Zeus's grace is higher than the sky

“We’ve tried attacking their joints, mouthparts, and even destroying their internal organs, but as long as the mucus is still there, they can regenerate!”

The Imperial Commander stood on the bridge of the command ship, his fists clenched white as he watched the defensive line coordinates turn red on the tactical screen.

On the screen, the fusion worms were swelling, new worms were surging forth like a tidal wave, and the casualty figures for the Empire and its support chapters continued to climb. He raised his hand and pressed the communicator, his voice filled with suppressed rage.

"All troops, retract your defensive lines and activate the heavy laser cannon array! Even if we have to fill the gaps, we must keep them outside the defensive lines!"

The laser cannon array behind the defensive line was activated instantly, and dazzling beams of light pierced the sky, evaporating swarms of insects into white smoke.

However, this brief suppression did not last long. The tumor expanded rapidly, and new insects emerged at an even faster rate, quickly shattering the laser cannon's firepower.

An Imperial think tank director attempted to attack the Zerg consciousness with psionic energy, only to find that the minds of these fused monsters were like a chaotic vortex, which not only failed to penetrate the psionic energy but was also devoured by it, causing him to cough up blood.

"They do not have a unified core of consciousness!"

The think tank director shouted into the communicator.

"Each one is an independent combat unit, yet they can share information through slime, making it impossible to find any weaknesses!"

Above the battlefield, the main guns of the Imperial cruisers were nearly exhausted, and the support group had very little ammunition left.

The swarm of fused insectoids was still approaching, their carapaces reflecting a cold luster, their multi-segmented limbs crawling rapidly across the ground, leaving trails of acidic liquid.

The Emperor's army and the Space King's support chapter stood back to back in front of the defensive line, watching the approaching swarm of insects, and for the first time, confusion appeared in their eyes.

They had fought against the ferocious Tyrannosaurus and the cunning Chaos, but they had never seen such an invincible enemy. In the face of this monster that combined the two advantages, their past tactics and experience had become useless burdens.

On the command ship's tactical screen, the purplish-red dot representing the Zerg swarm was approaching the core of the defense line, while the blue dot representing friendly forces was gradually fading out.

The Imperial Commander took a deep breath and pressed the final communication command.

"Send a message to Terra requesting emergency support from the Genetic Intelligence Center... We need to find the weaknesses of these monsters, otherwise, the Crimson Line won't last much longer."

Grammer.

At dawn, sunlight streamed through the dome. In the square, electronic screens played a loop of footage of ironclad warriors repelling swarms of insects at the border.

The smoke from the power armor had not yet dissipated, and the sight of soldiers raising their explosive guns became the most striking scene in the city.

Although the common people rarely had direct contact with the cavalry, they learned about the battlefield victories from news broadcasts and street leaflets. When mentioning "Empress" Titania, their tone carried a spontaneous respect, and their awe of the Central Tower quietly outweighed their dependence on the council.

Inside the parliament chamber, the atmosphere was quite different from the peaceful one outside.

Several politicians sat around a long table, their faces grim as they looked at the opinion poll report in their hands—more than 70% of the public supported Titania’s leadership in border defense, while the parliament’s approval rating continued to decline.

The treasurer slammed the report on the table, his voice barely audible: "She was merely a 'tool of war' we created, yet now she dares to ride roughshod over Parliament! The Iron Cavalry's victory was entirely due to the resources we provided; why should all the credit go to her?"

"Those damn rumors are completely useless!"

The defense minister irritably loosened his tie. Previously, they had been secretly spreading rumors that "Titania was manipulating the Iron Cavalry to seize power" and "the awakening of the Central Body was an ominous sign," but the victories reported from the border had repeatedly wiped the rumors away.

The people only saw the insect swarm being driven back and the city being spared from the ravages of war; as for the dispute over the ownership of power, it seemed insignificant in the face of survival.

The old man sat in the main seat, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the carvings on the edge of the table.

He looked out the window and saw several passersby standing in the direction of Titania Palace, their faces full of gratitude.

