Chapter 1358: Horus's Advance (3)

In the battle line behind Magnus's flagship.

The Psionics of the Thousand Sons legion linked into an array deep within their ships, red psionic light shining through the hulls and forming visible ripples in space.

Magnus hovered in the center of the array.

"Thousand Sons, psionic array activate. All warriors channel your power into the nodes; we only need to tear a hole in the Zerg's defensive line, and the rest will be left to the conventional fleet."

The Psionics of the Thousand Sons closed their eyes, their consciousnesses connecting on the psionic plane.

The Zerg Brain-bugs sensed the threat and attempted to interfere with the Thousand Sons using a Psychic Shock.

Magnus raised his hand, and a red Psionic Shield expanded around the perimeter of the array, blocking the Zerg Brain-bugs' attack.

"Continue charging. Ignore them; let the Iron Warriors and Luna Wolves handle those Brain-bugs."

The Iron Warriors' artillery fire turned toward the area where the Brain-bugs were gathered. The bodies of the Brain-bugs shattered under the bombardment.

Having lost the cover of the Brain-bugs, the Zerg's psionic attacks weakened significantly.

Magnus's Psychic Storm exploded behind the Zerg swarm.

Red Psionic Lightning streaked through space, striking the Neural Nodes of the Zerg Bio-ships.

This prevented the Zerg command units from accurately transmitting orders, leaving the guard-class Zerg unsure of which direction to charge.

The swarm's formation began to fall into chaos.

Some bio-ships were pushing forward, some were retreating, and others were spinning in place.

Guard-class Zerg scurried between the mother ships, colliding with one another.

"Maintain Psychic Storm output."

Magnus ordered.

"Thousand Sons, maintain the interference effect at all costs. Horus, the swarm is in disarray; this is the best time to attack."

The Iron Warriors' artillery fire did not cease.

Pharox's fleet was bearing the brunt of the swarm's fiercest counterattack on the front line.

The Zerg poured every weapon they had onto the Iron Warriors' line.

Three Capital Ships lost power after being hit repeatedly.

Pharox's voice sounded over the Communication Device.

"Lord Horus, the Iron Warriors have already lost over forty Capital Ships. Ammunition reserves are below thirty percent. We need support."

Horus looked at the star map.

"Hold on, Magnus has already torn a gap in the center of the swarm with the Psychic Storm. If the Iron Warriors withdraw now, the swarm will charge from the front, and everything done before will be for nothing. The Ultramarines will arrive to support us soon."

Pharox was silent.

The Iron Warriors' artillery fire became dense once more.

Horus stood on the Bridge of the *Silence*, looking at the experimental planet completely covered in Zerg biomass.

In the equatorial region, purple mirror rifts hovered above the atmosphere, and Zerg Bio-ships were pouring out of the rifts continuously.

"Father, the Ultramarines' fleet has arrived."

Dunba's voice sounded on the Bridge.

"Estimated to enter the battlefield within five minutes."

Horus did not turn back.

"Who is the Commander?"

Dunba glanced at the communication logs.

"It is Company Commander Octavius. Lord Guilliman is in the rear handling the administration of the old territories of the Fengqi Star Alliance and could not come in person, but he has sent the Ultramarines' most elite fleet. Lord Guilliman said that all these ships are under your command, and the Ultramarines will obey your orders."

The corners of Horus's mouth rose slightly.

"Guilliman is always like this; he doesn't arrive himself, but his fleet arrives first."

He turned to face the star map.

"Notify Octavius: the Ultramarines fleet is to cut in from the right flank and coordinate with the Luna Wolves to pincer the swarm's flank. Tell them not to get bogged down in fighting and not to pursue too deeply. Their Task is to tear through the swarm's defensive line."

Dunba relayed the order.

Octavius stood on the Bridge of his flagship, the light points of the swarm dense on the Holographic Star Map.

"All fleet, cut in from the right flank."

Octavius ordered.

"Main guns, aim for the weak areas on the swarm's flank and fire a volley. Destroyer groups, follow behind the artillery fire; do not charge too aggressively."

The Ultramarines' artillery fire exploded from the swarm's right flank.

The main guns of four Mars-class Battlecruisers roared in unison, and Light Lances and macro-cannons precisely struck the joints of the Zerg defensive line.

Chitinous carapaces shattered, and the bodies of the bio-ships broke into several pieces amidst the explosions.

The Luna Wolves' Destroyer groups pushed forward, forming a pincer movement with the Ultramarines.

The swarm's right flank began to collapse.

On the Holographic Star Map, the blue and black light points of the Ultramarines and Luna Wolves advanced rapidly on the swarm's right flank.

The Iron Warriors continued to apply pressure on the front, while the Blood Angels harvested the routed troops on the left flank.

The swarm's formation began to contract inward.

On the surface of the target planet, dozens of high-energy signal points flickered on the star map.

Those were the Stable Anchor Points the Zerg used to maintain the rifts—massive biological devices deeply rooted in the planet's crust, constantly releasing biological energy to resonate with the rifts.

Horus gave the order.

"All ships, prepare to Stable Anchor Point. Iron Warriors are responsible for the front anchor points, Blood Angels for the left flank anchor points, and Luna Wolves and Ultramarines for the right flank anchor points. Magnus, aim the Psychic Storm at the rift itself to interfere with the Zerg's energy transmission."