Chapter Creed

Huron's ship, lent to the Fierce Angels.

To celebrate the Space Marines' rescue, the crew prepared a Blood Feast.

This time, Lu Jin wasn't late. When he returned from Huron's flagship, everyone had just gathered on the cold but spacious hangar deck.

By tradition, they first sat together in a circle.

The Space Marines sat among the Mortals, while the Chapter Master sat right in the center, surrounded by everyone.

The Fierce Angels hadn't chosen a Chapter Master, so Lu Jin was the one sitting in the middle.

He wasn't too keen on it, but the Space Marine who was good at metaphors had quietly told him it would boost morale.

"The Chapter Mentor was sacrificed by heretics," said a seated Space Marine. "Let me, someone who truly cares about tradition, lead the feast ritual."

"Begin." He held out his hands to the Mortals on either side of him.

Everyone reached out to the people beside them, holding hands and closing their eyes.

"Let us remember the glories of the past."

Two minutes later.

"Let us remember those who sacrificed themselves."

Another two minutes passed.

Everyone opened their eyes.

The Space Marines stood up and gathered together, and Lu Jin left the center too, joining them to form a circle.

The Mortals left to bring back food and crimson-colored drinks.

The Chapter's flagship was gone, along with its brewing equipment. So the drinks had all been bought from the crew's Red Corsair contacts and mixed with red food coloring. They were just about drinkable.

After that, things went just as they had the first time Lu Jin attended a Blood Feast: the Mortals brought food and drink, then sat around the outer ring and joined in.

Unlike last time, everyone was silent, eating with their heads bowed.

Lu Jin didn't speak either, but when he ate in silence, he didn't take small bites. He habitually wolfed down his food.

"My lord." Carly came up from behind and handed Lu Jin a book. "This is the Chapter's scripture."

Lu Jin felt he ought to learn more about the Fierce Angels, so he read the scripture as he ate.

The Fierce Angels had a fearsome name, but once Lu Jin learned more about them, he found that the Chapter was quite the opposite of what he'd expected.

According to the Chapter's scripture, the first Chapter Master, who established all its traditions and doctrines, believed that:

A Chapter's honor didn't come from battle itself or whether it won, but from the impact the battle had.

For example, if a battle changed the fate of a world that was about to fall and protected many people, then that battle was honorable. Even if the Chapter lost more often than it won, it was still honorable.

Conversely, even if a battle was a great victory and a thrilling slaughter, it was shameful if it failed to change the fate of a world that was about to fall, or if everyone they were supposed to protect died.

The Chapter's selection of recruits placed more emphasis on testing their hearts.

If a candidate was lacking in every respect but showed compassion for others or a willingness to sacrifice himself during the tests, he could still become one of the Fierce Angels.

A candidate who had a history of fighting to protect others could skip the tests and become a recruit directly.

Conversely, even a candidate who excelled in every respect would be rejected if he didn't meet that standard.

Also, since the Chapter had been founded on Armageddon, a world where humans and Greenskins were locked in battle, fighting Greenskins was an essential part of the recruitment tests.

Of course, candidates weren't required to kill a certain number of Greenskins. They didn't even have to kill any; they could just run to the finish line.

The Space Marines who stood by, ready to assist the candidates if necessary, watched for subtle cues like their facial expressions throughout the process. From these details, they tried to gauge each candidate's state of mind and decide whether he could become a recruit.

The Chapter also had a tradition of respecting Mortals.

The Fierce Angels had been rushed into battle soon after their founding, and suffered heavy losses in one war. The local Mortals respected them, so the local nobles raised a warship for them. The Mortals who admired them willingly left their homes to become the first crew.

Then, because the Chapter had few members and lacked supplies, the Mortals were often deployed in battle too. Later, when the Chapter recruited new members, it often did so aboard its ships, and so its tradition of respecting Mortals took root.

Lu Jin recalled that servants like Carly each had a separate cabin aboard the warship.

As he flipped through the pages, Lu Jin noticed that several were missing from the scripture.

He had no idea how they'd gone missing or what had been written on them.

"Some of the traditions have names that sound deliberately intimidating. Even the Chapter's name is like that."

Lu Jin set the scripture down and sighed.

