Chapter 1215: Jaghatai Drops onto Shenyuan Star

Jaghatai's fingers danced rapidly across the holographic star map, zooming in on every detail of Shenyuan Star.

The positions of the orbital defense platforms, the coverage range of ground-based anti-aircraft fire, the topographical features of the research facility...

"The First and Third Companies will execute an orbital drop with me. The Fifth and Sixth Companies will establish an outer defensive line on the ground to block any reinforcements. The remaining units will be responsible for clearing the orbital defense platforms before conducting fire support."

"Khan, you are dropping personally?"

Sanguon was somewhat surprised.

"An operation of this scale could be commanded by a Company Commander..."

Jaghatai looked at him, a hint of a smile flashing in his black eyes.

"Sanguon, Father is behind enemy lines, in danger. If I sit here waiting, I am not his son."

There was silence on the bridge for a few seconds.

Then, Sanguon nodded heavily.

"Understood, Khan. I will go convey the orders now."

He turned and left, his footsteps quickly fading away on the metal floor.

Jaghatai looked at the star map again.

Shenyuan Star was approaching.

And his intuition told him that some kind of... anomaly was occurring there.

Thirty-seven minutes later.

On the bridge of the *Wind-Rider*, an alarm suddenly sounded.

"Khan! Anomalous energy fluctuations detected ahead! Source: direction of Shenyuan Star. Energy signature... unclassifiable, exceeding all known patterns in the database!"

Jaghatai stood up.

On the holographic star map, the location of Shenyuan Star was flickering.

"Display the energy waveform."

The Communications Officer pulled up the waveform chart.

Something was breathing.

"Khan!"

Another Communications Officer shouted.

"Captured a communication signal from Shenyuan Star! It is in Fengqi, but the content... is chaotic. Repeat: the content is chaotic, unable to decipher the complete message, but it contains the repeated phrases 'rift expanding', 'unable to control', 'X-1 moving'!"

Jaghatai's eyes twitched violently.

"No more waiting. All forces accelerate, maximum combat speed. All ships enter combat status. The orbital defense platforms must be cleared within ten minutes."

Jaghatai strode toward the ready room at the back of the bridge.

"Sanguon! Assemble the First and Third Companies. Three minutes, standby at the drop pods."

"Understood."

The door closed behind him.

Sanguon stood outside the door, taking a deep breath.

Then he turned and roared into his communication device.

"First and Third Companies, all personnel, assemble at the drop pods immediately! The Khan is leading the team personally! Repeat, the Khan is leading the team personally!"

The entire *Wind-Rider* began to boil with activity.

Three minutes later, drop pod launch bay.

Jaghatai stood before the hatch of the number one drop pod, behind him were thirty fully armed White Scars Space Marines.

"Warriors, an anomalous energy fluctuation has appeared on Shenyuan Star. That fluctuation does not belong to any known weapon system, nor does it belong to any normal psychic phenomenon.

The Emperor is on his way. But when he arrives, he may face a rift that has already opened. He may face dangers we cannot imagine."

Jaghatai's gaze swept over every face.

"So we must arrive first. We must control the research facility before the rift opens completely, stop the alien Valken, and close that door. If the door is already open, we will stand before the door and buy time for Father."

He paused.

"This is the mission of the White Scars. Not to charge the fastest, but to arrive the fastest where we are needed."

Thirty White Scars Space Marines raised their weapons in unison.

"For the Khan! For the Emperor!"

Jaghatai turned to face the hatch.

"Launch!"

The next moment, the other fifty drop pods launched simultaneously, tearing through the night sky of Shenyuan Star.

In orbit, the White Scars fleet had already engaged the defense platforms.

Energy beams streaked through the vacuum, the fire of explosions lighting up again and again.

The drop pods pierced the atmosphere, their outer shells glowing red-hot from friction.

"Khan!"

Sanguon's voice came through the communication device.

"We are passing through the ground anti-aircraft fire net! Three drop pods have been hit!"

"Continue forward."

Jaghatai said.

"Do not slow down, do not take evasive maneuvers."

The drop pods continued their descent.

