Although a significant portion of the Astartes had withdrawn from combat, the Human Expeditionary Force's offensive rhythm remained completely unaffected, continuing to advance systematically.
As the front lines continuously contracted, the Necrons' control area had been compressed to a considerably limited range.
This centralized battlefield situation, conversely, allowed the Expeditionary Force's firepower advantage to be fully utilized.
Heavy artillery clusters and super-heavy tank units, which previously needed to be deployed across a wide front, could now be used more concentratedly, bringing a stronger density of fire delivery to the Expeditionary Force.
Under this overwhelming firepower suppression, the Human forces' advance was even smoother than before.
However, as the Expeditionary Force gradually pushed into the Necrons' core area, the situation began to change.
The Necron structures and creations within the core areas gradually brought under the Expeditionary Force's control drove the Tech-Priest into a frenzy.
Whenever a well-preserved Necron structure was discovered, these red-robed Tech-Priest would fall into a state of almost insane obsession, wishing they could kneel on the living metal floors and meticulously explore every inch of these structures for their functions, their composition, and the alien technology they contained.
This technology was so mysterious and so advanced that it utterly captivated the Tech-Priest.
The high-ranking Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus even submitted a formal request directly to the Expeditionary Force command, strongly demanding a slowdown in the pace of the offensive.
They insisted that the assault on the Necron structures must minimize the use of heavy weapons, even if it meant the Skitarii had to confront the immortal Necrons made of living metal with their own flesh and blood.
In the eyes of the Adeptus Mechanicus, these structures, containing ancient technological mysteries, were more precious than the lives of tens of thousands of Skitarii soldiers.
They would rather watch the Skitarii engage in brutal urban warfare within the labyrinthine structures against the Necrons, paving the way forward inch by inch with corpses, than allow the Expeditionary Force to use heavy artillery bombardment, let alone orbital bombardment—even though that might be the fastest and most effective tactical option.
The Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus stubbornly believed that these ancient alien structures contained priceless knowledge and technology, and any form of crude destruction would be a blasphemy against the omnissiah.
As the Skitarii advanced over the remains of their comrades, the Tech-Priest in the rear set up precise scanning arrays, greedily recording the details of every alien construct.
Alex allowed this, as the influence of the Adeptus Mechanicus was undeniable; even the Inquisition often had to accommodate them.
His staff repeatedly suggested he intervene forcefully, but Alex merely shook his head in silence—in the complex power structure of the Imperium, some rules were more important than tactical efficiency.
Moreover, this was not without its benefits; at least now, the morale of the Expeditionary Force, which had been affected by the command to slow the pace of the offensive, had partially recovered.
When low-ranking Commanders conversed privately, they all showed expressions of "just as expected," as in their view, this behavior of delaying a tactical opportunity for archeological purposes was simply too typical of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Soldiers of the armored regiments even started betting on which ruin the red-robed Priests would frantically halt artillery fire for.
This was because most of the troops believed the order to slow down was issued under the influence of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
Sailors on the transport ships spread rumors of the Adeptus Mechanicus bribing the command with tons of sacred oils, while assault squad warriors firmly believed that a certain Archmagos threatened to cut off the Expeditionary Force's ammunition supply.
Although these rumors were absurd, they unexpectedly provided an outlet for the soldiers' emotions—compared to questioning superior command, attributing the responsibility to those eccentric Tech-Priest was clearly more acceptable.
This aligned perfectly with the Imperium's consistent perception of the Adeptus Mechanicus, which, paradoxically, stabilized morale significantly, but as for spirit…
The attitude of most of the Expeditionary Force was that as long as they weren't forced into a meat grinder with the Necrons, they would fully support the Adeptus Mechanicus's research activities.
Alex found it difficult to comment on this attitude, but considering the Adeptus Mechanicus's reputation within the Imperium, he couldn't say it was wrong.
In his daily battle reports, he deliberately emphasized the casualty figures borne by the Adeptus Mechanicus forces, which served both as an accountability to the Adeptus Mechanicus itself and as a means for other Expeditionary Force units to maintain psychological balance.
Especially since the Adeptus Mechanicus itself adopted an attitude of not wanting the Expeditionary Force to interfere; these Tech-Priest felt that these mortals who understood nothing would only damage these precious alien technologies, so they did not wish for the Expeditionary Force to intervene.
Whether it was the exploration fleet led by Archmagos Cawl, Griya Forge World represented by Kristen, or Mariupol Forge World led by Donia, all adopted a hardline stance, impatiently calling for reinforcements and demanding independent excavation.
Their respective Ark Mechanicus continuously sent encrypted distress signals to orbit, as if this were not a battlefield but a technological treasure trove awaiting division.
The three major factions' exploration teams delineated their spheres of influence on the map, with data blockades between them even stricter than those against the Necrons.
Cawl's Tech-Priest marked no-go zones on the map, Kristen's followers meticulously sealed their data storage units and Cognitohazard Arrays, while Donia's subordinates simply set up automated turrets in key passages—not to defend against aliens, but to warn other Adeptus Mechanicus factions not to cross the line.
Their animosity was so deep that in some areas, the Skitarii even refused to share battlefield intelligence, fearing their discoveries would be stolen by rivals.
Alex had personally witnessed a Griya Forge World servitor skull being instantly shattered by an electrical arc because it flew too close to Cawl's excavation site.
That poor mechanical construct hadn't even managed to complete its scanning protocol before it turned into charred remains in a blinding blue flash.
Cawl's retainers showed no remorse, merely coldly retrieving the skull's core data before continuing to focus on their excavation work.
Meanwhile, the Priests of Griya Forge World angrily mobilized a combat servitor squad in preparation for retaliation, and it was only Alex's personal intervention that prevented a bloody conflict within the Adeptus Mechanicus.
As the Expeditionary Force Commander, Alex naturally showed them respect—after all, under the Imperium's system, the Adeptus Mechanicus's autonomy was almost unshakeable.
But he also emphasized to these Tech-Priest that while they could conduct their archeological work, it should not impede the Expeditionary Force's offensive.
During a tactical meeting, he pointed at the Necron defense line on the holographic projection and said, "You may contend for every fragment of alien technology, but the Expeditionary Force's advance will not halt due to your academic disputes."
To this, although all three Tech-Priest expressed a certain degree of protest, after Alex reiterated that the Necrons still had multiple core worlds to conquer, the three factions engaged in an intense internal data contest and ultimately agreed to Alex's demands.
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