The Iron Father, a Legendary Medal!

The great leader of the Black Legion, the Warmaster of Chaos.

He was chosen by the Four Gods, he was invincible, his name was known throughout the galaxy, and he had many well-known nicknames.

Some of the more familiar ones include: The Despoiler, Skyward Rider, Abaddon, The Great Incompetent, The Great Loser, and Horus's Successor.

He is Abaddon, the great general who is the Chaos Enemy of Imperium of Man, who launched thirteen expeditions (the first twelve of which ended in failure), and is suspected to be the favored son of GW. He is a great Warmaster Abaddon has been defeated but never stopped fighting!

Putting aside the dismal performance, if this were in the internet age of my previous life...

Upon hearing the news of the great Chaos Marshal Abaddon's imminent arrival, Alvin would probably burst into laughter.

They also expressed great anticipation for what kind of "fun" this seemingly loyal but ultimately treacherous Black Crusade Chaos Marshal put on.

However, if it were a human being in Warhammer, then there would be a "slight" problem.

Undeniably, the Imperium of Man almost always manages to win hard-fought victories and successfully thwart the Black Legion and Chaos Warmaster Abaddon.

However, upon closer analysis, you can clearly see that the reason why the Imperium of Man has fallen into difficulties, predicaments, and even dragged the war into a quagmire is entirely because the complex forces involved are somewhat inhuman.

Take the Alert Star as an example; the most ridiculous thing is that...

The three factions —Agamemnon, the Ecclesiarchy, and the Mechanicus —formed a temporary tripartite council for the sake of outward harmony, but even to this day, they have not adopted a unified name.

The three parties are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, each watching the other suffer while attempting to seize greater benefits.

Under these circumstances, the Greenskin Orc have grown wildly on the surface of Alert Star, and have even built several junk cities.

Let's look at the Hongbei District ruled by Styx Eight. In order to obtain Blackstone and mineral resources, they recklessly excavated the earth veins, resulting in constant earthquakes and natural disasters. They even ignored the Genestealer right under their noses.

The reason why the Alert Star was almost riddled with bullets was precisely because the three forces were mutually restraining and scrambling for power.

To a large extent, the predicament on the Alert Star was entirely the result of their own actions; they truly made things more difficult for themselves.

Alvin often suspected that anyone sent by the Thirteenth Lord, except perhaps for Chapter Master Marius Calgar, might not have been able to clean up the mess on Alert Star.

In other words, the Ultramarines generally have their political abilities maxed out.

If these were some kind of Space Wolves, every single one of those insects would be dragged out and shot, and they wouldn't be innocent if they were all blown up!

A series of Chaos, murky sounds echoed across the sky above the nest area.

Alvin turned to look at Tucker, who had burst into the room, his face filled with anxiety. "What's the situation outside?"

"It's complete chaos outside!" Tucker was also affected by the Chaos, but fortunately, his will was strong, and he managed to suppress his rage. "The Diet Guard of the Styx Eight are trying to maintain order, but it doesn't seem to be very effective."

Harken really did learn the essence of Konrad Curze's terrorism!

His Chaos Raptors, Dimensional Claws, and Hell Dragon Legions soared and circled above the Celerus Hive, using loudspeakers and megaphone arrays to constantly sow seeds of fear among the civilians, Astra Militarum, and other mortals in the nest.

The strategy of "winning hearts and minds is superior to conquering cities" has been mastered by Harken to perfection!

Gazing at the chaotic state of the hive, Alvin frowned. His biggest worry wasn't the Black Legion.

With Bastion-class Energy Shield in place, even under the siege of the Chaos Lord and the Greenskin Orc, it would be difficult to break through Celerus in a short time. What he was most worried about was precisely the Genestealer that the Mechanicus had overlooked!

No one knew better than him that a large number of infected Genestealer had already infiltrated the Hive City.

