Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 571

Chapter 569, Actions within the Ship

During the assembly process, Martins glanced around, analyzing his surroundings.

Their location resembled a dining hall, so there were certainly no enemies.

Nearby, numerous spirits formed from the power of the Storm God, each clad in Alliance Army uniforms, gazed at him with reverence. When his gaze wandered over, many Heroic Spirits spontaneously gave him the Alliance salute.

A bit uncomfortable, he nodded in acknowledgement.

A Heroic Spirit officer came up to report that the estimated straight-line distance to the mission objective was 11 kilometers.

Of course, this was a straight-line distance, calculated based on Gu Hang’s psychic observation of the location of the neurozoan. In between, they might have to ascend seven floors, with many twists and turns along the way, making it impossible to say how many steps they would have to take.

Gu Hang, through the Heroic Spirit officer, had provided Phoenix with a copy of the specific route. However, it was only a guide at best. Under immense pressure from all sides, Gu Hang was unable to obtain a complete internal diagram of the Alfonzo II.

Not to mention the enemy’s troop composition

, which is constantly changing with the current situation on the front lines.

The eight companies of the Phoenix Regiment will have to figure out what’s next.

But the good news is that the Heroic Spirit officer named Edward Lefort assured Martins that his squad will accompany the Space Marines.

Of course, this doesn’t mean fighting.

Of course, with eight hundred Space Marines present, a dozen or so Heroic Spirits wouldn’t be needed in any battle.

Their primary role is to act as information relays and provide intelligence support.

They can’t rely on their own intelligence either.

In fact, Gu Hang will allocate some of his psychic energy to this task.

These Heroic Spirits are essentially manifestations of Gu Hang’s psychic energy, equivalent to small psychic nodes. His extended power can leverage these Heroic Spirits to survey a wider area, providing the Space Marines with real-time mapping, navigation, and enemy unit detection.

However, Gu Hang’s primary focus was still on combating the Neurozoa and supporting hundreds of thousands of Heroic Spirits in the main battleship against the Skitarii. He lacked the energy to manage such granular tasks as battlefield perception.

Furthermore, if too much effort were diverted, Sage Dubo would easily detect him.

Therefore, the intelligence support Gu Hang could provide was limited, and his limited scope limited his foresight of the enemy’s movements.

However, Martins remarked that this was already quite surprising.

The eight hundred Space Marines officially began their operation.

They were divided into numerous independent yet tightly interconnected teams, advancing rapidly towards their target within the complex ship’s terrain.

Martins felt a familiar feeling return.

Throughout his military career, especially during the Hundred Years of Atonement Crusade, they had dealt with similar situations countless times.

Solomon-in-the-making, assaulting key targets… wasn’t that their primary mission?

Moreover, they weren’t completely alone now.

The voice of Einherjar Officer Lefort frequently echoed, directing their movements. As they moved, the surrounding situation became increasingly clear.

This wasn’t the focal point of the battlefield, and it was also some distance from the core areas heavily guarded by the Skitarii. As long as they avoided the enemy reinforcement routes to the front lines, they wouldn’t encounter large enemy forces.

At most, they’d encounter small patrols.

In such cases, they’d avoid them if

possible. If they couldn’t, they’d engage.

The Chapter’s Librarians and Techmarines would be the first to act.

Using psychic powers or the Techmarines’ jamming devices, they’d temporarily disrupt the patrols’ communications.

Meanwhile, the flaming angels, from behind, from the sides, and even around corners and blind spots, stormed out with unstoppable force.

Often, the patrols couldn’t even fire their weapons before the Phoenixes charged in.

At this moment, power swords and combat blades became the ultimate weapons.

With superior numbers, a close-quarters assault meant the attacked Skitarii patrol was wiped out before they could even send a message.

Any attempts to warn their allies were intercepted by the Chapter Librarians or Techmarine using various means.

Overall, the Space Marines’ movement was remarkably swift.

Furthermore, Gu Hang, taking the time to navigate amidst his busy schedule, avoided any detours and covered a considerable distance in a short period of time.

Of course, not everything was always smooth sailing.

The disappearance of so many patrols was a dangerous signal, one not to be ignored.

Gu Hang had also made preparations.

The coordinates he had previously left in the officers’ mess were not wasted. Using his psychic energy, he deployed a number of Einherjar.

After the Phoenix Space Marines left the area, they also began their movement, deliberately exposing themselves to the patrols, creating the illusion that the previously lost patrols had been killed by these Einherjar, who had suddenly opened up a new battlefield.

The Skitarii on the ship reacted quickly and began to eliminate the Heroic Spirits in the area.

They certainly couldn’t hold out for long, but when Alfonzo’s Skitarii turned their gaze on them and attacked them, their goal had effectively been achieved.

However, the Skitarii commanders were no fools. They would likely quickly realize that the few Heroic Spirits they had eliminated were insufficient in both combat power and numbers to annihilate so many patrols. Not only would they be wiped out, but even a single piece of information would be lost. Furthermore, the

Phoenixes’ actions continued unabated. There were undoubtedly patrols farther away that needed to be eliminated, and their disappearance would further alert the enemy.

Sooner or later, the Skitarii would become suspicious, assuming a powerful force had arrived. By expanding the area where the patrols had disappeared, they could roughly determine their intentions.

However, they couldn’t just sit back and wait for the enemy to discover them.

Any delay in discovery was a good opportunity.

In fact, they didn’t even have time to wait for the Skitarii commander to discover the Phoenixes through the problem of missing patrols.

Before that, the Phoenixes had faced a problem they could only resolve by showing up.

