Chapter 275: The Cult Altar
The mutant's upper body was nearly blown to pieces. Charred flesh and bone fragments splattered everywhere, and viscous flames clung to the wreckage, continuing to burn.
Before the other two mutants could react, Dorio closed in like a whirlwind. A swinging punch smashed one's head, while her other hand grabbed the neck of the last mutant, slamming him viciously against the metal wall nearby. The immense impact dented the wall itself, and the mutant twitched twice before going silent.
Falco did not participate in the direct firefight. Relying on his enhanced senses and auxiliary systems, he calmly picked off enemies trying to snipe from the shadows. Every shot was extremely precise; enemies often had their heads blown off just as they exposed half their bodies.
Proctor Atkins and his Enforcers also demonstrated professional conduct. Using precise short bursts to complement Maine's squad's heavy firepower, they cleared up the stragglers.
The battle was completely one-sided.
These hive scum and low-level mutants were like paper before Maine's squad, armed to the teeth with standard Mechanicus upgrades.
Their crude weapons could only leave shallow scratches on the Iron Guard armor. When hitting Maine and the others' Ceramite and Plasteel-covered bodies, most rounds ricocheted or failed to deal effective damage.
In just a few minutes, the more than twenty ambushers were thoroughly eliminated.
The tunnel was filled with smoke, the smell of blood, and the distinct stench of burnt flesh and Promethium.
"Threats cleared." Mower's voice came again. "No new ambush signals detected ahead."
Proctor Atkins looked at the efficient slaughter scene before him, especially the tunnel entrance melted by Rebecca's Plasma Cannon, and the corner of his eye twitched slightly.
He took a deep breath and said to Maine, "Done... cleanly and efficiently. Looks like these dregs couldn't cause you any trouble."
Rebecca patted her Plasma Cannon proudly. "Piece of cake! Not even enough for a warm-up!"
Jackie's voice came through the Iron Guard's external speakers, tinged with excitement. "This thing is awesome! Feels like I could punch through a city wall!"
The Iron Guard he controlled swung its massive metal arm, generating a whoosh of wind.
Valerie remained silent. Her consciousness was largely connected to the Iron Guard prototype, rapidly analyzing various performance data of the machine during the brief firefight, including weapon system response, armor feedback under attack, and energy core load.
Everything was within design parameters, even exceeding expectations.
Maine looked around, confirming no missed threats.
"Continue forward," he said in a deep voice. "Stay alert."
The team moved out again, stepping over the messy wreckage, advancing deeper into the darkness of the tunnel.
The easily resolved battle allowed everyone to relax their tense nerves slightly, believing that this was indeed, as the briefing said, a simple mission to clear trash mobs and test equipment.
Even the experienced Proctor Atkins thought the most dangerous thing would be just a few stronger mutants or a more cunning gang leader.
They did not know that in the deeper darkness of the Hive, a twisted and pained consciousness, undetected by any scanning equipment, was fluctuating violently due to the negative emotions generated by the slaughter and death outside, about to break through its fragile restraints.
Passing through the long tunnel, strange chanting and flickering firelight could be faintly heard ahead.
The smell in the air, resembling rotting incense, became stronger, even overpowering the previous scent of blood and burnt flesh.
Mower transmitted clearer images: the end of the tunnel connected to a massive space, the main hall of an abandoned water purification plant.
Rusted giant water tanks and broken pipes formed an eerie and grand background.
In the center of the hall, a crude altar built from scrap parts, bones, and tattered cloth stood out glaringly.
Around the altar gathered about thirty or forty people, mostly ragged hive residents and a few mutants with obvious physical mutations. They were prostrating themselves on the ground around a thin figure in tattered robes on the altar, conducting some kind of fanatical ritual.
On the altar lay several disemboweled corpses, blood staining the rough surface red.
The thin robed figure held a rusted serrated knife high, chanting words, his voice hoarse and twisted, filled with inhuman fanaticism.
"Main target located." Maine observed the situation in the hall through his tactical eye-piece. "Around the altar, approximately forty targets. The one in the center seems to be the leader."
"The Emperor protects..." A young Enforcer saw the bloody scene on the altar and couldn't help but whisper, his tone full of disgust.
Proctor Atkins' face turned ashen. "These damn scum! Captain Maine, please end this farce as soon as possible."
Maine nodded and quickly issued commands. "Valerie, Jackie, use your heavy firepower to cover the area around the altar. Prioritize clearing the gathered cultists.
"Rebecca, target the altar itself. Vaporize it along with that leader.
"Dorio, Pilar, clear any remnants trying to approach or flee.
"Mower, look for high-value targets or abnormal individuals.
"Falco, monitor the whole field, provide early warning. Enforcer squad, provide fire support and watch for potential traps or secret room entrances."
"Copy that!"
"Iron Guard system, weapon arrays fully open." Valerie confirmed calmly. The heavy bolter on the shoulder and the arm-mounted multi-laser of the Iron Guard prototype she piloted raised simultaneously, locking onto targets.
Jackie roared excitedly, "Watch this!" The Iron Guard he controlled made the same movement.
"Fire!"
With Maine's command, a storm of destruction instantly descended upon this profane hall.
THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD—!
The heavy bolters on the shoulders of the two Iron Guard prototypes roared first. .75 caliber bolts, like the scythe of death, cut through the air and fell into the dense crowd of cultists.
Every bolt exploded upon hitting flesh or ground, instantly tearing fragile bodies to pieces. Limbs mixed with internal organs splattered everywhere.
The scorching beams from the multi-lasers precisely picked off individuals trying to find cover, leaving molten holes in metal walls and water tanks.
Rebecca's Plasma Cannon charged again. This time, she aimed at that bloody altar.
A blinding blue light flashed, and the plasma bolt hit the target at a speed hard to catch with the naked eye.
BOOM—!!
An explosion more violent than before occurred.
The altar, along with the corpses on it, the leader holding the serrated knife, and the few fanatical believers closest to it, were instantly vaporized in the extreme high temperature. Only a large charred crater with molten edges remained. The shockwave even blew away some cultists further away.
(End of Chapter)