This heretic cannot be burned, he must be hung up and whipped!

The commanders in the room began to discuss in low voices, gradually understanding Neos's intentions.

"Furthermore," Neos continued, "we must rethink our defenses. The best defense in Budapest is not a continuous front, but a network of strongholds scattered at strategic points. I ask you to transform multi-story buildings, factories, warehouses, corner houses, and office buildings into solid defensive fortresses."

He pointed to several key buildings on the map and said, "Each stronghold must be equipped with machine guns, mortars, booby traps, and barbed wire. Snipers will be responsible for long-range fire support, and each team of 5-10 submachine gunners and grenadiers will be prepared to engage in house-to-house fighting."

Neos's order was quickly conveyed, and the Crusaders began to deploy according to the new tactics.

Inside an apartment building in the western part of the city, soldiers were busy reinforcing windows, setting up machine gun positions, and laying mines and tripwires in stairways and hallways.

"Remember what the commander said," a sergeant major told the recruits. "Use your initiative! Every inch of Budapest will resist hell!"

"Every inch of Budapest will resist hell!" the recruits hissed in unison.

The sergeant nodded in satisfaction. "Very good. Now, I'm going to teach you new tactics for surviving indoor combat. First, never act alone. Second, use grenades or flashbangs before entering any room. Third, trust your comrades around you. Fourth—put down those long-barreled rifles."

He took out a sharp one-handed sword and said, "In the dark, this is your most reliable self-defense weapon, followed by submachine guns and shotguns."

At the same time, the attacking heretic legion was also adjusting its tactics. Legion Commander Asmodeus stood in the command post, listening to reports from the front line.

"Leader, we are about to launch a general attack. Should we commit all our landships?" a heretic officer asked. "The Crusaders' resistance may be more stubborn than expected."

Asmodeus frowned. "They become more dangerous in their desperation. We must change our tactics. From now on, tanks, infantry, engineers, artillery, and aircraft must work together. My forces will no longer fight independently, but as a whole."

He walked over to the map and pointed to the center of Budapest: "We must learn to fight in this environment. This is not the Hungarian Plain. We can no longer rely on tank charges and overwhelming firepower. This is a 'rat war' - there could be an ambush in every corner, every room, and every corridor.

When we lose our advantage in weapons, believe me, the Crusaders' extensive experience in wrestling in the mire will cripple any creature that rolls into it."

"I have a feeling that our weapons advantage will soon be equalized."

------

The sun finally reached its highest point in the sky, and a tense atmosphere permeated the streets of Budapest. In a shopping mall in the seventh district, a company of Crusaders, weapons drawn, vigilantly watched every possible invasion point.

"Keep quiet," Captain Marcus whispered, his voice almost drowned out by the wind. "Remember this morning's training. Form a triangle and cover each other."

The young soldier Thomas nodded nervously, the dagger in his hand trembling slightly. The veteran Jacob beside him patted his shoulder.

"Don't be afraid, kid. Just remember what the sergeant-major taught you."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake slightly, and the Crusaders immediately tensed up as they heard the rumbling of the heretic tanks.

"Is the S-1 ready?" Marcus asked over the radio.

"Inquisitor 002 is working perfectly, sir," the mechanic's voice came over the radio. "It's in such good condition you wouldn't even know it was hit by a heretic armor-piercing round."

"Good, it seems it is also willing to fight for our cause." Marcus teased.

"It's her, not it, sir."

The heretic landship slowly advanced through the streets, firing its main guns at every suspected bunker. Deafening explosions followed one after another, sending rubble and dust flying everywhere.

"Those damned heretics are searching our base with firepower," Jacob said through gritted teeth. "They've learned their lesson."

The landspeeder stopped at an intersection, and the turret slowly turned, aiming at the building where Marcus's team was.

"Everyone, get down! Take cover!" Marcus shouted.

At this critical moment, a cannon barrel suddenly appeared at the end of the street. After a deafening roar, a dazzling flash of light cut through the air and accurately hit the side armor of the landship.

The landship was instantly torn apart, turning into a giant firework. The shockwave of the explosion shattered the windows of surrounding buildings, and the flames illuminated the entire street.

"Long live the Inquisitor! Long live Neos!" Thomas cheered.

"Shut up and stay alert!" Marcus shouted. "The heretics won't give up so easily."

As expected, the armored vehicles following the landship quickly dispersed, seeking cover. The cries of the heretic soldiers could be heard from downstairs.

"Artillery Witch! Calling Artillery Witch! We need support! Coordinates G-7!" "Plane! At coordinates XXX, bomb them!"

Less than a minute later, a shriek pierced the air. The heretic artillery witches, firing their 9 Cold-Lous Sulphur Fin VIIIs, began pouring shells in the direction the S-1 Inquisitor had fired. A series of explosions reduced the ruins to a crater.

"002! Crew 002! Answer me!" Marcus called anxiously.

There was only noise on the radio.

A moment later, the team saw several heretic soldiers holding up their shields and cautiously approaching the bombed area.

