Chapter 769: Occupying the Cyberk Complex (3)

The Space Marines of the Salamanders 1st Company formed a tight wedge assault formation, pushing forward against the dense energy beams firing from the firing ports and hidden gun emplacements on the perimeter of the refining facility.

"Hold the line! Dragonscale shields to the front!"

Huokan's voice rang out over the communication channel.

The Salamanders Space Marines wielding Dragonscale storm shields stood at the very front, energy ripples constantly flickering across the massive shields as they deflected or absorbed the incoming blue beams, emitting ear-piercing "hissing" sounds and the acrid smell of energy overload.

"Purging flames! Clear the path!"

The flamer operator roared, and scorching flames surged from the gaps between the shields, sweeping across the metal bunkers and fortifications ahead.

The metal twisted and melted under the high heat, and the Cyberk soldiers hiding behind them to fire disintegrated in the inferno.

"Bang! Boom!"

The roar of bolters and meltaguns followed closely behind.

Precise point-fire silenced the exposed firing points, and melta beams melted through heavy alloy gates and walls, creating entrances oozing with molten metal.

"Advance! For Vulkan! For the Emperor!"

Huokan raised his power sword high, the tip pointing toward the massive, tightly shut main gate of the refining facility.

The Salamanders Space Marines let out a thunderous battle cry.

"Into the fires of battle, unto the Anvil of War!"

Almost at the same time the Salamanders drew the frontal fire, the Space Marines of the Blood Angels 1st Company activated the jump packs on their backs.

"True to the blood of Sanguinius!"

Company Commander Aoruisitesi's voice was filled with murderous intent.

"Hum—Boom!"

Dozens of jump packs ignited with dazzling exhaust plumes simultaneously, the powerful thrust propelling the Blood Angels warriors into the sky.

Their targets were the auxiliary entrances, observation platforms, and suspected fragile nodes of the energy transport pipelines on the flanks and top of the refining facility.

The Cyberk park's defenses were immediately activated, and a dense barrage of energy bombs fired into the air.

The Blood Angels warriors displayed dazzling aerial maneuvers, weaving, diving, and sharp-turning through the hail of fire.

The hum of chainswords rang out in the air, and boarding shields parried away lethal shots.

"Land! Clear the platform!"

Aoruisitesi was the first to land on a protruding metal platform on the flank, his power sword tracing a blue arc as it cut two incoming Cyberk soldiers in half.

Other Blood Angels Space Marines followed closely behind, assaulting various high points.

Bolters swept at close range, chainswords tore through metal, precisely destroying the facility's external sensors, communication nodes, and small defensive turrets, clearing obstacles for the follow-up troops.

They quickly infiltrated the interior, heading straight for the important node designated by Vulkan—the Main Database.

"Clear the platform! Establish a firing point!"

Aoruisitesi ordered briefly over the communication channel.

A Salamander Squad was steadily pushing forward, and the squad Captain's voice sounded over the comms.

"A3 corridor suppressed!"

"Upper platform cleared!"

"Continue the advance! Target the main refining tower!"

However, the Cyberk were not without the means to fight back.

Just as this Salamander Squad rushed across a relatively open unloading platform and prepared to enter the narrow alloy corridor leading to the core area, a sudden change occurred.

"Hiss—Hum!"

Several high-energy beams with scorching white cores and ghostly blue edges shot toward this Salamander Squad.

These beams were astonishingly fast, carrying a shriek that tore through the air, and precisely struck the five Salamanders Space Marines in the lead.

The source of the beams was a palm extending from the shadow of a low-lying auxiliary building to the side, the center of the palm charging up the next energy beam.

"Bang! Sizzle—!"

These energy beams struck directly onto the ceramite armor.

Some energy beams left deep pits and molten marks on the surface of the sturdy power armor, but one Salamanders Space Marine was hit at the seam between his shoulder guard and chest plate, and another Salamanders Space Marine had the hydraulic servo node of his outer thigh power joint struck.

"Ugh!"

The warrior hit at the seam jolted violently; the scorching energy beam penetrated the relatively weak connection, cauterizing the internal fiber bundles and some pipelines.

Although it did not penetrate the torso, the movement of the left arm became noticeably sluggish, and the power armor's servo system emitted a high-pitched whine of overload.

The warrior hit in the thigh let out a muffled grunt; the armor at the struck joint was melted through, flashing with blinding electric sparks, and his body staggered, nearly falling, only managing to stabilize by bracing with his arm.

"Alien units! High-energy armor-piercing mode! Concealed firing point!"

The Salamanders Captain's roar was filled with fury as he gave the order.

"Suppress that building! Cover the wounded brothers!"

From the shadows of the auxiliary building and the corridor entrance, a group of warriors with leaner builds and armor in cold blue and white colors rushed out.

They moved with agility and coordinated perfectly, firing dazzling scorching white beams from their hands.

Their armor seemed to have been specially treated; not only did it provide power during movement, but it also required several bolter rounds to penetrate.

Their tactical intent was extremely clear—to use high-penetration energy beams to focus fire on the relatively weak points of the Space Marines' armor, such as joints and seams!

"For the Salamanders! For our fallen brothers!"

The Salamanders Space Marines who had not been hit erupted with even more intense fury.

Bolters swept toward the area where the Canglei Cyberk soldiers had appeared.

Several Salamanders Space Marines wielding Dragonscale storm shields who had arrived as reinforcements moved to the front, forming a steel bastion, using their shields to hard-tank the incoming scorching white beams, the surfaces of the shields scorched with glaring marks.

"Steady! Dragonscale shields hold!"

Huokan's roar exploded amidst the thunder of bolters and the shriek of energy beams tearing through the air, drowning out the hum of the power armor servo systems.

"Target! Alien in the shadows! Suppressive fire!"

The Salamanders warriors in the front row, holding Dragon-Scale Storm Shields, responded immediately.

The heavy Dragon-Scale Storm Shields slammed into the ground, their edges embedding deeply into the Steel floor.

The Energy Force Field rippling across the surface of the shields instantly became blinding, humming as it braced for the baptism of the next wave of energy beams.

"Zzz—bang! Zzz—bang!"

The energy beams slammed into the shields, bursting into blinding energy ripples and scorching metallic vapor.

The surfaces of the shields were scorched with dark red marks by the high heat, and some areas even began to melt and drip, but the force fields stubbornly withstood this round of high-intensity fire.

The shield-bearing warriors' bodies shook violently, yet they did not retreat a single step, propping up a Steel barrier for the brothers behind them.

"Now! Purge them!"

Huokan seized this brief gap and issued a stern order.

"For the Emperor!"

Five streams of searing white, viscous flames erupted from the gaps and flanks of the shields.

"Boom—!"

Wherever the flames reached, the air twisted violently.

The Steel floor was instantly scorched red and softened, and discarded parts burst under the high heat.

Two Pale Thunder soldiers, who had attempted to rush out from a side passage to prepare a flanking shot, were doused head-on by the viscous flames.

Their blue-and-white armor rapidly melted through and deformed in the inferno.

The precision components and organic tissues inside turned into charred remains and blue smoke amidst silent, violent convulsions, and a pungent, burnt stench permeated the air.