Warhammer: The Worst Start There Is (40k) - Chapter 13: Reforming the Imperium of Man

Guilliman remained silent, sitting in his place, scrutinizing them.

The words had been spoken to this extent; those who agreed to join would do so, and those who didn’t would have to be excluded from his plans.

This reform was undoubtedly a huge storm for the current Imperium and had to be carried out by loyal and obedient individuals, ensuring as much as possible that his will would not be distorted, nor would it be exploited by Chaos.

Reform would inevitably face significant resistance; this was beyond doubt, as no one likes the feeling of losing power.

Back when Terra was still named Earth, ambitious individuals had launched countless wars for the ultimate and supreme right to rule over a few million square kilometers of a small kingdom.

Among the stars, there would be even more such ambitious individuals. They longed for the power to easily determine the fate of a planet or a star sector.

After a moment of contemplation, Zille was the first to step forward and bow slightly, offering a respectful gesture. “The Hittler family is willing to serve you, Lord Regent. Please accept my humble loyalty. The Hittler family vows here that our loyalty to you will burn as fervently as the sun on Terra.”

With a leader in place, other planetary governors followed suit, one after the other, bowing in respect.

“The Valens family is also willing to serve you.”

“The Pot family is also willing to serve you.”

…

They knelt before Guilliman, whether with their cybernetic or flesh-and-blood limbs, willingly placing themselves on the cold ground to express their loyalty.

A few of the Rogue Traders, after witnessing this scene, exchanged glances and hesitated for a moment before also kneeling.

“The William Trading Guild will resolutely carry out your will.”

“The Nancy Trading Guild will resolutely carry out your will.”

Sparsely scattered, about half of them chose to submit and kneel.

The remaining half, their faces changing, their gazes becoming solemn, some even gripping their holsters, stared intently at the hall.

They were afraid that a group of Ultramarines in blue powered armor would rush out with powered axes and attack them; this was no joking matter.

Guilliman’s words had crossed a line; it was clear that he wanted to sideline Terra and the Solar System’s control over the Imperium.

From the perspective of the Imperium of Man, this was undoubtedly a form of betrayal.

Guilliman smiled and looked at those who hadn’t surrendered to him, their nervous expressions evident

“Don’t worry, I don’t have any plan to eliminate any of you. For me, the most important thing is how to save this dying Imperium, rather than getting lost in power struggles. Over the past ten thousand years, the Imperium has deviated too far from the path my father set, and I must quickly steer it back on course.”

“Those who haven’t knelt can leave now. Please give me and my followers some time and space to discuss the reforms for the future. You don’t need to fear any retaliation from me; I’m not here to do terrible things for the sake of power.”

Guilliman kindly asked those who hadn’t knelt to leave, leaving only those who had knelt before him.

“You can all stand up. I’m pleased that you’ve chosen to stay.”

Guilliman had them stand up and find seats.

The Imperium of Man was vast, spanning tens of thousands of light-years, far larger than any human could have ever imagined.

Efficient travel and communication were challenges in implementing reforms, and Guilliman planned for these changes to gradually spread over the course of one or two hundred years, minimizing any negative consequences.

The positions and roles of officials who hadn’t followed him wouldn’t be immediately replaced; instead, their value would be eroded step by step, just like boiling a frog in warm water.

Once everyone had taken their seats, Guilliman smiled, ensuring that he could better integrate into this discussion.

“I’m glad you’ve chosen to stay and assist me in implementing what may seem like a rebellious plan. But everything we do is for the survival of our race in this dark universe and to uphold the Imperium my father created, preventing it from crumbling in the waves of chaos.”

“We harbor no disrespectful intentions.”

“Lord Regent, you need not worry; we have no such intentions.”

“No matter what you may think, your decision to stay is a good thing. During the ten thousand years of my slumber, the development of many planets has broken my heart. The Imperium completely abandoned them, allowing them to struggle in ignorance and folly, offering up the only things they could in their rags. It ignored the fact that every life is equally important to my father. I’m not saying this is a form of betrayal; war and desires can warp one’s true self. Some have everything—fresh food, water, even a beautiful private garden and a retinue of servants—while others can only scavenge for sustenance amidst poisonous garbage. This is highly unreasonable.”

“People will only fight for what they value. If they have nothing, if they live in hell, what reason do they have to refuse the hell that chaos offers them?”

Guilliman didn’t conceal his anger toward the current state of the Imperium. If someone else had said such things, they would likely be assassinated or declared traitors the very next day.

Humans were born to obey the Imperium and worship the Emperor; this was a key idea perpetuated by the Adeptus Ministorum.

Guilliman’s rhetoric, if spoken by anyone else, would likely result in their disappearance before long.

The remaining individuals, including Zille, sat in their seats, nervously shifting their bodies. They wondered if they would face immediate consequences after this meeting, perhaps a not-so-warm welcome from the judgment court.

Out of self-preservation, they refrained from expressing any opinions and focused on listening.

“I will sign orders for you. The new wealth distribution system will be implemented in Ultramar first and then gradually expanded throughout the entire Imperium. At the same time, I will raise funds and establish specialized educational institutions to promote compulsory education in every backward and ignorant planet, striving to ensure that every child receives an education that instills the new Imperial ideals, systematically eradicating any chaos-related organizations.”

“Imperial laws will also adopt uniform standards, abolishing those damned feudal nobles and dictators. We don’t need their existence; we must reduce the possibility of people rebelling and joining the chaos force.”

Guilliman outlined his reform ideas one by one, and those present diligently recorded them to serve as the foundation for future reform plans.

During the Great Crusade ten thousand years ago, as long as planetary rulers were willing to uphold Imperial truths and pay their taxes, they could maintain their status quo. The Imperium was highly irregular, with some planets practicing socialism, some dictatorship, and others slavery, among various other systems.

The Emperor was severely wounded and ascended to the Golden Throne, while the Primarchs such as Leman Russ went missing during subsequent wars. The Terra Supreme Lord Council, which they left behind, didn’t have the audacity to execute such reforms. As long as the taxes were paid on time, they allowed the twisted systems to persist.

The people of the Terra Supreme Lord Council used to be effective, but now they were utterly useless. Every meeting was a battle of interests among various factions, and everything was done at a snail’s pace, if not somewhat deranged.

The major families put great effort into infiltrating the Terra Supreme Lord Council, striving to have their own people become officials in the Adeptus Arbites, the Adeptus Ministorum, and many others, all to maintain their interests.

Guilliman didn’t want to play politics with these people while facing the chaos gods. He wanted absolute control.

After several hours of discussions and the formulation of a relatively comprehensive reform plan, Guilliman disbanded the meeting. He authorized these individuals to establish a new organization similar to a parliament that would serve him and refine the reform plan.

After the numerous Rogue Traders and planetary governors left, Guilliman, looking somewhat fatigued, rubbed his eyes.

Since awakening, he hadn’t rested much. First, he repelled the Chaos forces, then summoned everyone to listen to the current state of the Imperium, and now he was continuously meeting with representatives and soothing them while making appropriate arrangements.

He stretched his fingers and calmly took a long breath.

A soft electronic tone sounded, and the voice of Cato Sicarius, the Captain of the Ultramarines 2 Company, came through a communicator on the side.

“Sir, several other battalions have arrived after hearing of your revival, and they wish to meet with you.”