."

"From now on, I will change your responsibilities in the Legion. Your new position will be the Governor of Caliban, the Legion's home planet: Those people on Holy Terra have been urging me to take care of the administration of Caliban. Affairs, now, I have decided to hand it over to you: the military, political, recruitment of new blood, and communication with other departments of the empire power over Caliban are to be mastered by you. I believe that your ability can be in that position. Get a greater expression.”

"In the meantime, your other positions in the Legion should be temporarily suspended. You can submit to me a list of names you think are suitable for this position. They will perform your duties in your place until there is more information about you. There will be new adjustments to personnel changes, and during this period, they will be directly responsible to me. And you are also directly responsible to me. Any order other than that issued by me personally will be an invalid document for you. .”

"In addition, considering the huge workload and actual needs of the position of Governor Caliban, I allow you to select a group of warriors from the legion to return to the legion with you, giving priority to those legion elders whose physical functions have aged. Choose. I will personally review the list you submit. The upper limit of the number of people on this list is two hundred people, and there can be no more."

"I will not announce this temporary transfer to the public. All your titles, honors and titles will be retained. Your office in this corridor will not have a new user unless you appoint a candidate to me. But You must face up to the new responsibilities I have given you. You must set out immediately to select the personnel who will return to Caliban with you, draft a new training plan, and submit to me your draft for the management of the world of Caliban. This must be done immediately, and I want you and your new team to be on your way to Caliban before this war begins."

"This war has nothing to do with you, Luther: it never had anything to do with you to begin with."

"So do you have any new suggestions for my order? If not, this order will take effect from now on..."

"Governor Luther."

——————

When Morgan walked into the room, everything seemed too late, but everything seemed just right: Jonson's words resounded in the room the moment Morgan closed the door and cut off all sounds, and When Morgan's boots had just touched the legs of the table, he had finished all his words and there was no room for withdrawal.

Morgan did not say anything to stop him, because Jonson's tone was cold and serious that she had almost never seen before. She instinctively realized that even the deep bond between her and Jonson might not be able to shake Caliban this time. The Will of the Lion: What's more, Luther himself doesn't seem to want to shake this.

In fact, Luther seemed to have expected all this. He stood there quietly, listening to Zhuang Sen's order with a normal expression. A bitter smile appeared on his face as the order was issued. , but disappeared quickly.

Zhuang Sen saw this, but he chose to ignore it. He just looked at his former mentor quietly, waiting quietly for the next words to come out of Luther's mouth: That might be a burst of anger, a sentence A sigh of relief, or a simple question.

Luther was silent for a while, then looked up at the lion.

"Is there something wrong with asking the elders of the legion to return to Caliban with me? They are all warriors who have experienced countless hardships. Their absence seems to have some impact on the next expedition, and on themselves, It also seems like an unfair treatment.”

"..."

The Lion King's brows moved unconsciously. He paused. He didn't seem to expect that Luther's first answer would be this, but he still responded to his mentor immediately.

"There is no need to worry. Among the Dark Angels, there are already some legion elders who are responsible for recruiting soldiers. They have been away from the front line for a period of time due to various reasons. For them, the relationship between the Indomitable Truth and Caliban The only difference is the change of their office location."

"That's it..."

Luther nodded, his words like a sigh.

"Then I'll be fine."

"..."

"So much the better."

Zhuang Sen was silent for a while, and his emerald pupils looked elsewhere as he turned around, not looking directly at Luther's face at this time.

"In that case, then go back, Luther, and don't delay the next work."

"Okay, Jonson: I understand."

Luther lowered his eyelids, and his pupils disappeared into the shadows, making it difficult to see the specific expression inside. This old knight, who had restored his former vigorous posture through genetic surgery, now looked like a real Like an old man, he began to move with some difficulty. He first turned his eyes to Morgan aside, and tried his best to show a gentle smile. After receiving the same reply from the Lord of Avalon, he turned around , walked towards the door with some hesitation.

He didn't speak, nor did he look back again, and neither did Jonson.

Although Morgan could clearly see that the Caliban lion with his back to the door seemed to have been wanting to shift his gaze and look at his former mentor again, Jonson did not do so in the end. He held back .

Luther, on the other hand, finally turned around when he reached the door.

"Zhuang Sen, does your plan still exist..."

