Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 492 Second Stage
At the core of the Graben ship's bridge, a deep blue holographic star map silently operates, its cold luster outlining the veins of blood and fire in the Ironjaw Canyon.

The projection of Broken Tooth III planet floated in a huge crater on the bridge.

On the star map, the silver-gray insignia representing the Third Recruit Company of Ash Knights are clearly visible, stubbornly wedging themselves into the outer perimeter of the Orc core lair Delta-7 along the assault axis "Anvil Road".

On the high ground of "Eagle's Nest Rock" on the flank, the blue markings of the Fourth Company formed a firing position, and the fan-shaped area marked by light blue arc light burned steadily.

Outside the landing zone, the tan-colored defensive line markings of the 17th Regiment of the Rostov Astral Army flickered like candles in the wind under the repeated onslaught of the rough red markings that represented the Orcish horde.

The cold starlight illuminated Chen Xi's calm profile and also fell upon Hathor Lupeka's cold, hard figure standing with his arms crossed.

Inside the bridge, the low, constant hum of the circulation system mingled with the metallic scent of promethium fuel.

In the encrypted communication channel, the monotonous and precise tactical reports from the ordinary crew members rang out intermittently.

Chen Xi's fingertips silently swept across the control panel, and a stream of data flowed down.

The screen next to me instantly displayed real-time battlefield footage: the Third Company's assault squad, in a wedge formation, squeezed the Orc defenses along the "Anvil Road," while the explosive rifles' precise short bursts continuously suppressed the firepower points behind the cover. The overall pace of the advance was in line with tactical expectations.

“The offensive axis is advancing steadily,” Chen Xi’s voice rang out calmly. “Ventanus’s ‘tiered’ coordination is working well, and casualties are manageable.”

His gaze swept quickly across the data stream, capturing a tiny delay in the overall coordination chain during a tactical confirmation action following a cover advance.

"Rhythm?" Hathor's voice was as cold as clashing metal, his molten gold pupils reflecting the exploding flames on the star map: "Commands are executed flawlessly, but look here—"

She raised her finger and pointed, and the holographic image instantly focused and magnified: two new recruits from the Third Company stopped in unison after completing an alternating leap, and bent down to inspect the ruins of a destroyed bunker.

“The ‘area clearance confirmation’ process is complete,” Hathor noted, his voice laced with cold scrutiny: “The battlefield will not pause for this.”

The scene seamlessly shifts to a makeshift orc firing position on the flank: a burly greenskin is roughly stuffing a rocket into the launcher, only to have his head blown off by a bolt-action bullet fired by a veteran.

“If it weren’t for the veterans in the rear fire support group using their honed battlefield instincts to fire half a second earlier to suppress the enemy,” Hathor’s voice was sharp as a blade, “those two randomly fired rockets would have landed during the gap in the team’s transition.”

The original forged body is an advantage, but not the whole story. Veterans who have truly emerged from the blood and fire of the Legion era possess a battlefield awareness like an invisible net. They... are still fresh blood; the gaps in their coordination still need the experience of veterans to bridge.

Chen Xi silently pulled up a real-time report that indicated three minor injuries and no fatalities.

His fingertip hovered over the flashing data stream for half a second, the light flashing quickly between the cold casualty figures and the gaps in the battlefield that Hathor pointed out.

Hathor's gaze, like a tangible probe, precisely pierced the virtual projection of the Astartes in the corner of the star map.

"As for that pamphlet written by Guilliman, who was elevated to a pedestal?" Her voice was as deep and cold as ancient iron: "I understand Robert Guilliman's original intention. In the darkest hour of the disbanded M32 Legion, when order was collapsing, it was a necessary guide, providing a framework and guidelines for the scattered sparks to act... but that's all."

A complex glimmer, belonging to the Primarchs, flashed in her molten gold pupils. "But look at now! Ten thousand years! Ten millennia mired in blood and fire, betrayal and sacrifice! The veil of the galaxy has been torn apart, demons are nesting on the ruins of reality… and what has been Holy Terra's response?" A cold, emotionless smile curved her lips: "They've elevated this tactical reference book to an unquestionable, sacred law! Every punctuation mark has become a shackle, every page a prison confining the mind!"
When the warp surge distorted communications, when the enemy trampled the laws of physics with blasphemous power, when the Imperium, this colossal ship riddled with holes, desperately needed the sharpest blade to cleave its way through the storm of destruction—

Deep within Terra Tower, those parasites are still endlessly arguing and fighting amongst themselves over rigid, outdated rules and regulations—like "company organization" and "painting standards"—that Roboute established for efficient management and identification back in the day!

Hathor turned to Chen Xi, his molten gold eyes churning with an abyss-like solemnity and barely suppressed rage: "They are using the cold remains of the Holy Scriptures to suffocate the wisdom of the living, twisting the tools of salvation into instruments of torture that imprison souls!"
This is the most fatal cancer in the Empire's body... a utter betrayal of the Primarch's intelligence, irrefutable proof of the Empire's decay, stagnation, and self-destruction!

The bridge fell into a deathly silence. Even the hum of the circulation system seemed frozen by that icy rage.

Chen Xi met Hathor's burning gaze, and he could feel the suppressed anger in her eyes.

"The deep-seated problems of Terra Tower cannot be cured by anger, Hathor. The empire's chronic ills are not something you or I can shake in this moment." His gaze turned to the core of the star map, calming Hathor's emotions while also pointing out the problem they were facing: "But on this broken-toothed planet, what we can decide is whether the new blood can survive the next wave of impact."

Delta-7's counterattack is imminent; that's where all your anger is needed.

Hathor's molten gold pupils suddenly locked onto Delta-7's pulsating crimson core.

Her chest heaved violently, and a suppressed, heavy gasp could be clearly heard in the silent bridge.

Hathor's surging rage seemed to be restrained; he controlled his emotions, quickly regained his composure, and focused his gaze on the star map.

The markings of the Third Company have extended deep into the canyon along the "Anvil Road"; the fire coverage of the Fourth Company has steadily extended from Eagle's Nest Rock.

However, the crimson spot representing Delta-7, the core orc lair, was pulsating violently.

More and more dense red threat markers are emerging in an endless stream, forming a murky blood tide that violently impacts the outer defense line. Each impact causes the yellowish-brown markers to flicker uncertainly.

"The planned assault axis has broken through the outer defense, and the Eagle's Nest Rock fire position is secure," Chen Xi's voice was steady and tense as he swiped his finger across the panel to bring up a striking deep red heat map of the orc forces: "The current phase of the operation has been achieved."

His gaze pierced through the star map and into the deep red area in the canyon that was constantly thickening, symbolizing the orc reserve force and core strength: "The real stress test is about to begin. When the greenskins realize that their core stronghold is under threat, they will fight back at all costs. We need to prepare the warriors."

Hathor nodded slightly, his molten gold eyes fixed on Delta-7: "The most deadly counterattack is that of a trapped beast! Let the new blood remember the order of this moment—the next phase will be a pure chaotic shock that tears apart all established tactics, and that will be the true crucible to test their resilience in coordinated combat."

The bridge fell into a brief silence.

Only the low, repetitive hum, the ticking of data, and the dense, uneasy crimson throbbing on the star chart resembled the dull heartbeat before a storm.

The tempering of the Broken Tooth Galaxy has entered a more intense stage.

(End of this chapter)