Damocles Gulf, Gravelax.
The Soldier of the Imperium of Man had seen countless cities in their time of scrambling across the The Galaxy / Milky Way, from the towering spires of Holy Terra to the sewer systems of cities piled high with corpses after being massacred by the Aeldari.
However, when Kane and Li Feng rarely saw wider streets more bizarre than Mayu, the capital of the planet Gravelax, the Soldiers of the Regimental Hero Brigade disembarked from their starship in an orderly fashion. The 597th Regiment's formation marched neatly across the concrete ground of the spaceport, their newly mended regimental flag fluttering high in the gentle breeze.
Kane wanted to step forward and praise Sura's craftsmanship, but he held back. He wondered where she got the materials, but that wasn't why he didn't speak.
Sura was not the type to joke around casually, and she still held resentment towards the organizational changes initiated by Kane. It had to be admitted that they were indeed very eye-catching; Soldiers from other regiments paused to watch them as they passed, probably because the 597th Regiment was surprisingly a mixed-gender unit.
"All units ready, Colonel."
Brocklaw gave a standard military salute, standing beside Kastin. Kastin nodded, puffed out her chest, but hesitated slightly when giving the order. She said:
"Political Commissar, I think this should be your honor. If not for you, this regiment would not exist."
To say it without reservation, Kane was touched. Although a Political Commissar had full authority in any unit they were assigned to, Political Commissars were usually not in the chain of command.
This meant he was never fully a part of any unit, yet by having Kane issue the order to march, Kastin was essentially declaring that he, like her, was already a member of the 597th Regiment, no different from Brocklaw, or any ordinary Soldier.
This rare sense of belonging made Kane hesitate for a moment, the rational side of his mind beginning to smugly convert this into his survival chances.
He nodded, feigning an appropriate look of emotion. Kane simply said, "Thank you, Colonel. But I believe this honor belongs to all of us."
So Kane took a deep breath and loudly gave the order: "Advance!"
The 597th Regiment set off. If people thought this was just a group of people starting a march, they completely misunderstood the actual situation. Li Feng's recruitment along the way, combined with the fact that the Regimental Hero Brigade was a composite of the most elite Legions in the entire Imperium, theoretically, these Soldiers represented the most elite armed forces among the regular troops of the Imperium of Man.
And besides that, there were two Space Marine Chapters from the neighboring Badab Sector, "Claws of the Stars" and "Carcharodons," brought by Chapter Master Huron and the Governor.
Six Battle Sisters squads from the Imperial Cult served as Li Feng's personal bodyguards, constantly accompanying Li Feng's command post.
Even due to Li Feng's unknown connections with the Adeptus Mechanicus, a massive mechanical ark and Skitarii were also present, with the Legions of the Cognizant and Titan Legion, each of their steps causing the earth to tremble.
Not to mention the devout followers of the Ecclesiarchy trailing behind Li Feng, clad in armor woven from iron plates and rattan, carrying bolt-action antique rifles, greatswords, and battle axes, faithfully following the "friend of the emperor." Li Feng had given them a name: the "Trench Crusaders."
As the troops landed on the planet's surface, a grand parade immediately followed, which was undoubtedly an excellent display of force. Li Feng's personally trained military band played military songs that these Astra Militarum had never heard before throughout the event, and Li Feng also distributed paper song lists to every Soldier, requiring them to learn all the songs.
These included: "Set Off," "Holy War," "Terra Woman's Farewell," "Serving the Imperium of Man," "Astra Militarum is the Strongest," "Western Forest," "Erika," "Black Hazelnuts"... Of course, these were all "copied" by Li Feng, with altered lyrics.
(Author: Don't ask why your familiar songs aren't here; I don't want the audit priest to find me again.)
Li Feng sat in a jeep, and as he passed the elite Soldiers, most of these Soldiers had fought alongside Li Feng from Frax, and there was even Li Feng's old unit, the "Valhalla 12th Field Artillery Regiment."
From the moment Li Feng stepped onto this planet, he felt something was amiss. Although there were many residents standing on both sides of the parade street, holding high the imperial aquila flags and scattering flowers towards the expeditionary force.
But! Li Feng noticed many residents among them who were not so friendly. They wore clothing that was out of place with human style, sported strange "pigtails," and when their eyes looked at Li Feng and his Soldiers, their gaze was not one of welcome, reverence, and respect, but rather hatred, anger, and panic.
Li Feng knew that these people were the result of Tau infiltration; these guys were "human traitors." They had abandoned their identity as humans, wholeheartedly embraced the Tau Empire, and were willing to be "second-class citizens."
