Warhammer, I really didn't intend to form a second empire!

If we're talking about command ability, Zhao Zheng can proudly say that each of his expeditionary marshals is comparable to or even better than a Primarch; and if we're talking about individual combat skills, or even fierce generals who charge into battle, capture enemy generals and seize flags, every general and even the vanguard battalion on his side is no worse than any Imperial Guard.

This is already quite remarkable; it has developed to this scale in just a few decades.

Even emperors had to rely on their immortal friends and the technology left over from the Golden Age to achieve this, and it took them so long and many wars of unification for them to gradually develop.

Zhao Zheng stood on the observation platform for about fifteen minutes, then turned and left.

When he returned to the bridge, Kongming was organizing a new supplies list in front of the terminal on the side of the main control panel. He bowed slightly when he saw him come in.

"Your Majesty, the Empire has just sent a supplementary notice. Their next few batches of supplies may be delayed. The front lines of the Great Expedition are advancing outwards, and the priority of logistical allocation is being readjusted."

Zhao Zheng walked to the control panel and glanced at the full text of the notice.

The Emperor's fleet has begun to push the battle lines outwards, and the initial phase of the Great Expedition is unfolding simultaneously from the Solar System to the other four systems.

"...Rearrange the scheduling plan for the supply transfer station, and include the backup nodes for the internal routes of the Empire in the plan. By the way, we don't need to expect resources from the Empire anymore. Just urge them occasionally. If we receive them, we'll be lucky. If we don't, then so be it."

"Your subject understands."

Zhao Zheng stood in front of the control panel for a while, watching the full text of the notice be displayed word by word on the screen, and then reached out and turned off the communication panel.

The holographic star map rotated quietly on the bridge, the pale blue dots and green garrison markers moving slowly between star systems. The initial integration of Terran descendants and native descendants had been completed, and a new plan for the handover of supplies was being rearranged by Kongming.

The Qin Empire has found its place in the conquest of human empires. Although Zhao Zheng still rarely leaves the Lishan ship to go to the front lines, his descendants have taken his place, donning armor and weapons, and embarking on a new journey in the Milky Way with the banner of Qin and the emblem of the empire.

Zhao Zheng sat in the command chair, his fingertips resting on the edge of the armrest, his gaze fixed on the slowly rotating star map, and silently made a decision.

This empire still needs some reform. Let's start by expanding outwards from our own small territory.

Chapter Thirty-Four: Disdain for Horus

After six months of silence, the pale blue halo on the star chart has finally begun to move outward again.

But this expansion is taking a completely different approach than before.

Zhao Zheng sat in the command chair on the bridge of the Lishan, his fingertips resting on the edge of the armrest, his gaze fixed on the holographic star map in front of him, which had been updated with hundreds of new coordinates.

Those coordinates are distributed in all directions of the Empire's territory, each marking a colonizable planet confirmed by Imperial outpost reconnaissance units, or an alien nest that needs to be cleared.

Instead of hastily dispatching fleets to these directions, he issued a seemingly insignificant order to the Qin Empire's administrative center: all expeditionary fleets that had completed localization were to suspend their original patrol plans, regroup at headquarters, and await further instructions.

This command was implemented gradually over the next few weeks.

The fleets scattered across hundreds of star systems began to converge toward Qiankun Star along the new network of shipping lanes. Each formation carried a complete order of battle and logistical support. The industrial worlds along the way had already completed their material reserves according to unified standards, and each fleet had sufficient ammunition and fuel when it arrived at the outer perimeter of Qiankun Star.

When the last expeditionary fleet completed its assembly outside the orbit of Qiankun Star, all the major legion commanders, administrative officials, and technical leaders gathered on the bridge of the Lishan.

They formed a loose circle in the court, with a holographic star map floating in the center, displaying all the star systems and coordinates that the Qin Empire had currently discovered in everyone's field of vision.

Zhao Zheng stood to the side of the star map, his voice not loud, but every word was clearly delivered to the ears of everyone present.

“We have been making steady progress over the past few years, and every star system included in the plan has undergone thorough evaluation and modification. This accumulation is sufficient to support the next phase of operations.”

His gaze swept across the faces of those present, pausing for a moment on the faces of the descendants of Han Xin, Li Jing, and Sun Wu, the commanders of the expeditions.

The Empire's Great Expedition is accelerating, and human worlds and alien civilizations are being gradually incorporated or eliminated. If we continue at our current pace, and the benefits of the Great Expedition have faded, then if we want to expand and take over those worlds ahead of time, we'll have to compete with the entire Human Empire, facing its already integrated rear system. At that point, we'll be in a very passive and exhausting position.

"Therefore, I have decided to accelerate the process from now on."

"Han Xin, Sun Tzu, Wang Jian, Bai Qi, Li Jing, Wei Qing, Xu Da, Yue Yi..."

Zhao Zheng read out the name of each expeditionary commander, and with each pause, a son stepped out of the ranks and stood in front of the star map.

