Warhammer: In the Name of Nirvana

"I heard that your Dark Angels Legion only suffered less than 500 casualties in total, and completed the last stage of the combat mission: not only destroyed the orc control tower, but also completely paralyzed the entire Ullanor Palace, strangling the last possibility of the greenskins' counterattack."

"What a fierce offensive, brother, I don't think I can reach your level."

As the winner of the war, the Wolf God had a deep voice, slow steps, and a calm attitude in every gesture: it was hard to imagine that a few hours ago, this Primarch had just experienced a life-and-death crisis and came back from the gates of hell in Ullanor.

However, among the 100,000 Luna Wolves who followed him into the battlefield, at least 30,000 lacked such good luck: the human empire lost nearly 150,000 Astartes warriors in the entire Ullanor expedition, which was a huge sacrifice that had never happened in the past 50 years, and among all the heroic souls sleeping in Ullanor, the Luna Wolves accounted for the highest proportion.

A cliff-like lead: for every three soldiers of the other Astartes Legion fell, two Sons of Horus died generously. Even the sum of the blood shed by the Imperial Fists and the Ultramarines Legions was far less than the sacrifices made by the 100,000 dead soldiers under the command of the Wolf God on the battlefield of Ullanor.

As for the chaotic cases in the void that can never be counted in detail, there are so many that it makes people feel sad: for the earnest expectations of their gene father before the war, the 16th Legion took out all the trump cards that enabled them to compete for the throne of the [Strongest Legion], especially the Cthunian-style, fearless charge and bloodiness.

Perhaps because most of the members of the legion were from gangs, compared with their brother troops, the warriors of the Luna Wolves rarely think: it’s not that they are not good at using their brains, but rather than thinking, the Luna Wolves prefer to blindly obey the orders of the Primarch and their superiors and go with the flow. Of course, people with independent thinking also exist, but they are at an absolute disadvantage in the legion.

Such weaknesses are not only widely distributed among the grassroots warriors of the Legion, but also extend to the core circle of the Primarch: the [Council of Four Kings], which is well-known in the Empire and relied on by the Wolf God as a confidant and think tank, has most of its members who are similar [actionists].

Needless to say, Abaddon has long been notorious for his reckless behavior; although Torgadon seems to be humorous and smart, he has never had any opinions on real major issues, and instead seems less reliable; as for Asimander, who is known as [Little Horus], he is a typical figure who can embody this problem. The most commendable thing about him is his absolute obedience and worship of Horus.

These three people occupy three seats in the Council of Four Kings: Don't forget that the most important responsibility of the Council of Four Kings is to make rational suggestions for the Primarch at critical moments, even if it means disobeying their gene father, and insisting on the truth that is beneficial to the Legion. Such an organization is matched with such members, which sounds like a sad joke.

Since the head is like this, the rest of the Legion can be imagined.

But it is also because of this that, at Horus's command, after the full approval of the Council of Four Kings, the Luna Wolves Legion switched almost seamlessly, and showed a refreshing style in the Battle of Ullanor: they reversed the past habit of "picking peaches" that was criticized by people. From the moment they stepped into the land of the Orc Empire, the 16th Legion followed the pace of the Primarch and became the vanguard of the entire expedition without hesitation.

Riding and whipping, until forever.

This brought huge sacrifices, and the heavy losses of the Luna Wolves were inevitable, but their blood did bring some new changes to themselves: at least, the eyes of the warriors of other legions looking at them finally had more real admiration and recognition, and no one would deny a genuine vanguard.

And this kind of look is exactly what Horus wants. With it, the Wolf God can proudly face any responsibility or any blood relative in the galaxy: even if the one standing in front of him is Jonson, the hero who actually ended the entire Ullanor War, the Primarch of the Luna Wolves can get along with him on an equal footing.

But on the other hand, behind the straight spine, there are the clenched fists of the Wolf God and the sweat beads as thick as blood: Horus has never been a ruthless father, and he will not use his beloved offspring as a bargaining chip. When the casualties of the Ullanor Expedition passed away in his heart, even the iron heart of the Wolf God would be stung by this string of ruthless characters.

But he did not regret it.

Because he knew that these pains were what the Shadow Moon Wolf Legion needed most now.

It was also what he needed most now.

——————

He must force himself, force himself to learn to sacrifice, learn to face sacrifice.

It can't be like before.

——————

The roar in his heart was fleeting, and when Horus came back to his senses, he found that his smile was a little stiff, but fortunately the Caliban people opposite him didn't care about these things: In fact, when Jonson faced the sudden visit of the Cthonia brothers, the lion seemed to have always maintained a certain distance.

If Morgan were here, she would be able to tell at a glance that this was the Caliban people pretending to be indifferent when they were undecided in their hearts. It was just that because the lion looked like this on a daily basis, it was basically impossible for outsiders to recognize it.

