40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 538 56. Records of the Battle Group Era (Sixteen, temporarily finished)

No matter who, what, or what you are waiting for, waiting is always a long process, and this is true for everyone.

It's long not because of the length of time, but because of the process. Therefore, even if the person who needs to wait is Robert Guilliman, the wait is still anxious.

Fortunately, the people on Calth always have something to do. They are always on guard against threats from the surface, and at the same time they do not forget about their own development.

For ten thousand years, they have continued to discover the underground treasures of this planet, from minerals to underground rivers that have not been contaminated by radiation, various underground plants, and even some mysterious animals that have not been discovered yet.

They built mines, modified the genes of plants so that they could be planted on large areas, domesticated animals that lived underground, opened breeding farms, and obtained a stable source of meat.

They have even improved the way they use energy and can convert geothermal energy into electricity on a large scale, which is safe, reliable and extremely efficient.

Today, there are a total of thirteen underground cities in Calth, each with complete energy conversion equipment installed in the deepest depths they can now reach. Through them, dungeons are able to reuse reliable technologies left over from thousands of years ago, such as void shields.

It sounds like the people of Calth have not changed much from before the war, and the lives of civilians are even better. However, this is definitely not a blessing in disguise. Living in the dark underground for a long time has caused them to undergo a certain degree of mutation and degradation.

Now, they cannot see bright light, have a certain degree of night vision, their skin has become pale and their hair is highly developed, and their arms have become longer and more muscular.

Ten thousand years is enough to change too many things. It can make the former crown jewel of Ultramar buried deep underground, and it can also turn the people of Calth who came to settle here from all over the galaxy into the underground dwellers in some stories.

The only good thing is that they are still humans and there are no problems with genetic sample testing.

Khalil put down the information in his hand, tapped his fingers on the table silently, and fell into deep thought.

For now, he already knew almost everything about the situation under Kaos, but the ground was different. In the map shown by Calgio, the ground of Kaos was almost completely covered by a large area of ​​darkness.

Except for those areas where forts were built, other areas on the map were pure darkness.

In order to avoid this embarrassing dilemma of knowing nothing about the surrounding environment when they step out of their homes, the Cows people once tried to vigorously develop drone technology, hoping that they could fly into the sky, scan the nearby ground in turn, and then select safe areas. Transport materials and build drone transfer stations to gradually expand the scope of your scan.

This is a very good idea, and it is not empty talk, but it has been hit hard. The ubiquitous electromagnetic storm in the sky is the first obstacle in front of the drone, followed by the huge amount of radiation and excessive high temperature, and finally, the mutated birds on Cowes.

No one knows how they survived the Battle of Calth, but it doesn't matter because they are no longer the same.

Now, these birds have become ferocious carnivorous beasts that will attack any non-kind creature within sight for no reason, as well as drones that infringe on their territory.

These huge beasts can easily reduce them to smoking scrap metal with their beaks - all factors have combined to create the current plight of the people of Calth.

It is difficult for them to fully explore the ground under the threat of savages, mutants and chaos, so they can only work hard underground.

Although we have never given up trying to retake the surface, and invest huge manpower and material resources in this operation every year, we can only explore a small area around the ground fortress, and struggle to hold on to the remaining few fortresses.

So, what exactly is hiding in the dark?

Khalil raised his head and looked at the ceiling. He saw a piece of gray steel, with four black screws deliberately leaking out, reflecting light at the four corners of the steel, like the four corners of a picture frame, framing a statue of the God-Emperor in this special picture frame.

It was a rather cold sculpture. The sculptor's chisel-like lines made the face that countless people had imagined in their dreams extremely hard. Despite this, the slightly closed eyes gave it a He has a compassionate deity.

And God is unreliable.

Khalil looked away, shook his head, and continued reading the information in his hand. No matter when, reading is always a good idea. Besides, now is not the time to go to the surface again.

