Chapter 101: Terror and Chaos Unleashed

Agel glanced toward his camp cot and saw Colonel Karl’s power sword placed neatly beside it, the disassembly force field already activated around it.

“Kid, you took down Karl?”

A man in the planetary defense force uniform approached Agel’s cot and looked at him—his body covered in plaster casts from head to toe.

Agel strained to turn his head and recognized the man: Colonel Budek, the commander of the current offensive operation. He had seen Budek’s photo on the transport from Nelle to Dinanli.

“Yes, Colonel,” Agel rasped, his voice dry and rough like the grinding of sandpaper.

“Good work, kid. That power sword is yours now. How old are you?”

Budek praised Agel’s achievement and then inquired about his age.

“Fifteen, Colonel.”

At hearing this, Budek pondered for a moment before saying, “At that age… I might be able to secure an opportunity for you,” then he turned and left, leaving a bewildered Agel behind.

After a day of faster-than-light travel, the transdimensional travelers finally arrived at Batco II. Five starships were now docked at Batco II’s starport.

The mortal auxiliary troops of the Star Wanderers and the travelers themselves boarded transports heading for various cities on the continent of Kaga, providing support to the planetary defense forces locked in fierce combat with the cultists.

Wang Ming was currently at the entrance of Dinanli’s starport, discussing matters with the planetary governor, accompanied by Hu Jin and the newly enhanced Wu Xuan.

Regarding Wu Xuan’s new modifications—it was no longer just an enhancement. After witnessing the formidable battle prowess of the Iron Man units aboard the Imperial Truth, Wu Xuan developed an interest in their combat capabilities. Seeking upgrades, he collaborated with the oil technician and the First Engineer Company, who enthusiastically assisted in transforming him.

Wu Xuan’s brain was transplanted directly into a combat Iron Man chassis, effectively replacing its AI control system. Wang Ming, observing this radical transformation, began to suspect that Wu Xuan was on the verge of becoming a cybernetic madman.

Upon learning of the Imperial Protector’s arrival, the planetary governor hastened from Nelle to Dinanli to welcome him.

“Great Gene-Primarch, esteemed Protector, Batco II is honored by your presence. Your arrival brings peace and security to our people,” the governor declared, kneeling on one knee and performing the Eagle Salute as a sign of reverence.

“Rise, Governor,” Wang Ming said awkwardly as he looked at the governor’s almost pilgrim-like devotion.

“Yes, great Gene-Primarch,” the governor responded, rising with a face alight with excitement as if beholding a living deity.

“Governor, report on the battle situation at Batco II,” Wang Ming requested, needing to upload the current conflict status to the combat system for Captain Jiang Tao’s analysis to better coordinate military operations.

“Great Gene-Primarch…” the governor began but was interrupted by Wang Ming raising a hand.

“Please get to the point, Governor.”

“Understood, Primarch. The situation on Batco II is unfavorable to the Imperial government. Nearly all cities on the Kaga continent have fallen to the cultist fanatics. Furthermore, in some of the earliest occupied cities, there are sightings of renegade Astartes,” the governor swiftly reported.

“Renegade Astartes,” Wang Ming mused. The appearance of Chaos Astartes suggested something serious—perhaps one of the Chaos factions had set its sights on this world.

“Governor, what is the name of the cult behind the rebellion on Batco II?” Wang Ming asked, hoping the cult’s identity might reveal which Chaos power was involved.

“There are three cults leading the rebellion: the Blood God Warriors, the Children of Life, and the Cult of Pleasure. All have forsaken the Emperor’s light and are sinners!” the governor answered.

Wang Ming thought to himself: Tzeentch, Nurgle, and Slaanesh—this is a complicated mix. Wait, if these three are involved, Tzeentch’s followers should also be here. They wouldn’t let just three factions battle it out; it’s more like four Chaos powers playing mahjong together.

As for the absence of Tzeentch’s visible followers, Wang Ming could only speculate they were operating some secret plan.

“Very well, Governor. We will deal with this. For now, I need you to hand over full control of Batco II to me.”

“It is a great honor, Primarch,” the governor replied, performing the Eagle Salute and immediately transferring his authority. With that, Batco II’s planetary defense forces came under Wang Ming’s command.

Wang Ming activated his data slate and gave Captain Jiang Tao command of the planetary defense forces, replacing the planetary general.

With all military tasks arranged, Wang Ming and the governor proceeded to the planetary governor’s mansion to begin plans for industrializing Batco II.

Even though Batco II was a garden world, for the Empire’s sake, it would be transformed into an industrial powerhouse. Wang Ming’s vision was to establish an industrial cluster in the Outer Rim to support the Indomitable Crusade and all future Imperial wars.

Let us now turn our gaze to the battlefield on Batco II.

