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

Chapter 953 Dawn is Just Around the Corner
The precise strike from subspace severely damaged humanity's second line of defense before it could truly function.

In the void, there were drifting fragments of stars, disintegrating shipwrecks, and human flesh frozen into ice.

Most of the surviving battle planets were also damaged. The Black Stone Obelisk Matrix was overloaded and damaged, the dimensional engine flickered unstablely, and huge noises of equipment failure due to the distortion of physical rules could be heard from inside from time to time.

The once impenetrable defenses now resembled a dam gnawed by a giant beast, riddled with deadly breaches.

As for repairing these celestial fortresses, that would require an extremely long time and the support of a complete industrial system, conditions that are simply not available on this perilous battlefield.

In the direction of the Eye of Fear, visible chaotic energy piled up like a tsunami, foreshadowing the next wave of attacks from warp demons.

Ryan Johnson stood on the command dome of his battle planet, gazing at the apocalyptic scene outside the porthole.

He knew very well that with the current human forces, which had suffered heavy losses, it was almost an impossible task to hold this broken defensive line.

“Dorn.” Ryan’s deep, hoarse voice broke the suffocating silence in the holographic command room.

"Command of the defense line is temporarily handed over to you. Do everything possible to repair the warships and celestial fortresses that can still be repaired, and stabilize our battle line."

“Even if it’s just a ship or a gun emplacement, we need to get them back in operation, even if they can only fire one shell.”

Rogdorn's projection also had a solemn expression, with an unwavering determination in his eyes.

"I understand, I will do everything in my power to stop those demons here."

Perturabo also stated his position: "I will assist Dorne in recalculating the firepower allocation and defensive nodes. We have too many gaps in our defenses right now, and we must make trade-offs."

Ryan nodded, feeling a sense of relief at the reliability of his two brothers.

“I want to return to the surface of Kadia to see my father and Loshi.”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone understood what they meant.

This was tantamount to Ryan admitting that he could no longer turn the tide of the war with the blood and will of his soldiers on the front lines. It was a plea for help, a sign that the Caliban were admitting defeat.

This was unprecedented for Ryan. Even when he fought against the Randan Empire and wiped out two-thirds of the Glory Queen of the Dark Angel Legion, he never asked the Emperor for help.

“I will demand an answer from the Emperor.” Ryan’s voice rose a few decibels. “We can shed our last drop of blood for the Empire and humanity, but we also have the right to know if the Emperor has any plans we do not yet know about.”

He said no more, turned and strode away from the command dome.

Dorn and Perturabo exchanged a glance and instantly realized that the other shared similar thoughts.

“Lyan and the First Legion don’t actually need the Emperor to give them answers; he wants an explanation from us,” Dorn sighed sincerely.

"Our defenses have now suffered a heavy blow, not only physically, but also in terms of morale and spirit."

"Ryan asked the Emperor for answers precisely to boost morale. He wanted to use the Emperor's unparalleled prestige to convince all the warriors that we would definitely achieve final victory."

“Ryan is indeed loyal beyond measure, and his loyalty has never changed.”

Upon hearing Dorn's assessment, Perturabo snorted coldly.

The Iron Lord is arrogant, and there aren't many Primarchs he takes seriously, but Ryan is one of them.

He was only slightly annoyed by Dorn's apparent admiration for Lane, since Dorn had never praised him like that before.

In Perturabo's complex and exceptionally sensitive mind, he always felt that since he considered Dorne to be the most outstanding of the Primarchs, Dorne should naturally reciprocate by considering him the best.

Although his stubbornness has been largely corrected, some of it still remains.

"It would be incredibly difficult for this arrogant Caliban lion to relinquish his pride, but now he is willing to crush it to pieces."

Perturabo spoke sarcastically, but deep down he did indeed have a strong sense of respect for Ryan.

If Ryan had possessed the same level of understanding during the Great Crusade, Perturabo would genuinely consider casting his vote for Warmaster to Lion.