"Sir, they are about to discover our crew!" Thomas said nervously.

But unexpectedly, the heretic soldiers seemed confused. They searched the ruins and then reported to the commander.

"There are no human bodies here, sir! The anti-tank weapon is gone!"

"Oh my god! Damn it!" the heretic commander on the front lines shouted in surprise. "They must have retreated into the buildings with their weapons! All units, clear them out building by building! Leave no corner untouched!"

Marcus smiled faintly and chuckled, "It's so cool to hit and run."

"Maneuver, brothers," the 002 crew's voice finally came over the radio. "Like Bishop Neos said, don't treat the Inquisitor as stationary artillery. We've moved to the B-4 area, preparing for the next ambush. Call us if you need support."

The heretic forces began to disperse into the surrounding buildings. Marcus signaled the squad to take up combat positions.

"Remember the tactics," he whispered, "I'll lead the charge, and you two flanks will cover."

Two heretic heavy infantrymen kicked open the door of the room they were in, and their huge, fully armed figures almost filled the entire door frame.

"Now!" Marcus yelled.

Jacob fired a shotgun shell from the left at the heretic's face, Marcus charged from the front, and Thomas circled to the right. The three of them formed a perfect encirclement.

"Every inch of Budapest will resist Hell!" Marcus roared, his dagger precisely piercing the seam of the first heretic soldier's armor.

Jacob's shotgun blast at close range unleashed a terrifying burst of force, knocking the second heretic soldier to the ground. Though young, Thomas executed his training perfectly, stabbing the man in the back of the neck with his sword.

"We...we...we, three mortals, actually did it!" Thomas gasped, looking at the two elite heretic heavy infantrymen lying on the ground in disbelief.

"This is just the beginning," Marcus said calmly, reloading his weapon. "Remember, in indoor combat, their large size and heavy armor are actually disadvantages. Mobility, coordination, and precision—this is our advantage."

The footsteps of more heretic soldiers could be heard from downstairs. Marcus gestured, and the squad quickly moved to the next pre-set ambush point.

“Every inch of Budapest,” Marcus whispered.

"We will all resist Hell." Thomas and Jacob responded in unison.

...

Similar battles unfolded throughout the city. A Heretic Legion soldier might open a door only to be met with the roar of a shotgun, the detonation of a trip mine, trench batons hidden behind a door, or a barrage of bayonets. Every room was a potential death trap, and every corner held an enemy.

In one high-rise apartment building, fighting raged from the ground floor to the top floor. Because the roof had been blasted open by earlier bombardments, the battle inside was clearly visible from outside: Crusaders and heretics occupied one end of the same floor, firing at each other through holes in the walls and doorframes.

A heretic soldier cautiously pushed open a door and looked in. Suddenly, there was a roar from a shotgun, and the soldier's head disappeared in an instant, leaving only a headless corpse lying in the doorway.

"Damn it!" the officer behind him cursed, "These damn Crusaders, every room is a trap!"

"Clear it up with grenades!" the squad leader ordered.

A grenade was thrown into the room, and after the explosion, the heretic soldiers rushed in. However, the room was empty - the Crusaders had already retreated to the next room through a pre-dug hole and were now shooting at them from another angle.

"Ah!" A heretic soldier fell to the ground with a bullet piercing his chest.

"Retreat! Retreat!" the squad leader shouted, but it was too late. Through a hole in the ceiling, a Crusader threw a bomb.

"For Neos!"

The entire room was engulfed in the explosion, and the Heretic Squad was completely wiped out.

At the command post of the Heretic Legion, Commander Asmodeus received one discouraging report after another.

"Commander, the Third Commando suffered heavy losses in Area C, with over half of its troops killed."

"The advance in Area D has been hindered. The Crusaders have set traps in every room."

"The tank units in Sector E are unable to effectively support the infantry. The streets are too narrow and the buildings obstruct vision."

"The Crusaders have apparently developed a new weapon with exceptional maneuverability. Aside from the Spitfire model with enhanced front armor, other landships are unable to withstand it."

Asmodeus was furious and slammed his fist on the table. "This isn't war, this is a slaughterhouse! Hell's elite warriors are being sent into this meat grinder one by one!"

In fact, most of the battles over the past few hundred years had been fought by corrupted and plundering heretical mortal legions against the Crusaders. Hundreds of years of proxy wars had done little to inflict cruelty on Hell.

What Hell wanted was a "fair" duel between soldiers and generals, rather than being dragged into this quagmire by the Crusaders and forced to wrestle with the experienced ones.

He picked up a pen and began to write a report to Lucifer: "Dear Lord of Pride, the Crusaders' determination to resist is very... very firm.

Our fighters have taken the kitchen but are still fighting for the bedroom and living room, while also guarding against any martyrdom bombs the Crusaders may have hidden under the stove.

This 'rat war' is wearing down our elite troops, and our army, which already has a firepower advantage, is unable to fully utilize it..."

