The Ecclesiarchy chapel aboard the Gemstone was perpetually filled with the heavy smell of incense and wax.
The stained glass cut the starlight outside the porthole into mottled patches of color, which fell on the golden Emperor statue, adding a touch of solemn mystery to its majestic face.
The candlelight flickered before the altar, and the choir's deep prayers echoed melodiously under the dome, involuntarily calming the mind.
Bishop Venka stood beside the altar, watching Dominic place the envelope and ring on the white-clothed altar, his brow furrowed in worry.
"Major General, do you suspect that this thing has been corrupted by Chaos?"
"Better safe than sorry." Dominic stood by the holy water pool, letting the cold holy water pour over the back of his hands.
"A letter from an unknown source, a ring of dubious origin—I can't just wear them on my hand like that," Dominic thought.
Although Bishop Venka was quite dissatisfied with Dominic's previous attitude of defending Lynn, he was never ambiguous when it came to distinguishing heretics from corruption.
He picked up the sapphire ring, first rinsing it three times with holy water, then slowly rotating it above the flame of the holy candle while chanting a purification prayer.
The pale golden candle flame burned steadily, without any signs of spontaneous combustion, distortion, or extinguishing.
"There's no trace of the corruption of Chaos." Bishop Venka put down the ring, his tone tinged with disappointment, yet also with relief.
"At least from a divine magical perspective, it is clean."
Dominic then summoned the Tech-Priest who was on board the ship.
The priest, dressed in a reddish-brown robe, held the bulky detector and scanned the ring under the probe three times.
A series of complex data lines were displayed on the buzzing instrument screen.
"Sir, this is a Psychic Power shielding device." The Tech-Priest's electronic voice had a metallic quality.
"The principle is similar to the anti- Psychic Power field of the Sisters of Silence, but its range is very small, only covering the wearer."
"Once worn, the senses Psychic Power scans of ordinary Psyker will simply 'skip' over the wearer, unable to lock onto or detect them."
"Is there surveillance, eavesdropping devices, or poison?" Dominic asked.
"No relevant structure was detected." The Tech-Priest shook his head.
"The core is a purified Psychic Power shielding crystal. The craftsmanship... doesn't seem to be Imperium standard; it's more like Xenos technology product, but it poses no harm whatsoever."
Dominic picked up the ring and examined the sapphire again.
The other party went to great lengths to send a harmless Psychic Power shielding ring, only to allow him to infiltrate the Lower City undetected and see the so-called "truth"?
They neither poisoned him nor set a trap, and they even kept their identities well hidden, showing no signs of wanting to harm him.
Ah, that's really interesting.
He slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his right hand.
The icy touch instantly spread throughout his arm, accompanied by faint Psychic Power fluctuations in the surrounding air.
For example, the faint Psychic Power of a pastor's prayer in a chapel, or the aftershocks of a Psychic Power communicator on a distant bridge.
They all seemed to encounter an invisible barrier, circling around him.
It was as if he had completely "disappeared" from the Psychic Power perspective.
Dominic's lips curled into a slightly amused smile.
He wanted to see what kind of devils were lurking in the Lower City of Brevis.
That evening, as was customary for many years, was Dominic's time for family prayers.
He maintained this habit from the first day he joined the army. Even on the most intense battlefield, when it was time, he would find a quiet corner and silently recite his family's prayers.
This is a tradition of most Imperium noble families; the more powerful and ancient the family, the more importance they place on the inheritance of their lineage.
Everyone in the fleet knew that during the eight hours the Rear Admiral prayed, no one was allowed to disturb him unless the sky fell.
This time was no exception.
But Dominic had already changed into the uniform of a lieutenant colonel in the Imperial Army Corps.
He wore a plain gray military uniform without any officer insignia, and his face was covered with a simple bionic mask to conceal his overly prominent facial features.
Standing in the crowd, he was just an inconspicuous mid-level officer.
