Chapter 119: Monster, Let's Die Together!
The Ultramarines, looking at the Xingtian Mech—striding, lunging, and performing sword forms with a fluid grace—were amazed. To a bystander, the mech's movements might have seemed slow, but they were all seasoned warriors. They understood that this "slowness" was merely a visual illusion.
The sonic boom of the sword breaking the air, the rush of wind from the mech's turns and dodges, and the explosive sound that shook the entire chamber when it suddenly accelerated—all of this told them that it was fast, very fast.
Omega, wearing noise-canceling headphones, looked at his creation with a satisfied smile. It was just as he had imagined. Only the physique of a Space Marine could unleash the full performance of the mech. Ventris, who had already exited the Xingtian, was carefully "serving" him, his fawning expression not at all befitting an Ultramarine.
"Omega, you are a genius!"
The headphones filtered out the excess noise, allowing the little cog-head to hear Ventris's words. He tilted his chin, his body language telling the Captain, "You don't say."
Ventris now showed no trace of an Imperial demigod's pride. His demeanor was like that of a eunuch or a court jester in a feudal world. The other Ultramarines had all turned their backs, pretending to be completely captivated by the mech. But if one looked closely, they would see the muscles around their ears tensing. They were not as indifferent as they appeared.
"Omega, look—"
"No way! I can't believe you said that. What do you mean, 'put it on my tab'? Even the Greenskins do cash on delivery!" Omega said, looking at the fawning Ventris with contempt.
"But your price is too high! It's almost as much as a warship!"
"You think I want to? Do you know how expensive the materials that can withstand this kind of intensity are? I'm telling you, if I used slightly cheaper materials, the mech would have fallen apart during your test drive. If I used heavier materials, it wouldn't be this agile!"
"..."
The Ultramarine knew that the black-hearted little cog-head had set a trap for him. But even knowing it was a trap, he couldn't help but walk into it. The moment he had been forcibly called out of the mech by his battle-brothers, he had gone to Omega and said, "Name your price." Although he had been prepared to be fleeced, when he had heard the price Omega had given him, he had still shivered.
The black-hearted little cog-head, as if knowing that this price was unacceptable to the Ultramarines, had then told Ventris that there was also a cheaper "dumbed-down version," and the cheapest "dumber-down version." In that moment, the centuries-old Ventris had understood that he and all his brothers who had come here had fallen into the cog-head's trap. Having tasted the "fresh peach," how could they stand the taste of a "rotten peach"? And the other brothers who hadn't come, after hearing about the "fresh peach," who wouldn't want a bite?
"It's all for humanity—"
"Don't use the greater good to pressure me. You go and ask around. On Korsa, who doesn't give a thumbs-up at the name of Magos Omega? Who doesn't know that I am the vanguard against the Tyranids? Why should a loyal and good general of the Imperium suffer a loss? Why should a good man be beaten?"
Ventris was speechless. When he had first arrived on Korsa, he had, of course, inquired about what the little cog-head had been up to. Not to mention the mechanical hounds he had provided to the Astra Militarum for free, just the fact that he had treated the soldiers and accompanying priests' injuries and replaced their bionics at a cabbage price... who on Korsa would dare to say a "no" to Omega? They would be shot in the back.
"Oh, I forgot to mention. The Howling Sky also has a dumbed-down version. Let me know what you want as soon as possible, so I can arrange for production. Be quick about it. The output of high-end weapons is low, and we don't have much time to waste," Omega said and turned to leave.
Looking at the little cog-head's brisk, skipping steps, Ventris felt a surge of hatred. Were they, who did not understand technology, to be exploited by the cog-heads who held the core technology?
"Why don't we, when the Chapter Master arrives, sell our flagship?" a an Ultramarine who had approached after Omega had left said.
Speechless, looking at his brother who had fallen into the cog-head's consumer trap, Ventris looked at the others who had gathered around and said, "If we're going to say it, we should all say it together. If I'm the only one, the Chapter Master won't believe me."
At this moment, Calgar, who had just arrived at Korsa after a jump from the warp, shivered. Grand Inquisitor Gaius, who was beside him, looked at him and asked with concern, "Chapter Master Calgar, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No, thank you for your concern."
"With your demigod physique, how could you shiver? You mustn't push yourself. You are the commander-in-chief. I think it's better to have a check-up. The Tyranid creatures are far more cunning than we imagine," the Grand Inquisitor continued to persuade.
Calgar shook his head, his face dark. "It's an old problem. It's from being angered by the good-for-nothing wastrels in the Chapter for the past hundred years. Now, the moment I see a reimbursement form, it acts up."
But you haven't seen one yet. Why is it acting up? Grand Inquisitor Gaius thought, puzzled. But this was the Ultramarines' family business. It was not his place to ask.
