A Tragic Battle

Artillery fire erupted one after another, with orange-yellow mushroom clouds blooming and vanishing in an instant across the battlefield.

But as they bloomed, the spores they ejected instantly killed the unprotected mortals caught in their spray.

Even Quan Tiehua, a Space Marine, could only huddle in the air-raid shelter, helpless against this terrifying barrage.

Don't get him wrong, Space Marines are strong, but that's only in terms of individual combat and lighter weaponry. When facing heavy weapons, a single rocket could easily kill one.

So, facing the overwhelming artillery fire, Quan Tiehua didn't dare to play the hero with individual heroism.

Hiding beside him were several auxiliary troops and local PDF soldiers. The auxiliary troops accompanying the Chapter were one thing.

But the calm expressions of these PDF soldiers, smoking their cigarettes at this moment, were comparable to the vast majority of the Astra Militarum.

Having endured several brutal battles, they had long since become numb to death. Facing Chaos Daemons directly, they already knew the outcome awaiting them after the fighting.

So, none of this mattered to them anymore.

If it weren't for their wives, children, and families being evacuated from the hive city behind them, they might have already broken down mentally.

Because their Planetary Governor had personally told them the grim reality. Rather than dying in obscurity, only to be executed by the Inquisition, it was better to face death head-on from the start.

Moreover, even the Planetary Governor, now old, had come to the front lines and fought alongside them. What more could they say?

In the hive city behind them, the Planetary Governor's family was also making arrangements, with women and children being evacuated.

Coupled with the Planetary Governor's usual concern for the common soldiers and civilians, there was truly nothing to complain about. To make any further unrealistic demands or actions would be truly unreasonable.

"The enemy is attacking."

The artillery fire suddenly ceased, and in the next second, a roar echoed throughout the trench. Immediately after, more voices rose in succession.

The elderly-looking PDF soldier beside Quan Tiehua put down his cigarette, stomped it out, and slowly stood up. He raised his lasgun and crouched behind cover, aiming at the enemies about to enter range.

Quan Tiehua also stood up, observing the attacking Chaos traitors. He didn't rely on his height to expose his entire upper body.

The trench had been rearranged by Tiert, and it could now easily accommodate an Astartes. Even he, a Codex Astartes Space Marine, could fit.

"Tiert truly lives up to being a son of the Iron Warriors. This defensive fortification is perfect," he exclaimed, then cautiously exposed a small part of his head.

Even his nose was below the cover of the fortification.

If it weren't necessary for reconnaissance, he wouldn't even want to stick his head out.

The smoke from the explosions shrouded the area, making it impossible to see any enemy activity with the naked eye. However, the auxiliary systems in the Astartes' helmets allowed them to pierce the fog and easily spot the traitorous forces secretly gathering and charging towards them.

But... what left him speechless was that the charging troops were all naked, or rather, clad in mere rags.

Some of them were even thrusting their hips forward.

...like whips, slapping up and down with a crack sound.

They wielded weapons that were utterly blasphemous. And those with only a few rags, their bodies partially revealed, were calm and composed, as if they were the leaders among these people.

It was truly an eyesore. Even Quan Tiehua, at that moment, couldn't help but shrink back into the trench, lower his helmet, pinch the bridge of his nose, and close his eyes to relieve the discomfort in his eyes.

"Damn it. That was an eyesore."

After a moment, the sounds of lasguns firing one after another began to ring out. Some of the better shots among the soldiers started range-finding.

Listening to the sound of lasguns firing, he couldn't help but sigh. The Imperium's Star Lords wielded what were called flashlights, let alone these PDF soldiers.

Thinking this, he stood up and raised his M2 Karl-type Bolter. After selecting a target, he pulled the trigger.

The reaction speed and aiming speed of an Astartes were fully displayed at this moment.

The Bolter's extreme range precisely picked off the charging Chaos traitors. The rapid pulling of the trigger and the movement of the barrel made it look like a continuous barrage from a heavy machine gun to the surrounding mortals.

In the distance, among the dense, pale bodies of the blasphemous Chaos traitors, brilliant crimson blood flowers bloomed.

The battle had begun.

Tens of thousands of mortal Chaos traitors charged towards the front lines. They even advanced in this blasphemous manner.

Four or five men and women danced, twisting like monsters as they launched their assault.

Quan Tiehua drew the plasma pistol from his waist. A single, loyal plasma blast sent them straight back to Slaanesh's palace.

The intensity of the war continued to escalate. The Chaos traitors occupied the heavy industrial production areas. As time passed, all sorts of heavy firepower were produced.

The Imperium's side began to fall into a disadvantage.

And in the Warp, on the crimson land, the towering figure of the Brass Throne seemed to sense some supreme delicacy.

It took a deep breath.

"Special souls. Admirable slaughter."

Below, tens of thousands of crimson, double-horned demons raised their weapons, shouting, "Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne."

The battle had already begun inside the hive city. After several days of holding the line outside, the evacuation of personnel within the hive city was finally nearly complete.

The only ones remaining were some combat-ready personnel and those urgently needed for weapons and equipment manufacturing. The entire hive city had become a dead city.

Everyone thought their mission was over once the personnel inside the hive city were safely evacuated, but they hadn't anticipated that all of the Warp's attention was now focused on this planet.

Even if those evacuated civilians were safely evacuated, where could they go? No support could arrive from the surrounding areas.

They could only evacuate these civilians to the agricultural zones in the Southern Hemisphere. But... the power of the Warp had also begun to slowly infiltrate here.

With a sick person's sneeze, saliva carrying germs was sprayed onto the ripe, harvested grain.

A sudden plague broke out within a few short days.