The Imperial Fists?
Chirak was momentarily stunned.
In his mind, the image of the giants from Terra, the homeworld of the Imperial Fists, immediately surfaced. He had heard of the deeds of the Imperial Fists and knew that they held great tolerance and friendliness toward subhuman races like elves and dwarves. In certain situations, they would even stand alongside these races.
However, these giants were also notorious for their harsh and acerbic words. Their "sharp tongues" often left others feeling uncomfortable.
But Chirak quickly pushed these thoughts aside.
He raised his head, his gaze falling on the towering Grey Knight before him, and asked with confusion:
"How... how did you know I was rejected by the Sons of Humanity?"
"Ah, sorry about that, kid."
At this moment, another Grey Knight standing behind stepped forward. His movements were steady and powerful, exuding an aura of reassuring authority.
The Grey Knight then leaned slightly forward and gently tapped Chirak's shoulder with two fingers. Though the gesture was simple, it carried an underlying sense of strength.
"It was our arrangement that led to your rejection by the Sons of Humanity and placed you in such danger."
???
As the Grey Knight's deep, magnetic voice explained, Chirak felt as if the world was spinning around him. The events he had just experienced replayed rapidly in his mind.
He was momentarily dazed but quickly regained his composure, faintly piecing together the truth—
The four Grey Knights before him had likely planned everything from the start. They had used him as bait to dismantle the forces of Chaos and capture the snake-bodied siren they had just encountered.
And indeed, Chirak's speculation was correct.
These four Grey Knights had been dispatched to the prosperous planet of Bountiful Star by the Inquisition after receiving intelligence of an impending Chaos invasion. Their mission was to conduct covert investigations and provide protection.
Or rather, in the Halo universe, every major colony and facility was guarded by at least a squad of four Grey Knights, always ready to respond to potential Chaos threats.
Bountiful Star, being the homeworld of the Sons of Humanity, was of particular importance to the Empire.
Despite the presence of the Primarch Fulgrim, the Empire's higher-ups remained vigilant. Chaos corruption was notoriously insidious, and everything on Bountiful Star had to be thoroughly scrutinized.
During this investigation, the Grey Knights not only needed to trace the signs of Chaos corruption but also ensure that these heretical forces could not spread within the ranks of the Imperial forces.
Soon, the Grey Knights' attention was drawn to a peculiar phenomenon on Bountiful Star.
Over the past month, a large number of discussions had appeared online among minors who had failed the Imperial recruitment tests and were rejected by the Sons of Humanity.
These minors unanimously complained about the harshness and cruelty of the tests. However, the Grey Knights noticed that these discussions carried an undercurrent of "guidance," as if deliberately inciting certain emotions, possibly even harboring traces of demonic influence.
On the surface, everything seemed normal. Even the monitoring programs of both simple and advanced AI systems detected nothing amiss.
Yet, for the Grey Knights, who had faced demons and heretics head-on multiple times, they keenly sensed the hidden conspiracy within these discussions.
These topics might very well be a ploy by some Chaos force to recruit the disheartened, potentially marking the beginning of Bountiful Star's corruption.
To further verify this hypothesis, the Grey Knights secretly collaborated with the Sons of Humanity.
According to their plan, they selected a group of children who met the recruitment criteria but deliberately arranged for the Apothecaries to give them the response: "You cannot join the ranks."
Chirak Oren was one of the participants in this plan.
Though Chirak was unaware of this, his initial anger and disappointment were precisely the reactions the Grey Knights had anticipated.
Using his emotions as bait, Chirak attracted the attention of the heretical forces led by the snake-bodied siren. His rejection and wariness successfully piqued the siren's "interest," while also guiding the Grey Knights to their lair.
Now.
"Kid," the Grey Knight who had just finished sealing the siren in a metallic container turned to Chirak, his helmet's visor fixed on the young man. His voice was steady, with a hint of encouragement:
"Your will and loyalty far exceeded our expectations. To make up for your loss, you now have a choice: you can either continue to join the Sons of Humanity, or you can choose to become one of us, a Grey Knight."
The Sons of Humanity...
Grey Knights...
Wait...
Chirak was momentarily stunned.
Though the existence of the Grey Knights was classified, in the main universe, they were not as "absolute" as in Warhammer 40k.
In the main universe, the Grey Knights were not entirely isolated from other Astartes chapters. Their duties and honors were occasionally mentioned in low-key circles, especially among military enthusiasts.
As a standard military enthusiast, Chirak naturally knew that the Empire had a specialized Astartes unit dedicated to handling "supernatural events"—the Grey Knights.
Each Grey Knight was like a warrior from myth, possessing not only immense physical strength and combat skills but also the ability to resist psychic powers and Chaos corruption. They were the Empire's guardians, the steadfast bulwark against the darkest enemies.
And now, such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity stood right before Chirak.
He remained silent for a moment, but his mind was already in turmoil.
What did it mean to become a Grey Knight? It meant immortal glory, fighting against the most evil enemies, but it also meant leaving behind everything from his past—leaving Bountiful Star, even his parents—to embark on a lonely yet faith-filled path.
After a brief moment of weighing his options, a fire gradually ignited in his eyes. Unable to contain his excitement, he straightened his posture and replied to the Grey Knight:
"I want to join the Grey Knights, sir! I want to fight alongside you and kill those filthy scum!"
"Good," the Grey Knight before him smiled slightly and nodded, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity as he continued:
"Then we will give you one Bountiful Star day to bid farewell to your family. Starting tomorrow, you will be sent to the main universe for training and begin a new life."
...
At these words, Chirak's excitement cooled slightly.
His fervor was gradually replaced by complex emotions.
