Warhammer, about my years with the Wolfpack

"Okay, I'm happy to help." Du Kain accepted the task quickly. Meanwhile, looking at the commander of the Fourth Legion, Bader fell into deep thought.

"Frix the City Breaker? Haha, he's a celebrity too." Balder said in a somewhat complicated tone.

Balder held some influence over this man. He was a high-ranking member of the Iron Warriors and a member of the Trident. A close confidant of Pertu Bora and a high-ranking commander of the rebels, he participated in the Battle of Haifa and the subsequent Siege of Terra. His performance wasn't particularly impressive, but his abilities were certainly decent. After all, if he were any less capable, he wouldn't have become a Trident, and wouldn't have lived this long.

Before he encountered the future traitor, Balder had considered more than once whether to use some means to kill those capable individuals who were not directly under the evil god's attention. But now, as Balder gradually found his true self, his mentality changed.

He realized that these people were merely pawns, influenced and manipulated on the chessboard of fate and the gods. When the pieces were first placed on the board, there was no good or bad between them. Their choices of betrayal or loyalty were largely due to the influence exerted on them by various parties. And to casually remove a piece from the board before its fate was determined was a mistake. Furthermore, such a crude and simplistic approach would have consequences, because each piece was not alone; they were connected to each other, weaving the web of fate.

"Interesting! Let's see if I can change this City Breaker and his companions." Baldur smiled slightly. While he wouldn't easily try Lorgar and the other four Primarchs targeted by the evil gods, he was willing to give the other rebellious Primarchs and some of his subordinates a try. With Pertu Bora's return still about 20 years away, this City Breaker would become Baldur's test subject for changing others' fates. It would also help him gain experience for his subsequent work.

In reality, from Balder's perspective, rather than dealing with certain individuals, Balder was more concerned with saving them. After all, the rebels did have some talented individuals, some with excellent abilities and ideas. After all, the Chaos Gods didn't want just anyone. If a bunch of useless people wanted to join the Chaos Gods, the biggest reward would probably be turning them into Chaos Spawns.

Moreover, among the rebellious troops, some surrendered to Chaos, while others were traitors, and there was a difference. As the saying goes, unite and save the majority, and eliminate those stubborn enemies. A simple one-size-fits-all approach is often wrong!

There are too many tragedies in the Warhammer world caused by rough methods, whether it is the desperate expedition of 30 warbands into the Eye of Terror or the subsequent Shameful Month! And Baldur will naturally not do this, let's do it bit by bit.

Chapter 105: Impressions of the Fourth Legion

"Marius, what do you think of the Fourth Legion?" Balder asked.

"They are good siege masters, tough, strong, efficient and follow orders," said Marius.

"You seem to be evaluating a tool." Balder frowned and said with some dissatisfaction.

"At our core, we are all tools, tools for the Emperor's Vision and the Rebirth of Mankind. There is no difference," said Marius.

If it can be said that the Fourth Legion was somewhat unpopular and misunderstood at this time, then the Imperial Guards had a pretty good impression of the Fourth Legion, because they really regarded these legionnaires, and even themselves, as tools, so they looked at everything completely without emotion. Among the current high-ranking officials of the Empire, there was another person who took a fancy to the "easy to use" feature of the Fourth Legion, and that person was Horus!

"That's a dangerous idea." Balder turned and stared at Marius. A strange pressure gradually spread, an indescribable feeling. Marius felt a faint desire to retreat. He lowered his head slightly, not daring to look directly at Balder.

"I'm just stating the facts," Marius said.

"You don't understand human nature at all. Human nature has cowardice and selfishness, but it also has bravery, fairness, fearlessness, and self-sacrifice. Humans are social creatures. Because of human nature, we are united. Because of human nature, we have defeated countless enemies and established our own country and civilization. Cold and ruthless can be labels for a person, but if they are labels for a group of people, then there is a problem. Those without humanity will ultimately have only two outcomes: an uncontrollable beast or a machine."

