The Corinthian couldn’t be allowed to fire. Nothing else mattered. It had taken one monumental step to come free of its binding, and a second to reach the very edge of the city. Below, racing through the streets of the burning city, thirty Warhounds came on in a rush of crude mechanical precision. World Eaters and Word Bearers units raced with them, as did skitarii troop transports and skimmers in the Legio Audax’s dark red and black.

暗影遠(yuǎn)征軍不能允許“科林斯人號(hào)”開火，其他事情都是無關(guān)緊要的。帝皇級(jí)泰坦已經(jīng)邁出了擺脫束縛的重要一步，而下一步就是要抵達(dá)城市的最遠(yuǎn)邊界。在它身下，三十臺(tái)戰(zhàn)犬泰坦帶著種粗糙的機(jī)械精度猛沖出來，它們跑過熊熊燃燒的城市的街道，奔向帝皇級(jí)泰坦。吞世者和懷言者部隊(duì)，以及涂著灰燼群狼軍團(tuán)的暗紅黑配色的護(hù)教軍運(yùn)輸車和滑行艇也追隨著他們奔跑。

Ultramarines met the oncoming horde. Oberon skitarii, recently spilled from landers, joined their Macraggian allies. Enemy Warhounds lurched at Corinthian’s heels, raising weapons of their own.

極限戰(zhàn)士們遇到了迎面奔來的敵群，剛剛從登陸艇中蜂擁而出的死亡霹靂軍團(tuán)護(hù)教軍們也與他們的馬庫(kù)拉格盟友們共同御敵。敵軍戰(zhàn)犬泰坦向科林斯人號(hào)的足跟處傾身，舉起了他們自己的武器。

But Lotara’s efforts left the forces making planetfall a fraction of what Guilliman’s armada had hoped to land. Without knowing the fate of their flagship above – beyond sporadic vox-transmissions of screaming and bolter fire – the World Eaters crashed through the thin lines of defence at the Imperator’s clawed feet. The defence towers that served as the Titan’s legs spat turret fire down in a ceaseless barrage. Audax Titans went down, crushing their infantry escorts as they toppled; setting fire to them as their plasma cores went critical in crowded streets. Every Audax Warhound poured fire upwards, their vulcan bolters glowing red-hot, then white-hot, still spinning and still spitting. Spent shells rained onto the streets below with foundry crashes. Warriors on the roads beneath the Titans fought shin-deep in steaming, empty shell cases.

不過羅塔拉艦長(zhǎng)的努力干擾了極限戰(zhàn)士的行星登陸計(jì)劃，基里曼的艦隊(duì)只能投放原本希望能登陸的部隊(duì)的一小部分。吞世者們并不知道他們旗艦的命運(yùn)，他們只能聽到通訊器中傳來的零星尖叫聲和爆彈槍開火聲。他們沖向了帝皇級(jí)泰坦利爪狀巨足處細(xì)長(zhǎng)的防御陣線。充當(dāng)泰坦腿部護(hù)罩炮塔的防御塔開火，制造出不斷的彈幕?；覡a群狼軍團(tuán)的泰坦倒下，并撞倒了自己的步兵護(hù)衛(wèi)隊(duì);它們摔在擁擠的街道上，電漿核心變得不穩(wěn)定，機(jī)體燃燒起來。每一臺(tái)灰燼狼群泰坦都抬高武器傾瀉著炮火，它們的火神爆彈炮（炮管）都變得紅熾，繼而變得白熾，但炮管仍在快速旋轉(zhuǎn)。用完的彈殼如同雨點(diǎn)般落在鑄造廠下方的街道上，戰(zhàn)士們?cè)谔┨鼓_下的道路戰(zhàn)斗著，他們?cè)跐L燙的空彈殼之間相互搏殺。

Such was the force of the firepower turned against Corinthian that its void shields caught fire. Flames washed over the tormented energy screens, each bolt shell’s igniting impact flare blending with the others to bathe the entire kinetic barrier in orange fire. The force bubble shielding Corinthian – which wouldn’t have been out of place on a small space frigate – burst, the boom heavy and resonant enough to shatter every remaining window in a five-kilometre radius and adding a rain of glass to the tempest of shell-fall.

