Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 562

Chapter 560, Herding Sheep

“No, we have to go faster.”

Upon hearing this, Paulson shook his head and said, “The Mechanical Ark Fleet’s actions have their own will. Paulitus, we are here because of the commission from Chapter Master Paul. The sect didn’t intend to raise the banner of rebellion right now. It’s simply because your performance in the Proud Claw Star Region was too poor, so our sect had to step in to clean up the mess.”

“Captain Paul did ask us to save your two regiments if we have the chance. But if we don’t, we can’t force it. Our primary mission is to eliminate the main force of the Alliance here, or at least prevent them from entering the Thorngrass and Alfonzo Sector.”

Paulitos nodded. “I fully understand, but Sage Paulson, please help…”

As he spoke, Paulitos’s tall figure bowed deeply. “I beg you… I beg you… to save my Chapter. If you can help us, then the Fury and the New World Torch will do our utmost to repay you in the future. Whether it’s you or the Alfonzo Cult, whatever you desire, we will fight for you.”

Paulitos’ words were so sincere that Paulson’s mechanical heart skipped a beat.

Of course, the fundamental reason for his heartbeat was the two Chapters’ promise of full assistance.

Two Space Marine Chapters, two of them, and thanks to the Iron Rage Stone’s mechanics, they could be reborn at will… Their friendship was invaluable.

The Mechanicus always had to attack planets containing ancient relics, undertake exploratory missions, defend certain achievements, or hunt down traitors… The Space Marines were adept at these tasks, far more efficient than the Mechanicus could dispatch its own troops.

Having two Chapters readily available to assist was a valuable asset to the Alfonzo Cult,

not to mention Paulson personally.

If there were any private tasks requiring assistance, the Space Marines would be extremely useful.

As for the possibility of defeat, with both Chapters wiped out and unable to fulfill their future promises… that wouldn’t be a huge loss.

As these thoughts went through his mind, Paulson’s voice became gentle: “Alas… Captain Paulitos, we are allies. I am very sympathetic and concerned about your situation. Since you have said so… Captain Paulitos, I will do my best to persuade the Ark Fleet to speed up and come here as soon as possible.”

Having said this, Paulson felt a little hesitant again. He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “However, you must be prepared. Even at an accelerated pace, it will take at least a month to reach the Proud Claw Star Region. When I say arrive, I mean through the interstellar tunnels of Vinchi Star to reach Wuqi Star. The exact time required to reach you and rendezvous with you depends on the distance between us and the movements of the Alliance Fleet, and no one can guarantee this.”

“I’m deeply grateful for

your efforts,” Paulson said. “Then please hold on. Don’t be wiped out before we arrive. After all, I personally hope that after our victory, you and the New World Torch you represent will fulfill your promise.”

“I look forward to that day, too.”

…

After speaking with Paulson and receiving assurances from the Alfonzo Cult’s Ark Fleet that they would accelerate their progress, Paulitos moved more cautiously.

As Paulson had said in the end, Paulitos knew that external help was only one aspect; ultimately, the survival of his chapter depended on himself.

On the one hand, he carefully maneuvered with the Blood Sharks, making sure not to leave any room for a swift attack.

Paulitus had witnessed the combat prowess of these “barbarians” from the outer realms when he fought alongside them 130 years ago, and had also witnessed it when the New World Torch suffered a severe defeat.

If they were caught by this group of swift attackers, their fleet could be in tatters before the main force of the alliance arrived.

Regardless, the Fury still had over 1,500 men present; the New World Torch, after suffering a crushing defeat, still numbered 700.

Even with over two thousand Space Marines concentrated and constantly on high alert aboard the main ships, they proved difficult to defeat.

Paulitus had essentially abandoned deploying Space Marines aboard warships smaller than cruisers, concentrating them entirely on larger vessels.

However, stable teleportation beacons were stationed on every warship.

Both Chapters possessed think tanks and the ability to teleport. However, theirs was the most basic of teleportation technologies. Unlike the Alliance, which boasted a powerful team of psionic mages and a top-tier psyker, Gu Hang, capable of forcing teleportation through sheer force, nor, like the Blood Sharks, who possessed lost technology from an unknown era or even race. If

they were to use their teleportation offensively, they would have to launch stable beacons onto target ships using teleportation torpedoes, enabling reliable and error-free long-distance teleportation.

Alternatively, the ships carrying Space Marines and Librarians could close within a thousand kilometers of the enemy—a distance that, in space combat, was practically equivalent to a close encounter.

However, defensive tactics proved much simpler.

No need for teleportation torpedoes. A stable teleportation beacon aboard each ship would suffice.

They could also react quickly to the Blood Sharks’ boarding attacks on smaller warships.

But honestly, if the small ships were lost, they were lost.

The most important thing was to preserve larger ships larger than cruisers, especially the Spark Wing and the Triumph Flame.

However, the Blood Sharks rarely attempted boarding tactics thereafter.

Their swift assault on the Torchlight was a brilliant success, costing less than a hundred men over two hundred Torchlight Marines and destroying the Torchlight battle barge.

While this “cost of a hundred men” was a perfectly acceptable loss compared to the gains, the Blood Sharks’ total force was less than a thousand.

A few more attacks would have been too much for them.

What’s more, now that Fury and New World Torch are on high alert, it won’t be easy to replicate the previous victory.

The approach taken by the Blood Shark Fleet is more like intimidation.

They use special technology to hide their ships in the dark. On the surface, there are only three battlecruisers of the Alliance chasing them; but from time to time, their ships will suddenly appear in the detection range of the Fury Fleet, which often scares them.

Through this intimidation and driving away, the accumulated fatigue of the Fury Fleet is secondary. The most important thing is that during the escape, they basically have no way to freely choose their escape route.

They can only be forced to act like a flock of sheep driven by a sheepdog.

This is not good, and a huge sense of unease shrouds Paulitus’s heart.

Driving sheep… Then where will the sheep be driven to?

To the slaughterhouse?

(End of this chapter)