Chapter 396: Warhammer: What Do You Mean You Conquered the Xenos

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Protagonist:

Lin En

Lena

Charging out of the Ice Valley Temple, the scene outside made Dominic's heart sink.

The once peaceful and tranquil Tooth City had completely changed.

Horns blared incessantly as countless savages clad in animal skins, wielding ice spears, stone axes, and steel knives, surged out from every ice cave and platform, densely packed and blocking every passage.

They wore blue war paint on their faces, flames of anger burned in their eyes, they shouted dialects he couldn't understand, and they charged at the two fearlessly.

These were ordinary humans under the Empire's domain.

Neither Gene Thieves nor Chaos Believers, just savages who had lived on the Ice Plains for generations, struggling to survive.

Dominic's grip on the Sunset tightened, and for a moment his eyes glazed over.

Just over ten minutes ago, he had stood behind an ice pillar, watching these people work and live peacefully, watching children chase and play between caves.

He had seen too many homes destroyed by war, and precisely because of this, he knew how hard-won this peace was, which seemed especially fragile in the cruel galaxy.

And he, an Imperial general who should have protected Humanity, now had to personally shatter this peace and slaughter these unarmed civilians.

【Focus!】

Sister Elaine patted his shoulder and quickly signed a sentence.

The next second, her Power Sword swung an arc, instantly severing the hands of the savages at the front, who screamed and fell to the ground.

Her movements were fast and ruthless, every strike fatal, as if she were not cutting down her own kind, but merely bothersome Xenos beasts.

【They have been seduced by Xenos culture and are now a Heretic people; the Empire needs no general who pities them.】

The Sister's sign language was like a basin of ice water, making Dominic shiver.

He snapped back to his senses.

Now was not the time to go soft.

Kasaduo's corpse still lay in the Ice Hall; if they died here too, the truth would be lost forever.

"Kill our way out."

Dominic spoke in a low voice, his voice terribly hoarse.

He raised his Laser Pistol, aimed at the savage warriors in the front row, but deliberately avoided vital points, the beam striking their shoulders and arms, trying to wound them into retreat.

But the savages, like those believers, did not fear death.

As one fell, the next immediately leapt over their companion's body to keep charging.

They roared in anger, hurling ice spears and stone axes; though they couldn't penetrate the light armor beneath the two's cloaks,

they were like a driving rainstorm, greatly slowing their advance.

The closer they got to the entrance of Tooth City, the more savages surrounded them.

They jumped down from ice ladders on both sides, crawled out of ice caves, even slid down ice cones along the dome; figures came from all directions.

Dominic's Laser Pistol energy magazine soon ran dry, forcing him to rely on the Sunset Dagger for close combat.

The golden blade swung, always bringing up a spray of blood mist and a burnt smell; but as one batch was driven back, another surged up, endless.

Stamina was rapidly draining.

They wore Stealth Suits, not Heavy Power Armor designed for frontal combat.

Protection was limited, ammunition was limited, and even the thruster's energy was nearly exhausted.

The break in Dominic's left arm had long gone numb from the cold; low temperature seeped through metal components into the bone seams, and every swing of the blade brought piercing pain.

Harder to endure was the psychological burden.

Every time the blade pierced a human body, every time he heard a shriek,

images flashed before his eyes: children sitting by the campfire listening to stories, women sewing leather clothes, craftsmen polishing stone tools.

He had killed before.

Traitors, heretics, thousands of enemies had died by his hand.

But killing these unarmed ordinary humans merely protecting their homes left a bitter taste.

Sister Elaine, however, remained expressionless throughout.

Her Power Sword always kept the most efficient slashing angle, every strike precisely cutting a throat or artery, never wasting an ounce of strength.

Against lightly armored or unarmored targets, she didn't even bother assuming a power stance, unwilling to waste a trace of energy.

In her eyes, humans infiltrated by Xenos culture who worshipped Xenos as gods were no different from corrupted heretics.

Imperial Territory was vast, with a population in the trillions; such worthless, contaminated bottom-level populace were as numerous as one could want.

Dead was dead.

One cold, one hot, one numb and one heavy, they somehow relied on sheer willpower to fight their way from the Ice Valley Temple all the way to the main gate of Tooth City.

The massive ice gate stood before them; outside lay the howling wind and snow and the vast Ice Plains.

Once they charged out this door, using the Optical Camouflage Device to blend into the wind and snow, they could shake off pursuers, find the airship hidden in advance, and return to the Starport.

Hope was within reach.

But just then, "Boom—!"

After a deafening roar, the heavy ice gate crashed down from within, sealing the exit tightly.

Cold air and cold qi surged toward them, like a giant mouth, completely closing its fangs.

Dominic rushed to the door and slammed his remaining right hand against the ice gate twice, leaving only two shallow traces.

This Ice Gate was several meters thick; given their current state, it was absolutely impossible to break open.

Behind them, hurried footsteps and roars drew ever closer.

Hundreds of Blue-robed Believers had already chased out of Ice Valley, their figures densely appearing at the tunnel entrance, their blue-gray pupils gleaming with cold light in the dim illumination.

Further out in the Outer Areas, countless Wildmen held torches, sealing off the entire city gate Square without a gap, firelight reflecting on one angry face after another.

Sister Elaine turned around, her back against the cold Ice Gate, her Power Sword held horizontally before her, assuming a defensive posture.

She glanced sideways at Dominic beside her.

This Imperial Major General, usually high-spirited and decisive in command, was now slightly lowering his head, his fiery red bangs covering his eyebrows and eyes.

A severed limb hung at his side, golden Dagger still dripping blood, his shoulders rising and falling slightly, breathing heavily.

His gaze was somewhat blank, falling on the writhing figures ahead, yet as if seeing nothing.

Was it bewilderment because their escape route was cut off?

Or was it a daze because too much innocent blood stained his hands?

Sister Elaine did not ask.

She simply gripped her Power Sword tightly, slowly spreading the Untouchable Force Field to cover the area around both of them.

Cold wind seeped through the city gate cracks, lifting blood foam from the ground, condensing into fine Ice Crystals in the frigid air.

The encircling crowd drew nearer, firelight flickering, stretching their shadows long and thin.

It seemed the predicament had become a dead end.

Sister Elaine looked at Dominic one last time, as if she had made some resolve.

But just as she took a step forward, Dominic moved first.

When Elaine looked at him again, the bewilderment in his eyes had vanished, replaced by his usual determination.

Dominic only gave a brief gesture, signaling her to fall back.

Elaine knew that familiar Major General was back, at least for this moment, back.

She nodded, activated her thrusters, and suddenly retreated backward.

Dominic's right hand accordingly produced a Small Drill, a Door Breaking Bomb prepared specifically for this kind of situation.

He had come to his senses not because he understood, but because he was unwilling to see the same tragedy unfold a third time before his eyes.

The Small Drill precisely pierced through every Wildman attempting to block it, striking the great gate.

"Boom!!!"