Warhammer 40: Starting as a Rogue Trader

Chapter 236 The Corrupt High Lord
Countless star messages were emanating from Macrag.

From Terra to the frontiers of the Empire, to the sector capitals, to the Astartes Chapters and their homeworlds.

The return of the Primarch of the Ultramarines has caused a huge stir.

Numerous warbands sent personnel to verify this information, especially those sub-warbands that were split off from the Ultramarines.

The empire has suffered too much over the past ten thousand years, and humanity desperately needs someone with sufficient prestige and ability.

And Guilliman, who had once served as the commander of the empire, was the perfect candidate.

After the surrounding star systems and Ultramarines confirmed the news, a significant portion of the fleet began to assemble at the location Ridleyman had indicated, which was the Webgate near Macragge.

However, many people are still in a wait-and-see state.

They did not respond to the call, but waited to see how things would develop.

The Primarch's name has never disappeared from the Imperium, and statues of loyal Primarchs still stand on Terra.

However, nearly ten thousand years is too long for mortals. Not to mention the natural cycle of birth, aging, sickness and death, given the empire's low average lifespan, most people have only heard of the Primarch's legends, and some may even genuinely regard them as just legends.

The Primarchs haven't appeared in the Empire for far too long.

Many people only have a general idea of ​​the Primarch anymore.

Meanwhile, Terra also received the Star Language. The Star Language Speakers of the Terra Star Language Court even thought they had misheard, and they immediately reported it to the host of the Star Language Court.

Upon receiving the message, the host immediately issued a request to all the high lords in Terra to convene the meeting.

At this moment, the High Lords unusually put aside all their affairs, and even the Great General of Forging from Mars rushed over. Those High Lords who did not have fixed candidates but only specific department chairpersons also sent their own representatives.

The high lords gathered together, a rare occurrence.

"Everyone, my Star Speaker has received an urgent Star Speech from the Extreme Starfield."

"Zlata, the representative of the Star Language Court, looked around at everyone and said."

"Urgent Star Message, is it really worth summoning us together? Is there anything more urgent than Kadia right now?"

The longer Kadia held out, the more information was transmitted back to Terra.

An unprecedented bloody battle is taking place there.

Terra also sent a large number of people to investigate the situation.

The High Lords did not do nothing; the raging warp storms kept the fleet outside, preventing them from supporting Cardia, and they knew Cardia's importance.

"The Ultramarines say that their homeworld, Macragge, was attacked by the Chaos Warband's Red Pirates. They successfully repelled the enemy, captured a Blackrock Fortress, and utterly destroyed the so-called Soul Forge Master, Vashtor."

"Completely annihilated? Blackrock Fortress? That can certainly be called a great victory. How did the Ultramarines completely purify a powerful Chaos Demon? Perhaps I should send an Inquisitor to investigate and learn from it, but I have more important things to do."

If this is what you mean by "emergency astral language," then I'll take my leave. The battle is over; there's no need for a single piece of good news to summon us together. The Inquisition's work of purging heretics is never-ending.

The court representative, Witt, had already gotten up to leave, but the general from the Mechanicus was particularly curious about the news. After all, Black Oil Man was someone the Mechanicus had always wanted to eliminate, and they knew how troublesome Vashtor was.

"Not only that, the Ultramarines claim that with the help of Belisarius Caul, the great sage of the Mechanicus, and the Lord of the Montgomery Dynasty, the living saint, Gauzy Montgomery, the great father of genes, Robert Guilliman, has awakened."

The empire will once again have an emperor's heir!

Zlata's words immediately silenced the entire council chamber. Witt, who had just stood up, also stopped and looked at Zlata. This matter was indeed enough to warrant this meeting.

Kaur and the others knew who Gao Yi was.

The report about Gao Yi that had been sent to Terra was not qualified to be presented to the High Lord. Everyone looked towards Kania Danda, the spokesperson for the merchant ronin seat.

Kania shook her head at everyone, indicating that she was unaware of the existence of Gao Yi, this wandering merchant.

She knew all the powerful traveling merchants and ronin within the empire, but she didn't recall the name of this dynasty. There were too many traveling merchants and ronin within the dynasty's territory; even once glorious dynasties would disappear into history.

"The Great Primarch is summoning fleets from across the Empire to aid Kadia. Gentlemen, shall we issue orders to the Empire's fleets and the Astronautical Army?"

After Zlata finished speaking, the high lords looked at each other, and for a moment no one spoke.

Among the High Lords, some are happy to see the Primarch return.

However, some people think otherwise.

Everyone here has dedicated themselves to the human empire, but some of them have become attached to the power they hold in their hands.

During the time the Primarchs disappeared, they held the highest power in the Empire, and power can sometimes lead people astray.

Most importantly, some of the high lords were well aware of what they were doing in secret.

They now hold the highest positions in the empire and can use their status and the empire's pretext to cover up their crimes, but they all know very well that what they have done is enough to sentence them to death.

Corrupt bureaucrats use their power to benefit their families, and they use heretics, cultists, or illegal psionicists to attack their political enemies. Their selfishness leads to laziness and hypocrisy.

Many decisions made on Terra that seem insignificant could determine the life or death of hundreds of millions of lives on other planets.

If we were to follow the laws of the Empire, every one of the high lords present would be burned at the stake.

They are indeed making sacrifices, but they are also the empire's insects.

The High Lords' power comes from the Emperor, and as required by the Emperor, the rule of the Empire is handed over to these mortals, so Astartes is also subject to their jurisdiction.

They have no right to judge them, but the genetic prototypes of the Son of God are not bound by this.

The Primarch's status is enough to place them above others and give them the right to judge them, which is what some High Lords are worried about.

Everyone's mind started racing, trying to figure out how to deal with the Primarch's return.

"We need to send someone to verify its authenticity; it could also be part of a chaotic conspiracy!"

"Iltu, the Minister of the Interior, looked around at everyone and said."

Among all the high lords, Iltu was definitely one of the most panicked.

He was well aware of what the imperial bureaucrats under his command had done, and many of these things were inextricably linked to him.

"Are you questioning the Star Speakers under my command? I don't deny that this might happen under normal circumstances, but these Star Speakers are received by the most elite Star Speakers under my command!"

Even our communication with the Ultramarines was done using the safest method! I've verified the information myself and found nothing unusual! Do you think the Astartes would lie about the Primarchs?

"Calm down, Zlata! That's not what I meant, but this matter is of great importance! We have to be careful. Can anyone here be 100% sure of its authenticity?"

And do you know how much impact it would have to mobilize these troops according to the Star Language? Personnel, supplies—each one requires a huge amount of energy from my Ministry of Internal Affairs officials. Do you know how many people die from exhaustion at their posts every year, or even every day, because of this? We can hardly even count the number!

It might even take several days to find their bodies in their cramped room!

The argument between the two became increasingly heated.

At that moment, Trajan, the commander of the Imperial Guard who had not previously responded to the call, strode in through the door.

(End of this chapter)