Chapter 388

The relationship between the Adeptus Custodes and the Grey Knights was not good.

Shield-Captain Valerian knew this deeply.

But this poor relationship was different from that with other Space Marines.

Toward other Astartes, the Custodes' mindset was often one of contempt, suspicion, and disgust.

Astartes were just as prone to corruption as mortals; they were all potential heretics. In fact, they had indeed launched a cruel rebellion, causing the entire species to suffer so much misery.

Many among the Custodes despised the imperfect Astartes... but the Grey Knights were different; the Grey Knights were completely different.

The Grey Knights were the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's final creation, a powerful weapon, a blade forged to confront the Great Enemy in the Warp. In the matter of confronting humanity's enemies, they were more adept than the Custodes.

And in Valerian's view, the Custodes had to admit that the Grey Knights had indeed done better over the past ten thousand years.

They were the final legacy the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang left to humanity, the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's dying wish, the final struggle for the human species.

But this fact made the Custodes feel uneasy.

The Custodes had never belonged to the current Imperium of Man; they were created for a future that had never arrived, a future in the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's vision.

And the birth of the Grey Knights seemed to imply that that vision was no longer possible. The Hua Hua Hua Di Huang had to choose to use the power of the Warp to constrain the Warp, which was why there were the Grey Knights, who were all psykers...

The Custodes therefore maintained a cold relationship with those Sons of Titan.

The Custodes guarded Terra forever, while the Grey Knights could only be stationed on Saturn's moon.

But Terra now needed the Grey Knights, and only the Grey Knights could arrive in time, and only the Grey Knights could provide support in time.

As long as the Custodes agreed, as long as the Custodes requested it, they could head to Terra.

Valerian was already prepared to be rejected, simply because the current Custodes were huddled deep within the Imperial Palace, restricting themselves behind the Lion's Gate, unwilling to break free from the shackles of the restriction order.

Valerian knew that Captain-General Trajann was making his efforts, trying to get the Ten Thousand to walk the world again.

But the Grey Knights didn't know; it was entirely possible for the Grey Knights to reject Valerian's request. After all, guarding the Imperial Palace was the Custodes' duty.

Valerian was already prepared to lose his dignity, prepared to be humiliated, and even prepared for the entire Custodes to be humiliated.

He had to do this; at least Valerian was not so proud that he wouldn't speak up when he needed to ask for help.

What's more, mortals were fighting on the front lines. If Valerian didn't do this, many of them would die in vain.

But the Grey Knights agreed, without hesitation.

"We have waited long."

"In the name of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang, cleanse the world and banish the daemons."

Compared to Valerian, Xiang Xiang Leina's mood was a little complicated.

Especially when she discovered that the ones supporting her were the Grey Knights.

Xiang Xiang Leina didn't know much about the Grey Knights.

This Astartes Chapter seemed very mysterious; even on Cadia, Xiang Xiang Leina hadn't heard of their name, which was very strange.

She knew of the Grey Knights entirely because she had fought side-by-side with Grand Master Voldus of the Grey Knights' 3rd Brotherhood once or twice while on Macragge.

Her only other knowledge was... a half-joking warning Zhou Yun gave her when Xiang Xiang Leina was still in Ashford:

"When you encounter a desperate situation and the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's Angels of Death come to support you, don't be happy yet."

"First, look clearly at the color of their power armor."

"If it's dark blue armor, it's highly likely to be Ultramarines. Unless the battle situation requires it, you'll be fine."

"If it's red armor, check if your wallet is still there. If it is, it's Blood Angels; if it's not, it's Blood Ravens. In most cases, you're safe."

"If this group of red armor has grown fangs, then sprinkle some salt on yourself. Don't add trouble to the noble Sons of Sanguinius."

"If black armor is mixed into this group of red armor, that's a Death Company. Pray you're not bald, otherwise, they'll mistake you for Horus."

"If it's only black armor, then see what mental illness they suffer from."

"If they have hysteria, it's highly likely to be Black Templars. As long as you haven't been tainted by Chaos, you're safe."

"If they have cyber-psychosis, that's Iron Hands. However, like their father's head, they generally don't have much presence."

"As for the Raven Guard, although they are also black armor, you'll likely not be able to find them."

"If it's green armor, look at the color of their skin."

"If it's black skin, you've hit the jackpot. These are Salamanders; most of them are good people."

"If it's white skin, that's Dark Angels. You'd better pray there are no little secrets of theirs nearby."

"If it's yellow armor, then look at their luck."

"The ones who are quite unlucky and occasionally get wiped out are the Imperial Fists. They are stubborn but still okay to get along with."