Titania's power expansion has far exceeded expectations: she not only controls the mobilization of the Iron Cavalry, but also obtains technical support from the research department, and even the supply and allocation of border troops have begun to prioritize the instructions of the Central Tower.

Parliament's power was gradually eroded, yet due to Titania's overwhelming popularity, it lacked even the courage to openly oppose her.

"We must find a way to limit her power."

An old politician said in a low voice, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

“In the Iron Cavalry’s genetic sequence… didn’t we leave a backup plan? As long as we activate ‘Entropy Loss,’ those warriors will lose their fighting power. Without the Iron Cavalry, she will be all alone.”

These words caused an instant stir in the council chamber. Some people nodded subconsciously, their fingers already on the edge of the terminal, seemingly wanting to contact the technical department immediately.

The old man suddenly raised his hand, his tone resolute and unquestionable.

"No! It absolutely cannot be started!"

He pushed a battle report he had just received to the center of the table.

"The border is temporarily stabilized, but the main force of the Zerg is still there, just not attacking with full force. To deploy the Iron Cavalry now would be tantamount to cutting off our own arm; Grammer's defenses will collapse instantly!"

Just then, the council's communicator suddenly lit up, and an encrypted intelligence pop-up from the Empire appeared.

Everyone's attention immediately focused on it, as the screen was filled with images of the fused Zerg.

The images of them devouring the planet's core, the speed at which their slime hatches new worms, and the acid that can even corrode the armor of interstellar warships—every scene exudes a suffocating terror.

The intelligence report is accompanied by a line of advice.

"The fused Zerg have not yet spread widely, but their combat power far exceeds that of conventional Zerg swarms. We need to unite all available forces to prepare for war."

The council chamber fell completely silent. The old politician who had just proposed initiating the "de-entropy" mechanism stiffly removed his fingers from the terminal.

Everyone knew that the Empire's intelligence was not alarmist; their current advantage was merely a temporary respite. Once the Zerg launched a full-scale attack, Grammer's only hope would be its iron cavalry, capable of directly confronting the Zerg swarm.

"Put those thoughts away."

The old man rubbed his temples, his tone full of helplessness.

"Now is not the time for internal strife. Let's rely on the Iron Cavalry to weather the threat from the Zerg first."

No one objected anymore. The politicians looked at the terrifying images of the insect swarms on the screen and recalled the glaring approval ratings in the opinion polls, their faces growing increasingly grim.

They clenched their fists, but could only temporarily suppress their hostility towards Titania. Faced with the overwhelming threat of the Zerg, any internal strife could lead to the annihilation of the entire Grammer.

Inside the central tower, Titania stood in front of the observation platform, watching the dynamic images of the insect swarm transmitted from the border.

"There will be no action from the parliament for the time being."

Titania spoke softly, her silver-grey eyes fixed on the swarm marker on the screen.

Chapter 289 Subspace

The chaotic currents of the subspace surged and churned, but suddenly froze the moment Zeus stepped in.

The turbulent energy flow that had once swept through the air now receded automatically to the sides, like ice and snow encountering the scorching sun, making way for a clear path.

Zeus was surrounded by an invisible field, not the chaotic energy of the warp, but the pure pressure of the laws of the material world. Every ray of light was like an invisible barrier, completely crushing any warp disturbances that tried to approach.

In the distance, several warped, native creatures of the warp were huddled in the energy folds. They had no fixed form, lived by devouring warp fragments, and usually roamed freely in this chaos.

But when Zeus's figure entered their senses, these creatures froze instantly. Their originally slow, writhing bodies suddenly burst forth with astonishing speed, rushing towards the depths of the warp like startled prey.

They didn't even dare to look back, only regretting that they hadn't developed more limbs for movement.

Even the four Chaos Gods couldn't withstand a single move from this person. If these primitive creatures, who didn't even have "names," were swept by that powerful light, they would instantly dissipate into the most basic energy fragments.

Zeus did not stop, his gaze sweeping across every corner of the warp.

The area, once ravaged by the Four Gods, is now left only with the deathly stillness of lingering energy.

