Chapter 337 The Chess Game Has Been Decided

+Morgan, my daughter. +

+ Come, sit down, and play a game of chess with your father. +

…

In a sense, the "Emperor's Dream" is undoubtedly a very interesting legendary ship. It more or less embodies the essence of its owner, the Lord of Mankind.

In terms of appearance alone, this space giant made of gold and marble is simply a palace walking among the stars. The statues on its ship and the war temple all tell the story of unimaginable extravagance and lust, which even makes people... I doubt it still has the strength to fight.

But at its true core, which is the activity area of ​​the Lord of Humanity, most of the decorations are very simple, even crude: when Morgan opened the wooden door that looked older than her , stepping on the tile floor that seemed to have been faded by countless people, when she came to the so-called [Emperor's favorite meditation room], her heart had been eaten away by the long worm called absurdity.

Even by mortal standards, this meditation room is not huge. The four walls have been simply painted, and a few lighting lanterns have been hung. Apart from these, the only remaining furniture is a round table and Two high-backed chairs were large enough to seat the Emperor and Primarch.

Morgan's genetic father was sitting in the larger high-backed chair. He looked less tall than before. He was wearing a white shirt, a beige cardigan, and trousers that matched his shiny brown skin. Showing the same color, under the long black hair, is a pair of the same green-blue pupils, exuding a dull light.

Compared to [Emperor], he is now more like a [Father of Genes]: Unfortunately, in Morgan's view, there is no more difference between these two words.

+Did you give the stuff to Waldo? +

After discovering that his daughter had arrived, the Emperor moved his eyes away from the table. At his signal, Morgan sat silently at the other end of the table, letting the Lord of Mankind's eyes stare at her turtleneck. and double-breasted dark windbreaker, looking back and forth.

This is an insecure outfit.

[Of course: On the bridge, I handed the Tuchucha Engine and the Heart of Plague to Waldo with my own hands. There were at least fifty Custodes who could vouch for me, as well as those members of the Mechanicus who seemed to only serve you. . 】

Morgan's voice was very soft. She looked at the things on the table with some confusion. From time to time, her tentative eyes glanced at the seemingly kind brows of the Lord of Humanity, but she still did not dare to let down her guard lightly.

[I originally thought you would take over these items personally, after all, they are very precious: now it seems that you value Waldo and the Forbidden Army more than I thought? 】

+My investment in the Imperial Guard is second only to you and your brothers. +

The Emperor rubbed something in his palm.

+ As for Waldo: When he first came to this world, I had already felt his existence and his future. In order to find him, my legion swept across the entire continent and started twenty wars. . +

Morgan was silent for a moment.

[Can you see the future? 】

+ Can, but can’t see much: Whether it’s Conrad or Sanguinius, they have to surpass me in this aspect, but this may not be a good thing for them. +

【That’s it. 】

The Primarch whispered.

She didn't believe it at all.

How could the Emperor, the founder of the Primarchs and the direct source of their power, be inferior to his sons, even in any trivial way?

Slander and suspicion flashed across the corners of the Spider Queen's eyes. Although it was only for a moment, it did not escape the Emperor's sight: the Lord of Mankind was just silent in response, and he said nothing.

+Anything else you want to ask? +

【Not yet. 】

+ Then let’s play chess. +

He seemed to sigh.

+You want to be a king? Or the Warmaster? +

——————

[How to play this game? 】

Morgan pulled out a blank card from the hand of her genetic father, and just put it in front of her eyes. The original crystal piece transformed into a crimson curtain of blood due to the psychic reaction it carried, lighting up the original body. pupils.

+You are the Warmaster. +

The Lord of Mankind spoke, and then he pointed to the things on the table: twenty spindle-shaped gray-white chess pieces floating in mid-air. The octagonal granite and white marble slabs under their feet were chessboards, and two stacks of Thin crystal pieces were placed on the right hand side of the respective chess players. With the confirmation of their identities, they automatically changed into the light blue of the king and the blood red of the war commander.