"Your so-called efficiency is even more misguided. Without humanity as the glue that binds the team together, a team cannot be very strong. Think about it, the purpose of the Primarch and the Legion, what is the bond that holds the entire Legion together? You can report everything I have said to the Emperor and see what he thinks of human nature."

"By the way, I actually have a question. I wonder if you can answer it for me?" Balder said, changing the subject.

"please say."

"Have you participated in many battles? Have you seen powerful aliens?" Balder asked.

"Yes, I have seen many aliens. Some of them are even stronger than humans. Some of them have powerful psychic powers, while others are technologically advanced."

"Well, answer me then, why did humans wipe out these aliens one by one when we were not individually strong and did not have much technological advantage? How did we do it? Think about what I just said, and you should understand." Balder said.

"You mean size, faith, and cohesion?" asked Marius.

"Think about it yourself. This is a question you need to think about. Also, you should accompany me down there later. And, prepare according to this manuscript." Balder handed a document to Marius.

"Perhaps you really don't want to do this, but if a guard can't even act, then I have to doubt whether this guard is a defective product." Balder snorted.

"Yes, sir," Marius replied.

After spending some time together, Marius's attitude towards Balder changed. Initially, Marius had considered Balder a target for surveillance. After all, Balder was a high-ranking legionary and a psychic. The Custodians of the Legion served as the Emperor's military overseers, so it was natural for them to focus on him. Marius also genuinely disliked Balder because of his behavior and his attitude towards the Custodians. Marius felt that Balder was too bold and arrogant!

However, after experiencing certain things, Marius's attitude changed significantly. First, he could find no evidence of Balder's disloyalty to the Empire. In fact, Marius could sense from within that Balder was using his power and ideas to move the human Empire towards a better tomorrow. After realizing this, his dislike for Balder diminished.

Secondly, Balder is truly capable and takes good care of his subordinates. While Marius doesn't believe all of Balder's actions conform to the rules, he is certain that they do not violate taboos and are extremely efficient. These perfectly align with the goals of the Custodes, which are loyalty to the Imperium of Man and efficiency.

Balder was also very caring, both in daily life and in battle. Although he could sometimes crack a joke, he was always there to help. Marius owed him a favor for the incident on Curzon! Therefore, regardless of whether it was for public or private reasons, Marius would diligently complete any task assigned by Balder.

At this time, on the planet Delta III, Du Kain had already met with the three high-ranking Iron Warriors. As Bader had expected, Du Kain's status in the eyes of these veteran soldiers of the legion was quite high.

"Welcome, Lord Dukain. We are truly flattered that you are here." Dranos, the leader, looked at the landing site filled with smoke, broken equipment, and corpses with a little embarrassment.

In the past, the Fourth Legion had grown accustomed to such conditions. After all, such tragic scenes were commonplace during sieges. They even considered it a soldier's duty to engage the enemy on such a battlefield. But now, with the arrival of a figure from a brother legion whom they all greatly admired, the situation was different. For Dukain, they truly wanted to give this outstanding commander a grand welcome.

"Brother, we are here to help you solve your problems, not to participate in a parade." Dukain opened his arms and embraced Dranos. "The Empire thanks the Fourth Legion for their efforts and sacrifices on this battlefield. I believe that your achievements on Delta III will be presented to the Sigillite, and you will receive the rewards and honors that are yours."

"You and the Space Wolves commander are here to help us?" Dranos said with some surprise. "To help, not to lead us?"

"We came to help at that time. We only brought one ship with limited personnel and troops. You are still the main force, and the credit will be yours. After all, you have worked hard for three months, and the city may be just one breath away from being captured. We will naturally not take your credit for ourselves. We are brothers and glorious legion soldiers, so we will naturally not do that. I swear on my honor." Du Kain said solemnly.

