An Expedition (Part 2)

"To launch an expedition at a time like this?"

The Emperor looked up from his work and glanced at the Mage. From that calm expression alone, it was impossible to tell what he was truly thinking.

Faced with his question, and the faint doubt behind it, He Shenyan merely nodded.

"I never make a promise lightly."

There was an unfinished second half to that sentence, and the Emperor laughed—he stopped his work.

The hands that had been gathering soul fragments amid the lawless Chaos of the Warp came to a halt. The Emperor withdrew his hands and placed them before him, studying them closely, unwilling to miss even the details between his fingers.

He said, "If you want to, then do it. The territories near the Eye of Terror have indeed yet to be reclaimed. Guilliman once said he wished to launch an expedition as well, but it was delayed for all manner of reasons. Perhaps you can have him join in too."

"And what about the work that belongs to him?"

The Emperor smiled maliciously. He was becoming more and more human. "Don't you have that little trick with clones?"

Even the Mage hesitated at the Emperor's hint. "...Doing that doesn't seem very good, does it?"

"That is no longer within my considerations."

Having casually tossed out a difficult choice, the Emperor's expression once again returned to utter stillness, like an ancient well without ripples. Only the trace of amusement in his eyes refused to be hidden no matter what.

Seeing this, He Shenyan could only shake his head helplessly. Just as he was about to leave, the Emperor suddenly called out to him.

"...They will not sit and wait for death," The Emperor said.

The Emperor of Mankind raised his head, looking up at the starry sky within