“Hopefully Ryan can bring back some good news,” Dorn said.

"What, do you have inside information that I don't know?" Peturabo asked, frowning immediately.

“I’m with you all day long, so you know what I know,” Dorn replied calmly.

"I simply have faith in the Emperor and in Roxi. They have created the impossible countless times before, and I believe this time will be no different."

……

Using his jungle domain, Lion traversed the still chaotic void at top speed, returning to the surface of Kadia, which was covered with fortifications and black stone obelisks.

Due to the severe impact of the warp storm, most of the human psykers were severely weakened, and the danger of teleportation using the warp also increased significantly.

However, this was obviously not a big problem for Ryan. His jungle domain originated from the awakened warp nature, and he could easily teleport long distances even under the interference of warp storms.

Compared to the horrific situation in the Void, Kadia is relatively stable for the time being.

Beneath the surface of this planet lie countless veins of black stone.

Millions of years ago, the Necromancers used these black stones to create a complete anti-subspace system, the stability of which is unmatched by the black obelisks hastily placed on battle planets by humans.

The reason why Luo Jia only used the ritual to summon a precise strike from the subspace to destroy humanity's battle planetary defenses, instead of destroying Kadia, is that he simply couldn't do that.

However, Ryan's keen sense of smell still detected an increasingly oppressive subspace aura permeating the air, as if the entire planet was groaning under the weight of some invisible behemoth.

Without pausing, he went straight to the sanctuary located deep within the planet's core command fortress.

That place was the center of the Emperor and Lothie's plan concerning the fate of the galaxy.

Outside the sanctuary gates, the heavily guarded Imperial Guards and the Silent Sisters stood solemnly on either side, their faces expressionless, yet Ryan could still sense a very subtle sense of bewilderment and helplessness emanating from them.

Clearly, they had also sensed the terrifying nature of the massive subspace energy explosion that had just occurred.

Ryan ignored them and, after passing the strict inspection of the Imperial Guards, pushed open the huge door carved with the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle.

The moment Ryan stepped into the Sanctuary, the pervasive and suffocating oppression from the outside world vanished instantly, as if completely isolated by an invisible barrier.

His tense nerves and muscles involuntarily relaxed a little; this was the first time he had felt such pure peace since the outbreak of the war.

The lion of Caliban looked around and his gaze settled on the two imposing thrones, each with a distinct style, standing in the center of the vast sanctuary.

The throne beneath the Emperor's throne appears to be a simplified replica of the golden throne in the Terra Palace, cast entirely from an unknown dark gold metal, with subtle and complex psionic runes flowing across its surface.

The Emperor sat upright, and upon seeing Ryan arrive, he also lowered his gaze.

Without needing to communicate verbally, Lane understood perfectly well what the Emperor was doing: he was positioning himself as a powerful anchor, shielding Lothie from the malice of the warp, and protecting this key figure who was irreplaceable in closing the Eye of Terror.

Slightly in front of the Emperor was Roxi's throne.

Compared to a replica of the Golden Throne, it is more like a giant tree that grows from the ground, flowing with silver liquid metal.

Countless fine silver arcs of electricity flowed and leaped across the surface of the throne, emanating a grand aura that instilled an instinctive fear in Ryan.

Loxi was enveloped by the silver throne, her eyes closed, her brows furrowed with the immense weight of the throne.

He was surrounded by a cold, icy power of rules, which was the essential power of the Void Dragon he controlled.

Like a spider weaving its web, Lothie is painstakingly weaving and reinforcing the structure of the surrounding real universe with Kadia at its core, resisting the corrosive force from the depths of the warp that seems to want to dissolve everything.

As Ryan looked at the scene before him, an almost absurd thought popped into his head uncontrollably.

These two... seem to have a particular fondness for the throne?
The emperor had finally escaped the constraints of the golden throne, and now he had found another throne to sit on.

But Ryan immediately and forcefully erased this blasphemous thought.

