Warhammer: Empire Reboot

One possibility is that, at a pace of taking them down one by one, it would take Lawson at least forty days to clear out all fifteen planets.

Between the seventh and eighth planets, the remaining demon princes will have a very high probability of collectively entering a state of alert, thus accelerating the altar's charging progress ahead of schedule.

The most likely scenario is that when Lawson cleared the fifth planet, the demon princes on the remaining ten planets simultaneously initiated a scaled-down version of the sacrifice, lowering the ritual threshold in exchange for early activation.

While the scaled-down ritual couldn't drag the entire galaxy into the warp, it was enough to tear localized rifts on each planet, unleashing a massive number of demons. The chain reaction of ten planets falling simultaneously would turn the entire Klein system into the warp's front yard.

All the deductions point to the same conclusion.

The tactic of defeating them one by one is no longer feasible.

Nurgle's altar communication network will transmit his whereabouts to the demon princes on the other fifteen planets in real time.

Once these creatures realize they've become lambs to the slaughter, they might very well activate the altar prematurely.

Even if the number of souls sacrificed is insufficient, an attempt to forcibly tear apart the barriers of reality is enough to cause disastrous consequences.

Fifteen planets must be beheaded simultaneously in a very short period of time, before their communications can be coordinated.

Based on the cruising speed of the Lunar-class cruisers and Sword-class frigates, orbital delivery covering the remaining fifteen agricultural worlds in the Klein system would take a maximum of thirty days.

Lawson mentally calculated the timetable.

There are approximately 53 days remaining until the synchronized activation of the Nurgle Altar.

Thirty days were allocated for comprehensive reconnaissance and deployment, with the remaining twenty-three days used for preparation and launching a simultaneous surprise attack.

There is enough time.

"All advance troops, upon landing, will have first priority on reconnaissance, not combat."

Lawson relayed the order: "Locate the precise coordinates of the altar, and mark the location and activity patterns of the Demon Prince."

Lawson looked toward the eastern district of Harvest City.

"Send 60,000 combat suicide soldiers here."

"Add another 600,000 non-combatant soldiers and organize them into a planetary defense force. Divide them into ten mopping-up teams and advance outward from Harvest City as the center. Clear out the remaining plague stragglers on this planet."

The portals of the static force field lit up one after another on the plains surrounding Harvest City.

Sixty thousand combat soldiers in gray combat uniforms, armed with heavy explosive guns, were like molten iron poured from the void.

Ten clearing teams, each with 6,000 men, were formed, with elite suicide squads serving as command nodes, combat suicide squads as spearheads, and non-combat suicide squads responsible for sealing off areas, searching buildings, and marking suspicious targets.

Like ten steel fingers, they spread outwards from the center of Harvest City, combing through every town and farm on the surface of this planet.

Under the guidance of swarm intelligence, the extermination team can maintain perfect coordination without any communication equipment.

The gray-green hordes of corpses that have lost their demon prince's leadership and are now wandering aimlessly in the wilderness will be systematically located, surrounded, and annihilated.

Looking at the orderly scene before him, Lawson nodded in satisfaction.

He no longer needs to personally oversee this matter.

The swarm intelligence's ability to coordinate is sufficient to handle administrative takeovers on a planet-sized scale, provided there are no high-level threats present.

The last high-level threat on this planet had already been ground to dust by him using the Shadow Wheel.

"It's time to go back."

The light of the stasis field shone around him.

Space folding.

Harvest City has disappeared.

Obolus-III.

Planet Three, the Pinnacle District, the Governor's Mansion.

When Lawson stepped out of the portal of the static force field, he was standing on the marble floor of the observation deck on the top floor of the Governor's Mansion.

This rare stone, from an empire whose name has been forgotten, has a warm, smooth feel underfoot.

After several days of intense combat, from the defense of the Arctic line in Klein-IX to the strangulation of the Demon Prince in Casablanca, and then to the raid on Harvest City in Klein-IV, even the physical body of a Thunder Warrior began to feel the accumulation of fatigue.

The battle itself wasn't tiring.

Hand-to-hand combat, explosions, and urban warfare are as commonplace to him as eating and drinking.

What's tiring is the depletion of psionic energy.

After several days of high-frequency use, Lawson felt as if his cerebral cortex had been sanded, with a dull burning sensation.

He needs a hot bath.

The Governor's Palace's heated bath is one of the most luxurious facilities on the entire planet.

