Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 152 The Future Belongs to Mortals
His brother's face was brimming with sincerity, without a trace of hypocrisy. Flano twitched his nostrils slightly and asked in a deep voice, "Why?"

During his time in power, Doom undoubtedly did a great job; he was incredibly powerful, and longevity was not an issue.

Flano couldn't understand why his brother, who had always been wise and insightful, would make such a decision.

"I must plan ahead to prevent future troubles." Doom's expression was grave. "The Great Expedition is fraught with danger; the unknown and terror await me."

"Time, space, and the laws of physics—danger lurks in everything we do on our journey."

"I must make arrangements to ensure that the people of Nur remain loyal to their cause and to prevent division and power grabs."

Doom spoke gravely, expressing his concerns to Flano and urging him to completely eliminate any possibility of an accident.

If anything happens to him, he will rely on the authority of the Oath Crown to establish the leader of the Nur Stars.

"Why not your genetic offspring?" Flano asked again. He knew perfectly well that those tall warriors were his brothers' genetic offspring, and their abilities were equally outstanding.

“Brother.” Doom frowned, his eyes piercing Flano’s heart, and he uttered a firm reason:

"We are sons in name only, but in reality, tools, tools of the Emperor's great expedition."

"Space Marines are not rulers, and the final fate of the Primarchs remains unknown."

Doom was well aware of his role within the human empire.

He's not stupid; on the contrary, he's one of the smartest people in the galaxy.

The Emperor's plan, and all his efforts, were ultimately aimed at saving humanity.

The Primarchs and Space Marines, sons created by the Emperor and superhuman warriors, are tools for conquering the galaxy.

Through his contact with the Emperor, Doom realized that although the Emperor treated him differently, he still essentially regarded him as a tool.

The Emperor needs to fight against the Four Gods, and Doom is the best tool for that.

Having gained a deep understanding of the nature of existence, Doom never felt sad; on the contrary, he felt much more at ease.

Therefore, his attitude towards the emperor was always one of equality, and he did not naively demand so-called "filial piety and parental love".

Doom is happy to accept the role of a tool, agrees with the Emperor's grand ambition of saving humanity while weakening the Four Gods.

He observed the Emperor and Macardo and discovered that everything they did was for the sake of humanity.

In other words, the Emperor treated himself as a tool, and Macardo and Waldo were tools.

The emperor may seem humane, but in essence he is an extremely rational, cold machine that precisely calculates investment and returns.

Everything has value in his eyes; humanity and human life are things that can be measured.

Everything in the human empire is merely a tool in the emperor's hands, used to save humanity.

“The Great Crusade will one day end, and I will finally slay the evil god and avenge my father and mother.” Doom’s smile held a hint of comfort as he knelt down to meet his brother’s gaze.
"I had no idea what the final outcome of our fate would be at that time."

Doom's resolve hardened as he recalled the War Council, composed of mortals, atop Terra.

It is foreseeable that the emperor will ultimately choose to return power to mortals.

Space Marines and Primarchs, having completed their historical mission, will depart from the human world with glory and honor.

This is inevitable.

Even if the Emperor never mentioned it, Doom could deduce this conclusion by observing the minutiae of the human empire.

Terra's governing body is composed entirely of mortals; no Space Marines are seen.

"The crown of oath must be inherited by the Norwick royal family." Doom's authoritative words resonated firmly, leaving no room for Frano's refusal.
"I also believe that the bloodline of the Novik dynasty will continue its wise rule."

"One day, I and the superhuman soldiers will disappear, and the future will belong to mortals."

Flano appeared dazed and for a moment did not know how to answer, and the hall fell into a brief silence.

Little Luo Xi sat upright on the throne, her bright green eyes wide open, looking curiously at her tall uncle and father.

She didn't understand their conversation, but she could sense a kind of oppression that made the human cub feel very uncomfortable.

“No need to hesitate.” Doom handed the wooden box to Flano. “It’s bound to happen sooner or later, so it’s best to make arrangements early to avoid big problems in the future.”

"The future or the unexpected, which will come first?"

“I understand.” Finally, Flano raised his hands and solemnly accepted the carved wooden box.

His hands trembled slightly; even a small square wooden box felt incredibly heavy to Flano.

The responsibility and burden he felt made him hold his breath, and he even had the urge to give it up.

The current Nur Stars are no longer the simple Nur World.

Its sphere of influence spans nearly two hundred light-years, encompassing hundreds of worlds and a population exceeding one hundred billion.

