[Theory and practice are the key to their own strengthening. Theory: fully implement theory and practice to exert their fullest power. Practice: through instructions and routines, pour theory and practice into every level.]
[—Guilliman, Towards the Integration of Theory and Practice, 111.54.xl]
Theory: They still need to observe. Practice: Ask your fellow Death Guardsmen.
Practical supplement 1: Death Guard generally don't like to speak.
Practical supplement 2: The Death Guard commander is quite enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and is happy to answer questions.
Theoretical update: They need more efficient observation. Practical update: Collect most of the confusion of the Ultramarines, summarize the common problems, and actively send high-level warriors to ask the Death Guard commander.
The practice has achieved phased success, proving the feasibility of the practice. Under the condition that subjective and objective conditions remain unchanged, they can repeat this action.
Practical Supplement 3: Death Guard prefers silent battles. For their practice, some Death Guard ask them to shut up in the channel, saying that they need to receive orders from the commander instead of listening to questions from the Ultramarines.
Mortarion was grateful to his fiery sons, as this finally quieted the Ultramarines a little.
Just like the endless number of blue brats themselves, the problems of the Ultramarines are also endless, but there is always a tiny value in their existence that is impossible to refuse.
There was a burst of noise on the Ultramarines' channel, and Mortarion thought with satisfaction that they had finally realized how inappropriate their actions were.
However, the next moment, Guilliman's quick and solemn voice rang out in the shared channel between the Death Guard and the Ultramarines.
[Commander Hades, are you willing to answer some of our questions in detail after this war? The Ultramarines will thank you for your knowledge. ]
Before Hades uttered any syllable, a loud sigh came from Mortarion's breathing mask, and then Mortarion took off his breathing mask, spat hard on the ground, put on the mask again, and took a few deep breaths.
"Guilliman, my brother," he said darkly. "What do you want to ask? I can answer your questions now."
Obviously, Hades's attention was now mostly on the battlefield. The explosion just now had made Hades extremely alert, so he understood the conversation between Mortarion and Guilliman literally and did not speak.
On the other hand, after discussing with Mortarion, the Lord of Macragge chose to garrison the square, the largest temporary airport in the city, so that the ground forces could maintain contact with the air fleet.
Guilliman stared at the edge of the square. Type 3 obstacles were combined with Type 2 obstacles to create artificial shelters. All vehicles within three blocks were dragged over and became part of the shelters. Although in his calculations, Guilliman did not think that the people here could launch a large-scale attack, these were all psykers he was not familiar with, and Guilliman believed that he needed to be fully prepared.
All situations must be faced, and not doing so would be betrayal.
The only mortals left alive were those Guilliman had appointed as histories and chroniclers, though even these were few in number.
Guilliman wanted to let them leave on the Stormbirds, but the current air force was the Death Guard, who rejected Guilliman's request and warned Guilliman not to put them back into the air fleet easily.
So Guilliman had to let these mortals tremble and cry in the Ultramarines' defense circle, but there was also a young man who tried to touch the bodies of the dead Abster people, and he was of course seriously warned.
At the same time, Guilliman was thinking about what Mortarion had just said. He was thinking about what Mortarion was thinking at the moment. Mortarion's tone was not good. He was rejecting the Ultramarines. This was indeed a problem of the Ultramarines.
Guilliman realized that the Death Guard was a rather stubborn legion with a strong sense of boundaries. The Ultramarines' actions just now were obviously rash. They should be more cautious and observe and test more carefully.
But it was war time after all, and Guilliman did not want to see failure due to lack of information, so he acquiesced to the Ultramarines' questioning of the Death Guard, even though it might indeed cause some of the Death Guard to dislike them.
Guilliman was silent for a moment, then chose a more relaxed tone.
[I have a lot to ask, my brother, Mortarion, maybe you can come to the Glory of Macragge after this? This battle is also thanks to the Death Guard's early warning, we did make a mistake. ]
It turns out that this kind of rhetoric is very effective even when used on the Primarch, who is called a demigod by mortals.
Even though Guilliman was dissatisfied with some of the actions of the Death Guard, it was still within the scope he had defined.
There was a faint sound coming from Mortarion's channel, and Guilliman imagined his brother struggling to breathe through his gas mask.
[.Okay, but don’t ask now.]
A short, dry sentence, and then Mortarion simply cut off the connection with the channel.
The goal had been achieved, and the current information was enough for them to deal with the current situation. Guilliman ordered the Ultramarines to stop questioning their Death Guards who were tired of being asked questions.
———————
The Death Guard does not need to clear the area very thoroughly. They only need to clean up a part of it and collect the ashes of the psychics. The rest will be left to the torpedoes.
If the altar in the slums had not suddenly exploded, the Death Guard's front line would not have advanced so far, and they could have stopped as early as the third area.
The areas that had been licked by the flames had long since turned into ruins. Except for the cracked and twisted stones that had been burned, all the remaining combustible materials had turned to ashes. Some specialized warriors were wandering and collecting in the ruins, like wild dogs digging for corpses in the wasteland.
