The Chapter Master's orders were absolute and unquestionable!
Even though the Asia-Pacific War Zone command was questioning it, after a brief hesitation, they chose to comply.
After all, they had no experience dealing with daemons and could only trust these Space Marines.
The Space Marines who built the isolation defense line only dealt with the outer Chaos entities attempting to charge, but completely ignored the evil at the core, the psykers who were wantonly manipulating witchcraft, fooling the rules of physics and reality, and trampling on order.
Frederick Taylor, realizing he had been consistently ignored, showed a sinister gleam in his eyes.
Very well, as a noble Saint, he was actually ignored by these 'ants'?
"I will let you know the price of daring to ignore me!" It let out a piercing psychic scream, a storm capable of destroying individual biological souls, sweeping towards the Space Marines as if substantial.
But this psychic storm, capable of destroying mortal will, was completely unable to shake the Space Marines, whose will was Under the Light.
However, this was merely an 'appetizer'!
As a powerful psyker, Frederick Taylor had thousands of evil sorceries in his mind. He didn't mind using the blood of these so-called 'Angels of the Emperor' to pave his 'transformation' blood altar!
Soon, a series of obscure, convoluted, non-human blasphemous incantations spewed from Frederick Taylor's bird-beak.
The entire battlefield seemed to be dragged into the Warp, with even more twisted and subversive rules enveloping the area!
Seeing this, the Librarian no longer hesitated and charged fiercely towards the 'casting' daemon.
He knew very well that he absolutely could not let the opponent complete the 'witchcraft', otherwise their hard-established defense line would not only collapse, but the entire Chapter would also suffer heavy losses.
Pure blue psychic energy enveloped the power sword, like a meteor, fiercely colliding with the Tzeentchian magic barrier!
Boom!
The moment they collided, lightning that tore through reality and a mind-confusing shriek erupted.
The Librarian, a Son of the Forest, resisted the soul assault from his opponent with powerful psychic energy, while pressing forward, his power sword, carrying the power to tear souls, directly slashed towards Frederick Taylor's neck.
But Frederick Taylor was extremely cunning, using the twisted reality to create multiple illusions to block him.
"Aren't you going to help him?" Luo Ji looked at the Librarian, who was fighting Frederick Taylor alone and gradually falling into a disadvantage, filled with confusion, a hint of anger and questioning, and asked Krast next to him.
Krast lowered his head, his gaze lingering on the lion sword for half a second, then said indifferently and mechanically.
"No need."
"Why?!"
Luo Ji was even more baffled, his eyes wide.
"Because, this is not our mission." Krast's tone remained calm, as if nothing could stir him.
"But he's your comrade, isn't he?" Luo Ji was so angry that he no longer cared about the identity of the person in front of him, and angrily questioned.
"Isn't the most important thing to do right now to eliminate the daemons? What exactly are you doing?!"
He was very puzzled and didn't understand.
These Angels of the Emperor, after establishing their defensive positions, seemed to be completely indifferent. What exactly were they thinking?!
However, Krast did not answer his question, but instead looked up at the sky.
"They're here."
Luo Ji was stunned for a moment, what was here?
But suddenly, an even vaster air pressure, carrying an even colder, purer will, descended.
A silver-grey meteor silently pierced through the clouds.
It was a Stormraven gunship with a very unique livery, which directly stopped in the outer area where the Librarian and Frederick were fighting.
The landing was quiet, its shape more streamlined, and it lacked any elaborate decorations. Apart from the cold silver-grey metal, there was only one emblem... a burning holy book pierced by a sword!
As the hatch opened, the Space Marines who stepped out made everyone who saw them involuntarily hold their breath.
Their power armor was uniformly silver-grey and flawless, like perfect works of art, covered with sacred scriptures and exorcism symbols, while their majestic helmets and blue-glowing tactical visors sent chills down the spines of those who looked directly at them.
Silence, oppression, coldness, solemnity... This was Luo Ji's first impression.
