Chapter 416: Ahriman: Do You Even Deserve To?

In the dim interrogation room, only a simple hanging lamp swayed gently.

But Zhou Yun felt whether the light was on or not made no difference.

Zhou Yun extended his hand slightly to shield himself from the white light continuously pouring from his side.

Saint Guilliman naturally radiated a spiritual energy glow; this light was unobtrusive in natural environments, but in this dim room, it appeared painfully brilliant.

"I remember the Mutant Review Form had a line about 'luminous skin.'" Zhou Yun whispered to the man beside him.

But this whisper meant little—the entire room, except for Els, possessed hearing far beyond human capability.

Karyn's expression was dazed, as if he didn't understand why Zhou Yun had suddenly said that.

"Huh?" Els opened her mouth slightly, staring at Zhou Yun in shock.

Saint Guilliman's expression shifted slightly, and the light around him dimmed, no longer so blinding.

Zhou Yun nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at Karyn seated across from him.

Karyn's eyes had been restored by Saint Guilliman, but his pupils held no light; his shattered skeleton slumped limply in the chair like a spoiled salted fish.

"What do you want to ask him?" Zhou Yun turned to Saint Guilliman and asked.

"I want to know the current state of my traitorous brothers," Saint Guilliman asked, a faint smile crossing his lips.

Zhou Yun showed a hint of curiosity—the current status of the Daemon Primarchs, Magnus, Angron, Fulgrim, and Mortarion, was of no real interest; Saint Guilliman and Zhou Yun both knew it all too well.

Was Saint Guilliman truly asking about Lorgar, Perturabo, and Alpharius/Omegon?

As if sensing Zhou Yun's thoughts, Saint Guilliman gave a slight nod—Zhou Yun had guessed correctly.

Hearing Saint Guilliman's words, Karyn's eyes flickered with a faint glimmer.

"Those were glorious years of conquest."

Karyn said with deep emotion:

"We fought every force that refused to pledge allegiance to Abaddon, every faction that tried to halt the rise of the Black Legion. We roamed unchecked through the deep void of the Eye of Terror, crushing the Nine Legions with absolute superiority and ending the civil war."

"Even the Primarchs themselves bowed before Abaddon—some willingly, others out of necessity; even Mortarion did, though Mortarion nearly killed us with his plague."

"I even used my psychic power to make Magnus kneel before us—"

"Els, slap him." Zhou Yun spoke coldly.

Though Els didn't understand the meaning behind Zhou Yun's order, she still obeyed, stepping forward to Karyn.

Crack—

A sharp slap landed on Karyn's left cheek.

"Didn't you tell me to speak?!" Karyn snarled.

Zhou Yun waved his hand in disgust, pulled out a tracking image mirror from his pocket, glanced at it, then withdrew a wooden door painted red with pink accents.

The Wild Emperor beside him turned and stepped through the door.

Moments later, the door opened again.

Karyn stared blankly as Ahriman and a Red Legion warrior were thrown out from the door.

"What's going on?" Ahriman wiped sweat from his forehead with a towel, glaring at Zhou Yun.

He had just been working out on the steroid planet when suddenly a red-and-pink wooden door appeared beside him; a man wearing a cowboy hat and a scarf stepped out.

Before Ahriman could react, a string of red-pink cords wrapped around him, dragging him and a Red Legion warrior here.

"He claims he used his psychic power to make Magnus kneel before him and Abaddon," Zhou Yun pointed at Karyn.

Ahriman followed Zhou Yun's gaze and only then noticed Karyn seated at the far end of the room.

"You? Made a Primarch kneel?" Ahriman looked at Karyn and burst out laughing in fury.

He strode forward, raised his powerfully trained arm,

Crack—

Ahriman slapped Karyn's right cheek:

"With your pathetic skills, how dare you?"

"If you had that power, why didn't you make Leman Russ kneel on Prospero?"

Karyn glared at Ahriman with hatred.

"According to the Inquisition's records, Karyn claimed they forced the Daemon Primarchs to pledge allegiance to Abaddon—even Mortarion, though Mortarion's plague nearly killed them," Zhou Yun said from the side.

"Does Abaddon, that dog of the Four Gods, even deserve the allegiance of Primarchs? Most Primarchs didn't care about his Black Legion."

Ahriman sneered:

"The Primarchs merely granted Abaddon a trivial gift out of respect for the Four Gods. Magnus never even met Abaddon—he only gave him a useless relic."

As for why Mortarion nearly killed them? Because Mortarion didn't even spare the Faceless God's face—he truly intended to kill Abaddon, but the Warmaster stopped him.

"Later, Abaddon and Karyn spread rumors that they had subdued the Primarchs—this only fooled newcomers who never experienced the Great Crusade."

