The Demon Who Broke the Fourth Wall

"Old Man Emperor, with your speed, you've got nothing better to do than keep an eye on the small-time players, haven't you?"

"Our main motto is 'We won't let any good thing slip by!'"

Qin Yun read through the mission details on the light screen at a glance.

He silently complained to himself.

The Emperor really does keep a close eye on the players 24/7.

Whenever the players find something good, he will immediately issue a quest, for fear that Qin Yun might miss it.

"Xi Ling".

Qin Yun called out as he turned to look at Xi Ling behind him.

During this time, Xi Ling stayed by Qin Yun's side in her physical form.

With yet another upgrade to the Imperial Glory,

Xi Ling's body became lifelike, just like a real human being.

To the naked eye, she is no longer indistinguishable from a normal human.

If a scanning device is used, it can still be seen that she is a moving, high-energy entity.

"Master." Xi Ling stepped forward and bowed to Qin Yun.

"Among the loot the players have captured, is there the Scepter of Stellar Wrath?" Qin Yun asked.

"Yes, Master."

Xi Ling nodded and casually opened a projection interface.

He showed Qin Yun what the Scepter of Stellar Wrath looked like.

"This Scepter uses cutting-edge spatial dimension technology and transformation technology."

"Its end is bound to a star, which serves as its energy source."

"This Scepter actually binds a star to serve as an energy source?" Qin Yun looked at the projection of the Scepter of Stellar Wrath, his tone somewhat surprised.

The Necrons are actually quite something.

It can actually shrink a star and put it inside the Scepter to serve as an energy source.

Such skills, if placed in other worldviews, would at least qualify one as a Foundation Establishment expert.

If such advanced technology could be analyzed,

Qin Yun didn't dare to think too deeply about what those small-time players might do.

They were determined to turn the entire Milky Way upside down.

However, the reward for this task is "Stellar Energy Conversion Technology Version 1.0".

The introduction states that this technology is a prerequisite for Megastructure construction technology.

This made Qin Yun a little curious.

What kind of Megastructure building would need such a transformation technology?

Qin Yun thought of Dyson Sphere, and then of a starship.

A spaceship that uses an entire star as its power source.

Just thinking about it is amazing, it makes your mouth water.

You know, even among Stellaris, that thing would be considered a supermodel.

If the Imperium of Man had a few of these ships, they wouldn't even need to fire a shot; they'd scare the Tau people so badly they'd wet themselves.

Xi Ling nodded. "Yes, a star is bound to the end of the Scepter of Stellar Wrath. Master, shall we return the Scepter to Terra and give it to you?"

Qin Yun shook his head, "No need, just increase its weight."

"There's one more thing: I need to analyze the technology used in this weapon as soon as possible, and use the knowledge I gain to improve humanity's technology tree."

"Understood, Xi Ling will take care of it immediately," Xi Ling said.

After giving the instructions, Qin Yun turned his attention back to the official duties at hand.

Thanks to these efforts, the impact of Terra Reformation has spread throughout the entire solar sector.

The Beacon Network is gradually taking shape, connecting many parts of the world and reshaping local communication systems and political structures.

Stimulated by various new laws, productivity has increased significantly, and people's lives have seen a visible improvement.

The solar region, which had been like a slowly decaying corpse, suddenly burst forth with thriving vitality.

As the commercial economy continued to grow, the sharp contradictions between different classes were alleviated.

Unfortunately, even after achieving this, Qin Yun still had many opponents.

After all, this reform has affected the interests of too many people.

The Conservatives High Lord of Terra are merely the tip of the iceberg of the old guard.

A large number of conservatives remain on various planets of the Imperium, openly and covertly opposing and obstructing reforms.

Of course, some of them are old-fashioned and unwilling to accept new changes, but they still remain loyal.

The rest are simply egoists.

Their thinking was also very simple: it didn't matter whether the Imperium lived or died, as long as their interests couldn't be harmed.

Their wealth can be stolen by Chaos, by Xenos, but not by the Imperium.

When asked, one can be loyal to the Imperium and die for the Emperor, but one cannot sacrifice one's own cow for the Imperium.

In order to resolve the problems caused by these people and to advance the reforms, Qin Yun had to handle everything personally to prevent those with ulterior motives from using the reforms to cause trouble.

