109: Chapter 109 First Siege Army Group

Just three days later.

Xia Xingchen's Orbital Strike began again, but this time the location of the attack was not in the eastern region, but rather a bombardment on the outskirts of the Western Hive City on the western continent.

Flames engulfed the ground, directly overturning the surface layer of the surrounding land; shattered rock and soil were flung high into the air, only to slowly fall back down as dust.

After a day of continuous bombardment, a large number of transport ships began ferrying troops and personnel to the surface.

This transport faced no resistance whatsoever; the forces that might have organized a defense had basically been completely wiped out by the earlier orbital artillery fire.

Following this, shuttles and transport aircraft landed on the ground one after another, beginning to construct ground bases and landing platforms.

At this moment, the Engineering Sentinels of the Triplex Phall Forge World played a huge role.

Those super-heavy tasks that ordinary people couldn't handle, they could complete with ease.

Relying on the Engineering Sentinels, they quickly dug trench positions around the perimeter of the camp and erected simple bunkers.

In less than a week, Xia Xingchen had airdropped nearly ten divisions of troops.

By this time, nearly one hundred thousand people were stationed in this Base One, and a large quantity of heavy weapons had been stockpiled.

The first to arrive here was the Second Division.

The Second Division didn't idle after arriving; after setting up the simple framework of the base, they handed the follow-up work to the combat engineers and led their troops to continue advancing toward the Western Hive City.

While advancing toward the Western Hive City, they laid railway tracks along the way.

At a position thirty kilometers from the Western Hive City, they built the final train terminal.

Half a month later, First Division Commander Zhang Bo, Second Division Commander Broson, and Third Division Commander Song Guanjun gathered together.

In the temporarily constructed command post.

At this moment, on the sand table in the center of the command post, the detailed defensive layout of the Western Hive City was densely carved out.

Zhang Bo issued a hard order to everyone:

"The Archon has explicitly requested that we must take the Western Hive City within five months, and then take the Ironwood Hive City in another five months."

The ten-month period felt like a countdown, weighing heavily on everyone's heads.

Urgency appeared on everyone's faces, and the pressure increased suddenly.

"Everyone, don't panic; scouts have sent back news that the Western Hive City has had most of its troops and supplies withdrawn."

Hearing this, someone immediately raised a question, and Division Commander Song Guanjun raised his right hand:

"Why would they do that? Isn't this just handing the Western Hive City over to us for free?"

Broson, however, indicated that everyone was oversimplifying things.

This was precisely the most insidious aspect of the rebels.

"The Western Hive City is easy to attack but hard to defend, material transport is extremely difficult, and its own military strength is also very weak."

Broson stated the rebels' true intention:

"Therefore, rather than exhausting the vast majority of their troops to hold the Western Hive City to the death, it is better to concentrate all their power to hold the Ironwood Hive City."

Upon hearing this, Broson immediately stated:

"Therefore, the original schedule must be adjusted; we have at most three months to take the Western Hive City, and then immediately concentrate all our forces to attack the Ironwood Hive City."

Zhang Bo nodded upon hearing this:

"We are currently just the first wave of the vanguard. By the time we attack the Ironwood Hive City, our forces will have assembled to at least over five hundred thousand, so there is no need for everyone to feel too much pressure; go back and prepare for tomorrow's offensive."

After Zhang Bo finished speaking, an officer distributed the battle plan to the ten division commanders.

Zhang Bo stood up, and a huge projection screen descended behind him.

"First, the ten divisions will unite to form a temporary First Siege Army Group."

As Zhang Bo's voice fell, all the division commanders were stunned for a moment.

Because the troops of ten divisions combined meant that the size of this Siege Army Group would reach one hundred thousand people.

"All equipment and heavy weapons will be prioritized for the First Siege Army Group."

While speaking, Zhang Bo simultaneously marked three other points:

"Other units will be responsible for occupying the other three locations, but they will not be able to provide us with support. Their mission is to tightly control all transportation arteries, preventing the Western Hive City from obtaining any external resources."

Zhang Bo's voice fell, and he looked around, seemingly asking everyone if they had any questions.

None of the division commanders raised any objections.

"In that case, execute according to the scheduled plan."

Over the next two days, the warships in space continued to bombard the ground.

Carrier-based bombers also continuously dived and dropped bombs; even while facing the anti-aircraft fire from inside the Hive City, they completed the bombing missions at all costs.

A large number of anti-aircraft facilities and the Hive City's outer defensive positions were completely destroyed.

On the third day, the offensive began on schedule.

Infantry and tanks formed a combined arms formation and advanced steadily toward the Hive City's outer defensive positions.

The soldiers in the front stepped onto the ground, which had been softened by artillery fire.

The smell of burning rose slowly from the ground, gradually seeping into the soldiers' nostrils.

All the soldiers felt a trace of panic in their hearts, fearing that in the next second, rebel bullets would turn them into cold corpses one after another.

The roar of the tanks seemed to be able to sense the soldiers' fear.

They emitted a deafening sound, suppressing the unease in the soldiers' hearts, while charging at the very front to block bullets coming from unknown directions for the infantry behind them.

And a few hundred meters away.

The lookout in the trench was observing the advancing Imperial army, his hand holding the binoculars soaked with cold sweat.

He suppressed the fear in his heart, constantly calculating the distance of the Imperial army.

It would enter range in less than a hundred meters.

An Imperial soldier stepped onto the crater-filled ground, forcefully stamping out a deep pit.

"Enough, the distance is enough!"

The Khorne mortal troops in the bunker quickly pulled the alarm.

The piercing alarm sound instantly rang throughout the entire Hive City's underground positions and artillery positions; the rebels' counterattack had begun.

The Khorne artillerymen lifted the shells and shoved them into the barrels, followed by the crisp sound of the breechblocks locking.

"Fire!"

As the Khorne artilleryman's roar fell, heavy artillery shells were fired one after another.

Before the soldiers could react, continuous explosions rang out all around them.

"These bastards! Everyone advance at full speed, do not stop!"

The Political Commissar immediately issued the order to charge at full speed; he knew clearly in his heart.

At this moment, as long as one was a step too slow, everyone would turn into a thick soup of flesh and steel mixed together amidst the bombardment of steel.