"The Warp Engine you wanted, the one corrupted by the plague God, I've brought it back for you."
Alexander flashed a brilliant smile, and despite Reyna's terrified expression, he patted her shoulder:
"Mission accomplished. You asked me to bring back the 'Warp Engine,' and I did it."
Joan had asked for the Warp Engine to be brought back.
And Alexander had indeed brought the Warp Engine back.
"You don't need to worry, this engine is definitely usable."
"It's just corrupted, not broken. It can start normally."
Alexander's tone was full of sincerity.
But where it would fly after starting was another matter entirely.
As for whether Reyna would create a new Warp rift after taking it, Alexander could only say: Is there such a good thing?
Reyna looked at Alexander's sincere expression, tinged with a bit of greed, and couldn't help but shrink back.
She tried to amplify her senses with psionics to find fluctuations in Alexander's expression and tone,
Attempting to judge whether the bizarre things Alexander spoke of were true or false.
Alexander's expression was calm and sincere, his voice confident and genuine.
And Reyna's own Adeptus Astartes intuition told her that Alexander was telling the truth.
He really brought back that Warp Engine corrupted by the plague God!
Is he sick?!
Looking at Alexander, who seemed to have everything under control, Reyna's expression was somewhat distraught.
"No, no, no…"
She quickly waved her hand, her voice tinged with fear:
"Can that Warp Engine be destroyed? Can the rift be closed?"
"The rift has already closed."
Alexander shook his head helplessly at Reyna's fearful gaze:
"As for destroying it… that's a different price."
"I'll pay more!" Reyna gritted her teeth and said.
But then, she felt a bit deflated.
"Forget it, money isn't the problem anymore…"
Without a Warp Engine, they couldn't leave the Netherworld Star System, and building a starship would be meaningless.
Reyna's expression wavered slightly.
She had always felt that building a starship was a responsibility given to her by the Emperor, the only way to save Ashford.
But now all of that had failed, and Reyna felt a bit lost, as if everything she had done before was meaningless.
Alexander noticed Reyna's somewhat vacant eyes.
He had a curious guess in his heart.
On the way back, Alexander had been pondering this question.
In the original history, the Netherworld Star System had neither a Nurgle invasion nor Tyranid Behemoth created by genestealer, not even a Tzeentch invasion.
Could all of this truly be due to the butterfly effect caused by Alexander's transmigration?
No, before Alexander's transmigration,
Tzeentch devotee Namakor, Nurgle brothers Mont and Marquite, and the Hellworm Tiberius Augustus already existed.
The only explanation was that
The Emperor prevented these things from happening through some "Tools" He had chosen.
"Everyone is a tool of the Emperor, just with different uses."
Alexander looked at Reyna, repeating what Joan had once told him.
"Eh?" Reyna blinked, somewhat bewildered.
"If I hadn't been here, how would these terrible things on Ashford have developed?"
Alexander asked Reyna, and without waiting for her reply, Alexander began to answer his own question:
"First, Namakor. Don't you think it's a huge coincidence?"
"You just happened to be Namakor's neighbor, you once studied with Namakor, and you just happened to need the navigation records from Namakor's house."
And the reason your psykers are so powerful without rigorous training is because they come from an infusion from some entity.
Alexander didn't say this aloud; it was what Sanguinius had told him.
"Even, you just… just happened to be dull enough to effectively resist the Lord of Change's corruption. You were almost like a tool created to deal with Namakor."
"This…" Reyna's expression became somewhat startled. Only then did she vaguely realize that the matter with Namakor was indeed full of coincidences.
No, not coincidence, but deliberate guidance, a struggle between the Emperor and the Lord of Change.
The Emperor had outmaneuvered the Lord of Change.
"But, but if that's the case, if I want to cleanse the Lord of Change's corruption, I must…"
"Just kill those corrupted children. You'll find a way eventually."
Reyna's eyes widened. She had indeed thought of several methods,
But without exception, they would cause the entire Ninth District to run red with blood. Many innocent people would die, but Tzeentch's corruption would also be cleansed.
Many large districts in the Lower Nest relied on the Ninth District for food transport, and the entire Lower Nest would likely fall into a period of famine.
And she herself would likely be exposed as an illegal psyker, most likely ending up on the pyre.
Alexander said softly:
"I remember you liked starships and such when you were a child. Your plan to save Ashford by building a starship might also be a deliberate guidance from the Emperor, intended to make you stumble into Namakor's house to find that navigation record."
Reyna was speechless for a moment, staring at Alexander with wide eyes.
It wasn't just Joan and Namakor; the situation in the Bottom Nest was also very interesting.
The existence of Marquite and Mont limited the expansion of the genestealer.
And the genestealer entrenched in the First District also prevented the two from accessing the Warp Engine.
