Chapter 369: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Bug Race

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

The plague will spiral out of control, conscripts won't be enough, Bottom City will become a living hell on earth, and in the end they'll still have to resort to the Scorched Earth Policy, sacrificing billions or even tens of billions to bring it to a close.

But using them, at least for now, can save more people, can complete the Tithe Mission, and can keep Brevis from collapsing completely.

Dominic stood before the window, morning light falling on his face, half bright, half hidden in shadow.

He discovered for the first time that between "correct" and "wrong" lay such a wide Grey Zone.

And he stood right on that zone, caught between a rock and a hard place.

Outside the window, transport ship engines roared, one vessel after another departing the Starport, carrying those new recruits whose thoughts had been "Purified," heading toward unknown battlefields.

In Bottom City's shadows, Luna's game of chess continued, and Lin En's layout never ceased.

And Dominic, this Imperial Major General drawn into the game, held the truth capable of overturning the entire board, yet hesitated to make his move.

He knew that every decision he made from here on could drag Brevis toward entirely different futures.

Uphold dogma, flip the table and launch a Thorough Investigation, plunging Brevis into greater chaos?

Or pretend not to see, let these Xenos keep "helping," in exchange for temporary stability before his eyes?

Dominic's clenched fist trembled slightly.

This question, he still had no answer.......

Late at night, the Governor's Office lights were still on, lamplight falling on the metal walls, reflecting Lin En's silent profile.

He smoked cheap cigarettes; only this kind of tobacco, disregarding taste and caring only for strength, could stimulate his exhausted nerves.

The air held only the low Humming of the cooling system, quiet enough to hear the rise and fall of breathing.

Something was off.

This was his strongest Intuition in nearly three days.

No solid evidence, no informant transmitting decisive intelligence, yet those small Abnormalities quietly lodged themselves in his nerves.

The Imperial Religious Guard at the Starport suddenly intensified faith screening of new recruits; the originally perfunctory Blessing Ritual became random interrogation.

Several intelligence detachments of the Tithe Fleet silently disappeared from duty rosters, officially described as routine patrols.

Even Dominic himself, on the grounds of "handling fleet internal affairs," postponed two scheduled meetings.

Taken individually, each had a reasonable explanation.

But pieced together, they exuded the scent of an approaching storm.

Lin En never hesitated to assess risk with the utmost caution, nor would he pin his hopes on his opponent's Dullness.

Dominic might still turn a blind eye for the Tithe, for stability.

But once an outside force kept prying, delivering evidence before him,

under the Empire's zero-tolerance stance education, this Imperial Major General's position could flip at any moment.

Moreover, the source of this undercurrent, he almost didn't need to guess to lock onto.

Luna.

This Regent King and Tzeentch Wizard hiding deep in Saint Galus Castle, silent for so long, finally couldn't resist making a move.

The other side's scheme was crystal clear.

Using the Purge Plague Sect to stir up trouble, muddy the waters, draw Dominic's suspicion onto himself, and use the Empire's knife to kill him.

Even if they couldn't completely topple him, it was enough to leave him harried and unable to care for himself.

"Can't wait any longer." Lin En murmured to himself.

Passive defense was never his style.

Since he smelled conspiracy, he'd prepare a fallback retreat while taking the initiative to strike, dragging out the rat stirring up trouble in the dark and strangling it.

Fortunately, not all was bad news.

From the shadows beside him came the faint sound of fabric rubbing; Isud stepped out slowly, her purple eyes gleaming with a warm luster under the cold light.

She didn't speak, but through the soul link, directly projected the latest battle report from Dead Silent World-A into Lin En's mind.

Deep in the desert where yellow sand filled the sky, vast Mutant Mushroom Fields spread like a green plague, and Green Skin camps sprawled along the canyon.

Cooking smoke and the pale green halo of the Waaagh Field intertwined, steaming with vigorous vitality.

"Yaduoduo's forces have already taken root." Lena's voice rang in Lin En's mind.

"The initial thirty or forty million Green Skins, relying on spore reproduction, have officially broken into eight digits in swarm base numbers."

"The mountains of the Western Desert are all occupied by them; the Technical Overlord Workshop runs day and night, war vehicles, weapons, biological modification experiments never stopping for a moment."

Lin En nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.

"The Controllable War officially launched a week ago." The scene shifted; a battlefield of yellow sand and intertwined flesh appeared in view, Green Skin Roars and Bug Swarm shrieks rising and falling.

"Small-scale skirmishes happen every day, large-scale battles every three days."

"As expected, the longer the war drags on, the faster the Green Skins reproduce, the denser the Waaagh Field, and the clearer their evolution direction."

"Direction?"

"Biological Technology." Lena's Tone carried a trace of subtle praise.

"Because the opponent is my Bug Swarm, Yaduoduo's Green Skins' 'Wo Xun Si' power has all developed toward Flesh Ascension."

"Using Squig tendons as power cables, mushroom mycelium as control systems, even creating Biological Rifles that can spray acid corroding rock."

"They've even begun dissecting some basic Bug Race units, attempting to replicate the Bug Swarm's symbiotic weapons."

Lin En raised an eyebrow at those words.

The Green Skin tech tree never follows logic; it depends entirely on environment and "learning" from opponents.

Constantly facing off against the Tyranids, awakening the talent of Flesh Ascension—it was only natural.

"What about your Bug Swarm?"

"They benefited more." Lena did not hesitate.

"The Green Skin biomass output far exceeds that of ordinary human populations."

"At this rate, within a month we can amass a main Bug Swarm capable of going head-to-head with a Tithe Fleet."

More importantly, both forces were firmly in Lin En's own hands, and absolutely loyal!

Through the soul connection of the King-Subject Route, Lin En could precisely transmit orders to Yaduoduo.

And Lena shared a Soul Bond with him, their hearts and minds in tune.

Every war's time, place, committed forces, and expected casualties had already been negotiated through him as the transit station before the fighting began.

Those Green Skin chieftains who refused discipline and unilaterally expanded the war—Yaduoduo need not bother cleaning them up; Lena's Bug Swarm would precisely "give them special attention."

Tearing them and their Grots down into pure Biomass both restored discipline and replenished resources.

On one side, the Green Skin Vassal Legion growing stronger with every battle; on the other, the Tyrant Swarm constantly evolving.

These two forces outside Imperial Order were his firmest confidence when facing any change.

As long as he could buy time, waiting for Yaduoduo and Lena to fully develop, even if Dominic ultimately turned traitor—

even if the Tribunal came upon hearing the news, he still had the capital to withdraw intact.

"Delaying is merely the inferior plan." Lin En withdrew his thoughts, his gaze turning a little colder.

"If the source is not removed, trouble will only keep increasing."

Just then, three short, rhythmic knocks came from the Metal Door of the Mishishi.

Leo Saint Galus had arrived.