StarCraft: Tyranid Empire.

Chapter 414 Duran
The Memories of Nessin, the Arkship of the Protoss Empire, is buried under a once resplendent city of the Protoss, far away on the continental shelf at the other end of Ayr.

Augustus pulled out his heavy alloy boots from the mud where rotting leaves and muddy water accumulated and looked ahead. It was a large flat swamp made up of puddles, small ponds, and small rivers, and there were horizontal swamps everywhere. The iron-black tree trunks and branches lying on the mud looked like the rotting bones of a giant beast.

The swamp stretches all the way to the north, with no end in sight.

There is a rising red sun on the horizon, and the horizon is rendered into a scarlet straight line. Thousands of red rays reflect an isolated city with tall buildings, and broken crystal fragments reflect brilliant red light.

It is like a castle in a fairy tale, with countless spiers hidden in the vermilion light, and the fog and condensed water vapor make the scattered light dreamlike and psychedelic.

A team of engineers consisting of cranes, hover trucks, and small spaceships roared past Augustus, and several Goliath armed robots with red flags stood on both sides, and the anti-aircraft missile pods on them rotated Focus on locking on possible hostile targets in the air.

A few miles ahead is a wide river over which engineers from the Engineering Corps are erecting pontoons for four-wheeled vehicles.The muddy swamp is lined with boards hewn from fallen trees to keep vehicles and people from getting trapped.

Not far in front of Augustus, there is an ancient Nagarnagar watchtower and two energy spires built by the Protoss Empire to supply energy for the Al Warp network. They have all been damaged to varying degrees, and following Several Kalai phasers working with the Revolutionary Army Engineering Corps are attempting to restore these spiers.

Once repaired, these spiers unfurled a network of warps sufficient to mobilize the protoss templar forces from the other side of the planet.

Each tower soars into the sky, with sparkling blue crystals floating in elegant conical metal frames.Pure and radiant, the crystal is as beautiful as a gemstone, and its facets are almost perfect, as if it is composed of countless mirrors.The blue energy cyclone flows around the crystal like a turbulent river, and the huge energy is enough to change the weather, so that the sky above the minaret is always surrounded by dark clouds.

"Before the Zerg invaded, here was still a grassland and woodland full of flowers, densely covered with pure rivers and trees with high crowns in the sky, and the forest breeze and water flow sang in chords." Karaiks, the phase technician of the protoss Kalai, stretched out his wide arms The soles of the feet measure the ground under their feet.

"The memory of Nessin is buried under the ground of Alado. In the Protoss language, Alado means perfection and the golden ratio. She is the city of perfection and the city of gold, and she is a teardrop on the shore of the mirror-like lake of El. "He said.

"Now there are only lakes that are drying up and bare hills, and the legacy of the empire is buried."

The city of Alador that Karax spoke of was surrounded by a wide blue lake, an inlet stretching out like two arms.The lake reflected the sky and a shattered city, and the fine black clouds overhead were like mourning crows.

"It was the Zerg invasion that destroyed this place, but after the death of the master, they have obviously retreated to the surroundings of his corpse." Augustus sighed, "It's like we are standing on the beach after the tsunami recedes, everywhere It is the wreckage and corpses left behind after the destruction."

"That's what they are, like a bad-tempered child who smashes precious things to pieces, and all you can do is beat the child's ass - but nothing can be undone. Poets and opera writers call that a tragedy ’” Rory Swan, chief engineer of the Revolutionary Army, stepped out of a van emitting white steam from the hood, followed by a number of engineers in brown overalls and visors.

Swann's engineering team included many Mrs. Mainhau, most of them his cousins.Mrs. Mainhof was short but stocky, and was known as the mule of the mines.The rest of the members come from various planets, and most of them leave their hometown for the first time to go to other planets.

However different their appearances, their skins were all tanned by the hot sun of Aiur.Due to their busy schedules, whether it was construction at the new base or repairing damaged weapons and equipment, the engineers of the Revolutionary Army didn't have time to repair their appearance. They were either unshaven or disheveled, but their eyes were still bright.

