Chapter 31

Indeed, just as Tucker said.

The Khalid family, which controls the entire planet, has intricate ties with the cults of the Lower Warrens...

Alvin stared fixedly at the handsome young man in noble finery, standing beside the Viceroy of Hadley, beside the luxurious hovercar.

It was he who funded the Hammer Gang in the Lower Warrens and used psychic energy to take the former’s life.

Calm down, must stay calm... Alvin suppressed his rage, repeatedly telling himself to remain composed, and tore his gaze away from the young man.

But just then.

The young man on the hovercar slightly furrowed his brow.

His senses, greatly amplified by psychic energy, had sensed a flicker of ‘murderous intent’ in the crowd just a moment ago.

The young man turned his head toward the dense crowd on the right street, but the throng of people made it impossible for him to pinpoint the source of that ‘murderous aura’ immediately.

“Rashid, mind your manners.”

The Viceroy of Hadley spoke to him in a low voice: “You should look straight ahead, projecting the dignity of the Khalid family—not gawk like an untrained commoner. It will make other families mock our etiquette.”

“Sorry, Uncle Galken.”

Rashid softly replied, immediately withdrawing his gaze and resuming his stern, forward-facing posture.

“Good. Fulfill your duty. Do not forget your mission.”

Viceroy Galken Khalid stared straight ahead, not glancing at Rashid, his voice carrying a hint of authority: “Until the true heir comes of age, you must bear the responsibilities and burdens befitting a qualified heir. No mistakes are permitted.”

“Yes, Uncle Galken.”

Rashid maintained his noble bearing and made a light vow: “I swear before the Divine Emperor, I will use my life to shield the true heir from all danger.”

Between the two, not another word was spoken; silence settled.

Meanwhile, the parade outside reached its climax.

The Viceroy’s luxurious vehicle rolled along a spotless, wide avenue, followed closely by the Hadley Planetary Defense Forces.

From their marching posture and equipment, Alvin judged this unit to be undeniably elite.

No wonder they serve as reserves for the Starry Army.

But this inadvertently deepened Alvin’s dread—if this force turned to the cult, they’d all be dead before imperial reinforcements arrived.

“When I return, I’ll tell Father Aruman. Then decide.”

Alvin took one last long look at the noble young man on the vehicle, as if etching his face into his memory.

He quietly slipped out of the crowd of onlookers.

Following Father Aruman’s instructions, Alvin arrived at Barren’s Diner, No. 105, Fernan District.

A Guro steak and a bottle of Amasek cost 800 kroner total—200 kroner for the steak, 600 for the Amasek.

After marveling that one meal cost nearly three months of his wages, Alvin decisively abandoned the idea of tasting the Guro steak.

Two hundred kroner? He’d rather eat energy bars!

With the remaining two hundred kroner in his pocket, Alvin checked the time—sunset was still far off—and decided to visit the black market in the Middle Warrens.

Black markets existed everywhere in the Warrens; nothing unusual. After all, much of their merchandise came from upper-tier contraband, so enforcers usually turned a blind eye—as long as no one died, they wouldn’t crack down hard.

After asking around, Alvin found Maren’s Street.

Unlike the filthy, chaotic Lower Warrens, the Middle Warrens’ black market was noticeably cleaner and tidier.

Probably due to the “celebration,” the market was nearly empty today—only a handful of stalls, maybe ten or so, were open.

As usual, Alvin disguised himself, circled twice, then stopped before a stall that caught his interest.

A finely crafted, intricately carved incense burner drew his attention.

As Alvin picked it up and held it in his hands, the Navigator System’s appraisal instantly appeared before him.

【Detected Item: Blessed Incense Burner (Aged)】

【An incense burner blessed by a Church priest. Little incense residue remains. When burned, it greatly reduces the risk of attracting attention from Warp demons.】

【Energy Yield: 0 units】

Hey, not bad—this is a good find!

Alvin’s eyes lit up. A Church-blessed incense burner would greatly reduce the risk of Warp corruption whenever he used psychic energy.

“How much for this?” he asked the vendor.

“Three thousand kroner.”

The vendor, clearly a bounty hunter with a rust-red longblade and a firearm at his belt, named a sky-high price.

Hearing the quote, Alvin sneered and placed the burner back exactly where he found it: “Alright, you keep it. Goodbye.”

Without hesitation, he turned and walked away—no intention of haggling.

“Hey, wait! Don’t leave so fast!”

The vendor called after him, smiling awkwardly: “I was just joking. Eight hundred kroner?”

“One hundred.”

Alvin turned back, slashing the price straight to the vendor’s ankles.

“Hey, do you have any sense?” the vendor snapped, irritated: “This is a Church-blessed incense burner! Look at the craftsmanship! One hundred? Are you dreaming?”

“Church-blessed incense burners are valuable, but...”

Alvin paused, smirking at the vendor: “The most important part is the ash inside. Your burner’s got barely a fingernail’s worth left—and you dare ask eight hundred?”

“Uh...”

The vendor choked, face reddening, stubbornly insisting: “Even if there’s only a little left, it’s still a Church-blessed incense burner!”

“Then keep it for yourself.”

Alvin turned again, resolute to leave.

The Blessed Incense Burner was valuable, but beyond its ornate craftsmanship, the only thing that mattered was the ash inside.

That ash was the key defense against Warp corruption. The alloy lattice casing? Pure Church tradition—pretty, but useless.

Sure enough, just as he took three steps, the vendor panicked and called out: “Two hundred! Two hundred kroner! Can’t go lower!”

Alvin turned, frowning: “One fifty. Take it or keep it.”

“Fine, fine, I’m unlucky. Take it.”

The vendor put on a face of great loss, pained: “This thing’s been sitting here forever with no buyers. Consider it a favor.”

He wasn’t losing—Alvin knew the vendor was just putting on a show.

Only psychics wanted this thing, and the burner was caked in dust—clearly had been sitting for ages. That’s why he drove the price down so hard.

Suddenly, Alvin’s peripheral vision caught something odd.

It was jet-black, shaped like a palm-sized half-moon metal device, with alternating ink-green and black patterns—as if recently dug from the earth.

“Interested in this?” the vendor chuckled, seeing his gaze: “Let me tell you, this is a real treasure. Ten of my brothers died getting it. Three hundred kroner, take it.”

Alvin frowned, picked it up, and the appraisal appeared before him.

【Detected Item: Necro-Engine Sacred Beetle (Fine-Damaged)】

【Necron artifact, used to repair necron devices. Can decompose nearly any matter into energy. But after eons of slumber, the beetle within has completely shut down.】

【Energy Yield: 0 units】

Alvin’s mind went blank—he nearly froze.

Are you kidding? He’d thought the Nakmonde Corridor and the cults surrounding him were already a hellish start.

Did the Divine Emperor think the difficulty wasn’t high enough? Digging up a Necro-Engine Sacred Beetle here means... there’s a dormant necron tomb nearby?!