Chapter 68: Cooperation with the Death Cult

Chapter 68: Cooperation with the Death Cult

Not far from the entrance to the hive bottom, several Death Cultists appeared from nowhere, silently watching Lucan from a distance.

The surrounding soldiers noticed these individuals and immediately surrounded them.

"Drop your weapons!"

But with the Raiders' guns pointed at them, they remained completely unmoved, their hands still tightly gripping sharp daggers.

Just as the Raiders were about to eliminate these uninvited guests, they were stopped by Lucan.

As Lucan strode towards them, the Death Cultists actually bowed their heads to him in a sign of respect.

"Rogue Trader, the High Priest wishes to see you."

"The High Priest… this is the second time I've heard this name. What business could he possibly have with me?"

"The High Priest says he can help you. We saw your soldiers entering the hive bottom so casually; that is nothing but a suicide mission."

Hearing this, Lucan knew that his earlier refusal of their invitation had apparently made the High Priest impatient.

"Then have your High Priest come to see me."

"The High Priest cannot leave the Sanctum. Please come with us alone. We will take you into the Sanctum."

As soon as these Death Cult assassins finished speaking, Verre, who was providing close protection for Lucan, immediately interjected: "My Lord, going alone to some damn Sanctum is too dangerous! Even without them, we can still take the hive bottom! War is never without casualties!"

Yes, how could Lucan not know this? But there was a difference between 1,000 dead and 100,000 dead. With Agathos's population already sharply reduced, if too many died in the hive bottom, his subsequent expansion plans would be affected.

"It's fine, Verre. I'll be alright. You, lead me to see this High Priest of yours," Lucan said to the assassins.

But even so, Verre was still worried. He was about to try and persuade Lucan further but was stopped by Lucan.

It might seem that Lucan was alone, but one shouldn't forget that not only was Lucan individually formidable, but if he wished, he could at any time expend Psy-crystals to warp in a large number of StarCraft soldiers. The end of the underhive war had brought Lucan's Psy-crystal count back up to 200,000. If he were to warp in only Marines, he could instantly raise an army of over ten thousand fully armed troops.

He didn't believe this group of Death Cult assassins had the ability to kill him while he was protected by thousands of fully armed Marines.

He wasn't warping them in now only because these Psy-crystals could be put to greater use; 500 Psy-crystals could build a Barracks that continuously produced combat suits, whereas a direct warp-in would only yield five Marines.

Watching Lucan follow these few Death Cultists towards the sewage district, Verre also began to gather troops and move them closer to that area. If anything went wrong, the fully prepared army would launch an immediate attack.

As soon as he entered the area owned by the Death Cult, Lucan felt a strange deathly silence.

Bodies continuously floated by in the sewage district's drainage canals. As they went deeper, corpses hanging from various structures began to appear before them. The skin of these corpses was exceptionally pale, and there were clear slash marks on the major arteries of their wrists and legs.

The large patches of long-congealed blood on the ground indicated they had been bled to death while still alive.

"They were all traitors to the God-Emperor. They consorted with heretics or unwittingly aided them. But regardless of the reason, such behavior is intolerable. They must atone for their sins with their lives."

Seeing Lucan's questioning look, the cultist leading the way explained.

Passing through one hidden alley and pipe after another, and through countless secret doors, Lucan finally entered the so-called Sanctum of this group of Death Cultists.

Looking at the scene before him, Lucan truly couldn't believe this was in the sewage district. Not only were these individuals well-hidden, but the level of cleanliness and luxury here almost rivaled his own palace.

Many people lived here, but they were all dressed in the black clothing that signified their identity as members of the Death Cult.

A rough glance suggested a population of at least two to three thousand lived here, all believers in the Death Cult's doctrine. The number was much smaller than Lucan had imagined.

In the open spaces and squares, cultists were undergoing almost cruel training under the guidance of higher-ranking Death Cult assassins. The air was constantly filled with the smell of blood.

And the source of this bloody smell was the massive statue of the God-Emperor in the very center of this Sanctum. The God-Emperor held a blade, but unlike the great statue in the Spire District, which was lifelike, the Holy Emperor's statue here was a giant skeleton clad in a white robe.

The Death Cult believed the God-Emperor was the Undying God, and even His holy icon was exceptionally special. At the foot of the icon was a giant blood pool. The flowing blood was composed of the blood of the unclean and heretics; they were the Death Cult's best offerings to the God-Emperor.

Lucan even personally saw a struggling Genestealer cultist with a purple head being dragged to the edge of the blood pool.

A cultist slit the Genestealer's throat, allowing its blood to slowly flow into the pool.

Walking all the way to the front of the icon, an old man sitting in a chair caught Lucan's attention. His eyes were covered by a black cloth.

His feet and one of his arms were gone. No wonder these Death Cultists said he couldn't leave the Sanctum; he was a cripple.

Looking at the old man before him, Lucan did not feel his ability to devour Warp corruption begin to activate. This at least indicated that these Death Cultists had not yet fallen to darkness, which made Lucan breathe a sigh of relief.

"High Priest! The Rogue Trader has arrived!"

Although the man's eyes were covered with a black cloth, Lucan could feel that he was watching him in some way.

"You are the High Priest? I hear you were looking for me? I am the current Rogue Trader, Lucan Mongorte."

"Lord Lucan, on behalf of the Agathos Death Cult, I welcome your arrival."

"You still haven't told me your name."

"My name? Since becoming the High Priest of the Death Cult, I have already shed everything from my past, including my name. I have dedicated my all to the Undying Emperor."

"So what do you mean when you say you can help me?"

"You must have already discovered those terrifying xenos residing in the underhive, haven't you?"

"Of course. High Priest, stop beating around the bush. The one thing I hate most in my life is a riddler."

"I wish to discuss cooperation with you. We know of secret passages into the hive bottom, paths unknown even to those xenos. And my assassins will find the location of the xenos leader for you! All the assassins of the Death Cult will join you in eradicating this cancer residing on Agathos.

And the reward we seek is for you to continue to allow us to live in the underhive, to spread our doctrine here. And we will become a sharp blade in your hand, helping you clear out some of those who blaspheme the Undying Emperor in the underhive."

"Eliminate those xenos? You have no idea of the terror of those xenos. Even I would have to pay an immense sacrifice to have a chance of completely resolving the problem in the hive bottom. On what basis can you do it? On the basis of your flesh and blood? With just this handful of people here? I know your assassination skills are superb, and I acknowledge your combat prowess.

But the hive bottom is already their domain. Every single life in the hive bottom is an enemy. How do you plan to bypass millions of enemies to kill that monster?!"

(End of Chapter)