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

Page 171

Horus, enhanced by the Primarch's radiance, practically glowed outwards. Hades realized for the first time that a smile could have a dizzying effect, especially when combined with Horus's seemingly genuine gaze.

Horus was already like this, and Hades could hardly imagine seeing the angel Saint Gilles.

Compared to Phenus, Vulcan, and Perturabo whom Hades had met before, Horus was now a complete savior in both appearance and manner.

It is precisely because of the existence of Primarchs like Horus, the wolf god, that the people of the Empire have great reverence and awe for the leaders of these legions.

Hades was still marveling at Horus's conversational skills when he was horrified to find that the topic had suddenly shifted to him!

Since Mortalian and Hades had little contact with other Legions, they were unaware that, in reality, each Legion, besides the Primarchs, would have one or two exceptionally outstanding soldiers who were also the Primarchs' allies.

"Of course, I also have excellent soldiers here."

Horus chatted casually as he led the Death Guard through the welcoming corridor made up of Shadowmoon Wolves.

"Abaddon."

Horus turned and beckoned a tall, black-armored warrior over. Abaddon trotted out like a haughty gray wolf, his spiky braid swaying like a glossy wolf tail.

“My chief platoon leader, Ezekiel Abaddon, I think you two might have something in common.”

Horus looked at Hades in a friendly manner. This was the first time Hades had directly faced the charming smile of a normal, handsome Primarch. Hades felt as if he had been hit by a flashbang, and his mind clearly froze for a moment.

Being a Shadowmoon Wolf isn't out of the question.

Abaddon, who had just walked over, gave Hades a friendly smile. In the Shadowmoon Wolves, warriors whose faces resembled their Primarchs were called Sons of Horus. Abaddon had a similar face and a similar smile to Horus, which made Hades momentarily lose his senses.

Due to the height difference, from Hades's perspective, what was directly in front of him was Abaddon's swaying, top-heavy braid.

Hades was forced into a daze for another millisecond.

Because Hades' social skills are slow-burning and reactive, he is unable to cope with the Shadowmoon Wolf's fast-paced attack strategy.

Horus grabbed Mortalian, Abaddon grabbed Hades, and the taciturn Death Guard was overwhelmed by the diplomacy-savvy Shadowmoon Wolf's attacks, resulting in a successful defeat today.

Fun fact: Before Horus became the Warmaster, the only person in the original work who explicitly opposed Horus was Raven King Clarice, and that was after Horus made him send a wave of Raven Guards.

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Chapter 197 Untrustworthy Brothers

Side room of the reception room.

So, why did things turn out this way?

Hades stared blankly at the fruit on the table, then picked up another one and started munching on it.

Hades is currently sitting in a side room of the reception room, waiting, with two Shadowmoon Wolves sitting in a row in front of him.

The other shrouds were led outside by the Moon Wolf to wait. Horus pulled Mortarion to the main room of the reception room to chat, while Abaddon took Hades to the side room for a casual chat. But as they chatted, Abaddon started calling for reinforcements.

Abaddon, realizing he couldn't out-talk Hades by himself, urgently called for reinforcements, while Hades, oblivious to everything, continued eating and talking.

So Hades is now sitting in front of half of the members of the Shadowmoon Wolves Council of Kings: Abaddon and Saganus, while Horus the Younger and Togadon are not present.

The Council of the Four Kings, also known as the Mourners, were similar to Horus's personal strategic advisors and had a close relationship with the Primarch Horus.

Seghanus from The Lamenters is still alive, so Gaviallocken, who later achieved remarkable feats in the original story, is only the commander of the 10th Company of the Moon Wolves.

Hades looked at Abaddon and Seghanus before him; he knew their fates.

One became invincible after the Horus Rebellion, while the other died in a diplomatic incident before the rebellion.

After Seghanus' death, the Council of the Four Kings lacked that rational and introspective warrior, and although the newly appointed Loken was rational, he was not qualified enough to gain a foothold among the mourners.