This was intolerable to Li Feng. Li Feng did not hate enemies, because enemies and he were inherently irreconcilable. But traitors, traitors were always despicable.
If Li Feng were to fight the Tau, he would likely give basic prisoner of war treatment to captured Tau Soldiers, then use these prisoners as bargaining chips at the negotiating table to "shake down" these Tau who enjoyed diplomacy.
But for traitors, Li Feng's disposition was always to reward them with an "8.25mm metal-jacketed peanut," without any mercy.
At this moment, Li Feng gave a look to the military band. Upon receiving it, the band conductor immediately changed the tune. And as soon as the prelude of this song began, Li Feng's officers and men knew that the first battle had already begun!
That was "psychological warfare," to first give those Tau and traitors a warning through psychological means. And the lyrics of the song they were about to sing together were the best "pre-declaration of war" for them.
A rousing and powerful military song, the marching formation advanced steadily, Soldiers with chests held high, feet stepping in rhythm, voices unified and resonant, the echo of the song reverberating through the streets for a long time.
The Soldiers marched forward with firm, uniform steps, their song loud and strong, its lyrics filled with praise for glory and sacrifice, loyalty to the Emperor, longing for home, and contempt for the enemy.
Their voices were sonorous and powerful, like iron and steel, rolling in like a torrent, each line carrying an air of determination and fearlessness. The fighting spirit conveyed in the song was like a flame, igniting their morale and inspiring each and every one of them... (Below is the parade, you can skip it if you don't like it; lyrics are improvised, adapted from the 2015 Victory Day Parade version of "We Are the People's Army," sung a cappella as conducted by General Khalilov)
(Military drums begin to play)
All the armed forces of the Imperium of Man advanced neatly on the road, while the surrounding traitors stared at them with hateful eyes... ♫ ~ As Legions, we stand firm at our posts ~ ♫
♫ ~ Immortal like fire, steadfast like rock ~ ♫
♫ ~ We are the army of the motherland, of the people ~ ♫
♫ ~ History records our great achievements ~ ♫
♫ ~ Never failed the banner, shining with golden light ~ ♫
♫ ~ Never failed the Emperor, trusting in us ~ ♫
♫ ~ That sacred phrase, "Terra is behind us" ~ ♫
♫ ~ Already inscribed since the Great Crusade ~ ♫
♫ ~ That sacred phrase, "Terra is behind us" ~ ♫
♫ ~ Already inscribed since the Great Crusade ~ ♫
♫ ~ Don't try to intimidate us with proud boasts ~ ♫
♫ ~ It's not worth it; it will only backfire ~ ♫
♫ ~ If the enemy provokes, testing our army ~ ♫
♫ ~ We will make him never dare to risk it again ~ ♫
♫ ~ Never failed the banner, shining with golden light ~ ♫
♫ ~ Never failed the Emperor, trusting in us ~ ♫
♫ ~ That sacred phrase, "Terra is behind us" ~ ♫
♫ ~ Already inscribed since the Great Crusade ~ ♫
♫ ~ That sacred phrase, "Terra is behind us" ~ ♫
♫ ~ Already inscribed since the Great Crusade ~ ♫
The video camera arranged by Li Feng in the distance was recording the entire process... A copy would be transmitted via the Star Chain to Holy Terra, to various Star Sectors, then copied to various military regions, and then to every army... Old Man Huang on the throne: (crying with emotion)
Sanguinius in the office chair: (proud and self-satisfied)
Khan at work: (wants to die)
The Wolf King at work: (missing Magnus)
...In the distance, the Tau Empire Embassy
At this moment, in the distant Tau Empire Embassy, several blue-skinned Tau diplomats were watching the human army on the main road through binoculars, their song reverberating throughout the entire area.
Soldiers, officers, armored units, Space Marine, Titan Legion... Every step they took caused the entire earth to tremble... These Tau looked up at the sky; that expeditionary fleet, which had obscured the sun all day, was the first time they had seen such a powerful Imperial Army.
Because previously the Imperium of Man truly couldn't be bothered with the Tau, they assumed the Imperium of Man was just a "ProMax" version of the Tau Empire, but in reality, the sheer scale of the Imperium of Man was beyond their imagination.
So these Tau made the most erroneous deduction of their lives... "Inform the Ether Elders that the Imperium of Man's largest and most elite forces have arrived here... As long as we defeat this army, the remaining territory and influence of humanity will be nothing more than a head on a pike."
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