40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 168 29. One-day War (7)

Marius Gage wished he knew a word that could describe fear and anger at the same time, so that he could find relief from his frozen mind.

He needed to turn his attention elsewhere, instead of lingering in fear and anger.

but

"Report, we found no trace of him."

A report came from the communication channel. Gale did not answer immediately, and the pain left by the toxin still remained on his pale face.

The primitive aliens in the Sanha underground of Harkossus possess a savagery that technology has never touched upon. They are primitive, but they are by no means without minions to protect themselves.

"Keep searching." Gage replied reluctantly. "There's no way he's leaving the ground."

"Understood." The person on the other end of the channel passed away in a hurry. Before he left, Gage could still hear the rapid footsteps. After he left, Gage could only hear the rustling busy tone in his ears.

The communication system had just been rebuilt, just like Gage who woke up from a coma for three hours. The only difference was that the instruments themselves were new and had just been used, while Gage was already bruised and no longer as calm and rational as before.

He was sitting in a camp made of rocks and composite materials. Auxiliary troops were walking around, and the logistics personnel were the busiest among them. They were all injured, but they seemed to be tirelessly using their mortal bodies to build a new command post underground without stopping.

They had just survived the attack and killed all the enemies. Then they went underground again and followed Gage's orders to do these difficult things. The First Chapter Leader couldn't help but sigh at this.

The Auxiliaries were not unaware of the Primarch's disappearance, but the vast majority of them were able to continue working. The men and women who enlisted from Macragge possessed an attitude that would put Marius Gage to shame.

They are fearless. Gage thought bitterly.

And we.

"Sir."

A new voice came from the communication channel, interrupting his thoughts. Although it seemed a little distorted due to the distance, Gage could still recognize the owner of the voice.

This is Tulio Kronos of the 4th Company, a sergeant, a seasoned battle brother with—

"——Sir?"

".Yes, I am, please speak, Tulio."

"My team and I found no trace of the Primarch, but we discovered something else."

Tulio paused for a moment, and a strange and sharp sound came from the echo on his side.

"These aliens are primitive, sir, but they still have some sort of sophisticated religious faith. We found many hidden altars and murals in one of the caves where they live. Those altars"

"What happened to those altars, Tulio?"

"."

"Tulio?"

"Those altars are rotting," Tulio Kronos said. "The stone and bones are rotting, sir. Terra and Macragge, I don't know how to put it into words. I suspect I may be mired in some kind of hallucination."

"Did anyone else in your team see it too?" Gage straightened up and asked with a ruthless attitude.

"Yes, they saw it too."

"Then this is not an illusion. There is no illusion that can allow thirteen ultramarines to see the same picture." Gage said firmly.

"So, those altars are indeed rotting. Destroy them, Tulio. It's just sorcery. You and I both know that sorcery itself is no more immune to bombs than its user. We've tested this before. , isn’t it?”

There was a burst of gunfire from the communication channel.

"Now tell me, what are those murals about?" Gage continued to ask.

His lips were thirsty, and a wave of eagerness surged in his heart. Don't get me wrong, Marius Gage certainly doesn't care about the possible historical significance behind these altars and murals - he is an Ultramarine, not a crazy scholar in the Fifteenth Legion.

He asked this because he trusted Tulio Cronus. The noncommissioned officer of the Fourth Company had been with the Corps almost as long as Gage. He could have been a company commander or other important position, but he himself refused the promotion. No one knew why, but they were all willing to respect him.

Gage knew that Tulio Kronos was not a random person. Since he would report these altars and murals through the communication channel, they must be connected to some extent with the whereabouts of the original body.

Gage didn't know where the connection was, but he would find it.

He clenched his right fist, the metal scraped and creaked - yes, he would find this connection, just as he would find Robert Guilliman.

"Those murals."

Tulio Kronos gasped hesitantly, evasive, and paused for more than a few seconds - finally, he did not let Gage's waiting be in vain, and he spoke.

"Those murals all depict a garden, a...a dark green garden, and a person."

"who?"

".I don't know, sir," Tulio said, with an almost imperceptible subtlety of emotion hidden in his tone.

Gage captured it and understood it. He realized that Tulio Cronos was fearful.

He was fearful and angry—like Marius Gage.

Like all Ultramarines.

"Describe him."

Gage ordered. He raised his head and looked ahead.

A simple communicator hung around his neck, and long cables spread out from the ground and extended to a position in front. The logistics personnel in the auxiliary army are busy there, and they have no idea what is happening in this communication channel.

Gage couldn't help but have an idea in his mind - if they knew, would they be afraid? Will they be like us?

He has no answer.

".He wears blue armor but is transforming into green." Tulio gasped, each word coming out with difficulty. "He was very tall. He was walking on a staircase. The staircase was very long, and at the end was a vague and huge shadow."

"continue."

"He—" Tulio stopped here, and then fell silent. This time, he was silent for a long time. When he spoke again, his voice had changed. "—I believe the person on that mural is the Primarch, sir."

Gage closed his eyes and used superhuman willpower to resist the sharp sting in his mind. At this moment, the fear disappeared, leaving only anger. He opened his eyes and felt a strange shiver crawling up from deep in his bones.

very good.

The first chapter leader took a deep breath.

Now, he has nothing to fear.

"Very good, well done, Tulio, now continue the search." Gage said expressionlessly. "He must still be underground. He can't leave here. We will find him."

"But, sir, those paintings—"

"-Those paintings are not important at all, Tulio." Marius Gage stood up slowly, and he began to check his armed belt.

He got a new bolter, fully loaded. Four magazines dangled from the side of the armed belt. He tapped his finger against the magazine once, twice, three times, four times. Then he spoke again.

"Robert Guilliman is still underground, do you understand, Tulio? So we will find him, and we just need to find him. The call for help was sent out early on the surface, the Nightfall and the Resolve We're coming fast, we have backup, we have help, there's only one thing we have to do, we just need to find Robert Guilliman, that's all, so get the damn fresco and the altar out of your head. , Tulio.”

"We're going to find him," Gage said.

He stared ahead, staring at the group of mortals who were still busy. As his vision gradually faded away, he saw the auxiliary troops standing guard and more Ultramarines descending from the surface of Harkossus III.

For a moment, he almost thought he was still in Macragge.

Gage was not from Macragge, but that didn't stop him from loving that place.

He watched his Primarch and his Legion turn it into one of the few treasures in the galaxy. Macragge was civilized and progressive, and its citizens lived in a beautiful world, so they were full of courage. , they have no fear.

They believed Robert Guilliman.

Just like him.

"I understand, sir," Tulio Cronos said, hanging up the line.

There is one more chapter.