This foreshadowed the tragedy that followed.

After the Emperor returned to Terra, Erebas orchestrated a scheme to have Horus stabbed by a broken sword from Nurgle. Nurgle's poison brought the Primarch to the brink of death. In the end, the panicked mourners chose to heed Erebas's advice and sent Horus to the Temple of the Four Gods for treatment. There, Horus was corrupted by Chaos. When the Primarch emerged from the temple again, he was no longer the same Horus.

But if Seghanus were still alive, this rational mourner might have stopped Abaddon and his men from their madness—of course, it's just a possibility.

After all, Hades was not a master of deduction. A person's choices may vary greatly depending on their circumstances and state of mind. It is impossible for a person to remain rational forever.

Hades did hope that Moon Wolf wouldn't meet with tragedy, but it seemed that the key to resolving Moon Wolf's situation didn't lie with Moon Wolf. He should go back to the Emperor, or go to the Word Bearer.

Moreover, Hades went to great lengths to capture Mortarion. He originally thought that killing one alien lord, Nacre, would be the end of it, but one thing after another happened, and who knows if there will be more to come.

Given Hades' current position, he couldn't very well tell Seghanus something like, "Don't go on diplomatic missions," or "Don't die, or the three mourners behind you won't be thinking straight."

Hades thought about it and realized that there was no solution to this problem at the moment, and it wasn't something he could change just by saying a few words. He decided to first build a good relationship with the other side and then act according to the circumstances.

I wonder if what I told the Warhound back then ever led the Warhound to find Angron.

Compared to Hades, who was lost in thought, munching on fruit and piecing together the plot, Abaddon, sitting opposite Hades, was sweating profusely. Talking to this Death Guard clearly required a lot of knowledge. Abaddon, who started to feel the strain halfway through, decisively pulled over Seghanus who happened to be passing by, so that he could barely avoid embarrassing the Moon Wolf in the Death Guard's conversation.

This wasn't the confrontational kind; it was a very special kind of conversation. Hades always managed to approach the issue from a angle that Abaddon never expected, and he didn't have any of the arrogance that typical Space Marines possess. When it came to topics that Hades was interested in but didn't understand, Abaddon would be bombarded with questions by Hades.

At first, Abaddon was quite pleased with himself for giving Hades some battlefield analysis, but as Hades' questions became increasingly tricky and in-depth, and he also began to question Abaddon's data and examples, Abaddon gradually realized that something was wrong.

This is not quite what he had imagined.

What happened to the Death Guard that had just survived two wars?

In the end, Abaddon decisively swayed Seghanus over, allowing him to take on this arduous task.

Meanwhile, Seghanus, standing next to Abaddon, was deep in thought. His conversation with Hades had clearly inspired the warrior, and Seghanus realized that some of the angles Hades had suggested could offer entirely new solutions to the problem.

Seeing that the confrontation between the two had finally come to a break, Abaddon quickly made a few casual remarks to liven up the atmosphere. Of course, the Moon Wolf knew the role of this Death Guard in the Legion's diplomacy. In addition to the Primarchs, the Moon Wolf would take the initiative to befriend outstanding Space Marines, which was also an extension of their diplomatic policy.

"It's a shame that Taric and Horus Jr. aren't here. I think they would be happy to meet you."

Hades smiled politely and took over Abaddon's words.

"I also look forward to meeting other insightful people in Shadowmoon Wolf. My conversation with the two of you has been very enlightening."

This is a lie. Hades spent half the time staring blankly at Abaddon's spiky hair and the other half connecting the plot. Hades used skip and autoplay for the dialogue just now.

This kind of mindless conversation is very simple. Just grab a slightly obscure point from what the other person is saying and ask a question. Maintain an interested listening posture throughout and let the other person talk.

It's just that Hades' past allowed him to grasp some novel points, which greatly inspired Seghanus.

While Abaddon and Hades exchanged pleasantries, Seghanus silently watched the two men, deep in thought.

