The revolutionary soldiers in the military camp were ready to go before the sun rose. Carrying a backpack of supplies, they took a transport plane to the border between Antioch and the provinces of Koshaca.
The soldiers were ready to return to the Koprulu sector when they received the order, but the rapid deterioration in the relationship between the Supreme Council and the army exceeded everyone's expectations.
Twelve divisions of the army and marines and armored divisions were reorganized into the El West Front Army to deal with the increasing tension on the border. The short-lived peace was as fragile as ice in the sun, Koshaka-
Antioch's long frontier was once again at war.
"There is no need to wade through this muddy water anymore, let's let the protoss and protoss fight to the death." In the combat conference room of the marshal's headquarters, General Alande Rundstein was leaning against the wooden floor.
On the chair, the melancholy eyes in the deep-set eye sockets were staring at Jim Raynor opposite him.
"I am willing to come here to kill the zerg master or dampen the zerg's determination to devour the world, but I don't want the warriors to bleed and die to save the protoss."
"After the destruction of Keha, two to three generations of people in the entire village, town, city and even the entire administrative district joined the revolutionary army or joined related industries. This means that the bullets in our hands may have been produced by our parents in the factory.
.The war has caused us to lose too many relatives and friends. When a brigade is severely damaged, a wife in Umoyan or Antiga may lose her husband and son in an instant."
"I know, Rundstein, I learned that your last cousin died at the hands of the protoss in Aiur..." Raynor sighed and pushed a glass of Abaddon brandy to his old man.
Friend: "I don't know what to say, brother, maybe the only thing we can do is carry on his legacy."
"If the protoss really decided to launch a civil war while the zerg were still watching outside the Medlin Pass, then I bet that the cerebrates in Aiur would have been happy and they would definitely not let go.
Live this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Colonel Rick Kidd just walked in from outside, his gray uniform still stained with a lot of pink pollen. It is the season of flowers blooming, and the plants in the Ayre rainforest and grasslands are
They have all bloomed.
"If you ask me, just wait for the Speaker of the Supreme Council to show up, and I will snipe his head off. This will save a lot of trouble. You don't have to die too many people to achieve your goal - or in other words, for the sake of the world
For peace, I would rather be a killer who does dirty work."
"Come on, little Bennett kid, I doubt you can hold your gun steady when facing those cunning and vicious protoss, or do you think that old sniper rifle can penetrate the protoss?
Shield? Don't worry, as long as you stay behind and play the trumpet, you can save those of us who are serious about fighting." Edmund Duke's viper-like triangular eyes swept over all the senior people present.
The general finally stopped at Augustus's face, which was as deep as water.
General Duke is wearing his dark navy uniform. The golden ears of wheat on his shoulders and the many medals on his chest are particularly conspicuous. The golden wolf badge on his hat is shining brighter than anyone else's, as if it were painted on
A layer of oil. Even though he was forced to join the revolution, Duke's character of pomp and success never changed.
"I propose that Tassadar's protoss attract firepower, and the Revolutionary Army sends an elite force to go straight to the Supreme Council and use heavy artillery and warships to advance. The protoss' light weapons are nothing to be afraid of. They are no better than a laser pointer.
Even more scary." He glared at Renault when they looked at each other. This stubborn federal noble always liked to exaggerate himself and belittle his enemies: "If someone is afraid of life and death, then Alpha Squadron will shoulder this responsibility."
"Alpha Squadron was once the most ferocious army in the Federation, and it was the same in the Revolutionary Army."
"I don't object to you going to die, Duke, but don't let those resocialized soldiers draw firepower for you." Renault blinked and said: "You look like a cunning snake, but your brain is no better than that of a donkey.
."
"This will not be the last time you speak arrogantly, but I swear you will definitely pay the price for insulting a noble nobleman." Duke was almost angry, but he did not dare to do it in front of Augustus.
A big fight.
"I will say this again next time, Duke, you are sitting here purely because of the good deeds of your ancestors." Every time they met, Renault and Duke would inevitably have a quarrel with each other. Every time Duke would be criticized and get angry, but why
We can't do anything to Renault.
