The Handsome Old Man was clearly troubled by the decline in his physical abilities, although to Zahariel, who stood beside him, the Handsome Old Man before him was still the greatest warrior he had ever seen. However, time was an enemy even the Lion El'Jonson could not defeat.
The Lion El'Jonson had never revealed his inner thoughts to others, but now anyone could see his anxiety.
If this was the mark of ten thousand years left on the Lion El'Jonson, then he might still be able to fight for another ten thousand years as the gene-father's eldest son.
But why was he aging so rapidly now? He was a Primarch, a creation of the Emperor. Why, after such a long time, was his body decaying faster than a mortal's?
...Fishing Old Man: "That's why I gave the position of the first Warmaster of the Great Crusade to my second son, Sarradin, instead of the more powerful Lion El'Jonson, or the most beloved Horus."
Li Feng, Philosophy Student: "Plato believed that age is an important path to acquiring wisdom. With age, people accumulate more life experience and a more stable character. This provides them with a broader perspective to understand the world, thereby gaining deeper wisdom."
...Inside the bunker, there were many things left by Chaos that the two neither understood nor wished to touch.
But they followed the cables on the ground to another room nearby, and countless ferocious roars assailed them the moment they opened the door.
The two almost thought they were about to be ambushed by another group of mutated beasts, but nothing happened. Zahariel and the Lion El'Jonson lit their lamps and cautiously stepped into the room.
Nine figures were chained to the walls of the room, each chain binding them as thick as those used to secure a Dreadnought sarcophagus.
The nine figures continuously let out meaningless roars and screams at the Lion El'Jonson and Zahariel, trying to break free from their chains and pounce on the two who walked silently among them.
Their eyes were pitch black, their faces gaunt and sunken, their fangs sharp and protruding. Their armor was gone, but their identity was still obvious.
The Lion El'Jonson and Zahariel had found the survivors of the Crimson Crescent... the scions of the Angels, a successor chapter of the Blood Angels.
Zahariel did not know what twisted, evil pain and truth had befallen them; they had clearly lost their reason and become senseless beasts.
When the Lion El'Jonson realized he could no longer help them, he swung his greatsword, severing their heads and giving them their final peace.
As the first insane companion died, the remaining scions of the Angels immediately fell into a frenzy.
Zahariel initially thought they were enraged, but then the scion of the Angels closest to the corpse eagerly licked the blood that had splashed onto his shoulder.
Only then did Zahariel realize the terrifying truth: Sanguinius's scions had been transformed by the evil sorcery of Chaos from noble warriors into bloodthirsty beasts. The Lion El'Jonson and his companion had, in fact, freed them.
After the Lion El'Jonson dealt with these scions of the Angels afflicted by the Blood Thirst, he showed no surprise, which instead made Zabriel ask in confusion:
"Sir... you... you know what this is?"
The aging Lion El'Jonson wiped the blood from his sword and turned his head... "Brother! All of this... I can explain! Please don't tell Father..." Sanguinius saw the Lion El'Jonson enter the room.
Kneeling on the ground were several Blood Angels who had attacked the mortal auxiliary forces; the noble scions of the Angels still had mortal flesh clinging to their mouths.
They roared, chained, and before them stood their gene-father, ready to execute his own scions. And the Lion El'Jonson had accidentally walked in... The Lion El'Jonson watched everything in silence, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist. This action instantly caused all the Angelic Guards in the room to grip their weapons, ready to protect their Primarch at any moment.
Seeing this, the Angel immediately threw down his spear and turned back to shout at his scions: "Lay down your weapons!"
Hearing the gene-father's command, the Angelic Guards gritted their teeth and put down their weapons. The Lion El'Jonson walked towards Sanguinius. Sanguinius's perfect face closed its eyes, and he even raised his neck... With the sound of a sword being drawn and a gust of sword energy, it sliced across Sanguinius's face... Pain did not reach his brain. Sanguinius slowly opened his eyes. By this time, the Lion El'Jonson had already turned his back to Sanguinius and was walking out the door.
Sanguinius looked back; on the ground were only a few headless corpses. These were the Blood Angels who had succumbed to the Blood Thirst. The wounds on their necks were clean and complete, indicating that their death had been instantaneous, without any pain.
"Brother! You did this..."
The Lion El'Jonson flicked the blood from his greatsword, slowly returned it to its sheath, and reopened the door... He turned his head and said to Sanguinius:
"Secrets are secrets because they are secrets... Don't let me see a second time."
...Time returned to the present. The aging Lion El'Jonson turned to Zahariel and said, "Secrets are secrets because they are secrets."
Zahariel immediately closed his mouth, lowered his head, and stepped aside. As a scion of the Lion El'Jonson, he naturally understood the meaning of these words. So he silently walked to the corner of the room and picked up the fuel barrel there... The old and the young returned to the camp with news of victory and various usable weapons and supplies they had scavenged.
People looked up at the Handsome Old Man before them with even greater reverence; he had cleared the enemy threat in a single day.
Zahariel looked at the people's worship of the Lion El'Jonson with a hint of jealousy... "Haven't I been protecting you all this time? Before, I was'sweetheart', now I'm 'Mrs. Cow', is that it?"
But the Lion El'Jonson was, after all, a Primarch. Whatever opinion the Lion El'Jonson had of his current skills, that was still his father, Zabriel also.
The Emperor's eldest son, the "Uncrowned Warmaster." But now, the wrinkles on his face and his graying long hair made him look more like the ancient elders from the old myths of Terra—not amiable, but wise and resolute.
Such an image made it easier for people to believe he would look after them, and they would, in turn, care for him.
But no matter what image the Lion El'Jonson held in the hearts of the locals, his focus would not change.
"I suspect this is not the only stronghold of the traitors on Calmas," the Lion El'Jonson said softly.
"I think so too," Zahariel replied,
"Besides Red Moon Fortress, there are other defensive strongholds on this planet, and they are likely also occupied. I don't know if the enemies have some way of communicating, nor do I know how long it will take for them to hear about what happened here."
The Lion El'Jonson breathed deeply, then snorted coldly,
"I don't intend to wait for them to react on their own. I was once honored as Lord Protector, and as long as any human faces a threat, my mission is never complete."
Little Za frowned, "Any human? And... Father... I remember the Emperor didn't give you that title at the time, did he?"
The Lion El'Jonson looked confused at this moment, and suddenly he remembered that this name had been given to him by that annoying Guilliman.
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