I summoned the Fourth Scourge in Warhammer

Chapter 156 A desperate move

Darlis, the most important homeworld of the Tau Empire in the Fourth Sector, is renowned for its mild climate and thriving commerce. But now, the peaceful landscape is shrouded in the shadow of war. At a Clan airbase situated on a vast plain, a tense and solemn atmosphere has replaced the usual tranquility.

Inside the massive domed hangar, the light was bright yet soft, and rows of sleek "Barracuda" and "Tiger Shark" fighters were parked neatly. Hundreds of Air Clan pilots, clad in blue flight suits, stood in impeccable formation, their eyes fixed on the battle-hardened air force commander on the high platform ahead.

The commander stood tall and straight, his voice echoing clearly through the loudspeaker system to every corner of the hangar. His tone was somber, but even more so, it carried a suppressed rage.

"My brethren, warriors of the Qi Clan! The fleets of those barbaric races who call themselves 'humans' have invaded our lands. They have brought death and destruction; their actions are the most vile desecration of everything we cherish and of the 'Supreme Goodness'!"

Behind him, a huge holographic screen began playing edited battlefield footage: the planetary surface burned to glass by orbital bombardment, the wreckage floating above the Zell Ker colony, and... in the Hydas Sector, the horrific scene of those humans who had chosen to join the Empire and received the guidance of the Path of the Supreme Good being reduced to charred remains by the gunfire of their own brethren.

"Look!" The commander pointed to the gruesome scene. "These cruel and warlike invaders have carried out the most thorough extermination strategy against our planet! They have even carried out a merciless massacre of their own people in the Hydas Sector! Just because those people chose a better future! This is our enemy, a bunch of madmen addicted to hatred and destruction!"

A suppressed commotion arose within the hangar. The pilots clenched their fists, their faces beneath their helmets etched with righteous indignation. Slaughtering other races was barbaric enough, but slaughtering their own kind who had chosen progress was, in their eyes, an incomprehensible madness.

The commander raised his hand, signaling for silence. His tone shifted, becoming firm and powerful.

"But do not be intimidated by their madness! The Human Empire is not an invincible enemy! On the contrary, they are already at their last gasp! What we are facing is nothing more than a decaying, dying empire, wreaking havoc before its complete collapse! Their society is stagnant, their minds are imprisoned by superstition, and they are already torn apart internally!"

"As long as we follow His Excellency Ether's teachings! As long as we firmly believe in the Way of the Supreme Good! As long as we are united, the diplomacy of the Water Clan, the production of the Earth Clan, the ground forces of the Fire Clan, and our Sky Spear of the Air Clan, when closely combined, will surely lead to victory for our Tau Empire!"

Its words were incredibly persuasive, dispelling the last vestiges of doubt in the pilots' hearts and transforming them into high morale.

Finally, the commander's gaze swept over everyone present, and his voice was as solemn as an oath.

"As members of the Air Clan, as the Sky Shield of the Empire, we will be the first Tau Empire soldiers to face the human fleet head-on! We will greet them atop the skies of Dalis! We will tell them that this is Tau territory!"

It paused, then shouted, "What is our answer?" Below the platform, all the Air Clan pilots jerked their feet together, puffed out their chests, and their voices surged forth like a torrent, echoing throughout the massive hangar: "For the path of the highest good, we will fight to the death!"

……

However, compared to the high morale and unity of the Tau Empire at this moment, the war council of the human empire's expeditionary fleet was already on the verge of collapse. It was like a starship tossed about in a storm, its hull riddled with cracks, barely held together by a few fragile cables.

The most acute manifestation of this profound disagreement is that of Covin Greet, son of the wandering merchant Lucius Greet, who just openly declared the might of the Tau Empire on the wide-area channel and suggested that the fleet should consider retreating.

This is a complete and utter betrayal of the command system.

After all, even if the expeditionary fleet truly needed to withdraw, it should have been a difficult decision reached jointly by the War Council after intense discussions and weighing of the pros and cons. What kind of behavior is it, like Cowen's, to directly release unverified information that could cause catastrophic panic, spreading defeatist sentiment throughout the expeditionary fleet in an attempt to force the War Council to announce a withdrawal? This is cowardly blackmail, a sign of political naiveté.

Not to mention, beneath the surface, undercurrents had been swirling long before this public break. Not long ago, Lucius's daughter, the equally unruly heir to the merchant ronin trade, even attempted to assassinate Inquisitor Grand herself.

Grand narrowly escaped death during the assassination attempt, which made his already suspicious nature even more neurotic. Now, he looked at every council member as if they were potential heretics or assassins. Meanwhile, upon receiving the news, Lucius initially believed that his daughter had died in the failed assassination attempt. The grief of losing his daughter nearly caused the traveling merchant to turn against the inquisitor on the spot, and the War Council almost completely collapsed.

But Lucius Gretel, having traversed the galaxy for many years, after his initial rage subsided, pondered deeply and forcibly suppressed his personal hatred and grief, deciding to first eliminate the common threat of the Tau. This fragile consensus was the only pillar that kept the War Council, this shattered ship, from sinking immediately.

It was amidst this disintegration that the expeditionary fleet forcibly carried out the operation codenamed "Operation Pluto." Landing craft tore through the azure skies of Dalis, brazenly landing on the eastern coastline of the largest continent.

This region is backed by a continuous mountain range and faces the boundless sea, making its terrain extremely treacherous. The only route of attack is along a narrow coastal corridor, heading straight for Dalis's core city—Galbrin.

This also represents the ultimate manifestation of the expeditionary fleet's aggressive operational thinking. It abandoned all safe tactical options, like a red-eyed gambler pushing all its chips to the center of the table, placing all its hopes for the war on the victory of this all-or-nothing campaign.

(End of this chapter)