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Chapter 68 - The Great Game

Guilliman ultimately did not directly kill the lapdog he had underfoot, but instead had him taken away and detained.

After Yvraine recovered, both sides summoned the Death Guard who had accompanied the lapdog to report the news to inquire about the exact reason for Vesarch's transformation.

Initially, the other members of the Death Guard prevaricated, but these petty tricks were, at best, child's play in the eyes of the Regent and his wife.

Under Guilliman and Yvraine's repeated questioning, the Death Guard members recounted, in detail, the scandalous rumors they had heard, as well as the appearance of fervent supporters of their 'CP' among the Aeldari.

"Gamma!"

Yvraine, face flushed, gritted her teeth as she uttered the Tech-priest's name.

She didn't even need to think; this must have been the Tech-priest's doing.

No one else had the audacity or the power to spread rumors so quickly and widely.

Guilliman also covered his face, headache-ridden.

He had never imagined such a scandal would involve him.

Who was he?

He was the Thirteenth Son of the Emperor, the Regent of the Imperium of Man, the Lord of the Ultramarines, the Primarch of hundreds of Astartes chapters!

Even Fulgrim, that traitor who had once been married, had never been involved in such scandalous rumors!

"Yvraine, it's too early to jump to conclusions on this matter," Guilliman advised.

Yvraine sharply interrupted him, saying, "Besides him, who else? He dared to fabricate lies right in front of me back then!"

"..."

"This situation was caused by you forcibly keeping me here; you must give me an explanation!"

What explanation?

It has always been others who give me explanations.

When have I, the dignified Lord of Five Hundred Worlds, ever given an explanation to anyone else?

If the Tech-priest knew what Guilliman was thinking at that moment, he would surely retort, "Now we know where Ventris got his scoundrel-like demeanor when toying with the Greater Daemon's feelings."

Looking at the gritting-toothed, flushed Yvraine, unsure if she was angry or shy, a strange emotion arose in Guilliman's heart.

This feeling was both familiar and foreign, like those first few years when he arrived on Macragge, and his father and mother cheered "Roboute" over and over again.

Although at that time he was as cold as a machine, a dead thing, never responding, because that was not his "true" name; Guilliman knew his creator had named him "Thirteen."

Yet, it was this incessant, loving call of a name that gave a lifeless being a soul and emotions.

This name also became his greatest pillar during his most painful and helpless times.

Not wanting to disappoint the expectations contained within that name was Guilliman's most important reason for persevering.

"What kind of expression is that?" Yvraine asked, annoyed, looking at Guilliman's gently smiling face.

At Yvraine's question, Guilliman scratched his head, as if recalling something, then said uncertainly, "Why can't I suddenly feel any killing intent towards you?"

"..."

The two stared into each other's eyes for a long time.

Yvraine turned her head away and pouted, "Idiot."

Death Guard: Hey, hey, leader, we're still here!

Can you two be a bit more discreet?

Demoralizing the army is punishable by death according to the military regulations you wrote yourself!

To everyone's surprise, this grand melee, which involved several major galactic races, ended rather abruptly, almost dislocating Guilliman's back, who had grown increasingly accustomed to Yvraine's presence.

Looking at the planet spewed out by the Warp, and clutching the warning letter Perturabo had left before his departure, Guilliman's expression was grim!

Because Chaos had set its sights on Gamma, the reason being that Dante had thoroughly thrashed Abaddon's Black Legion.

If not for Abaddon's stubborn vitality and his subordinates' desperate defense, the Imperium Nihilus Regent could have captured the traitor on the spot this time.

Even so, the Black Legion, the largest traitor faction of Chaos, suffered heavy losses.

Abaddon's beautiful dream of creating an empire of his own in the Imperium Nihilus was shattered by the Tech-priest, who, from a position of strength, effectively told Abaddon:

"Who are you, a mere three-legged toad, to even dream of such a thing?"

This battle also awakened The Four Gods, who had been engrossed in the Great Game.

Even though the Emperor tried his best to provoke them, he couldn't shift their gaze from the Tech-priest.

Although they couldn't see Gamma, they could clearly see all mortals except the Tech-priest.

Without looking closely, one wouldn't know; looking closely, one would be startled.

The Four Gods, who had intended to nurture and then play with this "little wolf cub," suddenly discovered that it had secretly grown so large.

Recalling how the Emperor had tried his utmost to entice them over the years, The Four Gods now fully understood what was going on.

After the Tech-priest, with a single slap, negated Abaddon's years of effort, he seemed to realize he could no longer hide, or perhaps he was ready to bare his fangs at The Four Gods, to tell the Chaos Gods—"This young master is not to be trifled with!"

Dozens of massive fleets, carrying billions of soldiers and Iron Men, launched attacks along the Webway, sweeping through more than half of the Imperium Nihilus in a very short time like a strong autumn wind.

Whether it was Orks, Tyranids, or Necrons, they killed gods and Buddhas alike!

Against the minor Xenos, his methods were no less brutal than the Emperor's back in the day.

Anyone found with even the slightest connection to Chaos would be utterly annihilated by Gamma's thunderous might.

Xenos unrelated to Chaos had all traces of their civilization erased and were confined to reservations as parasites.

However, Gamma also promised them a certain degree of freedom when the time was right, but not now.

Either be honestly confined or die; there was no third option!

Upon recapturing each planet, artificial intelligence was immediately deployed to begin planetary transformation, judge criminals, eradicate cults, and then send these scumbags, ship after ship, into the Webway.

Before Chaos could even react, more bad news came from the Warp.

It turned out that The Four Gods' slave-hunting teams, finding it increasingly difficult to capture slaves, reluctantly turned their attention to the Webway Hub, a place they weren't particularly fond of visiting.

The Tech-priest's occupation of the Webway Hub and his ongoing repairs to the Webway could no longer be kept secret.

The Four Gods could no longer sit still; they discovered that the Tech-priest was no less dangerous than the Emperor of old.

He was even more difficult to deal with than the Emperor; Gamma had no weaknesses in their hands.

What The Four Gods knew, the Emperor naturally also knew.

Although he had always known Gamma was growing, he didn't realize it had grown so much.

What he couldn't accomplish back then, Gamma had secretly managed to do!

The Four Gods of Chaos wanted to recreate the situation where the Emperor blocked the Webway, but this time, the one to plug the toilet was Gamma.

However, the Great Game has its rules; these are the rules of the Warp.

Unable to personally intervene, The Four Gods could only dispatch their daemon legions to open a "skylight" in the Webway Hub.

But they had daemon legions, and Gamma also had them.

Although Gamma's daemon legions couldn't match The Four Gods' in quantity and quality, they surpassed them in equipment.

Did Gamma spend so much effort befriending Perturabo just because he was lonely and wanted to find like-minded friends?

Wrong!

He wanted to obtain methods for forging daemon weapons and daemon engines from Perturabo!

Moreover, Gamma's daemon legions focused their defenses only on a few relatively vulnerable original Webway rifts.

Under the leadership of Apacha and several Greater Daemons newly promoted in recent years, the battle between Gamma's daemon legions and The Four Gods' daemon legions, for a time, gave the impression of being evenly matched.

But this was merely an illusion; over time, the disadvantage of Gamma's daemon legions being fewer in number would become apparent.

However, the Tech-priest was not fighting alone.

Bound Legion soon appeared behind The Four Gods' daemon legions, allowing them to be caught in a pincer attack by Gamma and the Emperor.

Although the Tech-priest, hidden in the Webway Hub, did not know the specific situation in the Warp, according to Apacha's reports, which he received periodically, the "friendly forces" master's current behavior could be described as "rampant."

He guarded the entrance to The Four Gods' domains every day, looking for any opportunity to rush in and set fire to the place.

Gamma could understand the Emperor's behavior.

After being suppressed for so many years, he finally had a chance to turn the tables, so of course he would go wild.

From Apacha's description, Gamma also understood why daemons feared the Emperor so much, even though he hadn't yet ascended to godhood.

The purest destructive power within the Emperor's strength was too potent; for daemons, a graze would wound, a touch would kill.

Even the combat power of Bound Legion, which inherited only fragments of the Emperor's power, was considered T0-level among the Chaos daemon legions.

The only pity was their small numbers; the Emperor had accumulated less over all these years than Gamma had in just a few.

With the Emperor's help, Gamma successfully defended the Webway, declaring to Chaos that the Great Game of The Four Gods now had another player.

