Chapter 514: Come Chat in My Pocket

"What I intend to sever is Angron's head." Khan slowly raised the Blood Son in his hand, pointing it toward Angron above the sky.

In the long years, under the torment of the Butcher's Nails, only two things remained in Khan's heart besides rage.

One hatred and one love.

Hatred for the death of Angron the Great, love for the Primarch.

How could an Astartes not care for his Gene-Father?

Even if his Gene-Father destroyed his Legion—especially since Khan could not condemn his Primarch on this point, for he too bore responsibility for this matter. It was precisely out of love for the Primarch that he implanted the Butcher's Nails into his own brain and into the brains of his brothers, solely to understand his Gene-Father.

Ten thousand years. The Butcher's Nails tormented Khan for ten thousand years.

Khan finally understood.

Angron had long been dead. He died in the final battle when the slaves rose against their slave masters. He died the moment the Emperor transported him onto the ship. He died upon the crimson sands of Nuceria.

After that, only a enslaved corpse existed in the world: enslaved by the Butcher's Nails, enslaved by the Emperor, enslaved by the Blood God.

Thus, when the Blood God liberated Khan and demanded that Khan must sever the head of a Primarch,

Khan made his choice.

Angron. He would challenge his own Gene-Father.

If he died in this battle, then it would be what he deserved: an execution for the crimes he committed against his Legion.

If he—by some stroke of fate—won, then he could liberate his Gene-Father. What could be more worthy of wielding his axe for?

Thus, Khan raised the sharp axe in his hand, pointed it at the Blood God, and issued a challenge to the Blood God on behalf of Angron.

Of course, besides the reasons above, Khan also remembered the words spoken at the death of Erebus.

The Blood God was also one of those who murdered Angron the Great.

The Blood God could not help but laugh aloud.

It had been so long since he felt this way.

He felt his blood surging; he felt immense excitement.

Perhaps, after stripping away all plotting, scheming, and strategy in his heart, he was truly hoping for Khan to make such a choice.

Khan clearly knew that by doing this, he would lose the Blood God's blessing and face Angron, who bore the Blood God's blessing.

This was almost equivalent to issuing a direct challenge to the Blood God himself.

What could stir the Blood God's emotions more than this?

But the Blood God calmed down slightly.

This was the effect of the domain the Blood God had plundered from Tzeentch, that portion of the domain concerning tactics and strategy.

Letting Khan and Angron fight.

If Khan lost, then the Blood God could seize the opportunity to reclaim Khan's soul. No loss, no gain.

If Khan won, then Angron's essence would merge with Khan's. This fusion would be even more compatible than the fusion of Khan's essence with other Primarchs. Though the Blood God lost Angron, he would gain an unparalleled, immensely powerful Daemon Primarch. A huge profit!

But the Blood God had just been deceived by the Emperor; he would not fall for the same trick twice in such a short time.

He did not trust the Emperor, did not trust the Master of Mankind. In the Blood God's eyes, He was a deceiver no less than Tzeentch.

Perhaps Khan's choice at this moment was actually His will, His trajectory?

Once the Blood God released Angron, Lion, Khan, and Ye Bi Huang Daxiong would strike together, subdue Angron, and stuff him into Doraemon's pocket.

This would satisfy neither the Blood God's desires nor the Blood God's interests.

Seemingly sensing the Blood God's doubts, just then, a wooden door, red with pink hues, appeared from the bridge of the Blessed Lady and burst open with a "Bang!"

Zhou Yun, with a semi-circular white pocket on his belly, stepped out from the door.

Zhou Yun stepped out from the door, but his gaze did not turn toward the Blood God, who was staring at him fixedly, nor toward Khan; instead, it turned toward Lion, who had his eyes half-closed, his face full of solemnity and killing intent.

Why did Lion keep his eyes half-closed, revealing a face filled with contemplation, threat, and killing intent?

Because he was truly sleepy.

That inexplicable drowsiness was constantly harassing Lion's Super Brain, driving Lion back into sleep. The dense forest shrouded in shadows loomed faintly before his half-closed eyes, calling to him, waiting for him, and had even begun to enter reality to take him away.

A forest leaf sprouted on Lion's head; muddy clay clung to his feet; the faint roar of a giant beast echoed in his ears.

But Lion still keenly perceived the gaze Zhou Yun cast upon him.

That gaze... was mixed with a kind of drooling hunger?

A feeling as if he intended to eat Lion whole.

Lion immediately became alert, slightly clenching the Loyalty Sword in his hand, forcing himself to endure the drowsiness while watching Zhou Yun warily.

His Super Brain spun rapidly, synthesizing the information known previously, and concluded that this person was absolutely not a mere mortal as he appeared.

He was probably... the avatar of the new Chaos God mentioned by Luthor.

Luthor also seemed to mention that he had corrupted two Primarchs. Who could they be?

Sanguinius is dead; Guilliman is as good as dead. Those two are absolutely impossible.

Russ should not have a problem; Dorn is stiffer than stone.

In the short term, Lion really could not think of an answer.

As long as it is not Guilliman. If Guilliman falls, that would be too dangerous.

During the era of the Second Empire, Lion had witnessed Guilliman's capabilities.

Zhou Yun perceived Lion's gaze, which was filled with killing intent.

That gaze was so terrifying that for a moment, Zhou Yun even had the illusion that his head was about to be punched off.

This was thanks to Lion's face having been softened by the passage of time.

When Zhou Yun was in Asford, he often ran around wearing Lion's youthful face.

No other reason; it was simply useful. That face of his was so fearsome that a single glance could scare several mortals, traitors, and xenos to death.

"Eldest Brother... oh no, young friend Lion."

Zhou Yun smiled and shook the pocket on his belly.

"I see you are deeply burdened by grievous wounds, about to enter the Long Sleep, and fear you may suffer misfortune in your slumber."

"Why not have you come into my pocket for a chat and to forge a bond of fate?"

Although Ji Li Man and Sanguinius were convinced that Lion El'Jonson's return was not a good thing, Zhou Yun had now witnessed this eldest prince's prowess.

Lu Se was at least one of the strongest beneath the Primarchs, yet without the teleportation ability granted by Bi La Ke, he was cut down in a few strokes by the still-unhealed and aging Lion.

Zhou Yun possessed that bacteria capable of waking a sleeper for one hour each day; having the Lion enter his pocket and awakening him only when needed was not a bad idea.

Thinking carefully, was not Hua Di Huang using the Lion in exactly this way? A blade when needed, but when not needed... you speak of the Warmaster? That belongs to my first son, Horus.

Facing Zhou Yun's proposal, the Lion's expression grew ever more wary, even pointing his sword directly at Zhou Yun.

(The next chapter may be a bit late; I was too tired yesterday, fell asleep as soon as I got home at night, and slept for fourteen or fifteen hours, sleeping as if I'd been knocked unconscious.)

(End of this chapter.)