Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 864 The End of the High Lord Era
When the first piece of material capable of repairing the net fell from the machine's exit, everyone inside the net instinctively held their breath, fearing that even the slightest disturbance would disrupt its state.

Although everyone knows that the mesh material capable of withstanding the harsh environment of subspace cannot be so fragile, in their hearts it is still a sacred object that is both fragile and precious enough.

The Emperor personally intervened, using his psychic power to restrain the piece of net material that radiated pure light, and then repaired it to the net hole that Magnus had broken through years ago.

The warp demons that roared and tried to pour out from the gap seemed to be intimidated by the power contained in that pure light, and their attack faltered.

But the next moment, the Chaos Archmages, mixed in with the waves of warp demons, realized humanity's purpose and intentions.

"Stop them!"

"By the Lord of All Changes, we must not allow humanity to plug this loophole!"

The great demons, who were originally sent by the four Chaos Gods to target this most vulnerable vulnerability in the network of Terra, immediately became furious.

If the loopholes are plugged by humans, their mission will undoubtedly fail, and they will then face punishment from their respective gods.

The thought of the terrible consequences drove these chaotic demons to charge forward relentlessly, even though the person they were facing was the cursed one himself.

Being killed by the power of the cursed will indeed result in a permanent death, but being punished by the Chaos God is truly worse than death; it would be better to just die.

However, faced with the human legions under the command of the Emperor, the resistance of these warp demons was ultimately futile.

The emperor held out his hands as if guiding invisible threads.

The liquid material, which combined spirit bones, living metal, black stone, adamantite, and the lifeblood of countless humans and spirits, transformed into a dazzling stream of light under the wondrous harmony of psionic energy and physical laws, flowing precisely towards the hideous and bizarre giant rift in the "Fool of Magnus".

The moment the material came into contact with the crack in the mesh, it produced a deep resonance that was powerful enough to shake the soul.

A blinding light burst forth, and wherever the light reached, the foul subspace energy that had been flowing in through the crack was as if blocked by an invisible membrane, slowly retreating out of the net.

A breathtaking scene unfolded:

The gap in the network known as "Magnus's Folly" is slowly healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Like the most precise loom mending torn fabric, or molten glass patching up a broken mirror, the healing process is slow, but at least it's moving in a positive direction.

Even more encouraging is that the netting system, which was originally pieced together by the emperor through sheer force, has formed an even tighter internal structure thanks to the newly cast netting materials.

A rare look of joy appeared on the emperor's face. In his eyes, the man-made netting that was being reinforced and repaired was more precious than any treasure.

Humanity's hopes, which had been interrupted in the past, have been rekindled today.

“It’s done…” Luo Xi murmured softly, her eyes reflecting the light emanating from the healing network.

Although he had not experienced the Cyber ​​Wars, he knew how much the Emperor, Macardo, and others cherished this opportunity to liberate humanity from its tragic fate.

It can be said that the entire grand and tragic Horus Rebellion revolved around the core of the cyber war.

If the War of the Net had not occurred, even if Horus had led all his legions in a rebellion, the Emperor would have been able to easily wipe out all these rebellious sons.

Unfortunately, the Cyber ​​War ended in the defeat of humanity. To prevent Terra from being overwhelmed by the endless warp demons, the Emperor had no choice but to sit on the Golden Throne to resist the corruption of Chaos.

This grand tragedy has finally come to an end only now that the internet has begun to be repaired.

The external processor installed on Caul's body was flashing data streams frantically, recording every moment of this epoch-making event, while the Great Sage Rand beside him was trembling with excitement.

Peturabo stared intently at the healing process of the network, his powerful logical thinking frantically analyzing the internal rules governing its operation.

His fingers unconsciously clenched and unclenched, an instinctive reaction to discovering new knowledge that could overturn his understanding.

On Dorn's rock-like face, the corners of his mouth twitched up very slightly, which was almost the greatest degree of satisfaction he could express.

As the chief of the royal guard of Terra, Dorn understood just how dangerous the hole in the underground network beneath the palace was; a single mishap could lead to the collapse of Terra.

Now, this huge vulnerability has finally been patched, and Dorn can finally relax.

A barely perceptible look of shock also flashed across Mortalian's eyes.

She loathed emperors, she loathed empires, but she loathed chaos even more; she could not deny the profound significance of the scene before her.

Once humanity masters the ability to repair the network, it will possess a powerful force to combat chaos; this is a victory of order over disorder.