The Gamma of today is no longer the Gamma of the past; he has made the leap from "somewhat famous" to "globally renowned." Whether it's the Imperium or Chaos, the name "Gamma" is on the lips of all prominent figures.

No longer hiding, the young Tech-priest quickly brought his relatives and friends to his side. Archmagos Will finally rediscovered the source of joy that had haunted his dreams.

"Father, don't blame me for being ruthless back then. At that time—"

Archmagos Will waved his hand dismissively, saying with great ease, "Why speak of such things between father and son? You haven't disdained me, your good-for-nothing father. With such a powerful son, what more could I ask for?"

The Archmagos said, looking down at the colossal city beneath his feet, a boundless pride swelling in his heart. His son was truly extraordinary, accomplishing a feat that even the Emperor had failed to achieve in his time.

Father and son stood together at the highest point of the Webway hub, chatting and laughing for a long time, as if trying to make up for the years of missing each other.

It wasn't until someone came to remind Gamma that the guests had arrived that the young Tech-priest parted ways with Archmagos Will, leaving the Archmagos alone to continue his reflections. He had wanted the Archmagos to come along, but the Archmagos said that circumstances were different now. He didn't know how many people had designs on him, and although he, as a father, couldn't do anything for Gamma, he also didn't want to cause him trouble.

Gamma thought about it and realized he was right. He had brought them all to his side precisely because he feared someone might target Archmagos Will and Leia.

"Slowly but surely. The most important first step has been taken; now we just need to continue steadily," Gamma murmured to himself, appearing on the palace throne the moment after he was at the hub's pinnacle.

Gamma's sudden appearance on the throne immediately caused a stir among the people gathered in the hall, which resembled a divine pantheon from a myth. At this moment, Eldrad, who was below the throne, tapped the ground with his staff. The sound, amplified by psychic magic, reached everyone's ears, and the scene immediately returned to its original quiet state.

The young Tech-priest, unaccustomed to such solemn occasions, shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't too keen on this kind of display, but Eldrad and the others insisted, saying that times had changed, and being too casual would make the new subjects feel slighted, which would be detrimental to his rule.

Spending a little time now could reduce future governance costs. Gamma might be a tyrannical ruler, but he wasn't a fool. Was there any question about what choice to make?

"Ahem, since you all have come, it means you have made up your minds. I want to welcome you, and from today onward, I shall also shelter you."

The voice echoing in their ears caused the Craftworld Eldar, who had decided to pledge allegiance to Gamma, to immediately kneel. Eldrad promptly declared, "Praise Gamma!"

"Praise Gamma!" × N

Next, these Craftworlds presented the core of their Infinite Circuits to the young Tech-priest. Everything had been rehearsed in advance; throughout the process, no one foolishly spoke out in opposition, nor did any 'arrogant' individual appear to challenge the young Tech-priest on the throne.

Not all Craftworld Eldar chose to exchange their Infinite Circuits for settlement rights in the Webway hub. Gamma didn't force them; he was already very satisfied with securing the allegiance of more than half of the Craftworlds in one go. The remaining Craftworlds, he figured, would naturally come to him when they couldn't make it on their own outside.

However, there was a significant difference in treatment between those who came first and those who came later. The young Tech-priest had a kind heart, but he was also narrow-minded. If it weren't for the Warp's constant unrest and his urgent need to strengthen his power, he wouldn't even have wanted to take in these Eldar.

After The Four Gods'joint army was stopped by the combined forces of the Devil Legion and the Bound Legion, and the young Tech-priest proved himself worthy of being a player in the game, the Warp had been in constant turmoil. Gamma now understood what kind of life the Emperor had lived all these years.

The Four Gods were not cooperating; they had switched to a rotation strategy. The Devil Legion, stationed outside the Webway rifts, had been in constant battle. After repelling Khorne's Demon Army, Nurgle's Demon Army immediately arrived. After repelling Nurgle's Demon Army, Tzeentch's Demon Army and Slaanesh's Demon Army came together.

Fortunately, the Emperor had been keeping an eye on Gamma's situation and occasionally sent the Bound Legion to help the young Tech-priest. Otherwise, even if Gamma continuously resupplied and provided souls to the Devil Legion, Apacha and his forces might very well be "worn down" by The Four Gods' Demon Army.

Finding a way to strengthen the Devil Legion became Gamma's most pressing concern. Unless absolutely necessary, Gamma did not want to drag the battlefield into the Webway where those rifts were located. It was already damaged, and if it were completely broken, the young Tech-priest wouldn't even be able to repair it.

The material realm was also restless. Several Daemon Primarchs who were originally with Guilliman were now all with Gamma. Each occupied an area ravaged by Warp storms and weakened by the laws of the material realm, constantly harassing the forces under the young Tech-priest.

Gamma didn't indulge them either. "Let's fight! Who's afraid of whom!"

With the Iron Men Legion at his command, was he afraid of them?

Let's see who can outlast whom!

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The young Tech-priest was going to make these traitors go extinct!

Now Luo Jia and the others were completely stumped. They had just managed to extricate themselves from a major melee, only to face something even more brutal. If they had known this, they would have preferred to fight Guilliman, at least Guilliman wouldn't occasionally pull out some new, unseen trick to hit them hard.

It was true that the Primarchs were the Emperor's masterpieces, and it was true that each was skilled in leading armies. But when faced with an opponent like Perturabo, who was determined to out-attrition you and occasionally pulled out new gadgets, anyone who faced him would have a headache.

Left with no choice, Luo Jia began to seek help from Perturabo, the Emperor's perceived drudge, The Four Gods' anomaly, and the weakest of their brothers. Pi Lao Ban's response to this was a single word: "Good!"

Then he turned around, put on sunglasses, and wrote a letter to the young Tech-priest, saying that he had infiltrated the enemy's ranks and obtained firsthand intelligence. Gamma quickly wrote back, asking Perturabo if he wanted to have some fun. Along with the letter came a key. Perturabo picked up the key and saw, "Oh, a secondary command authority for the Iron Men Legion."

Perturabo immediately understood what the young Tech-priest meant, chuckled, and became Luo Jia's special advisor, living the happy life of fighting against himself.

With a completely different mindset than before, Perturabo played a few rounds against himself, subtly helping his brother reduce his family burden, then made the following assessment of his former self:

"He was an idiot, and a genius. What was I thinking to make flesh-and-blood men do the work of Iron Men!"

When Perturabo voiced his self-assessment, a "doll" standing beside 0-13213, identical in form and posture to a human female from over ten thousand years ago, couldn't help but laugh out loud. Perturabo merely shrugged when he heard it, then refocused his attention on figuring out how to defeat himself.

However, Pi Lao Ban's happy times didn't last long, because Luo Jia and the others discovered that seeking Perturabo's help was indeed correct; under Perturabo's command, they did achieve several victories.

But seeking Perturabo's help was also wrong, because under his command, his descendants dwindled day by day, replaced only by a pile of worthless scrap metal. These scraps were even snatched from the ubiquitous mechanical beetles on the battlefield.

Realizing that if this continued, he truly risked extinction, Luo Jia immediately demanded command back from Perturabo. Pi Lao Ban's reaction was a cold snort, slamming the door and leaving. Then, fuming, he went to the Iron Men Legion's main camp and arranged all the little tricks he had been concocting for Luo Jia.

The result was that Perturabo, commanding the Iron Men, triggered Luo Jia's professional illness as a power-worshipping fanatic. He even erected a divine seat for the young Tech-priest in his temple, and at the same time, had people convey a message to Gamma through the Eldar: "Great master, please spare me. Luo is willing to serve you like a dog or horse!"

The young Tech-priest was initially so disgusted he showered several times, but later, for some unknown reason, he changed his mind and sent back a letter that, while reprimanding, also showed a hint of appreciation.

Luo Jia, who hadn't expected Gamma to reply personally, bathed and changed clothes with great ceremony before carefully reading the reply from this new player, the young Tech-priest.

After reading the entire letter, Luo Jia's expression was quite complex. He had initially believed Gamma would be a second Emperor, but facts proved him wrong. Gamma denounced him for causing countless suffering to humanity and declared that while he didn't know what kind of entity he was, he absolutely did not want to become like those four entities. Luo Jia could worship however he pleased, Gamma wouldn't interfere, but putting him alongside The Four Gods was absolutely unacceptable. If Luo Jia dared to do so, Gamma would find a way to kill him, even if he fled to the ends of the earth.