These two thrones are actually just amplifiers that can better unleash power.

He and the other human warriors were just visible sacrifices as they resisted the warp forces' attack on the front lines, but these two great men were under far greater pressure.

The pressure he was under was nothing compared to that of Rosie and the Emperor.

Ryan strode forward, knelt on one knee in the most standard Imperial military salute, and spoke in a deep voice.

"The Emperor is above."

"Our second line of defense for combat planets has been severely damaged by precision strikes from subspace."

The next attack from the warp demons is imminent, and with our current remaining strength, holding out will be extremely difficult.

Ryan slightly raised his head, his deep black eyes staring directly at the Emperor.

He continued to try to remain calm, but the emperor could still sense the anxiety and unease in his son's heart.

“Father, my warriors and I are willing to shed our last drop of blood for the Empire, but I need to know if we have any untapped tricks up our sleeves.”

If so, humanity's morale desperately needs a boost; we need a hope that can sustain us in continuing the fight.

Ryan thought for a moment and continued.

“You concealed the truth and secrets of the subspace from us back then. Although I understand that you were worried that we would be misled and influenced, concealment is still concealment.”

“I believe that the remaining brothers have proven their loyalty. We can bear everything, instead of leaving you to bear it all alone.”

Although Ryan's words were sincere, in the end, he was still afraid that the Emperor would once again keep secrets from the Primarchs and keep many secrets from him, just like before.

The Great Rebellion has proven that such concealment does far more harm than good, and Ryan earnestly advises the Emperor not to repeat the same mistake.

Upon hearing this, the emperor, seated on his golden throne, turned his gaze to Loxi beside him, a wry smile appearing on his face.

The stereotypes he left in the Primarchs' minds seem difficult to erase completely, and even Ryan suspects that he may be hiding something again.

“Don’t doubt your father. He really didn’t hide anything this time,” Rosie explained. “And with me watching, he had no chance to hide anything.”

Ryan breathed a sigh of relief. Although it sounded somewhat disloyal, he still trusted Rosie's promise more.

At least Rosie's promise has remained valuable to this day, while the Emperor's promise... "We already know why you've come, and the situation outside is indeed not optimistic."

"That natural disaster from the highest heaven was the work of Luo Jia. He orchestrated an unprecedented blood sacrifice to distort the boundary between reality and illusion, guiding that destructive energy to severely damage us."

Upon hearing the name Luo Jia, Ryan clenched his fists instantly, a strong and unforgivable hatred for the traitor rising in his heart.

But he was more concerned about another issue than Luojia.

"Lemanrus led his legion to behead Luo Jia, what is his current situation...?"

Ryan dared not finish his question, fearing he might hear the worst news: the Wolf King, though reckless, should never have perished at the hands of a traitor like Luo Jia.

"Ruth is alright, at least... his life is not in danger. He encountered a lot of trouble during the beheading of Luo Jia, but now the trouble has been temporarily resolved."

The Emperor's answer kept Ryan's nerves on edge, switching between tension and relaxation, but he still hadn't gotten the answer he wanted.

"Father, what kind of big trouble has Ruth encountered?" Ryan asked. Since Ruth could encounter that so-called trouble, they might also encounter it. It would be better to get some information in advance than to be at a loss.

"He met Birac, a name you may not have heard of."

“No, I know it exists. It appears in many ancient records and the memories of demons. It seems to be a very mysterious demon,” Ryan described based on the information in his memory.

“Yes, but not entirely.” The Emperor looked at Ryan and said, “Bilak has regained the blessing of the Four Gods with the help of Loka, which is why I said Russ is in big trouble.”

Ryan felt a sudden tremor in his heart. The shadow cast by Horus, the chosen one of the four gods, still flickered in his memory. He knew all too well how powerful the other party was.

Fortunately, the Emperor said that Ruth was unharmed, which was the best outcome.

"Ruth, along with Vulcan and Corax, have broken free from the main force of the demons and are leading their fleet back to the Cardia defense line at full speed."

