The golden flames, though seemingly weak, were ten times more ferocious than ordinary Promethium flames when they landed on the rotting flesh and blood of the ship's hull.
Where the golden flames licked, flesh and pus melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting the scorching sun.
Even the rusted metal skeleton turned to ashes with a hissing sound, and there was no sign of proliferation or repair.
The three plague-infested frigates on the left flank, which had been incredibly powerful just moments before, couldn't even last half a minute in this sea of fire interwoven with gold and red.
First, the outer layer of flesh and tissue was charred and curled up, then the deep, decaying core was ignited by the high temperature, and the entire ship exploded into three huge fireballs like a burning oil drum.
Crushed pieces of rotting flesh and metal debris flew everywhere, only to be burned into fine ashes by the residual heat before they could reach a safe distance.
The fire also affected the two plague cruisers around them, charring the flesh and blood on one side of their hulls.
The previously steady pace of progress suddenly slowed down, clearly indicating that the damage was significant.
A single salvo destroyed three frigates and severely damaged two cruisers.
The damage inflicted was even greater than the full ten minutes of saturation bombardment by the Tithe Fleet.
The officers on the bridge were stunned.
They had seen the effectiveness of fire weapons against Chaos, but they had never seen an incendiary bomb with such exaggerated power.
That layer of pale golden flame was clearly not an effect that ordinary Promethium could produce.
"This is... Holy Flame?" Lieutenant Karen murmured to himself, his eyes filled with shock.
Dominic's eyes widened slightly, then, as if remembering something, a knowing smile appeared on his lips.
It's Kerry.
Aside from that young governor who always came up with ingenious ideas, he couldn't think of anyone else who could, at this time, precisely lead such a batch of targeted weapons out to strike.
"Communication access request, Major General," the communications officer suddenly spoke.
"From the Brevis home fleet, claiming to be the commander of the Brevis Expeditionary Fleet, saying they came to provide support on behalf of the Governor's Office."
"Bring him in." Dominic straightened his uniform, his tone regaining its usual composure, though a barely perceptible hint of expectation lingered in his eyes.
The communication screen was quickly projected onto the side of the main screen.
The man in the picture is young, around thirty years old, wearing a gray-blue naval officer's uniform, with the stars on his epaulets shining brightly.
He was very handsome, with sharp eyes that exuded the competence unique to soldiers, but there was a hint of unease in his brows, as if he had been living under someone else for a long time.
Not Kerry von.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible sense of loss crossed Dominic's mind, so quick that he didn't even catch it himself.
He nodded slightly, his tone steady:
" Griffith, thank you for the timely support from the Brevis fleet. Where is Governor Kerry?"
He had some impression of this young man; he was the general of the expeditionary fleet.
"Reporting to Major General, the Governor is currently on the ground directing the campaign to eradicate the Chaos Heretics and is temporarily unable to leave." Gus gave a standard military salute, his voice booming.
"He ordered me to lead the entire Brevis Expeditionary Fleet to be under the command of the Tithe Fleet and to jointly resist the invasion of Chaos."
Dominic nodded, his initial disappointment quickly dissipating.
Lynn's task of clearing out the Chaos forces on the ground was simply part of his job; the fact that he was able to spare a fleet to support the space battlefield far exceeded his expectations.
His gaze returned to the golden flames of the battlefield, and he got straight to the point:
"Brigadier General, your incendiary bombs have a very special effect. What's added to them?"
Gus didn't waste any words and went straight to the point. "Your Excellency, it's the Ecclesiarchy's holy oil, sacred powder, and the ashes of bishops and saints throughout history."
"The Governor said that ordinary flames are not enough to deal with Nurgle's plague; only sacred fire imbued with the power of faith will work."
He spoke frankly, without beating around the bush. "Before I set off, the Governor specifically instructed me to tell you about this method as soon as possible."
"Grind all the sacred oil, relics of saints, and blessed artifacts treasured by the Ecclesiarchy into powder and mix them into Promethium incendiary bombs."
"Therefore, the flames fired have a purifying effect, making them extremely effective against Chaos Flesh and Plague Spores."
Dominic's eyes lit up instantly after hearing this.
Relics and ashes mixed with incendiary bombs?
This method sounds utterly unorthodox.
The sacred objects and remains of ancestors of the Ecclesiarchy have always been enshrined in churches for believers to worship. How could they possibly be ground into powder, stuffed into cannonballs, and fired?
If this gets out, the Ecclesiarchy's leadership might accuse them of blasphemy.
But the results are right in front of you, making it impossible not to be tempted.
"This... is somewhat contrary to the regulations of the Ecclesiarchy." Dominic deliberately put on a stern face, his tone hesitant, as if he were carefully choosing his words.
"The arbitrary use of the remains of saints could damage the authority of the Ecclesiarchy."
"Let me think about this some more."
He spoke with a straight face, but inside he was bursting with excitement.
You, Kerry von! Only you could come up with such a crooked idea!
Who else would dare to covet the sacred artifacts of the Ecclesiarchy?
Only this audacious young governor dared to scatter the ashes of all the previous bishops and stuff them into cannonballs.
It's outrageously ridiculous, but it's also incredibly useful.
Dominic had lived most of his life and fought against at Chaos Warband, but he had never imagined that it could be played like this.
While one may admire it in their heart, one still needs to maintain a proper facade.
He frowned slightly, adopting a troubled expression that suggested "this move is inappropriate, but it's an urgent matter," but his tone subtly shifted:
"However, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Resisting the invasion of Chaos is the top priority, and some regulations can be adapted."
Anyway, the emperor is far away, and they believe Emperor will understand their predicament.
Gus had clearly received Lynn's instructions and didn't dwell on the matter, continuing with the main topic:
"Major General, the Governor also asked me to tell you that this Nurgle Fleet is most likely the Death Guard's ' Pale Hand ' warband."
"They possess a special plague called the ' Rust Plague,' which can corrupt mechanical structures through contact, affecting everything from small rifles to large warships, and turning them to their side."
"The Governor asked me to remind you to avoid close contact with enemy ships and to avoid boarding operations as much as possible."
"All infected areas must be isolated immediately; we must not give the epidemic a chance to spread."
Dominic's heart skipped a beat. "May the Emperor protect us, it's the XIV Legion."
He felt sorry for these warriors who had once wielded the scythe of judgment in the hands of the Emperor.
But now, they have long since betrayed their former glory and become a plague roaming the world.
Dominic couldn't help but sigh.
No wonder that Lunar-class Cruiser fell so quickly, even its mechanical systems betrayed it; it turns out the Death Guard had arrived.
He gained a deeper understanding of Lynn's "omniscience and omnipotence".
First, there's the prediction about Ragnar and the understanding of the Orks, then the location of the Orks warlords' hideout.
Now, they can even clearly explain the name of the Chaos Warband and the characteristics of the plague.
Just how much is in this guy's head?
Anyone who didn't know better would think he had a supercomputer from the Departmento Munitorum crammed into his head.
They can accurately retrieve intelligence from even the most obscure corners and analyze the best tactics for any enemy.