I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 150 Don't try to steal our merits!
Inside the mobile command center, comprised of super-heavy assault transport vehicles, Ghost Face was watching the scene before him with satisfaction.

On the massive holographic tactical sandbox, a red torrent representing his army of martyrs was relentlessly devouring the blue territory of the Tau Empire. Real-time images transmitted from the front lines showed countless Lemanrus main battle tanks and Chimera armored personnel carriers kicking up clouds of dust as they raced across the desolate land of Selkel. The roar of their engines could even be faintly heard through the soundproof armor of the command post, creating a thrilling symphony of war.

Of course, while enjoying the game, he did not forget his responsibilities as a "commander".

He reached out and activated the remote communicator on the command console. After a brief encryption process, a clear image was projected. The image showed an Astartes wearing yellow and black power armor, with the Imperial Scythe Chapter's emblem engraved on his helmet.

“Greetings, sir.” Ghostface cleared his throat. “The battle is progressing well. The Tau are retreating—or rather, collapsing completely. Our warriors are advancing the front lines at the maximum speeds achievable by the Lemanrus and Chimera engines.”

"I understand," came the deep voice from the other end. "Could it be any faster?"

“Hehe,” Ghost Face chuckled twice, his tone becoming more relaxed, “Of course. I’ll have my warriors floor the accelerator a couple more times right away and see if we can unleash a tremendous power that surpasses the original design limits for those ancient machine spirits.”

"Watch your attitude, mortal!" the Imperial Scythe officer said in a deep voice. "The Astral Army's Storm Loyalists can be airdropped into your battle immediately. Would it be faster if they were there?"

“Then forget it,” Ghostface refused without hesitation. He didn’t want those elite NPCs to take away his experience and merits. “We can handle it ourselves. I don’t want them to steal the credit. You’d better not get involved yourself. Just watch us perform.”

“Very good,” the other party said. “In that case, I’ll wait for you to present your victory report.”

After saying that, the other party abruptly hung up the call.

Ghost Face shrugged. He turned to the staff officers working diligently on the other side: "Any new developments in the front lines?"

An officer immediately stepped forward and handed over a data panel: "The situation at the front is progressing very smoothly. Our advance troops have encountered almost no organized resistance, except for stepping on some abandoned landmines and traps. However..."

The masked man gestured for the other person to continue.

“However,” the officer’s expression turned serious, “according to the reports from various units at the front, the Tau people’s retreat was well-organized and orderly. Before leaving, they systematically destroyed all the fortifications and equipment they couldn’t take with them. I strongly suspect that the Tau people are trying to buy time by using space to concentrate most of their forces for a decisive ambush at a pre-planned position!”

"Oh?" Ghost Face, instead of showing any concern, lit up with excitement. "You mean, they've concentrated most of their forces in one place?"

"Uh...yes." The officer clearly hadn't expected his commander's thinking to be so unconventional. Wasn't this an extremely dangerous sign?
"That's fantastic!" Ghost Face slapped the control panel excitedly. "It saves us the trouble of searching for them one by one! Pass on my order: have all the warriors floor the accelerator a couple more times and see if we can unleash the potential of the machine spirits and break through the designed speed limit! Faster! More powerful!"

The officer froze, and instinctively asked, "Then... what if we really encounter an ambush..."

"Just fight when you encounter enemies, do I need to teach you that?" Ghost Face looked at him like he was an idiot and retorted, "Resurrection is free, and the Empire will reimburse all equipment costs, what are you afraid of!"

...A firefighter gripped his pulse rifle tightly, crouching in a prefabricated bunker on the third position.

Its gaze swept over the alloy breastwork, surveying the heavily fortified position before it. Here, the entire remaining force of the Tau Empire on the planet Selkel had been concentrated. Hundreds of Hammerhead hover tanks, like silent steel behemoths, aimed their deadly railguns at the distant horizon. Every trench, every firing point, was manned by the most experienced fire warriors. Above, a swarm of tens of thousands of armed drones hummed low, obscuring the planet's dim sun, forming a deadly metallic cloud.

Reason told Case that this place was impregnable. Given the power humanity had previously displayed, there was absolutely no way they could easily breach this defense line forged by technology and determination.

But... its emotions compel it to ponder that terrible "what if".

The madness of humanity's past still haunted its mind like a nightmare. Those vehicles, laden with infantry, charging like mobile fortresses of flesh, all for a suicidal explosion; those fearless human soldiers who would self-destruct without hesitation in a fight against multiple opponents or even a one-on-one situation. All of this was beyond Case's understanding of "war."

After a brief war with the human legion, an instinctive fear had been deeply ingrained in its soul.

"Woo-buzz-"

A deep, suppressed rumble came from the distant horizon, like a roar from the depths of the earth.

The fire warrior immediately tensed up; it knew that was the sound of a human vehicle engine!

Soon, a billowing wall of dust appeared on the horizon, with countless black steel outlines appearing and disappearing within it, rushing straight toward their encirclement at an incomprehensible speed!

"They're here! All personnel on alert!" came the calm command from the sergeant over the command channel.

Just as the commander had predicted, the armored onslaught of humans plunged headlong into this meticulously prepared trap. They seemed utterly oblivious to any reconnaissance or the presence of a trap ahead, charging forward with a simple, frenzied madness!

"Fire!"

In an instant, the symphony of death began.

Hammerhead's railguns let out a piercing shriek, tearing through the air as streams of scorching metal instantly pierced through the charging Leman Rustanks, blasting them into burning scrap metal. In the sky, swarms of drones poured down like a burst dam, countless pulse energy blasts and smart missiles exploding amidst the human ranks. The fire warriors in the trenches launched a counterattack without hesitation, their dense pulse fire creating a blue web of death.

However, the human counterattack was equally fierce. Even with a significant disadvantage, their firepower continued to pour relentlessly onto the Tau army's positions. Explosions, the sound of metal tearing apart, the hum of energy weapons, and the shouts of soldiers from both sides merged into a chaotic cacophony.

This was a brutal battle. Case mechanically fired, changed energy magazines, and searched for new targets. It saw its comrade beside it hit by a heavy explosive round and fall into a pool of blood; it also saw a human tank, braving the concentrated fire of three drones, manage to charge to the front line before being blasted into parts by a precise railgun shot.

(End of this chapter)