"No, Luther."

The Lion King's words were frighteningly cold.

"It's not going to change anything: especially what we've been talking about."

"..."

"Okay: I wish you all the best."

"..."

The Lion King didn't reply.

The only thing he left for Luthor was a vague sigh that came from the lion's throat when the old knight closed the door: This was so weak that even another Primarch didn't dare to The sigh that confirms its presence.

Morgan watched all this quietly.

From her eloquent mouth, she did not spit out any obstruction or dissuasion. The Spider Queen just watched Luther leave with silence, and waited with the same silence for Zhuangson to finish sighing, and for Zhuangson to slowly He left his position and walked to the counter beside him.

When the lion turned around again, he had a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other.

Throwing a glass to Morgan, Jonson poured himself a glass of wine. The documents and numbers on the table that once fascinated him now seemed to be unable to attract the Primarch's interest.

"Are you surprised by this, Morgan?"

【I am indeed a little strange. 】

Morgan took the cup and let Zhuangson pour in some wine. Through the bright red liquid, the Spider Queen could see Zhuangson's emerald-colored pupils. In those pupils that should remain calm, they were still... There was a glimmer of humanity: that was the light that Morgan and Jonson didn't find at all when they first met.

"Are you wondering if this all happened too fast? Why did I send Luther back to Caliban so easily, without you even having time to dissuade me?"

Take a sip. There was no trace of emotion in his voice.

[Yes, and Luther is calmer than I thought. 】

Morgan nodded.

"Of course he is calm. After all, this is not our first conversation."

"Every conversation creates a deeper and deeper gap between us. Before you arrived, we had to talk like this almost every day, and we became more and more excited. More and more angry, until we were pure Anger consumes the original reason."

"It's just that after the anger burned out, when we had the last conversation, which was this conversation, we became calmer."

"After burning, there are only ashes, only ashes that can't change anything."

Zhuang Sen turned around, paced slowly, returned to his desk, and then sat down. Maybe it was because of the influence of the alcohol smell, or maybe it was because this long time even for a geneticist Overall, it was too depressing: the Calibans were noticeably more lively than usual.

Just like Leman Russ before him.

[Have you talked many times? 】

"To be specific, we have had seventeen conversations, nine of which were close to pure quarrels and debates, but none of which resulted in effective agreement: I have obviously given Luther too much power and indulgence to let him They can shake my authority and orders again and again, which has even caused a bad impact in the legion."

"So now he has to go back to Caliban: that's just one of the reasons."

[Not surprising. 】

Morgan snorted softly, and she took a sip of the wine in the glass, only to find that it was still the bottle she had left with Johnson. This bottle of wine lasted longer than she thought, perhaps because of the odor of each bottle. Once it is opened, only a small amount of it will be removed.

[In other words, I was shocked that you actually allowed Luther to come to you again and again: You don't usually do this, Johnson. In your opinion, this is a meaningless behavior. What changed you? 】

"I haven't changed."

The Primarch roared in a deep voice. The anger he had just used against Luther seemed to have not completely subsided from his chest, but such incomplete anger posed no threat to Morgan.

"The most important reason why I can condone Luther is because his views have become the consensus of many people in the Legion: Although I never care about these unhelpful drags on the war, at this time, I must also pay attention to the situation in the legion. More than ten years of war have dealt a serious blow to the internal structure of the Dark Angels. The system I established when I first returned is now seriously damaged, but I There was no time to fix it, which forced me to take into account more aspects, such as the voices of certain groups in the Legion."

"In the past, these voices were managed by corresponding religious orders, but the related religious orders have lost their inheritance during the war, and I can't even find anyone who can rebuild it now."

【Astelan? 】

"you know?"

[As early as when I was a psychic consultant by your side, he had already left an impression on my mind: Of course it wouldn’t be a good impression, but I have to admit that even if I look at all Asta Special warrior, Astlan is also an excellent one]

"He's always been like that."

Jonson looked at the wall on one side, where the only decorations in the room hung. It was an oil painting, depicting a dark story: In the deepest jungle, a dying knight and a The scarred beasts stabbed the deadly weapons into each other's chests together, and they were destined to meet the sad fate of perishing together.

