Warhammer: In the Name of Nirvana

+ Fulgrim, Sanguinius and Ferrus have all arrived. Corax and Magnus’ schedule is also expected. I have sent people to keep an eye on them. Although Alpharius is still There was no trace, but he promised me he would be back in time. +

"Using his character?"

+ No, use yours, Malcador. +

"Then you must be prepared to be let go. Tianqi: I have no character."

+...+

"But then again, Magnus, I can understand why you still send people to keep an eye on Corax. Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on Mortarion? He is the one we need to worry about now. Subject: When I was in the Terra Palace last time, his anger almost broke my old bones."

+Because Mortarion and his Legion are already here: he, Horus, Dorn or Jaghatai, every Primarch still on the front lines of Ullanor cannot escape my grasp, and Korak Si was related to another issue, not a serious issue. I sent someone to keep an eye on him out of concern rather than alertness. +

The Emperor waved his hand. When this simple action was performed by the Lord of Mankind, it became indescribably iconic and could forcefully interrupt everything. Even Malcador could not disobey its will: The Seal Holder He withdrew his curiosity in gritted silence, but also secretly made a mental note to pay special attention to the desolate area at the southernmost tip of the Storm Star Territory.

But Malcador didn't see it: but he cared about this matter wholeheartedly, lowered his eyebrows, and was full of thoughts. The emperor who regarded him as a brother, sister, and friend secretly glanced at his old friend, bronzed A moment of pride flashed across his face, and then he quickly put it away before the person holding the seal looked back: the Lord of Humanity's aura became majestic once again, and he unquestionably took the lead in the conversation.

+ In other words, only those in the east have no news at this time? +

"Have you forgotten Perturabo again?"

+Isn’t he also in the east? +

"...Yes."

Malcador was stunned at first, and quickly ran through the star map of the empire in his mind: then he coughed in embarrassment.

"I haven't seen the Lord of Steel for a long time, and I have only kept in touch through letters recently, but his professionalism is still eye-catching: after I sent him your order and the geographical information of Nicaea at the same time, , Perturabo only took seven days to give me a reply and a fresh design drawing."

+How? +

"Even if it is placed in the Royal Palace of Terra, it will still be an admirable place among the stars."

"He promised me that he and his Legion would only need twenty-eight Terran Standard Days to complete this construction task, but I think it will take at least fifty days: you should really see that blueprint , Apocalypse, no other person in the entire galaxy can draw it.”

+ No need, Macado, your words make me feel at ease. +

The Emperor turned his back to his best friend, nodding casually on the topic of Perturabo.

+ It would be nice to confirm that Perturabo is indeed commanding his Fourth Legion: You know, Malcador, before this, there have been rumors in the galaxy that this son of mine is missing, and the Iron Warriors are running on their own , we all know how ridiculous this rumor is, but the content is indeed interesting. +

"Can't you send a commissioner to confirm the authenticity of this rumor?"

+Send someone to Iron Warriors? Please, Malcador, I have more important things to do. +

"..."

"Anyway, from the information I have collected, the operation of the Iron Warriors Legion has indeed been steadily improving over the years. Although the death rate is still higher than the average of all legions, it has also slightly expanded several recruitment worlds, so the scale It has been growing steadily: many of the battles are beautifully planned, and those tactical details and techniques can only be the work of one Primarch."

"But to be honest: Perturabo has not been seen in public for a long time."

"When was the last time you saw him?"

+ When I went to see Corax, I left him on my battleship. +

"Did he go down?"

+This is where the rumors started. +

"Hiss...hey, wait..."

Malcador grinned, and just when he felt his teeth aching as he was used to it, a memory from the past suddenly hit him: the palmer raised his hand, stopped the emperor's words, and then dived into his mind. , constantly rummaging through tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of events, looking for the part about Perturabo.

This is not easy: the difficulty is comparable to finding a guy in the Five Hundred Worlds who puts the interests of the empire above the interests of the Five Hundred Worlds.

And the palmer was indeed a palmer: it only took him a minute to react.

"No, Apocalypse."

"He went down."