"Let's just wait and see what happens. If you have ever seen a thunder beast being burned to ashes by a giant statue, you will know that it is best for us to stand far away from those monsters. Someone told me that the protoss is a peace-loving race. It's true.
It's funny enough." Jackson Holler, the commander of Nova Squadron, had not participated in the meeting of the top leaders of the Revolutionary Army until today, but he also showed little interest in the conflict between the protoss.
"In any case, there is no reason to abandon allies on the battlefield - unless it is necessary." Colonel Pryor of Sarah's mixed division inserted a several-inch-long springtail tooth on the conference table.
Although he looks inconspicuous and fragile, Colonel Pryor has proved himself as another general under Augustus with countless war victories. The war inevitably left a mark on Pryor's face.
With no trace left, he also transformed from a federal governor into a true iron-blooded warrior.
"Looking at it now, we must ensure that Tassadar's side wins the possible civil war. The Supreme Council once ordered the burning of the human planet and has always regarded us as an inferior race. There is no guarantee that one day they will not burn insects.
Get on top of us," Pryor said.
"This battle must be fought, and it must be fought beautifully. The Supreme Council of the Protoss Empire must be eradicated and the pro-human Tassadar can control the protoss. At that time, we will have one less terrible enemy in the universe and more.
Create a reliable and powerful ally."
"You're right, but how should we fight this battle?" Renault threw an Ayr bird egg at Duke, but the opponent quickly dodged it with the swiftness of his old age.
"Based on what I know about the Protoss Templars, they won't use many tricks even when facing the Zerg. If a war breaks out between the Templars and the Templars, the most likely scenario is that they will fight head-on.
When the soldiers meet and fight to the death, they cry loudly while killing their own people - what else can be done?" he continued.
"The variable is Zeratul's Dark Templar and us... It seems that the upright Templars don't know how to do assassins, but the El Protoss tribe is proficient in hunting and stealth.
The Sagas tribe is all on Tassadar's side..."
"This war will only end with a tragic victory for one side, unless Tassadar or one of the Supreme Council leaves Aiur." Only then did Augustus speak.
"What I know is that Tassadar does not want to fight this war, and after the Protoss Empire almost fell apart, the Supreme Council has no confidence in launching a larger war to defeat Tassadar." He indicated.
My generals, please be patient:
"The Supreme Council claimed that the previous small-scale frictions and conflicts were caused by individuals and had nothing to do with them. With both sides maintaining extreme restraint, the possibility of war breaking out has become less and less. I am sending troops only to deal with possible incidents.
The worst case scenario.”
"What? I came here because someone told me that we will soon have a fight with those arrogant protoss." Duke said dissatisfied: "These alien monsters must be taught a lesson!"
Valley skimming
"I have no objection to fighting the Supreme Council now." Augustus' cold gray eyes swept across the generals present: "But since the last time the guards of the Supreme Council suddenly attacked us, I have begun to suspect that we are in a dangerous situation.
In a huge conspiracy."
"I'm not afraid of the battlefield, but I don't want to be used as a gunman."
"It seems that the Supreme Council of the Protoss is not monolithic. What are they doing?" Renault frowned: "I heard that the Protoss has Kara. They are one heart and there is no suspicion at all."
"Every arbitrator in the Supreme Council is good at hiding his or her own thoughts and political positions. This behavior is tacitly tolerated and will not be regarded as weird behavior. Therefore, it is normal for the arbitrators to have differences.
Some of the Arbiters hate the Dark Templar so much that they secretly assigned their subordinates to attack the Dark Templar, which makes sense to us." Augustus said.
"They are still attacking the Dark Templar. How did I hear that this conflict was caused by Zeratul's people attacking the Templar." Pryor said: "When dealing with the protoss, I can feel it.
Even under Tassadar's hands, these two protoss factions seem to be very different from each other. They don't like each other and repel each other."
