What Were They Doing With An Emperor-Class Super-heavy Venomblade Tank?
The event happened so suddenly that many people are still in a state of shock and disbelief.
Hundreds of nobles, Planetary General, hundreds of high-ranking officers, as well as bishops of the Ecclesiarchy and Adeptus Mechanicus Sage, all perished in the inferno!
However, the Fernando Family then swiftly seized control of the Planetary Defense Force and announced that they had been authorized by the Planetary Governor to purge the cult forces with Chaos beliefs lurking in the Nomad Port in the name of the great Emperor!
But as for who is a cult, isn't that up to them to decide?
Driven by a sense of righteous revenge, the Fernando Family seized control of a massive army of hundreds of thousands during the power vacuum in the Planetary Defense Force. Their first targets were the nobles who had previously disagreed with them!
Thus, the Planetary Defense Force, driven by anger and a sense of righteousness, turned its swords against the noble class who had previously been high above them and oppressed them!
Any family that has a grudge against Fernando will not escape the wrath of the Planetary Defense Force!
Just then, Tucker hurried back.
"How's the intelligence I asked you to gather coming along?" Alvin asked without turning his head.
"As you predicted, a large number of Defense Force are massacring nobles, and several important starports and Hive City entrances have been sealed off," Tucker said truthfully.
Looking out of the window of the manor where he was confined, Alvin gazed at the towering flames within the Hive City, his brow furrowing deeply. "What a clever tactic of diverting disaster and using someone else to do the dirty work!"
In his view, what cult was there?
This is clearly a show orchestrated by the Fernando Family to seize power and suppress dissent!
In fact, the fact that Fernando was able to control the Planetary Defense Force so easily shows how deeply that cunning old fox had infiltrated the lower ranks. It's likely that, apart from some high-ranking officers, almost all the lower-ranking NCO in the Planetary Defense Force are already members of the Fernando Family!
Otherwise, even without high-ranking officers, with the orders of the Planetary Governor in place, the Defense Force loyal to the Planetary General should not so easily obey the Fernando Family's orders!
Lloyd has been running the Nomad Port for so many years, calling him a "local tyrant" is no exaggeration!
With hundreds of thousands of Planetary Defense Force and ample weaponry, the Fernando Family could easily overthrow the entire Nomad Port's rule!
This wasn't what worried Alvin the most. He looked up at the sky shrouded in firelight and thick smoke.
He murmured, "The real threat is in space—how will you deal with the Imperial Navy?"
The key to victory or defeat lies not in controlling the Planetary Defense Force, or even in the Nomad Port, but in the Imperial Navy fleet!
As long as the Imperial Navy fleet remains, even if Fernando does control the Nomad Port, he still won't be able to stop the navy's Macrocannon and orbital strikes!
To put it bluntly, as long as the Imperial Navy fleet remains, it's like a Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of Nomad Port and the Fernando Family, ready to overturn the entire war situation at any moment!
"Unless---" Suddenly, Alvin shifted his perspective, considering a solution from his point of view, and a flash of inspiration struck him. "Oh no! Tucker, quickly contact Carroll and have him be on alert for the surrounding star systems, the Aeldari Corsair, and the Chaos Lord!"
"Yes!"
Tucker hurriedly pushed open the door and went out.
But soon, he returned with a bitter expression. "We were a step too late. Just minutes ago, Carroll detected that the Imperial Navy fleet had been attacked by a combined force of Aeldari Corsair and Chaos Lord."
"Such speed!" Alvin sighed softly, pinching his brow. "It wasn't that we were a step too slow; they were prepared all along, launching a simultaneous attack on the Imperial Navy fleet while attacking the Nomad Port!"
"So what do we do now?" Tucker asked.
"Charge out!" Ilya said expressionlessly, wiping her Executioner Greatsword. "With me here, no one can stop you!"
"Are you crazy, or am I?" Alvin was speechless, glaring at her. "There are hundreds of thousands of fully armed Planetary Defense Force outside. Do you really think you Emperor's protection?"
That's dozens of Planetary Defense Force, and they're fully armed!
Judging from the weapons and heavy equipment they are equipped with, they are no less than a regular Astra Militarum!
Surely no one really thinks PDFs are easy to bully, right?
Each planetary Hive City a PDF, with both the upper and lower limits being quite absurd. Some Planetary Defense Force are only capable of dealing with ordinary civilians who riot in the Underhive, while others are themselves reserve forces for the Astra Militarum.
Unfortunately, the Planetary Defense Force in Nomad Port happen to be one of the sources of manpower for the Astra Militarum in the Calixis Sector.
I also advise you to abandon this naive idea.
At that moment, Tucker touched his nose and handed over a report from the side, "This is the result of the Spartan Squad's investigation after infiltrating the Nomad Port. I think you should take a look."
Alvin took the report from him, glanced at it, and already felt a headache coming on.
The very first line of this report made his eyes widen, "Are you sure you're not joking with me?"
"I wish it were fake too." Tucker's expression was serious, and he sighed deeply. "Unfortunately... it's all true."
"Can someone explain to me where a Planetary Defense Force stationed to defend its local Hive City got 'Emperor-class Super-heavy Venomblade Tank'?!" The type and model listed in the report almost broke Alvin's composure:
There are also Gorgon Heavy Transporter and Macarius Omega Tank —I don't even have those!
Even within the Astra Militarum Legion, only a few armored legions are equipped with this thing.
How could a Defense Force, primarily tasked with protecting the local Hive City and suppressing riots and cults, possess such heavy weaponry?
"In fact, they also have a heavy armored regiment," Tucker sighed, saying helplessly, "Equipped with hundreds of Medusa Towed Earthshaker Cannons, as well as Griffin Mortar Carrier, Hydra Flak Cannon Array, and even light Leman Russ Main Battle Tank."
Is there any worse news?
Alvin pressed his swollen temples, trying to calm his agitated emotions.
"Yes, the Skyclaw Pattern Valkyrie Gunship." Tucker seemed equally helpless, shrugging his shoulders. "These equipment..."
Sponsored entirely by the Fernando Family, it's no exaggeration to say that this local Defense Force is no less powerful than the Astra Militarum.
That's brilliant! From the ground to the sky, the Fernando Family has truly considered every aspect!
No wonder they were so eager to take control of this Defense Force.
With this Defense Force, even if the Imperium sends the Astra Militarum to suppress them, it might not be able to succeed.
Alvin crumpled the paper into a ball, thankful he had been cautious enough.
Otherwise, if things had gone according to plan, they would be facing an entire Planetary Defense Force with the discipline of the Astra Militarum, as well as powerful support, firepower, and weaponry!
"Fernando is really rich..."
When Alvin said those words, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
His carefully cultivated Holy Terra auxiliary army hasn't even received such luxurious equipment yet, while a border Merchant Dynasty has the ability to equip hundreds of thousands of Defense Force. How can he be at peace with that?