The Space Marines nodded.

"I've had that feeling too, brother. It's like a beast on my homeworld. When it encounters an enemy, it puffs itself up, inflating its belly to look like a dangerous, fearsome opponent."

Lu Jin looked at the Space Marine who'd spoken. "What's your name?"

"Kao," the Space Marine replied. "You're finally asking your battle-brothers their names."

"A name isn't essential." Lu Jin picked up a roasted beast's leg. "I remember you like metaphors. When I first arrived, I could barely lift you. Wasn't that enough?"

Kao nodded. "That's surprisingly profound. Even if I didn't know your name, I'd still remember you as the most extraordinary of our battle-brothers. You saved all of us, and you were a fearsome fighter who slaughtered the Greenskins during the recruitment trials."

Lu Jin nodded in agreement.

"I think you'd make a good Chapter Master," Kao said. "You know, like the great men in the movies. They say a few words and everyone finds them profound and thought-provoking, then make the right decision at a critical moment that saves everything. And they can fight and kill with the best of them."

When Kao said "Chapter Master," everyone on the deck raised their heads.

Feeling their gazes on him, Lu Jin slowly spoke. "Don't test me. I'm not going to suddenly dust off my pants and walk away one day. My creed is to see things through to the end."

"Then what do we do next?" asked the Space Marine beside Kao.

"We rest for a few days, then reclaim the Chapter's Strike Cruiser and find a way out of the Red Corsairs' territory."

Lu Jin had already thought everything through.

"Then we'll find that Inquisitor called Bena. Chapter Master Ninos said she could help clear our name."

"Once our names are cleared, we'll stay in the Imperium."

"To be honest, I don't have any affection for the Imperium, and I'm not as loyal to the Emperor as you are. But compared to Chaos—compared to the Maelstrom, where you can see a water jug skittering across the floor when you get up to pee in the middle of the night—the Imperium's at least somewhere we can stay."

No one objected or asked Lu Jin why he wasn't loyal when he said this.

His words had plunged everyone into their memories.

The Chapter had been lured to its death by an Inquisitor, and before that, they had been accused of betraying the Imperium.

It had forced everyone to question who they were fighting for and who they were loyal to. If they were fighting for the Imperium and loyal to the High Lords of Terra behind the Emperor's statue, then they should have just accepted their deaths back then.

"We could stay with the Red Corsairs a little longer and earn equipment and supplies by fighting."

Kao's suggestion won the Space Marines' approval.

With the Red Corsairs, they could get everything they needed by joining the heretics' civil war, even without helping them kill ordinary people. Besides, Huron rewarded and punished people fairly.

But Lu Jin's next words made the Space Marines wish they could leave at once.

"I almost killed an Astral Claws veteran."

Lu Jin recounted everything that had happened with Lone Wolf Aels.

"Damn Red Corsairs!" A Space Marine got to his feet, gritting his teeth, his expression savage. "They broke their agreement the moment they saw us in trouble! The deal Chapter Master Ninos made with them was to take in every last one of us, Mortals included!"

He glared down at Lu Jin. "Chapter Master! I suggest we board Huron's ship by surprise, kill him, and take what we need. Make him pay for breaking his word!"

Lu Jin didn't answer. He looked away.

Kao pulled the Space Marine back down to the deck. "Brother Jenos, you're as fond of making terrible suggestions as I am of quoting old books. If we do what you say, we'll probably be dead by tomorrow."

"They broke their word! Brother Kao, use your head. These Mortals are sitting here eating and drinking with us now, but what if they hadn't survived? What if that lackey of Huron's had killed them all?"

"..."

Lu Jin remained silent. Objectively speaking, Aels might have seen the Fierce Angels' situation and decided not to follow Huron's orders. Huron had objectively helped the Fierce Angels, so it wouldn't be right to launch a surprise attack on him now.

Then Lu Jin remembered what he'd read about the warrior called Jenos in the scripture.

Jenos was good at everything related to combat. He could lead a charge in Terminator armor or pick off enemies from a distance with a sniper rifle. He could even pilot tanks and aircraft. There was even a record of him operating a lascannon alone in an emergency during a naval battle and successfully hitting an enemy ship.

