Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 890

Chapter 883, Human Essence

The demons, swarming with humanity’s essence, filled the seemingly vast Webway in an instant.

“Prepare for battle!”

“Stand in formation!”

Numerous human warriors shouted, forming a battle formation.

Gu Jing, standing by, quickly identified the composition of this mixed force.

Space Marines, Skitarii, Sisters of Battle, and Inquisition troops were all present.

This essentially encompassed the most exceptional and talented individuals within the human empire.

Among the Space Marines, the largest and most powerful force came from the Black Crusaders. The Alliance had previously engaged this chapter during the Ironclad Wars. According to Alliance records, this chapter deserved serious attention.

They were arguably the largest single chapter in the entire human empire.

For centuries, bound to hostility against the Empire, the Ironclad Chapter had allowed itself to regenerate recklessly and recklessly for hundreds of years. By the war’s end, according to post-war statistics, the Ironclad Chapter’s peak strength before the war may have reached over 7,000 to 8,000.

However, the number of “legitimate” Black Crusaders is likely no less than this.

Furthermore, it would be a mistake to assume that these Black Crusaders are merely numerically significant.

While their sheer size makes it impossible for every single one of them to achieve a high level of proficiency, this does not diminish the formidable combat power of the Black Crusaders’ true elite.

The most renowned are the Black Crusaders’ Champion Swordsmen.

Each of them traverses the path of the great Champion Sigis, a descendant of the Golden Knights who founded the Chapter. They prioritize the sword, minimize reliance on external objects, and pursue the Way of the Sword with all their might, thus embodying their formidable combat power.

Currently, the Black Crusaders present must number over a thousand, perhaps around 1,300 or 1,400.

These dozens of Champion Swordsmen, acting as the eyes and support of the entire front, are a vital pillar of support.

Gu Jing also observed two noteworthy individuals among the Black Crusaders’ leaders.

One is Marshal Xi Rui, who once fought alongside the Alliance. He was the Grand Admiral of the Black Crusaders’ Fourth Fleet. During the Iron Armor War, he served as Deputy Commander of the Northern Front. After the Second Fleet’s Grand Admiral’s accident, he assumed command. He then merged the heavily damaged Second and Fourth Fleets to form the new Second Fleet, with himself as Grand Admiral.

Overall, after the Iron Armor War, his position within the Black Crusaders was firmly in the top three.

However, he wasn’t the current Black Crusaders’ commander-in-chief, remaining a deputy.

And the only person he could willingly accept as his deputy was the current Grand Admiral of the Black Crusaders, Rossmond.

He was also known as the Empire’s greatest swordsman.

Few would resist him, and quite a few deliberately challenged him, only to be defeated.

According to Gu Jing’s father’s classification, Rossmond not only reached the rank of God’s Chosen Champion, but was even at the top of that rank, perhaps even transcending it.

Under the Black Marshal’s holy sword, any demon was chopped into pieces like tofu.

During the Ironclad Wars, Xi Rui must have reached the pinnacle of his Chapter’s Champion, halfway to becoming a Chosen Champion. After a century, he now appears to have reached that level as well.

Together with the Black Crusaders’ champions, they are the backbone of the entire army lost in the Webway, the most significant force.

But that doesn’t mean others aren’t important.

The majority of the Space Marines are Black Crusaders. Besides them, there are approximately five hundred Space Marines from other Chapters.

Their liveries are diverse, likely conveniently snatched up by the Eldar when they were rescuing people. Their organization is disorganized and their origins are complex, but now it seems they are all under the unified command of the Black Crusaders.

However, among these five hundred or so, approximately one hundred and fifty warriors have a relatively uniform livery.

They wear silver-grey battleplate, but their “extra” decorations are ridiculously numerous.

Space Marines truly love to adorn their armor with all sorts of things. The Chapter’s traditional emblems, the Imperial Aquila symbol, the skull symbolizing human purity, the ribbons and sigils that embody the purity of faith, and certain prayers of faith…

these things might seem to contribute little to a Space Marine’s combat effectiveness, but

in reality, they do. Even if they’re truly useless, purely cosmetic, they’re still crucial. Truly fine armor, a collection of odds and ends draped around the body, resembling a ceremonial uniform, is the real deal.

Don’t assume armor is purely functional, a mere combat tool.

That’s not the case.

Art and practicality can be fused.

A gold-inlaid relief on top of Power Armor, a skull Aquila on the right, might seem like mere visual enhancements, not a safety enhancement, but rather a burden. Yet, when such Space Marines arrive on the battlefield, the morale-boosting effect they bring is astonishing.

This effect is largely due to their artistic appearance.

A group of handsome, armored warriors can stabilize the morale of an entire army. Their silent, resolute fighting spirit can persuade allies who might otherwise collapse to voluntarily remain, obey orders, and grit their teeth to hold on.

Furthermore, the uniformity of their ornate armor provides a tremendous morale boost to the Space Marines themselves, more effective than any flag or slogan. Collectively, this unparalleled courage and cohesion empowers them to challenge previously impossible objectives, transforming the army’s combat effectiveness.

Furthermore, in this era, these “ornaments”—symbols of human will, consensus, and pure faith in the Emperor—are more than just cosmetic. When sourced correctly, they can truly help Space Marines withstand damage, even enhance their strength and even improve their luck.

Even so, the sight of these silver-grey painted Space Marines, covered in various inscribed metal prayers, was still quite rare.

Gu Jing had served on the Space Marine Management Committee of the Imperial Dark Side Administration Council and had learned a great deal about Space Marines, one of which was identifying Chapters. However, none of the available information mentioned this Chapter.