+Are you sure? +

"Yes, I happened to be handling some matters on your battleship at the time. I saw you and Perturabo walking on the bridge and talking for about five hours: you personally sent your son off the ship. The boat, I remember it was Fricks who came to greet it.”

+Really? +

The emperor nodded, frowned, rubbed his chin with two fingers, his thick lips biting each other in uncertainty, and his words were filled with a deep voice that Malcador couldn't catch: The Lord of Mankind used a rare silence, After thinking for almost three or four minutes, few things could make the Emperor so uncertain.

His expression was a little serious.

+You mean, Perturabo and I talked for five hours on my ship?

"That's right?"

+ But I have no impression. +

+Have I talked to him? +

"..."

At this moment, looking at the bewildered face of the Lord of Mankind, the Palmist couldn't help but wonder: when the Emperor created the primarch Perturabo, had he inadvertently added something that even the Emperor himself Unexpected factors?

Then, he seriously doubted his memory.

"Don't you even remember whether you have had a heart-to-heart talk with your son? Apocalypse?"

+ I have twenty sons, how can you expect me to pay attention to each one of them? +

"You just asked him to build you the greatest one-off structure in the galaxy."

+That’s because you and Morgan both emphasized to me that this is a reward for him! +

"..."

Malcador looked at the Emperor in shock.

Then he found the emperor looking at him in even more shock.

"Apocalypse."

After being stunned for a while, the palm-printer felt that this issue was worthy of his seriousness.

"Do you feel that with the beginning and continuous progress of the Great Crusade, that part of your human emotions is becoming increasingly thinner: Even more than ten years ago, I rarely heard you say such words , unless it was the moment you just faced Morgan."

+No. +

The Emperor denied it without hesitation.

+ Horus, Fulgrim and Dorn all said I was quite normal. +

"Then...then forget it..."

The palm bearer opened his mouth, and finally gave up the topic for the time being. At the same time, he quietly made a note in his heart: after the Spider Queen comes to Ullanor, he must seize the time to have a good communication with her in private.

Something must be wrong.

"Anyway, now that things have happened, we can be sure that Perturabo is still alive."

"What more can a Primarch expect?"

+ Indeed. +

The Emperor seemed relieved: he had long since ceased to discuss the subject.

+Okay, Malcador, we have spent too much time on unimportant things. Now, let’s talk about important things: I heard that Terra plans to be located in the center of the Far Eastern Star Territory. A large tract of land was allocated to Perturabo to manage? +

"That's right: I personally think this will urge Perturabo's sense of responsibility, and we really need to set up a strong military agency next to the maelstrom area to build and assist this chaotic transportation hub. Steel Legion of Warriors fits the bill.”

+ We have deployed four legions in the Maelstrom area. My friend: Do you think this configuration is not enough to make you and the high lords of Terra feel at ease? This is denser than anywhere else. +

"It's just because it's so dense that it makes me feel restless."

"Don't forget, by your standards, two of these four legions are completely negative."

The Master of the Seal sighed long. He was probably the person who sighed the most in the entire empire. In his old aria, a star map of the Maelstrom region was slowly unfolding: Unlike what the world imagined, the Emperor's control of each region of the galaxy In fact, he doesn't know much about the details. He is keen on grasping the overall strategy. Whenever he needs to lower his perspective to the grassroots level, he needs explanations from the palm printmaker and others.

[The military forces stationed in the Maelstrom area for the empire can be divided into two parts: internal and external. 】

"Inside are the four legions whose home planets are in the Maelstrom area: Emperor's Son, Thousand Sons, White Scar, and Salamander. According to the predetermined plan, we will allocate most of the land to these four. A legion exists as their fiefdom and defense zone."

+ Is it a fiefdom or a defense zone? +

"It depends on them: Dorn once made it very clear to me that he would regard the land he governs as a military control zone, that is, a temporary military control zone, and his legions are only responsible for the most basic administrative and military work. , until the Terran government is able to fully take over, and Leman Russ intends to set up a governor's palace in his own territory, flaunting himself as a governor sent by the human empire rather than the king of Fenris. "

+They are all reliable. +

"Yes, these two people, plus Jonson and Ferrus, are the four-sided shield of Terra. Each of them defends the land under the rule of Holy Terra from possible invasion from a certain direction: Leman Russ is responsible for monitoring the east, Ferrus is responsible for guarding the west of Terra, Dorn is guarding the south, Jonson is facing the north, and the four of them can restrain each other."

