Chapter 163 This is Your Decision, Hades

Above Ground 106, Hades gazed into the distance. Scattered on the ground were piles upon piles of Necron bone frames, unmoving. In the far distance, Mortarion led this batch of Death Guard recruits, using these sluggish undead to train them.

The communication channels kept emitting static noises. At first Hades tried adjusting the channels to listen to what these noises actually were.

After Hades discovered that all these noises were the hymns of the Adeptus Mechanicus, he decisively blocked those channels.

After communicating with Mortarion, Hades learned that due to Mortarion's previous actions, Perturabo had blacklisted the Death Guard. The Iron Warriors simply directly withdrew from a large section of their garrison area for the Death Guard to take over.

Hades had wanted to contact the Iron Warriors, but after learning Hades hadn't died, Perturabo directly ordered the Iron Warriors to block all communication requests from the Death Guard.

The other party refuses communication with you.

From the state of the Iron Warriors' fleet, it seemed they were about to retreat.

After all, the Necrons were now endless grass upon the plain. Even armed with high-tech weaponry, without the command of overlords and coordination of crypteks, these undead were nothing more than moving scattered troops.

But they were very suitable to train recruits with. Seeing that Hades was fine and Perturabo no longer needing to bother them, Mortarion hurriedly brought the recruits to seize this once in a millennium chance.

Hades had originally wanted to follow Mortarion to take a stroll at the front lines, and conveniently dump the tomb he promised the Eternal Collector. But under Apothecary Leo's death stare, Hades could only choose to watch at the back...cough cough, remain on standby at the back.

He wasn't the only one on standby.

Hades blinked, looking left and right at Vox on one side, Garro on the other.

Hm. Compared to before, Vox seemed to emit an aura of maturity.

Speaking of which, why were Vox and Garro here on their own initiative? Weren't they still working on the Endurance?

Aside from the clueless Hades, looking at the Legion Master up ahead tenderly caring for the recruits, Vox was filled with sorrow.

He originally...back in the southern Barbarus, he didn't have much negative impressions about Mortarion.

But now...After experiencing Officer Galaspar's overtime benefits, Vox only wanted to spit blood.

So it turns out that before on Barbarus, it was Calas Typhon always helping Mortarion handle those political affairs?

And after becoming a Legion, it was Senior Hades and former Legion Master Barasin helping manage things?

Recalling those days of arguing till the sky turned dark with Imperial officials, approving all kinds of documents, Vox felt that this wasn't the Legion life he imagined at all.

It was Senior Hades' support dispatch order that allowed Vox to escape purgatory. Vox had already planned how to thank and praise Senior Hades, but upon the Legion's arrival, he received the tragic news that Senior Hades may have perished.

The Legion Master also became irritable and gloomy. With no other choice, Vox and Garro had to tread carefully, doing their utmost not to disturb the Legion Master's actions.

But now...seeing Mortarion in obviously good spirits ahead, Vox sank into contemplation.

Mortarion charged at the very forefront of the battle line, but he wasn't killing enemies. He was observing the Death Guard recruits, the Primarch occasionally charging forth, flinging out a hand to haul a Death Guard out from the pile of undead, then flinging this unlucky recruit behind the battle line.

Vox glanced at Hades who was spectating. Garro had given him the mission of communicating with Senior Hades.

After not seeing each other for some time, Senior Hades seemed to have grown taller again clearly, and his aura even more chilling, completely unlike what Vox saw during training.

While the Primarch was away, Garro who was managing most of the Death Guard affairs stood silently at the side, as if he only came to observe the recruits.

"Senior Hades?"

Vox carefully opened the communication channel with Hades.

"Hm? What is it?"

The familiar voice sounded. For some inexplicable reason, Vox relaxed.

"Nothing, just been awhile since we met."

"Indeed, many things happened after."

Hades sighed feelingly. Vox hesitated briefly before speaking.

"Does Senior know what happened with Calas Typhon?"

Hades paused, before also opening the channel with Garro.

"Half-fallen, but the fallen portion has already been removed."

"Related to that wanted apothecary?"

Hades nodded silently.

"We were indeed negligent."

Unexpectedly, Garro's voice sounded from the channel. Vox automatically kept silent.

"Apothecary Ladon was originally closely tied with the Death Cult. The new Death Cult leader, Light-Bearer Ugo, cares a lot about this incident, feeling that he failed to manage the Death Cult properly."

Hades looked towards the distance. Fernando perished in the Galaspar campaign.

"Ugo? I remember him."

Garro's calm, steady voice continued.

"Indeed. You fought him in the dueling cage before. He feels you would be biased against him, making him rather uneasy."

Hades was dumbfounded.

"That won't happen."

"I've advised him before, the effect wasn't great. You should speak to him privately later."

Hades pondered briefly.

"Alright."

So the three fell silent again. But soon, Garro's voice transmitted from the channel once more.

"Hades."

"Hm?"

"Are you looking to build up the Death Guard?"

"Which warrior doesn't hope to construct their own Legion?"

Hades gave a wry, helpless laugh.

"No. Regular warriors do not consider these things."

Garro turned his head to stare at Hades.

"I originally believed capturing Galaspar was the Legion Master's order, but later I realized that wasn't the case."

"This was your decision."

Hades took a deep breath.

"Yes. I decided."

"The Death Guard needs more recruiting grounds, and more guarantees for military logistics."

Garro still stared at Hades, but said nothing. After a long while, a soft response finally transmitted from the channel again.

"I understand now."