40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 276 47. Rebellion in Olympia (8)

"I never thought that wandering around the galaxy would make my life so easy and comfortable." Luther said with an unpredictable smile. "Following the Legion and measuring the stars we conquered with our own feet are completely different things."

"What, have you become a poet now?" Khalil asked narrowly.

"Maybe - I will actually write something when I have nothing to do." Luther laughed.

His left hand reflected the Olympian sunshine, and the silver metal looked very cold even in such a warm weather. Khalil noticed that Luther had a bulge under his cloak. He was not wearing power armor, but this did not seem to prevent him from wearing many weapons.

The old knight lifted up his cloak, magically took out a parchment roll from his breastplate, and handed it to Khalil.

"Malcador's handwriting," Luther said. "He didn't lie to me. His spies and spies are indeed all over the galaxy. I can get help and support wherever I go."

"And the mission."

Khalil replied with his head lowered, his eyes calm as he read a few lines on the parchment. After a few seconds, he handed it back. Luther folded it and put it in a compartment of the belt.

Hanging from the lining of his cloak were many gleaming gadgets, some of which looked like metal cans, while others looked like just ordinary knives, deliberately shaped for easy throwing.

There are two pistols on his belt. They are designed to look like ancient revolvers, but their huge size and energy storage coils on the barrels reveal their true nature.

"Nice gun," Khalil said. "Where did Malcador find these treasures for you?"

"Are these two guns? Strictly speaking, they are things I snatched from a prey." Luther shrugged. "I spent eleven years tracking it down, and finally found it on some moon near a dead world. The bastard was hiding deep, and luckily I had the ring."

He raised his right hand and showed Khalil the ring he wore on his right index finger.

Its current color has evolved to a pure scarlet. The black was almost invisible, and the red surged through it, making it look like a dull gem.

"Did you kill it?"

"No." Luther blinked maliciously. "I took off its limbs and pinned it to the ground and watched it bleed dry. So technically, I didn't kill it."

Khalil smiled slightly, turned around, and took Luther back to the parliament. Perturabo was busy working on the light screen he summoned by borrowing the bracelet. The female tyrant stood beside him, holding a bullet that was still bleeding in her hand, her face pale.

"The shooter committed suicide," Perturabo said without looking up. "The gun he fired under surveillance was a modified elephant hunting gun. The caliber was very large. Although it was not enough to affect the Astartes, it was more than enough to kill a mortal."

Khalil glanced back at Luther, not surprisingly catching some shock on the latter's face - it was obvious that the Caliban hadn't expected to see Perturabo here.

To add: He also didn’t expect to see such a rational Perturabo.

And Khalil knew that the Lord of Steel's rationality at the moment was just an appearance.

"Lord Califon, are you okay?" He looked at the female tyrant, who was still holding her scepter and shaking her head rapidly. She also winked at Khalil, hoping that he would answer Perturabo first.

"If I'm sitting here, then she's going to be fine."

Perturabo raised his head displeased, glanced at Luther, and his eyes narrowed slightly. When he spoke again, his tone had changed somewhat.

"I thought you left the Council Chambers to find the truth, Khalil Lohars. Or at least part of the truth. I didn't expect you to bring my brother's adoptive father with you."

Khalil didn't say anything, but just made a gesture to indicate that the truth you want is right in front of you.

"It's Luther, sir." The old knight corrected him with a smile, but his tone was very emphatic. "Not the adoptive father, just Luther."

Perturabo looked at him for a while, and when he saw Luther's metal left arm and the ring, he withdrew his eyes.

"So, what are you doing on my planet?"

"Trace it." Luther answered cautiously.

Extremely cautious, actually - he didn't want to offend Perturabo anywhere. Even if he had a way to ensure that the furious original body could not harm him, he did not want the atmosphere to become that terrifying.

"Chasing who? Or rather, pursuing what?" Perturabo asked seemingly casually. "When did Malcador ask you to come here?"

"Half a year ago, sir, I haven't been here long. I must say, I quite like your home planet."

"False praise will not help us in what we are about to do, Ser Luther." Perturabo said coldly. "Your activities across the galaxy are no secret, especially from you, ser."

"Me?" Luther smiled in surprise.

"Yes, you." Perturabo nodded slowly. "Leon El'Jonson has restrained himself very much over the years. He is even more cautious about traveling. He seems to be deliberately avoiding you."

Luther's smile faded.

"So I know what you are doing now, I know it very well. I will not ask about the mission Malcador gave you, nor will I ask you about the purpose of coming to Olympia, but I want something in return."

