The bizarre and kaleidoscopic colors outside the Subspace tunnel suddenly collapsed inward at one moment, returning to silence.
The hull of the genesis, carrying the last ripples of the Subspace, sailed smoothly into the real universe.
The sight outside the porthole made everyone on the bridge hold their breath.
A planet floated silently in deep space.
Its entire body presented a holy, milky white color, as if carved from the purest ivory, with its surface covered by a thin, veil-like atmosphere.
What was most shocking was the giant star ring surrounding this planet, whose magnificence could not be described in words.
That was not a naturally formed celestial ring.
It was a super architectural complex connected by countless Gothic spires, flying buttresses, and domed cathedrals, spanning across the stars.
It was like a crown of thorns left behind by a god, solemnly worn on the head of this planet.
However, this solemnity was soon broken by a cold, steel-like aura of killing intent.
Hundreds of Imperial warships, like a silent school of sharks, had long been waiting here.
Their hulls were painted in solemn black, white, and red, and the huge double-headed eagle emblem flashed with a metallic cold light on the hull.
All the muzzles had locked onto the genesis, this scarred and uninvited intruder.
This airspace was like a steel spider web already laid out, just waiting for the prey to fall into the net.
"Saintess Star, one of the most famous monastery worlds within the Empire."
Valeria's voice broke the silence on the bridge.
Her perfectly tailored black female Commissar uniform set off her tall and heroic figure, and under her sleek, pitch-black short hair, her gray eyes calmly analyzed the data on the holographic star map.
"According to the Empire's latest navigation charts, this place is under the full jurisdiction of the 'Bloody Rose' Battle Sisters."
"They are the most fanatical believers in the Empire; every member of the order is selected from female orphans in war-torn sectors, receiving the most rigorous military training and religious indoctrination from a young age."
She paused and added.
"Their lives are only for the Emperor to fight, and only for the Emperor to die. They hold the highest level of hostility toward any unauthorized intruder."
"Just a bunch of brainwashed wretches."
Fogremia's voice rang out, carrying an innate disdain that belonged to a perfectionist.
She was dressed in a moon-white silk gown, and even standing on the bridge filled with alarm lights, she still maintained impeccable elegance.
Her deep purple eyes swept lightly over the hideous Imperial warships on the star map, her tone full of disdain.
"The true deity is right before their eyes, yet they are still chanting those empty prayers to a pile of withered bones."
She gently played with her moonlight-like silver hair, the corners of her mouth curling into a mocking arc.
"Truly... a faith without any beauty."
Angronia, standing to the side, did not speak.
This Red-haired Valkyrie, wearing a black vest and revealing her toned bronze arms, just narrowed her amber eyes slightly.
She could feel that what was coming from those warships was a cold, oppressive, yet incomparably firm will.
This will caused the Battle Intent within her to begin to heat up uncontrollably.
Just then, an encrypted communication request forcibly cut into the genesis's public channel.
"This is the Holy Inquisition Fleet, the 'Fire of Loyalty'. Unidentified ship, you have intruded into the Emperor's sacred airspace."
A woman's voice rang out, cold, arrogant, without a shred of emotional fluctuation, as if it were constructed directly from steel and dogma.
"Immediately declare your identity, shut down all weapon systems, accept our ship's guidance, and land at the Temple Square."
The voice paused, and that condescending tone became even heavier.
"You will accept the holy judgment of the High Order leader, Sister Katerina. Any hesitation or resistance will be regarded as blasphemy against the Emperor and will be purged on the spot."
"Grr..."
A suppressed, beast-like low growl escaped from Angronia's throat.
Her amber eyes instantly ignited with crimson-gold flames, as if she were about to grab her battle axe in the next second and let the other side understand what true "purification" meant.
"An."
Leticia reached out and gently pressed onto Angronia's clenched fist.
Her movements were light, and her voice was soft, yet it instantly smoothed out the Red-haired Valkyrie's impending rage.
Leticia stood in the center of the bridge, her white robe making her look remarkably striking against the backdrop of steel and light screens.
Her black eyes, as deep as the night sky, calmly watched the massive fleet outside the porthole, and a playful, faint smile even appeared on her face.
She turned to Valeria and said in a voice bordering on a whisper, audible only to those nearby: "Tell them we are lost pilgrims."
Valeria was slightly stunned.
Leticia's smile became more profound.
"We... are here to spread the true gospel."
"Since we cannot hide, we shall walk into the spotlight."
Leticia thought calmly in her heart.
"I would like to see how these pious children will react when they see with their own eyes the deity they pray to day and night, standing alive before them in a manner they have never imagined."
This would certainly be a very interesting drama.
She withdrew that playful smile, her expression returning to the calm and majestic posture that a goddess should have.
"Valeria."
"Yes, my Goddess."
"Accept their guidance and land."
Leticia's voice was not loud, but it carried a majestic power capable of soothing everything, instantly dispelling the tension and anxiety of everyone on the bridge.
"Understood."
Valeria straightened her body without hesitation and turned to reply to the other side.
The flames in Angronia's eyes subsided, turning back into silent guardianship.
Fogremia watched Leticia with great interest; she knew that her Goddess was about to begin another brilliant "performance."
Under the "escort" of the cold muzzles of dozens of Imperial warships, the scarred genesis, like an arrested aristocrat, ragged but unable to hide her peerless beauty, descended slowly and steadily toward the holy white surface of Saintess Star.
Passing through the thick atmosphere, the scene below gradually became clear.
A giant city, whose scale could not be described in words, covered the entire continent.
The city's architectural style was extremely Gothic. Countless towering spires of cathedrals, like a petrified forest, pierced the sky. Huge stained-glass windows reflected holy and colorful brilliance under the light of the planet's giant sun.
On the main roads of the city, novice sisters holding scriptures and bowing their heads in prayer could be seen everywhere, wearing simple gray robes, their faces carrying a kind of almost numb piety.
The whole world was shrouded in an atmosphere that was solemn, grave, yet suffocatingly oppressive.
The final landing point of the genesis was a giant square in the very center of the city, capable of accommodating a million people.
The ground of the square was paved with pure white, mirror-like marble.
And at this moment, this ocean of white had already been submerged by a tide of black.
Battle Sisters, wearing black power armor and holding Bolters, stretched as far as the eye could see, forming perfectly orderly phalanxes.
They stood quietly, motionless, like silent statues.
Tens of thousands of gazes mixed with scrutiny, vigilance, and fanatical faith converged into a steel-like torrent, locking tightly onto the slowly descending genesis.
That pressure almost solidified the air.
Thump—
With a heavy muffled sound, the landing gear of the genesis landed firmly on the ground of the Temple Square.
The roar of the engines slowly died out.
The whole world fell into a deathly silence.
The airtight sound of the hatch unlocking was particularly harsh in this deathly silence.
The slowly opening ramp was like the curtain of a stage being drawn back.
The blinding, holy white light outside, mixed with tens of thousands of scrutinizing gazes, instantly poured in.
Leticia stood at the top of the ramp, her white robe fluttering slightly in the airflow, her black hair hanging down like the night sky.
She took a deep breath, preparing to take the first step that would rewrite the faith of this world.
Just then, a cold little hand suddenly grabbed her hem tightly.
Leticia was slightly taken aback and lowered her head.
She saw that Terrania, who had been quietly following her, was now clutching her clothes tightly.
That little face, which always carried purity and dependence, was now deathly pale, devoid of any blood.
In her pure eyes, which were as bright as flowing gold, fear was written all over.
Her small body was uncontrollably trembling violently.
As if outside the hatch, it was not a group of pious believers, but the most terrifying abyss capable of devouring her soul.
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