[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor":3,"chapter-warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-chapter-562":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Warhammer: The 11th Primarch - The Black Emperor",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1511275,1962,"Chapter 562 - 561: Signing a \"Contract\" with a Music-Loving Smart Ship","warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-chapter-562",562,"\u003Cp>Tovendis Zone. Black and grey-limestone ships emerged from the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the bridge of the Glory of Light, Wilshire walked to the hololithic strategic table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Auspex, maximum power!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Energy from the Punisher-class reactor was reallocated. The scanning arrays fed back results again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the entire zone became clearer, viewscreen after viewscreen lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire looked up at the largest viewscreen, at the magnified scan image.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His target, the Dark Age of Technology ship, the Slaughtersong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its form was completely different from Imperial Gothic vessels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slaughtersong had an overall ancient, simple style. Its exterior seemed composed of silver armor and glowing windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire opened his helmet's internal comm and assigned tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master of Vox, the Slaughtersong has high cognitive ability. Send a communication request. Attempt to persuade it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Librarians, contact Zadkiel immediately. Have him formulate an interception plan and a boarding plan for me and my Honor Guard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell Winterburn: His First Company is to proceed to the surface of Tovendis and investigate the extent of heretical corruption among the local populace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving the Librarians' report, Zadkiel immediately took action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Lawyer\" had already, during the voyage, made the five Company Captains and their adjutants his devout followers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain he had become a true \"Lawyer.\" After helping Wilshire secure the ship, he would surely receive another bestowal from Lord Nareth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through coordination via communication ships and Librarians, Zadkiel's plan was implemented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Capital ships dispersed around Tovendis, like roadblocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One hundred sixteen frigates and destroyers were interspersed among them, ready to initiate interception the moment the target attempted to break away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zadkiel's fleet was positioned on the outermost perimeter, orbiting as a final line of defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tovendis had not developed interstellar travel capability. The First Company's fleet reached orbit unopposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadow-pattern Stormbirds launched from ships like the Sun Shadow, flying silently towards the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Glory of Light's bridge, Wilshire stood before the viewport, gazing at the Slaughtersong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silvery-white craft, completely different from Imperial designs, launched from the Slaughtersong and made contact with the black communication ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire waited patiently until his helmet comm buzzed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Lord, it took some time to understand... what that ship was expressing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seemed to say...\" the Master of Vox's tone was uncertain, \"Don't disturb it while it's listening to music.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire was also momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected such an answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'My Lord mentioned in the data-crystal that the Slaughtersong came to this world on its own.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He also mentioned that most heretics on this world worship the Chaos God Slaanesh.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'One aspect of Slaanesh is the god of pleasure and art, a lover of songs... the Slaughtersong... hmm, that seems to fit.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Loop any songs you can find,\" Wilshire thought of the large number of \"Bard\" under his command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately ordered his Honor Guard Captain, \"Compile a list of all Shadows of Order in the Chapter who are skilled singers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he had the Librarians relay a message to Winterburn to verify if Tovendis's Chaos worshippers were connected to songs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterburn's Shadow-pattern Stormbird landed thirty-five kilometers east of the area with the strongest life signals detected by the auspex matrix.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped off the Stormbird, Winterburn looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the basin, ancient trees stood tall. A winding river flowed like a silk ribbon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'A beautiful world.' After this admiring thought, Winterburn grew more alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving one adjutant and two squads to guard the craft, he led the remaining Honor Guard forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After crossing six hills, a thin, watery mist rose, clinging to the lush trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadows of Order marched forward, like discordant elements breaking into a beautiful painting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alert!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterburn shouted loudly. He glimpsed six figures approaching in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their movement was bizarre. Wrapped in silk, they walked with a sideways gait, their knees and ankles bent at strange angles, like reptiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved in this bizarre way, yet with abnormal speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden light flared in the \"Solar High Priest's\" eyes. He immediately saw the bodies beneath the silk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Backward-curving horns. Upright tails. Extended tongues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slaanesh daemons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sun Holy Water!