40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 21 21. In the Shadows

In a dark and wide room, a man is admiring a strange oil painting.

The theme of the oil painting is very strange. A man holding a long sword stands in the center of the picture, and at his feet is a long staircase made of bones. He is looking up at the dark sky, as if he is thinking.

Looking at the painting, the man put his hands behind his back and nodded with appreciation.

He was dressed very simply, only wearing a robe, but it was by no means plain.The edge of the dark purple robe has exquisite embroidery threads, in fact, its material is even more surprising.

Lightweight, fit and just the right amount of comfort.

In Nostramo, such a piece of clothing can represent many things.

He had a long face on which the features settled gracefully in place.The eye sockets are deep, and two dark lines spread from the brow bone to the lower cheekbone.The beard has been perfectly repaired, all of which make him look majestic and noble.

Mantas Scolewalker.This is his name.

As for his identity
"My count."

From the shadows of the room came a strange hissing sound, sharp as if grinding teeth. "Changetooth sent an envoy to see you."

"see me?"

Mantas Scolework chuckled slightly: "What? They didn't realize until now that a servant in the next nest was murdered for no apparent reason?"

"The Messenger of Chattering Teeth did not mention it, my lord."

"is it?"

Mantas Sklewok turned his head and nodded to the people in the dark: "Then, let Shattering Teeth go to the living room."

"Yes, my count."

10 minutes later, Mantas Scolework came to his living room.

The splendor here is almost absurd, but this is the Scolewalker family.Their parlor is very different from the traditional parlor.

In the corner of the hall, there was a woman in black with a terrifying face waiting.

He approached quickly, and the woman immediately stood up and bowed respectfully: "It's an honor to meet you, Honorable Earl of Tattoos, Lord Mantas Sklewok. Shaking teeth, I extend my most sincere regards to you." greeting."

"Don't say anything superfluous, Magina."

The tattooed earl smiled and greeted her to the long table in the center of the hall.He sat first, and Magina was second.

"Let's talk about it?" Mantas Sklevok said gently. "Why did Shattertooth send you here?"

"Not to mention the purpose, honorable Earl."

The woman who lost her lips and whose eyelids were nailed to death and could not close answered dully.

"We didn't come here with the idea of ​​making a deal, my lord. We don't have much idea of ​​getting involved in Quintus. Everyone knows that it is already in the pocket of the Skelevoker family."

"Oh, please don't say that. There are still four families in Quintus who have not been driven out."

Mantas Scolework smiled slightly. "So... when do you decide to evacuate Quintus?"

Magina was silent for a while, but her eyeballs didn't move like the others did when they were thinking, but kept still in a rigid and weird way.

After a while, she spoke slowly: "We can officially announce the withdrawal of Quintus starting tomorrow."

"Well I'm listening, go on, Magina."

"However, we have one thing to ask you, Lord Earl."

Mantas Scolework made an interested look.

"Chattertooth is willing not to pursue the death of that servant, and we will not send anyone into Quintus. But, accordingly, we hope that you will give us a small discount on the hallucinogen."

"Discount?"

"Yes, Lord Count."

"You mean, Shattertooth is willing to give up the whole of Quintus, and the maintenance of his reputation—just for a small discount?"

"The size of the discount is up to you to decide." Magina replied dully. "We trust you as a person."

The Tattooed Earl laughed.

"Yes, of course, my dear Magina."

He winked at the woman affectionately: "30.00%, how about it? Of course - I will also give a little gift, such as finding out who killed your servants."

"We don't care about it, my lord."

"It's okay, business needs to come and go. If you are willing to make concessions, I can't be too stingy. That's it, Magina. You can leave. Besides, forgive me for not serving you tea. "

Mantas Scolework grinned: "...do you mind?"

"I don't drink tea, my lord," said the woman.

She got up, bowed again, and then left the living room.Mantas Sklewok watched her go away, and the smile on his face began to grow bigger and bigger.

"They're scared."

The tattooed earl spoke softly.

"They were afraid that entering Quintus at this juncture would cause me to cut off the supply of hallucinogens to them, so they simply stopped pursuing that servant's death."

