The remaining three team members retreated to the central control room. Calvin's left arm was scratched by the pulse weapon, and the wound was smoking. Red-haired Thompson sealed the door with a laser gun, but the ammunition was about to run out.

"Remember what Captain Warren taught us?" Calvin gasped, "Sometimes the best defense is..."

The blast door to the control room suddenly blew open, and the Fire Warrior Captain stepped gracefully across the ruins, the charge indicator on his pulse rifle flickering in the darkness.

"Surrender," he said. "Your combat data is complete enough."

"Surrender your mother."

At the critical moment, Calvin threw the Fire Warrior Captain to the ground, then rolled off the console with him and fell to the first floor of the factory.

The Fire Warrior Captain watched as his pulse rifle was damaged in the previous melee, and then he gracefully drew out the ceremonial blade. This weapon inherited from the ancient clan of the Tau Empire glowed white, and the runes on the blade flickered as the energy flowed.

Calvin could smell ozone in the air, the unique scent of plasma weapons.

“Human…”

The Fire Warrior Captain's translator uttered a mechanical voice, "Your combat statistics are impressive. Surrender, and the Greater Good will treat you with the respect you deserve."

Calvin did not answer, but silently drew the bayonet from his waist.

This Imperial-issue weapon was already covered in gaps, with traces of the previous Fire Warrior's blue blood still lingering on the blade.

His robotic eye scanned his opponent's every move, and the tactical analysis module worked frantically.

"Fuck the Greater Good."

The Fire Warrior Captain attacked first, his ritual blade drawing a graceful arc. Calvin barely dodged it, the blade's energy grazing his cheek, leaving a charred scar.

He tried to fight back, but the bayonet left only shallow scratches on the titanium armor plating.

"Your weapons cannot penetrate our technology."

The Fire Warrior Captain spoke calmly, his movements like an elegant dance of death.

Calvin retreated behind a steel pillar, breathing heavily.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of scattered parts on the ground, broken pipes, twisted steel bars, and... orc fangs.

It was the spoils left over from the previous battle, and was now glowing with a strange green light.

After a brief thought, Calvin thought of a way to fight next.

When the Fire Warrior Captain's next attack came, Calvin deliberately exposed a flaw.

The ritual blade pierced his left shoulder, but he took the opportunity to grab the opponent's wrist.

The severe pain blurred his vision, but he gritted his teeth and grabbed the orc tusk on the ground with his right hand.

“This is for Warren!”

He roared and smashed his fangs into the Fire Warrior Captain's mask. The titanium alloy protective layer cracked under the impact of the orc's teeth.

The Fire Warrior Captain obviously had not expected such a brutal attack.

He tried to step back, but Calvin held his wrist tightly. The second blow, the third blow... the fangs hit the same spot again and again until the mask was completely shattered.

When the fang pierced the Fire Warrior Captain's eye socket, blue blood spurted out.

Calvin could feel the other man's struggles weakening, but he did not stop.

The orc's teeth dug deep into the titanium armor, pinning the Fire Warrior Captain's head to the steel pillar.

“Is this… the Greater Good?”

"Fuck you... fuck you... the Greater Good."

Calvin gasped and watched the enemy's body slowly slide down.

His left shoulder was still bleeding and his right hand was cut into a bloody mess by the fangs, but he showed a victorious smile.

Calvin leaned against the broken wall of the factory, the ritual blade in his hand still dripping blue blood.

The wound on his left shoulder continued to ooze blood, and the orc fangs on his right hand were deeply embedded in the palm of his hand.

In the distance came the sound of titanium tracks crushing ruins, and a Manta troop carrier was slowly approaching.

The manta ray's pulse cannon began to charge, and a faint blue light gathered at the muzzle.

Calvin could feel the static in the air, his hair stood on end and his skin tingled.

The artificial eye displayed the manta ray's energy reading, a value that was enough to vaporize the entire factory.

“It looks like this is the end.”

Calvin smiled bitterly and touched the wedding ring on his chest. He closed his eyes, and Irene's smile appeared in his mind, and he remembered their agreement in the wheat field in Carlisle.

Just as the ion cannon was about to fire, a deafening sound pierced the sky.

The armor-piercing bullet hit the side armor of the manta ray accurately, tearing the titanium alloy armor like a piece of paper. The manta ray lost its balance and began to tilt.

Calvin opened his eyes and saw a Leman Russ tank rushing out of the rubble.

Its gun barrel was still smoking, and its body was covered with bullet holes and charred marks.

The tank rammed into the manta ray at an astonishing speed, and the loud sound of metal collision made the entire factory shake.

The Manta fell sideways to the ground, and the energy core of the ion cannon began to overload.

The Leman Russ's turret turned, and the second shell hit the Manta directly in the belly.

The huge explosion blew away the surrounding debris, and the shock wave knocked Calvin to the ground.

When the smoke cleared, the hatch of the Leman Russ opened. A familiar figure jumped off the tank. Her medical uniform was worn out, but the lavender badge on her chest was still shining.

"Erin?" Calvin couldn't believe his eyes. His voice was hoarse and trembling with disbelief.

Irene ran to him, tears streaking down her face. She knelt beside Calvin and examined his wounds with shaking fingers. "You fool," she choked, "I've been looking for you for three days."

Calvin wanted to say something, but his throat seemed to be blocked by something.

He could only hug Irene tightly, feeling her body temperature and heartbeat. At this moment, all the pain and fear disappeared, leaving only the joy of reunion.

"How did you get out? Where did you go?"

When Calvin's breathing stabilized a little, he couldn't help but ask: "How...how did you escape? And this tank..."

Erin wiped away her tears and gave a sly smile: "It's a long story. Those fire warriors of the Tau Empire, they... saved me."

Calvin's eyes widened: "What?"

“Yes,” Irene nodded. “They took me to their makeshift medical station. Although we couldn’t speak the language, they seemed very interested in the human anatomy.” She pointed to her medical kit. “They even helped me fix this.”

"Then how did you..."

"I'm not someone who would just sit there and wait for death," Irene blinked. "I and a few other captured armored soldiers escaped when they weren't paying attention. We were walking through the ruins when we accidentally found this abandoned Leman Russ."