"Here comes one of my brothers: a brother who has not yet returned in theory."

"He took advantage of the chaos that had just happened on this ship and quietly landed, and I could smell the smell of reptilian creatures on him, which was similar to ammonia, and was undoubtedly poisonous."

"Now, he's hiding in a hidden miniature tarmac somewhere on the left side of the ship, where the guards have forgotten their duties because of this sudden chaos, and in a short time they won't be able to spot it, and there's an extra Thunderhawk in the corner of the room."

"That's a pretty sneak, isn't it?"

Conrad laughed, his long, slippery tongue and licking his dry lips, his dark pupils glowing with satisfaction from the killing and vigorous movement he hadn't seen in a long time.

The Midnight Wraith was now fully armed, the dark blue armor decorated with skulls and lightning bolts, stained with blood and a reminder of his victory, and equally filthy were the claws he wore on his slender fingers: the life harvested by these claws for the past half of Terra's standard hour filled the slender corridors and intersections in front of the throne.

And now Conrad stood at the junction between the corridor and the throne, the hideous-looking genetic agent who had stopped his atrocities in time, and did not continue to harvest anything elsewhere, but stood guard before Morgan's throne like a loyal guard stationed in front of the door of the temple of the gods: in front of him was a pile of corpses, and behind him was a clean and clean earth.

"What are you talking about, Lord Conrad?"

"Nothing, that's not something you should know, little one."

Stationed at the end of the corridor with Conrad were Rana and a dozen of his old Guardsmen, who had been guarding the original room for more than half an hour, leaving the captains of the various regimental companies and mortal high-ranking officers to handle the riots on the ship.

And these high-ranking people who were given high hopes by Morgan finally lived up to their mission, the last chaotic area of the ship was cleared a few minutes ago, the casualty report and property damage were being counted in an orderly manner, and although the atmosphere of sadness and confusion lingered in everyone's state of mind, it did not interfere with their work efficiency.

And on the tiny electronic projection placed by Rana on the side of his eyes, the report sent to him by the Legion Council flickered from time to time: not only the Goddess of Dawn, but also on every ship that sailed into the Dead Stars, a similar riot occurred almost at the same time.

There is a clear distinction between these riots: on ships with a large number of Daybreaker warriors or psykers, these riots are invariably perceived more or less in advance, while on ships dominated by mortal warriors, the damage caused by the riots is much greater, and many ships even have to ask for outside help, and the Legion Council is overwhelmed by this.

But Ranner didn't have time to deal with these things, and what he was most concerned about now was when the Mother of Genes in the room behind him would wake up, and by the way, he would have been thankful to the Gene Primor beside him: without the help of the Midnight Wraith, who had been awakened in time and volunteered to join the defenses, Rana would not have been able to hold this last line of defense unscathed.

Thinking of this, Morgan's Praetorian Guard stooped and bowed for the first time to the genetic protogen who temporarily lived on their flagship, and the companions behind him were doing the same.

"In any case, we have to thank you for your help, Lord Conrad, without your help, the battle just now would have been even bloodier."

Conrad accepted this acknowledgment: with a smiling expression.

"No need to be so serious, my dear nephews."

Midnight Wraith pulled out a wipe, carefully wiping his blood-stained adamantite claws as he turned his head. Throwing a more or less kind look at Lana: it seems that the genoplasm is in a good mood at the moment.

"It's just a matter of convenience to me, and you know what: it's been a long, long time since a battle and bathing job so many years ago that I've done such a legitimate killing on this ship, let alone next to my bedroom."

"It's a very amazing feeling. I don't hate the feeling: like the beasts at the top of the food chain that hang the remains of their prey high to deter other beasts, this kind of show-like killing is something I have needed since I was a child. ”

"It's just that it used to be a necessity for me, but not anymore: but that doesn't mean I'll hate this kind of killing, after all, I was born to smell blood."

“……”

Lana paused, he didn't know how he was going to pick up on this somewhat bloody topic: in fact, if it weren't for the fact that Conrad had just helped them out of a big problem before he said this, the Praetorian Guard would have sent a large number of men to supervise the temporary primordial because of this overly dangerous remark.

"Okay, my lord......"

"I've said it all, don't be so serious."

Midnight Ghost's tone was a little slurred, as if he was using his nose to hum a cheerful slaughter song.

"You can call me uncle, my dear nephew, or uncle."

“…… Ahem......"

The Praetorian Guard Master paused for a second time, an indescribable embarrassment circulating between him and his companions behind him, and in Lana's previous memories, this Lord Conrad did not seem to be such a ...... Kind people?

And just as Lana was in some trouble because of this, Midnight Ghost had cleaned his claws cleanly, and he stood up, and his tone finally washed away the banter, and became a lot more serious.