"But the maelstrom is an exception: we don't have a strong grip here."

+Hmm. +

+ You are right: the only ones we can count on seem to be Fulgrim and Vulkan, but they are not people who govern the country. Fulgrim may be able to entrust one aspect of the military, but he has never been able to make me completely rest assured. +

+Where is his fiefdom? +

"The Emperor's Children own the largest and best piece of land in the center of the Maelstrom. I think we can hand over the overall defense of the Maelstrom area to Phoenix. His loyalty and ability are beyond doubt, and then Terra will The assistance of the Maelstrom Guards House can ensure the stable operation of this area to the greatest extent. "

+ Worth considering. +

"Chorgoris of Chagatai Khan is located in the wasteland of the east. Although the territory under his rule is vast, it is full of rogues and pirates, and the people of all worlds are fierce. It is not easy to completely tame them: Jaghatai is one of your wisest but most rebellious descendants. I am actually quite curious about how he will govern his people."

+ The Great Khan wears the crown: There is only one long successful case in human history. +

"What is it?"

+ Tsar. +

"...Are you kidding me?"

+Maybe: Where is Magnus. +

"Prospero of the Thousand Sons Legion is located in the northwest of the Maelstrom. The closest Legion home planet is actually Fenris under the rule of Leman Russ: this is the most remote and barren area in the Maelstrom. There are only a few subspace channels leading there, and the Empire knows almost nothing about it.”

+Suitable as a prison. +

"Are you really planning to imprison him?"

+ Certain restrictions are indispensable. +

The Emperor's voice was firm.

+ Will I deceive you, my friend Malcador: I have seriously considered whether to let Magnus stay with me for a long time, but in the end, my caution made me give up this plan, because Anyone with an eye can see how the success of the Webway will have a huge impact on psykers, and I'm not sure Magnus can accept this change calmly, that being the case. I can't bring this time bomb into my web tunnel project. +

"He is your son! You have personally boasted to me about his loyalty to you!"

+ Horus, Dorn and Fulgrim are also loyal, but I also did not tell them about the plan of the webway. Morgan and Konrad did it completely out of necessity: and don’t forget, Macca Many, loyalty and reliability are completely different things. +

+ Just as we all know, even if the Thunder Warriors raise the flag of rebellion, we cannot deny their deep-seated loyalty: but they are indeed rebelling. +

"I see."

The Seal Holder lowered his voice, losing the courage to continue confronting the Emperor: Malcador knew very well that when the Emperor solemnly used the word Thunder Warrior, it just showed that he was unquestionable on this matter.

"In other words, you have decided to punish Magnus at the Council of Nicaea?"

+It depends on his performance. +

In an instant, the Lord of Humanity seemed to become calm again.

+Although Magnus’s behavior has disappointed me for a long time, he is not the worst among brothers: as long as he has the slightest remorse at the Nicaea meeting, or can show even a little bit Any plan that shines before my eyes, like Morgan's, I wouldn't mind retaining a place of honor for him in the Great Crusade. +

+You know, Malcador. +

+ To this day, I have never denounced the loyalty of any of my sons, be it Morgan or Guilliman, and I have never considered them a real threat: the only reason the Primarchs can make me angry is that It is their own side effects that outweigh the positive impact they can bring to the empire. +

+That's the case with Magnus. +

+ Any objections? +

"Yes: Why Nicaea?"

+ That world is very special, and Magnus’ fate lies in Nicaea. +

"All right."

The Sealmaster once again withdrew the strong curiosity in his heart. He would never ask about the so-called fate mentioned by the emperor, but instead thought about more practical issues: Since the emperor suddenly decided to choose the address of the psyker conference in the name of After the little-known Nikaea, many plans that were originally made had to be changed.

Many groups are busy.

