Boom... Boom—!
Continuous explosions shook the entire city of New Argos. Thick smoke and flames rapidly spread, filling the air with the pungent smell of scorched earth.
The buildings lining the streets trembled under the deafening blasts. Windows of the towering skyscrapers shattered, raining down shards like a storm.
The invasion of the Chaos creatures had plunged the city into unprecedented chaos. At a crossroads near the purple beam of light, a fierce defensive battle was raging.
"Don't let those bastards break through!"
A police officer equipped with mechanical exoskeleton gritted his teeth and shouted, his forehead streaked with a mix of sweat and grime.
While giving orders, the officer quickly moved behind an abandoned vehicle. Using the assistance of his holographic visor and mechanical exoskeleton, he aimed at the Chaos creatures ahead and pulled the trigger, sending a dazzling blue beam from his Gauss rifle.
Besides this officer, more than a dozen police officers and their synthetic partners had gathered here.
They were doing their best to use the abandoned vehicles as cover, but they knew that once these ruins could no longer shield them, their lives would be left to "fate."
"Captain! We can't hold on much longer!"
At this moment, a police officer's voice was filled with anxiety. Even with the assistance of the mechanical exoskeleton, his steps were no longer steady.
The pressure was mounting, and the Chaos creatures surged forward like a tidal wave, relentlessly pressing against the defensive line. This pushed the officer's mental state to the brink of collapse.
Every Chaos creature was a significant threat. Their pale skin had a strange purple hue, and their massive crab-like claws waved in the air. Sharp, blade-like bone spikes and bone shields formed a sturdy defense on their bodies.
These creatures seemed fully prepared for their entry into the material universe, with bodies that were exceptionally tough and highly resistant to attacks.
Faced with such formidable enemies, the firepower of the police officers was almost negligible. All they could do was desperately buy time, hoping to give the civilians a chance to evacuate.
The pressure on the police officers was immense, especially for the younger ones who had only joined the force a few years—or even months—ago. They were already on the verge of breaking down.
The sight of the grotesque Chaos creatures, combined with the invisible psychic influence, continued to assault their minds.
"Fall back, Captain! If we don't retreat now, it'll be too late! We'll cover you!"
A synthetic partner, whose abdomen had been pierced and was leaking bright red "blood," urged anxiously.
However, the synthetic's facial expression showed no signs of pain or distress.
After all, the physical capabilities of police-grade synthetic bodies far exceeded those of ordinary humans.
As the number of Chaos creatures grew and they closed in, it became clear that there was no way out. If they didn't make a decision soon, even their only escape route would be cut off.
Above them, hundreds of unmanned patrol drones formed an array, launching precise strikes at the Chaos tide. Laser beams and high-explosive ammunition rained down like a storm.
Their mission was to deplete the numbers of the Chaos creatures as much as possible. However, faced with such a massive wave of enemies, no matter how accurate or dense their attacks were, the effect was still negligible.
Moreover, the Chaos creatures were not without their own anti-air measures.
Whoosh—Whoosh—!!
One after another, dazzling pink psychic beams swept out from behind the Chaos creatures, cutting through the night sky.
Their trajectories were like cunning serpents, targeting the drone formations in the air.
In an instant, hundreds of drones were crushed as if by an invisible giant hand, and the formation was decimated.
The patrol drone fleet, which had been dominating the sky just moments ago, was now reduced to a few dozen struggling to maintain the front line.
!!
The police officers and their synthetic partners were also pinned down by the enemy's firepower, unable to move an inch.
The Chaos creatures' firepower covered the entire battlefield. The sky and ground were filled with intense flames and smoke. All the police officers could do was duck for cover, hoping not to be the next target.
"Ah—!"
Suddenly, a sharp, piercing scream rang out.
A young police officer, unable to dodge in time, was hit by a psychic beam. He clutched his chest in agony and collapsed to the ground.
What happened next filled his comrades with utter terror.
The officer's face began to "wither" at a visible rate. His skin, once youthful and smooth, quickly became dry and cracked, with horrifying fissures spreading across it.
His body rapidly shriveled, like a balloon suddenly deflated, as his life force was drained completely within seconds.
In the end, the officer's eyes were hollow and despairing, leaving behind a desiccated corpse that resembled a piece of dried wood.
"Captain!"
Seeing this, the surviving officers couldn't hide their fear.
Their hands trembled so violently that they could barely hold their weapons. Their eyes turned to the captain, waiting for their commander to make a decisive call.
The captain, too, knew that their firepower and defenses were no match for the terrifying Chaos creatures.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his inner fear, and steadied his voice as much as possible before giving the order:
"Retreat! Synthetics, cover us!"
"Yes, sir!"
The synthetics immediately sprang into action.
Without hesitation, they stood up and faced the Chaos tide head-on, firing their weapons in a suicidal attack.
Even though their bodies were stronger than humans, they were still no match for the psychic beams. All the synthetics could do was buy the police officers a brief window to retreat.
Boom—!
One synthetic overloaded a condensed battery, taking several Chaos creatures with it in a burst of flames and debris.
Their sacrifice was cold, mechanical, yet filled with silent heroism.
However, their actions allowed all the police officers to seize this brief opportunity and retreat quickly.
The officers disappeared into the ruins and smoke, their hearts heavy with guilt and gratitude for their synthetic comrades.
Soon, the dozen or so officers entered a dark, narrow alley.
"Huff... Huff..."
The sound of rapid breathing was especially clear in the alleyway.
Even with the assistance of their mechanical exoskeletons, everyone's face was etched with exhaustion and tension. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, leaving dark stains on the dirty ground.
