Ghost Operative

Norris was escorted by a tight cordon of soldiers toward the Forge Workshop.

Gao Yi and two Rangers led the way. Norris was terrified—he had no idea what choice Gao Yi was talking about...

He glanced at the soldiers beside him. Their muzzles never left his body.

And the way they looked at him was like he was a monster.

As they drew closer to the Forge Workshop, he saw many of those lofty Tech-Priests, and also Servitors—their brain lobes removed, devoid of any will of their own.

"They're not going to turn me into a Servitor, are they..."

Looking at those horrifying Servitors, Norris couldn't stop his body from trembling.

"Pavian, pause production on one Barracks. I need it."

"At once!"

"Everyone else, get out!"

As the surrounding people filed out of the Forge Workshop, the room was left with only Gao Yi and Norris.

Staring at the massive mechanical construct before him, Norris felt even more certain of his earlier guess. And beside it, three Barracks were still spitting out CMC Combat Suits?

"You... you're going to turn me into a Servitor?"

"A Servitor? Why would I turn you into something like that?"

"Then what exactly are you going to do to me..."

"What you need to do is walk into this building."

"Walk... walk in?"

Norris looked at the other Barracks nearby. This Barracks was even still churning out CMC Combat Suits? Was this really a place a person could enter? Was this Rogue Trader some kind of heretic too?

"Come on, Norris. Accept the unknown? Or accept death?"

Hearing Gao Yi's words, Norris knew he had no choice. If he refused, he'd probably be killed on the spot. He could only gamble.

"Emperor above, please protect me." But what use was a last-minute prayer to the Emperor when he'd never believed in Him in the first place?

The Barracks' gate was pitch black, like a black hole.

Norris swallowed hard, then let out a roar and stepped through the gate. The Barracks swallowed him instantly.

[Psionic Talent Candidate detected. Psionic Level: P8. No anomalous energy from other high-order lifeforms detected. Requirements met.]

[Produce Ghost Operative?]

"Other high-order lifeforms?" Gao Yi didn't fully understand that line, but with curiosity, he chose to produce.

This time, the whole process was unusually long. One hour. Two hours. Three hours. A full twenty-four hours passed. In the middle, Veil asked several times if something had gone wrong and wanted to come in, but Gao Yi refused.

But when the last second of the twenty-fourth hour ticked over—

A completely transformed Norris strode out of the Barracks.

This time, it wasn't just a suit of gear—it was a living person.

Gao Yi seemed to guess something. Why Psykers were needed. Why it showed no anomalous energy from other high-order lifeforms. Those Psykers who worshipped the Four Gods and were empowered by them couldn't be converted. If that was the case, then those who believed in the Emperor probably couldn't either?!

It was frustrating, shutting down Gao Yi's idea of capturing corrupted Psykers. But it wasn't impossible—after all, the human population base was enormous, and there were plenty of unsanctioned Psykers. Otherwise, the Emperor wouldn't have enough to burn for two days. If you wanted to find them, you could.

"Norris?"

"Captain Gao Yi?!"

Norris now looked completely different from before. Several slender neural cables connected to the back of his skull—this was a special Psionic Inhibitor, allowing Norris to control and use his psionics more freely, while also making him utterly obedient to Gao Yi.

His ragged clothes had been replaced by a form-fitting combat suit made of a special Nano-polymer Material that reacted with psionic energy.

This material enhanced the user's strength and endurance, and provided protection against high heat, extreme cold, viruses, and even nuclear radiation. Most importantly, psionic catalysis could allow the Ghost to enter an invisible state.

But the more Gao Yi looked, the more something felt off. It seemed like there were a lot of extra things on this combat suit.

"Norris, do you know how to use this combat suit?"

"I know. It's like a lot of knowledge just appeared in my head."

"Show me."

As Norris channeled his psionics, the combat suit began to function. The next second, Norris vanished right in front of Gao Yi.

"Complete invisibility? I really can't see a thing!" Gao Yi tried to probe with his own psionics. Even with his perception, he could barely sense Norris—his psionic energy was actively countering Gao Yi's detection.

Norris reappeared. This time, a reactor-like device on his chest began to operate. With a flicker, Norris instantly appeared twenty meters away.

"Hunter Blink?! I get it! This produced Ghost has all the optional equipment from the campaign integrated into one combat suit?! This is a steal!"

"But Captain, this teleport has a five-second cooldown!"

A jetpack similar to a jump pack was also on his back.

And besides the combat suit, Norris was holding a C-20A combat shotgun in his hands.

Gao Yi had Norris explain everything. As he expected, besides standard armor-piercing rounds, there were also EMP Rounds that could disrupt energy and psionic shields, and Locking Rounds that could disable machinery.

But what excited Gao Yi the most was the Psionic Glaive holstered at Norris's waist. It was the same Monomolecular Blade as in the Warhammer world, but different—it could be enhanced by psionics, making it even sharper.

"These 24 hours were well worth the wait!"

It made Gao Yi wonder what would happen if a Ghost went up against an assassin from the Assassinorum.

If he could find a few more Psykers, wouldn't that mean he'd have his own Assassinorum?

"Captain, is this power a gift from you?" Norris had never felt better in his life. He'd thought he was done for, but the moment he stepped inside, he felt completely reborn. A flood of knowledge and unwavering loyalty to Gao Yi surged into his mind.

He knew he was no longer the so-called monster others spoke of. He was Gao Yi's Ghost Operative.

"That's right. How do you feel, Norris?"

"Better than ever! You've given me a new life." Norris knelt sincerely on the ground.

Though Gao Yi hadn't sought him out specifically, it was Gao Yi who had pulled Norris from the refugee slums of Landing Port, brought him aboard the warship, treated his injuries, and filled his stomach.

And when his psychic powers awakened and everyone saw him as a monster, it was Gao Yi who taught him how to control that power.

He was practically his second father.

"You may have gained power, but you'll also bear many heavy burdens."

"My captain, I'm not good with words, but your enemies are my enemies. I will be a sharp blade in your hand! I will give my life for you!"

"I accept your loyalty, Norris. From now on, you are a Ghost. I'll have Veil arrange a separate quarters for you. Your existence will only be known to a select few. I expect you'll be needed soon enough."