Chapter 433: Cannibal

Purification, interrogation room.

"Bang!"

The sound of a whip being swung.

"ah!"

A heart-wrenching scream.

When you walk into this bottom-deck prison, you will find that it is unexpectedly clean. The blood, sweat and other body fluids and secretions that are usually seen here are completely gone. The entire cell is spotlessly clean... but the noise remains the same.

"Snap! Snap! Snap!"

Kalamanda was still whipping hard.

The Night Bat Warrior held a metal rod in his hand, and a long translucent energy whip extended from the end of the rod. This whip could go straight through walls, tables, chairs and shackles. It seemed to be just an illusion, but when it touched the body... Strictly speaking, the moment it touched the human soul, it would explode with a bang.

Sage Nemonix sat upright in a chair.

Kalamanda stood behind him.

"I've finished!"

howled the Nemonix Sage.

"Not enough... Snap!"

Kalamanda whipped back with his backhand.

"Ah, but I'm done!"

The Tech-Priest howled in agony.

"I said, not enough, not enough! Bang!"

The Night Bat Warrior lashed out twice more.

"Ahhhh…hiss, 11001…"

A burst of garbled mumbling broke out from the sage's mouth.

"No binary code!"

Kalamanda roared:

"Speak Gothic! Asshole!"

After roaring, he whipped her twice.

"Uh... Kalamanda."

Fu Qinghai, who was watching nearby, couldn't help himself.

He opened his mouth to remind her:

"His voice device burned out."

"Oh, I see."

Kalamanda scratched his head.

What kind of pain and torture could generate a nerve signal current that could burn out the vocal device in the throat?

Fu Qinghai felt that it was almost done.

So he stopped Kalamanda:

"Okay, that's enough. I think he has been squeezed dry. Sort out all the information. Kalamanda, there is another prisoner waiting for you next door."

Fu Qinghai raised his hand and pointed to the next door:

"Wilt XI, the patriarch of the Vickerstrek family. It would be best if we could pry open his mouth and get some information, even if that thing knows nothing..."

Fu Qinghai paused and said coldly:

"I want him to die in the most painful torture, too."

"I see."

Karamanda licked his lips and grinned:

"All will be as you wish, Khan."

Not only Fu Qinghai, but even Sid Nora could see that this Space Marine of the Midnight Lord simply enjoyed torturing people. Lin Yu, Qiao Shida, Camille and others were no longer surprised by this conclusion.

The betrayal matrix is ​​very useful.

This heretical technological creation has a characteristic that it is particularly effective against people with devout beliefs. Sage Nemonix is ​​a Nurgle believer, and the Vixtrick family believes in Chaos without division. Their dark beliefs have brought them extreme pain and torture. The pain caused by directly torturing the soul far exceeds the biological current stimulation in the physical nerves. In addition, Kalamanda's awakened psychic talent is to amplify the fear in other people's hearts. The combination of the two is even more outstanding and complements each other.

Kalamanda was a qualified executioner.

Although torturing his enemies made him happy, he did not become so obsessed with it that he forgot his duties. Soon, a compiled confession was placed on Fu Qinghai's desk.

In the captain's room of the Supremacy.

The Chapter Master and the Inquisitor read the confession together, and their expressions suddenly became complicated and heavy.

"The Sage Ruler spent a lot of effort to find the traitor, and almost turned the entire Titan Order upside down...but he didn't expect that the traitor was actually himself. Tsk tsk."

Fu Qinghai shook his head and sighed.

Sid Nora looked very unhappy.

The biggest leak in the Iron Belt War Zone, the deployment of all the Loyalist Titan Legions was leaked, and the source of the leak was actually the Sage Ruler himself!

The Grand Inquisitor really didn't expect it.

The Sage Ruler, the commander-in-chief of all Mechanicus forces in the Iron Belt appointed by the Mars Forge Council, was actually inferior to the leader of a local sect in the Iron Belt in hacking skills? Not only was his hacking skills exposed, but he was also completely defeated. According to Nemonix's confession, the Sage Ruler still doesn't know what the problem is. His memory storage was deliberately erased and re-encoded, and he didn't remember meeting the leader of a data supervision sect at all.

It's too good, it's really too good.

Of course, on the other hand, the fact that Sage Nemonix was able to outwit Hieronymus Gant, the ruling sage from Mars, shows that his hacking skills are indeed superb. Although he is a dark technology heretic who believes in evil gods, he can be regarded as the most powerful logician Fu Qinghai has ever seen.

Sid Nora was in a dilemma.

