Warhammer 40K in a box

Chapter 623 The Ash Knight's Reinforcements

Just as the ground battle reached a stalemate, and the Iron Hand was slowly wearing down the Emperor's Sons' forces with its tenacious defense, the situation on the battlefield took a new turn.

Several warships, painted in a solemn black and white, their style utterly different from the cold hardness of the Steel Hands and the madness of the Sons of the Emperor, sliced ​​precisely into Medusa's high-altitude orbit like silent blades of judgment. They had no superfluous decorations; their lines were simple and efficient, and their hulls exuded a chilling and pure killing intent—this was the fleet of the Ash Knights Chapter.

“Iron Will Command Center, this is Ash Knights Chapter Commander Shi Dong.” A calm and unwavering voice came through the Karada’s communication channel. “By order of Governor Chen Xi, my unit has arrived on the battlefield and is awaiting the command of Primarch Ferus Manus.”

A stream of data flashed across Felus's silver eyes. Her reaction to the arrival of reinforcements was as calm as processing a routine battle report, without the slightest ripple. "Commander Shi Dongzhan. Battlefield intelligence has been shared. The Emperor's Son's main force is concentrated in the eastern part of the Orbit Forging City and the Orbital Elevator area. Their attack is ferocious but lacks coordination, and their flanks are weak. I need your sharp edge to tear through their lines."

“Understood. The Ash Knights excel at high-speed assaults and targeted raids. We will cut into the eastern battlefield to relieve pressure on the main defensive line.” Shi Dong’s answer was crisp and clean, just like the paint scheme of his warship, devoid of any superfluous emotion.

"Permission granted. May the Emperor guide your swords."

Soon, a fleet of sleek, maneuverable Thunderhawk gunships and Stormraven motorcycles, carrying elite assault squads of Ash Knights, broke through the Emperor's Sons' sparse aerial interception like a black and white rain of death, and precisely landed in the eastern region where the fighting was most intense.

The Ash Knights' arrival was neither as boisterous and chaotic as the Sons of the Emperor's, nor as heavy and steady as the Iron Hand. They were like a precisely calculated cleanup operation, efficient and deadly. Before the gunship had even come to a complete stop, the hatches had already slammed shut, and the knights, clad in black and white power armor, rushed out, their molten lava guns, plasma incinerators, and gravity weapons unleashing devastating firepower in an instant.

Their tactical style contrasts sharply with that of the Iron Hand: the Iron Hand, like an immovable anvil, relies on heavy lines and fortifications to withstand the enemy's attacks; while the Ash Knights are like precisely wielded power hammers, moving at high speeds, seeking weaknesses, and launching thunderous strikes. They operate in squads, using jetpacks and assault vehicles to rapidly traverse the battlefield, specifically targeting key nodes in the Emperor's Sons' offensive chain—noise generators, psionic amplifiers, command nodes, or those elite units that venture too far forward.

This flexible and highly aggressive style of play was difficult for the Emperor's Sons, who were used to the Iron Hand's tough defensive style, to adapt to. Their flanks and rear were constantly hit hard, their offensive rhythm was disrupted, and many Chaos Warriors who were laughing and slaughtering were completely reduced to ashes by precise fire from the flanks or rear before they even understood what was happening.

However, what truly drew more attention was not the airborne assault from orbit, but the special command vessel that followed. This vessel landed behind the relatively safe second line of defense, and the person who emerged from it was not a monk from Astartes, but rather Hathor, the administrative secretary of Governor Chen Xi of Rostov.

She wasn't wearing power armor, only a slightly oversized, yet still strikingly defined, dark gray sealed protective suit. Beneath her helmet visor was a cold, focused face. Escorted by a squad of elite Rostov stormtroopers, she swiftly established a forward command node. Her vehicle—a modified "Sikazhan" command vehicle equipped with a powerful communications array and battlefield monitoring system—became her mobile fortress and information hub.