"Your generosity surprises me, and your request is very legitimate." Luther bowed slightly. "I will tell you as much as I can."

"This whole thing-" Perturabo stood up from the stone chair, his eyes as cold as glaciers. "——Does it have anything to do with your mission?"

"No, my lord," Luther said. "My arrival was just an accident."

"But you stayed for half a year."

"We don't always pay attention to efficiency when performing tasks. Sometimes, waiting patiently will make things turn around more. But I assure you, I never thought that a civil unrest would develop into what it is today. "

Luther said while glancing at Perturabo's left hand. The Lord of Steel looked at him expressionlessly and shook his head slowly and forcefully.

"So, you're watching my world erupt into civil unrest?"

"Would you be happy if I stepped in?"

"No, but that's not important," said Perturabo. "I need more information. What do you know, Ser Luther?"

Luther raised his head and glanced at Khalil.

The latter lowered his head just right and gave him a calm look. Luther also noticed that something was floating in the shadows of his colleagues - no, no, maybe it was the shadow itself that was moving.

It barked in a world that did not belong to the living. Luther felt a stinging pain from his ring, and some kind of perception was projected into his mind in a way that ordinary people could not understand.

"Blood——!" the shadow screamed. "His blood! Thirst!"

The old knight immediately forced himself to forget about it. He pondered for a moment before speaking slowly.

"I know a lot, such as the cause and course of the civil unrest. I am very curious, and sometimes I don't even realize that I am investigating these things. Judging from the results of my investigation, your world has been divided, and Olympia is Influenced by several different trends of thought.”

"Some people advocate pro-Emperor and stay away from the Empire. Some people advocate supporting the Empire and stay away from the Emperor. Some people advocate letting the Olympians choose a new leader and leave the Empire. Some people want you to become the sole ruler of Olympia."

Luther paused deliberately, he had to do this, he was trying to leave buffer space for the other three.

".Some people are even more extreme. They are even trying to resurrect your adoptive father." He said after the pause.

"Click——"

Perturabo exhaled a long breath of air calmly, released his right hand, and let the corner of the crushed stone chair backrest slowly slip from his hand. The stone fell to the ground with a messy sound, but Califon, who was standing beside him, spoke with an attitude he had never seen before.

"——What did you say?!" the female tyrant asked sternly. "What do they want to do?!"

"What I said was terrible, so I probably won't say it again, ma'am." Luther shook his head apologetically at her, with impeccable etiquette. He looked at Perturabo again and pursed his lips.

"This is actually one of the reasons why I came to the council chamber today. I was about to leave, and I wanted to figure out some things before I left, so I walked around the city and happened to smell the blood here."

"Although I don't know that the master of Olympia has returned to his planet, I do plan to write a letter to Malcador after today and ask him to hand it over to the person who needs it."

".You have a heart, Sir Luther, Olympia will thank you for this." Perturabo replied reluctantly. "But I need evidence, everything you said above, if I'm going to do something with them I need evidence that they exist."

"I'm afraid I can't provide any evidence, sir. My investigative methods are not that trustworthy. In other words, they are not trusted by the public." Luther shook his head regretfully and showed the ring on his right hand.

"I understand," said Perturabo.

He was silent for a while, thinking.

Silence fell in the council chamber, and Khalil rubbed the blade he had condensed using his psychic energy thoughtfully, without speaking.

Luther waited patiently for the next chapter, placing his right hand on top of his left hand, feeling the coldness of the metal.

Callifon panted heavily, considering what she had been through today, it was incredible that the female tyrant could still remain standing with her frail body.

After a few minutes, Perturabo finally spoke.

"Califon, my troops are landing, and one of them will escort you back to my ship. Please don't argue with me at this time. I don't have time for this."

"Khalil, I need the help of the Midnight Blade. I want a force of more than 500 people to deal with civil strife in the city-state. If you agree, I will give them the highest law enforcement authority, and I ask them to handle it as quickly as possible. Finish this matter."

"Sir Luther, if you can, I would like you to stay for a while. I have more details to ask you."

Callifon nodded sadly, her hands resting on her staff.

Khalil responded calmly: "I will contact a company of a thousand men."

Luther frowned and thought for a while before replying: "I think staying a little longer won't cause any problems to my mission."

"Very well," said Perturabo. "I will take care of everything within the next twenty-four hours, and then you can leave, Ser Luther."

He looked sideways at Callifon.

"Don't panic," he said. "I'll take care of everything."

Also, code.