After all, there are other ways to disrupt something than simply resisting or refusing to comply.

To execute superiors' instructions 100%, or even 200%,

This often causes superiors a great deal of trouble.

On the projection screen, a large number of government reports flashed past Qin Yun.

If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be dazzled after just a few glances.

Qin Yun, however, was able to pay attention to every detail of government affairs, no matter how small, and make corresponding comments.

Suddenly, Qin Yun stopped and frowned.

Several reform officials were traveling to a mining planet when...

He was executed on the spot by the miners after a sudden riot broke out while he was inspecting their living conditions.

Imperial Army were mobilized immediately and have killed all the rebellious miners.

The report was of a very low level and was treated as a routine report.

If Qin Yun hadn't been so meticulous in reviewing and approving everything, no matter how small, then...

This report couldn't even get into the Terra Department of the Interior.

Clearly, there is a force trying to suppress this matter.

Thinking about this, Qin Yun clenched his fists.

These damned bastards, do they really think the Imperium of Man is United States?!

Upon checking the accounts, they staged a suicide attempt by shooting him three times in the back!

Is this person treating me like a fool?

If there were no interest groups involved in this matter,

Qin Yun cut off Magnus's head and sent it to the throne of Khorne.

(I sneezed on Magnus on Sorcerer's World, and now I feel a chill on my neck.)

Qin Yun paced back and forth for a moment,

He couldn't help but recall the words of the ancients and began to examine himself three times a day.

Have I been too accommodating lately?

Has there been no killing during this period?

Was the level of support for these damned privileged elites insufficient?

"If you like playing tricks so much, why don't you just play Match-3?"

Qin Yun immediately sent an email to Ers, the representative of the Inquisition.

Let him take an Imperial Fleet to that mining planet and educate the local rulers about the game Match-3 Crush.

Ers is very efficient.

A few days later, a Punishment Fleet arrived at the mining planet.

An investigation is underway into the numerous families involved in the murder of reform officials.

Many families were stripped of their positions and identities and imprisoned.

"You dare to lay a hand on the Fini Family? Do you even know who's behind the Fini Family?"

A woman's hysterical roar.

"Stop what you're doing right now, or none of you will escape unscathed!!"

These words stunned the Inquisitor for a few seconds, after which their lips curled up in uncontrollable excitement.

I thought it was just a routine disciplinary action, but I didn't expect there to be an unexpected bonus.

You should know that catching corrupt high-ranking officials nowadays is more rewarding than catching Xenos or demons.

After all, the Xenos and demons wreaking havoc in the Solar Sector have only killed a few people!

That's not even a fraction of what those corrupt officials do.

Any single decree issued by these bureaucrats could displace tens of millions of people, causing them to die of hunger and cold.

Or they could force the entire planet to become traitors, and then these traitors would be brutally suppressed by the arriving Imperial Army, resulting in a bloodbath.

Corrupt bureaucrats may not kill people with their own hands, but the number of people they harm is countless.

What are you going to do?

The woman turned pale when she saw the Tempestus Scions surrounding her.

"Don't misunderstand, ma'am. We just want to know who's backing the Fini Family. Only then will we know what to do next."

An Inquisitor approached, smiling and courteous.

"You'd be terrified if I told you, the Fini Family is backed by..."

Seeing the other person's attitude, the woman immediately became smug again.

The Fini Family's backer is a powerful figure who can make a name for himself in Terra.

"I see."

The Inquisitor's smile grew even brighter, which made the woman uneasy.

The other party doesn't seem afraid of the big shot behind the Fini Family.

"Aren't you scared?" the woman asked somewhat uneasily.

"Why should I be afraid of a dead man?" the Inquisitor grinned. "The moment that guy got involved in this, he was already dead; it was just a matter of when!"

"He is..." The woman's face showed fear; she realized that the other person didn't seem to be lying to her.

The Inquisitor interrupted the woman, "In the present Imperium, who is more noble than the Primarch and the Living Saint?"

"Obstructing reform is a dead end, whether it's your family, the Fini Family, or the big shot you mentioned."

"A lot of blood has already been shed for the sake of reform, and no one will mind a little more."

"No!" the woman cried out in despair.

