With a pack of lho-sticks, Zhou Yun managed to squeeze into the tiny hovel of a hive worker.
The place was built by the worker himself in the gap between two buildings, so narrow that it was barely two men wide.
After showing Zhou Yun to the sleeping space, the hive worker left to crash at a friend's for the night.
Zhou Yun climbed a ladder in the center of the shack up to the little bed on the second floor.
Before entering Sector Eight, he still needed to prepare.
From his dimensional pouch, he took out his two trusty tools:
The naniwa (anywhere ring), which let him pass through walls and explore sealed areas, and the kuuki juu no kusuri (air gun potion), which let him fire invisible shockwaves from his fingertips.
For a long time, Zhou Yun had depended on these two tools to survive in the underhive.
But running into Genestealers during his last expedition had awakened his vigilance.
Time to add a few more tricks.
He opened the Future Department Store through his pouch and browsed a few affordable, practical tools:
[Item Name: chōnōryoku bōshi (psychic power hat)]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 261.M3]
[Function: A hat with a hand on top, granting x-ray vision, telekinesis, and teleportation. Not easy to master and highly draining.]
[Price: 130,000]
[Item Name: karada nendo (body clay)]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 255.M3]
[Function: Clay that molds into any shape and offers some protection. Applied to the body, it can disguise appearance and physique.]
[Price: 60,000]
[Item Name: meitō Denkōmaru (famed sword Electromaru)]
[Origin: 22nd Century Earth — Future Department Store]
[Production Date: 255.M3]
[Function: A katana that theoretically blocks all sword techniques, making its wielder unbeatable in sword duels. However, it does negligible damage and has limited charge.]
Staring at the three, Zhou Yun pondered.
The meitō Denkōmaru clearly had the highest ceiling—as long as it was charged, it granted top-tier sword skill. Even against Lucius the Eternal himself, Zhou Yun could hold his own for a few moves.
But in terms of immediate practicality, it couldn't beat the chōnōryoku bōshi.
That hat gave him x-ray vision, teleportation, and telekinesis—a psychic-like power set that could even grow stronger with training.
The karada nendo, meanwhile, offered disguise and modest defense—perfect for hiding his identity from cultists, gangs, or mutants.
Zhou Yun sighed. As tempting as Denkōmaru was, its charge issues and lack of killing power made it too unreliable.
Better stick with the hat and clay.
[Your order for chōnōryoku bōshi and karada nendo has shipped.]
[Your order for chōnōryoku bōshi and karada nendo has arrived. Please confirm receipt.]
Staring at his now nearly-empty account, Zhou Yun's eye twitched.
Guess he'd have to count on Sector Eight to pay off.
From the pouch, he pulled out his two new tools.
The karada nendo came in a 1.5-meter-wide canister of gray-green clay. The chōnōryoku bōshi was a hat with a white right hand on top.
He smeared some clay onto his skin.
Instantly, the gray-green shifted to match his flesh tone, blending into his body like a tumor.
Covering himself completely, he began sculpting the clay into muscle.
Soon, Zhou Yun's once-average frame had transformed into a towering, two-meter-tall hulk.
If he donned power armor, he might even pass for one of the Emperor's muscle-bound Angels of Death.
But a few swings of his arms proved that the muscle was all show, no strength.
"You're too old to become an Astartes," the winged figure in the white light remarked.
Zhou Yun nodded in agreement.
Most chapters implanted gene-seed between ages 10–14, with 16 being the absolute cutoff. Past 18, the mortality rate skyrocketed.
Even Kor Phaeron, foster father of Word Bearers' Primarch Lorgar, only barely matched a normal Space Marine thanks to flawed bionics and drugs.
And history proved making him a Space Marine was a mistake.
Zhou Yun shook his head, shed some of the clay to return to a normal size.
Then he molded it over his face, shaping it into a new visage.
Dark golden hair, thick beard, a face like a lion—majestic and deep as though forged in the blackest forest.
"?"
A giant golden question mark popped up over the winged figure's head.
"Lion?!" the figure's voice went sharp. "You made yourself look like the Lion?!"
"What, you get to be the Archangel, and I can't be the Lion King?"
Zhou Yun stroked his newly molded Lion El'Jonson face, nodding in satisfaction.
He flexed his larger fists and muttered: "Majestic Lion Flying Head Fist!" "The First Legion has no secrets!" "I should have been the Warmaster!" "Even Russ!"
The winged figure was silent for a long time. Finally he murmured:
"I'm seriously considering reporting you to the Dark Angels."
"…Maybe the Space Wolves too."
(End of Chapter)
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