At the same time, Gamma also mentioned his appreciation for the idea of "Children of Blessing," a concept of coexisting with the Warp, stating that Luo Jia's ability to still seek a way out for humanity after seeing those four entities showed that Luo Jia had not forgotten his original intention at the time. It was only a pity that Luo Jia later completely became a puppet who only knew how to kowtow.

If Luo Jia had persisted then, gradually perfecting it, even if he paid countless prices and was reviled by humanity, as long as he succeeded, he would have been the greatest contributor to the human race. He could have justifiably pointed at the Emperor's nose and said, "You were wrong!" Instead of now, constantly calling him a 'false emperor' and 'false god,' escaping reality, and giving up entirely!

Finally, Gamma concluded with this sentence: "Whatever I or the Emperor may be, we both wish to break the chains on every human, including you, allowing you the freedom to wear chains or cast them off. As for how you choose, that's up to you. But you have become the very thing we despise most: a complete and utter slave!"

"What is this? Haha, turns out I can still shed tears—"

Luo Jia looked at the foul liquid in his hand, filled with Warp energy and unable to be called tears, his eyes full of self-mockery. After secluding himself in his meditation chamber for a long time, Luo Jia picked up his pen and, after much hesitation, finally put it to paper to write a reply to Gamma.

Soon after, Gamma, receiving Luo Jia's reply, pondered how to respond while muttering, "Why do all of you have Daemon Primarchs, and I don't? Are you bullying me?"

"Watch me trick one with my silver tongue! I'll win one over with my charisma to show you!"

Gamma, who had years of experience in PUA, did not send out his reply immediately after writing it. Fishing for rich men, ahem! Fishing for Primarchs! The key word is "fishing."

The word "fishing" encapsulates the essence and core of the art of PUA: extreme, repeated tug-of-war!

The young Tech-priest was going to leave Luo Jia hanging for a while, letting him suffer, making him restless, and then send out this letter. Afterward, it would be receiving replies, sending replies, sending replies, receiving replies, and then leaving Luo Jia hanging for a while again, letting him suffer, making him restless, hehehe...

The little Tech-priest, bolstered by the power of the Aeldari Ancestors, grew stronger, and the Devil Legion also grew stronger alongside him.

Although they couldn't launch active offensives, their passive defenses no longer heavily relied on the Emperor's help, allowing the Emperor to dedicate more energy to visiting The Four Gods.

But this was still not enough, far from it.

Gamma didn't possess the Emperor's pure destructive power; he could only exchange quantity for quality.

With the help of the "Daemon Heresy," the Devil Legion's manpower was currently sufficient, but the problem was that he couldn't create Daemons from scratch, only convert them.

While the number of undivided Daemons was considerable, it was still far less compared to The Four Gods' Daemon armies.

Not to mention, even among the undivided Daemons, factions were numerous, with many Chaos warlords akin to Perturabo, which implicitly siphoned off some of Gamma's future strength.

Furthermore, Gamma never intended to guard this Webway hub until the end of time; he understood the wisdom of having multiple hideouts and not putting all his eggs in one basket.

If he were in the material realm, he wouldn't be worried, but in the Warp, Gamma's strength was indeed insufficient.

Expanding his forces in the Warp was imperative and would be a long-term plan.

The little Tech-priest, who had been "unable" to leave his post guarding the Webway hub for years, had grown accustomed to planning ahead.

He lacked the Emperor's and The Four Gods' foresight spanning countless years, both past and future.

What he excelled at was making steady progress, step by step, through precise and accurate calculations and deductions.

Setting his sights on Luo Jia was a low-investment, high-return venture.

In truth, the little Tech-priest was more partial to Perturabo; his talents were the most compatible with Gamma's.

However, beneath Pi Lao Ban's stubborn exterior lay a heart that yearned for freedom.

If the little Tech-priest dared to show any interest today, tomorrow he would find Perturabo blocking his way at the Webway entrance, hammer in hand, so he had to settle for a secondary option.

One Daemon Primarch was worth an entire Daemon army.

His interactions with Perturabo made Gamma keenly aware that while Primarchs were powerful, their mental weaknesses were also quite apparent.

Attacking these weaknesses aggressively offered a significant chance of success, especially against a Primarch like Luo Jia, who had extremely low immunity to "gods."

The few individuals seated at the chessboard all had "idol baggage"; none of them would personally intervene like Gamma.

Of course, he had also considered the likes of the Duck King, but the little Tech-priest only dared to think about it, otherwise, it wouldn't be Perturabo blocking him but a cold sun.

The PUA of Luo Jia was also a long-term project; it wouldn't yield immediate results, and whether it would succeed was uncertain.

Gamma's life returned to normal.

Archmagos Will: "Let the music play, let the dancing continue."

Gamma: "Let the music play, let the dancing continue."

But as the like-minded father and son indulged in their revelry, one—no, a group of people—approached the high-spirited duo.

Seeing Magos Lauster, Sage Kobe, and Leia come knocking, the Archmagos and Gamma subconsciously felt guilty and tried to hide behind each other, shielding their father/son.

"Haha, Magos Lauster, are you here for my father?

Father, you too, there are so many things with Thedan, and you haven't dealt with them for days.

Quickly go to Magos Lauster's side."

The touching act of mutual "protection" between father and son ultimately saw Gamma emerge superior.

Archmagos Will felt his bionic limb uncontrollably take firm, unwavering steps towards Lauster.

Despite his utmost resistance, he only regained control of one useless small component.

Archmagos Will, controlling this small instrument, worth a fortune in the eyes of a Tech-priest, desperately scraped it across the floor of Gamma's palace.

The sharp screeching sound of metal rubbing against the ground was like the Archmagos's silent accusation, questioning whether Gamma's earlier talk of "filial piety" was all false!

Unfortunately, the increasingly distant unfilial son frowned, and the next second the sound vanished, and the Archmagos's heart completely died.

"No, we are here for you!"

"The Emperor has eyes!"

Needless to say, who uttered these words.

The Archmagos, now free, snorted; he would reclaim everything that belonged to him.

Forced to yield his position to a useless wild father who only competed with his son for things, Gamma braced himself and walked towards Magos Lauster and Sage Kobe.

"Sigh, how did those two end up together?

It's over, the hard times are still ahead."

The little Tech-priest, lamenting his misfortune, saw Leia, who had gained a more mature demeanor and more mechanical parts, winking at him.

While wanting to laugh, he began to ponder what Leia meant, then his face hardened, and he ignored her.

Leia: "Gamma, I want to watch the dancing too.

Can I join next time?"

Gamma: "Indulging in trivialities leads to loss of ambition.

What are you thinking about all day?!"

"Magos, what can I do for you?" Gamma asked, feigning ease.

Magos Lauster didn't speak; Sage Kobe beside him said, "Your Highness, a dozen Forge Worlds have already pledged allegiance to you.

You have not yet given instructions, and they are now somewhat anxious, which is why we have come to bother you."

Sage Kobe had also grown through his struggles with the Aeldari, and his speech was much more pleasant than before, but his righteousness remained unchanged.

"Oh, that matter—

Gamma truly hadn't given much thought to these Forge Worlds.

He wasn't like the Imperium, relying on Tech-priests to produce weapons and equipment.

However, out of consideration that they were all Tech-priests, he didn't directly have AI take over as he did with other worlds.

Instead, he granted them autonomy similar to a Sanctuary World, but the old ways of treating people as less than human had to change, and those involved in forbidden knowledge had to die!

Initially, the little Tech-priest thought this matter was over.

He wasn't unaware that these Forge Worlds were unwilling, but he didn't care.

The Adeptus Ministorum had also been unwilling at first, but hadn't he completely marginalized it?

He just hadn't expected the Tech-priests on these Forge Worlds to approach Magos Lauster and Kobe.

Gamma had brought Magos Lauster and his companions over precisely because he didn't want anyone with ulterior motives to target them.

Yet, it still happened, and who connected the dots was obvious.

Thinking of this, Gamma's face turned cold, and an immense pressure emanated from him, making everyone present gasp for breath.

The targeted individual uncontrollably dropped to his knees with a loud thud as his knees hit the ground.

"Kobe, has my indulgence over these years made you forget your identity?

Or do you think your current status is high enough that I won't easily kill you!"

Gamma's voice was very cold, so cold it felt like Kobe would merge with the ground the next second.

Feeling that he would die any moment, Kobe shook his head.

At this moment, Magos Lauster, who had been silent, spoke up:

"I contacted them proactively; it has nothing to do with Sage Kobe."

"..."