Becoming a Grey Knight was an honor and opportunity he had never imagined, but the thought of leaving his parents filled him with reluctance.
Though he had once complained about their overprotectiveness, at this moment of life-changing decision, he realized how deeply their care and concern had been etched into his heart.
He lowered his head, pondering for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and looked up with determination:
"Yes, sir. I will cherish this last time."
The Grey Knight nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
At that moment.
With the sound of heavy footsteps, more figures appeared at the warehouse entrance.
Technicians clad in black hazmat suits quickly entered and began methodically processing the scene.
They carefully collected the scattered remains of the heretics, swiftly sealing them in containers, while using high-efficiency decontamination equipment to clean the area, preventing any potential "secondary contamination."
Their movements were calm and precise, every detail reflecting years of rigorous training and combat experience.
Meanwhile, the Inquisition's task force also entered, clad in silver "mortal" power armor adorned with purity seals and special runes.
The task force members spread out, forming multiple layers of security to ensure no potential threats could approach.
Chirak followed the Grey Knights out of the warehouse.
The air outside was fresh, with a gentle breeze brushing against his face, though it carried a hint of coldness.
Surrounding them was a vast expanse of farmland, the fields covered in a thin layer of frost, silent and serene.
There were no buildings, no signs of any villages—only this isolated field enveloped by the night sky. Chirak could feel a sense of desolation and helplessness.
However, his attention was soon drawn to a distant light.
Though night had fallen, to the south, Chirak could faintly see a bustling holographic projection, with intertwined lights flickering on the horizon.
Without much thought, Chirak knew it was New Argos.
Even in the darkness, the city shone like a star, as if endless technology and civilization had converged to create an undeniable radiance. Yet now, New Argos was about to become the home he would bid farewell to.
A Silver Gull transport, bearing the Inquisition's emblem on its hull, decloaked before them and extended its landing gear, preparing to land.
Seeing this, the Grey Knight captain, who was personally responsible for the metallic container, instructed Chirak:
"Kid, the transport team will escort you safely back to New Argos. After saying goodbye to your parents, gather everything you need.
Remember, by noon tomorrow, report to the Sons of Humanity recruitment camp in the outskirts. Do not be late. This will be the beginning of your new life."
Chirak straightened his back and replied in a clear, firm voice: "Yes, sir."
As the Silver Gull landed nearby and its side doors opened, Chirak took a deep breath and stepped into the cabin.
The interior of the cabin was simple yet efficient. Two crew members in black protective suits watched his arrival with serious expressions.
As the doors closed and the engines' roar grew louder, the Silver Gull slowly ascended, carrying Chirak away from the farmland.
Through the sealed windows on either side of the cabin, Chirak could clearly see the warehouse area gradually shrinking, eventually left behind by the transport's flight path.
Just as the pilot adjusted the Silver Gull's angle, allowing Chirak to glimpse the cityscape of New Argos through the window—
Riiii—Whoosh!!
A thunderous purple beam of light suddenly shot into the sky from the heart of New Argos.
The beam, like a purple arrow, tore through the night, its dazzling radiance nearly overwhelming Chirak's vision.
The light was intense, almost blinding.
?!
Chirak instinctively squinted, his expression filled with confusion.
He had never seen such a bizarre phenomenon. The beam did not resemble any known energy signature, and the aura it emitted gave him an overwhelming sense of danger.
The Grey Knights on the ground also witnessed the spectacle.
Beneath their helmets, they showed no signs of tension or panic, but neither did they act immediately. Instead, they remained on guard, awaiting further developments.
Meanwhile, the snake-bodied siren sealed in the metallic container seemed to sense something.
She let out a low, hoarse laugh, her voice dripping with malice and triumph, as if she had long known how this would end.
"Ahahaha—!" Her laughter echoed within the container, filled with mockery and provocation:
"You fools! Hahaha! You're so clueless, so blind to the fact that everything was predestined! My master's plan has been fulfilled. This planet will soon become a paradise of pleasure! Your struggles are futile."
Her laughter grew increasingly shrill, as if heralding an impending disaster, her hollow tone brimming with confidence and madness.
At that moment, chaos had already erupted like wildfire in the streets of New Argos' city center.
Bang—Bang bang—!
Boom... Boom—!
Gunfire and explosions echoed through every street and alley.
The streets between skyscrapers were shrouded in thick smoke, flames leaping into the night sky as the entire city center descended into turmoil and warfare.
From above, swarms of unmanned patrol drones gathered around the beam, forming a defensive array.
Relying on precise sensor systems and coordinated algorithms, they unleashed a barrage of bullets and micro-missiles, attempting to suppress the enemies emerging from the beam.
These enemies were demonic creatures from the realm of Chaos, stepping into the material universe.
Their twisted, grotesque bodies were adorned with intricate patterns and colors, resembling some form of depraved and bizarre artwork, exuding an otherworldly "beauty."
These Chaos creatures moved swiftly, their strength immense as they wielded claws and bizarre weapons, slaughtering everything in their path without mercy.
The ordinary citizens on the streets were mostly caught off guard by the sudden chaos, their screams and cries intermingling.
They scattered in all directions, desperately seeking refuge in subway stations, underground shelters, and the enclosed spaces of shopping malls.
The police and their synthetic partners were the first to respond, along with countless unmanned patrol drones, forming the initial line of defense between the Chaos creatures and the innocent civilians.
More and more hovercrafts arrived, transporting fully armed SWAT teams and police-owned combat Terminators to the front lines.
These SWAT officers and Terminators moved with precision, quickly securing strategic positions and aiming their heavy weapons at the Chaos creatures' entry points, attempting to stall the enemy and buy time for reinforcements.
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