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having encountered Slaanesh daemons recently, he knew how to deal with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six \"Light Suppliants\" drew golden bottles from their belts and hurled them with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a crack, the Slaanesh daemons shrieked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" raised his hand. Golden, illusory flames spontaneously ignited in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames radiated the vast, pervasive aura of the sun, pure and sacred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The contorted bodies of the Slaanesh daemons melted like wax, dripping away, vanishing amidst unwilling howls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterburn led his team onward. His helmet comm received a series of reports with garbled signals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some supernatural force was interfering with communications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they advanced, he encountered no more Slaanesh daemons. A beautiful melody gradually seeped into his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reaching the edge of the dense forest, he surveyed the area ahead. He saw purple building roofs covered by a translucent, slime-like creature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its surface was gelatinous, covered in countless unblinking eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a giant parasite, it occupied the rooftops of a chain of buildings, several hundred meters in diameter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its boundaries were fluid, constantly moving and oozing pus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Six huge tendrils hung from its massive, amorphous body like writhing tentacles. The air filled with an absurd, disgusting shrieking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterburn's gaze followed the tendrils downward. Suddenly, his eyes focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each tendril was coiled around a person. Their bones creaked, slowly shattering under the torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slime corroded their features. Eyes, ears, noses, organs vanished rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the three men and three women simultaneously displayed expressions of agony and eerie satisfaction, as if enjoying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People around them knelt, singing beautiful songs devoutly and fanatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beautiful melody contrasted sharply with the cruel torture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of anger crossed Winterburn's eyes. 'The people of Tovendis are beyond saving.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Attack!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bolters roared, blasting the heretics into bloody mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden light blazed in the \"Solar High Priest's\" eyes. The sun radiated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pure, clear, brilliant light, radiating pure warmth, descended from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Holy Light Summoning\" tore a hole dozens of meters wide in the Slaanesh daemon's body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless eyes on its gelatinous body simultaneously fixed on Winterburn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" felt targeted by a malevolent supernatural entity. His entire body itched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tendrils bent, writhing and extending towards him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden light flashed intensely in the \"Solar High Priest's\" eyes. He chanted in Dunnic: \"Fire of Light!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his archaeotech pistol and fired. Pure light, empowered by \"Holy Oath,\" became a pure golden beam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three tendrils ignited with golden flames, rapidly vanishing in the golden light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" gripped his thunder hammer. The blue force field rapidly turned gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He strode forward, swinging the golden hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK, CRACK, CRACK!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hammer swung left and right. \"Purify\" strikes shattered tendril after tendril.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Winterburn pressed on. He saw Chaos worshippers, weapons in hand, charging madly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shook his head slightly, watching indifferently as they were torn apart by bolts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadows of Order advanced. Their black armor grew heavier and heavier, as if coated in slime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Converge!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" commanded. Golden light leaped, covering the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sticky sensation rapidly vanished within the \"Sun Aura.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sun Holy Water!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" raised his hand. Dozens of golden droplets materialized from the air. Together with the pre-prepared \"Sun Holy Water\" hurled by the \"Light Suppliants,\" they rained down on the monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slaanesh daemon shrieked in agony. Its gelatinous body seemed to melt, rapidly vanishing in the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It shriveled to a tenth of its former size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Solar High Priest\" sheathed his weapons. He moved his hands. Golden, illusory flames spontaneously ignited in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames, radiating the vast, pervasive aura of the sun, densely formed an ocean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure, sacred, they covered the Slaanesh daemon like a net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst unwilling roars, the daemon rapidly vanished in the \"Light of Fire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four hours later, the Shadow-pattern Stormbird ascended rapidly. Winterbourne, with more and more information compiled, established a communication link with the Light Lord and began his report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Winterbourne's report, that all fifteen detachments had witnessed Slaanesh daemons and their worshipping cultists, Wilshire fell silent for four seconds, then issued the order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erase Tovendis.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Prepare the flyers. I will lead the two hundred warriors who sing best to the Slaughtersong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maintain speed. Each Stormbird is to play selected songs!