Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 846

Chapter 841, Battle of the Steel Furnace

Upon Taishichen’s return to the Moon-Watching Star Region, his first engagement wasn’t a military one.

He didn’t immediately confront the Green Orcs’ advance. Instead, he dispatched important figures like the Forge General, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiarchy, the Sector Head, and the Mercenary Queen. He also apprehended dozens of sector heads and planetary governors.

Objectively speaking, Taishichen had anticipated these individuals’ indecisiveness and their own agendas.

This wasn’t limited to the Moon-Watching Star Region; the five other star regions surrounding the Ohmgeria Sector, forming the Unbreakable Line, exhibited the same pattern.

This had been the case throughout the Alliance’s Dark Side Crusade. This was true of any planet untransformed by the Alliance, where the original ruling class still held the majority of global power.

This was human nature, perfectly normal. Before those rulers surrendered their power, especially when they passively or actively realized that their power would inevitably disappear with the Dark Side Crusade, they naturally took advantage of their “final frenzy” to take action.

Only after the Alliance’s transformation, with the world’s primary production and v*olence under its control, could the situation calm down.

The outcomes for the former rulers varied. Some contented themselves with “becoming rich”; others actively integrated into the Alliance system, fighting for its interests and hopes in the new environment and system.

These were all considered good.

But others, either due to egregious actions before joining the Alliance or due to continued petty actions after joining, were ultimately liquidated and met with tragic consequences.

Tai Shichen once hoped for a good outcome for the Moon-Watching Star Region, and indeed for the many star regions and worlds surrounding the Unbreakable Line.

Everyone worked together to face the alien threat, a formidable threat to everyone’s safety. After a grueling battle, victory was achieved. The Alliance provided strong support and gradually transformed these worlds. The ruling classes and powerful individuals on the planets, and even across the entire star system, actively integrated into the Alliance’s system… Isn’t this the best possible outcome?

Unfortunately, there are always those who want to stir up trouble.

Upon arriving near the Omgeria star system, Tai Shichen didn’t take a decisive approach to dealing with these local forces. Besides his initial desire for a gentle approach, another major reason was that he simply didn’t have enough troops at hand. The alien threat emanating from the Omgeria star system was quite severe, requiring urgent action.

Uniting and mobilizing local forces to resolve local issues has always been a standard strategy for the Alliance’s Dark Side Expeditions. After all, while the Alliance possesses a vast military force, it also faces even greater challenges. Saving resources and focusing the Alliance’s most vital resources on the most effective areas is more efficient.

As Taishichen’s forces, continuously replenished by the Western Expeditionary Force Command, became more abundant, the previously compromising strategy began to change.

Within the five star regions surrounding Omgeria, the alliance-building process and the absorption and digestion of local forces had already begun.

Unfortunately, the incident in the Moon-Watching Star Region preceded this.

This lesson must be learned.

Taishichen has already issued orders for the other four star regions to strengthen their support for their respective exit-blocking defense planets. The planned manpower, fortification construction, and weaponry supply must be implemented without the slightest delay, or I will be court-martialed.

Seriously, after the events in the Moon-Watching Star Region, the powerful in the other star regions were naturally concerned. The Alliance’s efforts to transform those four star regions into alliances over the past few months have at least begun. Some “special envoys,” “economic experts,” and “military advisors” have a certain degree of control over the planets. If a world or faction fails to meet the requirements for the Unbreakable Line, Alliance agents will infiltrate and capture individuals; or Alliance troops will directly approach and demand their surrender. In short, there are numerous real-world examples of individuals being dealt with.

With a clear record of these actions, once the chickens have been killed, the remaining monkeys must behave themselves.

Their obedience not only facilitates smooth support for the Unbreakable Line, but also allows Alliance representatives to more easily carry out alliance-based reforms on these local factions and planets.

For now, the situation in those four star regions appears relatively stable. After evaluating the situation, Tai Shichen believes that even if a similarly intense invasion were to occur at Exit 7 of the Moon-Watching Star Region, they should be able to withstand it, at least until reinforcements arrive.

The only remaining major problem lies in the Moon-Watching Star Region itself.

Here, Tai Shichen has, in fact, allowed the orcs to act with impunity.

The primary reason was that he needed to investigate the movements of the Ork army to determine the location of their main force, particularly the Ork Warlord named Uru.

A secondary reason… if the native forces of the Moon Star Region weren’t dealt a heavy blow and received a severe punishment, how could they honestly accept the Alliance’s harsh reforms? How could this serve as a sufficiently deterrent warning to other regions?

Of course, Taishichen absolutely did not want the entire Moon Star Region to be completely destroyed.

According to the original plan, the offensive against Omgeria required the establishment of a comprehensive and impenetrable defense line, effectively trapping the enemy within the region. Outside the region, using the Moon Star Region and five other regions as bases, they would directly provide sufficient war resources for the future expedition against Omgeria. With this in place, the Alliance’s main force would arrive, leading the vassal armies or auxiliary forces recruited from the five regions, and enter the region to ultimately annihilate all the Ork and Zerg forces within.

According to this plan, the Moonwatching Star Region must not be destroyed. Otherwise, a crucial link would be missing in the future expedition against Omgeria.

Of paramount importance was the Forge World of Steel Flame.

While it would be painful for Moonwatching, Steel Flame could not be destroyed by the Greenskins. Its destruction would be the most painful for the Alliance.

