Chapter 81: Don't Speak Without a Communicator!

"Blue Marmot!"

His voice sounded like the chorus of billions, and merely hearing it caused dizziness.

"Don't speak without a communicator!"

Zhou Yun clutched his aching head and retorted:

"You're the damn marmot, your whole family's marmots!"

"You're a marmot?" the winged figure in the white light asked Zhou Yun, astonished.

"You father and son," Zhou Yun, gritting his teeth against the pain from his illnesses, slowly pushed himself up against the metal pillar.

Margit stared in terror at Jeanne as she walked toward it step by step,

as Jeanne moved, the warp Xieli swirling around it evaporated like dew before the sun,

from the warp gate behind it, the Nurgle legions howled and surged forth,

countless Nurgle spirits coalesced into a green tide, rushing toward the boundary between reality and the warp,

yet the moment they entered reality, they melted like ice thrown into a furnace,

the furious Rain Father shook his yew branch, black rain seeped from the warp engine, battling the flickering light on Jeanne’s body for dominion over the material universe.

"No!!!"

Margit felt every inch of its body burning,

every maggot composing its flesh screamed, every bacterium died, every virus was expelled,

"No!!! Why?!"

"You refuse to save Asford! Why can't we save ourselves?!"

Jeanne’s steps showed no hesitation; she continued forward.

"Yaaaaaahhhhh!!!"

Margit let out a piercing wail, its entire body began spewing searing white smoke, blistered with grotesque boils,

"No! I am saving Asford!"

"You can't! You're not worthy!!!!"

White, searing smoke poured from Margit’s mouth,

the corrupted Screamer beside it lunged at Jeanne,

Jeanne merely raised her hand slightly,

in an instant, golden flames erupted over the Screamer, burning every shred of its flesh,

flesh infected by viruses, spines stuffed with parasites, nerves overrun by bacteria—all ignited,

in the blink of an eye, the beast turned to ash and vanished into the air.

Margit recoiled several steps in fear,

"Death God!!!"

Margit shrieked:

"The Death God upon the Throne!!!"

"What else have you given us besides death!!"

"Won't you even let us chase our own hope for life?!"

Margit noticed faint burns beginning to appear on Jeanne’s skin,

it drew a sharp breath, its eyes—nearly burning—filled with revulsion and hatred:

"You're even willing to kill this innocent child!"

"Laine Rus! Can't you see?! The one on the Throne isn't hope—it's Death God!"

"He, the Cursed One, brings only death!"

Margit shouted in fury, pointing at Jeanne:

"Child! Will you be the Death God's sacrifice?!"

"Stop! You'll die too!!!"

Jeanne’s steps remained utterly unwavering,

she moved like a saint stepping toward the pyre, without a moment’s hesitation.

"No one should die!!!" Margit screamed louder,

behind it, the Rain Father strained to shake his yew branch,

more black rain seeped from the warp engine, flowing down along Margit’s feet,

this thick, swamp-like, polluted seawater—teeming with viruses, bacteria, and microorganisms—collided with the flickering light on Jeanne’s body,

waves of foul steam filled the underground chamber.

"Where is he?!"

Margit suddenly pointed at Zhou Yun, who had risen from beneath the metal pillar,

"He's nearly like your father! Doesn't he deserve your remembrance?!"

Jeanne’s steps paused slightly.

Sensing this, Margit’s face lit up with triumph,

"You can all survive!"

"Accept the Father’s blessing, and you can live forever in His garden!"

!. Du

"You can attain joy and happiness beyond this mortal world!"

Margit stepped forward urgently, the black rain around it surging forward too,

a group of Nurgle spirits squeezed through the warp gate, bathed in the black rain, rushing toward Jeanne and Zhou Yun.

"Quick! Chant with me!"

"Seven Curses!! Seven Diseases!! Seven Blessings!!!"

"All Things Rot! All Beings Endure!!!"

Margit opened its arms and walked slowly toward Jeanne.

"Jeanne." Zhou Yun’s voice came from behind her: "Actually—"

Jeanne heard Zhou Yun’s voice and trembled slightly,

then, the girl firmly shook her head and took a step forward toward the surging black rain.

Hssss!!!

The sound of evaporation echoed through the entire chamber; the black rain receded inch by inch,

the Nurgle spirits who had rushed out of the warp screamed in agony and turned to ash, vanishing completely,

"You'll die!!!" Margit shrieked.

More and more burns appeared on Jeanne’s skin; her hair began to burn,

she felt as if a star were burning in her chest, ready to burst forth and ignite the entire world,

Jeanne had long known her fate—since the first time she prayed devoutly to the Emperor deep in the junk heap,

the Emperor had shown her that future,

she was born to seal this warp rift, chosen to sacrifice herself here.

Everyone is the Emperor’s tool,

each has a different purpose,

and Jeanne’s purpose is to burn out here.

A few more steps, and she would surely return to the Golden Throne,

yet

Jeanne couldn’t help it—she stole one last glance back at Zhou Yun.

Then, Jeanne froze.

Zhou Yun scratched his head, sighed as if nothing had happened,

walked past Jeanne, patted her shoulder, and signaled her to step back,

the searing flames surrounding Jeanne affected him not at all,

the black rain surging on the ground didn’t touch him once,

the supreme warp power surging from the engine couldn’t touch him either,

he stood as if untouched by all earthly and warp forces, positioned between Jeanne and the warp rift,

Zhou Yun glanced at Margit’s horrified face, then at the bewildered winged figure in the white light,

then turned his gaze with contempt toward the corpse seated upon the Golden Throne behind Jeanne,

the Adaptation Lamp in Zhou Yun’s hand, already used once, vanished with the wind,

he took a deep breath and asked the people present—or watching—sincerely:

"Who!"

"Who the hell said I crashed? Step forward!"

(End of Chapter)