046, report to the political commissar, the front station is Tyron (above)

Zaire returned home, guiding his tipsy aunt, whose face was flushed red and who muttered incoherently to herself. After regaining the restaurant business, she was overjoyed, and during dinner, she allowed Zaire and Carl to have a celebratory drink. Zaire didn't hesitate, and before long, they had drunk the jubilant aunt under the table.

After helping his drunken aunt into bed and leaving a glass of cold water by the nightstand, Zaire quietly descended the stairs. He retrieved the six million in cash he had brought home earlier and stashed it under his bed.

His mind buzzed with the neural activity of alcohol, leaving him wide awake and restless. Slightly intoxicated, Zaire decided to once again engage in a simulation. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom, he whispered a prayer to the Emperor:

"Emperor protects us."

[Simulation initializing...]

[Available identities: Catachan Recruit, Krieg Grenadier, Kasrkin Sergeant.]

[Please select an identity to descend.]

[If refused, identity will be randomly assigned.]

[Selection refused.]

[Simulation initializing...]

[You have descended into the Warhammer universe.]

[Time: Unknown]

[Location: Galaxy · Ultima Segmentum · Tyran]

[You have materialized inside a cabin aboard an Endeavor-class light cruiser…]

[You discover yourself wearing the black and red garb of an Imperial Commissar.]

[Before you can grasp the situation, a somewhat frantic Guardsman officer rushes into your quarters.]

["Commissar, we're nearing our destination planet!" The Guardsman salutes and pants as he addresses you.]

[Having no memory of this situation, you decide to mimic Commissar Ciaphas Cain's style and return the salute.]

[You cautiously ask a few indirect questions to figure out your mission.]

[The officer seems to believe you're testing him. He dutifully reports that you're heading toward an edge-world named 'Tyran' to serve as the vanguard at a Mechanicus exploratory base.]

[It appears that you are the new Commissar for this light infantry regiment.]

[Your overly eager Guardsman is your aide, an officer from a fishing world called 'Pearl Moon,' named Lawrence.]

[Though the name 'Tyran' rings an unsettling bell, you remain silent, lacking any concrete knowledge of your circumstances.]

[You order Lawrence to accompany you on a walk outside to clear your head.]

[Lawrence is pleased but somewhat puzzled by your uncharacteristically relaxed demeanor… He assumes perhaps the Commissar isn't fond of space travel.]

Day 1:

Lawrence guides you around the regiment, introducing you to Colonel Feilong, a hulking soldier who can fire a standard-issue bolter with ease. You find his strength and bravery admirable.

During your tour, curiosity gets the better of you, and you ask the Colonel if you can try out the bolter at the firing range. Feilong, amused by your request, agrees and takes a liking to your willingness to participate.

"Welcome to the family, Commissar!" he cheers as he gives you a hearty clap on the shoulder.

Day 2:

Your right arm is now in a cast, immobilized against your chest.

Most of your time is spent in your quarters, flipping through the Imperial Guard manual, though fatigue begins to creep in. At one point, hunger pulls you from your study, and you ask Lawrence to fetch you some food.

A short while later, Colonel Draco awkwardly enters with a steaming hot Tigrus steak. He sincerely apologizes for letting you use the bolter, explaining that it was irresponsible of him, considering your lack of augmentation.

The Colonel rolls up his sleeves, revealing his own heavily mechanized prosthetic arms. You can't help but forgive him, especially after tasting the steak.

You and the Colonel share a laugh and reconcile.

Day 3:

Colonel introduces you to the five company commanders under his command. He assures you that his soldiers, drawn from planets across the Imperium, are fierce warriors who would never retreat in battle.

Day 4:

The Endeavor-class light cruiser arrives at a blue planet covered in oceans.

Under Colonel booming orders, preparations for garrisoning the Mechanicus exploratory base begin.

You voice some concern to the Colonel, warning him that you sense an impending, unprecedented battle awaiting them on the edge-world of Tyran. You request additional heavy weapons and vehicles for the regiment.

Without hesitation, Colonel commands the regiment to strip the cruiser of every piece of heavy equipment available, including five brand-new Basilisk artillery pieces and three damaged Leman Russ tanks.

You are grateful for the Colonel's trust but can't help but wonder about his motivations.

Seeing your confusion, the Colonel laughs and explains that the last time he ignored a similar warning, the previous Commissar was killed, and he lost both his arms and most of his regiment.

Day 5:

The 358th Regiment establishes their presence at the Mechanicus exploratory base, located on a remote island in the middle of the turbulent ocean.

To your surprise, the base is fortified with formidable defenses, including four massive laser cannons protected by void shields, as well as bunkers and smaller artillery surrounding the area.

A Mechanicus vanguard team hands over command of the base and prepares to depart on the cruiser. However, you use Cain-like persistence to convince the lead Tech-Priest to stay and help bolster the defenses further.

First Week:

The exploratory base remains quiet, and you begin to question your paranoia as you gaze at the crashing waves. Each day, you watch Lawrence fish, baring his teeth at the ferocious sea creatures he hauls in.

Colonel reassures you that a quiet front is often a successful one. After all, many of his soldiers are at the age where they should be returning to their home planets to start families.

Second Week:

Strange shadows appear in the waters surrounding the base. One day, Lawrence is almost dragged into the ocean by something massive during one of his fishing trips.

You take a squad of soldiers to investigate the source of the disturbance.

The group encounters a bizarre creature attempting to infiltrate the shoreline. You manage to kill it.

As you stare at the three-meter-long horror, its black, chitinous armor gleaming under the sun, you feel a cold shiver run down your spine.

It's a Lictor—one of the vanguard organisms of a Tyranid Hive Fleet.

The Hive Fleet has arrived.

.........................................

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