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black Stormbirds launched from the various ships. The best singers from each Company of the Second Chapter converged in the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slaughtersong's orbital speed around Tovendis suddenly increased. It streaked like a silver steed across the purple starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ship after ship, in high synchronous orbit, formed an attack formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of weapons aimed at the planet's surface below: bombardment cannons, energy weapons, kinetic weapons...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The multiple sonic booms from hypersonic missiles drowned out the lingering songs on the surface. A deafening roar rumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lances pierced the hazy, illusory mist. Vertical, blinding light beams twisted as they struck the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magma bombs fell from the sky, flattening lush peaks like hammers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blinding energy weapons seared trails, tearing through the twilight mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-white ship turned. Weapon after weapon swiveled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadows of Order fleet reallocated energy, maintaining maximum void shield power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Slaughtersong did not fire. After one standard hour, it slowed, then turned, approaching the previously avoided Stormbird formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the Stormbirds, Wilshire smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His method had worked. As Tovendis's songs gradually subsided, the Slaughtersong was naturally drawn to his song matrix.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My Lord, the Slaughtersong has extended a flight platform. It seems to be inviting us aboard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Land!\" Wilshire ordered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two standard hours later, Wilshire led his team into the vessel, accompanied by song.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noted the walls were composed of polished chrome surfaces and fluorescent strips. Every curved wall was smooth and flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The floor was bright silver. The walls were covered in mirror-bright metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every corridor and doorway they passed was rounded. Blank readout screens were everywhere, all emitting uniform light, along with the luminous strips on the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite its age, its condition was remarkably well-maintained by internal machines, bright, clean, even cleaner than Imperial ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire did not head for the bridge. He proceeded directly, as the Black Emperor had instructed, towards the ship's core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing through two decks, a piercing whoosh suddenly sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silvery-white disc-shaped drones, each with two cannons mounted on their sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiny drones, each with a single cannon slung beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire raised his hand. Two hundred \"Bard\" burst into song.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Low melodies, magnetic harmonies echoed through the deck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The discs and drones dispersed, keeping time with the rhythm. The group advanced unhindered, reaching the ship's core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grey-black memory stacks, towering like buildings, surrounded the entire plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faint light rippled across the surface of each structure. A wide, circular, dim-light stone floor was covered in slender light, forming complex geometric patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swirling patterns disassembled and reassembled with the ship's thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire signaled the music to stop. He called out loudly, \"I have a proposal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the songs faded, countless craft howled towards them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wilshire's expression didn't change. He continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sign a contract with me. Every moment, you will hear songs sung for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting fifteen seconds, he still received no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He removed his helmet, recalling the Viking war songs sung in his birthplace, the Morvus Hive on Terra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Vikings set out for foreign shores, the men of the North depart, on the king's ship, warriors stand shoulder to shoulder, ready for battle...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The passionate war song rang out. The surrounding Shadows of Order stomped their feet in time with the song.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The powerful song thundered, echoing through the ship's core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the song ended, the sound lingered in the plaza.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A minute later, as the sound gradually faded, a vox-synthesized voice, carrying a tone of approval, almost like a human speaking, sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am willing to sign a contract with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Notary\" produced the prepared parchment. On it was written a contract in Dunnish and Gothic on opposite sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Contract between Wilshire and the Slaughtersong.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Obligations: To continuously provide song for the Slaughtersong.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Rights: The Slaughtersong will serve the Second Chapter of Shadows of Order, including in void warfare, repelling boarding actions...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silver light shone upon the contract. Then, with a rumble, a silvery-white arm extended from a grey building, signing simultaneously with Wilshire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the \"Notary\" signed in acknowledgment, he felt a subtle, yet invisible, connection form between himself and the parchment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[email protected]\u002FDaoistJinzu\u003C\u002Fp>",2080,"2026-06-06T05:05:27.789Z",1,"novelbin.me","086d1a44251e0c57fea75cb352cecd086474ea86a01377d5d08d7ad621c14093","warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-chapter-617","warhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-chapter-561",698,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwarhammer-the-11th-primarch-the-black-emperor-cover.jpg"]