Chapter 91: Zhou Yun: I Am a Barbarian!

Such fast gunplay!

Gordon Wan stared blankly as his three hands turned to ash in midair, the three Liberators clattering to the ground.

Before he could pull the trigger, the man across from him had already fired three shots, precisely piercing Gordon Wan’s wrists.

Gordon Wan’s body trembled uncontrollably.

He had seen true gunplay—before this man, Gordon Wan was no better than an infant.

Then, Gordon Wan saw only a searing laser streak toward his brow.

His skull instantly turned to ash and dissolved into the air.

Zhou Yun glanced at the three Liberators on the ground, picked them up, and shoved them into his fourth-dimensional pocket.

“Don’t just pick up alien weapons and use them,” said the winged figure within the white light, near Zhou Yun’s ear.

“Are you insinuating some subspace serpent-man?” Zhou Yun glanced at him.

Fugrym had picked up a sword from the alien race known as the Stabbers, and was possessed by the demon dwelling within it.

Zhou Yun casually sold the three Liberators for a bit of pocket money.

As Leina arrived at the factory, the tide of battle instantly reversed.

It is said that the highest level of military strategy is to command your opponent.

Leina’s military acumen aside, her Voice of Enchantment truly allowed her to command enemies.

With just a few words, she could make the gene-thief hybrid cultists and their kin lay down their weapons and step out from cover.

As Zhou Yun watched Ark Gang members begin hauling away the alien corpses for cremation, he walked up to Leina, whose face was grim.

Several Ark Gang members were speaking to Leina.

When they saw Zhou Yun, they all shuddered involuntarily, then bowed respectfully.

Leina waved her hand, signaling the Ark Gang members to leave.

The Ark Gang members fled as if granted divine pardon.

“What’s with them? Am I that terrifying?” Zhou Yun muttered.

Leina glanced at Zhou Yun’s face—dark as a dense forest, like a Ma Lei lion—and her lips twitched.

“What happened in the Lower Warrens has spread: Lyne Rus, Neos, Hogleth Lupebar.”

“The Hunter with a Thousand Faces, the Zealot of the Imperial Cult, as cold and fierce as a lion, hunting all heretics and cultists—even single-handedly sparking war between the Four-Armed God Emperor cultists and the Mutant cultists, killing two Mutant leaders and the Four-Armed God Emperor’s High Bishop, leaving the entire First District destroyed by plague-zombies.”

As Leina spoke, Zhou Yun’s lips twitched slightly.

“Me? A zealot of the Imperial Cult? Hunting heretics and cultists?” He pointed at himself: “What kind of folk tale is this?”

Leina couldn’t help rubbing her temples—this rumor was indeed bizarre.

Though the general facts were true, the judgment of Zhou Yun was almost entirely wrong.

This man was clearly the greatest heretic in all of Asford.

“I suspect the gene-thieves spread this rumor on purpose—to make you infamous and easier to expose,” Leina said.

Zhou Yun frowned.

Even when visiting the Ark Gang, he had rarely used his true face.

The risk of exposure was minimal.

Only Leina, Old One-Eye, Viceroy Augustus Flax, and Lag knew—or might guess—his identity?

Zhou Yun’s lips twitched again.

Leina, Old One-Eye, and the Viceroy all hated the gene-thieves to the death—they would never expose him.

But Lag…

“Don’t worry. I implanted psychological suggestions and layered memory barriers in his mind. He won’t realize you’re Lyne Rus—even if he did, he couldn’t speak of it,” Leina said, looking as if to say, “Trust me.”

Zhou Yun nodded slightly, then glanced toward the direction the Ark Gang members had left.

“What’s this attack about? Why would the gene-thieves launch such a pointless strike?”

This was so close to the Ark Gang’s base—the gene-thief chieftain knew Leina’s strength well.

A bunch of hybrid cultists and kin, plus one killer-species? Without Zhou Yun’s help, Leina could handle them herself.

“It’s not just here. All major districts under Ark Gang control have been attacked by gene-thieves,” Leina’s expression darkened.

Zhou Yun’s lips twitched—this was bad.

Without Leina, the Ark Gang was barely stronger than ordinary gangs.

They could handle regular gangs, but against gene-thieves led by their chieftain, coordinated via psychic link? They were hopelessly outmatched.

“They emerged suddenly from pipes and sewers, seized parts of the factory and streets, and established outposts across multiple districts.”

Leina rubbed her temples, her eyes filled with fury.

“They’re spreading propaganda—claiming the Ark Gang is just another cruel oppressor, while they are righteous liberators, trying to trick residents of these districts into siding with them.”

“My people are fighting them everywhere, but overall, it’s not going well.”

