"What does that mean?"

Thunder rang out, and the giant on the throne slowly rose to his feet.

Is he angry?

Perhaps, but you can't tell his specific emotions.

His face was too cold, and the sharp lines of a knife and axe made this face seem to have no so-called gentleness. The bridge of the nose is high, the eye sockets below the eyebrow bone are sunken, and the black eyes behind them have a chill that spreads from the heart. He had no hair, and the intricate and regular cables were tied together at the back of his head, black and heavy, like a butcher's nail.

And Karil Lohals knows that they are not.

He smiled.

"What do you think?" He asked softly.

The giant didn't answer, his gaze falling behind Carlil.

Two minutes earlier, the last Iron Warrior to walk out had closed the door from the outside. The hall was empty, with no tables or chairs, only a throne, made of steel. The long tubes were cleverly hidden above the iron-gray ceiling, emitting a miserable white light.

Other than that, the whole hall is surprisingly plain – no decorations, no flags, no paintings, or anything. Only the Iron Warriors' genetic protogen, Perturabo himself, and the Midnight Blade instructor he was meeting with, Karil Lohals.

And the atmosphere between them is definitely not good.

Perturabo retracted his gaze, but still maintained a masterful gaze. Only the most rational could observe others in this way, and he stared into Carlil's eyes, his brow furrowing slowly.

"You'd like to board the Iron Blood, and I've agreed."

He spoke in a low voice.

"You wanted to have a private conversation with me, and I agreed. And this is not out of respect for Conrad Coetzes, whom I have not met, and because I have accepted these two impudent requests of yours because I respect you, Carlil Lohals. ”

"You took six thousand men to take out that fortress from the rear, but don't think I'm going to thank you for it. Your actions robbed my warriors of their chance to prove themselves, and I tolerate you because I respect a certain quality that you have displayed in this raid. And now, I'm losing that respect for you little by little. ”

"Should I be scared of this?" Carlil asked.

Perturabo seemed to laugh, but he didn't. He stepped down from his throne and stood on the red carpet where Carlil was.

"Whatever you want." He said. "But I ask you to explain to me what you just said."

"Which word?"

"You know it yourself." Peturabo scoffed.

"You didn't come with good intentions in the first place, you've been brewing this scene since before you ascended to the Blood of Steel, aren't you, Karil Lohals? Declare that you have a gift from my brother to give me alone, and wish to speak with me alone. You're just saying that self-righteous thing. ”

"Do you think I'm going to be angry at your words? You are wrong, Eltros is to blame for his own death. The order I gave was clear, I was going to see them advance six hundred meters directly in front of the fort within fifteen minutes, and he failed to do that. ”

"So, that's why you let him be beaten to death by his brothers?"

"Eleven is an ancient punishment." Peturabo replied coldly. "It originated in the ancient history of mankind, and it is fair, and I also designed a machine for this, didn't you see the picture of them drawing lots?"

"They did it voluntarily because they knew they had made a mistake. Moreover, this error is the result of their incompetence. Moreover, it was merciful enough for me to only let the officers led by him perform eleven smashes. ”

Carlil nodded thoughtfully.

"You understand?"

"Nope."

"Huh." Perturabo smiled—the first time he had clearly shown some sort of smile.

"I'm not surprised that you don't understand, a lot of people can't, but I'm too lazy to explain anything to you. Now, explain to me what you mean by 'Sergeant Eltros' death will be counted on my head'? ”

"Just like you heard, literally." Carlil replied softly. "No metaphors, no hints, just plain literal. I think his death is to be counted on your head, that's all. ”

"He died of incompetence." Perturabo seemed to be enraged, and his tone became a little heavier.

A hint of danger began to flow between his eyebrows, but Carlil didn't move, he just stood calmly in place, speaking in a tone that sounded as calm as even a teacher teaching his students.

"A soldier's incompetence is usually forged by a general."

"That's enough." Perturabo shook his head. "There's no need for this conversation to go on anymore - you, and the people you brought with you, can all leave my ship."

"Makado, the Palm Sealer, has given the order, let us come and help you and your legion."

