Warhammer: In the Name of Ashes.

Chapter 348 Chips
"We must establish an absolute air defense zone around the capital!

Only in this way can we truly drag the enemy here!

Only in this way can we wait for the arrival of reinforcements!

Sacrifice is inevitable, but we must be firm in our will! "

After some impassioned speeches, the combat meeting led by the Fist of the Empire and participated by the Ultramarines, Battle Sisters, and Homeland Defense Forces determined the main direction of the next battle.

This is also this meeting, which essentially represents the ruling class of Ophelia 7, after realizing that they have lost their strategic initiative, they officially gave up the battlefield space outside the capital circle.

This was a last resort, as the valuable endo-atmospheric fighters had to be used with caution after losing the cover of the fleet above orbit.

They will be destined to be consumed, but if given the choice.Hornsohorn would prefer that they buy time to breathe from the contraction of the ground defense force.

"How's the mouse?"

Walking out of the meeting room, Hounthorne stood above the passage of the underground fortress and asked behind him as he watched the endless stream of troops.

"Torture is underway, but the results are not satisfactory."

Hornshorn's personal guard, and champion swordsman Oleg assigned to the fourth company by the Imperial Fists, responded in a low voice.

"It's understandable, after all... he used to be our brother."

The tone of the Imperial Fist Company Commander contained complex emotions, and the implication in his words was even more shocking.

Hearing the sound, Oleg retreated, turned around and looked around cautiously, lest others hear Hohenthorn's "disrespectful words".

Yes, an Astartes warrior from HYDRA is currently being treated in the inner city's medical area.

Apart from the relic itself, he was the biggest catch of the two Astartes companies and several Orders of Battle Sisters in the hunt for the Inner City.

In the process of rediscovering the holy relic, mortal agents from HYDRA caused a great deal of trouble for the hunt.Especially the last agent, even caused the death of several Battle Sisters.

And that's not the biggest loss.

In an underground station in the inner city, when the fighting sisters blocked the retreat of the agent named Morton and were about to complete the kill.

The agent actually awakened a heavily armed Astartes warrior in a compartment marked as a biochemical product.

The Battle Sisters were ignorant of this and did not search the place thoroughly after the agents left.

And it was this omission in tactical literacy that gave the genetic superman wearing optical camouflage and specializing in infiltration and assassination an unimaginable display space.

Stalking, lurking, assassinating, and sniping, this Astartes from Hydra became a nightmare for the team of combat nuns in charge of frontal pursuit in the next few 10 minutes.

With the only monomolecular dagger and a piece of steel wire in his hand, with the help of the optical camouflage cloak and the power armor that has been modified to silence the whole body, he almost slaughtered this fully formed battle nun unit.

It wasn't until the officers of the frontline command noticed the abnormality and ordered several combat teams of the Ultramarines to directly participate in the operation that they caught the crocodile hidden under the water under the absolute superiority of troops.

However, the damage had already taken place, and the loss reports collected after the war left all the officers present speechless.

This not-so-tall alpha fighter has so much combat experience in asymmetrical sitting:

In a short period of less than an hour, at least 20 battle nuns died directly at his hands;
Even if the Astartes tactical team of the same level went off, he still used a plasma pistol and several booby traps to injure at least five Ultramarines.

That's not his limit.

The battle in space has been lost, and enemy airborne support could arrive at any moment.The search team has been unable to catch his trace for a long time;
If it wasn't for the last minute to cover the evacuation of the mortal agent, then this battle that took place in the dark side of the Holy City would have lasted for an unknown period...

Fortunately, the defense fleet in space is brave enough.Even though they were defeated, they still used self-sacrifice to buy enough time for ground operations.

Fortunately, the fighters of the Imperial Fist arrived in time one second before the enemy agents withdrew.By cornering the alpha warrior, they create a decisive chance for the relic's recovery.

Afterwards, Hornthorne was afraid more than once:
If the air defense array on the ground starts a few minutes later, if the battle in space ends a few minutes earlier.

So what kind of casualties can this alpha fighter who is waiting to come to the orbit for airborne support bring them.

This battle that took place on the dark side of the holy city ended in victory for the empire.

The troops on the ground responsible for the search, while killing the Alpha agent and recovering the holy object, also captured this legion soldier from Alpha with serious injuries.

Hornthorn stopped Stuart who tried to kill the Alpha in a rage, and he saw the special identity of the Astartes warrior from the armor.

The battle here is not over. In the days to come, the hard and fierce battle has just begun.

Hornthorne was unwilling to give up any possible bargaining chip, even if he could buy a second more time for the reinforcements, he would hold this possibility tightly in his hands.

"Has the message been sent?"

Seven hours after the "sea battle", Hohnthorne, as the highest defense officer, finally saw the defeated soldiers withdrawn from the star port after the City Defense Command presided over the next troop deployment in the City of Divine Grace.

To be honest, he hadn't expected there to be any survivors there, especially with the Chaos fleet bombarding him indiscriminately.

These were withdrawn from the astropath communication tower, and evacuated all the way to the lost star port;

Survive the chaotic crowd and enemy fire to board the rail train;

And successfully escaped the bombing on the road, and finally returned to the imperial soldiers near the holy city, who obviously had enough favor from the emperor.

But he still didn't feel sympathy or pity for them. He just stopped them immediately after being prompted by the guards, and then urgently asked the question he was most concerned about.

"My lord, we don't know your question. But you can ask him..."

The soldier with gunpowder on his face answered frankly in front of Hornthorne, and then pointed his finger backwards.

Under the dim lighting of the underground passage, Hornthorne looked back along the soldier's fingers.

A thin figure was seen on the simple stretcher made of steel pipes and the uniform of the Defense Force.

The body was curled up on a narrow stretcher, carried by two soldiers who were also wounded.

The iron-gray defense uniform covered him, and a corner of the red robe that occasionally leaked out proved his identity as an astropath.

　The first watch and the second watch are in the middle of the night, so there's no need to wait.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)