Moreover, with Johnson's willpower, he rarely falls into such confusion: this often means that the Lion's values ​​​​have been greatly challenged, or that he has really encountered a situation that makes him puzzled. , or it’s the [problem of the century] that is torn between left and right.

Almost fifty years have passed since the last time the Calibans showed this state. The cause was the betrayal of the Erased One. When that bastard really betrayed the Emperor and the Empire. When the news was confirmed by their genetic father, even Zhuang Sen was in a daze for many days.

Even the Lion found it difficult to accept the reality that someone would betray the Emperor.

Compared with then, Jonson is at least a lot more calm now: it may be that the pressure from Horus on him has never been too great.

"It's just that practice makes perfect."

After taking in all Horus's compliments, Zhuangson was silent for a while before replying with a stiff tone. His expression vividly told that he was wandering in the sky, and his thoughts were completely not focused on what was in front of him. The Wolf Shepherd God and the surrounding Dark Angel Legion were carefully cleaning up the battlefield.

Horus didn't care at all.

He waited patiently, waiting for Zhuangson to end his wandering. They walked from the burning tower to the imperial palace that stretched for dozens of kilometers in Ullanor. From time to time, the flashing electronics of the Mechanical Priest flashed by his ears. There were murmurs of exclamation: Even if it has collapsed, the scale of the various legacies left by the Orc Empire to this world is enough to exceed the imagination of the great sages of the Mechanicus.

Not to mention their performance, and there are so many of them that it’s impossible to count.

In front of such a unique treasure house in the entire galaxy, the Wolf Shepherd even witnessed an incredible scene with his own eyes. He saw the mechanical priests from Mars and Reza advancing side by side. They were everywhere in the Ullanor Empire. They plucked the treasures at will, and even helped each other: in the face of huge interests that could not be divided completely, even the two incompatible giants of the Mechanicus actually had a good mood to coexist peacefully for a while.

It's a pity that he and Zhuang Sen can't do this.

Horus sighed quietly: No matter what outsiders thought, the Wolf Shepherd really came to his Caliban brothers with great goodwill, although in theory, they still competed for the position of Warmaster. opponent, but he really wanted to visit the Dark Angels and other brother units in the Eastern Front Legion, and see if he could be of any help.

"After all, this is the responsibility given to me by our genetic father."

Horus's face was serious. He looked at Jonson without fear. The Caliban looked at his wolf brother indifferently, the sensitive instinct of the beast boiling in his heart: they looked at each other like this for almost a minute. After a while, Zhuang Sen silently shifted his gaze.

He was convinced that Horus was serious.

"The Emperor has left?"

The Lion King asked, while Horus nodded worriedly.

"Two hours ago, before setting off, he entrusted me with the affairs of Ullanor and asked me to take care of the situation here. I'm sorry, my brother, but there are still some greenskins who need to be killed on my front. , these stragglers delayed me for several hours.”

"Understandable."

Jonson tilted his head, listening to the sound of explosive bombs gathering fire outside the horizon.

"Although the vast majority of the greenskins have died in the previous explosions, even the remaining stragglers are counted in the millions or even tens of millions: it will take at least a few weeks to recover from them. The land of Ullanor must be completely cleansed of these hazardous materials, and then we can think about the future of this world.”

"Leave it to my legion."

Horus patted his chest.

"My warriors are not having all the fun."

"That's fine."

Zhuang Sen was silent for a moment.

"Then the purification work of other Ullanor worlds will be left to my legion."

"As to that matter, it would be best if we await the Emperor's will."

The Shepherd God shook his head.

"After all, this is a matter of whether to expand the expedition further: and it won't be long."

"The Emperor should recover soon."

The extra meaning in the statement made the Caliban frown uneasily.

"You mean: The Emperor is really injured?"

"Yes."

Horus lowered his eyebrows, and the guilt on his face was carefully scrutinized by Zhuangson, looking for the strangeness in it inch by inch: But even if the lion looked back and forth three times without giving up, he could only shake his head to confirm, Horus Si's guilt and sadness at this time was genuine.

"The orc emperor may indeed have a few trump cards. Our father was indeed injured during the confrontation with him. Although according to him it was far from life-threatening, he needs to rest for at least a few days or even weeks. :I’m thinking now, Zhuang Sen, if I could have arrived as soon as possible, maybe I wouldn’t have..."

"It's not your problem."

The lion lowered his voice.

"Who would have thought that it would actually be..."

He pursed his lips.

"Horus, I think you should remember what happened to Ran Dan at that time, right?"

"This is different, Jonson."

The Shepherd God shook his head.

"We shouldn't doubt father."

The lion didn't respond, still accumulating his own thoughts in the hazy eye shadow.

After a long time, he spoke, but it was already another topic.

