40k: Midnight Blade.

Chapter 174 35.No.20 Surgery
The corridors of Nightfall are quiet, and like every cemetery, it has an atmosphere of tranquility.You can't hear loud conversation or anything, and laughter is even more scarce here.

There was supposed to be a funeral here - but, no.

There is no funeral.

The dead had been buried long ago, and the Nightblades had seen their corpses crumble to nothingness in the arms of Black Flame.

They were not sad at the bottom of their hearts, somehow they always felt that this would not be the last time they saw their brother.Their hunch was correct, but it hasn't been proven yet.

Siani from Terra walked towards one of the offices in one of his brand new uniforms, his expression serious, but it was just his usual thoughtful expression.

Everyone has different habits, and the act of thinking is one of them.Some people like to tap on the table or bow their heads in thought while thinking.

As for Ciani, he puts on a very serious face to let everyone know he's thinking—in other words, it's 'leave me alone'.

Of course not everyone is willing to give him a chance to think carefully, at least Richter is not willing.

The sword master of the eighth company came across the corridor with a thick stack of documents in his hand. This encounter should have been very dramatic. After all, it is very difficult for you to see these two people appearing at the same time outside the training ground.

But Richter didn't seem willing to extend the drama any further. He shattered Ciani's contemplation and his serious expression with a straightforward sentence.

"You look like you're thinking."

"."

Ciani raised his head wordlessly, expressing his emotions at the moment with a traditional ancient Terra gesture - but in response, Richter just smiled lightly, he was still holding the document with a calm expression, as if he had just No taunt was cast on his brother.

"Where are you going?" he asked. "It's really rare to be dressed so formally. In my impression, you wear training clothes most of the time."

"I'm going to the instructor's office." Ciani glanced at Richter with little interest, and there were stars flashing through the porthole.

"He has a mission for us, and my captain is at the Primarch right now. What about those papers you have, Richter? Are you part-time a servitor?"

Richtner took a deep breath.

".This is a good reply, Siani, but my wish is different from yours. These documents also come from the instructor. He and the original body seem to have new ideas for us, and these-"

Richter raised his arm slightly so that the document could cover his face: "——that's the specific situation envisioned."

"In other words, this is a reform?"

"It's normal for the Primarch to have other demands on us. As for the word reform... I don't know." Richter shook his head and walked away.

The last thing he threw to Ciani was an invitation: "See you at the training ground tonight."

Ciani decided to take this sentence as a provocation, and he planned to face Richter with anger, just like he had faced those things on Harkosus [-]—— Thinking of this, his expression couldn't help becoming more gloomy.

Six minutes later, he arrived at the office of Khalil Rohals.

The door was open, ready as if he knew he was coming.Ciani walked into it, and the leather boots bumped deliberately on the metal floor, making a dull echo as a reminder.

Khalil Rohars was sitting behind the grim iron table as usual, writing with a quill pen, and a chair that fit the figure of an Astartes was placed opposite the table.He heard the reminder, but he didn't raise his head, but spoke calmly.

"Sit down, Siani, you came quickly."

"But it's not fast enough." Siani sat down with his back straight, but his tone seemed a little brisk. "Which one am I here, instructor?"

"the second."

"That is to say, that bastard is the first again?"

"."

Khalil finally raised his head, with a complicated expression: "I remember that you have a good relationship, Siani. Why do you call Richter that?"

"Because of some historical reasons." Ciani said seriously-by the way, he was not thinking at this time.

"You don't know it, instructor, but Richtner is pretty haughty for the most part, I mean, he's just an arrogant bastard with eyes on the top of his head."

"I don't see where his arrogance lies."

"Of course you can't tell." Siani snorted. "He behaves very politely in front of you."

Khalil did not answer this sentence. He lowered his head again so that his current expression would not be seen by Siani.He began to continue writing, and after more than ten seconds, he took out the paper and handed it to Siani.

"Take a look," Khalil said. "At least I hope you can read this summary here - it will help you understand what happens next, Siani."

What happens next?