"Swan, you're here." Augustus noticed that Swan's beard had grown a lot compared to the last time they met, and his voice was getting thicker.

"As usual, the hero is on the stage." Swan replied with a smile.

"I heard you wanted an engineering team to dig an ark, and we came right away. It's a technical job. Anyway, let's hope we bring enough cranes to lift her." He said:
"During the days of the war, we were so busy sticking chewing gum to the cracks in the power armor. Everyone worked hard because you gave them this opportunity."

"Our cranes can't handle these big guys." Jim Raynor pushed Swan's shoulder: "The Ark of the Protoss is comparable to a strait, and the steel she uses is enough for us to forge a hundred fleets. It is really a precious legacy. .”

"Is this true? As soon as I heard that the grave was going to be dug, I came here without stopping." Tychus emerged from the back of a truck, the huge power armor was full of mosquito repellent and whiskey the taste of.

"Protoss handicrafts are in high demand among the dignitaries in Umoyan—Protoss don't care about making dirty money, and I care a lot."

"Umoyan's world is generally rich and has a very high level of education. It is a paradise for art and literature. And I, I have always been a loyal supporter of science and art."

"You speculator, we are making a revolution, not grave robbers who steal and sell cultural relics." Augustus reprimanded Tychus.

"Understood, I will take the blame, and we will share the money together." Tychus smiled.

"Marshal Augustus, one of my reconnaissance battalions has approached the ruins of the city of Alado, and there is no sign of Zerg or Protoss activity." Colonel Al's voice.

"The roads in this area are wet and muddy, and the rivers are all over the place, which is not conducive to the entry of heavy machinery. We can only use weapons such as Sidewinder suspension tanks for fire support." Colonel Pryor said.

"Scouts found a large number of damaged Protoss matrix crystals, which seems to explain why the Protoss was unable to contact this area or warp reinforcements."

"The Protoss has already landed on the opposite side of us. Once they repair the warp matrix, reinforcements will continue to come." Augustus said to Colonel Prior: "And your task is to try to figure out why this The Arks did not start up as expected by the Supreme Council."

"Proceed with caution, Colonel. Both I and Protoss executive Tassadar believe that the ark ship Nessin's Memory is definitely not as simple as being unable to launch due to an unexpected situation."

After giving the order, Augustus walked towards the two matrix network spiers in the distance. The closer to the spiers, the stronger the raging wind due to the surge of energy.

"Kerax, how long will it take to repair these two spiers." Augustus asked the phase technician beside him. The latter was a dedicated protoss engineer and got along well with Augustus.

At this moment, Augustus was still quite anxious.With the outbreak of the protoss civil war, the situation on Aiur has become more and more dangerous.

Taking advantage of the few days when the protoss were killing each other, the Zerg Swarm headed by the Yermungandr and Belog tribes launched an attack on the provinces of Antioch and Koshaka. Tens of billions of angry Zerg Reassembled under the command of the cerebrate Yak, this cerebrate who is full of hatred for the protoss seems to have become the ruler of the Aiur swarm.

After the fleet of the Supreme Council left, a quarter of the Aiur Protoss survivors followed the Arbiter on the Ark of the Pride of Ortaris to the distance.Tassadar's templar forces faced the swarm alone, even with the help of the dark templar and the human revolutionaries.

With the powerful orbital fire support of the Spear of Adun, the protoss will not be destroyed by this civil war.

And that's it, after discussing with Augustus and Zeratul, Tassadar also decided to lead the protoss to retreat behind the Xel'Naga portal, temporarily avoiding the edge of the Zerg, and wait for a period of recuperation before reorganizing the fleet Take back Al.

And if they can activate another Arkship, Memories of Nessin, the strength will be multiplied.

"Two sunlight cycles are needed at the fastest." Kerax replied to Augustus: "Generally speaking, we are used to jumping directly into a new one instead of repairing a damaged building or machine."