But soon, he noticed another thing: the weapons held by these warriors in silver-grey power armor all emitted a powerful and cold psychic fluctuation!
In other words, they... were all psykers?!
Just as he gasped in disbelief, he saw these warriors in silver-grey power armor stride towards the Chaos daemons.
The next moment, the daemon Legion of Tzeentch let out uneasy, terrified roars, as if they had encountered some terrifying existence!
Grey Knights!
Their very existence was a negation of Chaos!
Extremely pure psychic radiance, at the moment the Grey Knights appeared, enveloped and dispelled the Tzeentchian magic here!
"By the Emperor's will, the defilement here shall be purified by us." The leading Grey Knight Terminator turned to Krast, his tone equal but with an unquestionable command.
"Please maintain the outer defenses to prevent the daemons from escaping."
Krast nodded, then issued the relevant orders.
And the Librarian, who was currently entangled with Frederick Taylor, immediately disengaged from combat upon seeing the Grey Knights appear, focusing his psychic energy on sealing the surrounding space to prevent the psyker from teleporting away.
"Our mission is over."
Seemingly noticing Luo Ji's confusion, Krast calmly explained.
"Now, we can leave it to the Grey Knights."
"Grey Knights?" He showed some confusion. When did the Adeptus Astartes have this designation?
"The Grey Knights are the Emperor's blade, and also the hunters of daemons."
Krast's voice sounded somewhat indifferent.
"If our duty is to suppress heretics, then their duty... is to thoroughly purify heretics, using the most stringent methods to deal with supernatural threats, including... daemons!"
In an instant, the Grey Knights joined the battle.
Unlike the Space Marines, every single one of them was a psyker!
The voice of the Terminator Grey Knight was extremely cold, as if containing extreme frost.
"Daemon, your trickery. Ends here!"
A massive psychic halberd, with just one strike, shattered Frederick Taylor's magic barrier.
"No, how can this be?!"
Frederick Taylor's eyes showed a trace of terror.
"Who are you? I've never heard of you!"
"We are the enemies of the abyss!"
"We are the end of impurity!"
Amidst the deep and cold battle cries, the other Grey Knights immediately spread out, taking advantageous positions.
They required no verbal communication, and their actions were highly coordinated. Their Storm Bolters precisely targeted every summoned daemon and every magic node Frederick Taylor attempted to create.
Frederick Taylor collapsed in realization that his magic... couldn't affect these silver warriors!
"No, no—!"
Frederick Taylor shrieked, gathering all his power at the tip of his Bone Crystal Staff.
A highly unstable Chaos orb, containing terrifying energy within, seemingly holding countless tormented souls, roared, wailed, and surged like an erupting torrent towards the Grey Knight Terminator in front of him!
"The Lord of Change protects me!"
Its face contorted, it roared in a low voice.
"I, I can never fail, die—!!!"
Within it, contained the souls of a hundred thousand sacrifices!
However, the Grey Knight Terminator showed no intention of dodging the torrent of souls.
The massive psychic halberd in his hand erupted with a dazzling, pure blue light, as if cleaving through the chaotic torrent, drawing a perfect arc, and directly piercing into Frederick Taylor's body!
"This... how is this possible?!"
Frederick Taylor's pupils constricted sharply. He couldn't understand... how could the opponent be completely unharmed by the sacrificial torrent of a hundred thousand souls?!
"Return to the Warp, daemon." The Grey Knight Terminator coldly declared its end.
"No, no—!!!"
Frederick Taylor let out a twisted shriek, filled with pain and unwillingness!
Its form was collapsing; the surrounding Grey Knights were not without purpose, they had already set up a ritual!
Finally, under the powerful psychic suppression and the cooperation of the expulsion ritual, Frederick Taylor shrieked in terror and resentment, completely dissipating into the air, leaving behind only a faint scent of sulfur and ozone.
With the demise of the psykers.
The Grey Knights swiftly, quickly, and efficiently ended the daemon Legion's invasion.