The + chess pieces represent the commander and the fleet, and the cards represent your military strategy and tricks. The two sections of the galaxy are in front of your and my fingers. This battlefield is wide enough, but there is no room for you to make more mistakes. +

Morgan lowered her head, and she saw that on her side, the end of the chessboard was marked with the words "Avalon", and on the Emperor's side, it was "Holy Terra".

[These chess pieces are all the same. 】

+In the beginning, it was true. +

The emperor seemed to smile. He took out a brand new pile of cards from the wooden box next to the table. These cards had no color and were evenly placed between the two of them. Simple titles were written on them. .

+ But as fate rolls, there will always be half of the pieces standing on the other side. The only question is who will stand there: you can choose two first as my compensation for you, after all I have played it many times This game has maybe a hundred rounds. +

[With the Palm Printer? 】

+It's not important. +

Morgan nodded, her eyes began to search for those identity cards, but she was digesting the huge amount of information revealed by the emperor in his soft words: it seemed that her genetic father had no idea about the outcome of the Great Crusade. , with a clear self-awareness, it will never be a vulgar ending of family happiness, it will only be more cruel blood and fire.

Maybe he was happy to see it?

[First of all, I must choose cards that represent myself. 】

+Without a doubt. +

The Emperor's voice came out from deep in his throat, and there was no trace of sadness or joy.

【……】

The Spider Queen frowned, her eyes jumping among a dozen identity cards, some of which she could identify, while others were difficult to identify.

First of all, [Hungry Wolf] is the easiest one to identify. After all, the first encounter between Leman Russ and the Emperor is so famous that she even heard the sonnet written by the Space Wolves about it. , which can be called catchy.

[Soaring Eagle] seems to be the symbol of Jaghatai Khan, but Fulgrim also fits this point to a certain extent: However, the [Perfect One] placed next to [Iron General] seems to also refer to it. Primarch of the Third Legion.

But if we just talk about perfection, the rumored Sanguinius is also a similar choice: her brother Baal seems to meet the descriptions of [Perfect One], [Angel], [Uncrowned King] and [Chosen One] at the same time. , after all, he was praised as worthy of all the good things in the world.

In addition, [Lord of Hearts] seems to be exclusive to Sanguinius, although Horus is also very competitive in this aspect...

+Hurry up, my daughter. +

The emperor's gentle reminder rang in Morgan's ears: It was only then that the Lord of Avalon realized that she had been thinking for too long, and the frowning eyebrows completely betrayed the hesitation hidden deep in her heart.

The original body pursed her lips. She glanced at all the cards for the last time. This time, she no longer thought, but closed her eyes. Relying on the instinct in her heart, she reached in one direction and grabbed a card. Card.

The expression of the Lord of Humanity became a little playful: he saw the card.

The Emperor's eyes followed the son's fingers closely. The moment he saw Morgan open his eyes, the Primarch's expression made him laugh in an instant: it was really full of unspeakable excitement and comedy. .

+Can you tell me why you chose this card? +

【……instinct. 】

The original voice of cowardice turned into gnashing of teeth amid the laughter of the Lord of Mankind.

Morgan glanced at the cards in his hand.

【killer】

【……】

In a sense, it really fits her inner self.

The Primarch roughly pressed the card in her hand on the chessboard, and then touched a chess piece in front of her: as the crystal shattered, the chess piece turned into a faceless figure under her gaze. Figurine.

It was a witch, wearing a long skirt, riding boots, and a crown. She held a long staff in one hand and an open book in the other. The chess piece itself was not intact: there were many broken scars on it, The dirty color also makes its original color unclear.

Although some details are abstract, you can still see that it is Morgan's image.

Damn, she was right.

Morgan frowned and glanced at her genetic father: What image did she have in the eyes of the Emperor?

+ It’s time for you to choose the second one. +

The Lord of Humanity just continued to rub something in his palm.

There was neither anger nor consternation.

The original body blinked. This time, without any more hesitation, she reached out to the card marked [Double-Edged Sword] and pressed it on the chessboard.

