Deep within the Hyberia Hive Sector.
Far from the front lines, the thunder of guns was sparse here, and Imperial defenders were not densely stationed.
Only countless civilians huddled in every corner of the Hive City, watching Adeptus Arbites enforcers and arbitrators clad in heavy armor and wielding shotguns patrol back and forth.
However, unlike before, in recent days, a significant number of Astra Militarum troops, and even Astartes, had begun appearing deep within the relatively secure sectors of the hive.
Several fully armed Cadians passed by. The enforcers glanced at these soldiers before promptly ignoring them.
They had seen many such soldiers these past few days. Orders from above were not to inquire, so the enforcers pretended not to see them.
It wasn't until another young officer in a colonel's uniform and a peaked cap walked past, his hard boots clicking crisply on the blood-stained floor, that the enforcers looked, then stood at attention one after another:
"Lord Sith!"
The enforcers were respectful. Although belonging to a different department, on an Alert Star embroiled in such fierce fighting, the enforcers were merely destined for the front lines a bit later than the regular troops.
Sith casually raised a hand in return salute, his gaze quickly sweeping over these well-equipped enforcers before settling on the masses of civilians lining both sides of the passageway.
To be precise, civilians intermixed with a great many corpses.
In the long corridor, only enforcers and soldiers could still move about freely. The remaining civilians could hardly even stand.
Now, Sith looked at the bodies collapsing one after another at his feet. Beside him, a corpse cart, whose handler had scrambled aside in a fluster to avoid him, was already filled for who-knows-what-number time.
The civilians pushing the cart cast cautious, respectful glances at Sith. Simultaneously, in their clouded, numb eyes, tiny points of light reflecting from Sith bore a glimmer named 'hope.'
Looking at the waists of these bowing cart-pushers, where a small transparent canteen hung containing a thin layer of murky, filthy water, Sith recalled what he had witnessed on his journey. He knew this was their payment as corpse collectors.
The supply of clean water was almost completely severed. Now, Calgar only had the capacity to care for the military and had utterly ceased to concern himself with the civilians.
Most of these civilians were not dying of starvation, but more of thirst.
And in return, the starch supply in the Hyberia Hive Sector during this period was exceedingly abundant!
As Sith passed, more and more civilians cast listless looks his way. Even as Sith scanned the area, a woman gasping for breath suddenly collapsed limply to the ground.
Seeing this, the surrounding civilians hurriedly gathered around. But the scene of mutual aid Sith imagined did not occur. Instead, a group of people produced small knives, trembling with excitement as they slit the woman's not-yet-congealed blood vessels.
A crowd bent over, burying themselves against the civilian who might not even be dead yet. Their throats moved with obvious swallowing motions, and immense satisfaction spread across their faces as they raised their heads, closed their eyes, and wore expressions of enjoyment.
Although blood could not truly quench thirst, when they rose with mouths full of blood, at least for that moment, the liquid was sufficient for them.
Watching these 'vampiric' civilians, Sith did not blame them. He only felt the clear, clean water sloshing in the canteen at his own waist and somewhat helplessly averted his gaze.
Then came the sound of heavy armored footsteps stomping on the floor. Amidst the civilians' faces full of satisfaction, a trigger was pulled.
Shotgun blasts felled the civilians who dared commit such a blasphemous act. The blood they had just ingested had no time to transform into moisture before they themselves toppled over, crimson streams flowing from their necks.
When Sith looked again, he saw only enforcers standing ahead, blocking the view down the corridor. Meeting Sith's gaze, they once again offered their respect.
It seemed there was no safe zone for civilians...
...
When Sith returned to the 101st Regiment's garrison near the Hive City's spaceport, the veterans were conducting vigorous training with the newly replenished recruits.
The Mortals who had endured this far, though mostly shattered remnants of broken units, possessed individual qualities far surpassing the recruits Sith had previously conscripted directly from the civilian population.
In just over ten days, they had already been trained into a quite presentable shape.
"Regiment Commander, Lord Davi Luo has arrived."
An officer, seeing Sith, hurriedly approached to report.
The soldier wore a brand-new black, fully enclosed combat suit. The shoulder insignia bearing the number 101 had been removed, ready to be replaced at any moment with the new designation as part of the Astra Militarum.
Sith took out the supply requisition authorization retrieved from The Senate. Bending to sign it, he spoke:
"Davi Luo? Did he say what it was about?"
The officer shook his head:
"Lord Davi Luo did not say."
Sith was speechless. He stood up, handed the signed authorization to the logistics officer, and replied simply:
"Understood."
This wasn't a case of not informing; this was Davi Luo simply not bothering with ordinary Mortals.
Soon, when Sith arrived at his office, a tall Astartes was examining the finely crafted power armor that had undergone emergency repairs by the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Looking at the cleaving marks upon it, still evident even after repair, Davi Luo, with his back to Sith, voiced a note of admiration:
"Lord Sith, as a Mortal, you truly command my respect."
Having said this, Davi Luo turned around, his face showing genuine acknowledgment.
After all, when Sith concluded the entire external campaign with what could be called flawless execution and fought his way back to Hyberia under the watchful eyes of many, Calgar had spared no effort in further propaganda.
When numerous real combat achievements were disclosed, even Davi Luo, a veteran of the Iron Warriors, had to admire the terrifying number of enemies Sith had cut down along the way.
Facing this 'comrade-in-arms' with whom he had shared considerable combat experience, Sith still poured him a cup of clear, bright water.
"Lord Davi Luo, I presume you haven't come just to flatter me."
Taking the cup—enormous in Sith's hand, tiny in his own—Davi Luo took a sip, then nodded:
"Lord Calgar requires at least one Astartes assigned to each boarding team. I have volunteered for your regiment, Lord Sith."
Sith, who had been casual, was taken aback. He stared blankly at the relaxed-looking Davi Luo for a moment before his expression turned solemn:
"Welcome, old comrade."
Mortals might not know, or might know little, but Davi Luo couldn't possibly be unaware of what boarding the vengeful spirit meant.
Choosing to stand with Sith under such circumstances fully deserved the respect Sith now accorded him.
Seeing this, Davi Luo casually waved a hand, carefully finished the water, and then set down the cup.
"Additionally, the Departmento Munitorum entrusted me to bring Lord Sith his new designation as part of the Astra Militarum."
Taking a military order from his chest, Davi Luo very solemnly placed it squarely on Sith's desk.
Sith looked at the finally arrived order. Promotion to the Astra Militarum wasn't merely a change in designation. It meant that Sith, as Commander, now possessed the authority to participate in commanding, or even fully lead, the vast majority of Mortal forces across worlds.
Moreover, with Davi Luo's application and Calgar's personal attention, Sith's starting rank was not low at all. It was directly a high rank capable of commanding large numbers of Astra Militarum troops and almost all Planetary Defense Force units.
Coupled with direct logistical support from the Departmento Munitorum, Sith almost instantly shed the cannon-fodder nature of being part of the Planetary Defense Force, becoming one of the Empire's elite field armies distributed across the galaxy.
Of course, it also simultaneously avoided potential post-campaign purges after witnessing Genestealers, Chaos demons, and even traitor Legions.
Sith breathed a sigh of relief and, with equal solemnity, picked up the military order. However, upon opening and reading it, everything seemed fine at first, but upon seeing the final assigned designation, his face went blank.
Davi Luo wore a look of satisfaction:
"After all, it was submitted by the Deathwatch, and Lord Sith's start will begin with cooperating with the Deathwatch."
"Therefore, based on the 101st Regiment's experiences, the higher-ups have officially named Lord Sith's new designation:"
"Black Watch!"
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