Mont's original plan to attack the genestealer bishop would inevitably fail. They would then likely try to summon the Iron plague, forcibly breaking into the First District.
They would perfectly disrupt the genestealer patriarch's plan to cultivate Tyranid.
And when they opened the Warp rift,
Not only would Nurgle's power be strengthened in the material universe, but the Emperor's power would also be strengthened to a certain extent.
He would then manifest through Joan, closing the Warp rift.
In this way,
The genestealer would be severely damaged, the Nurgle invasion would be resolved, and the Imperium would silently win big.
Of course, Joan would also die from being unable to bear the Emperor's power.
However, in the Emperor's plan, individual lives are likely expendable currency.
Marquite was wrong on only this point.
The Emperor had not ignored Ashford; He had always been watching Ashford.
Alexander even began to suspect that the Emperor was likely doing similar things on many planets across the galaxy,
Using mortals as tools, and the material universe as a chessboard, to contend with the Chaos Gods.
Many crises might have been silently suppressed or guided into situations beneficial to the Imperium before they even erupted.
He was indeed protecting humanity.
It's just, why does this 'Yellow Skin' have such a Tzeentch flavor?
Alexander couldn't help but slander in his heart.
And Alexander himself… was probably an unforeseen existence in the Emperor's plan.
As Joan and Sanguinius said, predicting one's own future is extremely difficult.
Presumably, Alexander did not exist in the Emperor's original plan.
After Alexander got involved, the situation became somewhat curious.
The Ninth District was not severely damaged, the Lower Nest did not fall into famine, and Reyna and Joan were unharmed.
These were all "currency" that were supposed to be consumed in the Emperor's plan.
"I saved him money; I should make that 'Yellow Skin' convert it into compensation per head…" Alexander couldn't help but mumble.
"What did you say?" Reyna heard Alexander's mumble and was startled: "What 'Yellow Skin'?"
"No, nothing. Just a legend from my hometown. It is said there's a psychic creature called a 'Yellow Skin' that stands by the road and stops people to ask, 'Do you see me as human or god?' If you say it's a god, it will stubbornly say, 'I am not a god.'"
Alexander waved his hand, brushing it off.
"Where exactly is your hometown? Why are there so many strange things?"
Reyna frowned slightly, her eyes still showing some wavering.
"Even if it's truly as you say, everything is the Emperor's arrangement…"
"…What about my Ark Gang? I promised to build a starship to save them…"
Reyna's body trembled slightly:
"What should I lead them to do now? Disband on the spot?"
Upon hearing Reyna's question, the corner of Alexander's mouth twitched slightly.
This was probably also part of the Emperor's arrangement.
The Netherworld Star System, like Baal Prime, was located in a sector called the Scarlet Scar.
This area was enveloped in a certain blood-red light.
It was said that this was a scar carved into the material universe by the Blood God's sword, evidenced by the crime rate within the Scarlet Scar being much higher than on average planets.
People born here were generally more irritable, bloodthirsty, and impulsive.
Yet, when the Leviathan hive Fleet arrived,
Ashford's gangs actually united and spontaneously cooperated with the Astra Militarum's actions, replacing the PDF and fighting alongside the Cadian Shock Troopers in the streets of the hive city.
A group of lawless gangs actually managed to form a combat-effective unit under the assault of the Leviathan hive Fleet…
Alexander guessed that the gang fighting alongside the Astra Militarum in the future might be Reyna's Ark Gang.
This gang, under Reyna's guidance, was extremely loyal to the Emperor, prepared for Ashford's "doomsday," and far more disciplined than other gangs.
It was precisely because of the cooperation of the local gangs that the Astra Militarum was able to escort a large number of residents to evacuate, preventing them from becoming biomass for the Tyranid.
Although Reyna's Ark Gang did not build a starship, they did indeed save more Ashfordians.
Alexander told Reyna this guess, and Reyna's eyes became even more blank, as if her brain couldn't process Alexander's words.
"If there were no Ark Gang, and the governor had taken all the PDF into the underground palace… then the Astra Militarum would have had to fight the Tyranid, guided by genestealer, in the unfamiliar streets of the hive city, and evacuating the local populace would have been very difficult."
"This is very likely the Emperor's entire arrangement for you. Do you think this arrangement is good? Do you accept it?"
Alexander looked at Reyna, asking with interest.
In Alexander's words, Joan was the one who could be sacrificed in the Emperor's arrangement.
Reyna lowered her head slightly and made a small gesture of prayer.
The Holy Word Records tattoo on her face seemed to glow faintly under the light:
"If this is truly the Emperor's arrangement, then it is the best arrangement."
"We will save Ashford, and even if we die, we will return to the Golden Throne."
"If there were more signs to prove that this is indeed the Emperor's arrangement, it would be good."
