"This... this is too awesome, isn't it?"
Looking at the 'luxurious' equipment on the table, Emrys suddenly had the thought of wanting to follow Jackal.
What exactly is this guy's background?
Not to mention the fragmentation grenades, energy cells, nutrients, and energy bars.
The bolter and carapace armor, these are items that only a very small number of Astra Militarum personnel are equipped with!
Especially the carapace armor, a standard heavy bulletproof vest, even a lasgun can't penetrate it. It's definitely a life-saving artifact.
At least in the lower hive, with the weapons of those gang scum, even if someone stands still, they won't be able to be shot through!
The bolter goes without saying. Although the Astra Militarum model is a modified and degraded product based on the Astartes version, the bullets it fires are definitely not something ordinary defenses can stop.
"How about it? I didn't lie to you, did I?"
Jackal smiled triumphantly, taking a deep drag from his rolled cigarette and exhaling a wisp of smoke: "It took me a lot of sweat to get these things, they're absolutely worth every penny."
"Can I inspect them?"
Emrys suppressed his excitement and asked.
"Go ahead and inspect," Jackal said indifferently, slumping back into his chair and crossing his legs.
"Item detected: Bolter Astra Militarum model (old)"
"Having undergone multiple battlefield tests, although it is very old, the sight and firing pin are still intact."
"Energy available: 0 units."
"Item detected: Fragmentation Grenade (inferior)"
"The only drawback is that there were some accidents during production, and the detonation time varies from 1s to 3s. Perhaps it can be used for suicide."
"Energy available: 0 units."
"Item detected: Carapace Armor - Heavy Bulletproof Vest (old - worn)"
"The paint is completely worn off, making it impossible to identify its original unit. It is missing alloy plates, a helmet, a rebreather, an auspex, a wrist display, and a small power pack. However, as a 'turtle shell,' it is still very qualified."
"Energy available: 0 units."
"Item detected: High-Concentration Energy Compression Cell (premium)"
"Widely used for Factory machinery operation, exclusively supplied within the Mechanicus, handmade by a certain Oil Goblins, trustworthy."
"Energy available: 1000 units * 3."
Soon, after touching everything, Emrys swallowed hard, a thought emerging in his mind.
This time, he had truly struck it rich!
A full three thousand units of energy, enough to sustain him for thirty days!
Most importantly, Jackal had actually managed to get a bolter and carapace armor, items only issued in the Astra Militarum. These two items completely filled his current gaps.
"Finished inspecting?" Jackal glanced at him, extinguished his cigarette butt, and stood up from his seat: "If you think the items are fine, I'll take you to the middle-hive."
"The items are excellent, Sir Jackal."
Emrys neatly packed the items, then nodded to Jackal: "I'm all set here, let's go."
In his imagination, smuggling into the middle-hive from the lower hive should be a very difficult task.
At the very least, it should involve being cautious, avoiding the surveillance of Arbites and the monitoring equipment at the middle-hive entrance, then crawling through muddy pipes, enduring hardships to finally arrive.
But... the reality was, Jackal simply led him, swaggering directly to the middle-hive entrance.
"Sir Jackal, I need to confirm with you again." Emrys' eyelids were twitching wildly as he looked at the Arbites guarding the middle-hive entrance and the two automatic lasguns, nervously swallowing: "We're smuggling, perhaps we should take a different path to fit the concept of 'smuggling.'"
"What are you babbling about? Follow me."
Jackal, with a cheap rolled cigarette in his mouth, completely disregarded the Arbites and surveillance, and walked straight past.
Is he that audacious?!
Emrys watched from behind, his heart pounding, terrified that the would shoot them both.
But the situation seemed to be different from what he had imagined.
The Arbites at the entrance saw Jackal from a distance, their faces beaming with enthusiastic smiles, and they opened their arms to give him a hug.
Honestly, in Emrys' impression, Arbites usually showed disdain and disgust, completely looking down on lower hive, but now they were smiling so brightly.
In fact, Jackal, with a look of utter disgust, pushed the Arbites away and grumbled as he handed over a few cheap rolled cigarettes.
What exactly is this guy's identity?!
Emrys was now 100% certain that Jackal was definitely not an ordinary lower hive resident.
What lower hive could make the usually stern Arbites smile as brightly as a bursting chrysanthemum?
They chatted for a few sentences, but Jackal turned around and saw that Emrys hadn't followed, so he impatiently waved: "Hurry up, don't waste time!"
"How embarrassing." Emrys obediently walked over in silence.
