Chapter 197 189. The untrustworthy frat
house side room.
So, why did it become like this?
Hades silently stared at the fruits on the table in a daze, then picked up another one and started to eat it.
Hades was currently sitting in the side room of the reception room waiting, with two Luna Wolves with similar faces sitting in a row in front of him.
The other death shrouds were led by Moon Wolf to wait outside. Horus took Mortarion to the main room of the reception room to chat, while Abaddon took Hades to the side room to chat, but chatting While chatting, Abaddon began to shake people.
Abaddon, who realized that he couldn't talk to Hades alone, hurriedly shook him, and Hades, who was eating and chatting unconsciously.
So Hades now sat in front of half of the members of the Four Kings of the Luna Wolf Council, Abaddon and Sejanus, little Horus and Trogadon were not present.
The Council of Four Kings, also known as the Mourners, is similar to Horus's personal strategic advisor, and has a good relationship with the original Horus in private.
Currently, Sejanus in The Mourner is not dead yet, so in the original book, Gavirloken, who had outstanding military exploits in the later period, is only the captain of Moon Wolf's 10th company.
Hades looked at Abaddon and Sejanus in front of him. He knew the fate of the two.
One became a victor after the Horus Heresy, and the other died before the Horus Heresy. In a diplomatic incident.
After the death of Sejanus, the Council of Four Kings lacked that rational and introspective warrior. Although the newly promoted Loken was rational, he was unable to gain a foothold among the mourners due to insufficient qualifications.
This also laid the foundation for the fate of the tragedy that followed.
After the Emperor returned to Terra, Erebus engineered Horus to be stabbed by a broken sword from Nurgle. Nurgle's poison put the primarch in a critical situation. In the end, the panicked mourners chose to obey Aeribasi. Rebas's suggestion was to send Horus to the temple of the Four Gods for treatment. Horus was contaminated by Chaos there. When the original body came out of the temple again, he was no longer that person. Horus.
But if Sejanus was still there, this rational mourner might have stopped Abaddon and the others from their crazy behavior, of course, maybe.
After all, Hades is not a master of deduction. In different situations and states, the choices a person makes may be very different. People cannot always remain rational.
Hades sincerely hopes that Moon Wolf will not fall into tragedy, but it seems that the key to solving Moon Wolf's situation does not lie with Moon Wolf. Go back and find the Emperor, or go to the Word Bearers.
Moreover, Hades had to go to great lengths to get just one Mortarion. He originally thought that he would be done with killing the alien lord Naklay, but the result was one after another. Who knows if there will be more in the future.
With Hades' current position, he couldn't say nonsense to Sejanus about not going on a diplomatic mission, or saying "Don't die, the three mourners behind you will not be clear-headed if you die."
Hades thought for a while. There is currently no solution to this kind of thing, and it cannot be changed by just saying a few words. It is better to establish a good relationship with the opponent first, and then act according to the opportunity later.
I don’t know what I said to the war dog at the beginning, whether the war dog finally found Angron.
Compared with Hades, who was thinking a lot and chewing the fruit while talking about the plot, Abaddon, who was opposite Hades, was sweating coldly. The Death Guard's conversation obviously required too much knowledge. Abaddon, who started to feel tired halfway through, decisively pulled Sejanus over as he was passing by, so as not to embarrass the Moon Wolf in the Death Guard's chat.
This is not the kind of tit-for-tat kind, this is a very special kind of chat. Every time Hades can approach the problem from an angle that Abaddon never thought of, and he doesn't have the arrogance that ordinary space warriors have at all. On topics that Hades was interested in but didn't understand, Abaddon would be chased and asked wildly by Hades.
At first, Abaddon was complacent in telling Hades some battlefield analysis, but after Hades asked more and more difficult and in-depth questions, and at the same time began to ask Abaddon back for data and examples, Abaddon slowly became aware of it. Something's not right.
This was not what he expected.
The promised Death Guard has only experienced two wars.
In the end, Abaddon decisively shook Sejanus over, leaving him to take over the hard work.
Sejanus next to Abaddon was meditating. The conversation with Hades just now clearly inspired the warrior. Sejanus realized that some of the angles proposed by Hades would provide new solutions to the problem.