Throughout the day, the heretic army advanced only a few hundred meters into the city, yet the battle was far more brutal than the previous day. The casualties of at least tens of thousands of elite soldiers pained Asmodeus (the casualties of mortal heretic troops were generally not included in battle reports).

Every meter the heretics advanced into the city cost them hundreds, even thousands, of soldiers.

Asmodeus looked at the cathedral in the aerial photograph and made a decision.

"Organize the death commando, I will do it myself."

PS: 240 votes, next update 4.5k...

The Bizarre Adventures of the Oil Man, But Starting from Warhammer 32K

A time traveler becomes a mechanical priest, exploring technology in the Warhammer universe and taking risks during major events.

Rising Flames: 1914: It hurts, it hurts so much

For some reason, Bei Zhai's wireless Bluetooth headset suddenly conflicted with the Bluetooth mouse, resulting in the fact that I can only choose to use one of them. If both are turned on, the Bluetooth signal of the mouse will interfere with the signal of Bei Zhai's headset, causing the sound of Bei Zhai's headset to be choppy.

Kids, what should we do? Bei Zhai is used to listening to music with headphones while typing. Is there any good solution?

Rising Flames: 1914: Chapter 38 Machine Spirit: I'm Not Dead Yet!

As the sun set, the battlefields of Budapest fell into an unusual silence. Both heretics and Crusaders seemed to have reached some tacit agreement to remain silent for the brief moment before sunset. Troops behind the city began preparing for a rotation, sending back exhausted soldiers who had fought all day on the front lines for rest and recuperation.

The heretic army also needed to regroup and prepare for the next round of attack. Both sides seemed to be accumulating strength in the intervals between breaths, ready for the next battle.

Time slipped by, the moon quietly disappeared into the clouds, and the whole city fell into an unnatural silence. Except for the occasional searchlight beam sweeping across the streets, Budapest was almost silent, as if everyone had fallen asleep.

Neos stood by the window of the headquarters, staring into the darkness beyond. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, his brow furrowed.

"The General Staff believes that something is not right tonight." Neos put down the battle report that had just been delivered, his tone revealing uneasiness.

The adjutant stood aside, his face etched with fatigue. The continuous, intense fighting had left him exhausted, both physically and mentally, to the point where he could fall asleep instantly even leaning against the wall. He struggled to stay awake, but his eyelids kept drooping.

"The patrol has gone through three times, and we haven't lost a single soldier. That's not normal," Neos continued, his voice tinged with alarm. "Based on yesterday's experience, at least two or three men will have died by the time I read this."

The adjutant struggled to open his eyes, trying to focus: "Perhaps... the heretic needs rest too?"

"It's okay, my dear adjutant," Neos' tone softened slightly, patting the adjutant's shoulder. "After tonight, I—no, God—will resurrect Paladin Dominica. I'll have a transport plane drop her off along with the supplies. Her years of combat experience will surely help you with many tasks."

Just as he finished speaking, a series of explosions and gunfire suddenly rang out from outside the window, shattering the silence of the night. A few seconds later, the telephone rang sharply, and the voices of battlefield commanders reporting the heretic attack were heard.

"I feel better now. I wouldn't dare rest until the heretics attack. Huh—yawn." Neos also felt a wave of fatigue coming over him. He rubbed his temples. "I'll lie down for a while. Wake me up if anything unusual happens."

The adjutant nodded in agreement, and Neos leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

---

At this moment, the heavy artillery of the Heretic Legion on the front lines was constantly bombarding the various defenses of Budapest. Shells exploded all over the city, lighting up the night sky, and deafening explosions echoed in every street.

Unable to determine the main attack direction, the Crusaders' commanders had no choice but to alert their soldiers and send more reserves to the front. With everyone's attention focused on the battle on the ground, no one noticed that beneath the dark clouds, several heretical planes were quietly approaching the cathedral in the western part of the city.

"Bang! Boom!"

Several capsule-like objects detached from the plane. Without parachutes or tail fins, they descended slowly and silently, driven by some unknown force. The surrounding air darkened under this force, as if devouring all light. Finally, the capsules landed in the pitch-black shadows between the buildings.

“Chi——”

The capsule was opened from the inside, and a strange airflow gushed out. If a soldier came to investigate, he would not be able to see any living creature or object. The air was filled with a stench from the depths of hell, but it quickly dissipated.

"Click!"

The bricks and rubble on the ground seemed to be bumped by something, and a few stones made a slight sound. Two patrolling sentries heard the sound and came over curiously to check, but found nothing.

"It might be a rat," said a sentry, casually slinging his gun back over his shoulder.

"These days, even rats are more reassuring than heretics." Another sentry responded with a smile, and the two continued their patrol.

A few minutes later, when the patrol sentry returned to the church to hand over his shift, he found that all the lights in the church had been extinguished. In the darkness, the outline of the cathedral looked particularly eerie, and the stained glass windows reflected the faint moonlight, like countless pairs of prying eyes.

"What's going on? Is there a power outage?" A sentry raised his gun vigilantly, but did not notice that there seemed to be a wave in the air behind him, like ripples on the water.