"You're so..." The lingering resentment instantly vanished. After all, Dukain's credibility was still guaranteed. The three were even somewhat moved. After all, for so many years, the Fourth Legion had been toiling for other legions, their glory taken away by them, leaving only a tiny trace of their honor in reports or at the margins of awards. Even when faced with difficult targets, they were still criticized by officials who didn't understand warfare. When had other legions ever worked for them?

And look at the people who came. Not to mention the so-called Sixth Legion Lord Commander, Dukain is now a well-known figure, even among the Primarchs of the Luna Wolves. They all came to help him personally. Whether it was Dranos or the other two, a sense of satisfaction immediately came up. In their eyes, the months of suffering and sacrifice were worth it!

"You just said that the situation of our battle will be reported to the Master, and that the honorable Master will reward us?" Fricks' excited words were filled with doubt. After all, in his opinion, the Master was too busy, and a battlefield on such a small planet should not attract his attention.

"Your Legion's contribution to Delta III will definitely be reported to the Sigillite, because His Excellency Balder, the Supreme Lord Commander of the Space Wolves, is the Sigillite's closed disciple and can get in direct contact with the Sigillite himself. He will report everything here to the Sigillite, and as long as we can complete the next battle, the Sigillite will not be stingy with rewards." Du Kain said confidently.

What he said was indeed true. After all, this was what Balder and Dukain had discussed before they came. They were going to find others to help them fight, so before that, giving the reinforcements some benefits was also reasonable. Balder asked Dukain what he thought of the Fourth Legion.

Dukain's thinking was simple. The Fourth Legion certainly had combat capabilities, and was particularly adept at sieges. However, its tactics were too rigid and ruthless, and it often treated its mortal troops like expendable warships, earning it a poor reputation. Dukain acknowledged the Fourth Legion's strength, but he disagreed with its methods, even expressing a certain dislike.

Generally speaking, the Fourth Legion's current situation was caused by a variety of factors, including the burden of unreasonable tasks and unfair treatment by Terran bureaucrats, tactical issues within the Fourth Legion, and their attitude toward the Mortal Legions and other organizations. After Balder's persuasion, Ducain expressed his respect for the Fourth Legion and his cooperation with Balder's actions.

"Disciple of the Sigillite? And can I contact the Sigillite directly?" The three commanders looked at each other, eyes filled with surprise and joy. Although these future Iron Warriors were stubborn and short-tempered, they were no fools and knew that having connections in the court made things easier. At least their achievements and awards wouldn't be snatched away by others. For these three, who had always lacked recognition and honor, this was undoubtedly a gift from the Emperor!

"Then Lord Dukain, could you introduce this lord to me?" Fricks said with a slightly flattering expression.

"Lord Balder is a very wise, powerful, and amiable being, and has earned the approval of the noble Primarch, my father..." Then, Dukain began to describe what kind of person Balder was in his eyes. It was obvious that Dukain would never speak negatively of Balder now.

"Is this lord a psychic?" Fricks asked with a distrustful expression.

"Yes, he is a psychic, and a very powerful one, beyond our imagination. But you can rest assured, because the Sigillite and even the Emperor have said that he is reliable. Our Primarch personally communicated with the Sigillite on this issue." Du Cain said very seriously.

"That's fine," Fricks nodded and stopped asking. Dukain didn't take it too seriously. After all, he believed Balder could earn the friendship and recognition of these people. If he couldn't, it was their fault!

"Okay, everyone, we are the Emperor's warriors, and war is always our first priority. Now, let's do this. I will talk to the rest of you about the situation on the battlefield. On the other hand, you can arrange for one of you to accompany Lord Balder to learn about the situation of the Fourth Legion. Believe me, the problems here will be resolved soon." Du Kain said.

After all, Dukain had understood the situation before coming here. Simply put, the terrain and weather had affected the orbital bombardment's effectiveness. On the ground, the Fourth Legion's tactics were somewhat rigid, and they were short on steel. Without the Titans' support, they were struggling. However, this problem wasn't difficult for Balder to solve. Even if the Titans couldn't push it, that didn't mean Balder's Sky Surveyors couldn't. Furthermore, Balder possessed powerful psychic abilities!