Removing the gravity he had imposed on Kobe, Gamma asked helplessly, "Magos, why did you contact them?

Are there not enough Tech-Priests under my command to keep you busy?"

Magos Lauster shook his head, then reached out to help Sage Kobe up, saying, "I understand you have no use for them and look down on them, but how many Priests who look up to you as a goal and idol will lose the opportunity to walk the right path if you treat them like this?"

Gamma had his own talent cultivation system, which, after many years of development, could now provide him with personnel who met his requirements in terms of values, knowledge, and quantity.

Many of these new-generation scientists were not Tech-priests, nor had they joined the Adeptus Mechanicus.

Anyone could see that Gamma intended to break the Adeptus Mechanicus's control over knowledge and technology.

This made the Tech-priests under Gamma's command very uneasy, and it also made these newly subjugated Forge Worlds very uneasy.

If not for Gamma being overwhelmingly powerful, if not for Gamma not deliberately suppressing the Adeptus Mechanicus's faith, if not for him also habitually wearing red robes, an internal war between Gamma and the Tech-priests might very well have erupted.

Don't think they wouldn't dare to do so; they simply calculated that there was no hope of victory.

"Magos, I'm not targeting them.

I just want technology and knowledge to revert to their original state," Gamma said helplessly.

Magos Lauster looked at Gamma, who hadn't changed at all over the years, and couldn't help but marvel at how fortunate he was.

He composed himself and continued, "These days, we have been visiting the academies you founded.

Although I am reluctant to admit it, I must acknowledge that the knowledge you teach those students is more objective, more direct, and easier to understand, and the efficiency of the talent selection system is much higher than that of the Adeptus Mechanicus."

"I contacted those Forge Worlds with no other intention than to see their opinion on the schools you founded.

The result was as I expected: although most believe you are violating doctrine, many Tech-Priests also believe you are right."

Gamma was not surprised by Magos Lauster's words.

Facts speak louder than words.

While there were many eccentrics in the Adeptus Mechanicus, there were also many who could view issues objectively.

"Magos, what do you mean?"

"I wish to ask you for an opportunity for them, hoping that your academies can accept ambitious Priests who wish to study."

Gamma listened, thought for a moment, and then said, "Magos, I can agree to this, but I require them to temporarily relinquish their Priest identity while at the academy and not to spread the faith of the omnissiah within the academy.

Outside the academy, I will not interfere, but inside, it is not permitted."

"Understood, very well.

I will inform them."

Leia's wish was granted by the little Tech-priest.

He left his old friends to catch up, while Magos Lauster and Sage Kobe returned together.

During their journey back, the two conversed constantly on a private channel.

What does Magos Lauster plan to do next?

"Sage Kobe also knows how corrupt the Adeptus Ministorum has become under the machinations of false gods; otherwise, a person as upright as you would not have thrown yourself into his service without hesitation."

"Indeed, I left in indignation because I couldn't stand it."

"To break the chains of knowledge and allow more people to receive this blessing, we must naturally implement his will.

First, we will absorb the enlightened individuals from those Forge Worlds, and then through them, influence these worlds."

"But what about the students who don't understand His Highness's identity?

Since His Highness said not to spread the faith, the AI will naturally be monitoring."

"Don't worry, it's even better if they haven't been corrupted by false beliefs.

True faith is spontaneous.

Even if he deliberately downplays his existence, his position in the hearts of those students is unshakeable.

As our Priests interact with these students, even without speaking or guiding, they will gradually understand who he is."

"Magos, this is a brilliant move.

As the largest group of humans with the most knowledge, and as people who have been blessed by knowledge, those students will naturally be curious.

They certainly won't miss the opportunity placed before them."

More than ten years passed in the blink of an eye, and Gamma's life seemed unchanged from before; eating, drinking, and having fun were the main themes, with dabbling in technology as a secondary pursuit.

Most of these technologies were acquired through cooperation with Trazyn, and if asked about his gains, Gamma could only say that Necron technology was indeed exhilarating!

The PUA of Luo Jia was still ongoing, but the difficulty of conquering this charlatan Luo Jia was higher than Gamma had imagined.

There were no clear signs yet, but it wasn't without progress; the charlatan's recent letters mentioned that he had resumed research into the "Blessed Son."

Regardless of the objective, Gamma felt this matter might help him regain some of the humanity he had lost for untold years.

There hasn't been much change in the territory he controls; it's not that Gamma couldn't continue to expand, but he didn't want to expand too quickly.

Swallowing most of the Imperium Nihilus in one go was the result of Gamma's many years of "building high walls and accumulating grain"; continuing to advance triumphantly was not the style of a cautious person like him.

Gamma's strategy fundamentally differed from the Emperor's Great Crusade back then.

The Emperor wanted to use "too big to fail" to leave a glimmer of hope for humanity after his own failure, while Gamma had already prepared a retreat for humanity; the safety of the Webway was his primary concern, as long as the Imperium existed in the current universe, humanity wouldn't face any major problems.

Moreover, most of the Imperium Nihilus was under his control; as long as he fully exploited the value of the hundreds of thousands of human worlds and millions of uninhabited planets within this star sector, when the cup overflows, the Nihilus would naturally and completely fall into the hands of the young Tech-priest.

Unlike being passively beaten in the Warp, the name "Gamma" made any traitor grit his teeth.

As the coolest guy in 42K, and The Four Gods' number two thorn in the flesh, none of them had failed to seek trouble with Gamma to curry favor with their masters.

The result was that the lucky ones escaped with their lives, becoming lone commanders, while the unlucky ones left their heads behind, using their heads to prove how formidable the Iron Men and Gamma's warriors were, and how powerful the Daemon Primarchs who could fight the young Tech-priest for over a decade without being annihilated truly were.

Abaddon had originally wanted to regain his lost face, but seeing this situation, he never brought up the matter again, nor did he speak of the end of the Primarchs' era.

Logically, the young Tech-priest should have been very happy, but the truth was otherwise; Gamma now felt a sense of forced enjoyment even when watching song and dance, for no other reason than that he had been beaten too badly in the Warp.

The sequence of events was as follows: after more than ten years, the young Tech-priest felt that his Devil Legion had become considerably stronger than before, so he bravely took the first step—to go to the great Chaos melee and have a go.

Who wouldn't have some anger after being passively beaten all the time? Not just Gamma, but Apacha and the other devils too.

So, after receiving the young Tech-priest's instructions, Apacha excitedly gathered his troops and charged out, and then there was no "then."

A young Tech-priest who only half-understood the Warp, and a group of demons who had survived for countless years lurking in the lower reaches of the Warp, how could they know about the Great Game of the Gods?

Facing the brave newcomers, the blood god was very appreciative and was the first to give a warm "welcome."

They were old opponents, so Apacha was naturally unafraid, but before the battle even began, Nurgle's Demon Army appeared from behind, humming and singing, followed by Tzeentch's Demon Army on the left, and finally Slaanesh's Demon Army on the right.

"Front, back, left, and right" were merely descriptions; there is no concept of direction in the Warp.

It would be more accurate to say: the Devil Legion was surrounded 360 degrees by the endless Demon Armies of The Four Gods, with no blind spots.

Apacha's probing vanguard didn't even last a single round.

When the devils revived, something truly terrifying happened: the power bestowed upon them by Gamma had diminished.

The young Tech-priest and the Devil Legion were one; their weakening meant Gamma's weakening, which immediately left him flustered.

He had initially thought it was like playing chess, but now he realized it was gambling, and losing meant giving up "capital"!

"Oh, Emperor, you didn't even give me a heads-up.

Is gambling something a minor like me should be involved in?" The young Tech-priest, having lost his capital, complained indignantly.

(The Emperor: If I didn't teach you a lesson, you'd be insufferably arrogant.

I held back for how many years before daring to enter the fray, and you, after just over a decade, think you're ready!

Serves you right!)

"Fortunately, I had the foresight to let Apacha take some men to test the waters, otherwise, I would have immediately reverted to my state before gaining my ancestors' power."

Patience brings calm, but a step back only fuels resentment.

Archmagos Will, noticing his son's poor complexion, uncharacteristically pulled himself away from his appreciation of art and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I was bullied by a few guys I couldn't beat," Gamma complained unhappily.

The Archmagos, somewhat understanding what had happened, didn't know what to say.

His incompetent old father truly couldn't help, but he was even more afraid that Gamma would act impulsively.

Gamma was strong and excellent, but this time his opponents were different.

