Inside the mobile command center, made up of super-heavy assault transports, Ghostface was contentedly watching the scene unfold.
On the giant holographic tactical sandbox, the red tide representing his Helldivers Legion was devouring the T'au Empire's blue territory with unstoppable momentum. Real-time footage from the front lines showed countless leman russ tanks and Chimera Armored Personnel Carriers kicking up clouds of dust, speeding across the barren lands of Sere Kl. The roar of engines, faintly audible even through the command center's soundproof armor, merged into a stirring symphony of war.
Of course, while enjoying the game, he didn't forget his duty as a "commander."
He reached out and activated the remote communicator on the control panel. After a moment of encrypted protocol, a clear image was projected. The screen showed an astartes in yellow and black power armor, with the emblem of the Emperor's Scythes Chapter on his helmet.
"Greetings, sir." Ghostface cleared his throat. "The battle is going very smoothly. The T'au are retreating—or rather, collapsing. Our warriors are pushing the front line forward at the maximum speed the leman russ and chimera engines can achieve."
"I understand," the other party's deep voice rumbled. "Can it be faster?"
"Heh heh," Ghostface chuckled twice, his tone becoming relaxed. "Of course. I'll immediately tell my warriors to step on the gas a bit harder and see if those ancient machine spirits can unleash great power beyond their original design limits."
"Watch your attitude, mortal!" the Emperor's Scythes officer immediately said in a low voice. "The Astra Militarum's Storm Troopers can be air-dropped to join your battle immediately. If they were there, would it be faster?"
"No, thanks," Ghostface refused without hesitation. He didn't want those elite NPCs to share his experience and exp. "We can handle it ourselves. I don't want them to steal our credit. You'd best not get involved yourselves; just watch our show."
"Very well," the other party said. "In that case, I will await your victory report."
With that, the other party decisively cut off the communication.
Ghostface shrugged. He turned around and looked at the staff officers who were busy working on the other side: "Any new developments on the front line?"
An officer immediately stepped forward and handed over a data pad: "The front line is progressing very smoothly. Our vanguard has encountered almost no organized resistance, except for stepping on some abandoned sensor mines and traps. However..."
Ghostface gestured for the other party to continue.
"However," the officer's expression became serious, "according to the consolidated reports from various units on the front line, the T'au's retreat is orderly and not chaotic. Before evacuating, they systematically destroyed all defensive fortifications and equipment they couldn't take with them. I highly suspect that the T'au intend to buy time with space, concentrating most of their forces to launch a decisive ambush against us at a pre-set position!"
"Oh?" Ghostface, instead of showing any concern after hearing this, his eyes lit up. "You mean they've concentrated most of their forces together?"
"Uh... yes." The officer was clearly surprised by his commander's unconventional thinking. Wasn't this an extremely dangerous signal?
"That's great!" Ghostface slapped the control panel, exclaiming excitedly. "It saves us the trouble of finding them one by one! Transmit my order: tell all warriors to step on the gas even harder, see if they can unleash the potential of the machine spirits and break through the design speed limits! Faster! Fiercer!"
The officer was stunned. He subconsciously asked, "Then... what if we really encounter an ambush...?"
"If you encounter enemies, fight them. Do I need to teach you that?" Ghostface asked back, looking at him as if he were an idiot. "Resurrection doesn't cost money, and the Empire reimburses all equipment consumption. What are you afraid of?"
...
A Fire Warrior gripped its pulse rifle, crouching in the prefabricated fortifications of the third position.
Its gaze swept over the alloy breastwork, surveying the arrayed defenses before it. Here, all remaining T'au Empire forces on Sere Kl had been concentrated. Hundreds of hammerhead hover tanks, like silent steel behemoths, aimed their deadly railguns at the distant horizon.
Every trench, every firing point, was manned by the most experienced Fire Warriors. Overhead, a swarm of tens of thousands of armed drones hummed lowly, obscuring the planet's dim sun, forming a lethal cloud of metal.
Reason told K'ais that this place was impregnable. Given the power humanity had previously displayed, it was utterly impossible for them to easily break through this defense line forged of technology and determination.
But... but emotion made it can't help it to consider that terrifying "what if."
Humanity's previous insane actions still haunted its mind like a nightmare. Vehicles, covered in infantry, charging like mobile flesh-fortresses, solely for a mutual destruction explosion; human soldiers, fearless of death, who would detonate themselves without hesitation in one-on-many or even one-on-one combat. All of this exceeded K'ais' understanding of "war."
After a brief war with human legions, an instinctive fear had been deeply etched into its soul.
"Woo—Buzz—"
A low, suppressed roar came from the distant horizon, like an angry growl from deep within the earth.
The Fire Warrior's spirit immediately tensed. It knew that was the sound of human vehicle engines!
Soon, a rolling wall of smoke and dust appeared on the horizon. Countless black steel silhouettes, indistinct within that wall, were rushing straight towards their encirclement at an incomprehensible speed!
"They're here! All units, prepare for battle!" The officer's calm command came through the command channel.
The human armored tide, just as the commander had predicted, plunged headfirst into this meticulously prepared pocket. They seemed to have done no reconnaissance, nor did they care if there was a trap ahead; they simply charged forward, madly!
"Fire!"
Instantly, the symphony of death began.
The hammerhead's railguns shrieked, tearing through the air, and searing streams of metal instantly pierced the leading leman russ tanks, blasting them into burning wrecks. In the sky, the drone swarm poured down like a broken dam, countless pulse energy bolts and smart missiles exploding among the human ranks. The Fire Warriors in the trenches also launched their counterattack without hesitation, a dense blue net of pulse fire forming a wall of death.
However, the human counterattack was equally fierce. Even under absolute disadvantage, their firepower relentlessly poured into the T'au positions. Explosions, tearing metal, the hum of energy weapons, and the roars of both sides' warriors merged into a chaotic cacophony.
It was a brutal, drawn-out battle. K'ais mechanically fired, replaced energy clips, and sought new targets. It saw a comrade beside it struck by a heavy bolter round, falling into a pool of blood; it also saw a human tank, enduring concentrated fire from three drones, stubbornly push to the front of the position before being blasted into components by a precise railgun shot.