As his brothers embarked on their expeditions, their influence deepened, more and more worlds came into Nur's fold, and their sphere of influence continued to expand.

For a moment, Flano felt a little short of breath; his brother's expectations put him under immense pressure.

"Hehe~" After catching the crown, the solemn atmosphere in the hall eased a little, and Xiao Luoxi felt relieved, sitting on the throne and giggling.

The innocent laughter dispelled the last vestiges of solemnity.

Doom smiled, stood up, hugged little Luo Xi, and gently rocked and teased her.

His daughter's laughter sparked a brilliant idea in Flano's mind. He looked at the wooden box he was holding and a wonderful idea popped into his head.

The Milky Way is vast, spanning hundreds of thousands of light-years and containing countless worlds.

The human empire launched a great expedition, and the Nur constellations conquered the stars, but it would be difficult to conquer the galaxy within a century.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Emperor of Man will complete his work, and Doom will exact his revenge, optimistically a century from now.

Doom's rule will last at least another century.

As for what will happen a hundred years from now?

Flano chuckled inwardly, glancing at Xiao Luoxi with ill intent, and also thinking of his young son at home.

Isn't this a ready-made successor?

With this thought in mind, Flano became energetic and full of enthusiasm, and the box in his hand suddenly felt lighter.

Nur's royal tutors have ample experience in training two successors.

If all else fails, I can try again and have a few more children with my wife; there will always be a suitable heir.

Doom naturally saw his brother's malicious gaze fixed on little Luo Xi in his arms.

He shook his head helplessly, understanding the emotions and meaning expressed, and stroked Xiao Luoxi's soft hair, saying, "I won't stop you from making arrangements."

With a clear stance, Doom never hid anything from his family, and Flano's arrangements for his children were his freedom and right.

Everything went as smoothly as the emperor planned. One day, he would return power to the people, and after the transfer of power, he would have even less control over the government.

Nur is from the Novik family, and his lineage is inherited through the family bloodline. The Night Guard fully supports them.

“I shouldn’t have come to visit you,” Flano sighed. His daughter was insisting on seeing her uncle, and he couldn’t refuse.

As a result, he hasn't fully processed what's happening now.

Doom smiled and shook his head, his tone quite relaxed: "If you don't come to see me, I'll go down to see you."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later."

“I need to go back to Nur to plan for the future.” Flano reached out and took his daughter from his brother’s arms.

He picked up little Luo Xi with his left arm and held the wooden box in his right, nodding to Doum: "Be careful on the expedition."

Despite knowing his brother was strong, Flano always couldn't help but remind him to be careful whenever they parted.

"I will." Doom accepted the sincere concern and nodded gently, reminding him, "You too, take care of yourself and witness the revenge."

The two brothers smiled at each other. Flano knew his brother's obsession, and turned to leave with his daughter in his arms.

"Uncle Wang~" Little Luo Xi raised her chubby little hand, waved goodbye in her sweet voice, and said, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Doom chuckled at her adorable antics and waved goodbye to his niece. "Next time we meet, you'll probably be a grown woman."

Watching the father and daughter disappear from sight, Doom felt another worry lifted from his heart.

He has always valued the legacy of the Norwick family. Now, with the passing of the crown and the inheritance of the vows and responsibilities, the matter is finally settled.

"My lord." A rational and calm voice rang out in the quiet royal palace, and Sophia reappeared: "Lords Li Tang and others have arrived at the Ring of Nur."

"Send them to see me immediately."

Doom straightened his expression, sat upright on his throne, and immediately summoned his soldiers.

“I understand.” Sophia slowly stepped aside and stood gracefully beside the throne.

As soon as she finished speaking, a teleportation circle lit up in the hall, and three tall figures emerged from the teleportation light amidst the flashing white light.

"My king!"

"The Father of Genetics!"

They knelt on one knee, performing the soldier's salute, their voices sincere, loud, and full of passion and respect.

"Get up." Doom nodded slightly, his gesture authoritative, while a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The three warriors stood side by side, their bodies ramrod straight, awaiting the king's command.

With keen insight, he first looked at the tallest of the three, Li Tang, his eldest son.

Since parting ways with Terra, and now having completed the initial training, his demeanor has undergone a dramatic transformation.

(I haven't been vaccinated, my whole body aches, and I feel like I'm about to die.)
(Looking for a name? For the Glory Queen-class battleship.)
(End of this chapter)