The two lost fortresses have all been recaptured. As for now, if they rush to other areas on the surface without a complete strategy, I am afraid that only a few people such as Khalil can come back unscathed.

He was so focused on what he was reading, but obviously not everyone in the conference room thought so. A voice came from beside him, with a hint of gloating that could not be concealed.

"How is it, instructor?" asked Yago Savitarion.

"How about what?" Khalil asked without looking up.

He actually knew what Sevita was going to ask. He really didn't want to answer, but he had to answer Sevita's words.

Publicly or privately, ignoring someone's questions was not something Khalil Lohars would do. Sevatar himself obviously knew this, which was why he seemed so happy.

"That carving—how is it?"

"The technique is first-rate and the concept is clever. Even a blind person like me who is allergic to art can see its excellence."

"No," Sevita said with a chuckle. "I mean, does it look like him?"

Khalil finally raised his head and put down the information in his hand. He looked at Sevita, then at the other chapter leaders in the conference room, and finally put down the information in his hands.

He understood what Sevatar was playing, and so did the other four Chapter Masters, but since it involved the Emperor, of course they wanted to hear it. Their expressions became the reason why Savita was now confident, and the reason why Khalil couldn't refuse.

He thought for a few seconds and finally spoke slowly.

"It depends on the situation. Sometimes, he is a king, and other times, he is just a father who has more than enough ambition but not enough power. In fact, in the eyes of the public, it probably doesn't matter what he looks like. Whether handsome or ugly, People only need him to wear a laurel crown, wear golden armor, and hold a flaming sword, that's all."

"Ah, instructor, I'm asking for a specific description." Savita asked with an undiminished smile. "You see - we all really want to know what the Emperor looks like. Don't you, brothers?"

As he spoke, Sevatar stood up, left the long table, and began to walk back and forth in the conference room temporarily lent to them by the Sons of Calth, raising his hands and pompously applying for support from his brothers that he did not need at all. .

That would be fine if it was just that, but he even deliberately amplified the sound of his footsteps, creating a muffled sound as heavy as a war drum, making the entire conference room extremely noisy.

In this regard, Caiul Sahoura frowned with great disapproval, while Sheikh Lenghun folded his hands and began to count him with lip language. Scaladric glanced up and then looked away. Go back and make no secret of your current annoyance.

Among the Chapter Masters, only the Hunter made a sound.

"I don't want to, instructor." He looked at Khalil with his cloudy white eyes and said.

Sevatar stopped and stood just behind Khalil. He put his hands behind his back and the smile on his face became quite interesting.

The hunter looked at him and continued to tell his thoughts.

"Throughout the ages, countless people have carved, painted, or written about the emperor in their eyes. These works have flowed into various worlds, and have been combined with the local environment by state religions to create different images."

"In some worlds, he wears robes and is a scholar with profound knowledge. In other places, he holds a long sword and is the bravest warrior. However, no matter what image he looks like, people will only believe in the emperor they believe in. ”

"Ultimately, I don't think the Emperor would object to this. He is ruthless, but also benevolent. He will split his image into countless shapes, just so that anyone can stand in the one they imagine. The Emperor's side, in order to gain infinite courage and strength."

Khalil smiled.

There are many mysteries surrounding the hunter, such as his name, and his eyes that are different from all the children of the night. Khalil didn't want to find out why, he trusted the hunter just as the hunter trusted him.

This kind of trust is indescribable. It doesn't even come from blood, but from something older. But beyond that, a hunter is just a hunter.

He remained silent most of the time, and his personal life was almost invisible. One hundred of the five hundred people were his brothers. This group of people stayed together all day long, but almost only chanted sutras and meditated. There was not even much conversation between individuals.

He and his brothers were so mysterious that it was only now that Khalil finally saw some clues. And he had to admit, he liked the Hunter's perspective on the Emperor's true form.

Presumably, his friends would also appreciate it.

"Well said, hunter." Khalil nodded sincerely. "You saw what it was, but then again - Yago."

