The biting winds of the Antarctic ice cap whipped across Alexander's face, causing his body to shiver slightly.
It was a peculiar sensation. Antarctica was perhaps the only place on Terra that still retained some semblance of its natural landscape. The cold wind here felt like an echo from a distant past.
During the Unification Wars, this area belonged to the city-state of Orolok. They had built their sanctuary city dozens of kilometers beneath the ice cap, powered by geothermal energy, and for a time, it was one of the few paradises on Terra.
The people who lived there believed that the entire world was essentially the result of the interaction between the souls of the dead and physical matter; all dreams, hallucinations, and shadows were glimpses of the dead's souls at the living.
When other regions of Terra were conquered by the Emperor, the Priest-King of this Antarctic city refused the Emperor's surrender, stubbornly maintaining independence and adhering to their beliefs.
Thus, the Word Bearers attacked the city, detonated the geothermal plant at its center, and reduced the entire city to ashes, leaving only burning lava.
After that, the Antarctic ice cap was preserved because the Inquisition took up residence there.
The Inquisition transformed the ruins of the former Orolok city-state into their fortress, becoming the de facto headquarters of the Inquisition.
Even with Terra's severe water shortage, no water guild would be foolish enough to covet the Inquisition's home. They only dared to venture into the stars to collect frozen asteroids to replenish Terra's water supply.
After all, before the Adepta Sororitas debated with bolters, they would try to persuade with words, while an Inquisitor would simply declare Exterminatus on your entire family.
Soon, the brief comfort brought by the Antarctic natural scenery vanished without a trace.
The raging, almost supernatural blizzards lashed against Alexander, leaving his vision a chaotic white expanse. The distant Antarctic mountains loomed like shadowy ghosts in the snow, reminding Alexander of the Mountains of Madness described by horror writers in humanity's second millennium.
Just then, a gentle warm breeze stirred, and Sanguinius spread his wings beside Alexander. His Psyker power shielded Alexander from the surrounding wind and snow.
Then Sanguinius looked at Nobita, who was still in the blizzard, standing not far from Alexander.
"Is he here?" Sanguinius asked in a voice that was clear yet tinged with a hint of conflict.
Alexander glanced at Nobita beside him. The imperial will had once resided within him.
The Emperor had asked Alexander not to reveal his identity, stating that the fewer people who knew, the better, especially not Guilliman.
He claimed this was to hide himself and wait for an opportunity to ambush the Four Gods, but Alexander couldn't help but suspect that he wanted to avoid additional work.
Although the Emperor was, in principle, the ruler of the Imperium of Man, during the Great Crusade, he preferred to handle military, diplomatic, and technical issues rather than political, tax, and legal matters—that was Malcador's domain, and now it was Guilliman's.
But Alexander still shared this news with Sanguinius—the Emperor only mentioned not exposing it to Guilliman, not Sanguinius.
Sanguinius' feelings about this were complex; he even frankly told Alexander that he was unsure what a Emperor who could occasionally walk among mortals would bring.
Therefore, Sanguinius endorsed the Emperor's idea of hiding himself, as it indeed helped achieve some greater purpose.
Sanguinius also advised Alexander to remain vigilant towards the Emperor, to treat him as an advisor, but to be skeptical of every word he said, and to frequently use the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine on his statements.
"No matter his reasons, he is one of the galaxy's foremost liars and scoundrels," Sanguinius warned Alexander.
Alexander found this strange and couldn't help but ask why Sanguinius had been so loyal to him back then.
"Because he is my father, my lord, one of humanity's few hopes, and it was fated to be so," Sanguinius simply replied.
Alexander glanced at Nobita, who stood in the blizzard. His will filled him, and he detected no foreign presence.
The Emperor hadn't lied; he wasn't always able to project his will into Nobita's body.
Alexander shook his head slightly, indicating to Sanguinius that the Emperor was not present.
Only then did Sanguinius spread his wings a little wider, encompassing Nobita within his Psyker field, shielding him from the wind and snow.
Alexander couldn't help but smile, then turned his gaze beyond the blizzard to the faintly exposed entrance of the fortress.
It was an archway built of rough, primitive stonework, as if unearthed from the deepest reaches of human history.
Above the archway, intertwined symbols of a skull and an 'I' were carved, and beneath them, a line of high gothic was inscribed: "The Imperium's Inquisition, by Holy Decree of the Emperor," which was the full name of the Inquisition.
It was said that these words were personally written by the Emperor at Malcador's request, possessing a unique power that could prevent evil daemons from encroaching.
Beyond the archway was a deep passage, leading down beneath the ice cap, its end out of sight.
Beneath the archway stood two Inquisitors. One was Inquisitor Ers, whom Alexander knew well, and the other was an Inquisitor he had never seen before.
But Alexander knew who this person was: the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord.
Initially, Alexander, Sanguinius, and Guilliman had not intended to personally visit the Inquisitorial Fortress.
Because according to the tradition of the Inquisition, this fortress was only accessible to Inquisitors—Guilliman chose to respect the Inquisitors' tradition.
He sent Inquisitor Greyfax to the fortress, under the pretense of Inquisitor Greyfax reporting to her own order.
Then Greyfax was detained, on suspicion of colluding with xenos—referring to the Necron—and suspicion of having an affair with Warp abominations—referring to Saint Celestine.
This was truly taking their kindness for granted.
