Warhammer: Saving Humanity Begins with the Resurrection of Horus

Page 25

Aren't they afraid of the black ships coming after them?

But one thing is strange: why would this think tank know that I am a psionicist?

"Horus, what's going on? Why did he detect my psychic powers?"

Lynch mentally asked Horus, recalling that he had asked Horus to conceal his psychic energy before coming. Unless the psychic energy level of this think tank was exceptionally high, they shouldn't be able to detect his psychic energy.

He didn't recall that Star Claws had such a strong think tank, otherwise why would it not appear at all in the official history of the Badab War?

Horus had just emerged from the reality that the Claws of the Stars were his offspring. After hearing Lynch's question, he quickly checked the shielding against psionic energy and came to a conclusion.

He didn't notice.

"Then why would he say that...?"

"He probably did it on purpose, trying to transfer you to his side. As psionicists, the think tank is more sensitive to the connections between me and my other brothers and offspring, do you understand?"

"........I see, is it really that outrageous?"

“Otherwise, why would Angron be able to control his legions? This connection is not only based on blood, but also on the warp. Even the loyalists in those great rebellions would be overwhelmed with emotion when facing their fathers, causing them to stop their attacks and offer their lives or even their souls to their fathers.”

Horus fell silent after speaking, and after a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"Is this a flaw or a strength? It's hard for me to say. Father's original intention was to enable us to better control our legions, but it has also become a major source of our decline."

"Don't blame yourself. At least there's still hope, isn't there?"

"Yes, there is still hope. I suggest you agree to his request. I have a feeling that we might have some unexpected gains at the think tank."

"Okay, but to be honest, I didn't really have a way to refuse."

Lynch grumbled. Although Eric was using a consultative tone, it was still a bit too absurd for a Chapter servant to refuse an Astartes' request.

"If this is your request, sir, then I agree."

Lynch lowered his head and spoke respectfully to Eric.

"Okay, then come with me. I've already spoken to your supervisor, so don't worry about anything else."

Eric said this, then strode out of the dormitory with Lynch and headed towards a tall tower within the royal court.

Chapter 34 Cooperation

Eric led Lynch through the streets and finally arrived at a towering tower that seemed to reach into the clouds.

As soon as Lynch arrived in front of the tower, Horus's voice immediately rang in his ears.

"There's a strong subspace aura here, be careful."

"Ah."

Lynch responded in his mind, then took a deep breath and followed Eric into the tower.

The first floor of the tower resembled a vast library, with rows of bookshelves crisscrossing before one's eyes. Numerous mechs, servo skulls, copying servants, and scholars wandered among the bookshelves.

These people, along with the machines, repeatedly categorized the books, checking whether their quantity remained unchanged from the previous second. They also copied some of the contents of the books and handed them over to designated personnel who would then pass them on to the think tank member who needed them.

"This is the Great Library, which holds most of the knowledge and culture of our Star Claws."

Eric took the initiative to introduce Lynch.

“Come up with me. Everyone who works here has to be recorded by the think tank director.”

After Eric finished speaking, he led Lynch to a spiral staircase that wound its way upwards. As Lynch walked up, he sensed a faint aura of psionic energy.

There should be a prepared psionic spell here, and if no one leads the way, I will probably trigger it myself.

Lynch pondered silently in his heart, and then summoned Horus.

"Horus, have you detected where the strongest warp energy is?"

Horus remained silent for a moment, and then spoke of the place where he perceived the most intense chaos pollution.

"At the top of the tower."

The spire of the tower.

Lynch silently memorized the location, then looked at Eric and began to ponder.

Based on the level of goodwill he's gained by relying on the Primarch's aura... if he were to ask where he's going, it shouldn't be a problem, right?

There shouldn't be any problem. After all, Horus also said that the think tank has a deeper understanding of the Primarch's aura, which means they are more receptive to the Primarch's charm.

However, it's not a good idea to ask directly. You might need to try to get the information out of them by gently guiding them.

Lynch took a deep breath and then cautiously spoke to Eric.

"grown ups."

"What's wrong? Are you tired from walking?"

Eric heard Lynch's call, stopped, lowered his head, and looked into Lynch's eyes.

"No, sir, I just have a question I'd like to ask you."

Upon hearing Lynch's words, Eric's face showed a hint of surprise, probably not expecting that a chapter servant would have the courage to ask him a question.

But soon, that unexpected emotion vanished as he realized something, replaced by an expression of complete indifference.

"Ask away, I'll do my best to answer your questions."

