The Belated Judgment (II)

Kamas, or C- Kamas in full, is a link in the human frontier, a planet with three orbital defense space stations and four Dark Angels companies stationed there.

It has no nominally direct governor, for reasons known to all, but the Lion El'Jonson has not participated in the political situation in Kamas in any way.

He allowed his officials to do as they pleased, whether they were ambitious or simply wanted to improve people's lives, and he never offered his opinion.

Foolish people will mistake this attitude for indifference or negligence, but the truth is not so. Those who are entrusted with great responsibilities and wield power but betray trust have never escaped their deserved punishment; the angels in black armor will personally bring down the sword of judgment.

Yes, the Lion El'Jonson never stepped into Kamas's political arena. He merely influenced it in his own way, nothing more.

A Stormbird slowly glided across the sky over the eastern hemisphere of Kamas. The setting sun shone on its beautiful wings, the jet-black paint absorbing all the light, with only a single wing sword emblem shining brightly in gold in the reserved space on the side.

Nowadays, the Stormbird is no longer the first choice for most Chapter. In fact, it was already being replaced by the cheaper Thunderhawk in the later stages of the Great Crusade. However, each Chapter is happy to keep a few or a company of them.

Whether they are antiques or not is not important; they are still powerful and reliable. The most important thing is that they have strong symbolic meaning.

But it is indeed somewhat tragic in this respect—from a war machine symbolizing destruction and valor, it has been transformed into a Primarch Vehicle representing status and identity.

If the Machine Spirit could speak, what choice would it make?

The Lion El'Jonson coldly dismissed this rare thought, gripping his spear as he stepped down from the Stormbird.

They landed in a clearing in the woods, surrounded by pristine natural scenery. The area was remarkably well-preserved—which meant huge profits in every respect.

For example: air.

It sounds absurd, but the air of Kamas was an extremely luxurious indulgence among certain high-ranking officials and nobles. They would spend a fortune to buy a jar and share it with their families on important occasions, just to have a moment of closeness with the Primarch Lion El-Jonson.

They seem unaware that this action will not bring them closer to reality as they imagine, nor will it make them any more noble.

In Kamas, air is supplied equally to everyone, and the treasures they spend a fortune to buy may very well come from the breath of some commoner they would never even glance at.

Of course, a more reasonable guess is that they know, but don't care. After all, it's just a title.

Purchasing Kamas air is like gaining a stepping stone, allowing one to attempt to access aristocratic circles similar to those of the Lion El'Jonson.

The Primarch have never strayed far from the Imperium; whether they wished or not, countless people chose to depend on them for survival. Some loathed this, others were helpless, but the Lion El'Jonson chose to hold them in his hands and make good use of them.

Through this vast and not-so-loose circle, the Lion El'Jonson was able to control the general situation within the Misty Sector. Although efficiency was still not high and corrupt officials still existed, the situation was slowly improving.

"Grown ups."

A man in a noble robe stood in front of the open space and slowly bowed to the Lion El'Jonson. He seemed to be the only one who had come to greet them, which was quite strange.

However, considering that the Lion El'Jonson himself came alone, and even drove the vehicle himself, it's not unacceptable.

He was about thirty or forty years old, with a pale face, no beard, and a sinister and serious expression.

Of course, the nobles' apparent ages are unreliable. Expensive surgeries such as life extension and cosmetic surgery are nothing more than a matter of waving their hands; they don't even need to pay, as others will rush to pay for them.

"Semer."

The Lion El'Jonson nodded to him, uttered his name, but did not stop; it continued forward. It merely slowed its pace slightly to allow the man Semer, to keep up.

They walked into the primeval forest of Kamas, but after only ten meters or so, the Radiance of the setting sun disappeared completely.

The thick, dense foliage completely blocked out the light, and the damp chill emanating from the soil buried beneath the fallen leaves even altered the "smell" of the air. Yet the Lion El'Jonson walked on, eyes fixed ahead, unmoved, while the Semer followed in his footsteps with perfectly normal composure.

Like two reckless travelers, they wandered aimlessly through a dark world devoid of light and filled with chill until two heavy doors appeared before them without warning.

The base is made of rock, its surface black and uncarved. The Lion El'Jonson takes a step forward and calmly raises its head.

A few seconds later, accompanied by a very distinct buzzing sound, the winged sword emblem, now used by the Chapter, quietly appeared in the very center of the doorway, originating from the First Legion.

