Warhammer: I don't want to become a stinky can!

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The Khan was practically bursting with rage.

【Nayan Khan, this is my army, my sword—and what are you doing!】

"I...I can explain, Great Khan!"

"The war commander has issued an edict, and as always, we need to respond!"

The Khan decisively drew his sword; his White Tiger Blade gleamed, its tip hovering above the deck.

"I'll give you a chance. What decree did Horus issue to you?"

"The war commander ordered the fleet to attack the Dark Raven Guard."

So you attacked Corax's fleet?

The white tiger growled, its fangs bared, and before Hasik could reply, Juba Khan shouted.

"No! Great Khan, we have stopped them!"

"Well done," the Khan said in a low voice, "Nayan Khan, you have done wrong. Is this your retaliation for granting you freedom?"

He watched as Hasik took a step back, but he still drew his sword, facing the sweltering sweat.

"My lord, I still believe my judgment is correct."

Hasik gritted his teeth and said, “Lord Horus said that he has the support of Magnus—Sir, we all know that you usually only associate with the two of them, and even you would choose Lord Horus and Lord Magnus.”

Magnus?!

The enraged Khan was suddenly startled. Yes, among the Primarchs, the Khan's closest brother was Magnus, followed by Horus.

What exactly happened to them? Khan thought to himself that even now, he still didn't know what was wrong with Horus.

This is not an excuse for you to take the sword from your own hands.

The Khan's face was cold. The Primarch stepped forward and easily knocked the sword out of Hasik's hand. The White Tiger Blade leaped up, blood and fragments of internal organs splattering out. He withdrew the blade, dripping blood and steaming hot, which momentarily calmed the Khan's anger.

Hasik, his betrayed subordinate, knelt on the ground, still struggling to speak.

"Great Khan, the War General has invited you to his fleet. He has given us the coordinates."

Suddenly, a word popped into Chagatai Khan's mind.

The Hongmen Banquet.

Horus, his close friend, knew that the Khan would definitely go there to find out the truth, what exactly happened to Horus, and what had happened to Magnus.

Chagatai Khan, standing aboard the Glorious Queen, whose sons were fighting amongst themselves, felt a kind of annoyance at being schemed against.

"grown ups,"

The Storm Prophet's voice came through the channel; they sounded hesitant.

“We’ve discovered something you need to come and see. This… is very unusual. Something is trying to make contact with us.”

The Khan sighed.

Merry Chrismas!

Chapter 489 Unlucky Corax

【…】

【How are you? 】

【…】

[...is not good.]

Chagatai remained silent. On the other end of the channel, Kolax's weary, blood-stained whispers almost rang in the Great Khan's ear.

"Horus came, and I had a brief fight with him—thanks to Sage Talassin, otherwise you wouldn't be able to speak to me now," Korax said, emphasizing each word. "Horus is a bastard, the most arrogant piece of trash in the galaxy."

The Khan moved his lips, and said in a deliberately casual tone,

I thought you wouldn't say these things to me, so it seems you still trust me?

"No," the Lord of Shadows said bluntly, "I know your relationship with Horus, but I'll say it again: if you stand before me, you are the second biggest bastard in this galaxy. If you try to stop me, then you are the second biggest bastard in the entire galaxy."

The Khan chuckled softly, a few dry laughs, then stopped.

He leaned silently against the control panel, a hissing sound coming from the channel. Korax remained silent, but it sounded like someone on the other end was cursing while bandaging a wound.

I'm so sorry.

The Khan said, "Attacks on our brothers are not what I wished for. My warriors made a mistake; they relied too much on their commander, who gave them some unrealistic illusions."

"Haha," Corax chuckled mockingly, "In this respect, I have nothing to laugh at you for—your own sons obey the War Master, and even betray us."

The Khan scratched his head, staring at the fresh bullet marks on the command platform—marks left by Juba Khan's bullets.

What do you plan to do now?

Chagatai asked,

"Anywhere is fine," Korax's weary voice rang out. "I can't beat him, my legions can't beat his legions, damn it, anywhere is fine, I just want to find a place to rest my legions, instead of being dragged into one pointless war after another."

Corax muttered another curse under his breath.

Horus invited me to sit on his ship.

The Khan said he heard Kolax's gloomy voice, which was almost a curse upon him.

Are you going? I mean—do you want me to take back what I just said about you still being salvageable?

Chagatai pursed his lips.

What was Horus like back then?