"Gamma, you are still young; you cannot, out of momentary impulse, use your weaknesses to challenge others' strengths.

The ability to endure and avoid their sharp edge is also one of the elements of success."

Gamma understood that Archmagos Will was trying to persuade him, so he smiled and said, "Yes, I understand, it's nothing."

Seeing this, the Archmagos said no more; he believed Gamma had his own judgment.

The father and son continued to watch the performance together, only separating after the song and dance ended.

After the Archmagos left, the young Tech-priest's smiling face instantly changed.

"What you took from me, I will make you spit out with interest!" Gamma muttered through gritted teeth.

The young Tech-priest held his head and pondered repeatedly, calculating how he could gain an advantage from The Four Gods' Demon Armies.

The fundamental reason for this defeat was his misjudgment of the power of The Four Gods and the Emperor, mistakenly believing that the offensive and defensive battles at the Webway rifts represented their full strength, when in fact their power was far greater.

During that time, most of The Four Gods' power was tied down by the Emperor; the Emperor personally entered the fray to block The Four Gods' gates precisely to prevent them from using their full power to kill Gamma.

The number of Bound Legion reinforcements was small, not because the Emperor had no more, but because that was all the Emperor could deploy at the time; the other Bound Legion were helping Gamma defend against demon armies elsewhere.

But these were all Gamma's conjectures.

To verify his conjectures, and to understand just how much he differed from The Four Gods in strength, the young Tech-priest found a Webway rift far from the Webway hub, and shouted into the Warp outside the rift: "You bastards!"

(The truth was, he had his demon spies spread the word that he was going to start repairing other parts of the Webway.)

The Four Gods' Demon Armies appeared as expected, with a momentum many times greater than before.

As soon as the demon army appeared, it rushed directly into the half-repaired Webway rift, smashing and destroying the "hard-won" patches clean away, and then charged straight into the depths of the Webway, vowing to make the young Tech-priest, who dared to defy the Warp, pay.

Then they ran into the Iron Men Legion, who were already ambushed there, equipped with mobile Blackstone matrices and anti-psyker gear.

Demon Army: Shameless! To actually use such a despicable weapon as anti-psyker gear! Dare you not fight us fair and square?

This battle made both Gamma and The Four Gods face reality: Gamma's Devil Legion could not defeat any of The Four Gods' demon armies within the Warp, and The Four Gods' demon armies could not defeat Gamma's Iron Men within his territory.

The young Tech-priest was gritting his teeth, The Four Gods were also gritting their teeth, only the Emperor, watching from the sidelines, was laughing wildly.

Realizing that he had no right to contend with The Four Gods in the Warp unless he first lay low for tens of thousands of years like the Emperor, and then sat on the Golden Throne accepting the worship of all humanity for another ten thousand years, the young Tech-priest, unconvinced, tried a few more times.

After pushing several Webways to the brink of collapse, he completely gave up.

He had no choice but to give up; the power gap was too vast.

Trying to make up for it with time, tens of thousands of years felt too long for the young Tech-priest, who was only a few decades old; just thinking about it made him lose all motivation.

Unable to repair the Webway, the young Tech-priest lost his goal and became somewhat listless, sometimes even getting distracted while playing with the lady attendants.

Such a significant change naturally caught the attention of those who constantly monitored Gamma.

After realizing that no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't restore their beloved Prince Gamma to his former vibrant self, the lady attendants, in desperation, had no choice but to summon Eldrad, explaining the young Tech-priest's situation to him, hoping to find the root of the problem from the Prince's most trusted Supreme Seer.

Eldrad, of course, knew what was going on; he had been involved throughout the entire process.

After telling the worried head attendant that he would find a solution but not to share this news with anyone else, he went alone to Gamma, who was lying like a corpse on the bed.

"Eldrad, why are you here?" The young Tech-priest didn't even get up, asking with his head tilted in a 'big' character sleeping posture.

The Supreme Seer, seeing Gamma in this state, gave a wry smile and advised, "Your Highness, why all this?"

"Can't you tell from these few probes? They just don't want me to fix the Webway, otherwise, they wouldn't come to destroy it every time, regardless of whether it's real or fake.

Their demon armies are endless, and in the Warp, they can arrive in an instant, without the Devil Legion guarding outside."

At this point, Gamma paused, sighed, and then continued, "Even with them, it's no good.

For the past decade, the main pressure has been borne by the Emperor helping us.

You see, ever since they realized they couldn't do anything to me within the Webway, they don't even bother with relay tactics anymore."

"Without the Emperor's help, we would repair it, and they would dismantle it completely right after.

Even if they didn't dismantle it, how could a path that could spawn a demon army at any moment be used?"

"Rely on the Emperor? His situation is not good.

Long-term one-on-four will surely put a tremendous burden on him, and once he can no longer suppress the Black King, the consequences are unimaginable."

"Then what do you say I can do now?"

"The Webway cannot be repaired; a damaged Tombstone Gate immediately becomes a Warp Rift.

Considering the current superluminal technology, the usable Webway and most of the Imperium Nihilus is the limit of the area we can govern.

Beyond that, only inertia-less engines can meet the requirements, and governance must be completely handed over to artificial intelligence to sever any possibility of being exploited by Chaos."

It's laughable, but the young Tech-priest now understands: The Four Gods never intended to destroy humanity, or rather, the intelligent beings in the galaxy. What they want is for all intelligent beings to live in hell, to stubbornly survive, and to provide them with endless emotions.

Whoever wants to make the galaxy better is their enemy. The Emperor was, and Gamma is too.

The Webway, a miraculous creation left by the Old Ones, is currently the safest and most efficient means of transport for organic life. The Four Gods would absolutely not allow it to be repaired, not even with subpar patches. A unified galaxy does not fit the "hellish blueprint" The Four Gods designed for the beings of the galaxy.

After discovering they had no good way to deal with Gamma in the real world and the Webway for the time being, they switched to a containment strategy, using their absolute power to tell the young Tech-priest: "Kid, stay put in your old den!"

During these days of Gamma's slacking off, he wasn't without thoughts on how to break the deadlock. But the more he pondered, the more he realized he seemed to have to retrace every step the Emperor took:

Waging war across the galaxy under the banner of the "imperial truth," forging a second empire with absolute military might, eliminating all xenos except humans, leaving only the human race, completely ending inter-racial wars in the galaxy, and bringing lasting peace to the galaxy.

While increasing human happiness, he would turn all humans into atheists, cutting off The Four Gods' greatest source of emotion, thereby weakening them.

He would also have to accept the worship of all humanity to strengthen his own power. With this ebb and flow, once he had the power to contend with The Four Gods, he would restart the Webway project, secure victory, and lead all humanity to gradually develop, reaching the level of the ancient Aeldari Empire, or even the Old Ones from tens of millions of years ago.

But if Gamma truly did this, the Emperor and the Imperium would be the first obstacle in his way, followed by the Necrons, Orks, Tyranid, Tau Empire, and countless other xenos races.

Eldrad tried to persuade him again, but it had no effect, so he gave up and left, leaving Gamma to continue slacking off in bed.

"To save humanity, I first have to eliminate countless humans. How do I do that?" Gamma muttered to himself, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Emperor, do you have any other plans? If so, try to give me a hint?"

(The Emperor: "It's good, you've really done very well. You've left humanity with the hope of continued existence. Just protect it...") "The root cause is still that I'm too weak. If I were as strong as the Emperor, the four of them couldn't stop me even if they wanted to."

As he thought this, a word suddenly popped into Gamma's mind: "Sacrifice." He quickly slapped his face, startled. For a moment, that word seemed no longer unacceptable to Gamma.

He abruptly got up and gave himself a hard slap, scaring the handmaidens who had been standing quietly by, watching Gamma worriedly. They rushed forward and grabbed his hand.

The young Tech-priest told them he was fine, just that he had figured some things out. Gamma felt he needed to find something to do, otherwise, if he continued to slack off and suffer from mental exhaustion, problems would arise sooner or later.

He couldn't defeat The Four Gods, but just because he couldn't defeat them didn't mean he couldn't annoy them, right?

A toad doesn't bite, but it can be disgusting!

The young Tech-priest wanted to be that "toad" on The Four Gods' feet, to make these four bullies feel pain!

Changing his goal from saving all humanity to disgusting The Four Gods, Gamma was once again full of drive. Soon after, a letter was sent to the Imperial Regent, Guilliman.

"What new scheme is he cooking up now?" Yvraine, who was practically pressed against Guilliman, asked, looking at the letter in Guilliman's hand.

