Not long after, at the central plaza of the capital building in the heart of the city:
Click—click-click—!
Bang! Bang-bang!!
Gunfire and explosions filled the air, creating a tense and chaotic atmosphere.
The sounds of various weapons roared in succession, but none were more shocking than the explosive rounds fired by the Space Wolves' weapons. Their thunderous booms were akin to rolling storms.
From a bird's-eye view, the plaza unfolded in grim clarity.
The last defensive line, composed of government guards from the "15th" administration, army infantry, and private security forces from major corporations, desperately attempted to resist the ferocious assault of Space Wolves' 14th Company.
However, despite amassing nearly ten thousand troops here, their forces crumbled in the face of two Helljumper combat companies, six Space Wolves combat squads, and a host of bio-weapons and combat mechs. The tide of defeat was irreversible.
Helljumpers, armed with advanced hard-light and gauss weaponry, displayed unparalleled precision. They were able to unleash precise and deadly strikes from ranges far beyond the effective range of enemy infantry weapons.
Meanwhile, the Tyrants and mechs served as "armored units," employing plasma cannons, rotary gauss guns, and mini-missiles to suppress the resistance forces of the "15th" government.
Even the government and corporate armored units—main battle tanks and armored vehicles—tried to hold the line. Yet, against the relentless waves of attacks from the Wolves, their resistance proved negligible.
The guards, infantry, and private security forces' armor were virtually powerless against the advanced weaponry. Gauss spike rounds and hard-light beams pierced through them as if they were paper.
And then there were the explosive rounds.
The sheer power of these rounds was utterly terrifying.
If struck by an explosive round, survival was nearly impossible; death was the only outcome.
Even the formidable Astartes warriors stood no chance without their signature Titan armor. Mere "mortals" like the local military and security forces stood no chance at all.
In fact, in the "15th" universe, attempts by the human military and corporations to create so-called "super soldiers" through genetic modification and technological enhancements had never succeeded.
When facing more than forty Astartes from the Space Wolves—soldiers who embodied the pinnacle of the "super soldier" ideal—the battle lines quickly fell into complete collapse.
Moreover, in the cyberpunk societal context, the loyalty and reliability of the local military personnel were often inferior to that of the private security forces employed by corporations.
As the battle escalated, the atmosphere in the plaza grew increasingly tense.
The Space Wolves charged forward like ferocious beasts, their offensive relentless, advancing fearlessly under heavy fire.
Buzz—buzz—zzzzrip—!!
When a squad leader from the Wolves swung a chainsword, cleaving a security officer in two with a spray of blood, the morale of the government and corporate forces wavered dramatically.
Most of the "locals" began to realize that the situation had reached a "final critical moment."
"Attention, everyone!! Reinforcements are on the way! Hold your ground!!"
An army major shouted amidst the chaos, trying to rally morale, but his voice was drowned out by the deafening roar of gunfire.
Boom—boom-boom—!!
At that moment, a main battle tank in the distance was obliterated by an explosion, shattering into pieces as smoke billowed skyward.
The shockwave from the blast sent nearby soldiers tumbling to the ground, creating a scene of despair and chaos.
"All of you—"
Just as a commander from the security forces, having recognized the irreversibility of the situation, prepared to lead his men in a desperate, suicidal charge—
Zzzrip—!
The commander's head was severed by a Space Wolves squad leader.
The pain was so sudden that the commander's consciousness faded into eternal darkness before he even realized what had happened.
At this moment, the "15th" universe had yet to formally integrate into the human empire, and few had any knowledge of the Emperor.
Thus, the souls of the dead could not be sensed by Samuel Young, nor could they be "drawn" into any heaven or hell dimensions of the "13th" universe.
However, amidst this intense battle, the government troops and security forces had no time to ponder the fate of their souls.
What they faced was an urgent choice between life and death, one they could not escape if they wished to avoid being swallowed by this unrelenting conflict.
And so:
"We've lost! We've lost! Our army is finished!"
"They're insane—monsters, all of them!"
"Run!!"
The local military forces broke down completely, turning to flee.
Witnessing their comrades and security officers being torn apart by the Wolves' sheer ferocity, and seeing the Helljumpers continue to charge even after being shot—ignoring any injuries that weren't fatal—instilled despair and robbed them of their will to fight.
"Sir! Surrender!"
"We've done all we could to hold the line!"
"I surrender! Please, don't kill me!"
Some, ignoring their comrades and commanding officers, threw down their weapons, raised their hands, and begged the Space Wolves and Helljumpers for mercy.
In this battle, where the disparity in strength was overwhelming, former notions of honor and conviction shattered like broken mirrors, irretrievable. Despair surged like a flood, drowning all courage.
In reality, the combat experience and fighting skills of these government soldiers were far inferior to those of the Colonial Marines.
Most marines had participated in actual combat or "bug-clearing" operations, while only a few officers, promoted through academic achievements or family connections, displayed incompetence that dragged down their forces.
This environment forged the marines into battle-hardened warriors, whereas the government troops were notably fragile.
Additionally, the government soldiers stationed on the "15th" Earth knew they were merely expendable pawns, holding the line to buy time for politicians, generals, and corporate representatives hiding behind them to escape.
In other words, they had been abandoned, deemed worthless.
Faced with the brutal reality of such powerful foes, many soldiers were overwhelmed by a sense of futility and disappointment.
Why should they sacrifice their lives for the self-serving elites?
This sentiment further dampened morale, causing many to give up, flee, or surrender.
It was not merely a survival instinct but also a profound doubt about the meaning of the battle itself.
Had they known earlier that their superiors rejected Logan Sigurd's surrender offer out of empty pride, they might have concluded that this defense had been meaningless all along—and so were their sacrifices.
