Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 580 Landing on Medusa

The Iron Will tore through the raging void of the Medusa Galaxy, and the ice crystals that had condensed on its adamantine ram shattered like stardust as it passed through the star's gravitational pull.

The ship brutally pierced through the planet's surface, where a perpetual, ochre-red storm cloud layer teemed with rust dust and acidic substances.

The violent tremors traveled along the keel to the bridge, and the observation windows were instantly covered with a murky film of rust particles and acidic condensate.

Below, the menacing silhouette of the Karada Fortress, constructed of steel, rock, and massive gears, looms in and out of view amidst the churning storm, like the lurking back of a giant beast.

Ferrus Manus stood like a silent steel statue before the violently shaking observation window of the bridge.

The liquid metal covering her right arm and shoulder blade—"Gorgon Skin"—flowed and shifted unconsciously as she traversed the storm, as if it possessed its own life.

Below the ship, the massive "Skarskrap" mechanical scrapyard swept across the horizon. The sight of slave laborers being tortured and the pungent smell of burnt flesh and molten metal seemed to penetrate the air of the bridge through the circulatory system.

Her metallic knuckles tightened inside her power armor, emitting a faint metallic scraping sound, but ultimately she made no further move.

Chen Xi stood quietly a few steps behind her, like a ghost blending into the background. In the shadows, the Judge's Rose badge gleamed with a cold metallic luster.

The ship descended amidst the roar of its engines, ultimately opting for a relatively "conventional" landing method—instead of crashing directly into the core area, it landed on the external take-off and landing platform designated by the Karada Fortress for welcoming important figures.

The impact was less intense than a direct hit to the top, but it still stirred up a cloud of rust-colored dust, like a brief mist of blood.

The heavy airdrop hatch slowly opened amidst the ear-piercing roar of the hydraulic system.

Two squads of Ash Knights, clad in gray power armor and wielding precision-engineered explosive muskets, quickly filed out and formed a tight guard formation on either side of the hatch.

Immediately afterward, Judge Chen Xi, wearing a black robe embroidered with the crimson rose emblem of the Religious Order of the Exile, slowly stepped out.

His appearance immediately drew the attention of all the Iron Hand warriors on the platform, and the sensor array silently focused on him.

An officer clad in black power armor, with an intricate clan emblem on his left shoulder and highly mechanized limbs, led a small squad of soldiers forward with heavy yet precise steps.

The officer's electronic eyes flashed an evaluative red light, focusing like probes on the rose badge on Chen Xi's chest. A steady, emotionless synthesized voice emanated from the microphone: "In the name of steel and logic, welcome, Judge Chen Xi. Your request for access has been reviewed by the Steel Council. Please follow me; the Iron Fathers are waiting in the Hall of Ten Thousand Forges."

His posture was impeccable, yet it exuded a cold sense of distance.

At that moment, the eyes of all the Iron Hand warriors on the platform were involuntarily drawn to the figure behind Chen Xi who had just stepped out of the hatch.

It was an extremely tall figure, nearly half again as imposing as the tallest Space Marine, encased in dark gray power armor with an antique style and lines as hard as forged steel.

The armor bears no legion insignia or clan logo, only deep scratches left by time and countless battles, silently telling the story of the past.

What was most striking was the material covering her right arm and shoulder—not ordinary ceramic steel or refined gold, but some kind of slowly flowing, shifting, dark silver-gray liquid metal that reflected an unnatural, cold light under the fortress's dim lights.

The figure stood silently behind and to the side of the judge, like a loyal giant guard, yet exuding a chilling sense of oppression far beyond that of a mere guard, like a volcano that could erupt at any moment.

The warriors of the Steel Hand instantly tensed up.

Their sensors operated silently and at high speed, scanning this unfamiliar, colossal presence. The red flashing frequency of the electronic eyes that greeted the officer noticeably increased. He tilted his head slightly, and the tone of his voice carried a barely perceptible hint of wariness: "Your Excellency, please state the identity of your accompanying guard. His equipment does not meet Imperial standards and is not registered on the visitor list."

The other soldiers' fingers silently engaged the weapon safety, and the joints of their power armor emitted a soft servo hum.

Chen Xi remained calm, as if the tense atmosphere around him had nothing to do with him.

He spoke calmly, his voice clearly piercing the howling wind on the platform, carrying the inherent authority of a judge: "She is my advisor and security guarantor for this trip. Her identity will be revealed later in the Hall of Ten Thousand Forges, when she faces the Steel Council. Now, lead the way."

The tone left no room for doubt.

The processor that greeted the officer was clearly making complex logical trade-offs, with data flowing rapidly within his field of vision.

Finally, he gave a stiff, slight nod: "Yes, Your Honor. This way."

He turned and signaled the troops to advance, but the Iron Hand warriors did not relax their vigilance against the tall figure in the slightest. Their weapons remained in a barely noticeable state of alert, and their eyes scanned the area constantly like probes.

The group passed silently through a deep passageway made up of giant gears, pipes, and rough rocks.

The air was filled with the scents of engine oil, ozone, rust, and the cold smell of some kind of rock from deep underground.

The Steel Hand warriors' eyes remained fixed on Feralus.

Puzzled by her size and power far exceeding that of an ordinary Astartes, and wary of her unconventional armor and absolute silence.

Most importantly, that flowing liquid metal right arm—like a key—is forcibly unlocking certain fragments of information buried deep within the Legion's ancient memory bank, almost sealed away by logic.

In the corners of some soldiers' vision, blurry projections of retrieved historical images began to flicker: a detail of a mural depicting Primarch Feralus Manus wielding a giant hammer, his right arm gleaming with silver light…

Data annotation: "Gorgon Skin - the living metal of the legendary Primarch..."

An indescribable restlessness, originating from the deepest part of their genetic seed, began to grow in the hearts of some veterans. A strong conflict arose between their cold, logical thinking and an inexplicable, instinctive attraction and awe, causing the temperature readings of their internal systems to rise slightly.

When the group arrived at the massive bronze gate, engraved with the emblems of the ten major clans and as heavy as a mountain—the entrance to the Hall of Ten Thousand Forges—the air seemed to freeze.

At the end of the passage, only the low rumble of gears turning and the hissing of the hydraulic system could be heard.

The atmosphere had reached a breaking point.

The officer raised his highly mechanized arm, preparing to touch the rune array on the side of the door to open it.

At that moment, Felus, who had been standing silently behind Chen Xi, took a step forward.

This step was not fast, but it was unusually heavy. The metal sole of the boot made a dull, thunderous sound when it came into contact with the steel floor, causing dust to fall from the walls of the passage.

She ignored everyone and walked straight toward the tightly closed giant door!

"Halt! Unknown entity!" The electronic voice of the officer greeting them rose sharply, filled with a stern warning! He and the other soldiers raised their weapons instantly, the muzzles of their explosive pistols all pointing at Felus!
(End of this chapter)