The restoration of the Han Dynasty began with the Horus Rebellion.

Chapter 35: The Traitor, Gavial Loken

"Rejoice, for I have brought you glorious news: God walks among us..."

Qi Le's captivating voice echoed throughout every corner of the Great Tyrant via the broadcast array, and the two Astartes standing at the entrance to the medical bay naturally heard it clearly as well.

This is the content of the "Book of the Holy Word," which Taviz and Torgadon are both familiar with, having overseen the burning and destruction of many illegal copies of this work by the Primarch of the Seventeenth Legion.

"I'm starting to suspect that Loken deliberately lost control of his emotions."

Sol Taviz sighed and muttered to himself with a complicated expression.

"If he hadn't exploded first, I might have been the one who couldn't take it anymore, and I might have even challenged that captain to a duel on the spot."

"If that's the case, then Gavial has gone too far, and of course you're the second most excessive."

Torgarden lowered his head, wiping his explosive gun as he responded in a teasing tone.

"Because not only did you steal my chance to lash out, you even stole my chance to complain, and in the end I became the most depressed and unlucky one."

The two exchanged a glance, both revealing a knowing, bitter smile.

A ship openly spreading fanatical beliefs is an absolute violation of imperial truth and laws.

Ironically, this place is also the last bastion of loyalty, and these beliefs can objectively turn those crew members who once betrayed the empire back into their allies.

"Putting aside the issues of faith for now, it turns out Loken has such an impulsive side. I always thought he was more like our Emperor's son, you know, respectful of etiquette, calm and composed, a model of conduct..."

"Then you've been fooled by that kid. Although he does seem that way after being promoted to company commander, he used to have the nickname 'Hellhound' for a while, and he was even more ferocious in battle than if he had been hit by the Butcher's Nail."

Togaton recalled with a somewhat nostalgic expression.

"But that was in the early days of the Great Crusade. Some of the events were things even Nero hadn't heard of, and Loken would only tell Oriton about them..."

"Oriton?"

Taviz was clearly curious about this name he was hearing for the first time.

"That's a chronicler, her relationship with Loken... Wait, who's here!"

Both of them changed their expressions at the same time and raised their explosive guns, pointing them at the corner of the passage.

"I don't think we need to be on high alert to this extent on our own ships, young man."

Acton Cruz appeared from around the corner, the veteran spreading his hands with a helpless expression to indicate that he meant no harm.

"How is Company Commander Locken?"

"I just underwent a simple surgery and need to rest for a while."

Togaton appeared relaxed, but he didn't put down the slug gun in his hand.

"Whether we're catching up or arguing, let's come back tomorrow and give everyone a chance to calm down—"

"Let 'whisper' in; I happen to have something to ask him."

Loken's somewhat weak voice rang out, and at the same time, the door to the medical pod opened automatically.

Torgarden and Taviz hesitated for a moment, but both stepped back to make way.

When Cruz entered the medical bay, he saw Loken sitting on the hospital bed, having removed his power armor.

You can see that the loyal Shadowmoon Wolf's strong upper body is wrapped in many bandages, and there are fresh surgical scars on his ribs and collarbone. The injuries caused by his brief battle with the Death Legion Primarch are far more serious than they appear from the outside. Even his third lung had to be removed, cleaned, and then put back in.

Not only that, but one of his arms was in a cast, which meant that even the punch he threw at Sun Qian was delivered while enduring the excruciating pain of a broken bone.

Seeing the soldier's injuries, even Cruz, who had recently reprimanded him at a meeting, felt a pang of sympathy.

"Just say what you have to say. The effects of the anesthetic haven't worn off yet, so I might not get too angry now."

Cruz paused for a few seconds, then spoke in a soft voice.

"I've come to apologize to you, Gavial Loken."

"Oh? An apology? Is it about what happened in the meeting just now? I thought Sun Qian sent you to spy on me."

Loken raised his head and said with a half-smile.

"No...not entirely."

Cruz lowered his head, his voice tinged with guilt.

"It's about what you entrusted to me regarding Vengeance Spirit."

Upon hearing Cruz's words, Loken's expression froze, and then he closed his eyes in pain.

"You don't need to apologize, I'm the one who should apologize... Think about it carefully, because of my request at the time, not only have many people been implicated, but it might even have ruined the entire ship."

Torgardon and Taviz had subtle expressions. They had already heard back in Demon's Cry Castle that Sindeman and Qile were rescued from Horus's blade by Kruz at the behest of Locken.

He probably never imagined that these two mortals could use rhetoric and superstition to draw the entire ship into a frenzied faith.

Cruz frowned slightly and said earnestly.

"I don't think you made a mistake by entrusting me with the protection of those three, and after all, they were still loyal to the Emperor..."

Ok?

Taviz keenly spotted the anomaly.

three people?

"I don't think the decisions made at that time were wrong—so I apologize for what was about to happen."

"What—uh!"

Boom!

Without any warning or premonition, the previously sickly Loken suddenly burst forth with astonishing speed, raising his plaster-wrapped arm and slamming it down hard on Cruz's neck in a flash.

The Astartes veteran opened his mouth as if to say something, but the next second his legs buckled and he fell to his knees with a thud.

The plaster crumbled into dust, and on Loken's exposed arm, he tightly gripped a syringe with an adamantium needle specifically designed for Astartes.

Faced with this sudden situation, the other two were stunned for a moment, but Togaton was the first to react.

"Are you insane, Loken! No reason should be used to kill a fellow loyalist! I must kill you—"

"It's just a powerful anesthetic used on Space Marines. I secretly took it out just before the surgery. There's no danger to his life."

Loken casually tossed the syringe aside, then swiftly donned his power armor again.

He then took the communicator from Cruz's waist.

"This is Cruz, the company commander of the 3rd Company of Shadowmoon Wolves. Inform the upper deck to prepare a Thunderhawk. I have an important mission and need to depart immediately."

Loken then crushed the communicator, stepped over the unconscious Cruz without hesitation, and strode towards the door.

"If you're willing to trust me unconditionally, then come along. If you don't, please don't block me. I don't want to have a pointless fight with my friends."

Taviz and Torgarton were initially at a loss, but a few seconds later they rushed out to catch up with Loken.

"Damn it! Fine, since you want to go looking for Angron to die, I'll just go with you..."

"You're going to rescue Liu Bei, right? My brother Lucius is there too. I can't just leave you behind—"

"Wrong, we're not leaving the Tyrant."

However, Loken interrupted Taviz.

"Because of the communication just now, Grell will definitely send the Astartes, who are loyal to Sun Qian, to the upper deck to stop us... In that case, the defenses in a certain place will be weak."

Then, to the astonishment of the two men, Loken spoke in a firm and resounding voice.

"We're going to raid the bridge, defeat Sun Qian, and reclaim the Great Tyrant from the fanatical faith incited by demons!"