In the pipes of the industrial Hive City,
Cain led the squad forward in an unsettling silence, each person ready to fire at any moment. Though, to be honest, they were probably more willing to confront each other than the unknown enemy.
Despite the current peace, Cain noticed that the Tau seemed to have some kind of night vision—no one carried a flashlight, and Cain speculated that their helmet visors allowed them to see clearly in the dark in a way he didn't quite understand.
The Kroot, on the other hand, needed no visual aids; they moved through the darkness with ease, as if they were born for the night. Cain couldn't help but wonder if perhaps they truly were made for the dark.
These Tau were trapped here, cut off from their main forces. They had been tasked with defending this industrial Hive City at the outbreak of the war, but the influx of Gretchin caught them off guard, forcing them underground to fight the Gretchin.
They didn't even know that the Tau Empire and humanity had already reached a treaty, and that the war between the two sides had ended. When the Ether Elder left this planet with the Tau prisoners, he had already considered them to be fallen.
When Amberly informed them that the war with humanity had ended, expressions of disappointment appeared on their faces, but they did not complain. There was no alternative; adhering to the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," these Tau naturally joined Cain's squad. Amberly also said that after the matter was resolved, she would help them contact the Tau Empire embassy to arrange their return.
The good news, however, was that Cain encountered the Kroot who had saved his life that day, the one named Gworok. Cain recognized him because Gworok had recognized him first, and Gworok was also one of the few who could speak Human.
The leading Tau suddenly let out a low whistle, and the entire team stopped. To be precise, the Tau stopped, and Cain and the others almost ran into their backs.
"What happened?" Cain asked in a low voice.
Amberly listened intently, then commanded, "Turn off all flashlights."
Cain complied, but his heart was filled with worry. He didn't fully trust these Penal Legion in the light, let alone in complete darkness with those elusive xenos.
However, she was an Inquisitor, and Cain could only trust that she knew what she was doing. Before turning off his light, Cain closed his eyes, allowing his vision to slowly adapt to the darkness.
Even so, it took him a while to make out the outlines around him, hearing only his own rapid heartbeat and the indistinct sounds nearby.
Slowly, his vision recovered somewhat in the darkness, and he faintly saw a weak red light in the distance.
"There's a light there," Yugen whispered.
A Tau quickly exchanged a few words in a low voice, and Amberly translated for them: "There are sentries. The Kroot will handle them."
Cain couldn't see Gworok in the dark, but felt a gust of wind sweep past him and knew the Kroot had departed. Cain's eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and he vaguely saw a few figures stealthily moving towards the light.
Suddenly, those shadows vanished into the darkness… then, faint shouts, sounds of struggle, and the snapping of bones indistinctly drifted over.
Afterward, the low murmuring of the Tau broke the silence, and Amberly whispered to them, "They've been dealt with."
They quickened their pace towards the light source; even facing potential danger, the faint glow there offered a sense of reassurance.
As they approached a string of small glowing orbs embedded in the ceiling, Cain observed an obstruction across the passage, forming a makeshift checkpoint that allowed only one person to pass.
Cain pointed out the insufficient defense: "If the Gretchin were truly vigilant against invasion, the sentry post should be set in darkness, not in the light."
Gworok echoed this, and at that moment, Cain couldn't help but notice him, just in time to see Gworok bending down and taking a bite out of a human corpse.
The Soldiers let out disgusted grumbles and low curses, and Cain's stomach churned.
The Tau silently averted their gaze, as if equally uncomfortable with the scene but too polite to mention it. Even more unexpectedly, the piece of flesh Gworok bit off was spat out.
He quickly whispered in his native tongue, and then the other Kroot also spat out the "food" in their mouths.
"What in the world is going on?" Cain whispered to Amberly.
Gworok's hearing was clearly extremely acute, and he immediately replied, "Contaminated, like the other corpses."
He let out a sickening gurgle. When Amberly asked what he meant by "contaminated," Gworok looked thoughtful and finally replied, "Twisted molecules, self-replicating… similar to what you call 'genes,' or what you refer to as 'Gretchin' in transformation."
Amberly seemed to have confirmed a certain suspicion: that the Kroot had a method for detecting genetic infection.
Cain felt an unspeakable dread for a moment. Memories of past battles, and his first conversation with Amberly, suddenly flooded his mind.
He finally vaguely understood what she was looking for here. Cain felt a strong urge to turn and run immediately, to escape this darkness, to flee back to the surface.
Cain tugged at the sleeve of Inquisitor Amberly's robe: "You're not planning to personally confirm the death of the Gretchin Patriarch or the Broodlord, are you?"
Amberly paused, then returned a pretty and playful smile: "Oh, you guessed it~"
…Cain and his squad continued through the darkness for about three kilometers when suddenly, the leading Tau again raised his peculiar hand gesture, signaling everyone to be silent.
In the nearly hour they had marched alongside their xenos allies, Cain and his Soldiers had grown accustomed to these aliens' strange hand signals, though each signal still made them uneasy.
