Hearing Guilliman's words, Vulkan no longer objected.
He could also see his brother's ultimate goal.
No matter how many universes the Imperium conquered, or how many it waged colonial wars against. These were all secondary.
A powerful Imperium was a means, not the ultimate goal. The confrontation between humanity and the Chaos Gods was what Guilliman, as the Emperor, needed to focus on most.
All plans made so far were to weaken Chaos and strengthen the Imperium. To leave a fallback for the failure of the final battle. This was a war concerning all of humanity.
It was just that the level of its outbreak was different, and many people didn't feel it much. They were merely cogs in this vast war machine, unaware of its ultimate destination.
Waging war against Nurgle, the Plague God, was, firstly, to rescue the eldar Goddess of Life, and secondly, to test the strength of the Chaos Gods in this universe.
For a long time, facing the Chaos Gods, the Imperium of Man had been in a passive defensive state.
Daemons and traitors maintained an aggressive offensive, constantly plundering Imperial territory.
As long as the Imperium could repel them, it was considered a victory.
As a result, the Imperium slowly embarked on a path of decline. The Imperium's active offensive would be a huge change in the game between humanity and the Gods. Taking the initiative into one's own hands was the key to victory on the battlefield.
daemons couldn't always be invading humanity. That was too passive, consumed vast resources, and would eventually lead to collapse.
Only by reversing the defensive posture could victory be achieved. Those soulless beings needed to know that not only could the Warp advance, but humanity could also invade their worlds. The invasion of Nurgle's Garden was an important historical event.
Before the Emperor departed, he had also launched attacks on the realms of the Gods.
But in essence, that was still a war within the Warp.
Not a war of the real universe against the Warp.
Before Vulkan arrived, Guilliman and Corax had already made detailed plans.
Vulkan would lead an expeditionary legion and the Valhallans in a frontal assault on Nurgle's realm.
Corax, on the other hand, would lead an elite force directly into the core area. To burn Nurgle's old dwelling and rescue the imprisoned eldar Goddess of Life.
Vulkan read their plan.
After confirming some mission details, he stamped his bio-seal on the action plan. Thus, a strategic plan signed jointly by the Emperor and two Primarchs was born.
Guilliman's execution ability was terrifyingly efficient.
Once confirmed that there were no issues.
He began to push this strategic plan forward.
Command documents were issued from his study, transferred by the communication department to various Imperial orders, instructing them to act according to his orders and prepare for this expedition.
Some orders were sent to Titan. That was the home world of the Grey Knights. The Grey Knights were the backbone of the fight against daemons; without their rich experience, an attack on Nurgle's Garden would be utterly impossible to succeed.
It would also easily put the Imperium at a disadvantage.
For this plan, Guilliman recalled most of the Grey Knight Grand Masters, ensuring the strength of human forces and the absolute infallibility of this mission.
Other orders were sent to Luna, that is, the Moon.
Besides the Genecult, which was slowly recovering, the Moon also housed the convent of the Silent Sisters.
During the Ten Thousand Years of Darkness, the Silent Sisters had once left Terra, going to other star systems to fight.
It wasn't until Guilliman awoke that they began to return to Terra, rejoining forces with their former combat companions—the Custodes.
At their peak, the Silent Sisters' status was equivalent to that of the Custodes. They were the Emperor's right-hand, the most trusted army.
However, the Senators of the Senate did not understand this. Their soulless nature caused disgust and an involuntary sense of fear in them. To escape this fear, they dispatched these sisters to other places and forgot about them, allowing them to slowly be consumed in the dark corners of the galaxy.
After Guilliman's return, these Silent Sisters were once again put to use. They became active on the Imperial stage again and gained the power to participate in Imperial affairs. The Silent Sisters were the bane of daemons.
Even though soulless-characteristic weapons were now widespread, the Silent Sisters remained one of the Imperium's most valuable forces for combating the Warp. Their presence would bring fear to many daemons when invading Nurgle's Garden.
Information was also sent to Terra and Mars, urging the Council and the Mechanicus to coordinate and schedule for this expedition.
Many troops gathered from all directions. They did not know the content of the combat mission, only acting out of obedience.
Guilliman had no intention of telling them in advance.
Any unnecessary discussion would lead to information leaks, allowing the enemy to be prepared. The expeditionary fleet assembled in orbit beyond Pluto.
Several star-bright, colossus-class warships hovered in the void.
Numerous small repair vessels cruised around, using mechanical tentacles to conduct final checks on the hulls of these warships, repairing damaged areas to ensure they could complete their combat mission.
Some tech-priests were inside the ships checking various systems.
Even the plasma engines had been shut down, allowing engineers to delve into the plasma conversion channels to inspect relevant components.
At the same time, a large number of transport and supply ships emerged from the void.
Unloading resources from all over the galaxy and delivering them to these warships.
Supplying these ships was a very complex and difficult task.
Yet, Imperial officials arranged it in an orderly and systematic manner. There was simply no comparison between then and now. The Sol System was the origin of humanity, and the centers of power and research were all here.
It gathered the elite of the entire human race. Those who could enter the Sol System were without exception elites screened from various star systems.
