Changeling: How Did You Do It?

All the information about Perturabo flooded John's mind.

The "Calamity Priest" pulled out a piece of parchment with his left paw and grasped a quill pen with his right, writing rapidly:

[Perturabo...]

John wrote down the information on the paper, over and over again.

After reading it eleven times, the "Calamity Priest" picked up the paper and leaned back on his wooden bed.

Through a telepathic connection, Nimrod saw in a phantom scene three noblemen dressed in fine clothes leading a troop of guards into a magnificent palace.

The scene shifts to guards rushing towards the nobles, brandishing their blades and piercing the silk.

They pulled out the blades and licked the blood off them.

[Assassination? Coup?] Nimrod frowned slightly, wondering.

The scene Distortion and changed again, the guards' bodies contorting, their obese figures stretching their silk robes tightly.

The Primarch's mind flashed back to the scene from just now; the faces of the dead nobles appeared one by one in his mind.

[He licked the blood of those he killed and then became like them.]

Changeling.

The main ingredient for the potion "Faceless" from the "Fool" Pathway Sequence 6.

In the fleeting moments between the fragmented images, Nimrod had already obtained the information he sought.

He obtained the information he wanted through Dream Divination by the "Calamity Priest".

So that's why there was only Silence when Lion first arrived in Perturabo.

Perhaps, after the recapture of Perturabo, the subjugated "people" rebelled, and Lion, in his anger, punished them, considering it a disgrace, which is why little information about Perturabo remains.

[Another dark secret that the "Dark Angels" habitually keeps secret.]

Nimrod knew that the Changeling was different from the Mimic, which also possessed the ability to shapeshift.

They do not acquire the memories of the changed objects, and if they have not lived in human society for a long time, they will not master Gothic and the use of various devices.

Nimrod had long planned to acquire the potion ingredient— the Changeling —but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

He remembered that during the Great Crusade, the Imperium viewed Changeling as Xenos creatures like cockroaches.

Upon discovering that they fed on humans, the Imperium sent the "World Eaters" as its vanguard in an effort to exterminate them.

The 203rd Expeditionary Fleet descended upon Alpha Salish and annihilated the Changeling.

Of course, like other Xenos, they were not completely wiped out.

Changeling are not a species that can be easily extinct. They can transform into various creatures by consuming blood, including Astartes and even the Adeptus Custodes.

Compared to the Mimic, they have another advantage: their bodies undergo corresponding changes, acquiring the physical attributes of the object they are transforming into.

During the grand birthday celebrations shortly afterward, Ultramarines Arkadis and Hecatern, the Salamander, encountered shapeshifters disguised as the Imperial Guard when they were on a mission to a neutral planet.

The Changeling, possessing the physical attributes of the Adeptus Custodes Guard, once overwhelmed two unarmored Astartes.

In the forty-second millennium, the Changeling still exist.

They ambushed the Inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos and a Kill Team of "Deathwatch" on the Space Hulk, the Terror Ghost.

They transformed into Inquisition retinues and Astartes, gradually eroding the Kill Team.

Nimrod leaned back in his chair, pondering how to deal with the enemy who possessed shapeshifting abilities.

[The war in Perturabo was not a conventional frontal battle; the key was how to find the Changeling.]

Nimrod typed his thoughts into the Data Slate while pondering.

A moment later, he pressed the Communication Bead and summoned Arsena Dunn.

"Summon the spiritual think Librarian and Chaplain."

He pushed the Data Crystal in front of the Primarch's Attendants. "First Chapter, come with me to Perturabo."

After the Primarch's Attendants left the office, he went to the "Nation of Disorder," spreading his Spirituality and giving orders to Dementyeva and the leader of the "Marauder," the "Flame Stealer."

Amidst the churning black mist, Data Slate appeared before the two.

Before Maria Kournikova took the stage in "Terra," Dementyeva, who was also a "Demoness of Pleasure," became the leader of the "Assassins."

The 6th month of 885, the Pertitus System.