The Warp rift, which had lost the psykers as its core, was also completely sealed again under the pressure of the reality's veil.
And the Chaos daemons Legion remaining in reality, as the Warp rift closed, completely lost their source of power. Their movements became stiff and slow, the Daemons let out chaotic screams, and their bodies began to become extremely unstable, sometimes transparent, sometimes distorted!
This was the underlying rule of reality, repelling these Warp creatures!
They originally relied on the Warp to exist in the physical universe of reality. Now that the psykers were gone and the Warp was cut off, these daemons naturally could not remain here. Their terrifying bodies disintegrated, turning into puddles of colorful viscous liquid, or directly dissipating into energy.
This... is it over?!
From the Grey Knights' appearance to the end of the arrogant Chaos daemons, the entire process was incredibly fast!
a second ago, Frederick Taylor was still trampling order, distorting space-time, leading tens of thousands of daemon Legions as if to flatten human civilization. But before he could even be arrogant for three seconds, he was pierced through the body by a silver giant descending from the sky with a war scythe shimmering with pure blue light, and then turned to ashes.
This dramatic reversal and huge disparity left him with mixed feelings.
Luo Ji stared blankly at the city, trampled by daemons, now a scene of desolation and ruins, with rolling smoke obscuring the sky. He couldn't help but wonder, if... they had come earlier, would it not have been like this?
The Grey Knights were still patrolling the battlefield, checking and exploring for any possible lingering traces of Chaos.
Then, every inch of land and ruin was uncovered and purified with rituals.
Silent, efficient, cold... In Luo Ji's eyes, these silver-grey warriors were even more awe-inspiring, even terrifying, than the Space Marines!
"Finally, it's over" Luo Ji sighed softly, unsure what to feel.
"Hehe"
However, the Chapter Master, who had been standing beside him, merely let out a meaningful sneer upon hearing his words.
"Over? No... you are mistaken." Krast's gaze fell on the silver warriors.
"Any war that requires the Grey Knights' participation can never end so easily."
It's not over yet?
Luo Ji was startled, not quite understanding the meaning of this sentence.
Tzeentch's daemon Legion had been dispersed, and the psyker Frederick Taylor was also dead. Were there still any enemies?
But then, a terrified scream shattered his thoughts.
"Help, help me...
Luo Ji suddenly trembled and looked in the direction of the sound.
He saw that during their cleanup of the battlefield, the Space Marines had found a human survivor under a thick pile of ruins.
This was simply a miracle!
It was a woman, her appearance unrecognizable, her clothes tattered and hanging like rags, vaguely revealing some skin. Her face was covered in dust and dried blood, and her dark eyes were filled with the terror of war and the relief of surviving a catastrophe.
The reason it was called a "Miracle" was due to a combination of factors.
If the ruins pressing down on her hadn't been thick enough, and she hadn't been buried deep enough, she would have died in the first round of artillery fire.
Luo Ji couldn't help but marvel at the terrifying resilience of human life.
Upon seeing the Space Marines, she cried out loudly, begging these god-like warriors to rescue her from the abyss!
"Save, save me"
The Space Marines were silent for a few seconds, then rescued the woman from the ruins.
It's worth noting that some of these collapsed ruins weighed dozens of tons, yet they were easily lifted by the Space Marines.
"Ah, Chapter Master Krast, the war is over. May we enter and assist in searching for survivors?"
At this moment, communication came from the Asia-Pacific military District Command.
"Refused."
However, facing this seemingly "Reasonable" request, Krast refused in a firm tone.
"This"
The Asia-Pacific military District Command was stunned for a few seconds, seemingly unable to understand why their request to assist in searching for survivors would be rejected.
But unfortunately, Krast did not explain the reason.
"Repeat, the army is not allowed to enter this area, otherwise... they will all be executed!"
His extremely firm and cold tone made the Asia-Pacific military District Command, including the soldiers in the army, show expressions of surprise and bewilderment.
"Why don't you let them in to search for survivors?" Luo Ji finally couldn't help but ask.