The Inquisition should really thank Alexander for bringing Sanguinius and Guilliman back, and not Leman Russ.
If it had been Leman Russ, the Antarctic ice cap would already be under bombardment.
If it had been Leman Russ, "Leman Russ would eat them all, one by one!" Guilliman had said.
And according to Inquisitor Ers, this was all due to the Conservative Party within the Inquisition.
The identity of the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord as the representative of the Conservative Party was confirmed by the Harlequins.
"My lords," the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord's voice echoed through the blizzard, "Thank you for being willing to visit this cold fortress of the Inquisition."
"But please, stop here. According to the regulations of the Inquisition, only Inquisitors are allowed to enter this place."
"My brother Guilliman was born Regent of the Imperium of Man by the Emperor's decree, commanding all authority in the Imperium. This is his request and command," Sanguinius said, a slight curve to his lips and a smiling glint in his eyes.
"However, in accordance with the last wishes of the venerable Malcador and the imperial law established by the Emperor, the Inquisition possesses supreme authority, even above that of the Primarchs. You too are under the scrutiny of the Inquisitors. Please, Lord Sanguinius, remain loyal and do not engage in heretical acts," the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord's voice, with considerable penetration, reached Alexander and Sanguinius' ears.
The smile on Sanguinius' face grew wider. Alexander even suspected that he was already planning to add another saint to the Imperium, one who died of a heart attack from excitement upon meeting Sanguinius.
"I need to enter this fortress. I need to interrogate several prisoners within. I need you to immediately release Inquisitor Greyfax."
Sanguinius' voice suddenly rose a little:
"This is the imperial will! Does the Inquisition even have the authority to scrutinize the imperial will?!"
"Hmph!" The Inquisitorial Fortress Lord let out an almost angry snort.
"Who do you think you are? How dare you speculate on the imperial will? The Emperor's plans are known only to him!"
"We mortals only need to eliminate all change and ensure that everything in the galaxy unfolds as he foresees. That is enough."
"Anyone, anyone who claims to act in his name is arrogant, dangerous, and tantamount to heresy—"
"I am Sanguinius, son of the Emperor, Lord of the Blood Angels!" Sanguinius' voice interrupted the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord.
There was no anger in his voice; it remained clear, but the snowflakes swirling around them were suddenly ignited by golden flames, turning into steam that drifted in the air.
"Horus was also a son of the Emperor, Lord of the Luna Wolves," the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord replied almost defiantly.
This statement made Ers, standing beside the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord, gasp. She could almost see the escalation of conflict, the clash between the Inquisition and the Saint Doraemon faction.
Alexander couldn't help but want to applaud the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord. That remark was quite malicious, clearly aimed at provoking Sanguinius.
"Are you trying to provoke me into killing you?" But Sanguinius' voice was calm and unruffled.
"Then I will merely be a martyr," the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord said, utterly unyielding.
He was clearly prepared to die a martyr, upholding what he believed to be the imperial will.
Even the entire faction of the Inquisition he represented, which constituted the majority of the Inquisition, intended to do the same.
This was different from the Pope of the Saint Church. The Pope of the Saint Church was the leader of the Adeptus Ministorum; Alexander and Sanguinius only needed to replace him.
However, the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord was merely the administrator of the Inquisitorial Fortress, and even served a fixed term. Killing him would not suppress the opposition within the Inquisition.
Unless they killed all those scattered Conservative Party members one by one throughout the stars, which would be too exhausting.
Moreover, Alexander and Sanguinius' purpose in coming here was not to create a group of foolish martyrs.
Sanguinius would also not be provoked by such malicious words from the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord, as Alexander had already tempered him.
But to leave like this would mean that the Inquisition had blocked the spearhead of the Primarch and Alexander, indirectly acknowledging that the Inquisition's authority was even greater than that of the Primarchs.
However, Alexander had naturally prepared before coming here.
His original plan was to use a certain item; he had even leased that item.
But the appearance of the Emperor Nobita made Alexander think of a more effortless and cost-effective method, and that item could be saved for later use.
Alexander took out a piece of parchment from his four-dimensional pocket. There was a signature in the corner of the parchment; the rest was blank.
Then Alexander took out a pen and scribbled something on it.
Subsequently, Alexander, without a word, walked up to the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord and stuffed the parchment into his hand.
The Inquisitorial Fortress Lord stared blankly at the paper in his hand, looking at the text, and instinctively read it aloud:
"Due to the Emperor's current inability to pay rent, the Emperor voluntarily mortgages the Inquisition to Alexander. Alexander immediately becomes the Grand Steward of the Inquisition, overseeing all Inquisition affairs, commanding all Inquisitors, and all Inquisition-related personnel must immediately pledge allegiance to him."
Then, the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord burst into laughter. This was a document that completely failed to conform to the format of imperial law, and it was even written in low gothic full of dialect, which was simply too clumsy—hmm?
The Inquisitorial Fortress Lord noticed a signature in the corner of the parchment. It was in high gothic, and the handwriting was completely different from the other text, yet it seemed familiar to the Inquisitorial Fortress Lord.
"Druvata Imperator Imperium" meaning "Eternal Emperor of the Imperium of Man."
He paused, then looked up at the archway, at the line of high gothic personally written by the Emperor: "The Imperium's Inquisition, by Holy Decree of the Emperor."
Wow! The handwriting was identical!