"But today is different from the past. Many sections of the El matrix network have been severely damaged. Repairing them can save more time and materials. Through these matrix spiers, we can convert the useful materials found in Alado into Jump to safety."

"I know this kind of saying, I am used to living a life of wealth and wealth, and it is difficult to accept a life of poverty for a while." Renault hummed: "If you have seen our broken cars that have been repaired for three years, you know that the poor are How did you live?"

"Karacus, you're going to love this life in no time, and my favorite thing is to fix those smoking bad boys and girls." Despite being together for a long time, Swann's wonderful metaphor has never been accepted by Kay. Lax understood that, for example, the former would call the anti-aircraft missile turret a spinner.

Compared with other uprising organizations, the Revolutionary Army can be called rich. They own planets, mining areas, and complete military production lines to save money for purchasing military supplies, as well as the Mengsk family’s mines on multiple planets and U.S. Appropriations from the Moyan Council and Committee.

But Augustus has nearly several million revolutionary army soldiers and government departments to support, and also provides funds to subsidize those who have become refugees due to the Zerg invasion, purchase the most basic agricultural production equipment for them or distribute relief supplies.This not only brought reputation to the revolutionary military government, but also made them always have to tighten their belts.

Just at this moment, a loud noise like thunder made Augustus quickly turn his gaze to the city of Alado in the distance.In the center of the city, the shock wave produced by the explosion was like a whip, breaking off many tall towers, and the ground trembled.

"What's going on?" Renault also looked over: "Have our people gone in yet?"

"This is Pryor's assault division, we are in trouble." Pryor's image and sound appeared on the HUD display panel of Augustus's helmet.

"When the reconnaissance team entered Alado, they were attacked by unknown psychic forces. The pictures sent back showed that there were multiple Protoss troops with different positions fighting in the underground of the city."

"Turn around," Augustus said after one breath.

On the helmet of Augustus, there is a video recorded by a revolutionary scout tracking device. He has apparently passed through a hole suspected to be dug out by the Zerg to the huge underground grotto where the memory of the ark ship Nessin is buried. , and has entered the launch bracket below it.

At the beginning, the underground grotto was very quiet, but as the scout troops got closer to the Ark, they gradually became troubled by a kind of spiritual scream that suddenly appeared in their minds, which obviously came from the protoss The roar of battle.

As they got deeper, the scouts felt uneasy, but their commander still decided to complete their mission. This loyalty finally made this brave and loyal army stay in the city of Alador forever.

The attack happened in an instant. It was a blow to the soul. The helmets and even the power armor of all the soldiers of the Revolutionary Army collapsed under unimaginable pressure, as if the ocean and thousands of catties were crushed. After touching them, blood gushed from the edge of the eyes like bloody tears.

In the final scene, a blurred figure appeared in the recorded footage and was automatically corrected until it was clear.

It was a protoss in a golden robe, and the clothes on his body were almost exaggeratedly gorgeous.Augustus recognized him almost instantly, though many times he was unable to discern the clear distinctions between the protoss.

It was Duran, the protoss arbitrator who had appeared at the peace conference, his molten gold eyes stood up like snakes, shining like the sun.

Duran.

How did he infiltrate the suspicious protoss council with the psychic network link of Kara when the leader of the Supreme Council, Kotannur, claims that there is no such person in the council.

Duran is a mystery. He appeared near the memory of the ark ship Nessin at the moment, and no one knows what his purpose is.

Considering that Duran himself is very cunning and usually uses intrigues, promises and lies to play with people's hearts. When he appears, he will be accompanied by thugs who will kill him, and Orega's dark templar is likely to be working for him .

"Duran must be trying to seize this ark, and that also aroused the resistance of the Templars inside the ark." Augustus ordered in the command channel: "The whole army is attacking, even if it is to destroy the Nessin Memories can't let him fall into Duran's hands."

(End of this chapter)