How to kill a daddy's boy

Lin En picked at his ear.

Brother Dun, your self-introduction was quite long.

Abaddon: "You lackeys of the Emperor, did you think that guarding the outer reaches of the Solar System would stop the Long War? Today you face the full wrath of the Chaos Gods."

The communications officer's hand hovered above the channel button, unsure whether to switch.

Lin En waved his hand at him, signaling him not to move and to let him speak.

Abaddon: "I brought with me the blood of Khorne, the plague of Nurgle, the cunning of Tzeentch, the pleasures of Slaanesh, and the steel of the Dark Mechanicum. What will you use to stop me?"

Lin En pulled his fingers out of his ear after cleaning it, looked down at it, and flicked it.

Everyone on the bridge was watching him, but no one dared to utter a sound.

What composure and confidence this is...

Lin En opened the communicator. "Brother Dun!"

The channel was silent for a second.

Abaddon: "Who's calling me Brother Dun?"

Lin En: "I am Lin En, the Emperor's Envoy and Commander-in-Chief of the Outer Solar System Defense. Brother Dun, I've heard so much about you."

Abaddon's voice turned cold. "You're that new brat who claims to be the Emperor's Envoy."

Lin En: "No, no, I have a question for you."

Abaddon: "Speak."

Lin En: "Could you say that again?"

Abaddon: "...?"

"That's it." Lin En cleared his throat, lowering his voice by half an octave. "The Primarchs's era has ended."

The entire channel was silent for three seconds.

"... puff."

Someone on the Solar Fleet couldn't help but burst out laughing.

A series of muffled laughs and coughs came from the communication channel. Someone choked on their saliva, while someone pretended that the communicator was malfunctioning, making a hissing sound.

Aurelian stepped in to smooth things over. "All ships, please maintain communication discipline."

But even after he finished speaking, he couldn't help but let his voice rise slightly at the end.

Abaddon roared in fury, "You're asking for it!"

The roar exploded from the communicator, making everyone on the bridge's ears ring.

Lin En pushed the communicator away. "Wow, that's a loud voice. Brother Dun, having such a temper isn't good for your cardiovascular system."

A burst of static came from the other end of the channel, like Abaddon yelling something, but he wasn't switching to the full channel; he was probably yelling at the people on his bridge.

A few seconds later, his voice came through again, low and menacing. "You think you can sway the Black Legion's will with a few jokes?"

Lin En said sincerely, "No, no, I was just curious. After all, that line is so classic, I've always wanted to find the original version to listen to. I admire you so much, Brother Dun."

Abaddon's voice faded completely.

He said grimly, "Lin En, you will pay the price for every word you've said today."

Lin En smiled.

He chuckled softly, as if he had heard something very interesting.

Then his voice suddenly turned cold, becoming ghostly, completely different from his previous jovial tone, as if he had become a different person. "Ezekyle, you actually dare to presume to instruct me on my actions. Now you dare to mock my combat skills, little brat? Have you become weaker since my advancement?"

The communication channel seemed to be dead.

The all-channel communication was not turned off; all ships in the Solar Fleet, Blood Angels, Lamenters, Flesh Tearers, and Blood Knights could hear the sound.

Everyone on the bridge froze, the communications officer's hand hovering above the channel button, completely still. Everyone turned to look at Lin En, their expressions slowly shifting from confusion to something else.

Lin En knew what she was doing.

That last sentence wasn't his own.

It is of Horus.

The original quote.

This was something Horus said to Abaddon when they were joking around.

Back then, Abaddon felt that Horus, having been promoted to Warmaster, should no longer take risks and desperately tried to stop Horus from leading the charge on the battlefield. Horus then used this tactic to frighten him, giving Abaddon quite a fright.

Abaddon then bowed frantically to Horus, apologizing profusely, "My lord! I had no such intention!"

"No, sir, it's not..."

It turned out that Horus was just teasing him and trying to scare him.

Horus and the other members of the Mournival burst into laughter, mocking him.

Now, of all those who laughed back then— Horus, the four high-ranking members of the Sons of Horus —only Abaddon remains.

Lin En continued to innocently rub salt in the wound with her Brother Dun: "Brother Dun, hearing your voice reminds me of that line again."

He pretended to try to recall, "The original quote seemed to be, '[The laughter of the Cthonia is inherently deep and rough, but the laughter of the Luna Wolves is the most powerful and deafening.]' Is that true? Did you laugh like that back then?"

A very soft sound came from the other end of the channel, like someone clenching a fist, their bones cracking.

Lin En added, "Oh right, Horus Lupercal was definitely one of the most charismatic Primarchs, almost on par with us angels. It's a pity he was later sent to the Temple of the Four Gods' Trap. Oh, who sent Horus to the temple? I'm getting old and can't quite remember."

There was complete silence on the other end of the channel; not even static.

Lin En could imagine what the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit was like right now. Abaddon stood in the Lupercal's Court, dizzy, and no one around him dared to look at him.

Lin En softened his voice even more, but it didn't become any more pleasant; instead, it became even more piercing. "Brother Dun, did Horus refuse to let you send him in back then? Did you cry a thousand times afterward for that decision?"

Anyone who has read the original work knows what a charismatic leader Horus was.

Even someone like Lin En, who harbored prejudice against Horus because of the Sanguinius, had to admit that the original Horus was truly a good person in the traditional sense.

He is charismatic, responsible, and leads by example when commanding troops. He is considerate of his subordinates, cares for his children, and is willing to take a knife for his children and brothers.

Before entering the temple, he was the Imperium's most dazzling Warmaster and the Emperor's most trusted son.

So the Sanguinius was in great pain afterwards.

Horus was his best brother.

"I love you, Horus. Perhaps more than any of us. How could you do this?"

I love you, Horus. Perhaps more than any of us. How did you become like this?

The Sanguinius suffers, and so those who love him suffer.

This pain, transmitted through the pages of the book, also seeps into the hearts of those outside the book.

He stood on the bridge of the Night Goddess and threw these words at Abaddon, one by one, because to kill someone is to destroy their spirit.

In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, death is not the end.

Lin En spoke gently to the now completely changed Sons of Horus, "Garro later told Mortarion, 'You know Mortarion, I would have done anything for you.' And you, Brother Dun? Were you ever like that?"

He then recited another sentence, speaking even more slowly, enunciating each word carefully. "[If they intend to separate me from you, they'll have to break every bone in my body. As long as I have a breath left, I will not abandon you]?"

With a "snap," the communication was lost.

Abaddon seemed to have reached his limit and abruptly cut off the communication.

The cutting was so fast and urgent, it sounded like someone had slapped the communicator onto the Control Console.

The Vengeful Spirit opened fire, Lance grazed the hull of the Night Goddess as they flew past.

Piercing the lungs of these spoiled brats in Warhammer 40,000 is a piece of cake.

Lin En chuckled again, "Oh dear, you're getting impatient. Alright, alright, I won't ask anymore. Attention all ships, Brother Dun has broken through the defenses, fire!"