The Bizarre Adventure of the Warhammer Guard

Char, this red planet, was originally one of the core planets of the Terran Federation, and became a mining settlement of the Federation due to its rich mineral resources.

Multiple factions within the Federation fought fiercely over the ownership of this planet, resulting in several brutal wars that ultimately ended in nuclear bombing, leading to frequent volcanic activity and further environmental degradation.

Char became an abandoned planet, but another force quietly took over this extremely harsh world: the Zerg.

Today, Char is forever covered with thick volcanic ash, scorching winds lash against the exposed rocks, and the air is filled with the acrid smell of sulfurous fumes.

This place has been transformed by the Zerg into their preferred nesting world, with countless swarms leaping between lava and fissures.

Inside the mountain, strange insect-like structures, seemingly alive, were wriggling, and purple fungal carpets covered the ground, blending seamlessly with the volcanic ash.

Jim Reynolds was sleeping in the lounge of Norald 2, his eyes closed, his brow furrowed, and his breathing rapid, as if he were trapped in a nightmare from which he could never wake up.

"Sarah!"

Suddenly, he shouted, his eyes widened, and he sat up abruptly, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath. Then he slowly recovered, one hand supporting his forehead, the other groping for the water glass on the bedside table.

Since Elpis left, Raynor has been searching for Kerrigan. He even went back to Tarsonis in an attempt to find news of her there.

Tarsonis has become a ruin. The Protoss fleet has completely cleansed this former capital of the Federation, leaving only large areas of crystallized ground after being struck by energy beams, and remnants of underground facilities.

He sent troops to search for weeks, but to no avail, and finally had to search other places for Kerrigan's whereabouts.

Just a few months ago, a voice frequently appeared in his dreams. At first, Renault only felt that it was familiar, but as time went on, the voice became clearer and more urgent. Finally, he heard it clearly:

"Jim...save me...in Charles..."

Reno was certain it was Kerrigan's voice; she was calling for help, she needed him.

Just now, Raynor was awakened once again by Kerrigan's distress signal. He took a sip of water, shook his throbbing head, got up and left the lounge, heading towards the bar area.

Ever since Kerrigan's voice appeared in Raynor's dreams, he has often spent time alone in bars, drinking alone, and only then does he feel less anxious.

At this moment, Reno was the only one in the bar. He sat alone in a corner of the bar, holding a bottle of wine in his hand, staring blankly at the television screen hanging in the center.

The television was receiving various signals from the Terran Empire, which had been continuously broadcasting the speech of Emperor Arcturus I of the Terran Empire at his coronation ceremony for the past few weeks.

"Fellow countrymen of Tyrell!"

"Today, I stand here to make everyone aware of the crisis we face. While we fight among ourselves and are divided over some historical issues, a greater threat is closing in on us, threatening to destroy us all."

"Whether as a nation or as individuals, we should put aside our long-standing hatred and unite as one. An inevitable war is imminent. We must be prepared, or we will be annihilated by it."

"We have witnessed the destruction of our homeland by the Protoss's precise attacks. We have seen our closest friends and loved ones devoured by nightmarish insects. The destructive power of the alien invaders is evident, but this is our current situation."

"The time has come, my fellow Tyrannians. It is time to unite under a new banner and submit to a king. Together, we can form an indivisible and powerful force."

"From this throne, I will watch over you."

"From this day forward, we will no longer wage war against each other, nor will we waste our strength on internal conflicts. Anyone who tries to divide us, any traitor who colludes with foreign tribes, will be cast aside by the tide of history."

"Proclaim to all our enemies not to stand in our way, for we will surely triumph! At any cost!"

Renault took a deep breath and slammed his glass down on the table in front of him. He saw Mengsk's hypocritical face on the television, which instantly ignited his long-suppressed anger.

Immediately afterwards, he grabbed a die from the side and, with all his might, smashed it hard against Mengsk's forehead on the screen.

The dice struck Mengsk squarely on the television screen, shattering the screen and leaving a small black spot on Mengsk's forehead, like a deadly bullet.

"Sir, we have entered Charles's near-Earth orbit." The bar's hatch opened, and a young man walked to Reno's side. He bent down to pick up the dice that had rolled to the ground and gently placed them back on the table in front of Reno.

"Oh, thanks, Matt," Reno sighed, his voice sounding tired.

"Sir, I suggest you stop throwing things at the TV," Matt said calmly. "This is the third time you've broken the TV, and the repair department has complained a lot about it."

Although Mengsk's use of psionic emitters to lure the Zerg swarm to Tarsonis was kept secret, some of his mid- to high-ranking officials were aware of it.

Matt Horner happens to be a young and promising first mate in the Sons of Korhal's fleet. By chance, he meets Raynor during the uprising and together they defeat the Federation forces.

The truth about Mengsk using psionic emitters to lure the Zerg swarm towards Tarsonis, sacrificing Kerrigan and countless civilians, began to circulate among some mid- to high-ranking members of the organization.

Matt, along with many conscientious soldiers, resolutely left Mengsk's camp and joined Renault.

Renault readily accepted Matt and his team's offer of service and continued to have Matt serve as the first mate of the Norald II.

Mengsk was aware of this, but he didn't attack Renault on the spot. It wasn't until intelligence showed that no one had seen the golden-armored warrior anymore that he started to cause trouble for Renault.

"She's down there, Matt." Reno rubbed his throbbing temples. "I can feel her pain."

"The scans show large-scale Zerg activity on the surface and detected extremely strong psionic signals," Matt said. "With all due respect, sir, this could very well be a trap."

Raynor was silent for a moment. Matt's concerns were valid. It would be unwise and irresponsible to lead the warships to a planet completely occupied by the Zerg based solely on information from a dream.

“You’re right, it’s definitely unwise,” Raynor stood up, “but you know what, we should save her. She held off the Zerg for us, but Mengsk abandoned her, and after hearing her voice, I simply couldn’t bear not to save her.”

"It's your decision, sir. We trust you."

"Alright, prepare for the landing operation. Let's rescue her," Renault finally ordered. "Matt, you stay in orbit and keep communications open. If things get complicated, immediately provide cover for our evacuation."

"Yes, sir."