With just a single command from "Revered Ancestor Dragon," a massive number of Genestealer could surge out of the dug tunnels like a tidal wave in a very short time, instantly paralyzing Celerus's Energy Shield system—that would be the real "disaster"!

This is absolutely in chaos!

Alvin was in a terrible predicament; the Celerus Hive was now a complete dead end!

The Mechanicus of Styx Eight simply wouldn't listen to the opinion of an outsider like him, especially since he had no evidence whatsoever.

If the Chapter Master Calgar were here, he might have a way to turn the tide, but against the arrogant Styx Eight, even if he had a way, it wouldn't be of any use!

"Calm down, Alvin." Just then, Tucker suddenly patted him on the shoulder. "No matter how bad the situation is, the only thing we can do is stay calm and not let ourselves be affected. Only in this way can we find a way out!"

This veteran, who had experienced countless and even more desperate situations, gave Alvin a sense of reassurance with his unwavering gaze.

"I'm sorry, I was a little too hasty." Alvin let out a heavy sigh, but his brow remained furrowed.

The situation in the Celerus Hive deteriorated much faster than he had anticipated, from the Greenskin Orc besieging the nest and activating the Shield Device, to the Black Legion vanguard suddenly joining the battle, and the Genestealer lurking in the shadows.

This series of events happened in almost half a day!

Elsa and Tucker did not disturb him. Although things were in chaos outside, they still believed that Alvin would lead them through the crisis once again, just as he had done on Losel!

Wait, there seems to be another method; maybe we can give it a try!

Once Alvin had calmed down, amidst the jumble of thoughts, he suddenly grasped a fleeting flash of inspiration.

Yes, that's right, it's the only way to break this deadlock!

"Quick, Tucker, go find the Iron Father right now!"

He didn't bother to explain, urging impatiently, "Please tell him that the biggest threat to Celerus right now isn't Chaos, nor the Greenskin Orc, but the Genestealer lurking in the shadows. Be careful they don't damage the Hive City's Energy Shield system!"

Kardan Stronus, the Iron Father, was one of the first Chapter to support the Alert Star.

The Iron Hands and Brass Claws, the two Space Marine Chapter, are currently stationed in the Celerus Hive, originally to defend against Genestealer and harassment from Greenskin Orc, which gave the Mechanicus immense confidence.

After careful analysis, the Tech-Priest of the Styx Eight did not believe that Genestealer and Greenskin Orc could conquer the Hive City, which was home to a large number of Diet Guard, Astra Militarum, and two Space Marine Chapter.

This is indeed the case, but only if the Genestealer's strength matches Styx Eight's predictions.

Unfortunately, the Tech-Priest was wrong.

And that's completely wrong!

Unbeknownst to them, their Revered Ancestor Dragon, had secretly infiltrated the Hive City two hundred years ago and had already gathered a large number of cultists in the Underhive, a structure built by Celerus over generations and filled with steel and pipes!

The Genestealer are waiting for just one opportunity!

The appearance of Harken and the invasion of the Greenskin Orc created a perfect opportunity for the Genestealer!

Only the Iron Father's Chapter can stop the Genestealer!

"But... given my status, it would be very difficult for me to meet the Iron Father."

Tucker used very cautious language, but the reality might be even worse. "You see, the assessment of my abilities is slightly too high. I'm Catachan, not Alpha."

Even with the Iron Eagle badge, a common soldier like him couldn't possibly get past the layers of Space Marine to see the Iron Father.

As a fellow Chapter Master, his status is in no way inferior to that of Marius Calgar in the hearts of the Ultramarines!

"It's alright, go in my name." Alvin pondered for a long time, then turned and went into the room. He sealed the medal hanging around his neck in a box, then came out again and solemnly handed it to Tucker: "Unless absolutely necessary, do not take out this medal."

By taking out this medal, he was also gambling.

The current situation in Celerus is such that they must defend the Shield Device, or everyone will be doomed!