Kaelp always clutched his weapon, his eyes revealing an urge to fire. Though Cain had no particular fondness for him, he had to admit that his vigilance was not unfounded; these aliens, even as current allies, could not shake the wariness in his heart.
Cain knew well that this fragile alliance could be brutally torn apart at any moment.
"He says there are a large number of life signs ahead."
Gworok quietly translated the gestures for everyone. The Tau all had convenient communication devices, while the Kroot clearly did not enjoy the same treatment, or perhaps, even if they did, they would disdainfully discard them.
Thus, these xenos allies conveyed commands and information through complex gestures, much like Guardsmen on a battlefield would use silent communication when lacking comms or when the enemy was close at hand.
"How large is the number?"
Amberly asked in a low voice, her gaze sweeping uneasily over the detector. This time, the detector screen indeed showed life signals beyond their six, yet Cain noticed the number of light points was far fewer than the information conveyed by Gworok.
This discovery tightened his heart, as if confirming their worst fears.
Cain tentatively asked, "We have to see for ourselves, don't we?"
He didn't expect an answer, but asking gave him a false sense of comfort, as if he still had some control over his fate. However, at that moment, he knew deep down that what awaited him might be a brief and bloody destiny. Amberly nodded, her eyes even colder than Cain had expected, that icy resolve sending a chill down his spine.
Even an Inquisitor would inevitably feel fear in such circumstances, and the current situation was indeed terrifying.
"I'm afraid so," her tone was calm and resolute, as if everything was already decided.
Cain often wondered if things would have been different had they warned these Soldiers earlier about the dangers they were about to face. These Soldiers were seasoned veterans, survivors of Tyranid invasions, and not easily swayed by terrifying threats.
However, Cain dared not trust them, especially in this situation. For him, this was not mere suspicion, but a deep-seated vigilance.
He knew very well that if he told them his suspicions, the Soldiers might not hesitate to flee, or even kill Amberly to cover their tracks, just as he had heard Sorel mention. Of course, these Soldiers would also not hesitate to kill him, which was Cain's primary concern.
Cain weighed it repeatedly in his mind, and ultimately chose to remain silent, allowing the Soldiers to continue believing they were merely tracking a group of Heretics.
Even if this meant potentially spilling the blood of his comrades, he was prepared to pay the price. The cruel decisions and sacrifices a Political Commissar had to make, far more brutal than the lives of these Soldiers, had long since made him indifferent.
Amberly and Gworok consulted in hushed tones at the front, then led them forward with greater caution.
The end of the corridor seemed to open into a wider room, which Cain initially assumed was just another unremarkable space, like the checkpoints or other defensive structures they had encountered before.
But when they entered the room and concealed themselves behind a railing, he couldn't help but gasp at the sight before him.
It was an immense hall, with a ceiling soaring high above, much like the chapel where he had attended services as a cadet, only here everything exuded a cold, ruthless sense of danger.
They were currently on the mid-level of the hall, about twenty meters above the ground, and fortunately, this level had waist-high railings for concealment.
They crouched behind the railings, aliens and humans alike holding their breath, their eyes wide with shock at the scene below.
Beneath them was a vast space, like a military factory operating in the shadows.
Hundreds of people bustled about, surging towards a colossal, ancient machine whose exact purpose Cain didn't know.
What concerned him more were the weapons they carried and wielded—their sheer quantity and scale were chilling.
"The Emperor above!" Treibek muttered in a low voice.
"This is an army!"
Several Tau let out a series of hushed gasps, clearly as shocked as the others.
"They're Gretchin," Sorel said, aiming his sniper scope at the crowd below, unable to suppress the disgust in his voice.
"At least, some of them are."
A low murmur spread among the Soldiers, expressing discomfort at the uncleanness and twisted nature of these Heretics.
The Soldiers observed with binoculars and scopes; while many targets still appeared somewhat normal, some were clearly contaminated by impure genes.
Their limbs and faces were mutated; some had strange cheekbones and back ridges, while others even sported extra limbs and sharp claws.
"These are Genestealers, we encountered them on Kofia too..."
His voice trailed off, stopping abruptly when he saw Cain's gaze.
"Yes, and we cleared them out," Cain interjected decisively, trying to appear calm and confident.
Kaelp's face showed anger and doubt: "So, our mission, we who are about to die, is not to follow the main force, but to come here alone to face so many Gretchin?"
His tone carried a cold accusation, and the other Soldiers also turned their gaze to Cain, awaiting his explanation.
"You knew what the situation would be here, yet you led us in to die."
"No one dies unless I give the order."
Cain quickly interrupted, knowing that once he lost control, he might never regain it, and this mission, even his and Amberly's fate, could be ruined in an instant.
"This is a reconnaissance mission, purely reconnaissance.
Our goal is to ascertain the enemy's status and report back immediately after scouting.
We will withdraw to the surface at once, find reinforcements, and only fire in absolute self-defense.