Unfortunately, this time, no one listened to her nonsense.

The Tempestus Scions stepped forward, restrained her, and dragged her away.

Museum World

Imperium of Man's camp

A squad of Chaos Space Marines was being held in a makeshift prison.

They were lured by the Trazyn the Infinite, who told them that deep within the Crucian Sector lay an artifact that could open the Webway.

The Abaddon the Despoiler believed him and ordered the squad to go and retrieve the artifact.

It turned out the whole thing was a conspiracy.

The squad clashed with the Dark Eldar and was subsequently imprisoned in the Stasis Cube by the Trazyn the Infinite.

He had been imprisoned until now, when he was finally released by the Loyalists of the Imperium and imprisoned.

"Why? Why betray them?"

Looking at the Chaos Space Marines in front of him,

As Luna Wolves, Mathanor's last shred of hope vanished.

His voice carried a sense of despair, as if his worldview and philosophy of life had been completely destroyed.

Since that conflict with the Sisters of Battle, which was stopped by the God Chosen,

The Luna Wolves, led by Mathanor, were plunged into deep confusion.

The difference between reality and fantasy tore their souls apart.

Their Wolf God, the Emperor's first son, has betrayed them.

Not only did it destroy the Emperor's grand dream, but it also left the Emperor seriously injured and forced him to sit on the Golden Throne.

But Mathanor still harbored a sliver of hope.

They believed it was all just a hoax by that damned metallic Xenos, a trick to fool them.

Until, Mathanor recognized one of the Chaos Warrior imprisoned in the cell as Claude, his former squadmate from the Great Crusade.

He then realized that none of this was a lie, nor was it a hoax by the metallic Xenos.

Time has passed, and Claude's appearance is now completely different from how Mathanor remembers him.

At this moment, Claude was wearing a Terminator armor covered in bone spikes.

The Eight-Pointed Star emblem, exuding an aura of decay, can be seen on the shoulders, chest, and other locations.

On its back was a huge Eight-Pointed Star ring of steel spikes, the sharp spikes riddled with skulls.

If it weren't for that scarred face, Mathanor wouldn't have believed that this was his former comrade-in-arms.

"We always thought you died on the battlefield that destroyed the Orks Imperium, Mathanor."

"I never imagined we would meet under these circumstances."

Claude recognized Astartes in front of him; the man, imprisoned in the cell, grinned.

"I'd rather die there," Mathanor said angrily, "At least I wouldn't have to see you all in such a depraved state."

"Look at what you've become! You've betrayed everything we swore to fight for."

Claude chuckled.

"You have not yet been baptized by the gods, you have not yet witnessed the miracles of the Warp, so you still harbor illusions about that rotting corpse."

"The Great Crusade was a lie, and the Corpse Emperor was a lie too. We foolishly believed him, but in the end we woke up."

"We will eventually overthrow this corrupt nation, Revenge the fallen Primarch, and rebuild a greater nation."

"I see no greatness, only depravity and decay." Mathanor looked at Claude. "Whatever you want to do, I will do everything in my power to stop you."

"You can't do it. The Milky Way is destined to fall into Warp," Claude said. "The Despoiler will destroy the entire universe."

Mathanor didn't waste any more breath talking to these degenerate brothers.

He turned and left.

Actions speak louder than words.

The players, including Warmaster, were somewhat moved by what they saw.

"Actually, I can understand it. Who can wake up and accept such a huge difference?!" Ten-Timer said.

"Before I fell asleep, I knew that Father was the Emperor's most precious son, Luna Wolves were the Emperor's most loyal legion." Strategist shook his head and sighed.

"When I woke up, my father had rebelled and was killed. Luna Wolves became a name that the Imperium could never mention again."

"The entire legion is shattered, and the former blood brothers have degenerated into this wretched state. It's a miracle they haven't gone mad."

"The game developers really put a lot of effort into this game; they even considered such small details," Warmaster said. "Every NPC has their own story."

"..."

The Third Fleet is assembling in the world of Bastion - Hydra-Fur.

Players from the Demon Hunter Warband, including Brother Zhong, also moved along with the troops.

Hydra-Fur is the main naval base in the Segmentum Pacificus.

