The acolytes maintained a steady firing rhythm, raining down explosive shells and Melta rays, tearing apart the believers and demons who tried to retaliate along the way.
The Aberrant were at the forefront, smashing through all obstacles and monsters in their path.
The Purestrain Genestealer roams the flanks, clearing out any stragglers and reaping the rewards of any fleeing enemies.
The entire force, like a sharp blade, effortlessly pierced through the defenses of the Tzeentch forces.
The mutated believers along the way were utterly vulnerable, their bodies shattered by explosive bombs the moment they met.
Before the summoned demon could take shape, it was torn to pieces by tearing claws that emerged from the shadows.
The wizards fought and retreated, constantly casting various spells and summoning temporary demons.
No matter what methods they used, they could only slightly slow down their advance and could not mount an effective counterattack.
The screams of fanatics, the shrieks of demons, and the cracking of bones mingled together, turning the entire passage into a one-sided slaughterhouse.
From the moment the Plague Cleansing Assault Squad entered the scene, it was only a short five minutes.
The assault team trampled over the blood, flesh, and wreckage scattered on the ground, charging all the way to the entrance to the third underground level.
A heavy black stone door stood at the end of the passage, covered with twisted blasphemous runes, exuding a strong Warp aura.
The stone door was half-open, and a humming sound of spatial distortion emanated from within, like a Great Maw ready to devour its prey.
The Vanguard captain stepped forward and nodded slightly to Guyu:
"My lord, there are three underground levels inside. According to intelligence, the Lord Regent's secret chamber is at the deepest level, but..."
His tone was grave. "According to intelligence, the third underground level has already been eroded by Warp energy and is no longer a completely solid space."
"The internal terrain is constantly changing, and it's known as the ' Land Without Extension,' making it easy to get lost once you're inside."
Guyu didn't speak, but simply tilted her head slightly to look inside the stone gate.
Behind the door was not the secret passageway one had imagined, but an endless, dark space.
Floating pebbles, twisted corridors, and upside-down staircases appear and disappear in the darkness, like a bizarre and fantastical nightmare.
This place has indeed transcended the physical realm of real space; it's more like a small maze anchored by Luna's magic in the gap between reality and the Warp.
Every wall could move, and every passage could turn into a dead end in an instant.
And in those unseen corners lie countless traps and lurking demons.
Stepping into it is like stepping onto Luna's chessboard of conspiracy.
But no one backed down.
The veteran soldiers of the Vanguard checked their weapons, reloaded their explosives, and showed no fear in their eyes.
The Genestealer who had been purged remained expressionless, completely unconcerned about the eerie environment of the Warp.
Before the Hive Mind, even the most elaborate illusions and labyrinths are nothing but the Shadow in the Warp.
Guyu took the first step, her four arms outstretched at her sides, and purple Psychic Power ripples spread out from her, temporarily smoothing out the distorted space around her.
"Walk."
As her cool voice faded, her figure disappeared behind the stone gate.
The Aberrant followed closely behind, and the acolytes maintained their tactical formation as they advanced, while the Purestrain Genestealer silently disappeared into the edge of darkness.
Without hesitation, the Decapitation Squad filed into this unpredictable Land Without Extension.
The stone door closed behind them, shutting out all light and sound.
Deep within the labyrinth, Luna's chanting rang out once more, this time filled with barely suppressed madness and resentment.
As the stone gate of the Land Without Extension closed behind him, the world outside the passage continued to operate on its own track.
The bridge of the Gemstone was always filled with a cool, pungent smell of ozone mixed with lubricating oil.
Dominic stood in front of the main screen with his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed for almost fifteen minutes.
According to the original plan, the latter half of the first batch, totaling 500 million soldiers, should have completed their boarding and quarantine on the ships yesterday.
However, to date, the actual number of people transferred is still less than 100 million.
The transfer channel was open and closed intermittently, and the number of transport boats coming from the Lower City decreased, until this morning, it simply stopped completely.
"Major General, the notification from the Governor's Office says that the screening standards have been temporarily adjusted, and an additional round of faith verification will be required, so the handover is temporarily suspended."