The next moment, a tall knight with a carved lion's head appeared in Morgan's camp. The Primarch recognized the identity of this image. She raised her lips and placed it in front of her chess piece. , stuck on the boundary between Avalon and the center of the board.

+Accurate selection. +

The Lord of Mankind looked thoughtful.

+Why did you choose him? +

[I can’t guess his identity. 】

There was a hint of obvious pride in Morgan's voice, and this second chess piece indeed gave her a better chance of winning.

[However, the double-edged sword itself means two things: first, it is not invincible, and second, since it is a sharp sword, whoever holds it can wield it freely. It, regardless of whether that person is the creator of the sword or not. 】

[In other words, even if the person holding the sword is not honest about the sword itself, as long as his method is sophisticated enough, his character is cautious enough, or even his lies are touching enough, he can make the sword stained with blood without any complaints. 】

At this point, Morgan raised her head. She looked directly at her genetic father, her gaze already a little offensive.

[How do you usually use this double-edged sword, father? 】

The Emperor fell silent for a rare moment.

+I gave him what he wanted. +

His voice was dry.

【Really? Is that really what he wants, or is it something you made him want? 】

[Brilliant words can distort many things, even inner desires: I inherited this power from you, so I have always believed in your control methods. 】

The Lord of Humanity's movements of stroking the object in his palm were a little more hesitant and rough.

+It's my turn. +

He said and ignored the topic.

Morgan didn't ask further questions. She didn't expect to get a positive answer.

The Emperor didn't hesitate at all, he chose the [Lord of Hearts].

+I love using it. +

Morgan glanced at the Emperor's choice: although his appearance was vague, his majestic aura was extremely rare even among the Primarchs and was absolutely unmistakable.

Horus?

An expected choice.

【It's my turn. 】

The original body moved her fingers, and she took away the [Uncrowned King].

Since the [Double-edged Sword] is Jonson, it is obvious that the [Angel] can only be Sanguinius. Excluding Horus from the [Lord of Hearts], based on this calculation, it fits the attribute of [King] , there is only the Macragge who is forced to be ambitious all day long.

+ Did you expect this? +

The Emperor watched quietly as Morgan placed the chess pieces with laurel crowns on their heads on one side of the battle line, where the Five Hundred Worlds were located. His expression was still sculpturally silent, showing no emotion.

[This is a safe choice. 】

Morgan stroked the line between Avalon and Macragge.

[The reason why I am friends with him is because I cannot be his enemy: since I have no confidence in letting Ultramar become ruins, then I can only let him be on my side, otherwise, you only need to move your fingers , can shake my country from its foundation. 】

+Smart decision. +

The corners of the emperor's lips quirked up.

+ But Guilliman has never been a radical activist. He is both a lord and a vassal. His attitude towards the galaxy is far less than towards Macragge's palace: but he does have the ability to turn things around. strength. +

[Maybe, but I don't need to move him: it's better to stay where he is. 】

Morgan answered briefly, and then she looked at the combination of Avalon and Macragge on the chessboard with satisfaction: it was pleasing to the eye.

[I'm quite curious about how you will break through his territory. 】

+I have my own solution. +

The Emperor responded as he made his choice.

He took away the [Invincible Fortress].

+Go on. +

【As you wish. 】

Morgan responded, and she began to think about the meaning of certain code names.

For example, [Lord of the Clouds], although there does not seem to be a character related to the Clouds among her brothers, if you think of this as a character, then Perturabo almost perfectly fits the image of the Clouds: the talented Olympian and his Legion is an option, but there is no rush.

There is also the [Blind Dark One]. She is not sure who this refers to. Could it be that there is a blind person among the original body? If we ignore that this is Heydrich or his brother who has not yet returned, then in Morgan's mind, it is consistent with [Blind One]. 】This characteristic seems to be...

Magnus?

After all, he seemed to be blind, both mentally and physically.

【……】

The Spider Queen hesitated with her fingers, and finally she reached out to the [Hungry Wolf]: This is almost certainly Leman Russ, and Leman Russ is always an acceptable option. He is not the best. One, but definitely the most [qualified] one.

