Chapter 226: The Vipers of Catachan

While the Second Legion was hunting for delicacies on Planet Four of the Wheel of Fire, the Seventh Chapter of the Eleventh Legion arrived at the Catachan System in the Ultima Segmentum.

Sanchez ordered the fleet to conduct a comprehensive Auger Matrix scan of the main planet of Catachan.

The Auger Matrix Master held a Data Slate and reported to the Reaper Lord.

"My Lord, according to the scan results, 90.47 percent of the surface of the main planet of Catachan is covered in dense trees; it is a jungle world."

Sanchez looked at the holographic image; the entire planet looked like a green gemstone sphere.

"The Auger Matrix scan results show that the life signals are most concentrated in these seven locations."

"These places are plains terrain; they should be the settlements of the local inhabitants."

The Auger Matrix Master said, highlighting the white spots on the surface of the green gemstone sphere.

Sanchez asked, "What is the defensive status of Catachan?"

"My Lord, Catachan has no orbital defense facilities, and there are no signals of defense facilities on the ground."

The Reaper Lord nodded slightly and said to Chief Apothecary Mikel beside him.

"In the data provided by Father on the Data Slate, it is mentioned that the Catachans can be converted."

"I have decided to lead the honor guard to their settlement to hold talks with their leader."

Mikel nodded in approval: "Feasible."

The Reaper Lord then led the honor guard and the Astropath, boarded a Stormbird, and flew toward the settlement with the densest life signals.

During the flight, Sanchez looked through the viewing window at the dense forest flashing by below.

The forest spread to the skyline like a giant painting, with layers of tree crowns squeezed into rolling waves.

Mist steamed on the surface of the sea of trees, and the canopy of the towering ancient trees was as flat as a blanket, with the top branches intertwined.

Sanchez's eyes were deep; he keenly sensed that the forest below was like a wide-open mouth, ready to devour people.

The Stormbird flew rapidly over the sea of forest and arrived near the target.

The Reaper Lord looked around, confirmed that there were no defense facilities on the ground, and issued an order.

"Land."

Sanchez led the team off the deck and looked around.

Behind him to the side, the Librarian, "Mystery Pryer" Mesut, activated the "Secret Eye" and scanned the surroundings.

"This place has been cleared by fire, but vines and lichens can also be seen everywhere."

"The toxic substances of the plants will melt mortar, and the vines will destroy buildings."

Sanchez nodded: "The data provided by Father mentioned that the local plants will 'destroy' buildings, and animals will also gather together to attack human settlements."

"Compared to the natives, Catachan itself will be a greater challenge for us to face."

After Sanchez finished speaking, he looked at the natives running over from a distance.

By unaugmented standards, they were all tall, even taller than those Fenrisians.

The clothes they wore were more like camouflage vests; their bronze skin and bulging muscles were knotted into lumps, and every tendon was taut like a full bow.

Their faces were painted with natural dyes; most of them held primitive weapons such as wooden spears, and a small number used live-ammunition weapons such as guns.

Sanchez keenly sensed a threat from the Catachans; they were dangerous hunters no less than Jorin and the others.

The Reaper Lord narrowed his eyes slightly and praised.

"Father was not wrong; they are truly good material for hunters."

"Astropath, communicate with them."

"As you command, my Lord." The Astropath said, taking the Translator from his waist.

The loudspeaker played a synthesized electronic voice on a loop, and many languages of Terra rang out.

Mesut's consciousness spread forward, sensing the minds of the Catachans.

The Order Shadows inherited the Primarch's talent for perception, and most Librarians were skilled in the Mind discipline; they were also the psykers among the Librarians most easily able to meet the battlefield communication requirements of an Astropath.

A moment later, Mesut sensed from the minds of the Catachans that the seventeenth language of the Translator was similar to the local language.

He immediately adjusted the language channel to the seventeenth language.

"Fellow Catachans, we are not enemies."

"We come from Terra, the common home of humanity; we are all human."

"..."

After playing it repeatedly several times, the Catachans understood the general meaning of the broadcast.

They slowed their pace, gripped their weapons tightly, and approached the black-armored Warriors.

Sanchez, wearing the Russ Wolf Helm, stepped out from the crowd: "Mesut, translate for me."

