Chapter 528 The Rise of the Lion King: Title, What Title Do You Want (Skin)

The fuel in the oil barrel was burning, and the flames were burning from the tattered barrel. On the side, a worker in a stained coat leaned against the burning fuel barrel, stretched out his hands, and stretched his gloves with holes above the flames.

There were other workers around him. They gathered around the oil barrel and surrounded the street under the warm light. A light shone from a distance. The worker next to the fire raised his head and looked at the vehicle passing by on the road, his eyes following the movement of the people sitting in it.

He also sat in the car, looking at the workers outside from behind the glass. Soon the worker next to the oil barrel slid back and disappeared. Vito leaned back in the chair, one hand on the car window, his eyes looking at the Xiachao street outside at night.

The lights on both sides slid past his face. The car drove on the empty street. Most of the industrial areas on both sides had stopped working and closed. After nightfall, only a few factories continued to work. Billowing smoke echoed on the street with the sound of hammers in the workshop.

Outside the car window, on the empty streets, there were only some burning oil drums, and homeless people gathered around them to roast the fire, absorbing the only warmth in Terra's cold night.

Vito had heard that since Guilliman launched the Indomitable Crusade, in order to meet the endless armament needs of the Imperial Army and feed the Empire's huge war engine, the production tasks of the entire Empire's factories have increased several times, and workers have been forced to work harder than ever before, and even have to work in shifts to barely complete the task.

Many people died of exhaustion at their posts, and then the next person replaced him until this person also fell, and the cycle continued until the moment that would never come, the expedition ended and returned to peace.

Guilliman probably didn't know all this, or what's the use of him knowing it? In order to preserve all mankind, win in this dark galaxy, or even just delay the arrival of destruction, these sacrifices and losses are necessary and inevitable.

Vito knew this better than anyone else. He knew what the Empire was like now. It was a nightmare, far from what they had dreamed of. However, now, only by letting this nightmare continue, could humanity survive until the dawn.

Many years ago, human wars were no longer for the dream of conquering the galaxy, no longer for exploring endless frontiers, but for survival, nothing more, to survive until tomorrow's sunrise, survive the long midnight, and wait for another sun to appear, over and over again.

Guilliman wanted to use the Indomitable Crusade to let his compatriots recall the unity of the Great Crusade, for a wider territory, the future, and possible great wars, but he was wrong. For many people, that dream was worthless. They were just fighting for today's rations and finding a shelter to stay at night.

Even this is difficult to maintain. As the Indomitable Crusade continues, the already scarce civilian supplies of the Empire's citizens are further reduced. Factories begin to produce armaments, and the rations of agricultural worlds are used to maintain the increasingly large number of soldiers. Perhaps the only change is that the unemployment rate of the Empire has improved significantly.

Guilliman's officials forced all the homeless people in the hives into the factories, letting them burn their last drop of blood and sweat for the Empire's war engine. When night falls, these factories are full of these slave workers who have been abandoned.

Vito looked at the face outside the car window. It was a soulless face, without enthusiasm, fighting spirit, and no imagination of the future. That face was more like a machine, a machine that repeats itself over and over again.

He looked at the factory outside the window, which was higher than the tower spewing flames, and the billowing black smoke rose to the sky, driving towards the dark sky. Terra's sky without any starlight appeared outside the car window, and even the moon disappeared. Only the endless factory smoke filled the air, making the night deeper.

Vito leaned against the car window, watching the street lights passing by on both sides. Soon they were swallowed up by the high wall. Vito looked forward, through the front driver's seat, looking at the dark earth illuminated by the headlights outside. Under the headlights, the concrete ground was finally replaced by dry land.

The car drove out of an archway between the high walls and passed under the roadblock raised by the pass station. A tall transport vehicle drove past Vito. He looked at the guard at the checkpoint at the door. He carried a gun and watched Vito in the car pass by in front of him expressionlessly. Then he returned to his small house under the high wall to watch the boring radio program of the empire that was repeated over and over again.

It talked about the greatness of the empire, the victories in the expedition, and the various victories that mankind had achieved under the leadership of the great imperial regent and the supreme marshal. But Vito could see from his face that he didn't believe any of the words said above, not a single word.

The car drove out from under the hive city. They drove on the vast barren land of Terra. There was an endless desert all around. From the towering buildings on the high walls of the hive city behind them, colorful lights shone around, illuminating this land with nothing.

Vito leaned back in the back seat and looked through the car window at the distant horizon. There, another tall hive city was located, piercing the surrounding darkness with its own lights, shooting from those tall buildings to this lifeless world.

Vito looked at the rear car mirror in the front row. On the mirror, the tall dome of the Palace of Terra shone in the light. The spotlights illuminated the statue towering on the vault of the palace. The angel held the A spear looked into the distance, and the face shining under the light lowered its head completely to look at the world below, just like everyone who went to the nest.

"Guilliman and the others should have arrived." Vito muttered in a low voice. Omega next to him glanced at him with his peripheral vision, then stepped over the front row of tables and chairs in front of him and looked between the two seats. The navigation map appears on the platform.

Dalatin was sitting in the front passenger seat. He also looked at the endless darkness ahead. Dust flew up from outside the glass, knocked on the car window, and transmitted a faint scratching sound into the car.