He raised his hand and touched an energy barrier beside him. It was a dimensional fold naturally formed in the subspace, strong enough to block the detection of interstellar warships, but it crumbled layer by layer the moment he touched it, revealing a void hidden behind it.

In the void, several warp creatures that feed on fear had just poked their heads out when they met Zeus's gaze. The next second, they turned into streaks of light and disappeared into the end of the warp, leaving not even a trace of their presence.

He continued forward, and wherever he went, the colors of the subspace seemed to dim.

The energy crystals that had been shimmering with an eerie light closed up, the flowing chaotic liquid stopped surging, and even the eternally burning subspace flames gradually extinguished under his might.

No warp creatures dared to approach; they either hid in the deepest energy rifts or fled the area altogether, leaving Zeus alone to wander the vast warp.

Occasionally, a few arrogant and ignorant warp disturbances attempt to provoke us. These are the most primal chaotic wills of the warp, devoid of intelligence, driven only by an instinctive desire for destruction.

However, as soon as these disturbances approached the field surrounding Zeus, they were instantly torn apart, turning into countless tiny energy particles that could never be reassembled.

Zeus didn't even turn around, as if he were merely brushing the dust off his clothes. The absolute difference in power instilled fear in all beings in the warp.

He stopped and gazed into the depths of the warp's core. That place, once the domain of the four gods, was now nothing but emptiness.

The surrounding subspace creatures hid in the distance, not daring to breathe too obviously, and could only watch helplessly as the golden figure, like the ruler of the subspace, left the mark of absolute power in this once chaotic and disordered domain.

There was no fighting, no obstacles, and not even anyone daring to approach.

Wherever the subspace's power reached, chaos dissipated, and creatures vanished, leaving only his figure. In this domain, which he had utterly awed, he quietly explored the secrets beyond the dimensions.

Just then, a faint but urgent communication signal pierced through the subspace barrier and entered his senses.

That was the band exclusive to the Greenskin tribe, carrying the familiar "thunder" energy mark, but with a more panicked tremor than before.

Zeus raised his hand, and the communication signal condensed into a faint light in his palm. The frustrated and urgent sound of the skull being shattered came out along the light pattern.

"Boss! It's a new bug! We can't kill it or wipe it out! We can't hold on much longer!"

The voice was mingled with the hissing of the insect swarm and the lingering sound of the bomb gun; the brutality of the battlefield could be felt even across dimensions.

Zeus's interest in exploring the subspace vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling indifference.

The faint light of communication in his palm turned into starlight and dissipated. Thunder surged around Zeus, and chaotic energy was instantly pushed away.

The creatures hiding in the distance were so frightened that they shrank even deeper into the crevice, losing even the courage to peek.

"The new Zerg are interesting; they should be in Bia Space."

Zeus lightly stomped his foot. The dimensional barrier of the warp cracked open beneath his feet like a punctured page, creating a passage. At the other end of the passage was the direction of the canyon where the Greenskins were fiercely defending, and one could vaguely see the purplish-red swarm of insects and the Greenskins' steel phalanx locked in battle.

Zeus transformed into a bolt of lightning, bursting out of the warp with incomparably frenzied power, stirring up endless energy storms wherever he went.

All that remained in the warp were the wreckage churned by the energy storm, and the creatures that dared to peek out only after he had completely vanished.

This being who wielded absolute power finally left the subspace world.

Chapter 290 The Merging Swarm Rampage Through the Universe

The starship's engines roared with a deep rumble, and outside the porthole lay the vast expanse of space. Xiao Ai gripped the edge of the control panel tightly, her eyes fixed on the radar screen ahead.

After evacuating the ruins, they had been sailing in the sea of ​​stars for several days, thinking they could evacuate in time. However, the sudden appearance of a red dot on the screen shattered their hopes.

"They're catching up!"

Jane's voice was urgent. She suddenly turned the firepower system to the highest level, and the turrets on both sides of the starship quickly charged, their muzzles emitting a cold blue light.

On the radar screen, dozens of purplish-red dots were approaching at an alarming speed. The fusion worm army, relying solely on its multi-segmented limbs, traversed the star system like a moving purplish-red nebula, firmly blocking the starship's escape route.