In a defensive sector of a human outpost on Korsa, the Astra Militarum was on a routine patrol. This place was not far from the Greenskin forest. The purpose of establishing an observation post here was to prevent any Greenskins from running out, escaping the surveillance network of the humans and the T'au, and, after secretly developing, giving the allied forces a surprise. But no one had noticed a monster following behind their team, a monster that could constantly change its color with its environment. Its massive body moved nimbly through the woods, and although it was moving violently, it did not make any strange sound that would alert the Astra Militarum.
"Woof, woof, woof!" The mechanical hound on patrol with them suddenly barked wildly at a certain spot.
The Astra Militarum, receiving the warning, did not hesitate or ask questions. They immediately unleashed all their firepower in the direction the hound was barking. From their decisiveness, it was clear that this was not the first time they had done this.
"Cease fire! John, go and see if it's a Greenskin or some other animal," the captain ordered.
"Yes, captain!"
"Everyone else, stay alert! We don't have Magos Omega's skills. The Greenskins aren't afraid of us!"
"Yes, captain!" the other squad members replied.
John, who had carefully approached the area that had been torn and burned by the lasguns and logging guns, after a thorough check, shouted to his comrades in the distance, "Captain, there's nothing here!"
The Astra Militarum captain, hearing his scout's words, walked a few steps forward, squatted down, and knocked on the mechanical hound's metal head. "You make mistakes too, huh?"
"Whine—" The hound let out a pitiful whimper and rubbed its head against the captain.
The captain patted the hound's head with a doting tone. "Alright, alright. I'm not blaming you. Keep it up next time. Even if we don't hit a Greenskin, we can't get a meal, but we can at least hear a bang, right?"
"Hahaha, captain, when Steel-jaw found your hidden contraband, you were threatening to break its legs."
"Get lost, get lost! It was that despicable Commissar, jealous of my and Steel-jaw's relationship, who was deliberately trying to sow discord between us. Steel-jaw was just following orders."
"Woof!"
"See, Steel-jaw also..."
"Woof, woof, woof!"
The mechanical hound's urgent barks interrupted the captain's words and made the atmosphere tense again. But this time, the hound's vigilance was directed at John, who had just run back.
"Steel-jaw, what's wrong with you? Don't you remember I was the one who charged you yesterday?" John complained to the mechanical hound.
But the hound ignored him, just barking at him. The others were also very puzzled, but the captain, after seeing the direction and position of Steel-jaw's head, suddenly shouted at John, "John, quick, check if you've stepped on something!"
Hearing this, the scout quickly lifted his boot and began to take it off, shouting at the same time, "Captain, I've got something stuck to the bottom of my boot! It's corroded a hole in it!"
But the captain, hearing this, shouted, "Defensive formation! Flare for reinforcements! It's a Tyra—"
The veteran of many battles had not finished his command when a huge monster fell from the sky and cut him in two. The Astra Militarum soldier who was closer to him did not escape either. The others frantically raised their weapons and fired at the monster, but the lasers that could vaporize flesh had no effect on it. The solid projectiles from the logging guns were also deflected by the monster's chitinous carapace.
The mechanical hound rushed over, wanting to tear at the monster, but the captain, with his last breath, knew that with their strength, they were no match for the monster before them. He had been lucky enough to escape from a monster like this, which the priests and commanders called a "Lictor," once before. The scene he had seen while hiding under his comrade's corpse was a recurring nightmare.
"Run! Steel-jaw, run! Get the message out!" the captain shouted with all his might, giving the mechanical hound an order.
The hound, receiving the order, did not hesitate for a moment. It turned and ran in the direction they had come from.
"Aroooooo—"
The captain, watching Steel-jaw's retreating figure, heard its mournful howl, and a smile touched his lips. He could feel his life slipping away. He seemed to see His Majesty the Emperor smiling at him, beckoning to him. Melodious music, beautiful and pure angels, were surrounding him.
"Your Majesty, I will be with you a little later."
With his broken body, he bit his tongue to let the pain help him muster his last bit of strength. The mortal crawled, little by little, towards his lower half. There was the weapon he needed. He wanted revenge. Revenge on the monster that had slaughtered his comrades. Revenge on the cowardly self of the past. Hold on! Hold on! Just a little more, you useless piece of scrap! Your Majesty! Lend me your strength, just a little will do. A little closer, just a little closer!
The elite among mortals had no chance against the "killer" created by the Tyranids. A one-sided slaughter. Besides the standing Lictor, there were no living creatures left. After confirming that there were no other threats, the Lictor crawled to its first prey. This was the most valuable prey in this group. It had deliberately not killed him directly, to let him linger, to keep him fresh, to prevent the loss of intelligence in his brain after death.
It lifted the prey, who had only one breath left, with its claws and opened its tendril-like mouthparts, aiming at the prey's head. Before sucking out the brains, the Lictor looked at the prey's face. This was its habit. It liked the expression of its prey before death. Although it did not understand what "like" was, that did not stop it from wanting to do so. The Lictor found that this prey was a little different from the others. Although he was already unable to move, about to die, there was something burning in his eyes. It sensed a threat and wanted to throw the other party away, but it was too late.
"Monster, let's die together!" the mortal mouthed, his voice a silent roar.