What Hades didn't know was that he had successfully attracted the interest of two of the Moon Wolf mourners.

The main room of the reception hall.

"My brother, how does it feel to lead the legion?"

The Primarch's main reception room was surprisingly sparsely decorated. Several sections of the wall had been hollowed out, and a few bottles of wine were placed there. A slightly worn Shadowmoon Wolf banner hung in the center of the wall, and on the desk beneath it were several books that were clearly well-worn.

Having extinguished the poisonous gas from the incense burner, Mortarian sat opposite Horus, holding a chess piece in his hand and staring at the chessboard before him in thought. Horus had just taught him a popular naval chess game in the Empire, with exquisitely carved pieces moving across a deep blue board. This simplified version of naval warfare clearly piqued Mortarian's interest.

After all, there's not much entertainment on Barbarossa.

Mortarian answered casually,

"This brings me more joy than joining the Empire."

Horus was speechless. Through their recent interaction, he already knew that his brother held strong opinions about the Emperor and the Empire.

"There are indeed some aspects of the Empire that do not satisfy us. Perhaps you could explore those more distant star systems, in those lands where the leaders are more incorruptible, and you will find the brilliance of humanity so captivating."

"This is the meaning of our expedition: for humanity."

Horus chuckled self-deprecatingly and then made another move. He often played chess with Sanguiles, so Horus still had plenty of room to bully a novice on the chessboard.

"Moreover, mortals can't do as well as we can. You have to admit that even our best offspring can make mistakes, let alone mortals."

"Do not."

Mortarian stared at the chessboard, pondering how to have his cruisers cut off the enemy's supply lines.

Horus was puzzled by this denial for a moment; he did not understand what Mortarion was denying.

But seeing that Mortarian was still staring at the chessboard in deep thought, Horus did not want to interrupt Mortarian's thoughts.

Mortarian thought that moving his cruisers alongside the Mechanicus fleet would be a good deterrent, so he did just that.

When Mortarian saw his fleet successfully penetrate the enemy fleet, he raised his head with satisfaction and said with considerable pride,

"My best offspring make no mistakes, but truly outstanding warriors should not be called offspring; they are comrades-in-arms, reliable figures on the battlefield."

But then Mortalian saw Horus's incredulous smile.

“No one is infallible. My brother, even I dare not claim to be infallible. Even Fugen, who considers himself perfect, would not deny the mistakes he has made.”

“My brother, Mortarian, haven’t you made mistakes? Even if we haven’t made any irreparable mistakes, sometimes small mistakes are unavoidable.”

Before he could finish speaking, Horus keenly noticed that Mortalian's breathing had paused almost imperceptibly for a moment.

An irreversible mistake. Mortalian is dragged into unbearable memories, and fantasies from the future constantly remind him of the sins he might commit.

Even though he and Hades cleansed the evil psionic energy from Barbarus, how could Mortarian know that this truly severed everything?

All they could do was keep adding insurance to a Pandora's box that might be opened, locking it layer by layer, until the chains overwhelmed the gaps.

After a long pause, Mortarian gave a muffled "hmm".

"I made mistakes."

Horus, who was opposite him, watched him cautiously.

"Are you alright, brother? You don't look quite right. Perhaps I can get you some wine. I just received a bottle of wine from a mortal diplomat."

Before Mortarian could react, Horus stood up on his own, casually pulled a bottle from the wine in the wall, poured himself a glass, and handed one to Mortarian.

Mortarian stared blankly at the translucent amber red, which even emitted a rich aroma.

He certainly drinks, but not this kind of alcohol. The Deathguard has its own unique culture. Primarchs like to choose a brave warrior to drink poison after a battle. Those poisons that can make a Space Marine's stomach boil are a symbol of their admission of defeat and death.

At first, on Barbarossa, Mortarion would make Karas drink every day. Later, Karas couldn't stand the strength of the liquor, so Mortarion started making Hades drink instead. Then Mortarion noticed that Hades would gag before getting any liquor, so he started choosing other warriors to drink with.