In the entire planet of Abst, the most densely populated and prosperous area is the royal capital. Apart from that, there are a number of small villages dotted in the wilderness.
There is no need to clear out the enemy, the extermination order will naturally solve all of this.
It's time to retreat. Above the square, engines roared and the legion soldiers began to retreat in an orderly manner.
Hades stood in the square, listening to the information coming from the channel and staring at the towering palace thoughtfully.
According to the Death Guards who went in, they also found a huge amount of explosives under the altar in the palace - according to calculations, the amount of explosives was even more than that used to blow up Hades in the slums.
Hades was not sure if he would survive if the summoning was performed at the altar in the palace.
But he didn't want to think about the questions Tzeentch had given him, one possible path had already been denied him, he only had to take the one that still existed.
Hades did not turn his head.
"No, don't ask me again."
Hades said,
"Those mortals who record this must be put to death."
Hades then turned around, as if surprised, "I'm sorry, my lord, I didn't know it was you."
Guilliman waved his hand.
[We can monitor them, or cleanse their memories, but to execute them directly? This is too cruel for these people who are loyal to their duties. Before this, they were just people who wanted to witness a glorious ceremony.]
"Lord Guilliman, our legion commander has warned you repeatedly before this."
Hades' tone was neither humble nor arrogant, but his face was still expressionless. Would he also have a blank expression when answering the Ultramarines' questions
Guilliman's voice was tinged with anger, and the Lord of Macragge began to try to put pressure on him.
[If you had informed the Ultramarines in advance, these losses would have been unnecessary. ]
"We have given you and your legion enough warnings, but you still claim that there is no problem with the people here, or rather, most of them are fine."
Faced with the pressure from a Primarch, Hades remained expressionless and unmoved. If it wasn't because he was mentally strong enough, it was because he had faced the wrath of a Primarch so many times that these things became commonplace to him.
Guilliman's voice softened as he realized this.
[I still don't agree to execute them. They are all warriors who have followed the Ultramarines to fight everywhere. You can tell us any other measures that can be taken besides the death penalty, even if they are costly.]
Hades stared at Guilliman, his gaze sweeping imperceptibly over the trembling historians behind the Primarch.
In fact, so far, except for the Soulless, Kirkland and King, all the mortals who have followed Hades and faced the devil have died.
They are all dead.
Kirkland and King have also been under Hades' surveillance for a long time, until recently, when Macador became King's surveillance talent.
Indeed, in the distant 40k, many mortal troops will be the main force in fighting against demons, and their strength and faith are obvious to all.
But not now, corruption is everywhere, and the best way to avoid corruption is ignorance, and they already know it, but they have no so-called faith to protect them—
Oh, Hades suddenly had a ridiculous idea, but he cut off this possibility in an instant.
Firstly, Guilliman himself was extremely opposed to religious beliefs, and Hades was powerless to manipulate him and could not tell Guilliman anything to let him believe in religion; secondly, Guilliman would not allow these people to be handed over to the Death Guard, because the Primarch firmly believed that the Death Guard would execute them as soon as possible.
What's more, Hades himself is quite disgusted with this kind of behavior, and he still cannot accept the absurd behavior of actively [preaching].
But these people could not be let off, as they were all eloquent historians, and Tzeentch liked such people. Faced with possible sources of infection, destruction was the safest option.
Hades looked at Guilliman, and he remembered that during the Plague, Guilliman had built a hospital world to treat those injured after fighting the demons of Nurgle.
If it were Mortarion today, he would have put them to death humanely rather than attempt to treat them.
As expected, the corruption among the wounded successfully dealt a heavy blow to the world.
Hades thought about it and spoke.
"I can check for them. I am a soulless person, and I am stronger than other soulless people. People who are contaminated by psychic energy will be more sensitive than normal people. If they are contaminated, then they will not be able to withstand my untouchable domain."
Hades continued slowly,
".However, I can only check the current situation. Often, the dangers buried in memories or details will not be revealed immediately. The current safety does not prove that their future will not be contaminated by the past and turn them into monsters like Queen Abstul."
"They are still dangerous. I still recommend that you execute them."
Guilliman's eyes flickered. "Perhaps you can teach us how to prevent and treat this in the future."
"Memory is highly erased, monitored, and prohibited from spreading one's own thoughts"
Hades muttered quietly and quickly. He walked over and looked at the historians, who were huddled together, obviously frightened.
"Excuse me, let me check it out."
Guilliman stood behind Hades, his eyes wide open—
The people who were cursing and crying just now seemed to have fallen asleep the next moment.
[this]
Guilliman looked at the sleeping people in disbelief.
"I'm sorry."
Hades said slowly, as if in mourning,
"Obviously, they have all been contaminated. Now their psychic flames have been extinguished, and their bodies will soon stop functioning as well."
Guilliman stared at Hades. He opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't ask what he wanted to ask.
[.I hope you can explain all this to me after this.]
These small disturbances attracted someone other than Hades. Mortarion strode over, his respirator groaning.
"You will understand all this, my brother, but sometimes you need to let your compassion give way to the cruel facts."
Yes, code
(End of this chapter)