The stone began to rub against the metal, producing a deep and heavy sound. Colder, drier air surged out from within, blowing past like wind. A deep and wide avenue slowly appeared, and the Lion El'Jonson stepped into it, with Semer following closely behind.

A light source appeared, but they couldn't see where it came from. They walked in silence until several minutes later, when they heard the door close behind them.

Then the Lion El'Jonson opened its mouth.

How is Kamas doing these days?

"The same as always, my lord—" Semer replied slowly, his expression still bearing that sinister look.

"--To be honest, there's nothing to boast about. And I imagine you didn't come all this way just to ask me about those trivial official matters, did you?"

The Lion El'Jonson chuckled and turned to glance at him, "Unauthorized speculation about the Primarch's thoughts is a serious crime on par with blasphemy."

"And you're not one of those fanatics in the Ecclesiarchy, so is there anything you need me to do?"

"No rush," the Lion El'Jonson said calmly, withdrawing his gaze. "We'll talk about it when we get down there."

"Yes, my lord."

Ten minutes later, they stepped onto a high platform, and below the platform was an unusually noisy and bustling world.

Rocks and machinery coexist, metal and vegetation share the same space, as spacious as a parade ground during the military era, yet its specific structure is as complex as a treasure hunt maze. Even at a glance, there are at least tens of thousands of rooms divided by metal, most of which are tightly covered by a dark dome, with only a few exposed.

The Lion El'Jonson walked to the center of the platform and reached out to activate a control panel. The genetic verification was completed quickly, and with a soft sound, solemn military music suddenly rang out from all around the platform.

The Lion El'Jonson's expression suddenly darkened. He pressed the screen to lower the platform, then immediately turned to question Semer.

"What's going on? Which stupid idiot added this feature without permission?"

"It is the Beneyov, my lord."

"Tell that tin can to remove this damn function today!" the Lion El'Jonson roared. "I hired him here to improve weapons. If I really needed a military musician to show off my status, why don't I just hire a bunch of people to work for me like I always have?!"

"Yes, my lord," Semer sighed and bowed slightly.

At the same time, the platform slowly descended. The Lion El'Jonson took a deep breath, regained his composure, gripped his spear, and stepped into the maze.

He seemed to know the area very well; no matter how many forks appeared around the next corner, the Lion El'Jonson could easily choose the right one.

However, it is worth mentioning that not a single guard or any automatic warning turret appeared along the way until they reached their destination.

They stopped in front of a large door made of obsidian.

"You can go prepare, Semer," the Lion El'Jonson said in a deep voice. "Call everyone over."

The nobleman bowed solemnly, turned and left without a word. The Lion El'Jonson stepped forward, pushed open the heavy door with one hand, and stepped inside.

Instead of a labyrinth, he was surrounded by a world exuding solemnity and mystery. Strange symbols were painted on the ground, which was made of an unknown silver metal, and the distance between them was strictly controlled, creating a unique aesthetic at first glance.

At first glance, the pillars supporting the ceiling might appear to be made of stone, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that they are actually composed of ashes.

Torches that burned eternally on the wall had an odd texture, like impure glass. The flames dancing at their tips were not the usual crimson, but a gentle pale gold.

The Lion El'Jonson took a deep breath, lowered its head, and suddenly spoke, "Well, are you satisfied?"

A quiet footstep echoed between the bone pillars, Karyl emerged from the darkness, carrying a section of a human spine in his hand.

Faced with the Lion El'Jonson's question, he simply shrugged. "I know little about the occult, so I probably have no right to comment on this room you've placed in the fortress, Lion. But I must admit—"

He raised his hand, placed it on the nearest bone pillar, sighed, and smiled.

"--You really put a lot of effort into this. Collecting so many remains of loyalists must have been quite a task, right?"

The Lion El'Jonson shook his head, calmly denying it. Karyl walked over to him, handed him the vertebra, and then threw out another question.

"Forgive my impatience, Lion. But I really want to know what will happen next? I know that Serrano and Shefa Inquisitor joined forces to reveal the spell on this horn to you, but how are you going to use it here?"

He stopped speaking, raised his hand and pointed to the ceiling, where, amidst the pure gold, a colossal Aquila coldly surveyed them.

The Lion El'Jonson revealed a smile.

"Do you ever feel curious?" he asked, his tone surprisingly cheerful.

"Of course, I'm not some inhuman killing machine focused solely on efficient murder," Karyl chuckled softly. "You can't expect me not to be curious, can you?"

