Korax's Reflections

"Everyone, go get some rest. Korax, stay behind." After Sandman heard Nekser's summary of the gains from this battle, he dismissed everyone else.

"Korax, after seeing those wandering criminals, how do you feel?" Nekser tilted his head as he looked at Korax.

He was very curious about the thoughts of this Primarch, who had been exceptionally kind to civilians in the original history.

In the original history, even when Korax had been preparing to launch an uprising, he had not chosen to massacre the vicious criminals on Lycaeus.

The Raven King sent them to the battlefield. As long as they survived, their previous crimes would be wiped clean. If they offended again in the future, both their new and old crimes would be settled together.

The criminals of Lycaeus did not betray Korax's mercy. They played an important role in the uprising, and after the Raven King took over the Raven Guard, some of the criminals even underwent the Space Marine transformation surgery.

Nekser, the head of the Raven Guard's assassination elites, had once been one such criminal.

"I find it difficult to understand why there can be such a vast difference between humans. Ever since I arrived at the camp, life here has been harsh, but I can feel the goodwill these people show toward a stranger like me."

"But in that camp, the way they treated their own kind was like they were treating... livestock... They were even worse than the vultures they kept."

"How can human evil and human kindness be so extreme?" Korax looked at Sandman in deep confusion, as though hoping to find an answer from him.

"Good and evil are two sides of humanity. There are many factors involved. Once you see more in the future, you'll understand."

"Actually, what troubles you is how to make everyone move in the direction of goodness, isn't it?" Sandman asked in return.

Hearing the question, Korax fell into thought. Along the way, he had felt the harmonious and friendly way everyone in the camp treated one another, a stark contrast to the bloodshed and fear-filled wails in that mine tunnel.

"Yes, Boss." Korax gave his answer.

"Very good." Sandman was greatly relieved. At least this Raven King was normal, not some madman from a certain apocryphal timeline who had fallen into the embrace of the Chaos Gods.

"This question depends on me—or rather, on the future you. I shaped this camp with my will, giving miners who had been exploited for centuries a brief chance to catch their breath. But it is only a brief chance. So far, this is already my limit.

"But what comes next? What about the miners in those camps, oppressed by overseers and living on the edge of death at any moment?" Sandman's string of questions struck Korax like a barrage.

"I..."

"You don't need to answer me." Sandman interrupted Korax before he could continue.

"Korax, I have a task for you. Go personally and see the other camps on Lycaeus. Go see the vicious criminals in the west, the camps of all sizes, the Tower, Kiavahr. This world is vast, but it is also small.

"Whether it takes a week, a month, or a year, do not return until you have found the answer you seek. When the time comes, I will answer your earlier doubts." After Sandman finished speaking, a member of Shadow Kill emerged from the darkness, walked to Korax's side, and gestured for the Raven King to proceed.

"Boss, I'll follow your instructions and take a good look at the state of the people on this land." Korax did not object.

Sandman's meaning had already been made clear. The future depended on himself, but Sandman hoped he would investigate it personally.

"It seems Boss's expectations for Korax are far from ordinary." Nekser, who had just returned after handling other matters, also emerged from the darkness.

"The hope of whether Lycaeus's miners can break free from the shackles that have bound them for centuries rests on him. A puddle like Lycaeus, one not even worthy of being called a small pool, cannot contain him." Sandman walked to the window and smiled as he watched Korax's receding figure.

"Should we send people to protect him?" Nekser asked.

"Protect him? Does he look like someone who needs protection? Can any of you even keep up with his speed?" Sandman recalled something especially amusing.

It was about Primarch honor guards.

When it came to competent Primarch guards, Guilliman's Invictarus were naturally the best.

Invictarus commander: "Is the stretcher team ready? When we charge in, I'll carry Lord Guilliman first. You carry Calgar. Everyone else, pick up the weapons on the ground. Get back to the Thunderhawk Gunship within one minute."

The least competent Primarch guard was probably Korax's Shadow Wardens.

Shadow Wardens: "Where's our dad?"

"No idea..."

Having a father who was so used to acting alone and so skilled at stealth and infiltration, they were helpless too. They could not find him, and they could not catch up to him...

Rather than saying the Shadow Wardens were Korax's Primarch guard, it would be more accurate to say the Shadow Masters were. When Korax carried out various infiltration missions, he usually acted alongside the legion's Shadow Masters.

Yet the Shadow Masters held extremely high authority within the legion. The only one who could command them was Korax.

That alone fully demonstrated just how terrifying Korax's potential was.

"Nekser, make preparations. After Korax returns, you will accept his command." Sandman dropped another bombshell.

"Boss, isn't this too hasty?" Nekser said anxiously.

Although everyone could see that Sandman thought highly of Korax, handing Shadow Kill directly to him was far too exaggerated.

By the time Korax arrived until now, how many days had it even been?

Although Korax's abilities far surpassed those of Shadow Kill, and he truly could guide them, what was Shadow Kill?

Shadow Kill could be considered the only professional soldiers in the entire camp. There were only a few people on all of Lycaeus who could devote themselves to it full-time.

"So far, Shadow Kill has reached its limit. The camp can provide you with all kinds of resources, but I have no way to guide you in lurking or infiltration. Korax will lead you to the pinnacle of this world, and even the galaxy. Trust him as you trust me." Sandman smiled as he looked in the direction where Korax had vanished.

"All right. Since Boss has made the arrangements, we'll do as Boss says," Nekser said.

After all, they were only accepting Korax's leadership. It was not as though they would stop listening to Boss in the future.

Ultimately, Sandman was still the core of the entire camp. Even if he wanted to yield his position to Korax in the future, that would not happen anytime soon.