Ciani felt a slight unease at this sentence. He reached out and took the hard document. It felt uncomfortable to hold it in his hand, and this was the will of those who made it.

They intentionally made the paper stiff and thick, with a rough surface, so that they could sell for a higher price - the Empire usually priced paper by weight, and the families responsible for making them were rarely. Not interested in interests.

But this is not what Ciani should consider the most now. He started to read, and the first line of words that caught his eyes made him feel puzzled.

'Detailed discussions regarding future recruitment matters. '

Ciani raised his head quickly and looked at Khalil—"Instructor, are we going to start conscription?"

"Of course." Khalil said. "But not now, at least wait until we return to Nostramo before making any plans, Siani."

Ciani did as he said, and when he raised his head again a few minutes later, his expression became quite strange: "No. 20 operations.?"

Khalil nodded calmly.

"Yes, the No. 20 operation, but it actually has nothing to do with surgery, it's just a ceremony. However, in order to deceive people, we will declare it to be the No. 20 operation-of course, under normal circumstances, We don't mention it."

He gestured to Ciani thoughtfully, with a rather meaningful look in his eyes: "...unless someone asks about it."

"Then we say it's the No. 20 operation?"

"No, we don't bring it up," Khalil said. "Because No. 20 surgery doesn't exist unless someone asks about it."

Ciani nodded with a complicated expression, lowered his head and continued to read.

'. Please note that the No. 20 surgery itself will not have any substantial impact or change on the recipient's body.It is a ritual, which can also be called a trial. '

'No.20 surgery should be done before any transformation begins, not after No.19 surgery.When the No. 20 operation begins, the subject will enter a state similar to sleep, but they are not really asleep. '

'They will dream, they may also sleepwalk, and even go into an abnormal state of rage, all of which are normal and one of the possible side effects of No. 20 surgery. '

'The duration of the surgery is still uncertain, but only when the recipients pass this surgery can they truly become the reserve of Midnight Blade and undergo follow-up surgery. '

Siani put down the file and let out a long breath: "...instructor."

"Ok?"

"Can I ask what the No. 20 operation is?" Ciani asked seriously. "I know that this kind of thing should be kept secret, and any details should not be revealed too much, but... Trial? I don't understand, instructor."

"It's just an alternative method of selection." Khalil replied softly.

He stood up, paced slowly, and reached the porthole of the office.

The eight company flags were still fluttering on the wall, and the air was as cold as ever.Stars twinkled outside the porthole, and Khalil gazed at them calmly through the glass, and saw his own shadow and Siani's waiting figure through the glass.

He continued to narrate.

"Siani, you have seen what happened on Harkosus [-], and you have heard Conrad Koz's oath to those things, and you have also made the same oath yourself. oath"

He turned his head, and there was a half-smile on the half of his face that he showed Siani.The latter shivered in his heart, and nodded heavily.

"So you have a good idea of ​​what kind of enemies we might face down the road, but those potential reserves are different."

He turned completely around and leaned against the wall, his expression calm.

"They may have excellent qualities and strong will, and they will become truly outstanding fighters through the fire of battle in the years to come-but we have to face more than war, Siani."

"Those things cannot be resisted by relying on willpower alone. Therefore, they also need to make an oath. A ceremony, a trial, a blood oath... They will know what they are going to face, and they will also know their possible ending , and we only need people who have seen it all and are still willing to accept it, we need ... hate."

Ciani nodded silently.His instructor wore a thin uniform, and his shadow spread across the ground under the soft light.Ciani looked at his shadow, and a subtle feeling seemed to sweep across, like a low sigh, or an encouraging gaze.

We are still there.the dead spoke in low tones.And we'll be here forever, until the hate ends.

Siani stood up and said hoarsely, "Yes, instructor, we need hatred."

He turned and left—until Khalil said dumbfoundedly: "Siani, you are leaving now, what about the documents of the First Dalian?"

"."

Siani from Terra came back from outside the corridor expressionlessly, and took away a bunch of documents with hurried footsteps.

　One more chapter.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)