Seeing that the confrontation between the two finally came to an intermission, Abaddon hurriedly chatted a few words to liven up the atmosphere. Of course, Moon Wolf knew the role of this Death Guard in the diplomacy of the Legion. In addition to the original body, Moon Wolf would take the initiative to make friends with those outstanding stars. Warriors, this is also an extension of their foreign policy.
"It's a pity that Taric and little Horus are not here. I think they will be happy to meet you."
Hades smiled politely and took Abaddon's words.
"I am also looking forward to meeting the Luna Wolves. I got in touch with other knowledgeable people, and the chat with the two of them inspired me a lot."
This is a lie. Hades spent half of the time looking at Abaddon's braid in a trance, and the other half of the time was talking about the plot. In the conversation just now, Hades used skip and autoplay.
This kind of mindless conversation is very simple. Just grab a relatively obscure key point in the other person's conversation and ask it. Maintain an interested listening posture throughout the process and let the other person talk.
It's just that Hades' past made the key points he grasped relatively new, so it inspired Sejanus more.
While Abaddon and Hades were chatting, Sejanus silently stared at the two of them thinking.
What Hades didn't know was that he had successfully attracted the interest of two of the Moon Wolf mourners.
The main living room.
"My brother, how does it feel to lead the legion?"
The main room of the original living room was not decorated too much. The walls were hollowed out, and there were a few bottles of wine. The wolf flag hangs in the center of the wall, and on the desk beneath it are several books that have obviously been used.
Mortarion, who has extinguished the poisonous gas from the incense burner, is sitting opposite Horus. He holds a piece in his hand and stares at the chessboard in front of him, thinking. , Horus had just taught him a kind of naval chess popular in the empire, with beautifully carved knights moving on a dark blue chessboard. This chess piece that simplified the rules of naval warfare obviously attracted Mortarion's interest.
After all, there's not much entertainment on Barbarus.
Mortarion replied casually,
".This makes me happier than joining the Empire."
Horus was speechless. Through the previous contact, he already knew that this brother had great opinions on the Emperor and the Empire. .
"There are some aspects of the Empire that really do not satisfy us. Perhaps you can learn about those more distant star fields, and in those lands where planet leaders are more honest, you will find that the brilliance of mankind is so attractive to you." "This
is The meaning of our expedition is for humanity."
Horus smiled mockingly, and took another chess move by the way. He often played chess with Sanguinius, so Horus still had room for redundancy when bullying a novice on the chess board. .
"Moreover, after all, those mortals cannot do as well as we do. You have to admit that even our best descendants will have omissions, let alone those mortals." "No." Mortarion stared at the
chessboard
. He was thinking about how to let his cruiser cut off the supply line on the opposite side.
Horus wondered for a moment at this denial, not understanding what Mortarion was denying.
But he saw Mortarion still staring at the chessboard in deep thought, and Horus was inconvenient to interrupt Mortarion's thinking with questions.
Mortarion felt that he could move his cruisers next to the Mechanicum fleet, which would be a good deterrent, so he did so.
When Mortarion saw his fleet successfully inserted into the enemy's fleet, he raised his head with satisfaction and said proudly, "
My best sons make no mistakes, but truly outstanding warriors should not be called sons. They are comrades-in-arms." , is a presence that can be relied on on the battlefield."
But then Mortarion saw Horus's unbelievable smile,
"No one makes no mistakes, my brother, even I dare not claim to never make mistakes, even if Even Fulgrim, who considers himself perfect among us, will not deny the mistakes he has made." "
My brother, Mortarion, have you not made mistakes? Even if we have not made those irreversible mistakes , but sometimes some small mistakes are still inevitable."
Before he finished speaking, Horus keenly noticed that Mortarion's breathing paused for a moment.
An irreversible mistake. Mortarion was dragged into unbearable memories, and fantasies from the future always alerted Mortarion to the sins he might commit.
Even though he and Hades had purged Barbarus of the evil psionic energy, how Mortarion knew this had truly cut off everything.
All they can do is keep adding security to a Pandora's box that might be opened, locking layer after layer until the chains fill the gaps.
After a while, Mortarion let out a dull sigh.
"I've made mistakes."
Horus looked at him carefully across from him,
"Are you okay, brother? You don't look right. Maybe I can get you some wine. I just received a mortal diplomat here. Wine sent by the official."