But he wasn't good at coming up with plans.

On a page about Jenos, Ninos had written a special note: "Listen to any of Jenos's advice that concerns war, and you'll die."

"I think the best thing to do is leave as soon as possible," said a Space Marine. "But our equipment and supplies were taken by the Cunning Hounds and destroyed along with their ship... Without weapons and armor, we can't clear the Greenskins off the Ragefang. And if we don't go through Huron... how are we supposed to get weapons and supplies?"

"We can buy them."

Onaas suddenly stood up.

"When I came of age and joined the Ragefang as a Navigator, my family gave me a great many treasures. I brought some of the smaller ones with me, along with my servants."

"Things like Defensive Fields."

"There aren't many, but surely they're worth enough to trade for some weapons and supplies!"

The Navigator's words lit up the Space Marines' faces.

Once they had weapons, equipment, and essential supplies, they could reclaim the Ragefang and leave the Maelstrom right away. Then they wouldn't have to worry about Aels or Huron.

After thinking it over, Lu Jin decided it was a good idea. "Thank you, Navigator."

Then Lu Jin surveyed the Space Marines, his gaze finally settling on Kao. "You're in charge of this."

"Brother Kao isn't much good at fighting," Jenos blurted out. "Everyone in the Maelstrom is vicious. They might kill us and rob us blind. Let me go with Brother Kao as his bodyguard."

"If you're only there to guard him and don't get involved in anything else, then you can go." Lu Jin made his order clear.

Jenos and Kao stood and saluted together. "Yes, sir."

That evening.

Huron's flagship and the ship he'd lent Lu Jin returned together from the place where they'd salvaged Lu Jin. After entering the Red Corsairs' lair, Kao and Jenos left the ship carrying a Defensive Field.

Lu Jin's armor had been reduced to little more than a codpiece in his battle with the Daemon. The two couldn't wear armor when they left the ship, so they had to disembark in oversized clothes made by Mortals.

Lu Jin had wanted to go himself, but Huron contacted him.

Since Lu Jin couldn't go with them, he figured that Jenos would be more than enough to protect Kao, even if they ran into someone who wanted to kill and rob them.

That was why he'd added a couple of orders and agreed to let Jenos go with him when Jenos had volunteered.

After the two left the ship, Lu Jin spoke with Huron from the command deck.

"I'm sorry to hear that Ninos died because of some unknown ritual..."

Huron bowed his head for three seconds of silence for his old friend on the communication screen.

After three seconds, he looked up and said, "It's not your fault the warband I lent you was wiped out. Just give the ship I lent you back to me, and have your people disembark."

"Okay." Lu Jin nodded. "I'll have someone tell the different sections of the ship to disembark."

He looked at Carly.

Carly saluted, then hurried off to pass on the order.

But as soon as she left the command deck, she slowed from a quick jog to a casual walk and leaned against the wall.

Huron still had more to say. Just as he was about to speak, a veteran ran over and whispered something to him. Huron whispered a reply.

Only after the veteran left did Huron continue. "Aels is about to wake up. Come with me to see him in a bit."

Lu Jin recalled how the doctor from the Botulism Gang had pretended to treat Aels while actually trying to kill him, ruining Huron's deal with the Cunning Hounds for good.

There had to be some personal grudge between the Botulism Gang and the Cunning Hounds.

"Are the new doctors more reliable than those two from the Botulism Gang?" Lu Jin asked.

"They're still the same two." Huron gave a sly smile. "They're not with the Botulism Gang anymore. They're with my Red Corsairs now. They're talented, and I can't bring myself to kill them, so I had to bring them into the fold."

"Nicely done," Lu Jin said with sincere admiration.

"Stay with the Red Corsairs from now on." Huron made him an offer. "I guarantee the Fierce Angels can rebuild to Chapter strength. You can take them and do whatever you want, as long as I can call on them to fight when we're at war."

Lu Jin thought about the number of people among the Red Corsairs who were followers rather than Huron's loyal supporters. Huron had enemies and opponents within his own ranks, too.

Thinking about it, Lu Jin said, "Where else could we go?"

Huron suddenly laughed. "I'll be waiting for you at the port."

The communication ended.