The Lion El'Jonson glanced down at him and said, "Russ just made a rather unseemly comment on what you said."

Karyl raised an eyebrow.

"Then why don't you let him come out and tell me himself?"

"He refused, thinking it was asking for trouble unless there was alcohol involved. And I refused too."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Lion El'Jonson turned around, the door was pushed open, and thirteen people followed Semer in.

They wore uniform clothing, with the emblem of the Ecclesiarchy engraved on their heads, and numerous other symbols of their faith worn devoutly around their necks or wrists. They were men and women of all shapes and sizes, but all shared an unparalleled fervor.

However, as soon as they entered, they immediately knelt down before the Lion El'Jonson, prostrating themselves. The leader recited a hymn of praise written in his own name, while the others raised their heads slightly and sang a hymn in a solemn and harmonious voice.

Still dressed in his aristocratic robes, Semer stood calmly to the side, head bowed, observing Karyl, the man who had suddenly appeared and was dressed in the Inquisition uniform, with a polite glance.

He had doubts, obviously, but since the Lion El'Jonson hadn't mentioned them, he didn't either.

"A very sensible person, no wonder he could become the manager here, "Karyl thought to himself. However, he was still somewhat surprised that Lion Eljonsson would build such a complex yet important place.

In the past, the Lion El'Jonson didn't seem to have such thoughts; he only wanted to be a sharp sword, possessing the majesty of a king but rarely wielding it. More often than not, he spoke through his sword. But now, the situation seems to be a little different.

He silently stepped back, standing behind the Lion El'Jonson, waiting for the hymn to end. He wanted to hear it all, but the Lion El'Jonson seemed unwilling.

He raised his right hand, forcibly stopping the monks' piety, and then showed the vertebra to a bald woman.

"In the name of the God-Emperor," the Lion El'Jonson spoke very slowly, "Purify it."

The woman bowed respectfully, raising her hands above her head before reaching out to receive the vertebra. She wasn't young; the wrinkles around her eyes were the best proof, but her face still possessed a certain childlike innocence.

Karyl caught this perfectly, as naturally as a knife piercing the heart. He frowned, a fleeting thought crossing his mind, but then the slowness displayed by the remaining twelve and the similar childlike innocence on their faces confirmed it.

The Lion El'Jonson turned around and led him out the door.

His nobleman superior left quickly. The gate closed again, and the Lion El'Jonson leaned against it, holding his spear, and slowly closed his eyes.

Karyl heard him taking deep breaths, continuous deep breaths.

"Will you look down on me because of this?" Lion Aljonsen asked after a moment.

Why would anyone look down on you?

"For them," the Caliban said, then gave a rare, self-deprecating laugh. "I thought I wouldn't have any qualms about doing this."

Will they die?

"No," Lion said. "At least not now, but their lifespans will be shortened."

Will they suffer?

"I don't know. All I know is that I selected these flawed children from Kamas's society, then raised them as tools, filling them with faith, in preparation for any eventuality."

The old Lion El'Jonson lowered his head solemnly and stiffly, looking at the Judgment he had invited, and asked his final question.

I want to know.

He didn't finish speaking.

Karyl shook his head and expertly did something he had never done before—he decisively and unequivocally interrupted the Lion El'Jonson's words.

Since his resurrection, similar things have happened many times, along with changes in his obsession with titles or status.

Time changes everything; nothing is an exception.

"The Imperium's society has not reserved any space for these children to survive; it hasn't in the past, it doesn't now, and neither you nor I can be sure if it will in the future."

"Furthermore, curing brain defects remains a formidable task at present. Our understanding of our own body structure is not yet advanced enough to prevent such things at the genetic level."

"I believe that even a thousand years from now, children with birth defects will still exist in our society and suffer from bullying. So there's nothing wrong with what you did, even from a paranoid perspective like mine."

"You've ensured they have enough to eat and wear, so they don't have to scavenge for food in garbage dumps. Most importantly, you've given them dignity, Lion, and that's something money can't buy."

Even if this dignity comes from fanatical faith, even if they actually have no concept of it.

Karyl smiled, his eyes gleaming with psychic power. He silently took flight, and to the Lion El'Jonson's astonishment, he patted him on the shoulder before landing again.

"So, you should think carefully about how to extend an invitation to that war guild later."

Lion Aljonson looked at him with unfamiliar eyes, and after a long while, he managed to utter a warning. "Don't do that again."

"What?"

"Psionic energy."

Karyl chuckled softly.