On the edge of the Carl II System lies an abandoned star system littered with countless pieces of space debris.
The Rule of Discipline hovered silently in the darkness, its hull riddled with charred bullet holes and sparking cracks—scars left from the hasty retreat.
Standing by the porthole on the bridge, Luna, with her back to the officers behind her, gazed at the space station in the distance that had just been reintegrated into the Imperium, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms.
She lost.
They lost completely and utterly.
She meticulously planned this expedition for so long, mobilizing almost all of the family's elite forces, and even personally piloting the knight mech deep into dangerous territory.
They thought they could capture Carl II in one fell swoop and firmly grasp this strategic location in their hands.
In the end, however, it all benefited Lynn.
She still can't understand how Lynn managed to do it.
What method did he use to sneak into the Orks ' lair without anyone noticing, instigate a civil war between two Orks war bosses, and even manage to drag himself into it as well?
Finally, when she and Sith Chandler were both badly injured in their fight.
Lynn Encai, with his Expeditionary Force, calmly and leisurely reaped all the fruits of victory, behaving like a victor.
According to intelligence reports from scouts, Lynn's expeditionary fleet suffered less than 10% casualties.
Her fleet, however, had already suffered casualties exceeding sixty percent.
Two of the five cruisers were sunk, more than half of the frigates were lost, and the ground forces were almost completely wiped out.
Of the three million private soldiers she brought, less than a million were able to return alive.
"Sir, what do we do next?" the adjutant behind him asked cautiously, his voice filled with exhaustion and fear.
" Carl II has completely fallen into Kerry Von's hands. Our supplies are running low. If we stay here any longer, I'm afraid..."
Luna didn't turn around; her gaze remained fixed on the direction of Carl II, her eyes filled with resentment and a hint of fear.
She remembered the harsh words she had uttered before setting off.
But now, she doesn't even have the face to get close to Carl II.
Just then, a wizard dressed in a black robe with strange Tzeentch runes painted on his face strode up to Luna's side.
"My lord, there is urgent news." The wizard's voice was as unpleasant as a crow's shriek.
"News has come from Brevis: the Imperium's Tithe collection fleet has entered the Calixis System."
" Tithe?" Luna turned around abruptly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.
"Yes, sir." The wizard nodded and took out a book of flesh and blood from his robes.
The codex opens automatically without the need for the user's hands.
"I used the ' Thousand Eyes ' to investigate, and this Tithe Fleet is unusually large."
"I estimate that this Tithe will be so heavy that it will be difficult for Brevis to afford it."
Luna took the codex, and as she looked at the fleet silhouettes appearing between the pages, a cold smile appeared in her eyes.
Very good.
This is truly a stroke of luck!
Lynn, do you think you've won?
Taking down Carl II is just your first step.
The real trouble is just beginning.
Especially now that the Thirteenth Black Crusade has broken out, the Cadian Gate has been destroyed, and the Great Rift has opened, the entire Segmentum Obscurus is in complete chaos.
The Imperium's war machine was running at full speed, and the collection of Tithe from various planets became more stringent than ever before.
Brevis was already poor, and had just experienced Orks invasion, resulting in food shortages and a sharp decline in population.
Now we have to spend huge sums of resources to pay Tithe; we'll be lucky to escape with our lives.
This is absolutely the best chance to bring down Lynn.
If Tithe, Lynn's position as governor will be in jeopardy.
Then, she can join forces with the nobles who are dissatisfied with Lynn and seize the opportunity to launch an attack, which will surely be able to pull Lynn off the governor's seat.
Therefore, she had to rush back to Brevis immediately.
More importantly, the family's businesses and assets are still in Brevis.
She didn't believe that Leo, that greenhorn, could protect the family's interests in front of those ruthless Imperium tax collectors.
That idiot, he'll be lucky if he doesn't squander the whole family fortune.
"Pass on my orders." Luna's voice regained its firmness.
"All warships, prepare immediately. In ten minutes, commence Warp travel and return to Brevis."
"Sir, there are turbulent Warp right now, making Warp travel extremely dangerous..." the adjutant hurriedly advised.
"Danger?" Luna sneered.
"I am Tzeentch's champion, protected by the Lord of Change. The storms of Warp cannot harm me!"
"Yes, sir!" The adjutant dared not say another word and immediately went to relay the order.
The engine of the Rule of Discipline roared, its blue exhaust flames illuminating the darkness.
Luna looked again in the direction of Carl II, her eyes cold.
Lynn, see you in Brevis.
This time, I will make you pay a terrible price.
In the Warp, Tzeentch's blue flames enveloped Luna's fleet, traversing through twisted Chaos energy.
As the "darling" of the Lord of Change, Luna's success rate in Warp travel is far higher than that of ordinary Imperial Fleet.
She evaded all the deadly Warp Storm and the ambush of the Chaos Pirates, and in less than ten hours, she sailed out of the Warp and arrived at the Brevis System.
At this time, only half a day had passed since Lynn's Lightning frigate arrived in Brevis orbit.
On the Brevis orbital starport.
Inside the bridge of the Lightning frigate, Lynn gazed at the familiar blue-gray planet below, his brow still furrowed.
Just then, Rena's voice rang in Lynn's mind.
" Lynn, there are so many happy emotions coming up below."
Rena's voice carried a childlike curiosity.
She has never been interested in, nor could she understand, human emotions.
But this time, she could clearly feel that the entire Brevis Prime Hive was enveloped in a tremendous sense of joy.
In this lifeless, desolate Hive World, where there is only despair and pain, this is the second time she has felt this emotion.
The first time was when Lynn formed the Vanguard and returned victorious from defeating the Orks Forbidden Wall, which eased the famine among the lower classes.
"And there's also the taste of hope," Rena added, though very faintly.
Lynn paused for a moment, then understood.
"It's because of the news about Carl II." Lynn smiled, a warm feeling welling up inside him.
He had assumed the news hadn't reached Brevis yet.
Unexpectedly, Isolde had already released the news.
Rena tilted her head and peeked her little head out from Lynn's sleeve, looking at the smile on his face.
She didn't understand why people would be happy because of someone else's happiness, but she knew that as long as Lynn was happy, she would be happy.
"Whatever makes you happy." Rena gently nuzzled Lynn's arm.
Lynn felt a warmth in her heart and reached out to pat her little head.
Indeed, the nerves that had been tense because of the Tithe relaxed considerably after feeling the pure joy and hope below.
For the past three months, he has been under tremendous pressure, leading the Expeditionary Force on the expedition to Carl II.
Countless days and nights, he devoted himself to meticulous planning and deliberation, all for this day.
He did not let down the people of Brevis, nor did he let down Rena.