Among them, the Cult of Mechanicus stands out: This group of Omnissian believers combined the Emperor's will with their private interests, and used the planetary teleportation technology at the bottom of the box to teleport Ullanor to the surrounding universe of Nicaea. domain to ensure the continuity of the conference.

The palm-bearer thought more. He knew that Nikaea was located due east of the Sun Star Territory and was one of the three optional roads to march from the Far East Star Territory to the solar system: Since Ulanor was placed next to Nikaea , then it is entirely possible to build an indestructible twin fortress with these two worlds undergoing major construction projects as the core.

By then, the north of this fortress will be Betangamon and Fenris, and the south will be Invite, Tallan and Cromunda: the various fortresses and semi-fortress worlds will help each other and together form the defense line in the eastern part of the solar system. The military threat of Holy Terra must break through at least two of the three points of this defense line to ensure the follow-up offensive against the solar system.

And considering that Terra is always supported by two or three legions, as well as a large-scale mortal army, this is simply an invincible Maginot Line of defense: the army from the east can only go north and face Riemann. There is no other way to threaten Terra other than the combined forces of Russ and Jonson, or heading south to eat Dorne's fortresses.

Malcador chuckled, and his originally depressed mood improved slightly.

"Salamander's Nocturne is isolated in the southernmost part of the entire maelstrom. There are not many prosperous civilized worlds here. The various human gathering points are backward and isolated, and they are frequently harassed by void bandits: in fact, the rampant banditry is A common problem throughout the maelstrom.”

"There is no way. The core of this area is too complicated. Even the Wotan Alliance, which was defeated by your own army, fled into the center of the maelstrom. To this day, we have not been able to catch them again. , those smaller pirate fleets hide inside, and there are natural havens everywhere. "

"It's simply the graveyard of the empire."

+In addition to the inside, what about the outside? +

"That would be even more messy."

"Morgan and Perturabo to the east, Guilliman to the southeast, Terra to the west, Angron to the south, Dorne to the southwest, Leman Russ to the northwest and Sanguinius to the northeast, and to the north Horus: Every legion has its own interests in the Maelstrom region, but the most powerful external group is Guilliman. He owns a core world here called Badab, which is the richest place in the entire Maelstrom region. ”

+ Where is Terra going to collect taxes from? +

"You have to set an example."

Malcador ignored the question.

"At the same time, Morgan also needs to pay attention. She owns a core world in the Maelstrom area called Catachan, which provides her with the best mortal auxiliary troops in the galaxy. Her most important ally Reza is also here. This forging world can be said to be the overlord in the Maelstrom area, and the territory under its command is not much greater than that of Fulgrim and others: even I don't know how much territory Reza has in the Maelstrom."

+ Are you saying that Reza will stand firmly on Morgan's side? +

"It depends on the situation: but the price Morgan offered is really something no one can afford anymore."

"In addition, my informants in Riza have also provided me with information before. They claimed that Riza is very likely to secretly hide a very powerful knight family, which is enough to affect the form of the legion-level battlefield: But this family is well hidden, and there is no intelligence that indicates that Reza owns them.”

+Don't pay attention to this: this is a private matter between the Adeptus Mechanicus. +

The Emperor looked at his old friend: some words were expressed through the eyes.

+ Moreover, a powerful Reza is not necessarily a bad thing for us. The new foundry general Kalbohar has been consolidating the power in his hands recently, but he is far less humble than his predecessor: I will be in Ulan I would like to have a final communication with him during the Nuo meeting, hoping that this will make him change his mind. +

"What if it doesn't work?"

+ After the Webway is built, Mars will probably need a new general: the mistress of Lava City looks very good. +

"..."

"Apocalypse, do you think the founding general of Mars can't see this trend?"

+ So what if he sees it? +

"..."

"Unknowingly, you have set up a new opponent for yourself, Apocalypse."

+I know. +

The Emperor nodded.

At this moment, the Lord of Mankind looked so arrogant.

+ But now that I have chosen to take this most difficult road. +

+From the very beginning, I was destined to defeat everyone in front of me. +

+With one's own strength. +

+Down with this world. +