Find a White Glove 24

Consequences?

One can only speak of consequences after winning; why bother considering consequences when facing defeat?

What is needed is action.

Either we are destroyed by Chaos, or we destroy Chaos.

Someone must be the one pinned to the ground and ravaged.

Guilliman certainly does not wish to be the one being ravaged.

"I am grateful for your trust," the voice of the Cawl duplicate rang out, revealing a rare flicker of emotional fluctuation.

"Is there any other news you wish to tell Me?" Guilliman asked.

"The Archmagos has recruited a group of suitable individuals who have begun research into supernatural powers. However, a detachment of Grey Knights who arrived in Macragge from a Warp storm has expressed opposition. They do not wish for Macragge to conduct any form of supernatural research, as it could easily lead to the corruption of the entire world."

"Grey Knights?" Guilliman pondered for a moment before looking up. "Their concerns are not without merit, yet research into supernatural power is vital. The Warp is constantly invading the material world, and the means we have to counter them are too few. For a long time, humanity has been in a position of passive defense. In many cases, the worship of Chaos stems from humanity's helplessness against the Daemons of the Warp."

Daemons of the Warp possess all manner of inconceivable abilities and the trait of immortality.

It is no secret that Daemons harm humanity.

Yet, countless people still worship the Warp and pursue Daemons, a point that is truly worth reflecting upon.

Humans possess a strange trait: they develop a sense of awe and inexplicable affection for things that they cannot defeat, cannot handle, and that ultimately harm them.

This is what is known as Stockholm Syndrome.

This symptom appears, in varying degrees of severity, in those with weak wills and a lack of ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Children who are mentally abused by their parents but occasionally receive some small reward are often extremely filial.

In the workplace, many employees who are abused and gaslit by their bosses will, due to small favors, feel that the person is actually good to them, believing that after half a life of drifting, they have finally met a wise master.

Such situations are common.

Only those with strong minds who know how to protect their own interests can avoid falling into such erroneous cognition.

It is the same with Daemons; many people fear and dread them, yet when tempted by a Daemon, they feel that the Daemon is actually quite good.

Guilliman intends to set about changing humanity, not just by altering this cowardly nature, but by breaking the long-held perception that humanity must fear Daemons.

He will let the citizens of the Empire know that Daemons can also die, and that they too feel fear and dread their own extinction.

Research into supernatural power is inevitable.

Only by studying those supernatural powers can we understand the mechanisms by which Daemons corrupt humanity and thereby devise appropriate countermeasures.

"Transfer the supernatural research project to an uninhabited planet and invite the Grey Knights to garrison there. We cannot remain ignorant of our enemies. If they refuse to carry out this order, tell them this is the command of the Imperial Regent and must be obeyed," Guilliman said in a deep voice.

Regarding this matter, he would not compromise. Research into supernatural power must continue; only by discerning the essence of Daemons is there hope of defeating the Warp.

"I shall convey your thoughts," the Cawl duplicate said. "From the technology you provided, the Archmagos has found another technical path to maintain interstellar communication: dark matter communication. Such technology would allow us to maintain faster-than-light communication without relying on the Warp. However, the knowledge regarding dark matter in the technology you provided is too sparse. He asks if you have collected any related knowledge?"

"No more. That technical knowledge is precious, and I do not have much of it," Guilliman shook his head. He could hardly tell them that his Cheat had not yet unlocked its second stage!

It was enough for him to know about the Cheat; there was no need to broadcast it to the entire world.

"The information from the Archmagos ends here. I will begin encoding your orders to be sent to him. You agree to his further research into Space Marines and are willing to grant the corresponding authority; you are relocating the supernatural research project to an uninhabited planet and inviting the Grey Knights to garrison there. You also do not possess the dark matter technical knowledge he requires."

"Please confirm the relevant information."

"Yes, that is the information," Guilliman said.

The sound of machinery running echoed once more, accompanied by a crackling noise.

A segment of simplified code was generated, ready to be transmitted to Macragge to be received by the Archmagos.

After the work was completed, the humming of the machine subsided, and the indicator lights flickering in the electrical and data pathways extinguished.

The head inside the glass cabinet twitched one last time, the facial muscles relaxed, and the eyes closed, remaining quietly submerged in the golden nutrient solution.

The panel on the wall slid upward, concealing the heads from view.