"Then, Fricks, you will accompany the Lord of the Space Wolves. Garon and I will discuss future plans with Lord Ducain," Dranos said after a moment's thought. In terms of true ability, Fricks was the most accomplished of the three. Dranos believed that Fricks would embody the ironclad spirit of the Fourth Legion.

"Okay, I'll complete this mission well." With that, Fricks bid farewell to his comrades. He needed to reorganize the troops and make arrangements so that the commanders of the brother legions would feel his goodwill. Dukain also told Bader that they could prepare to land.

"Stuergard, take out the things you are going to send to the Fourth Legion. They will be fighting alongside us for a long time in the future. They are our brothers. We should respect them and provide them with the necessary equipment." Bader ordered his captain.

The items he brought out weren't much, just 30 sets of Centurion Terminators. The Space Wolves weren't well-off, so they could only offer these as a token of their goodwill. Balder had already decided that the three battalions of the Fourth Legion would follow him. At least, until Pertu Bora returned.

Chapter 106: Prescription for the Fourth Legion

"Sir, the stormbirds of the Sixth Legion are about to land." The servant beside him said to Fricks.

"I know, I've seen them." Fricks looked up at the Stormbird transports flying straight through the storm. There were two of them. According to previous communications, the first was the Space Wolves' High Lord's plane, and the second was said to be a gift to the Fourth Legion.

"It seems that the legion composed of prisoners has made some progress after all. At least they know what courtesy is." Fricks thought to himself. Before this, he looked down on the legion that was the only one in need of a supervisory team.

At this time, Fricks was leading a force of less than a hundred people at a field airport waiting for the arrival of the enemy. Behind him was the most distinctive unit of the Fourth Legion, the Tyrant Siege Terminator, which had heavier armor and weapons than ordinary Terminators. Behind him was a phalanx composed of heavy weapons groups and ordinary tactical teams.

On one side of the airport's apron stood a Stormbird transport and a squadron of Swordtail fighters, while on the other were three Brutal Blade tanks and several Dreadnought and Siskaran tanks. Air strike forces, ground armored units, and the infantry of the Fourth Legion formed a triangle across the vast airfield, welcoming Badr's arrival. Thunder rumbled from the sky, and heavy rain poured down. Everyone stood there in silence, like statues cast in steel.

"Here he comes!" As the Stormbird's hatch opened, white vapor swirled around the entrance. Balder emerged from the cabin. The moment he appeared, Fricks' pupils shrank sharply. He could clearly sense a faint pressure emanating from him. It was a strange feeling, not particularly intense, but it evoked a sense of respect.

Raindrops began to fall. Fricks didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt the drizzle fade as the person before him approached him and his legion. He was taller than Fricks himself, wearing a type of power armor he had never seen before. Its entire body was woven with curved surfaces, creating a sense of elegance yet heaviness. He wasn't wearing a helmet, but not a single drop of rain fell on his face.

As he walked along the airport's plastic-steel runway, everything gave way to him. The wind, rain, and mud on the ground were swept aside by an invisible force, revealing the steel plate underneath. A clean and tidy passage appeared before him and Fricks.

Fricks knew it was psychic energy, but at that moment, he wasn't thinking of the curses and disgust expressed in the Legion's records, but rather a solemnity and awe. He was surprised that he didn't feel any dislike for this power.

At this moment, Balder also stared at Fricks—or, more accurately, at Fricks' soul. The situation on the other side made him feel deeply uncomfortable. Balder could sense the coldness, hatred, and exhaustion of his opponent. And a hint of despair lurked deep within their hearts. This was the strain of the long and arduous battle, affecting their personalities and even their souls. Personality is a manifestation of the essence of the soul. Balder could clearly sense that the pressure from the other side was simply too great.

