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

Chapter 919 The Arrival of the Silent King

Although Lothie and the Emperor have made up their minds to take action against the fragments of the Void Dragon Magladros, they must do so only after making thorough preparations.

Even though the fragments of the Void Dragon were defeated by the Emperor long ago and sealed in the Labyrinth of Eternal Night, no one would underestimate this terrifying existence.

After all, the reason that evil dragon from outer space failed was simply because it was too unlucky and encountered the most unreasonable psionic being.

After temporarily leaving the Emperor, Lothie planned to find Tarasin and Danteok to share the results of his discussion with the Emperor and see how they would react.

Of course, what Rosie was mainly looking at was Tarasin's reaction.

Given Danteok's loyalty to the Emperor, getting him involved in the whole affair would only require a single word from the Lord of Man.

Even after merging with the Star God fragments, Danteok remained as steadfast in his faith in the Emperor and his love for humanity as ever.

Talasi, who had been humiliated by the Laughing God, seemed to be in a bad mood. He was wandering around the Terran Palace alone with his Staff of Annihilation of Empathy, seemingly admiring various ancient artifacts and collections.

However, two imperial guards clad in golden armor followed closely behind him, extremely wary of the appearance of a space necromancer, an alien overlord, in the palace.

Of course, this vigilance is not only about being wary of aliens, but also about being cautious of Tarachin's "infamous" reputation.

Even the Imperial Guard knew that among the alien race of the Necromancers, there existed an extremely peculiar individual who was very keen on stealing the treasures and artifacts of other civilizations.

At first, the Royal Guards scoffed at this, not believing that anything could possibly dare to lay a hand on them right under their noses, in the heart of the Holy Terra's palace.

But it wasn't until one day, when a member of the Imperial Guard discovered a few suspicious metal fragments in the palace's ventilation ducts, that they became alert and thoroughly searched the interior of the palace.

They found nothing unusual, except that the Defiant Glatus-class Dreadnought stored in the war reserve warehouse seemed to have been moved, and they also found metal fragments on the ground that resembled those in the ventilation ducts.

Following this lead, the Imperial Guard eventually apprehended Tarasin, the plenipotentiary ambassador of the Necromancers in Terra.

The situation was quite awkward at the time, as Tarachin insisted that he was there to "visit" the various ancient dreadnoughts in service with the Imperial Guard.

However, the Imperial Guard saw through the guy's lie. Tarasin was simply planning to come back a second time after he was more prepared because he couldn't take the Glatus-class Dreadnought the first time he came.

The metal fragments found by the royal guards were actually living tissue that had detached normally from Tarasin's body.

Since gaining a soul, Tarasin's body has undergone many different changes.

The most important point is that he has developed a special metabolic characteristic, and he is now a living being, rather than a dead thing like a conventional space necromancer.

In the end, it was Lothie who stepped in to save Tarasin. The Imperial Guards were not so easy to talk to. Even though he was the plenipotentiary ambassador of the Necromancers, they planned to punish him by locking him up in the Shadow Prison beneath the palace.

"Oh, my friend, look at these big, golden geezers! They're so unfriendly to their allies, treating me like a thief and guarding against me like the plague."

"This is distrust, a chilling suspicion! I'm going to take this to the Emperor!"

Seeing Loshi approaching, Tarasin suddenly put on an incredibly enthusiastic smile and then jogged over to Loshi to complain.

"I have just finished speaking with your emperor and am looking forward to taking a good look at this great architectural complex that bears witness to human history and to appreciating the culture and wisdom of humankind."

"What malice could I possibly have? Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain, and you have disappointed me greatly."

Loshi's lips twitched. He knew Tarasin's nature all too well. This guy was a leopard that couldn't change its spots. As long as he saw something rare and precious, his desire to collect would start to grow uncontrollably.

"I need to speak with Tarasin. You can all go now. I'll keep an eye on him."

Upon hearing Roch's order, the Imperial Guard wisely chose to obey.

Although in principle they only obey the orders of the Emperor and the Commander of the Imperial Guard, and even the Seal Holder cannot give them direct orders, given the close relationship between Roxi and the Emperor, he is the one who follows the principle.

