Greeting the Locals with Imperial Firepower

Dusk.

Over the Kandahar Mountains, six Valkyrie transports roared past.

Engine nozzles flickered with dark blue light. Three heavy Sky-Talon variants carrying Leman Russ tanks brought up the rear, while three standard models provided escort.

Not far from the ground camp, the six Valkyries touched down. After the three Leman Russ tanks were unloaded, they immediately turned back for a second wave of transport.

The remaining three opened their hatches. Wade led a sixty-man advance team filing out, landing in a ready stance.

Wade knelt on one knee, pulling a palm-sized metal beacon from his tactical pack.

This was a treasure the Governor had dug out of a Hive City noble's private collection—something you'd never see under normal circumstances.

A Teleport Beacon.

It was said to be equipment only the Emperor's Angels, the Astartes' Terminator veterans, could carry. Used to guide teleportation arrays from orbital ships or rear bases, precisely deploying troops to the battlefield.

When Tech-Priest Kallen saw this thing, he went on a binary-language rampage.

Wade couldn't understand the content, but he was sure the priest was cursing up a storm.

Still, as a veteran, Wade knew that anything that couldn't be mass-produced came with high risks.

Before departure, Priest Kallen had stressed that vehicles couldn't be teleported.

Also, if you didn't want to get stuck inside a wall, you had to remember to find open ground.

Because the thing couldn't pinpoint coordinates inside structures thicker than five meters. Force a teleport in there, and at best you'd be wedged in rock, bones and body gone; at worst, you'd be torn apart by Warp energy, not even ashes left.

So when Fu Haoran asked if he wanted to be in the first batch, Wade answered with the first rule of the standard Imperial Tactical Manual:

"The commander must be the last to evacuate. That is duty."

Back to the matter at hand.

Wade tossed the beacon to the ground.

The metal beacon extended three spikes on its own, slamming hard into the solid rock.

With a soft hum, a pale blue light flickered on, emitting a countdown beep.

At the same time, inside the bridge of the Cobra-class Destroyer.

The Tech-Acolyte turned to Fu Haoran: "Lord Governor, the ground Teleport Beacon signal is locked. The Warp channel is stable, no interference. Teleport sequence can be initiated at any time!"

Fu Haoran: "What's the maximum troop capacity?"

"Your Lordship, up to one hundred and twenty men per transfer."

The Tech-Acolyte paused. "However, the energy carried is only sufficient for three transfers at most. Each batch requires at least a one-minute interval, during which the beacon must remain stable."

"Transfer at maximum standard. No delays." Fu Haoran chose the most "failsafe" plan.

Beside him, Lucifer frowned slightly.

She wore a meticulously tailored noble gown, standing straight even on the bridge, carrying that particular reserve and dignity unique to Hive City aristocracy.

"My beloved, forgive my bluntness." Lucifer spoke. "Dealing with these unknown barbarians, deploying the teleport array at maximum force, even setting up heavy weapons like Wolf Spider Sentry Guns—isn't that a bit too ostentatious? It lacks the composure and dignity of a noble."

"By common sense, we need only send a small squad to probe. Why such a grand display?"

Fu Haoran's expression was grave, his tone earnest: "Lucifer, they are not barbarians."

"Oh?"

"They are my countrymen."

Lucifer was taken aback.

"Even on a foreign star, if countrymen are in trouble, I cannot be perfunctory."

"Not going all out would be disrespectful to them, a breach of etiquette."

"If they don't die, I won't rest easy. If word gets out that I slighted them..."

"So today, I must use the full firepower of the Hive City to give them the grandest greeting."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed slightly, thoughtfully watching Fu Haoran spout nonsense with a straight face.

Countrymen?

Got it.

This was a performance.

A show of force for everyone to see.

Lucifer gave a slight nod, her tone gaining a hint of gravity: "I see. I was shortsighted. Sending off fellow travelers with the most magnificent firepower is indeed the greatest respect for an opponent."

