"Splitting the Legions was to prevent the Great Astartes from becoming too powerful. If I hadn't pushed for the Codex Astartes, the Imperium would have already fallen apart."
"I'm not interested in the position of Emperor of the Imperium. When the war ends, whoever wants it can have it. I'm not taking it. I want to travel. This universe is so vast, and I want to see it."
Guilliman waved his hands, loudly defending himself. Alex and Leman Russ smiled at this scene.
They naturally knew that Sanguinius wasn't truly blaming Guilliman,
He was just bringing up a topic to lighten the mood, so it wouldn't be so sad.
"Alright, I understand now. So the Regent of the Imperium actually harbors a dream of being a traveler," Sanguinius said.
"Alright, let's talk business now. Although the War in Signus is over, some issues need to be pointed out: the influence of the Chaos Gods on Reality is increasing," Leman Russ steered the conversation back to serious matters.
"It seems a lot has happened since my fall," Sanguinius said.
"Those abominable entities can now manifest in Reality without the need for a large-scale sacrifice."
During The Battle of Terra, the Chaos Gods still needed enough blood, death, and Horus as an anchor to project their power into Reality.
But now, they can manifest without doing so,
This indicates that the galaxy is about to become the backyard of the Gods.
"The Great Rift has opened."
Alex opened a projection of a galaxy with brilliant star clusters.
In the projection, it was clearly visible that the vast galaxy was torn apart by an astonishing rift.
"The End Times have arrived, and the final moment that will decide the fate of humanity is approaching."
"If we can win this war, human civilization will be reborn from the ashes, rising to become the most brilliant civilization in the galaxy, and even in this universe."
"If we fail, the story of humanity will also end, and even the galaxy might turn into a terrifying hell, toyed with by the Chaos Gods."
Sanguinius stared intently at the projection, his brows slightly furrowed. "Has the situation become this dire?"
"Yes," Alex nodded. "Human civilization has been pushed to the brink. It's either a rebirth from the jaws of death or utter destruction."
"The situation is indeed very bad," Leman Russ also nodded. "The bad news from the Imperium's dark side has been non-stop. As soon as a Astropath enters the Warp, they can hear countless worlds screaming."
"Hope remains, brothers. As long as we stand united, even if we face the Gods directly, we may not be without a chance," Guilliman clenched his fist, his face full of confidence. "We still have Saints, and we still have Father. This fight is far from over."
"Yes, we still have a chance," Alex echoed Guilliman's words. "Although the situation is very bad right now, hope remains."
"The prerequisite is that we must cast aside all worries and suspicions, and cooperate sincerely. We cannot let the things that happened during the Great Crusade happen again. The current Imperium can no longer withstand any betrayal."
"Yes, Horus turned to the embrace of the Chaos Gods due to suspicion, Father chose to bear the responsibility of saving humanity alone due to distrust of others, and we ourselves were also full of suspicion," Sanguinius's voice also carried a hint of sorrow.
At the end of the Great Crusade, humanity's military strength was enough to sweep away any force in the galaxy.
Everyone firmly believed that no force could harm humanity again, thinking that human civilization would usher in a brilliant era and once again move towards glory.
Who would have thought that Horus, as the Warmaster, would choose to betray his Father with the help of the Chaos Gods?
Ultimately, this led to brothers turning against each other, father and son killing each other, and the entire galaxy being plunged into war.
"Alright, we shouldn't dwell on the past. Let's discuss what needs to be done next," Leman Russ looked around at everyone. "Some time ago, Dante, who is your descendant..." Leman Russ pointed to Sanguinius in the light. "We discussed the current state of the galaxy and plan to first gather the loyalist forces of the Imperium's dark side to maintain order there."
"At the same time, we will build lighthouses in key star systems to assist Imperial ships in navigation and maintain communication and travel across the various territories of the Imperium."
"Your plan has no issues. Especially at this time, we must proceed steadily and not be greedy for speed," Alex nodded, greatly appreciating Leman Russ's prudence.
"My Webway repair and Star Gate construction projects have already been approved."
"These two projects will greatly reduce the dangers of travel."
"Furthermore, regarding the reforms entering deep waters, we must further ensure that the interests of the people are protected. We must let the soldiers know that they are giving their lives for a better world, and not wasting their loyalty for a cesspool."
"New Imperial laws are already being revised, which will redefine the functions of various departments, reduce administrative costs, and improve efficiency."
"There's also the matter of equipping new gear. The opposition on Mars has mostly been convinced by me, but the conservatives on other Forge Worlds are still very stubborn, refusing to accept change. This will require your cooperation to persuade them to implement Terra's policies."
"The last issue is about the Ecclesiarchy. I know some of you don't like religion, but right now, religion is humanity's talisman, and faith is the most powerful means for ordinary people to resist the Warp."
"For this reason, the Ecclesiarchy can only be reformed, not abolished, otherwise the damage caused would be too great."
Alex discussed the reform-related matters in detail.
Immediately after, Guilliman began talking about the Indomitus Crusade. The Indomitus Crusade crushed the evil schemes of the Chaos traitors who sought to overthrow the Imperium of Man, and reinvigorated the confidence of the Imperium's loyalists.