Touched by the online narrative, the emperor's endless longing for his deceased son unexpectedly began to rekindle.

The complex emotions contained in the eyes of the Lord of Mankind were hard to describe. He suddenly turned his head and focused his gaze on Loken, who commanded the Grey Knights.

If Horus were here too...

No, perhaps it was his soul...

The Emperor seemed to realize something, and Loken, as if sensing the Emperor's burning gaze, suddenly turned around and met the Emperor's eyes.

Loken was puzzled; he couldn't understand why the Emperor was looking at him so...strangely.

But suddenly, a sudden inspiration made Loken nod slowly and very slightly, as if confirming to the Emperor: this path is feasible.

Loken was horrified. His behavior was disrespectful to the Emperor, but the Emperor did not blame him. On the contrary, the Emperor seemed pleased to see Loken's reaction.

Gavial Locken felt as if another soul was controlling his body, responding to the Emperor's gaze.

Loken was struck dumb. Could it be that Horus's remnant soul was not completely dead yet?
"Hahaha, brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" Laughing God Xi Gaoqi appeared, somersaulting, amidst a sudden, spotlight-like beam of colorful light.

His voice broke the shocking silence, filled with exaggerated joy.

"Look, the wounds of the internet are being stitched up, and the symphony of comedy and tragedy is reaching its climax at this moment..."

The fact that humanity and Ida, the Emperor and the Joker, could actually collaborate to create such a masterpiece is both the biggest joke in the galaxy and its most magnificent epic.

His figure flickered in the healing light, like a ghost rejoicing at this historic moment.

"Record the data! Record all the parameters!" Kaul finally found his voice and roared excitedly into the communicator, "This is the starting point for our conquest of the network, a new era for human technology!"

"The task remains arduous and the road ahead is long. It will take us quite some time to repair the 'folly of Magnus'."

Loxi patted the Emperor's arm armor and said leisurely.

"Once you take the first step, everything else will fall into place naturally," the Emperor said firmly.

"Phase 1: We will repair the man-made network beneath the palace and reconnect it to the existing ancient network."

"The second phase: We will enter other ancient sacred networks. If these networks are damaged due to years of neglect, then we will continue to repair them."

Emperors have always been prudent, thinking three steps ahead before taking any action. He was not blinded by his current achievements, but instead meticulously planned for the future.

"As for the third stage, it is naturally to master the ability to open up new paths. It is not a long-term solution to sit on the foundation of the ancient sages and live off their wealth."

Of course, this step is very difficult to achieve; we need the tunnel boring machines that the ancients used to excavate the network of tunnels.

Loxi raised an eyebrow, suddenly remembering that the so-called network tunnel boring machine components were still in Ryan's hands.

"I already know the whereabouts of Ryan, Ruth, and Chagatai. They are trying to capture Comoros, a node city in the network, but it doesn't seem to be going very well so far," the Emperor said.

Loshi was also very curious about what kind of resources and methods this so-called Comoros had to stop the three Primarchs led by Lion and their elite troops.

"I plan to set off immediately once the situation on Terra stabilizes a bit, heading deep into the Web Path to find Ryan and the others."

"Those Dark Eldar occupying Comoros is a complete waste of its resources. They have turned Comoros into their pirate lair for plundering the entire galaxy, continuing their perverse and hedonistic lives in this important node of the Web. They do not deserve it."

The Emperor's tone revealed a hint of murderous intent. Now that they had mastered the technology related to the Internet, how could they possibly continue to allow the Dark Spirit Clan to occupy the precious land?

Upon hearing this, Luo Xi also felt sorry for those black bean sprouts.

It's bad enough that they've already provoked three Primarchs, but now the Emperor, who has escaped from the Golden Throne, is determined to get his hands on Comoros.

Moreover, the Emperor was not entirely ignorant of the Comoros. According to Uslan's account, the Emperor had once traveled the Netway with him in his early years, and they had spent a considerable amount of time exploring the Comoros.

The first piece of net material produced is just the beginning. In the coming period, the Imperial Fist Legion, the Silent Sisters, and the Grey Knights will continue to be stationed in the net, providing a good construction environment for the net.

Meanwhile, the mechanical sages like Caul and Rand stayed here to communicate with the Eldar about the techniques for manufacturing spirit bones, and to continuously produce materials that could repair the cracks in the net.

All of this was like a well-wound machine, operating in an orderly and coordinated manner.

