It's late at night, and the mine base shrouded in darkness is quiet and solemn. The stars in the sky are like beacons in the universe, guiding the patrol fighter planes quietly returning in the sky or the transport ships roaring past in the direction of their return.
Since this is not the front line, far away from the occupied areas of subspace demons and the territory of some ambitious warlords and rebels, there has been no major war for a long time, so that late at night, except for necessary patrols, As well as the fighter planes on duty, most of the other soldiers and officers at the base have returned to their respective barracks or rooms to rest.
And among them, some guests who come to visit are no exception!
Therefore, as the number of pedestrians and soldiers in the base gradually decreased, and he did not intend to continue wandering outside to attract the attention of the patrolling base soldiers, Sejanus, who was alert or following, of course did not continue wandering around, but returned to them on time. The standard accommodation is arranged in the style of a supply depot with separate areas.
"..."
However, although it was another day's rest, Sejanus didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Anyway, when he walked into the envoy's residence at the edge of the mine base and closed the hatch, he felt as if he was carrying the weight of the entire universe, and the tired look on his face was like an ancient sculpture eroded by time. He walked heavily and handed his belongings directly to an Astartes warrior who came up to him. Then he sat tiredly on the sofa, his eyes slightly closed, and he didn't say a word for a long time.
"Company commander!"
"Tea, please."
Not long after, seeing the tired look of his company commander, a loyal Astartes warrior thoughtfully brought him a cup of hot drink that the humans on Canopy Star liked so much, letting the scent of tea and A warm breath filled the air of the empty hall.
"..."
But unfortunately, the hot tea was still unable to dispel the coldness and anxiety in Sejanus' heart.
Therefore, of course he did not reach out to take it, but just reluctantly used his deep eyes to signal the soldier to put the tea on the table for him. While he lay deeply on the back of the sofa, his fingers began to move unconsciously. He was rubbing and tapping the armrests of the sofa, not knowing what he was thinking about.
"..."
In this regard, the soldier didn't say much, he just obeyed and carefully placed the tea on the coffee table and stepped aside.
And through Sejanus's performance, the soldiers who brought the tea knew without guessing that their company commander's negotiations would definitely not go smoothly in the past few days.
Because of this, he certainly didn't dare to ask more questions. He just put down the tea and stood aside patiently and waited patiently.
"Where are they?"
"Why didn't you see them?"
Although the deadlocked negotiations, the heavy mission and the lack of progress in nearly half a month were like a boulder on Sejanus's chest, making him feel suffocated and heavy, and filling his heart with confusion and annoyance. He was unwilling to give in, but after a pause, he still managed to gather his energy and asked this question:
"Could it be..."
"Did you go to Nashi's entertainment room again?"
Because Sejanus knows that in recent days, his men have accidentally discovered an online simulated holographic war confrontation game in the mine base. It seems to be very interesting, and the people on this planet also use it to recruit new soldiers?
Then, after his subordinates knew about it, they naturally went to participate.
But the result...
I heard that in addition to the fact that the humans and soldiers on this planet were unable to fight back at the beginning, gradually, when those people got used to the strength and fighting skills of the Astartes, they soon started to fight back. How many times did his elite direct descendants suffer defeats?
So much so that his subordinates have been like gamblers who lost their money recently, hanging out in the entertainment room every day and not doing their jobs, and he has not been seen when he comes back several times?
"Yes!"
"Today we suffered disastrous defeats in one-on-one, three-on-three, five-on-five and sixteen-player matches. So, they are a little unconvinced and plan to fight their opponents until dawn?"
When asked by his company commander, of course the Astartes did not dare to hide anything and admitted it directly and openly.
In fact, if it weren't for the need for several people to be on duty and stand guard, and someone also needed to be on standby at night, he would probably have to go to the entertainment room himself, and then tell those at the mine base and the Internet on the entire Huagai planet that they were Astartes. However, the soldiers and civilians fought like this for hundreds of rounds.