Pick anyone out, and their title could take a whole day to read. There was basically no concept of 'natives' in the current Sol System.
Even those born locally, if their abilities were insufficient, would be transferred to other places. This was slightly cruel.
Sending a native-born person directly to an unfamiliar place and making them live there for a lifetime.
However, this was a necessary evil.
For the Imperium to remain efficient, it had to have enough talent. Those born in the Sol System with insufficient abilities were not very useful; on the contrary, they caused more resource waste by enjoying Imperial welfare benefits. Transporting rations for a useless person from another star system was also a loss.
It was a waste of resource efficiency. Transporting food to the Sol System required cost.
For the Imperium to maintain the welfare benefits of a person with little output was a very unprofitable matter.
Eating fish in a coastal city and eating fish in a desert city would never be the same price.
Most of the Sol System's supplies were transported from outside, and even with advanced technology, there were considerable costs.
Sending them to other star systems could reduce the cost of equivalent welfare benefits.
Everything must yield to the interests of the Imperium.
Fairness and inequality coexisted in the Imperium, a conventional unwritten rule. The smarter, the greater their contribution to humanity, and the more responsibility they bore, the more privileges they enjoyed.
Do not imagine that a high-ranking general and a commoner supported by Imperial welfare were equal. The Imperial promotion system demanded absolute openness and transparency.
Any citizen from any region, without a negative record, could join the Imperial bureaucracy and military system. The only limitation was whether their abilities were sufficient.
Any attempt to gain promotion by means other than ability would be considered treason against humanity, a crime of the highest order.
Handled by Imperial Inquisitors.
Once confirmed, any act of corruption would result in either a penal legion or brain lobe removal for use as a servitor. This impersonal system maintained the Imperium's stability.
If one's abilities were sufficient, they would soar to success.
If abilities were lacking, no one could be blamed.
Under such a system, those who could come to Terra and participate in work were basically true elites, not second-generation idlers filling positions.
Operational efficiency, naturally, was far beyond what departments composed of incompetent officials could compare to.
Even organizing a massive expedition, these officials could handle it with ease.
Most members of the Exorcists Chapter gathered on their colossus-class battleship, the Eternal Scorn.
Chapter Master Enoch, upon receiving orders from Terra, returned to the Sol System from the edge of the galaxy.
Besides them, other Chapters also returned to participate in this expedition.
"Another expedition," said Chapter Librarian Pluto, standing beside Enoch, gazing at the vast star sea.
Countless warships were inertly moored in the void dock. Their power cores were running at the minimum required.
Solely to ensure the energy needs of the ecosystem.
Like slumbering behemoths, they lay prone in the void, waiting to be awakened.
"In the current climate, expeditions are a daily occurrence. The heroes are as numerous as the stars in the sky, making it hard to remember all their names. I hope this is an important battle.
The Exorcists Chapter, compared to other brother Chapters, has been somewhat obscure," Enoch said, clad in heavy armor, with a hint of regret in his tone. This was the most glorious era, with heroes rising every moment, gaining fame and honor on the battlefield.
Leaving their names and statues in the Hero Plaza of Terra.
Enoch also yearned for this. The Exorcists Chapter had participated in many battles so far, but their achievements were truly unremarkable compared to other Chapters. Their main task was still to defend the galaxy, resolving Warp incursions on planets with weak defenses.
In the past, repelling a Warp incursion would have been something worth widely publicizing and remembering.
But now, repelling the soulless from the Warp was no longer even worth the Imperium's attention.
Soulless incursions had been defined by the Imperial bureaucracy as minor incidents, on par with a hive city rebellion.
It was too difficult for the Exorcists Chapter to earn the right to enter Terra's Hero Plaza based on their achievements in eradicating incursions into the real universe.
"Didn't they reveal our mission for this time during the military meetings a few days ago?" Pluto asked.
Enoch shook his head. "They also said they weren't clear about it, merely instructing the soldiers to train as commanded by the Emperor. The Emperor didn't intend to reveal the destination of this journey. I only hope this is a major war."
At this, Enoch clenched his fists.
"If it's a major war, the Exorcists Chapter will seize every opportunity to gain merit, to have a statue of our own in Terra's Hero Plaza. Even if it costs me my life, I will not hesitate."
"Is that really good?! To sacrifice yourself for honor?" Pluto found the Chapter Master's fanaticism somewhat incomprehensible.
"If there's nothing, if we remain obscure, what's the meaning of living? Many Chapters are fighting valiantly; is the Exorcists Chapter any worse than them?" Enoch said in a low voice, "Moreover, sacrificing ourselves for the Emperor, for humanity, is our duty. Death will eventually come to everyone, it's just a matter of sooner or later. So why not let your life burn brightly?"
Pluto shook his head.
"Let's not talk about building statues on Terra for now. From the scale of this mobilization, it must be a major war. The Emperor has recalled many warriors who had previously fallen, and according to some rumors, they are very likely to participate in this meeting as well."
"If it's truly a major war, then that's for the best. The Exorcists Chapter will not be inferior to those heroes who have returned from the dead."