Two figures in dark cloaks followed behind him; they were two Sisters of Silence.
They belong to the Black Ship's reconnaissance team, skilled in stealth and identification, and also capable of protecting his safety.
The three of them were on a Valkyrie airship that was heading to the middle level of the main hive to purchase supplies, as usual. As they descended, the scenery outside the window gradually changed.
From the gilded spires and clean streets of Uptown to the dense pipework and roaring factories of Midtown.
The smell of incense and disinfectant in the air was gradually replaced by the smell of cooking fumes.
The airship stopped at the cargo port in Midtown, and Dominic and his two companions disembarked with the flow of people and walked down the dilapidated stairs.
The further you go into the Lower City, the more polluted the air becomes, the stronger the stench of decay and sulfur grows, and the noise around you becomes increasingly deafening.
The sounds of hawking, arguing, and distant sirens mingled together, creating a chaotic symphony unique to the Lower City.
Dominic frowned. He had fought countless battles and witnessed countless bloody battlefields.
But the deep-seated oppression and filth of the Lower City still made him uncomfortable.
This place is like a giant malignant tumor, growing silently beneath the glamorous exterior of the Hive City, rotting and breeding evil and heresy.
But he sighed, knowing that this was the true nature hidden beneath the Imperium's glamorous exterior.
Inside the governor's office when Dominic receives the mysterious letter.
Lynn sat in the main seat, with the Butcher standing opposite him, reporting the latest situation with a solemn expression.
"Sir, the situation at Starport is more serious than we anticipated," the Butcher said in a low voice.
" The Ecclesiarchy representative accompanying the Tithe, Bishop Carven's men, have arrested over a hundred new recruits suspected of being Catholics, and the interrogations are yielding more and more information."
Rumors about the Plague Cleansing Cult have spread throughout the entire Star Harbor District.
"Some people are even deliberately spreading rumors that... that the Plague Cleansing Cult is being secretly supported by the Governor's Office."
Lynn had made up his mind halfway through hearing the story.
Luna.
He uttered the name softly, without the slightest surprise in his tone.
The Butcher paused for a moment, then asked, "You mean, the Lord Regent of the St. Garus Family?"
"Who else could it be but her?" Lynn stood up, picked up a cup of coffee, and took a sip.
"She disappeared for so long after Carl II, I thought she was hiding away and licking her wounds, but I never expected her to come up with such a dirty trick."
This is so typical of Old T's style.
They don't act directly, they don't confront you head-on, they lurk in the shadows, manipulating the pieces, using the most insidious methods to undermine your foundation, and make you fall into their trap.
But Lynn saw through the other person's thoughts at a glance.
The core of the Plague Cleansing Cult is the Genestealer, which is its greatest weakness.
Luna doesn't need to produce concrete evidence; she only needs to plant the idea that " the Plague Cleansing Cult is related to the Governor's Mansion" in Dominic's mind.
By guiding him step by step to discover the inhuman characteristics within the cult, Dominic will naturally follow the clues and trace it back to the Genestealer.
At that time, the charge of "Governor Kerry colluding with Xenos, establishing a private sect, and exploiting the people of the Imperium " will be pinned on his head.
Even if Dominic admires his abilities, he will not hesitate to act against Imperium laws and the taboo against Xenos.
This is just the basics. If Dominic investigates further and discovers his connection to Rena...
Even if he tries to run away, the Imperium probably won't let him off easily.
What's even more insidious is that this was an open conspiracy.
If he immediately disbands the Plague Cleansing Cult and abandons the efficiency of screening for Genestealer, it will be impossible to gather three billion healthy soldiers on time.
Tithe, he won't be able to stay as governor, and all his previous plans will be in vain.
But if they continue using it, they risk being exposed, being led by the nose by Luna, and ultimately revealing their true colors in front of Dominic.
What they were trying to figure out was his desire to continue playing this "governor role-playing game."