Howl————!
Though small in size, they writhed in bizarre ways, crawling spider-like across walls and ceilings, their slender limbs already deformed, finger joints transformed into sharp bone spikes.
They emitted hair-raising "crying" sounds, then in the next moment lunged at the Imperial Martial warriors' necks and joint gaps.
Even battle-hardened warriors felt their spirits shake.
But the momentary pause was not from fear, but from instinctive shock and reluctance.
After all, beneath their armor they remained "human," and seeing infants transformed into such grotesque forms inevitably stirred their hearts.
Yet this hesitation lasted barely half a breath.
Bang—Bang—!
Bolters roared again, infant necromorph heads exploding instantly, blood and bone fragments spraying across walls.
Imperial Martial warriors immediately resumed their cold, determined posture, suppressing residual emotions deep within.
For them, this was the iron law demanded by the Emperor and Primarch—
Mercy was reserved for human compatriots, not for creatures fallen into aberrant monsters.
The battlefield situation remained one-sided from beginning to end. Though necromorph numbers seemed endless, Imperial Martial warriors continued efficient rapid slaughter, flames and blood thoroughly staining the colony streets red.
But this was merely the "prelude."
Accompanied by heavy rumbling, the ground suddenly trembled.
Between cracked streets and collapsed buildings, a suffocating presence gradually spread.
It was a massive thing assembled from countless flesh and remains, like a writhing mountain of meat.
Arms, spines, skulls and organs connected in inconceivable ways, thousands upon thousands of corpses condensed into one entity, writhing and emitting soul-shaking roars—
The Brethren Moon.
This was the colony's horrific core, the grotesque source combining all necromorph will and instinct.
Its countless "eye sockets" flickered with red light like burning evil flames, gazing at the Imperial Martial warriors.
The colony's atmosphere was immediately shrouded in death and oppression.
Imperial Martial warriors formed orderly ranks, spears, swords, and gun muzzles all pointing toward the massive flesh monster.
Silent oaths rose in their hearts, indicating this bloody battle seemed just beginning.
The Brethren Moon finally appeared, its massive flesh mountain rising among colonial ruins like a monster from hell's abyss. Dozens of tentacles grew from its body, twisting and writhing, carrying viscous blood and dismembered limb fragments.
Boom—Boom!!
Each strike accompanied thunderous crashes like hammers pounding steel.
The colony surface shook under its oppression, metal frameworks collapsing in succession. However, in Imperial Martial vision, those violent attacks seemed to lose speed.
When massive tentacles swung, though their power was shocking, they seemed trapped in sluggish water, movements dragging and clumsy.
For ordinary people, this was catastrophe capable of sweeping battle lines, but in the eyes of warriors enhanced with gene-seed implants, surgeries and various augmentations, it was merely a slightly sluggish "dance."
"Form ranks, advance."
Brief commands rang through communication channels. Imperial Martial warriors moved in unison, front ranks carrying massive shields directly deploying linked high-power protective fields, heavy Chinese-style shield faces gleaming with blue arcs, easily deflecting striking tentacles.
Subsequently, rear warriors raised power spears and swords, precisely striking tentacle joints.
Hum—! Crackle!
With each spear thrust, tentacles were severed, searing energy cauterizing flesh, making it fall as blackened fragments.
Power swords flashed like blue lightning, swift and sharp, segmentally cutting the massive flesh blocks.
Under their control, the battlefield maintained clear rhythm like an ancient war dance.
Roar————!
The Brethren Moon emitted deep roars, sound waves shaking ruins and broken walls, flesh mass writhing more violently.
New tentacles grew successively, yet just as they extended, they met Thunderhawk gunship fire coverage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Airborne Thunderhawks circled at low altitude, twin-linked lascannons, heavy bolter cannons and rockets alternately pouring down.
Explosions bloomed continuously across the Brethren Moon's body, flesh and limbs blasted apart, black smoke mixed with acrid burning scents.
Coordinating with ground Imperial Martial advances, the entire battlefield formed a perfect suppression network, firmly trapping this massive monster at center.
Imperial Martial breathing remained steady, armor servo-systems humming quietly, their movements showing no panic.
Each slash, each trigger pull precisely hit weak points;
Each step forward accompanied heavy, firm metallic collision sounds.
For them, this was not life-or-death struggle, but more like training—a practical exercise to hone the legion.
