Word Bearers

Gao Yi sat in the captain's chair once again.

"Reroute maximum power to the void shields! Provide cover for the assault force!"

This time, the Tyrant sailed at the front of the formation, its sturdy armor plates capable of absorbing heavier fire, while the Golden Ram followed closely behind to draw away excess firepower.

When the warships approached Agathos's orbit once again, the defensive emplacements on the surface detected their signal instantly.

Plasma and laser cannons began to charge once more.

The moment the Tyrant entered orbit, all of those surface batteries opened fire simultaneously.

In the blink of an eye, lances slammed into the Tyrant's void shields, followed immediately by several plasma discharges.

The void shield shattered, and the Tyrant had to rely on its lateral adamantium armor to take the brunt of the hit. The adamantium armor plating on one side melted instantly, and the Golden Ram also took two plasma hits head-on. The moment the void shields overloaded, the warships closed in to sufficient range.

"Now! Harlan!"

As the hatch of the Golden Ram in orbit opened, thirty Banshees engaged their stealth systems and plunged into the atmosphere.

Taking advantage of the recharge gap of the surface artillery, both cruisers dialed their engine power up to the maximum and sped away from orbit.

Their mission was complete, and now it was up to the Banshees to perform.

"Everyone! The Banshees' energy only allows us two hours of stealth operations, and we have no chance of returning to the fleet. After completing your respective mission objectives, head to the throne district of the hive city to reinforce the captain's soldiers!"

"Understood!"

As the Banshee Fighters plunged into the atmosphere, Harlan also felt the violent shaking of the Banshee inside the cockpit. After all, the Banshee was an atmospheric combat vehicle, and lingering in orbit for a short time was already its limit. At the same time, Harlan nervously observed all the data on the Banshee.

For this fighter that he still did not fully understand, Harlan was very worried that it would disintegrate in the atmosphere.

Fortunately, however, nothing unexpected happened, and the thirty Banshees successfully entered the atmosphere of Agathos.

"On the Golden Throne, see you in the throne district!"

Subsequently, the 30 Banshees formed pairs and headed toward their respective predetermined targets.

The mission of Harlan and his teammates was not to destroy those huge surface defense guns; his mission was to destroy the various anti-air emplacements scattered throughout the junctions of the mid and upper hive, opening a safe landing route for Gao Yi's subsequent landing forces.

The closer the Banshees got to the hive city, the more nervous Harlan's mood became. Although the Banshees could turn invisible, he had no idea whether they would be discovered.

Yet when the target battery entered the firing range of his Banshee and still showed no reaction, Harlan knew that they were in the clear.

Following a loud explosion in the distance, Harlan knew that his teammates had already begun their actions.

He also aimed at the battery before him. Several plasteel bolt-shells fired from the nose of the craft, accurately hitting the battery's ammunition chain to trigger a secondary explosion and successfully destroy it. Without stopping, he immediately headed for the next target.

Harlan's attack seemed to ignite a chain reaction, and the sounds of explosions echoed throughout every part of the hive city.

"What happened?! Who destroyed the battery!"

The blasphemous priest in charge of these artillery pieces looked incredulously at the augur array and the thinker before him.

Even though he turned the power of the augur array up to the maximum, no hostile signals appeared on it, and from the personnel responsible for operating the battery, he also learned of the scene at that moment.

The unknown artillery fire seemed to come from the void, appearing out of nowhere and destroying the target.

Of course the blasphemous priest knew that this could not be artillery fire coming from the void; there was only one possibility—the person who destroyed the battery possessed a method of stealth he did not know about.

Yet what could he do even if he knew the Banshees could turn invisible? He had no countermeasure whatsoever, and could only watch helplessly as the vital asset that hindered the orbital fleet was destroyed.

This feeling really felt like knowing the opponent bought a shadow blade while failing to buy detection yourself, leaving you to watch helplessly as the shadow blade cut down all your peasants.

The news of the battery's destruction also reached Valentin's ears at the first moment.

"What! How is this possible?! The dynasty simply doesn't have this capability! Could it be... could it be that they discovered some lost technology during this exploration? We can't wait any longer! Launch a full-scale offensive! Mix our men with those fellows in the upper hive! I don't believe he is willing to destroy the entire hive city!

Order the troops to attack immediately! Have the dark priests send out all those augmented wretches and their daemon engines! And begin the sacrificial ritual immediately!!"

Valentin knew he could no longer wait. If these batteries were destroyed, the dynasty's fleet in orbit could support those loyalists without any scruples. He had to consider the worst-case result—whether Gao Yi, this newly appointed Rogue Trader, would fly into a rage and directly conduct an orbital bombardment on the hive city regardless of the losses.

Although he felt this possibility was very small, after all, the entire hive city had been built since the founding of the dynasty, and once destroyed, the dynasty's strength would regress by at least a few hundred years, he could not afford to gamble.

He walked quickly to the secret sacrificial chamber.

The entire sacrificial room at this moment reeked to high heaven; the incontinence and vomiting produced by people out of fear made the smell here enough to drive a normal person mad.

Valentin ignored the smell here, looking fanatically at all of this.

More than a dozen chaos psionics were stationed in various corners of this secret room, psionic energy surging upon their bodies.

They chanted prayers to the dark gods in their mouths.

As the sound gradually resounded through the entire sacrificial area.

The magic circles drawn with blood around them also began to flicker.

"The end of all things. The dawn is about to arrive, and this decaying dynasty will be rebuilt in my hands. By then, I will sacrifice this world to the warp!"

Valentin opened his arms, looking fanatically at the ritual in progress.

And as these chaos psionics wielded their psionic powers, all the humans in the cages wailed in agony.

Their vitality and souls were being stripped away. When these souls were devoured by the warp, a warp portal abruptly appeared within the hall.

Looking at this gateway, Valentin wore a look of yearning. In his eyes at this moment, behind that gateway lay the world belonging to truth.

Ten tall figures walked slowly and heavily out of the portal.

The blood-red power armor on their bodies represented their identity. The Astartes walking out of the warp were none other than those disgraceful traitors.

And their dark red paint, the growths on top of their heads resembling demonic horns, their power armor engraved full of prayers to the dark gods, and their shoulder guards and waists covered densely with "parchment" made of human skin—these iconic symbols had already explained their identity.

Word Bearers, a full ten traitor Astartes of the Word Bearers walked out of the portal.

Among this entire combat squad of ten, three looked particularly special. Their flesh had begun to undergo severe mutation due to demonic possession, and the flesh weapons resembling pincer-claws on their arms even tore through the power armor they wore.

They were the enchanted warriors among the Word Bearers.

They came before the kneeling Valentin.

Valentin raised his head with excitement, seeing the mutated flesh of these Word Bearers.

"The dawn has arrived~"

"Because of your supplication, we have come to this world. We will reveal to you the path from darkness to primordial truth; it has already opened its doors to you who attempt to cast aside lies and enslavement. Valentin, you are a follower of the dark gods, and now we will assist you in slaying those servants of the false emperor. When you lead us to the treasury of the Mongert Dynasty, you will also gain the opportunity to enter the warp, where you will obtain everything you desire."