But before her fingers touched the edge of the card, the Emperor's laughter came from above her: it was almost a mocking sound.

+Ruth? +

he asked softly.

+Ah, an interesting choice. +

【……】

Morgan's brows furrowed. She hesitated between persisting and giving up, but when the Emperor's second laugh came, the original body's finger still moved a little: [The Hungry Wolf] was placed aside. Morgan, on the other hand, took away the [Chosen One] next to him in the chaos.

The Emperor's jeers grew louder.

Immediately afterwards, the Lord of Humanity accurately took away the [Hungry Wolf] under the vicious gaze of his descendant.

+Ruth is indeed an interesting choice: he might be useful. +

This sentence seemed to be informing and talking to himself, but the only answer was the faint grinding sound under Morgan's cold pupils.

+Go on. +

【……clear. 】

——————

(This chapter is based on the short story "The Chess Game is Set". The original work is very well written. In order to prevent readers from getting confused, I have listed each title and the corresponding original entity here:

Twins: Alpharius

Shadow: Krax

Lord of Nothingness: Angron

Blind Dark One: Conrad

Soaring Eagle: Chagatai Khan

Cloud Lord: Mortarion

God's Chosen One: Luo Jia

Lord of Hearts: Horus

Perfectionist: Fulgrim

Iron General: Ferus

The Uncrowned King: Guilliman

Angel: Sanguinius

Double-edged Sword: Jonson

Invincible Fortress: Dorne

Anvil: Vulkan

Think Tank: Magnus

Hungry Wolf: Leman Russ

Yes: Perturabo was probably forgotten by the original author, and there is no codename for him. )

——————

About a minute later, ten chess pieces were placed in Morgan's hands. She matched these statuettes with her brothers one by one: some were what she wanted, while others were works that she was not optimistic about. .

On the Emperor's side, there seemed to be only nine chess pieces placed. At this time, the Lord of Humanity just calmly opened his palm, revealing a unique little statue: an exaggerated laugh, The funny face and the bell on the brim seem to be telling a palace comedy.

【clown? 】

+ is the jester. +

The Emperor caressed it.

+My favorite substitute. +

+ It can say anything: including telling the truth, resisting authority, explaining people's sentiments, and exposing tyranny, but most importantly, its existence reminds every king and queen that they are not immortal, and sooner or later, they will also Will be one of those satirical poems. "

【……】

[Does the Master of the Seal know that he has this image for you? 】

+He loves it very much. +

[But no matter what, he can't replace a Primarch, right? 】

+Normally not. +

+But sometimes it can. +

The Emperor's laughter can be bitter.

+This is the backup option: after all, you have already taken away the [Think Tank]. +

Morgan didn't speak anymore, she just looked at her chess pieces: in addition to her, there were Jonson, Fulgrim, Guilliman, Lorgar, Conrad, Magnus, Mortarion, Peg Turabo, and a brother who looks like he hasn't returned yet: he has a full head of dreadlocks.

【……】

She has little confidence in this lineup.

On the Emperor's side, in addition to the improvised Malcador and an unknown brother with long black hair codenamed "Shadow", there were also Alpha, Jaghatai, Horus, Ferus, and Sanguinius. Si, Dorne, Vulkan and Leman Russ.

+Why didn't you choose Shadow? +

The Emperor still looked a little confused, while Morgan grabbed a pale chess piece in front of her and shook it slowly.

[Because I already have Conrad. 】

+Do you have confidence in the term blind dark one? +

【No. 】

[But I still have some confidence in my education. 】

+ I hope so. +

The Emperor nodded.

+ I have ordered the Eighth Legion to begin to assemble: in the past few years, their tasks have been scattered, and the various fleets have not been able to quickly reunite as a whole. Therefore, Conrad will stay with you for a few more years. +

【how long? 】

+Two to three years. +

【enough. 】

+It sounds like you have made most of the progress in your education plan? +

[He can already distinguish Socrates, Aristotle and Demosthenes, and found no less than twenty characters similar to you in the history book of Holy Terra: Your previous interests and hobbies are still It's really broad, and he is second to none in every field. 】

+In fact, it’s a bit more widespread than you think. +

On the corner of the emperor's mouth, there was a smile that Morgan couldn't understand, and just when the Primarch wanted to continue questioning, the Lord of Humanity waved his hand, causing all the chess pieces to be randomly placed. .

