Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 252 Be More Sincere

"I should have thrown you to the dogs long ago!" Guilliman, enraged and devoid of any statesmanlike demeanor, lashed out at Marcus.

He never issued any attack command. How much truth is there in Marcus's words?

The final conclusion is terrifying: Marcus wanted to drag Marklag down with him and make everyone pay for his foolish actions!

Marcus froze when he saw Guilliman. His face was filled with terror. He dared not face the King of Macragge, and his legs kicked wildly on the ground as he instinctively moved backward.

"what!!!!"

A piercing scream rang out. He was so terrified that he forgot he was in a laser cage, and the fat on his back was sizzling and dripping oil from the high-energy laser.

At this point, Marcus finally realized that his clumsy lie had already been exposed.

Whether in the open or in the shadows, their eyes have long seen through the lies and reached the truth; they are simply patiently watching the performance unfold.

"Lord Guilliman!" His bulky body rolled on the ground, and with extraordinary agility, he immediately knelt down.

Driven by a strong will to survive, Marcus squeezed out a few tears, sobbing and snot streaming down his face: "Everything I've done is for the future of Alteramar, so that we can reach for the stars in the distance."

"Without the subspace engine, Macurag would be forever confined to Alteramar, and it would take generations to reach the stars."

Guilliman turned his head away in disgust, knowing Marcus's trick: trying to use language to confuse personal desires and elevate them to "axioms".

"If you truly care about Macurag, why did you shirk responsibility and refuse to admit what you did just now?"

With a simple rebuttal, he shattered Marcus's pretense: "You're just a selfish scoundrel who pulls at all the great things and puts a fancy hat on his despicable behavior."

“Even now, you are unwilling to accept defeat, still want to shirk responsibility, and even want the entire Macurag to be buried with your mistakes.”

“From beginning to end, you, consumed by your own selfish desires, have not reflected on your actions,” Guilliman said, turning back to Marcus, whose captain’s uniform was adorned with medals representing various honors: “You have failed the family’s honor.”

Marcus's face turned pale, his fleshy face contorted with a volatile expression, finally twisting into a venomous curse as he retorted, "You are the glorious King of Macragge, and I am but a rat in the sewers?"

He dropped his pretense, his eyes turning sinister and fierce, his words extremely vehement: "For the sake of those commoners, you deprived us of our interests, and your methods are more honorable than mine?"

"The only difference between us is that you succeeded, and I failed!"

Guilliman listened silently to the heartfelt words spoken by a petty man after his breakdown.

Behind the partition, Doom gleaned information from the argument between the two sides, a thoughtful expression on his face.

His lost brother appears to be a wise ruler, hated and antagonized by the nobility, yet bestowing more blessings upon the common people.

However, Guilliman did not act ruthlessly enough; he did not thoroughly purge those old aristocratic forces, which led to the current disaster.

However, we cannot draw conclusions unilaterally now, since there is a gap between reality and our expectations that is difficult to bridge.

Doom believed that his brother had considered the lingering influence of the nobility, but due to various practical reasons, he had not purged the old noble forces.

The two Primarchs were lost in their own thoughts and remained silent, continuing to listen to Marcus's outrageous words.

"If my actions succeed, my achievements will surpass those of my ancestors, and even surpass those of you!"

With a look of pure bliss, Marcus was lost in his own world: "Just imagine, the glory of Macragge, flashing with the warp engines, spreading to every corner of the galaxy, what a sight that would be!"

"Enough!" Guilliman's low shout shattered Marcus's illusions, startling him.

"No matter how glorious the future may seem, you may envision a magnificent future. But the paths of reality and ideals never intersect."

"Your crazy actions have failed, your despicable excuses have been exposed, and everything you have done will be nailed to the pillar of shame."

"You have made contributions to Macurag. Your actions today will be remembered in history, so that countless people will remember you and never repeat the same mistakes."

“I beg the King of Warriors.” Guilliman rose and straightened his tattered protective suit, trying to make himself look less disheveled.

He faced the partition, his face serious, and bowed earnestly: "Now the truth is out, and the whole incident was caused by him alone. Please let me take him away so that this despicable man can be publicly tried in front of all the people of Macurag."