灰燼狼群軍團(tuán)的火力如此強(qiáng)大，以至于科林斯人號(hào)的虛空盾都著了火。烈焰沖刷著這層飽受折磨的能量防護(hù)屏，爆彈點(diǎn)火沖擊爆炸的光焰彼此混合起來，將整個(gè)動(dòng)態(tài)（能量）屏障沐浴在橙色的火焰中。護(hù)衛(wèi)著柯林斯人號(hào)的氣泡狀力場(chǎng)炸開了——這層虛空盾用在小型太空護(hù)衛(wèi)艦上也并無不妥，爆炸聲沉重而響亮，足以震碎半徑五公里范圍內(nèi)剩下的每一扇窗戶，碎玻璃如同雨點(diǎn)一般，同暴風(fēng)雨般的彈殼一并落下。

In the midst of this, as Kharn and Argel Tal fought back to back with blade and claw, Syrgalah sounded her war-horn. Alone, it was a pale blare against the roar of Corinthian’s deafening voice.

在這中間，卡恩和安格爾 塔背靠著背，用利刃和利爪作戰(zhàn)。這時(shí)，希爾加拉號(hào)吹響了戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)號(hào)角。但相比于柯林斯人號(hào)的震耳欲聾的咆哮，這單獨(dú)的一聲號(hào)角顯得蒼白無力。

But a second Titan took up the cry. And a third. Soon, all eighteen remaining Warhounds were howling up at their prey. Each of them was as tall as the Titan’s knee, but together they roared loud enough to eclipse its cry of freedom.

但第二架泰坦也發(fā)出了戰(zhàn)吼，接著是第三架。很快，目前剩余的十八架戰(zhàn)犬泰坦都向自己的獵物嘶吼著。雖然它們的身高都只到帝皇級(jí)泰坦的膝蓋而已，但它們合在一起的咆哮聲蓋過了后者為掙脫束縛而發(fā)出的吶喊。

The Imperator took another step into the city – a great stride of protesting metal and straining servos, bringing down a low-rise habitation block and flattening a World Eaters Bloodhammer tank beneath its tread. Under way now, Corinthian brought its hellstorm cannon to bear, panning across the cityscape in a slow arc. Every warrior’s teeth itched in the sky-shaking whine of accruing power.

帝皇級(jí)泰坦又向城市邁出了一步——這一大步令泰坦的金屬結(jié)構(gòu)發(fā)出吱嘎的抗議聲，伺服系統(tǒng)也在全力運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)；這個(gè)過程使其摧毀了一座低矮的居民樓，踩扁了腳下的一臺(tái)吞世者血錘坦克?？铝炙谷爽F(xiàn)在處于行動(dòng)中，它用自己的地獄風(fēng)暴加農(nóng)炮緩慢掃過了城區(qū)。武器聚集力量時(shí)發(fā)出震天的響聲，震得在場(chǎng)的每名戰(zhàn)士牙齒發(fā)癢。

Syrgalah fired first, and Audax followed. Ursus claws loosed skywards, harpoons punching home in Corinthian’s weapon-arms, drilling and magna-locking in place. The Warhounds back-pedalled, withdrawing in straining union, their reinforced chains lashing taut at once.

希爾加拉率先開火，灰燼群狼們緊隨其后。熊爪武器向空中射出，魚叉正中柯林斯人號(hào)的武器掛載臂，叉頭鉆穿了裝甲，磁鎖到位，吸緊了機(jī)體。戰(zhàn)犬泰坦們后退了，它們是在極其一致地撤退，加固過的鎖鏈同時(shí)繃緊。

They’ll bring it down,’ Argel Tal called to the World Eaters around him. His deathmask was awash with skitarii blood. ‘They’ll bring it down on top of us.’

“他們會(huì)拽倒這玩意兒，”安格爾 塔對(duì)身邊的吞世者們呼到，他的死亡面具上沾滿了護(hù)教軍的血?！澳峭嬉鈨簳?huì)倒在我們頭上。”

Kharn incinerated an Ultramarine with a kicking burst from his plasma pistol.

卡恩從電漿手槍中射出一團(tuán)爆炸的電漿團(tuán)，燒死了一名極限戰(zhàn)士。

‘Wrong again,’ he called back.

