Chapter 953: A Brotherly Conversation

Huang Xi was clearly not expecting Angron to suggest such a thing; she froze for a moment, then looked thoughtfully at her daughter, whose cheeks were puffed out in anger.

"I think you are right, Angron. This child does indeed need some time to calm down and think."

Yingxin looked at Angron, who had "defected," her little mouth pouting high.

"Brother Angron is a big liar! You promised to help me plead my case! I will never talk to you again!"

Angron looked at Yingxin's aggrieved and angry little expression, his heart feeling a pang of reluctance, but this was for the little one's own safety.

"Little sister, listen, we all love you very much, and precisely because of that, we cannot indulge you in doing dangerous things."

Yingxin turned her head away angrily, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Do you know that every time you sneak out for an 'adventure,' Aunt and the rest of us are so worried we can't sleep all night? Magnus even uses his Psionic abilities to track your location at all times, just for fear that something might happen to you."

Yingxin's little ears twitched, but she still stubbornly refused to turn back.

"The reason Ferrus and Perturabo helped you make that bracelet was so you would have the ability to protect yourself in an emergency, not to encourage you to go on adventures."

Angron explained patiently.

Yingxin's shoulders trembled slightly, and she began to sob softly.

Huang Xi walked forward, gently pulling her daughter into her arms, speaking to Yingxin while also addressing Angron.

"We all understand that you are full of curiosity about the world, and that is a good thing. But curiosity must be accompanied by a sense of responsibility and safety awareness. When you are a little older, we will arrange for you to explore and learn in a safe environment."

Yingxin lowered her head, her eyes darting around, and she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Mom... I'm sorry, Brother Angron... I know I was wrong."

Huang Xi kissed her daughter's forehead with relief, then said to Yingxin.

"Then, starting tomorrow, you are to stay in your room for three days to reflect on today's conversation. You may read books, but you cannot leave the room, do you understand?"

Yingxin nodded obediently, then looked timidly at Angron.

"Brother Angron... will you still come to see me?"

"Of course."

"Pinky swear."

"Pinky swear."

After parting ways with Aunt Huang Xi and Yingxin, Angron walked back toward his quarters, the aggrieved expression on his little sister's face when she left still echoing in his mind.

When he passed by Guilliman's office area, he found that the lights in his brother's study were still on.

Thinking of Guilliman's expertise in handling government affairs and strategic planning, Angron decided to ask him for some details regarding the diplomatic Task.

"Come in."

Guilliman's voice came from inside the door, steady and powerful.

Angron pushed open the heavy door and saw Guilliman sitting behind a desk piled high with Data Pads and documents, his brow slightly furrowed as he studied a star map.

Seeing that it was Angron who had entered, he looked up, appearing slightly surprised.

"Angron? I didn't expect you to visit at this hour."

Guilliman stood up and gestured for Angron to sit in the seating area nearby.

"Is it about tomorrow's diplomatic meeting?"

Angron nodded and sat down in the spacious chair.

"Partly. But I encountered something just now and wanted to hear your thoughts."

He briefly recounted meeting Yingxin outside the laboratory and the subsequent conversation with Aunt Huang Xi.

When he mentioned Yingxin's adventurous behavior, Guilliman's expression became thoughtful.

"... So in the end, I suggested that Aunt give her a period of confinement to let her reflect properly. But I have been wondering, did we handle it appropriately? After all, she is still just a child."

Guilliman fell into Silence for a moment, then spoke.

"Brother Angron, have you ever thought that perhaps we brothers bear some responsibility for Yingxin turning out this way?"

Angron was stunned.

"What do you mean?"

Guilliman stood up and paced back and forth in the room.

"Think about it, she often hears the content of our daily conversations. War, liberation, adventure, exploring unknown star sectors... she is influenced by these topics."

He stopped at the window, looking out at the night view of Xiuluosheng.

"Moreover, from an objective standpoint, Yingxin's safety is actually not as fragile as Aunt worries it is."

"She is only a nine-year-old child; no matter how smart she is, she has no way to protect herself when facing real danger."