During his tenure, former Governor Cassius spent three million Imperial Credits to build this giant bath, which covers an area of ​​400 square meters.

The water source comes from a natural hot spring deep within the planet's crust, and after seven layers of purification, the temperature is kept constant at forty-two degrees Celsius.

The bottom of the pool is lined with rare mineral crystals from Cardia, which are said to relieve muscle fatigue.

He walked through the gates of the Governor's Palace.

At the corner of the corridor, a figure came to greet them.

Governor Andrei of Planet Three.

"Boss," Andrei bowed respectfully, "Welcome back."

As he walked, Lawson removed the living metal armor connector from his left wrist: "Is the bath ready?"

"It was cooked half an hour ago."

Andrei stood up and followed behind Lawson, reaching out to help him unlock the main locking buckle on the back of the Tiger King armor.

The crisp sound of the metal latch popping open echoed in the corridor.

The chest armor of the Tiger King Armor was removed, revealing the inner layer of Lawson's close-fitting combat suit.

As Andrei helped Losen remove his armor, he took a few steps closer.

"Boss, someone has been arranged for you in the bathhouse."

Lawson paused for a moment as he removed his leg armor.

He turned his head and glanced at Andrei out of the corner of his eye.

Andrei's expression was calm and composed, displaying both the respect due to a subordinate and a touch of sensible tact.

"Oh?"

Lawson casually placed the removed leg armor on the tray held by the assassin next to him: "You've learned to do this too?"

Andrei bowed slightly: "Having served the boss for nearly a hundred years, I know how to make you relax."

He added, "Boss, I didn't use any tricks; it was all her own choice."

Lawson stood in the corridor, his Tiger King armor completely removed, leaving him only in a black, form-fitting combat suit.

His body appeared exceptionally tall in the dim light of the corridor, standing at 2.3 meters, with broad shoulders and a face with cold, stern features.

Lawson's lips curled into a slight smile.

"Then let her in."

Lawson pushed open the copper door to the bath area.

Driven by the geothermal circulation system, the pool water flows slowly, reflecting the murals on the dome that praise the emperor's great achievements.

Former Governor Cassius was indeed quite adept at extravagance.

The Cardia mineral crystals embedded in the pool walls refracted a pale blue light in the water vapor, making the entire space look like a miniature imperial temple.

Then he saw the person standing in the corner.

At 1.78 meters tall, she is an extremely rare height among women in the Imperial City.

Her long, dark hair was pulled back, revealing a section of her slender neck.

Her face was exquisite, but she carried a deliberately maintained indifference, the kind of expression management that comes from decades of immersion in the elite circles of the upper class.

She wore a simple off-white long dress, her hands clasped in front of her, her posture as dignified as if she were attending a formal court audience.

Adele.

The wife of former Governor Cassius, and the daughter of Count Havilland of the Second Agricultural World.

When they captured Planet Two, it was Adela who secretly handed over her father’s family heirloom to Lawson’s assassins, providing crucial cover for the advance team to infiltrate the agricultural world.

Later, when infiltrating the first main star, Earl Havilland arranged for assassins to infiltrate the transport ship as cargo hold workers, which was also an extension of this covert operation.

From a political opportunistic perspective, the couple certainly had a keen eye, placing a heavy bet when Lawson was still just an obscure warlord.

When Adela saw Lawson enter, she slightly curtsied in a standard imperial noble gesture.

The angle of her bend was precise enough to allow the other person to simultaneously see her humility and the small patch of fair skin above her collarbone.

Women in the elite districts are calculating in every move they make.

Lawson took off his close-fitting combat suit and stepped into the bathtub.

The 42-degree hot water reached above my chest.

Even in the bathtub, his height still appeared enormous, and the muscle lines on his back and arms were faintly visible beneath the water.

Adela picked up a neatly folded towel from the shelf by the pool and walked behind Lawson.

Her hand paused slightly the moment it touched Lawson's shoulder.

Even through the bath towel, the density and temperature of those muscles were off; the heat was too high.

It's like wiping a piece of marble that has been heated by a stove.

But Adela hesitated for less than half a second.

She began to slowly wipe along Lawson's shoulder line.

The intensity is moderate, and the rhythm is even.

Lawson closed his eyes.

The temperature of the hot water gradually relaxed the nerve endings that had been tense for several days.

The residual psychic heat in the cerebral cortex also began to slowly dissipate under the influence of water vapor.