From Titan Corporation to the Empire of Man

Chapter 719 A New "Shadow" Is Approaching
Near Earth orbit of Aegis 7;

The pitch-black sea of ​​stars spread out silently, adorned with starlight and the sidelights of numerous ships.

That Emperor-class battleship, a behemoth in the Dead Space universe, or in most universes, hovered in the void, like a sleeping, yet ever-awakening steel behemoth.

At this moment, warning lights inside the hangar suddenly lit up, and several robotic arms slowly moved, pushing a Luna-class transport ship toward the magnetic levitation launch track.

Accompanied by the low hiss of the plasma valves and the heavy solid airlock doors opening one by one, a faint white light poured down, illuminating the white and blue paint of the transport ship.

Om-!
The roar of the engine starting up echoed through the magnetic levitation track.

The next instant, the transport ship spewed out a scorching tail flame, abruptly detached from the hangar, tore through the void, and headed towards the distant Ishimura.

The Ishimura remained adrift on its silent tracks, like a still corpse, its wrecked hull shrouded in dark shadows, seemingly on the verge of collapse.

The transport vessel approached steadily and, guided by the navigation system, finally landed on the hangar slide of the Ishimura.

Chi——!
With a low metallic scraping sound, the Luna transport ship came to a stop, and then the hatch opened, and the pressure valve hissed.

Thump, thump!

Immediately afterwards, heavy footsteps sounded.

More than fifty auxiliary soldiers clad in CMC power armor poured out of the aircraft, their heavy armor gleaming with a cold, hard steel texture in the dim light.

Their shoulder and breastplates were engraved with the imperial insignia, and their steps were steady and powerful. They also instantly added a touch of solemnity to the otherwise deathly quiet hangar of the Ishimura.

Furthermore, these soldiers were not ordinary recruits; their backgrounds were rather unique—

They all come from Universe 18, which is the StarCraft universe.

They were soldiers recruited by the Empire during the consolidation of the 18th universe. After systematic training and injections of the Inquis serum, they were able to wear the CMC power armor, a symbol of heavy firepower.

Although they are still far from possessing the superhuman strength of Astartes, they are undoubtedly a reliable and sharp weapon in the auxiliary army.

Just as the auxiliary troops finished their simple formation, a figure slowly stepped out from behind the hatch.
“You brats, you’ve all heard the Primarch’s command.”

A hoarse voice, tinged with a hint of cynicism, rang out, yet it contained an undeniable air of authority.

The tall commander walked through the crowd and stood at the front of the formation, a cigar already in his hand. He skillfully lit it, the flame flashing in the dim hangar before wisps of smoke rose.

He raised his hand and pushed open the visor of his helmet, revealing a resolute face with an arrogant smile.

This commander was Tychus Finley, Jim Raynor's close friend, a former valiant Ranger, and now one of the commanders of the Imperial Guard's auxiliary forces.

"Search the entire ship of corpses! Check every corner, don't let a single one escape! And don't miss any survivors."

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

The resounding, crisp response echoed throughout the hangar, the CMC armor's communication speakers amplifying its imposing presence, reverberating beneath the dilapidated steel dome.

Tychus took a deep drag on his cigar, the smoke slowly exhaling from his nose. His unique voice held a hint of amusement, a calm honed by the trials of life.
"Hey, that's more like it. The Empire needs things that are clean and efficient."

In fact, the Imperial Warrior Legion "relyed" on the strength of these veterans from the Eighth Universe in its early stages.

Strictly speaking, the first batch of auxiliary soldiers of the Imperial Guard were a continuation of the former Ranger Marines.

They once fought against the Zerg and Protoss in another galaxy, their will forged in blood and fire. Now, they don the Imperial insignia and become the new cornerstone of their power.

Naturally, those former ranger commanders also became the leaders of the Imperial Guard auxiliary army.

Tychus Finley is one of the most representative figures among them.

He was the kind of commander who seemed carefree, yet could command people's unwavering loyalty in crucial moments, and he knew how to motivate these warriors clad in CMC power armor to unleash their full firepower and discipline.

Next, the airlock leading to the main body of the Ishimura was opened by the technical engineers, emitting a harsh metallic scraping sound.

Then, Tychus led more than fifty auxiliary soldiers wearing CMC power armor and stepped into the corridor of the Ishimura.

The "thump-thump" sound of the magnetic boots hitting the deck was especially clear in the deathly silent cabin, as if striking a new rhythm for this long-dormant giant ship.