Guilliman looked down at the Aeldari beside him, smiled, and then said, "I don't know either."

Yvraine gave him a roll of her eyes, took a sip of the tea on Guilliman's desk, and then asked in a teasing tone:

"He's a big shot now, you know. A single cough from him makes the galaxy tremble. He suddenly writes to you, wanting to form a joint army against Chaos with you. Why aren't you nervous at all?"

"With you— *cough*." Guilliman instinctively wanted to speak his mind, but quickly stopped himself. Yvraine heard it and her lips unconsciously curved upwards, a faint blush appearing on her pale skin.

"Even you said he laid the foundation for the continued existence of our two races. Why should I constantly guard against such a person? Even if he wanted to be the Regent, I wouldn't object, and the Emperor probably wouldn't either."

"You agree, but do your subordinates?"

Hearing this, Guilliman's expression soured. As Gamma's name and deeds became known to more and more people over time, attitudes towards him within the Imperial Sanctum became severely divided.

Some believe the young Tech-priest is humanity's greatest threat. This group includes the Tech-priests threatened by Gamma's death threats. No one knows how many Tech-priests who violated prohibitions Conquest has killed over the years, but it's far more than Mars, and he has become a figure within the Adeptus Mechanicus who can make children stop crying. In the eyes of these Tech-priests who want to act but dare not, Gamma is their biggest obstacle to approaching the Machine God.

It also includes many extremely conservative Tech-priests who believe that the young Tech-priest's wholesale sharing of knowledge is a blasphemy against doctrine, and that he knowingly breaks the law, which is even more unforgivable.

Besides the Tech-priests who are hostile to Gamma, many people in other Imperial departments also harbor animosity towards him. The Inquisition, a stronghold of heretics, goes without saying; they suspect everyone.

Many Astartes Chapters also hold deep animosity towards Gamma because of his protection of the Aeldari, and their hostility grew even stronger after learning that Gamma also commands an Omega Legion similar to the Astartes.

Those hostile to Gamma for protecting the Aeldari are numerous in departments like the Department of Internal Affairs, Department of Internal Affairs, Department of the Military, and the Adeptus Ministorum. There are also some who are hostile to Gamma because they know he has completely dismantled the existing Imperial administrative system and fear that Guilliman might follow suit, causing them to lose their power, their position overlooking the Imperial populace, and their ill-gotten wealth.

Of course, for every person who views the young Tech-priest as humanity's greatest threat, there is another who sees him as humanity's second savior. Among his most steadfast supporters are the Thedan people. As a permanent world for Gamma's mixed fleet, the Thedan will respond with iron fists to anyone who dares to speak ill of Gamma in front of them, shouting that only cowards gossip, and if you're brave enough, come fight us!

Next are Imperial organizations with economic ties to Thedan, or those supported by the Thedan people, such as the Penitent and Astartes Chapters like Dorn's Hammer. Their equipment is generally several magnitudes higher than that of other Astartes Chapters in the Imperium.

Their armories are piled high with mechs, castellan robots, and various heavy equipment. When they go to war, they never look at who their opponent is, only where the enemy is, and then crush them. If they encounter a tough opponent, no problem; soon after, a small fleet loaded with Iron Men will appear on the battlefield.

The situation within the Adeptus Ministorum is similar; the Medical Sisters are Gamma's greatest supporters within the Adeptus Ministorum. One thing they invariably do at every high-level Adeptus Ministorum meeting is to propose canonizing the young Tech-priest.

There are also Gamma's supporters in other Sisterhoods. These Sisters who support the young Tech-Priest all share one common characteristic: wherever they go, they are accompanied by a mechanical warhound.

Within the Adeptus Mechanicus, it goes without saying that Gamma is regarded as a savior by countless low-level Tech-Priests, the generous incarnation of the Omnissiah. Countless Tech-Priests have sold all their possessions just to buy a ticket to Thedan.

Because there, an artificial intelligence named "the Wise," created by Magos Gamma, possesses infinite wisdom and knowledge. As long as it doesn't involve prohibitions, he will answer any question you ask.

Even within departments like the Department of Internal Affairs and the Department of Internal Affairs, "Order," as a special consultant, is regarded as a hope for change by many officials who have been battered by the corrupt and bloated Imperial administrative system.

In the Department of the Military, the Far East Military District is a staunch supporter of Gamma. Anyone who dares to take the artificial meat gifted to them by Magos Gamma from their plate will have their grasping claws broken by the weapons designed by Magos Gamma that they wield.

If not for Guilliman's suppression, a "Crusade Against Gamma" fleet, including Tech-priests, Astartes, Adeptus Ministorum personnel, and others, might have already arrived in the Thedan system.

If not for Guilliman's suppression, a "Crusade to Protect Gamma" fleet, including Tech-priests, Astartes, Adeptus Ministorum personnel, and others, might have already arrived in the Thedan system.

In recent years, the Imperial Regent has indeed received fewer reports of the Imperium being attacked by Chaos warbands, but the undercurrents of turmoil beneath the Imperium's calm have kept Guilliman on high alert.

"Sometimes I don't know whether to thank Gamma or resent him," Guilliman said helplessly.

Yvraine stretched and said, "Who isn't? Nowadays, hardly anyone is joining the Death Guard anymore, and more and more of those who have already joined are defecting to Gamma. If this continues, I, the Harbinger of Death, will soon be a commander without troops."

Hearing the title "Harbinger of Death," Guilliman's gaze changed. Yvraine also noticed the change in Guilliman's eyes and asked, puzzled:

"What's wrong?"

Guilliman looked directly into her eyes and asked, "Yvraine, tell me honestly, how much does Death affect you? What would happen if you couldn't complete the awakening mission?"

Yvraine felt a little flustered under Guilliman's direct gaze, realizing he was concerned about her. She pretended to be nonchalant and said, "Don't worry, Death hasn't truly been born in a real sense. He both exists and doesn't exist right now, without his own consciousness. I'm merely a product of his instinct to truly be born."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"What if you fail his mission?" Guilliman pressed further.

"It doesn't matter! Otherwise, I wouldn't have created the Death Guard to try and save the Aeldari. Instead, I'd join Commorragh and become a pirate who specializes in killing Aeldari!"

Yvraine spoke somewhat hastily, making Guilliman misunderstand that his direct questioning had made her uncomfortable, so he said:

"Yvraine, I'm not—"

"I know."

(Mentally insert a BGM for two people staring into each other's eyes.)

A subtle atmosphere began to spread between Guilliman and Yvraine. The hearts of these two individuals, who had killed countless enemies on battlefields and were among the most powerful beings in the galaxy, simultaneously accelerated uncontrollably. Guilliman felt somewhat parched, and so did Yvraine. As for the "water" that could quench this "thirst," it seemed to be right before their eyes.

Unconsciously, their bodies drew a few inches closer, but suddenly a knock on the door roused them. Guilliman and Yvraine pulled apart, as if fleeing.

Gamma immediately sprang into action after receiving a reply from Guilliman. He wanted to exact harsh revenge. If he couldn't defeat The Four Gods, could he not defeat their dogs?

With Gamma's command issued, the greater part of the Imperium Nihilus, located within the Ultima Segmentum, stirred once more after more than a decade of quiet.

Noticing the little Tech-priest's large-scale troop movements, the Daemon Primarchs, who had been slowly bled dry by Gamma over the years, felt a little panicked—no, they were very panicked!

Gamma's enthusiastic participation in the Great Game and subsequent crushing defeat was no secret to these favored figures in the eyes of The Four Gods. The news had spread throughout the Warp. If the little Tech-priest hadn't later pulled back a few victories in the Webway, who knows how many Daemons in the Warp would have been secretly dissing him for overestimating himself.

Upon learning of this, The Four Gods' Daemon Primarchs, with schadenfreude and the desire to see someone they disliked suffer, reveled in it for quite some time.

They had thought the matter would end after Gamma pulled back a victory, but they hadn't expected the little Tech-priest to be so petty. Finding his face wasn't enough; he still wanted to take his anger out on them. Did he really think they, the Daemon Primarchs, were made of mud and easily bullied?

"What? Mortarion and the others ran away?" Gamma said, raising an eyebrow after receiving reports from Perturabo and Luo Jia.

If they ran, how can I slowly bleed them with a dull knife, or boil them like frogs in warm water? Hmph, a bunch of losers! Not completing the mission to make Mortarion and his kind extinct made Gamma a bit unhappy; he hadn't had enough fun yet.