"You were so loyal that you waited until the Horus Heresy before betraying the Empire." Balder sighed in his heart.

"I am Balder, from the Space Wolves Legion. We will help your legion solve the current trouble. In the future, for a long time, we will fight together and we will become good friends. I hope you will take care of each other." Balder stepped forward and stretched out his right hand.

"Commander of the Fourth Legion, Fricks, welcome. I hope our efforts will bring eternal prosperity to mankind and the glory of the empire will shine throughout the galaxy." Fricks stepped forward quickly and shook Balder's hand.

"Captain Fricks, if it's convenient, could you walk with me along the front line?" Bader asked.

"Now? It's still raining. We can actually go inside to talk." Fricks said with some surprise.

"We need to resolve the trouble here as soon as possible. The Fourth Legion can fight in conditions ten times worse than this, so it is only right for me to inspect the battlefield under such circumstances. Tell me about the situation we are facing. Your statement will appear in the report to the Seal Holder in the future." Balder said.

"Will my report be placed before the Sigillite? Is this true?" Fricks said excitedly. He wasn't the only one excited; the Fourth Legion soldiers beside him also exclaimed in surprise. Clearly, what seemed simple, even logical, to Balder was an almost unimaginable honor to these legionnaires. All of this left Balder speechless.

"Yes, I promise that all of your achievements will be reported directly to the Sigillite, who will reward you and be proud that the Empire has an army like yours. The pressure you bear is too heavy," said Balder.

"No, this is what we should do. We can do better." Fricks said somewhat incoherently.

"I believe you can do better," Balder said, patting Fricks on the shoulder. "I will not let the glory of my comrades be obscured by the haze." Balder seemed to be speaking to himself as he spoke to Fricks.

His extraordinary perception was spread. Within the range of his perception, there was war and smoke everywhere. The horrific siege had turned this place into ruins and hell. Death and pain became the main theme here. Ordinary people would feel terrified and uneasy when staying here, not to mention these warriors who were fighting non-stop.

Before the Heresy, the Fourth Legion lived up to its name as the Iron Warriors; they were truly steel within and without! Baldur sympathized with their plight and wished to do what he could to change the fate of this heroic army. However, sympathy wasn't enough; the Iron Warriors themselves also needed to be addressed.

"Before coming here, I read some of the Fourth Legion's battle records, as well as some commanders' evaluations of the Fourth Legion. I have some questions I'd like to ask." Balder spoke, his tone seemed to have some inexplicable depth. His voice was not loud, but it penetrated into Fricks' heart.

"Go ahead," said Fricks.

"In similar missions, the Legion's mortal auxiliary forces suffered very high casualties, even several times that of other legions. This is also the reason why the Fourth Legion was attacked and criticized. Because of this, I even heard a very bad nickname for your legion from the top of the Terra Military Affairs Department. I am sure you know it too?" Balder's low voice rang in Fricks' ears.

"It's a corpse crusher. I've heard of it." Fricks' face changed. "Sir, we're carrying out a siege mission. This kind of mission always involves casualties."

"Yes, you have a point." Balder's words were still calm. But deep down, Balder's mind was working rapidly.

The Iron Warriors had a problem, a serious one. It wasn't just a matter of inflexible tactics and excessive pressure from their superiors. It was a matter of their mindset, treating their mortal troops as mere expendables. They had no regard for their own lives, and certainly no regard for the lives of the mortal legions they were assigned. It could be argued that, to some extent, this contributed to the Fourth Legion's overly cold character and poor reputation. Of course, before Russ's return, the Sixth Legion was even worse.

It's true that carrying out a difficult siege mission will result in heavy casualties, and the battle reports won't look good. However, the problem is that necessary losses are distinct from using one's own troops, or even auxiliary troops, as cannon fodder. Cannon fodder is inevitable in war, but there's a difference between expediency and consistent behavior. When there's no other choice, the canned goods will become cannon fodder, but if one habitually uses friendly forces as cannon fodder, that's another matter.

