I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 242 A Day in the Life of a Political Commissar (Part 1)

While human forces were fighting a bloody battle on the planet's surface, new changes were also taking place in the orbit of the Plantim system.

It's really not a big deal.

At a point in Mandeville, far from the main battlefield, ripples appeared in space as several ships, adorned with the Imperial Navy's insignia but with a more archaic and solemn style, slowly emerged from the warp. They did not join the battle formation but instead sent a communication request, making no attempt to conceal their origins and purpose.

They were commissars officially dispatched by the Empire, from the sacred Terra, and sent by the Highlords Council to assist a newly risen astral legion known as the "Deathbringers".

It was euphemistically called: strengthening faith and ensuring that these loyal warriors would fight bravely under the emperor's glory.

The communication request was transferred to Calgar's command console. Looking at the serious faces on the screen, even the Ultramarines' chapter leader couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

Let alone him, even if someone from the Imperial Fist came, they could figure out what the High Lords were up to after a little thought.

Although he, Lord of Macragge, has made overtures to various parties and expressed the Ultramarines' loyalty to the Empire, the Highlords obviously cannot do nothing, otherwise they would not have reached the position of Highlord.

The current situation is that the "mortal" force of the Deathbringers is fighting alongside the Ultramarines, and their relationship is becoming increasingly close. Once this battle is over, the Deathbringers will undoubtedly become the Ultramarines' most loyal allies.

How could the High Lords tolerate a new mortal armed force getting so close to a Space Marine chapter that could almost be described as having its own independent pocket empire?

This move was clearly intended to "infiltrate" the enemy forces and annoy the Ultramarines. Otherwise, why would they arrive at this crucial juncture—when the war is at its most intense and both sides are cooperating seamlessly—and why send several ships full of political commissars at once?
Of course, given the unique nature of subspace travel, there's a significant possibility that all of this is just a coincidence.

In short, the Ultramarines cannot stop these commissars under any circumstances. Their paperwork is complete, their orders come from Terra, and their procedures are entirely compliant. If the Ultramarines dare to obstruct them, the nature of the situation changes, effectively confirming their suspicion of wielding excessive power and plotting a rebellion.

The Ultramarines certainly have plenty of ways to stall for time. For example, they could first throw a grand welcome banquet, then use excuses like "verifying documents" or "inquiring with relevant departments" to endlessly drag out the process. If all else fails, they could use the excuse that "the current planetary conflict is too urgent, and for everyone's safety, we cannot land for the time being," leaving them stranded on orbit. With this combination of tactics, delaying the process for two or three years wouldn't be a problem.

However, Calgar did not do so. They had never intended to rebel, and the chapter commander never thought of completely controlling the martyrs. This peculiar force was an asset to the Empire; as long as they obeyed orders and fought in unison, that was enough.

After confirming that all documents were authentic and valid, the Ultramarines quickly allowed them to pass.

At this very moment, the newly appointed political commissars, fresh out of college and filled with excitement, joy, and anticipation, looking forward to making their mark and achieving great things in an elite force, had no idea what they were about to encounter...

Commissar Regan Montoya gripped his appointment certificate tightly in one hand and rested his other hand on the explosive pistol at his waist. Looking at the scene before him, he couldn't help but wonder: Had he really come to the right place?

The shuttle landed him at a makeshift camp behind the Deathbringers. He was instructed to meet with the unit's commander there. But the scene before him was far removed from the elite force he had imagined, the force that could fight alongside the Space Marines.

Putting everything else aside, the sentry at the outpost at the camp entrance was leaning against a metal frame, his head nodding off! His armor was brand new, but his lax posture was an insult to the uniform! It was far too careless! What if the enemy sneaked in?!
Regan frowned, walked up to the sentry with measured steps, and tapped the metal bar of his post with his gloved hand.

“Ding-dang.”

The sentry shuddered, reluctantly opening his sleepy eyes. He looked Regan up and down in his brand-new, crisp black uniform, and muttered in an unfriendly tone, "Who are you?"

Regan suppressed his anger and simply handed the letter of appointment to him, saying, "Take a look for yourself."

Regan expected to see the sentry's expression shift rapidly, from surprise and doubt to disbelief, and finally to fear and awe. This was the most normal reaction. The political commissar's stereotypical image of being cold and ruthless was practically legendary, and it's hard to say whether it wasn't deliberately cultivated by Regan's predecessors—it helped establish authority immediately upon arriving at an unfamiliar unit. And within this stereotype, appropriately displaying human compassion made it easier to gain the trust of the rank-and-file soldiers.

Using both kindness and severity, carrot and stick, giving a punishment followed by a reward, feeding someone with both filth and sweetness... this is the military strategy taught at the academy, and Regan firmly believed in it.

The sentry rubbed his eyes, seemingly incredulous at the word "political commissar" on his appointment letter—up to this point, it was in line with Regan's expectations.

But then, his eyes widened suddenly, and his face showed an expression of ecstatic joy.

This was completely unexpected by Regan. Could it be... that the dying men welcomed the arrival of the political commissar?
To put it simply, this wouldn't happen under "normal circumstances," but this time, Regan happened to encounter a "special situation."

The sentry nimbly flipped over and leaped out of the post. Before Regan could react, he turned and rushed into the camp, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Commander! The quest NPC is here!"

Although he didn't quite understand, Regan guessed that this was a notification to their superiors about his arrival, so he chose to stay where he was, straightened his collar, and prepared for the upcoming meeting.

A little while later, Regan saw a large group of people emerge from the camp. Fortunately, most of them were wearing full-face helmets, so Regan couldn't see the curious glint in their eyes. Otherwise, he would have felt very uncomfortable, like he was being stared at like a monkey in a zoo. Therefore, Regan could only secretly guess that the leader of this group was trying to intimidate him with numbers.

But... he was overthinking it. These players had just heard that a new NPC was coming and were just there to watch the excitement.

The man at the head of the group stepped out from the crowd, took the appointment letter, compared it with the portrait on it, then carefully put it away. He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Regan and said in a very江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) tone, "You must be Commissar Regan Montoya, right? I've heard so much about you. I am Wu Yanzu."

Regan understood that this was probably just a polite remark, so he replied in kind, "Hello, Commander Wu Yanzu..."

But before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a man on his deathbed: "Fuck your grandpa, have you no shame? Daniel Wu, you think you're worthy? Ha—tui!"

Then, the man facing death immediately turned to Regan and said in a very fast voice, "Commissar Regan, don't listen to his nonsense. Our regimental commander has been delusional for a long time. I am the deputy regimental commander. If you have any questions for me in the future, don't be so formal. Just call me by my name, Rukawa Kaede."

(End of this chapter)