"It's really sad. It's obviously a noble blood, but it's addicted to flesh and chemicals. What do you think, Shadow?"

In the darkness of the hall, in a corner that could not be illuminated by burning candles, there was a strange hissing sound that sounded slowly, sharp as teeth.

"I agree with you all, my lord."

Mantas Scolework chuckled lightly. "Three heirs, one gang, overnight. Terrible efficiency."

"And we still can't even find out who did it."

"The instigator hung the corpses of my son and my eldest daughter on the quarters of our servants, let them bleed dry, and let them float in the wind, but we don't even know the identity of the murderer."

The smile on his face began to grow bigger and bigger until it reached a certain point, after which the smile disappeared.

There was only an eerie calm left.

"It's too much for me," said Mantas Sklework gloomily.

"Jando is arrogant and incompetent, but in some respects he is as persistent as a hound. Lena is stupid and empty-headed, but has good military talents. And my eldest daughter."

He took a deep breath, his tone suddenly softened.

"My eldest daughter, Irene. She was perfect. She was supposed to inherit the black streak after killing her brothers and sisters, and carry the family forward when I was old. But she died, Shadow. I His eldest daughter is dead."

"Thank you for your condolences."

"No, I'm not sad, I'm just sorry," said Mantas Sklewok. "At the same time, I'm angry. But not because of their deaths, but because of"

"Because... at this juncture where the Scolevoker family has spent a full 60 years planning, at this juncture where we can finally become the first family on Nostramo to rule over a certain hive city."

Mantas Sklework clenched his hands violently, his cheeks twitched, but his voice was still soft.

"...someone dared to provoke us."

"What would you like to do, my lord?"

"Check." Mantas Scolework replied indifferently. "Investigate at all costs. The cleansing is coming soon, so I will let it go ahead. Send someone to preach tomorrow, and start the cleansing directly after the preaching is completed."

"Scratch the ground and find the murderer. I want to torture him personally, and I want him to tell in the noble council who instructed him to do this behind his back!"

"As you order, my lord."

In the resplendent and resplendent hall, a shadow quietly disappeared.
-
It was cold and windy, and two shadows flitted across the dark sky.They moved in the darkness like ghosts, and soon, they stopped on top of a certain gargoyle.

Khalil looked down with a calm expression, but a cold blue light shone in his eyes.Ghost stared at his back, pursed his lips, and did not speak.

"Look," Khalil said suddenly, and held up a hand.

Following his guidance, Ghost looked down.In the cascade of minaret and minaret, there is a large square that is deliberately set aside.It is much cleaner than the rest of the nest and is obviously maintained on a daily basis.

Around the square, there are many gang members patrolling back and forth, which is unusual.

"Here it is." Khalil said in a low voice. "Look, ghosts. They've started patrolling and stationed in the surrounding houses."

Hearing this, You Hun frowned and carefully observed the surroundings.With his superior eyesight and ability to see in the dark, he soon discovered that Khalil was right.

The houses around the square have all been occupied by gangs, and figures in twos and threes walk back and forth behind the windows.The ghost can see their appearance clearly from a long distance, and he doesn't think those people who appear in his vision will be civilians.

No commoner has tattoos or fancy dress.Only gangs use these methods to identify themselves as different and belong to the gang.

You know, it's good for civilians to have clothes to wear, so how can they be picky about something?

"What are we going to do, Khalil?" As always, the ghost asked.

Khalil turned his head and glanced at him, but he didn't answer immediately.He just moved on to something else: "How did you feel about the last free play?"

"I feel okay?"

"Answer me in the affirmative, Ghost."

"I feel good, Khalil."

"Very well. Then, this time too, Ghost."

Khalil smiled slightly: "Let's wait first."

"Hmm, patience is a very important quality?" Ghost asked hesitantly.

"Yes, patience is an important quality."

In the cold wind, Khalil's chuckle gradually dissipated.Under their feet, the gangsters are busy without knowing it.

Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.

Yes, no one will ever know.

　Sorry, the author has a pig nose and the chapters are posted in the wrong order, please refresh and watch()
　　
　
(End of this chapter)