"Alright, talk to you next time."
Jackal, with a rolled cigarette in his mouth, waved to the Arbites and lazily said: "I'll take this kid in first."
"Goodbye, Sir Jackal!"
"Goodbye, Sir Jackal!"
The two Arbites waved enthusiastically, bidding farewell to the 'smuggling duo.'
This is too ridiculous!
It's like ridiculous' mom opened the door for ridiculous; it's utterly ridiculous!
Even after stepping through the middle-hive gate, Emrys still felt like he was dreaming, the 'smuggling' process was simply too surreal.
To 'smuggle' in so brazenly, right in front of the Arbites, is there any justice left in the world?
Emrys quietly turned his head, observing Jackal again carefully.
He was nearly 1.9 meters tall, with a well-proportioned and strong build, broad shoulders, a thick waist and back. His hair hung down like instant noodles, covering half his face.
His features were firm, his eyes bright and piercing. Aside from the scar across his entire face at the bridge of his nose, which somewhat marred his image and demeanor, he seemed to be just a weathered uncle.
The two Arbites just now clearly showed a hint of respect in their eyes when they looked at 'Jackal.'
This guy... could he be a retired veteran?
Emrys speculated in his mind about Jackal's suspicious background and identity.
"Don't overthink it, the normal process isn't like this."
Jackal's senses were very sharp. He turned his head and met Emrys' suspicious gaze, saying with a rolled cigarette in his mouth: "Firstly, the price you paid was high, and secondly, time is tight. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have brought you in like this. As for those two, they just have a long-term working relationship with me."
It was better without the explanation; the more he explained, the more suspicious Emrys became.
Even with a long-term working relationship, Arbites would absolutely not show respect to a lower hive.
Emrys remained silent, not exposing Jackal's lie.
"Kid, I know you have secrets, but I won't ask."
Jackal, with a rolled cigarette in his mouth, exhaled wisps of smoke and gave him a meaningful look: "The reason you left the lower hive probably isn't as simple as being hunted, is it?"
Emrys' movements stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to normal: "Sir Jackal, I don't understand what you mean."
"Do you know? When people lie, there are many subtle reactions."
Jackal stopped walking, turned around, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Eyes, breathing, movements, every muscle in the face—I'm very good at discerning these."
"Sir Jackal, I really don't know what you're talking about."
Emrys remained stubborn, responding with a smiling expression, feigning a bewildered and innocent look.
"Kid, it's not that simple to stay in the middle-hive."
Jackal grinned, as if Emrys' reaction was exactly as he expected, revealing a cunning expression: "For smugglers, once discovered by the Arbites , the outcome is without exception immediate execution. You wouldn't want to end up like that, would you?"
Suddenly, Emrys understood why Jackal had brought him through the main gate.
Because the Arbites had already seen his face. Later, with just a word from Jackal, those Arbites would hunt him down in the middle-hive like mad dogs!
"Sir Jackal, is this how you do business?"
Emrys shed his feigned bewilderment and innocence, his voice suddenly turning cold: "Are you threatening me with the Arbites?"
"No, not a threat, it's a transaction."
Jackal flicked his finger, and the cigarette butt flew away. He turned his head and said faintly: "Tell me the real reason you want to come to the middle-hive. In return, I can introduce you to a job that will allow you to settle down in the middle-hive, a legitimate job where you won't have to worry about Arbites. How about it?"
"Wait a minute? A proper job? And a residence permit?!"
Emrys immediately put on a classic 'face-changing' act, rubbing his hands like a fly, his face beaming with a smile: "Are you serious? You're going to get me a job?"
He couldn't be blamed for his quick change of expression; the 'bargaining chip' offered was simply too tempting.
A formal job that allowed him to settle in the middle-hive meant he could shed his identity as an illegal immigrant, openly contact the middle-hive Arbites, and gain access to many resources unavailable in the lower hive!
Jackal watched Emrys' rapid change of expression, stiffening for half a second, but quickly returned to normal: "Of course, my name, Jackal, should carry some weight."
He wasn't lying about this; Jackal's reputation in the lower hive was well-known, famous for 'keeping his word.'
However, despite being somewhat tempted by Jackal's offer, Emrys still hesitated.
Should he really tell Jackal?
His main concern at the moment was, what if Jackal had some unknown connection to the cult?
Just as Emrys was hesitating, Jackal slowly said: "I guess it has something to do with the Hammer Skulls gang being wiped out by the Iron Crows gang, and the disappearance of over three hundred people in the East District, right?"
