This was Alexander and Reyna's second time visiting the Ninth District.
But this time, the situation on the streets was vastly different from the last.
The streets were no longer bustling, the stalls had been swept away, and many nearby buildings still bore the charred, blackened scars from the previous purging of Tzeentch's corruption, looking grotesque.
And within these grotesque houses, the residents had been evacuated.
But Reyna's psyker intuition warned her that eyes were watching him and Alexander from within these houses.
"Don't worry, it's just Astra Militarum soldiers," Alexander reassured Reyna.
Reyna showed a slightly aggrieved expression, as if she felt she was being treated like a fool again: "Of course I know it's the Astra Militarum."
"Isn't it General Drost of the Astra Militarum who invited us this time?"
Not long ago, this Astra Militarum commander, who had taken over the entire Ashford, contacted Alexander through the channels left by the governor.
He wished to meet with Alexander and Reyna to discuss matters concerning Ashford's defenses.
Alexander naturally would not refuse; he had prepared for this day from the beginning.
Of course, for safety, Dixus was also secretly following them, always vigilant for potential dangers.
"Aren't you worried at all?"
Reyna looked with a gaze mixed with fear and curiosity at the Cadian Shock Troopers soldier walking past her.
The Astra Militarum female soldier, whose face bore several scars, nodded to Reyna, her pale purple eyes reflecting in Reyna's own.
Reyna couldn't help but shiver.
She had heard the legends of the Cadian Shock Troopers since she was a child, and never expected to see them here today.
"What are you afraid of?" Alexander asked, glancing at Reyna.
"Why wouldn't I be afraid?" Reyna clicked her tongue: "I'm an illegal psyker!"
In the Imperium, when the Astra Militarum encountered an illegal psyker, they would usually execute them on the spot.
"And you, aren't you worried? Think about your heretical statements..." Reyna whispered.
"I won't die here, it's destined," Alexander said with a slight smile, his expression relaxed.
Reyna was momentarily stunned; she saw extreme confidence on Alexander's face.
It was as if all the Astra Militarum in this entire sector combined couldn't take his life.
"..Then, what about me?" Reyna asked involuntarily.
She had grown accustomed to trusting Alexander.
Alexander's judgments were right most of the time, and he always produced strange and wonderful items, accomplishing things that were almost impossible.
"You?"
Alexander blinked, looking at Reyna:
"I don't know. You might die here, or you might die somewhere else."
Listening to Alexander's nonsensical literature, Reyna's expression stiffened for a moment.
Just then, a white-haired woman in silver power armor walked towards Alexander and Reyna.
Alexander noticed a rose symbol carved into the woman's power armor.
Reyna, on the other hand, instinctively placed her finger on the tattoo on her cheek and prayed to the Emperor:
"Emperor above, that's a Battle Sister..."
For a girl like Reyna, who devoutly believed in the Adeptus Ministorum, Battle Sisters were objects of admiration.
Just as every big boy loves Astartes.
Alexander was indifferent to this.
He was different; he preferred the diverse and well-designed Chaos Astartes.
Our Chaos Astartes are truly a chaotic grand world.
If you want mature, steady, wise, there are the blue Thousand Sons ash cans.
If you want humorous, amiable, and witty, there are the green Death Guard putrid cans.
If you want enthusiastic, cheerful, and active, there are the red Khorne Berzerker nail-studded cans.
If you want our husband-sister, there are also the purple Emperor's Children lustful cans.
Our Chaos Astartes truly eat too well... Oh, and the Tyranid, with their fleshy aesthetic, are also good.
Just as Alexander was thinking these blasphemous thoughts in his mind,
That bolter chick—oh no, the Battle Sister—stopped in front of Alexander and Reyna.
"I am Battle Sister Adelaide of the Order of the Sacred Rose, commanded by High Sister Magda. Grace to support Ashford."
"Currently under the command of General Drost, I am here to meet the two of you for the discussion."
Reyna looked at the Battle Sister from the Order of the Sacred Rose before her, and couldn't help but swallow softly.
She was an illegal psyker, and there was no guarantee she wouldn't catch a bolter round from this Battle Sister.
But the Battle Sister named Adelaide only kept her gaze on Reyna for a moment: "illegal psyker?"
Reyna's expression stiffened; there was some indifference in the Battle Sister's eyes.
Before Reyna could explain, the Battle Sister's gaze fell on Alexander.
But strangely... her gaze seemed somewhat eager.
"I have seen you before, Esteemed Alexander," the Battle Sister's tone even carried some respect.
"Hmm?" Alexander blinked, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
He was afraid that the Battle Sister's next sentence would be, "I saw a blue racoon in the Emperor's revelation."
"Right here, in the Ninth District."
Fortunately, the Battle Sister didn't say that, but pointed to the charred buildings beside the road and said:
"You saved this place, and I was in charge of leading the Battle Sisters to clear the remaining corruption and pollution."
"But the governor told General Drost that you are a heretic, a shameless cultist."
At this point, the Battle Sister paused:
"However, I led a few Cadian soldiers into the Lower Nest several times."
"What I saw was a devout Adeptus Ministorum follower, with pious faith in the Emperor and hatred for xenos and heretics, enduring humiliation to infiltrate the Bottom Nest, punishing cultists who worshipped the Lord of Change and the plague God, killing the right-hand man of the genestealer patriarch, and resisting the Genestealer offensive in the Lower Nest."
"What I saw was a warrior who devoutly hunted the enemies of humanity in the name of the Primarch, you are so humble, never even publicizing your deeds, but attributing all glory to the Primarch."
The more the Battle Sister spoke, the more Reyna and Alexander's expressions became difficult to maintain.
It seemed this Battle Sister had indeed infiltrated the Lower Nest to investigate.
But the problem was, the version she investigated, how was it so wrong?
This version seemed to be one deliberately spread by the genestealer to make Alexander widely known, to facilitate their investigation of his identity.
In this version, Alexander seemed to have suddenly become a fanatic, disregarding all dangers to delve among cultists, mutants, and genestealer, hunting these enemies of humanity.
Even Alexander's fabrication of a name like Leman Russ was explained as a form of humility, hunting evil in the name of the Primarch, and giving all glory to the Primarch.
"So... General Drost trusts us two now?" Reyna asked, following behind the Battle Sister.
"No, the General intends to judge whether you are trustworthy in his own way," the Battle Sister shook her head slightly and stopped walking.
The place where she stood was a church nestled between buildings.
Alexander was slightly stunned.
This church was the one Namakor used to frequent for prayers, the one suspected of being infiltrated by Tzeentch's power.