After returning from the Tau trading town, Vito went directly to the original headquarters of the Valhalla Army Group headquarters. Many people gathered here, including the commanders or acting commanders of each surviving regiment.

Communication has been restored, and the news that the headquarters has been wiped out has already spread to the entire army group, as well as other troops that may have also been involved in the Astra Militarum communication network. Many people do not believe the news and think it is a mistake.

Decided to come in person to determine if the information was reliable.

Then, they saw the scene in front of them. The high-rise building of the former headquarters had long been destroyed, and there were clusters of steel among the ruins. Those were the command equipment, communication radars and antennas that were originally in the headquarters.

Now Vito knows why the communication channel has been disconnected for a while. It seems that the first target of the Tau air force is here. They destroyed the central nervous system of the Astra Militarum, leaving them with different affiliations and quarreling with each other.

The Astral Legions are here.

"You want us to listen to you?! What a joke, you're just a lieutenant colonel!" The man with the rank of colonel on his shoulders protested loudly and argued loudly with the people in front of him. Around them, similar situations could be seen everywhere.

"We are the navy, not you idiots like you! Did you graduate from that military academy? That shabby hive city gave you these stars casually during the recruitment process."

"You navy sissy, you bastard! I fought with Chaos, did you see this scar on my arm? He proves everything better than those broken medals on your chest!"

In front of the ruins of the building, the commanders of the various legion sections, the navy, the army, and the chaotic local PDF troops, were arguing about who would have command and who would be the new commander.

It seems that the Tau did this intentionally. They know that all senior officers are at the headquarters. Once this place is destroyed, the remaining people in the Astral Legion will be officers of the same rank, and some are even higher.

The lower-level officers are temporary replacements. They do not belong to each other, and they will not obey each other.

Even during the quarrel, they didn't notice Vito's arrival. He got out of the car. Loken and Serksos also jumped out of the car, guarding him with bolt guns and passing through the arguing commanders.

between officials.

They all stopped and watched as Vito, escorted by two Space Marines, passed through them. He walked through the crowd and climbed onto the ruins of the headquarters. He stood on the rubble and looked at the people below.

Loken and Serksos were guarding the front, standing majestically in front of Vito. The arguing commanders all looked at him. Castine and Kane were also here. They looked at the victors on the ruins among the crowd.

Trust.

He stood there, overlooking the people below. He was silent for a long time before speaking, "Report the situation."

"You are not our commander at all, Inquisitor, you are not one of ours, you cannot lead us." Someone protested, but suddenly their eyes widened, and they looked at the golden figure on the ruins with the people around them.

.

The golden disk behind Vito's head flashed. He stood on top of the ruins, like the rising sun. The dazzling golden light pierced the surrounding clouds and illuminated everyone below.

He was silent, but seemed to have said everything. The acting commander who refuted him immediately stood at attention, "Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, acting commander of the 3rd regiment of the Mordian Iron Guards, our regiment suffered heavy casualties from bombing, but the establishment is still there."

, the armored troops await instructions."

"The Cadillac 887th Regiment is waiting for instructions!" Another person stepped forward and shouted.

"Ventrilia Ghost Regiment, all rangers are on standby!" Another person came, and then more people, and many numbers came to mind under the ruins one after another, and Vito listened silently.

Soon, he had a preliminary impression of the battle situation in his mind. There were still those chess pieces on the chessboard. He listened to their words and gradually understood them.

"Sir, the naval air wing has been almost wiped out. We only have less than ten fighter planes left." A member of the navy said, he hesitated, "Also, we still have no news about the naval fleet, but

Tau."

"My lord, all the radar systems have recognized a large number of signals after restarting. They are coming." Someone else reported that it was an officer at a radar station with a low military rank. It seemed that he had succeeded his commander who had died in battle.

"The Tau control the sky, sir, we are like hares on the ground." The navy man said again, and the commanders around him whispered. Many people looked at the sky, but soon they were under Loken's fierce attack.

The ground stamped its feet and fell silent.

Vito looked at them, his face shrouded in golden light, and the light shot out from his eyes and flowed around like water. He looked around at the commanders below, as if he was examining their souls.

No one was saying anything, even the breathing was much quieter. The world seemed to be quiet, the sky and the earth no longer existed, only the golden light was still shining.

"We will fight on."

The man in the light said slowly, his voice was very soft but sonorous and powerful, like a beating war drum, "We will fight on the front line, we will fight in the rear, we will fight on the streets of the city, we will fight in the fields,

Fight in the living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens of the house."

As he spoke, his voice rose with the halo and rang out from the light, as if speaking in people's hearts, "We will fight on the coast, we will fight on the high ground, we will fight underground, we will fight in the sky, and we will fight on."

, until the dawn rises, and the comrades-in-arms come riding on the emperor's golden light, until victory comes."

"We will not surrender." He said. Loken raised his bolter in front of him and echoed, followed by the Xersos on the side. Their voices echoed over the empty ruins until someone else followed, and then

Another one, in another.

"We will never surrender! For the Emperor, for the Empire!"

Castine looked at the commander next to her who was originally in a low mood, but now raised her arms and shouted. The people around her shouted in unison. They raised their arms and waved them in the air. Their subordinate soldiers also raised their palms.

Hold tight in the air.

Golden light shone on their faces from the ruins, and in an instant, courage rose in their chests again. Castine looked longingly at the figure on the ruins. He stood in the golden sun on the ruins. She

Know who he is.

"Fight for the Supreme Marshal and the Empire!" Castine raised his military cap and shouted. The Empire's Sky Eagle logo shone in the golden light. Kane beside him also raised his political commissar hat.

Soon, everyone under the ruins raised their military caps high on their heads, and their soldiers stood around, raising their hands high with the Emperor, the Empire, and the Sky Eagle symbolizing the Astra Militarum.

"For the Supreme Marshal, for the Empire!"

They shouted in unison, and on the ruins, the golden figure looked towards the sky and pressed the handle of the gun on his waist.

"They're coming."
Chapter completed!