"The ones who are especially unlucky and frequently get wiped out are the Lamenters. They are all good people, but it's best to stay away from them."

"Oh, right, there's also silver-gray; that's the Grey Knights."

"When you meet them, you'd better pray there's a group of gray-blue power-armored barbarians nearby who think you're good lads."

"Otherwise, you can honorably return to the Golden Throne."

Originally, Xiang Xiang Leina just took Zhou Yun's words as a joke, but after experiencing this series of events,

Xiang Xiang Leina discovered that Zhou Yun's judgment of Space Marines was really accurate... Judging from Grand Master Voldus's fighting style, the Grey Knights really would attack their own allies, attack mortals...

And Xiang Xiang Leina suddenly remembered in a daze that she seemed to be an illegal psyker.

But with the battle line before her, Xiang Xiang Leina had no time to consider these problems.

The Grey Knights were obviously also more concerned about the daemons than about mortals like them.

At the same time, the Grey Knights were slowly shrinking the front line. Obviously, they didn't intend to hold the already broken Eternity Gate.

Slowly retreating to the vicinity of the Lion's Gate was obviously a better choice; they could defend against the daemons' offensive with more concentrated power.

"Support the Grey Knights!"

Xiang Xiang Leina's voice reached the ears of every soldier in the Cadian 184th Regiment through the comms channel:

"They are experts in fighting daemons. Coordinate with them to tighten the front line!"

"Hmm?"

Xiang Xiang Leina suddenly noticed that the Grey Knights who were fighting the daemons suddenly stopped their movements.

Their ancient and peculiar crusader-style helmets were pointed toward Xiang Xiang Leina, as if staring at her intently.

They seemed to be asking Xiang Xiang Leina with their gaze, asking how she knew of their existence?

"... Hmm?"

Xiang Xiang Leina was stared at until she was sweating a bit.

She suddenly realized one thing, a possibility:

That is, the reason the Grey Knights were unknown, the reason they silenced mortals...

Is there a possibility, could it be, that the existence of the Grey Knights is actually a secret?

And Grand Master Voldus didn't silence anyone on Macragge just because of the pressure from the two Primarchs and Saint Doraemon?

Xiang Xiang Leina broke into a cold sweat for a moment.

"What kind of inexplicable pricing standard is this?"

"Why is a promethium transport pipeline five hundred, and a Slaaneshi Greater Daemon over sixty-six million?"

"A Greater Daemon is only equivalent to a hundred thousand pipelines? Does the twenty-second century need pipelines to build sewers?"

"For the same model of bolter, why are those listed as holy relics more expensive than ordinary ones? Does cultural value count too?"

"Also, why is the Tzeentchian Greater Daemon the most expensive? What if a Tzeentchian Greater Daemon is weaker than a Slaaneshi Greater Daemon?"

"Are individual differences between Greater Daemons not calculated? Is it based on the Greater Daemon's fame?"

The brown-haired boy frowned tightly, the silver-haired boy's corpse hanging low beside him, weak fingers holding paper and pen, recording the price of every item.

Guilliman had actually done this before, but he ultimately couldn't find any pattern in it, as if these prices were just filled in randomly.

"We probably won't be able to research anything this way," Zhou Yun said, rubbing his brow.

"No," the brown-haired boy shook his head, looking at the price list written by the silver-haired boy's corpse.

"It is precisely because there is no pattern at all that it has value. This shows that behind your four-dimensional pocket is not some kind of rigorous system or objective law."

"But one or a group of subjective existences are setting the prices... I even think this price is being adjusted in real-time."

"According to the needs on the other side, and also according to the situation you are in."

"Hmm?" Zhou Yun's eyes brightened slightly: "You mean..."

"The future department store, the twenty-second century, should really exist."

The brown-haired boy put down the price list in his hand and said:

"But I can't be sure that it is the twenty-second century from 'Doraemon.' Why are they unwilling to help us?"

"If it really is that twenty-second century, this is just a matter of lifting a finger."

"... Could it be that they can't save us, but it just costs money?" Zhou Yun raised his eyebrows strangely.

He remembered that the future department store in the original work was purely in the image of a profiteer.

"Sigh, capitalism," the brown-haired boy shook his head.

Zhou Yun shrugged: "You're even worse than capitalism."

"... The point is still money, the price," the brown-haired boy ignored Zhou Yun's sarcasm and said thoughtfully.

"I'm going to do a test. I will try to cut as much power and authority to you as possible."

"You tell me how much money those powers and authorities can sell for."

(End of chapter)