On the desert surface of Amir, only specially modified motorcycles and the local specialty, the soft-hoofed horse, could move with any speed.
Through her binoculars, Lachi spotted over sixty heavily armed soldiers from the Vostroyan Firstborn 32nd Regiment.
"Vostroyan Firstborn? You're actually fighting them? That won't be easy," the messenger of the God-Emperor named Yuki remarked. Yuno lay draped over him, using his shadow to shield herself from the harsh, stinging sunlight.
"Yes. Fortunately, this regiment seems to have rotated back from other fronts. They aren't at full strength, and most are stationed in the central Hive. As long as we deal with the other Hives and concentrate our forces, we can take them down."
As she spoke, Lachi raised her sniper rifle.
"This was cobbled together in your little workshops, wasn't it? Can it really punch through the master-crafted carapace armor of the Vostroyan Firstborn?"
"Just watch." Lachi didn't argue; she chose to prove herself to Yuki through action. Her target was crystal clear: the officer commanding the company.
Thump.
the faint sound was swallowed by the wind. The bullet crossed a distance of two thousand meters, and under the influence of the wind and air pressure, it struck the officer's head with unerring precision.
"Good shot!" Yuki praised.
Yuno, however, interjected, "And how do you plan to deal with the rest?"
The remaining soldiers did not panic. Instead, they quickly took cover behind several armored vehicles. No matter how superior Lachi's sniper rifle was, it would struggle to penetrate those hulls. The Vostroyans were famous across the Astra Militarum for the high quality of their equipment.
"I just need to keep them pinned down and frightened." As she spoke, Lachi struck another soldier who had dared to peek out.
Having lost two men in quick succession, the Vostroyans now had a general idea of the enemy's direction. They rotated the heavy stubbers on their armored cars, and several barrels began to pour lead toward her position without hesitation.
The three of them crouched behind a ridge, listening to the sound of bullets thudding into the sand. Yuno maintained her usual carefree demeanor.
"So now, Miss Scout, what's your plan?"
"Retreat. They'll follow us."
Lachi mounted her bike, while Yuki climbed onto the biological vehicle he had summoned from a Hive ship not long ago. This bio-motorcycle was modified from a Mawloc prototype; its length and size far exceeded any ordinary bike. In fact, most of its body remained submerged beneath the sand. In a critical moment, it could revert into a true Mawloc.
"Where to next, Scout?"
"To the rock pillars ahead. They'll provide me with advantageous terrain."
Lachi led them to a cluster of stone pillars formed by thousands of years of erosion. She ditched her bike and climbed up with agile, effortless grace. Yuki and Yuno leaped up after her, moving even faster than Lachi, while the Mawloc-bike dove directly into the earth.
"Excuse me... is the thing you're riding an Angel of the God-Emperor?"
"Yes, to you, it is. But to us, it's a partner."
"I'm so envious... to be partners with such a great entity," Lachi said as she chambered another round into her rifle.
The pursuing force had arrived. The Vostroyan armored cars were fast enough to almost keep pace with light tanks.
"You act quite differently from how you look," Yuki observed.
"Don't judge by appearances. I've been trained for this since I was a child. To... live up to the genes the God-Emperor gave me."
Yuki glanced at Yuno; her expression was a bit awkward.
"Since the day I was born, I have bathed in the God-Emperor's great glory. In my dreams, I always see Him spreading His magnificent four arms, giving me hope with His incredibly warm embrace... even though we live on a planet that's like hell, He has never abandoned me."
Yuno's expression became even more awkward. Lachi found it strange, but there was no time to dwell on it.
The first armored car arrived. It failed to notice Lachi's hidden motorcycle, seeing only the tracks vanish halfway. While the Vostroyans were still debating where Lachi might be hiding, an explosive round from above interrupted their thoughts.
"Is that a melta bomb?" Yuki asked, looking somewhat surprised.
Lachi answered, "No, it's a melta bullet—my uncle's masterpiece. These rounds are rare but powerful. No more than five people on this planet can use them. Fortunately, I am one of them."
A massive hole was blasted into the armored car. The equipment and personnel inside were almost instantly liquified by the intense melta heat.
Yuki nodded in admiration. "Impressive. But there are quite a few behind them. What will you do now?"
Lachi couldn't possibly carry that many melta bullets. Moreover, after the lead car exploded, the following vehicles had certainly heightened their vigilance. She switched to standard armor-piercing rounds and aimed at the cars. Whenever someone stepped out, she sniped them instantly.
The survivors were caught in a brutal dilemma. If they got out, they'd be sniped. If they stayed inside, they might be incinerated by a melta bullet. For a conventional army, this might be a stalemate, but not for the Vostroyan Firstborn. They jumped out without hesitation and charged toward the stone pillars.
"You better be careful," Yuki warned. "These men are hoping to find your position through their own sacrifice."
"I know," Lachi replied. She sneered, "These noble-born playboys never believe that we 'dregs' can best them."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several shots rang out, and the charging Vostroyans fell one after another. A hail of bullets nearly grazed Lachi, but in the end, her hand speed and reload time were superior. Amidst the storm of gunfire, Lachi kept her breathing steady and killed most of the enemies, though she took a hit herself.
Then, the heavy stubbers on the two remaining armored cars opened fire. The ancient, eroded rock pillar began to tremble, on the verge of collapse.
"Damn, I underestimated them," Lachi cursed under her breath.
Yuki simply snapped his fingers. "Go on."
The ground shook slightly. Before the armored cars could react, a massive Mawloc erupted from beneath the earth. It clamped its jaws onto one car, biting clean through it. The other car flipped over due to the violent tremors.
The Mawloc crushed the first car and whipped its sharp tail, sending the second armored vehicle flying hundreds of meters. There was no way anyone inside survived.
Lachi watched in a daze. "So strong."
Yuno felt a bit smug. "Clever tricks are no match for the way of the gene."
"Alright, my little scout. Let's get back on the road."