Enoch gazed at the brilliant star sea and the countless Imperial warships, his eyes filled with determination. The Exorcists Chapter would definitely leave a statue in Terra's Hero Plaza.
And not just the Exorcists Chapter.
Many Chapters shared this sentiment. The Imperium was growing stronger and stronger. The fruits of victory were also growing larger.
If they didn't work hard, they would truly be forgotten. Taras was transported from the biological laboratory to the recovery hospital.
Everything he saw left him wide-eyed. Those who had clearly sacrificed themselves before him were once again active in front of him.
All the comrades who had been on the Sisypheum warship had been revived. They had undergone different trials, but ultimately all regained their physical bodies and returned to the real universe.
"I never thought we'd meet again," said Brantan, the former Captain of the Sisypheum, standing by Taras's bed, speaking in a low voice.
Sallos, Weyland, Numeon, and others also stood nearby. They had returned a little earlier than Taras and had now passed the most difficult recovery period, needing only a final assessment before they could leave the recovery hospital. The Sisypheum was an attack cruiser belonging to the Iron Hands Legion, highly modified and equipped with a black, non-reflective stealth hull.
It played a crucial role in the outbreak of the Horus Heresy.
It evacuated many loyalist legionaries from the Istvaan V dropsite. The survivors also used this cruiser fleet to conduct guerrilla warfare against the traitors, disrupting enemy supply lines and raiding Imperial Navy vessels that had turned traitor. They even planned an assassination attempt on a Primarch.
Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful. The ship also participated in the Solar War until it was scarred and battered, finally being thrown above the Sol system's stellar disk by Warp turbulence.
The final outcome was that Weyland, to protect the original gene-seed, had Sallos hide behind an abandoned coaling station, then piloted the warship into the void, luring away all the enemies. Taras didn't know what happened after his sacrifice.
Sallos and the others told him.
Having experienced so much, and now being able to reunite, each of them was so excited, unable to calm down.
"Recover soon, then we can fight side-by-side again," Numeon said. "Don't worry about us belonging to different Legions. The old Legion structure has been disbanded. We returnees can only choose new Chapters, or form our own Chapter, and Terra will assist us."
"Legion structure disbanded? Can only join new combat units?" Taras's face was puzzled; he had only just woken up and didn't know much about the changes in the Imperium.
"Yes, I'll tell you the detailed specifics once you're discharged."
The reform of the Legions was not something that could be explained in a few words.
It had to start from the Siege of Terra, and Guilliman's leadership in the subsequent breakup and reorganization of the military, to fully explain it.
For several days, Sallos and the others communicated with Taras about the current situation of the Imperium.
Hearing that most of the named and prominent warriors from the 30k Horus Heresy had returned and been received by the Emperor.
He was also greatly shocked.
Lord Commander Malcador had not spoken falsely.
An unprecedented great war was about to erupt. They had all returned to fulfill an uncompleted mission. This was not even the most shocking thing for Taras.
Hearing that most of the traitors had been captured and sent to Terra's Astronomican, his eyes widened.
"Angron, Fulgrim, Lorgar, all captured. They thought that by siding with the Gods, they could rest easy, but they underestimated the Emperor's power and resolve. Those fellows are now suffering various soul torments, repaying their past sins."
"I heard that Lorgar, who lured other Primarchs to fall, has been tormented into madness. He keeps wanting the returning warriors to admit that the Lectitio Divinitatus was written by him, but no one ever supports his claim, which has dealt him a great blow, and now he's somewhat idiotic."
Taras felt as if it was all a dream.
An illusion woven by the Gods to deceive him. This illusion was so real, without a single flaw.
But those deeds were still too incredible.
If he hadn't been able to stand up and walk to the balcony to see the magnificent Astronomican building, he wouldn't have believed any of it was real.
During his recovery, he was shocked again and again.
He marveled at the achievements the Imperium had made.
Just when he thought he could adapt to this era of frequent miracles, Sallos and the others always brought stories that made him gape in astonishment again.
When his body recovered and he was able to be discharged.
An unexpected piece of news arrived, making his nerves, which he thought had been tempered by these past few days and could withstand anything, become incredibly excited again, leaving him dumbfounded and trembling with excitement.
Immediately after being discharged, he saw Vulkan, who had been appointed head of the expeditionary force, featured in the Imperial Daily.
Projections of this Primarch were everywhere in the streets and alleys.
"Is this real?" Taras's voice trembled slightly. "The Lord of Drakes has returned too?"
"Yes, we didn't dare tell you this before, precisely because we were afraid you'd get too excited," Sallos said.
"Oh my God." Tears streamed down Taras's face, his words trembling beyond recognition.
When he died on the moon, the last news he knew about the Lord of Drakes was that Vulkan's body had been sent back to Nocturne.
Yet Vulkan had now reappeared, just like during the Great Crusade, leading an army of unimaginable scale, preparing to launch an expedition.
"I have to go see him," Taras said in a low voice. "I'm sorry, I can't fight alongside you all. He needs his own sons."
"I don't recommend you do that," Sallos said. "The Primarch is no longer the Legion Master of old."