House Glaus 25

"Fuck House Glaus."

"You fuckers should all be put on the pyre, you disgusting Vampires."

The moment he saw the advertisement appear on the holographic display, Khaine could no longer hold back and unleashed a venomous curse.

Yet no matter how fiercely he cursed, the projector continued to play advertisements for Glaus No. 1 Vitality Serum.

Only after a while did it begin showing some television dramas to pass the time.

Khaine lay on his bed, doing his best to calm himself and suppress his anger.

House Glaus's influence spanned several star systems. To someone like Khaine, it was a terrifying presence beyond imagination.

Other than impotent rage, there was nothing he could do.

Anger would only make his life even harder.

Numbness was the best state.

If he was numb enough, he would not be too sad. He could immerse himself in faith in the Emperor and endure this hopeless life.

He did not know why he was angry.

Everyone lived like this: born, worked, married, raised children, then died young.

Their corpses were collected by the Food Association and sent to processing plants, becoming energy bars that could fill empty stomachs.

For hundreds, thousands of years, people had lived this way, generation after generation.

Why was he angry??

Yet Khaine wanted to be angry. He felt that this Vampire-like family had, in some unseen way, deprived him of countless precious things.

If he had children, they would inherit the same Destiny as him.

If he did not, he would be sentenced, and then he could only become a drifter.

Such a life was bleak and hopeless, stagnant water without even the slightest chance of change.

Khaine turned over and thought of something else. Ban was going to die.

And all he could do was collect his friend's body, hiding in a dark room and cursing at a Projector.

Khaine wondered whether he should kill himself as well.

What was the point of struggling bitterly in this world??

"May the holy Emperor burn you all to death."

Khaine muttered a curse.

After saying it, bitterness appeared on his face.

The Chaplains would never burn House Glaus. They would only burn poor wretches like Khaine, who had no money to give the church.

Outer orbit of the Natal System.

Augur Probe Natal-19-18 floated in the cold, silent void.

It was an Imperial monitoring satellite, constructed from machinery and human flesh.

The Augur Probe had only one purpose: to monitor activity along the Warp routes near the Natal System.

This massive satellite had hung in the void for decades, receiving countless starships.

After the Great Rift opened, far fewer Warp vessels passed through.

After all, Warp storms had made Warp travel an extremely dangerous undertaking.

The Augur Probe had also remained quiet for a long time.

Today had been another quiet day.

Just as the Machine Spirit was about to classify today as a day without major incidents, an abnormal Warp fluctuation suddenly surged from the Empyrean into realspace and was detected by the Augur Probe.

A massive fleet was rapidly approaching the Natal System.

The received data underwent automatic review through the probe's artificial cortex. The augur scanner obeyed the Machine Spirit's command, sending pulses into the Warp and receiving feedback.

Upon receiving the response, the Machine Spirit swiftly classified it as a major emergency.

The relevant information was quickly transmitted through array emitters inscribed with the Aquila Array to the appropriate departments of the Natal System government.

At this time, the clerks responsible for consolidating information were inspecting transport vessels within and beyond the system.

Before a data console, a clerk was plugged into the information network through data cables.

His duty was to print out relevant information from the data network and hand it over to other workers.

With a series of clicks, the brass-and-gilt console made a sound. Indicator lights lit up, showing that the console was receiving transmitted information.

The clerk twitched as data flooded into his brain. He began using his thin, bird-claw-like fingers to tap the shorthand machine hanging before his chest with extreme proficiency.

With a clatter, the printing was complete.

A Servitor responsible for paperwork approached, collected and sorted the printed information, then handed it to another supervisor.

The man merely glanced at it with his mechanical Bionic Eye before hurriedly running out.

He did not even have time to deal with the work at hand.

Natal System Council.

"That fool Guilliman should open his eyes and see just how beloved and respected House Glaus is. We have ruled this planet for so many years, guiding the people of the Natal System like the sun itself. They regard us as spiritual leaders and offer us their loyalty."

"And now, he actually wants to take back our power, completely ignoring the fact that those lost Imperial citizens need House Glaus's protection."

The Planetary Governor sat in his seat, shouting loudly.

Yet none of the councilors below spoke in response.

If the Inquisition or Ecclesiarchy heard such words, they would likely be sent straight to the pyre.

Insulting a Primarch was undoubtedly a terrifying crime.

"Whenever I think of it, I cannot help but weep. What dreadful lives will those foolish commoners lead after losing House Glaus? They will lack food, be displaced from their homes, and eventually descend into chaos."

As the Planetary Governor spoke, he even shed a tear.

He waved his arms and continued his lengthy tirade.

"Guilliman is a Daemon. He wants to usurp his father's throne, so he suppresses Loyalists like us who serve the Emperor. He wants to sweep families like ours, families willing to die for the Emperor, into the rubbish heap. He will promote those worthless people who can only lead humanity toward Destruction, merely because they will be loyal to him."

"My lord, words like these could easily cause trouble."

A councilor carefully chose his words, attempting to stop the Planetary Governor's mad speech.

If this fool continued, he would get the entire Natal System Council killed.

"Then let the storm rage even more fiercely! Let that damned Daemon come! As a Primarch, he is so unqualified, so despicable. House Glaus fears nothing. We possess the Imperium's most devout faith and loyalty. We believe in the Emperor at all times and are always ready to lay down our lives to defend His Imperium."

The Planetary Governor rose to his feet, his fat, layered body trembling as he became increasingly agitated.

At that moment, someone hurried in from the entrance to the council chamber and whispered a few words into the Planetary Governor's ear, immediately freezing the excited governor in place.

"What did you say?? The holy Primarch will arrive soon? Wasn't he still on campaign, advancing toward the Konor Industrial System?" The Planetary Governor's face instantly turned pale.

"We do not know either. The Augur Array outside the system detected Macragge's Honour traveling through the Warp. An entire fleet is closing in on the Natal System."

"Damn it, quickly! Tell all the major families to prepare to welcome the Primarch. Also, mobilize the planetary defense forces and drive those Imperial civilians away from the main roads. Leave only some of the wealthier ones, and warn them to praise the great House Glaus."

The Planetary Governor rapidly issued a series of orders.

No matter how fiercely he cursed, he knew that the Primarch's prestige could not be offended. Otherwise, the Angels of the Emperor would make House Glaus vanish from the stars.

After giving the man his orders, the Planetary Governor swept his gaze across the council members present. "You know what you should do, don't you?? If I hear even the slightest bad news, your entire families will vanish from the universe. House Glaus has stood for thousands of years. Like this great Imperium, we shall endure forever. Do not dream of offending House Glaus, or disaster will surely follow."

Leaving those words behind, the Planetary Governor hurried out.

The other council members looked at one another, then ran out after him.

Three more chapters.