Hathor did not personally wield her sword to kill, but her presence quickly enveloped the local battlefields of the entire Eastern Theater. Through a high-privilege encrypted data link, she directly accessed a portion of the Ash Knights' tactical network and established a temporary communication protocol with nearby Iron Hand units. Her command instructions were clear, calm, and precise to the point of being chilling.

"Ash Knight Third Assault Squad, shift 15 degrees to the left flank. There is an exposed noise cannon unit there. Eliminate it first."

"Seventh Defense Platoon of Steel Hands, three 'Prince' champions are attempting to break through on your flank. Concentrate your firepower and wait for the 'Steel Shield' squad to arrive in two seconds before launching crossfire."

"Commander Shi Dongzhan, I suggest launching the offensive in Sector B three seconds earlier. The enemy command node is shifting; this is the window of opportunity." She was like a war computer with unlimited computing power, always able to instantly capture the most crucial opportunities from the chaotic torrent of information and make deployments with optimal efficiency. This wasn't psychic power, but purely based on astonishing tactical intuition, a profound understanding of the battlefield situation, and a certain innate talent for command.

Once, a squad of noise warriors, using their powerful sonic suppression, broke through an Iron Hand stronghold and was about to overwhelm a key hub connecting vital energy pipelines. The defending Iron Hand squad suffered heavy casualties, and reinforcements were cut off by intense artillery fire. In this critical moment, Hathor's cold voice simultaneously switched into all nearby friendly channels:
"All nearby units, coordinates Gamma-7, focus fire! No need for precise aiming, suppress fire for three seconds!"

"Orbital artillery strike request issued, impact point confirmed, coverage in five seconds!"

"The remaining 'Imperial Sons' are being dealt with by the Ash Knights' 'Dagger' squad; they are in position."

Instantly, explosives, lasers, and railgun shells rained down on the area like a storm. While not immediately annihilating the enemy, they successfully disrupted the Noise Warriors' charge, forcing them into a narrow area. Following this, artillery fire from the sky carried out a precise ground attack. Finally, an Ash Knight assault squad emerged like ghosts from the smoke and dust, cleanly and efficiently eliminating all the remaining, disoriented enemies.

The efficiency of its command, the precision of its timing, and the smooth coordination among multiple units left the Iron Hand soldiers who witnessed it both relieved and secretly alarmed.

"That's... the governor's secretary? A mortal?" a Steel Hand sergeant whispered in the internal channel, incredulous.

“It’s her… I heard about her relationship with the Primarch…” another voice said hesitantly, with a hint of barely perceptible awe, “but her command… it’s almost like…”

“Like a Primarch?” a third voice interjected, then fell silent as if realizing its slip of the tongue.

These discussions and battlefield records were quickly relayed back to the Karada command center.

Ferrus Manus gazed at the rapidly stabilizing eastern front on the holographic platform, aided by Hathor's intervention, and at the rapidly disappearing dots representing enemy units. Her silver-grey eyes held no admiration, only a deep, cold disgust. She recognized the essence of that command style—the shadow of that efficient, ruthless tactical thinking deeply ingrained in her memory, belonging to that traitor from ten thousand years ago, even as it was now being used against Chaos.

"Chen Xi's Ash Knights... their efficiency is acceptable." Her voice was devoid of warmth, as if she were evaluating a tool. And when her gaze swept over the tiny marker representing Hathor's command node, the surrounding air seemed to suddenly turn several degrees colder. "As for that secretary... inform the frontline commander to accept her tactical support, but to remain vigilant. Any instructions exceeding her established authority must be confirmed with headquarters."

Her hatred and distrust of Hathor did not diminish in the slightest despite the urgency of the battle. Beneath that cold, steely will lay a deepest rejection of the name "Horus" and everything associated with it. In her eyes, Hathor's behavior at this moment was not proof of loyalty, but rather a dangerous display of ability that required close monitoring.

(End of this chapter)