"But now, his voice is being listened to by more people, including Luther: They all believe that this war should be paused. They all believe that we have no reason to continue, and they do not want to continue to march. Rather, we hope to temporarily retreat to the borders of the empire, waiting for reinforcements and supplies from Holy Terra, and then return here in a more fully prepared state."

[From a military perspective, this view actually makes no sense: You know very well the current state of the legion, Zhuang Sen. We have indeed reached the limit in many aspects. For us, the next battle may be a victory. , it may be destruction, but it is more likely that both will come at the same time, a flower of victory that needs to be watered by our destruction. 】

"..."

"Do you feel intimidated by this?"

The lion stopped briefly, and then looked at his blood relative. In his emerald pupils, there was absolute concentration and seriousness: Obviously, Zhuang Shen was very concerned about Morgan's next answer. This is even the support of a certain belief in his heart.

Morgan noticed this, so she did not answer immediately. After drinking up the bright red liquid in the glass, the Spider Queen shook the empty wine glass in her palm and showed a smile to Johnson.

[Do you still remember what I once said to you? 】

[I will always respond to you, Morgan will always respond to Zhuangson, and since I have responded to your call and come to your side, then I have absolutely no reason to leave you and run away alone. 】

"..."

"You are still the same, as reliable as the sword at my waist."

It was quite rare that a sincere smile appeared on the face of Caliban Lion. Although his eyes did not stay on Morgan for too long, there seemed to be a few more eyes in his emerald pupils. Self-confidence is the most precious thing.

【how about you? 】

"Me? I'm the same as you."

"There was never a possibility of desertion: now that I have advanced the front line of the war here, the only choice I would make is to continue to advance it."

"Look at the star map, Morgan. Our fallen brother is very close to us. As long as our fleet sets off from the Mandeville Point in this galaxy and crosses the shortest subspace voyage, we will directly smash the fleet. On his lair, use flames and explosive bombs to clean up all his plans: now that the matter has come to this, there is absolutely no way I can back down.”

[Because of the pride in your heart? 】

"No: I will indeed go to the battlefield with pride, but pride is never the reason for me to fight."

Zhuang Sen shook his head. Every word he said was so sincere and reliable, as if every breath was telling the tenacity in his chest: that is a tenacity that few people can match in the entire galaxy, maybe only It took great men like Dorne and Sanguinius to equal the Calibans in this regard.

"What we have to consider is a very real problem, Morgan."

"We are not fighting at the foot of the empire's walls. We are conducting an expedition in the darkness far away from the empire. Even the northernmost border of the empire is still a long distance away from us. If we abandon our current front, If we return to the borders of the empire for repairs and supplies, even if everything goes well, it will take at least a few months, maybe even a year, when we return here."

"In such a long period of time, anything can happen. You must have seen our brother's depravity and crazy behavior. Give him another year, I really can't imagine what will happen."

[It is possible that nothing happens. 】

"Yes, during this year, it is indeed possible that nothing will happen, but it is also possible that the situation will be irreversible: this is a gamble, my blood relatives, making a gamble with the future of the entire empire and all mankind."

"This is intolerable!"

"I can't make such a gamble! I have no power or qualification to use the future of the empire as a bet to carry out a crazy plan that can only exist in fantasy. The emperor has never given me the power to do so. I will never ask for this kind of power on my own initiative.”

"So, I will never allow this gamble to happen. The only thing I can do is to use all the power in my hands to continue fighting: any factor that can threaten the empire should be completely eliminated the first moment it is discovered. Annihilation, in the face of this, no reason to retreat is legitimate, and no weak move is allowed."

"Even if they come from my Legion, I will never allow it: whether it is Astlan or Luther, I know very well what they are thinking, I know very well: they are worried about the fate of the Dark Angels after this war, They are worried that the Legion will be completely destroyed, and they are worried that their own interests will be damaged by this war."

"I don't doubt their loyalty. Whether it's Astlan or Luther, they are indeed loyal to the Empire and the Emperor. But what we can't argue with is that in the hearts of my subordinates, the Dark Angel Legion More important than the Empire, under the premise that the Dark Angels may be destroyed, they are willing to put the fate of the Empire as a bet and put it on the gambling table."

"I cannot accept this, so any retreat is not allowed, so we must attack immediately, so Luther must return to Caliban."

"Because they got one thing wrong."

