The Last Drop of Pure Blood

Sir Talos Novan stands atop the ruined family fortress.

Through the observation lens, he saw a neat green wave ahead, and his heart was filled with bitterness and anger.

Those were the Planetary Defense Force of Nomad Port, spreading through the streets like burning asphalt under the Imperium's Aquila banner!

The roar of tracks and gears, mixed with the sound of military boots rubbing against the ground, created a terrifying and awe-inspiring momentum as it advanced step by step.

"They even brought the 'Emperor's Venom Blade'!" Casto's mechanical Cybernetic eye gleamed with a terrifying red light. The War Machine advancing along the streets of the Hive City in the distance made his heart tremble. "This is clearly a slander! The Fernando Family has absolutely no evidence to prove that we attacked the banquet!"

"Casto, haven't you figured it out yet?" Lord Talos sighed, stroking the gleaming medal on his chest. "This was all a scheme orchestrated by the Fernando Family themselves, designed to purge any families Nomad Port that posed a threat to them."

A day earlier, the Fernando Family claimed to have found the evil Chaos Star in the Novann Family's territory. Then, without giving them any chance to defend themselves, they dispatched a large number of Planetary Defense Force, under the pretext of "Blood for Blood" and raising the banner of "Emperor and Imperium," to launch a thunderous attack.

The few families who still harbored illusions finally understood Fernando's conspiracy after witnessing the massacre of the various nobles.

But it was too late. One family after another was massacred and slaughtered, leaving only the Novann Family leading a small number of other families.

Resist the Planetary Defense Force here.

But Talos knew very well that this was only temporary.

The Fernando Family acted so quickly that many families didn't have time to react, let alone organize any forces to resist.

Due to special circumstances, the Novann Family's residence was located outside the Nomad Port, which fortunately bought them time to mobilize.

Despite this, the Planetary Defense Force, with their overwhelming superiority in weaponry and manpower, were still beyond the capabilities of a single family to resist.

In just half a day, the land that the Nuofang family had managed for generations was reduced to ashes under the powerful barrage of artillery fire.

Boom!!!

The deafening roar of cannons, accompanied by piercing shrieks, ripped through the blood-red sunset.

The first cannon shot struck the fortress, Talos seemed to hear a mournful cry. The outer walls of this steel fortress, which the Novann Family had sworn to defend to the death for generations, peeled away under the fierce artillery fire, revealing the struggling and broken steel wreckage.

The bugle call of the Planetary Defense Force was mixed with the electronic chanting of the Ecclesiarchy Priest.

They used flames to clear a path, and ahead lay a dense barrage of shells, like raindrops, as the Novann Family flags fell one after another.

"Claudius, we are not traitors!" Amidst the fierce artillery fire, Talos gripped the megaphone tightly.

A sliver of hope still lingered in his heart. "This is a conspiracy by the Fernando Family. Open your eyes wide and see clearly who your real enemy is!"

Claudius remained unmoved by Talos's call.

"Eight-pointed Star, symbolizing Chaos, has been discovered in your Nofang family's territory!" The surviving officer's gaze was resolute and unwavering. "What is this if not treason? Talos...::: For our sake, surrender immediately, and I might give you a chance to explain!"

Surrender?

Talos's face showed bitterness; surrendering would truly mean the end.

He knew very well that, given the Fernando Family's methods, even if they surrendered, they would have absolutely no chance of survival.

Seeing this, Claudius ordered the armored regiment to continue the attack.

The southern fortress defenses had been breached. Talos watched as his family members, each one a member of their clan, shielded the enemy from the artillery fire and were blown to pieces. His heart ached. Those were all loyal subjects of the Imperium!

"For the Emperor, fight them to the death!!!" Casto led his family's elite troops head-on into the fortress's Defense Force.

The two sides were engaged in a fierce battle in the narrow passage.

Above, shells shattered the last defensive barrier, and the entire Novann Family fell completely.

More and more Defense Force charged forward fearlessly, and Talos was forced to join the battle. But as time went on, fewer and fewer people were around him until he was all alone, facing the Defense Force who continued to pour in from all sides.