Seeing that the annoying royal guards had finally left, Tarachin made no attempt to hide his arrogance and smugness, laughing incessantly.

"If I had known your name was so useful, I would have used it sooner. Why would I be chasing after these limited edition Emperor figurines?"

Taracin said in a strange tone that for him, the "master thief" of the galaxy, being caught by the guards was undoubtedly a very disgraceful thing and a stain on his record.

"Limited edition figurine?"

When Loshi heard this word, he was stunned for a moment, but he quickly realized what Tarasin meant.

"Yes, it is incredibly expensive to build, and its actual performance is only slightly better than your original Space Marines, and it has always been hovering around your Emperor."

Tarasin continued to complain.

"More importantly, the people protected by your Imperial Guard are the most powerful individuals in the entire galaxy. When they exert their full strength, they can even go toe-to-toe with the evil gods in the warp."

"What exactly are these imperial guards protecting? Does the emperor need their protection?"

"What's the difference between this flashy but impractical thing and a limited edition figurine? Besides, I bet your Emperor is a big fan of gold."

Taracin pointed with absolute certainty to the golden armor of the royal guards who had not yet gone far, and to the golden decorations that filled the palace.

Loshi simply pursed his lips and remained silent. With the Guards' hearing, he could naturally hear everything clearly. If Tarasin was determined to provoke the Guards, then he could only watch the show from the sidelines.

Hopefully, the next time Tarasim is caught stealing palace treasures, he won't be beaten up by the royal guards.

"If you really want those Imperial Guard's Dreadnought mechs, just tell me directly. Why do you have to go to their war reserve warehouse yourself?"

"Nonsense, how can it be the same if you just give it to me and I have to get it myself? It's an insult to my position as the curator of the Solemnas Museum."

"This is an art form that you may not understand."

Lositon was speechless; perhaps this was Tarasin's persistence.

"You came to see me because you have something to say, right? Just say it directly, don't beat around the bush."

Tarachin could tell that Lothie hadn't come here just to chat, especially since the human leadership had just held an important meeting with the Necromancers and the Adalin to repair the Eye of Terror.

"Alright, then I'll just get straight to the point."

Seeing that Taracin was so easy to talk to, Loxi stopped hiding her tongue and spoke directly.

"If, and I mean if, humanity were to demand the Star God fragments from the undead in space, is there any possibility of success?"

"And these Star God fragments may be quite numerous."

Upon hearing this, Tarasin frowned, his face, which was even more lifelike than that of an ordinary space undead, twisting slightly.

"Fragments of the Star God? What do you want with that?"

It's fortunate that Taraxin has an exceptionally good relationship with humans; otherwise, if it were anyone else, and they had dared to suggest coveting the Stargod fragments from a space necromantic overlord, the World Engine might have already arrived at their doorstep and turned their home into a mine.

The Necromancers of Space possess many cutting-edge technologies, but their most advanced technology undoubtedly consists of those unreasonable fragments of the Star Gods.

Each Star God fragment is a truly inexhaustible source of energy, differing only in size and energy output.

The Necromancers of the Space Kingdom guard numerous Star God fragments and, utilizing their respective technological trees and the magical abilities of these fragments, have created a multitude of powerful and destructive weapons.

However, the Star God Fragment is not without the possibility of escaping. After all, a low-probability event will eventually happen if given enough time to try and fail.

Just as an infinite number of monkeys randomly typing on a keyboard will inevitably one day produce a copy of Hamlet.

"Don't worry, we have no intention of turning the Star God fragments into weapons of war," Loxi mentioned first, then continued.

"The Emperor and I both believe that one of the most important reasons why our universe has always been at a disadvantage in its struggle against the warp is that most of the Star Gods, who represent the laws of physics, have been shattered."

"Therefore, we want to restore some of the star gods related to [time], [space], and [order] to their wholeness."

"Of course, we will find a way to control the Star God."

"Furthermore, we will deploy these Star Gods within the Eye of Fear, allowing them to continuously strengthen the intensity of the rules of the real universe in that region."

"It would be best to combine it with some black stone obelisks to create an anti-phantom matrix field, laying the groundwork for the universe to heal its scars."

Loshi briefly recounted the conversation, while Tarasin listened with a furrowed brow.

