"Those of you who didn't grow up in the Underhive can never truly understand these things."
Yuki was somewhat puzzled. "What is so hard to understand?"
"Well, for example, suppose you met three residents on the road and they bumped into you. What would you do?"
"Kill them all?"
"You should eat them."
Yuki froze for a moment. What? Why must I eat them?
"If you want to be different from the common rabble in the Underhive, you must establish authority through acts of extreme cruelty," Ade said with total seriousness. "Simply killing someone is something anyone can do.
"To the Mid-Hives and Upper Hives, the Underhive is fuel. Look at the decorations in those cathedrals; most of them are made from the people down here. Every day, a massive amount of 'items' are purchased, and the best-selling products sent upstairs are human-derived.
"Such industries are the pillars that support the Underhive. I don't know if the Underhives of other worlds are like this, but ours is. If we relied solely on the Underhive's own production capacity to feed ourselves, at least half the population here would starve to death."
Ade took a cigarette from one of his subordinates; its shape was remarkably similar to the cigarettes Yuki remembered.
"And every day, we have to find people who can satisfy the requirements of the Upper Hive nobles. From what I know, the hundreds of thousands of gangs across the Underhive take people up there almost every single day."
"What?" Yuki did a quick calculation. At that rate, wouldn't they be consuming tens of millions of people every year?
"The birth rate in the Underhive is also beyond your imagination. I have dozens of children myself, though very few people around here die of old age."
Seeing that Yuki truly didn't understand the survival laws of Underhive gangs, Ade offered a friendly reminder: "Do you think we only need martial strength to intimidate the peasants? Anyone can do that. What truly matters is bribing the people above—the Arbites, the Administratum, the planetary nobles, and even the Ecclesiarchy. Without connections, you'd be better off finding a reliable patron."
Is this guy's brain really that sharp?
Yuki looked at Ade. The man was hulking and looked rather dim-witted—a literal lightweight Ogryn—but his recent words were far more logical than those of the previous boss.
"Ade, then what is your suggestion for me?"
"Come to our side. Raziel has his own network of contacts."
"I'll consider it."
Yuki, of course, had no intention of doing so, but what Ade said was indeed a valid concern. Ade didn't press further and politely saw him out.
On the way back, Yuki pondered Ade's words. He was starting to understand these rules; perhaps after the psychic link with Yuno, he had inevitably been influenced. However, cannibalism was still too horrific for him. Eating corpse-starch was already his limit; he truly couldn't bring himself to commit more depraved acts.
As he walked, he unknowingly drifted out of Raziel's sphere of influence. By the time he realized it, the number of people hiding in the surrounding alleys had exceeded three digits. They were paupers, serving as temporary enforcers for the local gangs.
Different gangs had different attitudes toward outsiders. Raziel was relatively friendly; at worst, an intruder would be beaten and thrown out. But the current group seemed different. Yuki noticed their eyes were entirely different—not like humans at all, but like wild beasts.
And when facing beasts, one can only become a beast themselves.
"Begone!"
He released a faint pulse of psychic energy. It was a natural ability he had acquired; along with physical enhancements, he had gained a talent for the Warp. It was entirely different from what he had known before; he didn't know why he could use it or how to control it—he was simply a predator utilizing its instincts.
The psychic intimidation scared off the paupers, and Yuki decided to change direction. To manufacture resources using corpses, he would inevitably need a stable residential area to absorb the casualties generated daily. But this would surely lead to conflict with other gangs, and he couldn't control such a large territory alone.
Yuno...
To be honest, Yuki didn't particularly want her handling management. Although she had learned the knowledge of a normal human, she was still the Great Devourer at her core. Her attitude toward him and other humans was worlds apart. She truly saw people as nothing more than nutrient fodder.
I need to find more hands.
While thinking, Yuki noticed a commotion ahead. It seemed to be a common Underhive brawl. As he approached, he saw a dozen people ganging up on one person—no, wait, was it two? Do conjoined twins count as one or two?
The one who appeared to be the primary body was nearly two meters tall, with an exceptionally powerful build and disheveled hair. Growing from her back was half a person—a torso nearly half a meter long, whose weight forced the primary body into a hunched posture.
"How dare you come to our turf? Die, you piece of filth!"
"Look at that thing! She must be tainted by Chaos! Burn her!"
Driven by curiosity, Yuki moved closer to observe. Unexpectedly, the thugs attacking the twins noticed him and shouted, "Who are you? An accomplice of that freak?"
"I am..."
Before Yuki could finish, the mob swung their clubs at him.
Are these people insane?
His originally decent mood was instantly ruined. Yuki grabbed one man's head and crushed it with raw force. This set off a chain reaction; the gang members who were attacking the twins all switched targets and surged toward Yuki.
Enraged, Yuki's fingers transformed into sharp blades, skewering the two leaders instantly. Sometimes things happened inexplicably, but could one really blame these people? Their environment and life experiences had preordained their fates. Yuki didn't hesitate to kill them all, giving them no chance for regret.
"Sometimes in the Underhive, such a swift and convenient death is a form of mercy. Don't you agree?"
Only the twins and Yuki remained. The conjoined twins looked at him warily. They both faced the same direction, looking as if one person was carrying another on their back.
"Alright, can you speak properly now?"
There was no answer, but the fact that they didn't attack immediately was a sign of sense. Yuki scrutinized her body—powerful and robust. She might make a very useful enforcer.
"What is your name? I'm short-handed and could use some help. You can give it a try."
"Ilia. And this is my brother, Ilya."
Whoa, so the one on the back is a boy. Fascinating.
Yuki nodded and said, "Then come with me."
"Sir, I advise you not to associate with us. It brings misfortune."
"Let's go."
Yuki didn't care at all. With Yuno backing him up, how much more "misfortune" could there be?