Every time he thought of those cunning 'Old Six' relying on their powerful weapons and CMC armor to ambush, sneak attack and siege Astartes warriors who were more adept at close combat, his eyes could almost burst into flames.
"well!"
"It's just a game..."
"Don't get carried away with playing with things!"
Sighing and shaking his head, Sejanus was about to reprimand him, but when he thought that it was impossible to reveal his mission to his subordinates, and when he thought that his soldiers seemed to have nothing to do here, he I still resisted the thought of reprimanding and just gave him a small warning instead.
"Company commander!"
"That is not a simple game. You will know when you have time to try it."
"I don't know how to describe it specifically."
“It’s interesting anyway!”
Although he wanted to refute it, the Astartes hesitated for a while and finally did not dare to speak. He just explained it seriously.
"Experience?"
He was startled at first, then Sejanus rubbed the place where the service nails were nailed on his forehead a little tiredly, and then responded casually:
"talk later……"
"I'll go and see it if I have time!"
But he knew that even though he said that, he had no time these days to battle wits with the senior management of the mine base or prepare various negotiation materials. How could he have the time and energy to play that unknown game?
Therefore, he was just talking casually, and he definitely had no chance or time to practice that boring virtual game.
"You go down!"
"Don't worry about me, I need to take a good rest."
Then, after seeing that there was nothing to do, Sejanus waved his hand, indicating that the other party did not need to stand by his side and wait, because he had nothing to tell the other party.
"yes!"
Seeing this, the Astartes warrior didn't hesitate, just bowed and quickly turned around and left.
"call!"
"It's really more tiring than fighting..."
Seeing that he was finally alone, Sejanus picked up the tea cup and took a sip before exhaling a breath, then he let out a rare sigh and lay down deeply on the sofa.
And he really didn't complain about this.
In comparison, now he may be more willing to lead his company and fleet to other galaxies and other colonial planets to fight several battles with other colonial governments and regain lost ground, instead of fighting with that group of existing people on Huagai Star. The humans of the sector who do not agree or object are negotiating!
"!!"
"Well?"
At this moment, just when Sejanus wanted to take a good rest to collect his thoughts, he actually saw another Astartes warrior breaking the silence of the hall and coming to him with steady and fast steps. in front of.
"Sir!"
"Ali said that she made a new friend, and then she spent the whole day playing with her new friend today."
"Do you want to hear it?"
The other party first bowed, then spoke in a low and meaningful voice, and continued to hint to Sejanus using a certain wording that had been agreed in advance.
"!?"
In just an instant, the other party's words were like a spring breeze blowing across a frozen lake, instantly causing waves in Sejanus' heart.
Then, originally exhausted both physically and mentally, he suddenly opened his eyes, with an indescribable look of surprise flashing in his eyes, and it took him a while to gradually calm down.
"Aly..."
"Well……"
"When did it happen?"
"What's the specific situation?"
Immediately afterwards, he barely suppressed the emotions in his heart, and then looked around the halls of the mansions provided by humans in this star region, then he sat up straight and asked pretending to be casual.
This is Huagai Star's mine base, a place belonging to someone else's house, and as an envoy, he can't guarantee whether this building, which is both a small fortress and a bit like a spaceship, has the kind of secret surveillance equipment. Therefore, some He would definitely not dare to say it directly and openly.
"It started yesterday."
The soldier answered honestly:
"That's what happened in the past two days."
"Ali seemed to have a good time with her new friends. She also went to the Gui Market for a whole day today and just came back very late."
"Then she also said that she would go there tomorrow and the day after tomorrow?"
With that said, the warrior told all the information he knew, including the details about Ali being stung by a wasp and the fact that she was almost kidnapped by a subspace demon tonight.
And the reason why he knew so much was undoubtedly because he had already asked the little girl Ali before, and now, he was just relaying and reporting it again.
"..."
After listening to the report of his soldiers, Sejanus was not in a hurry to say anything.
Some indescribable emotions in his heart were well concealed by him, as if he had only heard a trivial matter.