Alexander couldn't help but shrug.
To sacrifice oneself under the imperial will's arrangement to save more humans, for Imperial citizens who devoutly follow the Adeptus Ministorum, this was practically an express ticket to the Golden Throne.
Reyna found this possibility not difficult to accept, but merely felt uncertain about it.
Life is the Emperor's currency.
A sacrifice that saves more humans and returns one's soul to the Golden Throne is an absolute gain.
Meaningless sacrifices and deaths are a waste of the Emperor's currency.
"..I actually do have a way to prove it." Alexander's lips curved into a smile, "As long as you're willing to spend a little money."
Reyna blinked, "What kind of miraculous technological creation are you going to pull out now?"
Alexander chuckled, and under the cover of his clothes, he reached into his four-dimensional pocket.
He pulled out a red circle and a blue cross.
[Item Name: Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 231. M2]
[Function: An item that can answer questions with true or false, with 100% accuracy.]
[Rental Price: 1,500,000 / 10 uses]
[Status: Used four times]
"Ta-da! The Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine." Alexander said, holding up the item.
The Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine, an item with an extremely simple yet heaven-defying function.
Its function is to determine whether a question is true or false, and it is 100% accurate.
However, this item is not without limitations.
Firstly, the wording of the question must be precise enough, otherwise the answer obtained might not be what one desires.
Secondly, the question itself must have a true or false distinction; questions without such a distinction cannot be answered.
Alexander had previously relied on this item to accurately avoid the dangers in the Bottom Nest's pipes and quickly return to the Lower Nest.
Alexander told Reyna about the item's function.
"These two small things can determine the truth or falsehood of all questions?" Reyna was somewhat dumbfounded.
"You can use a question to confirm its function first... Of course, there will be a charge."
Alexander gestured a price to Reyna.
This price, converted into Bloodstones, was equivalent to 900,000, meaning he was having Reyna reimburse him for the questions he had used earlier.
"So expensive..." Reyna clicked her tongue slightly.
This was just the price for two questions, and the Ark Gang's finances had recently become a little tight.
"Opportunities to determine the truth or falsehood of all questions are rare." Alexander said with a smile.
Reyna gritted her teeth, then nodded vigorously and said,
"Alright."
She took a deep breath, looking at the red circle and blue cross Alexander had placed on the table.
"My last math test score at Namakor's house was thirteen points."
As Reyna's words fell, the red circle suddenly bounced up, flashing a few times in the air.
This indicated correctness!
"You only scored thirteen points? Was it out of a hundred?" Alexander looked at Reyna, somewhat bewildered.
"..It was out of a hundred and fifty points." Reyna turned her head away, a little ashamed.
Although a bit shameful, this indeed proved the item's efficacy.
She hesitated for a moment, then rephrased her question:
"Is the Ark Gang's resistance against the Tyranid alongside the Astra Militarum the Emperor's arrangement?"
The moment her words fell, the red circle flew up again, indicating that what Reyna said was correct.
"As expected," Alexander thought to himself.
It was just as he had guessed; even sitting on the Golden Throne, the Emperor was still protecting humanity in another way.
Reyna's eyes showed a light that was either joy or piety, and she lowered her head, praying in a low voice.
After Reyna confirmed that the Ark Gang's existence was the Emperor's arrangement, she became much more invigorated.
She thanked Alexander and said that she needed some time to confirm the accounts for his payment, which she would settle in a few days.
Alexander informed One-Eye about the genestealer in the Bottom Nest, then Alexander returned home alone.
After confirming that Joan was still sleeping soundly and her body showed no abnormalities, Alexander began to calculate the profits from his trip to the Bottom Nest.
One-Eye would take the information he brought back to governor Augustus Flax.
This was part of Alexander's deal with him.
Alexander did a quick calculation.
Reyna's payment, Augustus' payment, and Joan's payment.
The three payments combined would bring his savings close to the eight million mark.
Adding the Warp Engine he had acquired this time...
Alexander glanced at the Warp Engine in his four-dimensional pocket.
He hadn't carefully checked the information and price of this Warp Engine before.
Hmm?
[Item Name: Warp Engine]
[Origin: Dawn Star - Old CNSA Interstellar Colonial Ship Manufacturing Factory]
[Production Date: 899. M27]
[Description: A relatively outdated superluminal engine that operates with the help of the Warp. This was the last Warp Engine manufactured on Dawn Star during the Old Night, and after several transfers, it eventually ended up on Ashford Star.]
[Status: Corrupted by Nurgle]
[Price: 800,000]
Looking at the description that popped up from his four-dimensional pocket, a hint of surprise flashed in Alexander's eyes.
Dawn Star.
CNSA? CNSA?!
Only then did Alexander notice a faded symbol engraved on the Warp Engine.