"That's great!" Ryan blurted out, a long-lost, heartfelt joy dispelling the gloom between his brows.

"We desperately need troops, and their arrival is just in time!"

This is not only out of brotherhood, but also out of strategic considerations.

The return of the Wolf King, the Salamander Lord, and the Raven Lord, along with their legions, is a godsend for the defenses, which are currently stretched thin.

A smile appeared on the Emperor's face; he had good news to tell Ryan.

"These are not all; Guilliman's mobilization in the rear has been very effective: reinforcements from the White Scars, Blood Angels, Midnight Lords, and Ultramarines are on their way."

He and Makado are continuously transforming the empire's immense potential into strength on the front lines.

"In fact, even if you hadn't come to me, I was planning to tell you this anyway."

"Lane, our enemies have indeed displayed suffocating power, but that only proves they truly don't want our plans to succeed."

"The more the enemy opposes us, the more urgent their opposition, the more it proves that our choice is correct, and that we are right on their most sensitive point."

A series of good news injected a powerful boost into Ryan's heart.

He thought he had reached the end of his rope, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better.

The empire's war machine may have suffered some damage temporarily, but it has not stopped turning.

“Ryan, the darkest hours are indeed tough, but we are not entirely out of control.”

"We acknowledge that it was a bit hasty to immediately begin the plan to shut down the Eye of Terror after having grasped the full nature of the Void Dragon, but the situation isn't too bad right now."

Ryan perked up and listened intently, realizing that there was more to Rosie's words than met the eye.

“This war has never been a battle fought alone by humanity,” Losi said slowly. “Our allies have also responded.”

"As for the Adaling tribe, their Laughing God, Higochi, has personally led his most elite clown troupe, shuttling between the internet and reality. They will support the Kadia defenses when necessary."

"The goddess of life, Aisha, is protecting several Eldar fleets from the Ark; they are on their way."

When Elsa was mentioned, a strange smile seemed to appear on Rosie's lips.

"With Aisha's help, at least the threat posed by those Chaos Demons belonging to Nurgle can be greatly reduced."

"Aisha's power can cure most of the plague viruses, which will undoubtedly reduce the Nurgle army's lethality to a considerable extent."

"Moreover, Aisha's appearance undoubtedly helped to divert the attention of the Nurgle demons. I don't believe that these demons and evil gods who have been fighting amongst themselves for countless years can really maintain a state of unity and cooperation forever."

Eldar's goddess of life, Aisha, originally stayed in the Webpath city of Comoros. Her presence was too sensitive, and whenever she appeared, she would attract Nurgle's close attention.

Normally, Lothie might worry that Elsa is being eyed by Nurgle, but at this critical moment, the more attention Nurgle pays to Elsa, the better the situation for humanity becomes.

If necessary, sacrificing Elsa to get Nurgle to leave the Four Gods Alliance is a viable option in Lothie and the Emperor's plan.

After the war began and reached a stalemate, Lothie sent someone to Comoros to invite Aisha to join the battle at the Eye of Terror. He was worried that Aisha might be afraid to fight and might be captured by Nurgle again.

However, Loshi underestimated the compassion and benevolence of this goddess of life. After receiving the news, Aisha set off almost immediately. She first summoned several Ark Worlds that believed in her, and after gathering all their power, she joined up with Higoki.

“That’s wonderful that those Spirit Race gods are also willing to help,” Ryan said excitedly.

Although he disliked aliens, those who were willing to help in times of crisis were a different story.

"And Tarasin, that guy has also brought a lot of good news." Loshi didn't give Ryan a chance to react and continued.

"He told me that he had persuaded the Viscount of the Nihirak dynasty to grant us temporary access to a batch of Star God fragments, and that he would come to help us with a fleet of undead."

“A fragment of the Star God?!” Ryan’s heart skipped a beat.