The Chief Inquisitor frowned, crossed his arms, and paced back and forth in Fu Qinghai's captain's room with his head down.

Fu Qinghai understood very well and could even guess what she was struggling with - how to deal with the Ruling Sage.

First of all, no matter what the original starting point was, no matter whether the Sage Ruler was subjectively aware of it, the fact is that the deployment of the Iron Belt Titan Legion was leaked from him. Many imperial worlds fell as a result, and many imperial soldiers and civilians died. The Sage Ruler has an unshirkable responsibility.

Moreover, even if we have to talk about motives, the Ruling Sage's motives are not simple - he colluded with the local data supervision sect in order to punish a loyal knight family for changing its allegiance. These are originally shady private dealings that cannot be put on the table openly.

But on the other hand, the Sage Ruler is still one of the highest commanders in the Iron Belt War Zone. The situation in the Iron Belt is very tense now. What will be the consequences of moving him at this time? How will the Titan Order react? How will other Forge Worlds react? Sid Nora is a radical Inquisitor, not a brainless Inquisitor. She can naturally distinguish the interests involved, and she must weigh the pros and cons from the perspective of the overall situation.

Finally, we have to consider one thing. Sage Gant has a high status and belongs to the huge Mechanicus. Although the Martian Mechanicus was reorganized into the Adeptus Mechanicus after the rebellion, its status is not as independent as before, and the clamping force and influence from Terra have greatly increased. However, can the Inquisition deal with Sage Gant without the permission of the Forge Master? The answer is very clear - no. Therefore, the opinion of the Forge Master far away on Mars is the most important for how to deal with the Sage.

Right or wrong, factions, interests, the overall situation...

It's such a headache just thinking about it!

However, Fu Qinghai didn't care about that.

Sitting on the chair with his legs crossed, he looked like he had nothing to do with the matter. It was enough for me, a Chapter Master of the Astartes, to manage my own Chapter, execute combat orders, and bring one victory after another. As for how to deal with the Ruling Sage? It was none of my business.

Sid Nora was having a headache and wanted to find someone to consult for advice. When he turned around, he saw Fu Qinghai's expression. He gritted his teeth and thought, "Is this your attitude?"

Without waiting for Sid Nora to speak.

Fu Qinghai stood up and took the initiative to say:

"Okay, you can think about these issues slowly. I have to arrange a new battle plan. The battle in the Ni Deline sub-sector is not over yet."

Leaving the Chief Inquisitor sitting alone on the sofa, Fu Qinghai walked out alone to the operations meeting room.

…

Sound the alarm, conference room.

"This is the Hive World Defense Layout."

"This is the rebel fleet deployment."

Fu Qinghai said, pointing at the holographic projection.

Sage Nemonix revealed the causes and consequences of the leak, and Wilt XI revealed the size and deployment of the rebel forces surrounding the hive world.

"Naval forces, six strike cruisers, four transport cruisers, all conventional class cruisers."

"For ground forces, the Kurissatai Titan Corps has a relatively intact structure, with three Warmaster-class Titans and seven Warlord-class Titans. The Untamed Lord Titan Corps suffered heavy losses, with only one Warlord-class Titan and eleven Warhound-class reconnaissance Titans left. The above are their main ground forces."

Fu Qinghai enumerated the enemy's military strength.

The Warlord-class Titan, as the smallest of the large Titans, serves as the main Titan in most Titan Legions and is also the most common Titan model of the Mechanicus.

The Kurissatai Titan Corps was formed by splitting a part of the Titans from the Death Skull Corps to assist in the local forging world. The pilots are all from the Death Skull Corps, and the Titan technology they use is also related to the Death Skull Corps, so they are very powerful.

Just look at this strength comparison.

The Iron Pagoda Regiment is inferior to the rebels.

But we have to take into account that the Hive World also has some Imperial troops: a Dawnbreaker Titan Legion, an Imperial Guard Corps Ulesh Grenadiers, and an Imperial Navy Fleet. If the two were to join forces, they would be evenly matched.

Even if we only count the total number of troops, the Imperial army still has the advantage, because the rebels sent a fleet, a Titan Legion and a Knight Family to deal with the Chapter Fleet, but they were all eaten by the Iron Pagoda. I don't know if they have learned that the detachment fleet was wiped out.

"What do you think?"

Fu Qinghai looked around and asked.

"I think it's okay to fight."