Are you satisfied?"
Kaelp and the other Soldiers lowered their heads, seemingly grudgingly accepting Cain's explanation, though their expressions still betrayed their doubts.
But Cain knew that this moment of appeasement was their only chance to retreat and return to the surface.
Sorel nodded slightly in the brief silence: "I think it's acceptable."
Velarde, Treibek, and Hollanby also nodded in agreement.
However, Kaelp did not concur.
He spoke coldly: "I don't think so."
His hellgun suddenly pointed at Amberly.
With this threat, the Tau Soldiers began to whisper nervously, and several Tau even raised their weapons, ready to engage.
However, the Tau leader made a gesture, signaling them to stop.
At this moment, if internal strife led to conflict and attracted the Gretchin's attention, it would be suicide.
Kaelp stared at Cain resolutely: "I'm leaving here.
If you stop me, I'll kill her."
Cain instinctively reached for his pistol, but Amberly shook her head slightly, indicating not to escalate the situation.
"No, you won't, Tobias."
Amberly said calmly, turning her head towards the strange hybrid creatures: "Because the gunshot will alert them.
You won't get far at all; you'll be torn to shreds in a few steps."
Cain realized that if he fired, he would also attract attention, so he slowly returned his pistol to its holster.
He responded indifferently, sounding like a line from a script: "You won't escape, as if I haven't heard people say that before."
Kaelp sneered.
Amberly snorted: "Get out.
Cowards are useless to me.
You had your chance, but you wasted it."
A flicker of unease crossed Kaelp's face, and he ultimately took a step back.
Cain looked at Kaelp: "I hope those Gretchin find you first."
Cain added a contemptuous threat: "Otherwise, if I find you, you will regret it immensely."
Kaelp didn't respond, merely giving a final glance at the others, but no one showed support, silently watching him.
The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, then he retreated into the shadows, his footsteps rapidly fading away.
Sorel raised his sniper rifle, aiming in the direction he had disappeared: "I have his head in my sights.
I can still hit him; Lord Li Feng's gun is silenced."
Cain shook his head: "Let him go; he can at least draw some fire for us."
Sorel nodded lightly and lowered his weapon.
Amberly was still negotiating with the Tau, trying to restore their trust in cooperation, while Cain took the opportunity to gather the Human Soldiers, quietly praising their loyalty and bravery.
"The leader believes it's best if we withdraw separately."
Gworok translated, and Cain sighed inwardly.
Indeed, if he were a Tau Commander, after witnessing allies confronting each other, it would be difficult to maintain confidence in any cooperative arrangement.
"We all have our own missions to report to our respective forces," Amberly said, then turned back to continue her low-voiced conversation with the Tau.
Gworok explained: "The Tau know very little about the capabilities of what you call 'Gretchin.'
Amberly is trying to explain their danger."
Cain then explained to Gworok: "Genestealers are stealthy creatures; they gradually corrode a planet's society like a corrosive agent, dismantling everything from within until the Hive Fleet arrives, bringing complete destruction."
Gworok nodded: "That is indeed a potential threat."
Just then, Velarde whispered: "Commander, you need to look below!"
Cain followed her pointing finger and gasped.
A deformed hybrid creature was entering the room.
His face was grotesque and scarred, as if he had just crawled out of acid, cradling the head of a Kroot Soldier.
Gworok then whispered: "That's our missing comrade from before."
"Damn it!"
Cain cursed under his breath.
They had clearly been discovered.
With the appearance of the hybrid creature, more and more Heretics gathered, gazing at the gruesome trophy.
"What are they doing?" Treibek asked in a low voice.
"Communicating," Amberly replied, while signaling everyone to slowly retreat.
Velarde added uneasily: "These guys act collectively, like a hive consciousness, right?"
Amberly explained: "Not the kind controlled by a Hive Mind.
They are independent entities, merely linked telepathically when in close proximity."
"Then they're Psykers!" Yugen interjected.
"Let's hope so," Amberly whispered, Cain not understanding the meaning behind her words.
"Withdraw slowly," Cain ordered.
"They haven't discovered us yet, perhaps we still have a chance to return to the surface safely."
No sooner had he spoken than Gworok suddenly shouted something loudly in his native tongue, his voice echoing through the hall and attracting the attention of all the hybrid creatures.
Every Heretic's head turned towards them in unison, their eyes like vicious beasts fixated on prey, and Cain almost felt a death glare from a Hydra flak cannon.
Their gazes silently converged, then all the Heretics suddenly scattered, rushing towards them.
"What are they thinking?!" Hollanby shrieked.
"Forget it!
Run!
Quick!"
Cain roared, turning to flee.
He glimpsed the Kroot Soldiers shooting down the monster cradling the Kroot head, then shattering the head into pieces.
"Emperor protect!" Treibek gasped, following close behind him.
Just then, Cain saw a massive, purebred Genestealer surge from the passage, its deadly claws chilling him to the bone, fear welling up from the depths of his heart.
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