Xiao Ai quickly adjusted the course, trying to avoid the swarm of insects, but as soon as the starship turned, more fusion insects suddenly emerged from the sea of ​​stars ahead.

Their carapaces gleamed with a metallic sheen under the starlight, and as their giant claws opened and closed, drops of acid fell into the void, turning into wisps of white steam.

The leading insect was much larger than its kind. It sprayed a sticky thread from its mouthparts, which instantly entangled the starship's left wing engine. The thread corroded the engine casing, creating a hissing crack.

"Left wing engine damaged! Power reduced by 30%!"

Xiao Ai's fingers flew across the control panel, trying to cut the tangled threads, but more insects swarmed forward. Their limbs clung firmly to the starship's hull, their giant claws pounding against the armor with dull thuds, as if they might tear the ship apart at any moment.

As the calamity-bringer Jane pulled the turret trigger, blue energy projectiles roared towards the swarm of insects, blasting several insects to pieces. The sticky slime splattered onto the starship's portholes, obscuring most of the view.

However, more fused Zerg immediately filled the gap, and they could even quickly reassemble in space—the shattered Zerg limbs condensed into new small Zerg in the void and rushed towards the starship.

As the swarm of insects drew ever closer, beads of sweat appeared on Xiao Ai's forehead. She suddenly channeled all the remaining power of the starship into the engine, attempting to force her way through.

The starship emitted a piercing metallic scraping sound as it charged toward the weakest point of the swarm. But as soon as it broke through the first layer of interception, countless purplish-red figures emerged again from the sea of ​​stars ahead.

The fusion worm army's inescapable net trapped them in this frigid sea of ​​stars.

Jane, the jinx, put down the turret control lever, turned around and grabbed the bomb gun next to her, looking at Xiao Ai with a serious expression.

"It seems there's no way to avoid it; we have no choice but to fight it out."

The sounds of impacts on the starship's hull grew more frequent, as the fused insectoid acid corroded through the gaps in the armor, and wisps of white smoke filled the cabin.

Xiao Ai suddenly drew the longsword from her back. The blade gleamed with a chilling silver-blue light under the starlight. She took a step forward, channeling all her strength into the hilt of the sword, and uttered the true name of the Noble Phantasm.

"Black Dragon Dual Caliburn!"

The moment the words fell, the longsword unleashed a torrent of energy powerful enough to tear apart the starry sea. Two beams of light, wreathed in black dragon patterns, shot out from the blade like the breath of a dragon, crashing straight into the swarm of insects in front of the starship.

The crimson swarm of insects crumbled like paper before the beam of light. Whether it was the heavy insectoids with their Tyranid carapaces or the small, rapidly multiplying insectoids, they were all reduced to nothingness in the energy impact, leaving not even a trace of their sticky slime.

A vast passage was instantly cleared in the sea of ​​stars, with only the aftershocks of energy still slowly vibrating in the void.

"Now!"

The roar of Calamity Jane and the roar of the engines rang out simultaneously. She had already pushed the propulsion system to its limit, and seeing an opening in the swarm, she immediately jerked the control stick, and the starship sped towards the passage like an arrow.

But this respite lasted only a few seconds. Behind the defeated swarm, more fused Zerg were emerging from the depths of the star sea, filling the energy-opened pathways like a tide, their giant claws and limbs intertwining in the void, seemingly about to block the starship's retreat once again.

Xiao Ai gripped her longsword tightly; the light on the blade had dimmed considerably. The release of her Noble Phantasm had nearly exhausted her power, but she still stared intently at the approaching swarm of insects, ready to charge again.

Calamity Star Jane gritted his teeth and injected emergency energy into the engine, increasing the starship's speed by another gear. The bow grazed the carapace of a Zergling, and acid splashed onto the hull, leaving deep corrosive marks.

The swarm of insects roared and pursued relentlessly from behind, but the starship gradually pulled away.

It wasn't until the starship broke through the swarm's last line of defense and entered an asteroid belt, using the rocks for cover, that it finally escaped the pursuit.