In terms of positioning and combat habits, the IV Legion and the Iron Hands have very similar affinities, both emphasizing mechanization, the flow of steel, tactics, and precise calculation. The Iron Hands are even more radical than the IV Legion in some respects. After all, the former truly embodies a sense of flesh and blood being weak and machines ascending. However, the Iron Hands' attitude towards auxiliary legions is much more favorable than that of the IV Legion.

The Iron Hands certainly fought many tough battles during the Great Crusade, otherwise they wouldn't have received so much praise. So from this perspective, the Iron Warriors' poor reputation is largely due to their own ideological problems.

Then, ideological problems gradually worsened, distorting their original character. Coupled with the twisted Primarch Perturabo and the violent contractor, the Fourth Legion's ultimate tragedy was caused. Balder could speak on behalf of the Fourth Legion with the Imperial high command, but if certain behaviors and ways of thinking did not change, the Fourth Legion would eventually become the enemy of the Empire.

After all, treating others as mere cannon fodder, not as human beings, was enough to incite disgust and even hostility throughout the Empire. As for the Perturabo issue, Balder would deal with it later. His current goal, aside from cultivating them to the level of U-Team, popular with the mortal forces, was to at least dismantle some of their negative attitudes. Balder's starting point was the attitude towards the mortal auxiliaries!

Balder reviewed the relevant records and learned about the background and composition of the Fourth Legion's formation. If the Terrans of the Sixth Legion were a group of prisoners before being canned, then the Fourth Legion was indeed better off. They came from Terra's Gun Clan, Blood Pact, and some technological enclaves. They were a group of warriors dedicated to ruthlessness and violence, making them well suited to a life of war. However, their deep-seated contempt for the so-called "weak" was also deeply rooted.

Arrogance is a common tendency among Space Marines, but sometimes it's not a problem. Take, for example, the U-Team and the Salamanders. They reasoned, "We're stronger, so we must stand before our mortal comrades and protect the ordinary citizens of the Imperium." In the 40 era, the Wolf Order was even more direct. Because we're stronger and more powerful, we must deal with what we consider injustice. Thus, the Battle of the Shameful Moon catapulted the Wolf Order to fame!

This kind of conscience and sense of justice isn't necessarily shared by other founding groups. Standing up to the Inquisition and the Grey Knights for their mortal brothers? Who has ever done such a thing? It's not that other founding groups lack strength. After all, as a founding group, everyone can recruit a group of followers. And whoever recruits a group of followers is no better than the Wolf Pack, a single member. It's true that the Wolf Pack is the conscience of the 40K era!

The Iron Warriors were different. As "strong men," they looked down on mortals and treated them as consumables. Sometimes, due to their rigid tactics, they became meaningless consumables.

Sometimes, Boss Pi would even look down on these behaviors, thinking that his offspring were underperforming and wasting their talents. However, unlike the usual criticism and education from the Primarchs, Boss Pi directly issued a "one out of ten" order! As expected, a group of twisted children will definitely have an even twisted father...

Therefore, the entire Fourth Legion wanted to gain the admiration of others, but at the same time did not regard the mortal troops as human beings. This was a vicious cycle. Coupled with the Emperor's somewhat worrying emotional intelligence and the problems of Terran bureaucracy, when honor and loyalty were finally overwhelmed by negative emotions, anger and coldness made the Fourth Legion stand on the side of traitors.

Therefore, Balder's prescription for the Fourth Legion was two-fold. One was to change the entire Legion, or at least the part to which he belonged, and the other was to make Terra properly treat the Fourth Legion's contributions.

On the other hand, Balder was targeting Perturabo. Given how stubborn Perturabo was, Balder worried that just "talking" wouldn't be enough. A part of him reminded him, if all else failed, why not send Perturabo something? Just like when Fulgrim drew his sword... Given Perturabo's level of twisted character, the chances of him betraying him were high. If that was the case, some tactics would be necessary. The outcome couldn't be any worse.

