Iron Within, Iron Without
Inside the Abomination, in a laboratory undetectable by any detector, Mordred is unusually examining Perturabo.
Various kinds of shrapnel were removed one by one and then quickly sewn up. Mordred picked out three kilograms of metal fragments from just one thigh, which made the Apothecary nod in approval.
Just like the four major pitfalls of biology, chemistry, environmental science, and materials science, even in the 30K era, Apothecary and Techmarine were the most difficult pitfalls within pitfalls.
These two specialties, one focusing on mechanical repair and the other on personnel repair, seem crucial in the legion's organizational structure, but in reality, they are extremely unpopular positions.
Not only is the knowledge required to be incredibly complex, but after returning from studying on Mars, one must also undergo a post-mortem evaluation to determine whether one is loyal to the Adeptus Mechanicus or the Legion.
Even if you prove you're loyal to the Legion, life won't be easy from now on. Others will jump ship to help you stay behind, and you'll be stuck either in the medicine room or the hangar.
They only remember you when someone dies or their equipment breaks. Some Space Marine don't even know you exist in their company, and encountering you unexpectedly is like seeing a ghost.
However, there are exceptions to every rule. The Techmarine of the Iron Hands have a high status, and they are all Big Mek in Canned One. They can even become company Captain.
Taking advantage of Perturabo's feigned death, Mordred naturally wouldn't let this rare opportunity pass, and directly summoned two well-known Apothecary from the Legion to observe.
This was a purely academic discussion, devoid of any ideological distinctions. Every nerve, every organ, and even the slightest biological reaction of the Primarch drew gasps of amazement from the crowd, who exclaimed at the Emperor's exquisite skill.
After observing for a while, almost everyone was satisfied, except for Perturabo, who was lying on the Operating Table acting as a cadaver, who was in a bad mood and kept feeling like he was the same as the pig's head on the stall.
Mordred's explanations always drew cheers from the crowd, including many Iron Warriors, who felt like they were the Primarch of the group. She seemed like an outsider.
As the crowd dispersed, Perturabo immediately jumped up and grabbed Mordred's arm, refusing to let go.
"Second Brother, why can you earn everyone's respect, but I can't?"
After saying that, Perturabo stared at Mordred with a sincere expression. She realized that Mordred was the type of person who responded better to gentle persuasion than force. Asking him directly was more effective than anything else, as long as you were willing to swallow your pride.
As expected, Mordred answered the question immediately, her gentle tone sending chills down Perturabo's spine:
"Pepe, I know you're a strong-willed person, but to truly earn people's trust, you need real skills. For example, I rely on hard work and sweat."
Take the Titan Training Method from before, for example; I could truly defeat an enemy with a single blow.
To make her words more convincing, Mordred even released a precious video of herself unleashing her ultimate attack, leaving Perturabo speechless.
"This is impossible! How can there be such a huge gap between us? Am I not their biological child?"
"No, no, you are definitely Old Man Huang's biological son. Didn't I just say that my achievements are all due to hard work and sweat?"
Perturabo was certain it was the truth, but it was precisely because it was the truth that she felt unbalanced. Why? They were born of the same parents, so why didn't she receive better power?
Without even guessing, Mordred knew what the unfortunate kid was thinking just by looking at his expression. With someone like that, you can't give her time to think; she gave Perturabo a sharp rap on the head.
"Look at you, overthinking again. I've already said it's all about hard work and sweat. What good is just thinking? I didn't become this powerful overnight."
Mordred released another precious video, showing him when he had just returned to the Legion, engrossed in listening to Tzeentch's private lessons on his Learning Machine, neglecting sleep and meals.
It also included footage of Mordred dumping government affairs on Goff, but Mordred cleverly edited out the following content, and in the blink of an eye, it was a scene of Serenity, rapid development.
The inhumanly irregular work schedule and the maddening workload sent chills down Perturabo's spine.
"In other words, as long as I'm willing to work hard, I can also be respected by thousands like you and gain the legion's heartfelt trust."
Mordred patted Perturabo's shoulder, nodding like a good older brother and offering words of encouragement:
"What do you mean by 'like me, 'Pepe? Although you think I'm targeting you, I'm just frustrated with your lack of progress! I'll always believe my sister is a genius, and you'll definitely achieve more than I will in the future."
When it comes to talking nonsense and being shameless, Mordred truly shows he's the Emperor's favorite son. After being showered with praise, Perturabo immediately thought he was invincible again and hugged Mordred tightly.
"Second Brother, I misunderstood you. I thought you were just a selfish, twisted, stupid, and twisted bastard with a narrow mind. I didn't expect you to think so highly of me. I will never speak ill of you behind your back again."
"Hey, siblings don't hold grudges overnight. How could I be petty? I've forgotten all 762 words you used to insult me. Do you know why I'm so good to you?"
"Good?" Perturabo's brain raced as he meticulously recalled his experiences over the past month. He was beaten up right off the bat and then bombed by Titan for three whole days. There was no way he could be associated with the word "good" at all.
"Oh, why is that?"
Mordred pinched his silly little sister's chubby cheeks, already imagining Perturabo's future grotesque appearance, but he still kept a straight face and shouted loudly:
"Because I know Pepe is the best! She will never let me down."
As soon as the words were spoken, Perturabo's mind went blank. In his entire life, apart from his sister, no one had ever praised him like that; all they had ever done was covet his extraordinary wisdom.
When Perturabo thought of his sister, he seemed to see a resemblance to Kalliphenni in Mordred, especially the little gesture of stroking his hair, which was exactly the same.
As the saying goes, natural talent can overcome arrogance, and Mordred's straight shot completely boosted his popularity in Perturabo's eyes.
If Mordred were to follow his own ideas, he'd be better off dead now, then find some unlucky guy to frame—that would be quite amusing.
Mordred wasn't crazy; he wouldn't risk his life. He just wanted this unfortunate kid to be normal and not be forced to become a Great Heresy.
"Wake up, stop wallowing in self- Moved. Time is tight and the task is heavy. You still have a lot to do, and I will be strict with you."
Don't forget, "Iron Within, Iron Without" isn't just a slogan. Are you prepared to suffer?
Always be prepared!