Since things weren't going well with the Mechanicus, he could only place his hopes on the Iron Father who led the Iron Hands and Brass Claws!

However, to convince the Iron Father without any evidence, the reputation of the Merchant Dynasty alone was clearly insufficient; something more substantial was needed. After much deliberation, it seemed that he had no choice but to take a gamble!

I'll bet... on that medal!

In fact, even now, Alvin doesn't know what the medal is for; the only exception was when he was assassinated last time, the medal gave him an early warning.

If there were no other way, he wouldn't be willing to risk this medal, but now the situation in Celerus has reached its most dangerous point!

He has to give it a try.

That medal is our only hope!

"This medal is very important; it cannot be seen by anyone other than the Iron Father." Alvin's tone became more serious as he looked directly at Tucker.

Although Tucker didn't know what secret was hidden in that small box, he sensed its importance from Alvin's expression!

"Alright, I will definitely relay this to the Iron Father." He carefully concealed the box containing the medal inside his armor, swearing to Alvin, "Don't worry, even if I die, I won't lose it!"

"Don't say anything unlucky." Alvin glared at him, still somewhat uneasy. "Take the others with you this time."

He was referring, of course, to the first batch of warriors who had undergone the "Spartan" transformation. There were ten of them who came with him this time, serving as his personal bodyguards.

Upon hearing this, Tucker immediately became agitated, glaring at him and saying, "I've taken everyone away, what are you going to do about this?"

The Spartan First Generation Warriors, including himself, numbered only ten in total. Each of them was an elite selected through careful planning and had participated in numerous wars. They were all former elites of the Astra Militarum!

It's no exaggeration to say that even if the same number of Space Marine came, fully equipped, they could easily achieve a two-for-one trade, or even a one-for-one trade, provided the conditions were right!

This is the "Honor Guard" that Carroll left for Alvin, an elite force that belonged only to him. How could he possibly take it away?

"Stop talking nonsense, I'm the one who calls the shots!"

But Alvin persisted, saying in a deep voice, "Don't waste time. Take your men and go quickly. Don't worry about me."

He had already contacted Hilda in the outlying hive area using Psychic Power communication, instructing her to infiltrate the main city hive area as soon as possible. If all went well, she should arrive quickly, taking advantage of the chaos earlier.

In this respect, he should thank "Harken".

If it weren't for his spreading chaos and terror, which drew the attention of the Mechanicus of the Styx Eight, Hilda and Rosales would probably have stayed in the Outer Nest for quite some time.

Unable to persuade him otherwise, Tucker finally had no choice but to agree. Although it was night outside, fortunately, the Mechanicus' attention was entirely drawn to the Hell Dragon and Chaos Raptors overhead. Tucker led the remaining nine people and quietly left the mansion under the cover of chaos and darkness.

The Iron Hands is one of the twenty Space Marine Legions founded by the Emperor. Its Primarch is Ferrus Manus, and it has an unwavering faith in the Emperor!

The unique feature of this legion is that its members undergo extensive mechanical modifications to their bodies. Every new recruit must have their left hand cut off and replaced with a mechanical Prosthetic limb before they can truly become a "Iron Hands"!

Although the Primarch, while alive, attempted to correct the Iron Hands's eccentric habits, he ultimately failed.

The Iron Father, after the Primarch's death, combined the roles of Techmarine and a Priest, and is often regarded as a dual religious representative of the Emperor and the Adeptus Mechanicus.

What?

You're saying this behavior violates the "Astartes Codex"?

Stop joking. The Space Wolves would find that stuff too hard to even wipe their butts with, let alone the Thirteenth Lord's grandson, who seems to only shout the loudest, but has secretly disobeyed countless times!

Tucker had little contact with the Iron Hands, his impressions limited to that of a taciturn Space Marine. Although they often displayed great combat prowess, their cold, mechanical, and frenzied advances and brutal killings made him reluctant to interact with them.

