All Tactics Turn to Decapitation

The ground forces of both sides closed to within one kilometer of each other.

Neither tank, whether manned by mortal gunners or Space Marine gunners, could see the enemy through the ash and smoke.

In this special environment, equipment was far more reliable than human eyes.

At the vanguard of the Imperium's ground forces, a Knight Mech was the first to detect enemies within firing range via radar. Its pilot maneuvered the Knight to raise its right arm—a large-caliber Gatling Cannon.

While the defending armored forces were still advancing and preparing to fire, a Brutal Blade ancient tank at the very front of the formation suddenly exploded.

A few seconds later, both sides opened fire on the enemy targets indicated on their radars.

Only when shells pierced the smoke and struck a tank, releasing a flash of explosion, could the gunners on both sides see the silhouette of the enemy tank in their scopes.

The commander of the Manros Forward Resistance Army at the front line realized the threat posed by the Knight Mech and ordered the Brutal Blades to concentrate fire on the nearest Knight Mech.

The twin main cannons fired continuously, emptying their magazines.

One Knight Mech took the bombardment. Its chest-mounted, crest-shaped Ion Shield deflected two shells, but subsequent shells shattered the Ion Shield's defensive field and struck the Knight's waist or legs, causing it to fall.

Most of the ancient tanks were rendered inoperable or unusable when excavated, and their loading systems were even modified by locals into "bipedal loading systems."

For the Brutal Blade that destroyed the Knight Mech, if it had fired any later, it would not have had a second chance to fire.

The commander stared down at the radar screen.

Their own tanks were decreasing one by one, and the enemy tanks were also decreasing one by one, but their own tanks were decreasing at a slightly faster rate.

Tanks nearby were hit one after another, turning into wreckage.

"The 23rd Armored Regiment is losing personnel too quickly!"

"Please allow us to withdraw!"

The shouts from the communication channel reached the commander's ears.

"No one is permitted to withdraw!" he roared. "Either drive the enemy back on this plain, or become wreckage! Do you want them to kill their way into the hive city or some underground barracks, forcing our brothers and sisters and the Space Marines to fight each other?!"

The commander ordered the commander of his own tank: "Accelerate, we're charging to the front! We'll lead the charge!"

The tank commander had also wanted to suggest a retreat, but after hearing the roar, he nodded and ordered the driver: "Full speed ahead."

A Brutal Blade broke formation, crushing a friendly tank that had already become wreckage, and charged to the front.

This was a super-heavy tank, but due to its nuclear power and superior engine technology compared to modern ones, it was even faster than the few light tanks in the formation.

After charging for a while, as the loader refilled the magazine and the gunner fired at the front, a Knight Mech suddenly burst out of the smoke not far away.

This Knight Mech was now clearly visible to the gunner.

Its left arm was a multi-barreled rapid-fire weapon, the Gatling Cannon, and its right arm was a chainsword.

As the Knight Mech charged, it raised the chainsword and pierced the Brutal Blade from top to bottom.

Before the commander died, he didn't utter any rousing words, but simply broadcasted a message to his allies—enemy Knights were charging.

Command was taken over by someone else.

Under his orders, the front line concentrated as much as possible to block the charge of the Knight Mechs.

At the same time, all the Brutal Blade tanks broke away from the front line and charged forward as much as possible.

These dozen or so ancient tanks, on which high hopes were placed and which were even considered capable of deciding the course of the war, were gradually annihilated as the Knight Mechs charged.

Fortunately, these ancient tanks at least cooperated with the other tanks to block the charge of the Knight Mechs.

After another commander died along with the ancient tanks, the new person taking command ordered the front line to disperse, to avoid being wiped out in groups by the enemy's heavy firepower.

The large-scale armor cluster charge was quite straightforward.

For the Manros people, their experience of this war was to charge forward in tanks, either exploding suddenly or destroying an enemy tank before being destroyed themselves.

In the communication channel reporting battle results, crews often cheered loudly as they reported their achievements—their gunners might have destroyed a tank and the Space Marines inside with a single shot.

Then the cheers would abruptly stop—they had been blown up.

However, this was already the result of an armored battle where the gap between mortals and Space Marines was considerably narrowed.

The gunship flew at a speed of two meters above the ground.

This made anti-aircraft weapons like missiles difficult to lock onto it.

The gunship passed the edge of the battlefield, and although faster than the armored units, it was not shattered by stray fire.

The silhouette of the command vehicle ahead became clearer.

Various anti-aircraft weapons could be seen scanning the sky around the command vehicle, and Manros fighter jets could be seen flying past to drop bombs with no return.

The person in charge of commanding this war insisted on air strikes for a reason: they could indeed achieve results.

The command vehicle was covered by a Void Shield, and shells fired from afar could not penetrate it. However, fighter jets could pass through the Void Shield and be shot down, or crash into the command vehicle along with their bombs.

The command vehicle had a landing platform on its back, and fighter jets were being transported to the platform to intercept enemy aircraft attacking from the air. However, the effect was minimal because the Manros pilots did not engage in dogfights with their opponents.