"From the information I have received, it can be said that there is constant conflict between the Protoss Dark Templar and the Templar. Tassadar once envisioned reintegrating the two races, but it is still too early to do so.
Augustus said: "He is too kind and naive to think that ancient hatred can be eliminated over time."
"The trigger was that a high-ranking templar who supported the Supreme Council was attacked by an unknown dark templar in Antioch, and then the subordinates of the high-ranking templar attacked what they saw.
All Dark Templar." he said.
"Zeratul did not believe that his warriors would attack the Templars, but even he was not sure whether any of the hundreds of thousands of Dark Templars who came to Aiur were hiding their hatred for the Templars.
.”
"Isn't it enough to find the murderer?" Renault said.
"In fact, the templars under Tassadar were also attacked by unknown dark templars." Augustus said: "This means that those attackers do not belong to the other side of us.
"The Xel'Naga portal connected to Sagulath probably gave those Dark Templars who hated the Templars an opportunity. Remember what we saw next to Rashagal, the matriarch of Sagulath.
That Dark Templar?"
"Orega..." The figure of Dark Hierophant Zeratul appeared in front of everyone again. When he spoke, this stooped Dark Templar elder was standing at the conference table.
Look around at the humans present.
Augustus and others were already not surprised by the way Zeratul appeared. After all, a Dark Templar knocking on the door was really against the master's style. Except for Duke, who had to scream, all the generals present were
Nothing too out of character.
"What brought you here, Zeratul? What is Orega? Why don't I remember it?" Raynor pulled a chair and motioned for Zeratul to sit down, but he probably just moved his broad feet in the meeting.
He walked around twice on the smooth surface of the table.
"A few sun cycles ago, I saw the Dark Templar Orega with my own eyes on the battlefield of Aiur. At that time, he was preparing to attack the injured Templar."
Zeratul used his psychic power and the Ihen Anima Crystal embedded in his wrist armor to show an illusory image in front of Augustus and others: a dark templar wearing dark blue robes was standing alone.
Appearing out of the black mist, his followers were like shadows in the sun passing across the green land of Aiur.
"This is the Dark Templar we met in Thagurath. He seemed to hate Tassadar very much at that time - but let me tell you, the Conclave did evil things more than a thousand years ago.
The matter will not fall on Tassadar's head." Raynor's memory is not bad.
"As early as the last time I saw Orega in Sagulath, I was surprised to find that the darkness in his heart was so deep that he abandoned the reason honed by the Dark Templar and went deep into the void to let hatred dominate his own life.
Thoughts." Zeratul continued.
"Orega was once the best apprentice in the Temple of Wisdom of the Alisa tribe. Now the beautiful qualities taught by knowledge are far away from him."
"He entered Aiur while we opened the Xel'Naga portal leading to Sagurath, and began to implement his sinful plan to hunt the Templars in the shadows." Zeratul stretched out a hand to lift him.
The fur on the left shoulder armor revealed a hideous wound with bone visible.
"Are you injured? Zeratul." Augustus said in surprise. Since meeting Zeratul, he had only been injured when dealing with the Prince of Blades Gabriel Tosh, but the wound was far less than what he saw today.
I have endured this injury.
"I caught up with Orega and asked him why he killed the templar who was seriously injured and unable to fight back, but the once smart and pious apprentice of Alissa asked me why I betrayed Nerazim."
Zeratul said sadly.
"At that time, I tried to hold Orega's hand and prayed for him to return to us, but I only received a ruthless rejection. Only then did I realize that a pure and kind-hearted Nerazim protoss had been corrupted by hatred.
They have changed beyond recognition, and their former brothers and compatriots have become enemies.”
"Orega was convinced that he was right. He was full of lies and weak defense of his criminal behavior - I tried to convince him, but it turned into an argument and a duel," he said.
"He can actually hurt you." Augustus shook his head: "If Orega cannot be caught, the rift between the Templars and the Dark Templars will continue to widen."
"Oregar is extremely powerful." Zeratul said: "He is the most talented among us."
"The Conclave and Tassadar are preparing for peace talks. I hope that goes well."