Such is war, the situation can change in an instant!
A second, Emrys, who seemed to have the upper hand, fell into a desperate situation in the blink of an eye!
What came before was just a minor skirmish.
With both sides having revealed all their trump cards, whoever could hold on to that last breath would gain the initiative, and thus become the final weight to tip the scales!
The real battle had only just begun!
The legions deployed on the left and right flanks were instantly overrun at an astonishing speed in front of the diligent genestealers!
The flanks became precarious!
If viewed from the holographic map, the enemy forces entrenched on both sides resembled giant 'scissors' slowly closing in!
And the Holy Terra Auxiliary Army was the only legion nailed to that crucial pass!
"Lord Emrys, the First Auxiliary Army given to Charles... can it really hold?" asked Vesal, the Commander of the Avengers Battle Group, with a hint of worry.
This was the Holy Terra Auxiliary Army's first true engagement with these monstrous entities in the Warhammer Universe, and no one knew... how long that taut nerve could last!
Once it snapped, it would mean a complete collapse of the front!
By then, even if Emrys possessed extraordinary abilities, it would be difficult for him to regroup the retreating army.
Anyone who frequently commands large-scale battles should be well aware that once morale collapses, it is very difficult to rekindle, and the chain reaction caused can even lead to the collapse of the entire front line!
Just then, Charles's communication came through again!
"Commander-in-Chief, the Holy Terra Auxiliary Army has suffered heavy casualties, and the enemy's offensive on both flanks is fierce!"
In just half an hour, the fully-staffed 190,000 Holy Terra Auxiliary Army received bad news one after another; entire companies and squads of soldiers were completely wiped out within half an hour of joining the battlefield!
This clearly showed how tragic the fighting on the front lines was!
However, Emrys' heart was like stone, his gaze cold, as he looked at the grimy Charles in the holographic image and said, word by word: "I don't want casualty figures. Even if you all fight to the last man, you must hold your ground!"
"But"
Charles was heartbroken, but also helpless.
On the battlefield, everything was subject to orders. Even if he believed that the Holy Terra Auxiliary Army should not be needlessly sacrificed like this, Emrys' orders were absolute, and no one dared to disobey them!
"No 'buts', you listen carefully, Charles!"
Veins pulsed on Emrys' forehead, like a lion suppressing its rage, his eyes blazing with intensity as he roared: "There will be more brutal wars than this in the future. If you don't want our homeland to be invaded, then prove yourselves here, prove that I was not mistaken."
"I don't need units that can't fight tough battles!"
"Yes, Commander-in-Chief!"
The severe reprimand made Charles dare not argue further. He disconnected the call and then, with a dust-covered face, dialed the all-army communication.
"Announce to the entire army!"
"We have no retreat!"
"These man-eating monsters will invade our homeland at any time. To protect our families... for Holy Terra!"
"No one is allowed to take a single step back!"
"Behind us is our homeland, we have nowhere to retreat!"
Suddenly.
The speech in the announcement seemed to awaken the ancestral bloodline in some of the soldiers!
The confusion in their eyes was gradually replaced by determination as they looked at the mutated monsters and thought of their homeland behind them.
Yes, how could such monsters be allowed to rush into their homeland and bring the flames of war to the New world?
Suddenly, the commissar with a red sash tied to his right arm glared at the monsters, took a deep breath, as if to unleash a powerful roar from his chest:
"For the Emperor, AHU—!!!"
"AHU!!!"
"AHU!"
The right flank, previously suppressed by the infected, from the warriors of Siluria, suddenly erupted with astonishing power, like a final burst of energy!
The warriors surged out of the trenches and began to contest positions with the infected, from one street to a building, and even every single room!
They seemed to have no fear; their bloodshot eyes, as if infused with infinite courage, even when surrounded by several infected and having their legs torn apart, would use their last bit of strength to pull the pin of a high-explosive grenade, taking those damned monsters with them to their deaths!
"Lord Emrys, please allow us to join the battle!"
From the start of the war until now, almost six hours had passed, and the Avengers Battle Group had been held back, making Visar anxious and prompting him to request permission to fight.
However, facing Visar's request for battle, Emrys remained expressionless, completely unmoved, his gaze fixed on the front battlefield, and he said coldly: "The Avengers... stand down!"
He was gambling!
Gambling on what?
Gambling that the Emperor would sit by and watch them and Chaos suffer mutual losses, and would not take advantage of the situation at this time!
In fact, by carefully analyzing the situation, it was not difficult to guess the intentions of all parties involved.
The Oteck hive city had completely fallen into their hands; it was only a matter of time, and the outer legions he led were just a minor issue.
Haarken and the genestealer patriarch seemed to be cooperating, but only until the hive city was breached!
Once Oteck was breached, the two sides would turn against each other again due to differing objectives, and this was precisely the opportunity Emrys wanted!
He had to... 'survive in the cracks'!
Grasping this point, it was not difficult to guess the intentions of both sides. If the genestealers wanted to gain a significant advantage after the subsequent breach of the hive city, they would inevitably sit by and watch them and Chaos mutually exhaust each other here!
Because only by having the two groups mutually exhaust each other until Chaos was unable to contend for the hive city would it align with 'Revered Father Zu Long's' wishes!
But Visar was unaware of this. On the holographic map, the blue symbolizing their side was being swallowed up at an extremely fast rate by the red symbolizing the infected!
"Lord Emrys, they're about to collapse!" Visar cried out anxiously, feeling his heart about to leap into his throat!
If the left and right flanks were breached, it would mean their entire army would be encircled!
However, Emrys remained silent, sitting calmly like a fisherman, watching the front with an impassive face.
If he lost this gamble, the Holy Terra Auxiliary Army, which had been so difficult to raise, would face complete annihilation, and he... would bear the weight of hundreds of thousands of lives!
Perhaps, someone might ask.
Why must he gamble?
Emrys' answer was that he had to gamble!
Not for a temporary gain, but for victory!
To win this round, he had to take a dangerous course of action, and this was one of the most perilous parts of the entire plan!
"Hold on... for me!"
He swallowed these words into his heart.