Warhammer: Open the door! Human League players!

Chapter 163 War Escalation

The one that was crushed was not the newly arrived Human Alliance, but the Mechanicus, which had been entrenched on Terra for ten thousand years and claimed to control the mechanical truth of humanity.

All the imperial forces in front of the observation array fell silent instantly, their jaws dropping in disbelief, their initial contempt and mockery turning into chilling horror.

Only now did countless people suddenly recall the bloody battle at Lionsgate that they had long forgotten.

They finally remembered that this group of seemingly nameless and powerless mechanical humanoids had once slaughtered the Chaos elite, crushed the demon legion, and displayed unimaginable and terrifying combat power on the Lion's Gate battlefield.

At that time, they never really took it to heart, focusing more on the Primarch.

But only today, after witnessing firsthand the complete crushing and ruthless annihilation of the Mechanicus's regular papal forces, have they come to their senses.

That wasn't just luck.

That was the absolute hard power of the Human Union's robotic humanoids, transcending eras.

Too late.

When all the imperial powers finally shed their arrogance and recognized reality, hundreds of Mechanicus strongholds within Terra were already more than half destroyed, and countless Papal defense forces had been wiped out under the crushing force of technological superiority.

"The Empire's technology is far behind that of the Human Alliance."

"It went right through with a single shot."

Players can casually shoot through the modified mechs with lasers.

The opponent whom the Mechanicus had underestimated has already raised its sword, utterly shattering their millennia-old authority and order on the land of Holy Terra.

The Mechanicus is not without countermeasures. The super-heavy assault artillery and giant annihilation machine guns deployed deep within its various strongholds do indeed possess the terrifying power to penetrate the armor of mechanical humanoids and cause substantial damage.

However, these top-tier heavy military equipment locations have long been targeted and locked by players across the entire region through the combination of modules and the technology of the Human Alliance.

Having suffered losses from heavy artillery fire and troop depletion in previous battles, the players controlling the mechanical dolls quickly changed tactics, abandoning the head-on charge approach and instead transforming into stealthy assassins.

Relying on the Human Alliance's top-tier laser weapons and extraordinary mobility, the mechanical humanoid's individual combat level far surpasses that of the Imperial Astartes company commander, its explosive power is comparable to that of an elite veteran company commander, and its body is equipped with a high-level displacement and evasion module, allowing it to easily dodge waves of artillery fire while maneuvering.

"Damn it, those monkeys!"

The tech priest of the Cult of Machines looked grim; their mobility was a joke in the eyes of the Human Union.

Taking advantage of the terrain's shadows and blind spots in the fortifications, they silently infiltrated and, before the super-heavy weapons could complete their charging and locking, they had already reached the artillery positions. High-energy lasers instantly melted the cannon barrels and destroyed the power reactors, causing one after another of these powerful weapons capable of threatening the mechanical humanoids to go silent and become unusable.

This explosive power, evasive maneuverability, and surprise attack efficiency, which far exceeded all the common sense of the Empire's military equipment, once again shattered the spectators' inherent understanding of war. The Mechanicus garrison, which had originally hoped to turn the tide with heavy firepower, had its last reliance wiped out layer by layer.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The flames of war suddenly swept across the entire Terra star system, and no one expected the Human Alliance's actions to be so decisive and swift.

General Mars Forging, the supreme commander of the Mechanicus, was filled with rage and astonishment. In his original calculations, even if the Human Alliance, the Empire, and the Mechanicus had deep-seated ideological differences, the two sides would first initiate negotiations and sit down at the negotiating table for a lengthy and complex political game.

This is a rule that the imperial leadership has tacitly agreed upon for thousands of years, and it is also the unspoken way all forces interact.

But this time, the People's Federation completely broke all the unspoken rules.

There was no prior notice, no ultimatum, and no pre-existing rumors.

In just one day, the Human Alliance launched a full-scale, unannounced attack on all Mechanicus strongholds scattered throughout Terra and even in near-Earth orbit.

The war broke out so suddenly that General Forging, far away on Mars, was still completely caught off guard when he received the battle report.

By the time he realized it, all the Mechanicus outposts, workshops, armories, and data temples on Terra were already engulfed in flames. For the Human Alliance players who had entered the battlefield, this war that swept across the entire region was like a series of high-level dungeons.

They commanded a standardized mechanical humanoid army, forcefully attacking the defensive lines of the Mechanicus, conquering cities and fortresses with unstoppable momentum.

The chaotic battle quickly ignited the gaming forums, and everyone finally learned the trigger for this war—a Human Alliance squad that had been on a clearing mission was besieged and wiped out by the Mechanicus Cult.

