Chapter 124: Blue Wings Will Resurrect the Primarch

“I can’t ignore the sound of a bolter being chambered,” Zhou Yun said, a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth.

For now, he had no intention of meeting that old man Dante.

If Zhou Yun directly told Old Man Dante that he intended to resurrect Saint Guilliman,

Not only could mentioning this attract the attention of some blasphemous entities in the Warp, but just those words alone would be enough to trigger PTSD in any Space Marine familiar with the history of the 30th Millennium.

Back then, the Sons of Horus sent Horus into the Temple of Devine to save their gene-father, inadvertently causing him to be corrupted by Chaos.

Even Belisarius Cawl, as the Grand Savant, worked alone on the resurrection of Roboute Guilliman, and only revealed his purpose upon reaching Guilliman’s stasis field.

Moreover, Zhou Yun is even harder to earn the trust of the Space Marines than Belisarius Cawl.

Cawl, at least, is a Grand Savant of the Adeptus Mechanicus; Zhou Yun—

Zhou Yun grew “wings glowing with blue light” in front of the Astra Militarum.

Just knowing this alone would prompt the Blood Angels to bring out their bolters.

Blue, wings, resurrected Primarch—these words together are far too sensitive.

“Are you leaving?” Rena asked Zhou Yun, her expression filled with concern.

Zhou Yun had previously told her that when the Astra Militarum’s battle reached its final stage, he would depart.

Now, that moment had arrived.

After enduring relentless assaults from swarms of tyranids, colossal beasts, and the brainworm, the Cadrians who had followed General Droste to Asphodel were now few in number.

Asphodel had essentially become a graveyard for the Cadrians.

The remaining Cadrian warriors, having suffered psychic attacks from the brainworm, now bore fractures in their willpower and were far less combat-effective than before.

The upper spire was inevitably lost; they had to further consolidate their lines, making the top spire’s starport their final stronghold.

Rena fell silent for a moment.

She did not say anything about leaving with Zhou Yun.

In this galaxy, from the Emperor down to the humblest laborer, everyone has their duty.

Rena’s duty was to command the remaining Arkangels and assist Asphodel’s civilians and Astra Militarum in evacuation.

This duty was immense; she could not abandon it.

And Zhou Yun did not want to take her along, since the Oracle of Right and Wrong only guaranteed his own safety.

“May the Emperor protect you, and Saint Guilliman guard you,” Rena placed her hand over her chest and gave Zhou Yun the Aquila salute.

Zhou Yun gave a slight nod, a faint smile touching his lips: “I’ll buy you sunflower seeds next time.”

Before Rena could react, Zhou Yun walked toward the exit of the Astra Militarum outpost.

He saw General Droste sitting there.

At this moment, General Droste looked more like a centenarian veteran than a commander.

The aging that had been suppressed by longevity surgery now erupted across his face—gray-white, deeply wrinkled.

Zhou Yun looked at General Droste; their eyes met.

In Droste’s eyes, within his will, there was a grotesque wound—

the trauma inflicted by the brainworm, severing Droste’s will from his soul.

Now, General Droste was like a ghost from the past, unrecognizable from the resolute commander he once was.

But Zhou Yun could faintly perceive—

even the brainworm’s immense psychic power had not entirely broken this old general.

He still held on, even as his soul and will lay shattered.

“Thank you,” General Droste said simply, giving Zhou Yun a nod.

But Zhou Yun stopped before him.

“If you return to Cadia, tell Lord Creed to watch out—Abaddon might be too much of a sore loser and just drop the Blackstone Fortress.”

“Oh, and if you see Abaddon himself, tell him the age of the Primarchs isn’t over yet.”

Hearing Zhou Yun’s words, General Droste was momentarily stunned.

But before he could ask further, Zhou Yun’s figure vanished at the outpost’s entrance.

The black void was torn apart by crimson light.

The Blood Angels’ flagship, the Blade of Vengeance, pierced through the dark Warp shadows and entered the Hades System.

More warships followed the Blade of Vengeance as they jumped into realspace.

The moment they entered the system, their weapon arrays roared to announce their arrival.

For the Tyranid biomass vessels entrenched in the Hades System were displeased by those who dared interrupt their meal.

Enemy fire rippled across the void shields,

while the Blood Angels’ volleys tore through the chitinous carapaces of the hive fleet.

Dante stood on the broad observation deck, gazing at the scene before him.

The Imperial Navy no longer existed; Dante could see the occasional burning wreckage of their ships drifting through the stars.

The defenders within the Fortress Belt had fallen silent—their resistance had clearly ended.

The Leviathan hive fleet’s bio-ships swarmed the entire system like locusts, dimming even the light of the two blasphemous twin stars.

In just three days, the shadow of Leviathan had engulfed the entire system.

But Dante knew that the Astra Militarum and Sisters of Battle who arrived ahead of him were still holding ground.