On the bridge of the Shadow of the Throne, the Primarch's Attendants reports to the Black Emperor.

"My Lord, the Auger Matrix Master reports that both Perturabo II and VI planets contain abundant life signals."

"But the Vox Master's full-frequency, full-language broadcast received no response."

Nimrod had anticipated this situation; the Changeling must have already taken control of two planets.

He arrived earlier than Lion and Typhon, and had fewer Changeling who mastered human language and technology.

[This makes it easier to identify Changeling.]

"Head to Planet Six." Nimrod decided to first travel to Planet Six, where the Tuchulcha Engine is located.

"The Auger Matrix and the Aether reading divination system are operating at full power, focusing on scanning the subsurface of Planet Six."

"Follow Your will," the silver-haired Primarch's Attendants said.

The black fleet encountered no resistance, passing directly through the unresponsive Planet II, and silently reached the orbit of Planet Six.

Inside the heavy landing craft, Howard Fender frowned deeply.

Since arriving in the Pertitus System, he had had a strange feeling, and now he felt even more out of place.

The Perturabo did not respond, nor did their sparse anti-aircraft fire.

"The Changeling have taken control of the higher echelons of this world, but they still don't know how to utilize human resources."

"This is why our Lord ordered that all Royal Court Friar land via Heavy Transport Ship, without using Drop Pod or Stormbird."

The closer the "Judge" got to the ground, the more he felt the planet's incongruity.

As Howard pondered this, he felt a tremor beneath his feet.

He immediately stood up and eagerly stepped off the deck, determined to restore order to the place.

The Changeling stood in the crowd, dressed in dark brown clothing and holding Lasgun, looking no different from the guards around him.

After nearly a month of study, he has mastered everyday human language and was therefore selected to perform the observation task.

He had to figure out why outsiders had suddenly arrived in a world controlled and devoured by the tribe.

The Changeling stared intently at the black-armored Warrior carrying the large spear. He felt every cell in his body throbbing, and the Bramble tongue tightly locked in his throat twitched involuntarily.

[Tasty.]

He instinctively wanted to stick out his tongue and entwine it around the giant.

The Changeling suppressed its urge to devour. [No rush, they are already my food.]

In human language, it goes something like this:... delivery to your door... lamb to the slaughter...

The Changeling glanced greedily at the leading black-armored Warrior, then quickly lowered its head, pretending to be as afraid as the others.

Howard abruptly stopped in his tracks. As a seasoned Sheriff, he instinctively sensed the presence of something sinister around him.

Howard looked around, taking in the thousands of Perturabo people.

Their appearance and clothing showed nothing unusual.

Their reactions reflected a mixture of bewilderment and fear at witnessing the Astartes' actions.

Howard trusted his intuition, a seasoned Sheriff, more than what he saw.

The "Judge" raised his palm and pushed forward, his Spirituality bursting forth, and he shouted loudly in Dunnish.

"Deformation is prohibited here!"

When the Changeling heard an unprecedentedly majestic voice in his ears, he paid no attention.

However, the next moment, he let out a bird-like Shriek, feeling as if he had lost control of his body.

His body was rapidly returning to its original form.

Those around looked toward the source of the Shriek and immediately saw a nebula-like creature, a combination of bizarre limbs and swollen flesh.

The crowd stared in horror at the monster that had infiltrated their ranks, letting out terrified screams.

"Ah..."

"How did you do that?" the Changeling asked in astonishment as it slid backward.

His tongue shot out.

Howard raised his Power Fist, and blue light leaped up, slamming into the thorny tongue.

The Disruption Field hissed and shattered the strange tongue, and the "Judge" suddenly waved his hand.

The invisible, soft whip cracked, sending swollen chunks of flesh flying.

The "Judge" raised his arm again and shouted, "Imprisonment!"

An extremely viscous liquid, layer upon layer, enveloping the Changeling.

After capturing the Changeling, Howard shouted loudly to the fleeing Perturabo:

"Your world has been taken over by Xenos; shapeshifting monsters have infiltrated your society."