This single incident ignited the wildfire of war within the People's Alliance.

"The Cult of Machines, it seems those idiots are after the Human Alliance's technology."

"Definitely. The Cult of Machines can't help but be envious of the Human Alliance's technology."

"These guys are not easy to deal with. Their power is the strongest in the empire. The empire was actually cooperating with them back then, rather than conquering them."

Rumors are swirling among the players, while Annie, the mastermind behind this war, harbors a subtle sense of unease.

She came from humble beginnings, merely a lowly miner on the planet Galun. Her current power to command thousands of troops and dominate interstellar warfare comes entirely from the authority granted to her by the Supreme Commander of the Human Alliance.

At this moment, the true core of the Human Alliance is wholeheartedly advancing an ultimate plan that could overturn the current state of human civilization. He keeps everything a secret, and no one else can see into it or dare to ask questions.

Within the vast and pure human rights system, apart from the highest-ranking official hidden behind the scenes, no one can guide Anne on her path.

Only Xiaoxi, the chief engineer of the headquarters, would help her clear away the fog and strengthen her resolve during her spare time.

Xiao hope had always admired Anne, appreciating her pure, fervent, and fearless faith and fanaticism.

She once bluntly told Anne, "Guilliman? The Primarch your Empire reveres as its savior, what is he?"

"Why should the UN need to consult with him or submit to him?"

"The UN's ironclad rule is that wherever you set foot is your land! All those who defy the UN's will and attempt to obstruct change have only two paths: submission or annihilation."

"You don't need to hesitate. You are fully qualified to lead the UN's powerful army. I can see your loyalty, your faith in the UN's truth, and your determination."

"Remember, from this day forward, the United Nations will not hesitate, will not back down, and will not compromise. We have only one ultimate goal—to sweep away all obstacles that hinder the future of humanity."

Xiao Xi's resounding words completely shattered Annie's last hesitations and distractions.

She remained steadfast in her convictions and resolutely continued to expand this all-out war that was overthrowing the old imperial order.

As the war on Terra intensified, Guilliman, far away in the Terra Temple, soon received an urgent battle report from General Forging of Mars.

The forging general was furious and accused the People's Federation of fraternity of unprovoked attacks.

The sudden outbreak of war left Guilliman, whose mental state was already on the verge of exploding from handling political affairs, filled with shock and doubt.

He hadn't received a single word from them. Not only did the Human Alliance bypass all the high-ranking officials of the Empire, but they also bypassed him entirely and launched a unilateral war against the Mechanicus.

Countless doubts arose in his mind: Could it be that the fundamental conflict between the two sides' technological systems and development philosophies has escalated to the point where they must resort to arms?

Suspicious points still exist.

High Sage Coul of Mars, one of the top leaders of the Cult of Machines, has already publicly submitted to the Human Alliance, becoming a key link in the reconciliation between the two factions.

Since the higher-ups have chosen to cooperate with the United Nations, why is the fighting still raging at the grassroots level?

With doubts lingering in his mind, Guilliman immediately contacted the great sage Kaul and finally learned the whole truth about the war.

He originally intended to meet with Fang Yun, the highest-ranking official of the United People's Federation, in person to verify the whole story.

At this moment, Fang Yun was located in the deepest part of the Terra Palace. The palace was a heavily fortified forbidden area, and even Guilliman, the regent of the empire, had no right to enter at will or disturb him frequently.

Left with no other option, Guilliman had to resort to a less desirable solution: directly contacting Anna, the two core acting governors in charge of the SUPP's daily political and military affairs, and Anne, the acting commander of the pro-war leadership.

The communication link was established instantly, and at that moment the two women were connecting with Xiaoxi, the chief engineer, to discuss the subsequent combat deployment.

Guilliman's questioning arrived as expected, his tone carrying the authority and anger of an Imperial regent: "Why did you launch a war against the Mechanicus without authorization? Why wasn't the Empire informed or consulted with me beforehand about such a significant undertaking?"

Faced with Guilliman's questioning, Xiaoxi took the communication for the first time, her cold voice resounding throughout the entire link through the radio waves, carrying absolute dominance and contempt.

"Informed in advance?"

She gave a cold laugh, full of disdain.

Who do you think you are?

"Are you worthy?"

"Why should the People's Alliance need to report to the corrupt empire, or even to you, when it's carrying out its actions?"

"Take a good look at the land beneath your feet, Terra! This homeworld, ruled by your so-called human empire for millennia, is already on the verge of collapse, ravaged by decay, chaos, and internal strife! You guard humanity's homeland, yet drag civilization into endless darkness!"