In the cyberpunk world, soldiers' loyalty often depended on the pay and benefits offered by their employers.
In terms of loyalty, corporate security forces like those of Weyland-Tyrell and other megacorporations were far more "reliable" than government troops.
Even so, when the government forces collapsed entirely, the security units from the corporations continued to hold the line, attempting to fend off the Space Wolves' 14th Company.
However, no amount of loyalty or bravery could stop the Wolves' advance.
Soon, the capital building was breached and occupied by the combined forces of the Helljumpers and Space Wolves.
Pelican Dropships, Silver Gull Transports, and Luna-class carriers quickly deployed auxiliary troops, cloned soldiers, T-800 Terminators, and heavy armored units into the city, further solidifying the 14th Company's control.
Politicians, military officers, and corporate representatives who attempted to flee Earth on Cheyenne Dropships or space shuttles were intercepted and destroyed by the Autumn-class vessels stationed in low orbit.
Deserters and escapees were especially despised in the culture of the Space Wolves.
Logan held an even deeper hatred for such behavior. The actions of these elites—abandoning their soldiers and seeking every possible way to escape—fueled his wrath.
This operation provided him with the perfect opportunity to purge the corrupt leadership of the "15th" humanity.
Since they brought about their own demise, Logan was all too happy to clean house.
Meanwhile, after assisting the Helljumpers in neutralizing ground-based air defenses, Logan quickly regrouped with his company's squad and headed directly to the locations identified by the intelligent AI.
According to precise AI intel, these sites housed the remaining high-ranking individuals within the capital city.
Some cowardly politicians and corporate leaders had retreated to fortified bunkers or remote estates upon hearing rumors of the impending attack, hoping to avoid their fate by hiding.
Once these locations were confirmed to be free of innocent civilians, the 14th Company's fleet deployed orbital bombardments, swiftly eliminating these greedy, cowardly elites.
And what of the Predators?
Since Logan's first encounter and subsequent killing of one, the 14th Company had encountered more than a dozen suspected Predator targets.
Following Logan's orders, the Helljumpers, Wolves, and auxiliary forces initially issued warnings to these extraterrestrial creatures.
However, contrary to Logan's expectations, the Predators didn't lash out in a "rageful" manner upon being discovered, nor did they attack out of survival instinct.
Instead, they turned and fled immediately, avoiding further contact with the 14th Company whenever possible.
Logan found this behavior puzzling.
Upon reflection, he realized that the Predator he had "easily" killed earlier likely saw him as a major threat and had used its plasma shoulder cannon in an attempt to gain the
upper hand.
Even the most ordinary Astartes exuded an incredibly intimidating aura.
Yet, that particular Predator had overestimated its strength relative to Logan's, resulting in its abrupt demise.
As for the Predators roaming the capital city, they might have been observing the situation or perhaps had no hostility toward humans. Alternatively, after learning of their comrade's swift defeat, they opted for caution and retreat.
Their deliberate avoidance of conflict with the 14th Company surprised Logan.
Regardless of their motives, the Wolves' intelligent AI had thoroughly monitored the Predators' movements. Using the city's surveillance systems, it meticulously tracked and located the Predators' hiding spots—even pinpointing their mothership.
If the Predators could be captured or eliminated before they regrouped, it would undoubtedly provide greater security and strategic leverage for the entire operation.
Meanwhile, the Predator corpse Logan had killed was successfully retrieved by technical personnel without any incidents.
Thus, the complete occupation of the "15th" Earth was, for the 14th Company, merely the prelude to final victory.
There were still "countless" steps to integrate the "15th" Earth into the Empire's governance.
First was consolidating military control, ensuring the security of occupied territories, preventing the rise of resistance forces, and establishing military outposts and patrols to maintain order.
The Space Wolves would gradually deploy auxiliary forces, clones, and T-800 units via warp-capable transport vessels and spatial gates to assist the 14th Company.
Second was establishing a governmental structure by setting up a temporary or formal governing body composed of Imperial appointees and pro-Empire factions to ensure administrative continuity.
These officials would be selected from personnel files across the Prime Universe and other universes, with newly graduated recruits and young professionals assigned positions for experience-building.
Next was using intelligent and "dumb" AI to spread Imperial ideals and policies through channels like broadcasts, pamphlets, and social media to win public support and minimize resistance.
Economic integration would follow, involving the assessment and restructuring of the local economy to ensure its incorporation into the Imperial credit system, including taxation, trade, and resource allocation.
Most crucially, a new legal system would be introduced.
The 14th Company would oversee the implementation or drafting of laws suited to local conditions, ensuring effective governance and aligning the legal framework with Imperial standards.
Cultural adaptation and integration, recruiting new soldiers from the local population for the Imperial Guard, establishing evaluation and feedback systems, and managing relations with other colonies or species would also fall under the 14th Company's purview.
In short, until the Emperor formally appointed a Primarch as governor, the true ruler of the "15th" Alien universe was Logan Sigurd, captain of the Space Wolves' 14th Company.
Given this trajectory and past precedents, it was highly likely that the Alien universe would be governed by the Space Wolves' Primarch, Leman Russ.
After all, the Wolves had done the dirty and grueling work, as well as taken the blame for Imperial actions. If the Alien universe weren't handed over to them, Logan, Leman Russ, and the entire chapter of Space Wolves would undoubtedly feel slighted.
As the Emperor, Samuel Young would never make decisions that disheartened his "sons" and "grandsons."
For now, the integration of the Alien universe seemed to be wrapping up.
Meanwhile, in the Starship Troopers (14th) universe, Leon and Maggie successfully "relocated" tens of thousands of Federal soldiers.