Qiao Shida was the first to express his opinion:

"If the enemy wants to besiege the hive world, the fleet must maintain a presence around the planet and cannot run around. This gives us the opportunity to play to our advantage. We can board the enemy and seize the enemy's warships to further seize air supremacy in space!"

You are addicted to gang jumping.

Fu Qinghai thought to himself.

But what Qiao Shida said was not wrong.

What is the biggest advantage of the Iron Pagoda Regiment?

It is not the "Golden Armor of the Broken Army".

It's a completely new and alien space marine.

After all, although the "Pojun Jinjia" is powerful, there is only one of them, while the new alien space marines bring a full ten companies. The special environment of boarding operations can give full play to the advantages of the new alien space marines over traditional space marines, and it is also the most tried and tested tactic of the current regiment.

But joining the team is not easy.

It can even be said that the risk is extremely high.

Teleporting boarding requires the deployment of teleportation beacons in advance, and the overload of void shields. Boarding with boarding torpedoes, Thunderhawk gunboats, or various assault boats will most likely be shot down by the close defense firepower of the warship, and will be blown up before you even see the enemy, turning into a ball of shining fireworks in the void.

Therefore, Fu Qinghai has always disliked boarding ships with torpedoes, gunboats or assault boats, and he also disliked forcing a beacon without a transmission beacon. Unless the situation is urgent and there is no other choice, he will not order such a boarding, as he believes that it is a waste of soldiers' lives.

Moreover, if the enemy does not engage in close combat with the Chapter fleet, but instead maintains a long-range exchange of fire, then the Space Marines' boarding advantage cannot be brought into play.

However, as Joe Star said, as long as the rebels still want to besiege the hive world, the Chaos fleet will not be able to avoid the battle, and this space naval battle will not turn into a chase. As long as the enemy fights openly, it will give the Space Marines the opportunity to board and play to their own advantages.

In the 42K era, after Roboute Guilliman pushed the Ultramarines to launch the Indomitus Crusade, both Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines were shocked by the emergence of the Primaris Space Marines. The Space Marines felt that they were abandoned by the times and felt very lost. The Chaos Space Marines found that this group of "Belisarius Cawl's new toys" were taller, stronger, and more powerful than themselves, and they also felt an imminent threat.

Now, it's ten thousand years ahead of schedule.

Forge Master Qingshan Khan is about to make the Chaos Traitors feel the feeling of being crushed by the times.

The new Alien Space Marines have two additional transformation surgeries, and their physical fitness may not be as good as the Primaris Space Marines with three additional transformation surgeries, but the Extremis Virus, Pulse Bolter, Fat Man Launcher and MK8 Insurgency Power Armor equipped by the new Alien Space Marines can be said to be completely superior to the Primaris Space Marines' Cawl Bolter, Cawl Plasma Incinerator and MK10 Power Armor.

The biggest difference between the MK10 power armor and the previous generations of power armor is that it has functional differentiation. According to the tactical positioning of different teams, it is divided into multiple models such as Invader type, Pioneer type and Phobos type. However, it does not have the epoch-making change of the MK8 anti-insurgency power armor - three-layer composite armor plus self-healing and perspective functions.

"I think the first priority is to contact the Imperial forces in this hive world. We need to work together and cannot fight each other, or we will be defeated one by one."

Number 56 also expressed his opinion.

"That's right."

Fu Qinghai nodded, then turned to look at the Star Language Supervisor. The pale and thin Xia Long sat with his shoulders hunched among a group of tall and mighty Space Warriors, like a small stick. Suddenly, he was called upon, and he quickly raised his head and said:

"We are trying to make contact. It seems that the enemy has used some kind of interference to try to block the astropathic communication, but I think it can be cracked. It will take some time, Khan."

"Okay, as soon as possible."

Fu Qinghai nodded, and then said:

"Let's arrange it this way for now. The specific battle plan will be decided after we contact the Hive World."

Fu Qinghai was just about to say "meeting adjourned".

At this moment, Xia Long suddenly raised his hand.

Everyone looked at her. Xia Long, who seldom spoke up in meetings, suddenly felt nervous.

"you say."

Fu Qinghai said softly.

"Khan, in addition to blocking interference to keep astropathic communications open, there is another problem. I have intercepted some scattered psychic communications. During this period of time, the astropaths in the rebel fleet have been sending false astropathic messages to the Imperial defenders in the hive world. They even pretended to be the Supreme Command of the Iron Belt and told them that no reinforcements would come to support them. They asked them to hold on to the end in an attempt to shake their morale."