——————

"The core of loyalty is never self-understanding and emotion, but execution and sacrifice without regrets. Self-righteous loyalty is never loyalty, but another way of writing selfishness, despicability, madness and ambition."

——————

"Can you understand?"

【certainly. 】

Morgan nodded, and she immediately gave this response, not only because Zhuang Sen was staring at her intently at the moment, but also because she understood the internal logic of the issue at hand very well.

To put it simply, whether it is Luther or Jonson, their views are actually correct: Luther does not want to fight a war that may lead to death, they hope to use a short lag and better preparations to erase The possibility of dying together.

Jonson's point of view is more simple and crude: in order to win as quickly as possible and eliminate possible threats to the empire, he does not mind the arrival of destruction and death, even if the target is his own legion.

The reason why Luther argued with Jonson again and again was precisely because the most important element between these two views was absolutely impossible to disclose to the outside world, that is: for the benefit of the empire. Jonson didn't mind the destruction of the Dark Angel Legion.

Many people are aware of this, but even if everyone is aware of it, it is absolutely impossible to announce it to the outside world: even in Morgan's view. Johnson's philosophy is actually the truly correct one.

Yes.

From the perspective of the human empire, Zhuang Sen is the correct one.

Reality is so ridiculous.

In this glorious Great Crusade, nothing was worth sacrificing for the benefit of the Emperor, the Empire, and Humanity. Even the fate of a Legion of Astartes that once dominated the galaxy had to be weighed against some more important issues. In the face of interests, he is just a chess piece that can be easily discarded.

At this time, those who cherish their own legions will become mistakes and traitors in a certain sense, while those who cold-bloodedly abandon the fate of their legions will be the loyalists that the empire and humanity really need.

In the eyes of the outside world, Jonson is more ruthless, colder, and more unreasonable: so, for the empire, he is the right one.

This world is so fucked up.

[So I think Luther’s repeated arguments cannot actually affect anything: he cannot affect your determination to fight this war at all, and the so-called temporary retreat plan was also a castle in the air from the beginning. He realized that This is why he has become extremely calm now, right? 】

"He realized early on that we had already experienced showdowns and quarrels. Today's time is just the last notice. He came to me to wait for his fate, or to vent his last anger to me. .”

When Jonson told all this, there was even a smile left on the corner of his mouth, but this smile was quickly suppressed by the cold reality. The fingertips of the Primarch, wrapped in steel gloves, slowly Morgan brushed the documents on the desk and saw clearly that beneath the figures representing casualties and losses was an attack plan that had already been launched.

"The attack plan has actually been finalized a long time ago and has even been implemented. It is impossible for Luther not to feel that as soon as you and your legions arrive, the war will begin and no one can stop it. The Dark Angels must defeat the Emperor. The enemy is destroyed here, no matter who he is, no matter what the price we will pay."

"Because, this is the meaning of the appearance of the Dark Angel and me. Fighting against the meaning itself is useless. When Luther realized this, he accepted his failure."

[At least, he lost clearly. 】

Morgan agreed.

[For him, I'm afraid this matter is more important. 】

[However, I still have a question. 】

[My brother, haven’t you ever thought that my legion and I would not be able to arrive for some reason? When that time comes, what should you do? 】

"First, I don't believe you'll be late."

Jonson glanced at Morgan, seemingly unfazed by this possibility.

"Second, I have actually had a private conversation with Riemann. He is more determined than you see: We have reached a consensus, no matter whether your legion can arrive here within the specified time, the Dark Angel and Space The wild wolves will take the next step, and we will use all our means to kill that fallen brother. For us, victory is not a problem from the beginning."

As for sacrifice, it is not a problem in the first place. "

[If this is the case, then why did you let Luther and those legion elders leave before the war begins? Their existence will also add a negligible chip of victory to the balance of the war. 】

Morgan's question made Jonson silent for a long time, maybe for five minutes. His eyes left the Spider Queen and began to wander around the room: on the murals that told about knights and behemoths, on those that decorated him On the racks of weapons, on the filing cabinets of honors that list legions that can never be published, on the flags that symbolize the sword and wings of the First Legion.

"Luthor must return to Caliban, and he must return to Caliban intact. He must be able to exert more value in Caliban than if he stayed here, and he must have the necessary back-up."

