Chapter 231: The Jackals and Grunts’ “Divine Realm”

In the core world:

Five Covenant cruisers were stationed above a forest, with the flagship, a nearly two-kilometer-long CCS-class battlecruiser, having anchored itself just 300 meters above the ground.

The CCS-class ship had opened its belly hatches, releasing faint pink beams of light, which were gravity lifts—a technology developed by the Covenant based on Forerunner tech.

Numerous ground units with smooth, beetle-like exteriors descended through the gravity lifts, deploying onto the surface to carry out defensive and reconnaissance tasks as ordered by their commanders, in coordination with infantry units.

Among the infantry, the most recognizable were the Sangheili, who communicated with their signature "Wort wort!" shouts and commands.

With their incredible physical prowess and combat skills, and being one of the co-ruling species of the Covenant, the Sangheili naturally assumed leadership positions at all levels.

For instance, a typical Covenant combat squad would be led by a young Sangheili warrior, his powered armor painted blue, signifying his rank as squad captain.

The number of squad members ranged from 5 to 15, primarily composed of Kig-Yar (Jackals) and Unggoy (Grunts).

The Kig-Yar, resembling jackals from Earth, were slender and hunched in appearance.

Despite their wiry frames, Kig-Yar stood between 1.9 and 2.1 meters tall, and their highly developed sense of smell made them invaluable in detecting enemies using optical camouflage.

Their vision was also far superior to that of the Sangheili and Unggoy, making them ideal for roles like scouts, snipers, or sharpshooters.

In terms of weaponry, they typically carried extendable energy shields, plasma pistols, needler rifles, or beam sniper rifles and carbines.

However, by human and Sangheili moral standards, Kig-Yar were considered "evil" and "treacherous" in nature.

The harsh conditions of their homeworld had driven them to become thieves, raiders, and killers, and even after joining the Covenant "family," they continued to bully weaker species for sport.

With the Covenant's technological support, many Kig-Yar became notorious space pirates.

Nevertheless, as long as their actions didn't pose a substantial threat to the Covenant's rule, the leadership often turned a blind eye.

Next came the Unggoy.

These creatures made up the bulk of the Covenant's infantry squads, but their average height was only around 1.4 meters, and they were naturally timid.

The unique atmosphere of their homeworld meant that they breathed a mix of pungent gases like ammonia, methane, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.

In simpler terms, Unggoy had to "breathe fart gas" to keep their bodies functioning properly.

Though their small stature and feeble physiques made them appear cowardly and weak, if pushed too far, the Unggoy could become one of the most united and rebellious species.

Additionally, they viewed the Sangheili as their saviors.

If the Sangheili commander leading them were to fall in battle, the Unggoy would quickly lose morale, either surrendering or wildly flailing their arms as they fled the battlefield in a panic.

Most Unggoy were only equipped with small weapons like plasma pistols.

The primary reasons for their poor combat effectiveness and frequent operational mishaps, often resulting in friendly fire incidents, were their lack of training and the leadership's fear that a concentrated Unggoy force could cause a serious internal revolt within the Covenant.

As for the Brutes...

Their real name was the "Jiralhanae."

These ape-like creatures, standing over 2.8 meters tall on average, were also a crucial part of the Covenant, second only to the Sangheili in terms of military importance. However, their volatile, savage, and aggressive nature made them unsuitable for leadership roles.

Historical tensions and personality clashes between the two species meant that Covenant combat squads led by Sangheili would never include Jiralhanae members.

At this moment, the CCS-class battlecruiser had already deployed hundreds of combat squads, remaining anchored 300 meters above the ground with its gravity lift still active.

"Yah!!"

"Wah!!"

Amidst the forest below, the Unggoy's panicked screams echoed repeatedly.

On closer inspection, it became clear that the squads on the perimeter were engaging in low-intensity skirmishes with the wild beasts native to the core world of 0459.

Possibly due to their fear of the Flood, the Unggoy also believed this place was infested with the Flood, and thus were terrified of any aggressive-looking creatures.

Bang! Bang bang! Gunfire rang out suddenly.

Despite their fear, the Unggoy still managed to fire their plasma pistols, easily taking down the wild animals, which posed little actual threat.

Once the gunfire ceased, peace returned to the area, and several Unggoy collapsed to the ground in relief.

"Vul zyin anwai, qha'lanj ru?!"

("You useless garbage, what are you screaming about?!")

A Jiralhanae commanding the squad stepped forward, bending down to grab one of the Unggoy and reprimanding it loudly.

Crack!

With a sharp sound, the Brute crushed the Unggoy's neck with a single hand and casually tossed its corpse into the nearby bushes like trash.

Then, switching to the Covenant's common language, the Jiralhanae barked orders:

"Get up and patrol! Make sure there's no threat from the Flood around us!"

The remaining Unggoy, though filled with anger, had no choice but to comply. They reluctantly got to their feet and resumed scouting the forest for any signs of the Flood.

But just as they began to move—

Swish—swish—!

Suddenly, cyan light, caused by Forerunner teleportation technology, appeared in front of the squad.

!!!

Seeing this, the Unggoy, who had just regained some composure, immediately jumped in fright, ready to flee.

However, the earlier threat of the Brute killing their companion stopped them, forcing them to maintain a shaky facade of bravery as they nervously raised their plasma pistols, aiming them at the dimming glow.

At the same time, the Jiralhanae squad leader and two Kig-Yar immediately heightened their vigilance, raising their own weapons in response.

The Jiralhanae also sent out a report, requesting reinforcements from nearby friendly units, especially from their fellow Brutes.

When the light finally faded, what stood before them were Lehman and the Thunder Warriors.

"It's..."

One of the Unggoy looked up at Lehman, whose height exceeded 3.5 meters in his power armor, and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's a giant!"

"No, it's a god! They're gods!"

"This must be the divine realm where the gods live!"

"Blessed gods, forgive us... forgive us!"

Upon seeing Lehman and the Thunder Warriors, the Unggoy immediately fell to their knees and began to bow respectfully.

To the Unggoy, the core world of 0459, resembling a paradise, could only be the "divine realm" of the Forerunners.

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