+ Let’s play chess. +

+There are some things that you should not know yet. +

Morgan nodded. She looked at the beings in the chess game, and then discovered that the placement of these chess pieces seemed random, but it also contained some unexplainable secrets.

【Should I leave first? 】

+ Of course, you are the Warmaster after all. +

[Then I am curious, in this chessboard, which original body became the war master? 】

+I hope it's Horus. +

【? 】

[But I am the Warmaster, and Horus is on your side. 】

+This is a matter of course. +

The Emperor nodded, with a certain pride and complacency on his face.

+Of course Horus will stand under my banner: that's normal. +

【……】

Morgan decided not to discuss the issue, and began to track down the Emperor's chessmen: with the exception of a few, most were scattered across the galaxy, giving her plenty of time to divide and dismantle them.

She first raised [Perfection] and placed him next to [Iron General]. This combination allowed her to draw a card: [Promise and Lies].

[When Fulgrim and Ferrus belong to two camps, a tragedy seems inevitable. 】

Morgan chuckled and made her evaluation. She grabbed two chess pieces and placed them at the very edge of the chess game. There was no doubt that it belonged to a remote enemy country and an expedition that would drag on for a long time.

[How long do you think Fulgrim can hold Ferus back? 】

+It depends on when I can draw that card. +

The Lord of Mankind silently looked at Ferus, who was being held back by Fulgrim on the edge of the chess game, then looked at the few chess pieces in his hand, and couldn't help but nodded.

+As a beginner, your first step is very beautiful. +

As he spoke, he picked up the damaged chess piece and placed it in the box. It was undoubtedly Heydrich's representative.

+If I have time, I will try to fix it. +

[Can he still repair it? 】

+I don’t know. +

Morgan's eyebrows lowered.

[Can you tell me what nickname this brother of mine has? 】

The Emperor was silent for a moment, then his lips touched lightly.

+Pure blood. +

【……】

Morgan nodded, and she continued to look at the chess game in front of her. After thinking for a while, she stretched her finger to the [Chosen One] closest to the position of Holy Terra.

[Although I don’t understand how Luo Jia can stand against you, but considering his too loud nickname, I have an immature speculation and idea. 】

Morgan looked at the edge of the map, where a place name was marked: On this chessboard that symbolized the Milky Way, although there were countless place names dotted around it, this place name was second only to Holy Terra: it was even bigger than Ava. Long and Macragge were even bigger.

[Eye of Fear. 】

The Spider Queen whispered the name, and then she put the [Chosen One] chess piece over. Then, a card exuding extremely ominous signs appeared in Morgan's palm, and she looked at it.

[Great vision? Luo Jia’s? 】

The emperor's face looked a little ugly.

+You still have two to three rounds of concealment, my daughter. +

【enough. 】

In Morgan's pupils, there was a cold light. She glanced at the [Angel] next to the chessboard. His home planet Baal is in the north of the Far Eastern Star Territory, not far from Avalon, Olympia and Nostramo. Not far away.

After hesitating for a moment, Morgan still raised the [Kingslayer] that symbolized himself, and led Sanguinius to the northern part of the Far Eastern Frontier, to the edge of the Ghoul Stars: representing Conrad's [Blindness] The Dark One] is also entrenched there.

The Emperor considered this step, while Morgan quickly started other operations.

She piled [Think Tank] and [Lord of Clouds] together, and then, a card that didn't come from Magnus or Mortarion naturally appeared in Morgan's hand.

【call. 】

she whispered.

Under the silent gaze of the Emperor, the [Lord of Hearts], who symbolized Horus, naturally came to the side of Magnus and Mortarion, faced them calmly, and seized this moment : Morgan quietly took out the [Chosen One] representing Luo Jia from the Eye of Terror.

