I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 154 A Human Empire-Style Victory
The Tau Empire fleet, hastily retreating from the front lines, spread news of the human empire's brazen invasion throughout its vast territory like startled birds. The followers of the Supreme Good Path never imagined that their barbaric, corrupt, and superstitious neighbor would dare to shatter the fragile peace and bring war to their doorstep.

Alarms blared across every planet, from the bustling core world to the remote colonies, as the Tau Empire mobilized for an unprecedented, total war effort. The advantages of fighting on home soil for the Tau people became glaringly apparent. Their efficient social structure, unified ideology, and advanced logistical system allowed them to unleash astonishing power in a very short time.

In just one or two months, the Tau Empire had constructed a vast, layered defensive line along a series of fortified worlds lining the edge of Damocles Bay. Countless orbital defense platforms, minefields, and a heavily armed fleet, like a dense spiderweb, awaited any reckless invader who dared to run into them. The Tau command believed that with this impregnable defensive system, they could pin the human fleet down, bleeding them to their last drop of blood, thus buying ample time for the main force, which was gathering in the rear, to return. At that time, they would gather all their forces and launch a devastating counterattack, wiping the remaining human empire from the universe in one fell swoop.

But the choice of the human empire once again surprised all the Tau people.

At this time, the extermination faction, led by Cardinal Iso Guni of the State Church, still held a dominant position in the decision-making of the expeditionary fleet. Following their victory in the battles of Zelkel and the Hydas Sector, the Imperium of Man discovered many planets in Damocles Bay that had once belonged to humans but were now inhabited by Xenomorphs.

It is necessary to restore these planets to the glory of the Emperor. However, the expeditionary fleet clearly does not have enough time to conquer, purify, and deal with each of these planets.

After a brief but intense discussion, the War Council decided to implement a more aggressive "island-hopping tactic": small fleets would be deployed to blockade or take over secondary planets, while the main fleet would bypass the Tau Empire's carefully constructed defenses and launch a decisive attack on key planets in their heartland. Once the major planets serving as administrative and industrial centers were captured, the subordinate colonies would naturally surrender.

Then, something happened that shocked the entire Tau Empire command.

The Imperium of Man's fleet completely ignored the Damocles Line, which the Tau people had placed so much hope in. They used a short and dangerous warp jump to phantom-like maneuver through the layers of defenses and appeared directly in front of the outer planet of the Dalis Sector—Feiyan.

Without hesitation, the expeditionary fleet launched a fierce attack on Feiyan. However, this proved to be overly arrogant and reckless. They had assumed that the orbital defense stations on Feiyan would be as weak and ineffective as those they had encountered on Zell Kel.

As the expeditionary fleet gradually entered the orbital defense station's optimal firing range, the Tau people immediately activated the heavy electromagnetic cannons mounted on them. The silent, deadly torrent of metal traced eerie blue trails in the vacuum. With just one salvo, one of the expeditionary fleet's lunar cruisers—the "Radiance of Damlas"—was accurately struck by several shells. The void shield instantly overloaded, a massive gash was torn open in the middle of its hull, and the entire warship was instantly rendered wrecked, helplessly tumbling under the force of inertia.

In response to this unexpected situation, Commander Geralqua of the expeditionary fleet hastily deployed all nine squadrons of escort ships, attempting to suppress the orbital station with their agile hulls and concentrated firepower. It was at this moment that eleven Merchant-class light cruisers of the Tau Empire, like lurking sharks, suddenly emerged from the blind spots of the human fleet's detection, catching humanity completely off guard.

With all escort ships deployed to the orbital defense station, the expeditionary fleet was forced to hastily engage with its more valuable main battleships. Although the Tau ambush fleet initially gained a long-range firepower advantage, the sheer number of ships gradually overwhelmed the Tau as the Imperial fleet reacted, its massive fleet turning and joining the battle. The roar of the macro cannons and the flashes of the light spears quickly drowned out the eerie blue glow of the electromagnetic cannons.

Just as the tide of war was beginning to turn in favor of the Imperium of Man, another unexpected event occurred. An ugly, spherical battleship, piloted by a Krut, an ally of the Tau Empire, ripped through the veil of reality and clumsily emerged from the warp. Its objective was chillingly clear—to head straight for the nearly unarmed supply convoy positioned behind the Imperium of Man's fleet.

Although the Krutian spherical battleships were slow and outdated in design, their heavy armor and massive cannons were more than enough to deal with the defenseless supply ships. For a time, the Imperial human fleet was forced to dart about in space, desperately dodging Krutian fire, and frantically sending distress calls to the expeditionary fleet commander.

Geralqua knew very well that these transport and supply ships were the foundation of the human empire's amphibious landing operation and the lifeline of the expedition. If they were destroyed, the expedition would be virtually doomed to failure. Therefore, he had no choice but to immediately divert the flagship of the expeditionary fleet—a magnificent Retribution-class battleship, the Blade of Sorrow—from the main battlefield to intercept the Krutian warships.

Under the overwhelming, divinely wrathful firepower of the "Blade of Sorrow," the Krutian spherical battleship was quickly reduced to a burning, twisted mass of metal wreckage in space. Meanwhile, the orbital defense station was finally destroyed under the relentless, relentless attacks of the human escort ships. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the remaining Tau Empire merchant-class light cruiser fleet decisively abandoned the wreckage of several heavily damaged comrades and chose to retreat.

The battle is over.

The expeditionary fleet achieved yet another victory befitting the human empire. The cost was: a Dominator-class battlecruiser was severely damaged, a Gothic-class cruiser, a Luna-class cruiser, and an Indomitable-class light cruiser were completely destroyed, and fourteen escort ships were reduced to cosmic dust. In addition, two escort ships suffered irreparable damage and had to be abandoned.

After paying such a heavy price, the expeditionary fleet did not become more cautious; instead, it became increasingly radical under the fanatical instigation of the extermination faction.

The War Council abandoned its original plan to land in Feiyan and establish a stable forward base. This time, they weren't even willing to establish a secure rear. Humanity was to launch an immediate attack on Dalis, the main star of the Dalis Sector.

They were going to take a desperate gamble and capture it before the main fleet of the Tau Empire could return to reinforce it!
(End of this chapter)