If he could, he would prefer the other person to be Salamanders.

Unfortunately... While pondering this, Tucker led ten men close to the Iron Hands's base. He immediately revealed himself and raised his hands to indicate that he meant no harm.

He didn't believe that with Catachan's infiltration skills, he could sneak into the command post right under their noses.

If you don't want to get headshot at 800 meters, you'd better not try to show off your little tricks in front of Space Marine. That's what his predecessors had warned him.

Because there really were Catachan warriors trying to surprise a certain Space Marine, and then... that was it. His head was blown off with a single shot, leaving him no chance to explain.

As a result, Tucker's company was hung up by the Commissar and whipped with an oil-soaked whip for three whole days!

The Space Marine of the Iron Hands Chapter stood like towering, black walls at the forward command post. The surrounding layout was distinctly Iron Hands style, with mechanical modifications everywhere, and even Automated Turret mounted on the walls!

"Mortals, halt!"

The Iron Hands Space Marine, clad in jet-black Power Armor, noticed Tucker not far away and immediately raised his Bolt Rifle.

If the other party makes the slightest move, he guarantees that he can blow their head off with a single shot before anything happens!

The crimson bird-shaped sensor on his helmet scanned Tucker's identity before finally settling on his chest, where a gleaming Iron Eagle Medal stood!

The Iron Eagle is an insignia awarded by the Departmento Munitorum to combat heroes; only the glorious Astra Militarum can possess it!

Even among the Space Marine, there are those who admire mortal warriors. This Space Marine from the Iron Hands Chapter suddenly softened his icy tone. "State your purpose. This is the command post of the Iron Father, Kardan Stronos. You should know that no mortal should approach this place."

"I come to pay my respects to His Majesty the Great Iron Father on behalf of Alvin Valshius, heir to the Valshius Merchant Dynasty." Seeing that the badge was effective, Tucker gave another Eagle Salute.

Such behavior might earn him some points.

"Reject."

However, the Iron Hands Space Marine refused him outright. "The Father is directing the battle and no one is allowed to disturb him."

This is getting a bit troublesome...

Tucker frowned and said in a deep voice, "I have come here for the war. Please be sure to convey to the great Iron Father, the heir to the Valshius Merchant Dynasty, that there is very important intelligence concerning the survival of the Celerus Hive!"

"Reject."

The Iron Hands remained unmoved, like Mount Tai, coldly rejecting Tucker once more and issuing a warning. "Mortal, leave immediately, or I will forcibly expel you!"

Tucker gritted his teeth, knowing he wouldn't get in today without resorting to drastic measures. So, summoning his courage, he glared at the Space Marine and roared with fury, "Do you intend to betray the Emperor's trust once again?!"

The air suddenly turned icy cold!

But Tucker knew very well that it wasn't that the temperature had actually dropped, but rather... the killing intent emanating from that Space Marine.

He mustered his courage and met their gaze directly. "I am a warrior of the Emperor, willing to give my life for the Imperium. Now... this very Hive City is about to fall, and you remain unmoved. Isn't this a betrayal of the Imperium and of the Emperor's trust?!"

These words almost pierced Iron Hands's heart!

The Space Marine glared at the audacious Tucker, knowing that the last heretic to dare provoke them like this had been torn to pieces and buried in the ground!

His index finger slowly rested on the trigger, as if he would kill this provocative mortal in the next second.

"You want to kill me?" Tucker remained fearless, his gaze unwavering. "Fine. Rather than watch you betray the Emperor's trust and this Hive City fall into the hands of the Xenos, I'd rather return to the Golden Throne!"

The atmosphere became extremely tense, as if it could explode at any moment!

But after a long silence, the Space Marine with the Iron Hands slowly released his index finger from the trigger and said coldly, "Mortal, I admire your courage. I will report this to the Father. If you dare to deceive us... I will let you and those behind you know the wrath of steel!"

