StarCraft: Tyranid Empire

"You've arrived."

The transport ship landed on an ice shelf as hard as rock, and the cold wind howled into the warm compartment that smelled of leather and ozone. At this moment, when the Imperial Marines sitting on two rows of metal benches facing each other slightly raised their heads and looked outside, an icy world with heavy snow jumped into their eyes.

Just like when these soldiers performed thousands of airborne missions, two people landed at the same time every second. From the time the transport ship completed its delivery mission to the time it returned and departed, the entire airborne landing was as clean and neat as a textbook.

At the same time, the other two transport ships also lifted off with ice blue tail flames, leaving behind a whole company of fully armed Imperial Marines. They belong to the 4th Airborne Division of Nova Squadron. In the battle order of the Tyranid Empire, this is a mysterious force with little reputation. All known missions are related to the empire's military exploration operations outside the Koprulu sector.

"Why do we have to come to this freezing hellish place?" Sergeant Mikhail said, "I have been to the Ayr battlefield, and there is a large tropical jungle there."

"The mission briefing said the planet was called Niflheim. Hell, that's the first time I've heard that in years. It’s an unlucky name.” Another soldier said: “They couldn’t choose a good place when they settled down? It’s so cold here, how can they live there?”

Although the protoss also like the refreshing natural environment, the reason why they stay in a place is not just to expand the space for survival. To this day, the protoss of Dallam, the successors to the Protoss Empire, are still establishing colonies outside of Sagulath.

"This grain can't grow!" A wise man from the agricultural world of Helsain pointed out this point keenly:

"There's no sun here."

The new recruits are always asking questions when they step onto the battlefield. After all, in this war-torn era, they may have joined the army without even finishing their studies, which is considered half a zhang education. And as the brutal war tempers the new recruits into steel, they will be reshaped into a whole that obeys orders and prohibitions.

But this group of veterans who have experienced three Zerg wars seems to have never changed. Even when they were deep in the underground worm tunnel of Char's Omega, they still looked like this, asking the commander without hesitation what the lava bath would taste like.

And those who were scared to death by the zerg have not survived until now.

"Shut up," Captain Cole Hickson said coldly, and the entire company's soldiers stopped.

But after just a few words, all the soldiers were already in combat mode, and there was no fault in their speed of action.

Hickson's men are all veterans who have experienced all-out wars, and they have been seen on the battlefields from Char to Ayr. From teenage boys and girls to current elite warriors, they have spent half their lives in war and waiting for war.

Until now, some people can no longer remember why they abandoned their original lives and came to this distant edge of the star sector. However, they can no longer adapt to life away from war. Apart from fighting, no one can imagine what they will do.

Putting aside their combat prowess, the power armor of Captain Cole Hickson's Imperial soldiers can be easily seen as a rare high-end configuration - all fully upgraded CMC-400A power armor, equipped with a larger protective area. "T" shaped helmet, reinforced shoulder shield and powerful AGR-17 rifle. All power armor and weapons are painted with snow camouflage, as if they are completely integrated into this world of ice and snow.

"Move, soldiers." Captain Hickson: "We are five miles from our destination and it is time to move. Stay in formation and follow me."

The communication channel immediately heard the voices of soldiers cursing the transport ship pilot, but no one dared to object to the captain's order.

The soldiers in Cole Hickson's company were in awe of their commander and would never dare to disobey his orders or question his authority. As early as the Guild War that broke out between the Old Federation and the Kaimorian Federation, Cole Hixon was already a soldier in the Federation Marine Corps, and he also served under Emperor Augustus and Jim Raynor. I fought on the planet Turasis II during that period.

In other words, it is possible that Hickson once fought alongside Emperor Augustus, or at least was on the same battlefield. It's just that Hickson never mentioned his past experiences, but his cold words and deeds and the face full of stories always make people think.

In fact, Hickson had wanted to undergo voluntary resocialization surgery to erase his past memories. Hixon never wanted to recall his poor and painful childhood during the Guild Wars. When he was fourteen, he ran away from home to join the army, leaving his alcoholic father to live in a muddleheaded life with his sister.

