Mars Mystery

Late that night.

Olympus City.

Quadrant locked himself inside his tent and refused to come out.

The people waiting for him to emerge and deliver his sermon had surrounded the tent in countless rings across the square.

Even the Custodes stood outside the tent with everyone else, waiting.

At that moment, Qin Xa suddenly teleported to Kelbo Hal's vicinity.

In everyone else's eyes, he was merely an ordinary Mechanicus priest. He had not appeared through teleportation, but had somehow simply squeezed his way out of the crowd.

"Where is Quadrant?"

"Inside the tent."

"What happened? Why won't he come out?"

Just as Qin Xa was about to ask about Quadrant, Kelbo Hal changed the subject.

"What did Malcador's agent say?"

"The one who met me was Kang Nagase, Malcador's agent. A guy carrying a katana."

Kelbo Hal slowly nodded when Qin Xa mentioned Kang Nagase.

As a Custodes, he had seen the people Malcador received in the Imperial Palace, including Agent Kang Nagase.

"Kang Nagase told me about Malcador's arrangements. All Mars needs now is someone capable of uniting the majority, and someone the various factions think they can easily manipulate."

"During the months since Quadrant arrived, Kelbo Hal tried to mobilize the Titan Legions, but the Officio Assassinorum turned his plans into nothing."

"Now, all he can mobilize are his diehard loyalists."

"I have to say, Malcador really is capable. That old man is... so brilliant it's practically inhuman. Compared to him, Kelbo Hal's methods and schemes are like a child's."

Qin Xa said a great deal.

Kelbo Hal nodded after hearing it.

Kelbo Hal was not surprised that Malcador could handle so many affairs on Mars from Terra.

Nor did it exceed Qin Xa's expectations that Kelbo Hal had almost no cards left to play against the tide