The Emperor’s Angel of Death

Chapter 3051: First Encounter with Tyranids

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“Heaven's Scourge Rapid-Firing Cannon, optimal condition.”

“Storm Warblade, optimal condition.”

“Storm Missile Pod, optimal condition.”

“Main Generator, best condition.”

Sai Lei opened his eyes, one after another ethereal mechanical voice ringing in his ears. These were electronic prompts from the Iron Steed beneath him.

“Silver Unicorn, advance.”

Hearing the command from the Knight Instructor, Sai Lei strode forward with his mechanical legs, his steps measured and firm as he exited the landing craft. The outside world was a cacophony of earth-shattering roars. When the data from his visual display was fully transmitted within a second, he beheld the most horrific battlefield he had ever witnessed.

The remains of a Tyranid monster, so massive it bordered on nightmarish, lay on the ground, smoldering. It resembled a small mountain, dwarfing even the largest Knight suits.

Amidst the smoke and ochre-colored haze, numerous soldiers were locked in combat with bizarre beasts. If Genestealers were a challenge for ordinary mortals, then the true Tyranids were their ultimate nightmare. The Knight's high-magnification visual equipment allowed him to see the details of the battlefield within thousands of meters. He watched as a guardsman was impaled through the chest by a Ripper, then lifted and had his head torn apart.

They attempted to hold their ground, only to be mercilessly cut down, subjected to brutal dismemberment, and showered in gore.

The Warriors were more like butchers, their scythe-like claws constantly stabbing into soft human bodies, the acidic saliva of their bio-weapons burning through skin and muscle. These terrifying creatures reveled in slaughter and feasting.

Further in the distance, on the horizon, pillars of fire erupted continuously, accompanied by the whistling of squadrons of aircraft.

“What are those things…?”

A surprised, even slightly fearful, voice came over the channel. It was Ashley, clearly intimidated by the colossal Tyranid beast.

“According to the Tyranid bestiary, that should be… hmm, a Norn Emissary, a Titan-class Tyranid organism, averaging around sixty meters in height.”

Harlowin answered Ashley's question immediately, but his voice also trembled slightly.

“Only Titans can deal with something like that. If we encounter one, that’s…”

“A Knight must dare to charge a dragon.”

Sai Lei interrupted him in time.

“No matter how large it is, courage and glory are not diminished by size, but increased by the size of the enemy conquered.”

At that moment, the tactical directives of the Knight Instructor reached every Knight in the lance. Due to the vastness of the battlefield and the fact that support was needed not only at Trident City, the entire family was essentially dispersed. Three lances were deployed to Trident City, each responsible for defending a district. Their mission was to assist the local Astartes in defense, buying time for the evacuation of refugees.

Subsequently, the lance divided into two smaller lances, bypassing the corpse of the Titan-class beast.

A wave of xenos surged through the smoke. The visual equipment of the Knight suits captured the movement on the ground. This was the first time for Sai Lei, and for many of the young Knights, to witness such a horrifying and magnificent scene. The color of the entire land had changed, as if covered by a layer of undulating carpet composed of clawed monsters. From the height of the command deck, it truly looked like a massive, living river flowing across the plain for hundreds of miles.

The Knights felt incredibly powerful and immense when piloting their suits, but the scene before them instantly made them feel insignificant. Faced with such a vast and unified swarm, they seemed to revert to being mere mortals again.

Moreover, although there were many types of Tyranids, it was impossible to distinguish any individual Tyranid at a glance. Perhaps this represented the true essence of the enemy.

The xenos beasts were not individuals; they were countless extensions of some vast will, more like a hand or claw than an independent entity.

“Knights of Durand!”

The Knight Instructor's voice echoed in the comm channel.

“Use your courage and blades to destroy these xenos vermin!”

The main force of the lance, the Knight suits, formed two diagonal lines, while the squires formed the outer perimeter as three-man units. As they began to accelerate, they also aimed their weapons at the nearest edge of the swarm. Moments later, a barrage of plasma and bolter fire swept across the xenos swarm like a wall, passing through the alien horde with rapid, deep roars.

The dense firepower formed intersecting waves, sending up clouds of dust and chitinous fragments.

The tide of xenos was finally truly checked, even though they continued to surge towards gaps in the defenses, their speed and scale had been limited.

“Auspex readings indicate large biological signatures within the swarm.”

Suddenly, a squire suit acting as a picket issued a warning.

“Energy signatures are increasing, they are—”

“Carnifexes!”

Another squire shouted in terror, then their voice disappeared in a burst of static.

Sai Lei saw the attack unfold at the edge of the smoke. They were howling things that looked like giant ticks, and the distinctive mark of the Tyranid's ranged bio-artillery. Then, a barrage from the sky dispersed some of the smoke, allowing him to see his opponents clearly. There were five lumbering beasts with heavy carapaces on their backs and living cannons for forelimbs. They had already targeted the next group of squire suits.

Their attacks were so coordinated that when the bio-cannons writhed, the blasts fell on a target - the Carnifex's main cannon fired two different kinds of projectiles each time. The first was a bloated tick that burst upon impact, spraying a thick, oily substance on the target. The second was a type of pod with a tough, impenetrable shell. When it struck a target, it would be covered by the tick's sticky residue, which would instantly dissolve the pod's hardened shell, creating a massive explosion powerful enough to blow apart armored vehicles.

The explosion was astonishing. Sai Lei heard a cry of shattering.

According to the markers, five squire suits had already been lost.

“Knights! Move! Destroy the vile enemy!”

The Knight Instructor launched a counterattack first, the laser strike cannon directly hitting a Carnifex. The dazzling laser instantly burned through the Carnifex's carapace, creating a penetrating hole from head to tail. Sai Lei also used his Heaven's Scourge cannon to bombard another one relentlessly, occasionally using his Storm Warblade to sweep away Ripper and other creatures on the ground.

“The Space Marines seem to be in trouble. Sai Lei, Antotesa, Tarsia, Ashley, Harlowin, you five form a support formation and lead the Third and Fourth Hunter Clades to provide support!”

“Roger!”

Sai Lei quickly responded to the Knight Instructor's order, then established a squad communication channel.

“Guys! We're changing direction, moving to the right!”