"That……"
He pondered for a long time, and then suddenly asked in a deep voice:
"Where's Ali?"
"Where is she now?"
Now that the matter he had told Ali about had improved, of course he wanted to make some insinuations, and then he could make relevant judgments and arrangements.
"In her room."
"She fell asleep not long after she came back."
"I didn't even eat dinner."
"She looks very tired. Do you need me to wake her up now?"
With that said, the Astartes turned around and knocked on the door of a certain room, and then brought over the ordinary little girl that his company commander insisted on bringing over to answer the question.
"Well……."
Sejanus hesitated for a moment, but finally shook his head and waved to the soldier, and then said in a deep voice:
"No need!"
"Let her have a good rest first."
After calling the subordinate, Sejanus hesitated and continued to give instructions:
"You don't have to worry about her, just let her have fun."
"If she needs anything, you should try your best to satisfy her. It's not a big deal anyway."
"And..."
"never mind!"
"That's all for now."
"If anything happens, remember to report it again. You can go and rest now."
"Go for it!"
After saying that, Sejanus waved his hand and said that this was the end of today's reporting work. There were many things that could not be discussed in detail under the human roof, so he really had nothing to say at the moment.
"Understood."
The soldier nodded, then without saying anything else, he just bowed silently and turned around to leave the room. Then, he carefully and gently closed the door when he went out.
"..."
Soon, the room returned to silence again.
Sejanus, on the other hand, after pondering for a while and worrying about gains and losses for a long time, he frowned again and fell into deep thought.
Then, inevitably, the little figure he had seen several times appeared in his mind.
In the beginning, especially when they negotiated on the No. 4 planet at the edge of the Taiwei galaxy and met each other for the first time, neither he nor the primarch Horus spared the little girl. In the heart.
Unexpectedly, after many contacts and a gradual in-depth understanding, they suddenly realized how much that little girl meant to the star region, to the human forces that had taken root in the Taiwei galaxy and on the Huagai star. Land is important.
Especially when he was captured last time and saw what the little girl did with his own eyes, he was so shocked that he had to take the mortal little girl Ali with him this time. Here’s how to do it.
Originally, he didn't have much hope for that Ali. He just brought her along and gave a few instructions to make arrangements. After all, he never expected that kind of ambush to work, but how could he expect that now? Little Ali brought him an unexpected surprise?
However, knowing the importance of this mission, he did not dare to give more instructions to the little girl Ali now, lest he appear to be too deliberate, which would be worse than good.
"!"
"Is it ultimately going to depend on a little girl?"
After thinking for a long time, he murmured to himself and cast his gaze out the window.
After more than ten days of contact, Sejanus now basically understands that the people in the star area, the people in this mine base, especially the senior base leaders headed by Darius, they don’t seem to want to be serious at all. I don't mean to negotiate seriously with him, but the other party is just deliberately delaying time.
Although Sejanus doesn’t know where the opponent’s confidence lies, nor does he understand the use of the opponent’s delaying for a month or two, nor does he believe that the opponent’s so-called Nakpuru sector really has what the opponent has shown. However, as time went by, and as the deadline given to him by the Primarch Horus gradually approached, he inevitably fell into anxiety and irritability.
"only hope……"
"Can there really be a surprise?"
First he sighed in a tone that was mixed with indescribable determination and expectation, and then, in this silent night, Sejanus lay deeply on the back of the sofa and closed his eyes, and then fell into deep thought again.
Although he knew that there might be little hope, and that neither he nor the little girl Ali could really get what they wanted, he still had to go all out and not make any mistakes.
Because he shoulders not only a personal mission, but also the future of the entire 16th Legion and even all Astartes!
And even more so for the emperor!
Yes!
This is also for the emperor...
maybe?
…
At the same time, when Sejanus was lost in thought in the living room, the little girl Ali's room also became very quiet.
"..."
After all, it was normal for her to lie down on the bed and fall into a deep sleep after a long day of playing with a certain lousy head of state.
