The atmosphere on the parade ground at the entrance of the Terra Imperial Palace was once again pushed to a climax. However, this time it was not due to cheers and enthusiasm, but due to confusion and tension.
As soon as Li Feng finished speaking, the stage fell into an instant silence. A few seconds later, the crowd began to erupt in shocked whispers:
"Konrad Curze? Night Lords? Does the Emperor have this Primarch?"
"Night Lords? Aren't the Night Lords traitors...?"
Konrad Curze stood on the stage, his expression as calm as a sculpture. His gaze swept over everyone in the audience, his sharp, knife-like eyes seemingly able to penetrate everyone's hearts.
His very existence was like a sharp, double-edged sword, one side pointing to the darkness of the galaxy, the other facing humanity's fears.
The Space Marine below also discussed animatedly, especially those warriors who had once fought against the Night Lords Space Marine Chapter. Their gazes held both doubt and subtle, complex emotions.
Jubal Khan of the White Scars Warriors stared coldly at Konrad Curze, gritting his teeth and saying, "What... what exactly is the plan here?"
The Space Wolves warriors were more direct, with someone muttering, "Isn't it a bit absurd for our Wolf King to stand with someone like him?"
Facing the various reactions from below, Li Feng remained extremely calm. He walked to the microphone and spoke in an unhurried tone:
"I know your doubts are normal. The name Konrad Curze was once associated with fear and chaos. But today, what you see is a man who has risen again. A man seeking redemption in the darkness!"
He turned to Konrad Curze and patted his shoulder: "The Emperor created his Primarchs not for them to be forever lost, but to return when they are most needed. Konrad Curze has learned to control himself and is ready to fight for humanity until the last moment!"
Then, Li Feng's tone became even more resolute, almost beyond question:
"If we cannot be tolerant even towards the Emperor's Primarchs, if we cannot accept their change of heart, then how can the Imperium face greater threats? Learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones, and treat the illness to save the patient—this is the Emperor's will, and it is what we must do today!"
After hearing Li Feng's words, Konrad Curze's gaze softened slightly, seemingly touched by this trust. He stepped forward, once again looking directly at the crowd below, with a rare sincerity in his voice:
"My actions once terrified countless people; the dark past is unavoidable... My Father pardoned my sins, but I myself have not yet pardoned my own sins, so I am willing to follow my Father's will and atone."
He took a deep breath, his voice deep yet powerful: "If you need a symbol of warning, I am that symbol. If you need a warrior, I will be that warrior. Let us face the future together, no matter how deep the darkness!"
When Konrad Curze finished speaking, the entire square fell into a brief silence. Even Khan and Russ, who had just stirred up thunderous cheers on the field, could not immediately alleviate the audience's tension and doubts.
Clearly, everyone had not let go of their prejudices regarding Konrad Curze's return... No sacrifice could be too great to accept, and no betrayal could be too minor to ignore.
"Clap~ clap~ clap~..."
"Clap~ clap~ clap~..."
In the stillness, only Li Feng and Sanguinius stood by the side of the stage, clapping. Their applause was crisp and solitary, yet incredibly conspicuous against the silent backdrop.
Konrad Curze turned his head, looking at these "actual rulers of the Imperium," a complex flicker in his eyes. He seemed to be asking: Do you really believe me?
Li Feng and Sanguinius returned his gaze with an unwavering smile, continuing to clap, like a heavy hammer striking Konrad Curze's already cold heart.
At this moment, Jaghatai Khan raised an eyebrow slightly, then turned to look at Russ. They exchanged glances and almost simultaneously raised their hands to applaud Konrad Curze.
Immediately after, the White Scars Warriors finally overcame their inner conflict, and their applause began to converge into a wave-like rhythm. And after the White Scars Warriors, the Space Wolves warriors also joined the chorus, though their movements were slightly hesitant, they were equally powerful.
Finally, it was Li Feng's Imperial Guard, their applause sweeping the entire venue like thunder, completely shattering the silence.
The crowd below now followed the flow and began to applaud, from scattered claps to a final thunderous roar, the entire square was once again engulfed in cheers. Amidst the cheers.
Konrad Curze stood silently in place, his eyes no longer filled with their usual gloom, but with a complex sense of relief. This trust was something he had not felt for a long time.
Indeed, the discourse power and right of interpretation of the Imperium now lay in the hands of this couple; it was a system of discourse, as Foucault noted, stemming from knowledge systems and the right to define, and also pointing to the essence of power, namely violence and domination in an anthropological sense.
Li Feng and Sanguinius walked behind Khan and Russ, and from an angle no one else could see, they nudged the two big children with their feet towards Konrad Curze.
The two looked back in confusion, curious who had pushed them, and then saw Li Feng and Sanguinius's verbal cues and gestures: "Go hug him."
The most obedient Russ grinned, his smile carrying a hint of helplessness, but more so an acceptance of his mother and "Uncle Li's" instructions.
He broke into a grin, stepped forward, and pulled Konrad Curze into a powerful bear hug. The immense force made Konrad Curze's bones creak, but he did not resist, merely silently accepting this "brotherly warning."
"Welcome back, brother," Russ said in a boisterous tone, patting Konrad Curze's back and adding in a lowered voice, "Don't cause any more trouble, or you know what will happen."
Jaghatai Khan, however, was clearly not as relaxed as Russ. He stepped forward, forced a smile, and briefly embraced Konrad Curze, his tone carrying a subtle sense of distance:
"Your return is a good thing, but don't think I'll easily forget the past."
Konrad Curze merely nodded, his gaze deep and firm: "I didn't intend to forget either... brother."
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Primarchs!"
"For the Imperium! For Konrad Curze!"
"A warning in the dark, a warrior of light!"
Li Feng once again stood before the microphone, smiling as he said:
"Do you see? These are our Emperor's Primarchs! This is our human future! Whether a warrior in the light or a warning in the dark, every person in the Imperium has their own value! As long as we unite, the future will surely belong to humanity!"
Finally, Li Feng raised his arm high and shouted loudly:
"For humanity! For the Imperium! For the Emperor!"
The cheers of the crowd erupted like a tide, and the parade ceremony concluded perfectly amidst this unforgettable scene. Konrad Curze stood on the stage, looking into the distance, as if seeing countless future images, and he nodded slightly, a hint of hope in his eyes.
Amidst the cheers, Konrad Curze quietly retreated backstage. He stood in the shadows, looking at the countless excited people in the square, and whispered to himself, "Perhaps... the dark future can truly be changed."
In the distance, Sanguinius and Li Feng stood side by side, silently watching Konrad Curze's retreating figure. Sanguinius said softly:
"This wasn't in my and Old Man's plan, but I quite like it; isn't this kind of plot more interesting?"
The two exchanged glances, a deep understanding in their eyes... When the news of the Imperium's return of three Primarchs spread throughout the galaxy, in the Warp... the Chaos Warmaster, who was planning the Thirteenth Black Crusade, reacted.
"The return of the Primarchs? No! The era of the Primarchs is over!"
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