Low Orbit, Amphibious Landing Craft… In low orbit, two massive amphibious landing craft hung silently in the inky blackness of space, with a sea of stars behind them and the ravaged Planet Phalanx ahead.
Li Feng and Commissar Cain stood by the observation window on the bridge, casually holding teacups, looking down at the planet's surface from afar. A month-long orbital bombardment had left Frax's surface covered in countless craters and scorched ruins, with smoke and flames intertwined, like a doomsday judgment.
Commissar Cain took a small sip of tea, his tone flat but with a hint of unease: "I don't think any traitor could survive this kind of firepower."
His gaze remained fixed on the surface, constantly ravaged by the orbital bombardment, as if searching for some surviving shadows through the swirling dust and smoke.
However, he saw no clear signs. Perhaps those Chaos traitors had indeed been eliminated, but an unshakeable anxiety lingered in Cain's heart.
Li Feng looked at Cain in that manner, simply taking a sip of his tea. As a philosopher, Li Feng, besides his occasional madness, enjoyed studying history.
History contained countless battles that proved that under resolute fighting will, even powerful firepower was merely a fireworks display.
Li Feng and Cain's 12th Valhalla Field Artillery Regiment was also assigned to the airborne forces, serving as a heavy firepower delivery point for them.
When Li Feng heard the name "Operation Market Garden," his eyes went black. When he heard that the Commander was a general from the Nobility Army named Montgomery, he almost fell to the ground.
However, what slightly reassured Li Feng was the enormous scale of this airborne force. According to the operational plan, over two million combat personnel would be directly dropped onto the surface of Frax in the first wave, including elite Battle Sisters and the indomitable Space Marine.
"Two million… that should be enough, right?" Li Feng tried his best to believe this number was sufficient, though a faint unease still lingered in his heart.
Cain nodded slightly: "With such a massive airborne force, unless it's a miracle, the enemy cannot withstand our assault."
Li Feng did not respond further, simply looking out the window, his worries refusing to dissipate. Despite their powerful firepower and army, facing the cunning and unpredictability of Chaos, no one could truly be certain what would happen next.
"I always thought you Terrans liked coffee and tea with milk, but I didn't expect you to like this light, steeped tea."
Li Feng glanced at Cain, immediately putting on the air of an old Terran, dipping his finger in the tea and rubbing it on his eyes: "What do you know? This is Tieguanyin! You usually have to have someone brew a tall pot! And you have to shout like this… And tea can brighten your eyes! Hey! I can see clearly, hey!"
Cain saw this posture, and it did have a bit of that old Terran flavor. However, Cain's tone shifted, and he asked,
"How are things with you and Sister Fides?"
"Just like that, what else could it be? I had her Sisters of Battle deliver her a small knife."
Cain nodded after hearing this, though inwardly he couldn't help but feel sorry for Sister Fides. She was a good girl, but Li Feng was already "taken."
Cain was very curious about what kind of person Li Feng's official girlfriend was, but talking about love before a major battle was a big taboo for soldiers.
(Three things not to talk about before battle: family, loved ones, dreams.)
Soon, both looked at their watches; it was almost dinner time, and after dinner, the landing operation would begin. Li Feng turned and walked towards the Vendrea Noble Regiment's mess hall. During this time, he had been freeloading on the strength of his various rosary beads and the ring given to him by Huron.
It must be said, the Nobility Army's food was excellent; unlimited steaks bigger than your face! Unlimited lobsters as tall as a person! Crucially, the Nobility Army also had carbonated drinks similar to cola, which was just fantastic.
Li Feng lingered in the Nobility Army's mess hall every day, and other nobles couldn't out-compete him. After all, they were refined people who ate in small bites. But Li Feng would just come up and say:
"This, this, and that… Yes, give me three servings of everything."
Li Feng had only walked a few steps when he saw Cain still looking out the window behind him. He turned his head and asked:
"Political Commissar, aren't you coming along? With your reputation as Hero Commissar Cain, you can easily enter the Vendrea mess hall."
Cain just shook his head, a bitter expression on his face: "It's fine, I'll just eat some bread later."
In reality, it wasn't that Cain didn't want to eat, but he was afraid that during the upcoming airborne drop, he would be so frightened that he'd throw up everywhere. That would completely ruin his glorious image... Departure preparations,
Li Feng was currently organizing his backpack in his room. Since it was an airborne operation, he was prepared to be surrounded. Because… paratroopers are born to be surrounded!
Compressed rations, sealed jam, Kofia beef stew, Vendrea Noble Regiment deluxe field rations, battlefield first-aid kit, entrenching tool, gas mask… Li Feng was wearing a pilot's leather jacket over a military officer's uniform and a sailor's shirt, with Astra Militarum camouflage trousers tucked into his boots.
He inserted ceramite armor plates into his combat vest and put it on… It was filled with magazines for his Agrippina assault rifle. Compared to the recoil-less lasgun, Li Feng preferred the firing feel of real projectile weapons. Li Feng also found that the Imperial assault rifle's caliber was a 7 full-power rifle round, and each magazine held nearly 70 rounds.
Then Li Feng put on his OPS fast helmet, which he had made with a 3D printer, connecting the installed pickup and noise-canceling headphones to his radio. Afterwards, he affixed imperial aquila flags and a homemade Punisher logo to the sides of the helmet.
Putting on his balaclava and helmet, slinging on his backpack, hanging his revolver and folding short sword at his waist, and grabbing his rifle… It was time to start surfing, and Chaos doesn't surf!
...Inside the hangar, Li Feng, wanting to move around more, volunteered to lead the artillery's reconnaissance unit. This meant Li Feng would be going deep behind enemy lines to observe and map targets for the artillery.
Of course, not all eggs would be in one basket. Colonel Lao Mo sensed that this battle would be exceptionally brutal, so he had Commissar Cain lead another observation team.
As Li Feng waited with his team on the tarmac, a squad of Battle Sisters arrived next to their landing pad… and leading them was Sister Fides.
Sister Fides was wearing a helmet at this time, and Li Feng couldn't see her expression. Li Feng turned his head, looking at the warriors boarding the aircraft in the hangar, and said calmly:
"Long time no see."
This single sentence made Fides, clad in power armour and holding a Bolter, tremble slightly. She wanted to say something, but… just as she hesitated, Grand Sister Margaret walked between them, her power armour shoulder brushing Fides's armor, making Fides stumble.
Then Grand Sister Margaret continued on as if nothing had happened, walking to the other side and beginning to inspect the Nuns' combat equipment.
"Lo… long time no see…"
A muffled voice came from Fides's helmet. No one knew what kind of internal struggle this girl had just gone through inside that sturdy armor.
But as soon as that sentence ended, in front of the two, two different valkyrie transport opened their rear ramps… Li Feng stepped onto the ramp's deck, and in the moment before the ramp closed, he said to Fides, who was directing the Nuns to board:
"Stay safe."
And this sentence completely broke Fides's defenses. She immediately lifted her helmet's visor, wanting to say the same thing to Li Feng, but… the ramp had already closed.
That sentence was stuck in Fides's throat, making her feel a little breathless… She re-covered her visor and boarded the transport… And at her waist, besides her power sword, was the "power dagger" Li Feng had given her.
As the engines of the two valkyrie transport started, they followed the formation out of the space vessel, and the massive fleet above Frax, like a giant hornets' nest, with five to six-digit numbers of aircraft carrying approximately two million warriors, delivered an endless stream of death to this planet that had already become death itself…
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