Chapter 41: Dora Kaul?

“No.”

Augustus Flax’s expression did not change.

“I’ve investigated Narma Karl’s life—she lived a completely normal existence.”

As he spoke, Augustus Flax handed Zhou Yun a file.

Zhou Yun opened the file and saw the contents: Narma Karl’s entire life.

Narma Karl’s husband was a junior manager at a mining company on the Underworld System’s asteroid belt.

Decades ago, a band of rogue Greenskins attacked the Underworld System; the asteroid belt was among the first targets.

“Narma Karl’s husband was there, demonstrating his loyalty to the Emperor—and died for it.”

Augustus Flax spoke calmly.

While he spoke, Zhou Yun glanced at the file in his hands.

Correct—Narma Karl’s husband had died during the Greenskin invasion of the asteroid belt,

having organized the workers to resist the Greenskins, and perished as a result.

As a result, Narma Karl was deeply respected in the surrounding area.

“Afterward, Narma Karl lived a simple life between work and home, occasionally teaching nearby children mathematics.”

“Her only two hobbies were teaching and mathematics; there was never any sign of corruption in her life.”

“When this church was built, she donated money.”

“Here is the original receipt.”

Augustus Flax pointed to a receipt in the file.

The receipt confirmed that Narma Karl had indeed donated to the church.

The donation amount was six thousand five hundred sixty-one blood coins—nearly all her savings.

It appeared Narma Karl was indeed a devout Imperial Cultist, with harmless interests.

Her only flaw was that she came to pray relatively infrequently,

only one hundred fifty-three times in the past four years.

Yet seven days ago, she had visited this small church to pray.

Everything seemed perfectly normal.

The only issue was:

Zhou Yun calculated the number of times she had prayed:

153—the sum of the three digits was exactly nine.

But Zhou Yun did not voice this suspicion,

because it sounded far too coincidental.

Had he become overly suspicious? No—something was deeply wrong, nine out of ten wrong.

“Don’t worry—if corruption truly exists, I have no objection to bombing the entire Ninth District.”

Augustus Flax reassured him:

“There are always ways to halt the spread of corruption.”

Zhou Yun frowned.

The Ninth District was the only passage for many Lower Hive districts to reach the Upper Hive; if it were destroyed,

the cost of transporting goods from the Lower Hive would skyrocket, and prices for food and essential supplies would inevitably rise.

Deaths were inevitable.

It could even escalate into riots and rebellion.

“Let the Lower Hive suffer a little—I’ll crush any rebellion myself,” Augustus Flax said with a deep tone.

This bastard, Zhou Yun thought, shaking his head.

All it would take to eliminate the problem now was to kill Narma Karl.

Though Narma Karl did indeed appear innocent.

“Narma Karl is a devout Imperial Cultist; her husband died for the Emperor. Without concrete evidence, I cannot order PDF troops to kill her.”

“It might raise doubts about my loyalty.”

Augustus Flax noticed Zhou Yun’s gaze and shook his head, speaking honestly.

“Your loyalty doesn’t withstand scrutiny,” Zhou Yun shrugged.

This Augustus Flax had previously tried to find Ignis Karcas’s journal,

which recorded corruption incantations from the planet Daiwen.

Zhou Yun suspected Augustus Flax intended to use that corruption knowledge as his final safeguard:

If the Underworld Worm ever reached him, he would drag the entire Asford planet into Chaos.

“Indeed, so the PDF cannot be given to you.”

“If you must kill her, do it secretly—without anyone noticing.”

Here, Augustus Flax smiled:

“Not just me—your loyalty doesn’t withstand scrutiny either.”

“You’ve been associating with an illegal psyker.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yun smiled:

“I merely keep a fool.”

“Nothing compared to you, Viceroy, who keeps a private army of illegal psykers who escaped the Black Ships.”

“Viceroy, you wouldn’t want the Inquisition to discover you’re harboring illegal psykers, would you?”

Augustus Flax’s previously calm expression froze slightly.

“How did you know?” Augustus Flax’s voice carried a barely perceptible shock.

The illegal psykers were hidden by Augustus Flax in his secret crypt,

entirely managed by servitors—no possibility of leakage existed.

Zhou Yun simply gave Augustus Flax a bright smile.

“I underestimated you.”

Augustus Flax had to admit:

“Let’s discuss cooperation. Radben told me you need money—I can give it to you.”

“But I need you to go to the Bottom Hive.”

Hearing this, Zhou Yun’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

Why again the Bottom Hive?

Though I have eyes in the Lower Hive, I have none in the Bottom Hive—it’s the domain of cultists, mutants, and the Underworld Worm.

Since you can move freely between various waste districts unharmed, surely you can enter the Bottom Hive and investigate the Underworld Worm?

“After all, you even know about my illegal psykers.”

As he spoke, Augustus Flax reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag wrapped in linen, handing it to Zhou Yun.

Zhou Yun opened the bag—inside were bloodstones as pure as fresh blood,

each as large as a thumb, of exceptional quality.

“This is not payment—it’s a gift between friends.”

Augustus Flax smiled:

“If you go to the Bottom Hive and bring me useful information, I’ll give you even more.”

Zhou Yun remained expressionless, pretending to tuck the bloodstones into his clothes, slipping the bag into his fourth-dimensional pocket.

Seeing the 150,000 credits the bloodstones fetched, Zhou Yun’s gaze toward Augustus Flax turned eager.

If he could just kidnap this bastard and extort him...

But Zhou Yun still held caution.

“Let me confirm—are you truly Augustus Flax?” Zhou Yun probed.

“You’re quite interesting,” Augustus Flax nodded in admiration. “You realized I’m not the real one.”

“What you see now is a servitor I commissioned over twenty years ago from a wandering Mechanicus Archmagos.”

“That Archmagos was fascinated by our family’s blood; after I gave him several young children, he crafted this servitor for me.”

“It mirrors my appearance in real time, can be remotely controlled via special instruments, and performs intricate motions indistinguishable from a human.”

Indeed, Zhou Yun couldn’t help but glance at this servitor of Augustus Flax’s—

it was nearly impossible to tell it was a servitor; its appearance matched Augustus Flax’s, its expressions were lifelike, and it could transmit consciousness remotely.

Which Mechanicus Archmagos possessed such skill?

“May I ask the Archmagos’s name?”

“I heard it was Belisarius Cawl.”

Join the group! Join the group! Tomorrow at 8 AM, I’ll draw one Soul-Devouring Worm in the group!

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(End of Chapter)