Lu Jin sat nearby and waited.

An hour later, Carly came to report, "Kao and Lord Jenos are back!"

A moment later, the deck's hatch opened.

Kao and Jenos walked in slowly, each carrying a heavy box one meter tall on his back. Jenos, who was even taller than Lu Jin, was also carrying a box in his hand.

Lu Jin's eyes settled on Jenos. He'd left wearing clothes, but now he had nothing on but a pair of briefs.

"You..."

As Lu Jin started to ask, Jenos lowered his head, and Kao began to explain.

"After we went down, we ran into one of Huron's men. He called me over to see Huron, so Jenos went off to make the deal by himself to get it over with quickly."

"When I got back, Jenos was wearing nothing but a pair of briefs, with three boxes beside him."

"The boxes had three Bolters and some weapons for Mortals. We got fleeced..."

Listening to Kao's explanation, Lu Jin looked at Jenos, who'd done business until all that was left of his clothes were a pair of briefs.

"Hahaha!"

Lu Jin laughed in exasperation.

A Space Marine came up behind him and kicked Jenos as hard as he could.

Jenos was so big that the kick left him completely unmoved. After a moment's thought, he decided that standing perfectly still didn't seem like the right attitude, so he threw himself backward.

Then he got back up and explained, "Those were advance payments... Those people took advantage of me. One of them even liked my clothes and said he'd trade more food for them..."

Lu Jin took a deep breath, resisting the urge to kick Jenos into the distance. "Huron played you, and he played me too."

Carly ran over to report, "The Red Corsairs' ships around us have us targeted. Huron's people are telling us over the comms to disembark."

After hearing that, Lu Jin said to Jenos, "Don't give advice about anything but fighting from now on. Not a word."

He had a new appreciation for the note Ninos had written about Jenos.

"You got off the ship pretty quickly."

When Lu Jin stepped down from the Transport Aircraft, Huron was there to meet him in person with a group of veterans in Terminator armor. He saw Lu Jin and made a sarcastic remark.

Huron turned around.

The Space Marines behind him stepped aside, revealing several stacked cargo containers.

Their contents were written on the outside: weapons for Mortals, flak armor, armor and Bolters for Space Marines, promethium fuel, food... There was everything they could need.

More large transport vehicles were coming up behind Huron in rows, carrying supplies and weapons as well.

"Why do business with people who'll eat you alive and spit out your bones?" Huron said with a smile. "It's my fault. I prepared all this but thought it was too trivial to mention, so I didn't tell you during our call. My fault."

"This ship is yours to borrow." Lu Jin glanced at the vessel behind him, still bearing the Imperial Fists' livery. "So where are you sending all this stuff?"

Huron smiled but said nothing.

A few seconds later, a ship sailed into the Red Corsairs' lair.

Lu Jin turned and saw that it was the Ragefang.

"I tricked you over Ninos's name before, and gave you a hard time after you asked for help. I imagine that drove a wedge between us. If we don't resolve this, you and I can never become true friends."

"Consider this an apology."

Huron stared at the Ragefang as he spoke.

"My men found your Chapter's relic. They used it to lock the xenos back in the containment zone."

"Then my men cleaned up the areas the xenos had overrun."

"Before entering the Maelstrom, the Astral Claws specialized in dealing with those green xenos. We know how to clean up their spores."

As he spoke, a formation of Transport Aircraft flew into the port and began moving the supplies onto the Ragefang.

The Ragefang docked, and the Red Corsairs began disembarking.

"Can we make peace?"

Huron held out his hand to Lu Jin.

Around the Ragefang, the Red Corsair warships had adjusted their weapons so they weren't aimed directly at the vessel, but could be brought to bear on it at a moment's notice.

Without anyone noticing, the Star-Claw Veterans nearby formed a semicircle, watching Lu Jin.

"We can." Lu Jin clasped Huron's hand.

"Then we're battle-brothers!" Huron smiled warmly. "The Red Corsairs and the Fierce Angels are brother Chapters."

As Huron led Lu Jin away from the port by the hand, the Star-Claw Veterans who had formed the semicircle naturally fell into position on either side of them, as if they had arranged themselves that way simply to follow Huron when he left.