"Shut your mouth and use your eyes to see."
But Krast crossed his arms over his chest, his crimson tactical goggles seemingly exuding a suffocating pressure, and said in a cold tone.
"This, too, is a decision you... must face in the future!"
Luo Ji opened his mouth, then wisely closed it.
The Grey Knights' patrol continued, with a small number of Space Marines joining them. More and more "Survivors" were rescued from the buried ruins and gathered in an open area.
Initially, the survivors were relieved, thanking God for preserving their lives on such a tragic battlefield.
But soon, a small portion of the survivors realized that the situation... was not as simple as they imagined.
All these rescued survivors were confined by the Space Marines in an open area.
No matter what demands they made, including requests for water, food, and medical supplies, they all seemed to fall on deaf ears, with no response whatsoever.
Gradually, the survivors' cries grew louder, until they escalated into... a riot!
Luo Ji witnessed a strong survivor roaring and trying to break out of the Space Marine encirclement, whereupon he was executed.
Yes, executed!
A single Bolter round shattered his skull.
Blood splattered onto the Space Marine's boots, triggering panic and screams among the survivors.
But the Space Marines remained silent, turning their Bolters towards the other survivors.
"Silence!"
A cold, emotionless voice came from the Space Marine's loudspeaker, immediately making the survivors' throats feel as if they were choked.
"What are you doing?!" Luo Ji, watching from the side, was also shocked by the Space Marines' ruthless actions.
He had thought these people were survivors.
They had finally waited for a "Miracle," were rescued from the ruins, and should have received medical supplies, food, and other resources.
But who would have thought that what they got... was confinement!
And that rioting survivor was mercilessly executed directly, without even a symbolic warning!
But Krast paid no heed, his cold gaze still fixed forward.
From the moment the Grey Knights descended, the outcome... was already predetermined!
The Grey Knights' work continued.
From patrolling to purification, they thoroughly searched every inch of land and ruin!
As the Grey Knights worked, more and more survivors were "Dug" out by the Space Marines, ranging from octogenarians to small children, totaling about four or five hundred people.
But Luo Ji's expression grew increasingly grim.
A thought vaguely surfaced in his mind, but he dared not confirm it.
"No, impossible... it can't be" He muttered to himself, as if possessed, his eyes bloodshot.
"Nothing is impossible."
Krast folded his arms, seemingly seeing through his thoughts.
"Did you think that surviving such a brutal war by sheer luck was a 'miracle'?
Luo Ji shuddered, his limbs paralyzed as if he had been electrocuted.
He rigidly turned his head, his voice filled with a complexity he himself could not decipher.
"Perhaps... it really is a miracle?"
"Is that so?" Krast's tactical optics beneath his helmet seemed to hold a trace of mockery and sarcasm.
"When have you ever seen a 'miracle' become so cheap?"
Luo Ji was speechless.
His reason clearly told him that just half an hour ago, the intensity of this battlefield was extremely rare!
Tens of thousands of artillery pieces delivered saturation bombardment, followed by hypersonic missiles and naval cannons sweeping the area. Let alone ruins or bunkers, even solid military fortresses would have been pulverized!
Under such circumstances, was there a chance of survival?
Yes!
One in a thousand, or even one in ten thousand.
But what was absolutely impossible was having as many as four or five hundred "Survivors"!
Just as Krast said, where could such a cheap miracle be found?
Isn't a miracle called a miracle precisely because it is extremely difficult to achieve and extraordinary?
If there truly were such cheap, mass-produced "Miracles," it could only prove one thing... these four or five hundred survivors did not survive due to a "Miracle."
There was only one answer!
The reason these people survived was inextricably linked to Chaos!
Luo Ji, who had just been celebrating the victory and the existence of survivors, felt his heart suddenly dragged into a cold lake.
A bone-chilling cold rushed from the soles of his feet straight up to his crown!
"You, you mean"
He didn't finish the rest of his sentence, due to fear, and also due to... reluctance.