This doesn't mean Mortarion thought Hades wasn't brave in battle, but perhaps Hades simply couldn't stand the smell.

Mortarian was powerless to help, as he could not reduce the toxicity of these wines for the sake of flavor. Generally, these wines, made from beetles and poisonous plants and fermented, had a unique flavor that Mortarian liked.

Realizing Horus was watching him from behind, Mortarian carefully removed his breathing mask and took a sip of his drink.

Mortarian smacked his lips; the wine was too weak. He wanted to put down the glass of wine, which was as tasteless as water, but considering Horus's kindness towards him, Mortarian chose to drink it all in one gulp.

Damn it, Horus poured him another cup.

This time, Mortarian chose to wear his breathing mask; he wasn't thirsty and didn't want to drink water.

Horus stared at the poisonous gas emanating from Mortarion's breathing mask. It seemed several times more concentrated than the gas in Mortarion's incense burner. Had he been breathing this all along? Horus had assumed the air inside Mortarion's breathing mask was pure air.

Horus realized that his brother might be more problematic than he thought, and if Fugan were here, he would probably have already begun to subtly correct Mortarian's drinking posture.

As the first Primarch to be found, Horus knew that some of his brothers were not perfect, especially the recently found Angron. From the Emperor's words, Horus learned that his brother was suffering unbearable torture and was not suitable to be in contact with the other brothers.

The fact that Mortarian had just reacted abnormally, and the poisonous gas in his breathing mask, made Horus realize that he needed to get to know his brother better. The Emperor was too busy and wouldn't give each of his brothers the same patience and care he showed Horus.

Horus took a sip of the wine, one of his rare treasures that he only brought out to entertain his Primarch brothers, and its fine pressing process was more than enough to satisfy the Primarchs' discerning palates.

Horus deliberately remained silent for a moment, allowing the silence to create a suitable stage backdrop for him.

“My brother, Mortarian, I know this may offend you.”

"But I would like to say that if you are confused or even frustrated about the past or about certain situations in the present, you can talk to me about it."

Horus's voice came from behind Mortarion, who stared at the air above the chessboard. It was an unpleasant feeling; he just wanted to play a game of chess, but he was being dragged into an unnecessary conversation.

But he knew Horus meant well. This brother was the Primarch who had been most kind to him so far. Horus gave him enough space and did not act aggressively like the previous beings, using his battle achievements and experience to squeeze out Mortalian's living space.

"Sometimes finding someone to confide in is a good idea, but if you like a sense of mystery—"

Mortarian heard Horus chuckle amicably.

"Then keep it mysterious, isn't that intriguing?"

Horus knew how to conquer territory on the battlefield of words by first creating a relaxed atmosphere, then suddenly pressing forward, and finally slowly retreating half a step.

He heard Mortarian inhale softly, as if preparing for a long speech.

Horus smirked. He would help his brothers integrate into the Empire, even if they didn't acknowledge it as "help." Few Primarchs were willing to offer to be "helped."

Mortarian pondered all that had been perplexing and terrifying. He had asked Makado, but Makado had simply stated that it was the malice of the warp. Mortarian tried to ask more, but the mortal evaded the question. So Mortarian only knew that chaos existed, but what had it done to humanity? What would it do to humanity in the future?

Mortarian was completely unaware of this; he only saw the depravity that would appear in his deepest nightmares.

Mortarian leaned back in his chair, suddenly realizing this would be a perfect opportunity to ask his brother what he knew about this, even though Makado didn't encourage or even forbid it, Horus had also said they didn't welcome Makado.

Mortarian tried to slowly piece together the tangled mess of memories. He recalled the rotting, writhing flesh on the Endurance, and the souls of his offspring trapped within its foul-smelling bodies. He stared at the opposite wall, and the memories gradually became clearer.

He thought of the Endurance's riddled walls. They silently overlapped with the walls of the Vengeance before his eyes.