He realized he had made a fatal mistake. He had underestimated this "Liberator," underestimated his ability to forge a rabble into a real army.
If the fighting continued like this, even if he ultimately won, his Expeditionary Force would likely be crippled, while the surviving Gretchin army would become ten times stronger than it was now-the true nightmare of this sector.
He could wait no longer.
A conventional victory had already lost its meaning.
He had to resort to the most extreme measures.
Valerius raised his head, his eyes beneath the mask gleaming with utterly cold resolve.
"Relay my orders," his voice rang through the silent bridge like a death sentence. "All ground forces are to abandon their current objectives immediately, contract their defensive lines, and assemble at the designated evacuation points. All landing craft and transports, prepare to recover the ground forces."
The adjutant froze. "My lord? Are we... retreating?"
"No." Valerius slowly shook his head. "We are not retreating."
"We are making room for the final cleansing."
He turned to the weapons officer and issued an order that would have made any sane person shudder.
"Order all Battlecruisers to load Cyclonic Torpedoes. Order this vessel to unlock its main Lance battery."
"Target: Hope Star's core."
"I will personally press the firing button and erase this defiled planet, along with everything upon it, from the universe."
"Execute... Exterminatus."
At the very moment Valerius ordered Exterminatus, Liu Zhipeng, who was coordinating the entire battle from the Command Tower, immediately noticed an abnormal shift in the fighting.
The Imperial Army's previously unstoppable offensive suddenly stalled. Its troops began pulling back and gathering at their landing sites, fighting as they withdrew and establishing rings of defensive positions, as though waiting for something.
"Are they running?" A projection of Sharpfang's will appeared beside