“The gene-thief chieftain lied from the start. His claim that he’d use endless assassinations against us was pure deception—to distract us.”

Leina gritted her teeth:

“He’s chosen open war.”

Zhou Yun pinched his chin.

It wasn’t surprising the gene-thieves chose open war—the Tyranids were already approaching Asford; they no longer needed to hide.

The Imperial Guard had yet to arrive in Asford, and the PDFs, under the Viceroy’s command, had collectively gone slack.

The gene-thieves’ only opponents now were the district gangs led by Leina’s Ark Gang.

“My people aren’t afraid to die, and they’re willing to fight—but they haven’t been trained enough.”

Leina’s expression grew even darker.

“We lack commanders who can lead battles. The gene-thieves have split into nearly a hundred small units—I simply can’t manage them all.”

This was likely intentional on the gene-thieves’ part.

If the gene-thieves had launched a full-scale assault as one unified force, Leina could have countered them with her psychic power.

But now, their chieftain, using psychic links and command ability, controlled a hundred small units simultaneously—each as nimble as a finger.

Yet Leina’s command capacity and her troops couldn’t respond to so many simultaneous attacks.

The gene-thieves wanted her running herself ragged.

In tactics, strategy, and troop quality, the Ark Gang was utterly crushed.

No wonder Leina’s face looked like she’d swallowed two piles of Nurgle’s filth.

Zhou Yun also frowned slightly—if the gene-thieves took the Lower Warrens, it would indeed be troublesome.

That would give the Tyranid swarm too great an advantage.

Zhou Yun had a plan in mind—about how to resurrect Saint Guilliman.

That plan required the Tyranid swarm’s advantage in the Underworld System not to be too great; the Empire must hold out until a third force intervened.

Zhou Yun rubbed his chin.

“In short, that’s the situation.”

In the Spearhead Tavern, Zhou Yun swirled the crimson wine in his cup, speaking to Old One-Eye.

“Leina’s running around putting out fires. I’ll try to get the Viceroy to actually do his job.”

“After all, the PDFs are now the only force in Asford capable of resisting the gene-thieves.”

Though he said this, Zhou Yun didn’t expect to persuade the Viceroy with just words.

He had another plan.

Old One-Eye listened in silence for a moment, then said: “I can’t guarantee he’ll offer help.”

“You know that data board in my room? Memorize the passphrase and key. You’ll speak to him directly.”

Zhou Yun nodded, memorizing the passphrase and key whispered by Old One-Eye.

He rose, walked into the room behind the tavern, picked up the data board on the table, entered the key, unlocked the screen, and opened the communication interface.

Moments later, a low, dry voice came from the other side.

Zhou Yun recognized it as Viceroy Augustus Flax’s voice.

“Passphrase,” he said on the other end.

Zhou Yun remembered the passphrase Old One-Eye gave—a string of single-word codewords.

But he grinned, and instead of reciting it, said:

“Spiral Staircase,” “Rhino Beetle,” “Ruined Alley,” “Fig Tower.”

“Rhino Beetle,” “Path of Teresa,” “Rhino Beetle,” “Anomaly,” “Giotto.”

“Angel,” “Hydrangea,” “Rhino Beetle,” “Anomaly,” “Secret Emperor.”

Of course, this sequence was entirely wrong.

But Viceroy Augustus Flax on the other end clearly recognized Zhou Yun’s voice. After a pause, he asked: “Tell me, how many arms does the Merciful Emperor have by nature?”

“Two arms,” Zhou Yun answered promptly.

Silence on the other end—dead still—until, after a long moment, Zhou Yun heard the Viceroy draw in a sharp breath.

He dryly continued: “Recite the first two lines of the Holy Scripture.”

“Rejoice, for I bring you the Gospel of Strife.”

“The Horned Rat walks among us! Yes! Yes!”

Zhou Yun spoke without hesitation.

A faint hiss of breath came from the other side of the data board.

Augustus Flax sucked in cold breaths one after another, calming his emotions.

“Could you please consider the health of an old man?” Augustus Flax asked.

Zhou Yun’s remarks had just been far too explosive.

!. Read

If Augustus Flax weren’t also dirty, he’d have reported Zhou Yun to the Imperial Ecclesiarchy.

“You don’t suspect I’m a Worm of the Underworld?” Zhou Yun asked with interest.

“Unless Tiberius wants me to die of a heart attack,” Augustus Flax said, “he would never answer my password like that.”

“He knows this only makes me more wary.”

After a moment of silence, Augustus Flax said:

“I know what happened in the Lower Nest. Tiberius has begun his move.”

“I also know what you want. I won’t relocate PDF. What if Tiberius uses this chance to sneak into the Upper Nest and assassinate me?”