“又錯(cuò)了，”他回答道

Yet more harpoons fired, ramming home with leaden clangs, their chains whipping tight alongside those cables first to land. With the sound of almost divine protest, Corinthian’s massive arms – each the size of a hab-spire – began to lower. The great god-machine’s war-horn sounded again, sounding more furious than triumphant this time. Argel Tal doubted such inflection of emotion was possible, yet the impression stuck all the same. He found himself laughing through the pain, the cursing, and the grind of armour against armour.

更多的魚叉被發(fā)射出去，它們帶著鏗鏘有力的聲音正中目標(biāo)，它們拖在身后的鐵鏈與之前那些魚叉的線纜一并繃緊?？铝炙谷颂?hào)巨大的手臂（每支的尺寸都與巢都尖塔相當(dāng)）也進(jìn)行了抵抗，并發(fā)出了近乎神圣般的抗?fàn)幝曧?，但其還是被拉低。這臺(tái)偉大的神之機(jī)械再次吹響了戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)號(hào)角，這次聽起來更像是怒吼而非勝利歡呼。安格爾·塔懷疑泰坦不可能產(chǎn)生這種情緒的變化，但這一場(chǎng)景給他的印象仍然如此。周圍仍是痛苦呻吟、咒罵和動(dòng)力甲相互摩擦碰撞的聲音，但他也發(fā)現(xiàn)自己笑出了聲。

The immense guns came lower, lower, forced down to aim at the ground – at the flooded streets beneath the Titan’s own feet. If it fired to destroy the closest Warhounds, it would annihilate its own infantry as well as its own legs. And still it struggled. Despite the incremental strength of so many smaller Titans leashing its arms in place, the Corinthian kept trying to turn and bring its fortress guns to bear. All recognised it for what it was: a move of desperate futility.

帝皇級(jí)泰坦巨型火炮的炮口越來越低，被迫向下瞄準(zhǔn)地面——泰坦的武器現(xiàn)在對(duì)準(zhǔn)的是自己腳下被水淹沒的街道。倘若柯林斯人號(hào)現(xiàn)在開火摧毀距離最近的戰(zhàn)犬泰坦們，它自己的雙腿和友軍步兵也會(huì)被一并消滅。盡管有如此之多的小型泰坦增加了合力來牽制住它的手臂，但科林斯人號(hào)仍然試圖轉(zhuǎn)身并用堡壘火炮們來抵抗它們。但所有人都能看出來這本質(zhì)上就是一種絕望的徒勞之舉。

She was shackled. They’d bound an Emperor-class Titan.

它被束縛住了，戰(zhàn)犬們綁進(jìn)了一架帝皇級(jí)泰坦。

The voice that came across the vox was wickedly assured, and every warrior heard the smile in the woman’s words.

此刻傳來的聲音中帶著一股邪惡的確信感，所有戰(zhàn)士都聽到了那個(gè)女人話語中的笑意。

‘This is Moderati KeedaBly of the Syrgalah to all infantry forces. Everybody into the water, begin boarding-siege at once. Repeat: lay siege to the Corinthian. Try to remember that we want her alive.’

“我是希爾加拉號(hào)的控制主管科塔波莉，我在向所有步兵單位講話。所有人都行動(dòng)起來，立刻進(jìn)行跳幫圍攻。重復(fù)：圍攻柯林斯人號(hào)。記住，我們要活捉它?！?/p>

（機(jī)仆：然后ADB就轉(zhuǎn)移視角去寫砍王升魔了，天上下起血雨，基里曼風(fēng)緊扯呼，視角回到安格爾 塔處時(shí)柯林斯人號(hào)已經(jīng)倒了…）

Kharn fought in the blood rain, butchering skitarii along the battlements. The fortress on Corinthian’s back was already drenched in the downpour, with blood sluicing from the gargoyles and rain gutters to fall to the city below. Looking over the edge revealed blood waterfalls streaming in cascades, as well as the packs of Audax Warhounds now moving free from their ambush. With the Imperator Titan’s bridge crew dead – Kargos swore he’d be keeping the princeps’s skull as a trophy for his tally – nothing remained bar purging the skitarii castle on the god-machine’s shoulders. After the leg-towers and the savagely outnumbered defenders on the command deck, the fighting was thickest here in the fortress. The defenders mustered from their barracks for a last stand, despite the fact they’d already lost the battle for their Titan.

