[Solar System]
Hades was now drowsy, and he finally understood that Malcador's move was to use courtesy before force.
Before he could stroll around Terra to digest his food, Hades was "invited" to the operating table by the impatient Malcador, without giving Hades any time to prepare himself mentally.
During the dark years, Hades often woke up with great difficulty, and his internal organs seemed to be squeezed together and he was in severe pain, but he was still required to undergo skill tests - and then be sent to the operating table.
Hades now understood why scientists, especially those studying life sciences, often played villains in horror movies.
Fortunately, it's all over! Hades was shocked.
Thanks to the unremitting efforts of scientific researchers, Hades has become bigger, stronger, more powerful, and more WAAAAAAAGH!!!
WAAAAAAGH!!!
Hades's whole body basic panel has been super strengthened - according to Malcador, as long as the nutrition keeps up, Hades can obtain basic values that are not inferior to the original body.
… He just didn’t say which Primarch he was competing against.
There was also a small incident during this period. When Hades' mechanical brain was being iteratively replaced, Malcador was urgently called over by the scientists. After whispering a few words to Malcador, the old man looked at Hades with a playful look.
But when Hades tried to ask, Malcador waved his hand and returned to his calm attitude.
"At least we don't have to think about it now, but the future... let's see if we can still have a future."
Rejecting the Riddler starts with you, so Hades harassed Macador several times while he was working after the operation, and finally got a relatively clear (and impatient) answer.
"In the history of the Great Crusade, there have indeed been cases where a group of warriors, sometimes Space Marines, sometimes Auxiliary Corps, suddenly disappeared without a trace."
"My Lord told me not to worry. This being has no special ill will towards humans. On the contrary, in the fight against Chaos, its position is the same as ours."
"even… "
Under the hood, Malcador's eyes became sharper.
"The Lord of Mankind had anticipated this."
"But for the specifics, you need to ask him in person."
Hades blinked and tried to ask more, but he was driven out by Malcador with his staff transformed into a club. After realizing that Hades had a simple moral outlook, which meant not hitting old men, the usually cautious and gentle old man became... morally inferior.
But even so, Malcador still believed that the mental damage Hades dealt to him far exceeded the damage he had done to Hades.
To the relief of the old man, all this torture was about to end, as a series of operations came to an end (due to Hades's outrageous resistance to various drugs, they had to increase the dosage, which prolonged the operation time a lot), this damn man could finally go and bother others with his damn problems.
Before that, they still need to go to Mars, and... The Lord of Mankind left Malcador another difficult task...
On the Martian wasteland, the shuttle carrying two people raised dust all over the sky. The first stop of this unnoticed journey to Mars was the Technical Sergeant Base - it was designated by Hades and they had to go.
Just like last time, Malcador dozed off by the window, but the difference was that beneath his cloak, a heavy volume of the Sacred Word lay peacefully in the old man's arms.
If you want religious enlightenment, there is no better place than Mars.
But it was clear that Machado did not want to do this himself.
———————
Endurance
"My lord, Lord Pluto is not aware of His abilities, and too much humanity still binds Him. But again, this is His choice, and all we have to do is obey."
In the dim and empty room, Mortarion raised his eyebrows and stared at the Kirkland Sage standing in front of him.
And those words just now naturally came from Kirkland's electronic voice generator.
Mortarion leaned back in his chair quite casually. The Primarch, who had just finished talking with Horus, did not want to continue his hypocritical performance on the territory of the Endurance.
Although his hypocrisy earned him a lot of points in Horus's heart - ever since Mortarion wrote those two letters, Mortarion no longer avoided using hypocritical language. Before that, he just didn't want to, but it didn't mean he wouldn't.
[Hades is leading you directly, and he just lets you do what you want? ]
Kirkland lowered his head respectfully, and the black stone pendant swayed with his movements, flashing a faint light.
Mortarion narrowed his eyes dangerously.
This reminded Mortarion of his conversation with the sage on Mars. At that time, the great sage did not have such confidence in front of the Primarch.
[Then give me a reason why you are too brave.]
"You are different from Lord Pluto. I don't think you are disgusted by this."
Just no feeling, Mortarion thought dully, his mind still partially immersed in the memory of exchanging pleasantries with Horus.
[…You think I’m tolerant? ]
"That is not the meaning, my Lord."
Kirkland bowed again.
"I just showed you our determination towards Lord Pluto. We will obey His orders and will not distort or fabricate them."
It was a very interesting answer, neither humble nor arrogant. Mortarion suddenly became interested. He looked at Kirkland, recalling which step had made this sage what he is today.
[Kirkland,] the Lord of Death spoke hoarsely, and a faint sense of oppression filled the entire room.
Why do you think he is God
[… Why did you choose to believe in him? ]
Mortarion looked at the indicator light on Kirkland's face flashing violently. Was this a sign of excitement? The Lord of Death remembered Hades had said so, but he was obviously doing something more important at the time.
"My Lord, please forgive me for being so rude."
Kirkland made a crisp electronic noise.
"The first question is not the point. We will fall into endless debates over definitions and concepts, while the true meaning lies in the believers' own choices. We believe in Him, and this is our choice, not His."
[Believe in him, has nothing to do with him?]
Kirkran nodded deeply, and Mortarion frowned.
This was very much like the behavior of a madman or a fool, and Mortarion knew that some people would be quite fanatical about other things - sometimes, they were even willing to sacrifice their lives for it.
This fanaticism may also make them ignore some logic, or in other words, they will regard faith as their own interest rather than worldly money or power.
But... again, Mortarion didn't care.
The Primarch was well aware that there were many people of this type, those who worshipped the Emperor, worshipped the Primarch, or worshipped some warrior with outstanding achievements. The Imperium had no shortage of such people.
But the Pluto Cult, which relied solely on Hades's personal image, developed a complete system...
Even Hades himself was opposed to and even suppressed them.
Mortarion stared at Kirkland in silence. In the past, he might have missed this detail and simply put the sage into the list of "madmen".
Kirkland must have been hiding something from Mortarion. There must be something else going on here.
Is Kirkland lowering his guard against them
The Lord of Death recalled... He remembered the secret conversation between Hades and those lunatics in the interrogation room that day...
He remembered that the lamplighter Ugo was also present at the time.
Why would Hades invite psychics over just because it's a matter of religion
Mortarion's face darkened and he opened the channel.
[Ugo, come here now.]
Yes, code
(End of this chapter)