……

Meanwhile, in the palace's conference hall, a meeting jointly convened by Makado and Guilliman was slowly unfolding.

All the high lords and officials of the secondary departments on Terra were invited to this meeting.

Everyone knew perfectly well that this was a meeting where Guilliman and Macardo were going to purge the unqualified and incompetent Imperial officials and announce new rules.

The once unparalleled state religion of Terra has been utterly destroyed, and Euphrates Kira has emerged as the ultimate victor. She will reshape the state religion, turning it from the extreme fanaticism of the time when Alfreda was in charge back to its original restraint and rationality.

The vast majority of high lords were delighted by this; no one wanted to see a colossal state religion, as it clearly violated the principle of balance in the political game.

Inside the magnificent conference hall, one Terra Highlord after another was arriving from their respective department offices.

Upon entering the conference hall, the imperial officials present felt the air was so heavy it was almost palpable, a heavy pressure enveloping them and making their hearts sink.

The towering dome depicts the epic panorama of the Emperor's unification of Terra, as well as memorable and praiseworthy scenes from the grand history of the Great Crusade.

The cold, metallic pillars reflected a dim light, illuminating faces that were tense, somber, or forcedly composed.

The high lords of Terra, along with their important subordinate officials within their spheres of influence, took their seats according to ancient rituals and hierarchical order of power.

At the far end of the long table, the Marksman, Makado, a shadowy figure seemingly present since the very beginning of the empire, stood quietly beside the head of the table. His gaze, hidden beneath his hood, was like a cold, sharp blade, sweeping calmly over everyone present.

The high lords only recently learned of the return of the Seal Bearer.

Because of the brutal and high-pressure working environment of the High Lords, they are no longer the group of High Lords personally promoted by Macardo.

However, based on the earnest reminders of their predecessors and the detailed records in the Imperial History Book, they all held Macardo in utmost awe.

Beside Macado, in the true seat of honor, stood Robert Guilliman, clad in cobalt blue power armor, resembling a classical hero sculpture.

The Primarch stood before the main figure, his hands resting on the edge of the long table, his posture as steady as a mountain, exuding an unquestionable authority.

Navigator Ambassador Alicia observed Guilliman out of the corner of her eye, and for some peculiar reason, she dared not look directly at the Primarch.

She also had a lot of entanglements with Guilliman. She opposed Guilliman's Space Bridge plan and was severely criticized by the Primarch.

Later, when Guilliman left Terra in anger because of Alfreda's actions, she hoped that Guilliman could return to Terra and stop Alfreda's crazy ambitions.

Now that Guilliman has returned to Terra and stands before them once more, the Navigator Ambassador is overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

“Perhaps something big will happen today, but…” Alicia sighed inwardly, “I will not be foolish enough to stand against the Primarch again. Making the same mistake once is enough. To do it again would be utterly foolish.”

The heavy, fine gold doors of the conference hall slammed shut, cutting off all outside noise.

"Gentlemen." Guilliman's voice broke the silence, clear and loud, without a trace of emotional fluctuation, yet containing an undeniable sense of power.

"It's a pleasure to see so many familiar faces here. Fifteen years have passed since I left Terra, and I've returned once again to this land that holds so many memories for me." Guilliman warmed up the atmosphere with his opening remarks, and the high-ranking imperial officials present smiled and laughed in response.

"But it is clear that today's meeting is not for reminiscing, otherwise His Excellency the Seal Holder would not have attended in person."

Makado nodded slightly, as if to assert his presence.

"In the past years, our great empire has teetered on the brink of collapse due to the threat of the Ork and internal strife."

The heart of the empire was once corrupted by misguided beliefs and decadent power.

Guilliman paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over the high lords who had shown favor to the state church during Elfreda's time, or those who held positions of power without contributing anything, the meaning in his eyes was self-evident.

Anyone caught in the gaze felt a chill run down their spine.

"Elfreda launched an armed coup and ascended to the throne of the state pope. The extreme fanaticism she promoted has completely deviated from the original intention of the emperor, and the expansion of her power has threatened the foundation of the empire."

Sure enough, the reckoning has begun, the high lords murmured to themselves, not particularly surprised.

Guilliman suffered such a great loss at Alfreda's hands, how could he not retaliate?
“I hereby declare once again that the era of the state church under Elfreda’s rule has ended.” Guilliman’s voice was resolute. “The true pope of the state church, Euphrates Kira, has already purged those former Elfreda’s followers, and she will reshape the state church.”