"Is there truly no other way?" Luo Ji looked blankly at the "Lucky" survivors, feeling immense reluctance.
This was too cruel!
They clearly knew nothing; they were victims too!
But why give them the hope of life, only to cruelly take it away?
"Luo Ji, this is not the trolley problem, nor is it a philosophical debate." Krast looked down at the man, who was being condemned by his own inherent kindness, and spoke indifferently.
"This is reality, it is the only choice, and it is the value that you, in the future"
"...must learn to weigh!"
"Value?"
Luo Ji was bewildered.
"The value of life, the value of civilization."
Krast's gaze seemed to retreat deep into his memory.
"The existence of the Warp is like an incurable 'virus,' and human civilization is like a towering tree. When the virus infects this giant tree, all we can do is prune the 'infected' branches and leaves, or even chop it down until only the stump remains, but... as long as the 'root' remains, one day it can sprout new branches and leaves and become stronger!"
"Besides doing this, is there really no other way?"
Luo Ji asked painfully.
"Yes, completely solving the Warp."
Krast said.
"But unfortunately, we currently cannot eliminate this virus, and this is the characteristic of 'heresy'—there will always be those who cannot resist temptation and fall. It is difficult for us to completely eradicate it."
"But they are innocent"
This was the first time Luo Ji had directly faced such a suffocatingly cruel choice!
"Yes, they are innocent."
Krast nodded and said.
"Perhaps you think I have no right to decide their fate, but only those who have truly witnessed Hell will understand that I have even less right to let them live, because... that would be a betrayal of many more people!"
Luo Ji's bewildered eyes revealed a hint of... pain.
During the interval of their conversation, the battlefield cleanup was finished. There were a total of seven hundred and eighty-three "Survivors" rescued!
They were bewildered and panicked, surrounded by Space Marines in an open area.
Then, the Grey Knights arrived.
The Grey Knights used a certain detection device to inspect these "Survivors" one by one.
The speed was very fast; all seven hundred and eighty-three people were inspected in just a few minutes, and then the Grey Knights took a handful of individuals away.
They were a few children, their eyes blank, filled with fear and terror.
They were forcibly taken away by the Grey Knights, and the grandmaster leading them turned and gave Krast a slight nod.
Luo Ji seemed to realize something, trembling all over, wanting to close his eyes.
But Krast shouted sharply.
"Open your eyes! Look at them!"
Luo Ji froze.
Krast raised his hand, his gaze profound and somber.
"Execute... all of them!"
Bang!
Boom boom boom... Amidst the dense gunfire, these "Survivors," holding onto the hope of salvation, were killed by the "Angels" in their eyes.
Bolter rounds shattered their heads. The survivors screamed, wailed, and pleaded... The grating sound was like red-hot steel needles piercing Luo Ji's brain, making him desperately want to close his eyes in agony.
Finally, the oppressive, painful gunfire ceased, and the screaming ended.
Luo Ji's face was pale as he looked at the blood covering the ground and the dead "Survivors." His heart was on the verge of collapse.
Out of seven hundred and eighty-three survivors, only a handful of children were taken away by the Grey Knights; the rest... were all executed!
Yet, his reason told him this was the correct choice!
He had personally experienced the Chaos Invasion war, witnessed the horrors of the Warp, and understood the cost and consequences of Chaos and Daemons spreading like a virus once they appeared in the real world!
But his human emotions forced him to bear this pain.
"During my career as a Space Marine, I have saved tens of thousands of humans."
At this moment, Krast's tone softened considerably as he told his story.
"But do you know this?
What I have more of... is regret!"
Luo Ji, submerged in pain, looked up blankly at this "Demigod."
"I still remember, during the Battle of Kurkus hive city, I failed to save that eight-year-old girl. I promised her I would return, but... when I found her, she was already dead, and even before her death, she was praying to the Emperor's Angel, praying that the Emperor's Angel would come and save them.
"I have also experienced wars more painful and despairing."
