The Imperium of Man spent tens of thousands of years and sacrificed countless Navigator and Astropath, yet it still failed to perfectly solve the problem of Warp travel.
The Tyranids, however, accomplished this with ease thanks to their innate talent.
Just then, a palm-sized Ripper crawled out of Lynn's sleeve. It had a smooth pink carapace and sharp mouthparts.
It jumped onto Lynn's lap, raised its head, and its eyes shimmered with the same pale purple light as Rena's.
This is Rena's current form of consciousness.
"You look tired," the Ripper said in a cool, concerned voice.
"Your heart is beating very fast, and your blood pressure is also very high."
Lynn smiled and gently stroked the smooth, cool carapace of the Ripper.
"It's alright," he sighed, "It's just a bit annoying; the Imperium's messy affairs are never-ending."
"We just stabilized the situation, and then we had to fight the Orks; we just finished fighting the Orks, and then came the Tithe; there's never a moment of peace."
"Then let's just ignore it." The Ripper tilted its head, its tone very serious.
"We have swarms of insects, Carl II, and a continuous supply of biomass."
"We can grow stronger and bigger. Why should we listen to those weak humans?"
They only ever take from you, they never offer any help.
"It would be great if they rebelled; anyone who dared to oppose us would be devoured."
"Anyone who dares to attack us will have their fleet wiped out, their planet devoured."
"That way, no one will be able to bully you anymore."
Lynn smiled helplessly; Rena had said this countless times.
He was already used to Rena's straightforward way of thinking.
In her world, there are only two kinds of people: Lynn, and people who can be eaten.
"You're thinking too simply." Lynn gently flicked the Tear Ripper's head.
" The Imperium isn't so easy to rebel against. With our current strength, we're nothing more than a slightly larger ant in Imperium eyes."
"They can send an interstellar fleet over anytime they want, burn the Carl II to glass, and then send us into space while they're at it."
"Moreover, those soldiers who followed me and the civilians of Brevis, they were all human beings."
"They worship the Emperor and are loyal to the Imperium."
"If I rebel, my generals will be the first to rebel against me. At that point, we'll collapse on our own without the Imperium even lifting a finger."
The Ripper was silent for a moment, then nervously scratched at Lynn's pants with its little paws.
Lynn seemed to realize something too. " Rena... what did you do to those officers?"
"I've hypnotized those noble generals," she said softly, her voice tinged with guilt.
"All they do is wait for credit and boast in the rear; they're useless. I've disliked them for a long time."
"So while they were sleeping, I used my Psychic Power to subtly hypnotize them."
"Now, they'll just behave and won't cause trouble."
"That way, they won't notice when the insect swarm is collecting biomass."
Lynn's eyelids twitched suddenly.
Thankfully, it was just hypnosis.
He thought Rena had acted on impulse and secretly dragged those people to be fed to insects.
Although those noble generals were all good-for-nothings and utterly useless, they were representatives sent by the various noble families of Brevis.
If their deaths were too suspicious, it would certainly arouse suspicion in the Noble Council and bring unnecessary trouble.
"That scared me to death." Lynn breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest.
"Next time something like this happens, you must tell me in advance, okay? Don't act on your own."
"Oh." The Ripper lowered its head and responded with a somewhat aggrieved tone.
"But you don't have to feel wronged." Lynn couldn't help but laugh when she saw its pitiful look.
"Actually, there are cleaner and more reasonable ways to make them disappear."
"Hmm? What method?" The Ripper immediately raised its head, its eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"When Ragnar attacks, just find a reason to send them to the front lines to die."
Lynn spoke casually; after all, as the fleet's supreme commander, doing so was quite simple.
"When they die at the hands of the Orks, no one will be able to say anything."
Their families will also thank us for giving them an opportunity to sacrifice their lives for their country.
The Ripper's eyes were as bright as two sparkling purple gems.
"Oh! So that's how it's done!" It wagged its tail excitedly.
"That's brilliant! How come I didn't think of that? I'll do it that way next time!"
Lynn couldn't help but laugh when he saw its suddenly enlightened expression.
Although Rena possesses a powerful Tyranids consciousness and is the ruler of billions of Tyranids, in some ways she is as innocent as a child.
However, this is fine too, Lynn thought to herself.
In this dark, filthy, betrayal and lie-filled 41st millennium.
How lucky it is to have someone who trusts you completely, treats you well, and who gives you everything without reservation.
After laughing, Lynn's expression turned serious again.
"Actually, there's another crucial reason why I'm unwilling to betray the Imperium."
He looked into the Ripper's eyes and said earnestly, "I don't want to lose myself."
"I am human. I was born human. My parents are human. My friends are human."
"I eat human food, speak human language, and live a human life."
"If I betray my race for power and authority, becoming a monster that only knows how to devour and kill, then I will no longer be Lynn."
"I am merely a soulless shell, a beast driven by instinct."
"In that case, even if I rule the entire galaxy, even if I become the master of the universe, what's the point? I'm no longer myself."
The Ripper listened quietly without saying a word.
Rena, who had previously seemed somewhat bewildered by these complex principles, now had a look of understanding and deep empathy flash in her eyes.
As the first independent consciousness to break free from the cold, Hive Mind, it understood all too well the feeling of losing oneself.
Once, it was merely an insignificant puppet controlled by the Hive Mind.
It has no thoughts, no feelings, no name, and no self.
Its existence is solely to carry out the commands of the Hive Mind, devouring all living matter and assimilating all life.
Until it met Lynn.
Lynn gave it a name, and most precious of all, freedom, granting it the right to think independently.
It has tasted the flavors of delicious food, felt the warmth of the sun, and experienced the happiness of loving and being loved.
It never wanted to return to that abyss of consciousness, filled only with coldness, emptiness, and endless, devouring desires.
That feeling was like tearing your soul apart bit by bit and then erasing it completely; it was a million times more terrifying than death.
"I understand." The Ripper gently rubbed against Lynn's palm, its voice tender.
"I'll do whatever you want."
"As long as I can be with you, anything is fine."
Rena has already made up her mind: if you want to be the governor of the Imperium, I'll help you govern Brevis; if you want to fight the Orks, I'll help you kill Orks all; if you want to deal with those tax collectors, I'll help you throw them all to feed the insects.
Lynn felt a warmth in her heart and reached out to hug the tiny Ripper.
Just then, the frigate suddenly shuddered.
The distorted, Chaos scene outside the window vanished instantly.
The dazzling yet warm sunlight streamed through the porthole, falling on Lynn's face and dispelling the coldness and darkness of the Warp.
"Sir!" The captain's excited voice came through the communicator, filled with barely concealed excitement.
"We have successfully reached Brevis orbit!"
Lynn, carrying the Ripper, quickly walked to the porthole.
Below, that familiar blue-gray planet floats silently in the dark universe.