Below, the complex of the research facility was already clearly visible, the massive dome, the gray outer walls, and the dense fortifications surrounding it.

Jaghatai's drop pod was hit three times, but each time it only left scorched marks, failing to penetrate the armor.

Ten thousand meters.

Five thousand meters.

Three thousand meters.

One thousand meters.

"Prepare for landing!"

Jaghatai roared.

Five hundred meters.

The deceleration rockets at the base of the drop pod ignited, and the massive impact caused everyone inside the pod to shake violently.

Three hundred meters.

One hundred meters.

Fifty meters.

Impact.

The drop pod slammed heavily onto the plaza in front of the main entrance of the research facility, and the shockwave overturned several armored vehicles and over a dozen soldiers who could not dodge in time.

Amidst the white smoke, Jaghatai was the first to charge out.

His Power Scimitar was already unsheathed, its blade flickering with a cold light in the firelight.

Behind him, the White Scars Space Marines quickly formed a combat formation.

The Fengqi soldiers on the plaza had not yet recovered from the shock.

"Charge!"

Jaghatai shouted.

Jaghatai's Power Scimitar sliced through the body of a Fengqi officer.

His Third Eye widened to its limit, and then he fell.

Jaghatai did not stop.

He charged directly toward an armored vehicle that was turning its turret.

Before the armored vehicle's gunner could press the firing button, Jaghatai had already leaped onto the roof, his Power Scimitar piercing the armor and running through the gunner's chest.

The other three soldiers inside the vehicle tried to escape through the side door, but the White Scars Space Marines had already surrounded them.

The roar of Bolters merged into one, and the bodies of the three soldiers were torn to shreds.

"Khan! Reinforcements on the left flank!"

Jaghatai looked up and saw about two companies of Fengqi soldiers rushing out from the side door of the research facility, attempting to outflank them.

"Third Company, Intercept them."

Jaghatai ordered calmly.

"First Company, follow me to break through the main entrance."

Jaghatai jumped off the armored vehicle and charged toward the main entrance of the research facility.

It was an alloy door five meters high and over half a meter thick, sufficient to withstand a direct bombardment from heavy weapons.

The Defense Turrets on both sides of the door were firing wildly, and Energy Beams sparked against Jaghatai's Power Armor.

"Cover me!"

Jaghatai shouted.

Four White Scars Space Marines raised their Bolters and fired to provide cover.

Jaghatai rushed to the door, psychic energy surged within him, and he swung the Power Scimitar in his hand.

The alloy door was sliced open, and molten droplets were still dripping from the edges of the metal.

Jaghatai was the first to rush inside.

Behind the door was a wide corridor with dense firing ports on both sides.

Fengqi soldiers fired wildly from the firing ports, attempting to block the intruders.

Jaghatai's Power Scimitar danced into a curtain of light, blocking all the Energy Beams aimed at him.

His speed was too fast, so fast that those soldiers could not aim at all and could only fire blindly.

"Bolters, suppress them!"

He ordered.

The White Scars Space Marines behind him fired simultaneously.

The bolts exploded around the firing ports, tearing the soldiers hiding behind the cover into pieces, and blood flowed out from the firing ports.

Jaghatai did not stop, charging straight through the corridor toward the elevator shaft leading underground.

There was a high-speed elevator there that went straight to the seventh floor.

But when he reached the elevator shaft, he found that the elevator had been locked down.

"Khan, take the stairs?"

A White Scars Space Marine asked.

Jaghatai glanced in the direction of the stairwell.

It was a spiral metal staircase leading down to the seventh underground floor, with guards on every level.

"No time. Blow the elevator door and rappel down."

Two White Scars Space Marines acted quickly, installing explosives on the elevator door.

After a loud bang, the elevator door was blown open, revealing a pitch-black shaft.

The shaft was bottomless, with only faint light coming from below.

Jaghatai was the first to jump down.

The wind whistled past his ears, and the lights below grew closer and closer.

The seventh floor.

Below, a squad of soldiers was guarding the elevator shaft exit, staring dumbfounded at this white figure descending from above.

Jaghatai did not give them time to react.

He fell straight down.