Mordred really hadn't lied. This Son of the Emperor truly had the tightest skin of them all.
With the technology Atlas had extracted from the Master Computer's database, a mere physical modification was child's play.
Under the Learning Machine's tutelage, Mordred had already begun gradually exploring the mysteries of the Primarchs. The only thing that annoyed him was that noisy Blue Parrot.
Sometimes Mordred wondered whether Old Man Huang had installed an Abominable Intelligence in the Learning Machine. Why did this idiot parrot always want him to acknowledge it as his father? Could this thing have been modified from a Subor Learning Machine?
"Damn, useless Harkon. You use AI yourself but won't let anyone else use it. You're seriously awful."
Back to the matter at hand. After confirming that his offspring truly had no problems, Fulgrim decisively adopted this treatment plan. As for those so-called add-on packages, they were completely unnecessary. He didn't want his offspring turning into a bunch of freaks.
But Mordred had brought him into the Hive City for more than this. His main purpose was to promote his Spartan Warriors modification plan.
As they moved along, a training ground that perfectly recreated the top level of a Hive City came into view. A simulated urban battle was taking place inside.
Both sides were fighting fiercely, with soldiers being eliminated every moment. Even the Crusader Knights had been thrown into the battle to participate in this bloodless exercise.
"Are those Space Marines? Why are they so skinny? And there are even women among them?"
Mordred had known that this ignorant Fulgrim the Third would ask such a question. He immediately halted the simulation and summoned a soldier.
A tall female warrior in dark green armor, standing a full two meters tall, came before the two of them and gave a crisp salute.
"Spartan Phase One Sergeant Halsey-023 reporting, sir! Hee-hah! I won't fail the Legion's cultivation!"
"Mm, not bad. I know your name. I heard you once led people in challenging my Dog-men guards, and somehow managed not to get beaten to death. You truly are a fine warrior from Catachan."
Mordred's teasing made Halsey lower her head in shame. If she were given the chance to travel back in time, she would never have foolishly provoked those eight Dog-men. Who knew why every one of those dogs was a monster? They weren't just tough as iron—they could also breathe fire and summon lightning.
Especially that one called Seven. He had actually driven a jeep after them. Her leg had even been crushed beneath its wheels.
"Your Highness, you jest. We were merely sparring with the eight instructors. We won't dare do it again."
Halsey truly didn't dare. A tall Dog-man with red-and-white fur had arrived behind her. He was one of the Canid Eight, famous for his love of speeding around in jeeps. Known as Brilliant Pure Ice, he was an expert with throwing axes: Seven.
"Boss, I have..."
"Shh, Seven. Whatever it is, wait until later. Can't you see I'm securing benefits for the Legion? Go play somewhere else for now."
Seven scratched his dog's head and obediently curled up in a corner. He pulled out a data slate and began playing games, waiting for his boss to finish his work.
Compared with the dogs that could be seen everywhere in Serenity, a Dog-man with unusual fur wasn't anything special. Fulgrim was more curious about the so-called Spartan Warrior before him. He could tell that this was a super-soldier who had undergone extensive modification, but it was clearly still far inferior to a Space Marine.
Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Mordred signaled Halsey to continue training while he took out a data list and handed it over.
"The purpose behind creating Spartan Soldiers was to fill the ecological gap between Space Marines and the Auxilia, easing the burden on Legions with low numbers, like Atlas and the Sons of the Emperor.
"By imitating the Space Marine modification process and simplifying it into thirteen Gene-Modding Surgeries, every Spartan Warrior gains a significant physical enhancement and a lifespan beyond that of ordinary humans.
"Combined with the Hazardous Environment Combat Suit I designed for them, they can completely serve as knockoff, youth-sized versions of Space Marines.
"Even better, Spartans don't need the lengthy cultivation period required by Space Marines. They don't even need Gene-Seed. A little Primarch blood is enough. Once compatibility is confirmed, they can be mass-produced.
"With them, Legions as small as ours won't have to worry about lacking troops anymore. Do you know what that means?"
"It means Father will beat you to death!" Fulgrim mercilessly shattered Mordred's fantasy.
After spending the past half-year together, Fulgrim had come to understand clearly that his Second Brother had no reverence for Father whatsoever. Now he had even created knockoff Space Marines. It was obvious that he was harboring tremendous Ambition.
"How could that be? I'm contributing to the Great Crusade. Old Man Huang will be delighted."
Mordred grabbed his little brother and led him to a corner, continuing to explain his grand plan.
"Third Brother, I treat you like my own brother. Don't you want the Sons of the Emperor to become great again? Think about it. Expanding the Legion requires Gene-Seed, and Gene-Seed isn't Chinese cabbage that just anyone can use.
"As far as I know, even the Fourth Legion, with the highest compatibility and stability, can't provide compatible Gene-Seed for everyone. There are plenty of rejects. But Spartan Warriors are different.
"We can conduct a second round of selection among the rejects, turning these promising candidates into Spartans who serve the Legion. The conversion rate can reach thirty percent at most.
"Even if it takes three of them to match one, we'll still gain half again as many soldiers. Besides, there's no gender restriction. Why wouldn't we do it?"
Fulgrim was genuinely tempted. The Sons of the Emperor were already few in number. At their current size, catching up with the other Legions might take a hundred years, if they could manage it at all.
A Legion's small numbers also meant it couldn't conduct large-scale operations. It could only launch precision raids, leaving everything else to the Auxilia.
Against weak opponents, that was fine. But if the enemy was even slightly stronger, his offspring might be all right while the Auxilia would certainly fall like wheat before a scythe.
Without the Auxilia's cooperation, sending only Space Marines on a crusade was utterly absurd. They would be exhausted to death just slaughtering the pigs on a single planet.
"But how do we guarantee their loyalty? They don't have Gene-Seed at all."
It was obvious that this brat hadn't carefully read the experiment logs. Mordred smacked him on the head, then grabbed his ear and shouted.
"Are you blind? I wrote it all out clearly. Depending on whose Primarch blood sample is used, Spartan Warriors will also display characteristics similar to those of Space Marines and develop a powerful psychological identification with the Legion.
"This was demonstrated through control experiments using blood samples from you, me, and Vulkan. In fact, this attachment is even more obvious. It comes from a psychological suggestion at the genetic level.
"Then I'll call Vulkan over. The three of us can form a team and establish the Inner Circle of the Imperium. You'll be regent, I'll be Emperor, and he'll be Warmaster. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Fulgrim was tempted, but he stated that he didn't want to be regent. Facing government affairs every day would be a form of torture. He wanted to be Warmaster, forcing Mordred to switch their positions.
"So, you're telling me about such a wonderful thing. What's the price?"
"The price is that you two will receive a thorough education from Father."
Hearing someone mention the Emperor again, Mordred truly became furious. He roared.
"Bullshit! If I don't tell him and you don't tell him, how will he know? Huh? You really won't listen to reason! Wait, who's talking?"
Mordred spun around, wanting to see which fool had spoken. Then he saw a figure who shouldn't have been there.
"Laan? Why are you back?
"Buhao! You idiot Seven, why didn't you report this to me?"
The moment his voice fell, a golden beam flew out of Laan's collar and transformed into a golden gate. It illuminated a tall figure in the space on the other side—the Vulkan who was currently aboard the Emperor's Dream.
The instant Mordred saw the dark-skinned uncle, he knew he was finished. Vulkan already knew, which meant that Emperor, that bastard...
BANG!!!
A tremendous force struck him. Mordred's eyes went black from the blow to the back of his head, and before he smashed through the wall and turned into a shooting star, he left behind one final sentence.
"Vulkan, you traitor!"
Before you continue