Chapter 897: Shadow Star (3)

The squad advanced about 30-plus kilometers.

Suddenly, the voice of the vanguard, Makusi, sounded on the squad channel.

"Sergeant, 1 o'clock direction, rock formation on the slope. There is movement."

Wudisi raised his fist, and the squad stopped to find cover.

Wudisi adjusted his oculars, focusing on the area indicated by Makusi.

"1 o'clock direction, faint heat signature, highly blended with the environmental background."

"Confirmed, Sergeant. Signal characteristics do not match the database. Non-human, non-mechanical."

Just at this moment.

Several shadows lunged down from the tops of the tall fungal stalks! They went straight for the Symbiote on the squad's flank!

"Enemy attack!"

Wudisi immediately gave the order, and the Anya Shouwei maintaining combat formation opened fire rapidly.

At the same instant the shadows launched their attack, the sound of Bolter fire also rang out.

Relying on their extraordinary reflexes and tactical intuition, Makusi and Gaileisi had already fired bolts from their muzzles.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The three shadows pouncing toward the Symbiote jerked violently in mid-air, and accompanied by splashing dark purple liquid, they fell heavily to the ground.

Not until they landed did Wudisi's oculars fully lock on and analyze the form of the attackers.

Slender, delicate humanoid forms, their skin presenting textures and colors almost identical to the surrounding environment, with no obvious eyes, only a pair of slightly trembling tentacles on their faces.

"New Alien species. Possesses advanced optical camouflage capabilities. Tendency for melee ambush."

After completing his assessment, Wudisi gave the order.

"Protect the Symbiote Alien! Fire at will!"

More shadows appeared from the surrounding gloom, utilizing the environment and camouflage to launch attacks.

They held Crystal Spears made of some material, which caused small-scale energy explosions when they grazed the Power Armor.

However, they were facing the Emperor's Angels of Death.

The Anya Shouwei warriors displayed astonishing efficiency.

Every short burst from a Bolter was inevitably accompanied by the fall of a Shadow-born scout.

Even if a Shadow-born warrior managed to break into the inner circle with extreme speed, they would be torn apart by a Chainsword.

Wudisi stood tall in the center of the squad; although energy explosions flared on his Power Armor from time to time, the Bolter in his hand did not stop firing.

A Shadow-born warrior lunged down from the fungal cap overhead, its Spear thrusting straight for the gap in his helmet.

Wudisi blocked upward with his left arm, the immense strength of the Power Armor directly knocking the Alien's arm aside, and then the butt of the Bolter in his right hand smashed into the opponent's chest; a clear sound of bone cracking rang out, and the Shadow-born warrior flew backward, hitting a fungal stalk and moving no more.

The battle ended in less than a minute.

18 corpses of Shadow-born scouts were scattered around, and dark purple blood stained the glowing moss.

The few remaining Shadow-born seemed shocked by this brutal slaughter; they retreated rapidly and vanished into the dim forest.

Not one member of Wudisi's squad was injured, and the protected Symbiote was also unharmed.

Wudisi made a gesture.

"Maintain perimeter alert. Makusi, check the corpses. Collect intelligence."

"Yes, Sergeant."

Makusi stepped forward to flip over a mangled Shadow-born corpse that was still twitching.

He used his Chainsword to pry open the opponent's equipment, checking weapons and personal items.

The old Priest walked trembling to Wudisi's side, the light on his back flickering constantly.

"It is the Shadow-born! The People of the Shadow! I told you they would attack us..."

"They attacked a target under our protection; this is self-destruction."

Wudisi replied coldly.

Any act of attacking the Astartes and their protected targets would invite the most direct destruction.

"Sergeant, the weapons are of primitive material but contain energy fluctuations. Found some carved items; the patterns show the local environment, some kind of storm symbol... and scenes of conflict with the Shu. No ranged weapons. No advanced technological products."

At this time, Aulus picked up a scroll made of some kind of leather from beside a corpse and handed it to Wudisi.

"Sergeant, this."

Wudisi took the scroll and unfolded it.

On it, a rough map was drawn with dark pigment, marking mountain ranges, canyons, and... symbols representing Shu mine shafts.

On the edge of the map, there were some blurred patterns, which seemed to be three different symbols intertwined, yet slashed apart by a black crack.

The old Priest's light swept over the map, and the light became rapid.

"This is... the territory map of the Shadow-born. That mark... is the ancient covenant symbol; when the Maw of Darkness last awakened, the three races briefly united. They carry this..."

Wudisi looked at the map, then at the corpses on the ground, and combined with the old Priest's words, he understood many things.

These creatures called "Shadow-born" were another intelligent race on this planet, possessing historical origins and conflicts with the Symbiote and the Shu.

They were clearly also wary of the so-called "Maw of Darkness" and might even know more.

However, they made a fatal mistake, which was attacking them!

Wudisi put the map away and spoke.

"They understand this region, and they understand the threat. Their attack was reckless, but their existence itself has intelligence value. Father will need to know this. These 'Shadow-born', are they usually enemies of your people?"

The old Priest's light fluctuated as he explained.

"Not always... there was a covenant in the ancient era. But the Shu dig into the earth, disturbing the Shengsuo, and the Shadow-born view us... all surface-dwellers as defilers. The conflict has been long. But such a direct attack... is rare. The whispers of the shadows have become rapid; they too have felt great fear."

Wudisi nodded and said on the communication channel.

"Squad status?" he asked over the internal comms.

"All personnel normal, Sergeant. Ammunition is sufficient."

"No signs of new threats."

"Continue forward."

Immediately, Wudisi sent a transmission to the Shadow Star fleet.

"This is Wudisi squad, we have just encountered an attack by an Alien race on Shadow Star, requesting reinforcements be dispatched to purge this race, only leave behind some valuable Aliens."

After the transmission was sent, a reply from the fleet was received very quickly.

"Received, Third Company has been dispatched to drop, please provide the location of this Alien race."

Wudisi turned his head to look at the Symbiote Priest and spoke.

"Mark out the territory of those Shadow-born Aliens; they need to pay the price for their actions."

The light behind the Symbiote Priest flickered rapidly.

"But, dealing with the Maw of Darkness still requires..."

"So my brothers will temporarily keep a portion of the valuable Shadow-born Aliens. If you want to say their combat power can be of use, then there is no need; my brothers will take over that position."

The Symbiote Priest did not know how to answer for a moment; considering the formidable combat power of these Metal Giants and the threat of the fleet outside this planet, the Priest replied.

"Fine, I understand."