You have utterly disgraced our ancestors!

On the other end of the communication line, Guilliman's expression was grim as he retorted sharply, "The Empire will improve, but until then, do you intend to openly oppose it?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaoxi's sarcasm intensified.

"To be an enemy of the Empire?"

"Do you really think your decaying and crumbling empire is even a match?"

"A war nearly wiped out their entire race, and they still want to compare themselves to the Human Federation?"

Xiaoxi was referring to the fact that if the Lions lost the War of the Lions without any humans, the Empire might face human extinction due to the Golden Throne going out of control.

"Stop clinging to the arrogance of the empire and becoming complacent, you bunch of natives guarding the ruins."

His words were like blades, shattering Guilliman's dignity and arrogance.

A surge of rage welled up in his chest, but he ultimately forced himself to suppress all his impulses.

Guilliman was unusually calm at that moment.

He did not rush to the aid of the Mechanicus, which was embroiled in war, nor did he immediately dispatch the Imperial Legion to engage in direct combat with the Human Alliance, nor did he rashly issue a statement to confront them and escalate the conflict.

Guilliman's decision to observe the fierce conflict between the Cult of the Machines and the Human Alliance from the sidelines was not because he was unwilling to intervene, but because he had already seen the harsh reality—his influence over either side was now extremely limited.

The People's Alliance now possesses land-based main combat capabilities that have far surpassed the existing military limits of the Empire, and even far exceed all the armed forces directly under Guilliman's control.

One hundred thousand mechanical humanoids, each with combat skills at the company commander level, possess an incredibly terrifying combined strength, enough to crush the Empire's conventional combat system.

What Guilliman feared even more was that metal giant that had only appeared briefly.

It appeared suddenly, powerfully killing Warmaster Abaddon, before vanishing without a trace into a void rift. Such terrifying, dimensional-transcending power was simply beyond the current Empire's ability to contend with.

At the same time, Guilliman's control over the Mechanicus was also negligible.

The Mechanicus and the Empire of Man have never been in a superior-subordinate relationship; they have always been mutually beneficial allies.

Even the emperor who sits on the golden throne had to compromise step by step when faced with the independent will and stubborn doctrines of the Martian Mechanicus. How much more so for the current regency whose power is limited.

The two major powers bypassed the imperial central government and all levels of governance, and waged war and slaughtered each other privately on Terra itself.

Such blatant disregard for imperial authority and trampling on the dignity of the regency is an offense that no ruler could tolerate.

Even the calm and rational Guilliman harbored a deep-seated, unquenchable anger.

Guilliman never expected that the Human Alliance's offensive would not stop there; they were about to further expand the scope of the war, making the war...

The fire has been completely escalated.

On the other side, the Mechanicus, whose strongholds across the territory had been massacred, was completely enraged.

Countless mechanical workshops, military fortresses, and data temples within Terra were destroyed one after another, and countless members of the Mechanicus and Guardian Legions perished in the flames of war. This devastating loss completely ignited the fury of all the Mechanicus leaders. The forging lords were filled with righteous indignation and determined to teach the arrogant Human Alliance a severe lesson.

Many high-ranking forging lords declared sternly at the emergency wartime council: "On the land battlefield, the Human Alliance's mechanical humanoids are indeed more efficient and terrifying killing machines, and our ground forces can hardly contend with them. But in interstellar naval and orbital warfare, our Mechanicus Church possesses an absolute and overwhelming advantage!"

"I propose that we immediately assemble the orbital fleet and launch a preemptive strike, directly attacking the Human Federation's command ship!"

Above Terra, three Eldar warships of the Human Alliance hovered high in their orbits, conspicuous targets, completely exposed within Terra's airspace. The entire Terran airport, orbital defense fortress, and near-ground blockade zone were all under the control of the Mechanicus.

In the eyes of all the forging lords, the Human Alliance fleet was now under their absolute control and a target that was easy to hunt down.

"They actually deployed the navy!"

As the First Regent, Guilliman was immediately informed that dozens of naval vessels stationed near Terra for defense had been mobilized.

All naval vessels are controlled and maintained by the Mechanicus, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, the Inquisition, and the State Religion.

The Ministry of the Interior provides political legal basis, the State Religion provides religious legal basis, the Court of Justice strengthens the legal basis, and the Mechanismist Church provides concrete fleet support.

Thus, the Imperial Navy bypassed Guilliman and directly attacked the Human Alliance.

Things became even more serious when dozens of naval warships surrounded three Eldar warships belonging to the Human Alliance.