"They will come back."
Everyone gathered around the central tactical decision-making table, and the holographic image showed an overview of the entire planet.
Valedo is divided into twelve bishoprics, of which the first bishopric is the capital of the planet and is separated from the sixth bishopric where the Advocate Fortress is located by the third bishopric.
"Yes, they will."
As he spoke, Soshyan dragged the planet on the screen.
"According to the results of aerial reconnaissance, enemies have begun to gather. The center is here, and the minimum estimate is tens of millions."
This is a data that is enough to make people take a breath of cold air.
"But it's also good news."
The Chapter Leader of the Soul Drinkers suddenly spoke.
Marcus glanced at the other party. Compared to the Astral Knights Chapter, which was already well-known to everyone, he didn't know much about the Soul Drinkers Chapter.
"The enemy will also draw out the power in the core area, and we will have a better chance of directly striking the enemy's heart."
"The question is whether the existing troops can hold the fortress. As long as the enemy believes that the existing forces cannot take it, they will take out all their cards."
"Will keep it."
Alex spoke with determination that he could carry out the order.
His expression had regained its old strength, and though he had stared at something that had overwhelmed him, he now longed to prove that he was still strong when it was gone.
Marcus looked at Alec with an expression that was almost pity.
He did not realize that the Astral Knights' plan was not a tactic, but that the fortress was merely a decoy to attract some of the daemon's power, giving the Space Marines a chance to break into the heart of their enemy.
But you can't say this openly.
"Oh, yeah, if you were in charge of the defense, I would be extremely comfortable with our defensive line."
"Will there still be uncorrupted inhabitants?"
Soshyan asked suddenly.
"Maybe there are some more..."
Alex thought for a moment, but his tone seemed unconfident.
“We’re not sure yet”
"No, I'm sure there aren't any anymore, everyone's fallen."
Marcus made a sound through his clenched jaw.
"If they had not been corrupted, they would have come out to fight, so they and those who were corrupted must be destroyed."
Soshyan's eyes narrowed, not that he disagreed with what Marcus said.
But the Inquisitor's tone caught his attention. There was a growing fervor, as it should be, for the bloody dark front of the Imperium needed such fervor.
Behind the anger and faith, Soshyan thought he discovered desire.
He seemed eager to achieve some goal.
And after a simple exchange, he discovered that the purpose of the inquisitor's first appearance on this planet seemed not that simple.
The planet holds another dark secret.
At this time, Yarick also cautiously threw out some of the things he had heard.
"Uh... Strictly speaking, while I was stationed, I heard some rumors from the locals. There are huge ancient underground ruins in Valedo, which were converted into tombs at the back. Many saints and martyrs were buried there. Some People may have taken refuge inside...the believers believed it was a place protected by the power of the Emperor."
"Stop talking about these crazy things!"
Marcus' voice echoed angrily through the halls.
"Don't even think about it!"
Alec fell back against the table, as if struck down by the Inquisitor's words.
"Please forgive my rudeness, sir, I..."
Marcus walked toward the commissar, his shadow looming over him and his entire presence seeming to amplify.
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you understand what’s going on in the world, or that you know what to do about it.”
"I'm not, I didn't, sir..."
"The presence of demons has been revealed to you, and while it's a good thing that you're still sane, it also shows that you don't fully understand the situation you're facing."
As he spoke, Marcus glanced at Soshyan's eyes. The look in the leader of the Adeptus Astartes Chapter showed that the other party had a better understanding of the situation Valedor was facing.
"Don't worry about superfluous things."
"Yes, my lord."
Beads of sweat appeared on Yaric's forehead. He was the one who made the soldiers so nervous in the past, but facing the inquisitor, he showed more nervousness than the soldiers.
Because he knows what the Inquisitor represents here - nearly unlimited jurisdiction.
He has the power to execute anyone, even Astartes can be beaten for treason.
And he is just a small political commissar.
After Marcus finished speaking, he turned around, looked at the tactical display, locked on the center of the First Parish, and found a path along the main street between the palace and the cathedral.
"This is one vantage point, the cathedral is another vantage point, and the two vantage points are connected by the street."
His idea is actually similar to that of the Space Marines. When the enemy is attracted here, he will directly send out elite forces to raid the First Parish, eliminate the culprits, and cut off the source of subspace power.
According to past experience, as long as the source of subspace power is cut off, those unclean things will disappear, leaving only believers with little combat capability.
It would be enough to directly destroy those people with the Extermination Order.
The key is what caused all this.
Soshyan had shared his findings in orbit with Marcus, and he immediately concluded that the Extermination Order alone could not eradicate the corrosion, which is why he still remains on the ground.
He will never leave without destroying or sealing those mysterious scriptures.
"Those things have a leader?"
Gorgli asked curiously.
"Archbishop of Valedo, Pamphili."
Marcus projected a profile onto the monitor.
"Or whatever he became."
"If there were any valuables, he would definitely take them with him."
Soshyan looked at the man on the screen and whispered thoughtfully, then he turned to Marcus.
"But we must also pay attention to what Political Commissar Yarick said before. If there really is some kind of underground network on this planet, then the culprit may also be hiding in it, right?"
Marcus bit his lower lip, his eyes wandering for a moment, and finally stopped on Political Commissar Yarick.
"Except for Soshyan and the two Chapter Masters Golgri, everyone else please recuse yourself. Subsequent conversations may involve confidential content."
Yarrick shrugged his shoulders and immediately turned around and walked towards the door, as did Marcus's entourage.
The soldiers of the two Chapters looked at their Chapter Leader, and after both nodded, they also left.
Soon, there were only three people left in the hall.
Marcus took a breath and said softly:
"What I say next, you two must not spread outside..."