She noticed that the Master of Mankind's face began to grow heavy, which made her feel a certain guilty sense of elation, which reached its peak at the moment she placed Lorgar behind Horus.

With a burst of non-existent sword light stinging the eyes of the chess players, the Wolf Shepherd, represented by [Lord of All Hearts], fell surrounded by the three original bodies. He did not fall because of the defeat in the war. Next, it was because of the lies told by two brothers and the backbiting of another brother.

But almost at the same time, the Lord of Mankind raised his finger.

Dazzling golden light swept across.

Horus, who was about to be knocked down, immediately retreated to the edge of the chess game behind Holy Terra: symbolizing that his chess pieces were almost torn apart, but not completely broken. They were just seriously injured, but they were not out of the game.

Morgan glanced up at the Emperor.

[You seem to be cheating, father. 】

+Do I have it? +

He asked of course.

+ Do you think three legions can defeat the Luna Wolves: I don’t deny that the Death Guard has outstanding power, but the Thousand Sons and the Word Bearers may disappoint you, especially if you think of Lorgar and his legions. In the case of his own trump card. +

[I never counted on them. 】

Morgan smiled, she just pointed at the black energy lingering around Luo Jia's chess pieces.

[Three Legions may not be enough to defeat the Luna Wolves, but three Primarchs are enough to defeat Horus: regardless of strength, the power of Chaos alone can impose a death curse on a Primarch. , you and I know very well that this is not alarmist. 】

[And without Horus, the Luna Wolves may not be such an outstanding force. 】

+But you can't wipe them all out. +

The Emperor pronounced this.

+ As soon as they return to Terra, your first-mover advantage will be gone. Now, how will you face the empire’s crusade? I may not be among them, but it will still be a force powerful enough to destroy the rebellion. +

【Really? 】

Morgan ran his fingers across the board.

[Horus is injured, Ferrus and Sanguinius are far away at the edge of the galaxy, and you don’t seem to be planning to use Dorne: So, the remaining Vulkan, Jaghatai, Leman Russ, Alpha or Shadow, which one should you expect to be your new Warmaster? 】

+I have my own solution. +

The emperor responded in a muffled voice, and he drew his first card.

【Ambition. 】

Then, before Morgan's brows raised, she discovered that there was a problem with [Perfector] Fulgrim: a small but ugly flaw appeared deep in his gem that symbolized purity and flawlessness, and the Phoenix Army was immediately destroyed by someone. shrouded in a strange gas, and when [Iron General] Ferus discovered this, he quickly left his brothers and returned to the Milky Way as quickly as possible.

【……】

[You cheated again, father. 】

+This is not cheating. +

The Emperor laughed mockingly.

+ When you regard the energy of chaos as the key to victory, this backlash is the price you will inevitably bear: everything in the world is exchanged with equal value, and since chaos can promise you everything, it will also ask for it. everything. +

Morgan was silent.

[You are right, father. 】

[But few people can see this clearly at the beginning, right? 】

[In other words, if Horus had known what Chaos was from the beginning, he would not have been easily tricked. 】

+So, what’s your countermeasure? +

Morgan showed his white teeth.

[Just like you said. 】

[Chaos can promise everything. 】

[And in the eyes of some people: some things are more important than others, and some panics are firmer than wavering loyalty, right? 】

The Lord of Humanity's brows trembled because of these words, but before he could give any more answers, Morgan drew another card from her card.

[The promise of healing. 】

This card was placed on her own chess piece, and then, [Kingslayer], [Blind Dark One] and the following [Double-edged Sword] blocked [Angel] in the ghoul stars. .

With the collision of the four chess pieces and the erosion of the ghoul stars themselves, the chess piece symbolizing Sanguinius soon underwent an unpleasant change: the handsome angel actually had some crazy fangs.

[There are some terrible legends, but they have been circulated in the empire for a long time. To this day, there are still mortals who do not want to forget the original terror of the Ghoul Legion, especially those who experienced it firsthand. 】

[Do you think angels will forget? 】

Morgan laughed.

next moment.

[Angel] turned red.

Morgan's red.

[The game continues, father. 】