Space, Claws of the Stars Space Marine Chapter docking.
When Li Feng first stepped onto the Space Marine' warship, he felt an incredible shock. The scale of the warship far exceeded his imagination; the massive steel corridors were like an endless metal spine, extending into an unseen distance. Every wall soared high, as if built to accommodate giants much taller than ordinary humans... the Space Marine.
The air was filled with a cold metallic scent and a mysterious fragrance, and every footstep echoed on the heavy steel floor.
The walls on both sides were carved with holy images of the Emperor and battle scenes; their cold gaze seemed to watch every passerby, filling Adrian with awe.
He felt that every massive iron door he passed through was like an ancient city gate, bearing marks of wear and tear, as if narrating the countless wars and interstellar journeys the warship had endured.
Before him, a squad of Space Marine slowly walked by, each clad in heavy power armour, like living war machines. With every step they took, the floor seemed to tremble slightly.
At the end of the corridor, Li Feng saw a temple-like prayer hall. Tall holy statues and long candelabras illuminated the entire space, making it dim and solemn. Battle standards and relics of heroes hung on the walls, exuding an invisible pressure. Space Marine knelt in prayer, softly chanting the Emperor's holy words.
This was a hall of war and a fortress of faith. He felt this warship was just like the Ultramarines' warship he saw in 'Space Marine 2'.
Now, through his personal experience, he truly felt that this was not just a warship; it was the Emperor's fortress, a flying mobile base.
Soon, Li Feng was led by a Space Marine to the door of the Chapter Master's office. As the Space Marine knocked on the massive door, he called out:
"Chapter Master, Major Li Feng has been brought."
Then, a majestic voice came from inside the room:
"Let him in."
The Space Marine opened the door and then stepped aside to make way for Li Feng. Only then did Li Feng get a clear view of the room's interior. The spacious room was piled high with books and parchment scrolls. A massive solid wood desk was placed in the center of the office, and behind the desk was a screen separating the office area from the living area.
Huron sat behind the desk, in his large chair carved with the Claws of the Stars Space Marine Chapter's emblem. He was not wearing power armour, but a loose, Roman-style robe, making Li Feng wonder if he was wrapped in a bedsheet.
Huron was currently writing something with a pen, a servo-skull floating behind him, helping him record his work. When Huron looked up and saw Li Feng's arrival, he merely waved a hand, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk, telling Li Feng to sit and wait for him.
Li Feng walked into the room without further ado, looking at the various battle souvenirs on the surrounding walls: shattered Chainswords, gold-inlaid bolter pistols engraved with holy words... Li Feng sat on the chair, which was unusually large for him. To him, this chair had more than enough room for another Yugen.
"Would you like something to drink? The pot on the table contains Amasec. Please help yourself."
Huron said this without looking up, continuing to work at his desk. Before him was a map of the Badab Sector and a data sheet on its current status.
He was catching up on centuries of development in the Badab Sector, the latest battles in the Maelstrom, and the comparison of friendly and enemy forces, all of which he had missed during his centuries lost in the Warp.
Li Feng looked at Huron's figure at this moment, gradually seeing a resemblance to Guilliman. Although the Claws of the Stars' parent Space Marine Chapter and the origin of its gene-seed were unknown, from his appearance, it definitely seemed connected to the Ultramarines and Guilliman.
After all, with Huron's operational capability, few would believe he wasn't Guilliman's child.
(Guilliman: Having learned my operational skills, now all you need to do is push forward.)
"It's fine, Chapter Master Huron, I'll just look around."
Huron's writing hand did not stop, but he looked up at Li Feng, then continued to work. Although Li Feng wanted to quip that the look was too much like Brother Hu's legendary glance before smashing a brick, Li Feng held back, after all, he was on their territory.
"You have the Ecclesiarchy's rosary beads around your neck, the Adeptus Mechanicus's rosary, and the Astra Militarum's dog tags and rank. Does Major have anything he'd like to share?"
"Perhaps, I'm just very popular; everyone loves me and flowers bloom for me."
Huron heard Li Feng's reply and continued writing, while smiling and shaking his head.
"I heard that Archmagos Belisarius Cawl of the Adeptus Mechanicus calls you 'Teacher'... Not many beings like him would call someone 'Teacher', so I made a guess. There are probably three possibilities."
Huron said, looking up at Li Feng again. Li Feng remained expressionless, even with a hint of curious enjoyment, listening to him speak. Huron then said:
"The first is the Fabricator-General of Mars. I look at you... you don't look like a Fabricator-General. The second is our revered Emperor, her elder self. I look at you... you don't look like her. The third is an immortal from the golden age, because they experienced the peak of human technological advancement... I have never seen a mortal who doesn't kneel and salute me upon seeing me, and who doesn't tremble in my presence."
"So you're saying I'm an immortal?"
As soon as Li Feng finished asking, Huron placed his pen on the pen holder beside him, then leaned back in his chair and said.
"Your genetic purity is as high as 99%, which is very interesting. Because humans of this era cannot have 99% genetic purity, not even the Emperor would have it."
After saying that, Huron propped an elbow on the desk, pinching his chin with his fingers, adopting the posture of a boss interviewing a candidate.
"I will not pry into your secrets. On the contrary, I will give you an opportunity... to work under me. Money, women, honor, power! Anything I, Lugft Huron, can give you, I will give you."
Seeing that Huron had made his intentions so clear, Li Feng no longer saw the need to pretend. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, pulled a cigarette from his clothes, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a candle from the desk.
Huron smiled; he seemed to already see a corner of treasure emitting a shimmering golden light. Li Feng took a deep drag, then scratched his forehead with the thumb of the hand holding the cigarette.
"Full-time?"
"Full-time. You'll undergo Astartes modification surgery today, and start work tomorrow."
Li Feng showed a somewhat troubled expression, then said:
"Can I refuse?"
"Then I'm afraid you won't be able to leave this office. Anything that cannot be controlled is a threat in my eyes."
"Truly worthy of being Guilliman's child."
Hearing the name of the Primarch from Li Feng's mouth, and in that tone, Huron was not angry, but rather felt fear. Because the way Guilliman was addressed in that tone was not as the Emperor's child, a Primarch, or a demigod... but as a child.
"Do you have a bolter pistol here?" Li Feng tossed his cigarette butt into a small portable ashtray and asked Huron. Huron, in turn, pulled out a massive, pre-loaded bolter pistol from under the desk.
Li Feng saw it and thought, 'Aha, this fellow was waiting for me.' Li Feng picked up the bolter pistol, which was too large for him, and examined it, as this weapon was designed for Space Marine.
He held the bolter pistol with both hands, aimed it at his own head, and under Huron's expressionless gaze, pulled the trigger...