"You're testing my patience." Perturabo frowned again, this time in a subtle departure from what he had shown before.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke again.

"I've never liked Machado, he's too old and too stubborn. I don't understand why my father thinks so highly of him, but I don't care, he's just an old mortal who is dying. ”

"I followed the orders he gave on behalf of my father, and that is why I accepted your so-called 'support,' even though it seems to me that I don't need your meagre six thousand men at all."

"Let me make it clear to you, Karil Lohals, that I am not a tyrant or a self-righteous fool. I know you don't understand the strict discipline in my legion, and I don't expect any of you to understand. However, this is my legion. ”

He paused, accentuating.

"This is my legion, do you understand? And I'm not going to allow any outsider to point fingers at me here—besides, in what capacity are you talking to me about this? ”

He endured, endured, his patience was finally exhausted in this resounding cold word, and Carlil didn't even say anything at all, he was just silent. Peturabo laughed again, this time with a mocking sneer.

He spread his palms, his teeth white behind his open lips, anger flowing clearly: "Are you trying to cause a diplomatic accident?" You came to my ship, my flagship, and then accused me of disregarding human life? Don't forget your own position, Karil Lohals! ”

"Yes, I know you're so special that my young brother, whom I've never met, would even be willing to let you come in his place. I also know how powerful you are, Luo Jia told me everything as it was, he laughed bitterly at his stupidity, and even said at the banquet that he apologized to you but I don't care. ”

"Listen to me, I don't care about the support you bring, I don't care about your strength, I don't care about Machado and his quest written on a rotten parchment scroll!"

"You came to my ship and spoke out to me, questioning my plans for my legion, and even claiming that I had failed my heirs. Why are you saying these inexplicable things to me? Don't you think it's all a little ridiculous? ”

Carlil sighed slowly.

Yes, it's ridiculous indeed. He didn't even expect things to turn out like this.

They came to this remote planet with Machado's orders. Perturabo and his legions are waging a fierce war against the natives on it, whose resistance is extremely stubborn and their hatred of the Iron Warriors is intense.

This hatred feeds back their will to fight. Coupled with the ubiquitous and treacherous fortresses, the Iron Warriors' offensive froze, not just because of the natives, but also because of the long lines that Perturabo had stretched.

He was attacking all the fortresses on the planet at the same time, and his plans were great, but his legion was outnumbered at the moment to support him in doing so.

After a brief exchange with Pertulabo on the Nightfall, Carlil decided to break through to the west of the line with the 6,000 men of the Midnight Blade, and helped a team of 700 Iron Warriors led by Sergeant Eltros to take a fort.

The fort was a transportation hub and held a very important place on the map of the tactical strike planned by Perturabo. Then, after the victory .

Sergeant Eltros died.

Orders come from the sky, from above the orbits. Uttered by the giant standing in front of him at this moment, his words were particularly impatient in the hoarse noise of the communication channel.

He said at the time: "Eltros, you have betrayed my trust, and you have betrayed your own vows. ”

At the time, the Nightblades were still sweeping the fortress for possible enemies, so they were unaware of what was going on on the other side of the position. Until they leave and join the Iron Warriors.

Sergeant Eltroth's team was victorious, but it didn't show any signs of victory. There was no joy on their faces, only a heavy sadness, and the numbness that came from trying to hide it.

Carlil asks what happened to them and where the sergeant who had been working with them on the battle plan in the communication channel had gone

He got his answer half a minute later, and he got a twisted corpse.

Eleven Smash Kill.

It is forbidden to use weapons, to attack vital points, and to show mercy to its subordinates. Nine attacked their commander with their bare hands.

Beatings, beatings, beatings. The bones are broken, and the flesh is blurred. How tenacious is Astarte's vitality? According to the Iron Warriors, Eltros did not say a word until the last moment of his life, and he only endured it in silence, just like the nine brothers who attacked him.

"yes." Carlil whispered. "yes, that's ridiculous."

He held out his right hand.

There are also two chapters, ten thousand more today.

Stupid ruffian boss, you're really hard to write.

(End of chapter)