Heroic Einherjar officer Lefort reported to Martins that the staircase leading to the next level was the only way around. This was the quickest way to ascend to the level they had dubbed the “Protozoa Chamber,” their mission location.

Otherwise, the detour would be lengthy and risky.

After all, they were getting closer to the “Protozoa Chamber.”

This was a massive and imposing staircase, approximately forty meters wide. Over thirty meters high, it was decorated with numerous sculptures. At the end of the staircase, a triple archway covered in various reliefs was quite impressive.

This was not only a crucial junction spanning multiple levels, but also likely served some religious or ritual purpose on the ship. Braziers were placed in the recessed areas of the archway stonework, and on either side of the stairway were braziers on steel pillars, approximately one meter high.

These braziers burned what appeared to be some special incense with a smell of motor oil.

Ordinary people wouldn’t find this smell pleasant, but the oil men would surely appreciate it.

This place is heavily guarded by the enemy. No matter how much activity there is in other areas, the troops guarding this archway remain unmoved.

Honestly, the number of troops stationed isn’t particularly large. The small plaza behind the archway, on the stairs, and in front of the stairs all appear quite large, but after all, it’s just a single area, guarded by perhaps two hundred or so.

But they are all elite mechas.

Each one stands over two and a half meters tall, painted in the black and red coloring of the Alfonzo Cult.

These “death slave mechas” are not to be underestimated. According to design specifications, the automated machinery on the outside of these mechas is designed and manufactured to the same level of strength as Space Marine power armor.

While mass-produced mechas likely won’t reach the level of the original, and the operators inside are merely modified servitors with only half a brain and spine left, they do achieve a similar level of Space Marine-like ability to drive their machines by consciousness and instinct.

At the very least, they possessed a strength comparable to that of the Alliance Army’s Honor Guards.

This was nothing to be taken lightly.

Furthermore, among this group of Death Slave Mechas were some formidable figures.

For example, the Iron Hero Mecha, an upgraded version of the Death Slave Mecha, rivaled the Terminator Power Armor.

The slender, four-meter-tall Dragoons, piloted by elite Skitarii warriors, wielded laser lances powerful enough to pierce Power Armor with a single shot.

Most outrageous of all, there were twenty Basilisk Mechas. Their heads resembled mechanical skulls, and their bodies resembled giant steel serpents, half-raised. Seven or eight arms extended from their torsos, each armed with a different weapon. The

first company to arrive here avoided any rash actions, hiding at a corner of the passage a little further away, awaiting the arrival of a company led by Martins himself.

Martins, having reviewed the situation through Lefort, concluded that further waiting was unnecessary.

Gathering more troops would take time, and even if more were, the battlefield was so small that it would be difficult to deploy them.

So, let’s just attack.

The first to attack were again the Librarians and the Tech Sergeants.

They attempted an information blockade,

but this time, they failed.

Behind the triple archway, there seemed to be a powerful signal transmitter. When the Phoenixes took action, the transmitter became unstable, but it was enough to attract the attention of the guards.

Several Mechanic Priests immediately began repairing it and began reporting the situation. Meanwhile, the entire guard group became alert.

Henrik Larsen, director of the Phoenix Librarian, awkwardly reported to Martins that they only needed a minute at most to cut off communication with the outside world.

But Martins was determined not to wait even a minute.

There was no point.

The enemy was already alert and had even reported the abnormality. Waiting any longer would only mean reinforcements.

Attack now.

At a command, the Phoenixes rushed out from their hiding places.

Of course, they wouldn’t rush out all 200 at once. Otherwise, a dense charge in such a cramped environment would be a recipe for disaster.

The first wave consisted of just twelve Iron Cavalry Terminators.

They were arranged in rows of two, spaced over six meters apart. The first three rows were equipped not only with micro-shield generators but also held heavy, two-meter-high shields.

A hole was left in the upper right corner of the shields to allow the muzzles of their bolters to protrude, while observation windows protected their heads while allowing them to see clearly.

The six Terminator warriors charging with their shields immediately attracted the attention of the defenders and drew concentrated fire.

The enemy fire was ferocious, especially the laser beams fired by the Dragoons and the lightning bolts from the Basilisks, which posed a particularly formidable threat.

Not to mention the bolters wielded by the Death Slaves, who were no pushovers.

With no cover or shelter, they could only rely on their shields and energy shields.

Such intense and concentrated fire was too much for even the Space Marines, clad in the heaviest armor, carrying the heaviest shields, and shields.

Three Heavy Shield Warriors fell in quick

succession. Meanwhile, the three rows of Phoenix Warriors, carrying rocket pods on their shoulders, rapidly expended their reserves, focusing not on accuracy but on blanketing the enemy. The

rockets’ blanket attack wasn’t enough to eliminate the enemy, and even casualties weren’t particularly high. However, it did disrupt the enemy’s concentrated fire, allowing the remaining three Heavy Shield Warriors to crash into the enemy line. The

Heavy Shield Warriors dropped their bolters, grasped their shields in one hand, and drew their one-handed power hammers with the other, smashing down on the enemies in front of them.

Under their cover, the six Terminators, who had abandoned their rocket pods and charged forward, joined the fray, power swords in hand.

A moment later, a flash of light shone through the enemy lines. Over ten Terminators, powered by the Phoenix Librarian’s power, teleported a short distance of approximately two hundred meters into the enemy’s rear.

The Terminator, armed with a power sword, went on a killing spree, setting off a massacre among the cold mechs.

Hundreds of Space Marines, taking advantage of the mechs’ disorganized formations and their inability to maintain a tight fire blockade, charged fiercely!

(End of this chapter)