The planet Agria is an emerging settlement, and it was once a beautiful world like a paradise. The booming agriculture and biotechnology attracted millions of immigrants and investors, creating a prosperous scene.
That stable and happy life, full of new hope every day, seems like yesterday.
About three weeks ago, a terrible black sumt disease and the accompanying fungal infection spread at an alarming rate in settlements, farming areas and even orbital stations in Agria.
The plague caused unprecedented panic, affecting one-third of the planet's population.
In the largest immigrant settlements in Agria, Hudderstown Colony and Megaton (Megaton Wings of Freedom official ladder map), more than 200,000 immigrants were infected with this unknown and terrible disease.
This disease can be transmitted through the air and water. The morbidity rate is extremely high, and the death rate is also rising. The hospital association of Agria is helpless, and the top doctors have also fallen silent. They have to seek help from other medical institutions.
In contact with sister colony worlds, such as Antiga Prime, which has the closest relationship.
"We have only seen similar viruses on one creature before, the zerg."
Bernard Hansen, chairman of the Agria Resettlement, is standing on a farm on the Green Acres ladder map. In the distance are large golden wheat fields. Two large two-wing drones are flying from the wheat fields.
The sky roared past, spraying a mist of pesticide.
The farm has a grid of prefabricated houses made of modular panels, which belong to the farmers who once lived here. This is a joint farm, so there are several families and many people living there.
There are many bushes and shrubs growing in the rugged hilly area to the south, where many local wild animals live, and there are cabins built by hunters nearby.
Now, whether it is an alloy or wooden building, it is covered with a translucent purple film, like some kind of living tissue membrane. On top of it, the black and purple meridians are cracking like an ivy.
spread on the walls, beating like a heartbeat.
Wriggling tissues and other organs can be seen in the cracked wall, as if it has turned into another form of creature.
"Burn all these infected buildings." Bernard frowned, staring at the weird buildings. It was these monsters that devoured his people.
Bernard Hansen was one of the earliest settlers in Agria and also their leader. Now, Marshal Augustus Mengsk recognized Bernard's talents in management and economic development and personally
He was appointed chairman of the Agria settlement, giving him authority similar to that of the governor of the Tyranid Federation colony.
This means that this position endorsed by the Marshal of the Revolutionary Army will be unshakable in the future, and Bernard's prestige and ability are worthy of this appointment.
Originally, Bernard was quite resistant to the Revolutionary Army. He left Tarsonis, a super city full of money and power transactions and corruption, and came to Agria just to build a beautiful world that people yearned for.
Fortunately, once Augustus confirmed that Bernard had such ability, he allowed Agria to develop freely without imposing heavy restrictions like the Federation.
This is also the reason why Bernard was so convinced of Augustus. This young man, who was still a big boy at the time, had the broad mind and vision that truly belonged to a human leader.
"Zergs have never appeared in Agria. Damn it, where did these monsters come from?" Pavel Ivanov, the Sheriff of Greenfield Highlands, waved his hand, and his militiamen carried the solid-state
Gasoline flamethrowers make their way to these weird, twisted buildings.
"Why are they here?"
Sheriff Pavel wears a dark green vest, thick trousers, and a wide-brimmed hat with a rolled-up brim and white feathers on it. As the Sheriff of Agria, he only carries a handful of
In addition to the C-7 electromagnetic pistol, he also carries a Torrent shotgun and leads hundreds of people.
Unlike other magistrates of the Tyranid Federation colonies, Bavel does not work for the federal government, but draws his salary from the Agria Resettlement Management Committee. To put it another way, the person who hired him is actually Kehal after the management committee.
The Revolutionary Army, which is rarely known outside Agria.
Agria is not a planet in the Terran Federation's colonization plan. It received help from the Kohal Revolutionary Army, which was a Federation rebel, a few years ago, and received a large amount of manpower and material support. It has only begun to flourish since then.
There are currently about 12 million people on this planet, and more than 40% of the population are from refugees from Korhal. Because of this, the Agria people have always been a firm supporter of the revolutionary army.
- even when the situation is most unfavorable.