Roar...
The Brethren Moon's body gradually diminished, tentacles fewer and fewer, roars growing weaker.
Finally, with a tearing shriek, the massive flesh body thunderously collapsed, the entire colony trembling.
Flesh scattered, blood pouring like waterfalls, splashing Imperial Martial armor yet quickly "evaporated" by energy shields.
However, this did not mean the end.
High above, the Gloriana-class super-heavy cruiser had already locked target coordinates.
Plasma secondary cannons in the vessel's belly directly released blazing energy convergence—instantly, blue-white plasma beams descended like divine punishment swords.
Swoosh~whoosh————boom————————!!!
Earth instantly disintegrated under beam scorching, Brethren Moon remains completely incinerated.
Temperature climbed to unimaginable levels, metal frameworks melting into magma-like liquid, flesh and debris instantly vaporizing to ash.
In mere seconds, the Brethren Moon remains' location was completely "vitrified."
The originally fragmented colony now left only scorched surface and eroded glass-like planes, resembling an artificially created desolate wasteland.
Imperial Martial warriors stood silently beyond blazing embers, spears and swords lowered, armor energy shields gleaming pale blue in dust.
They did not cheer for victory, because this battle was merely a task assigned by their Primarch father—ordinary training exercises.
"Brethren Moon eliminated, colony cleanup complete."
As cold reports transmitted back through communications to high altitude, the battlefield fell into complete silence.
Only that vitrified scorched earth remained, witnessing the Empire's determination and Imperial Martial ruthlessness.
Before colonial necromorphs were completely annihilated and the Brethren Moon burned to "glass," aboard the Ishimura, deep in the cargo bay—
Whoosh—! Whoosh whoosh—!
Flickering blue-green radiance exploded successively like lightning tearing darkness.
Thud! Thud!
In an instant, thirty-one towering figures appeared simultaneously, their magnetic boots landing on hard decking, shaking metallic echoes.
Space-fold teleportation brilliance gradually faded, the cargo bay returning to oppressive dimness, only crackling static remaining in the air.
First to appear was Primarch Sui Meng.
His towering figure nearly filled the cargo bay's height, specialized armor like a steel deity ready to tear enemy lines.
His right hand gripped that crescent moon-like massive power spear, the blade gleaming cold blue electricity in the bay's dim lighting, seeming to herald coming "slaughter."
Following closely were Imperial Martial's elite thirty Honor Guard members—
Breacher Elites, or Breachers.
Their armor was heavy and magnificent, specialized Terminator-grade heavy armor, every inch covered with ancient Chinese patterns, shoulder guards sculpted with roaring tigers, coiling dragons, or gazing qilin.
Face masks resembled fierce ghostly demon visages, twin-eye sensors blazing crimson light, like hell-fire burning in darkness.
Breastplates and knee guards bore "Martial" character seal script inscriptions, crimson cloaks hanging behind, gently swaying with their movement.
They were the Imperial Martial Legion's cutting edge, most unbreakable bulwark.
Thirty members comprised this Honor Guard's full strength.
Every Breacher was an elite among ten thousand, a general capable of fighting hundreds, and when assembled together, their terrifying combat power rivaled an entire legion company's spearhead assault force.
At this moment, their murderous presence was more oppressive than the bay's darkness.
The cargo bay's atmosphere formed stark contrast with them.
Here, what should have been spacious area storing ore and resources now resembled a graveyard.
Broken loading equipment lay overturned, mechanical arms violently twisted off, scattered cables hanging and dripping unknown viscous fluids.
Dried bloodstains between walls and floors had turned dark brown, thick layers congealed between cracks and bolts.
Mixed stench of decay and metal corrosion filled the entire cargo bay, involuntarily stirring disgust and depression in ordinary hearts.
Among scattered containers, some were violently burst open from within, twisted marks like prints left by alien creatures breaking free violently.
Others remained sealed but surfaces covered with claw marks, bone-deep gashes seeming ready to split again.
Ventilation ducts occasionally carried faint crawling sounds and low hisses, like whispers from hell's depths.
This eeriness would cause ordinary soldiers to collapse immediately.
But with Sui Meng present, with Breachers present, this cold oppression was ruthlessly dispelled.
Those "eyes" burning with red light swept every cargo bay corner like flames sweeping shadows, reducing terrifying atmosphere to nothing.