"My lord, why are you paying so much attention to me? We've only known each other for less than half a day."

Eric didn't speak, but just looked at Lynch, seemingly deep in thought.

When Lin Qi saw that the other party did not answer, a look of panic immediately appeared on his face. He spoke again, and his speech became faster.

"If this is a very offensive question, sir, I..."

"No, this question is not offensive. I can tell you directly, Lynch, the first time I met you, I felt a strong sense of kinship with you."

Eric shook his head and told Lynch directly why he was paying so much attention to him.

"As an Astartes, such emotions shouldn't exist in me, especially towards a mortal I've never met before. This inexplicable sense of kinship makes me wonder if I've been subjected to some kind of powerful psychic magic."

“I’m pretty sure this isn’t an isolated case, because I can see that other brothers besides me are in the same situation, but as a think tank member, I’m more sensitive to it.”

Eric continued talking, and without lingering any longer, he led Lynch up the tower.

But Lin Qi had already become wary at this point.

"They noticed."

"No, don't be nervous, this may not be a bad thing."

Horus's words brought Lynch a slight sense of relief. He had already prepared a backup plan with Lappland; if anything went wrong, they could simply run away...

As for running away right under the noses of a group of Astartes...

"If something really goes wrong, then I'll leave it to Horus."

Horus did not speak, but Lynch knew that the other party had tacitly agreed to his request.

“I found the curator, and he told me some things that confirmed my belief in your special talent.”

Eric stopped before a tightly closed door. He placed his hand on the center of the door, and the temperature began to drop. A faint blue light flickered among the exquisite patterns on the door.

"call........."

The door opened a crack, and deep breathing and icy white air wafted out from behind it, causing Lin Qi to shiver involuntarily.

"Sorry, I forgot you're just a mortal."

Seeing Lynch's reaction, Eric quickly spoke up. He raised his left hand and clicked a few times on a miniature data device on his wrist. A minute later, a servo skull with a blanket hanging below it flew up from downstairs.

"Put it on, it'll only get colder inside."

Lin Qi took the blanket handed to him and draped it over himself. Then, Eric pushed open the door with both hands and led Lin Qi into the cold room.

As soon as he stepped inside, Lin Qi instantly felt his psionic energy become active. He sensed that the veil of reality was thinner inside the room than outside, which made it easier for psionicists to mobilize their psionic energy.

This is not a good thing.

Lynch frowned, and he began to slow his pace, while informing Horus to be ready at any time.

Eric seemed oblivious to Lynch, who was gradually distancing himself from him, and continued walking forward until he reached the center of the room, where there was a closed metal semicircle.

Eric extended a finger and tapped on the metal semicircle.

"Bell, he's here."

The metal semicircle gradually opened, and soon, a man who was almost completely naked, with his limbs completely bound by several chains on the ground, appeared before Lin Qi.

This was an old man, whose white beard and hair indicated that he was very old even among the Astartes. His muscles were covered with scars, exuding the marks of time and the aura of fire and iron.

“Horus, you’re right, this Eric did deliberately want me to come here.”

"........"

"But his purpose is probably not quite the same as what you think."

The old man suddenly opened his eyes, his pale pupils flashing with unimaginable psychic energy. He looked at Lin Qi, and the chains on his body began to flicker with scarlet runes, which began to erode his skin.

The old man's facial muscles contorted instantly, and a sound of unbearable strain escaped his throat. After a full ten seconds, he vomited a large pool of blood, and the runes on the chains gradually faded away.

Eric shook his head, reached out, and wiped the blood from the old man's mouth.

"...The Emperor's Chosen..."

The old man's voice was weak, but he still raised his head, looked at Lin Qi, and spoke his first words.

“Don’t be afraid. In Star Claw, apart from me and Eric, no one will know your true identity. They will only see you as a mortal who looks pleasing to the eye, not as… a chosen one with the aura of our Father of Genes, bestowed by the Emperor.”

"who are you?"

Lynch remained vigilant, his muscles tensing to ensure that no matter what happened, he could rush to the door as quickly as possible.

"I am the curator of the Star Claw's think tank, or rather, the former curator. Now I am just a tool bound by these chains, used to extract psionic energy to accelerate the growth of gene seeds."

The old man spoke, and then gave a bitter laugh.

But soon, those two bitter laughs disappeared, replaced by a deep-seated hatred etched onto that aged face.

"Let's talk about cooperation, Chosen One. I know why you're here. You want to rescue your companions. Very well, Eric and I can help you, provided that you also help us."

"...What do you want me to do?"