Chapter 106: The Angel Who Became an Emperor

The Transmigrators’ construction sites were highly unusual. Every site displayed three “Safety First” signs, written respectively in High Gothic, Low Gothic, and English.

The Transmigrators’ construction sites were, after all, extremely dangerous. A falling steel bar—or any other building material—could easily inflict enough damage to claim the life of an Astartes.

“Do not come any closer! This is a construction site!”

A Transmigrator stationed on guard saw two ordinary humans approaching the site and hurriedly shouted at them through a loudspeaker.

“Honored Astartes, we have come to see you. We bear a personal letter from the planetary governor.”

Colonel Budek spoke as he produced the letter he had earlier asked the planetary governor to write.

The Transmigrator walked over to Colonel Budek and accepted the letter. After looking it over, however, he awkwardly realized that he could not understand much of it. The planetary governor had written the letter in High Gothic.

Although the Transmigrators had lived in this despairing universe for so long that they had learned a little High Gothic, they still could not understand certain obscure words and idioms without the aid of a translator.

Staring at the planetary governor’s letter, the Transmigrator awkwardly took out a translator and fitted it over his eyes.

“Henry von Kerslode, planetary governor, humbly requests that the sacred Angels of the Emperor grant Ager von Kerslode the opportunity to join their ranks. Ager von Kerslode distinguished himself through outstanding service during the battle to retake Dinaenli Starport. He displayed unmatched courage, personally beheaded a senior enemy commander, and exerted a decisive influence upon the battle. In recognition of his great merit, the planetary governor hereby petitions the Angels of the Emperor to grant him the opportunity to become one of their number.”

With the aid of the translator, the Transmigrator finally understood the contents of the letter and read them aloud as he went.

Hearing the letter, Ager was somewhat confused. He was plainly a Baines—so how had he suddenly become a von Kerslode? That was the surname of the nobility of Bartok II, and nearly all the nobles on the planet bore it.

“All right, I understand. Wait here for a moment while I consult my superiors.”

After reading the letter, the Transmigrator returned to the guardhouse and contacted Wang Ming to ask how the matter should be handled.

“Colonel, wasn’t my surname Baines? How did I become von Kerslode? That’s a noble family name!”

After the Transmigrator had left, Ager quietly asked Colonel Budek about it.

“Well… you rendered great service, so the planetary governor has granted you a noble surname. You are now a planetary nobleman as well.”

Colonel Budek looked at Ager and answered him calmly.

The planetary governor and Colonel Budek had made the following plans for Ager: they would find a way to send him into the Astartes Legion, allowing him to serve as a pioneer for the governor’s son and determine the Legion’s recruitment standards, thereby making it easier for the governor’s son to join the Astartes Legion later.

Although there was certainly an element of exploitation in their treatment of Ager, Colonel Budek genuinely wished to send this promising young man into the Star Transmigrators.

On the very first day Wang Ming arrived on Bartok II, he had explained to the planetary governor that the Star Transmigrators would eventually take control of the planet and establish an industrialized cluster of worlds in the Ultima Segmentum.

Upon hearing this, the planetary governor, like the governor of Mors, had immediately thought of the ancient Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar.

As a planetary governor of the Imperium of Man, his first consideration was naturally the future interests of his family. Only afterward did he think about the impact on the Imperium.

There was no doubt that Wang Ming’s plan to establish an industrialized cluster of worlds would benefit the Imperium in every way and harm it in none. But how could he preserve—or even increase—his family’s interests once the region became something resembling the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar?

That was precisely what Henry von Kerslode had to consider. After much thought, he arrived at an idea: he would send either himself or one of the heirs of House von Kerslode into the Star Transmigrators, creating a connection between his family and the organization.

He did not expect his family to become a dedicated supplier of recruits to the Star Transmigrators. At the very least, however, he hoped that one of the heirs of House von Kerslode could serve among them.

Serving in a Legion was far more prestigious than serving in a Chapter. Naturally, it would also grant the von Kerslode family a measure of political influence.

