Chapter 244: Doraemon

This oversized Triaros troop transport was lodged between rock fissures, its void-shield array emitting a low hum and emitting violet light, enveloping the entire expeditionary force to ward off orbital indiscriminate bombardment.

The void-shield array on this troop transport was clearly a modified version by the Archmagos Belisarius Cawl—smaller in size, yet capable of generating a void shield equal in strength to a fortress.

What kind of relic could possibly warrant such attention from a Mechanicus Archmagos who has lived since the Great Crusade?

Even the Living Saint Celestine herself must escort it?

Moreover, Archmagos Belisarius Cawl has remained utterly silent about his destination and the nature of the relic inside the crate.

"Use your psychic sense to look."

A voice suddenly surfaced within Leina's mind, as if born from her own curiosity, yet also like a whisper from another.

That voice stirred Leina's curiosity, tempting her to use her psychic power to glimpse the true nature of the relic.

"Isn't this not just to satisfy your curiosity, but also to better fulfill your mission?"

"If you knew the destination, knew the relic's true form, knew the Archmagos's intent—wouldn't you be better able to judge?"

"And what if the Archmagos isn't loyal? What if the entire expedition has been deceived? What if the cargo is some kind of blasphemous abomination?"

Leina's eyelid twitched slightly.

Those whispers and murmurs continuously probed her mind.

Yet Leina's expression grew increasingly strange.

The Triaros troop transport's armor is so thick—penetrating its outer defenses would require immense psychic power and precise control.

"But you're an Alpha-level psychic—can't you do this? It should be effortless for you…" The whispers continued at Leina's ear.

I can't!

Leina's eyelid twitched again.

Her use of psychic power is limited to infusing her words with her spirit, crudely reinforcing her flesh, firing off a psychic bolt or two.

Through flesh reinforcement, Leina can grant her eyes limited x-ray vision—but nowhere near enough to pierce the troop transport's thick armor.

The warp whispers in her ears were utterly meaningless.

Even if she was curious, Leina simply couldn't use her psychic power to see inside.

At best, she could blast the entire transport into the sky with a psychic cannon.

Advanced techniques like high-resolution sight, psychic vision, or soul detachment were far too complex and advanced—Leina didn't know them.

The warp's whispers and temptations briefly vanished, as if unprepared for this outcome.

Moments later, Leina felt the pale blue warp energy swirling around her dissipate.

But soon, other hues of warp energy filled the void.

"Want to have a thrilling duel with this troop transport?" roared the red warp energy.

Leina: "."

Another murky green warp energy quickly displaced the red.

"Maybe troop transports can have their own life?" the green warp energy cheerfully asked.

Leina's expression twitched slightly.

Another wave of purple warp energy took hold around Leina.

"Don't you think this troop transport's exhaust pipes are clogged?" the purple warp energy giggled.

Leina's face was now twisted into a grimace.

Judge Greifax, standing nearby, noticed this. She moved soundlessly to Leina's side.

"Chaos is tempting you," Greifax stated, not asking.

Leina didn't hide it—she nodded, heavy with resignation.

"They care deeply about what the Archmagos is transporting."

Greifax glanced at the so-called relic—she had no idea what the Archmagos was carrying.

But Greifax trusted the Archmagos's loyalty; she simply told Leina: "Resist their temptation."

After speaking, her tone softened slightly: "I know it's hard. The mental strain is immense."

Leina nodded helplessly.

"I think the troop transport's cannon barrel is clogged too—I really want to stuff—" the purple warp energy murmured beside Leina's will.

Leina clenched her fists.

These warp-born things are almost as annoying as Zhou Yun.

But if Zhou Yun were here right now…

Thinking of Zhou Yun, Leina's heart stirred slightly.

How is Zhou Yun doing now? Logically, he should have gone to Baal.

Baal has been invaded by the Tyranids—Zhou Yun must be enduring great hardship too, right?

"Ding-ding-ding-ding! Gourmet Tablecloth!"

Steam billowed from the gourmet tablecloth; the copper pot's broth boiled, releasing the scent of mushrooms and chili peppers, instantly dispelling the cold from the empty room.

Captain Fenin, a Blood Angel chosen by Saint Guilliman to be one of the thousand Astartes following Zhou Yun, stared in astonishment at the room before him.

Saint Guilliman had reorganized the thousand Astartes bearing his blood into new companies and guard units.