Later, he never found her again.

Hickson may not have been a member of the Imperial Army for a long time, but he is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding Imperial soldiers. Hickson was dubbed "Dapper Death" by his comrades and enemies alike, a nickname that undoubtedly represented the grace of fear and death.

The dapper moniker may have been apt until Hickson was nearly bald and blinded in his left eye due to severe burns in a battle.

At this moment, accompanied by the subtle hum of the power armor's servo drive system, the Hixon company moved quickly, converging into a silver-gray trickle. Multiple twin-turbo micro drones (Microbots) were released into the air, some hovering over the Imperial soldiers, while others explored in all directions at a faster speed.

There are also more than a dozen agile and fast mechanical cats in this fast-action force, called Predators. This intelligent machine that resembles a large bobcat is extremely powerful and as fast as lightning, so it is also privately called cybercats by the soldiers.

There are many different models of Predator robots to deal with different combat environments, and the C-250 carried by Hixon Company has been fighting Zerg in the maze-like underground mines of the Kaimorian complex mining world. Fight with amazing endurance and speed.

In the eyes of the Imperial Special Forces, the Predator is a hound that never tires and is always loyal, able to adapt to all kinds of dangerous battlefields. Even if it is damaged, it can come in handy if it is repaired.

At present, even the most loyal and brave military dogs will be so scared that they will urinate and tremble with their tails between their legs when facing Zerg. Most creatures will feel fear in their hearts when facing zerg, as if they have encountered a natural enemy, including humans.

"Captain, the drone detected a protoss structure 3 and 1/4 miles in the direction of travel." Sergeant Arthur said.

"I've already seen it."

A majestic and jaw-dropping Star Spirit Tower-shaped building is standing on the edge of the ice-blue sky. The majesty and elegance appear on the same building at the same time.

The magnificent golden tower has been rising into the clouds, as if it is supporting the sky. The bright light is scattered from the dome inlaid with blue and purple Kedarin crystals, which vividly displays the transcendent poetic beauty. Farther away, more majestic protoss buildings were looming in the hazy storm.

Epic scale and mythical paradise-like splendor were hallmarks of the architecture of the Golden Age of the Protoss Empire, which was a rarity in that arrogant era.

"Wuhu——"

"I think it's not as good as the palace."

"If you knock a piece of gold out of it, you will definitely be able to sell it for a lot of money. I hope the owner of it is easy to negotiate. Emperor Augustus said: Those who come are just guests, and those who can't eat can't walk away."

Ah, in short, it must be what the emperor said is right. There are certainly people for it, but no one against it.

"." Cole Hixon raised his head and stared at the giant tower that reached into the clouds, focusing on the top of the tower that was submerged in the light. Just looking at it this way, there is no sign of any life in it.

This planet named Niflheim is indeed as dark and cold as the icy Kingdom of the Dead, with no sunlight. The unique atmosphere structure makes it difficult for the warm light of the star to reach the surface. The cold wind here is so cold that it can freeze people into popsicles. Even Tyranid Superman's ears would freeze off if he didn't wear protective clothing.

He has visited many protoss colonies, and most of them are home to magnificent buildings, each one as brilliant as a palace. Others are ruined worlds that have declined, filled with tombstones from glorious times.

Niflheim is older than all known human civilizations, yet it still exists today.

She is located on the cold and dim edge of the Milky Way, very far away from Aiur. It is hard to imagine how far their huge fleet had reached during the golden age of the Protoss Empire.

"Keep going." Hixon waved.

After giving the order, Hixon Company continued to quickly approach the Star Spirit Tower. Their speed was very fast, and the giant spire was getting taller and taller in the head-up display in the power armor helmet - no columns, no arcades, no traces of flaws or splicing, this magnificent building seemed to be the same on the day it was born. A natural whole.

