In a small room on the third floor of the Ark Gang's stronghold.
"So, you're not a Tyranid assassin sent to kill me," Reyna, the leader of the Ark Gang, said with a frown.
"So, you're not a Gene Stealer Patriarch either?" Alexander raised an eyebrow, looking at Reyna.
Reyna, the Patriarch of the Ark Gang, was an illegal psyker.
Alexander sat opposite her, observing her.
There were no signs of madness or mutation on her face, and her slightly blue eyes gleamed with rationality.
On her cheek, light gold ink tattooed a passage of text:
"Rejoice, for I bring you glorious gospel."
"Gods walk among us."
Alexander knew these words were from the Holy Word Records written by Lorgar, the first two sentences of the entire book.
The book by this rebellious Primarch elaborated on the worship of the Emperor and the Emperor's divinity, forming the cornerstone of the entire Adeptus Ministorum.
Alexander had confirmed with his X-ray vision that the leader of the Ark Gang was indeed a pure human, not a GSC Patriarch.
She truly was an illegal psyker who had escaped from the Black Ships.
But...
She seemed to have some knowledge of the Tyranid hive Fleet and the genestealer.
"genestealer…"
Reyna's eyes flickered slightly:
"A very fitting name, perfect to describe them. Is that the official Imperial designation?"
Alexander nodded slightly in response to Reyna's question.
"And those that fall from space? Those that descend in spore pods from living starships?" Reyna asked, looking at Alexander.
"Tyranid. The Tyranid hive Fleet, Leviathan. They are predators from outside the galaxy, attempting to devour everything they see."
"…They are coming soon…" Reyna whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
The small room fell silent, the two of them staring at each other.
Alexander scrutinized Reyna, a hint of confusion in his eyes:
"It's one thing that you know about the existence of genestealer, but how do you even know that the Tyranids are about to descend upon Ashford?"
"I saw it," Reyna said, her fingertips lightly brushing the Holy Word Records tattoo on her cheek.
Psyker's prophetic abilities? Alexander blinked.
Many psykers possess some degree of prophetic ability, allowing them to see fragmented visions of the future.
Of course, what is prophesied is not necessarily true.
There is one in the Warp who is called the Lord of Change; He loves to manipulate half-truths and half-false prophecies, luring people into the most treacherous paths of fate.
Reyna noticed Alexander's gaze.
She placed her hand on her flat chest and proudly declared:
"I, Reyna, have been enlightened by the God-Emperor."
"He showed me visions of the future, telling me to save more people of Ashford!"
"…" Alexander stared intently at Reyna.
How many was this now?
Counting Alexander himself, who was given a dream by "Sanguinius,"
The Gene Stealer Patriarch, the vanguard of the Great Devourer,
Then there were Mont and Marquite, who were suspected of being blessed by "nurgling,"
And now Reyna, who claimed to be enlightened by the God-Emperor—this was already the fifth one.
Were there perhaps too many chosen ones in Ashford? Were the various big shots going to fight a proxy war in a small hive city?
"I truly was enlightened by the God-Emperor!"
Reyna, seeing Alexander's skeptical gaze, immediately widened her eyes and said:
"I am a devout follower of the Emperor, and so are my mother and father. I haven't been deceived by any Warp specters!"
"Every time I see a prophecy, I pray devoutly to the Emperor, asking Him to protect my mind."
Saying this, Reyna showed a pious expression, praising the Emperor's divinity:
"I pray to the Emperor, that He may protect my soul from harm in the tides of the Empyrean."
"Then you must be an Imperial-certified, legal psyker, right?" Alexander asked, tapping the table.
A heavy silence filled the small room.
"…I was guided by the Emperor to save more people of Ashford. I cannot leave with the Black Ships." Reyna shook her head resolutely.
"Then, having been enlightened by the God-Emperor, you must surely hear His voice, right?" Alexander asked again.
"…Enlightened, and also hear a voice?" Reyna blinked blankly.
"Are you the one chosen by the Emperor?" Alexander asked, his mouth twitching.
"I think I am!" Reyna straightened her back, saying with considerable defiance.
"…There are no signs of Chaos corruption on her," the winged figure of Sanguinius whispered from the corner of Alexander's eye.
Alexander glanced at him and shook his head.
Either Reyna had simply seen some prophecies from the Warp,
Or both she and the white-glowing figure in his peripheral vision were part of Tzeentch's grand plan.
"But you, what exactly is your background?!"
Reyna suddenly raised her voice, questioning Alexander with a Seducer's Whisper.
Alexander showed no reaction.
"I'm immune to that trick now," he said flatly.
Reyna's meager will projected into his mind was simply insignificant compared to the winged figure of Sanguinius, which shone with dazzling brilliance.
The moment it entered Alexander's mind, it was diluted by the dazzling white light.
Reyna immediately deflated, leaning back in her chair and complaining in a low voice:
"I thought releasing the Seducer's Whisper with my full consciousness while you were off guard would have some effect."
"Who exactly are you? Why are you disguised as Lager and infiltrating my side? And why did you suddenly attack me?"
"I suddenly attacked you?" Alexander raised an eyebrow: "Who told you to suddenly shout?"
"I thought you were a Gene Stealer assassin! I've been ambushed by them several times," Reyna huffed.
"You thought… Are you an Ogryn? You just thought!"
"I also thought you were a Gene Stealer Patriarch. Your propaganda style is the same as the genestealer, and you suddenly arranged for someone to find me…"
"Find you?" Reyna was stunned for a moment, blinking.
Then she suddenly realized, slapping her forehead:
"You are… Alexander, right?"
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
Reyna vigorously rubbed her hair:
"So it was you! My looking for you has nothing to do with the genestealer!"
"Lager told me that you are very good at exploring the ruined city and needed work recently."
"If there was any work exploring the ruined city, I could find you."
"I happened to have some, so I asked him to call you over."
"Lager told me that you wanted to find me." Alexander's eye twitched slightly.
It turned out that Lager was keeping secrets from both sides, probably trying to profit from the middle.
"That Lager fellow…" Alexander rubbed his temples, a headache forming.
Alexander even suspected that Lager had been corrupted by Tzeentch…
But that shouldn't be the case; believing in Tzeentch requires a certain level of intelligence.
The Lord of Change corrupting Lager would be less effective than corrupting an Ogryn who can only count to ten.
"Damn it, dock his pay." Reyna also angrily slammed the table.
"So, what did you need me for?" Alexander leaned back in his chair, looking at Reyna.
"The Tyranids are coming. I have an idea to save more people."
Reyna looked at Alexander with a serious expression:
"I want to build a spaceship, load more people onto it, and escape early."
"…"
Alexander was too stunned to speak.
He was certain now.
Reyna might have been deceived by Tzeentch, but she was definitely not corrupted by Tzeentch.
With this astounding wisdom, a nurgling would shake its head in disapproval, and Magnus would give a thumbs-up, calling her an expert.