On Lysio, High Sister Magda still led the local nomads in battle.

And the situation on Asphodel surprised Dante.

The local gangs and Astra Militarum had joined forces and managed to trap the hive fleet in the lower spire.

As a result, countless civilians had survived and were being evacuated to Melos Port in the upper spire.

Dante knew what he must do:

Rescue as many survivors as possible, prevent the hive fleet from acquiring vast biomass, and ideally inflict damage on the hive fleet within the Hades System to reduce future pressure on Baal. But it would be difficult.

Beyond that,

his Blood Chaplains—the Blood Angels’ unique apothecaries—had presented him with a possibility.

According to the High Blood Chaplain Kabbro,

the governor of Asphodel, Augustus Flax, might possess the key to curing Bloodlust and Black Rage.

The Flax family’s genome appeared to have undergone a unique mutation under the light of the Crimson Twins, granting the ability to overcome illusions and perceive falsehood.

This ability reached its peak in Augustus Flax.

High Blood Chaplain Kabbro believed this could help the Blood Angels overcome their twin genetic afflictions.

Gabriel Seth, Warmaster of the Flesh Tearers, one of the Blood Angels’ successor chapters that had arrived with them, dismissed this outright.

This successor chapter, ravaged by Crimson Hunger and Black Rage, no longer believed these afflictions could be overcome.

But Dante had to hold onto hope.

He himself felt the constant temptation of Bloodlust and Black Rage; he knew this was not the gift of his gene-father, nor should it be the fate of the Blood Angels’ descendants.

“My lord.”

Captain Kaelen, of the 1st Company, clad in Terminator armor, stood behind Dante.

The crimson ceramite Terminator armor contrasted sharply with Dante’s golden armor.

Especially since Kaelen wore no helmet, while Dante wore a golden mask engraved with the face of Saint Guilliman.

Kaelen knelt before Dante—

“Enough!” Dante cut him off: “I’m not in the mood.”

Dante turned his head; he could sense Kaelen’s inner turmoil.

That turmoil stemmed from the fact that the first assault wave was now landing on Fardia City, Asphodel’s capital.

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As 1st Company Captain, Kaelen should have overseen the assault on the planetary capital—

it was his duty, his rightful honor.

“You’re still part of the vanguard.”

Dante clapped Kaelen on the shoulder of his Terminator armor,

where a pure white Terminator Cross adorned the pauldron.

Legend says the Emperor’s own Terminator armor was shattered in the battle where the Archangel died,

and fragments of it were embedded into every Terminator Cross—like the one on Kaelen’s shoulder.

May the Emperor protect us, Dante thought.

If what Mephiston saw was real, then we truly need the Emperor’s blessing.

“Your target is still Fardia City, but your mission has changed.”

Dante chose his words carefully:

“Augustus Flax—our Blood Chaplains tell me he is of use to us.”

Upon hearing the words “Blood Chaplains,” Kaelen’s expression shifted to understanding.

The things the Blood Chaplains seek are no secret—but Kaelen clearly doubted: could the governor truly still be alive?

Dante was certain he was alive—this came from Mephiston’s divination.

But the vision also foretold two other forces closing in on Governor Augustus Flax.

“Bring him back—or his heir, his remains, or even a blood sample.”

Dante said.

"Speed is paramount in warfare; your brothers will be transported directly to Fedia City via teleportation technology."

"As you command, my lord," Captain Calain said, bowing his head humbly.

Dante gave a slight nod; this operation was entirely secret, and he had avoided every possible factor that might expose it.

May Captain Calain and his Terminator brothers find Augustus Flax before the other two unknown forces do.

"My offspring are coming."

The winged figure within the white light spoke to Zhou Yun:

"They are the elite of the First Company, led personally by Captain Calain."

"Hurry up, or they’ll get there first."

Zhou Yun stood on the Tribune Street, near the entire Viceroy’s Palace, overlooking the whole of Fedia City.

As the Astra Militarum began to withdraw, the Hive Fleet began to further seize the city.

Countless small creatures crawled through the city, devouring everything in their path.

Spore chimneys erupted from the backs of Tyranid behemoths, filling the city with toxic crimson smoke; grotesque Tyranid capillary towers rose like fairy-tale skyward vines straight into the heavens.

Only instead of leading to a goose that laid golden eggs, they led to Tyranid bio-ships.

"So you just sold out your offspring’s mission?" Zhou Yun teased.

"Because Augustus Flax cannot cure Bloodlust or Black Rage. If Bloodlust could be easily cured, I would have succeeded in the 30th Millennium."

"And Black Rage—its origins are exceedingly complex."

Listening to the winged figure’s words, Zhou Yun nodded lightly, then released the seeker’s staff from his hand.

"Augustus Flax," Zhou Yun whispered.

(End of Chapter)