Zane, You Set Us Up!
Chaos was making intensive preparations for a surprise attack on the Imperium Hive City in two days, while the Imperial Navy, which was confronting them, also noticed the turbulent undercurrents beneath the seemingly calm surface.
Cedric Hamilton is the commander of the Imperial Navy Fleet Commander that protects the Hive City, and a battle-hardened and experienced General.
The general had white hair and beard, but was still full of energy. His deep-set eyes were bloodshot, yet he remained bent over his desk, analyzing the Chaos intelligence.
He hadn't slept for days. To resist the Chaos Fleet, this General had poured his heart and soul into it, doing everything in his power to barely keep the Chaos Fleet outside the Hive City's orbit.
But the Chaos Fleet acted so strangely the other day!
If the Chaos Fleet previously gave the impression of being cautious and calculating, even setting traps repeatedly that caused heavy losses to the Imperial Navy and left its defenses on the verge of collapse, then its performance in the past few General has truly left this battle-hardened and experienced Chaos Fleet somewhat bewildered.
The Chaos Fleet, abandoning its usual cautious and methodical approach, suddenly became extremely fierce, even reckless, launching a surprise attack on a certain location as if it had completely lost patience and was frantically trying to tear apart the defenses deployed by the Imperial Navy and the Astra Militarum.
The result of doing so was that Chaos was easily surrounded and annihilated by him!
Cedric couldn't understand it.
No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn't understand why the Chaos Fleet would do this. Could it be that they were plotting something again?!
Whenever he thought of this, Cedric couldn't sleep. He kept checking the star map, contacting the commanders of the major warships, and paying attention to the movements of the Chaos Fleet, afraid of missing even the slightest bit of information.
But what's even stranger is that the Chaos Fleet, which has been eager for battle for the past two days, has remained completely still!
"Is Chaos still not attacking?"
Cedric pinched the bridge of his nose. The intense mental exertion of the past few days had left him exhausted and made him look several years older.
"Commander, as you requested, we have been monitoring the Chaos Fleet's movements. They still haven't attacked today, and the fleet has even withdrawn from our fire range."
"This is strange, something's not right."
Upon hearing this, Cedric's unease intensified. He knew very well the importance of Avalon's Hive City to Chaos, and for that reason, he understood that the Chaos Fleet would never abandon it.
But now, the Chaos Fleet has taken the initiative to withdraw from the combat zone, which is clearly a conspiracy!
Cedric remained silent in thought, but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed Hive City in the corner of the holographic star map.
Wait, Hive City?!
His pupils constricted sharply, as if he had realized something. He hurriedly turned around and shouted, "Quickly, send a message to Hive City! Tell them to be extremely careful! Chaos Extremes has likely corrupted some of the nobles and established a secret Warp passage with Hive City!!!"
But, at that very moment...
A figure rushed onto the bridge, shouting in alarm, "It's terrible, Commander! Just now, the Nest Star Whisperer detected large-scale Psychic Power within the Hive City! A large number of Chaos Space Marine have invaded!"
"What did you say?!"
Cedric snapped out of his daze, his pupils bloodshot, his expression ferocious and horrified. "Quickly, mobilize the fleet to defend, and have the 875th Regiment airdrop at any cost!"
"Commander, wait—" the communications officer said breathlessly, "This is an encrypted communication from the Hive City, requesting your immediate review!"
"Encrypted communication?"
Cedric glanced at it briefly, then snatched the parchment containing the communications, quickly scanned it, and his expression turned very strange.
"Commander, I'll go and inform the Astra Militarum right away." Another communications officer was about to send the message.
"No."
Cedric suddenly stopped him, his gaze sweeping over the parchment before a smile appeared on his face, "No need to notify the Astra Militarum. Inform the entire ship—prepare for artillery fire. In three minutes, bombard this location."
A large number of Tech-Priest flocked to the platform.
They chanted sacred scriptures, bestowing the blessing of Omnissiah upon each cannonball.
May the Gothic Fleet triumph forever!
May the Emperor's mercy and wrath burn away the heretics of the Milky Way!
Amidst the chanting of prayers.
The Machine Spirit's cold, rigid voice echoed throughout the Imperial Navy's fleet.
"This is the Confessor √, Atonement-class Bombardment Platform. It is ready and awaits orders."
"Frigate Cluster, Void Torpedo loaded!"
"The Destroyer Ash Seer, with its twelve Macro Cannon Array, is fully loaded and ready to fire."
The heavy cruiser "Unyielding Anvil" has its Lance array aimed at the coordinates and awaits the launch command!
Cedric's eyes blazed with fanaticism, as if he wanted to vent all the pain he had endured and all his resentment towards Chaos. He slammed his fist down, his roar echoing across the deck, "Steel is our prayer, cannon fire is our judgment! In the name of the Gothic Fleet, the entire ship—fire!!!"
A few minutes ago.
Chapter comprised of over a thousand of the most elite warriors from various Chaos Gang entered the Warp passage one by one, following Alvin's "Bloodstained" warband.
These Space Marine, corrupted by Chaos, were all eager for battle, letting out terrifying battle cries.
They could already imagine it.
When they suddenly appeared in the Hive City, how shocked and terrified those lowly humans, the lackeys of the Imperium, must have been!
However, their smiles froze as soon as they stepped out of the portal.
The scene they imagined did not unfold. They were not in the Hive City, but in a desert, surrounded by an endless expanse of sand that looked like a golden sea under the setting sun!
"Zane —Lord, where are we?!" Looking around, some people had already vaguely sensed that something was wrong.
This place is so spacious!
There is no cover whatsoever; from a tactical point of view, it is an extremely dangerous place!
"Sh--..."
Alvin placed a finger to his lips and smiled slightly amidst the uneasy and panicked gazes of these Chaos Lords:
Close your eyes and listen carefully.
"Listen? Listen to what?!"
No sooner had someone raised a question than they heard a muffled, thunderous roar from above the atmosphere.
"Listen to the Emperor's wrath!"
Under their shocked gazes, Alvin grinned and said, "I suggest you all take out your dog tags and put them in your mouths to avoid causing trouble for others."
"???""
They quickly understood the meaning of the sentence.
The entire cloud layer was churning, ignited by terrifying flames. Streaks of light, like shooting stars, trailed deafening roars, as if the wrath of Emperor had descended, filling their vision and pupils!
"Zane —you tricked us!!!"