Chapter 1090: Sanguinius and Angron Meet (2)

In the center of the Command Center is a holographic tactical table, surrounded by various control consoles and display screens.

Angron walks to a wall on one side, opens a hidden storage cabinet, and takes out two glasses and a bottle of amber liquid.

"Brought from the last liberated world."

Angron says as he pours two glasses.

"The locals call it 'Starlight Wine', brewed from a certain night-blooming plant. The taste... is quite unique."

Sanguinius takes the glass, shakes it gently, and observes the liquid swirling in the cup.

"You've started collecting drinks from various places? I remember you used to only drink water and functional beverages."

Angron sits down in his seat, revealing a faint smile.

"People change, brother. Besides, when you spend enough time on a warship, far away from any place that could be called 'home', some small habits can help you... maintain the human part of yourself."

Sanguinius savors this sentence, then takes a sip of the wine.

The taste is indeed unique—slightly sweet, with a floral fragrance, and a hint of spiciness in the aftertaste.

"Not bad."

Sanguinius evaluates, then answers Angron's previous question.

"Father is well. Busy as always, handling the countless affairs of the Star Alliance. But I can feel... he has had something on his mind lately."

Angron looks up, his gaze becoming focused.

"Is the war not going well?"

"Not exactly."

Sanguinius hesitates for a moment, then speaks.

"It is about some... abnormal situations Mortarion encountered. Father did not reveal many details, but I can feel his concern. Magnus seems to know something as well, but he is equally tight-lipped."

Angron ponders for a moment, then speaks.

"Mortarion's ability is beyond doubt. If there is something that can put him in a difficult position, it must be significant.

However, since Father has not made the information public, it means he believes we do not all need to focus on it yet. We should concentrate on the task at hand.

What about the other brothers?"

"Guilliman is still busy with the Star Alliance's administrative reforms and the Terrami Agreement, Perturabo is pushing forward a new agricultural zone project on the Xiuluo Holy Star, and Leman Russ and Fulgrim..."

Sanguinius pauses, the corners of his mouth lifting.

"They recently snuck out with Yingxin to visit the Warhound Class Titan Foundry."

Angron raises an eyebrow.

"Unauthorized?"

"Completely unauthorized. They used basic access permissions to bypass the security protocols for royal family members."

Sanguinius says.

"Father announced their punishment at dinner."

"What punishment?"

Angron asks.

Sanguinius describes the situation at dinner in detail: Yingxin needs to write a report on the importance of rules, Leman Russ is to assist Perturabo in revising safety regulations, and Fulgrim is to optimize the visiting process. Also, they are restricted from non-official travel for one month without prior reporting.

Angron listens and nods slowly.

"An appropriate disposition. And... turning mistakes into opportunities to improve the system, that is very much in line with Father's wisdom."

"Exactly so."

Angron picks up his glass and takes another sip.

"The power of family. Even though we are scattered across the galaxy, and even though we each have different personalities and specialties, some core things bind us together.

Respect for rules, the undertaking of responsibility, the pursuit of improvement... these are all things Father taught us."

Angron is silent for a while, then asks.

"How is the little one? Besides this little adventure, how has she been lately?"

A warm smile appears on Sanguinius's face.

"She is growing, Angron. Not just in age, but in maturity of mind. She has started asking deeper questions and has begun to understand that the Star Alliance is not just an organization where her uncles and brothers work, but a home where billions of people live. Magnus told me she has recently developed an interest in psychic theory."

Angron says in a relaxed tone.

"Good. Maintaining curiosity and a passion for learning is important. War is not everything, and liberation is not the end goal. We fight for the Star Alliance, for the Human race, and ultimately to create a world where children can freely learn, grow, and explore."

"How is Grandmother?"

Angron asks, his voice softening a bit.

"Grandmother is well. She recently opened a new area in the garden of her residence, specifically for planting medicinal herbs from different worlds."

The corners of Angron's mouth lift slightly.

"Typical Grandmother style."

"She also asked about you. Every time we have a family communication, she asks, 'Where is Angron? Is he eating well? Is he sleeping well?'"

Angron lowers his head, looking at the wine in his glass.

"I am doing well. Once I finish the task here, I will return to the Xiuluo Holy Star to see her... to see everyone."

"She will be very happy. We all will."

Angron puts down his glass, his posture changing.

"Small talk is over. Now, let's talk business. How many forces did you bring?"

Sanguinius also adjusts his state.

"Five battle groups, totaling eighty-seven warships, including two Cruisers, fifteen Light Cruisers, and seventy Destroyers and Frigates. In addition, there are three Blood Angels companies, all specifically trained for orbital drops and urban warfare."

Angron brings up the holographic tactical table, and the star map unfolds between them, showing the detailed situation of the current sector.

"I have six battle groups here, with one hundred and three warships."

"The ground forces include the main strength of my War Hounds Legion, two hundred thousand men, who specialize in siege warfare and fortress breakthroughs."

Angron pointed to three planets in the star map.

"Targets: K-77, K-78, and K-79, three frontier worlds of the Fengqi Star Alliance in this sector. According to intelligence, each planet is garrisoned by a detachment of the vanguard fleet, along with corresponding ground defense forces."

Sanguinius studied the star map carefully.

"The three planets are distributed in a triangle, acting as mutual support for one another, with the distance for mutual reinforcement within an acceptable range."

"If we attack one of them, the fleets of the other two can arrive to provide support within twelve hours."

Angron nodded and said.

"Exactly. Therefore, the traditional tactic of defeating them one by one is not applicable. We need to attack all three planets simultaneously, maintaining pressure on all three locations for at least the first twenty-four hours to prevent them from supporting each other."

"A three-front war. The gains are indeed significant. It can avoid falling into a protracted war and allow for a quick victory."

Angron pulled up more data.

"I suggest this distribution: you take charge of K-77; this planet has the highest degree of urbanization and the most complete defensive fortifications. Your Blood Angels excel at urban warfare and rapid maneuvering, making them suitable for deployment here."

"I will take charge of K-78; its terrain is mountainous with a large number of underground fortifications, requiring siege and breakthrough capabilities, which the War Hounds can handle."

"Then what about K-79? We cannot ignore it."

"K-79 will be our joint responsibility. I suggest forming a Joint Task Force, composed of mixed fleets and ground forces from both of our sides. Initially, we will focus on orbital bombardment and airborne assaults; after establishing a beachhead, we will decide on subsequent deployments based on the actual situation."

Sanguinius pondered this plan.

"How will the command structure of the Joint Task Force be arranged?"

"Rotating command. For the first seventy-two hours, it will be commanded by one of my Adjutants, and afterwards, one of your Adjutants will take over. This will ensure command continuity while integrating our respective tactical styles. In the final decisive phase, we can command together."

Sanguinius agreed.

"A very good arrangement. This will also allow our troops to learn coordinated operations in practice, accumulating experience for larger-scale joint actions in the future."