The Inquisitor's Game

On the edge of the Imperium of Man's territory, in near-Earth orbit on a desolate Planet.

"Sir, the asteroid belts that need to be cleared have been planned, and we can execute the Exterminatus immediately."

Inquisition Wilchatu looked at the image displayed on Inquisitor Star Chart and made a difficult decision.

This decision had to be made by him; he was the Imperium's Inquisitor, and he had to ensure that the Imperium's territory wouldn't be riddled with holes by those cosmic locusts.

Since the First Tyrannic War, humanity's understanding of these cosmic locusts has made considerable progress.

However, when they actually faced the Tyranids, they were still terrified.

The monsters' environmental adaptability and self-purification abilities, as well as their characteristic of constantly killing and devouring for biomass.

Just seeing the battle reports sent chills down my spine.

After the First Tyrannic War, the Tyranids's activities within the Imperium of Man had significantly decreased.

Even if Tyranids- related threats reappear, they will only be small-scale incidents, primarily involving Genestealer.

However, for some unknown reason, according to reports from the Inquisition personnel, the Tyranids's activity in the universe has suddenly intensified recently.

What's even more frightening is that the Tyranids's objective this time was very clear.

Their primary target is the Segmentum Obscurus.

"Any news from the special operations team?"

"We have news, sir. A large force of Orks has been lured here and will soon arrive at their designated location in outer space."

Wilchatu nodded, and at the same time, he pulled up the star map for the designated location.

Looking at this picture, he was lost in a memory.

According to the plans of the high command of the Inquisition, the main force of this Hive Fleet will engage in continuous battles with this Orks force.

Once the Inquisition has made a judgment on the situation, it will issue Exterminatus to take both forces away together.

But what truly caught Wilchatu's attention was a Planet that had once existed in this part of the universe.

Nostramo.

This is a very old name; unless you're a mid-to-high-level Inquisitor like him, no one would ever find it in the case files.

This name is associated with a Primarch, the former Night Lords, the Night Daemon, the most feared being among all the Legiones Astartes.

A person who can instill fear in the Emperor's Angels of Death.

Konrad Curze, Night Haunter.

Prior to this mission, senior Inquisition officials disclosed some of the secret case files to him.

This included showing him the history of Nostramo's destruction.

With these two forces now placed in this location, Wilchatu had a bad feeling.

This absurd premonition was not unfounded, because it involved another entity within the Imperium.

Father of Night.

No one knows how this great being came to be, nor what his origins are.

The entire Blood Angels Chapter stood by him, and the Imperium's most powerful Living Saint, the current Prime Chancellor of the Imperium, Sinleech, was also his close friend.

Besides these, there is one more thing about this great figure that is even more well-known to the Imperium.

The being who brought rebirth to the Great Angel Sanguinius of the Imperium.

Sanguinius called him the greatest of the great.

This being's achievements, besides demonstrating extraordinary power, also included his terrifying and ruthless political maneuvering.

Since this being appeared, the efficiency of the Imperium administrative system has increased like never before.

At the same time, the entire government system also ushered in his final salvation.

That's Holiday.

These two seemingly simple words were something no one dared to utter in this precarious Imperium of Man, yet the Father of Night still brought them up and carried them out.

Wilchatu was among the First Batch Inquisitor to appreciate the beauty of the Holiday.

This being acts with swift and decisive action, appearing and disappearing like a dragon. Undeniably, the Father of Night truly brought hope and a great salvation to the Imperium.

That is precisely why his feelings for the Father of Night are complex.

The words "Father of Night" always reminded the Inquisitor, who had just reviewed the top-secret files, of three other words.

Son of Night.

According to the top-secret dossier that Wilchatu saw before carrying out the mission, the words "Son of Night" are not simply a combination of High Gothic.

During the Great Crusade, when the God-Emperor was still active among mortals, the Primarch of the Eighth Legion had not yet returned to his Legion.

Before the entire Legion was renamed the Night Lords, the VIII Legion was called the Son of Night.

Son of Night and Father of Night.

This forced the naturally suspicious Inquisitor to consider whether the Father of Night had any connection to the Eighth Legion.

"My lord, besides this matter, there is another matter that requires your attention."

Wilchatu's thoughts were interrupted by his attendant's words.

However, this kind of thinking is more like wishful thinking, since the location of this mission is close to Old Nostramo.

It had no substantial impact.

The Inquisitor is very busy; such daydreams are just things that happen in a few seconds when the mind is blank.

The work that needs to be done still needs to be done.

"What else is on the to-do list?"

"My lord, following the specific instructions of the Inquisition, a large-scale population migration has occurred in the central region of the Segmentum Obscurus."

"Mass migration? Why are you reporting this to me?"

In this era of constant warfare, population migration was all too common.

Within the Administratum's system, this kind of thing isn't even a priority.

"My lord, this large-scale population migration is related to the Imperium Chancellor."

"Say it again, who is it related to?"

"He has close ties to the current Imperium Chancellor, according to the results of a joint Investigation by the Inquisition and the Assassin Hall."

"This large-scale population migration was personally overseen by the Imperium Chancellor, with all administrative approvals granted smoothly."

You mean corruption?

The Inquisition has seen many such cases. In fact, for the current Imperium, corruption is not a big deal; loyalty is.

Corruption is not important; loyalty is.

The current Imperium Chancellor, Sinleech, is the most powerful Living Saint in the entire Imperium of Man, and the only one who can communicate directly with the God-Emperor.

His loyalty is beyond question, so let him be corrupt.

"However, according to the Ordo Hereticus..."

"What did you just say? Say it again, news from the Ordo Hereticus?"

Wilchatu belongs to the Ordo Xenos, so why would news from the Ordo Hereticus reach him?

The result is obvious.

This was not the first time the Inquisition had burned Living Saint of the Imperium alive.

The tension between the Imperial Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy becomes glaringly apparent when matters are related to the Ecclesiarchy.

Moreover, the three main bodies within the Inquisition typically operate independently.

The Ordo Hereticus is kicking their job to the Ordo Xenos; they're clearly trying to use themselves as pawns.

"Please provide detailed evidence for the Ordo Hereticus's report. If you lack detailed evidence, we need to seriously consider the well-being of our colleagues."

Wilchatu's entourage paused for a moment, then listed a long list.

"According to the Ordo Hereticus's Investigation, ever since Imperium Chancellor Sinleech took office, there have been faint, persistent Warp fluctuations in the cosmos surrounding Holy Terra."

"Especially during the first period of political reform after the Chancellor took office, the scale of this Warp fluctuation reached its peak."

"In addition, there are records of a decrease in the scale of Warp fluctuations around Holy Terra when the Father of Night appeared within the Imperium."