卡恩在血雨中奮戰(zhàn)著，他沿著城垛向護(hù)教軍排頭砍去。柯林斯人后背上的要塞已經(jīng)被傾盆的血雨淋濕，鮮血流過其上的石像鬼和雨槽，落到下方的城市中。從要塞向下邊緣看去，鮮血瀑布飛流直下，同時(shí)還有成群的灰燼群狼戰(zhàn)犬泰坦結(jié)束了伏擊任務(wù)，正在自由行動(dòng)。帝皇級(jí)泰坦艦橋中的成員們已經(jīng)戰(zhàn)死了——卡爾格斯曾發(fā)誓自己要奪下柯林斯人號(hào)機(jī)長(zhǎng)的頭顱作為戰(zhàn)利品，除了掃蕩神之機(jī)械肩膀上護(hù)教軍的人群之外，這里已經(jīng)什么都不剩了。除了腿部防御塔和指揮甲板上寡不敵眾的守軍，堡壘里的戰(zhàn)斗最為激烈。雖然它們已經(jīng)輸?shù)袅诉@場(chǎng)泰坦保衛(wèi)戰(zhàn)，但守軍們?nèi)匀粡谋鵂I(yíng)中集合起來，進(jìn)行了最后的抵抗。

Skitarii cybernetics ran the gamut of contextual usefulness and lethality. The Legio Oberon’s fleshsmiths and mechnicians had a penchant for augmenting their war-slaves’ arms with heavy rotary cannons, which gave off the powdery reek of fyceline as they chattered with the bloom of muzzle flares.

智控護(hù)教軍們?nèi)娣治隽宋淦髦旅院蜌浴W伯龍軍團(tuán)的凡人工匠和機(jī)械神教教士們喜歡用重型旋轉(zhuǎn)炮來強(qiáng)化他們的戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)奴隸的武力，當(dāng)他們的不停開火的武器發(fā)出嗡嗡的（旋轉(zhuǎn)）聲音時(shí)，空氣中也會(huì)彌漫著一股氟瑟林物質(zhì)粉末的氣味。

Kharn cleaved his way through them, his retinal display lighting up with damage warnings and runes marking his left knee-joint as compromised to the point of instability. Smoke trailed up from the egregious gunfire pockmarks covering most of his armour. These rotary cannons lacked penetration, but they made up for it by sheer volume of fire.

卡恩從他們中撕開了一條道路，這時(shí)他的視網(wǎng)膜顯示器上亮起了損傷警告和符文，表明他左膝關(guān)節(jié)處已經(jīng)變得很不穩(wěn)定。他身上動(dòng)力甲的大部分區(qū)域都被射出了驚人的彈坑，濃煙從其中冒出。這些旋轉(zhuǎn)炮缺乏穿透力，但其強(qiáng)悍的火力彌補(bǔ)了這一點(diǎn)。

The battlements were wide, more like gantries and iron bridges than anything like a fortress from a feudal world. The bloody downpour left the metal platforms slick and treacherous.

城垛很寬闊，它們更像是龍門架和鐵橋，而非來自封建世界的堡壘。傾盆的血雨令金屬平臺(tái)變得濕滑而危險(xiǎn)。

With the last of the skitarii slain, the World Eaters went through the cowering slaves and brain-dead servitors lingering in the habitation quarters. While the Legio’s indentured servants begged and cried out as they were butchered, the cyborged slaves simply stared in slack-jawed apathy.

隨著最后一名護(hù)教軍被殺掉，吞世者們穿過了居住區(qū)——畏縮著的奴隸與無心智的機(jī)仆們徘徊在那里。軍團(tuán)中的契約奴隸們?cè)诒辉讱r(shí)尚且還會(huì)哀求哭嚎，而那些生化機(jī)械奴隸們則只會(huì)毫無表情地呆呆瞪著眼睛。

Lacking any more enemies, the World Eaters took to the battlements, raising their axes and yelling their triumph to the blood-red sky.

在敵人都被消滅后，吞世者們登上城垛，他們高舉起手中的利斧，朝著血紅的天空發(fā)出陣陣勝利的歡呼。