The beautiful harmonic sound of the crystal matrix is ​​clearly visible in the howling of the wind and snow, as if the spring water is stirring the rocks, making a cooling sound. A golden beam of light pierced the clouds straight into the sky, illuminating the gray clouds with bright golden light, as if the city was standing on the clouds.

"Captain, the protoss here haven't discovered us yet." Sergeant Arthur said.

"No, it's just that they haven't paid attention yet. There are at least seventeen or eight detectors hovering above our heads, and sometimes there will be more." Hixon's scarred face had an expression as hard as stone. : "Remember, if you are found by a Dark Templar, you will be dead before you say this."

Arthur Schultz was transferred from the Tasha front line during the Second Total War. He had fought the Zerg for several years, but had never seen the Protoss at all.

The Tyranid Empire has signed an alliance agreement with the Protoss, and unless they are attacked, they will not regard a small Imperial company as a threat. Many people in the empire thought that this agreement was actually not much better than the ceasefire agreement of several years. However, they did not expect that the upright and honest protoss had no intention of fooling anyone, and actually complied with it completely.

If they say they won't fight, they won't fight at all.

"Look!" A Marine pointed at a blue flash emerging from the clouds.

It was a Phoenix fighter plane. Its spread wings were like carefully polished works of art, and the plasma flames spurting out of its tail seemed like a pair of blue tail fins. Then came the second one, and even a prophet warship followed behind the third one.

Such ships piloted by the Protoss Dark Templar are very rare, and the stories about them are also very strange.

For example, the new version of the field manual shared by Imperial soldiers mentions the idea that these prophet pilots can predict the future through the ripples of history and respond to enemy offensives in advance. Of course, few people believe it.

"That's not coming for us." Arthur said as he saw this fleet of aircraft passing overhead at high speed. At the same time, he couldn't help but think about who they were heading for.

Soon, he got the answer.

In the rolling black clouds in that direction, beams of bright golden light flashed and jumped quietly, and there was a faint sound of lightning flashing and thunder, as if clusters of golden fireworks were hanging on the horizon. Gradually, this golden light actually rendered the dark clouds into the same color.

Suddenly, with a loud noise, a bright beam of light fell from the sky, stirring up the dense clouds, tearing the earth apart, and drying up the thick glaciers. A huge Star Spirit tower collapsed under the blow, and the ground beneath it collapsed into a giant pit.

In an instant, the whole world was as bright as day.

"They're starting to fight!" At this moment when the ground was shaking, Mikhail immediately shouted without even standing firm: "They're starting to fight!"

The majestic bow of the Purifier's flagship emerges from the clouds. Its pure white battleship armor shines with the flash of solar energy fragments. The smooth lines and cutting process of its hull show the standardized and streamlined production technology of the Purifier's military industry.

At this moment, as if countless giant cannons were roaring, countless Purifier aircraft carrier-based interceptors and attack aircraft roared out.

Along with the indiscriminate bombardment of the fleet, a large number of Purifier warriors also appeared in the shadow of the landing ship. In the eyes of Hilson and other imperial soldiers, these mechanical warriors are almost the same as ordinary protoss in appearance. They are all tall humanoid creatures. Even the iconic long chin has been meticulously and perfectly reproduced. .

But if you take a few more looks, you will find that these Purifier Protoss are completely mechanical bodies. The heavy mechanical armor and the matrix circuits emitting bright orange light represent that they are sophisticated machines.

In the other direction, the Durham army wearing blue robes and golden armor also appeared in the howling snow.

"These protoss are always blowing up, even if they turn into robots." An Imperial Marine from Cha Sara never concealed his disgust for the protoss.

The bodies of these mechanical protoss contain the souls of ordinary ancient war madmen. Their way of fighting is simple and crude - purifying everything with flames.

A sonorous voice that was difficult to understand but was like the collision of gold and stone suddenly sounded. It was a sound amplified by the matrix rather than the language of the stars. The voice carried the indifference and majesty of a superior.

"What is he talking about?" someone asked.

"Ancient Star Spiritual Language." Hilson said: "This enemy must be purified!"

"Sentinel, move forward."