"From today onwards, the commander of the expeditionary fleet will no longer be responsible for other matters. Your administrative affairs will be handled by the Empire's logistics and administrative personnel. The subsequent governance and recovery of the conquered star systems will no longer be your responsibility. You have only one task: to lead the fleet forward and keep fighting."

"This time, I will not limit how long it takes for any of you to complete the goal, nor will I care what cruel methods you use. I have only one requirement: no matter what method you use, spread the fame of Great Qin and let the people of the empire know the sharpness of Great Qin's military might."

In the imperial court, everyone's face showed great excitement. Previously, because they had to take care of the rear logistics system, they had been somewhat unsatisfied when fighting. Now that they could finally show their skills, how could they not be excited?

"Your fleet will undergo a new round of replenishment and upgrades on Qiankun Star and in various industrial worlds. After this upgrade is completed, I will no longer arrange logistics supply cycles for you. All your subsequent supplies will be maintained through the logistics network of Great Qin and your own local requisition."

"Remember those arsenals? Once you land, all you need to do is build these workshops; the rest can be left to the administrative staff."

"The significance of this war lies not only in how many star systems you have conquered, but also in letting the entire galaxy know that the Second Legion and the Great Qin are invincible."

"Your names will be etched on every planet you conquer."

At that moment, everyone's eyes turned fervent.

Kongming stood behind Zhao Zheng, never uttering a word, simply watching the brothers who had been chosen as generals, a faint smile on his face.

After Zhao Zheng finished making the arrangements, he didn't say anything more. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to go and prepare, and then turned and walked towards the corridor at the back that led to the elevator shaft.

The sound of hurried footsteps and dense command transmissions came from the court behind him.

Han Xin immediately turned to the holographic star map, his fingers moving rapidly in several key directions, outlining flight paths;

Wang Jian was already confirming the fleet's fuel reserve data with his adjutant.

Bai Qi stood expressionless before the star map, his gaze fixed on a gray star field far from the core of the empire, his eyes gradually becoming deep and filled with killing intent.

……

Zhao Zheng didn't look back at these details; he had already given the order, and all that was left was to trust him.

He walked down one floor along the corridor and entered a relatively quiet area, which had been converted into a simple lounge. A narrow window was embedded in the wall, through which one could see the surface arc of Qiankun Star and the halo of distant stars.

He stood by the window for a while, then looked down at his hands.

The Primarch's body appeared perfectly normal at this moment, with distinct knuckles and strong lines. The armor, crafted from living metal and spirit bones, gleamed with a deep, eerie luster under the cold light.

He turned his palm over and lingered on the back of his hand for a moment.

He could feel the condition of his body. After absorbing the fragments of the Star God and growing his spiritual energy over a long period of time, his body was slowly climbing upwards, becoming stronger and stronger than before, and the feedback was getting better and better.

Zhao Zheng could feel himself getting stronger, but that change occurred at the edge of his perception and would only manifest after accumulating for a long enough time.

He put his hand down.

A soft sound came from outside the door, and Kongming walked in.

"Your Majesty, the deployment plan for the participating troops has been initially drafted."

"Marshal Han Xin proposed dividing the main force into seven routes, advancing outwards along three general directions to maximize the speed of territorial expansion, thereby attracting the attention of aliens and hostile human regimes. Marshal Li Mu's fleet would then be deployed as a reserve force in areas where obstacles were encountered."

Zhao Zheng nodded after listening to Kongming's report.

Did Han Xin say how long it would take to achieve initial results?

"Three months. He said this time we're going at the fastest speed. As for the post-war assessment, we'll talk about that after the war is over."

"Then let them proceed at their own pace. You take charge of ensuring the stability of logistics on Qiankun Star. If there are any special technical needs at the front, have Chongzhi and Hua Tuo's teams follow up."

"Your subject understands."

Kongming did not leave immediately. He stood by the door, as if he had something to say but had not yet decided whether to speak.

Zhao Zheng turned his head and glanced at him.

"What's wrong? Is there anything else?"

“Father, regarding the Empire… His Highness Horus has recently shown some different attitudes on the Imperial front lines.”

"He seems to have emerged from the Emperor's flagship and has already led the Shadowmoon Wolves and part of the legion on a great expedition."

"Oh? That giant baby isn't receiving his education under the Emperor anymore?"

Kongming did not respond to Zhao Zheng's "evaluation" of Horus, and continued to speak.

"The Shadowmoon Wolf is approaching the Riza system in the Sun Starfield. The Mechanicus Forging World there has already made contact with the Empire, and the relationship is now very close."

"His Highness Horus won several brilliant victories there. When the battle reports came back, the messenger mentioned in his report that His Highness Horus said after the battle that the Emperor would be proud of him now."

"scoff~"

Zhao Zheng gave a disdainful "tsk," and Kongming could tell that his father held this Prince of Shougui in contempt, as if the two had some kind of grudge against each other.

"A giant baby is a giant baby. I guess they used the rest of the legion to charge ahead and draw fire, while the Shadowmoon Wolves launched a decapitation strike and won the victory, right?"

Kongming did not answer immediately, but his silence was enough.

