Chapter 1180: Doing What Must Be Done

One hour later, Emergency Meeting Room 13 underground.

The design of this room reflected the style of Perturabo: practical, sturdy, and devoid of decoration.

The walls were bare reinforced alloy, the ceiling was covered in pipes and cables, and the only lighting was the cold fluorescent tubes overhead.

A massive steel long table occupied the center of the room, surrounded by chairs of the same material.

Four Primarchs had already arrived; Perturabo sat at one end of the table, wearing a simple engineer's uniform, with a pair of multi-functional data gloves on his hands.

He was reviewing the tactical data pad in front of him, his brow furrowed.

Luojia sat to the right of Perturabo, wearing the ceremonial robes of the Word Bearers Legion.

His fingers gently flicked a string of psionic crystal rosary beads, each bead engraved with tiny human script.

The youth Fulgrim sat opposite, wearing exquisite purple robes, his silver hair neatly tied back. He was trimming his nails with a small knife.

The youth Leman Russ, however, could not sit still at all.

He paced around the room, speaking in a somewhat impatient tone.

"So what is this all about? I was in the middle of a drinking contest, and suddenly I get called to this metal box!"

"Patience, brother."

Fulgrim did not even look up, continuing to trim his nails.

"Perhaps something major happened on the front lines."

Perturabo said.

"But if that were the case, all Primarchs should have been summoned, not just those of us currently at Xiuluosheng."

Luojia opened his eyes.

"I feel... unease. Abnormal ripples have stirred in the Sea of Souls. Something important has happened, or is about to happen."

The door slid open.

Lu Zhenda walked in, his expression serious.

"Primarchs. Thank you for arriving on such short notice. What I am about to say is top secret; it must not be recorded and must not be spread."

Leman Russ stopped pacing and narrowed his eyes.

"It's that serious?"

Lu Zhenda took a deep breath.

"The Emperor has left Xiuluosheng. Current location: unknown. Destination: core region of the Feng Qi Xing Alliance. Identity: disguised as Fengqi Corporal Kolan Weike. Personnel accompanying: none. Those in the know: those in this room, plus Selina."

"What?!"

Leman Russ exclaimed in surprise.

"What is Father doing?! Infiltrating behind enemy lines alone? Without any guards?!"

Lu Zhenda raised his voice: "Quiet! Primarchs, please let me finish!"

"His Majesty left detailed instructions. First, he created a psionic projection that will appear periodically to handle ceremonial matters. We need to maintain this illusion; we cannot let other factions or the public know the Emperor is not at Xiuluosheng."

"How long can the projection last?"

Perturabo asked.

"Theoretically, it can last for several months, provided there are no complex interactions."

Selina replied.

"The projection already has preset basic behavioral patterns: simple signing of documents, routine audiences. But it cannot handle emergencies or in-depth discussions."

"So we need to minimize direct contact between the outside world and 'the Emperor'."

Fulgrim understood.

"Arrange more written reports, reduce face-to-face meetings, push major decisions to Luojia..."

"Exactly."

Lu Zhenda said.

"Secondly, His Majesty ordered us to continue running the Imperium as normal. Front-line operations are to be commanded by Lord Horus, and internal affairs are to be handled by us. It must not stagnate because of his departure."

Leman Russ shook his head.

"Easier said than done! If something happens to Father over there..."

Luojia suddenly said.

"Nothing will happen to him. Father is the Emperor. If he decided to go in person, there must be a sufficient reason. Perhaps this is some kind of... trial. Or a revelation."

"A trial?"

Perturabo said impatiently.

"Luojia, you always interpret things in a mystical direction!"

"Not entirely."

Selina pulled up a piece of data.

"Before His Majesty left, he paid special attention to the 'Talos Project'. According to our current intelligence, the Feng Qi Xing Alliance may be researching some kind of forbidden technology. Perhaps His Majesty believes only by being on-site can he learn the truth."

Leman Russ irritably scratched his hair.

"Fine, even if he has a reason. What do we do now? Sit here and wait?"

"No."

Lu Zhenda said.

"His Majesty gave us a task. First, maintain the normal operation of the Star Alliance. Second, secretly prepare contingency plans. Third, investigate all information related to the 'Talos Project' to prepare for whatever His Majesty might discover."

Perturabo sat back down, his fingers tapping on the tabletop.

"Contingency plans... if Father's identity is exposed, or he encounters danger, we need to be able to react quickly.

But this is difficult; he is behind enemy lines, we are in the Imperium, and the entire front line lies between us."

"Kalidusi assassins."

Selina said.

"His Majesty is traveling with one hundred assassins."

"Are those assassins reliable?"

Fulgrim asked.

"The Kalidusi are absolutely loyal to the Emperor."

Luojia spoke up: "Then there is no other way; let us act according to Father's arrangements."

The other three primarchs had no objections.

The meeting ended.

The primarchs left the room, each going to execute their own Task.

Lu Zhenda remained last, looking at the empty Meeting Room.

Selina's holographic image said softly: "They are more worried than they appear."

"I know. But they are primarchs, the Emperor's progeny. They will do what must be done."

Lu Zhenda looked toward the wall and whispered to himself.

"Yingzhou, wherever you are, whatever you are doing... please, you must return. Human kind needs you. They need you."