The Reaper Lord walked in front of the Catachans and said.

"As the broadcast said, we are fellow humans."

Although the Catachans could not understand Vostonian, the black-armored giant in front of them made them feel awe.

The Librarian used the Translator to convey the Reaper Lord's words.

The Reaper Lord continued: "I am an Order Shadow, and following the orders of Primarch Ninglu, I have come to Catachan to retrieve lost fellow humans..."

Listening to the sound played by the Translator, the Catachans slowly understood the intention of the black-armored Warriors.

At the very front of the Catachan team, a sturdy man covered in tattoos walked forward a few steps and stopped at a distance of only ten steps from Sanchez.

He spoke loudly in the local language, and the Translator translated it into Vostonian.

"Order Shadow, we are all fellow humans."

"Fighting in the galaxy will not bring more suffering to the Catachans than this world has brought us; we are proud to answer your call."

"I, Lucas, am willing to pledge my loyalty to Primarch Ninglu."

Sanchez took off the Russ Wolf Helm and hung it on his waist.

He walked up to Lucas, pulled off his gauntlet, and extended his right hand.

"Welcome to our ranks."

Lucas did not understand his words, but guessed his meaning from his actions.

He held his gun in one hand and extended a fist toward the black-armored Warrior.

Sanchez understood, clenched his right hand, and bumped it against Lucas's.

The Reaper Lord took his honor guard and returned to his tribe with Lucas.

Walking into the Catachan tribal settlement, Sanchez discovered that the Catachans, regardless of age or gender, were more robust than their peers.

Everyone held a weapon in their hands; even the toddlers stumbling about clutched daggers, and some children even carried pistols.

Sanchez could not help but think to himself: 【The Catachans are just as Father said, a nation in arms!

Even the children are like this; their movements when holding guns and their postures when wielding daggers are unrefined, but lethal.

In their hands, weapons are certainly not toys.】

Lucas shouted to his curious tribesmen: "They are our human kin, the Order Shadow, and I have decided to pledge my loyalty to their monarch."

"Prepare food and entertain our kin."

After hearing Mesut's translation, Sanchez called the orbit via his comms.

"Send down fine food and wine."

Three hours later, the banquet began, and the Catachans served boiled Catachan Water Duck, Cobra Soup, and massive skewers of roasted Black-Backed Viper...

The Legion serfs presented iron-scaled Kraken steaks and seafood from the Cradle of the Sea.

"What is this?"

Lucas asked curiously about the food he had never seen before, and was astonished to hear of a Kraken several kilometers long.

The Catachans opened their mouths wide, swallowing the delicious seafood.

The Order Shadow did not touch the food made from various vipers, eating only the Catachan Water Duck; at least these strange, sharp-toothed ducks looked more normal.

After Lucas had eaten over a dozen Kraken steaks, he noticed the black-armored Warriors had not touched the vipers.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and spoke.

"Lord... Sanchez, those snakes are truly a delicacy."

The Reaper Lord understood the principle of when in Rome, do as the Romans do, and he spoke.

"Eat," he said with a smile, "even if your stomachs and Oolitic Kidneys fail, the medicine issued by the Apothecary can help you detoxify."

Only when Lucas saw the Order Shadow begin to eat the vipers did he nod in satisfaction.

After Mesut ate twelve of the black-backed vipers, he suddenly felt his body grow hot and cold, and cold sweat seeped from his forehead.

【Catachan vipers are indeed dangerous; they can actually poison even the superhuman body of an Astartes.】

He turned his body slightly to avoid the Catachans' gaze, pulled out a green vial of medicine, and injected it into his arm.

A moment later, Mesut's body temperature returned to normal.

Every Order Shadow attending the banquet had injected the medicine at least once before the feast concluded.

After the banquet ended, Lucas led Sanchez to other tribes.

Through his persuasion, the other tribes also pledged their loyalty to Ninglu one after another.

Having won the support of the Catachans, Sanchez returned to the Shadow of Sovereignty and prayed to the Black Emperor.

The Order Shadow of the Seventh Legion began to move into Catachan on a large scale, and the Chief Apothecary led his men into the dangerous forests.

(End of chapter)