His heart was pounding wildly. The Overlord knew that if the judges of the Necropolis Court found out about what he and Loxi were talking about, it would be enough to put him on trial on the spot.

Although he was not afraid of these things because he had the support of the Nihilakh dynasty, he did not want to jump back and forth on the red line that all the undead dynasties feared most.

He knew very well what he could and couldn't do.

"You've really given me a tough problem, Loshi," Tara said with a pained expression, pacing back and forth unconsciously as she pondered the issue.

“Madmen…you humans are truly one of the craziest races I’ve ever seen.”

“Countless races lived in constant fear under the threat of the Star Gods, and you actually want to resurrect a few Star Gods, this…”

Tarachin finally stopped, shook his head, but his tone carried an undisguised interest.

"But perhaps it is precisely because of this madness that you have been able to get to where you are today in this desperate universe."

"From natives of a primitive planet to rulers of the entire Galactic Empire, your progress has been remarkably rapid."

“From my personal perspective, I would be happy to offer some assistance: including the personality traits and weaknesses of certain star gods, their historical behavior, and the various methods our race uses to fight against these star gods.”

"But asking me to hand over the Star God fragments is beyond my capabilities. At most, I can only tell you the coordinates of some Star God fragments within human territory."

"For example, Mars, you should know about it, Fenris, it has a fragment of the Burner hidden there..."

Rosie breathed a slight sigh of relief; she knew this was the best possible start.

Often, there's no need to express a direct opinion; no objection is tacit approval, and beyond that, it's beyond Tarasin's control.

While the two were still talking, Danteok had already returned to the palace through the network and arrived in front of Loxi.

This former Iron Warrior, now the leader of the Reborn Steel Legion, looks no different from an ordinary Astartes who has been through the baptism of war.

His power armor is engraved with the emblem of steel and the Imperial double-headed eagle, telling the story of his tortuous past and unwavering present, but within him lies a terrifying power capable of distorting time and crushing planets.

His fusion with the fragments of the ruler Zahurash made him almost a humanoid star god.

"See? Just say 'fragment,' and the fragment arrives."

Tarasin saw Danteok approaching and immediately spoke.

"A living, walking example: humans always manage to do things that amaze me."

Danteok gave Loshi a respectful Eagle salute, while giving Tarasin a wary nod.

He had clearly just returned from the front lines of network construction in the Comoros; his armor still carried a faint, distinctive Comorian scent—the smell of destruction and rebirth.

"My lord, you have summoned me." Danteok's voice was steady, like the friction of steel.

“Yes, Danteok.” Loshi’s expression was grave. “We are discussing an extremely important and extremely dangerous plan, and this plan needs your help.”

"The Emperor and I intend to use the power of the Star God Fragments to heal the scars on the Eye of Terror universe." He briefly explained his deductions and preliminary plans with the Emperor to Danteok, including the attempt to guide the power of the Star God's rules to strengthen the real universe, and the possibility of eventually facing the Void Dragon Fragments.

Danteok listened quietly, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever, as if he were listening to a routine tactical briefing.

But when he heard the name "Void Dragon Magladros", his fist at his waist clenched almost imperceptibly.

By reading Zahurash's memories, Danteok clearly understood what the Void Dragon was and how powerful it was.

Zahurash would struggle to even protect himself in the face of a fully-fledged Void Dragon.

"Tarasin is worried that if the Star God fragments are made whole again, even if only partially whole, they could create an uncontrollable and terrifying entity that is hostile to all intelligent life."

"The concerns of the space necromancers are entirely reasonable, and we fully understand them." Loshi turned to Taracin and continued the previous topic.

Tarachin crossed his arms, the Staff of Annihilation resting diagonally on his shoulder.

"Understanding? Understanding alone is not enough, Rosie. It is the fear and hatred etched into the soul of every one of us who fears death."

Those Katans deceived us, devouring our souls with their so-called biotransformation and enslaving us for a long time.

We paid an unimaginable price to tear them apart and then imprison them.

Now you're telling me you're going to open the cage, and even plan to nourish the 'beasts' inside? Just to deal with another disaster?

"What you need to do is not to persuade me, but to persuade the other undead dynasties, or rather... persuade the Tri-Holy Council."

