"Disguised?" Rovi was slightly surprised.
"Yes, Advisor. The molecular structure of this toxin is highly unusual."
"In its initial stage, it is encased in an inert protein shell, deceiving the Imperium's biochemical scanners."
"Only after entering a living organism and undergoing twelve hours of metabolic enzymatic breakdown does that outer shell fall away, exposing the lethal neurotoxin within."
After hearing Priest Alpha's words, Rovi felt a chill race up his spine and straight into the back of his skull.
"This is not the result of natural evolution. Natural plants do not possess such intelligence. Only a carefully designed, targeted genetic weapon could achieve such a delayed effect."
"Alpha, are you saying... Gray Mule-1 possesses intelligence?"
The Priest denied it. "Gray Mule-1, containing only Tyranid biomass, has no intelligence. But it has a faint connection to the psychic network of the Star Child Cult."
"What I mean is that, on the level of the Warp, the Star Child can control them."
It was common knowledge that Tyranid hybrids could transmit information through a psychic network.
Rovi had also known that the mutated Gray Mule-1 wheat containing Tyranid biomass possessed a faint capacity for psychic communication and information exchange.
That was why Young Master Valentin's honor guard had suffered such devastating casualties.
He simply had not expected the independent plant psychic network formed by Gray Mule-1 to be interfered with by those Genestealers outside.
Only moments later, Rovi reacted. "The Star Child Mutual Aid Society... It must have been that Patriarch's doing."
"Yes. That is the only explanation," Priest Alpha agreed.
"Only the Patriarch at the summit of the Genestealer Cult possesses psychic control powerful enough to remotely induce genetic expression in plants."
Rovi's expression darkened.
He had always believed that by purging the Star Child Cult from the Eastern Granary and