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

Chapter 82 The Trial of Nathaniel Garro

Chapter 83 The Trial of Nathaniel Garro

Terra.

The cradle of the human race, the starting point of the Galactic Empire.

But it could also be the end.

Nathaniel Garro looked up and gazed through the transparent glass dome at the planet, which had turned mostly yellowish-brown due to the drying up of the seas.

He had sworn to dedicate everything and endure all suffering for this planet and for the human ruler on it.

It was this belief that enabled him to traverse the terrifying warp storms, break through the barriers of the demons from the dark abyss, and personally kill his subordinates who had been corrupted by chaos...

He also received a heavy punch from the Primarch, Roguedorn, in his rage.

Even so, he still persevered and completed his mission.

He relayed the message from Istvan III to Terra, and to the descendants who remained loyal to the Emperor.

However, as a reward for loyalty...

Tap tap!

The sound of the wooden hammer striking the table pulled Gallo back to reality from his thoughts.

For Garo, this sound was more deadly than the most powerful thunder hammer.

"...Defendant, Nathaniel Garrod! Do you plead guilty to your crimes?"

A trial.

Gallo never imagined that this would be his final end.

"I have never denied what I did, but I absolutely do not believe that anything in it constitutes a crime, unless you believe that loyalty itself is a sin!"

As soon as Gallo finished speaking, the entire courtroom erupted in uproar, especially the ordinary nobles dressed in fine clothes, who pointed and whispered about him.

But for this former Death Guard combat company commander, the criticisms of ordinary people were irrelevant; he was more concerned with the special individuals in the witnesses and the gallery.

The Silent Sisters, the Untouchables, it makes perfect sense that they would be here, since the moon is their home turf.

Instead, Garo didn't even have the chance to return to Terra for trial; he was imprisoned on the moon for two whole years, and that's the crux of the problem.

Then came the Imperial Guard. Garo used to dislike dealing with these arrogant and self-important people, but now he was somewhat hopeful that he could find the man among them. However, Garo was soon disappointed; the commander of the Imperial Guard, Waldo, was not there.

His willingness to cooperate with the trial stemmed from his hope that the commander of the Imperial Guard, who had direct access to the Emperor, could convey his warning to the Lord of Humanity.

Similarly, when Garro saw that it was not Rogdorn standing in the witness stand, but only Sigismund, the first company commander of the Fist of the Empire, he knew that his final plan for today had failed.

"At that time, Company Commander Garro reported the massacre at Istvan III to the Primarch, and then declared that Horus had openly launched a rebellion—"

—

Garo harbored no animosity towards Sigismund. He knew that the Imperial Champion was an exceptionally skilled warrior, perhaps even the best Astartes, but precisely because of this, he was far too pure.

He probably couldn't comprehend the conspiracy and trickery behind all of this.

"Subsequently, after receiving death threats from the legion commander, Company Commander Garo persisted in his stance and... accused several imperial sons of also participating in the rebellion!"

Sigismund seemed to have no prejudice against Gallo; he was simply reporting what he had seen and heard.

However, this was enough to place Gallo under the gallows.

"Nathaniel Garrosh, do you admit one?"

"That's right, I said all of these things, and even now, I stand by what I said."

Before the mortal female judge could finish speaking, Gallo said in a resolute tone.

"Horus has rebelled, backed by the forces of Chaos, and his allies include Mortarion, Forgrim... and Alphares, Perturabo!"

The courtroom erupted in chaos, with some mortals even pretending to cover their eyes and ears, seemingly to express their fear of being tainted by Gallo's blasphemous words.

"Silence! Silence!!"

The judge slammed his gavel down and then spoke in a sharp, piercing voice.

"Leaving aside the fact that your words just now seriously violated the Imperial Truth, your most serious crime is slandering the Emperor's most loyal and outstanding son. I must remind you that it was precisely the Iron Warrior Lord you have defamed who thwarted the traitor's plot on Istvan 5, allowing the nearly defeated Loyal Army to regroup!"

"The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. Handing over command of the loyalist legions to a hidden traitor is a mistake that could lead to the empire's utter destruction!"

Gallo still vividly remembers how overjoyed he was when he learned that the Imperial loyalists had won the Battle of Istvan V.

But what he remembered even more clearly was the shock he felt when he learned that the Primarch of the Iron Warriors, Peturabo, had killed Mortarion.

Then came fear.

Before leaving Istvan III, Sun Qian had privately met with him and told him that Horus's traitorous allies, besides the four legions currently in Istvan, included the Word Bearers, the Midnight Lords, Alpharis, and a Steel Warrior.

Garo was initially somewhat skeptical, but before reaching Mandeville, he witnessed Sun Qian's miraculous feat of single-handedly seizing the Great Tyrant...

Gallo swore he would never doubt Sun Qian's words.

The sacrifice of István III will not be in vain.

Although the outcome of the Istvan V was ultimately a victory for the Empire, Galo immediately realized that it could have worse consequences.

Even though the Death Guard and the main force of the World Eaters have been wiped out, Mortarion has been confirmed dead, and Angron is missing.

However, the main fleets of the Son of Horus and the Son of the Emperor had retreated ahead of schedule. In order to completely wipe out the rebels as soon as possible, the loyal legions of the Empire were about to assemble and launch an expedition. The commander of this expedition was Peturabo, who had just made great achievements.

As the subspace storm intensifies and the Emperor remains on Terra for unknown reasons, Terra has virtually no way to communicate with anything outside the solar system, let alone directly command anything.

Perturab now holds immense power, leading a newly assembled legion of loyalists; his actual authority is nearly equal to that of Horus in his prime.

The damage it could cause would probably be comparable to, or even surpass, that of other damage dealers!

"You may judge me however you wish, punish me however you wish! But please, make the Emperor reconsider! At the very least, recall Peturabo, and let the other Primarchs..."

'

"That's enough. Your testimony ends here. Go back and await the verdict!"

Ignoring Garo's desperate cries, several silent nuns came forward and dragged him back to the Moon Order's dungeon.

Sigismund and the other Imperial Fist warriors then left as well, seemingly having completed their testimony and showing no interest in continuing to listen to the mortals' reading of the trial regarding the unilateral crimes of Astartes.

"He possesses strategic acumen and unwavering will, just like Liu Bei in his prime... He is a true hero, and if he could be put to my service..."

Only the guard who had been listening in remained focused on the direction where Garo had disappeared, lost in thought.

"In this chaotic world, I am sure to achieve great fame and dominance!"

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