"Okay, boy, let's get down to business: I'll ask you to issue an order, have you issued it?"

"It's been handed over to the Legion Council."

"Then let them pass quickly, and don't think about the source of this command, boy: even if my own sister woke up, she would give the same order."

Conrad frowned, and Lana's answer didn't exceed his expectations.

"After all, even you must have seen that this riot was caused by too many people on this ship, and something in their minds that they shouldn't have in mind."

"And we can't even mention it in our mouths or even in our heads now, or else riots like this will only be repeated over and over again: you don't think it's a one-off raid, boy, it's a long show of blasphemous power."

"As long as we think of that name, when we think of my brother who has been erased, then our minds will be polluted: genetic protogens like me, and Astarte warriors like you, or those quick-thinking psionics, can be aware of the existence of this pollution and avoid it in advance, but most of the mortals in this fleet do not have the ability to resist it, they will be easily polluted, manipulated, and set off riots like this again and again."

"I have to say that this move of his is indeed good, just making one of his names taboo in subspace is enough to abolish the power of ninety percent of the crusade fleet: even if we have three legions, we will definitely not be able to carry out this expedition without the help of mortals."

"He is worthy of being a military master: I just don't know, how many percent of his military strategy is left now?"

“……”

Conrad's words didn't feel like a serious informant, but more like a self-talk, but they were enough to silence Lana and secretly urge the Legion Council to hurry up and give the corresponding order: from this moment on, no one in the Dawnbreaker fleet was to think, discuss, or even mention anything about the crusade of the expedition in any way, and those who violated it would be punished with the severest punishment.

Rana wasn't worried about whether he would be punished for giving this order without permission, after all, as Conrad said, even if his genetic mother woke up, he would definitely give the same order, and what the Praetorian Guard was really worried about was that no matter how harsh their ban was, it didn't seem to make a fundamental difference in the situation?

Can they still limit the minds of everyone in the fleet?

"Of course we can't limit it."

Conrad could see the Praetorian Guard's concern at a glance, and he just shook his head.

That's why I say that this is a very beautiful blow, because thinking is unstable and uncontrollable, even the thinker himself can't contain the divergence of thinking, maybe it's just a stunned kung fu. They will briefly think of the forbidden name, and then they will be polluted and a new riot will arise. ”

"After all, the minds of mortals are still too fragile in the face of the memetic contamination carried out with that brother of mine at their core: they are not opponents of the same level at all"

"So, get ready, Morgan's warriors: until the end of this expedition, our fleet will probably be suffering from a long non-combat attrition."

"Now I understand why the Emperor and Machado want to erase the memories of so many people with great fanfare, after all, it is still forceful means that can make them feel a little more reassuring than expecting mortal self-restraint."

The Midnight Ghost chattered, and he seemed to be rarely hooked to get the conversation interested, but it was a pity that there was only a silent Praetorian Guard by his side, and the other more silent old guards, Rana cared more about other things than Conrad's mouthful of emotion.

"Your Excellency Conrad, since all these riots are due to the tricks of that rebel primordial, could this be the reason why our Mother of Genes is asleep?"

Midnight Ghost cast an appreciative glance.

"In a sense, you're right."

"But don't worry too much, my dear nephew, my sister is not as fragile as you think, she should wake up in an hour, and what is more, the tragic scene that happened before our eyes should not be unexpected: of course, she will surely become a little angry."

Hearing this, Lana blinked, his gaze focused on Conrad's face, as if he had thought of something, and the gaze in his pupils became a little dangerous.

"That'...... Why haven't you been affected in a similar way? ”

“…… Are you doubting me? ”

"I'm sorry, Your Excellency, but I have to take that assumption into account."

"Ah...... Indeed, as the leader of her guards, you should do this. ”

Conrad grinned.

"Maybe it's because that person didn't know I existed, when he made those decisions, I was still stroking my gargoyle in Nostramo, although as a brother with the same bloodline, he should have discovered me the moment I entered the Dead Stars, but it seems that he shouldn't be that interested in me that much."

"It's really looked down upon......"

Although his mouth poured out his grievances, Midnight Wraith didn't seem to be angry, he cleared a path through the corpses and blood on the ground, and waved to the company commanders and mortal officers who were gradually approaching in the distance.

"Leave it up to you to deal with them, my dear nephew, and I will deal with the uninvited brother, it may be a long hunt, but this ship is now half my home: if my sister wakes up later, tell her that I will bring the visitor to her in half an hour."

"Oh yes, there's one more thing."

Conrad seemed to think of something, and he turned, bent down, and patted Lana on the shoulder, a finger erected, whispering in front of the head guard as if an adult were educating a child who had made a mistake.