"I have fought and killed my own brothers over a misunderstanding. I have seen devout believers die in churches, and nobles, who lived despicable lives, die heroically to save an Imperial hive city. There are also those who fell to Chaos merely for a bite of food, and those who became Daemons to protect their families."
"Everything you have witnessed today will only become more frequent in the future."
"You will need to make choices again and again, weighing the value of both sides on a scale, and making the judgment to abandon one."
"Perhaps one person, perhaps ten thousand, or a million"
"Don't you... feel pain?" Pain and sorrow flowed in Luo Ji's eyes.
He seemed to see that within the powerful "Demigod" bodies of the Astartes, were trapped... sorrowful souls!
"We do."
Krast smiled, but his laughter held an unspeakable sorrow.
"But this is the meaning of why we were created, and the responsibility we must bear!"
"This responsibility is heavy, because we—including you—bear the burden not of a single individual, but of humanity itself."
"We were chosen to become Astartes not because we are faster or stronger, but because we are the only ones with the determination to bear all of this. This is just one of the countless storms you must weather in the future!"
"Luo Ji, I do not know why you were chosen."
"But the only thing I can tell you is that your past experiences have forged who you are now."
"And now, you stand once again upon the Anvil. This is a tempering process, and you must go through it, experiencing the pain and the choices within, to make yourself tougher, until you are unbreakable, so you can face the cruel future!"
"Remember their deaths."
"Their deaths also remind you of your future duty; you must hold onto this vigilance!"
Luo Ji wept until his tears ran dry, looking into the distance.
"Does humanity truly still have a future?"
"Yes!"
"Humanity will surely triumph over the darkness!"
This time, it was truly over.
Those survivors, still tainted by Chaos pollution but mistakenly believed to be 'Nice View', were purified in the holy flames.
Their souls would not go to the Warp. This... was the last shred of mercy the Grey Knights offered these poor people.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the 'Children of the Forest', the Grey Knights boarded the Thunderhawk Gunship they arrived in, and with the roar of its engines, just as they came, they vanished into the distant horizon.
"You sound like you said that on purpose for me to hear" Luo Ji looked at him strangely.
"I told you, this is a problem you must face in the future." Krast made no attempt to hide it.
"Perhaps the problems you face in the future will be even harder to decide than today. And I am just revealing the cruel side to you in advance."
Luo Ji was silent for a moment. In fact, he could guess who was behind all of this without being told.
"Moreover... no one will remember anything that happened here today."
Krast's tone was meaningful. He paused, then added.
"Except... you and I. No one else will know about the Grey Knights, nor will anyone remember or be aware of their existence."
Hearing this, Luo Ji was slightly stunned and looked at the surrounding Space Marines.
"Then they"
"When they return, they will undergo memory erasure surgery."
Krast said indifferently.
"The existence of the Grey Knights is top secret; their mystique must be ensured."
"So that's how it is" Luo Ji suddenly understood.
He finally understood why Krast had ordered the Space Marines to establish a quarantine zone and forcibly required the human legions to retreat several kilometers before the Grey Knights entered the battlefield. The purpose was to ensure the Grey Knights' secret.
"I have one more question."
A question had been bothering Luo Ji, and after much deliberation, he decided it was better to ask.
"What about those children, the children taken by the Grey Knights... what will happen to them?"
"The Grey Knights are different from the Adeptus Astartes; their selection is even more rigorous."
Krast stated directly.
"Those children possess psychic talent; they will be selected to participate in the Grey Knights' training."
At this point, he looked down at Luo Ji.
"I know what you're worried about. The Grey Knights' selection process is extremely harsh. Even if they initially pass the assessment, it will be very difficult for them to ultimately become one of them."
Luo Ji opened his mouth, but in the end, it turned into a sigh.
He understood. His calm reason told him that this was already the best outcome, compared to those who died, those corrupted by Chaos.
These few children who were taken away, at least... still had a glimmer of hope.
Even if that hope was extremely slim.
"So... what's next?"
Luo Ji suddenly felt a bit lost.
