Chapter 181: Dad? Why are you with Lion El'Jonson and Guilliman?

At night, the Scarlet Scar hung behind the high tower of Angel's Fortress.

The lights in the high tower flickered, and only the low sound of servitors operating and the sound of Dante writing documents echoed monotonously in the room.

Dante was not wearing power armor, but was draped in a simple linen robe, exposing his muscular, modified body.

At this moment, he was like a marble sculpture created by the sculptors of ancient Terra, as if he were the embodiment of a perfect male physique. Even the exposed black neural interfaces on his body did not affect the aesthetic of this physique.

Yet Dante knew the old age and exhaustion revealed on that face when he was not wearing the mask of Sanguinius.

Few Astartes were as long-lived as he was.

Many people believed that Astartes were immortal, would never die of old age, and would only sacrifice themselves in long wars.

But time had indeed left its mark on Dante's face. Beneath his somewhat withered golden hair, that face revealed exhaustion and signs of aging.

There was a small mirror on Dante's desk, making it convenient for Dante to see his own face.

Gazing at his face through the mirror, Dante was surprised to find that he could actually see a trace of his biological father on his face—that prematurely aged salt seller.

Most Astartes warriors, after completing their modification, would no longer be attached to their former families and would almost never have any contact.

Yet Dante had always missed his father. He had abandoned him, participated in the trials alone, and became an angel.

Yet he had not gone back to see him even before or after he died... Dante did not know in his heart whether he could not go back or was unwilling to go back.

He had always felt guilty about this. Now, seeing his own face revealing a similar aging to his former father, this guilt was even greater.

But he had to hide this guilt in the deepest part of his heart.

Dante was the Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, the servant of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang filled with fury, noble, pure, and excellent... The Hua Hua Hua Di Huang protected mortals, and Dante was the way he protected mortals.

More things were waiting for him to judge and handle.

That Lictor... Dante thought of the Lictor that had suddenly appeared in the Red Grand Council.

Without a doubt, that was the Lictor Mephiston had been hunting.

He had clearly succeeded, but the appearance of that pinkish-red wooden door had caused Dante unease.

Without a doubt, that door belonged to that Saint Doraemon, suspected to be an existence in the Warp, an existence close to a god.

Dante now only knew a few words from Mephiston's mouth.

He knew that Doraemon was in some way occupying the triple position in the Warp. If He succeeded, He would become an existence more powerful than the four Chaos Gods.

That Doraemon had, to some extent, shown hostility toward the Hive Mind and goodwill toward the Blood Angels.

As of now, besides having somewhat unclean hands, that Doraemon didn't seem to have shown any other harm... Hmm, I hope the Crimson Blades Chapter Master won't keep thinking about that Chapter relic.

Dante selected an equally exquisite power sword from the Blood Angels' collection and gifted it to Crimson Blades Chapter Master Kaen to compensate for his loss.

And that Saint Doraemon, I wonder if He is related to the prophecy of the Archangel's resurrection.

Mephiston seems to have reached a cooperation with Him... Or should I say Mephiston has fallen? Been corrupted by Doraemon?

A Warp existence, a psyker who has gone too deep into the Warp, might be related to the return of the Primarch.

Dante couldn't help but worry about this, reaching out to rub his brow.

And that door, it could actually appear directly in the Red Grand Council Chamber?

The Aeldari Webway required specific gates, while Chaos sorcerers needed to pass through the Warp. Neither of them could easily do this.

Does that door have no restrictions? Does it not need positioning or a map?

Dante's brow raised slightly.

Mephiston? Could Mephiston have given the map of the interior of Angel's Fortress to that Doraemon?

Now Dante had to suspect Mephiston even more deeply.

If that were really the case, couldn't that wooden door appear directly in front of Dante?

This made Dante frown tightly, but he couldn't think of any way to deal with it.

"Can I only wait for the other party to act?"

Dante put down the hand rubbing his brow and murmured softly:

"Since the other party has reached a cooperation with Mephiston, I suppose they will come to visit me..."

Dante felt even more exhausted by this.

The only good news was that, although some accidents had occurred, the current situation had not completely deviated from his plan.

Tomorrow, in the arena of Angel's Fortress, there will be battles. Sanguinius's descendants will end all differences in them, using combat to resolve all conflicts. After this, all conflicts will be put aside, and all the descendants of the angels will merge into one.

Dante sighed, and exhaustion welled up in his heart again. He couldn't help but lean back in his chair.

And Dante's face was reflected completely in the mirror on the table.

That rare, aged Astartes face was reflected in the mirror—golden hair, handsome. This was given by Sanguinius's genes.

Dante remembered the scenes he saw when he was undergoing modification in the blood coffin.

He saw the life of Sanguinius in it...

Thinking of this, the exhaustion was even deeper. Dante really didn't want to recall what he had seen.

Father, why are you with Lion and Guilliman... You are confused...

Dante couldn't help but sigh. He was curious if any other Chapter brothers had seen these.

Or did they all choose silence just like Dante?

Dante continued to gaze at the face in the mirror, once again noticing the slight traces left by his biological father's genes on his aged face.

Those traces were already very hazy, almost invisible... But strangely, as Dante watched, the traces of his biological father on that face became more and more obvious.

Dante's face also seemed to gradually become like his biological father, the face of the salt seller on Baal II, Areias.