Watching the departing Space Marine, Tucker felt a cold sweat break out all over his body. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief, "That scared me to death..."

He was really gambling just now.

Fortunately, he won his gamble. The Iron Hands despises weakness and corruption, so the tougher he acts, the more favor he gains.

Of course, this trick can only be used once, and the success rate is extremely low. If it weren't for Valshius and that Iron Eagle Medal, he probably would have had his head blown to pieces by the bomb before he could even utter the first word.

Apart from the Salamanders and a very few Chapter, Space Marine, though having different personalities, are almost all too lazy to pay attention to mortals, which is why they are called "Angels of Death"!

Soon, the iron- Iron Hands returned, his chilling gaze piercing through the Auspex and landing on Tucker: "The Holy Father grants you permission to visit, but only by you alone."

"No problem, esteemed angel!"

Tucker once again made the famous Eagle Salute, then turned to instruct the remaining men to stay away and observe the situation. He then followed the Iron Hands alone into the command camp.

Among the most trusted battalion commanders, Tucker finally met the legendary Iron Father, Kardan Stronus.

He sat at the command console, his figure in the dimly lit room resembling a dark mountain, casting an oppressive shadow that enveloped Tucker!

This Iron Father's right eye, nose, mouth, and jaw have all been replaced with machinery. He is clad in heavy, jet-black armor, and just sitting there, he exerts immense pressure on Tucker, as if all the air in the room has been sucked away!

Tucker took a deep breath and bowed his head. "Your Excellency, the Iron Father, on behalf of Alvin Valshius, heir to Valshius, I extend my respects to you."

"Tell me your information!"

The voice of the Iron Father was clearly synthesized mechanically, and his replacement mechanical Cybernetic eye exuded a faint madness. "I'm commanding the army to fight those damned Xenos, I don't have time to listen to your nonsense!"

"Yes, Your Excellency, Iron Father." Tucker no longer delayed and relayed the information about the Genestealer potentially attacking the Nest's Energy Shield system.

"That's all?"

The Iron Father's voice suddenly dropped several octaves, and the oppressive atmosphere in the room, mixed with a chilling killing intent, enveloped Tucker like a tidal wave. He said grimly, "Your so-called information is just a waste of my time."

"I don't understand what you mean, Iron Father." Tucker's heart was pounding, but he maintained a calm facade.

"The Energy Shield system you mentioned is guarded by two regiments of Mechanicus."

The Iron Father said coldly, "I don't believe those damned insects can break through two regiments of the Diet Guard!"

"I'm sorry, Iron Father," Tucker shook his head and said slowly, "The power of the Genestealer far exceeds your expectations. They have already infiltrated the underground of the Hive City and dug tunnels leading to various places. The Diet Guard you mentioned will likely be breached by them soon. You should be well aware that once the Energy Shield system is destroyed, the Celerus Hive will be completely lost!"

I need evidence.

The Iron Father neither denied nor unilaterally believed. "You say the Genestealer have infiltrated underground, but neither the Mechanicus' search nor our investigation has found any trace of them. Where is the evidence?"

"Have!"

Tucker took a deep breath, took the box out of his pocket, and carefully handed it over.

The Iron Father frowned slightly, but still accepted the box. However, upon opening the box and seeing the medal inside, a rare look of shock flashed in the eyes of this usually composed Iron Father!

He abruptly turned his gaze to the bewildered Tucker, his tone extremely serious. "Mortal, who gave you this?!"

"Yes, this is my master, Mr. Alvin."

Tucker couldn't understand what the Iron Father had seen that would cause such a strong reaction.

Gazing at the medal, the Iron Father remained silent for a long time, his tone extremely complex, seemingly containing a hint of respect. "Please convey my message to Mr. Alvin Mr. Valshus: I will allocate three companies of Brass Claws to assist the Mechanicus in protecting the Energy Shield system."