Chapter 105: Hakire

“Ah Hakimomamponomikihah”

In the ninth district, in the church used by the Star Militia as a command post, Leina wrapped in a blanket held a cup of hot water, muttering a stream of incoherent words.

Her entire body trembled like a cat struck by electricity, her eyes filled with chaos and terror, as if her sanity had been shattered.

The Warp shadow,

When the Tyranid swarms descend, the Warp shadow emitted by the swarm’s collective will envelops the entire star system, severing all connection between the material realm and the Warp.

At this time, demons of the Warp find it extremely difficult to enter the material realm, and likewise, material-world travelers cannot perform Warp travel or psychic communication.

Additionally, psykers are universally affected.

Astropaths hear the ravenous screams of the swarm; navigators see endless dark shadows and go mad.

Ordinary psykers like Leina suffer severe headaches, seizures, and uncontrollable screaming.

Zhou Yun had warned Leina in advance to be wary of the Warp shadow.

But after being hit so suddenly, Leina could not recover immediately.

Zhou Yun could only pat her shoulder and said reassuringly, “Drink more hot water.”

Saying this, Zhou Yun pulled out a thermos and poured her another cup of hot water.

Steam rose warmly from the cup.

“Amihajinomamp”

Leina’s face twisted into an expression worse than crying, uttering fragmented, meaningless sounds.

The Warp shadow had affected her brain, consciousness, and even her soul; her thoughts and speech were now shattered and incoherent.

She would need more time to recover.

Zhou Yun guessed this might be her way of thanking him for his thoughtfulness.

“It’s nothing, no need to thank me—we’re brothers, damn it.” He patted her on the back.

Leina’s expression contorted further.

Zhou Yun adjusted the blanket draped over her shoulders, then turned and walked toward General Drostron.

Before General Drostron’s eyes floated a star map of the Underworld System.

The outer rim of the Underworld System was encircled by two asteroid belts.

One was the Diamond Shield, composed of ice crystals.

The other was the Lord’s Ring, made of mineral-rich rock.

Between the two belts lay the position held by the Imperial Navy.

On the map, several thick crimson arrows pointed toward the Underworld System, marking the advancing Leviathan Hive Fleet.

“Have you contacted the Imperial Navy?” Zhou Yun asked General Drostron and Tech-Priest Shahlork.

“Not yet,” General Drostron said, frowning.

With the arrival of the Warp shadow, even the machine spirits felt fear; communication across the system had grown even more difficult.

“Contacted,” said Tech-Priest Shahlork suddenly, before General Drostron had finished speaking.

A crackling noise came from the communicator.

The blurred figure of Admiral Justus van Avako appeared on the screen.

He was a thin man, appearing sharp and ruthless.

“Drostron, war is imminent—why do you keep disturbing me?”

“Admiral Justus,” General Drostron said, turning his lone purple eye toward him. “My position remains unchanged.”

“You should retreat into the Lord’s Ring and join our forces to confront the Tyranid bio-ships together.”

“The Diamond Shield cannot hold against the Tyranid swarm!”

Hearing this, the admiral on the comm display sneered.

“If so, our Navy must stand at the front line to face the enemy.”

Admiral Justus van Avako cleared his throat twice.

“Regardless, the Tyranid bio-ships will be at their weakest after passing through the Diamond Shield.”

“We must strike while they are still recovering from the cold.”

“Drostron, our Navy has no interest in sharing the glory of this war with you.”

With that, Admiral Justus van Avako terminated the communication.

“He’s finished,” Zhou Yun said, watching the severed link.

“Asshole,” General Drostron cursed.

His gaze no longer rested on the Diamond Shield, but on the Lord’s Ring behind it.

“My finest gunners and engineers are stationed here. I’ve turned these asteroids into the strongest fortresses, the fiercest artillery platforms, using macrocannons and lances.”

“They are the best Cadian soldiers—can they defeat the Leviathan Hive Fleet?”

General Drostron looked at Zhou Yun. Zhou Yun silently shook his head.

Neither the Lord’s Ring nor the Diamond Shield could withstand the full force of the Leviathan Hive Fleet.

Those living ships were deadlier weapons than the Cadians’ asteroid batteries.

“Then they will fulfill their duty,” General Drostron said, expression unchanging.

When the augur showed the Tyranid swarm approaching the Diamond Shield, Admiral Justus van Avako had just ended his communication with General Drostron.

On the full-screen display of his flagship, countless light points converged, rapidly brightening and multiplying, their range expanding.

These points quickly split into multiple streams, accelerating toward the Underworld System as scattered small fleets.

