Chapter 1033: Combat Inside the Insect Hive Mother Ship

Inside the Insect Hive Mother Ship.

After the White Scars assault squad charged into that narrow branch passage, turned several corners, and repelled several waves of Zerg emerging from the fleshy ceiling and walls, the path ahead widened.

Kurgan and the others stood at the edge of a massive cavity.

At the bottom of the cavity, the wrecks of two warships could be seen!

The wrecks were twisted, broken, and deeply embedded or half-buried in the constantly writhing floor.

"The Emperor protect us..."

The White Scars Astartes carrying a flamer could not help but whisper again.

"Are those... starships?!"

"Judging by the size, they are light vessels. They were captured, then dragged here... to be dismantled."

Company Commander Kurgan stood at the edge of the platform, staring at the two warship wrecks being "digested."

Recalling the massive swarm in the orbit of Ximao Star...

"Ulton... I remember the intelligence reports indicating that before Ximao Star encountered the Zerg, a small fleet was operating in the nearby star sector, and then went missing?"

Librarian Ulton was struggling to maintain his sense of direction amidst the intense psionic interference; he was startled at these words, then immediately understood the Company Commander's meaning.

"Yes, Company Commander. You mean..."

"Look at the way these wrecks are broken and the traces of paint that haven't been completely corroded yet!"

Kurgan pointed downward with his Power Spear.

"This was no accidental encounter! Someone... used these ships as bait to lure this group of damned bugs to Ximao Star!"

They had originally thought this was a natural disaster, but now it seemed more like a conspiracy using the Alien as a weapon!

And their brothers, the Shengxue Angel Dishilian, as well as countless Astra Militarum and civilians, were paying a heavy price for this!

"Those damned bastards!"

A White Scars Astartes could not help but curse aloud.

Kurgan said in a low tone.

"Now is not the time for anger! We will settle this score later, after we destroy the core of this monster! Ulton, the route!"

Ulton struggled to focus his mind.

"The core... is on the opposite side! We must cross this cavity! I can sense a relatively solid... 'bridge' or rather... 'conduit' connecting the platform we are on to the other side."

Ulton pointed below the cavity, about a hundred meters deep, at a fleshy conduit spanning the entire cavity.

"Then let's go down!"

Just as Kurgan and the others were looking for a path to descend, this massive "processing zone" was completely activated.

From the glowing fleshy tumors at the top of the cavity, a large number of Bat-winged Tyranid flight units flew out!

They had a wingspan of over two meters and emitted a high-frequency buzzing sound as they swooped toward the assault squad on the platform.

Immediately following, more ground guards surged from the fleshy walls around the platform.

These Zerg had Psionic Patterns on their carapaces, and some larger individuals had even evolved glowing cysts on their heads that resembled Psionic Organs!

"Watch out for the aerial units!"

"Pay attention to those glowing bugs! They might possess psionic abilities!"

The warning had barely finished when an invisible pressure enveloped the entire platform!

"It's Psionic Suppression!"

Ulton immediately sensed the source of this power; it was those Aliens with Psionic Patterns!

They seemed capable of uniting to form a localized psionic interference field!

"For the Khan! Break through them!"

Company Commander Kurgan roared, using his powerful will to resist this discomfort, but the speed at which he swung his Power Spear was clearly a fraction slower than before.

The sound of Bolters rang out again as the warriors fired at the diving Bat-winged Tyranids while picking off the Psyker Tyranids surging from the ground.

Chainswords and Power Weapons collided with the Zerg carapaces, sending sparks flying.

Scorching flames swept across the sky, burning swarms of flying bugs into charcoal.

But the number of flying bugs was too great, and they were unusually agile; White Scars Astartes were constantly being pounced on by the Bat-winged Tyranids that slipped through, only for the Bat-winged Tyranids to be hacked in half or have their heads smashed in.

The Psyker Tyranids were not only tougher themselves, but that range-based Psionic Suppression greatly limited the speed advantage of the White Scars Astartes.

The White Scars Astartes felt as if they were fighting in thick syrup, with every movement requiring more effort.

Occasionally, intense Psychic Shocks would strike the mind of a White Scars Astartes like an invisible heavy hammer; while not enough to directly destroy the resilient will of an Astartes, it would cause momentary dizziness and distraction, which was often fatal in intense combat!

"Ugh!"

A White Scars Astartes, having just split a blade-bug with his Chainsword, was struck by a bolt of green Psionic Lightning!

Although his Power Armor absorbed some of the damage, he was still shocked into total rigidity, his movements stalling for an instant.

It was in this instant that two Psyker Blade-bugs with Psionic Patterns used their reinforced forelimbs to pierce the Power Armor of this White Scars Astartes!

"Brother!"

The comrade beside him wanted to rescue him but was entangled by more bugs.

The attacked White Scars Astartes looked down at the sharp weapon piercing his body, roared, and swung the Chainsword in his hand!

"For the Emperor!"

The pain drove the White Scars Astartes to hack the Chainsword at a Psyker Blade-bug, but the Chainsword struck the carapace covered in Psionic Patterns and did not successfully cleave through.

"Lal!"

Company Commander Kurgan saw this scene, swung his Power Spear to knock a Psyker Blade-bug flying, and kicked another one away.

"How do you feel?"

"It's fine, Company Commander, two lungs have lost function, it won't affect the battle!"

"Do not stop! Charge downwards! Target that main pipeline!"

Kurgan roared, the Power Spear in his hands dancing to shred the approaching flying insects and ground bugs, opening a path for the squad toward the edge of the platform.

Ulton used his Bolter Pistol to kill Bat-winged Tyranids, occasionally releasing his own psionic power to form shields to block those targeted Psionic Attacks, or using Psychic Shock to counter those Psyker Tyranids, buying his teammates a chance to catch their breath.

"Company Commander! The pressure on the left is too great! We need support!"

"Flamer fuel is below forty percent!"

"Bolter ammunition is running low!"

Bad news arrived one after another.

In this massive, hostile living environment, their resources were being consumed rapidly.

They had to break through here as quickly as possible.

Kurgan glanced at the pulsating main pipeline below and gave the order.

"All Melta Weapons and explosives! Concentrate fire and bombard the edge of the platform directly in front of us! Blast a path down to the pipeline below! Ulton! Prepare a Psychic Shock; disrupt those flying units as much as possible when we jump down!"

"Understood!"

The scorching beams of the Meltagun and the humming sound of overloaded Plasma Weapons rang out, concentrating their bombardment on the edge of the platform!

The violent explosion shattered the fleshy structure there, turning it and the bugs upon it into Ashes, revealing a "slope" leading to the main pipeline below.

"Now! Jump!"

Kurgan was the first to leap down!

At the same time, a powerful psionic ripple spread outward with Ulton at its center, disrupting the formation of the flying insects in the air.