"Morgan told me that after you learned that the Emperor's life was in crisis, you immediately abandoned everything at hand, abandoned your legion and the ongoing war, and rushed to the Emperor's side without stopping?"

"...That's right."

Horus hesitated a little, and he could hear the disapproval in Zhuang Sen's words.

"You think this is right, Horus?"

"I'm not sure."

The Shepherd God took a deep breath.

"But if time goes by, I will definitely make the same choice: No matter how many times I choose there, I will rush to the Emperor's side at all costs, even if it means I have to pay an unimaginable price , but the Emperor's death outweighed them all."

Zhuang Sen did not reply immediately. He was tasting Horus's sincerity at this moment.

"You should know that with the emperor's ability, it is impossible to encounter a life-or-death crisis."

"How to say?"

Horus frowned.

"According to your opinion, we should put the safety of the Emperor's life above the possibility?"

"No, Jonson, gambling with the Emperor's life is a wrong thing."

"What if what is placed on the other end of the scale is a matter of life and death for countless people: Just like the scene just now, if the choice we have to make is the victory of the Emperor and the Emperor who is willing to sacrifice everything and even his life for it, you How do you know that your unhesitating decision will be correct?"

"Forgive me for not agreeing."

Horus shook his head, not even taking the time to think about it.

"Listen, Jonson, I know that when you learned that the Emperor was in danger, you desperately wanted to save him, and you instinctively made the same choice as me: my loyalty to you. There is no doubt about his dedication, because my father told me all this himself, and his psychic ability can see what is beyond his field of vision.”

"At the same time, I also know that you finally chose to stop your steps and use your sword to win the entire war. I can't say that your idea is wrong. After all, this is a multiple-choice question that is difficult to give up: The Emperor's life or the victory of the war, no matter which one you choose, it is excusable."

"This should not be a reason for us to criticize each other here."

Horus smiled at him, and Jonson did not comment: but he did not deny either.

"It's just that you chose to win the war after weighing the two."

"And I chose the Emperor's life."

"None of this is wrong, Jonson."

The Shepherd God shook his head.

"Just like I can't convince you to give up victory for the sake of the Emperor's possible crisis, you can't convince me of my desperate steps when I learned that the Emperor's life was in danger: Brother, for me, I am willing to give up the Emperor's life. Life is placed above all victory in the galaxy."

"I don't think he would agree with that."

"Don't try to convince me."

Horus blinked.

"Because I believe that as long as we can save the Emperor's life, even if we temporarily lose the victory in front of us, we will eventually be able to win it back in the future: as long as the Emperor's orders can be implemented, even temporary failure is okay. To be endured.”

"Is this your idea, Horus?"

"That's right."

Zhuang Sen was silent, his emerald green pupils flashing in thought.

"tell me."

The primarch's voice was stiff.

"If you became the Warmaster, would you also uphold this idea?"

Horus was stunned by this question, but he did not dwell on it.

"I don't think the position of Warmaster is worth changing my values."

"That is to say..."

The Lion King took a deep breath.

"Even if one day, the Emperor asks you to deliberately swallow a failure..."

"sure."

The Shepherd God did not hesitate, and the burning worship in his eyes moved Zhuang Sen.

It also scared him.

"If the Emperor orders it, I will accept defeat with grace, brother."

"Even if I'm about to win."

"..."

Johnson was silent.

He was silent for a long time.

And the voice was unequivocal.

"But I won't, Horus."

"What?"

"I will never accept a deliberate defeat and I will not let victory slip away."

"No matter what: even the Emperor."

"Do you know what this means?"

For the first time, the lion actually smiled at his wolf brother.

"this……"

Horus was stunned. He had no idea that the topic would reach this point.

He's just here to help.

"What does it mean?"

"Meaning, you remind me of the guy I trusted the most so far."

"His name is Luther."

"Ah, I know him."

The Wolf Shepherd laughed.

"I'm glad that you will compare me with such an outstanding figure, Brother Jonson: aside from the innate advantages of being a Primarch, I don't have the confidence to be like Lord Luther on many issues... "

"No."

Johnson shook his head.

"That's not what I meant."

"I'm talking about another thing: the identity and expectations I gave him."

"And my reasons why I did it, why I chose him."

"I chose him, and now you remind me of the reason why I made this choice: when I put myself in his shoes and put the Emperor in my position, some of his choices seemed to me It’s just as it should be.”

"Because I would do the same."

Zhuang Sen's smile made Horus feel a little confused. He could feel an obvious bitterness from the lion's smile, but it was also followed by some calmness, with the kind of sighing feeling after finally clearing the clouds and seeing the sun. Relief, the kind of letting go of obsession.

Although it is very light, although it seems that I have not completely let go, the idea is already there.

"What exactly do you want to say?"

"I want to say: this means..."

The lion pursed his lips.

He didn't say the next sentence, he didn't say that...

"..."

"You win, Horus."