In other words, Agria was actually the place where the Revolutionary Army migrated from the beginning. During the most difficult times in the past, the Revolutionary Army received a large supply of agricultural products produced in Agria. Those who were saved by the Revolutionary Army
refugees will not starve to death.
"The invasion of zerg is purposeful. A very bad way to say it is that flies don't bite seamless eggs - there must be something that attracts these monsters."
Bernard Hansen's face was filled with sorrow: "The Agria Planet Defense Force at Skylark Ferry is already searching for the source of the infection, and I hope they can make progress."
"Spores of this terrible zerg virus are actually able to be sprayed into the atmosphere of Agria and spread throughout the planet. I suspect that the zerg have also polluted the rich underground water system of Agria. As long as humans continue to
If you live a normal life, you will get infected sooner or later."
The Agria Planet Defense Force is a subordinate branch of the Revolutionary Army. It is formed by senior commanders and key officers sent by the Revolutionary Army Marshal Commander, and recruits soldiers from Agria itself.
This is a regular military organization that is different from the settlement militia. It is equipped with CMC combat armor, AGR series electromagnetic rifles, combat armored vehicles and railguns. It is even better than some of the federal planetary defense forces close to the core world of the Tyranid Federation.
Much more.
During the uprising war, many revolutionary soldiers and officers who were withdrawn from the front line would come to Agria to recuperate, and would return to their troops as soon as their injuries improved. Later, many revolutionary soldiers also stayed in hospital due to physical reasons.
They stayed, got married and had children locally, settled down, served as recruit instructors and teachers, or continued their own revolution in other ways.
It's just that although the Agria Planet Defense Force is well-trained and has high combat effectiveness, it is definitely not something that third-rate pirates can deal with. It has always been protecting the routes from Agria to other revolutionary army planets. The air force is unique. But the scale has always been
It's not big, with less than two standing brigades and about 6,000 to 8,000 people.
This is what Bernard is most worried about. He knows that disease infection is often a precursor before the zerg attack. When the carpet begins to spread and grow on a planet, swarms of worms will follow.
"Even with the militia, our manpower is far from enough. It may take months to search the entire Agria, but it will be too late." Sheriff Pavel also felt heavy. He has arrested many wandering Agria.
Rhea's gangsters were even pirates, but they had no experience fighting the zerg.
Anyone who has seen those infected houses twisting and squirming in the sun can't help but feel fear. It's hard to imagine what those warriors who have fought against the zerg and finally survived or even won have experienced in the past, the more they witness the alien
The more terrifying the insects are, the more we can realize the bravery of those heroes.
Bavel has met many warriors who were withdrawn from the battlefields of Mar Sara, Char and even the distant Aiur, and some of them are still his friends. Not surprisingly, those who have fought against the zerg and protoss
Just listening to other people talk about my experience makes me feel so profound.
"The source of infection may be some kind of zerg creature, similar to the scorpions that appeared in Char. They are living creatures that can keep moving and can also hide deep underground." Bernard said from Agria's
The Revolutionary Army alien scientists received help:
"The zerg virus that appeared in Agria has the same origin as Char, but it has undergone fundamental changes. The new virus is not only more contagious, but also more deadly. A new virus serum has been developed, and the patient's body
The virus has evolved for countless generations and undergone earth-shaking changes." He felt heartbroken for those Agriyans who died tragically.
"More than half of the people in the Agria Red Cross are infected, and the situation is getting worse. If this continues, we will have to evacuate Agria before everyone dies and turns into monsters.
"
As long as the patient is infected with this virus, he often dies within a few days, and has to endure horrific pain during his lifetime. The death of the infected person is extremely miserable, the body is ulcerated, and the fingers fall off like parts.
What's even more terrifying is that if these corpses are not cremated and buried directly, "they" will hug their own tombstones and disappear into the long night one night.
"We will be saved as long as Antiga's revolutionary army arrives." Sheriff Pavel can only hope for help from the outside world. After all, although Agria is developing very well, it is still only a young agricultural immigrant.
land.
"There is only one way to clear out the zerg infection - the Protoss taught us, burn them all. Find all the sources of infection and burn them out. This is the only way."
