Humanity Never Yields

The Emperor, standing before the console, frowned and fell into thought.

Having witnessed the absurd truth of the universe, he was not about to be intimidated by such words.

He was merely contemplating the message behind the warning.

Was the other party issuing this warning to prevent the Petacanas System from falling into the chaos of the Age of Strife, or had this system truly become hell?

"Raven, what do you think?" the Emperor asked the Raven on his shoulder through his mind.

"How else can I see it? I'm looking from your shoulder."

The Raven said, "Whatever the case, let's go down and get some fries first. I'm curious if hell's fries are any good."

The Emperor showed a barely perceptible smile.

"Then let's go, I'll help you get some hell fries."

The Expeditionary Force had come to save humanity and restore its glory.

Even if the Petacanas System had become hell, retreat was out of the question.

If there were any survivors, the Emperor would spare no effort to rescue them from the hell of despair.

If humanity in the Petacanas System had already been wiped out.

Then the Expeditionary Force would take revenge on those who caused it.

The Emperor looked at the Chief Information Officer. "Trace the source of the information immediately."

"Understood."

Before long, a new report was delivered to the Emperor.

The warning message had been sent by a satellite in near-Earth orbit around the second planet of the Petacanas System.

The Petacanas System was a typical binary star system.

One was a yellow dwarf star, and the other was also a yellow dwarf star.

The tidal forces of the two stars were locked, forming a stable gravitational field that allowed the planets to move stably within the system.

The Petacanas System had a total of five planets.

Three terrestrial planets and two gas giants similar to Jupiter.

According to records from the Golden Age, the second planet should have been the first colony developed by the initial colonists in the Petacanas System.

It was the most populous and commercially developed colony.

"Order the fleet to advance at full speed and prepare the troops for battle. If this warning letter is fake, we will demand the surrender of the local rulers."

"If the second planet of Petacanas has truly become hell, then we will go to war and crush hell."

"Nothing can stop us from restoring humanity's glory, not even the devils of hell."

After reviewing the report, the Emperor issued new orders.

The fleet spread out in the void, advancing in a standard tactical formation.

Flames erupted from the rear of the Emperor's Grand Plan, propelling the massive hull towards the second planet.

The other ships also accelerated in unison, maintaining their formation.

Several days later, the expeditionary fleet entered the orbit of the second planet and hovered in the void.

All human creations in orbit were abandoned and plunged into silence.

The floating space cities, space stations, and void platforms were also empty.

Not a single living soul.

Only various shriveled and decayed corpses.

The Expeditionary Force dispatched Astartes squads and Tech-Priests to investigate these space cities and space stations.

"These people have been dead for a long time. According to the instruments, the corpses should have been left from the early days of the Age of Strife."

"It's just that the air in these buildings is too dry and cold, and there are no bacteria that feed on decaying flesh, which is why they have been preserved so well."

"Most of the corpses show signs of brutal torture, and there is evidence that these dead were once enslaved by some kind of creature."

"This massacre should also be the work of those creatures."

The reconnaissance teams took many photos.

Each one was horrifying.

Tens of thousands of humans had been tortured to death.

Even in death, the faces of the corpses were still contorted in fear.

The Emperor looked at the photos and fell silent.

The Raven was also uncharacteristically quiet.

The second planet below was shrouded in black mist.

Neither the augur nor the radar could detect the situation on the ground.

"We can't have the army charge headfirst into unknown territory. First, dispatch small units to scout the ground, gather detailed intelligence, and then decide whether or not to have ground troops land."

After sending out the scout teams, the Emperor ordered the Adeptus Custodes to prepare.

He intended to personally go down and see what terrible things had happened in this world.

What would drive the local native inhabitants to such despair that they wouldn't want their own people to save them?

Waldo tried to advise, "Your Majesty, isn't that too risky?"

"It doesn't matter," the Emperor shook his head. "Even if the ground is covered in those demons from hell, they can't do anything to me."

After a flash of bright light, their group was teleported to the ground.

The entire sky appeared dim.

Whether it was due to mist or some other reason, the sun hanging in the sky was as red as blood.

Roar!

A beast of astonishing size, with terrifying fangs and seven or eight eyes, was the first to sense the presence of outsiders.

It then attacked without hesitation.

Waldo decisively struck, killing the beast in one blow.

Its massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up dust.

Foul-smelling blood splattered everywhere.