"When you explain all this to my sister, don't mention the name of my brother, you can give him an older nickname, like "The Man Who Can't Speak]"

"The one who can't say ......"

"Yes, that's it, presumably, my sister will understand your plight, and maybe she will prepare some magic items for the next war."

“…… Boosters? ”

Lana furrowed an eyebrow.

"yes, magic props."

Conrad smiled.

"It's like...... A sorting hat. ”

“……？”

"What's that?"

"It's just an old literary meme on Sacred Terra, which I learned about during a study of the history of ancient literature: Boy, I didn't say that you should read a little more."

——————

[That's what he said?] 】

"Yes, sir."

【Sorting Hat...... It's really an unpopular stalk, this guy seems to be in a good mood. 】

The Spider Empress leaned on her throne, she awoke sixteen minutes after Conrad left, and the Praetorian Guard was summoned by the Primordial a minute later, and spent five minutes telling Morgan what she had missed.

In the process, the genogen just silently flipped through the data board that recorded casualties and property damage, and her expression seemed to be in a trance, as if she was thinking about some difficult problem to solve.

Lana, who stood in front of the throne, was a little hesitant.

"My lord, about the order given by His Excellency Conrad......"

[Do as he says, forbid everyone to mention that name again, and at the same time, tell the think tanks in the legion to send men to the ships to supervise the execution of this order with the preachers, and to keep a check on the ships for psionic movements: if the think tanks are not manpowered, let the mortal psionics and even the navigators be mobilized, now is the urgent time to overcome all difficulties.] 】

"Understood, my lord, I'll do it."

【Go for it.】 】

Morgan pinched her eyebrows, she sighed silently, and it wasn't until the sound of Lana closing the door reached her ears that the genogen casually threw aside the data tablet that had shaken her heart, and then leaned on the armrest of the throne, holding her face with her arm, and was silent for a while.

It wasn't until she had finished her contemplation that Morgan called her valet to fetch a holographic projection and a communicator: through these devices, she summoned her two blood brothers who were far away from the stars.

And both Johnson and Riemann Ruth responded to Morgan's call with great speed, and it is clear that they have been waiting for a long time, and may have even communicated one step ahead of them.

When the projection was turned on, the faces of the two genetic prototypes were unusually gloomy, they were all armed without exception, and the weapons they clenched were even stained with blood, and the figures of soldiers and senior officers who were in a hurry always flashed behind them from time to time.

Morgan was not surprised.

[Looks like you're in the same situation: that guy really did a nice blow to welcome us, didn't he?] 】

Johnson grimaced and snorted in response.

Riemanlus's face had already become hideous, and he gritted his teeth and cursed something, looking like he had long lost the silence and sadness that he was about to kill his blood relatives.

"As early as more than ten years ago, I already knew that he was a miscellaneous person, but I didn't expect that he would have a new way to make me hate him even more now...... This bastard! ”

The wolf king of Fenris lowered his head, his face obscured by his scattered blonde hair, and the Bacchus spear was clutched in his palm, and even through the holographic projection, Morgan could hear the creaking of metal.

Compared to the wolf king's anger, the dark angel's genetic protogens are much calmer.

"What about your casualties there? Will it affect the next steps? ”

Johnson is clearly more concerned with practical issues.

Hearing this, the faces of the other two primordials became a little bitter, and Morgan first glanced at the data board next to her, and then stabilized his mind.

[If I say this, there are still mortal losses, and they are very numerous, but they are not enough to completely affect the operation of the fleet, as for the dawnbreakers under my command......]

The Spider Empress paused, then spat out a number that made her a little distressed, though it wasn't much by any means.

And Johnson and Riemannus, after listening to Morgan's words, each had strange expressions.

Johnson spoke first.

"On my side, twice as many as you."

Riemanrus, on the other hand, grinned.

"I'm going to have a little more than you here, Johnson, and one of my wolf lords has been tricked, and he'll probably have to lie in the infirmary for a while: just thinking about it makes me sad."

Neither of these answers exceeded Morgan's expectations, after all, the Dark Angel and the Space Wolf had completely entered the Dead Silent Stars, and the Daybreaker still had some of its troops staying outside, so the casualties on both sides were naturally different.

[So what do we do next: even the strictest ban cannot completely prevent this from happening, that is, the only solution is to cut off the person's head as soon as possible to stop this in the first place.] 】

"That's what we planned, didn't we?"

Riemanrus let out a rough grin, and Johnson added on the sidelines.

"According to my and Riemann's reconnaissance, there are not too many worlds with fortifications and traces of civilization in this dead and silent star, and if we calculate their distribution patterns, we can easily guess the bases where that bastard is most likely to hide."