Furthermore, allowing a Greenskin army to occupy an entire Forge World… Taishichen couldn’t even imagine the horrific consequences. Having desecrated such a massive center of human mechanical technology, the aliens’ own weaponry would be greatly enhanced.

Aside from Steel Flame, other areas could be put on hold for now.

However, after humanity implemented this war strategy, the Greenskins adopted a somewhat similar strategy.

Warlord Uru was clearly well aware that if he could capture a Forge World, he would earn the true admiration of the Bonebreaker King.

He was so determined to do so that he even appeared on the battlefield himself.

As for the Forge of Steel, the planet’s defenders’ morale was severely low due to the Forge-General’s escape. Furthermore, the loss of the Mechanical Ark and the most elite Skitarii had also left the planet’s defenses severely limited.

In the ground battle, the Mechanicus’ forces were beaten back step by step.

Even after Wang Kerong was judged and Pilias, carrying the will of the Alliance, led the Mechanical Ark and the Mechanicus’ elite back to the Steel Flame Forge and re-entered the battle, they were unable to reverse the tide of the war.

The battle on this battlefield must be stepped up.

Especially after Uru’s appearance, Taishichen had no need to hold back.

He led his most significant forces and decisively plunged into the battle for the Steel Flame Forge.

…

The Chapter Master removed his helmet, and through the crimson filter of his orbital scanner, he could clearly see Uru’s war machines—a mobile fortress composed of thirty battle fortresses—devouring the entire forge. Mushroom spore culture tanks spread outward from the furnace’s core like cancerous tissue. Greenskin technicians used rusted hydraulic clamps to weld the Skitarii’s mechanical arms to the chassis of the killing tank.

And within the mobile fortress, Uru’s own battle standard

lay. Uru had already given it his all.

It was now two months since Taishichen had arrived with his main force.

The Alliance Vanguard he led was still formidable. His fleet, working in concert with the Arks Mechanicus, had driven back nearly all of the Greenskins’ space forces.

By this point, Uru should have recognized that his attack on the Steel Flame Forge had failed.

But the orc general obviously refused to accept this result.

As a result, his ground forces, which could have maintained their offensive momentum, were contained after the Alliance vanguard landed on the ground; now, they had to face an even more ferocious space attack, which made it even more difficult.

Is defeat inevitable…?

Uru still didn’t think so.

The orc general was desperate, putting all the forces at his disposal, including himself, on the gambling table.

The greenskin war fortress was not far from the core of the forge world, the Forge City.

His charge did cause considerable trouble to the human defense line, and at one point, the human army was shaken.

But at the request of Taishichen, the human defense line deliberately opened up, allowing this terrible monster to approach freely.

Come on, come on, this is the place of death I have prepared for you.

From a position within direct sight of the target, the Chapter Master’s white-green armor shone coldly against the dim bridge. Taishichen’s voice caused the metallic dust in the air to tremble slightly: “Two companies are striking from the south. I need you to disable 80% of the Greenskins’ armor production capacity within 24 hours.”

“What about you?” someone asked.

“I will lead the remaining forces, under orbital cover, to personally confront that abominable beast.”

As he turned, his cape brushed against Ricardo’s genetic code on the datapad.

The hydraulic gates of the underground pipeline slowly opened amidst acidic steam, and the elite troops of the Dragon King’s Spear filed out.

The psychic longsword of the Librarian, Modler Lazio, illuminated the relief of the God of Mechanics on the wall, which had been altered by the Greenskins. The once solemn emblem of the Mechanicus had been replaced with a grinning orc face, and a fluorescent green viscous fluid oozed from the gears.

With a simple force, he obliterated the blasphemous image.

This man, bearing the same surname as Ricardo, was indeed related—Modler was Ricardo’s uncle.

He was proud of his nephew.

Even if Ricardo died, he died as a warrior, no need to discuss it.

Now, it was his turn as a warrior to avenge his nephew.

Over five hundred elite Space Marines from various Chapters—but primarily the Dragon King’s Spears—over fifteen Titans of various types, over fifty Knight Mechs, and countless armored units poured out from the long-cleared underground tunnels of the core fortress.

Even the Skitarii of the Steelforge deployed their best assets—in other offensive areas, they deployed hundreds of Titans, the last and greatest resource of the entire Forge World.

Following Taishichen in the charge were countless dragoons and combat troopers. These units, fearlessly charging, charged towards the greenskin warfortress.

Taishichen raised his hand and unleashed two molten rounds. The killing canisters lurking in the steam cloud dissolved into molten iron before the alarm could sound. Modified greenskin traps followed one after another: rusted conveyor belts suddenly accelerated, flinging fart skeletons towards the Space Marines. Dangling cables erupted with lightning powerful enough to melt ceramite. The entire tunnel flipped without warning, plunging everyone into a boiling pool of slag.

The orks’ resistance remained stubborn.

But it was undoubtedly futile.

The elite of humanity continued to emerge, too numerous and too powerful. Even though countless greenskins fought fearlessly, roaring and unafraid, they were inevitably pushed back.

Moreover, the fierce fire from orbit continued to fall. Even though most of the fire was intercepted, especially those directed at the war fortress or blocked by the war fortress’s void shield, some of the fire still managed to fall on the battlefield surrounding the fortress, destroying the greenskins defending the outer lines.

When humans launch a counterattack, their advantage becomes apparent!

(End of this chapter)