Under this air raid, the surface of the command vehicle already had several holes, but an energy field that isolated the external environment enveloped the holes, preventing the previously deployed viruses from entering the command vehicle.

"May you be unstoppable, Chapter Master."

Xenos said.

The cabin door opened, and Lu Jin immediately walked over, standing before the gradually opening door.

The explosions outside were clearer.

"This is Fierce Angels gunship, calling the fighter squadrons en route, I require your cover," Xenos said in the cockpit, while staring at the new batch of fighter squadrons approaching on the radar screen.

"This is V22 Squadron. Received, we will do our best to cooperate," the other side replied, "For the Lord of Retribution, for our Manros!"

Lu Jin understood one thing from the response on this communication channel—the Manros people were uniting in war.

Our Manros.

As for the Lord of Retribution they mentioned... Lu Jin didn't know where the title came from, but he had never refused it after hearing it.

Footsteps sounded from behind.

Lu Jin turned around and saw Kao and fourteen other veterans walking towards the cabin door, so he immediately spoke, "Is there a tradition of insubordination among the Fierce Angels?"

The veterans naturally walked around Lu Jin and returned to their original positions, saying nothing.

The gunship began to ascend, entering the Void Shield, and immediately turned around after approaching the command vehicle.

The fighter squadrons drew fire first.

Lu Jin saw that most of the fighters were shot down as they approached the Void Shield. Only the last of the twenty fighters successfully broke through the Void Shield.

"For the Lord of Retribution! For Manros!"

The pilot's cry on the communication channel abruptly stopped. The entire fighter crashed into the command vehicle, adding another hole to the command vehicle's surface.

Lu Jin sprinted a few steps and leaped out of the cabin.

Before jumping out, he didn't forget to turn around and kick Kao, who was trying to jump out with him, back inside.

The cabin door closed.

Seeing the gunship dodge missiles after several high-G maneuvers, Lu Jin turned in mid-air and adjusted his posture.

The command vehicle's detection devices had already scanned enemies disengaging from the gunship. A squad of Mercy Emissaries, a total of ten, intercepted at the breach.

Lu Jin was focused-fired upon after landing. By the time the Bolter rounds were all intercepted by the Iron Halo, he had already gotten up.

Ten Mercy Emissaries were killed in two seconds. The fastest and most skilled among them only managed to draw their Chainswords before their heads were crushed by their Warhammers.

Some mortals carrying Laser Rifles surrounded him and opened fire.

The Iron Halo easily intercepted the lasers.

Lu Jin continued forward without even looking at them. As the mortals fired, they also made way for him instead of blocking his path.

The interior of the command vehicle was quite spacious.

When Lu Jin reached the corridor, he saw a Predator Tank parked ahead.

After a brief glance, it fired.

The first shot penetrated the Iron Halo's defenses.

The second shot hit the armor's surface, then bounced off and exploded behind him.

As the third shot was about to be fired, Lu Jin had already charged forward, swinging his Chainaxe to cleave through the armor and enter.

The Mercy Emissary Space Marine crew inside watched helplessly as the armor was cut open like tofu, watched the enemy clad in a variant Ironclad Terminator armor continue their charge, smash through the breach, and enter the tank, and then watched as both his Chainaxe and Warhammer swung...

The Predator Tank's rear ruptured, and Lu Jin burst out, followed by several corpses strewn inside the tank.

Lu Jin had something new on him—a shell bound to his back by an iron chain.

"The nuclear reactor is upstairs."

A voice sounded in Lu Jin's ear.

The owner of the voice was the Psionic Boy who had previously made the prophecy of "Burning Stars."

Lu Jin quickly moved to the upper level.

The mortal guards immediately fled. Three combat squads, a total of thirty people, rushed forward to intercept him.

Six of them had their heads severed as they charged at Lu Jin wielding Power Hammers. The rest were approached, cut down, or smashed under Lu Jin's speed, which was faster than if he hadn't been wearing armor.

Only one person was left alive, but incapacitated, lying before the gate to the reactor room, clutching his broken arm.

"You... Who are you..."

The Space Marine asked. He probably wanted to ask where Lu Jin came from, how he was so strong, and why he hadn't seen him during the previous trap for the Fierce Angels.

"Butcher of those who should have died but didn't." Lu Jin jogged forward lightly.

"Heh..." The Space Marine let out a dry chuckle. "We slaughtered your crew... long ago... you wouldn't have escaped... too bad the Inquisitor didn't listen..."

Lu Jin said nothing. He jogged past, leaped up, and crushed the other's skull. Upon landing, he smashed open the gate.

The mortals working in the reactor room were stunned into immobility upon seeing Lu Jin.

Lu Jin ignored them and walked towards the reactor.

Lu Jin also ignored them as they ran out. He simply placed his two heavy weapons back on his back and then removed the shell he had taken from the Predator Tank.

This shell was nearly a meter long.

Lu Jin easily lifted the Bolter and smashed it vertically onto the ground.