“As long as there’s the slightest danger, I won’t move PDF.”

Zhou Yun’s eyelid twitched slightly.

In matters of fear of death and caution, Augustus Flax was identical to the Gene-Thief Clan Chief—no wonder they were brothers.

The reason they had maintained peace for decades, divided by the Upper Nest, was likely because both were wary of each other and dared not strike first.

“Then stay right where you are. Don’t move.”

Zhou Yun sighed, his expression full of regret:

“I’m going to the Upper Nest to kill you.”

“Huh?” On the other side of the data panel, Augustus Flax wondered if he’d misheard.

“You don’t need to worry about the Worm of the Underworld assassinating you anymore. I’ll solve that problem for you.”

Zhou Yun spoke with sincere tone:

“Before he kills you, I’ll kill you first. Don’t thank me.”

The air fell into deathly silence, broken only by Augustus Flax’s sharp intake of breath.

“Are you mad? I’m the Viceroy—the Viceroy of Asford’s planet.”

“So what?” Zhou Yun asked earnestly.

“You can’t do it,” Augustus Flax insisted firmly.

“Why can’t I? I infiltrated the Lower Nest, entered Zone One, killed the Gene-Thief Bishop, and scared your brother into fleeing.”

“If he hadn’t run fast, he’d already be dead with your parents.”

Zhou Yun leaned closer to the data panel, making his voice clear to Augustus Flax’s ears:

“What gives you the right to live? Your psyker troops? Your PDF? They can’t stop me.”

“Or are you planning to hide in your ‘safe’ crypt? I know where your crypt is.”

Zhou Yun didn’t actually know—he was just saying it to scare Augustus Flax:

“I hope when I stand before you, you can run as fast as your brother did.”

“You—” Augustus Flax’s voice trembled with disbelief.

His crypt was secretly built, managed only by servitors—Zhou Yun could never possibly know its location!

Could he truly know where his crypt was? Augustus Flax felt a chill run down his spine.

“Aren’t you afraid of death? Assassinating a Viceroy is a capital crime—you won’t be spared.”

“I won’t die,” Zhou Yun shrugged indifferently.

The Oracle of Right and Wrong had confirmed it:

Before the Underworld Shield is destroyed, as long as he hasn’t exchanged for a Gate, he won’t suffer serious harm.

Once the Underworld Shield is destroyed and the entire star system explodes—who cares about the life of a planet’s Viceroy?

The Underworld Shield isn’t unique to just one Viceroy.

“That’s downright shameless,” Augustus Flax snapped in frustration.

“Allow me to introduce myself.”

Zhou Yun spoke calmly:

“I’m a thug who consorts with illegal psykers and Lower Nest gangs. I’m a heretic who spits blasphemies and deserves the pyre. I’ve even collaborated with mutants who worship the Plague God.”

“I’m a Lower Nest scum! A barbarian! A thug! My shamelessness is only natural.”

“And you? As Viceroy, is what you do what you should do?”

Some pretend civility to mask their savagery; some use savagery as their camouflage; others relish the alienation that comes from being seen as a barbarian.

Whatever the case, savagery can be a useful weapon in critical moments.

Hearing Zhou Yun’s mockery, Augustus Flax found himself speechless.

“I can give you money,” Augustus Flax said after a long silence.

Zhou Yun merely sneered and said nothing.

If he could maintain the balance between the Imperium and the Tyranids, allowing a third force to enter, the money he’d earn at the end would far exceed anything Augustus Flax could offer.

“I can arrange a ship ticket for you, to get you off Asford.”

Seeing Zhou Yun remain silent, Augustus Flax raised his offer:

“You can go to Baal—it’s the homeworld of the Blood Angels. Absolutely safe.”

“.” Zhou Yun’s lip twitched, barely holding back a laugh.

Seeing Zhou Yun still silent, Augustus Flax clenched his teeth and spoke slowly, word by word:

“I can give you a batch of weapons—enough to arm your entire gang.”

“Also, Radben was once the finest member of PDF. I’ll lend him to you to train your men.”

“The money I promised earlier still stands.”

Zhou Yun’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Finally, I’ve squeezed some oil out of this bastard.

“Add more,” Zhou Yun smiled.

Once you gain an inch, you must take a foot.

This time, Augustus Flax fell silent for only a few seconds.

He seemed to have already planned this: “The Lower Nest isn’t the only force that can resist Tiberius.”

“I can introduce you to another faction—even pay you to hire them.”

“Oh?” Zhou Yun raised an eyebrow.

“Have you heard of… the Cult of the Dead God?” Augustus Flax whispered, as if speaking of something horrific.

“What white silk? What feet? What white silk feet?”

(End of Chapter)