Xia Long paused for a moment, then continued:

"In addition to breaking the interference, we also have to prove our identity. Tell them that we are real reinforcements and not fake. So, I think if the Iron Pagoda Fleet can cooperate with the Star Language Choir and go to the vicinity of the Hive World to declare its presence, perhaps... perhaps it can give some confidence to the Imperial troops trapped there, letting them know that the Empire has not given up on them. This can also prove our identity and facilitate communication and coordination in joint operations."

After finishing speaking in one breath, Xia Long quickly lowered his head, not daring to breathe, like a little quail.

In previous combat meetings, Xia Long was just an executor, doing whatever the Khan told her to do, and never expressed any opinions or suggestions. This was the first time she took the initiative to speak in a combat meeting, and she mustered up a lot of courage.

The meeting room suddenly became quiet.

Everyone stared at Xia Long in a daze.

Xia Long didn't know if she had said something wrong. She didn't know why no one spoke. She was so scared that she shrank her head and tucked her shoulders together. Her face turned red and she stammered,

"I... I was just talking nonsense."

"I agree with the Star Tongue Director."

Qiao Shida was the first to express his agreement.

The first captain said in a deep voice:

"We have to take into account that the Imperial Army in the Hive World is a defeated army. They have been trapped in the Hive World and have received a lot of true and false information. Their morale is a big problem. The minds of mortals are very fragile. Once they begin to become weak and afraid, they are easily bewitched by Chaos, so..."

"So we have to give them a little confidence."

Fu Qinghai nodded and continued.

"That's right."

"That makes sense."

The Space Marine officers around him all expressed their agreement.

What Qiao Shida said is one aspect.

Fu Qinghai considered deeper reasons.

The astropaths in the Chaos Rebels pretended to be the highest command in the war zone. This trick might not fool experienced astropaths and commanders, but what they said, "No reinforcements will come to support the hive world"...is it really a lie?

Fu Qinghai knew very well that the situation in the Ni Deline sub-star region was so corrupt. However, so far, Marshal Hexu Luo had only sent one of his own regiments to provide support, and a knight family was deliberately sent here to die. This showed that the Empire really intended to abandon this sub-star region.

The hive world can contact the Chapter fleet, and they can also contact the Forge World of Atar Median. If the astropathic message from the theater's highest command leaks out, if there is any word or hint of this fact, then it will inevitably lead to a panic.

No one wants to be abandoned. The worst outcome is that the entire empire army will defect to Chaos, but Fu Qinghai thinks that is unlikely. The most likely outcome is that some people want to defect to Chaos, while others want to hold on to the end, and then a civil war will break out between the two sides, and the Hive World will collapse without a fight.

"Just do as Xia Long said."

Fu Qinghai made the decision:

"No need to wait for contact, the Chapter Fleet will set off immediately to the star system where the Hive World is located."

"Yes, Khan!"

The Space Marine officer roared in agreement.

Xia Long's suggestion was recognized by everyone. The young Xingyu director was so happy that his eyebrows flew with joy. Then he tried hard to suppress his joy and pretended to be indifferent to praise or criticism...

Fu Qinghai couldn't help laughing.

He raised his hand and patted her head.

Xia Long, you've grown up.

Fu Qinghai sighed in his heart.

…

The regiment arrived at the galaxy where the hive world was located. Xia Long contacted the imperial garrison in the hive world in advance. Following her instructions, the regiment fleet approached the planet and had a small-scale contact, test and exchange of fire with the rebel fleet.

Now the Hive World is finally convinced.

My reinforcements have indeed arrived.

"Khan, Khan!"

Xia Long hurriedly found Fu Qinghai.

The girl raised her head and said with a serious expression,

"We have successfully contacted the Imperial garrison in the Hive World. They told me that the situation is very critical now. The enemy fleet cut off the connection between the Hive World and the Agricultural World a long time ago. Now, the entire Hive World has... started cannibalism."

Cannibalism?

Fu Qinghai raised his eyebrows when he heard this.

The population of the hive worlds easily exceeds tens of billions, and industrial pollution has caused most of the hive worlds to be unable to maintain food self-sufficiency. Some cannot even produce food at all and rely entirely on the agricultural world for support. Other imperial worlds may be able to survive for a while without food, but the hive worlds will definitely not be able to last long.

At the same time, in the Warhammer 40K universe, the act of cannibalism not only indicates that the defenders' food reserves are running low, but many Chaos beliefs are also related to this act of cannibalism.

Many worlds of the Imperium fell into the arms of Slaanesh.

It started with massive cannibalism.

......

(End of this chapter)