The misfortunes of Underhive residents are varied and strange, yet their living environments are remarkably similar.
Coffin-houses packed as tightly as honeycomb cells, connected by a few narrow, claustrophobic corridors, formed the most densely populated and agonizing slums imaginable. To be classified as a "pauper" even within the context of the Underhive meant living in conditions that exceeded the imaginative limits of Yuki, who had grown up in a modern society.
According to Ade's intelligence, this particular slum covered less than ten square kilometers but housed nearly fifty thousand people. At its center stood a surprisingly luxurious clubhouse—the headquarters of the Ray Gang. The gang boasted tens of thousands of subordinates, controlling several blocks, and the most brutal, heartless thugs lived right here within these slums.
Before Yuki officially set out, Ade had offered a specific warning: "The Ray Gang loves using paupers as cover. The entire slum is their granary, their shield, their commodity, and their blade. Even we don't dare enter lightly. You must be careful."
To be honest, just standing at the entrance and looking at the maze-like residential area gave Yuki a headache. Furthermore, he could feel eyes watching him from the shadows.
He stepped inside. The conditions here were even worse than outside. Half-naked people were the norm, and almost no one possessed a complete set of healthy limbs. However, to Yuki's surprise, there were actually some service shops here. Out of curiosity, he walked into a barber shop.
Inside was a pale-faced barber. When he saw Yuki enter, his face was masked in pure terror.
"How... how can I help you?"
"Just a haircut."
"Please, please sit."
Yuki sat down. The process was quite similar to what he remembered from modern society, though the texture of the cloth the barber used to catch the trimmings was odd.
"This feels like leather. What kind of hide is it?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Yuki regretted it. Having played Warhammer for so long, did he really need to ask what kind of "leather" was used in this universe? The barber's answer was exactly as expected.
The haircut began. Though the barber was frail, his movements were steady. Yuki closed his eyes—not out of relaxation, but as a state of deep, heightened vigilance. Over the past few days, he had been familiarizing himself with the use of psychic powers. It had to be said, psychic energy was an incredibly convenient tool.
More than twenty people had already gathered outside. Some were armed; others were just bold onlookers looking for a spectacle.
"Your hands are shaking. Won't you cut me like that?"
"Sor... sorry."
"I have a question," Yuki said. "Are there any skilled technicians in this slum? Or perhaps someone who is highly respected?"
"That..."
The people outside entered. Yuki didn't look at them directly, but the barber's movements stopped. He retreated timidly as the lead gang member stepped forward, grinning and patting the barber's rear with an uncomfortably familiar attitude.
"This little guy looks quite pretty, doesn't he?"
Yuki observed them through the mirror in front of him. He didn't turn around. He simply asked, "Are you all ready to die now?"
The paupers watching from outside were exceptionally bold. In the Underhive, such fights often escalated under the stimulus of blood. For these ordinary people, this was one of the few ways to change their future; if they could kill a gang member and survive the retaliation, they would prove themselves worthy of joining the Ray Gang. Others simply wanted to make their faces known to the gang members, hoping it might prove useful in a moment of crisis.
In the Underhive, gang status was just that high.
But this time, they were about to witness the impossible.
The barber fled. Moments later, various mangled human limbs were hurled out of the shop. Then, blood began to slick down the steps as Yuki stepped out, one slow pace at a time.
"This isn't bad. I was just wondering how I should go about taking over such a large territory," he told the crowd.
"Go and tell everyone: Yuki is here. Yuki is taking over these districts because he upholds the Emperor's will and intends to bring a better life to the people of the Underhive."
Yuki stood amidst the pool of blood, looking down from his vantage point. More members of the Ray Gang were rushing toward the scene. Even the most frenzied residents, those most desperate for change, knew things were turning south. Someone was about to upend the entire Ray Gang.
Within a few hours, the entire slum was in an uproar. Gang members took up arms, and countless residents fled their homes, hoping not to be caught in the crossfire.
"War"—that was the word on everyone's lips. Yet, almost no one knew that the opponent the Ray Gang faced was, from start to finish, just one man.
Some of those fleeing saw two figures on the road out of the slums. One was an incredibly beautiful young girl holding a parasol, yet no one dared to harbor any impure thoughts toward her.
"Um... will the Boss be okay?"
Yuno turned her head. She could perceive that Ilia had spoken, but as for the content, she didn't understand it at all. Ilia finally seemed to realize that communication with Yuno was impossible and fell silent.
Yuno looked over the slums. There were quite a lot of people, and their survival wouldn't necessarily benefit Yuki. After using the biomass she had obtained earlier to repair her physical form, she was now capable of doing a bit more.
Invisible psychic spears accurately struck many of those attempting to flee. These people, possessing zero psychic resistance, were killed instantly.
Standing beside Yuno, the twins were nearly scared out of their wits. Is Yuno a legendary psyker?
They both understood immediately what this implied. Having wandered the Underhive for survival, the twins knew more than the average person. Most psykers who appeared in the Underhive were "unsanctioned," and if discovered, the Adeptus Arbites would be the absolute minimum force sent to deal with them. As for higher authorities... they only knew of the Emperor's Angels, but if the Angels came... they couldn't even imagine it.
While the two were brainstorming, Yuno noticed something strange.
"Hmm?"
Yuno was surprised. There was someone else slaughtering these humans, just like her. That individual was at one of the slum exits, frenziedly butchering the fleeing paupers.
Yuno extended her psychic filaments toward the location. It was... someone in a bodysuit? She held a sharp blade, dancing through the crowd with a rhythmic grace as flesh and blood flew from her edge.
Had it been before she accessed the planetary data-net, Yuno might have needed time to figure out what this was. But now, she recognized it instantly: a Death Cult Assassin.
Why was there a Death Cult Assassin on this planet? She looked professionally trained. Was there a dedicated Death Cult temple in this place?
Yuno prepared to strike, but the assassin had already moved deep into the slums. She had agreed with Yuki: he would handle the inside, and she would handle the outside. Besides, given Yuki's current strength, a mere Death Cult Assassin was nothing to worry about.