She slept soundly, just like when she slept in the warm arms of her mother, who never seemed to finish her work and often didn't get home in the middle of the night, once a year on the Vengeful Spirit.
Sudden!
I don’t know how long it took, but the little girl Ali’s eyes opened slightly and she rolled her eyes continuously, as if she wanted to wake up, but couldn’t.
Because the bed and quilt were so warm and comfortable, it was as if her mind wanted to wake up immediately, but her body failed to succumb to the power of the devil in bed and strongly voted against it.
"Woo..."
"Delicious……"
"It smells so good..."
"I……"
"I don't want to go back..."
"Mother……"
"You eat too..."
She was murmuring in her sleep, as if she was arguing or talking to someone, and at the same time, her delicate and wrinkled brows looked full of pain, contradiction and resistance?
"Uncle Company Commander..."
"Woo..."
"Ali is so happy..."
Obviously, for little Ali, she did not know what expectations she had, nor did she know that a powerful Astartes Captain was paying attention to her at this time.
Anyway, she only knew that she had a lot of fun these two days. She had a lot of fun. She ate all kinds of delicious food she had never tasted before, was exposed to all kinds of things she had never dared to imagine, and played all kinds of things she had never played before. , those experiences were wonderful things that she had never dared to imagine, and she was even afraid of losing them in her dreams.
"ah!"
"No……"
"I...I don't..."
"Don't go back..."
"No……"
Then, she didn't know what kind of nightmare she had, and she started to struggle painfully. Not only was the quilt kicked again, but her little face and forehead, which were a little rosy and had long lost the color they had when they first came to the base, were kicked. I also started to sweat a little bit.
"!!"
finally!
"ah!!"
"no, do not want!!"
Maybe she was frightened by the demon in her dream, or maybe it was for some other reason. In short, she finally woke up screaming.
"..."
Then, she sat up suddenly and opened her eyes angrily. She just sat on the bed and stared blankly for a while. She found that she was still in this clean and tidy room with an independent bathroom and a cloakroom, and all the clothes and bedding were there. It was brand new and spotless, whether on the floor or elsewhere. Even if she wanted something to eat, she only needed to go to the machine on the wall and speak her name to the luxurious room. It took her a long time to finally come back to her senses.
"..."
After a while, her ignorant brain seemed to react, and then she slowly lay down again and pulled the soft and fragrant quilt to cover her chin and half of her face covered with sweat and tears. The big eyes that were still a little frightened were left staring at the ceiling.
"It turns out I was dreaming..."
"Very good."
Thinking of what she had just dreamed about, she pinched her face again. The little girl Ali finally breathed a sigh of relief while grinning and contorting her expression.
Because it was a dream, she certainly didn't need to worry about what happened in the dream.
but……
Thinking of the dark and humid lower living area on the Vengeful Spirit, full of the smell of machine rust and heavy metal pollution, and then the place where she was at this moment, and the ordinary people she had seen in the past two days. Almost instantly, her eyes turned red.
"..."
But she quickly bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, resisting some impulsive and scary thoughts, and tried hard to let herself fall asleep.
Because, as long as she falls asleep, she doesn't need to think about certain things.
And then...
Maybe her subconscious mind also naively believes that if she doesn't think about it, certain things may never happen?
"..."
But it's a pity that she couldn't sleep for a while.
So, after closing her eyes for a while, she had to open them again and stared at the beautiful patterns on the ceiling and the lamps with her eyes rounded, unable to close her eyes for a long time.
"Mother……"
"If we could live here..."
"How wonderful it would be..."
"Oh...Dad..."
"When can you get off work..."
"I haven't seen you for many days..."
For a long time, before her originally chaotic breathing gradually became even and deep, before her eyes could not bear the physical exhaustion and had to close, following her soft murmur, the small and faint Yueyue's sobs began to echo in the dark room.
At the same time, next to her little face, at the head of the soft and comfortable quilt, at some point, a large area was wetted?
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Chapter completed!