"Praise be to the Emperor! Our Pope Qile has finally returned!" the Minister of the Interior said, his words filled with sincere admiration.

"This is a great restoration of order. I am very fortunate that someone was able to stop Alfreda's mad rule. This crazy woman has greatly affected the internal order of the empire. Fortunately, it is not too late," the Minister of Justice commented.

Guilliman gave a faint smile and ignored the guys.

"Of course, these definitive conclusions about history are not the key point of this meeting."

"What I really want to say is a thorough reckoning with the inefficiency, dereliction of duty, and even complicity of the imperial bureaucracy."

When Guilliman began to discuss the most intense parts of the play, many imperial officials felt a chill creep down their spines.

Makado, who had remained silent until now, slightly raised his hand, and an invisible wave of psionic energy spread out.

The huge projection screen on the side of the conference hall lit up, ruthlessly listing names, positions, and specific acts of dereliction of duty, corruption, and even clues of secret collusion with the state church during Elfreda's time.

The sheer length and breadth of the list is alarming.

“Those on the list,” Guilliman’s voice was cold and ruthless, “you can choose to surrender to the Imperial Inquisition and face trial.”

"Of course, you can also try to resist or escape if you are confident that you can escape from the Assassin's Court's pursuit."

Guilliman unceremoniously brandished the Inquisition and the Assassin's Guild, slashing at the Highlord Council.

"This is your only chance if your family or faction wants to survive."

The Primarch's gaze swept over several high lords and subordinate officials whose faces instantly turned pale and who were almost slumped in their seats, filled with impatience and disgust.

"The empire does not need parasites, much less traitors."

A somber atmosphere instantly enveloped the entire place, filled with fear and despair.

Many people realized that this meeting was not just a purge, but a complete reshuffling of power.

Just as the oppression reached its peak, Guilliman changed the subject, his tone becoming solemn like never before.

"However, the reason I have gathered you all here today is not only to cleanse the filth of the past, but also to proclaim an exciting message that will illuminate the future of mankind."

He took a deep breath, his voice booming like a great bell, resounding throughout the entire hall:

"The Lord of Mankind, the Emperor, has returned from the Golden Throne!"

"From this moment forward, my father will return to the Empire and lead humanity once again."

Guilliman's declaration was like throwing ice into a pot of boiling oil; the entire conference hall instantly erupted in chaos.

Exclamations, gasps, and incredulous murmurs mingled together.

"The Emperor...has returned?"

"It really is true! Praise be to the Emperor!"

The High Lords were already aware of the Emperor's divine intervention on the battlefield of the State War.

The Emperor's incarnation halted the continuation of this civil war of faith, but this signal did not prove that the Emperor had truly returned.

But now that Guilliman has personally announced the Emperor's return, the credibility of this news is almost a certainty.

It is difficult to describe the feelings of these high-ranking imperial officials in concrete terms.

Ecstasy? Awe? Disbelief? Or perhaps a nameless fear?
The high lords present had all reached the pinnacle of power after the emperor sat on the golden throne.

They held the Lord of mankind in high esteem, almost regarding him as a deity.

The high lords never imagined that they would hear news of the emperor's return in their lifetime.

But the return of the emperor means that they now have a supreme overseer, which is undoubtedly a complete subversion of the existing power structure.

The high lords instinctively resisted this change, which significantly devalued their supreme power.

The high-ranking imperial officials present couldn't help but begin whispering among themselves, sharing their hidden thoughts.

Guilliman and Macardo waited quietly for the storm to pass.

As the clamor subsided, leaving only heavy breathing and countless pairs of bewildered eyes, Guilliman spoke again, dropping the bombshell that truly shook the very foundations of the Empire's power.

"Based on the Emperor's divine will, in order to cope with the dark reality of the galaxy, ensure the Empire can operate efficiently in the harsh wars to come, and avoid the catastrophic consequences of power fragmentation and internal strife."

Guilliman's voice, like a cold machine, delivered a heavy verdict.

"The imperial supreme power structure will be adjusted immediately."

The projection screen behind him changed again, displaying a completely new diagram of the imperial power structure.

"The era of the High Lords Council as the highest authority in the Empire has come to an end."

"Facts have proven that mortals cannot perfectly control an empire, and your performance in dealing with external enemies and internal strife is regrettable."

These words struck the hearts of every high lord like a heavy hammer blow.