It would take some time before he could meet Boss Pi, but it was clear that Balder needed to find a way to transform Fricks, in order to cultivate future loyalists and gain experience for Boss Pi's transformation. He knew the Fourth Legion's problems, but he wouldn't bluntly tell them that treating mortal auxiliaries this way wouldn't work. That kind of preaching was too direct and too low-brow. Balder had his own way.

"The Fourth Legion excels at siege warfare. I admire your Legion's capabilities in sieges, coordination and planning of large-scale battles, and armored assaults. Terra also highly recognizes the Fourth Legion's capabilities in its professional field. But while they appreciate it, they believe that the Fourth Legion's consumption of auxiliary troops is too great. Even in siege warfare, your consumption exceeds the standards of other legions." Balder looked at Fricks.

Chapter 107: Start "Chatting"

"Please be careful with your words. Every word you say will be known to the Sigillite." Balder spoke again, looking at Fricks who was about to defend his legion. This calmed the latter down and made him fall into deep thought.

Doesn't the Fourth Legion love data and calculations? Fine! Balder will reason with them! Why is it that when we're all engaged in the same siege, sometimes your performance is inferior to that of other legions? What's the difference?

The auxiliary troops' attrition is compounded by your own depletion! Rigid tactics are one factor, but the poor relationship with the mortal armies is another! Of course, the Fourth Legion bears the lion's share of the blame for the second issue. After all, it wasn't just the Fourth Legion that faced mortal troops during the siege; the other legions did too!

Of course, this method can only be used on a Legion like the Fourth, which has its own aspirations, honor, and ambition. If you use it on Curze's Eighth Legion and the Sixth Legion before it, they won't care about these things! A bunch of people who really give up.

"Maybe there's something wrong with our tactics." Fricks said after hesitating for a long time.

"Oh, that's quite smart. You know how to avoid the important issues. You're not stupid either. You know what are technical errors and what are ideological errors. The Fourth Legion is not full of stubborn people." Balder said with a smile in his heart.

There are some things you can do, but you can't say them, much less admit to them. For example, using mortal legions as cannon fodder—if anyone were caught doing that, it would, among other things, ruin the legion's reputation. And Fricks wasn't stupid. He knew his legion's reputation was already terrible, and they craved glory and recognition. With this opportunity to have their case heard, they couldn't admit, no matter what, that the Fourth Legion had been using mortals as cannon fodder.

"We are too stubborn on some issues. Because of the glory and persistence in our hearts, we are unwilling to give up certain positions of limited significance. We are used to using our own strength and calculations like a hammer to crush the enemy completely. We will reflect on these actions in the future." Fricks looked at the silent Balder and continued boldly.

"You compare war to a transaction, with all people and materials used as bargaining chips. Legionnaires are the more expensive bargaining chips, while mortal armies are the cheaper ones. All the sacrifices and fights are just to put more inventory in the warehouse called victory. You use the outcome of the war as the standard to measure whether this business is profitable, and use your developed and agile minds to calculate success or failure. Is that right?" Balder asked.

"Isn't that so? You have a very profound understanding of war." Fricks asked back.

"You've objectified everything," Balder said, shaking his head. "Have you read history? Some history books about human civilization."

"I've seen some." Fricks didn't know what Balder was up to.

"Do you know why feudal states ultimately triumph over slave states? Even when their technology and national strength are comparable?" Bader asked. "Because slave states treat slaves as objects, not people. People have spirits, and when faced with something, the consequences of their willingness and unwillingness can be vastly different. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Your actions have severely dampened the morale of the Mortal Legion, and the excessive losses have made it difficult for the Mortal Legion to accumulate experienced soldiers and officers. And it is precisely because of your rough and simple handling methods and even worse attitudes that you are forever trapped in a vicious circle, using what you think is materialized low cost to win the war, which then leads to more hatred and disgust. You are stuck in the quagmire without knowing it." Balder sighed.