Speculation

The Planetary Defense Force's defensive line, 87th Sector, 31st Regiment's encampment.

After Qin Mo arrived to provide support and establish a small fortress, the rebels hadn't launched an attack for some time. However, no one let their guard down, remaining ready to receive orders from Qin Mo and rush to wherever he needed them.

On this peaceful day, Regimental Commanders Duncan and Albert, along with the soldiers, gathered outside the fortress, watching the Logistics Machines constantly moving back and forth from the positions.

These black spherical machines had previously transported food and ammunition, but now they were carrying weapons.

Giant black metal crates were lowered to the ground by the Logistics Machines, which then began to recycle the metal from the crates. Improved lasguns appeared before everyone's eyes, piece by piece.

"Are these lasguns with added scopes?"

"There's only one way to find out."

The soldiers, overjoyed, picked up the lasguns and headed to the shooting range outside the small fortress, taking aim at targets made from rebel equipment and wooden dummies.

They were then surprised to find that the lasguns had a faster rate of fire, and their battery capacity was significantly increased, allowing them to fire more beams before running out of power.

And this was just the tip of the iceberg regarding the new weaponry.

It had been half a month since word came that Kato City was secured, and all sorts of weapons and equipment were being sent to the front lines.

Including, but not limited to, a Leman Russ Tank, several standard power armors, unmanned transport aircraft, and even unmanned self-propelled artillery.

These self-propelled artillery pieces were set up on anti-gravity hover platforms. They didn't require human operation, nor were there any seats designated for operators.

Once lowered onto the defensive line by the Logistics Machines, these artillery pieces would automatically group together.

"A Leman Russ Tank. By the Emperor." Albert, a former armor corpsman, exclaimed as he looked at the Leman Russ Tank parked outside the fortress next to the unmanned artillery. "The passage to the underhive has been destroyed. I truly don't know how this tank was manufactured."

The Leman Russ Tank is a heavy tank equipped by the Imperium's Astra Militarum, not a War Machine that just any Hive or industrial world could produce.

If Hive Terra had the capability to produce Leman Russ Tanks, the Imperium would have long since sent troops to deal with the rebels.

"Just like this fortress," Duncan said, looking at the small fortress. "It must be a product of creation magic."

As one of the positions personally saved by Qin Mo, everyone here had witnessed Qin Mo's creation magic, with a fortress rising from the ground in mere minutes.

Everyone here had also seen the power armor worn by Qin Mo and the survivors of the 44th Regiment. Considering all this, the creation of a Leman Russ Tank wasn't particularly strange.

"Did you notice that the artillery is unmanned? Just like those black eggs," Albert suddenly lowered his voice, his expression mysterious.

Duncan understood what Albert meant.

Ever since the black eggs... the Logistics Machines appeared, rumors had spread through the encampment that those black eggs contained abominable intelligence. Because they were unmanned and had no one guiding them, they could still accomplish anything.

The current unmanned artillery made this rumor even more convincing.

"Perhaps, but we need them now. Otherwise, we can't even guarantee our logistics, can we?"

"That's true, but..."

"Let's remain silent on this matter. Sometimes, knowing too much and saying too much are both bad things."

"Mm."

After a brief exchange, Duncan and Albert tacitly ended the topic and changed the subject.

"What do you think these weapons and equipment are for?" Albert asked.

"Obviously, to form Composite Regiments," Duncan stated his judgment. "Our entire army is an infantry regiment, and the armored forces were lost long ago in the offensive plan. We need weapons and equipment for assault operations."

"Composite Regiments..." Albert's opinion was completely in line with Duncan's.

"I can even imagine what it will look like once all the weapons and equipment are distributed," Duncan said, pointing to the Leman Russ Tank. "Each regiment will be centered around a Leman Russ Tank, with a small number of elite infantry wearing power armor, advancing under the cover of unmanned artillery. Perhaps warriors in even more powerful power armor will arrive to lead us in a counteroffensive."

"You're talking about a counteroffensive?" Albert sounded surprised.

"Exactly. What else would we use Composite Regiments for? To stay cooped up in the fortress?" Duncan said calmly.

At this point, Albert suddenly felt that Qin Mo was brewing a major battle.

A counteroffensive.

The defensive line had now been consolidated, and according to the latest news, the Kato settlement had also been relieved. Everyone had held their ground until now and established a foothold. It was time for a counteroffensive.

Although their numbers were small and their troops were not elite, after enduring passive attacks for so long, the mere thought of a counteroffensive was enough to make their blood boil.

"But we're too few in number. Do you think a counteroffensive is realistic?" Albert asked.

"Compared to being passively beaten, we should counterattack," Duncan lowered his head, looking at the scorched metal ground beneath his feet. "We've been fighting like cornered beasts all this time. If we're going to die anyway, why not bite the rebels hard before we go? Perhaps someone will record our heroic deeds in the future."

This statement carried a deep sense of pessimism. Albert frowned upon hearing it and lowered his head in thought, but his contemplation led to the same conclusion as Duncan's.

In reality, they were all fighting like cornered beasts, simply unwilling to wait for death. No one truly believed they could win.

If death was inevitable, then landing a heavy blow on the rebels before dying was indeed a wise choice.

Considering everything, although no orders regarding a counteroffensive or other military actions had been issued through the communicator, the answer was obvious: a counteroffensive was inevitable.

"We will be like shooting stars, shining the most brilliant light in the night sky, even if that light is very short-lived," Duncan said poetically.

"What's a shooting star?" Albert asked. "I'm from the underhive, pal. If this 'star' thing is in the sky, I've never seen one."

"A shooting star is an astronomical phenomenon. It bursts from the lowest part of the hive city towards the sky, then arcs like it's shot from a slingshot," Duncan replied very seriously.

Albert suddenly understood and nodded. "I haven't seen a shooting star, but I know that if we used tanks to bombard the rebels, the effect of their bodies being blasted away would probably be similar to what you described as a shooting star."

Duncan nodded in agreement, thinking the effect would be similar, as he too had only heard of shooting stars, not seen them.

The two friends fell silent for a moment.

Duncan suddenly said, "The effect of us being blasted away by the rebels should be the same."