The adjutant stood beside him, flipping through the latest communication records, his tone tinged with doubt.
"But the screening process was already set up, and adding items at the last minute doesn't make sense."
Dominic didn't speak, but simply took a light puff of his cigar.
He knew something was wrong, of course.
Two full days have passed since he sneaked into the Lower City late at night and obtained the skin flakes sample from the Genestealer.
For the past two days, he has remained inactive, neither confronting Lynn nor having the Ecclesiarchy launch a large-scale investigation.
I simply observed from the sidelines, wanting to see what this young governor intended to do.
He originally thought that Kerry would either try to cover it up completely or find excuses to continue delaying.
Instead of trying to cover it up, the other side stopped the transfer of troops, making such a big move as if they were afraid others wouldn't know that something was wrong in Lower City.
Did he sense something?
The thought, once it surfaced, entwined itself around Dominic's mind like a vine.
He recalled the shielding effect of the sapphire ring, and the carefulness he had taken when infiltrating; logically, he shouldn't have been exposed.
But Kerry is a person who can never be judged by common sense.
From Carl II to Dorito, this guy can always accurately predict the opponent's movements, as if he has clairvoyance.
If he truly sensed his suspicions, is this current move an attempt to sacrifice a pawn to save the king, or does he have other plans?
"Lieutenant," Dominic suddenly spoke, his voice steady.
"Let the Third Reconnaissance Squad stop hiding. They can change into naval military police and enter the Lower City openly and honestly."
The adjutant looked up abruptly. "Sir, you mean...?"
"The delayed transfer of the Tithe- collected soldiers has affected fleet operations, and we need to personally verify the epidemic prevention and conscription situation in the Lower City."
Dominic turned around, his military boots clicking crisply on the metal floor.
"No need to beat around the bush, go straight to the official channels and get the Governor's Office to cooperate with the investigation."
This is equivalent to revealing your hand.
It's like telling Lynn directly, "I'm suspicious of your recruitment efforts, and I'm going to send someone to investigate."
The adjutant wanted to remind him that doing so would alert the enemy and might even anger Governor Brevis, affecting the relationship between the two sides.
But when he met Dominic's sharp, piercing eyes, he swallowed his words.
He had followed this major general for so many years and knew his temperament very well.
Dominic dislikes pretense; he prefers to play his cards face down.
Rather than hiding in the shadows and guessing, he preferred to directly state his position and see how the other party would respond.
He was actually more concerned about Kerry von's choice than the sect itself.
Was this young governor simply confused and deceived by his subordinates, or was he in cahoots with the Xenos from the very beginning?
Is he on the side of the Imperium, or has he already slid into the abyss?
"Yes, sir, I'll arrange it right away." The adjutant bowed respectfully and turned to relay the order.
The bridge fell silent again, and Dominic walked to the porthole, looking down at the enormous Hive City planet below.
Thick clouds covered most of the land, with only the gilded spire of the Uptown able to pierce through the clouds, shimmering faintly in the sunlight.
Who would have thought that beneath those gleaming clouds lay a rotting plague, a bizarre cult, and parasitic pioneers from the Tyranids?
He recalled the scene on Dorito where Lynn accurately provided Ragnar's location.
I recall the perfect saturation attack in Horseshoe Mountain Valley, and the ease with which I effortlessly annihilated the Orks warlords.
At that time, he only felt that the governor had outstanding intelligence capabilities and extraordinary courage.
Looking back now, the ability to know the whereabouts of the Orks warlords so clearly and to accurately predict their every move was itself extraordinary.
Dominic closed his eyes and sighed softly.
He didn't want Lynn to be an enemy of the Imperium from the bottom of his heart.
This young man is capable, skillful, and a rare talent.
In an era when the Imperium was surrounded by enemies, such people were extremely precious.
But what if he really colluded with the Xenos...?
Dominic opened his eyes, his gaze filled with only cold determination.
Even if he cherishes talent, he would still personally eliminate this threat.