In the sky, a valkyrie transport was circling, bearing a large and conspicuous "Imperial Cult" emblem, and covered in holy seals fixed with red wax. As the valkyrie landed, its ramp opened, and from the darkness within, a foot clad in black power armour stepped onto the half-open ramp.
Several female warriors in women's black Gothic-style power armour emerged from the valkyrie transport. Their armour bore silver fleur-de-lis symbols, and golden 'I' and skull insignias, representing their affiliation with the Adepta Sororitas, the largest female armed organization of the Imperium, under the Imperial Cult.
They quickly formed a fan-shaped queue on either side of the ship's hatch.
Colonel Lao Mo, seeing their arrival, immediately strode forward, rendered an Imperial Aquila Salute, and said:
"I am Colonel Mostru of the 12th Valhalla Field Artillery Regiment. May I ask the purpose of your visit, Nuns?"
The lead Nun, clad in black power armour and a golden iron halo, removed her helmet, her short white hair fluttering in the wind. "I am High Sister Fides of the Martyr Ladies' Order. We are here to investigate the situation of this corrupted battlefield."
She said, then walked directly past Colonel Lao Mo, heading straight for the three individuals sitting in the back of a troop transport truck, drinking tanna tea. As she drew closer, Li Feng finally got a clear look at her face.
Beneath her medium-length white hair was a delicate and beautiful face, yet it exuded determination and a weathered resilience. Her gaze was firm and unyielding, as if she feared nothing.
As she reached the truck, she asked, "You three are the survivors of this battle, aren't you?"
Li Feng nodded, while Commissar Cain and Yugen had already jumped out of the truck and rendered an Imperial Aquila Salute to the Nun. Commissar Cain noticed Li Feng was still in the truck, so he quickly pulled him down, urging him to salute.
When Li Feng was pulled down, he instinctively rendered a military salute, which made Sister Fides raise an eyebrow.
The Imperial Aquila Salute is the official salute of the Imperium, typically required for Ecclesiarchy priests, high-ranking officials, nobles, officers of different ranks, Space Marines, and Sisters of Battle.
The regular military salute is a simplified and convenient form of salute typically used within the Imperial Army. For Li Feng to salute a Nun with a military salute was a great disrespect.
Commissar Cain was sweating. "Brother! I taught you the Imperial Aquila Salute for this exact moment. What are you doing now?"
However, Sister Fides paid no mind. She turned to look at the Sisters of Battle squad that had already begun examining the bodies, and spoke calmly:
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
Commissar Cain immediately began, "Sister, this morning we..."
"No, I don't want to hear it from you, Commissar. I want to hear it from him..." Sister Fides interrupted Commissar Cain, pointing at Li Feng without looking at him.
Commissar Cain could only close his mouth. He was just a junior Commissar. He gestured to Li Feng. Li Feng could only explain what had happened from morning until now, but he omitted Commissar Cain's "freebie" incident, only saying that Commissar Cain had killed a traitor on the second floor and by the time he rushed to save the two Soldiers, it was already too late.
Hearing Li Feng's answer, Sister Fides said nothing, only gesturing for Li Feng and the others to follow her. The group walked over to the bodies, where the Sisters of Battle were performing autopsies on the corpses and fragmented remains.
"What's the situation, Sister Lusica?" Sister Fides asked. A Nun put away her specialized tools, then removed her helmet. She was also a Miss with white hair, but styled in a tomboyish short cut, her face full of heroic spirit.
"Sister Fides, examination complete. These are all followers of Chaos, and that... that one is a Greater Daemon level."
Lusica said, pointing to Emily's body. Hearing this result, Fides turned around, placing her hand on her power sword at her waist.
"I reviewed your files on the way here. And second lieutenant Li Feng... no, Lieutenant. Your place of origin is listed as Holy Terra. Although I don't know why you're in a place like this, I'm very curious how you survived such an environment, and even severely wounded, or even killed, that Greater Daemon?"
After Sister Fides spoke, several Sisters of Battle gradually surrounded Li Feng, positioning themselves on his flanks. Anyone who had been on a battlefield would recognize this combat formation, with Li Feng at the center of the spearhead.
At this moment, Commissar Cain and Colonel Lao Mo, in the distance, had their hearts in their throats. These "Battle Sisters" were truly capable of turning Li Feng into mincemeat with their bolters in the next second.
Li Feng twisted his head, looking at the Sisters of Battle gradually surrounding him. Only now did he realize he had spent too much time with Commissar Cain and Little Treasure Kai. The relaxed and pleasant atmosphere around him had almost made him mistakenly believe that this world, called a cesspit, was some kind of "Universal Studios role-playing game."
"Sister, are you doubting me?"
"That is precisely what I mean."
At this, the safeties on the bolters of the surrounding Sisters of Battle were disengaged, a sound that sent a chill down everyone's spine. Li Feng, however, remained expressionless, for the simple reason that he had no fear of death.
Suddenly, Sister Fides's hand directly clamped around Li Feng's neck. Li Feng did not dodge in the slightest, allowing Fides to tightly grip his throat.
At this moment, the iron halo behind Fides activated, and a huge electric current began to spread across Fides and Li Feng. If the interrogated person harbored even a hint of treachery or corruption, the iron halo would instantly electrocute them until they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
"You are a traitor! Everything you just said was a lie!"
"I am not."
"You have been corrupted! You are now a minion of Chaos!"
"I have not."
"You have colluded with xenos forces, intending to betray the Great God-Emperor and the Imperium!"
"Which force? The moon?"
After several questions, the iron halo showed no reaction. At this, Commissar Cain and Yugen's eyes were wide, utterly stunned by the duo's back-and-forth.
The iron halo then deactivated, and Sister Fides released Li Feng's neck. With an expressionless face, she gave Li Feng an Imperial Aquila Salute:
"You have proven your loyalty, Lieutenant."
So she said, but Sister Fides was gritting her silver teeth, trying hard to conceal the unusual sensations on her face and body. The moment she touched Li Feng's neck, a sense of the Emperor's divine oracle swept through her entire body, causing her to even experience a momentary trance.
Li Feng returned a military salute. His retina at this moment displayed an achievement: "Congratulations on successfully ascending a Daemon Prince. Reward: 'Innate Affinity'. You possess an affinity that makes other beings feel comfortable, making them believe what you say. PS: Because you are the Emperor's boyfriend, those loyal to the Emperor will receive an enhanced effect, with greater loyalty leading to a greater effect. (Can be actively toggled.)"
Li Feng didn't find the reward particularly strange; it was just a buff for increasing favorability. But "ascending a Daemon Prince"... Li Feng subconsciously glanced at Emily's corpse on the ground. What kind of woman had he offended?
Li Feng did not yet know how astonishing the effect of his reward was. He also could not imagine what kind of "unique" life that reward would bring him. (We create a unique life!)
"Lieutenant Li Feng, your investigation is not over. You need to come with us to the orbital warship for a comprehensive examination. Sister Lusica! Go to his unit's quarters and confiscate and seal all his luggage as evidence."
No sooner had Sister Fides finished speaking than a Sister of Battle wearing a helmet approached with handcuffs. Fides took the handcuffs from the Nun's hand.
"I'll do it."
When Sister Fides took Li Feng's hands, that feeling returned, but it was concealed by the thick power armour, so no one could tell.
As the handcuffs were put on, Li Feng showed a helpless expression, then looked at Commissar Cain and Yugen beside him, raising his shackled wrists and saying:
"Commissar, it looks like I might have to leave for a few days..."
Commissar Cain nodded. He didn't know if this was his last encounter with Li Feng: "I'll wait for you to come back."