Zhao Zheng leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the halo of the stars outside the narrow window. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, but there was little smile in it; instead, there was a hint of mockery.

“The Shadowmoon Wolves have won a great victory in the Riza system, and their reputation will spread quickly. Horus, as the Firstborn and a Primarch who has been educated by the Emperor for so long, certainly knows how to accumulate prestige as quickly as possible.”

“Using brother legions as cannon fodder to draw fire while leading elite troops to carry out a decapitation strike is one of the most basic but effective methods in warfare.”

Zhao Zheng paused for a moment, picked up the water glass on the table, and took a sip.

"But the problem isn't what methods he used; he was a bit too eager for quick success."

"He was eager to prove himself, eager to let the Emperor and the Empire see his military achievements, eager to let everyone know that he was the First Son, the Emperor's most beloved son, and the Empire's strongest Primarch."

"childish!"

“A truly confident person doesn’t need to prove anything, and no one will look down on him.”

Zhao Zheng placed the water glass back on the table, the bottom of the glass making a clear sound as it hit the metal panel. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze still fixed on the halo of stars outside the window.

"But he did indeed win battles, that's an undeniable fact. What are his battle reports and what is the Empire saying?"

Kongming bowed slightly, his tone steady yet with a hint of deliberation.

"The battle report brought by the messenger described in detail the Shadowmoon Wolves' assault route and His Highness Horus's personal beheading of the enemy chieftain, but the other legions' entanglement and attrition on the main battlefield were only mentioned in passing with the words 'cooperation with friendly forces,' without mentioning the casualty figures or which legions were involved."

Upon hearing this, Kongming could sense that his father's deep contempt was no longer concealed.

"This is what a trash commander is like. After all, he's just a petty thug, not worthy of respect."

"He still hasn't learned one thing: the fruits of victory are not all reaped by him alone. The legions that are engaged in the front bear the heaviest casualties and withstand the enemy's strongest firepower. They risked their lives to create that window of opportunity for him to attack."

"Afterwards, he didn't mention the other person at all, but took all the credit for himself and Shadow Moon Wolf."

"Kongming, what do you think those legions will think? What will their company commanders and generals think? This time they tolerated it because the order came from the emperor, and the greater good was there, so they didn't say anything. But what about next time?"

Zhao Zheng did not wait for Kongming's reply, because he knew that Kongming also understood this principle.

"He's using the legion's trust as fuel to keep himself warm. The fire will burn brightly for a while, but the fuel will eventually run out."

"When the legions he had expended began to be wary of him, unwilling to fight for him anymore, unwilling to use their elites as cannon fodder, yet he still forcibly commanded them in the name of the Empire and the Primarch..."

"He will find himself standing on a tall tower, while the foundation beneath it has been burned away by his own actions."

Kongming lowered his gaze for a moment and did not immediately reply, but his posture showed that he had taken it to heart.

"What I'm worried about now is that some fools won't understand what's going on and will instead rush in to be cannon fodder for Horus. Such idiots deserve to die."

Zhao Zheng picked up the cup again, took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and then put the cup back on the table with a soft "bang".

"If Horus had any brains, he would have clearly written down the contributions of those legions in the battle report, marked the casualty figures, mentioned their bravery, or even just said, 'Without their sacrifice, the Shadowmoon Wolves could not have completed the mission.' Just that one sentence would have made those legions who were used as cannon fodder feel that the battle was worth fighting."

"But he didn't, he probably didn't even care."

"In his view, those legions were meant to serve him. He was the First Primarch, the Primarch who had been educated by the Emperor for the longest time, and the other legions naturally had an obligation to pave the way for him and the Shadowmoon Wolves."

Zhao Zheng shook his head.

"This kind of thinking is the mentality of an overgrown child. An adult will not feel that others are doing things for him as a matter of course. Only an overgrown child will feel that the whole world owes him something."

"Perhaps it's just that His Highness Horus hasn't experienced many battles yet and hasn't noticed this weakness."

Kongming did not want his father's words to be spread, as it would damage his reputation within the empire.

Can a person's character be changed by the amount of experience they have?

Zhao Zheng was unaware of this, but he knew that Horus would not change it.

Zhao Zheng is gradually becoming a tyrant who forcibly exploits the humans of other planets, but he at least knows that he has to give people food, a job, and some hope, such as giving their offspring the right to education and to become "good brothers" or space warriors.

But Horus, that fool, wanted to take all the credit for himself! He wouldn't even share a drop of soup with the rest of his brother legions!

Isn't it just taking advantage of the fact that their original bodies haven't returned yet, so they can keep having their offspring?

Since we've already got all the credit, why bother with anything else?

"There's no need to save face for him. It's just the two of us, father and son, here. This won't get out."

"Get ready and draft a statement for me. Tell the Emperor that I have started the expedition and that if he wants me to pay more taxes in the future, he should hand over these legions to me."

"By dispatching the Fourth, Fifth, Ninth, Thirteenth, and Nineteenth Legions, my expedition efficiency can be doubled compared to before. At that time, his tax revenue will increase more than double. Let the Emperor decide for himself."

"The minister obeys the order."