Some officers leaned against the walls, catching their breath; others gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes darting between the alley entrance and the sky, wary of any pursuing Chaos creatures.
Captain Duke Oren, who was leading them, also wore a grave expression.
He opened his communicator, trying to contact headquarters, and spoke in as calm a voice as possible:
"This is Captain Duke Oren! Requesting updated orders and transport support! Repeat, we need reinforcements!"
"Zzz... This is..."
However, the response was nothing but a frustrating burst of static.
The intermittent noise made it impossible to understand the message, and the signal indicator on the communication device flickered erratically.
It seemed that the power of the Warp had begun to seep through, interfering with the normal operation of electronic devices and even distorting and altering the fabric of reality in New Argos.
"Damn it..."
Duke cursed under his breath and quickly checked the status of the communicator, but there was no improvement.
Police communications were being jammed and blocked, and they didn't have the higher clearance needed to directly contact the Sons of Humanity for support. The current situation had clearly exceeded the capabilities of ordinary police officers.
"Captain... what do we do now?"
A young officer stepped forward, asking cautiously. His voice betrayed his panic, and his eyes were filled with uncertainty.
"Do we evacuate the city? Or..."
The other officers also turned their eyes to Duke, hoping their leader could guide them through the chaos.
Duke took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm.
He scanned the tired but hopeful faces of his team, then spoke in a firm voice:
"Our duty is to protect the civilians and ensure their evacuation. That mission is complete, so leaving the city is an option. But the roads are likely swarming with those bastards, and moving recklessly would be too risky. One misstep, and we could all be wiped out.
We need more intel and a temporary safe zone..."
Duke's tone was steady and authoritative, like an anchor temporarily stabilizing their morale.
As he spoke, he used the AR function of his holographic visor to scan the surrounding map data.
When Duke realized that the Central Hospital, where his wife worked, was only about 500 meters away, he marked it on the officers' holographic visors and continued:
"Listen up, the Central Hospital is just ahead. The Atlas security team there has more firepower than the entire police station. In theory, it's the safest place nearby."
Duke's voice was low and calm, but it carried an undeniable authority:
"We'll head there. On one hand, we can find shelter, and on the other, we can assist in their defense, holding out until the main forces of the Sons of Humanity arrive.
Now, follow me!"
With that, he quickly slung his hardlight rifle back into his hands, checked his magazine, and then led the way, sprinting toward the hospital.
"Yes, sir!"
The officers responded in unison, their spirits momentarily lifted.
They also readied their weapons, suppressing their emotions as much as possible, and followed closely behind Duke.
Each of their faces showed determination. They understood that their priority now was to carry out their captain's orders, not to be weighed down by fear.
After exiting the alley, they continued to use abandoned vehicles and buildings as cover, advancing toward the Central Hospital just a block away.
As they moved, Duke and his team were relatively fortunate.
Although they occasionally encountered a few scattered Chaos creatures, these monsters were not in large groups but operated alone.
Thanks to the officers' teamwork and firepower, they quickly eliminated the threats and tried to stay low-key, avoiding drawing the attention of more enemies.
When they turned the corner and bypassed a massive skyscraper blocking their view, they finally reached the street where the Central Hospital was located.
!!!
Instantly, everyone's face showed unmistakable shock and disbelief.
"This can't be happening!"
Duke Oren couldn't help but blurt out.
The scene before them was simply "unbelievable"—
Just outside the hospital, three "Sons of Humanity" were advancing step by step, launching an attack on the main entrance of the Central Hospital.
Bang—Bang bang—!
The deafening roar of bolter fire echoed through the streets.
Their movements were steady, filled with unmistakable killing intent. Every shot they fired caused a small explosion.
At the same time, the low, hoarse voices of the three "Sons of Humanity" reached the officers' ears:
"Hahaha! The False Emperor's subjects must die!"
"They must die, yes, but we should torture them first. That's where the fun is, brother."
"I'll rip their off and offer their souls and bodies to our god! Hahaha!!"
Their voices were filled with madness and mockery, and the distinct metallic tone sent a chill down Duke and his team's spines.
Every characteristic indicated that the three giants attacking the Central Hospital were indeed "sons of the Emperor," Astartes.
After the initial shock, Duke and his officers began to notice that something was off about the appearance of these three "Sons of Humanity."
Their power armor was still predominantly purple, but unlike the "proper" Sons of Humanity, these suits were adorned with grotesque decorations.
Dense spikes, blood-stained metal engravings, and human skulls and flayed skin hanging from their shoulder pads all exuded a nauseating aura of corruption.
One of the "Sons of Humanity" wasn't wearing a helmet, exposing a twisted, grotesque face that seemed to writhe unnaturally. Metal lines pierced his skin, giving him a horrifying appearance, and his crimson eyes radiated endless madness and malice.
Were these traitorous Sons of Humanity?
Or had their bodies been taken over by Chaos creatures, reducing even the mighty Astartes to disgusting scum?
Duke and his team were deeply confused.
At this moment, the armed security personnel from Atlas, responsible for the safety of the Central Hospital, didn't share Duke's hesitation.
They made their stance clear through action—any threat to the hospital would be utterly destroyed—
Bang! Bang bang!
The Atlas security team unleashed the full power of their hardlight weapons.
Dozens of high-intensity hardlight beams surged forth, forming a blazing wall of light that enveloped the three "fallen" Astartes.
The dense beams rained down like a storm, but the "fallen" showed no intention of dodging.
"Hahaha!"
"Fun, fun!"
They simply stood there, completely unfazed by the deadly attack, and instead let out arrogant laughter, as if exposing themselves to the "laser rain" was the ultimate act of mockery.
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