Didn't the Emperor and the Eldar Seer go to Commorragh to obtain Eldar technology to serve the Great Crusade?
Could it be that Erebus' answer was incomplete? Did the Emperor go to Commorragh for more than just Eldar technology to serve the Great Crusade?
Erebus lowered his head and pondered for a moment, thinking this was the most likely possibility.
The Emperor was cunning and devious, despicable and shameless, ambitious, inhumane, a complete beast.
He was meticulous in his calculations, having left many contingency plans even before the Great Crusade began, anticipating many possible situations.
For example, the annihilus blade and the ritual dagger. Erebus had once been convinced that the appearance of this artifact was a coincidence and his own flash of inspiration, only to later learn that it was also one of the Emperor's old contingency plans. Erebus personally shattered one of the eight ritual daggers forged from the annihilus blade, which ultimately became the weapon the Emperor used to kill Horus.
Perhaps visiting Commorragh with the Eldar Seer was also one of the Emperor's contingency plans! It was the Eldar Seer who plundered the graves of the Craftworld Eldar, stealing all the crystallized bodies of past Eldar Seers, and using these items to awaken the Eldar god of the dead, Ynnead.
Ynnead was later, under Cegorach's scheme, turned into bait for Saint Doraemon, helping Saint Doraemon truly occupy a small portion of the position of corrosion and destruction, which could help the Emperor share a good portion of the pressure of becoming a god. Haha, I remember that there was also an avatar of the Laughing God in Commorragh.
A grand scheme spanning millennia instantly appeared in Erebus' mind: the Emperor, the Eldar Seer, and the Laughing God conspiring to use Ynnead as bait to help Saint Doraemon occupy part of the position of corrosion and destruction, thereby alleviating the Emperor's pressure.
The Emperor, truly cunning and resourceful!
Erebus calmed himself and stated his conjecture as the answer.
Then, a thousand thick, electrified needles pierced Erebus' body, blood gushing out. For a moment, Erebus was so dizzy and faint from the pain that he couldn't control his body and collapsed onto the ground.
Erebus spat out a mouthful of blood, glaring resentfully at the lock before him.
Indeed, the Emperor's schemes were not limited to this. He truly was a beast, who knows what else he had calculated!
Erebus only suspected that the Emperor had more schemes, as for the Emperor going to Commorragh simply for leisure and enjoyment, Erebus never even considered such a possibility.
Although Erebus had slandered the Emperor to the best of his ability, it was precisely because he was the one slandering the Emperor that he knew best what kind of person the Emperor was.
The Emperor simply had no such impulse for enjoyment. He did not crave rest, nor did he possess the various desires a person should have. He felt no joy from slaughter, no delight from knowledge, no pleasure from salvation, no elation from honor. He didn't even desire to become a god.
Throughout the Great Crusade and the Great Heresy, the Emperor never once craved a moment of enjoyment or desire. He had only one impulse: to save humanity, cold as an iron man operating according to a fixed program.
But Erebus did not dwell on this lock. After all, the damage from the third failed attempt could not be healed by ordinary means. Of course, Erebus had ways to heal it, and even for the fourth, inevitably fatal, punishment, Erebus was confident he could endure it. It was just that... Erebus sensed the nine birds bestowed by Tzeentch coiled within his body and felt it wasn't yet time to waste them.
He made a decisive move, immediately switching to the next lock, the thirteenth lock.
A light screen popped out from the lock, emitting a low, hoarse voice:
"He has a simple beauty, almost delightful now, and when faced with unforgettable enemies, the Emperor sends him. He is not always right, but he believes he is, and that at least makes the path ahead clear."
"He has a calculated fury, capable of destroying all, but he keeps it strictly controlled, unleashing it only when permitted. Every action he takes has a purpose, to defeat his enemies as efficiently as possible."
"Seeing him, I am relieved and joyful."
"Please answer: Which Primarch is Lion El'Jonson evaluating in the above words?"
Erebus' spirit was lifted, for he saw hope of successfully answering this question.
First, these are Lion King's words evaluating a Primarch. Hmm, they are all praises, so all traitor Primarchs and Leman Russ can be excluded.
Simple beauty, controllable fury, seeing him brings relief and joy to Lion King. This can largely exclude Guilliman.
When faced with unforgettable enemies, the Emperor sends him. He always believes he is right, and he is good at efficiently defeating enemies. Ferrus Manus, Sanguinius, and Dorn fit quite well.
However, Ferrus Manus and Lion King were not too familiar, and Ferrus Manus died relatively early during the Great Heresy, so 'relief' and 'joy' probably wouldn't apply.
Considering everything, Erebus thought that while Sanguinius' beauty didn't quite fit 'simple', Dorn was better at defense than efficient enemy elimination.
"Sanguinius," Erebus answered tentatively.
An unbearable sensation of drowning filled Erebus' lungs, causing extreme pain and discomfort. He coughed out several mouthfuls of water, nearly choking himself unconscious.
Incorrect? Then it must be Dorn?
"Dorn."
Still incorrect. A liquid mixed with a strong pungent sensation poured into Erebus' three lungs, burning him intensely and almost making him faint.
No, why are both wrong?!
Erebus began to consider who else it could be: Corax? Jaghatai Khan? Vulkan?
But these also seemed not quite right...
"It can't be Leman Russ, can it?!" Perhaps driven to extreme anger, or perhaps his mind clouded by pain, Erebus spoke without restraint, stating resentfully.
Then he immediately showed a terrified expression, dodging fearfully, as if expecting punishment, but there was no reaction, no pain surged through his body...
"Correct answer!!!"
The lock disappeared with a bang, and the door before Erebus opened.
It was Leman Russ?! Even Leman Russ?!
Erebus' expression was blank, disbelieving, but he had no mind to delve deeper into it.
The door had opened, but behind it was a shimmering light screen, seemingly some kind of portal, rather than leading to where the door should originally go.
Erebus hesitated for a moment, then slightly extended his leg. The shadows coiled around him also shifted, entering the portal with him.
In the blink of an eye, Erebus found himself standing in a corridor aboard the Blessed Lady.
The corridor was piled with the corpses of dead Word Bearers. They all clutched their heads, as if they had heard something terrifying before they died...
Erebus saw a broad, robust figure. The person turned their head, saw Erebus, and a savage smile appeared on that muscular, round face. Then...
"I am Gouda!!! I am the kid boss~"
"Invincible!!! A man~"