Located in the southern border region, close to the Segmentum Solar and the Segmentum Obscurus,

This means that its fleet is frequently called upon to support these two star systems.

Besides patrolling the Segmentum Pacificus and supporting the Segmentum Solar and the Segmentum Obscurus,

The naval fleet stationed here is also tasked with supporting Cadia because of its proximity to the Eye of Terror.

They also suffered heavy losses when the Cadia Fortress fell.

During this period, the forces of Chaos attacked the fortress world multiple times, but were Knockback each time.

Due to the unfolding of the Great Rift, Hydra-Fur is also frequently plagued by Cultists rebellions and demonic invasions.

These events kept the local garrison troops constantly on their toes.

Until the arrival of the Third Fleet,

A massive fleet, brand-new weaponry, and powerful Primaris Marines.

The invading Chaos forces were utterly crushed and never dared to show their faces again.

The world of Hydra-Fur Fortress finally got a chance to breathe.

Players like Brother Zhong continued their old ways, taking on quests and eliminating demons in the Fortress world.

After a crew member on a space station submitted a report of a demonic intrusion,

They accepted the mission and rushed over.

Soon, they cornered the demon and the Cultists in an unnamed warehouse.

"Hurry! Hurry!"

"You, flank them from the left, and I'll go to the right. Don't let them get past."

Brother Zhong arranged the tasks in an orderly manner.

After so many demon-hunting battles, the players of the Demon Hunter Warband are already experienced veterans.

They quickly occupied advantageous terrain, blocking all of the enemy's escape routes.

Immediately afterwards, they began to eliminate the enemies inside the warehouse.

After a brief but intense battle,

The Demon Hunter Warband killed all the Cultists, leaving only the summoned demon alive.

That demon fits every ordinary person's imagination of evil.

It has a pair of twisted ram horns on its head.

Hooves with knees bent forward.

Hellfire, burning with the smell of sulfur, engulfs his body.

"Outsider!!"

The demon surveyed the players surrounding it, its eyes filled with hatred.

He made a low, strange sound.

The demon's words left the players looking at each other in bewilderment.

"This demon calls us Outsider?"

"Does this guy know we're players?"

"Awesome, they've really elevated the prestige of the Warp again. The demons actually know we come from another world."

"The game developers really went all out with the details."

"..."

The demon listened to the strange noises made by these Outsider.

It could understand some of it, but most of it consisted of eerie whispers that were difficult to decipher.

This further confirms the rumors circulating in the Immaterium.

These Outsider come from a higher dimension and possess a status far superior to that of demons.

Therefore, it cannot understand what the other person is saying.

Just as ordinary mortals cannot comprehend the murmurs and whispers of demons.

Seeing the Outsider form an encirclement,

The Null Field released between individuals resonate, strengthening the barrier of reality and severing their connection with the Immaterium.

The demon realized it could no longer delay and had to break out of the encirclement as soon as possible.

After letting out another deep roar, it charged towards the players on all fours.

Once inside the attack range, it leaps up and pounces on the players, intending to tear them apart with its claws and fangs.

"Silence."

Brother Zhong shouted and activated his Word of Darkness skill.

The flames on the demon's body went out, and its movements became stiff.

With a thud, it fell to the ground.

"Outsider!!"

The immobilized demon let out a scream.

Brother Zhong walked over and grabbed the demon by the throat.

"You're being noisy. Don't you know that you're disturbing the neighbors?"

As Brother Zhong slowly tightened his grip on the other man's throat...

The demon's scream turned into meaningless mutterings.

Finally, Brother Zhong slowly plunged his longsword into the demon's chest.

"Outsider!!" After uttering its final words, the demon turned into ashes still carrying embers, slowly dissipating into the air.

"The official ideas are really wildly imaginative; these NPC monsters can actually break the fourth wall."

As he watched the scattering demonic ashes, Brother Zhong's admiration for the developers of Warhammer Online grew even stronger.

Not only is it incredibly detailed, but it's also incredibly creative.

I have to say, that's amazing.

"We need to share the recording with the other players."

While thinking, Brother Zhong uploaded the video to the chat channel.

P. S.: I got a recommendation, but the results weren't great. I'm planning to discuss changing the book title with the editor.

Just letting you all know in advance, so you can find it later.