The achievements so far have been remarkable, but as time passes, many difficulties and obstacles have also been encountered.
Orks, Tyranids, and Necrons have all taken advantage of the Great Rift to try and contend with humanity for supremacy in the galaxy.
The Necrons in the Naflis Sector seem to be plotting some great conspiracy, as no news has returned from the battle groups and Primaris Battle Groups sent there.
"In my current state, I really can't help with anything," Sanguinius said with some sadness.
"Don't worry, you'll soon be resurrected to work like a dog," Alex said humorously. "As long as most of your soul fragments are found, you can be resurrected."
During the Vengeful Spirit, Sanguinius's soul was torn apart by the Gods, and a portion of it was stolen.
But it doesn't mean that all soul fragments must be gathered to be resurrected.
When the one-eyed red-skinned Ogryn had his spine broken by a knee strike from the Wolf King, his soul also shattered.
His descendants went through great hardships to find his soul fragments and resurrect him.
But not all fragments were recalled, only a portion.
Magnus truly completed his soul when Ahriman performed the second Rubric of Ahriman.
Ahriman had just completed the preliminary work for the Rubric of Ahriman, preparing to sacrifice Magnus to truly save the Thousand Sons Legion.
As a result, Magnus suddenly appeared, seized control of the Rubric of Ahriman, reversed it, and retrieved all his soul fragments in the galaxy.
As long as a portion of Sanguinius's soul is found, he can be resurrected first. Later, when he is strong enough, he can slowly settle scores with the Chaos Gods and reclaim the soul fragments of The Great Angel.
Alex's words made Guilliman and Leman Russ laugh again.
Sanguinius, who had been a bit melancholic, instantly felt numb!
What do you mean, he'll soon be back to work like a dog?!
So you guys are resurrecting me just to make me work?!
After talking for a while, everyone cut off communication.
"Father," Mefiston and the other Blood Angels gathered around, their eyes filled with tears as they looked at Sanguinius.
A group of tough men who could tear apart demons with their bare hands and kick aliens were now so emotional they wanted to cry because of Sanguinius's return.
Alex shrewdly led the Players away, leaving them space.
"What a touching father-son reunion."
La Rougan, who had just been resurrected, looked back three times as he walked, his face full of gossip.
"Alright, stop looking. The Saint told us to gather at the open space to receive our rewards," The one who declares war when not being a dog said.
"Is this like getting paid on the drill ground?" another Player interjected. "Did he tell us to put on our armor?"
La Rougan: "..."
The one who declares war when not being a dog: ""
"Just trying to lighten the mood," the Player shrugged.
The two of them simultaneously gave that Player a glare. That joke wasn't funny at all!
Alex had Cortana calculate the rewards the Players were entitled to.
As with previous times, he also issued emergency missions with generous rewards, solely to maximize the Players' motivation.
"Nivia, what do you think about using these authority fragments to reward the Players?" Alex held the fragments of concepts and laws that had dropped from Nurgle.
The types of fragments were life, resilience, unyielding, hope, and so on.
"Malcador said that the Warp contains both good and evil, and the power of Immaterium itself is neutral, depending on the person who uses it," Nivia said. "I think it can absolutely be given to the Players, allowing them to possess stronger power."
"Then let's try it and see if the little Players can accept these powers."
After weighing his options, Alex decided to give it a try.
Because of their shared identity, the stronger the Players were, the stronger he would be.
If the Players could absorb these fragments and gain more powerful abilities, Alex's power would also skyrocket. In time, even without burning faith or borrowing the Emperor's power, he would be able to contend with the powerful beings of the Warp.
"Master, Nivia is very curious about something."
"What is it?"
"Normally, Nurgle is the God of Disease and Despair. How could the authority of life and hope be on him?"
"Perhaps this is the reason for the chaos in the Warp. Some fellows are too greedy and have taken too much."
Alex looked at the authority fragments in his hand and had some guesses.
The Warp during the Old Ones' era should have been orderly, with the gods each performing their duties, maintaining the order of the Warp and the Reality.
After the War in Heaven, the Old Ones were defeated, or the Old Ones did something that caused the Warp to become unbalanced, leading to the birth of the Chaos Gods.
Just as when Slaanesh was born, he devoured most of the Aeldari gods, taking everything from them.
So when Khorne, Tzeentch, and Nurgle were born, what did they devour?
Or rather, they never stopped devouring after their birth.
Logically, the faith of all beings would resonate in the Warp, continuously giving birth to new gods.
For example, the T'au Goddess.
Merely the faith of the client species in the Greater Good led to the birth of a powerful being capable of creating the Star Strands Nexus.
The strength of the Star Strands Nexus lies in the fact that it only allows the T'au Empire's fleets to pass through, and even without protection, they can navigate safely within it.
It's equivalent to an alternative Webway.
In the long history of the galaxy, there are countless civilizations like the T'au. Even now, beyond the Imperium's borders, there are many Xenos empires.
Yet, the Warp has few Xenos gods.