Among them, twenty-two Astartes—including Fenin—were selected by Saint Guilliman to serve as Zhou Yun's personal guard, sworn to him as lord, named "Doraemon's Chosen," painted with metallic blue on their right shoulder plates, and equipped with secret devices provided by Zhou Yun.

After using those secret devices a few times, Fenin was stunned—he simply couldn't understand how objects that looked like toys could possess such power.

The legendary blade Dian Guang Wan, never running out of power; the bamboo dragonfly, no bigger than a palm, capable of lifting an Astarte into the sky at high speed; the gloves that amplify strength to a hundred tons…

Fenin had thought he'd grown accustomed to it all.

But then Zhou Yun pulled out a strange sheet of paper, drawn with a house.

And before Fenin's bewildered gaze, Zhou Yun opened the door on the drawing and invited Fenin and the other Doraemon's Chosen inside.

The thin sheet of paper contained a spacious room!

It was bigger inside than out!

Fenin was utterly baffled—compared to this, Zhou Yun conjuring food out of thin air seemed almost mundane.

Zhou Yun noticed Fenin's stunned expression and smiled faintly.

【Item Name: Wallpaper House】

【Origin: 22nd Century Earth—Future Department Store】

【Manufactured: 261. 3】

【Function: This item appears as a sheet of paper drawn with a door. When affixed to a wall or floor, opening the drawn door leads into a spacious room.】

【Price: 820, 00】

Zhou Yun's eyelid twitched as he glanced at the price—apparently, even in the 22nd century, humanity still hadn't solved housing.

Zhou Yun waved the gourmet tablecloth again, summoning several plates of lamb and beef slices, and cheerfully slurped hotpot with the Astartes in the room.

"After you finish, take some to Saint Guilliman," Zhou Yun said to Fenin.

Fenin nodded eagerly, picking up a piece of duck blood and placing it in his bowl.

"But, my lord, aren't we in a hurry to meet Archmagos Belisarius Cawl?" Fenin asked, puzzled.

"The actors haven't all arrived yet. The Eldar are still hiding somewhere, and Abaddon hasn't left the Vengeful Spirit."

Zhou Yun had used the Seeker Staff to find Ephrael Stern—only for the staff to spin uselessly in place.

That meant Ephrael and her Deathwatch were still hiding within the Webway.

Currently, the expeditionary force is on Level One, Abaddon on Level Two, Ephrael on Level Three, and Zhou Yun on Level Four.

Zhou Yun holds absolute initiative—he can strike the Black Legion whenever he wishes, and when the Eldar appear, he can choose to ally with them or ambush them.

He has no intention of disrupting this balance and becoming the passive party.

So Zhou Yun has been lingering at a distance, shadowing the expeditionary force from afar.

"My Lord."

At that moment, the door of the wallpaper house opened.

A Blood Angel Astarte, assigned to guard the door on rotation, poked his head in.

This Blood Angel was also one of the Doraemon's Chosen assigned to Zhou Yun by the Angels—his name was Rafen, formerly a warrior of the Sixth Company of the Blood Angels.

He had uncovered the conspiracy of the Chaos Daemon Malphax and the Chaos Inquisitor Remus Stell, slain the false reincarnation of Saint Guilliman, and recovered the Angel's weapon, the Spear of Final Vengeance.

Though still young, he was already one of the most legendary warriors among the Blood Angels.

Zhou Yun remembered him well because, in the original timeline, Rafen would later fall to bloodlust, forming a psychic link with Melos, a Blood Angel from the Great Crusade era, due to his gene-seed—and together, they overcame the bloodlust.

During that process, Rafen once tried to tell Melos the final fate of Saint Guilliman—but Saint Guilliman merely shushed him with a finger.

"My Lord, the blizzard is weakening," Rafen said to Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun paused, swallowed the lamb in his bowl, then swiftly stepped out of the wallpaper house.

Outside, the swirling blizzard was receding; the towering Knight war machines of the expeditionary force were now barely visible through the snow.

Smaller squire knights guarded the fortress-like patrol knights, carving through the blizzard; between them, a massive troop transport could be faintly seen.

Then, a dragon-like roar split the sky—steel and brass wings tore through the heavens, white-hot engines blasting through the clouds.

The infamous demon-engine Hellfire Dragon dove toward the expeditionary force.

Zhou Yun watched silently, slowly raising his finger.

(End of Chapter)