The corridor was still filled with the mixed smell of burning and decay, and the bulkhead was damaged in many places, clearly indicating that a huge force had torn it apart from the inside.

Brown bloodstains splattered across the bulkhead, dried into thick patches, with fragments of torn engineer armor suits scattered among them, enough to imagine the chaos and carnage of the time.

A scorching smell still lingered in the air, as if countless souls had been instantly incinerated here, leaving only solidified traces.

"Search by zone!" Tychus's voice echoed through the communication system. "Advance in small groups, watch every corner, and bring back any survivors, even if there's only one."

"Yes, sir!"

The auxiliary troops responded in unison and then dispersed to carry out their orders.

The heavy CMC power armor looked clumsy in the dim light, but the sensors of its individual soldier system were constantly scanning, and on the helmet screen, red grid light and shadow intertwined and flickered on the walls and the ground.

However, all they could capture was a still, cold silence.

The corpse variants completely lost their activity the moment the divine seal was sealed by Sui Meng. Now, scattered on the floor are nothing more than stiff, twisted bodies.

Their appearance is distorted and horrifying. Some of them are still in a half-human, half-deformed posture, with their limbs outstretched and their mouths stiffly open due to pain. Others are simply frozen in a pouncing posture, but have no more life.

The auxiliary troops moved among the corpses, their footsteps mingling with the whirring of their helmets, further emphasizing the deathly silence around them.

As they walked, they inspected the cabins. Someone pushed open a half-closed metal sliding door and saw tools scattered all over the floor and workbenches overturned. It seemed that when the sudden change occurred, the entire cabin was swallowed up by fear and death.

"Damn it," an auxiliary soldier cursed under his breath, "these people didn't even have time to resist before they were torn to pieces, or rather... mutilated themselves?"

Tychus exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, the embers of his cigar flickering in the darkness.

He didn't reprimand him, but responded coldly: "Open your eyes wider, soldier. This ship records the most sobering lessons for humanity. Remember, the Empire gives you power not so you can escape, but so you can face this hell."

His words echoed on the channel, stabilizing the oppressive atmosphere slightly.

Just then, a slight tremor came from deep inside the ship.

But it wasn't an enemy attack; rather, it was a sign that the power system was restarting.

The engineering department's technical engineers and the Imperial Warriors' technical sergeants have completed the repair of the energy nodes inside the ship's core engine room.

Then, with a low-frequency vibration of "boom," the heavy steel behemoth seemed to awaken from its slumber, energy was re-injected into the pipes, and the circuits on the bulkhead lit up one by one.

The dark corridor was suddenly illuminated by a series of cold white lights, like the dawn breaking through the night. The bloodstains and corpses, which appeared terrifying due to the lack of light, looked even more real and cruel under the lights.

Without the cover of shadows, the horrific scene was laid bare before the soldiers' eyes—

Mutilated limbs lay across the passageway, and finger marks remained deeply embedded in the metal of the bulkhead, suggesting that the people there had desperately tried to escape but were ultimately dragged back into the darkness.

"The light is on?"

An auxiliary soldier murmured softly, his tone relaxed.

"Don't let your guard down, you brat."

Tychus exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, suppressing the oppressive feeling surging within him. "The lights only make it clearer for us; the horror of this place hasn't diminished in the slightest."

As he spoke, he forcefully patted the shoulder armor of a new recruit next to him, almost making the nervous young man stumble, but also making the man refocus on the slightly reduced radar on his helmet and the weapon in his hand.

Furthermore, as the lighting was restored, the auxiliary troops' search of the assigned areas gradually deepened, and the horrific scenes along the way came into view one by one.

Deep inside the bulkhead, rows of dismembered lab technicians were discovered, their identification tags scattered in pools of blood. Someone pushed open a hatch in the living quarters and found the entire dormitory stained red with blood. All the crew members were swallowed up by a terrifying force in an instant.

Reports from various groups continued to come through the communication channel:
"No survivors were found in Zone 3, but more than 20 sets of remains were discovered."

“The living quarters in Zone 6 have been emptied, and the situation is the same as before.”

"The locomotive depot confirmed no signs of life, with only a large amount of damaged equipment and wreckage remaining."

Each report felt like a boulder weighing on everyone's hearts.

Tychus listened in silence, slowly exhaling the last puff of smoke from his cigar before speaking in a low voice: "Continue the search. Even if only one person remains alive, bring them back to the Empire. Remember, this is not just an order, but a responsibility."