"Then what of the non-Chaos Daemon Primarchs?" Zhou Yun nodded slightly, politely asking: "Did they, too, yield out of respect for the Four Gods?"

Ahriman paused slightly, then shook his head: "I don't know."

Then Ahriman lifted his chin slightly: "You dragged me here just for this nonsense?"

As he spoke, Ahriman scanned the room—it seemed to be Terra; in the corner stood Saint Guilliman; was that the man in the cowboy hat who broke Khorne's leg?

Ahriman began searching for an escape route.

But to Ahriman's surprise, Zhou Yun suddenly reached out and lightly touched the Red Legion warrior.

Then—

"Where are we?"

"Lord Ahriman? Karyn?"

"Is this?! Saint Guilliman? What happened?"

The resurrected Thousand Sons warrior looked around, bewildered.

"This is your reward," Zhou Yun pointed at the Thousand Sons warrior.

Ahriman's body trembled slightly, then—

"Thank you, Boss! You're incredibly generous!"

Ahriman's demeanor changed instantly; he bowed repeatedly to Zhou Yun:

"If you ever need an advisor, a proxy fighter, or a wizard's service, just call me—I'm always available."

"Ahriman, your dignity—" Karyn began to shout, but—

Boom!!

Ahriman raised his black staff and slammed a burst of psychic fire into Karyn, sending him flying into the wall.

"Boss, do you need anything else?" Ahriman bowed again.

"Have you been in contact with Erebus lately? Or Lu Xiusi?" Zhou Yun's gaze shifted slightly.

He recalled the Emperor's earlier prophecy—the Penitent, the Envious, and the Primordial Sin. The Primordial Sin was undoubtedly Erebus.

The Penitent and the Envious—Zhou Yun first suspected Ahriman, the Chosen of Tzeentch, and Lu Xiusi, the Chosen of Slaanesh.

So he'd occasionally used the tracking image mirror to check what Ahriman was doing.

The result? Ahriman was just working out—day after day, nothing but exercise, exercise, exercise. Zhou Yun was sick of watching.

"Me? I've been working out on the steroid planet the whole time," Ahriman shook his head. "As for Lu Xiusi and Erebus… I haven't heard what they've been up to. I'll use divination when I return—maybe I'll find something."

"I see," Zhou Yun nodded slightly, signaling Ahriman could take the resurrected Thousand Sons warrior and leave through the door.

But Ahriman didn't leave. He turned his head and looked at Karyn lying on the ground.

Then Ahriman suddenly reached out—intense psychic energy pierced Karyn's flesh like needles.

Ignoring Karyn's screams, he gave a slight tug—

Rip—

Karyn's flesh surged as dozens of parchment cards, made of papyrus, separated from his body; each card bore a different demon's image.

"These are Karyn's Demon Tarot—each card binds a powerful demon, even a Greater Daemon."

Ahriman said calmly:

"He decomposed them into molecular form and hid them within his flesh, so you didn't notice."

"But they couldn't hide from me—because I invented this technique."

As he spoke, Ahriman snapped his fingers; powerful psychic energy surged into the stack of Tarot cards, and Karyn let out a cry of agony.

"I've severed the connection between these demons and Karyn. You only need to infuse a little of your own power, and they'll become your servants."

"You needn't fear the Four Gods meddling—their power is so immense that even the Four Gods would struggle to reclaim demons corrupted by you."

Ahriman elegantly and politely handed the stack of Tarot cards to Zhou Yun.

"This is a gift to you—just remember me next time you have such a need."

Zhou Yun accepted the Tarot cards and couldn't help but praise Ahriman's service attitude.

Els frowned, watching Ahriman depart through the door.

"My Lord, shouldn't we arrest him? That's Ahriman," she asked.

"Unless I, Saint Guilliman, Guilliman, Fatty the Greater Demon, or the Wild Emperor are here to watch him, you'll never contain Ahriman."

Zhou Yun shrugged:

"Besides, is there even a need to arrest him now? As long as I can resurrect Red Legion warriors, Ahriman will come running whenever I call."

Els bowed respectfully and fell silent.

Karyn struggled painfully to his feet; Zhou Yun gestured with his eyes for Els to help him up.

Els walked to Karyn's side, lifted his broken body, and sat him back in the chair—Ahriman's spell had been so precise it injured only Karyn, leaving everything else, including the chair, untouched.

"What about Perturabo, Lorgar, and Alpharius/Omegon? How did you convince them to lend their aid?" Zhou Yun asked Karyn.

"Is Alpharius still alive? What is Omega?" Kayang asked, somewhat bewildered.

But he still answered Zhou Yun's question, tilting his head slightly upward with pride: "The Warmaster wields the demonic blade Draknion; even the Primarchs are human and must fear the radiance of that demonic sword."

"Ers, give him another hard slap." Zhou Yun spoke coldly.

(End of Chapter)