“We are not unleashing beasts, Tarasin,” Loshi emphasized again. “What we want are tools, tools stripped of their brains, tools that are left with only the pure power of the rules.”

Our ultimate goal is not the complete Star Gods, but the essential nature of the rules that these Star Gods symbolize.

“You’re being far too idealistic,” Taracin retorted. “Tools? What kind of tools can guarantee absolute control? The will of the Star God is incredibly powerful.”

He pointed to Danteok: "This Astartes succeeded, yes, it's a miracle, but can you replicate this miracle?"

What works on rulers also works on void dragons? Is there no limit to your human willpower?

“You have no idea how terrifying a Void Dragon in its prime is. With just a wave of its hand, matter can be reorganized according to its will. Destroying our world engine is as easy as drinking water for it.”

“Lord Tarasin, I have personally experienced your concerns, and I think I am qualified to speak about my feelings.” At this moment, Danteok spoke up.

Immediately all eyes were on him, and Tarasin wisely shut his mouth.

"The fusion with the fragments of the Overlord... is a contest of the limits of will," Danteok said slowly.

“At that time, the fragments of Zahurash wanted to possess my body and then escape from the lighthouse in Sosa, so I had no choice but to engage in a battle of wills with Him.”

"The will of the Star God is very powerful. This comes from the natural difference between our different life forms. The will of humans is naturally insignificant, while the will of the Star God is naturally immense."

"But this does not mean that humanity is doomed, because the Star Gods often do not truly understand the source of their power."

Danteok's views quickly aroused Tarasin's great interest.

These were novel viewpoints even for the Necromancer of Space, offering a deeper analysis of the nature of the Star Gods. Whether right or wrong, he had to listen carefully.

"The Star Gods are born powerful. Their power is without reason. This is both their strength and their weakness."

"The universe endowed them with great power, but it also made them stand too high and become too arrogant."

"But willpower is special. Even a tiny mortal may not be unable to defeat a star god in the realm of willpower."

"The same steel, after special treatment, can cut other steels as easily as cutting through mud."

"My beliefs, my memories, my loyalty to the Emperor and to mankind—these constitute my will."

The will of the Star God originates from a personified consciousness born from pure rules. It has not undergone much tempering, and is vast yet superficial, powerful yet hollow.

I did not shatter it with force, but rather covered it with my will, reshaping the fragments of the ruler as if recasting steel.

Tarasin's eyes flickered, as if he were quickly analyzing every detail in Danteok's words.

"An interesting argument, but it remains an isolated case, a success under special conditions."

What if we face even more powerful fragments of the Star God? Can your will still overwrite and reshape the will of the Star God?

“Therefore, we need to prepare to use every means to weaken the will of the Star God fragments,” Losi continued.

"As your friend, I don't really want you to take risks."

After listening, Tarasin sighed.

"Even with the knowledge I provide, and even with the example of Danteok, the chances of success are still pitifully slim."

Magradiros… that incredibly cunning and powerful star god, even as a fragment, possesses a will whose complexity and intensity far exceed your imagination.”

“We know the risks,” Losi said in a deep voice, “but some roads must be walked by someone.”

"At least for now, this is the only way to hopefully repair the Eye of Fear and restart the universe, making our future brighter."

"If there were any other way to repair the Eye of Fear, we would not have made this risky attempt."

Tarasin glanced at Danteok, then at Loshi, and finally shook his head, muttering, "Madmen, madmen, but I'm starting to like your kind of madness."

“Those old folks of our clan have long lost their ambition. Having lost their souls, they are lost in the fog of meaninglessness in their existence.”

Tarasin's metal fingers tapped the Transference Annihilation Staff unconsciously, producing a crisp, rhythmic tapping sound.

Finally, he seemed to have made up his mind.

"Never mind, never mind..." he sighed, his tone carrying a resigned irony, yet also containing a hint of ignited passion.

"Since you're so determined to play this game of fire that could burn through the Milky Way, then I, as the cultural relics administrator, have no choice but to play along to the end."

He straightened up and his tone became more formal: "My personal influence is really not enough, and once you start large-scale operations, it will be impossible to hide it from the Three Holy Council and the surveillance of those ancient dynasties."