Guilliman turned around, a complex expression on his face.

"That is the crux of the problem. Angron, do you think our little sister is really just an ordinary little girl?"

Angron felt a trace of confusion: "What are you trying to say?"

"Have you noticed that Yingxin's Psionic talent is exceptionally powerful? Magnus told me privately that her Psionic potential even exceeds that of some trained Psionics. It is only because she is still young that she cannot fully control this power.

Furthermore, her physical constitution is also far stronger than it appears on the surface."

Angron looked up at Guilliman.

"How do you know this?"

Guilliman's expression suddenly became somewhat awkward, and he gave a light cough.

"Well... sometimes she comes to find me... er... to play..."

Angron's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Guilliman, be clear, what kind of playing?"

Under Angron's gaze, Guilliman finally confessed.

"Alright, sometimes we engage in some... light sparring practice. Of course, I never use my true strength; I'm just playing along with her."

Angron stood up.

"You sparred with Yingxin? Guilliman, she is still young! How could you..."

Guilliman raised a hand to stop Angron's remaining words.

"Listen to my explanation, the first time she initiated it herself. She said she wanted to learn how to protect herself, and did not want to always be treated by everyone as a Xiaohua that needs to be pampered."

Guilliman walked to a corner of the room and pulled up an encrypted surveillance video.

In the footage, Guilliman and Yingxin were in a training room; the little girl nimbly dodged Guilliman's slow attacks and could even occasionally perform beautiful counter-attacks.

"Look here, this reaction speed and physical coordination far exceed the limits of ordinary Human beings."

Angron observed the screen; indeed, Yingxin's movements revealed an agility and strength that surpassed her age.

Recalling the scene in the hallway just now where Yingxin reached the laboratory door lock, that door's height was absolutely unreachable for an ordinary nine-year-old child.

"Does Father know about this?"

Guilliman shook his head.

"I believe he has sensed something, but has never explicitly stated it. Magnus, however, believes that Yingxin may have inherited some... special power."

The two fell into a brief Silence. Angron muttered to himself.

"So, our little sister becoming like this is, to some extent, the result of our influence."

Guilliman nodded.

"Exactly. We talk about liberating the star seas, so she wants to explore the unknown; we train in combat techniques, so she wants to learn self-defense; we develop new technology, so she wants to participate in creation. She is imitating us, Angron, because she admires us brothers."

Angron walked to the window, looking at the flickering lights in the distance, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

"But we cannot indulge her adventurous behavior because of this; no matter how special she is, we have a responsibility to protect her."

"I completely agree, but perhaps we need to change our methods. Simple prohibition and punishment might be counterproductive. We should guide her curiosity and abilities to develop in the right direction."

Angron thought for a moment and suddenly remembered something.

"You said Magnus knows about this, then what about the other brothers? Who else is 'training' her in secret?"

Guilliman gave a wry smile.

"I am not certain, but once I saw Ferrus teaching her mechanical principles."

"And Perturabo helped her build that Transformation Bracelet weapon."

Angron continued.

The two looked at each other, suddenly realizing the problem was more complex than they had imagined.

Almost every primarch was, unknowingly, influencing their little sister.

"We are all influencing her in our own ways, yet we have never coordinated this influence."

Guilliman walked to the liquor cabinet, poured two glasses of wine, and handed one to Angron.

"Perhaps this is the core of the problem. Each of us is teaching her to become the version of her we idealize, yet we forgot to ask what kind of person she wants to become."

Angron took the wine glass but did not drink.

"When I see her tomorrow, I will have a good talk with her. Not as an instructor, but as a listener."

"That is a good idea. At the same time, I think we should find a time to seriously discuss Yingxin's education with Father. Her talent is both a gift and potentially a burden; it needs proper guidance."

Angron nodded and placed the wine glass back on the table.

"I will. For now, let us focus on tomorrow's meeting. The diplomatic Task for the Daikong Star Alliance requires our full attention."

Guilliman smiled slightly: "Of course, if you need help, come to me anytime."

"Of course, my brother."