“Makula will make up for your losses and make you pay for his despicable actions.”

“In any case…” Guilliman hesitated, pondering for a long time before saying, “He is still a Macraggean. I gave him the power, which led him to act madly.”

The deck was eerily quiet, with no response.

Behind the partition, Doom smiled as he watched Guilliman shake his head repeatedly.

His brother was a good politician and strategist, and also had a strong adventurous spirit.

However, this habit can easily lead to isolation from others. Because he often subconsciously adopts the persona of a politician, even in casual conversations and gatherings, his words are carefully considered and lack genuine expression. How can he expect others to open up to him?

Guilliman's words just now, though seemingly profound, actually separated right from wrong.

The blame lies with Marcus, and Markrag acknowledges his mistake and is willing to take some responsibility. We should learn from this, hold a public trial of Marcus, and record it in history to warn future generations.

Guilliman took an even greater risk, boldly bringing up Marcus's identity and offering to use the Marklag collective to pay the price for his personal actions.

Without a doubt, this is a bold political gamble, suitable for those who are upright and honest.

It was only after meeting Doom that Guilliman dared to be so bold as to gamble the safety of the entire Macurag.

He concluded that the King of Warriors was not a tyrant.

Doom did not express his opinion, nor was he in a hurry to do so.

The one who can judge the fate of Guilliman and Mackrag is not him, but the Emperor who is on his way.

While it's highly likely, it's not certain yet; whether Guilliman is a Primarch brother still needs to be confirmed by the Emperor.

We'll settle accounts later once the dust settles.

The way brothers handle conflicts is completely different from how they handle conflicts with strangers.

He sat behind the partition, looking across at Guilliman with a strange smile, his thoughts wandering far away.

Doom could foresee that if all his brothers returned in the future, Guilliman's personality might lead to him being ostracized by many people.

The partition slowly descended, but Guilliman's heart was in his throat as applause erupted.

Pa~pa~pa~
The giant, surrounded by black-armored warriors, sat upright and clapped his hands, his face bearing a mysterious, enigmatic expression that seemed to hold a half-smile.

He simply clapped, without making any actual statement.

“You’re a politician, but you’d better be honest with me or anyone else.”

Doom spoke softly, offering Guilliman a warning that was sincere, yet completely irrelevant.

Guilliman's golden eyebrows furrowed slowly, showing no embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, he seriously considered Doom Norwick's warning.

The weight that had been hanging over him finally lifted, and he knew his safety was no longer an issue.

"Being true to oneself may be a bit rough, but it can earn you genuine friendships."

Doom slowly rose, did not interrogate Marcus, and left the prison deck, shaking his cloak.

The admonition was sincere, Guilliman could tell, and he sat down again in his cell, pondering the meaning of those words repeatedly.

He did not believe that Doom's warning was unfounded, but rather that it contained a deeper meaning.

Doom took Guilliman's advice to heart. He knew that even if the man before him was not his brother, he would surely leave a significant mark on the history of the Empire.

With his talent and strength, he will inevitably cross paths with the Primogen in the future. Being more sincere will win him more favor.

For the Primitive Gene, power and status are readily available, and strength and wisdom are unmatched.

What the imperial offspring need are some private friends, friends with whom they can confide and speak freely.

Shortly after Doom left, a group of court attendants entered the prison deck carrying new clothes and cleaning tools.

As the laser fence was removed, Guilliman's first thought was to escape and leave the cage that imprisoned him, but he gave up after a moment's thought.

Since the other party dares to do this, they must not be afraid of me escaping.

"My lord, you may leave shortly." The maid, seeing through the giant's fleeting intentions, explained to him with a smile and in a soft voice.

“I understand.” Guilliman nodded, stood up, and stretched out his arms, allowing the servants to clean his body.

Before long, the servants finished their work and left, leaving only the guide behind.

“My lord, please follow me.” The court guide, with elegant manners, raised his hand and bowed, leading Guilliman away.

"You are permitted to enter the garden deck and the guest deck. Please follow me and do not wander off, lest you be attacked by the patrolling soldiers."

Guilliman seemed to understand, nodded silently, glanced at Marcus who looked like a dead pig, and then turned and left.

(End of this chapter)