Many people's expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with resistance and disbelief.

“However, the High Lords Council has not been dissolved,” Guilliman’s voice continued.

"But the power and functions of the High Lords Council will be redefined and subject to strict checks and balances—it will no longer be the highest decision-making body, but rather the executive and advisory body of the Empire."

On the screen, the symbol representing the Highlords' Council was moved below the core power circle, while above the core, two ancient and prestigious titles shone brightly:

"The Empire will reinstate the supreme positions of [Regent] and [Seal Holder]."

"The Imperial Regent will act on behalf of the Emperor when His Majesty focuses on grander strategic goals, overseeing all military and political affairs of the Empire and serving as the supreme head of the Empire's daily operations."

Guilliman nodded slightly, without offering his own opinion, but the meaning was clear.

“The one who holds the seal.” He looked at Macado beside him.

"As the direct communicator of the Emperor's will, the guardian of the Empire's ancient secrets, and the supervisor of supreme power, his duties and authority are restored to those of the Great Expedition period."

The one who holds the seal will be responsible for overseeing the Regent and the High Lords' Council, ensuring they do not deviate from the Emperor's will and the core interests of the Empire.

On the screen, symbols representing the regent and the seal holder are placed side by side below the emperor, forming a stable triangular core.

The symbols of the High Lords Council revolve around this core, with their responsibilities clearly marked by lines: to be responsible for the execution of their respective areas, to provide advice to the core, and to coordinate collaboration between departments.

Guilliman's gaze swept over the faces of those stripped of their power, some pale and others dejected, and he continued.

"Your wisdom, experience, and mastery of your respective fields remain invaluable to the Empire."

The new structure requires you to focus more on execution efficiency, departmental collaboration, and professional advice, rather than endless political infighting and power struggles.

Your responsibilities have not lessened, but have become clearer and more focused—to serve the Emperor's ideals, to serve the Empire's survival and victory, and to serve the future of humanity.

A strong sense of resistance spontaneously arose among the high lords.

Having grown accustomed to the taste of supreme power, to maneuvering within the Highlord Council, and to influencing the empire's direction with factional interests, how could the Highlords be content to become mere executors?
Their power was substantially and significantly weakened, and the swords of oversight, namely the regent and the seal-holder, hung over their heads, meaning that their proud independence and influence would vanish.

However, no one dared to speak out in rebuttal.

They all knew very well that Guilliman and Macardo were not the source of this change; the emperor who created the human empire was the true mastermind.

The news of the emperor's return was like an invisible shackle, firmly locking their throats and their ambitions.

They might still dare to challenge Guilliman and Macardo, but the Emperor... even the most insane High Lord wouldn't dare to challenge the Emperor.

Guilliman's uncompromising and tough stance, along with the unfathomable and all-knowing Mark of the Palm behind him, Macado, exuded a suffocating sense of oppression.

Inside the meeting hall, the Imperial Guard, who had already executed the Black King's followers and Alfreda's henchmen, reappeared at some unknown time.

These blood-stained imperial guards exuded a strong aura of menace, enough to intimidate any mortals present.

The high lords wanted to continue their struggle, but ultimately, under the absolute power disparity and the intimidation of force, they chose silence and acceptance.

Some people slumped back in their chairs, looking as if they had aged ten years in an instant.

Some people clenched their fists so tightly that their knuckles turned white, but dared not raise them.

Some people's eyes darted around, as if they were rapidly calculating how to protect their own and their faction's interests in the new landscape.

The Minister of the Interior's quill pen moved unconsciously across the data board, leaving meaningless marks.

The Minister of Justice's face was so dark it could drip water, but in the end he could only nod stiffly.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Astral Army straightened his back; for commanders like them in the military field, a clearer chain of command might not be a bad thing.

"This resolution shall take effect immediately."

Guilliman's voice brought the final gavel to this power transition.

"Specific details will be issued later. I hope that you will all be dedicated to your duties for the future of mankind in your new positions."

Inside the conference hall, only the echo of Guilliman's voice could be heard.

At the heart of Terra, under the Emperor's will and Guilliman's iron fist, an unprecedented, painful, and thorough reorganization of power began.

The lingering glow of the old era has completely dissipated, and an order in which power is once again highly centralized and revolves around the emperor has officially begun amidst silent shock and repressive acceptance.

Everyone already knows... the era of the High Lords has ended.

(End of this chapter)