The Emperor’s Angel of Death

After finding Sotha, Sethos immediately began complaining about Bakhram's command during that period. The Flesh Tearer believed that taking useful materials from the ground was understandable, as food, ammunition, and even livestock were useful. But what was the use of those refugees suspected of rebellion? What was the value of preserving too much population?

Sethos spoke very bluntly, believing that Space Marines were not nannies or slave keepers, but killers and executioners.

Sotha simply told him that Bakhram was in charge of this matter, and he would not interfere in the process. As for whether there was any value in having too many refugees...

He mentioned something very subtly.

More than once, the Astral Knights, the White Templars, and the Mantis Warriors had all said that in the areas defended by the Flesh Tearers, there were always some bad rumors: pale, bloodless corpses, torn and fragmented remains, and huge monsters muttering in dark alleys.

There were even reports that hundreds of young men and women had been escorted onto mysterious red transport ships, never to return.

Sotha did not directly accuse Sethos, but simply said one sentence:

"Even the herders of primitive worlds know that they must maintain the size of the herd in order to always have meat to eat."

In the end, Bakhram's actions allowed an additional six million people, who were originally destined for destruction, to survive. Although this was still not a large number, and Bakhram felt guilty about it for many years afterward, it allowed Sotha to see a more subtle side of this tenth captain.

Throughout the entire evacuation process, Bakhram not only personally inspected the defense situation at the front line, but also kept running between various defense zones and various chapters. Even the somewhat dissatisfied Sethos admitted that Bakhram had a shining quality and a persistent will.

Even though many company commanders and chapter masters had many doubts and dissatisfactions about this new captain, Bakhram, who had always been humble and gentle in Sotha's memory, was uncharacteristically strong and resolute, and he really did persuade most people to cooperate with him.

Moreover, Bakhram's gradually maturing organizational skills also left a very deep impression on Sotha. Perhaps the greatest gain for the legion from this Tyranid war was him.

But that didn't mean he was going to give Bakhram a different position.

During the period of the legion's rapid expansion, the new company had an extraordinary status. Although it might be slightly lower in the company hierarchy, as time went on and more and more recruits went to other companies, the tenth captain's influence would be unprecedentedly enhanced.

After the evacuation, Westeros III also ushered in its final destruction. Atmospheric incineration torpedoes ignited the surface of the planet, and everything was reduced to ashes under the sweep of the flames.

And the Hive Mind, having lost so much biomass, was particularly angry. A large number of bio-ships headed towards the Imperial fleet that was escaping the planet's gravity well, as if to swallow the tens of billions of living beings in that huge transport fleet.

"Shields weakened in Sector A2, output power at 21%!"

In the bridge of the Randal, Sotha sat on the command throne, watching the magnificent naval battle unfold before him. The Hearthkin's unique panoramic projection observation equipment made people feel as if they were standing on the warship's hull. Amidst a series of alarms, soft, bone-like bio-torpedoes bombarded the ship. It disintegrated upon impact with the void shields, and the fragments that erupted were like meteors. If they hit the hull, they would tear open holes.

But the Randal not only had void shields, but also the Hearthkin's shield weaver generator. The powerful energy shield dissipated the remaining fragments.

In the more distant position, the huge Tyranid Hive Ship tilted at a strange angle, as if it was drifting. A large number of bio-torpedoes and other flying creatures fell from the bio-warship's wide, sucker-like mouth.

And those Tyranid harpies, covered in heavy armor, kept spewing out clusters of flickering bio-plasma.

"According to the mark, attack that abominable thing with all the Blacklight Cannons!"

Following Sotha's instructions, the Randal's dorsal main turret locked onto the target, and then a black flash struck the Hive Ship.

In a visible disintegration, the Hive Ship's outer shell ruptured, and mountain-sized fragments flew out from the annihilated flesh. Its soft internal organs ruptured as the body depressurized, and kilometers-long intestines overflowed into space, and then were caught by the gravitational field of the now orange-yellow Westeros III planet, diving towards the planet's surface, its broken shell emitting a red, hot glow.

"What is the status of the transport fleet?"

"Reporting, Warlord! The transport fleet has arrived at the edge of the system!"

"Well, order the Second Fleet to maneuver to the right."

"Yes!"

Soon, the rearguard fleet began a large-angle turn, like a scythe sweeping across the void. They used their broadside cannons to violently attack the Tyranid creatures pouring in from the void, scattering them and avoiding a direct impact on the transport fleet.

At the same time, the fleet on the left also began to turn, taking over the position of the previous rearguard fleet, attacking the incoming Tyranids.

This roller-style retreat pattern can maximize the avoidance of being killed into the formation by the Tyranids, leading to a chaotic battle. After all, the transport ships have almost no defensive weapons. Any boarding spores entering any ship would be a disaster.

Of course, this strategy also requires the cooperation of the Eldar, who have already cleared the direction of the Imperial fleet's retreat and used high-speed ships to contain the Tyranid bio-ships that were trying to outflank them.

Although the two sides have not yet had any "substantial contact" in principle, they have a surprising tacit understanding.

After several days of running and running, the Imperial fleet finally escaped the area covered by the Tyranid Hive Mind and immediately made a warp jump. The Eldar fleet also quickly left this place of right and wrong, leaving the Great Devourer to continue gnawing on the leftovers and continue their next conquest and destruction.

Sotha himself found it difficult to judge this battle as a failure or a victory. They still failed to hold the key system, and one-third of the diocese had fallen, and the remaining two-thirds were also in jeopardy. But at least they destroyed that worrying Tyranid construct. Although it was hard to say whether the Tyranids would rebuild it later, since the Necrons had also taken action, it shouldn't have any future troubles—Sotha had a feeling that the Necrons were coming for the Tyranids.

As for what to do with the next defense, Sotha didn't have any ideas for a while, and could only look at the movements of the Tyranid Hive Fleet.

During the return journey, Sotha had a secret meeting with a representative of Zhao-Akada. The meeting place was chosen in a conference room on the Abyss-class warship Randal, and the only thing discussed was the Banshee that went out of control during the field test.