Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 657

Chapter 655, It’s the Alliance!

When Major Akanji saw another landing airship crash into the defense zone, he was already feeling a wave of despair.

As a member of the Solar Auxiliary Force, such emotions were unacceptable.

He wasn’t afraid of death, but he feared his mission wasn’t accomplished, and he feared losing the “Eternal Air Star” he was stationed on.

Akanji wasn’t considered a high-ranking officer; he was part of an expeditionary force formed by the Solar Auxiliary Force, now part of the Ortopis Chapter, to participate in the war in the Spider Web Universe.

While he hadn’t grasped the broader situation, his recent orders suggested a few issues.

First, the rapid advance was halted.

His comrades had originally discussed competing with the Northern Front Legion to reach the enemy stronghold of Rheaduches, but suddenly, the order changed to remain in place and focus on eradicating the local insect infestation.

His infantry regiment had just captured a few digesters when they were met by a swarm of insects!

The Solar Legion was considered the most elite of all the renowned Astra Militarum Legions throughout the Imperium. Training aside, as a direct descendant of Holy Terra, their equipment was exceptionally high.

Although merely an infantry regiment, they possessed a wealth of equipment, from heavy artillery to heavy bolters. These could even be considered conventional weaponry. His regiment included three standard combat battalions and an elite battalion, all equipped with exoskeletons! The

regimental artillery battery also boasted two formidable mobile artillery vehicles—basilisk cannons!

These forces, combined with their exceptional training, enabled his troops to perform with remarkable valor in battle.

They not only held their positions but also gathered many scattered troops from other directions. These troops, recruited and armed from the local population, weren’t even at the level of the Astra Militarum; they were merely ordinary planetary defense forces, and little could be expected of them.

Akanji only issued martial law to a small number of those intent on desertion, while the remaining troops were rounded up and deployed to various fronts to bolster the defenses.

They held out until reinforcements arrived, including even the Copper Warriors of Ortopis!

Just as he was about to accept orders from his superiors to launch a major counterattack against the hateful Zerg, a transfer order forced him and his troops to leave their positions, leaving only a few local defense forces to garrison.

He protested, arguing that these defenders were inadequate and would only lead to a deterioration of the situation.

But his superiors silenced him with a single sentence.

“I understand, but there’s nothing we can do. We have more important tasks to accomplish.”

What was that more important task?

Securing the starport.

A fleet under the banner of the Ironclad Chapter had entered the Changqi System and was heading for the planet.

The starport was paramount to the planet’s defense. His mission was to enter and garrison the starport.

He could do little to help in the confrontation between the space fleet and the planet’s orbital defenses. However, Zerg landing pods continued to fly into the starport. The starport observatory he was stationed at had been under repeated attack for the past two weeks.

He faced not only the insects emerging from the living landing pods, but also the infected fighting alongside them.

These infected weren’t the trash he’d encountered during surface raids.

They were all clad in standard Astra Militarum gear. Beneath the various bodily fluids and flesh growths, their gray-purple attire was still faintly recognizable as the “Princess Legion.”

At least, it had been that way before.

He’d clashed with the Princess Legion when the expedition had first arrived in the Magre Space. He had to admit, they were a formidable foe. Not only were their equipment, backed by the so-called Alfonzo Mechanicus, quite impressive, but their training was also superior to that of some lesser-known Astra Militarum legions.

However, the “Princess Legion Infected” he now faced were even more formidable than he’d imagined.

The difference lies in the infested’s superior physical fitness. They won’t necessarily die from bullets, possessing a remarkably strong vitality. Furthermore, they genuinely fear no life or death, never experiencing morale collapse or repulsion.

Of course, they may also have weakened in another way: their entire movement and combat patterns have undergone significant changes, becoming more like those of a Zerg than a human force. This often leads them to employ particularly aggressive combat tactics, resulting in numerous unnecessary casualties.

However, their sheer numbers are no match for the real Zerg!

And the most critical moment of the battle came when three Space Marines in black and gray armor suddenly appeared before them!

They were members of the Ironclad Chapter!

Akanji’s prized elite battalion suffered a horrific massacre.

Just as his defenses were about to be irreversibly breached, an Ortopis warrior, wielding a round shield and spear, clad in red copper armor, and sporting a horizontal crest, a symbol of his champion status, arrived on the battlefield.

He single-handedly killed the three Ironclad Space Marines, taking only a few bullet wounds, seemingly unharmed.

After the battle, he had barely gone up to offer his thanks when he received a new order: a counterattack.

A power facility guarded by a neighboring regiment had been breached, and they had to recapture it.

Despite heavy casualties, Akanji gritted his teeth and gathered what mobile forces he could, handing them over to the Ortaupian warrior.

Then, there was no news of them.

And then, before his troops could even catch their breath or restock their ammunition, they were met with repeated attacks.

By now, he had lost contact with even divisional headquarters.

He knew the situation was deteriorating.

Just how bad had it gotten?

Coincidentally, the strategic location he was guarding was an observation post.

At his request, the accompanying technical specialist manned the post and peered out.

The Ironclad fleet was drawing closer. Each of their offensives caused some damage to the armed platforms on Changqi Star.

By now, their attacks were becoming more and more aggressive.

The planet’s defense system was collapsing, and it seemed that the observatory he was stationed on would not be able to withstand the next attack.

The troops he had available did not even exceed two hundred. The guard company, the logistics battalion, the artillery… everyone who could fight on the front line had to go.

Another powerful attack would surely collapse this place.

However, on this last day, he saw the technical specialist accompanying the army running to him, his face full of joy: “We have reinforcements!”

“Which unit is it?”

“It’s the Alliance!”

(End of this chapter)