Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 364 Actions of all parties
In the study of the Upper Nest von Kleist Estate, Count Hermann von Kleist leaned gracefully against his ancestral oak desk.

A vintage brass table lamp cast a warm glow on the dark red velvet tablecloth, illuminating the antique Kingslayer chess piece he was playing with in his hand.

The chess pieces are meticulously carved from black marble, with every texture of the king's statue rendered with lifelike detail.

“What a perfect layout!” Hermann said in his elegant high Gothic, his long fingers gently placing a chess piece on the edge of the holographic projection.

The projection displayed a 3D map of the entire Nest City, with the chess pieces corresponding precisely to the location of the Grey Pigeon Sanatorium.

“My dear Judge Craig probably doesn’t realize,” he said, taking a sip of his amber-colored spirit from his crystal glass, “that every step he takes is part of a game that the von Kleist family has been playing for generations.”

Stephen, the elderly consultant dressed in a traditional butler's uniform, bowed slightly, his silver-gray sideburns gleaming softly under the light.

"Sir, we just received news." His voice was low and restrained. "The Chaos Capital's Ministry of Justice has mobilized three elite law enforcement teams, and the court's armed forces are also gathering."

Upon hearing this news, Hermann raised his hand and pressed the chess piece heavily onto the ivory-inlaid chessboard, making a crisp sound.

“Let them go.” His voice retained the composure characteristic of aristocrats, but each word was as sharp as an icicle: “When the eclipse is complete…”

He gracefully pushed the chess piece across the entire board, saying, "This game of chess, which has lasted for three hundred years, is about to reach its grandest conclusion."

A flicker of worry crossed Stephen's eyes, but he quickly regained his professional composure: "Those downstream organizations of the families..."

“They’re just pieces that get captured on the chessboard.” Hermann gently swirled the crystal glass, watching the wine create a perfect vortex within. “As my grandfather always said, to win a game of chess, you have to be willing to sacrifice a few good pieces.”
-
The second basement level of the Grey Pigeon Sanatorium was permeated with decaying dampness, the rust on the walls glowed dark red under the beam of a tactical flashlight, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of rust mixed with blood.

As Mai and Dusk's team stepped into the corridor, their tactical boots made a sticky sound as they walked on the wet floor.

A rustling sound suddenly came from the shadows, like countless sharp claws scraping against a metal surface, sending chills down one's spine.

Dozens of Khorne cultists poured out of ventilation ducts and wall cracks, their bodies covered in dark red battle markings, emitting beast-like growls from their throats, and brandishing serrated machetes and crude chain axes.

Their eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty fervor, as if they were already eager to offer their blood as a sacrifice to their gods.

“It was a trap after all.” Mai Mai’s cold laugh echoed in the confined space. His finger lightly pressed the trigger of the plasma pistol, and the gun hummed and lit up with a ghostly blue light, illuminating the cultist’s hideous face opposite him: “No wonder someone was in a hurry to make us stop—they were afraid we would overturn the chessboard.”

Dusk did not respond. His multi-spectral vision device glowed coldly in the darkness, and the muzzle of his modified explosive gun adjusted slightly as his gaze locked on the target.

The cultists at the front of the encirclement suddenly roared and charged forward, brandishing their weapons. Their charge was chaotic, yet driven by a pure lust for slaughter.

"Fire!" he shouted, and gunshots rang out almost simultaneously.

The heads of the three cult members exploded, and dark red blood splattered onto the wall like a fountain, staining the rust even darker.

However, more fanatics continued their charge, stepping over the corpses of their comrades, their roars echoing through the narrow corridors as if there were no end in sight.

"Execute the backup plan!" Dusk suddenly raised his voice, his finger slamming down on the button hanging at his waist. The entire building was plunged into deathly darkness; the emergency lighting system was instantly cut off, leaving only the muzzle flash of the bomb gun and the blue light of the plasma weapon flickering in the darkness.

The cultists' battle cries were torn apart by the roar of the slug guns, the crimson bullet trajectories weaving a fire net in the darkness, tearing the charging enemies to shreds.

MaiMai's team had already set up jamming devices around the building. At this moment, the piercing shriek penetrated the wall, causing a brief moment of chaos in the cultists' charge. Their battle cries turned into angry roars, but they could not stop the deadly barrage of fire from continuing to reap the rewards.

"Take the men and retreat!" Dusk roared amidst the hail of bullets.

Two team members carried the unconscious researcher toward the emergency exit. The cultists' blades had barely grazed their shoulder armor when they were incinerated by the plasma beams.

Mai Mai fired as she retreated, the blue light from her gun spitting out a deadly arc in the darkness.

“Tell your master—” He grinned at a surveillance camera on the ceiling, the blue light from the gun barrel flaring up: “It’s time to change the players in this game!”

The blast wave knocked over the last few cultists who rushed forward, and the shockwave shattered the glass on both sides of the corridor, with shards falling like rain.

When the smoke cleared, all that remained in the corridor were broken weapons and charred remains, as well as a huge hole in the wall that had been melted by the plasma beam, through which cold wind was howling in from the outside.
-
In the secret stronghold of the Upper Nest Tribunal, dozens of holographic projection screens flickered under the dim dome.

Judge Craig stood in front of the central control console, staring at the main projector in front of him, the image clearly showing everything that was happening inside the Grey Pigeon Sanatorium.

“The von Kleist family is too confident.” Craig’s voice carried a cold laugh, the projected light casting shifting shadows on his angular face. “They thought they could hold us back with a few cultists, that they had everything under control…”

He suddenly paused and turned his gaze to the other side of the command room.

There, a giant planetarium was operating automatically, displaying a countdown to the upcoming solar eclipse.

Attendant Algernon strode over, his information on the data panel constantly updating: "Your Honor, the von Kleist family's private guard is assembling at the manor."

“As expected,” Craig sneered. “What they don’t know is that we’ve already pinpointed the real location of the ritual.”

He raised his hand to zoom in on the projection, and the entire 3D model rotated and unfolded, revealing a structural diagram from deeper underground.

Algernon hesitated, then said, "Those two investigators...won't they alert the enemy? After all, they've made such a commotion..."

“They did a great job.” Craig’s gaze fell on Mai Mai’s back in the projection, where the young traveling merchant was clearing an escape route for his teammates with precise shooting.

"As expected of the elite acolytes personally trained by Judge Chen Xi." His tone rarely revealed a hint of admiration: "Sometimes, the most effective cover is a spectacular feint attack."

The judge suddenly turned and walked toward the communications station. When he spoke again, his voice turned icy cold: "Notify all standby units to move out immediately when the eclipse begins. Code name: 'Purifying Flame'."

Judge Craig's lips curled into a dangerous smile: "Remember, our target isn't those small fry, but—the big fish hiding behind the scenes."

(End of this chapter)