Rather than passively facing trial and military intervention at that time, it's better to take the initiative.

"What are your thoughts?" Rose asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We speak directly with the people who are in charge. I can contact the Silent King, the leader of the Triune Council. Although he has destroyed the Master Control Agreement and banished himself from the galaxy, his words still carry great weight.”

If he approves of your plan, or at least doesn't strongly oppose it, then you will face much less resistance, and may even receive some unexpected tacit approval or limited assistance from within the necromancy.

To speak directly with the King of Silence?

Losi was shocked; this undoubtedly elevated the plan to the highest diplomatic and political level.

“Would the Silent King be willing to talk to us? Especially about such a taboo topic as the Star God?” Loshi asked cautiously.

“Under normal circumstances, it would be absolutely impossible,” Tarasin replied bluntly, “but these are extraordinary times.”

"As far as I know, he values ​​you highly; it was on his orders that I found you in the first place."

"Szalak understands the crisis facing the universe better than anyone else, and is more eager than anyone else to find a complete solution."

His decision to leave the galaxy was partly a form of self-exile, but wasn't it also a way of finding a way to completely resolve the problems of the Star Gods and the subspace outside the galaxy?

The idea you proposed, though crazy, might be one of the 'possibilities' he's been waiting for, so it's worth a try.

Taracin looked at Loshi: "How about it? Dare to take a gamble? I'll try to contact him, convey your intentions, and request a high-level informal consultation."

Loshi and Danteok exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.

This is undoubtedly a very risky step. If the Silent King refuses outright or even sees it as a provocation, the consequences will be unimaginable.

However, if successful, the rewards will also be enormous.

“We’re taking the gamble,” Loshi said in a deep voice. “For the future of the galaxy, it’s worth the risk. Please contact the Silent King, Tarasin.”

“Very good!” Tarachin seemed quite satisfied with the answer. “Then, find me a quiet and sturdy enough room.”

Soon after, in a heavily fortified secret chamber deep within the palace, Tarasin began his call.

He did not use any visible communication devices, but stood in the center of the room, holding the Transference Annihilation Staff with both hands and slamming it to the ground.

An invisible, powerful energy wave spread out from him, distorting the light in the secret room and making the air seem like a viscous liquid.

The living metal inside Tarasin emitted a faint hum, as if he were under immense pressure.

This strange "call" lasted for several minutes.

Suddenly, all the strange phenomena subsided instantly, as if they had been abruptly severed by an invisible hand.

The space in the center of the secret room shattered like glass, and a door made of pure material force opened abruptly.

Some incomprehensible force of rules opened a passage between Szalak and Terra.

Through the door, the three saw the entity they wanted to talk to.

His figure was extremely tall, even taller than the original, and he was dressed in an ancient and simple metal robe, holding the Scepter of Eternal Glory in his hand.

Only a few people know that the Silent King's cloak is made from the living metallic skin of the Star God Burner, a trophy of Szalak, whom the Silent King personally defeated and skinned.

Without any superfluous movements, the figure before him naturally exuded a breathtaking majesty that transcended millions of years, sending a chill down one's spine.

The supreme ruler of the necromancers, the Silent King Szalak, sent one of his avatars here through some kind of teleportation technology.

His gaze first swept over Tarasin, and then his cold eyes fell on Loshi and Danteok.

"Homage to the great Triune Council, the great Silent King." Talasien bowed respectfully, his tone more solemn than ever before. "Thank you for answering the call."

The Silent King's gaze returned to Tarachin, and then two of the Triune Council's Hierophants appeared behind him, speaking on his behalf.

[Tarasin, you have interfered with my navigation by using the highest-level emergency channel. State your reasons, preferably in proportion to the cost.]

Taracin dared not delay and immediately transmitted Loshi and the Emperor's ideas—the plan to use the power of the Star God Fragments' rules to repair the universe and fight against the warp—in a highly condensed information packet.

Szalak listened quietly.

After a long silence, the Viper beside Szalak spoke again.

Humans, do you know what you're proposing? To toy with power you cannot even comprehend. The Star Gods are not toys.

[Tarasin, you actually agree to go along with humans' nonsense?]

(End of this chapter)