"As long as you go through one by one, it will only take a year at most. We can get rid of his lair. ”

"That's true."

Riemanruth nodded.

"The only question now is whether our three legions are going to act together or search separately: I don't need to say more about the merits of these two options, which Johnson and I have been discussing all along."

"What do you think, Morgan?"

Johnson looked at his most trusted blood relative, but the Spider Empress didn't respond immediately, she just looked down and thought for a moment, her eyes intertwined with caution.

[Personally, I suggest that you two legions come together and act together, but as for me and my Legion of the Dawnbreakers, we can't decide yet: I still need to consult some people who are about to arrive.] 】

"Who?"

Johnson raised an eyebrow

"You mean Conrad?"

【……】

[Sort of. 】

——————

Midnight Ghost didn't break the rules, nor did he run out of time, and in the thirtieth minute after his departure, Conrad managed to bring the uninvited guest to the throne room, and both of them had some unfriendly looking scratches on their bodies.

"He's a little unhappy with my welcome ceremony, he's such a fussy guy."

Conrad explained, and the guest just smiled humbly.

"I just don't want to disturb you with too much fanfare, the monarch of this place."

【……】

Morgan only snorted at this answer, and then she smiled at the uninvited guest with no muscles at all.

[Compared to what this battleship has just experienced, your visit is indeed not a disturbance: Tell me about yourself, Your Excellency? 】

The visitor bowed.

"Listen up, my lord, you just need to call me Alpha, after all, I am just an ordinary member of the Twentieth Legion, I only represent my legion, the goodwill that it brings to you, and what you need right now."

Morgan's smile vanished: or rather, her smile itself was cold, and her blue-blue pupils were now engrossed in the unremarkable face in front of her, eager to find some clue from it.

Such a scene almost inevitably evokes Morgan's recollection: once upon a time, she was going through the same situation as she is now, but at that time, Morgan was the one who bent under the throne, and it was Johnson or Perturabo who sat on the throne.

But even Morgan has no confidence to play better than the self-proclaimed Alpha guest in front of him.

[You say you're from the Twentieth Legion: a legion I've never heard of?] 】

"The Twentieth Legion truly exists, my lord, you have already witnessed its existence with your own eyes, although we have not yet welcomed back our original body, but this does not prevent us from fighting for the entire human empire in our own way."

[Do you mean to decide what I need now?] 】

The Spider Queen leaned back on her throne, her legs crossed, and her delicate face covered with the smile that was familiar to Conrad: a smile that would make the others stand on end.

The visitor who claimed to be Alpha only bowed again, he was too calm, which attracted the teasing glances of Morgan and Conrad, and at this point, both genetic agents could determine the true identity of the uninvited guest.

"We are not making our own decisions, Lord Morgan, on the contrary, our arrival is a manifestation of some greater will: as you know, it is not only the three of you Primordials who are watching this distant war, but also some orders from higher on the Holy Terra and the Imperial Dream that are the ultimate reason for my presence here."

"On their orders, I will lead you and your fleet to a world on the edge of the Dead Stars, where there are the deepest secrets of this war, and how to end it."

How can I be sure that your words are true and not a lie? 】

"You have your own way of contacting the Emperor, don't you?"

【……】

Morgan looked at the person in front of him seriously. Alpha only smiled back with an indifferent smile, and the conversation between the two of them had a distant resemblance, as if the words were mere duckweed on the water, wandering around in order to obscure the really important information.

【When to depart.】 】

"The sooner the better, you don't want to know how far that person will go if he is given enough time, and this anxiety is why the Emperor sent me: we must solve all this as quickly as possible."

【……】

Morgan's fingers tapped regularly on the armrest of the throne, and she was silent for a moment, not for long, maybe only a few seconds.

[Well, give me half an hour, and then I will order the whole fleet to adjust course: I hope you don't point the wrong way.] 】

"Don't worry, sir."

Again, take a bow.

"Then, please allow me to retire ......"

[Wait.] 】

Morgan held out her hand to stop it, and a smile suddenly appeared on her face that made Alpha feel a little bad for the first time.

[It's going to be a day-long trip, isn't it?] 】

Alpha just nodded at Morgan's smile.

"Of course."

[So...... How can you not have a place to rest for a distinguished guest sent by the emperor himself, in order to show my respect for you, I have decided to open this second noble place on the ship to you. 】

“…… Thank you for ......"

[Conrad. 】

Morgan interrupted Alpha.

[Be well received by your new roommate.] 】

“……”

"Of course, sister!"

Midnight Ghost let out a shrill laugh, and he echoed loudly, then grabbed Alpha's shoulder as he tried to say no to the kindness.

"Come, my dear guest."

"Would you rather sleep on the top bunk or on the bottom bunk?"

(End of chapter)