"Father, do you need us to pursue them?"

Hearing the word "father" and looking at the Alpha, who was now even taller and stronger than before, the little Tech-priest blinked his eyes, paused for a long moment, and then finally uttered:

"No need. They dove into the Warp; where would we even find them? Besides, you're heading to the Eye of Terror this time, so you'll run into them sooner or later."

"Yes, Father." The Alpha, who hadn't seen Gamma in years, spoke with the same reverence as before. Gamma was about to say something, but as if remembering something, he asked with a touch of sadness in his voice: "Alpha, do you hate us?

"Why do you say that, Father?" The Alpha's weathered and scarred face showed a look of perplexed confusion.

"Unlike the later arrivals, you were created by me in the laboratory. From birth, I threw you into hellish battlefields, never giving you the right to choose. Many of your brothers have died on some battlefield because of my commands. Shouldn't you hate me?" Gamma said, his eyes a little dim.

He had originally thought he could treat everyone equally, but when the Alpha spoke the word "Father," Gamma understood that the Gamma Warriors who emerged from his laboratory were, in his heart, ultimately different from the other Gamma Warriors.

A tall, strong son with a weathered and scarred face, and a short, childish-looking father. After exchanging glances, they fell silent again.

After a while, the Alpha broke the silence: "We know your purpose in creating us. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have come into this world, would we?"

"Over the years, I've seen many people and things in the Imperium and made many friends. Whenever I chat with them, they always say you love me very much and gave us many things that shouldn't have belonged to us. We also believe this. Compared to the Imperium's Astartes, we are far happier and far luckier."

"So, Father, don't worry or be sad for us. We are your sons, Gamma Warriors, born with the mission to fulfill your wish of making this world a better place."

"Is that so."

Gamma patted his head, then walked over to the Alpha. The Alpha knelt down, and Gamma, standing on tiptoe, reached out and touched his clearly defined hair, saying: "I'm sorry for deliberately distancing myself from you all these years."

"We understand, Father. You don't not love us; you just feared showing favoritism towards us would make our later brothers jealous, hahaha." The Alpha's body was a bit stiff, yet he spoke with forced ease. The warmth from the small hand on his head made him recall Gamma's past self, shielding them and angrily scolding their teacher.

"Alpha, please tell your brothers for me that I hope each and every one of you lives well, so don't die easily. In even the most desperate situations, you must struggle with all your might!"

"Yes, Father, we will struggle with all our might and live tenaciously!"

Gamma brought the Alpha, who had been operating within the Imperium, back primarily because he was worried about conflicts between the forces he dispatched and those Guilliman sent. Gamma was well aware of the rumors about him within the Imperial Holy Lands.

There were those in the Imperium who were hostile to him, and likewise, there were those among Gamma's subordinates who were hostile to the Imperium. Over ten thousand years of oppression, after being saved and liberated by Gamma, how could it not ignite a torrent of resentment?

After much thought, the Alpha, the commander of the First Legion who had already made a name for himself within the Imperium, was the best choice.

After specifically keeping the Alpha to eat a meal with him, Gamma then let the Alpha leave to take command of the expeditionary fleet prepared for him. As he left, the little Tech-priest also instructed the Alpha on the Will family's ancestral motto: if you encounter someone who doesn't know their place, beat them to death. We don't cause trouble, but we aren't afraid of it either.

After the Alpha left, the little Tech-priest, who wanted to indulge in a bit more self-pity, was approached by Ventris and Dante.

"Why are you two together?" the little Tech-priest asked unhappily, still not finished with his emotional moment.

"Haha, can't we come find you even if there's nothing wrong?" Ventris laughed.

Although he and Gamma had some unpleasantness due to the incident with the traitors, this did not affect their friendship. Moreover, after the Webway incident came to light, Ventris also realized he had misunderstood Gamma and even wrote him a long, tedious apology letter specifically for it. Gamma's reply was only two words: "Too verbose."

"Because of the expedition?" Gamma rolled his eyes at Ventris.

Ventris and Dante chuckled awkwardly. Gamma motioned for them to sit down, then said helplessly: "You both know there are some people in the Imperium who are hostile to me, and I don't know what kind of people Guilliman will send."

"It's not appropriate for you two to go. The Alpha is different from you; he has always carried my label. In the eyes of those people, he is an enemy to be wary of. You are traitors who sided with me. What if they get carried away and, without thinking, point fingers at you, questioning how you are serving me, a Heretic? Wouldn't that be awkward?"

"Moreover, the Alpha is also more suitable for the position. If you, as my chief generals, were humiliated and didn't teach the other party a lesson, wouldn't I lose a lot of face? He's different. Even if the Alpha causes fatalities, with Guilliman and me suppressing it, it won't have too severe an impact."

After hearing Gamma's explanation, Ventris and Dante nodded somewhat dejectedly. They had indeed been quite idle these past years; even Dante felt a sense of guilt from being too idle and actually wanted to work overtime.

"Gamma, I remember you saying a few years ago that our current controlled territory was at its limit, and any larger would inevitably lead to the kind of administrative delays the Imperium experiences. Why the sudden change of heart?" Dante asked.

Gamma clapped his hands, instructing the maid to bring some fruits and tea. After taking a sip of juice, he continued:

"The Mists Sector, given our current situation, is indeed beyond our reach. Our strength can swallow it, but our management system cannot."

"We can't, and you know the Imperium's situation, even less so. But allowing the Chaos traitors to run wild there is something neither Guilliman nor I want to see. So I proposed to the Regent a suggestion: to cooperate and jointly govern that area. This is why this expedition is happening."

"My goal is to strike at the Chaos traitors there, and Guilliman's goal is the same."

Gamma could actually do it himself without involving the Imperium, but if he did, the entire Imperium Nihilus would be under his control—at least, that's how it would appear to outsiders. The little Tech-priest would have accomplished the feat of dividing the Great Rift with Guilliman and would be just one step away from becoming the Imperium's biggest villain by ascending to the throne.

Hearing Gamma say this, Ventris looked at Dante. If anyone were to jointly govern that area, no one would be more suitable than him, the Imperium Nihilus's Regent. Dante saw Ventris's gaze, and upon thinking of the chaotic state of the Mists Sector, his desire to work overtime was instantly cured. He said grumpily:

"Did you forget about Lion King?"

"Oh, right!"

Ventris had indeed forgotten, because over the years, their attempts to contact Lion King had only received very official and perfunctory responses, completely ignoring Gamma's proactive gestures of goodwill.

The little Tech-priest had even gone as far as to say that if Lion King and his Dark Angels needed any weapons or supplies, he could provide them for free. The result was a very short reply: "Thanks, no need!"

Since then, Gamma had stopped bothering with Lion King. When signs of Dark Angels activity were found within his territory, he no longer showed courtesy. He investigated them as usual, released them after confirming they weren't doing anything bad, and warned them to remember to give advance notice next time they came!

"You guessed right. I heard Lion King actively requested it after hearing the news." Gamma said this with his eyes nearly rolled to the heavens.

Dante and Ventris exchanged glances, both seeing the other's helplessness. No wonder Gamma rolled his eyes so dramatically. With his style, while fighting traitors, he would certainly help those ravaged worlds restore production and improve their environment, allowing them to become self-sufficient.

Lion King's intention to keep an eye on the little Tech-priest was too obvious, his hostility blatant and undisguised. The better Gamma helped these worlds recover, the stronger Lion King would be in the future. Should the little Tech-priest put in the effort or not?

"How about Ventris and I go meet Lion King and explain things clearly to him?" Dante suggested to Gamma.

The little Tech-priest initially wanted to refuse, but seeing the worry in Ventris's and Dante's eyes, he thought for a moment, then sighed and said:

"You two go with the Alpha. Meet Lion King and help the Alpha out too."

"What kind of person is the Lion King?"

Before meeting him, Alpha had tried to understand him from various angles, and Dante had also told him a lot on the way there. The Lion King described by Dante was very different from the Lion King Alpha had learned about through historical records, but they had one thing in common: Lion El'Jonson was an extremely vigilant Primarch.

And it was true. Alpha, looking directly at the Lion King, saw the undisguised scrutiny in Lion's eyes. Danger!

Alpha's body was telling him that the somewhat aged Primarch in front of him was extremely dangerous, giving him the illusion of being targeted by a hidden beast in a dense forest.

Restraining the urge to reach for the weapon at his waist, Alpha saluted, "Greetings, Lord Lion King."

