The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Chapter 3348: The Unyielding Fortress

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Under Brooke's gaze, bolts of lightning lashed down from the chaotic sky, striking the apex of the alien fortress, causing its gun emplacements to burn with flickering, ghostly fire.

Around the pyramid, Necron infantry patrolled tirelessly, with tides of tomb scarabs and other constructs visible everywhere, dragging massive amounts of corpses and wreckage to satisfy the pyramid's hunger.

This was an extremely stubborn fortress, and several counterattacks by the Imperial forces had been repelled by it, its terrifying lethality resulting in hundreds of thousands of casualties. To deliver a fatal blow, the decision was made to undertake underground tunneling operations.

Brooke estimated that his position was about four hundred meters from the alien fortress, just meeting the requirement of the five hundred meter range, so he immediately retreated into the tunnel. The attacking aliens had been basically eliminated, although the company had also suffered extremely heavy casualties.

"Quickly notify command! We have completed the mission! Immediately reinforce the tunnel! Dispose of this trash, the enemy is likely to counterattack!"

"Destroy them!"

Sablin roared, his chain glaive thrusting out, piercing the thin chest of a Necron Warrior, followed by the roaring teeth that made its body tremble.

When he pulled out the chain glaive, a green and silver liquid splattered out, and he quickly stabbed five or six more times at different targets.

Alien corpses began to pile up like mountains in front of the Law Enforcement Department fortress's ramparts, but their offensive showed no sign of weakening. As the screams of tearing air rang out, the artillery duel between the two sides turned into a one-sided devastation. The city walls trembled and emitted sharp noises under the continuous bombardment of gauss weaponry, and the cannons on the ramparts fell silent. Li Lin had no time to look, but he guessed that those damned tesla arcs had killed the last batch of gunners.

Now he was fighting fiercely at the breach in the city wall, with enemies swarming in, shooting while scraping the edges of the Terminator armor with crude blades. Green lightning cast a dazzling color across the battlefield, and casualties continued to climb for both mortals and Space Marines, but even heavily wounded soldiers persisted in fighting until their bodies dissipated in the screaming lightning.

But Sablin knew that the defense line would not hold for long. The resistance force of New Vasburg had reached its limit. Five hours ago, he had lost contact with the last Orpheus Legion. Although Talos repeatedly asked him to hold on, that the main force would soon launch a counterattack, the suddenly appearing fortress of the enemy had become a malignant tumor in the ruins of New Vasburg, firmly blocking the advance of reinforcements. Sablin saw everything clearly.

He could have retreated completely, but sixteen hours of continuous resistance had filled the temporary command post and the last two shelters it protected with more than half a million refugees and wounded soldiers. How could Sablin leave?

This was the most pressure he had ever felt since becoming a Space Marine, not just personal life and death.

For the first time, Sablin personally felt the weight of millions of lives on his shoulders. In the past, he was just a soldier executing orders, and his attitude towards life and death was actually very casual, but this time his concept underwent a fundamental change.

When he gave those officers suicidal missions, they all silently saluted and turned to leave. Sablin didn't even know anything about them before this, just watching them settle their affairs at the quartermaster, depositing some personal belongings. When they walked out of the command post, they were never heard from again, along with those dusty, scarred, and exhausted soldiers, disappearing into the dark hive ruins.

Sablin even felt a sense of guilt, as if he was the executioner.

But he had no choice!

The defense line was constantly being squeezed, and key nodes were constantly being lost. Although the defense forces in various places were not completely defeated in the face of the enemy's offensive, it could only be said that they could not hold on for long. Even if the Eleventh Company's warriors were constantly running around to support various battlefields, they could not stop the enemy's offensive, or even slow it down much. In this process, the company suffered a lot of casualties, which made Sablin feel even more self-blame.

But Talos's order was very clear - hold on, hold on with the most resolute attitude, be sure to attract the enemy to invest heavy troops, or even the main force, in New Vasburg. As long as the resistance here continues, the enemy will definitely continue to increase troops.

He did achieve this. The defenders of New Vasburg told the enemy with the most fearless and desperate posture that they were still here, and that this hive had not yet fallen!

Finally, when the enemy raised the fortress in New Vasburg, Sablin knew that his mission was completed.

But his own mission was not completed.

He wanted to keep as many people alive as possible. This was not a mission given by the higher-ups, but a mission he gave himself.

"This is!"

Just as Sablin kicked a Necron's remains away from his feet, the ground suddenly shook, and a huge metal structure shattered with a heavy, ominous sound. Sablin risked looking back and saw that the area behind the ramparts leading to the left communications spire of the Law Enforcement Department had collapsed, and a large pile of rolling metal emerged from the ground, showering the surrounding guards with deadly fragments.

A huge mechanical spider leaped into the air like a fish breaking the water, and then slammed heavily into a group of screaming soldiers, crushing them all.

For a moment, everyone stood still in shock, trying to digest the shocking turn of events before them, so much so that the battle seemed to be suspended.

Then, the huge metal plates on both sides of this massive Canoptek Tomb Stalker fell down, and shrieking Flayed Ones and their clawed servants pounced out - this Canoptek Tomb Stalker was also a unique variant of the Mephrit Dynasty, called a Brood Spider, which had transport capabilities and could carry twenty warriors at a time to launch an assault from under the feet of unsuspecting enemies.

"Retreat!"

Realizing that there was no possibility of continuing to defend here, Sablin immediately shouted:

"Retreat to the second line of defense."

The so-called second line of defense was just the outer wall of the main building of the Law Enforcement Department fortress, which was also the last line of defense, and it was crowded with refugees and wounded soldiers. Sablin knew that there was no retreat, and they would fight there until the last moment, until they were eliminated one by one.

As he prepared to turn around and retreat from the breach, a Flayed One staggered towards him, its claws still stained with dripping blood.

Sablin slammed the end of his chain glaive hard into its face, and then kicked it in the chest. He could feel the other party's metal ribs shattering.

As he smashed the other party's skull with the chain glaive, he caught a glimpse of one remaining comrade fighting alongside him, Bessey, a veteran of the company. He, along with Sablin and Li Lin, had become descendants of the Eighth Legion. He had become a very conspicuous person in the company with his unique sense of humor, and he also had a very good relationship with Li Lin.