Breachers formed three ranks. Immediately, close combat weapons like power swords, power spears and power claws ignited blue-white arcs, deep humming echoing like war songs about to lift curtains.
As for Sui Meng, he showed no hesitation or fear.
Contrarily, beneath his helmet, those flame-like blazing eyes flickered with almost eager light.
Battle was his instinct; killing was his existence.
All horrors hidden within the Ishimura were merely trials and "sacrifices" in his view.
"Ha! Ha!"
At this moment, Breachers voiced unified war cries, heavy sound waves seeming to shake the entire cargo bay.
Now, terror had no foothold.
Even if air still retained necromorph stench and ominous whispers, these were merely echoes of shattered shadows.
What truly dominated here was no longer Marker gloom, but Imperial Martial blades and Sui Meng's will.
Thud! Thud!
Hiss—scrape—!
Sui Meng advanced slowly, power spear blade dragging electricity across flooring, carving a scorching trail.
Each footfall declared: terror was merely momentary illusion in blood and fire, while the Empire's will was eternal truth.
As thunder-like war cries spread, the entire cargo bay seemed to reverberate endlessly.
Immediately, waves of strange, harsh roars echoed in darkness—necromorph swarm awakening howls like countless evil spirits shrieking in metal bowels.
Heavy, chaotic footsteps rang throughout the decking, followed by wave after wave of deformed, hideous figures.
Their twisted limbs crawled pipes at extremely unnatural angles, pulling exposed steel cables, lunging tooth and claw toward Sui Meng and Breachers' position.
That scene resembled rotting tides carrying flesh, malice, seeking to devour all living things.
However, these necromorphs were utterly vulnerable before Imperial warriors.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Heavy, violent gunfire suddenly exploded like hammers striking war drums.
1.0cal parallel bolters mounted on Breachers' left arms flashed blinding fire, each volley accompanied by deafening roars.
Dense bolt rounds tore through air, explosive penetration directly blasting necromorph bodies into blood mist and meat fragments, twisted bones and organs falling like filthy rain across decking.
These Honor Guard members never considered necromorphs worthy opponents.
Their towering armor stood like unmovable iron walls—even letting those deformed monsters strike and bite couldn't shake their outer shields one bit.
Even those individuals swollen several times larger, covered with tentacles and carapaces, lasted merely half a breath longer than ordinary necromorphs before being torn apart by bolt rounds.
Breachers moved coldly and precisely, as if executing clearing operations repeated countless times. They barely bothered using melee weapons—against such enemy hordes, bolter firepower was more than sufficient.
Flesh exploded into fragments, dismembered remains striking bulkheads, leaving horrific marks.
Sui Meng appeared even more composed.
In his eyes, these necromorphs lacked qualification for him to wield weapons.
Primarch majesty formed an invisible barrier, making those corrupted monsters seem even more fragile when approaching him.
Had he not chosen to observe, perhaps a casual strike could plunge the entire cargo bay into silence.
However, just as slaughter continued, the cargo bay atmosphere suddenly changed.
Hiss—hiss—!
Deep, indistinct whisper sounds surged like tides into every inch of air.
These were not human languages, more like echoes overflowing from abyssal depths, carrying bewitchment and corrosion, seemingly knocking endlessly at soul depths.
Cargo bay lighting began flickering, walls seemingly slightly distorting, space itself appearing to tremble as if grasped by invisible forces.
It seemed the Red Marker was beginning to "exert force."
Sensing necromorphs could not stop these enemies, it released higher-level mental disruption.
The whispers' "power" was so great it seemed to twist reality, even making air carry bizarre viscosity.
Ordinary humans would directly experience hallucinations, mental collapse, or immediate transformation under such psychic bombardment.
Yet Breachers remained as always.
Their movements showed no hesitation, still calmly, mechanically harvesting wave after wave of necromorphs.
Muzzle fire, blood spray mist completely covered oppression brought by those whispers.
They were completely undisturbed war machines, continuing to crush enemy swarms, displaying Honor Guard terror unique to the Empire.
Sui Meng slowly turned his head.
His gaze pierced through cargo bay shadows like flames, directly locking onto the whisper source—
The Red Marker's location.
In that instant, physical space likewise seemed to freeze, even whispers abruptly ceased, air congealing into oppressive silence at its extreme.
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