Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 532 Headless Senior
"I never imagined I would return to the Empire in this way."

A woman of extremely tall stature, resembling a mobile fortress, stood in Chen Xi's governor's office and uttered a low sigh.

Her voice, with its metallic quality, echoed in the slightly cramped space.

Although Chen Xi's governor's office was spacious, it still felt cramped in front of this visitor.

The towering data board, the heavy solid wood desk, and the star map that occupied one wall all became the backdrop for her enormous figure.

The ceiling seemed to have lowered a bit.

Although she is also a Primarch, her body is not covered by Terminator-type heavy armor, but by a set of intricately structured, ring-plate-like power armor similar to the MK2.

Her arms were bare, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen—not armor, but the very essence of her limbs.

A large and complex power backpack was integrated behind her, with the outlines of a plasma generator, a chainsaw sword interface, a molten gun barrel, and various tools that Chen Xi did not recognize vaguely visible.

Her iron hands, gleaming with a cold, hard silver light, were firmly gripping a power hammer that was proportionate to her size, meticulously crafted, and covered in battle marks. The hammerhead was heavy, as if it could easily shatter armor.

"Just asking," Chen Xi looked up at the giant-like visitor, trying to break the invisible pressure in the air with a light tone, "how does it feel to have a head?"

He was referring to the other person's perfectly intact head, which was now slightly lowered and looking down at him.

Upon hearing this, Felus Manus—the Primarch of the Steel Hand of the Tenth Legion—slowly raised his cold, metallic hand and stroked his neck.

Her movements carried an almost deliberate precision.

After a brief silence, she spoke, her voice low and distant: "The excruciating pain of being beheaded by Fugen... feels like just yesterday."

Wandering headless, or possessing a head... the essential difference may not be as great as imagined.

Her gaze seemed to pierce through the wall, landing on the distant and bloody past. "If I had been more restrained back then... or noticed Fugen's change earlier... the outcome might have been different."

This answer, filled with deep regret and self-analysis, instantly froze the smile on Chen Xi's face.

Although he knew that these chess pieces possessed their own memories and thoughts, the tone of his exclamation...

Old Man Huang, please don't cause trouble in secret, shall we?
Chen Xi was unsure and looked at the person in front of her with a hint of suspicion.

Felus Manus, one of the Empire's Great Technique Masters, was known as one of the Empire's two Great Technique Masters along with Vulcan, the Lord of Dragons. He was the best brother and buddy of Slaanesh Prince Fuggen. He was beheaded by Fuggen in the Battle of Istaván, hence he was also known as Felus the Headless or Headless Primarch. He was the first Primarch to die in the loyalist faction.

Chen Xi ultimately chose to invest her "chess piece" precisely because of the urgent need for cutting-edge technology research and development.

He needs her wisdom and experience.

As for why Vulcan, the Lord of the Dragons, or that "twisted man" (referring to Peturabo) were not chosen, the main reason was to consider the impact after being incorporated into the Primarch.

Vulcan is the Loyalist Primarch, while Perturabau is the Fallen; both are still alive (Vulcan's whereabouts are a mystery, while Perturabau is definitively identified as the Demon Prince), and there is no confirmed record of their deaths.

Chen Xi didn't know what would happen if he rashly placed their corresponding pieces.

On the loyalist side, the situation might be relatively controllable: at most, the old emperor will let the official version of the game "play on his behalf".

Guilliman may be extremely uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of a woman's body, but as the regent of the empire, he will likely adapt eventually due to the greater good.

Despite his seemingly rough appearance, Wolf King Lemanrus is actually quite shrewd and likely doesn't care much about changes in form, focusing more on practical use.

The Khan might use his signature sharp wit to make a few sarcastic remarks about "the eagle-like man turning into an eagle-like woman," but given his easygoing nature, he wouldn't really stand in the way.

After sleeping for thousands of years, Lion King Ryan has become much calmer. He might feel resentful about it for a while, but he's unlikely to turn on you.

Saint Gilles… Chen Xi shook his head inwardly, thinking of the possible reaction of this perfect Primarch. As for the others, their reactions would probably be similar.

However, the situation was completely different on the Chaos side.

Chen Xi had no desire to face: Fugen, who might enthusiastically invite (or rather, force) him to join the endless feast of depravity; Angron, wielding a blood axe, who only wanted to chop him to pieces; Mortarion, who was surrounded by deadly plague and despair; and Perturabo, whose thoughts were unpredictable and who was easily offended... That would be an absolutely disastrous situation.

"The past is the past," Chen Xi cleared his throat, trying to steer the conversation back to reality. "The Great Rebellion is now dust in the past."

"Your Excellency Ferrus, we must focus on the present."

He emphasized the word "now".

"No need for honorifics, just call me Ferrus."

Ferrus responded, gently placing the giant hammer in his hand on the thick alloy floor, producing a dull thud.

She sat cross-legged with her large body, and even so, her gaze was still almost level with Chen Xi, who was standing.

"I have a preliminary understanding of the current situation."

The empire stands on the edge of a precipice, and a new dark age—a calamity comparable to the 'Old Night'—is about to descend.

"But this time..." A sharp glint flashed in her silver eyes, "our father can no longer turn the tide."

“That’s true,” Chen Xi nodded in acknowledgment of Ferrus’s grim assessment, but then his tone became firm. “But we are not without hope.”

The Emperor sent me into this world precisely to find a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

After ten years of hard work, I have established a firm foothold in the Rostov sub-sector.

Although limited in size, it still had thousands of Astartes and a legion of millions of mortals.

If the darkest night truly arrives, this force will become the spark that protects the empire.

He then shifted his focus, revealing the core dilemma: "However, the biggest constraint we face now is industrial capacity!"

The production rate of military equipment could not keep up with demand, which severely limited the expansion of power.

This is exactly where I need your help, Feralas.

I need your help to upgrade the industrial capacity of the entire Rostov subsector, laying the foundation for a future expedition that could turn the tide of war.

Ferrus nodded slowly, showing no surprise.

“I understand.” As the Primarch who had personally participated in and deeply understood the logistics of the Imperial Expedition, she knew all too well the rules governing the operation of the war machine.

"This is a very real and urgent need. War is never just about the bravery of soldiers on the front lines. The strength of an army depends on the solidity of its logistical support." Her words carried the certainty of someone who had personally experienced the Great Expedition, her silver eyes gleaming slightly. "Even when the Emperor launched the Great Expedition, it was inseparable from the full support of the Lunar Genetic Cult, the Martian Mechanicus, and the Saturnian Technological Consortium in order to accumulate the immense power to support the legion-level consumption."

Her gaze shifted to Chen Xi, a hint of approval in her eyes. "With the production capacity of just one subsector, you've managed to support thousands of Astartes and millions of mortal armies... That's already a remarkable achievement."

"We're barely managing," Chen Xi nodded slightly, her tone tinged with self-deprecation. "That's why we need your help even more. Feel free to tell us your specific needs."

“I may not be able to help you with anything else,” Felus said, cracking his signature silver fists, the metal knuckles making a clear, powerful clanging sound. “But I should be able to handle some technical matters.”

This is precisely Chen Xi's core purpose in investing in her.

(End of this chapter)