After Wang Ming departed for Nelle, Hu Jin and Wu Xuan headed for the front lines. With support from Astartes and auxiliary mortal troops, most cultists were no match.

However, in one coastal city, the travelers encountered something unexpected—not entirely unforeseen, as the planetary governor had warned of Chaos Astartes on the battlefield. What surprised them was the sheer number of Chaos Space Marines.

In this city by the sea, the travelers faced an entire faction of Chaos Space Marines, accompanied by various demonic entities. The forces in this city alone were strong enough to capture Batco II.

Yet, curiously, these Chaos forces seemed to be simply waiting, as if they knew the travelers’ arrival in advance.

“Damn it, so many World Eaters!” Hu Jin cursed loudly inside the field command tent while watching battle footage from the city.

The video showed streets filled with World Eater Space Marines clad in blood-red armor, their helmets adorned with ear-like protrusions, charging toward the travelers and their mortal auxiliaries.

“This is the last footage recorded before their deaths,” Captain Zhang Yuan of the Third Battalion told Hu Jin.

These clips captured the final moments of travelers who had been slain by the Chaos Space Marines. Upon resurrection, they had surged into the city with furious vengeance, engaging in brutal combat with the Chaos forces, driven by a vow to avenge their fallen mortal comrades. The Third Battalion’s travelers were still locked in fierce battle, seemingly unable to exhaust the endless tide of Chaos Space Marines.

“This doesn’t feel right. There are too many World Eaters. Something’s off,” Wang Xiaofa said beside Hu Jin, his brow furrowed as he studied the footage.

“And it feels like the Chaos Marines are deliberately waiting for us. It’s too strange,” Xu Feng added.

“Something’s wrong. Contact the boss. If we keep fighting like this, we might even see the appearance of a Daemon Primarch,” Wang Xiaofa suggested.

The other three battalion commanders nodded in agreement.

“Hey, Commander! Come out and look at the sky!”

Just as Wang Xiaofa and the others prepared to contact Wang Ming, a traveler burst into the tent urgently.

“What’s wrong?” the four asked as they rushed outside.

What they saw shocked them: the entire sky had turned blood red, streaked with eerie crimson lightning crackling within the clouds.

“Damn it, Tzeentch!” Wang Xiaofa exclaimed, recognizing the mark of the Chaos god stirring trouble. He immediately contacted Wang Ming to report, though it was hardly necessary—the entire sky over Batco II had already turned scarlet.

The blood-red sky above that city resembled the exact same warp storm that had once darkened the palace district during the Second Battle of Terra.

Wang Ming grimaced as he observed the warp storm forming overhead. This was clearly the Chaos gods preparing to challenge the travelers.

He had already pieced together their plan—Tzeentch, Nurgle, and Slaanesh were conspiring, with Tzeentch surely involved. Using the mortal cultists as a smokescreen, they intended to lure the travelers into the city and ambush them with Chaos Space Marines.

“Boss! Boss!”

As Wang Ming stared at the storm, a freshly resurrected traveler ran up to him.

“What is it?” Wang Ming asked.

“Angron! The Butcher King is coming!” the traveler said urgently.

No sooner had he spoken than many resurrected travelers gathered around Wang Ming, each reporting encounters with the Daemon Primarch.

Wang Ming listened and felt a cold dread—he was about to face death once again.

When the Butcher King arrived, Wang Ming led four battalions of travelers into the city to confront him in single combat.

To their surprise, it was not Angron’s World Eaters but swarms of Tzeentch demons that greeted them, filling every street and attacking relentlessly.

The travelers drew their power swords and engaged the demons in brutal close combat.

In an instant, the battle cries of “For the Emperor!” and the roars of the demons echoed through the city.

Wang Ming joined the fray, wielding his power sword to cleave through the Tzeentch demons. Thanks to his Gene-Primarch strength, even the mighty demons fell like mere mortals. Any demon near Wang Ming was sliced in two like ripe wheat by his golden greatsword.

Just as Wang Ming was cutting through the demons with fervor, a massive figure burst from their ranks and charged him.

The sudden attack sent Wang Ming flying into the demon horde, toppling several foes. He then identified the assailant: a towering Tzeentch Greater Daemon wielding a battle axe.

The daemon swung its axe at Wang Ming’s head, but Wang Ming kicked it square in the chest with primarch-level force, sending the demon reeling.

Seizing the moment, Wang Ming sprang to his feet, swung his golden power sword to fell the surrounding demons, and charged the Greater Daemon, intent on banishing it back to the warp.

He struck a powerful blow toward the daemon’s head, aiming to exile it instantly.

However, the Greater Daemon was no easy prey. It blocked Wang Ming’s sword with its axe and reached out its other claw to grab Wang Ming’s head.

Quickly retracting his sword, Wang Ming slashed at the incoming claw, severing it cleanly.

Wu Xuan’s radical enhancements had been inspired by a brother’s comment.