Wang Ming had told both Henry von Kerslode and Thomas Peckhart that, once the industrial world cluster was established, all the planetary governors within it would be gathered together to form a centrally administered imperial government. This would allow the industrial worlds to be managed more conveniently and efficiently.

At that time, the planetary governors would possess a certain degree of influence within the central government. That was why Thomas Peckhart had sent his own son directly into the Star Transmigrators.

Henry von Kerslode also wished to send either himself or one of his family’s heirs into the Star Transmigrators. However, he preferred to send one of his children, as doing so would further solidify his position within the family.

Unfortunately, Henry von Kerslode had only one son. He naturally could not send the boy directly to join the Star Transmigrators. He had heard that the training undergone by Space Marine recruits was a near-certain death sentence.

For that reason, he had discussed the matter with Colonel Budek. As luck would have it, Colonel Budek had just discovered Ager, who had distinguished himself in battle. Henry von Kerslode could use the boy to learn more about the Star Transmigrators’ recruitment and training process.

“Hmm… all right, I understand. I’ll bring them over immediately.”

The Transmigrator soon emerged from the guardhouse. As he walked, he spoke with Wang Ming through his communicator.

“All right, you two, follow me. I’ll take you to meet our Primarch.”

After ending the call with Wang Ming, the Transmigrator spoke to Ager and Colonel Budek. He found another Transmigrator to take over his post, then located a combat motorcycle and placed the two ordinary humans in its sidecar. Once he had fastened their safety harnesses, an ominous premonition arose in both Ager and Colonel Budek’s hearts.

After confirming that they were seated securely, the Transmigrator climbed onto the motorcycle and tore toward the governor’s residence in the city of Neller.

The wind roared as the motorcycle raced across the emerald grasslands outside Neller. Feeling the speed of the combat bike, the Transmigrator wore an exhilarated grin. The sensation of accelerating was intensely thrilling.

Ager fared somewhat better. His blessed body could withstand the force of the acceleration pressing him into his seat. Colonel Budek, however, could not. He was on the verge of vomiting foam, his head drooping and jerking in the howling wind.

“What happened to you?”

Inside the governor’s office, Wang Ming and Henry von Kerslode stared at Ager and Colonel Budek, who could barely walk without swaying, and Wang Ming questioned the Transmigrator.

“Well… uh… it was an accident. I only happened to drive the motorcycle a little too fast.”

Wang Ming was speechless as he stared at the embarrassed Transmigrator. He began to wonder whether the man’s gene-seed had been mixed with that of the White Scars.

After Ager and Colonel Budek had recovered somewhat, Wang Ming took the planetary governor’s letter from the Transmigrator and began speaking with the governor.

Wang Ming asked whether the letter was genuine. The governor explained that he hoped to send a child from his family into the Star Transmigrators, where he would become one of the Emperor’s Angels.

Wang Ming looked at Ager. After embracing the nature of the Warp, he had gained the ability to see certain things, including the souls of human beings.

An ordinary human soul was white. A Transmigrator’s soul was pale gold. But Ager’s soul possessed a strange color: white tinged with blood-red and touched with pale gold. It was extraordinarily peculiar.

Wang Ming stared at Ager for a long time. Ager gradually began to feel uncomfortable beneath the gaze of a giant four and a half meters tall. The pressure was truly formidable.

“This boy looks as though he has been blessed by Khorne, yet he also seems to have been blessed by the Emperor. How strange.”

The blood-red within Ager’s soul reminded Wang Ming somewhat of Wang Qing, while the pale gold resembled that of the Transmigrators. Moreover, the pale gold was suppressing the blood-red within Ager’s soul completely.

“This may well be a child blessed by the Emperor himself.”

Wang Ming sighed and finally withdrew his gaze from Ager.

“Is this boy your nephew?”

Wang Ming looked at Ager and asked Henry von Kerslode.

