On the platform, the Departmento Munitorum's handbook on fighting Orks had already been passed around.
The soldiers had been tense at the appearance of yet another Xenos enemy, but the Departmento Munitorum's "authoritative" propaganda instantly put them at ease, even raising their morale considerably.
Sith looked up and scanned these native-born Hive City civilian soldiers, who had never seen or even heard of any Xenos.
There was no fear on their faces, only eagerness to take on the Orks.
"False propaganda brings real morale."
Ana, whose access to information was not restricted but, in fact, exceptionally good, walked over to Sith and spoke earnestly.
Then a Servo-skull flew up before her. After a burst of rapid electronic tones, Ana looked at the Departmento Munitorum's handbook and nodded in approval.
"Calculations indicate that, at virtually zero cost, this has increased the entire force's morale for its first engagement by two hundred percent. This is an extremely efficient measure."
"Of course, the price is that at least two-thirds of their lives must be spent after the battle before they truly understand the enemy."
Ana maintained the Adeptus Mechanicus's extreme "rationality," while Sith withdrew his gaze from the soldiers and turned toward her.
Under Sith's gaze, the rationality that had just risen on Ana's face faded slightly, and she even seemed afraid to meet his eyes.
Whether because he was a crucial "component" of her great invention or because of the outrageous combat prowess he had demonstrated along the way, Ana, who had only recently ventured out into the world, felt immensely nervous around Sith.
But the rebuttal she had imagined from a commander who loved his soldiers like his own sons never came. Instead, Sith gave her a serious look, then turned back.
"Even if they understood beforehand, just as many would die."
"...Perhaps even more."
Ana abruptly raised her head and looked at Sith in surprise, but his face held only calm.
In this fucked-up world, insisting on talking about humanity was what truly made someone out of their mind!
Perhaps someday, when the Dark Age of Technology returned, people could discuss such things.
But right now, how to survive until tomorrow was what truly mattered.
Seeing Sith actually accept this small piece of the Imperium's darkness so calmly, Ana suddenly felt a little more uneasy as she looked at him.
Coldness and rationality were virtues recognized by the Imperium.
But for those around him, having a commanding officer who truly put them into practice inevitably inspired some fear.
While Ana dared not meet Sith's eyes, Sith instead looked straight at her.
And this time, Sith suddenly asked a baffling question:
"Ana, what do you in the Adeptus Mechanicus call this planet?"
On Hive Worlds, 99.99 percent of civilians were illiterate. Never mind their planet, they did not even know the name of the Hive City they lived in.
Sith had not had time to consider it before, but now, not only had an entire Hive City fallen to the rebels, the main Astra Militarum force had also been driven back by Orks. Such a terrible situation left him no choice but to ask someone.
If it was merely some unknown world, that would be one thing. But if this was some "famous campaign," Sith really would have to thank the venerable Emperor properly for thinking so highly of him.
Puzzled that Sith actually cared about this, Ana frowned slightly and gave him a look before answering earnestly:
"Vigilus."
"This is Vigilus, in the Segmentum Obscurus."
A familiar name. When the word "Vigilus" rang out, Sith could not suppress the twitch at the corner of his eye, no matter how hard he tried.
If war zones were ranked, receiving support from a single Space Marine meant mortals would think they had won.
An entire squad of Space Marines? Victory was assured!
A whole company? At least they could have a glorious death.
But if it went any higher, mortals could probably only consider how to die more quickly.
And Vigilus did not have one squad, much less one company...
It had the Ultramarines Chapter Master, the legendary stretcher king Calgar, personally leading almost the entire Ultramarines to its aid at the request of Guilliman, the Imperial Regent and the sole remaining Primarch before the Lion's return!
Along with them came Knight Houses, Titan Legions, and the Imperial Navy, all desperately piling in troops.
Even the Adeptus Mechanicus, which did not center itself on warfare, mobilized countless Skitarii to join this meat grinder, fighting to the death without retreating.
Then there was the Ork tide, and Abaddon, the Chaos Warmaster and chosen of all four gods, who had rushed straight over without pause after finishing the fighting on Cadia.
That alone was enough to put "heartfelt smiles" on the faces of every mortal on Vigilus.
Not to mention that later, once the various sides became blinded by bloodlust, they began miniaturizing the Cyclonic Torpedoes used for Exterminatus and hurling them at the surface as conventional weapons with everything they had!
And now Sith's isolated force, abandoned by the main army, was right in the middle of this grand spectacle about to begin.
"Has Calgar arrived?"
Sith properly "thanked" the Emperor in his heart for his recognition.
Forcing himself to steady his mind, he hurriedly asked about the timeline.
The puzzlement on Ana's face became even more obvious. As a legendary figure among the Ultramarines, Calgar was someone she naturally knew.
She simply wondered how this mere Planetary Defence Force regimental commander, who had never even been to space, had heard that name too.
Perhaps he heard it somewhere through hearsay?
He was a famous figure, after all. Ana did not dwell on it and simply shook her head.
"Those above have indeed sent many requests for aid off-world, but none of the reinforcements that have arrived so far are Ultramarines."
Sith let out a breath of relief, while his brow furrowed even more tightly.
Calgar hasn't arrived yet, which means Abaddon hasn't either.
It looks like this chaotic war on Vigilus has only just begun. No one has gone completely blood-crazed yet.
But that also means I have to find a way to survive the entire war!
The more Sith thought, the uglier his expression became, his brow creasing deeply.
According to what Sith struggled to recall about the chaotic war on Vigilus, of the planet's population of over a hundred billion, fewer than ten billion remained after the war.
And now Sith had to find a way to hold out until the end amid this terrifying population decline.
Standing atop the spire, he stared absently at the hazy land beneath the distant sea of clouds. He did not know how long he paused; even Brunok in the distance cast him a puzzled look before Sith suddenly took a deep breath.
Atop the spire, at least this breath of reasonably fresh air gave Sith a little luxury to enjoy.
Then Sith turned straight around!
He strode toward Brunok, and the previously relaxed soldiers around him straightened up one after another.
Whether the original veterans of the 101st Regiment or the survivors who had only recently joined, every one of them now stood ramrod straight, looking at Sith with stern faces.
The blood on their bodies had dried into crusts, yet every one of them displayed an elite bearing far beyond that of ordinary Astra Militarum soldiers.
Everyone's eyes followed Sith until he reached the front of the ranks. Only when he stopped did they snap into orderly formation.
"Brunok, according to the rebels, the spire's summit hasn't fallen completely?"
Brunok stood straight and saluted.
"It hasn't fallen. At least, there are still quite a few refugees hiding in the summit area."
Sith did not immediately continue upon hearing this. Instead, he recalled this meat grinder on Vigilus one last time and took another deep breath, savoring the air free of foul odors.
The crowd remained silent, watching Sith respectfully, until he exhaled the heaviness in his chest and a fierce voice rang out from his mouth:
"I want to expand..."
Expand the army? Brunok's eyes lit up, but Sith suddenly stopped.
Smacking his lips, Sith thought for a moment and chose a new term.
"No!"
"I want to spam troops!"