"Talos Novan, in the name of the Emperor, we command you to surrender immediately!"

The Defense Force were shouting angrily, trying to get him to give up.

"Novans only die in battle; there will never be a Novan who kneels and surrenders!"

Talos limped, but he still gripped the Aquila banner tightly.

The gleaming gold medals on his chest seemed to infuse him with boundless courage. He climbed to the highest point, gazing at the Defense Force had already swarmed the city walls. With unwavering resolve, he drew his Duelist Sword, a symbol of honor. "We, the Novann Family, once followed the Emperor on his expeditions. The glory of our ancestors flows in our blood. We will never allow ourselves to surrender to those damned traitors!"

Talos, the lord of his family, was also a member of the Astra Militarum in his youth.

Unfortunately, at over two hundred years old, he is no longer the agile hero who once galloped across the battlefield.

His advanced age made his movements stiff, and he was quickly Duelist Sword away by several Defense Force.

"For the sake of the Emperor..."

Even in his final moments, Talos continued to shout "Emperor!"

"You are not worthy to utter the words 'Emperor,' you damned Chaos scum!" A Defense Force drew his dagger and plunged it deep into his chest.

Blood gushed out, Talos felt his thoughts drifting away, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

He saw his favorite grandson, eighteen-year-old Yulian, who had always aspired to become Astra Militarum. But now, this outstanding young man had half his body blown off, clinging to the tattered family banner with only his willpower.

"We... are not... traitors..."

Yulian sobbed, spitting out a large amount of blood, and collapsed with lifeless eyes.

On the verge of death, Talos was utterly desperate. With his last ounce of strength, he murmured, "Claudius, you betrayers of the Imperium... It's you, it's Fernando."

The Novann Family's resistance was ultimately futile. Under the overwhelming firepower of the Defense Force, they were quickly wiped out. After entering this scorched wasteland, looking at the Novann Family members who had all perished, not a single survivor,

Claudius remained expressionless.

In his eyes, these were all damned traitors, enemies of the Imperium!

"Burn this place to the ground!" Claudius coldly issued the order. They had to uphold the Imperium's justice and purge all the Chaos scum who dared to challenge Imperium dignity. "Leave no one alive! This is the consequence of betraying the Imperium!"

Having said that, he turned and left, for there were still many families waiting to be eliminated!

But Claudius suddenly kicked the head of a broken Novann Family Servitor.

The head rolled as if malfunctioning internally, uttering intermittent vows of loyalty.

At that moment, Claudius froze, a severe headache making him dizzy, as if something was burning his nerves.

"Ah, damn it..." With unwavering willpower, he overcame the searing pain, his gaze growing increasingly fierce as he looked at the charred remains of the Novann Family, muttering to himself, "We did nothing wrong, we... are the Emperor's loyal warriors!"

?

But just then, Claudius looked down and saw another badge, covered in dust.

On that gleaming golden badge, the image of the Master of Mankind was stained with a tear of blood.

Claudius felt a chill run down his spine; a fear colder than death tightened around his heart like an invisible hand.

Before he could think further, he heard his subordinate's terrified voice. "Major Claudius, we've been locked onto by the remote fire control system!"

"A remote fire control system?" Claudius asked instinctively. "Who locked onto us?"

Have you found the source?

"Yes... yes..."

The communications soldier's voice suddenly froze, as if he had witnessed an unbelievable scene!

"Private First Class, answer my question!" Claudius roared. "Tell me, whose fire control system is it?"

"Major, it's... the 25th Armored Regiment." The communications soldier's face was filled with fear. "We... we've been locked onto by the 25th Armored Regiment's fire control system."

The next moment, on the distant hillside shrouded in the setting sun, countless giant cannons began to roar!

Shells, trailing sharp whistles, ripped through the sky in the blood-red sunset, crashing down on their location!

As Claudius watched the falling cannonball, the last thought that flashed through his mind was Talos's dying cry of the name of the Emperor.

At that moment, he felt deep regret; he realized he had truly been used!

The Fernando Family's conspiracy allowed them to effortlessly drain two loyal forces of their last drop of pure Emperor's Blood through mutual attrition!