Infinite Metaverse

Chapter 34: The Original Evil 

The announcement echoed through the rest chamber, calling all Astartes to assemble in the auditorium. Fu Qinghai noted that the announcement didn't specify which Legion it referred to, so it likely included him as well. He donned his helmet, grabbed his weapons, and made his way to the auditorium.

Inside the hall, rows of Ultramarines in their deep blue armor stood in perfect formation. Fu Qinghai, clad in his white armor, stood out conspicuously at the back of the room.

The target of this operation was the Word Bearers Legion.

'The Word Bearers, the original evil…' Fu Qinghai thought to himself.

In the Horus Heresy, the cataclysm that nearly brought the Imperium to its knees, the Word Bearers were the instigators—the original villains. They were a fanatical Legion, worshipping the Emperor as a god during a time when He vehemently opposed religion. Their obsession with spreading their faith during the Great Crusade slowed their conquests. After the Emperor ordered the destruction of Monarchia by the Ultramarines, the Word Bearers harbored a deep grudge against the XIII Legion. Their betrayal at Calth and the subsequent Shadow Crusade that ravaged Ultramar only deepened the blood feud between the two Legions.

This hatred would persist even into the 41st millennium.

And now, here they were.

After the briefing in the auditorium, Fu Qinghai found the squad he would be joining—the Sting Tactical Squad.

"Hello, sir. I am Qinghai, from the White Scars' Falcon Brotherhood," Fu Qinghai saluted and introduced himself.

"Hello, warrior of the White Scars. I noticed you're also a sergeant, so we're of equal rank. No need to call me 'sir.' My name is Gurt Ricardo. Just call me Gurt," Gurt pointed to the sergeant's insignia on Fu Qinghai's chest plate.

"Alright, Gurt."

The title of Techmarine itself indicated that those who held it were at least sergeants. When Fu Qinghai completed his training under Master Kurnos, Ogotai had promoted him to the rank of sergeant. However, due to the small number of Astartes on the 'Shortsword', Fu Qinghai hadn't yet had the opportunity to lead troops.

"Our squad wasn't assigned the honor of being the vanguard, but we've been given another important task. Captain Setheus Flavorus will personally lead our squad as part of the reserve force for the orbital insertion," Gurt explained.

Fu Qinghai nodded. This meant that while the Sting Squad wasn't part of the initial assault, their role under the captain's direct command indicated their importance within the company.

Gurt handed Fu Qinghai a data slate. "You can review the tactical briefing compiled from the scouts' reports. More detailed information will come in once the vanguard has landed."

Fu Qinghai took the slate and began scrolling through the information, carefully reading the briefing.

The target was an unfamiliar planet, and the scouts and augurs had gathered limited preliminary data. The briefing mainly outlined Captain Flavorus' tactical plan.

The Ultramarines would split into squads to assault the transports, aiming to disable their critical systems. Depending on the situation, they would either continue to secure the ships or teleport back to the 'Sosalan'.

The slate only displayed the objectives for each squad, but Fu Qinghai quickly grasped Flavorus' tactical intent: first, cripple the transports' propulsion or control systems—this was the primary objective—and then, if possible, achieve greater results.

After committing the details to memory, Fu Qinghai handed the slate back to Gurt.

"So, Captain Flavorus' tactical goal is to prioritize destroying the transports' power sources to prevent them from taking off?" Fu Qinghai asked.

Gurt was slightly surprised that Fu Qinghai had understood Flavorus' plan so quickly. He nodded and said, "Oh, I thought the White Scars…" He caught himself mid-sentence, realizing he might have misspoken, and fell silent.

Fu Qinghai wasn't offended. Calmly, he replied, "Sergeant Gurt, while Chogoris may be a feudal and technologically backward world, the White Scars are not a barbarian Legion. Our tactical acumen might be far greater than you imagine."

Gurt awkwardly scratched his head. "My apologies. I haven't had the chance to fight alongside the White Scars before, so I had some misconceptions."

Unlike the Dark Angels, the Emperor's First Legion, known for their knightly traditions; the Emperor's Children, the Emperor's favored sons and paragons of perfection; or the Luna Wolves and Ultramarines, renowned for their conquest efficiency, the White Scars remained a mysterious Legion to many Astartes and Imperial citizens.

Many Astartes, knowing that Chogoris was a world with technology barely reaching the black powder stage, assumed the White Scars were a barbarian Legion, much like the Space Wolves.

But they were wrong. The Space Wolves were indeed barbaric—brutal yet honorable.

The White Scars, however, had a rich cultural heritage and spiritual beliefs. They cherished incense, calligraphy, and poetry.

They simply didn't bother explaining these things to others.

The Ultramarines placed great emphasis on pre-battle intelligence gathering and analysis, crafting detailed and meticulous plans based on the information.

In contrast, the White Scars, long serving as scouts and vanguards, might have more experience in handling sudden engagements than the Ultramarines.

Fu Qinghai accepted Gurt's apology. It wasn't a big deal, and there was no need to be overly sensitive.

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the 'Sosalan', Flavorus stood before a holographic projection of a burly, white-armored man with a buzz cut and a gruff voice. The man asked, "Flavorus, do you need us to send troops to assist with the landing?"

Setheus Flavorus shook his head. "Not for now, Ogotai. I'll call for the Shortsword's support if necessary."

*****

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