Everything returned to the state it was in when he first entered.

Guilliman did not leave immediately, but stood in place, contemplating his next step.

In the current Ultramar Sector, there are many problems left over by history.

The invasions of the Tyranids and the Orks left behind large remnants, which are still active in various places today.

A portion of the Necron dynasties has also awakened near Ultramar.

These problems must all be resolved.

Only in this way can Guilliman secure a stable rear, providing him with a steady stream of sufficient armies and war machines.

Guilliman was not merely thinking about the problems of Ultramar; no matter how bad the situation here is, it will return to peace under his own campaigns and those of other Imperial heroes.

At most, it will take half a year for all hostilities in Ultramar to subside.

Guilliman's mind was focused more on the other regions of the Empire.

The Empire divides the galaxy into the Segmentum Obscurus, Segmentum Tempestus, Ghoul Stars, Ultima Segmentum, Eastern Fringe, Segmentum Pacificus, the Storms, and the Solar Segmentum.

The Segmentum Obscurus, Segmentum Tempestus, Ghoul Stars, and the Eastern Fringe have all been cut off from the light of the Astronomican by the Great Rift, forming the Imperium Nihilus.

The Ultima Segmentum, where Ultramar is located, has also been affected by the Great Rift, with parts of it lying on this side of the Astronomican and parts within the Imperium Nihilus.

Macragge is fortunate enough to be on the side illuminated by the Imperial Astronomican.

Warp travel on this side, while difficult, remains barely functional.

Yet, Guilliman still senses a profound crisis; relying on the Emperor's Astronomican for navigation is never truly secure.

Humanity requires entirely new methods to navigate the Warp and maintain the normal operation of Imperial shipping lanes.

Guilliman mentally archived the tasks he needed to accomplish.

First: Restore peace to the Ultramar Sector, implement his new systems, and forge a logistics hub capable of providing a constant transfusion of resources.

Second: Find a way to navigate the Warp stably and enhance the mobility of the Imperial military.

Third: Support Cawl in researching mass-production technology for Primaris Space Marines and dark matter communication technology.

Fourth: Build a powerful army for the Indomitus Crusade.

Fifth: Balance the old nobility with the new systems, striving to implement his reforms across the Imperium as quickly as possible.

Sixth: Find opportunities to strike at other traitor Primarchs and seize the initiative.

Guilliman organized the recent events and listed his plans and objectives.

The order of these events is not a matter of priority, but merely a sequence for reference.

It is impossible for Guilliman to finish one task before starting another.

This is not a video game where one can simply complete one quest and then move on to the next.

Even if he wished to, those traitor Primarchs would never allow him to execute his plans in such an orderly fashion.

They would undoubtedly jump out to cause trouble from time to time.

He can only continuously advance these plans while simultaneously resolving any unexpected incidents that may arise.

Speaking of which, the taunts directed at Mortarion have already been sent out; he wonders if that fellow has made a move yet.

According to the lore he knows, that fellow would never be able to endure it and would certainly take action.

In reality, however, he is not entirely certain.

It is a pity that there are no spies in the Warp, and with no way to grasp the movements of the Chaos Gods, Guilliman is forced to operate in the dark.

He must find a way to resolve this situation.

If demons can support human traitors, why can the Imperium not support demon traitors?

It is said that some Inquisitors collaborate with less malevolent demons of the Warp, hiring them to perform tasks in exchange for payment.

As the Imperial Regent, Guilliman cannot engage in such activities; if word got out, his reputation would be ruined.

"I need to find a White Glove," Guilliman muttered, rubbing his chin. He needs to find a few Radical Faction Inquisitors to work for him.

Otherwise, being completely blind to the enemies in the Warp is far too agonizing.

The Imperial Inquisition consists of three branches: the Ordo Xenos, which focuses on other species; the Ordo Hereticus, which deals with differing beliefs within the Ecclesiarchy; and the Ordo Malleus, which targets the demons of the Warp.

Much like the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Inquisition has now split into Conservative Factions and Radical Factions.

The Conservatives believe that all xenos and demons must die; regardless of location, reason, or circumstance, they must be shot on sight.

The Radicals believe that xenos and demons should be categorized by threat level, seeking ways to ally with lower-level threats to eliminate higher-level ones, before eventually turning on the lower-level ones as well.

Guilliman feels that the Radical Faction could be put to good use.