Fu Haoran: (Σ(⊙▽⊙"a)... That actually worked?

On the open ground, a circular teleport gate suddenly expanded around the beacon, several meters in diameter. Pale blue energy tides churned within.

Soldiers in plasteel armor poured out of the gate in an endless stream. Within a single minute, one hundred and twenty men had assembled on the open ground.

A minute later, the second batch began arriving, followed by the third.

Within the temporary camp, over four hundred soldiers began setting up a makeshift defensive line.

Heavy autoguns, mortars, and lascannons were rapidly deployed, the barrel of a Leman Russ tank slowly elevating.

Wade swept his gaze across the position.

"Where are the Tarantulas?"

"Deploying now."

Several soldiers pushed four metal platforms into place, each bearing a sentry turret supported by four mechanical legs—Tarantula sentry guns.

The soldiers pressed the activation buttons.

A low hum immediately rose as the four Tarantulas' detection radars spun quickly, their twin-linked heavy bolters and twin-linked lascannons lifting simultaneously, covering the entire front in a fan-shaped arc.

Wade nodded in satisfaction.

These things were good.

From the Planetary Defense Force all the way up to the Adeptus Astartes, everyone deployed Tarantula sentry guns when the situation called for it.

Their machine-spirit was more alert than an ordinary soldier, never slacking off. With built-in long-life batteries and ample ammunition, there was no need for shift changes or rest.

With them around, Wade could reassign soldiers who would otherwise be standing guard to more useful positions.

Still, Wade couldn't shake the feeling: "Isn't this a bit overkill?"

He scanned the densely packed position. Over four hundred elite soldiers, well-equipped enough to rival the Imperial Guard, backed by heavy weapons and automated turrets—all to deal with just thirteen targets?

"Is His Excellency the Governor treating them like the Emperor's Angels?"

Suddenly, a scout reported: "Colonel, the auspex shows thirteen targets charging toward us. Estimated contact with our position in three minutes."

Wade's pupils contracted.

An active assault?

"Prepare for battle! Move!"

"Form attack formation!" Wade shouted, raising his arm.

The soldiers swiftly shifted positions. Three ranks of lasgunners stepped forward to form a firing line, while mortar teams, heavy autogun teams, and heavy bolter teams quickly took up positions on both flanks.

At the same time, Wade immediately reported the situation.

Inside the bridge.

Fu Haoran stared at the projection screen, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the control console.

420 soldiers.

4 Tarantula sentry guns.

3 Valkyrie gunships.

3 Leman Russ tanks.

"With firepower like this, even if those Reincarnators have hidden tricks, we should be able to hold, right? Don't let us capsize in a ditch."

Fu Haoran wasn't confident at heart.

This was his first encounter with other Reincarnators. He had no idea how strong they were—after all, he was just a rookie himself.

Well, a rookie who hadn't even finished a single world.

Other Reincarnators? Every single one of them had been through countless battles.

What if they had space-jumping or mind-control abilities? Then the joke would be on him.

Better to be overly cautious than to capsize in a ditch.

The next second, after hearing Wade's report, Fu Haoran immediately felt he had been careless.

"That Reincarnator dares to commit all his forces—he must have something to back it up. What if they're carrying some black-tech weapon or some bizarre ability..."

Fu Haoran suddenly recalled the plots from web novels he'd read before, where hidden masters lurked everywhere.

Meeting his own kind in the cycle world for the first time, even if the enemy was only thirteen men, he was terrified that one slip-up would see him capsize in a ditch.

At that thought, Fu Haoran tensed up and immediately ordered: "Wade, don't let them get anywhere near you!"

"Open fire with everything."

Fu Haoran stared at the screen, speaking word by word:

"Send the Valkyries in first. Clear the way with their autocannons."

"Have the Leman Russes hold the line. Anyone who breaks through the kill zone, blast them flat."

"I don't care how much ammunition we burn. I want every single one of them stopped!"