He exhaled a smoke ring, and the spreading white mist made Jackal appear somewhat unfathomable: "Actually, I had people investigate the clues regarding the disappearance of three hundred people in the East District, but unfortunately, nothing was found. Only blood-soaked land, nothing else, including... bodies."
Jackal emphasized the last two words.
"And then?" Emrys' face was calm, completely unmoved: "How did you determine that I smuggled myself into the middle-hive because of these two incidents?"
"It's simple, I had people investigate you, Merlin Emrys."
Jackal grinned, revealing two rows of smoke-stained yellow teeth, his eyes sharp as knives under his fluffy, instant-noodle-like hair, his expression intriguing: "An ordinary scavenger from the lower hive, normally, would never miss 'Harvest Day,' but you weren't among them that day."
"Sir Jackal, I shouldn't be the only one who didn't go, right?" Emrys shrugged.
"Kid, I'm not an Arbites ; I don't need to gather all the evidence."
Jackal smiled and flicked the ash from his cigarette, giving him a meaningful look: "Of course I know you weren't the only one who survived, but... my intuition tells me that your sudden decision to smuggle yourself into the middle-hive at this time is definitely related to these two incidents."
Emrys' mouth twitched, almost forgetting that the warhammer world doesn't care about evidence. He pondered for half a second, then said: "Sir Jackal, please forgive me for not being able to trust you."
"You're unwilling to speak?"
Jackal frowned slightly. He had thought that offering this price would be enough to get a lower hive to agree.
But the result seemed to be far from what he imagined; the other party actually refused a stable job in the middle-hive!
"I really want a stable job, but I can't trust you."
Emrys reluctantly rejected Jackal's offer, but he didn't completely close off his options.
"You can't trust me? You mean these two incidents are very serious?"
Jackal understood the implied meaning behind his words, and his expression became slightly serious: "What will it take for you to tell me?"
Emrys smiled without speaking, showing no intention of explaining.
Jackal understood the meaning in Emrys' eyes: unless he could prove himself, this kid would not reveal anything to him, no matter what.
"What a cunning kid." He sighed. At this point, he seemed to have no choice.
The events in the lower hive had always made Jackal uneasy, feeling that it wasn't as simple as it seemed. The people he sent to investigate had brought back almost no valuable information.
And among the over three hundred people who disappeared in the East District, only this kid... did not appear anywhere on Harvest Day!
This was where Jackal truly suspected Emrys.
How could a bottom-level scavenger miss 'Harvest Day'?
And precisely on that day, over three hundred people in the East District disappeared. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?
Jackal hesitated for a long time, and finally, reluctantly, took something out from the lining of his clothes. His careful and gentle movements, as if holding a treasure, displayed it before Emrys.
"Kid, this thing should prove that I'm trustworthy, right?"
When Emrys clearly saw what was in Jackal's palm, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he blurted out: "Holy crap, an Iron Aquila Medal?!"
But the moment he blurted it out, he realized he had misspoken.
Sure enough, Jackal's face showed surprise, then he stared intently at the young man, suspiciously asking: "Kid, how do you know this medal?"
A lower hive who picks up trash actually recognizes a medal issued by the Astra Militarum?
This was like asking a homeless person, pointing to a German Iron Cross, what it was, and the answer would most likely just be 'a medal.'
Emrys' eyelids twitched, regretting it so much he wanted to slap himself.
But under Jackal's cold gaze, he could only brace himself and say: "Actually, my mother told me. When I was little, she told me a lot about the Astra Militarum, including many medals."
This excuse was truly crude, but Jackal didn't seem to care.
Putting the Iron Aquila Medal back into his embrace, he said indifferently: "Since you know it's the Iron Aquila Medal, that should prove I'm trustworthy, right?"
The Iron Aquila Medal, also known as the 'Aquila of the Madman.'
It is a golden semicircular medal with an iron Imperial Aquila, and it can be said to be the most prestigious individual honor.
It is usually awarded by the Department of Military Affairs to soldiers who have faced mortal danger, yet still defeated the enemy, and are able to continue serving!
In other words... Jackal was once a Astra Militarum soldier!
No wonder, that explains it.
Why Jackal could get Astra Militarum equipment, and even the middle-hive Arbites treated him with respect.
Because he was a retired Astra Militarum veteran with an 'Iron Aquila' Medal, his status within the hive was extraordinary!
But another question bothered Emrys: "Since you have the Iron Aquila Medal, how did you end up in the lower hive?"
