Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 582 Voices of Doubt
The deafening sound of the door being broken down echoed and reverberated through the cold metal walls of the Wandu Hall, like an ominous alarm bell trembling within the adamantite skeleton.

Felus stood before the billowing smoke and the tattered remains of the "pseudo-prime" puppet.

The "Gorgon Skin" covering her right arm was gradually calming its silvery-gray fluctuations, like a lurking liquid metal python, its surface flowing with an inhuman cold light.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of ozone, the acrid smell of molten cables, and a deeper, more primal tremor—the entire Karada fortress seemed to be whispering, responding to the return of the bloodline.

The Ironfathers of the ten clans stood frozen like silent statues, the nerve data cables hanging from the back of their necks swaying slightly in the cold air.

Shock, illogical confusion, and an instinctive awe that was forcibly suppressed yet could not be eradicated etched distorted marks on their highly mechanized metallic faces, while servo motors emitted subtle and discordant hums.

Gastaff Ironfather of the Skryl clan was the first to break the suffocating silence.

His electronic eyes, flashing like overloaded searchlights, were fixed on Feralus's unnatural right arm. His microphone unleashed a shrill, grating electronic voice, dripping with revulsion: "Lies! Blasphemy! The Father of Genetics fell in Istvan V! His sacred body was desecrated by the traitor Fugen! What you see before you… that arm! It reeks of alien technology! This is a trap! An attempt to corrupt the pure logical foundation of the Steel Hand, to undermine our power!"

He took a sudden step forward, his power fist clenched tightly, and the servo motor emitted a threatening growl, "She can never be the leader of the Gorgons! She's an imposter!"

Gastaff's accusations were like a boulder thrown into a stagnant pool.

Validian Ironfather of the Valan clan immediately chimed in, his voice carrying a technical coldness and deep doubt: "The sensor data... the biosignal intensity is indeed at the Primarch level, but the morphological parameters deviate significantly from the Father of Genes recorded in the Holy Scriptures! Gastaff Ironfather's doubts... have a logical basis."

Identity must undergo the Empire's highest and most rigorous verification standards! Initiate genetic mapping comparison from the fortress's core database! If necessary, perform a soul essence scan! Until then, identity is questionable; threat level: extremely high!

The hum of the processors operating at high speed in the hall suddenly rose, like a swarm of bees stirring.

The extremist Iron Father's gaze sharpened like a knife, and some neutrals also showed vigilance. The atmosphere was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring, ready to explode at any moment.

Just as this critical point was about to break, a calm yet refined voice, as if forged from pure gold and piercing through all the noise, rang out: "Questioning the return of a Primarch is a duty that every citizen of the Empire must exercise with utmost care, and it is also a matter of the very foundation of the Iron Hand Legion's survival."

Chen Xi slowly stepped out from the shadow behind Felus, which symbolized the absolute authority of the court, and stood slightly in front of her.

His black inquisitor's robe, embroidered with a scarlet emblem, was like a frozen night, and the insignia of the Lord Inquisitor of the Exile Order on his chest—a emblem that seemed to be carved from congealed blood—reflected the cold gleam of the highest authority of the Imperial Ministry of Law and the Interior.

His gaze, devoid of intense emotion, was like a precise probe, slowly sweeping over every Iron Father present, finally settling on Gastaff and Vilidian, silently assessing the strength and potential flaws in each logical chain.

“Gastrof Ironfather, Vilidian Ironfather,” Chen Xi’s voice was not loud, carrying a businesslike coldness and the unique pressure of the Inquisition, “Your vigilance is in line with the Astartes Chapter’s tradition of dealing with potential threats, and its logical basis is not entirely without merit.”

However, he immediately changed the subject, his tone becoming more somber, "However, the procedure must strictly adhere to the fundamental spirit of Imperial law and the Astartes Codex. Any attack against an unidentified individual, if later proven to be authentic, will constitute an unforgivable crime against the Primarch and the Emperor's will. The consequences... cannot be borne by a single clan or council."

The implied devastating consequences of his words caused subtle adjustments to the servo joints of several of the more cautious Iron Fathers, their logic cores rapidly calculating the risks and responsibilities. He raised his hand, pointing to a control panel embedded in ancient runes and physical interfaces on the side wall of the hall—a node connecting to the core database of the Karada Fortress, storing the Legion's most fundamental secrets, including the almost sacred Primarch blueprints sealed away during the Imperial era.

"Therefore, in accordance with the authority granted to me by the Imperial Inquisition, and in respect of the traditions and autonomy of the Steel Hand Chapter," Chen Xi's voice was clear and cold, as if an order were inscribed on a legal code, "I demand that the Steel Council immediately execute the identity verification procedure: use the original genetic map of Primarch Ferus Manus, sealed in the core database of Karada Fortress, to conduct a live sample comparison of the individual before me."

If the genetic comparison results are questionable or cannot reach a consensus, an additional psychic nature scan can be performed by the highest-ranking think tank within the fortress or by a neutral psychic designated by the Inquisition to assess whether the soul imprint matches the historical record of the Gorgon leader.

During the verification process, logical and memory-based questioning can be conducted based on Medusa's early colonial records and key battle details from the early days of the legion's formation, serving as supplementary verification methods.

Chen Xi's instructions were clear, logical, and based entirely on the Empire's established rules and the impeccable procedures that the warbands should follow when dealing with extreme identity controversies.

With the absolute authority of the court, he acted like an arbitrator in control of the entire situation, forcibly bringing this imminent crisis into a controllable and procedural track, blocking any possibility of bypassing the procedure and taking hostile actions directly.

“Until the final verification results are available,” Chen Xi’s voice suddenly turned as sharp as an ice-forged blade, his gaze piercing Gastaff and sweeping over the other restless individuals, “any unauthorized attack or restriction against this individual will be considered an open provocation against the authority of the Inquisition and an act of betrayal against the Primarch who may return.”

The consequences will be borne by the actors and their clans... themselves.

In the last few words, he deliberately slowed his speech, allowing the heavy weight to clearly press down on the core of each of Iron Father's logics, like a sword hanging over his head.

Gastaff Ironfather's mechanical joints emitted a suppressed "click," and the servo motor of the power fist let out a low roar, clearly trying its best to suppress the surging logical conflict.

Vilidian Ironfather quickly assessed Chen Xi's request, while Urik, the Ironfather of the Lakuan Clan representing the relatively neutral faction, nodded slowly.

His gaze shifted between Ferrus's arm, which shimmered with a liquid metallic sheen, and the Inquisitor's Rose on Chen Xi's chest: "The procedure... is in accordance with Imperial law and Chapter tradition."

On behalf of the Lakuan clan, I agree to conduct the verification. Please, [this individual], cooperate.

He looked at Feralus with a complex expression, a mixture of lingering doubts and a calm soothed by the rationality of the procedure.

Ferrus remained like a mountain in the eye of the storm, silently enduring scrutiny and questioning.

The liquid metal covering his right arm flowed slowly, its luster shifting, as if silently responding to the deep call and cold scrutiny emanating from his bloodline.

She made no comment on Chen Xi's handling of the matter, only nodding very slightly to indicate that she accepted the procedure.

(End of this chapter)