He quickly recalled a highly classified Chapter, one about which the Imperial Dark Side had very little information available. Even within the Administration Council, there was uncertainty about its existence: the Grey Knights.

Based on questionable information, this Chapter wasn’t a splinter of a founding Chapter. Their structure resembled that of the Argent Watch, consisting of the most elite warriors secretly drawn from various Chapters, supplemented by gene-seed approved directly by the High Lords Council and new blood cultivated in their own secret training bases. They

exclusively carried out missions involving Warp Daemons, and each mission was held in the strictest secrecy. It’s said that after their mission is complete, they will eliminate every living being connected to their mission—both enemy and allies.

They are experts in combating demons. Their custom-made armor, covered in incantations designed to counter psychic and demonic forces, effectively curbs the enemy’s extraordinary powers. Whether attempting to harm them with sorcery, protect themselves, or alter the environment, these incantations, combined with the Grey Knights’ unique talents and trained skills, will thwart any attempt.

And now, Gu Jing finally got a glimpse into this mysterious chapter, one whose very existence he had previously been unsure of.

They truly lived up to their reputation.

Gu Jing believed that the three most core members, while not as powerful as Rosemond, at least one of them possessed the strength of a Chosen Champion.

Wielding a scepter, their psychic power combined with the Grey Knights’ special abilities slashed through hordes of demons. They possessed the strength of an Alpha-level psyker, comparable to Gu Jing himself—if you don’t count the Changeling Lord cheat he carried.

But even taking Gu Jing’s cheats into account, the battle wasn’t easy. The enemy wasn’t just a controllable Alpha-class psyker, but also a combination of top-tier warriors and anti-psychic units.

The other two, while not top-tier psykers, were still top-tier warriors, equipped with specialized anti-psychic and anti-demonic tactics: one wielding a long-handled broadsword, the other a two-handed warhammer. Against other enemies, they were merely formidable chapter champions. But against demons, these two were a step up, reaching the level of divinely chosen.

Among the remaining Grey Knights, not a single one was less powerful than a sergeant, with a significant number reaching the level of company champions. Combined with their anti-psychic and anti-demonic equipment, skills, and talents, their overall demon-slaying efficiency was even greater than that of the Black Crusaders, who outnumbered them tenfold!

If the Black Crusaders were the backbone of the force, then these one hundred or so Grey Knights were its sharpest blade.

They were always able to identify the most threatening among the swarming demons and devise every possible means to eliminate them.

This greatly relieved the pressure on the human side.

Besides the Space Marines, there were Cawl’s Skitarii, the Inquisitorial forces led by a female Inquisitor named Miristine, whom Gu Jing had already met in the previous introduction, and over two thousand Battle Sisters, totaling a force of approximately ten thousand.

They were undoubtedly elite ace troops on other battlefields, but here, they primarily provided support to the Space Marines, striving to maintain the front.

However, their three leaders must also be mentioned.

Cawl himself was now firing at full power. In his Grand Sage combat mode, his bizarre mechanical body fully extended to a height of over ten meters, fiercely bombarding the enemy with a variety of long-range firepower. The Sun Ion Beam was particularly powerful, and even with the demons’ resistance to conventional firepower, they would be annihilated upon contact.

Meanwhile, behind Cawl stood a massive mechanical device, with at least five mechanical arms operating frantically. One mechanical servant after another furiously fed fuel into the machine, which, at breakneck speed, churned out combat soldiers of formidable combat power.

They fearlessly charged the demons, fighting valiantly. When faced with defeat, they decisively self-destructed, dragging swarms of demons with them to their doom.

After all, they were merely temporary creations, so they felt no pity.

The leader of the Sisters of Battle, Estella, was a living saint. Beneath her pristine white wings lay her holy maidens, accompanying her in battle. With each ascent and descent, Estella’s path was punctuated by a trail of holy flame, incinerating swarms of demons. The

Eldar had the fewest units and were not organized in battle formation. Yet, they seemed omnipresent, swarming across the battlefield, slaying demon after demon.

Maeve Nel was the most conspicuous. She claimed to be the divine messenger of the Windsor Goddess, wielding a sharp blade, and her combat prowess rivaled that of Marshal Rosemond.

Even the most insignificant Inquisitor, Miristine, was a formidable warrior. The Judgment bullets fired from her pistol were equally deadly. She was also an exceptional commander. The Inquisition’s Stormtroopers, deployed throughout the battle lines, displayed an indomitable spirit. The

entire force was truly a formidable force in terms of high-end combat power.

The quality of their troops was also exceptional.

Constantly, they slaughtered demons far outnumbering them.

Yet, despite such impressive victories, no one expressed joy.

The reason was simple: no matter how strong they were, they would tire; some would inevitably die under siege.

Yet, the demons appearing now were endless!

Despite their efficiency, the number of demons before them never diminished, and the pressure they faced remained undiminished.

“Gu Jing! You must find a solution! Where is Gu Hang? The attention he’s attracting is the root cause of the demons’ arrival!” Princess Arelion’s voice rang out. “We can’t just ignore him!”

Gu Jing ignored the princess.

In that brief exchange with Gu Hang, he already knew that his father couldn’t take direct action.

Otherwise, real trouble would come.

But he was there.

He had to think of a solution.

The Eldar were fine, but at least he couldn’t let this army, arguably the cream of humanity, be lost to the Webway.

The figure of the Lord of Change appeared behind Gu Jing, more solid than ever. Every feather on his outstretched wings shimmered in a myriad of colors.

“Ms. Mavenir, Grand Master Changting, I need your assistance.”

(End of Chapter)