He knew all too well the value of this thing; one could say that the Star God Fragment was the key to truly ending this war and repairing the Eye of Fear.

This is absolutely the best news yet!

A strong hope ignited in Ryan's heart. He no longer felt powerless, no longer felt that he was facing endless darkness and terrifying enemies alone.

Humans, the Eldar, the green-skinned orcs, and even the elusive Necromancers of space—the forces in the galaxy capable of resisting chaos are coalescing like never before.

"I understand, Father. Rest assured, the Kadia defense line will hold out to the very end! My brothers and I will fight to the last moment, until dawn!"

Ryan's voice was filled with unprecedented determination and strength, and his previous confusion and anxiety had been swept away.

The Emperor and Lothie nodded slightly, then closed their eyes again, focusing more intently on guiding the power of the Void Dragon, engaging in a silent struggle against the increasingly turbulent warp storms outside.

Ryan didn't linger; he resolutely turned and strode away from the sanctuary.

He had to return to the front lines immediately to bring this good news to the soldiers who were fighting a bloody battle.

The darkness may still be thick, but he has already seen the dawn approaching.

When Ryan Johnson reappeared in the command center of the battle planet, accompanied by a faint spatial ripple, all the anxious eyes instantly focused on him.

Dorn and Perturabo immediately looked up from their holographic tactical consoles, and senior commanders such as Danteok held their breath; an almost frozen anticipation filled the air.

Ryan didn't keep anyone in suspense. He stood in front of the command platform, and his calm and powerful voice clearly resounded throughout the entire command center, connecting to all the warships, fortresses, and positions that were still in contact via the communication network.

“Brothers,” he began, “I have brought extremely important information.”

He looked around, taking in the deep-seated worry and longing in the eyes of every Primarch and every Commander.

Ryan then told everyone about his conversation with the Emperor and Loshi.

The Primarchs were all shocked, and then a feeling of ecstasy welled up inside them.

"We should share this good news with all the human soldiers who are holding the line in Kadia."

"Tell them that the Empire will prevail, and humanity will prevail."

The three Primarchs exchanged glances and instantly reached a consensus.

They strode towards the global broadcast array, determined to spread this flame of hope throughout the entire Cardia defense line.

Before long, the Primarchs’ rousing voices rang out from all the warships, battle planets, and void fortresses that could still receive signals.

"Warriors of the Empire! I am Ryan Johnson!"

The Lion King's voice was incredibly familiar to these warriors, and almost everyone instinctively perked up, listening intently to what Ryan would say next.

"I know your exhaustion and doubts. We have suffered unimaginable blows. We have lost countless brothers and comrades. The defense line beneath our feet is riddled with wounds!"

"But I stand here not to speak of despair! But to tell you that hope has never left, and victory is still within reach!"

"The Wolf King Ruth, the Salamander Lord Vulcan, and the Raven Lord Corax are returning with their fearless legions! They will stand with us and turn this shattered defense into a graveyard for demons!" Rogdorn's voice followed.

"Reinforcements from all corners of the Empire are gathering, and the Imperial Regent is doing everything he can to mobilize troops for us. We are not fighting alone; the Empire is with us!"

Hearing Dorn's speech, many soldiers who had been feeling tired and numb suddenly felt their negative emotions fade away and their courage reappeared.

"The Eldar, the Necromancers, the Orcs—our former enemies, now allies—will stand with us on the same front against those damned Warp enemies."

"Warriors of the Emperor, grip your weapons tightly! Hold your ground! Let those monsters that crawl out of the abyss see the courage of mankind!"

"We will hold this position!"

"We will fight to the very end!"

"We will win!"

"For the Emperor! For humanity! For the future of the galaxy!"

The billions of humans stationed along the entire Cadia defense line let out deafening shouts and roars!
"For the Emperor! For humanity! For the future of the galaxy!"

Cheers and battle cries erupted from every warship, every position, and every fortress, merging into an unstoppable wave of sound that swept across the entire cold void.

(End of this chapter)