Chapter 549: Three years of sleeping, what a pillow, truly!

Saint Doraemon suddenly kicked off the blanket covering him and jumped up from the bed, his body spinning as he floated in mid-air.

He reached out a round hand to grab the blanket and wrapped it around himself, his figure undergoing a bizarre transformation as he did so.

Blue light spilled from his body; shattered crystals, twisted lightning, and a constantly shifting storm emerged from the light. Then, the blanket he had pulled up transformed into a cloak and hood, covering that constantly changing, formless entity.

At the same time, a burning golden shackle suddenly appeared around his neck, tightly strangling his throat. The chain attached to the shackle extended all the way into the void, held by someone unknown.

The Young Master of Change. The million worlds of the Human Empire's two capitals and five sectors are carried on my shoulders. Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's prisoner. Acting as a deputy prime minister. Bait Number One. The Changeling, revealed on the bed what was perhaps his own true form.

After all, almost no one knows what the Changeling is; even he himself has forgotten.

Sometimes he claims to be just an ordinary Horror, while at other times the power he displays is far greater than that of a host of Lords of Change.

Sometimes people speculate that he might be the manifestation of a portion of Tzeentch's power, while others believe he is a special existence naturally born from Tzeentch's Realm of Change.

He is the embodiment of deceit, concealment, and meddling. Aside from Tzeentch, he can transform into any existence, even using this to deceive and hoodwink other Dark Gods.

The Changeling is incomprehensible, the Changeling is unpredictable, the Changeling may be loyal or may betray; the Changeling only cares about turning everything into a chaotic mess.

If not for the fact that Tzeentch remembers the Changeling's original appearance and keeps it secret as a means to control him, the Changeling would not even mind deceiving, hoodwinking, betraying, and toying with the Lord of Change himself.

Precisely because of this, the Changeling is, if not notorious in the Warp, at least universally loathed—to the same degree as Trazyn is to the Necrons, the Deceiver is to the C'tan, and the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang is to the Warp.

Aside from Tzeentch, the other three gods would love to tear the Changeling limb from limb to avenge the theft of Slaanesh's hair and the theft of Father Nurgle's Nurglings, which he stuffed under Khorne's backside.

But the Changeling crashed his car in his last prank.

He had originally been lurking in the mind of Lion El'Jonson, preparing to ambush the Lion, but he didn't expect that when it comes to being devious, the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang is the true master. With a single cast, the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang hooked the Changeling, captured him in his palm, placed shackles on him, and used him for his own purposes.

The Changeling cackled as he floated in the air, appearing not at all like someone who was bound.

"Little Boss Jeanna, you are becoming increasingly proficient at lying."

"Any interest in betraying the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang and finding new employment in our Crystal Labyrinth?"

Jeanna lowered her eyes slightly. While picking up a needle and thread to continue sewing the battle banner in her hands, she said in a clear voice, "Everything I say is the truth. The Hua Hua Hua Di Huang and Saint Doraemon teach us not to lie."

"You might as well say Tzeentch taught you not to lie!" the Changeling cackled.

This retreat was indeed a lie, a lure used to fish out those who attempted to harm the sleeping Saint Doraemon and kill them.

There are many such traps on Terra, layer upon layer.

But aside from catching one or two Greater Daemons of Khorne or a few Daemon Princes of Khorne every year, no big fish had ever been caught.

Slaanesh and Nurgle have established a certain degree of cooperative relationship with Saint Doraemon; these two gods only occasionally send people to probe Saint Doraemon's condition.

As for the Lord of Change, He would not fall for such a simple trick. The Changeling was specifically used to lure Him, but Tzeentch acted as if He didn't care about the Changeling at all, as if He hadn't even noticed the Changeling had disappeared.

Only Khorne, tirelessly and repeatedly, took the bait, which resulted in the Khorne cultists who had entrenched themselves on Terra for tens of thousands of years being wiped out.

This is not because Khorne is dull-witted, but because ever since the Blood God chose to accept scars as an indispensable part of war, the Blood God's servants seem increasingly inclined toward trading wounds for wounds, attempting to break all laws with brute force even when they know it is a trap.

But unfortunately, in this fishpond of Terra, not only is the bait of the Changeling's caliber, but the hooks are also all possessed of extraordinary skills.

The shadows squirmed slightly, and a figure wearing black armor, an avian helmet, and holding a large-caliber steel needle sniper rifle stepped out.

Nikona Sharrowkyn, the Raven of Mourning.

"I pray that what you say is the truth," Sharrowkyn said in a very soft voice.

Jeanna tilted her head slightly, revealing a slightly puzzled expression: "Lord Sharrowkyn, Saint Doraemon was able to bring you back from death. Why would you doubt that He cannot return from His own slumber?"

"Once, there was a man who saved many people, but could not save himself or his own sons," Sharrowkyn replied, his voice still very soft.

Jeanna did not answer. Sharrowkyn's words could refer to the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang, or to that Raven Lord.

"Once, there was such an existence who brought us hope and brought the Primarchs to lead our Great Crusade."

"Once, there was such an existence whose deeds were miracles, yet he told us he was not a god."

"Once, there was such an existence who planned to free humanity from Warp travel."

"Once, there was such an existence who suddenly disappeared halfway through the Great Crusade."

"Once, there was such an existence whose disappearance was to obtain a method to save everyone once and for all."

"Once, there was such an existence who walked among us, but eventually ceased to speak."

"It was also this same existence who entrusted a man to carry out a study for the future; that man is Belisarius Cawl."

Sharrowkyn said slowly and gently:

"How can everything be so similar?"

"How can I, who have experienced these things, not feel fear?"

"I pity Archmagos Cawl the most. He has borne this fate for ten thousand years, and now he must fear bearing the same fate for another ten thousand years."

"We have had too much hope, but they all eventually went and never returned. I pray this time will not be the same result."

"Don't be afraid, all of this is in the plan," the Changeling said, circling in the air and cackling. ===== CHAPTER 550 =====