"Look!" Areias in the mirror raised his finger high, pointing to the night sky.

The massive main planet of Baal swept across the night sky of Baal II. It was a vast and massive world, with scenes of all things appearing and disappearing on it, presenting varying shades of red.

The boy stood beside Areias, following his father's finger to look at the main planet of Baal, his eyes wide.

Above the equator, above the equator of the main planet of Baal, a beam of light could be faintly seen.

"Arx Angelicum!!"

The boy's heart pounded, watching that sacred scene and shouting loudly.

"Exactly right!"

The boy's father, Areias, said with a smile:

"That is the great castle where the angels of light and holy blood live. They are extraordinary, without the worries of mortals. They were chosen to become the descendants of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang and were given great power and glory."

"They are the servants of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang filled with fury, noble, pure, excellent!"

The father leaned into the boy's ear and whispered the story of the angels: "The priest told us that the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang protects mortals, and the angels are the way he protects us."

"They were all chosen from the people of Baal. Maybe some were once people of our tribe... But they are no longer our kin, but have been given eternal life. Our worries about life no longer belong to them."

The father gently hugged the boy. The boy stared wide-eyed at the stars in the sky and the main planet of Baal.

He even forgot to be afraid.

The boy's mother was giving birth in the rover, and only the midwife could accompany her.

The father said that his mother was a strong woman and would safely bring his younger brother into this world, just as she had once brought Louis Dante himself into this world.

The boy was sharp and understood that his father was comforting himself more than comforting him.

"I hope to go there one day..." The boy turned his head from his father's arms and whispered: "Maybe one day I can become an angel?"

The seriousness in the boy's tone made Areias feel uneasy. His intention was probably not to encourage his child to have such ambition.

"Most will die in the attempt," Areias warned, hugging his child tightly: "Only a very few can pass the trials of the Angel's Descent City, and even fewer can survive..."

"Almost everyone failed..." The boy repeated: "But some succeeded?"

The boy keenly noticed this. Someone would always become an angel, so why not him?

The father hugged the boy tightly. He was worried about losing his wife that night, and now he didn't want to fear losing his child in the future.

"Father?" The boy tilted his head in confusion: "After I have a younger brother, will you still love me like this?"

!. Read

Areias laughed at this and hugged the boy tightly, making the boy feel a little pain.

"Love is a bottomless well, my child."

He said:

"If you feel jealous... Oh, you will, because new life needs more nourishment."

"Then please remember."

The father leaned gently toward Louis Dante's ear and whispered softly:

"You are the eldest son. We spent this time together, and this will always be yours."

"No matter what happens, I will love you very much, little one... because I will always be your father."

A tear fell from Commander Dante's eye. He remembered that day, remembered it forever.

His mother died in childbirth. Dante and his father buried her and the stillborn child in the salt flats together.

Then, Areias changed.

He still had so much knowledge and was still friendly to Dante, but he no longer talked about angels and miracles, no longer told those ancient and sacred stories. All he told Dante was how to survive and dig for salt.

The sand in the desert blew up, and rovers stopped in it. The sand swept across Dante's cheeks.

He looked at one of the rovers, listening to the sounds inside.

"You cannot go," Areias said, holding his breath: "I absolutely forbid it. You are my only kin... To whom should I leave everything I have?"

Dante now could feel the pain in those words, but the young Louis Dante at that time could not.

"Marry another wife, have a few more children." Inside the rover, the young Dante said to his father in a childish tone: "Dad, I must go."

"No, I am too old."

"If we are talking about marrying and having children, that Marina is not bad. She is the same age as you and also cares about you... You can live here together, with you."

"No! If I stay here, maybe I can help Marina... But if I become an angel, I can help everyone."

"If? You will die! You are not strong enough! You are not special enough!"

Dante outside the car almost couldn't bear the argument inside. He almost wanted to rush in, scold his young self, and then proudly tell his father: Now he is an angel.

He knew he would steal a desert motorcycle that night, abandon his father, and go to participate in the trials alone, but... but...

Dante rushed to the door of the rover, but gently pushed the door open. He looked inside the narrow rover, trying his best to make his voice gentle.

"Look, Dad," Dante said softly to his father: "I am an angel now."

Dante only felt tears flowing from his eyes, but standing before him was not his biological father.

That was a noble warrior with broad wings, compassionate, with fiery golden hair, shrouded in white light, watching Dante gently.

"Louis Dante, Louis of Baal II."

A soft whisper rang in Dante's ear.

"Mission... Return... Sorry..."

Dante saw the figure in the white light slowly spread its wings, as if telling Dante something.

"My Lord?!" Dante almost blurted out. He recognized who the figure before him was, however...

The figure's wings slowly spread, and a faint blue light overflowed, almost merging with the winged figure in the white light.

Dante's expression stiffened. Blue wings? Blue? The Lord of Change??

He realized violently that he was in an illusion and a dream. The faint blue light before him shattered, and the scene gradually became clear.

Crack! The sound of the wooden door opening rang out suddenly.

Dante immediately raised his head, looking violently forward.

In his room, in front of him, a pinkish-red wooden door appeared at some point.

Theoretically, old man Dante knows about the old events of the Second Imperium... Lol, I don't know if Guilliman knows about this.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 182 =====