The Emperor examined the beast's corpse, a look of disgust on his face.

"Disgusting corruption. It seems the malevolent power of the Warp has poisoned this place."

Looking around, the Emperor could clearly sense many terrifying evil entities wandering in the wilderness.

They were the materialization of frenzied nightmares, and only the most deranged artist could sketch and describe their twisted forms.

"It really is a hell," the Emperor muttered to himself. "But the Warp storm has subsided. What could have caused such severe corruption on this planet?"

"Big guy, there's a town to the northwest. We might find answers there."

The Raven's eyes were the sharpest.

It spotted the town in the distance at a glance.

The town's style resembled a medieval human city with high walls on all four sides.

"Let's go," the Emperor took the lead.

The Adeptus Custodes spread out, advancing in a standard tactical formation.

There were many farmlands around the town, planted with crops the Raven didn't recognize.

The crops were growing well.

It was clear they were regularly tended to.

However, there wasn't a single person in the fields at the moment.

"Big guy, why isn't anyone in these fields?"

The Raven tilted its head and asked.

The Emperor didn't answer, simply continuing to walk forward.

The town gate was guarded by spearmen.

They had human faces but possessed surprisingly sharp fangs and a pair of fleshy wings on their backs.

The Adeptus Custodes, having activated their gene engines and mimicry disguises, silently subdued the guards.

"What kind of monsters are you?"

The Emperor looked down at the humanoid creatures pinned under the Adeptus Custodes' feet.

One of them bared its teeth at the Emperor upon hearing the question, and its head was blown off by a halberd from an Adeptus Custodes.

Seeing their comrade's gruesome death, the remaining ones became compliant.

"You don't even know our identities. You must be ancient human ancestors who have slumbered in some old ruins and have only just awakened now," one of them said. "Let me tell you, we are the descendants of the noble Bloodkin, subordinates of Viscount White who rules this vast territory. Release us immediately and swear allegiance to Lord Viscount."

"Lord White might grant you a noble transformation, considering you are an ancient ancestor."

The Emperor frowned. "Bloodkin? Mutants corrupted by the Warp? Leave two live specimens to be sent back to the warship for examination. Kill the rest."

Crack! Crack!

The heads of the Bloodkin soldiers were snapped off by the brute force of the Adeptus Custodes.

Following that, the Emperor and his group entered the town through the gate.

They discovered the residents inside were heading in one direction.

Because the Emperor had used his psychic abilities to alter others' perceptions, the others did not notice anything different about them.

A group of golden giants mixed in with the crowd, moving along with them.

"Why didn't you bring any offerings? Today is Blood Sacrifice Day, and if you don't bring offerings, the priests will blame you."

"The last person who didn't offer a sacrifice had their skin stripped off by the priests."

A boy nearby looked at the Emperor and the others and kindly reminded them.

"It's alright, they won't blame us." The Emperor's voice was very gentle.

"Then I hope nothing happens to you." The boy's voice held a trace of fear. "I really don't want to hear those desolate screams again."

The residents eventually gathered in a vast square.

There was an altar in the square that emitted a pungent smell of blood.

The altar was completely black, and it was impossible to tell how much blood had been poured onto it.

"Today is once again the great Blood Sacrifice Day. Let us offer more blood to the God of Blood to prove our piety."

A priest in robes shouted with fanatical fervor.

In front of him knelt a row of men and women with messy hair and ragged clothes.

"These sinners intended to subvert the noble Bloodkin and desecrate the statue of the God of Blood. Their crimes are unforgivable. Here today, these sinners shall all receive their punishment."

A man kneeling on the ground had his neck pierced by the priest's dagger.

Instantly, blood gushed out like a fountain, splashing onto the ground.

"Anyone who dares to participate in the activities of the resistance organization will suffer this fate."

The priest, holding the bloody dagger, shouted at the crowd.

Then, he stabbed another person to death with another dagger.

"Anyone who dares to disrespect the God of Blood will suffer the same fate."

At this moment, a ragged woman raised her head and shouted.

"My compatriots, do not fear these disgusting monsters. Our ancestors once ruled the stars, and these monsters who deem themselves noble are merely vermin that took advantage of our weakness."

"The human will to resist will never be extinguished. One day, we will take back this world and drive these damned monsters back to hell."

"Humans will never yield, long live humans!"

The woman's shout enraged the priest, and he walked over with his dripping dagger.

"Then you shall die, you damned sinner."