In Warhammer, please don’t mix Doraemon with the Omnissiah.

"I hope she's not researching numerology," Zhou Yun blurted out instinctively.

Reina blinked, confused. "What's numerology?"

"Uh…"

Zhou Yun blinked too, momentarily at a loss for words. Should he tell Reina that numerology was a brand-new open-world adventure game designed by Mortarion, set in a fantasy world called 'the Warp'? Mortarion, that petty Primarch, must've inherited the Emperor's stubbornness—already knee-deep in Chaos, standing before Nurgle and a bunch of Great Unclean Ones, and still trying to explain the Warp with 'science.' He even turned around and accused others of being superstitious…

"I use numerology, but you use superstitious witchcraft!"

"It's a profound discipline that uses mathematical logic to explain the Warp," Zhou Yun finally explained, taking a deep breath.

Reina frowned and muttered, "That sounds like some kind of heresy."

"The mathematician I mentioned doesn't research anything improper like that," she added quickly.

"She's an actuary in the upper hive, usually helping the nobles calculate their factories' ledgers, and in her spare time, she studies mathematics."

"And how exactly does an actuary-slash-mathematician help you find a Warp drive?"

Zhou Yun felt a bad premonition rising in his heart. Mathematician… studying math in this galaxy was not a safe line of work.

"Don't tell me she… calculated it? Strictly by math?"

Could she have been corrupted by Tzeentch and 'received enlightenment' from numbers?

Zhou Yun didn't voice that thought.

"What kind of heretical thoughts are running through your head?" Reina said, aghast. She quickly bowed her head and murmured a few prayers, asking the Emperor's forgiveness for hearing such blasphemous words.

"Her ancestor was the navigation recorder aboard Asford's first colony ship, and she inherited a centuries-old archive of ancient star charts," Reina explained.

"With that archive, we can locate the general landing site of the old colony ship and see if the Warp drive was removed."

"And how do you know this actuary-slash-navigator has the archive?"

Zhou Yun narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me it was another Emperor's vision?"

Reina's gaze flickered. "Not this time…"

Zhou Yun's suspicion deepened.

"I have a reliable source," she said firmly. Seeing that Zhou Yun still looked unconvinced, she put her fingers to the Saint's Creed tattoo on her cheek and vowed, "I swear by the Emperor, my source is reliable and not from any vision, prophecy, or Warp hallucination."

Zhou Yun looked away, but his doubts only grew.

"So what do you want me to do?" he asked.

Reina smiled faintly. "Originally, I just wanted to hire you to go to the underhive and retrieve the Warp drive. After all, you seem to have some ability to transport large items… don't deny it—those PDF autoguns you moved weren't exactly light."

I never denied it, Zhou Yun grumbled internally.

"But now, after seeing what you're capable of, I want you to come with me to the upper hive and steal the archive," Reina said.

"You… want to come with me?"

Zhou Yun's mouth twitched. This so-called Ark Gang leader always managed to pack countless problems into one sentence.

"First question: why are you coming with me?"

"Second question: how do you plan on getting to the upper hive?"

He fixed her with a sharp gaze.

Between the upper and lower hive, there were PDF garrisons. True, both Reina and he were strong enough, and her enthralling voice could probably handle some squads… but an illegal psyker trying to break through the gate between the hives was tantamount to open rebellion. What, did she want to eat a Cadian fist? The Astra Militarum stationed nearby was the famous Cadian Shock Troops—

Even a Chaos Daemon would get charged head-on by them.

"Why me? Because only I know where the archive is," Reina replied, but hesitated at the second question.

"I… am working on securing a route. It should be ready soon…"

Unreliable. Completely unreliable.

Zhou Yun judged immediately—her 'route' was almost certainly a smuggling operation.

And on top of that, they'd be stealing from the upper hive. The security up there was on a whole different level.

If she got caught and her illegal psyker identity was exposed…

Cadian fist warning!

"I'll pay more!" Reina said at once, noticing his expression.

Faced with his likely refusal, she didn't hesitate to offer more money. In her experience, there was always someone willing to take risks for the right price.

"You really…" Zhou Yun paused. "…can't judge people."

Reina froze awkwardly.

Zhou Yun looked at her blandly.

More money? His whole reason for making money was to stay alive!

He rubbed his chin, and an idea quietly formed.

He thought of a way to reach the upper hive safely and legally.

"I'll think about it," Zhou Yun finally said.

Leaving the Ark Gang's stronghold, Zhou Yun walked through the hive's crowded streets, deep in thought.

"You seem troubled. Should I use the Emperor's Tarot to divine for you?"

The winged figure in the white light asked, producing a glowing deck of cards.

Zhou Yun glanced at him, then thought a moment before asking, "That woman… she really doesn't have any taint of Chaos?"

"None," the winged figure replied. "But her psychic presence is strange."

"Strange?" Zhou Yun raised an eyebrow.

"Yes… her potential seems not entirely innate. It's as if it was deliberately induced."

Zhou Yun fell into silent thought.

The winged figure flexed his wings and asked, "What's your plan, then? The girl may not be corrupted by Chaos, but she's clearly… abnormal."

"Me?"

Hearing the question, Zhou Yun's lips curled into a bright smile.

"I'll learn from Lag," he replied with a chuckle.

"Lag… that gang member?" the winged figure blinked. "Why him?"

"To be the middleman!"

Zhou Yun grinned as he stopped at a familiar three-way intersection, before the grand statue of Sanguinius—

More precisely, he stopped at the door of the Spearpoint Tavern.

(End of Chapter)

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