【madman,】

Kolax said, "[A megalomaniac, a bastard, a man blinded by his title—far more wicked and arrogant than the last time I saw him.]"

He hates me, he hates his brother. Horus is absolutely insane. He no longer hides his hatred for me; he desires to kill me. Khan, you must understand, until then, Horus would still pretend to greet me for the sake of his damned title.

Khan listened intently, while on the other end of the channel, Koraks coughed a few times with a laugh.

I could tell he'd gone mad; he was babbling incoherently. He knew I was unwinnable, so he didn't hesitate to try and get rid of me.

[Thanks to Tarachin, he blew up the corridor we were fighting in—allowing me to evacuate in time.]

The Khan looked away from the crater.

Horus has gone mad.

He repeated Corax's words, as if asking a question.

"It doesn't matter," Corax said. "To me, it makes little difference whether Horus is mad or not."

So, are you still going to visit that madman? Even after I've told you all this?

The Khan remained silent. He needed to go and see for himself. He knew of Kolac's prejudice against Horus. Could he trust Kolac? Moreover, Horus had played the "Magnus" card.

The truth can only be seen with one's own eyes.

I need to go and take a look.

Chagatai said succinctly,

I will make my own judgment at that time.

Even if Horus really went mad, Chagatai, as Horus's friend, wanted to see Horus in his madness in person.

【good,】

The voice on the other end of the channel said, "There's nothing more to discuss, Chagatai. Good luck. We're retreating."

Khan blinked in surprise. "Where are you planning to go, Kolac?"

Kolac laughed. "Anywhere, are you expecting me to wait until White Scar and the Son of Horus come to attack me before retreating?"

In the name of Chagatai Khan, White Scar will never attack the Raven Guards.

Korax took a deep breath, clutching his abdomen, still raw and bleeding from where Horus's claws had ripped open.

Okay, but I won't help you, not someone trying to find Horus.

"No," the Khan said, "I mean, if you really want to find someone who can oppose Horus..."

He stopped.

[...If Horus really went mad...]

You should go find Saint Gilles.

The Khan said, "Saint-Gilles, if Horus has truly gone mad, only Saint-Gilles can stop him."

Kolac joked, "Sanguielles? I hope Sanguielles won't tear me apart along with Horus."

【…】

The Khan suddenly asked seriously,

[Korax, has Horus truly become evil, as you claim?]

"I swear," Corax said, "there is no one more evil in this galaxy than him."

"Then," the Khan frowned, "we need Saint Gilles, or the Lord of Mankind."

Koraks fell silent. "Where should we look for them?"

The Khan pondered,

Horus, Horus knows where to find them. The answer lies with the Spirit of Vengeance. The Spirit of Vengeance's navigator definitely knows the way out of here—his subordinate Abaddon once told my warriors that they have a way out.

【Corax, I need to go to Horus's invitation; you can come with me.】

【……Then?】

Corax asked softly,

I will take hold of Horus, while you go to his ship and find his navigators.

I could indeed infiltrate the vengeful spirits... but...

Corax said, "I'm not going."

Can you leave here?

The Khan asked bluntly.

Kolax paused, but then gritted his teeth and retorted to the Khan,

"...Can you guarantee you'll hold Horus back? I mean, are you really sure you'll get out unscathed? You're going to your death, Chagatai. Once you ascend to the throne of Vengeance, your fate is sealed: either you surrender to him, or he kills you and seizes your army."

The Khan laughed.

"The Feast at Hongmen," he said softly, "I know."

But... there are other ways.

[We're not the only ones here, Corax.]

Khan told Corax in detail about the visions that the Storm Prophet had discovered.

"That's strange..." Corax said. "This is so strange, is this really going to work?"

I am confident.

As the Khan spoke, he looked up and stared at his storm prophets.

"Come with me to the Vengeful Spirits—brother, we at least need to know how to get out of here, otherwise Horus can trap us here to death."

That's all. Merry Christmas!

Chapter 490 Hongmen Banquet

The heat from the engines slowly subsided, and the ivory-white warship remained on the deck. The kheshig (imperial guards) disembarked and cleared the way for the Khan.

Her long, high-tied braid swayed in the air, and heavy footsteps sounded as the Khan strode out. His Asian face was backlit, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

Abaddon, who had come to greet the Primarch, hurried forward. This newly favored darling of Horus was smiling obsequiously at the moment.

The Khan waved his hand dismissively, ignoring Abaddon's prepared greeting.