It was an arrow shooting through three concentric circles, surrounded by two ears of wheat, each with twenty-one grains.
Alexander knew this was the symbol of Dawn Star during the 30K era.
But in an even earlier era, in Alexander's time, this symbol had another meaning.
The twenty-one grains of wheat symbolized the 21st century, the era Alexander once belonged to.
The arrow in the three concentric circles symbolized breaking through the three cosmic velocities, departing from Earth, leaving the Solar System, and heading towards the star sea.
This symbol belonged to CNSA, and in the world of Warhammer 40K, they indeed broke through the Solar System and sailed into the galaxy, establishing many interstellar colonies.
Dawn Star was one of CNSA's interstellar colonies, and this Warp Engine was manufactured on Dawn Star, eventually being used by Ashford's colonial ship after several transfers, and left on this planet.
Alexander's eyes showed some nostalgia.
This symbol was an echo of his era, in the fortieth millennium of humanity.
Alexander thought for a moment, ultimately unable to bring himself to sell this Warp Engine.
800,000 was not indispensable to him right now.
Unless he was truly short of this 800,000 to exchange for the anywhere door, Alexander planned to keep it as a collectible.
"Collecting is a hobby, but don't overdo it." Sanguinius' voice echoed faintly, "Don't be like a certain Necron."
"Oh, a certain birdman who maintains an improper friendship with the Necron Silent King has the nerve to say that?"
Alexander retorted with sarcasm.
Saying that, Alexander took out the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine from his four-dimensional pocket.
Of course, Alexander didn't just exchange for this item to crawl out of the sewers.
He actually wanted to confirm a few questions.
"Can I also ask a question?" Sanguinius spoke, "Don't worry, when you get to Baal Prime, I'll pay you."
"I'm not even sure if I'm going to Baal Prime." Alexander glanced at him.
"But my question concerns the entire Imperium, and you should be curious too."
Sanguinius continued to persuade him:
"I want to know, is the being on the Golden Throne today still my father?"
Alexander blinked slightly.
This question was indeed very valuable.
He still remembered what Reyna said before falling into a deep sleep.
"Only worship the God of Death, only sacrifice to death." This string of prayers was the Emperor's reward to Alexander.
Evil, the Emperor was a bit evil.
Is the current Emperor still the Emperor he once was?
There were still four questions left, and he could allocate one for this question.
Alexander considered for a moment, rephrased his words, and looked at the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine in front of him, asking:
"The being currently referred to as the God-Emperor by the Imperium's populace and seated on the Golden Throne is the same being as the Emperor who ruled the Imperium in the 30th Millennium of humanity."
Alexander had carefully considered this question, preventing most ambiguities he could think of.
But after waiting for a moment, the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine in front of Alexander showed no reaction at all.
Alexander was stunned.
No reaction, the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine didn't react?
This meant the question had no true or false answer?
Why was there no true or false?
Could it be that the God-Emperor on the Golden Throne now is both the Emperor and not the Emperor?
"Both is and isn't, seems to be yet isn't." Sanguinius hesitated, then nodded as if he had received an answer.
Alexander glanced at him, no longer pondering this somewhat grand question.
He still had more practical questions to ask.
"Can I exchange for the anywhere door on Ashford before the Netherworld Star System is completely destroyed, without suffering severe damage to my life and soul?"
Alexander asked tentatively.
This question concerned the future.
He wasn't sure if this item could judge events that hadn't happened yet.
The red circle bounced up, flashing a few times in the air.
It's stable! Everything's stable!
A hint of joy appeared in Alexander's eyes.
The Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine's accuracy is 100%.
In other words, the future it deems correct will inevitably happen.
This meant that Alexander could exchange for the anywhere door before the Netherworld Star System was destroyed, and until he exchanged for the anywhere door, he would not suffer severe damage to his life and soul.
"It can be used like that? You're something... using it to determine the future." Sanguinius clicked his tongue in amazement.
Alexander chuckled softly, calming his mind.
There were still two questions left.
Alexander glanced at Sanguinius.
"You still don't believe me?" Sanguinius laughed wryly, "Come on, use this item to confirm it."
Sanguinius seemed very confident.
Alexander nodded slightly.
In fact, based on his observations during this time, Alexander was at least 70% convinced that he was Sanguinius.
Now, he was just using the Truth and Falsehood Divination Machine to confirm it again.
He pondered for a moment, then said word by word:
"Sanguinius who has been speaking in my consciousness all along is Sanguinius, the Primarch and Lord of the Ninth Legion, created by the Emperor in the 30th Millennium of humanity, who sacrificed himself on the Vengeful Spirit."
As the words fell, Alexander and Sanguinius both looked at the red circle and blue cross on the table.
"Hmm? Huh??" A huge question mark appeared above Sanguinius' head.