Admiral Justus van Avako stared blankly at the screen.

“What the hell are the Tyranids doing?!”

According to prior predictions, the Tyranid bio-ships should have formed a dense formation to enter the Underworld System.

That was common sense—grouped bio-ships could better withstand the Diamond Shield’s cold.

The Imperial Navy, anticipating this, had concentrated its fleet in response.

Once the Tyranid bio-ships emerged from the Diamond Shield, still weakened by the cold, the Navy would unleash full firepower to annihilate them.

This should have been inevitable!

But now, the situation had changed.

The Tyranid bio-ships had split into small fleets.

Admiral Justus van Avako grew impatient, recalling Drostron’s warning.

“Damn it—just a rumor from some gutter scum beside Drostron!”

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Admiral Justus van Avako stared fixedly at the light points on the screen.

The points pierced the Diamond Shield—their speed slowed!

The augur detected that as the Leviathan Hive Fleet entered the frigid asteroid belt, their velocity dropped immediately.

The Diamond Shield’s cold was working—many Tyranid bio-ships succumbed to the extreme chill, their light points freezing in place within the shield.

So what!

Just mindless beasts, vile aliens—

Like that gutter scum clinging to Drostron—they know nothing of tactical finesse!

The Tyranid bio-fleet still moved, but now at a snail’s pace.

These aliens were doomed—only a matter of time before the cold destroyed them.

“Full fleet, advance at maximum speed! Split into small units to harvest the bio-ships crossing the Diamond Shield!”

Admiral Justus van Avako would let not a single Tyranid creature slip past his line.

Not an ounce of glory would he grant to the Star Militia behind him in the Lord’s Ring.

Through the wide-angle sensor glass walls, Justus van Avako saw the Tyranid bio-fleet amid countless brilliant stars and ice crystals.

They were bio-ships with chitinous, thick carapaces and faintly red, squirming flesh—like giant, alien worms scaled to starship size.

Justus van Avako sneered.

For the Tyranid bio-ships were now encased in thick layers of ice.

Under the crimson glow of the Underworld System’s twin stars, these ice shells shimmered like blood-red droplets.

To Justus van Avako, they looked like ripe fruit waiting to be picked.

He raised his hand slightly to issue the order—

Projectiles, torpedoes, and lances poured from the Imperial Navy’s fleet, igniting the dark stars.

Justus van Avako savored the moment—

“Admiral?!”

The admiral’s subordinates cried out in terror.

He himself widened his eyes in disbelief.

The Tyranid bio-ships, despite the barrage of shells, torpedoes, and lances, remained unscathed.

Justus van Avako’s body trembled slightly.

He noticed a slime seeping from the Tyranid bio-ships’ surfaces—this slime froze instantly in the extreme cold, forming armor.

The Diamond Shield’s cold had not slowed the Leviathan Hive Fleet—it had strengthened their armor.

“Full fleet—”

Before Justus van Avako could issue the order, a brilliant blue light from the screen washed over his face.

The Tyranid fleet’s bio-plasma volley fired in unison, its radiant light expanding across the Imperial Navy’s ships, blinding Jastus van Avaco and the naval soldiers alike.

Followed by condensed acid cannons, biological fish, and smaller Tyranid vessels bearing predatory tentacles,

a dense barrage of attacks swallowed the Imperial Navy’s fleet in an instant.

These Tyranid organisms suffered almost no damage within the Shield of the Drill, and their numbers now vastly outnumbered the Imperial Navy.

Jastus van Avaco watched pale-faced as more and more light points devoured the naval fleet whole,

he had sunk to such a level of helplessness,

what should he do next? Retreat into the Fortress Belt?

But if he did, the Tyranid warships would mix with the Imperial Navy’s vessels, leaving the Cadiaans within the Fortress Belt unable to fire.

Jastus van Avaco might survive, but the Tyranid Hive Fleet would surge unimpeded into the Underworld System.

His face darkened instantly; he clenched his teeth and said, “No. Even if I am powerless, I will never be a coward.”

“All fleets, hold the Hive Fleet at all costs—deplete their ships as much as possible!”

Soon, brilliant bio-plasma engulfed Jastus van Avaco.

“The Navy has fallen silent,” said Tech-Priest Shahlok.

General Droster stood beside Zhou Yun, silently watching the Leviathan Hive Fleet flood onto the screen into the Underworld System,

they had already drawn near the Fortress Belt,

General Droster’s fingers trembled slightly; after a deep breath, he spoke with unwavering resolve:

“Order the artillery within the Fortress Belt to execute the plan.”

(End of Chapter)