“Yes, great Primarch. Ager von Kerslode is the son of my younger brother, who died on the battlefield. The boy also performed outstandingly during the battle for Dinaenli Starport. I ask that you allow him to join your army and become one of the Emperor’s Angels, so that he may fight in the Emperor’s name.”

Hearing Wang Ming’s question, Henry von Kerslode hurriedly answered.

Wang Ming looked at the planetary governor and felt that the man was being far from honest. He had seen Henry von Kerslode’s son before. The boy was fourteen—the perfect age to undergo Astartes surgery. Yet instead of sending his son, the governor had sent his nephew. No matter how one looked at it, something was wrong.

Wang Ming had also noticed that Ager displayed none of the manners expected of a nobleman. He had witnessed the etiquette of the nobles of Bartok II before, and the elaborate rituals had given him something of a headache.

“All right. Jose, take the boy to the Second Chapter. Have Hu Jin remove a gene-seed for him, and have Minerva prepare the Astartes surgery. Perform the operation tomorrow.”

Wang Ming did not concern himself with whatever scheme the planetary governor might be plotting. He directly ordered Jose to take Ager to the Second Chapter and register him, then instructed Hu Jin to bring him aboard the Imperial Truth so that the surgery could be performed.

After seeing Ager’s soul, Wang Ming was essentially certain that the boy had been handed to him by the Emperor himself.

“Great Primarch, does he not need to undergo recruit training?”

Henry von Kerslode watched Ager being led away by Jose and cautiously asked Wang Ming.

“Battle is the finest training. Let him experience the Emperor’s baptism on the battlefield.”

Wang Ming smiled as he spoke.

By now, Wang Ming had more or less figured out Henry von Kerslode’s intentions. The man was afraid that training with the Star Transmigrators would kill his only son, so he had sent a hapless substitute ahead to test the waters.

“Great Primarch, might my son also join your army and become one of the Emperor’s Angels?”

Hearing Wang Ming’s answer, Henry von Kerslode asked cautiously.

“So it really is as I thought.”

Wang Ming understood immediately.

“You may.”

He looked at the anxious planetary governor and answered him evenly.

“Thank you, great Primarch. My son will never disappoint you or the God-Emperor. He will become a sword in your hands and the Emperor’s.”

Hearing Wang Ming’s reply, Henry von Kerslode immediately dropped to one knee and offered his heartfelt thanks. He then took his leave to bring his son before Wang Ming.

“Wang Xiaofa, are you there?”

After Henry von Kerslode left, Wang Ming took out his personal data slate and typed a message to Wang Xiaofa through the Transmigrators’ communications network.

“I’m here, boss. What’s up?”

Wang Xiaofa replied almost at once.

“Tomorrow, a minor noble is coming to the First Chapter. Before he undergoes surgery, have Feng Fan train him—especially his physical conditioning. As long as you don’t kill him, train him as hard as possible.”

“Understood, boss. I’ll notify Feng Fan right away. He’s about to have some fun.”

After finishing everything, Wang Ming calmly put away the data slate, picked up the hot-water flask, and took a sip of Mors tea.

Wang Ming rather liked the slightly sweet flavor of Mors tea. When he had departed from Mors, Thomas Peckhart had given him more than a hundred tons of it. Now, whenever Wang Ming looked at that enormous supply, he felt a headache coming on. There was no way he could drink it all.

The Mors tea had since been added to the Imperial Truth’s deluxe cafeteria menu. Starting the next day, it would be served without limit to the Transmigrators and the ship’s crew. Minerva said it had proved quite popular, though the Transmigrators still preferred to drink Happy-brand soda.

Before long, the planetary governor brought his son before Wang Ming. The boy immediately dropped to one knee and began praising Wang Ming and the Emperor, looking every inch a pilgrim.

“Rise, child. Someone will take you to report tomorrow.”

Wang Ming examined the planetary governor’s son. The boy was a typical child of an Imperial noble family: splendid clothes, refined features, and a healthy physique, along with a faintly arrogant look in his eyes.

Yet the moment he looked at Wang Ming, that arrogance vanished completely, replaced by a timid, shrinking unease.