Before Mortarion could react, Horus stood up on his own, took a bottle from the wine in the wall, poured himself a glass at will, and handed it to A glass of Mortarion.
Mortarion stared at the translucent amber red, and there was even a mellow smell coming from it.
Of course he drinks, but not this kind of wine. The Death Guard has its own unique culture. The primarch likes to choose a warrior who fights bravely after the war to drink poisonous wine. Those poisonous wines that can make the stomachs of space warriors boil are what they admit. A symbol of defeat and death.
At first on Barbarus, Mortarion dragged Karas to drink every day. Later, Karas couldn't stand the strength of the wine, so Mortarion began to drag Hades to drink. Later, Mortarion Ann noticed that Hades retched every time before getting the wine, so he started to pick other warriors to drink.
This doesn't mean that Mortarion doesn't think Hades fights heroically, but maybe Hades simply can't stand the taste.
Mortarion was helpless. He could not weaken the poison of these wines for the sake of taste. Generally, these wines pressed and fermented by beetles and poisonous plants had a unique flavor, and Mortarion liked this taste.
Realizing that Horus was observing him from behind, Mortarion had to carefully take off his breathing mask, then take a sip from the wine glass.
Mortarion smacked the bar and his mouth. The taste of the wine was too weak. He wanted to put down the wine, which was as tasteless as water. But looking at Horus's kindness towards him, Mortarion chose one. Drink up all this wine in one breath.
Damn it, Horus poured him another drink.
Mortarion chose to wear his own breathing mask this time. He was not thirsty and did not want to drink water.
Horus looked at the poisonous gas that had just emerged from Mortarion's breathing mask. It looked several times stronger than the poisonous gas in Mortarion's incense burner. Has he been breathing this? Horus thought Mortarion was breathing pure air in his mask.
Horus realized that this brother might be more problematic than he thought. If Fulgrim were here, he would probably have begun to gently correct Mortarion's drinking posture.
As the first Primarch to be recovered, Horus knew that some of his brothers were not perfect, especially the recently recovered Angron. From the Emperor's few words, Horus learned about his The brothers were subjected to intolerable torture and were not in a position to have contact with other brothers.
Mortarion, who had clearly reacted abnormally just now, and the poisonous gas in his breathing mask, made Horus feel that he needed to know more about his brothers. The Emperor was too busy to devote himself to every brother. Be as patient and careful as Horus.
Horus took a sip of the wine. These were some of the rarest wines he had saved. They would only be taken out when entertaining the brothers of the original body, and their fine pressing process could fully satisfy the discerning taste buds of the original body.
Horus deliberately remained silent for a moment, letting the silence create a suitable stage curtain for him.
"My brother, Mortarion, I know that this may offend you." "
But I want to say that if you are familiar with the past, and Or if you are confused about some of the current situation, or even frustrated, you may be able to tell me."
Horus's voice sounded from behind Mortarion, and Mortarion stared at the sky above the chessboard. Air, this felt bad, he just wanted to play a game of chess, but he was involved in an unnecessary conversation.
But he knew that Horus meant well. This brother was the primarch that Mortarion had met with the most kindness to him so far. Horus gave him enough space and was not as aggressive as the previous beings. His military exploits and experience squeezed Mortarion's living space.
"Sometimes it's a good idea to find someone to talk to, but if you like mystery-"
Mortarion heard Horus laugh kindly,
"then keep it mysterious, it's very attractive, isn't it? ?"
The relaxed atmosphere created in advance, the sudden pressing step, and the slow half-step back, Horus knew how to conquer the city on the battlefield of words.
He heard Mortarion inhale slightly, as if preparing for a long speech.
Horus curled his lips. He would help his brothers integrate into the Imperium, even if neither of them recognized it as "help". Few Primarchs were willing to offer to be "helped".
Mortarion thought about everything that was confusing and frightening before. He asked Malcador, but Malcador simply explained that it was the malice of the subspace. Mortarion tried to ask more. , but was ignored by mortals, so Mortarion only knew that there was Chaos, but what had they ever done to humans? What will they do to humans in the future?
Mortarion knew nothing of this, he only saw the corruption that would come from his deepest nightmares.
Mortarion leaned back in his chair. He suddenly realized that this would be an excellent opportunity to ask his brother what he knew in this regard. Although Malcador did not encourage or forbid this behavior, Horus He also said that they do not welcome Machado.