"The people from Antiga are about to arrive." Bernard said this and felt a lot more relieved: "They are coming in many numbers, as well as battlecruisers."
Bernard originally wanted to build Agria into a paradise that could survive without relying on the Terran Federation and other human forces, but who could he turn to when a real disaster struck.
When their homeland was about to be destroyed, someone told the panicked people: Don't be afraid, we will be there soon. We are here just because we are compatriots.
Unlike the Terran Federation fleet, which retreats to the core world when it encounters zerg, once the response is received, the revolutionary army is really coming and will rescue those who call for help at all costs.
In the history of total war, there have been many such examples: the story of a revolutionary army company responding to rescue and sacrificing their lives to cover the evacuation of thousands of people from a small settlement colony. This story has been written in the revolutionary army territorial school.
in the textbook.
It is not the gap in combat effectiveness, this is the biggest difference between the revolutionary army and the federal government army.
Moreover, the Agrians never believed that the revolutionary army would give up on themselves, and there was no breakdown of order even in the face of such a disaster.
"Marshal Augustus has captured Tarsonis, and the fleet will be able to withdraw from the core world by then. Although the people of Agria are fearful, they have not given up hope." In the words of the Revolutionary Army from the UED Expeditionary Force
When Tarsonis was recaptured from his hands, the whole of Agria cheered, and Bavel was one of them.
"Well - if the zerg are coming, then we must defend Agria even if we die." When Bernard heard the Sheriff talking about Tarsonis, he couldn't help but think of his daughter Ai, who was still studying in college there.
Riel. Although his ex-wife Talis is still in Tarsonis and can take care of their common daughter, it still makes people worried.
"We may never find a place like Agria again in our lifetime."
Agria is a very important world to the current Revolutionary Army. The food it produces supplies more than fifteen edge worlds, and its cutting-edge biotechnology is among the best even in the Tyranid Federation. If it is not a last resort, the Revolutionary Army must
I won't give up on Agria easily.
Marshal Augustus also issued an order immediately, ordering General Zander, who was guarding Antiga, to defend Agria at all costs. The new empire would not allow the loss of such an important territory. The lost dignity of the federation would be owed to the empire.
retrieve.
At this time, the Agria militiamen had poured liquid high-energy gas on the infected buildings and ignited them with flamethrowers. In the raging fire, the smell of burnt protein filled the wind, and those infected
Buildings collapsed one after another.
The sun in the sky seemed to be setting, and patches of clouds were burning on the horizon.
"Let's go." Bernard looked at the clouds on the horizon with lingering fear:
"The nights in Agria are getting more and more dangerous now, but they are no better than in the past..."
...
Agria, the abandoned valley.
In the light of the setting sun, countless shambling figures crowded shoulder to shoulder. The white and brown uniforms and armors of these people could still vaguely see the shadow of the UED expeditionary force, but the spikes, hardened bones and tentacles that broke out of the armor were on the ground.
There are twisted shadows left on it.
An infected person wearing a UED general uniform stood in the center of the crowd, standing like a tombstone, half of his body was covered by a mutated and proliferated exoskeleton, and his face was as rough and hard as the skin of a zerg.
Gerald Dugar.
There is also a well-maintained gramophone next to Dugar, which does not contain any weird Zerg tissue, and is still playing a passage he recorded after waking up as an infected person:
"Dear Helena - Now the news of our defeat has reached Earth (scream of some kind of monster) - the monster we were sent here to tame appears to be untamable - we have failed, O
Gustus Mengsk defeated us—"
"You will never see me again. Tell our children that their father died to protect their future." Dugar must have been in extremely complicated mood when he said this, because at this time he
He is really dead.
"farewell."
The king worm parked in the sky amplified the mental language of the brain worm Carlos: "This poor little planet is the testing ground for our new virus - the zerg not only relies on fangs, claws and numbers, but also kills people invisible.
Our weapons."
"The swarm of insects will never stop!"
"In this galaxy, only one thing is certain, and that is war."
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
Realizing a problem, it is not only Meinhof's strong ultraviolet light that can kill infected bodies. In the cooperation, Night of the Dead is a planet on the edge of the empire (on the fringes of domninion)