"Yes, sir."

Next, Tychus led a group of ten auxiliary soldiers into a cabin with a secure gate locked.

Subsequently, a soldier used a personal combat system to hack into the gate's control terminal and perform the cracking.

Not long after—

Bah——!
The safety gate opened amidst a piercing mechanical screech, the heavy door panel like a wound slashed open by a sharp blade, revealing the still dark and narrow space inside.

The instant the cabin and corridor were completely connected
Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
A sudden burst of rapid gunfire erupted, and tongues of fire shot out in the darkness.

The bullets struck the breastplates of the two auxiliary soldiers who rushed in, sending up blinding sparks.

Ding! when!
The dull metallic echo reverberated in the cabin, but only left scratches on the CMC breastplate.

The two auxiliary soldiers charging ahead were completely undisturbed; their CMC power armor was sufficient to withstand small arms fire.

The two men paused, then raised their bolt-action rifles, the muzzles flashing a menacing red sight light.

With deep, resonant voices, they shouted in unison:

"lay down your weapon!"

What followed was a hurried, panicked cry.

"Wait! Stop! Don't fire!"

A woman's voice rang out in the darkness. After giving way, a figure stepped out from in front of several survivors huddled in a corner.

She moved swiftly, throwing the pistol onto the deck, raising it high with both hands, her voice trembling slightly:

"I am Alyssa Vincent, the safety captain of the Ishimura! I am human, not one of those monsters!"

As she finished speaking, the tense atmosphere in the cabin gradually eased.

In the dimly lit space, several terrified survivors huddled together, their faces pale, their clothes tattered, and their bodies covered in bloodstains of varying depths.

Through their eyes, one could see the numbness and vigilance that came after a long period of despair and fear.

Elisa walked ahead of them, her short red hair disheveled and stained, but her eyes still shone with determination and coldness.

Her shoulders trembled slightly, and there were still traces of congealed blood on the cuffs of her jacket.

Even so, she still tried to straighten her back, using a tough posture to cover up her inner exhaustion.

Tychus strode in, his heavy metal boots making a dull thud on the steel floor of the cabin.

The helmet visor reflected a cold light, making him appear like an unshakeable iron wall.

He didn't speak immediately, but instead scrutinized the woman before him with a critical gaze. After a moment, he spoke in a deep voice:
"The security captain of the Ishimura?"

Elisa took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice, and replied:
“We’ve been trapped here for who knows how long. Waves of monsters keep coming, and we’re almost out of ammunition and food. Seeing you all here gives me hope that we still have a chance.”

Tychus nodded slightly, raised his left hand and gestured for the soldiers to lower their guns slightly, but remain on guard.

He didn't believe any words on the surface. He knew in his heart that there were strange things happening inside the Ishimura. Even if the survivors in front of him looked normal, it didn't necessarily mean that they were absolutely safe.

Just then, a report came through the headset. It was a technical engineer from the engineering department, reporting the situation accompanied by a low, energetic hum in the background:

"Attention everyone, a search and rescue vessel calling itself the 'Kelion' is approaching our area of ​​space, its trajectory pointing directly at the Ishimura. Its true identity and purpose have not yet been confirmed. We recommend that you prepare to intercept it."

Upon hearing this, Tychus did not respond. He then lit a new cigar, put it in his mouth, exhaled a puff of smoke, raised his hand to open the public channel, and gave the order in his usual gruff voice:
"Command, please respond. This is Tychus Finley. We have found survivors aboard the Ishimura and confirmed the identity of Security Captain Alyssa Vincent."

After a brief silence, a response came from the other end of the channel: "Received. The Imperial Warrior cruiser group is adjusting its fire control array. If the Kellyon continues to approach, it will be intercepted."

Your primary task remains ensuring the safety of the survivors and assessing the condition of the Ishimura.

“Understood.” Tychus nodded, then turned his attention back to the cabin, his gaze falling once more on Elisa, and slowly spoke:
"From now on, you and your men are under our jurisdiction. Behave yourselves and follow the rules, understand?"

Elisa nodded in a deep voice, a complex light flashing in her eyes.

She knew that the heavily armored soldiers before her were completely different from the federal army they knew, but at this moment, only by obeying could they possibly have a chance to survive.

The cabin lights flickered slightly, and as the power system gradually recovered, the long-silent Ishimura was finally pulled back to the brink of life.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the approaching Kellyon loomed like a new shadow.
(End of this chapter)