The only explanation is that they were all devoured.
As for who devoured them, that goes without saying.
With the rewards distributed, the Players were all beaming with joy.
The rewards for the emergency mission to rescue Mefiston were several times higher than normal missions.
This wave alone made many little Players' wallets bulge.
Dora Workshop, MC Dynasty, Academy of Agriculture, and other commercial organizations sniffed out the opportunity and vigorously promoted their new products to them.
In addition to the regular rewards, the more significant rewards were the fragment rewards.
The top five contributors received Divine Fragment rewards. The Warmaster, with the strongest combat power, ranked first and received a Resilience Fragment, greatly increasing his stamina and allowing him to endure more damage.
Next was Erlonghu Gang Leader, who followed Mefiston throughout the entire mission, making his contributions significant. He received a Life Fragment.
His resurrection time was halved, his maximum health increased, and his recovery ability was greatly enhanced.
Besides these two, three other Players with outstanding contributions also received fragment rewards.
"Damn, there's a new gameplay mechanic again. These fragment rewards increase our limits."
"How do you get fragment rewards?"
"It feels like the T0 tier is about to be born."
The Players who didn't receive fragment rewards all showed envious expressions.
The preciousness of these items goes without saying.
Some suspected that absorbing enough fragments could turn them into powerful beings like Primarchs or Greater Daemons.
"Surely, there won't be a godhood gameplay mechanic later on, right?"
"If you can ascend to daemonhood and raise your status, you can definitely become a god."
"Good heavens, is Warhammer a sci-fi game or a fantasy game?!"
After distributing the rewards, Alex held a celebratory banquet.
After a battle, appropriate relaxation was very necessary.
Otherwise, prolonged tension would eventually lead to a breakdown.
At the banquet, Alex summoned Erlonghu Gang Leader, The one who declares war when not being a dog, and several other Players.
"Guide."
"Guide."
Erlonghu Gang Leader and the other Players were very excited.
Players who received a private summons from the Guide were generally entrusted with important tasks.
At the very least, they would receive an eagle medal, which was the highest honor reward among the Player community.
They could also enter the website's Hall of Fame and be known by everyone online.
Alex looked around before speaking solemnly.
"I have a very important mission to entrust to you. Can you swear to complete it at all costs?"
"As long as it's a mission you command, we will dedicate everything, spare no effort, to ensure its completion," Erlonghu Gang Leader straightened his back.
"Please command us, Lord Guide."
"We are your most loyal, most trustworthy, and most reliable servants."
The other Players also straightened their backs, looking at Alex with anticipation.
"Very good." Alex nodded with satisfaction.
The little Players were as enthusiastic as ever. A little incentive could unleash two hundred percent of their motivation.
"You must already know that you need to collect Sanguinius's soul fragments to revive this respected Primarch."
"And the process of collecting fragments is fraught with danger, requiring a group of resilient, brave, and powerful warriors to protect them. So, can you bear this heavy responsibility?"
Sanguinius was currently only a soul fragment, requiring the nourishment of faith and Alex's help to maintain his form.
The Players and Alex shared a common identity.
The effect of being near a Player was the same as being near Alex.
Therefore, this journey to find other soul fragments required Players to accompany him to allow Sanguinius to maintain his current state.
Moreover, with Players accompanying him 24 hours a day, Alex could provide support at any time.
"I am naturally willing." Erlonghu Gang Leader didn't hesitate for a second.
He was already active with Mefiston, and now, this mission from the Guide was a freebie.
When he took Mefiston's mission before, if he encountered other things, he could still withdraw.
Once he accepted this mission from the Guide, he had to complete it first, one hundred percent.
"I entrust this mission to you. I hope you won't disappoint me."
"Don't worry, Guide, we will definitely complete the mission." Erlonghu Gang Leader clenched his fist and slammed it against his chest.
"Very good." Alex nodded. "That's all I have to tell you. Now, continue your celebration."
The celebratory banquet lasted a full day and night, consuming a large amount of alcohol and food.
But it was all worth it.
Moreover, with the Imperium's reforms and the application of numerous farms and new technologies, both food production and variety had greatly increased.
The consumed food and alcohol could be produced again in just a few days.
After the celebration, Alex set sail with the Imperial fleet.
The Signus battle was over, but in the vast galaxy, many more planets awaited liberation.
He couldn't stay here for too long; he had to immediately rush to the next battlefield.
"Set sail, for our eagle medal."
Erlonghu Gang Leader stood on the Bridge of the Baal's Sword, gazing at the vast void.
Beside him stood Sanguinius, enveloped in light.
Seeing Mefiston nod, Nivia, as the captain, gave the order, "All engines ignite, set sail! Target the lost Forge World—Pyra."
During the Horus Heresy, Sanguinius had made a fateful choice on the Pyra Forge World.
Therefore, there was a high probability that Sanguinius's fragments would appear there.
As the Baal's Sword set sail for its next destination,
Hong Zhong, a Player wandering inside the Rock fortress, looked at the giant metal construct in front of him and smiled.
"I found you, Tuchulcha Engine."