Terra, You Have No Water; Emperor, You Have Six Legs

"You see, this is the danger," the winged figure in the white light said softly.

Good news, the man in black before them believed in the Emperor, more sincerely than Zhou Yun ever did.

Bad news, the Emperor they believed in had four arms.

They were Xeno-traitors, Chicken Thieves, the Genestealer Cult, the vanguard of the Hive Fleet.

Pure-blooded Genestealers from the Tyranid Hive Fleet would infiltrate the urban Hive Cities, using their twisted genes from the Tyranid Swarm to infect and control the Imperium's citizens, breeding an entire brood.

They would lie dormant in the darkness of the Hive Cities for generations, even forming their own social structures and religious beliefs.

Only when the Day of Ascension, which they chanted about, arrived and the Hive Fleet descended into orbit would they emerge from the shadows, turning the entire planet into dice with their chaos, making it easy for The Great Devourer to devour the planet whole.

These Chicken Thieves often centered around strange religious beliefs, like an Emperor with four arms, Sanguinius with six eyes, Guilliman with twelve legs, and so on.

"Your level of heresy is about the same as yours," the winged figure in the white light sighed.

"Shut up, birdman! My loyalty to the Emperor is as clear as Luna and Terra!"

Zhou Yun cautiously glanced at the Chicken Thief cultists praying and holding their meeting, feeling there was no need to disturb their devout faith.

He carefully moved his steps, wanting to leave quietly.

Tote, like most people on planet Asphodel, was a worker in the Hive City, performing high-intensity physical labor to produce military supplies for the Imperium and earning the sustenance necessary for survival.

On a planet bathed by a toxic star, with countless mutants hiding underground and in the darkness, and that had to bear heavy taxes for the Imperium, life was never pleasant.

Endless labor, death within reach, threats from the darkness, exploitation by gangs, scarcity of resources...

In the face of these things, only faith could protect one's mind from collapsing.

Tote was a devout follower of the Emperor, believing in the great and benevolent Emperor, and through the Patriarch's blessing, he could tangibly feel the Emperor's presence.

The Emperor, with four strong arms, embracing all humanity among the stars.

He could often hear the Emperor's whispers in his ear.

He responded to the Emperor's guidance with devout prayers, praying for the Emperor's embrace to descend upon this crimson wasteland of Asphodel.

Today, he brought a few less experienced newcomers through a passage known only to the cult, into this secret ruined district.

He would preach the mercy and nobility of the Four-Armed Emperor to them, and have them pray with him, praying for the Four-Armed Emperor to embrace this planet soon.

"The God-Emperor was born with four arms so that He could embrace the vast, boundless Galaxy and embrace every one of His children."

"The Emperor's embrace will eventually come. When it arrives, it will be our great Day of Ascension, when we escape the sea of suffering and ascend to the Emperor's throne, to be with God."

Tote preached with fanatical fervor, spreading his arms wide, revealing his slender, mutated fingers with distinct knuckles.

This was proof of the Emperor's grace bestowed upon him, one of the things he was proud of------

"Lord Bishop," a newcomer timidly raised his hand from among the rubble.

Tote ignored him; his devout prayer to the Four-Armed Emperor should not be interrupted.

"Praise the Four-Armed Emperor, praise His generosity and mercy. He will lead us out of the sea of suffering, cast aside the stars, and reach the divine realm."

"Lord Bishop, look behind you," another newcomer said, somewhat flustered.

Tote frowned.

"Don't interrupt me!" he said with some annoyance.

"No, Lord Bishop, look behind you!"

Seeing that the newcomers before him were all looking behind him in a panic.

Behind him? What could be behind him? Wasn't there a large Promethium tank behind him?

Tote turned his head with some confusion.

He only saw a man wearing the common attire of a Hive City worker, sneaking away with furtive steps.

Tote froze, where was the large iron tank behind him? Where did such a large tank go?

And who was this man? How did he get into this ruined district?

Tote's eyes met the man's, and the atmosphere became awkward for a moment.

The man revealed an awkward smile, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture.

"Good morning, have you eaten?"

"..."

Tote made a gesture with his hand behind his back. Two followers quietly reached into their black robes and took out the automatic pistols holstered at their waists.

"Who are you?" Tote asked in a deep voice.

"Actually, I am also a devout follower of the Emperor, but the Emperor I believe in has six legs."

Hearing the man's words, Tote was slightly stunned.

An Emperor with six legs, what heresy was this!

The Emperor clearly had two legs and four arms! Six legs was clearly the appearance of an alien!

Before Tote could react, he saw the man's ten outstretched fingers aimed at him.

"------Bang! Bang! Bang!!"

The man's mouth let out three "bangs," and blasts of air shot from his fingers toward Tote.

Tote felt an explosive shockwave erupt in his chest, a thunderous sound ringing out as the thin chitinous shell covering his chest cracked.

It then fell to the ground, crashing heavily among the rubble.

Simultaneously sent flying were several of its followers behind it, their automatic pistols dropping as they fell, their heads lolling as they passed out.

"A psyker? From the Ark Gang?" Tote clutched his chest, forcing himself to rise from the ground despite the pain.

He had received the Four-Armed Emperor's blessing, making him more mutated and sturdier.

Tote reached out and tore off the black robe shattered by the shockwave, revealing his purple, gelatinous skin.

A pair of deformed arms, curled up by his ribs, unfurled, and all four of his arms aimed at the man before him.

"Die!!!"

It roared, lunging at the man like a giant Zergling.

The man, however, suddenly lifted his shirt and reached into a white pocket on his stomach.

Then, Tote saw the man pull out a giant, seven-to-eight-meter-tall Promethium canister from the palm-sized pocket.

So that's where the canister was---- Tote, mid-air, suddenly understood.

Then it watched as the giant canister made of ceramite smashed down directly onto it.

Bang------

Zhou Yun reached out and stuffed the Promethium canister back into his pocket.

The body, genetically modified by the Tyranids, ultimately couldn't withstand the crushing force of ceramite; the hybrid cultist was smashed into a bug patty.

"Damn it, that mutant raised by Rag, he only sold me the location of this dump?"

Zhou Yun couldn't help but curse the gang member who had sold him the location of this ruined district, setting him up.

This ruined district was probably already a place where the Genestealers were active.

"They have clearly infiltrated Asphodel for a long time, friend."

The winged figure in the white light reappeared:

"The shadow of the Swarm has already entwined this planet, its tendrils waiting to lick every drop of biomass on it."