In fact, because too much ti had passed, a portion of the positioning data on the coordinate beacon had been corrupted. Loken attempted to repair so of it, but was still unable to obtain an exact location; he could only outline a general area.
Only by finding the target could the final paraters be filled in and the two teleportarium arrays activated.
As the warship hovered silently in the planet's high orbit, roaring Thunderhawks broke through the atmosphere and arrived at the sector Loken had designated.
"Scans indicate there are no targets in the vicinity."
In the Thunderhawk's upper compartnt, Armin was giving a briefing. Due to the previous operation, the other two squads had suffered casualties; thus, the squad Soshyan brought this ti was a fully-manned Second Squad—Armin's squad.
"We will land in three minutes. According to the map intelligence, the terrain in this area consists primarily of plains and forests. There is a dium-sized settlent at our nine o'clock direction nad Cetis. Currently, there are no signs of rebel activity nearby."
"Is this the only settlent in the vicinity?"
"Yes, Commander."
Soshyan turned to Sol beside him and said:
"Brother Zayd ntioned that the object is buried deep underground. I figured perhaps these natives might have so clues, or legends."
After a mont of silence, Sol nodded slightly.
"The area provided by the coordinate beacon has a diater of twenty kiloters. This is a massive expanse. If we rely solely on our twelve n, I'm afraid it will take a long ti to find."
"Then would there be any trouble in seeking assistance from the local factions?"
"The thinking of most mortals is shallow and reckless. Most of the ti, they only focus on what is right in front of them. The mont we appear, they will swarm us like madn, begging us to help them quell the rebellion."
"That is true. Then how about we choose to secure the information?"
"That is also an option."
After making the decision, Soshyan resolved to maintain the secrecy of this operation. He truly didn't know what Brother Zayd was referring to; if it turned out to be sothing taboo, it would be difficult to conceal with too many people involved.
In a clearing within the forest, the massive air currents expelled by the Thunderhawk snapped the surrounding towering trees.
By the ti it landed, the entire woodland seed to have just weathered a storm. Uprooted shrubs and horizontally laid trees were everywhere.
Amidst the hiss of steam, the hatch opened, and a squad of fully ard Space Marines marched out.
It was midnight. The forest, which should have been filled with the chirping of insects and birds, was as silent as a graveyard.
After unloading all the Space Marines, Logris piloted the Thunderhawk back into the sky. However, it wouldn't return to the Starfire; instead, it would loiter at high altitude to support the squad on the ground at a mont's notice.
Subsequently, the squad moved through the forest in a tight formation along the direction indicated by the map.
In this region, the forest didn't seem particularly untrodden. Along the way, Soshyan saw nurous trails, likely trodden by hunters or loggers.
He also spotted so wooden signs, though he couldn't quite understand the Low Gothic scrawled upon them.
As the path twisted and turned, starlight leaked through the canopy into the rainforest. The ground undulated everywhere, making the squad's advance feel akin to surfing.
The squad walked along the forest path for an hour and a half. Aided by their power armor and their reinforced muscles, every Space Marine walked much faster than an ordinary human.
The warriors pressed on tirelessly, with Armin naturally carving up trees into splinters with his sword to clear the way at the front.
They were approaching the settlent.
As a town surrounded by forest on three sides, generally speaking, the residents would clear an open area around the city, building walls and watchtowers to gun down anything that dared leap out of the woods.
After all, the unfriendly things in the forest were sotis more than just wild beasts.
Judging by the sparseness of the trees, Soshyan determined they were not far from that kill zone.
Soon, through the cover of the trees, Soshyan spotted their target.
The city of Cetis was encircled by forest on three sides and bordered by water on the fourth. The entire urban area was enclosed by thick walls nearly ten ters high, with eerie watchtowers looming beyond a kill zone several hundred ters wide.
The city's founders chose this location because it was favorable for defense and had the river as a ans of transport. On the other side of the river lay vast, fertile plains, long since taken over by various crops.
Outside the walls, there originally used to be many shantytowns—the living quarters of the serfs.
The watchtowers on the walls were not rely for defense, but also to monitor the serfs' every move. Several city gates ensured that crops could be transported along guard-protected roads.
Most of the ti, guards hired by the local rchant guild patrolled outside the city piloting "retired" Sentinel walkers, using the heavy flars and chainblades equipped on the chs to punish anyone who didn't fall entirely in line—such as by burning down their houses.
There was also a small contingent of bikers and cavalry ready to sally out at any mont, pouring their fury upon anything that threatened the city with bullets and blades.
Moreover, the rchant guild had installed twin-linked and quad-linked heavy stubber turrets on the walls.
Truth be told, such defenses would be very difficult for poorly-ard rebels to overco. However, looking at the situation, the shantytowns outside the walls were pitch-black.
To Armin, this was also sowhat suspicious.
As he neared the kill zone, he slowed his pace while the other warriors behind him began to catch up. Sol seed to lag behind out of everyone.
But his gaze remained as sharp as an eagle's.
"Armin, halt."
Soshyan ordered over the vox, but Armin had already stepped out of the forest.
Armin looked up at the city wall. Suppose the soldiers above could see him, they would definitely recognize their power armor.
Then, he heard the response from the wall.
Rat-tat-tat-tat—!
The rounds of a heavy stubber flew toward the forest. Countless massive craters were smashed into the ground, sending dust and stones flying continuously into the air.
Large bullets hamred Armin from head to toe, ringing out against his power armor. Fortunately, he carried a shield; he imdiately raised it to cover himself and swiftly retreated back into the forest.
The other warriors watched this in astonishnt.
These people actually dared to attack Space Marines!?
After falling back and dropping to one knee, Armin was trembling all over with rage.
Even Soshyan took a deep breath to suppress his anger, then activated his vox-caster.
"Hold your positions for now."
The heavy stubber rounds pierced through the trees, tearing bark and trunks to pieces. They were still firing.
Armin was furious, and the other warriors let out low growls. Had Soshyan not given the order, they would have long since charged up to teach those damned mortals a lesson.
At that mont, beneath the noise, Soshyan's ears caught the whirring of massive auxiliary power units.
The Sentinel walkers were coming.
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