The driver held the steering wheel and stepped on the accelerator while driving in the darkness. Everything around him gradually began to blur. The lights of the nest city were gradually left behind. Only the long-abandoned intercity highway ground in front of him remained. Revealed under the lights, the yellow vertical strips on the road kept sliding backwards.

Vito looked at the darkness outside the car window. The lights of the hive city in the distance were still twinkling in the night. Their tall buildings were like stars twinkling in the night, but suddenly, those stars disappeared.

The driver turned the steering wheel suddenly, and the green light on the navigation map shone on his elbow, and the shadow of the arm was cast on Vito's face. He looked at the driver's movements. He was driving the car, He quickly turned to the side and drove off the highway.

The car drove down between the two roadblocks, and the truck behind it also drove down. The changes on the ground were quickly felt physically. The smooth road surface was replaced by uneven wasteland, making the whole car feel... Bumping up and down non-stop.

But fortunately, soon Vito no longer needed to swing up and down with the wheels. It stopped. The driver stepped on the accelerator, turned the steering wheel, and stopped the car under a light, outside the window. A dazzling white light shone in. Vito leaned on the back of the car, squinted his eyes and raised his hand to block the dazzling light.

But he could see several clear figures under the light. They were standing under the bright car lights. In front of the tall truck, there were several figures holding guns. Their backs were to the light, making it difficult to see them clearly. s face.

Dalatin, who was in the front row, opened the car door and walked out. He closed the door with his back and walked into the light. Soon, a person in the dazzling car lights also walked up. The two of them looked at the car lights and the truck lights. Stopped in the middle.

Then the headlights of the car came on, and Vito could barely see what the man was wearing. He was wearing a large gray robe, with a chain hanging on his chest, and hanging on it were four badges, a bull's head, a sheep's horn and other elements. badge.

"Did you bring the goods we asked for?" the man asked, and Daradin shook his head, "No, unfortunately, no, there was some accident. They were blown up into the sky."

"Damn it! You promised us, without those things, how can we do anything on the Emperor's Ascension Day?" The man in gray robes shouted loudly, and the broad sleeves of his robes swung under the car lights, making them particularly conspicuous.

"I need the ion torpedo warhead in it. Ordinary bombs alone can't blow up the rostrum. How do you want me to blow those bastards into the sky? Not to mention, there is a original body!"

Primarch? It seemed like they knew that Guilliman was back on Terra, presumably from their hive accomplices, and that the Emperor's Ascension Day, hell, if he hadn't mentioned it, Vitor would have forgotten that the Emperor would be here in a few days. It’s Ascension Day.

Guilliman will definitely appear in the outer palace of the palace, ascend the high platform of the celebration, and give a speech to the residents of all Terra. Vito can probably guess the content, which is nothing more than promoting the new victory achieved by the expedition and praising the victory of reason. Too superstitious, but this year, besides these boring things, there are other heavy contents.

For example, the return of Sanguinius. Once this news is released, it will definitely attract many pilgrims and a large number of residents of Terra to participate in the celebration. The Ministry of Justice will definitely be busier than ever, and considering the law enforcement performance demonstrated by the Ministry of Justice in the past, Due to the situation, Vito had reason to believe that they could not deal with the heretics and traitors among them.

They would take advantage of this opportunity, with two loyal Primarchs present at the same time, as well as the presence of all high-ranking Imperial officials and members of important departments, to detonate the torpedo warhead and deliver a fatal blow to the heart of the Empire.

But what Vito was curious about was why he would let himself sit in the car and watch them make this deal with his own eyes? Keep yourself informed of their plans?

"We will solve it. You will get the torpedo warhead you want, and we will also get the things we want to give to others." Under the illumination of the car lights, Daladdin obviously raised his hand to appease the gray-robed man. Guy, and he had his hands on his waist, looking very annoyed and angry.

"It's best this way, you unbelieving guy, this is the best opportunity. The gods will not allow us to miss it." "Neither will my superiors, so we will solve it. To the east, there is a A batch of military equipment will be shipped out today, including torpedoes. "Armaments? Are you sure the officer in charge will let us take away that much equipment?"

Dalatin nodded, and the shadow behind his head shot in from a distance, shining on Vito's face. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and he listened to their conversation, tapping his fingers lightly on his knees.

He looked at the guy in gray robe, his face blurred under the light as he looked at Daladin, who raised his hand to signal, "There are a lot of armaments to be shipped out, let's take some away without causing any trouble." Pay attention, and I know the commander there tonight, and I will convince him."

The man in gray robe was silent for a moment. He crossed his arms and seemed to be struggling. He turned to look at the truck behind him, and quickly turned his eyes back from the light of the car lights. "Okay, I have to get it anyway." It doesn’t matter where you got it from.”

"Very good, then just follow my car and we can resolve this quickly. This matter won't drag on for too long." "As you said, let's go and lead the way."

After they said that, they separated. The man in gray robe returned to the other end of the car light, his figure gradually blurred in the light, and Daraddin came back. He opened the door and sat in. When he got in, he and the back seat Vito looked at each other briefly, but in the end he sat down, patted the driver on the shoulder and told him to go to the airport.

Vito and Omega looked at each other, then let out a long breath, "It looks like this mess is bigger than I thought."

He smiled and crossed his legs, put his hands on his abdomen, and leaned back on the chair. "Remember to remind the big blueberry later that he owes his second uncle a huge favor to me."