When his name was called, Savita smiled and put his hands on the back of his chair, then slowly bent down and put his head close to Khalil. Despite this, his eyes were fixed on the hunter, pointedly and without hesitation.

Khalil turned back and looked at him.

"Didn't you also see the Emperor with your own eyes?" he asked softly.

Sevatar quickly rolled her eyes and looked at him, but failed to stop what Khalil said next.

"I remember, it was on the Emperor's Dream, right? I took you up there myself. He also asked the Imperial Guard to take you to the lounge, and your eyes didn't even have any problems from looking directly at him. The Terran people did this for But we discussed it for a long time.”

"so."

Khalil stood up slowly, grabbed Savitar, and pushed him onto his chair without any refusal.

"How about you explain to your brothers what you think of the emperor in your eyes?"

Kaiul Sahoura nodded, with a bit of expectation in his eyes.

Sheher Lenghun grinned, fell back comfortably, leaned on the back of the chair, and exhaled a heavy breath.

Scaladrick smiled coldly and silently, put his paws together into fists and placed them neatly on the table, his intention to wait was palpable.

The hunter didn't make a sound this time. He just looked at Sevita, his cloudy white eyes staring directly into Sevita's dark eyes, as if he was trying to dig for treasure in them.

".Is this necessary?" Savita asked. "These are old accounts."

"I think so," Khalil said with a smile. "what about you?"

The four chapter leaders looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"The minority should obey the majority, Yago. We never agree. Even Conrad will adopt other people's opinions. So, what about you?"

After the words fell, Khalil stepped back into the darkness with a smile and left the conference room quietly.

Of course he did it on purpose. This incident was his little revenge on Savita. After all, if strictly speaking, the matter of revenge also falls under his jurisdiction.

Thinking about this, the smile on his face faded, and eventually even became completely calm.

The fact that he was once a god has always been a sword stuck in his heart. Regardless of unnecessary self-perception issues, even if he is no longer a god inexplicably, the connection between him and that god has not changed. light.

Being able to control that ancient book and borrow its fragments to lead people around the galaxy is the best proof.

What a mystery.

He wandered and came once again to the depths where the Sons of Calth were stationed.

Unlike last time, this time, their think tank was standing by meditating. Eagles and skeletons surrounded them, ceremonial candles and incense were lit, and everything was arranged according to strict Ecclesiastical standards.

Looking at this scene, Khalil couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous. In the past, spirituality and faith were two things that would never have been confused.

He walked out of the darkness and took a deep breath just in time for the think tanks to notice his arrival. Everything happened next. I put away the meditation supplies, started the ceremony, and notified the chapter leader and company commanders to arrive.

Looking at their busy figures coming and going, Khalil couldn't help but have a deeper understanding of the current war group system with clear division of labor.

This book divides the Astartes into different functions according to personal interests, but it does not really make people rigidly follow what is written above. In some places, vague quantifiers are deliberately used, and even the total number of members of the battle group is "should be one thousand people."

It's clear that Roboute Guilliman had a lot of things in mind when writing this book.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, an organization like the Chapter is obviously more viable than the Legion. At least for today's vast and loose empire territory, it is much more suitable than the Legion.

"Instructor Khalil, we are ready." Calgio slowly walked over with a serious expression and spoke.

Khalil nodded to him and walked smoothly to the center of the formation. The think tanks began to run it according to their own methods, rather than simply and directly injecting energy like Khalil.

A few minutes later, the formation lit up, and this time, the Robert Guilliman who appeared in front of everyone was completely different from the previous two times.

He is fully armed, wearing a set of finely crafted power armor that has been improved many times. The light spots that make up his image even perfectly display the reliefs on it - not only that, they also bring about other things at this time. What is currently hanging on Guilliman's armor.

Judging from the depth of the light spots, the traces were obviously blood stains.

In other words, Robert Guilliman was covered in blood.

"What happened?" Khalil asked quite directly.