【Fallout? 】

This word made Morgan's brows jump, and she instinctively felt something bad.

"Listen, Morgan: Although I have no doubt that victory will come, it doesn't mean that I don't need to think about the worst-case scenario. This is why I maintain such a high tolerance for Luther."

"I have to spend time to make him understand: He and I are equally clear about what will greet the Dark Angels in the next war: bloodshed and sacrifice, awareness and destruction, and if the Dark Angels Legion really needs to use destruction to I will not hesitate to keep our promise.”

"Destruction may come to the First Legion, and I will choose this path myself."

"At that time, Luther, who has returned to Caliban, will have his value: destruction is not the end of responsibility. The Dark Angel Legion can have no honor, no fleet, and no great power that it was once proud of, but this It does not mean that we can lose our duty and belief in fighting for the Emperor."

"No matter what, the responsibility must be passed on and nothing can stand in the way of that."

【……】

Morgan blinked. Even with the Primarch's logical thinking, it took her almost a minute to accept the not-so-subtle hint in Jonson's words.

Because before this, Morgan had never thought about any problem related to this: for any Primarch, even the Warriors Astartes, this seemed to be a terrible topic second only to betraying the Lord of Mankind.

【destroy? 】

"Not impossible."

Zhuang Sen's lips curled up.

"The high-ranking knight captains under my command are all masters who are proficient in war. None of them have an optimistic spirit about the future of this war. And I am just like them. I have great faith in victory. I am very optimistic about victory. It’s clear how much sacrifice is required.”

“So, back on Caliban, even the punishment Luther had to suffer was a responsibility he needed to bear: it took me several conversations to make him realize this, and then let this idea sprout in his heart. "

【……】

[Is this the "plan" that Luther wanted to dissuade you until the end? 】

"Yes, once the Dark Angel Legion and I encounter something irreversible in a fierce battle. Then Luther and the two hundred legion elders he chose will shoulder the responsibility of rebuilding the First Legion on Caliban. responsibility."

"After all, I can't give this responsibility to anyone else in the Legion but him: Arachos is not good at it, and Coswayne is better suited to remain at his post."

【……】

[Then why two hundred people? Wouldn't it be better to have a little more? 】

"That will really affect the legion's combat effectiveness, Morgan, not to mention..."

Jonson stood up and looked at the huge flag behind him: the sword and wings told the glory of the First Legion, a glory that had been established before his return, and he seemed to have failed it. And it never seems to live up to it.

Jonson stroked the flag, and his tone revealed a sentiment that was almost unprecedented: it was pride for the legion.

"One thing everyone knows throughout the Empire is that the Emperor's Children once resurrected their Legion from the ashes with only two hundred warriors left: although the possibility Luther and the others will face should be more It's difficult, but there's no reason why the Dark Angels can't do things that other legions can do, and I've never been the real reason for their strength."

【……】

[But it doesn’t have to be this way. 】

Morgan shook her head. She had never gotten over the shock of Jonson's plan. She even briefly thought about pulling in several other brothers to forcefully change Lord Caliban's current plan.

[The Emperor's Children met their genetic primarch, Jonson. In this regard, Luther can't find a way other than you anyway, and with me here, destruction cannot befall you. : We may suffer failure, but I will not let everything go to the worst possible situation. 】

"..."

"I know you have this ability."

Jonson turned around, smiled and shook his head in response to Morgan's words.

And when Caliban's King of Knights stood in front of the Spider Queen fully armed, with his hands behind his back and a sword on his waist, like a perfect marble knight sculpture, the Lord of Avalon discovered in shock that it turned out that... Her brother also shone with a light that made her feel ashamed.

She seemed unable to open her eyes: Morgan had never been like this before, and even looking directly at Jonson made her feel a certain sense of shame and a real sense of defeat.

"I appreciate your kindness."

"But I have only one response to that."

Zhuang Sen smiled. It was a gentle smile, but it didn't seem abrupt.

"Listen, Morgan."

"If the Dark Angel is destined to fall here for the fate of the empire."

"Then my only ending is to stand proudly with my warriors and welcome our destruction together: and before that, I will ensure that the enemies of the empire will fall into hell with us."

【……】

[Because of your loyalty to the Emperor? 】

"No."

"Because, this is my choice."