Under Alex's repeated urging, the red-robed Tech-Priest of the Adeptus Mechanicus dared not delay any longer.
They manipulated precise mechanical arms, swiftly completing the cutting of the entire relic amidst dazzling plasma sparks.
Several anti-gravity platforms were carefully installed at the base of the relic, shimmering with a faint blue energy glow.
"Bring it up immediately!" Alex's voice echoed through the communicator across the entire area.
At the same time, the ancient relic's defenders, reinforced by armored units, had re-established their defensive line.
The Imperial Army soldiers, while suppressing the greenskin advance with a dense curtain of fire, systematically recovered damaged knight titans and the remains of fallen comrades.
According to standard operating procedures, they had to ensure no materials or technology were left behind for the enemy to exploit.
This was because Alex's second order had been relayed to every combat unit: the Imperial Army was about to begin withdrawal operations.
However, the retreat was not a sudden act but a meticulously planned echelon transfer, with transport ships and shuttles ferrying troops in batches to warships in orbit.
Most astonishing was the plan the Adeptus Mechanicus was deploying—they intended to install a gigantic teleportation device on the planet's surface, directly teleporting the entire planet above the Necrons' throne world.
When Alex first heard this proposal, he could barely believe his ears.
"These Tech-Priest can actually teleport a planet?" Alex mused to himself, his brow furrowing unconsciously.
He had originally thought the Adeptus Mechanicus would adopt more "conventional" methods, such as installing planetary-scale thrusters or gravitic tow arrays.
This discovery forced him to re-evaluate the technological prowess the Adeptus Mechanicus had unearthed from the Dark Age of Technology.
But now was not the time to delve into such matters.
Alex's gaze shifted to the ancient relic that had been completely cut away.
Five Sisters of Silences remained stationed within it, using their Void Field to seal Kroak's every movement.
The entire relic now resembled a colossal block of metal frozen in time, its architectural style resembling neither the crude creations of the greenskins nor the architectural style of the Necrons.
Alex did not have the spare energy to ascertain whether this was a lost Old One relic or a container built by some long-vanished civilization that had inadvertently acquired Kroak.
At this moment, he had only one firm thought: this dangerous relic—along with Kroak sealed inside—must be thrown into the nearest star as quickly as possible, eliminating future troubles forever.
But this decision met with furious opposition from the Adeptus Mechanicus.
The red-robed Priests swarmed around him like vultures drawn to carrion, their bionic eyes flickering with greedy data streams, their binary prayers interspersed with a yearning for ancient technology.
They eagerly hoped to obtain Kroak as a research sample; even if they had to destroy him, they wanted to get some spores or body tissue for study.
Several high-ranking Priests even immediately unfurled holographic projections, demonstrating methods for preserving samples with stasis fields.
There was even a crazy Tech-Priest who told Alex that he should strip off Kroak's armor, which clearly looked highly advanced.
This Priest's mechanical tendrils twitched excitedly, claiming that the armor's technological content might surpass all existing technology on Mars.
His voice was distorted by excitement, and harsh static noise erupted from his electronic throat.
However, Alex ignored them, simply calling for 32 from Rostov.
Although it took some time—during which the Priests buzzed incessantly like servitor skulls in his ear—32's identity as a Tech-Priestess Inquisitor of the Prefecture Magisterium silenced these noisy Tech-Priest and made them obediently return to work.
She simply displayed the Inquisition's Rosette Seal, and the Priests' mechanical vocal cords instantly fell silent as if choked, each scurrying back to their workstations.
There was no other way; the Tech-Priestess Conclave was a conclave within the Inquisition specifically targeting the Adeptus Mechanicus, and 32 was also from the Prefecture Magisterium, which was a decisive blow against the Tech-Priest.
"By the way, besides logistical construction, are there any combat missions for us?" 32 asked, cradling her mechanical cat, with several kittens crawling on her, meowing.
She leaned against the command console, looking somewhat bored.
Alex's gaze lifted from the tactical holographic map, the projected blue light casting a shadow on his stern face.
"As for combat missions…" Alex pondered for a moment, then asked very seriously, "How many Skitarii do you have?"
32's mechanical tendrils traced several arcs in the air, bringing up a troop roster: "One Macro-Branch of the Skitarii, plus three squads of Cognis Servitors. What, is the front line tight?"
Alex's gaze swept over the shrinking defensive lines marked on the holographic map; the blue markers representing the Imperial Army were systematically retreating, but every node on the retreat path flashed with fortification indicators.
"If you have enough forces," he pointed to a crucial pass, "you can go down and participate in the ground operations. Although the main force is retreating, this defensive line must be maintained until the Tech-Priest complete the installation of the teleportation device."
32's bionic eyes rapidly zoomed in and out, analyzing the battlefield data stream.
Suddenly, her expression became playful: "Wait, you just said 'if you have enough forces'? Does that mean if not enough—"
"If not enough," Alex pulled up an encrypted file from his datapad, and the holographic projection immediately turned a dazzling crimson, "I suggest you, Gutierrez, and Mai Mai go to the Star Sector Capital. Ahriman might need help there."
"Ahriman?" 32 showed a curious expression, clearly more interested in investigating cults than ganking greenskins: "Haven't the cults in the Star Sector Capital already been dealt with by him?"
"According to Ahriman's investigation, the Blood Oath Society has indeed been mostly purged, and all related issues have been cleared up, but he discovered traces of another cult organization, and this might involve a Greater Daemon," Alex produced a secret document and handed it to 32: "You should know what a Greater Daemon is. If it really involves a Greater Daemon, the problem will be very serious."
32's mechanical tendrils suddenly straightened, and data streams flashed wildly in her eyes: "A Greater Daemon? Are you sure?"
"I'm not sure, but since Ahriman said so, it's better to investigate," Alex sent the file to 32, indicating that the specific situation still needed investigation.
32's mechanical fingers deftly flipped the data-chip, a hint of excited blue light flashing in her bionic eye: "Understood! I'll go find Mai Mai and the others now."
With that, she turned and left, her feline companions following suit.
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