Then he turned and gestured behind him. The Iron Men, who was following closely behind Alpha, stepped forward. As soon as the Iron Men made a move, the Dark Angels guarding them immediately became alert. Rather, they had been alert all along; ever since Alpha and his companions appeared, their gaze had never left their vital points. Now, they simply took it a step further, placing their hands on their weapons.

The Iron Men did not stop his actions because of the Dark Angels' vigilance. After arriving beside Alpha, he used the instruments on his body to project a list into the air. At this point, Alpha spoke again:

"These are gifts my father prepared for you."

Lion's gaze quickly swept over the list, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, which immediately vanished. Then he said with a hint of playfulness in his tone:

"He's quite generous."

"My father has never been stingy with humanity," Alpha said calmly, with an undeniable undertone.

"Doesn't he worry that I'll use these things against him?"

It was a pity Gamma wasn't here; if he had heard the Lion King say that, he would have died laughing. Don't forget who designed all these weapons and equipment. If the Lion King really dared, it would be quite a show.

But to everyone's surprise, Alpha's retort was incredibly firm. He said seriously and earnestly:

"You and your Dark Angels are not enough to threaten my father. It was true in the past, it is true now, and it will be true in the future."

"How dare you!"

"Heretics, you seek death!"

Upon hearing this, if the Dark Angels could still sit still, they wouldn't be Astartes, nor the First Legion. Moreover, these words came from the mouth of this "imposter" with abominable intelligence, and the object of the insult was their Primarch!

The Gamma Warriors and the Iron Men who came with Alpha did not react to the enraged Dark Angels around them, who looked as if they would swing their weapons and rush forward to tear them apart at any moment.

"Silence!"

The Lion King's words made the Dark Angels immediately stiffen, then reluctantly put down their weapons and returned to their previous positions.

"Did he send you to warn me?" Lion asked, his tone devoid of any ripple.

Alpha shook his head and replied, "My father is not that bored. He has never been one to seek contention. I am merely stating facts. Since we will be 'neighbors' for a long time in the future, it's better to be frank."

"Hmm, I understand."

The Primarch's reply left the Dark Angels puzzled and deeply humiliated, because their father actually endorsed the other party's words, believing that in Gamma's eyes, they were nothing more than pebbles by the roadside, utterly incapable of posing any threat to him.

Just as the Dark Angels were feeling ashamed, Lion suddenly said, "Dante, how long are you going to hide?"

The Regent of Imperium Nihilus, whose identity had been exposed, gave a wry smile under his helmet. He had intended to meet the Lion King in a more private setting, but he hadn't expected the other party to not only see through his disguise but also expose him on the spot during their first meeting.

No sooner had Lion finished speaking than two individuals among the accompanying Gamma Warriors, shorter than the others, removed their helmets, revealing faces that looked somewhat awkward.

Ventris and Dante could feel that after they revealed their faces, the killing intent emanating from the surrounding Dark Angels intensified.

"Greetings, Lord Lion King." x2

Fortunately, the Lion King did not, as in stories, utter a phrase like, "By what authority do you greet me?" which would have made the two already awkward individuals even more so.

Lion's gaze swept over Dante, then landed on Ventris. After a look, he said, "Did you follow because you were afraid I'd do something to provoke Gamma?"

"No, we were just bored," Dante and Ventris thought simultaneously, but thoughts are one thing, and words are another. So they quickly explained:

"Gamma sent us. He doesn't want to conflict with you, or with those in the Imperium who are hostile to him due to misunderstanding."

Ventris's words were very skillful, preserving the Lion King's dignity while explaining the reason for their presence.

As expected, the Lion King's lips curled slightly upon hearing this. His originally majestic and awe-inspiring face became less intimidating, but what he said next astonished everyone.

"When did I ever say I was hostile to him?"

Let alone Alpha and his companions, even the Dark Angels beside them showed expressions of great surprise. Only Azrael, the Chapter Master of the Dark Angels, who had always stood beside the Primarch, maintained his usual expression.

If the Lion King said no, then it was no, because everyone knew that while Lion might employ deceptive tactics in war, unlike Guilliman, he was not skilled at, nor fond of, lying. Dark Angels: "No, Dad, you've got a blade to his throat, and now you're telling us you never intended to kill him? Didn't we just look ridiculous?"

Alpha and his companions: "Exactly!"

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence. Lion snorted irritably, and the Dark Angels' bodies instinctively trembled. Then they heard the Lion King scold them in a somewhat annoyed tone:

"My estrangement from Gamma is what the Imperium needs me to do. Dante is with him. If I also associate with Gamma, what do you think the people of the Imperium's holy territories would think?"

"I've been waiting for one of you to understand my true intentions, but instead, each of you fails to see what he's done, whether he truly wants to split the Imperium, whether he truly wants to start a rebellion!"

"If he wanted to, could the Great Rift stop him, having control of the Webway?"

"If he wanted to, would he let Dante, Ventris, and the Custodes hold important positions?"

"If he wanted to, would he leave us, the greatest threat to him in Imperium Nihilus, unchecked?"

"Where are your brains?"

"Do you think I don't know about you sneaking into his territory, getting caught, and then being let go like wolves and foxes?"

"Every single one of you! I haven't found a single dissenting voice among you! You can't even distinguish between allies and enemies. Do you feel the rebellion back then wasn't tragic enough and want to experience it again?!"

Seeing the enraged Lion King, let alone the Dark Angels present, even those outside the hall who heard Lion's roar wanted to stay far away from there.

Unlike the disciplined Dark Angels, Alpha and his companions, as guests, each had a belly full of complaints. Not only did the Dark Angels misunderstand, but they did too!

"Without even a word to us, you just went ahead and put on a show, old man. Weren't you afraid we wouldn't play along as you envisioned?"

Ventris's thoughts were different from everyone else's. He felt it was truly wonderful to have a father who explained everything to them, and for things that couldn't be explained, would tell them not to overthink it!

After the Lion King ferociously scolded his sons for failing to grasp his intentions, Lion led Alpha and his companions to a briefing room to explain his operational plan.

Did Lion truly bear no ill will towards Gamma, as he claimed?

Of course not; his words were only half-truths. Contrary to popular belief, the matter of the Nebula Sector was not something Lion had actively taken on. He originally had his own plans. The true mastermind behind the entire affair was the Imperium's greatest "schemer"—Guilliman.

As one of the three giants of Imperium Nihilus, Guilliman shared intelligence about the little Tech-priest with Lion. Firstly, he feared that Lion, just like during the Great Crusade, would see everyone as a traitor and infuriate Gamma.

Secondly, he worried that if the little Tech-priest truly had some ideas, having the Lion King there would somewhat make the little Tech-priest cautious. Even if Gamma did rebel, the Lion King could buy him more time to react.

Therefore, Lion did consider Gamma as a hypothetical enemy and a target for precaution. His deliberate estrangement from Gamma was not solely for show to the rest of the Imperium, though there was indeed a performative aspect to it.

Even Guilliman was unclear about the true strength of the little Tech-priest in Imperium Nihilus. For example, when everyone thought Gamma only possessed those somewhat foolish Iron Men, he unexpectedly pulled out an unknown, but clearly large, number of intelligent Iron Men. These Iron Men were smarter and possessed anti-psyker abilities.

And that wasn't all; at the same time, news also emerged that Gamma possessed a daemonic army of his own in the Warp.

No one knew how many trump cards Gamma still held.

Guilliman was unsure, and others were even more so. "Uncertainty" didn't only bring disadvantages; it also brought advantages. It meant that those hostile to Gamma wouldn't despair due to an absolute power imbalance, and thus wouldn't take any drastic actions in desperation.

The same logic applied to Gamma's supporters within the Imperium. They also wouldn't engage in acts like "welcoming the royal army" or "donning the yellow robe" due to Gamma's power.

Under the Adeptus Ministorum's ten-thousand-year-long indoctrination, the belief that the Emperor is supreme, immensely great, and infinitely divine has been deeply ingrained in people's hearts.

Whether those hostile to Gamma, those who support Gamma, or even those who worship Gamma, neither consciously nor subconsciously would elevate Gamma to the same level as the Emperor. Primarch was the limit Gamma could reach.

Therefore, as long as Guilliman and Lion stood together, 2VS1, Gamma would be at a disadvantage in the eyes of the Imperial populace, and the Imperium's ruling position would remain unshakable.

No competent ruler would underestimate the power of morale and public sentiment!

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