Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 827, 08.826: 'Let war be your lullaby, awaken the Cardiac blood flowing within you!'

There was a brief silence in the channel, broken only by the low hum of the data engine.

Immediately afterwards, a captain broke the solemnity.

"Commander, although it sounds extremely risky, it is indeed the only viable proactive strategy with our current forces. I support your plan."

“If we can deliver a crushing blow to the aliens right now, they won’t dare to make any rash moves for a while. This might buy us enough time to complete the rest of the voyage and arrive safely at Mandeville,” another captain agreed.

"Only when they feel the pain will they obediently retreat into the shadows to lick their wounds. The Starfire supports the Commander's plan."

"I support it too."

After the captains all expressed their approval, Horatio pointed out the key to the success or failure of the plan: "Once the attack ships engage the enemy ships, their positions will be exposed, and these cunning aliens will likely escape once they discover that the plan has changed."

At that time, our detachment that was feigning pursuit must immediately turn back, return at full speed, block the enemy's retreat, and completely surround them.

Gentlemen, please remember this: the number of enemy ships we can destroy depends entirely on how many raiding ships we can lure into this pocket, and even more so on the speed at which the pursuit squadron returns to defense.

The holographic images of the seven captains nodded in unison, their expressions solemn.

"To make the camouflage more realistic, the pursuit team will consist of the warships HMS 'Hound of the Stars' and HMS 'Starfire' operating together with our ship."

During this period, the two attack ships slipped into the rear of the formation and went into a dormant state.

This leaves us with three escort ships, which will employ a triangular mobile patrol formation, but will deliberately leave an opening at the rear of the formation to create the illusion that 'we don't have enough escort ships to cover the entire convoy.'

The captains present were quite familiar with Horatio's "mobile patrol" formation.

This is a basic operation for Imperial Navy escort captains: by using irregular but precisely calculated cruising routes, the three escort ships can act like a moving barbed wire, firmly protecting the tightly packed merchant convoy at its core.

At the same time, the entire fleet will adopt a zigzag evasive maneuver route, leaving sufficient evasive space between each ship. This will greatly increase the difficulty of enemy attacks and maximize the protection of merchant ships.

"That's the plan." Horatio's voice was firm and decisive, filled with final resolve. "Without further ado, gentlemen, let's move out!"

"Imperator Vult!" (The Emperor's Will!)

From the blurry images of several captains came inspiring shouts, their voices converging into a torrent of steel through an encrypted channel.
-
The tactic of luring the enemy into an encirclement was implemented almost immediately.

The fleet's speed slowed from a full-speed 12 void knots to a cruising speed of 8 void knots.

The light cruiser HMS Swift Eagle, accompanied by a Scimitar-class frigate and a Cobra-Widowmaker-class destroyer, broke away from the main fleet and sped toward the "attacked" ship at the very end of the escort formation.

To the aliens, it looked like the foolish "monkey" navy was once again engaging in a futile chase and expulsion.

They finally slowed down due to their ridiculous compassion, diverting their precious fighting force to cover a damaged ship.

Three ships, one large and two small, roared past overhead as their plasma engines ripped a bright blue trail through the dark void.

In the heart of the darkness, a Dark Eldar raiding ship silently glided stealthily across the lower plane.

The shadow field, like flowing ink, quickly covered its long, hairpin-shaped hull, and the sinister and ferocious exaggerated blades cut through the curtain of darkness.

"The monkeys have taken the bait. They finally couldn't resist our provocation and foolishly and impulsively lured out of the fleet." On the bridge of the raiding ship, which was full of sadistic aesthetics, a female member of the Dark Eldar conspiracy group with almost shaved red hair and only a high ponytail on the back of her head sneered arrogantly.

She wore a grotesque mask made of human bone and metal, and her tone was full of contempt for short-lived humans.

Well, although this may be an objective fact.

Due to the vast differences in physiology and lifespan, humans often lack the accumulated experience gained from the long lifespans of the Aidalings.

But humans also have their advantages—their recording and transmission of historical experience allows them to fully summarize, learn from, and absorb the valuable experiences and lessons of countless predecessors within their limited lifespan.

“Our prey has slowed down. They will soon pay the price for this weak mercy and ridiculous impulse.”

The Dark Eldar raider at the helm maneuvered the ship, its massive black blade poised to slice open the belly of a cargo ship.

"That's right, I can already smell the blood."

I need sweet pain to fill the emptiness I've felt after so many days of stalking and tracking.

I can't wait to mount those desperate prey and pick my exquisite spoils.

A dark elf, shackled with black iron chains and in charge of managing slaves, licked his thin, purple lips with his long, forked tongue and clicked his tongue.

“Yes, we will all have it. We’re already in, and it seems those barbarian monkeys know nothing about it. Send messages to the rest of our group, infiltrating the fleet via the path we’re taking now.”

Once we were moving among these adorable prey, even if the monkeys wanted to attack, they would give up for fear of accidentally hurting their own kind.

At that time, they will be helpless against us, forced to watch as the ships they escort are destroyed one by one, and their compatriots are kidnapped and plundered by us.

The ship's owner, a dark Eldar man clad in black, barbed armor, grinned smugly as he stood with his legs spread wide on the arched platform extending from the bridge.

Hooks below the platform were hung with slaves screaming in agony.

Their flesh was pierced by barbs, and as the ship swayed, the barbs pierced deeper and deeper, and the blood flowed more and more.

Ultimately, blood and pain were gathered in a prism-like crucible.

That was a device they had traded slaves for from the mysterious and powerful Bloodling laboratory. It would siphon the suffering of all souls within its range, brewing it into a purer spiritual elixir to nourish the souls of the Dark Eldar crew.

As the Swift Eagle sped past the rear of the convoy, Horatio's gaze was coldly fixed on the gap created by "human negligence."

“Louise,” he said to the chief of operations officer beside him, “get operations ready. I think the fireworks show will begin soon.”

"Yes, Captain." The tall and serious female officer tightened the collar of her uniform, glanced subconsciously at her slightly protruding belly, and then took a deep breath.

When she opened her purple eyes again, all the warmth and worry had faded away, leaving only the calm and focus of an Imperial Navy officer.

Her mind was completely absorbed in the upcoming battle.

"[My child whom I have never met.]" she murmured to herself.

[Let this war be your lullaby, awakening the Cardiac blood flowing within you!]
(End of this chapter)