It shouldn't be possible no matter how he thought about it. An Astra Militarum soldier who could be awarded the 'Iron Aquila' Medal by the Department of Military Affairs most likely had a military rank and had shown great bravery. Even nobles in the Nest Capital wouldn't easily provoke him. How did he end up in the lower hive?
"None of your business!" Jackal suddenly became angry and embarrassed, like a goblin whose toe had been stepped on: "Don't change the subject, quickly tell me what happened in the lower hive!"
"May I presume to ask, what was the name of the legion you previously served in?"
Emrys curiously poked his head out, he was truly curious about which legion Jackal had served in before.
"Does this relate to what you're going to tell me?" Jackal frowned, clearly somewhat unwilling.
"It does."
Emrys nodded, and said in a deep voice: "It's not that I look down on you, but if it's not a powerful legion, even knowing it would be useless."
Of course, this statement was purely nonsense, just to deceive Jackal.
Even if Jackal didn't say anything, with his identity as an Iron Aquila Medal recipient, reporting news about the cult would directly attract the attention of the local Department of Military Affairs, and even the planetary governor.
He was simply curious, which led to this question.
"You wouldn't know it anyway."
Jackal's expression was very conflicted. He smoked three cigarettes before sighing and reluctantly saying: "Do you know Catachan? I'm from there."
Catachan is one of the Imperium's most infamous Death Worlds, the famous Rambo production site in 40K!
It is known for having the most magnificent and dominant pure men in the entire Imperium. Every Catachan warrior, almost from birth, faces two things.
Combat and death.
Due to Catachan's unique environment of beautiful scenery and pleasant climate, every Catachan is a terminator, and a Plus version at that.
There's a saying that can describe Catachan.
The goal of all living creatures is either to kill other creatures or to be killed by other creatures!
In short, in the beautiful and pleasant climate of Catachan, the jungle eats meat!
Trees move;
Flowers eat people;
Even food planted in Catachan from other star systems will try to kill a few people.
As for toads, they are even more powerful. Those things self-destruct!
In Emrys' memory, the power of their self-destruction could even shatter an Astartes Dreadnought!
Yes, that's right.
Even that heavy armor, known as the Astartes 'coffin' and hailed as a mobile fortress, couldn't withstand a Catachan toad!
The toad's self-destruction range is one kilometer, and its venom ranks first in the physical universe.
Unless you're the Flash, startling a Catachan toad means certain death; not even a Dreadnought can save you!
By the way, the second-ranked venom in the physical universe is from the Catachan Barking Toad.
It's no exaggeration to say that if Emrys had transmigrated to this hellhole of a place called Catachan, he would have immediately slit his own throat. Whether he could transmigrate again, he didn't know, but mainly, he didn't want to be eaten by a tree!
As the saying goes, 'one side's Water and soil nurtures one side's people'.
Such an extreme survival environment like Catachan naturally nurtured a group of super-macho Rambos!
I get it, now I understand everything!
Emrys finally knew why Jackal could silently kill an entire Crusader gang.
It's not surprising at all. Anyone who could survive that environment on Catachan would at least be a super Captain America in the 2K era. Killing a few hundred gang members would be like child's play.
Similarly, Emrys also confirmed one thing.
This man could really kill him, and effortlessly at that!
Even an Theta-Class psyker, if he couldn't instantly kill Jackal, would most likely end up with his head cut off and hung at the door while he slept.
Now, Emrys had only one thought left in his mind.
"I need to find a way to get Jackal to join us. It would be a huge waste to not use such a superhero unit!"
"Kid, what are you spacing out for?" Jackal impatiently raised his hand and tapped him on the head, saying, "Anyway, even if I can't solve it, there are still the Enforcers of the Hive and the Planetary Defense Forces."
"Ahem, Sir Jackal, actually..." Emrys suppressed his excitement, pretending to be calm, and recounted everything that had happened in the lower hive.
After listening, Jackal's pupils widened like brass bells, and he roared, "What? A cult?"
"Sir Jackal, you can speak a little louder. Then everyone will know," Emrys said, his ears ringing from Jackal's loud voice.
"Sorry, I got a bit carried away."
Jackal realized his reaction was too strong, took a few deep breaths, and when his emotions had calmed down a little, he said with a serious expression, "Since you discovered a cult, why didn't you report it to the Arbites?"
"Me? Report to the Arbites?" Emrys looked at him with a speechless expression, "Are you sure if I told them, the Arbites would believe me? They wouldn't just shoot me dead?"