"You need to see someone," Krast said.
"Emrys?" Having been tempered by blood and fire, Luo Ji was no longer his former self.
After witnessing the dangers of Tzeentch, Chaos, and daemons firsthand, he seemed to understand and feel this responsibility more deeply.
"Yes."
Krast nodded.
"It's time to see him. I also have many questions I want to ask him."
Luo Ji didn't ask further, just took one last look at the surrounding shattered ruins and the steel still burning after the battle.
The air was filled with pungent gunpowder smoke and a strong ammonia odor.
Humanity... got its wish to witness the Warp, but also experienced the price.
He followed Krast and boarded a Thunderhawk Gunship.
The destination of this Thunderhawk Gunship was the roof of that world, the summit of the highest snow mountain.
Retracing his steps, Luo Ji had many feelings.
Last time, he almost died here, but this time... he re-entered the place under the protection of a powerful Space Marine Chapter Master.
It was still the familiar, silent black palace, as if it had existed there since ancient times.
After more than a month, he once again saw the man on the mechanical throne... Merlin Emrys .
"Welcome back."
Emrys on the mechanical throne seemed much more energetic.
At least, compared to their last meeting, there was more light in his eyes, and he wasn't as terrifying.
"You knew I'd come back, didn't you?" Luo Ji simply sat cross-legged on the ground, showing no reverence, and grumbled irritably.
"You went through all this trouble just to get me to agree to sit on this broken chair for you?"
"Yes and no."
Emrys on the mechanical throne nodded slightly.
"And because of that, you stood by and watched tens of thousands of people die?"
Luo Ji, sitting cross-legged on the ground, was frighteningly calm, utterly devoid of emotion.
He wasn't a fool. In fact, after calming down and reorganizing his thoughts, he could spot the flaws. When he was at a disadvantage, the will 'coincidentally' left in the sword took over his body. Although it saved his life, it also cost him the chance to stop Frederick Taylor, leaving him to watch helplessly as the other party summoned the Chaos daemons Legion.
After that came the appearance of the Space Marines and the arrival of the Grey Knights.
One thing after another, it was as if everything had been pre-arranged, and the purpose... was naturally for him!
"Yes."
Emrys did not evade his question but answered directly.
"I could have prevented this disaster, but I tacitly allowed it to happen, including the Adeptus Astartes, the Martian Machine cult, and even the Imperial Navy fleet, who only remained spectators at my behest... Otherwise, they would have been purged the moment the High Lords attempted to make a deal with the xenos."
He was the one who created this federal political system.
Humans always thought they could manipulate everything through politics, but little did they know... the greatest power was always in his hands.
Frederick Taylor's conspiracy, including the selfish motives of several High Lords, he saw it all.
Not stopping, not speaking, maintaining tacit approval.
Ultimately, it led to disaster.
"I suppose you think I'm cold-blooded, using the lives of hundreds of thousands of people to force you to agree to my terms and take my place on this chair, right?" As he spoke, he rose from the mechanical throne, the thick cables connected to his body were torn off one by one, falling like scattered snakes, and he stepped down the stairs, slowly walking towards the other party.
"Isn't that so?"
Luo Ji lowered his head and asked lightly.
"Yes, and no." Emrys did not try to defend himself, nor did he argue about right or wrong; it was meaningless. His tone showed no fluctuation, as if the lives of hundreds of thousands of people were insignificant.
"I am not defending myself, I just want to tell you with facts how great the dangers of the Warp, Chaos, and the Chaos Gods are."
"Heh, impressive. The lesson you bought me with hundreds of thousands of lives is truly painful."
Luo Ji chuckled self-mockingly.
"Humanity needs to grow through suffering, and this suffering... will make humanity stronger." Emrys' expression was complex, as if he was burdened with heavy emotions, and he said in a low voice.
"People teaching people doesn't work; events teaching people... once is enough. If not for this disaster, no matter how many times I told you, no matter how much I repeated the horrors of the Warp and Chaos, humanity would not believe it."