Chapter 111: I Shouldn't Have Said Anything
"Before an invasion, the Hive Fleet will deploy Genestealers to various planets to ascertain if a planet is worthy of being devoured. The solution is..."
"The Hive Fleet's faster-than-light travel is achieved by a biological vessel known as a Narvhal, which uses a star's gravity to create a compressed spatial corridor in realspace. Therefore, a targeted star system will exhibit gravitational anomalies. The method of detection is..."
"When a Hive Fleet approaches a star system, a psychic interference known as the 'Shadow in the Warp' will appear. This will sever astropathic communications, obscure the light of the Astronomican, and interfere with Imperial Warp travel. The counter-strategy requires one or more sufficiently powerful psykers..."
"The Hive Fleet..."
"The above is all the existing data we have on the Tyranids, as well as the countermeasures we have summarized."
In the grand council chamber, the commanders sat in a circle. Romulus stood before a holographic display, his expression serious and focused, as he methodically laid out the contents of the 'Tyranid Xenos Strategy Manual (For Reference Only)'.
On the holographic display, dense text and data constantly appeared and refreshed, accompanied by three-dimensional images of Tyranid combat bioforms, making it exceptionally intuitive. After the long journey through the Warp, Romulus had compiled this strategy manual. It systematically recorded the behavioral patterns of the Tyranid Hive Fleet, the five stages of an invasion, and the methods for dealing with different Tyranid combat units, providing solutions and practical case studies in meticulous detail.
Romulus's original intention was to provide the best possible tactical guidance for Astartes forces that would encounter the Tyranid Hive Fleet in the future, to help them deal with this threat more effectively. Not only that, but based on the complex and abstract distribution of the Imperium's military forces, Romulus had also written separate operational guides for the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Imperial Navy, the Astra Militarum, the PDF, and various joint-forces operations, detailing how to maximize one's own combat effectiveness and preserve one's own forces when your allies are being abstractly incompetent.
With Guilliman's Codex as a format reference, writing this manual had been exceptionally easy. Romulus had even taken into account those Chapters that had to strictly adhere to the Codex; for those Chapters whose equipment was limited due to their fanatical belief in the Codex Astartes, he provided a restricted-攻略 strategy.
The various company captains and Sanguinary Priests of the Blood Angels stared blankly at the reports in their hands. The comprehensiveness and detail of this manual were enough to shock any commander.
"..."
Drakus sat at the council table, his eyes fixed on the contents of the holographic display. His mouth twitched slightly, as if he were trying to suppress some emotion. He swore that he was only just managing to keep a straight face by relying on the professional composure he had cultivated under his former seneschal, Lady Yuton. Especially when he saw the final passage of the manual.
[This manual is for reference only. Any modifications require the consent of the original author. In the event that the original author cannot be contacted, reasonable corrections may be made based on the current situation. All rights of interpretation belong to the Four Wings of the Dawn.]
Drakus's eyebrow twitched slightly. He muttered to himself, 'Is he taking a subtle jab at Lord Guilliman?'
The council chamber was silent, with only the faint hum of the holographic display echoing in the air. The expressions of the Blood Angels' commanders varied. Some were deep in thought, some looked astonished, and others seemed contemplative.
Romulus surveyed the room, his gaze finally landing on Dante.
Dante gave a slight nod, indicating that he had finished listening and processing the information. He then paused for a moment, observing the expressions of the sons of the Angel.
"The detail of this manual is impressive, Lord Romulus. We will study it carefully and apply it in future operations," he said, his voice heavy, clearly recognizing the value of the manual.
Romulus smiled faintly, a hint of humility in his expression. "This is just a summary of some of our experiences. I hope it will be of some help to you. The threat of the Tyranid Hive Fleet is not to be underestimated. For the future of humanity, we must be fully prepared."
He then produced another data-slate.
"I recommend that the Blood Angels begin the fortification of the surrounding moons of Baal, as well as the environmental modification of Baal itself. Push forward the industrialization process and bring in a sufficient population to have enough strength to fight the enemy in the future."
Drakus, sitting at the side, finally felt he really couldn't hold it in anymore. He felt he should be standing behind Lord Romulus. This habit of telling other people what to do was exactly like Lord Guilliman.
"Lord Romulus, we maintain Baal's environment to commemorate our gene-sire, Sanguinius," a Sanguinary Priest, who had just completed the gene-verification, said, raising his hand. His tone was respectful; the gene-verification had confirmed that the thirteen elders were indeed sons of the Angel, and the mutation in their gene-flaw was minimal, traceable to the original Blood Angels, basically confirming they were from the time when Sanguinius was still alive. So, although he was displeased with the Ultramarine's suggestion, he still showed the proper respect.
"Our father's dream was for Baal to become a garden world," a Crimson Paladin interjected coolly, his voice holding an authority that brooked no argument. "Our father taught us that things should develop for the better, not remain unchanged."
"Correct."
Sarpedon nodded in deep agreement, unconsciously clenching his fists. His eyes held a hint of anger; he was clearly displeased with the Blood Angels' practice of keeping Baal unchanged to commemorate Sanguinius. If he ever found out which genius had come up with that idea, he would definitely ask Lord Ramesses to pull that guy out and give him a good thrashing.
Dante sat in the main seat, his gaze shifting between the various speakers. He noticed the elder who had used Sanguinius's own words to refute the Sanguinary Priest, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. At least there was one he could count on.
It wasn't that he didn't want Baal to be better. But the endless wars and the various internal incidents of the Chapter had already exhausted him. He still had to guard against the prying eyes of Chaos, and the matter of the Angels Penitent's name change was still full of suspicion and needed to be investigated. And on top of all that, he was supposed to worry about the local development of Baal...
Just spare him.
"The sons of the Angel have suffered too much," Karna's voice suddenly broke the silence in the council chamber. His gaze swept over the angels who, despite having been shielded from the Black Rage by his own aura, were still too empty-headed to interject. His voice was filled with a sincere lament.
You really couldn't expect a group of neurotics, trapped by the Red Thirst and the Black Rage, to handle governance, even if becoming neurotic was never their original intention.
In the eyes of others, these were the Emperor's Angels, beings of super power and wisdom. But in the eyes of the transmigrators, these people were not much different from the children they had seen when they had gone to the mountainous regions for poverty alleviation programs during their school activities.
"My Lord..."
Hearing this, Dante felt a jolt in his heart. A complex emotion flashed in his eyes, as if Karna's words had struck a deep chord within him. A single short sentence had resonated so strongly with him. As the son of a salt-farmer who had risen to become a Chapter Master, who had witnessed the birth and departure of countless Blood Angels, did he not know what it was to suffer?
"..."
Karna felt he shouldn't have said anything.
(End of Chapter)