Jackal was speechless, as if a stone had been stuffed into his throat, unable to speak for a long time.
He knew the nature of the Enforcers of the Hive all too well. A scavenger from the lower hive claiming there was a cult would most likely be directly shot by the Arbites, with the reason being: What the hell does a scavenger know!
"No wonder you're so cautious."
Jackal, understanding the whole story, re-examined Emrys: "I didn't realize you were so careful, kid. You didn't want to tell me earlier, probably because you were afraid I was involved with the cult, right?"
"I hope you can understand, Sir Jackal."
Emrys didn't think he had done anything wrong. Without definite intelligence, it would only lead to disaster.
"No, what I mean is, you did very well."
Jackal frowned deeply. After learning that the anomaly in the lower hive originated from the Khorne cult, he could understand Emrys' concerns.
"Sir Jackal, since you are a retired Astra Militarum soldier, you should be able to contact the upper hive nobles and the Planetary Defense Forces, right?" Emrys had been on tenterhooks, but now he could finally relax a bit: "As long as the cult's activities are reported, with their current scale, they will soon be wiped out."
"You're thinking too simply, kid."
However, after hearing Emrys' suggestion, Jackal still looked troubled and directly posed several questions: "First, can you confirm that the cult's scale is limited solely to the lower hive?
Secondly, how do you know that there are no cult forces in the middle-hive or upper hive?
Finally, what is the psyker's level in the cult?"
These three questions left Emrys speechless, unsure how to answer.
"No cult force should be underestimated."
Jackal looked at him deeply and slowly said, "What we see is only what has surfaced. What if we stir up trouble and make them desperate?"
"But even if they become desperate, with the power of the PDF, it shouldn't be difficult to wipe them out, right?" Emrys said with some uncertainty.
In fact, he himself wasn't sure how capable the PDF really were.
Some Planetary Defense Forces were Astra Militarum recruitment groups, so their combat effectiveness goes without saying, but some... were deplorable. One could say their standards were uneven!
"Kid, some things aren't that simple."
Jackal shook his head, looked up at the sky, and said something profound: "At least from my current deductions, the cult forces infiltrated the upper hive aristocratic circles a long time ago."
"How do you know?" Emrys asked.
"Nonsense, I was thrown into the lower hive because I killed a noble back then." At this point, Jackal, in his haste, finally revealed the reason.
Killed a noble?
What an unfamiliar term!
Emrys' eyelids twitched wildly, and he inwardly exclaimed, 'Holy crap.'
He committed such a serious crime and didn't die, but was thrown into the lower hive. Just how powerful was Jackal's background?
"Come with me to see someone."
Jackal grabbed Emrys without explanation and left.
The two turned seven or eight streets in the middle-hive and then directly arrived in front of a rather simple house.
Without a word, Jackal kicked down the already rickety door, then dragged the dumbfounded Emrys inside without explanation.
"Wait, wait, Sir Jackal!"
Emrys stared at the gear decoration on the wall, symbolizing fabrication, and was completely stunned.
This place was a Mechanicum temple, the territory of those Oil Goblins!
Kicking the door open so directly, would he really not be converted into a Servo Skull?
But clearly, Jackal didn't care about that at all. His unique loud voice echoed directly through the Mechanicum temple: "Hey, Gear Boy, get out here!"
A moment later, Jackal almost instinctively pulled Emrys down into a crouch.
Then a bolt round grazed their scalps, directly blasting a huge crater in the simple wall.
Rubble and dust flew, a strong smell of gunpowder spread, and Emrys' brain froze for half a second.
"Jackal, you bastard again!"
The person who rushed out from the side door of the temple was wearing the standard rusty red robes of the Mechanicus, with a modified mechanical arm on his back.
And in his hand, he was clearly holding a visibly modified bolter, roaring with a furious expression: "By the Omnissiah above, I'll purify you, you scoundrel, for the God-Emperor today!"
Jackal picked his earwax, looking completely unconcerned, and said casually, "Calm down, Gear Boy, I'm here to see you about something important."
That tech-priest was clearly very angry, holding the bolter and gritting his teeth as he said, "I swear by the Omnissiah, if you call me Gear Boy again, I'll send you to meet the God-Emperor!"
Click!
The crisp sound of a weapon being cocked echoed in the simple temple.
Looking at the bullet holes all over the wall, and this simple Mechanicum temple, Emrys suddenly understood the reason.
Are the Oil Goblins this aggressive now?!