Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 691 The Empire Now
The meeting concluded in a somber and solemn atmosphere in Helm's Hall, with the inner circle members departing one by one with mixed feelings.

Inside the magnificent stone hall, only Lion King Leon Aljonsson, Judge Chen Xi, and Leona, who stood silently beside Chen Xi like a shadow and had put her hood back on, remained.

The air was thick with a lingering solemnity, a mixture of the coldness of ancient rocks and polished metal.

Leon Aljonson did not act immediately. His imposing figure stood before the massive stone table, his deep gaze fixed on the shadows of the dome, as if digesting the shock of what he had just heard about the Ouroboros fragments and the time paradox.

He and his brother, the Primarch of the Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, have very different styles of doing things.

Guilliman was known for his exceptional multitasking abilities, capable of coordinating war and political affairs across multiple star sectors simultaneously; while Lion King preferred to focus on one thing at a time, resolving it thoroughly with absolute focus and efficiency, much like the ancient hunters of Caliban who, once locked onto a target, remained single-minded.

At this moment, his thoughts were clearly focused on the broader picture of the empire's present and future that he had just learned.

He turned to Chen Xi, his voice deep and authoritative: "Judge, come with me. I need to know more about the current state of the Empire."

This is an invitation, not a command.

Chen Xi nodded slightly, showing no surprise.

He gestured for Leona to follow, and the three of them left the empty Helm's Hall, passing through a series of heavily guarded corridors covered with reliefs depicting the history of dark angels, and arrived at the Lion King's temporary residence and command center within the "Stone" fortress.

The place is equally simple and austere, with almost no decorations except for the necessary tactical holographic console, communication array, and a huge Caliban solid wood table, reflecting the owner's practical nature.

Although the High Master Azrael and the other members of the Inner Circle had reported much to the Lion King in previous meetings, the core focus of their reports inevitably revolved around the secrets of the Dark Angels Chapter itself, the eternal hunt for the Fallen Angels, and the protection of Caliban's legacy.

These are the areas where the inner ring has devoted the most effort over the past ten thousand years, and they are one of the core reasons for their existence.

However, the Lion King needs more than just an internal perspective of the chapter; he needs a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the entire human empire.

“Tell me, Inquisitor,” the Lion King said bluntly. He sat on a large stone chair, his posture still that of a monarch, but with a hint of caution in his eyes as he awoke from a ten-thousand-year slumber. “What is the state of the Empire now? What I know is the devastation left after the Horus Rebellion, the ruins that the Empire desperately needs to rebuild. But now, ten thousand years have passed.”

He emphasized the last few words, his gaze sharp and intense, awaiting Chen Xi's reply.

Chen Xi stood in front of the tactical console and pulled up the star map of the current empire's territory that he knew.

On the star map, the golden glow representing the empire's controlled areas intertwines with the crimson dark spots representing the threatened areas, presenting a precarious balance.

“Primarch,” Chen Xi’s voice was calm and objective, as if he were delivering a military report, “During the ten thousand years you have been asleep, the Empire has been expanding and struggling. External and internal threats have never ceased, and have even intensified.” He manipulated the tactical star map, zooming in on several densely flashing red areas, which resembled festering wounds that were eroding the Empire’s territory.

“First, there’s the Tyranid swarm,” Chen Xi pointed to a huge shadow representing the biological fleet that was slowly extending into the heart of the Empire. “This devouring cataclysm from outside the Milky Way is far larger and more threatening than any alien we have ever known before.”

They are not fleets, but rather a cosmic-scale locust plague, with biomass as their sole target. The star map marked several major hive fleet codenames: "'Leviathan' has the widest reach, having already devoured multiple worlds on the edge of the Alteramar sector; 'Behemoth' operates in the dark side of the Imperium, its whereabouts elusive; and 'Kraken' continuously attacks the Storm sector."

Wherever they go, planets are completely eroded, leaving only lifeless rocky cores; even the atmosphere is swept away.

Chen Xi pulled up the image data of the gene stealers. "What's even more troublesome are their vanguards. These infiltration units can lie dormant for generations before being discovered, establishing a cult that worships the Zerg swarm through genetic pollution, undermining the planet's defenses from within, and providing precise navigational beacons for the Zerg hive's will."

The 'Azure Dawn' world we just purified is a prime example of this model.

His finger moved, shifting the focus of the star map to another vast region marked by the chaotic eight-pointed star symbol, shrouded in an eternal warp storm—the Eye of Terror, and its surrounding war-torn territory.

"The forces of chaos have always been a major threat to the Empire, with their threat stemming from both the material universe and the non-material realm." Chen Xi's voice carried a hint of solemnity. "Abaddon, the self-proclaimed 'War General,' commands the Black Legion and countless Chaos Warbands under his command."

He has launched several large-scale Black Expeditions. Although the first twelve were blocked by the Imperial Barriers, each one has cost the Empire dearly and has continuously weakened our defenses.

The upcoming thirteenth Black Crusade will far surpass all previous ones in scale and destructive power.

He briefly introduced the main traitor legions: "The Death Guards are nearly immortal and adept at spreading plagues; the Iron Warriors are siege warfare experts who advocate ruthless calculation and attrition; the World Eaters are addicted to endless melee killing; and the Emperor's Sons pursue the ultimate sensory stimulation and depravity."

These traitors and their followers are causing ongoing turmoil in the galaxy.

Even more dangerous is the pervasive corruption of the Warp, the constant whispers of chaos tempting the people of the Imperium—from mortals to Astartes, all could succumb to its allure.

He paused slightly, allowing the Lion King to process this heavy and massive amount of information.

Leon Aljonson's face was like a stone carving, except that his sharp, emerald eyes reflected the countless points of light on the star map that represented war and destruction.

Then, Chen Xi switched the star map display and shifted the topic to the empire's own pillar power.

"As for the whereabouts of the other Primarchs..." His tone became more cautious, "Currently, according to confirmed intelligence that has not been officially blocked, before you, only the Primarch of the Iron Hand Legion, Lord Ferrus Manus, has returned not long ago."

The coordinates of the Medusa Galaxy lit up on the star map.

"She is on her home planet Medusa and in the surrounding star system, setting out to rebuild his legion's descendants. His return is accompanied by a powerful determination to restore the Iron Hand to the ruthless logic, iron discipline, and formidable industrial efficiency it possessed before the devastation of Istvan 5."

He is pushing for deeper cooperation with the Cult of Mechanics and attempting to reverse the loss of humanity...or rather, the essence of the warrior, that the Chapter might be losing due to its excessive pursuit of mechanical replacement.

Chen Xi deliberately used the word "legion" again here, the implication of which is self-evident—faced with so many and powerful threats, the legion-level organization that the former empire relied on to pacify the galaxy may be the right answer to deal with the crisis.

(End of this chapter)