Mortarion tried to slowly sort out a clue from the jumbled memories. He thought of the rotting and wriggling carrion on the Endurance, and of the scion soul trapped in the stinking body. He stared at the wall opposite. , the memory gradually becomes clear.
He thought of the holes in the Endurance's walls. They overlapped silently before his eyes with those of the Vengeful Blade.
Mortarion woke suddenly.
He began to sweat coldly, and Mortarion suddenly realized a terrifying fact, an inference that was enough to make him uneasy, a truth that he deliberately ignored.
Perhaps Mortarion had been silent for too long. Horus came up from behind him and put his hand on Mortarion's shoulder.
"Are you okay, brother?"
Horus's voice began to change. It was not clear. Mortarion felt that he was about to lose control of his breathing. As if he realized that something was wrong with Mortarion, Horus put his hand on his shoulder with a slight force, seeming to signal Mortarion to turn around. Go over and see him.
But Mortarion did not dare to turn around. He lowered his head and stared at the dark blue chessboard, almost burying himself among the chess pieces.
Mortarion didn't want this. He finally met a brother who took the initiative to care about him, but he realized the bad news -
if he, if the Death Guard might fall, would that mean that the two people parallel to them would Could it be possible for ten legions to fall into the abyss of eternal destruction?
Mortarion's pupils narrowed and he stared at the enemy and friendly chess pieces on the chessboard. Except for the color, the rest of them were exactly the same.
Did Horus know this? Did he know that a Luna Wolf could become corrupted? Should he say it? Or have they fallen? No, Hades didn't react, they hadn't fallen yet.
Should he tell Horus? But Mortarion remembered everything that happened when he heard that evil word. Language has its own unique charm, and the weak wine stagnated on the tip of Mortarion's tongue.
Everything became out of control, and the newly established brotherhood quickly turned to ashes. Only the cold and cruel truth reminded Mortarion -
he could not even guarantee that his own legion would not fall into the abyss. How should he try to trust other legions?
Are there any untouchables like Hades in Luna Wolves? If not, how should they face those beings? This is an army exclusive to the Death Guard. Does this mean that all the remaining legions are here defenseless and won't even know they are naked?
"Brother? Mortarion? Are you okay?"
Mortarion took a deep breath,
"I'm not okay."
He stood up in this direction, trying not to look at Horus's potentially full eyes. With a worried look in his eyes, his brother's eyes could speak, and Mortarion didn't want to talk too much about it.
"But I hope everything is fine for you."
He lit his censer again, and the poisonous gas slowly floated out. Mortarion picked up a chess piece and watched as the chess piece was easily poisoned by the censer in his hand. polluted.
"I suddenly remembered that I have something to do. It's a pity that I can't play chess with you." "
You can send me the strategic command later. I will let the Death Guard execute your tactics after I think the tactics are feasible and correct."
The seniority of the Death Guard made Mortarion also labeled as an "auxiliary" in this battle.
Horus looked at Mortarion's transformation in amazement. It all happened so fast. Horus didn't even know what went wrong with his stable speaking skills every time.
Looking at Mortarion who was in a hurry to leave, Horus only had time to look at Mortarion's broken gray cloak and said,
"Okay? Are you really okay, brother?"
"But if something really happens to you, remember Find me!"
Mortarion picked up his war scythe from the door and silently strode out of the main room of the living room.
"I will."
These words were like a poisonous mist covering his body. Dissipated in an instant.
"Hades, let's go!"
Mortarion watched as Hades picked up a few more fruits and then stood up. The two-month-old wolf behind Hades was obviously shocked by the sudden appearance of Mortarion. , they stood up a little at a loss, as if they wanted to send Hades away.
The Primarch lowered his scythe seemingly casually, and the huge scythe prevented the Moon Wolves from advancing further without leaving a trace.
Mortarion frowned without trace, and Hades was still echoing the words of the two wolves unconsciously. They seemed to have made an appointment to meet again next time.
He looked at the fruit in Hades' hand,
"Don't eat it."
Mortarion said in a low voice, and then he saw Hades who was obviously stunned. Hades looked at him in surprise, He seemed to realize something was wrong.
Mortarion ignored Hades, and he quickly left the Moon Wolf's territory with the death shrouds.
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(End of chapter)